This is the text I used for the sermon I delivered Sunday May 15, 2011. I realize I have been a bit lax lately in posting and need to improve on that, so here is something to think on while I try to catch up on things.
“Life is for one generation; a good name is forever.” Japanese Proverb
As Christians, we are committed to a relationship with God. As part of our holiness we emphasize the joy of living holy lives before God’s eyes. Three centuries after the birth of John Wesley in 1703, his influences on Christians though his teachings on the doctrine of holiness and entire sanctification can still be seen. For those Christians who follow these teachings holiness means loving both God and your neighbors wholeheartedly. This happens when Christians willingly submit and devote their entire being to God. To do this we need to develop a set of priorities for life rooted in a lifestyle of true holiness.
Too often young Christians, and by this I mean new believers, are only getting half of the message of salvation. They are encouraged to confess their sins, be born again, and then they graduate into a “sin management” program of one sort or another. In almost every church in the nation you can find a program designed to help people recognize the most overt sins and a 1-2-3 program to avoid and manage these sins. We often hear the motto, “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.” The emphasis is on constantly seeking forgiveness. And while forgiveness is a crucial part of the Christian life, it is not the only thing in a Christian life.
The message of holiness calls each Christian to a radical restructuring of life. The message of holiness is that every aspect of life can and should come under the Lordship of Christ. We don’t just cope with sin, we gain a victory over it. The motto above only tells half the story: Christians do experience forgiveness, but they also perfectly love God and their neighbors. This is the promise of the New Testament.
New believers can become confused by the variety of messages they hear. They desire something that will make a profound difference in their lives and the world. They are not overly impressed with the quick fix; they want more than a plan for coping with the struggles of life. Only a healthy relationship with God through Jesus can help them set their priorities straight. When they devote themselves fully to Christ, He will help them put their live together and organize their priorities so they can use their money, time, and talents in ways that are ultimately meaningful and pleasing to God and themselves.
Someone once said, “The great purpose of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.” God’s work says a lot about what we do with our time, money, and gifts. Our lives are worth more than what any job will pay, which college we attend, or who will befriend us. Our purpose is to live beyond ourselves as Christ did.
Reactions are occurring all around us. If you hit a baseball with a bat the energy travels from the bat to the ball. But not all reactions are visible. It can often appear that nothing is happening, when in truth great things are taking place.
(Hold up a can of soda)
Take this pop for instance, right now it looks like there is nothing happening, but what if I was to shake it up? (Shake the soda) It still looks the same, but there is something amazing going on inside of the can. This is the affect accepting Christ can have on many of us. Our lives have been shaken up, and while there are great things happening inside, if we don’t chose to show the change, people will never know.
Once Christ is in our lives (shake soda again) we have to decide what we will do. Will we keep all of the energy and excitement bottled up, or will we let it out. The problem can be deciding how and where to release this energy.
In the OT we read the story of Hannah. Hannah was childless, and had been in great distress for many years. Finally she cried out to God, asking for a child with the promise that the child would be dedicated to the Lord. God answered her prayers and gave Hannah a son, Samuel. When he was a young boy Hannah presented Samuel at the Temple to fulfill her promise to God. When Samuel was around 12 God called to him in the night and Samuel answered.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
Not only did he answer but he did what God asked of him, regardless of how difficult it may have been.
The story of Samuel is important because it helps us to understand that we, as Christians, will often be called upon by God to leave our comfort zone and do the difficult and thankless tasks that he wants us to do; to lead meaningful lives in the eyes of Christ.
When we look at where our priorities should be we have to look at the needs of those around us. In bigger cities, and even here in our own small town, we have a homeless problem. We often like to pretend that homelessness is a big city issue; it isn’t something we need to worry about. New reports are filled with stories of growing health-care costs, chronic illness, and crime. These are the outcasts of society, the sick, the poor, the criminals, and the homeless. They exist in every society, and every society tries to ignore them. Our world contains an every growing number of people who fall into these categories. Regardless of where we live, we see these outcasts every day. The cruel in society ridicule and make fun of them because they may not smell good, wear the right clothes, or have physical or mental disabilities. They don’t look or act like everyone else. They are “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40).
