Acts 2: 42 – 47
In Acts 2: 42 – 47 there was something going on that was extraordinary… something was happening among those disciples gathered at Jerusalem that day.
To give some of the back-story, there were about 120 disciples gathered together for the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem… they were all together, and they were praying together… and they were in agreement with each other. Any difference between them had been soft-pedaled and they were focusing on their Common Ground.
As they are gathered together in that place, everyone hears the sound of a mighty, rushing wind, and people see something that looks like tongues of fire dancing on each of the disciples’ heads… and people hear God being praised and extolled in their own languages.
Peter gives one of the most definitive sermons of his career, declaring to the people that “This is what the Prophet Joel spoke about…. That God’s spirit would be poured out on all people in the last days… that sons and daughters would prophesy… that young men would see visions… old men would dream dreams… that we would see wonders in the sky above… and signs on the earth below… before the Day of the Lord comes… and whoever calls on the name of the Lord would be saved…
At the end of that speech, someone came up to Peter and asked him “So now what do we do?” These people were looking for something, and they found IT… and they wanted to know how they could have IT too.
So, the question really is…
What is IT?
Where does IT come from?
Can you buy IT?
Can you sell IT?
Once you get IT how do you keep IT?
Almost every week, I hear the same thing as I greet people coming in and out of the church. I hear people consistently saying “Wow… I really feel God’s presence here…”
THAT’S JUST IT!!!
IT is that something special from God… that special working of the Holy Spirit… and we see it in our text… “And the Lord added daily those who were saved…”
The LORD… added daily those who were saved…
The Lord added DAILY those who were saved…
It was the Lord’s doing… and he brought new people into a relationship with him each and every day…. And it is still happening to this very day.
Every so often I hear another observation… that church is a place where I can find the things that equip me to go out there and face the challenges of the world...
Well, that’s true… church is supposed to be a place for the equipping of the saints… but you also meet saints out there in the real world… it’s a little thing called fellowship…
Almost every day, when I worked in retail management, I would ask God for a point of fellowship during the day… someone with whom I could connect with and pray with… and without fail, by the time I went home for the day, I would connect with at least one person and have a brief time of fellowship with them… And I am consistently amazed to this very day about the ways in which God allows us to meet other people who are looking for that point of fellowship as well… and who knows… maybe God is using you to meet someone else’s need for Christian fellowship.
I Bid You Peace,
Dr. Ken+
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Faith that Makes A Difference...
Romans 8: 1 - 11
In case you missed this little bit of news from the International
and Technology Front...
After having dug to a depth of 10 meters last year, Scottish
scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years
and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had
a telephone network more than 100 years ago.
Not to be outdone by the Scots, in the weeks that followed,
English scientists dug to a depth of 20 meters, and shortly
after, headlines in the English newspapers read: "English
archaeologists have found traces of 200-year-old copper wire
and have concluded that their ancestors already had an
advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years
earlier than the Scots."
One week later, "The Kerrymen," a southwest Irish
newsletter, reported the following: "After digging as deep
as 30 meters in peat bog near Tralee, Paddy O'Droll, a
self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely
nothing. Paddy has therefore concluded that 300 years ago,
Ireland had already gone wireless."
Question: What is faith?
Good News! We have a definition of “Faith…”
Being sure of what we hope for (the substance of things hoped for…)
Being certain of what we do not see (The evidence of things not seen…)
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command…
Christian “Big Bang” Theory… God spoke… and… BANG! IT HAPPENED!
Faith says to us today that what is seen is made out of what is not seen!
Faith means making a conscientious choice to believe certain things to be true…
This conscientious choice means making a commitment, and a promise to a lifestyle of living by faith…
Hebrews 10: 38 and 39… “But my righteous one will live by faith... and if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him… But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed… but of those who believe and are saved…”
Elsewhere in the Bible we see further evidence of the choice to live by faith… Joshua says: “choose this day whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!”
Now let’s take a look at our text…
Hebrews 11: 6
1.) Without faith it is impossible to please God…
2.) Anyone who comes to HIM must believe that he exists…
3.) Anyone who comes to HIM must believe that HE rewards those who diligently seek him…
So… there is joy in the pursuit… there is an eager anticipation that says “if I seek after God… if I follow by faith… if I follow his word and his precepts… IF I HAVE A SAVING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THROUGH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST… I will find myself in a relationship with the Living God!”
