Saved, Shaped, and Sent

Framework Scripture:  Ephesians 2:8-10. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Introduction: Have you ever received a gift so valuable, you could not possibly repay it?Imagine someone paying off your lifelong debt—not because you earned it, but because they loved you. That’s exactly what God did for us in salvation. He paid a price we could never afford.

Many people misunderstand Christianity. Some think, “If I do enough good deeds, I’ll earn my way to heaven.” Others think, “I’m saved now, so I can just sit and wait for glory.” Both are wrong.

Ephesians 2:8-10 gives us a balanced view of salvation and service. It teaches us:

• We are saved by Grace.
• We are shaped for God’s Glory.
• And we are sent to Do Good Works.

Let us look at these three truths and how they impact our lives.

Saved by Grace (v.8-9): “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 Salvation is a gift, not a reward. Grace is God’s unmerited favor—giving us what we do not deserve. We are saved through faith —as God’s Spirit works in our hearts. If salvation were by works, then heaven would be full of bragging. But the Bible says, “lest any man should boast.” God gets all the glory for saving sinners.

In fact, if any person gets a swollen ego because they think that they are so holy, self-righteous, and pious, like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, they are sinning and placing themselves above God. Not a good position to be in, for they are, in fact, lost. As I have said many times before, as believers, we are just poor old sinners saved by the amazing grace of God! And that is the only difference between us and the unbelievers. But it is a critical and eternally vital difference!

Additional scripture to this point:

Titus 3:5 – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.”

Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Imagine a man drowning in the ocean. He cannot swim to safety; he cannot save himself by trying harder. What he needs is a rescuer. That’s what Jesus did for us on the cross—He reached down when we were helpless and pulled us out of sin and death. Amen.

Shaped for God’s Glory (v.10a): “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus…”

          The Greek word translated as handiwork (poiema) means a masterpiece or work of art. You are God’s masterpiece—not an accident, but part of His divine design. God don’t make no junk! This is also true of the unborn! When God saves you, He also shapes you. He transforms your life so you can reflect His glory. He molds your character, your desires, and your purpose through the Holy Spirit.

Additional scripture to this point:

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Forget your past and don’t let it drag you away from what God is doing to shape you as His handiwork. A believer should concentrate on the present and hopefully look forward to the future. So, what are you doing right now for the Kingdom of God?

Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

We are confident that we are a work in progress, and God, through the Holy Spirit, will be working on us until the second coming of Christ, when we will become perfect and righteous. Think of a potter shaping clay. A lump of clay has no beauty by itself, but in the potter’s skilled hands, it becomes a vessel of honor. So, it is with us. God is shaping your life into something beautiful for His glory. A beautiful masterpiece which reflects the Great Potter’s glory, power, and skill to make all things beautiful and holy. Amen.

 Sent to Do Good Works (v.10b):  “…to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works. This means that as we live for Christ in the present, we are on the lookout for opportunities to do good works. This has been an integral part of the Christ Life from the very start. And down through the centuries, an unknowable amount of good works have been performed by the disciples of Christ and will continue until the Master returns. God has preordained (prepared us in advance) a path of service for every believer. Your life has a mission. God doesn’t just save you and set you aside—He saves you to serve.

Additional scripture to this point:

Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

We must not boast about our good works and feel that we are better than others. We serve humbly and with compassion, and to bring glory to God, not ourselves. We are to be a light of hope in a world awash in darkness and sin.

James 2:17 declares – “Even so faith, if it does not have works, is dead, being alone.”

There is a strong and positive connection between faith and works.Faith brings about a compulsion to show compassion and to help those in desperate need, as Christ helped us when we were in desperate need of salvation, rescue, and restoration.

          Imagine a tool in a toolbox. A tool is designed not just to exist but to be used. In the same way, Christians are saved and then sent into the world to love, serve, and share the gospel. Our sacred mission then is to make disciples of all nations by sharing the Good News, shepherding, and teaching believers into mature disciples, and to do good works to bring glory to God and His Kingdom and to demonstrate the compassion of Christ. Amen.

Conclusion: So, what is the message of Ephesians 2:8-10?You are SAVED by grace—you cannot earn it.You are SHAPED by God—He is making you His masterpiece.You are SENT to serve—your life has a mission.

Let me close with this question: Are you living the life God saved you for? Don’t just sit on the gift of salvation—walk in the works God has prepared for you.

So, in summary, we are:

1. Saved by Grace – The Miracle of Salvation

2. Shaped for God’s Glory – The Masterpiece of Transformation

3. Sent to Do Good Works – The Mission of Service

Prayer: Dear Lord, please empower us to be able to fulfill Your desires for us. May we always remember that we are saved by grace, so we may be shaped and transformed into people who will serve Your kingdom by sharing the Gospel, making disciples, and doing good works of love. Amen

Sermon given on Sunday, October 5, 2025, by Pastor Tom Gee

Elohim YHWH

Framework Scripture:  For the LORD, your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. (Deuteronomy 10:17).

Introduction: I want to ask you a question before we start. What is the purpose of life for a Christian? How would you answer that simple question? What is our purpose? A simple answer would be to know God and make Him known. Simple, isn’t it, but to know God, we must first develop a relationship with God, to get to know Him, and then share that knowledge with others to make Him known to them.

This leads to another question – How can we, as mortals, hope to get to know God, that infinite, amorphous being who can’t be described with any known words? How can we possibly know about Him? We can’t even see Him with our eyes.

But we can know Him because He has revealed Himself to us through His word. Aspects of His character and His dealings with people are recorded for all to read. Included in this record are many divinely appointed names that describe God and His character. In fact, the Hebrews had at least 100 names for God. You see, names in ancient times were things of great significance and meaning.

It’s like the newspaper ad which read “Lost – One Dog. Brown hair with several bald spots. The right leg broken due to a car accident. The rear left hip hurt. Right eye missing. The left ear was bitten off in a dog fight. Answers to the name ‘Lucky’”

Names were given to express something about a person’s character. In the Bible, people were named after:

• Occasions – Cain was named because God fulfilled His promise, and Eve “gained possession” of a child.

• Events – Babel was so named because it sounded like the Hebrew for “confused”

• Circumstances – Isaac means “laughter” and was named so because his parents laughed when told that they would have a son born. Samuel means “heard by God” as a sign that God heard his mother’s prayer.

• Personal Transformations – Abram became Abraham (the father of many nations), Saul to Paul (the humble one).

• Their mission – Isaiah’s name means “The Lord saves,” which was representative of his ministry message to Judah.

Right through scripture, we see names telling us important things about people and even God. God’s many names are an important source of knowledge of who God is, and today we will examine Elohim and YHWH, which are names of God.

The Creator : Genesis 1:1 says, In the beginning God (Elohim) created…

Who created the world? – Elohim (God). This is the first time we see God mentioned in the Bible – the first verse, and it is the very first name used for God. Elohim is found over 2000 times throughout the Bible. It is found 32 times alone in the first chapter of Genesis. It is the general term used for God and has some very specific meanings.

Before we look further at what this name means, let’s look at what we can learn about God from the creation account, which gives us insight into the name Elohim.

We see here God as the creator of all things – the powerful one who is able to speak a word and bring stars into space, planets into being, living animals, and man to life. We see a God who is awesome and creative, who existed before all else and is more powerful than all His creations – we see Him as Elohim, the creator God.

So, scripture teaches us that God is the creator of all things, who simply speaks and makes things out of nothing. God does not need existing materials to make something like we must have. He says it, and it happens! That’s amazing power. He is the original creator of all things. An aspect that He is THE Creator.

So, now let’s look at 2 additional aspects of the name Elohim.

A God who is mighty:  Elohim is an interesting word. Its roots are somewhat uncertain. Most scholars believe it comes from the root “el,” which means “to be strong” or “to be pre-eminent.”  It was a term which referred to the power and greatness of its subject, but in Scripture, it is overwhelmingly used of God, the all-powerful and omnipotent God, and the God above all others. There are none close to Him in power.

It is important to note that another name for God, YHWH, is often used in conjunction with Elohim.

YHWH, known as the tetragrammaton having 4 Hebrew letters, is God’s name for Himself and means “I Am who I am.”  He is the self-existent one, and there is no other like Him. This is the name God gave Moses when Moses asked, “Who shall I say sent me?” God answered YHWH, “I am who I am.”  YHWH is often simply translated as LORD.

In addition, El is also used with Elohim. El is another name often given to God and often relates to the God of Power. As I previously read, Deuteronomy 10:17 declares:

For the LORD, your God, is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Putting YHWH and Elohim and El in this verse, it reads:  For the YHWH (Lord), your Elohim (God) is Elohim (God) of Elohim (Gods) and YHWH (Lord) of YHWH (Lords), the great El (God), mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. Did you follow that?

El and Elohim are used interchangeably when talking about the powerful and mighty God, the Great God, the one in control of all things.

How do we know that God is mighty? Well, we only need to look at the first verse in the Bible. “In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth.” It was God, Elohim, who brought you and all things into being. He maintains the universe.

A little boy once prayed, “Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mommy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and me. Oh, and please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to You, we’re gonna be in a big mess.”

You see, His might brings stability, order from chaos, and a steadfastness that gives us daily assurance of His love, forgiveness, and presence in our lives.

Elohim tells us that God created all things and sustains all things. He was the one who gave you life, and for what purpose? None other than for you to get to know Him. You are precious in His sight, and although He is awesome and mighty, He wants a relationship with you. Does that blow your mind? It should. You are a unique creation of God – one of a kind. You are special – special to the mighty God who created you. God don’t make no junk; you can be sure of that. So, if you are struggling with your self-worth, just remember how much you are valued and loved by Elohim.

Here is an interesting fact about the name YHWH. When the Jewish scholars translated the Book of Moses into Greek (known as the Septuagint), the Greek word they used for YHWH was Kyrios, which is translated as “Lord.”  Luke 2:11 says, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord (Kyrios,YHWH).”  So here we see the name being applied to the Christ Child. He is, in fact, the Lord God. He is YHWH!The very God of the universe has entered into our world as a human baby!

Three Gods in One:  Another interesting thing about the name Elohim is that in Hebrew, it is actually plural. The “im” ending of Elohim is a plural ending of masculine nouns in Hebrew. For instance, the plural for cherub is cherubim. The plural for seraph is seraphim. So, when we say God created the world, what is actually meant is that Gods, plural and more than one, created the world.

Furthermore, although Elohim is plural, it is often treated as a singular noun. In Gen 1:26&27, we therefore have:

Then God (Elohim plural) said (Elohim singular), “Let us (plural) make man in our image (plural), in our likeness (plural), and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So, God (Elohim plural) created man in His (singular) own image.

Here we have a plural God acting as one. Referring to Himself as multiple yet having a single image. Quite amazing, really, and hard to comprehend.

Some say that the plural is just a plural of majesty. A queen, for example, would say of herself, “We are well,” meaning she alone is well. The plural is used as a sign of her majesty and importance. She is of far more importance than could ever conceivably be fit into a single person. So, she uses the plural.

But in this plural, there is so much more. Why would God be described by a term that is plural? Does this mean there is more than one God?

No .  Deuteronomy 6:4 says quite clearly – Hear, O Israel: The LORD (YHWH) our God (Elohim), the LORD (YWHW) is one.

There is one God, yet He is somehow plural. This fact supports the idea of the trinity – the fact that there are three persons, but one essence shared by all. The Hebrew writers were entirely right in saying that they had Gods, but only one God. It is a difficult concept for us to grapple with and one that people right down through the ages have struggled with. How can 3 = 1? The Father is not the same person as the Son or the Holy Spirit. They are 3 distinct and separate entities, but they are all God and there is only 1 God, 3 distinct persons, but one essence, making up God. The God Head.

Conclusion: Is this how you view God? Do you want to give Him all that He is due? He created the universe, and we are here because He wills it. We need to live our life in such a way to accomplish His will – to reflect Him, to show the world the very character of God – His power, His glory, His love, His peace, His mercy, His gentleness. To miss this is to miss fulfillment. Not to do this is to have just existed instead of really living for God.

What is your response to God as creator? Does knowing Him as Elohim, the great and mighty God, and YHWH, Lord of all, change how you look at Him? If so, the response He deserves is praise and worship and not just on Sundays, but throughout every day of our lives.

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, help us to better understand Your true nature and essence. We hail You as the mighty Creator of the Universe and our true Lord. May we be deeply touched by these truths so we may better attest to others about our faith in You and why we place our trust in You alone. We know that you, our God, and Lord, are one! Amen

Sermon given on Sunday, September 21, 2025 by Pastor Gee

Be Onesimus

Framework Scripture:  It is none other than I, Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus, that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly, he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, who is my very heart, back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping while I am in chains for the gospel. ( Philemon 9 b–13.)

Introduction:  Be Onesimus. Be what? From the scripture I read, you now know that Onesimus was a person. In fact, he was a runaway slave who stole items from his master, Philemon, on his way out the door and fled to Rome to get lost in the crowd. Philemon was a prominent Christian leader in the city of Colossae. While in Rome, Onesimus, encountered the Apostle Paul, and in the providence of God, he accepted Christ as his savior.

          Under the tutelage of Paul, Onesimus, grew in his faith and ministered to Paul in his imprisonment. This once wayward slave became a devoted follower of Christ. The chains of bondage that once shackled his body were replaced by the freedom found in Christ, a freedom that transcended earthly circumstances and labels. He was a valuable and useful partner to Paul and the church. In fact, his name, Onesimus, is Greek for useful and was a very common name for slaves in that age.

          As time passed, Paul knew that if Onesimus was to continue to mature in his faith, he needed to seek forgiveness from those he had wronged. So, Paul crafts a profound plea for forgiveness and reconciliation that we now call the book of Philemon. This little book of only 25 verses is tied for the smallest book in the Bible with Jude, also 25 verses long. But it contains a powerful message of redemption, reconciliation, forgiveness, and spiritual growth in Christ, which leads to becoming a useful disciple of the Lord.

Onesimus returns to his home carrying the letter to Philemon from the Apostle Paul, along with a letter to the church in Colossae that met in Philemon’s home (Colossians 4:7-9). In them, Paul tenderly implored his friend Philemon to receive back his disobedient slave and forgive him.

“For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother” (Philemon 15-16).

What a dilemma for Philemon. Bound by legal and social standards, yet as a believer in Christ, Philemon knew he was called to a higher standard. The parchment scroll carried by Onesimus provided the advice Philemon needed. Paul’s profound insights provide timeless lessons for believers about forgiveness, unity, and the life-changing impact of Christ. And how this transformation makes useful that which was not useful to God. So, this morning, let’s examine being useful to God.

Being Useful to God:  God, in His divine providence, uses people to accomplish His will and His goals. He could, of course, simply make things happen without the assistance of people. But He chooses to use His created children to accomplish His goals, and in a way that requires them to do so in faith. To be useful and willing tools in His hands. However, many have been reluctant and fearful and felt inadequate for the task. Here are three Biblical examples of highly useful people who served God well despite their personal misgivings.

Moses:  In Exodus 3:10-12, we read of Moses’ call by God, So now go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? And God said, I will be with you. And this will be a sign to you that it is I who sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.

We know that when God called Moses to return to Egypt to free the Hebrews, he was reluctant. Moses was in a comfortable place, he had a wife and family, property, and livestock. He was a well-respected person and leader in Midian. To return to Egypt would likely result in a death sentence for him for the murder that he had committed. He tried to say that no one would believe him and that he wasn’t an eloquent speaker. To overcome this, God gave him a staff that would become a snake, and his hand, once hidden in his cloak, would have leprosy when he pulled it out, and when he put it back in his cloak, it would come out clean. Signs of God’s power. (Exodus 4:3-7).

God said take your brother, Aaron, who is a good speaker, and he will assist you. So, despite his reluctance and his excuses, Moses returned to Egypt with his wife, sons, and his brother Aaron. And the rest is history. He was useful to God.

Jonah: Jonah is a classic example of someone who ran from God’s calling. When God instructed him to go to the city of Nineveh and preach repentance, Jonah wanted nothing to do with it. Instead of obeying, he boarded a ship heading in the opposite direction, trying to escape God’s command (Jonah 1:3). Jonah’s disobedience led to a violent storm, and he was thrown overboard, only to be swallowed by a great fish. Inside the fish, Jonah cried out to God in repentance, and after three days, he was spit out onto dry land (Jonah 2:10). Even after being given a second chance, Jonah’s heart wasn’t fully in it. He begrudgingly preached to Nineveh, a city of over 120,000, and when the people repented, Jonah became angry that God showed them mercy (Jonah 4:1-3). Despite his reluctant heart and flaws, God still used Jonah to bring an entire city to repentance. He was useful to God.

Gideon: He was fearful, but God used him to deliver his people from the Midianites. (Judges 6:14). Gideon shows us that God can use the least likely of us to accomplish the impossible. The Bible verse that shows God uses the unlikely for the impossible is in Judges 6:15-16 (NKJV): Here, Gideon says to God, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.” And it came to pass. He was useful to God.

Moses,’ Jonah’s, and Gideon’s stories remind us that even when we resist God’s calling, His plans will still prevail. God can use us, flaws, and all, to accomplish His purposes. We can be useful.

Can I be useful to God? I don’t think I am worthy or qualified: God specializes in using the unqualified, the flawed, and the broken to accomplish His greatest purposes.

God Values Availability Over Ability: Each person He used in the Bible had flaws, doubts, or maybe a dark past, but they made themselves available when God called. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). This was said shortly before Samuel anointed the less likely candidate for king of Jesse’s sons, David.

Weaknesses Are Opportunities for God’s Strength: God’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He uses our shortcomings to display His glory. No one is too far gone for God to use them. Whether it’s Paul persecuting Christians, Rahab’s past as a prostitute, or Mary Magdalene’s demonic torment, no sin or brokenness is beyond God’s redemption.

God Uses Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things:  Many Biblical figures were ordinary, unqualified individuals, but through God’s power, they changed the world. The disciples attest to this fact. Simple, ordinary men. God isn’t looking for perfect people—He’s looking for willing hearts. The Bible is filled with examples of ordinary, flawed individuals who did extraordinary things simply because they said yes to God.

 Your Weakness Is an Opportunity for God’s Strength. You don’t need to have it all together. In fact, God delights in using our weaknesses to reveal His strength. Paul wrote, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). When you bring your insecurities, doubts, and fears to God, He can work through them in powerful ways.

God Can Redeem Your Past. No matter what your past looks like, it doesn’t define your future. Just like Rahab’s story reminds us, God specializes in taking broken pasts and turning them into powerful testimonies. Whether it’s a life filled with mistakes or moments of running from God, His grace can cover it all. Start Where You Are

 You don’t need a massive platform or a perfect plan to start making an impact. The Samaritan Woman at the well simply ran back to her town and shared what Jesus had done for her. Your story—flaws and all—can inspire and encourage others. Trust God’s plan over your feelings

 It’s easy to feel unqualified or unworthy, but God sees the bigger picture. Moses doubted his abilities, Gideon questioned his worth, and Jonah ran in the opposite direction—but God’s plans still prevailed. Trust that God can work through you, even when you don’t feel ready.Say Yes to God’s calling.

The most powerful thing you can do is simply say yes to God. Whether He’s calling you to serve in your community, encourage someone, or share your story, take that first step. God will provide the strength and wisdom you need along the way.

Conclusion: These stories are a reminder that if God can use unqualified people, He can use you, too. Your flaws, doubts, and past mistakes don’t disqualify you—they simply make room for God’s grace to shine through.

Onesimus was freed by Philemon and lived a productive life as a useful and devoted servant of the Lord. He actually became the Bishop of Ephesus. The story of Onesimus serves as a timeless reminder of the power of God’s grace. Regardless of our past or present circumstances, God’s love has the power to redeem, restore, and renew.

God isn’t looking for perfect people—He’s looking for willing hearts. The Bible is filled with examples of ordinary, flawed individuals who did extraordinary things simply because they said yes to God. So let us be Onesimus (useful) to God and say yes when He calls.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to be useful and effective servants in Your hands. Like Onesimus, may we serve You in gratitude and with joy. We know that if we say yes to You, that despite our shortcomings, You will use us; we need only have a willing heart. This we pray in Christ’s Holy Name. Amen

Sermon given on Sunday, September 14, 2025, by Pastor Tom Gee

Sermon June 30, 2025

Good News/Bad News

Framework scripture:  Exodus 34: 6-7 declares, And He passed in front of Moses proclaiming, The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.

Introduction:  I have never been one to shy away from difficult subjects and teachings. Some are, in fact, not pleasant and outright disturbing. But I believe I have the duty to, from time to time, present challenging and perhaps uncomfortable teachings from the Bible. Hopefully, to keep us (including myself) from becoming buffet Christians or Cake Eater Christians who only want to feed on the “good tasting” morsels and ignore the “bad tasting” ones of scripture.

I have entitled today’s sermon Good News/Bad News because it deals with not just the good news of the Gospel but the bad news of judgment and condemnation for unbelievers. This will be a reminder of the fate that Christ’s death and resurrection saved us and the world from, and what awaits unbelievers.

This is a serious subject, no doubt, but I believe in such situations one must use the Mary Poppins method. That method is …a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. The sugar this morning will be a few good news/bad news jokes that are clean, Christian, appropriate for sermons, and directed toward pastors.

1. Good news: Pastor, the Women’s fellowship group voted to send you a get-well card.

Bad news: The vote passed 31-30.

• Good news: Pastor, the elders accepted your job description the way you wrote it.

Bad news: A search committee was formed to look for someone capable of filling the position.

• Good news: Pastor, church attendance rose dramatically over the last three weeks.

Bad news: You were on vacation for the last three weeks.

• Good news: Pastor, the board wants to send you to the Holy Land.

Bad news: They are stalling until the next war.

The Good News: Most of us like the good news first, so here it is.

God and Heaven are real. God is real and is active in this universe, and He loves each of us deeply and beyond measure. Heaven is real and is a place Christ has prepared for us. Revelation 21 gives us a picture of the last days and when the new Heaven and new earth will merge and be one.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed.

This will be our perfect and forever home, and the wonderful outcome for those who are believers and who have accepted God’s grace and mercy through Jesus Christ.

Beyond this, the Bible provides scant details about Heaven, but we can be assured that if God prepared it for us, it will be beyond all wonder and amazement.

The next part of the Good News concerns God’s love and His grace. He gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice to save us and make it possible for us to enter heaven and be in an eternal relationship with Him and all the saints.

These are the yummy parts on the Bible buffet. We relish them, and unfortunately, there are far too many believers who dwell only on the dessert and the milk and cookies fit for children and refuse to deal with the unsavory items, which are perhaps a more solid food that brings us to maturity in our understanding of scripture and our duties to God. But curiously Jesus did not talk a lot about Heaven, but instead talked a great deal about Hell.

The Bad News: Now for the bad and unpleasant news:

Satan is real and is on a long-term mission to corrupt and steal away as many souls as he can before his end comes. Hell is real and exists as a profane opposite to Heaven, and is the punishment for those who have lived in disobedience to God and His will, and is their hideous destination.

Some may object to the use of the word punishment, but when I read the Bible, I find many occurrences where the Lord brought punishment down upon rebellious humans.

Adam and Eve. Cain, after he killed his brother Abel. The Great Flood. The tower of Babel. Sodom and Gomorrah. Those who attacked Israel. Ananias and Sapphira. The Pharaoh and Egypt. I could do this all day!

Having these examples in mind and knowing He will punish the disobedient, should we then be afraid of God? The word fear appears 68 times in the Bible. Many times, in the context of man’s relationship with God. Here are a few examples in scripture:

Proverbs 9:10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 1:7, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Rev. 14:7, Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of judgement has come. In this verse, we see fear and judgment coupled.

So, what does the word fear mean? In reference to the scripture from Proverbs, the Hebrew word YIRAH is used for fear. This word has a dual meaning: Respect and reverence (awe). Fear and trembling.

When I was a child, I had and will always have great respect and awe for my Dad. But I could also remember times when I had “fear and trembling” after my mother would say, “Wait till your father comes home.”

I think this is very much to the point in describing the correct relationship between a believer and God. We adore God and are in awe of His magnificence and power and His abiding love for us. But we must recognize His absolute authority over us and the universe, and that He does, in fact, exact punishment on the rebellious (Satan being a prime example).

Now our modern world doesn’t have much time for or give much thought to the fact that God does punish the wicked and rebellious. We live in a time when personal responsibility for one’s actions is not popular, so why should we believe that God will hold a person accountable for their disobedience? Everyone gets a participation trophy no matter what their performance in life, as some believe. This, of course, is not the case as the scripture attests.

I said earlier that Christ said a great deal about Hell, even more than He said about Heaven. So, let’s take a look at what He did say.

The fires of Gehenna are used by Christ to clearly show that Hell is on fire. Jesus used the word Gehenna 11 times in describing Hell. Matt. 5:22 and Matt. 18:9 are two examples. Gehenna refers to the Valley of Gehenna, which was basically the landfill for Jerusalem. In the past, it had been used by pagans in the worship of Moloch, where abominable rituals of child sacrifice were performed. When King Josiah abolished these pagan practices, he defiled the valley by making it a dumping ground for filth and the corpses of criminals and dead animals. There were always smoldering fires there as the rubbish was constantly being burned. A true hellhole and a place symbolizing the end times’ punishment for the lost. Hell is a real place and has constant fire and burning.

Punishment in the form of beatings will be the order of the day. At the end of His parable in Luke 12:47, Jesus says the following: The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. We can infer from this teaching that the disobedient will suffer constant and unrelenting beatings in Hell.

Hell is eternal and a place of ongoing conscious suffering. In Mark 9:42-48, Jesus states the following about hell: “…where the fire never goes out.” “…where the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.” In Rev. 20: 9b-10 we read, But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. The “them” in these verses refers to the millions of people who followed Satan in rebellion against God.

Rev. 20:15 declares when referring to the judgement, Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Those who believed in Christ and accepted His grace and salvation would be saved from such peril and would enter into the New Jerusalem.

And finally, Ro. 8:1 declares, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… And the opposite of this is true as revealed in this very same chapter, so we can confidently say, Therefore, there is now condemnation for those who are not in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion:  Preachers of the Gospel must take scripture seriously and should always preach exactly and completely what Jesus said. The terrifying truth is that those who do not accept God’s free gift of grace and continue to live in rebellion will be condemned to eternal torment in Hell, which is a real place. This is the only conclusion we can come to when we listen to Jesus talk to us about Heaven and Hell.

          Jesus talked about Hell to very religious people to warn them about the consequences of straying from their God-given calling and identity, to show the world God’s love and grace. His proclamation was direct, bold, firm, unapologetic, and full of vivid imagery. Jesus gave every indication that Hell is an eternal, conscious punishment for unbelievers and followers of Satan.

          But the good news is that there is indeed hope for the living through faith in Jesus Christ and that God works through the Holy Spirit and His church to seek out and save the lost. I fully believe that Christ’s terrifying vision of Hell is the means by which many will be drawn to Him and may be saved and can relish the joys of salvation.

Prayer:  Father, we thank you for the clear warning given to us about the fate of the lost. May it guide us as we seek to make disciples of all nations and remind us of what the sacrifice of Jesus has purchased for the saved, an eternity in Heaven with You and all the saints. May this help us to support and do the things needed to spread the good news of the Gospel so that many souls may be saved and spared the eternal punishment of the unbelievers. Give us the wisdom to use the resources You have provided us to fulfill our sacred mission. Amen.

                                                Pastor Gee

Sermon for June 15^th, 2025    

Father, Pater, Abba…

Scripture:  2 Corinthians 1: 3-4; Luke 11: 11-13; Ephesians 6:4

DAD JOKES:  Permit me to begin with some hilarious Dad Jokes:

1. Why don’t skeletons fight each other?
They don’t have the guts.

2. How does a penguin build its house?
Igloos it together.

3. Why couldn’t the bicycle stand up by itself?
It was two tired.

4. What do you call fake spaghetti?
An impasta.

5. Why do cows wear bells?
Because their horns don’t work.

6. How does a scientist freshen his breath?
With experi-mints.

7. Why did the tomato turn red?
Because it saw the salad dressing!

8. Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants?
In case he got a hole-in-one.

9. What did the horse say when he fell?

I can’t giddy-up!

INTRODUCTION: Today is Father’s Day, a day set aside to recognize and celebrate fathers and especially fatherhood. There are many here today who are fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers. Any great-great-grandfathers?

          My dad was and is a hero to me. My brother, sister, and I were blessed with great parents (not perfect). Dad was always there and consistently provided a safe and stable home. We never needed for anything. It was to some an old-fashioned home life with emphasis on morals and being law-abiding. My father was a cop after all.

          He taught me how to hunt, fish, fight, work on cars when you still could, paint, mow, basic electrical, and plumbing repairs, and more. But mainly, he taught me how to be a good man. How I should treat others, how a gentleman acts, the importance of work and education, and good moral behavior. There is more, of course. But the point is that for me, my brother and sister, he was a great example. Through his behavior toward our mother, he showed us how we should treat our future wives and what my sister should expect from her future husband. This is extremely important stuff that lasts a lifetime. I am grateful to him.

          You see, fatherhood is an extremely important position within human society. One that can create a lot of good or create a lot of damage if not done correctly, and not in accordance with the Holy Scripture.

          Today, we will look at three passages in the Bible to help us better understand God’s plan for fathers and the integral and important part they play in the family, the church, and society in general.

          Before I get into that, I want to make a few comments about the false viewpoint of fathers and their role ascribed to them by the secular humanists among us. These are the folks (in growing numbers) in our society who reject God outright and foolishly proclaim that man is his own god. That divine guidance is not needed, and that each person is free to pursue their own interests, free of any outside moral or religious guidance or restrictions of any kind. This way of thinking has led to many atrocities throughout human history. I refer to the massacres perpetrated by Germany, Russia, and the Communist Chinese in the twentieth century. In this country, it has also led to the decline of the family unit and society in general. Just look around at what we are dealing with in our country today and remember how it was in the past. You can thank your friendly neighborhood humanist for this ongoing chaos and destruction. You simply cannot run a civil and peaceful society without God and without fathers and mothers caring for their children in a Godly manner.

          Concerning the father, the humanists only see the father as a biological component of the procreation process and nothing more. This is very much like the pattern among wildlife, that once the mating is complete, and with a few exceptions, the father generally vanishes.

          The problem is that the academic research shows the contrary when it comes to the role of human fathers and the welfare of the family and children. I have spent many years teaching criminal justice classes, and I am familiar with the research. Over the past fifty years of research, there has been a consistent finding regarding fathers and the family welfare. There is a direct and positive relationship between the rate of absent fathers and the rate of crime, violence, and poverty. In other words, as the rate of absent fathers increases, the rate of crime, violence, and poverty likewise increases ( a cause-and-effect relationship). This is an inconvenient truth for the humanist who denies the need for an active fatherhood role. But the research comes out of academia, which is well known for its dominating humanist viewpoints. Follow the science, which makes a compelling argument for the need of a consistent and steady presence of the father in the home. How much less crime, violence, and poverty would we have if absent fathers stepped up to the plate and fulfilled their fatherly responsibilities and duties? I would venture to say a great deal less.

GOD THE FATHER: Let us now turn to the greatest of all fathers and our supreme example of fatherhood: God the Father.

          Let’s clear the air on something right off: It’s God the FATHER, not mother or some gender neutral appellation such as IT. God, the IT?? When Jesus referred to God, He always, with one exception, said Father, Abba. That one exception was when He was on the cross and when He fully took on the burden of our sins, God looked away, and Jesus said, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? God will not look upon sin.

          There is a lot that can be said about the fatherly attributes of Our Heavenly Father, such as His overwhelming love for us, His steadfastness, His care for His beloved children, and much more. I want to cite just one passage in the Bible concerning Our God’s role as Father.

II Corinthians 1:3-4 says, Praise be to the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

          Compassion and comfort are featured in these verses. The KJV version uses mercy for compassion. The Father is merciful and compassionate toward His children. The Gospel is a great testimony to His mercy. Sacrificing His own Son for our benefit when we were still at enmity (enemies) with Him. Undeserved and unwarranted grace and forgiveness. There is no greater love. A true message for us as fathers to be merciful.

          The word comfort used hereis the Greek word PARAKLESIS, and is a root word for PARACLETE. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers to take the place of Christ, who was now leaving the earthly church. Paraclete is used to describe the Holy Spirit as the comforter who is ever with us, abiding with us, sanctifying us, and directing us to know God’s will. It empowers us to spread the Gospel message and convicts us when we fall short. A believer is never alone with the Paraclete residing within him. The message to fathers is to be a steady, solid presence in the family and to guide and bring up the children in the knowledge of God’s will and instruction.

          Paraklesis implies that God is a comforter who supports and carries us through any trouble. The Greek word here translated as trouble (THLIPSIS) means a grievous affliction or distress. The father is to comfort his family in times of great peril and distress. To be there to protect and even rescue when necessary.

These verses also contain the instruction to comfort others as God has comforted us. This is an instruction that fathers need to train their children to be merciful and comforting to others, as the human father shows mercy and comfort to them.

          The Heavenly Father expects earthly fathers to show compassion, mercy, and comfort toward their children. And like the Holy Spirit, to be there for them and be their example of Godly, fatherly behavior.

HUMAN FATHERS: I now want us to look at two passages from the NT which give specific instructions to human fathers.

Luke 11: 11-13 Jesus declares,  Which of you fathers, if your son asks you for a fish, will give him a snake? Or if he asks you for an egg, will give him a scorpion. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

          Being somewhat facetious here to make His point, the Lord is saying that you already know that as a father, it is your duty to give your children only good gifts. The phrase good gifts in Greek (AGATHOS DOMA) means not frivolous presents but useful, profitable gifts that are truly needed. Give them what they need for growth, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Jesus reminds them that this is what their Heavenly Father does, and He provides the gift of the Holy Spirit to nurture us physically, mentally, and spiritually. God only gives good and necessary gifts to His beloved children.

          This speaks to fathers to be aware of the real needs of their children. Being aware of those needs requires the father to be ever present in the lives of his children, just as God is ever present in our lives. The father, along with his lovely partner, their mother, is to provide a steady, safe environment where their needs will be consistently met. By the way, this is not a suggestion but a very necessary and integral part of God’s plan for the family. A father who fails in this area is going against the will of God and produces deleterious effects on his children, such as violence, crime, disorder, and poverty, to name a few.

          So, fathers, be present in the lives of your children so you may nurture them and provide what they need to grow up as responsible and God loving adults who will nurture and raise their children properly.

Ephesians 6:4 proclaims, Fathers, do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

          The KJV says do not provoke your children to wrath. This word is in what is known as the imperative voice; it is a command, not a suggestion. This underscores the importance of this concept. Paul is saying, don’t go about doing things in a capricious and aggravating way to cause your children to rebel and hate you. Now, there are things we must do as parents from time to time that may anger our children, such as a curfew or discipline when they act badly. This isn’t about that; this implies a constant and sustained attitude of meanness and purposefully angering them and making ridiculous demands and impossible expectations and taking out the father’s frustrations on them. Adolf Hitler’s father would beat him on a daily basis and treated him like dirt, constantly belittling him and also abusing his mother. One wonders how Adolf would have turned out if he had had a loving and nurturing dad. The world certainly suffered because of the monster Adolf’s father created by his constant abuse.

          Instead, Paul instructs fathers to bring the children up in the training and instruction of the Lord. KJV says bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The  Greek word translated here as admonition (NOUTHESIA) means to put into the mind. Get their minds right! It implies instruction, training by actions, encouragement, and discipline.

          In order for this training to occur, the father must be present and provide an ongoing example of God obeying behavior. Fathers have a spiritual responsibility to the family and to God. In partnership with the mother as a team, they are to lovingly nurture and train their children in Godly knowledge and behavior. They themselves must also model this type of behavior and dedication to Our Lord. Actions speak louder than words!

CONCLUSION: Fathers play a crucial role in the development of their children; this is beyond a doubt, regardless of the naysayers. When we faithfully follow the Lord’s plan for the family and the role of the father, it is more likely that the children will become productive and Godly adults. Remember, they are the future of the church on earth. May God bless all fathers who work within His Holy Will. Amen.

PRAYER: Lord, we are truly grateful that You are our Heavenly Father. You are the perfect example of fatherhood. We are thankful for our earthly fathers as well. Help us to defend the role of fatherhood in this increasingly godless, profane, and disobedient society. Those of us who are men pray for Your daily guidance as we fulfill the role of father to our families. We pray that You will guard and defend Godly families and that we, too, may help in this as well. May we be that example of fatherhood that is pleasing to You. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

                                                                   Pastor Gee

June 1, 2025

In the Presence of God

Framework Scripture:  When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it. How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate to heaven. (Genesis 28:16-17)

Introduction:  A. W. Pink, noted theologian and Christian author, stated the following: “If the soul of the believer is in healthy condition, he will take occasion to frequently come into God’s presence on purpose to have communion with Him.”

When was the last time, sensing God’s presence profoundly, you thought GOD IS HERE? Perhaps it was during an exceptionally inspiring sermon, or the singing of a beautiful hymn, or during a time of intense prayer. Maybe, during a stroll through God’s magnificent creation, or at a place of quiet solitude. Is it only during these types of occasions that you feel His presence?

You see, it should not be unusual for us, wherever we are, to recognize that God is here. As we grow closer to Him, generally speaking, we should discern His immanence (presence) more readily and more often. Perceiving the presence of God should not just be on occasion or event-related. So, let’s look at Jacob’s experience and what it says to us as believers and the perception of God’s presence in our lives.

Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. These were the words of Jacob. He had just awakened from a dream wherein he saw a stairway from earth to heaven (Jacob’s ladder) upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending. Above the staircase, he saw God, who spoke to him, saying that Jacob’s descendants would be plentiful and spread throughout the whole earth. He also promised to be ever-present with him and his people. Jacob realized that the ground upon which he slept was the promised land, and he had been unknowingly in the very presence of God.

Surveys show that most believers have “felt the presence of God” at some time or on occasion. At some time? But Christ said to His disciples I am with you always.So, does this occasional awareness of God’s presence portend an insensitivity to the very real presence of God in our lives? What will result from a true Christian’s dullness to God’s company?This occasional awareness necessarily means you will think less often of God, His Word, and His will.This is little different than an unbeliever who rarely, if ever, thinks of God.

Insensitivity to the nearness of God certainly means less awareness that “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3).

This insensitivity can lead to thinking less of restraining sin on the one hand, or of doing good on the other, who will know?Like Moses, when he looked this way and that, and seeing no one, struck down the Egyptian. (Exodus 2:12) Did God not see this because Moses could not see God? No matter what we do not see, we must never forget the One whose presence is unseen, yet more real than any other.

Psalms 105:4 says, Seek His presence continually! To grow more sensitive to His presence requires not merely seeking it occasionally, but continually.Noted Christian author, Dr. Donald S. Whitney, wrote the following in his book Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health: “In effect, living apart from a conscious sense that the Lord is present is to live as though God really is not there. The Biblical spiritual disciplines devolve into mere duty, or even legalism. Public worship becomes an obligation, not a privilege. Obviously, this is not a growing Christian.”

So then, how do we discern God’s presence? How do we establish that discipline?First, let’s define what the term “presence of God” means. Theologians speak of:  1. The universal presence of God.He is omnipresent. (Psalm 139:5-12; 2. The Christological presence of God.God was and is present in Jesus Christ. (Matt. 1:23);  3. The indwelling presence of God.God is present in a unique way within Christians. (John 14:16 – 17:  Holy Spirit);  4. The perceptible presence of God.God’s presence is often perceived through His work or influence. (Luke 1:66);5. The heavenly presence of God.God’s presence is manifest in heaven as in no other place. (Matt. 6:9-13: Lord’s Prayer);  6. The eternal presence of God.God’s presence will either be forever enjoyed in heaven or forfeited in hell. (Rev. 21: 3).

All access to the presence of God, with His universal presence excepted, is through Jesus Christ.   God the Son is the only way to God the Father.When it comes to discerning the presence of God, one must be “Immanuelized,” that is, you can’t reliably recognize the presence of “God with us” until you experience “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27).

As Christians, we are to seek God through His Word, through experiences that are founded on His Word (i.e., biblical worship and preaching), and through daily life in ways that are informed by His Word (i.e., doing the work of the Lord and living within His will).When we seek the presence of God through scripture, we are not imagining God as we’d like Him to be.The basis of our experience with God is God’s revealed truth, not our individual notions and expectations about Him.We should never say, “My God is not like that.”We are made in His image, not the other way around.

Noted theologian and preacher A.W. Tozer wrote about the person who correctly apprehends the presence of God: …the practice of the presence of God consists not of projecting an imaginary object within his own mind and then seeking to realize its presence; it is rather to recognize the real presence of the One whom all sound theology declares to be already there, an objective entity existing apart from any apprehension of Him on the part of His creatures. The resultant experience is not visionary but real.

The presence of God is an objective truth, not a subjective one, that requires no visions or miraculous appearances. His presence is very much a part of who we are and is natural and normal in the day-to-day life of the believer.This is not about mystical experiences but an increasing awareness that God is with you wherever you are, and He is as present as you are.

Opening your spiritual eyes to His presence. What practical steps can we take to grow in our awareness of the continuous presence of God? Here are five things we can do. Go often to the place where God has revealed Himself most clearly – the Bible.

Noted New Testament scholar D. A. Carson puts it this way, “Believers who spend no time reviewing and pondering in their minds what God has done, whether they are alone and reading their Bibles or joining with other believers in corporate worship, should not be surprised if they rarely sense that God is near.”

So, absorb the Word of God. Linger over it as it percolates into the soil of your soul. Listen to it long enough until you hear it for what it is: the very voice of God.Acknowledge His presence with you by talking with Him.Many wives complain that their husbands can sit in the same room with them for extended periods and never acknowledge their presence by speaking. Does this develop intimacy? Obviously not.When a person’s prayer life is decaying in silence, is it any wonder that they feel unaware of the nearness of God? God is a real person who is very much present, but He will seem distant if ignored. Talk with Him often, and you will most certainly feel closer to Him.

Seek Him in the manifestations of His presence given only in congregational worship.There is a sense in which going to worship with the people of God is going to the Lord’s temple, where His presence especially abides.It has been said that one of the main purposes of the Church is to help others experience the presence of God. In a Church where God’s word is consistently preached and His Son is presented in Holy Communion, the Holy Spirit will abide and minister to the believers present in many ways, and His presence will be deeply felt.

Continually reaffirm the truth that He is omnipresent. The truth is, God is everywhere at all times and in all places. Jesus said I will be with you always. He is with us even when we do not sense His presence. He is still there, no doubt!We must affirm this to be the truth even when we don’t feel it. This helps us to live more by faith than by feelings, which are often misleading. Faith, even “blind” faith, is the critical factor in the life of a believer.

Develop God Eyes.We need to develop God Eyes, which is the sensitivity to see evidence of what we know to be true, namely that God is with us.Look for God everywhere and in everything. Say to yourself often, the Lord is here, especially in the ordinary places of your life. Whether you are in your car, at a store, or doing mundane daily chores, remind yourself that God is present with you. As we develop “God eyes,” we will be more like Jesus, who always recognized His Father’s presence.

Conclusion: As we strive to develop God Eyes, it will become natural and easier for us to see and perceive God all around us continuously. Affirm His presence and dwell on His word often, and He will draw nearer. There is an old hymn entitled, “Open My Eyes That I May See” that says, “Silently now I wait for You, Ready my God Your will to do; Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine.” Let us stand ready for the Spirit to illumine us to the dear and near presence of the Lord in our day-to-day lives, and we will grow as His disciples.

Prayer:  Father, we crave Your presence in our lives for You slake our thirsty souls. May we continually remain mindful of Your holy presence in our lives and this world. It is truly a blessing to walk with You as Adam and Eve once did. We look forward to the day of the return of Our Savior and the beginning of eternal fellowship with You in Heaven, when we will see You face to face, and how wonderfully blessed we will be! In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

                                                          Pastor Gee

DHC

Framework Scripture:  Greater love has no man than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

Introduction: This is a very familiar passage and Jesus spoke these words at the Last Supper with His disciples. He knew that shortly He would be arrested, tried, tortured, and crucified. He would die for His friends, which He now called His disciples His friends. Jesus was defining for them the sacrificial love known as Agape. A love in which a person is willing to sacrifice his well-being and even his life for the sake of others. Jesus epitomized this Godly love.

          Tomorrow will be Memorial Day. The day we, as Americans, honor those who have died for this country and our freedom. It originally was meant to honor only our military war dead, but it has recently been expanded to include fire and police personnel who have died in the line of duty.

          The title of this sermon is DHC. As you know, I am fond of using acronyms in which each letter stands for a word, e.g., NASA and the ever-favorite IRS. DHC represents specific values that apply to our valiant defenders who were and are willing to sacrifice their well-being and lives on our behalf. Some of you may be familiar with DUTY, HONOR, and COUNTRY. This is the motto of West Point. These values establish an ethos or way of living and of conducting oneself while in service to others.

          Our defenders live to meet their duty to protect us and to defend our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. They conduct themselves at all times with honor and will not dishonor themselves or their corp. Country is sacred to them, and they will give their lives protecting and preserving that country. These values define who they are, what they do, why they do it, when they do it, and how they do it. This establishes an ethos that permeates an individual and defines who he is.

          The hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died over the centuries for our country, both military and first responders, lived by these values. They are, as President Lincoln called them, “Our honored dead.”  We will never forget them, nor can we repay them for their sacrifice.

          As Christians, we too should pay heed to these three values of Duty, Honor, and Country for they also define the ethos of the Christ Life. So, let’s look at duty, honor, and country as Christian values.

Duty:  In some quarters of modern Christian culture, duty has become a dirty word. For many, a noble virtue has been redefined as legalism, which must be avoided or even scorned. Some might say, “Do you think it is your duty to always follow God’s will? Isn’t that legalism?”  Yet, Jesus and His apostles imposed many requirements on disciples based on the premise that they had the authority or the right to tell others what to do. In the biblical sense, duty is having a concern for the authority and will of God. First, for the Christian, duty is directed to God. Solomon said, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV). Notice Solomon said the “whole duty.”

Most Christians, if asked for their priorities of devotion, would put God first and probably family second. Then, job, church, community, and other interests would receive varying votes based on individual values. However, segmenting duty into merely a list of priorities can easily lead to compartmentalizing life. God has His part, family has its part, etc. On the contrary, Jesus expressed the view that a disciple’s commitment to God must be so total and complete as to make love for family seem like hatred by comparison (Luke 14:26). Yet, giving one’s whole duty to God does not deprive family, church, or community of love and service. Indeed, it is in doing one’s duty to God that produces true sacrificial love for spouse, family, neighbor, and even enemy.

Duty recognizes an absolute authority who issues commandments to be followed. When the Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant he did so on the basis of authority. Jesus quickly agreed to go to the centurion’s house but listen to his words and the response of Jesus, “The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” (Matthew 8:8-10 NIV). The simplicity of the principle of duty based on authority is found in Peter’s words on the boat when Jesus ordered him to cast his net after fishing efforts had proven fruitless: “But because You say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5 NIV). How many Christians today would say the same thing – “because You say so.”

Duty reflects a right fear of the Lord. Many attempt to water down the meaning of this powerful biblical concept. Solomon says in Proverbs 8:13 that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil, that is, to have the same attitude toward evil that God has. That’s a good definition. But how does hating evil express a fear of the Lord? It does so in two ways:

First, considering God’s hatred of sin, I don’t want to offend His holiness and force Him to judge me with wrath. Second, considering His love for lost and dying people, I don’t want to disappoint and grieve God after He has done so much to save me. In the end, the biblical virtue of duty is fueled by a deep and passionate commitment to God.

True biblical duty never comes from legalism but flows from a faithful loyalty that will endure all suffering for the sake of Christ and will seek to “please Him in every way” (Colossians 1:10 NIV). In the history of America’s wars, our military and public safety officers have put their lives on the line because they believed that America was worthy of their sacrifice. Christians should have that same attitude about their duty to God. He is worth giving it all and holding nothing back.

Honor:  Typically, the word “honor” is used to mean the tribute shown to someone because of special merit and is expressed by giving an award or other public recognition. However, as a value, honor means something very different. As early as the Middle Ages, honor began to be thought of in terms of a code of integrity, dignity, and pride held by men of noble birth or knights who served the King.

 As a biblical value, honor reflects a concern for the name of God. First, honor is a sacred trust to respect God’s name. God commanded the Israelites, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). The Hebrew word translated “take” means to lift or carry. In other words, you will not lift up God’s name in praise on the Sabbath or the Lord’s Day and then live the rest of the week contrary to that praise and the holy standards of the covenant. This is taking the Lord’s name in vain. Second, honor means having a good name or reputation. Solomon said, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (Proverbs 22:1). There is no other way to develop a good reputation than by adherence to a consistent ethical and moral standard as set forth in the Ten Commandments. Third, honor is a commitment to integrity. Time was when a handshake sealed a contract and “a man’s word was his bond.”  Our military and public safety departments are values-based organizations that insist that it is their duty and responsibility to hold service members to a higher standard than what is expected or demanded by society at large. If that is true of a secular organization, how much more should it be true of those in the Body of Christ? Jesus clearly expected His disciples to live by a righteous standard and gave them the requirement to confront the bad behavior of fellow believers, first privately, then with witnesses, if necessary, and finally before the congregation as a last resort (Matthew 18:15-17; Titus 3:10).

 Country:  Americans love their country, and one may appreciate its freedoms and advantages even more by traveling to other parts of the world. Moreover, those who have served in war sacrificed dearly on the world’s battlefields because of valuing their country, loved ones, and comrades,

In the Christian faith, devotion to country manifests similar but more significant characteristics. First, in Scripture, the concept of “country” refers to the origin, the present home, and the destination of God’s people. Paul said, “But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother” (Galatians 4:26 NIV). All the plans for the creation of man and the covenant of salvation originated in heaven. The writer of Hebrews similarly reminded the early church that heaven is the believer’s destination and their country. Second, being born in a country results in citizenship. Citizenship grants unique rights, privileges, and obligations. Paul declared that for those born again in Jesus, “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20 NIV). Third, allegiance is owed to one’s country. The founding fathers of the United States pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, and all their capital was spent in birthing this great nation. However, our Father and Lord are in heaven, and thus the Christian’s loyalty and allegiance are offered there first of all. Concern for the reign of God and His Son, who sacrificed His life for all mankind, becomes the life focus for the believer. The focus of God’s people is to see the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God, first to be received by every heart through the proclamation of the gospel and then to be celebrated when Jesus Christ returns in glory and establishes His reign on the earth. God’s will is that all would know Him, and faithful disciples will devote their time, talent, and treasure to the fullest extent to reach this goal.

Conclusion: Duty, honor, country. To the founding fathers of America, these values represented all the ideals of citizenship. To the military and public safety officers, they represent the character of public service to defend the Constitution and national security, even at the cost of personal sacrifice. To the Christian, these words represent something far higher, nobler, and grander. These are the values of Jesus, who suffered and died for every person. Jesus listened to His Father’s voice, He honored His Father’s name, He obeyed His Father’s will, and in so doing brought the Kingdom of God. Those who profess to be disciples of Jesus can do no less. Duty, Honor, Country.

Prayer: Father God, today we remember our honored dead, men and women who have died for us and our freedoms. May they always be blessed. But above these, we honor and glorify our Blessed Savior Jesus Christ. Who willingly gave all for us. As His followers, we have an obligation to live the Christ Life, recognizing our duty, living with honor, and working for our country, the Kingdom of God. Amen.

Sermon for May 25, 2025                                              Pastor Gee

Five Steps to Spiritual Maturity

Framework Scripture: Hebrews 5:11 – 6:3

Introduction: We’re going to dig into a subject today that we all need to consider. It is probably misunderstood. Some claim to have it but don’t.Some have it and may not realize it. This subject is SPIRITUAL MATURITY.

Here are the questions I hope to answer today: What is spiritual maturity? Are you spiritually mature? Do you want to be spiritually mature? What are the indicators that you are spiritually mature? What are the indicators that others are spiritually mature?

Now I’m not going to answer these questions directly. I’m not even going to define spiritual maturity. We are going to answer these questions by looking at the FIVE STEPS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY. Let’s read Hebrews 5:11-6:3.

Written to Jewish Christians by perhaps Paul to assure them that their faith in Christ was secure and reasonable. However, they were not showing the desired and expected growth in Christ. Before these verses, the author had been presenting the case for Christ’s Kingship and His High Priesthood in the order of Melchizedek. These were deep matters requiring maturity to fully understand and appreciate them. He pauses here to express his frustration that these believers have not matured enough in Christ to understand what he is presenting. They are still learning their “ABCs” when by now they should be onto spiritual calculus. If they remained at the elementary level, they would not be prepared to stave off false ideas and teachings, which were a constant threat. So, he begins to point out the necessity for them to move on if they have the desire to do so. Let’s now look at the five steps.

Step One:  THERE MUST BE A DESIRE; You have to desire to become spiritually mature.

In 5:11, the Hebrews writer says: You don’t even try to understand!It sounds like he is writing to a bunch of people who don’t care to grow to maturity in Christ. They were languishing in their growth.It seems they don’t desire it when they should.In verse 14, the word maturity (KJV full of age) is the Greek word TELEIOS, which in this context can mean continuing development and growth as God opens up more grace and greater knowledge. Life-long learning.And we get an idea of what it looks like to have no desire to be spiritually mature.Such believers can be spiritually dull.They have no sense of spiritual things and are wrapped up in their own little world, and they fail to see anything else. They don’t listen to those who are trying to help them.They have been saved and are perfectly happy where they are. They have made no progress in their walk with Christ and see no need to.They have to have the same thing taught to them over and over.

This is the point where so many Christians are today. They sit in church month after month and year after year. But they’re still where they have always been. They really have NO interest in anything spiritual since they’ve gotten saved. Their ticket is punched, and they are satisfied to sit on the sidelines and wait for the return of Christ. However, if you find yourself in this situation, you can still move forward. No matter where you are now, you can still mature in your walk with the Savior.If you desire it. If you’re ready to move forward, you can move to the next step.

Step Two:  DESIRE MUST LEAD TO KNOWLEDGE: Once you have the desire to grow, then you start learning.

Hebrews 6: 1a says, “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity.”Here, the Greek word is translated as maturity (KJV perfection) and in context means an actual accomplishment of a goal set by God.Knowledge begins with “spiritual milk.”These are the basic teachings of the faith.However, maturity requires a deeper understanding of the Gospel, the Trinity, faith, prayer, repentance, doctrine, evangelism, baptism, the resurrection, scripture, and eternal judgment, among others.The knowledge we acquire helps us to know what is rightand within God’s will.

Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” An extremely important skill in the topsy-turvy world of today, where evil is good, and good is now evil.Why is this important? So, we will not be trapped into sin and false heretical teachings and can help others to avoid these things as well. So, once we have the desire to mature, we start learning.It is good to learn the things of the faith.But it is not the end in itself.

Another large segment of all Christians are stuck here in the knowledge zone. Many Christians have a lot of Bible knowledge and want more. They can quote Scripture, and they know how to do it right. But they never move to the next step and remain babies.

Step Three:  DEEPER KNOWLEDGE MUST LEAD TO RESPONSIBILITY: We have to be responsible for what we know now.

We gain responsibility when we realize that God has taught us these things for a reason. God always has a reason; He is not arbitrary.We are required to do more than just gain knowledge. We have a responsibility to apply it. Will this knowledge actually make a difference in our lives? Will we live according to this divine knowledge?Does this knowledge change us?You see, we are responsible to act on what we know and to use it in the service of God’s Kingdom.

Step Four:  THEREFORE, RESPONSIBILITY MUST LEAD TO ACTION: We act on what we have learned.

We now live our lives acting on what we know from God.We live in obedience to Him who has saved us!We live a life of service to Him and the church. The Christ life.This is a step that many have yet to take. It is not easy because the way is hard, but the burden is light. It’s putting their knowledge into action in our daily lives.If we feed on spiritual knowledge but fail to take action and exercise that knowledge, we get spiritually obese and lack effectiveness for God’s Kingdom.It would be like someone going to Med. School and acquiring all that knowledge and never practicing as a doctor.

Step Five:  ACTION WILL LEAD TO MATURITY

Action leads to:  Maturity, which leads to skill development. We now recognize situations that are not within the Lord’s will, for  “by constant training we have trained (ourselves) to distinguish good from evil.” And more importantly, we now know what to do about it. Train hard to fight easy! This is a critical point! Knowing what to do when faced with evil. We establish spiritual equilibrium wherein we show constant progress as we walk with our God. We will always be a work in progress as the Holy Spirit leads and molds us into an effective instrument in the hands of our Master. We are being cruxiformed as the old, sinful self, dies out, and we become a new creation in Christ Jesus

Then we can teach and lead others. We become anchors for those who need us to be strong. We become anchors in the church. We inspire others and give them the desire to become mature. And we bring glory to God.

Conclusion: All living things grow and mature; dead things don’t. So, where are you in this spiritual maturity process? At what step do you find yourself? Do you have the desire to take the next step on your personal journey to spiritual maturity? Will you acknowledge to God where you are and ask Him to take you to the next step? The church needs mature anchor Christians who can teach and lead.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, we pray for Your guidance on our personal journey to becoming mature Christians and better and stronger servants of Your Kingdom. We are pilgrims in this foreign land who are working out our salvation and progressing to maturity. Help us to remain focused on the goals You have set for us as we daily walk with You. May we become anchors for others in this world, inundated by sin and chaos. Amen.

Sermon for May 18, 2025                                                   Pastor Gee

Why Is Christianity So Hard and Yet Easy?

Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.”  Matthew 16:24-26

Introduction: Jesus, in this passage, is telling would-be followers to reflect on the serious demands of discipleship—a theme other parts of Scripture echo when they say believers must be willing to renounce their possessions (Luke 14:33), lose their life (Mark 8:35), and give up all they have to gain the kingdom of God (Matthew 13:44-45). Jesus adds, “How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” (Matthew 7:14)

But the Lord also said, “Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30

These biblical statements should be taken into consideration when evangelists present the gospel to ensure people don’t drift into easy believeism—a term that conveys mere intellectual belief, not accompanied by repentance, spiritual fruit, and Christ-like living.

But properly communicating the “difficulty level” of Christianity can be tricky; if the church depicts Christianity as hard, it risks belittling the atoning work of Christ, making it sound as if salvation depends upon man’s effort. On the other hand, if Christians say following Jesus is easy, they risk downplaying the Lord’s warning to count the cost of discipleship. So, how exactly does Scripture depict the life of a Christ-follower? Is it easy or hard to be a Christian? The answer is yes.

A Biblical Paradox? Do we have a Biblical paradox (that is not two doctors by the way)? In wrestling with these passages, it’s helpful to examine Jesus’ specific noun/adjective pairings. Take a look at them again: Christ’s yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30), while the way is hard (Matthew 7:14).

What this means is Christians carry light burdens on a hard path. Reverse this image and you get the contrasting picture of the world: people who carry heavy burdens on an easy path that leads to Hell.

The burden the world carries is the weight of its sins and the shame of guilt. In place of this, the gospel offers the imputed righteousness of Jesus and the removal of burdensome guilt and sin.

But while Christians’ spiritual burdens may be easy, their path is difficult. It’s a trail that leads believers into the hard sayings of Jesus such as the command to love one’s enemies (Luke 6:27), forgive others “seventy times seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22), and to regularly assume the role of a servant (Matthew 20:26). This difficult path is marked with suffering, persecution, delayed gratification, and a regular dying to self. The world’s path is much easier. It promises as little suffering as possible, acceptance by many, immediate gratification, and the promotion of self.

Factors that make it hard:  It is hard to lead the type of life Christ expects of us because of the following factors:

Our  Fallen Human Nature. Human nature is fallen and self-centered. It is in rebellion against God. The natural man is at enmity with God. Enemies! The Christian life demands that a believer be other-centered, loyal, and obedient to God. To give our all to Him who saved us.  Such expectations rub up against our very nature and are a constant source of irritation and frustration. Even the Apostle Paul admitted that he struggled daily against his fallen nature. Our old life before our redemption can also intrude and try to claw us back into our sinful and ungodly past. A toddler is the perfect picture of human nature. Defiant and inwardly centered without regard to others. The universe revolves around them. It’s the terrible twos. It takes their family and discipline to transform them into civilized persons who have empathy and compassion for others. Raise the child in the ways of the Lord, and he will not depart from them.

Our Profane World. We live in this world, but we are not of this world. We are the called-out ones (saints) set aside to live Godly lives and to do the Kingdom work for the glory of God. But this profane world is the kingdom of Satan, who constantly wars against God and His children. Working to render them ineffective, to marginalize their influence, and to eliminate them if possible. To capture their souls. Those of the secular humanist mindset want us completely out of this society and to have no influence whatsoever. We stand by and watch this sinful culture fall deeper into the abyss of hell and destruction. Such a poisonous environment can cause believers to despair and become discouraged and doubt their faith in God.

Our Enemy, Satan.  We know that the devil is constantly on the prowl to mislead and devour every soul possible. He accuses us and causes us to have doubts about God, Jesus, and our salvation. Satan’s ploy is to mix up the word pairings of the above passages I read. My yoke is easy, but the way is hard. Satan regularly preaches that a Christian’s way is supposed to be easy (the health and wealth gospel) and that Christ’s burden must be hard (legalism). You certainly want to avoid that says the Devil. To battle these lies, Christians should remember Christ’s burden is light because of the cross when we are tempted to feel our salvation is found in our own spiritual performance. Christ’s followers don’t need to muster up greater spiritual clout to impress God because they wear His righteousness and have been forgiven of sin through His sacrifice. On the other hand, when life gets difficult, Christians are to remember that this is the path God promised them enroute to heaven. Peter tells believers not to be surprised by suffering. Rather, they are to rejoice in trials as they identify with Christ.  1 Peter 4:12-13 says, Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you; as though something strange was happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.

Factors that make it easy: It is easy because of the following three Persons:

God the Father is a holy God who loves us and will; fight for us. (Ex. 14:14); renew our strength. (Is. 40:31); hold our hand and help us. (Is. 41:13); allow no weapon to prevail against us. (Is. 54:19); will deliver us in the day of trouble. (Ps. 50:15); will forgive and show mercy to us. (Ps. 86:5). In all ways, the Lord is looking over us. He eases our way in this life. We can trust in the Lord and His mighty power.

Jesus the Son died for us and did the very hard work opening up the road to salvation and reconciliation with God. The great burden of sin has been removed from the believer.  Here is an excerpt from Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan:  As Christian was traveling the King’s Highway toward the New Jerusalem, he came to a small hill with a cross on the top and an open tomb at the bottom. Now, all this time, upon his back he was carrying an enormous burden of his sins that kept him doubled over and made progress extremely difficult and painful. But as he drew closer to the cross, the burden suddenly fell off his back and rolled down the hill to be swallowed up by the open tomb and disappeared forever. Relieved of this hideous burden, he cried out, “Jesus has given me rest by means of His sorrow and life by means of His death!” The hideous and cumbersome burden was gone forever. We may stand at ease because our onerous baggage of sin has been removed from us.

The Holy Spirit who indwells us, lives inside us, and comforts and guides us. The Holy Spirit comforts us as we deal with the travails and challenges of this life lived in an unholy world. Often carrying us through the difficulties we encounter. The Holy Spirit teaches us through inspiration and clarifies God’s Holy Word. The Holy Spirit empowers us to stand and face the evil around us and to steadfastly serve God. The Holy Spirit is sanctifying us. Molding us into the image of Christ and training us to live a righteous life. Our companion, the Holy Spirit, makes our travel and life easier as we proceed toward the New Jerusalem.

Conclusion: Our way is indeed hard and filled with difficulties as we strive to live lives pleasing to the Lord. But we take comfort in knowing that our burden is light and we can trust and rely on God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us on our journey home. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and those who believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Hallelujah! Amen!

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your marvelous and wonderful gift of grace that takes our sins away and cleanses us. We know You will abide with us daily, and the Holy Spirit residing in us will continue to comfort us, remake us, and teach us so that we may live righteously and according to Your divine will.  Amen

Sermon for May 4, 2025                                       Pastor Gee

Living the Truth…Standards for Living

Framework Text:  John 14:6, Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Introduction:  What is truth? Jesus claimed to be the truth, not a truth. The use of the definite article “the” excludes all other “truths.”  Jesus is claiming there is only one truth and one source of all truth, and it is He. This excludes all other “truths.”

          In John 18:33-38, Jesus had the following dialogue with the Roman governor Pontius Pilate: Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked Him, Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place. You are a king, then?, said Pilate. Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into this world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me. What is truth?, retorted Pilate.

          Pilate’s cynical comment certainly is in line with today’s secular humanistic view of truth. To the unbeliever, in this camp, truth is a relative concept, and all claims of truth are equal. If a person is acting in line with his particular truths, then his actions are justified and cannot be judged or condemned by others. The only moral authority is the individual and not God. And as the Bible observes, Every man becomes a law unto himself. The inevitable outcome of this line of thinking is that might makes right, with the powerful ruling despotically over the weaker among them, who are often subjected to unspeakable atrocities. History is replete with examples of this kind of tyranny inflicted on poor, weaker souls. Even the church is not innocent in this area when wicked men have gained power within the church and turned aside from Godly truth to self-serving viewpoints to gain power and wealth.

          As I was going through the educational process I remember teachers and professors who would proclaim, “There are no absolutes.” In other words, there are no true infallible and unchanging standards of human conduct that apply universally but all things are relative and can be changed at a whim. The problem with that statement is that it is in itself an absolutistic statement and therefore disproves itself.

          So, is there an absolute source of truth that is universally applicable and upon which we can always rely? Recently, on my Facebook, there was a discussion about the sorry state of our society. One of my friends, a retired KCPD sergeant and a lifelong Christian in desperation posted this: Is there no longer any right and wrong? To which I replied: I know you know this…the Bible is the true source of right and wrong. He agreed.

          You see Jesus is the Word and the source of all truth. A main theme of John is that Jesus embodies the truth. And He has chosen to put His truth into the Holy Bible so we who follow Him may know the truth and live by it and be set free from the bondage of sin.

          The noted 18th-century Scottish preacher and theologian Thomas Chalmers once said the following:  “The sum and substance of the preparation needed for a coming eternity is that you believe what the Bible tells you and do what the Bible bids you.” Some say BIBLE stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth!

          However, a recent Gallup poll (July of 2022) found that among professing Christians only 20% believe that the Bible is the literal Word of God. Furthermore, within the same group, 58% believe it is the Word of God but should not be taken literally. I call this the buffet viewpoint of scripture where you pick and choose what you like and reject what you don’t like based on your truth.

          The French philosopher Voltaire said, “If God has made us in His image, we have returned the favor.”  You see some people will form Jesus in their image to justify their preferred sins or pet doctrines. They will pick scripture out of context to support their artificial truth. The buffet viewpoint demonstrated.

           As Christians, do we concede Biblical truth to cultural “truth” that is ever-changing and dependent on the circumstances? May God forbid it!

The Holy Bible, the source of God’s truth:  The Bible is the source of God’s truth (which is the only truth), and all scripture is God-breathed. In 2 Timothy, we are told that scripture is for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It is also for equipping the saints to lead Godly lives. The word truth appears very frequently throughout the Bible, making it relevant and important to believers.

          In the Old Testament, the most common word for truth is the Hebrew word EMET. This word means the body of truth that shapes the practices of daily living. It is a lived (applied) body of beliefs, not just knowledge. It implies truth, faithfulness, integrity, sincerity, authenticity, and honesty. All character traits of Jesus Christ who is the truth.

          From this Hebrew word and related scripture, we can know the following: 1. Truth is to be lived out. It is the truth in action. Psalm 25: 5 says, Guide me in Your truth and teach me… You see, what one truly believes can be deduced and proven from how one lives, rather than simply what one professes. Actions speak louder than words. 2. Lived truth shapes us as well as those lives we touch. Proverbs 14:25 declares A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful. If we faithfully witness to the truth of God, then people will be saved. If we witness falsely and deceitfully, lives will be lost for eternity because our behavior affects how people view the church and Christ. In addition, Titus 1:9 speaks about the role of teachers and leaders in the following manner: He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. This responsibility must be taken very seriously by teachers, leaders, and preachers. They will be held accountable for misleading God’s children. 3. Embedding God’s truth does not happen by accident. Psalm 119: 48 proclaims, I reach out for Your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees. We must actively pursue the truth. We must have a burning and consuming desire to feed upon the word of God so we can enjoy its flavor and nourishment and sustenance. Without that desire, we starve spiritually and are vulnerable to the chaotic currents of our present environment.

          In the New Testament, the most often appearing Greek word for truth is ALETHIA. This word means that which is true, pure from all error and falsehood. It is conduct conformed to a body of truth which is believed to be true.

          As I mentioned earlier, the main theme of the Gospel of John is that Jesus Christ embodies the truth. John 1:14 declares, The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

          In Christ, we see the fullness of a life surrendered to the whole truth of God. And Christ desired the same for His followers when He prayed to His Father in John 17:17, saying, Sanctify them by the truth, Your Word is truth. To be sanctified is to be called out and separated from the world for the purpose of serving God’s truth. We are sanctified by the Word of Truth.

          In Romans 1:25, Paul describes people who fail to live by the Truth of God. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.

          The late Dr. Billie Strother, one of my Seminary professors, made the following comment about this verse in Romans:

          “The process of growing spiritually in Christ is reciprocal – the more we exchange our false truths (lies) for the truth of God, the greater our spiritual growth and health, and the greater spiritual impact we will have on others, including family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and persons we have yet to meet.”

          To Paul, the love of the truth of God leads to and affirms one’s salvation. We must live the truth. This is a daily challenge because temptation always exists to supplant God’s truth with a convenient truth (a lie). Paul told Timothy the following in 2 Timothy 4:4, They will turn their ears from the truth and turn aside to myths. Our present culture is replete with myths and lies and ungodliness.

          However, when we fail, and we will fail, through confession and repentance we can receive forgiveness for our failures and work harder to please God.

How do we know we are living in the truth? How can we measure our faithfulness to living God’s truth?

          John says in I John 1:6, If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But the converse is true as well: if we claim to have fellowship with Jesus and walk in the light of truth, then we live by the truth. And the truth is found in God’s Word.

          In the Bible, we find that God’s truth is: Protective (Psalm 40:11), Instructive (Psalm 25:5), Illuminating (Psalm 43:3), Codified (Daniel 10:21), Salvific (Proverbs 14:25), Liberating (John 8:32), Incarnate (John 1:14), Strengthening (John 17:17), Knowable (I John 2:21), and Eternal (II John 2)

          In addition, what are some of the core beliefs we should have as Christians which in turn form our worldview? Dr. Chad Ragsdale in his book Christians’ Convictions, suggests these core foundational beliefs: God exists; Jesus is Lord; Jesus is the risen Savior; Salvation is by grace and not by human effort. These are the deep core truths of our faith upon which we can rely, and a faith once and for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

          We have free will and we can choose to live by shifting relative truth which permeates our world and will cause us to be broken, twisted, regretful, and condemned. But we can choose to live by God’s truth thus transforming us into the likeness of Christ. If we do this we will live an abundant life now and eternally which God purposes for us. That’s what He wants for all His children.

          We need not guess the truth and be confused by the lies of Satan and a worldly viewpoint because God’s truth as revealedin His Word guides us each day and provides us with a solid foundation.

Conclusion:I will conclude this sermon by quoting Dr. Strother again:

          “We live in an age when most people conceive of truth as subjective, an ever-changing consensual cultural construct that shifts with the passage of time and the winds of faddish social favor. But, as Christians, there is a truth to which we may surrender – a truth that will shape us, guide us, preserve, and strengthen us not only to eternal life but through a life worth living now. That eternal and unchanging truth is plainly stated, implied, taught, and exampled in the history, poetry, songs, prophecies, doctrines, and stories in the 66 books we call the Bible. When it comes to the Bible, don’t adjust it, trust it.”

Prayer:  Dear God, may we always stand by the truth and live by the truth which is revealed in holy scripture. We are awash in a flood of immoral and despicable behaviors in this world. And truthfully, sometimes we do participate in it and are in danger of losing our way home to You. We truly repent of our failures and will arise again, bathed in Your gracious forgiveness, to continue to strive to live lives that are righteous and pleasing to You. Help us to serve Your kingdom through our actions and behaviors so that the fallen will be attracted to Your abundant grace. We place our lives and fate in Your mighty hands with full confidence in Your promises and love for us, Your children. In Christ’s name, amen.

Sermon for 4/27/2025                                                         Pastor Gee

That Glorious Morning

Framework Scripture:  On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood before them. In their fright, the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, He has RISEN! Remember how He told you, while He was with you in Galilee, “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified, and on the third day be raised again.” Then they remembered His words. Luke 24:1-8

Introduction:  Most kingdoms do everything they can to protect their king. This is the unspoken premise of the game of chess, for example. When the king falls, the kingdom is lost. Game over. Therefore, the king must be protected at all costs. Another notable example comes from the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill desperately wanted to join the expeditionary forces and watch the invasion from the bridge of a battleship in the English Channel. U.S. General Dwight David Eisenhower was desperate to stop him, for fear that the Prime Minister might be killed in battle. When it became apparent that Churchill would not be dissuaded, Eisenhower appealed to a higher authority: King George VI. The king went and told Churchill that if it was the Prime Minister’s duty to witness the invasion, he could only conclude that it was also his own duty as king to join him on the battleship. At this point, Churchill reluctantly agreed to back down, for he knew that he could never expose the King of England to such danger.

King Jesus, our King, did exactly the opposite. With royal courage, he surrendered his body to be crucified. On the cross, he offered a king’s ransom: his life for the life of his people. He would die for all the wrong things that we had ever done and would do, completely atoning for all our sins. The crown of thorns that was meant to make a mockery of his royal claims actually proclaimed his kingly dignity, even in death.

Our King was true to God’s plan, and because of His obedience and His selfless sacrifice, on that glorious resurrection morning, God’s plan of redemption was made perfect and completed. And as we consider this victory, we need to be mindful of the following four truths:

His completed mission was for us!

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. 1 Timothy 1:15

He came to save all mankind, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. No one is without sin except for Christ Himself. A believer like us is, in fact, just a poor old sinner saved by the abundant grace of God. Amen!

The Greek word in this verse (sosai), translated as save means to deliver, to rescue from spiritual death in this context, to move one from illness to health. The sin disease was forever cured that glorious morning when the Savior arose! The word is in the active voice, meaning it is Christ who is doing the saving, not us. It is only through Jesus Christ that mankind will find salvation and redemption. One can come to the Father only through Him who died on the cross. We cannot save ourselves but must be saved by King Jesus.

He completed His mission assigned to Him by the Father. Since before the beginning of time, God had His plan in place to save His fallen children. And it could only be through Jesus Christ, the Perfect Lamb of God. On that Glorious Resurrection Morning, the sacred mission was completed for all time. It is finished!

He paid the sin debt to free us!

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit. 1 Peter 3:18

His sacrifice paid the sin debt, and His blood washed clean all who believe in Him. The Greek word in this verse (epathen), translated as suffered has the meaning of contending for. Christ fought for us against the evil accuser to bring us to God and salvation. He is our hero! Our King! And the old devil fought ferociously to dissuade the Savior from His mission through horrible beatings and scourging, and much more.  Jesus contended for us in that He labored to carry out God’s perfect plan of redemption for those in rebellion and undeserving of His grace.

In this verse, we are the unrighteous ones. His blood has cleansed the unrighteous, who now can be brought before a holy God without suffering condemnation. On that Glorious Morning, the debt was paid in full.

He lived to die for us!

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life? Romans 5:10

We were reconciled, so we can and will be saved. The chasm between the holy and unholy has been bridged by Christ for all time. The Greek words for reconciled and saved in this verseare both in the passive voice, which means it is done for us through no effort of our own. Sinful man cannot by his paltry efforts reconcile himself with a Holy God nor save himself from eternal condemnation. This can only be done by the perfect Son of God who arose on that glorious morning as a victor forever over sin and death. He lived to set us free on that Glorious Morning!

He is coming back for us!

For we believe Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 – 18

As believers, this is what we have to look forward to. The glorious appearance of the Lord will bring about the rising of all the saints who are asleep followed by those who are alive being snatched up to the New Jerusalem. (Heaven) to reside with Him throughout eternity.  The Greek word translated here as rise (anasteontai) can also mean delivered and is in the middle voice which means the dead in Christ will participate in the rising up. But on the other hand, the Greek word translated here as caught up (arpagesometha) can also mean snatched or seized, and is in the passive voice, which means those alive when Christ returns will be snatched up by Him with no effort on their part.

This will be a very public return seen by all on the Earth. This is the culmination of human history and basically, the end of time as we know it. The long, horrible struggle between those in rebellion against God and God and His people will finally and forever be over! God’s peace will reign throughout the universe. Perfection is restored as it was in the beginning. It will last eternally! Christ’s return will be another Glorious Morning, that great gettin’ up morning day.

Conclusion:  In his book Leader-shift, Dr. Gary Johnson writes:

A mission – and it appeared impossible – was accepted by none other than Jesus Christ. It goes like this: God had a dilemma. Being just, God would find each and every person – throughout all of human history – guilty of sin and condemn all humankind to hell. Yet, God abounds in love, and His compassion is never-ending. So then how would God redeem fallen humankind, making eternal life available to every person? Enter to center stage, Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus Christ willingly agreed to come and redeem us.

What rapture His followers must have experienced when they discovered that the Lord, their King, had arisen on that Glorious Sunday Morning, the victor over sin and death. The King was alive. Long live the King! The game was not over, it was just beginning. His victory opened the gates of heaven to those who believed. From that point on, everything was changed, and God’s love and forgiveness would abide over all His children who would accept His amazing grace. He has risen! He has risen indeed! Amen.

Prayer:  On this glorious Easter morning, we humbly bow before You, Lord in gratitude for Your sacrifice and the victory of our Risen Savior. Your master plan for our redemption culminated when Jesus arose, and the tremendous gap between You and mankind was bridged for all eternity. Those of faith in the Lord need only to cross that bridge to arrive home to You and redemption. How wonderful it is to pray these words. Thank you, Father, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Easter Sermon, 4/20/2025                                               Pastor Gee

The Unquenchable Thirst

Framework Scripture: As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, my God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I meet with God? Psalm 42:1-2

Introduction:  The famous 18th-century preacher Jonathan Edwards proclaimed, “So holy desire, exercised in longings, hungerings, and thirstings after God and holiness, is often mentioned in Scripture as an important part of true religion.”

          Pastor Edwards is telling us that a true believer has a continual holy desire and thirst for God. A craving to be closer and more intimate with the Holy Father of all. An unquenchable thirst for the living water that only comes from Him who saved us. So, whatever else is transpiring in a Christian’s life, soul-thirst is a sign of soul-growth. Let me repeat that.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10, …that I may know Him. What is Paul saying? Didn’t he already know Jesus more closely than perhaps anyone else ever will? Of course, he did. But the more he knew Jesus, the more intimately he wanted to know Him. The more Paul progressed in spiritual strength, the more thirsty for God he became. He craved the living waters.

Psalm 42: 1- 2 which I just read further expresses this desire and uses the metaphor of a deer panting for streams of water. We have all experienced thirst at one time or another. Thirst can only be remedied by a drink of water or other beverage. Likewise, our soul thirsts for God and an intimate relationship with Him above all else. In fact, all humans thirst for God whether they know it or not. We all have a soul, and that soul longs for and desires an ongoing relationship with God. Believers meet this desire through God, while unbelievers wander endlessly through life unfulfilled as they try other means to slake the Godly thirst of their souls.

This fact bears repeating in other words. Though it is not felt in every moment, in some sense there is a thirst in every soul. God did not make us to be content in our natural condition. In one way or another, to one degree or another, everyone wants more than he or she has now. And this holds true in the spiritual realm. The difference between people is in the kinds of thirsty longing they have in their souls.

Three kinds of spiritual thirsty longing: There are three kinds of spiritual thirsty longing that mankind experiences: thirst of the empty soul, thirst of the dry soul, and thirst of the satisfied soul. So, let’s examine each of these.

Thirsty longing of the empty soul. The natural unconverted man or woman has an empty thirsty soul that is devoid of God. They are in constant pursuit of that which will fill the emptiness.The range of this pursuit may include money, sex, power, houses, land, sports, hobbies, entertainment, transcendence, significance, education, etc., while basically carrying out the desires of the body and the mind but not the soul.Augustine said, “You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.”Always searching, but never resting, the empty soul turns from one pursuit to another, unable to find anything that will fill the God-shaped vacuum in the heart. Like Solomon, this person discovers that no matter who or what he initially finds exciting and satisfying, ultimately “all is vanity and a striving after wind” (Ecc.1:14).

Jesus said, Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. John 4:14.The empty, searching soul can only find what he is looking for in Jesus Christ.It is this thirst that can lead one to Christ and salvation.As Christians it is our commission to bring the good news of the grace of Our Savior, who is the only one who can quench the thirst of the empty soul, to these lost souls who are likely never to find Him unless they are told the good news of the Gospel.

Thirsty longing of the dry soul. This is the thirst of a believer whose soul becomes dry.He has tasted the rivers of living water but something in his life has taken it away and his soul becomes dry. There are three ways a Christian soul becomes dry:

 By drinking too much from the desiccating fountains of the world and too little from the “river of God.” Garbage in garbage out.Philippians 4: 8 says, Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

God desertions.This occurs when God seems far away from the believer.Hebrews 13:5 says Jesus will never leave or forsake the believer.This desertion is only a perception for God will not forsake us. The believer has deserted God.When this happens, the believer must examine himself.What barriers has he placed between himself and the Lord? This calls for a thorough examination of the believer’s life and priorities.

Prolonged mental and physical fatigue.We can experience burnout in our service.Rest becomes necessary.But continue to drink the water of life through the Word of God during the period of respite. Psalm 19:7-9 declares that God’s Word can revive the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, and enlighten the eyes.

Thirsty longing of the satisfied soul. The satisfied soul thirsts for God precisely because he is satisfied with God. He has tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8) and the taste is so uniquely satisfying that he craves more. As noted earlier Paul continued to strive to “… know Him.”Noted theologian, A.W.Tozer wrote: “O God, I have tasted thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made thirsty still.”Such desires are the marks of a growing soul as Pastor Edwards noted. Soul thirst is a sign of soul growth.

The blessing of spiritual thirst. Spiritual thirst is in fact a blessing because:

God initiates spiritual thirst.In Matthew 5:6 Jesus said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.The reason a person thirsts for God is because the Holy Spirit is at work within him. The Holy Spirit lives within the believer. The Holy Spirit causes a Christian to be “spiritually minded” (Romans 8:6) and to have Godward thirsts and longings. A desire to continue in fellowship with God.Romans 8: 5 proclaims, Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live by the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Your wants have been  Unbelievers will not recognize a Godly thirst because the Holy Spirit does not dwell within them and they are entrapped by worldly, fleshly desires. But the believers have the indwelling Spirit of God who urges them constantly God-ward to quench their spiritual thirst.

God initiates spiritual thirst in order to satisfy it. God creates a thirst for Himself so that He can satisfy it with Himself alone.Just like an automobile which constantly requires replenishment of fuel to continue to operate, so too a Christian requires the ongoing replenishment of spiritual fuel from God to continue the race. Remember Matthew 5:6 says they shall be satisfied.The thirst we have now for God will be filled with exceeding great happiness beyond our comprehension. This thirst is a God-planned part of the growth of a soul, driving us constantly onward toward our heavenly home.

Practical steps for thirsting after the thirst-slaker to avoid the dry soul:

Meditate on the Bible.Meditate is more than mere reading its about comprehension.What is the difference between the two? Often when we read, we are not thinking deeply about the words, the meaning, and context. To meditate requires a pause to review and thoughtfully consider what you have read, what is its meaning and how does it apply to me? What is the lesson? Deeper study in commentaries can help. The Bible is a Christian’s nourishment. The body will perish without food and water and so to the soul will perish without the nourishment of God’s Word.

Pray the Bible.After you read a section of scripture, pray through part of that same passage.Example: Psalm 63:1 says,You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. How would you pray through this scripture?Example: Glorious Heavenly Father, hallowed be Your name. Please forgive me, Your humble servant, of my sins. I thank You for Your love and my salvation. You, God, are my God, and my only God,  earnestly I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. Fill me with Your living water and bathe my soul in Your love. I pray this in the name of my savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Read thirst-making writers.One suggestion is The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.Books by C.S. Lewis.Other fine and thought-provoking Christian authors, many of them are in our Church library. Such works should leave you thirsting for more.

Conclusion: As believers may we always earnestly thirst for God and desire to walk closer with Him. For only through God will our spiritual desires be met.

Prayer: Help us Father to rely on You constantly and to come to You to receive the living water that You bring to us. We have tasted Your goodness and it has made us thirsty for more. We long for You and Your wondrous love and grace. Amen

Sermon from Sunday, April 6, 2025                         Pastor Gee

March 30, 2025

Do You See What I See?

Framework Scripture:  Isaiah 35:10: …and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Introduction:  Many of us here this morning clearly remember the 9-11 attack on America, a tragic event that took the lives of 4,000 people and later many first responders who contracted fatal diseases from breathing the dust and pollution created by the collapse of the towers. People just going about their business and never suspecting what they would soon be facing. Probably we all remember where we were when we heard the news of the attack. Major events like that have a way of searing themselves into our memories.

          I was eating breakfast in the living room and watching the morning news as I was getting ready for work. Suddenly the news switched to NY city and I saw one of the Twin Towers with black smoke coming out of one side. The news reporter at this point didn’t know what was happening for sure but knew that an airliner had crashed into the building. But as I watched (as we all watched) a second plane approached and slammed into the second tower. Then we knew this was no accident. Terrorism was here in the USA and everything seemed to change. Many in here today probably remember Pearl Harbor, the Cuban missile crisis, the Kennedy assassination, and more.

          We do live in a time of uncertainty and instability that impacts our daily lives. We see the moral decay around us and a society constantly bent on godless and sinful behavior. This can cause fear and perhaps anxiety. All the little wars since 9-11, other conflicts such as Ukraine, the nuclear plant that was sitting in the middle of an artillery battle between Russia and Ukraine, and the recent pandemic can leave us reeling and confused. We all like to live in peace and stability. But that is not the world we live in and I think it never has been or will be. Many historians will tell you that the natural state of humanity is war interspersed with short periods of peace. My study of world history tends to verify this viewpoint. It will remain this way until The Prince of Peace returns.

          The framework verse I read from Isaiah gives us a vision of the future for God’s people and it is further clarified in Revelation. Even back in the OT times the Lord was telling His people to catch the vision, to see and know what He has in store for the faithful. That even though the present is filled with uncertainty and bad things the believer can be comforted and encouraged by the Lord’s vision.

          You might ask what is this vision thing anyway and what is it all about? A vision is a future state and the desired goal and end to a journey. Many organizations within their strategic plan have a vision statement. This is their ultimate goal, where they will be when they succeed. Along with a vision statement, you will most generally have a mission statement that addresses the primary focus of the organization. This mission statement then shapes how the organization goes about moving toward its vision. In addition, values are added to provide the parameters that encircle how business is conducted.

          This morning, we will take a close look at what is in store for us as believers and subjects in God’s Kingdom as revealed to the Apostle John in the book of Revelation (aka the Apocalypse: the uncovering). And how this affects us and how we live. The Revelation was written at a time of persecution of the Church, a time of great uncertainty and instability for the 1st-century Christians. We will specifically examine Revelation 21:1-8 verse by verse to gain greater insight into what God has in store for all of us!

Revelation 21:1-8:

Verse 1: Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth”, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

This statement is presaged in Isaiah 66:17 where it says, See I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered…

The Greek word “new” (kainos) used in this passage means: Not a remake or a remodel but a teardown and to completely make new in kind. A complete transformation of all things. Completely new and different. Perhaps a “do-over.” In some ways a restoration of the original plan when God and mankind communed in the Garden of Eden before the fall and the corruption of the world by the sin disease. That corruption will be wiped away for good now.

The sea is mentioned as being no longer. Why would the sea disappear? Don’t we need the water? In the first century the sea was viewed as a place of immense danger, the great unknown and unseen, with constant change, and turbulence. Here metaphorically it is used to mean an abyss and a gulf between mankind and God. A barrier to fellowship with the Lord. But now all barriers will be removed thanks to Christ and once again man will walk with his Creator in person.

Verse 2: I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Remember the old hymn that says, Heaven came down and glory filled my soul. When at the cross the Savior made me whole! Heaven is literally coming down to join together with the new earth and God’s people, who are the Bride of Christ. Immanuel “God is with us.”  The new Jerusalem, the city of eternal peace, will be the forever residence of the Lord’s redeemed children! US!

Verse 3:  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

The KJV says He will tabernacle with them. Leviticus 26: 11 declares, I will put My tabernacle among you, and I will not abhor you. The tabernacle was always the symbol of God’s presence among His people. Not abhor you: A direct reference to salvation through Christ. We are no longer enemies of God. Ezekiel 48:34 refers to the new city as “The Lord is There.”

The Greek word for dwell (skene) used here simply means habitation. God will be with His children forever and walk daily with them. Can you ever imagine this? Face to face with God, seeing Him in person. Walking with and talking with Him. When He sees us will He like the father of the prodigal son run toward us and embrace us and rejoice in our return to Him? Will He say, “My dear child I feared that you would be lost forever. But you are now home with Me.”

Verse 4:  “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

The old sin-filled and profane world is gone, wiped away without a trace. I Corinthians 15: 26 says, The last enemy to be destroyed is death. The believer is born twice and dies only once. Born of a woman Born of the Spirit Death of the Flesh Resurrection to everlasting life for the soul! The non-believer is born once but dies twice. Born of a woman Death of the Flesh Eternal death of the soul. (The second death).

Verse 5: He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Here we have God speaking directly to John which emphasizes the direct connection between God and man. No intercessor is needed here. The Greek word here for “making” is in the present tense which means continuous action. He is continually making things new, now and into the future. God’s universe is not static. Perhaps this gives us a glimpse of what we might be doing in partnership with God throughout eternity. But for now, we can only speculate what it will be like. The KJV says, …for these words are true and faithful. These words proceed from the very mouth of God. The believer is assured that they are true and infallible.

Verse 6: He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End. To the thirsty, I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

God speaks again and proclaims It is Done. The word “done” is in the plural meaning literally They are Done. One can infer that this means all the events in God’s plan for mankind’s redemption have concluded and culminated in the joining of the New Jerusalem and the New Earth and the receiving of all believers into God’s Heaven. From the first creation and the fall of mankind to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God and the restoration of man to a right relationship with his Creator. They are done!

God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last. God is the Originator and Completer of all things. He has always existed and will exist forever.

God says I will give to the thirsty. “I” is emphatic meaning only He can do this. “I alone.”  Only He can satisfy the human thirst for meaning, purpose, and fellowship. There is nothing or no one else in this Universe who can do what God can do. People search in vain for other means to satisfy their thirst but without God, their thirst will never be quenched.

He says I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. The KJV says, freely give. Without cost means a gift given ungrudgingly; without expectation; given gratuitously. In John 4:14 Jesus says, …but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Again, this shows God’s plan coming to fruition.

Verse 7: Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

The KJV says, overcometh instead of victorious. Through God’s grace and our faithfulness, we have overcome sin, Satan, and the world and are proclaimed victorious. The reward:  an eternal and special relationship with God. This is a great comfort to us as we daily wade through the cesspool of this fallen world.

Verse 8: But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars, they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

This verse is very self-explanatory as to what happens to those who remain enemies of God. This is the second and eternal death I referred to previously. This verse should emphasize for believers the urgency of bringing the Gospel message to as many as possible so they may be saved through Christ alone. We have been commissioned by the Savior for this very important task.

Conclusion:  Do we clearly see God’s vision for us? Do we believe that ultimately the faithful will be in the New Jerusalem? Despite the wars, destruction, and evil around us God’s people will be redeemed and will be victorious. Our vision should be that we will be in the New Jerusalem with all the saints and spend eternity in fellowship with God.

          But until then what do we do? Do we just sit out the battle and remain within the four walls of our church building? It has been said that God’s kingdom is not a cruise liner where the passengers are pampered and catered to but it is a battleship like the USS Missouri outfitted for the great spiritual war and requiring all hands on deck. In his book entitled Anatomy of a Revived Church Thom Rainer on page 44 says this, Too many church members see the pastor as the person who does all the ministry work, instead of the one who equips others to do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). In this war, there can be no observers and customers, no fence sitters but active soldiers engaged in evangelizing the world with the Gospel of salvation so that as many as possible will catch the vision and be saved before the Day of Judgement. Jude v. 23 says, …save others by snatching them from the fire!

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to catch the vision of the victorious church and the final and complete destruction of all evil. As saved believers, we know that we will be eternal residents of the New Jerusalem. In the meantime, let us labor for Your kingdom and deny Satan as many souls as we can snatch from the fire. Embolden us to share the Gospel message of hope and redemption with those around us so that they may know Christ and be saved by Him through faith and Your wonderful grace. We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

                                                                                      Pastor Gee

March 23, 2025

VMV—Why?

Framework Scripture:  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20.

Introduction:  I bet you are wondering what VMV stands for or maybe you don’t really care! In any case, I am going to talk about VMV today and if you stick around for a bit you will learn where I’m coming from.

          Probably all of us have been members of various organizations, groups, or teams. And in every human group, whether it be the church, a company, a non-profit, a government agency, the Boy Scouts, etc., each must answer this question: WHY? Why does this group exist? What do we expect to accomplish? What is the target? When it’s all said and done, have we accomplished what we set out to achieve? Yet can’t know this until you answer the why question.

          One of the best ways to answer these questions is for the organization to develop a Vision Statement (V), a Mission Statement (M), and a Values Statement (V). VMV. Did you catch that? Pretty slick. Now this applies of course to the Church of Christ and to all the various congregations within it regardless of size or location. You see these three things (VMV) give us our ultimate goal, our marching orders, and our SOP (standard operating procedures). They help us to serve the Lord and His church in a productive and effective way and to direct His resources appropriately. VMV also helps us to stay on course and avoid mission drift.

          In the book, Mission Drift, the authors state, “Without careful attention, faith-based organizations will inevitably drift from their founding mission. Slowly, silently, and with little fanfare, organizations routinely drift from their original purpose, and most will never return to their original intent.” This makes them ineffective in attaining their stated goals. Unfortunately, such churches often just become a social club. Which is much to the delight of the enemy because they are failing in their mandated and important mission.

So, for the above-stated reasons we need VMV. And hopefully, I will be able to convince you of this by the end of this sermon and if not, I’ll just keep on preaching until I do! So, let’s take a look at the VMV.

Vision Statement: First of all, let’s look at the Vision Statement. A vision statement is a declaration of the ultimate goal or outcome. If we are successful this is what we have done or where we will be.

The vision statement I am proposing is based on the following scripture found in Revelation 21:1-3 where it says, Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “ Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them, They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.

This then is our ultimate and desired outcome to dwell with the Lord and the saints in the New Jerusalem for eternity. Each day as we faithfully tread the King’s Highway, also called the narrow way, we come closer to that glorious and wonderful goal.

I would propose this as our Vision Statement: We will ultimately reside in the New Jerusalem with God and the saints forever.

But this will not be easy to accomplish because this world and our enemy Satan stand against us in our journey and will attempt to snare us and distract us from our goal. We must press forward toward the mark, guided and aided by the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and our fellow believers.

Mission Statement: Secondly, there is the Mission Statement. A Mission Statement declares what an organization will do to achieve the vision, and where it will focus its efforts and resources. The mission statement will provide the parameters for spending our resources. In our case God-given resources for which we must give an account and are to be used to accomplish our God-given mission.

I would propose this as our Mission Statement: To serve Jesus Christ by presenting the Gospel to the lost and shepherding believers to spiritual maturity and demonstrating the love of Christ by meeting the needs of others in a compassionate and caring way. This mission statement is based on three scriptural references and is also in three parts.

The first scripture is found in Matthew 28:18-20 and is known as the Great Commission where it says, Then Jesus came to them (the disciples) and said, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always to the very end of the age. The first part of our mission then is to evangelize, baptize, and make disciples. The second part of our mission is to teach the new disciples everything that Christ has commanded so they may become spiritually mature and be able to teach.

The second scripture is in Hebrews 5:11 through 6:2. This scripture is complementary to the first in that the Hebrew writer is telling his readers that they are immature disciples who should by now be teachers but they still need to be taught the elementary truths of God all over again. They are like babies still on milk and cannot take the solid food of the mature disciple. They showed no progress in their journey to spiritual maturity. It is our mission then to assist all believers to grow and mature spiritually so they can assist with the mission.

The third scripture is in Matthew 22: 37-40, known as the Greatest Commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”         So, the third part of our mission then is to meet the needs of others lovingly and compassionately. Jesus told us that whatever we do for the least of His brothers we are doing it unto Him. This show of love is attractive to others and it may lead them to accept Christ and God’s grace.

Values Statement: Thirdly, there is the values statement. A Values Statement enumerates the values that will encompass all efforts to realize the vision and the mission and will dictate how we operate. How we go about doing business. They set the culture of the church. They are the heart of the organization. They surround all our plans and efforts to fulfill our mission. Values are guideposts and core beliefs that define have we operate to accomplish our goals. If a core value of an organization is to make a profit, then that value will craft how they go about conducting their business. It will always be about the bottom line with other values being subordinated. Our profit is in producing capable and mature disciples.

I suggest that our values can be found in Galatians 5:21-23 and are known as the fruit of the Spirit. They are love (agape), joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Agape Love drives all our efforts and is the self-sacrificing love of Jesus.

Joy is our disposition and sets the tone for our service. Remember the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Peace is our pathway as we serve our Lord and others. The Bible says to be at peace with all men as you are able.

Patience is important to establish tenacity and to help us wait upon the Lord and His good timing.

Kindness helps us to look upon all of God’s children with love and to attract them to the Father.

Gentleness is our approach to others. No threats but a simple gentle witness.

Goodness of character validates who we are and the purity of our mission. Remember that Satan is always active in attacking our character as followers of Christ. The undermining of the character of a Christian, especially a pastor or one in a leadership role does great damage to the work of Christ.

Faithfulness to the Lord ensures that He will be there to provide for us and to guide our every effort.

Self-control will show our dedication to the Christ Life and pursuing personal righteousness which is attractive to others.

Conclusion: One of my former Bible College professors, Dr. Gary Johnson in his book The Power Shift asks the following question: “ In what business are we in? What is our line of business? First and foremost, we make disciples – Jesus followers – of all people. Are we seeking and finding the spiritually lost around us, leading them to Christ, and then growing them in Him?” “We want to have a single, laser-like focus on our mission, and that is to seek and save the lost. Nothing matters more to God.”

 Knowing where we’re going, what we are to do while we serve God in this life, and the values that shape how we go about working to achieve our mission and vision helps us to stay the course God has set for us. We will run the race in a manner pleasing to the Lord and hopefully many will come to Christ and be with us in the New Jerusalem.

Prayer:  Lord thank you for our holy mission and we pray that You will continue to guide us, supply us, and empower us as we faithfully work to achieve it. Let us be responsive to the calling and leading of the Blessed Holy Spirit. May many be saved and rescued from damnation and hopelessness. In Christ’s Holy name, we pray. Amen.

March 9, 2025

Train Hard, Fight Easy

Framework scripture:  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and do everything to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

Introduction:  The title of this sermon, Train Hard, Fight Easy, is a common phrase used by members of the police department where I served. Likely it is a common idea for first responders and the military. This was a saying of an 18^th century famous Russian General Count Suvorov. It means that you as an individual must prepare yourself mentally and physically to meet the sudden demands of your profession so that when the going gets tough, the tough get going (i.e., you are prepared at a moment’s notice). And if you have trained hard in preparation, you can fight easy and win the skirmish with minimal force or injuries. One of the best examples of this philosophy are the Navy SEALS whose rigorous and ongoing training dramatical increase the odds of the successful mission. For the believers, we are to train hard for spiritual warfare so that we may resist the schemes of the Devil and to do so automatically and with ease.

          A personal example is my revolver retention training I received when I was a police officer in KCMO. I was able to defeat the threat of being disarmed in an automatic and easy way due to training hard and mastering the technique. I am alive today because I had trained hard and fought easy and kept my firearm out of the hands of a person who would have surely shot me. No body armor back then.

          So, at this point you might be asking yourself, so what’s all that got to do with me and the verses just read? I’m not a Navy SEAL or a first responder and I don’t plan on doing any rigorous training, especially at my mature age. But you see our training is for spiritual warfare and does not involve physical training but spiritual and mental training and a correct idea of our part in this war and who is our strong Ally.

          So, let’s take a look at what spiritual warfare involves and what we are to do to be prepared to fulfill our role in this struggle between the dark forces and our Heavenly Father.

Spiritual Warfare: Paul’s scope in Ephesians is cosmic. From the very beginning, he has drawn attention to the unseen world and now he describes the spiritual battle that takes place against evil in the heavenly realms. He cautions against lashing out against human opponents as though they were the real enemy and also against assuming that the battle can be fought using merely human resources.

In the fog of war, it is imperative to know the real enemy and to work to understand that enemy and his objectives and to know the resources we can bring to bear on the battleground. It is also important for believers to understand their resources and where they come from and who is our ally.

We are soldiers in this ancient and ongoing war of good against evil. We are not allowed to sit this one out and watch from the cheap seats on the sideline. A Christian is expected to be in the arena and to be prepared to fight like he is the third monkey on the ramp to Noah’s ark and brother it’s starting to rain! The enemy is at it 24/7/365 and will not give up until the Lord returns to vanquish him.

Brief Greek Word Study. Before I go on I want us to look closely at some of the words Paul used in the above verses to give us deeper insight into this passage.

The first word I want us to consider is found in verse 10 and is strong (endunamousthe). Be strong in the Lord is the command. It has the following meanings: prepared to fight (in this context), empowered, powerful, strengthened. It is an imperative (a command) not a suggestion. And the tense (present) implies an ongoing action without a definite ending. It can more properly be read, “…you all be strong.”  (3^rd person, plural). No one gets a pass. The word is also in the passive voice because it is not by our puny strength but by the imputed strength of God and His mighty power. Be strong in the Lord! This is an extremely important point because we can only win and overcome the enemy by the strength of God, Himself, and there is no other way.

The second word is found in verse 12 and it is struggle (pale). For our struggle… This word means to wrestle and it is only found here in the Bible. I did some wrestling in high school and if you also wrestled you know if you are not physically fit and you don’t know the right moves to make you can be pinned within a few seconds. Therefore, to win you must practice. This very concept screams preparation. Train hard to fight easy.  Remember we struggle (wrestle with) the spiritual forces of evil.

The third word is found in verse 13 and it is stand (antistenai). Stand your ground… This word can mean the following:  I stand against, oppose, resist. This word is in the active voice which means we are to do this and it is not being done to us. And the tense implies a continuing action (aorist). Do this each day without fail until the Lord returns.  There is an old Scottish war song entitled Sgt. Mackenzie that starts off like this:  When they come, I’ll stand my ground. I’ll stand my ground and be nay afraid. Paul says we must be able to stand, which implies preparation to be made able and fit to stand your ground.

The Lord will provide. Paul has laid some serious demands on us: be strong in the Lord, fight actively against Satan and to stand our ground and not give an inch to evil.  He doesn’t leave us in the lurch. He writes “put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

He continues in verses 14 through 17 to list the armor of God:The belt of truth buckled around your waist. The breastplate of righteousness.Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.Take up the shield of faith to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.Take the helmet of salvation.Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

This is our equipment issued to us by God in preparation for the war against evil.But you can’t just receive the equipment and use it effectively unless you train with it first.  Train hard with your equipment to fight easy.  All of us here today had to learn to use the equipment provided for our professions. Whether it was the trades, the military, first responders, teachers, preachers, computer workers, and more you had to learn and train with your equipment in order to be successful in your job.And the harder you trained, the more proficient you became. How do you get to Carnegie Hall, practice, practice, practice!

For instance, even we preachers have our equipment such as the Bible, lexicons, interlinear Bibles, commentaries, and books of all kinds. Have you ever wondered why preachers have so many books? They help to equip and train us.

So, it is the same with the equipment God gives us.The belt of truth. We must first know the truth and how to apply it to real-life situations. Bible knowledge is very important.The breastplate of righteousness. We must pursue righteous living and know what it involves to do so.  It is righteous living that protects our hearts symbolic of our emotions which can be deceitful and misleading.  Feet fitted with the readiness of the Gospel. We must have a heart for evangelism and thoroughly know the Gospel message so we can clearly explain and present it to the lost. Feet means to travel – the most common mode of transportation back then.The shield of faith. We must work and train hard always to maintain and grow our faith in the Lord and this will protect us from the attacks of the enemy.The helmet of salvation. This refers to having salvation-mindedness which controls your thoughts, viewpoints, and actions. The helmet of salvation protects the mind which is under constant attack by Satan.The sword of the Spirit, the word of the Lord. Train hard to know God’s word thoroughly so you can use it to defend against and to attack the enemy. A sword is both a defensive weapon and an offensive one. Strike the enemy with the truth of God and he will flee!

Paul adds in verse 18 one more thing to our arsenal: Prayer.We must be prayer warriors and we must train hard to develop a praying lifestyle.  This helps us to grow into effective and strong disciples of Christ.

Conclusion: Folks we must respond to Paul’s clarion call to be strong, to fight and stand each day against evil in this world. It is our duty to train hard so we may fight easy and be successful in this mission. Millions of souls depend on our participation in this struggle. Remember that the Christian life requires service and sacrifice. Train hard to fight easy!

Prayer:  Father God we know that we are Your soldiers in this long war of good against evil. Help us to increase our awareness and understanding of this so that we may better prepare ourselves to take part in the countless battles that rage on each day. We rely completely on You and Your mighty power to win this war. We know that at the end of days,  the evil one will be forever vanquished. But until then he wars against You and Your Kingdom to rob away from You as many souls as he possibly can. It is because of this that we labor to spread the good news of the Gospel. Amen

                                                          Pastor Gee

March 2, 2025

El Kanna

Framework scripture:  You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exodus 20:4-5)

Introduction:  El Kanna (El kan-NAH) is the Hebrew name for God meaning consuming fire, a jealous God. This name contains a holy version of jealousy that God has for His people, us. God is jealous for you and me. We are greatly loved and treasured! God is jealous for you. He wants every inch of your heart connected to His. God’s holy jealousy is rooted in a desire to protect, provide, and bless. El Kanna a Hebrew name for God is mentioned six times in the Old Testament of the Bible.

Human jealousy is often tainted by sin and quickly morphs into destructive anger and envy. In Proverbs 6:34, a father is warning his son to avoid having sex with a married woman because it would make her husband enraged, “For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.”

Because God is without sin, God’s jealousy in response to idolatry is righteous and holy. Idolatry is a cancer in our relationship with God. And God’s desire to remove the sin of idolatry is for our good.

God’s Jealousy:  Let us now examine Godly jealousy. After leading the nation of Israel out of Egyptian slavery, God brings them to Mount Sinai where He gives Moses the Ten Commandments. While Moses is on the mountain with God, the people talk Aaron into making a golden calf for them to worship. Idolatry! As Moses comes down from the mountain and sees the calf, he becomes angry and throws down the stone tablet God had given him that had His commandments on them. God is ready to wipe the entire nation out, but Moses intercedes for them.

 You will get a better understanding of the rules that God set out for His chosen people as you read about this story in the book of Exodus chapter 32. It was for their protection, both physical and spiritual. It is the same for us! God gave us these commandments to protect our hearts. God is a jealous, loving God and He loves us passionately! In fact, in this Hebrew name of God, El Kanna describes God as Israel’s husband, jealous for her affections and ours too. El-Kanna demands an exclusive love relationship with His people. In Deuteronomy 6:5, we learn we are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” There is no room in our relationship with God for any idols.

God’s jealousy is more about us than about Him. He wants us to be passionately searching and communing with Him. He wants a relationship with each one of us. This involves surrendering everything in your life to Him and following His commands. God wants you and me to reach our full potential that He has created for us to reach. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. But this will not happen if we fall into idolatry.

As the Israelites are preparing to enter and conquer the Promised Land, God gives them this warning:  “Be very careful never to make a treaty with the people who live in the land where you are going. If you do, you will follow their evil ways and be trapped. Instead, you must break down their pagan altars, smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles. You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous (El Kanna), is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you. (Exodus 34:12-14).

God clearly, intensely HATES idolatry. He knows that it is a poison for the soul of mankind and will lead to death and damnation.

Modern Day Idols:  In the present time and for the most part mankind has moved beyond stone and wooden idols that were so common in Bible times. However, idolatry is still here and our idols take a different form. Here is a listing of some of them:

IDENTITY: Our identity might be one of the biggest idols worshiped today. We have largely abandoned who we are in Christ and placed our identity in other things. Whether it be our social media following, our position at work, our abilities/skills, or the achievements we are after, many have their identity wrapped up in the wrong thing. For some, their identity has become an idol. It might not be the physical object we tend to associate with idol worship. But this subtle form of idolatry is often worshipped. Many have placed more value on who they are, rather than on who God is.

 MONEY/MATERIAL THINGS: Western culture has bowed to money and possessions for generations. The pursuit of money and the acquisition of things is a guiding force for many. It’s an idol. And listen, you don’t have to have money for money to be your idol. It’s not about what you have. It’s about what you long for. 1 Timothy 6:10 declares, For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. For the rich, the poor, and those in-between money can be an idol that quickly entraps us. It becomes a problem when we place our hope and our trust in money instead of trusting in God.

JOBS/STATUS: Jobs used to just be a means to an end. For most people, it was just what you did to provide for your family. Now, what you do has become who you are. However, job dissatisfaction is at an all-time high. Could it be because we’ve elevated what we do over who we are? Maybe part of the problem is we’ve made our jobs an idol. Much of the idol worship today centers around the jobs we do and the positions we hold.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: You don’t have to look very far to see an advertisement that promises to “fix” our physical appearance. To make us look better, younger, or like your favorite celebrity. Many people worship their physical appearance. They spend hours in the gym, thousands on products, and constantly think about what others are thinking about them. They worship their physical form. Going to the gym is a good thing. Showering and doing your hair are good things. But we ought to be careful not to let this good thing become an ultimate thing. We have a world screaming at us that we NEED this or that beauty product but we have to remind ourselves of what is true.

 ENTERTAINMENT:  We are obsessed with being entertained. From Netflix to vacations and podcasts to TikTok. We LOVE entertainment in many forms. Love might not be strong enough, we are obsessed. Again, as with the other modern-day idols, it’s not that entertainment is bad. It can be a good thing. But when our lives become all about the search for entertainment and chase of the best experiences we can find, then it becomes an idol. It’s more important than God.

 SEX:  Sex might be the only thing people think about more than money. It’s everywhere in our profane culture. We have taken a gift from God and made it into the god of our lives. And for many, their lives are controlled by sex. Sex addiction is a real thing. To even question the sexual ethic in our society will bring outrage and defensiveness, showing how tied to this idol some actually are. Sexual identity, sexual practices, and sex-filled lives are sacred to many. There is little doubt that sex is a modern-day idol.

 COMFORT: There is an endless list of products promising to simplify and add comfort to our lives. We have made our lives much easier and much more comfortable than at any other time in history. Tasks that used to take all day can be done in minutes. Sometimes that is not fast enough as we impatiently stand in front of the microwave counting down the seconds. Many menial tasks are now automated. While that’s a good thing, our pursuit in life should not be comfort alone. The call that Jesus gives his followers is a life of calling, not primarily of comfort. Jesus promises that his followers will face trials, persecution, and difficulty. While comfort isn’t bad, it can become damaging when it becomes the main pursuit in life. When comfort is an idol, we will struggle when God calls us to something difficult.

PHONES/TECHNOLOGY: Smartphone addiction is increasingly becoming a worrying trend and is real. This is especially true for Gen Z and Millennial generations, but it’s certainly not confined to them. For many, they simply cannot live without their phones (or online presence). Think of family gatherings around the dining table where many have their phones out. It’s gotten so out of hand that if we are even sitting still for a few minutes, we can’t help but reach to pick up our phones. The heart of this problem isn’t our phones or social media or any form of technology. It’s the value we place on it that makes it a problem. When our lives revolve around how many likes we get, what our following looks like, or if we can’t sit in silence for 5 minutes without refreshing our newsfeed, we might have an idol.

INFLUENCE/FAME:  With the advent of social media, almost anyone has the opportunity to become famous and gain influence. All it takes is one viral video or one hot take and suddenly you can have thousands and thousands of followers. People actually make a living as “influencers.” Past generations tended to idolize their jobs and social status. Younger generations are more drawn toward fame and influence. This has led many to endless chases after influence and fame,  thus creating another modern-day idol.

How to Identify Modern-Day Idols in Your Life. Here are 4 questions to ask yourself to help you identify idols in your life:

Where Do I Spend My Time? For many Americans, entertainment would be the answer to this question.

Where Do I Spend My Money? In Matthew 6:21 Jesus said, For where your treasure is, your heart will be there also. In America, it’s probably entertainment. Billions are spent on entertainment yearly. The entertainment industry dwarfs all else.

Where Do I Get My Joy? Again entertainment.

What’s Always On My Mind? Likely where is my next entertainment coming from?

Conclusion: So many people waste their lives in pursuit of the next thrill. Now think about those questions I just presented. They will lead you to what is an idol in your life or what you might be tempted to make an idol. Spend some time in prayer asking and seeking what an idol in your life is. Remember the Lord God is jealous for our love and worship and idolatry will lead to destruction. Clear your life of idols so you can clearly focus on God.

Prayer:  Lord, help us to recognize the idols in our lives and to eliminate them by putting You and Your Kingdom first. We recognize that Your jealousy is righteous and is for our benefit. We can never repay You for Your love and grace for us but we can strive daily to be loyal to You first and above all. Amen.

                                                                                                Pastor Gee

February 23, 2025

I Surrender All

Framework Scripture:  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Introduction: Perhaps you have said or heard someone else such as a teenager say, “It’s my life and I will live it as I please!” Often those words are spoken in a heated argument as the person stomps away. This may be so for the unbelievers but as our main text establishes this is not so for the believer. We are advised to surrender all to our Lord and Savior. To surrender absolutely to Christ is to allow yourself to be brought under His full authority and total control. It also means allowing yourself to be brought under His will and being kept there not by force or threat, but in response to the mercy and grace He has first shown us.

But human nature and will are powerful, rebellious, and self-centered. Paul wrote the following in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not, but what I hate I do.” Can you see yourself in this scripture? How often do we willingly or inadvertently fall into disobedience? We are human after all, which underscores why we need Jesus and His lordship in our lives to pick us up when we fall and restore us to spiritual health.

          The Bible scholar and commentator Matthew Henry said the following, “The more simply the believer relies on Christ for everything, the more devotedly does he walk before Him in all His ordinances and commandments. Christ lives and reigns in him, and he lives here on earth by faith in the Son of God, which works by love, causes obedience, and changes him into His holy image.”

Discussion: Today we are going to look at the essential characteristics of a surrendered life. A life lived in total surrender to Christ, the Christ Life.

The Truly Surrendered Believer is Saved.  He has sought Jesus and found God’s salvation.He has been forgiven and pardoned because of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.Isaiah 53: 11 declares, “After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be satisfied by His knowledge My righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.”

The believer has been brought out of spiritual condemnation into the freedom that only God can offer. Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

The Truly Surrendered Believer is Sound. He does not allow the old, sinful nature to control and rule him. This is truly a battle we fight daily. It is a struggle.  Even Paul confessed that he too daily fought against his old self, his old nature, and was a chief among sinners.

We live in a Post-Truth society and the Siren call of the worldly mindset is always calling and trying to pull the believer back into the old, fallen life.  Our enemy Satan sets out traps and snares to pull the believers from the pathway of righteousness and salvation. But the Holy Spirit is there, within us helping us to maintain our resolve to live according to God’s laws. Do we have a daily diet on the Bread of Life and do we exercise the will of God in our living?

He does not walk by the flesh but only by the Spirit. Dr. Jack Cottrell wrote, “Salvation is more than forgiveness of sins…. Sin causes two basic problems: it makes us guilty and it produces an inward sickness, weakness, or corruption of the soul.” Paraphrasing he goes on to say God has provided a “double cure.”  First, justification which removes our sins, and then regeneration/sanctification which brings about inward changes in our very nature, character, and behavior. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.

The Truly Surrendered Believer is Selfless. He is not afraid to deny himself for the sake of Christ and for the sake of the lost.We live in a self-centered, hedonistic world where self-denial is rarely practiced.It is a consumer culture of greed and constant desire for more stuff.People actually pick churches based on what a church has to offer them. These are consumer Christians.

Whereas the selfless believer looks for a place to serve. Remember Jesus came to serve, not to be served. Those who seek to serve are often labeled as “odd” by the worldly mind.  The worldly mindset simply cannot comprehend the selfless life.  A life dedicated to service to the Lord and His church requires a surrendered life.

The selfless believer understands the renunciation of home, business, friends, and other comforts for the sake of Christ when it becomes necessary. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” We too have a cross to bear. This is not an easy path we tread as we journey to the New Jerusalem and eternal life.  Charles Spurgeon wrote, “There is no university for a Christian, like that of sorrow and trial.”

Missionaries: Think of the great sacrifices missionaries and their families make for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. The challenge must be tremendous. They leave the comfort, safety, and riches of our country to live and serve God in impoverished 3^rd world countries. They go forward in complete faith and reliance on God.

The selfless believer is committed to and does not find unnecessary excuses for neglect of duty. In the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14) Jesus says that when the banquet was ready the invited guests all had excuses for not being able to attend. This made the host angry so he opened up the banquet to complete strangers. Those who had been invited were never invited again. We are invited to follow Christ and do His will without making excuses or we risk being uninvited.

The Truly Surrendered Believer is Submissive. He has the desire to do only God’s will all the time. His ultimate desire is to please God all the time. He does not entertain rebellion and self-will in his life. I Samuel 15: 23 documents the Lord’s response to Saul’s rebellion, “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” He gives his complete fealty as a vassal to his King, the King of Kings.

The Truly Surrendered Believer Walks as a Servant. He is always ready to serve and to render unquestioned service for the sake of Christ. Our Lord said in John 4:24, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish the work.” This idea of doing God’s will as our food implies the spiritual life-sustaining nature of following and doing the will of God and we must be fed daily. He always follows the example of Christ in service.

Conclusion: God cannot use a believer who has not totally surrendered to Him. Self-will can always destroy His plan and purpose. For Him to use a believer to glorify His name, therefore, such a believer must walk as a totally broken and surrendered person so that after his call, God can train him, equip him, and fill him with His spirit. This is similar to military basic training, where the recruit is broken down physically and mentally and rebuilt into a new image. We are being built into soldiers of God.

To surrender can mean to give up or it can also mean giving in and to cease struggling and resisting. As Christians, we need to understand the idea of surrendering to our Lord Jesus. It involves not giving up in defeat but in giving in to the Lord and not struggling and resisting. Like Jacob, who struggled with God, and was given the new name Israel, he struggles with God, we such avoid this behavior in spite of our self-centered human nature.

Spiritually, God is not conquering us. Our Creator and Sustainer is inviting us into a relationship with Him as our loving and forgiving Father. While this surrender is not about giving up, it is admitting that God alone is sovereign over all His creation, of which we are a part. Surrender is admitting that apart from Jesus, we can do nothing and only through Jesus can we be saved.

          An old hymn puts it this way, “All to Jesus I surrender…All to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. I surrender all…I surrender all. All to Thee my blessed Savior…I surrender all.”  Hymn 408

          Finally, the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon said the following, “I do not know a better epitome of Christian experience than this…Christ living in us, ourselves living upon Christ, and our union to Christ being visibly maintained by an act of simple faith in Him, this is the true Christian life.”

Prayer: Glorious Heavenly Father we are your humble servants who wish to please You and walk with You. Please guide us with Your Holy Spirit as we face a world of self-indulgence and selfishness. We are weak and must confess that we do give into this world and its allure all too often. Strengthen us, lead us, and wrap us in Your wondrous love so that we may better serve You and Your church. We place our faith and trust in You Lord and rely on Your love each day. May we always surrender to You. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.      

Pastor Gee

February 9, 2025

K.I.S.S.

Framework scripture: I heard, but I did not understand. So, I asked, “My Lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”  He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end.” Daniel, 12: 8-9

Introduction: The last seven chapters of Daniel are filled with prophecies about the coming Messiah and the end times. Much of it is also in the Book of Revelation. There are many images and lots of numbers thrown out with vague or no explanations. I challenge you this week to read the last 7 chapters in Daniel and you will see what I mean. Daniel was so overwhelmed with these visions that he cried out to the Lord, I do not understand!! To which the Lord answered, Go your way, in other words, don’t trouble yourself with trying to understand these issues. They will not be revealed until the time of the end and will remain as mysteries until then.

          In fact, the Bible is filled with many mysteries that go beyond our human understanding. Here are just a few: Creation, the ten plagues of Egypt, the Trinity, most of Revelation, the miracles of God and Jesus, will there be a rapture or not, why is there to be a Millennial when Satan is imprisoned and then released at the end. I’m sure you can point out many more. Down through the ages, many people such as Bible scholars and students have struggled mightily to explain these mysteries without ever providing definitive answers. They may feel compelled by curiosity and/or a need to respond to critics who think the Bible is not credible unless everything in it can be explained to their satisfaction. These deniers live in profane rebellion against God and would probably never accept any explanation. So why bother? Besides God is certainly powerful enough to defend Himself.

          I believe that trying to explain or understand Bible mysteries is not only foolish and a waste of time but also is disobedience to God. God in His divine providence has chosen not to reveal the answers until He is good and ready. I believe that this is a test of faith. And He wants us to Go your way. Or in other terms, “Move along, nothing to see here.”

          We read in Job as he is admonished by one of his so-called friends, Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the All Mighty? They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Job 11:7-8

          So then as believers what can we do about these many mysteries of God? I personally handle it with what I call the KISS viewpoint.

General and Special Revelation: Before I explain the KISS viewpoint, I want us to look into the two ways God has chosen to reveal Himself to us and the wide world. God makes Himself known to human beings in a variety of ways that fall into two main categories:  general revelation and special revelation.

General revelation comes to all humans in two ways. First, the created world around us testifies to the power and glory of the Creator. Ps. 19:1 declares The heavens are telling of the glory of God, and their expanse is declaring the work of His hand. Ro. 1: 20 says, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Secondly, there is also an element of general revelation in the heart of every person. We read the following in Ro. 2:14-15, For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts. This means that by virtue of the fact that we all are created in God’s image, we instinctively know that certain acts are right, and others are wrong. This is an innate knowledge of the basic moral law of God. The result of this general revelation is that all normal adults have a true knowledge of God as Creator, Ruler, and Lawgiver, and a true knowledge of His basic will for His human creations. Throughout human history, we see remarkably similar laws observed so that a society might continue to exist and prosper and provide peace and security for its people. Basically, societies will work when they knowingly or unknowingly follow the Ten Commandments of God. However, general revelation is limited in its effectiveness because it does not provide knowledge of God as Redeemer and knowledge of redemption and the need for it and thus it is unable to lead one to salvation. But God provides for this through special revelation.

Special revelation is not available to all people, at all times in the same way, but is given rather in specific instances, at specific times and places, and to specific people. It also gives us knowledge about God and about the human condition that is more specific than what is known through general revelation. Especially, it provides us with all we need to know about salvation from our sins. Through the Bible we have seen God use special revelation through mighty acts, miracles, visions, dreams, writings (e.g., the Bible), and direct contact with Himself or angels. Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel and other prophets, Zacariah, Mary and Joseph, John, Paul and Peter, and many others are people who were given special revelation containing specific instructions and prophecies. But even in special revelation, God does not necessarily reveal all, choosing to reserve knowledge of certain things to Himself alone as we saw in the case of Daniel. So even with general revelation and special revelation, we are still faced with many mysteries. Mysteries to test our faith.

Keep It Simple Simon: So finally, we arrive at my suggested solution for the Bible mysteries dilemma, the KISS viewpoint. Some may be familiar with this acronym and see it as Keep It Simple Stupid. However, I choose to change it for Biblical purposes to Keep It Simple Simon. So, to which Simon am I referring to? Simple Simon, who met the pie man while going to the fair? Or Simon Says? What a funny last name, “Says.” No, it’s Simon Peter the Apostle.

I use Simon Peter because of who he was, what he said, and how he said it. What I admire most about Simon Peter is his directness, you always knew where he stood, and his forthrightness. Attributes I dearly admire. He was a simple man, a man of action, not beating around the bush. He showed these attributes in the following scripture: In Matthew 16: 13-16 we read, When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”  Peter, without hesitation or beating around the bush, goes straight for the simple and profound truth. Jesus goes on to say that this truth was revealed to Simon Peter by God the Father. Special revelation at work.

Why is it so important to keep it simple? By refusing to be distracted and wasting time on mysteries that God has not revealed keeps us free to focus on the clear, simple mission the Lord has given us as we serve Him and others in this world. Our critical mission is to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, teaching them all that Jesus taught us and to love God, and to love one another and show our compassion through good works.

This mission statement combines the great commission found in Matthew 28:19-20 and the greatest commandment found in Mark 12:28. This is simple and straightforward. We must focus on this mission like a laser and not be pulled away by endless esoteric arguments for which there is currently no definitive answer because God in His divine providence has chosen to keep these things secret for now.

As for the deniers that want to argue with and tear down the Biblical truth, we shouldn’t waste our time, Jesus told us in Matthew 10:14-15 the following when He sent out His disciples:  If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town, and shake the dust off your feet. Truly, I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Move on, let it be. You brought them the Good News, and they rejected it (for now) so move along because there will be many, many others who will accept it gladly, but they need to hear it. How can they believe without hearing? How will they hear unless they are told?

Conclusion:  Let us always strive to keep the main thing, the main thing. With our mission before us, we can remain productive for God and His glorious kingdom. Let us never be distracted by matters not revealed to us by God as a test of our faith. And remember He is a big God who can defend Himself against the deniers. So, let’s keep on, keepin’ on, always trusting in God and remain focused on the mission. And that’s keeping it simple Simon.

Prayer:  Father, help us to remain focused on our mission, the one given to us by You. Let us also strive to direct all the resources You give to us to Your mission. Please watch over us and not let us be diverted by irrelevant matters and mysteries but to faithfully trust in You and Your divine wisdom and providence. Amen

                                                                        Pastor Gee

Waiting Tables

February 2, 2025

Framework Scripture:  Acts 6:1-4, In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So, the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait tables. Brothers and sisters choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and we will give our attention (continually) to prayer and the ministry (service) of the word.” NIV

Discussion: A little while ago I came up to the church to assist in putting up the Christmas décor and banners etc. in the sanctuary. At our church, it is the traditional responsibility of the ladies to do this. The men erect the manger scene on the front lawn of the church. I went up to one of our longtime and well-respected members and announced that I was here to help out. And she replied, “Just don’t get in the way.” This made me chuckle and it got me to think about my role as a pastor in this congregation.

          Now, let me make it clear that this wonderful lady is a steadfast member, and I respect her for her wisdom and guidance and love her as my sister in Christ. But I had two thoughts:

I may not be good at much, but I certainly am good at staying out of the way. I can do that all day. I can do that in my sleep!

From a Biblical perspective, she was absolutely correct in wanting me to not be involved with this kind of activity. Now many of you who know me know that I will always gladly help out where there is a need. But when we have many volunteers to do a particular activity maybe it is best if the pastor takes a back seat or just stays out of the way!

So let me explain more fully by reading the framework scripture for this sermon: Acts 6:1-4.

          The early church was growing rapidly and there were many administrative responsibilities to be carried out in service of the congregation. Unfortunately, while tending to these responsibilities the Apostles began to be overwhelmed by them and this caused them to neglect their more important duties. You see they were down in the weeds and doing the nuts and bolts work that is demanded within a congregation but should not distract the spiritual leaders from their sacred duties. So, the solution was to find and appoint seven men (the beginning of the role of deacon) and let them tend to these things to keep everything running smoothly and peacefully. This would allow the Apostles to devote themselves constantly or continually to prayer and the ministry of the word. Also, to tend to their shepherding duties for the flock. The Greek word here translated as attention is in the future tense and means from now and into the future. It is in the active voice which means it is up to Apostles to take action. Moses dealt with a similar problem as recorded in Exodus 18 and took Jethro’s suggestion to appoint men to take on some of the many tasks he was handling on his own and becoming overwhelmed.

          So, let’s apply this lesson to our current times and to our pastors. According to many Bible scholars the New Testament does not specifically mention the office of a pastor but does talk about elders and evangelists. It is believed that our modern position of pastor is a combination of both.

          The church elders along with the pastor are the shepherds of the flock and take on the duties of the Apostles. God’s people are His flock, and Jesus was often referred to as the Great Shepherd. This flock needs to be guided and cared for each day. Sheep are notoriously unaware and are frightened easily and can be misled. They need constant watch care. This is the responsibility of the elders/pastor team in an ongoing fashion, it is their duty.

          Having said all that, let’s now look at what the duties of the elders/pastor team involve.

Five Responsibilities of the Elders/pastor team: Dr. Jack Cottrell in his book The Faith Once for All lists the following five responsibilities/duties of the Elders/pastor team:

Prayer: Praying fervently and continually for the congregation and the Lord’s church.The pastor and the elders should hold regular elders’ meetings where prayer is central.They should also pray for each other and minister to each elder. They should discuss the current spiritual welfare of the congregation.The pastor himself should strive to have a strong prayer life and to seek insight through prayer from the Lord as he works to minister to the congregation he is entrusted with.

Preaching:  Preaching and teaching the Word of God.This is feeding the flock.We know that all scripture is God-breathed and is there for our learning and growth.This is a high-priority function of a pastor.He must be very diligent in sermon preparation and take adequate time to have a clear and scripturally accurate message. A good sermon usually consumes several days of research, study, and praying for guidance. The elders should monitor the pastor to ensure his preaching is true to the Bible.

Titus 1: 9 says, He (the pastor/ elder) must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Encourage the saintsand refute those who oppose God’s truth. Use the sword of the Holy Spirit the Bible for defense and offense against the enemies of God.

Policy:  Difficult decisions are to be made by the elders and the pastor in consultation. The elders/pastor team must consider controversial situations that can arise from time to time and make difficult decisions that may establish the congregational policy going forward on the issue in question.This requires a great deal of prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Peter says the following to elders in I Peter 5:2, Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them…..” The elders/pastor team must show leadership over the flock as they deal with various issues that can lead to division. This cannot be delegated. Satan is always on the prowl to create division among the saints and hinder them from their sacred mission.

Pastoral Care: Develop and oversee the pastoral care function of the church.The elders/pastor team must be aware of the needs of members and stand ready to provide support, prayer, and guidance during difficult times. All members should be encouraged to assist in pastoral care and caring for those in need through their works and concern.

Protection: Keep a watchful eye and attentive ears to what is taught in the church and threats both internal and external.In Acts 20: 28-31, Paul tells the Ephesian Elders: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard. The elders/pastor team have a clear-cut responsibility to protect the flock from false and heretical doctrines and teachings that will lead the sheep from God’s truth.This is an ongoing duty that is paramount to the survival of the church and its disciples. Time and time again we have witnessed the corruption of various congregations and denominations who have strayed from God’s truth and have been consumed by the secular world and become apostates. Just like the shepherds of old who fought off the wolves and other predators the elders/pastor team must do likewise.

 Five Targets for Leading the Sheep: With these five responsibilities in mind, Dr. Cottrell adds 5 specific targets to be achieved by the elders/pastor team.

Providing Direction:  Keep the flock from wandering away from the true path and being snared by the devil.Lead with Godly principles and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Providing Protection: Be on the constant lookout for spiritual wolves who will mislead and devour the flock.When they appear, take immediate action to vanquish them.

Providing Correction: Avoid errant pathways that are contrary to God’s word.This requires the team to be well-versed in the Word of God and to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit.In love provide correction for a brother or a sister who has fallen into error and been misled.

Providing Affection: Loving-kindness should rule over all decisions and actions taken by the team.Christ commanded that we love one another as He has loved us.

Providing Provision: Assuring the spiritual feeding of the flock through the Bible. God’s word is the one and only food for the spiritual growth of the Christian.

The importance of the participation of the members of the congregation is not to be diminished or overlooked. Members are not restricted from performing tasks assigned to the elders/pastor team. Remember we are all a royal priesthood. Stephen and Phillip (two of the seven deacons) preached, taught, and evangelized. But it is highly valuable that members take on the other important tasks of administration so as to free the elders/pastor team, to work on the responsibilities and tasks mentioned above.The tasks performed by the members are no less important than any others and promote the healthy administration of the congregation.This also provides for growth as a disciple and brings about maturity in Christ.Serving the Lord always promotes growth and a closer relationship with God.

Conclusion:   As we labor for Christ and His kingdom let us appreciate the various roles that exist within the Kingdom. Let us work together in harmony to accomplish our mission to share the Gospel, make and train disciples, and show the love of Christ through our good works of compassion.

Prayer:  Father God, please guide us as we Your servants labor in the field doing the vital kingdom work. May we do so in harmony and with complete confidence in Your enabling blessings You shed upon us. May we please You each day. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

                                                                        Pastor Gee

The Way It Really Is

Isaiah 6:1-9

Framework Scripture: Isaiah 6: 1-9 says, In the year king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphim, each with six wings; with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory. At the sound of their voices, the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. Woe to me I cried, I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.

          Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.

          Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me. He said, Go and tell this people; Be ever hearing but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.

Introduction:  This is the prophetic call account of Isaiah which occurred in the temple. It happened in 740 BC upon the death of a good king of Judah, Uzziah. He was followed by his son, Ahaz, whose reign led to the deterioration of the kingdom due to Ahaz’s lack of faith. During this time, the nation drifted far from God. The Lord was preparing Isaiah to be His voice, calling the nation to righteousness and faith.

For Isaiah, this was an event that changed his life forever. He was privileged to see God as He really is. It was this up close and personal encounter with God that radically altered his life. This vision occurred on a day when the golden age of the southern kingdom of Judah was coming to a close.

God was mostly an afterthought to Judah in those days. All God had done for the nation of Israel had, for the most part, been forgotten. He was utterly disregarded by the people and the king. This is not dissimilar to our days where God is openly mocked, or disregarded altogether, so it becomes important that we too see the way God really is, so we won’t fall into apostasy like Judah.

In a day when the church seems to be serving the purposes and pleasures of man, we need to see the way God really is. In a day where the church seems to function as just another worldly organization, we need to see the way God really is. We need an up close and personal encounter with the true and living God that will radically alter our lives forever. This is what Isaiah got and needed before he began his prophetic ministry to Judah. And it is his experience that teaches us the reality of God and the reality of our relationship with Him

The Way God Really Is: So, let us look closer at the scripture to get a better and clearer picture of God. In the first four verses, God reveals Himself to Isaiah. Not only does God reveal Himself to Isaiah, but to us as well.This is God, today, right now, at this very moment, and for all times.He is on a throne.He is THE King – King of Kings and Lord of Lords.He is the absolute sovereign ruler of all things. He is in control. And He is not about to give up His reign.

 He is high and lifted up. He is above all. He is majestic. Nothing has dominion over Him. Literally, everything is under Him. All governments, all power, all people…you and me whether people want to believe it or not. It’s a fact.

 His train fills the temple. The train of His robe represents His power. His power is everywhere and reaches everywhere. We cannot escape God. Sooner or later, everyone will stand before Him. You cannot get away from Him as Jonah would attest.

 He is holy. God is holy. Repeated 3 times (holy, holy, holy) meaning He is the most holy, and in fact, no one else is holy period. He holds this distinction alone. He is The Lord (Adonai) of hosts. The One and only Lord. He is perfect and has no sin. Sin is rebellion against Him, and He has no tolerance for sin. He is uncompromising with sin. Sin cannot stand before Him. This flies in the face of those who refuse to acknowledge the very existence of sin and don’t want to talk about it.

          His power is awesome. Even when He speaks, the earth shakes. All creation is in His hands. He holds our lives in His hands. He has the power to do anything He wishes. He has the power to speak and see it done. He creates something out of nothing.

This is who God really is. And this is who we really are as we stand before Him like a lowly grasshopper. The prideful and ungodly do not realize who God is and who they are, in comparison. Before God will change a person’s life, they must see the way He really is and the way they really are.

How we really are: When Isaiah saw the way God really is, he realized something. Isaiah realized who he really was in comparison to the Lord of Hosts.We too stand before God just like He did. And this is how we really are, vastly below Him.

John Calvin wrote, “Men are never duly touched and impressed with the conviction of their insignificance until they have contrasted themselves with the majesty of God.” Think about that for a moment.

 Mankind is in trouble. Those at enmity with God dare to stand before Him in their hubris and arrogance claiming to be equal with Him (Secular Humanism). Here they stand before the high and Almighty God. Not realizing that they are low, dirty, and weak fools. If they could just see how they really are, they would know they are in real trouble.

As Christians, we see the world differently than the unbelievers. This world is fallen, and mankind’s nature is fallen and is bent on constant rebellion and sin. What we see today is nothing new. This is the true state of humanity filled with hubris, pride, perversion, hatred, violence, and constant sinning as our history attests.

 Is it hopeless? Mankind is not worthy of God. With their every thought being sinful and bent on rebellion. We cannot justify ourselves in our sins before a Holy God who will not compromise with sinfulness. Mankind is unclean. We are an unclean lot! When man stands before God, his sins are magnified. God reveals our sins. We’re stained and marred by sin. This is why Isaiah had to be cleansed by the hot coals. Is there no one to help us? Are we utterly lost in our sins? Everyone is a sinner. Must we stand alone before our God?

 When we stand before God, we see how we really are. It’s frightening and revealing. Look at Isaiah’s reaction. “Woe is me!” he fervently cried out. For a person to be saved, they must first realize they are lost. Like Isaiah, mankind must realize where it stands before God. But those trapped by humanism and other false viewpoints will never realize their dilemma. Nevertheless, they have a chance. God made a way.

 The only thing we can really do: When Isaiah saw God as He really was, and where he really stood, he did the only thing he could really do.He recognized his fallen state and his ruination due to the dirt of sin. And we must do the same.

          We have to confess our sins (unclean lips). We have to tell God how sinful we are. We have to agree with God about our sinfulness. We have to acknowledge our own helplessness. We have to confess we’re sinners. We have to confess our need for a Savior.

 We have to accept Jesus Christ as Savior. God has provided. We have salvation only through Him and no other way. Only Jesus can cleanse our dirtiness. The only thing that can wash us clean is the blood of Jesus. Jesus died for our sins. This means all, past, present, and future. Only He can remove the stain of sin. And once we are purified by Christ, we are now ready to be His servants to an unclean, and unholy world. God cleansed Isaiah before He sent him out to preach.

          We have to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and respond to God’s call. God called, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I; send me.” When he realized what God had done for him, he gave the throne of his heart to God. He did so voluntarily. We have to let the King of Kings rule our lives and turn away from self-centered rebellion against God. When we accept the forgiveness that comes through Jesus, we owe Him our very lives. We give Him control and live for Him. Only after commitment, does God reveal His will for us and we testify to what He has done for us.

We, the Body of Christ, are like the Allied forces on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944. The outcome of the war was certain. The evil Nazis empire would be destroyed. But the Nazis fought on for 11 more months resulting in millions more dead, and untold destruction. Satan knows of a certainty that he will ultimately lose. Christ ensured that outcome with the victory on the cross. But he will labor out of spite and hatred to take as many souls as possible with him into destruction.         Our job is to heed the call and labor to rescue as many as possible. We are modern-day Isaiahs who must bring the Good News of the Gospel to this world.

Conclusion:  So, do you see God as He really is? And do you see yourself as you really are? If you are here today and are not a believer, will you do the only thing you can really do? Ask Jesus to save you. If you are a believer, will you respond to the Lord’s call and join in the battle to rescue the lost through sharing the Gospel?

Prayer:  Holy God we tremble when we think of Your purity, majesty, and glory. We confess at times we take You for granted and wain in our faith because we forget who You really are and who we really are. Help us to walk in faith and put our complete trust in You, for You are all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. Like your servant Isaiah let us say “Here am I, send me” and surrender our will to You to become more perfect servants. Servants who will gladly serve Your kingdom and bring the Love of Christ to this dark world. Amen.

                                                                   Pastor Gee

Pride and Vanity

Framework Scripture:  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

Introduction:  I am going to go through a list of names of historical figures, many of which are familiar to us. As you listen see if you can draw out similarities among these individuals: Lucifer, Ramses the Great, Alexander the Great, Nero, Caligula, Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, Tamerlane, Napolean, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao Zedong, Idi Amin, Henry VIII and North Korea’s “rocket man.”  Now this is a short list of some of the most infamous rulers and dictators in human history. Terrible, maniacal monsters responsible for the deaths of millions. I am sure you could name more. The major things they shared in common were PRIDE and VANITY. An overwhelming belief in their superiority and their right to behave as destructive and hideous creatures and to act with complete license to kill and destroy as they saw fit.

          Hubris, pride, and vanity have over the years caused the deaths of untold millions, perhaps billions. Immense and merciless suffering has also resulted due to evil, powerful people. These loathsome attitudes are directly opposite of what God wants from mankind.

          When I observe our culture, I am horrified by its pridefulness. We are replete with self-centered, entitled, and spoiled folks who literally think they are the center of the universe. Pride is seen as a virtue and self-love has reached cult status. I very much dislike the celebrating and the bravado displayed by many professional athletes. I was taught by my coaches over the years to be a good sport and win with humility and lose with dignity. Boy has this changed!

          In this sermon, I will explore how Christians should approach the topics of pride and vanity. What does the Bible tell us about how we should behave and what are some examples in the Bible of prideful rulers and what happened as a result of their hubris?

Two examples from Daniel. There are many examples in the Bible of prideful and arrogant rulers and what happened to them because of their vanity and pride. But I want to only bring up two this morning both found in the Book of Daniel.

The Book of Daniel is about the life of a young Hebrew nobleman who was carried off to Babylon when Judah fell in 602 BC. Because he was of noble birth and well-educated, he was placed in the court of the king along with three other young men, there to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. So, the first example deals with King Nebuchadnezzar.

Example One: In Daniel Chapter 4 it is recorded that King Nebuchadnezzar had a very disturbing dream and he eventually sought out Daniel to interpret the meaning of the dream.

In the dream, the king saw a mighty tree with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit. But a messenger from heaven came down and ordered the tree to be cut down and destroyed. But its roots were allowed to remain.

Daniel told the king that the tree represented him in all his power but that the Most High had decreed the king would fall into shame and would live with the wild animals for seven years. At which time, the king would acknowledge the sovereignty of the Most High over all the earth and be restored.

Daniel then advises the king to “renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.” (Daniel 4: 27).

However, the king did not heed the warning and we read in Daniel 4:29 and following, Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?

It goes on to say that even as these words were on his lips a voice from heaven came down and he was told he would be driven from his people and he would live as a wild beast until he would acknowledge the sovereignty of the Most High.

Immediately the prophecy was fulfilled and for the next seven years, he lived like he was an ox. But at the end of the time, he raised his eyes to heaven and his sanity was restored. He praised the Most High and honored and glorified Him who lives forever. He had a humble and contrite heart.

Example Two:  This example involves the son (possibly grandson) of Nebuchadnezzar, King Belshazzar. This is found in Daniel Chapter 5.

King Belshazzar was having a great banquet for thousands of his nobles and they were drinking much wine. So, the king wanted to show off so he ordered that the gold and silver goblets that had been taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought out so they could drink wine from them. As they were drinking, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

When they were doing this, it says in verse 5 and following, Suddenly the finger of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.

Greatly disturbed, the king finally summoned Daniel to explain what had been written on the wall. So, Daniel reminds the king of the lesson Nebuchadnezzar had learned when he went insane and thought he was an ox. And that until he acknowledged the sovereignty of the Most High God he would not be cured.

In verse 22, Daniel says to the king, But you…have not humbled yourself though you knew all this (about your father). Instead, you set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from the temple brought to you to drink from. You praised (false gods). You did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore, He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

He then tells him what the inscription was on the wall:  MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. The inscription was in Aramaic (the language of the Jewish people, not the Babylonians). He tells the king that the inscription means that God has numbered the days of his reign which will be brought to an end. That he has been weighed on the scales and found wanting. And that his kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.

And so that very night King Belshazzar was slain, and Darius the Mede took over his kingdom establishing the Persian Empire.

          It is interesting to note that in the Book of Ezra, it is documented that the Persian king Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple and to take all of the sacred objects taken from the temple by Nebuchadnezzar.

These two cautionary stories clearly point to how God views pride and vanity and what can happen to the prideful. So, if we heed these warnings then what does God’s Word say about how we as Christians should live and deal with pride and vanity? Let’s look at two sets of verses from the New Testament.

Philippians 2:3-4:  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the other.

This certainly flies in the face of our self-centered society. Value others above yourself?! Look after the best interests of others first before your own?! Consider what this means for each of us personally. Our natural state and nature are self-centered but yet we are instructed to be others-centered. How are we to do this? How do we accomplish this selfless attitude that goes against our fallen human nature?

The Greek word (tapeinophrosune) used here for humility means humblemindedness. In context, it says that humblemindedness is the means to accomplish putting others before ourselves which answers the question as to how we do this. Setting aside self-ambition and vain conceit and embracing humblemindedness we can be the people God wants us to be. Not slaves to selfishness and cruel vainglory. But servants of God and others. Valuing others as God values us His beloved children for whom He died.

The second verse is found in I Peter.

I Peter 5:5: …All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.

The word clothe (egkombosasthe) is a command, an imperative, and not a suggestion. The Holy Spirit through Peter is directing us to be clothed in humility. Just as we wear clothes to cover our mortal bodies so our souls should be clothed with humility. Humility in this verse is the same word used in the Philippians verses cited above. Have humblemindedness.

The two verses are similar to each other except Peter adds two things. One is that God opposes the proud. And the word used here for opposes (antitassetai) means He wars against the proud, He campaigns against them intensely and in an ongoing manner. The proud and vain are enemies of God and He goes after them. He hates pride and vanity. Unbridled justice will fall upon their heads if they fail to repent and seek forgiveness.

Secondly, Peter adds that God shows favor to the humble. The word used here for favors (charin) is the word used for grace throughout the NT.It is His mercy and love that He shows to the humble. God loves the humble who have an attitude of humility and lead a humble life of service to Him and His people.

Conclusion: The problems of pride and vanity have destroyed many, many lives throughout mankind’s history. We as Disciples of Christ must clothe ourselves in humblemindedness and to work to help others to know Christ and to relieve the suffering caused by self-centeredness. Humblemindedness is not a weakness at all but in fact, it is power restrained. It is powerful and transforms us and others who are touched by it, into the loving and humble servants of God. God exalts the humble!

Prayer:  Father it is admittedly a constant struggle for us to turn away from vanity and pride. We are in a society saturated with pride and vanity. These sins have a way of creeping in on us as we are unaware. Give us the discernment to see them and turn away. Help us to obtain humblemindedness as we live and serve in Your Kingdom. We know that such a lifestyle may help to influence others to come to Christ and find salvation and redemption. In Christ, we pray. Amen

                                                                                                Pastor Gee

SAINTS AND PRIESTS

Pastor Tom Gee

Framework Scriptures:  Romans 1:7, Romans 8:27, I Peter 2:9-10.

Introduction:  You may have noticed that I am wearing some “clerical” attire this morning. I reserve this fancy garb for weddings. To our first-time visitors this is not the norm. However, I am wearing this outfit as an illustration for today’s sermon. And hopefully you will see how relevant it is to the topic or not.

          I am starting out with two questions. How many saints do we have here this morning in the sanctuary? Raise your hands please if you are a saint. OK, how many priests do we have with us to today? Raise your hands if you are a priest. Thank you.

          Today I will be discussing the topic of Saints and Priests. Who they are and what they do according to the Holy Scripture and how this affects us as believers. This shouldn’t take more than 45 or 50 minutes tops. Ok, ok, 20 minutes.

I will first address Saints and then Priests.

1. SAINTS
   1. Romans 1:7 says, To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)
      1. The KJV uses the word saints, whereas the NIV uses holy ones. But nevertheless it is the same Greek word (hagios).
         1. This word has the following meanings: sacred, consecrated, holy, set apart by God.
         1. The word appears 59 times in the NT which underscores it’s importance.
         1. In each case it is used to describe the believers, all believers in the Body of Christ.
         1. Some folks believe that a saint is someone very special and holy who has performed miracles and devoted their lives to Godly labor. To me this seems to fall short of what I read in the Bible about saints.
         1. So believe it or not, hopefully you will believe it, all believers are SAINTS. Called out of this world to serve God and His kingdom.
         1. Despite our faults we are meant by God to serve His special purposes throughout our lives.
         1. It doesn’t mean we are a bunch of “Holy Joes” who look down on the wretched unsaved, for we are all just poor old sinners saved by the grace of our Loving God.
         1. You see we are called to spread the good news of the Gospel, to make and train disciples and to bring the love of Christ to those in need through good works.
      1. There is another word in this passage I want to draw your attention to and that word is called.
         1. This Greek word (kletois) means summoned by God and appointed to a special purpose.
         1. Again, we are called out of this world and summoned by the Master for His purposes not our own.
         1. This implies that God has certain expectations for us which I just referred to above.
   1. Romans 8:27 declares, And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people (the saints) in accordance with the will of God.
      1. The word interpreted in the NIV as God’s People is the same Greek word for saints. KJV uses saints.
      1. Notice that this verse refers to the intercession of the Holy Spirit on behalf of the saints. So while we live and are serving, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and guides us to God’s will not our own.
      1. This passage once again refers to all of the believers as saints.
   1. So I will ask again with a show of hands, who among us here today are saints?
      1. I should see a lot of hands this time around because all believers are saints.

1. PRIESTS
   1. I Peter 2:9-10 says, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
      1. First thing to note is Peter is talking to Christian believers who he now proclaims are the chosen people.
         1. He is not referring to the Jewish people who are no longer exclusively the chosen people.
         1. Christians are the new Israel and God’s elect.
         1. We are the engrafted branches on the Root of Jesse.
         1. Jews who accept Christ as Savior will remain among the chosen people, however.
         1. So what does it mean to be chosen?
            1. This leads us back to the concept of a saint.
            1. Elected by God, called out of the world for His special purposes.
         1. Once you have received Christ as your savior you are plucked out of subjugation to the ruler of this world (Satan) and are now elected by God for His service.
      1. Peter further declares that Christians are a royal priesthood.
         1. Royal refers to the fact that our master is a King, in fact the King of Kings and we are in royal service. We are in  His Majesty’s Service.
            1. He is the head and sovereign ruler of our lives and this universe entirely.
            1. What an amazing honor He has bestowed on each one of us.
         1. Now Priesthood refers to the office or position of every believer in God’s kingdom.
            1. All believers are to act as priests or we might say pastors irrespective of their formal education and ordination.
               1. There is no need for superficial clerical attire that sets one apart from the rest and is only a meaningless superficial status symbol. (remove robe).
               1. Our position as priests will become apparent by our actions and works, not by our clothing and accoutrements.
            1. We, therefore, are to advocate for God’s kingdom and to serve His people and to perform all duties of a priest.
            1. For example can only an ordained minister perform a baptism?
               1. I would refer you to Philip the Evangelist (not the Apostle Philip) and the Ethiopian Eunuch found in Acts 8:26-40.
               1. The Spirit brought Philip to the Eunuch as he was reading Isaiah 53: 7-8.
                  1. This passage refers to a sheep being led to slaughter and did not resist.
                  1. The Eunuch asks, “Who is this referring to?”
               1. This provided Philip the opportunity to bring the Gospel of Christ to the Eunuch who believed in Christ and was baptized Philip.
               1. Philip was a deacon not an ordained minister and yet he preached and he baptized.
               1. It is interesting to note that it is recorded in Acts 21: 9 that this same Philip had four unmarried daughters who preached the Gospel as well. Perhaps, food for thought?
               1. To answer the question: Any baptized believer may baptize another who has come to Christ.
            1. So who can preach?
               1. Only the ordained?
               1. No, any believer has this privilege and responsibility but under the oversight of the Elders who hold the responsibility to ensure that all preaching within the congregation, including the preaching of the ordained pastors, is inline with God’s Holy Word. And those who are formally trained and ordained need to provide this watch care as well, providing the Biblical training and guidance that will ensure that all preaching conforms to Bible teachings.
            1. Who can perform sacerdotal (sass-er-dotal) functions?
               1. These are duties such as leading worship, serving communion, leading prayers, giving the communion mediation, officiating at weddings and funerals, and more.
               1. All believers may perform these duties and others related to Christian ministry.
               1. These services help the disciple to grow in righteousness and move closer to God.
            1. Please understand that I am not trying to put Richard and myself out of our jobs.
               1. We are fulltime employed to provide pastoral care and services to this congregation and to daily work in the service of God and His Kingdom.
               1. My point is that God calls all believers to ministry wherever they find themselves.
                  1. We are not to sit back and say that’s the pastor’s job not mine. Wrong!
                  1. Now you might say I am too old and infirm to perform the tasks mentioned.
                  1. However, you can be a prayer warrior and lift up those in service to God and encourage them with words of encouragement and by sending cards.
      1. We are also a holy nation, a special possession, called out of darkness to proclaim the magnificent light of God and His Majesty to this dark and lost world.
      1. So now let me ask again how many priests are here with us today, raise your hands? I should see all the hands.

Conclusion:  We likely do not consider ourselves worthy of the title of saint and priest but nevertheless God says we are both. With this Biblical truth in mind we should strive each day to live up to these offices and meet the expectations God has for each one of us. It will take effort on our part to study and know the scripture, to pray diligently and often and to perform good works that will honor the Lord and His Holy Kingdom and to walk closer with Him each day. This is our sacred duty.

The Joy of the Lord…

Pastor Tom Gee

Framework Scripture:  Luke 2:8 – 11:  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid.” I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Introduction:  Today’s sermon will focus on the Biblical concept of JOY and what it means for us as believers. We are all familiar with these verses that I read and more in the Gospel of Luke which describe the historical event of the birth of Christ. The vision of angels in the sky shining with the light of God’s glory and proclaiming the reality of the birth of the Savior must have been a breathtaking experience like no other these shepherds had ever known. Think how you would have reacted if you had been present to see this incredible manifestation!

          Joy is a major theme in the Christmas event and we have many songs celebrating the birth in which joy prominently appears. But have we ever thought about what Godly joy really means and how it impacts our daily lives?

          Christian church people historically have often been referred to as “the people of the book.” This is due to our high regard and reverence for the Bible. We say and believe that we have no creed but the Bible. I would like to suggest that we should strive to also be known as “the joyous people of God.” So let us examine this concept of joy further and I will try to make my case.

1. The Gospel of Luke
   1. First a few comments about the Gospel of Luke. This book opens and closes with the theme of joy.
      1. Chapter 1:14 records the announcement to Zechariah from an angel about the future birth of his son (John) and it says, He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many will rejoice because of him.
         1. The Greek word (Charan) used here as joy means to be so filled with delight that you will jump for joy!
         1. Have you ever been delighted with someone so much that you want to jump for joy? Perhaps a beautiful grandchild that just makes your heart burst with joy and love and maybe a few tears?
         1. This is a hint of what Godly joy is like. Overwhelming and maybe beyond description.
      1. At the end of Luke in Chapter 24:50-53 we read the following, When He (Jesus) had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
         1. When Jesus left His disciples it was not a time of mourning and sorrow but a time of great joy. A time of praising God for His love and mercy.
         1. The Greek word for joy in this scripture is the same as in the Chapter 1 scripture cited above.
   1. Joy is so important to God and how He wants us to live that the word joy appears in the Bible (OT and NT) over 160 times!
      1. In addition there are 37 occurrences of words derived from Joy such as, Joyful, Joyous and Joyfulness.
      1.  I think He wants our attention to this subject. He really wants us to be joyful!

1. Luke 2: 8-11.
   1. Now let’s take a closer look at the Luke 2 verses I read, do some drilling down into the meaning.
   1. First off the Greek word used here for joy (Charan) is also the same word used in the previous verses I read.
      1. It is very clear from the context of these verses and the language used that God has just given the world the greatest ever gift which should cause overwhelming and life changing JOY.
      1. The JOY of joys! Never ever to be compared with any other joy except the joy of Heaven.
      1. And with the announcement of the coming of the Messiah, the splendor of the Heavenly Realm was displayed for all to see.
         1. A great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.
   1. And why was this such a tremendously joyful event?
      1. The Savior was born, God incarnate, the Messiah and the Lord had come in the form of an innocent and beautiful baby.
      1. Note the use of the definite article here, the word THE.
         1. The one and only Savior (as other scripture clarifies).
         1. The one and only Messiah.
         1. The one and only Lord.
      1. Here is an interesting fact to deepen the meaning of this scripture and which shows the internal connectivity of the Bible.
         1. The Greek word used here (Kyrios) for Lord is also used in the Greek translation of the OT, known as the Septuagint, when the name Yahweh appears in the scripture.
         1. Here is the significance: Yahweh is God’s personal name that He calls Himself.
            1. In Exodus 3:14 Moses asks God what shall I say to the Israelites when they ask me Your name?
            1. God says, I am who I am. This is the name God gives Himself. It is written in Hebrew as Yahweh. In fact it appears over 6,800 times in the Bible.
            1. So here we see the name being applied to the Christ Child. He is in fact the Lord God, He is Yahweh!
            1. The very God of the universe has entered into our world as a human baby! This is unfathomable.

1. A few more examples of joy from the Bible.
   1. Now I mentioned that there are over 160 appearances of the word joy in the Bible (that does not include variations of the word such as joyful and joyfulness). But time does not permit me to review all of these with you this morning, so instead we will briefly look at three.
   1. I Peter 1: 8 proclaims, Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.
      1. Because the believer has total faith and trust in God without seeing Him in person, the reward is inexpressible and glorious joy.
      1. Godly joy involves complete faith in God.
   1. Jude 24 declares, To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
      1. Godly joy involves total dependence on God.
      1. It has been said to let go and let God. This complete reliance on the Father brings joy beyond measure.
   1. And finally in Nehemiah 8 we see the history of God’s law being read by Ezra the priest to the Israelites after they had been returned seven months to Jerusalem out of captivity.
      1. For many this was the first time they had heard anything from the Book of Moses and they began to weep after realizing their disobedience to God’s law and many fell to the ground and worshipped the Lord.
      1. But Nehemiah told them that this day was a holy day to the Lord and they should not mourn but to celebrate their hearing of God’s Laws after such a long time.
      1. He said, “This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
      1. Godly joy involves obedience to God which brings a joy that strengthens us.
         1. There is a chorus some might know that is often used in VBS and children’s Sunday School:  The Joy of the Lord is My Strength.

Conclusion:  Dr. Jack Cotrell wrote the following:  “The greatest glories of heaven will no doubt be those of the inner life, including those that affect our intellectual and emotional states. …the most significant of these glories will be the complete absence of sorrow. Revelation tells us there will no longer by any mourning; nor will there be any crying, for He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

          We have all experienced, are experiencing and will experience sorrow in our lives. But our joy of joys, our exultation and delight fills us now because we know that our Lord, born as a humble baby, grew up to be the prefect Man whose sacrifice made possible our wonderous joy for all time!

          As disciples of Christ should we go about being sad faced grumpy people as we see the sin immersed world around us? No, for I believe we should be people of Godly joy as we revel in the victory of the cross. And you can bet, our joy will be a puzzlement to non-believers. Maybe they will be curious enough to ask about it and this presents us with a great opportunity to share the Good News.

A visitor to our church who attended the Adult Sunday School and then the worship service said to me, “You folks seem to be so happy and there is a lot of laughter. This is church, shouldn’t you be more somber?” I responded, “We can’t help ourselves since we are so happy to see one another and to celebrate God’s amazing gift of grace.”

          You see we serve and venerate the Prince of Holy, Godly Joy, Jesus Christ. Let us remember this at all times, not just during Christmas time. Let us also remember Godly joy is sustained by our faith, dependence on and obedience to the Lord who strengthens us. We who are saved should be the most joyous of people in this world for the joy on the Lord is our strength!

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

Pastor Tom Gee

Comment:  The title of this sermon is in reference to the Ghostbuster movies. With this sermon I intend to answer this question of “who you gonna call” and why it can only be one person, and that person alone.

Framework Scripture: (Deut. 18:9-12) When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.

Introduction:  Here we have one of several warnings in the Bible against involvement in the occult. I have to tell you that when I was preparing a sermon for this month, this topic was the third one I looked at. For some reason I had writer’s block on the other two topics. But when this one came to me the block was removed and here we are today. Perhaps, and this is only speculation on my part, I may have been directed to this topic. It is timely of course.

          At the end of this month specifically October 31^st we have Halloween. The kids dress up in various costumes and spread out through the neighborhoods like a plague of locusts to amass great quantities of candy and other delights. It’s trick or treat. No treat, you could get a trick. It is a harmless and enjoyable part of childhood.

          I’m not a killjoy but I do take issue with costumes and decorations which represent creatures from the occult and spiritual world. My kids went trick or treating but were never allowed to wear costumes representing occult figures. They could wear costumes such as angels, ballerinas, or any wholesome thing. Why is this an important issue?

          We know from the Bible that we are in a spiritual war and.. our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. (Eph. 6:12).

          Now some might say, here we are in the 21^st century and this preacher believes in evil forces from a dark world. So does he believe in demons, evil spirits, witches, and more? Yes I do. Because the Bible says they exist. Our Savior encountered them many times, cast them out and sent them back to where they came from. People, this stuff is real and we need to realize it. The influence these occult spirits have, is always evil because they are the servants of Satan.

1. Divination or Sorcery
   1. I first want to address the topic of Divination or Sorcery which is mentioned in the above scripture.
      1. Divination refers to the practice of seeking knowledge or guidance through supernatural means, often involving the interpretation of signs, symbols, or supernatural phenomena. It is mentioned several times in the Bible, and its meaning is significant for believers.
      1. Furthermore, it is a practice associated with pagan cultures and involves seeking guidance through such occult means as tarot card, astrology, Quija boards, or contacting the spirits of the dead in any manner.
      1. These practices rely on supernatural powers outside of God’s authority and are considered sinful and idolatrous in the eyes of the Lord.
      1. I Sam. 15:23 says, For rebellion is as the sin of divination… .
         1. The use of divination is a sign of rebellion and is a sin, period.
      1. As believers, it is crucial to understand and heed the Biblical warnings against divination. Instead of seeking supernatural knowledge through forbidden means, we are called to rely on God’s Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirt and discernment. By aligning our hearts and minds with God’s truth, we can experience His divine guidance and walk in obedience to His will.
      1. So who you gonna call? GOD, and Him alone.

1. Saul and the Witch of Endor
   1. Let’s now look at I Samuel 28: 3-25 which presents the account of Saul seeking the use of Divination through the Witch of Endor to contact the prophet Samuel who was now dead.
   1. Saul was facing certain defeat at the hands of the Philistines and he was estranged from the Lord because he failed to follow God’s instructions.
      1. The sin of pride was his downfall.
   1. In desperation Saul turns to the pagan practice of divination that he himself had outlawed to summon the spirit of Samuel  to seek his guidance.
   1. He has the witch conjure up the spirit of Samuel. And when Samuel’s spirit appears he demands to know why Saul has called upon him and not the Lord.
   1. Saul explains his situation and he is in need of guidance.
   1. Samuel condemns him and tells him that he brought this on himself because of his disobedience to God, including the use of divination.
   1. Samuel tells him that the Lord will hand him over to the Philistines and that on the next day he and his sons will die. And this in fact occurred.
   1. Saul should have called on the Lord and repented of his rebellious behavior and seek forgiveness.
      1. But he chose to use other means for guidance.

1. Cosmic Humanism
   1. Another example of people seeking guidance apart from the Lord is Cosmic Humanism. I have spoke about Secular Humanism but this viewpoint indulges in the dark spirit world.
   1. Cosmic Humanism is a worldview in which god exists in the form of every object and living being that dwells within the universe. The core of Cosmic Humanist theology and philosophy claims that there is only the supernatural, rather than the natural, and everything that is visible is simply a manifestation of spirit. With this concept, the ultimate aim of Cosmic Humanists is to get in touch with their inner spirit in order to access the full godhood that supposedly prevails within each person. Humans have not yet accessed this godhood, but believe they are slowly growing closer to it as they experience different lives through reincarnation. When asked how an individual should live their lives morally, Cosmic Humanists declare that they have no set rules for ethical behavior. Instead, people must seek their own truth from within themselves and live according to how they see fit. This worldview consists of a number of separate but interrelated ideologies and the individuals who follow them. They often follow eastern religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism as well as various Pagan practices and forms of witchcraft — often referred to by its followers as “Wicca“. They also reject the nature of sin and their need for salvation and instead choose to believe in some form of reincarnation or salvation through works.
   1. This corrupt worldview is gaining in popularity and we must remain well aware of it and stand against it with the Truth of God as our spiritual sword.

1. Then what must we do if we are to stand against these occult practices?
   1. First, we must firmly understand God’s reason behind the prohibition against divination and all occult practices.
      1. It stems from His desire for His people to rely solely on Him for guidance. By engaging in occult practices, individuals are essentially seeking guidance from other sources. This undermines the relationship between God and His people and can lead to spiritual deception.
      1. In addition, these practices involve contacting spirits or supernatural beings, which can open doors to demonic influence and manipulation.
      1. The Bible repeatedly warns against engaging with spiritual entities apart from God, as they can lead individuals astray from the truth.
         1. Now some may say “I’m just going to dabble in the occult, and just stick my foot into the water.”
         1. But they need to understand when they do this, that there are things in that water which are likely to grab them and pull them in.
   1. Secondly, instead of turning to occult means the Bible tells believers to seek God’s guidance through prayer, studying His Word and seeking counsel from godly individuals.
      1. James 1:5 declares, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
      1. God promises to provide wisdom and guidance to those who seek Him earnestly. By relying on His divine wisdom, believers can make sound decisions and navigate through life according to His will.
   1. Thirdly, trust in God’s sovereignty for He is the ultimate authority, and He knows what is best for our lives. When we surrender our desires for control and seek His guidance, we align ourselves with His purposes.
      1. Jeremiah 29:11 says, 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.

Conclusion:  By staying grounded in the truth of God’s Word and being obedient to His commands, we can find true fulfillment and purpose in life. Occult practices may offer temporary answers or insights but they cannot compare to the wisdom and guidance that comes from seeking God’s will through His word and the power of the Holy spirit.

          Let us remember that our faith in God should not be swayed or compromised by the allure of divination or any other alternative spiritual practices. Instead, let us fully embrace the biblical truth that God alone is our ultimate source of wisdom, direction, and fulfillment. So who you gonna call? Choose wisely!

SECOND COMING: JUDGMENT

Warsaw Christian Church,  Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Revelation 20:11-15: ¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,^[a]and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.^[b] 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

I want to continue this brief series on the Second Coming of Jesus by taking a closer look at the final judgment. Before developing this theme, I want to say a word about areas I have not covered. There are topics that are highly controversial, topics where good Christians do not agree. There is much debate over how to interpret end time prophecy. The Book of Revelation, for example, is interpreted in four different ways. Preterists believe that most of the book was fulfilled in the first century, with some references to the Second Coming. Historicists see the book as the unfolding of church history until the Second Coming. Idealists see the book as symbolizing the eternal conflict between good and evil. Futurists see the book as mainly about the end times.  Depending on the position one assumes at the outset, there will be different understandings of the millennium, the rapture, the role of Israel, the tribulation, and other matters.  Those who hold these various positions all believe that the Bible is God’s revealed Word and that Jesus will come again at the end of the age. Preaching on themes where there is so much disagreement in the church is difficult. No matter which position I take, there will be good Christians who disagree. So, my initial focus has been on lifting up those areas about the Second Coming, where most Christians agree. However, I must confess there are various shades of interpretation concerning the text I just read from Revelation 20.

Some Christians believe that Christians are judged separately from unbelievers. They believe Revelation 20 is a judgment for unbelievers, with Christians having been judged at a different time and occasion. So you will know where I am coming from I believe there is but one final judgment described from various viewpoints in different portions of Scripture.

The text from Revelation 20 is very sobering. John describes a great white throne. God is the judge, probably in the person of Jesus, the Son, to whom judgment has been given (see John 5:22).  His presence is so awesome that heaven and earth flee, probably in a figurative sense. The exalted Son of God sits upon the throne of judgment. The One who was once placed under the judgment of Pilate will now be Pilate’s judge. Jesus, once despised and rejected of men, will now judge those who despised and rejected Him. The dead, small and great, rich and poor, black and white, Moslem and Christian – – – all humanity stands before the throne of God.

We notice something interesting about this judgment. One group is judged by their works. It is as if a detailed record of each human life is kept in heaven and now those details are brought to light. These are persons who foolishly believed they could earn enough merit with God through their good works that they would deserve a place in heaven. They are persons who did not believe God when He declared through Paul.  “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Gal. 2:16)Those judged by their works – – – their ability to keep the law of God – – – are shocked to learn that they have not measured up to the divine standard. They are cast into the lake of fire, forever lost and forever separated from God. In Dante’s “Inferno” he envisioned a sign over the gate to hell reading, “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” He rightly understood that hell was a place of eternal hopelessness.

Thank God there is another book mentioned in our text, called “The Book of Life.” In Rev. 21:27 it is referred to as “the Lamb’s book of life.” In it are recorded the names of all those who trusted in Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Their works do not come into play at the time of judgment.  That is because their sinful works have been forgiven. The blood of Jesus has cleansed them totally and completely from all sin, and they stand before Him clothed in His righteousness.   Morally the redeemed are no better than those who are condemned. The only difference between the saved and the lost is faith in Jesus.

How do you wish to be judged? Do you want God to evaluate your works and based on performance decide whether or not you belong in heaven? This text should help you dismiss that idea forever. Those who are judged by their works are lost, without exception.  Only those who trust in Jesus are saved. Every one of us, at this very moment, is recorded in one of the books mentioned in Revelation. May I encourage you to surrender your hearts and lives to Jesus if you have not already done so? That is the only way to have your name recorded in the Book of Life.

Our text is very sobering and very thought-provoking. The thought that any of us may end up in the lake of fire is frightening. If the thought of being lost forever does not alarm you, it is probably because you don’t take the Bible seriously. You may be among those who believe that a loving God could never condemn anyone. Do you want to wager your eternal destiny on the possibility that perhaps Jesus was mistaken when He warned us about hell? There are many who believe everyone will go to heaven, if there is such a place. The word “hell” appears 13 times in the New Testament.  Eleven times it is Jesus who is speaking. Do you want to wager that He was wrong when He said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).

I hear people say, “Thank God the churches have gotten away from those old hellfire and brimstone sermons.” I wonder, is it a good thing to shield people from the reality of hell?  Is it not part of the teachings of Jesus that we are commanded to impart to others?  Did He not instruct us to teach everything He has commanded? Granted, you can overdo the focus on hell. It is not a subject I choose to preach on with frequency. Yet I cannot in good conscience ignore the subject and lead you to believe everyone is going to heaven. Hell is real, and many in the human race will choose that broad path that leads to destruction. My major responsibility is to encourage you to take a strong, public stance for Jesus, acknowledging Him without shame or embarrassment as your Savior and Lord. Church membership will not save you.  Your good works certainly will not save you. Only Jesus can lead you to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Make certain that you trust Him with a genuine faith backed up by your actions.

What will happen when Jesus comes again? It will be a time of judgment. For those who belong to Jesus, it will be the beginning of an eternity of joy and happiness we cannot now begin to comprehend. I wish I knew more specifically what heaven will be like. It will be so unlike anything we experience here that it is difficult for us to envision heaven. We know there will be no sickness or death. Most of us who are in the senior citizen category struggle with chronic pain, sometimes mild, sometimes severe. I think of those senior saints who struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a horrible disease to watch as it progresses, robbing the afflicted of their mind. What agony we endure when we lose a loved one to death. What joy it will be when we move around in heaven without pain.  What delight it will be to live in an environment where death and disease are banished forever.

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” God through His Word and Spirit gives us a little taste of heaven, but a full understanding eludes us. Our eyes have never seen anything comparable to heaven. Our ears have never heard an adequate description of that glorious place. Our imaginations cannot even come close to envisioning the magnificence, the grandeur of heaven. God has prepared heaven for those who love Him. It is within the grasp us every one of us. Just hold on to Jesus by faith and don’t let go.

The Bible does answer a few questions for us. Do we go to heaven immediately when we die? Yes. Paul said in 2 Cor. 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. To the Philippians he spoke of his own death as departing to be with the Lord (1:23).

Will we know one another in heaven? Notice Matthew 8:11 for example: “I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” The three patriarchs of Israel will be known in heaven. The assumption is that we shall know Abraham as Abraham, Mom as Mom, Jack as Jack, and so on.

How can you say we go straight to heaven at death when the Bible teaches that the dead will be resurrected when Christ returns? Why would people already in heaven need to be resurrected? The resurrection at the second coming of Christ refers to the body, not the soul. The body is resurrected. This suggests that while the redeemed are with Christ immediately at death, and are therefore in a state of unspeakable joy and happiness, we will not enter into the final stage of eternity until after the return of Jesus. There is some mystery here, but Scripture is clear that the redeemed go immediately to be with the Lord at death, but they also await the resurrection of the body.

What is the conclusion of the matter? If someone gave you a multi-million dollar mansion and millions of dollars in cash, would you appreciate it? We would certainly honor that person, and if he asked for a favor from us we would hasten to do it.  If any of you ever decide to give me a million dollars, and then need a favor, you can count on me! A gift of $20 might even earn you one favor!  Jesus has earned for you something far more valuable. He suffered and died on the Cross to secure your forgiveness and to provide for your entrance into heaven. If we really believe the Christian message how can we respond in any other way but to live our lives in faithful service to our Savior? In view of what He has done for us, should we not seek to honor Him daily?  Our Christian service is not payment for what He has done for us.  We owe a debt to Him we cannot possibly pay.  When we live to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus we are not trying to pay Him for what He has done for us. We are simply saying, “thank you, thank you, thank you.”

I close as we have in the previous two Sundays with these words of Jesus.  “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing” (Matt. 24:44-46.)

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WHAT DO WE KNOW FOR SURE ABOUT THE SECOND COMING?  (PART TWO)

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Various

In last Sunday’s sermon, I noted four things we know for sure about the Second Coming of Jesus. The event will indeed occur; Jesus’ appearing will be personal; the time is unknown to us, and the return of Christ will be preceded by widespread apostasy in the church. What else do we know for sure about the return of Jesus?  I aim to look at Scripture and avoid the speculation often accompanying the study of prophecy. We will again look at the Scriptures, which are plain and unambiguous. There will be some overlap with last Sunday’s sermon, but from a different perspective.

We read in 1 John 3:2:  Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when He is revealed, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as he is.  John reminds us that as believers in Jesus, we are God’s children now. Then, he admits that what we will be in the future has not been revealed in detail. But he adds this wonderful thought: We will be like him when he is revealed. We know we shall be like Him when Christ is revealed at the Second Coming. This does not mean that we become divine. Jesus forever remains the only begotten Son of God (John 1:14; 3:18). It means we will assume His character. In our new, heavenly environment, we will find that our only desire is to please God, even as Jesus sought only to please God. The old sinful impulses will be gone forever.

What does this mean for us in the course of our present earthly life? If I knew, for example, that I would be a medical doctor, would I devote little time to the studies pertinent to that profession? It would make no sense for someone to say, “I want to be a doctor,” and then ignore the steps that will lead to the goal. Our goal as Christians is stated in 1 John 3:2: “We will be like Him.” If we move toward an eternity in which we will be like Jesus, should not being like Jesus occupy much of our earthly time?

Another thing we know for sure about the Second Coming of Jesus is that the dead in Christ will be raised, and living believers will be transformed from earthly bodies to heavenly bodies. We will then be caught up in the air to join our Savior in His triumphant return. Paul describes this in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17:  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord.

Wow! Do those words excite you? I have always thought it would be wonderful to be alive at the time of the Second Coming. Resurrection from the grave would be fantastic, but never facing death would be even better. Can you imagine being on earth one moment, carrying out your regular routine, and suddenly, a shout and the sound of a trumpet, and in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, you shed this corruptible body and are clothed in an incorruptible, eternal body (see 1 Corinthians 15:50-57). Not only that, I have always envied the birds and their ability to fly. When Jesus comes, all His people will rise into the air to meet the Lord.  My desire to soar like a bird will finally be realized.

Some hear this message of the return of Christ and dismiss it as a fairy tale. I admit that the notion of a person descending from the clouds, with dead people rising from their graves, and the living being caught up in the clouds is not something we see every day. A virgin-born Savior also seems like a fairy tale, but it happened. A man walking on the water’s surface seems unbelievable, but it happened. Jesus’ resurrection from death is not something we see every day, but it happened. We are dealing with God Almighty, and God does genuinely amazing things at times. It may strike us as unbelievable, but these are the words of God, and the return of Jesus will occur just as Scripture says.

Another thing we know for sure is that when Jesus returns, it will be a tragic day for many of the world’s inhabitants. Listen to the sobering words from 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.

It will be the grandest, most glorious day in history for those who belong to Christ. For others, they will realize too late that in refusing to believe in Jesus Christ, they made the greatest of all possible blunders. It is a day of vengeance for those who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eternal punishment is their lot, forever separated from the presence of God. The idea of eternal punishment is a challenging concept. I do not like the thought of anyone finally being damned. God Himself takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (see Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11). It is not God’s will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (1 Peter 3:9).

We need to understand, however, that once God utters His Word, it shall come to pass.  Hear the word of God from Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” God has revealed a simple and straightforward plan to redeem the human race. Jesus Christ was not sent into the world so God could justly condemn sinners. God sent Jesus to save the world.  He came to save you.  John 3:17 says plainly, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  God is on the side of redemption, but what will become of those who do not accept His grace and mercy?  What about those who refuse to believe? John 3:18 answers.  “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  

Listen carefully to God’s explanation as to why some are condemned. I am in no position to say who is or is not condemned, but to clarify this verse, let’s look at a man like Mohammed Atta. If he is condemned, it is not because he flew a plane into the World Trade Center and killed thousands. If he is condemned, it is because he did not believe in the only begotten Son of God. God has decreed salvation for some and damnation for others. The difference between the two groups is this: The redeemed believe in Jesus. The damned do not. I certainly hope all of us are in the redeemed group so we can rejoice when Christ returns. God has spoken, and you can count on His word that He will make good.

Another thing we know for sure is that when Christ returns, He will reward faithful service.  All believers in Jesus will receive eternal life as a gift, purchased for us by the Lamb of God at Calvary. The faithful will also be rewarded. In Luke 19:11-27, this truth is stated in the parable of the pounds. Jesus describes Himself as a nobleman who has gone to a distant country. He leaves his servants in charge and entrusts them with various responsibilities. When He returns, He rewards His faithful servants. In Matthew 16:27, Jesus says, “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”

Paul said, “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time if we do not give up.” I spoke on this verse several weeks ago. Serving God will not make the national news.  Sometimes, doing the will of God is a thankless task. Sometimes, even our fellow Christians do not think much of our labors for Christ. Paul reminds us that serving Christ may seem a thankless job in this life, but then he reminds us of the coming harvest time. That is the time of the return of Jesus. He will shower His servants with rewards at that time, so Paul says, “Don’t give up.”

Another particular fact surrounding the return of Christ is that it will be so sudden that there will be no time to prepare. You will either be ready or not. In 2 Peter 3:10, the Apostle says that the coming of the Lord will be like the coming of a thief at night. The thief does not announce his coming.  He does not send a notice saying, “I plan to do some thievery in your neighborhood around 2 AM next Monday. Please leave your doors open so I will not have to damage your property. Leave valuables in plain sight if you want your things to be in order when I leave. I appreciate your cooperation.”

A thief shows up unexpectedly, unannounced. The return of Christ will be like that. No announcement from heaven will declare, “Jesus will return to earth on October 25, 2029. Please get your spiritual act together before He comes.” No, when He comes, you are either ready or not. Our military operates a system called DEFCON, or defense readiness condition. At DEFCON 5, we are at peace with no threat of attack. When our military moves to DEFCON 3, we suspect the enemy is on the move. At DEFCON 2, our military moves to increase force readiness below maximum. It was declared only once during the Cuban Missile Crisis. At DEFCON 1, our military is at maximum readiness. An imminent attack is expected. The use of nuclear weapons is authorized. Since the DEFCON system was implemented, we have never been at DEFCON 1. However, spiritually, we should live at DEFCON 1, assuming that the Lord’s return could be at any moment. We should live in a state of perpetual readiness.

I have sought to share with you things I know for sure will happen when Christ returns. I have avoided discussing some of the controversial matters that surround this fantastic event. Next week, I want to continue this series, focusing on controversial things regarding the Second Coming. I close again with this word from Jesus: “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing” (Matt. 24:44-46).  God’s word to us is clear: BE READY.

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WHAT DO WE KNOW FOR SURE ABOUT THE SECOND COMING, # 1

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Hebrews 9:24 – 28:  For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. ²⁵ Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

In our text, we notice three appearances of the Messiah. In the past, He appeared to put away sin. At the end of the age, he appeared once and for all to remove sin by sacrificing Himself. In the present, He now appears at the right hand of God the Father and makes intercession on our behalf. In the future, He will appear again, not to deal with sin but to save those eagerly waiting for Him. 

I am always reluctant to preach about the second coming of Christ because there is so much disagreement in the Christian community about the details. On the other hand, the return of the Son of God to this planet is a fundamental doctrine of our faith. What I plan to do today and the next two Sundays is to share with you what we know for sure about this event based on explicit texts of Scripture. I want to avoid the speculation that so often accompanies this doctrine. Jesus will return to complete our salvation. Our position in the present is to be one of eager anticipation of His return.

What can we say with certainty about this event? The first thing we can say for certain is that the return of Jesus is a sure thing. Over and over in Scripture, we are told that He will come again. 1^st Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God….” The Lord Jesus ascended into heaven after His resurrection. The day will come when He will descend from heaven. What a day that will be! There is a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. I do not know what this shout will be or what the archangel will say. I do not know who will play the trumpet of God and what song or fanfare will be played. I suspect that when Jesus shouts and the trumpet of God plays, we will know it. Jesus came into the world quietly and virtually unnoticed when He was born in Bethlehem.  When He comes again, it will not be a quiet event.

The second thing we know for sure about the return of the Lord is that it will be personal. Acts 1:11 says: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”Two men in white apparel (angels?) spoke these words when Jesus ascended into heaven. It will not suffice to say that He returned “spiritually” to the hearts of His believers.  The gift of the Holy Spirit is not a fulfillment of this verse. Jesus indeed dwells within the hearts of His people by the Holy Spirit, but this verse speaks of a dramatic, visible Second Coming of the Son of God. Revelation 1:7 affirms that every eye shall see Him. The Jesus they saw ascending bodily into heaven will return in the same manner. He will physically appear in the heavens.

In the days of my spiritual blindness, I used to make fun of the idea of a visible return of Jesus.  I recall walking with other seminary students on the campus of Drake University.  We would walk by the music building, and on occasion, we would hear trumpets playing. We would joke together, “Get ready! Jesus is coming! The trumpet has sounded!” I don’t joke about the Second Coming of Jesus anymore. As certainly as I believe the sun will rise in the East and set in the West, I believe the Son of God will physically, visibly return to this earth. It will not be a laughing matter.

The third thing we know for sure about the Second Coming is that no one can know when it will happen. Matthew 24:36 says, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” The verse clearly says that only God the Father knows when this event will occur. No human being knows; the angels do not know; even the Son, in His humanity, did not know.

Despite this clear teaching, history is filled with books that predict when Jesus will come. All have proven to be wrong. Many taught that when Israel was reestablished in her homeland in 1948, the second coming would occur within a generation or by 1988. They were wrong. Whenever anyone says they know the date of the Lord’s return, ask them if they will sign a paper turning over all their worldly goods to you the day after their prognostication. If they refuse, it proves they have no confidence in their prediction.

Many believe we are living in the last days, but we cannot know that with any certainty. His return might not be for another 100 years. We don’t know. The practical reason behind God’s not revealing the time of the end is clear. We are to live our lives anticipating Christ’s return at any time. If I knew that Christ would not return today, this week, or this month, I might be tempted to be careless in Christian service. I am motivated to be spiritually prepared daily if I believe He may come anytime. Jesus said, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives” (Matthew 24:44, 46). Jesus expects His people to be working for Him when He comes. Since we do not know when He is coming, our days should always be full of service to the Lord.

The fourth thing we know for sure about the Second Coming of Jesus is that before He comes, there will be widespread apostasy in the church, and the one referred to by Paul as the man of sin is revealed in the world.  Listen to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

“Falling away” is the Greek word apostasia from which our word apostasy derives.  The term refers to disregarding the essential principles of Christian truth—either a total abandonment of Christianity itself or a corruption of its doctrines that renders the whole system entirely inefficient for salvation.  This falling away from faith is not something that might happen; it will most certainly occur.

We find examples of apostasy in every generation of the church.  The assumption is that apostasy will become epidemic as the end draws near. Paul elaborated on this in 1 Tim. 4:1:  Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons… In absolute terms, the Holy Spirit told Paul that some will walk away from the faith in the last days.  They are persons deceived by the powers of evil.

As one who knows a little about church history and as an observer of what is happening in the church today, I will say this.  Never in the history of Christendom has there been so much apostasy as we see in the church today. The liberal, mainline churches were once centers of orthodoxy, committed to biblical truth.  Thousands of clergy and theologians have led millions of people to abandon biblical Christianity.  We were once connected to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which was, in the past, totally committed to biblical truth.  Today, that denomination denies that Jesus is the only Savior; they deny that the Bible is the infallible Word of God. The same story is repeated in all the historic denominations. Apostasy, a falling away from the faith once and for all delivered to the church (see the Book of Jude), is an epidemic today. In addition, we see an unprecedented rise in cults that claim to be Christian but which deny the biblical Gospel. Does this mean we are living in the last days? Not necessarily. Things could get much worse. We don’t know when the final stage of apostasy will manifest itself. There is apostasy in every age of the church.

The practical side of this is clear.  Make sure you understand the Gospel as it is revealed in Scripture, and hold fast to that Gospel no matter who tells you otherwise.  Jesus Christ is the world’s only Savior, and apart from Him, there is no salvation, even though many will say to you, “There are many paths to God.”  There is but one path – – – one narrow gate that leads to life, and His name is Jesus.

One other element stands out in 2 Thessalonians quoted above.  A man of sin, probably a name for the final Antichrist, will be revealed. There is no time to explore this theme in depth. Our text clearly states that this man, undoubtedly a world leader, will reject Christian morality. He will reject the biblical God and affirm his deity.  He will set himself against Christ and declare that he is God. Since we don’t know when Christ will return and thus do not know when the final antichrist will appear, we must always be ready. As we saw last week, Antichrist is present in every generation.

John tells us there are many antichrists. We have seen examples of this in history.  The Roman emperors claimed they were divine. The emperor of Japan was regarded as divine by the Japanese during World War 2. Hitler was a virtual Messiah in Nazi Germany. They rewrote “Silent Night” as a hymn to Hitler.  “Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, and all is bright. Only the Chancellor steadfast in fight, Watches o’er Germany by day and by night. Always caring for us. Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, and all is bright. Adolf Hitler is Germany’s wealth.  Brings us greatness, favor and health, Oh give us Germans all power!” When this final version of the man of sin takes the stage of history, it will mean difficult days for Christians. True Christians will be regarded as enemies of human progress and will be persecuted even as they were in the first century.  Nominal church members will fall away in droves, preferring to side with the powerful antichrist over Jesus.

I will continue this theme next week. To summarize what the Scriptures have told us thus far, Jesus will come again at a time unknown to anyone except God. It will be a public, visible event. However, before that event, difficult days lie ahead for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritual deception will be rampant, and only those truly born again through the power of the Gospel can stand.  Many of us who make up the older generation may not see those days (but we don’t know that for sure), but we must pray for our children and grandchildren who may be alive when the final days begin.  

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THE 5 R’S OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY

Warsaw Christian Church Richard Bowman, Pastor

Last week I tried to explain salvation. It involves faith in Jesus. We are saved by faith alone. The word “faith” includes repentance and baptism. Having entered into salvation this morning, I want to discuss what makes a mature disciple. Once we confess our faith in Jesus, repent of our sins, and receive baptism in His name, what comes next? Those in school in the 1940s and 50s remember the three “R’s” of education: Readin, riting, and rithmetic. I want to focus this morning on the R’s of a faithful disciple. I hope this will help us see more clearly the nature of our relationship with Christ. We don’t want to make the mistake of embracing a truncated Gospel. We don’t want to be deceived into thinking we are faithful while failing to embrace everything essential to our discipleship. This morning, let’s review again the basics.  Let’s look at the 5 R’s of faithful discipleship.

THE FIRST R: RECEIVE CHRIST

In order to be a true Christian, we must first receive Christ. The Apostle John describes how Jesus came to His own people, the Jews, but the majority did not receive Him. Those who did receive Jesus, He gave them the right to become children of God. When Jesus came to His people, the Jews, they had a choice.  They either received Him or they did not. How do we receive Christ? John adds, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12). That is a plain, simple statement.  You receive Jesus by faith. Those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, have entered into God’s salvation. Until we have opened our hearts to Jesus, receiving Him as our personal Savior, we are outside the Kingdom of God.

We receive Christ by faith, an invisible attitude in the mind and heart. No one except God can see faith. Therefore, God has commanded that we give visible expression to our faith through repentance and baptism. On Pentecost, Peter explained in detail how we receive Christ. He commanded repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus (See Acts 2:38). In baptism, we give visible expression to our invisible faith. 

Scripture regards baptism as a crucial first step in faithfulness.  Our Lord Jesus commanded it, and it was practiced in the New Testament. When 5000 were converted on the Day of Pentecost, they believed in Jesus, repented, and were baptized. When the household of Cornelius received Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter commanded (not requested) that they be baptized (Acts 10:48).  Baptism is not an optional step we are free to ignore when receiving Christ. It is a divine command. It is the God-ordained way in which we give visible expression to our invisible faith.  One must wonder about people who say, “I believe in Jesus,” but then refuse to obey His very first command. Can we be saved without baptism? Let me give a clear answer. Yes and no. Suppose a person believes in Jesus but has no opportunity for baptism, like the thief on the cross. He was saved without baptism but had no opportunity for baptism. But what if a person adamantly refuses to be baptized when the option is available? That person is a hypocrite. He says he believes in Jesus but refuses to obey a command of Jesus. I doubt his faith is authentic.

THE SECOND R: RENOUNCE, REPENT

To be a faithful disciple, we must renounce our old ways of living. That is what the word “repentance” means. The Greek word contains two parts: “meta”, and “noeo”.  Meta has many meanings depending on context and grammar. Noeo means “the mind.” According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, metanoeo means “to change one’s mind.”  It refers to a person who has looked at his life and abhors his past behavior. It also contains the notion of wanting to live differently, but more on that in a moment. All of us have old ways and habits which we must renounce. Having received Christ, we turn away from everything contrary to Him.  Repentance, or renouncing all ways contrary to Christ, is integral to faith.

Those who claim to be Christians but habitually cling to old ways contrary to His will are deceived. Christians do fall into disobedience, but they do not make a habit of offending the Savior. They have made a clean break with everything in the past which is sinful. In the baptism service of some churches, the candidate verbally must renounce the devil and all his way. Jesus Christ is a Savior who saves us from the consequences of our sinful behavior.  What sense does it make to say, “I believe in Jesus,” but I will continue to live as I please, ignoring the words of Jesus? Living as we please will always get us into trouble with our Creator.

Paul spoke of how old things have passed away, and a new form of life emerges. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). True Christians are not perfect, but they are different. They have a desire to follow Jesus, turning away from old ways. Old habits begin to drop off. A new life emerges.

THE THIRD R: RESEMBLE

A mature disciple will resemble Christ. Renouncing is negative, and resembling is positive. Faith in Christ brings the Holy Spirit into our hearts. The Holy Spirit leads us and inspires us to obedience to our Lord. Our thoughts, words, and deeds take on a new look. We want to be like Jesus. We become imitators of Christ. Paul put it in simple terms. “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Paul was striving to be like Christ and bids us to adopt the same commitment. The contemporary phrase, “What would Jesus do,” is an excellent question to ask as we face life’s decisions.

Sometimes I cringe when I hear some words that come out of my mouth. I also cringe at times when I hear some of you speak! I find myself praying often, “Lord have mercy on me. Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.”  When you gossip about another, is that what Jesus would do? When you are rude and impolite, is that what Jesus would do? When you pout or get angry, is that what Jesus would do? When you use foul or crude language, is that what Jesus would do? When you disobey a commandment of the Lord, is that what Jesus would do?

The authorities forbade the early Christians to proclaim the name of Jesus. The Apostles refused to obey. In Acts 4:13, we find a revealing statement. The authorities “realized they (the apostles) had been with Jesus.” They recognized these men were uneducated but were astonished by their boldness. Then the truth smacked them in the face. These men have been with Jesus.  Their words and actions reminded the scribes and Pharisees of the words and actions of Jesus. I hope it can be said of us, “These members of the Warsaw Christian Church have been with Jesus.” Those who say, “I am a Christian,” but bear no resemblance to the Master are the very people who drive others away from the Savior. I suspect that many of those who do not attend church have been turned off by the words and actions of members. While that is not a good reason to avoid church, it is understandable. People need to realize that we are active in the church for Jesus’ sake even though we, who are pastors and members, lack perfection.

While we can never imitate our Lord perfectly, we can and should resemble Him. When others hear our speech and observe our behavior, they should see and hear Jesus. The fruit of the Spirit grows abundantly in the life of those who belong to Jesus. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, self-control (Gal. 5:22ff ) – – – these are the qualities others see in us. When I look around at your faces, I do not see perfection, but I see Jesus reflected in your lives, at least in most of you!

THE FOURTH R: REPRESENT

We RECEIVE Christ, we RENOUNCE our old ways and RESEMBLE our Lord. To be a mature disciple, we must represent Christ. True Christians have a level of excitement about the salvation they have received. That excitement may ebb and flow, but it is never entirely gone. Christians want to share the good news with others. They take the Great Commission seriously. Through their witness, example, and giving, they want to be a part of spreading the Good News.

How we represent Christ will vary depending on our gifts and talents. One of the simplest ways to represent Christ is to attend His church faithfully. You are saying to your family, friends, and neighbors, “Jesus Christ is the heart and soul of my life. I want to be in His church, worshipping and learning every Lord’s Day. I want to partake of the bread and cup weekly as a reminder of the cost of my salvation.” In this way, you represent Christ. On the other hand, what are you saying to family and friends when your attendance is sporadic? 

Perhaps you do not feel comfortable about leading another soul to Christ, but you can invite others to church.  In this way, you represent Christ. You can be faithful in the use of your money, not only supporting this church but also our several missionaries and local mission projects. In this way, you represent Christ. You can assure others that you will faithfully pray for them, and in this way, you represent Christ. Our words and deeds should represent the Savior we serve.

Jesus said, Let our light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). He reminded us that doing good works alone will not meet the requirement of this verse. If you do a good deed for someone and do not mention that you are doing it in the name of Jesus, they will glorify you. They will praise or thank you for your help. For God to be glorified by our good deeds, we need to open our mouths and let people know we are reaching out to help them for Jesus’ sake.

THE FIFTH R: REIGN

True Christians will reign with Christ. Believers realize that this earth is not their final home. We are strangers and sojourners on this earth, waiting for the last chapter of life in heaven. Having received Christ by faith and renounced those things which are contrary to Christ, living our lives in such a manner that people see Jesus in us, and being faithful representatives of Christ by our words and deeds, we look forward to this 5^th R.  We are going to reign with Christ.

Paul wrote these powerful words: This is a faithful saying:  For if we died with Him,

We shall also live with Him.  If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him,

He also will deny us (2 Tim. 2:11-13).

If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. Isn’t that a fascinating concept that we will reign or rule with Christ? I am not sure how the details will work out, but I find it exciting that, in one way or another, the time will come when we will reign with Christ. The condition is that we will reign with Him IF WE ENDURE. The Greek word translated “endure” is “hupomeno.” Meno means to remain where you are. When you add “hupo” to it, the term is intensified. It means to remain faithful to Christ no matter what. If suffering comes, we endure. If persecution comes, we endure. If rejection comes, we endure. No matter what comes, we endure.

How do we measure up to these 5 R’s of the Christian faith? Have you definitely and without reservation received Christ? Have you definitely and without reservation renounced those things contrary to God’s will? While none of us are perfect, is there enough of Jesus shining out of our lives that we resemble Him? Are you committed without reservation to representing Him in whatever ways you can? These  4 R’s define a mature disciple. They define those who will finally reign with Him.  I pray that all of us will be in that number.

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FYI I edited this at several points but printed the sermon prior to the editing! My pulpit sermon was a little different than the manuscript. 

SALVATION 101

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Acts 2:36-39

Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Today I want to talk about salvation. I have preached many sermons on the subject. I want to ensure we all know what is involved in saving faith.

One of our first tasks is defining the essential ingredients of salvation. The question of how one enters the Kingdom of God is, of course, of great importance.  There are variations concerning the doctrine of salvation present in the church today.  Following the Protestant Reformation teachings, many churches declare that salvation is through faith alone.  Sola fide; others agree but add that the Holy Spirit produces faith miraculously; others believe conversion must be dramatic; others declare, “Just invite Jesus to come into your heart.”  And, of course, some believe deep down that to be saved, you must hope your good works are enough to merit a place in heaven.

While there are various aspects of truth in these differing opinions about salvation, I am interested in knowing but one thing. What does God say about this vital matter in His Word?

Let’s begin this series by examining Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  On that occasion, Peter is preaching to a crowd and telling them the truth about Jesus.  He ends up saying that Jesus, crucified by the Jews, has been exalted by God and declared to be Lord and Messiah. Notice the response to Peter’s words, “What shall we do?” Peter answered as follows (and notice carefully both what he did and did not say):  “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  He added that this was a timeless word for all future generations.  Notice he did not say, “Faith alone is all you need.”  He did not say, “You can do nothing except wait and see if, perchance, the Holy Spirit will give you faith.” He did not say, “Come and pray with us and see if you can pray through to salvation.”  He did not say, “Invite Jesus to come into your heart.” These are things still said by some in the church today, but the apostles did not speak such words.

The ingredients in Peter’s response were three: Faith in Jesus; repentance, which meant both sorrow for sins and a turning away from sin; and baptism in the name of Jesus.  Those who complied were assured of the forgiveness of all their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This was the apostolic response to the question, “What shall we do?”  They were wondering how they might get right with God. Did their sin in rejecting Jesus mean they were lost? How did Peter respond to their question? What about people today who ask, “What shall we do?” Should our answer today be any different?  If we wish to be biblical, should we not tell those who are not Christians that they must trust in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God who died on the cross for the remission of our sins?   Should we not explain that repentance for sins is a necessary step in coming to Jesus, that faith without repentance is worthless?  Should we not further explain that baptism completes the process of coming to Christ? We must be obedient to His command to baptize those who believe. Should we not further explain that those who come to Christ in this manner have been assured that all their sins are forgiven and promised the gift of the Holy Spirit? By what logic would we want to change this basic message?