As Christians we need to ask ourselves, “What should we be doing for these people? Why should we help the despised and forgotten of our society?”
God’s answer to these questions is clear in many places in Scripture. In Exodus 3:7-8 we read:
7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
God not only notices people’s suffering, he does something about it. God’s concern for the oppressed is evident in Jesus’ teachings. Jesus proclaimed, “He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Matthew 25:31-46 says:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
This important passage comes at the climax of several passages concerning the end times. Jesus has told the people of the coming of the kingdom of God and the judgment that it will include.
In this passage , the separation of the sheep and goats-the righteous from the unrighteous-is based on one thing and one thing only, their care or lack of care for those less fortunate, the poor, hungry, sick, and imprisoned. Those who care for those who are outcasts in society will inherit the Kingdom, and the who do not will be told to leave the sight of God and go into the fire prepared for the devil.
This passage is more than a simple do this and go to heaven. The deeper theme is that God is consistently concerned for the outcasts of society. Throughout the story of Israel in the OT, and continuing through the ministry of Jesus and the Apostles, God cares for this downtrodden and weak. God cared so much for the social outcasts that He became one Himself! 2 Corinthians tells us, “that though he was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” This identifying with the oppressed is what Jesus means when He says, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.”
If Jesus cared so much for the oppressed then those who would call themselves Christians should be concerned about the oppressed as well. Ministering to the oppressed is not something we do to make sure our ticket to Heaven is stamped; it is something we should do to grow in our Christian life. Many people in the modern church feel that by supporting missionaries they have done their part for the oppressed. They will listen to their missions coordinator present what the churches missionaries are doing, hear the call for aid, and put their offering in the plate as it goes by, and when they leave church and go home they feel they have followed Jesus’ command as they walk past the homeless man begging for food on the steps of their church.
John Wesley had a great interest in the poor and spoke often on the subject of reaching out to those in need. “One reason the rich have so little sympathy for the poor,” he said, “is because they seldom visit them. Many of them do not know because they do not care to know.”
As you leave today think about this;
• If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the 1 million people 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.
• If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of the world.
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change somewhere…you are in the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
The truth of the matter is, as bad as we think we have it, those of us sitting in the room are among the riches in the world. Most of the world would consider the poorest person here to be rich.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
God's Redeeming of Jewish People
Once again I only had a class of one, but we had class none the less. This week's lesson looked at the Book of Esther. To give a bit of background to the passage we studied today, Esther had been chosen from all of the young women of the land to be King Xerxes' new queen. Her cousin Mordecia was a captain of the king's guard, and as such had gotten on the bad side of the king's advisor, Haman, when he refused to bow to Haman. As a result, Haman got the king to pass a law that allowing for the destruction of not just Mordecia, but all Jews. We skip ahead to Chapter 4:12-17 where we read:
4:12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
4:13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
4:15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
4:17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Have you ever had the opportunity to say something to help someone else in trouble, but stayed quiet?
No, we would speak up and help others if we could.
Has someone ever had the opportunity to help you when you were in trouble, but didn't say something?
No.
Think about what it's like when you had a chance to do something that was right, but you knew it might cost you something. For example, you see someone your age setting by themselves in a social setting. They don;t look like you, they don't have the same friends, but they look very alone. The right thing to do would be to talk to that person. Yet, you know it might cost you something. It might cost you your pride is the conversation doesn't go well. It might cost you your reputation if someone judges you for sitting with someone different that yourself. It might cost you time when there are so many other "better things" to do. Esther had a choice to do the right thing by trusting God and speaking for a group of people who could not speak on their own behalf.
4:12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
4:13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
4:15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
4:17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Have you ever had the opportunity to say something to help someone else in trouble, but stayed quiet?
