Lend a Helping Hand

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.

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

Gomer's actions represent the actions of God's people, the Israelites. They have cheated on God with other gods. The truth is we all are, or have been, like Gomer. Certainly not in the same way.

• 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.

Luke 15:1-7

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 Corinthians Chapter 13
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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Entertaining Angels

The book club just met the other night to discuss the last book we read. The book was "Entertaining Angels" by Judy Duarte.


"As a teen, Kristy Smith spent her nights dreaming of a college scholarship - dreams that ended abruptly when she became pregnant. Now Kristy works hard to support her young son, Jason, and her ailing grandmother, staving off regrets about the chances that slipped away. When Craig Houston became a pastor, he envisioned making a difference in some distant, poverty-stricken country, not dealing with youth groups and shut-ins in a tidy suburb like Fairbrook. But things aren't always what they seem. Soon, Craig finds locals who need guidance even if they'll never admit it - like Kristy's best friend, Shana, who's always strived to be the perfect daughter; Renee, a pregnant teen trying to make it on her own; and Kristy herself, a vibrant and loving young woman unaware of just how much she has to offer. One by one, the residents of Fairbrook are about to learn that the future can surprise and redeem us, especially when there is courage and true friendship in abundance, and a little help from an unexpected source... "

An excellent book that I would recommend to anyone, this was something I truly enjoyed reading. While there were times where I made comment to Tymberlee about how I was sure I had watched this movie of the week, and the ending was a bit predictable, it was a good read.

So if you are looking for a good read, with a bit of a moral lesson this is the book for you. I walked away from it with a new view of how effective one person can be, a better understanding of how our attitudes can affect others, and the realization that things truly aren't always what they seem. I also have a new outlook on how those who are downtrodden in our community are treated.

Solomon--Godly Wisdom from Seeking God's Heart

If you could have anything you wanted, what would you ask for? That was the dilemma that faced Solomon in I Kings 3:1-28.

1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. 3 Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.
16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.
23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

• What was Solomon blessed with?

Solomon was blessed with the wisdom of God. Because of Solomon's humility and the wisdom of his wish God also gave Solomon all of the things he could have asked for but didn't, mainly wealth and a long life.

• How would you feel if you were Solomon?

I would be very happy with all the God had given me and would try to use my gifts for God's glory.

• How would you use this gift?

I would try to help others.

Reading on in the First Book of Kings we find that as he got older Solomon's heart turned from God and instead of judging and ruling with fairness Solomon became greedy. He accumulates more and more wives, chariots, and silver. he is not leading God's people well and is using his position of power for personal gain and not for the good of the people.

In our world today we see many people who are like Solomon. The rich and powerful people of the world who have been blessed with so much but do so little for those in need. Many of the rich and famous do charity work and give to helpful organizations, but are they truly giving or is it just an act to look good in the public eye. Men like Bill Gates and Donald Trump many give hundreds of thousands of dollars to charity, but how much more do they have that they could give. As of 2009 the average household income in the United States was just under $50,000.00. How great would it have been if the wealthy of our nation had only keep $50,000.00 and gave the rest to be distributed among those who made less. What would our country be like if we all had the things we need to live. To determine the average income you take the total of the population over the age of 18 and divide it by the total amount of income reported. What would the new standard of living be if every person 18 and over received $50,000.00?

There are many ways that all of us are like Solomon. We have been given so much by God, but we share so little with those in need. Like the rich and famous, we may give some of what we have to those in need, but do we truly give all we could. How much of a difference could I make in my community if instead of sitting here writing this blog I went out and worked in my city. So what does God want us to do? He wants us to go out and work to help others.

Every day each one of us makes a choice. We choose whether we will fall in line with Solomon and serve primarily ourselves and our own interests, or whether we will follow Jesus in giving our lives away to swerve others.

Luke 4:14-19 says,

[14] Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. [15] He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
[16] He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. [17] The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
[18] "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because 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,
[19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

• Where would Jesus go in our city/neighborhood to "preach the good news to the poor?"

In our city Jesus would go to the Homeless Shelter, Peppler Center, Long-term Care, Assisted Living Centers, or Physical Rehab to preach to the poor.