There’s joy in the journey for the pilgrim who is seeking God in his or her life… because anyone who comes to God must believe that HE exists… and that joy is expressed most deeply in the belief that God rewards those who diligently seek him!
Thought: If you do not believe that HE exists, you will never find him through your own efforts and in your own strength.
Truth of the matter: There IS absolute truth… Jesus IS ALIVE today! HE LIVES!
Not only does He live… He calls us to live for Him… He calls us to live and love sacrificially for others because HE lives sacrificially for each of us today. He laid down his life so you and I might live free from our sins… this is called COSTLY GRACE… Our forgiveness cost him everything… His Kingdom… His Crown… His Life… so that he could make a difference in our lives today.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that when Jesus calls us, he calls us to “come and die…” Die to self… die to everything that would keep us from completing the things that God would have us to do…
Jesus gave us his mission when he said to the people gathered at the synagogue in Jerusalem “God’s spirit is upon me; he’s chosen me to preach the message of Good News to the Poor; sent me to announce pardon to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind; to set the burdened and battered free; to announce “This is God’s year to act…”
Jesus calls us to follow HIS example… He healed the sick… He raised the dead… He cleansed the leper… He made the blind to see… and his word says that He has given us the Holy Spirit… to teach us… to guide us… to comfort us… so we could do what He did…
The bottom line is that we are called upon to have the kind of faith that makes a difference… the kind of relationship with God through Jesus Christ that pricks at our conscience and tugs at our hearts when we see somebody in need. We are called upon to have the kind of faith that goes beyond superficial relationships and goes to the very depth of our hearts and binds us together… not merely as acquaintances, but as Brothers and Sisters who make a difference in the lives of those around us…
+ + +
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken
In case you missed this little bit of news from the International
and Technology Front...
After having dug to a depth of 10 meters last year, Scottish
scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years
and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had
a telephone network more than 100 years ago.
Not to be outdone by the Scots, in the weeks that followed,
English scientists dug to a depth of 20 meters, and shortly
after, headlines in the English newspapers read: "English
archaeologists have found traces of 200-year-old copper wire
and have concluded that their ancestors already had an
advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years
earlier than the Scots."
One week later, "The Kerrymen," a southwest Irish
newsletter, reported the following: "After digging as deep
as 30 meters in peat bog near Tralee, Paddy O'Droll, a
self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely
nothing. Paddy has therefore concluded that 300 years ago,
Ireland had already gone wireless."
Question: What is faith?
Good News! We have a definition of “Faith…”
Being sure of what we hope for (the substance of things hoped for…)
Being certain of what we do not see (The evidence of things not seen…)
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command…
Christian “Big Bang” Theory… God spoke… and… BANG! IT HAPPENED!
Faith says to us today that what is seen is made out of what is not seen!
Faith means making a conscientious choice to believe certain things to be true…
This conscientious choice means making a commitment, and a promise to a lifestyle of living by faith…
Hebrews 10: 38 and 39… “But my righteous one will live by faith... and if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him… But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed… but of those who believe and are saved…”
Elsewhere in the Bible we see further evidence of the choice to live by faith… Joshua says: “choose this day whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!”
Now let’s take a look at our text…
Hebrews 11: 6
1.) Without faith it is impossible to please God…
2.) Anyone who comes to HIM must believe that he exists…
3.) Anyone who comes to HIM must believe that HE rewards those who diligently seek him…
So… there is joy in the pursuit… there is an eager anticipation that says “if I seek after God… if I follow by faith… if I follow his word and his precepts… IF I HAVE A SAVING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THROUGH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST… I will find myself in a relationship with the Living God!”
There’s joy in the journey for the pilgrim who is seeking God in his or her life… because anyone who comes to God must believe that HE exists… and that joy is expressed most deeply in the belief that God rewards those who diligently seek him!
Thought: If you do not believe that HE exists, you will never find him through your own efforts and in your own strength.
Truth of the matter: There IS absolute truth… Jesus IS ALIVE today! HE LIVES!
