Luke 10: 25 - 37
About six years ago, one Sunday evening, I was on my way from our then-home on Wood Street in Bristol, down to church for the evening service. I was the second car back from the stop sign for the turn onto State Street, when I witnessed a horrible accident.
The driver of the pickup truck in front of me must not have seen the elderly lady. As he moved through the intersection, his truck struck the lady crossing the street, and she fell to the pavement. I was too numb to do anything but follow instinct, which led me to pull my car over to the side of the road, grab a folded blanket from the back seat of my car, and run over to see if I could help the lady who was by now bleeding profusely. I noticed that she had hit her head on the pavement, and that she was unconscious and bleeding profusely.
I knelt down next to her, and put the blanket over her, and then I placed my right hand at the crown of her head… it was covered with blood. I was relieved to hear the sirens of the ambulance which was on its way to the scene of the accident, and I stayed with her until the paramedics had stabilized her and were taking her to the Trauma Unit in Providence.
I must have looked frightful later that evening as I walked into the church… My shirt and hands were stained with blood, and I was incoherent for a while… Needless to say, I did not preach the sermon that night. Ironically, my scripture passage for that Sunday evening was the same passage which we just read this morning… and God was giving me a first-hand, point-blank-range life application of the Good Samaritan parable.
Last week, we talked about recognizing the Body of Christ, and we focused on Paul’s words “For you are the Body of Christ, and members in particular…” Today I would like to take that a step further, and focus on the question “Who is my neighbor?”
In our text, we see a man walking along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho… “there I was, just walking along, minding my own business…” When suddenly, and without provocation, he is robbed… the robbers beat him to a pulp… they strip him naked, and they leave him to die… laying in the road… moaning… bleeding profusely…
Along comes one of the Religious Leaders… a priest… it is obvious from the story that he is in a hurry to get somewhere… maybe to the temple for a board meeting… or maybe, more likely, it’s the Shabbat… and he is on his way to the temple to lead the worship service… He spots the man laying in the road… and he scurries on past… frightened that he might get some blood, or some dirt, on his hands… after all, he had to get up in front of the congregation and look his best…
And the man lays in the road… moaning… bleeding…
Next we see a Pharisee – someone who is devoted to keeping and observing the letter of the law – our resident legalist – and he looks down at the man… he shakes his head… gotta run… after all… it’s the Shabbat, and you can’t work on the Shabbat… Besides’ I’ve got to talk to the Rabbi about the candles on the Altar… they should have been lit for the service last Shabbat… what was that meshuggah Rabbi thinking anyway? He scurries past…
Meanwhile, the man is still laying in the road… moaning… bleeding…
Finally, we see Sammy the Samaritan walking along the road… minding his own business. ((Historically, the Jews and the Samaritans were two peoples who did not get along, and the very idea of a Samaritan having anything to do with a Jew was entirely unheard of!)) He rushes over and takes stock of the situation… here is a man who has obviously been attacked viciously… he is obviously in a lot of pain… and he is bleeding profusely… If I don’t help him, he’s going to die…
This Samaritan did not check to see if the injured man was a Jew, or a Hittite, or an Egyptian. The man’s nationality or city of origin did not matter… his label must have fallen off…
Sammy felt a deep emotional response when he saw the injured man, laying helplessly in the road… He knelt next to him and gave him first aid… he bound up his wounds, and poured antiseptic on him (in that day oil and wine were considered an antiseptic, and were often used to clean wounds.) Then he put the man on his horse and took him to an inn just a short way down the road. He checked the man into the inn (try saying THAT three times, really fast…) and gave the innkeeper some money to look after the injured man. I can imagine Sammy putting his hand on the shoulder of the innkeeper and saying “please take care of him, and if you incur any more expenses taking care of him, I will be back in a few days, and I will settle up the bill with you.”
We do not know how the story ends… whether the man recovered… what his name was… or the name of the kindly Samaritan… we do know, however, that the Good Samaritan is known and remembered to this very day for his act of mercy.
The church today is a church that has to have an outward look… The church today is a church that needs to stay focused on serving God by serving His people… The church today is a church that touches the lives and the hearts of the people in the community, and make a difference in the lives of our Friends, Relatives, Associates, Neighbors and their Kids.
Our mission… should we decide to accept it, is threefold… In the book of Micah, we read these words, and they are our marching orders from the Throne of Grace… “He has shown you, O Man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you… but to do justly… to love mercy… and to walk humbly with God.”
That is exactly what the Church that God blesses looks like.
