Lessons from the Magi

Let’s start with a quiz, just to make sure we are wide awake. This quiz will be a true/false quiz, and since my computer crashed this past summer, I couldn’t go back and see if I had given you this quiz. 1) The Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and then to Joseph. 2) Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem. 3) Jesus was born as soon as they arrived in Bethlehem. 4) Jesus was born in a stable. 5) Animals were present at Jesus’ birth. 6) Angels sang at the announcement to the shepherds. 7) The shepherds were told to go and worship. 8) Not all the shepherds believed Jesus was the messiah. 9) Three kings came from the orient. 10) The star the magi followed rested above the manger, where Jesus lay. 

If you answered false to all these questions, then you answered them all correctly. When I first saw this quiz, I missed the very first, and only the first statement. The reason for the quiz was that sometimes, we might allow ourselves to become so familiar with the accounts of the birth; we forget that what we know isn’t really what we know. We become so focused on what the holiday is, we forget what the event meant, and means today.

It was a tumultuous times in which Jesus came into the world. Residents of the world were in upheaval. A census had been ordered. It wasn’t like we have today, where we receive the flier in the mail to fill out and return, or even see a person come to the door and take our number. Rather than the government doing the work of tallying the people, the people were required to make the journey to their hometowns, to the place of their ancestors. Though I’ve never really understood why this was. It just was.

To make matters worse, Mary was due quite soon. I don’t know if you have traveled with a very pregnant wife, or if you had been very pregnant as you’ve needed to take a trip. I know that it is quite uncomfortable. That is what Carol has told me, and that was when she was still a couple of months out, walking Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. For Mary, the journey was 120 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. She and Joseph were at least a week on the road. Perhaps two or three, depending on how fast she was able to journey.

When they did finally arrive in Bethlehem, there was no room for them in the inn. So often, we wonder about that. Was this a curse, or a blessing in disguise? After all, inns back then were not what they are now. They were a big open building where those staying would find a piece of floor. So that by staying in the inn, giving birth would have a couple of problems. First of course is the total lack of privacy for this moment. Second, can you imagine those weary of traveling, wanting sleep, being kept up by a woman giving birth? There would have been no peace there.

So where did the couple go to for Jesus’ birth? Was it to the stables in the back of the inn? Not likely. For one, we don’t really know, but if the inn had no room for Mary and Joseph, then chances are, the stable would have been equally crowded. I don’t imagine that Jesus was born in a barn. When we travel long distances, we have our family tent packed. We set it up where and when we are able. It’s been a few years since we used it. Nevertheless, I also suspect that Joseph also had a tent packed. I can see him pitching it in a field, finding a feed trough that wasn’t in use as a make shift crib. Shepherds left them in the fields all the time for the animals, be they sheep, cows or other livestock.

So there’s Mary, giving birth. We are not sure of how long they were camping out, if they were even in a tent. But by the time we see Matthew 2, Jesus has been born, has a proper bed and the family is living in a proper house. It is here that the Magi find the new born king, and it is here where we draw our lessons about Christmas from the Magi. Let’s read the text.

Now I could focus on the gifts and their nature, how that reveals to us who Jesus is as a king and as a priest. But instead, we first need to remember that Christmas means nothing, is worth nothing if we do not see this and look forward to Easter. His mission was to live with us, die for us, and then redeem us. That is what his death, burial and resurrection has done. So what do we learn here at this end about Jesus?

Our first lesson is that Jesus is a threat. He was a threat to Herod. And He was a threat to the Temple leaders.  Of all who focus on the unrest of Jerusalem, I’ve not seen anyone look to the Temple. It was not too far from Herod’s palace. And I imagine that the priests would be anxious because they knew full well that they were not leading God’s children as they should be. Surely they saw the slight God gave them by having these foreigners before them with news that they should have been first to know, not last. With Herod, I wonder if he was familiar with this type of series of events. Was he familiar with the reign of David? God appointed him to be king instead of Saul. Now here is another king, someone who may very well be usurping supplanting the former king once again.

But then that is how some react. When they are threatened, they become dangerous. Herod was both. He told the Magi to make the careful search and report back so that he too might go and worship the young king. I am not sure what he said directly, but what he did say was enough for the Magi to apparently buy the plan of events, until that is, God warns them with a vision. Being foiled didn’t sit well with Herod. He sets to cast the net to protect his power over the people. He demands all boys 2 and under to be slaughtered in and around Bethlehem.

Now not only was Jesus a threat to Herod, though not in the way Herod thought, Jesus was also a hope. For once, in a long time, the people would have a king that would take care of them. He would become their source of comfort. No matter how dangerous the fields look, Jesus said that he would never leave us, never forsake us. He will see us through the most dangerous of storms.  For those in Bethlehem, a storm unspeakable was about to fall on them.

That is something we tend to forget as Christians. God never promised us escape from the storms of life. He promised to see us through. When the boat was tossed to and fro, Jesus came and calmed the disciples and then he calmed the sea. That is our life now. You might be going through a rough time financially, or perhaps you have a relationship that is on the rocks. The news is nothing but dire with shootings, society falling down into a financial abyss, or perhaps even just a loneliness that sometimes people are reminded, being that it’s this time of year. Jesus promised that he would walk with us, to guide us through. We don’t escape, but our hope is in something deeper than feelings or even facts. Our hope is on Jesus, our savior. By him, we can call God, papa.

The final lesson I want to take from here is that when God gives us a mission, He will provide all that we need. For the family, they had the gold, perfume and spices. All of which could have been sold to keep the family on the lam for some time. It definitely saw them to and through Egypt. Now God still does give us all that we need to carry out the mission today.

No, don’t go looking for material goods because I am using this analogy. Rather, follow me. Paul told the Church of Corinth that they had everything they needed to carry out the mission, which is proclaiming the good news. Today he gives us all that we need.

It may not be money. It is, as Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus that the same power God used to raise Jesus from the dead, that power is now ours. He prayed for that the church that they might become more aware of what God has gifted them. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is ours. The same power that Jesus said could drive a mountain into the sea, yes that is ours. It is this same power that allows us to draw closer together. It allows us to draw closer to Him. It changes us to be filled with His grace, His love, and His vision.

For us, for those who seek God’s face, His favor, I encourage you to take a second look at the Magi, at all the aspects of Jesus’ birth. Let his love for you and I permeate and flow through us to those who are lost and hurting. Let us return to the true purpose of Christmas.ll encouus to be filled with His grace, His love, and His vision.

yes that is ours.It i

A Child

It would be so easy! It would be easy for me to talk and focus on what I was doing as the news broke about the second worse school violence. It would be so easy to relate to you how I felt, how I feel even now. Yet, despite all that is going on, I made a vow to preach messages of encouragement. Not messages that make us feel good listening, but messages that hopefully give your strength and courage, or fortitude to go out and be the Church in this dark world. For that is where we live. We live in a world where someone turns schools into a bloodbath, be it Newtown CT, China or Bath Township, MI.

We live in a world where people are out for themselves. They redefine morality by making laws about it. If it feels good, then do it. Follow your heart, for it will not steer you wrong. (Despite that the heart is deceitful is deceitful above all things and is beyond cure, according to the prophet, Jeremiah 17.9) I cannot help but wonder how much darker this world will get.