Not only does He live… He calls us to live for Him… He calls us to live and love sacrificially for others because HE lives sacrificially for each of us today. He laid down his life so you and I might live free from our sins… this is called COSTLY GRACE… Our forgiveness cost him everything… His Kingdom… His Crown… His Life… so that he could make a difference in our lives today.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that when Jesus calls us, he calls us to “come and die…” Die to self… die to everything that would keep us from completing the things that God would have us to do…
Jesus gave us his mission when he said to the people gathered at the synagogue in Jerusalem “God’s spirit is upon me; he’s chosen me to preach the message of Good News to the Poor; sent me to announce pardon to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind; to set the burdened and battered free; to announce “This is God’s year to act…”
Jesus calls us to follow HIS example… He healed the sick… He raised the dead… He cleansed the leper… He made the blind to see… and his word says that He has given us the Holy Spirit… to teach us… to guide us… to comfort us… so we could do what He did…
The bottom line is that we are called upon to have the kind of faith that makes a difference… the kind of relationship with God through Jesus Christ that pricks at our conscience and tugs at our hearts when we see somebody in need. We are called upon to have the kind of faith that goes beyond superficial relationships and goes to the very depth of our hearts and binds us together… not merely as acquaintances, but as Brothers and Sisters who make a difference in the lives of those around us…
+ + +
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken
From Olympic Gold to Golden Leaves
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ;
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
My family and I loved watching the Olympic Games from Beijing. Four years ago, when the Olympic Games were in Athens, Greece, I wanted to take my wife and daughter to Athens, and not only show them around the city in which I was born, but also witness history in the making.
What comes to your mind when you think of the Olympics? For some it may be the extravagance — $100 million (plus) being spent on the opening and closing ceremonies alone.
The human drama of the games may come to your mind. Dara Torres was the oldest swimmer to win a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics when she was 33. Now, as a 41-year-old mom she is the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008. She competed in the Beijing Olympic Games in the 50 meter freestyle, 4×100 medley relay, and 4×100 freestyle relay and won the silver medal in all three of these events.
For some it may be the pride of watching U.S. athletes and seeing the medal count add up. We thrilled to the news that Team USA brought home 36 Bronze Medals, 38 Silver Medals, and 38 Gold Medals, and our hearts swelled with prize as Michael Phelps came home with eight world-record (and Olympic-record) breaking Gold Medals in swimming!
Whether or not you watched the 2008 Olympics, it's interesting to note that the New Testament actually has numerous references to the Olympic Games. The culture in which Christianity spread was very familiar with the original Olympics in Athens, Greece, so early believers often used imagery from those games to make a point.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, 25, Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
The “crown” Paul refers to was the laurel wreath awarded to the Olympic champions of that day.
As we watched the Olympic games this year, they were a great reminder to examine our own priorities. What is the “crown” we're striving for and putting all our energies into? The Olympic athletes devote years of their lives for that one chance to become an Olympic champion, just as each of us, as God’s children, are called to live our lives for HIM in the hopes of attaining the prize… the crown of life.
Olympic Gold, the roar of the crowds, and the fame and glory will all fade away, as Jesus reminds us that “heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will never pass away.” . A personal relationship with God through Jesus offers a reward that will never fade away. As Elaine Breeden, another U.S. Olympic swimmer says, “If I put his (God's) kingdom first, everything else will fall into place.
As the fall season begins, let us take to heart the words from Matthew 6:33… “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and everything else will be added to you.” Or, in the words of a favorite praise hymn… “Turn your eyes upon Jesus… Look full in his wonderful face… and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”
I Bid You Peace…
Dr. Ken +
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
My family and I loved watching the Olympic Games from Beijing. Four years ago, when the Olympic Games were in Athens, Greece, I wanted to take my wife and daughter to Athens, and not only show them around the city in which I was born, but also witness history in the making.
What comes to your mind when you think of the Olympics? For some it may be the extravagance — $100 million (plus) being spent on the opening and closing ceremonies alone.
The human drama of the games may come to your mind. Dara Torres was the oldest swimmer to win a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics when she was 33. Now, as a 41-year-old mom she is the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008. She competed in the Beijing Olympic Games in the 50 meter freestyle, 4×100 medley relay, and 4×100 freestyle relay and won the silver medal in all three of these events.
For some it may be the pride of watching U.S. athletes and seeing the medal count add up. We thrilled to the news that Team USA brought home 36 Bronze Medals, 38 Silver Medals, and 38 Gold Medals, and our hearts swelled with prize as Michael Phelps came home with eight world-record (and Olympic-record) breaking Gold Medals in swimming!