I have a dream…
It is a dream of the church militant, and the church triumphant…
It is of a church in which people from all walks of life can come together in one accord and make a difference in the lives of those around them…
It is of a church in which nobody is wanting, because everybody gives out of love, and holds nothing back…
It is of a church that sees Miracles, Signs and Wonders because the Holy Spirit is allowed to flow freely…
It is of a church that is growing because we are accepting one another the way that Christ accepted us to the Glory of God the Father…
It is of a church which does not concentrate on the glories of the past, but stays sharply focused on the bright and beautiful future we have in Jesus Christ…
It is of a church which is engaged in extravagant acts of charity, not counting the cost, because Christ Jesus himself bought the church with the ultimate sacrifice…
I have seen the promised land… I have seen the church, the mighty army of Jesus, rise up and stand boldly for the Lord. The saints which have gone before… our parents, and our parents’ parents join in the chorus of the ages encouraging us, our children, and our childrens’ children to
Stand up, Stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the Cross
Lift high his royal banner, it will not suffer Loss…
From Victory unto victory HIS army shall HE lead…
Till every foe…
Every foe… hunger… poverty… disease… hatred… jealousy… strife… prejudice…
Till every foe is vanquished…
And Christ is Lord indeed!
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken+
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
At The Table... An Interaractive Communion
2000 years ago the bread was on the table...
And Jesus took the bread...
He broke the bread...
And he said "this is my body which is broken for you... do this in remembrance of me."
Paul brings these words into sharp focus when he tells us that we need to recognize the Body of Christ.
Here is some insight into this idea of the Body of Christ... Paul points to each of us and says "For you are the Body of Christ, and members i particular."
Jesus tells us to come to him when we are broken... when we have been kicked, beaten, battered, bruised...
2000 years later, the bread is still on the table... Take and Eat...
Jesus is the Bread of Heaven. Taste and see how sweet is the Lord.
+ + +
2000 years ago, the cup was on the table...
And Jesus took the cup...
He said "This cup is the new covenant in my blood... Take and Drink.
In the Old Covenant, the blood of a pure, spotless lamb was the atonement for our sins...
In the New Covenant, without the shedding of HIS blood there is no remission for our sins...
He tells us to internalize this fact... let it nourish you... let it sink deep down inside you... to the cellular level.
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins...
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.
The cup is still on the table... take and drink.
+ + +
The message for today is crucial...
The bread and the cup is NOT the Body of Christ... only symbols.
You are the Body of Christ...
Within you lies the ability to:
*** be a blessing to others...
***show mercy to others...
***bring healing to those hurting...
***proclaim liberty to the captives...
***to do justly... to love mercy... to walk humbly with God...
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken+
And Jesus took the bread...
He broke the bread...
And he said "this is my body which is broken for you... do this in remembrance of me."
Paul brings these words into sharp focus when he tells us that we need to recognize the Body of Christ.
Here is some insight into this idea of the Body of Christ... Paul points to each of us and says "For you are the Body of Christ, and members i particular."
Jesus tells us to come to him when we are broken... when we have been kicked, beaten, battered, bruised...
2000 years later, the bread is still on the table... Take and Eat...
Jesus is the Bread of Heaven. Taste and see how sweet is the Lord.
+ + +
2000 years ago, the cup was on the table...
And Jesus took the cup...
He said "This cup is the new covenant in my blood... Take and Drink.
In the Old Covenant, the blood of a pure, spotless lamb was the atonement for our sins...
In the New Covenant, without the shedding of HIS blood there is no remission for our sins...
He tells us to internalize this fact... let it nourish you... let it sink deep down inside you... to the cellular level.
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins...
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.
The cup is still on the table... take and drink.
+ + +
The message for today is crucial...
The bread and the cup is NOT the Body of Christ... only symbols.
You are the Body of Christ...
Within you lies the ability to:
*** be a blessing to others...
***show mercy to others...
***bring healing to those hurting...
***proclaim liberty to the captives...
***to do justly... to love mercy... to walk humbly with God...
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken+
Saturday, September 20, 2008
If These Walls Could Talk
If These Walls Could Talk
Luke 19: 28 – 40
Have you ever visited one of our many national historic sites, only to gaze around in wonder, and contemplate the words “If these walls could talk…”
Most recently, this past summer I had the privilege of attending our National Association’s Annual Meeting in Plymouth. I remember walking from the Conference Center to Memorial Hall that Sunday Morning and just gazing over the waterfront at Plymouth Harbor, and imagining what it must have been like Three Hundred and Eighty Eight years ago, in the year 1620. Certainly the shops and buildings that I walked past were not there at that time… nor was the young man who was trying to sell me a souvenir Pilgrim Hat…
I tried valiantly to put myself into the mindset of imagining what the Pilgrims must have endured that first winter in the new world, just as my Del’s Frozen Lemonade started melting… And it was very humbling to realize that there were things right in my vicinity which were here when the Pilgrim Fathers disembarked into what is now Plymouth…
While the Mayflower II, now docked at the State Pier in Plymouth, was built in the 1950s as a replica of the original Mayflower which was dismantled in England in the latter 1620s, it serves as a conversation starter, and it evokes vivid imagination of what life might have been life during the Pilgrims’ crossing from Southampton, England. If only those walls could talk…
Our text for this morning deals with one of the most fascinating stories in the New Testament. We join Jesus as he is starting the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, one week prior to his crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. His disciples are surrounding him, and generally making a ruckus as they are praising him… And this really gets under the skin of the religious leader in Jerusalem, and so a couple of the Pharisees try to get him to tell his disciples to keep it down.