Are we saved by faith alone? Yes, but Peter defines faith for us. Faith means belief in Jesus, repentance, and baptism.  To omit repentance and baptism from our definition of faith is to go against the words of Peter.  

The conversion of the Ethiopian official who served as treasurer to the Ethiopian queen is told in Acts 8. He is interested in the Jewish faith, for we find him reading the Scriptures as he rides home in his chariot but not comprehending what he reads.  Philip approaches his chariot and explains that the passage he is reading about a lamb being sent to the slaughter refers to Jesus, and he tells him the story of Jesus.  As he proclaimed Jesus to this man, he talked about sin, repentance, and baptism.  They come to a body of water, and the Ethiopian asks if he may be baptized. Philip responded that you may be baptized if you believe in Jesus.  The Ethiopian confesses his faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; they enter this unnamed body of water together, and the Ethiopian is baptized. He then goes on his way, rejoicing, for he has found salvation.  What was involved? Faith in Jesus — repentance — baptism.

This was the Gospel preached in the New Testament Church.  Faith — repentance — baptism.  These three words summarize our responsibility.  God’s part is to forgive us, grant the Holy Spirit, and assure us of everlasting life.

Notice the simplicity in this episode involving the Ethiopian convert.  Nothing outwardly spectacular took place.  There is no agonizing prayer for salvation. He does not invite Jesus to come into his heart.  While the Holy Spirit was most certainly granted to this Ethiopian convert, His presence is not noted by anything manifestly supernatural.  His presence is pointed out by the Ethiopian’s confession of faith — for no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit, and no mature, intelligent adult requests baptism unless the Spirit of God has touched their heart.  The work of the Spirit is also evidenced by the fact that he went on his way rejoicing.

But wait! Paul’s conversion was spectacular. There were voices from heaven, he was knocked to the ground, and Jesus appeared to Him.  I am certainly not denying that conversion may take a more spectacular route.  God is sovereign and may convert in any manner He chooses.  The point is that even in Paul’s case, the three elements were present:  faith, repentance, and baptism.  Paul repented of his sins, believed in Jesus, and was baptized by a layman named Ananias. Ananias said to Paul, “Why do you tarry? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).  He did not say, “Paul, you are obviously already converted by your experience on the Damascus Road. We can dispense with repentance and baptism.” No, he urged Paul to call on the name of the Lord, which is faith.  He spoke of the washing away of sins — that involves repentance.  He said to be baptized in obedience to the command of Jesus.

There are undoubtedly different aspects to everyone’s conversion, but when we are trying to tell others how to enter the Kingdom of God, we focus on those elements common to everyone’s conversion, not on supernatural elements which are beyond our control.  To tell an unbeliever to expect an experience like Paul’s is to confuse and mislead. Whether conversion happens quietly without supernatural fanfare, as in the case of the Ethiopian, or with signs and wonders, as in the case of Paul, that is God’s business.  We do what the apostles did, urging all to believe in Jesus, repent of their sins, and be baptized.

The conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10 was spectacular, a repeat of Pentecost.  Before Peter could finish his sermon about Jesus, as soon as they heard that the remission of sins came through Jesus, the Holy Spirit fell upon them in Pentecostal fashion. They spoke in other tongues and magnified God. But again, the three common elements are there: faith, repentance, and baptism.  Peter did not decide, “Well, these folks have been converted without baptism, so we will omit that step. Why bother with that ceremony since they are clearly converted without it.”  Notice Acts 10:48: “He commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”  Why did he command baptism in this case? Because Jesus had commanded it, and therefore it cannot be omitted without blatantly disobeying the Son of God.  Why would any believer in Jesus choose to disobey Him on any issue, let alone an issue so intimately connected to entering the Kingdom of God?  Baptism, when done in association with faith and repentance, completes our response to the message of Jesus.

If we say to a non-Christian, “Just believe in Jesus, and you will be saved,” without a word about repentance and baptism, are we presenting all the ingredients necessary to bring a person into the Kingdom?  Some may think, “Isn’t that what Paul told the Philippian jailer?” Yes, when the jailer cried out, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul responded, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”  However, do you know what is said in the following two verses? The next verse informs us that Paul spoke unto him and his family the word of the Lord.  He explained the Gospel. He did not leave it at “Believe in Jesus, and you will be saved.”  After speaking those words, he explained who Jesus was.  He most certainly spoke of His atoning death, burial, and resurrection. He certainly explained the place of repentance. Then in verse 33, we read that Paul baptized the jailer and his household that very hour.  Was this done without explanation, or would we not assume that Paul explained the importance of baptism?  

The conversion of the Philippian jailer is in harmony with what Peter taught at Pentecost.  FAITH, REPENTANCE, BAPTISM. These were the three essential ingredients that led to his salvation.  Why would we want to change this apostolic teaching? Why would we want to omit the place of repentance, as is sometimes done even today?  Why would we ignore the place of baptism in a person’s response to Jesus?  Why not just preach the Gospel using the inspired language of the apostles? If we plant and water apostolic truth, God will give the increase.  If we change the apostolic message, we assume we are wiser than the inspired apostles.  It is never a good idea to change God’s message.

The apostles said to unbelievers — believe; repent; be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.  If we will boldly proclaim that apostolic message, we can expect to have apostolic success.  If we think we must change the message to make it more compelling to our modern world, we are fools indeed.  How can the message of God be made more explicit by human tampering?  Even a casual reading of Scripture should convince us that God does not appreciate our tampering with his Word.  

God wants us to proclaim His message in the manner He has prescribed.  God wants our lives to be governed by His commandments.  While His judgment does not always follow swiftly under the New Covenant, be assured that those who tamper with God’s Word and ways are playing with fire.  Whether the consequences are immediate or delayed, there are consequences.  If you know you are playing around with God’s way of salvation, I suggest you follow His plan now rather than face Him on judgment day and try to explain to Him that you saw no harm in changing His plan just a bit.

Here are the crucial ingredients which lead to salvation. A clear, intelligent faith in Jesus Christ based on an understanding of who He is according to Scripture.  An acknowledgment that we have sinned against God, and we desire to turn away from those things which displease Him. Then, baptism in water completes the process of responding to the gospel of Jesus.  Much more must be said, but it must wait until next week.  I will try to answer the question: Can we receive salvation without baptism? We must understand the significance of baptism in the process of being saved.

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THE THANKFUL SAMARITAN

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 17:11-17: Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. ¹² Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. ¹³ And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” ¹⁴ So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. ¹⁵ And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, ¹⁶ and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?

Narrator: I can’t think of a disease worse than leprosy. Lepers were isolated from society. There was no cure. Once you had the disease, you were confined to a living death. You lost everything; your possessions were burned, your home was destroyed, you were cut off from family and friends, and you joined the Society of Lepers. Then you lived out your remaining days watching the disease slowly progress and growing ever more loathsome until you finally couldn’t stand the sight of yourself.

You had to say goodbye to your wife, children, and friends. You began to wander about on your own, eating from garbage dumps or receiving food from a few kind souls who took pity on a leper and made an effort to see that they were fed. Eventually, the lepers found other lepers and formed a gang. They moved about in society like a pack of wild animals. They were despised and rejected by the rest of society. This is the story about ten lepers.  Nine of them were Jewish, and one was a Samaritan. Even though Jews and Samaritans hated one another, all that prejudice melted away because of their shared misery. Leprosy was an excellent cure for racial prejudice. Let’s listen in as the Samaritan leper talks with a Jew. (sits; Tom and I stand).

RB: What a life of misery it was wandering around the countryside with nine other lepers. And unfortunately, one of them was a Samaritan. He was a fool and a dreamer. He talked about how someday, perhaps God would perform a great miracle, and we would be free from this disease. I was much more realistic and tried to get him to accept his hopeless condition—only old women and half-wits believed in miracles. Our condition was hopeless. No miracle would be forthcoming.

TOM: My Jewish friend was such a skeptic. I could not accept a life without hope. How can one live when there is no hope for a brighter tomorrow? I would rather create false hope in my heart than live without hope. And, who knows, maybe, just maybe, God might work a miracle for us someday. Nothing is impossible for God.

RB: Apparently, your disease has gone into your brain. (Sneering)— “Maybe, just maybe, God might work a miracle for us someday. Nothing is impossible for God.” Can you not face reality? You have leprosy! There is no cure. Your body is slowly rotting away. Soon you will be dead. The disease will end in death.  How can you even believe in a God allowing such a cruel disease to affect us? If there is a God, He must be cruel. Explain to me, you useless Samaritan dog, why God allows this disease to ravage our bodies? (to audience) Hush, everyone; the Great Samaritan Prophet is about to explain God’s mysteries.

Tom: I thought you Jews were supposed to be religious geniuses. You are the ones who are supposed to know everything about God. How can you speak so insultingly of God when you are so much in need of Him? Maybe I cannot explain this disease to your satisfaction, but since you asked, I will share a few ideas with them.

RB: I can hardly wait. Hush everyone, the Samaritan Prophet is about to speak a revelation. This Samaritan dog who knows nothing about God is about to tell us about God. Please try not to laugh at him.

Tom: Is it not possible that this disease has come upon us as a judgment for sin? You and I have lived our lives ignoring God and his laws. Perhaps we are receiving the just consequences of our sins.

RB: (SNEARING): Oh, come on now. What kind of a dumb explanation is that? We both know people who live more sinful lives than we have, so why don’t they have leprosy? How do you explain that oh wise Samaritan prophet?

Tom: I don’t pretend to be able to explain everything about the Almighty One. Even if I could, you probably would not believe me. But consider this, you closed-minded Jewish hyena. Suppose we are receiving the just results of our sins, or we have just had the misfortune of contracting leprosy. Maybe there is no explanation except that God permits disease in this wicked world in which we live, and we happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we’re struck down by the disease. What difference does it make why we have this disease? Whatever the reason, is it not sensible to humble ourselves before God and pray for his mercy? Is he not more likely to help those who seek His mercy than those who complain? Does not your scripture teach that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble?

RB: You howling jackal, when did you ever read our sacred scriptures? I doubt that you can even read. Oh sure, let’s grovel before God and ask for his mercy. Do you remember last week when I let you talk me into running after some new prophet that could possibly work miracles? At your insistence, we ran to him and begged for a miracle. And what was his response?

Tom: Well, when he saw that we were lepers, he fled in fear. I guess he was a false prophet.

RB: Yes, he did. All those who claim to work miracles are phonies. You have the intelligence of a camel. You even look like one. After that experience, do you still believe God will send a miracle worker to us to heal us?

Tom: And you, my friend, have the wisdom of a cockroach. Yes, there are false prophets and miracle workers, but that does not mean there are no true ones. Just this week, I heard about another prophet who can work miracles. The prophet’s name is Jesus. I have heard wonderful stories about him. He has opened blind eyes, caused the deaf to hear, and can cast out devils with a word. He is rumored to raise the dead and restore life to them. Some say he is the Son of God.

RB: (sneering)— “Some say he is the Son of God.” You offspring of a jackass! Why are you so stubborn? How many false prophets are you going to chase? How often will you be disappointed before you give up hope? Let me tell you what this Jesus will do if he passes this way. He will take one look at our stubby fingers and the scales and bumps on our ugly faces, and he will run away in fear. Here is my only silver coin. I’ll wager that this Jesus will be another false prophet.

NARRATOR: A short time later, Jesus arrived in the little town where the lepers were huddled together. The ten lepers had a clear view of him because everyone else stood far away from them. A great crowd had gathered to see this Jesus who claimed to be the Son of God. Ten lepers decided to ask for mercy. They approached Jesus and cried out, “Master, have mercy on us.” They all cried for mercy except for the skeptical Jew who stood back away from the others. Jesus approached the lepers. He went first to the Samaritan leper and put his hands upon him, unafraid of touching the hideous bumps and sores. He said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests,” and then he continued on his way. The nine lepers looked at one another with puzzlement because the disease was still with them. The two lepers began speaking to one another.

RB: Well, my Samaritan friend who has the wisdom of a turnip. What do you think of your Son of God now? I still see the signs of leprosy on our bodies. It looks to me like we have found another false prophet. Come on, let’s get out of here. Everyone is staring at us.

Tom: Wait, He told us to go and show ourselves to the priests. Why not do as he says? Perhaps he is a true man of God.

RB: I am too tired to argue with you. Come on, let’s get this over with. We will go to the priest, and they will proclaim that we still have leprosy and this man of Jesus will be proved to be a false prophet.

Tom: I began to do as Jesus said and make my way toward the priests. As we obeyed Jesus, something happened. We looked at each other with astonishment. The signs of leprosy were gone! All ten of us were healed. We were free from the dreaded disease. We could return to our homes and families. We could live a normal and happy life once again. I looked down the road and could still see Jesus in the distance as He continued his journey. I quickly told the others, “Let us go and thank him for what he has done. We cannot receive such a great miracle from the hand of God without giving our thanks to his messenger.”

RB: Not me, my foolish friend. I’m going to buy some wine and have a good time. If we return to Him, he’ll probably expect us to pay him for this miracle, and he’ll want us to become his disciples and follow him. I have better things to do. I got what I wanted, and I’m out of here. (sits down).

NARRATOR: All nine lepers followed the example of the skeptic and disappeared in all directions. Only the Samaritan returned to Jesus to thank him. He fell at the feet of Jesus and kept repeating the words, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Jesus took the Samaritan by the hands and raised him up. With a look of sadness in his eyes, He spoke. “Were there not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Are you the only one who has returned to give God glory?” Jesus looked compassionately at the Samaritan and said, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Jesus did not ask for money and made no demands on the Samaritan. He did not ask the Samaritan to become a disciple and follow Him, but he followed Him nonetheless. He became a disciple of Jesus for the rest of his life – – – – You are probably wondering what happened to the other nine lepers. The Bible does not tell us, but I have wondered. Did they contract the disease once again? I hope you will all look at your blessings from God and be thankful. Thank God for health and strength, for food and clothing, for His love and mercy toward us, for His willingness to help us in our times of need, and especially for the forgiveness of our sins. Those with a thankful spirit will find that God is always near. When we thank God, we are demonstrating our faith in him in a very personal way. The more we thank him, the more our faith grows, and the more he blesses us. Do not waste your life grumbling and complaining about what you don’t have. Spend your energy thanking God for what you do have. Learn the lesson of the Samaritan leper.

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TRAINING YOUR EMOTIONS

Warsaw Christian Church Richard Bowman, Pastor

With all the fears and concerns in today’s world, I thought it might be time to finish up this series on psychology with a discussion of emotions. I worked in the mental health field for 12 years. As a result, I remember a few pertinent things that might be helpful. First, I want to introduce you to a psychologist named Albert Ellis. He is an author and a therapist who has written several books reflecting a viewpoint he describes as Rational Therapy. While Ellis is not a Christian, his ideas are compatible with Christianity.

Ellis believed that the popular Freudian theories of human personality were inadequate. He rejected them as too mysterious, with many mumbo-jumbo ideas. Ellis believed this needed to be corrected and clarified. He thought Freudian psychotherapy took too long, often a 2 to 4-year process and longer. He developed a counseling technique emphasizing using our intelligence to sort out our emotional problems. He believed the way to solve human emotional issues was through the proper use of reason rather than through months and months of delving into the unconscious mind. I refer to his approach as a no-nonsense method of counseling.

Ellis’ basic premise is this: Much emotional pain is caused by irrational thinking.  He sought to educate his patients on a healthier way of thinking. He emphasized that negative and damaging emotions do not flow mysteriously from the unconscious mind but from unreasonable or irrational thinking.  He also asserted that since we exercise considerable control over our minds, people can be taught to think more reasonably so that the irrational thoughts that cause us emotional anguish can be changed. Ellis developed a kind of ten commandments of irrational thinking leading to emotional problems. It will help us understand his viewpoint by looking at some examples of what Ellis would call irrational thinking. For example:

a. Irrational idea # 1: I need to be loved and approved of by almost everyone for virtually everything I do.  Since no one can live up to such an ideal, those with such high expectations will probably spend much time feeling depressed. A more reasonable idea would be this: While I need love and approval, I won’t receive it from everyone. Since I am a fallible human who makes mistakes, I will not succeed in everything I do.

b. Irrational idea # 2:  1 should be thoroughly competent, adequate, and achieving in all respects. Again, an impossible goal. A more reasonable plan would be to do my best, but I will only be good at some things.

c. Irrational idea # 3: It is terrible, horrible, and catastrophic when things are not going how one would like them to. Again, people who believe this idea will surely be depressed. A more reasonable idea would be “that I naturally hope things will go right in my life, but when they don’t, I will learn to cope and move on.”

Dr. Ellis encourages his patients to pay close attention to their internal thoughts. We all carry on conversations in our heads, which have much to do with our mental and spiritual health. For example, suppose you continually say to yourself, “I am not very attractive, nor am I very talented. I don’t fit in at all, and no one likes me. I am a miserable, total failure.” If such thoughts lurk in your mind, you will be very unhappy. However, if you can change those thought patterns to something more constructive, you will begin to feel better about yourself. For instance, “Maybe I am not very attractive physically, and maybe I am not the most talented person in the world, but God made me, and therefore I am a worthwhile person.  I can find love and acceptance, if not from everyone, at least from some. I am not a total failure. None of God’s creatures fit into that category.”  Listen to your thoughts, and replace those destructive thoughts with godly thoughts in harmony with what God says about you.

At this point, we need to look at what Ellis called THE A-B-C’s OF EMOTION. He correctly pointed out that emotions do not come to us out of the blue. There is a vital relationship between what we believe and our emotions. We all approach life with certain opinions and beliefs about the world and how things should be. Our thoughts, ideas, and opinions produce feelings.

A simple example will help us grasp this concept. A woman sees a snake in her yard. She screams and runs into the house, feeling a sense of fear.  She is terrified of snakes.  Do you think the snake caused the emotion of fear in this woman? If you blame the snake, I can show you that you might be wrong.  The woman’s next-door neighbor works at the local zoo and handles snakes daily.  She hears the woman scream and comes over to see what is wrong. She tells her an awful snake is in her yard. The neighbor looks around, sees the snake, and picks it up with interest, noting that it is a garter snake.  Why does the same snake evoke such different responses?  It is because they hold different beliefs/opinions about snakes.  For whatever reason, the woman believes snakes are harmful, scary creatures, and that evokes the emotion of fear, not the snake.  Her neighbor likes snakes and finds them interesting, so there is no fear when he sees a snake. The snake is not the problem. What we believe about snakes creates the response of fear or interest.

To feel an emotion, two things must happen.  First, you become aware of something.  It may be a snake, a black person, someone’s behavior, our behavior, or a word spoken. Awareness is the A of the ABCs of emotion. The B is your personal belief about what you have experienced. For example, you react with fear if a snake is under your foot. Why? Because of your belief that snakes are fearful, scary creatures. Fear is the consequence (C) of your belief.

And yet, if you ask an unhappy person why they are unhappy, they will almost always begin to talk about other people and circumstances, seldom about the fact that their attitudes and beliefs are the root cause of their unhappiness. So, for example, in the mental health center, you hear all the time, “My husband’s behavior is making me depressed.” Or, “My wife nags all the time, and she is the cause of my unhappiness.” 

 Many of us are slow to accept unhappiness as a self-caused condition.  The psychiatrist Viktor Frankl (also not a Christian) helped me see this truth more clearly in his book, “From Death Camp to Existentialism.”  I believe it has been reissued today under a different title. He was interred in a German concentration camp during World War Two.  He noted that many in the camp became so depressed that they died because they lost all will to live. Their situation was so hopeless that they lapsed into a state of total withdrawal from the horrible realities of the camp and literally died from depression.  We can certainly empathize with people living in such deplorable conditions. 

Dr. Frankl decided that the one thing the Nazis could not take from him was his freedom to choose how he would respond to his situation. Instead of saying as many did, “This is hopeless. Life is so painful that I give up,” Frankl decided he would not allow the Nazis to strip him of his human dignity.  He clung tenaciously to the idea that there would be a better tomorrow.  He wrote his book describing life in the camp on scraps of paper, hiding it from the camp guards, trying to outsmart them, and finding meaning in the process.  All the while, he held to the idea that this awful situation would end one day.  Frankl survived and became a world-famous psychiatrist. I believe a Nazi death camp is a little worse than our problems.

Dr. Frankl learned that while you cannot control others’ behavior, you can control how you will react to the conduct of others.  And to recognize that is a significant step toward a well-adjusted life. He refused to believe his situation was hopeless.  

It may seem that it is relatively easy to get rid of fear, depression, anger, and other harmful emotions by simply changing our belief system concerning those things which negatively impact us. However, changing emotions is challenging for two reasons. First, many beliefs that sustain our emotions are so habitual and deeply ingrained that we are unaware of their existence. The lady who fears snakes, for instance, does not see the snake (A, awareness) and then reminds herself that in her belief system (B), she believes snakes are scary and harmful, and therefore (C, consequence), she feels fear. She goes instantly from awareness (A) to the emotion of fear (C). She is unaware of her belief (B), but it is there nonetheless.

The second reason emotions are difficult to change is that even when we learn that our belief system is causing us to be unhappy, the beliefs are so deeply ingrained that we are comfortable with them. Therefore, trying to change our beliefs may cause some stress initially, and many are content to cling to the old beliefs even though they create negative emotions in us.

Let’s look at the 3rd irrational idea I mentioned earlier, the belief that it is horrible or catastrophic when things do not go as planned. Since life hardly ever goes according to plan, those who rigidly cling to such a belief will be continually depressed. Every curve ball life throws their way will only confirm their belief that life is horrible. A more reasonable belief would be telling yourself that while things are unpleasant, you can cope with life’s unexpected changes when things do not go according to plan. But we are so accustomed to our familiar but unhealthy belief that change requires work, and many will not put forth the effort.              

Of course, the bottom line for Christians is to ask, “What does the Bible say? What does Jesus say?” Albert Ellis, while not a Christian, put forth ideas that are very much in harmony with Scripture.  We learn from Proverbs 23:7 that our thoughts determine who we are. Philippians 4:8-9 tells us to think about true, noble, pure, and lovely things, suggesting that the things we put into our minds tend to impact our behavior.  By implication, when we think about that which is false, ugly, harmful, and wrong and fill our minds with such thoughts, we will not only pay the price emotionally – – – WE ARE ALSO DISOBEYING A COMMAND OF GOD.

On several occasions, Jesus said, “Be it unto you according to your faith.” This statement has both a negative and positive side.  If you approach life saying. “I had a miserable childhood, and now I believe I am doomed to be a miserable adult,” if that is what you believe (your faith), be it unto you according to your faith. Or, you can approach life by saying, “Yes, I had a miserable childhood, but through Christ, I believe I can forget the things that lie behind me and find meaning and purpose in my adult life.”  If that is your belief, be it unto you according to your faith. You can face life saying, “My situation is hopeless,” and Jesus says, “Be it unto you according to your faith.” Or, you can say, “I believe in a God who says all things are possible, so the word hopeless does not exist for me. “Be it unto you according to your faith.”  You can face life saying. “I am defeated; my situation is hopeless.”  Jesus says, “Be it unto you according to your faith.” Or I can believe what God says and affirm, “I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me.”  Be it unto you according to your faith.

You and you alone determine where you focus your attention. You and you alone decide what thoughts shall fill your mind. You and you alone determine how you will respond to adversity and trials. You and you alone have the choice of filling your mind with defeatism and reaping the predictable consequences, or you can fill your mind with faith, confidence in God, and the truths of Jesus, and if you do, your emotions will fall into line. You and you alone are in charge of your own emotional and spiritual well-being because you think the thoughts that will either elevate you or defeat you. Think God’s thoughts and your emotions will fall in line. Think defeatist thoughts and your feelings will follow along. The bottom line is this: You cannot control other people or life’s circumstances, but you can learn to control your thoughts.  

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PSYCHOLOGY AND CHRISTIANITY, #2

(Assertiveness)

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Personal relationships can be complicated at times, can’t they? There are people in the world who seem to rub us the wrong way.  Some people seem to be experts at hurting our feelings.  Relationships can be complicated. Last week we focused on acceptance, and we must learn to accept other people, even those who hurt us.  But beyond acceptance, how else can I learn to cope with hurtful people? We Christians cannot think of revenge, for Christ prohibits us from acting with vengeance toward others. We cannot hate them because Christ forbids us from practicing hatred and commands us to love our enemies, to return good for evil (Rom. 12:17).   But surely a few weeks of grudge-holding is allowed. I’m afraid not. Scripture tells us that our anger must be short-lived and that we must not let the sun go down on our anger (Eph. 4:26).

If these relatively common and typical responses are off-limits to us as followers of Jesus, how are we supposed to relate to those who hurt us with their words and deeds? We can get a bit of wisdom from psychologists. When faced with difficult people, we can make three basic types of responses. First, we can be aggressive.  We can attack those who have hurt us, heaping verbal abuse upon them. We can further vent our frustration by gossiping about those who have harmed us.  We can meet fire with fire.  We can practice the law of revenge: “An eye for an eye.”

However, neither Jesus nor your therapist approves of this kind of response. Scripture tells us that man’s anger does not work the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Psychologists tell us that an aggressive, angry response in personal relationships only exacerbates the problem. Over time angry people can develop various physical problems.  Our faith and the psychologists are in agreement on this issue. Aggressiveness is not the answer to problem relationships.

Some people respond to those who have hurt them passively.  A passive person does nothing except allow others to walk all over them. Is this a good Christian way to respond to difficult people?  Some Christians believe that being passive towards hurtful people is the Christian way.  Certainly, the New Testament cautions us against being ruled by anger and the seeking of revenge, but I don’t believe it advocates being passive when another person has hurt you. Aggressive people see passive people as weak, and passivity sometimes invites more aggression.  The result is that the passive person feels helpless and victimized. They think that aggressive people manipulate them. They are hurt by this but do not know how to respond. Passive people allow their frustrations to build, often slipping into a behavior psychologists call passive-aggressive behavior.

Passive-aggressive behavior is also unproductive. It is an unhealthy response, both psychologically and spiritually. Sometimes passive persons appear to allow others to walk all over them. They do not respond with anger, but they learn a new way to “get even.” For example, a child constantly pressured by his parents to achieve, do better, and work hard begins to resent this constant pressure.  He cannot attack his parents openly but slackens off on his schoolwork.  He is no longer on the honor role.  His parents are frustrated and push him even harder.  The child slacks off even more. He is quietly taking pleasure in seeing the pain of his parents,which results as his grades fall. He assures them he is doing his best but getting even.  They have hurt him with their constant pressure to achieve, and he hurts them back by slacking off just enough to move from an A student to a C student. That is passive-aggressive behavior.

An employee feels that the boss is constantly pushing for higher production. As a result, the boss is never satisfied. At first, the employee works very hard to please the boss, but he is never satisfied. He cannot openly attack his boss, so passive-aggressive behavior sets in.  He often calls in sick, especially when the boss pushes him to complete an important project.  He slacks off in his work just enough to frustrate the boss but not enough to get fired. That is passive-aggressive behavior.  It is not healthy, and it is unchristian because it thrives on dishonesty and on a hidden desire to get even.

Well, if we cannot be aggressive against those who hurt us, and we can’t be passive, what other choice is there? The third choice is what psychologists call assertiveness. There are several aspects to assertive behavior.

First, let’s try to set forth an example. At a church board meeting, you make a suggestion, and it is rudely rejected by Mr. X. Mr. X says with anger, “That suggestion is entirely inappropriate, it is too expensive, and we have never done it that way.” A passive response would be to say nothing and let the issue die.  A passive-aggressive response would be to say nothing but then call a few select friends after the meeting to make sure they know what a jerk Mr. X is, being sure to tell each one that your comments are confidential. An aggressive response would be to fight fire with fire. You rise to your feet in the board meeting and shout at Mr. X, telling him you don’t appreciate his attitude. An assertive response might take this direction. After Mr. X has blown off his steam, you say, “I think I understand Mr. X’s feelings on this matter. I respect his perspective, but I still believe my idea has merit.  I am interested in hearing what the rest of you think.”  This is an assertive response, and I believe it is also a Christian response.

First, when you assertively respond to others, you are trying to recognize the rights of both yourself and the other person.  You are also trying to reduce the tension and conflict between you. It is reacting to hostility from another by clearly affirming your position and feelings without returning the hostility you have received and without passively withdrawing and allowing your feelings to be trampled underfoot.  In my example, you have acknowledged the viewpoint expressed by Mr. X, but you have also not backed down from your position.

An assertive response may or may not change the hostility reflected by Mr. X. Sometimes, we find that a reasonable, evenhanded response can diffuse hostility in another. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” A gentle answer is not a weak, passive answer.  It is an attempt to help Mr. X save face while continuing to affirm your position. Mr. X has spoken in anger.  He was wrong to speak in that manner.  However, if you respond angrily, you stir the pot and generate more anger. And if your assertive response only causes more angry words from Mr. X, at least you can feel good about yourself.  You have tried to diffuse the situation, and you have demonstrated maturity.

A good place to practice assertiveness is in dealing with objectionable business people. I remember years ago going to a bank near my office.  I did not have an account at that bank, but I often cashed checks there. One day I went in to cash a check, and a new cashier informed me that she could not cash my check because I had no account there. I explained that I had been cashing checks there for years. She is now getting frustrated and says, “You cannot cash that check here.” Realizing I would never get this woman to change her position, I said, “May I please speak with your supervisor?” She responded angrily, “She will tell you the same thing.” I said, “That’s fine. I still would like to speak with her.” She brings another person to the window, who does indeed inform me that I cannot cash checks at their bank. I asked her if I could speak with her supervisor. She replied, “That is the bank president,” implying that I should not dare disturb this exalted official. I said, “I would like to speak with him.” The bank president turned out to be very friendly, and when I explained the situation, he told the teller, “Please cash this gentleman’s check.” She did (although she did not seem too happy about it), and I thanked her.

I might have chosen an angry response and spoken angrily to the teller, calling her names and insulting her.  However, with armed guards standing around, that seemed like a bad idea and probably would have only served to have me thrown out of the bank, or worse! I could have passively sulked away and cautioned all my friends not to bank at that stupid bank. Instead, I decided to be calm but assertive; in this case, I received a positive outcome.

Here is another case where psychology and Christianity come together.  Sometimes when we think of “sins,” we focus on things like murder, adultery, and lying – – – violations of the Ten Commandments.  We may not believe that our poor communication skills constitute a sin.  However, communicating anger to another person is a sin, as we saw earlier.  I have seen more than one marriage destroyed because poor communication skills intensified the real problems.

One case from my days at the Decatur Mental Health Center stands out. A young couple came in for counseling.  They were on the verge of divorce. She proceeded to tell me that he never did anything right. She explained that just the other day, she asked him to clean the shower, and when he was finished, she inspected the job and informed me that several specks of cleanser were visible on the shower floor. She added with a cold, icy tone that defects marred everything he did. Then she said angrily that he went out and spent $1000 on a new motor for a car he was rebuilding and never discussed this purchase with me. I got the impression from this couple that two things were going on. First, she was overbearing and was always on his case.  He responded passively by spending money behind her back. An aggressive wife and a passive husband will be two miserable people.

Returning to last week, once we get it in our heads to reach out to others with acceptance, we must learn how to communicate. The two extremes of anger and passivity are to be avoided. The middle ground of assertiveness is the better approach as we try to communicate with difficult people.  In our text, Paul calls upon us to put away our old selves and ineffective communication methods and develop a new mental attitude. That attitude, says Paul, should center on a clear commitment to truth and avoiding falsehood in our relationships.  We are commanded to speak the truth in love.  That means if you come into conflict with another human being, you must honestly state your position and your feelings, trying hard to avoid the extremes of anger and passivity, always remembering the worth and dignity of that other person.  God blesses us when we are trying to communicate with others, reflecting the spirit of Jesus.

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CHRISTIANITY AND PSYCHOLOGY ACCEPTANCE

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Today I want to share with you some thoughts on psychology and Christianity. Having worked in both fields over the years, I am interested in seeing where and when they are compatible and want to raise a red flag when psychology clashes with the Christian faith. Of course, not everything taught in psychology is compatible with the truth of God, but there are some critically essential truths proclaimed from both the therapist’s office and the pulpit.

I want to begin with a word dear to both pastor’s and therapist’s hearts: “acceptance.”  I am thinking in particular about our ability to accept ourselves and others. I recall reading a study while working on my Master’s Degree in counseling at Southern Illinois University, which concluded that regardless of what particular techniques were used in counseling, a counselor who was accepting of the patient could usually provide positive help. Unfortunately, the opposite was also true. Counselors who did not seem warm and accepting were seldom able to help their patients. In other words, the critical issue was not the type of therapy used (cognitive therapy, transactional analysis, psychoanalysis) but whether or not the therapist came across as warm and caring, making the patients feel that the counselor was genuinely interested in them.  The world-renowned psychiatrist Dr. Karl Menninger said, “The doctor doesn’t cure by any specific treatment. You cure by atmosphere, by attitude, by sympathetic understanding…” Communicating to others that you care is very, very healing.

If we hope to have a reasonable degree of personal happiness, we must learn to accept ourselves and others.  By acceptance, I mean having positive feelings towards yourself and others. Show me a person who lacks a sense of self-worth – – – who cannot accept themselves – – – and I will show you a person who also cannot accept others and is a very unhappy person. On the other hand, persons who see value in themselves and others and who communicate a spirit of acceptance are much happier.

Thomas Harris’s book, I’m Okay, You’re Okay, is a popular treatment that helps us understand this issue. If I feel okay about myself (self-acceptance) and I also feel OK about you (accept you as a person of worth), then I am contented. Life will be hard if I think I am not an “okay” person, and neither are you. With the present war on terror, we have learned that certain radical Muslims feel okay about themselves. Still, we are not OK – – – so much so that it is acceptable for them to indiscriminately kill Westerners, Jews, and Christians because we are all in the “not okay” category.  This example shows that learning to accept others goes beyond personal happiness.  World peace is at risk when one group of people looks at another group and declares, “You are not okay.”  

Jesus taught the principle of acceptance long before Thomas Harris wrote his book on Transactional Analysis.  He told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and even commanded us to love our enemies.  The Christian faith requires us to do what the therapist suggests. Learn to accept yourself and others. Those who do not practice this truth are at cross purposes with a fundamental spiritual law. Let’s examine this issue more closely, beginning with what it means to accept yourself.

Self-acceptance must not be confused with feelings of superiority.  It is not having an exalted opinion about yourself. That is called egotism. A woman went to her pastor.  She confessed that her beauty was causing her to have feelings of pride.  She knew that pride was a sin, and she asked the preacher if he had a solution. The preacher looked at the woman and said, “I think the solution is for you to get a pair of eyeglasses.” Self-acceptance does not mean we put ourselves on a pedestal and admire ourselves.  Nor does it mean that we gloss over our limitations and shortcomings.  When we have learned to accept ourselves, we face the world with an attitude that says: I am a person of worth.  I am created in the image of God. I have particular strengths and I have weaknesses.  Whatever other people think of me, I have learned to accept myself. As a result, I feel okay about myself.

The great Confederate General Robert E. Lee, a man who also was a practicing Christian, was once speaking to Jefferson Davis in glowing terms about a fellow officer. Another nearby officer heard Lee’s comments and could not help but express his astonishment. He said to Lee, “Don’t you realize that the man you were praising to President Davis considers you to be incompetent and never misses an opportunity to malign you?” Lee replied, “Yes, I know. The President did not ask for that officer’s opinion of me, but my opinion of him.”  Lee felt okay about himself.  When you can speak well of someone who speaks ill of you, that is a sign of great character.  It is a sign that you are very confident in your self-worth, a confidence that remains even when others are trying to tear you down. Those who can return good for evil have learned to accept themselves and others.

Did it ever occur to you that to loathe yourself or indulge in self-hatred is a sin? God has created you in His image.  He has a purpose for you in life.  When we look at ourselves and conclude, “I am worthless. I cannot accept myself,” we insult the God who made us.

Let’s move on to the issue of accepting others—part of the secret lies in what I just said. If you can see yourself as a person of worth because God created you, you must look at others from that same perspective. It is learning to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Every person in this sanctuary is a person of great worth and value. We should never look at any member of this congregation or any person in society and conclude, “That person is useless. I cannot accept him.” That is an insult to God, our Creator.

Acceptance does not mean that we approve of everything others say or do.  It means we see others as persons of worth and value, even though we may not approve of everything they believe, say, or do.  An accepting person learns to separate behavior from the person. For instance, I believe homosexual behavior to be wrong, an offense to God, and a sin that should lead to repentance. Still, I must look beyond the behavior and see the person as created in God’s image, having worth and value. I must seek to communicate to that person that I do not hate him but care for him and his temporal and eternal well-being.

In my work with Disciple Heritage Fellowship, I found two basic reactions to my desire to promote biblical reform in the wider church. First, I think of Dr. Ron Allen, a Professor at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. We have many serious disagreements on major religious issues. Yet, when I appeared on a program at CTS several years ago, he treated me respectfully and introduced me to those in attendance with very kind and positive words.  He disagreed with me, but he was practicing acceptance. Unfortunately, some disagreed with me and attacked me personally, sometimes viscously.  They communicated rejection, not acceptance. I recall one episode a few years ago at a General Assembly. A man who seemed not to approve of our ministry came to our DHF booth and said, “You people are trying to destroy our denomination. If I had a machine gun, I would mow all of you down.”  Fortunately, he was unarmed, but we did get the idea that he totally rejected us as persons.

Both Scripture and psychotherapists tell us that if we do not learn to accept others – – – to treat others as persons of worth, persons with dignity – – – we end up hurting not only the other but also ourselves. We have all encountered persons who are very critical and judgmental when they speak of certain other persons, who rarely display any warmth or acceptance. They always say, “If only you were different, I could accept you. If only you lived up to my expectations, I could accept you.”  The husband who says, “If only you were a better housekeeper, or a better lover, or a better cook, or a better whatever,” will be unhappy and have an unhappy wife.  Happy couples have learned that life is much sweeter when they communicate appreciation and warmth to each other. When we learn to accept others, warts and all, we have learned a most helpful lesson in human relationships.

One story that illustrates this point is the story of a preacher trying to drive home the fact that none of us are perfect. He challenged the congregation: “If you are a perfect person, or if you know a perfect person, please stand up.” Finally, one hen-pecked husband stood up. The minister said, “George, I know you are not perfect. Do you know someone who is perfect?” George replied, “Yes, my wife’s first husband.” 

Acceptance means we do not expect people to live up to our or someone else’s standards.  I must admit that there have been times when I entertained the idea that this world would be a better place if other people were more like me.  People who share my basic worldview, who hold political views similar to mine, who like what I like and disapprove of what I dislike, I find it easy to accept such persons. If everyone were like me, wouldn’t this be a wonderful world? But, of course, some think one of me is quite enough, and some believe even one of me is one too many!

Next, learn to look at others through the eyes of Jesus. How would you react if you were whipped, beaten, humiliated, nailed to a cross, and left to die?  I fear I might cry to God, “Punish these wicked people!  Look at how they treat me! Send a slow and painful death upon them, Oh God!” But instead, Jesus cried to God, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Whatever others may have done to hurt you, it is undoubtedly less than what Jesus faced at Calvary. Yet He prayed, “Forgive them.”

Do you realize those who hurt you also did not know what they were doing? They failed to remember that you are a child of God, beloved of the Father, redeemed by the Son, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Had they remembered these facts, they would never have hurt you.  Can you say the prayer Jesus prayed over those who hurt Him? Can you say, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.”        

Learn to look deeper. Remember who you are and who that other person is. You are both created by God and loved by God. You are both very special to God. God loved you both so much that He sent Jesus to die for both of you. God says to each one of us, “I ACCEPT YOU.”  “Acceptance” is the very word Paul used in Ephesians 1:6, 7: He writes that our salvation is “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

God has responded to the hurt we heaped upon Him with grace, making us acceptable if we only trust His beloved Son. We are accepted in the beloved, to the praise and glory of His grace. Grace, like forgiveness, is an accepting word. Aren’t you glad that God did not decide to write you off – – – to reject you forever? That is what you deserve and what I deserve. But God chose to be gracious to us, to accept us in and through His Son, Jesus. He did this not only for you but for that person you are struggling to accept. Scripture tells us that it is not God’s will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and faith. In short, God is extending His love, mercy, and forgiveness to the entire human race, even those who choose not to accept His mercy.  Sadly, many will be lost only because they refused God’s mercy and forgiveness. If God is reaching out to the whole world with a spirit of acceptance, and we are God’s children, should we not do likewise?

The church ought to serve as a model for the rest of the world. Those who have not yet responded to God’s love ought to look at the church and experience a society where acceptance is practiced, where persons who are “different” feel welcomed and affirmed. One of this congregation’s strengths is how you reach out to others with acceptance. I think you are above average in this area, and may we continue on that path. Yet, I also know that some of you have people you cannot accept.  You cannot forgive them.  You cannot be gracious to them. If you want to pay a psychiatrist $100 an hour, he will tell you that you will be much happier and well-adjusted if you can practice forgiveness and acceptance.  The Great Physician freely shares that same message.  May I encourage you to listen to Dr. Jesus and reach out to others with empathy, warmth, and understanding? May I encourage you to remember that all the others you encounter are God’s creation worthy of your respect? God has accepted you, warts and all. Go thou and do likewise, remembering the words of Jesus. “Give, and it shall be given unto you.” Give love, forgiveness, and acceptance, and these blessings will return to you abundantly.

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ONLY ONE GOSPEL

Richard Bowman, Warsaw Christian Church

Text: Galatians 1:6-9: I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

If I had but one sermon to preach, today’s might be that sermon.

I don’t know much about recipes. I guess it is important to follow every step. If a step or two is left out, the food that results is inadequate. It’s not like grandma’s cake if the recipe is not followed precisely.

In our text, Paul marvels that the Galatians are turning away from the Gospel. False teachers gave them a distorted view of Jesus, and they fell for it. Paul is concerned about the nature of the good news of Jesus Christ. We call it the gospel. In verses six through nine, the Greek word “euangellion,” which we translate as “gospel,” is used no less than four times. The ingredients to the gospel are serious business. What is at stake is not unpalatable food but the glory of Christ and a Christless eternity for souls. That is why Paul writes with such intensity and urgency. In verse six, Paul first addresses the desertion of the gospel on the part of the Galatians.

The Greek word for “amazed” is “thaumadzo.” The word expresses amazement, and astonishment. Paul is flabbergasted by the Galatians turning away from the only Gospel and embracing a recipe for salvation doomed to fail. Paul doesn’t tell us what false Gospel the Galatians embraced. There were several distortions of the Gospel in the First Century – – – the Judaizers, and the Gnostics, for example. The critical point is not to name the false Gospel they believed. Paul says there is but one Gospel, which he preached to the Galatians.

Listen to what Paul says in verse eight, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed.” Those are some very harsh words. The Greek word “anathema” is the word we translate as “accursed.” It is used in the Greek Old Testament of things God has devoted to destruction. A person who doesn’t love God is devoted to destruction. A person who distorts the gospel is devoted to destruction.  In other words, embrace the one true Gospel or go to hell.

The fact that he repeats it in verse nine, “As we said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed,” Clearly, Paul means what he says.

Paul is following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ when he gives this warning. Jesus said, and I paraphrase, “If anyone causes another to stumble, it would be better to have a millstone tied around his neck and cast out into the sea than to cause someone to stumble” (Matthew 18:6). Those are serious words. Jesus and Paul agree. If you distort the gospel, you incite people to live a Christless eternity. 

That is why Paul is so serious about the distortion of the gospel. When you add or subtract to the gospel, you take away from the glory of Christ, and people stumble into hell. Both Jesus and Paul want us to embrace the one true Gospel.  That is why the distinctness of the gospel is so crucial.

So, what is the one true Gospel? Unfortunately, there are lots of false gospels on the market today. For example, everyone goes to heaven regardless of what they believe. God’s love will overcome every obstacle and bring everyone safely to heaven. If that is true, our text is a lie. Or, Jesus was an excellent teacher, but He was not divine, not the Son of God. If you believe that you have embraced a false gospel. Or, if you do enough good works, you will merit a place in heaven. Good works are a part of the Christian life, but they deserve nothing. I could give more examples, but I need to move on.

We need to define the one true Gospel which saves. The Protestant reformers proclaimed the true Gospel, the biblical gospel. It is summarized in the four “solas” of the Reformation. We know what a solo is. It is one person singing a song. The four solas of the Reformation are:

Christ alone, or sola Christi. Salvation is found in Christ alone. He alone “gave Himself for our sins.” He alone is our Lord and Savior. He alone went to the cross to atone for our sins. It is not “Christ plus something…” that leads to our salvation. It is Christ alone. If someone makes an omelet with three good eggs and one rotten egg, would you eat it? It does no good to say, “Well, it is three-fourths pure. Surely the bad egg will be overwhelmed by the three good eggs”. The opposite happens. The one rotten egg pollutes the three good eggs.

In the stage production of Peter Pan, there is a scene where Hook poisons Peter Pan’s medicine. The medicine was good, but one drop of poison made it bad. Only one drop! Indeed the medicine is 99% true and will be effective – – – NOT! When you distort the gospel and make it more than Christ alone, you turn the good news into bad news. You have embraced a false gospel when you try to improve the Gospel by adding something to Christ. Salvation is not by Christ plus your good works. It is not Christ plus anything. It is Christ alone who saves us.

That leads to our second sola. How does one receive Christ? We receive Him by faith alone, sole fide. When we consider the biblical Jesus and what He has done, by faith, we receive Him. Paul writes in Romans,  ^“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (1:16). The Gospel of Christ contains power. When it is proclaimed, the power of God is present. But those who hear the Gospel must believe it. When we believe in Jesus, we have embraced the true Gospel. The Jesus in whom we believe is the Jesus of Scripture. He is the mighty Son of the living God. The Gospel focuses on His death and resurrection. He suffered for you. He died for you. He rose from the grave for you. Do you believe in Him? It is Christ alone and faith alone which brings us salvation.  

That leads to a third “sola,” sola scriptura, or the Bible alone. God knew that once Jesus had ascended into heaven, how would future believers come to know Him and trust Him? Would everyone receive a private revelation? We know that personal revelations contradict one another. Should we believe the revelation of John or Mary? We are to reject private revelation in favor of the revelation of God in sacred scripture. Paul writes, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. A few weeks ago, Sandi spoke about the appearance of Jesus to two disciples on the Emmaus Road. He said, And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:27).

The Scriptures point us to Jesus. They are the very Word of God, and thus are faultless and without error. The Gospel we are to believe in is in the Bible. Many books have been written about the Christian faith, but only one Book infallibly leads us to Jesus. Yes, we are saved by Christ alone and by faith alone. Make sure the Christ in whom you believe is the Christ of the Bible. Having attended a theologically liberal seminary, the Jesus I learned about in seminary was not the Jesus of the Bible. I wrote in a theological paper, “Jesus is not the divine Son of God because that cannot be rationally, empirically verified.” My, how smart I was! Of course, Jesus cannot be rationally- empirically verified. Man’s reason and perception are clouded by sin. Only the Bible reveals the true Jesus whom we are to trust. God knew that, so He gave us a perfect revelation of Jesus. How are we saved? By Christ as He is revealed in Scripture and by faith alone. Christ alone, faith alone, scripture alone.

One final sola from the Reformation, “sola gratia,” or by grace alone. Grace means unmerited and undeserved favor and privilege. We deserve destruction, but God offers the grace of Christ to us as a gift. Grace means it is ours, not by our merits or works, but by God’s gift. It is by grace that no one can boast. The gospel is Christ alone. It is grace alone.

Why did God send Jesus to be our redeemer? Did we deserve it? Do we ever deserve it? If we understand grace, we know our salvation is wholly of God. God did not look upon the human race and think, “Well, they are trying. I will send my Son to finish the job.” No, we were not trying. The Bible describes us all as sinners who fall short of God’s expectations. God did not send Jesus because we are worthy. Paul writes, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). God was gracious to us while we were immersed in sin. Christ suffered and died for us while we were yet sinners. Why? Because God loves us and has extended grace to us.

While in seminary, I wrote a scathing letter to Billy Graham. I told him he was deceiving people with his hillbilly preaching. I told him he was out of touch with the great theologians of today. Did he understand event ontology? Did he ever read a book on existentialism? Did he realize that the Bible was full of errors? Did he realize that salvation by the blood of Jesus was an offensive doctrine? Wise up, Billy. Your preaching is false.

I was not the only one who made fun of Billy Graham. While preaching in Scotland, they laughed at “preacher Graham.” Steven Olford, an excellent Christian minister, heard Billy Graham preach. Olford was like me, a skeptic about much of the Bible. Yet, while listening to Billy Graham, his heart was touched. He realized he needed Jesus, and he bowed before Jesus in faith. He was converted.

Yes, people still make fun of the biblical doctrine of salvation. Today is no different than the First Century. Jesus was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. I recently watched the film on the Passion of Christ again. His suffering for us is graphically revealed in the film. Where do you stand? Is your faith in Christ crucified alone? Do you trust the Jesus revealed in the Bible? Or are you trusting something other than Christ for eternal life? Salvation is found through faith in Jesus.  Christ alone, faith alone, Scripture alone, grace alone. If those elements are all in place in your understanding of the Gospel, you have embraced the true Gospel. Hold on to it.

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FELIX: OPPORTUNITY LOST

(First Person Narrative Sermon)

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Background Text: Acts 24:1-9; 22-27

My name is Felix – – – full name, Marcus Antonius Felix. I was governor of Judea from 52 to 59 AD. Can you believe it? I was brought up as a slave but became the Roman Procurator of all Judea by the appointment of Emperor Claudius himself. Not bad to move from slave to Roman governor. I used to say to myself, “Felix, old boy, you have done very well for yourself.”

Here is how this change of fortune took place.  If you must be a slave, the best place to serve is in the royal palace.  You had to be careful not to offend some hot-headed royal family member because they might kill you without a second thought. Life is very cheap for a slave. My master was Agrippina, who happened to be the mother of Claudius. Claudius would one day become the emperor of Rome.

Before Claudius became emperor, Rome was governed by a nut case named Caligula. He didn’t last long. He was too crazy to be tolerated for very long and was assassinated after a four-year reign of terror. Fortunately, my old friend Claudius took his place. He remembered that I had served his mother faithfully. So he released me from the bonds of slavery and appointed me to be governor of Judea.

I learned a lot living so close to the seat of power in Rome. One lesson I learned is that truth means nothing. The only thing that matters is possessing power; if you faithfully serve powerful people, they may share that power with you. As governor of Judea, I had the power of life and death over the Jews, and it is exhilarating to possess such supremacy. The Jews did not love me but feared me and tried to stay in my good graces. If you have people who acquiesce to your will, who cares about love?

I also learned another vital lesson by observing how the royals lived. Morality means nothing. My moral code was simple: Do whatever it takes to hold onto power. The Jews had their moral code about lying, stealing, killing, and the like, but what did it get them? Rome ruled them with an iron hand. If I had to lie or cheat or kill to maintain power, I was living up to my moral code. You cannot rule with kindness and love. If you do, people will take advantage of you and walk all over you. Fear and force are the tools of power. This approach helped me politically. People who bowed to my authority were granted favors. It was well known that I had a group of hired assassins on my payroll, and if you opposed me, one of my men might strike you down on a dark street or sneak into your home and kill you while you slept. So to oppose me was not wise.

There is a touch of irony in my name. Felix means “happy” in your language. Those who saw to it that I was happy received my favors. Those who made Felix unhappy faced my wrath.

I had a firm grasp of economics. I received the lion’s share of all the wealth of Judea. Much of my fortune came to me through bribes. Everyone understood that if you wanted Felix to rule in your favor, fill his hands to overflowing with gold coins. I never tried to find out who was guilty and who was innocent. If a handsome bride came my way, I ruled favorably. If you could not pay a bribe, you were guilty. It was a simple, easy way to administer justice. Poor people were disadvantaged, but I cared nothing for the poor or their plight. People experiencing poverty could do nothing for me, and I did nothing for them.

I believe you are a group of people who follow the Way, that Jewish sect founded by the prophet Jesus. You may be interested in hearing about my encounter with Paul, a fanatical follower of Jesus.

Paul had stirred up some trouble in Jerusalem, and the Jews wanted to kill him. One of my commanders, Lysias, intervened in the situation. He learned that Paul was a Roman Citizen and therefore deserved better treatment than Jews who were non-citizens. He had to rescue Paul by force from the hands of the Jews. Lysias believed Paul had done nothing worthy of death. It was a religious dispute between Paul’s new version of Judaism and those who rejected Jesus. He sent me a letter asking me to review the case.

I learned that a Jewish lawyer, Tertullus, was responsible for Paul’s case Tertullus made three charges against Paul: Stirring up riots, being a ringleader of the Nazarene sect, and desecrating the Temple.  I was familiar with the teachings of this new sect centering on Jesus. I knew that Jesus had been crucified, and His followers claimed He had risen from the dead.  They felt this proved He was the Jewish Messiah and the world’s Savior. It struck me as a far-fetched idea, but I was curious and asked Paul to explain this new religion and answer the charges against him.

Paul spoke to me with great earnestness. He explained that he was not guilty of any crime. Some of the Jews wanted to get rid of him for proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. Paul spoke to me of the righteousness of God; he spoke of the importance of self-control. What got to me was when he spoke of judgment. He explained that God is holy, and if we have offended His holiness, we will face His wrath. He assured me there was only one solution to the sin problem – – – faith in Jesus Christ. He urged me to repent and place my faith in Jesus, the Son of God. My heart was pounding. Fear gripped my soul because if Paul was correct, I was doomed. My sins were many, and the thought of appearing before a holy God frightened me. I had lied often, cheated when it suited me, arranged murders, and bribed – – – sinning was a way of life for me. Paul tried to persuade me that my only hope was to trust in a dead Jew whom Paul said was raised from the dead.

Frankly, I had to hope that Paul was wrong. How could I become a Christian in my position? It would indeed have cost me my governorship. What would Claudius think if I rejected all the Roman gods and embraced Jesus?  Paul made it clear that I could not embrace Jesus and cling to the gods of Rome. I would have to reject the Roman pantheon and worship Jesus only.  Such a decision would have cost me everything. I convinced myself that it would be foolish to take the word of this Jewish preacher. Surely one of the Roman gods would accept me.  There had to be another way besides Jesus. I must admit that Paul almost persuaded me to become a Christian, but I put him off. Honestly, I was still hoping for a handsome bribe from Paul.

I spoke with Paul again several times but decided not to throw away my career for Jesus. In time I became immune to Paul’s preaching. I suppose Paul would explain my situation like this: when Felix heard the Gospel, the Holy Spirit drew him to Jesus, but he decided to wait for a more convenient time. So he waited and waited and waited. In time Felix hardened his heart against the truth and became immune to the Gospel. Perhaps such an assessment was correct, but I had to consider the cost. If I became a Christian —

1. I would have had to admit to being a sinner and repent.

2. I would have had to confess the many murders I instigated.

3. I would have to give up my position with its status and power.

4. I would lose my considerable bribery income.

5. I would have to give up my interest in magic and sorcery.

6. I would have to receive forgiveness from Jesus and live as His disciple.

Can you blame me for not wanting to give all that up? What would Jesus do for me? Supposedly He would forgive all my sins and grant me a place in paradise, but was it true? The more I weighed the alternatives, the more convinced I became to ignore Jesus and Paul, His spokesman. If Paul were wrong, I would have given up everything for nothing.

It was later, much later, I learned how wrong I was. Death is a great teacher. I realized too late that Jesus was there for me, but I turned my back on Him. I must surely qualify as the dumbest person in history. I spent many days and hours listening to Paul telling me about Jesus. The great Apostle told me the truth, but I refused to listen. I kept thinking, “Perhaps later.” Paul is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding teachers of the Gospel in all history.  His writings have helped millions come to faith in Jesus. I sat with him face to face, but my interest in this world caused me to close my mind to the next.

Part of my present suffering is remembering those days I spent with Paul. I would give anything for a second chance, but once your life ends, your destiny is sealed for eternity. I grasped what I considered the good things available in this brief life and turned my back on eternity. Are some of you waiting for a more convenient time to place your faith in Jesus? I waited for a more convenient time – – – a time that never came. 

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IN THAT GREAT GETTING’ UP MORNING

Warsaw Christian Church, Easter 2023, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Mark 12:18-27

18  Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, 19  “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that ‘if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.’ 20  There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; 21  and the second married her and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; 22  none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. 23 In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.”

Skepticism was not invented in our day.  In Jesus’ day, they were called Sadducees.  In every age, some people are a part of the religious community but deny truths clearly taught in Scripture. The “god” of reason reigns supreme, and anything deemed unreasonable is discarded. Every generation has its Sadducees who cannot seem to humble themselves and place themselves under the authority of God’s Word.

In our text, the Sadducees want to take on Jesus. Jesus had spoken of that great getting’ up morning when the dead shall rise. Jesus declared that He is the resurrection and the life; all who believe in Him will hear His voice on the last day and rise to eternal life. The Sadducees think all this resurrection talk is nonsense, and they set out to prove their case by engaging in a type of argument logicians label “reductio ad absurdum.” The basic idea is to reduce your opponent’s position to absurdity, thus proving it cannot be true.

As we read between the lines in the text, we can almost hear the giggling, sneering, and laughter coming from the Sadducees. “Okay, Jesus,” they say, “You affirm that there will be a resurrection of the dead. Suppose a woman marries, has no children, and her husband dies. Moses’ law declares that her brother must marry her. So, the first brother marries her, and then he dies, and still, she is childless.” They run through seven hypothetical brothers, and when the last one dies, finally, the woman dies.  As the audience chuckles with laughter, the punch line hits home. “Jesus, who will be her husband in the resurrection?”  They think they have reduced Jesus’ belief in the resurrection to absurdity. They say there cannot be a resurrection because it would create these overwhelming complications.

Jesus listens patiently, and as the laughter dies down, He says, in effect, there are two significant loopholes in your thinking. Your first mistake is your stubborn refusal to believe the Scriptures. They assumed Jesus was teaching a new doctrine when He taught the doctrine of the resurrection. They did not know that the resurrection was taught in one of the key passages in the Law of Moses. Jesus reminds them of Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, when God declared, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Jesus asks the Sadducees two questions:  Is God the God of dead people or living people?  They would have to answer that God is the God of the living. If someone is dead, without life, they would not need a God. Second implied question. When Moses said those words, where were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? They had died, but God is the God of the living.  Therefore, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were resurrected to life after their earthly death. If God is their God, they must be alive even though they died centuries ago.

I trust you see the force of Jesus’ argument. If the Sadducees thought about the burning bush episode, they would see that the story demands a resurrection of the patriarchs.  Otherwise, God is God of the dead, which is an absurd idea. The dead need no God. Jesus turns the tables on the Sadducees and points out the absurdity of their denial of the resurrection.

The second problem in the thinking of the Sadducees is a failure to believe in the power of God. God spoke the universe into existence.  God created human life. Is it too hard for almighty God to raise the dead to life? Only if the God you believe in is weak and powerless. Jesus knows that Jehovah is called “El Shaddai” in the Scriptures; God almighty, the God to whom nothing is impossible. Raising the dead is as easy for God to accomplish as it is for us to snap our fingers.

The Sadducees could not conceive of a world different than the one we live in. In our culture, there are husbands and wives, so it must be so in any future world, they reasoned. If you are married to a wife in this life, she will be your wife in eternity. It seemed not to occur to them that our mighty God would create new heavens and a new earth, and many of the things we experience now will not be present in eternity. Marriage is intended only for this present world.  Through the institution of marriage, the human race is perpetuated. In eternity, there will be no reproduction and no need for the institution of marriage. In eternity you will be closer to your spouse than you ever were on earth, but it will be a new and glorious relationship that transcends earthly marriage.

While intelligence and education are not necessarily barriers to faith, they can be.  The danger emerges when intelligent people begin to think that their own minds can figure out what God may and may not do. For example, I recall reading in a denominational magazine a meditation on the resurrection of Jesus some years ago.  The basic idea was that Jesus made such a strong impression on His disciples that they imagined He was still with them after His death. The author totally rejected the notion that Jesus was raised bodily from the grave.

What kind of God is revealed in the Bible? Is He a weak God? Is He a God who wrings His hands and doesn’t know how to cope with His fallen creation?  Is His understanding of His creation so limited that He cannot figure out how to raise the dead to eternal life? 

Jesus once stood before the grave of His friend Lazarus and cried out, “Lazarus, come forth.” You see how easy it is for God to raise the dead! All it took was a word, a command, and Lazarus stepped out of his tomb alive. Jesus said that at the end of the age,  “all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28,29).  None of us can escape that final resurrection. All shall be raised, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

One wonders if some ancient or modern Sadducees will stand before God on that day and declare, “But this is impossible!  This is unreasonable!  This can’t be true. I died, and I want to stay dead. I do not want to face my creator.” But, like it or not, the day will come when you and I will be resurrected, either to face eternal life or eternal condemnation. What kind of God can resurrect all the dead throughout history in a moment? Indeed it is a God whose power knows no limits, the omnipotent God of the Bible, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sadducee’s failure to grasp the incredible greatness of God’s power caused them to fall into error. There is a practical aspect to this. Many Christians fall into error in their personal lives because they fail to understand that nothing is impossible with God. Do you believe you will one day be resurrected, or is that some faint hope? How we live today is greatly influenced by what we believe about a future resurrection. How much of your life is spent on this world, and how much on the next?

Is anything too hard for God? The answer, of course, is an emphatic NO. There is no problem you face that will cause God to say, “Sorry, your problem is too hard for me. I don’t have the power to help you.” 

The Sadducees thought they could expose the foolishness of Jesus’ belief in the resurrection with their silly little argument. But, unfortunately, what they exposed was their stupidity and feeble faith. They strayed into error and false doctrines for two primary reasons: they did not believe what was plainly revealed in Scripture, and the God in whom they believed was puny. I implore you not to fall into the same trap.

There will be a great getting’ up morning. The resurrection is taught in the Old Testament.  The Son of God affirms it. Jesus rose from the grave, and so will we if we trust Him. The skeptics (Sadducees) denied the resurrection. Jesus affirmed it. Whom do you believe? I hope that on this Easter Sunday, we will all affirm, “We believe in Jesus!”

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PALM SUNDAY, 2023

 Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 19:28-44

I have preached this sermon before. This is the revised edition for Palm Sunday 2023. Today we focus again on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The Jewish people believed the Messiah would accomplish His most significant work in Jerusalem. The Messiah would come from David’s house and lineage, the greatest Hebrew kings who ruled from Jerusalem. On that first Palm Sunday, the crowds believed God’s promises to Israel would finally be fulfilled. And so we sense the great excitement in the spreading of clothing and branches before Him and the cries, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” The people were excited, believing their King would finally free them from Roman rule.

I like to discover bloopers in the movies. It is amusing to catch others’ mistakes. In a Jack Nicholson movie, we see him walking past an automatic teller machine. The problem is that the movie was set in 1948, decades before the invention of ATMs. A bus appears in the background in a film set in the middle ages. It is nice to know that other people make mistakes, isn’t it?

The Jewish people must have thought His ride into Jerusalem was a colossal blooper after Jesus was arrested and crucified. He wasn’t following the correct script. How can the Messiah, the Son of God, end up on the cross? Was Palm Sunday one of those historical bloopers?  The people thought Jesus was the Messiah, but the crucifixion proved to many that He was unquestionably an imposter.

Of course, Jesus was following the divine script. He went to Jerusalem to die, not to set up an earthly kingdom. He clarified to Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. Today I want our focus on three positive aspects of the Palm Sunday story. We can learn how to properly welcome Jesus if we believe He is the Messiah, the Son of God.

First, our obedience is a proper way to welcome Jesus into our lives.  According to Zechariah 9:9, the long-expected Jewish Messiah and King would ride into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey, a prophecy made 500 years earlier. In our text, Jesus makes what must have seemed like an odd request. They were to go into the city, and they would find a colt that had never been ridden.  They were to untie the colt, and if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to respond, “The Lord has need of it.” I might have said, “Lord, I need more information. Which colt are you talking about? There must be thousands of colts in Jerusalem. Can you give us a specific address? Who owns it? Won’t we be accused of stealing? Did you make arrangements for this with the owner?”

We don’t know anything about the private thoughts of the disciples. We do know that they did not always obey Jesus without question.  They were like us! Earlier, when Jesus told the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to die, Peter vehemently disagreed. He also objected when Jesus wanted to wash his feet. On this occasion, however, they did not question Him. They obeyed Him.

What about us?  There are things said in the New Testament which puzzle us.  There are commands given that many choose to ignore. There are great promises that sometimes call forth the response, “That can’t be true.” Here is the point.  While we may struggle to understand how some things in Scripture apply to us, we need to develop an obedient heart. When we believe we have understood what God wants from us, we must obey quickly and without question.

This is the only proper way to welcome the Son of God into our hearts with unquestioning obedience. How should I respond if I understand His will is for me to give 10% of my income to promote the Gospel of Jesus? I can’t afford it? If He commands that I forgive those who have sinned against me, do I respond, “No way!” Unfortunately, many Christians never experience the blessings that come to those who obey without question.

Thousands of Germans who joined the SS swore an oath to Hitler, including the promise, ” I promise to be obedient unto death.” Many who made that promise ended up dead, and their country ended up in shame and destruction. If human beings can promise unquestioning obedience to an evil dictator, why is it so difficult for us to obey the One who loves us and desires only to bless us? On this Palm Sunday, let us all resolve in our hearts to follow Jesus, even if He should ask us to perform an act that confuses us, like going into a city and locating a donkey.  The only proper way to welcome Jesus is with an obedient heart. He expressed this plainly in John 14:15 when He said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Do you love Jesus? We may say “Yes,” but He says, “prove it — by your obedience.”

In our text, we can also observe a second way to welcome Jesus: with our unbridled praise and worship. They believed Jesus to be their Messiah and King, and so they spontaneously threw themselves into a spirit of prayer and praise. They laid their garments before Him and cut branches from the trees to spread before Him as an act of worship. I can almost picture the scene. Arms are waving; people jump up and down for joy; shouts of praise rise from the crowd. Does it remind you of the way we welcome Jesus in our church?

I am not suggesting that you wave your arms and jump up and down during the service. There may be occasions when such behavior is proper, but in our Christian Church tradition, we tend to be quiet as we worship – – – and that’s okay. Some Scriptures support an attitude of quiet reverence. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). “In quietness and confidence is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). “Be still before the Lord” (Psalm 37:7). Frankly, if any of you start jumping up and down with your metal hips and knees and backs, I would probably have to call 911!

On the other hand, if Jesus came riding down Commercial Street in Warsaw, I would expect some noise and excitement from God’s people. When Jesus returns for His people, I hope to shout as I rise in the air to greet Him. We don’t want to be like the Pharisees present on that first Palm Sunday.  As they observed the crowd lost in wonder, love, and praise, they said to Jesus, “Rebuke your disciples.” They were saying, “Jesus, your disciples are crossing the line. We can see that you are a mortal, yet the people worship you as if you were a God. Tell them to stop.” I love Jesus’ response. If I tell my disciples to be quiet, the rocks will cry out in praise to me. It would have been the first rock concert if He had quieted His disciples and the stones began to sing His praises!  What an insult to these Pharisees to hear that inanimate rocks had more sense than they did. If the stones in Benton County start shouting and singing, it will be very noisy!

Here is the point. If we believe Jesus to be the Son of God, we will worship Him quietly or loudly.  We will try to be present when the church meets for public worship. We will worship Him with sincerity and integrity. Our praise will be sincere.  Our songs will reflect our desire to sing unto the Lord. Even those who cannot carry a tune (and I will mention no names) are encouraged to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  Because those present on that day when Jesus rode triumphantly into the city believed Him to be their divine King, they worshipped Him. If we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, we will worship Him. Yes, God can cause the stones to cry out in praise to His Son, but He would rather hear from us.

Jesus desires that we welcome Him.  We receive Him with our obedience, with our worship, and lastly, with our faith. Notice verse 41. “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.” Jesus knew what was coming. He understood that few would stand with Him in the end. He understood that His disciples were going to forsake Him.  He knew that one would betray Him. He understood that those crying “Hosanna” would soon shout, “Crucify him!” And so, as He nears the city, tears fall. He weeps not for Himself but for the many who would finally reject Him and never come to true faith. He knows who He is. He knows He is the world’s only hope.  He understands that none can come to the Father except through faith in Him.

He speaks a prophetic word as He nears the city.  “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes.   Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD when Rome’s armies ravaged Jerusalem and utterly destroyed the Temple. But wait, if Jesus knew all this would happen, why does He weep? If His death was prophesied, why does He weep over those who refuse to believe in Him? Are they not simply fulfilling prophecy? He cries because even events foretold by God do not exonerate the free decisions of wicked men. He knows that men will despise and reject him, even as Isaiah had prophesied. However, he also knows that those who hate and reject Him are acting freely.  They are not compelled to unbelief by divine power.

He weeps because they do not recognize their time of divine visitation. He cries because He knows that when people receive an unusual visitation from God and then turn away, sometimes they become so hardened in unbelief that they become blind to the truth. He weeps because He knows there will be people in hell who could have been in heaven if they had not closed their minds and hearts to Him. If only they had believed.

These final words and actions of Jesus in our text reveal an essential truth.  First, His tears tell us that He loves those who reject Him. His one desire is that they would come to Him and be redeemed. Romans 2:4 reminds us that God’s kindness is intended to bring us to repentance. If you have not given your heart and life to Jesus, He weeps for you today. He wants to forgive you.  He wants to provide you with eternal life. He wants to shower you with His kindness. He can do none of this if we will not repent of our sins and turn to Him in faith. His Father had declared through the prophet Ezekiel many years earlier, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11).  God takes no pleasure because many humans die without faith. And so, our Lord weeps. He knows that thousands of human beings are being visited by the Son of God, but they have become hardened against Him, and their opportunity for faith has passed. They will suffer the consequences.

I have a series of lectures on tape from a philosophy of religion professor from Richmond University. He cannot accept that a loving God could send anyone to hell. When you use only human reason seeking to understand hell, it is a difficult doctrine. However, I believe in Jesus. He said on more than one occasion that hell is a reality. He would have no reason to weep over Jerusalem if, despite their unbelief, they would still be among the redeemed. Instead, he cries because He knows better than we could ever know what awaits those who will not bow their knee before him and affirm their faith in Him.

As we look forward to Easter Sunday, I hope we all have genuinely welcomed Jesus with our undying faith, unwavering obedience, and sincere worship. I pray that He is not weeping for any of us today because we have turned away from Him.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, Part 5

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

As we continue our study of that great word, LOVE, we turn this morning to one of the best-known chapters in Scripture, 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. Our focus this morning will be limited to the first three verses. We note first the larger context of this chapter. Paul discusses at length spiritual gifts in 1 Cor. 12, a theme he picks up again in chapter 14. He places great emphasis on unity within the church. His overall purpose in chapter 13 is to remind us that the heart and core of the Christian life is love.

In 1 Cor. 12, Paul lists nine gifts the Holy Spirit gives to His people. Some of these gifts are markedly miraculous. For example, he mentions gifts of healing, miracles, speaking in unknown languages, and the interpretation of those languages. Other gifts do not seem as overtly miraculous – – – gifts such as a word of wisdom or knowledge. In all cases, however, these gifts are granted by the Holy Spirit. We learned in Bible study that this is just one of five lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament. We do not decide which gifts we prefer to exercise in the church. The Holy Spirit makes that decision sovereignly (See Hebrews 2:4). Our task is to make ourselves open and ready to be used by God as He sees fit.  

We can assume that those in Corinth did not understand the centrality of love (agape) in the Christian life. Some focused on using supernatural power as the main thing. Miraculous gifts are wonderful, and I wish I saw more at work in the church. To see someone healed by a divine miracle is a great blessing. I have had some personal experience with what is usually called “speaking in tongues,” and I have seen how that gift can bring great edification into a life.

Historically, the church has taken two very different positions regarding miraculous gifts. My ESV Study Bible summarizes these positions quite well. “The “cessationist” view is that miraculous gifts such as prophecy, healing, tongues, interpretation, and miracles were given to authenticate the apostles and their writings in the early years of the church, but those gifts “ceased” once the entire NT was written and the apostles died (c. a.d. 100). Others hold that Paul expected these gifts to continue until Christ returns, which will be the time when “the perfect” (v. 10) ways of speaking and knowing in the age to come replace the “in part” (v. 9) gifts of this age. Support for the second position is found in v. 12, which indicates that “then” (the time when these gifts shall cease) is the time of Christ’s return (p.2211). I respect both positions but prefer the latter viewpoint. I am familiar with good, solid Bible-believing Christians on both sides of this issue.

That is an aside, however, from the main point. One of the problems in Corinth is an overemphasis on miraculous gifts. One problem with such gifts is that those through whom they work may feel superior to Christians who do not possess such gifts. Churches and entire denominations in Christendom today place great emphasis on miracles. On the other hand, those who lack such gifts may feel pride that they are not fanatics like those weird Pentecostal and charismatic folks. In both cases, the more important principle of love is violated.

Paul stresses that if you can speak in tongues, for example, even if it is the language of angels, but you do it without love, your “gift” turns into an irritation – – – a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. A gift meant to bless the church becomes a curse when love is absent. Even if you have faith that is supercharged by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit so that you can move mountains (literal or figurative), if love is absent, it is nothing. What an astonishing statement Paul makes! Wouldn’t we be impressed if someone in our midst could speak to one of our mountainous problems, and the power of God would powerfully manifest itself? I would be deeply moved and impressed, but Paul says if love is absent, God is not impressed.

We must not make miracles the sign of a true church or a real Christian. If miracles come from time to time, I thank God. One of the problems with miracles is their source. The magicians in the court of Pharaoh performed some incredible miracles, rivaling those performed by the hand of Moses. Do you remember what Jesus said on one occasion about miracles? “ For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect–if that were possible” (Matt, 24:24). Paul also gave us this warning: “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9) When we see miraculous signs as the heart of Christianity, we open ourselves to deception. Paul reminds us in very memorable terms that love is at the core of true Christianity. If you practice love as defined in Scripture, that marks you as an authentic Christian. If God also miraculously uses you, that is frosting on the cake.

Paul also warns us against loveless knowledge. If we believe we are supernaturally endowed with knowledge to the extent that we understand all the mysteries of the faith, yet love is lacking, it means nothing. Some churches turn away from obviously miraculous things and then overemphasize wisdom and knowledge. Some cerebral churches assume that wisdom and knowledge are the heart and core of Christianity. Are wisdom and knowledge essential? Of course, they are. Are they the heart of the Christian faith? No, that honor goes to the word “Love.”

Do we want an educated clergy who understand the Bible, the biblical languages, and theology? Do we want an educated laity? The answer must be a qualified yes. There is certainly no virtue in ignorance and superstition. Paul himself was a highly educated man. His point is that when wisdom and knowledge are divorced from love, they become useless. If you understand all mysteries but lack love, you come across as an arrogant egghead! Loveless intelligence amounts to nothing more than spiritual stupidity. Use your gray matter to the fullest, but ensure it is bathed in love.

The presence of miraculous spiritual gifts and supernatural wisdom and knowledge are not the core of our faith. Surely, the actual core is the good works we do. As we saw last week,  James said faith without works is dead, so if I am doing good things, that makes me a good Christian, right? Not necessarily, says Paul. He mentions the giving away of finances to help others. Even if we give away every dime we have but do it with a loveless spirit, Paul says we gain nothing. Why does Scripture say that God loves a cheerful giver? Because a cheerful giver is also a loving giver. Those who give only out of obligation and give as little as they think they can get by are people who give without love.

We don’t do high-pressure fundraising in this church. What good is it if you have to pressure people into giving, laying guilt on them? I assume that those who love God and love people will joyfully open their wallets and purses to promote the advancement of God’s Kingdom on earth.

Paul even suggests that if you offer yourself in sacrifice for the cause of Christ, if it is done without love, it amounts to nothing. Many Christians over the years have been burned at the stake. They offered their bodies to be burned. Yet, even that act of sacrifice is nothing unless done with love.

As I mentioned last week, this congregation does many good works. We support this church financially, we support several missionaries, we support Christmas for kids, we pray, we read the Bible, we invite others to attend our church, we give to the poor, etc., and all of this is good. However, Paul says it is only good in God’s eyes when love is the motive moving us to act. Take love out of the equation, and our good deeds amount to nothing.

I recently listened to a Joyce Meyer sermon on CD, and she hit the nail on the head. She said that our God is a God of the heart. That is, when He looks at us, what He sees is our hearts – – – the motive that lies behind our actions. He is looking for one motive in particular – – – a heart of love. So if God miraculously uses me, it must be done in love. If God grants me supernatural wisdom and knowledge, it must be expressed in love. If I have great faith so as to move mountains, it must be done in love. If I do an abundance of good works, they must be done in love.

In three short verses, Paul, an inspired Apostle, has taken several items that we may regard as central to the Christian life. Then, he moves them off to the side so we can gaze clearly at the real center, a loving heart. Christians trust God through His beloved Son, Jesus, the Christ. Who is this God? John tells us, “God is love.” Who is Jesus? He is the express image of the Father. He is love incarnate. He is love wrapped up in human form. Where true faith is present, love is also present as a central motive. Remove love from the equation; you have nothing left but an empty profession of faith.

I recently read an article about why some men do not attend church. The main point is that our message is too girly. All this love talk may appeal to women rather than to real men. Men want a God who is a real he-man. A loving Jesus strikes some men as effeminate. Well, dudes, Jesus is a mighty he-man. He spoke the universe into existence. With a word, He raised Lazarus from death to life. He spoke to the winds and waves, and they obeyed Him. He is a powerful Son of God.

If you don’t like the love part, too bad for you. God’s almighty power is mostly definitely manifested in His love. Why did He send a Savior for us? Because God so loved the world. Divine love is not a weakness, nor are men showing weakness when they operate from a motive of love. I don’t think we would like it if almighty God was unloving. We have seen in history that power without love is destructive.

Christianity manifests itself in our acts – – – music, color, sound, ritual, good deeds, and the like. Such acts are the outward manifestations of our faith, but they are not the soul. Without love at our core, our acts mean nothing. Indeed, they are an offense unto God. Make love you aim, and you will walk with God. Without love, we walk alone.

Our expanding definition of Christian love can now be stated as follows:  Christian love is the voluntary expression of goodwill toward all, friend and foe alike. It is motivated by our love for Christ and acts in harmony with His commandments. Love is always opposed to sin while maintaining goodwill toward persons living in rebellion against God. Love is always active and efficient, but good acts, even miraculous acts performed without love, do not please God. May the love of Christ abound in our church.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, PART 4

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Acts 6:1-4; James 2:14-18

We continue our examination of that key Christian word, “love.” I have two texts for your consideration this morning. The James text tells us that love acts. The text in Acts tells us that love is efficient. Let’s examine these two thoughts more closely.

First, we learn from James that love (which is closely related to faith) takes action when confronted with a need. Love does more than talk. Love does not respond to a need by simply saying, “God bless you. I hope everything works out for you. I shall pray for you.” All of that is well and good, but sometimes people need more than words. For example, if you know that someone is desperately in need of food or clothing, and you have the means to help, mere words sound hollow. 

We usually think of our jobs as something we do to meet the needs of our own families. Paul says this about work. He explains that we must not be thieves or idle “but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Eph. 4:28).Do you ever think that the income you have is given to you so you may have something to share with those in need? Yes, of course, we provide for our family’s needs, but most of us have discretionary money, not so we can accumulate more and more luxuries, but so we can help others.

This congregation has reached out to others in need, and I commend you for it. Our mission support, Christmas for kids, Warm House, and help with other local needs are vital to our ministry. Does the love of Christ in your heart move you to share what you have to help others, or are you more interested in adorning your lifestyle? Each of us must decide. James reminds us that agape love is sensitive to the needs of others and is willing to reach out with a helping hand. Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:14 that the love of Christ compels us. When Christ’s love is truly in our hearts, we feel this strong, compelling desire to help those in need.

Even the secular world understands this principle. In the play and film “My Fair Lady,” Eliza says this to her would-be lover: Words! Words! I’m so sick of words! I get words all day through; First from him, now from you! Is that all you blighters can do? Don’t talk of stars Burning above; If you’re in love, Show me! There are times when we find Christian principles expressed in secular modalities. Eliza is correct. We are called to do more than speak of our love for those in need. We are to show our love through our deeds. Show me!

We read in Jeremiah 17:9 a sober truth about ourselves. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” It is easy to convince ourselves that we act from love, but we deceive ourselves. It is easy to convince ourselves that we share generously and give to others as much as possible. Again, we must evaluate our hearts and decide if we are deceiving ourselves or if the love of Christ is truly moving us to reach out to others.

I want to turn now to our text in Acts. The Apostles of Jesus were undoubtedly men motivated and compelled by the love of Christ. However, they were confronted with a problem. Certain widows were being neglected. It was a real problem that had to be addressed. Perhaps they should see to it themselves. However, they recognize a simple truth. They could not do everything, and their priorities were to proclaim God’s Word and focus on prayer. Therefore, they call upon the church to select others to handle this needed task.

There is an important principle here. Love is efficient. The needs in this church and community are overwhelming, let alone the needs worldwide. The Apostles, in most respects, were no different from us. They lived with limitations of time, talent, and financial resources. In our text, if they had taken on this task of distribution, it would have taken time away from their highest priority. Their preaching and prayer ministries would have suffered. Therefore, the help of others in the church was enlisted.

We need help to do all the good that needs to be done. We are incapable of feeding every hungry person or sharing Christ with every unbeliever. The unbeliever may say, “The world’s problems are overwhelming. I will only take care of myself.” Christian love says, “I cannot solve all the problems of the world, but I can do something, and I will.”

Agape is efficient. It does not wear itself out trying to do everything but prayerfully looks for those areas of service where the most good can be done. More than one pastor has left the ministry, suffering from burnout, trying to do more than is humanly possible. In my younger days, I worked excessively. More often than not, I wasn’t seeking to please God but to please the congregation.

One of the things we need in our church is an organist. Suppose I decided that as a pastor, I needed to do everything, including playing the organ. You would soon tire of hearing me play “Swans on the Lake” from the Thompson First Grade Piano Book. That is the only song I can play. I dropped out of piano lessons early. Volunteering to play the organ would not be a good use of my time! 

While I am by no means an Apostle, I understand my primary duty is to preach and teach the Word of God. If I allow other duties (all of which may be reasonable and necessary activities) to distract me from my main goal, I am a failure as a pastor.

Suppose a quarterback on a football team loved to kick extra points. The team had a regular kicker who was far better at the task, but the quarterback spent all his practice time kicking. He spent no time working on his passing skills. He would not be an outstanding quarterback or kicker and would severely hurt the team. Once you understand what God has called you to do, you must not allow anything to usurp your time. Love is efficient. We must identify how God wants to use us and then pour our best efforts into that task, not allowing other “good” things to hinder us from doing the best thing.

Jesus was once asked to resolve an inheritance issue (Luke 12:13,14). He refused to allow this matter to sidetrack Him. His goal was to seek and save the lost. If He allowed Himself to become a financial advisor, He would have neither time nor energy for His primary mission. Therefore, he refused to be a judge and settle a dispute between two greedy brothers.

When I say that love is efficient, I mean it chooses not only the correct goal but also the means that will lead to that goal. Our primary goal as Christians is to manifest divine love to God and others. Forgive me for again using my calling as an example.  One way a pastor shows his love for God and the congregation is in his faithful preaching and teaching. What are some of the means that will lead to that end? Indeed, those who preach and teach the Word must spend much time studying the Scriptures. There are other factors involved, but the study of Scripture is central. It is the necessary means to the chosen end, the faithful proclamation of divine truth. A pastor who preaches without spending time in biblical studies does not show the congregation love. Bible study is a means to an end.

 I recall a pastor in Illinois who would come to church Sunday morning one hour early and jot down 3 or 4 points on a piece of paper, which constituted his sermon preparation time. If I were so busy with other things that I used this method of sermon preparation, I would be disloyal both to the congregation and God.

What would you think of a mother who said, “I love my children,” but neglected the means of contributing to the child’s well-being? What if momma prepared unhealthy meals or left her children alone for hours so she could be with her friends? What if she would not seek proper medical care for her children? What if she took no interest in their education? She might say, “I love my children,” but she loves herself more. Mothers and fathers who love their children choose the means that will lead to the child’s well-being.

What is the highest expression of Christian love? Is it not the sharing of the Gospel that those in spiritual darkness might move into the light of God’s forgiving love? This is our primary goal as a church. We do many things as a congregation, but we are not much of a church if we neglect the main thing. What are the means we must choose to achieve this desired end? If we genuinely have agape love for the lost, will we not pray for their souls? Will we not give to foreign missionaries that the Gospel may spread to other lands? Will we not want to support our local church, where we can invite those who do not know the Savior to come?

Does the love of God dwell in you? I have pointed out that Christian love is efficient in three ways. First, find God’s unique way of using you. Second, choose the means to lead to that end. And third, I have also suggested that Christian love will focus intensely on the lost, doing what we can to draw others into the Kingdom. 

Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” had it right. She was not impressed with Freddy’s verbal expressions of love. “Show me,” she demanded. I believe God says the same thing to us. So don’t just tell me you love me and that you love your neighbor as yourself. Show me.

Our expanding definition of Christian love now takes this form: Christian love is the voluntary expression of goodwill towards others, friend and foe alike, motivated by our love for Christ and acting in harmony with His commandments. It is goodwill that refuses to compromise with sin or evil in any form. Instead, it seeks to work in the most efficient manner possible. The love of a single Christian cannot solve all the world’s problems, but it can do something, and it will. May this love abound in our church.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, # 3

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 6:11-18: 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

We continue our focus on the meaning of divine love. Let’s quickly review the territory covered thus far:

1.     Divine love (agape) is primarily goodwill in action toward friends and foes alike.

2.     Agape love is from God.  We become capable of receiving and giving God’s love only through faith in Jesus Christ, who is love incarnate.

3.     Agape love resides primarily in the will as informed by the commandments of God. Therefore, it is choosing to express goodwill despite thoughts and emotions pulling us in another direction.

4.     Agape love refrains from behavior designed to hurt others.

5.     Our entire duty toward God and man is summed up in the word “love.” Paul writes, “The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:9,19).

Our concern today is with a single issue. Divine love (agape) is always opposed to sin. It does not tolerate sin. Sin is anything opposed to God’s will, and since God is love, we can define sin as any action contrary to the love of God. If we are genuinely in a relationship with the living God, we will vigorously oppose anything and everything contrary to Him and His love.

This is not to say we can practice love unerringly.  Only God is pure love. It is to say that Christians do not make excuses for their loveless behavior. Instead, sin (lovelessness) leads to confession and repentance. Paul said, “Make love your aim” (1 Cor, 14:1). Love is the target we aim at. While we sometimes miss the mark, we always seek to manifest love, or we repent for our failures. Once you settle down and become comfortable with sin, you have abandoned love, and those who abandon love abandon God.

We are like a boxer who takes punches from our opponent, sin. Sometimes we stagger and fall to the canvas, but we are always kept from being knocked out. When the final bell rings and the fight of life is over, we are victorious because love is stronger than sin.

Love’s opposition to sin can be broken down into three categories. Love opposes sin in our own lives; love opposes sin in the lives of others; love opposes sin in society. When God’s love gets inside us, we are very uncomfortable with sin in any manner, shape, or form.

Our battle against sin is challenging. In Hebrews 12:3, it is described as a struggle. The same author described sin as a weight that weighs us down (Heb. 12:1). Sin comes easily and naturally to us. Yet, practicing divine love at times seems so tricky. The Christian life involves struggle, tears, and much repentance. I recall a conversation years ago with a man who made what I thought was a strange statement. He said, “I sin deliberately every day.  It is not a big deal because I know God forgives me.” I hope he misspoke. No Christian sins deliberately every day. Yes, we fall into sin, but we do not casually declare that we disobey God knowingly and openly daily.

Yes, God is forgiving, but remember the words of Paul when he spoke about this matter of willful sin. “What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?   By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?” (Romans 6:1).Some who heard Paul’s message that we are justified by faith alone apart from the works of the law concluded that since God wants to forgive, the more we sin, the more God’s grace can shine through. Like my friend of many years ago, they assumed their sins were unimportant since they could always ask for forgiveness.

Notice the radical way Paul describes the Christian’s relationship to sin. We are dead to sin. This is a typical Greek idiom.  To die to a thing or a person is to have nothing to do with it or him.  We see this in the parable of the Prodigal Son. When the son left home, the father thought of him as “dead.” He was not physically dead, but their relationship had ended. When Paul said we are dead to sin, he said we no longer have a relationship with it. The love of God has so taken hold of us that we abhor that which is contrary to God’s will. John says in 1 John 3:17 that a Christian who has the means to help a needy person but refuses to do so is void of divine love.  If a sin of omission means that the love of God is absent from our lives, what shall we say about willful sins of commission, like gossip, adultery, lying, hatred, and the like?

The bottom line here is simple. If the love of God indeed dwells in us, we will fight against sin in our own lives.  We will not be casual about disobedience to God. When we know we have fallen into disobedience, we will quickly repent.  This is simply the nature of agape love. Remember, love has to do with how we act than how we feel. So, my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18).

When divine love is present, we also oppose sin in our fellow believers’ lives. This can get tricky, and many stumble at this point. We hesitate to confront others about their bad behavior for fear of offending them. Frankly, I am glad I do not know of any overt sins in this church because I must admit it would be hard for me to confront any of you. I hope to have the courage to face it, but it is never easy. Consider this; if we wink at the bad behavior of others, what message does that send? We are saying to others and ourselves, “Sin is no big deal. Let’s agree to hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.” But, if the love of God is in my heart, I must confront your sins for your sake, and you must engage mine for my sake. But, of course, we must do so with kindness and love.

Jesus’ directions in Matthew 18:15-17 would surely top the list of Scriptures most often ignored in the church. “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.   But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. Then, if the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

Jesus offers a step-by-step process for dealing with disobedient church members.  The idea is to lead them to repentance, but they will be removed from the church if they do not repent. Unfortunately, I have never seen this process followed. I hope it is because the churches I have served have not had open and rebellious sinners in the membership.

You may recall a church in the news a few years ago that followed this procedure and removed a woman guilty of adultery from the church. When her sin was “told to the church” in harmony with the words of Jesus, she sued and won! However, churches that turn a blind eye to sinning members will be spiritually weakened. While we must obey the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 18 with great care and compassion, we ignore His words at our peril. There is more to say here, but I must move on.

The third and final place where love confronts sin is in society at large. While there is a sense that church and state are separate, that separation evaporates when the state takes up positions in conflict with biblical revelation. As Peter expressed it, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). In that case, the state sought to silence the Gospel’s proclamation. Peter and the others refused to obey such a request.

In our day, some politicians say it is okay to kill unborn children via abortion.  Our love for human life, created in God’s image, compels us to speak out against this blatant violation of the will of God. I suspect God’s judgment will fall upon this nation unless there is widespread repentance. How any Christian can see abortion as being compatible with divine love is beyond me. I agree that rape, incest, and the mother’s life are mitigating circumstances, but most abortions performed in this country do not meet those criteria. I am thankful that this church supports our local crisis pregnancy center, a pro-life ministry.

There are sins in society that are not the state’s fault but the church itself. When the denomination in which I grew up, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), began to reject the truth that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world, some of us felt that love required us to speak out. Jesus Christ as the world’s only Savior is the cornerstone doctrine of our faith, and to deny His unique role as Savior is to overthrow the entire Christian religion. It is the worst of sins to deny that Jesus is the only Savior, a sin that must be confronted. I am thankful that this church joined this movement to keep Jesus Christ at the center of our faith.

I must bring this message to a close. I have skimmed over some critical issues relatively quickly.  I am always willing to discuss these issues further if you have questions. Our Wednesday Bible study is also an excellent time to discuss things in greater detail.

I cannot leave this topic without raising one more critical issue. While love must always oppose sin, we must never allow anger against the sinner to control us. We oppose sin with kindness. We fight corruption in others because of our love for them. We must never allow hate to take control. I admit that confronting evil in self, others, or broader society can be challenging, but Christian love (agape) has no choice. We must either confront sin or deny love. When we deny divine love, we reject God, for God is love.

Our expanding definition of Christian love can now be stated as follows:  Christian love is the voluntary expression of goodwill toward all, friend and foe alike. It is motivated by our love for Christ and acts in harmony with His commandments. Love is always opposed to sin while maintaining goodwill toward persons living in rebellion against God. May such love abound in our church.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE,  Part 2

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 John 4:7-12

7  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

We began our study of Christian love (agape) last week. I mentioned three Greek words, which we translated with the one English word, “love.” Eros is the Greek word used to describe romantic love. Philos is the Greek word used to describe love between friends and love within the family. Agape is the word used in the New Testament to define the love of God. We saw that divine love is goodwill that we express toward others, motivated by our love for Jesus Christ and informed by His commandments. We focused on the truth that since God is love, we must practice love in all our relationships. John says the one who does not love (agape) does not know God.

Today we begin with a common-sense distinction between three aspects present in our human nature. First, we are rational beings who think and reason. We also have the power to make choices, usually described as the “will.” Thus, we humans think, we feel, and we make choices. Some choices are determined by how we feel, while others are determined by what we believe or a combination of the two. 

Christian love centers on the will under the influence of reason. It has little to do with how we feel, at least initially. The mind has embraced the truth of Jesus, and His commandments govern our choices. Since we recently completed a national election, we can use that as an example. Some people vote a certain way based on emotions planted in childhood. Others vote based on some attempt to understand the positions of the candidates. Their vote is based more on reason than emotion. May their tribe increase!

Agape centers in the will. It is choosing to act according to the teachings of Jesus even if our emotions and reason are trying hard to pull us in another direction. This aspect of love is seen most clearly in Jesus’ command to love your enemies. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you….” (Matt. 5:44). “

Some read these words of Jesus and dismiss them as impossible. How can anyone love an enemy or desire blessings on those who curse you? How can anyone do good to those who hate you and even persecute you? Jesus is not asking us to feel warm and fuzzy toward an enemy. That would be impossible. You naturally feel wary and distrustful of a real enemy. Your reason may tell you that you have a right to get even. We even have a saying, “I don’t get mad; I get even.” The idea that we have the right to wish bad things to happen to those who have hurt us is typical. Revenge is built into our fallen DNA.

What is Jesus commanding in this verse? He is asking us to want good things to happen to our enemies. He asks us to act towards them with goodness and pray for them. And why should we do those things? Because our highest commitment is to Jesus Christ, and He has commanded us so to act. He is not asking us to “feel” anything but to act positively toward those who have hurt us. Feelings are involuntary. Even God cannot command us to feel things we do not feel. You feel sad for the family if you hear of a child’s tragic death. You can’t help it unless you are so hard-hearted that the suffering of others doesn’t move you.

Jesus is simply telling us to act with goodwill toward our enemies. He tells us to act toward them in ways that will promote their happiness and pray for them. Do we trust them? No, of course not. Do we want to be with them socially? Probably not. Your mind and your emotions may be screaming, REVENGE! However, you refrain from vengeance because of your love for Jesus and His commands. Divine love has little to do with how we feel and everything to do with how we choose to act. If vengeance is needed, we follow Paul’s advice and leave that to God:  “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19).

Let me be as plain as I can be. If you claim to be a Christian, every time you act in a way designed to hurt another person, you are working against Christian love. You are rebelling against God and His Word. The heart not ruled by agape/love does not belong to God. Jesus said that no one could serve two masters. Only one master will finally dominate; if that is not Jesus, we are in trouble. If our master is self, pride, ego, pleasure, power, or vengeance, agape has fallen by the wayside.

Jesus illustrated this principle in Matthew 21:28ff with a brief parable about two sons. Both were told by their father to work in the vineyard. One didn’t feel like it and refused. Later he apologized and did what his father asked. The second son said he would go and work in the vineyard, but he did not follow through. He said the right thing but did not act in the right way. The one who obeyed the father was the one who did not feel like working in the vineyard, but he did it anyway to please his father.

You will not feel like being kind to your enemies. If, however, you are a mature Christian, you will not be driven by emotion but by the word and will of God. The premier example of agape is Jesus Himself. His feelings rebelled against the idea of going to the cross. He prayed for the Father to remove this cup of suffering. Yet He submitted to the Cross, not because He felt like it but because He knew it was the will of His Father. He also prayed for forgiveness for those who nailed Him to the Cross.

What motivates your behavior? Is it how you feel? Does emotion drive you? Do your ideas about life motivate you? Are you the master of your ship, the captain of your soul? When your feelings and your clever reason are overpowered, and you seek to promote goodwill in every situation, then the agape love of God has triumphed in your life. The test of whether or not divine love is motivating us is seen most clearly in how we relate to enemies.

Some don’t attend church because they don’t feel like it. A young man once told me he dropped out of church because the previous minister had sinned. I know of several persons over the years who dropped out of church because someone hurt their feelings. Should not our participation in Christ’s Church be motivated by our love for Him and God’s people? Those who go through life driven by emotions and their ideas about life are like a rudderless ship. We need to be able to say with Paul; the love of Christ compels me (2 Cor. 5:14). Those motivated by agape love will find themselves in the center of God’s will. Those driven by their feelings and unsanctified reason are flying blindly through life.

How important is it that we practice agape love in all our relationships? It isn’t easy to overstate the importance. Sometimes people are asked, “Are you a born-again Christian?” The question makes no sense because it implies there are Christians who are not born again. Every genuine Christian has been born again, but what exactly does that mean? Some would stress that those born again have had some ecstatic experiences. They have felt the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Many have such experiences, but that is not the mark of the new birth. Maybe just those who are trained in biblical theology are the favored ones. Yes, intelligence does play a role in defining and understanding Christian truth, but it is not the most significant mark of the new birth.

John defines the new birth in the first words of our text. “Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” Those who have been born again through the Gospel of Jesus Christ are those who are ruled by divine love  – – – agape. To be sure, no Christian manifests love without fail. True Christians are, however, persons who consistently display goodwill toward others, even enemies. Those who love are born of God, and, says John, they know God. The more the love of God fills our hearts, the closer we are to the Father.

Our expanded definition of agape/love now reads: “Christian love is behavior directed toward others motivated by our love for Jesus and in harmony with His commands. It extends to our enemies as well as to friends. It does not seek retaliation but leaves that to God. It is the most critical evidence of the new birth.

As I said last week, I don’t think we can afford to be unloving people. We neglect this truth to our peril. If we are not practicing agape/Christian love, John says our claim that we are Christians is a lie. Yes, it is still and forever true that we are saved by faith, not by the quality of our love. It is also a divinely revealed reality that true faith brings the Holy Spirit into our hearts, and wherever the Holy Spirit is present, love is present. Paul wrote in Romans 5:5: God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Faith is the root, and love is the fruit of redemption. If the fruit is absent, the root is also missing. We will continue our exploration of this important topic next week. 

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LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, PART 1

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text:1 John 4:8-12

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 

There is almost universal agreement on the importance of love. Everyone agrees, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” If love would only prevail in the world, an earthly paradise would result. Since there is a universal agreement concerning the importance of love, one wonders why we don’t see more of it. We sing about it; we write books about it; we all want to see more of it, so what is the problem? 

One possible explanation is that some do not understand love’s source. There are many ideas about the nature of love. As Christians, we want to know how God defines love. What does the Bible say about love? So today, we begin a quest that will take several weeks to complete. We aim to look closely and carefully at love as God defines it. 

Part of our problem is seen in the fact that the English language has but one word used for different kinds of love. We love God; we love our family; we love our friends; we love our dog; we love ice cream, etc. The word “love” has different meanings in these expressions. I hope we mean something deeper when we say, “I love Jesus,” than when we say, “I love ice cream.” I am sure you have heard before that the Greek language of the New Testament uses several different words for “love.” 

When the Greeks spoke of love in the sense of feelings for friends, they usually used the word “phileo.” Our words “Philadelphia” and philanthropist” are based on this Greek word. When the Greeks spoke of the strong, intense attraction between a man and a woman, they used the word “eros.” Our word “erotic” derives from the Greek term. When the New Testament writers spoke of the love of God, they used the word “agape.” As Christians, this is the love we are to manifest toward others. In all there are eight words in the Greek language translated as “love.” We need not concern ourselves with each one.

Our focus in this series will be on that highest form of love, agape. It is the love characteristic of God and is characteristic of Christian people. We are all familiar with the statement in 1 John 4:16, “God is love.” The term used is “agape.” We learn in this brief statement that love is central to the divine nature. God has other attributes besides love, but love is His chief attribute. God is a being whose love embraces the entire human race. That is expressed in the oft-quoted words in John 3:16, “God so loved the world . . .” But what does “agape/love” mean? For now, I will suggest that this divine love can be understood as “goodwill.” We can count on the fact that God’s goodwill covers us no matter who we are or what we have done. When Jesus was born, we read that He came to bring peace on earth and goodwill toward men (Luke 2:14). 

Some jump too quickly to the conclusion; therefore, hell cannot be real. The

re can be no such thing as the wrath of God. Such thoughts are seen as conflicting with God’s universal goodwill. If we allow the Scriptures to guide our thinking, we learn that divine wrath is also an attribute of God. But how can God’s love and goodwill be compatible with divine wrath? Let’s look at a human example. A human judge may be a man of goodwill, yet he will sentence a criminal to death because the law requires it. He has no personal animosity toward the criminal. He would prefer to act with kindness, yet he will pronounce the death sentence. 

Isaiah spoke of God’s wrath as his “strange work.” He wrote these words about God’s wrath pouring out upon His people, Israel. “The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon—to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task” (Isa 28:21). The idea seems to be that judgment does not bring pleasure to God. It is necessary, yet it is “strange” to Him. God delights in showing mercy, grace, and kindness, while His anger and wrath are described as His “strange work.” 

Just as human society is organized around laws, so is God’s kingdom. The sum of the matter is this: Those who trust in God and submit to His will receive nothing but love and goodwill from Him. Those who rebel against God will experience His strange work. God takes no pleasure in expressing His wrath, but He must and will punish wickedness. Ezekiel 33:11 says, “As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” God takes pleasure in us when we turn from our wicked ways and seek to walk in the paths of righteousness.

Nevertheless, those who defy the will of God will experience His wrath. Agape love and divine wrath are not incompatible. We must never assume that we all have a free pass into heaven because God is love. 

We need to notice that John says, “God is love.” He does not say, “Love is God.” If we say, “love is God,” then we are tempted to define love as we wish and declare it good. The young man who whispers into his beloved’s ear, “If you love me, you will submit to my desires,” may be expressing erotic love, but he is not communicating the love of God. We dare not assume that, as long as we feel “love,” then whatever we do is godly. Love, as we define it, is not God; instead, God is love. He explains when and how His love acts. 

Humans sometimes try to drag God into our illicit “love” affairs, proving that we do not understand God’s love. We think abandoning our spouse and entering into a “love affair” with our neighbor is okay. “If you knew my wife (husband), you would understand.” Erotic love is not Christian love. The Bible is clear: erotic love gains the approval of God only within the bounds of marriage between a man and woman. Having an affair with a lady who seems prettier and sexier than your wife may feel like “love,” but God calls it “sin.” 

Our next step in understanding the nature of divine love is to recall that Jesus Christ is God in human form, the incarnate deity. Jesus is love incarnate. If you want to know what agape is, watch Jesus. Everything you ever wanted to know about love and were afraid to ask is revealed in the words and deeds of Jesus. First, we are called upon to love and trust Him. Second, He then declared, “If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them (John 14:21). If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:10).   

We express divine love when we trust Jesus, love Jesus, and obey Jesus. We thus arrive at the following definition of Christian love. “Christian love (agape) is goodwill directed toward others motivated by our love for Jesus, and in harmony with His commands.” Agape love can only be known and experienced in relationship to Jesus Christ. You will not find this love in the secular world where Christ is unknown. You can find erotic love (eros) or friendship love (phileo), but agape is found only in those who love and trust Jesus. 

The other forms of love are transformed when agape is present. For example, unbelieving parents have a natural affection for their children. This love will move the parent to feed, clothe and protect the child. Unbelieving parents do want the best for their children. When agape is added, the parents now have a deep concern for the eternal well-being of the child. Christian parents, who abide in God’s love, have a new priority: their children’s salvation. No Christian parent is content as long as they have a child living outside the grace of Jesus. Christian parents still have the same concerns about food, clothing, protection, education, etc., for their children, but the eternal well-being of the child now moves to the top of the list. 

God’s love is expressed in obedience to the commands of Jesus. Therefore, it behooves us to be earnest students of Scripture. The Bible is our handbook on how to practice love. Some may be thinking, “But doesn’t love just come naturally? You can’t command love.” It is true that, to some extent, the human forms of love seem natural. Most of us did not need much instruction on expressing erotic love, and the love of family and friends seems natural, at least to some degree. However, it is different from agape. Christian love is difficult and challenging. Not only does it not come naturally, but it is also contrary to our fallen human nature. Those who think they can practice divine love without a thorough knowledge of Scripture and the ministry of the Holy Spirit are sadly mistaken. The Bible tells us what to do, and the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to do it. 

I hope all of us are committed to learning and practicing Christian love. It requires our sincere faith in the Son of God and a willingness to learn and practice His commands. If you are not presently motivated in this direction, I close with a few reminders from God’s Word. When John wrote, “God is love,” he added this line: “Whoever lives in love (agape) lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). He also said, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). He also wrote these sobering words: “Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20). 

We cannot afford to be unloving persons with such words before us. If we are not practicing agape/Christian love, John says our claim to be Christians is a lie. We will continue looking at this fundamental matter next week. 

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I AM THE TRUE VINE

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 15:1-10: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

Jesus knows the cross is near. He is about to experience the full wrath of God. Many of the Jews He came to save will turn against Him. The Jewish leadership will plot to crucify Him. One of His disciples will betray Him. The other 11 disciples will desert Him in fear when He is arrested. He had come to save them all, but the world turned against Him. In anticipation of this dreadful future, Jesus again speaks of His identity. Once again, the divine words “I AM” come from His lips. “I am the true vine.”

As elsewhere in this Gospel, “true” means “genuine.” Jesus is the final, real “vine,” as compared to Israel, which was a type of foreshadowing the reality. Israel is called God’s “vine” or “vineyard” in the Old Testament. In Jer. 2:21, we read, “I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?”  God judges Israel for not bearing fruit. Jesus refers to Himself as God’s true vine. He is genuine, authentic, without hypocrisy, and a trustworthy picture of God Himself.

Jesus identifies His followers as branches.  “I am the vine, you are the branches” (vs. 5). This is a powerful metaphor. Branches receive their life from the vine. We receive our life through our attachment to Jesus. When we exercise faith in Jesus, we are united with Him. We abide in Him, and He is in us. His life, His love, and His grace pour into us. We enter a new life because we are attached to Jesus. The old life fades away, and we are born again into a new life. What a glorious thing it is to be joined to Jesus. Then we are told to abide in Him. That means staying connected to Jesus. We do not confess our faith in Him and continue living our old way of life. How do we abide or remain in Christ? Several things come into play.

The first thing we do when we come to Christ is repent. We confess we have sinned against God. We remain in Christ by keeping a close watch over our behavior. When sin sneaks in, we are quick to confess. Those attached to Christ do not allow sin to dominate their lives (1 John 1:6-10).

We abide in Christ when we live in fellowship with Him. He is never far removed from our thoughts. Prayers often flow from our hearts. We believe He is with us always, and we live in harmony with that truth. We seek daily to live by His commands. Those who abide in Christ rely on the Holy Spirit to keep them on the right path.

We abide in Christ when we live in love and harmony with other believers. We desire to be with other believers, so we are active in Christ’s church. When we lose close fellowship with other Christians, we begin to slip away from Jesus. Scripture tells us that God is love, and those who abide in Christ will reflect that love. We love God and our brothers and sisters in the faith. When love temporarily escapes, those who abide in Christ quickly repent. The two great commandments, love for God and love for others, dominate the lives of those who abide in Christ.

We abide in Christ when we have a deep love for the lost and do whatever we can to draw them to the Savior. We pray, give, witness, and use whatever gifts God has given us to draw others to Jesus. It is horrible to be lost. We understand the awful reality of hell. Over the years, I have met people I dislike. However, I have never met someone I hoped would end up in hell. Even the people we dislike need to hear the Gospel and come to faith. Then we will like them!

We come now to the most troublesome part of this text. Who are the unfruitful branches? What is their destiny? Are these Christians who give up on the faith and are lost, or are they hypocrites who were never true Christians? If you believe in “once saved, always saved,” the unfruitful branches refer to hypocrites in the church pretending to be branches but are not and never have been true Christians. They are cast forth and gathered up and thrown into the fire.

The other option is that the unfruitful branches refer to genuine Christians who are unfruitful. This is amplified by 1 Corinthians 3:15: “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” He may get to heaven smelling as if he had been bought at a fire sale, but he will not lose his salvation as long as faith in Jesus is alive.

In any event, being cast forth and thrown into the fire cannot be pleasant! Whether it refers to the fire of hell or the fire of discipline, I leave it for you to decide. The main point is for us to abide in Christ and bear fruit.

What is the fruit that results from our abiding in Christ? We can add to what I said earlier in two words: evangelism and character. Fruit-bearing Christians are concerned for the lost and do what they can to draw them to Jesus. Apple trees produce apples. Christians produce Christians. You cannot abide in Jesus without drawing others to Christ. In terms of character, we refer to the fruit of the Spirit. Paul writes, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). You cannot abide in Jesus and not reflect these characteristics. Jesus says it in these words from our text, verse 8:  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

There is more to be said about bearing fruit (I preached on that theme before), but I must hasten on to the last point. Jesus says in verse 7: If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. So, I can pray for whatever I want, and God will grant it, right? Let’s not overlook the condition. Don’t overlook the word “if.” If you abide in me and if you abide in His words, then you can pray and expect to receive whatever you desire. However, if you abide in Christ and live by His word, your desires will be in harmony with His desires. When your desires harmonize with Christ’s desires, your desires will be realized. If we pray and our desires do not coincide with His desires, no answer will be forthcoming.

I have heard people say, “I have given up on prayer. God never answers my prayers.” I wonder if they overlooked the “IF” clause? God is under no obligation to answer selfish prayers or prayers out of harmony with His will. As we focus on abiding in Jesus, we will see more and more answers to prayer.

One closing thought. Jesus concludes this section with a summary of what it means to abide in Christ. He has said it before but repeats it in summary form in case we missed the point. Verse 10 of our text: If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love. That is the sum of the matter. Do you desire to be a fruit-bearing branch? Keep His commandments. Do you want to remain in His love? Keep His commandments. Do you want to see answers to your prayers? Keep His commandments. Do you want to live a life close to Jesus? Keep His commandments.

A second closing thought. Remember to distinguish between salvation and faithful living. Salvation is given to all as a gift when we trust in Jesus. You either trust in Jesus, or you do not. Faithful living comes because we abide in Jesus. We enter into a relationship with Jesus by faith. As we work at staying close to Him and keeping His commandments, we abide in Him, and the result will be fruitfulness. Trust Jesus – – – abide in Jesus, and you will have a glorious life and a magnificent eternity.

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I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 14:1-6, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.” ⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

We continue examining the Gospel of John’s seven “I am” statements. Jesus has just promised His disciples a home in heaven. He tells them they know the way. They have been with Him for three years and have listened to Him explain that He is the Messiah and is preparing a place for them in heaven.

Thomas is confused. Jesus assumes his disciples know He is returning to heaven, and that He is the way leading to eternal life. Thomas says to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus gives the disciples a summary of the Gospel in a few words. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. This morning, we inspect Jesus’ words closely.

I am the way. The Greek word “way” is also translated as “road.” Jesus is the way or the road that leads to eternal life. Not only is Jesus the way, but He is also the only way. The Father cannot be accessed except through Jesus. If you wish to relate to God, that can only be done through Jesus. Using our resources, we cannot access God. No matter how smart we are or how hard we try, we are forever separated from God. If you plan to live in the Father’s house, you must do business with Jesus. What about Moslems and Hindus, and Buddhists? The verse applies to them as well. If you want God, you must go through Jesus. There is no other way.

You recall that the Jews worshipped in the Temple under the Old Covenant. The average person was shut off from entering the most holy place. A heavy veil served as a warning not to enter. Only the high priest could enter where the ark of the covenant rested and where God’s presence was overwhelming. They tied a rope to the foot of the high priest in case the presence of God was so powerful that he had a heart attack and died. No one was allowed into the most holy place except the high priest, so they could pull him out by the rope his if he died.

Notice what happened in the Temple when Jesus died. Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.  At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart – – – (Matthew 27:50—51). The curtain which separated the multitudes from God was torn from top to bottom, an act of God. This suggests that through Jesus, we all have access to God. No curtain or wall is separating us from access to God. Jesus is the only way that leads us straight into God’s presence. Many people believe they can access God independently; no help is needed. Don’t be misled. Jesus is the way, the only way. No one comes into God’s presence except through Him.

Jesus is the way through the unknown when faced with an uncertain tomorrow. Jesus is the way out of our slavery to sin and misery. Jesus is the way through all our difficulties. Jesus is the way into life abundant. Jesus is the way to God. Jesus is the way to eternal life. Jesus declared that He was the only way. Do you believe Him? Is your faith in Him secure? Are you looking for a way to God that bypasses Jesus? You will search in vain.  

I am the truth. A non-Christian can know many facts. The truths of science, math, history and the like are open to all. However, spiritual truth is hidden from men’s eyes. How can I know God? How can I find forgiveness? How can I receive eternal life? These truths are unknown to the most learned of men. The most important truth of all is our relationship with God. The only one who can solve that problem is Jesus. If you don’t know God’s truth, you are in ignorance and darkness.

Do you know Christ, who is the truth? If you don’t know Jesus, whatever else you know, you know nothing of importance. What good will it do you in hell that you knew all the sciences in the world, all the events of history, and all the busy politics of your little day? Jesus alone is the truth that leads us to God. He clarifies – – –no one comes to the Father except by Him. Jesus speaks a universal truth: no one, no one, no one can find God without Him. Then He gives the glorious exception to the universal truth—no one – – – except through me.

How important is it that we trust in Jesus? Our eternal life depends on it. Jesus once asked if it would be any profit to man to gain the whole world and lose his soul (See Mark 8:36). Will anyone in hell celebrate and declare, “I was a king. I was an emperor. I was a millionaire. I had it all! I did it my way.”  I don’t think there will be any celebrating in that place where nothing but weeping and wailing is heard. Is there something in this world that you treasure more than Jesus? Please give it up! Only when you grasp the truth of Jesus will you find real peace, happiness, and eternal life.

I trust the Bible because Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Yes, fallible human authors wrote the New Testament, but Jesus oversaw the process so that what we have in the Bible is the infallible Word of God. He who is the truth would not allow any errors to slip into His story. If you want to know the truth about God, read the book!

Finally, Jesus declares, “I am the life.” We get a picture of what this means from the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 37:1-14, we read the familiar vision of the valley of dry bones. The prophet speaks, and the bones come to life. Flesh covers the bones, and they live.  In New Testament terms, we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1).

It is a picture of the house of Israel and also a picture of us. Before we receive the life of Christ via the new birth, we are like dead bones. It seems we are in a hopeless situation. Then we hear the Word of the Lord. We hear such things as “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”  Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves. but in God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:9). And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). I could quote many more verses reminding us that apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead.

Then we heard the Gospel. We heard that those who trust in Jesus are raised from death to life. Through Christ, our old dry bones come to life. What we need is a new birth. In John chapter three, Jesus details the necessity of the new birth. He tells Nicodemus he must be born again. First, you must be joined to Christ, for He alone is the life. Without Him, you will be dragged down to eternal death.

I have heard stories of persons who lost a finger or a hand or an arm, but through modern medicine, that severed body part that is dead can be reattached and come to life again. Because of sin, we are cut off from God. We have no life in us. By faith in Jesus, we are born again. We are attached to Jesus, and His life flows into us. Before faith was born in us, we were like a severed arm, dead in our sins. By faith, we are joined to Christ and reattached to God. Those who are united to Christ find His life flowing into them. We are spiritually resurrected! Can you say with Paul, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

One final Scripture. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36). If you want life, real life, it is found only in Jesus. Faith in Him leads to eternal life. Those who refuse to believe in the Son will not see life.

I have heard people say, “I have my religion. I commune with God on my own. I don’t need any help. I don’t need a church. I don’t need a Savior.” I don’t know whom such people are communing with, but it is not the true and living God. Remove Jesus from your religion, and you have removed God.

I recall hearing at a church convention years ago, “God is known in Jesus. God is known in Islam. God is known in Hinduism. God is known in Buddhism.” If you believe that, you might as well throw your Bible away. It declares that God is known only through Jesus. “No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus makes an astonishing claim in our text. He is the way leading to the Father’s house. He is the truth of God incarnate. All who trust in him will have spiritual life. Do you want to know the way that leads to eternal life? Trust Jesus. Do you want to know the truth that will lead you to a relationship with God? Trust Jesus. Do you want the life of God in your soul? Trust Jesus. Do you want to find God and bypass Jesus? Mission impossible.

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FACING THE NEW YEAR, 2023

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 12:42; Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (and Luke 6:26).

Once again, we are at the threshold of a new year. We have no idea what lies in our future, but there are enough dark clouds on the horizon to cause us some concern. One of the issues we need to face has to do with our goals for the New Year. One of our goals should be to grow in faithfulness to our Savior and Lord. A key question for each of us as we face the future is this: are we more concerned with what men think of us or what God thinks of us?

While our Lord usually spoke very plainly, there were statements He made that sound strange to us when we first hear them. They are the kind of statements that cause us to scratch our heads, furrow our brows, and exclaim, “I wonder what He meant by that.” For instance, He said, “Woe unto you when all men speak well of you” (Luke 6:26). This is an odd statement at first glance. It goes directly against what we might expect. Why is it woeful when others speak well of us? We rather like it when others approve of us, and indeed we often go out of our way to do those things which will cause others to speak well of us. Should I be concerned if every member of this church speaks well of me? Should you be worried if everyone in Warsaw who knows you speaks well of you? Are we not more likely to be concerned if others do not speak well of us? Did it ever occur to you to be worried when no matter where you go, people say, “There is a highly respected person; everyone likes him.” Would that upset you? What on earth is going on here? Why would Jesus say, “woe unto you when all men speak well of you?”

The answer is grasped when we understand the relationship between popularity and another vital word, faithfulness. We, as Christians, enjoy it when we attain some popularity when others do indeed speak well of us. But we also want to be faithful to God as we know and understand Him in Jesus Christ. The problem is that popularity and faithfulness often come into conflict. There is nothing essentially wrong with wanting to be popular. It is a very usual and healthy desire. We would think it strange if someone said he wanted to be unpopular. We all need to be liked, and it feels good to have the approval of others. I must confess that when people tell me they enjoyed my sermon, it makes me feel good.  I like that approval, partly because this job carries many insecurities, and I often think I am accomplishing very little for the kingdom of God. So, when you contradict my often-hidden fears and speak well of me, I feel better about myself.

Teenagers know what I am talking about. They know how important it is to be popular – – – to be well-liked by other teens. They understand that the worst thing that can happen is the feeling that others reject you or make fun of you behind your back because you don’t wear designer clothes, or are too fat, etc.… We can certainly understand the drive within us to be popular.

If you are a genuine Christian, you also desire to serve the Lord Jesus with total faithfulness. We want to give our best to the Master. I doubt that any of you would like to be known as a “lukewarm Christian.” We know the Bible speaks of such persons, of Christians who are more worldly than spiritual, but we hope such designations are meant for others and not ourselves. We know that Jesus spoke of a group of believers in Him who were ashamed to be openly faithful for fear of offending the Pharisees and being put out of the synagogue. They believed in Jesus but kept their faith secret because popularity with men was more important to them than faithfulness to God (see John 12:42-43).  Such compromising is despicable to us; surely, we would never be guilty of such duplicity. We want to be faithful at any cost, don’t we? We want to hear Jesus say on judgment day, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” We certainly do not want Him to say, “Your entire life was a disaster, and you did very little that can qualify as faithful service, but you did trust in me, so enter my Kingdom.”  We don’t want to enter heaven by the skin of our teeth. No, we want to be declared faithful by our Lord.

Thus, we have these two legitimate desires; the desire to be popular and the desire to be faithful. The problem is that it is often impossible to satisfy both desires. They clash with each other all too frequently, forcing us to choose one or the other. Many teens struggle with this issue. “Shall I take drugs with the other kids to maintain popularity, or shall I be faithful to Jesus and risk losing my popularity?” Adults face the same conflict.  “Shall I apply Christian ethics in my secular job when everyone else is living by different rules, or shall I go along with the crowd, relaxing my standards and improving my popularity?”  Pastors are not immune from this problem.  What will I do as a pastor when I know that certain truths must be preached, but I also know that certain important members of the church who are also big givers will be upset and offended if those truths are proclaimed? Shall I preach only those things that I know the congregation likes to hear and improve my popularity at the expense of my faithfulness? One TV preacher refuses to talk about sin and judgment because these are not popular topics.  He is very popular.

The false prophets of the Old Testament were often very popular with the people because they preached what the people wanted to hear. The true prophets said, “woe unto you” because of the people’s sins, while the false prophets said, “You are doing fine. God is pleased with you.” The true prophets would declare that the judgment of an angry God was coming upon the people, while the false prophets said, “God will bless you wonderful people with peace and prosperity.” The true prophets thundered against the people and said that God hates your worship services, your solemn feasts, and assemblies because you only worship God with your lips, but your heart’s not in it (see Isaiah 1:13,14), while the false prophets declared that God was well pleased with their worship, and everything was just fine. We are probably not surprised to learn that the people preferred the false prophets to the authentic, God-inspired prophets. Is it any different in the church? It takes a mature believer to respond appropriately to divine judgment, and Israel seemed short on maturity. They preferred good lies to the hard truth. Thus, Jeremiah, a true prophet, lamented, “The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end” (Jer. 5:31)?

What messages do you want to hear from God in our church in the New Year? Do you want to hear that some of you are robbing God with your tithes and offerings? Malachi preached that to Israel, and many did not want to listen to it (Malachi 3:8-11).  Many pastors get into hot water with their congregation because they preach tithing. Some of you may need to hear that message, but do you want to listen to it?  If I come down on you too hard in that area, perhaps some of you will be offended, and I may lose some of my popularity.  Should I choose favor or faithfulness?

Shall I preach that some of us are far too wrapped up in our secular society and that we give too little time, effort, and energy to the work of Christ’s Church? It is painfully true for some church members, but is that what they want to hear? If I harp too much on that theme, some may go to another church where they are forever positive and where the people are told how wonderful and dedicated they are. What will it be for us in the New Year, popularity or faithfulness?

Shall I talk about how some Christians accept positions of leadership and responsibility in the church but then choose to be very slack and indifferent about fulfilling those responsibilities? Can I preach on such a topic even if it is true? Will I not step on sensitive toes and risk losing popularity?

We are ambassadors for Christ, and that means we represent Him in our daily lives. I recall observing the Iraqi ambassador on TV a few years ago.  I noticed he never gave a personal opinion on matters. He spoke for the government of Iraq, period. He had no personal opinions; if he did, he kept them to himself. You are also an ambassador according to the word of God, not for some power-hungry tinhorn dictator, but for the Lord of heaven. You are obligated to speak for Him, promote His government, and surrender your opinions to His holy and righteous will. Is that your goal for the New Year?  If you work hard at pleasing Christ, many will not approve of you. You may lose some popularity.

Some Christians are better ambassadors for our humanistic society than they are for Jesus. Some Church members would never think of dropping their secular interests because they needed the time to serve the Lord.  Shall I tell you, “Oh, that’s okay.  God doesn’t mind playing second fiddle to your secular interests.  Just come to church now and then, and give Him a few bucks, and all will be well with your soul.” Shall I lie to you to gain popularity, or shall I faithfully seek to proclaim God’s message and risk losing your support?  Every pastor faces this dilemma.

Do you see the problem I face and that you face? The problem is that if we are determined to live faithfully before God, taking our role as ambassadors for Christ with the utmost seriousness, proclaiming God’s love for sinners and the wrath of God against the disobedient, we will have to sacrifice much in the way of popularity. And so Jesus spoke, woe unto you when all men speak well of you. The humanistic society that surrounds us, in which we live, move, and have our being, does not approve of Christ and His ways.  Some individuals and businesses will not even say “Merry Christmas.” If you are determined to live for Jesus, you will be subjected to rejection and ridicule by many. You can kiss your popularity goodbye, at least with some people, if you work hard to be a faithful Christian.  What about me? What about you? Are we willing to risk losing the approval of others to be faithful to Jesus? Or would you rather cling to popularity and let go of faithfulness?

I wish I could tell you that you can have your cake and eat it too. I wish I could say that faithfulness to Jesus increases your popularity.  I wish I could tell you that you can have it all, serve Jesus faithfully, be loved and admired by everyone, and have all kinds of wealth and prosperity thrown in as a bonus. It’s tempting to be a false prophet, to tell people what they want to hear. What is your choice in 2023? What kind of “prophet” will you be? Do you choose faithfulness or popularity when those two words conflict and you can’t have it both ways? If popularity is your choice, I ask you the question asked by Jeremiah. “What will you do in the end?” How will you explain that choice when you stand before the throne of divine judgment, your beloved secular world is gone, your unbelieving friends are gone, and it’s just you — and God. “What will you do in the end?”

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CHRISTMAS BASICS

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Galatians 4:4-7

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, bornof a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” ⁷ Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

We can get so caught up in the secular side of Christmas that the real meaning, while not forgotten, is pushed into second place. While we don’t know the exact date of Jesus’ birth, we do know He was born. This morning I want to look at the Christmas basics outlined in our text. What is Christmas all about?

Paul begins by stating that the heart of Christmas is that “God sent forth His Son.” We see, in the first place, the divine origin of the Savior. Before the familiar manger story, Jesus existed with God the Father. Jesus was sent to us from heaven. We read in John 1:1 that Jesus existed in the beginning and that He was “with God and is God.” In eternity past, Jesus existed with the Father. He lived in loving fellowship with His Father. He lived in the beauty and glory of heaven, where nothing evil existed. From heaven, “God sent forth His Son.”

The Son of God did not object to being sent to our fallen planet, where sin reigned supreme. Listen to Philippians 2:5-8: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

How can we illustrate this profound change that our Savior made? Any analogy falls short. This is the best I can do. Suppose you are raised in the home of a billionaire and live in a mansion. You have everything money can buy. You are surrounded by luxury. Do you want a Cadillac? Pocket change. You can have anything your heart desires and never run out of money. Suppose your father says he wants to send you to the poorest village in Africa to help those people. He gives you a choice. Would you go? Jesus had that choice. He said “Yes” without hesitation. He abandoned His status as the Son of the Most High, humbled Himself, made himself of no reputation, and became one of us.

Then Paul tells us that He was born of a woman, just like all of us. The Son of God took on our humanity. He identified with us. He was a man, the Son of Mary. He knew hunger and thirst, He ate and drank, He laughed and wept, He felt pain and bled, He faced temptations and prayed, and finally died as a man.

Why did Jesus undergo this miraculous change, emptying Himself of His divine prerogatives? For one reason, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. He lowered Himself to raise us up. We possessed God’s perfect Law established to bless the obedient. However, we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We have trampled God’s holy Law under our sinful feet. What is God to do? He had declared, “The soul that sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20). We know the rules, but we don’t keep the rules.  We stand under the penalty of death, spiritual death, and eternal separation from God in hell.

Thank God for Ephesians 2:1:  And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.  Thank God for Galatians 3:15: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is   written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”). Thank God for the blessed words of John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And thank God for that great prophetic Scripture from Isaiah 53:4-6: Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was born in a stable in Bethlehem for one reason. To save us from the doom we brought upon ourselves. He came as our Savior. The angel said to Joseph, you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21). His very name, “Jesus,” means “Jehovah saves.”That is the heart of Christmas. “Free from the law, oh happy condition. Jesus hath bled, and there is remission. Bruised by the fall and cursed by the law, but grace hath redeemed us once and for all.” (Author unknown).

But there is more. What happens to us when we place our faith in Jesus? We are adopted into the family of God (Galatians 4:5). Jesus moves us from slavery to sonship. Sin removed us from the family of God. By faith, we are adopted into His family. Are you trusting in Jesus today? If so, you are a child of God. Those who lack faith in the Son of God belong to their father, the Devil. Jesus speaks to unbelievers in John 8:44: You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. 

Christmas means we are removed from under the foot of Satan and adopted into the family of God. I cannot think of a more incredible Christmas gift than that. But there is more. In our text, we read, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!  As if forgiveness of our sins is not enough, God piles on yet another blessing. By the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus lives in our hearts. His presence assures us that God is our “abba,” our Father. God the Son lives in our innermost being. We have relationships with other people, but they exist outside of us. Jesus is closer to us than anyone else can be because He lives within our hearts.

Yes, enjoy the Christmas trees, the Christmas concerts, the gifts, and the family dinners. They are part of our Christmas celebration. But make sure they take second place to the Christmas basics, which are – – –

1.   God sent His Son. The Son willingly left the glories of heaven to live among us.

2.   He took on our humanity. The Son of God became the Son of man.

3.   He came to redeem us, and all who trust in Him are redeemed and adopted into the family of God.

4.   He dwells in our hearts. His presence assures us that God is our Father.

Those four blessings top any pleasures we receive from Christmas trees, gifts, and family dinners. May you all have a very merry Christmas. Next Sunday is Christmas day. The day set aside to observe His birth in Bethlehem. We will come together next Sunday to celebrate the Christmas basics once again.

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I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Warsaw Christian Church Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 10:1-23

Jesus calls us sheep. What are sheep like? They are passive and quite dumb. Sheep are not hunters. They do not take much initiative. The shepherd is the one who takes care of them. They seem unable to find the green pastures without a shepherd to lead them. Many animals are taken as mascot names for schools. We have our Warsaw Wildcats. Wildcats are fearsome animals. The University of Missouri uses tigers as its mascot. Do you know of any school that uses sheep as a mascot? How would it sound if our Wildcats changed their mascot to sheep? Go, sheep, go! Warsaw fighting sheep! Go Warsaw BAH, BAH, BAH. It just doesn’t work. When Jesus refers to His disciples as sheep, I don’t think He is complimenting us! He is just stating a fact. We are dumb sheep who will most certainly lose our way unless the Good Shepherd leads us.

Our text contains profound statements regarding Jesus, our Savior and Lord. In my opinion, John’s Gospel is the most spiritually profound of the four Gospels. Again and again, John drives home the truth that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, which is also our text’s thrust today. We have seen that Jesus is the only door that leads to salvation. Others claim to be able to lead us to the Father, and some claim to have found God apart from Jesus. Of this latter group, Jesus declares them to be thieves and robbers. He firmly states that He is the only door that leads to eternal life. We are compelled to conclude that Jesus is either the most arrogant man who ever lived or He is the Son of God to whom we must listen.

But how do we know if we have indeed entered the right door? Jesus clarifies. His sheep are those who listen to Him and who follow Him. The Holy Spirit works this desire to hear and obey in us. His sheep will not listen to other voices. So, when Buddha says we must follow the four noble truths and the eightfold path, the sheep of Jesus do not listen to him. When Mohammed declared that he had found a new and better way to God, the sheep of Jesus did not listen. When the Hindus say there are many gods, the sheep of Jesus do not listen. Jesus speaks to us in Scripture and through the Holy Spirit. His sheep recognize His voice, and they will not listen to any voice that contradicts the words of Jesus. Jesus refers to all others who claim to know God apart from Him as thieves and robbers. They would rob you of eternal life.

We have heard these claims of Jesus often, and sometimes we do not stop to think about how amazing they are. Those who first heard these words thought Jesus was demon-possessed or raving mad. Others, having seen the opening of the eyes of a blind man, wonder how a madman could accomplish such a fantastic miracle. Jesus does not allow us to refer to Him as a great man, a remarkable prophet. He does not claim to be a mere man or a human prophet. He claims to be the Son of God, and everyone who hears His voice must make a choice. We cannot say that Jesus is one of many doors leading to God, a claim many today make. He clearly and emphatically declares that He alone is the door that leads to eternal life. Make sure you have entered that door. And when you hear voices that conflict with Jesus, make sure you close your ears.

Jesus drives this truth even deeper by declaring that there will ultimately be but one flock (church) and one shepherd. I think He speaks here of the invisible church made up of all who have been born anew through faith in Jesus. In all denominational manifestations, the visible church is never perfect. The one true church on earth sought by many does not exist. There is no perfect church, only a perfect Savior. Therefore, do not count on this church or any church to serve as a guarantee of eternal life. Only Jesus can make such a guarantee. Make sure you have true faith in Him.

Jesus then explains what He intends to do for His sheep. He came to bring us abundant life. This statement has implications both for the present and for the future. Ultimately, the abundant life He promised we receive after death. But He also makes this present life more abundant. He watches over His sheep with care. He protects us, and He blesses us. Our earthly life is never perfect due to the presence of sin, but it is far more abundant with Christ than without Him. As the hymn writer expressed it, what we receive in this life is but a foretaste of the glory divine we shall receive in eternity. 

In eternity His sheep will know abundant life in a way that is impossible in this life. It will be a life without pain, tears, or death. It will be a life overflowing with God’s blessings and love. It will be abundant beyond anything we can imagine at present. Adam and Eve tasted this abundant life in the Garden of Eden. Before sin entered the picture, they possessed eternal life in a beautiful paradise. I believe the last paradise will be even more impressive. We shall know abundant life without end.

In our text, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. This is the heart of the Gospel message. No other religious leader has ever made such a claim. Moses gave the 10 Commandments, but he had no authority to die for the redemption of his people. Mohammed gave the Koran, but he had no power to die for the salvation of his people. Buddha gave us principles to live by, but he had no authority to die for the redemption of his people. Only Jesus, the Son of the Living God, had the power and authority to die for the salvation of His people. Like a shepherd who may lose his life in protecting his sheep from wild animals, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for us, His sheep, redeeming us from the power of Satan.

Jesus makes it clear that no one has the power to take His life. Had He wanted to escape the cross, He could have done so. Jesus could have called on legions of angels to deliver Him (Matthew 26:53). He willingly went to the cross for our sakes. He gladly took upon Himself the judgment we deserve. All who believe in the power of His death to save are forgiven of their sins and granted a place in heaven. He adds that not only does He have the power to surrender His life. He also has the power to resurrect Himself. When He rose from the grave, the case against us was closed. Our sins are forgiven, and the gift of eternal life is ours. As Jesus Himself stated, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24 KJV).” Those who hear and believe the words of Jesus will never face condemnation but pass from death to life.

As Jesus spoke in this manner, there was a division among Jews. Some charged Him with insanity, others with demon possession. They could not comprehend how any human being could make such claims. What sane man would claim to have the power to restore life to Himself? What normal person would claim to have the authority to die for His people and thereby redeem them? Who can believe such nonsense? Others listened to His words but also looked at His deeds. They wondered, could a demon-possessed man open the eyes of the blind? They had never seen or heard of a man born blind having his sight restored. I once worked with a man born blind. Bryan had two glass eyes and had no concept of what it was to see. We once asked him if he saw when he dreamed. No, his dreams were all in sound, not sight, because his brain was not wired to see.

Some had sense enough to weigh the evidence. Jesus said some remarkable things but also performed a noteworthy miracle that those present had witnessed. They concluded that no insane or demon-possessed man could open blind eyes, and many believed in Him.

This is the same issue we all face. I can recall speaking with people who ridiculed the idea of a divine Savior. Popular books are written today that dismiss the biblical accounts of Jesus as a myth. Those who hear and believe are born again and begin to experience that abundant life that leads to eternity. I hope none of you have any reservations about Jesus. I pray none of you will harbor doubts about the meaning of His death and resurrection. I encourage all to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. There is no other way.

This section of Scripture is reminiscent of John 14:6, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” There is only one way to receive eternal life, one source of knowledge about God: Jesus. The world still seeks its humanistic, political Saviors- its Hitlers, Stalins, Maos, Pol Pots, Republicans, or Democrats. Only too late do they learn they are thieves and robbers with no ability to create a utopia. Jesus is correct; it is not the Christian doctrine of heaven that is mythical but the humanistic dream of creating a just world. If you trust politicians to save the world, you will be disappointed. If you trust Jesus, you will enter life abundant and, finally, life eternal. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who alone will take care of His sheep, now and forever. Trust Him, follow Him, obey Him. He always leads His sheep to green pastures and still waters.

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I AM THE DOOR

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 10:9: I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Jesus declares Himself to be the door. This is the third of Jesus’ “I am” statements in the Gospel of John. Remember that “I Am” is God’s special name revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Jesus uses the door metaphor in reference to sheep. “I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7). What does He mean?

Of course, He is not a literal door with hinges and a door knob. He speaks of Himself as the door knowing that we will understand that He is using a metaphor. He is a spiritual door.

We know that a door is a way in. You came through the church door this morning to enter the church. Notice first that Jesus does not say, “I am a door.” This would imply that there are other doors. He uses a definite article. I am THE door. He is speaking of Himself as the only door leading to eternal life. There are not many doors leading to salvation, as some say today. Many do not agree with Jesus. They claim there are many paths, many doors, leading to God. Jesus refers to other “doors” (vs. 8) as thieves and robbers. Anyone who claims he can lead you to God through another door is lying to you. Only the door marked “Jesus” will lead you to salvation. We all deserve to live eternally separated from God. Jesus went to the cross to suffer in our place. No one else could accomplish this feat. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He alone is the door leading us into the presence of God.

A door is of no use unless it is entered. Our church door is open to all, but many do not use it. It is precisely the same with Jesus. Who can access the door leading to God and eternal life? The text says “anyone.” You don’t have to be anyone special. Race makes no difference. You don’t have to be predestined to eternal life. If you are in the category of “anyone” the door to salvation is there for you. Jesus will save anyone who enters the right door. Paul writes, This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4).

A door also suggests safety. We have all seen films where someone is being chased by a madman, and they arrive at a home and bang on the door. The door opens, they enter, the door is locked and they are safe. We have an arch-enemy who is out to destroy us. We read that the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). When we enter the door marked Jesus we enter into safety and protection.

The devil has many helpers. We live in a world where so many are energized by Satan. They become enemies of those who belong to Jesus. We are no match for our arch-enemy. His wisdom and seductive charms will overpower us every time. However, the devil is no match for Jesus. Stay close to Jesus, and you will live in safety. Remember 1 John 4:4: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. The devil and his minions are operating in our world. We overcome their allurements through Jesus. He is far greater than any enemy you may encounter.

Our life is in the hands and care of our gracious God and Savior. Thus, there is safety and security in being a Christian, in being part of the household of faith, and living within the sheepfold of Jesus. The Lord promises that they that enter through the door “shall be saved.” Saved from what? Here are a few samples. We are saved from the penalty and power of sin, from self-centered life and the power of Satan; from fear, from ignorance, from helplessness, from weakness, and yes, from the wrath of God and an eternal hell.  Every day we are confronted by ‘enemies’ stronger than we are who seek to attack us, and without Christ, we will be conquered. But the Door (Jesus) keeps us safe. In order to get at us, Satan and the other enemies of the church have to overcome Jesus. And, they can’t possibly be successful. So don’t fear! Don’t be afraid! Take courage! Take heart! For Jesus is the gate to the sheep-fold. And against Him, Satan and sin can never prevail.

A door also suggests separation. There are those who enter the door and those who do not. A while back, Marie and I had a weird stranger at our door, but we did not open the door for him. He turned out to be harmless but none of us want to open the door of our homes to a weird-acting stranger who knocks on your door in the middle of the night. We remember the story of Noah’s ark. Once the door was shut no one else could enter. Right now, the door of salvation is open to all, but the day will come when Jesus returns, and the door will be closed. Those who have entered the door will be safe forever. Those on the outside will be lost forever. Now is the time to enter the door!

But how do we enter the Door? The process is simple. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Listen to these verses from God’s word:
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 5:9). Those who believe that the shed blood of Jesus has secured our salvation will enter into safety.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 19:9) Faith in our resurrected Savior brings salvation. The door of salvation is open to all who believe.

I have a vivid memory that occurred when I was 10 or 11 years old. Our family was returning home from some event, and it was raining. I wanted to get out of the rain so I rushed up the porch steps and tried to enter the front door of our home. It was dark, and the door was dark, and I thought it was open, so I ran smack dab into the door. I emerged with a bloody nose and the laughter of my brother. I have no idea why I expected the front door to be standing open!

We often make the doors to our home inviting by putting out a “welcome” mat. Those who come to Jesus will never find a closed door. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away (John 6:37). Jesus never slams the door in the face of those who come to Him with faith. God loves you and wants to save you. He has chosen to do so through the work of His Son, Jesus. All who trust in Jesus have entered the door. As long as faith is alive in our souls, we have entered the door leading us to God’s eternal kingdom.

Finally, we learn that those who enter the door will find pasture (John 10:9). David spoke of this in Psalm 23 when he said, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Sheep need green pastures and still waters. So, just as a sheep finds all its needs met when it is securely in the care of the shepherd, sinners will find all the nourishment they need when they enter life eternal through Jesus.  There is nothing cramped and limiting about the life Christ gives. Jesus came that men might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) This phrase means to have a surplus, a super-abundance. When we come to Christ, we begin to live in the joy of the Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit. There is grace to help in every time of need and the joy that comes from constant fellowship with the Lord, which far outweighs life’s trials.

Yes, Christians endure trials and tribulations. Nevertheless, living as a disciple of Jesus brings great abundance now, and eternal abundance in heaven. Those who enter the only door leading to eternal life will finally find joy and abundance, which we cannot imagine now. John gave us a glimpse of what is to come in Revelation 21:1-4. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. ⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Can you imagine a life free from tears, pain, death, and sorrow – – – things that plague us in this life? This abundant life that will come to fruition in eternity is available to you. The door is open. Trust in Jesus and you enter that door into a new life.  Your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And you will know that Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for you.

I realize some say we don’t need Jesus to have access to God. Many people believe in God but do not have faith in Jesus. Do you remember the words of John 3:18? Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. Yes, God loves the world, and yes, God desires to redeem everyone, but He desires to do it through His Son. Many do not like limiting access to God to Jesus only. Jesus is clear. There are two classes of people in the world. Those who believe in Him are not condemned. Those who do not believe in Him stand condemned. Some say, but that is narrow-minded! It doesn’t seem fair! If you are in that category, I suggest you bring the issue to God’s attention when you stand before His judgment throne. I am sure He will be interested in your opinion! No, the Bible is crystal clear. There is but one door. His name is Jesus. He offers protection for the lost, a place of refuge for those who need a Savior. All who believe in Him have entered the door. 

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I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

As we continue our examination of the 7 “I AM” texts in John’s Gospel today, we consider Jesus’ words, “I am the light of the world.” As was the case with Jesus’ declaration that He is the bread of life, we are confronted with another metaphor. Jesus is not literally “light.” He did not shine like a spotlight when He was in the world. He will not glow in the dark, so you can find your way in a dark room. Clearly, He speaks of spiritual light. What did Jesus mean when He spoke of Himself as the light of the world?

Let’s consider for a few minutes what natural light does. The sun gives us warmth and light, and it causes things to grow. We understand that if there were no sunlight, there would be no life. By the miracle of creation, the sun is exactly where it must be to provide life. Somewhere I read that if the sun were 1% further away from earth, it would be so cold there could be no life. If it were 1% closer, it would burn up everything making life impossible. It is the same with the Son of God. There is no hope of life apart from His light. He has done what needed to be done to redeem us.

When Jesus declared Himself to be the light of the world, He made an astonishing claim. For one thing, we learn in Scripture that God is light. John writes, This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). God is pure light. Spiritually, light means goodness. Darkness is evil. Darkness in the Bible is associated with wickedness. God is nothing but light with no darkness in Him. We can always count on the goodness of God. He will never act in a manner that reflects evil, deceit, or any other wicked way.

When Jesus declares Himself to be the world’s light, He declares He is God. He entered our world to shed abroad the light of God. As with God the Father, there is no darkness in the Son. He came to do us good. He is the only person who lived His life without sin. Okay, so how does this relate to us?

First, because of our first parents, sin has entered the world.  All of us are infected with the spiritual virus of sin. It is far worse than Covid or any other virus. Our natural condition is darkness. When we open our hearts to Jesus, the first thing He does is shine a light upon our sins. We see clearly how we have offended God. That leads to repentance.

I like the illustration that J. Vernon McGhee shared in his commentary. He describes a hunting trip. A rainstorm ruined the trip. There was a cave nearby, so Dr. McGhee entered the cave to escape the rain. He sat there for about 30 minutes. He was getting cold from the rain, and so he lit a fire. When he did, the light of the fire revealed to him that he was not alone in the cave. He describes the presence of spiders and other vermin in great numbers. He saw a snake that seemed to be staring at him. He exited the cave in a hurry! The light revealed things he had not noticed before. That’s what happens to us when the light of Christ shines into our souls, revealing the presence of sin in a manner we had not noticed before. We see our sins as dark and ugly. We want to be free of them. This leads to repentance and new birth. We no longer wish to offend the God who loves us.

Those who reject Jesus remain in darkness. Until we open our hearts to Him, we are without hope. Our sins will drag us down into hell. “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” (John 1:9-10). How sad that so many, then and now, do not recognize Jesus as the world’s light. He desires to save us, but we must open our minds and hearts to Him.

The first step toward salvation is the recognition that we are sinners. Until we admit our lost condition, we remain lost. When we hear the story of Jesus, how He came into the world to save sinners, and we acknowledge that we are sinners and we trust in Jesus to redeem us, our salvation begins.

We must understand how it is that Jesus saves us. When His light shines into our souls, it illuminates the cross. God does not save us because He is love, and He will not condemn anyone. He revealed His saving love to us in a particular manner. His Son went to the cross on our behalf. Jesus bore our judgment on the cross. He absorbed the penalty we deserve. He died for us. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:18).

Before becoming a Christian, I assumed I was okay with God because I was a fairly decent person. God is love, and I was not a big-time sinner, so I thought I would go there if there was a heaven. All us decent folks will go there, right? So, the idea that I needed a dying Savior was offensive to me. Then, in the 1960s, the light of the Gospel entered my soul. I can remember it as if it were yesterday. The very first thing I realized was that Christ died for me. I now embraced the very thing I had rejected the day before with joy and understanding. I once thought that Bible-believing Christians were stupid and uneducated. Then I became one! The cross became precious to me it has remained so through the years.

Your coming to faith was probably different than mine, but all true conversions have one thing in common. We are sorry for the cross because it hurts us to realize our sins placed Jesus on the cross. We also love the cross because we know it has brought our salvation. Our forgiveness hinges upon our faith in Jesus, but our faith is never fuzzy and unclear. It is firmly rooted in the cross. Our salvation depends upon Christ, our crucified Savior.

Once we come to salvation, then what? This leads to our second text. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Jesus is the light of the world and the redeemed now have a choice to make. Shall I walk (live my life) in the light, or now that I am saved, perhaps I can do as I please.

Notice the conditional word in the verse – – – IF. If we walk in the light (implying we can do otherwise)- – – living my life devoted to doing good, seeking to follow the teachings of the Bible, and fighting to avoid the darkness of sin, two things follow. First, we have fellowship with Jesus (and by extension with one another). Are you living daily in fellowship with Jesus? Jesus is no longer physically present. How do we walk with Him in the light? Look at Psalm 119:105: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. If you have a Bible, you have the means to walk in the light. As you practice the teachings of Scripture, you are walking in the light and in fellowship with Jesus. You do not see Him, but He is with you. The moment you step outside the light and allow sin to enter, you lose fellowship with Jesus. You do not lose your salvation, but you walk alone. Jesus cannot and will not be in harmony with anyone walking outside the light. But does not this create a hopeless situation? We all fall into sinful thoughts and acts at times. We never attain sinless perfection in this life.

We must remember that walking in the light is not a one-time event. Just because you made a confession of faith and were baptized, that is no guarantee that you are walking in the light today. Those are the beginning steps. They introduce us to Jesus, the light of the world. These first steps must be followed up with a daily decision to walk in the light.

Light, of course, provides navigation. Before modern technology, ships were guided by the light of the stars. You would be in trouble on a cloudy night when no stars were visible. A few years ago, Joan and my daughter Michelle and I (along with our dog, Connie) were walking in the woods in unfamiliar territory. The sky was cloudy, so we couldn’t see the sun to determine our direction. We were not sure how to get home. It was kind of scary, but we finally just kept walking in one direction and came upon highway BB. After that experience Connie never wanted to go into the woods! We need light to guide our way.

Jesus, the light of the world, provides us with navigation. As long as we are in His light, He guides us, so we do not lose our way. I spent many years without His light, and I ended up very confused. We need His light to guide us.

This leads to the second point in our text. When we are aware that we have broken fellowship with Jesus by our bad behavior, we turn again to the cross. We confess our sins to Him, and His blood purifies us. Jesus gave us the Lord’s Supper to help us. I never live a week without saying or doing something I shouldn’t. I want to remain in the light in fellowship with Jesus, but I realize that all too easily, I slip. I try to confess my guilt regularly, and I want the weekly reminder of how it is that my sins are cleansed and forgiven. The blood of Jesus continues to be effective today.

We need to remember that Jesus is the ONLY light of the world. If we get caught up in other “lights” – – – politics, philosophy, other religions, people’s opinions, famous people, etc. we may find ourselves wandering again in darkness. Don’t look for any different light. If you have Jesus, you have all the light you need for now and eternity. If you follow other lights, you will end up in darkness.

Finally, when we are walking in the light, we are also the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are commissioned to bear the light of Christ to others in the world. Jesus’ presence in the world now depends on the faithfulness of His disciples. We are the body of Christ. As we walk in the light, we not only have fellowship with Jesus and are continually cleansed of our sins but we also become light-bearers. Those without faith are to look at us and be drawn to the Savior. Our kindness, gentleness, and goodness should be evident to others. The light of Jesus is to shine out of our lives, drawing others to Him. Jesus said, In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Jesus is the light of the world. We are to reflect His light. What do others see when they look at you? Do they see in you the light of Jesus?  

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I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 6:25-70

This morning I am beginning a series of 7 sermons based on the “I am” statements of Jesus. We will be looking at seven statements from the Gospel of John. These statements reveal much about our Savior. Who am I? I am the child of Loyle and Mary Bowman born on a specific date. The day will come when I leave this life. When Jesus used the “I am” statements about Himself, He was declaring something unique about His identity. 

In Exodus 3:14 at the burning bush episode, Moses asks God to define Himself. Whom shall he tell the Israelites sent him? They will want to know God’s name. God says, tell them “I AM” has sent you. Why did God identify Himself using the first-person present tense? He was declaring His eternity. God has no “I was” or “I will be,” just “I am.” God is timeless. In Malachi 3:6, God declares He is the Lord and does not change. He is forever the same. His character never changes. God is without beginning and end. He is a Being too complex for us to wrap our minds around. We all have a past (I was), a present (I am), and a future (I will be). God is simply “I am,” existing eternally. 

When Jesus used “I am” statements to identify Himself He was declaring His deity. He is God incarnate, God in human flesh. Like the Father, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). At Christmas, we sing the familiar carol, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.” We sing in verse 2, “Veiled in flesh the godhead see, hail the incarnate Deity.” Charles Wesley declared the biblical truth that Jesus is God in human flesh. 

In John 18:4-5 Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. As the soldiers approached Him, He asked whom they were seeking. They reply, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Most Bible translations have Jesus replying, “I am He.“ The word “He” is in parenthesis because it does not appear in the Greek text. Jesus simply said, “I AM” and when he spoke those words, the soldiers fell to the ground. They could not stand in the presence of God the Son, the great I AM. 

Jesus did use “I Am” language in our text concerning Himself. It is one of many phrases used by our Lord which indicate who He is, the Son of God. Today we look at the phrase, “I am the bread of life. “Who would dare make such a claim and expect to be taken seriously but the Son of God? (A diversion for a simple bread joke. Why did the baker become a thief? Because he kneaded the dough. Okay, on to more serious matters.) In John 6:37-40 we learn that faith in Jesus leads to eternal life. Those who come to Him will never be cast out. In Greek there is a double negative. “Not never.” Poor English grammar. We might say no way, never. No one who come to Jesus in faith will ever be rejected.

Jesus made this claim in the context of a familiar miracle, the feeding of the 5000 (John 6:1). Jesus took a few loaves of bread and some fish and fed 5000 persons. When He wrought that miracle He expressed a concern that some might want to follow Him for the wrong reason. “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (John 6:26). Jesus feared that some might come to Him simply because He met physical needs. They might see Him only as a free meal ticket — one who will solve our earthly problems, whether it be hunger, illness, crime, etc. Jesus wanted people to believe in Him and follow Him, but for the right reason. 

The crowds place a challenge before Him. Why should we believe in you, they ask? We want you to work a miracle – – – something spectacular so we will have a reason to believe what you say. Feeding the 5000 was not a big enough miracle, for they say to Jesus, Do something like what Moses did. He fed the whole nation daily with manna from heaven. Your little miracle of feeding 5000 people is not in the same league.  

It is in this context that Jesus makes His astonishing claim. He says to the people that the manna from heaven was not the true bread from heaven. He explained that there is another heavenly bread, even the One who comes down from heaven. Those who partake of this heavenly bread are promised everlasting life. The people respond, “Give us this bread always” (Jn. 6:34). It is at that point that Jesus responds, “I am the bread of life.” He promises that those who come to Him will never hunger or thirst again and that those who believe in Him will receive eternal life. 

Then we read these sad words: “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (Jn. 6:66). They were especially perplexed when Jesus spoke to them about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. This made no sense to them, and they did not wait around for an explanation. They abandoned the One who said, “I am the bread of life.” They turned away from the only Man who can grant to others the gift of eternal life. 

Eating flesh? Drinking blood? (John 6:53-59). It sounded like cannibalism. It was incredibly offensive to Jews whose law forbade blood drinking (Gen. 9:6; Lev. 7:26 etc.). They gave up on Jesus in response to His crass reference to eating His flesh and drinking His blood. At that point, Jesus turned to the 12 apostles and asked them if they also planned to abandon Him. Simon responds, No, Lord, we cannot abandon you. We believe you to be the Messiah, the one who speaks the truth concerning eternal life. 

Did they understand what Jesus was talking about? Perhaps not, but they stayed with Him, and later learned the meaning of His words, “I am the bread of life.”  We might react initially like those disciples who walked away from Jesus. We may find ourselves confused over his reference to eating His flesh and drinking His blood, even though He explained that His words were not to be understood in a coarse, literal fashion. He explained that His words were meant to be understood spiritually (6:63). He was using a metaphor to explain a spiritual truth. Do you know what it is to be spiritually hungry? 

If you came to Christ as an adult as I did, you probably know. If you grew up with faith in Jesus Christ you may not understand spiritual hunger. Spiritual hunger is that empty feeling I once had, looking for ultimate truth in all the wrong places. Spiritual hunger can only be satisfied by partaking of “the bread of life.” 

When we come to true faith in the Son of God, one way we know that has happened is because Jesus satisfies our spiritual hunger. Most of us, when we were young, sat around and discussed the meaning of life. “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Is there a God? When you come to Jesus with true faith, all such questions are answered. The hunger to know the answers to life’s deepest questions is forever satisfied. When we partake of the bread of life, deep peace and contentment settle over the soul. Just as eating physical bread satisfies physical hunger, so partaking in the bread of Life satisfies our deepest spiritual longings.  

And how do we partake of the bread of Life? The words are easy enough to say. We repent of our sins; we believe in the Lord Jesus; we confirm our faith in the waters of baptism, and live as His disciple (Acts 2:38). I certainly went through all those motions in my early life, yet I had not partaken of the bread of life. Like many, I wanted to be in control of my life, even my religious life. I went through the motions, but I never really surrendered my heart to Jesus.

What about you? I know you are church members, persons who have confessed faith. My question is this: Do you feel a deep sense of inward satisfaction and certainty about life and eternity because Jesus is a living presence in your soul? Has your deepest spiritual hunger been satisfied? Or are you still asking questions like who am I? Where did I come from? Is there a God? Once you receive the bread of life, you stop asking such questions.  

There is yet another way you can tell if you have partaken of the bread of life. It is reflected in your attitude toward the Lord’s Supper. Later on, long after this episode in John 6, Jesus said to those disciples who remained with Him, “Take and eat. This bread is my body which is broken for you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for many for the remission of sins.” 

Those who have partaken of the bread of life understand the importance of the table of the Lord. They understand that Jesus’ death was vicarious, that He shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Paul said that to partake worthily, we must discern the Lord’s body. What do you see when you hold the bread and drink from the cup? I hope you see more than a piece of cracker and a small cup of grape juice. I hope your mind goes back to Calvary and that you see Jesus hanging upon a cross, His body broken, and His blood shed because of our sins. He willingly went to that cross to take the judgment we deserve. 

I hope when you partake of the Lord’s Supper, you see the body of Jesus hanging on that cross and that you hear Him whisper, “For you, for you, for you.” I believe He wants our minds to focus on an event that occurred 2000 years ago, at a hill called Golgotha. He wants us to remember how we receive pardon and eternal life. He wants us to dare to believe that the crucified One is the Messiah, the Son of God. He wants us to remember who we are and who He is as we partake of the bread and the cup. He wants us to believe in the depths of our souls that we have entered the Kingdom of God through His broken body and shed blood; that He is the bread of life. 

Do you ever tire of the Lord’s Table? Is it an empty ritual for you? If that is the case it is a sign of a serious spiritual problem within your soul. Those who have partaken of the bread of life, whose souls have been transformed and indwelled by the living Lord Jesus, will never find communion to be an empty ritual. It is another way in which we partake of the bread of life — a way to draw near to Jesus, and drawing near to Jesus is never an empty ritual. 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shed His blood at Calvary so that we might be forgiven and find a place in heaven. When we come to the Lord’s Table let us come with great faith, with humility, always discerning the Lord’s body hanging upon a cross. Look beyond the piece of bread — look beyond the cup of juice — and see Jesus Christ crucified for you. Thanks be to God; our suffering Savior has redeemed us. Our Lord is the bread of life who gives eternal life to all who believe in Him. He satisfies our spiritual hunger forever. 

There is much food for thought in John 6. We have just scratched the surface this morning. Let me summarize what we have covered this morning.

1. Jesus claimed that He alone can grant eternal life.
2. That gift is granted to us simply by believing in Him.
3. Jesus will never, never reject one who comes to Him in faith.
4. Those who trust in Him are secure forever.
5. We especially believe in His atoning death on the cross, an event we participate in weekly through the Lord’s Supper. In this one great sacrifice He secured for us forgiveness of all our sins and everlasting life.

If these five principles are alive and well in your soul, you are a forever citizen of the Kingdom of God. I pray it will be so for all of us. In Jesus name, Amen.

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LOST?

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Ephesians 2:1-2: And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Have you ever been lost? I have, more than once. Some years ago, when I was working for DHF I was trying to find a church in Missouri. It was on one of those alphabet highways, let’s say Highway C. I found highway C but there was no church to be found. I barely made it to a gas station. What I did not realize was that every county used the alphabet soup to identify rural roads. Highway C in one county was not the same as highway C in another county. Now I understand that but then I did not, and so I was lost and frustrated.

Being lost physically is unpleasant. Being lost spiritually is a disaster. What does it mean to be lost spiritually? I want to suggest three basic consequences that follow from being spiritually lost. The first is to be spiritually dead. Paul describes our condition before conversion as “being dead in trespasses and sin.” Those spiritually dead are so lost as to be entirely cut off from God. A person dead in sin can do nothing to resurrect himself from his lostness. He is in a hopeless situation. Lost, with no way out. The lost are in that position by their own fault. They have rejected God and chose to live a self-centered life marred by sin.

What would it take to bring life to one who is dead? The dead cannot raise themselves. No human power can bring life to a dead body. We know from Scripture that Jesus brought life to the dead – – – we think of Lazarus. He was dead four days but Jesus called him back to life. The only hope for the spiritually dead is for Jesus to raise them to life. More on that later.

Second, the lost are living in slavery. When you are cut off from God who directs your steps. The lost believe they are in charge on their lives. They do not realize that Satan is working behind the scenes to control much of their lives. Paul refers to Satan in our text as “the prince of the power of the air.” We don’t have much first-hand knowledge of slavery. We have never been physically enslaved. We do know that slaves have no choice over how they shall live. The slave owner controls them. I cannot imagine how awful that would be. Thank God our country came to its senses and finally abolished slavery. Many blacks in our country were born and died as slaves, subject to the whims of their masters. Some were treated well, many were abused, but all were slaves. Physically slavery is awful, but spiritual slavery is far worse.

Our text tells us that Satan is working in the lives of those who are disobedient to God. While we may not know how Satan influences the disobedient, we know that he does. His presence is so significant that the lost are living in slavery, and Satan is a hard task-master. I recall reading about a minister who was hounded by an unknown caller who constantly ridiculed his faith. After many months of enduring such ridicule, he received a call from his nemesis. The man was in the hospital and asked if the pastor would come and see him. Fearing more ridicule, the pastor went nonetheless. The man was near death. He whispered to the pastor, “serving the devil pays off all right, but the devil pays in counterfeit money,” I guess it was a half-hearted apology. He then slipped away to meet the God he had ridiculed.

Paul reminds us not to look at others and say, “He is in slavery to Satan.” He reminds his Ephesian friends that they once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind . . His point is clear. Christians, before being redeemed by Jesus, were also once in slavery to Satan. I can look at my pre-Christian life now and say “Yes, I was once a slave to Satan.” However, at the time I had no belief in the devil, let alone thinking that he had me enslaved. I was fulfilling 2 Corinthians 4:4, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe… I was being manipulated by a devil I did not believe in and did not see.

Do you realize that? If there was ever a time in your life when you lacked faith in Jesus, guess who was calling the shots? Those who lack faith in Jesus are blinded by Satan to the awful position they are in. They are slaves who think they are free.

It surely can’t get any worse. To be dead in sin, isolated from God, and in bondage to Satan is as bad as it gets. Our text tells us one more consequence of being spiritually lost. The lost are “children of wrath.” I am sure you understand that we have moved from bad to worse. There is nothing worse that can happen to any of us than to be under the wrath of God. But isn’t God a God of love? Yes, He is. He has expressed His love for the world by sending His only begotten Son to be our Savior. But what will become of those who ignore or reject the Savior? They will bear the wrath of God in hell forever.  It is not a pleasant subject but one we need to face.

The reality is that there are those who want nothing to do with God. Perhaps they have heard about the message of Jesus, but they will not accept it. Some are atheists who despise the idea of God. Some are universalists who believe everyone will be saved so there is no need for a Savior. In our former denomination in one of their reports, we read this: “no human being is ultimately rejected and nullified by God.” (Commission on Theology report, p. 15 in appendix of my booklet “A Brief History of Disciple Renewal). If no human being is ultimately rejected by God, then Paul is a false prophet when he warns us about the wrath of God. If no human being is ultimately rejected by God then hell is a myth; Jesus is a false prophet; the Bible cannot be trusted.

I understand the appeal of universalism but it is diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus and Paul. Paul warns unbelievers that they are children of wrath. He expands on the idea in Romans 2:5: But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Why does Paul speak so harshly about the wrath of God? It is because he understands that God’s wrath is real. God’s love is also real. Romans 2:4 says, Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

Yes, God loves you. Yes, God desires to save you. He desires your salvation so much that He gave His beloved Son to die on a cross, absorbing the judgment we deserve. God has acted with extreme kindness and patience with us in giving us His Son. All of God’s love is wrapped up in Jesus. Later in Romans 5:6 Paul writes, When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Yes, Jesus died for you. We read in Romans 3:22: We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. But how can I believe if I am dead in sin? But remember, those dead in sin are not dead mentally. They can still hear the good news about Jesus and place their faith in Him, no matter who they are. When we do so faith sets us free from Satan’s bondage and places us in the Kingdom of God. The wrath of God is removed from us and we abide under God’s love.

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The message of the Bible is summed up in John 3:16-1:18 – – – 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. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

There are two kinds of people in the world. The redeemed and the condemned. Which category you are in hinges on one thing. Jesus – – – you either believe in Him and are saved, or you do not and you are condemned. Do you know for sure which category you are in? God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world. He sent Him to bring salvation to the world. Having taken such an extreme step to save the world God has no choice now but to condemn those who will not believe in His Son. Whether we like it or not John 3:18 says, but whoever does not believe stands condemned…

God has made the salvation process simple. Our salvation does not depend on what we do. It does not depend on belonging to the right church. It depends on one thing; whether or not we believe in Jesus. Fortunately, true faith begins a process that we can observe in our own souls. Faith brings new birth. Jesus was clear about that when He said, “You must be born again.” Faith brings a new life. That new life centers on living our lives to please God. It centers on keeping His commandments.  Faith leads us to repentance when we fail God. Faith places us into the church established by Jesus. Faith leads us to love the two ordinances He left to us, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Faith brings a deep love for Jesus. While we love family and friends, faith places Jesus as our first love. As we see the fruits of faith grow in our souls, we know that our faith is real.

What about those who say they believe but show no evidence that the fruits of faith are present in their daily lives? Whether their faith is real or not I cannot say. God is the only one who can make true judgments. Let’s just say I am concerned about those who claim to believe but the fruits of faith are missing.

But let’s conclude on a positive note. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Believe with sincerity. Open your heart to Him. He will save all who come to Him with true faith. God wants you to be His child. He has done everything necessary to bring you into His eternal kingdom. Will you believe?

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FINAL PRACTICAL MATTERS, ROMANS

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Texts, Romans 12-16

We have come to the end of the book of Romans. In the first 8 chapters, the emphasis is primarily on the new birth. Chapters 9-11 address the situation of Israel now that the Messiah has come. Chapters 12-16 discuss practical matters. They address the question, “Okay, I believe in Jesus. What’s next?” We will be looking at a few highlights from these chapters. We have already looked at a few of the practical matters – – – God’s blueprint for the church, our relationship with the state, and presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices in Chapter 12. I close this series on Romans by hitting some highlights on how we are to live as redeemed Christians.

First, Paul admonishes us to serve Christ with our spiritual gifts. He writes, Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them(12:6). God has gifted us with gifts designed to help others and promote the Gospel. Our gifts differ. You may think that whatever gifts you have are small. Whether large or small we are all called to serve Christ. Serve Him with the gifts He has given you. Use them for the glory of God.

The next bit of practical wisdom says a lot in a few words.  Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good (12:9). We are to practice love with genuineness. We are to turn away from everything evil and hold on to what is good. While none of us fulfill this verse perfectly, it ought to be the direction of our lives. Love others, love God, reject anything evil, and do your best to be a good person.

We move next to Chapter 13. Paul writes:  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts (13:14). I spoke earlier on the struggle between our new self and old self (Chapter 7). Paul refers to our old self as “flesh.” Our old self still exits but we also have a new self, even the indwelling presence of Jesus. If you allow your old self too much latitude you will drift away from Jesus. If you allow the indwelling Christ to dominate your behavior you will be a productive Christian.

Paul spends quite a bit of time focused on the liberty we have in Christ. In Chapter 14 he cautions us not to be too harsh and judgmental over those who are weak in the faith. He speaks of eating habits and special days. We are not to be harsh with those whose dietary practices differ from ours. I should not criticize those whom I think should be on Weight Watchers! Some observe special days. Do you like Christmas? There have been Christians who do not observe Christmas. Neither position should judge the other side. These are matters where Christian freedom must dominate. There are different opinions in the church about many matters. We agree on the basic Christian doctrines but we disagree on other matters. Are you a Democrat? You are welcome here. Are you a Republican? You are welcome here. Do you have no use for any political parties? You are welcome here. We hang banners in the church. We have stained glass windows. We sing with an organ These are neither commanded nor forbidden in Scripture. They are matters in which churches have the freedom to have them or not.

Paul ends this section in 14:12-13 with these words: So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God. ¹³ Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. Will I have to answer for your behavior on judgment day? No, I will answer for my behavior. So let us not be harsh over matters where opinions vary. And of course, we want to avoid causing another brother to stumble or fall because of our bad behavior. In the place of trivial criticism, we need to practice love.

Moving to Chapter 15 Paul speaks of weak and strong Christians. The strong are admonished to bear with the weak. We all believe in Jesus. Some are more mature than others. We don’t want to look down on a weaker Christian and shower them with criticism. We want them to grow in grace, not leave the church because a more “mature” Christian was too critical. I like the way Paul ends this section. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (15:5-6). God is patient with us. Let us be patient with one another. Our goal as a church is to have one mind and heart focused on how we may glorify the Father and the Son.

In Romans 15:30ff.  Paul requests prayers that he will not be weakened in his ministry because of unbelievers. In Paul’s day, he was often hounded and persecuted by those who rejected Jesus. Paul is not going to adjust his message to accommodate unbelievers. He needs to be undergirded by the prayers of the church. While Christians in this country are not usually persecuted, they still need the prayer support of God’s people. Neither Tom nor I can be effective ministers without the prayers of God’s people. A church saturated in prayer will be an effective church. For those who pray for Tom and me regularly, we thank you.

In Romans 15:3-16 Paul mentions several persons by name who have served the Lord Jesus. Notice he has nothing but praise for the people he lists. I am sure they had faults but Paul only focuses on their service to Christ. Some are commended for risking their necks for Paul. Others are commended for their much labor in the cause of Christ. Some have been such strong servants of Jesus that the Apostles have taken note of their service. Several are addressed by Paul as “beloved.” Name after name is commended by Paul.

How do we speak of one another? Do we praise others for their service to Christ, or do we gossip about their weaknesses?  We all have our virtues and we all have faults. When we speak of one another let us focus on what is good in them.

Paul then turns his attention to a negative subject. He mentions those who stir up divisions in the church.  Such persons are to be avoided. They stir up divisions by preaching doctrines that conflict with what the Apostles taught. Paul struggled with this problem in several of his epistles. I don’t think we have this problem here. While we may disagree on some fine points of doctrine, we agree that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Savior, and Lord. We agree that He went to the cross to atone for our sins. We believe He is coming again. We believe that salvation is received by faith in Jesus, plus nothing. We believe the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God. We accept all persons who believe in Jesus and are seeking to follow the teachings of the Bible.

If someone in a position of leadership – – – for instance, if a pastor or elder were to suggest that there are many paths to God, or that homosexuality or abortion are okay with our heavenly Father, or that the Bible is full of errors and contradictions, we would try first to correct them. If they resisted correction we are to avoid them. That is Paul’s inspired direction to the church.

As we bring the Book of Romans to a close there is a final matter we need to understand. When we read all this practical wisdom about how we are to live as Christians it may cross our minds to wonder if we are really saved. Do I follow these practical instructions without fault? Is my love for God and others consistent? Do I always abhor what is evil and strive for the good? Am I always kind to weaker Christians? Am I sometimes judgmental over matters where Christian freedom should prevail? Do I always speak kindly about others? Yes, when we accept Jesus we are called to live a new life. If I fail to live that new life consistently, am I lost? Do I forfeit my salvation?

Listen carefully. Your salvation – – – eternal life – – – are gifts to you. You cannot earn a gift. You can accept it or reject it. You accept God’s gifts by trusting in Jesus. Those who trust in Jesus enter into the family of God. They agree to live life by God’s rules. They do that not to earn their salvation but out of gratitude for salvation already received. I want to make two points as we close.

First point: If you consistently reject the commandments of Jesus there is a problem. If you have an attitude that says, “I will do what I want. I will not submit to anyone, even Jesus,” there is a problem. Faith in Jesus brings the gift of the Holy Spirit who begins to lead us to a new way of living. If there is no sign of new life in a person who proclaims to be a Christian he is a hypocrite.

Here is the second point. When a Christian falls into disobedience he quickly confesses and repents. “God I am sorry. Help me to do better.” If he continues to practice disobedience and yet has true faith in Jesus,  he will be disciplined by God. This is similar to what we do as human parents. If a child is disobedient we don’t kick him out of the family. We apply discipline. If you are a true child of God with sincere faith in Jesus, but you have stumbled, God does not boot you out of the Kingdom. He applies discipline to lead you to change your ways.  

As long as your faith in Jesus is alive God will never reject you. He will, however, bring discipline into your life to correct you. God knows far better than we, that disobedience to Him is not helpful to us. Unchecked disobedience to God will ultimately lead us to pain and misery. Because God loves us He will not stand by idly and watch us self-destruct. The author of Hebrews says it clearly. Speaking to Christians who are undergoing physical, emotional, or spiritual pain we read. .. you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:4-6). Yes, God will punish us when we disobey Him. He does it because He loves us.

We need to distinguish between salvation and performance. Salvation is a gift. Jesus Christ suffered and died to secure that gift for us. Salvation is an either/or proposition. Either you trust in Jesus or you do not. Performance is different. Some Christians perform at a high level. Others perform at a lower level. When our performance does not meet God’s standard and there is no repentance, brace yourself. Divine discipline is coming.

I hope that is clear. Paul does not give us this practical instruction as a means of earning God’s favor. You will never be able to earn God’s favor. He is simply telling us that now that we are children of God, redeemed by God’s grace and mercy through faith, this is how we are to live. Faithfulness to God’s commands will not save us from hell.  It will, however, bring us the greatest degree of meaning and happiness we will ever experience in this life. And of course, God promises to reward faithfulness.

Thus, our focus in this life is two-fold. We are to continually praise and honor God for His saving grace, and we are to serve Him. Trust brings the gift of eternal life. Obedience brings rewards in this life and the next. In the words of our closing hymn, we are to “Trust and Obey.”

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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO REPENTANCE?
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman
Whatever happened to repentance? A few years ago it was a common word heard in our churches, but we don’t hear the word today as much as we did in the past. Often today we hear the word faith used as the key word leading an unbeliever to eternal life. Sometimes that word faith is used with no reference to repentance. And yet when we read the New Testament faith and repentance seem to be two sides of a single coin. Indeed, the word repentance is often the word used to summarize the entire salvation process. Thus, in Luke’s version of the Great Commission (24:47) Jesus says that repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached in His name to all nations. We might have expected Jesus to say that the gospel should be preached, and indeed He does use that word at times, but here He does not say, “proclaim the gospel” but “proclaim repentance.” We note this same phenomena at the beginning of our Lord’s ministry. Where we might say, “Believe the Gospel and enter the Kingdom of God” Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).In Acts 26:20 Paul summarizes his preaching ministry by saying, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” We might have expected him to say that he preached Christ, or the Gospel, but in this case Paul says he preached repentance. We might expect to read in Scripture that faith leads to salvation, but in 2 Cor. 7:10 Paul says that repentance leads to salvation. It would not surprise to us read in Scripture that God commands all persons to come to Christ — to exercise faith in Him in order to receive the forgiveness of sins. In Acts 3:19, however, Peter says that repentance leads to the forgiveness of sins. Indeed, when the gospel was first preached in its fullness on the day of Pentecost, Peter did not say “Believe in Jesus and you will be saved.” He said, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins …” (Acts 2:38).
It is clear that this word “repentance” is a vital part of the biblical message. It is repeatedly tied to personal salvation. Thus, when we call people to faith it must be a faith that also embraces repentance. When we call persons to come to Christ for salvation we must also call them to repentance. There is no such thing as true faith apart from repentance, and therefore it behooves us to sharpen our understanding of the biblical word. Persons who have not experienced heartfelt, authentic, biblical repentance may think they are Christians, but there is no such thing as saving faith without repentance.
It is therefore of the utmost importance that we understand what true repentance is and how we may know if it is present in our lives. I fear that we have persons in our churches whose faith is unreal because it is a faith divorced from repentance. Many in our day have been told, “Just trust in Jesus and you will be saved” without also being told that without repentance true faith is impossible. What a terrible shock it will be to stand before the throne on judgment only to learn that one’s faith is insufficient — that we have never really come to a true faith in Christ because we have never come to true repentance. In order to make sure none of us are in that category let us take a closer look at a most important biblical word: REPENTANCE.
My aim is to define as clearly as I can the nature of true repentance. Your task is to examine your heart to see if true repentance is present there now — not last week or last year or when you first came to Christ — but NOW.
Most Christians have heard ministers explain that repentance in the Greek language means to change the mind. This “change of mind” involves several things. In the first place, when repentance is present in the heart of a believer there is a change of mind with respect to sin. Even sinners have some sense of the awfulness of their sins. However, the sinner does not hate his sins, but tends to excuse them. “Nobody’s perfect.” “I hope I do enough good to cancel out the sins I have committed.” “Everybody’s doing it.” “My sins are not as bad as other folks.”
Such language is never spoken by the mouth of a repentant believer in Jesus Christ. When true repentance is present in the mind there is an abhorrence of sin. Sin is seen to be detestable and vile. The repentant persons flees from sin. He hates the things he has done which have offended God. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented? — but there is more.
When we change our mind about sin we agree with God that our sins deserve to be punished — that we are unworthy to be in the presence of our Heavenly Father. The impenitent person may admit to being a sinner but does not see the seriousness of the situation. He does not feel the heat of God’s wrath against all who rebel against His holy commandments. When repentance grips the soul we agree with God that our sins will send us to hell. We feel in our hearts that hell is exactly what we deserve. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented? — but there is still more.
The repentant person sees careless sinners all around, and is moved with compassion to reach out to the lost. He knows that unless those who are his friends and family repent, they shall perish. He prays for their salvation. He looks for opportunities to share Christ, that those who know Him not might come under His gracious influence. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented? — but there is still more.
True repentance leads to a change in conduct. Because the repentant persons sees the vilness of all acts of rebellion against God, there is a real effort to live life in conformity with the will of God. Every act of disobedience brings grief to the soul and new prayers of repentance, along with prayers that God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit will help us become ever more faithful. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented.
Are these four marks of true repentance present in your life. Do you abhor sin? Do you acknowledge that your own sins are so heinous as to deserve the eternal wrath of God? Are you moved with compassion to reach out towards the unredemed who are carelessly and foolishly moving ever nearer to a Godless eternity? Are you growing in faithfulness?
Oh, but wait! We Disciples believe all we must do to find salvation is believe in Jesus. I don’t fit you description of repentance, but I believe in Jesus and therefore I am among the redeemed. Are you trying to confuse Jesus simple message of salvation?
When repentance is not included in our definition of faith we are badly distorting what the Bible means by “faith.” Who is Jesus? — Is He simply our teacher whom we strive to follow? If so, then repentance is unimportant. He is indeed the master Teacher, but He is more than that. —– Is He merely a human prophet who proclaimed some wonderful ideas about God? If He is nothing more than a great human prophet, then we can dispense with repentance.
The Bible tells us we need more help than can be offered by a teacher or prophet. The Bible reveals to us JESUS THE SAVIOR. And how does He save us? He saves us by and through His suffering and death on the cross. He bore our sins in His own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). If Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and if He suffered on the cross because of our sins, then repentance is critical. There can be no saving faith in Jesus the Savior apart from repentance.
The message of the New Testament is not simply “Believe!” Jesus message in Mark 1:15 at the beginning of His ministry was, “Repent and believe the good news.” Our Lord declared on another occasion, “Unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:5). Paul declares that God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Did you hear that? —– All persons are commanded by God to repent. The failure to do so leads to condemnation. Peter writes that God is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God does not desire the condemnation of anyone. He has done everything that needs to be done to bring the world to salvation. But He has also made it very clear that anyone wishing to do business with the True and Living God must come to God through the name of Jesus, our crucified Savior, and we must come with hearts full of repentance. Are you here (today) with a deep sense of repentance toward God in your heart? Yes, of course we must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved —– Do we also understand that there is no true faith without heartfelt repentance? May God grant to all of us that Godly sorrow which brings repentance that leads to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10).

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BEWARE OF GRACE ROBBERS

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

I have said it many times. Our salvation comes to us by the grace of God. We are forgiven of our sins and promised a home in heaven because of God’s grace. This morning I want us to be aware of things that can steal our grace.

We are familiar with Egyptian archaeologists who try to find treasures in the tombs of Egyptian kings. Unfortunately, often when they enter the tomb they find that some grave robber has been there before them. The one exception I am aware of is the tomb of King Tut which did seem to be intact and contained many wonderful Egyptian artifacts.

This morning I want to focus on grace robbers. Several things can enter our minds and hearts and steal away our dependence on the grace of God. Since it is the grace of God that brings salvation to us we must understand exactly what grace is, and how grace can be stolen from us.

We begin by asking the question, how is it that any of us are saved and have the assurance of God’s pardon and everlasting life? Our text from Ephesians chapter 2 is very clear. It is by grace you have been saved. Does that mean that while God’s grace is the primary factor bringing us salvation we must also contribute something to receive eternal life? Does God do 75% of the work and we do the remaining 25%? Or does God do 99.9% of the work but we still have to contribute our .01%? No, salvation is 100% completed by God’s grace.

Grace is such a valuable thing we never want to lose it. Grace is more valuable than gold or silver. Two thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul was in prison when he heard some false teachers were going around to the churches and teaching a doctrine that said Christians had to obey the Old Testament laws of God to be accepted by God. The theological label given to these false teachers was, “Judaizers,” because they were telling believers they had to live like law-abiding Jews before they could be real Christians. They were grace-robbers, and we have a new generation of them with us today. They stand in pulpits, teach Sunday School classes, write books, and fill the pews of many churches. They would never call themselves legalists or grace-robbers, but they just haven’t discovered the liberating power of grace. Because this is such a problem today, I’m going to devote this sermon to the matter of grace. I want all of you to “Beware of Grace-Robbers!”

I recall many years ago hearing a Sunday school teacher tell the children she was teaching that to be saved and go to heaven they had to obey the 10 commandments. Is that true? Do we trust in Jesus and that secures a portion of our salvation but to complete the process we must obey the 10 commandments? If that is indeed true then I fear none of us will ever see the Kingdom of heaven. We need to get it in our heads that salvation is 100% a matter of grace. God through his son Jesus Christ has done everything that needed to be done to secure our salvation. If you have the notion that God must do His part and you must do your part to secure your salvation, that is a lie. It is a grace-robbing idea.

Does God want us to obey the Ten Commandments? Yes, He does. Should we try to obey the Ten Commandments? Yes, we should. However, our ability to conform our lives to the Ten Commandments always falls short. The grace of God then enters the picture to assure us that through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus we have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life if we will trust in Him. Paul spells it out for us in Galatians 2:16: We know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

A jailer in Acts chapter 16 asked Paul, what must I do to be saved? Paul answers that we don’t have to do anything. He said “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Believing is not doing anything. Believing is simply trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior.  If you think there is anything you need to do to secure your salvation, someone has stolen grace from you. Paul’s heart was broken for his Jewish brothers and sisters. They were still trying to do something to merit eternal life. Paul wrote, : “They are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Romans 10:2-4).

Jesus described salvation as a new birth in John Chapter 3. Think for a moment about your physical birth. I was born on March 3^rd, 1936. I have never said, “Mom did her part and I did my part.” No, I was passive when I was born. I didn’t do anything. And when I was born again I didn’t do anything either. All I did was believe. Believing and doing are two different things.

J. Vernon McGee writes about a country boy down South years ago who wanted to join the church. In this church, the deacons examined everyone before they could join. They asked him, “How did you get saved?” His answer was, “God did his part, and I did my part.” They were a little concerned with this answer, so they asked him, “What was God’s part, and what was your part?” His answer is classic. He said, “God’s part was the saving, and my part was the sinning.” That is our only contribution to the salvation process.

Grace robber # 1 is to think we have to help God in the salvation process. If you have the notion that you did something good that contributed to your salvation you have run away from grace. It is grace alone and faith alone that saves us. Remember our text: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Faith is not an act of doing. Faith is simply the hand that reaches out to God to receive the gift of salvation.

Grace robber # 2 has to do with feelings. Years ago, I had a neighbor who affirmed that unless you felt God’s presence you were not really saved. He connected this “feeling” with speaking in tongues. If you did not speak in tongues, you would not have the feeling of God’s presence. Therefore, you are not saved. He was a kindly gentleman and a good neighbor but I believe he was mistaken in his theology. He was assuming that everyone’s spiritual experience of coming to Christ must be identical. I believe the salvation experience varies greatly from person to person and feelings have nothing to do with it.

Yes, I have to admit that when faith was born in my heart, I did feel the presence of God. I came to faith as an adult while many people simply grow up believing in Jesus and have no particular feelings about when they were converted. They just grew up believing in Jesus. Billy Graham’s wife was like that. She couldn’t tell you when she was converted, She was taught about Jesus from an early age and she grew up believing in Jesus.

Let me inject some bad humor. Be prepared to groan. Did you hear about the molecular biologist who discovered how to clone himself? He was so busy he decided to make a clone so he could accomplish twice as much. His clone looked identical to him, except for one major difference. While he was calm and soft-spoken, his clone turned out to be hot-tempered and foul-mouthed. His clone was constantly spouting obscenities and using filthy language with everyone. The scientist realized his problem but didn’t know how to get rid of his clone. So, he devised a plan. He invited his clone to accompany him to a tall mountain where they could stand on a cliff and watch a gorgeous sunset. As they stood there, the doctor said to his clone, “Isn’t this beautiful?” His clone said, “This is the blankity-blank-blankest stupid idea you’ve ever had.” Suddenly the scientist pushed his clone off the cliff and he fell to his death. Later the doctor was arrested and charged with a crime. Do you know what the crime was? Making an obscene clone fall.

Yes, we are all different. You do not have a clone who does everything identical to you. Our salvation experiences are all different. Salvation does not belong exclusively to this church. God will not ask you on judgment day if you joined the right church. He will ask you if you trust in the right Savior, Jesus. The issue is not “what did you feel when you trusted in Jesus?” It is simply, “Are you trusting in Jesus.”

Our summary to this point is simple. What do I have to do or what do I have to feel to know that I am a Christian? The answer is you don’t have to do anything and you don’t have to feel anything. You just have to believe in Jesus.

If you have concluded that grace means I can do whatever I like you have missed the point. If you think that grace means you can sin all you want to you are sadly mistaken. When you understand God’s grace you will want to obey His commands. You will want to obey the Ten Commandments, not to earn God’s favor but out of gratitude for His grace. Plus, life on this earth goes much better for us when we obey God. The difference between legalism and grace is in the MOTIVE behind your obedience. If you obey God with the belief it will improve your standing with God, or that He will love you less if you don’t, then grace is slipping away. But if you obey God because you love Him and know you are deeply loved, then you are basking in the warmth of His grace. I study my Bible because I want to. I pray because I want to. I go to the Lord’s Table because I want to. I preach the Gospel of Jesus because I want to. Do I think that these activities will improve my chances of being saved?  Not a chance!

Grace changes us. The new birth changes us. We become new persons in Christ. I know there is nothing I can do to add to what Jesus has done to save me. He has done it all. My contribution was simply faith – – – believing in Jesus and what He has done for me.

One closing thought. If salvation is a gift to us from the grace of God based 100% on Jesus, why can’t I sin to my heart’s desire? Well, in a way you can. We need to make a distinction, however, between salvation and receiving God’s blessings in this life. Yes, as long as your faith in Jesus is genuine you are assured of a place in heaven. However, if you live a selfish, self-centered life disregarding the commands of God He will not bless your earthly life. He will discipline you. Your life will be miserable. And if you persist in living life disregarding the commands of God you may find that your faith will shrivel up. The only way to enjoy a blessed life now is to obey God. The only way to enjoy a blessed eternity is to trust Jesus.

What is grace? In a word, grace is Jesus. Grace is not a power or a force. It is a person. God loves you and wants to forgive you and shower His love upon you. God’s grace is all wrapped up in the person of Jesus. If you think you have to do something to merit God’s grace, it is no longer grace. If you think you have to feel a certain way to be sure of your salvation, grace is no longer grace. Trust Him and ask Him to fill your life with His presence. Don’t let anyone rob you of God’s amazing grace.

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God’s Blueprint for the Church

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 12:3 – 8 (NKJV) ³For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  ⁴For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,  ⁵so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  ⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;  ⁷or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;  ⁸he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

There are many local churches in every corner of the world. We are one of those local churches. As we consider reflecting on the practical items which flow from salvation the question we are considering today is this: What is God’s blueprint for this church? What does a faithful church look like? And the most important question of all, how closely does the Warsaw Christian Church follow the divine blueprint? 

First, there is a personal word addressed to each one of us. We are told to engage in a bit of personal evaluation. How do you view yourself? We are cautioned not to have too high an opinion of ourselves. We are not too look down on others in our church family. We are not to be full of self. There is no place for pride or arrogance in the Christian community. The ideal church blueprint calls for each member to practice humility. There is a call here for each one of us to reflect on our personalities. Some of us have strong personalities and strong opinions. Those among us who are more timid are sometimes intimidated by strong personalities. Jesus tells us here not to run roughshod over the feelings and opinions of others.

Another way to express this is to say that we must respect one another. If someone expresses an idea that is just plain wrong, you may not want to follow the idea, but respect the person. We all get things wrong sometimes, like the old German man who came to America but was slow to pick up on our language and customs. He and his wife received a wedding invitation, and at the bottom were the initials “RSVP.” They tried and tried to figure out what those initials meant. Finally, the husband declared, “I tink I understand it! It is a vedding invitation, right? So, RSVP must mean, Reqvest send vedding present.” Well, he got it wrong, and sometimes your brothers and sisters in the church get things wrong. Jesus calls us to respect one another and not to be all high and mighty about how superior we are. Our text reminds us that God gives the gifts we possess for use in the church of Christ, so we have nothing to boast about, and looking down on others is just plain contrary to the mind and will of Christ. Therefore, think about yourself with humility, and think about others with respect.

God desires that His church be characterized by unity. As we learn to love and respect one another, unity prevails in the church. A church characterized by disputes, arguments, hurt feelings, gossip, the rejection of one another, or a lack of respect for the feelings and opinions of others will never be a church that is of any use to the Kingdom of God. Back in Romans 2:24, Paul stated that the name of God is blasphemed when God’s people fail to act in love. We are representatives of Jesus Christ. Let us not act in such a way that His name is ridiculed because of us. The problem we must overcome lies in the next part of our text. God gives to each of us various gifts, abilities, and ministries which we are to perform in the Body of Christ. There are no spectators in the church. Our problem is that because some may be more gifted than others, feelings of jealousy sometimes emerge. 

We are always to remember that we belong to one another. We are a body of believers, with Christ as our head. As we listen to Him and move according to His will, there will be unity and harmony in the church. We are all gifted by God in a variety of ways. We need each other. The closer we are to Christ, the closer we shall be to each other. If we drift away from the Savior, personal relationship problems will erupt in the church. When I think of God’s blueprint for the church, I can think of nothing more fundamental than that we love and respect one another. If we view one another through the eyes of Christ, we will see a group of beautiful people. If we fail here, the rest of God’s blueprint for the church will collapse.

Let us move on to some of the details contained in God’s blueprint for the church. I love this list of spiritual gifts or charismata used by Paul. Paul’s list of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 13 intimidates some Christians. There we find lots of supernatural stuff. Miracles, healings, speaking in tongues, the interpretation of tongue, discernment of spirits. Many Christians look at that list and say, “I have none of those gifts, so I guess I am not very spiritual.” Today, we set aside 1 Corinthians 13 and focus on our text from Romans. Except for the first item mentioned, every one of us, young or old, can manifest the gifts Paul enumerates in our text.

We begin with the gift of prophecy. Certainly, in the first century, the gift of prophecy referred to men like Paul and Peter, James and John, men inspired by the Spirit who wrote the New Testament. Whether or not anyone today is an inspired prophet in that sense is a debated issue in the church.   We will not join that debate this morning. However, prophecy also has a secondary meaning. It refers to one who proclaims the Gospel and Christian truth as revealed in the Bible. Several commentaries believe this is the primary meaning of the New Testament gift of prophecy (MacArthur, Lenski). Thus, when a preacher preaches biblical truth centered on Jesus with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, that is a prophecy in the lesser sense. Your prayers for your pastors will help enable that gift to be manifested.

The next gift mentioned is that of ministering. The Greek word is “diakonia” which basically means “to serve.” Our word “deacon” derives from the Greek word. All of us, regardless of age, are capable of manifesting this gift. It refers to those things we do which serve others. Diakonia is when we reach out a helping hand to another. A kind word, a card sent to the sick, a visit to one in the hospital, an encouraging phone call, a meal for the bereaved, serving as an elder or deacon or in some other capacity – – – there are many opportunities for us to serve one another. Even those confined to bed can serve others through their prayers. Has God called you to service? Then serve with enthusiasm and joy.

Paul next mentions the gift of teaching. It is a special form of service. If you can teach others the great truths and principles of the Christian faith, that is a wonderful service. Maybe teaching is not your gift, but we thank God for those in our midst who exercise this gift. I have hundreds of books written by men and women who have taught me much about the Christian faith. I always benefit from the teaching of  Sandy or Nathan or Tom in our adult class. All of us have benefited from those who teach. When it is done prayerfully, and in the power of the Spirit, it is a wonderful gift.

The next item on the list is “exhortation,” also translated as encourage. Again, we are never too old to encourage others. All of us who can speak can speak words of encouragement. The one who exhorts takes the messages of Scripture and encourages others to act upon them. Last week we heard Paul exhorting us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. We all get discouraged at times. We grow weary in well-doing. Sometimes Christians want to throw in the towel and give up. We need people who encourage us to continue in the faith. Is God calling you to be an encourager? All of us need encouragement through life, and how we appreciate those who speak words of encouragement to us. Need I point out that there is no spiritual gift of negative criticism? We seem to be able to carry out that activity without any help from God!

I recall several years ago when Kevin Ray unexpectedly left the ministry of Disciple Renewal. This left me with the task of planning our annual conference with very little time. I recall the comments of several ministers after the conference. One said, “I hope next year’s conference is better planned than this one.” Ouch, that hurt, but others said, “This year’s conference so blessed us.” The church has enough critics and complainers. What is needed is encouragement. Pray and ask God if He wants you to be an encourager, and then do it.

Next is the gift of giving. All of us can serve God in this manner. We all have income, some more, some less. If you feel there is not much you can do in the Kingdom of God, you can always give. We are all called to promote the work of Christ’s church through our giving, but some are abundantly blessed and are called to give generously out of their plenty. When we give to local or world missions or personally to help another in need, we are fitting our lives into God’s blueprint for the church.

Paul next mentions leadership. Every church needs leaders who lead with grace. If God has placed you in a leadership position, you have an important calling. Paul says, “lead with diligence.” That means to lead with efficiency. Leaders are not to rule with an iron hand, lording it over those they lead. We are to lead in the Spirit of Jesus. Christian leadership is dripping with love.  

Finally is the gift of showing mercy, again, something we can all do. God has mercifully forgiven us in Christ. In the world and also in the church, there is much suffering and sorrow. Many Christians struggle with guilt and feelings of failure. The merciful reach out to them with love and without condemnation. When we are down on ourselves, how blessed it is to have a brother or sister approach us with mercy, assuring us of the love and forgiveness of God.

The list we have looked at is certainly not exhaustive. There are many ways that God’s people are gifted. Our text contains a list we can all embrace. We can all find a place in God’s blueprint for the church. We proclaim the Gospel, we teach, we encourage, we give, we lead, and we show mercy. None of us are useless in the church.

I see many of these gifts operating in our church in Warsaw, and I thank God for each one. As many have said, “When all else fails, follow the directions.” Here we have some clear and specific directions for our church. The church thrives as we find our place of service and carry it out in the right spirit. We do not all have the same function. As we work together, each one finding that unique way in which we can serve, God’s blueprint moves off the drawing board and becomes a reality. 

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WHAT IS A LIVING SACRIFICE?

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 12:1 – 2I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The Book of Romans is divided into two main sections. In Chapters 1-8 the mphasis is on salvation. In Chapters 9-11 Paul focused on the Jewish question. In Chapters 12_16 the focus is on personal ethics. How should we live as redeemed children of God? It is vitally important that we understand first that we are saved/justified by faith and by faith alone. By faith, we renounce any and all attempts to save ourselves, and we turn the matter over to Jesus. He is the Savior.

Once that basic truth is grasped, then what? Paul explains what follows in Chapters 12-16. Our text today lays an essential foundation. The first word in the Greek text is the word “therefore.” Therefore, certain things will follow because of what God has done for us in Christ. Paul beseeches or urges us to pay close attention to what he says and what he does not say. He does not say, “I urge you because you are such a wonderful and talented person”… He does not say. “I beseech you as one who has earned God’s favor through your good works…” He urges us to certain behavior changes based solely on one factor: THE MERCY OF GOD.

Paul wants us to take a hard look at the mercy of God. We who deserve nothing except God’s eternal wrath have been lifted from the pit of hell and placed into the Kingdom of God because God chose to be merciful to us. God’s mercy is now extended to the world on one condition: faith in His Son, Jesus. We who have done nothing to deserve God’s favor can receive it by faith because God is merciful. We are so familiar with the Gospel message we may lose sight of its power. God has extended to us, the unworthy, a place in His eternal Kingdom. Our entire hope in this life and forever is rooted in the word “MERCY.”

Why does Paul urge us rather than command us to respond to the mercy of God? He could have said, “I command you in the name of the Lord Jesus…” but instead, he urges or admonishes us to respond. Luther suggested that God does not want us to respond out of duty to a command. Instead, he wants us to respond willingly and freely out of appreciation for what He has done for us. The issue here is not, “Do this or you are damned.” It is instead “Do this out of love and appreciation for what God has done for you.” 

Therefore Paul urges us to respond to the mercy of God in a reasonable, logical manner. The Greek term he uses is “logikos.” We can recognize our word “logic” (“reason”) from the Greek term. What Paul urges us to do is to present our bodies as living sacrifices. He states that this is the only reasonable thing to do. It is illogical and unreasonable to accept God’s mercy with all the benefits and refuse to serve Him. Such benefits as total forgiveness of our sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, peace with God, access to God, and the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, culminating in life everlasting.

Paul, who speaks with apostolic/divine authority, appeals to all who believe in Jesus to present their bodies as a living sacrifice unto God. But what does it mean to present your body as a living sacrifice? It can only mean that we offer our entire selves in service to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Jesus presented Himself on our behalf as a dead sacrifice, dying to satisfy the justice of God. Sin must be punished. His death was vicarious. We, in contrast, are to be living sacrifices. We are to be persons whose highest aim in life is to serve God. It is the only reasonable response to the mercy of God.

The implications of what Paul says are enormous. His summary of what this means is expressed first negatively. “Do not be conformed to this world.” And then positively, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We all live under terrific pressure to conform to the world around us. Paul understands that the influence of Satan in the world is potent. We read in 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” Paul refers to the age in which we live as “evil” (Gal. 1:4). It is evil because of the presence of Satan, the “god” of this age (2 Cor. 4:4). If you have a TV in your home, you know the truth of these inspired statements. 

While this notion of non-conformity to the world has sweeping implications touching every aspect of life — political, economic, psychological, social, religious, etc. — I want our focus to be specifically on the moral implications. Morally, we must not conform to the world. We march to the tune of a different drummer. We could list examples at this point, but instead, let us focus on the principle: As you live your life with faith in Jesus, let His will transform your mind. Present yourself to Him as a living sacrifice, a person who lives to carry out His will. This is the only reasonable, logical response to the mercy of God.