Though I must confess, I am taking an easy road. It is easy to take this opportunity and mesh it with the Christmas child. Both the news and the Christmas story has death of children, for remember, after the magi visit the young Jesus, Herod commanded all boys 2 and under to be killed. Even the broader picture, the Christmas story isn’t complete without death of the very child, then a grown man.

Nothing has really changed. The world was in a bit of topsy-turvy. Joseph found himself moving his family to Bethlehem to reestablish his home and his livelihood. Change is not easy when you find yourself moving, and with your wife about to give birth.

More was at play here. You see, the world was dying. The world still is dying. Back then, people who never went but a few years between hearing from God through the prophets had become silent. They were asking themselves if they were still God’s chosen people. The have gone from captivity to one occupation after another. Where was God? Where is God? Does he still know us?

You see, for just the right time, God sent his son Jesus. In the midst of dying in sin, in chaos, Jesus comes as a beacon of life, a beacon of light. Even though there is death, today, the world still struggles and will for only a short while before focusing on the cradle so long ago.

So as we look at our passage this morning, in the midst of death, let us consider how in death, a child in particular means so much to us. Who is Jesus right now?

Let us consider this morning’s passage from Isaiah 9. 2-7: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

Now I am wondering about the Mayans and their calendar. No, I don’t think we have only 5 days left, though I wouldn’t mind in the least. I am tired and wore out. This weekend has been stressful, hard. I can see the pain wherever I tend to look. Who here is not at least a little weary from the news of death of children? These kids were Shea’s age. It would be good to have it all end, to be no longer battling sin in the world and within ourselves. It would be good to be resting in our Father’s presence.

But until then, the battle rages on. People are scarred by the sins of others. We are walking in darkness, but you and I have something that the world needs, those who are hurting, confused. We have seen a great light. The world once saw it thousands of years ago, and they look for it every day; for we are now that light of Heaven. How we respond in the face of tragedy is of the utmost importance. You see, this event serves to remind those in the world how lost they are, how dark their paths are, and all without us having to echo it.

They don’t need to hear the political diatribes or the religious vitriol. They need to see the light, to be shown the light. This is a time for compassion and grace on our part. While we cannot answer why, other than to say we live in a dark world, we can offer a way to something better. We are now that light, showing God’s love to those around us.

Jesus is our source of joy. Even though it is hard, do we truly find joy in Christ? I mean, you see the news, you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, but as you think of Christ, does the burden feel to lighten? Can it be in times like this something like what God told Isaiah? In the midst of darkness, they shall celebrate as if they had a plentiful harvest, as after a great military victory happened. After all, what does Jesus do for us? He gives us the hope of salvation, to overcome the grave, our sins, our short comings. No matter how bad life seems to be, Jesus is our joy. We, as a church, need to rejoice more often. We rejoice because we know that even though we see much rot now, a time is coming that there will be a worldwide peace.  

We rejoice because Jesus is our comforter. As comforter, he does two things for us: he trades us burdens. Take my yoke, for my burden is light. To be burdened as He is, is rather simple. That is what he meant in Matthew 11.28ff. Rather than worrying about things we cannot control, mainly the sins and evils of others, we can take up Jesus’ burden, take up His task. What was that task? Preach, teach. Preach that the kingdom is at hand. Tell others about the hope of salvation they can have as well.

The next part of Jesus being our comforter is that he is our peace. Now I must stress that peace isn’t to come to us between us as our Christmas songs imply, as the movies and shows state. For that peace, Jesus promised the opposite. There will be war between nations over Jesus. Families will be divided over Jesus.

Yet in Luke 2, the angelic host appeared and said, “peace to those upon whom God’s favor rests.” This means Jesus is our peace that is between myself, the believer, and God, our father. Between you, the believer and God, our heavenly Papa.  How many others would love to have that peace? Paul tells us in Philippians 4.8-9 that whatever good and praiseworthy things we think about, aka God’s redemption of us through this child, through our Lord Jesus. It is such an action that can bring us peace.  It is this peace that allows us to live in harmony not only with God, our Heavenly Father, but also with one another.

This same peace also assures of something. Though many believe that the shooter met out his own justice, there is an ultimate justice. However, we must be careful at this point. It would be so easy to rejoice that he did such an action. As I have quoted earlier, many have taken this easy road. We shouldn’t rejoice in the killer’s demise. Instead, we should be concerned with those who are hellbound. We should be trying our best to make sure that as we see the world perishing around us, we might be the source of peace that they seek. We might be the only light they see, because of the joy we have.

Even though we may hurt, this is a time of opportunity. It is a time to make sure that our words are seasoned with God’s love and grace. It is possible because God gave us that power when we were clothed in Christ, to see beyond ourselves, to go and reach others. Let this truly become a time of light, joy and peace, even though the world seems dark.

The Road Nearly Missed – Acts 9.10-19

In the days and times of ranchers along the US Border being worried about the invasion and drug war spilling into their lands, there is an account of one DEA agent and a rancher named Rance. This agent came onto his land stating that he was in search of a cartel leader who was seen fleeing onto his spread, and that he didn’t have time to obtain a warrant. Rance thought this over a bit and then decided to allow the agent to search, save a 10 acre plot just over the rise. He’d check that himself.

Being told that there was a place that he was not allowed to go did not sit well with the agent, being full of himself. He flashed his badge in his temper and stated that he could begin his search anywhere he wanted, and because Rance didn’t want the plot searched, that was precisely where he would begin his search. Now Rance did try to object, but the agent wouldn’t let Rance voice a word before storming off to the forbidden field.

It wasn’t too long as Rance was packing feed into the back of his ranger that he began hearing the screams of a man desperate. So Rance drove on over the rise to where the screams were coming from only to find the agent running straight towards him. And gaining on him was Rance’s Cracker bull. It would be interesting to see who got their prize first, the agent seeking the safety of the fence, or the horned bull seeking the agent.

Rance couldn’t help himself. He stood up on the ranger, cupping his mouth, hollered, “Show Ole Jack your badge! Tell him of your great authority!” Ever feel that way in your Christian walk?

Sometimes it becomes easy to mistake what looks to be a peaceful route. We find too late that the path we took is full of trials, struggles and pain. But these times for us is not near as plentiful as the times that we think that a path that is full of trials would really be a more peaceful path. Some might call them missed opportunities.

This morning, we are going to look at a road nearly missed by Ananias. His role in the Scripture is just here. He has a dialogue with God, then keeps and appointment and then that is the last we see of him. Yet he did his part. And he teaches us something about seeing roads we normally would not consider. Let’s read his story:

So here is the set up: Saul was coming to town to start a Christian train to destroy the Church. (Again, this is my speculation of his unspoken plan.) Ananias knows this, and he was probably taking a break from packing his “bug-out bag” in case he had to leave in a hurry. And then it happens. God shows up and talks to Ananias. What is the first lesson that we learn?

Look at the World from God’s view. No, I’m not talking about the horrid Bette Midler song, “From a Distance”, which says the world looks a lot better than we see it. It really looks a lot worse. God’s saw our sins. He saw our spite, our lusts, our lies, our greed. He saw us all filthy, but still He sent Jesus to be our redeemer, to shed his blood to make us clean, to restore us to His fellowship. This is better than the ultimate facebook friending.