No, we would speak up and help others if we could.
Has someone ever had the opportunity to help you when you were in trouble, but didn't say something?
No.
Think about what it's like when you had a chance to do something that was right, but you knew it might cost you something. For example, you see someone your age setting by themselves in a social setting. They don;t look like you, they don't have the same friends, but they look very alone. The right thing to do would be to talk to that person. Yet, you know it might cost you something. It might cost you your pride is the conversation doesn't go well. It might cost you your reputation if someone judges you for sitting with someone different that yourself. It might cost you time when there are so many other "better things" to do. Esther had a choice to do the right thing by trusting God and speaking for a group of people who could not speak on their own behalf.
What would it take for you to actually do something to make a difference?
A lot of courage.
Would you be willing to address a group of your peers?
Yes, but it would be a very nervous situation.
Write letters to people in authority?
Yes, much easier than talking to a group of peers.
What if you have to do it alone?
It would be much harder to stand up as an individual than as a member of a group.
God created you to live today, that you might use your voice, your gifts, your talents and passions to bring life, love, joy, hope, and justice around the world. Where do you feel God is calling you to speak up?
That was the challenge that we ended our lesson on, where do you feel God is calling you to speak up? Is he calling you to speak against drinking and drugs in your town, against bullying in your school, or against intolerant attitudes within your own church. Once you have decided where God wants you to be, comment and share your mission with everyone. Who knows, maybe there are others who share the same goal from God.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
God the Lover/Redeemer
This Sunday we looked at the Book of Hosea. We started in Chapter 1 which says:
1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.
7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.
10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.
7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.
10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
- Why did God ask Hosea to marry Gomer?
- The people were guilty of leaving the Lord as Gomer was guilty of leaving her husband.
- How would you have felt is you were Hosea? Is this the kind of person you would marry?
- We would have felt mad, and this is not the kind of person we would like to marry.
- Based on the scriptures, what was the attitude of the Israelites?
- Mad because they feel God no longer loves them, so they have turned their backs to God.
- In light of the actions of the Israelites, what do these verses say about God?
- That while God wants to punish the Israelites for their unfaithfulness, He will eventually forgive them and take them back as His people.
- Does this give you a feeling of Hope? If so, why?
- Yes, if God can forgive the evils of the Israelites He can surely forgive us.
Gomer has been unfaithful in her marriage to Hosea. Maybe some of you have experienced unfaithfulness of some type in your life.
Hosea 3:1-5 says:
1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.
4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
- What kind of thoughts and feelings did you have when these verses were read?
- This is God calling us to truly love those around us regardless of what they may have done or who they are.
- How do you think Hosea feels when he is asked to love his wife again?
- Angry, she has already proved herself to be unfaithful once.
- Why do you think Hosea had to buy his wife back?
- He had sold her into slavery as a punishment for her unfaithfulness.
- What does this story tell us about Hosea?
- That he is a true follower of God, someone who does what God asks of him with a patient heart.
- What does this story tell us about God?
- That He wants us to show mercy and forgiveness to all, regardless of who they are or what they have done.
- What are some of the gods people serve today?
- Money, Food, Drugs
- Who does Hosea remind you of?
- Jesus
Just like Hosea, Jesus came to purchase us from slavery and to bring us home. The death of Jesus Christ won victory over sin and death. If you are struggling with sin, I have good news: You don;t have to! Jesus has made a way for you to get free from the slavery of sin.
Reading Ephesians 5:22-32 we find:
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
- What makes a good marriage?
- Love, understanding, obedience, and respect for your partner.
- Why is faithfulness and trust so important in a marriage?
- You need to be able to trust your partner and remain faithful in the face of temptation.
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
- Who are the recipients of this parable?
- The sinner who were near.
- Where does the Shepherd leave the ninety-nine sheep?
- In the wilderness.
- What are the steps the shepherd take in finding the lost sheep?