Jesus’ answer really takes the Pharisees by surprise… But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise."
I have a very dear friend who really gets into praise and worship. Every so often he will say “I don’t want any stones to do my praising for me…”
It makes me wonder every so often, would we have to have the stones do our praising for us? Will our legacy be that we were so caught up in worship and praise that we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that we experienced God’s presence in church this morning? If only these walls could talk…
The whole idea of wondering what they would say if only they could talk is nothing new… Paul the Apostle raised the idea when he encourages us in Hebrews 12: 1 – 3 (I like the way this reads in the Message Translation) “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”
Paul is telling us to listen for that massive throng of people who had gone before us, who are cheering us on from the Grandstands of Heaven, as we press on toward the finish line! Notice how he encourages us to study what Jesus did, and focus on the things that Jesus focused on…
That brings us to this morning. This morning is Rally Sunday, the official kickoff for the Sunday School. This is also the official kickoff for the fall season, and the crisp, cool air brings back many memories of homecomings, and of new beginnings.
There are those among us this morning who have been students in the Sunday School here at First Congregational Church, going back twenty, thirty, forty, fifty and even sixty years… These people are here today to encourage each of our Sunday School Students, and Sunday School Teachers to study to show yourself approved by God. These people stand today because they are not ashamed of the Gospel… because they know that it is the Power of God for Salvation. These people stand as testimony to the fact that God’s hand was moving among these people then… he is moving among us today… and for generations to come, until the day of Christ’s return, his hand will still move among his children.
Years from today, the lessons that you are going to be learning in Sunday School will continue to be with you. The Bible Memory Verses that your teachers will be sharing with you are filled with wisdom which will serve you as you make decisions, and as you seek to know the Will of God for your lives. These teachers are making an investment into your future because they love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
I wonder what these walls would tell us if they could talk. I can only imagine what they would tell us about the faithfulness of the saints who have come through this place before, echoing back to the first days of this church… back in 1696. I also wonder what these walls would say 100 years from now, if they could bear witness to the things that we have said and done here.
Let it be said of us that the Lord was our passion
That with gladness we bore every cross we were given
That we fought the good fight, that we finished the course
Knowing within us the power of the risen Lord
Let it be said of us: we were marked by forgivness
We were known by our love, and delighted in meekness
We were ruled by His peace, heeding unity's call
Joined as one body that Christ would be seen by all
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song, by mercy made holy, by the spirit made strong,
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song til' the likeness of Jesus be through us made known,
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song.
I Bid You Peace,
Dr. Ken+
Luke 19: 28 – 40
Have you ever visited one of our many national historic sites, only to gaze around in wonder, and contemplate the words “If these walls could talk…”
Most recently, this past summer I had the privilege of attending our National Association’s Annual Meeting in Plymouth. I remember walking from the Conference Center to Memorial Hall that Sunday Morning and just gazing over the waterfront at Plymouth Harbor, and imagining what it must have been like Three Hundred and Eighty Eight years ago, in the year 1620. Certainly the shops and buildings that I walked past were not there at that time… nor was the young man who was trying to sell me a souvenir Pilgrim Hat…
I tried valiantly to put myself into the mindset of imagining what the Pilgrims must have endured that first winter in the new world, just as my Del’s Frozen Lemonade started melting… And it was very humbling to realize that there were things right in my vicinity which were here when the Pilgrim Fathers disembarked into what is now Plymouth…
While the Mayflower II, now docked at the State Pier in Plymouth, was built in the 1950s as a replica of the original Mayflower which was dismantled in England in the latter 1620s, it serves as a conversation starter, and it evokes vivid imagination of what life might have been life during the Pilgrims’ crossing from Southampton, England. If only those walls could talk…
Our text for this morning deals with one of the most fascinating stories in the New Testament. We join Jesus as he is starting the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, one week prior to his crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. His disciples are surrounding him, and generally making a ruckus as they are praising him… And this really gets under the skin of the religious leader in Jerusalem, and so a couple of the Pharisees try to get him to tell his disciples to keep it down.
Jesus’ answer really takes the Pharisees by surprise… But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise."