Seeing the World from God’s view shifts us from seeing labels we put on others, or the so-called judgment calls. Instead of seeing the Satan-spawned enemy of the church, Ananias would see a man repentant of his evil. Instead of seeing the drug user, we see the man running from his pain. Instead of seeing angry old troll, we see the woman missing abandoned by her family. We see ways in which we can show God’s mercy and grace to those who need it most. Besides, Paul reminds us that we, ourselves, were no better before Christ. But mind you, seeing the world as God sees it will not keep us from missing the road.

Ananias would learn another lesson, that he wasn’t called to be the first person to share the Gospel with Saul. How many people, after Saul met Jesus on the road, came to Paul during those three days and shared the good news with him? We really do not know. Maybe just Jesus gave him the Gospel, and perhaps others came by. The point is, we do not know, cannot know. Not even Adee do. Only God knows. Just as you or I might be called to visit that angry old troll, we do not know the work that God has already done in her. She may be ready, may even be waiting for someone to friend her, to talk to her, to see past the wall she has up around her heart.

Now since I am on this point now, I’d like to take a side note: Here is this man meeting with his God. How would you feel if God spoke to you? Would you be in awe? Would you fear? Not Ananias! No, here he is arguing with the Creator of the Universe! He is more concerned with his physical safety more than the event of talking with his heavenly Father! Doesn’t it sink in; did it ever sink in that he was talking to the Lord, to the God Almighty, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Hello!!

No. I changed my mind here. This isn’t a side note. This is the third lesson. The first is that see the world from God’s view. The second lesson, God knows. Lastly, do not be afraid.

Do not be afraid of someone God wants you to talk to. If we have changed the way we look those around us, seeing the world a place full of hurting people, then we can better do the mission that we have been called to do. Now let’s be real here as well. Not everyone we talk to will accept the message that we have. But if we never talk to anyone, then some may not hear the message they need. Be you the first person to share Jesus, or the Nth person, it matters not. What matters is that you do talk. Too often, people let the fear of talking to others stop them from talking to others. We assume people know what we stand for because we have little emblems on our vehicles, or church signs in our yards. We leave it at that, and figure if our neighbor was interested, then he can make that first move. But what is there to fear?

Do we fear how they will perceive us? Oh, you’re a Christian, and look what you did. You’re such a hypocrite!

I’ll be honest. I sometimes blow it big. Sometimes I blow it small. But too often, I blow it. I mess up. Last night, power went out for a few hours. Boys were in the parking lot with one of the neighbor kids. He brought along a bunch of flashlights. A few times, he kept hitting me in the eyes with the light. I became short with him. Hopefully, not too short. He did stay another half hour playing until I had to tell him to go home because I was taking the family to get something to eat. Power came on at 9.40 pm. Went out due to a lady having an accident up on Main Street.

Ok now that lesson on fear is done, let’s look at the second half of this lesson. Being a dad, I will tell you, I love when my kids light up as they see me enter the room. Right now, (Flower) becomes especially glowing when I enter the room, all smiles and giggles for me. I love that they love me like that. I love that when my older boys come to show me something they did, (Little Duder) quickly does something to show me that he did. They feel that I am quite approachable. They know that they can battle me in squeak wars and call me silly. They call me, Papa. So what does this have to do with fear?

Do we have as casual a relationship with our Heavenly Father as Jacob, who wrestled with God; as Jesus did, as did apparently Ananias? Here he was arguing over a simple task, go heal a blind man. Our Father is approachable. He wants us to light up when we think of His Love for us. He paid the price, brought us back from exile so that He can spend time with us.

Ok, so I made a mistake. There is a fourth, final lesson here: If God gives us an assignment, He will give us the power to carry it through. Was Ananias selected because he was known for being able to give blind people his sight? Not that history recorded. God gave him the power to heal Saul, specifically. For that matter, was Sampson someone who resembled Dr. Banner or the Hulk? I tend to think that he looked like Dr. Banner, ordinary strength of any man, not even a warrior’s, because the Scripture says that the power of God came upon him. Perhaps as he was performing the feats, he looked more like the Hulk.

Maybe this lesson is why we fear telling others about Jesus. We don’t realize that God gives us power, the same power, as he told the Church in Ephesians 1, the same power  that raised Christ from the dead. He will not give us more than what we can handle.

I suspect that if I continue looking, I might find a few more lessons. Perhaps you might look at this sometime later today and find another lesson I missed. Bring it tonight. But the greatest lesson is the 3^rd, fear not. For when we are right with the Lord, as apparently Ananias was, then we will not miss the roads that lead to saved souls. Don’t nearly miss it.

When God Takes Another Direction – Acts 9.1-8

                In the Gospel of John, Jesus brings the teaching home to the people. They were following him, receiving the blessings of being near him, without fully accepting. Their sick were healed. Their bellies were full. And their leaders rebuked. Then they were told now it is time for them to decide what their part in following Jesus was. No more free ride, if you will. John records the most of the followers stopped following. It is here that Peter confesses the 12’s beliefs that Jesus is the Messiah. But even then, Jesus said that one would still betray him.

                Maybe it is because Judas did believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but he thought if he’d push it along, force Jesus’ hand, then the earthly kingdom would come. He wanted to be the hero of the hour. He didn’t have the right direction, though his actions did indeed bring about the direction God intended. Yet his mistake wasn’t the first misunderstanding, nor would it be the last. But I do wonder if that was Judas’ desire, but ultimately, his faith wasn’t founded for the kingdom, or for Jesus.

                I wonder if as a young man, if Saul of Tarsus, a member, or at least pupil of a member of the Sanhedrin was there that day Jesus was tried and executed. He saw that according to his understanding and education, Jesus was most certainly not the long awaited savior of the world. He was a heretic. He and his followers had to be destroyed. God’s honor must be defended.

                No, I am not stretching on this being Paul’s thought. That is the very definition of zeal. In his defense of God and the Law of Moses, he thought he was doing the right thing by destroying the Church. It’s the very confession to the church in Philippi. The man named Saul was always devoted to the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And it is here where we pick him up in our passage to telling others about Jesus. Stephen died for Jesus. Philip went on walk about preaching. Now we have Saul taking the persecution beyond the walls of Jerusalem, beyond the shadow of the Temple. Let’s read the text.

                Saul, as he was on his mission for God, came to see the light. We can look at it from all the traditional angles. We can see that God and Jesus are one; that what he thought he was doing for God was really attacking God. I have seen some imply that Saul was selected to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, that he had no choice but to comply. He went from being God’s biggest enemy to being his biggest preacher. Yet I think that there is more here, that as he became blind, something that has parallel in John 9.39 where Jesus said that he came to blind those who see and give sight to those who are blind.

                That would mean that Saul was one of those who claimed to see, to know the truth, when in fact, he was blind to the truth, and now literally blinded by the Truth. In Psychology, they would say that if Luke was accurate, Saul was protesting too much, that he must be dealing with guilt. I wonder what all he was processing in his thoughts. Could the stoning of Stephen be replaying in his mind? Or maybe it was the crucifixion of Jesus?