- He searches in the wilderness until he finds the lost sheep.
- Does this seem excessive considering he has only lost one out of one hundred, that's ninety-nine percent?
- In some ways yes, but why shouldn't he look out for all of his sheep and not simply those that are easy to keep.
Ninety-nine percent is a great number. I would imagine that if I could promise you a ninety-nine percent on your next test you would take it. However, that is not enough for God. He wants to search for all the lost sheep.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
- What are the elements of love found in these verses?
- It is patient, it is forgiving, it is powerful.
- How did Hosea display love?
- He took Gomer back after she had committed adultery and been sold into slavery.
- How did God show love during the time of Hosea?
- He forgave the sins and unfaithfulness of the Israelites.
- How does God show his love now?
- He forgives our sins.
- How can we show God love this week?
- We can work to be faithful to his word and live our lives as He would have us.
After looking at today's story, think about who you are more like, Hosea or Gomer? If you answered Gomer, 1 John 1:9 says that "if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." In other words, regardless of what we have done, if we ask God, He will forgive us. Is there any sin you would like to confess and ask God to forgive? If you answered Hosea, is there anyone you could show God's love and forgiveness to this week?
Sunday, February 27, 2011
God's Love for His People--Redemption Again
I am a couple of weeks behind, something I apologize for to those who are reading this. To go back to last week, we had a good lesson on a story we all know quite well, the story of Jonah.
Our text was the entire Book of Jonah, so I will not take your time up posting it here, if you want you can get a Bible and read it before going on.
After reading Jonah 1:1-15;
Why do you think Jonah went the other way?
He wanted to flee from the evils of the people of Nineveh.
What do you think was going through the minds of the crew when the storm arose?
They most likely thought they were going to die.
What do you think was going through the mind of Jonah when he asked to be thrown overboard?
He was most likely afraid of how God would punish him for his sin of disobedience.
The second section focused on Jonah 1:17-2:10;
What do you think it felt like in the belly of a whale?
Slimy, squishy, and gross.
What do you think it smelled like?
Nasty dead fish.
What images came to mind when you heard the prayer of Jonah?
Someone who was at the very end of their rope, absolutely desperate for God's help and salvation who truly repents their sins.
From chapter 3 we asked;
What did Jonah say to the people?
Nineveh will be overthrown and the people punished for their evil ways.
How did they respond to Jonah's preaching?
They repented and changed their ways.
In chapter 4 God has spared the people and Jonah is angry with Him for His merciful nature.
Why was Jonah angry?
He wanted the people of Nineveh to be punished for their evil ways and when God showed them mercy Jonah felt betrayed.
Where do you see God's compassion in these verses?
God shows that He will have mercy and compassion on those who truly repent their evil ways and ask for God to forgive their sins.
We agreed for the most part that the best part of the story was the fish vomiting Jonah out onto the beach, and that the character we liked most was Jonah. We could relate to not wanting to do something difficult and dangerous and that when God asks us to do these things we would be afraid.
The following were a set of statements that we had to decide if they were fair or unfair.
Is it fair if you are going 7 miles over the speed limit and you get pulled over and get a ticket for speeding?
No it isn't fair, it is only 7 mph to fast.
Is it fair when you don't study and get a bad grade?
Yes, you had a choice and made a bad decision.
Is it fair when you arrive late to a concert and can't find a place to sit?
Yes, by being late you let others have the choice of seating.
It may or may not seem fair, in these situations, to get what we deserve. It is hard to argue the speeding ticket if you were speeding, or getting a bad grade if you got the answers wrong. Seating is a timing issue.
Can you name a situation when you didn't get what you deserved?
In class Ryan didn't get stabbed with a pencil for throwing them at Robin while she was reading.
We ended our lesson reading Mathew 18:21-35, the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.
It would take generations for the man and his family to pay his debt, He owed millions and would never be able to pay it off by himself. When he asked for time to pay back the debt, the king was generous and cancelled the debt.