If we take Paul seriously, we will be non-conformists in every respect. If we don’t take Paul seriously, what right do we have to claim that we are Christians? As Christians, we will not make moral decisions based on what the politicians say, or what Hollywood says, or by what we see on TV, or what our friends and neighbors say. Instead, the Christian mind will embrace the Bible’s comprehensive worldview. If non-Christians look at us and see no difference in how we live and how they live, there is a problem.

This new way of life does not come about easily. It is not something we can achieve in our own strength. God gives us two aids in the renewing of our minds. First, he gives us Holy Scripture so we can fill our minds with the thoughts of God. Second, He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to think straight and to apply the Scriptures rightly. The Bible provides us with the data we need in our minds, while the Holy Spirit enlightens our understanding and helps us apply God’s Word to specific situations. 

Whenever we read in Scripture words urging us to certain ways of thinking and acting, we have to ask ourselves the hard question. Is my life one of conforming to the world, or have I presented myself to Jesus as a living sacrifice? Does the world guide my daily decisions, or does Jesus?

None of us, of course,  ever reaches the level of absolute conformity to the will of God. When God’s high moral standards are set before us in terms of divine law, we face a “mission impossible” situation. Israel declared three times in Exodus that they would keep all the Lord’s commands (19:8; 24:3; 24:7). God told them that despite their pledge, they would fail, and fail they did. Is our moral power of a higher level than that of the ancient Jews? I hardly think so. The reason why God saves us through his mercy is that there is no other way. The only other option would be to require absolute obedience, the very thing we cannot obtain.

Why, then, does Scripture speak to us regarding God’s absolute requirements if we cannot live up to them? We don’t consistently present our lives unto God as a living sacrifice. We are all too often living in conformity with the secular standards of the world. Our minds are not perfectly transformed into the mind of Christ. So what is the point? The point is that once we realize that despite our miserable failure to live up to God’s requirements, God has mercifully forgiven us. Now we want to know how we can live to please God. If pleasing God is not your highest purpose in life, what do you mean when you say, “I am a Christian?” God cannot weaken His standards. He cannot say, “Do the best you can.” He must say, “You, therefore, must be perfect.” He cannot ask us to present ourselves in service to God on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. He must require that we be a living sacrifice daily.

God’s absolute standards now become a test for us to evaluate the reality of our faith. God knows that if we truly understand His mercy, and if we have embraced Jesus as our suffering Savior, we will want to give our best to the Master. We will want to aim high in our daily lives. Maybe I cannot present myself to God daily as a living sacrifice in a manner that conforms 100% to His will, but I am so thankful for His mercy that I want to try. I want to know the standards, and I want to aim for them. Don’t you?

Those who declare, “I am a Christian,” but then live in conformity to the world, giving little serious thought to serving God, are running the risk of destroying their faith. Faith lives and grows when we are striving for faithfulness. But unfortunately, faith is weakened and may eventually die in the hearts of those who take their cues from this fallen world.

One concluding thought. Paul ends by saying that those who strive for faithfulness, who want to be a living sacrifice, will know the will of God. Many seek the will of God in some new revelation. Paul says you cannot help but discover the will of God as you live your life in a way that reflects your undying appreciation for the mercy of God. The way we live reflects what we believe. If we live for this world, it is a sign that we have no genuine faith in Jesus. If we desire to live for Jesus, even though our efforts are imperfect, it is a sure sign that we have understood and embraced God’s incredible mercy. I close as I began, with the words of our text: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  

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INDEPENDENCE SUNDAY, 2022

Patrick Henry

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

On this independence Sunday, I want to share a few thoughts with you about a Great American patriot, Patrick Henry. In particular, I want to read in your hearing excerpts from a short speech he made at a church in Richmond, VA on March 23^rd, 1775 and make a few comments on it. But before we hear this stirring call to freedom again let us recall a bit of history. In March of 1775, the American colonies were on the brink of war with England.

Patrick Henry was a respected leader in the revolutionary era. He served in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776 and as governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779. He was instrumental in having the Bill of Rights added to the constitution.

On March 23^rd, 1775, the second revolutionary convention met at a church in Richmond, VA. The question before the budding nation was a crucial one. Shall we continue to submit to British rule, or shall we go to war to free ourselves from foreign domination? Many of the colonists had close ties to England and wanted the colonies to continue under British rule. Others we’re tired of the numerous injustices received at the hands of their British overlords. They were ready to go to war. Several speeches were made at the revolutionary convention calling for pacifism, yielding to British demands, and continued British domination. Many feared that the ill-equipped colonies would be no match for the highly trained armies of the redcoats. Some liked the security of British rule and feared that disaster would result if that stability were removed.

As the debate raged in Richmond, ship after ship arrived from England, and as more and more British troops poured into the American shores, it seemed clear to many that the handwriting was on the wall. Great Britain was preparing to squelch any rebellion in the American colonies through the use of military power. Those who were calling for peace at any price hoped to avoid bloodshed. Others preferred death to British oppression. Several speakers finished their presentations. Some call for negotiations, peace talks, appeasement, or virtual surrender to the British. Listen now as Patrick Henry rises to speak.

“The question before the house is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery, and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject there ought to be  freedom in our debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason toward my country and an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of heaven which I Revere above all earthly kings.

Let us not, I beseech you, deceive ourselves longer. Sirs, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on us. We have petitioned; We have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded, and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.

Besides Sirs, we shall not fight or battle alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us

The battle Sirs is not to the strong alone; It is for the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, Sirs, we have no choice if we were base enough to desire it it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged – – –  their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston. The war is inevitable, and let it come! I repeat it Sirs let it come. Van Holman may cry “ peace peace” but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next Gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms. Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle?  What is it that gentleman wish? What would they have? Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but As for me, give me liberty or give me death.”

A few short weeks later, on April 19th, 1775, hostilities broke out, and a bloody war commenced which lasted until October 1781. Finally, in 1783 the great nations of Europe approved the Treaty of Paris, which recognized the United States of America as a free and sovereign nation.

Men like Patrick Henry were instrumental in creating this nation we enjoy today. I want to point out two things from his speech that will help us understand why God’s blessings have been upon this nation, and why we can anticipate the withdrawal of divine favor and protection when the principles that guided Patrick Henry are no longer present in our national life.

First, Patrick Henry’s crucial speech clearly reflects his personal faith in God. He was a Christian politician in the true sense, a politician who incorporated his faith into his understanding of the world around him. In his will there appeared the following statement: “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one more thing that I wish I could give to them. That is the Christian religion. If they had that and I had not given them one shilling, they would have been rich; and if they had not that and I had given them the world, they would be poor.”

Patrick Henry was a Christian. He said, “I Revere God above all earthly things.” He encouraged the colonies to trust in God, and since their cause was just and right, he believed  God would lead them to victory. May God give us politicians today who are unashamed to name the name of Jesus, and who believe that God rules in the affairs of nations, and only those nations who submit to the only true God can expect to succeed. And may God give us ordinary citizens who look at life through the lens of faith. May God give us churches that shine as beacons of divine truth in this land so that our country can truly be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Second, in his famous statement memorized by every American schoolchild, (or at least it used to be), give me liberty or give me death, you hear a principle rarely understood today with the clarity which existed several hundred years ago. We have never known anything but freedom. We have become much too selfish and materialistic as a people. Some Americans used to say, better red than dead. We need to recapture the appreciation for freedom that motivated Patrick Henry. He had lived under British oppression and now was beginning to taste the sweetness of freedom. His preference for death over slavery became a rallying cry which inspired a nation.

What is our preference today? Would we prefer to live life under oppression? Do we still understand that life without freedom is not worth living? There is only one kind of person who is willing to give his life for the cause of freedom, and that is a person who believes in God, who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the eternal life which he promised. Those who have been set free by Jesus Christ from the chains of slavery to sin, self, and death, cannot abide the thought of living in slavery, whether political, religious or otherwise. Christians know that we have an eternity of freedom to enjoy, and prefer death to life in bondage. It was this spirit that forged this nation, the United States of America. It is this spirit that will sustain this nation in the present and the future. It is the absence of that spirit that will spell the ultimate collapse of this great nation.

Life in America has changed a lot in the past several 100 years since the Declaration of Independence. Yet we are still the freest and most prosperous people on the face of the earth. Strident voices are crying out today, get God out of government out of the schools out of the marketplace. They are foolish cries because, in the words of Patrick Henry, there is a just God who presides over the destiny of nations. Our God rules over the affairs of nations. He is present in our schools and our marketplaces. The will and wishes of man cannot remove him. We have only two choices: submit to God as individuals, as a church, as a nation, and expect his blessings to follow. Or, turn away from Him, push Him out of national life, and reap his judgment. The one thing we cannot do is banish God from the affairs of men. He will not be banished. The nations of the world are as clay in the hands of the almighty, and no nation can resist his will. It is true today and has always been true. Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.

Let us call to mind these divinely revealed truths. 2 Chronicles 7:14 – 15 (NKJV) ¹⁴if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  ¹⁵Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.   

“Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales” (Isa. 40:15). “If any nation does not listen (to me), I will completely uproot and destroy it” (Jer. 12:17). Do you believe that? What will happen if America becomes a godless state? God will uproot and destroy this nation.

Let us join our prayers to thousands of other Christians and implore our Father in heaven to restore our nation. Let us implore Almighty God to give us political leaders like Patrick Henry, Christian men, and women who understand that God rules in the affairs of nations. There are political leaders in power today who want the United States to be a secular, godless state. They want God removed from politics, schools, and public life. They have enjoyed much success as our nation becomes more and more secular. Here is the truth. Remove God from public life and you will soon lapse into political slavery. If God does not rule, Godless men and women will rule. And when God is removed from public life and we are ruled by godless politicians slavery will be the final result. If this drift toward a secular society continues you can kiss your freedom goodbye.

James Madison, the chief architect of our Constitution, said this: “We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, so sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” Like Patrick Henry, he understood the relationship between freedom and faith n God.

Many politicians close their speeches with the words, “God bless the United States of America.” God will bless our nation if we acknowledge our faith in Him. Where God rules, freedom prevails. We need an army of political leaders like Patrick Henry who understand that “blessed is that nations whose God is the Lord.” We need political leaders today who can say, “Give me liberty, or give me death.”

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THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

This sermon is a follow-up to Romans 9-11. I did not address fully a question that has plagued theologians for centuries. What is the nature of the Kingdom of God? Is it a future kingdom that will unfold on this earth during a one-thousand-year period called “the millennium?” Will it be a time when Israel shall receive the kingdom promised to them in many Old Testament Scriptures? At the time of the second coming, will Jesus reign for one thousand years on earth? I have a three-volume commentary on the Bible which goes over Scripture after Scripture to conclude that the kingdom promised to Israel will be realized on earth with the return of Jesus, the King of the Jews. Here are two examples from the Old Testament. Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons (2 Chronicles 13:5)  Then I will establish the throne of thy Kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel (1 Kings 9:5). Many sincere Christians believe there will be an earthly thousand-year reign with Christ ruling as King of Israel.

Others, myself included, have a different understanding of the Kingdom of God. God declared in the Old Testament that a new covenant was coming. It was to be different than the Old Covenant, which Israel broke. Jesus declared that He was inaugurating the Kingdom of God, stating that the kingdom was at hand (Matt. 3:2, 4:17). The Kingdom of God under the New Covenant took on a new form. It was not an earthly kingdom as it was under the Old Covenant. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is invisible. It is not a physical kingdom that can be observed. It exists in the hearts of those who love and trust Jesus. The Old Covenant with its visible theocratic kingdom was displaced.   In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13). If the Old Covenant is obsolete and ready to vanish away in the first century, I conclude that it has vanished along with the promises of an earthly kingdom.

But doesn’t the Old Testament declare that God’s rule through David and his successors is eternal? Yes, from God’s side the promises to Israel were eternal. But Israel broke the covenant. “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— ³² not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. ³³ But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ³⁴ No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

It seems clear to me that God planned to vacate the Old Covenant because of Israel’s unfaithfulness. The New Covenant centers on the forgiveness of sins and God’s truth living in our hearts. The details of Jeremiah’s prophecy are worked out in the New Testament. Note these words of Jesus: Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; ²¹ nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:20). The Pharisees were thinking of an earthly kingdom. Jesus replies that the Kingdom of God cannot be seen with the eyes. It is already present within the hearts of those who trust in Jesus. Jesus was clear that when He arrived the Kingdom of God arrived. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the Kingdom of God has come upon you (Matthew 12:28).

Jesus declared that the Kingdom of God would be taken from Israel and given to a nation bearing fruit. Jesus told a parable to illustrate this truth. Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. ³⁴ Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. ³⁵ And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. ³⁶ Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. ³⁷ Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. ⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” ⁴¹ They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” ⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? ⁴³ “Therefore I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it (Matthew 21: 31-43).

What is this new nation? It seems He is referring to the church, made up of Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus. Peter describes Christians in these words, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light… (1 Peter 2:9). Peter refers to Christians as a “holy nation.” Israel, as a nation, ceased to be God’s holy nation. The church, made up of all races and peoples, languages, and cultures, became God’s chosen people. The church is the Israel of God. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.  (Galatians 6:16).

If you ask the question, “Who are the children of Abraham?” The Old Covenant answer is “the people of Israel; the Jews.” But notice the shift that has occurred with the coming of Jesus. If you ask Paul, “Who are the children of Abraham?” he answers this way. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29). Those who belong to Christ are the seed of Abraham. The promises God gave to Abraham are fulfilled in the Christian community. Those who belong to Christ are the true heirs of the promises God made to Abraham.

But doesn’t this mean that God broke His promise to Israel to establish his covenant with them forever? Hear the Word of God in Hebrews 8:6: But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Think of it like this. If I promised to give you $100 if you cleaned out my garage and said, “This promise is good forever.”  You worked on cleaning my garage and did a wonderful job.  Then I said to you, “I have decided to give you $500 because you did such a wonderful job” Would you complain and say, “You promised me $100, and now you have broken your promise!” Probably not! I gave you something better than what I promised.

God did not break His promise to Israel. On the contrary, he gave them something better than an earthly kingdom. God’s promises to Isreal were conditioned upon their faithfulness.
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine (Exodus 19:5). Isaiah says, The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant. God’s promise to keep the covenant forever was based upon God’s unchanging nature. Israel’s task was to keep the covenant. Notice the word “if” in the above text. If you obey me and keep my covenant, then God’s blessings would follow, but Israel failed. They broke the everlasting covenant. How would have done it if we were under the Old Covenant? Would we obey God’s voice? Would we keep His commandments? We know the answer. Like Israel, we need a New Covenant not based on our performance but based on the performance of Jesus. We need a covenant based on forgiveness, not on our ability to keep God’s commandments. And that is what we have.

I suppose God might have said to Israel, “I am done with you! You have violated my covenant again and again. You embrace false gods. You engage in magic and other detestable things. I am done with you!” Paul stresses in Romans 11 that God has not forsaken Israel. Instead, he offers them a better covenant, a covenant of grace. Instead of an earthly kingdom, He promises them an eternal heavenly kingdom. If the Jewish people believe in their Messiah, Jesus, they will find forgiveness and eternal life. And the new covenant is expanded to include Gentiles (us!) as well. Paul describes us as wild branches attached to the tree of salvation. Many Jews were broken off because of unbelief. But many Jews in Paul’s day embraced Jesus. They are described as a remnant.

When Jesus established the New Covenant, the old covenant faded away. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant… (Hebrews 13:20). At the Lord’s Supper, we read these words. Likewise, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you (Luke 22:20). Jesus shed blood is the foundation of the New Covenant. All who believe He spilled His blood for us and thereby brought the forgiveness of sins into reality will find a place in God’s eternal kingdom.

If the Kingdom of God is present with us now, why did Jesus ask us to pray, “Thy kingdom come” in the Lord’s prayer? Yes, while the Kingdom of God is present today, we pray that His Kingdom will be present in our hearts. We are praying that we will be faithful citizens in God’s Kingdom. The kingdom is present in the hearts of all who believe. We pray that our lives will reflect honor to our King, Jesus.

Despite what I have shared with you this morning, to be fair I have to add that many good Christians disagree. There are Christians who look for an earthly Millennial kingdom with Israel as the central country. They do not look for heaven to begin until after a 1000-year earthly millennium. They teach seven years of earthly tribulation will precede the millennium. They look for the church to be raptured out of the world before the millennium begins and then return with the second coming of Jesus. Those who hold this viewpoint are seeking to be faithful to Scripture, as am I. I respect them even though I do not agree. It’s simply a reminder that good Christians do not always agree about what the Bible teaches. All who agree with the basic Gospel message and the authority of the Bible are welcome here.

I have given you a lot of Scripture this morning. I will close with a summary. The coming of Jesus, the Messiah, brought great changes. No longer was the earthly kingdom promised under the Old Covenant to be realized. Jesus brought something better. Instead of a $100 earthly kingdom, Jesus brought a Million dollar heavenly kingdom based on God’s grace and forgiveness. That kingdom is available to Jews and Gentiles alike. We enter that kingdom by faith, and we remain there as long as faith is alive.

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GOD AND THE JEWS

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Background Text: Romans 9-11

Some of the sermons I prepare are more difficult than others. This one has been extremely difficult for me. We will cover a lot of historical and theological data, and I fear I may put some of you to sleep! But, if you can stay with me, I promise there is an important practical side to this sermon.

When the issue of God’s relationship with the Jewish people arises, we find a variety of opinions in the Christian world. Two major questions arise. First, what about eternal salvation for the Jewish people? Second, will Israel play any role at the end of the age? The second question is the more difficult of the two, and time will not allow an examination of both questions. Therefore, our focus will be on the question of salvation for the Jewish people.

I am not reading a text this morning. As we proceed, I will read or refer to various sections from Romans 9-11. One of the main themes in these three chapters is the Jewish question. God was intimately involved with the Jewish people for centuries, but it seemed that the Gospel was going mainly to the Gentiles in Paul’s day. In the early part of Chapter 9, Paul laments that so few Jewish people are coming to faith.   He longs for their salvation. He even states that he would be willing to lose his own salvation if that would save the Jewish people. But, he also knows that he cannot do anything to affect the salvation of the Jews. What needs to be done for them has already been done, not by Paul, but by Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, their Savior. All the children of Israel, then and now, can receive salvation by accepting their Messiah. 

Paul makes a crucial distinction in his discussion of Israel. He says in Romans 9:6, “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel” Here, Paul points out that the word “Israel” has two meanings. It can refer to ethnic/national Israel, or it can refer to believing/spiritual Israel. All Jews belong to ethnic Israel, but only some belong to spiritual Israel. Paul clarifies that spiritual Israel consists of Jews, like himself, who believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Savior. Paul declares in  Romans 11:1: “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of  the tribe of Benjamin.” The first Christians were Jews like Paul. God never rejected Israel, but the point is that God never promised to save every single Jew. No person, Jew or Gentile, can be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” These words apply to one and all, Jew and Gentile alike.  

Paul uses the illustration of an olive tree to make his point. It is the tree of salvation. God desires that all Jews come to accept Jesus as their Messiah and be saved. All Jews have access to the tree of salvation, but many were broken off – – – cut of from the salvation God provided. Why? Those broken off were Jews who failed to embrace Jesus, but not all Jews fit into that category. There has always been a “spiritual” or believing Israel. In Romans 9:27, Paul quotes from the prophet Isaiah.²⁷Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,The remnant will be saved.As those of you who buy or collect material know, a remnant is just a small piece of the whole. Even under the Old Covenant, a distinction was made between Israel, the nation, and believing Israel, the remnant. Just as we today cannot say, “Because I am a member of the church, I am one of God’s chosen people,” neither can a Jew say, “Because I am an Israelite, I am one of God’s chosen people.” Just as there are two Israels, so also there are two churches. Theologians sometimes use the terms “visible church” and “invisible church.” The visible church consists of all those around the world who belong to a church. The invisible church consists of those who have true faith in the Messiah. 

Let me try to summarize the road we have traveled thus far. Paul discusses this:  Why has God turned to the Gentiles in such great numbers while the Jews seem to be rejected? What about God’s promises to Israel? Those promises have not failed. God has never abandoned His covenant people. 

In the process of his argument regarding the state of the Jews, Paul issues a warning to those of us who are Gentiles. We are grafted into the tree of salvation by faith. If that faith does not continue, we, too, will be broken off. Thus, he writes in Romans 11:20 – 21 in reference to unbelieving Israel  . . . Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.  We Gentiles in the church cannot assume that we shall be saved based on our church membership or because we were once baptized in water. We possess salvation and everlasting life by faith – – – by faith – – – by faith, and if we allow faith to die, we too shall be separated from the grace of God. There are church members who lack true faith, and there are people of faith who, for one reason or another, have no church home.

We think of Israel as an elect nation, elected by God. When we hear the word “election,” we need to ask, Election for what? At this point, we need to distinguish between two types of election. There is an election to service and an election to salvation. God certainly elected national Israel for a grand and glorious service. National Israel was to prepare the world to receive God’s Messiah. God’s election of Israel to play a key role in the drama of redemption does not mean that every Jew will be elected to salvation. Paul spells out how Israel fulfilled her election to service in Romans 9:4 – 5 (ICV): They were God’s chosen children. They have the glory of God and the agreements that God made between himself and his people. God gave them the law of Moses and the right way of worship. And God gave his promises to them. 5 They are the descendants of our great ancestors, and they are the earthly family of Christ. Christ is God over all. Praise him forever! Amen.

When the Messiah arrived on the scene, Israel had fulfilled her election to service. It was the greatest possible service to bring forth the Messiah. But again, we have to note that a call to service is not a guarantee of personal salvation. God called Assyria to punish unfaithful Israel when they had strayed so far from faith in Jehovah. Assyria performed a service for God, but service must always be distinguished from salvation. The Assyrians were by no means a redeemed people, but they did perform a service for God. Judas was called to serve Jesus as an Apostle, and he did serve in this manner. However, when he lost faith in Jesus, he also lost all hope of personal salvation. Service and salvation are two different things. I believe I am called to serve Christ as a minister of the Gospel. Does that call to service guarantee my personal salvation? Absolutely not! My salvation is based on one thing only: faith in Jesus Christ. Are there ministers who serve God but who lack personal faith in Jesus? Having once been in that category, sadly, yes, there are.

National Israel was called to a special and unique service. The Jewish people were also called to salvation. Israel’s unique service was performed by the entire nation. Israel’s call to salvation only benefits those who believe. If many Jews refuse to believe in their Messiah, does that mean that God’s call to Israel has failed? Paul would say, “Of course not!” He reminds us once again that the situation in his day is no different from in the past. Elijah despaired that the entire nation of Israel had turned away from God. Elijah laments, “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace “(Romans 11:3-5).Again, national Israel includes every Jewish person. Spiritual Israel consists of Jews with true faith in their Messiah.

Please notice Paul’s phrase, “election of grace.” There is a difference between election to service and the election of grace. Paul uses Israel to illustrate the point he labored to make in Chapters 1-8. Just because we may serve God does not mean we are saved. That would be salvation by works or merit, and Paul repudiates the idea that our works earn salvation for us. The election of grace hinges on one single factor – – – faith in God and God’s Messiah.

Why does Paul labor so hard to assure us that God has not forsaken His covenant people? Many early Christians may have wondered, “Can we really trust God to save us? Israel was an elect nation. They were entrusted with the Law of God. The Messiah was a Jew, born into the nation of Israel. But it seems now that God has turned His back on Israel.” If God has not kept His promises to Israel, will He keep His promise to redeem us through faith in Jesus?

Paul makes it clear that God loves the Jewish people, then and now. The anti-Semitism so prevalent in many societies even today places you in opposition to God. To hate the Jews is to hate God. Radical Islam seeks to destroy Israel, but it will never happen. God has promised to protect the Jewish people forever. One of the greatest miracles we have seen in our lifetime is the restoration of Israel to her ancient homeland. The Jews managed to maintain their identity for 2000 years without a homeland. Where are the other ancient nations which were conquered and dispersed? Where are the Amorites, the Moabites, the Hittites? They were assimilated by the nations that conquered them, and they lost their ancient identity. Why didn’t that happen to Israel? Because they are a special people. Paul writes in Romans 11:28 – 29these words concerning the Jews: Concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  God loves the Jewish people even though they are, for the most part, enemies of the Gospel. If God loves the Jews, so must we.   For the sake of His promises to their fathers, Israel is forever beloved of God. When God makes a promise, it is irrevocable.  

Israel survives today because God has promised to redeem them if they turn to their Messiah, Jesus. If Israel had ceased to exist like the Moabites and Amorites, they would have no opportunity to believe. Many Bible scholars believe that there will be a mass conversion of the Jews to faith in Jesus in the last days. We don’t have the time to delve into that issue. The main point for us is to realize that God loves the Jews and will redeem every Jew who exercises faith in the Messiah. 

Paul’s word to us Gentiles is simple. Do not be arrogant about your salvation. Do not take your salvation for granted. It is yours because you trust in Jesus. If faith ever dies in your soul, you will be broken off the tree of salvation just as was unbelieving Israel. So what is the practical bottom line to learn from God’s dealing with Israel? It is simply this:  Never take your relationship with God for granted. Guard your faith; nourish your faith; exercise your faith; strengthen your faith; live your faith; hold on to your faith in Jesus as if your life depended upon it because that is precisely the situation. Your eternal life depends on it.

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THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Warsaw Christian Church, Pentecost 2022, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Various

Today we celebrate the birthday of the church. This will be the Reader’s Digest version of the 8 week course I taught recently during Wednesday Bible study. The church was born on Pentecost when God poured out His Holy Spirit into the infant church. It is difficult to overstate the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. All preaching, all teaching, all our worship through song and prayer, and all attempts to follow Jesus are without value unless the Holy Spirit is actively working in them. All our “Christian” activities can be done with or without the Holy Spirit. You can preach, teach, worship, and attempt to follow Jesus without the aid of the Holy Spirit. It happens all too often, and the result is meaningless.

How do we come to salvation in the first place? We hear the good news of Jesus, we believe it and we are born of the Spirit. True faith in Jesus Christ always brings the Holy Spirit into our lives. We have looked at Acts 2:38 on several occasions. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” True faith includes repentance (admitting that we have sinned against God and desire to live a new life), trust in the name of Jesus Christ, giving outward expression to our inward faith through baptism, and being forgiven of our sins. When we do as God has commanded we are assured of receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

We note first of all that He seals us. “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).We learn two important truths from this text. The Holy Spirit marks us with an invisible seal seen only by God indicating that we belong to Him. The Father knows when true faith is present and the Holy Spirit brands us, kind of like cattle are branded so they can be correctly identified. Or it is like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval. The Holy Spirit places on us an invisible seal that identifies us as God’s children. The seal serves notice to the devil, “Hands off! This is God’s property.”

We note also another important truth from Eph. 4:30 stated in the words “grieve not.” Yes, we are born of the Spirit, but He can be grieved. That happens when we try to live the Christian life relying on our wisdom and strength instead of relying on the Holy Spirit. He is with us but He does not work automatically. We need to call upon Him regularly to be active in our efforts to follow Jesus. Perhaps He does not leave us when we ignore Him, but He is grieved. And certainly He is grieved when we disobey.

Second, we learn from Scripture that the Holy Spirit empowers us. Acts 1:8 is clear: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” You have received power when you were born of the Spirit.

The power of the Holy Spirit is given in particular to make us strong witnesses for Jesus. That means several things. We witness to Jesus by living faithfully as His disciples. Those who are unredeemed should look at us and want what we have. Christians who are full of love, joy and peace, who live exemplary moral lives, who bear witness to their faith through their active church involvement. who are kind, patient and forgiving – – – reveal to others the nature of Jesus. Acts 1:8 doesn’t say you may be a witness for Jesus if you wish. It simply says, “You shall be…” You are a witness for Jesus.  The question is are you a good witness or a poor witness?  Does the Holy Spirit shine through your daily life? Or is He grieved by your words and actions?

Third, the Holy Spirit teaches us.  John 14:6 and 1 Corinthians 2:13 tell us that the Holy Spirit teaches His people. I believe His primary textbook is the Bible. As we immerse ourselves in Scripture, praying for wisdom to understand God’s Word, the Holy Spirit goes to work. Luther once said that we should read Scripture on our knees.  He meant we should pray as we read, praying that the Holy Spirit would give us understanding. And beyond that, the Spirit enables us to practice what the Bible teaches. He does not merely help us to understand what it means to love and forgive.  He empowers us to practice love and forgiveness. He empowers us to obey the will of God revealed in sacred Scripture.

Fourth, the Holy Spirit guides us. We learn that from John 16:13.” However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you…” Again, we have a choice to make. I can live my life depending on my wisdom, or I can make decisions relying on the Holy Spirit. Have you learned yet that when you are self-reliant you make poor decisions? We learn from Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” As we live by faith, inviting Jesus to guide our lives, the Holy Spirit springs into action and directs our paths.

Fifth, another important activity performed by the Holy Spirit we see in John 14:16; 14:26, and 15:26. There we learn that He is our comforter. The NIV translates the Greek word as “advocate.” The Greek word used in those texts (paraclete) means “one who is called alongside us to help us.” The Holy Spirit is like a counselor who comforts us when we need to be comforted; He is like a judge who stands alongside us in a court of law and defends us against the darts of the enemy. Sometimes life hits us hard. We lose loved ones and we need the comfort only the Holy Spirit can give. At times the enemy attacks us hard and we need the Holy Spirit to stand against him as our advocate.

Sixth, we learn from Romans 8:26 that the Spirit of God intercedes for us. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”  I frequently do not know how I should pray.  I don’t know how to pray correctly. God says I know that. Just pray what is on your heart and trust the Holy Spirit to bring your prayers before God in the proper manner. How this works is a mystery to us. We just need to know that when we pray the Holy Spirit will help us. If I pray something contrary to the will of God, the Holy Spirit says to the Father, Richard prayed for x but what he really needs is y.

Our fallen and finite human natures can never properly address our holy God. So we pray “in Jesus’ name” while relying on the Spirit to translate our words to the Father. The Holy Spirit is our translator. If I say a prayer in German, like Vater unser der du bist in Himmel geheiligt werde dein Name…, most of you would not know what I was praying about. It is the first line in the Lord’s Prayer, which we pray in English so we know what we are praying. So we pray what is in our hearts, and trust the Holy Spirit to translate it into the will of God.

Seventh, we learn that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts that enable us to serve Christ. Some of these gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. We don’t have time to discuss spiritual gifts in detail. I will just emphasize verse 11: ^“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Here is the main point I wish to make. There are different ways the Holy Spirit gifts us. We do not decide what gifts we want. He decides. But every true Christian is gifted in some way. There are no spectators in the Body of Christ. We are all on the team and we all participate. I can’t tell you what gift the Holy Spirit has given you. I can tell you He has given you a gift to use in the service of Christ.  Our job is simply to be open and trusting, praying that God will use us in His kingdom as He sees fit. Those who are not serving Christ through the gifts given them are grieving the Holy Spirit.

Point #8, and my final point. Ephesians 5:19,20 reads, DO not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Grieving the Spirit is one thing.  Quenching the Spirit is more serious. Paul’s expression is literally, “Do not pour water on the Spirit,” comparing the Spirit’s work to a fire that can be doused with water. That Paul has the Spirit’s work of prophecy in mind is made clear with the next command.  The Bible is a book of prophecy. It is a book that God inspired. It is His Word to us. To ignore or disobey God’s inspired instruction is to throw water on the fire of the Holy Spirit.  Since the Holy Spirit works through the Word (see Ephesians 6:17), when we neglect the Bible, we are quenching the Spirit. Open your mind to sacred Scripture through Sunday School, sermons, Wednesday Bible study and home Bible study and you will increasingly know the work of the Holy Spirit. When you neglect God’s written Word, you are dousing the fire of the Holy Spirit with water. Needless to say, that is never a good idea!

I have given you a lot to digest today.  The conclusion is this. The Holy Spirit brings many spiritual blessings and benefits to us as believers in Jesus. He is willing – – – He is available to seal us, teach us, guide us, empower us, comfort us, intercede for us, grant us gifts, and much more.  We have a role to play, and that is to walk by faith. We need to remember that the Holy Spirit can be grieved and quenched. As we live by faith, exposing ourselves faithfully to the Bible, the Holy Spirit will do His part.

I recall a song from a Christian musical from the 1970s that went like this: I want you to use me Oh Lord, but not just now. The song goes on to talk about all the worldly things the singer has to do first. There are debts to pay, marriage issues, children to raise, job issues, houses to build, psychiatrists to visit, retirement to plan, etc. The song ends with this line: I want you to use me oh Lord, just as soon as I am dead! How easy it is to so fill our lives with worldly issues so there is no time for Christian service. I hope that is not our song. I hope we can all sing, I want you to use me Oh Lord, and use me NOW.  Such prayer brings the Holy Spirit actively into our lives. As one who believes in Jesus you have received a gift; the gift of the Holy Spirit. The question to reflect on is this. Is the Holy Spirit active in your life?

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VICTORY IN JESUS

Warsaw Christian Church,  Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 8:1 – 17  

Romans 8:1 has to stand as one of my favorite passages in the Bible. THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. Let’s begin by reflecting on these glorious words for a few moments. Paul begins Chapter 8 with the words, “No condemnation.” At the end of the chapter, we find the words “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.” No condemnation – – – no separation!” How blessed are those who hear and believe these words!

Everything hinges upon our being “in Christ Jesus.” How does that happen? We have already seen the answer. By faith, we are joined to Christ, and as long as faith remains, we can never be condemned – – – never separated from the love of Christ. As we have seen, we struggle to live out our faith, and we often stumble. But as long as faith in Jesus is alive in our hearts, we remain forgiven, our sins are covered by the blood Jesus shed for us. Nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ as long as faith is alive and well in our hearts. What a glorious promise! 

Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. He was acting out of fear, and his fear temporarily overwhelmed his faith. But faith remained, and Peter is in heaven today, a forgiven sinner. Likewise, King David committed sins too numerous to mention under the Old Covenant. Yet faith remained, and he is in heaven today, a forgiven sinner. Paul persecuted the church of our Lord Jesus yet found forgiveness. We have failed God time and time again, both before we became Christians and afterward. Yet, because we have faith in Jesus, we will join Peter and David and Paul in heaven, forgiven sinners.

Paul seems to want to remind us of the good news before getting into how we can achieve victory over sin in this life. He will tell us how to overcome sin, but he also knows our ability to master sin will never be perfect. Therefore, at the outset, he brings to our minds the Gospel. We are justified by faith, not by our complete mastery over our sinful inclinations. How wonderful it is to live out the Christian life without fear, knowing that our failures will not result in our condemnation.

Resting on the secure foundation of salvation by faith alone, through Christ alone, we move on. Paul continues to recognize the two natures we looked at previously. In Chapter 7, the emphasis was on the fact that sometimes sin conquers us. In Chapter 8, the focus is on how our old nature need not defeat us. The secret is to remember that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within. This is such an important truth that Paul makes it a defining characteristic of a faithful Christian. “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” TheHoly Spirit here referred to as the Spirit of Christ, is God’s gift to every believer. This truth was clearly established on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached the Gospel to the crowd on that historic day. ³⁸Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Having received the Spirit, the challenge for the Christian is to walk in the Spirit. Paul describes the victorious Christian as one “who do(es) not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Clearly, we have a choice to make. It is, in the first place, a life choice. One voice tells us, “Live for Christ.” Another voice tells us, “live for self.” Have you ever said to yourself, “I make a life choice to live for Christ and not by my old sinful nature?” Both voices are present within our minds and souls. We decide which shall take precedence. This life choice then becomes a daily choice. We are daily confronted with thoughts and circumstances which tend to pull us away from life in the Spirit. Again and again, we have to make the decision, “I choose to follow the leading of the Spirit.” When we make that choice, the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to carry it out.

I recently read about a family who adopted a 12 year old boy named Roger. When Roger first entered the family he had trouble adjusting to their ways. His old life kept impacting his behavior. His new father kept saying, “Roger, that is not how we act in this family.” Did Roger have to change his ways to remain in the family? No, he was in the family regardless of his behavior. In time his ways began to change even though it was hard work. He changed his ways not to enter the family but to adjust to the ways of his new family. We become adopted children of God through faith in Jesus. We don’t change our ways to become a Christian. We change our ways to conform to our new family. Sometimes the Holy Spirit whispers in our ear, “That’s not the way we act in the family of God.”

Paul puts it like this in verse five of our text. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Whatever you allow your mind to dwell on will manifest itself in behavior. If we live life with the attitude, “What’s in it for me? How can I can an advantage here? What will bring me personal pleasure?” such thoughts will lead to sinful behavior. Those who walk in the Spirit are constantly thinking, “What would Jesus have me to do? How can I please God? What does the Bible say about this situation?” The International Children’s Bible has a clear translation of Proverbs 4:23: Be very careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life. If you allow thoughts of revenge, hatred, adultery, immorality, envy, strife, greed, selfishness, and the like to dominate your mind, those thoughts will run your life. However, if your thoughts are focused on Jesus and divine truth, your behavior will once again follow your thoughts. Be very careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life.

I used to ride the tilt-a-whirl with the kids at Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hurling around was fun for awhile, but sometimes the ride went on too long, and soon, I felt queasy in my stomach. So what began as fun ended up in misery. I would suggest it is that way with sin. It seems like such fun initially, but we soon become miserable if we continue on that path. So be careful what you allow to control you. The verse in Hebrews 11:25 expresses this thought well. Speaking of Moses, we read,  “He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. Yes, sin brings pleasure, a fleeting pleasure that soon turns to misery. But, on the other hand, faithfulness to God brings lasting peace and joy.

In my baseball playing days, the coach often expressed that you have to keep your eye on the ball to be a good hitter. Unfortunately, it didn’t always work for me! I watched the ball alright, right into the catcher’s glove! Those who live by the Spirit keep their attention focused on Jesus and biblical truth. Remember the children’s song with the line, “Be careful little eye what you see?” If our eyes are fixed upon Jesus, our behavior will change. To make it fit Proverbs 4:23, we should sing, “be careful little mind what you think.” Your thoughts run your life.

There is a powerful truth here, yet many are blind to it. Corporations spend millions of dollars on advertising because of the principle Jesus is talking about here. They know what goes in the mind will affect the human heart and thus impact behavior. Movie theaters have promotional ads coming up before the movie pointing people’s attention to the snack bar. They know once it goes through the eyes into the mind, it will have the desired effect causing pop and candy sales to go up. You know that the news media does much more than report the news. They want to influence your thinking. So when we continually hear an idea repeated over and over on the TV news, we think it must be true. Joseph Goebbels figured that out in the 1930s and ’40s. The Germans heard so much about the wickedness of the Jews that they began to believe it. A culture that produced Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Shiller, Goethe, and Luther became convinced that slaughtering millions of Jews was right for God and country. Be careful what you allow into your mind. Your thoughts run your life. Ideas have consequences.

Every moment of the day, we feed either the old man or the spiritual man. The one we feed will grow in our minds and hearts and overflow into our words and deeds. Just as our bodies reflect what and how much we eat, our behavior will reflect what we feed the mind and soul.      

Spiritual Christians are not perfect, but daily they turn away from the flesh and consciously allow the things of the Spirit to fill the mind and heart. When tempted, they invite Christ to fill their lives, and they close the door to all that is contrary to the will of God. When they sin, they ask for God’s forgiveness and strength to help them overcome the next temptation. They continually seek to offer themselves — heart, soul, mind, and strength — to Christ to be used for His purposes. In this way, the Holy Spirit gains control of our lives, and His incredible presence and power is enjoyed. Victory over sin is increasingly experienced.

Paul makes sure we understand the importance of the topic before us. Note his words. ¹³For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  ¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. If we allow our old nature to gain control over us we are on the pathway leading to death. As we walk by faith, yielding to the Holy Spirit, we experience life as it was meant to be lived. Not all who declare, “I am a Christian” are redeemed souls. The true sons of God are those whose way of life is predominantly Spirit-led.

Living in the Spirit is not complicated. There is no ethereal, eerie, otherworldly process we must go through. It is largely a matter of decision-making and paying attention to what goes into your mind. Martin Luther said that evil thoughts are like birds. We cannot always stop them from entering our minds, but we do not want to build a nest for them. God has given you the gift of the Holy Spirit. Use it – – for your own sake and for the glory of God.

Let me close by sharing an ancient Greek myth relevant to the issue at hand. Most of us studied Homer’s “Iliad” and “Oddesy” in school. You may recall the dangerous sailing trips taken by Odysseus. One adventure takes them past an island inhabited by the sirens. These creatures have the bodies of birds, the heads of women, and lovely voices. When the sirens begin to sing, passing sailors are so entranced that they rush toward the island to encounter these beautiful creatures, only to be smashed to pieces and destroyed on the dangerous rocks and the treacherous surf around the island. Now Odysseus didn’t know how he would be able to bypass this trap. Finally, after exploring options with his crew, someone came up with a solution. There was on board the ship a man who was the most incredible harp player of them all, Orpheus. Orpheus made the most beautiful music on his harp— far more beautiful even than the singing of the sirens. Thus as the men listened to the music of Orpheus, they were not tempted by the songs of the sirens.

Do I need to interpret this ancient myth? We need a passion for something that transcends all of the other desires in our lives. We need to hear the voice of God, which is more beautiful than those other voices which lead us to destruction. The devil calls to us, “I can bring you much pleasure.” The Holy Spirit calls to us, “I can bring you meaning and purpose in life followed by eternal life.” Who are you listening to? Who are you following?

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A NAMELESS MOTHER’S FAITH

Warsaw Christian Church, Mother’s Day, 2022, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text, Matthew 15:21-28:Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” ²³ But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” ²⁴ But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” ²⁶ But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” ²⁷ And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O  woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

In some respects, this is a strange story. A Canaanite woman, a Gentile, is in desperate need of help. There are things not explicitly stated in the text where I will try to fill in the blanks. I want to focus mainly on this mother’s faith this Mother’s Day.

First, who is this woman? We are not even told her name. She is a Gentile, not affiliated with the house of Israel. Yet we must assume she had heard of the God of the Jews and the promise of a coming Messiah. She knows about King David, and she knows that the Jewish Messiah will come from the house of David. The woman cries out to Jesus, “O Lord, Son of David.” This is one of several stories where the faith of Gentiles is greater than that of Israel. We think of the Good Samaritan, a person despised by the Jews who comes to aid a man beaten by robbers. The Jewish leaders ignored the man. We think of the Centurian who asked Jesus to heal his son. He is a gentile Roman. Yet, he is told that his faith exceeds that of the Jews (Matthew 8:5-13). There are times when the true heroes of the faith are not from the house of Israel! This is undoubtedly the case with this Canaanite mother.

Jesus is the Jewish Messiah whose grace will also reach out to the Gentiles. This episode occurs early in His ministry, a time when His focus is primarily on Israel. Yet a Gentile mother comes to Jesus in her hour of need. Her beloved daughter is demon-possessed.

All mothers have problems. You who are mothers and grandmothers or surrogate mothers who care for children know that the road is not always smooth. When a child is sick or has a special need, the mother usually seeks an answer. We are not told if this woman has a husband. If she does, he remains in the background. Mothers, where do you go when a child is in need? This applies to mothers who have children at home and mothers who have grown children. Mothers do not cease being mothers when their children are grown. This mother ran to Jesus. She was desperate. She had heard of this miracle worker. When she addresses Him as Lord and Son of David, she believes that He is the Jewish Messiah. All mothers should imitate this Gentile woman. She goes to Jesus for help. Jesus should be our first thought when our kids are in trouble. Our first cry should be, “Jesus, I need You.”

Perhaps your children are not demon-possessed, but many kids today are certainly influenced by demonic forces. Drug and alcohol abuse is rampant. Who is behind this issue? Certainly not God. If not God, who? The only other option is Satanic influence. Whatever the problem your children may have, turn to Jesus first. Blessed is the mother who knows where to go with her problems.

Notice some qualities about this mother. First, as we have seen, she believed He was the Messiah, the promised Son of David. How she came to that belief, we are not told. Jesus is not like a plumber, a doctor, or an electrician who can do a few things, but some things are beyond His power. No, He is the Son of God. He is God in the flesh. Nothing is beyond His power. Some human helpers may say, “Sorry, I can’t handle that issue.” Or sometimes, we human helpers try to help but only manage to make matters worse. Years ago, my mother had a leaky faucet. My brother could not fix it. Aha! A chance for me to outshine my older brother. By the time I finished with that faucet, water was spraying all over the bathroom! Jesus will never face a problem beyond His reach, and He will never step in to help and make matters worse. Moms, do you have issues with your kids, kids at home, or grown-up kids? Turn to Jesus first.

This mother believed in the deity of Jesus. How do we know that? Because she worshipped Him (vs. 25). This gentile mother knew that only God was to be worshipped. She worshipped Jesus. Therefore, she believed in His divine nature. She knew Jesus could heal her daughter. If you doubt the deity of Jesus, how can you seek His help with faith? When you seek the help of Jesus, do you have full confidence that He will hear and answer your request? Do you believe that He is the Son of the Living God with all your heart?

Next, we notice this mother’s persistence. What is Jesus’ initial response to her? He hears her cries,   ²³ But He answered her not a word. He is silent.He speaks not a single word.What do you do when you approach God in the name of Jesus and you are ignored? That’s what happened to this Canaanite mother. Her last hope is Jesus, but He seems to ignore her. Not only that, the disciples tell Jesus to send her away. The woman seeks help and meets with rejection. Jesus is the Son of God. The disciples are surely the godliest men who ever lived. Why would they ignore this mother’s cry for help? What is going on here?

This momma is not going to give up. After being ignored by Jesus and His disciples, you would think she would have given up. You would think the next verse would read something like this: “The woman put her head down and went home weeping.” Instead, she persists. She worships Jesus, acknowledging His divine nature. He does not correct her. He does not say, “Don’t worship me! Only worship God.” He accepts her worship. Again she asks for His help.

Now she hears Jesus speak. He says It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs. Now we would really expect her to give up. At this stage in His ministry, He is only dealing with Israel, whom He describes as “lost sheep.”  Jesus is first of all the Jewish Messiah. Later His ministry will expand to embrace the entire world. How will this mother respond to this second rebuke? How would you respond if you had sought the Lord’s help and twice been denied?

This is the only time I can remember when someone engaged in a dialogue with Jesus and got the better of Him. Her reply was magnificent. She says, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” She agreed with His description completely. Taking the place of an unworthy Gentile, she cast herself on His mercy, love, and grace. She said, in effect, “You are right! I am only one of the little dogs under the table. But I notice that crumbs sometimes fall from the table to the floor. Won’t You let me have some crumbs? I am not worthy that You should heal my daughter, but I beseech You to do it for one of Your undeserving creatures.”

Surely this is a lesson on persistence. This mother was not going to give up. How soon do we give up on our prayers when we do not see a quick answer? How serious are we when we pray? Are we going through the motions, expecting no answer? Or do we pray like this mother who will not take “no” for an answer?

Jesus is astonished by her faith. She will not be denied. He refers to her faith as “great.” I would love to learn that my faith is great, wouldn’t you? This mother wanted her daughter healed, and she persisted. Then Jesus speaks the word, and her daughter is healed.

What would you like to be commended for? We like to look our best and hope that others see us as beautiful or handsome. We don’t know what this mother looked like. It is not important. It is her faith that is commended, not her appearance.

We might like to be commended for our professional success. We like to hear that we are doing a good job. However, there is something far more important – – – our faith.

We like to be people of influence. I have authority. People respond to my leadership. I like it when others admire my influence. This mother probably had little influence in her community. But Jesus commends her for her great faith. Great faith trumps everything. If you are not beautiful, if you lack professional success, and have no influence in society, does that mean you are a loser? None of those things matter if Jesus looks upon you and sees a person of great faith.

The main lesson in this story is clear. Mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, no matter who you are. Take your problems to Jesus. Take your wayward children’s problems to Jesus. Yes, there may be obstacles in your way. Perhaps the answer you seek does not come quickly. If the matter is essential to you, don’t give up. If Jesus seems to ignore you, persist. If you think you are unworthy, you are! This mother had done nothing to deserve God’s favor. She simply would not take “no” for an answer. She loved her daughter and fought through several obstacles before finally receiving the answer she sought.

Mothers (and fathers too), you have it within yourself to change the world. God is still looking for great faith, and when He finds it, He is quick to respond. Are your children’s problems too great for Jesus to overcome? Are Warsaw’s issues beyond the reach of Jesus? Is the world going to hell in a handbasket, and poor Jesus is powerless to help? Mothers, learn from a Canaanite woman. Years ago, the prophet Jeremiah reminded us of a basic truth: Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You (Jeremiah 32:17).

I remember reading about one of the leading reformers, Philip Melanchthon, a close associate of Martin Luther. Melanchthon was ill, near death. Luther believed the church desperately needed this man and his theological skills, and he talks about storming the gates of heaven with his prayers, refusing to give up, and Melanchthon was healed. He lived to write the Augsburg Confession, which remains today as a basic statement of Lutheran faith.

Jesus, in harmony with the Father and the Holy Spirit, spoke this magnificent universe into existence. No problem is beyond the reach of “great faith.” There is absolutely nothing we can pray about, and God will throw up His hands and says, “This is too hard for me.” The problem is never with God. He chooses to work in the world through our faith. The problem is with us. Do we pray with tepid faith or great faith? Learn to pray from a nameless Canaanite mother.

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REVELATIONS ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS

Warsaw Christian Church, Easter 2022, Richard Bo0wman, Pastor

Text: Luke 24:13-32: Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”  ¹⁹ “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” ²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. ²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Cleopas and his companion are walking seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They are in a state of mind that can best be described as sad and confused. They are discussing Jesus. They had hoped He would redeem Israel. Jesus, whom they describe as a prophet mighty in word and deed, had been crucified. Thus their sadness. Jesus seemed so wonderful. Their redeemer had come,  but now their hopes had been shattered. How could the redeemer of Israel be crucified on a cross?

But they were also confused. They had heard the testimony of the women who went to the tomb and found it empty. They heard that some of Jesus’ apostles had also gone to the tomb and found it empty. They were in a state of confusion. Was he dead or was he alive? What did these two men learn on the road to Emmaus?

1.     They learned of their foolishness. A stranger approaches them. It is Jesus, but they do not recognize Him. How could they? He was crucified, dead, and buried. The “stranger” tells them they are foolish. He reminds them that their Scriptures, the Old Testament, clearly taught that the Messiah would be put to death, rise again and enter into glory. He rebukes them because they do not believe the Scriptures.

He might have referred them to Psalm 22, where the death of the Messiah is spoken of in great detail, even to the casting of lots for his garments. He no doubt referred them to Isaiah 52 where the prophet speaks of the suffering of the Messiah. Why are they shocked by the death of Jesus? That death had been clearly foretold in Scripture. Many verses like Psalm 2:7. Isaiah 53:10 points to the resurrection of the Messiah. Why would they doubt the testimony of the women at the tomb? Their problem was they could not bring themselves to believe what was written in Scripture.

The lesson for us is clear. We have the Old Testament, where the Messiah is prophesied over and over again. I have a nice thick book that points out every Scripture in the Old Testament that Jesus fulfilled. And we have the New Testament, where Jesus is revealed in all His glory. If our faith is to grow, we must be diligent students of the Bible. Jesus cautions two disciples and us not to be foolish by failing to read, study and believe all that is written in sacred Scripture. Let me ask one question. We are about 1/3 of the way through 2022. How much time have you spent in serious Bible study? I read that Martin Luther had memorized the entire New Testament. I know John 3:16, the Lord’s Prayer and the 23^rd Psalm, and a few other verses. I certainly am not as diligent in my Bible study as was Luther. Am I doomed for my lack of diligence?

2.     We also learn that Christ loves foolish people. He did not reject these two disciples for their foolishness. He appeared to them to set them on the right path. I am thankful that Christ does not turn His back on fools, for I fear I have been a fool more than once. Do I study the Scriptures diligently? Do I believe what is written? Do I obey what is written? I cannot give an unqualified “yes” to those questions. But I can still experience God’s glorious salvation by believing in Jesus and His resurrection. Thankfully, God has made the path to salvation clear for all of us who are fools. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

3.     There is a third lesson for us in our text. The two disciples are sad and confused because they think Jesus is dead, graveyard dead! Do you ever feel sad and act as though God were dead? Don’t we sometimes forget the resurrection and wallow in our troubles as though God were absent? We don’t see the resurrected Jesus as did these two disciples. But if we will believe in His invisible presence with us every day, we can cope with anything. Sometimes our prayers are like this: “God, help me, but I don’t believe You will.” We don’t say our prayers using those words but don’t we sometimes pray thinking nothing will come of it? We must never forget, “We serve a risen Savior’” one who has promised to be with us always. Believe it, and your life will change forever.

4.     Fourth, the two disciples realized the stranger was Jesus. When did they know His identity? It was when He took bread and broke it and gave it to them. Does that remind you of anything? Does the Lord’s Supper come to mind? Immediately, their eyes were opened, and they saw that the stranger was Jesus. He had indeed stepped out of the grave alive.

Jesus left us the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of how we are redeemed. We remember His body, broken for us as we partake of the bread. We remember His blood which established the New Covenant – – – blood shed for us as we partake of the cup. It is a special time when we remember Jesus. We remember what He has done for us in the distant past at Calvary. We also remember that He is with us today, a living Savior. I believe the Lord’s Supper is a special time when our eyes are opened, and we know that Jesus is with us.

5.     Finally, we see what happens when our eyes are opened, and we know He is with us. The two disciples are suddenly afflicted with heartburn. It’s not because they ate some bad food. It is what happens when we realize Jesus is alive and in our presence. They now know that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. Their hearts on fire is a figure of speech meaning they were suddenly filled with joy and excitement. Their lives were changed forever.

Following the resurrection, these two disciples, the Apostles, the women disciples, and Paul, the Apostle untimely born, went all over the ancient world proclaiming the name of Jesus. Their lives are changed radically by the resurrection.

What about us? Tim Zingale tells about a pastor standing at the door of his church on Easter Sunday. “I’ve never seen such a crowd in church,” a woman exclaimed. The pastor didn’t know her, but apparently, she was impressed by the number of people at church for Easter worship. Then, as she shook his hand and moved toward the outside of the church, she added, “Do you suppose it will make any difference? “He held on to her hand so she couldn’t get away, “What do you mean?” he said. “Will what make a difference? “Easter,” she shot back. “Will Easter make any difference for all these people, or will life tomorrow be the same as it was yesterday?” Has Easter made any changes in your life, or is it just one more holiday to observe before returning to our usual routine?

It certainly made a difference in the lives of those first disciples. They knew that Christ had conquered death, which caused them to surrender everything they had, including their own lives, to get the word of The Gospel out to others. Has Easter made a difference in your life? Wouldn’t you like to have the kind of confidence in the power and purpose of God that those early followers had? You can, you know. It is God’s gift to all who will receive it. 

There was a young lawyer who descended into the valley of despair. Things were going so poorly for him that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors away from him for fear of a suicide attempt. In fact, during this time, he wrote in his memoirs, “I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I fear I shall not.” The young lawyer became one of America’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln. 

Do you think, as Lincoln did, that your situation is hopeless? Don’t give up. There is a friend closer than you think. He is calling your name. He is offering you a gift. It is the gift of abundant and eternal life, and it is available to you. Will you receive it? There is but one simple condition: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Saved eternally and saved from living in perpetual darkness in this earthly life. Has Easter changed your life?  

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DEAD TO SIN? Romans #  8

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 6:1 – 10

In the earlier chapters of Romans, Paul had proclaimed the Gospel of salvation by faith alone, through Christ alone. Since we are saved by God’s grace and not by our works, certain questions came up in the minds of some. Paul expresses one question in the first verse of our text. “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” On the surface, it seems like a logical question.  If salvation is a free gift that comes to us from the grace of God, perhaps as Christians, we need not worry about sin anymore. Therefore if we continue to live our old sinful lives, won’t this magnify the grace of God in saving us? The more I sin, the more God’s grace is manifested in forgiveness.

So, does it not follow if I keep on sinning to my heart’s content, God can keep on forgiving me, and His grace will be magnified? This seemed to be a question on the mind of some. They reasoned, “The more I sin, the more God’s forgiving love is magnified. Therefore, I am doing God a favor by immersing myself in wickedness.” So, shall I not keep on sinning that God’s grace may abound?

Paul’s answer is unambiguous. “God forbid!” (KJV); “Perish the thought” (Lenski); “Of course not” (Living Bible); “Certainly not” (TEV); “No, No! (New English Bible). The English translations vary, but the meaning is plain, and Paul explains why.

I like the story of a minister who preached a sermon on sin. A parishioner came to him afterward and said, “Pastor, that was a wonderful sermon. We didn’t know what sin was until you became our pastor.”

Paul writes, How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? He describes what happens to persons who genuinely trust in Jesus. Faith brings with it a host of changes in our lives. We saw a few weeks ago that faith brings peace with God; it gives us access to God; it gives us everlasting hope; it brings the love of God into our hearts. Now Paul adds another item to the list of things God does for those who trust Him. We become persons who are dead to sin. If we die to sin, we cannot continue to live in it. If we want to continue to practice our sins, it only means we have never truly trusted in Jesus.

There was a time when I read that passage and thought, “I am certainly not dead to sin. Perhaps I am not a real Christian.” What about you? Are you “dead to sin?” We need to look closely at what God tells us in this text.

Moses Lard, a 19th century Christian Church author, wrote these words in his “A Commentary on Romans “(1875). I think his words help us here: “To die to sin is to be wholly disinclined in mind to commit it, and consequently not to do so. The expression is a bold one, and not to be construed too strictly (literally, RB); for no one in the flesh can be said to be absolutely dead to sin, since no one lives and sins not. To be dead to sin is to be so as a rule, but not to be so without exception. . . The best and only evidence we can give that we are truly dead to sin is our aversion to it, and cessation from it” (pp 195-196). This helps me. If the verse calls for a life of sinless perfection, I am lost, and all of you are as well. I have not met a Christian who lived a life totally free from sin.

Okay, sinless perfection is not Paul’s intention, but he certainly means that Christians have a new relationship with sin. Perhaps a bit of personal history here will help. I was not a dedicated Christian as a youth. I had some sense of right and wrong, and I was active in church, but it did not bother me to do things I knew were wrong. As long as I wasn’t caught, my sins were acceptable. I was comfortable with my bad behavior. When I was converted to Christ in 1965, my attitude changed. If I am guilty of wrongdoing, I feel guilty, and I turn to God in repentance. The Holy Spirit living within the believer makes us feel dreadfully uncomfortable when we disobey God. The only relief is repentance and confession. 

Paul explains why this is so in our text. We encounter the word “baptism,” which has caused much disagreement among the theologians. Paul writes, “³Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  ⁴Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Please try to remove from your mind any ideas you have concerning baptism and look closely at the text. He describes Christians as persons who were baptized into Christ Jesus. What does that mean? Here it cannot mean “baptized in water.” There is a difference between baptism in water and baptism into Christ. Simon, the magician, was baptized in water but not into Christ (Acts 8). The thief on the cross was baptized into Christ but not in water (Luke 23).

We know from the Book of Acts that the early church baptized in water, probably by immersion. When was a person baptized in water? I suggest that water baptism followed baptism into Christ as a symbolic portrayal of what happens when we are baptized into Christ. The Greek word baptizo has several meanings. One of the meanings was “to dye” a piece of cloth. That meaning is significant to understanding what it means to be baptized into Christ. What happens when a white cloth is immersed into a pan of red dye? The cloth comes into contact with the dye and is transformed by it. It is no longer what it once was. Baptism into Christ is simply another term for conversion or rebirth. When we believe in Jesus, we are joined with Him even as the dye is joined with the cloth. When we are joined to Christ, in fact, we are transformed. His presence permeates our entire being so that we experience what Jesus called “a new birth.” We become different persons. We become Christ-oriented and are no longer sin-oriented. Our text describes it as follows: “we also should walk in newness of life.” You cannot be joined with Christ and remain the same. You can be baptized in water and remain the same as before, but you cannot be baptized into Christ without your life being dramatically changed.

We need to keep this distinction clearly in mind. Water cannot bring about the effects Paul describes in our text. Water cannot cause you to die to sin. Water cannot cause you to walk in newness of life. Water cannot bring about a new birth. But, when by faith we are joined to Christ (baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit), these changes take place. So, why do we bother with water baptism? The obvious reason is that it is commanded in Scripture, and if we believe in Jesus, we will do as He commanded.

Furthermore, water baptism is a meaningful symbol of what has happened to us when we trust in Christ as our Savior. We are buried in the water to signify our death to sin and to the old self. We are brought up out of the water to symbolize that we have been spiritually resurrected to live a new kind of life. Our sins are washed away, not by water, but by the death of the Messiah in whom we trust. Therefore, water baptism is essential as long as we understand its significance. 

Perhaps comparing water baptism to a marriage ceremony will help. Why does a couple marry? Does the marriage ceremony create love that was not there before? Do they hope that love will be generated by going through the marriage ceremony? Of course not! The love relationship is established first. The marriage ceremony is a public declaration of a love that is already present. There is a parallel here (but not a perfect one) with water baptism. Baptism in water does not create faith. It is a public declaration of faith already present. The one baptized in water has previously been joined to (baptized into) Christ.

The bottom line in our text is simply this: If you have been united with Christ by faith, that will be evidenced by your living a new life. Of course, it will never be a perfect life, free from all sin, but it will be a new life no longer dominated by sin, but by righteousness.

Now here is the tricky part. Just how new does this new life have to be? Am I reflecting enough “new life” to prove that I am a faithful Christian? It is the wrong question, and those who follow that line of thought will end up in despair. The Christian does not practice spiritual naval-gazing to see if he is doing enough to satisfy God’s requirement to live a new life. If you look at your performance and ask, “Am I doing enough,” the answer is always, “NO.” We could all do more; we could all do better. Our gaze must never be focused on self but on Christ. As we focus on Him, He leads us to ever-increasing faithfulness.

Paul expresses a key thought when he declares that we are no longer slaves to sin. Before faith in Christ entered the picture, we were slaves to sin. Paul says later in Romans 14:23, “for whatever is not from faith is sin.” Unbelievers may do good works that receive praise from men, but God considers everything we do as sinful if it does not proceed from faith in Christ. Whatever we do as Christians, we are to do in the name of Jesus, and God is pleased when we act in this manner: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).

Christians have a unique perspective on life. We do not think simply of sin and righteousness, good and evil. We think of what is done in the name of Jesus (with faith in Him), and God declares all such actions to be righteous. We are not trying hard to be good. We are trying to keep Jesus foremost in our thoughts because we live a life pleasing to God when we do. When we move into Chapter 7, Paul will add a bit of complication to this whole matter of Christian living. For now, we must embrace the truth that we who trust in Jesus are no longer enslaved to sin. We are not entirely sinless, but we consider ourselves now to be slaves to Christ.

We end up where we began. Can a Christian continue to live a sin-centered life? Of course not!   Those who claim to belong to Christ but do not yield to Him are deceived. We must never forget that true faith in Jesus brings changes into the heart and life of the believer. The difference we are looking at today is this: Faith in Jesus brings the Holy Spirit into our hearts. The Holy Spirit is that inward voice moving us to yield to Christ. Titus 3:3-6 says: (NKJV) ^“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.  ⁴But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,  ⁵not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,  ⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior…” Do these words describe what is happening in your life? Do you know the abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit leading you away from sin and towards Jesus Christ and righteousness? This is the experience of every true believer.

 In the words of our text, we have been joined to Christ, baptized into Christ; we have died to sin and are eager to pursue righteousness. We walk in newness of life. If this description seems far removed from your Christian experience, you should wonder if your faith is genuine. Make sure the faith you proclaim with your lips is also the faith of your heart.  

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ADAM AND JESUS, Romans  #7

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 5:12 – 17 (NKJV) ¹²Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  ¹⁴Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.  ¹⁵But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.  ¹⁶And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.  ¹⁷For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

There are some complexities in the verses I just read. I will try to untie some knots. As we observe the work of terrorists worldwide and crime in America on an unprecedented scale, we ask, “What is wrong with the human race?”  Why can’t the world’s peoples learn to live and let live? In the approximately 4000 years of recorded human history, little has changed. Murder, theft, lies, deceit, war – – – they are all present in the Book of Genesis, and they plague us today. So why can’t we humans make a decision that we are going to be kind and good?

Paul gives us the answer in our text. I believe in the divine inspiration of Scripture because it gives a solid explanation for all the big questions life throws at us. Sin entered the world through one man, Adam. Men like to blame Eve, but God blames Adam for introducing sin into the human race. Paul explains why Adam is to blame in 1 Timothy 2:14 (NKJV) ^“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.”  Adam was created first and was responsible for the future spiritual development of the human race. Satan deceived Eve. Eve had a defense: “The devil outsmarted me.”  Adam was without excuse. He was not deceived but disobeyed God openly and knowingly. He just ate what the little woman put on the table even though he knew better. Thus, he is considered the author of sin.

This text raises the question about the historical accuracy of Genesis. Were Adam and Eve real people, or is this a mythical story about the origin of the human race? Paul, an inspired Apostle, writes that Adam and Eve were historical persons in our text. In Luke 3:38, Adam is mentioned last in the genealogy of Jesus. That settles it for me. If Jesus is a descendant of Adam, Adam was a real person.

Paul’s argument in our text makes no sense if Adam is a mythical man. Mythical men do not commit sins that impact the entire human race. Only a historical man can do that. Paul recalls that everything was declared good when God created the heavens and the earth. The first humans were placed in an ideal environment. They received clear directions from God regarding not eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Even though God had promised that death would come if they disobeyed, Adam disobeyed. He defied God.

Theologians like to speak of “the federal headship of Adam” and “original sin.” Let’s avoid theological language and stay with the words in our text. Adam sinned, and through him, sin infected the entire human race. We know that is true because all men sin. However you explain it, all humans are guilty of sin against our holy God. Is it somehow in the genes or the environment? We don’t know. We just know sin impacts every human being from Adam through today.  

This is why I object to those who remove statues of historical leaders and change school names. People do it because they discover flaws in our past leaders. Well, what do you know? Our founding fathers were sinners! Jefferson was a slave owner. That is not a good thing. Yet, we honor Him because he was one of the main authors of our Constitution, one of the greatest political documents ever written. If we destroy statues of everyone who was ever a sinner, we will have no statues, no remembrance of our past.

Death was the promised consequence of sin, and in due course, Adam died. All his offspring died, and today we all live under the curse of death. How would an atheist explain the propensity to evil that haunts our world? All he can say is, “It happened by chance.” 

The Bible gives a more realistic picture of reality. There will never be a perfect human being (Jesus is the lone exception). All humans are inclined to disobey God and will act on those inclinations. There will always be terrorists, murders, thieves, etc., because sin has infected the human race. That is what Scripture teaches, and that is what we observe today and throughout history. Therefore, it should not surprise or shock us to see America at war against Germany or see wars continuing today. We say, “Boys will be boys,” and boys who become men do terrible things. The world we live in is precisely the kind of world we should expect based on the teachings of Scripture. The perfection we long for will not happen until Jesus Christ returns to usher in His eternal kingdom. Until then, do not be surprised by man’s inhumanity to man.

Let’s look again at several Scriptures which teach this fundamental truth regarding the wickedness of human nature just to refresh our memories.Romans 3:23 (NKJV)^“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Galatians 3:22 (NKJV) ^“But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” 1 John 1:8 (NKJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us Psalms 14:3 (NKJV)   “They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good,  No, not one” (Romans 3:12).

One might object, “Why should we be held responsible for Adam’s sin? Why should we be under judgment?” Paul does not say that God punishes us because of Adam’s sin. Note again verse 12: “and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.”  Why do we disobey God? Is it because we have no choice in the matter? Is it all Adam’s fault? No, it is because we choose to sin. When we disobey God, we are doing precisely what we want to do, and thus we are held responsible. Unbelievers prefer to live life apart from the wisdom and authority of God.

Paul’s main interest in this text is to compare two men. Adam and Jesus are presented as the two pivotal figures in human history. Adam introduced sin and death into the world. Jesus Christ provided the solution. One way to think of this is to point out that we are either sons/daughters of Adam or God’s children through Jesus Christ. There is no third option.

There are essential differences between these two figures, Adam and Jesus. One crucial difference is this: you need to do nothing to inherit Adam’s sinful nature. It comes to us when we are born. It’s “automatic” in one sense, but in another sense, we have a preference for our fallen nature and freely rebel against God. Thus, we are responsible for our behavior. It is otherwise with Christ. Notice the language in our text in verse 17: ^“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”  The two key words here are “gift” and “receive,” and also the phrase “much more.”  What Christ achieved is much more than what Adam initiated. Adam sinned and died. The offspring of Adam sin and die. It is a simple quid pro quo. You sin, you die. From the fall of Adam and our fall, we receive exactly what God promised, no more, no less.

It is very different with Christ. Salvation is offered to the world as a gift. It is a gift we may receive or reject. Our sins bring us just what we deserve, death. Christ brings to us that which we do not deserve, eternal life.

Usually, gifts come to us wrapped in pretty paper. Someone hands us a gift, and we hold out our hand to receive it. Eternal life is a gift that cannot be gift-wrapped. It is an intangible gift. We cannot touch it or experience it with our physical senses. How, then, do we receive a supernatural gift? It is obtained by faith. We hear the Gospel that Jesus, God’s Son, has come to rescue us from death and hell. His promise is clear: all who believe in Me shall not perish but have eternal life. Those who hear that message cannot receive the gift offered with their hands. We accept it with our hearts when we place our trust in Jesus. When we affirm, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and I accept Him as my Lord and Savior,” the gift is ours. Then, we begin to live as His faithful disciples out of gratitude for what He has done for us.

It isn’t easy to find an everyday analogy, but perhaps this will help. Sometimes children receive money in a trust fund paid out later, perhaps on their 21st birthday. If you are a 12-year-old child who receives one million dollars at age 21, when do you have the money? You have it at age 12 because you believe in the integrity of the one who gave it to you. You possess it by faith. On your 21st birthday, you possess it in reality.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we possess eternal life now, by faith, because we believe in the integrity of the One who died for us. We now possess a heaven we do not see. We possess it by faith because we have total confidence in the truthfulness of Jesus. And as we abide in faith, the day will come when we shall enter our eternal home where there are no tears, no sickness, no death, no terrorists, no wars, and no murders; just Jesus, God the Father, the redeemed saints, and everlasting joy. In due course, I hope to see all of you there.

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GOD’S AMAZING LOVE,   ROMANS, 6

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 5:6 – 12 (NKJV) ⁶For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  ⁷For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  ⁸But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  ⁹Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  ¹⁰For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  ¹¹And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

When we trust Jesus Christ, we receive total forgiveness of all our sins. When we confess to God that we are sinners, we declare something else. We tell God that we are unhappy about our sins. Those who are content to live life clinging to their sins are not unhappy about their disobedience. They would be unhappy if they knew they were headed to hell, but they don’t believe in hell, and so they are content to live a sinful life. A Christian knows that sin has made him miserable. Being unhappy with their sins, the Christian not only seeks forgiveness but the power to live a new kind of life. His prayer is not only, “Forgive me,” but also, “Change me.” We saw last week some of the beautiful changes that God introduced into our lives: peace, access to God, hope, and love.

Our text begins with a human example. Sometimes a human being might die for a good friend (not often, but it sometimes happens!). We have all seen movies where the hero leaps into the path of a bullet to save his beloved. In the old western “Destry Rides Again,” Marlene Dietrich takes a bullet for Jimmy Stewart. Paul’s point is that we would never sacrifice ourselves for someone we regarded as an enemy. None of us would want to step in front of Osama bin Laden and take the bullet meant for him.

As Paul reflects on these things, he is utterly amazed by the love of God. Christ died for the ungodly. God demonstrates His love for us by reconciling us to Himself while we were His enemies. God looked down from heaven and saw nothing but enemies. He might have justly decided to condemn the entire human race. That is what we deserve. Yet, God’s love for fallen humanity is so great that He acted to redeem us instead of condemning us.  

It is difficult for us to grasp the significance of what God has done for us and the terrible price He paid. God sent His Son out of the glories of the eternal world into a world full of sin and corruption. The Son of God was stripped of His eternal glory and clothed in human flesh. The Father watched while the Son was humiliated, rejected, abused, tortured, and killed on a cross. All the sins of the world were laid upon Jesus. He suffered for your sins and mine. The Father turned His back upon Jesus as He hung upon the Cross and watched in silence as the Son cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” All the wrath, anger, and fury of God were poured out upon His beloved Son. Why did God do this to His own Son? Why did Jesus endure this shame? We know the answer. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

From what are we saved when we trust in Jesus? Through the shed blood of Jesus, says Paul, we are protected from the wrath of God. The wrath of God is not our favorite topic, but it is so important that we understand this aspect of God’s nature. Paul spoke powerfully last week and again in our text today of the love of God. God is love, says John, and it was the love of God that caused Him to reach out to the human race with an offer of amnesty.

How can a God of love also be a God of wrath? The two concepts may seem contradictory at first glance, but they are compatible. We need to keep them in balance. If we go overboard on the love of God, failing to take into account His wrath, we will come to the false conclusion that everyone will be saved. If we go overboard on the wrath of God, failing to give due place to His love, we will end up scaring people to death and leaving them with a feeling of hopelessness. Balancing these two concepts, love, and wrath, is very important.

In our world today, the tendency is to overemphasize the love of God to the exclusion of divine wrath. “Hellfire and brimstone” sermons in many churches are a thing of the past. I will grant that too much emphasis on the agonies of hell can have a negative impact. Jonathan Edwards preached a famous sermon in the 1700s entitled “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” He spoke of sinners dangling over the fires of hell by a single thread that might break at any moment, plunging them into eternal torment. Perhaps that is a bit too graphic for our modern sensibilities. In Dante’s famous work, “The Divine Comedy,” he had s sign over the gate to hell, which read, “Abandon every hope, ye who enter here.”  Is that too shocking for the modern mind?

Those who think the wrath of God is a doctrine we have outgrown are not paying close attention to the text of Scripture. Paul’s language in verse 9 of our text is clear. ^“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”  God is angry with the human race because of sin. His just wrath will result in some souls being forever lost in hell. God’s wrath is real; hell is real. Jesus, the Son of God, has acted to shield and save you from the wrath of God. He bore that wrath for you. 

We will understand more about what has happened to the human race as we continue in the Book of Romans. For now, we must realize that there are only two classes of people in the world. Some are under the wrath of God, and some are under the grace of God. Paul will explain later that we are all born into the first category. You enter into the second category only through faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle John expresses this truth with characteristic clarity and simplicity. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him“(John 3:36). We have a clear choice to make: Believe in the Son and receive everlasting life, or refuse to believe in Jesus and remain under the wrath of God.

Paul now adds another factor into the love of God. He writes, ^“For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  If the death of Jesus reconciled us to God WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES, much more we shall be saved by His life. I like that phrase, “much more.” How much more will God do for us after having overwhelmed us with His love in the death of Jesus? God’s word tells us we shall also be saved by His life. What could that possibly mean? It means that Jesus is not simply a Savior who died for us and remained dead. Jesus is alive, resurrected from the tomb, and He is now at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us (Heb. 7:25).

While Paul does not elaborate in our text the full implications of being saved by the life of Jesus, from other Scriptures, we receive a glorious picture of what that means. We say, “Forgive and forget,” but Jesus does not forgive us and then forget us, leaving us to struggle through life alone. One of Paul’s favorite phrases is “in Christ.” He uses it 13 times in Romans alone. Persons of faith live their lives “in Christ.”  We are joined to Him spiritually, and He is there for us in every situation. We read in John 15:26 (NKJV), “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” The Holy Spirit works in our human spirit, revealing the presence of Jesus to our innermost being. Thus, Paul cried out, I live, yet not I; Christ lives in me, (Gal. 2:20). We not only have a Savior who died for us but a living Lord who dwells in our hearts.  Fellowship with the living Christ is the greatest of all Christian benefits. 

How can we view live pictures of what is happening in New York, or Iraq, or London while we sit in our living room? Powerful electronic signals are sent from the TV Station or from a satellite, and if you have the right receiver, you can pick up the signal and view live pictures from all over the world. We are like TV receivers. The Holy Spirit is sending out the signal “Jesus” worldwide. When you are justified by faith, you can tune in. Jesus is no longer off in heaven somewhere or dwelling in the distant past. He is an immediate presence in the heart of every believer. How great is the love of God that God the Son not only died for us while we were His enemies but also takes up His residence in our hearts!

Sometimes Christians wonder what happens after being justified by faith if we fall into sin. Once again, Jesus comes to our rescue. Look at 1 John 2:1 – 2 (NKJV)My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” And then 1 John 1:9(NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

John first states the ideal case; he calls upon the redeemed to avoid sin. Then he becomes practical because he knows that the very best Christians fall into sin. When sin enters the lives of those justified by faith, we should quickly remember two critical truths: Jesus is our Advocate with the Father. He is our defense attorney. He reminds the Father (to speak in a human sense) that He is the propitiation for the sins of His people. He has paid the price for our forgiveness. However, we must perform a duty, and that is to confess our sins to God sincerely. As we repent and confess, the blood of Jesus once again removes the stain of guilt from us.

We are confronted in our text today with the unfathomable love of God. Jesus suffered for us while we were enemies of God. He saves us from the just wrath of God. He intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father. He continues to provide for our forgiveness as we continue to live the life of faith. Jesus lives in our hearts. We have a vital relationship with Him. What a blessing it is to live life under the shadow of God’s love. His love is available to everyone on the simple condition that we trust in Jesus. Are you?

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PAUL

(A First Person Sermon)

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

My name is Paul. I was given two names because I was both a Jew and a Roman citizen. Paul is my Roman name. Saul is my Jewish name. I was born in Tarsus in Asia Minor, a country you know as Turkey. I was a Pharisee who studied the law under the great Gamaliel. I was born in the tribe of Benjamin. By profession, I was a tentmaker.

I was a very dedicated Jew, as were most of the Pharisees. I believed in the Law of Moses. The idea that someone better than Moses would come along was foreign to me. Moses was a great prophet of God. Moses was the one to whom God revealed His law. How could anyone come alone who would be superior to Moses?

In my early years, there was an upstart prophet named Jesus. I never knew Him.

He was crucified as a false prophet claiming to be the King of the Jews. Many believe Him to be the Messiah promised to Israel by God. The prophets had promised a Messiah would come, but so many years had gone by that many of us no longer believed a Messiah would actually come. So we reinterpreted the messianic passages in ways that need not concern us this morning.

I hated the Christians, and I was not too fond of Jesus, their false prophet. They were replacing Judaism with a new religion. Jesus had gained so many followers that something had to be done. If they were allowed to grow, they would replace orthodox Judaism. I could not permit that to happen.

I became what you would call a policeman for the high priest. I was given the authority to hunt down Christians. I had them punished, jailed, and even killed. I believed I was doing God’s work. One of their leaders was a man named Stephen. He was nothing but trouble. He accused us of being stiff-necked and of resisting the Holy Spirit. How anyone could make such false accusations against faithful Jews was beyond me. We put an end to his lying mouth. I happily stood by and watched as he was stoned to death. Just before he died, he had a hallucination. He thought he saw Jesus in the heavens, and then he prayed that those who stoned him would be forgiven of their sin. Sin? What sin? It is not a sin to kill a babbling false prophet. I continued to hunt down Christians and turn them over to the authorities. I was sure we had to stamp out this new false religion. I was proud of the work I was doing. I was confident that Jehovah approved.

Damascus became a trouble spot for this new religion. I was assigned to go there and round up as many Christians as possible. I went there with a well-armed contingent of soldiers. On the way, something very unusual happened. You may find what I am about to tell you hard to believe. Nevertheless, it was such a powerful experience that it changed my life.

Suddenly I saw a bright light; it seemed even more brilliant than the sun. I was knocked to the ground. The light was so bright I was blinded. It was all very confusing. Suddenly I heard a voice. Those who were with me did not hear a voice, just a sound,  and I cannot explain why. I’m just telling you what happened. Oddly enough, the voice addressed me by my Hebrew name, Saul. I distinctly heard these words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” I could not see, so I responded, “Who are You, Lord?” Was this some Christian ghost that I had arrested and had been put to death? Then the voice spoke to me clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

In an instant, one thing became clear to me. This Jesus whom I persecuted was the Messiah promised to Israel by God. He was indeed resurrected, as His disciples claimed. In a moment of time, it was clear that I had been fighting against God. I was scared to death! What would He do to me? Strike me dead for my folly? Keep me forever blinded? Send me straight to hell?

With fear and trembling in my voice, I said to Him, “What do You want me to do?” With great anxiety, I waited to see if He would respond. He told me to go to Damascus and await further instructions. In Damascus, a disciple named Ananias came to me. He restored my sight and baptized me. In the blink of an eye, I went from enemy of Jesus to friend of Jesus. I now wanted to serve Jesus, but I wondered what that would involve. Ananias told me what would happen. He told me I was a chosen vessel of Jesus. I would preach about Jesus to kings, Gentiles, and the children of Israel.

I was feeling puffed up by this news. I was to be someone important in the Christian movement. To preach before kings! To take the message of Jesus to the Gentiles! I supposed my sins were forgiven, and I was going to lead a new and glorious life of service to the Master.

Then Ananias burst my bubble. He told me that I was to suffer for Jesus. If you think following Jesus will lead to a life filled with nothing but good things, you might want to think again. Yes, I was called to fulfill a great and important task. Eventually, I preached the name of Jesus all over the ancient world, but there was a cost. Ananias was right. Suffering became my lot.

I began preaching in Damascus. I went to the synagogues and told my fellow Jews that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Many were puzzled. They knew I had been persecuting the church, and now I was proclaiming the name of Jesus. I wondered if they thought I had lost my mind! These particular Jews were not too pleased with my message. They plotted to kill me! Ananias was right. Following Jesus does not always lead to a bed of roses.

I guess you could say I became a basket case. Some of Jesus’ disciples helped me to escape those who sought my life by letting me down over the city wall in a basket. But, that was just the beginning of my sufferings. Pastor Bowman said I could only talk for 25 minutes, so I will just share some highlights.

During my first missionary journey, I preached with Barnabas, a fellow Christian, and a dear friend, in Cyprus, Perga, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. The experience at Lystra was interesting. Jesus healed a disabled man through me, and the pagans in Lystra thought I was a god! They thought I was the god Hermes and Barnabas they called Zeus. Well, we had to put a stop to that. We explained that we were mere mortal men and proclaimed the living God to them.

Some Jews saw what happened in Lystra and decided that I must be executed. Just as I had once persecuted Christians, I was being persecuted because I was a Christian! I was cornered by a group of Jews who stoned me. They thought I was dead and dragged me out of the city like a sack of garbage. The disciples gathered around me and prayed. I am not sure if I was dead or not, but Jesus raised me up, and we went on our way.

On my second missionary journey, I had an interesting experience in the city of Phillipi. A young lady followed us around and shouted, “These men are the servants of the most high God who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” What she said was true enough, but she was clearly demon-possessed. You don’t want a demon-possessed girl running around advertising on your behalf! I turned to her and commanded the demon to come out of her in the name of Jesus. She was instantly set free. Unfortunately, she had some masters who used her fortune-telling skills to make money. They were not too happy when their money supply was suddenly cut off.

We were dragged before the magistrates as trouble makers and cast into prison. Silas was with me, and we decided to have a songfest around midnight. We sang hymns praising God. Suddenly there was an earthquake, and the prison collapsed like the walls of Jericho. All the prisoners were set free from their shackles. The jailer was beside himself. He thought all the prisoners would escape and he would face the death penalty, so he decided to take his own life.

We intervened and halted his suicide attempt. He was so distraught and fearful. He cried out to us, “What must I do to be saved?” I didn’t know if he meant saved from the wrath of his superiors or what he meant, but I decided to tell him about Jesus. I gave him a very brief Gospel message. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” He did believe in Jesus, and we taught him and his family in greater detail about the Christian faith. A wonderful baptism service followed this, and we celebrated by having a feast together.

I remember one occasion when we were sailing to Rome and were shipwrecked. The soldiers wanted to kill all the prisoners (of which I was one) lest we escape. God had told me that everyone would survive the shipwreck and a Centurian stepped up to stop the killing. Everyone made it safely to shore as God had promised. We swam to the island of Melita. The island inhabitants were regarded as barbarians, but they were very kind to us.

They kindled a fire for us as we were wet and cold. I was throwing some sticks on the fire when suddenly a viper latched onto my hand. I shook the serpent off my hand into the fire. The natives knew the snake was poisonous, and they waited for me to die. They thought perhaps I was a murderer, and vengeance finally caught up with me. When I did not die, the island inhabitants assumed I must be a god! I assured them I was not. Nevertheless, they thought God was with me, so they brought their sick to me to be healed. I prayed for the sick, and God delivered them. Although they were considered to be barbarians, we were there three months and were treated with kindness. When we finally set sail again for Rome, they saw to it that we had everything we would need. I  was treated better by these barbarians than I ever was by “civilized” Romans and Jews!

My time is about up. There is so much more I could tell you about my life, but I don’t want to preach too long and risk the displeasure of Pastor Bowman. I once preached so long that a young man sitting in an upper story window fell asleep during my sermon and fell to his death. I felt responsible, so I asked Jesus to restore him to life, and he did! I wouldn’t want that to happen to any of you. I close with this. My life was hard. Following Jesus was no picnic. I was often beaten, stoned once, imprisoned, and shipwrecked. I was finally put to death for my faith in Rome. I hope my story doesn’t discourage you from following Jesus. Yes, there may be times of hardship, but Jesus has the words of eternal life. The blessings of following Jesus far outweigh the hardships. The sufferings of this world are not even worth comparing to the glory that awaits us in the future. So, I say to you what I said to the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Whatever happens to you in this life, Jesus gives eternal life to those who trust in Him. You can count on it.

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The Faith of Abraham, Romans # 4

Warsaw Christian Church,  Richard Bowman, Pastor

 
Text: Romans 4:1 – 5 (NKJV) ¹What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?  ²For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  ³For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁴Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. ⁵But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
Romans 4:18 – 25 (NKJV) (Abraham) who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” ¹⁹And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.  ²⁰He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,  ²¹and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.  ²²And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ²³Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,  ²⁴but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,  ²⁵who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

I have been asked more than once the following question:  If faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation, are all persons doomed who lived before Jesus was born? I hope I don’t offend anyone, but the person who asks that question has not read much of the Bible. The text I just read affirms that the message of salvation was present in Abraham’s day, and we learn from Genesis 3:15 that the Gospel was revealed to Adam and Eve.

Our text reveals for us the essential nature of saving faith. It is not complicated. Paul argues that long before the time of Jesus, Abraham was a redeemed man. The reason is that Abraham believed God. Abraham’s faith was tested on several occasions; first, when he left Ur of the Chaldees, not knowing where he was going. Why did he do that? Because God told him to go. His faith was tested when he was prepared to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Why would any father sacrifice his own son? Because God told him to do it. In our text, Abraham is tested again. God tells him he will have a son. Abraham and Sarah were about 100 years old when God gave them this message. Being a woman of the world, Sarah knew there was no way she could bear a son, so she laughed at this bit of news. God seems to have a sense of humor, so when Sarah did bear a son he was named “Isaac,” which means “laughter” in Hebrew. God had the last laugh. Our text tells us that Abraham believed God. He had faith in what God had promised. He was fully convinced that God would perform the impossible. Then notice the crucial words, “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Now listen carefully: Abraham was not a totally righteous man. We don’t have the time to go back to the Old Testament and list all the times he sinned. Abraham was not righteous in terms of his own behavior. God, however, accounted him righteous; treated him as though he were perfectly righteous. Why? Because he believed what God said. IF YOU WANT TO BE COUNTED AMONG THE REDEEMED, YOU MUST BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS. In its most basic and straightforward form, saving faith means learning to take God at His word. If you do not believe what God says, then you cannot enter into His salvation. It is not enough to believe IN God. We must also believe what He says.

God has spoken much in Scripture. While the wise person will believe every Word that God has spoken, there is one thing He has said that is of special importance for those who live under the New Covenant. Paul expresses it in our text: First, verse 5: ⁵But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Speaking of the fact that God imputed righteousness to Abraham, Paul then adds, “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,  ²⁵who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

God tells us plainly that we are to believe in His Son, who suffered on our behalf and then was raised from death. Let’s take a very close look at our text. Whom does God redeem? Does He save good people? We have already seen that in God’s eyes, there are no good people (Romans 1). God justifies the ungodly. I have no problem admitting that my life is cluttered with ungodly thoughts, words, and deeds. How about you? The first thing we must believe about ourselves is that we are ungodly. God says so, and we can agree with Him or disagree. Disagreeing with God is never a good idea!

Paul mentions another factor in our text that we need to grasp firmly. In reference again to Abraham, Paul says he has nothing to boast about as a redeemed man. Boasting would enter the picture if we could say that our good works contributed to our salvation. But Paul excludes good works from the salvation formula. If Abraham had done something to deserve God’s favor, then he could boast. Instead, he received God’s favor, not by his works but by believing God.

We Christians must never look at those outside the faith and think, “We are better than they are. We are Christians.” No, we are not better than they are. Those who believe in Jesus, and those who do not, are described by God with the same word: ungodly. Boasting, whether expressed or only thought in our minds, is an integral part of human nature. If a baseball player has a batting average of .300 or better, he can boast about that. If you have a skill that earns you a large salary, you can boast about that. But if you are a redeemed person, you have nothing to brag about. Jesus did all the work; all you contribute is faith, believing what God says about His Son. Believing God is not a virtue we can boast about, but the failure to believe God is utter stupidity.

Okay, I admit I am an ungodly person, and I believe what God says about Jesus, that He is the Son of God, that His death was an atonement for my sins. Then comes the good part. God regards those who believe what He says about His Son as perfectly righteous. Their sins are forgiven. If our sins are not counted against us, they have no power to damn us. We are set free! Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

What exactly does it mean that righteousness is imputed to those who believe in Jesus? It does not mean that we embark on a life of perfect righteousness from the moment we believe in Jesus. Imputation is a forensic term, a legal term. It has to do with legal proceedings. In theology, the term means that our being justified before God is a legal declaration made by God that in itself does not change our inner nature or character. We say to God, “Father, I am an ungodly sinner. I trust in your Son to pay the penalty for my sins and to redeem me.” God says to us, “Because of what my Son did for you, and because you believe in Him, I now regard you as having a clean slate. I consider you to be perfectly righteous. I receive you as my adopted child. You shall dwell in heaven with the redeemed for all eternity.”

Consider O. J. Simpson for a moment. A jury declared him “Not guilty” of murder. As far as the law of this country is concerned, he is not guilty. Many believe he was guilty, but he is free from any punishment once a court declares that O. J. is not guilty. Of course, if he really is guilty, he will have to face the judgment of God, but that is another story. The point is that once the Court of Heaven says, “All his/her sins are forgiven,” you are free forever.

The church has sometimes complicated the simple salvation message. For instance, some say that our good works do indeed contribute to our salvation. God says they do not. Some say we must weep and cry and beg God to forgive us. We have to “pray through” to salvation. It is an insult to beg God to do something He has already done. You don’t need to beg or even ask God to forgive you. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN JESUS. Some say you have to feel “something” in your soul before you are really saved. You don’t need to feel anything. You need to believe in Jesus.

God does have something to say about good works and feelings, but that comes later when we talk about living life as a forgiven sinner. We will see how good works fit into the picture as we proceed through Romans. For now, it is vital to grasp the fact that God has done everything that needs to be done to secure your eternal well-being. All he asks of us is that we believe what He says regarding His Son.

What about those who hear the message and do not believe it? The Apostle John addresses that issue in 1 John 5:10 (NKJV)He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.  If you refuse to believe in Jesus after hearing God’s testimony concerning Him, you are calling God a liar. Calling God a liar is a serious offense. Yet, there are hundreds of people right here in Benton County who ignore the message of Jesus. They may believe that God exists, but they do not believe what He says about His Son. They cannot seem to humble themselves and admit their need. If you are in that number, I implore you to believe what God says and put your faith and trust in Jesus. Saving faith is not merely saying, “I believe God exists.” Faith also declares, “I believe what God says.”

Abraham was saved because he believed in an implausible story. He believed that a couple near the age of 100 could conceive and bear a child. That would require a miracle, and God is a God of miracles. And God said to Abraham that I will accept you and treat you as a righteous man because you believe what I said. Another woman, Mary, was told that she would bear a Son. She did not understand how that could be since she had never been intimate with a man. When she was given God’s explanation, she said, “Be it unto me according to your word.” She believed what God said, and she gave birth to another miracle baby, even the Son of God. What must I do today to be saved? Do you believe what God says concerning Jesus? If you do, you will live in heaven forever. If you don’t believe what God says concerning His Son, you are calling God a liar,

God loves you and wants to redeem you, but that will not happen until faith is born in your heart, a faith that says to God, “Not only do I believe that You exist, but I also believe what You have said concerning Your Son.” May God grant true faith to all who are gathered here today.

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ROMANS # 3: GOD’S WAY OF SAVING THE WICKED

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 3:21 – 26 (NKJV) ²¹But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,  ²²even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;  ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  ²⁴being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  ²⁵whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,  ²⁶to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Life is full of questions and decisions. What vocation should I pursue? Should I marry or remain single? Where should I invest money (if I have any to invest!)? And when we get down to the lesser issues of life, the list of decisions we make is very long: Which doctor? Which dentist? Where to vacation? Where to shop? You get the idea. Life is full of questions and decisions. The most crucial questions of all are religious ones. How do I find peace with God? Can I know that I am redeemed? Is heaven to be my final destiny? Is hell a reality I should fear?

Last week we saw that God has a dim view of the human race. He created us for righteousness and fellowship with Himself, but the human race universally has thrown that away. We all have a predisposition towards rebellion against God and prefer to live life our way rather than God’s way. There are no exceptions to this grim picture of the human race. So Paul says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Vs. 23). None of us can measure up to what God requires of us. We are all in the same boat. We live under God’s wrath. Unless something changes, we are all on our way to hell.

Paul reveals to us that something did change. We need to look at God’s solution to our problem. Our problem is this: God, who cannot lie, has declared over and over again that the penalty for sin is eternal death,  hell. Ezekiel 18:4 says it clearly. God is speaking. “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the fatheras well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.” Paul said in Romans 6:23 (NKJV) ^“For the wages of sin is death…” In Matthew 23:33, we find Jesus speaking sharply to the scribes and Pharisees: “(you) Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” 

That is the question for all of us. How can we escape the just condemnation of hell? Because of our sin, what options does God have? We might assume that He will say, “Golly, I spoke too quickly. I don’t want to send everyone to hell. Just tell me you are sorry, and I will forgive you.” But, on the other hand, he could have thought, “Well, I have to stay with what I said. Therefore everyone must be damned to hell.” Neither of these possible solutions existed in the mind of God.

Paul describes God’s “problem” in our text. God must be just, but he also wants to justify the sinner. God must punish sin, but He also wants to show mercy. The solution, of course, is in Jesus, God’s Son, and the Gospel He brought into the world. Paul refers to this solution as the revelation of God’s righteousness.

We notice that God’s solution is apart from the Law. There is no salvation to be found in the Law of God. God does not say to us, “Okay, you have broken my Law. Try again, and if you get it right this time, I will save you.” Nor does He give us a new Law that is easier to keep than the Ten Commandments. So if you want to find eternal life, forget about laws, rules, and commandments.

God’s solution is to save all who trust in Jesus. Since all have sinned, salvation is offered to all. God’s grace is universal. It is for you if you will receive it. God says to the world, “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” This offer is freely extended to us, with no strings attached. Paul says in verse 24 that we are justified freely by God’s grace. Later in 6:23, Paul describes our salvation as eternal life given to us by God as a gift. Please grasp this idea and hold to it firmly. Eternal life is a gift. Sometimes we want to jump ahead in the story and talk about Christians’ good works. Please forget that idea for now. It will come up later. Before we can talk about the works of a Christian, we must be confident that we have entered into salvation.

To receive God’s grace and salvation, you must forget about God’s Laws, forget about good works; you must even forget about serving God, at least for now. You need but one thing to be saved: FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. FAITH ALONE, PLUS NOTHING. That is why the Gospel is called “good news.” We stand before God as sinners without merit and receive His grace and pardon freely by trusting in Jesus. That is why a person can turn to God on his death bed, calling upon the name of Jesus, and find pardon and eternal life. That is why a thief who has wasted his life and ends up on a Roman cross can turn to Jesus at last and enter Paradise.

But what about the penalty for our sins I spoke about earlier? The answer is in verse 25. Speaking of Jesus, Paul writes speaking of Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed… We need to look at the word “propitiation.”The Greek word “hilasterion,” means a sacrifice, a covering, a satisfaction, a payment, appeasement. Jesus Christ took the penalty for our sins upon Himself. He satisfied God’s demand that sin be punished. His shed blood is sufficient payment for the sins of the world. He died for us, the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3:18).

But if the penalty for sin is eternal death, how can the death of Christ, which lasted but a few days, pay for our sins? Because of the majesty of His Person, Jesus can satisfy God’s requirement for justice. He is the Son of God. His suffering on the Cross has infinite value because of who He is. God considers Jesus’ suffering of sufficient worth to atone for the sins of every person who has ever lived. He is described by John the Baptist as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

If any of us volunteered to die for the sins of the world, God would say, “impossible.” Our lives do not have that much clout in heaven. We are sinners, so how could our death possibly pay for the sins of another? Jesus is the sinless Son of God. When He hung on the Cross, God regarded His suffering as having more than enough value to atone for the sins of the world. He suffered on our behalf, so we do not have to suffer the eternal pain and darkness of hell.

In our justice system, we understand the concept of double jeopardy. If you have been tried for a crime and been found innocent, the state cannot try you again. You cannot be compelled to go through trial after trial until the prosecution gets a guilty verdict. You cannot be placed in jeopardy more than once. If the jury says, “Not guilty,” the matter is over, even if you happen to be guilty.

The same idea relates to our spiritual life. Jesus atoned for your sins. If God were to send you to hell, He would be committing double jeopardy. He would be punishing your sins a second time. Your sins were already punished at the Cross. You cannot be punished for them again. 

There is one little catch in our text. God justifies only those who believe in Jesus. Let’s look at John 3:16 – 18 (NKJV) ^“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” 

There is an important point we need to grasp here. God did not send Jesus because He wanted to condemn us. The world was already under God’s condemnation. Jesus came to save us. For us to receive salvation, faith is required. If you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and if you believe that He bore your sins at Calvary, you will never face divine condemnation. You are loved, forgiven, and bound for heaven.

Notice why some still face condemnation despite what Jesus has done.   They are not condemned because of their sins. Christ has taken away the sins of the world. Every condemned person is condemned “because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  The issue between God and me is not that I have sinned. Jesus atoned for my sins. The issue is this: do I believe in Jesus, who atoned for my sins? In God’s mind, all the sins I have ever committed are a drop in the bucket compared to the damning sin of refusing to believe in Jesus. God has gone way out of His way to redeem us. To scorn the blood of Jesus as our only means of salvation is the most heinous sin anyone can ever commit.

God’s way of saving sinners humbles us. First, we must admit that our sins make us candidates for hell. Many see themselves as reasonably decent people and cannot acknowledge that God will justly condemn them. Then we must believe that God Himself, in the person of His Son, paid the price to redeem us. Finally, many like to think that there must be something we can add to what Jesus has done. For example, we can help Jesus complete the saving process by our good works. It is humbling to admit that God’s beloved Son had to suffer on our behalf. But this is the Gospel, the only Gospel that will save anyone. Jesus is the Savior, and He does not need our help! What He desires is our faith.

Suppose someone gave you an expensive gift because they love you. Would you say, “This gift is too costly. Let me help pay for it.” The giver would feel insulted. Once you help pay for a gift, it ceases to be a gift. Salvation is a gift, and if you try to do something to earn it or pay for it, you are insulting God, the gift giver, and that is never a wise decision! God offers us the gift of eternal life. Faith receives the gift with an everlasting “Thank You!”

If you have enough humility to bow before the Cross and put your trust in Jesus, there is pardon for you. Is there another way to find God apart from trusting a bleeding Savior? The Bible offers no hint of any other way. It is Jesus or hell. So, brothers and sisters, be absolutely sure that you have true faith in Jesus. It is truly a matter of life and death. 

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ROMANS # 2: FORSAKEN BY GOD

Warsaw Christian Church,  Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Romans 1:18-32 says:
Romans 1:18 – 32 (NKJV) ¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  ²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  ²²Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. ²⁴Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. ²⁶For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  ²⁷Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. ²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;  ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness,  sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,  ³⁰backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  ³¹undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving,  unforgiving, unmerciful;  ³²who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

We are faced with a text that contains so much instruction that we can only skim the surface this morning.  Without a detailed exposition of each item in our text, I hope we can get a clear look at the big picture. Last week I mentioned a poll where Christians were asked if good people who are not Christians can be redeemed. Paul answers the question for us.

Sometimes we humans overlook the obvious. I always enjoyed the stories and movies about Sherlock Holmes because he saw things others overlooked and thus was able to solve the crime. His sidekick, Dr. Watson, often failed to see what Holmes saw. There is a cute story about Holmes and Watson, which can introduce our text.  Holmes and Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal, they lay down for the night and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes nudged his friend and woke him up. “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.”  Watson replied, “I see millions and millions of stars.” Holmes asked, “What does that tell you?” Watson pondered for a minute. “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.        Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo.  Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is omnipotent and that we are small and insignificant creatures. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.” “What does it tell you, Holmes?”  Holmes was silent for a minute and then spoke. “Watson, you idiot.  Someone has stolen our tent!”

Watson thought he had covered every possible answer to the meaning of the stars, but he failed to deduce the obvious. He should not be able to see the stars while sleeping in a tent! We are faced with a similar situation when we talk about “good people” going to heaven. Actually, I agree with the premise that good people go to heaven. But let us not miss the obvious.  Who are we talking about? Can you name a good person according to God’s standard, the only standard that matters?

If you were to ask Paul, “Can good people who have no faith in Jesus be saved,” I think he would ask a question in return. “Where do you find any good people?” In our text, Paul describes human behavior and belief as it manifests itself universally throughout history in all nations and cultures. It is not a pretty picture. The quality of goodness is utterly lacking. He begins by speaking of the wrath of God, which rests upon the entire human race for three reasons: men are unrighteous; men are ungodly; men suppress the truth about God so that they may continue their unrighteous behavior.

There is a popular book entitled Why Bad Things Happen to Good People.  Paul would respond to that title by declaring, “There are no good people.” Humans may have relative goodness, which gains the approval of others, but in the eyes of God, there are no good people. The Law of God requires perfection from us.  Israel was not told, “Just do your best, and I will forgive the rest.” Listen to this text: Exodus 24:3 (NKJV) So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.”  The history of Israel is a history of how they failed to keep their promise to do what God had commanded. God does not grade on a curve. He does not say that He will receive into heaven all those whose goodness score is 51% or better.

Paul first sets out to demonstrate human godlessness and unrighteousness.  The easiest way to understand what he refers to is to remember the two great commandments spoken of by Jesus: Love for God and love for neighbor. The human race does not love God as required, nor do we show consistent love for neighbors. No person in history except Jesus has kept the two great commandments.

Paul is telling us not to fail to notice that the tent has been stolen. I have heard discussions where people ask, “But what about good Hindus, or good Moslems; or native Americans who worshipped the great spirit?  What about good Americans who never darken the door of a church? What about good people who have never heard about Jesus? What about Gandhi?” Such discussions can go on and on with no one stating the obvious. “Give me an example of a truly good person.” Later in Chapter 3, Paul says it plainly in Romans 3:10 – 12 (NKJV)As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”

Apart from Christ, all stand under the just wrath of God. Paul says the problem is compounded by the fact that God can be known to the natural man if he would not overlook the obvious. Paul declares that the invisible God is seen clearly in the things He has made.  Paul invites us to look at nature and explain the marvelous realities we see in the heavens and on the earth and explain them apart from God.  He declares that reality demands belief in a tremendous power that brought nature into being.  Such power, declares Paul, cannot exist naturally.  It points clearly to the existence of God.

But what has the human race done with this precise knowledge of God? What have we done with the God who shouts at us in the creation and says, I  EXIST! I AM! From the earliest days, we humans tend to suppress the truth.  We try to devise a worldview that eliminates God. Evolution, of course, is the most common attempt to explain reality apart from God.  Although promoted in society as a scientific certainty, evolution explains nothing. It postulates a “big bang” that created our universe but cannot explain where the stuff that went “bang” came from. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we look at the universe with redeemed eyes and declare, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

If you can look at the universe and not see a powerful God behind it, you are described by Paul in verse 22. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” Paul then describes the awful spiral into ever greater sin that follows when we lapse into foolishness and overlook the obvious – – – the existence of a great and powerful God. First, we fall into idolatry, superstition, and magic. Second, Paul describes how human behavior becomes degraded.  He describes homosexual behavior as one of the consequences of men trying to outsmart God (see verses 26-27). If you have friends or family members who embrace homosexuality as I do, love them, but pray for them too, that they might see their behavior in the clear light of Scripture. We tend to want to redefine God to suit ourselves.  If a particular behavior works for us, we conclude that it is okay with God.

I do not worship idols and am not gay, so Paul is not speaking to me.  Paul then gives a catalog of sins that plague the human race. I wonder if any of us can escape verses 29-31 in our text:  ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness,  sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,  ³⁰backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  ¹undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving,  unforgiving, unmerciful. . .

Because of sin, we all face the judgment of God. I am on that list at several points, but I prefer not to elaborate on my sins! Why does Paul dwell so much on this negative stuff?  Because he knows that until we embrace the dark truth about ourselves, we will never be able to receive the good news. We who are Christians already know the good news. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul will elaborate on that theme next week as we jump ahead into Romans 3.

Would you want to go to a doctor who would only tell you good things? As he examines you, he finds several signs of illness, but he believes in positive thinking, and so he says, “You are in perfect health.” He does not want you to feel discouraged and depressed about your illness, so he declares everything is well. Such a doctor will kill you by withholding the truth you need to hear.

Yes, we want to be positive. We want to hear that God loves us and that heaven is our home.  We want to sing “It is Well With My soul,” and “Everyday with Jesus is Sweeter than the Day Before.” And there is a time and place for Christians to rejoice in the positive benefits of the Gospel, but first we must embrace the bad news.  We have a fatal illness called sin.  It will lead to our eternal death. God is angry with us.  We stand under His wrath.  Once we embrace the bad news and declare, “Yes, it is true.  I am a sinner who has offended God repeatedly. What am I to do?” Then and only then are you ready to hear the message, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” The more you feel the power of your sins, the more you will appreciate the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. 

The Gospel is for sinners, and until we face up to the darkness of our personal sins, we will not understand or embrace the Gospel. The law of God must be taken seriously, and when it is, we are driven to despair. We cry out as they did on Pentecost, “What can we do?” Is there any hope for us? Once we understand the bad news, we are in a position to receive the good news. There is a Savior. His name is Jesus. Trust  Him and trust in His atoning sacrifice and you will be forgiven and enter into the love of God. 

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THE GOSPEL, ROMANS # 1

Warsaw Christian Church, (January 16, 2022) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 1:1 – 6; 16-17 (NKJV

The Book of Romans is a glorious revelation of what Paul believed; it is a statement of his fundamental theology. It was a verse in Romans that led to the conversion of Augustine. It was a verse in Romans that led to Luther’s conversion. He referred to Romans as “the chief book in the New Testament.” It was a verse in Romans that led to the conversion of John Wesley. It is a book that presents us with what we are to believe as Christians. Paul did not write this letter to meet some specific problems of the church as he did in his first letter to the Corinthians or even to combat the false teaching of the legalists in his letter to the Galatians. He was not writing to straighten out some doctrinal errors, like the Thessalonians’ misunderstanding regarding the Lord’s return. Since he had never visited Rome, he was writing to ground the believers in Rome into the very essentials of what Christ had revealed to him.  Some people shy away from doctrine, but for Paul, doctrine was important. A false understanding of Christ and the Gospel has led many souls astray.

I want to spend some time examining the message of this great epistle over the next few months. Everything you need to know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is in this book. I am frequently surprised to learn how many people, even church people, do not clearly understand the Gospel. Some time ago, I learned about a poll taken in 2005 by Newsweek Magazine. The question was asked, “Can good people go to heaven even if they have no faith in Jesus?” 83% of Protestants said, “Yes.” Even among evangelical Christians who claim to believe the Bible is the infallible word of God, 68% said “Yes.”  79% of Christians polled said they believe there are many paths to God. The liberal theologians among us have done an excellent job of bringing confusion into the church. I believe the New Testament is accurate, and therefore I believe there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ. There are not many paths to God. Jesus spoke of a wide path that seems to lead to God, but it leads to destruction.  He also spoke of a narrow path that alone leads to the Father. Jesus is that path. “I am the way,” he said. “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). 

Since there is widespread confusion in the church regarding the Gospel message, it seemed like a good time to take a close look at the biblical Gospel and the basic truths that flow from it.  Paul introduces several basic themes, which he will elaborate on later in Romans. In our text, he introduces us to the critical elements of the Gospel itself.

There are seven items in our text that I want to comment on. I will spend more time on some than others.  A seven-point sermon, giving complete exposition to each point, would keep us here until early afternoon. If I preach into the early afternoon, I suspect I will be alone by the end of the sermon!

1. First of all let us note how Paul refers to himself. Your pew Bible uses the word “servant” in verse 1. Paul used the common Greek word “doulos,” which means a slave. A slave belongs to a Master and does the Master’s bidding. Paul sees himself as a slave of Jesus Christ. As Christians, we belong to Jesus, and our primary goal in life is to please Him. That is what slaves do. They live to please the Master. Christians are not captured slaves who serve Jesus out of compulsion.  They volunteer to serve under the banner of Jesus, their Master. And Jesus is not a harsh taskmaster. On the contrary, he loves His slaves, and He always works to promote our good. To be a slave of Jesus is a great blessing.

2. I will not dwell long on the second point either, although it is essential. Paul refers to the Gospel as that ^“which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures” in verse 2. Jesus did not introduce a new religion into the world.  He brought to completion the ancient religion of Israel.  He is the Jewish Messiah prophesied in many places in the Old Testament. Sometimes people refer to the Old Testament as a Jewish Book. Luther referred to the Old Testament as a Christian book, for in its pages, a Messiah is promised. Jesus is that Messiah.

3. The third point in our text has to do with the nature of the Gospel. ^3″concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord…” The Gospel is not about rules; it is not about religious rituals; it is not about us. The Gospel is solely and entirely about Jesus. I recall hearing Rudolf Hess declare in a Nazi propaganda film, “Hitler ist Deutschland, und Deutschland ist Hitler.” Hitler is Germany, and Germany is Hitler. The German people made a bad error in judgment when they saw Hitler as the embodiment of Germany. But we can apply this sentiment to Jesus. Jesus is the Gospel, and the Gospel is Jesus. Christianity is Jesus and Jesus is Christianity.  Paul will spell out what that means as we go through the great texts in Romans.  Any definition of the Gospel that does not center on Jesus is false. One theologian of the 19th century, Adolf Harnack, defined the Gospel as the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man.  The problem with this Gospel is it is false at the core. God is not the universal Father of all persons.  God becomes our Father through faith in Jesus. In addition and more importantly, Harnack’s Gospel is false for it fails to mention the name of Jesus. Any definition of the Gospel which omits the name of Jesus is false, period!

4. Forth, in our text we are introduced to the mysterious two natures possessed by Jesus, “who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,  ⁴and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” The Jesus who brings us the Gospel is an utterly unique person. He is a human being like us, but He is also the Son of God.  His humanity came through the family of David, as the prophets of old had prophesied. His divinity was revealed initially by His virgin birth. It was confirmed when He rose from death. His human nature began at a point in time in the first century AD. His divine nature has no beginning or end. Jesus is God and man united in one person, a mystery to us, but a clear revelation of Scripture. There is a powerful spiritual reason why the Savior must be both God and man. He must be a man to identify with us, but He must also be God so that His atoning death will have infinite value. The death of any man, no matter how great he may be, has no power to atone for our sins. The death of the man who is also God can atone for the sins of the world.

5. Fifth, ^5″Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,  ⁶among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ…” Paul and the other apostles received grace and their apostolic calling from Jesus.  The rest of us are those whom Jesus Christ has called. The call of Jesus Christ has gone to the whole world. No one is excluded. All are invited to receive the grace of salvation.  Those who say “yes” to Jesus will spend all eternity full of gratitude towards the Savior who redeemed them. Those who say “No” to Jesus will spend all eternity in anguish, regretting the fact that salvation was so near to them, but they did not partake of the grace of God.

6. Sixth, Paul describes the Gospel as the “power of God unto salvation.” He adds that he has no shame in proclaiming this Gospel. We must listen carefully to Paul at this point. While Paul will elaborate later on the content of the Gospel, for now, he wants us to realize one thing:  Jesus Christ, who is God and man united in one person, is the Gospel. The grace and salvation we need came from but one source, Jesus Christ.  Why does Paul speak of shame in reference to the Gospel?

I wonder if Paul had the same problem we see in Christendom today?  Large ministries and well-known popular preachers will not proclaim the biblical Gospel. This is because the biblical Gospel contains elements that are offensive to humans.  Many are glad to hear that God loves us and eagerly embrace the idea that God has a wonderful plan for our lives, including health, wealth, and blessing upon blessing.  We like the notion that we are so valuable and worthwhile to God that naturally, He wants to shower His blessings upon us.

How many really want to hear and believe the heart of the Gospel message, that all human beings, every one of us, are miserable sinners who deserve nothing but the wrath of God? Next week, we will expand on this idea as we look at Romans 1:18-32. But for now, do you see yourself as a wicked person, or do you have high regard for who you are? Those who look upon themselves with pride will be ashamed of the Gospel because Jesus came to redeem sinners.  Until you can confess that you are a rebel against God, a sinner who has violated the heart of every single divine command, you cannot embrace the Gospel.  You exclude yourself from eternal life because, as Paul stated flatly, JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS (1 Tim. 1:15), and Paul then added that when it came to sin he was at the head of the class – – – the chief of sinners. Notice that Paul is now an Apostle, a man of God, but he does not say, “I was the chief of sinners.” Instead, he uses the present tense.  Yes, he is forgiven, yet his past and present sins still haunt him. He never outgrows the notion that because of his many sins his life, apart from Christ, is a stench in the nostrils of God.

Is that how you view yourself? Persons who see themselves as good and worthy human beings will be ashamed of the Gospel.  Modern psychology declares that we must have high self-esteem. Some claim that the biblical idea that we are sinners is degrading and insulting.  Many in our world are ashamed of the Gospel.  If a bloody Savior on a Cross is offensive to you, you have cut yourself off from the grace and mercy of God.  Paul was ashamed of his sin, but he was not ashamed of the Gospel.  He knew it was the cure for human sin. He also knew something else about the Gospel, which leads to our seventh and final point.

7. It is not an automatic power that converts everyone who hears the message. Those who hear the message of Jesus and believe in Him experience the power of God as He brings about the new birth and makes us new persons in Christ.  Can you bring yourself to agree with God that you are a hell-deserving sinner?  Do you agree with God that your only hope of forgiveness and salvation is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Faith opens the human heart to the power of God. The result is salvation.  The power of the Gospel is released when faith is present. My hope and prayer for all of us is that we will know fully the power of the Gospel, which alone can bring the forgiveness of our sins and everlasting life.

The essence of what Paul says in the opening verses of the Book of Romans is clear. We all need Jesus. He is there for us if we will believe in Him. He is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. Let’s close with some self-examination. Do I really believe in Jesus? Do I know my sins have been forgiven? Do I know I am a child of God? Have I sincerely placed my faith in Jesus alone as my only hope for salvation? I hope we can all say YES.

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A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Warsaw Christian Church (1/9/2022) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 13:1-2

At the beginning of a new year, it is natural to wonder what lies in the future. One thing is certain. The future of this nation depends upon our government seeking to build a nation in harmony with God, our Creator.

Today I want to address the theme of human government from a biblical perspective. The sermon title has nothing to do with Charles Dickens! As Augustine said many years ago, the title of this sermon speaks to the fact that we live in two cities. We live in the city of man and the city of God. Today, we will address the question of the origin of human government. We will be looking at how the city of man and the city of God interact.

First, I want to state a basic principle. Human governments are not an idea created by man. God is the Creator of government. When this principle is forgotten, chaos is the result. Consider Romans 13:1-2: Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.God’s Word tells us that all authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, human government is God’s idea. And if you think about it, the idea makes sense. Humans are not to be a law unto ourselves, doing willy-nilly whatever we wish to do. Instead, we are to live subject to governing authorities as one aspect of our obedience to God.

The idea that God originated human governments for our good tells us something about how we are to live, and it also tells us how human governments are to conduct themselves. As individuals, we must live in obedience to the laws of society, and human governments must govern in compliance with God’s will. Christian citizens understand that our primary loyalty is to God. Therefore, we are not obligated to obey governments that violate the will of God. More on that later.  

God knew that as populations increased, there had to be a system whereby society was kept under control. So God instituted human government to serve that purpose. All ancient and modern civilizations had kings, monarchs, potentates, governors, presidents – –  – the titles are many. The aim is the same. Keep order in society. In Romans 7, Paul states that one-way governments maintain order is to punish evildoers (Romans 7:4-5).

God is the author of law and order. The devil is the author of anarchy and violence. When you see violence and anarchy reigning in our cities, you know who is behind it. Alexander Campbell, one of the primary founders of our church, said that governments must rule according to the law of God. Those that do not face the judgment of God.

The men who founded the United States were, for the most part, Christians. Even those who weren’t Christians recognized the reality of God and the importance of His law. When George Washington was complimented for his outstanding leadership, he responded, “The praise is due to the Grand Architect of the universe…” In his first inaugural address, he made it clear that the hand of God was directly involved in the creation of the United States. Jefferson said this: “God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed their only secure basis, a convinction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God.” John Locke, a philosopher who had much impact on our nation’s founding, indicated that laws made by men out of harmony with Scripture are ill-made.

Our founders tried to create a government that ruled under divine authority. So, yes, we live under two governments, one human, one divine. But both live under the overarching authority of God. Governments that divorce themselves from the rule of God will not long survive.

When men began to embrace the philosophy of Charles Darwin, things began to change. Darwin rejected God and believed that everything evolves. President Woodrow Wilson expresses this change from government under divine authority to government by evolution. “living political constitutions must be Darwinian in structure. Progressives desire… to interpret the Constitution according to the Darwinian principle.” This principle directly contradicts our Declaration of Independence, which affirms that human rights have been endowed to us by the Creator, and that is an unchanging principle. Wilson said that the Constitution should evolve, and things have gradually gone downhill ever since.

So which way is it? Are our rights God-given and “inalienable?” — absolute? Or do we eliminate God from the picture and assume that Darwinian principles must reinterpret our founding documents? Hitler is an excellent example of a government influenced by Darwin. Aryan, white Germans were a superior race, highly evolved. The Jews were “untermenschen,” inferior creatures who must be eliminated lest they contaminate the Aryan gene pool. That is what can happen when governments adopt Darwinian principles.

Isaiah reveals that even pagan, godless governments exist by the sovereign authority of God. The King of Assyria had his throne by divine permission. God used his governing powers to punish unfaithfulness in Israel. Then that Assyria fell when God decreed it (see Isaiah 10:5-34). Here is the point. God decreed human governments to create peace and justice among men. Woe unto those nations which think they are autonomous and turn their backs upon God. Jeremiah wrote that God is in control of the nations, and He will build them up or tear them down as He wishes, depending on their behavior. (Jeremiah 18:5-11). Daniel wrote that God removes kings and sets up kings (Daniel 2:20-21). Many other prophets proclaim this same truth. God is in charge of the nations. 

I trust you are aware that our nation is drifting away from God. Once we declare absolutely that human laws are not based on divine authority, we are on the path of destruction. Remember when Jesus stood before Pilate? Pilate declared that he had the power to free Jesus or crucify Him. Note Jesus’ response: You have no power over me unless it had been given to you from above (John 19:10-11).

The first principle of the biblical view of human governments is that they exist under the authority of God. This leads to a second principle. While we are obligated to be good citizens who obey the law of the land, we have a higher obligation. When human governments conflict with the will of God, we are to obey God rather than men. The apostles in the book of Acts were commanded by the authorities to stop preaching about Jesus. They refused because of their higher obligation to God (see Acts 4:13-22). No government has the right to prohibit the proclamation of Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world.

I want to suggest how Darwinian thought has impacted our society with two examples: abortion and capital punishment. If you are a political progressive who believes in a Darwinian approach to the Constitution, I will probably offend you. That is not my intention, but I must speak biblical truth—first, regarding abortion.

Many in our society believe that abortion is a constitutional right. The only way that is true is to apply Darwinian principles to the Constitution. The right to life is clearly in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, but you have to reinterpret the Constitution to find the right to abortion. The battle rages in our society over those who believe the unborn have a right to life versus those who see the killing of babies in the womb as a human right. Show me in the Bible or in the Constitution where abortion is allowed, and I will change my mind.

My second example is capital punishment. Many believe that executing wicked criminals is cruel and unjust. This subject came up early in revelation history. Listen to Genesis 9:5-6: And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beingsin his own image (NLT).

The point is clear. God made human beings in His image. When you commit murder, you are trying to murder God. Capital punishment is a clear biblical principle. Yes, care must be taken that the accused is, in fact, guilty. But the principle is clear. Murder must lead to capital punishment. I close today with the words of Psalm 99:1-5: The Lord is King! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim.  Let the whole earth quake! The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy! Mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel. Exalt the Lord our God!  Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!

We live in two kingdoms. Make certain that you recognize which one is most important. Only nations which craft their laws to be in harmony with the law of God will endure. What does the future look like for this nation? Time will tell. If our political leaders continue to interpret the Constitution by Darwinian principles, I believe our future looks grim. Our Constitution is laced through and through with Christian principles. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, let us do what we can to promote a godly government. Let us elect politicians without concern about their political party. Some of our founding fathers advocated electing Christians who understand that good government is godly government. I want Jesus to be in charge of theUnited States, not Charles Darwin.

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Standing Tall Against a Sea of Rage and Opposition Sermon from Tom Gee

Main Text:  1 Corinthians 15:58:  Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord in not in vain.

Introduction: As we look to the New Year we know given human nature that the world, our nation, our Church, and we as individuals will face new challenges that threaten who we are as a people and as members of the Church of Christ. But these threats and challenges will also provide an opportunity for spiritual growth and maturity. This world is a crucible that molds and changes each one of us.

          Dr. Jan Van Yperen in his book Making Peace says, “He (Jesus) is leading, perfecting, and changing us like apprentices under the tutelage of a master. Christianity is a craft that must be learned over time, a discipline with specific habits and practices that we grow into, guided by God’s word, His Spirit, and one another.”  

          In the scripture above Paul admonishes the Corinthians (and us) to stand firm (steadfast) for the Lord and continue our labor despite what else is happening around them. According to Naves Topical Concordance the concept of standing firm or steadfastness appears in the entire Bible 120 times. Obviously, this is an important topic for us.

          When I think of Biblical steadfastness I am reminded of saints like Corrie ten Boom and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Two devout and committed Christians who stood against the unspeakable crimes of the Nazis. Corrie a Dutch watchmaker helped to hide Jews and smuggle them out of the country to safety. She was eventually arrested and sent to an internment camp but survived the war. Rev. Bonhoeffer a Lutheran pastor in Germany preached unceasingly against the Nazis genocide and was arrested and kept in prison and finally executed. These individuals took grave risks for their beliefs and suffered as martyrs.

          From these two examples and the above scripture we can see thatsteadfastness (standing firm) is being able to keep to your principles, goals, and standards all the time without wavering or changing in any situation or under any form of pressure. Whenever true steadfastness is exhibited, it shows in several practical ways including the following 3 ways:

Aspects of true steadfastness:

1. True steadfastness shows in our consecration.

1. Our hearts must first be established in steadfastness.
   1. Ps. 112: 7 says, “They will have no fear of bad news, their hears are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
      1. In our hearts we must maintain an indwelling deep trust in our God.
      1. The closer we draw to Him the greater will be our trust.

• Our steadfastness must show in our separating ourselves from all evil.
  • Job 11:14-15: “…if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then, free of fault, you will lift up your face: and stand firm and without fear;”
    • We are in this world but not of this world.
    • We are bombarded daily with sinful and evil messages and acts.
    • We must reject these messages and devote ourselves to that which is good, pure, holy, and Godly.

• Our steadfastness must show in our separating ourselves for all evil men, evil acts, and evil things.
  • Prov. 4:26-27 says, “Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
    • Stay on the straight and narrow path. (Pilgrim’s Progress) We are on a lifelong journey to eternity led by the Holy Spirit.
    • But we are called to minister to people entrapped in sin and living a sinful lifestyle.
    • The Bible advises that two should go to the person needing help but assist each other in guarding against being ensnared in the sin.

1. True steadfastness shows in our consistency.

1. It must show in our holding firmly to the Christian faith and principles, without wavering.
   1. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be alert and sober minded. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…”
   1. Peter Greer, the co-author of the book Mission Drift, who serves as a staff member of the Christian Non-Profit Hope International which provides low interest loans and assistance to small businesses in third world countries and also brings the Gospel to change the person, tells the following story:  He was meeting with an executive of a wealthy corporation who was very supportive of the group’s work and wanted to make a significant contribution. However, since it was a publicly owned corporation the executive wondered if Hope could tone down its Christian mission because certain stockholders might object. Peter’s choice: compromise their mission and get the big bucks or not and lose the big bucks. He chose to lose the big bucks. Peter heard the roar of the lion and stood firm in his faith in God’s mission.

• It must show in our closely following and obeying God.
  • Joshua 1:7 says, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”
  • Again, stay on the righteous and obedient path and do not stray.
  • There is much help for us in this area provided through prayer, Bible reading and meditation, attending worship services, working in the church, fellowshipping with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Perhaps you can think of many more ways.

• It must show in our being able to endure hardship for the sake of Christ without yielding.
  • James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
  • Think again about Corrie Ten Boom and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
  • Our challenge now a days is to not be swallowed up by the increasingly secular and godless society we find ourselves in.

1. True Steadfastness shows in our constancy.

1. It must show in our being able to persevere up to the end.
   1. In Matthew 10:22 Christ said, “You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm (steadfast) to the end will be saved.”
   1. The humanists among us would dearly love to eliminate or at least marginalize the influence of Christ’s Church and His people.
   1. Remember evil hates the good and cannot abide by God’s Truth and His Holy Word. Evil will rage against us and oppose us at every turn.

• It must show in our being able to move daily towards our goal.
  • Luke 9:51 says, “As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set-out for Jerusalem.”
    • The Lord was well aware of what was before Him but He did not shirk His duty but proceeded resolutely.
  • Do we as a congregation know our goal? Let me suggest this goal:  To serve Jesus Christ by presenting the Gospel to the lost and shepherding believers to spiritual maturity.
    • Can we dedicate our lives and resources to a goal like that?
    • It is important for congregations to have a written overarching goal or mission statement to help them resolutely stay on course in their service to the Kingdom.

• It must show in our being serious with God’s work and doing it with all our might.
  • 2 Timothy 4:5 says, “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
  • Stay focused on the mission, do not be distracted and work for a bountiful harvest of souls as we labor for Our Master.

Conclusion:  True steadfastness must first be established firmly in the heart, must next be manifested in practical consistency, and must finally show in our being able to persevere up to the end. True steadfastness does not change with situations and circumstances as the secular humanist would have us believe! By God’s grace it maintains its principles, goals, and standards all the time.

          Let us always remember the following, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (I Peter 2:9)

Prayer: Father God in a turbulent sea of chaos and rebellion in which we find ourselves we crave Your comfort, guidance, and strength. We know if we take our eyes off of You we will sink into the abyss of this dark world. Help us to remain steadfast, obedient, and engaged in the work of Your kingdom. We know You are for us so no one can stand against us. We look forward to the time of the coming of our Savior who will destroy evil and usher in the new age of peace and the triumph of Your Kingdom. And we will all join together in the New Jerusalem. Maranatha, the Lord is coming. In Christ’s holy name we pray. Amen.

Recommended reading:

The Hiding Place byCorrie Ten Boom

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Sermon from Tom Gee

THAT WORD WHICH MUST NEVER BE SPOKEN…

SIN

1. Introduction:
   1. Perhaps when you were young you experienced a mouth cleansing with soap when you said a word you should not have said and your mother heard it! Ivory soap does not taste good, ugh!!  Certain words we just don’t say in polite society. 
   1. Now to some the word SIN is one of those words and is anathema to them and a vulgar word and must never be discussed or acknowledged or said aloud!
   1. For you see there is a certain viewpoint that totally rejects this idea of sin and believes that personal accountability is left up to the individual.
   1. This morning we are going to look at two opposing viewpoints that are very much actively in conflict and perhaps are at war.
   1. And then we will spend some time looking at how the Bible defines sin.

1. Secular Humanism (Man centered) Worldview
   1. Secular humanism: is the belief that humanity is capable of morality and self-fulfillment without belief in God.
   1. There is no God and mankind is its own god.
      1. Each person is a law unto themselves.
   1. Morality is fluid and is situational in nature and is dependent on the individual’s needs and desires.
      1. Lifeboat example: Two sailors find themselves in a lifeboat after a shipwreck. However, they know where they are and in 10 days they will reach land. Problem: only enough food and water for 5 days for 2 people.  One has a pistol.  The humanist would say the one with the gun has every right to kill the other person so he can survive the ten days.  The situation dictates the ethics and his right to survive supersedes the other person’s right to live.  Might makes right!
   1. The idea that God exists and He provides laws and guidelines for mankind’s behavior is thought to be foolish and is rejected.
      1. Sin which is a violation of God’s will does not exist for the humanist.
      1. Because sin connotes a wrongdoing for which one is responsible to God.
      1. A humanist does not want to see himself in this light because he believes he determines what is moral and ethical.
      1. So that horrible word sin must never be spoken.
   1. The rise of humanism started with the “Age of Enlightenment” which came out of the Renaissance.
      1. In many ways it was a reaction to the excesses and barbarity of certain powerful individuals within the church.
      1. Burning so called “heretics” at the stake was common practice.
      1. The use of torture by the Spanish Inquisition (not the only one but the most infamous one) was used to “save” souls.
      1. Other excesses dealing with wealth accumulation and abuse of power also frequently occurred.
      1. These evils were perpetrated by immoral men under the guise of proper church practice and the desire to force others to follow strict, legalistic dogma in an effort to save them.
      1. We know about the Pilgrims and other groups who fled Europe to escape this church sponsored religious tyranny.
      1. But God wants people to come to Him in faith, voluntarily and in love. Force in never appropriate. Such practices come from the evil one.
      1. I believe we have learned how monstrous, and anti-biblical these practices and methods were and have eliminated them.
   1. I can understand why people rejected a church which participated in such abhorrent practices.
      1. But they have failed to recognize that this didn’t come from God but from fallen, evil men.
      1. How many times have people within the church failed in such a way as to stain the reputation of God’s people and His kingdom?
      1. This hurts because people will pay attention to the “sensational” and completely ignore the millions of Christians who labor daily to serve Christ and their fellow man.
   1. The main problem with humanism is by rejecting God as the moral authority who sets universal standards and establishing man as the moral authority you eventually come down to “might makes right.”
      1. “The Lord of the Flies.”
         1. A story about children who were shipwrecked on an island and how their society devolved without higher, adult authority. The bigger kids ruled in a tyrannical fashion.
      1. “Animal Farm”
         1. A story about farm animals rebelling against their humans (the higher authority) and ruling themselves.
         1. This society too quickly devolves with the larger, more powerful animals harshly ruling.
      1. One final example, the Nuremberg Trials.
         1. At the end of WWII the allies came together to deal with the perpetrators of the Holocaust. They wanted to put them on trial for their egregious crimes.
         1. But there was a problem. What law had they broken for which they could be tried?
         1. As hideous as it might be the Germans were following the laws of their country.
            1. Under humanism each group has the right to define morality, ethics, and laws. They are their own authority.
         1. There was no international laws at the time to use.
         1. The dilemma was this, they couldn’t use God’s law, “thou shall not kill,” because the Soviets would object being atheist/humanist.
         1. So they came up with “Crimes against humanity” and tried and executed and imprisoned many of the perpetrators as they rightfully deserved.
         1. But notice that it was the victors who defined crimes against humanity. In other words, “Might makes right.”
         1. This happens when you remove God and His moral authority from the picture.
         1. Fortunately, in this case the good guys won.

1. Christian (God centered) Worldview
   1. This is diametrically opposed to Secular Humanism.
   1. To the Christian we live in a fabulous God created universe.
   1. We believe in a Holy God who loves and cherishes us and is active in our lives on a daily basis.
   1. Our God is all powerful, all knowing and is ever present.
   1. He and He alone is the ultimate authority and He makes the rules for His universe and He is the moral authority of all.
   1. All of mankind are His beloved children and like a good parent He watches over us and tells us what is right and what is wrong. And this is for our benefit.
      1. For we also believe that basic human nature is self-centered and this leads to selfishness.
      1. Whereas the Christian view is we are to be God-centered and others-centered.
      1. So rules and training become necessary to teach children how to live at peace with each other and to help others in need and to put the needs of others above their own.
      1. And these rules must transcend human authority and be based on the authority of God and are not subject to the whims of the powerful.
   1. If all mankind would follow His laws for living as shown in the Holy Bible all would be at peace and the lamb could lie down with the lion.
   1. Unfortunately, this did not happen because Adam and Eve went against the will of God and ate the fruit from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
      1. They were no longer in a state of innocence but became aware of good and evil.
      1. And with that awareness coupled with free will sin entered into the world and corrupted it.
   1. So what exactly is SIN. We’re going to look at some Biblical words  (Greek) that describe sin and its various aspects.
      1. Anomia: without law; lawlessness.
         1. 1 John 3:4 says, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”
         1. The end times anti-Christ is called “the man of lawlessness.”
      1. Planao: to wander astray.
         1. Hebrews 3:10 says, “sinners always go astray in their hearts.”
         1. This word implies deliberate, not accidental erring.
      1. Harmartia: to miss the mark.
         1. This is deliberate failure to miss the mark, the standard set by God.
         1. It is a willful failure for which one must accept the blame.
      1. Adikeo:  without righteousness.
         1. Sin is unrighteousness.
         1. Purposely not conforming with the laws of God.
      1. Apeitheo: disobedience.
         1. This is refusal to in any way follow God’s will.
         1. Including rejecting His grace and salvation.
      1. Parabino: to transgress.
         1. To break or violate one of God’s laws.
         1. This is the essence of sin, to transgress God’s laws.
   1. A common element running through all of these varied ways of characterizing sin is the idea that the sinner has failed to fulfill God’s law.
      1. This is anathema to the humanist but truth to the Christian.
      1. And the beginning of salvation through knowledge of the law.

1. Conclusion:
   1. The theologian R. C. Sproul wrote the following in his book Holiness:

“Sin is cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign. It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has given us life….We are saying no to the righteousness of God. We are saying, ‘God your law is not good. My judgment is better than Yours. Your authority does not apply to me. I am above and beyond Your jurisdiction. I have the right to do what I want to do, not what You command me to do.’”

      b.  We have seen throughout human history what the lawlessness of

            mankind has wrought and how it leads to might makes right.

      c.  Only under obedience to God’s laws can mankind find peace and

          salvation.

      d.   Let us pray as David did, “Make me walk in the paths of Your

           commandments,” and “How blessed are those whose way is     

 blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.”

Prayer:  Our righteous and heavenly Father we confess our propensity for sinning and our selfish human nature. Abide with us through Your Blessed Holy Spirit who will guide us and convict us if we stray. We thank You for Your Law that has taught us that we need Our Savior to bring us to salvation. Help us to share this good news with others so they too may be saved. Give us the courage and determination to stand against the sin we see in our society, and to shed the light on the evil that has infiltrated this world so that others may also see and are no longer blind to it. We give You all the honor and glory. In Christ’s holy name we pray. Amen.

Recommend reading:

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

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FAITH AND THE NAME OF JESUS

(Final sermon in Faith series)

Warsaw Christian Church (12/12/21) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 16:23-28 and various

We have looked at the word “faith” from various angels.  As we bring this series to a close, I will be saying things I have said before, things that bear repeating. Over the past few weeks, I have tried to point out that there is more to it than we might first think.  It is not simply asking God for something in harmony with His will.  We have looked at faith’s foundation. We talked about the importance of how we view life and the words we use.. We have seen the importance of renouncing all known sins and the importance of forgiveness. Last Sunday, we looked at the relationship between gratitude and faith. What if I don’t perfectly meet these criteria?  While we strive to fulfill all the requirements we have examined to date, we face a problem today.

The problem is that no one meets all the criteria we have looked at over the past weeks in a flawless manner. Why would God honor the faith of morally imperfect people?  It is because they approach Him IN THE NAME OF JESUS.  It is for Jesus’ sake that God has forgiven our faults and blemishes.  Jesus taught us this truth when he declared, “On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you“ (John 16:23 NRSV).  This same idea is repeated in John 14:13, 14; 15:16; 16:24, 25.  When Jesus repeats something five times, we know He is addressing a fundamental matter. EXERCISING FAITH IN JESUS NAME IS A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH.  We must understand this principle.

At one time, being influenced by teachers I respected, I thought “to have faith” meant to have unwavering confidence that God would do whatever I asked.  The “trick” seemed to be not to blink — never to allow doubt to enter one’s head.  The problem was I blinked every time! The idea that God must do whatever I ask if I possess a faith that never doubts its own power is not faith IN GOD. It believes in the power of one’s own faith.  It is faith in faith, or simply faith in ourselves.  Our access to God is not brought about through the strength of our own faith, as though relating to God depended solely upon us and the strength of our faith.  We draw near to God through faith in the blood shed by the Son of God at Calvary.  “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God,   let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful (Heb. 10:19-23, NRSV).

There is a huge difference between having faith in your own faith and faith in the crucified Savior.  To exercise faith is not a matter of having confidence in the power of your own ability to believe.  It is to approach God based on the fact that all our sins have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus.  Because of the esteem God has for His Son, for His sake, and only for His sake, He responds to our faith.  Thus, the heart of faith or “believing” is the confidence we have that God hears us for Jesus’ sake.

In other words, God answers our prayers on the same basis by which He redeems us.  We are forgiven of our sins and declared to be among the redeemed through the blood of Jesus.  When we hear the gospel story and respond to it with a humble “Yes,” God receives us into His kingdom for Jesus’ sake.  And when we pray, trusting in the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all sin, God hears us for Jesus’ sake.  If it should enter our minds that God has some other basis for dealing with us — our good deeds, our faithful service, we tried our best, etc. — we have ceased to exercise true faith. Or, to put it more precisely, our faith has shifted from God to self, a disastrous shift indeed!

In our day and age it has become popular in some circles to affirm that there are many paths to God, with Jesus being only one of the many.  Some affirm, “I believe in God, but I don’t really believe everything the Bible says about Jesus. This notion of Him being equal with God, for instance, is too much for me.  And I can’t really believe we must pray in His name in order for God to hear our prayers.  That would mean that Hindus and Buddhists and persons of other religions would have no access to God. Aren’t you a bit arrogant when you say that God can be approached only through Jesus?”  If it were only me speaking, then, of course, I admit to having no authority to say anything definitive about God.But it is a different matter altogether if it is God who tells us that we cannot approach Him apart from His Son Jesus.

I recently read an article about the state of religion in America today. In a Barna survey, the most popular religion in America is called “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism,” or MTD. It is basically a watered-down, feel-good, fake Christianity. Live a good life, and all is well with you and God.  Deism is the idea that God created the world but has nothing further to do with it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer referred to this as “cheap grace.” He said,” It is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” It is grace without relying on the blood of Jesus. If you reject the atonement, you reject Christianity.

The Jews of Jesus’ day assumed they had a relationship with God through Moses and the prophets.  They believed they belonged to God, but Jesus declared them to be children of Satan, a harsh judgment for anyone to make except God!Angrily, they huffed at Jesus, “The only Father we have is God himself.”  They wanted God, but they did not want Jesus.  Listen carefully to the response of Jesus. “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God … You belong to your father, the devil …” (John 8:41-44).  Jesus cannot be separated from God.  To love and trust God the Father is to love and trust Jesus, and vice versa.  Those who separate Jesus from the Father end up with neither.

According to the New Testament, there simply is no such thing as a relationship with God apart from Jesus.  When I make that claim, I am not putting forth my own opinion.  I am simply repeating God’s own declaration in Scripture. The text in John 8 is clear, stating that those who claim God as their Father but who also reject Jesus have another father, even Satan.  It would be a terrible thing for me to make such a statement based on my fallible human knowledge, but these are the words of Jesus.  Those who acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior will not hesitate to embrace everything He teaches.

The implication of this truth for our faith is profound.  Will God hear me because I use the right words?  Will He hear my prayers based on my “status” as a pastor, elder, deacon, or church leader?  Does He respond to us because our need is so great?  God cares nothing for our linguistic skills. He hears the cries of our hearts before we ever utter a word (Psalm 139:4). Our so-called “status” carries no weight at all with God.  He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).  It is true that God is compassionate and cares about our needs.  It is also true that God sometimes responds to the needs of persons who may not know Him at all.  However, when we learn that our greatest need is to trust in Jesus and approach God in His name, He will hear and answer.

God responds to our faith because we are forgiven sinners who believe in the power of Jesus atoning death to bring us into the presence of God.  Never, never, never, say to God, “Hear me for my sake.”  It must always be, “Hear me for Jesus’ sake.”  The issue in faith is not who we are in and of ourselves, but who we are in relationship to Jesus Christ. We see this truth in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.  The Pharisee expected God to hear his prayer because of his great spirituality.  He was approaching God in his own name.  Any time we expect God to answer our prayers because of who we are, we are on the wrong track.

To live by faith in God is to approach Him as we know Him in Jesus Christ.  It is to believe that God alone is the only One in the universe to whom we can give our unqualified trust.  When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we are declaring two things: First, that the God in whom we believe is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Second, we have zero confidence in our personal ability to cause God to move in response to our faith.  Our confidence rests entirely in Jesus.  It is His virtue and merit which causes God to act on our behalf.

As Christians, we have become new persons in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15).  Through the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, we have received a new heart, a new mind, a new will, new desires, new hope, new confidence in God, a totally new way of life.  However, we take no credit for these changes, and we recognize that even though God has changed us, we are still far from perfection.  We rely on the blood of Jesus to keep on cleansing us from all sin and unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  It is not our name that opens the heart of God.  It is the name of Jesus, and so when we pray, regardless of the words we use, we must have an internal attitude that says, “Father, hear me for Jesus’ sake.  I come before you in His name.  I trust in His merit rather than my own.  I trust in His atoning blood.”  When God sees that our hearts are firmly resting upon Jesus, we can have confidence that He will hear and answer our prayers. Only then are we exercising true faith.

Let me share one final example to try and clarify this important truth. If I were to write a check for one million dollars on my own checking account and sign my name to the check, and then attempt to cash the check, the bank would either laugh at me or have me arrested for fraud.  My name is not worth a million dollars at any bank anywhere in the world. On the other hand, if I had a check for that same amount signed by Bill Gates, President of Microsoft Corporation and one of the richest men in the United States, the bank would honor that check.  His name is worth a million dollars.

When you pray to God, don’t flaunt your own name before Him.  Don’t expect Him to hear you because you are such a wonderful and faithful Christian. Your name, my name, is worthless in heaven.  Our names carry no weight at all.  But when we ask God to hear us because we are persons redeemed through Jesus Christ, His ears perk up at the name of His beloved Son.  To end our prayers with the phrase, “in Jesus’ name,” is much more than a formula.  When we utter those words with sincerity, God bends low to hang on to every word we pray.

While we strive to manifest humility, forgiveness, faithfulness — those attributes which enable us to exercise faith according to the will of God — we always fall short.  When we stand alone before God, clothed in our achievements, we are bankrupt.  When we approach God with a sense of total dependence upon the name of Jesus, God will hear and answer our prayers.  Faith exercised depending upon the name of Jesus is powerful. Remove Him from the equation, and faith will not work. Do your best to follow all the principles in the Bible related to faith. Then rest your faith in the name of Jesus, relying on His shed blood to forgive all your failed efforts to obey Him. Then you will be exercising faith.

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FAITH AND FORGIVENESS

(Faith series)

Warsaw Christian Church, (12/5/2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Matthew 18: 21-35

When I think of exercising faith, I can think of no word that has greater significance than the word “forgiveness.” I have preached on this theme several times before.  You may have heard some of the things I will share today in a previous sermon.  However, I want to use this text again because it is so important to our theme: developing a solid faith. Although the Christian message is filled with numerous insights which cover every phase of human life, the heart of the gospel message is the good news that our sins are forgiven through the cross of Jesus Christ.  Because we have been forgiven, the Bible places enormous emphasis on the fact that we must forgive those who have wronged us. The failure on our part to practice forgiveness is so serious that it may cancel out our claim to be counted among those whom God has forgiven. I believe failure to forgive is a sin that will do more to undermine faith than anything else. 

When Jesus taught “The Lord’s Prayer” to His disciples in Matthew 6, he elaborated on only one phrase of that prayer. He expanded only on the phrase, “forgive us our debts,” with this further clarification. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matt. 6:14,15). Let me read that last line again slowly. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins

The words of Jesus are unambiguous. There is no mistaking His meaning. Clearly, we cannot exercise faith according to the will of God if we are harboring an unforgiving spirit.  Before we begin listing all our needs as we pray, we might want to ask ourselves, “Is there someone I need to forgive?”There is no point to our praying if we have someone in our lives whom we refuse to forgive.  Indeed, the matter is even more serious than that.  Jesus says God will not forgive us if we do not forgive others, and if we are unforgiven, that means we have no hope of salvation. Therefore, this matter deserves our utmost attention. 

A seminary professor asked the class to draw a picture of someone they hated who had done them wrong. One student drew a picture of the girl who stole her boyfriend. Another drew a picture of his brother. One student even drew a picture of the professor because he hadn’t given him the “A” he richly deserved. The professor took the pictures, and the next day, the students saw their enemy posted on the wall.  The professor then invited each student to throw darts at the picture of his enemy. They thought this was great fun and threw their darts with gusto, tearing into the faces of their enemies. The professor quietly removed the tattered pictures, and behind each one was a picture of Jesus, also torn and tattered. The professor then quoted these words, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” They got the point! When we practice revenge instead of forgiveness against those who have hurt us, we attack our Savior.

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 18 to help us grasp this truth.  In the parable, a man is forgiven a huge financial debt and then refuses to forgive a small debt. We owe an immeasurable debt to God.  We have offended Him times too numerous to count.  The listing of the sins of the average adult would fill a large book. When we were doing evangelism training a few years ago, one of the illustrations we used was called “Three sins a day.” If I have averaged three sins a day during my 85 years, that amounts to a total of 93075 sins! And truth be told, I am sure my average is higher than three sins a day.  God is under obligation to condemn us, having warned us that the wages of sin is death.  How is this outstanding debt of sin to be canceled?  Can we cancel out our sins by doing good deeds, by joining a church, by saying our prayers?  Such activities have no impact on our past sins.

Our only hope is to embrace the suffering and death of Jesus, to receive Him as our Savior and Lord. Then, when we are born again after hearing and believing the Gospel, our sins are forgiven.  All of them!  All 93075+ of my sins are forgiven. As far as the east is from the west (an infinite distance from our human perspective), so far has God removed our sins from us in and through His Son (see Psalm 103:12).  In Christ, we are completely, totally, eternally forgiven of our sins.  This is the meaning of part one of Jesus’ parable.

Part two of His parable speaks of how we relate to others after God has forgiven us.  The point is that we must forgive others even as we have been forgiven.  The offenses others have committed against us are tiny when compared to the mountain of offense we have committed against our heavenly Father.  How foolish is the man in the parable who will not forgive a small debt after having been forgiven such a large debt?  It is unbelievable!

On the other hand, don’t you know some fools who act like this man? “My wife doesn’t measure up to my expectations, and I cannot forgive her.” “I will never darken the door of that church again because someone hurt my feelings. “”I’m not going to speak to my old friend ever again because she hurt my feelings.”  “Ten years ago my husband hurt my feelings, and I intend to punish him for that for the rest of his life.”  One man told about an argument he had with his wife. He said to his friend, “I hate to argue with my wife. Every time I do she gets historical.” The friend responded, “Don’t you mean hysterical?” “No,” the man responded. “I mean historical. Every time we argue, she drags up every offensive I have ever committed.” What about you? — and me?  Is there someone in your life you cannot forgive?  Is your case so unusual that God will change the rules for you and allow you to be an unforgiving person?

When we demonstrate an unchanging hardness of heart against others, it can mean but one thing.  We have never really understood and accepted God’s forgiveness.  We must think carefully about what it means to be unforgiven by God.  Is it so important to cling to an unforgiving spirit that you are willing to be rejected by God rather than practice forgiveness?  According to Jesus, that is exactly what will happen.  Will those in hell declare, “It was worth it! I’d rather be in this place of misery than forgive those who wronged me.”  Hell is a place of weeping and wailing caused by the realization that many in that dreadful place are there because they rejected God’s grace in order to continue to hate someone. They refused to forgive.

Jesus admonishes us to forgive first, then pray with faith. Can’t we forgive most of the people who have hurt us but hold on to a few who have REALLY hurt us?  The Bible tells us to forgive ANYTHING. If we think there are indeed persons we need not forgive, Jesus says ANYONE (See Mark 11:25).  If you have anything against anyone, first forgive them, and if you cannot, then pray for the grace to enable you to forgive.  If we pray to the Father who allowed His Son to endure the cross to secure our forgiveness while harboring an unforgiving spirit in our hearts, we only anger God. He might say to us, “What is wrong with you? I forgave all your sins. I rescued you from hell. I allowed my Son to suffer for you. And now you insult me by refusing to forgive others? Don’t you realize how utterly foolish you are?”

Often, when churches are unhealthy, and individuals are drifting away from Christ, an unforgiving spirit is the problem.  Congregations full of grudges (justifiable ones, of course!) and resentments are often “cold” because the warmth of God’s presence is absent.  When the God who knows our hearts sees an unforgiving spirit lodged there, He has but one thing to say: IF YOU WILL NOT FORGIVE OTHERS, NEITHER WILL I FORGIVE YOU.

Before deciding to ignore God’s Word to us concerning forgiveness, please weigh the alternative carefully. One need not be a Rhodes Scholar to figure out that forgiving others, however painful it may be, is far less painful than the alternative.

Some who hear these words might find them troubling.  Is Jesus saying that we are not saved by grace after all?  If we forfeit salvation by our unforgiving spirit, does that mean we earn salvation by practicing forgiveness?  If we are saved through the atoning death of Jesus, how can we lose that through an unforgiving attitude?

Jesus does not contradict the abundant biblical material that assures us we are saved through Christ, through grace, by faith, and not by our good deeds.  He is not saying, “You be good and forgive others, and then God will reward you by forgiving your sins.”  I believe He is saying, “If you cannot forgive others, you have never really understood or accepted God’s forgiving love and mercy.  You are a hypocrite claiming to be a believer.”  We do not earn God’s favor by anything we do.  However, our behavior demonstrates whether or not God’s grace has transformed our hearts.  If we “see” the enormity of God’s forgiveness towards us — if we indeed have received that forgiveness, we will be quick to forgive others. How can we withhold forgiveness from others when God has forgiven us so much?

Here is another factor we need to consider. Someone has hurt you deeply. You refuse to forgive. But answer this question: Is God willing to forgive that person who wounded you so deeply? Yes, because God will forgive anyone of anything through Jesus Christ. What does it mean to say that God is willing to forgive, but we are not? I guess it means we think we are wiser than God.

Can we ever truly exercise faith while holding on tightly to a spirit that refuses to forgive others? Again, scripture is clear; praying to God with true faith is impossible while clinging to an unforgiving spirit.   Someone put it like this: “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.”  

As we have studied the word faith for several weeks, perhaps you have met every challenge and see yourself as a person of strong faith. I hope that is true, although as I have preached this series, I have to confess that I have some growing to do. If you have passed every other faith test but flunk on this matter of forgiveness, you have failed completely. If you can think of someone this morning you need to forgive, call them up, or send a letter and express your forgiving spirit. Don’t let someone else’s bad behavior stand between you and God. As long as an unforgiving spirit lodges in your heart, faith will shrivel up and die. Strong faith and an unforgiving spirit cannot coexist.  Contemplate the many sins God has forgiven you, and then forgive others. It truly is a matter of life and death.

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FAITH AND GRATITUDE

(Series on Faith)

Warsaw Christian Church, (Nov. 28, 2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

As we continue our study on faith today, we look at the relationship between faith and gratitude. We just celebrated Thanksgiving so it seems appropriate to continue our theme on faith and link it to gratitude. Gratitude not only builds faith but there are a host of other blessings associated with a thankful heart.

Rudyard Kipling was a great writer and poet whose writings many have enjoyed. Unlike many old writers, Kipling was one of the few who had the opportunity to enjoy his success while he lived. He also made a great deal of money at his trade. One time a newspaper reporter came up to him and said, “Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over a hundred dollars a word. Mr. Kipling raised his eyebrows and said, “Really, I certainly wasn’t aware of that.” The reporter cynically reached down into his pocket and pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill and gave it to Kipling and said, “Here’s a hundred-dollar bill, Mr. Kipling. Now, you give me one of your hundred-dollar words.” Mr. Kipling looked at that hundred-dollar bill for a moment, took it and folded it up and put it in his pocket, and said, “Thanks.”

I guess we can say that Kipling learned that it pays to say “Thanks.” Are you a thankful person? If expressing a spirit of thanksgiving is not your cup of tea, I want to tell you that you are missing out on some wonderful benefits. Spiritually mature Christians have learned to express thanksgiving to God daily, and the practice blesses them. Before we address gratitude’s impact on your faith, let’s look first at some other benefits.

1. First, let’s consider a practical, psychological benefit. Did you know that a thankful heart will improve your mental health?  Psychologists today tell us that sincere gratitude, a grateful attitude, is the healthiest of all human emotions. Hans Selye, who is considered the father of stress studies, has said that gratitude produces more positive emotional energy than any other attitude in life. The Psalmist understood this when he wrote, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance” (Psalm 42:5). Praise is a form of thanksgiving. When he was cast down, depressed, he turned his thoughts to God and looked to God for help. Even before the requested help arrived, he started to feel better.  He knew God would lift him up, and as he praised and thanked God, his soul moved from being cast down to being lifted up.

When you feel depressed, as you begin counting your blessings and thanking God, the cloud of sadness lifts, it is impossible to be genuinely thankful and depressed at the same time. Personally, worrying is one of my spiritual gifts!  I seem to have inherited the trait from my father. We all get down now and then, and even Christians need professional help at times. There is no shame in that. However, a grateful spirit will do wonders for every discouraged soul. The popular tune contains much truth – – – “When you’re worried, and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep . . . Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will amaze you what the Lord has done.” 

2. There is a second, practical benefit to being a thankful person. Thankful people are pleasant to be around; more likable than those who prefer grumbling over gratitude. A lady known as an incurable grumbler constantly complained about everything. At last, her preacher thought he had found something about which she would be happy, for her farm crop was the finest for miles around. When he met her, he said with a beaming smile, “You must be delighted, Mary. Everyone is saying how healthy your potatoes look this year.” Mary responded, “True, they’re pretty good, but what am I going to do when I need bad ones to feed the pigs.” Some folks are never satisfied and can always find a reason to grumble. Don’t you enjoy being around happy, upbeat persons more than the constant complainer?

3. Third, thankful people open their lives to more and more of God’s blessings.  Thankful people see the hand of God at work in their lives. That is why they are grateful. Ungrateful people seem to be blind to the working of God in the world and their lives. When we thank God, recognizing Him as the source of all that is true, good, and beautiful in our lives, our hearts are open to receive even more of God’s blessings.  We are all familiar with the story in Luke 17 concerning the ten lepers who Jesus healed. Only one returned to thank Him. Did you ever wonder why Jesus said to him, “Your faith has made you whole?” All ten were healed, but this thankful man was made whole. I suspect Jesus was referring to his spiritual condition as well as the physical healing.  The thankful man received more from the hand of Jesus. He was made whole spiritually as well as physically. The ungrateful ones were healed, but they were not open to receiving anything else from God. I wonder if eventually, their leprosy returned.

4. Thankful people avoid divine discipline.  The Israelites were miraculously fed by God for 40 years in the wilderness with manna from heaven. It was a bread-like substance with a honey flavor (Exodus 16:31). There is very little to eat in the wilderness.  Without this divine intervention, they would have starved. Were they grateful? Not for long. They grew tired of this heavenly diet and began to long for the excellent food they ate in Egypt. They seem to have forgotten that they were slaves in Egypt. They wanted meat in addition to the manna. And so, for 30 days, God gave them quail to eat.  God told them he would give them so much they would stuff themselves until the quail became nauseating. And that is what happened (Numbers 11:18-20).

Here is the point. People who grumble and complain about their lot in life are complaining against God. When you grumble against God, you deprive yourself of His blessings, and you may find His hand of judgment upon you. Even when things are not to your liking, get into the habit of the Psalmist. “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 107:1). Give thanks to the Lord.  Remember that He is good. Then watch and see if God does not pour out even more of His goodness into your life.

5. Returning to our theme of faith, a thankful heart causes faith to grow ever stronger. A complaining heart causes faith to shrink. In Rom. 1:21, Paul says, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” This passage states that people who are ungrateful to God lose their ability to think straight. Their hearts will become hardened against God. Faith shrivels up and dies in the heart of an ungrateful person. People whose prayers are laced with “thank you” will find that their faith is growing by leaps and bounds.

Paul says in II Cor. 4:8, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed…For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.” Paul learned to maintain a thankful heart, even amid severe difficulties. He focused his mind on the unseen God, the unseen Jesus, and not on the troubles that beset him. Notice his strong language regarding his personal situation. “Hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down.” Paul knew about trouble.  He knew that God would come through in the end, if not in this life certainly in eternity. Paul refused to abandon his faith when life was difficult, and he became a giant in faith.

I think it works like this. When you look at your life, thanking God for everything you see, you express faith in His provision. As I have said before, thank God for your home, vehicles, neighbors, family, church family, income, vacation time, leisure activities, daily bread, and the many blessings you enjoy beyond your basic needs, etc. The more you express gratitude, the more your faith grows.  From time to time, walk through your home and thank God for every item you possess.

6. There is a final benefit I want to mention that comes to those who practice thanksgiving. Our brief opening text tells us that as we give thanks, we are fulfilling the will of God. No matter what your circumstances, writes the Apostle, a thankful spirit places you directly into the will of God. Do you want to fulfill God’s will in your life? How do we do that? One way is to cultivate a thankful heart.

Many people struggle and wonder what they need to do to fulfill the will of God in their lives. Should I head to Africa like the Woods and Caziers? Should I share my faith with five people daily? Should I pray for three hours daily? Sometimes we burden ourselves with seeking to please God. Why not begin with the simple and the obvious?  It is God’s will that you trust Him, believe He is at work in your life, and thank Him daily. Yes, there is more that we may do to fulfill the will of God, but a thankful spirit is a good place to start.

With all these benefits associated with a thankful heart, why don’t we resolve to practice thanksgiving more faithfully? As a result, you will be healthier mentally; you will be more pleasant to be around; your life will be more open to God and His blessings; you can escape some unpleasant discipline from the hand of God; your faith will grow, and you will be fulfilling the will of God.

These are good reasons to encourage us to develop hearts overflowing with thanksgiving. I close by returning to our theme of faith. Strong faith dwells in a thankful heart. Gratitude begets faith. As you pass through each day with a grateful heart, your faith will grow by leaps and bounds. If we fall into the habit of grumbling and complaining as Israel did in the desert, our lives will become like theirs, a wilderness.

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FAITH AND THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING

Warsaw Christian Church ( 11/14/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text, various

The fundamental principle leading to a successful Christian life is this: “The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 and Romans 1:17). The Christian life begins with faith — faith in Jesus Christ as the one who secured our forgiveness, bringing us into a right relationship with God. Once we have placed our faith in Jesus, part two of the Christian life is to live by faith. Those who have been declared just (justified by faith) should live each day by faith. That means that our daily choices, decisions, are faith-based. It means that we are continually focused on Jesus, seeking His guidance and direction for our daily lives.

One way to look at it is to remember that the only thing we possess that pleases God is faith in His Son. We read in Hebrews 11:6:  “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The simple truth is this: God is not pleased with you or me. We have all sinned and fallen short of His will. We have behaved in a manner that merits for us a front-row seat in hell. Remove faith from our hearts, and we cannot please God.   The attempt to please God apart from faith is doomed to fail. It is impossible. Only because of our faith in His Son, God accepts us as His children and rewards us when we seek His will.

As we have seen, to live by faith is to apply faith to every problem, difficulty, and life situation we face. This morning I want to suggest three life circumstances that undermine faith. I am referring to the past, the present, and the future. If we are not careful, any one or all three of these issues can rob us of our faith. So let’s take a look.

We begin with the past. We all have a history. We have said things and done things in the past that we regret. Some, like the Apostle Paul, have done horrible things in the past. Paul persecuted the church, committing acts that were a total rejection of Jesus. Paul was fighting against Jesus and His message of grace and salvation. Had Paul chosen to dwell on his past mistakes, his faith would have been paralyzed.

What sins have you committed in the past that seem to undermine your faith in the present? For example, did you commit adultery in the past, and you can’t seem to move beyond it? Do you think your parents failed you in the past, and your resentment of them is so deep that you can’t let it go? Did you make a wrong decision in the past, and dwelling on that decision follows you into the present, undercutting your faith? Do you find yourself thinking or saying things like, “If only I had not made that decision 5 years ago, if only I had done things differently, I would be happy; if only…if only…”

In the years I worked as a counselor, I can’t count the number of people I encountered who were miserable because of circumstances that happened in the past. Unfortunately, sometimes Christians (who should know better) are paralyzed by the past.

I wonder how many people today are miserable because of their past, perhaps trying to find relief in drugs or alcohol? Or maybe just feeling so discouraged that we share our misery with those around us. Misery loves company, we say, but most of us don’t like to be around chronically unhappy people. It tends to rub off.

The thing about the past is simply this: the past is what it is; you can’t change it. All you can do is allow it to haunt you into the present or let it go. Paul put it in these words: “but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13). The cure for a troubled past is to forget it. If you need forgiveness for past mistakes, Jesus has provided for it. If you need to forgive others who have hurt you in the past, Jesus will give you the strength to forgive. In other words, apply your faith to the past and ask Jesus to heal your past. He has done that for many others, and He will do it for you. Don’t let yesterday rob you of joy today. Satan says, “You have no right to a meaningful life because of what has happened to you in the past.” He is a liar and a robber. Jesus says, “Let me heal your past.”  If you are troubled by your past, will you ask Jesus to set you free?

Not only does the past rob some Christians of faith, but so also does the present. As we move through life, we all face everyday problems and temptations. When you are stuck with a problem that seems overwhelming, what is your first response? Is it depression? Feelings of hopelessness? Why does this always happen to me? Or when a difficult issue arises, do you say to yourself, “Well, I don’t like this, but I will turn to God for help. I will apply my faith to this problem.” 

I have mentioned before that I was a starting guard on the Washburn High School Sophomore basketball team in Minneapolis. (repeatedly!). I assumed I would move on to the varsity in my junior year. I was wrong. I did not survive the final cut. I was devastated. Do you know what I did to protest this injustice? I took up smoking because if I couldn’t play varsity basketball, I thought, “Why try to be healthy?” So, in order to get back at the coach who discarded me on the garbage heap of those who failed to make the team, I decided to ruin my health. I guess I showed him!

Ten years later, I went through a real struggle before I was finally able to quit smoking. My immature reaction to a difficult situation created severe problems for me down the road. I think I am doing better now.  When I hit a deer a few years ago and was sitting on highway 65 with a disabled car, I did not wish for a cigarette.  I did not cry out, “Why me!” I did the sensible thing – – – I called Marie!

The point is this.  We all face unpleasant circumstances in the course of life. Maybe it’s a disabled car, a financial problem; a health issue; a people problem. Whatever issues we face in the present, don’t allow Satan to rob you of your faith. Instead, apply your faith to the issue, whatever it is. The more we apply our faith to life’s circumstances, the more open we are to receiving divine help. If God doesn’t deliver us from the problem, He will give us the strength to live through it.

There is a passage in Habakkuk that is one of my favorites. The prophet wrote, Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—¹⁸ Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. ¹⁹ The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills (3:17-19). Yes, of course, the prophet would prefer that the fig tree produce figs, the vines produce fruit, the crops grow food, and that his barn would be filled with healthy animals but, sometimes those blessings do not happen. Does he turn against God in anger? Does he cry out, “Why me?” Does he give in to depression? No, he says, “Hallelujah anyhow! No matter what my circumstances, I will rejoice in God.  I will continue to trust Him.”  If you can follow his example, you can cope with all the negative things that happen to us in the present.

Past events can rob us of our faith; current events can rob us of our faith. Finally, the future can rob us of our faith. Do you worry about tomorrow? What if the stock market falls and I lose my retirement? Back in 2015, I read an article predicting that the Social Security system would crash in 2016. Another false prediction. What if I lose my health and death looms?  What if the terrorists win out, and our whole nation falls? What if my wife or husband precedes me in death, and I am all alone? You may fill in your own “What if.” Some people are so worried about what may happen tomorrow that they live in fear and misery today. They allow worrying about tomorrow to cripple their faith.

Jesus addressed that issue head-on in the Sermon on the Mount. ²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  (Matthew 6:25-33).

Jesus reminds us that worrying about the future changes nothing. All worry does is short-circuit our faith for today. Returning to my short-lived basketball career, I used to wish I was about 6’ 6” instead of 5’10”. If I were only taller, I would have been a star at the University of Minnesota and then a pro career with the Minneapolis Lakers. (To you youngsters, the present Los Angeles Lakers used to be the Minneapolis Lakers.) If only, if only – – – worry, worry, worry.  Jesus reminds us that worry will not make you any taller! What he means is that worry does nothing to change the future for the better. What it does is rob you of faith for today.

Jesus wants our focus to be on the Kingdom of God. If we live by faith, the future will take care of itself – – – or rather, God will take care of the future for those who trust Him. You can count on Him, always – – – past, present, or future.

Are you miserable because of things that happened in the past? Are you overwhelmed and depressed by problems confronting you today? Are you fearful about what tomorrow may bring? The solution for all three of these faith robbers is the same. We end where we began: THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. Apply your faith to the past and ask Jesus to bring healing. Apply your faith to present problems and ask God to navigate you through to victory. Apply your faith to future fears and watch them dissipate like the morning fog. Live by faith, and those three faith robbers will flee from you. Apply your faith to the past, present, and future, and watch God go to work on your behalf.

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Warsaw Christian Church (10/31/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 10:6-17

We continue our study on faith, turning our attention this morning to the preaching of the Word of God that takes place in our church every Sunday. Does preaching have anything to do with faith? According to Scripture, it does indeed. Notice verse 8 of our text where it refers to “the Word of faith which we preach.” Then drop down to verse 17: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. “The NIV translates vs. 17 in these words: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Listening to faithful preaching is very important in developing strong faith. But, of course, God wants to make sure we preachers do not get a big head, and so we have this word from Paul to keep us humble: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). Two things are contrasted here: worldly wisdom and the foolishness of preaching. If you do not possess a degree in philosophy or some other area of human wisdom, not to worry. Even if you have several Ph.D.’s, you will never come to know God through the wisdom of this world. God has hidden Himself from the wisdom of the wise.

So how do we come to know God? How do we develop a strong faith? In part, by listening to fools like me! God uses those who faithfully preach Christ and biblical truth to create faith in the hearts of those who listen with an open mind. Yes, there are plenty of atheists and agnostics around who will boldly proclaim that they have concluded that God does not exist. They do not seem to realize that they are simply affirming the truth of 1 Cor. 1:21, that human wisdom will never lead anyone to God. But if your Mom or Dad, or the preacher in your church, or a Sunday School teacher, proclaims Jesus to you, God is pleased to use that means to generate faith. It seems foolish to the world, but it is God’s plan, and it works. As the Gospel and biblical teaching is preached, heard, and received, faith is born and grows.

Am I saying that we need to be faithful in church attendance and listen to some country-bumpkin preacher for faith to grow? No, I am not saying that.  God says it. If the country-bumpkin preacher is preaching Jesus and Bible doctrine, God will use that preaching to help you grow in faith. The Bible is clear: faith comes by hearing, and what we must listen to is biblical, Christ-centered preaching. Paul did not regard himself as a great orator. Listen to his evaluation of his preaching. “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5). Paul did not regard his preaching as persuasive by human standards. There were others in his day who were more gifted. Nevertheless, Paul’s words were Spirit inspired and have endured for over 2000 years. His words have been used by God to draw millions into the kingdom.

Thus I can say that I have the greatest job in the world. If I faithfully preach Christ, I am helping people grow in faith. I listen to many sermons, and most of the preachers I listen to are far better at the preaching task than am I. But even if my rhetorical skills are below average, if I preach Jesus, God will use it to help others grow in faith.  When Sandy proclaims Jesus in Sunday School, the same result will happen. Wherever Christian truth is declared, no matter by whom, faith will grow.

Of course, such growth does not occur automatically. One can hear the truth concerning Jesus and reject it. In Acts 19, we learn that Paul is preaching in the synagogue at Ephesus. He proclaimed the name of Jesus for three months (19:8). We might be inclined to think that anyone hearing the great Apostle preach would be moved to faith. But listen to verse 9: “But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.“

If some heard Paul preach and refused to believe in the Jesus he proclaimed, I suspect some listen to me preach but do not believe. However, if a preacher preaches faithfully for 50 years and has zero converts, he has done what God asked him to do. He has preached the name of Jesus. Paul had to leave one area of Ephesus because the opposition was so strong and move to another part of the city. Yet, he continued to preach the name of Jesus regardless of the response.

In Acts 8, Phillip is preaching. We note this response in 8:12: “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” Belief leads to salvation, then to baptism. Sometimes I wish that when I preached Jesus, faith was automatically generated in people’s hearts. Alas, it does not work that way.  You have a responsibility when you come to church. As you open your mind and heart to the preaching of the Word, faith grows stronger. If you take a snooze, allow your mind to wander, or refuse to believe what is preached, you will receive no benefit from being in church.

Preaching the Word is my primary responsibility. Churches do other things. We enjoy our fellowship groups, our choir, our eating events, etc., but the main thing we do is preach and teach the Word of God.

Notice the importance of preaching in the New Testament. “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ…” (Rom 8:25). Our faith is established and grows strong through the preaching of the Word. “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42). They did not cease preaching Jesus because that was their primary calling.  Paul speaks of the Gospel as Jesus “manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior” (Titus 1:3). When the early church faced fierce opposition and had to flee Jerusalem, we learn, “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).  They did not conclude that they had better quit preaching in the face of opposition. When they were scattered, they preached.  One more: So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans (Acts 8:25). Do you get the picture?  Preaching was a priority in the early church.

Today some churches are deemphasizing preaching. High-powered music and dramas have taken center stage. Entertainment has often eclipsed biblical preaching. Sermons avoid hard truths such as judgment, the wrath of God, and hell. The idea seems to be to appeal more to modern man.  People are turned off by old-fashioned preaching. But if biblical preaching is what God uses to cause faith to flourish, those churches which prefer happy little non-offensive sermonettes are depriving their members of the food they need.

We all have friends and family members who are Christians who sincerely believe in Jesus, but they are not active in the church. Yes, I think you can be a true Christian and avoid the church, but if you shut yourself off from biblical preaching, your faith will suffer. Remember that faith comes by hearing, and what we must hear is Christ-centered Bible-centered preaching. You can hear such preaching apart from a local church, of course. There is lots of good preaching on television (and some bad preaching!). Marie and I listen to Dr. Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah, and others. However, I consider such preaching to be supplemental. To be with my brothers and sisters in this place is the main course.

Whether we like it or not, it pleases God through the foolishness of preaching to build the faith of those who hear and believe. The one preaching does not have to be outstanding in the field of rhetoric. Even if you have to listen to an over-the-hill preacher such as yours truly, if biblical truth is proclaimed, faith will grow.

Consider in closing these words from our text: How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?   And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Persons must call upon the name of the Lord in order to exercise faith, but first, they need to hear the message proclaimed with clarity. Thus, while all of us can bear witness to Jesus, Paul calls for a class of persons referred to as “preachers.”

The church calls and sets aside certain individuals to serve in the ministry of preaching. This person is unencumbered by a secular job and is thus able to devote much time to the study of the Scriptures and to the preaching of Christ.  This is to ensure that the message is communicated clearly and accurately. 

Paul’s question serves to remind us that the preaching ministry is absolutely essential in the spiritual life of the local church. People wander in and out of churches. Our concern for those who wander in is that they hear Christ proclaimed clearly and accurately. A church can be friendly and have lots of fun activities, but if Christ is not clearly proclaimed by the man who stands in the pulpit, the church’s spiritual life suffers. Thus, the ministry of preaching is a critical tool God uses to spread the message of Jesus. 

To be sure, we all know of preachers who are not perfect paragons of virtue, present company included. Preachers are redeemed sinners.  However, if the preacher preaches Jesus in harmony with the biblical revelation, he will be a blessing to the church.  If he does not do that, throw the bum out and find someone else! The church cannot survive without an army of preachers who faithfully proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. Now we may think there is undoubtedly a better way to proclaim the Gospel. However, Scripture makes it clear that preachers are necessary for the fulfillment of God’s plan to help us grow in faith. Therefore, a church that is spiritually alive will place great emphasis on preaching.

It is a bit awkward talking about this theme since I am the preacher. Just know that with all my faults, my heart desires to help you spiritually – – – to help you grow in faith. I will try hard to do my part if you do your part by your regular attendance with an open mind to the message. Growth in faith occurs not because the preacher is outstanding but because the Jesus we proclaim is exceptional.   

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HOW MUCH FAITH DO WE NEED?

Warsaw Christian Church (10/24/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 17:5-6

We live in a world where in many areas, bigger is better. If your house is twice the size of your neighbor’s house it is obviously better. A big Lincoln or Cadillac is obviously better than a Chevrolet Cruze. If you have 100 acres of property that is surely better than living on 1 acre, isn’t it?  Pastors who serve mega-churches are surely better than those who serve churches with 100 members. I used to receive a monthly sermon CD from Christianity Today which is advertised as “the best sermons from today’s best preachers.” Every sermon I received was from a pastor of a large church.  I doubt that Christianity Today solicits sermons from pastors of small churches. Some of those mega-church sermons I listened to are excellent. Others are quite ordinary, no better than what you might hear in rural or small-town America. But bigger is better, and sometimes that spills over into the Christian world.

The disciples of Jesus evidently were infected with the “bigger is better” virus. In verse 6 they say to Jesus, “Increase our faith.” The assumption is that they have some faith, but if they have more faith – – – a larger amount of faith – – – that would be better. They could do bigger and better things in service to the Master.

What exactly, I wonder, did they expect Jesus to do? Did they want a miraculous increase of faith to take place in their hearts by the decree of Jesus? Did they want Him to touch them and declare, “Your faith is increased.”?

Notice carefully the response of Jesus. He informs them that even a very small amount of faith can be used to uproot a tree and cast it into the sea, or to move a mountain and cast it into the sea (Matthew 21: 21,22). I believe His point is this. Faith does not really come in sizes. Our focus must not be on “how much,” but on genuineness.  In one sense, faith is an either-or phenomena.  You either possess genuine faith, or you do not.

This raises the question of the nature of faith. We need to distinguish between two kinds of faith; the faith that saves, and the faith that serves. It is the latter type of faith discussed in our passage. Before we look at it more closely let us focus briefly on saving faith. What does it mean to possess saving faith?  In essence, we possess saving faith when we have examined Jesus as He is revealed in the New Testament, and we have concluded that He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, our Lord and Savior (see Matthew 16:16 in context). We are willing to openly and publicly declare our faith in Jesus.  In the matter of salvation, there are no degrees of faith. You either believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior, or you do not. We would probably not regard the thief on the cross as a man of gigantic faith if we were to think of faith in terms of size. Perhaps in desperation, he reached out to Jesus with genuine faith. However “small” or “weak” it may have been it was sufficient to gain him a place in Paradise.

Saving faith is a genuine trust that because of Jesus we have been forgiven and promised a home in heaven. Again, you either believe that, or you do not. To speak of the size of one’s faith is irrelevant, a distraction.

Now let us look at faith that acts in service to the Master. Two basic elements come into play. As redeemed persons, our desire is to serve Jesus. To do that we must believe in His power to act and His will to act. Faith says, “I believe Jesus has the power to do this, and it is His will to do this.” Most of us have no problem believing that God has the power to do whatever He wishes. The problem we face is often uncertainty concerning the will of God. So we conclude our prayer with “Thy will be done.”

Jesus is encouraging His disciples and us to forget about “more faith” and use the faith we have. His statement is that even if you think your faith is as small as a mustard seed, if it is genuine faith it can speak to a tree and it will be uprooted and cast into the sea. Or it can speak to a mountain and remove it into the sea. What are we to make of these statements? Are we to take Jesus literally 0r figuratively? Both! He is using a figure of speech to say that no matter how large your problem may be, God’s power is greater. God can unleash His power independent of us, but often He chooses to act through our faith.

If your faith is rooted in God through Jesus Christ, and if it is necessary for a tree to be uprooted to promote the cause of Christ, the power of God will work through human faith to accomplish the impossible. Of course, we have to add that it is difficult to imagine when the uprooting of a tree would serve the cause of Christ, but that is beside the point. Jesus is simply encouraging His disciples to realize that when God works through human faith, nothing is impossible. Jesus said this in plain language in Mark 9:23. In speaking to a father whose child was demon-possessed, Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

I suspect the disciples were shocked at Jesus response to their request for more faith. They seem to think of faith like gasoline in a gas tank (Okay, I know they did not have cars in those days. This is just for illustration purposes.) Does your gas tank have to be full for the car to run? Of course not. It will run just as well on a half tank, or even on one gallon. The issue is not how much gas will run a car. Any amount will do if it is genuine gasoline. So it is with faith. The disciples do have faith. They just need to apply it more broadly to various life situations.

In short, the disciples did not need more faith. They needed more faithfulness.  They needed to use the faith they already possessed. Faith does not come in sizes. As we begin to apply faith to some of the smaller issues of life, and we see God act, we are encouraged to apply our faith to life’s larger issues. We may have a headache and pray for relief. We believe God will respond, and He does. However, when we are face to face with cancer we are not sure our faith will work. We may pray, but our hearts are full of doubt.

If we look at the wider context of our text we note that Jesus warned them of the dangers of causing little ones to stumble. He then taught that we must be ready to forgive no matter how many times we have been offended. I suspect the disciples were afraid they could not meet these challenges unless they have more faith. Jesus is simply saying you do have enough faith. Even if you think your faith is small, even the size of a mustard seed, if you ask God to act and what you are asking is in harmony with His will, even impossible tasks like trees being uprooted and mountains being moved will happen.

This should not have been a surprise to the disciples, or to us. Jesus demonstrated that He was in complete control over nature. He was using faith when He turned water into wine. He spoke to the wind and waves and they obeyed Him, He walked on the surface of the water, blind eyes were open, the dead were raised, a few loaves and fish were multiplied to feed 5000 people.

The point is that God can do anything. Faith can accomplish the impossible because it is God who works through faith. He does not work miracles just to show off His omnipotence.  However, when we need His help to carry out His will, and our faith seems no larger than a tiny seed, if it is genuine faith, God will act on our behalf.

Faith is the gift of God. So is the air, but you have to breathe it. So is bread, but you have to eat it. So is water, but you have to drink it. So how do we accept this gift? Not by a feeling, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). It is not for me to sit down and wait for faith to come upon me with a strong feeling of some kind. I need not cry out to God and say, “Give me more faith.” Rather, faith comes when we immerse ourselves in the Word of God and then learn to take God at his word. Faith is believing God. It is trusting in God’s character, His mercy, His power.

But faith is not faith in itself. It is not faith in faith. The disciples were perhaps confused here. They thought if they had more faith, greater faith, they could do more and greater things. But that implies that they believe in the power of their own faith – – – that they have faith in their own faith. True faith does not look inward to see how much faith is there. Rather it looks to God. Faith is seeing God’s greatness. Faith knows that God is truthful and dependable. Jesus does not say anything to the disciples about how they may increase their faith. His way of answering the disciples’ request is simply to describe to them the great power of genuine faith. Size is not the issue. Authentic faith can speak to a mighty Oak tree and, if Jesus wants that tree removed and cast into the sea to further His purpose on earth, it will be done. In the vernacular, He seems to say to His disciples, “You guys don’t need more faith.  You need to use the faith you have. If you do, you can move mountains.” As we exercise the faith we have and see God’s hand at work we will be emboldened to apply our faith to more and more situations. .

The bottom line is this. I don’t need more faith. I need to put into practice the faith I have. As we take our eyes off the sometimes discouraging circumstances that surround us and walk by faith, there are literally no limits to what God will do in our midst.  Faith is a powerful force, not because our faith is so large and mighty, but because the God we trust is a mighty God.   

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THE THREE STAGES OF FAITH

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Warsaw Christian Church (10/10/21) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 4:46-53

I have preached on faith before.  Since faith is the foundation of our relationship with God I want to do a series on faith.  In this episode in the ministry of our Lord, we learn that the word “faith” passes through three stages.  Our story begins with a royal official — a man under the authority of King Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee.  He may be a relative of Herod, or he may be an employee, but he is highly connected in either event.  Perhaps he is a man who for years thought he could solve all his own problems.  Sometimes the rich and powerful become very self-centered and self-sufficient.  He is a man accustomed to getting what he wants. 

As so often happens in life to all of us sooner or later, suddenly, this royal official has a problem he cannot solve.  Have you ever been there? I have, and I am sure you have as well. Herod cannot help him; his wealth cannot help him; his status cannot help him, for his beloved son is sick, close to death.  We can assume he had already sought the best medical help available, but they have said, “We cannot help your son.  He will die from this disease.”

This nobleman is desperate. Like most fathers, he loves his son deeply, but he stands helpless before this unnamed disease killing his son.  Rumor has it that Jesus, the reported miracle worker, is in the area.  It is a twelve-mile trip from Capernaum to Cana where Jesus was, but the father willingly and hurriedly makes the journey.  His faith at this stage is an act of desperation.  He doesn’t know if the rumors about Jesus are true, but he is willing to try anything.   Our relationship with God often begins out of desperation.  It may be an illness, relationship problems, financial problems, or any number of things.  We see no way out of our situation, and so we seek after God.  Perhaps we give little thought to God ordinarily, but now we face a crisis, and like the nobleman, we turn to God out of desperation.  We sometimes laugh over what the military calls “fox hole religion” or what the prison system calls “jail house conversions.” Yet, I am certain that many persons found the living God when they began to seek God out of fear and desperation.

In fact, I believe God puts us in tight spots from time to time to help us see our severe limitations.  If we can handle life on our own, we think we don’t need God. However, when He puts us in a situation we cannot handle, the likelihood increases that we will turn to Him. Unfortunately, even Christians sometimes live their lives as if God is unnecessary.  If you allow your life to slip into that mode, you can be sure God in His loving providence will put you into a tight spot where your only option is to turn to Him.

When we find ourselves in a hopeless situation, we need to listen carefully.  God may be calling to us, inviting us to seek after Him.  Thus, while our turning to God is frequently a matter of desperation, there is nothing wrong with turning to God when we are in great need. That leads us to stage two.

The official who sought Jesus had made the first move towards God, but we note several interesting features as the story continues. First, Jesus knows immediately that this man has not yet come to a complete faith.  All he is interested in is a miracle for his son.  He begs Jesus to come and work the desired miracle.

Jesus responds, ‘Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders … you will never believe.” If Jesus will come and heal his son, then he will believe in Jesus.  Like so many today, he demands a miracle prior to faith.  Like the young person years ago who told me he would believe in God if I could make a glass of water float across the room. In contrast, God expects us to take Him at His Word because He is God before His Word is verified in our experience.  God will not “prove” Himself to us.  Because He is God, He expects us to believe what He says.  Is this an unreasonable request?  Do we not want people to take us at our Word?  When do you trust the Word of your doctor who says you need a serious and risky operation?  When I had open-heart surgery, I had to trust the doctor based on his reputation before I had any proof that the operation would be successful. You can’t withhold your trust until after the operation is a success.  You must trust the doctor’s reputation and Word that you have a good chance of recovery before you have any evidence other than his Word.

We make a horrible mistake when we ask God to “prove” Himself to us, withholding faith unless we see signs and wonders.  The Bible never makes an effort to “prove” God.  It rather assumes that any rational person who is in touch with reality knows that God exists; that apart from God nothing makes sense.  The Bible offers no “proof” for God’s existence.  It simply calls you a fool if you deny the reality of God. The reason people are confused about God is not for lack of evidence.  It is because our souls have been corrupted and distorted by sin, and we can no longer think straight.

Jesus knows immediately that this nobleman is not inclined to believe anything without evidence, in this case, a miracle.  Jesus does not consider such an attitude to be one of complete faith, and so He pushes this worried father to a new level of faith.  He does not go to the sick child as the father requested.  He simply says to the father, “You may go.  Your son will live.”

It is a moment of truth for the father.  He is not inclined to accept a miracle based on the Word of a stranger.  We must assume there was something about Jesus, a sincerity and compassion that was quite compelling.  Add to that his frantic concern for his son, and he makes what we might call a “leap of faith.” The text says, “The man took Jesus at His word, and departed.” At first, the man in his anxiety about his son simply sought someone who might have the power to heal his son.  He would believe in such a person after the healing took place, not before. Jesus refuses to meet his criteria and challenges the man to take Him at His Word, to believe Him without any evidence other than His Word.  This is the second level of faith.  He is no longer just seeking after God the Father because he does not know where else to turn.  Now he believes the Words of Jesus.  Some can never make this move to level two, and thus never experience complete faith.  They are forever searching but never willing to take Jesus at His Word.  Until you have made that move, your faith is not complete while it may be ever so sincere.

Let’s apply this principle to the question of salvation. If you died today, are you certain you will end up in heaven?  There are only three possible answers: yes, no, or I don’t know.  If you say “No, I don’t know for sure I will go to heaven.  I will believe it when I see it.  I hope I will go to heaven, but I can’t be sure.” You are still at level one in your faith walk. You’ll believe only when you see. Mature Christians walk by faith, not by sight.

A person of mature faith will move into the second level.  He has been challenged to take God at His Word and believe something is true simply because God says it is true.  He needs no evidence other than God’s Word.

Repeatedly, the Bible tells us that those who trust in Jesus will have eternal life.  Therefore, those who have learned to trust Jesus, believing what He says, know they have eternal life.  They have never seen heaven and have no clear conception of what it will be like.  Nevertheless, they know they are going there because Jesus said so. Therefore, they do precisely what the royal official did.  They take Jesus at His Word.  Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. If I believe what Jesus says, I know that heaven is my home.  To doubt that you are heaven-bound is to doubt the words of Jesus, and to doubt the words of Jesus reveals that we lack true faith in our hearts.

If you want certainty concerning your salvation, and if you wish to do business with God in the course of your earthly life, you must learn to take Jesus at His Word and then act on that Word.  If you say, “Until I see proof, I will not believe,” you are without saving faith.  

This royal official learned this lesson on the spot because he was desperate.  Have you discovered it yet, or are you withholding your full surrender to Jesus until He has worked some miracle to compel you to believe?  God does not accommodate Himself to our terms.  He commands us to accommodate ourselves to His terms.  At the point of salvation, His terms are simple. TRUST IN MY SON.  If we ask, why should I? the answer is simple:  BECAUSE GOD SAYS SO. 

Faith in its first stage may be nothing more than a desperate search for God.  In the second stage, we learn to trust in His Son, taking Him at His Word.  The final stage occurred for the nobleman when he arrived home and experienced the fulfillment of Jesus’ words.  His son was well, and he became well at the seventh hour, the very hour when Jesus had said, “Your son will live.”

When we search for God, find Him in the person of Jesus, and begin to live by His words, we begin to experience the presence and power of God at work in our lives.  When the father saw firsthand that his son was healed, the text says, “he and all his household believed.” He believed at one level when he sought out Jesus. He believed at another level when he took Jesus at His Word.  Now he believes at yet another level.  He has seen in his own experience the compassionate power of God.

In the realm of salvation, when we take Jesus at His Word and begin to believe that He is our Savior and that our sins are forgiven, something marvelous happens.  We enter into stage three, and we experience the reality of the new birth.  We are born of the Spirit of God.  We experience the reality of God.  No longer can anyone present to us arguments causing us to doubt the reality of God.  Those who have experienced the new birth can never doubt the reality of God.

Does this text mean that God will heal everyone today if we can just get to that second stage of faith? I have applied this text to salvation even though it addresses the matter of divine healing. The difference between physical health and eternal life is immense. God does, at times, work healing miracles today, but we have no promise that everyone will be healed. Unless one has a specific word from God promising healing, as was the case with the royal official in our text, we have no specific promise to believe. Yes, in the ministry of Jesus, much physical healing took place. We have no record that He ever turned down a request for healing except for Paul’s thorn in the flesh. We learn from that episode that there are times when God does not grant a request because He has a higher purpose.  He explained that to Paul.  He does not always explain His ways to us. So, we pray for healing, but we trust the matter to God.

It is different from salvation.  Numerous texts are telling us that “whosoever will may come.” God’s saving, forgiving grace is offered to the entire world (John 3:16). It is not God’s will that any should perish, but all should come to repentance and faith (2 Peter 3:9). We have many clear promises inviting us to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and enter into salvation.

In closing, I want to stress an important truth.   A true and living faith operates at all three of these levels simultaneously.  We do not pass from stage one to stage two and then to stage three.  We remain in stage one as we pass to stage two, and we remain in stages one and two as we pass to stage three.  That is, we never lose that first stage of seeking after God out of desperation– of wanting His help with a difficult problem.  Even after finding God, we continue to seek Him, wanting to know more of His nature and will.

We certainly can never leave stage two.  We must learn to live each day, taking Jesus at His Word.  As we learn more and more of His teachings, believing and acting on everything He has spoken, our experience of the living presence of God in our daily lives grows and grows.  We move into stage three, where we experience not only the new birth but we walk in the presence of the living God.  We see His hand everywhere.

Until you are living in all three of these stages simultaneously, your faith is incomplete.  Learn from a royal official to seek after God, to take Jesus at His Word, and to experience the presence of the living God.  Such faith brought health to a nobleman’s son.  Such faith will carry you into heaven, and bring innumerable blessings in this life.

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THE GOSPEL: SIMPLE OR COMPLEX

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Warsaw Christian Church (Oct. 3, 2021)) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. ² For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicitythat is in Christ. ⁴ For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

This morning’s sermon is on a theme I preach on often because of its importance. A recent discussion in our Wednesday Bible study made me think it is time to examine this topic again. How do we receive salvation? How do we enter into peace with God?  The Christian religion is both complex and straightforward. The Bible is a large book and addresses many topics. Before I began thinning out my library, I had hundreds of books dealing with various aspects of the Christian faith. The different theological doctrines making up the totality of the Christian faith can give one an Excedrin headache. Here are some examples: Theologians speak of Theology proper; Christology; Pneumatology—- these three together making up the doctrine of the Trinity.  Then comes anthropology; hamartiology, soteriology; ecclesiology; and eschatology. The point is there are enormous complexities involved in the Christian religion. Theologians write big fat books: Lutheran books, Calvinistic books, Arminian books, Roman Catholic books, and they often disagree with one another. If you like complexity, I can think of no better profession than becoming a theologian.

Now I must confess that I love the study of complex theological doctrines. I could probably do fairly well on Jeopardy if the topics focused on theology, but they rarely do. If the Jeopardy question was, “Who is known as the angelic doctor? I would say “Thomas Aquinas.” If the question was, “during the Reformation, who was known as the other Martin?” I would push the button and declare, “Martin Chemnitz.” I am a member of “The Evangelical Theological Society.” Here are a few articles in a recent issue (Read). I think Karen would say, “What difference does it make?” The Apostle Paul also understood the complexities of the Christian faith. He wrote on such complex topics as predestination, the deity of Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit, and many others.

While there is a time and a place to study the complexities of the Christian faith, there is also a danger. On the positive side, those who are adept at understanding the complexities of theology can often destroy the arguments of unbelievers. I have mentioned before a student in seminary who claimed to be an atheist. (I have no idea why an atheist would want to go to a theological seminary!) He mentioned his unbelief to Dr. Moore, professor of the New Testament. Dr. Moore quizzed this student as follows: what do you think of the cosmological argument for the existence of God? The student was unfamiliar with that argument.  Dr. Moore then asked what he thought of the teleological argument, and again the student claimed ignorance. Dr. Moore then asked him about the ontological argument, and again, ignorance. After a few more similar questions, Dr. Moore looked at the student and said, “You are not an atheist.  You are just ignorant.” The student was put in his place.

There is a need in the church for well-trained theologians who can go toe to toe with atheists—one more example. I have mentioned before a debate I listened to on tape between a Christian theologian and an atheist.  The atheist was Jewish and declared that most of his family died in the holocaust. If there is a God, why would He allow such unspeakable suffering? Having recently viewed the Auschwitz Exhibit in Kansas City, I was reminded of how horrible things were under the reign of Adolf Hitler. The Christian theologian expressed sympathy for his loss but then asked a question. “Sir, if there is no God as you say how can you say the holocaust was evil? In Nazi ideology ridding the world of Jews was a good thing.  On what basis can you call it evil if there is no God?” The theologian agreed with his opponent that the holocaust was evil, but the reason he believed it was evil was based on God’s commandments.  He challenged his opponent to define evil apart from the existence of God. The reality is that if God does not exist then might makes right. 

OK, enough on the importance of the church having well-trained theologians who understand the complexities of the faith. In our text, Paul expresses a fear.  He is afraid that some believers might stray from the faith because they do not grasp the simplicity of the Gospel. What does he mean?

Yes, there are complicated doctrines in the Scriptures, but the Gospel which saves us is simple, a truth that must never escape our attention. What is the simplicity that is in Christ? Let me quote a few essential Scriptures. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ( Romans 1:16).  But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness (Romans 10:4). For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:9). that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (1Cor. 1:21). knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.(Gal. 2:16).  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12). ³⁶ He who believes in the Son has everlasting life (John 3:36).

In the manuscript version of this sermon, I have underlined the keyword appearing in each of these texts. That keyword is……You got it: BELIEVE. There is a specific condition leading to eternal salvation summed up in the word “believe.” John 3:36 says it simply and directly: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. Do you possess everlasting life at this very moment? Let’s look at it logically.

          Premise # 1: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. (Note the present tense, “has,” not “will have” in the future.

          Premise # 2: I believe Jesus is the Son of God.

          Conclusion: I have everlasting life.

If the premises are true, the conclusion follows logically. The first premise is true because it is the very Word and promise of God. The second premise is true if you genuinely believe in Jesus. The conclusion follows. What do you have? I have everlasting life.

When you stand before the judgment seat of God, if you are asked to give an adequate summary of what the Bible teaches about theology, pneumatology, Christology, anthropology; hamartiology; soteriology; ecclesiology; and eschatology – – – I fear we would all be in big trouble.

Satan loves to whisper in our ears, “You call yourself a Christian? You have so little understanding of the Bible. You have never read a book on theology. How dare you call yourself a Christian!”

Here is what we learn from Scripture. The one issue we will all face on judgment day is simply this: Do you believe in the Son of God? Paul warns the Christians in Corinth not to allow Satan to deceive them. Do not assume that the understanding of complex doctrines is necessary for salvation. Do not assume that good works are required for salvation. These all have a place in the life of a Christian but they are unrelated to the question of salvation.  The one thing necessary is belief – – – belief in the Son of God. This is the simplicity of which Paul speaks.

However, we must never fail to forget, as I have said before. Belief in Jesus brings us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells within the heart of every believer in Jesus. And He is not idle! He creates within us a hunger to know more of God. He directs us to the waters of baptism. He leads us into the church to learn more of Jesus and enjoy fellowship with other believers. He creates a hunger to serve Jesus out of gratitude for what He has done for us. He leads us to a life of prayer. He reminds us that even as Christians, we offend God by our acts of disobedience. So we are regularly present at the Lord’s Table to receive again the elements that speak to us so eloquently of the cost of our salvation.

As we submit to the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit, we grow in faithfulness. However, these acts of obedience add nothing to our salvation. Jesus Christ has done everything necessary to secure our salvation. He is the Savior, and He does not require our assistance to complete the process. Again, He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. When Paul spoke of the simplicity of our salvation, he was encouraging us to believe in the Lord Jesus. Yes, many things follow after we believe. They are the fruits of faith, not the cause of our salvation. But if the question is, “What must I do to be saved,” the answer is always simple – – – “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” If the question is what happens after I believe, brace yourself for the coming of the Holy Spirit and the fantastic changes He makes in our lives. He does not leave us as He found us. We become new persons in Christ. The old passes away, and the new arrives. Yes, faith alone saves us, but as Luther said, faith is never alone. Faith, when it is authentic, utterly changes our thoughts, words, and deeds. We experience a new birth.

In conclusion, there are two questions we must answer. Question # 1, Do you believe in the Son of God? Question # 2, are you aware of the wonderful changes brought about by the new birth? If you say “No” to the second question, it calls into question the reality of your faith. Maybe you cannot explain the complexities of the faith. Perhaps you cannot give an adequate summary of the theology of Augustine, or Thomas Aquinas, or Martin Luther. Maybe you have never read “The Institutes of the Christian Religion” by John Calvin. Such complexities have their place in the church, but they have nothing to do with salvation. But you do know whether or not you believe in Jesus and whether or not you see the changes brought about by the new birth. Don’t let the complexities of the Christian religion rob you of its simplicity.  Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicitythat is in Christ. Don’t let it happen to you.

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DIVINE GUIDANCE FOR ORDINARY FOLKS

WARSAW CHRISTIAN CHURCH (9/19/2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

     
Text: Proverbs 3:1 – 8 (NKJV) ¹My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; ² For length of days and long life  And peace they will add to you. ³ Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, ⁴ And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,  And He shall direct your paths. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;  Fear the Lord and depart from evil. ⁸It will be health to your flesh,  And strength to your bones.  

There have been times in the past (and in the present also) when God made His will known in some extraordinary manner.  Sometimes He spoke directly to the prophets enabling them to thunder out the phrase, THUS SAITH THE LORD.   The apostle Paul was knocked to the ground and blinded when Jesus encountered him.   John, the apostle, had a strange vision on the Isle of Patmos wherein God revealed to him things that pertained to the future.  There are persons today who claim that God has spoken to them directly.