                Either way, he was now dealing with a choice, with a change in direction. He could continue on with what he thought he knew. He had a way of upbringing that has been set on its proverbial ear. Yet if he went down this avenue, as Jesus said in John 9, would Saul remain blind? Perhaps. It would be fitting if Saul chose not to listen to the truth of God’s Word.

                Then there is the other choice, to accept that he didn’t have a firm handle on who Jesus is. He didn’t understand how Stephen would, could stand there looking into heaven as the stones were knocking the life out of him. Of course we know the direction, the avenue Saul chose to travel down.

                But he was not the only one that afternoon who had a choice to make. He had an entourage with him. They, too, saw the light. They also heard the voice, but unlike Saul, according to Acts 22, the entourage didn’t understand voice, they knew it was a very supernatural event. They had to know that it was related to their present mission to Damascus, some 200 miles away from home.

                Too often we imagine that the entourage, after escorting Saul into Damascus, turned around and went home. This is something that has been nearly 2 weeks in the journey. What did they do during the three days of fasting that Saul submitted himself to? How did they respond to the message the Saul began immediately preaching?

                Now I am making an assumption about the entourage. I am assuming that the men were as open to learning the Word as Paul was that they were at least nearly as scholarly as Saul was. It is not within a person to take so much time with people he doesn’t particularly like. He wouldn’t be unevenly yoked. So I assume that they may have been some of his first believers. One other wondering question that I had: Could Silas have been part of Paul’s original entourage? The first time we really see Silas is where the Apostles and elders of Jerusalem selected him as part of the entourage to Antioch to explain what Gentile Christians were to do to live for God. He was the first choice for Paul when Paul and Barnabas had their tiff. But Silas is fanciful wondering.

                Yet what the Word doesn’t tell us is how the entourage chose. It is one of those unfinished stories that the Bible seems to be full of. It is like our story this morning. It’s not yet finished for any of us here. How do we choose?

                Yes, right now, following God within our understanding, it is easy to say yes. But what if God changes directions? What if God allows something to shake our very core, our very faith? Could we then be wise enough to recognize where God is and move ourselves to following Him? What if we as a church are called to go where we hadn’t planned on going?

                How do we make the right choice? Like Saul, we need to listen to his voice. No, he probably won’t talk to us in the manner that He spoke to Saul. We can see how God speaks to us through the reading of the word.  Often we don’t look at it because we let life distract us. Or perhaps we might fear what the Father might challenge us to change within our own lives. But reading the Bible is one aspect. It does no good if we just read the Bible and then live the day as we desire.

                We need to also make sure our spiritual life is in order. I like Luke’s gospel because it gives us a glimpse that Jesus had a habit of going off to pray to the Father. Do we make sure that our spiritual life is in order? Do we have a time that we let life just stop around us so that we can devote that time talking to our Father? Also that is the key. If God is our Father, than we are brothers and sisters, we are family. We are to gather, according to Colossians 3.16 and Hebrews 10.25, to encourage one another.  Yet how often do we let the world give us reason to skip any of the mentioned?

                When we make a choice for Jesus, when we listen to His Word, when our spiritual life is in order, we will find that God hasn’t changed as much as we have been changed, prepared for every good work that the Church, His children, His hands and feet and mouth, are called to do. Then those around us will take notice.

He Did

                What would you say if I said that God had a message for the people, but he lacked a messenger? After all, He looked about His throne room seeking a messenger. He asked, “Who will go for us? Who will take my message?” Most of us are familiar with this story. Then Isaiah spoke up and said, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” What if I told you that today, He still has a message for the world to hear? Are you willing to step up?

                Many things stop us from stepping up and telling God that we would be that messenger. Some think that in order to tell others about Jesus, he or she must be like Billy Sunday, Billy Graham, Luis Palau or Louie Giglio, or some sort to name a few. These are big names in national and worldwide evangelism. We seem to lack such big names anymore.

                Some may think that in order to tell people about Jesus, then he or she must be educated, have gone to Bible college, maybe even graduate school so that they will be equipped with all the right knowledge and words. There are many college programs that offer the right words. Some of them, you can attend from the comfort of your own living room.

Or maybe telling people comes from the fear of leaving home. It is never easy leaving a culture you know and are comfortable to live in another culture where you know virtually nothing. I do know a little something about that. For example, growing up, boys who lacked physical prowess, or even to just motivate them to prove themselves, coaches and teammates would call them, “girls”. You hit like a girl. You run like a girl. Now my culture was Hispanic by and large. However, when working in Mexico, I didn’t realize how offensive it was to make the same comments. The reaction my jest received was almost as bad as my saying anything negative about the Razorbacks. You just don’t do it.

Sharing the Gospel, sharing God’s message is sometimes over thought. We allow pride and other silly excuses arise and keep us from doing so. As I pondered some of the excuses, I wondered about the Church in Jerusalem. What kept them from sharing the Gospel with the whole world? Was it mere comfort, as I suggested last week? Comfort was just one reason we considered last week.

                Now this may be me with rose-colored glasses on. I truly believe those who love Jesus do want to share God’s message of hope, grace and love with those around them. They just don’t know. This morning, we will look at Philip and see what ways his example can relate to us.

Philip was Motivated {Verse – 1}

                What motivates us? What motivates you? For many in our country, Friday kicked off the Christmas season. People were out and about trying to get the best deals. Of course I am curious as to how many of the things that were bought that day were for actual gifts and how many were bought for personal wants. So for some, money was a huge motivator Friday last. Of course money can often be a motivator. Or perhaps lack thereof. I know that when there is not much in the tank, and the prices seems to be slow in dropping, I look at what I have. If I don’t have much, then the family drive on Sundays is shortened.

                But what motivates us spiritually? For Philip, we see that persecution, Christianity being deemed not just wrong, but now officially illegal, was his motivation to be God’s messenger and carry that message. Now I am not saying that he wasn’t sharing, nor that the church in Jerusalem, wasn’t sharing the message. But they were doing the minimum. Instead of carrying the good news, they shared the good news with those who came to them.

Sometimes we need to be motivated in such a way. I pray that it is not going to take Christianity being declared illegal to be that fire under our seat.  But perhaps God may just use something that strikes each of us in such a way that we would become motivated. Maybe it might be a pricking of the heart, time has been set. “Mr. Harvey, we didn’t catch it in time. I say maybe 4-6 months on the outside.” If you were sitting in the clinic, would such a statement perhaps motivate you? Maybe it won’t take that much. Perhaps it might be a bit of a softer pin prick, such as a loved one being so diagnosed.

Yet there is a better motivation for going out and sharing the message. Reading the Bible, Paul, while still enemies, he says, God sent Jesus to mend that rift, to suffer God’s wrath so that we can call Him, “Papa” or “Daddy”. Hebrew, it’s, ‘Abba’. Should this be enough for motivation, knowing that God does not wish anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance?

Philip was Open to hearing God {Verse – 26-27}

                Now you know I’ve mentioned I like science fiction and I like Star Trek. One of my favorite characters is Commander Spock. He is a half Vulcan, half human person who has put up all emotions. He is the epitome of stoicism. He would say that humanity is too emotional. Or in other words, he’s painted a pendulum. Humanity at one extreme, Vulcan at the other.