Whether or not you watched the 2008 Olympics, it's interesting to note that the New Testament actually has numerous references to the Olympic Games. The culture in which Christianity spread was very familiar with the original Olympics in Athens, Greece, so early believers often used imagery from those games to make a point.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, 25, Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
The “crown” Paul refers to was the laurel wreath awarded to the Olympic champions of that day.
As we watched the Olympic games this year, they were a great reminder to examine our own priorities. What is the “crown” we're striving for and putting all our energies into? The Olympic athletes devote years of their lives for that one chance to become an Olympic champion, just as each of us, as God’s children, are called to live our lives for HIM in the hopes of attaining the prize… the crown of life.
Olympic Gold, the roar of the crowds, and the fame and glory will all fade away, as Jesus reminds us that “heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will never pass away.” . A personal relationship with God through Jesus offers a reward that will never fade away. As Elaine Breeden, another U.S. Olympic swimmer says, “If I put his (God's) kingdom first, everything else will fall into place.
As the fall season begins, let us take to heart the words from Matthew 6:33… “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and everything else will be added to you.” Or, in the words of a favorite praise hymn… “Turn your eyes upon Jesus… Look full in his wonderful face… and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”
I Bid You Peace…
Dr. Ken +
Saturday, August 2, 2008
My Best Friend's (Brother's) Wedding
(John 2: 1 – 11, Revelation 19: 1 – 10)
This is the story of two young schoolboys in trouble… The Headmaster calls the first boy into his office. Headmaster asks “Where IS GOD?” The boy doesn’t answer. The Headmaster raises his voice and asks again “Where IS GOD?” No answer… Now the Headmaster raises his voice to a fever pitch and booms “WHERE IS GOD?” Scared, the boy runs out of the headmaster’s office, and runs into his friend.
Boy #2: “Ken… what’s wrong… you’re frightened…”
Boy #1: “Rob… we’re in real trouble… God is missing, and they think we did it!”
Answer to “Where is God?”
God is Omnipresent (Everywhere)
God is Omniscient (All-Knowing)
God is Omnipotent (All-Powerful)
An encounter with Jesus at a Jewish Wedding…
My Best Friend’s (Brother’s) Wedding…
Jewish wedding ceremony last Sunday afternoon in Woburn
Family was concerned that I would use the “J” word…
Yet I saw Jesus several times during the weekend…
In The Blessing of the Wine… It was the same Hebrew Blessing which Jesus used at the Last Supper, when he took the cup, and blessed it…
(Baruch a’ta adonai, elohaynu melach o’lam, bireh p’ree hagoffin)
(Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine…) And then he said “This cup is the new covenant in my blood…” take and drink…”
In the breaking of the glass at the end of the Wedding Ceremony… How he rejoiced with his family, how he raised his voice with the rest of the wedding guests and shouted “Mazel Tov!”
I Saw Jesus most poignantly during a conversation I had with the Groom’s father… my best friend’s father… before the ceremony I had been asked if I wanted to offer the blessing before the meal at the reception. Something deep inside of me thought it best that I defer to the Groom’s father. I asked him if he would do that particular blessing… He smiled, and said “You know… we have a traditional prayer for this… it’s a very beautiful prayer. ((Shelley took a dinner roll… and prayed “Baruch a’ta adonai… elohaynu melach o’lam. Hamotzi le-chem, min – harets. (Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.)) AND THEN HE BROKE THE BREAD…
And Jesus took the bread… and he blessed it… AND HE BROKE THE BREAD… and said to his wondering disciples “This is my body which is broken for you…”
Later on… after his death, burial and resurrection… after the rumor had started to surface that Jesus was alive… two men were walking down the road to Emmaus… and they encountered a third man on the road, and they invited him to walk along with them. For most of the afternoon, they chatted about the BIG current event of the day… how a man named Yeshua had been cruelly beaten and crucified for claiming to be the Messiah… the King of the Jews… How Yeshua had gone about healing the sick… raising the dead… preaching about Grace, Mercy and Forgiveness… As the evening crept in, the men invited their new friend home for dinner… and he accepted. As they were sitting down to dinner, they asked their friend to bless the meal… and he took the bread… and he blessed it… AND HE BROKE THE BREAD… Just then, as their friend broke the bread, their eyes were opened to who it was… IT WAS JESUS!!! How they ran back to Jerusalem to tell the rest of the believers that they had seen Jesus! How they celebrated!