This sermon is not about unusual guidance.  This is a sermon for folks who, like me, have never heard God speak directly.  While we all need divine guidance, God does not always provide it extraordinarily.  On the other hand, God has promised to guide His people.  Our task is to try and understand how God guides us ordinarily, apart from His speaking directly to us, or granting us a dream or vision, or knocking us to the ground.

I want to use as our basic text Proverbs 3:5,6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  The text ends with the promise, “He (God) shall direct your paths.”  We want to examine how it is we reach the point where we can say with confidence that God is directing our path.

There are three concepts in our text we must understand. First, there is wholehearted trust; second, refusing to trust oneself; and third, acknowledging God in all things.  Once those three items are in place in your life, you can rest assured that God is directing your steps, even when you have no supernatural experience of His guidance.  We begin with the word TRUST.  The Hebrew word is “batach”, (baw-takh’); a primitive root that means to go someplace for refuge.  If you went into a cave to get out of the rain, you had “batach” for the cave; trust or confidence that it would keep you dry.  Thus, the word came to mean to be confident or sure: to put confidence in someone, or just plain old “trust.”

Thus, trusting in God means going to God as our place of refuge, to have confidence that He will protect and direct us.  Solomon, the author of many Proverbs, adds, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”  If we wish to be directed by God, we must become people whose trust in God is wholehearted.  This is basically a repetition of the First Commandment.  A wholehearted trust in God means that He has first place in our hearts in life.  Such trust is both logical and necessary.  God is the creator of everything that exists.  He is worthy of our total trust.  Therefore, logic demands that we trust God supremely.

If we trust anyone or anything more than we trust God, we are acting illogically.  To put it bluntly, we are acting stupidly.  It is so easy for us to allow something other than God to rise to the top of our “trust list.”  Jesus told a parable about a man who did just that.  He had money, full barns, and he felt safe and secure.  He thought these things would protect him against any eventuality, and so he trusted in them.  The problem was that he would die that very night, and of what value would his wealth be when standing before God (Luke 12:16)?

God has promised to direct the paths of those who trust Him completely.  That which we trust becomes our guiding path in life.  If we trust money and things, our way will be directed by the stock market or interest rates.  If we trust supremely in ourselves, our paths will be guided by ourselves.  If we trust in some humanistic philosophy, our path will be guided by that philosophy.  If we trust in God, then He will guide our steps.  So take care where you place your trust, for that which you trust will direct your path.

Our text now adds a thought to clarify what it means to trust in God.  We are told,  “lean not on our own understanding.” In other words, don’t trust your analysis of life situations.  We tend to examine problems and opportunities and quickly initiate a plan of action based on our human perceptions.  We are, of course, to use our intelligence in trying to cope with life.  We are not  instructed to plunge into irrationality. We are not to sit back and do nothing and expect God to guide us.  We do not want to put our minds into neutral.   Instead, we are not to place any final or ultimate trust in our wisdom.  We are to seek out the wisdom of God through Scripture and through prayer, trusting God to correct the failings of our human wisdom so that our ultimate trust is in God.

Let’s use an example.  Suppose I have decided taxes are too high (that won’t take much supposing!), and therefore to make taxes fairer, I decide to cheat on my income tax.  It may seem like a logical thing to do. This action will hurt no one, and the government will never miss the money.  Having once worked for the government, I know firsthand how much money is wasted in government bureaucracies.  Human wisdom may reasonably conclude, “Go ahead.  Cheat on your taxes.”  But as a Christian, I have to go beyond the thoughts of my own brain and search God’s Word.  Does God’s word say anything about taxes?  Yes, it does.  Romans 13:7 reads as follows: “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes. . .”  Is there anywhere in the Bible where cheating and lying are set forth as virtues, as a proper means to rectify an unjust situation? As I pray about the matter, will God tell me to go against His revealed Word? No!  As I approach decisions in this manner, allowing God to have the final word and then act according to the will of God, who will be directing my path?  Of course, the answer is God.

Our text continues on with these words: “In all your ways acknowledge Him.”  First, trust, then acknowledgment.  What is the difference between trusting God and acknowledging God?  The Hebrew word used here is “yadah.” It is a primitive root meaning to know or to ascertain by experience.   It means to discern or discover; to come to know.

It is very difficult to take one Hebrew word and translate it with one English word.  For example, when I see the word “acknowledge” in English, it seems like much too weak a word to translate accurately what our text declares.  Acknowledge in my mind can mean something simple, like waving to a friend in acknowledgment that you see him.  On the other hand, the Hebrew word is a strong word meaning to have firsthand experiential knowledge of God.

The verb is in the imperative mood, meaning it is a command or even a shout. KNOW GOD!  Thus, whatever I am doing or planning to do, I bring God into that situation.  I am to seek Him in all of life’s circumstances.  Another way to express this is to say that the believer’s desire to know God is so intense that God is in the mind and heart in every situation.  Thus, God is present when you do your taxes; when you relate to your wife and children, God is there; when you are engaged in your vocation, God is there; when you face sickness, God is there.  The Psalmist expressed this truth in these words: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7-10).

Is your trust in God so deep and sincere that even in those irrational times when you think you might want to flee from His presence, you cannot? That is “yadah” — that is what it means to acknowledge God in all your ways, a relationship with God so intense and so real there is no escaping. But, of course, we don’t want to flee from God’s presence in our better moments.

We can immediately see a relationship between trusting God and knowing God.  We must know God to trust Him, and the more we know Him, the more we trust Him. In terms of the new covenant, we came to know God when we learned of Jesus and placed our trust in Him.  As we live our lives rooted in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our trust grows, and our knowledge of God grows.  When we reach the point where our trust in Jesus is wholehearted, and our knowledge of God is such that He is present with us throughout each day, then we have the assurance that God is guiding our way; He is directing our path.

Isn’t that what we want?  Have you ever said, “I wish I had a clearer idea of God’s will for my life?  I wish I knew more of His guidance and direction. I wish God would speak to me in a loud and clear manner.”  We may be looking for God’s extraordinary guidance while overlooking God’s usual manner of guiding our lives.  If God chooses to speak to you unusually, then so be it.  If He doesn’t, don’t assume that you are without divine guidance.  There is guidance for every Christian in the plain and simple words of our text.  Trust God with all your heart; know God intensely through His self-revelation in Scripture and through a personal faith relationship with Jesus.  Let God have the last word in your life decisions, and He will direct your path.

There is a brief practical thought I wish to add that is not present in our text. Use the means of grace God has provided. I mean such things as faithfulness to Christ’s Church, prayer, Bible study, the Lord’s Supper, and obedience to the revealed will of God.  God’s guidance often comes to us through these means of grace.  Make full use of them.  By the faithful use of these things God has provided for us, we acknowledge God.

One final thought.  Those who seek to walk with God quickly learn that such a life always generates opposition.  Even within the church, the more serious Christians are sometimes opposed by the less serious.  And when we try to follow Christ in this godless, secular world around us, there will be strong opposition.  Many Christians get tired of the struggle or are too eager for the world’s approval, so they let up.  They grow weary in well-doing.  We need Paul’s reminder that if we refuse to give in to spiritual weariness and if we press on in our desire to be faithful to Christ, we shall reap the reward of knowing God’s blessing and guidance upon our lives (see Gal. 6:9).

Follow this path, and you will eventually know deep inside that God is directing your steps.  You may not hear God speaking audibly; you may not have dreams and visions; you may not have any outward manifestation of the divine presence, but you will know in the depths of your innermost being that God is guiding your life.  He has promised to guide us, and God always keeps His promises.   

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PROVERBS, WEALTH AND POVERTY

Warsaw Christian Church (9/12/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

As we continue our study of the Book of Proverbs, our theme today is money. Solomon, the world’s richest man in the ancient world, has a lot to say about wealth and poverty. He knows much about wealth, and the good news is that his advice is free!Solomon understands that wealth can be beneficial, but it can also be harmful.

We begin with Proverbs 15:16: Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
than great treasure with trouble.  Solomon likes to make contrasts, and we will see more of that as we proceed. Here he contrasts a person who has much and one who has little. If your wealth leads to trouble, you are worse off than the poor man who lacks wealth but knows God. His point is clear.  The greatest treasure we can ever have is knowing God. If you don’t have a relationship with God, all the money in the world will not compensate for what you lack. 

If God blesses you financially, that is wonderful. But if your wealth leads you away from God, you are in big trouble. It is better to be poor with God than to be rich without Him. That is Solomon’s first observation.

In the next verse (15:17) we read this: A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate (NLT). Solomon pictures for us two families. One is wealthy and can afford the finest beef. But it is a household full of hatred. The other family is poor and can only afford to eat vegetables. But it is a house full of love. What would be your preference? A simple meal with someone you love, or a lavish meal with someone you hate? Again, Solomon’s point is clear. There are things more valuable than money. If you are in a loving environment, you are better off than a wealthy family where hate prevails. Personally, a dinner with nothing except a bowl of veggies is not my preference, but if love is present, it becomes a banquet. 

Solomon continues making contrasts in 16:8: Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice (NKJV). I like the way the verse is translated in the New Living Testament: Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. Again we see a contrast between those who have God, but little else, and those who have much that was gained dishonestly. There is nothing wrong with wealth per se, but it becomes a curse if it pulls you away from God. If you have to lie, steal and cheat to gain wealth, better to be poor and have a relationship with Jesus.  The most incredible wealth we can ever possess is knowing that the love of Jesus has redeemed us. If we lack that, no amount of money can make up the difference.

Solomon hits on this principle over and over. We read in Proverbs 28:6: Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Who makes a better friend? The person with integrity, one who is honest and reliable, or one who is perverse, dishonest, unreliable? A poor man who possesses integrity is a better friend than a dishonest rich man.

On the other hand, there are those who are poor through their own fault. Solomon addresses this issue several times. Proverbs 21:17: Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich (NLT). Those who seek only pleasure, who are addicted to alcohol, will never have much in the way of wealth. Solomon has told us there are riches gained in the wrong way, and now he points out that poverty can happen through our own fault.

This same p[principle is repeated in 23:21: Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich (NKJ) For both the drunk and the glutton will end up broke, sleeping life away, and clothed in rags (VOICE). There are those who love pleasure so much that they will not discipline themselves to hard work.  They tend to end up poor. And again, those devoted to much wine and food and who are devoted to sleep will end up clothed in rags.

Solomon extols the virtue of hard work in 28:19: He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough! (NKJV).One man works hard on his farm, and he always has plenty to eat. Another man is devoted to frivolity and ends up in poverty. Here is another translation. Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread, but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty (NRSV). A good New Testament example is the prodigal son. He had plenty of money from his Father but devoted his life to worthless pursuits and ended up with nothing. Being poor is not always a blessing, nor is being rich always a curse. It all depends on how you got where you are. Honesty and hard work lead to gain. Devoting your life to worthless pursuits leads to poverty.

Here are some more insights on prosperity from Solomon. Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight (11:1). Most of us don’t use scales dishonestly (except perhaps when we step on the scale to see what we weigh!). The idea here is that all forms of dishonesty to gain profit is an abomination to the Lord. The Hebrew word translated “abomination” is a very strong word. It means that which is abhorrent or repugnant to the Lord. Any time we act in a dishonest fashion to gain greater wealth, we become repugnant to God! Do any of us really want to be in that category?

God is a God of truth, and whenever we resort to dishonesty, we disgust the heavenly Father. As I said in the series on the Ten Commandments, when we resort to dishonesty, we are declaring that we do not trust God to take care of us. Dishonest gain makes us enemies of God until we come to our senses and repent and resolve to live our lives honestly.

Solomon continues this theme in 20:17. Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel (NKJV). We may think we are very clever to gain income by deceit. I  have heard people brag about how they got over on some business or institution by deceit. Solomon uses graphic language, telling us that deceit may seem sweet for a time, but eventually, it becomes like eating gravel. That cannot be too pleasant!

Solomon defines true riches for us in 10:22. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it. True wealth is to be blessed by God. God blesses those who live life honestly and above board. Those who go down the crooked path will eventually come to sorrow and grief, and God cannot and will not bless us when we are practicing dishonesty.

Solomon is clear that God does not oppose wealth. He opposes dishonest gain. Let’s look at Proverbs 8:18-21. Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. ¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. ²⁰ I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, ²¹ That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.

True wealth comes when we honor God. Those who love God will inherit wealth and God will fill their treasuries. Solomon’s meaning is clear: those who love God and seek to obey Him are rich. Slomon himself learned that lesson early in his reign. At the beginning of his reign, he was not seeking riches, but wisdom to govern Gods people. God gave him both.

There is nothing wrong with wealth in the hands of those who love God. They will use their resources to honor Him. Solomon often praises hard work. When hard work is joined with honesty and a love for God, a double blessing occurs. We find we have more than enough to meet our needs, and we also know that we will enjoy God’s blessings forever. 

Let’s look at one final theme related to wealth. One of the main themes in the Book of Proverbs has to do with the poor. God expects those who have abundance to help the poor. Look at Proverbs 14:31: Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them. To help the poor is to honor God (TLB). Everyone walking on the face of planet earth is God’s creation. Whether we are rich or poor God cares for us. When you turn your back on the poor, you are insulting God. Insulting God is never a good idea! When we help the poor, we honor God. God loves the poor, and so must we.

There are many other Proverbs related to the poor and our obligation to help those in need, but I must bring this sermon to a close. Our basic theme is wealth. Solomon says riches are worthless when we stand before our Maker. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death (11:4). When judgment day arrives, and we all stand before God to give an account of our lives, it will do no good to say to God, “Look at all the money I made.” What He is looking for is righteousness. We who live under the New Covenant understand that righteousness has two meanings. Paul expressed it clearly in Phillipians 3:9: where he spoke about his desire to be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. Paul anticipates the day of his own judgment. He understands that his own personal righteousness will not save him. He refers to himself as the chief of sinners. The true righteousness which saves is the righteousness of Christ which we receive by faith.

When we trust in Christ, we are reborn with a heart that pursues righteousness. Solomon urges us to practice personal righteousness by being honest and avoiding dishonest gain. Paul would agree and clarifies it is not our personal righteousness that saves us.  It is faith in Jesus and His redeeming act that saves us. Those who turn to Jesus will trust in His righteousness to redeem them, and then they will pursue personal righteousness – – – the righteousness which Solomon advocates.

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2021 Sermons

THE POWER OF WORDS

Warsaw Christian Church (8/29/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Selected verses from Proverbs, James 3:1-6

Solomon reveals considerable interest in what we say in the Book of Proverbs. He references words, mouth, and tongue about 150 times. He understands that our words tell a great deal about what is in our hearts. Therefore, those who guard their tongue and think before they speak are more likely to speak words that honor God. The Apostle James picked up on this idea and said some profound words about the way we speak.

We begin with Proverbs 16:24 and 15:1: Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones (NKJ). A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. In these two verses, we learn two things. Pleasant words are sweet. When you speak pleasant words to another, you are promoting their health and well-being. Don’t you love those people who always speak with kindness behind their words? They lift us up. They encourage us. We may be feeling stirred up inside, and someone speaks a soft, kind word to us. Our internal anger and agitation are calmed.

In contrast, how does it make you feel when someone speaks harshly to you, with biting criticism in their voice? When someone speaks to me in an angry tone, it does me no good. More often than not, I withdraw from that person.  I may still be in the room, but mentally, I have withdrawn.

Look at Proverbs 15:4: A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Have you ever seen a person utterly defeated because others speak perverseness to them? Words can destroy people. During those few years when I worked as a rehabilitation counselor for the State of Illinois, I remember so well interviewing a young man with a low IQ. As we talked about vocational possibilities for him, his father said, “He is too stupid to learn.” The young man sat with his head down. His spirit was broken by the words of his father. Words are powerful things. They can lift us up or tear us down.

Solomon drives home this point in Proverbs 12:18 (no pun intended). There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. Are your words ever like a sword that pierces the soul of another, leaving them to feel wounded? Or do you speak wisely and thus promote the health of another? Some people’s words are like a sword that cuts into us and tears us apart. Do you tend to stab others with your words, or do you speak words of wisdom? Wise words promote health in another.

Look at Proverbs 15:25: Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. Unfortunately, we live in a sinful world. Trouble is everywhere. Violence in our country has become an epidemic. Wars and rumors of war are always with us. Husbands and wives often struggle to make their marriage work, and some people rub us the wrong way. Children can drive us to distraction. Even our pet animals can cause anxiety. Solomon knows that living in this kind of world will cause stress leading to depression.

People spend millions of dollars on counselors to help them overcome depression. Solomon declares that we can all be good mental health counselors by the words we speak. When you struggle with depression, isn’t it wonderful when someone says a good word to you? But, dear people, you can exacerbate people’s depression when your comments are harsh, critical, cutting. There are good words, and there are bad words.  There are helpful words and harmful words. Some words bless others, and some words curse others. What kind of words do you speak? Are they useful words or toxic words? Are you a good mental health counselor because you speak good words, or do your words pour gasoline on the flames of another’s anxiety?

Let’s look at a longer section in the Book of Proverbs. He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself; ²⁵ When he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart; ²⁶ Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. ²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.  A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin. (26:24-28).

The main theme in this section is the use of deceitful words. There are those who may use words of flattery to hide their hatred. We must be careful as we listen to others speak. Not everyone speaks the truth. Some will try to gain an advantage over others by the use of deceitful words. Solomon warns us that flattery believed can lead to ruin.

This is a tough one for me. I like to assume that all who speak to me are truthful.  Solomon warns us that we cannot be so naïve. Have you ever believed the words of a salesperson who sold you his product only to find out later that his words about the product or the service they would provide were deceitful? As I have said before, I want to believe that a used car salesperson will speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Unfortunately, many have been burned by the slick, deceitful words of a salesperson.

I guess the lesson here is to be cautious about believing people you do not know. And sometimes, people we do know have deceived us so often with their words that we don’t believe anything they say. So be careful that you do not gain a reputation as an untrustworthy person. You may speak the truth at times, but others have been burned by your words so often that they doubt everything you say.  As Christians, we need to work at gaining a reputation for speaking the truth.

We all know the stories about pastors who speak one thing from the pulpit but then make a total mess of their lives by bad behavior. I recall meeting one person who gave up on the church. Why? Because the pastor of his church was carrying on an affair with a member of the church. His preaching and his behavior didn’t line up.

We might expect Solomon to say something about gossip, and indeed he does! It is a frequent subject in the Book of Proverbs. Here are a few examples: He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends (17:9). What do you do when you observe another Christian acting inappropriately? Do you cover the issue perhaps with prayer? Or do you repeat what you have seen or heard to others? Gossip tends to separate friends and even families. Do you want to make sure that others know about the shortcomings of another? Are you really trying to help, or perhaps you intend to cause some damage? Ask yourself, do I need to gossip about the behavior I have seen in others? You say, “But it is the truth.” When your words hurt others, you are sinning, truthful or not.

Look at Proverbs 11:13:  A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. So when you are aware of some juicy gossip, do you conceal it or reveal it? Are you a person of faith or a talebearer?

Or consider Proverbs 20:19: He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. Solomon, speaking for God, suggests that we avoid persons who gossip. Those who go about spreading gossip are to be shunned. Even if that doesn’t happen in human relationships, gossips are shunned by God. Don’t fall into a way of life that results in a loss of fellowship with the Father.

Not only are we to avoid spreading gossip. We are warned not to devour gossip. Look at Proverbs 18:8: The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body. We speak of juicy gossip. Solomon cautions us that much gossip is like a tasty morsel. We not only like to gossip, we like to devour it as well. The Hebrew word used means to swallow greedily. Those who swallow gossip are then eager to pass it on. And remember this. People who gossip to you about others will also gossip about you.

Let’s move to the New Testament as we close. James 3:5-6: Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. Just as a small match can start a flame that devours thousands of acres, our words can cause considerable damage if we are not careful. James tells us that the flames of gossip are fueled by the fires of hell. Gossip does not put you in touch with God. It puts you in touch with Satan.

The old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me,” is a lie. Our words are powerful. They can build up or tear down. They can cause joy, or they can cause sadness. Words can encourage us or drive us to depression. The words we speak can bless others or curse them. I remember a woman in our church in Decatur, born in Germany,  who remembers how her father referred to her as “eine dumme Gans,” or a dumb goose. She never forgot those biting words.

We learn from Solomon to pay careful attention to our words. As Christians, we need to pray that God will muzzle our tongues. Listen again to the words of James: But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. The tongue cannot be tamed. Gossip and other words of evil will flow from us unless we ask God to tame our tongue. He can do what we cannot do. We praise God with our words, and then we speak evil from the same mouth. It ought not to be like that, says James, but we need to pray to the only One who can tame our unruly tongues.

A closing reminder. Proverbs is not a book telling us how to be saved. Eternal life is the gift of God given to all who trust in Jesus. If you speak unhelpful words, it does not necessarily mean you are a lost soul. However, harsh words spoken to others do hinder our sense of fellowship with God. When we know we have spoken hurtful words we dare not say, “It does not matter.” What we are to do when we become aware that we have spoken harsh words, insulting words, hurtful words, gossip ect.  is to apologize to the person hurt by our words, and then apologize to God and seek His forgiveness.

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THE FOOL

Warsaw Christian Church, (8/22/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Selected verses from Proverbs.

One of the recurrent themes in the Book of Proverbs deals with the nature of fools. The word “fool” occurs 39 times in the book of Proverbs. The fool is often contrasted with the one who follows divine wisdom. There are several Hebrew words translated as “fool” in Psalms and Proverbs.  Let’s begin with a basic definition. A “fool” in Scripture is not a person of low intellect.  He may even be a genius. A fool is a person who does not live by divine wisdom.  He may have a high IQ, but God describes him as a fool. Psalms 14:1 reads as follows: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.'”  The fool rejects the notion that the fear of God is the foundation for wisdom.  He rejects the very idea of living under God’s authority and therefore has no choice but to live by human wisdom.

Human wisdom can be impressive. Human wisdom and knowledge can build the great pyramids and other magnificent architectural structures. Human wisdom can create great literature and works of philosophy. We still read the ancient writings of Plato and Aristotle, of Cicero and Pliny, works reflecting human wisdom. When I was in college, I studied the writings of David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and other philosophers who spoke great words of human wisdom. Human wisdom speaks forth great ideas, but when it is not rooted in the wisdom of God, it is foolishness.

In my college days, I embraced the ideas of the great philosophers and rejected the writings of Scripture. I thought the Bible was nothing but fairy tales. Real wisdom was found in the writings of philosophers. Human reason was king in those days, and I found so much in the Bible that seemed to conflict with reason, so I rejected most of the Bible. What was I? In the eyes of God, I was a fool.

Those who choose to live as fools manifest specific behavioral characteristics described in the Book of Proverbs. We want to examine the fool, not so that we can imitate him, but to avoid foolish behavior. Remember, we are not using the word fool in an insulting manner. We are speaking of the spiritual fool, the one who rejects divine wisdom.

In the first place, a fool is a person with a divine learning disability. The truth of God is just as available for him as it is for the spiritually wise. Look at Proverbs 18:2 (NKJV)  “A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.”  The spiritual fool is interested in one thing: his own ideas.  He hears divine truth but takes no delight in it.  Proverbs 10:8 gives us the consequences. “The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.”  The fool loves the sound of his own voice and babbles on and on with his verbal silliness, speaking of things that have no decisive importance. He will not receive the commands of God, and as a result, he falls. He falls farther and farther away from God and divine truth.  Once a human being decides, “There is no God,” he lapses ever deeper into foolishness. 

I need to say that the fool is not an atheist.  Solomon is writing to Israel, the people of the covenant.  He is writing to believers. The fool believes in God but lives his life apart from God’s commands. The result is predictable. He not only falls into sin, but he also enjoys it. Notice Proverbs 10:23 (NKJV)  “To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.” The fool may be a most enjoyable fellow. He loves to party; to enjoy life.  He never stops to consider that much of his enjoyment is contrary to the will of God.  If something pleases him, he does it.  Evil is a sport.  He never stops to consider what it will be like for him when he stands before the judgment throne of God. God does not enter into his life decisions even though he may profess to be a believer. 

We read in Proverbs 14:16 (NKJV)  “A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.” Those who possess spiritual wisdom depart from evil.  Oh, they enjoy life, probably even more than the fool. They find enjoyment in living in harmony with God.  Like the fool, the wise man seeks the good life but recognizes God as the source of good. On the other hand, the fool rages on in his evil, confident that no harm will come to him.  The spiritual fool is a pathetic individual racing towards judgment without a care in the world.

The fool, of course, has friends and family who care about him. They may try to help him and point him in the right direction, but it is useless. Notice  Proverbs 17:10 (NKJV) Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool.  This is an amusing figure of speech. You tell a wise man that he is doing wrong, and he listens. You tell a fool he is doing wrong, and even if you were to beat him with a rod 100 times, he would not listen. His situation is described in Proverbs 26:11. “As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” The wise learn from their mistakes. They are constantly evaluating life from the perspective of divine truth.  The fool sins and sins and sins and never learns. He repeats his folly. This attribute is stated amusingly in Proverbs 27:22 (ICB).  “Even if you ground up a foolish person like grain in a bowl, you couldn’t remove his foolishness.”  This figurative language leads us to see a fool being ground up like grain in a bowl, perhaps becoming a loaf of bread, but the bread will be foolish bread. Solomon describes the fool as intractable, resisting every attempt at correction. If you get all huffy and defensive when someone disagrees with you, be careful. You may be headed toward foolishness.

Even when the spiritually wise address him and try to bring correction into his life, the fool despises every attempt to change him. Proverbs 23:9 (NKJV)  “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,  For he will despise the wisdom of your words.” The wise are admonished to keep quiet in the presence of an absolute fool. Save your breath, says God, for the fool will only despise your wisdom. When a fool is chattering on and on in an unchristian manner, the wise remain silent.  They know that any attempt to bring divine wisdom into the situation will only make matters worse.

Jesus stated this in a different way when he said, “Do not cast your pearls before swine.” Pigs do not understand the value of pearls, and they trample them underfoot. Some fools hear the Gospel and immediately reject it as useless mythology. When you encounter such a fool, a concrete person who is all mixed up and set in his ways, save your breath.

We also learn from Proverbs that a fool is a dangerous person. This is said in a humorous way in Proverbs 17:12 (NKJV)  “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.” Meeting a bear robbed of her cubs would not be a pleasant experience.  If that happens, you better be a fast runner. Solomon says that you will have better luck with the bear than with a fool.

Why would Solomon declare that it is better to meet an angry bear than a fool? It is, of course, a figure of speech. The point is a bear might destroy your life, but a fool can destroy your soul. Listen again to what God’s Word declares about the fool. He disregards God and His commandments.  He is in love with evil. He cares only for his own opinions. He ignores every attempt to point out the folly of his ways.  Sometimes fools recruit others to join in their folly.  Herein lies the danger.  If you listen to a fool, he will corrupt your thinking and may cause you to lose your religion. Better to be mauled by a bear than to allow a fool to drag you down to hell. God warns us in Proverbs 26:4 (NKJV)  “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.” Here is the danger. Sometimes fools are very persuasive.  They often aggressively address issues so that others are afraid to respond, fearing even more aggression from the fool.  Sometimes fools get their way, and those they influence become like them.

When you think of this description of a fool as we have it in Proverbs, does anyone, in particular, come to mind?  Well, I must confess that I thought of several people who fit nicely into the fool category.  One of those I thought of was myself.  I sensed the Holy Spirit nudging me away from thinking about others and leading me to apply these texts to myself. Aren’t we all fools at times? Don’t we all say and do foolish things? I hope you see yourself in these texts. 

Solomon presents us with two choices: the way of wisdom and the way of the fool.  If we can recognize our own foolishness, there is hope that we will repent and begin to walk more and more in divine wisdom.  Faith in Christ demands that we choose the path of wisdom. We all have a choice to make. Will we listen to God, or will we walk the path of the fool?

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THE DEMANDS WISDOM MAKES

Warsaw Christian Church, (8/15/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Last week we noted that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Those who fear God are the ones who can receive the love of God revealed in the Gospel. Once we have chosen to follow the path of divine wisdom, we discover that such wisdom makes demands upon us. This will be our theme this morning as we explore several texts in the Book of Proverbs.

We read in Proverbs 3:7 , “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.” Wisdom demands that we turn from evil. We fear God because we know we have sinned against His holy will. We fear God because we know the eternal consequences of sin. Then we discover the forgiveness Jesus provides for us. We despise the fact that our sins have so offended God that drastic measures had to be taken to redeem us. What will be our attitude toward evil as redeemed sinners? We will want to depart from evil and devote our lives to that which is good.  A mature Christian who is indifferent to sin is a contradiction.

This gives us a means of testing the reality of our relationship with God. Unfortunately, some find their way into the church but fail to grasp the fullness of the Gospel. There are lost souls who attend church regularly.  One way to evaluate the reality of your own faith is to ask this question: what is my attitude toward sin and evil? Those who fear God and who have then entered into the love of God will “depart from evil,” according to our text.  A mature believer never says, “Everyone sins, so I don’t take my evil ways seriously.  I assume God will forgive me.” Yes, the very best Christian indeed sins, but he never, never takes it lightly.  He hates evil when he sees it rising in his heart. When a Christian knows he has fallen into evil, there is immediate repentance. He will quickly confess his sin and pray for forgiveness.  He will be at the Lord’s Table regularly to receive again the forgiveness we receive in the sacrifice of Jesus.

Wisdom demands that we turn from evil. Some make the mistake of thinking, I don’t commit any of the major sins. I don’t murder others, I avoid adultery, I don’t worship idols, I don’t steal, so the little sins I do commit are acceptable. Resentment against others, gossip, rudeness – – – these “Christian” sins are permitted as long as I avoid the biggies.” No, those who have genuinely entered into divine wisdom turn away from all kinds of evil. Christians love God so much and so appreciate the salvation He has provided they devote their lives to goodness, avoiding all forms of evil. I hope I am describing you. If you are indifferent to the evil present in your life, a big yellow “caution” light should go off in your soul.

2. Second, divine wisdom demands that we turn away from egotism and conceit. Proverbs 26:12 says: “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.“ Solomon doesn’t beat around the bush. If you have a high opinion of your wisdom, seeing yourself as one of the elites in society, God says you are worse than a fool. A spirit of humility marks those who have entered into divine wisdom.  Whatever human wisdom they possess, they give God the glory. They cannot boast of their spiritual knowledge since it is a gift from God. No credit belongs to us.

Years ago, after I had moved away from my early liberal theological beliefs and embraced the Bible as God’s Word, I was sharing with a group of ministers. One was a hard-core liberal, and as he listened to me sharing my conservative faith, he said to me, “Richard, you need help.  Just write out your beliefs for me, and I will be happy to correct them.” He was wise in his own eyes.  I hope he has gotten over it because God says there is more hope for a fool than for him. Humility is the soil in which spiritual wisdom can grow. Egotism is a killer weed that will choke spirituality to death.

3.  A third demand wisdom makes is a teachable spirit.  Proverbs 9:9 says, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser:  teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”  This principle is related to the issue of humility.  Those who have entered into divine wisdom are eager to learn more.  I have heard people say, “I got enough of Sunday School and Church when I was a kid.” Those who have embraced spiritual wisdom say, “I want to learn more about God, about Jesus, about the Bible.” They understand that spiritual truth is inexhaustible, and they are ever seeking to learn more. “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser,” says God through Solomon.  Solomon also says, “Fools despise wisdom“ (1:7).

Once again, we note the plain speech of God. I remind you again that Proverbs is not a book about salvation. It is about godly living. Among those who profess faith in God and His Son, you find two categories. The wise are teachable and are ever hungering to know more.  Fools despise wisdom, and there are Christian fools.  I would not want to call anyone a fool, but God’s Word pulls no punches.  A fool assumes he knows enough about God, so there is no need to seek more instruction.  He has no interest in digging deeper into the things of God.  He says, “I know Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to provide my forgiveness.  What else is there?” Fools despise wisdom. 

What happens to the wise as they grow ever wiser in the things of God?  They receive more and more of the benefits of grace.  Understanding causes faith to grow, and as trust grows, the windows of heaven are open to us more and more.  What happens to those who despise wisdom, who arrive at a place of satisfaction, believing they know all they need to know about God? They miss out on many of God’s richest blessings.  That is why God calls them fools.  God encourages us here to continue to seek spiritual wisdom, and we shall be richly rewarded. 

4.  A fourth demand wisdom makes upon us builds on what has already been said. We turn now to Proverbs 10:8.   “The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.” The spiritually wise not only want to learn the commands of God but receive them gladly. A fool looks at the commands of God and says, “I cannot accept this command,” and he falls. He stumbles through life, continually missing the blessings of God attached to obedience.  

Some Christians miss the boat here because they reason as follows: Salvation is a free gift of God unrelated to my obedience. Therefore, obedience to the commands of God is not all that important.”  The first statement is true. Salvation is indeed a free gift unrelated to obedience, a gift we receive through faith and faith alone. The second statement is false. It simply does not follow.  God has promised to bless obedience, and so compliance is essential.  God has never said, “Just trust me.  It matters not to me whether or not you obey my commands. Trust me, and do as you please.”  

 Those who strive to obey the commands of God are described as wise. They know that living in harmony with God is the best way to live. They understand that obedience to God brings divine blessing. They know that God’s commands will lead to a fulfilled life. The happiest people I know are committed Christians who want more than anything else to build their lives around the will of God.

A prating fool will fall, says Solomon. Another word for prating is “babbling.” The fool talks nonsense and babbles on about things untrue. He declares, “God forgives sin, so it does not matter how I live. As long as I trust Jesus, I can sin to my heart’s content.” That is the prating of a fool, the babbling of a person who has never thought very deeply about the things of God. The Christian fool, in his disobedience, falls into sin and wonders why his life is full of problems.

5. I could add several more numbers to my list, but we will close with number five. We turn now to Proverbs 13:10. “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”  Wisdom requires that we be open to the advice and suggestions of others.  I suspect this is one of the most demanding requirements of all. In our text, human pride is contrasted with persons who embrace divine wisdom.  The proud tend to reject all advice from others because they see themselves as wiser than others. They don’t even consider whether advice from a friend or spouse might be valid. When others have ideas that differ from theirs, they want to quarrel.

I suspect we have all been in “discussions” with persons who know it all. I recall a board member in Decatur years ago who fit this description.  He always knew what was best, and everyone else was wrong.  One board member was so frustrated by this fellow that he said, “If the board votes to observe Christmas on December 25th, he will vote against it.”  It was a voice of frustration in trying to deal with a “know it all.” 

Notice our verse in Proverbs. “Wisdom is found in those who take advice.” The person who possesses godly wisdom understands that on many matters, others may know best. This does not mean we let other people run our lives and make all our decisions. Fools are also inclined to give advice, and we should not listen to them.

Did you read the conclusion by a Florida State University professor that the Sea of Galilee was capable of forming ice thick enough to hold a man?  He tells us that Jesus did not walk on water, a physical impossibility. Instead, he probably found a floating piece of ice capable of holding His weight and floated out into the storm to the boat to calm His frightened disciples. His premise, of course, is that Jesus is not the divine Son of God. If you accept that premise, then, of course, no mere mortal can walk on water. But the New Testament declares that Jesus is the divine Son of God. If that is true, He can walk on water, or turn handsprings on water, or even stand on His head in the middle of the Sea of Galilee if He wishes to.

This professor is wise in worldly wisdom but a fool in the wisdom of God.  To heed the “wisdom” of this man is folly. I thought if his theory is correct, we have an even greater miracle.  First, anyone who would go sailing on a block of ice on a raging sea does not have both oars in the water, as we say. But if Jesus was floating on a block of ice, what a miracle it was that He was able to steer the ice through the storm to the boat without falling off.

On the other hand, there are wise and godly people in this church. A wise person will not hesitate to learn from others.  When others have advice for you, at least listen.  If their advice is like that of the “nutty professor” from FSU, ignore it. On the other hand, we can learn from the wisdom of others.  We don’t want to be a “know-it-all” and thus miss out on the wisdom God wants to give to us through the mouth of another.

6. Conclusion: We have covered a lot of ground today and last Sunday. Let me give a brief summary of the key points regarding divine wisdom. It begins with a healthy fear of God which drives us to the cross and the love of God. Those who truly possess godly wisdom will turn away from evil. They will be marked by humility, not conceit.  The wise have a teachable spirit.  They ever hunger to know more of God. The spiritual wise embrace the commands of God, recognizing their value. Finally, a truly wise person will be able to receive wisdom from others.

These are some of the demands divine wisdom imposes upon us.  Those who embrace the wisdom of God will find more and more of the reality and blessings of God. Human wisdom, apart from divine wisdom, leads to confusion and sin.  Those who embrace the wisdom of God live a fruitful, meaningful life. 

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THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

Warsaw Christian Church (8/1/21)  Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Proverbs 1:1-7  The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: ² To know wisdom and instruction,  To perceive the words of understanding, ³ To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; ⁴  To give prudence to the simple,  To the young man knowledge and discretion— ⁵ A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, ⁶ To understand a proverb and an enigma,  The words of the wise and their riddles. ⁷  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,  But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Today we switch gears, moving into the Book of Proverbs. This will not be a verse-by-verse series, but we will be looking for key thoughts directly bearing on how to live a Christian life. The issue in the Book of Proverbs is not salvation. The message is not “obey these Proverbs, and you will attain eternal life.” We know from the New Testament that we receive forgiveness and the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Proverbs assume that the reader has a relationship with God. As God’s redeemed people, how shall we live our lives? Proverbs gives us much wisdom for Christian living after we have found salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

Many of the Proverbs are attributed to King Solomon, a man of great wisdom until he turned away from God. We begin with the words of Solomon, who informs us how we may become wise. True wisdom has little to do with secular education. We can learn a lot in public school, but we cannot understand the wisdom that comes from God. Solomon will not tell us how to become street-wise; instead, he tells us how to become God-wise.

If you want to know what life is all about (vs.2); if you’re going to be a person who manifests justice (vs. 4); if you want to reflect divine judgment as you relate with others (vs. 4); if you want to be a fair person (vs. 4); if you want to help others come to an understanding of God (vs. 5); if you want to understand the Proverbs and some of the enigmatic language of God (vs. 6), then Solomon can help you.

If your main interest is getting ahead in this world, making money, gaining fame, and being someone important, Solomon cannot help you. Dale Carnegie and others like him can mentor you to a “successful” earthly life. Solomon can help you to be successful in living a godly life.  The first question we face in the Book of Proverbs is this:  Do I want to live a worldly life or a godly life?

I wonder how many of us believe verse 7? Solomon tells us that godly wisdom begins with a fear of God.  Do you believe that? What do the words mean? Aren’t we to love God rather than fear Him?  Are you afraid of God? You should be, for only through fear do we come to know the God who loves us.

Sometimes preachers seek to weaken the power of the word “fear” by declaring that it means awe or reverence. While those words do have a place in understanding the word “fear,” they will come later. The basic meaning of the Hebrew word fear (yirah) is revealed in Deuteronomy 2:25 (NKJV) ²⁵This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’ The same word (yirah) used in Proverbs 1:7 is also used here. In the Deuteronomy passage, it is clear that “fear” means just what we think it means when we hear the English word. The nations had no reverential awe for Israel.  They were scared to death of them, a fear God put in their hearts. They trembled in fear and felt anguish because of the strength and power of Israel.

I have told this story before, but it helps to illustrate just what fear is. Some years ago, I flew to Los Angeles to meet with a church having problems.  I was sitting next to an elderly black lady who was flying for the first time. Facing us were the lady’s two daughters. They were having some fun playing on their mother’s fears. They would say things like, “Look out the window, Momma, and see how high we are.” The frightened lady was too afraid to look. When the plane banked, they would say, “Look Momma, the wing is pointing almost straight to the ground.” Momma clenched her eyes shut. When the plane hit turbulence, the daughters’ would say. “Oh isn’t this fun, Momma?  Just like riding a roller coaster.” Momma was not having fun. The frightened lady and I had some friendly chit-chat whenever her daughters grew tired of playing on Momma’s fears. At one point, she asked me what I did for a living, and I replied, “I am a minister.” Momma raised her hands and cried out, “THANK YOU, JESUS.” Her fears were gone.  She assumed (wrongly, of course) that God would protect the plane because I was on board. This woman knew what would happen to her if the plane went down, and she was afraid. We are to fear God similarly. He has the power to do us eternal harm, and that causes fear to arise in us.

Fear often has to do with a perception of the power present in the object we fear.  Fear is our recognition of the incredible power of God.  He has power over our life and death.  He has the power to send us to heaven or to hell. He has the power to heal us or destroy us. If we are to progress in spiritual wisdom, we begin with a healthy fear of God. Those who want to think of God as an old softie, who, like Santa Claus, will finally bring us all good presents, need to take a closer look at Scripture.

God is a fearful God.  The God of Israel is fear-producing because of His majesty, power, works, transcendence, and holiness. Yahweh is a “great and terrible God” (Neh. 1:5); He is “fearful in praises, doing wonders” (Ex. 15:11); His name is “fearful” (Deut. 28:58) and “terrible” (Ps. 99:3). God’s magnificent works, His omnipotent power, His glorious majesty, His perfect holiness evoke fear on our part. Spiritual wisdom begins with the fear of God.

Fear of God is rooted in a simple, fundamental truth.  We, who are made to honor God and live following His will, have utterly failed in this regard. Paul reminds us that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Jesus reminded us whom we should fear in Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) ^“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”The only one who can destroyus in hell is God. Therefore, Jesus says, fear Him. I hope those words send shivers down your spine. Jesus tells us clearly to fear God. Fearing God is not the end of the story, but it is the beginning.

We have some fear of terrorists who seem determined to kill people, especially Americans. Jesus reminds us that the worst the terrorists can do is kill the body. They cannot kill the soul. We should fear God because He alone has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell. I have read statements by well-intentioned people who say that there is nothing in God but love, and it is not healthy to fear God.  If you have never offended God, then you have no reason to fear Him.  If you have ever offended Him, bear in mind the biblical teaching that the soul that sins shall die.  There is a second death, a lake of fire, a place of torment awaiting those who sin against God. If that does not frighten you, I suspect you do not take the God of the Bible very seriously. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31).

But why is the fear of God the beginning of wisdom? Those who fear God and His tremendous power will hopefully ask the same question asked on the day of Pentecost: What shall we do? We have offended our almighty Creator God. We have crucified the Lord of glory. What shall we do? That question is the beginning of spiritual wisdom.  Those who seriously want to know, WHAT SHALL I DO?  are in a position to hear the Gospel. Those who presume upon God’s goodness without an understanding of His wrath cannot understand the shocking message of the Gospel.

The Gospel, of course, reveals to us the tremendous sacrificial love of God.  We learn that Jesus, the Messiah, took upon Himself the judgment we deserve.  We realize that our sins have been forgiven, and heaven is our destiny if we place our faith and trust in Jesus. We learn that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. But here is the point of Proverbs 1:7: WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO HEAR THE GOSPEL CORRECTLY UNTIL WE HAVE LEARNED TO FEAR GOD.  Our God is awesome, and we have violated His will. We deserve His eternal judgment. Fear drives us to Jesus and His saving grace. The fear of God is the beginning (not the end) of wisdom.

Often it is not until one faces death that the fear of God enters the soul. The thief on the cross turned to Jesus when he knew his life was almost over. Better late than never, but better still to learn early on that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. May the fear of God drive all of us to the forgiveness of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Proper knowledge begins with God, a God we must fear because we know we have offended Him, and we know what He can justly do to us as a result. That is spiritual wisdom. God gave Solomon great spiritual understanding recorded in the Book of Proverbs. People from all over the ancient world sought out the wisdom of Solomon. I hope you are also in that number.

One final brief comment. Those who do not see God as the fountain of all wisdom, and the fear of God as the beginning of wisdom, are described as fools in our text.  I hope none of us are so foolish as to reject the testimony of God spoken through Solomon. Man has the notion that he can be autonomous and gain wisdom and understanding independently of God. Some wish to challenge the wisdom God has revealed in Scripture. Some scorn the notion of fearing God. “I will not govern my life by a dusty old book from the past” has been said by many skeptics. “I will be my own man; do my own thinking; create my own life and world view.” We do have the freedom to choose that path, but it is a fool’s errand. If you want wisdom, spiritual wisdom, fear the Lord, and then let that fear drive you to the cross.  There you will indeed find mercy and forgiveness. There you will learn of and receive the love of God. Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom. Trusting Jesus is when wisdom reaches its climax. Wise people fear God. Wise people trust in Jesus, who removes fear from our hearts and brings us into God’s love.

Do you want to possess spiritual wisdom? It begins with knowing what God is like. It begins with the realization that we have offended our Creator, who has the right and the power to cast us away from His presence forever. When Jesus returns, we read that some will try to hide from His wrath, but there is nowhere to hide. Those who are wise will allow the fear of God to drive them to the cross. I trust that I am speaking to wise people this morning.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH A THIEF

Warsaw Christian Church (8/1/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 23: 32-43

Marie: Good morning, everyone. I am a heavenly reporter sent to interview one of our newest admissions. Some have wondered how he managed to enter into the heavenly city. Let’s see what we can learn about this fellow. Sir, would you mind answering a few questions for me?

Richard: Ask away.

Marie: First, what was your occupation on earth? What did you do for a living?

Richard: Well, I was a thief. I didn’t really have a job. I just robbed people to make a living. I tried to find jobs but I had no skills or education so there were no jobs for me. Robbery was my only way to survive. Sometimes I had to beat those I robbed  into senselessness in order to steal their goods. I never knew if those I beat up lived or died. I preferred to rob people who put up no resistance. I didn’t want to hurt people. But if they did resist, they paid a price. So when my life ended on a Roman cross, I thought, “This is what I deserve.”

Marie: You must have become a Christian at some time. Only true Christians are allowed into heaven. When did that happen?

Richard: What’s a Christian? I am not familiar with that term. As I said, I had very little education. I could neither read nor write.

Marie: How did you manage to sneak in here if you don’t even know the meaning of “Christian?” I am afraid I will have to ask you some very hard questions to see if you belong here. First, please explain the doctrine of the Trinity.

Richard: I’m sorry. Trinity? I have never heard that word before. Does that mean I cannot stay here?

Marie: It means our God exists eternally in three persons but is one God. Trinity defines the very nature of God.

Richard: Boy, that is heavy. One God exists eternally in three persons? I never was very good at math but that doesn’t add up. . Am I excluded from heaven because I never even heard of the Trinity?

Marie:  I don’t know. That is definitely one strike against you. Let’s dig a little deeper. When were you baptized?

Richard: Well, I once fell out of a boat into the water. Is that what you mean? I believe one of the meanings of “baptism” is to be dunked in water.

Marie: Sir, you are frustrating me! Your spiritual ignorance is appalling! Falling ouit of a boat is not baptism! Answer this question. Do you understand that our Messiah is God and man united in one person?

Richard: How can God and man be united in one person? God is God and man is man. How can anyone be God and man in one person? Are you pulling my leg? I am not very well educated but the idea of God and man being united in one person strikes me as ridiculous —– impossible!

Marie: Let’s move on. Tell me about the good works you performed while on earth. Those who enter into heaven always have some good deeds to their credit.  

Richard: Let me think – – – Does this count? I once gave my wife a bracelet for her birthday. It was made of gold with precious jewels embedded. It was very beautiful. She loved it and thanked me over and over. Surely that counts as a good deed.

Marie: Now we are getting somewhere. That was very nice of you. I imagine the bracelet was expensive. At least you did one good deed during your wasted life.

Richard: Maybe I better explain. The bracelet cost me nothing. Remember, I was a thief. The bracelet was free to me. I knocked an old lady in the head and took her bracelet. — she was kind of fat so it took some work to twist it off her arm. Maybe that doesn’t qualify as a good work.—-  How about this: once my neighbor’s dog was lost and I found him. He was a cute little dog, and I was tempted to keep him, but I returned him to his owner.

Marie: Well, that’s much better than knocking old ladies in the head and stealing their bracelet. —  Can you think of any other good things you did in your miserable life? I am beginning to think you don’t belong here. Most of the citizens in heaven did lots of good works while on earth.

Richard: How about this. Once I was ready to rob a man who had a sack full of coins. When I realized he was blind, I decided not to rob him. I left him alone and found another man with coins who could see, so I robbed him instead. I thought I was being very considerate to leave the blind man alone. Does that count as a good work?

Marie: Sir, I don’t think you really belong here but let’s try a few more questions.  Tell me about God. What do you believe about God? While you don’t understand about the Trinity, surely you have some thoughts about God.

Richard: Well, I believe in God. I guess he created everything. He wants us to obey Him, or we will be cast into hell. I guess that is where you will send me after this interview is over. Since I didn’t obey Him much, I guess I will be cast into hell. I know that is what I deserve.

Marie: Finally, a good sound spiritual answer. I agree. Hell is what you deserve.—- What do you know about God’s Son?

Richard: God has a Son? How is that possible?

Marie: It is a mystery, but I am the one asking the questions. You surely have some elementary knowledge of God’s plan of salvation. Do you have any grasp of the doctrine of substitutionary atonement?.

Richard: Mam, I apologize. I didn’t have much education, and I don’t understand those big words.  Subminary atment, or whatever you said? I have no idea whatthat means

Marie: Sir, I really don’t think you belong here. Your ignorance of spiritual things is appalling. But I want to be fair so let’s keep trying. Surely, in addition to returning a lost dog to a neighbor, you must have done other good things. What is the best thing you remember ever doing?

Richard: Once my partner in crime became ill, and I took care of him. Eventually, he recovered and was able to continue his life of crime. It was wonderful having him back as my partner in crime. I got lonesome robbing people all alone. —–Oh yeh, and once when I was out looking for a target to rob, a little boy fell down in some gravel and skinned his knee. I helped him up and put some medicine on his knee.   That was good, wasn’t it?

Marie: Yes, I can see you are a real paragon of virtue. One more question. How would you rate your good deeds against your bad deeds? What percentage of your life was involved in doing good, and what percentage doing evil?

Richard: hum, that’s a tougn one. If I score 51% on good deeds am I good enough to stay here in paradise? I surely did some good things I can’t recall. I don’t think my percentage of good deeds is very high.

Marie: Let me check the books. The heavenly Father keeps track of such things. Let me see what the book says. I found your name. It says, “Ashkelon. Vocation, thief. It says your life was 99% evil and 1% good. That’s the lowest score I have ever seen! So why on earth should we allow you to remain in paradise? I think you belong in hell. Where did you ever get the idea that you belonged in heaven?

Richard: There was a man on the center cross the day I was put to death. He seemed like a decent fellow. I didn’t think he had done anything wrong. The sign on his cross said, “The king of the Jews.” Some of those who mocked Him used the words “chosen of God.” They challenged Him to come down from the cross if He were in fact the Son of God. I saw Him close His eyes and utter a brief prayer, “Father, forgive them for they know not what thery do.” Who would pray such a prayer? My partner in crime on the other cross joined in the mocking, I rebuked him reminding him that we were only getting what we deserved. I felt the man in the center cross had done nothing wrong. I didn’t know if He really was a king, chosen by God,  but if He was, He would have a kingdom. I just felt drawn to Him. I asked Him to remember me when He entered into His kingdom. He said, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Does His opinion count for anything?

Marie: That Man on the middle cross was Jesus, our Savior and Lord, and if He said you belong here, that cancels out everything else. Welcome to heaven!

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THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS

Warsaw Christian Church, (July 25, 2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Mark 1:21-22:  Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. ²² And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

It is early in the ministry of Jesus. On the Sabbath, he enters the synagogue in Capernaum to teach.  Those who heard Him regularly listened to the learned scribes. They knew the Scriptures backward and forwards. They could give a good lesson, but there was something different about Jesus. He spoke as though He possessed divine authority in Himself. Those who are present that day are astonished. They do not understand where His authority comes from.

Capernaum was a fishing town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was a fairly large city of about ten thousand people and lay along a major trade route. So when Jesus began his public ministry, he made Capernaum his home.

Immediately following, Jesus demonstrates His authority by His actions. He not only speaks with authority, He acts with authority. He casts out an unclean spirit.  We don’t put much stock in impure spirits or demons today, though Hollywood has maintained a lively interest. Some of us may remember being frightened by a supernatural horror film in the 1970s titled The Exorcist. I think the film had five sequels, which indicates that it pays handsomely to scare people. But exorcism has maintained only a fringe following in our culture. Many make jokes about evil spirits, like this one-liner. What happens if you forget to pay your exorcist? . . . you will be repossessed.

Be that as it may, this is not a sermon on demon possession but on the authority of Jesus. Here’s how the story ends: Mark tells us, “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, ‘What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.’ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee” (Mark 1:27-28).

And no wonder – – – a person with that kind of authority is going to attract attention. But, where did that authority come from. That was the question that perplexed Jesus’ first-century listeners. His teaching and actions were unique. So, who is this man, and where does He get such authority?

First, Jesus’ authority came because of His unique relationship with God the Father. The teachers of the law in Jesus’ time didn’t speak with their own authority. They usually prefaced their comments with something like “There is a saying that . . .” or “Rabbi Such-and-Such has said that . . .”

Even the prophets rightly attributed their pronouncements to “Thus says the Lord . . .” But Jesus said simply, “I say to you . . .” How could Jesus do that and have people take him at his word? It was because of his relationship with the Father. It’s like the Sunday school teacher who was asking her first-grade class a question to which the correct answer was “Jesus.” One little girl called out, “God!” The teacher gently suggested she try again. Another little girl piped up, “Jesus!” When the teacher congratulated the second girl on the correct answer, the first little girl said in a huff, “Yeah. That’s what I meant–but I call him ‘God’ for short.” This, of course, was the primary source of Jesus’ authority. He said, “I and the Father one —- He who has seen me has seen the Father.” The man who spoke such words was a man of authority.

Dr. Phil Majors says that when his second daughter, Megan, was born, he took her older sister, Jamie, to see her new sister. It so happened that twin boys were in the newborn nursery with Megan and they caught Jamie’s eye. She stared at them, trying to fathom the mystery of two babies born on the same day to the same parents and so much alike. On their way home that evening, Majors says, Jamie turned to him and asked, “Dad, are God and Jesus twins?” In a human sense, the little girl was correct. Jesus and the Father are identical. Jesus is an exact replica of the Father. Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. It is no wonder that His words and deeds carried divine authority. Let’s look at another source for Jesus’ authority.

Jesus’ authority also came from His genuine commitment to serving people. It made no difference who they were or what their need was. Jesus was there to help. Of course, onlookers were amazed at the change Jesus made in this demon-possessed man, but his willingness to engage with the man in the first place – – – a nobody, a troubled spirit, an outcast–impressed them. When he made a dramatic change in this man’s life, it gave them the hope that perhaps he could make a difference in their lives too.

Dr. Edward Rosenow, formerly with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told of the experience that caused him to become associated with the field of medicine. When he was a small boy living in Minnesota, his brother became acutely ill. The family sweated it out until the doctor arrived. As the physician examined his sick brother, Edward Rosenow kept his eyes riveted on his parents’ anxious and gloomy faces. Finally, the doctor turned to his parents with a smile and said, “You can relax folks. Your boy is going to be alright.”

Young Edward Rosenow was profoundly impressed with the change that the announcement brought over his parents. In relating the incident in later years, he said, “I resolved then and there that I was going to be a doctor so I could put light in people’s faces.” Jesus put a light in people’s faces. He healed them. He forgave their sins and gave them hope. He still offers hope to people today.

Out of World War II comes the story of a platoon of American soldiers stranded on one side of a minefield they had to cross. The commander came up with a plan. One Man would walk across the minefield, leaving clear footprints for others to follow. If this first man hit a mine, then another man would walk across the field in his footsteps until finally, someone had cleared a path for all the other soldiers. With their hearts in their throats, the young soldiers agreed to the plan. Which one would be chosen to walk the field first? To their surprise, the commander began walking across the field. As their leader, he insisted on risking his life for the sake of his men. The commander crossed the field safely. Following closely in his footsteps, all the soldiers made it safely across

If you were a soldier in that commander’s company, wouldn’t his willingness to give his all cause you to respect him, listen to him, follow him? Remember that if you are ever in a leadership position, whether in your work, your community, or just in your family. Why should people follow you if they know you are not committed to the task at hand?

Of course, Jesus, above all persons, was willing to do whatever was necessary to accomplish what his Father had sent him to do. His authority came from his relationship with the Father. His authority came from his genuine commitment to serving people. And his authority came from his willingness to do whatever it took–even sacrificing his own life–to accomplish that for which he was sent. The Son of God was given a difficult task. He was to suffer and die to atone for our sins. Of all the people who did not deserve to die such a humiliating death, Jesus heads the list. And yet He agreed to do what the Father sent Him to do. And because of that willingness to suffer for us, we have the promise of everlasting life. That is authority one can respect and follow.

But there is one more reason for Christ’s authority that is important to us today. It is the continuing impact he has in our world two thousand years after his death and resurrection. No one who has ever lived has influenced human society more than Jesus.

Rodney Stark, a sociologist at the University of Washington, points out that Christians had surprisingly high survival rates when a major plague hit the ancient Roman Empire. Why? It is because most Roman citizens would banish any plague-stricken person from their household. But because Christians had no fear of death, they nursed their sick instead of throwing them out on the streets. Therefore, many Christians survived the plague. Why did Christians not fear death? Because their Master taught them that he is the resurrection and the life, and therefore death had no hold over them. And many Christians survived the plague.

One of Christ’s authority sources through the ages has been his influence on those who follow him. An anonymous author made this striking observation: “Socrates taught for forty years, Plato for fifty, Aristotle for forty, and Jesus for only three. Yet the influence of Christ’s three‑year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures; yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by the humble Carpenter of Nazareth.

“His unique contribution to the race of humans is the salvation of the soul! Philosophy could not accomplish that. Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead. Jesus is a marvelous example and proven leader for Christians to emulate and serve.”

That’s authority. No one who has ever lived had the authority Jesus had. It came from his relationship with his Father. It came from his genuine commitment to serving others. It came from His willingness to give His all to accomplish His mission. It comes from His ongoing influence on the world still today. Jesus’ words and acts were filled with divine authority. Are you impressed with the authority of Jesus? I believe you are, and that is why we confess our faith in Him as our Savior and Lord.

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: CONCLUDING THOUGHTS.

Warsaw Christian Church, (7/18/2021) Rev. Richard M. Bowman

Text: Matthew 22:34-40

This morning we come to the final sermon on the series dealing with the Ten Commandments.  The basic premise we will be looking at this morning is this: If we fail to understand the difference between God’s Law and God’s Gospel, we will end up confused about our relationship with Christ. God has spoken two kinds of messages to the human race. One of His messages we call “The Law of God.” In His Law, God tells us how we must live if we are to please God. In the Law, we read the commandments of God: Do not kill, Do not steal, honor your father and mother. These we call the Ten Commandments. In addition to the Ten Commandments, hundreds of case laws in the Old Testament amplify the Ten Commandments’ meaning. The Law of God also appears in the New Testament. Jesus commands us to love God with all our hearts. That is Law. In Romans, we are commanded to be subject to the governing authorities, not seek revenge, live in harmony with one another, and avoid deceit, to name a few of many laws appearing in that book.  The Law of God answers the popular slogan of today, “What Would Jesus Do?” The answer is,  Jesus would obey the Law of God.

The Law of God reveals the will of God, telling us what we must do to please God. The Law also threatens us with dire punishment if we fail. Note Deut. 27:26:   “Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.” This general curse is preceded by about a dozen specific curses dealing with such matters as dishonoring parents, having sex with animals, moving a boundary marker, leading a blind man into a ditch, and the like. Eternal punishment in hell awaits every human being who has broken the Law of God. James reminds us that if we violate even one of God’s commands, we have violated them all.

When taken seriously, as it should be, the Law of God ultimately leads us to despair because we know we have violated the commandments of God again and again.  When we look closely at the Law of God and our own lives, we see how despicable we are in the eyes of God. Unless God has something to say to us other than His Law, we face a godless eternity in hell, that outer darkness of which Jesus spoke.

Of course, it is theoretically possible to find salvation through the Law of God. Jesus told the rich young ruler that he would find eternal life if he obeyed the Ten Commandments. The rich young ruler had the same problem we have; he had not kept God’s Law perfectly despite his claim to the contrary. Once again, the Law of God, which promises life to those who obey it, ends up condemning us because we do not keep it. We need another kind of message from God if we are to have any hope.

Thanks be to God, He has spoken an entirely different kind of message to us in the Gospel, that word which means “good news” in the Greek language (euangellion). In the Gospel, God has solved a “problem.” How can God redeem people who have violated His Law? He has clearly stated that violation of His Law means eternal death, and He certainly cannot go back on His Word. So how can He manifest His love for humanity while also upholding the integrity of His Law? Enter Jesus. God’s plan is this. God must punish sin. God cannot be like a doting parent and sweep our sins under the rug. Sin must be punished, and sin will be punished, either in your life or in Christ’s life.  The Gospel is good news because Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, decided to stand in our stead and take the punishment we deserve at Calvary. He suffered vicariously, the just for the unjust. Because of who He is, the majestic Son of God, His sufferings are a sufficient atonement for the world’s sins. John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

God has two issues with us. First, He asks, have you obeyed the Ten Commandments? The answer for all of us must be an absolute NO! The second issue is this. Will you trust my Son to take the punishment you deserve and thereby receive my forgiveness and the promise of eternal life? That is good news indeed! We who have utterly failed God are offered amnesty, pardon, forgiveness on one condition – – – that we trust in Jesus, accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. Please note this condition. There is a hell awaiting those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation is not universal. The Law makes multiple demands upon us and then condemns us for failure. The Gospel makes but one demand on us – –  faith in the Son of God and promises eternal life to all who believe. Without a living and active faith in Jesus, we stand condemned. We all know John 3:16, but let us read on to verse 18: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” We learn here of two classes of people: condemned and not condemned. Notice that the condemned are not rejected because of their sins. They are condemned because they refused God’s offer of pardon by not believing in Jesus.

Okay, I get it. I have broken God’s Law, but if I trust in Jesus, all is well, right? I can trust Jesus and live as I please, continuing to violate the commands of God, right? Not exactly! Consider this line of reasoning carefully. If I believe it is wrong to break God’s Law, and if I acknowledge my guilt and repent and trust in Jesus for forgiveness, I will want to please God daily. I will be so grateful for his redemption I will want to spend the rest of my life seeking to serve and please Him.  And how do I do that? Enter the Law once more. As a pardoned and redeemed sinner, I now want to keep the Law of God. The Law first condemns me; then Jesus saves me; then the Law returns as my guide for living the Christian life.  Jesus says to us as believers, “if you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

The point, I trust, is clear.  If you truly believe that Jesus Christ suffered on your behalf, setting you free from the eternal punishment you deserve, how will you respond to the Law of God? It was Luther who strongly emphasized we are saved by faith alone. He would quote Scriptures stating that we are saved by faith. Since nothing was added to those statements he deemed it appropriate to add the word “alone” To those who would add good works as being necessary to be truly saved, Luther spoke in typical Luther fashion, , “Do you suppose the Holy Spirit is so stupid  that He could not have added these words?” On the other hand, Luther also understood that true faith always produces fruit. He stated that if faith does not produce the fruit of good works, it is false faith. True faith changes us, and we desire to do good works for the sake of Christ, but the good works do not add to salvation which is a gift freely given to faith alone.

Thus, we do not discard the Law of God once we place our faith in Christ. We love God’s commands and desire to observe them. We do this not to earn God’s favor.  We can never earn God’s favor. We obey Him for two reasons: out of gratitude for the salvation given to us freely in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and because we now understand that obedience to God is the only path to happiness and meaning in this life.

There was an example of this truth in the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” Private Ryan’s brothers had been killed in combat, and the decision was made to find the surviving brother. Tom Hanks played the lieutenant in charge of the platoon searching for Private Ryan in Normandy following D-Day. The lieutenant loses his life in the process of trying to save Private Ryan. At the end of the film, we see an elderly Ryan going to the grave of the man who saved him. He wonders if he lived a life worthy of such a sacrifice. He wanted his life to count for something so that the one who died saving him will not have died in vain.

That is precisely how true Christians feel about Jesus. He made an extraordinary sacrifice to save us. Now we want our lives to count for something. We want to honor Him with our words and deeds. We serve Him with thankful hearts, overwhelmed with gratitude that He should love us so.

As we conclude this series on the Ten Commandments, I want to (finally!) turn to our text. There is a “secret” we need to learn if we want to fulfill the Law of God. Jesus admonishes us to love God, and love our neighbor. Notice how the text in Matthew 22 concludes. “On these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets.” Paul picks up on this thought with these words from Romans. “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8, 10).

The “secret” that enables us to please God and keep His commandments is to always ask this question before speaking or acting: what would love do? We say, “What would Jesus do?” It is the same question. Jesus would act with love, and when love is behind our words and deeds, we have satisfied the demands of the Law. When our lives are motivated by love for God and our neighbors, we will make mistakes. Love does not always know the best course of action. The point is this. When love motivates us, God is pleased. We have fulfilled the Law. When anger, vengeance, hatred, and the like motivate us, we have stepped outside the will of God, and it is time to repent again.

Law and Gospel constitute two very distinct divine messages to the human race. We need both, but we must clearly understand what each one does. We must not confuse Law with Gospel or Gospel with Law. A group once asked Jesus a crucial question in John 6: 28, 29: “Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.” They asked a law question. What works can we do to please God and earn His favor? Jesus answered, not with a law answer, but a gospel answer. Do you want to do the work of God? Here is what you must do – – – believe in me.

Paul said at the conclusion of his great chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” These brief words give us a wonderful summary of what it means to be a Christian. Faith in God and in His Son is the foundation upon which we rest. Hope for the future, both in this life and for eternity, grow out of faith. Finally, true faith brings the love of God flooding into our souls: “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).

God’s love is in us, and when that love motivates us, we have fulfilled the demands of the Law, albeit imperfectly. It is the Holy Spirit who pours God’s love into our hearts, and as we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us love will grow. And notice the words: the greatest of these is love — because God is love. If you want to fulfill the Law of God, trust in Jesus and make love your aim. Rely on the Holy Spirit to work in your heart, giving you a new power to live as a faithful disciple. If you want to one day hear the words, “well done good and faithful servant,” trust in Jesus and aim at love.

I have concluded each sermon in this series by saying, I hope you take God’s commandments seriously. I assure you God does. Now I add this. I hope you take the Gospel of God seriously. It is your only hope for salvation.

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 10

(Thou Shalt not Covet)

Warsaw Christian Church, (7/11/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Exodus 20:17;  Hebrews 13:5

17  “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. Hillbilly version: Don’t be hankerin’ fer yer buddy’s stuff.

A minister was putting his sermon title on the outside bulletin board. The pastor from the church across the street saw him and came out for a brief visit. The first minister put in the letters for his sermon title: “Thou Shalt Not Covet.” The second minister said to him, “I sure wish I had a nice outside bulletin board like you have.”

We finally come to the last of the Ten Commandments, where God commands us not to covet. Our first task is to define the word “covet.” It is not a word in everyday use today. In the biblical languages, to covet means to have a strong, intense desire for something, leading to action. The word is used in both a good and bad sense. In 1 Cor. 12:31, Paul encourages us to “covet” spiritual gifts. To have an intense desire to know God and receive His blessings is a good kind of coveting.  The coveting prohibited in the Tenth Commandment is when our intense cravings focus on things belonging to others. Coveting, for example, can lead to adultery. The Tenth Commandment begins with a prohibition against having a strong desire for your neighbor’s wife, desires which lead to sinful action. The Commandment ends by referring to your neighbor’s goods.  We are not to have an intense passion for anything belonging to our neighbor and then allowing the desire to lead to forbidden action.

Coveting can lead to a multitude of sins. David coveted Bathsheba, a clear violation of the Tenth Commandment which led to adultery, a violation of the 7th Commandment. When he tried to cover up his sin, he lied to Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, breaking the 9th. When lying and deceit did not work, he had Uriah killed, breaking the 6th.  In all this, he dishonors his parents, breaking the 5th, and he dishonors God, breaking the first three commandments. It all began with coveting. Remember when Nancy Kerrigan was seeking to win a gold medal in Olympic ice skating? A competitor coveted the gold and the glory for herself but feared she could not defeat Nancy legitimately.  So she has her friend injure the leg of her superior opponent. It began with coveting.

When things go wrong in our hearts, and we allow covetous desires to grow within, such desires will soon lead to actions which God forbids. It happened to David, and it will happen to us unless we learn to curb covetous desires.

You may be thinking, “Well, I may admire my neighbors home, or his beautiful wife, and his many possessions, but I would never act to harm him.  I would never think of stealing his goods. I guess I am not a covetous person.” However, covetousness can rear its ugly head in ways that may not occur to us at first glance.

Suppose I allow my covetous feelings to turn to jealousy. While I may not steal my neighbor’s goods, perhaps I will try to cut him down to size through gossip. If I begin to think, “My neighbor thinks he is something with his fancy house and expensive cars. I’m as good as he is. Maybe he won’t be so high and mighty after I start a whispering campaign suggesting that he gained his wealth inappropriately.” Covetousness can lead to envy, and envy can lead us to lie about another, violating not only the 10th Commandment but also the 9th.

Or suppose someone has a home that is far superior to yours, and you admire that home. No sin has been committed. But if a jealous and covetous heart develops, and you plunge your family into a hopeless debt to obtain a home equal or superior to the one you admire, sin has entered the picture. Covetousness has lead to foolish action, and a family is harmed.

I once spoke at the installation service for a Disciple Heritage Fellowship minister. The church liked him, and I thought he was a dedicated Christian man. Unfortunately, the truth came out six months later. It turned out that he had lied about his background, his education, his vocational background, and even his military service. I don’t know for sure what motivated this man, but he was apparently coveting a position, titles, honor, etc., which he had not earned. He coveted to be something he was not, and when the truth finally came out, his reputation was ruined. 

I have sometimes said to people who research their genealogy, “Why not just make one up.  Tell people you are related to George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. No one can really check it out.” Now I am joking when I say that, but I suspect some people create a false genealogy just because they covet a sense of being important, and that is one way to achieve that end. I really am related to Daniel Boone, although the gene pool must have been diluted over the years.  I have been lost in the woods more than once, including the woods behind my old house!

Sometimes coveting status and prestige is more of a problem than coveting things. For example, suppose I said to you, “When I was in high school, I played basketball and was the leading scorer in our conference.” Now, the statement is true. What I failed to mention was that I wasn’t playing for my high school team. I was playing in an intramural league. Sometimes we tell half-truths or distort the truth to inflate our reputation. Coveting is an insidious sin that can lead to a multitude of other sins.

On the positive side, the Tenth Commandment calls upon us to be content with our situation in life.  If we can grasp that truth, it will save us from much coveting.   While we are certainly free to try to improve our life situation by lawful means, we are not free to covet and then obtain that which is not ours by unlawful or immoral means. God’s Word says in Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Mature Christians are content.  They are content with what they have and with who they are. When we become disgruntled and begin to think, “If only,” we are headed for trouble. If only I had more money, then I would be happy.  If only I had better health, then I would be satisfied.  If only I had a better spouse, then I would be satisfied. Contentment is the spiritual opposite of covetousness. Why does Scripture admonish us to be content and thereby avoid covetousness?

The reason we need not covet anything we lack is that we are in a relationship with the living God who promises, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” God is on our side; God is for us, and therefore we lack nothing. We have the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, we have God’s promise to be with us, we have eternal life – – and if those spiritual blessings do not bring contentment to us, then I doubt that anything would satisfy us. People who covet think that if only they had this or that, then they would be content. Here is the plain and simple truth. Only when we have found peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ will we find lasting contentment. Winning the lottery will not bring happiness to people who do not know God.

Christians can create misery for themselves by focusing on the wrong thing. Covetousness occurs when we focus on what we do not have instead of on what we do have. Eve thought she could find greater happiness by partaking of the forbidden fruit. She had everything she could ever need, including intimacy with God. Like Eve, sometimes we think our lives would be better “if only”. . . If only we had what our neighbor has. This is why God says to us, “be content with such things as you have.” We may not have the grandest house or the fanciest car, and we may not look like a movie star, but the reason we can be content is because God loves us. What more do we need than that?

No one said it better than Paul in Philippians 4:11-13. “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:  I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

From this statement, we assume there were times when Paul had lots of “stuff.” There were times when he ate well, times when God blessed him materially. There were other times when he wondered where the next meal would come from, times when he endured much suffering. He says, “It does not matter. I am content no matter what my outward circumstances.” Now how can one be equally content when being blessed and being beaten?  For Paul, the answer was easy. He had Christ. Jesus had redeemed Him. He knew he was forgiven and that whatever his state in life, eternity awaited.

This helps us understand why coveting is such a serious matter. Jesus warned against it (Luke 12:15); Paul spoke of it on five different occasions (Rom. 1:29; 7:7; Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 2:5).  Those who are discontent, always desiring more and more, only reveal that they may lack confidence in Jesus. Coveting is a sign of either weak faith or no faith at all. When Christ dwells in our hearts, we can say to the world, “Bring it on.” When God blesses us, we say, “Thank you.” When trials come, we say, “Hallelujah anyhow.” Because we have Jesus, we know that we have an eternity to enjoy His blessings.  Therefore our status in this world becomes a matter of relative indifference. No matter what our state in this life, we are content.  That was Paul’s testimony, and may it be ours as well.

Danny Simpson, twenty-four, robbed a bank in Ottawa, Canada, of $6,000 in 1990. He was caught and sentenced to six years in prison. He used a .45 caliber Colt semiautomatic in the robbery, which turned out to be an antique made by the Ross Rifle Company, Quebec City, in 1918. It was worth up to $100,000 — much more than Simpson stole. If he had just known what he carried in his hand, he wouldn’t have robbed the bank. He coveted money, so he robbed a bank, but he already had more than he needed.

I read about a Lutheran church in Maine where someone slipped arsenic into the coffee at church. It was the first Sunday after Easter, and the 50 people in attendance headed to the fellowship hour to have some coffee. Some people complained that the coffee was bitter, but people usually complain about church coffee, so they didn’t think much about it until some people began to get violently ill. By the end of the day, 16 people were hospitalized, and one of them would die the following day. Police discovered that arsenic had been dumped into the 30-cup coffee maker, making this the nation’s worst case of mass arsenic poisoning. The next shock was that a well-respected church member, 53-year-old Danny Bondeson, a potato farmer, was found dead at home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Here is the story behind the story.  There was a disagreement in the church over the communion table. For years the church had a communion table against the wall, and the blessing of the bread and wine was done while facing the wall. The Bondeson family had donated a new altar so that the blessing could be pronounced while facing the congregation. But traditions die hard, and the board seemed unwilling to replace the old altar, even though a new one had been donated. They did not want to offend some of those who wanted the bread and wine blessed while facing the wall as it had always been done. Speculation is that Bondeson and other members of his extended family had become as bitter as the church coffee and decided to teach some people a lesson. Danny Bondeson left a suicide note admitting that he had poisoned the coffee. The family coveted the honor they were entitled to by their generous donation.  When deprived of that honor, murder and suicide resulted. We think, how could such a minor issue lead to such horrible consequences?  When covetousness grasps the heart, all manner of evil follows in its wake. Remember the words of Jesus: BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS (Luke 12:15). Why? Because covetousness may send us to hell. But there is hope.

What is the cure for covetousness? The cure is the same for all the commandments when we violate them. Once we sense covetousness arising, we quickly repent and pray for forgiveness and for strength to live without envy. But, like any sin, if we cling to it without repentance, it will kill us spiritually.

I hope you take the 10^th Commandment seriously. I assure you God does.

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 9

(Be TruthfuL)

Warsaw Christian Church, (6/ 27/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 6:16-19: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. The Proverbs text will come later in this message. 

I was amused in reading about a survey taken among women.  It was found the 15% tinted their hair, 38% wore a wig, 80% wore facial makeup, 98% wore eye shadow, 22% wore false eyelashes, 93% wore nail polish. 100% said they disapproved of any false packaging. 

Children, at times, are painfully honest. One school teacher learned this when she was in the hospital recovering from surgery.  She received a card from her 4th-grade class. The card read, “Dear Miss Fisher. Your 4th-grade class wishes you a speedy recovery – – – by a vote of 15 to 14.” Sometimes the truth hurts!

A columnist for Time magazine once wrote: “The injunction against bearing false witness, branded in stone and brought down by Moses from the mountaintop, has always provoked ambivalent, conflicting emotions. On the one hand, nearly everybody condemns lying. On the other hand, nearly everyone does it every day.” The 9th Commandment requires us to speak the truth all the time. The command is rooted in the very nature of God. God always tells the truth. He does not lie, or deceive, or speak half-truths designed to confuse.  We read in Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie.” The verse implies that we humans do indeed lie, but God can always be trusted to speak and act truthfully. Since God’s nature is to tell only the truth, it damages our relationship with God when we lie. We cannot make a practice of lying and expect to relate to the God of truth. In Revelation 21:8, we learn that some will finally be cast into the Lake of Fire. On that list of unfortunate souls who are forever separated from God, we find “liars.” Yes, lying can damn the soul. 

Lying is so commonplace in our society it may be hard for us to believe that impenitent liars will end up in hell. It certainly should alert us to the fact that God considers lying to be a severe crime.  If you have never said to God, “Lord, I have often lied and twisted the truth. I am sorry. Help me to be a truthful person,” it may be time for you to correct that oversight. Every time we lie or distort the truth, we conflict with Jesus. To lie, we must temporarily set aside our faith in Jesus Christ. When lying becomes habitual, trust in our Savior is compromised. 

Corrie ten Boom knew that Jews were hiding in her home during World War Two, but she lied to the German soldiers seeking to round up and deport all the Jews.  Did she violate the Ninth Commandment? 

What exactly is a lie? I want to suggest that for a lie to take place, three factors must be present.  First, a lie comes from an evil intention. Second, the liar knowingly speaks a falsehood. Third, the falsehood must be told in a situation where one is obligated to speak the truth. Corrie made false statements to the German soldiers with a good intention, to save the lives of the innocent Jews.  You are not obligated to tell the truth to someone who will use the truth to harm others.  If some crazed killer comes looking for me, and you know where I am, I hope you won’t tell the truth about my location!  

Those who love to gossip sometimes try to convince themselves that they are only speaking the truth about another person.  But even to speak the truth about another with evil intent is a sin.  The perpetrator may not have technically lied, but the desire to harm another is a sin 

Our goal in the church is to build up and encourage one another. If we are aware of some behavior in another person that rubs us the wrong way, we are under no obligation to tell others. Paul admonishes us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and anytime we speak without love behind our words, we would do well to hold our tongue. 

Why do politicians work so hard to tear down the reputation of their opponents? They know we all love a juicy story, a bit of political gossip. They seem to grasp that far too many of us vote based on negative information. What would happen if a politician refused to trash his opponent and only stated what he or she intended to do if elected? Chances are, that politician would never be elected. Our society has created a climate where lies and distortions are more influential than truth. The more dirt you can dig up on your opponent, the better. As Christian people, we have a duty not to be sucked into this distorted way of thinking.  Jesus calls us to be a people who speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 

One minister who was going to preach on the Ninth Commandment announced to the congregation that they should read Chapter 14 in the Book of Hebrews in preparation for the next Sunday. The following Sunday, he asked for a show of hands if they had read the assigned chapter.  Many hands went up.  The minister said that his sermon topic was lying, and he was talking to people who needed to pay attention because there are only 13 chapters in Hebrews!

This little anecdote reveals the motive behind many of our lies.  We want to make ourselves look better in the eyes of others, and so we lie or stretch the truth to achieve that goal. Ministers do this all the time. A gathering of ministers is much like a gathering of fishermen. With the fisherman, the fish grow larger with each telling and the quantity increases. With the ministers, the attendance figures and offering amounts are inflated. Why? So they will appear to be more successful in the eyes of their colleagues.  Such lying may seem harmless, but it is a sign of weak faith. Why do we have to lie to appear successful in the eyes of men?  In the last analysis, God’s judgment is the only one that matters, and lying will not work on judgment day.  We may deceive our friends with our distortions of the truth, but God is not deceived.  Whatever advantage we think we gain by lies and distortions of the truth, it is insignificant compared to the disadvantage of offending our holy God.  

The worst kind of lying is spiritual. When we speak to others of faith in God and salvation through Jesus Christ, we must bend over backward to speak accurately. To distort the Gospel message about Jesus is a sin against God. God warns us against spiritual liars and deceivers who would turn people away from the one true God.  We are warned that false teachers at times even perform miracles, but we must be careful in evaluating the claims of miracle workers. God’s Word takes precedence over everything, even miracles. Only those who point us to the biblical God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, can be trusted. 

Paul issues a warning in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-15 when he speaks of deceptions that will come in the future. The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved…So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.   Here is a clear warning that very powerful deceptions will come, but we must hold fast to Jesus Christ and the apostles’ teachings. Otherwise, we face becoming confused by the lies of Satan. 

When we started Disciple Renewal many years ago, we faced this very issue. Some of us found ourselves in a denomination that declared that all the world religions, all the cults, can lead one into a right relationship with God. One need not trust in Jesus to be saved. One need not abide by the text of Scripture. The Koran, the Upanishads, the Book of Mormon – – – all the writings of the great religions may be regarded as Scripture. Those who insisted on following Jesus alone and Scripture alone were seen as narrow-minded bigots by denominational leaders.  We were told that we offend persons of other faiths by our insistence that Jesus alone can save a lost sinner. Surely God is more broad-minded than that. 

We began an effort to persuade our denomination to return to the historic faith of the church.  We insisted that all persons need to come to faith in Jesus Christ, not because we said so, but because He said so. We emphasized that the church must embrace the Scriptures as the inspired and infallible Word of God, not because we say so, but because God says so. 

Many people in the world and the church have embraced a spiritual lie.  It takes many forms. Some believe that one religion is as good as another; we are all heading to the same place. Jesus says otherwise. Some cling to the lie that salvation is universal, that all will be redeemed.  Jesus says otherwise. Some have embraced the lie that if we live a decent life, we will be saved. Jesus says otherwise. 

There are lots of spiritual lies floating around, and they have deceived many. Jesus declared that He alone knows the Father and He alone can bring us to salvation. If you believe an earthly lie, it may cause some temporary pain. If you believe in a spiritual lie, it will lead you to eternal pain. Let’s resolve to be truthful people who speak and act in harmony with God’s Word, and to seek immediate forgiveness when we slip into lying. If you think that lying and deceit can bring advantages into your life, please think again. 

As we close listen to the words of my second text from Proverbs 6:16-19: These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: ¹⁷ A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸ A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, ¹⁹ A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. Two of the seven things God hates have to do with lying. Clearly, God does not like it when we tell lies or act with deceit. We have all lied. Have we repented? 

I hope you all take the Ninth Commandment seriously. I can assure you, God does. 

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 8

(Thou Shalt Not Steal)

Warsaw Christian Church, (6/20/2021),  Richard Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Exodus 20:15; Ephesians 4:28

You shall not steal. — Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Hillbilly version: “No swiping other folks stuff.”

Three college freshmen and three seniors were traveling home for Thanksgiving break. The three freshmen bought tickets for themselves at the train station and watched as the seniors bought just one ticket. One of the freshmen asked, “How are the three of you going to travel on only one ticket?” “Watch and learn,” answered one of the seniors. They all boarded the train. The three freshmen took their seats as all three seniors crammed into a bathroom together and closed the door. Shortly after the train departed, the conductor came around collecting tickets. He knocked on the bathroom door and said, “Ticket, please.” The door opened just a crack, and a single arm emerged with a ticket in hand. The conductor took it and moved on.

The freshmen observed and agreed it was a clever idea. They decided to do the same thing on the return trip and save some money. When they got to the station a few days later, they bought a single ticket for the return trip. The seniors were also there, but they didn’t buy a ticket at all. Perplexed, one of the freshmen asked, “How are you going to travel without a single ticket?” “Watch and learn,” answered a senior.

When they boarded the train, the three seniors crammed into one bathroom, and the three freshmen crammed into another one across the way. Shortly after the train was on its way, one of the seniors left their bathroom and walked to the bathroom where the freshmen were hiding. He knocked on the door and said, “Ticket, please.” When we come to the eighth Commandment, we have to realize that there is no end to the ways we can break it.

The Eighth Commandment is simple and straightforward, but, as with the other commandments, it has implications that may not occur to us at first glance. For one thing, the Commandment supports the right of ownership.  People have the God-given right to own property and other materials, and God forbids stealing that which belongs to another. If you own a house, a car, a television, china dishes, silver and gold, stocks, bonds (assuming you acquired these things lawfully), God absolutely prohibits anyone from stealing your possessions.

The Eighth Commandment is a logical outgrowth of Genesis 1:27, often referred to as the dominion mandate. The text reads, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God has given mankind dominion over the earth. We are free to farm the land, raise cattle, sheep, or other animals, build houses, schools, factories, etc. Those who work in this world and accumulate possessions are entitled to private ownership by God’s command.

However, private ownership is not an absolute right.  It is a God-given right, and therefore it is a right that we must exercise under God’s Lordship.  The situation regarding property is this.  God, the Creator, owns this world and everything in it.  Psalm 50:10-12:   For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.. . . For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. God owns it all, and He commands us to make use of this world and its goods under His authority.

There is a grave danger involved in private ownership. The risk is that we will work hard to accumulate wealth and property for self-aggrandizement rather than seeking to honor God. When we assert our right to private ownership apart from God’s will, we are headed for spiritual disaster.  God warned of this danger in Deut. 6:12ff:  When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them,13  and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, 14  then do not exalt yourself,  forgetting the LORD your God . . . 17  Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” 18  But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth .

Private ownership turns from a blessing to a curse when we believe we have obtained our property through our intelligence and hard work, and therefore, we can do as we please with that which is ours.  Every human being is required to exercise the right of private property under God’s authority. Christians, of all people, ought to understand that truth.  One of the reasons God blesses us materially is so we will be able to help the poor (Eph. 4:28).  When we fall in love with our money and possessions, loving them more than the God who has blessed us,  much evil is the result. Paul makes this point in 1Tim. 6:9,10 : “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.”

The 8th Commandment does grant us the right of private ownership. Stealing is not to be tolerated. However, we must remember that our goal in life is to glorify God, not self.  Paul asserts that some once had true faith, but they have wandered away from the faith in their eagerness to be rich. Ownership of possessions replaced Jesus Christ in their hierarchy of values, and when that happens, faith is destroyed. We have the right to protect our property from theft, but we must also make sure we are not stealing from God in the way we use our possessions.

A Sunday School teacher was giving a lesson on the 8th Commandment. She said to the class, “If I were to get into a man’s pocket and take his billfold and all his money, what would I be?” Little Johnny raises his hand and answers, “You’d be his wife!” We smile at such a story, but theft is a serious business for two reasons. First, it is a violation of God’s moral law. Second, the one who steals is saying in effect, “I cannot trust God to meet my needs, so I must steal.” In Philippians 4:19 and elsewhere, God has promised to provide for all our needs.  He has commanded us not to attempt to meet our needs through theft.  The thief reveals that he has no respect for God’s Law and no faith in God.

Since salvation is by faith, stealing is a grave sin because it conflicts with faith. How can we say, “I trust Jesus to take me to heaven when I die,” but then turn around and cheat on our income taxes?  Our actions speak louder than our words. When we engage in any theft, we are saying that we cannot trust God to meet our earthly needs. If we question God’s ability to provide for us in the here and now, do we trust Him to grant eternal life? Any time we steal or cheat to gain some financial advantage, we are declaring our lack of trust in God.  It is never wise to behave in a manner that conflicts with faith.

But doesn’t everyone cheat on their taxes now and then or try to figure out some dishonest way to gain a few bucks?  It may surprise you to learn that many honest souls in this world trust God to meet their needs, and they do not need to resort to dishonesty. They have learned the truth of Jesus’ words, that those who seek God first have all their needs met (Matthew 6:31-33).

Those who steal from large stores often assume that the stores make so much money they will never miss the stolen items. I learned an interesting fact when I worked part-time for Sears many years ago. I was chatting with one of the store managers one day after alerting security to a theft I observed in the electronic department. I asked him, “How much does Sears lose each year to theft.” He said, “We don’t lose anything.  Through our studies, we know that this store will lose about $70,000 annually to theft. We raise the prices a little on other items to make up that $70,000!” So who pays for the stolen items? The honest shoppers who would never steal!

We have all read stories about thieves who were not very bright. One thief entered a convenience store, placed a $20.00 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the register, the thief pulled out a gun and demanded all the bills. The clerk obliged, giving the thief $16.00 from the register. The thief nervously ran out of the store, leaving his $20.00 bill on the counter!  In his case, crime indeed did not pay.

The antidote for stealing and cheating to get ahead is faith in God. Whenever we violate the 8th Commandment, we boldly declare our unbelief.  I don’t recall reading anywhere in Scripture that we are saved through unbelief. It is faith that brings salvation, and trust is incompatible with theft.

But there are so many other ways we can break the eighth Commandment.  In its first year of business, one hotel reported having to replace 38,000 spoons, 355 coffee pots, and (get this) 100 Bibles! Then there are ways we steal from the government. We underpay on our taxes, or we file false disability claims. There is also theft at work. We help ourselves to office supplies, postage stamps,etc. We pad our expense accounts. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, employee theft costs businesses over $50 billion annually. They estimate that 75% of all employees steal at least once and that half of them steal repeatedly. One of every three business failures is the result of employee theft.

We have yet to discuss the worse kind of stealing.  Stealing from man is a very serious matter, but stealing from God is spiritual insanity, but it happens all the time. Malachi 3:8-11 tells the sad story. “Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, “How are we robbing you?” In your tithes and offerings!  You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me–the whole nation of you!  Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. I will rebuke the locust for you, so that it will not destroy the produce of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not be barren, says the LORD of hosts.”

Some argue that the tithe (10% of your income) is an Old Testament ceremonial law that has passed away. I agree with that conclusion. The New Testament does not really teach that tithing is an obligation under the New Covenant. If, however,  the giving of 10% was required under the Old Covenant, and if the New Testament is a far better covenant, I assume that 10% is our minimum obligation to God and that those living under the New Covenant will give beyond the tithe. According to studies, the average church member contributes between 1.5% and 2.5% of his total income, specifically the Lord’s work.  I must say that, in my opinion, the majority of American church members are robbing God.

Martin Luther reportedly said, “When a person is converted, three conversions are necessary:  head, heart, and purse, and of the three, the purse is the hardest.” For those who get nervous when the preacher brings up the subject of money, let me assure you that I am doing this for your sakes. Tithing is not God’s way of raising money; it’s God’s way of raising strong Christians! Tithing is for your benefit, not God’s.  Whether or not you tithe will not affect God, but it will affect you. Please don’t assume that I am begging for money for this church. This church does quite well on the present giving of its members.  What I am telling you is that you will benefit from tithing.

God promised His people that He would open the windows of heaven and pour upon them an overflowing blessing if they would be faithful in their giving. Whether we tithe or not is not a salvation issue.  We are saved by trusting in Jesus, not by tithing. However, God has promised to bless those who honor Him in their tithes and offerings. When we steal from God through our bargain basement giving, we deprive ourselves of the overflowing blessings God has promised.  Tithing will not benefit God, but it will help you.

The issue once again is a matter of faith. God has promised to meet all our needs, but when our giving is sub-standard, we are saying to God, “I do not believe you will meet all my needs. Therefore I must take care of myself, and all I can afford to give You is a few dollars a week.” Not only is such an attitude a violation of the 8th Commandment (robbery of God), but we are also robbing ourselves. “Put me to the test,” God said in Malachi. Do as I ask, and see if I will not bless you.  Do you ever wonder what those overflowing blessings are that you are missing if you lack the faith to tithe?  Suppose you need a New Testament passage teaching the same thing. How about this: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38) Those are the words of Jesus. His promise is clear. As you give, God will provide for you. The imagery of “pressed down” reminds me of when I worked at a dairy store in Minneapolis. We hand-packed ice cream in those days, and when I was packing a pint for myself, I pressed down as hard as I could to get the maximum ice cream into a pint container. God presses down His blessings for those who are generous so that they run over. If you are a skimpy giver, do you ever wonder what blessings you are missing?

Here is the truth about generous giving. When we are faithful and obedient to God in our giving,, we demonstrate that we trust God and are willing to obey His commands. We also provide the earthly resources the church needs worldwide. And we open our lives to the blessings of God. If you invest in the stock market, you may or may not get a return.  You may lose your shirt! If you invest in God, the return is guaranteed by God Himself.  Do you believe Him? Are you willing to trust Him?   Stealing from others is a violation of the 8^th Commandment. That is unwise. Stealing from God is just plain dumb.

I hope you take the 8^th Commandment seriously. I assure you God does.

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 7

(Adultery Forbidden)

Warsaw Christian Church,(6/13/21) Rev. Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-28

“You shall not commit adultery.”

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

 “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

One minister tells that in growing up, he was puzzled over the meaning of the Seventh Commandment.  He knew it must be bad because it came between murder and stealing. He knew those were bad, so adultery must be bad, but what did it mean? He knew what the word “adult” meant, so he decided adultery must mean “acting like an adult.” He thought the commandment meant that kids were not to act like adults.  Some have accused me of following his interpretation of the Seventh Commandment and that I am still working hard at not acting like an adult!  Kids do get confused when language is used, which they don’t understand, like the child who came home and told his mother they sang a song in Sunday School about a “cross-eyed bear named Gladly.” (Gladly The Cross I’d Bear).

We who are adults are not confused about the meaning of The Seventh Commandment. It prohibits adultery or sexual activity outside of marriage. The commandment is designed to uphold the sacredness of the family. Since godly families are so crucial to God’s plan to create a godly society, there are three commandments that address the family issue. We saw that the Fifth Commandment calls for children to honor their parents. The Seventh calls upon husbands and wives to be faithful to each other.  The Tenth prohibits us from looking longingly at the spouse of another. Clearly, God’s will for the human race is that we live our lives in stable families where loyalty and trust abound.

We read in Hebrews 13:4 that marriage is an honorable estate.  When we uphold the institution of marriage as sacred, we are also upholding the honor of God.  When we treat marriage as a human convenience and engage in adultery, we reject God’s will for us.  One measure of the health of a society is to evaluate the health of the institution of marriage. When a society has a high divorce rate and encourages sexual infidelity, it is a sign that God is being rejected.  Sadly, the divorce rate among Christians is not much better than among non-Christians. I am not speaking of divorces that Scripture permits (adultery and desertion), but of those divorces in our society that occur because of a lack of respect for God’s design for marriage.

The 1990 Kinsey Report states that around 50% of all married people will commit adultery during their lifetime. Other studies suggest that the figure may be closer to 70%. A 1988 survey of nearly 1000 Protestant clergy by Leadership magazine found that 12 percent admitted to committing adultery.

Our society has come to think of adultery as kind of a “victimless crime.” Many would laugh at the idea that adultery is a sin.  In fact, there are even books published on how to conduct yourself when you’re in an adulterous relationship. I haven’t read any of these books, but I have read about them. In 1999, Cameron Barnes’ published a book called, Affair! How to Manage Every Aspect of Your Extramarital Relationship with Passion, Discretion, and Dignity. The publisher described it as “a thoughtful, detailed discussion of every aspect of considering, preparing for, beginning, and conducting a successful and emotionally fulfilling extramarital affair.” I suppose if you are going to disobey God, you should do it with dignity!

Adultery is a serious matter in the eyes of God. Listen to the words of Paul as he reveals to us the mind of Christ: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (I Cor. 6:9-11).

Paul’s list of things that exclude one from the Kingdom of God is lengthy. Four of the sins mentioned are sexual: adultery, prostitution, homosexual behavior, and sexual immorality, the latter referring to those who engage in sexual behavior outside the bonds of marriage. Paul adds that many of the Corinthians at one time did engage in such behaviors. When they came to faith in Christ, however, there was repentance. The Spirit of God entered into their hearts and created a desire for holiness. Paul’s point is not that if you ever engaged in such behaviors, you are excluded from the Kingdom of God, but rather if you continually engage in such behaviors without repentance, it is a sure sign that you are not a Christian. Persistence in wickedness would indicate that their faith is false and that they have no place in the kingdom.

The human race struggles with the same issue that faced Adam and Eve. Yes, we know what God has said, but we want to be free to do whatever we wish. We want to claim Jesus as our Savior, believe heaven is our home, and engage in sexual sin.  It is so easy to say, “I am a Christian.” God does not listen to our words unless our actions back them up. If we love God, if we love our Savior, we will honor and obey His commandments. Our problem is that we want God, and we want everything else on our terms. We want to take control of our own lives.  We want to decide what is right and what is wrong.

Let me put it in simple terms: You cannot hold onto Christ and to adultery. One or the other will have to go. God allows you to be free to choose your lifestyle.  You can disregard the Ten Commandments like Ted Turner and make up a new list (I believe he “modestly” referred to his list as “The Ten Suggestions”), but you cannot trample God’s Law underfoot and inherit the Kingdom of God. You can choose God’s way or you can choose your way. It’s up to you, but you must consider carefully the consequences that flow from your choice.

According to Michael Moriarty in his book on the Ten Commandments, 75% of children living in fatherless households (a situation often brought about by adultery) will experience poverty, compared to only 20% of those living with two parents. He adds that men who grew up without dads make up 70% of our prison population serving long-term sentences. Adultery is not the only culprit behind such statistics, but it is a major contributor.

In case you think this commandment is not about you, let’s explore deeper.  Jesus tightens up the Seventh Commandment – – – he blocks certain loopholes we may want to embrace. He indicates that the very desire to engage in adultery is equal to the act in God’s eyes. What does He mean? I don’t think He means that one cannot admire the physical appearance of the opposite sex. I am sure many of the ladies of this congregation look upon my handsome countenance and muscular body and think to themselves, “He is Charles Atlas in the pulpit.” (I am kidding, of course!)  We have many beautiful ladies in our church, and we men do notice them. One can admire beauty without lust. Lust enters in when admiration turns to thoughts of conquest. Lust occurs when we think about a particular person relentlessly, plotting ways and means to bring about a private affair. One can admire a pretty woman without desiring her.

Jesus understood that sin begins in the mind. We saw that same truth last week in the case of murder, and we see it again here in the case of adultery. Most of us are familiar with the name Ted Bundy. He admitted that his rampage of rape and murder began with pornography. What’s the harm of looking at such material? In an interview with Dr. James Dobson the night before his execution, Bundy said, “I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence just like me. And without exception, every one of them was deeply involved in pornography . . . “ The more he looked, the more he began to search for ever more explicit material, even violent material. Finally, after lots of mental lusting, he decided to act. In the end, he murdered and raped somewhere between 35 to 50 women.  We need to be careful about filling our minds with lustful images.

The story is told of two ministers who were fishing by a stream. A beautiful girl clad in a bikini approached.  She said she needed to cross the stream but was afraid of the current.  One of the ministers said, “I will be glad to carry you across,” and so he did. Later that day, his friend said, “I am not sure you did the right thing. You had to hold that young lady close in your arms.  She was as close to naked as you can get. Did that experience not arouse carnal thoughts in your mind? What if one of your members saw you carry a bikini-clad bathing beauty in your arms?  I mean, she was very attractive. I envied you as you crossed the stream. I wish I had jumped at the chance to carry her.” The minister responded, “I put that lady down on the other side of the river.  You seem to still be carrying her in your mind.”

This issue of the mind was very important to the Son of God. He used extreme hyperbole to stress the importance of avoiding lust. In the text relating to lust, He said if your right eye offends you, pluck it out.  He is not really advocating self-mutilation. Gouging out your right eye literally would not solve the problem since you would still have your left eye!  If we were to remove the right eyes of all the men in this church who looked upon a woman with lust, we would probably have several one-eyed men in the congregation!  The eye is not the problem.  It is the mind. Jesus is saying that this issue is critically important.  Those who give in to lust are excluded from the Kingdom of God. Lustful thoughts lead to lustful actions, which leads to spiritual death unless there is repentance.

Why do we engage in lust and/or adultery? It is usually a search for greater happiness than what we experience in our own marriage.  However, statistics show that married couples who remain faithful to each other are far happier than are those who drift into adultery. We need to understand a simple principle: THERE IS NO HAPPINESS FOUND IN VIOLATING GOD’S WILL. A host of complications and problems soon replaces the temporary happiness that sexual sin brings. God’s will is designed to give to the human race maximum happiness. If you really want to be happy, make God’s will your highest priority in life.

What if I have failed in the past and engaged in an illicit affair?  I know of a pastor who fell into sexual sin, and his response was to deny it in spite of the testimony of numerous credible women. You recall David’s commitment of adultery. He finally repented and wrote these words: “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3  For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4  Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight; That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge … 7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8  Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9  Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11  Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”

David is still known today as Israel’s greatest king and a righteous man, not because he was perfect, but because he faced his sin with true repentance. If you are covering up some sin today, sexual or otherwise, there will be no peace for you until you repent and ask God to create in you a clean heart. 

I hope you take the 6^th commandment seriously. I assure you; God does.

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 6

(Thou shalt not Kill)

Warsaw Christian Church, June 6, 2021, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-22

You shall not murder.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22  “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.”

I could preach several sermons on the Sixth Commandment. It covers several issues. I want to touch briefly on several issues before getting into the heart of what I want to share with you this morning. I am not going to spend time encouraging you to refrain from physical murder.  I assume none of you have committed murder. You may have thought about it, but you have not acted! I won’t dwell on abortion except to say that the Old Testament case law in Ex. 21:22,23 treats a fetus as a person, not a blob of tissue. The Bible regards abortion as murder. 

I am not going to say much about capital punishment except to say that the Sixth Commandment has nothing to do with the execution of criminals. The Commandment prohibits murder. That capital punishment is not in view is clear from the Old Testament case laws. There were at least 18 crimes punishable by death under the Old Covenant. These included murder (Ex. 21:12-14), kidnapping (Ex. 21:16), adultery, our topic for next week (Lev. 20:10), homosexuality (Lev. 20:13), to name a few. Those who argue against capital punishment based on the Sixth Commandment have not read the Bible very closely. 

Neither does the Sixth Commandment prohibit killing in self-defense or killing in war. War is always deplorable, but he has not violated the Sixth Commandment when a soldier kills in combat. That is clear from the history of Israel.  Jehovah frequently led His people into battle.  We may disagree about whether or not a particular war was justified, but those brave men and women who risk their lives and take another’s life in combat have not broken the Sixth Commandment. We should honor them and the sacrifices they make. The same is true of police who take a life to protect another life. 

In Genesis 9:6, we learn why murder is such a heinous crime. “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.” We, humans, are a unique lot. We alone are created in the image of God. When we commit physical murder, we are striking out against God. God created life, and He alone assumes the prerogative to decide when life shall end. To destroy a life made in God’s image by murder is to take the role of God, and under the Old Covenant, the penalty for violation was execution. 

Jesus led us into the heart of the Sixth Commandment in our second text. Not only are we worthy of death if we commit murder, but the same penalty applies to anger.  The Apostle John adds this thought: “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life” (1 John 3:15).  Are you allowing any hatred to fester in your heart? Jesus says you are a murderer and that no murderer has eternal life. We may assume that since we have never murdered anyone, we get a free pass on the Sixth Commandment. Jesus, however, equates anger and murder. 

If you have lived your life totally free from anger, please stand up because you must be Jesus in disguise, and I would love to meet Jesus face to face!  My only brother and I fought from time to time, and sometimes it was not pleasant. I was mad at him one day and shoved him so hard he fell to the floor.  What made it worse was that this was during World War two at a time when most of our toys were made of cardboard. It was shortly after Christmas, and my brother had labored hard to set up his cardboard castle and his cardboard soldiers. When he fell, he landed on his castle and flattened it. He was older and stronger and angrier, and he pushed me hard against the piano in the living room in retaliation. I can still hear the sound made when I crashed into the keys. The result was not “The Sound of Music,” but a horrible and painful discord! At least it didn’t play “When the Roll is Called up Yonder.” 

Anger seems to rise in our hearts from time to time as we try to cope with difficult people and difficult situations. Paul suggests that Christians will experience anger, but his advice is to get rid of it as soon as possible. He wrote, “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” His point is that as soon as you see anger flare in your life, turn to God immediately with repentance. Ask Him to help you rid your heart of this deadly emotion. If we don’t deal with anger quickly, it tends to settle down in the soul.  It is like spiritual cancer that eats away at faith, leading to that dreadful conclusion mentioned in 1 John 3:15, the loss of eternal life. John’s logic is plain and simple. If you allow anger to take control, in the eyes of God, you are a murderer.  You have broken the Sixth Commandment.  Hell awaits. 

What is the nature of a true Christian? Christians are commandment breakers who have confessed their sins to God, turned to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  True Christians then begin to follow Jesus, seeking to live by the commandments of God. The Holy Spirit begins to fill our hearts with love, driving out the anger (“God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us,” Romans 6:5). John adds, “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren.  Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:15). Love is the defining attribute of a true Christian, and when love fills the heart, anger is driven out. When we allow anger to fill our hearts, love is driven out. 

If you are here today holding tightly to anger against another, God declares that you are guilty of murder. God declares that you do not possess eternal life.  Notice that God does not simply say that anger leads to murder, an obvious truth.  HE SAYS ANGER IS EQUAL TO MURDER.  Unless we act to rid ourselves of anger, we doom ourselves to an eternity in outer darkness.  Anger is a serious matter we dare not take lightly. 

Some of you may be thinking, “But wait a minute. Isn’t this too strict? How can you condemn people simply because of their anger?  I do trust in Jesus, but I cannot give up my anger.  You have no idea the horrible things others have done to me. How can you pass judgment on me just because of anger?” I am not the one passing judgment.  Jesus is the one who warns us that eternal condemnation awaits those who tenaciously cling to anger. God is the one who has declared that the one who is angry faces eternal doom. I am simply the messenger boy. 

The Bible tells us that when we come to Jesus, grieving over our sins, with hearts full of true repentance, surrendering body and soul to the Son of God, our sins are forgiven. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in our human spirit, filling our inner being with divine love. Love and anger cannot coexist in the same heart. Either love will drive out anger, or anger will extinguish love. There are deceived persons who walk through life thinking they are Christians while clinging to anger and bitterness. As long as anger controls us, it is proof positive that we are adhering to our old life, the way that leads to destruction. Yes, we do get angry, but it will kill us if we hold on to it. 

Did you catch the significance of Jesus’ words in our text from Matthew 5? But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” The tongue can be a destructive weapon.  Jesus cautions us against using the tongue to lash out at others. He says bluntly that if you call someone a fool, you are in danger of hellfire. Wow! That seems extreme, but they are the words of the Son of God. When you call someone a fool or some other derogatory name, you are speaking to a person made in the image of God.  Verbally, you are writing them off as worthless.  How I speak to you demonstrates the value I place on your life. If I call you a “fool” or an “idiot” or a “low life,” I am saying in effect, “You are a worthless human being.” Before you hurl out such insults, you might want to stop and think.  Sometimes I hear such language coming out of my mouth when I hear certain politicians talk. We need to remember that we are addressing a person made in the image of God, one for whom Christ died. When you call someone a fool, you are calling God a fool.  Your words should be gracious and polite because you want to do what you can to encourage them toward Christ. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue.  Use your tongue to encourage, not tear down, to build up, and not destroy.   

There is one more side to the Sixth Commandment I need to mention this morning. There are two ways you can commit murder. You can kill someone physically, or you can be guilty of negligent spiritual homicide.  The latter is far worse than the former. What do I mean? According to the New Testament, all humans are under the sentence of spiritual death. The only escape is through faith in Jesus Christ. All true Christians know and understand this fact. When we do not act to help others come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we are guilty of negligence leading to the spiritual death of others. 

Ministers can violate the spiritual side of the Sixth Commandment if they do not preach a clear Gospel. I want to make sure that everyone who hears me preach understands that Jesus alone is the path leading to God — that no one comes to the Father and to eternal life except through Him.  I don’t want anyone to be able to say on judgment day, “I attended Warsaw Christian Church, and it was never made clear to me that I need Jesus.” 

What can you do as a Christian to help ensure that others hear the Gospel? If you do not feel you have the gift of personal evangelism, there are still things you can do.  You can invite your unredeemed friends and family members to attend a church where the Gospel is proclaimed, a church like this one! Or you can support your local church with enthusiasm to ensure that the Gospel goes forth. You can support overseas missionaries who are taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. You can keep a list of four or five persons who give no evidence of having been born again and pray for them regularly, asking God to bring His message of grace to them.  

God has placed the redeeming message of Jesus into our hands. Paul puts it this way in 2 Cor. 5:19,20. “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.” God is counting upon His people everywhere to reach out to others with love, that they may come to know the love of Christ. 

If you were in a small boat and suddenly came across a drowning man, and you had a life preserver on a rope, what would you do? You would not check to see if perhaps he is someone you dislike; you would not ask him if he was worthy of being saved; you would not ask for a reward before throwing him the life preserver (I hope!). I believe you would spontaneously, without thought,  throw out the lifeline and save the man. If you didn’t, would you not be partly to blame for his death?  Jesus Christ is the lifeline the world needs. Be sure you are doing what you can to throw that line out to a lost and dying world. 

The prophet Ezekiel addressed this issue as follows: “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.  “Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 33:7,8).  If you share the Gospel with a neighbor, and he rejects it, he will die in his sin. But if you do nothing on behalf of his eternal welfare, he will still die in his sin, but God will hold you accountable.  You are guilty of spiritual homicide.  

But I thought the Commandments had nothing to do with eternal life. Isn’t that a gift we receive by faith in Jesus? Yes, by faith, our sins are forgiven when faith is accompanied by repentance. Where there is no repentance, there is no faith. Note these words of Paul. I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:20-22).  You cannot violate the Ten Commandments with impunity. We are not saved because we keep the commandments, but we can be lost when we violate the Commandments without repentance. True faith is obedient faith, a faith that seeks to live by God’s commandments.  I hope this is clear. 

This world is sick unto death. You have the cure, even Jesus. God expects us to mobilize as a church and reach out to those around us with the good news that forgiveness and eternal life are available for all who will trust in Jesus. Speak, pray, give, do what you can to ensure that the saving message of Jesus goes forth.  Eternity is at stake. How do you measure up to the Sixth Commandment? We have all fallen short.  Have we all repented? I hope you take the 6^th Commandment seriously. I assure you, God does. 

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 4

(Remembering the Sabbath)

Warsaw Christian Church, (5/30/21),  Richard Bowman Pastor

Text: Exodus 20:8-12; Mark 2:27-28; Col. 2:16,17: Hillbilly version, “Get yer hide ta Sunday meetin.” 

I must confess that preparing this sermon has been frustrating. As I reviewed the commentaries and sermons preached by others on this theme, it soon became clear that the church is not in agreement on the significance of the 4th Commandment. Many commentators write as if Sunday has the same importance for the Christian as the Jewish Sabbath had for the Jews. They just move the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.  Others suggest that Christians are not obligated to observe the Sabbath at all.  They say if you want to follow the Jewish Sabbath, you must observe it on the day indicated in Scripture, which is Saturday. You can’t arbitrarily move the Sabbath to Sunday and then argue that you are keeping the 4th Commandment. I hope I can bring these two extreme positions into some harmony, as both views have a point. 

The 4th Commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day …” (Exodus 20; 8), is unique in the Ten Commandments. For one thing, the church does not observe the Jewish Sabbath day (Friday evening through Saturday evening) and has never done so. We worship on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, not on the Sabbath.  You may recall that I made a distinction between moral law and ceremonial law in introducing this series on the Ten Commandments.  The Sabbath law is the only ceremonial law we find in the Ten Commandments; all the others are moral. Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus or the apostles warn Christians about the dangers of failing to observe the Sabbath correctly.  Therefore I have to conclude that the Old Testament Sabbath is no longer in force. 

The Jewish ceremonial laws are done away within the New Covenant. While the Jewish Sabbath does not bind Christians, there is an abiding principle in the 4th Commandment that does apply to us, as we shall see.  Paul treats the observation of special days as optional for the Christian. He writes, “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.  He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it” (Romans 14:5).  Christians are free to observe special days but are not obligated to do so. Paul’s point is clear. If you do have a special “Sabbath” observance, do it out of reverence for God. If you treat all days alike, treat every day as a day in which we honor God. 

Paul expressly prohibits rigid Sabbath enforcement. He writes, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Col.2:16-17). So, if you do observe a special Sabbath, we are to honor your decision. If you treat all days alike, we are to respect your decision.  Once Christ came, Jewish ceremonial laws expired.  Christ is the Sabbath’s essence, meaning we find true rest in Him. The church in the New Testament met on Sunday, the day of Christ’s resurrection (see Acts 20:7; I Cor.. 16:2). 

You may recall the old Sunday blue laws from the past. In my younger days, many stores were closed on Sunday.  One blue law still on the books comes from Studley, Virginia, where swinging a yo-yo in church or anywhere in public on the Sabbath is prohibited. It was an attempt by a society that respected God to honor Him by restricting activities on Sunday. The problem is that if you want to enforce the Jewish Sabbath, you must observe it on Saturday, not Sunday.  In many yesteryear homes, Sunday was honored with the same strictness with which the Pharisees enforced the Jewish Sabbath. Children were not allowed to play, and no work was to be done. One was to attend church, pray, perhaps read, but little else was allowed. Now, of course, our society has gone to the opposite extreme. Neither in society nor in many Christian homes is any emphasis placed on Sunday as a special day. 

If we are not under the Sabbath law, does it have any meaning for us today? Anytime an Old Testament law carried the death penalty, we need to pay attention!.  Even the most rigid Sabbath enforcers do not want the death penalty imposed for Sabbath-breakers.  But here is what the Old Covenant says is to be done to those who violate the Sabbath. “You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death (Exodus 31: 14). With such a severe penalty, there probably are some abiding moral principles involved in the Jewish Sabbath. These principles will be our concern today, always bearing in mind that we are not to judge one another in the way we observe Sunday. I recall years ago when I was working at a department store part-time. I often had to work on Sunday afternoon.  One Sunday afternoon a member of the church I had served in the past saw me, and her mouth fell open in horror. “You are a preacher,” she said. “How can you work on Sunday?” I don’t recall what I said, but I should have said, “And why are you shopping on Sunday?” 

Jesus had to remind the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man, not vice versa. (Mark 2:27; Matt. 12:12). That is, God, our Creator, knows that we need rest, and we need to worship Him. God did not say, “I will make a Sabbath Day with strict rules, and man must fit in.” Rather, He said, “I will make a day of rest and worship for man because he needs it.” 

The Jews sought to enforce very rigid Sabbath rules. In their minds, man was made for the Sabbath and woe unto the one who violated this day. The Talmud, the book of Jewish traditions, has 24 chapters listing various Sabbath laws. You could not travel more than 3000 feet from your home. You were not allowed to carry anything that weighed more than a dried fig. You could not hold a needle lest you accidentally stick it into some material and thus are guilty of sewing. You could not take a bath because water might splash on the floor, and when you cleaned it up, you would be working. Women could not look in a mirror on the Sabbath lest they see a gray hair and pluck it absentmindedly. The list of rules goes on and on. With so many regulations, I would never have been able to rest on the Sabbath. I would have been anxiously wondering if I had overlooked a rule. Jesus dismissed all that and declared the Sabbath was made for man. 

The rest prescribed in the 4th Commandment is an enduring need. Since most jobs only require five days of work, we are receiving the rest which the “manufacturer” says we need. Some of us retired folks rest daily!  It is not a healthy lifestyle to work all the time, with no time for rest and relaxation.  More than one executive has cut his life short due to the stress created when one works all the time. 

There is a theological principle here as well. We need to rest from our usual labors, but it is a special kind of rest we need. The Commandment directs us back to creation, where God created the heavens and the earth in six days and then rested, contemplating His work. We can get so involved in work that we forget from whence we came. The rest that genuinely helps us is when we worship our Creator, remembering that we are not the products of chance but have come from God, and we will return to Him.

Sunday is that special day for the Christian, a day we set aside to gather together to worship God, to remember Jesus around the Lord’s Table.  We need regular times of spiritual rest and worship. We need a holy day, a time for God. Otherwise, God can be forgotten or pushed aside as we rush about to do our work and then seek our rest in godless ways. 

While some people get bent out of shape if they see someone working on Sunday, I would suggest a potential problem exists for those who try to turn Sunday into the Jewish Sabbath. Some folks are faithful to attend church on Sunday but then assume they have done their duty to God, and the rest of the week is theirs. That is a worse mistake, in my opinion, than working on Sunday.  Some people have to work on Sunday (policemen, firemen, nurses, preachers!), and we are thankful they are on duty. Remember, Paul says we are free in Christ to observe a special day or not, as we choose.  However, we must remember that we belong to God daily, and we must honor Him daily. We cannot discharge our duty to God on Sunday and then live for ourselves the rest of the week. 

Most churches have no binding rules for Sunday. We do not prohibit work on Sunday as was done under the old covenant. We encourage God’s people to freely choose to make Sunday a day of worship and remembering. For the Christian, there is a sense in which all days are alike. Whatever the day of the week, we want to live in a manner that honors God. 

Jesus was often in trouble with the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders because He violated the Sabbath. In Matthew 12:1ff, He and His disciples are picking grain on the Sabbath because they are hungry. The Pharisees observe this and condemn Jesus as a Sabbath-breaker. He is “harvesting” grain on the Sabbath. Jesus also healed on the Sabbath and again was accused of violating the holy day. In John 5:10ff, Jesus again heals on the Sabbath, and the Jews seek to kill Him for this violation. Jesus responded to these attacks with a clear principle: “It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matt. 12:11-12). Jesus Himself worshipped on the Jewish Sabbath because He was the Messiah of Israel.  However, after the resurrection, the church felt no obligation to keep the Jewish Sabbath, preferring to make Sunday (The Lord’s Day) their day of rest and worship. 

There is a principle here that is seen more clearly concerning the Sabbath command, although it applies to all of God’s commands.  We can best see this principle by reflecting on the difference between childhood and adulthood. Children need rules.  They do not always understand what is in their best interest, so parents establish rules for the child’s protection. Children may dash out into the street without looking amid play, and so we instruct them on the importance of looking both ways. They might prefer to eat candy and cake all the time, so we give them rules about nutrition. Little children selfishly cling to their own toys, and so we try to teach them to share.

Adults (ideally!) do not need such rules.  I brush my teeth daily, not because someone laid down the law but because I understand it is in my own best interest. I look both ways carefully before I walk across a highway, not because of a commandment, but because some treat highways like race tracks!  I go o church regularly, not because of the Sabbath commandment, but because I want to. In other words, mature adults do certain things not because of rules but because of enlightened understanding. 

Mature Christians seek to set aside time both for rest and worship, not simply because there is a command but also because they understand it is in their own best interest. We eat our vegetables because we know they are good for us.  We worship God on Sunday if possible because we know it will benefit us spiritually. 

The essence of the Christian life is the new birth. Those who trust in Jesus are born again. The Holy Spirit changes us inwardly, and we live by the Spirit (Romans 8:1). Those who are walking in the Spirit obey God out of desire, not because of written commandments. We refrain from lying, stealing, and other forbidden behaviors because the Holy Spirit turns us toward righteousness.  We begin to lose our desire for those things which are contrary to God.  Jeremiah 31:31 predicted a day when the law of God would be written on the hearts of His people.  We are living in that day.  The Holy Spirit performs this task in the new birth, creating within us an internal love for God and a desire to obey Him.  We do not discard the commandments. Instead, they are becoming so internalized that we do them out of holy habit rather than out of response to the written law. 

The essence of the Sabbath law for Christians is this: We are not obligated to keep the Jewish Sabbath. If some Christians wish to make Saturday or Sunday a special day to honor Jesus, we respect their desire. If others engage in secular activities on Sunday, as long as they act in ways that honor God, we also respect that choice. Whether we are at work or play, whether we are at church or work, we want to honor Jesus daily. 

We do not place special emphasis on Sunday as though we were doing God a favor.  If we use Sunday as our day of worship and rest, it will benefit us. Our aim as Christians is to honor God every day of our lives.  By coming together on Sunday morning to worship together, it helps us to focus the rest of the week on our Creator and our Redeemer.  I encourage all who are able to worship on Sunday, not under bondage or obligation, but freely and cheerfully.  It will help us grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and isn’t that what we desire? 

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 3

(Respect for God’s Name)

Warsaw Christian Church, (5/23/21), Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Exodus 20:7; Psalm 72:17-19 (Hillbilly version: Watch yer mouth!)

Names are important. Joan used to wince a bit when she was called “JoAnn.” When someone calls me on the phone and says, “Is this Mr. Bauman,” I know it is a salesperson or someone who really doesn’t know me. Most of us have heard of Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet.” You may even recall the line, “What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” You may also recall that Juliet spoke those words because Romeo had the wrong last name. He is a Capulet, while she was a Montague. These two families were enemies, and Juliet’s father would never allow her to marry Romeo Capulet. Juliet thinks, “Why does the name make any difference. If you called a rose something else it would smell just as sweet.” But, she learns that names are important. She secretly marries Romeo, but it all ends in tragedy with the death of the couple. 

I read about a man named George Stink. Naturally, he was kidded a lot, and his friends urged him to change his name. He hated the idea of changing his name and resisted for years. Finally, he decided maybe a name change would be in order. He met with his friends one day and said, “I changed my name, but I don’t see what good it will do.” They asked, “what name did you choose?” He replied, “my name was changed from George Stink to Harry Stink.” That may be a fairy tale, but we had a man in our Decatur church years ago whose last name was “Butt.” It is hard to believe, but his parents gave him the first name of “Harry.” He always preferred to be called “Harry Butt.” I would have used my middle name. 

If you want to be known as a rough and tough cowboy in the movies, you can’t have a name like “Marion Morrison.” And so one cowboy star changed his name from Marion Morrison to John Wayne. That name conjures up an image of a rough and tough cowboy.  I wonder if he would have become a star with the name “Marion.” Names are important. 

Names often call to mind certain character traits. George Washington’s name brings to our minds the qualities of leadership and bravery, while the name Heinrich Himmler brings to our mind the qualities of sadism, murder, and blind fanaticism. Benedict Arnold’s name will forever be associated with treachery and betrayal. 

How do we use the name of God? The name of Jesus?  You may be thinking, “Well, I don’t use God or Jesus as a swear word, so I can tune out on this message.” I hope to show you that we all have work to do if we plan to take the Third Commandment seriously.  We will be looking at two ways we take the name of God in vain. We can break this commandment first of all with our speech, and secondly, with our actions. 

Do you realize that to abuse the name of God under the Old Covenant called for the death penalty? (“Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death.” Lev. 24:16) Many react to such news with surprise or disbelief. Some think it would be barbaric to execute someone for taking God’s name in vain. When we react in this way it only reveals our spiritual ignorance. The way we use the name of God reveals much about our attitude toward God. The death penalty for abusing the name of God is still in effect.  It has just been postponed to the final judgment. If you have ever taken God’s name in vain, you will receive the eternal death penalty unless you have repented and embraced Jesus Christ as your Savior. 

Jesus once said that the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart (Matthew 12:34). Our words reveal what is in our hearts. If we know that God is our heavenly Father, our creator and redeemer, and that we are dependent upon Him for everything, we will want to speak His name with reverence and adoration. If we believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior, we will want to speak His name with the greatest respect and honor. 

What are we doing when we blurt out the name of God or Jesus as a swear word at a time when we are angry, frustrated, or disappointed?  We are taking God’s name in vain. What does it mean when we damn someone in the name of God? We are really damning ourselves by this horrible abuse of the name of God. Have you ever shared some juicy gossip with a friend and heard the response, “Oh my God, you must be kidding!” You may be thinking, “Yes, I sometimes speak in this way, but I do it thoughtlessly. I mean no disrespect.” I would suggest that if you wish to honor God, think before you use His name carelessly. 

You may be aware that the Jews tried to honor the third commandment in a rather strange way. God’s name in Hebrew contains four letters. The English equivalents are YHWH, sometimes pronounced “Jehovah,” or “Yahweh.” Ancient Hebrew contains no vowels, so whatever vowels we insert is pure guesswork. We don’t know for sure how the ancient Jewish people pronounced YHWH. We do know that they would not speak God’s proper name at all for fear of speaking it in vain. So, they came up with another term to use when speaking of God. They used the word “Adonai,” which we usually translate as “Lord.” In their minds, if they abused the name “Adonai,” they weren’t abusing God’s name since His proper name is YHWH. Of course, such attempts at cleverly dodging the Third Commandment are useless. Whatever name or title we use for God, we must always keep in mind that God’s name is to be spoken with reverence and awe, never carelessly.

It is interesting to me that the very first petition in the Lord’s prayer is the phrase, “hallowed be thy name.” It is simply putting the Third Commandment into the form of a prayer. Before we ask anything else of God, we must be sure that we hold the proper honor and respect for His sacred name. God’s name is holy, and when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are praying that we will personally regard His name as holy. I suspect all of us have broken the Third Commandment by saying the Lord’s Prayer thoughtlessly or carelessly.  It takes discipline to pray a prayer we know by heart in a way that truly honors the name of God. 

I don’t know how God rates sins in terms of their seriousness.  I am sure most of us would regard murder as a worse offense than taking God’s name in vain. However, in God’s mind, the abuse of His name is listed before the commandment regarding murder. The first four commandments have to do with God.  We have to be right in our relationship with God before we have any hope of treating others with righteousness. If I do not honor and revere God, I am not likely to care much for my neighbor either. 

When God gave the Ten Commandments and included His name’s proper use as one of the ten, it should be clear to us that this is a most serious matter. Dear people, think before you speak. Especially think before you speak the blessed name of God. I have noticed how Moslems, when they speak the name of “Allah,” usually add the phrase, “blessed be his name.” It is an attempt to show reverence for their god, sadly, a god who does not exist. 

If we sing hymns of praise to God in a thoughtless manner, we use His name in vain. If we mumble through prayers while our minds are elsewhere, we misuse the holy name of God.  Much could be said here, but I will try and hit a few additional highlights and trust that you can make the proper application to your own life. 

In Acts 11:26 we learn that the disciples of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. The word means “Christ -ones,” or, “little Christians.” Whenever we declare ourselves to be Christians, our behavior influences how the world views the Christ we profess. What do people see when they observe our behavior? Do they see the name of Jesus honored by our actions?  Perhaps we don’t openly speak God’s name in vain, but what do others think when we are rude, or impatient?  What do others think of Jesus when His people are known to gossip and lie? I have known church members who openly boasted about how they made money on the side and never reported it to the government. Does such behavior bring honor to the name of Jesus? 

Christians are obligated to forgive those who have hurt or offended them. Revenge is absolutely forbidden to us, and yet I hear lots of talk around churches that suggest that forgiveness is not always practiced, while “getting even” is seen as acceptable behavior. When you declare, “I love Jesus,” and then refuse to practice forgiveness, you bring dishonor to the name of our Savior. You have broken the Third Commandment. 

 If you do not have high regard for Christ’s Church, you dishonor His name. People avoid churches for the most trivial of reasons. As a child, I once had a bad experience at a football game, but I still go to football games.  I have had several bad experiences at grocery stores, but I still visit them regularly. I cannot count the number of negative experiences I have had at restaurants, but I still enjoy eating out. My basketball coaches made us practice when I would have preferred doing something else, but I never quit the team on that account.  Why is it that people who have a bad experience at church drop out?  Why is it that people who felt compelled to go to church as a child think that justifies staying away as adults? We don’t think that way about restaurants or grocery stores.  Anyone claiming the title of “Christian” who does not honor and support the church in some manner is violating the third commandment. Yes, some cannot attend regularly because of concerns about Covid, or job hours, but they support the church with prayers and gifts. Regardless of any bad experiences we have had in church, we support the church to honor the name of Jesus. 

In our church’s history, there was a deliberate attempt to avoid any human name in identifying our churches. We did not want to be named after a man, or after a form of church government, or after some church practice.  We wanted our churches to be known simply as Christian Churches.  We wanted to honor the name of Christ.  We just wanted to be known as Christians who worshipped in Christian Churches. We bear Christ’s name, and our church bears His name.  We cannot escape the fact that the way we treat His church reflects on the regard we have for His name. 

I have used this illustration before, but it fits in here, so I will use it again. The story is told that a young soldier in Alexander the Great’s army fled in fear during a battle. The trembling soldier was brought before Alexander the Great and feared for his life. Alexander was in a good mood on this particular day and decided to be lenient and spare this cowardly soldier’s life. The soldier was overcome with gratitude and vowed to serve faithfully. Before Alexander the Great dismissed him, he said to the young soldier, “By the way, what is your name.” The soldier replied, “My name is Alexander.” Alexander the Great responded by saying, “Young man, either change your name or change your behavior.” This ancient king did not want anyone who bore his name to bring disgrace to that name by bad behavior. 

We bear the name of Christ.  Our words and deeds either bring honor and glory to His name or disgrace. I wonder if Jesus would say to any of us, “Either stop calling yourself a Christian, or change your behavior.” The goal is to live our lives so that we reflect Psalm 8:1: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” The Third Commandment says to me, “Richard, you need to cling to Jesus with faith because you do not always honor the name of God with your words and deeds.” I have to do some serious repenting for those times I have abused the name of God. Am I the only one? If our words and deeds do not always show the proper honor for God shall we give up in despair, or shall we try harder to watch what we say and do? I trust you know the answer. 

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NO GRAVEN IMAGE, # 2

Warsaw Christian Church, (5/16/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Exodus 20: 4-6

Three weeks ago, we began a series on the Ten Commandments. We saw that the Ten Commandments weren’t given as a requirement for salvation but rather as a response to salvation. God says to us; I have redeemed you freely by grace through the sacrifice of My Son. I’ve made you my people.  As my people, you need to know how to live life in a manner that will honor Me and bring you the greatest blessings. Living by the Ten Commandments will meet that dual need. I’m not giving you this Law so you can earn that privilege, but, rather, so you know how to live in light of that privilege.  We need to understand that you can’t separate the privilege from the response. You cannot accept a job offer and then refuse to do well the work you were hired to perform (well, unless you work for the government!). . You can’t have the salvation Jesus freely gives without receiving the commandments that come after. The two go together. So, having been saved by grace, we don’t ignore God’s Law; instead, we gladly embrace it because we want to please the One who rescued us and obeying God’s Law will bring us the most significant degree of happiness.

There is much to be said about the first two commandments. They address how we are to relate to God, which is the most crucial issue any of us ever face. We have seen that the first commandment requires us to love God supremely, with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. While none of us ever lives up to that commandment consistently, we strive to keep it out of gratitude for His saving grace because we are the redeemed of Christ.

As with the First Commandment, the negative side is the easiest to follow. Negatively, we are not to worship images.  Jesus explained the positive side of the Second Commandment when He said to the woman at the well that we must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23, 24). It is not sufficient to obey the Second Commandment’s negative side by refusing to worship an image.  We must also learn to worship God correctly. This creates a real challenge for us.  Much “worship” that takes place today can often be described as superficial.  We can be very casual, even somewhat detached in our worship of God. Jesus’ expansion of the Second Commandment requires us to worship God in spirit and in truth. What does that mean?

“In spirit” can have several meanings. At the most superficial level, it means that God is a Spirit, and we must not worship Him while thinking of Him as having some shape or form. It certainly means that we reject images of God. God is a Spirit who cannot be reduced to anything tangible. It also means to worship God with sincerity, to put heart and soul into your singing, your prayers, your listening.  We are not here simply to perform a religious duty. We are here to meet with God, draw near Him, honor, and praise His excellent name. When we sing, we are to pay attention to what it is we are singing. We must try hard to avoid the mere mouthing of words.  When I lead in prayer, you are to pray with me so that together we reach out to God in anticipation of what He will do in response to our prayers.  When the Word of God is proclaimed, we must pay careful attention, opening our minds and hearts to God’s message.  When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, inwardly, we need to be reaching out to Jesus with gratitude, reaffirming our faith in His blessed atonement. To worship God in spirit is to worship Him with integrity, with utter sincerity, with a true desire to draw near to Him. We must enter into worship, whether public or private, giving God our full attention.

John Bisagno, the pastor of Houston’s First Baptist Church, tells the story of his coming there as a candidate for the pastor’s position many years ago. He said the church was dimly lit as he entered the auditorium, with just a few people huddled together. They were singing some old, slow funeral-type song that was depressing. Later that day, he took a walk in downtown Houston and came upon a jewelry store. It was a grand opening, and there were bright lights and a greeter at the door to welcome you in with a smile. Inside there was a celebration going on. People were having a good time talking and laughing with each other and enjoying refreshments. They welcomed him and offered him some punch. He said that after attending both the church and the jewelry store if the jewelry store had offered an invitation, he would have joined the jewelry store!

His point was that there was interest, excitement, joy, and fellowship in the jewelry store. In the church he visited, he found people who seemed to have little interest in what was happening, no excitement, no joy, just a group of people going through the motions of worship.

In Isaiah 29:13, God laments the fact that Israel was going through the motions of worship. Their lips were moving. Words were being sung and spoken, but the hearts of the people were far from God. It is not a matter of being loud or quiet, old hymns or modern choruses, clapping hands, or sitting quietly. There are churches today that fight over the style of worship. Some want contemporary music; others prefer traditional hymns. True worship is a matter of the heart. If the heart is not in it, regardless of the worship style, worship is not taking place, and the Second Commandment has been violated. If the heart is in it, it does not matter whether the worship style is contemporary or traditional.

While we have no stone idols, sometimes the idols of our hearts can creep into our worship. If we allow our minds to wander, thinking about dinner, or last night’s social event, or today’s baseball game, or fretting about some personal problem – – – whatever it might be. Whenever something else grabs our attention, wrestling it away from our worship of God, an idol of the mind has superseded the true and living God. We have ceased to worship God in spirit.

Just as Israel sacrificed the best of their animals in their worship, so we must bring our best into the place of worship. I wish I could say that I am never distracted in worship.  I wish I could say that my focus remains on God from start to finish and that my lips and heart are always in sync. I struggle to stay focused at times, and I have to do a lot of repenting.  How are you doing in worshipping God in spirit?  Do you ever mouth the words of a hymn thoughtlessly?  In corporate prayer, does your mind ever wander?  Do you hang on every word of the sermon, eager to receive some new insight into the Christian life?

Jesus mentioned a second element to the woman at the well. We must not only worship with utter sincerity of mind and heart, but our worship must also reflect truth. Why is Jesus Christ so central to our worship? Because He is the Truth incarnate.  He declared emphatically in John 14:6, “I am the truth.” True worship always focuses on the person and work of the Son.   To substitute something else is to sacrifice the Truth.  It is to claim that we will decide how to worship God rather than following His instructions. I had occasions when I conducted weddings and funerals where secular music was used instead of music designed to honor God. I have seen Christian groups incorporate Hindu, or Buddhist or Islamic elements into their worship.  Those who indulge in such practices are no doubt sincere and perhaps seek to be creative, but they are sacrificing truth. There is but One True God as we learn in the First Commandment, and that God must be worshiped with total sincerity and with a commitment to truth.

Whenever we encounter a negative commandment such as the Second, telling us what not to do, we must go deeper and say, “Okay, I do not worship idols. How does God want me to worship Him?” Jesus answer is “in spirit and in truth.”

Returning to the worship of images, a few additional clarifications are in order. As we study Israel’s history, we learn that there were tangible items that were a part of their worship. The Temple contained the Ark of the Covenant. On the Ark were representations of Cherubim. Once God asked them to make a bronze serpent and place it on top of a pole as a means of bringing healing to the people (Numbers 21:9). So also we use tangible items to aid in our worship. We have the cross on the communion table, Christian symbols are in our windows, the tangible elements used in the Lord’s Supper, and an artist’s rendition of Jesus in our sanctuary. Are these graven images? Not unless we worship them or see them as possessing magical powers.

We can see the difference between using visual representations as aides in worship and idolatry in the brazen serpent episode I mentioned from Numbers 21. While God told Israel to make the serpent, it had to be destroyed by King Hezekiah later on. We read in 2 Kings 18:4, “He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.” What God had given to Israel as a visible sign of healing was later turned into an object of worship. That was a violation of the Second Commandment.

The cross on our communion table reminds us of the crucifixion of our Savior. Suppose I were to suggest to you that after our worship service, you may come by and touch this gold cross, and those who do that will have the blessing and protection of Christ throughout the week?  That would be giving divine power to a bronze cross, treating it like a good luck charm.  It would be using the cross as a graven image.  It would be a clear violation of the 2^nd commandment. I will never make such a suggestion!

In the middle ages, some parishioners would take a piece of communion bread home with them as a good luck charm. That is why in some churches, the bread is placed directly into the mouth of the communicant by the priest or pastor. I assume none of you are smuggling extra communion bread into your pocket or purse as a good luck charm. Not only will such a practice not bring you good luck, but you also violate the second commandment. That is never a good idea!

All forms of superstition are violations of the Second Commandment. If you have a lucky coin, a rabbit’s foot, practice astrology, use an Ouija Board, consult a fortune teller, use Tarot cards, worry about black cats crossing your path or walking under an open ladder, the Second Commandment has been violated, assuming that such things are practiced seriously. I always read my Chinese Fortune Cookie, but I have no faith in them. I read them for fun.  The point is that we are to depend upon God for everything. If the day comes when I read a Fortune Cookie and act upon it, treating it as a true revelation, then I have lapsed into idolatry. If you are concerned about the future, trust God, not the local fortune teller. If you need specific guidance, trust God, not the stars. If you seek special blessings, look to God, not to a good luck charm. A black cat crossing your path will not bring bad luck, but believing it will bring bad luck is a form of idolatry.

A Christian who engages in magic and superstition is just as guilty as a pagan who bows before a stone image. (I don’t know about you, but this series on the Ten Commandments exposes a lot of significant flaws in my relationship with God, and there are eight more to go! I knew this would happen, although I prefer stepping on your toes rather than on my own!) 

Lest we all go home feeling defeated (if you take the Second Commandment seriously), or angry (if you have convinced yourself that you do keep the Second Commandment, so why does the preacher act like I don’t), let’s return to an issue I brought up in the first message in this series. The Ten Commandments are meant to crush us.  They are intended to shake us out of our complacency. The Law brings to our hearts an awareness of how sinful we are and reminds us that if all we have is the Law of God, we are doomed (Romans 3:20). No one, says Paul, is justified by the Law. Yet, the Law of God does reflect the mind and will of God, and so we must take the Law seriously. Once the Law has driven us to despair, we then turn to Christ for relief. Jesus came into the world for one purpose, and that is to redeem lawbreakers.  He knows that we do not keep either the First or the Second Commandments flawlessly and that God has every right to condemn us. Yet we learn in the Gospel that the worst lawbreakers can find forgiveness and enter into peace with God on one condition. They must repent of their sins and believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, our suffering Savior, the One who endured our punishment. Through faith in Jesus Christ, our burden is lifted.

Out of gratitude, we turn back to the Law and give it our best effort so that we may honor our Savior. While we understand that we are never free from guilt in our attempt to live by the Ten Commandments, yet we recognize their great value and ask God to help us to be ever more faithful. All the while, we cling to Jesus Christ with faith, knowing that we need Him as our Savior from our first day as a Christian until we breathe our last. We also have learned that since the God and Father of Jesus is the only God who exists, clearly those who strive to follow His Law will understand that the Law of God is intended to bless us.

God desires that we think of Him and appropriately worship Him.  He is the One who defines what is proper. The First Commandment calls upon us to recognize no God other than Jehovah, the Triune God revealed in Scripture.  The Second Commandment calls upon us to worship God properly, not with images and idols, but in spirit and truth. When we fail, God calls upon us to repent. If we violate His commands openly, carelessly, without repentance, we are in deep trouble.  If we treat God’s commands with indifference, such disobedience cannot coexist with saving faith in Jesus Christ. Sooner or later, we will have to make a choice: we will trust and obey Jesus, or we will turn away from Him and His commandments. Jesus said that we could not serve two masters. If He is Master, we seek to live by the Ten Commandments. If we prefer another Master, Jesus weeps, for we have made a choice that will lead us to eternal ruin.

As I closed last week’s sermon, I close again with the same words. I hope you take the 2^nd commandment seriously. I assure you God takes it seriously.

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THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, #5

Warsaw Christian Church,  (5/9/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Exodus 20:12; Eph. 6:1-3

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD.   Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Many people are concerned about the behavior of young people. One man complained, “Youth today have luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, no respect for older people, and talk nonsense when they should work. Young people do not stand up any longer when adults enter the room. They contradict their parents, talk too much in company … and tyrannize their elders.” Another complained that “young people today are utterly desolate and disorderly.” Grumbled another, “The youth today are rebellious, pleasure-seeking, and irresponsible. They have no respect for their elders.” Another unhappy adult wrote these words: “We live in a decadent age.  Young people no longer respect their parents.  They are rude and impatient. They drink too much alcohol and have no self-control.” Do you know who made those statements? The first came from Socrates, who lived 400 years before Christ!  The second came from Martin Luther in the 16^th century. The third complaint about youth came from the Greek philosopher Plato. The last one is an inscription on a 6000-year-old Egyptian tomb. It reminds us that every generation of young people has had issues with their parents.

I am taking the Ten Commandments out of order because the 5tth commandment seemed appropriate for Mother’s Day. I will return to the proper order next week.

Notice that the first four commandments have to do with God and our obligation to honor and worship Him. Suppose one were attempting to out-guess God (never a good idea!). In that case, one might make the following assumptions: Okay, first we honor God in the first four commandments, and I suppose the fifth commandment will have to do with honoring the government or those in authority. Or, perhaps now God will say that we should honor our spiritual leaders, priests, or ministers.  Of course, such guesses would be wrong. After we give the proper honor and respect to God, acknowledging the God of the Ten Commandments as the only God who exists, and giving due attention to how He is to be worshipped, we are instructed to honor our parents. What is going on here?  Why do parents follow God in this hierarchy of authorities?

The answer is not complicated. Where do you first learn about the first four commandments? Hopefully, at home from your parents. That is the ideal even though many parents fail to perform their spiritual duty. God plans that children first learn of Him through their parents. If we do not honor our parents, we will not very likely honor the God revealed in the first four commandments.

I have heard parents say, “I am not going to teach my children about Jesus. I want them to make up their own mind about religion.” I hope none of our active parents have that attitude. If Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, why would we refrain from teaching our children this vital information?  Hopefully, you will not follow that policy concerning the law of gravity.  Learning about gravity on your own can be a fatal experience.

The Hebrew word translated “honor” is interesting.  Literally, the word means “heavy.” We honor our parents by giving them weight in our lives.  We honor them by giving them weight and authority right beneath that honor which we owe to God. To honor someone is to weigh them down with respect.  We still carry this idea in our language. We speak of taking someone “lightly.” That is, we do not give much weight to what they say.  We do not honor them.   God has given great honor to the role of parenthood, and we are to give weight to the role played by fathers and mothers. We are not to take Mom and Dad lightly.

If you ask, “Why should I honor my parents,” the obvious answer is simple: BECAUSE GOD COMMANDS IT. More than one mother has said to a child resisting her, “Do it because I say so, and I am the Mom!” God says to us, “Honor your parents because I say so, and I am God.”

There is another practical reason why we should obey the Fifth Commandment. The idea of living long in the land was more than an individual promise for long life.  It was a communal promise given to Israel that their survival as a nation depended upon strong families. Godly parents who raise godly children equals a strong society.  When parental authority breaks down, respect for other authorities follows, as does a lack of respect for God’s commands. When deference for authority breaks down, society collapses. The Book of Judges ends with the phrase, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” It is a picture of a society where respect for authority has broken down. When everyone decides for himself what is right, it is a prescription for disaster. I sometimes wonder if our society is heading toward the situation where everyone does what is right in his own eyes.  All the recent riots in our larger cities are a cause for concern. When crowds rule and police are despised, respect for authority is gone, and chaos ensues.

When children honor the authority of their parents, they are much more likely to honor the authority of teachers, police, government leaders, and others who play a significant role in creating a strong society. Respect for authority begins at home, and when respect for authority is absent in the home, it will also be missing in society at large.

Honoring your parents is a lifelong obligation. Even when we grow up and have our own families, we are to honor our parents as they grow older. One of Grimm’s fairy tales tells of an older man who lived with his son, the son’s wife, and the young couple’s four-year-old boy. The older man’s eyes blinked, and his hands shook. When he ate, the silverware rattled against the plate, and he often missed his mouth. Then the food would dribble onto the tablecloth. This upset the young mother because she didn’t want to have to deal with the extra mess and hassle of taking care of the old man. But he had nowhere else to live. So the young parents decided to move him away from the table, into a corner, where he could sit on a stool and eat from a bowl. And so he did, always looking at the table and wanting to be with his family but having to sit alone in the corner. One day his hands trembled more than usual; he dropped his bowl and broke it. “If you are a pig,” they said, “then you must eat out of a trough.” So they made the old man a wooden trough and put his meals in it. Not long after, the couple came upon their four-year-old son playing with some scraps of wood. His father asked him what he was doing. The little boy looked up, smiled, and said, “I’m making a trough to feed you and Mamma out of when I get big.” The next day the old man was back at the table eating with the family from a plate, and no one ever scolded him or mistreated him again.      

Okay, it is time to tackle the tricky question that may be on your mind. Some of you had good and decent parents who loved you and taught you to love God. Others of you may have had parents who abandoned you or who were mean and abusive. Most of us had parents who were somewhere between these two extremes. Any of you who listen to Joyce Meyer know that her own father sexually abused her. By the grace of God, she has learned to forgive.  How can we be expected to honor parents who failed badly in their parental duties?  Some of you had parents who failed you in important ways. How can we give them honor? For one thing, we can try to bear in mind that even the worst parents probably had some good qualities we can honor.  We can also honor our parents by forgiving the mistakes they made. Most of us who are parents, myself included, can think back and remember mistakes we made with our children. We hope and pray that our kids will rise above our failures, and we hope and pray that they will forgive us. When Joan was dying, one of her prayers was that our children would forgive her for the mistakes she made. I have had to voice the same prayer.

Forgiveness is at the heart of the message of Jesus. God has forgiven us in the Person and Work of Jesus, and we are commanded to forgive others, including and perhaps especially our parents. If you are presently raising children, your love and forgiveness for your parents can send a powerful message to your children. Remember the story from Grimm? 

Sometimes to honor your father and mother means to honor the ideal that God intended for parents. Just as we respect the office of the President or Governor even when we do not agree with some of the officeholder’s policies, we can learn to honor the office of parenthood.

I must add that “honor” does not always mean “obey.” Children are to obey their parents in general, but not in matters where the parents are clearly violating the law of God.  God is our highest and ultimate authority, and we have no obligation to obey any authority, parental or otherwise, if obedience leads to sinful behavior.  I have heard of parents who taught their children to steal or encouraged their daughters to earn money through prostitution. Some parents fail to grasp that children are a gift from God and that parents are to honor God in raising their children.  If you want your children to honor you, it helps when parents act in an honorable way. 

The best example in Scripture of how to handle dysfunctional parents comes from the story of two best friends—David and Jonathan. Consider their story: David and Jonathan were spiritual brothers, bound together early in life on the battlefield against the Philistines. But they had more significant problems than the Philistines. Jonathan’s father, King Saul, was an angry, insecure, unpredictable man. During one battle, Saul swore to curse any soldier who ate anything before he avenged his enemies. Jonathan didn’t hear his father’s oath, and he ate some honey. When Saul heard of it, he said to his son, “You shall surely die!” The other soldiers intervened to save Jonathan’s life, but that shows the kind of man Saul was—he’d kill his son over a mouthful of food.

Here is the bottom line. God wants children trained to obey Him in all things when they reach adulthood.  They will recognize Him as the absolute authority. As children honor their parents who have trained them to honor God, it is a simple step to transfer our obedience from parents to God and repeat the process in the next generation. Once this chain of honor and respect is broken, trouble is the predictable consequence. 

Sometimes you find spiritual lessons in the comics. Most of you are familiar with the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip. Well, one Mother’s Day, Calvin is pictured standing by his mother’s bed. “Hey, Mom! Wake up. I made you a Mother’s Day card.” “My, how sweet of you.” she says. “I did it all by myself. Go ahead & read it.”  She begins to read: “I was going to buy a card with hearts of pink and red.  But then I thought I’d rather spend the money on me instead. It’s awfully hard to buy things when one’s allowance is so small. So I guess you’re pretty lucky I got you anything at all.  Happy Mother’s Day. There, I’ve said it. Now I’m done.  So how about getting out of bed & fixing breakfast for your son.” Signed, “Calvin.” “I’m deeply moved.” said his mother. “Did you notice the part about my allowance?” He asks. That is not the best way to honor one’s mother!

Finally, I must emphasize again none of us will ever obey the 5th commandment perfectly. Our efforts may be more like those of Calvin, full of self-serving thoughts.  For Christian parents, however, it remains the high goal towards which we aim. But having done our best, we who are parents must turn to Jesus regularly and receive His forgiveness. By this example, we encourage our children to also turn to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Jesus alone kept the 5th commandment perfectly, honoring both His heavenly Father and His earthly father and mother. As we cling to Jesus by faith, and as we teach His love and grace to our children, we have honored the heart of the 5th commandment.

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NO OTHER GODS, # 1

Warsaw Christian Church, (5/2/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Deuteronomy. 5:7; 6:4, 5 – You shall have no other gods before me.  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Hillbilly version: There ain’t but one God.)

Several years ago, the Barna organization polled Americans, asking questions about the Ten Commandments. In the poll, 75% claimed they were “completely true to the first commandment.” I suspect these folks had not thought very deeply about the meaning of the First Commandment. I have yet to meet a person who is “completely true to the first commandment.” 

Let me begin with a brief review from two weeks ago. Remember that while we are not saved through keeping the Ten Commandments, they continue to serve as an essential guide for Christian living. We seek to live by the First Commandment as a way of giving honor and glory to the God who redeemed us through His Son.   One error that many make is to take the grace of God for granted.  German pastor Dietrich Bonheoffer, called it “cheap grace.” It is easy to think that since I am saved and forgiven by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, I don’t need to take the Ten Commandments seriously.  I fear that anyone thinking in this way has never really trusted in Jesus Christ and been born again. The prophet Jeremiah told of a coming new covenant, and one of the marks of that covenant was that God would write His Law on the hearts of His people (see Jeremiah 31:31-33). If the Law of God has been written in your heart by the Holy Spirit, you will love that Law and desire to keep it.  The basic principle to keep in mind is this: No one can violate the Law of God with impunity.   If you disobey God’s Law and have not been redeemed by Jesus Christ, the punishment is eternal damnation (I hate to speak those words, but Scripture compels me). Those redeemed by Christ who violate God’s Law will face divine discipline until they humble themselves through repentance.

The First Commandment is the foundation of God’s Law. It is of first importance that we are in harmony with the one true God.  If we are wrong about God, we will be wrong about everything.  It’s like if you button the wrong button at the top of your shirt, every other button is thrown off. If we don’t get this first commandment right, all the rest of life is out of sync. There is no true happiness apart from God, for He is the Fountain of all joy. Those who place earthly joy above God break the First Commandment and end up in misery and tragedy.

The First Commandment is initially stated negatively, but the Deuteronomy 6 text says it in a positive way. Jesus seemed to prefer the First Commandment’s positive expression, loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  He expressed it as the first and great Commandment (Matthew 22:37,38). Negatively, we are to recognize no gods except Jehovah, the God revealed to us in Scripture. On the positive side, we are to love God totally and completely.

The sin against this Commandment that we are most in danger of is giving the glory and honor to any creature due to God only. Pride makes a god of self, covetousness makes a god of money, sensuality makes a god of the sex or food; whatever is esteemed or loved, feared or served, delighted in or depended on, more than God (whatever it is) we do in effect make into a god. This prohibition includes a precept that is the foundation of the whole law. We take the Lord for our God, acknowledge that he is God, adore him with admiration and humble reverence, and set our affections entirely upon him. 

I suspect those who participated in the Barna poll thought that since they were not worshipping idols or acknowledging the reality of any “god” other than Jehovah, they were keeping the first Commandment. However, when we realize that the Commandment requires that our lives be characterized by a love for God that embraces all our heart, soul, and strength, who among us can claim total obedience?

Before looking at some of the First Commandment implications, I want to point out how the Ten Commandments begin. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). God saved Israel from Egyptian bondage, not because they merited His favor.  He saved them out of His love and mercy, the same way He saves us under the New Covenant. The Old Testament, like the New, teaches salvation by grace. God’s word to Israel is not, “Keep my commandments, and I will save you.” He says in effect, I have already saved you, and as a further sign of my love, I give you my Law so that you may live in harmony with Me.

When God redeems a people and blesses them with His Law, the redeemed have a great responsibility to be examples to the world. God’s “reputation” in the world rides on the shoulders of His people. If the redeemed are faithful, loving, forgiving, obedient children, the world is drawn to our God and our Savior. When God’s people are unfaithful, the unbelieving world sneers at us and rejects our God. When Israel turned away from God and openly violated His commandments, Isaiah declared, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (Isaiah 52:5).  The God of Israel was despised and ridiculed because of the behavior of Israel. Israel possessed the Ten Commandments, and in theory, they affirmed no “god” but Jehovah. In theory, they embraced the First Commandment.  But as we read the Old Testament, we read how again and again Israel turned to other “gods,” openly violating the First Commandment. Israel’s neighbors refused to take Jehovah seriously.  Why should they when Israel trampled His Law underfoot? 

Today, the Church of Jesus Christ exists in significant numbers all across America. The Warsaw Christian Church is to set an example in this community, demonstrating in our words and deeds that we honor and serve but One God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This church is to be a place where love and truth are to flow out into our community like a mighty river.  Our obedience to God’s Law is to be so noticeable that the community marvels at our faithfulness. And when they ask, “How is it that you are such loving and faithful people,” we answer, “Because Jesus has redeemed us, and now we live to honor His name.” 

Where do we begin in the holy task of bringing honor to the God we affirm? We begin with the First Commandment. Out of love and respect for Jesus, our Savior, we turn away from all false gods, all false religions, and we honor only the Triune God of the Bible, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Celebrating the One True God is the foundation of all moral Law.  It is the foundation of a just and peaceful society. There is, after all, only One God, and only His Law will work effectively in this life. The ultimate responsibility for every individual and every nation is to submit to the authority of Jehovah, the only God who has the quality of existence. When we dishonor the First Commandment, the other nine will soon fall by the wayside.  

In the 1^st Commandment, God is saying: “I don’t want only to be number one on your list. I want to be the One thing at the center of it all. I want to be the hub of the wheel that holds every spoke of your life together. I want to be your ultimate concern. I want to be your singular passion. I don’t want anything to rival the place that I have in your life. There can be nothing in your life that compares with me.”

Many people wonder, “What is wrong with society today?” Some say we need to change society through the right politics. Karl Marx thought society could be transformed by changing the economic system. There are politicians in our country today who are wanting to push us in that direction. Some believe education will solve the problems of crime and rebellion. Some argue that perhaps a new religion is an answer.  I would suggest that before we turn to a new religion, we should try the old one. Few seem to realize the source of society’s problems.  We live in a world that tramples underfoot the First Commandment.  American culture is becoming increasingly secularized. As more and more Americans turn away from the First Commandment seeking to create a secular society, we need to brace ourselves, for, in due time, the judgment of God will fall.  I hope and pray there are enough Christians in this land who honor the 1^st Commandment that God will withhold His judgment. 

Why should God hold first place in our minds and hearts? First of all, he deserves it. Notice the first few words of Exodus 29:6: “I am the Lord.” Don’t pass over that. That’s a statement about who God is. God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush as “I am who I am.” In other words: I am the self-existing God. I am the sovereign ruler of the universe. I made it all. I sustain it all. I control it all. I’m not limited by time. I am the great I AM. Therefore, I must have first place in your heart and life. 

But here is an even greater reason to grant to God our highest honor. Not only is He a sovereign God.  He is also a personal God. That is why he says, “I am the Lord your God.” When he says “your God,” he uses the singular. He’s talking to individual people—to you personally. He’s not a God who exists out in the recesses of the universe and has no time for or interest in you. He’s not a distant, unapproachable king. He’s a personal God. He knows you, and he wants to be known by you. To fail to give God first place in your heart and life is an egregious violation of the First Commandment. How do we demonstrate faithfulness to the First Commandment?  Let me make a few suggestions which I believe are rooted in Scripture. 

First and foremost, we honor the First Commandment when Jesus Christ rules our hearts and lives.  We do have other matters to attend to in life, such as work, family, friends, recreation, and other organizations, all of which are legitimate interests for a Christian. But when these legitimate pursuits crowd Jesus out, we are violating the First Commandment. Jesus Christ, Son of God, came down from heaven for us and our salvation. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. He was crucified, dead, and buried.  All of this took place to redeem us. How could we ever allow anything to take precedence over Him?  One has to suspect that many who claim the title of “Christian” are giving lip service only, while their hearts are far from God.  Do you believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed you from an eternity in Hell?  If you do, how can you not grant unto Him first place in your heart? 

The First Commandment obligates us to openly confess our faith in Jesus and live out that faith. If our lives are so busy that we have no time for Jesus, we violate the First Commandment.  If He occupies a secondary place in our lives, we break the 1^st Commandment. If we are afraid to openly acknowledge our faith in Jesus because we fear what others will think, are we not declaring that those we fear are more important to us than Jesus? Is that not a violation of the First Commandment?  You are keeping the First Commandment to the extent that service unto Jesus is your highest priority. 

May I speak personally? I enjoy several social activities. I like to play chess and Words with Friends; I enjoy a good movie; I have several favorite sports teams I follow; I enjoy traveling to new and different places.  Am I wrong to engage in these activities? If they interfere with my service to Jesus, yes, because I am violating the First Commandment. They have become more important to me than God. If I can receive these activities as blessings Jesus has brought into my life, and if I thank Him for these blessings, He remains at the center where He belongs. However, I must confess that this is often a struggle for me.  I cannot say that my focus on Jesus is always what it should be.  When we realize that is the case, God calls us to confess it as sin, repent, and ask for grace. If we do not confess and repent, divine chastisement will come. I suspect you are like me in that you allow your personal interests sometimes to overshadow your relationship with Jesus Christ.  If you will admit before God that you are violating the First Commandment, and if there is true repentance in your heart, there is forgiveness for us through the blood of Jesus. If, however, we act as if our violations of the First Commandment are trivial, prepare to face God’s unpleasant discipline. One of the first questions we should ask when things don’t seem to be going well for us is this: Have I in some way violated the First Commandment? Am I under the chastisement of my loving heavenly Father? 

There is another way we show our regard for the First Commandment. If we are to love God supremely, in addition to giving Jesus Christ the highest honor in our lives, we also relate to the church of Jesus Christ with the highest respect. God has ordained the Church of Jesus Christ as the earthly institution through which He pours out His blessings upon His people and the world. How anyone can turn their back on the church entirely and claim to be honoring the First Commandment is beyond me. Even those who cannot attend because of work hours or sickness can support the church with their prayers and gifts. We cannot claim to love God supremely when we are half-hearted or lukewarm in our church involvement. 

How are you doing with the First Commandment? Does God receive your adoration? He wants to be the One who captures your heart, the One you cannot get enough of, the One you love to talk about with others. Does God receive your trust?  He wants to be the One you depend on for everything, the One who gives you a deep sense of security because you know you can count on Him for everything, from your eternal salvation to your daily bread. Is God your primary resource in life?  He wants to be the One you turn to in times of need, the One you run to when you’re in trouble. He wants to be the One you seek when you need forgiveness. He wants to be the One you turn to when you need wisdom. He wants to be the One you desire when you need encouragement. He longs to hear prayers of gratitude coming from your lips and heart.  He wants to be the One you thank when your table is full—when your heart overflows with an abundance of hope and joy.

How are you doing on the First Commandment? I hope you will take it seriously.  I assure you that God takes it very seriously.  Let us pray…..

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INTRODUCTION TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Warsaw Christian Church, (4/18/21)  Richard Bowman, Pastor

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20

Today we are revisiting a series of sermons based on the Ten Commandments.  I last spoke on this topic in 2013, so it seemed like it was time to take another look at God’s Law. The Ten Commandments are familiar to just about everybody. Well, sort of. I heard about a class of first graders who were learning the Ten Commandments, and they got to, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Of course, the teacher was worried he would have to explain what adultery meant. But then a seven-year-old raised her hand and asked, “What does ‘commit’ mean?” 

Sometimes we know all too well what the commandments mean. Like one little girl in a third-grade Sunday School class. Her teacher was giving a lesson on the Commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” The teacher asked, “Now does anyone know a commandment for brothers and sisters?” One little girl raised her hand and said, “Thou shalt not kill.” 

Before we get into the content of God’s Law, I wish to share some introductory comments. Serious thinking about our Christian faith can be tedious and boring, but there are times when serious thought is essential. Christians must understand the difference between the Law of God and the Gospel of God. When Law and Gospel are confused in our minds, the results can be spiritually disastrous.  God speaks to us in the Law, and He speaks to us in the Gospel, but the two messages are very different and must not be confused. 

The main distinction can be stated very simply; it is the Gospel that saves us, not the Law. The New Testament teaches clearly and repeatedly that our salvation comes to us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God graciously and freely forgives our sins in and through the sufferings of Jesus, the Messiah, and all who sincerely trust in Him enter into the kingdom of God. This offer of salvation is offered universally to the human race.  Whosoever will may come.  Salvation is received by faith alone (See Ephesians 2:8, 9), and all who persevere in faith unto the end will receive heavenly citizenship upon their death. 

Okay, I trust in Jesus as my Savior.  I am a person of faith.  What are we supposed to do with the numerous laws and commandments revealed in Scripture?  If I have faith in Jesus, can I forget about all those “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots?” May I drop the 1000 or so biblical commandments and live as I please as long as I have faith?  I hope to convince you that we need both the Gospel of God and the Law of God even though they serve very different purposes. 

There is a right way and a wrong way to view the Law of God. One wrong way is to think that Law-keeping contributes to salvation.  It does not, and the very notion that it does is an insult to the Savior. He alone achieved our salvation. To believe that our feeble and fallible efforts to keep the Ten Commandments somehow contribute to our standing before God is to belittle the sufferings of our Savior.  Another misuse of the Law is to discard it altogether. In our Scripture reading, Jesus does not seem to think that discarding the Law is a good idea. He said that the Law would not pass away as long as heaven and earth endure.  Again, the Law of God does not contribute anything to our salvation.  How could it since we do not keep the Law perfectly?  As we shall see, there is not a person in this sanctuary who has not broken every one of the Ten Commandments. Well then, what are we to do with the Ten Commandments and the other laws written in Scripture? 

Every person who has found redemption through Christ is grateful to God beyond words, and from time to time, asks, “How can I now live my life as a forgiven person in a way that will bring honor and glory to God?” If that idea is not in your heart, you probably need to ask yourself if you do trust in Jesus Christ. True Christians want to please God. It is one of the inevitable consequences that flow from salvation. 

The question, “How may I, a sinner redeemed freely by Christ and through faith, please God?” can be answered very simply: we please God through keeping His Law. Our failure to keep the commandments of God led to our damnation.  Jesus Christ has set us free.  Now we turn back to the Law, which damned us, and we receive it with gratitude and use it to live a life pleasing to God. The redeemed delight in the Law of God, not as a means to earn God’s favor (which we already have in Christ), but as a means of living a life that is pleasing to God. 

Before we proceed, we do need to observe some further distinctions and definitions. In Scripture, there are different kinds of laws. Some apply to us, and some do not. Again, we must try to grasp this critical distinction. First of all, many of the laws found in Scripture are moral. Such laws are valid in every age and generation. The moral Law teaches, for example, that adultery is a sin. It will always be a sin. Stealing is a sin and will always be a sin. Lying is a sin and will always be a sin. God’s moral Law does not change. Once God declares a certain behavior to be wrong, such behavior is always wrong.  He does not declare that idolatry is wrong in one generation and then, later on, permits it. Violating God’s moral Law will lead to damnation for those not under the blood of Jesus, and it will lead to divine chastisement for those in Christ. There is no way any of us can find happiness and contentment in this life by violating God’s moral Law. Thus, as we read the Old Testament laws and the New, when we are confronted with moral Law, we are under obligation to obey. 

But you said heaven was a free gift, so what difference does it make if we fail to keep God’s Law? There is another distinction we need to grasp. In the divine economy, there are two kinds of blessings: heavenly and earthly.  The heavenly blessing is granted freely through faith in Jesus Christ. Earthly blessings are tied to the Law of God. If you want God to bless your earthly life, you need to keep His commandments.  

We also need to understand the difference between the types of laws we find in Scripture. One type of Law is religious or ceremonial. These laws had to do with how Israel was to worship under the Old Covenant. The entire animal sacrificial system falls under this category. The various Jewish holidays, such as Yom Kippur, also fall under the category of Jewish worship. Jewish worship laws are done away with in Christ. The sacrificial laws, the Jewish Temple, the holidays – – – all pointed to Christ, and once He came, they no longer need to be followed in a strict, literal sense. However, they do continue to have significance.  The sacrificial laws, when studied, underscore the principle that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. They also give us insights into the meaning of the death and ministry of Jesus, as do the Jewish holidays.  We see this very clearly in the Jewish feast of the Passover, which is full of divine instruction concerning the meaning of the death of Jesus. Thus, religious and ceremonial laws from the Old Testament are not to be followed literally, but we are to study them to learn how they shed light on the ministry of Christ. 

The Old Testament also contains what we would call civil Law. Israel was a theocratic state, directly ruled by Jehovah, at least in theory. Much Old Testament law has to do with crime and punishment. There is no Jewish or Christian theocratic state in the world today, and so the civil laws of Israel do not apply directly to us. However, many of the civil laws contain an abiding moral principle that is relevant for today. What do I mean? Let’s look at an example. 

We are commanded in Deuteronomy 25:4 not to muzzle an ox while he is treading out the grain. No one in this country uses oxen to work with the grain. That particular Law has no direct application to our society. However, it contains a principle that does pertain to us. The principle is this: if you are working with an animal or even have hired a person to help you with a task, you must meet particular needs. If you use an animal for some kind of work, you must feed it. If you ask a person to help you with a task, you should offer to reimburse them. Paul used this verse in Deuteronomy to say that the church should pay the preacher (1 Cor. 9:9). So, if you fail to pay me, you violate the spirit of Deuteronomy 25:4!  Jackie Barb takes good care of me and makes sure that never happens!

In Deuteronomy 12:1ff, God tells Israel to destroy all the Promised Land inhabitants’ places of worship. They are commanded to “break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire . . . You must not worship the Lord your God in their way” (Deut. 12:3,4a).  One dare not apply this literally to today and go about burning down all mosques or houses of worship which are not Christian. But again, there is an abiding principle.  We are to worship God in the manner prescribed by Him. We are to worship God through Jesus Christ and in harmony with biblical principles.  We cannot worship our God using Moslem worship guidelines, for example, because the God of Islam is not the Father of Jesus Christ. We must strive to relate to God and worship Him in the manner He has revealed.  That is an abiding principle, even though we do not literally destroy the houses of worship of those who hold to other religions. 

Yet another category of Law consists of “case laws.” Case laws are expansions of general laws, telling how to apply the general Law to a specific case. In the Ten Commandments, there is the general Law, “Thou shalt not kill.” We find a case law expanding on this in Deuteronomy 22:8, “Whenever you build a new house, put a railing around the edge of the roof. Then you won’t be responsible for a death at your home if someone falls off the roof.” I doubt that any of you have a railing around the roof of your house.  We don’t normally build houses with flat roofs, nor do we entertain guests on our roofs. Literally, this case law does not apply to us, but again, there is an abiding principle. The abiding principle for us is to do all we can to make our property safe. We recently repaired some broken sidewalks. If we had left it alone and someone tripped and broke their neck, we violated the 6th Commandment.

On the other hand, Jewish case law clarifies that the 6th Commandment does not pertain to warfare or capital punishment. Israel was allowed to conduct war under the guidance of God, and the case laws of Israel listed numerous crimes punishable by death. Many today try to use the 6th Commandment to prohibit capital punishment, but to do so is a distortion resulting from the failure to take note of Jewish case law. More on that when we come to the 6th Commandment in this series. 

As we work our way through the Ten Commandments, it will be important to keep these distinctions in mind.  Our focus will be on the moral Law because of its unchanging character. We need to fix it in our minds that all who violate God’s moral Law cannot escape the judgment of God. Just as we cannot violate certain natural laws such as gravity without suffering the consequences, neither can we violate God’s moral Law without paying the price. Human beings face two possibilities when they violate God’s moral Law: First, all who violate God’s moral Law will suffer eternal damnation unless they have embraced God’s remedy for lawbreakers, even Jesus Christ the Savior. The second possibility is this. If the redeemed of Christ violate God’s moral Law and fail to repent, divine chastisement will be the consequence.  Earthly blessing will be canceled. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us for Jesus’ sake. 

God is not like a doting grandfather who may decide to overlook the sins of his little darlings completely. God is like a fair and just judge.  He will never allow the guilty to go unpunished.  But because Jesus Christ has taken upon Himself the judgment for the sins of the world, all who trust in Him with repentance and faith are forgiven. 

As we work our way through the Ten Commandments, I will be expanding on these introductory themes. In two weeks, we will examine the first Commandment and learn that we all stand guilty before God for our blatant and repeated failure to keep that Commandment. 

Frankly, at one level, the Law of God scares me to death. It frightens me because I am a lawbreaker, and I am gathered here this morning with fellow lawbreakers. The Law scares me so much it drives me to Christ, where alone I find peace with God, pardon, and divine love. One of the Law’s main purposes is to help us see how sinful we are so we will turn to Jesus Christ for salvation. Paul put it like this: Therefore the Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor (Gal. 3:24,25). Once the Law has driven us to Christ, it has served its function as our “tutor.” We no longer took to the Law of God as a means of salvation or as contributing to our salvation in any way. The Law of God has a purpose, as we have seen, but it has no part in our salvation.  That honor belongs to Jesus alone.  As we study the Law of God together, may we all be driven deeper and deeper into faith in Jesus Christ.  You do not want to face the Law of God on judgment day without Christ serving as your mediator. 

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GOD’S AMAZING GRACE

Warsaw Christian Church (April 11, 2021 )  Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 John 5:9-12: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. ¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

John says it as plainly as possible, so we will not misunderstand: God has given us eternal life. That life is inseparably connected to His Son, Jesus, the Messiah. Those who possess the Son possess eternal life. Those who do not possess the Son, whatever else they may have in their favor, do not have eternal life. Let’s take a closer look at these critical words. 

“Life” – – – we all enjoy the gift of life. When God created mankind in His image, He pronounced it “good.” To be sure, sin has clouded the picture, but most of us can probably agree that life is basically good. We try to avoid sickness and death as long as we can.  Even Scripture regards death as “the last enemy” (1 Cor. 15:26). So what is so good about life? I could give you a long list. I consider relationships with family as good — not problem-free but good. Eating a tasty meal with friends is good. Reading an interesting book is good. Watching an entertaining TV show or movie is good. Being in church with Christian friends is good. Being able to help others through acts of kindness is good. A hot fudge sundae with nuts and whipped cream is good if I remember right.  I haven’t seen one since Weight Watchers.  I could go on and on, but you get the idea.  Life is full of good things. Despite all the negatives that bombard us, most of us would agree that life is good. And where does life come from?  It is a gift from God. 

The biggest problem we all face is this. Life is basically good, but we have mucked it up so badly that we have angered our creator. Sin has alienated us from God.  Everyone one of us, at one time, stood under the just condemnation of our holy God. He warned our first parents that disobedience would lead to death, but they succumbed to temptation. Paul put it clearly when he said, “The wages of sin is death.” God’s destroying of the world in the days of Noah leads us to one conclusion.  God is not happy when we disobey Him. The Second Coming of Jesus and the accompanying judgment upon unbelievers in the lake of fire tells us that God does not pat the disobedient on the head and say, “It’s okay. Boys will be boys.” Scripture reveals a God who will either forgive you or cast you into hell. There is no third choice. How do we get on God’s good side? I have seen a commercial on TV repeated several times. It asks if you know for sure you are going to heaven and affirms that we can know with certainty. I do not know anything about the group putting on those commercials, but I agree with their conclusion: you can know for sure if you are going to heaven. 

Our text tells us that not only does God give life, He also gives eternal life. Note the word “given” in our text.  God has given us eternal life.  At present, we are mortal.  The life we have from God will come to an end unless we have received the gift of eternal life. Now, if you don’t like the idea of receiving eternal life as a gift, you can earn eternal life. All you have to do is live a perfect life and never sin. Anyone here live up to that standard? I believe we all understand that we had better receive it as a gift if we are to possess eternal life. 

What is eternal life? We do know that we shall enjoy being in the presence of God and all the redeemed forever. That enjoyment will never end.  There will be no dark days, just joy unspeakable and full of glory forever and ever. I love these words from the Apostle Peter.   ^“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5). We have a new birth, a living hope, an inheritance that can never perish, and through faith, God’s power shields us until that day when we receive salvation in its final, eternal form. As long as faith is alive in us, faith in God and in His Son Jesus, we have the assurance that our final destiny is heaven. 

All life is a gift from God, but especially eternal life. It is a gift that can perplex us.  We know we don’t deserve such a blessing.  What would motivate God to give such a gift to those who had rebelled against His authority? The only motive I can think of is God’s unbounded compassion, mercy, and love. God’s grace is truly amazing. He would be perfectly just to lock us up forever in hell and throw away the key. However, our text reveals a different plan. 

Eternal life resides in God’s Son. Those who have the Son have that life. How does one come to possess the Son? Does anyone here know the answer? I hope the word “faith” comes to mind. You possess the Son by faith. Paul said elsewhere that Christ dwells in our hearts by faith (Ephesians 3:17). If Christ lives in your heart, then you possess the Son. Eternal life is in Christ, and it is grounded in His cross. Jesus Christ obtained this blessing for us at Calvary. “He died for our sins…” (1 Cor. 15:3).  At the Last Supper, Jesus declared, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). In the Book of Hebrews, we read these great words: Because Christ offered himself to God, he is able to bring a new promise from God. Through his death he paid the price to set people free from the sins they committed under the first promise. He did this so that those who are called can be guaranteed an inheritance that will last forever.  “ (Hebrews 9:15, GW).

Eternal life resides in the Son of God. The reason He came was to grant this life to the world. He who has the Son has this life, eternal life. He also adds the point that causes so many to stumble. Those who do not possess the Son do not have eternal life. We live in a world where it is commonly assumed that all religions lead to God. The worst insults I have ever received came about during my years with Disciple Heritage Fellowship. When I and those with me stood up and proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, I was called a narrow-minded bigot; one pastor sent me a letter saying I was mentally ill. The worst insults I have ever received came not from those outside the church but from pastors. 

Some people do not understand how God could limit His salvation to one person, Jesus the Christ. One person, I recall, declared that she could not believe in a God who rejected people simply because they had no faith in Jesus. She referred to such a God as a “monster.” I recall attending a seminar years ago at Phillips University (I probably told this story before).  One of the main speakers was praising all the world religions’ virtues, declaring them all to be a pathway to God. God is known in Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, etc. I went up to him afterward and asked, “Do you realize that Nazism was basically a religion? School children prayed to Hitler. “Adolf Hitler, you are our great Führer. Thy name makes the enemy tremble. Thy Third Reich comes, thy will alone is law upon the earth. Let us hear daily thy voice and order us by thy leadership, for we will obey to the end and even with our lives. We praise thee! Heil Hitler!”

Nazism was laced through with occult religious ideas and ancient Germanic mythology. I asked the speaker, “Is Nazism a valid path to God?” He replied, “Well, to be consistent, I would have to say Yes.” I was dumbfounded.  I thought, “If your theology compels you to affirm the validity of Nazism, you really need to find a new theology.” I probably was too shocked to say anything. 

Yes, it offends the world and the world religions to declare that if you do not have the Son, you do not have eternal life. Maybe John was wrong to state it so strongly, but He was only repeating what Jesus had said, “No one comes to the Father except by me.” I do not understand how anyone can say, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and then deny His clear teaching that He alone can save. 

Our text refers to the record that God has given us.  The record God has given to us is contained in the God-breathed book we call “The Bible.” In both the Old and New Testaments, we encounter Jesus Christ. The Bible points to Jesus and declares to the world that all who believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Those who do not believe in Him will perish and forfeit eternal life. That is the consistent teaching of Jesus and His apostles, recorded in Scripture. 

One final point. By faith, we receive the Son of God. Several weeks ago, I reminded you that faith has two dimensions. Faith says, “I believe Jesus is my Savior,” and, “I believe Jesus is my Lord.”  Faith says, “I believe Jesus is my Savior who died for me and through His death, my sins are forgiven,” Faith also says, “I believe Jesus is my Lord whose commands I will obey.”  True faith strives to obey Jesus, and when we fail, there is confession and repentance. True faith never says, “I trust Jesus to forgive me, but I shall live as I please.” 

John warns us in our text that if we reject God’s testimony, we are calling God a liar. Remember these words? ¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar… You never want to call God a liar! Let us value and reverence God’s record. Let us read it with diligence. Let us believe in the Savior revealed in its pages.  Let us receive the gift of eternal life He offers.  Let us say “Yes” to God’s amazing grace by trusting in Jesus as our Savior AND OUR LORD. When true faith is present, “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans  8:16). God gives us the witness within ourselves when our faith is genuine. Do you have that internal witness that you are a child of God? 

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WHAT IF IT NEVER HAPPENED?

Warsaw Christian Church, (Easter, 2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. ¹⁶ For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁷ And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ¹⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. ²⁰ But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

This morning we celebrate Easter, a year late. This is Easter Sunday, Part 2. The Coronavirus caused this delay. This is the sermon I intended to preach a year ago. 

Anyone who has reflected seriously about the Christian message has had moments when the thought arises; is it true? When I was in seminary, one of the theologians we studied was Rudolph Bultmann. One of his major works was entitled, Religion Without Myth. Bultmann believed that the New Testament story of Jesus was told in mythical terms. He believed we could not take literally the fantastic miracle stories we find in the New Testament, especially the resurrection. Once we remove all the mythical stuff (Bultmann referred to the miracles as “husk”) we have the kernel of what Jesus was all about. Now there are complexities here in Bultmann’s theology we cannot explore. I believe Bultmann meant well. He thought that modern man could not accept the New Testament at face value.  His goal was to make Christianity more palatable to 20^th-century man. One quote will give you a taste of what Bultmann believed. He wrote, “What a primitive mythology it is that a divine being should become incarnate, and atone for the sins of men through his blood” (Kerygma and Myth, p. 7). Did you get that? The incarnation and atonement of Jesus are dismissed as myths. They never happened. All I can tell you is that this approach to Christianity ruined me spiritually for a time. I took Bultmann and others like him seriously and rejected the incarnation, the atonement, and all the Bible’s miracles, including the resurrection. I believed the New Testament was mostly mythology, not history — fiction, not fact. 

God’s Word in 1 Corinthians 15 approaches the resurrection as not only a historical event but the ultimate vindication of the ministry of Jesus. Paul spells out for us the implications of refusing to believe in the resurrection as history. If the resurrection never really happened, we will be looking at the conclusions Paul arrived at in our text. Paul believed the resurrection was an essential piece of the Christian Gospel. It is a load-bearing truth, and if it is removed, the entire Christian edifice collapses like a house of cards. To reject the resurrection is to leave Jesus and all He represents behind. 

Paul begins by saying that all of us who preach are wasting our time, deceiving gullible people who accept what we say at face value. Paul wrote these words around 50-54 AD. He was preaching the resurrection as a new doctrine, a doctrine foreign to many in the ancient world. Many of the Jews did not believe a resurrection from the grave was possible. We have the benefit of almost 2000 years of hindsight. Preaching the resurrection has been going on for a long time. Has it been in vain? About 1/3 of the world’s population has made some response to the message. Preaching Christ has resulted in thousands of churches built around the world. Preaching Christ was a key factor in abolishing slavery from Great Britain and the United States. Preaching Christ has resulted in the building of many hospitals, universities, and nursing homes worldwide. Preaching Christ has resulted in millions of persons dying in peace, believing they will be resurrected. From our vantage point, we can say to Paul, “The message you preached in the 1^st century has gone around the globe and has done more good than you could have possibly imagined.” Preaching has certainly not been a pointless pursuit. Preaching the name of Jesus has done more good in this world than anything else. Why? Because Jesus Christ has risen indeed. 

Next, Paul says if the resurrection never happened, our faith is pointless. Indeed, those who believe in Jesus are at best naïve, at worse, stupid, the word used by atheist Christopher Hutchens. If Christ has not risen, you who believe in Him believe a lie, or perhaps Jesus was sadly mistaken about His own identity. Some say, “I believe in Jesus as a great prophet and teacher. I don’t believe all that miracle stuff. Who can believe that a man can rise from the grave literally?”

Here is the problem. If the incarnation and resurrection are not true, Jesus is not a great prophet and teacher. He taught that His entire mission centered on His death and resurrection. He said, for example, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). John 2:21 makes it clear He was speaking of His resurrection. In John 10:17, He speaks of laying down His life and then taking it up again. In John 11:25, He declared Himself to be the resurrection and the life.  If He did not make good on these predictions, He is not a great teacher. He is either a liar or deluded. Had I been a 1^st-century disciple of Jesus, if He had not risen after three days, I would have assumed He was not the Messiah. The preliminary end of the story regarding His 12 Apostles is summarized in these words: “They all forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56). What on earth induced them to come back and proclaim that Christ rose from the grave? Only one explanation makes sense. Up from the grave, He arose. Our faith is not pointless. 

Paul states that if Christ has not risen, he and the other apostles are liars, false witnesses of the worst kind. The apostles went throughout the ancient world announcing that Jesus Christ is the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. His resurrection verified that He is indeed the Son of God and Savior of the world. If that is not true, they have lied to us. Perhaps Jesus is not at fault. Maybe He was a simple prophet, but not the Son of God, not the resurrected Savior. Possibly the apostles made up all those miracles. Perhaps they were so distraught after His crucifixion that they imagined He was still with them. Or maybe they wanted to justify their faith in Him, and so they embellished the story. They tried to make Jesus into a super-hero. 

There is a major problem with such a theory. Why would the Apostles perpetuate a story they knew to be false when their preaching only got them into trouble with both the Jewish and Roman authorities?  The disciples of Jesus were hounded, jailed, beaten, and put to death because they preached the resurrection. If they knew the resurrection was a myth they had created, they were not very wise. Why did they endure all the suffering that went along with proclaiming the resurrection? Because they knew the resurrection was an actual event. They knew that nothing could ever separate them from Jesus.  To deny Him out of fear of what others might think would have been the height of folly. Those who saw the crucified Jesus alive could never deny Him, whatever the cost. 

I suspect we have all read mythical stories over the years. We know that stories about “The Easter Bunny” or “Hansel and Gretel” have nothing to do with fact. They are just stories we have all enjoyed. Does the New Testament read like a fairy tale? Amazing things indeed happened in the life and ministry of Jesus, but the New Testament does not read like a fairy tale. There is a ring of truth about it that is hard to deny. The apostles do not come across as fabricators of false stories. They knew that Christ had risen because they had seen Him, talked with Him, ate fish with Him. They tell it like it is. Yes, some dismiss the apostles as false witnesses. I was once in their number, but no longer, thank God. 

Paul then makes a striking statement. If Christ has not risen, your sins are unforgiven. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. He claimed that His death would serve as an atonement for our sins. His resurrection demonstrated the truth of His claims. If He has not risen, our sins remain as a barrier between God and us. If Jesus is still in the grave, He is a man like any other man. If He is only a mortal such as we are, then His death cannot atone for our sins. 

How is it that the death of a single man can atone for the sins of the world? Was Jesus a mere mortal as we are? His apostles taught that He was indeed a man, human as we are. But they also claimed that He was God incarnate, the Son of the Living God. The death of such a majestic Person would have infinite value in the sight of God. Jesus, in one sense, went up against sin and was defeated. Sin mocked Him, spit on Him, and adorned Him with a crown of thorns. Sin nailed Him to the cross. How do we know that His death can atone for our sins? Because sin lost the battle when He rose from the grave. When Jesus Christ stepped out of that borrowed tomb, He declared to sin, “I have defeated you.” He announced to the devil, “You have lost.” He proclaims to the world, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9). Amen! 

If the resurrection is not a fact, what are we going to do about our sins? No other religion has a meaningful solution. I stand before you this today believing that all my sins have been forgiven because Christ is risen. You do not want to face the judgment of God with unforgiven sins.

Paul further declares that if Christ has not risen, all your relatives and loved ones who died trusting in Jesus are not in heaven.  They perished. They entered the blackness of eternal death. They are gone forever.  There is no hope for them. They lived, they died, and it is all without meaning or purpose. It matters not if they were good or evil, great or unknown. It matters not if they were atheists or religious.  They are extinct. That will also be our fate if Christ’s resurrection never happened. 

Finally, Paul says that if Christ has not risen, we Christians are to be pitied. We have sought to serve our Lord; we have sacrificed our time to attend church; we have sacrificed money to promote the cause of Christ; we have reached out to those in need; we have supported missionaries around the world.  If Christ was not resurrected on the first Easter, what fools we are to believe in Him and serve Him. We might as well eat, drink and be merry. That is what many people do. They have no faith. They anticipate no heaven or hell. They live for the moment expecting to die, and after death comes – – – nothing—eternal nothingness. In the German film about Hitler’s last days, “Downfall,” Hitler contemplates his suicide. He says, one brief moment, then “ewige Ruhe” or “eternal peace.” Yes, eternal peace for those who die trusting in Jesus, but eternal ruin for those who die without faith in His name.

It is very depressing to flesh out the implications that follow the denial of the resurrection. The church and its ministry are pointless, a colossal waste of time. Faith is stupidity. We might as well burn our Bibles, for the apostles have deceived us. We might as well sin to our heart’s content, for there is no forgiveness. Forget about being reunited with your departed loved ones. We all end up in eternal nothingness. If Christ was not resurrected, we might as well go around wearing a dunce cap, for that is what we are. 

Paul ends this depressing litany on a positive note in verse 20. “But now Christ has been raised from the dead.” The 12 faithful apostles knew it to be true because they witnessed the resurrection. Paul knew it was true because the risen Christ appeared to Him and taught him. I know it is true, too. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. Christ is risen! Our faith is not in vain. Hallelujah!

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DEMETRIUS THE SILVERSMITH

Warsaw Christian Church, (3/21/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Based on Acts 19:23-41

(In this first-person narrative sermon, I have tried to follow the biblical text closely.  However, I have allowed my imagination to interject some thoughts and opinions of Demetrius, which are not actually in the biblical record. I have also added some historical background about Ephesus. RB)

I lived in the magnificent city of Ephesus in the first century AD. Ephesus was in a beautiful location, where the Cayster and Meander Rivers enter the Aegean Sea. My city was the commercial, political and religious center of western Asia. She was a great city.  It is difficult to believe that little remains except for a few ruins. When I lived there, the city was teeming with life. It gave you the feeling that such a marvelous city would endure forever. But then I guess the things built by men never last forever.

Demetrius is my name. I was a silversmith in Ephesus – – – a prosperous one I might add. Let me explain how I became wealthy.  Ephesus was the main city promoting the worship of Diana, goddess of fertility. “Come and worship Diana, and you will conceive in no time,” we used to say. People would come from all over to pray at her temple, and what a temple it was — an enormous structure with a roof supported by 127 ionic columns 6 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. It was the most magnificent building ever constructed in the Greek world, surpassing even the Parthenon. Diana’s temple was acclaimed as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. What a shame that none of you will ever be able to see that glorious temple. 

It seemed that there were always plenty of people who needed Diana’s help. The tourist traffic was steady all year round. Childless couples from everywhere would flock to Ephesus to pray at the temple of Diana. Well, I figured everyone would want a souvenir, and so I made little silver idols of Diana, something the people could take home to remind them of their faith in Diana. I sold thousands of them and became a wealthy man. Religion was very profitable for me.

Just between you and me, I thought the worship of Diana was nonsense, but there are always suckers around who will believe in anything. The city fathers even spread the rumor that Diana’s image in the temple had fallen from heaven, a sign that Diana was a real goddess, a vindication of her reality. Yes, a large stone fell from the sky, but I don’t think it was Diana.  It was nothing but a promotional gimmick, but the suckers loved it. The more lies you tell, the better some people seem to like it. I concluded that people were stupid and gullible. Me? I didn’t believe all the hocus pocus about Diana.  I believed in money, lots of money, and all the things money can buy. That was my religion. And my faith blessed me and gave me great satisfaction, at least for a while. 

If I can profit from other people’s credulity, why not do it? If fools and silly women want to believe in the magical powers of a stone goddess or a silver replica of Diana, why should I not profit? I hurt no one, and I gave people what they wanted.  I was like a priest, encouraging people to believe in Diana. They wanted to believe, and so I helped them. Occasionally a young lady would stop by to say, “Oh, Demetrius; that silver statue of Diana has worked a miracle! I shall name the baby after you.” And I would say, “Praise be to Diana, the great goddess of the Ephesians” and then laugh as soon as she was out of earshot. I figured that such stories were good for business, and whenever a customer complained and wanted their money back, I would say, “It worked for Mrs. Smith. Perhaps your faith is weak. You must pray harder. Diana will never fail those who keep their faith strong.” I couldn’t lose. If the childless couple conceived, business increased.  If they didn’t, I would blame it on their weak faith. Sometimes I would suggest they buy Diana’s king-sized silver image, hinting that this might increase their faith. People are so naïve I sometimes felt guilty about my persuasive powers. However, there is a lot of money to be made in religion, and I made sure I got my share.  You don’t blame me, do you?  You probably would have done the same thing. 

So, I would set up my tent outside the temple of Diana, and as the suckers were leaving, I would cry out, “Come and see these beautiful replicas of Diana made of the finest silver. These statues are known to have magical powers; miracles have happened in the lives of those who own them, and today only we have a special price. Take the power of Diana right into your own home.” The fools would push and shove at each other to buy one, and I, Demetrius the silversmith, became a wealthy man. I never really believed Diana could help produce a baby, but she sure helped me produce money.  I used to joke with my friends and say, “Maybe Diana is not a fertility goddess after all. Perhaps she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity.” She was a gold mine for me, or should I say “a silver mine.” I could sell my little silver statues for five times what they cost me. 

Everything was fine until one day a wandering preacher came to Ephesus. He didn’t look like much, this short little bald man,  but people began to listen to him. Paul was his name, and he was promoting some new religion; something about a man named Jesus who was the Son of God and who supposedly rose from the dead.  What a ridiculous idea. I figured he had his money-making scheme, and he was trying to horn in on my territory. For two years, Paul preached in Ephesus, telling people to enter God’s Kingdom by trusting in Jesus. I thought the day would come when he would want to sell statues of Jesus, but that never happened.  As Jesus gained in popularity, Diana’s dwindled; and even worse, my sales began to fall drastically. 

Now I believe in live and let live. If Paul wanted to believe in Jesus, OK, and if he wanted to preach about Him, fine. But he was not content with that. He told the people that Diana was a phony, that man-made gods are no gods at all; there is only one true God, and Jesus Christ, God’s Son,  has made Him known. He said my little silver goddesses were useless. Useless? Why those idols gave hope to thousands of people.  I gave people hope, and Paul was getting in the way. 

When preachers start to meddle with your pocketbook, you can’t just sit still. Religion is fine in its place, but you can’t let it interfere with business. Business comes first. Religion should be a private affair, confined to the houses of worship.  Keep it out of the marketplace.  If faith begins to cut into your profit, something had to be done. 

At first, I thought I could simply switch over to making silver statues of Jesus. Diana? Jesus? What’s the difference?  I tried to sell a few silver statues of Jesus. I just changed my sales pitch a little. “Great is Jesus, the Son of God,” I would cry. “Buy a Jesus statue, and it will protect you from sickness. It is a sure ticket into heaven.” But I quickly learned that the Christians wouldn’t buy them. They did not believe in idols or magic charms. What was I to do? My whole life was going down the drain. 

Finally, I took drastic action; I gathered a crowd and made a little speech. I called together the other craftsmen whose business had been damaged by Paul’s message. I said, “Fellows, we have been making lots of money because of Diana. This Paul is leading people astray, telling people that Jesus is superior to Diana. Many fools believe what Paul says, and his new false religion is spreading rapidly. He dares to say that our idols are not gods at all! We are in danger of being driven out of business. And, worse yet, Diana’s temple if being discredited. Diana herself is being blasphemed!  The world is being deprived of her divine majesty.” Well, again, I must confess that I didn’t believe my own speech, but I was a good orator, a very persuasive man. I pushed the right buttons. 

 Everyone got excited and wanted to defend the honor of Diana, and they screamed, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Over and over again, the crowd cried, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Soon the whole city was in an uproar. I had to chuckle to myself. After a while, people started shouting different things. Just for fun, I approached a man who was screaming at the top of his lungs, and I said to him, “What is this all about,” and he said, “I have no idea,” and continued shouting. 

They grabbed Paul’s companions and took them to the large amphitheater.  I was hoping the mob would imprison or even kill Paul and his cohorts.  When the word came out that these trouble makers were Jews, pandemonium broke out. Most in the crowd were Gentiles.  The Jews were perpetual trouble makers in the Roman Empire, and the crowd went wild when it became known that Paul and his companions were Jews.  For a solid two hours, the crowd shouted over and over, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” We were not going to let these Jews bring some foreign God into our city and undermine our love for Diana. She was our goddess, and she did not need any competition from the Jews.

It looked like my little plot was going to work. I was sure the angry mob would dispense with Paul and his cohorts. But then one of the city fathers stepped in, the city clerk, I believe, and quieted the crowd. I could not believe the speech he made.  He ruined everything for me. He asked the crowd to be reasonable, but I wanted them to be out of control. He reminded everyone that we had courts, but I was hoping lawlessness would win the day.  He then dared to say that Paul and his companions had not broken any law. He pointed his finger at me and said, “If Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open, and they can press charges.” Don’t you hate it when someone upsets your plans and introduces the voice of calm and reason at a time when you are trying to stir things up?  The city clerk’s words calmed the crowd, and everyone dispersed. 

Shortly after this episode, Paul did leave Ephesus. That was the good news.  The bad news was that he left behind a large number of believers in Jesus. I have to tell you, I hated the name of Jesus. That Jewish Messiah destroyed my business.  I closed my mind to Paul’s message.  How could I even consider following a religion which robbed me of my livelihood? Would you follow Jesus if it cost you something? It was too late for me. The damage was done, and it was irreparable. Paul’s preaching ruined my business. Even after he left Ephesus, the Christians continued to grow in strength and numbers, and the demand for my silver statues dwindled to almost nothing. Paul ruined me, ruined my business, ruined my life.

I was so angry over my loss of business that I never really listened to the message of Jesus. All I could see was money, profit, wealth, income.   Money blinded me to the real treasure, Jesus Christ. By the time I realized who Jesus was, it was too late for me. The great apostle Paul was in my town for two years giving away the greatest of all treasures — salvation through Jesus Christ — and I refused to listen because Jesus was not good for business. If only I had listened. When the hour of my death came, money meant nothing; Diana was useless, and I had refused to listen to Paul as He proclaimed Jesus. I thought people were fools who believed in Diana.  I was the greater fool for not believing in Jesus. I had the opportunity.  I have no one to blame but myself.  If only I had listened. Listen to the advice of a rich man from ancient Ephesus. Money isn’t everything. In fact, it amounts to very little in this life, and when the time comes to die, it means nothing. Don’t let your desire for money blind you to the message of Jesus. That is the advice of Demetrius, the silversmith, or should I say, Demetrius the fool. 

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WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Warsaw Christian Church (3/14/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

The most important question we all must answer is, “What must I do to be saved.” While the answer given in the Bible is simple, confusion has clouded the issue. I want to begin by reading a series of verses that plainly teach what we must do to be saved. 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12}

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:15).

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; (John 3:36).

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16).

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9).

But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:22).

Notice that in these verses, it does not say, believe in Jesus, plus…It says believe in Jesus period.

Paul speaks of eternal life as a gift, and it is indeed a gift. We receive the gift by fulfilling a specific condition – – –  faith in Jesus. These verses state plainly that the one condition we must fulfill is faith, believing in Jesus as our Savior Lord.

So, what is the confusion? Some think the Gospel is too simple. Surely more is required than faith. Items added to the Gospel include good works, baptism, church membership. You cannot be saved unless you live a life filled with good works.  You cannot be saved unless you have been baptized.  You cannot be redeemed unless you are active in church, and so it goes. So which way is it? Does faith alone bring salvation, or is it just the beginning? To be sure of salvation, must you perform good works and be active in church?

Do you agree or disagree with the following? If you have true faith in Jesus, you are saved even though you display little in the way of good works.  If you have true faith in Jesus and are not baptized, you do not forfeit salvation. If you have true faith in Jesus and pay scant attention to His church, you do not lose your salvation. If the verses I just read are correct, the one thing we must have to be saved is faith in Jesus. Not faith, plus good works.  Not faith plus baptism. Not faith plus church involvement.  Just faith. 

Okay, but what is involved in faith? When you place your trust in Jesus, you accept Him as Savior AND Lord. Savior means that our sins are forgiven. His death on the Cross secured pardon for all our sins. Few have problems accepting the idea that their sins have been forgiven. But faith also trusts in Jesus as Lord. Paul summarized what that means when he described himself and all Christians as “slaves” (Greek, doulos) of Jesus. We don’t like the idea of slavery, and many modern translators translate “doulos” by the word “servant.” 

A servant may be hired by a wealthy family and paid to perform specific tasks. Yet, he remains a free person. He does as he pleases outside of his working hours. A slave belongs to his master 24/7. He is not free to do as he pleases. He lives under the authority of his master. True faith in Jesus is a faith that accepts Him as both Savior and Lord. There is no such thing as a faith that trusts Jesus as Savior but not as Lord. We are slaves of Jesus. Thankfully, our Master loves us and works to promote our well-being. Nevertheless, we are slaves. 

When you join our church, we ask a simple question. “Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and do you (or have you) accepted Him as Savior AND Lord?” An affirmative response means you become a willing slave to Jesus. Faith says, “I agree to live under the commands and authority of Jesus. I trust Him as my Savior who forgives all my sins, and I trust Him as my Lord whose commands I will strive to obey.” 

We see this clearly in the following two Scripture references,  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). To trust in Jesus as “Lord” means you will strive to do what He says. You will endeavor to do the will of the Father. That is how true faith expresses itself. A person who says, “I trust Jesus as my Savior, but I will not follow Him as Lord,” is not expressing true faith. 

Now, you need to listen up and grasp what I am about to say. True faith affirms that Jesus is Lord and that He has the right to command my obedience, but what if I fail in my obedience to Him? Listen to John speaking to Christians.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Christians seek to walk in the light. Our walk is far from perfect. We still sin as Christians. If we deny that we sin, we are self-deceived. If we confess our sins, our Lord is faithful and just, and we receive His forgiveness. To confess in Greek is the word “homolego.” It literally means “to speak (lego) the same thing (homo).” To confess our sins is to say to God, “When I lied to gain an advantage, it was wrong. I agree with You, God, that I sinned. I am sorry, and I ask for Your forgiveness.” When we confess our sins, we are taking our sins seriously. When we excuse our sin by saying, “Nobody’s perfect,” or “the devil made me do it,” or some other excuse, we are deceiving ourselves. Our faith is not operational. The only “excuse” for our sins is to say, “I was wrong. I am responsible. I trust in the blood of Jesus to forgive and cleanse me.” 