The second man owed 100 day's wages, yet when he asked for time, he was thrown in prison.
Is this fair?
No
What is not fair about it?
The man should have been given time to pay off the reasonable debt instead of being thrown in prison.
What is the right way to handle this story?
To show mercy and give the man time to pay off his debt instead of putting him in prison.
We get what we deserve in most areas of our life. However when it comes to God, we don't get what we deserve. We deserve death, yet God provides us life through His son Jesus Christ. That is called Grace.
Our text was the entire Book of Jonah, so I will not take your time up posting it here, if you want you can get a Bible and read it before going on.
After reading Jonah 1:1-15;
Why do you think Jonah went the other way?
He wanted to flee from the evils of the people of Nineveh.
What do you think was going through the minds of the crew when the storm arose?
They most likely thought they were going to die.
What do you think was going through the mind of Jonah when he asked to be thrown overboard?
He was most likely afraid of how God would punish him for his sin of disobedience.
The second section focused on Jonah 1:17-2:10;
What do you think it felt like in the belly of a whale?
Slimy, squishy, and gross.
What do you think it smelled like?
Nasty dead fish.
What images came to mind when you heard the prayer of Jonah?
Someone who was at the very end of their rope, absolutely desperate for God's help and salvation who truly repents their sins.
From chapter 3 we asked;
What did Jonah say to the people?
Nineveh will be overthrown and the people punished for their evil ways.
How did they respond to Jonah's preaching?
They repented and changed their ways.
In chapter 4 God has spared the people and Jonah is angry with Him for His merciful nature.
Why was Jonah angry?
He wanted the people of Nineveh to be punished for their evil ways and when God showed them mercy Jonah felt betrayed.
Where do you see God's compassion in these verses?
God shows that He will have mercy and compassion on those who truly repent their evil ways and ask for God to forgive their sins.
We agreed for the most part that the best part of the story was the fish vomiting Jonah out onto the beach, and that the character we liked most was Jonah. We could relate to not wanting to do something difficult and dangerous and that when God asks us to do these things we would be afraid.
The following were a set of statements that we had to decide if they were fair or unfair.
Is it fair if you are going 7 miles over the speed limit and you get pulled over and get a ticket for speeding?
No it isn't fair, it is only 7 mph to fast.
Is it fair when you don't study and get a bad grade?
Yes, you had a choice and made a bad decision.
Is it fair when you arrive late to a concert and can't find a place to sit?
Yes, by being late you let others have the choice of seating.
It may or may not seem fair, in these situations, to get what we deserve. It is hard to argue the speeding ticket if you were speeding, or getting a bad grade if you got the answers wrong. Seating is a timing issue.
Can you name a situation when you didn't get what you deserved?
In class Ryan didn't get stabbed with a pencil for throwing them at Robin while she was reading.
We ended our lesson reading Mathew 18:21-35, the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.
It would take generations for the man and his family to pay his debt, He owed millions and would never be able to pay it off by himself. When he asked for time to pay back the debt, the king was generous and cancelled the debt.
The second man owed 100 day's wages, yet when he asked for time, he was thrown in prison.
Is this fair?
No
What is not fair about it?
The man should have been given time to pay off the reasonable debt instead of being thrown in prison.
What is the right way to handle this story?
To show mercy and give the man time to pay off his debt instead of putting him in prison.
We get what we deserve in most areas of our life. However when it comes to God, we don't get what we deserve. We deserve death, yet God provides us life through His son Jesus Christ. That is called Grace.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Not a Good Day
Today was a bad day at work, I had to send an employee home because they were sick. As a result I had to stay at work all morning. I went to church, set up the computer and projector and had my class join the young adults, then went back to work. I will have to come up with a devotion or something later, but for now I thought I would promote book club. This months book, which you still have a couple of weeks to read is by Judy Baer and is titled, "Million Dollar Dilemma."