Are we sensitive to God’s guiding? Perhaps that might be something wrong with the Restoration Movement, our movement. In order to not be perceived as Charismatics, we try to be more stoic. We dismiss anything not clearly in the Bible, or anything that may cause us to feel uncomfortable. We have the pendulum where it seems that we either take the Bible too literally, or dismiss it. We either cling to emotions or dismiss them. Example of the former is that the New Testament half doesn’t endorse instruments in worship, so there is no piano in the independent Churches of Christ. The other side is the Disciples of Christ, where they clung to the denomination, and have said that the Bible is not the ultimate authority, as shown through their practices. The latter would be our Community Thanksgiving Service last Sunday Evening. There was a song being played and a young lady did an interpretive dance. It was moving. It was different. But was it any different than the dance that David did to celebrate the Ark returning to Israel?

Being sensitive to God’s guidance requires us to seek the middle ground, to see what the Bible says. Is the guiding going against Scripture? How would we know if we are not in the Word? Being open to God’s guidance means that we are listening as we read. That we are looking for the moments, such as was Samuel and Isaiah, that we can say, “Here I am, Lord.”

Philip was Seeking {Verse – 27, 39-40}

                Again, Luke 10.2, we have it memorized, right? “Look, the fields are ready for the harvest, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out more workers.” Philip was one of those who were seeking those he would share the message with. The angel didn’t tell him to look for the Ethiopian. He was told to go someplace. He was guided, but Philip used his own eyes and mind to see where the opportunity was. Yet at the end of the chapter, Philip was sent to another place where there was no one particular, so he shared with all.

                We need to be the same. Sure, God may not send us anywhere. But where we are, are we looking for the opportunity? Do we share a verse with someone suffering? For example, Clara’s son, a 4 year old smart lad, dies suddenly. Now you are not sure if she is a believer. What do you say? Often, I hear such, “Well God needed him” or “there is another angel in heaven.” The problem is those answers and well meaning as they intended to be, aren’t well meaning or comforting. Now depending on Clara, if she is angry, Matthew 5.45 says that God allows things to happen both godly and the ungodly. That is the nature, the curse of living in the world apart from God, the presence of pain for all. If she is questioning why her son died, perhaps there is comfort in Isaiah 57.1, that perhaps it was to spare a future, greater pain than now. This is not to dismiss other passages of comfort. The point is that this is one example of how if we look, we can see opportunities to be the messenger for God.

                Now let me caution you here. I didn’t dismiss the idea of not going. He may well light a fire under us that will carry us to another culture, or perhaps we might find that other culture just around the corner from our house, literally. But here is the great part of not dismissing that fear: if we are willing to answer God’s request, like Isaiah 6.8, or 1 Samuel 3.10, maybe God will use you where you are, or He will provide you with the strength to go where you need to be.

                This is an example of how the Father’s message is carried out.

Let’s Talk Politics

I am told that the fastest way out of town is to talk politics in church, be it that you are from the same party or differing parties. Yet I am choosing to talk about politics because Tuesday is coming. For quite a while, I lived in the world of politics, literally eating and breathing politics. No, none of my family were public office holders. I learned that aside from being Governor or President, there really isn’t as much power as there is behind the scenes. It’s not the ability of the puppet to entertain people, but the ability of the one pulling the strings that brings enjoyment. That is politics.

During my political life, I came to Christ. As I was learning to walk in Christ, I was taught that since the political scene had become so bad, so corrupt, that good Christians do not belong in that realm. I was cited Romans 13.1 about our role with government, that we should be in submission. They claim that it is not permissible to be involved, but to live with what happens.

The Late D. James Kennedy, former pastor of Corral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Corral Ridge, FL, was of a different opinion. He held the view that because political involvement is NOT expressly mentioned in Scripture, then the believer has the freedom to decide to, and even ventured more, stating that though all things are permissible but not beneficial, Christian involvement in politics is indeed both permissible and beneficial. He would say it was a mandate.

Political involvement is one a topic that lacks any real Scriptural support for or against. The best we can do is to infer. When the Bible was written, there were kings and emperors. There was a Senate of elected, but those who did the electing was by far a minority. You had to be a Roman citizen, which meant being born to both Roman citizens or purchasing citizenship, usually at the cost of a lifetime’s worth of wealth.
In our country, things are much different. Our President is not our president until death, thankfully. He serves 4 years, maybe 8, and then we elect a new one. Our lawmakers are the same. They serve a couple of years. If we like them, we reelect them. If not, we change. It has led me to think about this process.

It is more than just how should we vote. I can tell you how you should vote. But is it that simple? Would you, could you agree with me unilaterally? One hand we have a man who claims Christ but prefers Islam. On the other, we have a man who claims Christ, but has a different definition. For my Libertarians, we have another who claims total freedom, which means we legalize homosexual marriages and marijuana. They are for smaller government, but to legalize something creates not freedom but more oversight, more bureaucracy, bigger government. Freedom but without freedom. See? It’s messy, which is not to say anything about tax increases or other ballot issues, or even about the other candidates for the other offices.

How do we approach the topic? Yes we vote. But can a Christian do more? Absolutely. I thought about Matthew 22.21. Jesus was answering a question of paying taxes. He said, looking at a coin, having had them answer about whose image was on it, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, but give to God what belongs to God.” Yes, we pay taxes. Then we also become involved in politics as God leads us to. Some are, and will be called into politics and do well being a witness there.

Yet let us now consider Tuesday coming. I am not sure how you each stand on who you are voting for. I thought the last election had the poorest choices. My preferred candidates for this race all dropped 1, 2, 3 in order. I will say that I am pleased that the 2012 election is taking place, unlike my initial fear. However, for some, such as residents in the wake of Sandy, will have a time of voting. Some areas will see UN Monitors seeing that our voting process is kept fair, free from bullies and corruption. Yet what will happen if your candidate doesn’t win?

All of a sudden, though the media doesn’t focus on the President’s shortcomings, they seem to be carrying a sway of the other guy will be elected. (Perhaps creating an aura of false confidence or hope?) Does that mean President Obama will lose? Will President Romney be a step in the right direction? Though our involvement in the process is essential, and we’ll keep it to the voting for this message, the results do not really matter. That’s right, they don’t mean a thing.

Am I contradicting myself? Not really. As I mentioned, the Bible is not so focused on current events. Sure, Jesus and Paul both used current events to reach the people, but the use of current events were a means to an end, spreading the word, the mission of reaching lost souls for the kingdom, the restoration of fellowship between God and man through Christ Jesus.

Our response in the wake of Tuesday will be essential, win or lose, your way or the highway. The world will look to see how we are going to react. First we need to remember from the Great Commission, Mat. 28.20, Jesus is always with us. This should give us boldness and courage, as we saw with the Apostles in the last couple of weeks. Remember, this Great Commission gives the Church her mission, that AS WE GO, we make disciples, baptizing AND THEN teaching them… The passage ends with an awesome promise. Jesus is there with us. We don’t go it alone. We don’t walk alone.

Because he is with us, we are able to live Proverbs 3.5, which tells us to trust in the Lord fully, and lean not on our own understanding. He will direct our paths. James would define this type of faith as having it motivate our actions. Show me faith without deeds and I will show you a dead faith. Even our Sunday School lesson this morning, we see Paul mentioning that new faith, repentance, was displayed by their deeds. (Acts 26.20)

Then finally, from Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi (4.6), “Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving in your heart, present your requests to God.” This dovetails with Romans 8.28, the promise that “in all things, God works everything to the good of those who love him.”