The Wedding Feast at Cana is a story of a celebration… Monica and I enjoy going to Weddings because it is a time in which we can celebrate with the bride and groom… there is a festive atmosphere… there is music… we enjoy dancing together… and there is usually a very memorable feast… And as much of a celebration as a Wedding Reception is… as memorable as the Wedding Feast at Cana was…
It is nothing in comparison with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
One day, Jesus, the bridegroom will return for his bride, the church… and what a day of rejoicing that will be!
I Bid You Shalom... Peace
Dr. Ken+
This is the story of two young schoolboys in trouble… The Headmaster calls the first boy into his office. Headmaster asks “Where IS GOD?” The boy doesn’t answer. The Headmaster raises his voice and asks again “Where IS GOD?” No answer… Now the Headmaster raises his voice to a fever pitch and booms “WHERE IS GOD?” Scared, the boy runs out of the headmaster’s office, and runs into his friend.
Boy #2: “Ken… what’s wrong… you’re frightened…”
Boy #1: “Rob… we’re in real trouble… God is missing, and they think we did it!”
Answer to “Where is God?”
God is Omnipresent (Everywhere)
God is Omniscient (All-Knowing)
God is Omnipotent (All-Powerful)
An encounter with Jesus at a Jewish Wedding…
My Best Friend’s (Brother’s) Wedding…
Jewish wedding ceremony last Sunday afternoon in Woburn
Family was concerned that I would use the “J” word…
Yet I saw Jesus several times during the weekend…
In The Blessing of the Wine… It was the same Hebrew Blessing which Jesus used at the Last Supper, when he took the cup, and blessed it…
(Baruch a’ta adonai, elohaynu melach o’lam, bireh p’ree hagoffin)
(Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine…) And then he said “This cup is the new covenant in my blood…” take and drink…”
In the breaking of the glass at the end of the Wedding Ceremony… How he rejoiced with his family, how he raised his voice with the rest of the wedding guests and shouted “Mazel Tov!”
I Saw Jesus most poignantly during a conversation I had with the Groom’s father… my best friend’s father… before the ceremony I had been asked if I wanted to offer the blessing before the meal at the reception. Something deep inside of me thought it best that I defer to the Groom’s father. I asked him if he would do that particular blessing… He smiled, and said “You know… we have a traditional prayer for this… it’s a very beautiful prayer. ((Shelley took a dinner roll… and prayed “Baruch a’ta adonai… elohaynu melach o’lam. Hamotzi le-chem, min – harets. (Blessed are you, Lord God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.)) AND THEN HE BROKE THE BREAD…
And Jesus took the bread… and he blessed it… AND HE BROKE THE BREAD… and said to his wondering disciples “This is my body which is broken for you…”
Later on… after his death, burial and resurrection… after the rumor had started to surface that Jesus was alive… two men were walking down the road to Emmaus… and they encountered a third man on the road, and they invited him to walk along with them. For most of the afternoon, they chatted about the BIG current event of the day… how a man named Yeshua had been cruelly beaten and crucified for claiming to be the Messiah… the King of the Jews… How Yeshua had gone about healing the sick… raising the dead… preaching about Grace, Mercy and Forgiveness… As the evening crept in, the men invited their new friend home for dinner… and he accepted. As they were sitting down to dinner, they asked their friend to bless the meal… and he took the bread… and he blessed it… AND HE BROKE THE BREAD… Just then, as their friend broke the bread, their eyes were opened to who it was… IT WAS JESUS!!! How they ran back to Jerusalem to tell the rest of the believers that they had seen Jesus! How they celebrated!
The Wedding Feast at Cana is a story of a celebration… Monica and I enjoy going to Weddings because it is a time in which we can celebrate with the bride and groom… there is a festive atmosphere… there is music… we enjoy dancing together… and there is usually a very memorable feast… And as much of a celebration as a Wedding Reception is… as memorable as the Wedding Feast at Cana was…
It is nothing in comparison with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
One day, Jesus, the bridegroom will return for his bride, the church… and what a day of rejoicing that will be!
I Bid You Shalom... Peace
Dr. Ken+
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