" 'I'm a PK, preacher's kid (or if I want to get fancy, a TO, a theologian's offspring). I grew up afraid of my own allowance...' So when over $20 million falls into her lap, Cassia Carr views her new Midas touch as a cross, not a blessing-- and certainly doesn't anticipate the difficulty in giving it all away!
And it's hard enough to gauge romantic feelings without the chaos of a major windfall. her globetrotting neighbor, Adam Cavanaugh, seems interested--but in Cassia or her fortune? When Adam abruptly disappears, should Cassia forget about him or follow her heart to an unknown life-changing destination?"
Tymberlee picked this book and I must admit it has the feel of the chick Christian romances she has a knack of picking, but because she hasn't finished reading it yet, I haven't had a chance to start.
Next month's book is my pick, and it is a work of historical fiction, a step away from the "daddy" books I had been picking. I went with Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins book "Mark's Story" from the series The Jesus Chronicles. Best known for the Left Behind series, LaHaye and Jenkins new series tells the story of those who know and walked with Jesus in the months leading up to His death and their lives and travels after His crucifixion.
"It is Jesus' last day alive as a man, and a young boy--Mark--is about to witness firsthand some of the most pivotal events in all of human history: Judas Iscariot's betrayal; Peter's denial of his master; and Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as the risen Lord.
In the years after, following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor Peter, Mark becomes an ardent follower of Jesus and a devoted disciple of Christianity, spreading the Gospel outside the boundaries of Jerusalem into the world. Along the way, he exhorts Peter to recount the stories of Jesus' time on earth--His messages, His miracles, and His everlasting promise to His people--and compiles what becomes canonized as the Gospel of Mark."
Both sound like very interesting books and I hope to see a few new faces at the next book club meeting. We meet next on Tuesday March 1st at 6:00 PM at the First Free Methodist Church, hope to see you there.
" 'I'm a PK, preacher's kid (or if I want to get fancy, a TO, a theologian's offspring). I grew up afraid of my own allowance...' So when over $20 million falls into her lap, Cassia Carr views her new Midas touch as a cross, not a blessing-- and certainly doesn't anticipate the difficulty in giving it all away!
And it's hard enough to gauge romantic feelings without the chaos of a major windfall. her globetrotting neighbor, Adam Cavanaugh, seems interested--but in Cassia or her fortune? When Adam abruptly disappears, should Cassia forget about him or follow her heart to an unknown life-changing destination?"
Tymberlee picked this book and I must admit it has the feel of the chick Christian romances she has a knack of picking, but because she hasn't finished reading it yet, I haven't had a chance to start.
Next month's book is my pick, and it is a work of historical fiction, a step away from the "daddy" books I had been picking. I went with Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins book "Mark's Story" from the series The Jesus Chronicles. Best known for the Left Behind series, LaHaye and Jenkins new series tells the story of those who know and walked with Jesus in the months leading up to His death and their lives and travels after His crucifixion.
"It is Jesus' last day alive as a man, and a young boy--Mark--is about to witness firsthand some of the most pivotal events in all of human history: Judas Iscariot's betrayal; Peter's denial of his master; and Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as the risen Lord.
In the years after, following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor Peter, Mark becomes an ardent follower of Jesus and a devoted disciple of Christianity, spreading the Gospel outside the boundaries of Jerusalem into the world. Along the way, he exhorts Peter to recount the stories of Jesus' time on earth--His messages, His miracles, and His everlasting promise to His people--and compiles what becomes canonized as the Gospel of Mark."
Both sound like very interesting books and I hope to see a few new faces at the next book club meeting. We meet next on Tuesday March 1st at 6:00 PM at the First Free Methodist Church, hope to see you there.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Distinguishing Between Right and Wrong Takes Wisdom
I had a full house today with Tanecia, Robin, and Ryan in class for this first time this year, so we were able to have a good lesson. The only problem was that I forgot my Sunday School Material at home so I grabbed an old lesson book and picked a lesson at random. We ended up with another lesson about Solomon and his prayer for wisdom, covering the same scripture as last week.