• Where is the nearest prison, jail, or other lock up facility to our church located? Does our church have a presence there? Why or why not?

The closest thing like this to our church is the County Jail. Sadly I am not sure if our church has any type of presence there.

• If Jesus left your church this morning after preaching the sermon, where would He go to heal the blind and others who suffer from physical limitations or sickness? Or put another way, where would we find sick people today? Again, what sort of presence does your church have in those places?

He would got to long-term care or the hospital, maybe even one of the assisted living centers in town.

• Who are the oppressed in you city? Where do they live? How are they treated?

Those living in the homeless shelter or staying at the Peppler Center. Many people in our town treat them poorly and look down at them. There are a few who are nice and treat those in need with kindness and compassion.

• Do you and your church respond to their extreme need more like Jesus or more like Solomon?

Our church responds more like Jesus, we have many different outreaches we do for those in our community.

• Where is one place you and your friends could go next week where you can imagine Jesus spending a lot of time at making things right?

We can go into our local schools and work to stop the bullying and mistreatment of the homeless who attend.

For the third week in a row I only had one student, so we moved on to something different, something just two of us could do. I felt I should post the lesson we failed to have for two weeks though, just so everyone can see what we should have done.


This week’s lesson, From Judges to King: The Appointment/Anointing of Saul looks at 1 Samuel 8. It says:

1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abi'ah: they were judges in Beer–sheba.
3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
4 ¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 and said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 ¶ And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectioneries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
19 ¶ Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.
22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

Newspaper reporters are known for asking Who, What, When and Where. We’re going to answer those questions today as a group.

• Who was involved in the story? Make a list of all the persons mentioned.
• What was going on? Make a list of all the action words/verbs.
• Where is this story taking place in Israel’s history? Why is that significant?
• Where is this story taking place?

Israel really wanted to do the same thing they saw the nations around them doing. That’s something we can all identify with.

How can we relate to this?
• Three things I have wanted because everybody else had them.
• Three things I’ve done because everyone is doing them.
• Three things I like because everyone else likes them.

We’re looking for the following volunteers:
• One person who wanted something very badly and when you got it, you found out it
wasn’t as good as you thought.
• One person who wanted something very badly, didn’t get it, and is happy because you
didn’t get what you wanted.
• One person who wanted something that would cost more than it ended up being worth.

• How easy is it to identify with what the Israelites are asking for here?
• Was it wrong for them to ask for a king? What were they really asking for?
• Why was this issue such a big deal?
• God gave in and gave the people what they wanted. Why did He do that?

Re-read 1 Samuel 8:7-9
We’ve talked a lot about how God is redeeming all of humanity and creation. Even when the people asked specifically for a king to replace God as their ruler, God did not abandon them. If you were in God’s place here, what would you have done and why?
Here’s the cool thing about the Bible: It’s not the story of what happened one time somewhere far away. It’s the story of humanity.
This means it’s a story that is happening right now in our times and in our own lives. We see people rejecting God for a king of their own making all the time.

We did the handout drawing ways people have forsaken God and are serving other gods.
We then shared our pictures and listen to Switchfoot’s “Meant to Live”.
• Do you agree that people want more than this world has to offer?
• Do you feel like you were meant to live for more that what you have right now?
• If God were going to use you to accomplish one thing in the world, what would you want
it to be?
• How have we perhaps lost God’s bigger Story inside our own smaller stories?
• The lyrics as, “Have we lost ourselves?” Do you think we Christians have lost who we are
inside God’s story?
• How might your life be different if you were to remember who you are in God’s Story?
What would change in your life if you started behaving like someone God was going to
use to change the world?

Found this great cartoon from my favorite stip, Frazz by Jef Mallett, it really tied in to the lesson from the last couple of weeks so I thought I would put it up to share with everyone.

Another Off Week

Another week of only one student, just Tanicia and I this week. We did much the same as last week, read through the scripture passage, discussed what was going on in the passage, and talked about thing we want, do and like and why.

It struck me today, that in a society where the goal appears to be keeping up with everyone else, we often take for granted the thing we already have, and that it is only when these things are truly needed that we understand their role and importance in our lives.