I have a very dear friend who really gets into praise and worship. Every so often he will say “I don’t want any stones to do my praising for me…”
It makes me wonder every so often, would we have to have the stones do our praising for us? Will our legacy be that we were so caught up in worship and praise that we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that we experienced God’s presence in church this morning? If only these walls could talk…
The whole idea of wondering what they would say if only they could talk is nothing new… Paul the Apostle raised the idea when he encourages us in Hebrews 12: 1 – 3 (I like the way this reads in the Message Translation) “Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”
Paul is telling us to listen for that massive throng of people who had gone before us, who are cheering us on from the Grandstands of Heaven, as we press on toward the finish line! Notice how he encourages us to study what Jesus did, and focus on the things that Jesus focused on…
That brings us to this morning. This morning is Rally Sunday, the official kickoff for the Sunday School. This is also the official kickoff for the fall season, and the crisp, cool air brings back many memories of homecomings, and of new beginnings.
There are those among us this morning who have been students in the Sunday School here at First Congregational Church, going back twenty, thirty, forty, fifty and even sixty years… These people are here today to encourage each of our Sunday School Students, and Sunday School Teachers to study to show yourself approved by God. These people stand today because they are not ashamed of the Gospel… because they know that it is the Power of God for Salvation. These people stand as testimony to the fact that God’s hand was moving among these people then… he is moving among us today… and for generations to come, until the day of Christ’s return, his hand will still move among his children.
Years from today, the lessons that you are going to be learning in Sunday School will continue to be with you. The Bible Memory Verses that your teachers will be sharing with you are filled with wisdom which will serve you as you make decisions, and as you seek to know the Will of God for your lives. These teachers are making an investment into your future because they love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
I wonder what these walls would tell us if they could talk. I can only imagine what they would tell us about the faithfulness of the saints who have come through this place before, echoing back to the first days of this church… back in 1696. I also wonder what these walls would say 100 years from now, if they could bear witness to the things that we have said and done here.
Let it be said of us that the Lord was our passion
That with gladness we bore every cross we were given
That we fought the good fight, that we finished the course
Knowing within us the power of the risen Lord
Let it be said of us: we were marked by forgivness
We were known by our love, and delighted in meekness
We were ruled by His peace, heeding unity's call
Joined as one body that Christ would be seen by all
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song, by mercy made holy, by the spirit made strong,
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song til' the likeness of Jesus be through us made known,
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song.
I Bid You Peace,
Dr. Ken+
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
An Epistle From A Very Dear Friend
Dear Reader;
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Inspiration and Lessons are found just about everywhere you look. God surprises us by speaking to us through different avenues... It may be through the scripture, or it may be through a gorgeous sunset, or a ray of sunshine. This particular ray of sunshine came through a letter from a very dear friend. Margarete and I were classmates in High School, and today, several years later, we are brother and sister in Christ.
Her words convey great depth and insight.
I pray that you are blessed by the following exchange which I title "An Epistle From A Very Dear Friend"
I Bid You Peace...
Dr.Ken+
*****************************************************************************
Margarete’s Epistle
What's up doc?? LOL Had to say it. I really am proud of you! Tthat is quite an accomplishment. You should definitely celebrate!! I am sure your family is thrilled for you. I actually like to hear about your work and your opinions on how things are going in that liberal area you are in.....we just shoot em in Texas! LOLYa know, just this weekend, I discovered some things about life. Sounds very philosophical, I know, but admittedly, there were pitchers of Margaritas involved...but, I realized that we are all in this life....just trying to get our way through it. Nobody has some magic pill, or religion, that is just going to solve all our problems and make it all go away. So, we all have to find our way. Another life lesson...if ppl are living in an apt complex at our age or older....most likely they have a story. Last Saturday Bob and I were sitting out on our patio and just chatting...a neighbor came by. She has always been nice, but we REALLY talked and learned a little about each other's story that night. Someone I really never would have thought had THAT big of problems...WOW, was I wrong. My first judgement/impression ....dead wrong. She leaves...another lady that I have barely said hi too...came out and I just started chatting...next thing I know....we are sitting out on the lawn...