But here is the interesting part, do we dare ask what that good might be? Francis Chan, in his book “Crazy Love” challenges our American way of thinking with God’s will being done in our lives. What if it is God’s will to let the country continue down the road she is?
Now I can hear some saying, “Steven, God’s will and good aren’t the same.” It may seem that I’ve jumped onto another highway, but follow me. Good is the old English word meaning godly. When we use to call something good, we were calling it godly. Of course language is always changing. Words’ definitions will morph. Suffer, a word of permitting in the beginning, now means to endure pain, hardship. Good, likewise, means pleasant. God’s Word, “Good” in our Romans verse isn’t about the health and wealth of His children here. Good is about godliness. It is about what His will for us is. It all goes back to the mission, sharing the Gospel as we travel our life.

Now you are with me, let me continue. Do we take it to our personal health and wealth? Or do we have a kingdom view and see that our good is being used to bring peace to those around us, to bring hope and encouragement? What if the Gospel isn’t as effective anymore because we are a stagnate people, because we’ve left our heritage and faith? I can draw some overlay with Acts 8 and our nation now, and will do so the next couple of weeks, but let’s consider, the Gospel wasn’t leaving Jerusalem until Christianity became illegal. Only after the first person died for Christ did people actually become His witnesses to the corners of the earth. What if this is the same good that we need to look for in the Church of America? I am not sure what will be heading toward us as a nation. I do fear that we are living in a historic time that we will see much change, regardless who wins. Our world may even become upside down and inside out.

Remember, as with Horatio, God didn’t promise to see us avoid the storms. Remember when Jesus was sleeping in the boat? The storm came, and in fear, they plead with Jesus to do something. He did. He didn’t calm the storm. He calmed the men. They were seen safely through the storm. What storms are you struggling with?

For Horatio, his storm was several fold. One might liken his life to that of a modern day Job. It was the year 1871. Chicago broke out in a fire. The fire consumed all of Horatio’s assets and investments. Normally, land is easy to reclaim, resurvey. But the fire also took out the Cook County Land Office. He would be able to recoup some of his lands, but most were gone. In the midst of that fiasco, he sent his family on their planned trip to England. He’d catch the next ship in a week or two. While his family traversed the North Atlantic, the storm would rear up again. This time, he lost his four daughters. Only his wife survived.  You can hear his prayer as he passed where his kids were likely lain to rest. “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when storms like sea billows blow, whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well with my soul.”

This morning, listen to the words as we sing all the verses. Make them your resolve. With Tuesday drawing nigh, is it well with your soul? Will it be well as Wednesday dawns bright?

Looking Forward

Acts 1.4-11

                Imagine a ministry that seemed quite popular. It is a ministry that was making inroads, serving the people, getting to the heart of the matter. It was a different way of looking, a different way of doing. The people were excited and coming to listen to this preacher and his disciples. They even a few times went out on individual tours, not too different than the Billy Graham Association does today. (Have one of our representatives speak at your community revival.) For years, this was good. And then tragedy struck. The preacher was killed.

                But here is where it became weird. Months prior, the preacher was telling his disciples that this was coming. And when it came, they still were caught off guard. What would they do? They had an option, to cower in fear. They were good at that. I wonder how many replayed the previous years in their minds to see if there was any way that this could have been avoided. They also were dealing with the fear of would they be next.

                But alas, the grave only held him for a mere few hours, a few days worth. He rose. He kept appearing to the disciples. They were not as afraid as before, but Jesus had this habit of not staying around, and now he’s not as bound by his corporal limitations. They couldn’t follow. Was this to be the new norm?

                Then He told them that soon, though John baptized with water, they would be baptized with fire from the Father. Now they couldn’t understand this. The Holy Spirit, briefly mentioned as the coming Comforter. But their minds were still on the past. “Now is the time for our nation? Will we be once again the mighty nation of God?”

                You can hear the words of gentleness and patience. “No, do not worry about those times, they are not of your concern. There is something more important that you need to be about. You will receive the Holy Spirit and then you will be my witnesses, not just in Jerusalem and Judea, but also to the Samaritans and the Gentile world. Tell them what you know, make disciples baptizing and teaching them all you have learned. You will soon be ready.”

                Those were His last words to them. For upon saying them, He went home. He was lifted beyond the clouds. And while they watched, I wondered if they were longing for him to come back, to spend just a bit more time, answer a few more questions. I wonder how much gazing was really day dreaming, doubting what they were called to do. So God sent a couple of messengers, a final comfort. “Stop looking up into the clouds. He’s will return, and by the same manner in which you have seen Him leave.”

                The disciples were in a new place. They had a new mission, but not really a new mission. Jesus’ words never became irrelevant. Jesus is still coming, and that day of glory is closer now than in the past. No longer would they be entering the presence of Jesus for orders, for encouragement. No longer will Jesus be there to answer the really tough questions, questions that arise from tragedy and hurt.

                Yet from this, they will learn that there is a time to draw on the past. Sure their ministry was great. But now it will be different. Today, many have the hindsight longing. Churches all over remember the good old days. I once had a lady tell me often about the times, when her kids were my kids ages, that the church had a thriving young adult ministry. I kept asking why it ceased to continue. Our kids grew up. Some churches have been shakers and movers and now sit shaking and barely moving. We don’t need to dwell here other than to point out that this is rather depressing. Jesus encouraged the disciples to move forward. The angels came along and reminded them.

                There is a time to remember the past. Jesus’ focus on the past was to teach what has been taught. The past can also be useful for inspiring us to ideas of how to be now. If we once did a weekly fellowship, what if we were to try that again? Invite a few friends over for some good old fashion grilling. Well bad example with the nights cooling and the skeeters seemingly on the war path. But we have football. What if we were to have a fun tailgate party in the afternoon, a Christian based, clean, fun prior to the game and then retire to the living room and watch our team win. Right now, they are ranked 24 with a 3-0 record, lastly beating South Carolina: 56-0. It has been a while since I’ve seen such an impressive start with the U of A.

                Just like talking about the Wildcats can be a distraction, when we consider the time Jesus has been away, or the history that is gone away, we risk becoming distracted. Our mind ceases, our actions cease being on the mission. Consider Jesus’ words that whoever puts his hand to the plow but looks back is unfit. (Luke 9.62)

                This leaves us the option to look forward. We are to carry the mission, the message. It is not enough just to have it, but we must share it by living it out before others as well as telling them this message, that Jesus came to restore our fellowship with God.  We find this encouragement in the Word. The next encouragement comes just two verses past the last one. Luke 10.2. We need to see the world around us as being  ready to hear the good news. Then let’s consider the words to the disciples, to be witnesses in Jerusalem, closest circle, then to the rest of Judea, a bit bigger, then to Samaria, bigger still, and then to the ends of the world. How are we taking the message out to the world?  How are we impacting our family? How are we impacting Stuttgart? How are we impacting Arkansas? Do we realize that the world is ready to hear the good news from us? But we need to be open to being used by God. This is encouragement from the Word.