We turn now to the heart of the matter. Trusting in Christ as Savior is an either you do or you don’t situation. You either believe Jesus atoned for your sins, or you reject that idea. Here is what we need to understand. While all true Christians believe in Jesus as both Savior and Lord, how we respond to His Lordship varies. If a person says he has true faith in Jesus but does not respond to His Lordship in any manner, that person is deceived.

On the other hand, the degree of response we make to the Lordship of Jesus may be small. Medium, large, or extra-large, if you will! Consider these verses from 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.  ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

In these words, we see the difference between salvation and discipleship. Paul presents us with two extremes. Both extremes are Christians. All Christians are resting on the only foundation that can bring eternal life, Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation. At one extreme are those who were very faithful disciples. Their lives are figuratively described as gold, silver, and precious stones. In other words, these are Christians who were consistently faithful in their service to Jesus. People like Paul and Peter, or Luther, and Billy Graham, come to mind.

At the other extreme are those who believe in Jesus but whose faithfulness is feeble. Their lives are described as wood, hay, and stubble, things that will be destroyed on judgment day. Here are people who trust in Jesus, but they are not very faithful. They are so caught up in earthly things they have little time to serve Jesus. Nonetheless, they are redeemed. Their faith in Jesus is real. They enter into heaven. 

So, why bother to serve Jesus? Both the faithful and the unfaithful enter into eternal life. Here is the difference Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 3. The faithful receive rewards. The unfaithful do not. The faithful will receive rewards from Christ that will endure throughout eternity. Those whose service is minimal will be deprived of rewards forever. Every believer in Christ already has eternal life. Jesus settled that question permanently at the Cross. But rewards for faithful service are another matter entirely. Some will receive many rewards; others will receive few or none. It depends on how we responded in obedience to Jesus. 

Saving faith means we trust Jesus as both Savior and Lord. Heaven itself is a free gift given to all who trust in Jesus. Rewards, however, are given based on faithful service. While all the redeemed with be happy in heaven, some will enjoy rewards that others lack. When we trust in Jesus, we become His slaves. Some slaves joyfully enter into the work of the Master. Others do a little, but for the most part, their lives consist of wood, hay, and stubble, combustible material that is burned on judgment day. 

One final thought. While being a slave may not seem very appealing, being a slave of Jesus leads to a blessed life. Those who obey His commands learn that obedience to Him brings great joy. Yes, we are slaves, but slaves who belong to a loving, benevolent Master who always promotes our highest well-being. Disobedient slaves are miserable in this life. You cannot find peace and happiness as a Christian while disregarding the commands of Jesus.  Also, those who are disobedient deprive themselves of heavenly rewards. Both options are presented to us by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3. Which option do you prefer? 

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JOSEPH

Warsaw Christian Church, (3/7/2021) Rev. Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text, Genesis 37-50

I want to look at the life of this ancient patriarch this morning, noting some remarkable parallels between his life and the life of Jesus. Remember that the Old Testament reveals things regarding the coming Messiah. As we read the Old Testament, we expect to find truths about Jesus. We have seen this in the story of Adam and Eve, where the woman’s seed was to crush the serpent’s head, and that seed is Christ. We saw several parallels between Jesus and Noah’s Ark as well as in the life of Abraham. 

The story of Joseph has many elements to it. Joseph receives as much print as Abraham, an indication of his importance in the unfolding drama of human redemption. His story begins in Genesis 37, and his death is recorded in Genesis 50, the final chapter in the Book of Beginnings. Today we will cover a few highlights, seeking to compare His life to that of Jesus. . 

1. Both were despised and rejected. The story of Joseph and his many-colored coat given to him by his father Jacob is one we all learned in Sunday School. Because his father seemed to favor Joseph, his brothers were jealous. Sibling rivalry is nothing new. Joseph adds fuel to the fire by telling his brothers about a dream with Joseph as the center of attention and his brothers bowing down before him.  This caused the brothers’ anger level to reach new heights. They decided their little smarty pants brother must be eliminated. 

Plan A was to kill Joseph. Jacob had sent him out to locate his brothers, who were tending sheep. Joseph, an obedient son, went looking for his siblings. When they saw Joseph coming, they hatched a quick plot. They would throw him in a cistern and tell daddy that a wild animal killed him. They carry out part of the dastardly deed and throw Joseph in a cistern, but when they see a tribe of Ishmaelites approaching, brother Judah offers another suggestion. Overcome with brotherly love, Judah suggests perhaps killing their brother would be immoral. He suggests they sell him as a slave to the Ishmaelites, make a few shekels in the deal, and tell dad that an animal killed him. This would be a much more acceptable moral choice.  So, they grab Joseph, take off his fancy coat, dip it in goat’s blood, receive 20 pieces of silver from the Ishmaelites, and return home to Jacob with the sad news that Joseph is dead. 

Does this not remind you of Jesus? Like Joseph, He was innocent and had but one thing in mind, and that was to do His Father’s will. John 1:11 tells us that Jesus came unto His own, the Jewish people, but they received Him not. Isaiah 53:3,4 tells us that the Messiah would be despised and rejected of men. Like Joseph’s brothers, Jesus’ enemies took counsel against Him to put Him to death (Matt. 27:1). Like Joseph, Jesus was betrayed for a bit of silver. 

2. Both experienced great suffering. I cannot imagine how awful it would feel to have your own brothers sell you into slavery. Nor can I imagine the feelings of the Son of God who came to redeem us and encountered rejection. 

Joseph was accused of a crime he did not commit. You remember the story. After coming to Egypt as a slave, Joseph became a trusted manager in the house of Potiphar. Potiphar’s wife thought Joseph was cute and tried to lure him into an affair. Joseph refused, telling her he could not offend his master or his God. She tempted him repeatedly, but he remained steadfast. Finally, one day in desperation she grabbed him and tried to drag him to her bedroom, but he ran away, leaving this temptress with his cloak. She tells hubby that Joseph wanted to force himself on her, and Joseph ends up in prison. 

Jesus also suffered for a crime He did not commit. He was accused of blasphemy against God and rebellion against Caesar. He was guilty of neither crime but was crucified nevertheless.  As is the case with so many of the Old Testament stories, they were meant to foretell or illustrate the coming Messiah’s life. Joseph and Jesus were despised and rejected by their brethren and suffered unjustly. But there is more. 

3. Both had a great love for those who rejected them. Put yourself in Joseph’s shoes. While my brother once threatened to kill me after I had locked him in a bedroom and wouldn’t let him out, I don’t think he really would have killed me, but I didn’t want to take the chance!. Joseph’s brothers despised him so much they were ready to kill him. They finally decided selling him into slavery would work just as well. Can you imagine anything more horrible than to be treated in this manner by your brothers? How could he ever love them again? Would he not want vengeance? Later, when he had them under his authority, why would he want to be nice to them? Yet, Joseph loved his cruel brothers. 

After enduring much suffering in prison and being exalted to the high position as Pharaoh’s right-hand man, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt seeking grain during a time of famine. They met with Joseph, not realizing that he was their brother. I would have been tempted to have the lot of them arrested, beaten, and thrown in jail for the rest of their lives. Joseph, having revealed his identity, embraced his brothers, wept for joy, and kissed them.

He is so like Jesus in this regard.  Jesus was despised and rejected by his brothers, the Israelites. He was nailed to a cruel cross, enduring great suffering.  Yet His love for the human race and for those who placed Him on the cross remained firm.  Do you understand that you cannot make Jesus stop loving you, but you can reject Him and go to hell? We have all rejected Him in so many ways. Our devotion to Him often takes a back seat in our lives. Still, He loves us. Our commitment to His church is sometimes lukewarm. Yet, He loves us. Sometimes we refuse to forgive those who have wronged us. Still, He loves us. 

Joseph set the example. Despite the worst treatment imaginable at the hands of men, Joseph loved his brothers. Despite the treatment Jesus received during His earthly life and the treatment He receives today, yet His love for us refuses to die. When we act contrary to His love, we hurt ourselves, but we do not extinguish His love. When people prefer hell to Jesus, they receive their choice, but they have to enter hell by rejecting the never-dying love of Jesus for them.  When people declare that they will not submit to Jesus and end up rejected by God, they enter hell over the dead body of Jesus.

4. Both were exalted to high positions.  Joseph followed a strange path. From being sold as a slave by his brothers, then to a high position in Potiphar’s house, then to jail under a false accusation, and finally to a high position under Pharaoh because of his ability to interpret dreams. Who would have predicted that this boy, sold as a slave, would one day be exalted to such a high position? He was Pharaoh’s right-hand man.

The parallel with Jesus is clear. Who would have imagined that a crucified Jewish rabbi would be exalted to the right hand of God? Paul’s great hymn in Philippians 2 tells the story. Beginning at Philippians 2:5 we read, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,   who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,  he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death– even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. You can’t get any higher than that! 

5. Both had forgiveness in their hearts for those who betrayed them.  Joseph not only loved his brothers; he also forgave them for their wicked deeds. He helped them in their time of need rather than seeking revenge.  Even though his brothers had acted sinfully, God intended to work out a higher purpose in Joseph’s life. Joseph understood this and readily and freely forgave his brothers. 

We learn from Genesis chapter 50 that Joseph’s brothers feared that they might receive vengeance from their brother’s hand. They feared that from his position of power, he was now able to exact revenge. They say among themselves, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him” (Genesis 50:15).   Joseph had already forgiven them, but they know what they deserve. They know what they would have done had they been wronged this way. They would have sought revenge. They suspect Joseph is like they are, and so they go before him and tell him that their father Jacob wanted Joseph to forgive his brothers.  Their words are unnecessary. He has already forgiven them. He says to them, “Do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (50:21). Joseph demonstrates his forgiving heart by meeting the needs of his brothers and their families.

How strikingly similar to Jesus. He understood that those who crucified Him were acting from wicked motives, yet the Father was planning to use the crucifixion as the means of offering pardon to the world. Jesus understood this and so was able to pray from the cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” 

Do you ever find yourself thinking like Joseph’s brothers? “I know God says I am forgiven through the sufferings of Jesus, but I realize how many wicked things I have done. I wonder if God will want to take revenge against me after all.  I do not deserve His love and forgiveness.” Have you ever had such thoughts? I have. As I grow older, I find myself somewhat in Oscar Schindler’s position in the movie “Schindler’s List.” Shindler had saved many Jews from the Nazi death camps by insisting that he needed them to work in his factory. Hundreds of Jews owed their lives to this man who remained a member of the Nazi party throughout the war. As the war ends, Schindler is stricken with the realization that he could have done so much more. The Jews he had helped try to comfort him, grateful that through his efforts, they survived. Yet Schindler cannot help but lament, “I could have done so much more. I could have saved more.” 

Sometimes I look at my life and wonder how God could ever forgive me.  I can think of a few people who have said that I helped them come to faith in Christ or that I helped them grow in faith, but the numbers are small. Like Schindler, I often think, “I could have done so much more.” Sometimes I wonder how God can forgive me for all the time I have wasted over the years when I could have been doing something spiritually productive. Have I given enough, has my preaching and teaching always been faithful, and what about the people I might have spoken to about Christ but failed to act? I could have done so much more. Can God really forgive me? 

This is why the Gospel is good news. None of us have done enough. None of us have done as much as we might have done. We can never stand before God and declare, “I did all I could do.” We must all admit to God, “I could have done so much more.” Christ redeems us and forgives us not because of how great we are but because of His great love for us. Hear the word of God from Titus 3:5: “he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy . . .” 

Did Joseph’s brothers deserve to be forgiven? Absolutely not. They had done nothing that could atone for their wickedness. They appear before Joseph guilty and in need of both his forgiveness and his help with Israel’s food shortage. Joseph is merciful to them and meets their needs. We appear before Christ in the same way. We have done nothing to deserve forgiveness.  No deeds of righteousness we may have done can make up for the sins we have committed. We need precisely what Joseph’s brothers needed—undeserved mercy, unmerited pardon, extravagant forgiveness. And that, brothers and sisters, is what Jesus offers to us.

These are just a few of the parallels we find between Joseph and Jesus. Joseph’s life helped prepare the Jewish people and the world for one who would come who would be far greater than Joseph, even Jesus our Savior. Trust Him, and let Him lift the burden of sin from your life and grant unto you a new heart. 

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ABRAHAM

Warsaw Christian Church, (Feb. 28, 2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Genesis 12:1-4; 15:5-6

12:1  Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2  I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3  I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4  So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 

15:5  He (God) brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6. And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Abraham is considered the father of our faith. We will examine his life as we continue our study in Genesis.  In Romans 4:11, Abraham is called “the father of all who believe.” He is our spiritual father.

We move ahead in Genesis many years after the flood. Noah and his family began to repopulate the earth. God promised that He would never again flood the world and gave the rainbow as a sign of that covenant. Noah’s story continues in Genesis 9, and in chapter 10 his genealogy is listed. In chapter 11 we read the story of the tower of Babel, followed by more genealogies leading up to Abraham’s story. 

In Abraham’s day, we find a world once again living in rebellion against God. Superstition abounds, and the knowledge of the true God is a fading memory. This is the unfortunate tale we read from Genesis to Revelation. We humans have a strange desire to live without God, to be a “god” unto our selves. It began with Adam and Eve, and it reached a climax in Noah’s day, continued after Noah with the story of the Tower of Babel where the human race sought once again to exalt in its greatness while ignoring God.  In response, God decides once again to choose an individual in His effort to restore truth about Himself to the human race. Abram, who later became Abraham, was the man God chose. 

We can learn much from Abraham, far more than I can cover in this message. I can only hit a few highlights. Our focus will be on the faith of Abraham.  It is a faith that pleased God and serves as an example for us to follow.  Gal. 3:7 tells us, “Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.” Many Jews in the first century assumed they were Abraham’s children because of their birth. Paul clarifies that the true descendants of Abraham are persons of faith, whether Jew or Gentile. Let us examine the faith of Abraham, asking ourselves the question, “Do I possess this kind of faith?” 

1. Faith hears and obeys. While living in Ur of the Chaldees, God spoke to Abraham, a major city of ancient Mesopotamia located on the Euphrates River.  Hebrews 11:8 informs us that when God called Abraham to leave his homeland, Abraham obeyed even though he did not know where God would lead him. By faith, he began his journey to an unknown destination. Some refer to this as “blind faith,” but I disagree. There is nothing “blind” about following God’s direction. It is the epitome of wisdom and intelligence to obey the God of the universe. It is the height of folly to disregard what God says. Abraham’s choice at this point was simple. He had to decide, “Is this the true God speaking to me or not?” He had no Bible to guide him. He had to trust that this was indeed the true and living God. The call was clear. God directed Abraham to follow Him and then gave to Abraham fantastic promises. He would make Abraham a great nation, and through him, all the families of the earth were to be blessed. 

At this point, we need to leap forward through the centuries to Jesus. In Galatians 3:16. Paul declares that Jesus is the only true seed of Abraham. Let me read Paul’s words to you so you will know I am not misinterpreting the text.  “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.”  Not a single Jew throughout Old Testament history qualified as the spiritual seed of Abraham, save one. Jesus Christ alone is the seed of Abraham, and those who trust in Him are also declared to be the heirs of the promises God gave to Abraham. Paul states this clearly in Galatians 3:29:  And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

The promises God made to Abraham reach fulfillment in Jesus Christ, and if you are a believer in Jesus, you are the recipient of fantastic promises. The question we turn to now is, “Do you have the faith of Abraham?” Jesus has declared that He will lead you to a place you have never seen, even heaven. Do you believe Him? Jesus has declared that His death was sacrificial, an atonement for every sin you ever committed. Do you believe Him? Jesus asks you to act upon your faith, to live your life following Him. Are you doing it?  We face the same issue that we met in Abraham.  Is it the true and living God who speaks to us through the life and ministry of Jesus? If we answer, “Yes,” then we will follow Him. Those who have Abraham’s faith will listen to God’s every command and seek to obey. 

We are like Abraham. We believe in a Savior we have never seen, and in a heaven, many say does not exist. Are we fools to commit ourselves to Jesus Christ when much of what He has promised we never see in this life?  If He is the Son of God, the fools are those who live life without faith. 

2. When faith falters.   After Abraham was tested to see if he would trust God to lead him to an unknown future, he entered, at last, the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. He was to be the father of a great nation, yet he and Sarah advanced into old age childless. How could his descendants be a blessing to the world if he had no descendants? Once again, his faith was put to the test.  God promised Abraham he would have a son.  Abraham failed miserably in his response to God’s promise.  He took matters into his own hands and fathered a son through one of his servant girls, and when God told him that he would have a son with Sarah despite their old age, Abraham doubted. He failed to believe God. 

Abraham did fine in his first encounter with God, but his faith failed twice regarding his fathering a child with Sarah.  Isn’t it comforting to know that even when our faith fails, God sometimes acts on our behalf anyway?  I have no problem identifying with Abraham regarding the birth of Isaac. How many times have I faced difficult situations and tried to trust God, only to learn that my faith was weak?  I can assure you I have lost count.  Does this ever happen to you?  We have a Bible full of outstanding and mighty promises, but some rarely study the Bible seriously. Even those who know the great promises of God often fail to take Him at His word. We have moments when our faith is strong, but we also have many moments when we struggle to believe what God says. Doubt creeps in, and faith weakens.

Despite our weakness, God does not forsake us. He did not say to the doubting Abraham, “Okay, if you don’t believe Me, I will not fulfill any of my promises to you.” God fulfilled His promise to Abraham despite Abraham’s lapses. God’s faithfulness encouraged Abraham to shake off his failures and to renew his faith in God

Have you ever found that you could not trust God in a particular situation, and you had to take matters into your own hands?  Have you ever looked at a promise of God and said, “That can’t be true?” Have you ever turned away from God’s will and plunged your life into spiritual darkness?  Do you often seek out the pleasures of this world more than you seek God, thus throwing faith aside? 

Yet, if we cling to a simple faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, God blesses us anyway. Sometimes He answers our prayers despite our doubts, just as He did for Abraham. Look at how God has blessed our lives despite our repeated faith failures. Look at the cars we drive, the homes we live in – – – look at the friends who care for us and the freedom we enjoy.  Many of us have lived into our retirement years, while so many others have not. Sometimes I find myself wondering why God has so blessed my life despite my repeated faith failures. 

When you feel you have failed God, when your faith is weak, look around and see how God has blessed you anyway. Remember the advice we find in Proverbs 24:16:  “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again”  What Abraham learned is that a righteous man is not one who never fails, but when he falls, he rises again and turns back to God. This is an important lesson on faith we learn from Abraham. Faith rule number one is this: believe God and act upon what He says without question.  Faith rule number two is: when you fail rule number one, try again. Now on to rule three, we learn from the father of our faith. 

Faith when God asks the impossible:  We all learned the story of Isaac’s sacrifice when we were children. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, through whom all of God’s promises were to be fulfilled.  Having seen his faith falter when God promised him a son, Abraham now acts decisively. He takes Isaac to the altar and is prepared to plunge in the knife and kill his only heir.  How could he do that, and how could God ask that of him?  We learn something of Abraham’s thought process in Hebrews 11:19, where we read that Abraham believed firmly that God’s promises would be fulfilled through Isaac. Therefore, he assumed that even if he killed his son, God would raise him from the dead. Abraham, who once doubted that God could cause his aged wife to bear a son, now is convinced that God will resurrect his son. His faith is growing stronger. 

Of course, God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son and provided a ram in place of Isaac. Of course, it is a story designed to help us understand how God chooses to redeem us.  We are all under the sentence of death. The Bible is clear that the wages of sin is death, and we have all sinned.  But God, in His mercy, provided a substitute, the spotless Lamb of God, even Jesus, who died in our place and secured our forgiveness. Abraham and Isaac acted out the drama of redemption.  Abraham had to believe that God would somehow fulfill His promises even if he killed his only heir.  You and I are asked to believe that God will forgive us and take us to heaven because of what happened at Calvary. Those who cling to Jesus Christ with genuine faith shall inherit all God’s promises.  

This episode also reminds us that sometimes God places us in an impossible situation. We see no good solution. Perhaps it is a serious family problem, a financial crisis, a neighbor problem, a health problem, or an employment difficulty.  Whatever your impossible circumstance may be, it is a time of testing.  God wants to know what you are made of, whether or not you will trust Him or give in to your circumstances. Abraham faced an impossible situation and decided to believe in the goodness and faithfulness of God, even though he did not understand why God asked him to sacrifice his son.  He thought that if he kept his faith in God, it would work out for good.  God would not ask him to do something without a righteous reason, even if Abraham did not know the reason. 

Are you faced with a situation that seems hopeless? We all face such conditions as we go through life. We have two options. We can grit our teeth and continue to trust God and pray, daring to believe that He is working for our good even when we don’t understand, or we can give in to hopelessness.  Job, amid his hopeless situation, cried out, “Even if God kills me, I will trust Him with my dying breath.” 

The worst sin we can ever commit is not murder, theft, lying, or adultery. The worst sin we can commit is to give up on God, to stop trusting in Him. God kept His promise to Abraham to bless the world through his seed. That seed is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Abraham was faced with a hopeless situation.  Perhaps as he prepared to slay his son, he remembered how he had doubted God in the past, how his faith had failed when God promised him a son. Now God asked him to sacrifice that son who was born miraculously to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. God had proven his faithfulness, and so by faith, Abraham placed his son upon an altar of death. 

Three generals were involved in a discussion regarding the faithfulness of their troops. Each one affirmed the superiority of his own soldiers. The general from Prussia brought one of his soldiers into the room and commanded him to jump out the window. The soldier responded, “But sir, that would result in my death.” The Austrian General called in one of his soldiers and gave the same command. He responded, “Sir, I would do it if I thought you were serious, but I can’t believe you mean for me to carry out this order.” Finally, the Russian general ordered one of his men to jump to his death, and the soldier walked quickly to the window, crossed himself, and prepared to jump. The general stopped him, having made his point that his men were the most obedient. 

Beloved, God wants us to trust Him no matter what. If He calls us to a task we do not understand, He wants us to trust Him for grace to carry it out. If our faith fails once, or twice, or seven times, or seventy times seven, He wants us to get back up and trust Him yet again. If we are in an impossible situation, after we have done our worrying and fretting, He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to believe that He loves us, and that He will do what is best for us, even when our circumstances seem to be telling a different story.  This was the faith of Abraham, the father of our faith.   Abraham believed God, says our text and was declared to be a righteous man. God will declare you to be a righteous person as well, once you possess a faith that refuses to give up.

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ENOCH

Warsaw Christian Church (2/21/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Genesis 5:21-24: Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. ^After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. ^ So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ^ And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

There are lots of people in the Bible I would love to visit with: Peter, Paul, Samson, Deborah, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and, of course, Jesus Himself. I am going to add Enoch to that list. Long before Jesus was born, in the early days of the biblical story, before Noah’s flood, we encounter this man. We don’t know much about him. He was the father of Methuselah and had other children.  For 300 years, he walked with God, and then one day, he disappeared.  God took him. Now you may wonder how I can get a 25-minute sermon from such scant information. Trust me! 

I wondered why nothing is said about his spirituality until he is 65 years old and has a son, Methuselah? Perhaps Methuselah was a problem child who drove Enoch to God. Children can do that, can’t they? I don’t know, but the text does say that after the birth of the oldest man in the Bible, Enoch walked with God for 300 years. This brief biography is meant to teach us something, but what? Paul tells us that all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable. 

Let’s begin by thinking about that phrase, “He walked with God.” In Scripture, human life is often represented as a path or way. The following truths are packed into those four words, “He walked with God.” 

1. First, it implies a knowledge of God. The revelation of God was incomplete in the days of Enoch.  Enoch must have embraced all the teaching that came down from Adam and Eve and those who followed.  Also, much can be learned about God from nature.  Paul affirmed that in Romans 1:  “what may be known of God is manifest in them, for  God has shown it to them. ^20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse^…” Enoch looked at the heavens and understood the reality of an almighty Creator. He learned from Cain that God respects human life. He learned from Adam and Eve that sin, while a terrible thing, can be forgiven. Enoch understood the nature of God.  His knowledge moved him to want to walk with God. All sound religion is based on knowledge. We cannot possibly love, worship, and serve an unknown God.  In Acts 17, we learn there was a statue dedicated to an unknown god in ancient Greece.  But how would you relate to an unknown god? How would you know what he desired? While Enoch did not have as much knowledge of God as is available to us, he knew enough to worship and serve God.  

2. We know Enoch was not free from sin. No human being except our Savior was free from sin. He no doubt practiced the sacrifices that were a part of ancient religion. He believed himself to be in harmony with God. Amos later wrote,” Can two walk together unless they agree.” Enoch walked with God, striving to please him and exercising repentance and sacrifice when he failed. Again, he didn’t know God the way we do with the final revelation we have received in the person and work of Jesus, but what he understood of God, he responded with faith and obedience.  That is all any of us can do. 

3. We can assume that Enoch cheerfully obeyed the commands of God, as best he understood them. That is what it means to walk with God. We walk with God the same way – – – through faith and obedience. Those who are not cheerful about their relationship with God will not want to walk with Him. Submission is the best test to show where our hearts indeed are. I feel confident that Enoch stumbled in his obedience over that 300 years, but he was always striving to obey God in his heart. 

4. We can also assume that Enoch was a man of prayer.  The one who walks with God also talks with God. As he practiced the presence of God, he grew ever stronger in faith. Those who commune with God become more Godlike in their daily walk. Paul expressed this idea in 2 Cor. 3:18:  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Those who meditate upon the Lord regularly, gazing, as it were, upon His face, are transformed. As we pray, we focus our attention on the God we cannot see, and we reflect more and more the image of God in our person. I think we can assume that as Enoch walked with God, he also talked with God. 

5. We can also assume that Enoch was consistent in his walk with God. It was a walk that lasted 300 years. Some struggle to walk with God for a week, yet Enoch lived a consistent, godly life for 300 years. The more he walked with God, his knowledge of God increased, his faith became more robust; his hope became brighter, his obedience more complete. The age span for human life gradually declined after the flood, so we don’t have 300 years to walk with God. We have around 70 to 80 years. If Enoch walked with God for 300 years, perhaps we can do the same with our shorter life span. 

6. Before moving on, let’s pause and ask the question, “What does this story have to do with us?”  Remember, Enoch was a mere man.  He was not divine.  He was not Jesus. Yet he was able to maintain a consistent godly life. I suggest that means we can do likewise. The world Enoch lived in was evil. In the very next chapter of Genesis, the great flood occurs. Wickedness was out of control, and the judgment of God fell. That is the kind of world in which Enoch lived. He refused to follow the example of the wicked but consistently walked with God. If he could do it, we can do it. Again, this does not mean perfection. It means that through faith, prayer, obedience, and repentance, we can continuously walk with God. Sometimes we use the phrase “nobody’s perfect” to excuse our bad behavior. We need to stop making excuses and replace excuses with repentance. Those who do so can walk with God.  

Part two of Enoch’s story is revealed in the outcome. He went about his daily business, consistently manifesting faithfulness in a very hostile environment, probably being tormented and ridiculed by the wicked. “Come on Enoch!  Let your hair down. Join us at the local brothel. Maybe if you drank more wine, you would not be so uptight about your religion.”  We know that the godlier a person is, the more likely he is to be ridiculed. In any event, Enoch continued his walk with God, and one day he disappeared. He is one of two persons in Scripture who never died. The other is . . . Elijah. One day he was gone, for God took him. Hebrews 11:5 makes it clear that Enoch did not see death. As he walked with God, one day, he walked straight into heaven.  

In my liberal days, I was told that the Old Testament is vague on eternal life. Some suggested it is not taught at all. Well, it is clearly taught here. Enoch was living on earth, and then he was suddenly taken to heaven to live with God. What a blessing to be exempt from death and decay! In a world overrun with wickedness, Enoch walked consistently with God. God decided to remove him from that hostile environment and transport him directly to heaven. 

There are a few more practical applications we can derive from this brief biography. The New Testament teaches that there are many human beings who, like Enoch, will never undergo the experience of physical death.  Paul wrote about this in 1 Thessalonians 4:  “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Christians disagree about when this event, usually referred to as “the rapture,” will occur. I don’t want to get into that debate. Regardless of when it happens, we are told that when Christ returns, His people will rise to meet Him. The dead will rise first, and then those who are still alive will, like Enoch, be instantly transformed into their resurrection bodies without seeing death. Does this sound cool, or what?  

Finally, to repeat and underscore earlier comments, Enoch should inspire everyone to follow his example. We cannot say that our environment is so bad that consistent faithfulness is impossible. The environment Enoch lived in was far worse than ours. We saw how bad things were last week when God destroyed the earth in the great flood. Enoch lived in that environment. We can’t say that human nature is not capable of consistent faithfulness.  Enoch was a human being of like nature with us. It is true that we can never achieve moral perfection. We will always need the cross and its message of divine forgiveness. Yet, a life of consistent faithfulness is possible. Enoch practiced such a life.  With God’s help, so can we. 

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NOAH

Warsaw Christian Church, (2/7/21) Rev. Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Genesis 7:1-6; Matthew 24:36-44

I want to talk about Noah, adding a few thoughts from other portions of Scripture. Our Scripture readings simply remind us of the relationship between the Old Testament and the New. Paul uses an episode in the life of Moses to remind us that these ancient stories have relevance for us under the New Covenant. He says in verse six that the Old Testament stories are meant to serve as examples or amplifications, shedding light on the life and ministry of Jesus. The word “examples” in the text is the Greek word “tupos,” from which our word “types” derives. Thus, in the case of Moses, Abraham, Joseph – – – and Noah, they teach us things about Jesus. They are “types” or “examples” of Jesus. 

Jesus Himself emphasized this when He said,  “These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures”  (Luke 24:44,45).  Jesus here declares that much that was written in the Old Testament pertained to His future life and ministry. The only Bible available to the early church was the Old Testament. They used the Old Testament to lead people to faith in Jesus. Jesus declares that the things we find written by Moses, the prophets and in the Psalms reveal things about Him.  Our question for this morning is this: what can we learn about Jesus from the story of Noah? 

Noah was a preacher of righteousness who was ignored in his day. There is a relationship between the days of Noah and the days that will precede the return of Jesus to planet earth. 

First of all, Noah represents the truth that there is but one way of salvation. There was no fleet of boats in Noah’s day. God did not say, as many say today, “There are many paths to Me. I have prepared several arks, each one representing a different religion. You are free to take your pick.”  No, you either entered Noah’s Ark, or you drowned.  God seems to understand our need for things to be kept simple.  The test that Adam and Eve faced was simple and clear cut.  Eat and die, or obey and live. They made the wrong choice. God said to the world in Noah’s day, you have two choices: repent and return to me in response to the preaching of Noah, enter the ark, and live or die in the flood.  

This illustrates very well the Gospel of Jesus.  God does not say to the world, “Look, there are various religions out there. Pick the one you like best and be saved. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity – – –  it doesn’t matter; the choice is yours.” Many make such claims today, but the New Testament teaches otherwise. The simple choice facing humanity today is this: Trust Jesus, or spend eternity in hell. He is the one and only door leading to eternal life.  Jesus declared in a verse I quote often, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).   Just as the people of Noah’s day had to decide whether or not to take Noah seriously, so people today have to decide whether or not to take Jesus seriously.  Many prefer the wide path of religious diversity, a path which Jesus said leads to everlasting destruction.   The way is narrow that leads to life, because Jesus alone is the Savior. 

I believe some persons in our society confuse two things which we must separate in our minds.  Religious toleration is an acceptable political position, but when we transfer it over to the spiritual realm, it is a disaster.  Our government has said, “You are free to practice any religion or no religion and still be a good citizen.” I agree with that political position. However, if the church makes the same kind of statement, Jesus has been forsaken. The church can never say, “You can practice any religion you wish and still be in God’s good graces.”  That is a blatant denial of Jesus Christ as He is revealed in Scripture. The church must declare with the apostle Peter that there is no name that can bring salvation other than the name of Jesus (see Acts 4:12).  As far as the state is concerned, believe whatever you wish.  As far as God is concerned, believe in Jesus, or be lost. 

Noah’s Ark helps us grasp this truth. We can visualize the waters pouring down, with only one boat available for safety.  We may even visualize people pounding on the door of the ark and crying out in fear, but Scripture tells us that God Himself shut the door. Once the judgment began, it was too late.  In the same manner, we can visualize Jesus appealing to the world, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He speaks to the world with utter sincerity, with a heart full of love, with an earnest desire to save us. Preachers all over this nation and the world proclaim this glorious message of redemption through the name of Jesus. Scripture assures us that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved, but, just as in Noah’s Day, many simply will not respond.  Many simply cannot believe that salvation is limited to Jesus, and so they refuse to enter the “ark.” 

We learn a second lesson about salvation from Noah.  Needless to say, once you entered the ark you had to remain.  What would have happened if one of Noah’s three sons had declared, “I am sick and tired of life in this ark. I am going to abandon ship and swim for safety.”  There was no safety to swim to apart from the ark. Once you were in the ark, you had to stay put.  Some have speculated that with all those animals aboard, the stench must have been awful. But worse than the stench in the ark was the storm outside the ark.  And if you exit the ark, you drown. 

In the same way, once you trust in Jesus, faith must remain firm until the end. I wonder how many persons have declared faith in Jesus, became active in His church, and then later decided to abandon ship?  How many persons are there who give lip service to Jesus, but in their hearts, they love themselves and the pleasures of life far more than they love Jesus.  Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, being baptized in His name and becoming active in His church means that you are in the ark of salvation.  But please pay careful attention to what I am about to say now: Entering the ark was only the first step.  Remaining there is the second step.  Those who take step #1 and enter the ark, but choose not to remain there will enter into the waters of judgment. 

Peter spoke clearly of this in 2 Peter 2:20-22. “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.  For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.  It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” This is a frightening text, one that we must heed carefully. It speaks of persons who have turned to Jesus Christ with faith, but then become so entangled again with the world to the extent that they gradually drift away from Jesus. Peter compares such to a pig which has been washed, but then returns to the muck and becomes filthy once again. 

Coming to Jesus is a lifelong commitment. As the song we used to sing in church camp expresses it, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.”  Until that is the faith of our hearts, until the decision to trust Jesus becomes a decision we cling to “no matter what,” we run the risk of turning back. I don’t know if anyone on Noah’s Ark thought about turning back.  Whatever their thoughts, whatever the hardships of life on the ark, whatever the stench of hundreds of animals, they remained, and they were saved.  If you trust in Jesus and abide in faith until life’s end, you will most certainly be saved. But if you waver, and become entangled again with sin, selfishness and pleasure and turn away from Jesus, you will most certainly be lost unless you recognize what has happened and return to the only One who can save you. 

What else can we learn from Noah that relates to Jesus?  Have any of you ever tried to build a boat? My best friend in high school decided we would build a boat in his garage. For several weeks we sawed and hammered, ending up with a square box that looked more like a coffin that a boat. We reasoned, “Our boat is made of wood. Wood floats. Therefore our boat will float.”  We later learned that there was a flaw in our logic. There was something about the principle of buoyancy we did not grasp. We dragged our boat a few blocks to nearby Wood Lake in suburban Minneapolis. We pushed our creation out onto the water. By the time we were in waist deep water, our boat was on the bottom.  I suspect it is still there. We would have benefited from some professional guidance.  Like the Titanic, the maiden voyage of our ship ended in disaster. 

One thing we need to remember is that sailing on water had not entered man’s mind in the days of Noah. The human race, just like my friend and me, had no concept of how to build a ship that would float upon the water.  God gave Noah detailed instructions on the construction of the ark.  He didn’t just say, “Build a ship,” because Noah would have responded, “What is a ship?”  Noah had to follow explicitly and in detail God’s instructions. He was given the dimensions, the materials to use, how to make it water tight. where to put the window and door, creating compartments on three different levels — detail after detail is recorded in Genesis about how to build the ark.  Why? What is the point of explaining all that detail? What do we care about the details of ark construction?  

It is a twofold reminder to us. First, we must learn carefully how God wishes to accomplish our salvation. The heart of the matter is trust in Jesus, but there is a lot of detail in Scripture explaining who this Jesus is, what He has done for us, how we are to respond to Him and how the Holy Spirit works in the salvation process, and the place of the church, the Christian community, in bringing us finally to the safety and glory of heaven. There is instruction about baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, and prayer, and a thousand other matters which we must learn and practice to enjoy the fullness of salvation. 

I have probably said this before, but it fits in here so I shall say it again. I have heard people say, “I believe in God but I don’t really see the need of the church.” That would be like Noah saying, “I will build the ark, but I don’t see any need of following all that detail God has given.” What if Noah decided, “Why do I need to go to the trouble of covering this thing with pitch. That black, gooey stuff is nasty.  I would never be able to get it off my hands and clothes. I think I’ll eliminate that step.”  The pitch was to waterproof the ark.  If Noah eliminated that step the ark would have leaked like the Titanic, and would have suffered the same fate.

The details of ark construction remind us of a second truth. Christianity is more than trusting Jesus and going to heaven when we die.  It is an entire life and world view touching every aspect of life. The Bible is filled with detailed instructions which we ignore to our peril.  Those instructions are meant to lead us to what Jesus called “life abundant.”  While eternal life depends on faith in Jesus alone, the abundant life comes about by paying attention to everything Jesus taught. Just as Noah had to follow God’s instructions if the ark was to be sound, so we must follow God’s directions in Scripture if we hope to build a life that is sound. 

This truth is underscored by another fact about the ark. This large floating zoo, the length of 1 and 1/2 football fields, 50 yards wide, with three levels, had no engine, no sail, no rudder.  There was no way to steer the ship. Noah and his family were at the mercy of the wind and the waves.  They had no choice but to trust God to keep the ship afloat and to arrive at a safe destination. 

Do you see the application? Our navigational equipment is very faulty.  If we try to sail through life trusting in our own intelligence and abilities, life will overwhelm us just as surely as the waters of Wood Lake overwhelmed my boat. We must adopt Noah’s attitude, admitting that we are not wise enough to make the choices we need to make in life.  We need the wisdom of God to guide us every step of the way.  The good news is that if we will trust Him, He has promised to direct our every step. 

Summary: Noah’s Ark reinforces the New Testament teaching that Jesus alone can save us, that we must trust in Him, and continue to trust in Him throughout life, allowing Him to navigate us into the abundant life now, and eternal life in heaven.  Noah cried out, “All aboard!” but no one listened.  Jesus also cries out “all aboard!” Are you listening?  

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THE RISE AND FALL OF LUCIFER

Warsaw Christian Church, (1/24/2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:11-19

12  How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13  You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; 14  I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.”

I have two texts, the one I read from Isaiah and the text from Ezekiel 28, which I did not read but will refer to briefly. In our study of Genesis, we have seen the appearance of an entity called the devil or Satan. The question many have asked is this: how did evil enter the world in the first place? Adam and Eve fell into sin after being tempted by the devil. We saw the results in the lives of their two sons. Cain killed his brother over the proper way to worship God.  . 

But where did this devil originate? Genesis tells us that everything God created was good. This question has puzzled theologians for centuries. We do not want to say that God was the cause of evil, but how else could evil enter the picture unless God is somehow behind it? 

Scripture leads us to the following conclusions. There is an order of beings created by God called angels. These beings were present when God created the heavens and the earth.  Angels are superior to human beings, but they also share some characteristics with humanity. They are personal beings with minds and wills. They seem to possess the same freedom we possess. 

While we are not given much detail, we learn from 2 Peter 2:4 that some angels sinned. In Revelation 12:7, we know that Satan was cast down to the earth, along with the angels who followed him. Thus, while angels were created by God and said to be good, a group of them rebelled against God, led by one who was probably an archangel, equal in rank to Michael, namely, Satan.

Satan tempted Adam and Eve to rebel against God, but who tempted Satan? In a universe created by God with nothing in it except goodness, how did Satan and the angels who joined with him fall into temptation and sin? We receive some clues in our two texts from Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 

There was no evil present in the angelic realm to seduce him. Adam and Eve blamed Satan for their fall. Who can Satan blame? The answer is found in the five “I will” statements found in Isaiah.  One need not have an external tempter to fall into sin. Just as sin and disobedience can arise in the human heart without any external tempter, this is what happened to Satan.  Notice how James expresses it: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust” (James 1:13,14). Yes, Satan can tempt us to do evil, but we are quite capable of choosing to do evil without Satan’s involvement. God’s word declares that our internal desires can lead us into sin. It was Satan’s desires which led to his fall. 

We assume from various Scripture texts that Satan was created good. He was both beautiful and powerful. As an archangel, the highest order of angels, he had immense authority to serve under God’s direction. While we long for more details, they are scant. The New Testament seems to suggest that Satan may have had a special authority over planet earth. 

We assume from our text in Isaiah 14 that Satan engaged in some introspection and became quite impressed with his great power, wisdom, and beauty.  So impressed was he with himself that the thought entered his mind, “I am as great or greater than God.” Remember one of Satan’s words to Eve? – – – “You shall be like God.” He tempted her with the same thought that entered his mind. Pride entered the heart of this magnificent being, and he fell from his lofty position in heaven and became the one we call “Satan.” Listen to what Satan “said in his heart. I will ascend into heaven.” The implication here is that he can do this on his own. He can move into heaven and function as “god.” Next, he thinks, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.” He sees his throne as having more status than the very throne of God. His throne shall be above the throne of God. His final, personal reflection tells the story. He looks inward at his majesty and thinks, “I will be like the most high.” Satan decides to be his own “god,” thus eliminating the true God from the picture. 

What turned this holy and magnificent angel into a devil? In a word, pride. In the Ezekiel passage, we read, “Your heart became proud because of your beauty” (28:17).  Isaiah says that rather than becoming a second “god,” Satan will be brought down to hell. Those angels he convinced to follow him will suffer his fate. More relevant to us, we also will share in Satan’s future if we fall under his deceptive spell. For reasons not told to us, God allows Satan and his minions to operate in this world. While Satan has been defeated by Jesus, He still roams the earth seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He desires our allegiance and uses deception to gain it (2 Thess. 2:9). 

If Satan appeared to us in a red suit with a pitchfork in hand and horns protruding from his head and called upon us to fall down and worship him, we would refuse to do so. However, Satan rarely presents himself to us as the evil being he has become. Instead, he uses deception. Paul says he pretends to be an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 10:13). He pretends to be on the side of goodness, beauty, and truth to deceive us into giving him our allegiance 

It would seem that one reason God allows Satan to operate is to continually test the human race regarding our allegiance. Adam and Eve were tempted and fell. Satan’s own exalted opinion of himself tempted him, and he fell. We live in a world today where two forces vie for our allegiance; God and Satan. God promises to receive us as His dear children if we will give our minds and hearts to Jesus Christ, trusting Him as Savior and following Him as Lord. Satan’s single aim is to turn us away from Jesus by any possible means. He will promise us the moon in order to turn us away from Jesus.

Once we understand why Satan fell, we are in an excellent position to know why he is so successful with so many. Satan and his hordes want you to believe in yourself, in your importance. Satan wants you to feel proud of yourself. He wants to build up your ego. In contrast, to come to Jesus, we must admit that we are sinners; we must humble ourselves and allow Jesus to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We must ask Him to guide us, admitting that without His help, we will go astray. Satan leads us to take control of our lives. Jesus teaches us to yield control unto Him. 

The way of Jesus is the way of humility.  The method of Satan is the way of pride. Just as Satan rejoiced in his beauty, wisdom, and power, he wants you to do likewise. He wants you to imagine that you are superior to others in some way and to use that superiority to your own advantage. Even if you are religious and go to church, if Satan can persuade you to have an exalted opinion of yourself, he has you in his control. If he can convince you to live your life and make your decisions in ways that promote y-o-u, Satan has you in his hip pocket. 

In the late 6th Century, Pope Gregory the Great devised a list of seven deadly sins. Notice how they all revolve around self.  Pride heads the list. It is an excessive belief in one’s own abilities that interferes with the individual’s recognition of God’s grace. Envy is pride that is wounded and wants to possess that which belongs to another. Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than one requires. It wants to satisfy the self, whatever the cost in terms of health and appearance.  Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. It is the self saying, “Why should I limit my physical pleasures to one spouse.” Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as wrath. It is the self throwing a tantrum because of some perceived injury or being deprived of something.  Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain while ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is the self wanting more and more and more, never finding satisfaction. Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work. The self says, “Why should I put myself out for others or for God?” 

We don’t think of seven deadly sins today. Sin is sin, but it is worthy to note that when Gregory made a list of the seven deadly sins, —Pride, ego, self, selfishness —were at the center of all seven. This is how we can tell when Satan is guiding us. Whenever we are overly concerned about having our feelings hurt, when pride and egotism and self-centeredness seem to have control of our hearts, it is not the Holy Spirit who is guiding us. Those are the fingerprints of Satan.  When the Holy Spirit is guiding us, humility replaces pride. God’s will, not our ego, becomes the item of utmost concern. 

One final word, and I believe it is good news. Satan cannot compel you to do anything. He did not force Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. He deceived her into thinking it would be of benefit.  She made the final choice. Comedian Flip Wilson popularized the phrase, “The devil made me do it,” but the devil cannot make you do anything.  All he can do is tempt, entice, suggest, while hiding behind his favorite disguise – – – the human ego. 

Look at our society. Look at our movies, television, books, advertisements, and ask this question. Is our society focused more on pride or humility? Is our culture pushing people toward Jesus or away from Him?  I see lots of Medicare ads encouraging you to get what you are entitled to. Who can doubt that Joe Namath is telling the truth? It is an appeal to ego.  Most of our advertisers appeal to our pride and ego. I have yet to see an ad suggesting that you buy their less expensive products so you will have more to give to the church or the needy! There are even ministries that promise you double your money back if you support them. Give $100 and receive $200 back. What a deal! It is a blatant appeal to pride. 

Scripture tells us that the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).  He cannot devour a person whose heart belongs to Jesus.  He is looking for persons who are vulnerable to pride. Pride was his downfall, and he wants to drag you down with him. But take heart! He cannot do it without your permission. He cannot destroy your soul if you have taken hold of Jesus and then asked Him to take hold of your life. Satan is wise and powerful, but he is no match for the Son of God.  

James says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” How do we do that? Let me give you the simple, basic answer. If thoughts of pride, self, or ego enter your heart, assert your faith in Jesus, and the devil will leave you alone. If envy tries to make inroads into your soul, assert your faith in Jesus, and the devil will flee. If you are tempted toward greed, affirm your faith in Jesus, and the devil will turn tail. If the devil knocks on the door of your heart and says, “I wish to speak to the head of this house,” tell him, “Jesus Christ is the head of this house,” and Satan will flee.  Satan is looking for persons who lack a firm faith in Jesus Christ, for such persons are susceptible to pride, and the wisest human person is no match for Satan. He will sift you like wheat, even as Jesus so warned Peter. Those upon whom Jesus has a firm grip cannot be deceived and led astray by Satan. If one of those seven deadly sins takes priority in your life that is an open invitation to Satan to influence you away from Jesus. Hold firmly to your faith in Jesus and the devil will leave you alone. 

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ABEL AND CAIN

Warsaw Christian Church, (1/17/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Genesis 4:1-8

Once Adam and Eve decided to disregard God’s Word, things went downhill. Before we move into the very instructive story of Cain and Abel, we need to return to Adam and Eve for just a moment. When they sinned against God, Genesis 3 tells us that they felt a compulsion to cover their nakedness, using the well-known fig leaf. However, at the end of the chapter, we learn that God was not satisfied with fig leaves.  He clothed them with animal skins. 

So what? Two things need to be said. First, Adam and Eve could not cover their sins.  It had to be done by God. When God clothed them in animal skins, He hinted at what was later to become a clear principle. In order for sin to be forgiven, blood must be shed. This covering of Adam and Eve with animal skins was followed in time by the whole Jewish system of animal sacrifices, leading finally to the Messiah’s shedding of blood. The principle is stated clearly in Hebrews 9:22: “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.” What is said so clearly later in Scripture is revealed faintly in Genesis.  Keep this in mind as we look at the story of Cain and Abel.

Adam and Eve were promised that the woman’s seed would crush the serpent’s head, thus nullifying Satan’s hold on the human race. They may have entertained the idea that Eve herself would bear this child. This hope is hinted at with the birth of Cain. “Cain” is a Hebrew word that suggests strength, power, self-assertion — a strong man of God. Some believe that the name “Cain” was given because of the belief he would be the promised deliverer. Adam and Eve may have entertained the hope that Cain would crush the serpent’s head and defeat Satan. 

While we do not see a lot of detail, Cain turned out to be a big disappointment. Today, we might refer to him as a spoiled brat. He is egotistical and self-centered. By the time their second son was born, Adam and Eve seem to have given up the idea that Eve would deliver the redeemer. The name “Abel” means “emptiness.” I would not be too pleased if my parents named me “Empty Bowman!” But after being disappointed by Cain, they now choose a less pretentious name for their second son. 

In our text, we learn several important truths about how we are to approach God, Cain’s way, and Abel’s way. The two boys went in different directions in terms of occupation. Cain was a tiller of the ground, while Abel tended sheep. Once again, we have to fill in some blanks to understand the text. We can assume that Adam and Eve instructed both boys on how to worship God. They remembered their sin could not be “covered” by fig leaves.  Blood had to be shed so they could be clothed in animal skins. We can assume this information had been communicated to Cain and Abel. At this early stage in revelation history, the only proper way to approach God was through blood atonement.  

Cain, however, like his parents, decides to take matters into his own hands. He probably reasoned, “Since I work in agriculture, it makes sense to me to bring a grain offering to God.  Why should I sacrifice one of my animals?” And so, disregarding specific instructions that God had given to his parents, he offers God a grain offering.  He is probably hoping that God will praise him for his ingenuity, and as a result, he may receive some special divine favor. Abel presents the firstborn from his flock, as instructed, and offers his sacrifice with a humble and contrite heart. We infer this from what God says in the text: And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,  but for Cain and his offering, he had no regard. 

Notice that God was not pleased either with Cain or his offering.  In contrast, He was pleased both with Abel and the offering he presented.  Cain, the eldest, who’s name means strength and power, turns out to be a rebel against God. Abel, whose name means “Empty,” turns out to be a man full of faith.

We can only guess about Cain’s attitude problem. From the way he reacted to God’s effort to discipline him, it seems clear that he did not take worship very seriously. Oh, he showed up for church (so to speak), but he was casual about it. He had no real reverence for God. He had no regard for God’s specific instructions. When God sought to correct him, his evil character is revealed in living color.  He becomes angry, and his heart is full of jealousy toward his brother.  He finds his brother and slays him. 

He seems to be saying, “I ought to be able to worship God any way I choose. I did my duty, and God rejects me. I brought an excellent grain offering, but God is so narrow-minded he wouldn’t accept it. So what if I worshipped God in a wrong spirit? I did show up, and I presented a sacrifice, and God ought to be more open and affirming towards me. And, to top it all off, my empty-headed little brother, Abel, goody-two-shoes, gains God’s approval. I am the eldest, and God should respect that. I will show God and my brother that I will not be treated in such an unjust fashion.” And so, he kills Abel, and like his parents, probably blamed God for his deed.

With Abel, it is different. Jesus Himself referred to Abel as a “righteous man” in Matthew 23:35. Abel approached God in the right spirit. It cost him his life. 

A key question in seeking to understand Scripture is to ask the question, “What does this have to do with me?”  Let’s make some applications, seeking to answer three questions: Why do we worship? What is the proper attitude for worship? What is the appropriate form of worship? 

First, why do we worship?  I have heard people say, “I don’t get anything out of a church service, so I quit going.” Let’s be clear on this matter. This church and this worship service are not intended to please you (or me). We do not pick music, prayers, sermons, Scripture readings, or anthems designed to please you.  I hope this doesn’t offend anyone, but we must get this fact on the table. We worship to please God. It’s not about us; it’s about God. 

If your concern when you enter a sanctuary is to respond only to those things that please you, you have gone the way of Cain. Remember his problem? Cain was satisfied with his worship.  He was pleased with his offering. He could have been singing, “I did it my way.” It was all about Cain, and God’s will did not seem to matter. 

We are not here for our sakes, but God’s sake. We do not attend church to please ourselves. We worship here to please God. Those who fail to understand this principle may be in church, but they are not worshipping.  You can only worship when your primary motive is to please God.  Of course, a fringe benefit of true worship is that we are blessed. God does bless us when our worship is focused on Him and carried out entirely for His sake. He never blesses us when we fold our arms in church and say in our hearts, “What’s in it for me.”  

People leave churches for various reasons. Often, the motive has to do with one’s personal preferences. If the service is too long, or the music not to our liking. If the service is too formal or too informal, or the preaching does not suit us. If expectations are not met in some manner, many will leave a church and search for a church that pleases their personal preferences. Dear friends, I am not seeking to offend anyone, but please understand that such attitudes are focused on the human ego.  The question we need to ask about the worship taking place in this church is not, “Does it please me?” but rather, “Does it please God?“

I am not suggesting that we try to pretend that we have no personal preferences. If I had my way, we would sing “A Mighty Fortress is our God” every Sunday, preferably in German! I am suggesting that our personal preferences need to move into a secondary position.  If we worship God properly, our first thought must be on what pleases Him and not on what pleases us. Our heart’s desire must be to please Him. If we enter into a worship service like Cain, thinking that we are free to do whatever we like with whatever attitude suits us, and God can take it or leave it, I assure you, He will leave it.  If you can check your ego at the door and enter into this sanctuary with one desire – – – to worship God, true worship that pleases God will take place even if some elements of the service do not please you!

Our second and third questions have to do with the proper attitude required for true worship and the appropriate elements that make up a worship service. How do we know what God wants us to do when we gather together? Is it up to us? Again, that was Cain’s attitude. Abel’s attitude was different. He wanted to worship God with the right attitude and in the right way. 

Of course, times have changed since Cain and Able entered into worship. We are living today under the New Covenant, and our worship must conform to that covenant. However, two aspects of worship remain the same today as when Abel and Cain worshipped. The first has to do with attitude, and the second has to do with form. First, a right heart such as Abel possessed is still required. Those who worship aright today enter into the sanctuary with a sincere desire to draw near to God. If we are performing a duty, true worship does not happen. If we are sitting in church thinking, “I can’t wait until this is over,” we are not worshipping.  Jesus, quoting Isaiah, warned of the danger of paying Him lip service while their hearts were far from Him. Hear His words from Matthew 15:7-9:  “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:  ” ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain…” 

If you find your lips moving as you say the Lord’s prayer, or when you sing hymns of praise while your heart is elsewhere, you may be in church, but you are not worshipping. Jesus refers to such persons as hypocrites and describes their worship as vain or empty. It is not an easy matter to worship God. It takes concentration; it takes a real desire to honor God; it takes a heart that truly seeks God. As I prepared this message, I had to confess to God that I have spent too much time in vain worship. You may need to join me, admitting your guilt and asking God to help you stay focused when you enter into this sanctuary. Worship is all about honoring God, acknowledging Him as our Creator and Redeemer, but God is not glorified when our minds wander and our hearts are not focused on Him.  

The second element of continuity between today and Cain and Abel’s days is the shedding of blood. I attended church regularly from my birth until I was almost 30 years old, but I never worshiped God in all that time. I sang; I joined in prayers; sometimes, I even tried to listen to the sermon; I took communion, but one crucial element was missing. I neither understood nor believed that the suffering of Jesus had anything to do with me. The “stuff” I brought with me into the worship service was like Cain’s offering. True worship occurs when we understand and believe that our ability to draw near to God derives from one source: the shed blood of Jesus. 

Abel approached God with a blood sacrifice, and so must we. We now understand that the Old Covenant’s animal sacrifices were to help prepare us for the boundless gift made by the Son of God. There is but one narrow path leading us into the presence of God, a path the width of the Cross of Jesus. To worship God, you must approach Him in the name of Jesus, trusting that His blood has covered your sin and uncleanness. Sincerity, the right attitude, is critical, but not enough. We must draw near to God both in the right spirit and in the right way. In our church, we celebrate communion each Lord’s Day.  We do it because our founders believed that was the practice of the church in the New Testament. They saw Acts 20:7 as a pattern to be followed in the church in every age and generation. “On the first day of the week, … we … gathered together to break bread. .” But there is more to it than simply following a church tradition. What better way is there to remember that our ability to draw near to God is based on our Savior’s shed blood than to celebrate the Lord’s Supper each Lord’s Day?  The bread and the cup are constant reminders that there is only one person who ever pleased God, and it is not you or me. Jesus alone has pleased the Father, and we can only approach the Father through His atoning death. If you wish to worship God in spirit and in truth, draw near to the throne of grace through the blood of Jesus. 

Finally, true worship must be rooted in Scripture. When we worship, we do several things: we sing hymns because hymn singing is part of the biblical pattern. We offer prayers because prayers are part of the biblical pattern. We read the Scriptures because that is part of the biblical pattern. We receive an offering because that is part of the biblical pattern. We preach Christ and biblical truth because that is part of the biblical pattern. Everything we do in worship must have a biblical foundation if our worship is pleasing to God. 

I close with a summary of the ground we have covered this morning. True worship requires a sincere heart; true worship can only take place when Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the focal point, and the elements of worship must be biblically based. How are you doing in this holy duty? Are you Abel, or are you, Cain? 

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ADAM AND EVE

(THE GOSPEL IN GENESIS)

Warsaw Christian Church, (1/10/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Genesis 3:1-15

Let’s begin with a few questions. What did Adam and Eve do when they got kicked out of the garden? They raised a little Cain. Why did Adam and Eve have such a great marriage? Adam couldn’t talk about his mother’s superior cooking, and Eve couldn’t mention all the other men she should have married. Okay, now let’s get serious. 

Many wonder, “How did we get into this mess?” If a good and powerful Creator made the heavens and the earth and everything in them, where did evil come from? Today our focus will be on evil as it originated in the human race. Later, we will talk about Satan’s origin, the Tempter, who led Adam and Eve into sin in the guise of a snake. 

Many wonder whether the story of Adam and Eve is real history or a fictional account. I accept it as a history for several reasons. First, no one could know how the human race began apart from revelation. I do not find it so unbelievable that God would start the human race with an initial pair. Further, the genealogy of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel traces back to Adam. Luke believed Adam was historical. In 1 Cor. 15:22 Paul states, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” Paul, an inspired Apostle, believed Adam to be historical.  He argues that Adam created the human problem of sin, and Christ has resolved that problem. All of this implies that when we speak of Adam and Eve, we speak of real history. 

Our first parents lived in an ideal environment.  The Garden of Eden supplied everything they needed. It was heaven on earth. How could anything ever go wrong?  When God created Adam and Eve in His image, there was one issue to be resolved. All the living creatures on earth fulfill God’s plan for their lives because they are programmed to behave in specific ways.  They have no choice. Humans are different. Like God, we can reason,  think, and make choices. 

If God had made us like the other animals, we would do exactly what God wanted, but only because we were so programmed. Adam and Eve received a mind. They could think and make choices. The issue was simple: if God gave them a negative command, would they choose to follow it? The command was clear and straightforward: Adam, you may eat from all the trees in the garden, except one. And please notice the name God assigned to this tree. They were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was not an apple tree! 

Before the Fall took place, Adam and Eve knew only the good. They were in intimate fellowship with their Creator, a God who is altogether virtuous. If they obeyed His will, they would experience nothing but goodness, and they would have lived forever in Paradise. 

In their unfallen state, they could only know good from evil by listening to God. He pointed out to them one particular behavior they must carefully avoid. If they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would die. 

Notice how Satan tempted Eve, for his methods remain the same throughout history. First, he causes her to question whether or not she heard right. The Tempter assures her that she may have thought God said, “You shall die,” but surely, God could not have made such a statement. Satan assures her, “You will not die.” Perhaps we can try to read Eve’s mind. Maybe she began to think, “God is a good God, and it makes no sense that He would judge us so harshly for such a minor infraction. Maybe I didn’t understand God’s warning.  He has said we might eat of all the trees in the garden, so why would He not want us to eat of this tree, which is so beautiful and has such appealing fruit?  Perhaps this serpent is leading me to a higher view of God.  Surely God’s goodness would not allow Him to make such a prohibition.  We have been in intimate fellowship with Him. Why would He kill us?” 

Satan then drops his big bomb. “Eve, if you eat of this fruit, you will be like God. You can decide what is good and evil without God’s help.” Might she have thought, “This makes sense. God is good, and if I become like God, I will be good. I won’t have to bother God in the future. I will become free and autonomous.” Satan even hinted that God was jealous of His divine prerogatives and was trying to keep Adam and Eve in a subservient role.  Eve concluded that this voice, which contradicted the voice of God, was speaking the truth. She concluded that either she misunderstood the command or God lied. The tree looked harmless; the fruit looked good, so she ate and convinced Adam that he should also eat. Sin entered into the human race, and we have been suffering ever since. 

There are three primary stages involved in this temptation.  We do well to note them because we will confront them in our daily lives. (1). Satan cast doubt on the Word of God. (2). He suggested that there are no consequences to disobedience. (3) He affirmed that we could be our own “god” and live independently of the True God. Let us take a closer look at these three aspects of temptation. 

SATAN CAST DOUBT ON THE WORD OF GOD. If we learn nothing else from the Fall of Adam and Eve, I hope we understand that God means what He says. Adam and Eve died that day. They continued their physical life, but they died in a more significant sense: they experienced separation from God (spiritual death), and in time their bodies died (physical death), and had God not intervened, they would have gone to hell (second death). Learn this principle well: GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD. Whether His word is in the form of a promise or a threat, it will come to pass. 

God told Noah He would destroy the earth, and it was so.  God said He would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and it was so. God promised to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, and they were delivered. God promised Israel that if they wanted to be like the nations around them and have a king, it would bring disaster to them, and it was so. God told Adam and Eve that disobedience would bring death, and death entered into the human race. God has issued a clear threat, “The soul that sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).  Do you believe Him? Do you believe that your soul will die forever in hell unless God intervenes?  On the positive side, God has intervened, promising that all who believe in His Son shall not perish but have eternal life. Do you believe Him? Do you think your unbelieving friends and relatives will finally go to heaven even though they give no evidence of faith in Jesus? Never doubt what God has declared in His Word. Your salvation depends upon your learning to take God at His Word.  

Today, our world is full of people who question and doubt God’s direct word, just as Eve did. Jesus said that He and He alone could bring a human soul into the Kingdom of God, but churches all over this nation preach and teach that there are many paths to God. Jesus said, “I am the way,” but others say, “There are many ways.” God declares that His Word is forever accurate. Jesus declared that heaven and earth would pass away, but His Word would never pass away. Dear friends, I implore you to take God’s Word with the utmost seriousness. If you do not, you will learn too late the truthfulness of God. God never speaks an idle, thoughtless Word. He says what He means, and He means what He says. 

 Second, SATAN SUGGESTED THAT THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES TO DISOBEDIENCE. Many in our day admit that they sin against God, but they don’t see it as a serious matter. I have conducted many funerals over the years, and in every case, I hear things like, “He’s gone to a better place,” or “I know my loved one is in heaven.” I always hope for the best, too, but I have heard such comments about persons who gave no evidence at all of faith in Jesus.  I suspect many people believe that God will save everyone, or at least that He will save our loved ones whether or not they evidence faith in Jesus Christ. 

We are like the young lady in the book, A View from the Zoo.  She had a baby raccoon named “bandit” she raised as a pet. A zookeeper cautioned her that raccoons go through a glandular change around age 2, and that her raccoon might attack her. She smiled and said, “I know that Bandit would never harm me. He just wouldn’t.” Three months later, the girl was undergoing plastic surgery for severe lacerations on her face. Her adult raccoon, for no apparent reason, attacked her.

Are you like this young lady? God has warned you about the dangers and consequences of sin, but perhaps you think, “it will be different with me. I will be okay. God surely would not send me to hell.” Eve concluded that disregarding God’s command was a small matter, but she paid a high price when she learned, GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS.  No exceptions, no loopholes, no excuses. Adam and Eve tried to explain to God that they were not to blame.  Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, but God held all three accountable. He will hold me responsible too, and you. 

Third,  SATAN AFFIRMED THAT WE CAN BE OUR OWN “GOD” AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE TRUE GOD. Adam and Eve learned that trying to decide what is good or evil without God’s help was not such a good idea after all. Instead of becoming like God, as Satan promised, they became like Satan. Many today live as if they were “god.” I will decide how to spend my time and my money. I will determine what is right and wrong for myself. I will be the master of my fate, the captain of my soul. I will decide what is best for me. I will determine how much time and energy I will give to Christ and His church. I will not bother to learn much about what God says.  I don’t need to attend Bible study classes.  I will live my life as I see fit and hope for the best. 

I recall hearing one atheist say that if God wanted to send him to hell for refusing to believe in His Son, so be it. He stated there was not enough evidence to cause him to trust in Jesus. He added that a God who would send someone to hell simply because they did not believe in Jesus is not worthy of worship. I hope that man sees things differently before death strikes him down. Like Eve, he has blatantly denied the truthfulness of God’s Word. 

The bottom line we need to learn from the Fall of Adam and Eve is this: Take God at His word. Believe that our decisions for or against God will have consequences. A person who wishes to be his own God, determining his life course, is a spiritual fool.  Fortunately for Adam and Eve, after they sinned against God, they heard a word of grace. They listened to the first, primitive announcement of the Gospel. Did you catch that in the text? God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Notice the first announcement of hope after the Fall. God spoke to Satan, telling him that because of his sin in leading Eve astray, the day would come when a child would be born of a woman, a child who would redeem fallen humanity and destroy Satan. 

The Hebrew text refers to the “seed” (zerah, a seed) of the woman. It does not say that a future human couple shall bear a child, but that a child born of the seed of woman will defeat Satan. How can a child be born simply through the seed of a woman, without a man’s participation? Satan later tempted Jesus, asking Him to renounce God and worship Satan (See Matthew 4). Having again failed, Satan sought to destroy the seed of the woman at Calvary.  There we see the fulfillment of the promise that Satan would bruise the heel of the Messiah, but Satan himself would be issued a death blow, the crushing of his head. When Jesus was crucified, Satan thought he had finally defeated God and His promise to redeem fallen humanity, but it was the death of Jesus that God used to usher in our salvation. Rather than destroying Jesus, it was a mere “bruising of His heel” since the grave could not hold Him. His resurrection administered the death blow to Satan and his long efforts to defeat God.

You may have noticed that Mel Gibson, in his film of the Passion, showed Jesus crushing the head of a serpent with his heal in the Garden of Gethsemene. Gibson was directing us back to Genesis 3.  The enmity between the Son of God and Satan continues to this day.  However, the decisive battle was fought and won at Calvary, and all who trust in Jesus receive deliverance from Satan’s dominion. 

There is no record that Adam and Eve ever asked God if there was any way they could recover from the damnation they created for themselves.  God, in His grace and mercy, promised them deliverance even though they had not requested it.  God, unsolicited, bestowed the promise of a  Savior to Adam and Eve, even though they showed no signs of remorse or repentance. Their initial response was to try to hide from God, followed by the blame game. How will God respond to us if we call upon His name, admit we are sinners, and place our trust in the Savior? Will He not instantly receive us as His dear children and grant us pardon and eternal life? 

That which began as a veiled promise in Genesis 3 came to perfect and complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Our first parents refused to believe God’s Word and plunged the human race into darkness. The way out of our mess is to reverse our first error, to take God as His Word, daring to believe that Jesus is the promised seed of the woman and that all who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Those who doubt the truthfulness of Scripture, and who delude themselves into thinking that disregarding God’s Word will not bring any serious consequences, and who decide they can be their own “god,” will learn too late that GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. 

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BIG BANG OR BIG GOD?

Warsaw Christian Church, (1/3/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text, Gen. 1:1-5

Today we turn our attention to the Old Testament. While the Christian Church is often described as a New Testament Church, you must also embrace the Old Testament if you believe the New Testament. While there are things in the Old Testament that do not pertain directly to us (dietary laws, ceremonies, etc.) there is also significant continuity between the Old Covenant and the New.  Jesus often quoted from the Old Testament, affirming its divine authority.  Indeed, much that we find in the New Testament doesn’t make sense unless we grasp the Old Testament teachings. We begin with the only historical account of creation on record, Genesis 1.

Of course, many who consider themselves to be sophisticated moderns would laugh at what I just said. Many, even in the church, assume Genesis to be a mythical story. The problem is that no one was present to witness creation, except the Creator. Some attempt to account for the universe keeping God out of the picture. In the beginning, was the Big Bang, and as luck would have it, this original mindless explosion resulted in the orderly universe in which we live. Further luck was involved in the creation of life from lifeless matter, which has evolved over billions of years, resulting in such complexities as the human brain and mind, our marvelous senses, the wide variety in the animal kingdom, and the plant world. Speaking personally, I do not have enough faith to believe that this universe is the result of a mindless explosion billions of years ago. 

Suppose I drove up to your house in a brand new Mercedes-Benz. Suppose I said, “I made this car myself. I threw a bunch of metal and other raw materials into a pile, then I blew it up with dynamite, and the result was this beautiful automobile.” I think you would suspect I had lost my mind. You would say, “A mindless, random explosion could never produce that automobile. It is clearly the result of intelligence.” I ask you to view something far more complicated than an automobile. Glance around at the universe, the sun, moon and stars, the earth, a newborn baby – – – contemplate the immensity and complexity of it all, and you will join with Moses in declaring, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” 

Dr. George Wald, a Nobel prize winner from Harvard University, who rejects the idea of God creating the universe, made this strange admission. “One has only to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible. Yet here we are – – as a result, I believe in spontaneous generation.” This scientist claims that living beings coming into existence spontaneously, with no Creator is impossible. Yet, he believes the impossible. He affirms that “nothing” spontaneously generated “something.” Talk about blind faith! I am not a Nobel Prize winner or a physicist, but to believe that the universe generated spontaneously from nothing is absurd. “Nothing” cannot cause anything, let alone this vast, complex universe we call home. It is much more logical to say that nothing is all you will ever have if you start with nothing.  It is much more reasonable to say that God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. 

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), a great scientist and a Christian had a universe model made for his personal study. A large golden ball represented the sun, and through the use of pulleys and wheels, all the planets revolved around the sun in roughly the same way they orbited in reality. One of Newton’s friends, a man who did not believe in God, came by one day and marveled at this mechanical representation of the universe. He asked Newton, “Who made it for you.” Newton replied (no doubt with a twinkle in his eye), “Nobody.” His friend replied, “What do you mean, nobody made it?” Newton “explained” that all these materials just appeared in his laboratory one day, and by chance and luck, they just happened to assemble into a model of the universe. One can only hope that his friend got the point. 

While I would love to spend more time on the abundant evidences for creation by God, that is not my primary purpose today. Instead, I want to move on to what we learn about God in the story of creation. We learn, first of all, that God is eternal. Genesis begins with the sublime words, “In the beginning, God…” We live in time, and we might want to ask the question, “What was God doing before He created the heavens and the earth.” It is a question for which we have no answer. God wishes us to know that He existed before time, outside of time, in eternity. As the Psalmist expressed it, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). Nehemiah declared, “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.  You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you (Neh. 9:5,6). God has no beginning and no end. Genesis 1 introduces us to the eternal God. 

I admit that the idea of a Being existing without beginning or end challenges our brainpower to the limit. And yet, given the fact that as Dr. Ward put it, “Here we are,” there is no adequate explanation for reality as we know it apart from the existence of our eternal God. 

We learn further from Genesis 1 that God is creative.  There is a unique word in Genesis 1:1; the Hebrew word “bara“ translated “created.” It is never used regarding human beings. Humans can make things out of pre-existing materials, but they cannot create something from nothing. God spoke the material universe into existence. The atoms and molecules that are the building blocks of the material universe were, first of all an idea in God’s mind, and then He spoke them into existence. The vastness of the universe, and its variety, reveal the creative mind of God. Who can imagine a Being who can create the planets and the stars, with so much empty space between them? The distances in space are measured in light-years, and our minds are staggered by the size of our universe. Who can imagine a Being who can create the human mind, our intricate senses, a delicate rose, the beautiful butterflies, and all the various variety we see in the world around us? Even Charles Darwin was fascinated by the human eye’s complexity and admitted that his theory of evolution could not account for it. The only explanation Darwin or any other evolutionist can give for any phenomena in the universe is to say, “It happened by chance.” 

God’s creative power seen in the visible universe presents to us the reality of a God who cannot be fully grasped by the human mind.  I can take a few boards and make a rough garden box and boast of my creative ability. What must God be like who can create this vast, incomprehensible universe by merely speaking it into existence? He is creative and powerful beyond human conception. The Psalmist was correct when he said, “The heavens declare the glory of God . . .” (19:1).  God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, asking the question, “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One” (40:25). The answer is that there is nothing comparable to our Creator God.  None can claim to be His equal. The only hope we have of ever understand the awesome reality of God is through revelation. We can know that God exists through nature, but what is He like? To answer that question, He must reveal Himself to us.  Through the written revelation that we call the Bible, he has done that, and through the personal revelation, we know as Jesus, the Son of God. 

From Genesis 1, we learn that God exists in eternity and that He created our time and space universe through His creative word. We know a third fact about God in Genesis 1:1. When we think of the word “God,” we may think of the Old Testament name “Jehovah/,” but that name for God was revealed later. When God is first named in the Bible in Genesis 1:1 we find the Hebrew word “Elohim.” In the beginning, “Elohim” created the heavens and the earth. 

When you see “im” on a Hebrew word, it is a plural noun. We usually add an “s” to a noun to make it plural. The Hebrews knew that God was One.  They were monotheists.  They knew there were not many gods. They knew that the “gods” of their neighbors did not exist, and this, of course, got them into trouble with their neighbors. They conceived of “Elohim” as One God despite the plural ending for the word. Many Bible students, including myself, see this as a veiled reference to God’s triune nature. There is but one God, but a plurality of persons in the Godhead. This hint we find in Genesis 1 is fully revealed in the New Testament, where we find the One true God defined as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

This plurality within the One True God is further alluded to in Genesis 1:26, where God says, “Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” The Hebrews never considered that “Us” meant multiple “gods.” They understood the use of “Us” as poetic language. This combination of the plural noun “Elohim” and the use of the word “Us” about God leads many to conclude that while God is One, there is complexity in the One God alluded to in the very first chapter in the Bible. 

In the light of further revelation, we see Jesus present at the time of creation. Paul says in Colossians 1:16: “For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

That which is hinted at in Genesis is fully revealed in the New Testament. The God in whom we believe is One, but He exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I realize the truth that One God exists eternally in three persons, but there are not three Gods, is a revelation beyond the power of our feeble minds to grasp. Yet, the Scriptures compel us to embrace this sublime truth.  To give just one of many references supporting this truth, Jesus commanded us to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). One Name, one God, but three persons within the Godhead. 

We also learn from the account of the creation that God is good. Over and over in the Creation account, we read the phrase, “And God saw that it was good.” I am confident that God was concerned right from the start to make sure that we understand his essential goodness, that He never resorts to evil or capriciousness. If God’s incredible powers ever turned to evil, we would have no way to fight back. How can we ever resist the God who is so powerful that He could speak this universe into existence?  We rejoice to learn that our Creator is good. God’s goodness is revealed in the first chapter of Genesis, and that goodness is magnified with the coming of Jesus to be our Savior. Because God is good, and His goodness never varies, we can depend totally upon what He says. 

Because God is good, our task is relatively simple. We must listen to God, believe what He says, and act accordingly. Next week we will see how this all works out when we look at Adam and Eve and the Fall. For now, embrace the truth that God is good and only wishes to shower His goodness upon you. 

Finally, I think we can find one more truth implied in Genesis 1: God is sovereign.  “Sovereign” means that He is in control of His creation. All things came from God, and all things are finally under His control. While we have received the power of choice, we are not in control.  Satan is not in control. Nations and human governments are not in control. God is the sovereign Lord of the universe. 

There are times when our lives are turned upside down by the trials of life, and we may wonder who is in control.  We see sickness, death, war, famine, murder, deceit, and the like, and we wonder, “Is God really in control.” Yes, He is, and He is a good God. Then where does evil come from? I hope to address that difficult question later on, but for now, I want to dogmatically assert, “God is in control of everything,” including your life. 

I find great comfort in knowing that our mighty Creator God who is good, is in charge. I would find it scary to think that some other forces outside of God were in control. Hitler, Stalin, and Roosevelt played a large role in World War Two, but ultimately God was in control. History is moving in the direction planned by God, and while we humans can and do resist God and act like we are in control, God’s plan for the world overrules our plans. We read in Isaiah 40:15, “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales . . .” We think of our nation as mighty and powerful, but God sees us as a drop of water, or a speck of dust!  It is humbling as we gain God’s perspective on reality. 

God has the right to govern His world as He chooses, and He does so rule. Again, our task is easy.  We need to learn from God what He wants from us and respond accordingly. In closing, we know from Genesis 1 that our Creator is eternal, powerful beyond our imagination.  He is creative.  He is One, but with a plural name.  He is good, and He is sovereign. This does raise the question, “So how did we get into this mess,” and that will occupy us for several weeks. The great hymn “How Great Thou Art” has the refrain, “Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art.” Let us close by praising God with this marvelous expression of the greatness and goodness of God.  

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2020 Sermons

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COME UNTO ME

Warsaw Christian Church (12/27/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Matthew 11:28-39. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.  

Do you ever experience stress? Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by the burdens of life that you feel like giving up? What do you do to relieve stress? 

A mental health foundation in the United Kingdom ran a poll on the effects of stress. Respondents to the survey said that overwhelming feelings of anxiety led them to overeat, drink, and smoke. People reported that stress made them feel depressed, anxious, alone, even suicidal.  Unrelieved stress is a severe condition. We all need healthy techniques for dealing with it. These techniques may be sublime, or they may be a little ridiculous. 

I read recently that many people are finding temporary relief from their stress by watching videos on YouTube. They’re watching videos of people cleaning their house. There’s a whole industry on the internet built around people who create videos to organize and clean your house. And these videos are hugely popular, with millions of fans. 

Why do people like to watch videos of people cleaning up their house? Many cleaning video fans say that watching someone else organize and clean their home makes them feel less anxious, more in control of their surroundings. Hosts for the most popular cleaning shows regularly get emails telling them how their show helped fans through anxiety, depression, and various life crises. Again, this wouldn’t work for me. Watching other people clean the house would only make me feel guilty about the state of my office!     

By the way, an organization in South Korea has discovered a novel way to help people deal with stress. This organization stages “living funerals.” Participants at living funerals write out a short testament of their last thoughts and wishes. Then they put on a funeral shroud and lie down in a closed coffin for about ten minutes. The purpose of living funerals is to help people gain a new perspective on life. About 25,000 South Koreans have undergone a living funeral so far. The Healing Center director says that some people have reconciled with family or friends after their living funeral. Others have changed careers—some participants contemplating suicide credit their living funeral with changing their minds. 

Well, whatever works for you. Ten minutes in a closed casket would not relieve stress for me. I am sure I would panic and come out more stressed than ever. I want to suggest a better plan.      

In our Bible passage today, Jesus challenges the people around him with these words, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Jesus is saying to us that weariness is not meant to be our natural way of living. That’s not what God created us to be. Jesus promises to give us rest in our souls. So, what did Jesus mean by rest for our souls? 

I recently read about another group devoted to giving us rest. However, this one’s a business. In 2005, a store called MinneNAPolis opened in Minnesota’s Mall of America. Notice the name—MinneNAPolis. For 70 cents a minute, tired shoppers can rent a sound-proof room for napping. The rooms have unique themes like Deep Space, Asian Mist, and Tropical Isle. Or, if you don’t feel like napping, you can sit in the store’s massage chair, gaze at a waterfall, listen to soft music and breathe in the “positive-ionization-filtered air.” The owners of the store advertise it as “an enjoyable escape from the fast-paced lifestyle.” Some people probably find that helpful. I think it is just part of the craziness that has engulfed Minneapolis in recent years!

However, rest for our souls is not the same thing as a nap, a vacation, or breathing in positive-ionization-filtered air while gazing at a fake waterfall. It’s not a temporary respite from our stress. Rest for our souls is a re-orientation of our values and perceptions of life to match up with the values and perceptions of God, the one who created us—the source of our soul. 

Listen to Jesus’ words again: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Think about those important words for just a few moments.

The first thing Jesus is saying to us is, “You have a soul.” Or, to be more accurate, you are a soul. The soul is the inner life. For now, the soul is encased in a body. God breathed upon Adam at the dawn of creation, and Adam became a living soul. Our inner life is meant to be connected to God. Sin messed that up, but there is a solution. Jesus does not promise bodily rest, but soul rest. The body may be weary, but Jesus promises us that we can have a sense of rest and peace on the inside. We can reconnect with God, and that brings peace. 

Jesus is the ultimate wake-up call for our soul. Listen to some other statements He made about your soul: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16: 26) Or “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” (Matthew 10: 28a) Jesus cares about our souls because he knows that our souls are a reflection of God’s image within us. So, I’ll ask the question again: Are you weary and burdened because you live disconnected from your soul— disconnected from God?

And that’s the first thing Jesus says in this passage: We have a soul, or better, we are a soul. The soul is at peace when in harmony with God. Jesus restores that harmony, and so He invites us: COME UNTO ME. Let me walk with you. I will bring rest to your soul. 

Here is the second thing we need to see: We have a Savior. We have a bridge between our soul and God. Jesus did not say, “Come to me, and all your troubles will go away.” He said, “Come to me, and I’ll share your life. You won’t be alone anymore.” I believe that’s what he meant when he said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me . . .” 

Jesus lived every moment, knowing that there are certain things worth living and dying for, and everything else is just noise. We have a Savior who understands what we’re facing. Jesus knows what it’s like to be tired. He knows what it’s like to be lonely and misunderstood.  He knows what it’s like to pour your heart and soul into a mission and not see any results. You have a Savior who chose to live as we live—as a human being—so he could show us that our identity, purpose, strength, and hope aren’t based on our circumstances but rather on the reality of a loving God living within us.

Let me tell you about a young boy named Caleb, who was diagnosed with a nervous system disease that left him with temporary paralysis. You can imagine how Caleb’s parents ached to see their precious little boy’s slow recovery from this illness.  One day Caleb’s dad came to visit him at school. From a distance, he watched as five-year-old Caleb limped across the playground. Caleb’s father was heartbroken to see the other kids playing all around his son games in which Caleb couldn’t participate. But then he saw Caleb’s best friend, Tyler, come up to Caleb. Tyler could have been off with the other kids, running and jumping and playing. But he chose to stroll alongside Caleb for the rest of recess. Tyler didn’t take away Caleb’s burdens. He walked with him and loved him in his weakness. Jesus does the same thing for us, and having His love and power freely available to us makes any burden easier to bear. “Take my yoke upon you . . .” 

We have a soul, and we have a Savior. And finally, Jesus is saying to us in this passage; there is a solution to our weariness and burdens.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

In the 1970s movie Freaky Friday, a frustrated mother and her rebellious daughter suddenly exchange lives. The mother wakes up in the daughter’s body and vice versa. And each one has to live a few days with the priorities, responsibilities, and stresses of the other. And so mother and daughter learn to respect and empathize with each other because they’ve walked in each other’s shoes. 

In a way, Jesus does this for us. He comes to dwell within us. Paul said, “Christ dwells in our hearts by faith.” As we live each day, realizing that Jesus walks with us, we come to know first hand that His yoke is easy. When we are yoked to Him and consciously live with that reality flooding our soul, our burdens become light. The problems we face each day are still there, but Jesus is there too. As we realize His presence, we experience peace. There is an old book titled “The Practice of the Presence of God” written by  Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite monk in the 17^th century. . He was a kitchen worker in a monastery, hardly a life conducive to spiritual growth. As he realized Jesus was with him in his daily routine, he was able to find peace and meaning in what was otherwise a dull and routine life. Jesus does dwell within His people. We need to focus on that reality, coming to Him daily and asking Him to walk with us. As we live in His presence, we find rest for our souls. 

I want to tell you about a woman named Rose, who has experienced unbelievable stress in her life—stress that should put our anxieties into perspective. Rose is a woman in Rwanda who lost most of her family to the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. This was a horrid conflict in which Rwanda’s Hutu citizens murdered more than 800,000 Tutsi citizens in around 100 days. Rose and her two daughters survived the attacks. How does Rose deal with the shock and grief of witnessing such carnage in which she lost members of her own family? She explains it this way, “For this, I have Jesus.” Think about those words for a moment: “For this, I have Jesus.” If  Rose found peace in her soul with the issues she faced, I think Jesus can do the same for us. He can give us that internal peace and rest amid horrible tragedies. 

What other sources of peace or rest are you counting on besides Jesus? This life can take so much away from us. But there is a part of us that cannot be taken away. It’s not affected by outward circumstances or inward doubts. It’s that eternal stamp on your personhood that says you were made in the image of God. That’s your soul. And God loves you so much that He came in the form of Jesus to share your life and to die for you. That’s your Savior. Come to Him and submit your life to his guidance and his priorities, and you will find rest for your soul. That’s the solution. You decide: will you keep on living in a way that is disconnected from  Jesus? Or will you live from the perspective and priorities of a soul that is created in the image of God? Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

For this, we have Jesus.

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CHRISTMAS MEANS HOPE

Warsaw Christian Church (12/20/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Scripture: Selected verses from Luke 1–2.

The real message of Christmas is about hope. Hope is one of the greatest needs of the human heart and one of the Christmas story’s most extraordinary statements. Psychiatrists will tell us that when a person loses hope, life loses all meaning.  People who have lost hope are candidates for suicide. The lockdowns associated with the Coronavirus have driven many to lose hope. In the Bible, hope is confidence, assurance. It is not wishing for something. It is confidence that the things we hope for will one day be a reality. Let’s look at the hope that Christmas brings:

1. First, hope is the confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises. Look at Luke 1:45:  When Mary, the mother of Jesus,  meets her cousin Elizabeth, she says: “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” That is the language of hope. Hope in the Christian vocabulary is not wishing for something we may or may not receive.  It believes that what the Lord has promised will be accomplished. We may not possess all of God’s promises today, but hope says, “One day I will receive everything God has promised.” To celebrate Christmas properly, we need the confident expectation that God can be relied on to fulfill the hopes He has awakened in our hearts through the promises of His Word. 

God had made an unbelievable promise to Mary. Without the benefit of a human father, she was to give birth to the Messiah. Mary might have said, “No way. Not going to happen,” Or she might have said, “I may be young, but I am not stupid.  I know how babies are conceived.” She did have some initial questions about what she heard, but she finally believed the promise of God and declared, “Be it unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). 

The Gospel that entered the world on that first Christmas would bring us numerous promises. The two big ones are (1) the forgiveness of sins and (2) the promise of everlasting life. When we say, “I hope I am forgiven, and I hope heaven is my destiny,” we are not expressing a wish that may or may not be realized. We are expressing confidence that the day will come when those hopes will be perfectly fulfilled. Christians are never without hope. Whatever problems and trials we face, we have the hope that the day will come when we will arrive safely into heaven, forgiven of every sin because of Jesus. 

It’s like a story that the great writer and Jewish activist Elie Wiesel told. Wiesel himself was a Holocaust survivor. He would tell about a Jewish rabbi during that terrible time. The Rabbi would faithfully come to the synagogue each day and pray, “I have come to inform You, Master of the Universe, that we are here.” As the toll of slain, deported, missing Jews increased, he still came faithfully and prayed, “You see, Lord, we are still here.” Finally, he is the only Jew left alive. With a heart that is numb with grief, he comes to the synagogue once more and prays, “You see, I am still here.” The Rabbi refused to abandon hope. In our time of personal grief, which of us has not wondered, where were you, God, when my son was in that terrible accident? Where were you, God, when my wife suffered so terribly before succumbing to cancer? Those who trust in God may suffer, but they never lose hope. 

2. That leads to the second point, which is that hope trusts in God despite difficulties. Simeon was a man who clung to hope. “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25). The whole Christmas story takes place against the backdrop of all kinds of serious problems. Israel was under the control of a foreign invader.  Personal freedom did not exist. Many of the Jews were imprisoned or crucified under Roman rule. Yet, the Christmas story is full of hope in the face of perplexing problems.  Simeon was waiting and believing. That is what hope does. Simeon’s hope was not based on a denial of the day’s issues but rather on a decision to trust in God despite the problems.

I have mentioned before the name of Joni Erickson Tada. She was named “Most athletic girl” when she graduated from high school. Her life changed dramatically when she broke her neck in a diving accident, which left her with quadriplegia, paralyzed from the neck down. She initially sank into a deep depression, but faith in Jesus brought hope back into her life. Today, 50 years after her accident, she is a successful artist, a best-selling author/musician who hosts a radio show. She has encouraged and inspired millions with her Christian witness.  Marie and I heard Joni speak at a conference a few years ago.  She admitted being tied to a wheelchair can become depressing. But she looks forward to heaven when she will once again be able to walk and run. Her Christian faith gives her hope.  

When I look at our prayer list or consider our national problems, I can get discouraged. When I look over this congregation and see so many senior citizens, I know that seniors struggle with health issues. When people ask me how I am, I never tell the truth. It would take too long to say, “Well, my hearing has failed somewhat, my right ankle gives me fits at times, my thumbs are stiff with arthritis, I can’t see clearly without my glasses, my neck gets so stiff I can barely turn my head without pain, my right hip aches if I walk too much, I take pills for blood pressure, I have neuropathy in my feet with limited sensation which makes me unstable in walking, and I have a cow valve in my aorta. How am I? I am just great, thank you.” I should print all of my ailments on a card, and when I am asked, “How are you?” I can hand over the card. 

Jesus was born. That changes everything. We have a God who loves us and has promised us an unbelievably glorious future. Yes, we have personal problems, and there are enormous problems in society. Yes, we have aches and pains, and one day we will walk through the valley of the shadow of death. But – – – Jesus was born!  We don’t deny or ignore the problems we face, but neither do we give in to despair. Because Jesus was born, we have hope. We have a bright future. When we embrace Jesus with the arms of faith, we have hope no matter the problems life throws at us. 

3. Third, hope dares to believe that God will transcend our understanding. Isn’t it wonderful to have a God who often acts in ways that baffle our minds? Mary, Joseph, Simeon, the shepherds, and all the others in the Christmas story were not given full explanations describing how God would fulfill His promises. Mary and Joseph didn’t understand the miracle of the virgin birth’s spiritual and biological details, nor do we. Simeon didn’t know precisely how this baby would be a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel. Marie and I recently discussed this question: Did Jesus know He was God when He was a baby? I don’t have an answer to that question. But Mary, Joseph, and Simeon did not allow the limitations of human understanding to determine the height of their hope in God. Hope trusts God to fulfill His promises in ways that transcend our experience and expectations. Can I prove there is a heaven? No, I take Jesus at His Word and continue to hold on to the promise of eternal life. I can’t think of a higher form of proof than believing what Jesus says! 

4. Forth, hope waits for God to accomplish His will His way (Luke 2:2:28–30). One of the most revealing things about this man Simeon is the way he describes his own relationship to God: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace” (v. 29). The word “Lord” here is the word from which we get the English word despot (despota). It is not the common word for Lord found throughout the Bible. It’s the word for an absolute master who has complete rule over the lives of those under him. To hope in God for Simeon is not to come to God with his personal agenda and ask God to bless it and “hope” that He will do it. In every life, something rules as sovereign. What is it that rules as sovereign in your life as you prepare for Christmas? If we are wise, our hope will be in God.

In this day of instant everything, we need to learn patience. I can now order a book on my Kindle at 10:00 AM and begin reading it a few seconds later. On my phone, I carry a library of several hundred books. God is not like your electronic book reader. You don’t pray to Him and expect that you will have the answer within a few minutes.  You can have confidence that He will honor His Word and that His great and mighty promises will one day be fulfilled.  That is where hope comes in. While we do not have everything God has promised us in this life, hope believes that God will fulfill all His promises one day. If we look only at this life, it seems that God did not always answer our prayers.  From a heavenly perspective, I believe our prayers are always answered.  Hope waits for God to accomplish His will in His way, either in this life or in eternity.   

5. Fifth, hope does not disappoint (Luke 1:45–47). The exchange between Elizabeth and Mary shows how hope does not lead to disappointment.  Hope sees the fulfillment of God’s promises for our greater good and His greater glory: “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (vv. 45–47). Mary trusted the promises for a good reason. They were all fulfilled in Christ as He was born that first Christmas in a manger with heavenly signs, with shepherds and wise men bowing at His feet, with kingly gifts, and so much more than Mary could have expected; not to mention His ultimate role as Savior.

God has a way of doing so much more than we ask or think. Those who hope in God and hold onto Jesus Christ with faith will never be disappointed. Paul wrote, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5). God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Paul describes this gift as a kind of down payment to encourage us to believe that more blessings await us. The One who has given this marvelous gift will also fulfill all His promises to us. That is our hope. The blessing of hope is one of God’s greatest Christmas gifts to us. 

Port Authority Police Department Officers Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin were the last two people rescued from the World Trade Center after the September 11 terrorist attack. For Will Jimeno, that tragic day represents a defining moment in his Christian faith. Jimeno, McLoughlin, and three other officers entered Tower 1 to rescue civilians. But when they got inside, the building collapsed. McLoughlin and Jimeno were pinned under large blocks of concrete rubble and twisted steel. The other three officers were killed.

For the next ten hours, Jimeno and his partner fought pain and thirst inside a concrete tomb swirling with dust and smoke. At times, ruptured gas lines would hurl fireballs into the ruins, threatening to burn the two men to death. In another terrifying moment, heat from the fireballs “cooked off” the ammunition inside the firearm of a fallen officer, sending fifteen bullets ricocheting around the chamber.

Jimeno’s hope began to falter. “I was exhausted. I had done everything as a police officer that I could do, and everything as a human being,” he said. “I just knew I was going to die.” Just then, Jimeno saw a figure coming toward him through the rubble. “He wore a glowing white robe and a rope belt,” Jimeno said. “I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it was Jesus.” The vision filled Jimeno with hope. “I had this resurgence of the will to fight,” he said. Turning toward McLoughlin, he yelled, “We’re going to get out of this hellhole!” Several hours later, U.S. Marines and NYPD rescue workers lifted the men out of their concrete prison.

His seeing a vision of Jesus filled Jimeno with hope. You may not have a similar experience, but faith in Jesus always fills us with hope. God’s Spirit speaks to us in the beautiful stories of Christmas, strengthening our hearts and filling us with great hope. He will undoubtedly fulfill the promises of grace He has given to us. May the hope Jesus has brought to millions of people fill your hearts this Christmas season. 

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THE GOD WHO COMFORTS

Warsaw Christian Church, (12/13/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Isaiah 40:1-11

Baptist minister Grady Nutt could tell some hilarious stories. One of Grady’s stories was of a seminary student who pastored a rural church on the weekends. Word came to this student preacher that a man in his church had died. Could he come and conduct the funeral? The young preacher had never done a funeral before, but after receiving counsel from one of his seminary professors about how to proceed, he drove out to the home of the man who had died to plan the funeral service. (I can identify with the young pastor. The first funeral I ever attended I had to conduct as a student pastor in Dallas, Iowa). The widow greeted him and they looked around for a quiet place where they could talk.

That was a problem since the house was filled with people who had come to offer their condolences. Since every other room was occupied, the widow suggested the only room that was available . . . the bathroom. So, they went in there. She closed the door and sat down on the edge of the tub, and the pastor, he took the, uh, “other seat.” They shared stories about the deceased, chose appropriate passages of scripture, and then joined hands for a closing prayer. Then the young pastor stood up and instinctively reached back . . . and pushed down the handle. I don’t know how much comfort the young pastor gave the widow that day, but he sure gave her an experience she could laugh about for a long time. Comfort is our theme for this morning.

Our text for today from Isaiah 40 begins like this: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for . . .” It’s been said that the task of a prophet is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Prophets like Amos, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were quite adept at afflicting the comfortable. Amos, particularly, was harsh in chastising the children of Israel because of their treatment of the poor as well as their other sins. In chapter 3 he explains why.

“Hear this word, people of Israel, the word the Lord has spoken against you—against the whole family I brought up out of Egypt: ‘You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore, I will punish you for all your sins . . .’” That’s kind of scary, don’t you think? It is because God chose Israel to be His people that it is necessary for God to punish Israel when they go astray. From time to time, I hear someone say that God has chosen America and that is the reason we are so blessed materially. Be careful when you say that. Remember what the Master said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48b). It was because God had chosen Israel that He expected so much out of her. And it was because God chose Israel that He punished her for her sins. That was the teaching of the prophets. I do believe God has blessed America beyond all other nations, but this means He expects more from us. I wonder what the future holds for us.

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Fortunately, we live on the other side of the cross. Christ has borne our sins. As the psalmist said, “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:10-12). God does not punish us for our sins. Still, it would profit us to heed the word of the prophets. If we are in Christ, the divine punishment for our transgressions has been taken away from us. However, that does not mean we are home free. If you drive out of the parking lot of the church this morning and head down highway 65 at 90 miles an hour, run red lights, drive recklessly in every way possible—even if you escape the judgment of law enforcement—there is the judgment of the laws of physics. There is a certain amount of pain involved in crashing an automobile into an immovable object like a large oak tree or, for that matter, another car. God’s not punishing you for this reckless act; the laws of nature are punishment enough.

God does not punish us for our sins (double jeopardy). He does, however, chastise His children who insist on disobeying Him. He is not punishing us. He is disciplining us out of love. The prophets of the Old Testament were simply warning the people where they were headed if they continually ignored God’s will. Someone has likened it to two young men canoeing down the river toward Niagara Falls. Although the water was relatively calm, they were approaching the area where the water began to pick up speed. A man on the shore called out, “Young men, you’re getting too close to the rapids!” The young men heard the warning, did not heed it. Instead they went on paying no attention to the danger. On the shore, the man watching began to run and shouted in desperation, “Turn around! You’re getting too close to the rapids!” Still, the young men did not heed his warning. The canoe was trapped in the rapids. The young men began to panic. With all the power at their command they tried to turn the canoe around, but it was too late. Over the falls they went—all because they refused to heed the voice of warning.

The prophets were not simply “spoil sports,” trying to keep people from having too much fun. Rather they were voices of warning that doing wrong can bring divine discipline upon us and often to people we love. If we are fortunate, a friend will serve as a voice of warning. Sometimes the prophets were quite strident with their warnings, but, at times, the prophets were capable of striking a gentle chord as well. None more so than the prophet Isaiah. And our text for today contains some of the most beautiful words in the scriptures: “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for.”

The Babylonian army invaded the land. Many of the leading citizens were exiled to Babylon. The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. The holy city lay in ruins. Those carried away to exile were displaced from the Promised Land. The psalmist cried out during this time of exile: “By the waters of Babylon—there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion” (Psalm 137:1).

That’s the situation the prophet Isaiah is addressing. But rather than issuing any more words of warning, he becomes a herald of hope. “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. “Speak tenderly to

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Jerusalem . . .” The Lord has not forgotten His people. Indeed, God Himself will soon be coming to them. This is one of the many messianic prophecies of Isaiah, foretelling the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah is telling the people that God will not leave them desolate—just as He will not leave us desolate. As he says in chapter 7, verse 40, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel” which means “God is with us.” God with us. Are there any words in scripture more beautiful than these: God is with us?

Billy Graham tells about a time in his life when he was going through a dark period. He prayed long and earnestly, but there was no answer. He felt as though God was indifferent and that he was alone with his problem. Billy Graham wrote his mother about the experience. He said he would never forget her reply: “Son,” she said, “There are many times when God withdraws to test your faith. He wants you to trust Him in the darkness. Now, Son, reach up by faith in the fog and you will find that His hand will be there.” Graham said, “I knelt by my bed and experienced an overwhelming sense of God’s presence.”

Where do you look for comfort? I know, there are many things that are offered as sources of comfort in the world today. We have comfort food. Who said chocolate? One man said that in his family growing up, meatloaf was their comfort food. For me, give me a bowl of ice cream and all is well with the world. Well . . . different strokes for different folks. Lots of things bring comfort.

But later in this chapter Isaiah tells us the real source of comfort and that, of course, is God: “You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’” Then he adds these tender words, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Now that’s comfort—comfort that only God can give.

Pastor Jess Moody told of meeting Rose Kennedy, mother of President John F. Kennedy. She came to a Bible study Moody was conducting. Moody challenged his hearers to make their hearts ready to meet the Lord because life is short, and no one knows what the future may hold. Later Rose Kennedy spoke to Jess Moody privately and said she had done what Moody was talking about. She confessed that, as a young bride, she had been enamored with money. “She became selfish,” she told Moody, “living only for her own desires. Then she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Soon it became apparent that something was wrong with her daughter. Medical tests revealed that her daughter had been born with severe intellectual disabilities and would have to be institutionalized for her entire life.”

Rose Kennedy said that she and her husband were devastated. Then the devastation turned to enormous anger toward God. “How could you have done this to us?” she asked the Lord. The anger eventually turned to a corrosive kind of bitterness that drained every bit of joy from her life. She hesitated attending social engagements, fearful that her anger about her daughter’s condition would spill out.

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“And that’s when it happened. A maid who worked for the family spoke to her. “Mrs. Kennedy,” said the maid, “I’ve been watching you for the last few weeks and I’ve seen how angry you are. If you don’t do something, it’s going to ruin you.” Then the maid made a suggestion: “I think you should pray this prayer: ‘O Lord, make my heart a manger where the Christ child can be born.’” “Rose Kennedy told Jess Moody that she was so angry that she fired the maid on the spot. But that night when she went to bed, she couldn’t sleep. Tossing and turning, she couldn’t get that simple prayer out of her mind. Finally, she knelt by her bed, and in an act of deep surrender she prayed, “O Lord, make my heart a manger where the Christ child can be born.”

In that moment, in the depth of the night, when she cried out in anguish, God heard and answered her prayer. “I’ve always been religious, you know. I’m a Catholic,” she said to Pastor Moody, “and I’ve always believed in Jesus. But this was different.” On this night, she opened her heart to Christ in a new way, and her heart did indeed become a manger where Christ could be born in her. Love replaced the anger that had gripped her soul. And the end of the story is this: She rehired the maid who stayed with the family until she died many years later.”

It is true, God expects a lot from His people who live in this great land. Will He continue to bless, or is it time for judgment and discipline? God desires to bless His people, but He expects us to be faithful. Maybe you can identify with Rose Kennedy. You believe in Jesus, but He seems far removed from your life. Let me ask you a question: is this the prayer that you ought to pray as we celebrate the coming of the Christ child? “O Lord, make my heart a manger where the Christ child can be born.”

I adapted this sermon from “Dynamic Preaching” magazine, Oct, Nov, Dec, 2020).

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LISTEN UP FOR AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Warsaw Christian Church (12/6/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 2:8-20:  

Many church-goes, including this pastor, have an aversion to announcements made during the church service. Such announcements are usually necessary even though they do not really fit into the notion of “worship.” In our text, we read about an announcement of a very different kind. It is an announcement everyone needs to hear.  It was the most important announcement in history.  I want us to consider four important truths about this announcement as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. 

1. First, the announcement was personal. The shepherds heard the angel say the words, “Unto you.” Of course, the “you” meant more than those few shepherds.  It is an announcement address to you, and you and you – – – to all the “yous” who have ever been born. The shepherds were very surprised by this angelic visitation and the heavenly choir. They were unaccustomed to such sights and sounds. The test says they were petrified. I am sure we would react the same way if angels suddenly appeared in our church service. Would you be a bit fearful if a large heavenly choir began to sing in our service?  The angel assured them they need not fear. They would be privileged to hear good news, news that would affect them personally.  

It is surprising, even today, to wonder why God appeared to shepherds. It would be difficult to imagine the Metropolitan Opera putting on a performance for a group of illiterate herdsmen. They perform in a grand hall before societies most prestigious and wealthy members. And yet, when God sent His Son into the world, the first to get the news besides Mary and Joseph was this group of uneducated, and probably smelly, shepherds. We do not know why they were chosen. The angelic appearance to the shepherds certainly fulfills the Scripture where God says, “My ways are not your ways.” The choice of humble shepherds to be the first to receive the Good News is an encouragement to all of the many ordinary people in the world. 

Paul expressed this principle in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no-one may boast before him. I assume none of us are Mensa members, nor do we wield a lot of influence in the world. I suspect most of us came from ordinary families – – – not the Kennedys, the Rothschilds or the Vanderbilt’s.  This grand, important announcement is personal, and it is for you – – – for all of us who are just ordinary citizens. Paul gives one reason why God acts in this manner: SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST BEFORE HIM. 

God has an aversion to human boasting. When ordinary folks hear and believe the Gospel they are not inclined to boast.  They are just thankful that God loves the ordinary people of society. It is often the rich and famous who seem to think they are entitled to things.  If God had first revealed the Gospel to Caesar Augustus or Herod, they might have thought, “Well of course God would reveal His plan to us. We are important people.”  God chooses us ordinary folks to shame the wise. 

2. We notice also that this announcement was universal – – – it was “for all people.” I love that word “all” in the announcement. It means that there is not a single person on earth who is automatically excluded from the Kingdom of God. This word “all” is like the word “whosoever” in John 3:16. “Whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.”  When God said “all,” he included you. When He said “whosoever,” He included you. 

Do you have pride concerning your race or country of origin? That word “all” cancels out all racial, ethnic pride. God cares nothing about your race or national origin.  Jesus came for “all.” The one thing required of us is faith. All who believe that the baby born in Bethlehem is the Messiah, the Son of God, Savior of the world, enter into the Kingdom of God. 

That word “all” should encourage us to share the message of Jesus. That person you think will never come to faith is included in that “all.”  All who believe in Jesus are forgiven of their sins and promised eternal life. No one is excluded. We support several missionaries in Africa and Haiti because they are included in that word “all.” Jesus commanded us to go into the entire world with the Gospel message, because no one is excluded. 

If the message of Jesus is for all people, we have no right to any kind of racial pride. If you look down upon any ethnic group, you are looking down on people loved by God. When you make ethnic jokes about blacks or Jews, you are making fun of people God loves and desires to save.  

3. The angelic announcement was also timeless. The “today” in our text continues throughout human history. The birth of Jesus is not simply a past event. Once he entered the world on that first “today,” He has been with His people ever since. He said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

People in the first century had the opportunity to place their trust in Jesus and receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We have the same opportunity.  Jesus was born in Bethlehem on a particular day over 2000 years ago. We sing, “O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.” Yes, the one born in Bethlehem can be born in our hearts – – – today. Today is any day when a person says, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, my Savior and Lord.” On that very day, Jesus is born in the human heart. 

If Jesus was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, that is an interesting historic fact. You can affirm your confidence in the biblical story; you can state that you believe Jesus was conceived by a miracle of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, but none of that will help you until He is born in your heart. As we enter into this Christmas season, make sure the Savior born in Bethlehem has also been born in your heart. 

4. Finally, the message was one that solved our greatest need. What is your greatest need? I suppose there are people who would say, “A better job, more money, a bigger house, a child, better health”- – – the list is endless as to what people think they need. The shepherds seemed to understand that the arrival of a Savior fulfilled their greatest need. They were eager to share the good news with others. The wise men from the east seemed to understand that their greatest need was a Savior. They came to worship him and offer Him gifts. 

Jesus once asked the question, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul” (Matthew 16:26). We learned in our Genesis Bible study several years ago that under the leadership of Joseph, the Pharaoh came to own the entire land of Egypt. People traded their lands and goods for the grain Joseph had stored up preparing for 7 years of famine. I suppose Pharaoh might have thought it was great to own the entire land of Egypt, but it would mean nothing if in the end he lost his soul. 

Jesus also once spoke of a rich farmer who had so much, he had to build bigger barns. He said to himself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God.” That is the important matter this Christmas season, to be rich towards God. The Good news is that we can all be rich towards God.  Those who have believed in and received the Savior into their hearts are the ones who are rich towards God. 

The announcement the angels made to the shepherds was different from announcement we make about church potluck, men’s meetings, women’s meetings and the like. Those announcements may go in one ear and out the other. The announcement the angels brought to the shepherds that night long ago must not only be heard. It calls for a response on our part. Today a Savior is born. Have you responded with faith and obedience? 

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ENJOYING THE FAVOR OF GOD

Warsaw Christian Church (11/29/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

It is so good to gather on this Sunday before Christmas morning and once again celebrate his birth together.  There is a lot to be said about the Christmas story.  This morning I want to draw your attention to just one word: favor.  What a wonderful word it is.  Favor. We’re going to hear that word on the lips of angels, on the lips of Mary, and on the lips of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as we reflect once again on the Christmas story. 

The familiar story begins with a young woman sitting in her house. She lives in an obscure town called Nazareth, and her family is poor. It is a despised and forgotten place. In those days people said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” The people of Nazareth were regarded as “nobodies.” In that obscure and despised town lived a woman named Mary. 

One day God sent the angel Gabriel to visit her. The angel spoke saying, “Greetings, Mary, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you.” In response to this, Mary was “troubled.” She wondered what kind of greeting this might be. So the angel spoke to her a second time. “Do not be afraid, Mary,” Gabriel said. “You have found favor with God.” Mary was highly favored; a woman who had found favor with God. 

I looked up the word “favor” in the dictionary and found quite a long list of definitions and descriptions. Here are a few: Lenient or generous treatment. To have special advantages; to be preferred. Isn’t it wonderful to receive generous treatment? To have special advantages? To be preferred by God? I think that’s the meaning from this text as well. The angel is saying, “God is going to show you unusual kindness. He has preferred you above all women.  He is going to bless you generously.” The angel goes on to explain how God’s favor will be poured out on Mary.  “You will be with child and you will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, and he will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High.” One can only wonder what thoughts raced through her mind at this announcement. Her baby would be the Son of the Most High, the Son of the Living God. 

When the angel says to Mary “you are highly favored,” he is saying to the mother of our Lord, “You are uniquely privileged.”  She carried the life of God within her. She was highly favored because she was the one by whom the Son of God was born into the world. You may say, “That is marvelous for Mary. But what in the world does it have to do with my life today?” What do you think a Christian is? People would give different answers to that question. Some people might say, “A Christian is a person who believes in Jesus.” Someone else might say, “A Christian is someone who follows the teaching and the example of Jesus.” Both these things are true. But neither of them cut to the core of what it means to be a Christian.  To be a Christian means that the life of Jesus resides in you; in your innermost being.

You find this taught throughout the New Testament. The apostle Paul says, “It’s Christ in you that is your hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). On another occasion he says, “I’ve been crucified with Christ. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). On one occasion in writing to some Christians in a town called Galatia,  he says, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…” (Gal. 4:19). The Christ who was formed in Mary’s body is also formed in his people by the Spirit. A Christian is a person with the life of Jesus in them. Jesus spoke about this himself. On one occasion he said, “I am the vine, and you are the branches” (John 15:1). You see the significance of that picture as that theme is developed. The life of the vine is in the branches. It’s what makes them the branches of the vine. If you are a Christian, you are highly favored. You carry this marvelous privilege. Just as the life in a vine flows out and nourishes the branches, so also the life of Christ flows into us giving us new life. 

Let me picture a second scene for you. Some men were working at night. Their pay was low; their conditions were poor. They were shepherds working in the hills behind Bethlehem. Shepherds didn’t have much prestige in society. In fact, shepherds were held in such low opinion that their word was not admissible as evidence or testimony in a court of law. In his grace and mercy, God turned the tables in a spectacular way. God chose a group of people whose testimony would not be admissible in court to be the first witnesses of the birth of his Son, Jesus Christ. Isn’t that just like our gracious God? He likes to show favor on those of low reputation. 

An angel appeared to these men and “the glory of the Lord shone around them.” Can you imagine what that must have been like? How bright is the glory of the Lord? We don’t know, but it must have been spectacular.  I have seen some spectacular fireworks in the night sky over the years, but I am sure the glory of the Lord surpasses that.  A choir of angels sings:  “Glory to God in the highest and on earth. Peace to men on whom his favor rests.” There is that word “favor” again. God’s favor rests on men and women. I like the way the King James Version says it. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.” Favor is not only an outpouring of privilege; it is an outpouring of love and kindness beyond what is due. 

What image comes to your mind when you think about God? Do you think about a Father who delights in his children, one who is marked by kindness beyond what is due? Or do you think of a frowning face and an accusing finger and anger? Do you think of God is mostly harsh, or mostly kind? If you have faith in His Son God will shower you with His favor. 

No doubt most of us present today have had difficulties and struggles this past year. Difficult things have happened in your life and maybe you didn’t understand them and perhaps you still struggle with them this morning. I want you to listen to what the angels are telling you this Christmas day. God is pouring out his love to you in his Son, Jesus Christ. He sent his Son into the world to heal the estrangement that our sin has brought between us and him and to bring us back into the embrace of the Father’s love.  Christmas is about the favor of God being extended to each of us. 

Here is one more scene, back in Nazareth. Thirty years had passed since the birth of Jesus. He had grown into full manhood. He had been working as a carpenter, and at the age of thirty he began the work for which he came into the world. He did not come into the world simply to saw wood and drive nails! He came to save us, to reveal the favor of God. Luke tells us about a Sabbath day in Nazareth where the people of the town were gathered in the synagogue, as usual. Jesus was handed the scroll with the words of the prophet Isaiah. Opening the scroll he chose to read these words on that particular Sabbath day: “The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news for the poor.” Then Jesus explained what the good news for the poor is.  “To proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:19). This is what Jesus came to do. He came to proclaim God’s favor – – – our word again. 

Everyone in the synagogue would have known exactly what Jesus meant by “the year of the Lord’s favor.” In the Old Testament God commanded that every fifty years the trumpet should sound to introduce a special year of Jubilee in which three wonderful things would happen. First, all debts were completely cancelled. Second, all slaves were set free. Third, all land that had been mortgaged to someone else in order to pay a debt would come back to the family to which it originally belonged. You can see why the year of the Lord’s favor was such a marvelous gift to the poor.

When God’s people came into the Promised Land, each family line was given a portion of the land. But when people came into financial difficulties they could get out of that by leasing their land to someone to whom they owed money. But it was a temporary arrangement. Every fifty years the land had to go back to the family line to which it had been originally entrusted and given by God. It was a wonderful break for the poor.

I wonder if this idea would work on banks and credit card companies today? Instead of once every fifty years, we could make it a little more regular. Once every ten years, everyone’s credit card bill could be reduced to zero.  Wouldn’t that be marvelous? Don’t hold your breath. It’s not going to happen for us today. In fact, it never happened in Israel either. 

Do you know how often this year of Jubilee was observed in the history of the Old Testament?  Never. God commanded it, but it wasn’t obeyed a single time because the people with the power were the people with the money. They were the ones who had everything to lose. They were the ones who were owed. So they always found a way to postpone the year of Jubilee by perhaps saying something like, “It’s just not the right time for it. We’ll put it off for another couple of years.” So the debts remained, and the slaves kept working, and the inheritances given to the many ended up in the hands of the few.

Does that sound familiar at all? No one would sound the trumpet to introduce the year of the Lord’s favor. So Jesus read the prophecy and spoke of the great gift of God that had never actually been practiced among his people. In effect, Jesus was saying, “What you will not do for each other, God will do for you. God is ready to forgive all your debts to him. God is ready to set you free from the dark powers of sin and self that binds you. God is ready to restore to you the inheritance of everlasting life that was lost by your first father, Adam. I am here to blow the trumpet to bring this in.  Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Now is the time of God’s favor.” 

I’m so glad that Jesus came to bring in the year of the Lord’s favor and not the day of the Lord’s justice. Justice is what we need when we are innocent. But when we have fallen short of all that God has commanded, justice doesn’t help us. Justice is no use for any of us before God. We need favor. We need grace. We need mercy. We need kindness beyond what is due; kindness that you do not see in this world; kindness that only comes from God’s great heart. We need our debts to God canceled. We need to be set free from those powers that bind us. We need the lost inheritance of everlasting life restored. Jesus says it is for this reason that he came, to proclaim the year of God’s favor.

When a debt is forgiven, the loss has to go somewhere. Every time a debt is written off, a loss is incurred. We’re living in the middle of that. We’re reading about this every day in our newspapers, and it is the focus of world attention. We hear about nations that can’t pay their debts, about massive credit card debts. Too much debt can cause an economy to collapse.  Where does the loss go when God forgives our debt? God absorbs it in Himself. Jesus bore the debt on the cross; he paid the price; he absorbed the loss of our debt to God in Himself. 

The debt of sin we have accrued against our Holy God is enormous. The only way such a debt can be paid off is by punishment. If the punishment is poured out upon us, we have an eternity of darkness to anticipate.  The good news is that Jesus endured the judgment of God we deserve when He went to the cross. All who trust in Him have all their debts cancelled; forgiven, forever. That’s what it took to bring in the year of the Lord’s favor. The story of Jesus is so glorious – – – so unbelievable at one level – – – that many turn away from Him. Those who dare to trust Him as Savior do learn that they receive the favor of God in abundance. 

How should we respond to the Lord’s favor? Christmas is about the favor of God in the birth of Jesus Christ. We can’t do better than the words of Mary when the angel spoke to her about the favor of God. Mary said, “May it be to me according to your word.” This means, “May everything you’ve said about the favor of God be a reality in my life.” That’s the essence of faith and obedience, embracing the very favor of God in Jesus Christ.

If you’re a Christian today, I hope you see how rich you are in Jesus Christ. You live under the favor of God. What could be greater than this? His smile is upon you in Jesus Christ. Your sins are forgiven. The life of God is within you. You have been set free. An eternal inheritance has been restored to you and is waiting for you. You are privileged. You are loved. You are blessed. And you are surrounded by the kindness of God that is beyond what is due and usual. In Jesus Christ you have every reason to rejoice.

How great is the gain of those who have Christ? How great is the loss of those who spurn Him, or ignore Him? If you have never seen the supreme value of Jesus Christ, if you’ve never realized all that can be yours in Him, I hope you will seek and find Him and that the favor of God will become yours now and for eternity. And how do we receive the favor of God?  It is quite simple. By faith we enter into God’s favor. On the Day of Pentecost, those who had rejected the Son of God asked if there was any way they could find God’s favor after what they had done. Peter’s answer was simple and clear.  Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That answer is still valid today. Those who admitted they had greatly offended God and who turned to Jesus with faith and entered into the waters of baptism found that their sins were forgiven, the gift of the Holy Spirit had been given, and heaven was their destiny. It was true then, and it is true today. If you have never entered into the favor of God, the door is open from His side. 

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THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS, 2020

Warsaw Christian Church, 11/22/2020,  Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Texts, Various

On this Thanksgiving Sunday, I want to point out the importance of a thankful heart if we are to experience the fullness of God’s blessings.  Gratitude will open the doors of heaven for us in very remarkable ways. I share with you several texts for our consideration this Thanksgiving season.

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7NRSV).  (Psalm 69:30, 31) I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.  (Psalm 100:4, 5)  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Why this emphasis on thanksgiving? A thankful spirit demonstrates our faith and confidence in God.  As we recall the many times and many ways God has blessed us in the past, gratitude fills our hearts.  This causes us to thank Him “in advance” regarding the matters we lay before Him in prayer. A thankful spirit demonstrates our understanding that God is good, that He is forever loving and faithful to His people. And because we understand this about God, we cannot help but feel grateful, and so we enter into His presence with thanksgiving in our hearts. 

When thanksgiving is absent from life, it demonstrates that we do not see the hand of God at work in our lives.  The Psalmist admonishes us to enter God’s presence with thanksgiving in our hearts (Psalm 100:4). When we worship, we do well to follow this divine direction. Under the Old Covenant, there were occasions when the people of Israel went to the temple of God in procession.  As they marched, they shouted out prayers of thanksgiving unto God.  Those of us raised in the Christian Church are not overly demonstrative, so I doubt that any of you shouted out prayers of thanksgiving on your way to church this morning.  But regardless, did you enter God’s house today feeling truly thankful in your spirit? Did you enter the church with a feeling of, “Oh boy! This is great. I am going to worship God, and He will bless me, and this fills me with a sense of anticipation and gratitude?” If you came in that spirit you will be richly blessed today.

Some folks come to church with a different spirit. “I can’t wait until church is over. I’ll go and do my duty, but I don’t get much out of it. I don’t expect anything significant to happen.  I don’t expect to encounter the living God.  My main hope is that the sermon is short.” Some people attend church out of a sense of duty but have no joy or thanksgiving in their spirit when they enter the sanctuary.  When we seek to enter God’s presence, whether individually or corporately, lacking a sense of gratitude, we are not acting according to the will of God, and we will gain little or nothing from being in church.

When we enter into the sanctuary of God, we need to have a thankful focus.  If we lose that focus and allow our doubts and fears and worries to have full reign, we fall away from the presence of God. How do you feel when you have given a gift to a relative or friend and there is no word of thanks? You have taken the time to purchase a gift, and there is no response from the recipient. When that happens, it bothers me. How long does it take to write a thank you note or an email? It makes me think the receiver only cares for the gift, not the giver. Of course, God does not have emotions like I have, but I wonder what goes through His mind when we fail to thank Him regularly for His manifold blessings. We owe everything to Him. The greatest of His gifts is eternal life. He freely forgives our sins and grants us a place in heaven for the sake of His Son who died for us. What must He think when days, weeks, and months go by, and we have not taken the time to say, “Thank you.” When we are thankful, it is a sign that our faith is authentic. 

Okay, so we need to enter God’s presence with a thankful spirit, but what if I don’t have such a spirit?  Maybe I am here today feeling overwhelmed with life’s pain and burdens, fearful of the Coronavirus, unable to muster any enthusiasm for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Maybe I am a person who should abandon church because I lack a thankful heart.  There is a better option, which is to learn what is guaranteed to create a thankful heart in us.  What is the real source of gratitude?  Listen to God’s word from Colossian 1:12-14.    . . .giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.  For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Verse 12 begins with a spirit of thanksgiving to God, and then Paul explains why we are to feel perpetual gratitude towards the Father. Notice that real gratitude has nothing to do with material blessings or their absence.  There is nothing wrong with thanking God for material blessings.  We should thank Him for such benefits.  Paul is merely reminding us that a thankful spirit goes much deeper than that. 

Why is a Christian able to go through life with a thankful spirit?  How is it that we can pray and worship God with an underlying sense of gratitude? Listen to Paul’s litany:  Reason  #1:  We are always thankful because God has qualified us to enter the kingdom of light.  We are not qualified for heaven in and of ourselves, but God has equipped us through the gift of His Son.  Reason  #2: We are always thankful because we have been rescued from the domain of darkness through Jesus Christ, whose death at Calvary removed us from darkness and placed us into the light of God’s presence.  Reason #3: Jesus has redeemed us, securing for us the forgiveness of all our sins.  Paul gives a brief summary of the Gospel.   If you face life and death with faith in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God with an eternal future. Through Jesus Christ, you are forgiven, redeemed, rescued, qualified for heaven. That is reason enough to go through life with a thankful spirit.  One cannot help but have a grateful spirit, even if material things are lacking when reflecting upon what Christ has done for us. 

We tend to focus too much on material blessings during the Thanksgiving season.  Yes, we appreciate our material blessings, but if we focus only on them, what impact does that have on those around us who have very little?  How can the poor celebrate Thanksgiving if they lack material blessings?  If our focus is only on family and friends, what does that do to those who have recently lost loved ones and who are grieving? Many people will celebrate Thanksgiving alone this year.  Do they have any reason to be thankful? 

Here are a few reasons to be thankful if you can’t think of anything else. This Thanksgiving I’m thankful … That there aren’t twice as many politicians.  That the election is over and TV political ads will disappear for awhile. That grass doesn’t grow through snow, necessitating winter mowing as well as shoveling.  That teenagers will ultimately have children who will become teenagers. That I’m not a turkey.  That property taxes in Missouri and half what they were in Illinois.  That snow will cover the unraked leaves in my yard if I don’t get around to raking. That hugs and kisses don’t add weight. That CD players and radios and TV sets can be turned off;  that no one can turn off the moon and stars.

Of course, we are thankful for God’s material blessings and for family and friends, but those things can be taken from us.  Those who have learned to cultivate a thankful attitude which abides even when possessions and family are gone are those who have learned to focus much on spiritual blessings – – – those blessings which can never be taken from us. 

I have fond memories of happy Thanksgiving gatherings over the years.  I can see my mother bustling about in the kitchen preparing our Thanksgiving feast.  I can see my Dad mutilating the turkey.   Now, both my parents are gone.  Thanksgiving is not quite the same, but I can still feel gratitude in my heart because the great spiritual blessings Jesus gives are forever a present reality. They never become memories. 

Parents die; husbands and wives die; sometimes, parents have to watch their children die.  The stock market, which is soaring today, could tumble tomorrow. Health may be taken away in an instant when the doctor says to us, “It’s hopeless.”  

Bob Reccord tells of a time in his life when he suffered severe back pain. The pain was excruciating. He could see no reason to be thankful. One cold and rainy day, he went out to his porch, and he heard the song of a bird. He thought, how can that bird sing in this miserable weather. He says, “I wanted to shoot him!” The next day was bright and sunny. Again he went out to his porch, and the bird sat on his porch railing singing. Then he had a spiritual moment. The bird was singing regardless of the weather. His song was not altered by outward circumstances. He felt that God whispered to him, “You’ve got the same choice, Bob. You will either be controlled by circumstances, or you will rise above circumstances.” (Forged by Fire, 2000). Yes, it is more challenging to be thankful when life is hard. But regardless of external factors, God’s grace shines perpetually in the souls of His people. We always have reason to be thankful. 

In this Thanksgiving season, we are truly grateful for our abundant material blessings, but let’s not stop there. The greatest reasons we have to be thankful are spiritual.  God loves us, and that will never change. Jesus Christ died for us, and that will never change.  We can find everlasting forgiveness and eternal life through trusting in Jesus, and that will never change.  We are God’s beloved children, and that will never change as long as faith in Jesus Christ is alive in our hearts. 

Remind yourself regularly, “I am a child of God, redeemed through my Lord Jesus Christ.  Heaven is my destiny, and no one can steal these blessings from me.” When we remind ourselves of these great truths, a spirit of thanksgiving wells up within and abides with us.  May God grant each of us a grateful heart. 

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Parable of the Good Samaritan

(Or, Parable of the Arrogant Lawyer) 

Warsaw Christian Church, (date), Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 10:25-37

As we continue our study of the parables of Jesus, today, we focus on the parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. In one respect, this is a very easy parable to understand. We are to do what we can to help those in need, just as the Samaritan reached out a helping hand to the man who had been robbed and beaten by thieves. However, there are some subtleties in this parable, as we shall see. Today, instead of talking about the Good Samaritan our focus will be more on the lawyer who approached Jesus.

Observe first the occasion for the parable.  A lawyer or scribe, an expert in the Law of God, approaches Jesus. Notice that his interest in Jesus is insincere.  He is seeking to “test” Jesus. The word is used in a malicious sense. This man has no faith in Jesus but is asking Him a question so he can prove that Jesus is a false teacher. We see many examples of this in the life and ministry of Jesus.  His enemies often asked Him questions in an attempt to trip Him up. 

Although this lawyer is trying to entrap Jesus, the question he puts to the Lord is an important one. Every one of us needs to ask the same question, and know the answer. He asks, “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Are you confident that you can answer that question?  Notice the way he forms the question: “what shall I DO.”  Jesus says to Him, and to us, if you want to DO something that will ensure eternal life for you, you must keep the commandments of God. The lawyer indicates that in his opinion, the sum of the commandments is to love God and love your neighbor (see Lev. 19:18 and Deut. 6:5).  Jesus says to the lawyer you have given the correct answer. “Do this, and you will live.” 

There are several problems present in the life of this lawyer, which effectively cut him off from God.  They make any relationship with God an impossibility even though he was an expert on the content of Scripture. First, after asking the right question concerning how to obtain eternal life, he then asks a rather stupid question that veers the conversation away from the truth. Let me ask you this.  What would you have said to Jesus after reaching an agreement concerning what one must DO to gain eternal life? I can tell you what I would have said.  I certainly would not have asked the silly question, “Who is my neighbor.” I would not have been asking for definitions of words. I would have said to Jesus, “But Lord,  I have not loved God with all my heart, nor do I love my neighbor as myself in a manner that is pleasing to God. Is there any hope for me?” I believe He would then say to me, “Yes, there is another way. I have suffered and died to make atonement for your sins.  Trust me as your Savior, and follow me as your Lord, and you shall receive eternal life. And, as you walk with me, I will help you to love God and your neighbor.”

Unfortunately, the parable does not move in that direction. Jesus allows this lawyer to guide the conversation.  He knows that his questioner is not interested in His opinion.  Consequently, He answers precisely what He is asked, no more, no less. As a result, the lawyer does not really know how to inherit eternal life at the conclusion of their dialogue.  At the very end of the parable, he is told to act like the Good Samaritan.  The lawyer never asks what his options are if he does not act like the Good Samaritan. He does not ask what he can do if he does not love God with all his heart. He is in the same boat we are. Just as none of us are Good Samaritans consistently, nor do we love God with all our hearts consistently, and neither did this lawyer. However, he never faces that fact. He wants to earn his way to heaven through the commandments and assumes that he has sufficiently kept the commandments. 

I have heard it said more than once in church.  People say, “If you want to gain heaven your must love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.” The problem is, I know of no one, especially myself, who lives up to these two great commandments. Well-meaning pastors have occasionally introduced me as a “man who loves God with all his heart.” I cringe when I hear that because it is not true. I wish it were true, and I am learning to love God, but my love for God is not sufficiently pure to earn me a place in heaven. I need to hear of God’s grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

Thus there is both a spoken and unspoken agenda in this parable. The spoken agenda has to do with our obligation to keep the law of God.  The unspoken issue which is never addressed in the parable is, “What do we do if we fail to keep the law of God?” And the truth is that we have all failed in this regard. And hopefully, we have learned what this lawyer never learned.  We have learned to turn to Jesus with repentance and faith, receiving the divine forgiveness He offers to us in His atoning death.  We have learned to confess that we do not love God as we ought, nor do we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Like the tax collector in another parable, we have learned to say, “Lord be merciful to me, a sinner.” 

At this time, this lawyer remains in a lost condition because he has a wrong attitude, and, as a result, he asks the wrong question. But he has another problem that also emerges.  Let’s look at the parable itself. First, why on earth does he ask, “Who is my neighbor?” The scribes and Pharisees were very legalistic. They wanted everything pinned down. If I am to love my neighbor, I need a precise definition of “neighbor.” As you probably know, many of the religious Jews at that time defined a neighbor as a fellow religious Jew. Your neighbor was a person like yourself.  They felt no obligation to treat strangers or foreigners or Gentiles as neighbors. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus sought to correct this narrow-minded thinking. Quoting from some of the teachings of the rabbis, He said in Matthew 5:43,  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45  so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”  Jesus wants the scribes and Pharisees to rethink what the word “neighbor” means. There is no place for abiding hatred in the hearts of those who believe in Jesus.  

When Jesus chose a Samaritan as the hero of the parable, He struck at the heart of the prejudice in this lawyer. He uncovered his second problem. After he asks the wrong question when he asks, “Who is my neighbor,”  this inquiry leads Jesus to expose his racial rejudice.  Remember who the Samaritans were. About 750 years before Christ was born, the Kingdom of Assyria had conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Samaria is both an area in the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the capital city.  The Assyrians deported many Jews and brought their own people in to live in the area.  As a result, Jews and Assyrians intermarried, creating what the Jews to the south considered an impure race of half Jewish and half Assyrian. 

When the Jews of the south returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity and began to rebuild the Temple, the Samaritans offered to help, but they were regarded as outcasts, a race that had betrayed the pure religion of Yahweh, and their offer to help was refused.  This angered the Samaritans. They decided they would build their own Temple in Samaria. The result was two groups, both claiming to be the true religion. The Jews so hated the Samaritans that they could not even speak civilly of them. They avoided them at all costs. The situation is summarized in the encounter Jesus had with a Samaritan woman in John 4. The woman expressed surprise that Jesus, a Jew, would speak to her because “Jews do not associate with Samaritans” (John 4:9). 

The Jews and the Samaritans were not unlike the situation that exists in this country between blacks and whites.  While we have made much progress in race relations since the 1950’s, racial prejudice remains a problem in this country. Among other lessons, this parable teaches us that there is no place in a true Christian’s heart for racial prejudice. 

Jesus strikes at the heart of the lawyer’s prejudice. Notice that while the lawyer acknowledged that the Good Samaritan was the true neighbor to the injured man, he cannot even say the word “Samaritan.” When Jesus asks him who was truly a neighbor to the man who fell among thieves, he responds, “He who showed mercy on him.” Instead of saying the dreaded word “Samaritan,” he refers to him as “He who.” 

The parable’s real point is that this lawyer/scribe has cut himself off from God by several bad attitudes.  He is a legalistic racist, and his bad attitude led him to ask the wrong question, and thus he successfully kept God at arms length.  Is there anything in today’s church analogous to this lawyer’s situation? I believe there is.  Today, you tell persons to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, and some might respond, “But what exactly is salvation?” Or, “What does faith really mean?” Some seem to say, “Until my every question is answered to my satisfaction, I cannot believe 

I recall one man in particular years ago who loved to engage me in religious dialogue. He would question the story of Noah and the ark, and I would respond, but then he would go on to question Jonah and the whale, and when I responded to that, he would question the biblical statement that the earth stood still, and on and on we would go. He always had a question or problem keeping him from faith. No matter what I said, he would come back with a “but who is my neighbor” type question.

Here is a strange but wonderful truth. Once we drop our guard and stop asking questions and just look at Jesus as He is revealed in the New Testament and believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, all our questions vanish in the light of faith. Faith brings about a living relationship with the resurrected Christ, and in that relationship, all our questions fade away. There are those who say, “I will not believe until I know – – – until all my questions are answered.” Others have learned that when we drop our intellectual defenses and turn to Jesus Christ with faith even though we have unanswered questions, faith leads to deeper knowledge and understanding of reality than we can ever possess apart from faith. I believe it was Augustine who said, “Some must know in order to believe, while others believe in order to know.” 

Are there questions in your mind keeping you from enjoying a living relationship with Jesus Christ? For the lawyer, it was the foolish question, “Who is my neighbor.” If you hold back faith until you have all the answers, you will never believe. If you believe in Jesus based on the evidence we possess in Scripture, all of life’s basic questions will be answered. 

This lawyer did not really want to know God.  He was hoping to trap Jesus into contradicting the law, and thus discredit Him. I hope none of us have such an attitude. Some involve themselves with church, but who have no real desire to draw near to God. Such an attitude will successfully keep you away from God. 

When I originally planned to preach on this text, I thought I would be focusing on the Good Samaritan.  As I reflected on the parable, it hit me that while the good Samaritan certainly has a key role in the parable, it is the questioning lawyer who emerged as the focal point of this sermon. He was a man who was avoiding God. Because of his insincerity, Jesus allowed him to remain in spiritual darkness. The same will happen to us if we approach God with insincere motives and with prejudice in our hearts. May God deliver us.  

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I AM THE TRUE VINE
Warsaw Christian Church, (11/8/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 15:1-11
The first thing to notice in our text is the word “true.” Jesus declares that He is the true vine. The disciples would have understood that the vine is one of the symbols for national Israel. This is clear, for example, in Isaiah 5:1-7. Verse 7 reads, “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel” (see also Jer. 2:21; Hosea 10:1; Psalm 80:8-10). Isaiah laments the fact that the vine of Israel was unproductive, yielding only wild grapes. When Jesus declares that He is the true vine, He affirms that He is the true Israel. In a sense, Jesus replaces Israel as the vine of God, the true vine. Henceforth access to God is to be only through Jesus for Jew and Gentile alike. National Israel assumed they were God’s chosen people, and indeed they were. Now the people of God are those attached to Jesus, the true vine or the true Israel. From the human perspective, it is a radical shift, one for which Israel was unprepared. From the divine perspective, Jesus was to be the true vine from the foundation of the earth.
We find a lot of food for thought in our text from John 15. We notice, first of all, the closeness of this relationship. He is the vine, and we are the branches. What do we know about vines and branches? We know that the life flowing through the vine also flows out into the branches. The life force that exists in a grapevine also exists in the branches which produce the grapes. The relationship between the vine and branch is one of the closest possible intimacy.
Paul expressed this relationship between Christ and His people in a different, more direct manner. He said “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20). Christ lives in me, said Paul. Jesus’ very life is present within the soul of the Christian. While we may not be aware of the presence of Jesus in our souls moment by moment, yet His existence in us is so real and so powerful, we cannot be completely ignorant of this new reality.
Jesus tells us that His life will flow into our lives just as the energy of the vine flows into the branch. When and how does this glorious relationship become a reality? Paul gives us one side of the equation when he says that the life he now lives is by faith in the Son of God. It is not a complicated thing. When we hear and believe the good news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who loves us and who died for us He comes to abide in our hearts.
I want to focus next on the phrase, my words abide in you. Jesus wants us to grow in our relationship with Him through His words. One of the key ways we abide in Him is to abide in His words. And where do we find His words? We find them recorded in Scripture. Jesus once made an astonishing promise, one that could only be made and kept by God the Son. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Matt. 24:35). The providence of God has preserved for us in the text of Scripture the very words of Jesus.
As you read and memorize the words of Scripture and commit yourself to a lifelong study of the sacred text, you are abiding (remaining) in Jesus. His words become our words; we begin to speak in harmony with His words. His thoughts become our thoughts; we begin to think like Jesus. As Jesus put it, we begin to live by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4).
Another reality revealed in our text is the simple truth that we are entirely dependent upon Jesus, the Vine. We learn in verse 5 that apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. This applies to every aspect of life. We may think there are things we can do without Jesus. Can’t I read a book, go to a movie, or shop at Wal-Mart without the help of Jesus? No, you cannot. Even unbelievers benefit from His sustaining grace. As it says in Colossians, “17And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together) Col. 1:17, Amplified Version). If the sovereign Lord decides you will not go to Wal-Mart today, you will not go. Without Him, we are helpless. We can do nothing. At this very moment, He is holding everything together in the universe, including our very lives.
The failure to abide in Christ leads to disastrous consequences. We read in verse 6. “If anyone does not abide in me he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” Some commentaries believe this verse teaches that a Christian can lose his salvation. Others disagree and see those cut off as false professors, who never truly had saving faith in Jesus. I won’t be dogmatic on the point, but I tend to see those cast out as professing believers, or false Christians. Hypocrites, if you will. Whether it refers to true Christians guilty of apostasy or hypocrites, the results are not pleasant. They are cast into the fire. One thing is clear. It is not enough merely to make a profession of faith in Jesus, followed by baptism. That is where the Christian life begins, but if it ends there, it is proof positive that our faith in Jesus is probably counterfeit. Jesus calls His people to an abiding relationship, an ongoing, ever-deepening relationship. The one cast forth as a branch was never in true fellowship with Jesus, as evidenced by the failure to abide in Christ and the fruitless life. The hypocrisy of his faith is revealed in his being cast forth. John explains it this way: “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us (1 John 2:19). The ones who are cast out prove that their trust in the Son of God was superficial and did not reach into the depths of their souls. Jesus speaks with His usual clarity. If you want your life to count for something in the Kingdom of God (the only Kingdom that has any final importance) your faith in Jesus must lead to an abiding relationship and to the bearing of fruit.
Thus far, our text leads us to ask two personal questions. First, are you connected to the vine by faith so that the life of Christ is flowing within you? Second, if you are connected to the vine and are joined to Christ, is the life of Christ flowing out from you? How much fruit are you producing through your life? Christian fruit embraces many things: it refers to winning others to Christ; to helping believers grow in faith; to reflecting obedience to Jesus in our ethical/moral behavior; to doing good unto others such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, etc. Hagar the Horrible, in the comic strip, sees a sign in a bar that says, “It is not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.” His friend asks him who said that. Hagar replies, “A loser.” Hagar makes a point compatible with our text. Our text teaches that faithful Christians will be successful. They will bear fruit. True Christians are never losers.
And remember, we do not produce fruit by human effort. Our efforts must be rooted in Christ, in faith. Our primary focus can never be, “How can I produce more fruit?” Rather, it must be on abiding in Him and in His words. As we abide in Christ, the fruit will come forth. Paul once declared, “I can do all things (anything) through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Nothing can prevent us from producing fruit for the Kingdom as long as we abide in Jesus. A grape branch attached to the vine produces fruit effortlessly. It does not have to work at producing grapes. It does not exert effort. It just remains attached to the vine. As long as we are attached to Jesus, fruit will be produced in us and by us. We cannot boast, however, about what wonderful fruit we produce. Jesus receives all the glory and honor. We are mere conduits through which He works His will.
An important truth implied in our text has to do with our relationship to the world, referring to those who have no personal faith in the Son of God. The old love song from 1956 by Don Rhondo contained the line “Two different worlds, we live in two different worlds.” We can make a spiritual application because that is precisely the condition we are in as Christians. We live in a world far different than those who do not love the Savior. When we embrace Jesus Christ, we become strangers and foreigners (Hebrews 11:13). Two different worlds, we live in two different worlds.
As we openly live as believers in Jesus, conflict with the world is unavoidable. We read in 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are God’s children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. There are only two worlds during this present age. You live either in God’s world as one of His children or in the devil’s world as one of his children. There is no third choice. There is no neutral place to stand. Either Christ or Satan will lead us.
Do not be surprised if non-Christians do not have a high regard for your Christian faith. If you live openly as a disciple of Jesus, abiding in Him and living by His Word, you will not be popular among unbelievers. Jesus expressed it graphically when He said, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19).
You can join a church and still be loved by the world. You can be baptized and still be loved by the world. You can confess faith in Jesus and continue to be loved by the world. What you cannot do is abide in Jesus and abide in His Word, bearing fruit for Him and still be loved by the world. If you are living in the wrong world, the consequences will be disastrous beyond words. If you are living and abiding in Jesus’ world, you will live forever in God’s blessed and glorious Kingdom. You will bear rich spiritual fruit. If you remain in Satan’s world, he will work to blind you to the reality of God’s world. He will deceive you with worldly pleasures. To choose God’s world means to take a good look at Jesus and then trust in Him. There is nothing you need to do to come under the influence of Satan’s world. All you need do is put off the decision to embrace Jesus. Which world are you living in this morning? The answer is found in another question. ARE YOU BEARING FRUIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

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HOLY SPIRIT BASICS

Warsaw Christian Church, (11/1/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John Chapters 14-16

After Jesus rose from the tomb, the disciples knew with certainty that He is the Son of God and Savior of the world. We may not always stop to think about how difficult a task they faced after Jesus ascended into heaven. They knew that their primary task was to go into all the world and proclaim the name of Jesus. However, the story they had to tell surely would strike many as unbelievable.  How could they convince anyone that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came down from heaven to redeem us, that His death on the cross was an atonement for our sins, and that He arose from the grave? They also were to proclaim that this divine being was to return to planet earth to bring salvation and judgment to its final conclusion. These are astonishing claims. Who would believe their unbelievable story? I wonder if, in one of their unrecorded conversations, one of the apostles said, “It can’t be done.” 

We are sitting in the Warsaw Christian Church today because no matter how difficult the task seemed, the apostles did indeed proclaim the name of Jesus all over the Roman Empire. The Christian Church, from the small beginnings in the first century, now encompasses 1/3 of the world’s population. How did they do it? More importantly, how can we carry on their mission? 

Jesus gave the apostles what appears to be an impossible task.  In the great commission, they were commanded to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. In our text, we learn that He also equipped them for the task. He promised to send the Holy Spirit into their lives, and the Holy Spirit would empower them to witness unto Him.  These common, ordinary men, when empowered by the Holy Spirit, started a movement that now encircles the globe. 

Okay, they carried out their task aided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. What about us? Acts 2 speaks directly to us. There we are told that those who believe in Jesus, who repent of their sins and are baptized in His name, will receive two wonderful gifts. We receive the forgiveness of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have met these conditions, you have received the Holy Spirit. You have the same Holy Spirit that empowered the first apostles. The conditions in Acts 2 are simple:  faith in Jesus marked by a repentant heart, and baptism in His name. 

Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is not the end of the matter. Once we have received the Holy Spirit, we are then commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), or to walk in the Spirit (see Galatians 5:16-26).  One way to understand these commands is to think in terms of cooperating with the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit’s power does not manifest itself in our lives automatically.  What is involved in cooperating with the Spirit? 

Since our text speaks of power to witness or to share the Gospel, clearly we must have a desire to see others saved, and a willingness to be used in the evangelistic task of the church. There are two fundamental elements involved in sharing the Gospel. There is a message to proclaim in words (the story of Jesus) and there is the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul explained this very well in 1Corinthians 2:4-5:  And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Paul did preach. He did proclaim the message of Jesus with words, but he understood that words without the converting action of the Holy Spirit are inadequate.  Faith does not come through words, but through words anointed by the Holy Spirit. 

What does this mean for us practically speaking? First, it means we must understand that the Holy Spirit is not given to us so we might experience spiritual thrills. The Spirit is given primarily to enable us to witness with power. If we are unwilling to share our faith, we have no need of spiritual power. I believe a decision is called for here – – – the decision to say to God, “I desire to serve Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.”  If we have the notion that we can be effective witnesses in our own human strength, we do not understand our need for the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Witnessing is not the only function the Holy Spirit serves in our lives, but that is clearly the emphasis in our text. It is so important that we realize how desperately we need the power of the Spirit in every aspect of our Christian lives. I need the Holy Spirit in order to preach with power. Jack and other teachers need the Holy Spirit to teach effectively. We all need the Holy Spirit to live a Christ-honoring life. 

The self or the ego can, of course, be very religious. Once our human nature learns that there may be a heaven, and there may be a hell, the ego can lapse into a “play it safe mode.”  Maybe I should join a church. Maybe I should be baptized. Perhaps I should serve in some capacity, and just to play it real safe, perhaps give some money. Our unredeemed human nature is not sure what will happen after death, and some take up religion as an insurance policy. We need to recognize that such an approach to religion is alien to true Christianity. This powerless religion is described by Paul in 2Timothy 3:5 where he spoke of those “holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.” 

It would be nice if the Holy Spirit worked automatically. However, we still have the old human nature that is hostile to God, pulling us in a different direction. Paul describes an internal battle taking place in the inner man (Galatians 5:17).  Our old habits and old ways strive for expression, as does the Holy Spirit. We have some say-so about who wins this tug-of-war.   Christian still have the desire and the potential to disobey God, but we also have the desire and the potential to obey God. 

There are several ways to approach this internal struggle. Joan reminded us of an old Indian saying during Bible study a few years ago when this same issue was under discussion. I shared this illustration several years ago but it seems appropriate to repeat it this morning. A Christian Indian likened our situation to two dogs battling within our hearts for control. One is a white dog representing the Holy Spirit and the other is a black dog representing our old sinful nature with its sinful impulses. Whichever dog we feed the most will prevail. If we continually “feed” (yield to, pay undue attention to) the black dog, we will be drawn back into sinful behavior.  If we “feed”  the white dog, we will reflect more and more the life of Christ. 

Paul, if you will, focuses on dog food.  That is, he talks about the behaviors we engage in that feed one dog or the other.  He calls them the works of the flesh (food for the black dog) and the fruit of the Spirit (food for the white dog). In Galatians 5:19-21 he gives us examples of food for the black dog:  fornication, impurity, licentiousness,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions,  envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. The Greek word translated “fornication” refers to all kinds of sexual sin such as pre-marital sex, adultery, lust, and homosexuality. It is sexual behavior contrary to the revealed will of God. Human sexuality is a great blessing within the context of marriage between a man and a woman.  When we yield to other forms of sexual expression, we feed the black dog. 

When we allow jealousy to grasp our hearts and we hold on to it for dear life, we feed the black dog. When we are continually ruled by anger, the black dog grows fatter.  When we are divisive in the church, the black dog wags his tail for joy. The black dog loves it when we assert that our opinions are superior to what God has revealed in Scripture. To put it plainly, when we allow ourselves the “freedom” to give in to our sinful desires, the black dog grows ever stronger while the white dog grows weak. The Holy Spirit is resisted (Acts 7:51) and/or quenched (1 Thess. 5:19).

Paul is frighteningly plain when he concludes this listing of the works of the flesh by saying, “I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  It is very difficult for anyone to sidestep these plain words.  It is difficult to explain them away.  If we over indulge the works of the flesh which are pulling us away from God, we have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God. We are saying, as one atheist said, “Better to be free in hell than a slave in heaven.” Is Paul saying that we must follow the rules in order to be redeemed? Is he saying we must learn this list of sins, and then try hard not to commit them? It may seem that way, but that is not his point. He is simply saying that if you are a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led believer in Jesus, you won’t give much leeway to the works of the flesh. You will be too busy serving Jesus. 

If you are one who trusts in Jesus, if your heart’s desire is to follow Him, the Holy Spirit will be at work in your soul, and He will begin to produce power that enables you to witness effectively for Christ. The answer to our human condition is life in the Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit dwelling within the human spirit can lead us away from the works of the flesh and into a life of powerful service in the Kingdom of God. 

Are there specific things we can do that will enable us to walk in the Spirit? Yes, I think there are. First and foremost, the more our lives are focused on Jesus, trusting Him and following Him, the more we expose our hearts to the ministry of the Spirit. Wherever Jesus is, there is the Holy Spirit. Jesus also gave us the church, and the Spirit operates in every church where Jesus is honored and worshipped and glorified. He gave us the Scriptures, a Spirit inspired book, which exposes us to the mind and heart of God. He gave us the Lord’s Table, and when we partake of the bread and cup with humility and faith, the Spirit of God is present. He gave us access to God through prayer, and when we reach out to God in prayer, the Holy Spirit is present to help us pray aright. To this list we can add that Jesus always had compassion for the poor, the lost, the sick. the lonely and the oppressed. As we reach out to such persons with the Good News and with acts of charity and mercy, the Holy Spirit is at work. 

We must also never forget that Paul sets before us a very high ideal. None of us can claim to be so full of the Spirit that God’s power is evident 24/7.  None of us are so free of the works of the flesh that they are totally absent from our lives. The point is this: aim high, and the Spirit of God will be with you. Feed that white dog daily so he will grow ever stronger.  We will never get rid of that black pup entirely until we leave this life, but for heaven’s sake, don’t overfeed him!  

The basic truth of Pentecost is this. Through faith, repentance and baptism the Holy Spirit has come into your life, granting you the power to be an effective witness unto our Lord. Do you have that power? Are you using it? 

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ANOTHER LOOK AT MARTIN LUTHER

Warsaw Christian Church (10/25/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Churches around the world today are celebrating the anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. It was over 500 years ago, October 1517, when an Augustinian Monk named Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. I doubt he had any idea at the time that this act would set in motion events that would change the world forever. 

In 1517 Luther did not intend to divide the church.  He wanted to debate certain doctrinal matters which concerned him, particularly indulgences. He still saw himself as a loyal Catholic in submission to the Pope. However, as events unfolded, he took up doctrinal positions, which finally led to his ex-communication by the Pope. The western church was divided into two camps, a division that remains with us today between Protestant Christians and Roman Catholic Christians. 

There is far too much material on Luther to summarize in a single sermon. Numerous books have been written about his life and teaching.  He wrote numerous books and published hundreds of sermons.  That much material is hard to distill into one sermon. Our focus today will be on what most Christians consider his main contribution to the life and health of the church, the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. Before we examine this fundamental doctrine, I want to make a few additional introductory remarks. 

Luther was not a perfect man. He was a sinner saved by grace who lived in a time of church controversy. Luther said some things about his religious opponents, which I cannot repeat today because they are incredibly offensive. He attacked the Roman Catholic Church and the papacy with extremely abusive language. Luther attacked other Protestants who disagreed with him in the same manner. Sadly, he also said some very hateful things about the Jews, which probably contributed to the anti-Semitism in Germany, which erupted with violence during the Nazi era. I shall say no more this morning about Luther’s faults. He was a human being, and the world he lived in was very different than our world. He does not belong on a pedestal as though he were a saint without fault or blemish. He would never have claimed such a position for himself. 

On the other hand, his positive contributions to Christianity were enormous, and his main contribution will be our focus this morning.  The issue that Luther struggled with was simply this: how can we sinful humans become right with God? We begin with Luther’s description of his own conversion, probably around 1519. He was reflecting on Romans 1:17, ^“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” He writes, “Though I lived as a monk without reproach, I felt that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience. I could not believe that he was placated by my satisfaction. I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners, and secretly, if not blasphemously, certainly murmuring greatly, I was angry with God, and said, “As if, indeed, it is not enough, that miserable sinners, eternally lost through original sin, are crushed by every kind of calamity by the law of the Decalogue, without having God add pain to pain by the gospel and also by the gospel threatening us with his righteousness and wrath!” Thus I raged with a fierce and troubled conscience. Nevertheless, I beat persistently upon Paul at that place, most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted. At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the Gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. 

Luther realized that God speaks two very different messages to us in Scripture.  He speaks the Law to us, which tells us what God requires of us. The Law thunders at us: DO THIS, DON’T DO THAT. The problem is that we are fallen creatures who do not have the power within ourselves to keep the Law of God. The Law condemns us. Satan whispers to us, “How do you think God will ever approve of you. You have failed Him again and again. You deserve nothing but an eternity in hell.” Luther understood that if all we have is the Law of God, even though His commandments are righteous, we fall so far short of keeping them that we have nothing to look forward to except condemnation. 

The Law of God is the Word of God and must be taken seriously. When we take God’s commandments seriously, we feel nothing but despair. The Law is good.  The problem is that we are not good, and we fail to obey the Law. The Law does two things: first, it condemns us; then, it drives us to Christ and the Gospel. 

Luther struggled mightily to overcome his sins when he was an Augustinian monk, by doing good works, by going to confession repeatedly, by punishing his body in an effort to atone for his sins. All of this effort brought him no peace. As he admits, he hated God. He experienced much soul pain described by the German word “Anfechtung.” No single English word can translate that word. It is a combination of anxiety, fear of condemnation, feelings of being overwhelmed by temptation, of being assaulted by Satan. Finally, in reflecting on Romans 1:17 he heard God’s second message to the human race. He landed on the word “Faith,” and realized that God had revealed a message of good news, the Gospel of Jesus, that those who trust in Jesus are declared to be righteous by God and saved even though they have failed to keep His commandments.  

As Luther matured in faith, he gave us a clear statement of how it is that we who are miserable sinners can find salvation from a righteous God. He spoke of the wonderful exchange that took place when our Lord was crucified. Jesus, the Son of the Living God, took the judgment we deserve. Our sins are all forgiven and can never again condemn us. In addition, the very righteousness of Christ is credited to us. Jesus takes our sins upon Himself, and we take His righteousness in exchange. And what do we contribute to our salvation? Absolutely nothing! We simply believe what God says and place our trust in Jesus. By faith in Jesus alone and what He has done for us, we are welcomed into God’s Kingdom.

Luther likes to define a Christian as a person who is simultaneously a sinner and a redeemed soul. Every Christian looks in two directions. When we look at ourselves, even as redeemed souls, we realize that sin clings to us.  Even our good works are never perfect. I have never preached a perfect sermon. I have never loved my neighbor as I should, with the pure love of Jesus.  I love Marie but do I love her as Christ loved the church? That is how I am commanded to love her and I am quite sure I don’t measure up to that standard. No matter how hard I try to please God, I always feel I have fallen short. Luther stressed that if we look too much at ourselves, we will feel nothing but despair and hopelessness (Anfechtung!). 

As we look away from self unto Jesus, peace floods the soul. Yes, even as a Christian, I am not all that I should be. I could and should be a better preacher. Our love for others should be purer. We spend far too much time selfishly meeting our own needs and ignoring the needs of others. We need to look away from self and focus on Jesus and what He has done for us. The more we focus on Him, the happier we become. Yes, as we often say, “Nobody’s perfect,” but Jesus has credited to us His righteousness.  When God looks at us, He sees our imperfections, but He also sees the righteousness of Christ credited to us. What happens is this: as we focus on Jesus, on His love, on God’s grace, His love begins to overflow in our souls, and our faith grows ever stronger. Our good works and service to Christ become more consistent. We do good works not to earn God’s favor, but because we have already received God’s favor as a free gift through faith in Jesus. So, Luther would tell you to spend much time focusing on Jesus and His Word, and less time thinking about yourself. 

Luther liked to illustrate the Christian life by referring to marriage. He speaks of a prince, the son of the king, who marries a poor, miserable woman who survives by selling herself into prostitution.  The prince falls in love with her and marries her. This woman who once was a miserable low life now becomes the bride of the prince. She receives all the benefits and prosperity that come to the wife of a prince. She no longer lives as a prostitute, but as a princess. Her whole life changes dramatically. She is so thankful for the love of the prince that she wants to share his goods with others. Her life of sin is cast aside, and she now lives to do good to others. 

Luther saw Christians as the prostitutes in the story.  We are sinners who have violated God’s Law repeatedly. Jesus is our prince, and we are the bride of Christ. We learn of His love for us, and we come to believe in that love. We are united to Him in marriage by faith. Because we are married to Jesus (figuratively) by faith, we receive all of His treasures.  We are forgiven, loved by God, and the recipients of eternal life and the many wonderful things that God has prepared to give His people. All of this comes to us by faith and by faith alone. We are so overjoyed and overcome by His love that we want to serve Him the rest of our lives, doing good to others. All of these changes come about by faith alone. 

But, Luther was often asked, “You keep saying we are saved by faith alone. Don’t we have to do good works?” Luther would answer, “Of course!” Although it is not really the case that we have to do good works, but rather we want to. Wherever true faith is present, the love of God flows into our hearts creating in us a desire to do good works. Good works are the inevitable fruit of faith. We don’t discard the Ten Commandments or the commandments of Jesus. Out of gratitude for the salvation given to us freely, we strive to please God by obeying His commandments revealed in the Law. Are we saved by our good works? Do they help improve our status before God? No, even as redeemed souls, we never keep the Law perfectly. We are saved by faith alone.  Our good works add nothing to our salvation, freely given to us by our Lord Jesus. Our failures do not detract from the salvation we have received as a gift. 

We are products of the Reformation. Unlike Luther, we do not hurl insults at Roman Catholics or other Christian groups with whom we do not agree. Most of us have Catholic friends, and some of you may have come from a Catholic background. Do we agree with all the teachings of the Catholic Church? No, but we do believe that Catholics who trust in Jesus are redeemed souls. Indeed, all who have true faith in the Son of God, regardless of their denomination or church affiliation, will be saved. That is the Gospel  Luther preached. 

We all owe a debt of gratitude to Martin Luther for his clear statement of the Gospel. He was an imperfect man as are we all, but he did discover in the pages of Scripture the Gospel, which we still believe today. Salvation comes to us by faith alone, faith in Jesus who was given to us by a gracious heavenly Father. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and from that faith will flow a life of service to God. 

The world was changed 500 years ago when a Catholic monk nailed 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg. We owe a great debt to Martin Luther. We honor his legacy when we honor the Christ in whom he believed. 

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PRAYING IN JESUS NAME

Warsaw Christian Church, (10/11/20) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 14:12-17  

I have preached on this text before, but since it comes up next in the Gospel of John, I want to examine this important text once again. As we search the Scriptures on prayer, we encounter a problem. It is seen in two ideas: first, according to Scripture, those who pray are expected to meet certain criteria: We are to be faithful to Jesus, resist sin and temptation, manifest humility, practice forgiveness, etc.  Second, no one meets these criteria with perfection.  How is this problem resolved?  Is anyone really qualified to pray? There is one reason, and only one, which explains why God answers the prayers of morally imperfect people.  It is because they approach Him IN THE NAME OF JESUS.  Jesus taught us this truth in our text. “On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you” (John 16:23 NRSV).  This same idea recurs in John 14:13, 14; 15:16; 16:24,25.  PRAYING IN JESUS NAME IS A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF PRAYING ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.  

Many misunderstand the word “faith.” Some read in Scripture that God will do whatever we ask if we ask in faith and then assume that faith is a quality within us.  For example, Matthew 21:22 reads, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Some books on prayer run with this single concept and never look back.  Of course, the verse is true, but what does it mean to believe? 

At one time, being influenced by teachers I respected, I thought “to believe” meant to have unwavering confidence that God will do whatever I ask.  The “trick” seemed to be not to blink — never to allow doubt to enter my head.  The problem was I blinked every time! The idea that God must do whatever I ask if I possess a faith that never doubts is not faith IN GOD. It believes in the power of one’s own faith. It is faith in faith, faith in ourselves.  Our access to God is not brought about through the strength of our faith. 

There is a huge difference between having faith in your own faith and faith in the crucified Savior.  To pray with faith is not a matter of having confidence in the power of your own ability to believe.  It means to forget about yourself and approach God based on the fact that all your sins have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus.  Because of the esteem God has for His Son, for Jesus sake, He hears and answers our prayers.  Thus, the heart of faith or “believing” is the confidence we have that God hears us for Jesus’ sake. 

In other words, God answers our prayers on the same basis by which He redeems us.  We are forgiven of our sins and declared to be among the redeemed through the blood of Jesus.  When we hear the gospel story and respond to it with a humble “Yes,” God receives us into His kingdom for Jesus’ sake.  And when we pray, trusting in the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all sin, God hears us for Jesus’ sake.  If it should enter our minds that God has some other basis for dealing with us — our good deeds, our faithful service, we tried our best, etc. — we have ceased to exercise faith. Or, to put it more precisely, our faith has shifted from God to self, a disastrous shift indeed! 

Yes, we try to be faithful followers of the Master.  Those who are not committed to following Jesus in all that He teaches do not deserve the name “disciple.” If we are true disciples, we strive for perfection; we want to obey Jesus with every word and deed; we want to please God; we aim at holiness, but we always fall short of the divine standard. This is why we must always pray in the name of Jesus, trusting that His blood will continue to atone for every sin and shortcoming.  Luther declared that every good work done by a Christian is tarnished by sin.  We forever fall short of the divine standard. I suppose we can say that preaching a sermon is a good thing. Yet, every time I preach I know I have fallen short of what God expects from me. God never says, “Wow, that was a perfect sermon.” He probably says, “Good try! Better luck next time.” 

The Jews of Jesus’ day assumed they had a relationship with God through Moses and the prophets.  We talked about this back in chapter 8. They believed they belonged to God, but Jesus declared them to be children of Satan, a harsh judgment for anyone to make other than God Himself! Angrily, they huffed at Jesus, “The only Father we have is God himself.” They wanted God, but they did not want Jesus.  Listen carefully to the response of Jesus. “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God … You belong to your father, the devil …” (John 8:41-44).  Jesus cannot be separated from God.  To love and trust God the Father is to love and trust Jesus, and vice versa.  Those who separate Jesus from the Father end up with neither. 

Based on the words of Jesus, we are compelled to say that persons who really know and love God will also know and love Jesus.  Persons who are in touch with the living God will not hesitate to approach Him in the name of Jesus.  True believers grasp the fact that God is holy, and we humans are unholy, and the only way we can be made holy is through the Son of God who atoned for our sins at Calvary.  If Jesus and Calvary are removed from the prayer equation, God is also removed.   

The text in John 8 is clear. It states that those who claim God as their Father but who also reject Jesus have another father, even Satan.  It would be a terrible thing for me to make such a statement based on my fallible human knowledge, but these are the words of Jesus.  Those who acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior will not hesitate to embrace everything He teaches. 

The implication of this truth for our prayer life is profound.  Will God hear me because I use the right words?  Will He hear my prayers based on my “status” as a pastor, elder, deacon, or church leader?  Does He respond to us because our need is so great?  God cares nothing for our so-called status. Our “position” carries no weight at all with God.  He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).  It is true that God is compassionate and cares about our needs. However, until we learn that our greatest need is to trust in Jesus and approach God in His name, our prayers will not be answered. 

God answers prayers because we are forgiven sinners who believe in the power of Jesus atoning death to bring us into the presence of God.  Never, never, never, say to God, “Hear me for my sake.” It must always be, “Hear me for Jesus sake.” The issue in prayer is not who we are in and of ourselves, but who we are in relationship to Jesus Christ.  We have seen this truth already in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.  The Pharisee expected God to hear his prayer because of his great spirituality.  He was approaching God in his own name.  Any time we expect God to answer our prayers because of who we are, we are on the wrong track. 

To pray with faith in God is to pray to God as we know Him in Jesus Christ.  It is to believe that God alone is the only One in the universe to whom we can give our unqualified trust.  When we pray “in Jesus name,” we are declaring two things: First, that the God in whom we believe is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Second, we have zero confidence in our personal ability to cause God to act in response to our prayers.  Our confidence rests in Jesus, 100%.  It is His virtue and merit which causes God to respond to our prayers.

I recall a funeral I presided over several years ago, which I have mentioned before. Someone said of the deceased, “If ever anyone deserves heaven, it is Aunt Millie.” I am sure that by human standards, Aunt Millie was a fine person. I am also sure that she fell far short of the divine standard. I have told Marie to advise the pastor who presides over my funeral to avoid such blasphemous statements. I do not expect to go to heaven because I am a pastor who preached umpteen sermons, made lots of pastoral calls, did lots of good works, etc. I expect to go to heaven as a sinner saved by grace.  If anyone at my funeral says I deserve to go to heaven because of my accomplishments, I would like to emerge from my casket and cry out in protest.  

As Christians, we have become new persons in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15).  Through the magnificent gift of the Holy Spirit, we have received a new heart, a new mind, a new will, new desires, new hope, new confidence in God, a totally new way of life.  However, we take no credit for these changes, and we recognize that even though God has changed us, we are still far from perfection.  We rely on the blood of Jesus to keep on cleansing us from all sin and unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  It is not our name that opens the heart of God.  It is the name of Jesus, and so when we pray, regardless of the words we use, we approach God with the attitude which says, “Father, hear me for Jesus sake.  I come before you in His name.  I trust in His merit rather than my own.  I trust in His atoning blood.” When God sees that our hearts are firmly resting upon Jesus, we can have confidence that He will hear and answer our prayers. 

We do not want to think of the words, “In Jesus’ name” as a magical formula. Some Jewish exorcists learned that lesson the hard way in Acts 19:13-16. They observed Paul doing great things in the name of Jesus, so they decided to give it a try. They approached a man possessed with an evil spirit, and they declared, “In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out!” The spirit responded that he knew about Jesus and Paul, but then said, “Who are you?” The end result was that the possessed man overpowered the exorcists, and they fled naked and wounded. If we pray “In Jesus’ name” as if the words are a magical “hocus pocus” that works automatically, we will learn that such prayers are ineffective. When we pray “in Jesus name,” it is not the words that are important. Those words are efficacious only when they are spoken by persons who have a strong, personal faith in Jesus.   

Let me share one final example I have used before. If I were to write a check to you for one million dollars on my own checking account and sign my name to the check, and you attempted to cash the check, the bank would either laugh at you or have you arrested.  My name is not worth a million dollars at any bank anywhere in the world. If you had a check for that same amount signed by Bill Gates, the bank would honor that check.  His name is worth a million dollars.

When you pray to God, don’t flaunt your own name before Him. Don’t expect Him to hear you because you are such a wonderful and faithful Christian. Our names are worthless in heaven.  Our names carry no weight at all.  When we ask God to hear us because we are persons redeemed through Jesus Christ, His ears perk up at the name of His beloved Son.  To end our prayers with the phrase, “in Jesus name” is much more than a formula.  When we utter those words with sincere faith in Jesus, God bends low to hang on every word we pray. When we approach God with a sense of total dependence on the person of Jesus, God will hear and answer our prayers.  

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ARE YOUR FEET DIRTY?

Warsaw Christian Church, (10/4/20), Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 13:1-20

Why did Jesus wash the feet of His disciples, and what does His action mean for us? Are we to practice foot washing today in the church? Some churches do, but it has never been our practice. I believe there is a spiritual meaning behind the physical act of washing the feet of His disciples. The surface meaning of the text is clear. In ancient cultures where sandals were the everyday footwear and streets were dirty and dusty, servants would often wash the feet of guests.

Jesus assumes the role of a servant. He humbles Himself, revealing a side of God we may not always think about. When I think of God, my first thoughts are of His majesty, His omnipotence, His omnipresence, His omniscience. I think of almighty God speaking the universe into existence. I think of His power to part the Red Sea for His people. His intelligence grasps the smallest details so that He knows how many hairs are on each head. I don’t know, and I don’t care how many hairs are on my head, but God knows. When I think of God, I think of Almighty power and infinite wisdom.

And yet, here is Jesus, God incarnate, humbly washing His disciple’s feet. God the Son is not so high and mighty that He refuses the role of a servant. This episode reminds me of Philippians 2:5-11. ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Listen to the words Paul uses to describe Jesus. He made Himself of no reputation. He humbled Himself, leaving the glories of heaven to identify with us. His humility finally led Him to the cross where He freely took into His own body the judgment we deserve. I read this episode and conclude that God is approachable. Yes, He is all-powerful, but He also loves us so much that He was willing to suffer for our redemption. The Son of God, in conjunction with the Father, created the heavens and the earth. John declares that in his first chapter. Without Jesus, nothing was made that was made. God cares about us despite our sin and rebellion.

This episode is a wonderful revelation concerning the nature of God. Despite His breathtaking majesty, He is approachable. We can draw near to Him. He wants to forgive us and have a relationship with us. God is willing to serve us and save us even though with a word, He could crush us. I like the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30; Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” I can draw near to a God who is gentle and lowly in heart. I can approach a God who wants to give me rest in the midst of my burdens.

There is also a deep spiritual meaning to our text. Notice John 13:10-11: “You are clean, but not every one of you. For He knew who was to betray Him; and that is why He said, not all of you are clean.”  Here He is not speaking of literal dusty feet. He speaks of uncleanness in the soul. Eleven of the Apostles were spiritually clean. They trusted in Jesus. Their sins are forgiven. They were heaven-bound. One of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, was not clean. He was planning to betray Jesus. He followed Jesus as an Apostle, but his faith was bogus. He was more interested in money. He finally betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

As Paul wrote to Timothy, “The love of money is the root of much evil.” Having lots of money can give us a false sense of security. It can lead us away from the Savior. It happened to Judas, and it can happen to us. Beware of being too attached to money and things. Let me share one simple illustration.

His health was in tatters, and his life mired in financial wrangles, but Frank Sinatra refused to stop giving concerts. “I’ve got to earn more money,” he said.

His performances, sad to say, were becoming more and more uneven. Uncertain of his memory, he became dependent on teleprompters. When his daughter, Tina, saw her Father at Desert Inn in Las Vegas, he struggled through the show and felt so sick at the end that he needed oxygen from a tank that he kept on hand. At another show, he forgot the lyrics to “Second Time Around,” a ballad he had sung a thousand times. His adoring audience finished it for him.

“I couldn’t bear to see Dad struggle,” Tina said. “I remembered all the times he had repeated the old boxing maxim. ‘You gotta get out before you hit the mat.’ He wanted to retire at the top of his game, and I always thought he would know when his time came, but in pushing eighty, he lost track of when to quit. After seeing one too many of these fiascoes, I told him, ‘Pop, you can stop now; you don’t have to stay on the road.’ ” With a stricken expression, he said, “No, I’ve got to earn more money…..” Since Sinatra’s death, there has been constant family wrangling over his fortune.  — Tina Sinatra with Jeff Coplon, My Father’s Daughter (Simon & Schuster, 2000).

Don’t put much stock in having lots of money. It will never satisfy. Eleven Apostles were men of faith, but men and women of faith still get their feet dirty. Like us, the Apostles were not perfect. They struggled against sin. They were clean through their trust in Jesus, but they needed some regular cleaning. Foot washing, I think,  was a symbolic portrayal of this reality. Paul spoke of our salvation in Titus 3:5: “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…”

I find it interesting that Paul used two words to describe our salvation; regeneration and renewal. We are regenerated or born again when we trust in Jesus. We are symbolically cleaned through the act of baptism. We are renewed day by day by the work of the Holy Spirit. I think the Lord’s Supper is analogous to foot washing. We are baptized once when we first come to faith, and then we come regularly to the Lord’s Table to receive further cleansing. Our feet get dirty!

There is a final practical lesson from our text. Since God humbled Himself to redeem us, we ought to follow that example. “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus…” We are to serve others with humility. There is no place for pride in the Christian life. Humility is the soil in which faith grows. Pride is a faith quencher.

When Jesus washed the feet of His apostles, He included Judas. Jesus knew that Judas was planning to betray Him, yet He washes the feet of the traitor. He serves His enemy. Apparently, Judas was unmoved by this act as he carried out his betrayal plans. Perhaps when Jesus washed the feet of His apostles, Judas assumed that this further proved He was a false prophet. Why would the Messiah, the Son of God, stoop to such a lowly act?  Perhaps in Judas mind, this was a sign of weakness. He assumed the Messiah would be strong, not humble.

The lesson for us is clear. The Son of God is not so full of who He is that He cannot stoop to perform a lowly act. We are called to imitate this example. We are to humbly serve our friends, and also our enemies. Have you washed any feet recently?

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HOW TO SAVE YOUR LIFE AND GLORIFY GOD

Warsaw Christian Church (9/20/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 12:24-26: Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Saving our own lives is a significant part of our culture.  We have life preservers, life belts, life rafts, lifelines, and so forth. We even have life insurance, probably a misnomer, because it only pays when you die. All of these life-saving items have their place in the world. However, Jesus spoke somewhat enigmatically in our text. He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much ^[a]grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 

The principle spoken by Jesus is this: real life comes only by death. What does that mean? Jesus used an illustration to help us. A grain of wheat is just a grain of wheat until it falls to the earth and dies. In dying, it bears much fruit.

What is Jesus telling us? I believe we have to regard the phrases “loves his life” and “hates his life” as metaphors.  I think He is speaking to us about priorities, contrasting natural life with spiritual life.  What is your priority in life? For many, the answer is “self.” Many, by their words and actions, show that their main concern is saving their own lives; feathering their own nest; living for self. 

Jesus is the best illustration of this truth spoken of in our text. Because of His death, many souls have found life. He died that others may live. While we may not be called to die physically, as Christians, we are called to die to self. Paul expressed this truth in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul states that he no longer lives as a self-centered man. His old self has been crucified, and now he lives by faith in the Son of God.  He lives, not for his own values, but for Jesus Christ. I wonder how many of us can say, “I am crucified with Christ…Now I live by faith for Him.” I wonder . . .

We don’t catch it in the English language, but in the Greek text, two different words are used for “life.” When Jesus referred to loving his “life,” he used the word “psyche.” It is the life of the mind, the human ego. It refers to the human personality as it thinks and makes decisions. This is the life to which we must die. A summary way to state it is to say that the independent will of man must die and submit to the will of Jesus. The other word for “life” is “zoe.” When joined with “eternal,” it refers to the life of God.  We receive this life through faith in the Son of God, but we experience it more and more as we live our lives following Jesus, consciously submitting our wills to His will. Every time we act independently of the will of God, we lose His blessing. We do not lose our relationship with Him if faith is alive in us, but we forfeit His blessings.

Some Christians are slow in learning this lesson. We face financial decisions — and ignore the will of God.  We face moral decisions  — and ignore the will of God. We face decisions about church — and ignore the will of God.  We face problems — and ignore the will of God. Then we wonder why there is so little joy in our Christian lives. The problem is perhaps that we have not died to self so that we might live for Christ. No one can disregard the will of God without suffering the consequences. There is no true joy and meaning in life outside the will of God.

George Mueller is perhaps an example of a man who knew what it was to be crucified with Christ.  He founded several orphanages in England years ago and ran them by prayer. When asked the secret of his success, he said, “There was a day when I died – – – died to George Mueller, his opinions, preferences, tastes and will; died to the world, its approval or censure, died to the approval or blame of my brethren or friends; and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.”

I am not suggesting that we must imitate this man of faith. Our calling will no doubt be different than that of George Mueller. I am suggesting that the more we submit to the will of God, the greater will be our joy. I am affirming that the more we ignore the will of God, the greater will be our gloom. Lasting joy and meaning in this life can only be found in dying to self and living daily under the will of God.

To some, it sounds depressing to renounce self and follow Jesus. Our fallen human nature wants to be in charge of our affairs. The idea that we should submit to the authority of another does not appeal to us. As the poet Hensley expressed it, “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” I think this attitude is imprinted deeply on the fallen human nature. We want to be in control, but Jesus commands us to submit to His control. He bids us die to self so that we may live for God. Am I doing it? Are you doing it?

There is a stern warning in our text. If you love your life and live in a self-centered manner, you end up losing your life. You are separated from God and from His love and blessings. Such a life indicates that any claim to faith is bogus. On the other hand, if you renounce self and submit to the Lordship of Jesus, that is when you truly find life, a life that is eternal.

Jesus once told a parable (some believe it was an historical event) about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus (see Luke 16). The rich man lived for himself but ended up experiencing the torments of hell. Lazarus was poor, having no self-esteem, but we can assume he did have a love for God. When he died, angels carried him to heaven. The man who lived for self ended up with nothing, while Lazarus, who had very little in this life, ended up with everything.  But aren’t we saved by faith alone? Yes, but true faith is never self-centered.

It seems strange to us, but we need to hear what God is telling us. The road that leads to heaven is named “Self-Denial.” The road that leads to hell is named, “Self-centeredness.” We look around and see much that is good in this life, and well we should because this is a world created by God. However, all we see is marked “temporary,” so we dare not fall in love with that which is temporary. Jesus is forever, and He is the one we must trust, love, and serve.

There are three incentives in our text that should inspire us to take this teaching seriously.  First, Jesus promises that those who follow Him will also have fellowship with Him. Where He is, there we will also be. What is your preference?  Would you prefer to be in the best circumstances in this life, with an abundance of money and all it will buy, but without Jesus?  Or would you prefer being in lowly situations in this life, knowing that Jesus was with you? I hope we all realize that being with Jesus, regardless of circumstances, is worth it. Fellowship with Jesus is worth any cost.

The second incentive is the promise that those who turn away from this life in order to follow Jesus will receive life eternal. Of course, as I have often said, eternal life is a gift from the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. I am merely repeating what I have said in the past. Those who trust Jesus also follow Him, and He leads them to eternal life. He is not saying, “follow me and earn eternal life.” I believe He is saying, “Follow me and thus prove the reality of your faith. Your faith will save you.”

Finally, we are encouraged to take this teaching of self-denial seriously in this final statement in our text. “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” Permit me to tell a fairy tale to illustrate this point. Pretend you are in a country ruled by a kind and beloved king. The king has a beloved son. You are one of the servants to the king’s son. One day while you and the prince are walking in the woods, bandits appear and take you and the prince captive. Ransom is demanded, but as time goes on, the prince becomes ill. You tend to his needs; you deprive yourself of limited rations and share them with the prince. You wipe his brow; you comfort him, you tend to his every need. One day you realize you have an opportunity to escape, but the prince is too weak to go with you. So you stay with him and continue to tend to his needs. Finally, the king’s men discover where the prince is hidden, and he is rescued, along with you.

The king will be ecstatic to have his Son back, but as he learns what happened during the captivity, he will heap honor upon you because you served his Son. You hear the king say, “This servant cared for my Son; nursed him when he was near death. I shall honor him even as I honor my Son.” (Thanks to C. H. Spurgeon).

In the same manner, those who serve the Son of God during this life will be honored by the Father. I like to imagine a scene like this in heaven. “Step aside, angels.  Make way! Here comes one who served my Son. Yes, he was not perfect, and he did not understand everything, but he strove to be faithful to my Son. He was not ashamed to serve Him. Now I will honor him.  I will heap rewards upon him, and he shall reign in heaven with my Son.”

Jesus suggested something along these lines in Matthew 25 in the final judgment scene. “I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat . . . Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” When we serve others, we serve Jesus. And as we honor the Son of God by serving Him, the Father will honor us because we have served His Son. I am not sure precisely what such honor will bring to us, but wouldn’t you like to find out?

Bottom line; live for Jesus, not for yourself. We know that everything we live for in this life will be taken from us at death. The one thing we have in this life that will last forever is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. As we serve Him, we experience life abundant. As we serve ourselves, we end up with nothing. Make the right choice.

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MY NEIGHBOR LAZARUS

Warsaw Christian Church, (9/13/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 11 and 12:1-11

I was a neighbor and friend of Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. They were wonderful people, always willing to step in to help a neighbor. Those sisters were terrific cooks.  An invitation to dine at their house was always eagerly accepted. The family was especially close to a religious prophet by the name of Jesus. I had never met this prophet, but Mary, Martha, and Lazarus raved about Him. They even believed Him to be the Messiah, the Son of God. I hoped I would be able to meet this Jesus someday and decide for myself if He was as wonderful as the sisters and Lazarus made Him out to be. We Jews had believed in a coming Messiah for thousands of years.  Many of us were skeptical that He would ever come after so much time had passed.  

One day Lazarus took sick.  I went to visit him, and I thought he looked bad. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother was very ill. I think they thought He could heal Lazarus, but several days went by, and Jesus did not come. A few days later, Martha came by to announce tearfully that Lazarus was dead. They prepared him for burial, and I helped carry him to his tomb. Everyone was in tears because Lazarus was a fine man and a good friend. The tomb was a cave in the side of a hill.  After laying Lazarus to rest, I help place the stone over the cave opening. 

It was about four days later when I heard lots of talking and weeping. Jesus had finally come, and a large crowd had followed Him to the tomb of Lazarus. The weeping and wailing were heard for miles. I was curious about what He would say, so I stayed within earshot. Martha ran out to meet Jesus, but she seemed a little annoyed. I heard her say to Him, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus tried to console her by saying, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha responded with annoyance in her voice, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection in the last days.” At that point, I heard Jesus make a remarkable statement. He said, “Then Jesus stared intently at Martha and asked, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” “Do you believe this?”  I had no idea what He was talking about. “I am the resurrection?” What could that possibly mean? “He who believes in me will never die?” That statement really confused me. Everyone has to die, don’t they? While I was reflecting on these things, I heard Martha say clearly, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.” I had a lot of respect for Martha, and if she believed this Jesus to be the Messiah, perhaps it was so. 

If this Jesus is the Messiah, then He can bring about the resurrection of the dead. Those who believe in Him will die in a sense, but they will live forever in another sense. If you are going to live forever, I guess death has no meaning. Our people had been waiting for the Messiah for thousands of years.  It was hard to believe that now, in my lifetime, He had finally come. Martha not only said He was the Christ, the Messiah, but also the Son of God. That put me in a state of pure shock, and I wondered what would happen next. 

Then I saw Mary emerge from the house, and she came to Jesus. She, too, seemed a bit irritated.  She fell at His feet and repeated what Martha had said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Tears were streaming down Mary’s face. All the mourners were weeping, and when I looked at Jesus, He too was weeping. Some in the crowd murmured against Jesus. I overheard one person say, “He opened the eyes of a blind man, could he not also have kept this man from dying?” 

You may have trouble believing what happened next. I believe it because I was there. I saw with my own eyes the most astonishing thing I have ever witnessed in my entire life. Jesus stepped to the tomb where Lazarus was buried. He prayed out loud so we could hear. He thanked God for hearing Him, and then He said that He knew God always heard Him.  He was praying for the sake of those gathered at the tomb, that they might believe He had come from the Father. He stood before the cave and said, “Remove the stone.” Martha was puzzled by this request and reminded Jesus that Lazarus had been dead for four days, and by now, there would be a strong odor of death. Nevertheless, the stone was removed. It grew very quiet as we all wondered what was going to happen. The silence was broken by Jesus, who spoke loudly and said, “Lazarus, come out.”  I thought, “But Lazarus cannot hear Him.  Why speak to a dead man?” I stared at the tomb opening, and suddenly a figure appeared bound in grave clothes. It had to be Lazarus because no one else was in that tomb, or could it have been some kind of trick? Then Jesus said, “unbind him,” and when the grave clothes were removed, it was definitely Lazarus. I would know that face anywhere.  We had been neighbors for years. Lazarus, dead four days, emerged alive from his tomb at the command of Jesus. 

This was a life-changing event for me. What kind of a man can speak the word, and a dead man emerges alive from his tomb?  Mary and Martha were correct.  Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. There was no other adequate explanation. I became a disciple of Jesus from that day forward. He indeed was the resurrection and the life.  I didn’t understand it all, but I did come to believe that a day would come when He would speak my name and call me out of death to life. I believe He will do the same for all who believe in Him. Many others who were present on that day came to believe in Him. 

What happened next is as hard to believe as Lazarus coming back to life. Some who saw the miracle ran to tattle to the Pharisees and reported what they had seen. The Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin, and it was reported that they were plotting to kill Jesus. They were afraid Jesus would win many disciples, and they would lose their following. I guess they assumed the whole event was a fake, but they feared gullible people would believe it was a miracle. I guess I can understand why people who were not there would doubt the story, but these tattlers saw Lazarus step out of his tomb alive. Unbelievable that they would doubt their own eyes. 

Caiaphas was the high priest that year. It was reported that he made a prophetic statement without realizing it. He thought it better that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish. I guess he feared that if Jesus grew in popularity, the Romans would react with swift punishment. After all, many of Jesus’ followers referred to Him as the King of the Jews.  The Romans did not like that. It sounded like Jesus was in competition with Caesar. Jesus would indeed die for the people, but not in the way envisioned by Caiaphas. So, the Jewish leaders began to plot the murder of Jesus. 

Jesus had to refrain from moving about openly, at least for a time. It was six days later when Jesus came again to Bethany. Mary and Martha planned to have a dinner for Jesus, and I was fortunate enough to be invited.  As I said earlier, Mary and Martha were wonderful cooks. Lazarus was there too, and I had hoped to be able to ask him what it was like to be dead and then return to life, but the opportunity never came. Mary was overcome with gratitude for what Jesus had done.  She took some expensive perfume and anointed the feet of Jesus and then dried His feet with her hair. 

One of the disciples (I believe his name was Judas) was livid with anger at Mary. He thought her act of kindness was a waste of money. He thought the perfume should have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. I later learned his real motive.  He was a thief. He was in charge of the moneybag and used to skim off money for himself.  That perfume could have brought in 300 denarii, which is almost a year’s wages. Judas thought he could dip into the moneybag again, and no one would notice. Jesus shut him up in a hurry.  He said, in effect, there will always be poor people, and if you are concerned about them, you should help them.  Judas did not understand that Jesus knew what was going on. He knew that Judas had his hand in the money jar. 

Jesus then said something that disturbed me.  He declared that Mary had anointed Him for burial.  Later I understood what He meant, but at the time, I assumed He would usher in the kingdom of God on earth.  How could anyone kill the Son of God? Well, the Jewish leaders not only wanted to kill Jesus, but they also thought they better put Lazarus in the grave once again.   Hopefully, this time to stay put! Many of the common folks wanted to see this man Lazarus who had been raised from death. The story of Lazarus was gaining many new disciples for Jesus, so he had to be killed as well. 

All of this led me to a single conclusion. Sin and rebellion against God causes people to act stupidly.  The idea that the way to solve a perceived problem is to kill two innocent people is absurd. If the Pharisees thought their message was superior to the message of Jesus, why not win over the people by persuasion? When they plotted to kill Jesus and Lazarus, to me, that was a sure sign that they could not reasonably make their case. 

I leave you with this brief word. Jesus said to Mary, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Mary stated her faith by saying, “I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God . . .” If that is the simple faith of your heart, one day we will meet in heaven. 

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JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Warsaw Christian Church (9/6/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 10:1-23

Our text is full of profound statements regarding Jesus, our Savior, and Lord. In my opinion, John’s Gospel is the most spiritually profound of the four Gospels. Again and again, John drives home the truth that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and that is the thrust of our text today. We begin with the statement that Jesus is the only door that leads to salvation. Others claim to be able to lead us to the Father, and some claim to have found God apart from Jesus. Of this latter group, Jesus declares them to be thieves and robbers. He firmly states that He is the only door that leads to eternal life. We are compelled to conclude that Jesus is either the most arrogant man who ever lived, or He is the Son of God to whom we must listen. 

But how do we know if we have truly entered the right door? Jesus clarifies. His sheep are those who listen to Him and who follow Him. This desire to hear and obey only the voice of Jesus is wrought in us by the Holy Spirit. His sheep will not listen to other voices. So, when Buddha says we must follow the four noble truths and the eightfold path, the sheep of Jesus do not listen to him.  When Mohammed declares that He has found a new and better way to God, the sheep of Jesus do not listen.  When the Hindu says there are many gods, the sheep of Jesus do not listen. Jesus speaks to us in Scripture and through the Holy Spirit.  His sheep recognize His voice, and they will not listen to any voice that contradicts the words of Jesus. Jesus refers to all others who claim to know God apart from Him as thieves and robbers. They would rob you of eternal life. 

We have heard these claims of Jesus often, and sometimes we do not stop to think about how amazing they are. Some of those who first heard these words thought Jesus was demon-possessed or raving mad.  Others, having seen the opening of the eyes of a blind man, the story we looked at last week, wonder how a mad man could accomplish such an amazing miracle. Jesus does not give us the option of referring to Him as a great man, a wonderful prophet. He does not claim to be a mere man or a human prophet. He claims to be the Son of God, and everyone who hears His voice must make a choice. We cannot say that Jesus is one of many doors that lead to God, a claim made by many today. He clearly and emphatically declares that He alone is the door that leads to eternal life. Make sure you have entered that door. And when you hear voices that conflict with Jesus, make sure you close your ears. 

Jesus drives home this truth even deeper by declaring that ultimately there will be but one flock (church) and one shepherd. I think He speaks here of the invisible church made up of all those who have been born anew through faith in Jesus. The visible church, in all of its denominational manifestations, is never perfect.  The one true church on earth sought by many does not exist.  There is no perfect church, only a perfect Savior. Do not count on this church or any church to serve as a guarantee of eternal life. Only Jesus can make such a guarantee.  Make sure you have true faith in Him. 

Jesus then explains what He intends to do for His sheep. He has come to bring us abundant life. This statement has implications both for the present and for the future. Ultimately, the abundant life He promised we receive after death. But He also makes this present life more abundant. He watches over His sheep with care. He protects us, and He blesses us.  Our earthly life is never perfect due to the presence of sin, but it is far more abundant with Christ than without Him. As the hymn writer expressed it, what we receive in this life is but a foretaste of the glory divine we shall receive in eternity.  

The final fulfillment of this promise of abundant life we receive after death.  In eternity His sheep will know abundant life in a way that is not possible in this life. It will be a life without pain, tears, or death. It will be a life overflowing with the blessings and the love of God. It will be abundant beyond anything we can imagine at present. Adam and Eve had a taste of this abundant life in the Garden of Eden. Before sin entered the picture, they possessed eternal life in a beautiful paradise. I believe the last paradise will be even more impressive. We shall know abundant life without end. 

In our text, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. This is the heart of the Gospel message. No other religious leader has ever made such a claim. Moses gave the 10 Commandments, but he had no authority to die for the redemption of his people. Mohammed gave the Koran, but he had no power to die for the salvation of his people.  Buddha gave us principles to live by, but he had no authority to die for the redemption of his people. Only Jesus, the Son of the Living God, had the power and authority to die for the salvation of His people. Like a shepherd who may lose his life in protecting his sheep from wild animals, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for us, His sheep, redeeming us from the power of Satan. 

Jesus makes it clear that no one has the power to take His life. Had He wanted to escape the cross, He could have done so. He could have called on legions of angels to deliver Him (Matthew 26:53). He willingly went to the cross for our sakes.  He gladly took upon Himself the judgment we deserve. All who believe in the power of His death to save are forgiven of their sins and granted a place in heaven. He adds that not only does He have the power to give His life. He also has the power to resurrect Himself.  When He rose from the grave, the case against us was closed. Our sins are forgiven, and the gift of eternal life is ours. As Jesus Himself stated it, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24).” Those who hear and believe the words of Jesus will never face condemnation, but pass from death to life. 

As Jesus spoke in this manner, there was division among Jews. Some charged Him with insanity, others with demon possession. They could not comprehend how any human being could make such claims. What sane man would claim to have the power to restore life to Himself? What normal person would claim to have the authority to die for His people and thereby redeem them? Who can believe such nonsense? Others listened to His words but also looked at His deeds.  They wondered, could a demon-possessed man open the eyes of the blind? They had never seen or heard of a man born blind having sight restored. I once worked with a man born blind. Bryan had two glass eyes and had no concept of what it was to see. We once asked him if he saw when he dreamed. No, his dreams were all in sound, not sight because his brain was not wired to see. 

Some had sense enough to weigh the evidence.  Jesus said some remarkable things, but also performed a remarkable miracle which those present had witnessed.  They concluded that no insane or demon-possessed man could open blind eyes, and many believed in Him. 

This is the same issue we all face.  I can recall speaking with people who ridiculed the idea of a divine Savior. Popular books are written today that dismiss the biblical accounts of Jesus as myth. Those who hear and believe are born again, and begin to experience that abundant life that leads to eternity. I hope none of you have any reservations about Jesus.  I pray none of you harbor doubts about the meaning of His death and resurrection. I encourage one and all to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. There is no other way. 

This section of Scripture is reminiscent of John 14:6, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except by me.” There is only one way to receive eternal life, one source of knowledge about God, and that is Jesus. The world still seeks its humanistic, political Saviors— its Hitlers, its Stalins, its Maos, its Pol Pots, its Republicans or Democrats – – – only too late do they learn that they are thieves and robbers, with no ability to create utiopia. Jesus is correct; it is not the Christian doctrine of heaven that is mythical, but the humanistic dream of creating a just world.  If you trust the politicians to save the world, you will be disappointed. If you trust Jesus, you will enter life abundant, and finally, life eternal. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who alone will take care of His sheep, now and forever. 

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WHO IS YOUR GOD?

Warsaw Christian Church, (8/30/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 8:31-47; 56-59

Today I am backtracing to Chapter 8 in The Gospel of John. Again there is too much material in our text to do justice to every verse.  There will be some repetition from things said earlier in this series. John works hard to drive home the point concerning Jesus identity, and He repeats specific critical ideas.  I want to examine three main points this morning. One is dealing with the nature of truth; second,  we will explore the question of Satan as a “god.” And finally, Jesus’ notable and oft-repeated “I am” statement.

In John Chapter 8, Jesus engages in considerable dialogue with those who opposed Him. Some were impressed with Jesus and made a superficial commitment to Him. They seemed to believe in Him. However, when He explained what believing in Him meant, they backed off. He informed them and us that a true disciple of Jesus is one who remains attached to His word. Only those who base their thinking on the words of Jesus will know what truth is (8:31ff).

I have seen the words, “The truth shall set you free” in several universities. The idea seems to be that a passionate search for truth will set you free. The context of Jesus’ words in our text from John 8 suggests something very different. Only as we base our thinking on the words of Jesus shall we know the truth that sets us free. In the academic world, an underlying assumption is that we must set aside all presuppositions in the pursuit of truth.  Jesus says otherwise. In the Christian worldview, God is the foundation for truth, and His revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ is the only foundation upon which we can come to know the truth. 

Pilate said at the trial of Jesus, “What is truth?” Jesus Christ had said “I am the truth.” Pilate could not see the truth because he did not believe in Jesus.  Those who do believe in Him are exposed to the ultimate truth. Why are their laws in nature, making science possible?  Because Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, placed these laws in nature at the dawn of creation.  Why do the laws of logic operate, enabling us to better grasp truth? Because the Creator is a God of order and logic.  How do I know for sure that trusting in Jesus will result in my eternal salvation? Because Jesus said so repeatedly, and He is the Son of God and therefore is incapable of lying to us. The point is this: when you pursue truth in science or religion or any other discipline, you must see Jesus as the foundation for all truth.  You will never understand this world in which we live apart from faith in Jesus. Only as we follow Him and abide in His Word will we find truth that genuinely liberates.    

In the next section of our text, the question of fatherhood arises. The opponents of Jesus declare that Abraham is their father. Then they add the idea that God is their Father. Jesus challenges both claims. If they were true sons of Abraham, they would recognize who Jesus is.  Instead, they are plotting to kill Him. Then Jesus hits them hard, declaring that their real father is the devil. Since Jesus came from God, if God were indeed their Father, they would recognize Jesus as His Son. They would listen to the words of Jesus.  They would find that truth, which sets one free. 

There is in this section an important principle we dare not miss. Every human being on the face of the earth has a spiritual father. Our spiritual father is either God, or Satan. There is no third choice. God is your Father if, and only if, you have true faith in His Son. Jesus opponents believe they are godly people. They assume the God of Israel is their Father. Jesus says their father is the devil. Why?  Because they do not believe in Him. 

I have heard many people over the years claim that God is their Father, but they reject Jesus as God’s only begotten Son. Jesus, never being one to be politically correct but always willing to tell it like it is, affirms that they are in Satan’s camp. You choose to live under the Fatherhood of God by faith in Jesus.  You need not choose Satan. All you need do is refuse to trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, and you are automatically in Satan’s camp. Some would say, “I do not believe in either God or Satan.” It does not matter.  You are still in Satan’s world. 

Some of our political leaders promote the idea that whatever your religion – – – Christian, Jew, Moslem, Hindu etc. — we all worship the same God under different names. Jesus declares that this is not the case. He said emphatically in John 8:24: “Unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” To die in your sins is to be condemned. He does not say, “Unless you believe in me or some other suitable god” Those who do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, will die in their sins. Those are the words of the most admired and trusted Man who ever lived. Either he is an arrogant bigot, or He is the Son of God whom we must believe. 

There are those in the world who claim to believe in God but who lack faith in Jesus. They number in the millions. There are people here in Benton County who would say, “I believe in God,” but who give no evidence of faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus’ words are clear. A belief in God divorced from Jesus Christ will not save anyone. I can never forget the controversy that resulted when a resolution I wrote was presented to our former denomination, the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), in 1987. The resolution asked the Assembly to affirm that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ and that apart from Him there is no salvation. It was never approved by the General Assembly. I can still hear some of the comments made at that Assembly: God is known in Islam, God is known in Buddhism, we must not offend our brothers and sisters who believe in God but not in the exclusive claims of Jesus. In other words, Jesus Christ cannot be believed when He declared that none are able to come to the Father except through Him. We cannot trust  Him when He claims that those who do not believe in Him will die in their sins. To say that God can be known apart from Jesus Christ, you must reject His very own words, something I am not willing to do. What about you? Are you wanting to be politically correct and affirm the saving virtue of all religions, or are you ready to stand with Jesus? 

Jesus further affirms and clarifies His exclusive claims as the dialogue with unbelieving Jews continues. His enemies now accuse Jesus of being demon-possessed (8:48). Jesus declares that those who keep His Word will never see death, which enraged His opponents. They remind Jesus that Abraham and all the prophets died.  They ask, “Are you greater than our father Abraham?” Jesus declares that Abraham saw the coming of Jesus and rejoiced. This implies that Jesus knew Abraham.  This shocks His opponents. They wonder, how could a man not even 50 years old have known Abraham?  Jesus next words drove His enemies to pick up stones that they might stone Him to death as a blasphemer. Note these words of Jesus carefully: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” The Jews realized that Jesus used the very words that God used when He revealed  Himself to Moses in the burning bush. Moses asked God to reveal His name so he could tell the people the name of the God who sent Moses to deliver Israel. God said to Moses in Exodus 3, “Tell them “I am” has sent you.” When Jesus used God’s name to identify Himself, the Jews understood He was making Himself equal with God, and thus they took up stones, but Jesus disappeared and spoiled their plans. 