(LONG story there) and a few other ladies joined us and we were sharing a bottle of wine (or two,.....Margaritas to come) And we somehow got on the subject of church. And, this tatooed lady that I had not talked to much...told me she grew up pentecostal and was trying to find a church here. I was blown away..it hit me then that we have all just got to get through somehow. BTW, it was about three AM at this point....and we were sitting here just having this deep discussion on life...and lo and behold I hear this hissing sound...and I am like what the heck....Then I felt wet....as did the rest of us ....and we realized at that moment the sprinkler system had come on!! We got soaked...so we decided since we were already wet...to go to the pool. Long night, (which is NOT the norm for me) But...I decided that ...ya know we are just all in this together...and we have to muddle thru as best we can. I tell you all of this to set up something I read yesterday....a friend of mine sent me this thing on Revelation and told me to look up this verse...so, I did...and on the next page in my Bible, there was a devotion that caught my eye, Titled "Are You Coping or Conquering?" So, I went on to read the first paragraph.."Life is hard, and most people get throught it simply by coping. If ppl are unhappy in marriage, parenthood, career of friendships, they mostly do the best they can. They Cope. But is this the way God wants believers to live?" Paul once referred to life as a race. The goal is not merely to finish the race, but to WIN,to Conquer. Talk about hitting me square between the eyes! The devotional goes...on and I won't quote it all...but one of the final paragraphs says to read Romans 8:35-39. "and allow these beautiful words of hope to flood your soul. You are an overcomer because of Jesus Christ. "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." And, 1Jn 5:5 "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world""When trials, troubles, persecutions, disasters or attacks come, don't give in to fear. God will supply the strength you need to overcome in your adversity; he gives you the strength to overcome in your adversity. Notice that little word "in." God does not usually deliver you out of adversity; he gives you the strength to overcome in (or through) the adversity."God truly has a sense of humor...because I had decided...ya know, I can just muddle through this on my own...But, alas, we do all have our stories...just like you do ...but you were humbled through the eyes of your mother...and found your way back. I hope you do not forget those roots..and I am sure AHS was good training for you...and I do hope you let people know your story as well. It has merit....most of the time you took the high road...but sometimes you took the detour as well...but God brought you through it! As I know he will me too! As Christians, we all have to start being more real with each other, sharing our stories and becoming authentic and letting our light shine!! (Margaritas optional!!)Anyway, rambled on enough....take care, Doc!!
Margarete
**************************************************************************
Hi, Margarete...
Sorry I hadn't gotten back to you before now... It's been a hectic few days around here. Sort of the order of "three weddings and a funeral... and a series of meetings... annual conference... and the like...
Nevertheless, I had not forgotten about you and your latest musings.
I am very impressed (and very proud of you) for your epiphany over a pitcher (or three) of margaritas. It reminds me of the different settings in which Jesus taught his disciples. He (almost) never taught them in a formal worship setting (I think as modern theologians we tend to get it wrong), but rather around the table, or in the back yard around the grill, or even later in the evening sipping a margarita. (I hope that doesn't sound too 'out there', does it?) Or maybe he was walking down a road with a couple of guys... or hanging around a watering hole... it happened, and people just wandered in and out of the unfolding story of Jesus.
Even the disciples were looking for some magic pill to swallow... or some quick fix that would put an end to the problem, but that was not the case... A couple of bottles of wine later, and the disciples were awed by the profound teachings of a few simple words from the master.
Jesus did not preach a sermon... he just turned toward one of the disciples, and would start with "Hey, John... (or Simon, or Andrew...), did you ever consider the lillies of the field?" I can imagine John must have had a quizzical look on his face, "Uh, no... I hadn't..." And Jesus would weave an intricately beautiful picture of a lilly in the field... and then draw a remarkable corollary between that lilly and something in the kingdom of heaven... and then he would wrap it up by applying the imagery to our life. Not preaching... just a conversation between friends.
By the end of the evening (or, in some cases, by the time the sun came up a while later, and they were still parked on the front lawn), it would dawn on the group that they had been in the presence of some profound wisdom. I can imagine them sitting there, and one of them would sum up the experience by saying "Wow, man..."
I enjoyed reading your epistle (I think I'm going to save a copy of your letter to disk and title it "Margarete's Epistle"). The learned lesson that Kingdom Living means more than merely surviving (or muddling through) is a lesson that most of the people we deal with on a daily basis need to learn.
Your point of sharing the title of that devotional was well received. The Question is "are you coping, or conquering?" I believe that Paul said it best... "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us first."
And that is as it should be. If our lives belong to HIM, then our calling must be to do more than just muddle through or merely survive... Our calling is to wake up to the fact that HE calls us from glory unto glory, and to realize that He has already given us the victory in each situation that we encounter.
I am grateful to be your friend, and I am humbled to be your Brother in Christ.
Peace, Love and Blessings...
Doc+
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Inspiration and Lessons are found just about everywhere you look. God surprises us by speaking to us through different avenues... It may be through the scripture, or it may be through a gorgeous sunset, or a ray of sunshine. This particular ray of sunshine came through a letter from a very dear friend. Margarete and I were classmates in High School, and today, several years later, we are brother and sister in Christ.
Her words convey great depth and insight.
I pray that you are blessed by the following exchange which I title "An Epistle From A Very Dear Friend"
I Bid You Peace...