I am sure you are wondering by now where I am going with this, so bear with me. The long list of things I did this week included several thing which I have and often take for granted, but when they were not there or working properly, I truly understood how much they mean. First on the list of things I did not have this week was my plow truck. Due to a broken front spring I was unable to plow snow on Monday when we got a good 6" of snow, and I had to drive my other truck Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, three days of two-wheel drive on slick and snowy roads. Not only was I not able to clean my driveway, but those I plow for other people also had to wait until Wednesday night to be done.

Now that was more than enough of having to deal with not having the things I take for granted, I thought. I was asked by Benjamin to provide a reference for an internship he is hoping to get, no problem there, simply fill out the forms, write a nice letter and fax it to the organization. The only problem was the fax machine I usually use at work decided to quit working, so I had to scramble around and get a friend of mine at the LSSU Housing Office to let me use their fax machine to send out the reference. I don't think I will be taking the fax machine, which we have since fixed, for granted any time soon.

Today was the best example by far though of taking things for granted. Almost everyone knows I have had issues this year with the water line to my toilet freezing (a record three time so far this winter). That problem, with the use of a heat tape, pipe insulation, and styrofoam insulation along the walls of my crawl space by the bathroom, seems to be solved. The coldest weather so far this year is upon us and the toilet is working fine. So what you ask. Today when I went to take a shower, I found the hot water lines in my house were frozen, requiring me to get re-dressed and crawl under the house to thaw.

While it would be nice if I had a newer plow truck, or a better fax machine at work, or a more insulated crawl space, until I didn't have these thing I take for granted daily, I didn't understand exactly how blessed I was with what I did have. As I finally showered, I thought about how God gives us these great gifts and how, all to often, we take them for granted and fail to use them, then when we need them they are gone, forgotten and lost.

Maybe it isn't so much that we want what others in society have, maybe we are just trying to figure out what we already have and aren't using.

From Judges to Kings

Today's lesson was suppose to be from Judges to Kings, focusing on 1 Samuel 8. There was only Robin and me, so we read the scripture and talked a bit about times where we wanted, liked, or did things because of what others had, liked, or were doing at the time. The point of today's story was that Israel wanted to be like the other nations around them, they no longer wanted to be ruled by God's appointed Judges, instead they wanted a king so they would be the same as the nations around them. Part of the problem was the behavior of Samuel's sons. Instead of ruling justly they took bribes and practiced corrupt justice.

Samuel went to the Lord with the wishes of the people and prayed that the Lord would help solve this difficult situation. After hearing Samuel's prayers the Lord finally told him to make the people of Israel a king.

What we need to realise is that we are all different, we may share beliefs and opinions, but we are different people. Much like the great mosaics of the past, all of the different pieces come together to form a beautiful work of art. By themselves, they are just a colored rocks, together they form something great. This is much the same with us, alone we are just simple people, together we are the Body of Christ, and we can do amazing and beautiful things if we try and work together as one.

Soundtrack for Your Life

In their hit song Stand Up, the Christian rock group Superchik writes:

Stand up write the soundtrack for your life
It doesn't happen to you,you happen to life
Stand up, do something with your life
It doesn't happen to you, you happen to life

In the October Credo Journal from our Sunday School Class we were given the task of creating a playlist of songs that describe your life. As soon as I read this I though of this song. The whole point of this song is that we shouldn't be afraid to take chances, we should stand up and live our lives. So what songs would you pick if you were to describe yourself in music? What song would other pick for you?

As for myself, what songs would I pick?

Music Box Dancer

From elementary school, the one song that stands out, and when I listen to it now is still amazing is Music Box Dancer. My Kindergarten teacher Ms. Kelly was also our music and Band teacher at the time. During music time she would often play this song. She sat at the old beat up piano our school had with her head down and her eyes closed, a slight smile on her face as she played. At the time I didn't think much of it, I later learned that she had played concert piano with the Radio City Philharmonic before moving home to Michigan to take care of her mother after her fathers death. For her that simple yet extremely elegant song reminded her of happier days. That was the last year she taught, her mother passed away and Ms. Kelly left teaching and moved to Chicago to play for an orchestra there, but she was not forgotten, at least not by me. When I hear Music Box Dancer today I got back to a simpler time when everything was right in the world and I close my eyes and smile remembering the teacher who taught me to love music.