When both the Father and the Son described their reality with the simple phrase, “I am,” what did that mean? We can see the implications by comparing those words with what we might say about ourselves.  I can say today, “I am,” but I also have to say there was a time when I was not. Only an eternal being can say of Himself, “I am,” period. There has never been a time when the Father or the Son did not exist. There will never be a time when the Father or the Son will cease to be. They are forever, “I am.” “I am” means simply, “I exist.” There was a time when Abraham did not exist, but there has never been a time when Jesus did not exist. Go back in time, and when speaking of me, you will reach a time when you must say, “Richard did not exist then.” You can go back to the very dawn of creation, and even then, Jesus says, “I am; I exist.” There is no past tense or future tense with God. God just “is.” 

Jesus is no mere prophet. He is truth incarnate. If you want to understand the nature of truth, begin with Jesus. He accuses His enemies of worshipping the devil based on their refusal to believe in Him. The dialogue ends with Jesus applying to Himself the eternal name of God. These three remarkable claims cause us to answer the question “who is your God,” by affirming with Thomas, “Jesus is my Lord and my God.” If Jesus is not your Lord and your God, guess who will step into the gap.  

I close with a quick review of the three main points. First, all truth is centered in Jesus Christ, who is the truth. You will never know TRUTH until you surrender your heart to Him. Second, those who will not surrender to Jesus have another “god,” the god of this world, Satan. There is no third choice. We either trust in Jesus, or we come under the control of Satan. Finally, in our text, Jesus ascribes to Himself, the very name of God: “I AM.” Those who believe these truths enter into a relationship with God which will never end. 

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ONCE I WAS BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE

(A first-person sermon)

Warsaw Christian Church (8/23/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 9

I was born blind.  I grew up in a sightless world.  I never saw a sunset, or a tree, or a flower.  I had no idea what it even meant to see. I could feel things or smell things, but when others spoke of colors, I had no idea of what that meant. I would hear people talk of the blue sky or the beauty of a red rose, but I had no concept of color. My world consisted of touch, taste, and smell. 

Sometimes when children saw me coming, they would set obstacles in my path. They would laugh when I stumbled and fell. I was unable to work and spent my life sitting by the side of the road begging. I did not have any other choice. 

One day something very unusual happened. I was begging at my usual location when a group of men came by. I overheard them talking.  Some in the group wondered if my parents or I had sinned, resulting in my being born blind. The man who was the leader said that my blindness had nothing to do with my sin or that of my parents. That was a common idea in my day. If you experienced some severe physical limitations, it was surely punishment for sin. I used to wonder the same thing. What terrible sin had my parents committed that I was born blind?  And why was I being punished for their sins? 

The group leader made it clear that sin had nothing to do with my condition. He described it as an opportunity for God to work in my life. Our Scriptures do not really teach that every ailment is a punishment from God.  For example, “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10). Our own Scriptures teach us that God does not slap us down every time we sin.  If that were the case, we would all be slapped down daily. 

What happened next was very unusual. The leader spat on the ground and made some mud.  He placed the muck in my eyes and instructed me to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. I must tell you that for a moment, I thought, “Surely, this man is a charlatan.” What possible good can come from such strange instructions? I wondered if I was the butt of another cruel joke.  Yet, there was something very compelling about this man.  I decided to do as He said, and when I obeyed His instructions, I could see!  For the first time in my life, I understood what people meant by “sight.” The forms, shapes, and colors were spectacular.  Those of you born with sight have no idea how magnificent it is to move suddenly from a life of darkness into a seeing world. My heart sang for joy. 

What happened next was either weird or funny, depending on your point of view. Neighbors who had known me as a blind man could not believe that my sight was restored.  Some said, this man looks like the blind man, but it must be someone else. I assured them I was the former blind man, and naturally, they wondered how I was suddenly able to see. I had learned that the leader of the group was named Jesus. I explained that He was the one who put mud in my eyes and had me wash at the Pool of Siloam. I explained that I thought it was a strange procedure, but I did as He said, and now I can see. 

My neighbors thought the Pharisees should look into this, and so they took me before them. I explained again how my sight was restored. They latched onto the idea that this took place on the Sabbath. They quickly concluded that Jesus must be a sinner because he made mud and performed a healing on the Sabbath. Instead of rejoicing in the miracle wrought on me, they concluded that the healing could not have come from God. Sinners cannot work miracles, they said. They demanded to know, “Where is this Jesus?” I told them I did not know where he was. 

Then the Pharisees began to argue among themselves. Some were certain that Jesus was a sinner, while others were not so sure. Since they couldn’t resolve their disagreement, they turned to me and asked, “What do you say about this Jesus?” I responded, “He is a prophet.” The enemies of Jesus were still confused. They sought out my parents and demanded to know if I was indeed their son and if I had been born blind.  My parents were a little afraid of the Pharisees.  They knew that anyone who professed faith in Jesus as the Messiah was expelled from the synagogue. They said, “Yes, he is our son, and yes, he was born blind, but he is also of age, so ask him about the miracle.” They did not want to commit themselves to a belief in Jesus as the Messiah, so they passed the buck back to me. 

So, I was summoned to appear before the Pharisees. They demanded that I give glory to God and state openly that Jesus is a sinner. The fact is, I knew nothing about this Jesus, and so I said, “I do not know if he is a sinner. All I know is that once I was blind, and now I see.” Then they demanded to know what Jesus had done to open my eyes. I was getting frustrated at this point and responded, “I have already told you what he did. Why do you want me to repeat it?  Are you interested in becoming his disciples?” I guess I should have thought before I spoke! ²⁸Then they hurled insults at me and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! ²⁹We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” 

 I was getting a little angry, and so I said, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” Well, once I confessed my belief that Jesus came from God, they had enough of me.  They replied, “You are steeped in sin from birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw me out of the synagogue. 

I decided to see if I could find this Jesus, who opened my eyes. When I found Him, He asked me if I believed in the Son of Man. I responded, tell me who he is, and I will believe in Him. He looked into my eyes and said, “I who speak to you am he.” After the miracle He performed, and after listening to the self-serving words of his enemies, I fell before him and worshipped him. I did believe he was the Messiah, the Son of Man. 

Some of the Pharisees were eavesdropping and heard what Jesus said, and saw me on my knees before him.  Then Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?  Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

This is what I understood from the words of Jesus. If you think you are wise in spiritual matters, so knowledgeable that you turn away from Jesus, you are spiritually blind. Those who admit their spiritual ignorance and turn to Jesus for help are the ones who see. There is a word of warning here.  Do not let your “wisdom” make you blind to who Jesus is.  I came to understand and believe that He is the Son of God. His words and actions convinced me. Here is my word of caution to you. Those who are wise in their own eyes can always think of questions that hinder faith. “Prove to me that Jesus is the Messiah; Isn’t it narrow-minded to say that Jesus is the only Savior? Why should I believe what is written in an ancient book?” There is no end to the questions the wise can think up to support their unbelief. They think they see, but they are blind.

My final word to you is this: don’t be wiser than Jesus. That will only lead to your condemnation. If you admit your spiritual blindness and turn to Jesus for help, He will open your spiritual eyes and enable you to see and understand that He alone is the way, the truth, and the life.  He will lead you to the heavenly Father and everlasting life. That is what He promised to all who believe in Him. I trusted in His words. Do you?  

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I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Warsaw Christian Church, (8/16/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 8:12-13 (and John 8:14-30)

Jesus declares in our text, “I am the light of the world.”  What does it mean to say that Jesus is the light of the world? He is certainly not natural light.  He did not glow when He was on earth. We understand that “light” is used figuratively in this text, and it is a powerful image. For one thing, this image is used to declare His deity. We read in 1 John 1:5 that God is light. Jesus, the Son of God, is also light. Like Father, like Son, we say. When we think of light, several functions come to mind. Light reveals, light guides, light dispels darkness. All of these functions apply to our Savior. Furthermore, light is self-authenticating. It just “is.” 

How do you prove that a flashlight works? You simply turn it on. The light shines out and is visible to all. You don’t have to engage in philosophical arguments to prove the presence of light. Wherever light is present, it just is. No further proof is needed.  When Jesus enlightens the soul, you know His presence.  Like a huge searchlight shining in the night sky, His presence cannot be hidden. You look the same when others look at you, but inside your soul, the light of Jesus is shining.  John had said back in Chapter One, “the true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (1:9). 

The fact that Jesus enlightens everyone raises a question. Why do so many reject Him? Just as you can close your eyes to natural light, you can close your spiritual eyes to the light of Jesus. Scripture teaches this plainly in the following verses. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). When men become enamored with evil, they shut out the light of Christ. When we turn from evil and turn to Jesus, our Savior, the light comes on. Those lacking faith in the Son of God become easy prey for Satan. Paul writes, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:4). 

When we encounter the living Lord Jesus by faith, the light is turned on. He reveals things to us – – – things we did not see before. He lights up our soul and shows us new things.  Satan loses his power to blind us to the truth. When the light of Christ shines in the soul, the darkness of Satan retreats.  

When Christ lights up the soul, one of the first things we see is our sinfulness. Before I became a Christian, I thought of myself as a decent fellow, not perfect, but an honest person. When the light of Christ shined into my soul, I realized how deeply I had sinned against God. When Christ’s purity shines into our hearts, the blackness of our deeds stands out in stark contrast. This is why true Christians always feel they fall short of the divine standard.  The reason we think that way is because we do fall short, and the indwelling presence of the light of Christ reveals this reality. 

This constant revealing of our dark side would make us feel miserable were it not for a second revelation Christ brings to us. The light of Jesus also reveals to us the forgiveness of sins. He does not merely reveal the blackness of our souls without also revealing to us that all our sins are forgiven. These truths are written in Scripture, of course, but when Christ enters the soul, His light shines brightly on these truths. The written Word becomes alive because of the presence of the Living Word – – – Jesus, the light of the world. 

Light not only reveals, but it also guides.  We have all had the experience of losing power and searching for candles or a flashlight. What a relief it is to find light when all is darkness. The light enables us to see our way around instead of stumbling over furniture. If you have ever stubbed your toe in the dark, you know how important the light can be. Jesus, the light of the world, guides His people.  When we walk by faith, we can count on His guidance. We may not hear a voice from heaven.  We are not always conscious of His guidance. The promise in our text is clear: “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” As we learn His commandments in Scripture and seek to follow them, He will guide us every step of the way, even when we are unaware of that guidance. 

One of my favorite texts is found in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” We are told plainly not to rely on our intelligence and understanding. I like the way Luther translated verse 6. “ sondern gedenke an ihn in allen deinen Wegen, so wird er dich recht führen.” Think of God first in whatever you are doing, and He will guide you aright. If that was true under the Old Covenant, how much more can we count on Christ’s guidance under the New Covenant? He is the light that shines on our path as we live by faith. 

Light reveals; light guides. How blessed are all those in whom the light of Christ abides! Sadly, many who heard Jesus utter these words refused to believe Him. The Pharisees said to Jesus, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”  Once anyone draws that conclusion about Jesus, the light goes out. Jesus reminded them that in the Law, the testimony of two witnesses was accepted as true. Yes, He was testifying about Himself, but He also had a second witness, namely His Father. This confused the Pharisees, who asked him where His father was. Jesus was speaking of the heavenly Father.  He then made a simple statement: “If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (8:19).

The world is full of people who claim to know God, but they do not believe in Jesus. They are deceived.  It is impossible to know God the Father while rejecting the Son.  As Jesus said on another occasion, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30) He also said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). You simply cannot separate the Son and the Father. If you reject the Son, you reject the Father. If you reject the Father, you reject the Son. They are like the old song about love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage – – – you can’t have one without the other.  If you want the light of God to shine in your life, you must have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.      

Jesus made a rather startling statement in the Sermon on the Mount.  Not only is He the light of the world, He said of those who believe in Him, you are the light of the world, also (Matthew 5:14). Perhaps the best way to understand this is to think of the sun and the moon. The moon does bring light to the earth, but the moon has no light within itself. Moonlight is light reflected from the sun. Unless the sun is shining on the moon, it is a dark hunk of rock! We cannot function as lights to the world apart from the light of Jesus.  Apart from Jesus, we are spiritually dead, living in darkness. When He enters our lives by faith, His light begins to shine forth from us. Just as the moonlight is puny in comparison to the light of the sun, so the light of God that shines from us is small in comparison to Jesus, the light of the world. 

Nevertheless, the light of Jesus does manifest itself in the life of a believer. Jesus commanded us to let our light shine before men, that in seeing our good works, they will glorify God because of us. Why does He speak of our good works? Aren’t we saved by faith alone? Indeed, we are, but faith cannot be seen except by our good works. This should cause each one of us to ask this question:  Does my life point others to God? That will be the inevitable result of the light of Christ being present in us. 

And how does this happen? Our text says, “Whoever follows me . . .”  Following Jesus does not mean to follow Him on occasion. To follow Him is a permanent life decision. It means to trust Him as Savior and follow Him as Lord daily. It means to study His life and teachings and obey Him.  Those who follow Him will receive of His light, and that light will shine from us unto others, and they will glorify God. I pray that the light of Christ will shine forth from my life and yours in the week before us. 

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CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Warsaw Christian Church, (8/9/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 8:1-11 

Today we move into John Chapter 8, the familiar story of the women caught in adultery. Many Bibles have a note stating that this story does not appear in the earliest manuscripts. We have gone over this subject before, but let me give a quick Cliff  Notes review.  How do we know which books belong in the Bible?  We possess over 5000 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. Some are fragments, while others are complete manuscripts. There are two opinions among the scholars as to how to reconstruct the New Testament from these manuscripts. The King James Version is based on what is called the majority text. If a verse or chapter of the New Testament appears in the majority of the ancient Greek manuscripts, it was included in our text of the New Testament. This story of the woman caught in adultery is found in the majority of Greek manuscripts.  

Some modern scholars prefer using a different method. The age of the manuscripts takes precedence over the majority. Two ancient manuscripts were discovered in the modern era, which do not contain the story of the woman caught in adultery. The conclusion is that the story was a later addition and did not belong in the New Testament. 

Well, which way is it? As my Old Testament professor used to say, “You pay your nickel and take your choice.” Without going into all the scholarly debate, I go along with the majority text. I believe this story belongs in the New Testament. It is a story that is so like Jesus. I believe the story to be historical; it really happened. With that in mind, let’s examine this story together. 

A woman is caught in the act of adultery, which means the man was also caught. It takes two to tango! There are many sins you can commit alone: stealing, lying, lusting, murder, but the sin of adultery takes two. Adultery is a violation of the Ten Commandments. The punishment under the Old Covenant was death by stoning, although there were variations.  Leviticus 20:10 states: “If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, … the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (nasb).  Thus, you might conclude that adultery was rare with such a severe penalty, but you would be mistaken. It was so common at the time of Jesus that the punishment was rarely applied. 

There are several glaring problems with this episode. A crowd demands that a woman be stoned. They were not interested in equal punishment for the guilty man. Also, crowds did not have the right to find a person guilty. There were Jewish courts where persons accused of a crime were tried. There were also Roman courts. This was an attempt at an old-fashioned lynching such as occurred in our country in the old west. The attempt to have this woman stoned was illegal. The real purpose is the hope Jesus would act in an inappropriate manner, and they can condemn Him. This is clear in verse 6. This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.  They remind Him of the Law of Moses, which called for the guilty party to be stoned. If He agreed the woman should be stoned, they could report Him to the Roman authorities.  The Jews did not have the power to execute the death penalty under Roman rule. But if He said the Law of Moses should not be applied, the Jews would see Him as a false prophet. Jesus is sort of between a rock and a hard place, or so His enemies think. They think no matter what he does, he will be in trouble, either with Rome or with the Jews. We can almost hear them shouting, “What do you say, what do you say?”

Jesus says nothing. He bends down and writes in the sand. We can put aside all the speculation about what He wrote. We are not told what He wrote. I have seen a dozen or so speculations regarding what He probably wrote. We just don’t know. Jesus, as ever, found the answer in the Scriptures. Deuteronomy 17:7 says, “The hand of the witness shall be the first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.” Thus, Jesus demanded that the witness should reveal himself and cast the first stone. The entire crowd did not witness the act. Where was the witness? Then the Lord demanded something else. The witnesses would himself have to be without sin, probably free from the sin of adultery. He speaks, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” John 8:7 (NKJV)

Then Jesus bends down again and writes in the sand. The Pharisees’ trap had closed without entrapping Jesus. One by one, the text tells us, they dropped their stones and slinked away in shame. Jesus stands and finds Himself alone with the woman. He speaks to her. John 8:10-11,   Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Jesus reveals His deity once again. Who can forgive sins? Who can void condemnation? Only God. 

Of course, there was one sinless man present on that day, namely Jesus. He refused to cast the first stone and offered the women His hand in forgiveness. There was forgiveness for her, and there is forgiveness for us.

Augustine, in the 4^th century, stated that certain individuals had removed from their Greek manuscripts this section regarding the adulteress because they feared women would appeal to this story as an excuse for infidelity. However, anyone who reads the story cannot reach the conclusion that Jesus was lenient with the sin of adultery. While He does not condemn the woman but is forgiving and gracious to her, He does say, “Go and sin no more.”

The Old Testament law was harsh so that we might learn how seriously God takes sin. God will never, never be lenient with sin. He will never look upon our sins like a doting grandfather and say, “Well, boys will be boys and girls will be girls.” He will never be like the Notre Dame football player who went to his priest to confess that he had beat up on an opposing player in a recent football game. He confessed, “When the refs were not looking, I elbowed him in the chin and kneed him in the ribs.” The priest was shocked at this despicable behavior. He was about to lay down some serious penance on this player when he asked, “By the way, who was Notre Dame playing?” The player responded, “Southern Methodist.” The priest responded, “Oh well, boys will be boys. Go in peace.” 

We read earlier in John’s Gospel that “the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Things changed when Jesus came. The law of God was not set aside, but grace overshadowed it. Instead of immediate judgment for sin, judgment is postponed, and grace is established. What does that mean? This episode concerning the adulterous woman answers the question. Jesus does not condemn her.  She is forgiven. But what if she continues to commit that same sin over and over? It would mean that she misunderstood Jesus and decided that she could sin to her heart’s content, and God would forgive. It would mean she did not hear the words, “Go and sin no more.” 

We are not told what happened to this woman. We hope she accepted God’s grace and forgiveness and lived a life of purity. What does this story mean for us? We know how the story of Jesus ended. He was rejected by the Jewish leadership and put to death by the Romans. We have heard the story so often we are no longer shocked by it. The Son of God, Savior of the world, was nailed to a Roman cross. Men meant it for evil, but God intended it for good, reminding us of the story of Joseph. Joseph was rejected by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused of adultery, imprisoned — not a very pleasant life. 

Joseph speaks to his brother in Genesis 50. Notice his words, But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good,…(Gen. 50:20). No matter how much evil men concoct, God turns it to good. Joseph became #2 man in Egypt.  Only the Pharaoh had more power. Joseph used his power to save his people from a severe famine. 

The Jews and Romans intended to do evil to Jesus when they crucified Him, but God meant it for good. He used the death of Jesus as the means of bringing forgiveness to the entire human race. He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We receive divine forgiveness when we place our trust in Jesus. 

I think there is a practical lesson here for us. Bad things happen to us as they did to Joseph and to Jesus. However, as we continue to live life trusting in Jesus He will bring good out of evil, If we walk away from Jesus when things are tough, we walk away from the good He intended to bring to us. One preacher likened life to driving a car.  We have a rear-view mirror.  We can spend our time staring into the past and fretting over all the bad things that have come our way. He then spoke of the fact that we have a windshield, which is much larger than the rear-view mirror. We need to spend more time looking forward to the future, anticipating the good that God has for us. 

Our text reveals one thing clearly. Jesus is the Messiah. Every attempt to entrap Him failed.  The encounter with the woman caught in adultery is but one of several attempts made by Jesus’ enemies to entrap Him.  Only the Messiah could engage in a battle of wits against the Pharisees, and make them look silly. 

Basically, Jesus was saying we must be honest with God.  We cannot gloss over our sins with self-serving explanations. We dare not try to “explain” our sins to God.  We simply must confess and repent.  Thus, the forgiveness of God is unlimited for those who bring faith, confession and repentance before the throne of God. Those who will not follow these simple steps will sadly learn that their sins will condemn them. Yes, the woman was forgiven, and there is forgiveness for us. But be sure to take to heart the words of Jesus, “Go and sin no more.” 

One final conclusion. Since we are all sinners before God, we must never condemn another human being. While we must make judgments about many lesser issues, none of us are in a position to condemn to hell another human being.  The final judgment has not been given to us. It is best left in the hands of God.  Yes, the final judgment will be harsh for some. An eternity in hell, separated from God, is not something anyone would choose. John 3:16 tells us that God loves sinners, and all who believe in the Son of God will find that God stands ready to forgive. I hope we have all learned that lesson. Jesus did not die on the cross so we could sin to our heart’s content. He died to secure our forgiveness, and His forgiveness is available to us when there is confession and repentance and a determination to go and sin no more.

Is Jesus asking this woman to live a sin-free life? Does He expect us to never again fall into sin? What does He mean, “Go and sin no more?” Once we are forgiven. do we then lead a sin-free life? If that is the meaning, we are all in trouble. I am going to give a brief explanation, which may not be 100% satisfying, but we will discuss this in detail in Bible study. The brief explanation has to do with having a relationship with God and being in fellowship with God. We have a relationship based on one thing only: Faith in Jesus. If you have faith in Jesus, you have a relationship with God that will lead to eternal life. What if I, as a Christian believer, sin against God? The relationship is not broken, but you are no longer in fellowship with God until there is confession and repentance. You cannot live in fellowship with God while you are openly violating His will. I am sure the woman caught in adultery did not live a sin-free life after this encounter with Jesus, but I hope she learned that sin always has serious consequences in terms of our sense of fellowship with God. I hope we will all learn that lesson. 

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THE SPIRIT PROMISED

Warsaw Christian Church (8/2/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 7:37-39

Today we move into Chapter 7 of John’s Gospel. There is much in that chapter which I will not cover. I want to focus on a highlight found in verses 37-39. We read, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not `

Earlier in Chapter 7, there is a discussion about going to a feast. The feast in question is the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus’s brothers attend the feast, and Jesus stays behind. The feast was primarily a harvest festival. During the feast for six consecutive days, a procession of priests carried water in golden vessels into the Temple area. The pouring out of water is thought to have commemorated how God provided water for Israel in the wilderness. It was this practice that prompted Jesus to speak of living water after He arrived late to the feast.

In a loud voice, Jesus cried out and invited anyone thirsty to come to Him. He explains the thirst He refers to as a spiritual thirst that is satisfied by believing in Him. He clarifies that those who believe in Him will find living water flowing out of their hearts. He speaks of the gift of the Holy Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to receive. This gift lies in the future. It would be granted to those with faith in Jesus following His glorification. That event took place after the resurrection when Jesus ascended into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father.

Let’s take a closer look at this text. Everything hinges on coming to Jesus, or believing in Him. True faith is preceded by thirst, a spiritual thirst to know God. I read about two men who were crossing the desert when their truck broke down. As their bodies dehydrated, they became willing to drink anything to quench their terrible thirst. The sun forced them into the shade under the truck, where they dug a shallow trench. Day after day they lay there. They had food but did not eat, fearing it would magnify their thirst. I did not know that the scientist designated three degrees of thirst. Eudopsia is ordinary thirst. Hyperdipsia is temporary intense thirst. Polydipsia is sustained excessive thirst.

These men were experiencing polydipsia. Radiator water is what the two men started drinking during the polydipsia phase. To survive, they were willing to drink poison. The story I read did not tell me whether they survived or not. I recall counseling an alcoholic years ago who told me he drank antifreeze when no other alcohol was available. I don’t recommend it!

Many people do something similar in the spiritual realm. They depend on things like money, sex, and power to quench spiritual thirst. But such thirst quenchers are in reality spiritual poison, a dangerous substitute for the “living water” Jesus promised.

I am not sure the degree of thirst Jesus referred to; ordinary, intense, or excessive. We are all different, and I am certain we reach out to Him at different levels of thirst. Whether our thirst to know God is ordinary, intense, or excessive, faith begins with spiritual thirst. Those who reject God and have no interest in Him are without spiritual thirst. The question we must ask ourselves is this. Do I have any level of thirst to know God? Jesus promises that He alone can satisfy spiritual thirst. Come to me, He said, and He will satisfy your spiritual thirst.

We touched on this topic a few weeks ago when we looked at Jesus’ teaching that He is the bread of life. He promised that those who believe in Him would have their spiritual hunger and thirst satisfied. I mentioned that we know our faith is real and not hypocritical when we no longer have any spiritual thirst. Jesus satisfies our spiritual thirst. Faith in Jesus creates a real and lasting relationship with God that brings spiritual satisfaction.

Once a firm relationship with God is established through trusting in Jesus, our Lord then speaks of the consequences that follow. He gives the Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him. The Holy Spirit is here described as living water. Jesus is describing the reality that when the Holy Spirit is present within the heart of a believer, that presence flows out of him in substantial, observable ways. We will spend the rest of our time discussing how the Holy Spirit flows out of us.

First, wherever the Spirit of God is at work, the Jesus of Scripture comes alive in our innermost being. We fall in love with Jesus, born of a virgin, who spoke as no other had ever spoken, who worked great and mighty miracles, even raising the dead. Jesus,  who went to the Cross in our place, there to suffer and die for the remission of our sins. Jesus, who was raised from the dead and who then ascended into heaven, from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. This is the Jesus to whom the Holy Spirit bears witness. We know we have been born of the Spirit when Jesus is at the top of the list of things we love.

Second, when the Holy Spirit is flowing out of us, we lose our fear of Satan, the one who is behind all our fears. Paul wrote that God has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Tim. 1:7). There are two antagonistic spirits in the world: the Spirit of God, who draws us close to Jesus, and the spirit of antichrist, or Satan, who draws us to a deeper love for the things of this world. Elsewhere John had cautioned us – – – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15).  These are not two equal spirits fighting for supremacy.  The spirit of antichrist is no match for the Spirit of God. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Therefore, when you or I are born of the Holy Spirit we are drawn away from the things of this world – – – wealth, power, fame, position, lust, pride – – – such things seem strangely dim to us as we are driven ever farther away from this world and ever deeper into the things of God.

Another sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit is seen in our love for the Word of God. John writes elsewhere,  “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” (1 John 4:7}.  Here is clearly stated the principle of  LISTENING TO THE VOICE OF GOD AS HE SPEAKS TO US IN SCRIPTURE. John is an inspired apostle, and those who are of God, he says, listen to us, namely, the apostles.  And where do we hear the apostolic voice today?  Only in one place, in sacred Scripture. The Holy Spirit invariably gives us an intense desire to read and know and follow the teachings of the Bible.

These first three items mentioned have more to do with how the Holy Spirit changes us on the inside.  Jesus speaks in our text of an outflowing of the Holy Spirit. Love of Jesus, loss of fear, love of God’s word, these are all internal changes. Jesus spoke of living water flowing out of us. Let’s look at two things answering to that description.

When the Holy Spirit has filled our hearts, love flows out. When the Spirit of God is truly at work in a church and in the life of a believer, love for God and love for neighbor is the end product.  In a sense, to say that the Holy Spirit dwells in us is the same thing as saying that love dwells in us, and flows out of us. The Spirit of God fills the heart with love.  Do you love others?  Are you quick to forgive and to seek reconciliation? Do you desire to promote the well being of others, even above self-interest?  God is love, says John, and the one who loves is born of God and knows God. Love is of God, and where sacrificial, humble love is present, God’s Spirit is also present.

Finally, one of the consequences of a loving heart is a desire to share Jesus with others. We know from Scripture there is only one path that leads to God. If there are those who do not believe in Jesus, we know they are lost. Lost – – – what a terrible word. Lost forever, separated from God, shut away from everything good. Lost- – –  forever. Does it not stir you to action to realize that some are lost?  Our love for them compels us to do whatever we can to draw them to Jesus. Those who do nothing to promote the Gospel of Jesus, how can they claim to be filled with the love of God? How can they claim that the living water of the Holy Spirit if flowing out from them?

There are, of course, several different ways in which we reach out to others with the Gospel. It has been my privilege and great honor to proclaim the name of Jesus from the pulpit. Thank you for giving me this honor. Do you ever wonder why I continue in this ministry despite my advanced age? It’s because I have the most fabulous job in the world, and I hate to give it up. I love preaching and teaching about Jesus. I realize you have been not called to a full-time church ministry, but there are other ways to share Jesus.

We can tell others about Jesus. We can invite others to church. We can pray for those who do not seem to have a relationship with Jesus. We can give money to this church to keep it alive. What we cannot do – – – what the Holy Spirit will not allow us to do – – – is nothing. Whether it is our words, our prayers, or our financial resources —– or all three – – – the Holy Spirit will compel us to share our faith. He will not allow us to sit on the sidelines and cheer on others while we do nothing.

Seattle’s famed Kingdome — home of the Seahawks, Mariners, and at times, the SuperSonics — was destroyed in March of 2000. Maryland-based Controlled Demolition Incorporated (CDI) was hired to do the job of imploding the 25,000-ton structure that had marked Seattle’s skyline for two-dozen years.

Extreme measures were taken to ensure no one was hurt. CDI had experience with more than seven thousand demolitions and knew how to protect people. Engineers checked and rechecked the structure. The authorities evacuated several blocks around the Kingdome. Safety measures were in place to allow the countdown to stop at any time if there were any concerns. All workers were individually accounted for by radio. A large public address system was used to announce the final countdown. In short, CDI took every reasonable measure and more to warn people of the impending danger.

The Bible teaches of a final judgment on this sinful world. One day this old world will implode, or explode, and God will create a new heaven and earth. Like the engineers who blew up the Kingdom, our heavenly Father has made provision to make sure everybody can “get out” safely. He warns us through our consciences, through the prophets, through the Word of God, through the Holy Spirit, through the church, through his Son,  – – – – -and through you. How is the Holy Spirit using you to reach others with the saving Gospel?

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A STROLL ON THE SEA OF GALILEE

Warsaw Christian Church, (6/28/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 6:16-21

I preached on this episode several years ago when we went through the Gospel of Mark. We will look at it again as it occurs next in the Gospel of John.

Many assume this story to be a myth.  Flesh and blood people just can’t walk on the surface of the water. Those who believe Jesus was simply a human prophet and not the divine Son of God dismiss this story and all the miracle stories as pious fabrications. The popular novel, The DaVinci Code, takes this approach. The author argues that Jesus was human, but the church wanted to make Him divine, so they only included in the Bible the four Gospels which reveal Jesus as divine. This decision was supposedly made at the time of the Emperor Constantine in the 4^th century. The author suggests there were 80 other gospels suppressed by the church which reveal Jesus simply as a human prophet, and the Council of Nicaea voted to make Jesus divine, and it passed by one vote.  This is blatant nonsense for anyone who has studied ancient history.  The four canonical Gospels were in place long before Constantine.  Also, no such suppressed gospels exist.  We do have numerous gospels that were rejected by the early church, not because of some secret plot, but because they were considered forgeries, documents written by persons other than the apostles.  These excluded gospels, far from showing Jesus as only human, show Him as divine to an absurd extent.

For instance, in what is called “The Infancy Gospel,” a woman with a sick child approaches Mary for help. Mary had just bathed Jesus and told the woman to sprinkle Jesus’s bathwater on her sick child, and the child is healed. On another occasion, Jesus makes some birds out of clay, but it is the Sabbath.  His friends tell on him, and Joseph rebukes him. Jesus makes the birds come to life and fly away as if to say, “I didn’t make any birds. What birds?”  The evidence is gone! On another occasion, Jesus strikes dead a playmate who accidentally ran into him.  These rejected gospels are pious fabrications.  They have nothing to do with the Jesus in whom I believe. We all wonder what Jesus childhood was like because our four Gospels tell us almost nothing.  But we surely know that the child Jesus would not strike dead his playmates.

Those of us who have come to know and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are not astonished that He walked upon the water. The disciples later may have recalled the words of Job 9:8 (NKJV)    Speaking of God Job says,  “He alone spreads out the heavens,  And treads on the waves of the sea.”  Indeed, anyone who treads on the waves of the sea is God. As was the case with the feeding of the 5000, Jesus here reveals His true identity.  He is no ordinary human being.  He is God incarnate; God in the flesh.

Yes, Jesus is truly human, but He is also truly divine, God the Son. It is a truth that boggles the human brain, but as we follow Jesus through the Gospels, we are forced to the conclusion: THIS MAN IS GOD.  He eats and drinks like any human. He grows tired as we do. He can only be in one place at one time, a limitation common to the human race. Jesus is without question a man, a human being. But he also heals a demon-possessed man and raises the dead; He feeds a multitude with five loaves and two fish; He speaks to the sea, and it obeys Him; He walks upon the surface of the water.  These are things we ordinary humans cannot do. They reveal the divine nature of Jesus.  Thus, the Gospels present us with a picture of One who is fully human and fully divine.

The disciples are petrified with fear when they see this person walking on the waves.  They think perhaps it is a ghost. Jesus speaks to them and tells them to fear not. Then He says in the Greek language, “ego eimi” which simply means, “I am.” When God revealed Himself to Moses and Moses inquired as to the name of God, God revealed that His name is “ego eimi,”(Greek version of the OT, Septuagint) the same words Jesus uses here.

Some want to reduce Jesus to the status of mere humanity.  The Jesus revealed in the Gospels is God and man, united in one person, a mystery to us, but a clear divine revelation.  He must be human to identify with us, but He must also be divine so that His death has infinite worth in the sight of God, value enough to redeem all who dare to trust in Him.

John gives information about this event omitted by the other gospel writers. After the feeding of the 5000, we read this.   John 6:14-15 says:  ¹⁴Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵Therefore, when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him King, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. 

The crowd, having observed all the miracles of Jesus, concluded that He is the Messiah – – – the prophet of God spoken of by Moses.  They are prepared to take Him by force and declare Him to be the King of the Jews.  Jesus perceives this to be a temptation He must avoid. The crowd rightly sees Him as the redeemer of Israel but has no understanding of how that redemption is to take place.

What would you do if a large crowd of people was all excited about you and wanted you to run for the Senate or some other high office?  We might conclude that surely this is the call of God.  There are those in the church today who equate large crowds on Sunday morning with the blessing of God.  We do tend to be impressed by numbers.  What would I do if several thousand Benton County residents, having heard how wonderful I am, gathered around the church cheering and demanding that I run for Governor?  Would I assume that God’s will can be discerned in numbers, or would I have the idea that serving this church is a much higher calling than being Governor? I am sure I will never be faced with that decision!

Numbers do not move Jesus. To avoid the temptation presented by the crowd, Jesus sought out a solitary place to pray.  Lest his disciples also get caught up in the crowd mentality, He sends them away in a boat.  When personal honors were offered to Him and almost forced upon him, Jesus retired for private prayer. This is an example for all who are tempted to seek individual honors and applause. Nothing is better to keep the mind humble and unambitious than to find some quiet place; to shut out the world with all its laurels and to seek the face of God. When we are close to God, all personal honors appear as nothing.  Jesus understood that Satan was once again tempting Him through the crowd, but their desires faded into nothingness when He was alone with the Father.  There is a lesson here for us when we desire attention, applause, the approval of men.

Jesus knew that the path of Messiahship would lead to another lonely place, to a hill called Calvary.  Jesus knew that the day would come when the crowds would turn against Him and cry out, “Crucify Him!”  He knew that the way of salvation for the human race would lead to His suffering and death.  He had a choice to make, and so He found a place to commune with the Father. When we face difficult decisions, we do well to follow His example. The majority is not always right.  I wonder how many wrong turns I have made in life by listening too much to people and spending too little time before the face of God?   

One puzzling aspect of this story is the statement at the end of Mark’s Gospel that the amazed disciples were also hardened in their hearts.  I don’t believe they were hardened against Jesus. Mark simply reports that the disciples were slow learners.  They had just witnessed Jesus creating bread and fish.  Even as God spoke the universe into existence at the dawn of creation, so Jesus speaks food into existence.  The disciples should have reasoned like this: Only God can create.  Jesus just created food.  Therefore, Jesus is God. Therefore, He can do anything. Therefore, it should not have frightened and amazed them when He walked upon the waves.

I don’t mean to be hard on the disciples.  If I ever see some dude walking on water, I will be frightened and amazed as well. Logically, they might have said, “Well, here comes Jesus to help us.  I am not surprised after seeing what He did with five loaves and two fish.  Thanks for showing up to help us, Lord. We figured you might drop in to help us in this time of crisis.”  Emotions sometimes eclipse logic. We have the same problem, don’t we? We should have a firm, steady, unwavering faith in Jesus in every situation.  After all, He is our Lord. He can do anything!  He has promised to be with us and bids us ask whatever we will in His name, and it shall be done. But when the storms of life strike home, emotions tend to take over.  Panic and fear set in. Faith sometimes goes out the window, at least temporarily.  The disciples eventually got the message, and later were willing to proclaim the name of Jesus even in the face of persecution and death.

Our final emphasis will be to focus for a few moments on the episode John omitted when Peter stepped out of the boat. Matthew tells us that when Jesus identified Himself to the terrified disciples, Peter cried out to Him. “Lord, if it’s You, tell me to come to You on the water” (14:28). When Christ answered, “Come,” Peter “got down out of the boat” and “walked on water” (14:29).

The next verse tells us that when Peter “saw the wind,” he became frightened and began to sink. Suddenly Peter became aware of the storm, while before he had been aware only of Jesus! Only when his gaze shifted from Jesus to the circumstances did he begin to sink into the waters. Yet the danger served to remind him of Christ, and he cried out urgently, “Lord, save me!” Jesus did, reaching out His hand, and asking why he behaved as a man of “little faith” and began to doubt.  The fact that Peter left the safety of the boat in response to Jesus’ invitation should have erased his fears.  If I had been in Peter’s shoes, I don’t think I would ever have left the relative safety of the boat.

There is much we might learn from this episode involving Peter. But perhaps the essential truth is that those who seek to be close to Jesus, and who respond courageously to His call, are still vulnerable to doubts and failure. Yet when we keep our eyes on Christ, we are safe. And even if we momentarily give in to our fears, He is always close by, to reach out His hand and lift us. May the nearness of Jesus be a reality in your life this week.

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WHAT’S FOR LUNCH?

Warsaw Christian Church (7/26/20), Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 6:1-15

This miracle is one of two miracles mentioned in all four Gospels.  The other mentioned by all four Gospel writers is the resurrection. We wonder why this miracle of feeding 5000 people was deemed so important that each Gospel writer found a place for it?  One commentator thought that perhaps it was because the bread was so important in ancient societies. We are well fed today and may not think that a miracle about bread is all that important. 

The miracle also stands as another testimony to the deity of Jesus. Only God can create bread and fish enough to feed a multitude from a few loaves and fish. Those who reject the idea of miracles come up with other interpretations of this passage. I recall years ago reading a church paper from another Christian church in Decatur. The pastor’s article explained that when the boy shared his few loaves and fish, that inspired others to bring out their hidden food and share it. There was no miracle.  This “explanation” does not fit in with verses 14-15. ¹⁴After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” They would not have spoken in this manner if all that happened was that others were inspired to share when they saw the little boy share his food. They would not have called that a miracle. Those who believe in the divine authority of Scripture have no problem believing that Jesus could multiply a few loaves and fish and feed 5000 people. 

Jesus is seeking a bit of peace and quiet, but the crowds follow Him. They do not follow Him because they want to obey Him. They are following Him because of the miracles He performed. Some things never change. If we were to hold a revival here and announce that some great healing evangelist would be the speaker, I guarantee you we would have large crowds. If we were to hold revival services and announce the emphasis would be on salvation, fewer people would come. People are drawn to the miraculous. We do need to follow Jesus, but for the right reason. Yes, even today, He works miracles, but the greatest miracle is the new birth when by faith, we enter the Kingdom of God. 

Phillip’s response to the food problem gives us much to think about. Jesus asks him where they can find enough food to feed this multitude.  He was testing Phillip, and Phillip flunked the test. He has no idea how this crowd can be fed. He speculates that even if they had lots of money, they would never have enough to buy bread for such a large crowd.  In Phillip’s mind, the situation is hopeless.  Pessimism has gripped his heart.  Most of us can identify with Phillip.  We have faced problems and concluded, “There is no hope.” I have felt that way myself, and I have heard similar pessimism from others. It wasn’t the case that Phillip no longer trusted in Jesus. He simply fell into a trap that we can refer to as “pessimistic faith.” I have been guilty of pessimistic faith. How about you?  What is pessimistic faith? 

Pessimistic faith forgets what God has done in the past. What had Phillip forgotten? He had, in recent days, witnessed many healing miracles performed by Jesus. Jesus healed an official’s son with a word; He healed a man at the pool of Bethesda; our text says He performed many other healing miracles which are not recorded in detail. Phillip had also just heard Jesus make a powerful statement-making Himself equal with God. Apparently, all that was forgotten and he assumed the situation to be hopeless. The lesson here is simple:  The situation is never hopeless when Jesus is with you. In Matthew 16 we read of a later episode where the disciples are hungry.  Once again, they do not see how their need can be met. Jesus says, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? (VSS. 8,9). 

One thing we can do today to build up our “pessimistic faith” is to read and reread the life of Jesus in the four Gospels. This will remind us that our Savior is powerful and compassionate.  He healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water, multiplied the loaves and fish – – – and finally He triumphed over death itself. No problem we have is too hard for Him. We need to fill our minds with His power and majesty, and then when we pray, we will not feel hopeless.  We can pray with faith and expectancy. 

This next point is directed squarely at yours truly.  Pessimistic faith tends to say weakly, “Lord, help me with this situation if it be your will, but it probably isn’t your will.”  I wonder if we should ever pray, “If it be your will.” Would it not be better to pray the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy will be done!” It is true that we are often in the position of not knowing the will of God.  Once that word “if” enters our mind, we may give in to doubt. We need to recall the words of James: If any of you lacks (wisdom,) he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.  (James 1:5-8). Our heavenly Father is a big God.  Nothing is too hard for Him. We can approach Him with small problems and large problems. While we do not always know His will, we should always pray anticipating that He will answer. He will either grant our request or withhold our request because He knows what is best. In any event, we should always pray, expecting an answer, avoiding a pessimistic spirit. 

When we pray pessimistically, expecting nothing from God, we insult Him. We assume He doesn’t love us, or He doesn’t care. Pessimistic faith fails to apply faith to real-life situations. Pessimistic believers are redeemed souls, but they allow their problems to overwhelm them as if their problems are too big for God. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, His Son, and our Savior, we can have every confidence that when we pray, God hears, and He will answer. To pray in faith doesn’t mean that He will do exactly what we want.  It means we believe He will answer, and we should never doubt that fact. Remember the words of our Lord in Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Contrary to PETA, we humans are more valuable than birds or any other animal. We are created in the image of God. God values us and wants us to trust Him.  Optimistic faith brings results.  Pessimistic faith does not. 

You can always tell your faith is pessimistic when you turn to God as a last resort. We tend to look first to ourselves or other humans to solve our problems.  If that doesn’t work, then we turn to God. We need to get into the habit of praying first.  Yes, God does work through natural means, but our first thought must never be, “I have a problem, and I need a doctor, lawyer, plumber, electrician, etc.” Our first thought must be to turn the matter over to the Father.  He can and will direct us to the proper human resource if that is indicated.  The Psalmist said it well when he wrote, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” We Americans have so much, with such a powerful military, the temptation is simply to trust in human resources to meet our needs and keep us safe. If we become a faithless nation, and God pulls the plug on us, our military power cannot save us. Make sure God has first place in your heart, and always turn to Him first. 

Another point about pessimistic faith is this.  We need to remember that life is not about us but about God. When God acts to bless us in a spectacular manner, as was the case with the feeding of 5000 persons, God is glorified. If you think your unanswered prayer will embarrass you, you have prayed in the wrong spirit. If you seek credit for your great faith when the answer comes, you err greatly. The Westminster Confession of Faith says that man’s chief end is to glorify God. God is glorified when He blesses your life, and you praise His name to your friends and neighbors. God is glorified when He answers your prayers, and you openly honor Him for His goodness. Prayer is not about you, but about God; His name, His honor, His glory. 

Our last task this morning is to look at the faith of Jesus. When He assumed our human nature, He had to depend upon His Father even as we do. When the few loaves and fish were presented to Him, He responded differently than Andrew. Andrew saw the five loaves and two fish and concluded this was hardly enough to feed a multitude. Jesus prayed, offering thanks to the Father and began to distribute that which had been given to Him. He did not scold Andrew for presenting Him with such meager resources. He trusted the Father to multiple the food.  Not only was everyone fed, there were twelve baskets full of bread left over. This reminds us that our God is lavish in His generosity. 

You may think you do not have much to offer to God. Here is the point.  When you give God what you have, presenting your life to Him, He will use you in ways that will amaze you. I hear it often, “I have no talent or ability that would be of any use to God or to His church.” That is the devil’s lie! Look what Jesus did with five loaves and two fish presented to Him. When we present ourselves to God and say to Him, “Father, use me in the work of your kingdom on earth,” He can take our meager abilities and multiply them to bless others. 

Joni Erickson Tada comes to mind.  Rendered a quadriplegic at a young age, she might have decided to go on disability and sit in her wheelchair for the rest of her life feeling sorry for herself. Instead, she wanted to be used of God, but how can God make use of a quadriplegic? She learned to paint with a brush in her mouth, she sings, she speaks all over the country, she writes Christian books. God has used her to touch the lives of millions.  She presented her broken body to God, and He multiplied her effectiveness 100-fold. Many of us are beyond retirement age and may feel we have little to offer to the work of God on earth. Place your life into the hands of Jesus and watch Him multiply your effectiveness. 

The problem with many in the church is not that God cannot use them. He once spoke through the mouth of a donkey so He can surely use us! The problem many church members have is that they are so wrapped up in the things of this world they do not present themselves to God to be used. I have mentioned before the musical entitled “For Heaven’s Sake” written in the 1970’s.  One of the songs had a line, “I want you to use me O Lord, but not just now.”  Let me read the words to you.

“As soon as I’m out of college, and all my debts I’ve carried; as soon as I’ve done my army stint, as soon as I’ve gotten married:  As soon as I get promoted, as soon as the house is built: as soon as my psychiatrist says that I’m freed of guilt.  As soon as I’ve paid the mortgage, as soon as the kids are grown; as soon as they finished college, as soon as they’re on their own: As soon as I’ve reached retirement, as soon as they’re getting ahead; as soon as I draw my pension, Just as soon as I am dead.  I want you to use me Oh Lord, use me Oh Lord, but NOT just now.”  (FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, p. 38).  

Those who live by faith will find that God can and will use them, not in the distant future, but now.  A boy with a few loaves and fish found that when He turned them over to Jesus, a multitude was fed. I wonder what Jesus could do if you turned your life over to Him? 

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GOD AND THE NATION

Warsaw Christian Church, July 5, 2020, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Psalm 33:22

There are those in our society today who seek to reconstruct the history of the United States of America. The effort is now underway to deny the enormous influence which the Christian religion had in the formation of this nation. On this Independence Sunday, I want to remind you once again of God’s hand in our history. We have covered this territory before, but I believe it bears repeating every Independence Sunday. 

We read in Psalm 33: 12, “Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.” Nations, like individuals, are blessed by God for their faithfulness, although there are differences between national faith and individual faith. We, as individuals, are blessed by God when we surrender our hearts and lives to Jesus, the Messiah. Nations are blessed of God, not because every individual in the nation is Christian, but when the people and leaders of a nation basically agree to build the nation consciously according to the will and purpose of God. 

Our nation is made up of laws and institutions. Both our laws and our institutions were consciously influenced by biblical truth.  James Madison, for example, affirmed the Christian truth that human beings are fallen creatures.  If fallen creatures are to create a functional government, reasoned Madison, there must be checks and balances. Power cannot reside in any one person or institution.  Our present three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) were created so that each branch could serve as a check on the other.  If one branch has too much power, human sinfulness will rear its ugly head, and the rights of the people will be trampled underfoot. Thus, the very structure of our government was designed because of a Christian understanding of human nature. Madison, the chief architect of our Constitution, said this: “We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, so sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”

The idea that our nation should operate totally free of any religious influence is a modern idea. It was not the understanding of our founders. A nation whose God is the Lord is a nation that knowingly recognizes God as the source of national law. The laws created in our founding years were laws based on biblical truth. This is why the Ten Commandments appear in many courthouses around the nation, a practice that is now being challenged by secularists determined to remove all signs of religion from the public square. 

A nation Whose God is the Lord recognizes that God’s moral will must prevail in society. A nation whose God is the Lord will have leaders who openly acknowledge their dependence upon God. A nation whose God is the Lord will encourage the population to trust in God, while also refusing to impose a particular denomination or religion upon the people.  A nation whose God is the Lord will have in its history clear signs that her leaders are men and women of faith. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, General George Washington issued this order to his troops: “The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man, will endeavor so to live, and act, as becomes a Christian soldier defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.” 

I believe we were once a nation whose God is the Lord, and that is why our nation has been blessed beyond that of any nation in history. I fear that we are on the verge of losing the blessings of God because many in positions of leadership today want to create a secular state. Instead of intentionally acknowledging our dependence upon God, there are those today who want to intentionally exclude God from our national life. If they succeed, it will be the death knell for this land we love. No nation can long survive and prosper without the blessings of God. God says, “Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales” (Isa. 40:15). He also declared, “If any nation does not listen (to me), I will completely uproot and destroy it” (Jer. 12:17). Our nation needs to grasp this simple truth. We have no future at all without the blessings of God. God has declared very clearly that any nation which refuses to listen to Him will be destroyed. I don’t believe God makes idle threats. 

Our founders understood this. The first charter of Virginia, dated April 10, 1606, indicates that one of their purposes in America was to propagate the Christian religion. They wanted to share the light of Christ with those who lived “in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God.” 

In 1630 the colonists of the New England Federation signed this Compact. “We all have come into these parts of America. with one and the same end; namely, to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus.” The Plymouth colonists drew up the Mayflower Compact in 1620. Their purpose in coming to the new world was “for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.” When they landed at Plymouth Rock, they knelt down to offer thanksgiving unto God. When the colonists were at odds with the mother country, England, and met for the First Continental congress in Philadelphia in 1774, all the members of the congress got down on their knees and asked for the help of almighty God in their undertakings. As they proceeded and faced numerous problems and uncertainties, it was often Ben Franklin who called upon the members of Congress to fall upon their knees and pray. On one of those occasions he spoke these words. “I have lived a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs the affairs of men… We have been assured in the sacred writings, ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel”

Our Declaration of Independence asserts that the freedom sought was something we are entitled to by “the laws of nature and of nature’s God.” Listen again to our Declaration: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. . . For the support of this Declaration, we look with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.” The “Creator” of whom they spoke was not the God of the Koran or the gods of Hinduism and Buddhism. They were referring to the God revealed in the Bible. Those of us who saw the video teaching of Dr. David Miller several years ago regarding the so-called separation of church and state saw quotation after quotation verifying that the majority of our founders understood that our nation was established on Christian principles. 

The great American’ statesman, Daniel Webster, said this: “our ancestors established their system of government on morality and religious sentiment. Moral habits, they believed, cannot safely be trusted on any other foundation than religious principle, nor any government be secure which is not supported by moral habits… whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens… That is the happiest society which partakes in the highest degree to the mild and peaceful spirit of Christianity.” 

John Jay, America’s first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, wrote these words in 1816: “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers. It is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” Can you imagine any politician today making such a statement? It would be considered politically incorrect in the extreme.  How was it possible that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court could make such a statement in 1816? It was because the political establishment in our early years was consciously rooted in a Christian worldview. 

If the present Supreme Court voted on the question, is this a Christian Nation, what do you think the results would be? They would say NO, but that has not always the case. James Kent, Chief Justice of Supreme Court, wrote these words in 1826. “The people of this state, in common with the people of this country, profess the general doctrines of Christianity, as the rule of their faith and practice…We are a Christian people, and the morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon Christianity.” In 1892 the Supreme Court studied our history with care and concluded, “This is a Christian nation.” This Declaration repeated by the Supreme Court as recently as 1932. I own a book written by Supreme Court Justice David J. Brewer (1837-1910) entitled “The United States: A Christian Nation.” The book demonstrates the fact that we were founded as a Christian nation.  No Supreme Court Justice today would ever dare make such a claim.  How times have changed. I wonder if God is pleased with this change. 

Before Dwight Eisenhower gave his inaugural address, he first paused and offered a prayer for God’s help and leadership.  During his presidency, the phrase which is causing so much debate today, “under God” was added to our Pledge of Allegiance. It has been an unwritten law that every President of the United States takes the oath of office with his hand upon a Bible. Both the House and the Senate have a chaplain, and each session is opened with prayer. On our coins is the national motto, “In God we trust.” The last verse of our national hymn begins, “Our fathers’ God, to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing. “

Time does not permit me to quote the thousands of other words spoken by our founders and leaders, even on into the modern era, which demonstrates very clearly that our national laws and institutions were based on the Christian/biblical worldview. 

But what about freedom of religion and separation of church and state? Freedom of religion meant that every American citizen was free to follow any religion or no religion.  It did not mean that the government would operate in a totally secular manner. Separation of church and state, a phrase absent from our Constitution, meant exactly what the First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” 

Just to give you one brief contrast, Joseph Stalin issued the following decree on May 1, 1937. “There must not remain in the territory of Soviet Russia a single house of prayer, and the very conception of God will be banished from the boundaries of Russia.” Then when the Germans invaded the USSR Uncle Joe changed his tune and asked the Russian churches to pray to God for victory!

My point is this. America is by no means a perfect nation. Our founders were fallible and imperfect human beings, even as we are. Not all were Christians. Some of the politicians I named made grave mistakes. But, wherever you read in our early history, the signs are everywhere. It was a consensus in this nation that we would be a nation whose God was the Lord. Therefore this nation has experienced the unparalleled blessings of God throughout our history. Our task as a church is certainly not to impose our Christian faith upon others, but neither should we stand by idly and allow unbelievers to impose their agenda upon us. 

Our task as Christians within our national life is to remind our nation from whence we came. We were a nation with a Christian consensus — a nation that freely chose to live under the authority of God. If that Christian consensus continues, the blessings of God upon our land will continue. If that consensus becomes a minority and secular humanism becomes the consensus philosophy of the land, America will perish and be thrown upon the ash heap of history along with Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome,  — and all the other godless nations of history. God Bless America! — and He will if America remembers, “Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.” 

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I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

Warsaw Christian Church (7/28/20) Richard M. Bowman.  Pastor

Text, John 6

We continue our study in the Gospel of John.  In our text from John 6 Jesus makes an astonishing claim. In John 6:35, He says, “I am the bread of life.”  He clarifies what He means in these statements: “Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst,” Then in verse 40 he speaks these words: “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him at the last day.” 

Jesus here makes an awesome claim. He is the bread of life. We partake of that bread by believing in Him. All who truly believe in Him are given a gift, everlasting life. He will raise those who believe in Him at the last day.  The question we must all answer is a simple one.  Do you believe Him? Jesus, in John 6, declares that our eternal life hinges on one simple factor – – – faith in Him and His words. 

Faith in Jesus guarantees our eternal well-being. In 6:37, He states that those who come to Him with faith He will never cast out. Anyone possessing faith in Jesus has the assurance that he will never be rejected by God. Notice that word “never.” In Greek, it is a double negative, “not never.” Double negatives are grammatically incorrect in English, but in Greek, this double negative strengthens the statement. We might translate it by saying, “in no way.” Or “by no means.” Will Jesus ever reject someone who trusts in Him? Absolutely not! Never! No way! Jesus assures us that as long as we have a real and living faith in Him, we will never hear the words, “Depart from me.” 

Jesus made this claim in the context of a familiar miracle, the feeding of the 5000 (John 6:1). Jesus took a few loaves of bread and a few fish and fed 5000 persons.  When He wrought that miracle, He expressed a concern that some might want to follow Him for the wrong reason. “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill (John 6:26). Jesus feared that some might come to Him simply because He met physical needs.  They might see Him only as a free meal ticket — one who will solve our earthly problems, whether it be hunger, or illness, or crime, etc. Jesus wanted people to believe in Him and follow Him, but for the right reason. 

The crowds place a challenge before Him.  Why should we believe in you, they ask?  We want you to work a miracle – – – something spectacular so we will have a reason to believe what you say.  It seems that feeding the 5000 was not a big enough wonder, for they say to Jesus, “Do something like what Moses did.  He fed the whole nation daily with manna from heaven.  Your little miracle of feeding 5000 people is not in the same league.”  

It is in this context that Jesus makes His astonishing claim.  He says to the people that the manna from heaven was not the real bread from heaven. He explained that there is another heavenly bread, even the One who comes down from heaven.  Those who partake of this bread are promised everlasting life. 

The people respond, “Give us this bread always” (Jn. 6:34).  It is at that point when Jesus responds, “I am the bread of life.” He promises that those who come to Him will never hunger or thirst again, that those who believe in Him will receive eternal life.  Those who ate the manna from heaven in Moses’ day are dead, but those who partake of the bread of life will never die. 

But wait, surely we have to do more than trust in Him to receive eternal life. Don’t we have to work hard to demonstrate the reality of our faith? It is undoubtedly true that Christians do good works, but they have nothing to do with our salvation. I have said it before, and I repeat it once more- – – eternal life is a gift given to all on a straightforward condition, faith in Jesus, plus nothing. Jesus comments on this question in chapter 6. Look at 6:28-29: “Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” 

As the crowd listens to Jesus, they think, “Surely we must do some kind of work to be on good terms with God.  Faith is good, but surely works must follow.” They ask Him what kind of works they must do, apparently thinking that their works will add to their ability to receive eternal life. Jesus clarifies: The work that God requires of you is to believe in Him. 

Of course, specific life changes follow in the wake of saving faith. What do they add to our ability to receive eternal life?  Absolutely nothing! Do you want to go to heaven?  Trust in Jesus. Do you want to do the works that please God? Trust in Jesus. 

As Jesus continued to clarify His mission, He spoke some words that offended many in the crowd. From this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him (Jn. 6:66).  How strange that this verse is numbered 666. Satan’s number. Maybe it is just an accident since there were no verse numbers in the original Greek manuscripts. It is a peculiar accident! Some were especially perplexed when Jesus spoke to them of eating His flesh and drinking His blood.  This made no sense to them, and they did not wait around for an explanation.  They abandoned the One who said, “I am the bread of life.” They forsook the only Man who ever lived who can grant to others the gift of eternal life. 

Eating flesh? Drinking blood?  It sounded like cannibalism.  It was especially offensive to Jews whose law forbade the drinking of blood (Gen. 9:6.).  They gave up on Jesus in response to His crass reference to eating His flesh and drinking His blood. At that point, Jesus turned to the 12 and asked them if they planned to abandon Him also. Simon responds, No, Lord, we cannot abandon you.  We believe you to be the Messiah, the One who speaks the truth concerning eternal life.  Did they understand what Jesus meant?  Perhaps not, but they stayed with Him, and later on, they learned the meaning of His words, “I am the bread of life.”  

We might react initially like those disciples who walked away from Jesus.  We may find ourselves confused over his reference to eating His flesh and drinking His blood, even though He explained that His words in this situation were not to be understood in a crass, literal fashion. He explained that His words were spiritual. He was using a familiar metaphor to describe a spiritual truth. 

Do you know what it is to be spiritually hungry?  If you came to Christ as an adult like I did, you probably know.  If you grew up with faith in Jesus Christ, you might not understand spiritual hunger.  It was many years ago when I learned what spiritual hunger is.  It was a time in my life when I was faced with some problems which seemed to be outside my control. I was searching for answers I could not find.  My intellectual, pseudo-Christianity was of no help.  I was face to face with a simple reality:  I did not know God, and I knew not how to call upon Him in my time of need.  I wanted to know Him desperately. I was spiritually hungry.  

When we come to a true faith in the Son of God, one of the ways we know that has happened is because Jesus satisfies our spiritual hunger.  Most of us, when we were young, sat around and discussed the meaning of life.  Who am I?  Where did I come from?  Where am I going?  Is there a God?  When you come to Jesus with true faith, all such questions have been answered.  The hunger to know the answers to life’s most profound questions is forever satisfied.  When we partake of the bread of life, a deep peace and contentment settle over the soul. Just as eating physical bread satisfies physical hunger, so partaking of the bread of Life satisfies our deepest spiritual longings.  

And how do we partake of the bread of Life?  The words are easy enough to say.  We must believe in the Lord Jesus.   I went through the motions of becoming a Christian. I confessed my faith; I was baptized; I was active in church; I even attended a theological seminary, serving as a pastor for several years, a pastor who knew not God. I had not partaken of the bread of life.  Like so many, I wanted to be in control of my life, even my religious life.  And so, while I went through the motions, for a long time, I never really surrendered my heart to Jesus. Genuine faith was lacking. 

What about you?  I know you are church members, persons who have confessed faith.  My question is this:  Do you feel a deep sense of satisfaction and certainty about life and eternity because Jesus is a living presence in your soul?  Has your deepest spiritual hunger been satisfied?  Or are you still asking questions like – – – who am I? From whence did I come?  Is there a God?  Once you partake of the bread of life, you stop asking such questions.  

There is yet another way you can tell if you have partaken of the bread of life.  It is reflected in your attitude toward the Lord’s Supper.  Later on, long after this episode in John 6, Jesus said to those disciples who remained with Him, “Take and eat. This bread is my body which is broken for you.  This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for many for the remission of sins.  As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” Familiar words. 

Those who partake of the bread of life understand the importance of the table of the Lord.  They understand that Jesus’ death was vicarious — that He shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Paul said that to partake worthily, we must discern the Lord’s body.  What do you see when you hold the bread and the cup?  I hope you see more than a small cracker and a cup of grape juice.  I hope your mind goes back to Calvary, and that you see Jesus hanging upon a cross, His body broken and His blood shed because you are a sinner. I hope we understand He willingly went to that cross to take the judgment we deserve.  I hope when you partook of the Lord’s Supper today you saw the body of Jesus hanging on that cross, and that you heard Him whisper to you, “For you, for you . . .

When Jesus said, “This is my body” I believe He wants our minds to focus on an event which occurred 2000 years ago, on a hill called Golgotha, the place of the skull.  He wants us to remember how it is that we receive pardon and eternal life.  He wants us to dare to believe that the crucified One is the Messiah, the Son of God.  He wants us to remember who we are and who He is as we partake of the bread and the cup. He wants us to believe in the depths of our souls that we have entered the Kingdom of God through His broken body and shed blood. 

There is much food for thought in John 6. We have just scratched the surface this morning. Let me summarize what we have covered this morning. 

1. Jesus claimed that He alone can grant eternal life.
2. That gift is granted to us simply by believing in Him. 
3. Jesus will never, never reject one who comes to Him in faith.
4. Those who trust in Him are secure forever. 
5. We especially believe in His atoning death on the cross, an event we participate in weekly through the Lord’s Supper. In this one great sacrifice He secured for us forgiveness of all our sins and everlasting life. 

If these five principles are alive and well in your soul, you are a forever citizen of the Kingdom of God. I pray it will be so for all of us. In Jesus name, Amen. 

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JESUS: LIAR, LUNATIC, OR LORD?

(John # 9)

Warsaw Christian Church (7/21/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 5

The setting for this episode on the ministry of Jesus is the healing of a paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda. The paralyzed man cannot make it into the pool because of his limited mobility. Apparently, the waters of Bethesda at special times had healing properties. That took place when the waters were stirred, perhaps by an angel (depending on which translation you use). When the waters stirred, the first person in the pool was healed. The paralyzed man had been there for 38 years but never was the first one into the pool. Jesus hears his explanation, which He ignores, and tells the man to take up his bed and walk. The man is instantly healed. When Jesus declares that you are healed, you are healed!  What follows after this miracle will be our focus of attention this morning. 

We usually think that faith comes first, and then God acts. Here the situation is reversed. The man has no faith, no hope. His situation is such that he thinks he is doomed to a life of paralysis. Jesus heals the man who has no faith. Faith followed the miracle. That should be an encouragement to us.  Even when our faith is weak or lacking, Jesus may graciously touch us that our faith in Him might be increased.  Strong faith that does not doubt is always to be preferred, but there are times when Jesus acts on our behalf despite our weak faith. 

After a time of confusion, the Jews learn that it was Jesus who performed this miracle. They go immediately into attack mode. You would think they would be rejoicing and thanking God that this poor soul had been healed. They ignore the miracle and accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. You were not supposed to carry anything on the Sabbath. Jesus told the man to pick up his bed, which he did. How could Jesus be the Messiah when He blatantly broke the Law of the Sabbath? Every good Jew knew that carrying a burden on the Sabbath was forbidden. 

This is a first-class example of majoring in minors while ignoring the bigger picture. A man who suffered for 38 years was healed. The Jews, presumably Jewish leaders, only focus on what they perceive to be a violation of the Sabbath. Their hatred of Jesus is so intense they are blind to what took place. In Matthew 12:8, Jesus declared that He was Lord of the Sabbath. He created the Sabbath, and He knew what would constitute a true violation. The only thing violated was the hair-splitting interpretation of the Law so dear to the Pharisees. 

A quick sidebar concerning the Sabbath. Does the Sabbath have any implications for us? Paul treats the Sabbath as part of the Old Covenant ceremonial law, which has passed away. Thus, he writes, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ¹⁷ which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ” (Col. 2:15-16). Our task is to follow Jesus under the New Covenant. Old Sabbath laws do not pertain directly to us. 

The last few verses in our text bring forth a more serious charge against Jesus. Look at 5:16-17. “For this reason, the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” Then notice 5:18: “Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.” 

The Jewish opposition wants to kill Jesus for two reasons: He violated the Sabbath, and He declares His equality with God. When Jesus referred to God as “my Father” (not “our Father”), the Jewish leaders accused Him of proclaiming His equality with God. Anyone claiming equality with God is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord, in the words of C. S. Lewis. That was the choice before the Jewish leaders, and that is also our choice. John declared that Jesus is God in His prologue. Jesus has done things only God can do: turned water into wine, healed a paralytic with a word. He told the woman at the well in Samaria point blank that He was the Messiah.  Now He boldly asserts equality with God.  He could be lying. He could be crazy. Or He could be telling the truth. In the Jewish mind, any human person declaring to be God must be executed. In the end, they get their way.  Jesus is put to death on a cross, but He proves His deity by rising from death. 

These two verses (John 5:17-18) are among the most important in Scripture, especially as they relate to the heresy of Arius (died 336 A.D.) and Sabellius (circa 230 A.D.).  The church struggled for centuries seeking to define Jesus accurately.  Arius taught that Jesus was a created being, and thus He was inferior to God the Father. He was not equal to God. Sabellius affirmed that God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Christ are identical.  He denied the Trinity, stating that the one God manifested Himself in three different modes. Well, let us leave the academics efforts to define Jesus adequately. I agree with the ancient church that the doctrine of the Trinity is correct. 

This open break between Jesus and the Jewish hierarchy was sharp and irrevocable; and, fittingly, Jesus spoke upon this occasion at some length to his enemies in a vain effort to persuade them of the truth of His words and of His claim to be the Messiah. The rest of chapter 5 is taken up with this overwhelming testimony of the Lord Jesus concerning himself. For example, Jesus declares that all must honor Him as they honor the Father (5:23). If Jesus is to receive the same honor as the Father, who is He? God, of course. Jesus affirms that final judgment will be in His hands (5:22). Who is capable of rendering final judgment over the billions of humans who have ever lived? Only God can serve as the final judge. Jesus claims that all the dead, redeemed and lost, will be resurrected on the last day at the sound of His voice (5:28-29). Only God can raise the dead. Jesus affirms that He is both with God, and He is God (John 1:1) in the mystery of the Trinity.  

What is your decision about Jesus? Such an audacious claim deserves a response from us. If you agree with John that Jesus is God incarnate, certain things follow. Jesus claimed that His death atoned for the sins of the world. He took the judgment that we deserve. He declared that all who believe in Him would be forgiven and receive eternal life. How can one man’s death have enough virtue to atone for the sins of the world? It can only happen if that man is also God. Those who reject the deity of Jesus must also reject the value of His death. Your salvation, my salvation, hangs in the balance. If Jesus is a mere man, albeit a great prophet, He cannot atone for your sins. Only God the Son can do that. Do you believe it?

If Jesus was just a great religious teacher, there have been many great religious teachers: Mohamed, Moses, Buddha, Confucius, and others. Jesus is unique among them, the only one claiming to be God. He did not claim to be one path to God, among others. He claimed to be the only path to God (John 14:6). He once said that if you do not believe in Him, you will die in your sins (John 8:24). I assure you, you do not want to die in your sins. When Jesus declared His equality with God, He made an almost unbelievable claim. Those who believe that claim and trust in Him will find forgiveness and everlasting life. Those who don’t, won’t (John 3:18).

If a man bangs on our door at 3 AM and I go to the door and see a man all dressed in black wearing a mask and saying, “Let me in,” I am going to say, “I don’t know you. Go away.” I am not going to open the door to a masked stranger! If, on the other hand, I go to the door at 3 AM and see one of my children, I will quickly open the door. If you try to enter heaven without faith in Jesus, you will be turned away. He will declare, “I don’t know you.” If you seek to enter heaven as a forgiven sinner who has faith in Jesus, you will be welcomed. He will recognize you as one of His children. 

Over and over in John 5 Jesus affirms who He is, seeking to persuade the Jewish leaders to embrace Him as the Messiah. Jesus declares that He can give life (5:21). He affirms that He will be the final judge (5:27). He claims to have the power to resurrect the dead and that He will do so on the last day (5:28-29). He states that the works He performs prove that He is from the Father (5:36). He claims that the Scriptures bear witness to Him (5:39), and if only they will believe in Him, they will receive eternal life (5:40). He asserts that Moses was writing about Him (5:46). 

These are audacious claims. No one except Jesus has ever made such claims. What do you think? Is He a liar? Is He a lunatic? Or is He your Lord? Your decision about Jesus has eternal consequences.  He promises eternal life to all who believe in Him. Who is Jesus to you? Choose wisely. 

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THE SAMARITAN WOMAN, Part 3
(A first-person sermon)
Warsaw Christian Church, (6/14/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 4:1-43 (especially 4: 27-42)

(In this sermon, I will assume the role of an unidentified Samaritan man who encounters the Samaritan women in John 4:1-43. She is not named either so we will assign her the name of Joanna)

There is a woman in our town named Joanna. After ruining the lives of five husbands, she was living with a sixth man who was not her husband. Joanna was known in the area as a very promiscuous woman. She would marry one of the local men, tire of him, and move on to someone else. She seemed to need a man but was never satisfied. Her last man, a live-in boyfriend, decided not to bother with marriage based on her reputation. He knew the relationship wouldn’t last, so he decided to just move in with her until she tired of him. That way, there would be no need for a divorce. Of course, such behavior was contrary to our religion but that never seemed to bother Joanna. She claimed to be a believer but she seemed to be more interested in men than in God.

Of all the women in Samaria, this was one you dared not trust. We Samaritan men did not put much faith in any woman, but especially this one. We men did all the heavy thinking, something women were not capable of. Women are to raise children, cook and submit to their husbands. Joanna did none of these. The men who lived with her complained often about how difficult she was to live with. She used her beauty and charm in such a manner as to cause many men to act dazed. They were attracted to her with promises of love beyond their wildest dreams. Then she would dump them and move on to the next fool. Joanna definitely did not fulfill the role of a good, submissive wife.

I will never forget the day she came running into town screaming, “I may have found the Messiah!” Of all the people in Samaria would couldn’t find the Messiah if He stood right before her, she was at the top of the list. “Oh sure, Joanna, you have found the Messiah. Is this some new lover you have met?” This is what most of us thought at first. Joanna had charmed another man with her considerable talents. What reasonable person would believe that the Messiah would reveal Himself to a woman totally lacking in character? If and when the Messiah arrived, He would surely reveal Himself to some respectable person, not a woman we regarded as a common prostitute.

She was so excited and insistent that several of us decided to hear what she had to say. We thought it might be worth a good laugh. She told of meeting a man at the well where she had gone to get water. He spoke to her of living water. What really piqued our interest was when she said that He knew all about her life. He knew of her five husbands, her live-in boyfriend, and many other details of her life. She said, “He told me all I ever did.” I wondered if Joanna was suffering from sunstroke. Several of us were at least curious about this stranger she had met. We decided to see if we could find Him and see what had made Joanna so worked up.

She said that while she was speaking with the stranger, the man’s disciples returned to the well. They said nothing, but she could tell by the looks on their faces that they were shocked that the prophet was speaking with a woman. Most of the Jews believed that trying to teach a woman anything was useless. No true Rabbi would waste his time teaching a woman. The fact that this “prophet” spoke with a strange woman and tried to teach her was a sign to us that this man was probably a false prophet. We thought of Joanna as a dim-witted prostitute incapable of learning. Joanna then left the prophet and returned to town and began to bear witness to this man she had met. She was so excited she left her water pot behind. This was highly unusual and did make us wonder about the man she had met. Instead of charming him, he must have charmed her.

Some of the locals believed this woman’s story. Others were not convinced. I was not sure what to think. Finally, a group of us went out to meet this man and asked Him to stay with us. We wanted to see and hear Him for ourselves and form our own opinion about Him. After all, can you really trust the testimony of a mere woman? A promiscuous prostitute? He agreed and remained with us for two days. This prophet, Jesus was His name, was very impressive. As He spoke with us about the Kingdom of God, to make a long story short, we became convinced that He was indeed the Messiah. What a joy it was to learn that the Messiah had come, not just for the Jews, but for the world. Sometimes our Jewish neighbors had the idea that God really only cared for them. Jesus convinced us that if we placed our faith in Him, even we Samaritans could enter into God’s Kingdom.

We did have to put Joanna in her place, so we informed her that we no longer believed in Jesus because of what she said, but because we had seen and heard for ourselves. We men, however, did earn a lesson from Joanna. I hate to admit that we learned anything from a woman, especially a sinful woman, but our personal encounter with Jesus rather changed our opinion about women. The fact is that Jesus revealed Himself first to Joanna, and she told us about Him. Why He did this I can’t really say. While we did want to hear Him ourselves, we had to acknowledge that were it not for Joanna we would never have known about Jesus. Frankly, she was normally the butt of our jokes and male gossip, but she was different after she had met Jesus. She radiated a new kind of love – – – the love of God just seemed to shine out from her.

When we encountered Jesus, we learned why Joanna seemed so different. Once we placed our faith in Him, we were also changed. The knowledge that our sins were forgiven and heaven was our destiny does change a man. It seemed as if God had entered into our hearts and made us different than we were before. The greatest day in my life was when I stood face to face with the Savior of the world. I hate to admit it but were it not for Joanna I would never have known about Jesus. Several of us had to swallow our male pride and admit that we owed our very salvation to a promiscuous woman.

Joanna became a respected person in the community, a woman who was always trying to help others. She never forgot her encounter with Jesus and spoke of Him to all who would listen. I had to apologize to her for my initial doubt about her. I concluded that God sees men and women as human beings of equal value in His sight. Indeed, I learned that we should never look upon any human being as inferior. If Jesus desires to save the world, then all people are welcome in His Kingdom. All people have value in the eyes of God.

I learned another lesson from Jesus. Those who have truly met Him cannot help but bear witness to the fact that He is the Messiah and Savior of the world. Joanna became very vocal in her testimony to Jesus. I know you have not encountered Jesus in the way that we did, face to face. However, I also know that His message has proceeded through the centuries from my day. By His Spirit men and women in every age have met the Savior and been transformed by Him.

Joanna couldn’t stop talking about that man who seemed to know all about her. He told her flat out that He was God’s promised Messiah. She could not keep that information to herself. Do you find that to be true in your life? When you came to believe in Jesus, didn’t you feel your heart transformed by the mysterious power of His presence? Don’t you find that you wanted to do whatever you could to share His message with others? Jesus encouraged us to share His name. He told us that the fields are white for the harvest. There are countless souls who will respond to His Gospel if we share it with them. He encouraged us to gather fruit for eternal life. Are you doing it?

Here is what I think. People who have truly encountered Jesus Christ, whether in person or by His Spirit, can’t really help doing whatever they can to spread His Gospel. I wouldn’t have expected to see the likes of Joanna in heaven, but she resides there at this very moment. She was forgiven. If you have also been forgiven and granted eternal life, I hope you are doing something to help others find the Savior. There are people in your world like Joanna who have ruined their lives through sin. They need to know that forgiveness can be found through Jesus Christ. They need to know that no matter how far you have fallen into sin, there is hope through the Savior. I implore you to do what you can to make sure that the name of Jesus is alive in your community.

While I was a more respectable citizen than was Joanna, when I met Jesus face to face, I felt dirty. His purity was so evident that I realized I was no better than Joanna. I often wondered what would have become of me if Joanna had not told me about Jesus. I was as lost as she was even though I didn’t realize it, but by the grace of God we both met Jesus and found forgiveness. If you do not know that divine forgiveness which Jesus brings in your own soul, it is available to you. All it will cost you is to turn to the Savior with faith. If you do know of God’s merciful forgiveness, please do as Joanna did. Share His name with others.

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THE SAMARITAN WOMAN, PART 2

(True Worship)

Warsaw Christian Church (6/7/20), Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text:  John 4:19-26. The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” ²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” ²⁶ Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

When our church life was interrupted by the Coronavirus, I was ready for a second sermon relating to Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan. Today we continue where we left off many weeks later! In part two of the discussion between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, we learn some essential lessons about worship. I want to focus on that topic this morning. Our first task is to define what we mean by “worship.” Our word comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning “worth-ship.” That is, when you worship God, you are saying He has worth or value.  You assign “worth” to that which you worship. What is God worth?  As the Creator of all that is, His worth is immeasurable. He is worthy of all the praise, honor, and adoration we can give to Him. We refer to this hour as a “worship service,” and I hope that is what it is for all of us. We are here to express to God His worth. We are here to tell Him how much we value Him. 

Lesson 1: Anything you assign more worth to than you do to God is what you really worship. If you value money more than God, you worship money. If you assign more worth to family than to God, you are worshipping family.  If you see your job as having greater worth than God, you are worshipping employment. Well, you get the idea. Anything that has more worth to you than God is what you are worshipping. That is idolatry. What do you value more than anything else? I hope the answer is having a relationship with God. 

The second thing we learn in our text is that the place of worship is not important. The Jews and Samaritans had different centers of worship. Jesus stresses that a time is coming when neither Jerusalem nor Mount Gerizim in Samaria will be important as centers of worship. What matters is Who we worship and how we worship, not where we worship. What time is He pointing toward? It seems apparent that the future time that will change worship forever is His death, resurrection, and the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Jerusalem will eventually be destroyed, as will the worship center in Samaria. Jesus envisions a time when worship will not be at a particular time or place. 

Because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which every true Christian receives, worship is a daily task.  Consider these words from the Lord: 1 Cor. 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”  John 14:16,17: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” The fact that the Holy Spirit indwells every true believer forever changes how we worship. Yes, we worship God together in church on Sunday morning.  We should not, however, cease to worship when we leave this building. We see the worth and value of God in our daily tasks, and our hearts turn to Him frequently with thoughts of praise and adoration. We see His hand in nature, in our families, in the blessings that are all around us, and feelings of adoration and praise arise in our hearts continually, or at least that is the way it should be. The Holy Spirit always reminds us of the goodness of God, lifting our hearts to Him in worship daily.  The Holy Spirit is active in those who walk by faith.  He inspires and enables us to worship God in Spirit. 

Can one still worship in Jerusalem or on Mt. Gerazim?  Of course, one can worship God anywhere.  Jesus is making the point that the object and manner of worship are far more important than the place. True worship is God-centered and Spirit directed.  Our text states that some times worship is done in ignorance. Jesus said to the woman, “You worship what you do not know.” They had a twisted, distorted view of God, and the result was worship that lacked authenticity. Under the New Covenant, worship must be directed toward the Father, in the name of the Son, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who pray in some other manner have no reason to expect an answer. They worship what they do not know. 

I have read reports where military chaplains have been ordered not to use the name of Jesus when they pray. Those who make such demands are asking the chaplains to pray to an “unknown god.”  There is but one true God whom we address as “Our Father.”  He is known to us but in one way, through Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord and Savior. To ask a Christian to avoid the name of Jesus when praying is to ask him to deny the faith. 

Our Lord points out to this woman that salvation is of the Jews, not the Samaritans or any other people group. The Messiah and Savior of the world came in and through the Jewish people.  You cannot come to know God through the distorted religion of Samaria, or any other world religion. Salvation is of the Jews, said our Lord. Only through faith in the Jewish Messiah can one find salvation.  This is an idea repeatedly frequently in Scripture. 

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). 

Notice next that Jesus informs us that the Father is seeking people who will worship Him. Does this mean that God is a supernatural egotist who demands that we worship Him? Notice John’s language.  There is no demand made here. God is seeking those who will worship Him. He knows that He is the only God there is.  He knows that He created us in His image.  He knows that only as we are in harmony with our Creator can we find meaning and fulfillment in life. When we worship God, we are seeking to align our lives with His will. The world, and many people we know who are in the world, are in a mess because of failure to understand this simple principle. Many operate outside of the will of God, and the result is the tragic world in which we live. If people worshiped God, affirming His worth, seeking His will, they would enjoy the benefit of having God on their side. 

Those who do not worship the One true and living God may be ever so religious, but they worship in ignorance. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that God is a Spirit. What does that mean? For one thing, it means that God is not flesh and blood as we are.  God is invisible, and thus we are forbidden to make an image of God.  You cannot create an image of an invisible being. God is unknowable to us unless He chooses to reveal Himself. He has chosen to reveal Himself in His Son, who took on flesh and blood and lived among us. Apart from the divine revelation in the Bible and the incarnation of the Son of God, we would have no clue as to what God is like. 

Jesus affirms that we must worship God in “In Spirit and truth.” Given Jesus’ earlier encounter with Nicodemus, I believe Jesus is saying that we cannot worship God at all unless we have been born of the Spirit. Some have thought that worship “in spirit” means to worship sincerely. Of course, worship must be done sincerely. That goes without saying, but that is not the point Jesus makes here. We must be born of the Spirit to worship God with integrity. God is Spirit, and we must possess the Holy Spirit to truly worship.  Paul says plainly that we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit of God comes to our aid (see Romans 8:26).  We learn in Acts 2:38 that when we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Only when that gift is obtained are we then able to worship God. 

This is, I believe, what it means to worship God in Spirit. We are also to worship “in truth.” The meaning here is clear. God has revealed His truth to us in Jesus Christ and Sacred Scripture. You cannot worship God properly if your life is not aligned with divine truth. This means two things. First, it means that we strive to live our lives in conformity to divine truth.  Second, it means that when we fall short, we quickly confess our sin, repent, and ask for forgiveness and restoration. We come to the Lord’s Table to receive once again the assurance of divine pardon. One cannot pray in truth if our lives are out of harmony with God. 

We wonder how much of what Jesus said was understood by this woman. She probably does not comprehend very much, as is evident in her next statement. “I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming.  When he comes he will explain everything to us.” The Samaritans still retained the Jewish idea of a coming Messiah. She tells Jesus that when the Messiah comes, He will explain everything, and she will then understand God. Jesus then makes an astonishing statement, “I who speak to you am He.”  

There were times when Jesus did not want His identity revealed.  When Peter confessed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God, He asked His disciples not to disclose this to others (Matt. 16). He asks a healed leper to keep quiet about what had happened to him (Matt. 8); He healed a deaf man in Mark 7 and told him to tell no one.  When He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, He admonished them to tell no man what they had seen until later. When the daughter of Jairus was raised from the dead, Jesus again says, “tell no man” (Luke 9). 

But in our text, when dealing with a confused, sinful Samaritan woman, He reveals His identity to her. And as we will see next week, she proceeds to tell others. In addition to what I said previously on this theme, it may have been because the Jewish people had so many false political ideas attached to the Messiah.  Jesus wanted those who believed in Him to keep quiet until the proper time. After His resurrection, when the fullness of the Gospel was revealed, He commanded His disciples to go into all the world and proclaim the good news. 

Jesus tells us how we are to worship God. We do well to heed His instructions, seeking always to worship God in Spirit and in truth. To obey this command, we must know that we have received the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit dwelling within will prompt us to worship God within both the church and elsewhere.  We must also be living our lives in harmony with divine truth to worship God with integrity. Our prayers, hymns, sermons, and words of praise must conform to divine truth.  To worship God while ignoring the divine truth revealed in Scripture is to worship in ignorance. 

Jesus announced that the time has arrived when those who seek to worship God must worship Him in Spirit and truth. If you are one who underlines in your Bible, you might want to highlight the word “must” in 4:25. It is not an option.  Those who worship God must worship in Spirit and truth. Let us resolve to follow these divine instructions. 

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DECISIONS DETERMINE OUR DESTINY

Warsaw Christian Church (5/31/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Hebrews 11:24-28: 

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.  By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,  choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures ^[i]in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.  By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Everyone wants to live a happy and fulfilling life. I don’t know anyone who wants to be sad and miserable. Unfortunately, life does not always cooperate with our desire to be happy. Life keeps throwing barriers in our path (like the Coronavirus), hindering our longing for a happy and fulfilling life. If we learn to make the right decisions in life, we are much more likely to find peace and contentment. Bad choices lead to misery, while good choices lead to joy and peace. We cannot always control what happens to us, but we can control the decisions we make in response to events. With God’s help, we can make wise, godly decisions. 

We have all heard the aphorism, “You are what you eat.” That saying refers to physical health and well-being. In the psychological-spiritual realm, you are what you decide. Decisions have a massive impact on the quality of life we live. Some decisions are easy, and some are difficult. One man was asked this question during a job interview: “Do you have trouble making decisions?” The man replied, “Well, yes, and no.” The secret for Christians is to make decisions compatible with the will of God. When our decisions are in harmony with the will of God, they will always be the right decisions. 

We learn something about making good decisions from our text in Hebrews. Moses faced having to make some critical choices, and we can learn from his example. I see four principles in our text that will guide our decision making. 

First Principle: We must choose God’s plan instead of our own. 

As I was working on this sermon, I thought of a Christian pastor in Iran. His name is Youcef Nadarkhani. Under the Iranian court’s interpretation of Sharia law, he may be executed for his faith. Three times the authorities asked him to renounce Christ. Three times he refused. Islamic law gives you three chances to change your mind, with execution to follow. Like Moses, he has decided that to suffer for Christ is to be preferred over life without Him. As of 2018, he remains in an Iranian prison.

It is not always easy to submit to God’s plan, especially when we are not sure where He intends to lead us. The decision to choose the will of God is not one we make depending on the situation. It is a decision for life, a no-matter-what decision. Chances are we will never be in the position Moses was, where we must choose between wealth and power, or the will of God. Nevertheless, we make decisions daily. We must decide once for all.  Do I agree to follow God’s way or my way? Have you made that decision? Are you one of those people who think you can figure things out on your own? That may work temporarily, but sooner or later you will learn that you are not as wise as you think. The only sensible decision is always to choose the will of God. 

Second Principle: Favor with God trumps worldly interests and prestige. Some sacrifice their souls in the pursuit of worldly fame and fortune. Moses decided he preferred to be mistreated with God’s people rather than live as a son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Think about that decision. It was a decision that cost him tremendous wealth and power. In exchange, he received abuse. Moses made that decision with his eyes open. He knew he would become an outcast from the most powerful family on earth. He turned his back on all the benefits of Egyptian wealth and power, living in the desert as an outcast. He considered the will of God and decided it was worth more than all the treasures of Egypt. Do we have such a high view of the will of God? 

Why would anyone give up all that wealth and power and submit to the will of God? Moses understood something we must comprehend. All the wealth and power in the world has no significance if the will of God is sacrificed to obtain it. Jesus once told us that our souls – our eternal destiny – is of more value than gaining the whole world (Matthew 16:26). 

Our decisions reveal much about our spirituality. Every time we make a decision divorced from the will of God, we demonstrate the weakness of our faith. We show that we have doubts about eternity, so we make decisions which center on self and this world. What is your choice when Sunday morning rolls around? When you stay away from Sunday School or church, does God tell you to stay away, or is that your decision? Many in our congregation have decided that Wednesday Bible study is not for them. Is that the will of God for you? When you give to the cause of Christ, do you follow God’s will? It is the will of God that you forgive all those who have hurt or offended you. Are you following God’s will? Moses faced a momentous decision. He could have wealth and power beyond measure, or he could suffer with God’s people. He chose to suffer, embracing the will of God. What about me? What about you?   

Third Principle: Worldly pleasure is fun, but it expires over time. Disobeying God can be fun for a season. The tithe that belongs to God can buy some pleasurable things for you. Adultery and fornication can be very enjoyable, at least for a while. There are things you can do on Sunday morning that are much more enjoyable than being in church. Getting even with someone who hurt you can bring perverse pleasure, but the will of God is forgiveness.  What is your decision? Serving Christ through His church is not always as enjoyable as secular pursuits. Moses learned that his choice for the will of God led to mistreatment and suffering. Have you made any decisions for Christ lately that caused you suffering? Have I? What sacrifices have we made for Jesus recently? He endured the agony of the cross for us. 

Yes, our text acknowledges that sin has pleasure for a season, but the season will come to an end, and then what? Sin seems to be the most natural path, but the path of least resistance is often a deadly road. The thief may enjoy the money he stole, but his time in jail is not so enjoyable. Infidelity may bring temporary pleasure, but what happens when your disobedience catches up with you? I used to enjoy smoking. Actually, it was the cigarette that smoked. I was just the sucker on the other end! I just followed the example of my cigarette smoking Dad, who died too young with emphysema and COPD. Decisions have consequences. Some behaviors bring short term pleasure, but the results are deadly. 

Fourth Principle: Heavenly rewards trump earthly riches. Following Jesus is not always easy.  However, whatever we sacrifice for Him we will gain a hundredfold in eternity. Do you want short term pleasure or eternal rewards? What is your decision?

Consider the opulence present in the pyramids. Look at the wealth discovered in the tombs of ancient Pharaohs. What would induce Moses to turn his back on all of that? Look again at verse 26. Moses “esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” Moses considered what he possessed as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, and then he considered the rewards of faithfulness to God. It is a no-brainer. 

If you had to choose between riches in this world,  or suffering for your faith, what would your decision be? Khufu, Cheops, King Tut, Ramses- – -the great Pharaoh’s of ancient Egypt – – – are buried in great pyramids.  Grave robbers or archeologists have taken the wealth buried with them. What became of their souls? 

Moses is buried in an unmarked grave on a lonely hill in the desert. Did he make the right choice? He appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, alive and well centuries after his death. He chose to identify with God’s Messiah 2000 years before Jesus was born! Today he is enjoying the rewards that go with making the right decision. 

All of us face decisions daily. It boils down to two choices: My will or God’s will. My way or Jesus’ way. I urge one and all to make two critical life decisions;  trust Jesus – follow Jesus. Those two decisions will lead to peace in our hearts now and eternal blessedness in the future. Decisions made contrary to the will of God lead to misery and trouble in this life and may have consequences in the next life. Decisions determine destiny! Moses saw that earthly wealth and position were nothing in comparison to what God has planned for His people. He made the right choice.  We need to do likewise. 

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THE LUKEWARM CHURCH
Warsaw Christian Church, (5/24/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Revelation 3:14-22

There are many disturbing passages in Scripture. Sometimes we preachers like to avoid them, preferring to preach only on positive subjects. However, all who claim to be ministers of the Word are under obligation to declare the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Some Christians take a perverted delight in hearing how God will judge unbelievers. In our text for today, however, God is not speaking to those outside the church. He is speaking to those who have confessed faith in Jesus Christ and are a part of His church.

His words are quite alarming. To His church He says, “You make me sick. Your lukewarm spiritual condition is repulsive to me. I am about to throw up.” This is an extremely graphic, frightening language. The church at Laodecia is on the verge of receiving very severe divine discipline. We need to understand why this church is in trouble with the Lord so that we may avoid their errors.

The church at Laodecia faced two related problems. First problem: They are satisfied with their church. They are complacent. They think they are spiritually healthy and need nothing else from God. They have arrived. Oh, they probably would admit they are not perfect, but they are good enough to pass the divine muster. They have all the basics in place and need nothing to improve their spiritual condition.

This leads to problem number two: They are spiritually in a lukewarm condition. They are redeemed believers who trust in Jesus as their Savior. They are bound for heaven. Their lukewarm state is a reference to their works. Keep in mind that this is not a text about salvation. It is a text about the quality of our service in the Kingdom of God. At one time, the Laodecians were hot – – – on fire in their service to the Master. They were working hard at obeying Jesus.

They had won many others to faith in Jesus, including some of Laodecia’s wealthiest citizens. There was more than enough money in the church offerings. The coffers were full. It was a nice church, a credit to the Kingdom of God. In the early days, their attitude was one of reaching out to the community with the good news of Jesus. Now the members were saying, “People know where the church is located. They can come if they wish.” At one time, they thought, “Jesus has saved us and given us the gift of eternal life. We must thank Him by living for Him.” Now they thought, “Since heaven is a gift, we don’t need to worry about serving Jesus. We don’t want to be perceived as fanatics.” At one time, the Laodecians saw the church of Jesus Christ as the most significant institution in their lives. Oh, they still supported the church, but now they were more interested in community activities. Local social, economic, political, vocational, and recreational activities ate up more and more of their time. These are not evil things in themselves. We are all involved in them to a degree, but they should never be regarded as more important than our relationship with Jesus through His church.

At one time, Jesus had been the center of their lives. Now He was relegated to a secondary position. The Laodiceans, however, were ignorant of their spiritual condition. They loved their church. They were satisfied with their church. They saw themselves as good and faithful Christians.

The view from heaven reveals a very different picture. Jesus describes them as “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” He summed up their spiritual condition by describing them as “lukewarm.” Their church, in the beginning, had resembled a military outpost in Laodecia. Every day they sent their spiritual troops against the enemy, and many of those enemies came to faith in Jesus Christ. Now they had become a semi-private religious club, ignored by the community around them. They were a harmless church, useless to God, and they liked it that way.

Jesus uses three words to describe churches. Some are hot. These are churches deeply committed to Jesus. Some are cold. These are churches in name only. They believe in the Savior, but little service for Him is taking place. They are on the verge of death. They are like a corpse; they look like a church, but there is little spiritual service. Others are lukewarm, not yet cold, but moving in that direction. I wonder which of these three words Jesus would apply to the Warsaw Christian Church? Hot? Cold? Lukewarm? Or, to make it personal, how does Jesus view me, or you? Hot, cold, or lukewarm.

Churches are not static institutions. They have a life of their own, and movement and change go on continuously. The question we must ask is this: what is our direction as a church? Are we moving closer to hot, or are we drifting in the cold direction? On a scale of 1 to 10 with ten being hot, I do not think many churches will be classified as 10’s. We hope there are not many churches that have grown completely cold, but it does happen. What is the direction of our church? Are we moving toward 10, or drifting toward 1?

If we sense a touch of lukewarmness in our church, what are we to do? The first thing to do is to realize that Jesus loves lukewarm churches. Jesus loves the Church at Laodecia. He does not love their condition, but He loves the people. He warns them that because of their lukewarmness, discipline is coming. The church will face problems; the individual members will encounter difficulties. Jesus says, “Those whom I love I reprove and discipline.” Divine discipline is intended to move the church in two ways.

First, Jesus calls for repentance in verse 19. Some churches have difficulty responding to this call for repentance. We can assume the Laodiceans were lukewarm and drifting towards the cold end of the scale. Perhaps they were offended by this call to repentance. Remember, they are satisfied and think they need nothing. The Lord of the church is speaking to them almost as though they were pagan unbelievers. “We? – – – repent? How absurd! We are one of the finest churches in Asia Minor. When the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation, he must have been suffering from heatstroke or some brain disorder.” They probably did ignore John’s message because in time, the church at Laodecia passed out of existence. They grew colder and colder, and finally, the church closed its doors. If we need to repent as individuals or as a church, we need to take it seriously and hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.

The second thing Jesus asked of the church at Laodecia probably shocked them even more than the call to repentance. We often use Revelation 3:20 to refer to individuals, but it was originally addressed to the church: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Here is the picture presented to us in our text. I see a church. Perhaps it is a grand cathedral or a more humble building, such as the one in which we worship. The church has a door. Jesus stands on the outside and knocks, waiting for the church to open to Him. Some churches would be highly offended by the notion that Jesus was on the outside, seeking entrance.

The text calls for us to think carefully. It begins with the image of Jesus standing at the door of the church, but then the imagery shifts to the individual. If anyone (any individual) hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and he with me. Jesus speaks to every individual in the church, asking them to open their hearts to Him. Jesus refers to a spiritual dining, recognizing again that He is the bread of life. We are to receive from Him the spiritual nourishment we need.

At one level, it seems as though these Laodecians have lost their faith. Repentance and faith in Jesus is the message we proclaim to unbelievers. However, it is essential to keep in mind the context. The issue under discussion is not salvation. These lukewarm Laodecians are Christians. At least we can assume that most of them do believe in Jesus. There were probably some hypocrites mixed in with the believers. The problem is this; they are lukewarm in their works. They have lost their original enthusiasm to work for Jesus. He is still their indwelling Savior. However, He is absent from their deeds. They need to repent of their lukewarm service to the Master and invite Him into their daily tasks.

Spiritual lukewarmness is a dangerous condition because those who are in that condition have a difficult time admitting it. They think all is well and the call to renewed repentance and faith falls on deaf ears. “I don’t need to invite Jesus into my heart. He is already there.” That is not the issue. The issue is this. Is He in command of your life as you go about your daily tasks?

When you think of evangelism, for example, are you actively involved, or sitting on the sidelines? Is He on the outside of that decision because you do not want to face your responsibility to evangelize? What about simple honesty and integrity? Is He on the inside, guiding you to live on a high moral plane, or do you make a lot of ethical decisions with Him on the outside? Who decides what you will give out of your resources to further the work of the Kingdom? Is Jesus on the inside of that decision, or the outside? Do you sometimes stay away from the church simply because you just don’t want to be involved? Who made that decision, you or Jesus?

I hope I have presented the points raised in our text. Let me close by summarizing in a few words. Jesus loves you, but He wants to be more actively involved in your daily decisions (or in your works). The issue is not salvation, but discipleship. Salvation remains forever a gift given in response to faith in Jesus. Discipleship refers to how faithfully we serve the Master. If Jesus is calling you to repentance and seeking more of a presence in your daily life, what will your response be? Will you throw open the door of your heart and say, “Jesus, come in and take charge of my daily activities.” Or will you say, “I am satisfied with my Christian life. I need nothing.” I have to make that choice daily, and so do you.

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DIVINE GUIDANCE FOR COMMON FOLKS

WARSAW CHRISTIAN CHURCH (5/17/20) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

There have been times in the past (and in the present also) when God has made His will known in some extraordinary manner.  Sometimes He spoke directly to the prophets enabling them to thunder out the phrase — THUS SAITH THE LORD.   The apostle Paul was knocked to the ground and blinded when God spoke to him and told him what he must do.  John, the apostle, had a strange vision on the Isle of Patmos wherein God revealed to him things which pertain to the future.  There are persons today who claim that God has spoken to them directly.

This sermon is not about unusual guidance.  This is a sermon for folks who, like myself, have never heard God speak directly.  While we all need divine guidance, God does not always provide it extraordinarily.  On the other hand, God has promised to lead and guide His people.  Our task this morning is to try and understand how God guides us ordinarily — apart from His speaking directly to us, or granting us a dream or vision, or knocking us to the ground.  If God extraordinarily speaks to you, I suggest you listen.  If He speaks to you without any outward manifestations,  it is your task to learn how that speaking takes place. 

I want to use as our basic text Proverbs 3:5,6 — “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  The text ends with the promise, “He (God) shall direct your paths.”  We want to examine how it is we reach the point where we can say with confidence that God is directing our path. 

There are three concepts in our text we must understand. First, there is wholehearted trust; second, refusing to trust in oneself; and third, acknowledging God in all things.  Once those three items are in place in your life, you can rest assured that God is directing your steps, even when you have no experience of His guidance.  We begin with the word TRUST.  The Hebrew word is “batach,” (baw-takh’); a primitive root which means to go someplace for refuge.  If you went into a cave to get out of the rain, you had “batach” for the cave; trust that it would keep you dry.  Thus, the word came to mean to trust, be confident or sure, to put confidence in someone or just plain “trust.”

Thus, to trust in God means to go to God as our place of refuge; to have confidence that He will protect us and direct us.  Solomon, the author of many of the Proverbs, adds, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”  If we wish to be directed by God, we must become people whose trust in God is wholehearted.  This is a repetition of the First Commandment. An unconditional faith in God means that He has first place in our hearts.  Such trust is both logical and necessary.  God is the creator of everything that exists. He is the Supreme Being, the source of everything true, good, and beautiful.  He is worthy of our total trust.  Logic demands that we trust God supremely. 

If we trust anyone or anything more than we trust God, we are acting illogically.  To be more blunt, we are acting stupidly.  It is so easy for us to allow something other than God to rise to the top of our value list.  Jesus told a parable about a man who did just that.  He had money, full barns,  and he felt safe and secure.  He thought these things would protect him against any eventuality, and so he trusted in them.  The problem was he was going to die that very night, and of what value would be his wealth when standing before God (Luke 12:16)?

God has promised to direct the paths of those whose faith in Him is without reservation.  That which we trust becomes our guiding path in life.  If we trust money and things, our path will be directed by the stock market or interest rates.  If we believe supremely in ourselves, our paths will be guided by self.  If we trust in some humanistic philosophy, our path will be guided by that philosophy.  If we believe in God, then He shall guide our steps.  Take care where you place your trust, for that which you trust will direct your path. 

Our text now adds a thought to clarify what it means to trust in God.  We are told to “lean not on our own understanding.” In other words, don’t trust your analysis of life situations.  We tend to examine problems and opportunities, and then too quickly initiate a plan of action based on our human perceptions.  We are, of course, to use our brains in trying to cope with life.  We are not being told to plunge into irrationality. We are not to put our minds into neutral. Instead, we are not to place any final or ultimate trust in our wisdom.  We are to seek out the wisdom of God through Scripture and prayer, trusting God to correct the failings of our human wisdom so that our final and ultimate trust is in God.

Let’s use an example.  Suppose I have decided taxes are too high (that won’t take much supposing!), and therefore to make taxes fairer, I choose to cheat on my income tax.  It may seem like a logical thing to do. This action will hurt no one, and the government will never miss the money.  Having once worked for the government, I know first hand how much money is wasted in government bureaucracies.  Human wisdom may well conclude, “Go ahead.  Cheat on your taxes.”  But as a Christian, I have to go beyond the thoughts of my brain and search God’s Word.  Does God’s word say anything about taxes?  Yes, it does.  Romans 13:7 reads as follows: “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes. . .”  Is there anywhere in the Bible where cheating and lying are set forth as virtues? As I pray about the matter, is God going to tell me to go against His revealed Word? No!  As I attack decisions in this manner, allowing God to have the final word, and then act according to the will of God,  who will be directing my path?  Of course, the answer is God.

Our text continues with these words: “In all your ways acknowledge Him.”  First, trust,  then, acknowledge.  What is the difference between trusting God and acknowledging God?  The Hebrew word used here is “yadah.” It is a primitive root meaning to know or to ascertain by experience.   It means to discern or discover; to come to know. 

There are times when it is challenging to take one Hebrew word and translate it with one English word.  When I see the word “acknowledge” in English, it seems like much too weak a word to translate what our text declares.  Acknowledge in my mind can mean something straightforward, like waving to a friend in acknowledgment that you see them.  The Hebrew word is a strong word meaning to have a first-hand knowledge of God.

The verb is in the imperative mood, meaning it is a command — or even a shout. KNOW GOD!  Thus, whatever I am doing or planning to do, I am to bring God into that situation.  I am to seek Him in all of life’s circumstances.  Another way to express this is to say that the believer’s desire to know God is so intense that God is in the mind and heart in every situation.  Thus, when you do your taxes, God is present. When you relate to your wife and children, God is there. When you are engaged in your vocation, God is there.  When you face sickness, God is there.  The Psalmist expressed this truth in these words — “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7-10). 

Is your trust in God so deep and sincere that even in those irrational times when you think you might want to flee from His presence, you cannot? That is “yadah.” That is what it means to acknowledge God in all your ways — a relationship with God so intense and so real there is no escaping, and, in our better moments, we don’t want to flee from God’s presence. 

We can immediately see a relationship between trusting God and knowing God.  We must know God before we can trust Him, and the more we trust Him, the more we know Him.  In terms of the new covenant, we came to know God when we learned of Jesus and placed our trust in Him.  As we live our lives rooted in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our faith grows, and our knowledge of God grows.  When we reach the point where our trust is wholehearted, and our understanding of God is such that He is present with us in every circumstance, then we have the assurance that God is directing our path.

Isn’t that what we want?  Have you ever said, “I wish I had a clearer idea of God’s will for my life?  I wish I knew more of His guidance and direction. I wish God would speak to me in a loud and clear manner.”  We may be looking for God’s extraordinary guidance while overlooking His normal or usual manner of guiding our lives.  If God chooses to speak to you extraordinarily, then so be it.  If He doesn’t, don’t assume that you are without divine guidance.  There is guidance for every Christian in the plain and simple words of our text.  Trust God with all your heart; know God intensely through His self-revelation in Scripture and through personal communion via prayer.  Let God have the last word in every decision and circumstance of life, and He will direct your path.  

Well, this sounds good, but perhaps it is a bit abstract.  Let’s consider some practical aspects to this matter of divine guidance.  There are things we can do which promote growth in our faith and knowledge of God (the building blocks which lead to divine guidance), and there are things we do which weaken our faith and knowledge of God. 

God has given to us what some refer to as “means of grace” — ways in which God builds up our faith and understanding.  I am referring primarily to these items: church involvement; Christ established the church as a means of enabling us to grow in faith and knowledge of God.  God chooses to grant many of His blessings to us in and through the fellowship of the church; Bible study: God gave us His word as a means of spiritual growth.  As we begin to determine our course by what is written in Scripture, our faith and knowledge of God increases; baptism and communion; God gave us these ordinances and those who faithfully receive them grow in their faith and knowledge of God. Through prayer. Our relationship with God deepens as we commune with Him faithfully. Through obedience.  As we decide to obey Christ in all things as best we understand Him, and by following His revealed Word in Scripture, our faith and knowledge grows.  

Those who take these five basic means of grace seriously will grow in faith and understanding. They will have confidence that God is guiding their path.  Sadly, I know persons who claim to be Christian who regularly neglect one or more of these means of grace.  It should not surprise us to learn that such persons flounder spiritually, making one mistake after another, having no sense of divine direction over their lives.  Our sense of divine guidance will be hindered by willful disobedience; by the neglect of Christ’s church and Christ’s ordinances;  by loving this present world and responding to its allurements without considering the mind and will of God; by becoming too busy so that prayer and Bible study are crowded out of one’s life.  If we do not faithfully use those things given to us by God to enable us to grow in faith and knowledge, we will have little sense of divine guidance. 

I want to mention two more hindrances to guidance that do not fit into the above scheme and therefore need special attention.  Sometimes solid Christians become accustomed to living in a state of grace and may convince themselves that they can neglect the things of God.  Thus, a strong Christian may think to himself, “I am fully aware of the teachings of the Bible, and therefore, I need not pursue God’s Word with the diligence I once had.”  Or, “Even though my prayer life has slipped lately, I still pray more than others.”  

One of the dangers for strong Christians is the risk we have examined before in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican.  Strong Christians may see so many weak Christians around them that they become full of pride,  that pride which goes before the fall (Proverbs 16:18).  The very desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of God can create spiritual danger, a sense of spiritual pride that spells death for the soul if it is not recognized and corrected. 

While we must pursue the divinely appointed means of grace with all diligence, we must do so, remembering that God always resists the proud and grants His grace to the humble.  Micah expressed it this way in a familiar verse in which he answered the question, “What does the Lord require of you?”  He mentions justice and mercy but closes with a reminder that we must ever walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).  I think it is accurate to say that once we lose humility, we lose God.

Finally, those who seek to walk with God quickly learn that such a life always generates opposition.  Even within the church, the more serious Christians are sometimes opposed by the less serious.  And when we try to follow Christ in this godless, secular world around us, there will be strong opposition.  Many earnest Christians get tired of the struggle, or perhaps are too eager for the approval of the world, and so they let up.  They grow weary in well-doing.  We need Paul’s reminder that if we refuse to give in to spiritual weariness and press on in our desire to be faithful to Christ,  in due season, we shall reap the reward of knowing God’s blessing and guidance upon our lives (see Gal. 6:9). 

We have covered much territory, so let me close with a summary.  If you want to know divine guidance in your life, do these things:

     1. Trust God with all your heart.

     2. Desire the presence of God in every life situation.

     3. Use the divinely appointed means of grace.

     4. Stay humble before God.

     5. Persist in the face of weariness caused by opposition to our faith. 

Follow this path, and you will eventually know deep inside that God is directing your steps.  You may not hear God speaking audibly; you may not have dreams and visions; you may not have any outward manifestation of the divine presence, but you will know in the depths of your innermost being that God is guiding your life.  He has promised to guide us, and God always keeps His promises.    

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MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS

Warsaw Christian Church, Mother’s Day, May 10, 2020

Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 1:46-55

Introduction

In our world, we often hear certain people described as role models. One of my role models as a child was Stan Musial, the great slugger who spent his entire career in St. Louis. I even taught myself to bat left-handed, so I could imitate Stan the Man. In the Scriptures, we find role models to emulate. On Mother’s Day, we think of women like Deborah, Mary, and Martha, Mary Magdalene, and of course, the Mother of Jesus. Because Roman Catholic Christians have unduly exalted Mary to a position of veneration, some non-Catholic Christians have neglected to benefit from the positive example of this great role model of motherhood.

Today, on Mother’s Day, let us look at Mary to discover something about her faith and her faithfulness. Let us look at Mary so that we might find some of the factors that contributed to her success as a mother. While some Christians want to exalt her to a position of co-Savior, let us this morning see her as a humble, faithful Jewish girl chosen for a remarkable mission. Let us look upon her as a role model for mothers. And when I speak of mothers, I am not talking only about women who have had children. I am speaking of single women, sisters, and aunts – – – all women who influence children. 

I. Mary was chosen for a mission.

Mary became the mother of our Lord through a miraculous conception. Jesus was born of a virgin. He had an earthly mother without a human father. We know from Scripture that Mary’s pregnancy created problems for her. Joseph, at first, assumed she had betrayed him and was prepared to break off their engagement. To show up pregnant without a husband in ancient Israel did not make one popular. In some cases, it led to the death penalty. I am sure she experienced abuse and ridicule from some of her neighbors. 

The eternal God chose to clothe Himself in human flesh, and, to come to us, He sent His Son by way of a miraculous virgin birth. It was not Mary’s virginity alone that qualified her uniquely for becoming the mother of our Lord. Based on what we know from Scripture, we know that Mary had many beautiful qualities. Mary was a devout worshiper of the true God. God would select no one else to bring His Son into the world. She was a young woman who realized her dependence upon God. Mary was quick to be obedient to the will of God as soon as she understood it. She was thankful that God choose her for this particular mission. She was a faithful Jew who would play a key role in ushering in the New Covenant.   

II. Mary was chosen as a model or example.

Mary was chosen not only for a mission but also to serve as an example to other mothers.

A. Mary responded positively to God’s gracious plan for her life. The announcement that she would bear a son conceived by the Holy Spirit was surely an unbelievable challenge. Yet with firm but humble faith Mary responded, “Be it unto me according to your will.” Mothers today who approach parenthood in that same spirit will find their task to be blessed by God. Those who, like Mary, stand ready to carry out the will of God as they understand it, will find the presence of God to be a daily reality.   

B. Mary magnified the Lord in song for his goodness and graciousness. God puts a song in the hearts of those who trust him. Mary’s song in that section of Scripture we call “The Magnificat” reflects her deep faith and her love for God. She prays, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46).  She praises God for His regard for her lowly estate. Mothers today who live by faith will also have a song in their hearts. 

C. Mary worshiped the mighty God of Israel “For He who is mighty has done great things for me”(Luke 1:49). Mary’s God was no wimp and no weakling. He was the great God, the creator God, the redeeming God. He was God on the throne, and she responded to His authority. Mothers today who have a worldview that exalts God will be blessed, as was Mary. Motherhood can be a challenging task, and those who enter into that task trusting in a mighty heavenly Father will find that He is present to help. 

D. Mary worshiped the merciful God. “His mercy is on those who fear Him, from generation to generation”(Luke 1:50). Those who believe in a merciful God will find His mercy to be present in their lives. The merciful love of God expresses itself in a persistent attitude of goodwill and helpfulness to His people, even when we don’t deserve it. The psalmist described the God of Israel as “a very present help in trouble.” Mary experienced this helping hand of God, and she became a helper to Him in His work of helping others. Mothers,  follow the example of Mary. The merciful God in whom Mary trusted is also your God. 

III. Mary suffered the pains of motherhood.

There is pain associated with the birth experience. There are considerable pains along the pathway of life for mothers, and Mary became acquainted with those pains. 

A. When Jesus was twelve years of age, Mary found it difficult to understand her Son (Luke 2:49 – 50). Mary could sympathize with modern mothers of teenagers. Sometimes our children can be a real enigma. We have many grandmothers in our congregation who can tell you first hand that children can be a real pain.  Our younger mothers will experience that as their children grow up. Mothers with strong faith receive the wisdom to deal with their children.   

B. Later on other members of the family in which Jesus grew up were unsympathetic toward him. They did not accept Him as the Messiah until after his resurrection. We read in John 7:3 that his brothers did not believe in Him. No doubt, they were embarrassed by Him. Sibling rivalry has caused pain to many a mother. Again, the faith of Mary will be a definite help in handling such competition. 

C. Mary undoubtedly experienced significant pain when her Son was rejected by the people of His home town, Nazareth. They heard the words of Jesus and reacted with murderous intent. “So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff” (Luke 4:28 – 29). No mother wants to see her Son rejected by others. I am sure Mary was deeply troubled by this reaction to her Son. If you have a child rejected by society, Mary would positively identify with you. We do not pray to Mary as she is not a god, but we may find comfort in knowing that she identifies with the pain felt by modern mothers. Diana Allen nicely sums up the sentiment of many mothers. After explaining the hardships of parenthood, she writes, “There will be days when I’ll still hunt through the yellow pages for the number for the Mother’s Resignation Hotline … or my heart will feel as though it has been shattered into a thousand pieces. One thing is sure, however: I have to hang on, to stand firm, to fight the good fight. The souls of my children and the quality of the lives they live here on earth is at stake—and so is their eternity. My children are too precious for me to do anything but persevere.”

D. Mary suffered the horrible humiliation of seeing her Son arrested, falsely accused, convicted, condemned, and crucified as a common criminal. “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother” (John 19:25). In no way can we fully understand the agony in this mother’s heart during these terrible hours when her Son was suffering as He did. Yes, she believed Him to be the Messiah, the Son of God. Yet she also knew Him in His humanity as her Son. Mothers (and fathers) who have seen their children suffer unjustly know how painful that is. Such pain often goes along with motherhood. 

IV. Mary worshiped a risen and ruling Savior.

Following our Lord’s resurrection from the dead, we find    Mary present with those who were rejoicing at His victory over death. She was with them as they prayed in anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). Her pain as a mother finally came to an end. Her Son was also God’s Son, and He triumphed over death and the grave. Mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and all those who care for children, whatever you are going through now, if you continue in faith, you will one day be richly rewarded. One day in heaven, we will sing, “It will be worth it all.” 

Conclusion

Mary is a good model for the modern mother. Hers was a life of great faith, as evidenced by her song, “the Magnificat,” our Scripture reading this morning. Mary’s heart was in tune with her Father God, and she was continually open to communication from him. Prayer was a dialogue rather than a monologue. Mary, the mother of our Lord, believed that God’s will was always right and that it was something to do rather than something merely to endure. Mary is a good role model for raising children. Those who approach the task of motherhood with her strong, simple faith will one day hear the Lord declare, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

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THE UNIVERSE: CREATOR OR ACCIDENT?

Warsaw Christian Church, (5/3/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text, Gen. 1:1-5

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.   Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.   And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.   God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.   God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day.

Who are we? Why are we here? Where did we come from? Such questions have plagued the human race for many centuries. I have spoken on creation verses evolution before, and it seems like time to discuss the subject again. It does have implications for us in the face of the Coronavirus. We begin with the only historical account of creation on record, Genesis 1.

Of course, many who consider themselves to be sophisticated moderns would laugh at what I just said. Many, even in the church, assume Genesis 1 to be a mythical story. The problem is that no one was present to witness creation, except God. There are those who attempt to account for the universe in which we live by keeping God out of the picture. Many reject the idea of a Creator. In the beginning was the Big Bang, and as luck would have it, this original mindless explosion resulted in the orderly universe in which we live. Further luck was involved in the creation of life from lifeless matter. Then life evolved over billions of years, resulting in such complexities as the human brain and mind, our marvelous senses, the wide variety in the animal kingdom and in the plant world. Speaking personally, I do not have enough faith to believe that this universe is the result of a mindless explosion billions of years ago. 

Suppose I drove up to your house in a brand-new Mercedes-Benz. Suppose I said, “I made this car myself. I threw a bunch of metal and plastic and other raw materials into a pile, then I blew it up with dynamite, and the result was this beautiful automobile.” I think you would suspect I had lost my mind. You would say, “A mindless, random explosion could never produce that automobile. It is clearly the result of intelligence.” I ask you to view something far more complex than an automobile. Glance around at the universe, the sun, moon and stars, the earth, a newborn baby – – – contemplate the immensity of it all, and you will join with Moses in declaring, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” 

Dr. George Wald, a Nobel prize winner from Harvard University who rejects the idea of God creating the universe, made this strange admission. “One has only to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible. Yet here we are – – as a result, I believe in spontaneous generation.” This scientist claims, on the one hand, that living beings coming into existence spontaneously, with no Creator, is impossible, and yet he believes the impossible. He affirms that “nothing” spontaneously generated “something.” Talk about blind faith! I am not a Nobel Prize winner or a physicist, but to affirm that the universe generated spontaneously from nothing is absurd. “Nothing” cannot generate anything, let alone this vast, complex universe we call home. It is much more logical to say that if you start with nothing, nothing is all you will ever have.  It is much more reasonable to say that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), a great scientist and also a Christian, had a model of the universe made for his own personal study. A large golden ball represented the sun, and through the use of pulleys and wheels, all the plants revolved around the sun in roughly the same way they orbited in reality. One of Newton’s friends, a man who did not believe in God, came by one day and marveled at this mechanical representation of the universe. He asked Newton, “Who made it for you.” Newton replied (no doubt with a twinkle in his eye), “Nobody.” His friend replied, “What do you mean, nobody made it.” Newton “explained” that all these materials just appeared in his laboratory one day, and by chance and luck, they just happened to assemble into a model of the universe. One can only hope that his friend got the point. 

While I would love to spend more time on the abundant evidences for creation by God, that is not my main purpose today. Rather, I want to share some thoughts on what we learn about God in the story of creation. 

We learn, first of all, that God is eternal. Genesis begins with the sublime words, “In the beginning, God…” We live in time, and we might want to ask the question, “What was God doing before He created the heavens and the earth.” It is a question for which we have no answer. What God wishes us to know is that He existed before time, outside of time, in eternity. As the Psalmist expressed it, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). God exists outside of time, outside of this universe. He has no beginning and no end. Genesis 1 introduces us to the eternal God. I admit that the idea of a Being existing who is without beginning or end challenges our brain power to the limit. And yet, given the fact that as Dr. Ward put it, “Here we are,” there is no adequate explanation for reality as we know it apart from the existence of our eternal God. 

We learn further from Genesis 1 that God is creative.  There is a unique word in Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew word “bara” translated “created.” It is never used in regard to human beings. Humans can make things out of pre-existing materials, but we cannot create something from nothing. The word indicates that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing. God spoke the material universe into existence. The atoms and molecules which are the building blocks of the material universe were first of all an idea in the mind of God, and then He spoke them into existence. The vastness of the universe, and its variety, speak of the creative mind of God. Who can imagine a Being who can create the planets and the stars, with so much empty space between them? The distances in space are measured in light years, and our minds are staggered by the size of our universe. Who can imagine a Being who can create the human mind, our intricate senses, a delicate rose, the beautiful butterflies, and all the manifold variety we see in the world around us? Even Charles Darwin was fascinated by the complexity of the human eye and admitted that his own theory of evolution was unable to account for it. The only explanation Darwin or any other evolutionist can give for any phenomena in the universe is to say, “It happened by chance.” 

The creative power of God seen in the visible universe presents to us the reality of a God who simply cannot be fully grasped by the human mind.  What must God be like, who can create this vast, incomprehensible universe? He is creative and powerful beyond human conception. The Psalmist was correct when he said, “The heavens declare the glory of God . . .” (19:1).  God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, asking the question, “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? says the Holy One” (40:25). The answer is that there is nothing comparable to our Creator God.  None can claim to be His equal. The only hope we have of ever understand the awesome reality of God is through revelation. We can know that God exists through nature, but what is He like? To answer that question, He must reveal Himself to us.  He has done that through the written revelation we call the Bible, and through the personal revelation whom we know as Jesus, the Son of God.  

From Genesis 1 we learn that God exists in eternity, and that He created our time and space universe through His creative power. We learn a third fact about God in Genesis 1:1. When we think of the word “God,” we may think of the Old Testament name “Jehovah” or “Yahweh,” but that name for God was revealed later. When God is first named in the Bible in Genesis 1:1 we find the Hebrew word “elohim.” In the beginning “elohim” created the heavens and the earth. 

When you see “im” on a Hebrew word, it is a plural noun. We usually add an “s” to a noun to make it plural. The Hebrews knew that God was One.  They were monotheist.  They knew there were not many gods. They knew that the “gods” of their neighbors did not exist, and this, of course, got them into trouble with their neighbors. They conceived of “elohim” as One God in spite of the plural ending for the word. Many Bible students, including myself, see this as a preliminary, veiled reference to God’s triune nature. There is but one God, but a plurality of persons in the Godhead. This hint we find in Genesis 1 is fully revealed in the New Testament where we find the One true God defined as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

This plurality within the One True God is further alluded to in Genesis 1:26, where God says, “Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” The Hebrews never considered that “us” and “our” meant multiple “gods” even though they are plurals. They simply understood the use of “us” as poetic language. This combination of the plural noun “elohim” and the use of the word “us” in reference to God leads many Christians to conclude that while God is One, there is some complexity in the One God alluded to in the very first chapter in the Bible. 

In the light of further revelation, we see Jesus present at the time of creation. In fact, John 1:1-3 indicates that Jesus participated in creation. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.   All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.”  Paul adds in Colossians 1:16 these words: “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

That which is hinted at in Genesis is fully revealed in the New Testament. The God in whom we believe is One, but He exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I realize the truth that One God exists eternally in three persons, but there are not three Gods, just one, is a revelation beyond the power of our feeble minds to grasp. Yet, the Scriptures compel us to embrace this sublime truth.  To give just one of many references which support this truth, Jesus commanded us to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). One name, God, but three persons within the Godhead. 

We also learn from the account of creation that God is good. Over and over in the Creation account, we read the phrase, “And God saw that it was good.” I am certain that God was concerned right from the start to make certain that we understand his essential goodness, that He never resorts to evil or capriciousness. He has a good purpose behind the Corona virus even though we don’t perceive what that purpose is. If God’s awesome powers ever turned to evil, we would have no way to fight back. How can we ever resist the God who is so powerful that He could speak this universe into existence?  We rejoice to learn that our Creator is good. God’s goodness is revealed in the first chapter of Genesis, and that goodness is magnified with the coming of Jesus to be our Savior. Because God is good, and His goodness never varies, we can depend totally upon what He says. If God ever lies, He will cease to be good, and again, we would be in big trouble. Because God is good, our task is relatively simple. We must listen to God, believe what He says, and act accordingly. God is good, and He only wishes to shower His goodness upon you. 

Finally, I think we can find one more truth implied from Genesis 1, namely, God is sovereign.  “Sovereign” means that He is in control of His creation. All things came from God, and all things are finally under His control, even things we regard as evil. While we have been given the power of choice, we are not in control.  Satan is not in control. Nations and human governments are not in control. God is the sovereign Lord of the universe. 

There are times when our lives are turned upside down by the trials of life, and we may wonder who is in control.  We see sickness, death, war, famine, murder, deceit, the Corona virus and the like, and we wonder, “Is God really in control.” Yes, He really is, and He is a good God. Then where does evil come from? I hope to address that tough question later on, but for now I want to dogmatically assert, “God is in control of everything,” including things we do not understand. 

I find great comfort in knowing that our powerful creator God, who is good, is in charge. I find it scary to think that some other forces outside of God are in control, History is moving in the direction planned by God, and while we humans can and do resist God and act like we are in control, God’s plan for the world overrules our plans. We read in Isaiah 40:15, “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales”. We think of our own nation as mighty and powerful, but God sees us as a drop of water, or a speck of dust!  It is humbling to try and gain God’s perspective on reality. God has the right to govern His world as He chooses, and He does so rule. Again, our task is easy.  We need to learn from God what He wants from us, and respond accordingly. 

In closing, we learn from Genesis 1 that our Creator is eternal, powerful beyond our imagination, He is creative, He is One, but with a plural name, He is good, and He is sovereign. This does raise the question, “So how did we get into this mess?” The one-word answer is “sin,” but we do not have the time to discuss that today.

The great hymn “How Great Thou Art” has the refrain, “Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art.” Let us praise God with this marvelous expression of the greatness and goodness of God.  

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I BELIEVE IN THE CHURCH

WARSAW CHRISTIAN CHURCH, (4/26/2020) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Matthew 16:13-18

Jesus said in response to Peter’s confession of faith, “You are Peter (petros) and on this rock (petra) I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).  There is a play on words in the text which we miss in English. Peter’s name means “rock” in Greek, and Jesus builds his church on that “rock”, referring to Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. A short time later Jesus was nailed to a cross and His disciples fled in fear.  What kind of egotist would declare that He could build an enduring institution which could not be conquered?  The whole idea of “church” seemed to die a violent death on a hill outside Jerusalem.  But then came that first Easter, and Jesus rose from death.  He regathered His Disciples and told them to go into all the world to proclaim His Gospel to all nations and persons.  He empowered them with His own Spirit, and the church was born and continues to be on the march today.  The church of Jesus Christ is alive and well, and shall always be so, for the gates of hell cannot defeat the church. The Coronavirus we are enduring seems like a powerful enemy, but it will not destroy the church of Jesus Christ. I love the church of Jesus Christ. Let me share with you several reasons why I believe in the church.

The first reason I believe in the church is a pragmatic reason which has nothing to do with the truthfulness of the church’s message.  Of course, I believe that message to be true, but setting aside the truth question for a moment, look at what the church has accomplished.  The church is behind society’s noblest and best achievements.  It was the Christian church and Christian people who began public education in this country.  Many of our great colleges and universities, including Harvard and Princeton, were founded as Christian colleges.  There are hundreds of Christian colleges and seminaries today. Christians believe all truth comes ultimately from God, and have been leaders in the educational field.

Hospitals, orphanages, homes for old folks; have you ever seen such an institution founded by an atheist?  Christians believe life is God-given and that we should care for one another.  Is there a Warsaw Atheistic League providing “Christmas for kids?” It is Christians who provide this ministry in our community. My own grandparents lived out their final years at the Barton Stone Christian Home in Jacksonville, IL, founded and supported by the church.  I believe in the church.

And who was behind the abolition of slavery, and who has spearheaded equal rights for minorities, for women, the end of child labor abuse?  The church believes all persons are created by God, and that idea has compelled society to move in the direction of recognizing the dignity of all persons.

And what would happen in the world today if the influence of Christian missionaries were magically withdrawn from history?  Would the world today be a better place or a worse place if Christianity had not spread to every nation?  The world is certainly no utopia and there is much need for progress, but think where we would be if Jesus had not established a church, and the church had not spread its influence around the world.  Our world is vastly improved because of the church. I believe in the church.

During the Dark Ages, almost one-third of the world’s population was killed by the Black plague during one twelve-year period.  That was a plague far worse than the Coronavirus. Who was it in those dark days who buried the dead and cared for the sick?  More often than not it was those who had made a vow to Christ to care for the sick and the needy, to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others.  The awful black plague could not destroy the church. I believe in the church.

Why are Gary and Judy Woods, Lynn and Dori Cazier and Jeff and Lucy Osborne willing to spend so much of their lives among the primitive tribes of Africa, seeking to lift them up in every way?  The love of Christ compels them to go.  The church of Jesus Christ provides the needed funding.  I am proud of the fact that our little church helps to support three missionary families. There are other institutions and agencies around the world doing good works, but I challenge you to name a single institution that has done more good for the human race than the church of Jesus Christ.  I believe in the church.

Remove the influence of the church from my life and there would be little left.  I grew up in the church, and the church has always been an integral part of my life. As a small child I can remember running up to the organ bench during the Organ Postlude and watching my father’s fingers dance over the keyboard. My grandfather and uncle served the church as pastors, Yes, the church has faults, but it is also a loving, caring community.  I believe in the church.

The work I did with Disciple Renewal brought me some national attention in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), not all of it positive.  If you were to go through my correspondence file for those years you would find quite a few letters which attack and insult my integrity.  Not everyone approved of our efforts to move the denomination back to its Christ-centered, Bible-based roots.  Now, when people misunderstand your motives and you come under attack, that is painful.  I will never get used to it.  I was able to cope partly through the love and support of family and the love and prayers of the church. I believe in the church.

The fellowship of the church means everything to me.  And I know that if I allowed others to share their experiences with the church, we would hear many stories from many about how the church has supported you with her love and prayers when you were hurting.  I believe in the church.

I also believe in the church because the church proclaims absolute truth in this relativistic age in which we live.  Allan Bloom, in his book “The Closing of the American Mind,” begins with these words: “There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative.”  He explains that “openness” is the new creed of the day, and the only heresy is committed by those who are not open, but who affirm that some truths are absolute.  He writes, “There is no enemy other than the man who is not open to everything” (p.27).  I have my belief, you have yours.  I have my moral standards, you have yours.  I have my lifestyle, you have yours.  To each his own is the opinion of many today. Bloom adds that the liberalism of John Stuart Mill and John Dewey which have so influenced American education have “taught us that the only danger confronting us is being closed to the emergent, the new, the manifestations of progress” (p.29).

Do you grasp what this intellectual environment means for us as Christians?  We must either deny the basic truths of our faith and agree that religion is a matter of opinion, or we are enemies of society.  Several national ministries have taken a biblical position in regard to homosexual behavior and are accused by “progressive” organizations of hate crimes. I am one of those dangerous persons who does not accept the relativity and openness of today’s society.  I stand on the authority of the Bible. Yes, we love and accept those who have turned away from divine truth, but we can never compromise on truth itself. I am glad there are still some churches around who are not afraid to go against the grain of modern society and declare, “Thus saith the Lord.”  I’m glad there are still churches around who are not afraid to speak the truth.  I believe in the church.

Let me mention one final reason why I believe in the church.  There are movements within the church from time to time to try to make the church “more relevant.”  Some feel that alterations are necessary to make the church more appealing to modern man.  Well, you don’t need to do a thing to the church to make her more relevant to me.  In fact, some of the attempts to “make the church more relevant” make it less relevant for me.  If the church will simply be what God created her to be, following the pattern God has laid down for us in Scripture, the church will be relevant to those who seek after God.  The attempt to make the church relevant to impenitent sinners — to those who will not bow the knee to the Lord Jesus — will only destroy the church.

A few years ago, I read of a minister in Minneapolis who moved his church to the new Mall of America in order to become more relevant.  He told reporters that in order to appeal to unbelievers today the church must have special interest activities like “community sports programs, financial seminars, and dinner theater presentations.”  Poor Jesus!  His message of the love of God, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life just doesn’t appeal to modern man, so let’s move to the mall and have sports programs and dinner theaters.  That would not make the church seem relevant to me.  It would cheapen and ruin the church.  What kind of folly is it that possesses Christians sometimes?  If we will be what God has called us to be, we will be relevant.

I believe in the church because the church has the answer to life’s biggest questions.  Where did I come from?  Why is the world in such a mess?  How can I find forgiveness?  Is there any hope of eternal life?  Those are very relevant questions in my life, and only the church gives meaningful and satisfactory answers.  We have come from God, our Creator.  The world is in a mess because too many live in rebellion against God.  Forgiveness and eternal life can be found in Jesus Christ.  The church has meaningful, sensible answers to the ultimate questions of life, and that is why I believe in the church.

Several people have said to me over the years, “I can be a Christian without the church.” I agree if they mean that one can be a Christian without being active in a local church. But I also disagree. If you are a true Christian, redeemed by our beloved Savior, how did you hear the message of the gospel? Did you hear it from the government? Did our banking institutions tell you about Jesus? Did you learn the good news from Walmart? Perhaps you became a Christian through the work of the United Nations? If you are a Christian today, in one way or another you learned the truth because of the church. Why do so many people who claim to be Christian avoid the church? Why do some who declare, “I believe in Jesus” shun the church which He created? I don’t think there is a good answer to those questions. 

I believe in the church because it alone proclaims the message that brings eternal life to all who believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, who at Calvary atoned for our sins. I believe in the church because it alone has meaningful, rational, emotionally satisfying answers to life’s biggest questions.  I believe in the church because I believe in Jesus.  

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SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS

Warsaw Christian Church, (4/19/2020) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Ephesians, 1:1-3.

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ”

I have preached on this theme before. During this Corona virus shut down I am dusting off some old sermons and updating them for current use. I plan to return to the series on John’s Gospel when we can gather together again.

Paul begins by affirming his own authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He did not choose to be an apostle. He is an apostle by the will of God. The apostles of Christ were sent into the ancient world with a special mission. They were set aside by the will of God to proclaim the glorious message of Jesus and His salvation to the world. So important was their task that Jesus had earlier declared, “He who listens to you (the apostles) listens to me (Jesus); he who rejects you (apostles) rejects me (Jesus); and he who rejects me rejects Him who sent me (The Father)” (Luke 10:16). We have persons today who say, “I believe in Jesus, but I reject much of what Paul has written.” Jesus declares that if you reject Paul, you reject Jesus because Jesus speaks through Paul and the other apostles. We must listen to the apostolic testimony as though we were listening to God Himself, for it is the very Word of God which they speak. The one who rejects the apostolic message rejects Jesus, and he who rejects Jesus rejects the Father.

Paul greets the Ephesian congregation, referring to them as “saints,” and then explains that a saint is a person who lives faithfully in Christ Jesus. Note this carefully. A mature Christian is not one who merely professes faith in Jesus. He is one who strives to live faithfully. Note also this common Pauline phrase, “in Christ.” Faithful living takes place only when we are “in Christ.” Through faith a marvelous thing has happened. Christ dwells in us, and we live in Christ. It is only when our souls are united with the Spirit of Jesus that we are able to live faithfully.

If Christ is seen by us as one who is external to us, one who is outside of us, we shall fail miserably in the Christian life. We remain in the “immature” category. Immature believers are redeemed, but not of much use in the Kingdom of God on earth. In order to serve God faithfully, Christ must be in us and we must be in Christ, and we must faithfully follow Him. It is His presence within the human soul which provides the motivation and the power for us to live faithfully. A Christian is a person who is in union with Jesus Christ. A mature Christian in one who lives in the light of that truth.

This union with Christ is no peripheral matter. It separates true Christians from pseudo Christians. It separates the wheat of true faith from the weeds of hypocrisy. Yes, within the church of Jesus Christ you find weeds; persons who claim to be Christians but whose daily lives reveal something different. When Paul wanted the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if they were true Christians, what did he tell them to do? He did not ask them to recite the basic doctrines of the faith; or ask if they were properly baptized. Both of these matters are important to our Christian faith, but Paul considered something else more fundamental. He said to the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test” (2 Cor. 13:5).

Paul invites us to take a look within our own hearts. When you are alone, when you are quiet, and you look within, what do you find? Do you realize that Jesus is there with you? Paul suggests that when we take this inward look we will know if Jesus is present. His presence is such an overwhelming reality, He cannot abide within our hearts and we remain unaware of His presence. Paul does not explain the nature of this indwelling. It is a great mystery, but those in whom Jesus dwells are not ignorant of His presence.

Paul asks a simple question. You know the content of your own inner life. In the midst of all that richness of thoughts, feelings, memories, hopes, and dreams — Is Jesus there, too? Is he a living presence in your heart? If He is, you will know it. His presence cannot be hidden.

The preposition “in” is a very important word, especially in the realm of the spirit. We are either in Christ and He in us, or we know nothing of what real Christianity is. Paul gives us a simple test. He invites us to examine our hearts to see if Christ is present. If He is absent, we are spiritually bankrupt.

As we move on to verse three of our text we begin to learn about the blessings of the Christian life. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Please notice and remember always what Paul has just said. Those who are in Christ are blessed — showered with good things, but these blessings are primarily spiritual. We are blessed in the heavenly realm with spiritual blessings.

There are those in the church today who try to convince us that God wants to bless us materially. I do believe we have the promises of Jesus that as we seek first His kingdom, our material needs will be met (Matt. 6:11). However, having our needs met and becoming wealthy are two different things. There are those who tell us that God will make us wealthy if only we trust Him to do so. I respect the fact that many who teach this doctrine are trying to be faithful to Scripture. I just believe they have not rightly interpreted Scripture. I try to imagine Lynn and Doris Cazier, who serve as missionaries in Kenya, telling those poor tribes that if they will just believe God, he will make them wealthy. Do you know why they don’t preach that? Because it is not true, and it would not work to preach that way in a third world country. The people would assume you were crazy. So why do people preach like that in America? Because we are a materialistic nation, and many are eager to believe that God will shower forth material blessings upon us, if only we will trust Him to do so.

Paul asks us to look beyond this material world, to lift our eyes towards heaven and receive the spiritual blessings God desires to give His people. I want to make three statements about spiritual blessings.

First, spiritual blessings are communicated to our inner man by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual blessings primarily affect the human spirit. It is our human spirit or soul which controls our life. You can always tell when you are not focused on spiritual blessings. If you find yourself overwhelmed with worry concerning the Corona virus; if you find yourself thinking obsessively about all that is wrong in your life; if you are feeling defeated by life; you may need to focus more on spiritual blessings and less on your temporal life with all its problems.

Paul says we have all the spiritual blessings we need in Christ. We just need to keep them in mind, constantly reminding ourselves of what we possess in Christ, and as we do, we shall be victorious over the circumstances of life

Second, spiritual blessings are very different than temporal blessings. Those who seek for happiness in temporal blessings will be disappointed. Our familiar aphorism, “Money doesn’t buy happiness,” is proven to be true over and over again. We may think that if we could just step up our standard of living a notch or two, then we would be happy. However, it is a lie. One reason why God does not stress material blessings is because He knows they will not answer the deepest needs of the human heart.

Spiritual blessings include such things as what I call the big Three: (1) The assurance that we are loved by God, (2) the forgiveness of sins, and (3) the promise of eternal life. Let those three truths rattle around in your soul: I am loved by God; all my sins are forgiven in Christ atonement; I am going to live forever in heaven. When such spiritual blessings fill our mind and soul, our earthly worries fade in significance. These are the kinds of blessings which bring true happiness to the human soul. They are far more glorious and satisfying than a new car, or a large bank account, or that ideal job. It is spiritual blessings which erase from our hearts the sense of loneliness and isolation, giving us a sense of meaning and purpose to life. The abundant life Jesus promised is not found by having lots of material things. It is found as we receive the spiritual blessings God has for us.

Finally, we must remind ourselves that spiritual blessings are found only in Christ. God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings IN CHRIST, says Paul. When you have Christ, you have all the spiritual blessings you will ever need, and the promise that our material needs (needs, not “wants”) will be met as well. When our lives are centered on Jesus Christ; when we trust Him completely as our Lord and Savior and seek to live as His disciples, then we are IN CHRIST, and His spiritual blessings begin to flow into our lives.

There are two worlds in which we live — this world, and the world to come. If our heart is in this world and we become obsessed with material things, we shall forever be unfulfilled. If we come to our senses and realize that the only thing we really need in this life is Jesus, then we shall know Him and we shall find our daily lives full of joy, and the spiritual blessings which create that joy shall abide with us for all eternity. Paul summed it up when he said, “When you have Christ, you have everything.” The opposite is also true. If you do not have Christ, you have exactly — nothing.

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EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW

Warsaw Christian Church, Easter, 2020, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Philippians 2:1-11

Today we celebrate Easter, Part 1. As soon as we can come together again, we will celebrate Easter Part 2. I have mixed feelings about those churches who say they will never close their doors on Sunday. Admirable, in a way, but also fool hardy. In my mind the health and safety of the congregation trumps all. 

I want to begin by sharing a story I have shared before, one of my painful memories.  What was the most humbling experience you have ever had? One of my worst moments occurred when I was the starting guard on the Minneapolis Washburn High School Sophomore basketball squad. I thought I was hot stuff. I was the Justine Barb of the 1950’s, at least in my mind. I was particularly adept at stealing the ball from opponents. Yes, I weighed a few pounds less than I do now. On one occasion we trailed by 1 point with about 10 seconds to go. I am bringing the ball up the court, and when I cut to avoid a defender, I dribbled the ball on my toe out of bounds. The result? We lost the game. Even worse, at the next practice the coach announced to the team that I was the reason we lost the game. It was a very humbling experience, especially for a sensitive high school sophomore. It happened 68 years ago, but I have never forgotten that experience. 

In our Easter text, we find humility beyond anything we can imagine. Paul’s great

hymn to Jesus is one of the most powerful sections in the entire Bible. Jesus was not humbled by others or by His own folly.  He humbled Himself. Who is this man we refer to as our Lord and Savior? Paul says He was in the form of God, but He did not consider His equality with God something He had to grasp tightly. What does it mean to be in the form of God?  If you are in human form, what are you? A human being. If you see an animal in the form of a dog, what kind of animal is it? A dog, of course. So, if Jesus is in the form of God, what is He? He is God in human flesh. That is the astonishing revelation that confronts us in the New Testament. 

The Disciples Study Bible says this: “The foundation for understanding the one God as trinitarian–three Persons in One–is built on this verse. Jesus existed as God. His very form–the essential nature and character–identified Him as God. In every way He was and is God. As such, He did not defensively latch onto His God-ness, nor did He aggressively exploit the powers of being God. Instead, He revealed the true essence of being God–self-giving love. All this means the Son cannot be placed in any category below or less than God. He, the Father, and the Spirit share God-ness. This is clear. Our difficulty comes when we try to use human logic to define how the three Persons we know and experience as God can form one God. That is the glorious mystery of Trinity.” (Note from Disciples Study Bible).  The historic church has always affirmed the deity of Jesus. 

Paul tells us that Jesus made Himself nothing, a person of no status or reputation by taking the form of a servant. This movement Jesus made from heaven to earth is unlike anything in our normal experience. Your pew Bible says that Jesus “emptied” Himself. The Greek word means to make empty or neutralize. What we are told here seems plain enough, albeit mysterious.  Jesus, who is eternally in the form of God, emptied Himself of His divine prerogatives and entered into our world as a man. 

As eternal Son of the eternal Father, he had been the coequal of the Father from all eternity. As he lay in the bosom of the Father, he was “very God of very God,” in the language of the Nicene Creed. It was from the abode of absolute deity he began his pilgrimage to save us.

Jesus, who was truly God, became truly human. He did not cease to be God. God cannot cease to be God, but the Son of God can and did take on our humanity. Have you ever voluntarily given up some position? Were you ever offered a promotion and turned it down?  Have you ever refused a pay raise? We tend to cling to every advantage we have. We would think it strange if a minimum wage person was offered a position as head of the company with a million-dollar annual salary, but replied, “No thank you. I prefer working for minimum wage” 

Jesus did something far more astonishing. He laid aside His divine powers for one reason. He came to earth to die a humiliating death as an atonement for our sins. The Father had decreed that this would be His way of redeeming lost humanity, and Jesus, who is one with the Father, obeyed. The text says He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Possessed of infinite strength, he ‘emptied himself,’ leaning always on the Father’s strength.  Possessed of infinite wisdom, he constantly lifted up His eyes to heaven, and took counsel with the Father who dwelt there. Willing only what was right and good, having no wish but what was pure and true, he nevertheless submitted His will in all things to the will of the Father. “Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself.”  He humbled Himself in ways difficult for us to comprehend. 

Many stumble over the cross as the God appointed means of salvation. Why would the Father submit the Son to such an inglorious death? Why did He not simply forgive people who asked for it? The answer is simple.  God had declared from the beginning that sin will result in death. That was true in the Garden of Eden at the dawn of creation, and it remains true today. In order to uphold the seriousness of His Law God cannot simply cancel the death penalty. The Father found a way to uphold His Law while also granting forgiveness. We sing, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.”  God does not forgive us merely because we ask for forgiveness.  He forgives us for Jesus sake. Our request for forgiveness must be connected to our genuine repentance and our faith in Jesus. 

What is God like? When I think of God, I think of His awesome power that spoke this enormous universe into existence. Such power can be frightening to us. To have offended this powerful God is a horrendous crime. Jesus advised us to fear this God who has the power to cast us into hell (Matt. 10:28). When Jesus emptied Himself and took the form of a servant, He revealed another side of God to us. Yes, God has awesome power, but He also reached out to us with unbelievable sacrificial love. A powerful God can be very frightening.  God’s anger against sin is revealed with frightening clarity in the Old Testament. The Psalmist reminds us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). If you have no fear of God you are simply not very wise. 

Aren’t you thankful we have a New Testament where we learn that Jesus came to reveal another side of God’s nature, even His forgiving, sacrificial love? A God who is pure power scares me. A God whose power is finally revealed in His sacrificial, forgiving love encourages me to reach out to Him with faith. 

Death was not the end of the story for Jesus. We celebrate Easter because the Son of God rose from the grave. Death could not finally conquer Him. Paul says therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above every name. If you are a friend of the President of the United States that would no doubt open many doors for you. We Christians can top that.  We are friends of Jesus Christ, whose name infinitely outshines that of the earth’s greatest leaders. He has opened the door of heaven for us.  Friends of the President might end up with a high paying government job. Friends of Jesus end up in heaven. 

Did you realize as you read the text that Paul was quoting from Isaiah?   God is speaking in Isaiah 45:22, 23. Listen to what He says. “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.  By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness a word that shall not return: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” God invites the ends of the earth to turn to Him to find salvation. Then He declares that to Him every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is God. But Paul applies this to Jesus. Do you see what He is saying? The God of Isaiah is one with Jesus Christ. The words that describe the Father are applied also to the Son.  

The resurrection of Jesus is the turning point in human history. God’s plan of salvation is fully revealed. Do you realize that the day will come when you will bow the knee to Jesus and confess that He is indeed Lord? I assume most of you have already done that. If you haven’t, you will. We have the choice to submit to Jesus voluntarily now and receive of God’s mercy and pardon, or we will be compelled to bow before Him on Judgment Day. How sad to think that many will be forced to acknowledge Jesus only to be banished from His presence forever. 

There are really two major lessons in our text. First, we are to place our entire trust for time and eternity in this One who humbled Himself for our sakes. Second, we are to follow His example.  “Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” says our Easter text.  Jesus did not demand that He be allowed to hold on to His divine prerogatives.  He humbled Himself, emptied Himself, and we should follow His example. Jesus was willing to stoop to our level in order to redeem us.  We should be willing to make great sacrifices for the sake of others and for the Kingdom of God. Paul does not rehearse this descent and exaltation of Jesus just to give us information. He wants us to think in this same manner.  “Let this mind be in you…”

Jesus humbled Himself, even unto death, for you. What are you doing to show that you are truly His disciple – – – that the mind of Christ dwells in you?  Those whose faith in Jesus Christ is mature will praise Him as Savior and follow His example as Lord. A faithful Christian is a humble Christian, willing to be a servant unto others. Jesus humbled Himself for our sakes.  Are you following His example? Do we hold tightly to our prerogatives – – – our status, our money – – – our whatever? Jesus laid aside His divine prerogatives to die for us. He humbled Himself, taking on the role of a servant. Is His heart beating in you?   “Let this mind be in you…”

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WELCOMING JESUS

Palm Sunday, 2020 Warsaw Christian Church Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 19:28-44

Today we focus our attention on Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. Sadly, we cannot meet together because of the Corona virus.  I hope this paper version of my sermon will bless you. It is a familiar story. The Jewish people knew that the Messiah would accomplish His greatest work in the city of Jerusalem. After all, the Messiah would come from the house and lineage of David, the greatest of the Hebrew kings who ruled from Jerusalem. The crowds believed that at long last, God’s promises to Israel would be fulfilled. We sense the great excitement of the crowd in the spreading of clothing and branches before Him, and the cries, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”  The people were pumped up, believing that finally their Messiah had come.

I like to discover bloopers in the movies. There is something amusing about catching others in mistakes. In a Jack Nicholson movie, we see him walking past an automatic teller machine. The problem is the movie is set in 1948, decades before the invention of ATMs. In the movie “Days of Thunder,” Tom Cruise has a strange eye injury. When he first goes to the hospital, he has a bruised right eye. Later on, the bruise jumps to his left eye, then back to the right eye. In a World War Two movie, a German female concentration camp guard is seen with her insignia on her left collar. In the very next scene, the insignia has jumped to her right collar. It is nice to know that other people make mistakes, isn’t it?

The Jewish people must have thought that Jesus triumphant ride into Jerusalem was a colossal blooper after He was arrested and crucified. He obviously wasn’t following the right script. How can the Messiah, the Son of God, end up on a cross? Many assumed that Palm Sunday was just one of those historical bloopers.  The people thought Jesus was the Messiah, but the crucifixion proved to many that He was surely an imposter.

Of course, Jesus was following the divine script. He went to Jerusalem to die. He made it clear to Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. Today I want our focus to be on three positive aspects of the Palm Sunday story. We can learn something about how to properly welcome Jesus if we believe He is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God.

First, a proper way to welcome Jesus into our lives is with our obedience.  According to Zechariah 9:9, the long expected Jewish Messiah and King would ride into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey, a prophecy made 500 years earlier. In our text, Jesus makes what must have seemed like an odd request. They were to go into the city and they would find a colt that had never been ridden.  They were to untie the colt, and if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to respond, “The Lord has need of it.” I think I might have said, “Lord, I need more information. Which colt are you talking about? There must be thousands of colts in Jerusalem. Can you give us a specific address? Who owns it? Won’t we be accused of stealing? Did you make arrangements for this with the owner?”

We don’t know anything about the private thoughts of the disciples. We do know that they did not always obey Jesus without question.  Earlier, when Jesus had told the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to die, Peter vehemently disagreed with Him. He also objected later on when Jesus wanted to wash his feet. On this occasion, however, they did not question Him. They obeyed Him.

What about us?  There are things said in the New Testament which puzzle us.  There are commands given which many choose to ignore. There are great promises given which sometimes call forth the response, “That can’t be true.”  There are things that happen (like Corona virus!) which we do not understand. Here is the point.  While we may struggle to understand how some things in Scripture apply to us, we need to develop an obedient heart. When we believe we have understood what God wants from us, we must obey, quickly, and without question.

This is the only proper way to welcome the Son of God into our hearts and lives, with unquestioning obedience. If I understand His will is for me to give 10% of my income to promote the Gospel of Jesus, how should I respond? Many Christians never experience the blessings that come to those who simply obey this command without question.

Thousands of Germans who joined the SS swore an oath to Hitler that included the promise, “Ich gelobe dir . . . gehorsham bis an den Todt.” I promise to be obedient unto death.  Many who made that promise did indeed end up dead, and their country ended up in shame and destruction. If human beings are capable of promising unquestioning obedience to an evil dictator, why is it so difficult for us to obey the One who loves us and desires only to bless us? On this Palm Sunday, let us all resolve in our hearts to obey Jesus, even if He should ask us to perform an act that confuses us, like going into a city and locating a donkey.  The only proper way to welcome Jesus is with an obedient heart. He expressed this plainly in John 14:15 when He said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Do you love Jesus? We may say “Yes,” but He says “prove it — by your obedience.”

We can observe also in our text a second way to welcome Jesus, and that is with our unbridled praise and worship. They believed Jesus to be their Messiah King, and so they spontaneously threw themselves into a spirit of worship and praise. They laid their garments before Him, and cut branches from the trees to spread before Him as an act of worship. I can almost picture the scene. Arms are waving; people are jumping up and down for joy; shouts of praise rise up from the crowd. Does it remind you of the way we welcome Jesus in our worship service?

Well, I am not really suggesting that any of you wave your arms and jump up and down during the service. There may be occasions when such behavior is proper, but in our Christian Church tradition we tend to be quiet as we worship – – – and that’s okay. There are Scriptures that support an attitude of quiet reverence. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). “In quietness and confidence is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). “Be still before the Lord” (Psalm 37:7). In fact, if any of you start jumping up and down with your metal hips and knees and backs, I would probably have to call 911!

On the other hand, if Jesus came riding down Commercial Street in Warsaw, I would expect some noise and excitement from God’s people. When Jesus returns for His own people, I expect to do some shouting as I rise up in the air to greet Him. We certainly don’t want to be like the Pharisees who were present on that first Palm Sunday.  As they observed the crowd lost in wonder, love and praise, they said to Jesus, “Rebuke your disciples.” They were saying, “Jesus, your disciples are crossing the line. We can see that you are a mere mortal, and yet the people worship you as if you were a God. Tell them to stop.” I love Jesus response. If I tell my disciples to be quiet, the rocks will cry out in praise to me. Had He stilled His disciples, and the rocks began to sing His praises, it would have been the very first rock concert!  What an insult to these Pharisees to hear that inanimate rocks had more sense than they did. If the rocks around here ever start shouting and singing, it is going to be very noisy!

Here is the point. If we believe Jesus to be the Son of God, we will worship Him, whether quietly or loudly.  We will make an effort to be present whenever the church meets for public worship. (And we pray that will happen soon). We will worship Him with sincerity and integrity. Our praise will be sincere.  Our songs will reflect our desire to sing unto the Lord. Even those who cannot carry a tune (and I will mention no names) are encouraged to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  Because those present on that day when Jesus rode triumphantly into the city believed Him to be their divine King, they worshipped Him. If we are people who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, we will worship Him. Yes, God can cause the stones to cry out in praise to His Son, but He would rather have us fulfill that task.

Jesus desires that we welcome Him.  We welcome Him with our obedience, and with our worship, and lastly, with our faith. Notice verse 41. “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.” Jesus knew what was coming. He understood that few would stand with Him in the end. He knew His own disciples were going to forsake Him.  He knew that one would betray Him. He understood that those who were crying “Hosanna” would soon be crying, “Crucify him!” And so, as He nears the city, tears fall. He weeps not for Himself, but for the many that would finally reject Him and never come to a true faith. He knows who He is. He knows He is the world’s only hope.  He understands that none can come to the Father except through faith in Him.

He speaks a prophetic word as He nears the city.  “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.   Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD when the armies of Rome ravaged Jerusalem and utterly destroyed the Temple. But wait, if Jesus knew all of this would happen, why does He weep? If His death was prophesied, why does He weep over those who refuse to believe in Him? Are they not simply fulfilling prophecy, doing what they were predestined to do? He weeps because even events prophesied by God do not exonerate the free decisions of wicked men. Yes, He knows He will be despised and rejected of men, even as Isaiah had prophesied.  He also knows that those who despise Him and reject Him are acting freely.  They are not compelled to unbelief by divine power.

He weeps because they did not recognize their time of divine visitation. He weeps because He knows that when people are given an unusual visitation from God, and then turn away, sometimes they become so hardened in unbelief that they become blind to the truth. He weeps because He knows there will be people in hell who could have been in heaven, if only they would not have closed their minds and hearts to Him. If only they had believed.

These final words and actions of Jesus in our text reveal an important truth.  First, His tears tell us that He loves those who reject Him. His one desire is that they would come to Him and be redeemed. Romans 2:4 reminds us that God’s kindness is meant to bring us to repentance. If you have not given your heart and life to Jesus, He weeps for you today. He wants to forgive you.  He wants to give you eternal life. He wants to shower you with His kindness. He can do none of this if we will not repent of our sins and turn to Him in faith. His Father had declared through the prophet Ezekiel many years earlier, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (33:11).  God takes no pleasure from the fact that many humans die without faith. And so, our Lord weeps. He knows that thousands of human beings are being visited by the Son of God, but they have become hardened against Him, and their opportunity for faith has passed. They will suffer the consequences.

I hope, as we look forward to Easter Sunday, that all of us have truly welcomed Jesus with our undying faith, our determined obedience, and our sincere worship. I hope, I pray, that He is not weeping for any of us this day because of our refusal to give Him a proper welcome. What could be worse than the Corona virus?  Dying without faith in the Savior,

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WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD?

Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor

A sermon on coping with the Corona Virus.

Text: Hebrews 6:13-20

In that great chapter 13 in 1 Corinthians, Paul concluded by saying that the three great abiding principles are faith, hope and love. We speak often of faith and love, but we do not always hear much about hope. Our focus today will be on that often-forgotten word. The author of Hebrews describes it as an anchor for the soul. As we seek to cope with the Corona virus, we definitely need an anchor for the soul! 

We know what faith is, and we know what love is, but hope is more elusive. The basic idea behind the word hope is an earnest desire for some future good. We certainly do not hope for evil things. We dread the coming of evil. We certainly were not anticipating this awful virus. Our Christian faith leads us to hope for a glorious future when this life comes to an end. Hope always points to the future. We do not hope for things that are past. The past is fixed and settled, and nothing we can do will change it. Hope is a future pointing word. Paul writes, “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?” (Rom. 8:24). We do not see heaven. It lies in the future, beyond our sight. It is our blessed hope, and our hope rests on the truthfulness of God. We have the “hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…” (1 Timothy 1:1).

The object of hope must be achievable. I have no hope that the day will come when I will play with the St. Louis Cardinals. I once had such hope, but when I realized such a goal was unattainable, hope vanished. We only hope for things we can realistically obtain. 

Some things we hope for may be difficult to obtain. Nevertheless, if we hope for something it must be obtainable, no matter the cost. Our Christian hope for eternal life rests upon a solid foundation. We have numerous promises from the Son of God that those who trust in Him will live forever in His eternal Kingdom. No earthly obstacle such as the Corona virus can block the plan of God. Yes, there are difficulties along the way as we follow Jesus, but those who preserve in faith will obtain the prize. 

Our text describes hope as an anchor to the soul. This sea faring image has several meanings. 

1. The anchor is essential to secure the vessel in time of storm. I don’t know much about boats but I assume the anchor is useful in rough waters when you don’t want the boat to drift. There are days when life is not smooth sailing. We are living in such a time today. The winds of the Corona virus blow hard and we wonder if we can stand firm. While our trials hopefully will not match those of Job, we do experience hard times in life. Our text describes hope as the anchor that holds us steady amid the trials of life. What if I catch this virus? The vast majority of those infected recover, and if you are one who doesn’t survive, faith in Jesus will take you to eternal joy. We have hope no matter what. 

Our deepest hope is that we will abide in faith unto eternal life. When we lose a loved one, or become ill ourselves, or face a host of other temporal problems, we sometimes wonder if we can hold on to our faith.  Our text bids us to focus on our hope. The hope of an eternal future can keep us from drifting away when the winds of life are blowing hard. When Paul was awaiting death, he wrote, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed to Him until that day” (2 Tim 1:12). Paul had absolute confidence in His Savior.  His hope in the Gospel of Jesus kept him steady when death loomed. Hope can do the same for us.

An anchor is only useful if held by a strong cable. If the cable snaps the anchor becomes useless. Faith is like the cable that connects us to our anchor. Hope fades when faith is weak. When faith and hope remain strong no wave that comes our way will be able to sink us. The Corona virus is no match for Jesus!

The anchor of hope must rest in something firm. An anchor imbedded in sand will not hold. Where does the Christian’s anchor rest? Where does our hope find a solid footing? Our text speaks of our great high priest, even Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Our anchor of hope rests firmly in His finished work on the cross and on His presence with the Father where He makes intercession for us. 

Does the hope of eternal life purchased for us by our Lord undergird your life? As we focus on our Christian hope as we go about our daily lives, joy will be an almost constant companion. Hope needs to be ever before us as we pray and as we work. It is an anchor for the soul. Paul saw the connection between hope and joy when he wrote, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Hope leads to joy and peace. The problems of life can sometimes move our attention away from our hope. The Bible encourages us to never abandon our hope. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23). 

Our hope is certain unless Jesus is a charlatan and the Bible is not reliable. Jesus promised us eternal life and His promises are recorded in Scripture. If He is the Son of God, and if Scripture is the Word of God, our hope is solid. Hear again the words of Paul: we live “in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…” (1 Tim. 1:1). God intended and promised eternal life to His people before time began. In the hiddenness of eternity past God decreed that His Son would take on human nature, die for us, and grant to us eternal life. God, who cannot lie, made this promise. Our anchor of hope is fastened tightly to God and therefore our hope is certain. 

But what if our Christian faith is nothing but a pipe dream, a hope so fanciful that it is unlikely to be realized? Isn’t there a possibility and we who place our hope in Jesus and in eternal life are fools? There are those who think this way. Even Paul once reflected on the possibility that the Christian hope is false. He stated honestly, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (Romans 15:13). If this life is all there is, then we Christians are to be pitied. But if those who reject Christ later learn that He was truth incarnate, pity for them is hardly a strong enough word. 

I suppose the saddest word in our language is the word “hopeless.” Life has pushed some to such desperate straits that suicide is the result.  Others have been so frustrated by the injustice in this life that they have gone ballistic, killing co-workers and then themselves. What a dreadful feeling it must be to feel hopeless. Hopelessness arises when we are faced with a difficult situation, and there is nothing we can do to rectify it, things like the Corona virus. The Christian faces life armed with certain facts: he is loved by God; forgiven through the atoning death of the Son of God; he has the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Christian is confident of an eternity which will be blessed beyond anything he can imagine. Those who hold fast to those facts will never feel hopeless. They abound in hope.  Hope is the anchor of our souls that keeps us secure no matter what. Hope looks the Corona virus in the eye and says, “I will fear no evil.”  In Dante’s classic work “The Inferno” he postulates a sign over the entrance to hell. “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” Those whose lives are anchored in Christ and His Word will never abandon hope. 

I love this verse from Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” When God thinks of those who love and trust Him, no evil thought enters His mind. If you are one of the redeemed, God is thinking about granting you a grand future so that you will always have hope. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13). May your anchors hold fast in the storms of life. We sing a hymn with these words: “We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll; Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.” The Corona virus will fade away. We can do nothing about it while it is here except pray and trust. If we focus on the virus, fear will creep in. If we focus on Jesus, hope will lead to confidence, then on to joy and peace.  

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WHERE IS GOD WHEN I NEED HIM?

Richard M. Bowman, Warsaw Christian Church, 8/10/14

I have preached on this theme in the past.  I am repeating it today because it is very relevant to me. I hope will also have some meaning for you. While I am basically preaching to myself, feel free to listen in.

Job declares that “Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” When you stir a fire, what happens to the sparks? They fly upward. If you are a human being, what can you expect in life? Trouble — and lots of it. Trouble is simply part of being human. When the human race fell into sin, God indicated that in the wake would come lots of trials and tribulations. Sin has turned our world upside down and allowed Satan to enter the picture.  Wherever Satan operates, you can expect trouble.

The good news is that God has promised to help His people through their times of trouble. He has not abandoned us to Satan and to the troubles he brings into our lives. The Psalmist declared, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” God is still in control of this world and our lives. He is always willing to help His people, but He wants us to call upon Him when we are experiencing trouble or heartache. The God who made heaven and earth is willing and able to help His people. 

While we know that God is everywhere present (the theologians use the word “omnipresent”), the Bible refers to this truth by reminding us that no matter in what direction we look, if we look with eyes of faith, God is there. He is a very present help in times of trouble. One of our problems is that we tend to focus too much on our problems and not enough on God. When we are in difficulty sometimes all we can see is the trouble that lies before us. Our troubles can seem like a great mountain, hiding our view of God, robbing us of our faith. Nevertheless, God is everywhere present to come to our aid.

For example, if we look upward, Scripture tells us God is there. In Psalm 91:4 God is pictured under the metaphor of a great soaring bird, and we are invited to take shelter under His wings. “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge.” The simple truth that we must never forget is that God loves His people and wishes to help them in their times of need. One way He helps us is to give us refuge — to grant us His presence and His comfort when we are going through difficult days. Our trials become much more bearable when we realize that God cares and that He is with us. Just as an eagle might shelter her young under her wings during a storm, so God wants to comfort us through the storms of life. There is a place of refuge under His mighty wings.

When we look upwards, we may see many things — the clouds, the sun, the moon, the stars, and sometimes we can see nothing but the problems confronting us.  When we look up with the eyes of faith, however, we can also see the great wings of God stretching out towards us, to comfort and protect us in the midst of our troubles. Under his wings you may seek refuge.  Did you catch that word “may?” God is giving us permission to seek refuge in Him if we will but seek Him out with the eyes of faith.  He is always there for us if we will but seek Him out.

But sometimes the trials of life seem so heavy we can scarcely lift up our heads to look upwards. Our eyes are cast down; our hearts are heavy under the burdens of life’s trials. What do we see when we look down? Maybe the floor, or our feet, (or stomach!) or the grass, or again, sometimes we look down and see nothing but trouble.  But as we look down with the eyes of faith, again, we may see God. In Deut. 33:24 we read, “Underneath are the everlasting arms.” The image of God changes from the wings of an eagle to strong arms that wish to hold us. And note that the arms of God are everlasting — they are always there. The arms of God will never fail to enfold those who belong to Him. God’s arms are strong, and they are able to hold you and sustain you through every trial.  Through faith, we need to learn to fall into the arms of God and allow Him to minister to us. 

I love the picture we find in Mark 10:16 when Jesus took little children into His arms, “and began blessing them, laying his hands upon them.” When we were little children, and we fell and skinned our knee, where did we go? Most of us ran to mom or dad, and were received into their arms. Somehow the pain seemed less severe when we were held in the arms of our parents.

Jesus once opened His arms to receive the little children. His disciples tried to keep Him free from being bothered with the little ones, but He opened His arms to them and received them with His tender love.  Sometimes we may think like the disciples.  “Jesus is too busy to bother with all my problems. He surely has more important people to work with.”  In the mind of Christ, there is no one more important than you. He opens His arms to all who would come unto Him when He said, “Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  This is not an invitation given to those who have everything under control. This is not an invitation to those who are trouble free.  It is not an invitation given to those who are so spiritual that they never feel any pain or anguish. It is not an invitation given just to the shakers and movers of society.  It is an invitation given to those who are in the midst of struggle, and are burdened down with life’s problems.  Jesus says, come to me, and I will give you rest.

We are all little children in the eyes of God. His everlasting arms are always open to us. In your times of trouble when your eyes are cast down in defeat, look down with the eyes of faith, for “underneath are the everlasting arms.” By faith, run to Him and let Him receive you into His eternal arms.

When we look up — there is God; when we look down, there is God — if only we can learn to look with eyes of faith. And when we look round about us, again, there is God. We read in Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear Him, and rescues them.” We do not normally see nor understand these angelic messengers whom God has sent to the aid of His people, but they are all around us. Those who love and fear God and who have embraced His Son are sometimes rescued from their trials by unseen messengers of God. Indeed, our word “angel’ is from the Greek word “angellos” which means “messenger.” Occasionally God has allowed His people to see these mighty heavenly helpers.

One of my favorite Old Testament stories concerns the angels of God coming to the aid of Elisha the prophet. It’s found in 2 Kings 6:8ff.  The story is about a frustrated Syrian king. He wants to make war with Israel, but every time he plans his move, Israel knows in advance and is ready for him. The king gathers his officers and accuses one of them of being an Israeli spy. One of his officers explains what is happening. He tells the king that Elisha the prophet somehow knows every move the Syrians plan to make, and he tells the King of Israel. The Syrian king decides that the solution is to get rid of Elisha.

They learn that Elisha is at Dothan, and so the Syrian king sends his armies in the night and surrounds the tent where Elisha and his servant are encamped. The servant arises the next morning, steps outside the tent, looks around, and then quickly retreats in horror. Everywhere he looked he saw the armies of Syria. They were completely surrounded. He screams at Elisha, “We have bought the farm! We are dead meat!” (Or something like that). “We are completely surrounded.” Elisha calmly strolls outside the tent; he looks around in every direction; he re-enters the tent and declares to his servant.  “Relax, we have them outnumbered.” The servant scratches his head in disbelief. He looks at Elisha, at himself, and thinks to himself  “one plus one equals two; there are two of us and Elisha says we have them outnumbered. He must be suffering from heat stroke.” Elisha senses his servant’s confusion and prays quietly to God, “Open his eyes, that he might see what you showed to me.” Elisha says to his servant, “Go and take another look.”  His servant obeys, and now he sees chariots of fire everywhere. The angels of God have come to deliver them. The Syrian army is stuck with blindness and flees in panic. Elisha is saved.

What do you see when you look around at your life today? No doubt you see some problems; perhaps some sickness of a loved one that has you deeply concerned; maybe you are concerned about your financial future; maybe there are problems in your marriage, or with your children; maybe you have recently lost a loved one. If we were to list all the problems present in this congregation today, it would be a long list indeed. Yes, we can always see the problems — but I ask you to look again! Ask God to open your eyes! Do you see God’s presence?  Do you see Him above us, beneath us and all around us waiting to come to our aid? Do you see His wings of refuge? Do you see those mighty everlasting arms? Do you see the angels of God who are present to help us?

Dear Father, help us to cast all our cares upon you, knowing that you care for us. Help us to look at life with eyes of faith. When we look up open our eyes to see the great wings of God offering us shelter.  When we look down open our eyes to see the everlasting arms of God waiting to hold us. And when we look around open our eyes to see your glorious angels sent to minister to us in our times of need. In Jesus name, Amen.

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THE SAMARITAN WOMAN, Part 2
(A first-person sermon)
Warsaw Christian Church, (3/15/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 4:1-43 (especially 4: 27-42)

(In this sermon I will assume the role of an unidentified Samaritan man who encounters the Samaritan women in John 4:1-43. She is not named either so we will assign her the name of Joanna)

There is a woman in our town named Joanna. After ruining the lives of five husbands she was living with a sixth man who was not her husband. Joanna was known in the area as a very promiscuous woman. She would marry one of the local men, tire of him and move on to someone else. She seemed to need a man but was never satisfied. Her last man, a live-in boyfriend, decided not to bother with marriage based on her reputation. He knew the relationship wouldn’t last, so he decided to just move in with her until she tired of him. That way there would be no need for a divorce. Of course, such behavior was contrary to our religion but that never seemed to bother Joanna. She claimed to be a believer but she seemed to be more interested in men than in God.

Of all the women in Samaria this was one you dared not trust. We Samaritan men did not put much faith in any woman, but especially this one. We men did all the heavy thinking, something women were not capable of. Women are to raise children, cook and submit to their husbands. Joanna did none of these. The men who lived with her complained often about how difficult she was to live with. She used her beauty and charm in such a manner as to cause many men to act dazed. They were attracted to her with promises of love beyond their wildest dreams. Then she would dump them and move on to the next fool. Joanna definitely did not fulfill the role of a good, submissive wife.

I will never forget the day she came running into town screaming, “I may have found the Messiah!” Of all the people in Samaria would couldn’t find the Messiah if He stood right before her, she was at the top of the list. “Oh sure, Joanna, you have found the Messiah. Is this some new lover you have met?” This is what most of us thought at first. Joanna had charmed another man with her considerable talents. What reasonable person would believe that the Messiah would reveal Himself to a woman totally lacking in character? If and when the Messiah arrived, He would surely reveal Himself to some respectable person, not a woman we regarded as a common prostitute.

She was so excited and insistent that several of us decided to hear what she had to say. We thought it might be worth a good laugh. She told of meeting a man at the well where she had gone to get water. He spoke to her of living water. What really piqued our interest was when she said that He knew all about her life. He knew of her five husbands, her live-in boyfriend, and many other details of her life. She said, “He told me all I ever did.” I wondered if Joanna was suffering from sunstroke. Several of us were at least curious about this stranger she had met. We decided to see if we could find Him and see what had made Joanna so worked up.

She said that while she was speaking with the stranger, the man’s disciples returned to the well. They said nothing, but she could tell by the looks on their faces that they were shocked that the prophet was speaking with a woman. Most of the Jews believed that trying to teach a woman anything was useless. No true Rabbi would waste his time teaching a woman. The fact that this “prophet” spoke with a strange woman and tried to teach her was a sign to us that this man was probably a false prophet. We thought of Joanna as a dim-witted prostitute incapable of learning. Joanna then left the prophet and returned to town and began to bear witness to this man she had met. She was so excited she left her water pot behind. This was highly unusual and did make us wonder about the man she had met. Instead of charming him, he must have charmed her.

Some of the locals believed this woman’s story. Others were not convinced. I was not sure what to think. Finally, a group of us went out to meet this man and asked Him to stay with us. We wanted to see and hear Him for ourselves and form our own opinion about Him. After all, can you really trust the testimony of a mere woman? A promiscuous prostitute? He agreed and remained with us for two days. This prophet, Jesus was His name, was very impressive. As He spoke with us about the Kingdom of God, to make a long story short, we became convinced that He was indeed the Messiah. What a joy it was to learn that the Messiah had come, not just for the Jews, but for the world. Sometimes our Jewish neighbors had the idea that God really only cared for them. Jesus convinced us that if we placed our faith in Him, even we Samaritans could enter into God’s Kingdom.

We did have to put Joanna in her place, so we informed her that we no longer believed in Jesus because of what she said, but because we had seen and heard for ourselves. We men, however, did earn a lesson from Joanna. I hate to admit that we learned anything from a woman, especially a sinful woman, but our personal encounter with Jesus rather changed our opinion about women. The fact is that Jesus revealed Himself first to Joanna, and she told us about Him. Why He did this I can’t really say. While we did want to hear Him ourselves, we had to acknowledge that were it not for Joanna we would never have known about Jesus. Frankly, she was normally the butt of our jokes and male gossip, but she was different after she had met Jesus. She radiated a new kind of love – – – the love of God just seemed to shine out from her.

When we encountered Jesus, we learned why Joanna seemed so different. Once we placed our faith in Him, we were also changed. The knowledge that our sins were forgiven and heaven was our destiny does change a man. It seemed as if God had entered into our hearts and made us different than we were before. The greatest day in my life was when I stood face to face with the Savior of the world. I hate to admit it but were it not for Joanna I would never have known about Jesus. Several of us had to swallow our male pride and admit that we owed our very salvation to a promiscuous woman.

Joanna became a respected person in the community, a woman who was always trying to help others. She never forgot her encounter with Jesus and spoke of Him to all who would listen. I had to apologize to her for my initial doubt about her. I concluded that God sees men and women as human beings of equal value in His sight. Indeed, I learned that we should never look upon any human being as inferior. If Jesus desires to save the world, then all people are welcome in His Kingdom. All people have value in the eyes of God.

I learned another lesson from Jesus. Those who have truly met Him cannot help but bear witness to the fact that He is the Messiah and Savior of the world. Joanna became very vocal in her testimony to Jesus. I know you have not encountered Jesus in the way that we did, face to face. However, I also know that His message has proceeded through the centuries from my day. By His Spirit men and women in every age have met the Savior and been transformed by Him.

Joanna couldn’t stop talking about that man who seemed to know all about her. He told her flat out that He was God’s promised Messiah. She could not keep that information to herself. Do you find that to be true in your life? When you came to believe in Jesus, didn’t you feel your heart transformed by the mysterious power of His presence? Don’t you find that you wanted to do whatever you could to share His message with others? Jesus encouraged us to share His name. He told us that the fields are white for the harvest. There are countless souls who will respond to His Gospel if we share it with them. He encouraged us to gather fruit for eternal life. Are you doing it?

Here is what I think. People who have truly encountered Jesus Christ, whether in person or by His Spirit, can’t really help doing whatever they can to spread His Gospel. I wouldn’t have expected to see the likes of Joanna in heaven, but she resides there at this very moment. She was forgiven. If you have also been forgiven and granted eternal life, I hope you are doing something to help others find the Savior. There are people in your world like Joanna who have ruined their lives through sin. They need to know that forgiveness can be found through Jesus Christ. They need to know that no matter how far you have fallen into sin, there is hope through the Savior. I implore you to do what you can to make sure that the name of Jesus is alive in your community.

While I was a more respectable citizen than was Joanna, when I met Jesus face to face, I felt dirty. His purity was so evident that I realized I was no better than Joanna. I often wondered what would have become of me if Joanna had not told me about Jesus. I was as lost as she was even though I didn’t realize it, but by the grace of God we both met Jesus and found forgiveness. If you do not know that divine forgiveness which Jesus brings in your own soul, it is available to you. All it will cost you is to turn to the Savior with faith. If you do know of God’s merciful forgiveness, please do as Joanna did. Share His name with others.

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THE SAMARITAN WOMAN, # 1: LIVING WATER

Warsaw Christian Church (3/8/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 4:1-14

There is more to this story than the 14 verses I just read. The story of Jesus encounter with the Samaritan woman continues through 4:42. This is too much material for one sermon, so we will continue with this story next week. 

Jesus is traveling through Samaria, and stops at a well for a drink. He encounters a woman of Samaria, and an amazing conversation ensues. Jesus asks the woman for a drink. She is shocked by this brazen approach. For a man to speak with a strange woman was just not done, and for a Jew to ask a favor from a Samaritan was unheard of. We have gone over the reasons for this animosity between Jews and Samaritans before. Let it suffice to say that Jews and Samaritans hated each other. 

Thus, the Samaritan woman is shocked that a Jewish man would speak to her. She was more shocked when He promised her water that would quench her thirst forever. He told her that if she would ask, He would give her living water, a spring of water that would lead to eternal life. The woman is slow to understand that there are two kinds of water, physical and spiritual.  He offers her spiritual water, but she continues to think of physical water. She finally gets the point. 

It is clear that Jesus offers this woman, and us, eternal life.  Jesus mentions four elements involved in receiving eternal life. 

First, He says, “If you knew who it is that is saying to you, ‘give me a drink.’” In order to receive eternal life, you must, of course, know who Jesus is. Anyone can say, “I will give you the gift of eternal life,” but only Jesus can actually deliver on that promise. Later on, the woman says, “I know the Messiah is coming…” (4:25). Jesus states clearly, “I who speak to you am He” (4:26). Jesus tells this Samaritan woman that He is the Messiah for whom the Jewish people have been waiting. He is encouraging her to believe in Him and receive eternal life. 

Here is one reason why liberal scholars reject the Gospel of John as being credible. While Jesus is revealed as the Messiah in the 3 synoptic Gospels by His disciples, in John Jesus Himself states clearly that He is the Messiah. Liberal scholar Maurice Casey concludes that John’s Gospel is mostly fiction. I was taught in seminary that John’s Gospel was clearly written long after John was dead by an unknown author who used the name of John to give authority to his writing.  John’s Gospel reflects the ideas of the early church and is completely unreliable. It is fiction, not history according to liberal biblical scholarship. 

Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God?  If you do, you are in a position to receive what He offers, eternal life. If you doubt Him, questioning His ability to grant eternal life, then you cannot receive what He gives. We saw in John Chapter One a clear description of the nature of Jesus. He is the one who is both with God, and who is God. He is the one who, with the Father, created the universe and everything in it. The Baptist described Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). 

It is so important to open our minds and hearts to the message of the New Testament and its witness to this unusual Man. We must come to the place Peter did in Matthew 16 when Jesus asked the question, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s response must be our response. “You are the Messiah (Christ), the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). I cannot grant eternal life to anyone.  This church cannot grant eternal life. Jesus alone can grant this glorious favor to all who believe Him to be God’s promised Messiah. 

As the episode closes this Samaritan woman does believe that Jesus is the Messiah. She came to know who He was. I trust that all of you, deep down in your hearts, believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. You cannot receive what He offers unless you believe He is who He claimed to be, God’s promised Messiah, the Son of the Living God. 

The second item in our text is this: you need to ask Jesus for the living water he gives. To say you believe in Him, but then to fail to ask Him specifically to grant you eternal life, raises questions about the sincerity of one’s faith. Jesus invites the Samaritan woman to ask Him for living water. Perhaps it would help to imagine Jesus seating across from you. You tell Him you have sinned against God’s holy will. You express your sorrow over having offended the God who loves you. You say something like this: Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive me and to grant me everlasting life. I know I don’t deserve your favor, but I believe in your love and forgiveness.  This act of being open and honest with Jesus is important. Asking Him to forgive us and grant us living water is part of the process of becoming a Christian. We should never take eternal life for granted. We must specifically ask Jesus to grant us that gift, believing that He is indeed able to grant our request.

The third element we must look at is that little word “gift.” What Jesus offered to the Samaritan woman was a gift, one that He was very willing to give. Was she deserving of such a gift?  Absolutely not! She had run through 5 husbands and the man with who she was then living was not her husband. She was an immoral woman. She was living her life in open violation of the will of God. Why would Jesus offer her the gift of eternal life? If you don’t know the answer you probably need to examine your own heart.  You and I are exactly like this woman. Our sins may be different from hers, but we are all persons who have violated God’s holy will. Jesus offered the gift of eternal life to this sinful woman because the reason He came into the world was to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). If you don’t think this woman was worthy of such a glorious gift, what about us? Are we worthy of eternal life? Absolutely not! 

This is a difficult aspect of the Gospel. We saw in the story of Nicodemus how hard it was for him to admit that he needed to be born again. He was certain his exemplary life as a Pharisee would earn him a place in God’s kingdom. In order to receive the gift Jesus offers we need to see the reality of our own rebellion against God. It is so hard for some people to declare, “I am a sinner.” Like Nicodemus we can get all puffed up in religious pride and not realize how desperately we need a Savior. Those who recognize their own sinfulness will gladly turn to Jesus and accept the gift of forgiveness and eternal life. 

You have heard me say it many times before, but the text before us requires that I emphasize it again. Eternal life is a gift. A gift, by definition, cannot be earned or deserved. You cannot pay for a gift.  You cannot merit a gift. All you can do is accept it with gratitude. Even after we become Christians, eternal life remains as a gift. Some understand that eternal life is a gift when they enter the Christian life, but then assume they will only keep the gift if they live a meritorious Christian life. Please don’t stumble here.  You will never live so righteously that you will earn God’s favor. God’s favor is always a gift. Receive it with joy. Christians seek to live a God pleasing life, not to earn God’s favor, but out of gratitude for already having received God’s favor. Christians also understand that living in the will of God will bring them greater joy and meaning. You simply cannot find happiness outside the will of God. Yes, as redeemed sinners we strive to be obedient disciples of the Master, but we must never think that our obedience (our good works) will either earn God’s favor or keep us in God’s favor. 

A Sunday school teacher wanted to explain to the six-year-olds in his class what someone had to do to go to heaven. To find out what kids believed about the subject, he asked a few questions. “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale, and gave all my money to the church, would that get me to heaven?” he asked. “No!” the children answered. The teacher was encouraged. “If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me to heaven?” Again the answer was, “No!” “If I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children and loved my wife, would that get me into heaven?”

Again they all shouted, “No!” “Well then, how can I get to heaven?” A boy in the back row stood up and shouted, “You gotta be dead!” Well, that is true, but the main thing is – – – you gotta believe in Jesus!

The problem is that the good news of the Gospel cuts against the grain of human experience. In school, you don’t get good grades because the teacher decides to be gracious.  You have to work hard and earn good grades. Those who play sports do not make the team because the coach decides to be gracious. You have to work hard to earn a place on the team. You don’t advance on the job by being lazy and coming in late every day (unless you work for the government!).  You have to work hard (or marry the boss’s daughter!). Merit is deeply ingrained into the human soul. A Samaritan woman who deserves nothing, who is a blatant rebel against the will of God, is offered eternal life as a free gift. That same gift is offered to you. I urge you to accept it if you have not already done so.  

There is a 4^th issue in our text we need to address. When we think of gifts, we think of something tangible. Most gifts we can handle, touch, or taste and put to some use. People like to wrap up gifts in pretty paper. We pick it up from under the Christmas tree, or it is handed to us. The gift Jesus offered the Samaritan woman was different. It was not wrapped up in a pretty box.  It could not be experienced by her five senses. It is an intangible gift. How does one know one has a gift that cannot be seen or experienced? If I told you I am holding an invisible gold bar, and I will throw it to the congregation and whoever catches it can have it, would you believe me? I don’t think so. Invisible gold is about as useful as no gold at all! 

Jesus says to this woman, if you ask me, I will give you the gift of eternal life. He says the same thing to you. He does not hand her anything tangible. How does she know she possesses this gift? Does the word “faith” ring a bell? She can only know she has what Jesus offers by trusting in what He says. Have you ever had a conversation with Jesus that went something like this? “Jesus, my Lord and Savior, I do believe in you. I am so sorry I have sinned against God’s holy will. I need the forgiveness you offer to the world.  I desire the gift of eternal life. I am asking you to bless me with your wonderful gift. And now that I have asked, I believe you have given me that which I requested. Based on your promise I believe I am forgiven and I believe I possess everlasting life.” 

The words will vary, but something of that nature occurs in the heart of every Christian. We believe Jesus is who He claimed to be. We believe He wants to pardon us and grant us eternal life.  We ask for these blessings, and by faith we believe we possess them. How do we know for sure we possess the gift of eternal life which we cannot see, touch or smell? We know we have eternal life as a present possession because we believe Jesus. This kind of transaction is really quite common in everyday life. 

If someone says, “I love you,” how do you know that you really possess his or her love? Love is intangible.  You can’t see it. It doesn’t come in a box wrapped in pretty paper. You know you are loved because you believe the person who says, “I love you.” It is the same way you come to know that God loves you – – – by faith. By believing what He says. Jesus truly offers the gift of God’s love and eternal life to the world.  You cannot see it or handle it. It is intangible. The Samaritan woman finally believed what Jesus said to her. She accepted the gift He offered. Have you accepted that gift? The only way anyone can receive that living water is to believe that Jesus can and will grant it to those who ask. 

Let’s review the basics of our text. We need to be clear on four issues. First, we must have genuine trust in Jesus, that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. Second, we must ask Him to give us eternal life. Third, we must believe that He offers us eternal life as a gift. Finally, we must believe that while the gift Jesus offers is intangible, it is nonetheless a genuine offer. A sinful woman in Samaria believed these four basic truths and she is now in heaven, forgiven of her many sins. If you believe as she did, perhaps one day you will meet her. 

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NICODEMUS

(A first-person narrative sermon)

Warsaw Christian Church, (3/1/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 3:1-21(see also John 7:50ff and John 19:39ff). 

As a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews, I thought I had my spiritual life in order. We Jews were God’s chosen people. Jehovah had revealed Himself to our fathers, men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and the great prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. As a Pharisee, I was a strict observer of God’s Law. So many of the common people in Israel had, for all practical purposes, forsaken the God of our fathers. As a devout Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, I was confident that God was pleased with me. My excellent behavior had surely won over the heart of God. I hope this does not sound boastful, but there were not many in Israel as holy as I. 

There was a teacher by name of Jesus who was gaining quite a following. It was reported that this new prophet performed great miracles. I had mixed feelings about this man.  Part of me assumed he was just another false prophet, but on the other hand what if he was the promised Messiah? I made the decision to check him out for myself. I didn’t want anyone to know of my curiosity so I sought out this Jesus by night. I thought a secret meeting would be best.

One night I found Jesus alone, and I approached him.  I must confess I tried to flatter him. I referred to him as “rabbi,” but he was no rabbi. I said to him that if the stories of the miracles he has performed are true, he must be a teacher come from God. I wondered how he would respond to my flattery. 

His answer astonished me. It caught me totally off guard. After I spoke of him as a teacher come from God, I assumed he would clarify who he was. He clarified nothing.  Indeed, he seemed to pay no attention to my words at all. He said, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  I wondered for a moment, “Now what on earth is that supposed to mean?” Was he suggesting that I, a man of God, a member of the ruling council, a respected religious leader – – – that I needed to be born again? What could that possibly mean? Is he suggesting that I know nothing about the kingdom of God? 

It was taught in our Mishnah that all Jews would enter the kingdom of God except for those who abandoned Judaism or those who were extraordinarily wicked. There would be no question about a man of my spiritual stature.  Of course, I can see the kingdom of God. My spiritual eyesight was excellent. I thought, “If he is suggesting that I am excluded from the kingdom, no one can enter because none surpassed me in piety and wisdom.” 

I responded somewhat sarcastically. “How can a man be born when he is old. Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Of course, such a notion is ridiculous. I was beginning to enjoy this verbal sparring. 

Jesus responded: “I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

I thought sarcastically, “Well, thanks a lot. That really clears things up.” I had no idea what he was talking about.  I decided to stop with the word games and just tell him I had no idea what was talking about. “Flesh, spirit, wind, born of spirit” – – – I was totally confused. Jesus spoke again. “You are Israel’s teacher and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.  I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 

I wrote down the words of Jesus and also committed them to memory. There was something about Him that attracted me. As I thought about what he said, I became a believer. God touched my heart and drew me into that Kingdom of which Jesus spoke. I thought, as a faithful Jewish Pharisee that I was already in the Kingdom of God. I learned that day that being religious is not enough. Following rules will not merit anyone favor in God’s eyes. Belonging to a certain group or race is not an automatic pass into heaven. There must be a new birth. I was born again that day, although I must confess that I was not as open about my faith as I might have been. 

The question I pondered that day is one we should all ponder. What did Jesus mean when He said, “You must be born again?”  As I reflected carefully on His words, I think I finally understood. When He spoke of the wind and the Spirit, I assumed He meant that God must be active to produce the new birth. Just as there is mystery in the blowing of the wind, so too there is mystery in the work of the Spirit. While we cannot always explain the wind, we do know when it is blowing. I think He meant that when the Spirit blows the new birth into a human soul, that person knows he has been touched by God.

It occurred to me that there is nothing we can do to force God to act.  I cannot demand that He grant me the new birth. We are surely on the wrong tract when we demand anything from God. Yes, we can ask, but we cannot demand. Is there anything God expects of us so that we are in a position to be born again?  Jesus said there was something we must do. He called upon me and everyone else to believe in Him. At first, I wasn’t sure what He meant by his reference to the bronze snake our fathers mounted on a pole in the wilderness. Poisonous snakes were attacking our people at that time, but all who gazed at the brazen serpent were healed. 

When later on He was lifted up on a cross, I understood. Jesus was healing us from the poison of sin at the cross. When our fathers looked at the brazen serpent with faith, they were healed.  When we look at the Son of Man hanging on a cross and believe that He is suffering there on behalf our sins, we are healed spiritually. 

He wanted me to understand that it was the love of God which sent Him into the world.  He was not sent to condemn the world, but to save the world. So great is the love of God that He has made a clear and simple way for anyone to enter into His kingdom. Whoever believes in Jesus, He said, will not perish but have eternal life. 

I came to this conclusion: the new birth involves two things. Faith in Jesus on our part, and the work of the Spirit on the soul on God’s part.  I am not sure how those two work together. All I know is that we must do our part, and that is to believe in the Son of Man. 

Jesus said one more thing that day that we must listen carefully. He said, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” 

Do not make the mistake we Pharisees made.  Do not assume that because someone is a member of a church, or claims to be a Christian, that heaven is his destiny. We all assumed that if you were a Jew and not terribly wicked, you were guaranteed a place in the eternal kingdom. The idea that a good Jew had to be reborn was a strange thought to us. The question we must ask is this – – – “Do I know that I have been born again?  Has the Spirit of God blown in my soul making me into a new person?”  If you are uncertain, you need to examine your heart to see if your faith in Jesus is sincere. 

Do you understand why some people will be condemned by God? It is not because they have sinned against God. That is true enough, but the Son of God atoned for the sins of the world. Jesus stated to me clearly on that day long ago, the condemned are lost because they have not believed in God’s only Son. In my day the Romans affirmed many gods, and there were strange gods to be found in the nations around Israel. Some thought, “Well, if you sincerely follow your religion, whatever it is, God will honor that and save you.”  Listen carefully, Jesus said the one and only reason for condemnation is the failure to believe in the name of the only Son of God. 

Jesus taught that there is but one road leading to the Father’s Kingdom, and He Himself is that road. I thought I was on the right road as a faithful Jew.  I learned that day that we must all be born again if we are to enter heaven. Jesus is the only road that leads us safely into God’s Kingdom. Make sure you are on it. 

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JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE

Warsaw Christian Church (2/23/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text John 2:13-22 (cp Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-46)

The episode in our text is recorded in all four Gospels. John records it at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, while the other 3 Gospels record it as happening towards the end.  We simply need to remember that ancient writers were not always concerned about chronology. They had a story to tell, and John in particular does not seem to concern himself with the chronological sequence of events. 

This episode in the life of Jesus is troubling to some. Some look upon the Savior as “gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” and this event does not fit that picture.  He seems to be acting with anger, and for some Christians the idea that Jesus would act out of anger is inconceivable. Our texts tell us it was zeal for God’s House that moved Him to act as He did. 

The occasion is the Jewish Passover. It is a very special day in the Jewish calendar, commemorating their escape from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. It was one of three Jewish holidays requiring every male to go to Jerusalem (Deut. 16:16). Jesus is careful to follow the Law of Moses. On this occasion, he encounters a situation that displeases Him. In the very courts of the Temple is a bazaar like atmosphere. People were selling oxen, sheep, and doves, etc. that were to be used as sacrifices. 

Also, only currency from Tyre was acceptable as a medium of exchange. Jews who came with other currencies had to exchange their money for coins from Tyre. There was a reason for that which need not concern us. So, we have people selling animals, and booths for the exchange of funds in the Temple court. 

There was nothing wrong with making animals available for sacrifice, or having a currency exchange, but there was no necessity to set up in the Temple. It could have been done outside the Temple but somewhere in the vicinity. Having noisy, smelly animals and the cries of vendors in God’s house was too much for our Lord to ignore. The traders were so eager for business that they sold their sacrificial animals in a place dedicated to the worship of Jehovah. 

This is the first public act in the ministry of Jesus, according to John. The act of turning water into wine was done at a private wedding. Now Jesus strides into the Temple of God. The crowning event at Passover was the eating of the roasted lamb. Jesus, the Lamb of God, appears and foretells His own sacrifice. 

But first, Jesus makes a whip and begins to drive out the animals and the people selling them, and the money changers. He overturns the tables of the money changers. He speaks, “Do not make my Father’s House a house of trade.” In the synoptic Gospels he adds, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations, but you have made it a den of robbers” (Mark 11:17).  This suggests that those selling and exchanging money were not always honest. 

The scene is almost unbelievable. The court of the Gentiles was the entrance to the house of the Most High God. Instead of being put into the right frame of mind to worship God, worshippers encounter a cacophony of animal noises and the cries of vendors. Jesus responds with righteous indignation. Fashioning a whip, he drives men and beasts out of the Temple. I suspect everyone was so stunned they didn’t know what to do except to get out of the way of this “mad man.”  They fled the Temple “pell-mell like a lot of naughty boys” (Lenski’s Commentary, p. 207).  Some of those learned in the Scriptures may have thought of the words of the prophet Malachi: “Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty (Malachi 3:1). 

What application can we make of this episode? One thing is clear. Houses of worship are to be treated with high respect and honor. What would you think if, upon entering this church, you were confronted with tables where bulletins were sold for profit, or you had to purchase a special token to partake of the Lord’s Supper?  Or maybe I had a booth set up to sell previous sermons for $5 each? (I bet that would not go over very well!). I believe you would be stunned and offended, even as Jesus was. 

I believe some of you may, be wondering about our annual FCW bazaar where our sanctuary become a place for selling goods. I have mixed feelings about it. I would prefer we do the bazaar apart from the sanctuary. I also understand that we have limited space in this building. Apart from a financial miracle that would allow us to expand our building, our ladies do not have much choice, and there is one large difference between what goes on at our bazaar and what went on in the Jerusalem Temple. Our ladies are not working for personal profit, but to raise money for various outreach causes. It is an entirely different situation. For me it is kind of a gray area where I hesitate to be dogmatic on the issue one way or the other. 

Sometimes we say, “The church is the people.  This building is just to keep the rain off our heads.” It is true that the church is the people, but this building is also important. Like the Temple in Jerusalem, it is a building set aside to worship God. We should afford to our church building high honor and respect because of its purpose. We come here to worship and grow in our faith.  To be sure, we do not worship the building itself, but we try to keep it clean and beautiful so that those who enter here are put in the frame of mind to worship God our Father. 

I must say a word to persons who say, “I don’t need the church in order to be a good Christian.” Well, that is sort of a half-truth. It is true, it is not the church building and your presence therein that makes you a Christian. It is faith in the Savior that qualifies us to bear the name “Christian.” On the other hand, Jesus established the church for our benefit. Those who see no need for the church are surely insulting the Lord of the church. Why would anyone profess to believe in Jesus and then turn away from the church He established for our benefit? Jesus was incensed when He saw God’s House being abused. We should have the same attitude. We honor Christ when we not only keep our house of worship in good repair, but also by our participation in the life of His church. 

As the story continues, the Jews ask Jesus for a sign. It is as if they are saying, “If you are some kind of prophet, prove it by doing a miraculous sign.  How do we know you are not just some crazy man?” Jesus’ response only confuses the Jewish leaders even more. He says, “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.” You want a sign, here is my sign. They assume He is speaking of the Temple building that took 46 years to build.  They are incredulous, and now assume that this man is indeed a lunatic. The disciples who are with Jesus also do not immediately understand what He means. They remember this statement later, when He was resurrected three days after His crucifixion. Then they understood that the temple He would raise in three days was His own body. 

It is interesting to me that Jesus often gave cryptic responses to those persons He knew would not believe in Him. His parables were often meaningless to unbelievers, but made sense to His disciples. There were times when the disciples were also confused, but they remained with Jesus and in time they understood. 

I can certainly testify to this in my own experience. I read the Bible some before I was a Christian.  It was the most confusing, nonsensical book I had ever read. I joked about how stupid people were who believed the Bible.  It was like a vast picture puzzle, but the pieces just didn’t fit together. When I came to faith, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place and now the Bible is the most sensible book I have ever read. God grants understanding to those who trust in His Son. To those who stubbornly cling to unbelief, confusion reigns supreme. “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them” John 12:40). “The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”   This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand” (Matt. 13:10, 13). Faith opens our eyes to divine truth. Unbelief blinds us to divine truth. 

Right at the beginning of His public ministry Jesus predicts His own death and resurrection. He knew what His mission was from the very beginning. His body would be put to death.  He would suffer for the sins of His people. His vicarious sacrifice would be validated by His resurrection. He said later, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father” (John 10:17,18).