Dr.Ken+
*****************************************************************************
Margarete’s Epistle
What's up doc?? LOL Had to say it. I really am proud of you! Tthat is quite an accomplishment. You should definitely celebrate!! I am sure your family is thrilled for you. I actually like to hear about your work and your opinions on how things are going in that liberal area you are in.....we just shoot em in Texas! LOLYa know, just this weekend, I discovered some things about life. Sounds very philosophical, I know, but admittedly, there were pitchers of Margaritas involved...but, I realized that we are all in this life....just trying to get our way through it. Nobody has some magic pill, or religion, that is just going to solve all our problems and make it all go away. So, we all have to find our way. Another life lesson...if ppl are living in an apt complex at our age or older....most likely they have a story. Last Saturday Bob and I were sitting out on our patio and just chatting...a neighbor came by. She has always been nice, but we REALLY talked and learned a little about each other's story that night. Someone I really never would have thought had THAT big of problems...WOW, was I wrong. My first judgement/impression ....dead wrong. She leaves...another lady that I have barely said hi too...came out and I just started chatting...next thing I know....we are sitting out on the lawn...(LONG story there) and a few other ladies joined us and we were sharing a bottle of wine (or two,.....Margaritas to come) And we somehow got on the subject of church. And, this tatooed lady that I had not talked to much...told me she grew up pentecostal and was trying to find a church here. I was blown away..it hit me then that we have all just got to get through somehow. BTW, it was about three AM at this point....and we were sitting here just having this deep discussion on life...and lo and behold I hear this hissing sound...and I am like what the heck....Then I felt wet....as did the rest of us ....and we realized at that moment the sprinkler system had come on!! We got soaked...so we decided since we were already wet...to go to the pool. Long night, (which is NOT the norm for me) But...I decided that ...ya know we are just all in this together...and we have to muddle thru as best we can. I tell you all of this to set up something I read yesterday....a friend of mine sent me this thing on Revelation and told me to look up this verse...so, I did...and on the next page in my Bible, there was a devotion that caught my eye, Titled "Are You Coping or Conquering?" So, I went on to read the first paragraph.."Life is hard, and most people get throught it simply by coping. If ppl are unhappy in marriage, parenthood, career of friendships, they mostly do the best they can. They Cope. But is this the way God wants believers to live?" Paul once referred to life as a race. The goal is not merely to finish the race, but to WIN,to Conquer. Talk about hitting me square between the eyes! The devotional goes...on and I won't quote it all...but one of the final paragraphs says to read Romans 8:35-39. "and allow these beautiful words of hope to flood your soul. You are an overcomer because of Jesus Christ. "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." And, 1Jn 5:5 "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world""When trials, troubles, persecutions, disasters or attacks come, don't give in to fear. God will supply the strength you need to overcome in your adversity; he gives you the strength to overcome in your adversity. Notice that little word "in." God does not usually deliver you out of adversity; he gives you the strength to overcome in (or through) the adversity."God truly has a sense of humor...because I had decided...ya know, I can just muddle through this on my own...But, alas, we do all have our stories...just like you do ...but you were humbled through the eyes of your mother...and found your way back. I hope you do not forget those roots..and I am sure AHS was good training for you...and I do hope you let people know your story as well. It has merit....most of the time you took the high road...but sometimes you took the detour as well...but God brought you through it! As I know he will me too! As Christians, we all have to start being more real with each other, sharing our stories and becoming authentic and letting our light shine!! (Margaritas optional!!)Anyway, rambled on enough....take care, Doc!!
Margarete
**************************************************************************
Hi, Margarete...
Sorry I hadn't gotten back to you before now... It's been a hectic few days around here. Sort of the order of "three weddings and a funeral... and a series of meetings... annual conference... and the like...
Nevertheless, I had not forgotten about you and your latest musings.
I am very impressed (and very proud of you) for your epiphany over a pitcher (or three) of margaritas. It reminds me of the different settings in which Jesus taught his disciples. He (almost) never taught them in a formal worship setting (I think as modern theologians we tend to get it wrong), but rather around the table, or in the back yard around the grill, or even later in the evening sipping a margarita. (I hope that doesn't sound too 'out there', does it?) Or maybe he was walking down a road with a couple of guys... or hanging around a watering hole... it happened, and people just wandered in and out of the unfolding story of Jesus.
Even the disciples were looking for some magic pill to swallow... or some quick fix that would put an end to the problem, but that was not the case... A couple of bottles of wine later, and the disciples were awed by the profound teachings of a few simple words from the master.
Jesus did not preach a sermon... he just turned toward one of the disciples, and would start with "Hey, John... (or Simon, or Andrew...), did you ever consider the lillies of the field?" I can imagine John must have had a quizzical look on his face, "Uh, no... I hadn't..." And Jesus would weave an intricately beautiful picture of a lilly in the field... and then draw a remarkable corollary between that lilly and something in the kingdom of heaven... and then he would wrap it up by applying the imagery to our life. Not preaching... just a conversation between friends.