The Boxer--Paul Simon

"In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminder of every glove that laid him down or cut him
'Til he cried out in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains "

In middle and high school I was the Boxer, not simply because I got into more than my fair share of fights, but because at every turn I was cut down. I had my high school guidance counselor tell me in 10th grade not to worry, the world would always need ditch diggers. I took that as a challenge and graduated with honors, but many were the times when I cried out enough and wanted to quit. The people I went to school with either saw me as the daring rebel or the misfit loser. Unfortunately for me, more of the people in my school chose to see the misfit. There were only a small handful who knew the real me.

Runnin' Down a Dream--Tom Petty

I left home and joined the Army when I was 19. I had reached a point in life where I had no idea what I wanted but I knew it wasn't going to be found where I was, so I went looking. In all the years I was away, Ft Knox KY, Edgewood MD, Camp Hovey Korea, Aberdeen MD, and finally Ft Hood TX, I never found that thing I was searching for in life. I met a number of amazing people along the way, from the youngest Drill Instructor ever in the US Army, to a Staff Sargent who served in Germany with my second cousin and remembers seeing pictures of me from when I was little. I made friends all over the world and saw amazing things, but the dream escaped me. I realize now, in looking back, we were all running, some of were running towards something and other were running away. Most of us never found what we were searching for or escaped the things that were chasing us.

I am a Rock--Paul Simon

I am a Rock describes me when I came home from the Army better than anything else, I didn't need the world, I was fine on my own. It took a long time for me to begin to open up and let people back into my life, I had been hurt and it wasn't a pain I was eager to feel again. So I locked my self in and shut out those around me. When something threatened to break though my walls I would strike out in violent anger. Then things changed.

All Star--Smash Mouth

After the Army I went on to Graduate from LSSU with a BS in History and a Teaching Certification. When I graduated I mailed a copy of my transcripts back to that guidance counselor along with an invitation to my graduation. I had gone farther and seen and done more that anyone else from my high school class. I was a world traveler with a college education. So much for digging ditches.

Wonderful Tonight--Eric Clapton

I met Tymberlee while at LSSU, and my life changed, here was someone I could open up to, someone who almost always looks on the good side of things. She didn't care about my past, she was only interested in the present. We went out for a few years and I finally asked her to marry me, after I finished school of course.

Wonderful World--Louis Armstrong

A couple years after getting married Mattie was born and life changed again. The old me started to resurface, but they loved me anyways. I realize now that it is indeed a "Wonderful World."

But is that how it really ends? If this were a movie of my life, as the credit rolled over a series of snapshot from my past you would be hearing Jimmy Buffet's "A Pirate Looks at 40". I lived a crazy and wild life before settling down and getting married. People often ask if I regret my past. I always answer no. I have lived and amazing life, I have seen and done more than 90% of the people I know. As Amber Deckers, author of Ella Mental and the Good Sense Guide said, "Never regret something that once made you smile." So what do I have to regret?

The Judges--God's Chosen Leaders

Before I get started I should give a bit of a what's what and who's who here. My name is Charlie Goff (that is my wife Tymberlee and daughter Mattie in the picture) and I am the Teen Sunday School Teacher and Teen Age Level Director for the Sault Ste Marie, MI First Free Methodist Church. What all of that means is that I get to try to teach teenagers, those fun and ever delightful young almost adults, the Word of God and to help guide them into a fuller relationship with Jesus. I also help them transition into adult roles within the Church as full productive members. To this end, one of my former students took her place as an adult today as she started her new role as a Sunday School teacher herself. So hats off to Sara, welcome to the club and good luck. I also have the great job of helping plan activities for the kids and teens of our church and community and then watching them have fun. With all of that said on to the meat of today's post: the lesson. Texts in bold print are taken from our lesson book.

This weeks lesson started with a couple of questions:
Where did you see God at work in the world around you this week?
Where did you see God at work in you this week?