This week though we started with a list of things and discussed if they were right or wrong.
Cheating on a test—Wrong
The death penalty—2 Right and 1 Wrong
Downloading music—Could be either
Copying someone else’s homework—Wrong
Not leaving a tip—Could be either
Breaking the speed limit—Depends on why you are doing it
Keeping a library book over the due date—Wrong
Going to a party where there is drinking—Wrong
Hurting someone in self defense—Right
Cheating on a girlfriend/boyfriend—Wrong
Racing cars with friends—Wrong unless it is on a race track
Sneaking out after the parents are asleep—Wrong
Using lunch money to buy music—Right
Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between something that is wrong and those things that are just a matter of personal opinion. Sometimes people think certain things are “not really that bad”or “only a little wrong” in an attempt to justify their actions. Some things might be considered right by some people and wrong by others. Discovering what is right can be tricky. It takes wisdom to discern right from wrong. Let’s look at a time when God granted wisdom to Solomon, a king of Israel, who was legendary for his wisdom.
In 1 Kings 3:1-15 we learn that Solomon was David’s son and that after David died Solomon took the throne as king. Solomon was only in his early 20’s when he became ruler of Israel. Because he was so young he prayed for God to give him wisdom. God answered Solomon’s prayer saying, “I will give you a wise and discerning heart.” During his rule Solomon faced a difficult situation where he needed to use his God-given wisdom.
Reading on in 1 Kings 3:16-25 Solomon is presented a problem. Two women claim to both be the mother of a single child, each claiming the others child had died in the night. Solomon used his wisdom and asked for a sword. When the women asked why he needed a sword Solomon told them he would divide the baby in half and each mother would receive part of the child. One woman told Solomon to go ahead and kill the baby, the other cried out not to kill the child and instead to give it to the other woman. When he heard this Solomon knew that the second woman was the child’s mother, because her love would not let the child be hurt, so he gave the baby to her.
What would you have decided if you had been Solomon?
What process would you have used to come to your decision?
What was your reaction to Solomon’s decision?
In verses 26-28 we read that the people of Israel stood in awe of Solomon and saw that he had the wisdom of God.
Wisdom is not reserved only for people who have lived for a long time; wisdom is a quality of God that He wants to pass on to His children. It is something that will guide us and protects us as long as we live. But how can we find it? The answer is in Proverbs 2:3-6, where we read these words: “If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” The answer then, is to ask God to give us His wisdom, just like Solomon did.
We talked about an area where we would need God’s wisdom, the popular answer was school. The three ways we could seek God’s wisdom to help us with the troubles, both academic and social, of school were to pray, to read the Bible, and to attend church to gain the wisdom God has for us.
This week though we started with a list of things and discussed if they were right or wrong.
Cheating on a test—Wrong
The death penalty—2 Right and 1 Wrong
Downloading music—Could be either
Copying someone else’s homework—Wrong
Not leaving a tip—Could be either
Breaking the speed limit—Depends on why you are doing it
Keeping a library book over the due date—Wrong
Going to a party where there is drinking—Wrong
Hurting someone in self defense—Right
Cheating on a girlfriend/boyfriend—Wrong
Racing cars with friends—Wrong unless it is on a race track
Sneaking out after the parents are asleep—Wrong
Using lunch money to buy music—Right
Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between something that is wrong and those things that are just a matter of personal opinion. Sometimes people think certain things are “not really that bad”or “only a little wrong” in an attempt to justify their actions. Some things might be considered right by some people and wrong by others. Discovering what is right can be tricky. It takes wisdom to discern right from wrong. Let’s look at a time when God granted wisdom to Solomon, a king of Israel, who was legendary for his wisdom.