Anyone claiming to be able to raise Himself from death is, according to C.S. Lewis, either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. In order to raise yourself from death you have to be alive even when you are dead!  Dead people cannot do anything. What we are confronted with here is the mystery of the Incarnation. As we saw earlier in John’s Gospel, Jesus has two natures, human and divine. Jesus died in His humanity, but deity cannot die. Thus, in His deity He was able to resurrect His human body. I can’t do such a thing, nor can any of us. If we are to be resurrected a power outside of us must act upon us, namely the power of God.  When Jesus in fact rose from the grave, He gave infallible proof that He was and is the Son of God, Savior of the world. He chose to lay down His life for us, and He had the power to raise Himself from death. If you are able to believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection, eternal life will be yours. 

Earlier, Peter had said this: You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.  He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:38-43)

Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are within the grasp of every human being. All it takes is faith in the Son of God. At the very time when Jesus demonstrated righteous indignation over the desecration of the house of God, He also prophesied concerning the best news any of us will ever hear, His own death and resurrection.  All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Do you believe that? If you do, your sins are forgiven and heaven will be your final home. Those who will not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God will leave this life without hope. FAITH IN JESUS! Don’t leave this life without it. 

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WHERE’S THE WINE?

Warsaw Christian Church, (Feb. 9, 2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 2:1-11

John tells us in verse 11 that this was the first miracle Jesus performed. Cana was a very small, obscure town, probably about the size of Tightwad or Rackett, MO. Nothing is known about this town outside of this wedding event. Archeologists are not certain where Cana was located, but it was probably near Nazareth. The couple being married are not named; like most people who live in small towns they were unimportant.  Important people did not normally live in small towns. 

One of my commentaries told of a New York bank that issued clean, fresh, untouched bills to important customers. The bills are in books separated by tissues. To qualify for this service, you need to keep a minimum balance of $25,000. I would not qualify and must be content to handle dirty money. Our wedding party in Cana would not have qualified either. It would seem they were so poor they could not provide enough wine for the wedding celebration. 

John tells us in verse one that the mother of Jesus was there.  Perhaps she was a friend of the family and was helping out in some capacity.  Maybe she was helping with refreshments. A strange mystery in the Gospel of John is why he never uses her name, Mary. John uses other names, but he always refers to Mary as “the mother of Jesus.” Why does he not write, “Mary, the mother of Jesus?” We don’t know. 

Jesus must also have been acquainted with the couple. He is also invited to the wedding. At this point He has not embarked on His public ministry, so He is just a local carpenter. Outside of Mary, no one knows that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. Mary, of course, would never have forgotten the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. She knows who He is, and informs Him that the wine is gone. Jesus gives a cryptic response. Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:4-5). I recently heard a Christian comedian commenting on this verse. He pointed out that it seemed kind of inappropriate for Jesus to address His mother as “Woman.” If my mother said to me, “Dick, clean your room!” and I responded, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with me,” I probably would have been in trouble! Maybe His response was appropriate in Jewish culture. 

She tells the servants to do whatever Jesus says, and He turns lots of water into high quality wine. I know there are churches that look upon drinking any kind of alcohol as a sin. I have heard some pastors say that Jesus turned the water into grape juice. However, the writers of Scripture knew the difference between grape juice and wine. Wine, by definition, is fermented. It is an alcoholic beverage. 

In ancient Israel you had two choices for beverages.  Water or wine. There was no Coca Cola, no coffee, no root bear – – – just water (which was not always pure), and wine. Well, I guess they also had milk but that was not what you served at a wedding. 

How does one go about turning water into wine? For us, it is an impossible task. For Jesus, it was a simple matter. Remember, He created the heavens and the earth. He spoke the vast galaxies into existence. If you are God the Son, a mere thought or spoken word, and water becomes wine. Apparently, when Jesus made wine, he made the good stuff.  The guests commented that normally you served the good wine first, and when the taste buds were insensitive, you brought out the cheap stuff. They were astonished that this wine was so superior in quality. 

What does John want us to learn from this episode?  I think there are several practical lessons. First, it reminds us that our Lord cares about our temporal needs. While His main ministry is to redeem us from sin, death and hell, He also cares about our daily life. This lack of wine at a wedding celebration is not a great problem in the grand scheme of things. There were serious issues like Roman occupation, natural disasters, crime etc.  I suppose Jesus could have said, “Don’t trouble me with trifles. My goal is to save people for eternal life. I can’t be bothered with the lack of refreshments at a wedding.” However, his very first recorded miracle is an act of provision and kindness for an unknown wedding couple. 

I have heard people say, “I don’t think we should pray over minor, temporal matters.” I do not agree. If we have a real need, even if it is nothing more than providing refreshments for a wedding, we should pray.  We may not always see a miracle, and we may not always receive what we ask for, but God wants us to trust Him. He loves us and wants to bless us, and He is not stingy. Should we ask for God’s help with minor health issues? Yes, we should. Should we pray over temporal matters that may not seem very important? Yes, we should. Our prayers indicate that we do indeed trust our heavenly Father. As we learn to trust God in small matters, our faith will grow stronger enabling us to better face the larger issues. Jesus stressed this principle in Luke 16:10: “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much…” As we learn to trust God is small matters our faith grows and we are able to trust Him in larger matters. If you can’t trust Him to help you find your car keys, how will you ever trust Him when you are faced with a major problem? 

     The second lesson I see in our text is simply that God makes abundant provision for us. The six stone jars each holding 20 to 30 gallons was surely more wine than was needed. 180 gallons of wine for a small wedding party was way more than enough! This would be enough wine to serve the entire stadium at a Chiefs football game!  We saw this same phenomena in the feeding of the 5000. More food was provided than was actually needed. When God meets a need He does not do so in an economical manner. Jesus stressed this principle in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matt. 7:9-11).  Do you enjoy giving good things to your children? Would that not also be true of God, even more so?  God not only provided far more than was needed, but it was also of the highest quality. 

     Does this mean we can get whatever we want from God? No, because God always acts in our best interest. His highest will for us is that we would enter into eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. If what we ask for will be a hindrance to this higher goal, He will withhold the requested blessing. If what we ask for is in harmony with God’s highest will for us, and if we ask in faith, it will be granted. If your ten-year-old son asked for a Glock handgun, I suspect you would say no because you realize it could do serious harm to him or others. If your son was hungry and asked for bread, I suspect you would grant that request. God loves us and desires to bless us with good things. Here the Word of the Lord, first from Psalm 34:10: “The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.” And from Psalm 84:11: “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Under the New Covenant, those who walk uprightly are those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and live as His disciples. Our text from John’s Gospel should encourage us to believe that God will grant our requests abundantly, as long as they will promote our spiritual good. 

     One of the obvious lessons in our text is that it proclaims loudly the deity of Jesus. Mary knew that, but the disciples were just becoming acquainted with Jesus. Up to now, they were attracted to Jesus but had not seen any manifestation of His divine power.  Verse 11 in our text says, “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.”  They had hoped that Jesus was the Messiah. Now any lingering doubts were removed. They understood that no mere moral man can change water into wine.  Only God the creator, God the Son, can perform such a mighty miracle. 

     I want to mention one final very important lesson from our text. We saw in Chapter One of John’s Gospel that Jesus can change us. We read in John 1:12 these words: “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right (or power) to become children of God.” How can we find forgiveness from God and become His children? Who can change us from rebels into disciples? Who has that power? The answer of Scripture is – – – Jesus. Those who receive Him into their lives and hearts by believing in Him are transformed into children of God. How does He do it? I don’t know, any more than I can explain how He turned water into wine. I don’t know how He does it, but I do know that He does it. He changes hearts; He transforms lives. He who turned water into first rate wine changes sinners into first rate disciples. 

     The problem some people face is simple, but deadly. Many are content with a superficial Christian experience and have no desire to be radically transformed. We may think all we need is a little remodeling, while Jesus plans to tear down our old way of life and give us a brand-new life. The Christian musical, “For Heaven’s Sake” (1961) had a song that speaks to this issue. It’s called, “The Repair Job.” The first verse goes like this. “I asked God to do some repair, and He’s making the whole place over! My bungalow was modest, with a simple one floor plan. But all its quirks and foibles, satisfied this simple man. I knew the drains were leaking, the gutters rusted through. The shingles had been warping, and the paint was peeling too.  I knew it needed fixing and I thought I could afford, Some sort of small repair work—then He went overboard. He kept on saying what could be, and how the place could look— He said He’d take me over, and now I’m being took. ‘Cause He’s making us over, He’s making us over, Nothing’s the same since that house wrecker came.” Jesus is not interested in doing some slight repairs in our lives. He is making us over into brand new creatures in Christ.

     As we read this episode where Jesus transformed water into wine, we are not to say, “Wow, that was quite a trick.” Rather we should respond, “Lord Jesus, change me too.” Those who sincerely ask the Lord Jesus to touch their sinful hearts and turn them into the pure wine of faith and discipleship learn that He honors such a request. To turn water into wine is a great miracle. To turn a sinner into a saint is an even greater miracle.  I pray that His grace will touch us deeply and turn our watery Christian lives into first class wine. May the Lord grant this unto us all. 

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WHO ARE YOU?

Warsaw Christian Church, (2/2/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 1:19-29 (see also Matthew3:1-12)

When John the Baptist arrived on the scene, the entrenched religious leaders wondered who he was. The scribes and Pharisees, high priests and Levites, had basically institutionalized Judaism. John did not fit into the institutional mold. John’s father was a priest, and so the assumption was that John would also be a priest. Instead he is wandering around in the desert, eating weird food and dressed like one of the prophets of old. The leaders are suspicious of him. 

This is a very typical reaction. We all tend to fall into religious ruts and are suspicious of things going on outside our comfort zone. Sometimes new pastors are viewed with some initial doubt. “What is he like?” “What will he change?” “Will he fit in here?”  John arrives on the scene preaching repentance and baptizing people in the Jordan River. He just doesn’t fit in, and so the leadership is sent from Jerusalem to find out about this guy. 

It is like a game of 20 questions. They wonder if he might claim to be the Messiah, but he says, “I am not the Christ.” Well then, they ask, “Are you Elijah?” They knew that the last writing prophet, Malachi, had prophesied that Elijah would return before the day of the Lord (Malachi 4:8). John denies that he is Elijah. (Later, Jesus did indicate that John fulfilled the prophesy concerning Elijah because he came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17; see also  Matt. 17:10-12). Finally they ask if he is “the prophet” (See Deut. 18:15-18). John gives a simple “no.” Finally they ask the question they should have asked in the first place instead of engaging in a guessing game. “Who are you?” they ask. 

John gives a somewhat cryptic answer. “He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah” (Isaiah 40:3). The interrogators do not inquire as to his meaning. They have one final question for John, wondering about the significance of his baptism.  John then states emphatically that another is coming after him, one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (this detail is not mentioned by John but is found in all three synoptic Gospel: Matt. 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16). 

John knew exactly who he was.  Others wondered about him, but he knew he was called of God to serve as the forerunner to the Messiah. There are several lessons we can learn from John. We certainly see here his humility.  He is not going to claim to be someone he is not. He might have said, “Why yes, I am the fulfillment of the Elijah prophesies, so you had better honor me.”  John is not interested in recognition, nor should we be. He will not accept any honors that do not belong to him. Yes, he had been called to fulfill a special role in redemptive history but he did not become puffed up with pride.  His focus was simply on doing what God called him to do. That should also be our focus. 

I was reading recently about a hot shot fighter pilot in WW Two, an ace who won many dogfights. He was an excellent pilot, but very arrogant and puffed up with his own abilities. He was so obnoxious that his commanding officer had him transferred. His recommendation read as follow: “Splendid officer at 5000 feet.  He should never come lower.” John the Baptist had a very different attitude. 

We all have different callings. I have been called to serve as your pastor. Some of you are called to teach school.  Some are called to the medical profession. Many of you are now retired. Whatever your particular station in life, if we follow John’s example we will turn aside from recognition and status, and simply strive to do our best to serve the Lord. John identifies himself by pointing to a prophecy found in Isaiah 40:3. His task is to prepare the nation to receive their Messiah. He is often referred to as the forerunner.  That raises a question. Why did the Messiah, Jesus, need a forerunner? Why was the ministry of John included in the plan of God? 

Part of the answer is seen in the fact that the Jewish people had developed some wrong ideas about the Messiah. Few understood what Paul later clarified that the “seed of Abraham” was not a reference to the entire Jewish nation.  It was a reference to one person, the Messiah (see Gal. 3:7-8, 16).  Jesus is the seed of Abraham, and all who trust in Him, whether Jew or Gentile, will receive the promises made to Abraham. Furthermore, the Jews rightly saw the Messiah as the Son of David. They assumed the Messiah would restore Israel’s glory, even beyond what David had achieved. Many anticipated that the Messiah would severely punish the hated Romans. They saw themselves as the objects of God’s salvation, but Gentiles were the subject of God’s wrath. 

John had to begin the process of dispelling these false ideas. The salvation that Messiah would bring was not a Jewish phenomenon.  It had nothing to do with national heritage. Jesus would call people to a personal faith in Him. It was a call to repent of sin and turn to Him in baptism and faith.  The majority of the Jewish people rejected Jesus because He did not meet their expectations. They did not grasp the fact that their problem was not Rome, but personal sin. 

Some things never change.  There are people in the church today who distort the message of Jesus. Some preach that faith in Jesus will guarantee health and wealth. Others tell us that Jesus is merely one of many paths to God.  In seminary, I was taught that since one cannot verify the deity of Jesus by rational-empirical methodology, we must deny that He is the Son of God. The distortions of the simple Gospel message are legion in today’s church.

Matthew 3:6 tells us that those who came to John for baptism came confessing their sins. John declared, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matt. 3:11; cp. John 1:30-34).

The Pharisee’s ask John why he is baptizing, and they are especially curious as to why he is baptizing Jews. In their thinking, they were the religious experts. They are probably wondering why John has the audacity to preach at all. The only baptism performed in the Jewish faith was the baptism of Gentile converts to Judaism. Gentiles were seen as morally and spiritually corrupt, so when a Gentile converted to Judaism he was baptized as an act of moral cleansing. Jews, however, did not need baptism. They were automatically in God’s favor by virtue of their Jewishness. Why would God’s chosen people need baptism, and who does John think he is to proclaim such a message?  

Yet here is John, calling upon Jews to repent and confess their sins and be baptized. Who is this wild man who eats bugs in the desert? Why should anyone listen to him? Nonetheless, John thundered forth his message loud and clear.  Jews as well as Gentiles need to repent and receive forgiveness. John calls upon the Jewish people to prepare for the one who will come after him, one mightier than John. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. 

Once a message is proclaimed it places upon those who hear it a responsibility to respond. You can accept the message, reject it, or ignore it. John said the Messiah would soon arrive on the scene. He would have the authority to grant the Holy Spirit.  The Jews would have been thinking, “Only God can grant the Holy Spirit.” John is probably thinking, “Bingo!”  Well, John would not have known about the game of Bingo, but he would have used a comparable Greek or Hebrew phrase. Most rejected John’s message, and also the message of Jesus. 

Our text ends with the powerful words of verse 29.  Jesus approaches John and John cries out “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This idea that Jesus is the Lamb of God finds its way into the ancient liturgies of the church. If you have spent any time in the Lutheran Church you have said or sung, “O Christ, thou Lamb of God, who takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.” 

To the Jewish mind, the idea of a lamb being sacrificed for the removal of sin and guilt was a common idea. This was a communal practice in ancient Israel. But this was no ordinary Lamb. Lambs had to be sacrificed repeatedly under the Old Covenant. John proclaims that Jesus is the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world, once and for all. 

John declares that Jesus is unique.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  Who is it that can take away the sin of the entire world, past, present and future? In John 1:34 Jesus is further described as the Son of God. Whose death would have such merit so as to remove the sin of the world?  No ordinary lamb could do that. The Passover lamb could not do that. Only the Lamb of God who is the Son of God can accomplish such a momentous task.

We need to grasp the fact that Jesus, in one great act, has removed the sins of the world. That means that all your sins, past, present and future, have been removed, forgiven. As long as faith in Jesus is alive, along with repentance (see last week’s sermon), we need not be anxious or fearful that our sins will cast us into hell. There is only one sin that will separate us from God, the sin of unbelief. Notice John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, took upon Himself the judgment of your sins and my sins. He asks of us but one thing – – – a life of repentance and faith. He asks us to believe that He is indeed the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Faith connects us to Jesus and His forgiving grace has removed all our sins. John the Baptist introduced the Messiah to Israel, and then took a back seat. He had no interest in promoting himself. His one interest was to persuade you that the Messiah had come.  If you believe what John declares in our text, your sins are removed and will never condemn you. Those who refuse to believe John have also rejected the Messiah. They have committed treason against their Creator who reached out to them with love. Their just fate is an eternity in outer darkness. How much wiser it is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. 

We wonder, why would God go to such extremes to redeem us? Yes, because He loves us, and perhaps this story from everyday life will help us understand. It was the year 2007. In New York City a man had a seizure in the subway and fell onto the tracks with a train car bearing down on him. A construction worker saw what was happening and jumped onto the tracks and dragged the man into a drainage ditch between the tracks. The train roared overhead, but neither man was injured. The hero, a man named Wesley Autrey, was given the city’s highest award by Mayor Bloomberg. Donald Trump heard the story and gave the man $10,000.  The Metropolitan Transportation Authority gave him a year’s supply of Metrocards. His boss even bought him a “hero” sandwich. When asked about why he risked his life for a stranger, Autry said, “I just did it because I saw someone in distress. Someone needed help.” That is what Jesus did for us. The train of sin was about to crush us. He saw that we needed the help He alone could give, and He jumped into this world to save us. 

John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God, and then stepped aside. That is an example for us to follow. We are to proclaim the name of Jesus, and then get out of the way so He can work in the hearts and lives of others. But before we can do that, we must be clear in our own personal declaration of faith in Jesus. He is not looking for reluctant followers. He is not looking for half-hearted disciples. He is not looking for occasional disciples who tip their hats to Him now and then but live as though He matters not. He is looking for disciples who both express their faith in Him, and back it up with actions. Do I fit that description? Do you? 

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IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD

Warsaw Christian Church (1/26/20) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 1:1-14

We are going to spend some time over the next few months in the Gospel of John. This morning we are going to look more closely at John’s prologue to the story of Jesus. It is probably the most spiritual and the most theological of the four Gospels. In John we encounter material not found in the other Gospels.  Do you know how many of the parables of Jesus are found in John’s Gospel? Zero, none. John contains lots of narrative, a few allegories, but no parables. This is why scholars speak of the three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) in contrast to John. The synoptic Gospels tell the story of Jesus from the same basic perspective. John adds all kinds of materials not found in the three synoptics. 

We begin with John’s prologue. It is difficult to read the Prologue to John’s Gospel without saying, “Wow!”  Matthew and Luke tell us of the miraculous virgin birth of the Savior. Mark begins his Gospel with the baptism of Jesus. John takes us back to the beginning of time, and what he says is truly incredible. He is speaking of the man Jesus. He says of Him, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” Let’s take a closer look at these profound words from the hand of an inspired Apostle. John’s statement reminds us of the book of Genesis which also commences with “In the beginning.” John tell us that “the Word” (Jesus Christ) was present when the universe was created. The early church faced a problem when writing to Gentiles. The Gentiles were not familiar with the Old Testament.  When preaching to the Jews, the early Christians used the Old Testament, pointing out how Jesus fulfilled the ancient prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah. That approach would not work with Greek Gentiles.

The idea of “word,” however, was familiar to Greek culture. The Greeks looked at the universe and saw order everywhere. The seasons were orderly, the stars and plants moved in an orderly fashion. When a farmer planted wheat, the end product was always wheat. Cows gave birth to cattle; humans gave birth to humans, all of which was predictable and orderly. They wondered, why is there order and not chaos in the universe?  They concluded that there must be a mind – – – rationality behind the universe which caused the universe to exist. This they referred to as the logos, or word. 

John declares that this creating “logos” or “Word” was in the beginning.  This “word” was with God. Later he says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He states the Gospel in terms that Gentiles can grasp. If the Word was present “in the beginning”, the Word is eternal. The only thing that existed before the beginning was God. Jesus, the Word, was with God the Father at the dawn of creation. Jesus has existed from all eternity. 

Then John makes an astonishing claim. “The Word was God.”  Jesus Christ is both with God, and is God. God, by definition, is an eternal being. If Jesus is God, He is an eternal being. There was never a time when Jesus did not exist. There was a time – – – long centuries – – – when I did not exist. I came into being in 1936. Jesus never came into being but is an eternal being. 

John does not explain how Jesus can be both with God, a separate and distinct person, and also be God, the God who is One. I suspect the explanation is beyond our ability to understand. That God is one in essence, yet three in person, is never explained in Scripture.  It is merely stated. 

For example, Jesus is described as “the express image of His person” (Heb. 1:3). Jesus said to Phillip, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” He also declared, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Paul describes Jesus as “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). 

Several implications flow from the amazing revelation that the man Jesus is also eternal God. As we carefully study the words and deeds of Jesus, we grasp a clear understanding of what God is like. God the Father is exactly like Jesus the Son. Jesus reveals God perfectly, and from Him we learn that our Creator is most magnificent. 

There are those who say that God is unknowable. The Christian message reveals that God wants to be known. He does not want to hide in the heavens with no interest in our lives. If God is like Jesus, we have every reason for hope. Jesus reveals God as a loving and caring deity. He reveals a God full of goodness and truth. He reveals a God who extends to us total and complete forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son. He reveals a God who offers eternal life to us as a gift on the simple condition that we trust in Jesus. Primarily, we learn from Jesus that God is love. Yes, Jesus also reveals a God of judgment who will not tolerate the violation of His will. Those who will not respond to God’s forgiving love and grace with faith will face eternal doom. 

In our text, we learn also that Jesus Christ, the One who was with God and who is God, created the universe from top to bottom. John says in 1:2, “Without Him was not anything made that was made.”  Jesus, in harmony with the Father and the Holy Spirit, created this planet on which we live. He spoke the sun, moon and stars into existence. He created human life in the image of God. He then walked on the very ground He created. 

Paul agrees with John in Colossians 1:16,17:  Speaking of Jesus he writes, “For by Him (Jesus) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  Paul wants to make sure that we understand the power and nature of Jesus. He created all things, things in heaven and on earth, things visible and invisible, all powers and authorities. Everything was created by Him and for Him. He even now is sustaining the universe by the power of His will. 

According to a 2006 Newsweek poll, people in the United States said they believed in God by a margin of 92 to 6. Only 2 percent answered, “I Don’t know.” Still, many people are practical atheists. Some profess belief in a supreme being, but they live as though God did not exist. 

Astronomer Carolyn Porco believes science is a better system than God. “Science itself should attempt to supplant God in Western culture by providing the benefits and comforts people find in religion: community, ceremony, and a sense of awe,” Porco says. “Imagine congregations raising their voices in tribute to gravity — the force that binds us all to the earth, and the earth to the sun, and the sun to the Milky Way.” Porco admits there are limits to finding spiritual fulfillment by exploring the universe — namely, our innate desire to understand what is beyond the universe. She writes, “The people who want to know that they’re going to live forever and meet Mom and Dad in heaven? We can’t offer that.” If you are spiritually satisfied by thanking gravity for keeping you from falling off the earth, go for it! Yes, science is wonderful, but science has no access to God. 

When John states that all things “were made” (Greek, egeneto) he is saying that the physical universe made up of atoms and molecules, matter and energy, came into existence by the creative Word of the Son of God. The Triune God created the universe out of nothing, as the theologians put it. Matter, energy, time, space did not exist before the first day of creation. God simply said, “let there be…” and there was. 

It is truly astonishing to think that the Creator of the universe once walked among us as a man.  Moreover, we remember that Jesus was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). Why would the Son of God allow Himself finally to be nailed to a cross? This is His world and He had the right to demand that we obey Him. Why did He not call those 10,000 angels to come and rescue Him, and destroy the world and the sinful inhabitants (see Matthew 26:53). 

Wonder of wonders, He submitted to the Cross and used it as the very means to redeem us.  It was the love of God that led Jesus to the Cross. It was love that held Him there. What is God like? He loves us so much that He was willing to endure the Cross for our sakes. God is not a remote God, but a personal God who acted in a very personal way to reveal His love to us. The one who made all things came into the world He created, and revealed the astonishing, amazing love of God to us. 

The next point in our text is this: Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the creator of life and the bearer of everlasting life. Unfortunately, darkness had so enveloped the mind of fallen humanity that when the Light of the world appeared, the human race stared at Him without comprehension. His own people, the Jews, did not recognize their Messiah.  When I read the story of Jesus in the New Testament, it astonishes me that so many refuse to believe in Him. Then I recall that time in my life when I did not believe in Him. Some people are so caught up in the darkness that they cannot see the light. The good news is this. The ones who did believe in His name were given the right to become children of God. They were born again, not through human power but through the power of God. In union with a simple act of faith, the power of God moves in the human soul creating the new birth.  

John says it was his privilege to have known Jesus personally. He heard the wonderful words of Jesus and saw His mighty works. He concludes that the glory of God is present in Jesus. He is the only Son of God.  There is no other perfect revelation of God to be found anywhere. Those who seek God outside of Jesus will never find Him. I realize that such a statement is politically incorrect. Some affirm there are many paths to God. If you believe that you might as well discard your Bible which declares unequivocally that there is but one path to God, Jesus. 

Later John will devote chapters 13-21 to events surrounding the crucifixion. This is the heart of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ came into the world to redeem sinners.  He accomplished this by His vicarious death on the cross. But how can the death of a single man atone for the sins of the world? That cannot be, unless that man is also God. Luther explained that the Savior must be God.  Only if He is God can His death have the merit needed to atone for the sins of the world. But, explained Luther, He must also be man, one with us. Man has sinned, and the redeemer must be human as we are. John wants to make sure at the very beginning of His Gospel that we understand this important truth. We need a God-Man to save us, and that is what we have in Jesus Christ. 

Tedd was five years older than Janet, finished college before her, and was working in a city hundreds of miles from her. They always seemed to be at different places in their lives. But they had been dating for seven years. Every Valentine’s Day Tedd would propose marriage, and Janet would say, “No, not yet.” Finally, when they were both living in Dallas, Tedd reached the end of his patience. He bought a ring, took Janet to a romantic restaurant, and prepared to give her the diamond. Another “no” would mean he would get on with his life without her.

After salad, entree, and dessert, Tedd was ready. But realizing Janet had a gift for him, he asked, “What did you bring me?” She handed him a box the size of a book. He opened the package and slowly peeled away the tissue paper. It was a cross-stitch Janet had made that simply said, “Yes.” It was the word Tedd longed to hear. It’s also the word that God, in his tireless pursuit of the sinner, longs to hear. If you believe in Jesus you are a child of God, destined to live eternally in the presence of God and all the redeemed. That is God’s promise. Do you believe Him? Have you made it clear that your response to Jesus is a definite “Yes?” 

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RESTORING THAT WHICH HAS BEEN LOST

Warsaw Christian Church, (1/19/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Psalm 51 (Especially verse 12)

Have you ever lost something that you later found? Doesn’t it bring joy when the lost is found? I may have mentioned before several years ago when I was at the Walmart “bank.” I made a small purchase but my real purpose was to get cash. I punched in that I wanted $100 cash back. I gathered up my small purchase and walked away leaving my $100 in the machine. It was about an hour later when I realized what I had done. Without much hope I returned to Walmart. I assumed probably some fortunate customer found my money and I was out of luck. I returned to Walmart feeling hopeless, and broke! I told a clerk what had happened. She said, “Oh, you are the guy who left $100 in the machine. We found it and have it for you. Here is your money.” Joy flooded my soul! I could not believe I had been so stupid, but also so blessed by an honest clerk at Walmart. 

In Psalm 51 David had lost something far more valuable than $100. He had lost the joy of his salvation. He prayed, “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.” David had known the joy of salvation.  He was in a right relationship with God. We see that joy bubbling over in Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He leads me to green pastures…  He restores my soul… goodness and mercy follow me . . . I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” David is full of joy as he recalls all the blessings of God. These are abundant reasons to fell joyful. 

But something has happened. David’s joy is gone. He has not lost his salvation, but he has lost his joy. He prays that the joy he once knew as a redeemed soul could be restored to him. We know what happened to him. He is standing on the roof of the palace looking down on a neighboring roof, and what does he see? A beautiful woman taking a bath. He is dazzled by her beauty. “I must have her” he thinks. “After all, I am the king. I am entitled.”

In order to possess Bathsheba, he has to deal with the pesky problem that she has a husband. David has her husband, Uriah, killed.  Uriah served in David’s army and was very loyal to David, He is rewarded by death. David marries his beautiful neighbor and she bears him a son who dies. Later she bears him another son, Solomon, who becomes king when David dies. Solomon’s rule turns out to be a total disaster leading to a dividing of Israel into north and south. David was forgiven, but his heinous sins continued to have negative consequences throughout his life. 

So, David gains Bathsheba, but what does he lose?  The joy of his salvation. You cannot blatantly disregard the will of God and feel joyful. It was impossible for David, and it is impossible for us. 

David was in a precarious position. What would have become of Him had he decided, “Oh well, I’m the king and I can do as I wish. God loves me even when I disobey Him, so my disobedience doesn’t matter. I can take any woman I like. David lost the joy of his salvation. The question I want us to think about is this: Can one ever lose his or her salvation? We can certainly lose the joy of our salvation through disobedience, but can a real relationship with God ever be lost? 

One opinion on that question is to affirm “once saved, always saved.” Certain Scriptures are quoted to support this position.  I want to quote a single Scripture which clearly states that redeemed Christians can lose their salvation. 2 Peter 2:20-22. “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Notice this language. Peter speaks of those who have escaped from sinful pollutions. They escaped from the pollution of sin because they came to know and believe in Jesus. They then become entangled in sin once again. They make the choice to indulge their sins, which means they have turned away from Jesus. They have known the reality of salvation, but then turn away from it. They are like a washed sow who is clean but prefers to wallow in the mire. First, those described by Peter lose the joy of their salvation. Then, because they prefer their sins to Jesus, there is no repentance and they lose their faith and their salvation. 

How is it that we enter into the family of God? We are not born into the family of God when we emerge from our mother’s womb.  We are born estranged from God and His kingdom. The Bible is clear that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is equally clear that the wages of sin is death, eternal death; eternal separation from God. It is crystal clear that we enter into the family of God through faith in Jesus. Jesus is the only Savior, and apart from faith in Him there is no salvation. As long as faith in Jesus is alive in our souls we belong to God, and nothing can separate us from His love. 

David had chosen to be a man of God. He trusted the God of the Old Covenant. He had made that choice. Along came Bathsheba and David acted in ways totally contrary to the will of God. Now he was faced with another choice. His joy was gone. Again, you simply cannot blatantly defy the will of God and expect that you will continue to have a joyful relationship with Him.  His choice now was to continue to defy God, which would have meant that he lost not only his joy, but his faith as well. David could have destroyed forever any chance of having a relationship with God. That was one option he faced. David chose a second option, the path of repentance. In Psalm 51 he pleads for mercy. He prays that his transgressions may be blotted out (vs. 1). He knows he has offended God (vs. 3). He asks God to purge him, to wash him clean from his sins (7). He prays for a clean heart and a right spirit (10). He asks that God not cast him away from his presence (11). He knew he faced possible eternal separation from God. 

In other words, David knew the seriousness of his sins. He knew that God could justly cast him away from his presence — forever. Knowing his precarious position with God, David sincerely repents.  He pleads for mercy. If God will forgive him, he will know joy once again, and he will become a strong witness to the forgiving grace of God (13,14). 

What do we learn from Psalm 51? When we disobey God what is the first thing that happens? Our joy vanishes. When you are in a faith relationship with God, joy is one of the consequences. One of the questions we must ask ourselves when we experience long term sadness, a long-term lack of joy, is whether or not we are perhaps offending God in some way, but not facing up to it. Of course, there are other medical and psychological problems which can lead to sadness and depression. Sin which abides in us can also cause depression. 

David learned that when he approached God with sincere repentance, there was forgiveness, and a restoration of lost joy. That is also true for us. When we step outside the will of God, we also have a choice to make.  We can remain on the outside; we can abandon our faith; we can say, “I want to live my life as I chose without any interference from anyone, God included.” Or, we can make David’s choice.  We can repent, turn away from that which displeases our Creator, and have the joy of our salvation restored. If we continue to walk away from God, we lose not only our joy but faith itself dies, and when faith dies salvation is lost. Again, Peter describes this experience as being like a sow that is washed clean, but prefers to wallow in the mud. 

If you have lost the joy of your salvation, repentance is the key to restoration. Sincere repentance, however serious our transgressions may be, leads to the return of joy. The Protestant Reformation was founded on this principle. You may remember that Luther, an Augustinian monk, nailed 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg, Germany. This was the usual method of inviting debate in the middle ages. His first three points dealt with repentance. Listen to thesis 1 and 3.

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ —-willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance 3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh. 

Luther here states two very important truths. Since we struggle against sin all our lives, repentance is always present in the life of a true Christian. He also stresses that repentance is not merely an inward feeling of saying to God, “I am sorry.” True repentance, says Luther, leads to outward behavior changes. David was not only sorry that he had offended God, he was also determined to do better. 

If David had said, “I am sorry God,” and then decided to look around at other nearby rooftops to see if there were other attractive women bathing, his repentance would not have been sincere. He was determined to do better. I am sure he learned as Luther did, that since we struggle with sin throughout life, we live lives of repentance. He also learned that true repentance always leads to changes in behavior. 

God takes our sins very seriously. He allowed His Son, Jesus, to take on human flesh, then to offer Himself as an atonement for our sins. God allowed His Son to suffer a horrible, humiliating death on the cross as the only way to offer forgiveness to the human race. Jesus absorbed the judgment that you and I deserve.  That is how seriously God takes our sins. We better take them seriously as well. 

If you insult your wife, calling her fat and ugly, and then you say, “I am sorry,” but the next day you throw at her the same insult, and that continues days after day, week after week, what do the words “I’m sorry” mean? Absolutely nothing. As Luther expressed it, inward repentance always leads to outward changes in behavior.  

Why do we celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week? Yes, it was a tradition established by our founders. But more than that, it serves to remind us that not a week goes by when we can say, “I committed not a single sin this week.”  Maybe we did not tell a big lie, and maybe we did not commit murder, but not a week goes by when we are free from sin. It may be nothing more than bad thoughts, or unkind words. It may be admitting that we have left undone things we ought to have done, those pesky sins of omission. We take the bread and the cup each week and we say, “God, I am sorry. Please forgive me for . . . “(whatever sins come to mind). But then we add a second prayer, “Father, I am determined to do better, to serve you more faithfully. Please help me.” True repentance means we find again the joy we have lost, and as repentance becomes a way of life, we will never lose our faith relationship with the living God. 

Nisswa, Minnesota, is known for its turtle races. I have never attended this exciting event. Every Wednesday afternoon in the summer, the people of Nisswa and the surrounding communities gather at a designated parking lot for the races. Vendors rent turtles; others sell “turtle products.” And the fans gather early, seeking the best viewing sites. The announcer calls the turtle holders to the mark and gives them the “Go!” — and the crowd goes wild as the handlers release the turtles and scream at them, jump up and down, wave furiously, and throw water, trying to urge the racers to the finish line. The winners of those heats then race their turtles in the championship race. The winning handler receives $5 — along with a turtle necklace. It’s an uncharacteristic frenzy of emotion for the normally reserved folks of northern Minnesota. If people can get so excited about a turtle race, should we not feel great excitement and joy over our salvation? I was very happy to recover my lost $100. I am even more happy to know that if my joy is gone, there is a way to recover it. You will never lose your relationship with God as long as faith and repentance are active in your soul.

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SAVED BY THE LIGHT

Warsaw Christian Church (1/5/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Isaiah 60:1-6

Our lesson today from Isaiah begins like this: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you . . .”

Recently we celebrated Christmas. We celebrated the manger and the shepherds and Mary and Joseph and, most of all, we celebrated the babe in the manger. According to tradition, however, three of the men we usually include in our celebration of Christmas didn’t actually make it to the stable for that amazing event. These men—following a star that they had seen in the East—came sometime later when Mary and Joseph were in a house. Jesus is not even referred to as a babe in their story, but as a young child. But the important point is that these foreigners . . . and we don’t actually know that there were three of them . . . but these foreigners knelt down before this child and offered their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This is the event we celebrate on the Day of Epiphany, the day when the Magi came and knelt down before the Christ child.

Seeing God more clearly is what the season of Epiphany is all about. Last Sunday was the Day of Epiphany, but it is only the first day of the season of Epiphany, a season in the church year that lasts until the beginning of Lent. The primary symbol of Epiphany is the star that led the Magi to the place where the Christ child lay.

The Bethlehem star is a vivid reminder to us that, with the coming of Christ, light has entered our dark world. Jesus is the light of the world. He came to bring spiritual light into a spiritually dark world. Sin had created spiritual darkness.  Jesus came to bring light by the forgiveness of our sins, removing the darkness from us by His sacrificial death on the cross. John the Baptist in the wilderness quoted from Isaiah the prophet, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light . . .” That great light is the light of Christ. John in the prologue to his Gospel put it this way: 

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . .” 

Light has entered our world. In a sense we can say that the two most significant events in the history of the universe were that time in the distant past when God said, “Let there be light . . .” and physical light came into being. Then two thousand years ago when God said, “Let there be spiritual light” and Jesus, the Messiah, entered our darkened world. For without Christ all of creation is enveloped in spiritual darkness.

But I am excited about a light that points the way for all humanity to be saved. That light is, of course, Jesus Christ. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it . . . The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” 

The light of God entered this world when Jesus was born. It is true that many do not recognize Jesus as the light of the world.  Many reject Him. Nevertheless, while the darkness can choose to remain darkness, the darkness can never extinguish the spiritual light which Jesus brought into the world. The good news is that when we recognize who Jesus is, and place our trust in Him, we become children of God. Jesus enters into our hearts and lives and we become the light of the world, little lights which reflect the saving light of Jesus unto others. 

Dr, Gardner Taylor taught preaching at Harvard Divinity School. He tells about preaching at a black church in Louisiana during the depression. Electricity was scare in that black congregation. Their sanctuary was lit by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling in the center of the sanctuary. While Dr. Taylor was preaching that single bulb went dark. The sanctuary was enveloped in darkness. Dr. Taylor wasn’t sure what to do. Suddenly a voice spoke out of the darkness. “Preach on, preacher! We can still see Jesus in the dark!” Indeed, physical darkness cannot extinguish the spiritual light of Jesus. 

We use darkness is a symbol for bad things that happen to us. The death of a loved one, the betrayal of a friend, the loss of a job —- many things happen to us which plunge us into darkness. But if you have Jesus you are never in the dark whatever problems you face. He is the light of the world, and no darkness can ever extinguish that light. Trust in Him and He will be a perpetual light unto your path. 

The Bethlehem star is a vivid reminder to us that with the coming of Christ, light has entered our dark world. Darkness, of course, is also a symbol of sin and estrangement. It is a symbol of a world without Christ. 

The sad nation of North Korea has been in the headlines in recent years. One writer has said that, if you want to really appreciate the contrast between darkness and light today, all you have to do is view nighttime satellite images of North and South Korea. South Korea is bathed in light, with its cities gleaming in the blackness, while North Korea, still primitive in so many ways, is dark. Communism does not shed light into a country!

But it’s more than just the lack of visible light that makes North Korea a place of darkness. The North Korean government is one of the most repressive governments on earth. Radio and television sets are hardwired to receive only government propaganda. In 2004, the government banned cell phones. North Koreans still have no access to the Internet—a source of information readily available in almost every other country.

There is another significant contrast between the two: The North is officially atheist—the last remaining “Stalinist” communist society. The South, on the other hand, has known Christian influence for more than a century.  In fact, one of the largest Christian churches in the world is in South Korea. 

We know that many people in our society live in spiritual darkness. They live without God in their lives. Quite obviously it is our task to take the light of Christ to them. 

Followers of Jesus are, indeed, as the Master said, “the light of the world.” And we are to shine our light into all the dark neighborhoods of this world. You have probably been in a cave when the tour guide turned out the lights.  Darkness is total. You can put your hand in front of your face but you see nothing. That is what it is like to live without faith in Jesus. Our spiritual darkness is total. 

Jesus is the light of God that gives life and vision. Without light, there is no life. In Genesis 1:3, the first thing God creates to fill the heavens and the earth is light. God didn’t have to create darkness. Darkness is simply the absence of light. Darkness has no power and no purpose, except to obscure what exists. Light has both power and purpose. Light can nourish, it can illuminate, it can provide power and warmth. And repeatedly, the Bible equates light with the presence of God. 

Where there is light, there is life. Where there is God, there is life. Where there is God, there is both power and purpose. Light is essential for vision. You could be surrounded by dozens of different dangers and delights, but if you are sitting in darkness, then you would be ignorant of all of them. My recent tumble was on a cold, dark night. Eager to get out of the cold I turned too quickly and caught my foot on the edge of the patio and down I went, crashing my head into the concrete creating a lovely goose egg, breaking my glasses, and saying to myself, “Now why did I do that?”  It would never have happened in the light of day. 

The light of God that came through Jesus Christ helps us see the world the way God sees it. This light is both a source of wisdom and of love. The Bible tells us that before we received salvation in Jesus Christ, we were spiritually dead and walking in darkness. Sounds like the opening to a great zombie movie. But what does John say in verse 9 of our text? “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”

A customer service agent for a utility company in Rochester, New York, wrote about working during a horrible storm, when thousands of customers were without power and utility crews were working 16-hour days to repair the damage. One customer called the customer service line and complained about the power outage, then stopped raging long enough to ask, “How will I know when my lights are back on?” The customer service agent remained silent for a second, debating about the best way to answer such an obvious, even ridiculous question. How will you know when your lights are back on? Finally, she just said, “Um, it’ll be brighter than it is now.” The customer hung up on her.

We were made to live in the light. You know that’s true if you’ve ever had the power go off for a few hours. No one has to tell you when the lights come back on. Your eyes, your mind, your very being is instantly aware when even the tiniest sliver of light enters your darkness. In the same way, when you understand that Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God, you have a new vision for a life that reflects the reality of God. But how can I know that I have received the spiritual light which Christ brings? I don’t intend to offend anyone but that makes as much sense as asking, “How will I know when my electric lights are back on? When the Light of the World enters your life, you will know it. You can see and understand life more clearly. You suddenly understand that your sins are forgiven and you are now a part of God’s eternal family. The spiritual light that Jesus brings shines into our darkness, and as we follow Him, we walk in the light. 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR? IT ALL DEPENDS.

Warsaw Christian Church (1/5/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 1: 1-4; 14; Matthew 28:18-20

I have a personal question to ask you this morning: how many of you would consider yourself to be socially awkward? Socially awkward people feel out of sync with those around them. They find small talk very difficult. They often feel they don’t belong. Could that describe you or someone you know? 

Some people don’t have this problem. They are at their finest when they are in a new social situation. But some of us are a little awkward around people we don’t know, and we don’t look forward to that initial moment when we have to go up to strangers and introduce ourselves. 

Years ago, I attended the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. Membership includes the brightest minds in the conservative/evangelical world. I am a member, but a junior member since I do not have a PhD.  I attended a lecture by Dr. William Lane Craig, one of my favorite theologians, a super intelligent man. I wanted him to sign my program but I am very shy around important men. He reached out to take my hand and asked, “And who are you?” Mustering up my brilliant response I said, “I am no body!” Dr. Craig laughed and said, “Well that’s not true. You are definitely somebody who is important to God.” I don’t remember what happened next. I handed him my program book which he graciously signed. This was before I knew Marie. She walks up to speakers and strikes up a conversation like they are old friends.

But some people have another problem. They like to brag about who they are. Their self-introduction is so amazing that it’s hard to believe. Here is a true story. There was a Chinese billionaire who made a bid to buy The New York Times a few years ago. What was interesting was this man’s business card. It listed him as “Most Influential Person of China.” But that’s not all. The card also listed him as “China[’s] Moral Leader” and “China[’s] Earthquake Rescue Hero.” No wonder that it also listed him as, “Most Well-Known and Beloved Chinese Role Model.” I don’t even know this man’s name, but that’s quite a business card. 

Of course, anyone who is in the public eye is, at some time, going to get an introduction from an emcee that is slightly extravagant. Speaker Evelyn Anderson once had an emcee introduce her with so much over-the-top praise that she began her speech like this: “After such an introduction,” she said, “I can hardly wait to hear what I’m going to say.” 

Here we are in another New Year. A wonderful goal for the year 2020 is to get to see God more clearly, with 2020 spiritual vision. We want to know God and God’s purpose for our life and for this world. Will the new year be a happy one, or a sad one? It all depends. There are two truths I want to share with you this morning that will guarantee a happy new year. Let me state them, and then expand a bit on each one. You will have a happy new year if you know Jesus.  You will have a happy new year if you share Jesus with others. Last week I spoke on how we can come to know Jesus through the Scriptures. I will say more on that later, but for now let’s focus in on sharing Jesus with others.

In our Bible text for today, the writer John is charged with a monumental task—that of introducing Jesus Christ to the world. Imagine yourself in John’s shoes …. or sandals. You are introducing the world to Jesus. How would you introduce him to people who didn’t know Him and weren’t expecting Him? 

That’s not just a rhetorical question. For you see, that is our primary purpose as followers of Jesus—to introduce Him to others. In Matthew 28:18-20, this is the responsibility we are given: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” That’s the task of every follower of Christ.

There is a delightful story about a young Asian girl named Yi (pronounced “Yee”). Yi first heard this verse at a Vacation Bible School, but she heard it in the King James Version, which begins like this, “Go YE therefore, and teach all nations.” Yi didn’t understand that in King James English, the word “ye” just means “you plural.” This young Asian girl thought her name was in the Bible! She became truly excited that Jesus was telling her— “Yi” to personally go spread his message to the world.

Wouldn’t you sit up and pay attention if you heard your name in that verse? “Go [David], and teach all nations.” “Go [Whitney], and preach the Gospel to all nations.” Even if your name isn’t in that verse, it is implied in that old word “ye,” you plural…all of you who believe in Jesus. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations . . .” If you claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then sharing your faith is not optional. It is essential. So how do you introduce Jesus to others?

At some point in every person’s life, they consider whether there is a God, and what that God is like. These are the two most basic questions of human existence: Is there a God and what is God like? Even people who rarely think about God will often cry out to some higher power for help in times of trouble, or will feel the urge to thank some higher power when they are overwhelmed with gratitude. 

So how do we answer those two questions? Is there a God and, if so, what is He like? Are we doomed to just spend our lives wondering and guessing? No. The Bible says that Jesus is God in the flesh. That is who Jesus is. And this is what He did:  He came to walk in our shoes to show us what God is like. He came to make God known. Finally, He came to die on the cross as our Savior, providing us with the forgiveness of all our sins. In fact, the whole book of John can be summed up in one sentence, found in John 20:31: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  How do we receive life— eternal life? By believing that Jesus was the Messiah God promised to Israel and to the world, the very Son of God. 

John believed Jesus was God in human flesh, the source of life, and he didn’t want anyone to miss out on that awesome truth. John chose two words to express the inexpressible character of God in Jesus Christ: grace and truth. He writes, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus is FULL of grace and truth. He is bursting at the seams with grace and truth. When He acts grace comes pouring out.  When He speaks nothing but truth is spoken. 

The word used here for grace can also be translated as “loving-kindness” or “merciful kindness,” or “undeserved favor.” Here’s the Gospel truth: God, who knows every single thing about you, looks at you with loving-kindness. Isn’t that wonderful? God, the Creator of this world, the Source of all life, the One who knows the beginning and the end of time, is full of loving-kindness. He loves even me, and He loves you. What is God like?  God is love. Look at Jesus and you learn all you ever need to know about the nature of God. God is like Jesus. Jesus is God in the flesh. 

So, grace is the character of God toward us. And truth is the reality that God is the sure foundation for our lives. The Greek word for truth that John uses here (aletheia) literally means “the state of not being hidden; the state of being evident.” In other words, John is urging us to trust God/Jesus with our lives because God is utterly true. God is completely trustworthy. God’s character and purposes are completely faithful and honorable and evident. There is nothing hidden in God’s character or God’s motives. So, when you were introduced to God through Jesus Christ, you were given a choice: trust in God/Jesus as the way, the truth and the life, or continue to trust in yourself or something or someone else as your god. Let me tell you about a man who was forced to make that choice.

By his early twenties, Viktor was making big money smuggling drugs throughout Central Asia. He lived for money and adventure and pleasure. But in 1996, Viktor was arrested and sentenced to a long prison term. Viktor’s cell mate in prison offered him a book to read. It was the Gospel of John, a gift from the man’s mother. Viktor began reading it, and even though he didn’t entirely understand it, he just couldn’t shake the idea that this Jesus he read about might be the revelation of God. 

One night, he knelt down in his prison cell and he prayed to Jesus: “You know I am not sure that you exist, but I want eternal life and I want to be born again.” After that prayer, Viktor continued reading the book of John. One night, another inmate smuggled some drugs into prison and offered them to Viktor. And at that moment, Viktor knew he had to make a choice. He said he looked at those drugs, and he knew they were the path to death. Viktor said, “And looking at the Gospel I knew that it was life. I made the decision to choose life. I sent the drugs back.” Viktor discovered the grace and truth of Jesus, and it dramatically changed his life.

Soon afterwards, Viktor was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Everyone expected him to die, but he didn’t. His health began to improve. In gratitude to God, Viktor started a church in the prison. He began teaching the other inmates and leading them in prayer. When he completed his prison sentence, he went to seminary and became a pastor. Today, Viktor pastors an underground church in Tajikistan, a country that is on the World Watch List as one of the most dangerous places in the world for Christians. 

So, as we begin this New Year, the question is, have you met him yet? Have you met Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh and lived among us, full of grace and truth? If not, I hope you will meet Him soon.  He is very willing to have a relationship with you. And if you have been introduced to Jesus, have you surrendered to Him as Lord of your life? And if you know the reality of God’s grace and truth through trusting in Jesus, what do you intend to do now? You can’t just meet God and walk away. You can’t have a relationship with God which you then ignore. 

God’s grace and truth change lives every day. We look for God in great miracles or shows of incredible power, and God sends a poor carpenter who looks like you and me, to tell us about God. It’s as if John is saying in this passage, “God stripped away all his power and pyrotechnics and made His message as simple and low-tech as possible so you couldn’t miss the meaning: Jesus is God made flesh. Jesus is full of grace and truth, so God is full of grace and truth.” It’s not always easy telling others about God. So, let’s start there. There really is a God. God really does love you. Jesus has opened the gates of heaven for you. He bids you to enter. Then He wants you find someone and share the story with them.

Will you have a happy New Year? It depends. If you have a living relationship with Jesus, kit will be a happy new year. And if you do what you can to share Jesus with others, it will be a happy New Year. You can find temporary happiness through money, fame and pleasure. Permanent happiness is found only in one place……. In Jesus. 

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Warsaw Christian Church, (12/29/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Texts various, especially 2 Tim. 3:15

I assume all of us desire a living relationship with God. How does such a relationship happen? I want to speak to you this morning on the theme, “Seeking God in the Scriptures.” It is a theme that is dear to my own heart and my own spiritual journey.  I suppose the basic question to ask at the outset is this: Can one find a vital, experiential relationship with God through the right use of Scripture?  Not only would I respond in the affirmative to that question, I would add that Scripture is the foundation upon which our relationship with God must be built. 

Let me be Captain Obvious for a moment. How do we come to know God?  Of course, through faith in Jesus Christ. But where did we learn that fundamental truth?  In the Bible! We know God through prayer, but where did we learn about prayer? In the Bible! We know God through the various ministries of the Holy Spirit, but where do we learn how the Holy Spirit operates in our lives? In the Bible! Most of us came to know God because of the church. But where do we learn about the church? In the Bible!

My thesis is simply that the Bible is the foundation upon which our relationship with God is built.  Remove Scripture from a person’s life, and the possibility of knowing God intimately is also removed.  If you will saturate your mind with the truths found in Scripture, the living God of Scripture will become alive in your own mind and heart. How do I know? The Bible tells me so, and when I put it into practice my experience also tells me so.  

Let’s allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves on this theme, beginning with the question of how we enter into a relationship with God in the first place.  The relationship begins when we place our trust in Jesus only, forsaking all others and cleaving only unto Him. Does Jesus normally reveal Himself to us through direct revelation, or do we come to know Him initially through the testimony of Scripture?  Paul wrote the following to Timothy: “. . . from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). “Able” in this verse is a translation of the Greek word “dunamis,” a word which, I believe, is a bit stronger than “able.” It is the word often used for power, suggesting that there is an inherent power in Scripture which draws us to faith in Jesus as we are exposed to the gospel. Thus, the Scripture “has the power to make us wise unto salvation.” You can tell that our word “dynamite” is derived from the Greek word “dunamis.” Dynamite if powerful. It moves mountains. The power inherent in the Word of God is like that. Instead of blowing things up, it blows Jesus into our minds and hearts. 

The Scriptures first draw us to Jesus, and then they make us wise about the nature of our salvation. They do that when we study the Bible regularly, seeking both to know the content of Scripture and to put it into practice. If you do not study the Bible regularly, how will it be able to make you wise unto salvation? If I may make a personal reference, in my own case I knew about Jesus in the Bible for years before I was converted. I knew what the Scriptures said about Him.  I simply rejected most of what they said. When a neighbor’s witness opened my eyes to the truth of the gospel, it was the Jesus of Scripture who suddenly and indelibly became alive in my soul. The very first impulse which grew out of that encounter with the living Christ was a desire to read the New Testament. I read it for the first time through the lens of faith, and the Scriptures began their work of making me wise unto salvation. I might add, the job is not yet finished! I still need much exposure to the sacred writings.

We normally think of the new birth as taking place when we trust in Jesus. John writes, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him…”(1 John 4:15). It is that glorious moment when the living and resurrected Christ becomes real in the human spirit. So closely connected, however, are the written words in the Bible and the Living Word, Jesus Christ, that being born again is also attributed to the word of God. In 1 Peter 1:23 we read:  “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” Jesus, the living Word, becomes our Savior and Lord when we encounter Him in the written Word and exercise faith. 

But how can words on a page have such wondrous power? The Bible, according to its own testimony and the testimony of millions of believers, is a unique book. Hebrews tells us that the Word of God (the Bible) is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). As we handle the Word of God with faith, the God revealed on the pages of Scripture also becomes real in our hearts.

When God speaks it is different than when we speak. I may read the words of Aristotle, Cicero or Herodotus, and gain information, but reading their words does not bring about a personal, living relationship.  I enjoy reading Martin Luther, and while my soul is refreshed by such reading, and I gain new insights into biblical truth, Martin Luther does not jump off the page and into my soul. And, to be honest, Luther said some things with which I do not agree. When we read the Bible with humble faith God does leap off the page and into our heart, because God is always living and present in His Word.

I have written some words in sermons and in Disciple Renewal and Disciple Heritage Journal over the years. Again, you might gain information from what I have written, but I am detached from my words. I do not live in my words; you can know something about what I believe from my words, but you can’t know me personally.  You don’t read what I have written and then exclaim, “Richard Bowman lives in my heart!” But when you read, for example, the biblical words “Christ dwells in our hearts through faith,” (Eph. 3:17). and believe what you read, Jesus Christ does indeed live in your heart. 

People search for God in strange places. People hope they can find Him in the new age movement, or in the latest strange cult. Many hope they will find God in one of the eastern religions.  In Romans 10 Paul speaks of people who are looking for God in the wrong way. He writes in verses 6-8: But this is what the Scripture says about being made right through faith: “Don’t say to yourself, ‘Who will go up into heaven?'” (That means, “Who will go up to heaven and bring Christ down to earth?”)  “And do not say, ‘Who will go down into the world below?'” (That means, “Who will go down and bring Christ up from the dead?”) This is what the Scripture says: “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.” That is the teaching of faith that we are telling.

Notice Paul’s thought process. The basic idea is, “Where is Christ to be found?” Do we have to somehow ascend up to heaven to find Him, or perhaps descend into the bowels of the earth? You might expect Paul to say next, “Christ is near you,” but instead he writes, “The word is near you.” When the words about Christ are read and mixed with faith, the living Lord Jesus draws near. 

Thus, I conclude based on the teaching of Scripture that the living God is present in His word.  But is it not true that many read the Bible and never encounter the living God? We remember the writer of Hebrews telling us that without faith it is impossible to draw near to God.  Of course, reading the Bible without faith will not bring the living God into the life of the reader. I read the Bible for years (occasionally!) and managed to keep the living God at arm’s length.  But if you will read it, believing what you read, you will find the living God stirring about in your soul.

And, of course, we must briefly address the matter of motive. Why do you want to know God? Why do you wish to have a relationship with Him? I have heard pastors and other church leaders speak with pride about their relationship with God.  I have heard Christians testify about how they carry on a running conversation with the Almighty. I have occasionally suspected the presence of pride in the lives of persons who claim to be full of the Spirit. I have sometimes wondered if some are so full of the heavenly dove that one of these days they will sprout dove feathers! (to paraphrase Martin Luther). If your relationship with God breeds a sense of pride in your heart, you may be in touch with that one who disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).

We need to always bear in mind the spiritual truth we examined recently that God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. If you are seeking God with the notion that the presence of the living God in your life will be a boost to your own ego, a means to attract attention to yourself, your spiritual train is running on the wrong track.  Faith and humility are the tracks that lead to the living God. If we seek God with an improper motive, we may encounter “the god of this world (Satan) , but we will not encounter the true and living God.

Mentally, you might try completing the following sentence. “I want to know God because . . . .” While our words will vary, I hope in your mind you were thinking something like this: I want to know God because He is my creator and my salvation. I want to know Him so that I may express to Him my love, and that I might serve Him in harmony with His will for my life. I want to know Him because, wonder of wonders, He loves me.  I want to know Him because, in the final analysis He alone matters. 

Finding God does not always mean that we are going to go around shouting “hallelujah” and “praise the Lord” for the rest of our lives, with a Christian smile pasted on our faces.  Many of those in Scripture who came to know God suffered persecution, and even death. 

Jeremiah found God and learned that his job was to proclaim judgment to Israel. He learned that such a message did not make him popular, that God’s people preferred the false prophets who were forever saying, “God loves you. God will bless you. No evil will befall you. All is well.”  Jeremiah went around proclaiming divine judgment, and the people said, “We don’t like you, and we refuse to listen to you.” 

Yes, we can come to know the living God in the pages of Scripture as we read with faith, and with humble motives. We also have to make sure that we are willing to pay the price such an encounter may bring. For Jeremiah, it meant proclaiming an unpopular message and facing personal rejection.  And for the one who knew God most intimately, Jesus, it meant the cross. Are we willing to pay the price of drawing near to the living God? 

The Bible is not God, but it is a unique book which reveals the one true God to us. Read it with faith. Read it with humility. Read it with an eye to doing what it says.  Read it in a spirit of submission to the author. You will find that it will lead you into the presence of the living God. It will draw you to faith in Jesus Christ and make you wise unto salvation. Let it be your daily companion, and it will lead you into a lifetime of fellowship with God. 

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HIS NAME IS WONDERFUL

Warsaw Christian Church (12/22/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Isaiah 9:6-7: For unto us a child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

There is much food for thought in our text.  Our focus this morning will be simply on one phrase: AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL. Isaiah speaks of the coming Messiah and gives several descriptions of Him, including the name “wonderful.” We have watered down that word in comparison to its meaning in the Hebrew Bible. We speak of pizza as “wonderful.” Or “Silver Dollar City” is “wonderful.” The word in English means that something is very good. The Hebrew word (pele) refers to something miraculous; a wonder, a marvel; something unusual or extraordinary. Jesus is not just a person who is wonderful like pizza! He is miraculous — extraordinary — astonishing! He is WONDERFUL!

I saw on the news a few years ago that there is a new company that will consult with you to find the appropriate name for your baby, and the cost is only $100 per name. I am $500 richer because we came up with five names for our children without any help! Perhaps a professional could have done better than “Cindy, Michelle, Gary, Daniel and Jean” but personally, I would rather have the $500. 

The language in Isaiah Chapter 8 is ominous, dark and foreboding. People are rejecting God’s ways and are walking and living in darkness. Despair is rampant in the nation.  Distress is common and the pressure of an enemy attack is a clear and present danger. The people are anxious and full of fear. Why are they afraid? Was it because they had an enemy poised on their border, the nation of Assyria, powerful and violent? Is that why they were afraid? Perhaps that is what they thought, but the real reason behind their fear was that they had totally lost sight of God.  That is why God sent Isaiah, to help them recover their spiritual bearings.

In their desperation where did they turn? Unfortunately, their thoughts did not turn to God. Listen to Isaiah 8:19-22: And when they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the wizards who chirp and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?  To the teaching and to the testimony! Surely for this word which they speak there is no dawn. They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry; and when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will curse their king and their God, and turn their faces upward; and they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.

Looking for answers, they thrust themselves thrust further into darkness. They sought direction by having their palms read or by checking out Madam Jezebel’s astrological charts. Where was God in all this?  He received curses from His people! God says in verse 20 that all they need do is return to His teaching. In other words, just look in God’s word! That’s all they needed. There they would find the truth that would enable them to get their nation back on track.

What about our society? Are we a nation looking to God’s Word for our instructions? Thankfully, that is true for some. There are Bible believing churches all over this land. But it is also true that our nation is filled with people who look to palm reading, witchcraft, séances, horoscopes, Ouija boards, Tarot cards and psychic fairs for direction. You probably heard about the psychic who stopped his car and yelled out to a nearby policeman, “Can you direct me to the hotel where they are holding the psychic fair? The policeman responded, “Oh, are you a psychic?” The man responded proudly, “Yes I am.”  The policeman said, “Then you figure it out.” How sad. The occult is not only Satanic and evil; it exemplifies the total lostness of so many people around us every day. This was the culture of Isaiah’s day, and how little things seem to have changed today! 

Others in America may not turn to the occult for wisdom, but they rely entirely on human wisdom to solve the nation’s problems. Billions of dollars are donated to politicians who promise they will solve the nation’s problems. Many people in our nation are afraid of Iran, or Russia, or China, or North Korea – – – and the ever-present possibility of another terrorist attack. Perhaps the source of our fear is not these potential threats, but the widespread lack of faith in God. When a nation forgets God, fear comes rushing in.

The next several verses in Isaiah indicate that God was going to do something new and significant for His people. These are the exact words that many people in America need to hear today. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light—a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow. Joy will replace despair.  Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvest time. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder. – The enemies power will be broken.  For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them, just as he did when he destroyed the army of Midian with Gideon’s little band (Isaiah 9:2-5).

And then Isaiah says that this will all be fulfilled because of the birth of a Messiah whose name will be called, WONDERFU (Isaiah 9:6). We could spend time on the importance of each of these names, but I want our thoughts to be focused only on the first name listed: WONDERFUL. We don’t actually see this is a common name. We don’t pray to God “In the name of our Savior, Wonderful.” It is a name describing who Jesus is and what He does for us. 

When you think of Jesus does the word “Wonderful” ever come to mind? It really should. He is beyond any and all human expectations. He is amazing, beyond anything we can imagine; extraordinary, so much so that we can never probe fully the depths of who Jesus is.

It began with His birth in Bethlehem. How can God take on human nature? It is a wonder to us. How can a virgin conceive and bear a son? It is an inexplicable wonder. “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see” we sing during the Christmas season. If you try to fit the birth of Jesus into your brain so that everything is neat and tidy, you will fail. His birth is truly WONDERFUL. It inspires wonder and awe.  

What began at His birth continues throughout His life. Jesus, the Son of God, understands our plight and cares about us (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 5:7). Why does God care about people who have rebelled against His will?  It is too wonderful for words. Why does Jesus choose to guide His people? John 10:27 assures us that if we are sheep in the Savior’s pasture, we will hear His voice and follow Him. Why does He do this for us? It is too wonderful for words. Why did Jesus endure the Cross for us? He is the glorious Son of God. Why did He humble Himself in this way to redeem us?  It is too wonderful for words. 

As Son of God He has the right to say, “If you want forgiveness you have to get it the old-fashioned way. You have to earn it.” Instead we hear that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. By grace we find favor with God, through faith. It is difficult to find the words to describe this reality. It is too wonderful for words. 

Of course, we know there are those who do not think Jesus is so wonderful. Isaiah predicted that He would be despised and rejected of men, and so He was. But that, too, turns out to be wonderful! Would any earthly ruler allow his son to be abused the way Jesus was if he had the power to stop it? God certainly had the power to prevent Jesus from being abused, tortured, and crucified. Why did He allow it to go on? Why didn’t He step in? Because Jesus was making atonement for your sins and mine.  At Calvary, God’s plan to save us was enacted. When we try to put it into words, we can only stammer – – – His name is Wonderful. 

As we look into the future revealed for us in sacred Scripture, we see another wonder. Jesus, who came to Bethlehem in weakness and humility, will one day appear in the heavens as He returns to earth to usher in the eternal Kingdom. When He comes in glory, we read that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10). This does not mean that everyone will be saved. All will be resurrected, believers and unbelievers alike. Adolf Hitler, who loved to be referred to as “der grosste Führer aller Zeiten” or history’s all-time greatest leader, will be resurrected. When he stands before the glorious Savior, Jesus the Jew, he will be compelled to fall on his knees and declare “Jesus is Lord.” He will be joined by all the reprobate thugs in history who never came to faith, and all will cry out on bended knee, “Jesus is Lord.” Those who have not repented and come to faith will then be cast into the outer darkness forever. Those who declared “Jesus is my Lord” in this life will enter into the glories of heaven. When I think of the future resurrection, all I can say is, “His name is wonderful.”  

John had a vision of the risen Christ. He saw Jesus in a new way, not as the humble carpenter he had once known, but as a glorious Lord. He saw, “One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.  “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death (Revelation 1:13-18).

This description was an attempt to put into words that which is beyond words, the appearance of the glorious, resurrected Savior.  Truly, when He appears at the end of time, His appearance will be so stunning, so glorious, so magnificent, that every person will be compelled to bow before Him.  Isaiah was correct: His name shall be called WONDERFUL. Silver Dollar City may be “wonderful” in our use of language, but it pales in significance to the wonder of Jesus. He is miraculous, extraordinary, fantastic! Those who place their faith in Jesus will gladly join in with the prophet Isaiah and declare, “His name is wonderful!” 

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SIMEON: AN OLD MAN’S STORY

Warsaw Christian Church, (Dec. 15, 2019) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text:  Luke 2:25-35

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”  25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:  29“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace According to Your word 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” 33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Well, you have just heard everything there is about me in the Bible. My name is not a household word. Most of you probably don’t even think of my name when you think of Christmas. You may think of Mary and Joseph, or the angels, or the shepherds keeping watch, or the wise men from the east, and, of course, Jesus. I doubt that very many of you think of my name… It is Simeon. I appear briefly in the biblical story, and then fade from history. 

I can’t blame you if you never heard of me. I was a very ordinary person. I suppose you could say I was a good Jew. I was a believer in the God of Abraham; a man who tried to live by Ten Commandments. I never did anything important. I was no Moses, or Joshua. I was no Isaiah or Jeremiah, thundering God’s prophetic truth to Israel. I just worked at my trade, raised a family, and grew old, and older, and older. 

Do you know what it is like to be ordinary?  Some of you look kind of ordinary to me, so we have something in common. Maybe I was not a prophet, priest or king, but I did have one brief moment in history at the time when Messiah was born. These old arms held Him, and that was a transforming moment for me. My name was recorded in the Bible, and even a few of my words were recorded.  I guess they were not really my words. They came from God. For one brief moment I was indeed like the prophets of old. 

Do you know what it is like to feel old and useless? You can’t work anymore because of infirmities; your physical body grows weaker and begins to fall apart; you outlive most of your friends; you feel like you just don’t belong? I felt useless, unwanted and unneeded in a world where the young and strong are the important ones. Sometimes I would talk to myself. “Simeon, you old coot, there is no place for the likes you.” Sometimes we old folks have no one to talk to, so we talk to ourselves. Some of you gray heads out there know what I am talking about.

Faith in God kept me going. Whenever I got down on myself, I would say to myself, “Simeon, you belong to God, and therefore you are not useless.” I used to read the Scriptures often. I especially liked to read about the coming Messiah; those great passages in Isaiah and the other prophets, and in the Psalms.  Israel had been promised a great redeemer. I wondered if I would live to see His day. Isaiah said that He would be born of virgin. His name would be called wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace. I wondered what He would be like, a child born through a miracle and given names that belong to God alone? 

Isaiah also spoke of the coming One as a man of sorrows; one who would be despised, and rejected.  The Psalmist spoke of one whose hands and feet would be pierced. It was confusing to me. How could He be called “everlasting Father,” and yet despised and rejected. What kind of world is it if men will turn away from God’s anointed? Surely the world would welcome God’s Messiah with open arms.  That seemed logical to me, but I am just an old man. 

I wanted more than anything to be alive when He came, to see Him with my own eyes, just as some of you hope to be alive when Messiah comes again with power and great glory. If I could just see Him, I would die in peace. But, the years moved on relentlessly, and I was getting older and older.  I wondered if I should give up hope of ever seeing the Messiah, but it gave me a reason for living. Everyone needs a reason to get up each day. My motivation was simple; perhaps today Messiah will come, and I shall see Him.

Do you know what I used to do all day? What do you do when you don’t work; your children are grown and gone? I had nothing important to do, so I would hang around Temple thinking, “maybe I shall see Him today.”  I would approach the mothers with babies and wonder, could this one be Him? The older kids used to laugh at me and call me names. “Hey crazy old Simeon, do you think I am the Messiah? Get your nose out of the old scrolls and live in real world. You surely don’t believe those old prophecies will really come to pass, do you?” They said other things I can’t repeat. Their words hurt, but I would ask Jehovah to forgive.  After a while I became accustomed to their mocking and insults. I occasionally wondered at times if perhaps I was crazy, thinking that I might live to see the Messiah? 

But then I would remind myself.  The Messiah had been promised, and God does not lie. I knew He would come, but when? When I was home, I prayed a lot. Now that is something we old folks CAN do. You are never useless if you can pray. Jehovah is real, and He hears the prayers of His people.  One of my prayers went like this: Baruch hotaw adonai melech ha olam … Oh, excuse an old man. You probably don’t know Hebrew. “Blessed art thou O Lord our God, king of universe.” “O Lord,” I would pray, “send the Messiah; send the deliverer; send the Savior to your people; deliver us from sin; restore your kingdom in Israel; send the Messiah, send, send the Messiah.”  

I don’t know if God got tired of hearing that same prayer, but one day a miracle happened. One day God spoke to me, an ordinary, useless old man. God spoke to me, just like He did to Isaiah and the other prophets.  Do you know what He said? It’s in the Bible. He said, “Simeon, the desire of your heart will be realized; you will see the Messiah before die.” 

“Hot diggety dog,” I said, or something like that. I ran to the Temple (well, it was more of a fast hobble), and I was so excited. I was praising God, almost dancing (or as close to dancing as these old legs could accomplish!). My taunters thought I was drunk. “Hey, old man, better lay off the wine.” I couldn’t help it. I was going to see the King! Well, I didn’t see Him that day. It was a week or so later when God spoke to me again…”This is the day.” Again, I ran to the temple filled with excitement. Many parents were there to have their children circumcised. I wondered how I would know Him? Suddenly I saw a young mother and her husband. She carried a beautiful baby in her arms. God whispered to me, “This is the one.” I approached cautiously and introduced myself. Her name was Mary. Her husband’s name was Joseph. They were very kind to a strange old man, so I dared to ask, “May I hold Him?” She gave Him to me and as I held Him a spirit of praise overwhelmed me, and once again I spoke the word of God: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 

Mary and Joseph were astonished at my words. I was pretty astonished myself! I was speaking, and yet, not I, but God was speaking through me.  I was ready to die in peace. I had held the Messiah. God spoke some unpleasant things to Mary and Joseph that day. Their Son, the Son of God, would bring salvation (that was the good news), but also many would stumble over Him and reject Him. Mary’s heart would be broken because of this child.  Later, when He was nailed to a cross, Mary understood my prophecy. 

Why on earth did God reveal His Messiah to me? Why not to the high priest or to other religious leaders; why not to the Pharisees, or the learned scribes?  I guess it means that God can speak to ordinary folks; even to old ones. Now, this is just my opinion and I could be wrong; but some of those professional religious types are so full of themselves and their book learning that they wouldn’t recognize God if He walked right up to them and said “Good morning.” 

I am not against education, but I do think you are much more likely to encounter God in an hour of serious prayer than an hour with your nose in book. I hope I haven’t offended your preacher. I noticed he has lots of books. It’s just a thought. You may take it or leave it. After all, I am just an ordinary old man.

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PRAYING IN THE WILL OF GOD, # 5

 (FORGIVENESS)

Warsaw Christian Church, (12/1/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

SCRIPTURE READING:  Matthew 18: 21-35 

When we think of praying according to the will of God, I can think of no word that has greater significance than the word “forgiveness.”  Again, I have preached on this subject before. However, I want to use this text again because it is so important to our theme: praying according to the will of God. Although the Christian message is filled with numerous insights which cover every phase of human life, the heart of the gospel message is the good news that our sins have been forgiven through the cross of Jesus Christ.  In view of the fact that we have been forgiven, the Bible places enormous emphasis on the fact that we must forgive those who have wronged us. The failure on our part to practice forgiveness is so serious that it cancels out our claim to be counted among those whom God has forgiven. I believe that the sin that may keep more people out of Heaven than any other is the sin of an unforgiving heart. 

John Wesley once preached a sermon on forgiveness. A man approached him after the service and announced, “I never forgive.” Wesley replied, “Than, sir, I hope that you never sin.” Wesley understood our text. 

When Jesus taught “The Lord’s Prayer” to His disciples in Matthew 6 he elaborated on only one phrase of that prayer. He expanded only on the phrase, “forgive us our debts,” with this further clarification.  “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matt. 6:14,15).

The words of Jesus are unambiguous. There is no mistaking His meaning. Clearly, we cannot pray according to the will of God if we are harboring an unforgiving spirit.  Before we begin listing all our needs as we pray, we might want to ask ourselves, “Is there someone I need to forgive?”  There is no point to our praying if we have someone in our lives whom we refuse to forgive.  Indeed, the matter is even more serious than that. Jesus says we will not be forgiven by God if we do not forgive others, and if we are unforgiven that means we have no hope of salvation.  This matter deserves our utmost attention.  

A soldier serving overseas received a Dear John letter from his girlfriend back home in the states. To add insult to injury, she wrote, “Will you please return my favorite photograph of myself.  I need it for my engagement picture in the local newspaper.”  The poor guy was devastated, but his buddies came to his rescue. They went throughout the entire camp and collected pictures of all the guys’ girlfriends. They filled up an entire shoe box and sent it to the girl along with a note from the guy saying, “Please find your picture, and return the rest; for the life of me, I can’t remember which one you were!!”  We smile, but of course if it is a true story it is sad. It is an example of getting even, of refusing to forgive.    

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 18 to help us grasp this truth.  We owe an immeasurable debt to God. We have offended Him times too numerous to count.  The listing of the sins of the average adult would fill a large book. God is under obligation to condemn us, having warned us that the wages of sin is death.  How is this great debt of sin to be canceled? Can we cancel out our sins by doing good deeds, by joining a church, by saying our prayers? Such activities have no effect on our past sins. 

Our only hope is to embrace the suffering and death of Jesus, to receive Him as our Savior and Lord.  When we are born again after hearing and believing the Gospel, our sins are forgiven. All of them! As far as the east is from the west (an infinite distance from our human perspective) so far has God removed our sins from us in and through His Son (see Psalm 103:12).  In Christ we are completely, totally, eternally forgiven of our sins. This is the meaning of part one of Jesus’ parable. 

Part two of His parable has to do with how we relate to others after we have been forgiven by God.  The point is simply that we must forgive others even as we have been forgiven. The offenses others have committed against us are infinitesimal when compared to the mountain of offense we have committed against our heavenly Father.  How foolish is the man in the parable who will not forgive a small debt after having been forgiven such a large debt. It is unbelievable!

One man was telling about an argument he had with his wife. He said to his friend, “I hate to argue with my wife. Every time I do she gets historical.” The friend responded, “Don’t you mean hysterical?” No, the man responded. I mean historical. Every time we argue she drags up every offensive I have ever committed.”  What about you? — and me?  Is there someone in your life you cannot forgive?  Is your case so unusual that God will change the rules for you and allow you to be an unforgiving person? 

When we demonstrate an unchanging hardness of heart against others it can mean but one thing.  We have never really understood and accepted God’s forgiveness. We must think carefully about what it means to be unforgiven by God.  Is it so important to cling to an unforgiving spirit that you are willing to go to hell rather than practice forgiveness? According to Jesus that is precisely what will happen.  Will those in hell declare, “It was worth it! I’d rather be in this place of misery than to forgive those who wronged me.” Hell is a place of weeping and wailing caused by the realization that we rejected God’s grace in order to continue to hate someone who wronged us, or because of some other trivial matter.

Jesus admonishes us to forgive first, then pray.  If we ask for a list of items we must forgive and a list of things we need not forgive, the text tells us to forgive ANYTHING. If we think there are surely persons we need not forgive, Jesus says ANYONE (See Mark 11:25).  If you have anything against anyone, first forgive them, and if you cannot, then pray for grace to enable you to forgive. If we pray to the Father who allowed His Son to endure the cross to secure our forgiveness while harboring an unforgiving spirit, we only anger God. He might say to us, “What is wrong with you? I forgave all your sins. I rescued you from hell. I allowed my Son to suffer for you. And now you insult me by refusing to forgive others? Don’t you realize how utterly foolish you are?”

Often when churches are not growing, or individuals are drifting away from Christ, an unforgiving spirit is the problem.  Congregations full of grudges (justifiable ones, of course!) and resentments are often “cold” because the warmth of God’s presence is absent.  When the God who knows our hearts sees an unforgiving spirit lodged there, He has but one thing to say to us: IF YOU WILL NOT FORGIVE OTHERS, NEITHER WILL I FORGIVE YOU. 

Before deciding to ignore God’s Word to us concerning forgiveness, please weigh carefully the alternative.  One need not be a Rhodes Scholar to figure out that forgiveness, however painful it may be, is far less painful than the alternative.

Some who hear these words might find them troubling.  Is Jesus saying that we are not saved by grace after all?  If we forfeit salvation by our unforgiving spirit does that mean we earn salvation by practicing forgiveness?  If we are saved through the atoning death of Jesus, how can we lose that through an unforgiving attitude? 

Jesus is not contradicting the abundant biblical material which assures us we are saved through Christ, through grace, by faith, and not be the good deeds we do.  He is not saying, “You be good and forgive others and then God will reward you by forgiving your sins.” I believe He is saying, “If you cannot forgive others you have never really received God’s forgiving love and mercy.  You are a hypocrite claiming to be a believer.” We do not earn God’s favor by anything we do. However, what we do demonstrates whether or not our hearts have been transformed by God’s grace. If we truly “see” the enormity of God’s forgiveness towards us — if we truly have received that forgiveness, we will be quick to forgive others.

Here is another factor we need to consider. Someone has hurt you deeply. You refuse to forgive. But answer this question: Is God willing to forgive that person who wounded you so deeply? Yes, because God will forgive anyone of anything through Jesus Christ. What does it mean to say that God is willing to forgive, but we are not? I guess it means we think we are wiser than God. 

Can we ever pray “according to the will of God” while holding on tightly to a spirit which refuses to forgive others?  Scripture is clear; it is impossible to pray to God and cling to an unforgiving spirit.   Someone put it like this: “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.”   

A South African woman stood in an emotionally charged courtroom listening to white police officers acknowledge the atrocities they had perpetrated in the name of apartheid. Officer van de Broek acknowledged his responsibility in the death of her son. Along with others, he had shot her eighteen-year-old son at point-blank range. He and the others partied while they burned his body, turning it over on the fire until it was ashes. Eight years later, van de Broek and others arrived to seize her husband. Hours later, van de Broek came to fetch the woman. He took her to a woodpile where her husband lay bound. She was forced to watch as they poured gasoline over his body and ignited the flames that consumed his body. The last words her husband said were “Forgive them.” Now van de Broek stood awaiting judgment. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission asked the woman what she wanted. “I would like Mr. van de Broek to know that he is forgiven by God and that I forgive him, too. I would like someone to lead me to where he is seated so I can embrace him and he can know my forgiveness is real.” As the elderly woman was led across the courtroom, van de Broek fainted. Someone began singing “Amazing Grace.” Gradually everyone joined in. That is a story of forgiveness in spades! 

We have a saying, “I don’t get mad, I get even.” I hope we can change that to “I don’t get mad, I forgive.” Eternity hangs in the balance.

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PRAYER: ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, # 4
(Gratitude)
Warsaw Christian Church, (11/24/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Philippians 4:6,7; Colossians 1:12-14: Psalms 100:4,5: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6,7). 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:12 – 14). Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalms 100:4).
Our focus the past several weeks has been on praying according to the will of God. We have seen that if we are to pray according to the will of God, we must be persons who seek first the Kingdom of God. We must not be persons who cherish iniquity in our hearts. We must be persons who are humble toward God and man.

On this Thanksgiving Sunday I want to point out the importance of a thankful heart if we are to learn to pray according to the will of God. Since God has promised to answer those prayers which are in harmony with His will, it behooves us to learn how to pray in that spirit. It will open the doors of heaven for us. We are admonished frequently in Scripture to include prayers of thanksgiving when we lay our prayer requests before the Father.

Why this emphasis on thanksgiving? A thankful spirit demonstrates our faith and confidence in God. Perhaps we are thankful as we recall the many times and many ways God has blessed us in the past. This causes us to thank Him “in advance” regarding the matters we lay before Him. A thankful spirit demonstrates our understanding that God is good, that He is forever loving and faithful to His people. And because we understand this about God, we cannot help but feel grateful when we pray.

When thanksgiving is absent in our prayer life it demonstrates that we do not see the hand of God at work in our lives. The Psalmist admonishes us to enter God’s presence with thanksgiving in our hearts (Psalm 100:4). When we pray, we do well to follow this divine direction. When you pray, do you approach God with a heart overflowing with gratitude? Is there a song in your heart that sounds something like this? “Oh boy! This is great. I am going to pray to my heavenly Father, and He will bless me, and this fills me with a sense of anticipation and gratitude?” If you approach God in that spirit His ears are open to you.

Some folks pray with a different spirit. “Lord, here I am in church again to endure another boring hour. I really don’t expect to encounter the living God. I am bowing my head in church as we pray along with the others, but it is just a meaningless ritual to me.” Some people pray out of a sense of duty, having no joy or thanksgiving in their spirit when they pray. When we seek to enter God’s presence, whether individually or corporately, lacking a sense of gratitude, we are not praying according to the will of God, and we will not usually see answers to our prayers.

Okay, so we need to enter God’s presence with a thankful spirit, but what if I don’t have such a spirit? Maybe you are here today feeling overwhelmed with life’s pain and burdens, unable to muster up a spirit of thanksgiving. Maybe I am a person who should abandon prayer because I lack a thankful heart. There is a better option, and that is to learn the true source of gratitude. Listen to these verses from Col. 1:12-14. Paul says we should be . . . “giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Verse 12 begins with a spirit of thanksgiving to God, and then Paul explains why we are to feel perpetual gratitude towards the Father. Notice that real gratitude has nothing to do with material blessings, or their absence. There is nothing wrong with thanking God for material blessings. We should thank Him for such benefits. Paul is simply reminding us that a thankful spirit goes deeper.

Why is a Christian able to go through life with a thankful spirit? How is it that we are able to pray and worship God with an underlying sense of gratitude? Listen to Paul’s litany: Reason #1: We are always thankful because God has qualified us to enter the kingdom of light. We are not qualified for heaven in and of ourselves, but God has qualified us through the gift of His Son. Reason #2: We are always thankful because we have been rescued from the domain of darkness through Jesus Christ, whose death at Calvary removed us from darkness and placed us into the light. Reason #3: Jesus was redeemed us, securing for us the forgiveness of all our sins. Paul gives a wonderful summary of the Gospel. If you face life and death with faith in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God with an eternal future. Through Jesus Christ you are forgiven, redeemed, rescued, qualified for heaven.

Now if you understand and believe all of that, you will feel a sense of gratitude whenever you think of God. One cannot help but have a grateful spirit, even if material things are lacking, when we reflect upon what Christ has done for us. Yes, we appreciate our material blessings, but if we focus only on them what impact does that have on those around us who have very little?

Of course, we are thankful for God’s material blessings and for family and friends, but those things can be taken from us. Parents die; husbands and wives die; sometimes parents have to watch their children die. The stock market which is soaring today could tumble tomorrow. Health may be taken away in an instant when the doctor says to us, “It’s cancer.” Those who have learned to cultivate a thankful attitude which abides even when possessions and family are gone are those who have learned to focus on spiritual blessings – – – blessings which can never be taken from us.

While it is certainly true that material blessings can and will be taken from us. Yet, we are among the most materially blessed people on the planet. We, of all people, should be thanking God daily for the abundance of blessings we enjoy. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world who have endured such hardships. If you can attend church meetings without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion in the world who lack these blessings. Whenever we pray our hearts have abundant reasons to overflow with gratitude.

But if you have absolutely nothing in the way of material blessings, there are still abundant reasons to thank God if you are a Christian. The greatest reasons we have to be thankful are spiritual. God loves us, and that will never change. Jesus Christ died for us, and that will never change. We can find everlasting forgiveness and eternal life through trusting in Jesus, and that will never change. We are God’s beloved children, and that will never change as long as faith in Jesus Christ is alive in our hearts.

It seems so difficult for we humans to hold on to a thankful spirit. Japan experienced a terrible earthquake in 1923. The losses were enormous: Death estimates varied from 100,000 to 300,000; 43,476 missing; 103,733 seriously injured; 1,500,000 homeless; 60% of Tokyo and 80% of Yokohama destroyed.

The New York Tribune called this earthquake “undoubtedly the greatest disaster in recorded time.” The New York Times described the havoc as covering about 45,000 square miles which contained five big cities and a population of 7,000,000. Other dispatches reported that virtually every building in Yokohama was destroyed. Perhaps three-fourths of Tokyo was burned and the entire city with its 5,000,000 inhabitants was shattered by the earthquake. Disease and despair rode throughout the island empire.

Almost immediately help came from the United States. Food, clothing, medical supplies, and volunteer workers came by the shipload. The American Red Cross collected ten million dollars from people of the United States for the suffering and homeless people of Japan.

Those who lived through the awful earth tremors, the gigantic waves, and the tongues of fire would nevertheless perish, it seemed, from starvation or disease. But they didn’t. Why? Because America remembered; remembered their need, their suffering, their hunger. The Japanese were grateful. They even put their appreciation in writing. Walter Kiernan, correspondent for the International News Service, recalls their words: “Japan will never forget!” But Japan did forget! American ships of mercy were forgotten, and in less than 20 years Japan sent planes of destruction in return. On December 7, 1941, Japanese airplanes brought death and destruction to Pearl Harbor.

But are the Japanese the only ones who overlook past mercies? Long ago the Lord said of Israel, “My people have forgotten me days without number” (Jer. 2:32). God blessed them, but they forgot God! What about you?

Have you ever given a gift to someone and they never bothered to say, “Thank you?” Children and grandchildren can be so forgetful! How do you feel when you give a gift and receive no thanks? I wonder how God feels when we are surrounded with His blessings, especially the blessing we receive through Jesus Christ, and we seldom say to Him, “Thank you?” I have seen Christians attack their food like a pack of wolves without bothering to say, “Thank you.” I am ashamed to admit that I have done it myself.

General Charles Krulak told this story at Wheaton College (Oct. 2000) “In December 1965, my friend John Listerman and I went to war. John Listerman’s war lasted one day. While on patrol moving through the jungle, we came around a corner in the trail and ran into an ambush. John took a 50-caliber round in his kneecap. As his kneecap burst, he was thrown into the air. The second round hit him below the heart and exited out his side. I was wounded also, but not as badly. I crawled about thirty meters to John, but before I could ask, “Are you OK? Can I do anything?” he said to me, “How are you doing, Chucker? Are you OK?”
When I said I was OK, he said, “Are my men safe?” I said, “Your people are OK.” He turned his head and looked to the sky and repeated over and over, “Thank you, Lord. Thank you for caring for my people. Thank you for caring for me.” Krulak later became a Christian. His friend’s thankful spirit in a time of terrific suffering made a great impact on him. I wonder how many would be thankful while suffering severe mortal wounds?

Are you remembering to pray with a thankful spirit? Are you remembering all the blessings you have received from the hand of a loving and merciful God? If not, remind yourself regularly, “I have more material blessings than most everyone else in the world. Not only that, I am a child of God, redeemed through my Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven is my destiny, and no one can steal these blessings from me.” As we remind ourselves of these great truths, a spirit of thanksgiving wells up within, and abides with us. May God grant each of us a grateful heart. When we approach God with gratitude in our hearts, He listens.

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PRAYER: ACCORDING TO HIS WILL
(Humility-Pride)
Warsaw Christian Church, (11/17/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

We are considering what it means to pray according to the will of God. We have seen God’s great promise that we will receive whatever we ask for if we pray according to His will. We have also seen that praying according to the will of God involves much more than the requests we make in prayer. We have seen that we cannot pray according to the will of God unless our personal life is in harmony with the will of God. We saw initially that means we are persons who seek first the Kingdom of God. Last week we saw that we cannot pray according to the will of God while we cherish some sin, clinging to it in defiance of the revealed will of God.

In today’s sermon we will examine a fundamental attitude we must possess when approaching God in prayer, the attitude of HUMILITY. The principle is very simple. If we approach God with humility, we are in a position to receive from Him. If we approach Him with pride, the only thing we can expect to receive from Him is opposition. A basic text is found in Proverbs 3:34 where we read, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The verse is repeated twice in the New Testament (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) because of its central importance in the life of a Christian.

If we cannot pray in harmony with God’s will unless we are humble persons, we must understand the meaning of this common word. What is humility? A case can be made that humility is the foundational virtue upon which all other virtues rest. We certainly understand the importance of faith, but now we must see that faith can live and thrive only in a humble heart. Humility is like rich, black soil in which one can grow beautiful flowers. The flower of faith grows and flourishes in the rich soil of humility. Pride is like the sand of the desert where nothing can grow. Pride in self and faith in God are antithetical.

The Greek word we translate “humility” carries this meaning. It denotes a person who is submissive before God. It is an attitude of realizing our utter dependence upon God. It is the recognition that we are created beings who owe everything to our Creator. A humble person understands that life itself – – – our talents, wealth, family, vocation – – – all that we have and all that we are comes from God. Therefore, one must live life seeking to bring glory and honor to God.

Humility is first of all an attitude towards God, but it is also an attitude we must have in relating with others. A humble person is also humble before other human beings. This is manifested in a desire to serve and help others, especially in the spiritual realm but also in the physical realm. A humble person seeks to promote the well being of others even when this means a denial of self.

In contrast, the proud person foolishly believes that he should always gain recognition for his accomplishment. He takes pride in wealth, achievements, personal attractiveness, intelligence, etc. Pride is the exaltation of self over God, and is therefore a form of idolatry – – – self-worship rather than God-worship. It should be clear that a person lacking humility cannot pray according to the will of God.

It would be difficult to overstate the importance of this issue. If pride is directing our lives, we cut ourselves off from the heavenly Father. God always resists the proud. If humility is directing our lives then the heart of God is open to us, and the grace of God will be manifested continually in our lives.

Jesus declared that the one who humbles himself will be exalted, while the one who exalts himself will be humbled. Sometimes we may fail to recognize this principle even when it slaps us in the face. Sometimes when tragedy strikes it is the hand of God working to humble those who exalt themselves. Certainly, this is not true of every tragedy, but when things aren’t going well for us, we ought to at least examine the state of our heart to see if pride is lurking there.

The classic biblical episode illustrating this truth in relationship to prayer is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9ff). It was the text for a sermon I preached several years ago, so please excuse the repetition. Jesus introduced the parable with these words: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable.” Here is pride at work. The Pharisee believes he has made himself righteous and is proud of his achievement. Of course, if he can make himself righteous what need does he have of God? Indeed, Jesus declares that he is praying “to himself.” He has become his own “god.”

I can imagine the Pharisee praying in this manner. “Lord, aren’t you proud of me? I am very faithful in the tithe. I fast twice a week to improve my prayer life. I have a chest full of church attendance awards. I am a student of Scripture. I live a good, clean life. I should change my name to ‘Dudley Doright’ because I am so faithful in keeping your laws. Oh, and Lord, I apologize for this tax collector over here. I have no idea how he managed to sneak into this holy place. I suspect you plan to strike him dead with lightening, so I better move farther away from him. Lord, did you hear what the tax collector just said? ‘Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ Well, he got one thing right. He definitely is a sinner. What a joke, for him to be asking for your mercy. Doesn’t he know that you hate sinners? Well, Lord, at least you have me on your side, and I know that must make you feel proud, even as it does me. Amen” God does not listen to this kind of self-serving drivel masquerading as prayer. As soon as we begin to feel pride about how spiritual we are, we cease to be spiritual.

According to church folklore, a Sunday School teacher read the story of the Pharisee and Publican to her class. At the end of the session she said, “Now children, let us thank God that we are not like that awful Pharisee.” Do you see pride in that statement? Pride can be very sneaky. Someone said, “Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the one who has it”

Religious pride is especially heinous to God. What we need to understand is that we may be more like the Pharisee than we are the tax collector. We are active in church. We are persons who pray, who tithe, who work in various ways in the church. We are the pastors, elders, deacons, Sunday School teachers, etc. The point is not that we should give these things up. What we must resist is any sense of pride concerning who we are and the greatness of our spiritual achievements. We must never look at others with the thought of how superior we are. The moment we begin to look down on others we can no longer look up to God.

I have known Christians over the years who used the church as a platform to promote their own importance. I have mentioned before one elder years ago who was a classic case of pride in the church. I was a very young minister, and during the first week I was at the church he took me aside, went through the church directory with me and told me dirt about every member of the church — including his own wife! The only person who escaped his scathing criticism was himself. He was tragically full of pride.

I like the story of the Amish gentleman who bought a new pair of coveralls. He looked at himself in the mirror and exclaimed, “These new coveralls look so good I feel a sense of pride welling up.” So, he removed the new pair and put on his old pair that was stained and torn in various places. Again, he looks in the mirror and exclaimed, “Wow! I look good in anything.”

In our Scripture reading this morning from 2 Chronicles, God relates humility to prayer very directly. “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray . . .” then God will hear their prayers and pour out His blessings…” If we will humble ourselves and pray, then God will hear. Then we are praying according to the will of God. Remove humility from the equation and effective prayer becomes an impossibility.

One of the problems we must overcome is seen in the fact that in the secular world humility is hardly regarded as a virtue. Humility is seen as weakness, and in order to succeed in life one must be strong and assertive. Our whole society is based on the principle of merit. Work hard, achieve much, study hard, and you will be rewarded. And so, we may make the mistake of the Pharisee and think that is how it works with God. Serve Him, do well, tithe, attend church, pray, etc. and God will say to you, “My child, you have obtained answers to your prayers the old-fashioned way. You earned it!”

Listen! That which works in secular society does not work in the Kingdom of God. Those who obtain answers to prayer admit they are sinners, persons without merit in the sight of our holy God – – – persons who ask for mercy through Jesus Christ. The application form to the Kingdom of Heaven has written on it in large letters, “Only the humble need apply.” If you can sincerely and humbly say to God, “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner,” you will find the gates of heaven will swing open for you. The heavenly Father will bless you with answers to your prayers.

Sometimes parents can swell with pride over the brilliance of their children. Generally, this can be a harmless form of pride. However, the following story does illustrate another biblical truth: pride goes before the fall. Sitting in the doctor’s office, a mother was trying to entertain her four-year-old daughter. She found a Bible story book with pictures in it. Flipping through the book, the mother would point to a picture and ask the little girl if she knew the story. Imagine the mother’s delight as her daughter identified Noah and the Ark, Moses and bulrushes, and the three Hebrew children. The mother noticed that two elderly women were closely watching them. Swelling with pride, the mother turned to the very first story of the Bible and pointed to the picture of Adam and Eve. Honey, the mother said, who are these people, hoping her daughter will continue her stellar performance so Mom can feel pride. With a thoughtful frown on her face, her daughter replied, I don’t have any idea who that woman is but that man is George of the Jungle! So much for parental pride!

Is pride a problem in today’s church? Sadly, the answer is “Yes.” Racial and economic prejudices continue to exist in the church, yet many pass it off as a trivial matter. If you look down upon black persons, or other ethnic minorities, or welfare recipients, seeing them as inferior to yourself, please note carefully what you are doing. You are manifesting a spirit of pride. If you take pride in your big bank account, or your achievements, or your spirituality, watch out! The only business God has with you is to knock you down in the effort to dislodge you from your pride. If you tend to look down on others and look up to yourself, pride is lurking in your heart.

Pride absolutely quenches the spirit of prayer. If you want to pray according to the will of God, practice humility. If you want to see God’s grace poured out abundantly in answer to your prayers, practice humility. If you want to walk daily with God, practice humility. We Christians need to swallow our pride. I promise you it is non-fattening!

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PRAYER: ACCORDING TO HIS WILL # 2
(Dealing with Sin)
Warsaw Christian Church, (11/10/19) Rev. Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Psalms 66:16 – 20; Isaiah 58:1-11
The main focus of this series on prayer is to seek to grasp what it means to pray according to the will of God. We have seen that prayers meeting this criterion are always answered with a divine YES. We have also considered that not only must the requests we make to God be in harmony with His will, but the heart of the one who prays must also be in harmony with God’s will. Many Christians spend too much time wondering if their petitions are according to the will of God, and too little time wondering if their hearts and lives are in harmony with God’s will. An acceptable petition coming from an unacceptable heart will not bring the desired results.

We begin this “heart examination” with these words from the Psalmist. “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the words of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me” (Psalm 66:18-20). The Psalmist is rejoicing because God has heard and answered his prayer. As he praises God, he reveals for us an extremely important principle. We cannot pray effectively and at the same time cherish sin in our hearts. Even if what we are seeking from God is according to His will, He may not answer our prayer because even as we pray, we cling to a beloved sin in our hearts.

The Hebrew word translated “cherished” in our text is “ra-ah.” It means to gaze upon something with approval or respect. It creates a picture of a man about to pray who first examines the state of his own heart. He is aware of a particular sin, but he convinces himself that the matter is unimportant. He might think to himself, “I enjoy this sin; everybody does it; it is really no big thing, so I will continue to cherish this sin and God won’t mind.”

How sad it is to see a person broken down by the burdens of life crying out to God in anger because God did not come to his aid. Such a person may not understand this basic prayer principle. Yes, they cried out to God, but at the same time held on lovingly to some favorite sin. This impurity in the heart created a barrier between them and God, cutting off their access to the heavenly Father. If we desire access to God there is only one proper attitude to take towards our sins. There must be heartfelt repentance and confession, asking God to grant us the grace to lay aside our beloved sins. Cherished sins and answered prayers are spiritually incompatible.

On one occasion Isaiah had to explain to Israel why their prayers were not being answered. The problem was not a failure to pray. They were praying daily, and earnestly, for God’s help. They even fasted in their desire to hear from God. Listen, as Isaiah points out the problem:

“Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. . . Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?. . . Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. . The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail” (from Isaiah 58:1-11)

We see here a picture of a religious people. They seem to genuinely want to draw near to God. They make requests which they believe are in harmony with the will of God. It seems we are reading a description of a very devoted people. The problem is that their hearts are not pure. While they pray, they also oppress the poor. They do not feed the hungry. Their daily lives are marked by self-centered evil. They do not seem to understand this inconsistency. God tells them in essence, “Get your moral act together and then I will answer your prayer. Then you shall know my perpetual guidance. Your life will blossom forth like a watered garden, but not until you see the connection between prayer and morality.”

We should perhaps begin our prayers with these words from Psalm 139:23,24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me …” Are you cherishing some sexual sin? God will not respond to your prayers until there is repentance. Are you indifferent to the needs and sufferings of others? God will not hear you when you cry unto Him until your behavior changes. Is there some duty God has called you to do (evangelize, tithe, or whatever) and you refuse, cherishing your “freedom” to disobey God? God is under no obligation to hear your prayers. Are you a skilled manipulator who uses others for your own personal gain? Are lying and deceiving a way of life for you? Don’t waste your time praying to God as long as you continue to cherish any sinful act or attitude.

Solomon understood this principle when he wrote, “The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous” (Prov. 15:29). You simply cannot turn your back on God’s Holy will, and then ask for His help as though you and He were on the same wave length. We must make certain that we are not clinging to some cherished sin when we pray.

Let’s examine a possible solution to the problem. When God warns us against an impure heart, He is addressing our attitude more than our actual performance. If God were to answer our prayers only when our performance met the divine standard perfectly, none would ever hear from God. While we must ever strive to please God, our sins create a problem when we cherish them. If we have a heart attitude of repentance, and if we truly desire to please God, then His heart is open to our prayers even though our performance is forever less than perfect.

An everyday example may help us understand this important distinction between performance and attitude. I have used this example before but it fits in here so pardon the repeat. I remember one of my basketball coaches saying to the team that he would rather play his five worst players if they really wanted to play, rather than his five best players who did not care about the team. If you did your best and really wanted to play and worked hard at following the coach’s instructions, you would play over a superior player with an attitude problem.

The very best basketball players miss half their shots or more, commit foolish fouls, and turn the ball over to the other team from time to time. There is no such thing as perfection when we are speaking of the performance of a basketball player. However, every coach expects his players to try and make each shot, to try not to commit fouls, and to try to hold onto the ball. Good coaches look for the proper attitude in a player even as God looks for a proper attitude in His children.

I can never forget playing point guard for the Minneapolis Washburn High School Sophomore, team. We are one point down with time running out. I am dribbling the ball up court rapidly (nervously, because time is about to expire) and I dribble the ball off my foot out of bounds. Time expires and we lose. Did I feel awful? Of course. Was I kicked off the team? No, because the coach knew I was trying to win the game.

God understands that our earthly performance will always be sub-par. He is looking for hearts with a love for His will and His Word, and who confess and repent when failure happens. Remember the language of Psalm 66? He did not say, “If I commit sin, God will not listen.” His words are, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” A sincere Christian does sin and fall short of God’s expectations. None of us are qualified to cast the first stone at other sinners, because we ourselves are not without sin. On the other hand, neither does a sincere Christian cherish sin. A sincere, mature Christian has a heartfelt aversion to anything contrary to God’s will even though this opposition to sin is not perfectly reflected in the arena of performance.

As we read through Scripture, we note that God has always been exceedingly kind and gracious to His people whose hearts are in the right place, even though performance was imperfect. We note also how God turns His back on those who claim to be His people but who cherish their sins and show no signs of remorse or repentance. It is an attitude revealing that some love their sins more than they love God.

There is a logical and understandable truth behind this principle. A Christian, by definition, is a person who recognizes what fools we humans are, a foolishness which leads to despicable sins as we move ever farther away from the Father. A Christian understands all this, having been enlightened by God’s Word and Spirit, and having accepted God’s offer of pardon through the cross of Jesus Christ. Those who come to Jesus with true faith agree, in principle, to return to God’s standard of truth and morality. A Christian, by definition, willingly submits to the authority of God the Father as He is revealed verbally in Scripture and personally in Jesus Christ, God’s one and only begotten Son.

Those who cherish some favorite sin might hear from heaven, but it will most likely be in the form of divine chastisement designed to lead us to repentance before it is too late. Persons who are having difficulty in their prayer life may need to spend some time reflecting on their attitude towards sin. As long as one cherishes sin — any sin — prayer cannot be offered “according to the will of God” (to be continued).

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PRAYER:  ACCORDING TO HIS WILL

(Introduction)

Warsaw Christian Church, (11/3/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 John 5:14 – 15 (NRSV) ¹⁴And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  ¹⁵And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.  

Today I want to begin a series of sermons on prayer. I have to confess up front that I am not an expert practitioner. I am sure many of you have a much richer prayer life than I do. My aim is not to proclaim what a great prayer warrior I am, but to share with you important truth from the Word of God. My task as your pastor is not to flaunt my own prayer life as some kind of model for you to follow, but to proclaim the Word of God, even when I fall short of what it says. My hope is that together we can deepen our relationship to God as we focus on great prayer principles.  

God has given us great and mighty promises concerning His willingness to answer our prayers, yet there are some who are Christians who seldom pray.  Some testify that they tried prayer and it just doesn’t work. What is the problem? I believe part of the answer lies in the fact that we have not reflected much on the major condition we must fulfill before God will answer our prayers.  That condition is to pray according to the will of God. Our text is clear. God hears and grants the requests that are in harmony with His will. 

Some might respond, “I frequently do not know God’s will on a matter so why should I even ask?  I know God won’t act contrary to His own will, so often I simply do not pray because of this problem of human ignorance concerning the will of God.” 

It is, of course, a certain and unchanging truth that God will never act contrary to His own will.  If you ask God to help you keep your infidelity a secret from your spouse, the requested help will not be forthcoming.  If you ask God to help you cover up a malicious lie, He will not come to your aid. These are clear and obvious cases, but there are times when the situation is not exactly black and white. Knowing God’s precise will in every situation is never easy for fallen human beings.  Nevertheless, the first principle of prayer is to make sure your prayers are in harmony with God’s will. John’s statement is staggering in its implications. He declares, with no apparent other qualifications, that when we ask God for things according to God’s will, He will always respond with a “Yes.” 

Based on our text we can say there are two kinds of prayers in Scripture.  First, there are prayers spoken or thought which are out of harmony with God’s will. The answer will always be “No.”  God’s “No” often comes to us as divine silence.  We pray and there is no answer. God does not speak. The silence of heaven is deafening.  This can only mean that something about the prayer is not in harmony with God’s will, and all our pleading will be of no avail. There is no power anywhere in the universe that will move God to act against His will. 

When God’s will and the human will are in sync then the only answer you can hear from God is “YES.”  God could never say, “Your prayer is right in line with my will, but today I have decided to act contrary to my own will.”  If God could act contrary to His own will He would cease to be God.  We humans are always saying, “I shouldn’t have done that.  I know better.”  God never speaks in that manner.  When we pray, if we know our prayer is in harmony with God’s will we should persist until the “YES” answer stands clearly before us.  Of course, there might be a waiting period before the answer breaks forth into our experience, but the answer will always be “Yes” when we pray according to the will of God. That is His clear promise in our text. 

This leads to the obvious question, “What does it mean to pray according to the will of God?”  Our first response may be too shallow.  We may think that if our request is in harmony with God’s will, He will grant the request. Of course, the thing we ask for must be in harmony with God’s will but that is just the beginning. God’s will refers not only to what we ask of Him, but also to whether or not our personal life is in harmony with the will of God.

God has revealed several conditions which must be present when we pray if our prayers are to be “according to His will.” We will be examining these conditions in more detail over the next few weeks in this series. 

Thus, there are two sides to this matter of praying according to the will of God.  On the one hand, we must have some basis for believing that what we ask of God is something He is willing to give. On the other hand, we must pay attention to the manner in which we ask.  It will not help to ask for something God desires to give to us while we ourselves are outside the pale of God’s will in the way we live.  In the sentence, “We must ask according to the will of God,” the emphasis is not simply on the word ASK.  It must also be on the “WE” who are doing the asking. 

Two simple illustrations may help to clarify this point. When I worked as a counselor for the State of Illinois, I was once asked by the number 2 person in the agency to supply services for a friend of hers. The services requested were in clear violation of state policy. I reminded the Assistant Director of that fact and she said, “I am ordering you to do this.” I responded, “Please put your request in writing,” something she refused to do. Was I supposed to violate the law because some high official requested it? Sometimes doing the right thing is a bit complicated. While I lost favor with Mrs. Uppity Up, I felt I did the right thing.  What if I had compromised my integrity, and then asked God for His blessing on some other situation? The request might have been valid, but the one asking would have been out of harmony with God’s will. 

An employer may be quite willing to give his employee a raise.  But what if the employee asked in this manner: “Mr. Boss, I know you enjoy being mean to me and never giving me what I ask for, and as a result I don’t even like you or trust you, but may I have a raise?”  The manner of asking may cause Mr. Boss to withhold that which he was otherwise willing to give.  There are deeper problems to be resolved before the specific request can be addressed. To approach God with a critical, demanding, doubting attitude is to ask in conflict with His will, even though the specific request may be in harmony with His will. The relationship problem must be resolved before God will address the specific request. 

I recall visiting with a man who was once active in church but hadn’t attended for years.  His father had grown ill. The son prayed for his recovery, but his father died. The son said to me, “I am mad at God. I have given up on him. I will never again darken the door of a church” In the next breath he said he is still a Christian and he still prays daily. But to what end? If you are mad at God and have no interest in serving Him, you are personally out of harmony with the will of God even if God were otherwise willing to grant the request. If you turn your back completely on God and His Church, how can you ever pray in harmony with His will? We must bear in mind that there are two sides to the will of God when we pray. What we ask for must be in harmony with His will, and we ourselves must be in harmony with His will.

With this distinction in mind we turn our attention to God’s will in reference to our specific requests.  God has said to us that He will meet all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).  Thus, anything falling under the category of “real need” may be the subject of our prayers.  At the present time I cannot honestly say I need a new Porsche, and so I have never asked God to provide one.  Nor do I really need to win the lottery, so I haven’t made it a subject of prayer.  God meets my physical needs through the income I receive along with Marie’s income and the rent-free housing she provides! My automobiles, food, clothing, and many other things are provided because God has graciously given me the opportunity to earn a living.  While there are many things I might want (let’s be honest!) I can’t say that I lack any material need. Yes, I would like to tool around Warsaw in a Porsche, or BMW, but in no way is that a “need” in my life. If I did show up in church behind the wheel of a Porsche I am sure the board would say, “Cut his salary!” God has already met all my material needs, so my prayers ought to be prayers of thanksgiving rather than trying to persuade God that I need things I really don’t need!

Jesus helps us get our priorities straight in Matthew 6:33 where he tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the other things we need (food, clothing, etc.) will be provided.  Anytime our prayer life is focused on “gimmies” we are probably on the wrong track.  Our focus must be on the kingdom of God and our service in that kingdom, trusting God to provide for our needs.  In this way our lives are in harmony with God’s will. 

It is at this point where many Christians encounter an obstacle.  This is an obstruction we must face and remove before progress can be made in our prayer life.  In observing not only myself but others in the church, I find few Christians who seem to be “heaven-bent” on serving the kingdom of God.  I see a lot of time and energy devoted to laying up treasures upon earth by persons who were warned about the futility of such behavior (see Matthew 6:19). Until our commitment to the kingdom of God is our highest priority, we shall remain kindergartners in the school of prayer.  If we are not seeking first the kingdom of God, it is impossible for us to pray according to the will of God.  Our request may be legitimate, but we ourselves have an attitude problem. Please, don’t bring a consumer attitude into your prayer life.  Don’t be always thinking, “What’s in it for me.” Rather, come before God with an attitude which says, “Father, I want to seek first your kingdom.”

I hope it is becoming clear that praying according to the will of God is a bit more complicated than it might appear at first.  Prayer is not an isolated task. It is intimately related to our total response to Jesus Christ. We cannot learn “rules of prayer” which are unrelated to the rest of our Christian life.  Prayer is not magic. It is person to Person communication with our heavenly Father.  It becomes ineffective when the kingdom of God has a low priority in our lives. Prayer becomes effective as we grow in our commitment to God’s Kingdom.

As we think about God meeting our needs, we need to understand that our greatest needs are spiritual. Let me ask you to think about this: How much of your prayer life is devoted to your spiritual needs; asking God to help you grow in love; to increase your faith; to give you boldness to share your faith? Many seem to think our greatest needs revolve around having good health and plenty of material blessings, but this is a distorted perspective.  If we can ever understand that our greatest need in life is to seek first the kingdom of God — to grow in Christ, to work hard at extending God’s kingdom on earth — and if our prayer life is centered on these things, we will find little need to be concerned about material and emotional needs. God will meet these needs in our lives once we are moving in the right direction spiritually.

The focus of this series will be on the issue of whether or not we are in harmony with God’s will. The request we make may be 100% in harmony with the will of God. Here is the point we will be exploring over the next few weeks – – – am I, the one doing the praying, in harmony with the will of God? The first question we must ask ourselves is this: is there any sense in which I can say that I am laser focused on seeking first the Kingdom of God. Is my life kingdom focused, or do I focus more on this world? Do I understand that my greatest needs are spiritual, not physical?

If you aren’t having much success in your prayer life perhaps there is a need to examine the focus of your prayers.  Fill your prayer life with kingdom matters and watch how quickly God moves to answer your prayers. (To be continued).  

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THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
(The Holy Spirit on Today’s Church # 7)
Warsaw Christian Church, (9/23/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

I am going to talk about some doctrinal issues today as we continue our study of the work of the Holy Spirit. I want to respectfully disagree with our Pentecostal brothers and sisters concerning their doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and then give some discussion to those usually called secessionists, or those who believe that all supernatural gifts ceased once the Scriptures were completed in their final form.

It has already been established from Scripture that we receive the Holy Spirit when we are converted to Jesus. Some of our Pentecostal friends teach that the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is a second blessing” we may receive after conversion. They teach that we are born of the Spirit at conversion, but then receive spiritual power and gifts when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. It is commonly taught that the gift of speaking in tongues is the initial evidence indicating that one has received Spirit baptism.

My own conversion to Christ came through the witness of a Pentecostal believer, so I have a great appreciation for this movement. However, I must respectfully disagree with the manner in which they present their doctrine of “Holy Spirit baptism.” I want to test everything by the Word of God. Does the Bible teach that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second blessing evidenced by speaking in other tongues? Based on my biblical studies I would have to say “No.”

My initial observation is that the Pentecostal theologians and pastors use language which cannot be clearly related to Scripture. For instance, we find no reference in the Bible to a “second blessing,” nor does the Bible speak of “initial evidence” for the baptism of the Spirit. This language is based on inferences drawn from biblical passages which are clear enough to Pentecostal folk, but are not at all clear to me.

Let’s begin our analysis with the idea of a “second blessing.” While it is certainly biblical to say that we can grow in faith, I dislike the second blessing idea when it is presented as a higher state of Christian experience. Having spent considerable time in Pentecostal churches over the years, and having been invited to preach at Pentecostal churches in the past, I noticed those who have not spoken in tongues are regarded as being at a lower level spiritually than are those who have had this experience. It could not be otherwise once a distinction is made between conversion and Spirit baptism, the latter constituting the second blessing. I have known persons who have sought this “blessing” for years, but in vain. They lived in a spiritual environment where they were surrounded with persons who had received “the baptism of the Holy Spirit,” evidenced by speaking in tongues, while they existed as “have nots” who prayed regularly seeking to gain this lofty status, yet without success.

While the New Testament does use the word “baptism” in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, it is by no means a common phrase. Jesus made this promise to His disciples — “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). Later on, in reference to the conversion of Cornelius and his household, Peter used similar language. “Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ “(Acts 11:16).

John the Baptist had earlier stated that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, in contrast to John’s baptism in water. “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matt. 3:11). This prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost.

Based on these Scriptures we can affirm that the baptism of the Spirit took place at Pentecost, and was repeated on a smaller scale with the first Gentile converts. Our Pentecostal friends affirm further that the experience of Spirit baptism with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues is normative throughout the church age. I find this to be an enormous leap which cannot be supported by the biblical evidence. If that were the case, I would expect to find that phrase throughout the writings of Paul. In fact, the phrase “Spirit baptism” is not found at all in his writings.

Those who heard Peter preach on the day of Pentecost and embraced Jesus, did not speak in tongues. Rather, they were promised that if they would repent and be baptized, believing in Jesus Christ, they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Their receiving was quite different than that of the apostles. We are told nothing about outward manifestations such as those experienced by the apostles. We assume, based on the text, that they received the Spirit as did the apostles, but in a less spectacular manner.

Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 12:13 supports this idea. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Speaking of Christians in general, he states that we have all been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. I conclude that conversion and Spirit baptism happen at the same time. To make a distinction between receiving the Holy Spirit at conversion, and then later being baptized in the Holy Spirit, does not seem to be warranted by the text of Scripture.

What about the idea that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? While we must acknowledge that speaking in tongues (speaking in languages not previously known by the speaker) is a spiritual gift in the New Testament, it should not be made into a “requirement” for Spirit baptism. In Pentecostal circles it is common to refer to persons who have spoken in tongues as “Spirit filled,” while those who haven’t spoken in tongues are never designated in this manner. I believe this to be a tragic error, a distortion of what it means to be Spirit filled While I thank God for the gift of tongues and the role it played in my own conversion, I am uncomfortable when others refer to me (or others) as “Spirit-filled” simply because I received that particular gift.

I believe the designation “Spirit-filled” has more to do with Christ-like character and empowered witnessing than it does with speaking in tongues as I indicated in the previous three sermons. However, once tongues is seen as the initial evidence of Spirit baptism, the conclusion is inevitable that those who speak in tongues are Spirit-filled while those who don’t are not.

It seems that Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians completely rules out the idea that speaking in tongues is the “initial evidence” of Spirit baptism. In his discussion of the variety of spiritual gifts he asks rhetorically, “Do all speak with tongues?”, the implied answer being “No” (1 Cor. 12:30). Pentecostal theologians have to make an arbitrary distinction between what they call “public tongues” and “private tongues” to escape the force of Paul’s words. They say that while not all have the gift of tongues for public use in the gathered church, all may have the private use of tongues as the initial evidence of Spirit baptism. While I have to admit that I once embraced this doctrine, I can no longer do so. I simply cannot when I look at Scripture alone.

Again, I make these criticisms with a deep love and appreciation for my Pentecostal brothers and sisters. Were it not for their belief in a living God whose Spirit acts mightily in the world we now live in, I would probably not be a Christian today.

Speaking in tongues (the ability to speak in languages not learned) is clearly identified in Scripture as a spiritual gift, one of many, but certainly not the most important. I believe the Pentecostals and Charismatics have given it a status way beyond anything justified by Scripture. It is a gift which brought great blessing to my life, and to countless others, but often to the neglect of less spectacular gifts. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are like a beautiful bouquet of roses. Each gift has its place, and all are needed for the church to function effectively. No one gift should be exalted above the status it has in Scripture. Their power and beauty are not seen clearly when focusing too much on any single gift. We need to appreciate all of the gifts. I do not want to say to a Spirit-born believer who wonderfully manifests the spiritual gift of encouragement, “You are not Spirit-filled because you have not spoken in tongues.”

The church must always stay close to the text of Scripture in order to live by the will of God, and this is especially true when we speak of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. We can and must affirm what Scripture affirms, but we must not add to or delete from Scripture in formulating our understanding of the Holy Spirit.

There is another common view concerning spiritual gifts which has been advanced for centuries in the church. It is almost the exact opposite of the Pentecostal view. It was the viewpoint of most of the Protestant reformers, and also of our own Alexander Campbell. There are many who argue that miraculous spiritual gifts were present in the founding era of the church, but are not present in the church today. Gifts such as speaking in tongues, miracles, healings, etc. are not present in the church today, at least not in the same manner they were in apostolic times.

I have read several theological works advancing this viewpoint. Again, however, I find it difficult to accept the idea that God limited His miracle working power to the first century of the church. If that were the case, I would expect to find explicit passages in the Bible stating that miraculous gifts were to come to an end after the apostolic era. The passages used by those who argue against miraculous gifts today are not very convincing. I find it difficult to understand why God would have preserved all the teaching concerning spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians, if these gifts had no relevance beyond the first century.

It should be restated here that God is in charge of spiritual gifts. There were times under the Old Covenant when He ceased manifesting His presence because of the corrupt spiritual condition of His people. There have surely been times in the history of the church when He chose not to grant spiritual gifts because of the unbelief of His people. There is precedent for this viewpoint in the ministry of Jesus. When He went to His home town we are told, “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith (Mark 6:5,6).” Unbelief thwarted Jesus in His desire to minister to the needs of others, with a few exceptions. Note the language — “He could not do” — suggesting that at least in some situations God limits what He will do depending upon the faith of His people.

Again, I must add that I have great respect for those who advance this viewpoint (the idea that some or all miraculous spiritual gifts have ceased). Conservative theologians who argue for this perspective are striving to be faithful to Scripture. Many (Benjamin Warfield, Dr. R.C Sproul, Dr. Greg Bahnsen, for instance) are giants in the faith whose writings have helped me immensely. I am simply not convinced that the attempt to justify their position biblically has been successful. Has God ceased working through miraculous spiritual gifts today? While such gifts may not be as common as they were in the first century, I see no biblical evidence that would lead me to conclude that they have ceased entirely.

To return for a moment to my earlier sermons in this series, I believe our focus must first and foremost be on asking God’s Spirit to transform our character so that we are ever growing in Christ-likeness. We should then ask Him to work in us and through us by His Spirit as we seek to evangelize the lost and minister to the saints, leaving it to God to grant us whatever gifts He determines we need for the situations in which we find ourselves. As we walk humbly with God, seeking only that His will be done in us and through us, His Holy Spirit will be at work, operating according to the will of God.

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THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES GIFTS OF POWER

(# 6 in series on the Holy Spirit)

Warsaw Christian Church (9/15/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Texts: various

Just as the Holy Spirit works in us to change our character, He also wishes to work through us in various ways to touch the lives of others through spiritual gifts. God has chosen to manifest His divine power in and through human lives to touch other human lives for good.  These gifts are often referred to as “the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” or “charismatic gifts.” 

The principle of God working through human beings is established throughout the Bible. Under the Old Covenant God did not speak directly to the people, but through Abraham, Moses and the prophets.  When God wanted to reveal Himself clearly to the human race, He sent His only begotten Son into the world as a human being. When God wants to bring salvation to others, He does not call them directly, but through the gospel which He has entrusted to believers.  We are Christ’s ambassadors, appealing to the world to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).  

This common biblical principle applies also to the realm of spiritual gifts and power. While God can and does sometimes manifest Himself directly to others, normally the Holy Spirit works in and through the Body of Christ, manifesting His presence in one life to touch another life.  As we move into this area of spiritual gifts certain ground rules are revealed in Scripture. Those who wish to walk in the Spirit and bless others through spiritual gifts will take note of these rules and observe them scrupulously. Those who ignore or by-pass the ground rules will most likely end up spiritually deceived.

Rule #1

The Holy Spirit is in charge of spiritual gifts.  We do not inform the Holy Spirit concerning which gifts we wish to have operational in our lives.  He decides, when, where, and through whom His gifts will come. This is clearly stated in 1 Cor. 12:7 in these words:  “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”  Note that the manifestation of the Spirit “is given.” That phrase, “is given” is repeated or implied over and over in the verses that follow.  Christians can and must be in a state of mind to receive from the Spirit at any time, but we cannot dictate to the Spirit, demanding one gift or another, or announcing ahead of time when and how the Spirit will work.

This important concept is underscored in the Book of Hebrews. “ We are all given spiritual gifts for common good.    God testifies to the great salvation He offers to the world through signs and wonders, through miraculous gifts which are distributed as God wills.  There is a widespread error in the church today which suggests that we can receive and use spiritual gifts whenever we wish, if we just have enough faith. This puts the emphasis in the wrong place.  It causes people to look within themselves in the effort to muster up strong faith, the very worst place to look! The human heart is a cesspool of treachery and deceit, hardly the place to look for spiritual gifts.  “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). We do not look inward to find spiritual power.  We look outside of ourselves, in the revealed Word of God and in the face of Jesus.

Pride and arrogance (part of that deceitfulness in the human heart) abound in the church today where an emphasis is placed on spiritual gifts.  Beware of advertised “healing services” where human beings presume to have the ability to determine when God shall heal.  Beware of “miracle services” which promise that God will act in miraculous ways.  I see no indication in the New Testament that God ever announced to Peter or Paul that He was going to work a few miracles on a certain day, and thus to gather a crowd by advertising the coming miracles. 

Spiritual gifts are under the control of God the Holy Spirit who gives them when and where He will.  We must be ready at all times to be used of God in this manner. If we have given a high priority to Christian character, we are much more likely to be used of God as a vehicle for Him to manifest spiritual power unto others for their spiritual benefit.

Rule #2

The verse just quoted also gives us our second principle.  All Christians can expect to be used of God in the realm of spiritual gifts. “Each one,” says Paul, is given spiritual power for the common good. There is no elitist class of Christians who are spiritually gifted above others. While Christians are used of God in different ways, there is no such things as an ungifted Christian. This is why I worry about those who claim to be Christians but who do not make any effort to be a part of the church. How can you use your gifts to help others if you are seldom or never there? Christian “greatness” is seen in our service to one another.

Since this concept goes against much ingrained human thinking, we need to make sure our thinking is in harmony with God’s Word.  In the secular world we certainly find the “haves” and the “have nots.” There are various “classes” (racial, economic, social etc.) which embrace some and exclude others. Sometimes this thinking invades the church although Jesus warned us against it.  Notice His language in Matt. 20:25ff — “Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Christians who claim to have many spiritual gifts, and who thus lord it over the less gifted, are acting in a manner condemned by Jesus.  Christian “greatness” is evident in service one to another. Mature Christians do not seek the limelight, but instead seek paths of service.  Christians do not boast of being more gifted than others, but strive to use the gifts they have received from God to build up others. Christians recognize the giftedness in others more than in themselves. Those who take pride in how magnificently they are used of God need to recall that God resists the proud, while He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).  

One way to ensure that we will not be in possession of spiritual gifts is to allow pride in our hearts, thinking of ourselves as superior to other less gifted Christians, in direct disobedience to a command of God. “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Rom. 12:3). Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves (Phil. 2:3).  While high regard for self may be a virtue in the secular world, it is a Spirit quenching attitude in the realm of the Holy Spirit. 

Rule #3

The power of the Holy Spirit is given to God’s people for one primary purpose — to enable us to be effective witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  The promise to them — and to us — is clear and precise.  Jesus’ disciples will be empowered by God Himself for the task of winning the world.  Humanly speaking this task is impossible. It is a fact that our human words, by themselves, have no power to convince anyone that Jesus is the Christ. But when our testimony to Jesus is bathed in the power of the Holy Spirit, hearts are touched and many respond to the gospel message.  Conversion — new birth – takes place. 

In Acts 4 we see the consequences of this promise.  “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all (4:33).  After Pentecost, when they were filled with power from on high, they testified to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, and many were converted.  The church grew and spread like wildfire; baptisms were in the thousands. It is the power of God’s Spirit which guarantees the success of the church in fulfilling the Great Commission. 

When the church today is empowered by the Holy Spirit, evangelism will be successful.  Lost souls will be drawn to Christ and to His eternal Kingdom. If the power of the Spirit is absent in the church, nothing will work.  There is no substitute for spiritual power. No church growth expert can help a church which lacks spiritual power. A revival will have little effect on a church lacking the power of the Holy Spirit.  The latest new program on the religious market will fail unless it is empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

The practical consequence of this truth is clear.  Since spiritual power is given to Christians to enable them to be powerful and effective witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must have a desire to share our faith.  If we have no interest, no desire in seeing others won to Christ, we have no need of spiritual power. If we have the desire, evidenced by our engaging in activities designed to win others to Christ (prayer for the lost, personal evangelism, mission giving, etc.) then God will supply the power — the spiritual gifts we need as we trust Him to do so – “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). 

People desire power for different reasons, not all of them noble. Some might think that possessing spiritual power will make them superior to others.  Others might think that spiritual power will make them happy and contented. Some might want to “try” spiritual power just to see what it is like. Others might think their self-esteem will be enhanced if they had the power to heal, or some other spiritual gift.  Some might think that spiritual power would draw them closer to God, and thus give them greater assurance of His love. 

All of these motives are leading us in the wrong direction.  Spiritual power is given to enable us to be effective evangelists for Jesus.  You shall receive power — you shall witness unto me.  If we seek spiritual power for some motive other than to witness unto Jesus, we seek in vain.  We see this connection between spiritual power and effective witnessing over and over in Scripture.  John the Baptist was said to be full of the Holy Spirit, but to what end? Luke 1:16 says, “Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.”  John’s spiritual power was given to enable him to bring many Israelites back to God by pointing them to the Messiah.  

The greatest miracle of Pentecost was not the mighty wind, the tongues of fire or the ability to speak in unlearned languages.  The greatest miracle was that 3000 souls responded to Peter’s sermon in which he simply recounted some of Jesus’ deeds.  

Later on we read in Acts 4:31 that …they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.”  The disciples had just been commanded by the authorities not to speak any more of Jesus. They refused to be intimidated.  Instead they prayed for more power from God, and the Holy Spirit filled them with divine power once again — and what was the result? THEY SPOKE THE WORD OF GOD BOLDLY.  They were strong witnesses unto Jesus. They would not give up their commitment to evangelism just because the authorities did not like it.

One final example to drive home this point. Barnabas is described in Acts 11:24 as “…a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”  His spiritual power enabled him to bring many to faith in Jesus.  The power of the Holy Spirit has many wonderful side effects. It does make us feel better — it does bring great joy to us — it does draw us closer to God — BUT ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO EQUIP GOD’S PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK OF EVANGELISM. 

How do we know when the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives? Does His presence mean that miracles will happen as I bear witness to Jesus? We cannot establish a general rule in response to this question.  If the Holy Spirit determines a miracle is needed in a particular situation, then He will bring forth a miracle. In the above references the “sign” of the Holy Spirit’s working was seen primarily in the boldness of the disciples, and the result of lost persons being drawn into a saving relationship with the Son of God. This leads us to a fourth basic principle or rule.

Rule #4

Spiritual gifts come in various shapes and sizes.  This is clear in I Cor 12:4-6 where Paul states, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” Paul then gives us a sample of what he means by listing nine examples of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 13:8-10). Some are clearly in the miraculous realm (miracles, healings, discernment of spirits, tongues), while others seem to be less spectacular (wisdom, knowledge). 

When Paul takes up the subject of spiritual gifts again in Romans 12:6-8 most of the gifts mentioned are unspectacular in nature. “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.   If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”  Service, teaching, encouraging, contributing, governing, showing mercy — these are words that apply to Christian and non-Christians alike. Unbelievers serve, teach, give, etc.  However, when God’s Spirit is working in and through the believer, these common acts are lifted to a higher level. 

From the biblical data examined we may define a spiritual gift as follows — a spiritual gift is any service rendered in the name of Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit which builds up the Body of Christ.  Spiritual gifts may result in new conversions, or in strengthening the faith of believers. These results cannot be achieved apart from the working of the Spirit.  

It is not important whether our service to Christ seems miraculous or commonplace.  Our task is to expect that God will work His gifts through us as we walk by faith. Since there is such variety in the gifts of the Spirit, there must be no jealousy in the church over who has what gifts.  We leave that to God, and we rejoice in the gifts manifested through the lives of others. According to Scripture, we are all gifted spiritually. Let’s use our gifts for the glory of God.

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THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

(# 5 in series: The Fruit of the Spirit)

Warsaw Christian Church, (date) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Galatians 5:16-26

You may wonder why I am spending three weeks talking about Christian character. It is because I believe the way we live our lives day by day is the best evidence that our faith in Jesus is real. Genuine faith brings the Holy Spirit into our lives, and the best evidence of His presence is seen in the way we live. The Holy Spirit transforms us and leads us to live increasingly Christ-centered lives. Yes, it remains true that we do not earn our salvation by the way we live. Eternal life is forever a gift won for us by our Savior at Calvary. Our Christian character does not earn salvation for us. Rather, our growing Christian character is a sign that our faith in Jesus is real. 

When we speak of Christian character, we need to specify what we mean. Paul gives us examples of those behaviors which constitute Christian character.  He refers to them as the “fruit of the Spirit,” meaning that these attributes are manifested in our lives as the Holy Spirit works in our hearts. Paul contrasts them to the “works of the flesh,” those things which are not compatible with Christian character. He writes to the church in Galatia, “The acts of the sinful 

nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, faction and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:19- 25).

Others have observed that the simplest way to remember the nature of Christian character (the fruit of the Spirit) is to recall the life of Jesus. He is, of course, the prime example of Christian character.  Christians need to study His life carefully and regularly so that His character begins to rub off into our lives. 

Paul gives us some of the specifics, beginning with love.  When the Holy Spirit is active in our lives love is manifested. Paul uses the word “agape,” which means a love which is characterized by benevolence and compassion. It is a love which seeks to promote the highest well-being of others, whether friend or foe. It is a love which is always asking, “What good can I do in this situation?” Since salvation and spiritual growth are the highest of all values, those who love are seeking to act toward others in ways that will help them in their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  It was this kind of love which drove our Lord Jesus to the cross to die for the remission of our sins. Divine love does not weigh the personal cost, but acts to promote the highest well-being of others. 

Christians are also persons of joy. They are not gloomy, but cheerful.  They have a deep sense of joy which flows out from their innermost being as they relate to others.  That joy tends to remain constant, unaffected by negative outward circumstances. It is that contentment of which Paul spoke in Phil. 4:11 where he said, “for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”  Since the Christian knows that He has been redeemed and that heaven is his final destiny, these truths cause a joy which does not ever go away entirely, even in the midst of personal pain or tragedy.  Those who walk with Jesus find this joy growing ever stronger and steadier as they progress through life. 

Christian character is also marked by the attribute of peace.  It is the quality of which Paul spoke when He referred to the peace of God that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). Those who are at peace with God are at peace in the center of their being, and as was true with joy, that peace does not end when unpeaceful events intrude into life.  As with all the fruit of the Spirit, this sense of peace may wax or wane depending upon whether or not we are walking in the Spirit. Paul does not exactly spell out what he means when he said, “keep in step with the Spirit.” From the whole tenor of Scripture, we can say He means at least to live life with the goal of serving Jesus by following His teachings.  The more that goal is followed, the more we experience the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives. 

The first fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 6 is love. As we study the Bible, we learn that love really includes all nine items mentioned by Paul. In other words, if you have love you have everything. Consider briefly the other fruit of the Spirit mentioned by Paul. Patience is love in action when dealing with persons who might otherwise irritate us. Kindness is love in action seeking to express good will toward others.  Gentleness is love acting without harshness when we encounter bad behavior in others. Faithfulness is love seeking to act in obedience to our Heavenly Father. Goodness is love acting on behalf of the well-being of others. Self-control is love keeping our old nature in check when it tugs at us to move away from obedience.

Jesus said that the sum of Christian character is love. Hear His words: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:37-40).  When Jesus said that all the law and the prophets hang on the two great commandments, love for God and love for others, He is saying that when such love is the motive behind your life you are living in obedience to God’s law. He is also saying that as we study and apply His commandments to our lives we are learning how to love. Therefore, we do not steal or covet, lie or murder, not simply because we fear punishment but because we know love abhors these sins.  We worship only the one true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, not using His name lightly, not placing others persons or things above God (idolatry), because of our love for God. All the ethical and moral teachings of Scripture are amplifications on the word “love.” Those who wish to see the fruit of the Spirit grow in their own lives are continually looking to Scripture to learn more about how to love God and our neighbors.

Since the fruit of the Spirit is produced in us by the power of the Holy Spirit, we should make them an object of prayer. While we are busily praying for ourselves and others, we must not forget to ask God to increase the fruit of love in us. We should pray with 1 Cor. 13, the great love chapter, open before us, that we may deepen our understanding of the nature of divine love. 

This does not mean, however, that if we just act lovingly in ways that seem loving to us, we are pleasing God. For example, the homosexual person may feel that homosexual love must be pleasing to God since God is love.  We must always remember that we do not define how love acts. It is God who tells us in great detail how love acts in the various circumstances of life. God’s moral law contradicts the idea that homosexual love can be pleasing to Him (see Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom.1:26,27). 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:10). God defines how love acts. 

A man may be attracted to his neighbor’s wife, but biblical love compels him not to act on those impulses, and then to repent of his lust.  The moral law found in both the Old and New Testaments informs us how love is to act. Love does not set us free from the moral law in the sense that we can disregard God’s moral law and decide on our own what constitutes love.  Love searches out the Word of God in order to learn from God’s viewpoint how love is to act. 

Why do we not make images of God to aid our worship?  Because we love God and He tells us not to worship in this manner in the Ten Commandments.  Why do we refuse to hate our enemies? Because Jesus commanded us to love our enemies. The point is that once we have understood the central place love holds in the Christian life, we are not free to abandon the Scriptures and practice love as we see fit. Divine love drives us ever deeper into the Scriptures where we learn how love is to act. 

A love which disregards Scripture leads to what the theologians call “antinomianism” (living life without reference to the law of God). On the other hand, those who search the Scriptures in a loveless manner fall into the trap of legalism, the false teaching which says that salvation can be found by keeping the law.  It cannot! When divine love invades the human heart that love embraces every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

The above discussion leads us to this conclusion. Those who love God will also love His Word, searching it diligently to learn how love expresses itself. The Holy Spirit empowers the life and witness of all who seek to manifest biblical love.  When we lose sight of love or begin to define love in ways inconsistent with biblical teaching, we resist the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

Those who wish to live a Spirit-filled life do not begin with the idea of receiving raw spiritual power.  As stated earlier, our first thought should not be of working miracles in the name of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit.  If we seriously desire to live a Spirit empowered life we begin with Christian character. The quest to manifest Christian character must be with us daily.  There is much confusion in the church today created by those who claim spiritual power, but who do not manifest a consistent Christ-like character. The church must always reckon with those like Simon the magician who are attracted to spiritual power divorced from Christian character (See Acts 8:9ff).

Many have accused our primary founder, Alexander Campbell, of a rationalistic faith, devoid of the Holy Spirit. I believe the Holy Spirit worked powerfully in his life because his focus was not on spiritual power per se, but on how the church and the individual Christian must be built on the foundation of Christ alone and Scripture alone. His determination to define how a loving Christian is to act by reference to Scripture alone guaranteed the Spirit of God would work mightily through his work and witness. 

The Spirit’s presence in his ministry and those associated with him was not marked by supernatural healings and undeniable divine miracles. The Spirit’s presence was manifested by numerous conversions to Jesus Christ as the biblical Gospel was proclaimed; by his clear call to Christian unity based on Scripture alone; by his desire to see the world won to Christ; and by his determination to restore the church to the standard found in the New Testament. 

Before we leave the theme of Christian character and move on to spiritual power next week, we need to focus on Paul’s words to the Galatians. “I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?   Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Gal. 3:2,3).  

Paul reminds us that we received the Spirit initially, not as a reward for keeping the law, but by hearing the gospel message and believing.  By faith alone the Spirit of God enters the believer’s heart and life. The mistake made by the Galatians is often repeated in the church today.  Many falsely believe that our growth in the Spirit is some kind of achievement. We may throw ourselves into church work thinking we shall experience growth in Christian power.

Paul admonishes us to recall that spiritual growth, like conversion, is entirely a work of the Spirit. He does not mean that we simply sit around and do nothing.  Christians do engage in good works. The mistake occurs when we think our works merit for us spiritual growth and power. Paul’s point is not that we become passive, but that when we engage in good works we do so in faith, trusting that the Spirit of God will work in us and through us.  The difference may seem minor, but it is major. Whenever we think that the things we do obligate God to grant us spiritual growth or power, we err greatly. This is a reminder to bathe all our efforts in faith and prayer, asking God to graciously be present as we serve Him. The Spirit does not come in response to our works, but in response to our faith. 

There is a very wrong attitude we can carry with us in our service in God’s kingdom. We can have the attitude that as we put forth our best human effort to serve God, He must reward us with the blessings of the Spirit.  Behind this idea lurks the dangerous notion that God owes us something. We need to recall the words of Jesus when He said, “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.” (Luke 17:10). Who can say to God, “I have done everything you told me to do?” Most of us can say, at best, “I have done some of the things you asked me to do, but even my obedience falls far short of your commandments.” Even if we could say we have done all that God asks us to do, Jesus says we must still carry the attitude of an unworthy servant. If we have not done all He commands (and none of us can live up to that standard) the only proper human attitude before God is one of humility.  How foolish we are if we think our service to God will merit us growth in the Spirit!

When we live life in humble reliance upon the grace of God to grant His Spirit to us in all that we say and do, we are admitting to God that apart from Him our works are totally inept.  It is in such an environment that growth in the Spirit takes place. We begin in the Spirit, and we live and walk in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit thrives in a humble heart which is full of faith.  The moment we think we have deserved God’s favor we are resisting the Spirit.

Therefore, we do not say to ourselves, “I shall try harder to be more loving, to manifest all the fruits of the Spirit.” Rather, we say to God, “Father, I want to manifest godly character in my life, and as I feebly make the effort to act with more love, with greater patience, etc., I pray that Your Spirit will take my weak human efforts and make them strong in the Lord.” 

We do not “build” Christian character.  Only God can accomplish that great task, and He does so when our whole being is centered on Jesus — when our hearts desire is to please Him — and we trust God to work in us to accomplish His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). 

When you think of striving to build Christian character, think love. When love truly motivates your words and deeds you can be sure the Holy Spirit is working behind the scenes. After all, “God is love,” and if love is absent from our words and deeds, the Holy Spirit is also absent. Aim at love and you will find the Holy Spirit at your side. 

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THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

(# 4 in series: The Word of God and the Spirit of God)

Warsaw Christian Church (9/1/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Various

Last week we examined Christian character in relationship to Jesus Christ. This morning we look at a second proposition concerning the development of Christian character:  the importance of the Bible. In our desire to walk in the Spirit we must bear in mind that — THE HOLY SPIRIT NEVER OPERATES IN A MANNER WHICH CONFLICTS WITH SCRIPTURE. Or, to state it in a positive manner, THE HOLY SPIRIT OPERATES IN AND THROUGH THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD.

In Ephesians 6:17 we learn that we are to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  Just as a sword was the instrument used to conquer the enemy in ancient society, God uses Scripture to conquer the minds and hearts of His enemies.  As we live in harmony with Scripture, proclaiming biblical truth in biblical language, the Holy Spirit uses God’s own words to penetrate and change the hearts of God’s enemies, making them into God’s loyal subjects.

The implication of this truth for the development of Christian character is of highest importance.  If we wish to walk in the Spirit, if we want the Holy Spirit to be active in our daily lives, we must love God’s Word.  We must study it, reflect upon it, digest it, memorize it, and most important of all — LIVE BY THE WORD OF GOD

Psalm 119 gives us numerous inspired statements concerning how we are to regard God’s Word. In reading just a few examples, ask this question: “Do these words reflect my present attitude towards Scripture?”  “Oh, let me not wander from your commandments. Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you” (10,11). “Give me understanding and I shall keep your law; indeed I shall observe it with my whole heart” (34). And how about this one: “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver” (72). If someone offered you several thousand gold coins in one hand, and a Bible in the other, which would you choose? 

When we adopt the attitude toward Scripture reflected in Psalm 119, we can be sure the Holy Spirit will work mightily in our midst.  This is an unchanging, eternal, divine truth — GOD’S SPIRIT WORKS IN AND THROUGH HOLY SCRIPTURE. As we begin to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, as Jesus expressed it in His encounter with Satan, we shall know what it means to live a Spirit-filled life.

The practical conclusion is simply this.  If we want to lay hold of the Spirit of God, we cannot do so directly.  The Holy Spirit is a divine person who comes to us first through our faith in Jesus, and then in a life committed to obey God’s Word. As we hide God’s Word in our hearts and walk according to the light it shines upon our path, God’s Spirit will be with us and within us, empowering us to live a God honoring life.

Pentecost is instructive, teaching the very truth we are examining. After the apostles experienced the coming of the Spirit in a miraculous manner, with loud winds, tongues of fire, and the miracle of being able to speak in unlearned languages, a crowd gathered.  Peter preached about Jesus. He simply recounted some of His deeds, affirming that He was the Messiah, the Christ of God. As Jesus was lifted up in the words God inspired, many were cut to the heart. They cried out, “What shall we do?” They had rejected the Messiah, and now were perhaps fearful of the consequences.  But good news reached their hearts. Instead of divine judgment they were told to repent, to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and they, too, would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The numbers may vary for us today. Three thousand were converted to Christ on the day of Pentecost.  There are probably not 3000 people in the area where we live who have not heard the message of Jesus.  We may not see those kinds of numbers respond to the gospel, but one thing is certain: When we proclaim Jesus in the language of Scripture, the Holy Spirit works with us and changes the hearts of some, drawing them into the kingdom of God and the fellowship of the church.

Many congregations cannot follow this simple program of seeing the Spirit operate through the Word of God because they do not believe the Bible to be the Word of God.  How sad it is to recall that the General Assembly of our former denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a few years ago, failed to pass a resolution which asked the church to affirm that the Bible is our highest authority in matters of faith and practice, a resolution I wrote.  It is difficult to imagine a church group — a fellowship of Christians committed to Jesus Christ — refusing to acknowledge the Bible as our highest authority, but it has happened in several mainline denominations. 

One Disciple pastor wrote in a book these words cou  Consider the sweeping nature of that statement, and the effect it will have on the life of the church if the Spirit works through the Word of God.  This pastor declares that no Disciple institution — no college or seminary, no regional office, no national office, no local church — not a single institution anywhere, believes that the Bible is the literal Word of God. If you believe the Bible is a human document subject to the errors found in all human documents – – – that it is not the inspired Word of God – – – you are in the wrong church.

Now please hear this point.  When we reject the Bible as the authoritative Word of the Living God, even though we may continue to pay lip service to the Holy Spirit, we are effectively cut off from the mighty ministry of God’s Spirit.  After all, the Holy Spirit inspired the words of Scripture, and when those words are rejected so also is the Divine Author of those words.

It should come as no surprise to us to learn that many of the so-called “mainline” denominations are in a state of spiritual and numeric decline.  Our former denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) had close to 2 million members in the 1960’s. The 2017 yearbook shows a membership of 411,140. That is about a 77% decline. You would think it might occur to the leadership that denying the authority of the Bible is not a good idea! We live in a church environment where the prevailing mood among many mainline denominational leaders is to doubt the infallible authority of God’s Word.  We need to hear and believe the Word, and when our faith is added to God’s written Word, the Holy Spirit is active in our lives. When we approach God’s Word with doubt or unbelief, we resist the Holy Spirit. Once we begin to doubt and question the truthfulness of Scripture, spiritual renewal is absolutely impossible.

After I helped found and then worked for Disciple Heritage Fellowship, I had a plan for the renewal of the church. My plan for the renewal of the church — local, regional and national – was very simple. We need preachers who will boldly proclaim Jesus in the language of Scripture, preachers who are unapologetic in their demand that Christians are to live by every Word that God has spoken.  We need congregations who will hear and believe biblical truth, who add their faith to the proclamation of the Gospel, and who obey the truth. That is my entire program for transforming the church. One biblical sound preacher added to one biblically sound congregation equals the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. 

Well, it’s fun to point to the other guy and declare, “This is why we are having a problem.” Liberal theology, with its open rejection of the authority of God’s Word, is a serious problem in many denominations yet today.  It is not, however, the only problem. Another problem involves the congregations who pay lip service to Scripture but do not practice what Scripture teaches.  Whether you openly deny the inspiration of the Bible, or affirm it but do not practice what it teaches, the result is the same — the absence of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

How are things in our personal lives and in this local church?   In view of the fact that the Spirit works through the Word, I raise a few questions for personal reflection. How much time is given to serious Bible study in our congregations? I do not know the answer; I am simply asking the question. I am sure we would all agree that the Bible is more important than the TV, but I suspect there are Christians who give more time to the TV than to the Bible. There are Christians who are never involved in a formal Bible study class or program, and I am sure there are some seldom read the Bible privately. How can the Holy Spirit work mightily in a church where Scripture is affirmed, but neglected?  That’s a rhetorical question with the obvious answer being, HE CANNOT.

For example, the New Testament teaches much about forgiveness.  Jesus seemed to anticipate that we would offend each other on a regular basis, and so He taught much about the necessity of forgiveness. The word “forgive” in its various forms occurs over 60 times in the New Testament.  Clearly, we are to practice forgiveness. Jesus warned that those who do not forgive others will not receive God’s forgiveness (Matthew 6:14,15). Are some of us still smarting from old wounds? Are some of us nursing an unforgiving spirit?  How can the Holy Spirit work among people who do not practice fundamental Bible ethics? I need not labor the point. It simply will not do to say, “I believe the Bible from cover to cover, and I believe the cover too because it says HOLY BIBLE.” We must practice what the Bible teaches if we want to experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit working in our midst. That includes a forgiving spirit. 

I have mentioned before that FBI agents must learn to distinguish real money from counterfeit.  How do they proceed? Do they study different kinds of counterfeit money so they will learn to know the various types?  Not at all. They don’t even look at counterfeit money during their training. They look only at real money, becoming so familiar with it that they can spot a counterfeit immediately. 

We need to become so familiar with Scripture that we can tell quickly the difference between the Holy Spirit and false spirits.  I am amazed at how gullible some church members are. Some new speaker shows up at a national convention and blatantly introduces Asian religions into the church, denying the sufficiency of Christ and the Christian revelation, and many respond by saying, “Isn’t this wonderful. Isn’t she profound? I just sense the spirit’s presence here as she speaks.”  This is not a made-up illustration. This happened at a church convention I attended some years ago, The speaker substituted three Asian deities for the Christian Trinity, and the audience went giddy with their approval. 

John cautions us to test the spirits to make sure they are from God, for there are other spirits at work in this world which are not from God. As we immerse ourselves in Scripture we will not be deceived.  Take seriously Jesus wonderful statement which is so often quoted out of context. We hear only this part — YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE. The context is this, “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free“(John 8:31,32).   A disciple of Jesus is here defined as one who continues in His word — one who lives in Scripture, believes Scripture, practices Scripture.  It is the pathway leading to truth and freedom. It is the pathway leading to the fullness of the Holy Spirit, to a life where Christian character grows ever stronger.  Is it your pathway?

A life focused on Jesus, a life devoted to living by biblical truth, a life in which our aim is to grow in Christian character may not seem “supernatural” enough for some.  Perhaps what some mean by “supernatural” is “spectacular.” We need to realize that when the Holy Spirit is quietly building character in the Christ-centered life, while that life may not look “spectacular” it is definitely “supernatural.”  I don’t believe we are equipped to handle the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit until we have walked with Jesus, asking Him to work in us by His Spirit, and enabling us to grow in Christ-like character. I close by repeating what I said last week. The surest sign that one is a true Christian, born again by the Spirit of God, is seen in a consistent, long-term life of obedience to Christ as He is revealed in Scripture. Genuine faith always produces Christian character.

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THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

(# 3 in Series)

Warsaw Christian Church (8/25/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Galatians 6; John 15:26

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? Biblically, faith moves in two directions. To believe in Jesus means to trust Him as Savior, the one who has provided the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life. But faith also means to trust Jesus as Lord. That means we believe Jesus to be our Master, the One we follow daily. Faith in Jesus as Savior will take you to heaven.  Faith in Jesus as Lord will lead to a life of obedience, and the Holy Spirit will walk with us. 

I believe the development of Christian character is the best and highest evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. There are those who say that those who work miracles present the best evidence of being Spirit filled. Divine miracles, however, have been faked in numerous documented cases.  I think of the example of the California evangelist who used a small microphone in his ear through which he received information from his wife, deceiving people into believing he had a miraculous gift of knowledge. The supernatural can be imitated. Even Pharaoh’s magicians could make snakes out of rods in imitation of the miracle wrought by Moses (see Exodus 7:10 ff.). The one thing which cannot be faked is Christ-like character manifested over a long period of time.  Consistent Christ-like character is the most reliable evidence of a Spirit-filled life. 

As has been said many times before, faith, repentance, and baptism constitute our initial response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who thus respond are assured of God’s forgiveness, and they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gift of eternal life. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within the person.  This is no dry, abstract truth. It is a truth which brings the living God into our lives, a truth which causes us to live as persons who are alive to God (Rom. 6:11). Conversion is a life changing encounter wrought by the Holy Spirit. Those in whom the Spirit of God dwells begin to reflect more and more the character of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 6) becomes increasingly evident. While moral perfection forever eludes us in this life, moral improvement is a sign that we have been truly born of God’s Spirit.

Growth in Christian character through the ministry of the Holy Spirit does not take place in some automatic fashion.  If it did there would be no need to discuss the matter. While it is the Holy Spirit who makes us holy, He does not normally operate independently of the human will. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit can be “quenched” (1 Thess. 5:19), or “resisted” (Acts 7:51).  He can also be “grieved” (Eph. 4:30). These negative words certainly imply that the Holy Spirit’s ministry may be retarded or even extinguished by the believer.

On the other hand, there are things we may do which enable us to “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16, 25). This implies living life in a way which enables the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. Let’s review some of the basic things we do in order to “walk in the Spirit.” 

We must first assure ourselves that we have properly responded to Christ and are truly converted. (Those who feel uncertain if their conversion is genuine may need to review the first two sermons in this series.) Once we are persuaded that we truly are citizens of Christ’s kingdom through the new birth, then we begin to do those things which enable us to walk in the Spirit. One way to approach this is to ask the question, “According to Scripture, what is it that the Holy Spirit wishes to do in the church and in the world?” If we engage in those activities which are dear to the heart of God, will not the Holy Spirit walk with us, enabling us to more effectively carry out God’s will for the world? I believe He will. 

One thing very close to the heart of God is His Son. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus Christ. This is clear in the Gospel of John. This truth has significant implications for the development of Christian character, or walking in the Spirit.  I wish to say two things concerning how this takes place. First, THE HOLY SPIRIT NEVER, NEVER OPERATES INDEPENDENTLY OF OR CONTRARY TO JESUS. Second, THE HOLY SPIRIT NEVER, NEVER OPERATES IN A MANNER WHICH CONFLICTS WITH SCRIPTURE. (The second point will be developed in the next sermon.) 

Those who wish to know the reality of the Holy Spirit as He develops Christian character in us will become immersed in the life of Jesus.  Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26).  The Helper, the Spirit of truth, will testify unto the one who is the TRUTH, even Jesus.  The point is that as we live life centered on Jesus, the Holy Spirit will be at work in us. But what does this mean from a practical standpoint?  Let’s look at some particulars

Two things are prominent in a life centered on Jesus.  They are, (1) obedience to His commands, and (2) a continual reliance upon His blood shed at Calvary which covers our disobedience.  It may seem contradictory to speak of obedience as critical, and then to speak of what to do when we are disobedient. These two items, however, must always be kept in balance.  If we focus only on our obedience and neglect the cross, we end up as Pharisees or hypocrites. The moment we assume our obedience is of such high quality that we no longer need the cross, we are about to fall from grace.   If, on the other hand, we become careless in our sins and give up the struggle to be obedient disciples of Jesus, we are abusing the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. The gift of the Holy Spirit which we receive when we believe in our crucified Savior enables us to live life on a higher plane — a life of ever-increasing faithfulness — a life where obedience to Jesus is our highest priority. Is this you? Is this me? 

Martin Luther said it this way:  a Christian man is simultaneously both just and sinful.  We are just (righteous) because in Christ our sins have been washed away through His blood, and because we live a righteous life in the power of the Holy Spirit.  We also remain sinners because even on our best days we fall short of the divine perfection required of us, and so we constantly cling to the cross for the remission of our sins. We appear each week at the Lord’s Table to be reminded that in His broken body and shed blood we are forgiven. 

When we walk in the light of these two truths we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.  In both cases our eyes are fixed on Jesus. We follow Him as faithful disciples and the Holy Spirit strengthens us.  We look continually to His cross to cover our failures and the Holy Spirit strengthens us. If we come to the place where we are careless or indifferent about obedience, we are no longer walking in the Spirit.  If we foolishly take our eyes off the cross and begin to imagine that we no longer need the forgiveness it provides, we are also no longer walking in the Spirit.

The bottom line is simply this:   If we want to walk in the Spirit, with the Holy Spirit empowering our lives, leading our steps, inspiring our understanding, developing in us a holiness of life, our lives must be centered on Jesus.  A Jesus-centered life is a life lived with our minds eye ever focused on Jesus.  It is a life in which our ultimate concern is to live in harmony with His will. The Jesus-centered person is forever asking these questions, “How may I please Him in this situation?  How may I be faithful to Him in this decision?  How can I best serve Him in my family life, in my job, in His church?  How can I live so as to bring glory and honor unto the name of Jesus?”

When our minds and hearts are truly centered on Jesus, His will becomes our first priority.  His will becomes more important to us than our own wishes. His will is so precious to us that we gladly live our lives in a manner which conflicts with secular, social norms.  We resist being conformed to the world because we would rather conform to the mind of Christ.

Christ-centered persons cry out like Isaiah the prophet, “Here am I Lord, send me.”  They can identify with the apostles when they declared, “Lord, we have forsaken everything to follow you.” That is what Christ-centered persons do. Christ-centered disciples hear the words of Jesus, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me,” (Luke 9:23), and we say, “Yes, Lord.” Or do we? 

I ask you to pause for a moment of self-examination, asking the question, “Is this me?  Am I a Christ-centered person?”  We must not make the mistake of assuming that the Holy Spirit will work in us when our commitment to Jesus is weak or half-hearted.  We dare not assume we can live a Spirit-filled life apart from a life filled with Jesus. We can know nothing of the presence of the Holy Spirit apart from a Christ-centered life. 

I don’t want to belabor this point, but I do want to drive home its importance. The Holy Spirit is connected to Jesus in an absolute bond.  Just as Jesus Christ is one with the Father, so also He is one with the Holy Spirit. As we commit ourselves to Jesus without reservation, the Holy Spirit will empower our lives.  Christian character will grow and flourish. The moment we begin to compromise our faith in Jesus Christ we are resisting the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

There are two kinds of persons in the world in reference to the Holy Spirit — the haves and the have nots. Those who trust in Christ, who have repented of their sins and been baptized in His name, are the “haves.” They have received the Holy Spirit.  Among those who have received the Holy Spirit, further division may be noted. Those who live their lives in loving obedience to Jesus will know first-hand the presence and power of the Spirit. The Spirit’s presence will be noted in them by their maturing Christian character. Those Christians who begin to compromise their faith will resist the Spirit.  This will result in ever increasing conformity with the world.

I think that some congregations get off track when they talk about spiritual renewal. Sometimes churches look for new programs, or they tamper with the worship service, or they change the style of music.  We need to make sure we understand the difference between form and substance in the Christian life. The substance of the Christian life is faith and loving obedience to Jesus. The form has to do with how we express that faith. Christians can sometimes become attached to certain forms and assume that God can only work through our preferred forms.  A traditionalist (I must confess that I am in this class, for the most part) prefers the old ways, the old hymns, and may assume Jesus is not honored when the old ways change. A contemporary thinking person may assume that God cannot really be worshipped unless we sing modern choruses and adopt modern ways. 

Any time we lock on to a certain form and assume that God cannot work apart from that form, we have erred greatly.  If the traditionalist is living a life of loving obedience to Jesus, then the Spirit of God is present in and through those traditions. If the person who prefers a more upbeat, contemporary worship style is living a life of loving obedience to Jesus, then God’s Spirit is present in those new forms of worship. 

If we prefer to be quiet and reverent in church out of loving obedience to Jesus, then God’s Spirit will be present in our worship.  If we want to shout “amen” and raise our hands in praise to God out of loving obedience to Jesus, the Spirit of God will be present there also.  On the other hand, God’s Spirit will be absent from that traditional, quiet church which is not living in loving obedience to Jesus, and all the shouting and loud singing in the world will not bring the Holy Spirit into a group of Christians who are compromising in the area of faithfulness to Christ.

If the church is centered on Jesus and the Holy Spirit is at work in and through the congregation, does this mean the church will grow in size?  Numerical growth is a possibility in such an environment, but not a certainty. In our contemporary, self-centered, pleasure-seeking society, a faithful church will not necessarily experience great numerical success.  A church which teaches it members to be faithful to Jesus Christ in all things may not attract today’s pagans, especially when there are other churches around which focus on entertainment and promise health and prosperity to the members.  Our focus must ever be on faithfulness, helping Christians to understand that the consequences of faithfulness in this life will vary from person to person and church to church. Jesus faithfulness led Him to the cross, being abandoned even by His closest disciples.

If we wish to see spiritual renewal come to our personal lives, the substance of the matter is this.  PRACTICE LOVING AND FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE TO JESUS. The Spirit of God is present and active in that kind of environment, and in none other.  The name of Jesus is like a magnet attracting the Holy Spirit to those who honor that name. My advice to any congregation is preach Jesus, teach Jesus, pray in the name of Jesus, baptize in the name of Jesus, live as disciples of Jesus, obey Jesus in all things, honor Jesus, worship Jesus, lift up the name of Jesus — and the Holy Spirit will be with you and bring times of spiritual refreshing.  The membership will grow noticeably in Christ-likeness. This growth in Christian character – – – in Christ likeness – – – is the most important sign of the Spirit-filled life.

Next week we will look further into the important topic of Christian character. 

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BORN OF THE SPIRIT

Warsaw Christian Church (8/18/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: John 3:1-15; Titus 3:5-7

One New Testament description of Christians is that they are “born of the Spirit.” Several key texts teach this very important truth. We begin with Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3.  Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again before he can see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). This suggests that we humans are totally blind in regard to the reality of the spiritual realm until God brings about a new birth.  We do not even “see” (perceive) God’s kingdom apart from rebirth. It seems clear from this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus that no one will ever be converted unless the Holy Spirit is actively working in the human soul. 

Jesus then explained this new birth as one of “water and the Spirit” (John 3:5).  The word “water” in this text has caused some confusion.  Some say it must refer to the water which accompanies natural birth.  Others say it refers to the water of baptism. I prefer a third option which translates the Greek word “and” as “even.” This makes the verse read, “Except a man be born of water, even the Spirit.”  The Greek word “kai” can be translated as “and” or “even,” and this option makes the most sense to me (see Strong’s Concordance/Dictionary # 2532).   Nicodemus would never have understood the word “water” as referring to Christian baptism which was not yet established. Water is often used in Scripture as a symbol for the Holy Spirit (see Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25,26).

Clearly the emphasis in the passage before us is on the work of the Holy Spirit, not on the word “water.”  The Spirit brings about this new birth which Nicodemus lacked. Even though he was a devoted Jew, when Jesus came a New Covenant was introduced rendering the Old Covenant obsolete. Nicodemus can no longer rely on the Old Covenant. He needs to be reborn under the New Covenant. The new birth is a work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, whose actions are mysterious (John 3:8), comes from above like the wind and changes the human heart.  As stated in last week’s sermon, this work of the Spirit does not take place independently of Scripture. The Spirit works through the Word of God. Peter writes “… having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23) We are said to be born again through the imperishable seed which is the Word of God.  There are not two separate “new births,” one by the Word and one by the Spirit. Rather, the Word and the Spirit work in harmony to bring new birth to the human soul. 

In the gospel, God the Father is acting too, granting us forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit’s presence awakens us to new levels of understanding concerning the person and work of Jesus. We feel in the depths of our being that we are forgiven.  The great sin burden is lifted, even for those who, like myself, had no idea that sin was a burden prior to conversion! In ways difficult to describe, “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God . . . (Rom. 8:16, NKJV).” There is mystery here. If you ask, “What does the Word do, what does the Holy Spirit do, and what does our free will do?” You have asked a question impossible for the human mind to explain satisfactorily.  

It seems clear that God’s actions and our actions do not always occur in the order outlined by Peter in the Book of Acts.  What Peter gives us in Acts 2 can best be described as a typical order of events. We hear the Gospel, we believe it, we repent, we are baptized, and we receive the Holy Spirit. However, in the case of Cornelius’ household, the gift of the Holy Spirit preceded baptism (Acts 10). Simon the magician helps us to realize that one can follow these outwards acts of confession of faith, repentance and baptism hypocritically.  In his case the Holy Spirit was clearly absent throughout the process (Acts 8). Thus, while we must insist that faith, repentance and baptism all be given their rightful place in our doctrine of conversion, and while we must insist that forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit are granted in every case of true conversion, God does not rigidly follow a particular order of events. That is clear from the Book of Acts. 

In Titus 3:5-7 we note again the presence of the Holy Spirit in conversion. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”(NKJV).

“The washing of regeneration” could refer to baptism which by this time was a well-established practice.  Some believe it is a symbolic reference to the washing of the soul which takes place when we enter God’s kingdom. Remember that little Greek word “kai” also means “even,” so the verse could read “washing of regeneration, even renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Regeneration simply means a new birth or a second birth, and when that event occurs our soul is “washed” as part of the process.  Water cannot wash the soul. The Holy Spirit washes the soul. Paul also mentions that the believer is renewed by the work of the Holy Spirit.  Is he speaking of two things (washing and renewal) or one thing (conversion described in parallel language)? 

While I am open to changing my mind, at this point I believe Paul speaks here of the single moment of conversion. The human soul is “washed,” cleansed from all sin, and renewed by the gift of the Holy Spirit. We become new persons because of this miraculous transformation. If the Holy Spirit renews us, we simply will not remain the way we were.  Persons who confess Christ and join the church but remain unchanged are either hypocrites like Simon the magician, or persons who have not been fully and/or correctly instructed in regard to the biblical doctrine of conversion. 

One additional verse helps us to see the connection between the act of believing the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion. “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,  to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thess. 2:17-19, NKJV). 

God has chosen or decreed that those who come to salvation do so through the combined and coordinated ministry of the Word (the Bible); the Spirit and the human will.  We must, of course, hear the gospel. We must embrace the traditions which are recorded for us in Holy Scripture since we have not had the privilege of hearing Paul or the other apostles directly.  The Holy Spirit works in the human Spirit as we hear the gospel, pulling us in the direction of faith. When faith is born in the human heart, a new desire to set aside our lives in God’s service arises.  We call that the doctrine of sanctification. We find that we want to please God. His will moves into first place, surpassing our own wishes and desires (although a struggle often takes place in the human soul as we shall see later in this sermon series). 

Over the centuries, one of the major debates in the church has been to try and clarify the role the Holy Spirit plays in conversion, and the role of human free will.  It seems to me this is a fruitless debate. Scripture simply informs us that we must “freely receive” the gospel, choosing to place our trust in Christ. Scripture also informs us that the Holy Spirit is active in conversion, as is the Word of God.  Some want to argue that the Spirit must convert us before we can choose to trust in Christ, while others argue that human choice acts first followed by the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

One of the primary founders of the Christian Churches, Alexander Campbell, tried to avoid these debates where no clear biblical direction was present. Those who emphasize the Spirit acting first, prior to our choice, create a situation where it seems we humans must passively await the converting work of the Spirit. If we must wait for the Spirit to convert us before we will take any interest in the things of God, it makes salvation seem impossible for us to experience.  We also wonder why God converts one and ignores another since all are equally unworthy.

When free choice is placed before the converting work of the Spirit, we have yet another problem.  How can man’s fallen will choose to embrace Christ? The Bible says that none seek after God (Rom. 3:11; Psalms 14:2-4). We unredeemed humans are described as being dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1-5).  How can a person who will not seek God and who is dead in sin exercise free will and embrace Christ? 

How do we solve this problem?  It seems to me that the solution is to simply admit that the explanation of the process of conversion is not fully revealed in Scripture. Nowhere does the Bible say the Holy Spirit does 75 % of the work, the Bible 20% and the human will 5%, or whatever percentages you prefer. We know from Scripture that the gospel must be proclaimed, and that those who hear it must respond with faith, and that the Holy Spirit is active in the process. The Holy Spirit and the human will are both active in conversion, but it is impossible to define specifically how they interact with one another. When we try to explain what the Bible does not explain we get into trouble! 

The conversion story of Lew Wallace might help us understand the mystery of the new birth. Wallace was the governor of New Mexico and a skeptic. He denied that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He decided he would write a book which would prove to everyone that Christianity was a myth. He studied all he could find on that period of history when Jesus supposedly lived. He studied the New Testament. When he was four chapters into his book which was going to disprove Christianity, something happened. His study convinced him that Jesus was a real person. If He was a real person, perhaps what the New Testament says about Him is true. Wallace wrote these words: “I fell on my knees to pray for the first time in my life.  and I asked God to reveal himself to me, forgive my sins, and help me become a follower of Christ.” He then tells how he woke up his Methodist wife to tell her he had received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He then learned his wife had been praying that as he wrote his book trying to disprove Christianity his eyes would be opened to the truth of Jesus Christ. Beware of praying wives! Oh yes, later on Wallace wrote the book “Ben Hur.” 

In this true story we see all three factors in operation. The Bible was read, the Holy Spirit was at work, and Wallace made the decision to follow Jesus. Which came first? Which one exerted the most influence? I don’t know and I don’t care! Clearly the Word, the Spirit and the human will were all active. That is good enough for me even though I cannot explain how the three interacted.

It is important, however, to give all glory and praise to God for our salvation. If He had not sent His Son into the world, and if the Holy Spirit were not active whenever the gospel is proclaimed, we would never come to saving faith. While the human will is active when we come to faith, it is a serious mistake to boast of our salvation as if we had achieved something (See Eph. 2:8-10). We are saved by the grace of God who has acted on our behalf in Christ Jesus, not by some heroic human act of believing. 

If we desire that the Spirit of God should work actively in the hearts of others, we must lift up Jesus before them.  We can pray for others, but they must still hear the gospel. We may ask the Holy Spirit to change the hearts of our unredeemed friends and family members, but He will not normally do so apart from the Word of God.  We have within our grasp the means of bringing others into the presence of the Holy Spirit. We have the story of Jesus which the Holy Spirit uses to change hearts. Let’s use it!

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THE HOLY SPIRIT IN TODAY’S’ CHURCH

(# 1: How He Works in Unbelievers)

Warsaw Christian Church (8/11/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Primary text: John 16:7-11

The purpose of this sermon series is to examine carefully what the New Testament says in regard to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  In the spirit of Alexander Campbell, one of the primary founders of the Christian Church, I will seek to avoid personal speculation, seeking diligently to say only things which are clearly supported by the Bible. 

A second goal is to give to this church information which will be practical and helpful.  The ministry of the Holy Spirit is of vital importance to every believer in Jesus. My prayer is that this series will help you enter into a fuller Spirit directed life and ministry within the Body of Christ. I urge you to do as I have tried to do.  Set aside all preconceptions on this subject and to listen only to the voice of God as He speaks to us in and through the text of Scripture.

This series will proceed in this manner.  I have examined the New Testament teaching pertaining to the Holy Spirit.  I have then sought to arrange the appropriate texts into four specific categories. (1) The Spirit at work in unbelievers; (2) the Spirit’s role in salvation, (3) the Spirit and Christian character; (4) and the gifts of the Spirit.

It is rather commonly asserted today in some of the cults and in some schools of liberal theology that the Holy Spirit is accessible to all persons, regardless of religious belief or affiliation.  The New Testament presents a very different picture. Let’s’ turn our attention to that inspired document. Listen carefully to these words from John 14:15-18: “If you love Me, keep My commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. Two things are clear, The Holy Spirit is unknown to the world at large. He is known and received only by those who trust in Jesus. 

John continues; “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned” (John 16:7-11).

Jesus explains to believers two aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. First, Jesus repeats that those who believe in Him will receive the Holy Spirit. Then the emphasis changes to “the world,” the unbelieving world. As the Holy Spirit works in the life of the disciples of Jesus, a threefold “convicting” ministry takes place in the lives of unbelievers – – those who are of this fallen world.  Notice that this ministry of the Holy Spirit to unbelievers does not take place directly. The Spirit does not work directly on the minds and hearts of the unbeliever. The Spirit has been given to the Christian who has faith in Jesus, and as the Spirit works in the life of the disciple His presence has an effect on unbelievers. 

That effect is threefold.  He convicts (convinces, persuades) the unbeliever in three areas: sin, righteousness and judgment.  The implication is that if the unbeliever is to come to faith, he must be persuaded to change his mind in these three areas. The Christian must therefore be aware of these three areas in order for the Holy Spirit to carry out this convicting ministry.  The Holy Spirit cannot convict of sin unless sin (which leads to guilt) is the topic of conversation in our relationship with the non-Christian. He would not normally convict someone of sin if the topic of conversation is, for example, the weather or last night’s ball game.  Sin, righteousness and judgment must be the major topics the Christian presents to the unbelieving world.

This concept goes against much modern thinking.  Today the idea is popular that the church must appeal to the world.  Through contemporary music, drama and anything else that appeals to the worldly man, the church seeks to attract the lost.  While churches using this methodology may indeed attract large numbers of people, we have no promise that the Holy Spirit will work through such means to change the hearts of persons.  Once a church goes down the entertainment path it is hard to turn back. The church must keep on providing first class entertainment to keep folks attending. Focusing on sin, righteousness and judgment is difficult to fit into this approach. 

The important question is not, “How many people are attending your church,” but “Are the people attending your church being converted and growing in Christ?”  The issue comes down to this:  Do we trust in human methods to build the church, or do we trust God’s Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit? 

A moment’s reflection should convince any student of Scripture that in the ministry of Jesus, Paul, and the other apostles there was never any effort made to attract the unbeliever by using worldly means. They were not entertainers. They simply proclaimed divine truth, and the Spirit of God worked through them.  I fear that when the church tries to appeal to the lost through entertainment it is a sign of a loss of faith in the power of the gospel. It may mean that the church no longer takes seriously the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. Large numbers in church mean nothing unless people’s lives are being transformed by the power of God.  God’s Spirit works through His Word, not through cleverly devised human entertainment.

Our text states that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin in regard to the ministry of Jesus.  We used to speak of people being “under conviction” because of their sins, feelings of overwhelming guilt have gripped the heart. I do not doubt that this takes place.  On the other hand, most persons in my acquaintance, including unbelievers, admit they are sinners. The problem is not simply to lead persons to acknowledge their sins. Once the Son of God entered the world and suffered at Calvary, our problem in relationship to sin radically changed. The issue to be resolved now is whether or not we sinners will believe in Jesus who has taken away our sins. The “sin” mentioned by Jesus in the text is one particular sin, the sin of refusing to believe in Jesus.

When Jesus died on the cross, He took away the sins of the world. John the Baptist declared, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  In 1 John 2:2 the apostle says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”  Since Jesus has atoned for the sins of the world, the issue between God and the world is now centered on the cross.  While we humans are guilty of many “sins,” our real problem is our failure to believe in Jesus who has taken away our sins.

It is at this point that the Holy Spirit comes to our aid.  As the church lifts up the name of Jesus, resolving with Paul to “know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2), the Holy Spirit moves on the heart of the unbeliever, drawing Him to Jesus.  Failure to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is the mother of all sins. The Holy Spirit is given to believers,  and then works in the lives of unbelievers as Christians proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There is now but one sin that will send you to hell – – – the sin of failure to believe in Jesus. 

The next work of the Spirit is to convince or persuade the unbelieving world in regard to righteousness.  Jesus told His disciples He would soon depart and return to the Father. What does this departure have to do with convincing the unbeliever of “righteousness?” Jesus clearly relates the two with the word, “because.”  Once we have come to faith in Jesus, we need to understand how it is that we are acceptable to God. We know that our own righteousness will not stand up before the pure holiness of God. Paul understood this when he spoke of standing before God not having a righteousness of his own, but the very righteousness of God which comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Philippians 3:8,9). 

Leon Morris says, “ here Jesus means that one thing the Spirit would do would be to convince people of the fact that the only righteousness that avails in the end is the righteousness believers have because of Christ’s atoning death.” The world needs to be persuaded that the only righteousness acceptable to God is God’s own righteousness manifested in the life of Jesus.  When we trust in Jesus, two wonderful things happen. First, all our sins are forgiven. Second, the righteousness of Christ is credited to us.  God now sees us as persons cleansed from all sin and clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. Since we are conscious of our own sins and failures, it takes the persuading power of the Holy Spirit to convince us that God now sees us as having the very righteousness of Christ.  The Holy Spirit works continually in our hearts to convince us that we are forgiven and righteous — all because of Jesus Christ and what He has done for us.

We have two choices as we anticipate standing before God on judgment day.  Either we must persuade God that our own righteousness obtained through keeping the law – – – through our personal obedience to the commands of God – – – is sufficient to pass the divine scrutiny, or we must be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Only a fool would opt for the first choice, rejecting the second choice which focuses not on us, but on what Christ has done for us.

This verse helps us understand the tension we live under as Christians. On the one hand, in spite of our efforts to live as faithful disciples of the Master, we realize daily how far short we fall from the divine expectation.  This awareness can be very depressing. We realize also that we are “in Christ” and that His righteousness is our righteousness.  This causes great joy. What we must do is constantly remind ourselves that we are in Christ, and His righteousness allows us to live in the presence of God.  As we live life focused on Christ, we grow spiritually. As we live life focused on our own sins and failures, their hold on us grows ever tighter. 

We must continually lift up the righteousness of Christ, reminding those who believe in Jesus that His righteousness is ours.  While this truth was seen initially when we moved from unbelief to faith, we must forever battle the tendency to focus too much on self and too little on Christ.  As Jesus is proclaimed in the church in harmony with Scripture, the Holy Spirit works in our minds and hearts to persuade us that we are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit speaks to the heart of the unbeliever concerning judgment.  Jesus declares that the prince of this world (Satan) has been judged. During the time of my life when I embraced liberal theology, I did not believe Satan existed. I distinctly recall that when I experienced conversion to Jesus Christ, I became aware of the reality of Satan at the same time I became aware of the reality of Christ.  Just as the Holy Spirit mysteriously works through the gospel to persuade us that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, He also persuades us of other spiritual truths, including the truth that Satan is real. Then, continuing to work through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit shows us that Satan’s power over us has been judged. 

Satan is described in Scripture as our accuser (see Rev. 12:10). He accuses human beings of sin against God, and His accusations are true since we have all violated God’s holy will.  Satan, the first to rebel against God, apparently delights in seeing us also rebel against God. He seems to obtain some demented enjoyment in watching us fall into sin, and unceasingly reminds God concerning the horrible nature of our iniquities.  He reminds God that divine justice requires Him to cast us into hell. He is like the prosecuting attorney who points a finger at us and cries, “Guilty, guilty, guilty…”

However, Jesus is our defender, our defense attorney.  He is at the right hand of God ever interceding for us (Heb. 7:25). His blood was shed for the remission of our sins and provides the answer to Satan’s accusations. It is as if Jesus says to Satan, “Yes, Richard Bowman has sinned and deserves to go to hell, but I have atoned for his sins and now he trusts in me and his sins are forgiven.” Thus, Satan’s charges against us cannot stand because of the atonement made on our behalf by the Son of God.  Satan has thus been judged as our text says. All of this is spelled out for us in Scripture, but in our unredeemed state of mind it all seems like so much poppycock. The Holy Spirit makes Jesus real to our human spirit when we embrace Him with true faith.  We also begin to see more clearly the reality that Satan has been judged and defeated.

This enlightening, convincing work of the Holy Spirit in the heart moves us from unbelief to faith. Biblical ideas and truths we may have heard about for years suddenly become alive in our minds.  It is as if someone turned on the lights. When Paul stated that no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3) he was undoubtedly referring to this “convincing” ministry of the Spirit.  One can certainly repeat the words, “Jesus is Lord,” without the aid of the Spirit, but one cannot truly believe those words – – – JESUS IS LORD – – – unless the Holy Spirit has completed His persuading work.

This threefold convincing ministry of the Spirit can be summed up in the word “conversion” or “new birth.” The Holy Spirit brings us to true faith in Jesus Christ. He does not do this independently of Scripture, but works in and through biblical truth. 

Our task as Christians is to lift up these biblical truths.  When we proclaim Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Holy Spirit works through our testimony to touch the hearts of those with whom we speak.  As we speak of Jesus unbelievers realize that through faith in Him their sins are forgiven; that His righteousness is imputed to them; that Satan has been judged, and we are free! The Holy Spirit is actively working in the heart to convince and persuade that it is all true. If we bypass Jesus and these biblical truths and try to attract unbelievers to Christ in some other way — modern music, drama, inoffensive sermons — we are wasting our time. More importantly, we are disobeying God’s way and replacing it with our ways.  Our ways will never succeed. We need to embrace and practice God’s way.

We continue this series next week when I will be talking about what it means to be born of the Spirit. 

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1st Peter # 7: PETER’S PARTING WORDS TO THE CHURCH

Text: 1 Peter Chapters 4 & 5.

I am going to finish our study in 1^st Peter this morning. We haven’t looked at every single verse but have tried to focus on the highlights. Today we will be looking at the final two chapters, concentrating on 4 main points.

We begin with the command to serve Christ for the glory of God. In verses 7-11 of chapter 4 Peter lists some practical duties that should be present in the life of every Christian. He wants us to have fervent love for one another; he wants us to be hospitable without grumbling; he wants us to use our gifts to serve one another; he wants us to rely on God to work in us and through us in all things. Then he gives this summary statement: “That in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ…” (4:11). 

Do you hear what Peter is saying? Whatever you do, whatever words you speak, seek to glorify God and God will be with you and bless your work. If we seek honor for self, or for someone or something other than God, God is removed from the picture. Consider what this means. Every time we make a decision it will either glorify God, or it won’t. Shall I go to church this morning, or sleep in? Which decision is most likely to glorify God? When we avoid Bible study in favor of some other activity, is God glorified? When we gulp down our meal without a word of thanks to God, who is glorified? When we refuse to forgive one another, who is honored by that decision? When we refuse to practice the biblical doctrine of tithing (10% of your income for Kingdom work) because we can’t afford it, who is glorified? Peter wants us to glorify God in all our decisions, a challenging task indeed, but when we pursue that goal God will be at work in us and through us. That in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ…” (4:11). 

If what I have just said gives you some feelings of guilt, you are not going to care much for the next section either. In addition to seeking God’s glory in all we do, we are also called to suffer for the glory of God. The sum of the matter is in 4:16: “If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” This verse is not about suffering in general; sickness, car wrecks, financial woes, etc. It is about suffering as a Christian. 

We know that Christians in many countries suffer severe persecution today simple because they trust in Jesus. Some preachers want us to believe that following Jesus will bring blessings upon blessings — a beautiful, pain free life. Recruitment posters for our country’s armed forces may emphasize seeing the world or getting financial help with college, but the harsh truth is that enlistment in the military carries serious risks. The crew and families of the USS Cole were reminded of that on October 12, 2000, when terrorists caused the deaths of seventeen and injured dozens more while the ship was refueling in Yemen. The 292,131 service men and women killed in battle during WW 2 learned of the terrible risks involved in serving in the military. 

Likewise, dare we present the Christian faith like a recruitment poster that talks about the “perks” of being a church member without letting people know that one’s life may be on the line for following Christ? Yes, there are wonderful perks available to those who follow Christ, but there are also appalling risks involved in enlisting as a disciple of Jesus. Don’t tell Christians in China, or North Korea, or Iran, or Saudi Arabia that following Jesus means that “everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before” as one of our hymns expresses it. 

Yes, we are greatly blessed in this country.  We do not face severe persecution from the government. Our “suffering” may involve losing friends, being unpopular with certain people, being privately despised by others, or considered to be intellectually naïve for believing in Jesus. This kind of opposition can be painful, but Peter says if we hold up under suffering as a Christian, whether that suffering is major or minor, God is glorified. 

What is your life about? Is it about living daily in such a manner that your daily decisions glorify God? Do you glorify God in your minor sufferings that you may endure as a Christian? Our text declares that life for the Christian always moves in one direction – – – to glorify God.

Third, Peter directs us to shepherd the flock of God (5:1-4). We are reminded that the Christian faith is not just a personal, individual matter.  Of course, there is a personal side to our faith. We must make that personal decision to place our trust in Jesus, to believe in Him as our Savior and to follow Him as our Lord. Once that decision has been made, we become part of a flock, Peter’s metaphor to describe the church of Jesus Christ. 

The elders and pastor are given the primary task of serving as shepherds of the flock. However, we all have the responsibility to care for one another. The pastor and elders have the responsibility to make sure the church stays on track. We know that churches drift away from Christ and reject the absolute authority of the Bible. I was taught in seminary that the virgin birth is a myth, the resurrection of Jesus is a myth, that all miracles are myths, that John’s Gospel was not written by the Apostle John but by the later church using John’s name to give credibility to the book. I learned that the worldwide flood in Genesis is a myth…etc. If you ever tolerate a preacher who speaks such things, I hope you will politely ask him to move on! If he refuses, throw the bum out!  

The elders have to keep an eye on the pastor to make sure he is preaching the Bible. All of us have the responsibility to help one another with our love and prayers. Shepherding the flock means we all work to care for one another, particularly spiritually, but in others ways as well. We want to make sure none of us goes astray. 

Peters final word of advice to the church is to live humble lives before God, and resist the devil (5:5-11). If we humbly submit to the rule of God, we will have no trouble dealing with Satan.  However, Peter wants us to be clear that Satan is alive and operational on planet earth. Yes, he has been defeated by Jesus Christ, and those who stay close to Jesus will be protected from his deceptions. The problem is there are too many Christians who do not live close to Jesus! Our text says that Satan goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is, as it were, on the hunt. He is looking for persons who are not living under the protection of Jesus. 

On the positive side we should never be overtaken by Satan. The battle of Antietam in 1862 was the bloodiest day of the Civil War. In twelve hours, there were ten thousand Confederate casualties and even more on the Union side. “At last the sun went down and the battle ended, smoke heavy in the air, the twilight quivering with the anguished cries of thousands of wounded men,” wrote one historian.

Though the battle appeared a draw, Union General George McClellan was able to end Robert E. Lee’s thrust into Maryland, forcing him to retreat across the Potomac. This was possible because two Union soldiers found a copy of Lee’s battle plans and delivered them to McClellan before the battle.

In some respects, we are no match for our adversary, Satan. But as with General McClellan, our enemy’s plans have fallen into our hands. We know his strategies to entice us with lies, lust, greed, hatred and the like. With such knowledge, given us by God’s Word, and God’s Spirit within our hearts, we too can resist the enemy’s advances. When Satan and his demonic friends see that we have given over much of our lives to deceit, lying, revenge and the like, you might as well throw open the door of your heart and say, “Come in, Satan.” Oh, we would never do that, but we are doing exactly that when we step away from the life of faith and into the life of sin.  Satan notices when our faith has become dormant and moves in for the kill. Don’t let it happen to you. Make sure that your faith in the Son of God is always active and Satan will leave you alone. 

As we say goodbye to First Peter let me summarize the text for this morning. 

1. First, we learn to serve for the glory of God. In the center of our minds is the thought, “How will this action glorify God?” 
2. Second, we suffer for God’s glory. While our suffering may be miniscule in comparison to what happens elsewhere in the world, if we encounter suffering because of our faith in Jesus we accept it, and the result is that God is glorified. 
3. Third, we remember that we are part of a flock, the very body of Christ. We care for each other. We watch carefully what is taught in the church making sure it is in harmony with Jesus Christ and the Bible. 
4. Finally, we submit to God with humility, always being aware that we have an enemy who is looking for an opportunity to devour us. The moment we allow the shield of faith to droop, Satan and/or his little demonic buddies are there eager to destroy your soul. 

Peter has really given us a prescription for living a successful Christian life. As these four principles are active in our lives, we can be sure of two things: God will protect us, and He will bless our lives and make them useful in His Kingdom. 

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1^st Peter # 6: BE PREPARED!

Warsaw Christian Church (7/28/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Peter 3:13-17: ³ And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” ¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ¹⁶ having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

In these few verses Peter broches the subject of being a witness to Christ. As we have already seen, we witness in two ways: by our words of testimony, and by the way we live. Both are necessary. Our behavior may reflect our faith in Jesus, but the words that explain the Gospel must be added to the example set by our Christian lifestyle. Peter says we must always be ready to give an answer (words) to anyone who asks us to give a reason for our hope in Christ. 

Here is the basic idea. Unbelievers notice your way of life.  You live with hope. You seem to be content. Even when you suffer the light of hope still burns brightly. How can that be? You need to be prepared to explain that it is Jesus who fills you with hope. 

How do we prepare to be a faithful witness to Jesus? Peter says it begins with sanctifying God in the heart. What does that mean? It means to entertain accurate notions about God; of his nature, His power, His will, His justice, His goodness, and His truth. We are not to conceive of God as being motivated by such passions as drive we humans. We are to separate Him in your heart from everything earthly, everything human, everything fickle, from every human weakness. Consider that he can neither be like man, feel like man, nor act like man. Ascribe no human passions to him, for this would desecrate, not sanctify Him. As the prophet said, ““God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Numbers 23:19). 

 Do not confine him in your conceptions to place, to space, to emptiness, even to heaven, or to earth. Endeavor to think worthily of the immensity and eternity of his nature, of his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Avoid the error of the heathens, who bound even their greatest gods, to fate, as many well-meaning Christians do the true God by limiting Him to certain decree. Conceive of him as infinitely free to act or not act, as he pleases. Consider the goodness of his nature; for goodness, in every possible state of perfection and infinitude, belongs to him. Ascribe no wickedness to him; nor any work, or purpose, or decree, that implies it. This is not only a human passion, but a passion of fallen man. Do not suppose that God can do evil, or that he can destroy when he might save; that he ever did, or ever can, hate any of those whom he made in his own image and in his own likeness, so as by a positive decree to doom them, unborn, to everlasting perdition. Or, what is of the same significance, pass them by without affording them the means of salvation, and consequently rendering it impossible for them to be saved. Thus, endeavor to conceive of Him; and, by so doing, you separate Him from all that is imperfect, all that is human, all that is evil, all that is unpredictable, all that is changeable, and certainly all that is unkind. Ever remember that he has wisdom without error, power, without limits, truth without falsity, love without hatred, holiness without evil, and justice without severity on the one hand, or capricious tenderness on the other. In a word, that God neither can be, or say, or purpose, or do, anything that is not infinitely just, holy, wise, true, and gracious. He hates nothing that he has made and has so loved the world, the whole human race, as to give his only-begotten Son to die for them, that they might not perish, but have everlasting life. In this manner, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and you will ever be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in you to every serious and candid inquirer after truth. (Comments from Adam Clarke’s commentary, edited). 

In a word, think of God has having such immense greatness and goodness, that He is beyond our comprehension. Think of God in the language of Scripture and you will think accurately, and you will sanctify God in your heart, 

Once we have sanctified God in our hearts, having a good, clear picture of who God is, then we need a clear understanding of the Gospel. The Gospel is a simple message contained within the pages of Scripture. You don’t have to be an expert on biblical content to witness to the Gospel. The Gospel contains the following key points.

• The world God created has rebelled against Him. In spite of humanity’s failures God still loves us. 
• Jesus Christ is God’s Messiah promised in the Old Testament, the Son of the living God.
• God devised a plan to redeem the fallen human race. 
• Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son, went to the cross, suffered and died to atone for our sins. He took upon Himself the judgment we deserve. 
• God promises to forgive all the sins of those who trust in His Son and grant them everlasting life in heaven. 

That in essence is the Gospel, the good news. While the words used to express the Gospel will vary, the heart of the matter is expressed in the above five statements. Once we have a clear picture of God in our minds, and a clear understanding of the Gospel, we are in a position to share our faith. Peter calls upon us to be ready to defend the faith.

He adds that we must defend the faith with a proper attitude, in a spirit of weakness and fear. We are not to talk down to others or treat them like fools.  Do not permit your readiness to answer, nor the confidence you have in the rightness of your cause, to lead you to answer flippantly or arrogantly to any person. Defend your faith with gentleness and fear, unless while you are speaking you should forget His presence whose cause you support, or say anything unbecoming the dignity and holiness of the Christian faith which you espouse. We should never speak of Jesus in a manner inconsistent with that heavenly temper which the Spirit of your indwelling Lord does produce in the hearts of those who trust Him. 

Perhaps you are thinking, well, I don’ think I would be a very good witness.  Isn’t that the preacher’s job? Yes and no. It is my job, but it is also your job. Part of my job is to encourage and equip you to witness to others about Jesus (see Ephesian 4:11-12). Why is this important? Consider for a moment another aspect of the Christian faith. Let me poll the congregation. How many Gods are there? How many Saviors are there? How many paths to God are there? And here is the hard question we must answer: what is the destiny of those who die without faith in Jesus? We are all familiar with John 3:16, but let’s read on in chapter 3. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Several things are clear in this passage. First, God loves us. Second, He sent His Son to save the world. God is on the side of salvation, not condemnation. However, vs. 18 makes two very clear points: Those who believe in Jesus are not condemned. That’s the good news. The sad news follows; those who do not believe in Jesus are condemned. Why? Because of their failure to believe in Jesus. What does it mean to be condemned by God? It means eternal separation from Him in that place of endless gloom called hell. 

God has tied His salvation to one person, Jesus Christ His Son. It’s Jesus, or hell. That is why it is so important that we do what we can to be faithful witnesses unto Him. We need to do what we can to encourage family members, friends, and enemies to trust in Jesus. 

The construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was so risky that newspaper reporters dubbed it “Dance of Danger.” Workers on top of swaying catwalks and high towers, sometimes hundreds of feet in the air, would be blown by powerful winds. Predictions were that for every $1 million spent, one life would be lost. Engineers on the Golden Gate Bridge, however, believed the risks could be lowered. When construction began in 1932, numerous safety measures were put into place and strictly enforced: mandatory use of hard hats and prescription filtered eyeglasses, implementation of a no showboating policy (cause for automatic firing), use of tie-off lines, and establishment of an on-site hospital greatly reduced the casualty rate. After nearly four years of construction and $20 million spent, only one worker had died. The most effective safety device, without question, was the use of a trapeze net. This large net, costing $130,000, was draped sixty feet below the roadbed under construction, extending ten feet to either side. This net caught so many falling workers that the newspapers began running box scores on the total number of lives saved. Workers saved by the net were said to have joined the “Halfway to Hell Club.” Beyond that, the net freed many of the workers from an often-paralyzing sense of fear, which helped them work more productively.

We are like those workers on the bridge. The winds of sin blow strongly. We would all be blown away, falling into hell were it not for the safety net. Our safety net is a person, Jesus Christ. If we fall into His arms, trusting Him as our Lord and Savior, we shall be saved. Otherwise John 3:18 tells of our fate. ; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. If you believe those words you will do whatever it takes to make sure people hear and understand the Gospel. 

Years ago, Jonathon Edwards preached a famous sermon entitled, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” It is similar to the Golden Gate story. He envisioned the lost as dangling over the pits of hell held only by a thin line. If the line breaks the lost are plunged into hell. It is not a popular sermon today. We don’t like to think about hell. I think many people think everyone goes to heaven. After all, God is love. How could a loving God plunge anyone into eternal darkness? Do you want to base your understanding of God on popular opinion, or on the Word of God? 

In our text Peter urges us to be ready to defend the faith, to be ready, willing and able to point people in the direction of Jesus. He is the only safety net, and those who are relying on some other way to enter into heaven will learn too late that Jesus alone is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the Father accept through Him (John 14:6). No one means – – –  no one. Let me put it in stark, simple terms. You either trust in Jesus or you go to hell. Oh, Richard, but that statement is not politically correct. True, it is a statement that people of other religions find offensive. News flash! I am not trying to be politically correct, but biblically correct. The Bible clearly teaches that you either trust Jesus or you go to hell. Do whatever you can to point others to Jesus. 

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LIVING BEFORE THE WORLD, 1 Peter # 5

Warsaw Christian Church (7/21/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Peter 2:11-3:9: Peter writes these words in Chapter 2:11-12:  Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, ¹² having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

When Peter addresses those who are “beloved” he refers to those who have trusted in Jesus and been redeemed through faith in Him. He speaks to Christians. We are described as “sojourners and pilgrims.” Let’s do a little word study. A sojourner is from a Greek word meaning “one without the right of citizenship,” a foreigner. The word “pilgrim” is from a Greek word meaning, “a resident foreigner.” Peter says to us that while we are citizens of an earthly country such as the United States, we have a higher citizenship in the Kingdom of God.  Our highest allegiance is to the Kingdom of God. That is our primary citizenship. That makes us resident foreigners in any other country. 

Yes, I am proud to be an American. But Peter reminds me that I am merely a resident foreigner here. Because when I accepted Jesus, I entered into a higher, greater, eternal kingdom. My highest allegiance is to God. Yes, I am proud to be an American, sometimes. There are other times when I am ashamed and embarrassed by events taking place in this country. I take no pride in a country that allows millions of human beings to be slaughtered in the womb. The right to life guaranteed in our constitution does not apply to babies in their mother’s womb. When I hear mothers screaming that they have the right to kill their unborn babies I am appalled. Oh, but a fetus is not a human being, they say. Well, what is it? A fetus is a tiny, immature human being, I don’t want to dwell on this issue but if you are “pro-choice” I would be glad to discuss your point of view with you.

I mention the abortion issue simply because it is perhaps the most egregious example of American policy I totally reject. I won’t take the time to mention other issues. It would take too much time. The point Peter makes is that as citizens of the Kingdom of God that Kingdom takes priority over all other kingdom. God’s Law always trumps man’s law. We live in America as registered aliens, if you will. Peter doesn’t want us to think of ourselves as Americans, or Russians, or Germans, etc. He wants us to understand that salvation has made us citizens of another country, the Kingdom of God. That is our primary citizenship. 

Lest we misunderstand his point and decide that we are to be rebels in our native country, Peter goes on to say we are to live in submission to human governments (vss. 13,14). We are to be good citizens. One good thing about America is that we are free as Christians to express publicly our disagreement with US policy. There are countries where those who speak out against the government are imprisoned or killed. If you openly opposed the policies of Josef Stalin you were sent to a lovely vacation site in Siberia, or you were executed. America is far from perfect but we can be grateful for the freedom we enjoy and pray it will continue. 

Notice next that Peter “begs” his listeners to act in certain ways. The Greek word means to urge, to admonish. Begs is probably not the best translation but it does communicate the idea of a very strong request. Peter strongly urges us to turn away from fleshly lusts, meaning sinful desires. He wants us to act like citizens of the Kingdom of God rather than citizens of this world. We have been given a wonderful gift – – – the forgiveness of all our sins and eternal life. We have been adopted into the family of God. When we give in to our old sinful desires we are acting like citizens of this world when we need to be acting like citizens of God’s Kingdom.

Peter reminds us that how we live in this world is observed by the Gentiles, a figure of speech referring to unbelievers. When unbelievers see that Christians give in to the same sinful desires that they do, what is the conclusion? Christianity is a fraud.  It makes no difference in how people live. Peter is urging us to live life on a higher plane. He wants our conduct to be seen as “honorable” by unbelievers. He admonishes us to live reflecting goodness, truth, mercy, love, joy, peace and all the fruits of the Spirit. When unbelievers see how the lives of Christians have been transformed, they are much more likely to hear our message about Jesus. When so-called Christians act just like pagans will pagan unbelievers be attracted to Jesus? Probably not. 

This is the point Peter is making. On the day of visitation, which is the day of final judgment, the idea is that the unbelieving pagans will be led to conversion – – – to  faith in Jesus – – when they see the high quality of our lives and therefore when the day of judgment comes, they will glorify God for the good works they have seen in us that led them to salvation. Jesus expressed this same idea in the Sermon on the Mount. He urges us to so live our lives that men will see our good works and glorify God. Unbelievers see all the evil and sin that plagues the world.  They hope for something better. When they see a Christian who lives a new kind of life characterized by love, joy and peace they are much more likely to be attracted to the Savior who alone can give such a life. We witness to Christ in two primary ways: by the words we speak about Jesus, and by the life we live. And the words we speak ring hollow unless they are backed up by a life that increasingly reflects that we are marching to the tune of a different drummer – – – even Jesus. 