For the 1st question, that one was easy for me. I have long been concerned about Sara and her role within our church. Many of the older members of the congregation have watched as she grew up through the church and even though she is now in college, they still see her as the little girl from 10-12 years ago. Today she was seen in a new light and stepped forward into a new role as Sunday School Teacher. It was good to see her sitting at a table with her class around her. At the same time Benjamin is home from Law School for Christmas Break. He goes back later this week. To see the confident young man he has grown into from the somewhat shy boy that moved to our church 9 1/2 years ago is good. These young adults who sat in my class and watched me stumble and fall have gone on and are doing great things, so I must be doing something right.

As for where I have seen God working in me, I feel God is giving me a new sense of patience in dealing with difficult situations both at home and work. I have been dealing with new employees who need a great deal of guidance and a very strong willed 5 year old daughter, she obviously takes after her mother, both of which have pushed me to the point where I thought I could take no more, and God has been there to help me.

This week's passage was Judges 6:11-24 which says:


11And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
13And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
15And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.
16And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
17And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
18Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
19And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
20And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
21Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
22And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
23And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.
24Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

God gave Israel the judges to lead them on His behalf and to help them walk closer to Himself. Without godly leadership, Israel had a tendency to forget God time after time. How does this story fit into the big picture of God's plan of redemption for humanity? How do we see God at work to redeem Israel?

The handout we did as a class had the following:

• If I were Gideon I would be feeling...


• How do you imagine Gideon felt before his encounter with God? What would it be like to be attacked and ravaged by other people?


• How did it feel to hear the words, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior"?


• How do you imagine Gideon felt when he found out he was the one chosen to rescue his people, Israel?


• What would it have been like to see fire flare up out of the rock and consume the meat and bread that were on it? How would that make you feel towards God?

As a class we decided that if we were Gideon we would have been scared. Before his meeting with God Gideon has a poor self image. He was the lowest of the low. It was also decided that being attacked and ravaged were not things anyone would enjoy. To hear the Lord call us mighty warrior would be a great rush; if God thinks we are mighty warriors who are we to argue. And to be chosen from the bottom of the list to lead the Army of the Lord would be a great feeling. As for a rock bursting into flames and burning the food, WOW, and what does God have in store for us next.

If we keep reading, we find that Gideon obeyed God and assembled a great army. God dismissed all but 300 soldiers to make sure the Israelites would know it was God who won the battle. Then Gideon followed God's orders and the battle was won.

But how does all of this connect to us? If we read on we hear:

Gideon had no idea what he had inside himself. He listened to the voices around him telling him he was weak and worthless, and telling him that God abandoned him and his people. We're going to take some time to think about how the voices around us can hide who we really are in God.

We spent sometime thinking about these questions without answering them aloud.

• What do others say about me?


• What do others say about God?


• What do I say about myself?


• What do I say about God?


• What does God say about me?

Living out the Story

The Israelites stopped loving and worshiping the one true God and instead began following the popular god of the day, Baal. What gods are popular today? What things do your friends at school give their hearts to? What might it look like for you to stand against the popular gods of today? What might need to happen in order for you and your friends to love and serve the one true God?

We decided the false god of our modern day is Facebook. Many people let Facebook and the things they read there run their lives. Without Facebook they feel at a loss, they cannot connect to the world around them in a real manner. They feel the 1000 "friends" online are more important than the one real friend they could have in Jesus. To stand against Facebook is not a popular stand. I do not have a Facebook account, or a MySpace, or any other social network type account. I do have a Twitter account where I keep in touch with different runners and athletes around the world and can track the Detroit Red Wings. I also get update from places like Quizno's and Cliff energy bars mainly for the coupons. When I want to talk to someone I go see them, call then on the phone, or send an e-mail. There is honestly no need for me to know that Ryan is eating pizza or that Sara is doing homework. If I cared I would call and ask what they are doing. To be able to love and serve God you need to put aside the distractions of the world and truly connect not only with others, but with ourselves as well. Social networks give us the illusion of connection, but they distance us from both the world and ourselves.

Even though Gideon did not think he had what it took to lead the Israelites, God said, "I will be with you." Despite what we think we can or cannot do, God can do more than we can ever imagine through us if we allow His presence and power into our lives.

So what are you capable of doing today? Are you going to listen to those little voices telling you that you can't do something or are you going to trust that God will be with you and push on to the finish?

Next Week: From Judges to King