In 1 Kings 3:1-15 we learn that Solomon was David’s son and that after David died Solomon took the throne as king. Solomon was only in his early 20’s when he became ruler of Israel. Because he was so young he prayed for God to give him wisdom. God answered Solomon’s prayer saying, “I will give you a wise and discerning heart.” During his rule Solomon faced a difficult situation where he needed to use his God-given wisdom.
Reading on in 1 Kings 3:16-25 Solomon is presented a problem. Two women claim to both be the mother of a single child, each claiming the others child had died in the night. Solomon used his wisdom and asked for a sword. When the women asked why he needed a sword Solomon told them he would divide the baby in half and each mother would receive part of the child. One woman told Solomon to go ahead and kill the baby, the other cried out not to kill the child and instead to give it to the other woman. When he heard this Solomon knew that the second woman was the child’s mother, because her love would not let the child be hurt, so he gave the baby to her.
What would you have decided if you had been Solomon?
What process would you have used to come to your decision?
What was your reaction to Solomon’s decision?
In verses 26-28 we read that the people of Israel stood in awe of Solomon and saw that he had the wisdom of God.
Wisdom is not reserved only for people who have lived for a long time; wisdom is a quality of God that He wants to pass on to His children. It is something that will guide us and protects us as long as we live. But how can we find it? The answer is in Proverbs 2:3-6, where we read these words: “If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” The answer then, is to ask God to give us His wisdom, just like Solomon did.
We talked about an area where we would need God’s wisdom, the popular answer was school. The three ways we could seek God’s wisdom to help us with the troubles, both academic and social, of school were to pray, to read the Bible, and to attend church to gain the wisdom God has for us.
Pirate Getaway 2011
The Pirate Getaway was a great success, with 25 kids in attendance it was the biggest of the Kid’s Day series of activities so far. We had a great returning group, many kids who attend our church, and many of those who, while they may not attend our church do attend our events were joined by five new friends. Zoe, Ozia, Vivienne, Sophia, and Elizabeth joined us for the first time, and they had grrrrreat fun.
A special thanks needs to be given to our volunteers; Tammi, Billie, Sarah, Tymberlee, Becky, and especially Grace who stepped in and took charge of a wild group for about 30 minutes so everyone else could get a rest. Without those willing to step in and lend a hand these great events wouldn’t happen.
We watched a great movie (The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything), sang some great songs, made some cool crafts, played a couple Pirate Games, and best of all had an excellent story time and a lesson about loving others from Capt’n Charlie.
In the end Vivienne was the winner of our big prize, taking home and animated, electronic fish bowl. Connor and Blake were our runners up each getting a big peppermint stick.
By the time we were done everyone had walked the plank, some people twice, we had eaten lunch, and all had fun.
As an announcement, the Kid’s Fun Day that was scheduled for March 19th has been cancelled. That is the same day as the CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) Family Fun Fair at the Sault Middle School. This is a free event with lots of activities for all ages and we look forward to seeing you there. For more information contact CEF at 906-632-4453. Volunteers are always welcome.
A special thanks needs to be given to our volunteers; Tammi, Billie, Sarah, Tymberlee, Becky, and especially Grace who stepped in and took charge of a wild group for about 30 minutes so everyone else could get a rest. Without those willing to step in and lend a hand these great events wouldn’t happen.
We watched a great movie (The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything), sang some great songs, made some cool crafts, played a couple Pirate Games, and best of all had an excellent story time and a lesson about loving others from Capt’n Charlie.
In the end Vivienne was the winner of our big prize, taking home and animated, electronic fish bowl. Connor and Blake were our runners up each getting a big peppermint stick.
By the time we were done everyone had walked the plank, some people twice, we had eaten lunch, and all had fun.
As an announcement, the Kid’s Fun Day that was scheduled for March 19th has been cancelled. That is the same day as the CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) Family Fun Fair at the Sault Middle School. This is a free event with lots of activities for all ages and we look forward to seeing you there. For more information contact CEF at 906-632-4453. Volunteers are always welcome.
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