                There is another source to help us to move forward. Look at verse 4. There is fellowship. Too often in our American culture, we see that we can do it ourselves. Radio stations downplay the Church’s role. Yet meeting together allows us to encourage one another because our time in fellowship with one another is so minute compared to our time in the world.  Paul told the church in Corinth that is why we meet, to build one another up, to encourage. This is not the main place for people to hear the good news and make a decision. They need to hear it in their world from you and I taking time to care for them. We come here so we can pray together and encourage, build one another up.

                Finally, we are motivated to look forward by nature itself. Consider the last verse, “in the same manner you saw Jesus go, he will return.” OK there are two here. Nature serves as a reminder. Driving back from the fair, I saw the sun breaking through the clouds and whenever I see that I wonder… is it today? But let’s not just look to nature, for we have a habit of worshipping nature as well. Let us look at the promise the angels have left. Let us then consider the words of how we should be then. We should be dutiful servants who are busy looking to the work before us so that when our Master does return for us, we shall be surprised, but not unaware. That is something that the clouds remind me. Day is coming that we shall no longer be able to do the work of Him who sent me. Remember those words from John?

                This morning marks the official shift in the next chapter of our congregation. The leadership is asking for a shift in thinking, a shift to thinking forward. We are going to be doing some things that are new, and may be uncomfortable at first. The invitation time, for example, will not be open to anyone needing prayer, but to anyone wishing to share a word of encouragement.

                If you like to share such a word, I invite you to after we sing our song. Let’s stand. 

Sharing Your Faith - Step 5 - Creating Opportunities

A couple of weeks ago, we looked at how we can share our faith with our friends and family. To help in that, this past weekend as well as today most of our friends and family and people in general, are watching or planning to watch the opening of the football season. Yesterday, the Razorbacks, today, Green Bay. As excited as people are about their sports and for others, hobbies, work, family, etc. how much more so should we be as excited about our faith in Jesus? Remember, we are not here for ritual or religion. We are here to worship together around the Lord’s Table. We are here to encourage one another to live the Christian walk the rest of the week. We are here to huddle before we run the play of life.

                This week’s playbook is not about seeing opportunities, but creating them. Today, we’ve hopefully have been reflecting on the previous steps. We have been praying, preparing ourselves by setting out our testimony, and even began using notes and tracts to speak a timely word. Hopefully now we are ready for this one, being open with those we do not know. We are going to look at three passages to encourage us and then we will take real look at applying them in our daily lives.

                First, we must remember that we are to rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide us. Matthew 10.19-20 has the context of Jesus sending out the disciples, telling them to be as shrewd as serpents but as innocent as doves. This passage is dealing with a future prophesy for the disciples after Jesus returns to His glory. But let us still consider it. Here is a promise that when we are in need of the right words to say, the Holy Spirit will guide us. Now I am not going into advocating that we do not prepare ourselves. Jesus often went into solitude for a time of prayer, to communicate with our Heavenly Father. God has given us His Word so that we may fully know God’s will for mankind. Remember also that the disciples were in fellowship daily with one another and with Jesus.  The lesson is that in order for us to be able to rely upon the Spirit to guide us, we need to spend time with Him. We need to spend time with one another, and we need to spend time in the Word. I will tell you, when your relationship is right, then you will always have the right words.

                This last week, someone told me, “As intelligent as you are, how can you be religious? Religion is for the weak-minded!” The person who said this has a point. Yet she didn’t understand what makes Christianity superior to religions. It is not about rituals and rites. Christianity is about a relationship with the Creator of the Universe through the work of Christ, taking God’s wrath for us. Jesus in John 4 even told her as much. “A time is coming that you will neither worship the Father here, nor in Jerusalem…the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” John 4.21, 23.  I had these words because I spend time with you, with the Father and with the Word.

                So when you encounter someone, if you’ve been following the steps, don’t worry about what you will say. Ask the cashier at Mayflower how you can make her day better. Ask the waiter if there is something you can pray with him about. When he answers, then pray with him there, immediately.

                Second, we need to remember whose favor we seek. God’s opinion is what matters, or obeying God rather than men. Acts 4.19-20, the disciples are answering the Sanhedrin. They were bold about it as well. Fear, as we considered last time, tends to stop us from working. We fear what others might think. Yet in sports, even at my doctor’s appointment Wednesday, I was bold enough to be a Wildcat in the midst of the hog pen. Yeah, the doctor thought I was saying some fighting words.  But you get my meaning? In the same manner, we need to as courageous to stand for Christ when we are in foreign territory. There are more people out there that say, “You believe in Christ, good for you.” But we need to stand for Christ even when our audience may even be hostile against Christ.  What if your waiter said, “Don’t pray for me. I don’t believe in God.”? As Christians, no, not that he can hear. Wait until your are home. But when he says no, he’s given you the opportunity to go further. Why not? But then as soon as he is done, don’t argue back. Accept it. Heated debates might result in poor service or worse, like spit under the bread.  We need to show love to those who would not accept us. If we really want to make an impact, go the extra mile and see to getting his table time and again. Turn him into a friend. Someday, he might very well take you up on it. Oh, and beware of skeptics. They might say something silly. Pray for my son’s turtle. It’s sick. They may not be joking. Often we get caught up in the minutia of life. God wants to hear about that as well as the bigger issues.

                Then we have our final passage. Creating opportunities is important because eternity is on the line. James 5.20 addresses this issue that by turning a sinner from his sin, then he covers a multitude of sins. {{Sci-fi Geek Moment: This passage addresses potential, alternate universal theory. Each decision we make can create an infinite number of alternate universes.}} Now for the mind-blower: God is able to see these choices carried to their conclusion.

                Now a caution is in order. We are not saying that someone in a particular sin, say being greedy in business practices to the point of cheating others, must stop before he can become a Christian. No, not at all. God accepts us where we are, as we are. Then through the working of the Holy Spirit by word, by study, by loving discipleship makes the change in the new believer. The change may come quickly. It may not. Remember, our society has no idea of a guideline of Christian behavior. They don’t know that coming to church in your river/swim clothes, makes people uncomfortable with their own thoughts and straying eyes.  Well let me use a different example. It was years before the Campbells and Stone, founders of the Restoration Movement, realized that they should be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the Holy Spirit. But they came to this through studying apart from their theological bends.

                Perhaps I should use another example. When you cast your pole into the water, do you pull out bass filets? Or do you pull out a fish that needs to be cleaned? No, you take the fist as it is, and then you prepare it, change it.

                But let’s return to the moment of eternity. There is a time that is coming, according to Paul, who quoted the Lord’s words to Isaiah, that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that God is God.  Let us also consider Peter’s words to help excite us from 2 Peter 3.9-10. God doesn’t want anyone to perish. This is why he told the disciples, tells us that we are to make disciples, baptizing them and teaching them in the way they should live. Notice the order. Teach after baptizing. This eternity will come in the blink of an eye. How shall we see the world around us? Luke 10.2, “Look, the world is ready to be harvested, but the workers are few.” You now know how to be a worker.

                Now you might still be nervous. There is another step, from last week, that can help us. Next week we begin a new series about the Kingdom, about reaching people around us. Next week is also the National Invite a Friend to Church Sunday. Next week is also our monthly fellowship dinner. It is really easy just to invite someone. 