By the end of the evening (or, in some cases, by the time the sun came up a while later, and they were still parked on the front lawn), it would dawn on the group that they had been in the presence of some profound wisdom. I can imagine them sitting there, and one of them would sum up the experience by saying "Wow, man..."
I enjoyed reading your epistle (I think I'm going to save a copy of your letter to disk and title it "Margarete's Epistle"). The learned lesson that Kingdom Living means more than merely surviving (or muddling through) is a lesson that most of the people we deal with on a daily basis need to learn.
Your point of sharing the title of that devotional was well received. The Question is "are you coping, or conquering?" I believe that Paul said it best... "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us first."
And that is as it should be. If our lives belong to HIM, then our calling must be to do more than just muddle through or merely survive... Our calling is to wake up to the fact that HE calls us from glory unto glory, and to realize that He has already given us the victory in each situation that we encounter.
I am grateful to be your friend, and I am humbled to be your Brother in Christ.
Peace, Love and Blessings...
Doc+
Sunday, September 7, 2008
As We Forgive Those Who...
Matthew 18: 21 – 35
Matthew 5: 23 - 26
While the church is going to the field, reaching out to bring in new converts, Satan is taking them out the back door… back into unbelief… back into the world… through the Spirit of Unforgiveness…
The Spirit of Unforgiveness is doing more damage to the church today than any other tool or tactic that the enemy has in his arsenal…
In our texts today, we see very clearly that Forgiveness is important in the Kingdom of Heaven… and in fact, Jesus himself points to the idea of Forgiveness and the Kingdom.
Our texts today deal with Jesus’ parable of the Unforgiving Servant, and the importance of reconciling with your brother or sister before you come to the altar.
And so, in Matthew 18 we begin one of Jesus’ most important parables. The back-story to this parable is that Jesus was having a conversation with Peter about this important subject, they were talking about who was the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, and Jesus pointed to a little child, and said that unless you become like a little child… unless you have a child-like faith, you can never enter the Kingdom of Heaven… Then he turns around and compares his role as the Shepherd of our Souls to the story of a shepherd who is missing one of his sheep, and goes out and basically moves heaven and earth in order to find that one lost sheep.
Then Jesus offers a riveting commentary… he said that there is a way to settle disputes between members of God’s family… and there are ways NOT to settle disputes among the members of God’s family… and then, seizing an opportunity to teach on the subject of Forgiveness, he launches into the Parable of the Unforgiving (or Unmerciful) Servant…
Jesus started off his parables with the words “The Kingdom of Heaven is like… a King who wanted to settle accounts with his servants… some of his servants owed him money, and one servant in particular owed him $10,000… and he couldn’t pay. In verse 25, we see that the King ordered that the servant… and his wife… and his children… and all his possessions… be sold in order to pay the debt that he owed.
Because he could not pay, five different relationships were effected… 1.) The King… 2.) The Servant… 3.) The Servant’s Wife… 4.) The Servant’s Children… and 5.) The Servant’s possessions… because the servant owed a debt of forgiveness…
And he begged and pleaded with his master, the King… and the King took pity on him, and forgave him all that he owed… and the man left.
What happened next is really sad, and very deeply disturbing… The moment the servant leaves the palace, he sees a friend of his who owes him $1.00… and the Bible says that this servant grabbed the other man by the throat… and said “you pay me what you owe, or off to prison you go…” and he throws the man into prison.
Another servant of the King noticed this interchange, and quickly informed his Majesty, who quickly summoned the servant… and threw the book at him. “You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the reach of an unforgiving spirit is deep… it penetrates deep into the soul… and its reach is far… it can reach across many miles, and it can reach across the chasm of many years… Unforgiveness effected everything he had… it effected every relationship he had… it jeopardized his marriage… his children… every possession that he owned… every friendship that he had…
We are either a blessing to one another…
Or we are an affliction to one another.
What you do affects your wife… your family… your children… everything…
Unforgiveness destroys everything until the restitution of forgiveness is made.
The thing about the relationships we have is that offenses are inevitable… disagreement is inevitable… but as members together of the Body of Christ, the message is that we are called upon to be agents of forgiveness and mercy.
We offended God so much, that if he demanded payment from us, we would be destroyed. But God… demonstrated his love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus died for us. God himself made a way for us to be forgiven… and then he tells us to turn around and share that forgiveness with the next person… and the next…
Remember the words of the Lord’s Prayer? “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us?” Jesus meant business when he taught us this lesson.
If you’ve ever said something like “Oh, I just can’t forgive that person for what he has done…” or if you’ve ever held a grudge to the point where it becomes an all-consuming obsession, remember what happened to the Unforgiving Servant. As a result of his act of unforgiveness, his debts were recalled… they had been dead, but they were brought back to life. The other thing is that his master, the King turned that servant over to his tormentors until the debt was paid in full.