The theme of living your faith before men continues on into chapter 3. The word “submission” is used regularly as a significant part of our Christian duty. The Greek word in this context means “voluntary submission.”  We freely submit to certain institutions and people. First, he mentions that we submit to the government. I touched on that earlier. Peter’s summary about our relationship to government is expressed in these words: Fear God. Honor the king (2:16). Fear God is first because we cannot submit to government rules which conflict with God’s will. Since we have no king it refers to the President and other government leaders. In terms of our relationship to the outside world, we are to Honor all people.” In short we are to be good citizens who are seen by others as decent, good people who respect others. 

We are also to submit voluntarily to those who have authority over us in the work place (2:18-25). We do our best to be known as hard working, good employees. Even if we are working for someone who is cruel and unjust, we are to endure the suffering patiently. Peter makes this interesting point. If you are a poor employee and you suffer for it patiently, what credit is that to you? He adds but if you are suffering unjustly and you bear it patiently, that is commendable before God. 

This reminds Peter of the suffering of Jesus (2:21-25). The suffering of Jesus was 100% unjust. He was reviled but He did not revile in return. He suffered unjustly but He did not threaten those who caused the suffering. In fact, we know from the Gospels that He prayed God would forgive those who caused His suffering. Peter sets forth the suffering of Jesus as an example we are to follow (2:21). 

Then comes that controversial passage calling upon wives to submit voluntarily to their husbands (3:1-6). All I can say is if you don’t like this passage you can take it up with God on judgment day. I am sure He will be interested in your opinion! But seriously, let’s consider what submission means. The Greek term used is a common military term. . A private submits to a sergeant, a Lieutenant submits to a Captain, etc. The submission is only in military matters. A General cannot tell a Captain how to live his private life, or what kind of car he should drive. The Captain only submits to the General in military matters. If the General prefers Chevrolets and the captain prefers Fords, the Captain need not submit to the General’s automobile preference. If, on the other hand, the General says that a certain military exercise will be carried out in a specific way, the Captain must submit. He cannot say “I disagree and we will do it my way.” Submission does not mean the submitter is inferior. A private may have more native intelligence than a General. As men, they are equal. The submission only applies to those areas where the General has military authority. 

Here is the point regarding wives submitting to their husbands. It is not a total, absolute submission covering every area of life. Husbands are not called to be dictators who have absolute control over their wives. In a marriage husbands have certain responsibilities, as do wives. They submit to each other. If the husband is working the wife submits to his decisions regarding his work. She does not submit to him if he tells her how to organize the kitchen. He submits to her (see Eph. 5:21 which calls for mutual submission). I submit to Marie when it comes to operation of the back hoe! I submit to her when it comes to medical issues. She submits to me in church matters, and in deciding which baseball teams we shall cheer for! The ideal is that we submit to one another in those areas where each of us has certain responsibilities and expertise. Well, I don’t have time to pursue this issue any farther. If there are questions, we can discuss it in Bible study. 

In 3:7 Peter address the husbands. He stresses two things: be understanding with your wife, and honor your wife. This dispels the idea that husbands are to be in total control, no questions asked! To be an understanding husband you must listen to your wife and respect her opinions. In order to honor your wife, you must respect her as a person and see her as valuable, not as a slave who may be ordered around.

Peter wants Christian homes to function in an orderly manner. Chaotic Christian homes do not set a good example to the unbelieving world. Just as an army cannot succeed unless there is order and respect for authority, a Christian home cannot succeed where chaos rules.

Peter closes this section with a beautiful summary of how we are to live as Christians. I close by quoting from chapter 3:8-12:  Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; ⁹ not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.  For “He who would love life And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹ Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”   As we live out our faith in the world and in our homes, may those who are lost and without hope be drawn to the Savior as they observe how we live. 

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1 PETER # 4: JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

Warsaw Christian Church (7/14/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Peter 2:4-10: ⁴ Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” ⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” ⁸ and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

The Roman Empire dominated the ancient world into which Jesus was born.  One of their beliefs was that there are many gods. You may take your pick of which gods you will worship. Many of the Roman intelligentsia believed it didn’t matter because all gods were myths anyway. The common man believed in the reality of the gods and assumed it did not matter which god you embraced. Zeus, Mars, Jehovah? Take your pick. 

Jesus arrives on the scene and declares emphatically that He alone is the way….that no one comes to the Father except through Him. In our text He is the cornerstone, the stone rejected by men but exalted by God.  Our text sees two kinds of people. Those who believe in Him will never be put to shame, while those who disbelieve stumble over Jesus, rejecting Him and appointing themselves to face the wrath of God. 

Peter describes God’s building as being made up of stone, but he is clearly speaking metaphorically.  Jesus is not a literal stone, nor are we. The foundation of God’s building is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is but one foundation as Paul stated in 1 Cor. 3. If your life is being built on any foundation other than Jesus, that foundation will fail you. If a person wants to be a part of God’s building, he has to place his life upon the foundation Stone, Christ Himself. But note what this verse says: the living stone was rejected by men.

What is our problem? Why would anyone reject the kindest, most loving man ever to appear in human history? The simple but sad truth is this.  We want to do our own thing. We want to build our lives any way we choose. We want to be in charge. We want to have the last word on how we shall live. Of course, we are free to do whatever we wish, but if your life is being built on some foundation other than Jesus you are a lost soul. There is no peace with God, no meaningful life apart from faith in Jesus 

What is your foundation? An older book which I like and haven’t read for years is entitled, “Ideas Have Consequences.”  The basic idea of the book is fairly simple. The ideas you embrace come out in your behavior. If you embrace certain ideas as important your behavior will reflect those ideas. A few simple examples. Do you believe it is important to save money for the future instead of spending every dime as it comes in? If you believe that you will have investments which you are saving for the future. Ideas have consequences. After open heart surgery about ten years ago I became convinced I needed to adopt a healthier lifestyle. So, I lost about 80 pounds and I continue to watch what I eat.  Even though I am below my weight goal I keep going to Weight Watchers. And I adopted a regular exercise program. I do these behaviors because I am convinced they will lead to a better life. Ideas have consequences. 

Hitler believed that the Jewish people were behind all of Germany’s problems. He convinced the German people that if they rid the land of Jews life would be much better. So, he convinced many in Germany that the Jews were sub humans and he inaugurated a program called “Endlösung der Judenfrage” or “Final solution to the Jewish Question.” The result was Auschwitz, Dachau, Treblinka, Sobibor, and many other death camps which saw the death of 90% of Polish Jews and 2/3rds of Europe’s Jewish population. How could a civilized country that produced Bach, Beethoven, Shiller, Goethe, Luther and so many other great musicians, writers, and spiritual leaders fall into such barbarism? What we believe always turns into actions. Ideas have consequences.

Bad ideas always produce bad behavior. Here is the good news. Peter talks about those who are building their lives on the only reliable foundation, Jesus Christ. If your life is built on the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ how will that impact behavior? If I really embrace the idea that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Lord and Savior, how will that effect my decisions? In a nutshell if I believe in Jesus, I will want to live my life obeying His commandments. I will want to honor Him with my daily decisions. There are lots of specifics included in living life under Jesus authority. Without going into the specifics, the basic question is this: does my daily life and do my daily choices reflect the fact that I am a believer in Jesus? Are His commandments uppermost in my mind each day? What we really believe is always clearly revealed in our behavior. Ideas have consequences.

We sometimes break down our lives into the three “T’s” – – – time, talent and treasure. Does our use of time reveal our deep faith in Jesus? Does the use of our talents reveal our deep faith in Jesus? Do our financial decisions reveal our deep trust in Jesus? “Wait a minute, pastor. Haven’t you been telling us that salvation is a free gift than we cannot earn by our good works? Now it sounds like you are saying we must do good works in order to be a true Christian.” No, that is not what I am saying. Salvation is a free gift given in response to faith alone, apart from our good works. What I am saying is that if we really believe Jesus Christ has redeemed us from sin, death and hell, we will want to honor Him as we live each day. You don’t have to follow Jesus’ commands to earn God’s favor. God’s favor has already been granted to us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We obey the commands of Jesus out of love and gratitude for what He has done for us.  Ideas have consequences. 

Our text concludes on a different note. ⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Peter addresses those who do believe in Jesus. He is pointing out another radical change that occurred with the coming of Jesus. Just as our daily life changes because we trust in Him, now we learn that God’s great program for the world has also changed. In the Old Testament era God was dealing almost exclusively with Israel as the people of God. But when Jesus came everything changed.

Many of the Jewish people thought of Israel in terms of a country with boundaries. Paul makes it clear in the New Testament that “Israel” always had two meanings. “Israel” did refer to that nation with boundaries, but Paul distinguishes between physical Israelites and spiritual Israelites in Romans 9:6 where he says, “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel.” He goes on to make it clear in Romans 9-11 that the kingdom of God consists of both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus as God’s Messiah. That is also clear in Gal. 6:6 where Paul refers to the Israel of God. The Israel of God is not an earthly nation.  The kingdom of God cannot be located on a map. Scripture says the kingdom of God is within you. It is a spiritual kingdom. 

Where does the nation of Israel stand in the plan of God today? The same place the United States, or England, or Russia, or France or Germany or any other nation stands. Whether Jew or Gentile, today you enter God’s invisible kingdom via faith in Jesus Christ. When Jesus came, everything changed. All who believe in Jesus are the seed of Abraham, heirs of the promises God made to Israel (Romans 4:16). 

In our Wednesday Bible study those who participate will remember the parable of the wicked vinedressers in Matthew chapter 21. The vineyard refers to Israel. The parable ends with the owner of the vineyard sending his son, who is killed by the vinedressers (physical Jews). The parable ends with this statement from Jesus. “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matthew 21:43). What nation has lost the right to the kingdom of God? The nation of Israel, of course. What is this new nation that receives the kingdom? Surely the church of Jesus Christ, It is a spiritual kingdom, not a land with boundaries.  It is made up of believing Jews and Gentiles who constitute the kingdom of God in its present earthly manifestation. It is the Israel of God. 

All of that is to say this. In our text Peter describes Christians in language once used for the nation of Israel. ⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…That is language once used exclusively for Israel. Now it refers to the new Israel, the people of God from every nation, Jew and Gentile alike united in Christ. We Gentiles who were once “no people” by God’s mercy we are now the people of God. 

Elsewhere Paul expressed this drastic change in these words: Gal. 3:27-29^: For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. The wall that divides Jew and Gentile, male and female, slave and free has been broken down.  Christ has destroyed the wall that divides Jew from Gentile. There are only two categories of people in the world; believers in Jesus and unbelievers. 

There is a new holy nation. Again, you will search in vain on a map to locate it. It is the Kingdom of God alive within the hearts of people all over the world. People of every race, every language, every color. All having one thing in common – – – Jesus is alive in their soul.  They are men and women of true faith. 

The conclusion of the matter is simply this: when Jesus came everything changed. Faith in Jesus saves, but ideas have consequences. Saving faith is revealed by a life of faithfulness. We are not saved because of our faithfulness; rather, our faithfulness reveals our faith. Israelites are no longer the exclusive people of God. Believing Jews and believing Gentiles constitute that new nation, that invisible Kingdom of God that dwells within. This new nation, the church of Jesus Christ, has no physical boundaries. It is not made up of church buildings. The people in possession of faith are adopted into the family of God, citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. The first apostles and disciples of Jesus were accused of turning the world upside down. That’s what Jesus does.  He turns lives and nations upside down. Has that happened in your life? Paul said to a Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” But how can I know I am truly saved? Has your world been turned upside down? 

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HOW TO LIVE A GOD PLEASING LIFE

Warsaw Christian Church (7/7/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Peter 2:1-3

This morning we continue our study of 1 Peter looking at key verses in Chapter 2. I may not get beyond the first three verses because they are bulging with divine truth! Peter writes: Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.  Chapter divisions in the Bible are not part of the inspired text. Such divisions have been made in the early years of the church and are open to question. It would seem more appropriate to place these 3 verses at the end of Chapter 1. The word “Therefore” with which our text begins relates to one of the main themes back in Chapter 1, which was holiness. 

Peter says, “therefore,” since you are called as redeemed children of God to holy living let me remind you of what that means. A holy life is a god pleasing life. I assume we all want to live lives that are pleasing to God. He then describes things we are to “lay aside.” He lists “malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking.” And do not fail to notice the word “all” repeated three times in the text. I think he is telling us that disciples of Jesus do not say, “Well, nobody’s perfect so I will try to lay aside malice 50% of the time.  I will lay aside deceit 75% of the time.” Holiness means we confront the sins in our life with a desire to lay them aside …100%. Is this easy to do? By no means! But it is something we must strive to do if we take seriously the Gospel of Jesus. 

The Greek words translated “lay aside” are commonly used to refer to the laying aside of a garment. You take off your coat and lay it aside. Or I can take off my watch and lay it aside. The idea is clear. Whatever is out of harmony with the will of God (our sins) are to be laid aside, removed from us entirely.  If you take one arm out of your coat you have not laid it aside. If you look at two sins and declare, “I will lay aside this one, but not that one.” You have not obeyed Peter’s instructions. 

Peter’s threefold use of the word “all” in our text reinforces the idea that he is telling us that we should never compromise with disobedience. How much malice are we to lay aside? All. We don’t use the word “malice” much today. It means “the intention or desire to do evil; ill will.” It is the intention to do harm to someone. Synonyms include hatred, spite, meanness, nastiness, cruelty. Do you have any desire to hurt someone, or do you rejoice when someone you don’t like suffers? If any malice is lurking about in your heart, lay it aside— all of it. It is poison to the soul. Peter reminds us that malice and faith in Jesus are incompatible. 

Next Peter mentions “deceit,” a word with which we are more familiar. It describes the intention to mislead someone or some institution. Synonyms include “dishonesty, treachery, deception, trickery, sham, pretense, duplicity, fraud.” The old King James Version uses the word “guile.” God never seeks to deceive anyone. When we engage in “deceit” we have stepped away from the will of God. Now put on your thinking caps.  In the past few weeks have you been thinking of a way to mislead someone, to practice deceit? Do you ever deceive the IRS about your income? Do you ever deceive your church friends by trying to appear holy while you are hiding you sins? You need to lay aside all deceit, every bit of it. It is poison to the soul.

Years ago I was going on a DHF trip with Kevin and Linda Ray. On the way to their van I stepped into some dog excrement. I did not realize it but when I get into the van, we all realized it! Something far worse is to step into sin and ignore it.  It creates a stench in the nostrils of God. Lay it aside quickly. It is poison to the soul. 

As James said: “But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment” (James 5:12). In other words, speak the truth and avoid the judgment/discipline of God. When you say “yes” make sure “yes” is the truth. Once you go down the path of deceit you may get caught up in your own lies. Walter Scott put it like this. “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” If you always tell the truth you will never have to remember what lies you told in order to make yourself look good. 

Peter next commands us to lay aside all evil speaking. Even if you don’t know much German you may have heard the phrase “Kaffeeklatsch.” We know what “kaffee” is. Klatsch is the German word for “gossip.” A Kaffeeklatsch is a get together where we can engage in gossip. I have had the experience of saying negative things about a person when I did not know all the facts. When I learned the facts and realized I had come to a wrong conclusion I felt ashamed. Why do we do it? If there is a common sin that Christians fall into, this is it. Gossip. Have you ever decided that you are going to work hard at laying aside all evil speaking about others? If you listen to the news you realize that our politicians love to speak evil about their opponents. Both major parties do it. If you want to learn how to improve your evil speaking, listen to the politicians. They are experts at it. If you want to practice your Christian faith, lay aside all evil speaking. It is poison to the soul. 

Do you know why God in His Word through Peter admonishes us so emphatically to lay aside all malice, all deceit and all evil speaking? It is because God loves us. Why do human parents try to warn their children about the consequences of drug abuse, or alcohol abuse, or even the possible consequences of tobacco use? Why do Christian parents urge their children to practice sexual morality, and to obey the will of God? Because they know that failure will harm their children. God knows that the routine practice of these sins will only bring harm to us, and so He speaks to us out of love. They are indeed poison to the soul. 

God calls us to a life of holiness, but how do we achieve such a life? First, we identify those things which are outside the will of God and we lay them aside. Next, Peter gives us another duty that will enable us to achieve a holy, God pleasing life. “Laying aside” is a negative duty. Now he exhorts us to a positive duty. Listen again to God’s Word: ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.  The word of God is compared to milk. Anyone who has ever fed a bottle to a hungry baby knows that they go at it with great earnestness! I have heard that a hungry calf may suck so hard on a bottle that the bottle collapses. 

The surface meaning of this passage is clear. Just as babies thrive on milk, so Christians thrive on the Word of God. Elsewhere Scripture contrasts the milk of Scripture with meat. Milk is for baby Christians; meat is for those more advanced in the things of God. But that is not the metaphor here. Here the Word in its fullness is compared to milk. We are to desire the Scriptures like a baby desires milk. 

What would happen to a baby who was given a teaspoon of milk daily? He certainly would not thrive; he would not grow and become big and strong. What happens to Christians who dabble in the Bible? Maybe reading only a verse a day from their devotional booklet? They will not become strong Christians.  Strong Christians “desire” the Bible.   Peter here speaks in the imperative mood. He is issuing a command. You desire, crave, and yearn for the sincere milk of the Word. And the craving and yearning are to be constant.

The word “desire” in Greek (epipothēsate) means to crave, yearn, and long for the Word of God. It is a strong word, very strong. It paints the picture of being an absolute essential — of hungering and thirsting after the Word of God. If a Christian is to grow, it is absolutely essential that he hunger and thirst after the milk of the Word of God. Too many believers crave the Word now and then, sporadically. Growth can come only as we live in the Word day by day by day.

Notice the word “pure.” “the pure milk of the Word.”  It means unadulterated, unmixed with anything else. We do not add to our knowledge of God through philosophy, literature, science, even Christian books. Such books are not wicked. We can learn many things by reading on a wide range of subjects. But if we want to know exactly what God says we go to only one source, the pure milk of the Word found only in the Bible.

Why do we have Sunday School? To teach the Bible so that we may grow thereby. Why do we have a worship service? Yes, to pray and sing in honor to God, but also to preach the truth of Scripture so that we may grow thereby.  Why do we have Wednesday Bible study? To teach the Bible that we may grow thereby. 

In the early years of our nation the pilgrims and Indians at times fought battles. On one occasion the Indians attacked a village destroying every home. Only one pilgrim was killed. Most abandoned the village when they realized they were under attack by a superior force. The one man killed remained in his home, seated in a chair with his Bible in hand. He had told others that as long as he had a Bible in his hand he was protected. He learned the hard way that such was not the case. 

The Bible is not a good luck charm, a rabbit’s foot that will ward off all evil. It is God’s Word in its pure form. It is meant to be read, studied and put into practice that we may grow stronger and stronger in our Christian faith. Do you know why some Christians are weak, unable to cope with the problems of life? In many cases it is because they are under nourished. They spend too little time drinking the pure milk of God’s Word in Scripture. 

Do we have to be avid Bible students to be saved? No, you have to trust in Jesus to be saved. Can I be a strong, mature Christian and neglect the Bible? No, you cannot. Jesus saves, and the Bible is the milk that God provides to help us grow strong in our relationship with Jesus. 

The Psalmist referred to God’s Word as “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). In the ancient world which lacked electricity if you walked in the woods on a starless night away from a city it was pitch black. We have all probably been in a cave when they turned out the lights and the darkness was total. You cannot even see your hand no matter how close to your face you hold it. Trying to find your way in total darkness is a disaster. 

The Bible is not only pure milk that nourishes us.  It is also like a lamp or flashlight that we shine ahead as we seek to negotiate our way through life. It shows us how we may live to please our Creator. But if our knowledge of Scripture is weak, we find ourselves stumbling into sin and foolish decisions on a regular basis. You would not to want through dark woods without a flashlight. Don’t try walking through this dark world without the word of God lighting your way. 

Peter concludes this small section of Scripture with these words: if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. These instructions are for those who have found that God is a gracious God. Have you tasted and found the Lord to be gracious? Our salvation is by grace. God bestows upon us the grace of forgiveness when we trust in His Son. In addition, He graciously gives us the pure milk of His Word that we might grow strong in our relationship with Him. He gives us His Word as a light unto our paths that we may not stumble through life in spiritual darkness. We need Jesus to become a Christian. We need the Bible to become strong Christians. How much spiritual milk have you had to drink this past week, month, year? Not too much? How’s that working out for you? 

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OUR FATHER’S GOD TO THEE

Warsaw Christian Church, (Independence Sunday, 2019) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Psalm 33: 10-12:  The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance. 

There are those in our society today who seek to reconstruct the history of the United States of America. The effort is now underway to deny the enormous influence which the Christian religion had in the formation of this nation. I was pleased to see recently that the Supreme Court refused to have a World War One memorial in the shape of a huge cross removed from public land. The cross will remain. On this Independence Sunday I want to remind you once again of God’s hand in our history. 

We read in Psalm 33: 12, “Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.” Nations, like individuals, are blessed by God for their faithfulness, although there are differences between national faith and individual faith. We, as individuals, are blessed by God when we surrender our hearts and lives to Jesus, the Messiah. Nations are blessed of God, not because every individual in the nation is Christian, but when the people and leaders of a nation basically agree to build the nation consciously according to the will and purpose of God. 

Our nation is made up of laws and institutions. Both our laws and our institutions were consciously influenced by biblical truth.  James Madison affirmed the Christian truth that human beings are fallen creatures. If fallen creatures are to create a functional government, reasoned Madison, there must be checks and balances. Power cannot reside in any one person or institution.  Our present three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial) were created so that each branch could serve as a check on the other. If one branch has too much power, human sinfulness will rear its ugly head, and the rights of the people will be trampled underfoot. Thus, the very structure of our government was designed because of a Christian understanding of human nature. Madison, one of the chief architects of our Constitution, said this: “We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, so sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”

The idea that our nation should operate totally free of any religious influence is a modern idea. It was not the understanding of our founders. A nation whose God is the Lord is a nation which knowingly recognizes God as the source for national law. The laws created in our founding years were laws based on biblical truth. This is why the Ten Commandments appear in many court houses around the nation, including the Supreme Court, a practice which is now being challenged by secularists determined to remove all signs of religion from the public square.

A nation whose God is the Lord recognizes that God’s moral will must prevail in society. A nation whose God is the Lord will have leaders who openly acknowledge their dependence upon God. A nation whose God is the Lord will encourage the population to trust in God, while also refusing to impose a particular denomination or religion upon the people.  A nation whose God is the Lord will have in its history clear signs that her leaders are men and women of faith. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War General George Washington issued this order to his troops: “The General Hopes and trusts that every officer and man, will endeavor so to live, and act, as becomes a Christian soldier defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.” 

I believe we were once a nation whose God is the Lord, and that is why our nation has been blessed beyond that of any nation in history. I fear that we are on the verge of losing the blessings of God because many in positions of leadership today want to create a secular state. Instead of intentionally acknowledging our dependence upon God, there are those today who want to intentionally exclude God from our national life. If they succeed, it will be the death knell for this land we love. No nation can long survive and prosper without the blessings of God. God says, “Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales” (Isa. 40:15). He also declared, “If any nation does not listen (to me), I will completely uproot and destroy it” (Jer. 12:17). Our nation needs to grasp this simple truth. We have no future at all without the blessings of God.

Our founders understood this. The first charter of Virginia, dated April 10, 1606, indicates that one of their purposes in coming to America was to propagate the Christian religion. They wanted to share the light of Christ with those who lived “in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God.” Many of our early founders and leaders believed that America would be the means that God would use to bring the whole world under the banner of Christ. To say that many have lost that vision would be an understatement.

In 1630 the colonists of the New England Federation signed this Compact. ” We all have come into these parts of America. with one and the same end; namely, to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus.” The Plymouth colonists drew up the Mayflower Compact in 1620. Their purpose in coming to the new world was “for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.”  When they landed at Plymouth Rock, they knelt down to offer thanksgiving unto God. When the colonists were at odds with the mother country, England, and met for the First Continental congress in Philadelphia in 1774, all the members of the congress got down on their knees and asked for the help of almighty God in their undertakings. As they proceeded and faced numerous problems and uncertainties, it was often Ben Franklin who called upon the members of Congress to fall upon their knees and pray. On one of those occasions he spoke these words. “I have lived a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs the affairs of men… We have been assured in the sacred writings, ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.’  I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel”

Our Declaration of Independence asserts that the freedom sought was something we are entitled to by “the laws of nature and of nature’s God.” Listen again to our Declaration: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. . . For the support of this declaration we look with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.” The “Creator” of whom they spoke was not the god of the Koran or the gods of Hinduism and Buddhism. They were referring to the God revealed in the Bible, the only God who has the attribute of existence! All other so-called gods have a problem.  They do not exist. 

The great American ‘statesman, Daniel Webster, said this:  “our ancestors established their system of government on morality and religious sentiment. Moral habits, they believed, cannot safely be trusted on any other foundation than religious principle, nor any government be secure which is not supported by moral habits… whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens… That is the happiest society which partakes in the highest degree to the mild and peaceful spirit of Christianity.” 

John Jay, America’s first chief Justice of the Supreme Court, wrote these Words in 1816: “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers. It is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”  Can you imagine any politician today making such a statement? It would be considered politically incorrect in the extreme.  How was it possible that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court could make such a statement in 1816? It was because the political establishment in our early years was consciously, deliberately rooted in a Christian worldview. 

Abraham Lincoln declared, “I do not know Where the Ship of Life will finally take me; but there is one thing I do know: I know the Pilot of that ship, and I have been assured all along the way by the touch of His hand on mine.” Woodrow Wilson said, “our civilization cannot survive materially unless it is redeemed spiritually. It can be saved only by becoming permeated with the Spirit of Christ.”  Can you imagine a President today suggesting that our future security as a nation depends upon our trust in Jesus Christ? 

In more recent years Franklin Roosevelt said that the Bible was our “fountain of strength.” Lloyd Collins, president of a Baptist College, was a personal friend of Harry Truman. Shortly after he became President, Truman said to Collins, “I want you to pray that God will always give me the wisdom to make the right decisions for the welfare of our country.” 

Before Dwight Eisenhower gave his inaugural address, he first paused and offered a prayer for God’s help and leadership.  During his presidency, the phrase which is causing so much debate today, “under God” was added to our Pledge of Allegiance. It has been an unwritten law that every President of the United States take the oath of office with his hand upon a Bible. Both the House and the Senate have a chaplain, and each session is opened with prayer. On our coins is the national motto, “In God we trust.” Just recently I learned that an atheist attempted to scrap our national motto. The Supreme Court rejected his motion and our national motto still stands: IN GOD WE TRUST. That is a sign that there is still hope for our country. 

Time does not permit me to quote the thousands of other words spoken by our founders and leaders, even on into the modern era, which demonstrate very clearly that our national laws and institutions were based on the Christian/biblical worldview. This book I am holding up I have mentioned before, contains over 700 pages of quotation after quotation which proves one simple fact. It was a Christian consensus that brought this nation into existence. 

But what about freedom of religion and separation of church and state? Freedom of religion meant that every American citizen was free to follow any religion or no religion.  It did not mean that the government would operate in a totally secular manner. Separation of church and state, a phrase absent from our Constitution, meant exactly what the First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” 

Just to give you one brief contrast, Joseph Stalin issued the following decree on May 1, 1937. “There must not remain in the territory of Soviet Russia a single house of prayer, and the very conception of God will be banished from the boundaries of Russia.” How did that work out for you, Joe?

My point is this. America is by no means a perfect nation. Our founders were fallible and imperfect human beings, even as we are. Not all were Christians. I have always assumed that at the time of the Revolution most Americans were Christians. In fact, Christians made up only about 25% of the population. However, many of the leaders were Christians and they had a profound influence on the makeup of our country. Yes, some of the politicians I named made grave mistakes. But, wherever you read in our early history, the signs are everywhere. It was a consensus in this nation that we would be a nation whose God is the Lord. Therefore this nation has experienced the unparalleled blessings of God throughout our history. Our task as a church is certainly not to impose our Christian faith upon others, but neither should we stand by idly and allow unbelievers to impose their agenda upon us. 

Our task as Christians within our national life is to remind our nation from whence we came. We were a nation with a Christian consensus — a nation which freely choose to live under the authority of God. If that Christian consensus continues, the blessings of God upon our land will continue. If that consensus becomes a minority, and secular humanism becomes the consensus philosophy of the land, America will perish and be thrown upon the ash heap of history along with Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome, — and all the other godless nations of history. God Bless America! — and He will if America remembers, “Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.” But we dare not forget the words of the prophet Jeremiah: “If any nation does not listen (to me), I will completely uproot and destroy it” (Jer. 12:17).

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FIX IT, DADDY

Warsaw Christian Church (Father’s Day, 2019) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 12:13-15

Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness,^[a]for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

In his book Father Care Charles Paul Conn tells about his two-year-old daughter, Vanessa, who was given a helium-filled balloon at Sunday school. It was bright blue and seemed almost alive as it danced and floated on the end of her string as she ran through the halls of the church pulling it along behind her. But the inevitable happened. The balloon bumped into the sharp edge of a metal railing and popped. With a single, loud “bang,” it burst and fell to her feet.

She looked down and saw what had been her beautiful balloon, now a forlorn wad of blue rubber. It took her only a moment to regain her buoyant mood, however, as she picked up the remains of that balloon, marched cheerfully to where her father was standing and thrust it up to him. “Here, Daddy,” she said cheerfully, “fix it.” Dads can fix anything!

I like this reading for Father’s Day.

 Fix it,  daddy,” she lisps at two, showing this god in her life, her scraped knee.
“Fix it, Daddy,” she says at four, tearfully producing her broken balloon, purchased from the vendor at the parade.
“Fix it, Daddy,” she says at six, struggling with her jacket zipper on her rush out the door to school.
“Fix it, Daddy,” she says at eight, confidently wheeling her dented and lopsided bike toward him as he gets out of his car after work.
“Fix it, Daddy,” she intones righteously at 10, after coming out loser in a knockdown, drag-out battle with her stupid, tyrannical and absolutely impossible brother.
“Fix it, Daddy,” she pleads at 12, in the first of many struggles with her mother over whether she’s old enough to wear eye shadow.
“Fix it, Daddy,” she sobs at 14, when her image hits rock bottom, because she didn’t make the cheerleading squad.
“Fix it, Daddy,” she asks at 16, exposing her first broken heart over a lost love.
“Fix it, Dad,” she says at 18, when the college she wants doesn’t want her.
“Fix it, Dad,” she implores at 22, sending along her mangled checkbook stubs and a 1040 form.

“Fix it, Dad,” she begs at 24, when she witnesses a rare conflict between Dad and Mom.
“Fix it, Dad,” she writes at 26, explaining that she wants a quiet wedding officiated by a priest and a rabbi.
“Fix it, Dad,” she prays at 30, when her baby is in the hospital and her husband is overseas.
“Fix it, Grandpa,” she insists at 40, as she turns her contrary 12-year-old son over to him for the weekend.
“Fix it, Dad,” she begs at 45, when he tells her his heart is faltering and needs repair.
“Fix it, Father,” she prays at 55, as she kneels at her dad’s funeral, praying that he will find peace and realizing that from now on, he will be fixing things for her in a way he never could before. Author – AUnknown

Well, I don’t agree with all the sentiments expressed in that reading, but I still liked it. Sometimes our lives become broken like that balloon. “Here, Daddy,” we say to God, “fix it.”  I wish I could join those preachers who assure you that if you trust in the heavenly Father all will go well.  You will enjoy life. Life will be filled with blessings. Whatever you want just ask God and He will grant it to you. Even when problems arise God will always bail you out.  Just believe and enjoy a pain free life. Yes, I wish it worked like that but we all know that is a distortion of the Gospel.

In our text we encounter a man fixated on money. We don’t know the details but it appears that his brother has some control over the family inheritance. The man approaches Jesus and asks Him to straighten this out. He wants his share which is under the control of his brother. Jesus has come to preach the Kingdom of God, not to settle family disputes. Jesus’ response suggests that the man’s problem is greed. He is money centered. Jesus cautions him that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. The man is worried about his inheritance. He should be concerned about the state of his soul. What do we learn from this text?

First, we learn that Jesus does not always do what we ask Him to do. Just as human fathers have to say “No” to their children, so also does our heavenly Father. No matter how much faith you have, if you ask Jesus to do something for you that is contrary to God’s eternal purpose, He will not act. It would seem that common sense would tell us that, but there are those who tell us if we have enough faith, we can get God to do whatever we ask. I recall one TV preacher telling that his son wanted a boat so that father and son could spend time together on the lake. The preacher said, “Ask God for a boat,” and lo and behold two boats were miraculously given to the boy. I have some comments I would like to make about that episode but I shall keep quiet.  You may draw your own conclusions.

Just as was the case in our text, sometimes we ask God to act on our behalf and He says, “No!” Our problem is that with our limited understanding of reality we are often uncertain as to the will of God. We are told that we may ask for whatever we wish, but as Christians our highest wish is always that God’s will be done. His will trumps our wishes.

Lesson # 2: It is always wise to invite our Father into your life situation. The man in our text was wise to ask for Jesus’ help. Jesus answered his request by telling him he was obsessed with money.   He did not do what the man requested. He did tell Him what he really needed to hear. So, do you want a boat, or a new car, or a bigger and better house? Go to Jesus with your request. Even if He doesn’t provide your request, He will be pleased that you have come to Him, seeking His wisdom.

Or if you have asked for His help with a personal problem, a health issue, a money issue or any kind of worldly problem, and He has not done what you asked Him to do, yet He will be with you.  His presence will guide you through the difficult situation you face.  Just to know that He is with you will compensate for the lack of the answer you hoped for.

You may know the remarkable story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his journey to the Antarctic in the first part of the twentieth century. I had never heard this story but read about it recently. It was Shackleton’s dream to cross the 2100 miles of this wasteland of ice and snow by foot and by dogsled. He didn’t make it that far, however. His ship was stopped by an ice pack and finally sank. He and his men started out trudging over drifting ice-floes trying to reach the nearest land–nearly 200 miles away, and the nearest human outpost–nearly 1200 miles away. They towed behind them a lifeboat weighing nearly one ton. When they finally reached waters clear enough of ice to navigate they faced waves as high as 90 feet. 

Finally they reached South Georgia Island only to discover that they were on the wrong side of the island. They had to cross a 10,000 foot high mountain range that had never been crossed before.

When they finally reached their destination almost seven months after beginning their journey, they were so bedraggled that their friends did not recognize them. But here is what is particularly significant: To a man those who completed the journey reported that they felt the presence of One unseen accompanying them on their perilous trek. Somehow, they knew that they were not alone, God was with them.  Did He deliver them from all the perils of the journey? No, He did not. But He was with them, and that is worth more than 1000 answered prayers

What is your concern this morning? Whatever it is, cast your burden upon the Lord. He may grant your request, or He may not. But if you ask Him, He will be with you and will sustain you through any and every trial.  Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” If I can believe that I can endure anything life throws at me.

A third and final lesson from our text is to grasp onto God’s eternal purpose.  Yes, God cares about our individual daily problems, but He also wants us to never forget the big picture, His eternal purpose.  We are familiar with the picture of Jesus weeping besides the tomb Lazarus. Why was He weeping? He knew what He was going to do and He certainly understood God’s eternal purpose.  He wept because he identified with the pain of Mary and Martha.

Certainly, Mary and Martha learned that day that God can fix any situation. But we know that raising the dead was an unusual experience, one that we probably will not see in our day. But Jesus also gave to Mary and Marth and us a glimpse of the big picture – – – God’s eternal purpose. He said to them: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11: 25).

Jesus not only solved the immediate concern of Mary and Marth but He also revealed to them God’s eternal purpose. Lazarus was called out of death into life, but then he had to die again. You may present a problem to Jesus like the man in our text only to learn that He is not going to resolve your earthly request. But He wants us to never forget the big picture, namely His eternal purpose to grant everlasting life to all who trust in Him. If I understand and believe God’s eternal purpose, even if He does not always solve all my earthly problems, all is well.

I like the story told in a Christian magazine where a grandmother wrote in to tell about her 6-year-old grandson. The boy’s pastor had died. He learned that a new pastor would be coming soon, directly from seminary. When the boy heard that announcement, he told his grandmother that he was not going to church anymore. “Why” asked grandma. The boy replied, “When they get their pastors directly from the cemetery I’m staying home.”  I guess the boy wanted nothing to do with a pastor from zombie apocalypse! Of course, he was confused by the word “seminary” which sounded to him like “cemetery.”

Lazarus had a cemetery experience and was raised back to life. More importantly, he had the promise of eternal life. Jesus raised him to demonstrate to us that He is indeed the almighty Son of the Living God – – – the one who has power over life and death, the one who controls our final destiny. Those who believe in Him He will raise to eternal life. Those who reject Him will hear the awful words, “Depart from me…” One day we will face our own cemetery experience. Those who cared for us will feel sad. Tears will be shed. Some will wonder why God didn’t work a healing miracle.

Like the man in our text, sometimes we go to God and say, “Fix it, God.” and receive a clear “No” answer to our request. Please do not forget the big picture. God will always be with those who trust Him as they go through difficult times. That is a blessing. An even greater blessing is seen in God’s eternal purpose – – – to redeem forever all those who trust in His Son. Whatever our need is God can fix it. He can even repair broken balloons. But even if He doesn’t, we can look forward to God fulfilling His eternal purpose in heaven.

In our text a man asked Jesus for help in resolving a problem between himself and his brother. Jesus said “NO”.  Just like a human father there are times when our heavenly Father says “no.” It is always a good thing to present your problems to God. However, be prepared! There will be times when our prayer requests receive a “No” answer. But when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ He will never say “no” to those who have placed their faith in Him. To those He will say, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world… (Matthew 25:34).

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AUTHENTIC MARKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Warsaw Christian Church (Pentecost, 2019) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text 1 John 4:1-8: 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 1 John 4:1-13 (NKJV)

John admonishes us in his first epistle to “Test the spirits.” In his day and in every age of the church there are false prophets among God’s people, and John says to us “BEWARE!”  Do not believe everyone who claims to speak for God. This warning raises the question as to the means we must use to distinguish between spiritual truth and spiritual falsehood.

At the time of our history known as “The Great Awakening” this whole issue was under discussion.  Correctly discerning the Holy Spirit was an issue of concern to Jonathan Edwards, and so he sat down with his Bible and wrote a wonderful treatise called, “Marks of a Work of the True Spirit.”  He found several marks in our text which he felt were evidence of a true work of the Holy Spirit. I want to share four of those marks with you. I believe a careful reading of our text will help us see two things clearly:  first, whether or not the Holy Spirit is really at work in our personal lives; and second, whether or not the Holy Spirit is truly at work in our church.

1. FIRST, WE NOTE THE MARK OF JESUS.  John writes, “Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.   Wherever the Spirit of God is truly at work, it is affirmed that Jesus, the Messiah, took on human nature.  The Son of God, who is God from all eternity, did not cling to His Godhead, but emptied Himself, and took on the form of a servant and was obedient unto death, even the death on the cross.  There is only one true Jesus, although there are many false Jesus’ to be found in today’s world. Wherever the Spirit of God is at work, the Jesus of Scripture, born of a virgin, who spoke as no other had ever spoken, who worked great and mighty miracles, even raising the dead; who went to the Cross in our place, there to suffer and die for the remission of our sins; who was raised from the dead and then ascended into heaven, from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead; that is the Jesus to whom the Holy Spirit bears witness. There is another Jesus in Mormonism, another in Islam, another in the New Age Movement, another in the Jesus Seminar.  The Devil does not draw us closer to the real Jesus. He diverts our attention from the real Jesus and presents us with a false Jesus.

In the Jesus Seminar, for example, we are told by the scholars who make up that group, that we find two Jesus’ in Scripture.  First, there is the Jesus of history, the Jesus who really lived in ancient Israel. This Jesus, according to the scholars, is a Jewish peasant, a mere human being, a wise teacher – – – but He is not the Son of God.  We do read in the New Testament of a Jesus who is the Son of God, but He is fictitious, according to the Jesus Seminar. He was an invention of the early church. The church transformed the humble Galilean peasant into a miracle working, divine being.  Jesus Seminar scholar Marcus Borg says that while many Christians believe that Jesus “was the divinely begotten Son of God, whose mission was to die for the sins of the world, and whose message was primarily about himself – – – about who he was, his salvific (saving) purpose, and the importance of believing in him. But (continues Borg) this popular image of Jesus is not a historical image.” (Lecture at Culver-Stockton College, Nov. 4, 1991).  In other words, the Jesus in whom you and I believe does not exist, according to Dr. Borg. The church created this divine Jesus, evidently because the real Jesus wasn’t jazzy enough. The church had to spice up the story; throw in a few miracles, toss in the resurrection, and make Jesus into a divine figure.

Is the Holy Spirit at work in your life; in our church?  If He is, we will be driven to an ever deeper love for the real Jesus, the Jesus of Scripture.  And we will turn away in horror at every attempt to denigrate or reinvent this Jesus.

2. I must move on. Our text points to another mark of the presence of the Holy Spirit. John writes, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

There are two antagonistic spirits in the world: the Spirit of God, who draws us close to Jesus, and the spirit of antichrist, or Satan, who draws us to a deeper love for the things of this world. Elsewhere John had cautioned us – – – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15).  These are not two equal spirits fighting for supremacy.  The spirit of antichrist is no match for the Spirit of God. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Therefore, when we are being touched by the Holy Spirit we are drawn away from the things of this world – – – wealth, power, fame, position, lust, pride – – – such things seem strangely dim to us as we are driven ever farther away from this world and ever deeper into the things of God.

John’s explanation for this is simple and logical.  Before conversion, we have only one spirit at work in our lives, the spirit of antichrist.  So, we are drawn quite naturally to the things of this world, and away from Jesus and the things of God. But when we are born again, born of the Spirit, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and He is infinitely greater than the spirit of antichrist.  Therefore, we feel a much stronger pull towards the things of God, and a much weaker pull towards the things of this world. It’s a matter of simple logic.

The spirit of the world is the spirit of sin and selfishness.  It is forever asking, “What’s in it for me?” But when the Holy Spirit fills the soul, the question changes: “What can I do to serve my Lord Jesus?”

3. The third mark of the Spirit is found in these inspired words from John: “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”  Here is clearly stated the principle of LISTENING TO THE VOICE OF GOD AS HE SPEAKS TO US IN SCRIPTURE. John is an inspired apostle, and those who are of God, he says, listen to us, namely, the apostles.  And where do we hear the apostolic voice today? Only in one place; in sacred Scripture. The Holy Spirit invariably gives us an intense desire to read and know and follow the teachings of the Bible.

The devil hates the Bible.  He hates the Word of God. We learn that right from the beginning, in the Garden of Eden.  God gives a clear word to Eve, but Satan casts doubt upon that word. “Hath God said?” “Eve, God lied to you.  He wants to keep you down, but if you will listen to me I will raise you up. I will make you like God, and then you can be your own God. God is selfishly trying to keep you from being like unto Him.  Do as I say, and you shall be as God.” And our first parents turned away from the simple word of God and plunged the human race into ruin.

When the Holy Spirit who inspired the words of Scripture dwells in you, He creates in you a love for the sacred oracles.  When a genuine revival is taking place, there is a remarkable turning unto the Scriptures. The devil would never attempt to create in us a love for the divine Word. When men fall in love with the Bible, gladly embracing its wondrous truths, ever seeking to know more of the mind of God, that is a genuine mark of the Holy Spirit. How important is Scripture in your life?

4. Finally, the fourth authentic mark of the Holy Spirit is summed up in the word LOVE.  John writes in our text, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  The language here is plain and compelling.  God has showered His love upon us in Jesus, our atoning sacrifice. Since God so loved us, should we not also love one another?  When the Spirit of God is truly at work in a church and in the life of a believer, love for God and love for neighbor is the end product.  In a sense, to say that the divine Spirit dwells in us is the same thing as saying that love dwells in us.

The spirit of Satan fills the heart with thoughts of revenge, jealousy, contention, strife, anger, hopelessness, despair, fear and the like.  The Spirit of God fills the heart with love and forgiveness. Do you love others? Are you quick to forgive and to seek reconciliation? Do you desire to promote the well being of others, even above self interest?  God is love, says John, and the one who loves is born of God and knows God.

Love is of God, and where sacrificial, humble love is present, God’s Spirit is also present.  When love for others is joined together with a love for Scripture, and a love for holiness, and a love for Jesus, only one conclusion is possible.  The Holy Spirit is at work. These are the marks of His presence. They are the marks of spiritual renewal in the life of an individual, and they are the marks of true revival in the life of the church. Would Satan deceive us by creating such attributes in the human soul? Would he draw us to Jesus? No, he would not. Would Satan draw us away from the world and deeper into the things of God? No, he would not. Would Satan create in us a deep love for the apostolic Scriptures? No, he would not. Would Satan create in us a deep and forgiving love for God and for one another? Of course not. Such marks can only be created by the Holy Spirit.

May each of you, my dear friends in Christ, become intimately acquainted with the heavenly Dove and may these glorious marks of His presence be seen in you in great abundance.   Amen.

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BE HOLY

Warsaw Christian Church (6/2/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Peter 1:13 – 25

Last week Peter talked about the wonderful salvation we have through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a salvation that is incorruptible. It will never decay but will endure throughout eternity. It is a salvation reserved in heaven for us. God’s divine power guarantees the salvation of all those who trust in Jesus. Because God has forgiven all the sins of those who trust in Jesus a glorious, indescribable future awaits us.

As we continue in chapter 1 of First Peter we learn about phase two of our salvation. Phase one is given to us as a gift.  We possess the gift of eternal life. Paul declares that while the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life (Romans 6:23). In phase two we participate with God in the process of becoming holy. Peter says in vs. 14 that we are to live as “obedient children” In verse 16 we read, “Be holy, for I am holy.” Peter is quoting Leviticus 19:2.  God is the speaker. He declares that I am your holy God, therefore you be my holy people.

God’s very name is “holy” according to Isaiah 57:15. Our first task is to discover what it means that God is holy. It is a concept difficult to translate into English although its meaning is fairly easy to grasp. To be holy is to be separated, set apart, and different. Morally, it means to be pure, to be sinless, righteous. Something holy is set apart, separated, different from all other persons or things. The word “holy” applies to God in a unique sense. We will never be holy in an absolute sense. Holiness in reference to us mere mortals is in reference to our moral character. Holy people are moral people.

God is holy in an absolute sense. There is nothing in creation to compare with God. He is utterly different, totally unique. Perfect in righteousness. His character is flawless. God is 100% dependable. What He declares, He will do. God is absolutely holy.

When you think of living a holy life, what comes to mind?  I suppose some people think of holiness strictly in negative terms: no fun, no beards, no tattoos, no jokes, hours of prayer, no card playing, no movies, no smoking, only read the Bible, 100% teetotaler, etc.  Pastor Brian Lowry uses global warming to illustrate what it means for us to be holy in a more positive sense. I don’t care what your opinion is regarding global warming or climate change. I am using it simply as an illustration. I have edited pastor Lowry’s comments. Global warming seems to be on everyone’s mind. Scientists are running tests in their laboratories. Political candidates are dreaming up “green” policies. The heavyweights of Hollywood are filming public Service announcements and organizing benefit concerts to warn of the dangers of global warming.

Now even you can do your part in fighting global warming. Have you heard about the “carbon footprints” we all supposedly leave behind us? Stop at the site http://www.carbonfootprint.com and learn how these “footprints” are “a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced.” In other words, by the fuel we burn on the way to work and the hair products we use, and if we own flatulent cows, we leave a “footprint” in the wide, growing path of global destruction.

This gets me thinking about a more inconvenient truth — sin vs. holiness. For every act of rebellion — every vicious word, every selfish act, every unhealthy state of mind — we press our sin footprint on the wide, growing path of spiritual destruction. Every time we sin, acting in a manner that is contrary to holiness, we damage the spiritual environment of our world. What kind of “sin” footprint do you leave? The good news, of course, is that we can leave another kind of print, a holiness print. With every act of forgiveness, every kind word, every selfless act, every good work we perform in honor of Jesus, we can impress upon the world our holiness footprint. And that is what we are called to do. We are to stomp the face of the earth leaving behind footprints of holiness.

When God tells us to be holy because He is holy the reference is to our moral character. What is our goal in life after we have been redeemed by placing our faith in Jesus? We are to strive for holiness of life and character. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount “You therefore must be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).There are two things to be said about this verse. First, Christians are “perfect” because their sins have been forgiven. Note these words of Scripture: “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:14). By the offering of Himself Jesus made on the cross we have been perfected. We are an imperfect people because of our sins against our holy God, but if our sins have been forgiven we have been made perfect. Jesus did this for us.

But Jesus did more than die for us. He also gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Did you notice that word “holy?” The Holy Spirit who dwells within our spirit leads us to a new kind of life. True Christians do not say, “Well, now I have been saved and I can live my life as I please.” No, that is not how true Christians think. By faith we have been reborn.  We turn away from our old way of living and we live a new life characterized by obedience to Christ. Another word for “obedience to Christ” is the word “holy.” Christians live a holy life characterized by righteous living.  We want to do what is right and pleasing to God.

While these two aspects of salvation are both present in the life of a Christian, namely the forgiveness of sins and holy living, they must be kept separate in our minds.   They must not be scrambled together as though both contribute to our final salvation. Luther warned, “He who tries to get to heaven by means of a holy life, good works, and personal merits, deceives himself. He who does not confess himself a sinner can find no access to the Lord Jesus…” In other words our holy living which is always manifest in the life of a Christian does not increase our chances of eternal life. Eternal life is a gift, pure and simple.  We receive that gift by trusting in Christ crucified. Theologian Donald Bloesh said it like this: “Once we have faith, however, we are challenged to demonstrate our faith in a life of good works. Our works do not earn or procure our salvation, but they show whether our salvation is genuine.”

As I said recently in our Wednesday Bible study, “Faith is invisible.” I cannot look at a person and see whether faith is alive in his soul.  Anyone can say, “I have faith,” but how do we know that is true? Our good works, our holy living, reveal the presence of faith. James said it clearly: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’  Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18).    

Martin Luther and John Calvin, the two men who were most influential in bringing about the Protestant Reformation, were adamant that salvation is a free gift of God. It is a free gift bestowed upon the undeserving, which includes all of us.  We receive the gift of salvation only by faith. Once we have faith, however, we are challenged to demonstrate our faith in a life of good works. Our works do not earn or obtain our salvation, but they show whether our salvation is genuine. The life of the Christian should be one of determined devotion to Jesus demonstrated by a life outpouring with love and service to God.

Sometimes the question comes up, “Can I be a redeemed, saved Christian and not live a holy life? Can true faith exist without holiness of life?” While the Bible is clear that we are saved by faith alone, it is equally clear that wherever faith is present so also is holiness. Christians struggle to resist sin and temptation, striving to live holy lives before the Lord. God’s word in Hebrews 12:14 seems to settle the question of whether faith can exist in the heart while holiness if absent in our behavior: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. The words are transparently clear. Faith and holiness go together. They are like love and marriage in the song from the past – – – they go together like a horse and carriage. A person who does not demonstrate some degree of holy living cannot be a person of faith. Hebrews 12:14 says in a straightforward manner, without holiness no person shall see the Lord. It is clearly important that we take holiness seriously if we hope to see the Lord.

Pastor Craig Barnes shares this illustration about what holiness means. He writes, “When I was a child, my father brought home a twelve-year-old boy named Roger, whose parents had died from a drug overdose. There was no one to care for Roger, so my folks decided they would raise him as their own. At first it was difficult for Roger to adjust to his new home. Several times a day, I heard my parents saying to Roger, “No, no. That’s not how we behave in this family.” “No, no. You don’t have to scream or fight or hurt other people to get what you want.” “No, no, Roger, we expect you to show respect in this family.”

“In time, Roger began to change. Did he have to make those changes to become part of the family? No. He was part of the family by the grace of my father. But did he have to work hard because he was in the family? You bet he did. It was tough for Roger to change, and he had to work at it. But he was motivated by gratitude for the amazing love he had received. Do you have a lot of hard work to do now that the Spirit has adopted you into God’s family? Certainly. But not to become a son or a daughter of the heavenly Father. No, you make those changes because you are a son or daughter. And every time you start to revert back to the old addictions to sin, the Holy Spirit will say to you, “No, no. That’s not how we act in this family.”

We have been adopted into the family of God by His grace. We are to live our lives in a manner appropriate for God’s children.  We are to pursue holiness, not to earn God’s favor, but because we want to please the One who graciously redeemed us, adopting us into God’s family.

Peter reminds us that there are two factors which work in harmony to produce a Christian. In 1 Peter 1:23 he tells us that we are born again through the word of God which is incorruptible. God’s Word revealed in Holy Scripture lives and abides forever. Here we have God’s guarantee that He will guard and protect His sacred book forever. How did you learn that Jesus is God’s Son and Savior of the world? Probably some person told you the story initially, but ultimately we all learned about Jesus from the Bible. We were not alive when Jesus and His apostles were proclaiming the divine message. The Bible has survived through the centuries in many languages and translations, but they all tell the same story.

When you hear the story of Jesus from the Bible and believe it, you receive all the benefits of the Gospel, most notably the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. I can quote John 3:16 in English and in German. The meaning is the same in either language. The Word of God is incorruptible and it lives and abides forever. Open your heart to the message of Jesus and you will be born again.

Peter then tells us what else we receive when we believe in Jesus. In verse 22 we read this. “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…” When we are saved we obey the truth and we love one another with a fervent spirit. How does that happen? Peter says “through the Spirit.” When we are born again through believing in Jesus as He is revealed in Scripture, we then receive the Holy Spirit who leads us into living a holy life characterized by obedience and love.  That is holiness.

Let me close with a simple idea that illustrates holiness. Never speak a word or perform an act that you would not do if Jesus were standing beside you.,,,,, and He is.

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A CERTAIN SALVATION

Warsaw Christian Church (5/26/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: 1 Peter 1:1-12

While Peter did not write as much as Paul, what he did write is full of wonderful spiritual truths. Marie and I were blessed at the recent conference at Ozark Christian College to hear a series of sermon dealing with this epistle. I was very much inspired and decided to do a series on 1 Peter. These are my own sermons but I am sure some ideas from the conference will sneak in!

We begin with Peters profound words concerning the certainty of salvation. We all understand that life is short and death is certain. What then? While we may struggle with doubts about what comes after death Peter had no doubts at all. I pray his confidence will inspire us.

After his introductory words Peter begins to think and write about the salvation we possess in Jesus Christ. It begins with the Father and the Son who have chosen to have mercy on the fallen human race. 1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV) ³  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…Our translation says “according to His abundant mercy.” I like Kenneth Wuest’s translation: “impelled by His abundant mercy.” God’s love for His fallen creatures was so great that He felt impelled to act to save us. God was not simply merciful but He bestowed upon us abundant mercy.

Had God decided to give us a little bit of mercy He might have said, “I will provide 75% of your salvation but the rest is up to you.” I know if I had to work to merit 25% of my salvation I would fail and end up in hell. However God’s mercy was given to us in abundance. He provided 100% of our salvation when He gave His Son to die for us, then to be resurrected from death demonstrating that He is indeed the Savior of the world.

It could be no other way. Remove God’s abundant mercy from the equation and we have no hope of salvation. Man is just so sinful he has only one hope: the hope that God will have abundant mercy upon him. Just think how we have treated God. We have…Ignored Him; rebelled against Him; violated His commandments;  neglected Him; failed Him; cursed Him; doubted His existence; abused His church; used His name as a curse word…in short, we have sinned against God in many and various ways. God has but two choices: damn us forever, or extend the hand of mercy to us. I hope you are thankful that He chose the second option. I am so very thankful for God’s abundant mercy.

The result of God’s abundant mercy is this: 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NKJV)  “according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴  to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…” Wow! We have an inheritance. What do you do to earn an inheritance? Usually nothing. Inheritances are left to you usually by family members who loved you. They have earned what they give to you freely. As a Christian you are in the Father’s house, and He has given you an inheritance.

When my parents died I received a small inheritance. Where did that money come from? My Dad earned it. I did nothing to earn it. It was given to me as an inheritance. Peter declares that our inheritance awaits us in heaven. As we await that glorious day we now possess a “living hope.” That means two things. First, we serve a living Savior. All other religions follow the teachings of men long in the grave. Mohammed is dead; Buddha is dead; Confucius is dead; Joseph Smith is dead; Zoroaster is dead….they are all dead save one: Jesus Christ is alive and He is our living hope.  Not only that, we have also been begotten again or born again. Jesus Christ lives in those who trust Him as Savior and Lord. Our living hope, Jesus, lives in us.

Peter describes our spiritual inheritance as “incorruptible.” I received my parents inheritance in 1996.  Where is it today? It is gone. Some bills were paid off and the rest was spent on who knows what! It was hardly a fortune! That was a corruptible inheritance. It was nice, but temporary.  The inheritance we receive from God in incorruptible. It cannot be destroyed. It will endure forever. It will never “fade away.” Nothing can ever defile it. Peter add it is “reserved in heaven for you.”

In the 1980’s I bought my first new car, a Plymouth Valiant.  Where is it today? It has suffered corruption and is probably somewhere in a junk yard. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a new car that remained new throughout your life? No rust, no mechanical issues, a car that was not subject to corruption. Yes, it would be nice but we know that will never happen. The only thing we have that will never suffer corruption is our inheritance from God. But how does it become ours?

Listen to the next verse: who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5). We receive the incorruptible inheritance through faith – – – faith in Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world. Do you possess faith in Jesus? (Say amen!) As long as faith is alive and active in your heart you have a guaranteed salvation. Peter tells us we are shielded by God’s power. If you are protected (shielded) by the power of God what person or devil can rob you of your salvation? Is there any power anywhere in the universe stronger than the power of God? I don’t think so!

Faith in Jesus connects us with the omnipotent power of God and there is nothing in all creation that can separate you from God’s love when God’s power is protecting you. That is the way Paul expressed it in Romans 8:39 where he declared “nothing can separate us from the love of God…” Well, there is one thing that can separate us from God’s saving grace – – – unbelief! Peter is clear; it is through faith we are shielded by God’s power. The salvation we possess now will be finally and fully revealed when our Lord returns…. if our faith is alive and active. Faith in Jesus is the glue that holds the whole salvation process together. Remove faith from the situation and our salvation collapses like the walls of Jericho! Faith in Jesus brings the power of God into our lives and secures our relationship with God. No faith, no salvation.  No faith, no relationship with God. Hebrews 11:6 says it simply…Without faith it is impossible to please God. The word impossible in the Greek language has a tricky meaning: it literally means …. IMPOSSIBLE!

Peter’s description of how salvation is obtained and retained is so fantastic. What a glorious future we have if we will abide in Jesus by faith. That’s the good news. Now Peter leads us to the bad news. To put it simply, Peter tells us next that trusting Jesus does not mean an easy life. In 1:6 he tells us that heaviness in our souls may come. Our faith will be tried. Temptations will hound us. Such things will follow us throughout life. God wants to see how serious we are about trusting His Son. He wants to sort out those whose faith is dependent upon blessings, and those who have a “no matter what” faith.

I am what is called a “fair weather fan” when it comes to sports. I am a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. They have won 11 world series, tops in the National League, and 19 pennants. However, when they lose 2 or 3 games in a row I give up. I stop watching them play on TV.  I switch to the history channel and watch the Germans lose WW 2 over and over again. Or I watch Colombo reruns. I am definitely a fair weather fan. Win or I give up on you.

My son-in-law, Mark, is a lifelong Cub fan. The Cubs went years and years without winning a World Series. Mark remained a faithful Cub fan, no matter what. His faith was finally rewarded in 2016 when they finally won the World Series, the first time since 1908. It was a dry spell that lasted over 100 years. Mark was not around in 1908 so he had never seen his beloved Cubs win a title, but he lived with the Chicago Cub motto, “wait until next year.” His faith finally paid off, and who knows . . . the Cubs may win another series title in the year 2116!

I think you get the point, but let me spell it out. Fair weather Christians tend to turn away from any serious following of Jesus when life doesn’t go well. They encounter a difficult situation and cry out, “God must hate me to allow this problem into my life!” There are those who encounter a pastor who failed them, or a church member who hurt their feelings, or they or a loved one gets sick, etc.…. and they drop out of church.  We can only hope that they do not finally turn their backs on Jesus. We need the kind of faith that sustained Richard Wurmbrand through 11 years of imprisonment and torture in a communist prison. He said, “A man really believes not what he recites in his creed, but only the things he is willing to die for.”

Mature Christians are those who have made the decision to follow Jesus no matter what. They thank God for the good times and they remain faithful when pain, disappointment or tragedy strike. When their faith is tested they pass with flying colors.  They refuse to give up on Jesus or His church. Yes, pastors are imperfect, Christians are imperfect, but we are following Jesus, the perfect one. He is our Savior, and we will remain true to Him no matter what. I like the hymn, “Be Still My Soul” written by Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel. I heard it in my truck recently when I was thinking about Marie and the loss of her brother. Here is the first line: “Be still my soul! The Lord is on thy side; bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide; in every change He faithful will remain. Be still my soul! Thy best, thy heavenly friend, through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”

There are wonderful blessings that come to a Christian, but the best ones come in heaven, not now. During this life we encounter thorny ways, the cross of grief and pain. But as faith remains this life will lead to a joyful end.

What kind of Christian are you? I hope you are like my son-in-law is with his Chicago Cubs: a faithful fan whether they win or lose. I pray you are a faithful Christian no matter what is happening in your life. I hope you are not like me with the St. Louis Cardinals, a fan when they are winning, a drop out when they are losing.

We have all confessed our faith in Jesus.  Probably most of us have been baptized in His name. Have you ever gone before God in prayer and declared, “Lord, I am in this for the long haul.  I will continue to trust you and be a disciple of your Son . . . no matter what.” If you have never made that commitment will you get alone somewhere today and pray that you will be faithful to God . . .  no matter what?

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MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS

Warsaw Christian Church, Mother’s Day, 2019, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 1:46-55

I want to begin today by saying, “Happy Mother’s Day” to all the Moms here today as well as to those who serve as Mom substitutes. You deserve to be celebrated on this special day because of the incredible impact you have on so many lives. A good mother is such a powerful example of God’s love. Many mothers are willing to do almost anything to communicate their love to their children. Some even try desperately to keep up with the changing styles popular with young people nowadays. Good luck with that.

Reader’s Digest magazine recently published some amusing texts from mothers who weren’t aware of the most current acronyms young people use for texting. You know what an acronym is. We use them all the time. An acronym is a word formed from the first letter or first few letters of each word in a phrase or title. For example, R.I.P. is an acronym for “Rest in Peace.”  Or F.B.I. is an acronym, of course, for Federal Bureau of Investigation. Young people use acronyms all the time when texting.

One mother wanted to know the meaning of some acronyms she had seen so she texted her son. “What do IDK, LY & TTYL mean?” she asked in her text message. Without explanation, the son texted back: “I don’t know, love you, talk to you later.” Those, of course, were the meanings of IDK, LY & TTYL. Mom didn’t get it. She thought he was ignoring her with his message: “I don’t know, love you, talk to you later.” She replied: “OK, I’ll ask your sister.”

Another mother texted her son: “Your great-aunt just passed away. LOL.” The son replied: “Why is that funny?” Mom texted back: “It’s not funny, David! What do you mean?” The son texted: “Mom, LOL means Laughing Out Loud.” Mom replied: “Oh, no! I thought it meant Lots of Love.”  It’s hard to keep up nowadays.

In our world we often hear certain people described as role models. One of my role models as a child was Stan Musial, the great slugger who spent his entire career in St. Louis. I even taught myself to bat left handed so I could imitate Stan the Man. In the Scriptures we find role models to imitate. On Mother’s Day we think of women like Deborah, Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene, and of course, Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  It used to be a popular name to give a baby girl. Probably not so much today. My mother’s name was Mary. Marie is the equivalent of Mary if several European languages. Because Roman Catholic Christians have unduly exalted Mary to a position of veneration, some non-Catholic Christians have neglected to benefit from the positive example of this great role model of motherhood.

Today, on Mother’s Day, let us look at Mary to discover something about her faith and her faithfulness. Let us look at the qualities of her motherhood in order that we might discover some of the factors that contributed to her success as a mother. While some Christians want to exalt her to an very high position position, let us this morning see her as a humble, faithful Jewish girl chosen for a remarkable mission. Let us look upon her as a role model for mothers. And when I speak of mothers I am not talking only about women who have had children. I am speaking of single women, sisters, aunts, grandmothers – – – all women who have an influence on children.

Mary became the mother of our Lord by means of a miraculous conception. The Savior was born of a virgin. He had an earthly mother without an earthly father. We know from Scripture that Mary’s pregnancy created problems for her. Joseph, at first, assumed she had betrayed him and was prepared to break off their engagement. To show up pregnant without a husband in ancient Israel did not make one popular. In some cases it led to the death penalty. Mary’s explanation of how she became pregnant would surely be met with ridicule. Like her Son, she knew what it was to be despised and rejected.

The eternal God chose to clothe Himself in human flesh and sent His Son by way of a miraculous virgin birth. It was not Mary’s virginity alone that qualified her uniquely for becoming the mother of our Lord. Based on what we know from Scripture we know that Mary had many wonderful qualities. Mary was a devout worshiper of the true God. She was the kind of woman God would select to bring His Son into the world. She was a young woman who realized her dependence upon God. She was quick to be obedient to the will of God as it was revealed to her. She was thankful that God choose her for this special mission. She was a faithful Jew who would play a key role in ushering in the New Covenant.  Note these qualities in Mary.

Mary responded positively to God’s gracious plan for her life. The announcement that she would bear a son conceived by the Holy Spirit was surely an unbelievable challenge. Yet with firm but humble faith she responded, “Be it unto me according to your will.” Mothers who approach parenthood in that same spirit will find their task will be blessed by God. Those who, like Mary, stand ready to carry out the will of God as they understand it, will find the presence of God to be a daily reality.   

Mary magnified the Lord in song for his goodness and graciousness. God puts a song in the hearts of those who trust him. Mary’s song in that section of Scripture we call “The Magnificat” reflects her deep piety and her love for God. She prays, “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46).  She praises Him for regarding her lowly estate. Mothers today who live by faith will also have a song in their hearts.

Mary worshiped the mighty God of Israel “For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name” (Luke 1:49). Mary worshipped a great and mighty God who could do great things. If He wanted His Son to be born of a virgin He had the power to make it happen. She worshipped a holy God, A God who is righteous in all His ways; a God who will never deceive us in any way; a God we can always depend upon to keep His Word.

Mary worshiped the merciful God. “His mercy is on those who fear Him, from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50). Those who believe in a merciful God will find His mercy to be present in their lives. The merciful love of God expresses itself in a persistent attitude of goodwill and helpfulness to His people, even when we don’t deserve it. The psalmist described the God of Israel as “a very present help in trouble.” Mary experienced this merciful helping hand of God, and she became a helper to Him in His work of helping others. Mothers, follow the example of Mary. The merciful God in whom Mary trusted is also your God.

There is pain associated with the birth experience. There are greater pains along the pathway of life for some mothers, and Mary became acquainted with these pains. When Jesus was twelve years of age, Mary found it difficult to understand her son (Luke 2:49 – 50). Mary could sympathize with modern mothers of teenagers. Sometimes our children can be a real enigma. We have many grandmothers in our congregation who can tell you first hand that children can be a real pain.  Our younger mothers will experience that as their children grow up. However, mothers with strong faith are given the wisdom to deal with their children.

Later other members of the family in which Jesus grew up were unsympathetic toward Him. They did not accept Him as the Messiah until after his resurrection. We read in John 7:3 that his brothers did not believe in Him. No doubt they were embarrassed by Him. “Who does He think He is? He acts like He and God are on a first name basis!” Sibling rivalry has caused pain to many a mother. Again, the faith of Mary will be a strong help in handling such rivalry.

Mary no doubt experienced great pain when Christ was rejected by the people of His own home town, Nazareth. They heard the words of Jesus and reacted with murderous intent. “So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff” (Luke 4:28 – 29). I still have a copy of the first sermon I preached at Lake Harriet Christian Church in Minneapolis.  It is not a very good sermon but the congregation did not try to march me off a cliff! No mother wants to see her son rejected by others. I am sure Mary was deeply trouble by this reaction to her Son. If you have a child rejected by society, Mary would certainly identify with you. We do not pray to Mary as she is not a goddess, but we may find comfort in knowing that she identifies with the pain felt by modern mothers. Diana Allen nicely sums up the sentiment of many mothers. After explaining the hardships of parenthood, she writes, “There will be days when I’ll still hunt through the yellow pages for the number for the Mother’s Resignation Hotline … or my heart will feel as though it has been shattered into a thousand pieces. One thing is sure, however: I have to hang on, to stand firm, to fight the good fight. The souls of my children and the quality of the lives they live here on earth is at stake—and so is their eternity. My children are too precious for me to do anything but persevere.”

Mary suffered the horrible humiliation of seeing her son arrested, falsely accused, convicted, condemned, and crucified as a common criminal. “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother” (John 19:25). In no way can we fully understand the agony in this mother’s heart during these terrible hours when her Son was suffering as He did. Yes, she believed Him to be the Messiah, the Son of God. Yet she also knew Him in His humanity as her son. Mothers (and fathers) who have seen their children suffer unjustly know how painful that is. Such pain often goes along with motherhood.

Following our Lord’s resurrection we find Mary present with those who were rejoicing at His victory over death. She was with them as they prayed in anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). Her pain as a mother finally came to an end. Her son was also God’s Son, and He triumphed over death and the grave. Mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and all those who care for children, whatever you are going through now, if you continue in faith you will one day be richly rewarded. One day in heaven we will sing, “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.”

Mary is a good model for the modern mother. Hers was a life of great faith, as evidenced in her song, “the Magnificat,” our text for this morning. Mary’s heart was in tune with her Father God and she was continually open to communication from him. Prayer was a dialogue rather than a monologue. Mary, the mother of our Lord, believed that God’s will was good and that it was something to do rather than something merely to endure. Mary is a good role model for raising children. Those who approach the task of motherhood with her strong, simple faith, will one day hear the Lord declare, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

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WHAT HAPPENS TO DISOBEDIENT CHRISTIANS?

Warsaw Christian Church (5/5/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Texts: Hebrews 12:3-11; 1 Corinthians 3:9-15; 2 Peter 2:20-21

I have said, and Scripture declares, that salvation is a free gift of God. The gift is given to one and all on one simple condition: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. So, if I have true faith on Jesus, even if I fail to serve Him, I will go to heaven, right? That is correct. We are saved by grace, through faith, not by our good works (See Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is given to us freely by a God who loves us. Okay, we have got that idea clear in our heads, right? Next question: what happens to disobedient Christians? Since all of us fail the obedience test, what happens to believers in Jesus who disobey His will? To make it personal, what will happen to you when you sin against the God who redeemed you?

 The Bible can be confusing if we don’t read carefully. On the one hand the Bible clearly teaches that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. On the other hand we find lots of warning about what happens to disobedient Christians. When we trust in Jesus and enter His kingdom we need to understand that we belong to Him. He has purchased us with His own blood. Luke wrote these words: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28). When you declare your faith in Jesus you become His possession.  You are bought and paid for. You agree to submit your life to Jesus. Salvation is the free gift of God which cannot be lost as long as faith is present. God will never disown you for bad behavior if you are trusting in Jesus. Neither will He turn a blind eye to our bad behavior. Today we will be looking at the consequences that come to disobedient Christians. I have selected three texts that address this issue.

But first, a quick word about repentance. If we disobey God, recognize the fact, and repent, praying that God will both forgive us and help us to rise about the particular act of disobedience. Those who sincerely repent of their sins can avoid the negative consequences.

First we look at a text from Hebrews 12, focusing especially on vss. 5,6.. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are  rebuked by Him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”  The language here is harsh. Notice these three words in the text: Chastening, rebuked, scourges. This is an important spiritual truth.  It speaks to the question, “How does God feel about me when I am unfaithful?” If you believe that God is angry, eager to inflict pain on those who disobey Him, you will find it impossible to love God.  We normally avoid persons (or God!) if we think they only want to harm us.  Stalin controlled the old Soviet Union through the use of power and fear. He would have persons close to him randomly executed just to keep everyone on their toes. If Stalin invited you to dinner it might be a pleasant experience, or it might end up in your being shot. I doubt that Stalin was loved. Feared, yes, but you cannot love someone who may arbitrarily decide to have you executed.

If you think of God as a heavenly Stalin you will fear Him, but you will not love Him. Why does God send painful discipline to His redeemed children? Is it because He is angry? No, our text says He is acting out of love. Verse 6 of our text is clear: “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” We are not told anything about the nature of divine discipline.  We are just told that it is painful at the time, but it comes to us from a God who loves us.  I suppose almost any painful experience can be seen as divine discipline.  Whenever some painful, unpleasant experience enters your life, you probably can’t go wrong to view it as divine discipline and seek to learn from it. It is a time for serious reflection and prayer, opening our hearts to whatever message God is sending our way. Our text says that while divine discipline is painful, if we receive it as a gift from a God who loves us, afterwards God’s discipline lead us to a sense of peace and sets us again on the path of righteousness.

If you are thinking, “But I never experience divine chastening.” If that is true it is a bad sign. God only chastens those who are His redeemed ones whom He loves. When you place your trust in Jesus Christ, believing He is your Savior and Lord, you become a child of God. If you are a perfect Christian you will not need chastening. If you are in my category, an imperfect Christian, brace yourself.  God will be working behind the scenes applying discipline to your life to help you to grow in faith.

If you are an unbeliever you will escape divine discipline. The bad news is this. Our text refers to unbelievers as “illegitimate and not sons.”  Those who are not in the family of God will not face divine discipline, but will face the awesome and final judgment of God. You do not want to be in that category! God’s goal for those who lack faith in His Son is to have them exposed to the Gospel that they may hear and believe.

God is not looking down upon us thinking about what He can do to make us miserable. God loves us and has nothing in mind for us except love. He uses the suffering caused by sin and trials to correct and discipline us, to stir us to draw near to Him in trust, dependence, and love, and to live like we should. Our text warns us: DO NOT DESPISE THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD. Learn from it.

In addition to divine discipline disobedient Christians must face up to another consequence of their unfaithfulness.  This brings us to our second text, 1 Corinthians 3:9-15^: “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire…”

So, if disobedient Christians are still heaven bound, why worry about serving Jesus? Disobedient Christians will experience God’s discipline all through life, and they will enter heaven unrewarded. While heaven itself is a free gift, we learn from this text that some enter heaven and receive great rewards, while others enter heaven with few rewards. . Vs. 14 is clear. Some will be rewarded. God does not forget those who served Him faithfully. Vs. 15 is also clear. Some will enter heaven unrewarded.

Think of the obedience factor on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 is the lowest end of the scale, while 10 means your are always obedient, without fail. I assume no one here is living at the 1 end of the scale. I also assume that none of us are living at the 10 end of the scale. We all fall somewhere in between those two extremes. Our lives are a mixture of stubble and gold. The question to answer is this: Do you care about pleasing God? Do you really want to enter heaven unrewarded? We are not told anything about the nature of the rewards given for faithful service, but we can assume they will bless us for all eternity. Those who render only feeble service to God will receive feeble rewards. While we can never earn God’s love which is given to us freely as a gift, we can earn rewards for faithful service. In heaven the unrewarded and the rewarded will mingle together. There will be no jealousy in the hearts of the unrewarded, just a realization that the rewards of the faithful could have been there’s if only they had served more faithfully.

Do you have to be faithful to the church with its various ministries in order to go to heaven? No.  Do I have to tithe to go to heaven?  No. Do I have to win souls to enter heaven? No. Do I have to care for the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, to enter heaven? No. All you need is faith in Jesus. But if you serve Jesus faithfully, you will be rewarded. If you don’t, you won’t.

One final point from our third text, 2 Peter 2:20-21.  Listen carefully to the Word of God. ⁰ For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. ²¹ For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

There are those who say that salvation cannot be lost.  Once saved, always saved. I respect that position. I would, however, state it like this. Once saved it is very hard to lose your salvation, but not impossible. Peter seems to describe saved people who lose their way. They escaped the pollutions (sins) of the world through faith in Jesus. But, sin recurs and completely overwhelms them. Faith is abandoned. They once knew the way of righteousness but they turned away. I am not sure what Peter means when he says,  For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness… but I hope none of us never find out what that means personally. It can’t be a good thing!

I believe faith is sustained and nourished by faithfulness. If we let faithfulness slip away, faith may slip away as well. I don’t think this happens easily or often, but it is surely a warning for us to take seriously. We are freely given the gift of eternal life and as long as faith is alive that gift remains. If we ignore the discipline of God and care nothing for His rewards, we may end up abandoning our faith. Faith thrives in the heart of the obedient.  It wanes in the heart of the disobedient. 

Those who finally turn away from Christ do not do so suddenly. It is not a situation where a person has strong faith today and turns away tomorrow. Note these words from Hebrews 2:1: Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.  Drifting is a slow process. Christians do not drift toward obedience. Faithfulness to Christ requires discipline, determination, hard work.   We drift toward compromise; we drift toward disobedience;  we drift toward prayerlessness; we drift away from Bible study; we drift away from regular attendance at the Lord’s Table – – – slowly, one step at a time, some drift away from Christ. If the drift continues unabated one day they realize they no longer believe in Jesus. Don’t let it happen to you.

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TITUS # 3: SALVATION AND SANCTIFICATION

Warsaw Christian Church (4/28/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Titus 3

This morning we conclude our study in the Book of Titus, focusing on Chapter 3. In verse 1 Paul urges Christians to obey the government. We are under orders to submit to those who have authority over us. We have seen before that this is not a command without exceptions. We are not to obey the government if those in authority interfere with our faith commitment. If the government establishes laws which conflicts with God’s Law, we are to obey God rather than men. (see Acts 4:18-20). We are to be good citizens, but our highest allegiance must always be to God.

Then Paul moves into one of his finest statements where he links together the two sides of the Christian life: salvation and sanctification. Salvation is that term which means that our sins have been forgiven; we have been adopted into the family of God; eternal life is our destiny. Sanctification is the term that refers to how we live once we have believed on Jesus. Those who have received salvation are the saved ones, the redeemed ones, the inheritors of eternal life. Those who are sanctified are the ones who put their faith into action, whose life in characterized by the doing of good works.

Paul then gives a snapshot of what we were like before we came to faith. Listen to verse 3:

^“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” Apart from Christ Paul says people are foolish, disobedient to God, deceived about the nature of reality, living for self and for pleasure, with envy and hatred filling the heart. That is what it means to live life without faith in Jesus Christ. Paul adds that the redeemed ones, before they came to faith, used to live in this manner. One or more of those descriptive words fits every person who has not received Christ’s salvation. When I think back to those days before I became a Christian I find all those words to be accurate descriptions of my behavior. The worst of it was that I enjoyed living a self-centered life, until that day when I was face to face with a situation that had no solution. It was when my life was badly messed up and I knew not where to turn for help that a neighbor introduced me to the living Lord Jesus, and my life has never been the same since.

Which brings us to Paul’s description of salvation. Listen to his grand words. . But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (3:6,7).

In these words of Paul we have a summary of the basic elements leading to salvation. There are those who tell us that all religions are alike. I would correct that and say that most religions are alike. There are really two kinds of religions. All religions with one exception teach that if you want to get right with God you have to perform well. If you do the right things, keep His commandments, do the proper rituals, maybe you will perform well enough to be accepted by God. The basic idea is that you must earn God’s favor through your own deeds. People who follow this path are always left wondering . . . have I done enough? The answer to that question for all of us is always the same . . .no, we have not done enough.

I mentioned that all religions are alike with one exception, and that is the Christian religion. It begins, not with us or our performance, but with this: when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared. Something happened in history. Something appeared, and that “something” was a “someone.” Jesus appeared and revealed to us the source of our salvation. It begins with the kindness and love of God, our Savior. Our efforts to please God are never , never enough. Try as we may we always fall short of God’s expectations. If you think you can earn God’s favor by your good behavior, guess what? You will run into a brick wall. You will fail, and you will remain separated from God in that eternal place of doom and gloom called hell.

Paul is asking us . . . pleading with us . . . to turn away from self and look to the kindness and love of God revealed in Jesus Christ, our Savior. American Express tells us not to leave home without it, referring to their credit card. Paul tells us not to leave this life without it . . .faith in Jesus Christ our Savior. Don’t leave this world without faith in Him.

Paul continues his description of salvation.  “ ^….not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…” God does not say to us, “Well, you have failed me but if you get your act together and live a perfect life from this point forward I will save you.” Rather He says forget about trying to earn my favor through works of righteousness. I am going to bestow my mercy upon you. How are we saved? We are saved by God’s kindness, love and mercy. God’s grace and mercy are everywhere in the book of Titus as we have seen.

There are several parables that reveal to us the mercy of God. Probably the best example is in the parable of the Good Samaritan. You know the story. A man is beaten and bloodied by robbers, left on the side of the road to die. Two “spiritual” leaders of Israel see him but hurry past, leaving him to his sufferings. Along comes a Samaritan, a man hated and despised by the Jews, and he binds up the man’s wounds and pays for his future care. He was merciful. He saw a man in need, a man who was an enemy. He could have ignored the situation and who would have blamed him? He had no obligation to reach out to this Jewish man, but he did. He extended mercy to an enemy.

We are enemies of God in the sense that we have trashed His will under foot. He could have turned His back on us and let us rot in hell and who could blame Him? He created us to live life under His authority, promising great blessings to the obedient. We said, “No thank you,” and continued in disobedience even to the point of crucifying the Son of God. We deserve to be cast from His presence forever. Our disobedience has placed us under the influence of Satan, who beats us up and leaves us bloodied. Jesus is the Good Samaritan who comes and binds up our wounds.

The amazing, almost unbelievable good news is that in spite of everything God loves us. He loves the world made up of people who disobey Him. How many humans are there who resist God? 100%. We have all sinned and fallen short — far short — of His glorious will. Paul tells us that God not only loves us but He also decided to show us mercy. Mercy is love taking action to do something to remedy our hopeless situation.

And what action did God take to show mercy to us? You know the answer. He sent His only begotten Son into the world. Jesus was the promised Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. A good example of such prophecy is found in Isaiah 53:3-6: He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

How God must love us and want us to return to fellowship with Him. We are the ones who have gone astray, and He was willing to bear our iniquity. By the suffering of the Messiah we have been healed of that fatal disease called sin. Like the Good Samaritan, God the Father sent God the Son to bind up our wounded souls. The Good Samaritan could have ignored the bleeding stranger by the side of the road, but he chose to show mercy to him. Jesus Christ had no reason to take on the consequences of our sin, but He chose to show mercy. Driven by love, He was willing to endure the cross for our sakes.

Why are we counted among the redeemed today? Because of God’s love and mercy. We are saved, redeemed, by a merciful God. Paul continues to describe how this event takes place and its consequences. First, he says we are saved by the washing of regeneration. I think that means that when we trust in Jesus our souls are washed clean. We are regenerated, or born anew. Our sins are all forgiven so we are washed clean on the inside, renewed by the Holy Spirit. As soon as faith connects us with Jesus this regeneration and renewal takes place. When God’s love and mercy are mixed in with our faith the end result is the washing of regeneration which finally leads to eternal life. .

This is what God’s love and mercy have brought to us – – – eternal life. To whom do we give all the credit for this glorious gift? To God alone be the glory. How much credit do we receive for salvation we enjoy? Not much: maybe 5%, or maybe 2%? How about 0%? When you receive a gift from someone you gain no credit. All you do is accept the gift. Elsewhere Paul says the gift of God is eternal life. Out of God’s love and mercy flows the gift of eternal life.

Paul’s final word on the subject is found in Titus 3:8: This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. Those who have received God’s gracious gift of salvation should be careful to maintain good works. Good works are works that please God. Good works are those things we do in obedience to God’s commands. But if God has given us salvation as a free gift, why do we have to concern ourselves with good works? Can’t I just believe in Jesus, receive the gift of salvation and live my life as I please? Perhaps for a time, but not permanently. Here’s why.

When God imparts the gift of eternal life He also renews our inner nature. He gives us new thoughts, new desires, centered on doing His will. We saw this in chapter 2. Remember these words? …  (Jesus) gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. God not only saves us, He changes us. He redeems us from every lawless deed and purifies us so that we become zealous for good works. True Christians do not engage in good works because they have to. They want to! Those who lack this “want to” are either hypocrites, or very immature Christians who have not thought very deeply about what it means to be a redeemed disciple of Jesus.

Those who are truly saved feel the nudging of the Holy Spirit in the direction of obedience. They want to be in church, in Sunday School, in Bible study unless a higher Christian duty takes them elsewhere. I have heard preachers say that those who do not actively serve Jesus are not true Christians at all, but hypocrites who are Christian in name only. I would not go that far. If you have true faith in Jesus you are a saved, redeemed Christian who will finally be in heaven, even if you do not serve Him faithfully. Unfaithful Christians face two problems. They will experience divine discipline, and they will lose rewards in heaven. I can’t expand on these points today but this will be our subject for next week.

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CONDEMNATION? NO! SEPARATION? NO!

Warsaw Christian Church, Palm Sunday/Easter, 2019, Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Romans 8:1-4; 34-39

What a glorious day is Easter! Jesus rose from the grave, and that same Jesus says to those who believe in Him, “because I live, you also will live.” But is it true? I read in the news that the tomb of Jesus has been discovered. If His bones lie in a coffin, then He did not rise. A film maker by name of Cameron put a film together affirming that he had found the tomb of Jesus, bones and all.

Here is another secular article on the resurrection. In April 2002, the well-respected Oxford University philosophy professor Richard Swinburne used a broadly accepted probability theory to defend the truth of Christ’s resurrection. He did this at a high-profile gathering of philosophy professors at Yale University. “For someone dead for 36 hours to come to life again is, according to the laws of nature, extremely improbable,” Swinburne said. “But if there is a God of the traditional kind, natural laws only operate because he makes them operate.” Swinburne then used Bayes’ Theorem ( I have no idea what that is!) to assign values to things like the probability of God’s being real, Jesus’ behavior during his lifetime, and the quality of witness testimony after Jesus’ death. Then he plugged the numbers into a probability formula and added everything up. The result: a 97 percent probability that the resurrection really happened.

I don’t know about you but I am going to take the word of the Apostles of Jesus over that of a modern film producer. 97% is good, but I believe in the resurrection 100%.  I believe Jesus rose bodily from the grave exactly as recorded in the four Gospels. There is no tomb containing His remains. He rose from the Tomb and is alive forevermore. Many benefits flow to us because of the resurrection. I want to share two enormous benefits we receive because Christ rose from the grave.

I recently read a story about a German soldier whose name was Jörg Gerkner. He fought in North Africa under Erwin Rommel, a rather famous German general also known as “The Desert Fox.” When British General Montgomery defeated the Germans at Tunis in 1943 many German soldiers became POWS. Jörg Gerkner ended up in a POW camp in Fort Denny, New Mexico. He became depressed. He thought, “I am a condemned man. I’m a POW.  I was part of the Nazi war machine and for the rest of my life I will live as a condemned man.” In 1945 he managed to escape from the prison camp. He took on various odd jobs, always moving from job to job for fear he would be discovered. He obtained false identity papers and married an American woman. After years of moving from job to job he finally shared with his wife his real identity.  He said, “I am a POW, a man condemned.” She said, “The war has been over for years.”  She persuaded him to go to the office of immigration and naturalization. At age 64 he learned that all the POWS from his camp had been released and pardoned. He quickly became a naturalized US citizen. The poor man lived most of his life thinking he would be condemned if discovered only to learn that he had been pardoned years ago.

I wonder if any of us are living under the pressure of condemnation this Easter Sunday?  We believe in Jesus but, like Jörg, we may wonder if we will escape divine condemnation. In Romans Chapter 8 I want to point out two things that happened when Christ rose from the grave. We look first at Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

We begin with the word “therefore.” This takes us back to the previous seven chapters in Romans. In Romans 1 Paul outlines the horrible record of the human race. His conclusion is found in Romans 1:18:  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.  In a word, condemnation.  In Rom.2:11 Paul reminds us that those who sin will perish. In a word, condemnation.  In Rom. 3:23 we learn that all have sinned. The result? Condemnation. Rom. 6:23 informs us that the wages of sin is death. In a word, condemnation. Paul wonders where deliverance is to be found in Rom. 7:24. Who will set me free from this body of death?  In a word, condemnation.

We find a lot of condemnation in Romans. In those same earlier chapters Paul also proclaims the good news that our sins can be pardoned. He presents Jesus Christ as our crucified and risen Savior. Then, in Chapter 8 he recounts some of the benefits that come to us as believers. The resurrection is foundational for Paul. He declared in 1 Cor. 15:17-18: If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. Why is our faith futile if Christ was not raised?  Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God. He claimed that His death would be an atonement for our sins. But what if He died and was buried as Mr. Cameron would have us believe? It would mean that He was just another human being, another prophet who died and went to His grave. No one who is a mere human being can atone for the sins of the world.  When Christ rose from death it confirmed to the apostles that He was indeed the Messiah. Those same apostles who fled for their lives when Jesus was arrested and dragged off to Golgotha, when they saw the empty tomb on Easter morning they must have exclaimed, “Hallelujah! He really is the Messiah!” If Christ is still in the grave somewhere, your sins have not been forgiven. Once the apostles witnessed the resurrection first hand they found the courage to proclaim the name of Jesus in a very hostile environment. “He is risen” was at the heart of their proclamation.

Now, let’s move back to Romans 8:1. Paul, also a witness to the living and resurrected Christ, proclaims that benefit # 1 is that we will never face condemnation. Like Jörg, we can live with a fear of condemnation, but those who are in Christ Jesus will never, ever face condemnation. Once that reality is lodged in your soul, a great weight is lifted from us. The promise is not for everyone. It does not say it is for those who believe in God, or even those who profess faith in Jesus. It does not say it is for those baptized and who have their name on a church roll. The promise is for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS. Paul’s point is that Jesus is alive, and by faith we enter into relationship with Him.  Our soul is united with Him and we are in Christ.

The New Testament wants to make sure we know the difference between real faith and professed faith. Real faith places us into a living relationship with the resurrected Jesus. A mere profession of faith (words that do not sink deeply into the soul) does not. The question we need to answer this Easter is not simply, “Do you believe.” I suspect all of us would say, “Yes, I believe.”  We also need to ask the question, “Am I in Christ?” True faith brings us into a living relationship with our Lord.  

What a blessing it is to live each day with the feeling that if I die today I will not be condemned. What a joy it is to live life in Christ – – to know the reality of His promise, “Lo, I am with you always.” It doesn’t get any better than that.

Romans 8 begins with “no condemnation.” It concludes with “no separation.” That is the second great blessing of the resurrection. Listen to the words of Paul, words often read at funeral services. 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. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  39 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. (Rom. 8:34-39)

Paul argues that the death and resurrection of Jesus result in two great blessings: No condemnation (Who is he that condemns?); and no separation (Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?)  Paul outlines the various difficulties that we encounter in life. Trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, danger, sword, death, demons, things present or things to come, powers, heights, depths – – – and perhaps he thinks to himself, “Can any of these things separate us from the love of Christ?” and the answer screams from his pen:  nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

Why did Jesus endure the cross? Why was He gloriously resurrected on Easter? Because He loves us.  At the cross He removed all condemnation from us. When He rose from the grave He lives to enter into fellowship with all who trust Him.  He loves us with a love that can never be taken from us. The love of God is no guarantee that we will be free from trouble in this life. There is a false teaching which is widely circulating in the church today that through faith we can get whatever we want from God. Healing, money, cars, boats, fancy homes – – – whatever. If we will just pray and believe God will do what we ask, He will.

When you hear that kind of teaching, remember Paul’s words in Romans 8. Christians are assaulted by all kinds of problems. We get sick, we have pain, we have problems with neighbors, children, friends, relatives.  We experience regularly the words of Job: Man is born to trouble . . .” (Job 5:7). But no matter how rough life becomes, one thing never changes. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

I close with a story from history that illustrates this grand truth. Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse, was the 3^rd child of Queen Victoria, Great Britain’s longest reigning monarch. She is the great grandmother of Phillip, the husband of England’s present Queen Elizabeth. She married Prince Louis of Hesse, king of a small German state. Several of her children contracted diphtheria. One of her daughters died of the disease, and her youngest son fell ill. Princess Alice was warned by her doctors not to be around her children while they were ill because the disease was so contagious. The princess was standing outside her son’s bedroom one day and she heard him say to his nurse, “Why doesn’t mommy kiss me anymore?” When she heard that she threw open the door, embraced her son and smothered him with her kisses. A short time later Princess Alice succumbed to the disease. Her love for her son could not endure separation from him, even if it killed her.

The spiritual application is clear. We were dead in our trespasses and sins, filled with fear and dread about the future. God’s love moved Him to extend mercy to us. Jesus went to the cross for us, smothering us with the loving grace of God, removing all condemnation from us. He rose so that we can live life now and forever in His loving arms. Place your hand in the hand of Jesus, and nothing will ever separate you from His love. Easter means – – – No condemnation; no separation. It doesn’t get any better than that.

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TITUS # 1: DEFINING A MATURE CHRISTIAN
Warsaw Christian Church (3/10/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

We don’t focus much on the little book of Titus (3 chapters). I want to spend a few weeks seeking for some great truths revealed in this small epistle. By way of introduction, Titus is one of Paul’s companions. The church has been established on the island of Crete. Paul gives to Titus both doctrinal and organizational instructions he is to implement in the Cretan churches.

Paul refers to himself as a “slave” of Jesus Christ as he begins this epistle (1:1). Some translations say “servant” but the Greek word for slave (doulos) is used here. Some translators thought slave was a negative word and so they avoided it. Servant sounds so much better. But Paul says he was a slave of God. This is striking, for the last thing a person wants to be is a slave to anybody. Yet this is exactly what Paul claimed. In fact, he proudly declared that he was the slave of God. What did Paul mean?

I hope we understand that we also are called to be slaves of God. Paul is not speaking only of himself, but of all who claim the name of “Christian.” God paid the high price of the blood of His Son to redeem us. We have been bought and paid for by the sacrificial act of God Himself. Paul amplifies this truth in 1 Cor. 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. As a Christian we have forfeited the right to determine our own course in life. We belong to God as willing slaves. We have been bought with a price and our goal in life as blood bought believers in Jesus is to glorify God.

The will of a slave belongs totally to God. He was completely subservient to God and owes total allegiance to the will of God. We pray each Sunday, “thy will be done.” Do we mean it? Whose will is really in control of your life? Is it your will or God’s will? Slaves do not argue with the master. They do as they are told.

Peter is a good example of a man who at times forgot he was a slave. You recall the familiar exchange that takes place in Matthew 16. Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do men say I am?” What is the latest scuttlebutt concerning my identity? The disciples reply, “Some think you might be Elijah, or some other prophet, or perhaps John the Baptist.” Then Jesus asks His disciples the direct question, “Who do you say that I am?” Before anyone else can respond Peter blurts out the answer, “You are the Christ (Messiah) the Son of the living God.” Jesus praises Peter for that response.

Then Jesus explains that He must go to Jerusalem where He will suffer and be put to death. I can imagine the mouths of the disciples dropping open in shock when they hear those words. Peter again takes charge. “Guys, don’t worry about this. Let me have a private chat with Jesus and I will straighten out His thinking. He is obviously mistaken about that death business. He just praised me for declaring that He is the Son of God. Clearly I have a good understanding of things and I can clear this up. The Son of God, killed by His enemies? No way.”

So Peter takes Jesus aside. Jesus, he says, “this will never happen to you.” Jesus then shocks Peter with His response: “Get behind me Satan!” As we try to read between the lines of this text we might describe what is happening in this way. Jesus says in effect to Peter, “Did you not just declare than I am the Son of God?” Peter, “Well, yes I did.” Jesus, “Are you also the Son of God?” Peter, “Of course not! You alone are the Son of God. I am your humble servant.” Jesus, “Who do you think knows about the future, you or me? Peter, “You, of course – – – oh, I get it. You are the Master and I am the slave. I will stand behind you and obey your leadership.” Jesus, “That sounds like a good plan.”

When Peter correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah he apparently got a little puffed up about his wisdom. He thought He knew better than Jesus. He forgot who the Master was and who the slave. That is never a good idea either for Peter or for us. Slaves listen to the Master and obey. They do not argue!

Being a slave to God means you have the highest and most honored profession in the entire world. The believer’s slavery to God is no cringing, cowardly, or shameful subjection. It is the position of honor; the honor that bestows upon a man the privileges and responsibilities of serving the King of kings and Lord of lords. God has taken a word men fear – – – slave – – -and transferred to the word the highest of honors.

And where does slavery to God lead us? Paul mentions several words in Titus 1:1-2: Slaves of God become His elected servants. Faith in Jesus puts us into a special category. We become God’s elect; God’s chosen people. Slaves of God are immersed into divine truth. Those who submit to God’s rule are led ever deeper into divine truth. It is as if God shines a large spotlight on the pages of Scripture so that His slaves understand ever more clearly the divine revelation.

Paul then mentions that slaves of God are led into godliness. The Greek word means a piety characterized by a Godly attitude leading to behavior that is pleasing to God. In other words slaves of God are led by the Holy Spirit into behaviors that are good because they are divinely inspired.

The best is left for last. What is the end result for those who chose to live as slaves of God? Paul says in verse 2 that God has promised us eternal life. Paul adds that while God can do anything, there are some things He cannot do. For example God cannot lie. He is incapable of lying. He is a God of truth. When He promises us eternal life you can take it to the bank! Who would not want to be a slave and receive all those glorious benefits? Where do I sign up?

You sign up by confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart that Jesus Christ is God’s Son, Lord and Savior of the world, crucified for us and resurrected from the grave. There is one more topic we need to explore. It is a topic we have examined before. It is the contrast we must make between saving faith and discipleship (another word for slavery).

In Chapter 3:4-7 of Titus Paul writes this: But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. We will return to these profound words later. For now I simply want you to notice that Paul is stating clearly that salvation comes to us freely from the grace of God. We do not earn God’s salvation by the good works we do.

Here is the point I hope we can all embrace. All Christians are slaves of God. You cannot say, “I believe in Jesus but chose not to be His slave.” It doesn’t work that way. We are saved by grace by the love of God through the sacrifice of Jesus. We have been bought with a price, that price being the precious blood of Jesus. We have been bought and paid for. Faith in Jesus brings us into slavery. How well we function as slaves is another matter. We can be faithful slaves, or careless slaves. We can be hard working slaves or lazy slaves. What happens to careless, lazy slaves? Let’s look at the worst case scenario.

Paul makes it clear at the end of chapter 1 that some profess faith but deny Christ by their works. Listen to Titus 1:16: They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. It is possible to claim to believe in Jesus but the way we live gives the lie to that profession.

Once again we are face to face with the relationship between faith and works; between a verbal confession of faith and the quality of our discipleship (slavery). Paul is clear: good works do not save us or add anything to our salvation. What good works do is reveal, sustain and build faith. Those who profess to be Christians but whose lifestyle is more about self than about God – – – their lack of interest in doing the works that God has commanded reveal the hypocrisy of the profession of faith.

Think of it like this. Salvation is like a coin with faith on one side and slavery on the other. You cannot accept salvation and reject slavery. The more faithfully you perform as a slave, the more your faith grows. Unfaithfulness leads to a weakening of your faith and may eventually lead to the death of faith altogether.

One final thought. Why would any of us resist being faithful slaves to the one who loves us and wills nothing but our good? Why do we turn away from His will in order to carry out our own will which leads only to pain? The irony is that those who are slaves to Christ experience the greatest freedom. Those who refuse to live as Christ’s slaves live in bondage.

I titled this sermon “Defining a Mature Christian” A mature Christian is a believer who willingly declares, “I wish to be an obedient slave to my Savior Jesus.” When that declaration is backed up with an abundance of good works, that is a mature Christian.

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ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: THE CONCLUSION

Warsaw Christian Church (3/3/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Acts 27,28

Paul appealed his case to Caesar because of his Roman citizenship and in the last two chapters of Acts he heads to Rome. In Chapter 27 we have a lengthy, blow-by-blow description of sailing to Rome, the violent seas ending in a ship wreck on the island of Malta. Paul is bitten by a deadly snake. The natives of Malta expect him to die, but Paul is not affected by the viper bite. The natives are so impressed that they round up sick folk and bring them to Paul and he heals them.

Then, on to Rome where Paul is placed under house arrest. He has a guard with him at all times. Paul calls the leaders of the Jews together and once again proclaims his innocence. He again explains that Jesus is not anti-Jewish. He is rather the fulfillment of the hope of Israel. He receives the usual response. Some believed, many did not. The Book of Acts ends with Paul preaching to any and all for 2 years while under house arrest. The Bible does not tell us what finally happened to Paul. The early church fathers tell us that he was condemned to death by Nero and decapitated.

As we have reached the end of the Book of Acts it remains to summarize the main points we have covered. In terms of the big picture what do we learn in this book that relates to us today.

We note first of all the improbability of the church surviving in the first century. There was much opposition to the message of Jesus both from Jews and the Roman Empire. How was it that a small band of disciples of Jesus, men and women with no status or influence, were able to spread the Gospel to the very ends of the Roman Empire? Peter and Paul are the main subjects in the book and they were men who believed so strongly in Jesus that they would not be denied. Their faith in Jesus Christ was total. It was by faith that they went to virtually every corner of the Roman Empire proclaiming the name of Jesus. They took to heart the great promises of Jesus. Mark 10:27:  But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Mark 9:23: Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Matthew 19:26: But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 17:20: So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

It was by faith that the Gospel conquered the Roman Empire. We live in a different time with different obstacles. But one thing remains the same. Those who live by faith will accomplish the purposes of God. Whether your mission is large or small by human standards, faith will always lead to victory. As this little congregation in Warsaw, MO lives by faith we will accomplish God’s will for this church. We serve a great and powerful God, a God whose power cannot be defeated. When we place our faith in this all powerful God, we cannot be defeated. The first big picture principle we learn from the Book of Acts is FAITH. Live by faith, walk by faith, pray with faith, and you will see the mighty hand of God at work in your life.

The second big principle we learn from the Book of Acts is this: Those who live by faith will be protected by God until their task is finished. Peter and Paul were often beaten and imprisoned. Many plotted to put them to death. We read about the time when Paul was stoned so severely he was dragged out of town dead. The disciples prayed, and Paul arose to continue his mission. God wasn’t finished with him yet. Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake which should have ended his life. He shook off the viper and continued his ministry. God wasn’t finished with him yet. If you walk by faith whether your life is long or short, God will accomplish His purpose in and through you. No disease, no enemy, no accident can take you out of the picture until God has accomplished His purpose in your life – – if, if, IF you live by faith.

Third, the church of Jesus Christ cannot be defeated. Jesus spoke these words about His church.  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not ^[a]prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). The church not only survived in the hostile environment of the 1^st century, it grew and prospered until today there are churches all over the world. According to the 2010 census Christianity is the world’s largest religion with 2.2 billion adherents. That is about 1/3^rd of the world’s population. It began with a handful of believers, a group smaller than our church.

Fourth, the work of the Holy Spirit is central in the Book of Acts. I have said that it was the unwavering faith of the early Christians that allowed them to succeed in their mission. To that I would add this figure of speech; faith is like a magnet that attracts the presence of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to every true believer in Jesus. However, He does not work automatically in our lives. He works when we walk by faith.

The early Christians did not triumph because they were educated. They had no slick evangelism programs. They had no means of mass communication. Their primary tool was faith, and faith brings the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit brings success to our endeavors. We have seen before several warnings Scripture gives us about the Holy Spirit. He can be resisted, He can be quenched; or we can live by faith and His presence will work in and through us. The practical question we must all ask ourselves is this: is the Holy Spirit at work in my life? If not, why not?

One possible reason is that the Bible is not true. Maybe the Holy Spirit is a figment of Paul’s imagination. If you think that way you are probably in the wrong church. We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God. What it affirms about the Holy Spirit is true. The Spirit of God does indeed inhabit the people of God. He works in us unless we are resisting or quenching His presence. We resist Him when we fail to apply our faith to life situations. When faith is strong the Holy Spirit goes to work.

Fifth, The Book of Acts is Gospel centered. The church has two basic purposes. One purpose is to help believing Christians grow stronger in faith. We do that here primarily through Sunday School, preaching and worship on Sunday morning, Bible study class, and other group events. Why do we want stronger Christians? That leads to our second purpose, which is to reach others with the good news that Jesus saves! We gain some idea about the strength of our group faith by how successful we are in leading others to the Savior.

As we went through the Book of Acts perhaps you noticed the main focus of the church. It was without a doubt their compassion to share Christ with others. Using the Old Testament Scriptures Paul and others attempted to show that Jesus was and is the promised Messiah. Yes, churches today do other things but our main purpose must always be to proclaim the name of Jesus.

I think this has two primary applications for us. First, we are to do what we can in Warsaw, Missouri to see that other are exposed to the Gospel. Many of us have family members and friends who do not seem to take Jesus very seriously. If we cannot speak to them personally about Jesus we can certainly pray for them, that their hearts would be open to the truth. If you have a family member or friend that needs Christ, above all pray for them regularly. If you cannot share Christ with them personally pray that they will encounter someone who can. In this way you are working to perform the primary task of the church, to see others drawn into the Kingdom of God.

Second, our personal influence is very limited. We cannot personally go into the entire world to share the Gospel as Jesus commanded. But we do have a way to extend our personal influence. It is called money. Our money can go to Africa where missionaries labor to present the Gospel. Our money can go anywhere in the world. Our church supports several missionaries, and as our income increases we can increase our support for missions. We also support Ozark Christian College, in my mind one of the finest Christian institutions in the United States. Money we send to OCC helps to train ministers and missionaries who serve all over the world. You will not be able to fulfill the Great Commission with your personal presence, but as you support the outreach programs of this church you are helping to fulfill the Great Commission.

Finally, the Book of Acts tells us how Paul hated the Christians and persecuted them. Many ended up in prison or dead because of the anti-Christian work of Paul. Then we learn of his conversion and he becomes the most influential of all the Apostles. This radical change in Paul should remind us that there is always hope for salvation in even the most hardened sinner. Never say of anyone, “He will never become a Christian.” If God can reach Paul He can reach anyone. Keep on praying for those in your sphere of influence. Nothing is impossible with God.

These are the big picture items we can learn from the Book of Acts. Our founding fathers of the Christian Church movement had one major goal in mind, and that was the goal of being a New Testament Church. Let’s work at being a New Testament Church. . As we put these principles into action in this small congregation, I believe God will bless us.

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ACTS CONTINUED: PAUL’S TRIALS CONTINUE

Warsaw Christian Church (2/24/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor

This morning we are going to skim over chapters 21-26. I want to pick out a few highlights to focus on. We note first of all that Paul visits the house of Phillip the evangelist in Caesarea. Phillip has 4 daughters who are prophets (21:9). We discussed the role of women in our Wednesday Bible Study. Here we note women playing a prominent role in the early church. We won’t go over that discussion again, but clearly women did preach, teach and prophesy in the early church. I see no reason to exclude women from such roles in the church today.

Also in Chapter 21 Paul is planning to go to Jerusalem but he is warned that he will find nothing but trouble there. A prophet named Agabus warns Paul that the Jews in Jerusalem will bind him and turn him over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:10-11). Paul declares his willingness to die in service to the Lord Jesus (21:13). Paul does go to Jerusalem where the prophecy of Agabus is fulfilled. Paul is bound and beaten by the Jews and turned over to the Roman occupying army.

In Chapter 22 Paul asks to speak to the Jews who oppose him and permission is granted. Paul recounts his life as a faithful Jew and then describes his conversion on the road to Damascus. The Jews are deeply moved by Paul’s speech! They cry out that he is not fit to live (22:22). The Romans plan to beat the truth out of him when Paul plays his Roman citizenship card (22:25). It was not lawful to scourge a Roman citizen who had not been accused of a crime. Chapter 22 ends with Paul brought before the Sanhedrin.

In chapter 23 Paul, being a wise interpreter of reality, addresses the Jewish leadership again, but he notices that some are Pharisees and some are Sadducees. The Pharisee’s believe in the resurrection, the Sadducees do not. So Paul proclaims the resurrection of the dead. This causes an internal battle between these two Jewish parties. The Pharisees want Paul set free, the Sadducees want him put to death. The argument between these two opposing parties becomes so violent that Paul has to be rescued by the soldiers and returned to the barracks.

The Jews hash out a plot to capture and kill Paul, but Paul’s nephews informs the Roman commander of the plot. The commander gathers up a force of 270 soldiers who take Paul to Caesarea. He is brought before a Roman governor by name of Felix. On to Chapter 24.

Felix listens to Paul but does not know what to do with him. He procrastinates for two years, all the while hoping that Paul will offer him a handsome bribe. As Chapter 25 begins we find that a new governor, Festus, has replaced Felix. Paul continues to proclaim his innocence. The Jews present at his hearing before Festus want Paul returned to Jerusalem. They have a plot to ambush Paul and kill him. Chapter 25 ends with Paul once again playing the Roman citizen card. He appeals to Caesar and Festus proclaims, “To Caesar you shall go.” Unfortunately, Caesar at that time was Nero, not the kind of guy you want to trust with your life.

On to Chapter 26. Paul is still in Caesarea. King Agrippa enters the picture. Festus presents Paul to him and Paul makes his defense once again. Festus states that Paul is crazy (26:24). I assume he thinks Paul’s conversion experience was some kind of hallucination. And surely anyone who believes that a dead man rose from the grave alive must be off his rocker.

After relating his vision that occurred on the road to Damascus for the third time, Paul tells Agrippa that he is only obeying what he was told to do by Jesus in that vision (vs. 19). He summarizes his message in vs. 20. After hearing and believing the message of Jesus, men should repent, turn to God and do works befitting of repentance. We saw last week that repentance is a precondition of faith. Jesus is a Savior for sinners, and sinners who are unwilling to admit their unfaithfulness and seek for forgiveness will never come to faith. Jesus is not simply a philosopher who brings to the earth new and wonderful ideas. He is a Savior of sinners. If you cannot admit you are a miserable sinner whose transgressions have separated you from God, there is no hope for you because you will never repent, and thus never come to faith.

Paul appeals to King Agrippa, a Jew. Paul knows that Agrippa is familiar with the Old Testament prophets. He asks the king to think about what the prophets have said, appealing (no doubt) to how the prophets point to Jesus. Agrippa is impacted by Paul’s message about Jesus. He makes the following reply to Paul: “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). His comment inspired a hymn in our hymnal which we will sing as our invitation hymn in a few moments, “Almost Persuaded.” To be “almost persuaded” is not enough. Those who are almost persuaded but hold back from full faith in Jesus remain outside the Kingdom of God.

Some think Agrippa spoke sarcastically. One of the problems with written language verses spoken language is that you cannot detect tone of voice with written language, and tone of voice often impacts meaning. Agrippa could have said, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” with a sneer, or he could have spoken the words in a matter of fact manner… We leave that to the scholars. Either way Paul had an impact on the king.

We are not told what held Agrippa back from believing in Jesus. We can assume that his position of privilege prohibited him from surrendering his heart to Jesus. He was the 8^th and last king from the Herodian dynasty. Although a Jew he owed his position and power to Rome. He was not about to risk his position of privilege by becoming a Christian. Paul’s preaching was persuasive, but King Agrippa refused to move beyond “almost” and remained a non-Christian.

I can only wonder how many people there are in the world today who have heard the Gospel, and have the feeling that they should respond to Jesus with faith, but something holds them back.

Some give lip service to Jesus, almost believing, but holding back because they have fallen in love with some aspect of this world. It could be money, it could be a sinful lifestyle, it could be power or prestige, it could be fun and pleasure – – – there are many allurements in this life that hold people back from true faith. No doubt there are many like King Agrippa who will say, “I am almost persuaded” but I cannot make a full commitment to Jesus because He might change my life in ways I do not want to change.

The Apostle John put it like this:  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15) If there is anything in this world you love so much that it keeps you from trusting in Jesus as your lord and Savior, you must set it aside. Jesus will not tolerate a secondary or tertiary position in your life. If He is who He claimed to be and if you believe He is who He claimed to be He must have first place in your heart.

I hope none of us are in the position of wanting to believe but are holding back because we love other things more than we love Jesus. I hope none of us are “almost persuaded” but something is holding us back from full faith. Almost persuaded was not enough for Herod Agrippa, and it is not enough for us.

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ACTS # 19: RETURN TO EPHESUS
Warsaw Christian Church (2/17/19) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Acts 20
We are in Chapter 20 of the Book of Acts. I want first to examine some events that took place in Troas. Notice in 20:7 that when the disciples came together on the first day of the week, they broke bread. The first day of the week was Sunday. One of the reasons for coming together on Sunday was to break bread together. This is a clear reference to the Lord’s Supper. Jesus had commanded the observance of the Lord’s Supper. The disciples were to take the bread and cup in remembrance of Him. They recalled that they were to take part in this act of remembrance until Jesus returned. And so they came together every Sunday to break the bread and drink the cup, remembering the cost that was paid for their salvation.
The founders of the Christian Church saw this verse as a reason to celebrate the Lord’s Supper weekly. We are one of only a few church groups observing weekly communion. Our founders wanted to get away from church tradition undergirded by man-made creeds. They were determined to base the teachings of the church on the Bible alone. While there were times when I think our founders failed to correctly understand the Bible, I believe they were correct concerning the Lord’s Supper. If the early Christians practiced weekly communion, they wanted to follow their example. Christian churches all over the world are known by the practice of weekly communion.
There is no direct command in Scripture to celebrate communion every Sunday. Churches are certainly free to determine their own practice. However, this example from Acts 20:7 has determined the practice for our churches from the earliest days until today. I for one want this weekly reminder that my salvation has been secured for me by Jesus. I want to remember His suffering at Calvary for me. I want to remember the tremendous price that was paid to redeem me. I want to remember how much God loves me. The weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper helps keep me grounded in the Gospel of Jesus.
Next I want to focus for a few moments on what happened at Troas when Paul preached until midnight. If my sermons put you to sleep you are being biblical! Paul preached until midnight. A young man named Eutychus is listening to Paul from a third story window. While Paul is preaching the young man falls asleep and falls to the ground. Luke says, “he was taken up dead” (vs. 9). Scholars disagree on whether he was really dead or just seemed to be. In any event he was either dead or badly injured. Paul stretched out on top of the young man reminiscent of Elijah resurrecting the son of a widow in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24). The young man Paul put to sleep with his long sermon arises restored to health. Personally, I think the young man was dead, but in any event a miracle of healing occurred.
Now, if you should fall asleep during my sermon and collapse and strike your head on a pew and die from your injury, I do not have the gift of healing and will be unable to resurrect you. So, you had best stay awake!
Jesus did give healing powers to His Apostles. Both Peter and Paul performed miracles equal to those performed by Jesus. We have seen examples of that throughout the Book of Acts. Are there those who can perform miracles of healing today? Again, as with other issues we have discussed, the church is divided on this question. Some say that miraculous healing gifts operate in the church today. Others say that healing miracles were used by God to establish the ministry of Jesus and later on to establish the church, but such miracles do not occur today. Whatever your position on that question you are welcome in this church.
I tend to believe that miracles served their purpose in the first century, but I have never seen a person today who could do what Jesus, Peter and Paul did. Allow me to clarify. I do believe in miracles. We do pray for the sick and sometimes miraculous recoveries take place. I just do not believe that individuals have a special gift of healing that allows them to lay their hands on the sick and they are instantly healed, or raised from the dead. I am willing to change my opinion when I see someone who has such power.
I want to spend the rest of our time looking at some key passages in Paul’s address to the Ephesian elders. He summarizes his preaching in verse 21. . He mentions two parts to his message: repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Wait, I thought salvation had but one requirement: faith in Jesus. Why does he now introduce a second condition, namely repentance?
Perhaps you remember me talking about preconditions that must be in place before faith can blossom. I have said, for example, that humility is a precondition that allows faith to be born. Repentance is another precondition for faith. A precondition is defined as something which must take place before something else can happen. We must have faith to be saved. Humility is a precondition. You will never exercise true faith without humility. Persons who are full of pride and arrogance will see to need for a Savior. I said in Bible study that humility is the soil in which the seed of faith can grow. The same is true of repentance. Jesus Christ is a Savior of sinners. If we will not admit that we have sinned against God and thus have merited a front row seat in hell, we will never come to faith.
Repentance is simply saying to God, “I am sorry. I have sinned against You. I need your forgiveness. I need your love.” And God has declared to the world that forgiveness is available through His Son Jesus. Those who trust in Him will have all their sins pardoned. They will be promised a place in Paradise. Repentance, like humility, is the soil in which faith can grow. It is not an additional requirement added to faith that we must fulfill.
What the Scriptures tell us that the one condition required for salvation is faith alone – – – faith in Jesus Christ. But what if I hear that message and I am full of pride? I don’t think I need a Savior. Only the humble will be willing to admit their needs and trust in Jesus. Humility is thus a precondition to faith. Or when I hear the name of Jesus proclaimed and I have the foolish notion that I am good enough to be saved on my own merits and therefore I have no need of a Savior, I will see no reason for repentance. Repentance, like humility, is a precondition of faith.
Only those who see their need for God and who approach Him with humility and repentance will see faith born in their hearts. Is repentance a requirement for salvation? No, it is a precondition for faith to be born. I hope that is clear but I must move on.
Paul declares in 20:16-17 that he has proclaimed the full counsel of God. He has not withheld anything of importance in proclaiming the Gospel. Therefore if there are those who will not believe his message and are damned, it is their own fault. He declares his innocence of the blood of those who die without faith.
There is here an important application for us. We also have the full teachings of Paul. In the books of Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians etc. we possess the full counsel of God. If you own a Bible you possess the same data Paul preached in Ephesus. We have both the capability and responsibility to embrace the message of Jesus found in the four Gospels and in Paul’s epistles. We are in possession of free will, the ability to weigh information and make decisions. We will be saved or lost depending on what we do about Jesus. If we are lost we can blame no one but ourselves.
Paul issues another warning in 20:29-31. False teachers will arise in the church. Even from the inside there will be those who teach error. Those who embrace error will be lead away from simple faith in Jesus. There were false teachers within the church in Paul’s day and there are false teachers in the church today. Paul says this very clearly and he is an inspired Apostle. Churches should never give unconditional loyalty to any pastor or leader. You need to make sure that whether it is myself or someone else, what we are preaching and teaching is salvation through Jesus Christ alone and other biblical truths.
Some of you were here a few years ago when a “street preacher” visited our church. To make a long story short, he offered to come in to our church, correct my anemic preaching and get this church moving in the right direction. Our leadership was wise enough to know that you don’t allow a strange, one time visitor to take over our pulpit.
A more subtle situation was the relationship between this church and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Under the leadership of Bob Minshall this church examined what was happening in the wider church – – – the General Assembly, our colleges and seminaries – – – and voted to leave the denomination and function as an independent Christian Church. I certainly commend Bob and the elders and board of this church for their careful examination of the situation and then voting to cut ties with the denomination. Whenever faith in Jesus is compromised it is time to take action.
If I should ever have a mental breakdown and start preaching that there are many paths to God and we don’t really need to follow biblical teachings, I have high confidence in our leadership that they would smell false doctrine and send me packing, as well they should.
I have covered several topics this morning from Acts Chapter 20. Next week we will sweep through chapters 21-25. Guess what we shall find? Paul is once again in trouble; more beatings, more jail time.

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ACTS # DEMETRIUS THE SILVERSMITH

Warsaw Christian Church, (2/3/19)   Richard Bowman, Pastor

Based on Acts 19:23-41

(In this first person narrative sermon I have tried to follow the biblical text closely.  However, I have allowed my imagination to interject some thoughts and opinions of Demetrius which are not actually in the biblical record. I have also added some historical background about Ephesus. RB)

I lived in the magnificent city of Ephesus in the first century AD. Ephesus was in a beautiful location, where the Cayster and Meander Rivers enter the Aegean Sea. My city was the commercial, political and religious center of western Asia. She was a great city.  It is difficult to believe that little remains except for a few ruins. When I lived there the city was teeming with life. It gave you the feeling that such a marvelous city would endure forever. But then I guess the things built by men never last forever.

Demetrius is my name. I was a silversmith in Ephesus – – – a very rich one I might add. Let me explain how I became wealthy.  Ephesus was the main city promoting the worship of Diana, goddess of fertility. “Come and worship Diana and you will conceive in no time,” we used to say. People would come from all over to pray at her temple; and what a temple it was — an enormous structure with a roof supported by 127 ionic columns 6 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. It was considered the most magnificent building ever constructed in the Greek world, surpassing even the Parthenon. It was acclaimed as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. What a shame that none of you will ever be able to see that glorious temple.

It seemed that there were always plenty of people who needed Diana’s help. The tourist traffic was steady all year round. Childless couples from everywhere would flock to Ephesus to pray at the temple of Diana. Well, I figured everyone would want a souvenir, and so I made little silver statues of Diana, something the people could take home to remind them of their faith in Diana. I sold thousands of them and became a wealthy man. Religion was very profitable for me.

Just between you and me, I thought the worship of Diana was nonsense, but there are always suckers around who will believe in anything. The city fathers even spread the rumor that the image of Diana in the temple had fallen from heaven, a sign that Diana was a real goddess, a vindication of her reality. Yes, a large stone did fall from the sky, but I don’t think it was Diana.  It was nothing but a promotional gimmick, but the suckers loved it. The more lies you tell the better some people seem to like it. I concluded that people were basically stupid and gullible. Me? I didn’t believe all the hocus pocus about Diana. I believed in money, lots of money, and all the things money can buy. That was my religion. And my religion blessed me, and gave me great satisfaction, at least for a while.

If I can profit from other people’s credulity, why not do it? If fools and silly women want to believe in the magical powers of a stone goddess, or a silver replica of Diana, why should I not profit? I hurt no one, and I gave people what they wanted.  I was like a priest, encouraging people to believe in Diana. They wanted to believe, and so I helped them. Occasionally a young lady would stop by to say, “Oh, Demetrius; that silver statue of Diana has worked a miracle! I shall name the baby after you.” And I would say, “Praise be to Diana, the great goddess of the Ephesians” and then laugh as soon as she was out of earshot. I figured that such stories were good for business; and whenever a customer complained and wanted their money back, I would say “It worked for Mrs. Smith. Perhaps your faith is weak. You must pray harder. Diana will never fail those who keep their faith strong.”  I couldn’t lose. If the childless couple conceived, business increased.  If they didn’t, I would blame it on their weak faith. Sometimes I would suggest they buy the king sized silver image of Diana, hinting that this might increase their faith. People are so naive I sometimes felt guilty about my persuasive powers. But, on the other hand, there is a lot of money to be made in religion and I made sure I got my share.  You don’t blame me, do you? You probably would have done the same thing.

So, I would set up my tent outside the temple of Diana, and as the suckers were leaving I would cry out, “Come and see these beautiful replicas of Diana made of the finest silver. These statues are known to have magical powers; miracles have happened in the lives of those who own them; and today only we have a special price. Take the power of Diana right into your own home.” The fools would push and shove at each other to buy one, and I, Demetrius the silversmith, became a very rich man. I never really believed Diana could help produce a baby, but she sure helped me produce money.  I used to joke with my friends and say, “Maybe Diana is not a fertility goddess after all. Perhaps she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity.” She was a gold mine for me, or should I say “a silver mine.” I could sell my little silver statues for five times what they cost me.

Everything was fine until one day a wandering preacher came to Ephesus.  He didn’t look like much, this short little bald headed man, but people began to listen to him. Paul was his name and he was promoting some new religion; something about a man named Jesus who was the Son of God, and who supposedly rose from the dead.  What a ridiculous idea. I figured he had his own money making scheme and he was trying to horn in on my territory. For two years this Paul preached in Ephesus, telling people to enter the Kingdom of God by trusting in Jesus. I thought the day would come when he would want to sell statues of Jesus, but that never happened.  As Jesus gained in popularity, Diana’s popularity dwindled; and even worse, my sales began to fall drastically.

Now I believe in live and let live. If Paul wanted to believe in Jesus, fine; and if he wanted to preach about Jesus, fine. But he was not content with that. He told the people that Diana was a phony; that man-made gods are not gods at all; that there is only one true God, and Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has made Him known. He said my little silver goddesses were useless. Useless? Why, those idols gave hope to thousands of people.  I was giving people hope, and Paul was getting in the way.

When preachers start to meddle with your pocketbook, you can’t just sit still. Religion is fine in its place, but you can’t let it interfere with business. Business comes first. Religion should be a private affair, confined to the houses of worship.  Keep it out of the market place. If religion begins to cut into your profit, something must be done.

At first I thought I could simply switch over to making silver statues of Jesus. Diana? Jesus? What’s the difference?  I tried to sell a few silver statues of Jesus. I just changed my sales pitch a little. “Great is Jesus, the Son of God,” I would cry. “Buy a Jesus statue and it will protect you from sickness. It is a sure ticket into heaven.”  But I quickly learned that the Christians wouldn’t buy them. They simply did not believe in idols or magic charms. What was I to do? My whole life was going down the drain. Finally, I took drastic action; I gathered a crowd together and I made a little speech. I called together the other craftsmen whose business was hurt by Paul’s message. I said, “Fellows, we have been making lots of money because of Diana. This Paul is leading people astray, telling people that Jesus is superior to Diana. Many fools believe what Paul says, and his new false religion is spreading rapidly. He dares to say that our idols are not gods at all! We are in danger of being driven out of business. And, worse yet, Diana’s temple if being discredited. Diana herself is being blasphemed!  The world is being deprived of her divine majesty.” Well, again I must confess that I didn’t believe my own speech, but I was a good orator, a very persuasive man. I pushed the right buttons.

Everyone got excited and wanted to defend the honor of Diana, and they screamed “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Over and over again the crowd cried, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Soon the whole city was in an uproar. I had to chuckle to myself. After a while, people started shouting different things. Just for fun, I approached a man who was screaming at the top of his lungs, and I said to him, “What is this all about,” and he said, “I have no idea,” and continued shouting.

They grabbed Paul’s companions and took them to the large amphitheater.  I was hoping the mob would imprison or even kill Paul and his cohorts. When the word came out that these trouble makers were Jews, pandemonium broke out. Most of those in the crowd were Gentiles.  The Jews were perpetual trouble makers in the Roman Empire, and the crowd went wild when it was known that Paul and his companions were Jews. For a solid two hours the crowd shouted over and over, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” We were not going to let these Jews bring some foreign God into our city and undermine our love for Diana. She was our goddess and she did not need any competition from the Jews.

It looked like my little plot was going to work. I was sure the angry mob would dispense with Paul and his cohorts. But then one of the city fathers stepped in, the city clerk, and quieted the crowd. I could not believe the speech he made.  He ruined everything for me. He asked the crowd to be reasonable, but I wanted them to be out of control. He reminded the crowd that we had courts, but I was hoping lawlessness would win the day. He then dared to say that Paul and his companions had not broken any law. He pointed his finger at me and said, “If Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and they can press charges.” Don’t you just hate it when someone upsets your plans and introduces the voice of calm and reason at a time when you are trying to stir things up?  The city clerk’s words calmed the crowd, and everyone dispersed.

Shortly after this episode, Paul did leave Ephesus. That was the good news.  The bad news was that he left behind a large number of believers in Jesus. I have to tell you, I hated the name of Jesus. That Jewish Messiah totally destroyed my business.  I closed my mind to Paul’s message. How could I even consider following a religion which robbed me of my livelihood? Would you follow Jesus if it cost you something? It was too late for me. The damage was done and it was irreparable. Paul’s preaching ruined my business. Even after he left Ephesus the Christians continued to grow in strength and numbers and the demand for my silver statues dwindled to almost nothing. Paul ruined me, ruined my business, and ruined my life.

I was so angry over my loss of business that I never really listened to the message of Jesus. All I could see was money, profit, wealth, income.   Money blinded me to the real treasure, Jesus Christ. By the time I realized who Jesus was, it was too late for me. The great apostle Paul was in my town for two years giving away the greatest of all treasures — salvation through Jesus Christ — and I refused to listen because Jesus was not good for business. If only I had listened. When the hour of my death came, money meant nothing; Diana was useless, and I had refused to listen to Paul as He proclaimed Jesus. I thought people were fools who believed in Diana.  I was the greater fool for not believing in Jesus. I had the opportunity. I have no one to blame but myself. If only I had listened. Listen to the advice of a rich man from ancient Ephesus. Money isn’t everything. In fact, it amounts to very little in this life, and when the time comes to die, it means nothing. Don’t let your desire for money blind you to the message of Jesus. That is the advice of Demetrius the silversmith… or should I say, Demetrius the fool.

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ACTS # 17, PAUL IN EPHESUS

Warsaw Christian Church (1/27/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Acts 19

You may have noticed I skipped over chapter 18. In that Chapter Paul is at Corinth, and from there to Antioch. The essence of Chapter 18 is found in 18:28: “…he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.” We notice also more opposition to Paul’s message (18:17), mostly coming from the Jews.  Paul ministers in Corinth for a year and a half winning many to faith in Jesus and establishing a church there (18:7). More could be said about chapter 18 but I want to focus this morning on Chapter 19 with Paul in the city of Ephesus.

Chapter 19 begins with an interesting (and puzzling for some) episode. I am hoping you are not aware of some of the problems raised by biblical scholars about this passage. I am going to try and simplify the passage without going into the scholarly debates, focusing on what I think is fairly clear in 19:1-7.  Paul encounters 12 “disciples.” We sometimes use the word “disciple” as a synonym for a Christian, but that is not always the case. You could be a disciple of many different teachers. You could be a disciple of Aristotle, or Plato, or some other ancient teacher. You can also be a disciple of Jesus. These 12 men are clearly not yet disciples of Jesus. They are not fully Christians. They are ready to become Christians but they haven’t yet heard the full story.

They are disciples of John the Baptist. Perhaps they had been in Jerusalem and heard John preach.  John preached the coming of the Messiah, but these men apparently returned to Ephesus before encountering the message of Jesus. Paul asks them what seems like an odd question. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Luke does not tell us why Paul asked that question. We can only surmise that Paul sensed that something was lacking in these 12 men. They apparently were not reflecting the grace and power of the Holy Spirit in their words and actions.

They reply that they have never heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul asks them how they were baptized, and they reply that they had received John’s baptism. Paul explains that John’s ministry was pointing to the coming of Jesus, that they should believe in Him. They are then baptized again into the name of Jesus. Paul lays his hands upon them and the Holy Spirit falls upon them, signified by speaking in tongues and prophesying.

What are we to make of this rather strange episode? First, there is a clear message on salvation. Salvation necessitates full sincere belief in Jesus and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Note Paul’s question. A possible translation of the Greek is: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit, having believed,” or “…when you believed?” These 12 men were disciples of John, Jewish proselytes, who were still looking for the coming Messiah (Acts 19:2-4). They evidently were not yet Christian believers. They had not been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their faith was incomplete. They believed what John had preached, that the Messiah was coming, but they did not know He had already come in the person of Jesus Christ. They must have left Jerusalem before Jesus was revealed by John. They had repented of sin as preached by John, but they had not yet received the saving presence of the Lord Jesus in their hearts and lives.

Paul does not scorn their incomplete faith. He does not rebuke them for not grasping the full message of John. He approached them in a positive manner. He pointed out that they had done well by repenting of sin, for John did proclaim the baptism of repentance. But John did something else: he proclaimed to the people that…  that they should believe on Him, which should come after him [John], that is on Christ Jesus.”

A person can repent and be baptized and still not have received Christ into his life and heart. That can still happen today. There are people who receive baptism but who have not received Christ. One can confess Christ and still not have the Holy Spirit. One can be baptized in water and not receive the Holy Spirit. When Paul looked at these men who were disciples of John the Baptist, he saw they were lacking something. The lack was visible, and he suspected what it was. They were not bearing the presence and fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  

Genuine faith in Christ always brings the Holy Spirit. “After you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephes. 1:13). If the Holy Spirit is absent, true faith is absent. We hear the message of salvation, we believe it – – – really believe it, and are then sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Our text tells us that faith can be sincere, but incomplete. These 12 were sincere in their faith as far as it went, but it did not go far enough. . Note carefully the text: these men believed in the coming Messiah preached by John, and they had even repented and turned from their sin to God. But they still lacked the presence of Christ, that is, the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. How many are in our churches today who have confessed Christ and even been baptized but still have never accepted the truth of God’s Son. There are those who call themselves Christians but lack the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Salvation necessitates full belief, believing the truth that Jesus is the Son of God in the fullest sense; believing without doubt that He is the Savior. Such faith brings the Holy Spirit and the new birth.

What would you say – – – what would I say in answer to Paul’s question? Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?  We have seen in the Book of Acts that the Holy Spirit may come before baptism (Cornelius) or after baptism (the 12 Ephesians disciples). Here is the point. Regardless of when He is received, His presence or lack thereof determines who is genuine and who is not. The critical question to ask is this: how can I know I have received the Holy Spirit.

Well, I confessed my faith in Jesus and according to Acts 2:38 I have received the Holy Spirit. True, assuming the faith confessed is genuine. A few weeks ago we saw that Simon the magician confessed his faith and was baptized, but it was done hypocritically. He was not a redeemed soul. Here is the bottom line. When the Holy Spirit has truly been received and is alive and active in our souls, our lives change radically. What is the evidence in your life and my life that we have in fact been born of the Spirit?  

Let’s turn to another Scripture from the lips of Jesus. John 7:37-39: On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive…

As a true spring is ever supplied with water from the great deep, with which it has communication, so shall the soul of the genuine believer be supplied with light, life, love, and liberty, and all the other graces of the indwelling Spirit from the indwelling Christ. We can summarize these changes wrought by the Holy Spirit under three headings.

1. Cleanse: Just as fresh, pure water cleanses the body, the Holy Spirit gives us a sense of internal cleanness. The burden of sin which we carry is forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ, and we have a sense of being spiritually clean; clean on the inside. John expressed it in these words: But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). As we live life with faith in Jesus we experience the living water of the Holy Spirit cleansing us inwardly from sin, removing from our souls the spiritual dirt and filth created by sin. When we know we have been washed, cleansed by the rivers of living water, we know that we have received the Holy Spirit.  Only He can give us this sense of being washed, cleaned, on the inside.

1. Renew: The Greek word “renew” or “renewal” means “to make new” (Vine’s Dictionary). Paul expressed it like this: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).  It is the Holy Spirit who recreates us, who make us new. The old way of life passes away. A new way of life springs forth centering on the will of God. Paul expressed it this way in Titus 3:5: “…not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…” I believe this “washing” is not a reference to water, but to the rivers of living waters which flow to and from the inner man at the moment of salvation. It is the water spoken of in John 7, that living water which makes us into persons different than we were before. Faith in Jesus changes us. If you have not experienced a significant change in your way of life….your interests, your words, your behavior…. it is time to reexamine your relationship to God. The Holy Spirit always renews those who trust in Jesus.

1. Empower: The third word is empower. At the dawn of the new age inaugurated by Jesus, he said this to His disciples: But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit empowers us, but what does that mean? In our text it means He empowers us to be faithful witnesses to Jesus.

We know, as believers in Jesus, that we possess a treasure beyond any earthly treasure. We want others to possess this treasure, this pearl of great price (see Matt. 13:44-46). Through our personal life style, our witness to others, our giving, our prayers, we seek to draw others into God’s Kingdom. As we live and walk in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, He gives us the wisdom, the words, the courage to share our faith with others. The primary reason we are empowered by the Holy Spirit is to be witnesses unto Jesus. That is what Jesus says. What does your life say? What does my life say?

We began with Paul’s encounter with 12 men in Ephesus who were partial Christians. They believed the message of John the Baptist, but they had not yet encountered the One of whom John spoke. Paul set them on the right path. They learned that when you place your trust in Jesus at least three things change: the inner man is cleansed (our sins are washed away), renewed (we are changed radically by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit) and empowered (receiving grace to bear witness to others concerning the way of salvation). Cleansed, renewed, empowered – – – Is this your experience?

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ACTS # 15: PAUL IN ATHENS

Warsaw Christian Church (1/20/19) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor

Text: Acts Chapter 17

Paul continues on hi second missionary journey. My focus this morning will be on his ministry in Athens, but before we head to that great ancient city I want to summarize the earlier part of chapter 17.

In 17:1 we find Paul in the city of Thessalonica. We learn the nature of his ministry. He goes to the synagogue for three Sabbaths and reasons from the Scriptures. Those who follow Paul’s example today will do likewise.  We will reason with others, using the Bible as our textbook. The only Bible Paul possesses is what we call the Old Testament. Paul has one goal in mind. He explains that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from death, proving that He is indeed the Messiah (17:3).

Paul is following the example of Jesus.  On the road to Emmaus following His resurrection Jesus revealed to two disciples many of the references to His life, death and resurrection found in the Old Testament. Indeed, one of the main purposes of the Old Testament was to reveal things about the coming Messiah. Jesus fulfilled those prophecies with great exactitude leading to but one conclusion. Jesus was and is the Messiah, the redeemer of Israel and the world.

Many believed Paul’s message, but not everyone. Some protested that Paul was proclaiming another king in competition with Caesar (17:7). Paul and his companions were also accused of turning the world upside down (17:6). That’s what Jesus does. He turns individuals upside down. He turns families upside down. He turns villages and cities upside down. He turned the entire world upside down!

Basically Paul and his entourage were told they were not really welcome in Thessalonica and they moved on to Berea. Again, Paul goes to the synagogue and preaches Jesus. We are told that the Bereans were more fair minded than the Thessalonians. They listened to Paul, then they searched the Scriptures (Old Testament) to see if what Paul was saying was true (17:11). Many Bereans came to faith, but the trouble makers from Thessalonica  showed up and stirred up the crowd (17:13). So, Paul moves on to Athens.

Athens was certainly one of the great intellectual cities of the ancient world.  It was filled with great memories of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, of Sophocles and Euripedes, of Pericles, and of Demosthenes. In its Agora, Socrates had walked with his pupils; here was the Academy of Plato, the Lyceum of Aristotle, the Porch of Zeno, the Garden of Epicurus. The Parthenon, the most beautiful of temples, crowned the Acropolis. Standing on its glorious height, the writer saw pages and pages of the ancient history of Greece and Athens spread out as on a map. The view is unforgettable.  How will the Gospel of Jesus fare in this great city with its long history of great thinkers and philosophers?

Paul is frustrated when he saw all the idols present in Athens.  One ancient writer by name of Petronius satirically remarked that in Athens it was easier to find a god than a man. Paul again goes to the synagogue to proclaim the name of Jesus (17:16).  He encounters certain schools of philosophy active in Athens, namely the Epicureans and the Stoics. To understand what Paul was up against we need a brief lesson in Philosophy. The Epicureans were atheists; they thought that the world was formed by accident and was not created. You could say they were the early proponents of the big bang.  While they tolerated a certain belief in the gods they treated them as phantoms that were without influence upon the world and upon life. Basically the gods were a myth. At death body and soul dissolved and dissipated in the elements thus ending forever the existence of man. You live; you die, followed by eternal bye-bye. Epicureans had no interest in morals or spirituality; their highest aim was gratification.  Pleasure was the essence of this philosophy. Whatever produces pleasure is good. If you find pleasure in sin and crime, that is good. If you find pleasure in art and literature, that is good. Whatever brings you pleasure is good. This was a doctrine which could not produce anything but selfishness and sensuality when men took it seriously. This was a philosophy diametrically opposed to Christianity.

The Stoics believed God was merely the Spirit of Reason of the universe.  The soul was physical and at death it was burnt or absorbed into God, similar to what is believed in Hinduism. The Stoic moral code called for an grim apathy. Pleasure was not a good thing, nor was pain evil; reason was king and decided what was good and what was evil. He who followed reason was perfect and sufficient in himself. When reason saw no more meaning in life, the Stoics advocated suicide as the most reasonable thing to do. Its first two leaders died by their own hand, and the Romans who felt attracted to this sterner philosophy often followed their example. Stoicism was the philosophy of human pride. Seneca, Epictetus, and the Emperor Marcus Aurelius espoused Stoicism. Again, this was a philosophy totally at odds with Paul’s Christianity.

When Paul encounters these men of ancient wisdom they refer to him as a “babbler”.  Others were dismayed because Paul preached the resurrection of Jesus (17:18). As is still the case, however, these wise men loved to debate. They wanted to hear more of Paul’s strange doctrine.(17:19). They loved to debate and they especially loved to hear new ideas (17:21). They want to hear more about this strange idea of Jesus being the Son of God who was resurrected from the grave.

Paul speaks and tries to relate his message to something familiar to these Athenian philosophers. He commends them for being “religious” (17:22). He makes mention of the many statues and altars devoted to various gods he observed when entering the city. He mentions one altar in particular with the inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD (17:23). It’s as if the Athenians worshipped many gods, but in case they overlooked one they had this altar dedicated to the unknown god. Paul begins from that point and declares “the one you worship without knowing, I proclaim to you” (17:23). He declares there is a God who created the world, a God who wants humanity to seek Him (17:27).  This God is not far from any of us because in Him we live and move and have our being (17:28). This unknown God is not represented by gold or silver idols, things made of stone. The true and living God does not dwell in buildings made by man (17:24). This God has made Himself known in Jesus Christ and in His resurrection. This God will judge the world, and He commands all men to repent and trust Jesus.

How was Paul’s message received by these enlightened Athenians who loved to discuss ideas? As was usually the case, some mocked Paul. Who can believe in a God who has a Son who was crucified and rose from the dead (17:32)? Still others wanted to hear more, and a few believed Paul and repented and embraced Jesus. The unknown God became known to a few.

Let’s attempt to make some practical application from this text. First, we notice that the main emphasis in Paul’s preaching was Jesus Christ, crucified and resurrected. That was the case in Thessalonica, Berea, and in Athens. Paul declared this principle later in his visit to Corinth when he said, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).  Yes, there are other matters to preach about in presenting a full biblical worldview, but foremost people need to hear that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who bore our sins at Calvary, was resurrected from death, ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father.

I hope when I am dead and gone the churches I served will remember that my sermons were focused on Jesus Christ, crucified and resurrected. If that is not the case then I am a failure in my role as a minister of Jesus Christ.  Luther referred to the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ Jesus the article by which the church stands or falls. If we get Jesus correctly we are on target. If we fail to understand the centrality of Jesus we fall.

We also lern from Paul’s visit to Athens that when you proclaim the name of Jesus there are three kinds of responses. Some rejected Jesus outright and mocked Paul for preaching such a strange doctrine. Others were undecided and wanted to hear more from Paul as they tried to make up their minds about this Jesus. Finally, a few believed Paul’s message.. Our text names a few of the new believers, indicating there were a few others who camew to faith who are not named.

Have you ever been mocked? I have probably mentioned before an event around 20 years ago where a dialogue was arranged involving Disciple Heritage Fellowship, that group which I co-founded in the middle 1980’s. We were the conservatives in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We were dialoguing/debating with those who were on the liberal side of the denomination. I presented a paper affirming that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world, using appropriate biblical passages. The liberal Disciple pastor who followed me began by accusing me of hating Jews, Moslems and Hindus because they don’t believe in Jesus and if Jesus is the only path that leads to God, I must hate those who do not believe in Him. He also accused me of hating homosexuals because I affirmed that biblical view that such behavior is sinful. I was stunned. Of course, I don’t hate anyone.  I just want everyone to know Jesus. Basically I was mocked for affirming a biblical view of who Jesus is.

We have to be prepared for the fact that we live in a world where the biblical Gospel is deemed repugnant to many people. But consider this. Suppose you tell 100 people about Jesus, and 99 reject your message, and reject you with mocking, accusing words. Only one repents and believes in Jesus. Is it worth it? Did I enjoy being called a preacher of hate? No, I did not. If I had the opportunity would I preach Jesus again in a crowd of liberals when I knew I they would reject the message and probably engage in some mocking language against me? You bet I would! My mission when I was seeking to persuade churches and denomination leaders to embrace Jesus is no different than my mission here. I want to lift up the name of Jesus and encourage any and all to trust in Him. Our task is not to worry about how people will respond to our message. Our job is to proclaim the name of Jesus, the Son of the living God, the only Savior of the world, the only hope for those who are lost in sin.

Paul was mocked by the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers in Athens. He was called a babbler. So what did he do? He left Athens and went on to Corinth. And what did he do in Corinth? He proclaimed the name of Jesus. And what are we supposed to do in Warsaw? We are to proclaim the name of Jesus. But what if proclaiming Jesus doesn’t work and our church declines? What is plan B? There is no plan B.

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ACTS # 14: TROUBLE IN PHILLIPI

Warsaw Christian Church (January 13, 2019) Richard Bowman, Pastor

In Acts 15 Paul begins on his second missionary journey, a journey which continues through Acts 18.  In Chapter 16 we find Paul in several cities. The Holy Spirit blocks him from going into Asia (16:6). To us this verse seems strange. We are told that Paul was forbidden to preach the Gospel in Asia (really Asia Minor or modern Turkey). We are not told why. Paul may not have known why he was forbidden, but he does not argue with God. Paul did preach the Gospel in Asia Minor (Turkey) later, so the command not to go there was temporary.

There is a lesson here for us. The Holy Spirit guides His people in ways we do not always understand. I will put it like this.  Those who walk in faith with a sincere desire to serve the Lord Jesus will be guided by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it may be an inner hunch, a niggling. At other times He guides us in ways we simply know not how. We just pray and ask for His guidance, and the Holy Spirit leads us in ways we may not understand.

I have told part of this story before but perhaps a personal illustration will shed some light on this issue. When I reached retirement ago (many years ago!) I felt well enough to continue serving as a pastor in a smaller church that could not afford a full time pastor. I was interviewed here and by a church in northern Missouri. I don’t know how it happened but both churches extended a call for me to come and serve as pastor, on the same Sunday.

Both churches had positive factors going for them. If I may speak frankly, the church in northern Missouri had some positive factors that this church did not have. The pay package was larger, and they had a very nice modern parsonage. And it was somewhat larger than this church in terms of membership. I remember vividly the other church had a handicapped young teenager who came up to me and said, “I hope you will be our preacher.”  That kind of tugs at your heart. And when I learned the vote count was twice as many negative votes here than at the other church (two negative votes here, one at the other church!) I was sure I should head north.

So why did we decide to come to Warsaw? Less money, no parsonage, and as I later learned, lots of wood ticks! My first impression was that we should accept the call to go to northern Missouri. From a strictly human perspective that made sense. As we prayed we decided that we should come to Warsaw. I really can’t tell you why. I can say now in hindsight that the right decision was made. Joan was blessed by this church and spent her last 9 years of life content. She felt inadequate as a pastor’s wife, but you made her feel welcome. I can’t really explain the how of it, but I believe the Holy Spirit led us here. I could say more about how this church has blessed me, but let this suffice.

I love the promise in Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. We cannot always explain how it works, but as we trust the Lord, He directs our paths. The hardest part for us is found in the words “lean not on your own understanding.” Setting aside our own thoughts about what we think we should do can be very difficult. Paul wanted to go into Asia Minor. If you were to ask Paul, “How did you know the Holy Spirit was directing you away from Asia Minor?” He might have said, “I don’t know how, but I just know He was leading us in a different direction.” Our job is to trust.  His job is to guide our steps. You do your job and He will do His.

As we continue with Paul’s second missionary journey he has a vision in which he sees a man saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (16:9). Paul obeys and heads to Philippi. A woman named Lydia is converted (16:14,15). Then Paul encounters a demon possessed girl who follows them around. She is a local fortune teller who makes money for the men who control her. She keeps crying out, “These men are servants of the most high God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation” (16:17). Well, what she says is true, so why is Paul annoyed to the point where he cast the evil spirit from her? Paul does not want a woman demon possessed to bear witness to his ministry. Many intelligent people in Philippi would know she was a phony fortune teller, and if she was praising Paul and his message, the intelligentsia would assume that, like the woman, Paul was a fake.

So, the demon spirit is cast out of her, much to the chagrin of those who profited from her predictions. Now she is useless as a prognosticator. Her controllers have lost their source of income. When you mess with people’s income be ready for a severe reaction. Paul and company are brought before the magistrate, and accused of teaching anti-Roman doctrines. They are beaten and thrown into prison (16:20-24).

At midnight we find Paul awake. He is moaning and groaning about how difficult it is to follow Jesus. He is ready to give up and return to his life as a Pharisee. While we would understand such a reaction that is not what happened. Paul is not moaning and groaning.  He is not complaining about how hard his life is. Actually, he is praying and singing hymns (16:25).

What a lesson for us. Yes, life can be hard. Life is often unfair. At times it seems that wicked people prosper and believing Christians are treated unfairly. Paul’s imprisonment is totally undeserved. Psalm 37 and Psalm 71 discuss this theme extensively. Yes, sometimes the wicked prosper. Yes, sometimes the unjust seem to live a blessed life. The Psalmist reminds us to look at the big picture. How will it end for the wicked? Their good life built on wickedness will come to an end, and they will face the justice of God and when that occurs their earthly prosperity and success will mean nothing. Doing what is right will always be rewarded in the end, and doing what is wrong will always reap bitter consequences.

So, when life throws you in jail unfairly, pray and sing hymns. That is what Paul did. And in Paul’s case he experienced an immediate result. The God who violated Roman prison laws when Peter was miraculously set free did it again. An earthquake occurs, the prison walls crumble, chains fell off the prisoners, as God engineered another jail break. It seems that God had no respect for unjust Roman law which collided with His Law. When the jailer realizes that the prisoners are free he decides to end his life. Paul stops him declaring that all the prisoners are present and accounted for. The jailer is petrified. He falls at the feet of Paul and cries out, “What must I do to be saved?” (16:30) He probably overheard Paul and Silas praying and singing and is impressed with their faith and the actions of their God.

Paul gives his familiar one line answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved…” (16:31). Let’s reflect a bit on that answer. First, notice what he does not say.

Ø He does not say, “Believe in Jesus and be baptized…

Ø He does not say, “Believe in Jesus and obey His commandments…

Ø He does not say, “Believe if you are one of the elect, predestined to salvation. If you are not one of the elect you cannot be saved.

The application is clear and simple. If you were to ask Paul that same question you would receive the same answer. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved…” Yes, it is true that many things flow out of true faith, but it is faith alone which saves us, bringing us into an eternal relationship with God.

What kind of man was this jailer prior to his conversion? Ancient jailers were probably not the friendliest of people.  I am sure he did not say, “Welcome to our jail. I am here to make your stay as comfortable as possible.” He pays no attention to the fact that Paul and Silas had been beaten and were bloody (16:23). He simply throws them into a cell and binds then in chains.  We might assume he feels no compassion for these prisoners.

But then things change. The jailer ministers to Paul and Silas, washing the wounds they had received from being beaten. He eagerly listened to Paul as Paul taught more about the Christian faith (vs. 32). He and others in his household were baptized with water (vs. 33). Were these behaviors necessary in order to be saved? No, faith alone is the one requirement for salvation. These subsequent behaviors were performed gladly and freely because faith brings the Holy Spirit who changes our hearts, giving us a new desire to live in obedience to our Lord.  

The jailer was changed from a hardened, uncaring task master into a compassionate believer in Jesus Christ. That is how we can tell when faith is genuine. Faith alone brings salvation, but we dare not forget that true faith changes us. It creates in us a desire to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We serve Him through our concern for others. We serve Him through involvement in the various ministries of His church. We serve Him by having forgiving hearts. We serve him by the godly use of our time, talent and treasure.

Can a person have true faith and live a self-centered life with little thought of rendering service to God? Only God knows our hearts, but I have to wonder about those who say, “Yes, I believe! Yes, I am a Christian!” and then show more interest in serving self than in serving God. Only God knows who truly belongs to Him verses those who profess faith hypocritically.

When Jesus described conversion as a new birth (John 3:3) his meaning is plain. When we are born the first time a radical change takes place. We leave the comfort and warmth of the womb where we are sustained entirely by the mother and enter into a world where we have to breath on our own, where there is pain and discomfort, where there is love and hate. The first birth brings about radical changes. Life in the womb is completely different than life in the world. Jesus certainly suggests a sweeping change takes place when we are born again.

We see that change in our text when a rough and tumble jailer is turned into a caring believer. We have to ask ourselves – – – where is the evidence in our behavior that we have truly been born again? Can we live a self-centered life where the basic focus of our lives is me, me, me and then claim to be true Christians? I leave it for you to answer that question for yourself even as I must answer it for myself.

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ACTS # 13: CONFLICT IN THE CHURCH

Warsaw Christian Church (January 6, 2019) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Acts Chapters 14 and 15

I am going to run briefly over chapter 14. It describes more of Paul’s first missionary journey. Paul and his entourage preach Jesus in the city of Iconium. Many believed, many did not. They are run out of town (again) when they learned of a plot to stone them. They flee to Lystra. Paul heals a crippled man and the locals decide that Paul and Barnabas are gods. Barnabas is called Zeus and Paul is called Hermes (Acts 14:12). Paul and Barnabas are shocked and make it clear that they are mere mortals. Even though they denied their deity the crowds still wanted to offer sacrifices to them (14:18).

Meanwhile, the Jews from Antioch and Iconium tracked down the apostles and declared them to be false teachers (14:19). Paul was stoned and dragged out of the city and left for dead. However, God is not done with Paul and He raises him up and Paul moves on to Derbe. These first missionaries move around to several more cities ending up in Antioch where they remained for a long time.

What we see once again in Chapter 14 is how difficult it was to be a Christian in the first century. We don’t know if Paul was actually dead but many commentaries believe he died, and God raised him up. If he had not actually died but was severely wounded, the fact that after prayer he got up and went his way suggests a miraculous healing.

My main focus this morning is on chapter 15. It is a very important chapter where we see the church struggling with the question, “What is really necessary for salvation to take place? “Let me attempt to summarize the chapter. All the important church leaders are called together to a council in Jerusalem. Some of the Pharisees have become Christians. They believe in Jesus.  They also believe that in order to be saved you must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses (15:5). Jesus is the Jewish Messiah so one must first adopt Judaism and then accept Christ to become a Christian.

Peter addresses the council. He reports how Gentiles are receiving the Holy Spirit simply by trusting in Jesus.  He reminds his fellow Jews that Israel had failed to keep the Law of Moses, so why should Gentiles be required to do what Israel had failed to do? He asserts that salvation comes to us freely by God’s grace. A letter is sent out declaring that the church leaders have spoken. Salvation is through grace alone, through Christ alone, through faith alone. While that specific language is not used in our text it is clear from the rest of Scripture that this was their intent.

Here are some other passages that reveal clearly how the early church viewed salvation, using the old King James Version. .

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31).

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephes. 2:8-9).

The New Testament is quite clear regarding how salvation is obtained. John 5:24 gives the divinely inspired summary. First, we must hear the word of the Gospel. We must hear the message that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Savior. Once we hear the message, if we believe it we receive a wonderful gift: everlasting life. When faith is born in the heart we pass from death to life.

The counsel in Jerusalem is clear. The Old Testament based on the Law of Moses has served its purpose. The Law of Moses really served two purposes. It demonstrated to Israel and to the world that we humans are unwilling and unable to obey the Law of God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). The Law, when taken seriously, leads us to despair. Suppose God said to the world, “All who can swim across the Atlantic Ocean will be saved.” At this stage in my life I might make about 20 yards, Michael Phelps would go much further, but no matter how good a swimmer you are no one can swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Of course, God doesn’t ask us to swim the Atlantic, but He asks us to do something equally impossible: to keep His commandments faithfully without fail throughout life. He does indeed promise salvation to all who keep His commandments.  I have met a few people who thought their obedience to God was so perfect that they earned a reserved seat in heaven. I have a word for such people —— hypocrites! We cannot swim the Atlantic and we do not obey the Law of God. So, the first purpose of the Law is to convince us that we are hopelessly lost. God expects our obedience and we fail miserably.

Once we realize that there is no hope for us in the Law of God as a means of salvation, we are ready for the Good News. Paul said the Law is our schoolmaster leading us to Christ (Gal. 3:24). In Acts 15:11 Peter, after making it clear that the Law cannot save us (15:10),  expressed it like this: “we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved…”  Grace is undeserved favor which we receive when we trust in Jesus. This basic message was sent to all the churches via a letter.  They did throw in a few other details to satisfy the Jews, but not as additional things required for salvation.

The basic question in Acts 15 is this: what role does ritual play in salvation? The Jewish Christians were adamant: unless you are circumcised you cannot be saved. Those advocating this position were highly educated, well regarded students of Scripture. If their viewpoint prevailed it would destroy the Christian Gospel. They argued that in order to be saved you needed faith in Christ, plus the ritual of circumcision.

The issue remains hotly debated today. The ritual under discussion has changed from circumcision to baptism. Some declare that in order to be saved you must have faith in Christ plus the ritual of baptism. Is the ritual of baptism necessary in order for salvation to be complete? Are we saved by faith in Jesus, plus baptism?

The answer should be clear to all who think seriously about the entire teaching of the New Testament. God has only one Son who loves Him supremely, only one Son who has proven His love by obeying God supremely, even to the point of suffering for all the sins of the world. And God loves His dear Son supremely. Could God add anything to the plan of salvation, anything that would divert man’s attention from His Son, especially in the very first moments of salvation?  Would God want a man’s mind to be upon anything other than His Son?  Does He want our attention focused upon some ritual instead of focusing his attention solely upon His dear Son? Is it possible that something else is needed to guarantee salvation other than Jesus Himself?  Is there really a ritual, an ordinance, that can reach out and save a man from death?

Does this mean we can dispense with baptism and our other ritual, the Lord’s Supper? Of course not. They have a proper place in the life of a Christian. The Jerusalem Conference was called because of what happened in Acts 10. Cornelius, a Gentile, heard the Gospel from the lips of Peter, believed it and entered the Kingdom of God. That is clear because the Holy Spirit came upon him. This happened without benefit of circumcision or baptism. Cornelius was redeemed by hearing and believing the Gospel. Once he trusted in Jesus his salvation was secure.

After his conversion he was baptized, and undoubtedly partook of the Lord’s Supper. Rituals have their place, but it is Jesus who saves us, not circumcision, not baptism, not the Lord’s Supper. The ritual of baptism portrays our desire to die to our old way of life and live a new life in Christ. The Lord’s Supper reminds us of how our salvation was secured. It has nothing to do with anything we do, and everything to do with what Christ did for us. His body was broken and His blood was shed for us.

There are many things Christians do following receiving the free gift of salvation by trusting in Christ alone. Why do I preach? What do Sunday School teachers teach? We are not trying to earn God’s favor, a favor we already possess. We are trying to pass on to others the salvation that we have received. We support missions in this church, local and worldwide. We pray for one another. We encourage one another. We sing hymns of praise. Do we have to do these things in order to be saved?  The answer is an emphatic NO! We do these things because they are a part of the new life we have received from God.

Are you saying that if I simply trust in Jesus I can avoid performing Christian rituals, I can avoid the church, that I am not required to serve Jesus? No, I am saying that if you trust in Jesus you will want to perform the rituals He commanded, you will want to serve Him through the Church He established. Faith brings a new birth, and that new birth brings a new way of life. We are saved by faith alone, plus nothing. But, as Luther said, “Faith is never alone.” True Christians do not say, “Well, what is the least I can do to guarantee my salvation.”  True Christians (or perhaps I should say mature Christians) say, “I am so grateful that Christ has secured for me the free gift of eternal life. I want to serve Him out of gratitude for what He has done for me.” The church struggled and debated about the issue of salvation in Acts 15. The conclusion? Salvation is a free gift given to all who trust in Christ Jesus. We know there are many areas of disagreement among churches and denominations. We have been discussing in Bible study the role of women in the church. Christians disagree over the issue. What about speaking in tongues. Some say yes, others say no. Are the body and blood of Jesus actually present in the bread and the cup? Some say yes, others say no. The list goes on.

Christian may never agree on some of these matters. We want to get one things straight in our minds. Jesus Christ is God’s Son, our Lord and Savior. If you get that right you are in the Kingdom of God even if you are not certain about some other doctrines. The Jerusalem Council settled the matter for all time for the church. What is required for salvation? Faith in Jesus, period.

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A SHEPHERD’S STORY

Warsaw Christian Church (Christmas Eve, 2018) Richard Bowman, Pastor

(A First Person Sermon)

The life of a shepherd is very routine.  Not much exciting happens unless you have to cope with a bear, lion or a wolf. They are always lurking nearby, waiting for an opportunity to grab a sheep. Most of our time was spent guarding the sheep.  We also had to watch out for human predators. Thieves were numerous and clever. The minute you dropped off to sleep a thief would sneak in and run off a sheep or two. Sheep need constant care because they are a defenseless animal. Once they were caught by a lion or bear, it was over. Sheep who wandered away from the flock did not live very long.  The owner of the sheep held us accountable for every lost sheep, so we were constantly vigilant. A good shepherd was able to keep the flock together and fight off all intruders. I was proud of the fact that in all my years as a shepherd I had not lost a single sheep.

We were always on the lookout for green grass and water to feed our flocks. Sometimes we walked far from home in search of sustenance for our flocks. Being a shepherd was no job for the weak or the lazy.  Because of all the walking we did we had to travel light. We had a rod and a staff, a bag for food and a sling. We also used dogs to help keep the sheep together. Fortunately sheep are gregarious, a communal animal. Every now and then an ornery sheep would wander away from the flock, and I would have to go and find the wanderer before he got into trouble.  

I think you can understand the stress we were under. You simply had no time to relax. Between watching for strays and keeping an eye out for wild animals or thieves, your nerves were constantly on edge. We also had to give attention to the newborns, to expectant ewes, and sick animals.  You just had to stay continually focused on the job at hand. Each flock had several shepherds. This allowed us to take turns watching the sheep and gave some time for rest.

Some looked down on the shepherd. They considered it a dirty job, not a job for the upper class of society. We Jewish shepherds always believed that we had a special place in the heart of God. Our great God Jehovah compared Himself to a shepherd in the 23^rd Psalm. It was our favorite. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” If God can compare Himself to a shepherd we felt that gave a lot of dignity to our profession.

If I were to give you a detailed description of my daily tasks, you would be bored very quickly. However, there was one very unusual night I want to share with you. It was a dark and quiet night. The wild animals seemed to have disappeared. The sheep were strangely quiet, as if they expected something to happen. Suddenly everything lit up and it was brighter than daylight. We shielded our eyes from the bright light. To tell the truth, we were terrified.  What could this mean? How could the dark night suddenly turn to day? I peeked through a crack in my hand and saw something I had never seen before. It was an angel of God. It crossed my mind to wonder what an angel of God was doing out in the fields in the midst of all the sheep.

The angel spoke. “Do not be afraid,” he said. “I have good news to share with all people. Today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born.  He is the Messiah, the Lord. You will find the child lying in a manger.” The Messiah has been born? And God is notifying us? While I wondered about what was taking place the scene changed. Suddenly it was no longer just a single angel.  The heavens were filled with angels, and they sang out, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Then, just as suddenly, it was over. The angels were gone. We shepherds gathered together. I for one wanted to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. As we talked together it was soon apparent that we had all seen and heard the same thing. The Messiah has come! God’s Savior is born! I cannot possibly explain the excitement we felt.  The greatest event in human history had taken place. God reached down to fallen humanity, offering to the world His peace and good will. And we lowly shepherds were a part of it.

Half our group hurried off to Bethlehem to see if we could catch a glimpse of this miracle baby. The other half had to stay with the sheep. As if guided by an unseen hand, we quickly found the stable where the Messiah had been born. We rushed in, and I gazed upon this babe. He looked like any other baby, and yet there was something about Him that sent shivers up and down my spine. It hit me. I am one of the first to gaze upon the Messiah. What a privilege! What a joy! I wanted to say something to His mother but I was speechless. I just stared in wonder at this gift from God.  

The next few weeks were busy for me. I told everyone I met that the Messiah was born. I told them about the angels who appeared in the sky. I told then everything. Everyone seemed astonished at the story I told. I think some were skeptical. Perhaps they thought that all those years with the sheep had made me a little daft. I knew that what I had seen and heard was the truth. Even though I met with a lot of skepticism, I kept telling the story. I believe God wants us to tell the truth whether or not anyone listens.

I went back to tending the flocks, but that night changed my life forever. Whenever I felt discouraged I just closed my eyes and remembered that night. I could close my eyes and see that angel once again.  I could hear that heavenly chorus singing again, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

For me, it was a night unlike any other night; an unforgettable night.  For you, 2000 years later, it meant that the Savior had come. God’s Messiah is a Savior. He is a Savior for all people. He will be your Savior if you place your trust in Him.  May you know that peace and goodwill which the Messiah brought into the world that night.

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ADVENT # 4: COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE

Warsaw Christian Church (12/23/18) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Isaiah 40:1-11

I recently read a story about a man who worked for the Post Office. I don’t know if it is a true story or not. According to the story this postal workers job was to process all the mail with illegible handwriting. One day, a letter came to his desk addressed in shaky handwriting to God. Not knowing how to forward it to God he thought he should open it to see what it was about. He opened it and read these words:

“Dear God, I am a 93-year-old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension check. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me? Sincerely, Edna

The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to his fellow workers. Each of them dug into their wallets and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which he put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all of the workers felt a warm glow for the kind thing they had done.

Christmas came and went. A few days later another letter came from the old lady addressed to God. All of the workers gathered around while the letter was opened. It read: “Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift. By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it must have been those thieves at the Post Office. Sincerely, Edna.”

Have you ever tried to do a good work and then get criticized? It happens. Edna jumped to a conclusion and criticized the very ones who helped her. At any rate their kindness brought comfort to Edna, which brings us to our text.

If any people ever needed a word of comfort it was Israel. Like Edna, they found themselves without hope. In 587 BC the city of Jerusalem, the temple and the Jewish armies had all been destroyed by the Babylonian Army under Nebuchadnezzar. Ten thousand of Israel’s best citizens were marched off to Babylon in what is now modern day Iraq. Many of those left behind were imprisoned.

In the course of time, the exiles to Babylon married, built homes, had children and settled into their new land. They might as well accept Babylon as their new home. The prophet Jeremiah told them they would be there for 70 years. So they did the best they could in their new surroundings. Still, they were away from home and from the temple–away from everything that gave them their sense of identity. These were years of longing and mourning for what had been.

To make it even worse, the prophets made it unmistakably clear to the people that the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon were not due to Babylonian strength. They were, instead, a well-deserved punishment from God for the unfaithfulness of the Hebrew people. It is in that context that Isaiah comes on the scene with this much welcomed message, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for . . .”

That was good news for the Jewish people who were feeling God-forsaken. Isaiah assures them that God has not forsaken them at all. God has forgiven their sins and has reclaimed them as His own people. What good news that was for them and what good news for all those who seek to be God’s people today.

This message of comfort and sins forgiven is not just for Israel. We have all fallen short when it comes to obedience to God. We also need a word from God that brings comfort to our troubled souls. There may be someone in this sanctuary today for whom the greatest comfort I could give you is to utter these words, “You are forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ.”  These are God’s words to you this morning regardless of your past: “You are forgiven.Jesus Christ has atoned for your sins.”

But please note this. God did not forgive Israel because they deserved to be forgiven, nor does He forgive us because we deserve forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is attached to His love for us, a love which reached fulfillment that first Christmas when our Savior was born. We read these remarkable words in the Gospel of John. Jesus is facing the cross, the incredible pain and humiliation of crucifixion. He says: “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour” (John 12:27).

We have no right to demand that God forgive us. If we are to be forgiven it must be initiated by God, and that is precisely what we learn in the pages of the New Testament. God’s love moved Him to send His Son to be our Savior. Jesus did not ask the Father to save Him from the cross because He understood that He was sent to us to receive the punishment, the judgment, our sins deserve. While there are many wonderful things we can learn from Jesus, His primary purpose in coming was to bear our sins on Calvary.

Many stumble over the Gospel because they feel so unworthy. Rachel Naomi Remen is Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. She is especially known for her work with cancer patients and is an outstanding writer.

In her book, Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal, she tells about an event that changed her life forever. She writes that in the beginning of December the year she turned thirteen, her father declared bankruptcy. It was a devastating thing to happen to their family just before Christmas. The result was that the family that year made homemade Christmas presents for one another instead of exchanging store-bought gifts. Rachel knit a colorful muffler for her Dad, and, using copper wire, she made a bracelet for her Mom. In spite of their financial situation, Remen says, the morning of Christmas was as lively as it had always been–the presents, though they were homemade, where just as festive as ever.

Young Rachel ran her eyes over the gifts, and noticed that among them lay a small velvet box. Rachel knew that such a box was not likely to contain something homemade. She looked at it with suspicion. While she looked and wondered what could be inside, she heard her father say to her, “Open it . . . it’s your Christmas present.” Rachel unwrapped the present and found in the small box a pair of twenty-four-karat gold earrings.  “Come on . . . put them on . . . they’re yours,” said her father. She ran straight into the bathroom, closed the door, and put them on her ears. Cautiously she looked into the mirror. Then something sad happened. All Rachel could see was how absurd those expensive earrings looked on her homely 13 year old face.

With tears rushing down her cheeks, she headed straight to where she had left her father. “How could you do this?” she shrieked at her father. “Why are you making fun of me? Take them back. They look stupid. I’m too ugly to wear them. How could you waste all this money?” She flung the earrings to the floor and burst into tears. All this while, her dad said nothing. Then he came to her, held her in his arms and whispered, “I know they don’t look right now. I bought them because someday they will suit you perfectly.”

Isn’t that the way it is with us? We are not worthy of the great gift God has given to us beginning with the first Christmas. Sin has made us ugly, undesirable, unworthy. Our heavenly Father says to us, “I know you aren’t worthy now, but as you trust in my Son I intend to make you beautiful once again.”  

God has brought comfort to our souls. He has done everything that needed to be done to secure our salvation. I ask you now to close your eyes for a moment and in your mind gaze upon Jesus hanging on a cross. —– Two thoughts come to my mind when I contemplate the cross. I am grieved that it was my sins that placed Him there. I feel sorrow over my sins. I say to God, “I am so sorry that I have so violated your will and that your Son who never sinned even once was willing to absorb my punishment.” That is repentance. Can anyone look upon the suffering Savior and not feel grief over the fact that it was because of our sins that He had to suffer, and He suffered willingly because of His love.

The second thought I have when I look upon my bleeding Savior is faith. I want to say to Him, “Blessed Jesus, I thank you for your great love.  It is beyond my comprehension. I trust you now and forever as my Savior and Lord.” That is faith.

Yes, you can look at the cross in different ways. Some look at the cross and conclude, “It’s all a fairy tale. I don’t believe the biblical story. God taking on human form and being born as a baby in Bethlehem? Ridiculous, nonsense.  No intelligent person can believe that.” What do you see when you view the cross?

Israel was comforted and forgiven and given another chance. They messed up the second chance, the third chance, and every chance again and again. God “decided” to create a new way to bring us fallen humans into a relationship with Him. No matter how many chances we receive to try again to obey the Law of God, we fail. A New Covenant was brought into being requiring nothing from us accept faith in the Son of God.

Paul summarized the Gospel many times in his writings. A good example is found in Romans: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). Or consider these inspired words: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” (Romans 3:21-22).

Who receives the comfort, the benefits of the Gospel?  All those who believe, all those who have faith in Jesus. Israel was comforted for a season. Jesus provides permanent comfort to all who believe in His name. God’s word to Israel applies also to us. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for . . .” Your sins, my sins have been paid for.  Jesus paid the price at Calvary. To know we have been forgiven and have been granted a place in heaven brings great comfort to our souls. May we all receive divine comfort this Advent season as we trust in our Savior.

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ADVENT # 3: THAT ELUSIVE WORD “PEACE”

Warsaw Christian Church (12/16/18) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Philippians 4:4-7

Peace, we all long for it but it seems so elusive. The world we live in is hardly full of peace. I recently read about a peace march that took place in Los Angeles a few years ago. Before they had gone too far, however, the peace march stalled-out. About half of the group had disbanded because of petty bickering within the group. The remaining marchers quickly argued about who had to walk and who got to ride in vehicles. Following that was a dispute over a dress code. Finally, they decided to settle some of the conflict with an election, but there was disagreement over who could vote. Eventually they came to an agreement, allowing even the children to vote, but then the election was declared invalid. The ‘peace march’ ended with a large percentage of those assembled refusing to speak to one another. And we wonder why nations cannot get along!

Let’s hear the word of God from our text: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your [a]gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

What a wonderful benediction! 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. These words are so important as we look forward to Christmas. Peace is so central to the message of Jesus. The angels that sang in the heavens at Christ’s birth of peace on earth, goodwill toward men remind us of the great hope that Isaiah described hundreds of years before Christ was born: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” (11:6) Peace in the animal kingdom, and notice that phrase: “a little child shall lead them.” Could that be a reference to the baby born in Bethlehem who will one day bring peace to this troubled planet?

Every year at this season our thoughts turn again to that beautiful word “peace.” We long for the day when the wolf and the lamb will be friends, and more importantly, when men and women will live in peace together. We long for peace; peace in the world, peace in our homes, peace in our hearts. We long for peace but it seems so elusive. It seems that holding on to peace is sort of like trying to hold on to a greased pig!

Ever since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden we see nothing but conflict. Nations can’t get along. Families can’t get along, and sometimes we toss and turn at night because there is no peace in our hearts. There is a story of a young Norwegian soldier during WW II. His mother and father and his entire family were killed in that terrible war. It was a tragic situation. On Christmas Eve he was alone for the first time. He was very depressed. He came out and stood by the edge of a Norwegian fjord and in his frustration and bitterness, he shouted into the sky: “Glory to God in the highest” . . . and the fjord echoed back . . . HIGHEST Highest. Highest. He shouted again, “And on earth, PEACE,” and the fjord echoed back. . . Peace . . . peace . . .peace. The young man sat down and cried. There was no peace. Peace for him was only an echo that began to fade and fade and fade far away. It seems that way to us as well.

Peace, we all long for it but it seems so elusive. Every year people gather in Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. Armed soldiers mingle with the crowd outside the church. There are body searches, metal detectors, and security booths. How sad that on the night we honor the birth of Christ there must be armed guards present to protect against acts of violence.

How can we find that peace which transcends all understanding? There is but one place. Peace comes only through Jesus Christ. I like the story writer Gordon McDonald tells about a Nigerian woman who is a physician at a great teaching hospital here in the United States. This distinguished woman came out of the crowd one day to say something kind about the lecture McDonald had just given. She introduced herself using an American name. “What’s your African name?” he asked. She immediately gave it to him, several syllables long with a musical sound to it. “What does the name mean?” he asked her. She answered, “It means ‘Child who takes the anger away.’”

When McDonald inquired as to why she would have been given this name, she said, “My parents had been forbidden by their parents to marry. But they loved each other so much that they defied the family opinions and married anyway. For several years they were ostracized from both their families. Then my mother became pregnant with me. And when the grandparents held me in their arms for the first time, the walls of hostility came down. I became the one who swept the anger away. And that’s the name my mother and father gave me.”

McDonald concluded, “It occurred to me that her name would be a suitable one for Jesus.” In the same way that this woman as an infant brought so much love into a family that old grudges and animosities faded away, so the Christ child brought love into human society, enough love so that if each of us lived in His love, all anger and all hatred in our world would quickly drain away. We call Jesus “The Prince of Peace,” and indeed He is. It is Christ Jesus alone who brings peace to troubled hearts, peace to troubled families, and peace to a troubled world. Those who trust in Him receive that peace of God which passes all understanding. Because we have read the entire story in the New Testament we know that nations will never achieve peace, terrorism will continue, mass shooting will occur, conflicts will continue to take place in families – – -until Jesus returns. The Jesus who came in Bethlehem is coming again. The world peace we long for must await His return.

Our task in the meantime is to demonstrate the peace of Jesus to others in our daily lives. Lucinda Norman wrote an article in Lookout magazine titled “An Atmosphere of Calm.” She describes her Christmas shopping experience at a busy mall. It was far from a peaceful experience. People had been pushing, elbowing and cutting in front of her all day. Hardly able to take it anymore, she says, “During a 10-minute special [which featured a 10% discount off of the already 25% discount], a woman grabbed a lace tablecloth from my hands. I looked her straight in the eye and grunted, ‘Mine!’ and yanked it back. I won. By 4 o’clock in the afternoon, my mood was belligerent.”

At a mall restaurant MS Norman met some friends and flagged down a server and said, “I need hot tea, now!” The lady snapped at her and said, “I’m not your server. Wait your turn.” She said, “Lady, I’ve been waiting my turn all day, bring me some tea!” But the waitress ignored her.

A few moments later, a friendly young man came to her table smiling and said, “I’m Rob, your waiter.” After he took the order she noticed that Rob stopped to help the rude waitress with her tray. He greeted the other customers and staff. In the midst of dozens of hurried shoppers and restaurant staff he conducted himself in a polite, unhurried atmosphere of calm. When he refilled her tea, Lucinda noticed a silver ring on his right hand made of connected letters. After he walked away, she said to the other ladies at the table, “Did you notice that our server is wearing a ring that spells Jesus?”

From that moment her attitude changed. This one young man’s example had reminded her of the peace that Christ came to bring. This young man had apparently spent time with the Lord. For the rest of the day, she enjoyed shopping, opened the door for others, let people in front of her at the checkout line. That’s what Christ does when he comes into a life. He takes away anger, takes away fear, takes away selfishness, takes away greed.

In a world torn apart by conflict, can you be a peacemaker? While we await that final eternal peace which Christ will bring to the world, will we do our best to manifest His love and peace to others?

Frederick Buechner tells an interesting story about a Christmas pageant. He writes, “The manger was down in front at the chancel steps where it always is. Mary was there in a blue mantle and Joseph in a cotton beard. The wise men were there with a handful of shepherds, and of course in the midst of them all, the Christ child was there, lying in the straw. The nativity story was read aloud by my friend with carols sung at the appropriate places, and all went like clockwork until it came time for the arrival of the angels of the heavenly host, as represented by the children of the congregation, who were robed in white and scattered throughout the pews with their parents.

“At the right moment they were supposed to come forward and gather around the manger . . . and that is just what they did except there were so many of them that there was a fair amount of crowding and jockeying for position, with the result that one particular angel, a little girl . . .who was smaller than most of them, ended up so far out on the fringes of things that not even by craning her neck and standing on tiptoe could she see what was going on. ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men,’ they all sang on cue, and then in the momentary pause that followed, the small girl electrified the entire church by crying out in a voice shrill with irritation and frustration and enormous sadness at having her view blocked, ‘Let Jesus show!’” She was upset because she couldn’t see Jesus.

And that is the secret that will lead to peace. “Let Jesus show!” Let Jesus be seen. Trust in Jesus! Follow Jesus! Those who trust in Jesus receive a taste of that eternal peace He will bring in the future.

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ADVENT # 2: WHEN HEAVEN CAME DOWN

Warsaw Christian Church (12/9, 2018) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 6:1-3

I recently read an apocryphal tale about some criminals who stole a steel safe from a store. They thought they could break it open and take all the money inside. They beat it with a sledge hammer, they tied it to the bumper of their car and dragged it for miles, they threw it into a fire; they tried to blast it open with gunpowder. It was all for naught. They finally gave up and discarded the safe in an empty field.

The safe was found and traced back to the owner. The owner turned the combination and shortly the safe was open and his money safe. Salvation is like that. Some try hard to win God’s favor, but all for naught. They work hard trying to please God, they make great sacrifices to win God’s favor.  Martin Luther, when he was an Augustinian monk, worked and worked, even punishing his own body in an effort to win God’s favor. Nothing seemed to work until he learned from Scripture that salvation is a free gift received by faith. Today we look again at that simple combination that opens the gates of heaven. It has nothing to do with how hard we work. It has everything to do with what God has done for us.

Four hundred years before Christ, Plato, the great Greek philosopher, sought to penetrate the mystery of reality. He described the human condition like this: Humanity is imprisoned in a cave. He is shackled in a world from which he cannot escape. He wears blinders so that his perspective is limited to what is directly in front of him. Before him are only the shadows of real objects. Given these restraints, he is able to view only a small part of reality, to comprehend a tiny fraction of truth. No wonder Plato’s name lives even today. His was a brilliant recognition of the human situation before the coming of Christ. Plato taught that the only thing humanity can see are shadows in a dark cave.

Plato was a great philosopher, but even the simplest Christian believer has an advantage over this noble Greek. The simplest Christian believer knows that into that dark cave of the human condition God has shone a wondrous light. That, of course, is what Advent and Christmas are about.

One of the ancient church fathers was a man named Origen. He tried to simplify the message of this season with an analogy: Suppose, he said, there was a statue so large that human eyes simply could not take it in. How could we ever grasp the essential form and substance of this statue? Origen’s imagined solution was to make a small copy of the giant statue to an exact scale but much reduced. Then humanity could see what the greater statue was like.

Origen went on to say this is what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. He shows us what He himself is like within the bounds of our human ability to understand. Here, then, is the first glorious truth about Advent and Christmas. God has come down to us in Jesus Christ. Christ is an exact replica of Godreduced to human size. What is God like? Jesus said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father . . . I and the Father are One.”

Theologians call it the incarnation. Our great, awesome, enormous, omnipresent God is so great that we humans cannot begin to grasp what He is like. He is compared to the statue that is so large the human eye cannot take it all in. So, God poured Himself into a human body so we could understand better who He is.  God is like Jesus. “The Word became flesh and dwelt amoing us.” says John.  What is Advent all about? God has come down to us in the person of Jesus.

I like the story told by Al Lindgren, a professor at Garrett Evangelical Seminary. He tells about taking his junior-high-school son fishing years ago. It was one of those days when the fish wouldn’t bite, so the two of them had a lot of time to talk. Out of the blue his junior-high son asked, “Dad, what is the toughest thing God ever tried to do?” Even as a minister, Al said that the question caught him off guard. He didn’t know what to say, and so like a good teacher he answered a question with a question. “What do you think it was, son?” His son responded, “Even though you’re a minister you don’t know much about God, do you, Dad?” The boy then proceeded to answer his own question.

“Since taking science in school, I thought the creation of the world might be the hardest thing God ever tried to do,” he said. “Then, in Sunday school we got to talking about some of the miracles, like Jesus’ resurrection, and I thought that might be the toughest thing God ever did. Then after thinking some more and talking to others, I decided that no one knows God really well. So now I think that the toughest thing God ever tried to do is to get us to understand who He is and that He loves us.” Al Lindgren could simply say to his boy, “Son. I think you’re right. That is the hardest thing that God ever had to do and there was only one way he could do it.”

God wants us to know what He is like, so He wrapped Himself up in the person of Jesus so we could see Him more clearly. That is the good news of the Gospel. God came down to us to reveal Himself to us, and He did it in such a way as to reveal the divine humility. Reflect again on the birth of Jesus. How did God reveal Himself? Under very humble circumstances. If I were in charge of the universe (scary thought!) I would have had Jesus born in Rome or Athens, or perhaps Jerusalem. Bethlehem? Born in a stable? Placed in an animal’s feeding troth? It just doesn’t seem very Godlike. This is God’s Son, Savior of the world! That God allowed His Son to be born in such humble circumstances teaches us something about God. God was willing to humble Himself for our sakes.

There was a small book from Doubleday  entitled, “Dear God.” It was a collection of Children’s Letters to God. One young man wrote, “Dear God, was there anything special about Bethlehem or did you just figure that that was as good a place as any to start a franchise? Your friend, Jim age 12.”

We learn from the Christmas story that God has come to us in a human package in the person of Jesus, and we learn that He did this in a very humble manner. He wants us to understand how much He loves us. We also learn from the Christmas story that when God came down to us He lifted us up. He did not lift us up because we are worthy, but because He loves us.

There is an amusing story about a church having an outdoor Nativity Pageant. They decided to use live animals in this pageant. It was quite a challenge because the church was located in the very heart of downtown in a large city. The evening of the pageant everybody was busy making preparations. Nobody noticed that the donkey that was to be used in the pageant wandered off and trotted down the street. He caused quite a commotion. Finally he entered a nearby bar.

Obviously, one of the customers was startled when he saw a donkey come into a bar. The customer pushed his glass aside and decided he had had enough. The bartender tried to calm him by saying, “Oh, don’t let that donkey bother you. He belongs to the Methodist Church up the street.” Thinking about that the man decided it was definitely time to leave! Well, there are some donkeys in the Methodist Church, in the Presbyterian Church, in the Baptist Church and in the Christian Church. There are donkeys both inside and outside every church. Truth is, all of us act like donkeys at one time or another. I have, have you? Sometimes we bray too much! Sometimes we wander away from God’s will. But when Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem of Judea, all of us donkeys were raised to a new level. We have been transformed from donkeys to become beautiful horses. Humanity has been lifted up.

How have we been lifted up? When Jesus came to us He opened the door of salvation for the human race. This was the message of John the Baptist. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord…. All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Have you seen the salvation of God?  Have you embraced that salvation by trusting in Jesus? How have you responded to the wonderful news that salvation has been made available to you? I read an interesting story that pertains to this issue. One of the most popular gifts people purchase today is gift cards. But according to estimates the typical American home has an average of $300 in “unredeemed” gift cards lying around unused. According to government estimates, between 2005 and 2011, $41 billion in gift cards went unused. Wow! That is truly amazing.

Marie and I love restaurant or Amazon gift cards. As Marie says, “You don’t have to dust them.” And I assure you they do not go unused. But with so many gift cards unused I imagine companies like it when people buy them. What good is a gift card that is thrown into a drawer and forgotten? What good is God’s gift of His Son if we do not open our hearts to receive His love? What good does a Savior do for those who will not trust Him?

We are the recipients of the greatest gift of all. A $50 gift card to Cracker Barrel is wonderful, but trivial in comparison to God’s gift of His Son. The God of all creation has become the babe of Bethlehem. The babe of Bethlehem became the Lamb of Calvary. Because of Jesus our salvation has been made available. It was on our behalf that God humbled Himself, and the salvation that He offers is free to all who will receive it. We do not have to do something grandiose in order to earn our salvation. There is no material gift that we can offer the Christ child in return for what God has done for us. We are like the young fellow at college who couldn’t get home for Christmas. His Dad was funding his college costs. He sent his Dad a set of inexpensive cuff links and a matching inexpensive tie clasp. Along with these gifts he sent a little note. “Dear Dad. This is not much, but it’s all you could afford. Merry Christmas.” What we give to God is “not much” in comparison to what He has given to us.

God has come down to us. God humbled Himself to reveal His love to us. Knowing how thick headed we are He made salvation simple. It is freely given on one condition. Trust in my Son. In this season of gift giving and receiving, make sure you have received the greatest gift of all.

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THE ONE WHO CAME IS COMING AGAIN

Warsaw Christian Church (12/2/2018) Richard Bowman, Pastor

Text: Luke 21:25-36

It seems like we just celebrated Christmas, but here we are again at the first Sunday in Advent. The lesson from Luke’s Gospel is unsettling. It is a description of the last of the last days. Listen to these words: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken . . .” 

That is scary language! Nations in anguish; signs in the heavens; the roaring of the seas; people fainting in terror. Hollywood would have a great time with special effects to portray that scene.

I read about a minister who described the final days with great drama. “Thunder will boom,” he cried, “lightning will strike, rivers will overflow, the sky will be in flames!  There will be mammoth storms, floods and earthquakes!” A little girl in the congregation looked up at her mother and whispered in a loud tone heard by others. “Mommy? will I be let out of school that day?”

Some of you may be old enough to remember a radio broadcast that took place in 1938.  I was only 2 years old so I don’t remember!  Orson Welles broadcast a radio dramatization of H. G. Wells’ story War of the Worlds. This broadcast was intended to sound like a report of an invasion of the Earth by Martians. The broadcast, which was carried all across the U.S., was so realistic that it almost caused a nationwide panic. Actor John Barrymore was among those convinced that the Martians had landed. He managed to contain his fear until it came to the point at which the invaders were allegedly marching down Madison Avenue. Rushing out to the kennel in which he kept his twenty prized St. Bernards, Barrymore flung open the gate and released the dogs and in great distress he shouted at them, “Fend for yourselves!”

Well, I don’t know if his dogs were saved from the Martians, but the actor was quite embarrassed. Of course, there have been several instances in history when Christian folks have gotten stirred up by some misled would-be prophet who convinced them the end of the world was at hand. Some people sold their homes, left their jobs, neglected their responsibilities–all because they believed that the end was at hand.

Most of us think of Advent as that special season in which the church prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ at Christmas. It is a season of joyous anticipation. But there is a Second Advent in Scripture, one that is far more disturbing, but also exciting in a positive sense. It has nothing to do with chestnuts roasting on an open fire and visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. Luke describes it in our lesson for the day: “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

That’s a mysterious image: “coming in a cloud with power and great glory . . .” It is intended to be mysterious. Clouds are the biblical symbol of mystery and of the presence of God. “He is coming with the clouds,” says Revelation 1:7. “Lo, I am coming to you in a thick cloud,” said God to Moses on Mount Sinai. A cloud symbolizing the divine presence covered the tabernacle in the wilderness according to Exodus 40:34-36. A cloud shrouded the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant, a place where the presence of God dwelt according to Leviticus 16:2. And a cloud of glory, the very majesty of God, filled the temple of Solomon at its dedication in I Kings 8:10-11.

A more familiar scene takes place in the New Testament. Jesus and three of his disciples are on a mountain where Christ is transfigured. Matthew tells us, “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters–one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah’” Then we read, “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew 17:1-9). When the New Testament says that Jesus is coming in a cloud with power and great glory, it is a powerful symbol of mystery and divinity.

Those are interesting words though for a modern world: “a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son . . .’” We hear much about the cloud nowadays. In today’s world we associate the cloud with our computers. When tech companies say your data is in the cloud it has nothing to do with white fluffy things in the sky. Your computer data isn’t actually in heaven. It’s stored somewhere here on the earth–lots of “some where’s,” actually, all over the world. I’m told that computer companies like Amazon and Google have built a vast network of servers housed in huge warehouses in widely scattered locations–some the size of a football field. That’s where the cloud resides as far as computer users are concerned. Not on Mount Sinai, but anywhere that tech companies can find sufficient power to keep their servers humming.

The Bible tells us that at the end of time Christ is coming in a cloud, but that doesn’t have anything to do with computers. When Luke says that Jesus is coming in a cloud with power and great glory, it is the biblical way of saying that at the end of days, Google or Amazon won’t own the cloud. God will control the cloud and all the clouds that ever existed, and Christ will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

The second advent of Jesus ought to fill us with excitement about the future. It is easy to look at everything going on in the world today and feel a sense of despair. Mass shootings, political fights, wars around the world, hurricanes, fires – – – where will it all end? It will end with the return of Jesus and the inauguration of His eternal kingdom. Do not despair!  God is in control and His will shall prevail in the end.

People are always looking for signs that the return of Christ is near. We simply do not know when that time shall be but we know it will be, sometime. We are not in despair over the state of the world because we anticipate a new heavens and a new earth. How is it that the early Christians faced persecution and death with such bravery? Because they knew this life was only temporary. They were living in anticipation of eternity.  

Advent reminds us that the victory is already ours. Theologians speak of “realized eschatology.” That is a fancy term that means we can live now in the light of Christ’s final victory, even though that victory is yet to be won. Let me give you an example.

When I was 9 or 10 years old I was hoping to get a new bike for Christmas. Like most kids I hunted around to see if the desired gift was hidden away somewhere in the house. Our basement at 1408 Millman Street in Peoria, IL had 3 sections. The first section was a finished room. The second section was the furnace room and coal bin. (Yes, I am old enough to have grown up with a coal furnace!) For you youngsters coal is a kind of black rock that burned in a furnace and gave heat to the house. The third room in our basement was unfinished, with a dirt floor. It was used simply for storage. I sneaked into that room and there it was, covered with paper – – my new bike. Don’t you love to outsmart your parents? Did they think I would not look in the only room in the basement where a bike might be hidden?

In my mind I was already riding that bike even though I did not yet possess it. I was already enjoying the gift I did not possess, but I knew Christmas would bring that bike to me. That is realized eschatology — enjoying the wonder of a gift you do not now possess but you know for sure it is coming. We do not yet experience the wonder of life eternal, but we know it is coming if we continue to trust in Jesus.

We live in a world ruined by sin and Satan. Even though the final victory has not yet been won, we have read the final chapters of the Bible and we know a glorious future awaits us. Christmas means that our Savior has come, and He who came once will come again to bring final redemption for His people. Hallelujah! Come Lord Jesus!

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ACTS # 7: STEPHEN, THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR
Warsaw Christian Church (9/30/18) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Acts 6:8- through 8:4

I was one of the first among the Jews to trust in Jesus the Nazarene. I came to believe that He was God’s Messiah, the One sent to redeem Israel. I believed He was the Son of God sent to be the Savior of the world. I lived at a time when it was costly to be a disciple of Jesus. I notice that you worship is this very pleasant church building. I do admire the simple beauty of your sanctuary. I understand that the authorities will not come calling this morning to arrest you and cast you into prison. I am thankful for the circumstances in which you live. I hope you are thankful too.

It was not like this is my day. There was a sharp division among the people of Israel. There were two opposing camps which could not be reconciled. The Jewish leadership consisting of such persons and groups as the high priest, the Pharisees and Sadducees, the Sanhedrin along with many other high ranking Jewish leaders, – – – all convinced that Jesus was a false prophet. The other group consisted of those who believed in Jesus and were convinced that He was the promised Messiah.

If you aligned yourself with Jesus the Jewish power structure was against you. If you wanted to be a Christian you had to be absolutely convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. There were very few hypocrites in the first-century church. Those who were wishy-washy about Jesus gave up on Him when they faced persecution. Those who had true faith stood with Jesus no matter the cost. I hope you are all in that category. Here is my question for you. If the day comes (and I hope it never does) when it will cost you dearly to be known as a Christian – – – will you stand with Jesus?

I was greatly blessed by God when I became a disciple of Jesus. The Lord gave me the grace and power to perform great signs and wonders among the people. There were those who observed my ministry and began to question me. I think they thought I was operating under the power of Satan. They accused Jesus of being in league with the devil so it was only natural to also so accuse me. As I dialogued with these men, God gave me the wisdom to refute their charges. Unable to defeat me by logic they did what people do. They made up lies about me. I understand this sort of thing happens in your culture as well. I understand you have two major political parties who do not agree and rather than trying to win the day with logical arguments, they often resort to lies and name-calling. Some things never change.

My enemies decided to spread rumors about me, that I had spoken blasphemous words against Moses – – – and even against God. They whispered these lies far and wide and soon a crowd gathered demanding that something be done to put a stop to my ministry. They wanted to squash the name of Jesus. The authorities were only too happy to oblige and they seized me and dragged me before the Sanhedrin. The lies kept increasing. Now there were those who charged me with the crime of speaking against God’s holy temple. They said I quoted Jesus who declared that He would destroy the temple. They accused me of changing the customs of Israel which Moses established. These were serious charges. I realized that no matter what I said I was not going to convince the Jewish leadership that Jesus was the Messiah.

However, the high priest did give me the chance to respond to the charges made against me. I simply recounted the basic history of the Jewish people. I spoke about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our fathers in the faith. I reminded them of our captivity in Egypt and how Joseph came to our rescue. I spoke of Moses who was skilled in the wisdom of Egypt. He was a mighty prince in Egypt but then had to flee into the wilderness when it was learned that he had killed an Egyptian. In the wilderness of Midian Moses encountered the living God in a burning bush. I spoke of Joshua and the kings of Israel leading up to David and Solomon who built the temple of Jehovah.

So far, so good. Who could argue against our ancient history? I got into serious trouble when I came to my main point. Here is what I said, word for word. “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” (Acts 7:51-53).

Needless to say, my words were not well received. I accused them of killing the Messiah, just as their forefathers had killed the prophets who foretold His coming. I accused them of being stiff-necked and of resisting the Holy Spirit. Was I too harsh with them in speaking the truth? I pushed them into a corner where they had but two choices. Either believe my words and repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or follow through with their charges of blasphemy against me. I saw their angry faces, their gnashed teeth. It seemed clear they would not believe my words.

I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as I faced an angry crowd. When you are in a difficult situation as a believer in Jesus the Holy Spirit will always be there to comfort and sustain you if your faith abides. I knew I was going to be killed. I looked up towards heaven and saw something glorious. I saw the very glory of God, and Jesus was standing at the Father’s right hand. He was watching – – – He was waiting for me. I told the crowd what I saw and this only increased their anger. They rushed toward me and dragged me out of the city. They had decided that Jesus was a false prophet, which made me also a false prophet.

The punishment for blasphemy was stoning, and one by one they began to throw stones at me. To be honest I was so full of the vision of God that I barely felt the stones. I cried out to Jesus: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” I uttered a final prayer, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” Yes, what they did to me was a horrible sin. My only crime was faith in Jesus. I remembered the prayer of Jesus when He was on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” In my case, I do believe those who stoned me were acting in ignorance. They assumed their spiritual leaders knew what they were doing and they just followed along in ignorance. Well, the bad news that day was that I was stoned to death. The good news is that I was with Jesus that very same day.

You may be wondering, “How could I pray that God would forgive those who stoned me.” I suppose I could have asked God to curse them, but what good would that have done for me, or for my murderers. To die in bitterness with an unforgiving spirit is not wise. God, through His Son Jesus, forgave all my sins. How could I do less than ask God to forgive my enemies? I suspect many if not all of you have had people do harm to you. I hope – – – I pray, that you can forgive.

I remind you of the words of our Lord after He had given the Lord’s Prayer. He said, “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:15). There is a severe price to pay when we refuse to practice forgiveness. Jesus’ words are plain. If you do not forgive others, God will not forgive you. If you leave this life unforgiven by God you do understand what that means, right? It means eternal condemnation. I believe a forgiving spirit is a much better option.

Well, I was not present for the final chapter in my earthly history but I learned later that this is what happened. There was a man named Saul who was present when I was stoned to death. He was in full agreement that I deserved to die. He was one of the main persecutors of Christians. After my death, his hatred of Christians grew and he raised havoc in the church. He would hunt down Christians, dragging them from their houses and having them sent to prison. The church was scattered as a result, but that turned out to be a good thing. Those who fled Jerusalem and went to other areas in the ancient world took their faith in Jesus with them and proclaimed His name all over the Roman Empire.

I died at a relatively young age. The truth is it doesn’t matter your age when death comes. Whatever our age, death comes to us all. What matters is how you have lived, not your age at death. If you die serving Jesus it will be a blessed death, whatever your age. If you die in unbelief even if you live for 100 years your death will be an eternal tragedy.

There is a principle here and I will close with it. You cannot outsmart God. Whenever the devil or his minions do something to crush the church, God always counteracts their actions and causes the church to grow. It will always be that way. Stick with Jesus and you will end up on the winning team. That day which seemed in some ways like the worst day of my life turned out to be the very best day of my life. I went to be with Jesus. It doesn’t get any better than that.