The Rest of Your Story

                Imagine a young man sitting in his dorm room listening to a radio station. It is the top of the hour break from the EIB Network show. At this hour, the local ABC News Radio station plays another show, about 5 minutes long. It’s a news show, it’s a commentary, it’s a feel good program. This day, however, the young man hears something that he couldn’t believe. Now to set the next part up, you must know that his last name is a more common Irish name, and the odds of two complete strangers with the same last name meeting being kinfolk. But his name wasn’t as common as Smith or Jones. That said, the commentator related to how he remembers going to his grandfather’s house as a lad. Grandpa was the postmaster of a Central Kansas town that bore the family name.

                The young man takes a double listen and flips over to another station where he knew the same show would be on at the bottom of the very hour. He hears it again. You see, this young man grew up knowing that his great grandfather was a postmaster of a small Central Kansas town that bore the family name. He was kinfolk to fame. For six months, he sold everyone he knew. His own father, however was skeptical. But how? Both men’s grandpas were postmasters of the Central Kansas town bearing the family name. He finally accepted it.

                Then one day, the young man, also a janitor for the college, was asked to fill in for the one who normally cleaned the upstairs part of the library. As he was cleaning, a title caught his eye, and he picked it up. It was by his favorite commentator. Then he read the back cover, looking for confirmation of the claim to fame he had. Paul Harvey, Jr. was born Paul Harvey Ardaunt, Jr… And now you know the rest of the story to my brief moment of being related to the best story teller this side of Louis L’Amour. Even to this day, as I read L’Amour’s stories, I hear it in Paul Harvey’s voice.

                Story One – Let me share another story with you. Joe was a preacher who loved to preach. He loved to share the Word of God with all who would listen. Enjoyed watching them turn their lives around, repenting, striving to live for God, loving God.  But like most preachers, he had a comfort zone. He liked being where he was. He knew the culture. It was his culture. He spoke the language. It was a comfortable tongue, easy on the ears, and sometimes a hoot to repeat. Life was rolling well for this preacher, the icon of the area. Then one day, God startled him.

                I don’t know if in his comfort of doing the same day in and day out, that he wasn’t listening for God’s voice. Perhaps that wasn’t the case. Perhaps he was too comfortable where he was that he started seeing the God of the universe start looking like his neighbors. He was comfortable with the sinners around him. Sinners whose sins were not as tangible. You know, the sins like lying, stealing, being greedy or mean in business. Or any of the other sins that could easily be kept behind closed doors, out of public view. These are the good sinners he was used to dealing with. On Sunday’s, he’d hear the words, “Great sermon, preacher!” That is what Joe is used to.

                Then Joe heard God’s voice. Go to the filthy sinners. Now these sinners are filthy sinners because you can look at them and know instantly that they don’t even come close to holding the same moral compass that Joe, or even you and I hold. One look, you can see their sins. But still God said to preach to them. Leave your comfort zone. They need my love too. Tell them that I am near.

Well, if you know typical preachers, we don’t always like to head a thousand miles away from home to a culture that we are not used to. Now he will have to use a language that sounds harsh on the ears, and to roll the tongue around the vowels? Forget about it! So you know what Joe did? He left. Oh eventually he did go where God wanted him to go. And his ministry was better than ever. He was the first preacher and the response to his message could stir envy even in the heart of Billy Graham. I wonder though: did he stay there? What was the rest of Joe’s story?

Story Two – Henry was a good Christian. He attended church regularly, helped maintain the volleyball courts, taught the high school group and even played in the church leagues, that is when he wasn’t working. He worked a graveyard shift at the nearby E-Z Mart, just down the road from the church. You see, Henry was a lucky man. He loved saying how lucky a person was. He had a routine in his life, almost OCD. He kept a worry stone in his pocket as well.  Then early one morning, he met Jerry. Jerry was a grizzled looking man who came in the darkest hour of Henry’s shift, the point where Henry wants to step inside the cooler and catch a short nap. No one comes in during that hour, until now, until Jerry. Jerry strikes up a conversation about faith. Normally Henry wouldn’t talk about his Christianity while at work, but because Jerry asked, he was free to talk about it.

Jerry then asked him about earlier when he was trimming the lawn along the highway at the church. A grain truck nearly tapped him. Henry, of course said that God saved him. Then Jerry moves on, satisfied with that answer and asked about the game later in the afternoon. You see, Henry hit a softball straight up and out to centerfielder. It was an easy out. It would have been the end of the game. But the fielder dropped the ball. Henry ended up batting two runners in for the win. Henry said he was lucky that the fielder dropped the ball. Oh Jerry did not like that answer.

Nevertheless, Jerry remained composed and questioned Henry. Doesn’t God care of the small things in our lives or just the really big ones? You think that you are honoring God with your attendance, offerings and service, but then you turn around and rob God of the glory due his name. You need to stop. Stop the sin and God will bless you. Give Him the glory. After saying this, Jerry left the store.

What I failed to mention is that Henry was working and serving the church because he was a Bible college graduate. He had spent two years working at a convenience store while he was searching. It seemed no one wanted Henry. But after Jerry’s visit, a church called that following Sunday and invited Henry to come out for an interview. His first interview since he interviewed for an internship now 4 years earlier.

Story Three – Daniel had a little brother named Douglas. And if you have a little brother, you know just the type that Doug was. He was the youngest and therefore, he could do no wrong. I mean if Doug runs his bike into dad’s car and scratches it, it was somehow Dan’s fault. This certainly didn’t help the relationship between the two brothers.  While growing up, Dan didn’t care too much for Doug at school either. If he saw his brother coming, he’d duck out as soon as he could.  Though Doug thought the world of Dan, he always sought approval of his older brother. None would be forthcoming. It was at school that Doug found himself constantly in trouble. He would often get into fights, though he never told Dan it was because some of the kids thought Dan was a nerd and a loser. All Dan could see was the favoritism that Doug was showered with.

After graduation, both men started their careers. Well at least Dan did. He went off to college and was now working as a social worker, helping those in need, giving back. Doug was a drop out. Even though he had his GED, he couldn’t even get into the military. And you know, Dan was at fault for that too. If the day that they fought wasn’t called into the police, Doug wouldn’t have an assault conviction on his record. But what rubbed Dan wrong was that every time Doug was around, he was asking for all sorts of help. If he didn’t need money, he wasn’t there. The family attended church together, except Doug.

Doug’s life continued to spiral downhill. He was caught up in drugs and eventually went to prison because of it. Years would pass before Doug was a free man. But while in prison, Doug changed. He realized how far he strayed from God. It would have been easy to blame his brother Dan for the lack of support growing up, but ultimately, he realized that he still made the choices that have him where he is. After he was released, his dad hosted a huge family celebration. Dad brought in family from other places, put on a spread that Dan didn’t when he graduated college or when he got married, or even for the birth of his son. Dan was furious at Doug once again being showered with love.

                I have given you three stories in which we do not really know the ending. But each story had a point. You see, the Bible is full of unfinished stories. God designed it that way. Now you have to decide what the rest of the story is for each one. Will you go and reach those that God lays upon your heart, even if it means leaving your home? Will you look fully to God and trust him, even in the smallest details of your life? When a person comes to repent, can you, will you shower him with the same love, grace and mercy that God showers upon us? These three stories I used to encourage us in three major areas of our Christian walk.