Sadly enough, it really wasn’t the King who delivered the unforgiving servant to his tormentors… it was his own act of unforgivness that sealed the deal.
In Matthew 5: 23 – 26 we see something interesting… Jesus tells us to be reconciled with our brother or our sister before we come to the altar with our offering…
if there is any strife among you… reconcile with your brother or sister first… leave your offering before the altar, go to your brother or sister… then come together to the altar and make your offering.
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken+
Matthew 5: 23 - 26
While the church is going to the field, reaching out to bring in new converts, Satan is taking them out the back door… back into unbelief… back into the world… through the Spirit of Unforgiveness…
The Spirit of Unforgiveness is doing more damage to the church today than any other tool or tactic that the enemy has in his arsenal…
In our texts today, we see very clearly that Forgiveness is important in the Kingdom of Heaven… and in fact, Jesus himself points to the idea of Forgiveness and the Kingdom.
Our texts today deal with Jesus’ parable of the Unforgiving Servant, and the importance of reconciling with your brother or sister before you come to the altar.
And so, in Matthew 18 we begin one of Jesus’ most important parables. The back-story to this parable is that Jesus was having a conversation with Peter about this important subject, they were talking about who was the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, and Jesus pointed to a little child, and said that unless you become like a little child… unless you have a child-like faith, you can never enter the Kingdom of Heaven… Then he turns around and compares his role as the Shepherd of our Souls to the story of a shepherd who is missing one of his sheep, and goes out and basically moves heaven and earth in order to find that one lost sheep.
Then Jesus offers a riveting commentary… he said that there is a way to settle disputes between members of God’s family… and there are ways NOT to settle disputes among the members of God’s family… and then, seizing an opportunity to teach on the subject of Forgiveness, he launches into the Parable of the Unforgiving (or Unmerciful) Servant…
Jesus started off his parables with the words “The Kingdom of Heaven is like… a King who wanted to settle accounts with his servants… some of his servants owed him money, and one servant in particular owed him $10,000… and he couldn’t pay. In verse 25, we see that the King ordered that the servant… and his wife… and his children… and all his possessions… be sold in order to pay the debt that he owed.
Because he could not pay, five different relationships were effected… 1.) The King… 2.) The Servant… 3.) The Servant’s Wife… 4.) The Servant’s Children… and 5.) The Servant’s possessions… because the servant owed a debt of forgiveness…
And he begged and pleaded with his master, the King… and the King took pity on him, and forgave him all that he owed… and the man left.
What happened next is really sad, and very deeply disturbing… The moment the servant leaves the palace, he sees a friend of his who owes him $1.00… and the Bible says that this servant grabbed the other man by the throat… and said “you pay me what you owe, or off to prison you go…” and he throws the man into prison.
Another servant of the King noticed this interchange, and quickly informed his Majesty, who quickly summoned the servant… and threw the book at him. “You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the reach of an unforgiving spirit is deep… it penetrates deep into the soul… and its reach is far… it can reach across many miles, and it can reach across the chasm of many years… Unforgiveness effected everything he had… it effected every relationship he had… it jeopardized his marriage… his children… every possession that he owned… every friendship that he had…
We are either a blessing to one another…
Or we are an affliction to one another.
What you do affects your wife… your family… your children… everything…
Unforgiveness destroys everything until the restitution of forgiveness is made.
The thing about the relationships we have is that offenses are inevitable… disagreement is inevitable… but as members together of the Body of Christ, the message is that we are called upon to be agents of forgiveness and mercy.
We offended God so much, that if he demanded payment from us, we would be destroyed. But God… demonstrated his love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus died for us. God himself made a way for us to be forgiven… and then he tells us to turn around and share that forgiveness with the next person… and the next…
Remember the words of the Lord’s Prayer? “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us?” Jesus meant business when he taught us this lesson.
If you’ve ever said something like “Oh, I just can’t forgive that person for what he has done…” or if you’ve ever held a grudge to the point where it becomes an all-consuming obsession, remember what happened to the Unforgiving Servant. As a result of his act of unforgiveness, his debts were recalled… they had been dead, but they were brought back to life. The other thing is that his master, the King turned that servant over to his tormentors until the debt was paid in full.
Sadly enough, it really wasn’t the King who delivered the unforgiving servant to his tormentors… it was his own act of unforgivness that sealed the deal.
In Matthew 5: 23 – 26 we see something interesting… Jesus tells us to be reconciled with our brother or our sister before we come to the altar with our offering…
if there is any strife among you… reconcile with your brother or sister first… leave your offering before the altar, go to your brother or sister… then come together to the altar and make your offering.
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken+
Saturday, August 30, 2008
"It"
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+
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+
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…
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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
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