I Thessalonians 5: 1 – 11
Matthew 25: 14 – 30
In our first text this morning, Paul is tackling an issue which most theologians have debated for years – eschatology – the study of the end times – the second coming of Jesus Christ.
There have been people who would point to this date on the calendar, or that date and claim that this was the day of Christ’s return… only to be disappointed when it didn’t happen. Even as recently as New Year’s Day 2000… Y2K came and went without the trumpet sounding… without the Eastern Sky splitting… and without the return of Jesus at that moment. This only serves to emphasize that we really do not know the day or the hour of HIS return, but we are told to be ready, because the day of the Lord will come suddenly.
The word picture that Paul employs here is very vivid, and very violent – he writes that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.
The whole point of Paul’s writing here is that he encourages us to be vigilant… be watchful… be sober… He tells the church at Thessaloniki, and the church at New Bedford, that God has not destined us for wrath, but for salvation through Jesus Christ.
The enemy of our souls would like nothing better than to see God’s children paralyzed with fear with the idea that God is a big, mean old tough guy who only exists to punish his children… not so, says the Lord… God is love… and perfect love casts out all fear…
Romans 8: 1 and 2 echo this point… there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit…
What people do not realize is that God is not angry with you! God loves you so much that he sent his son, Jesus, so that if you believe in him you will not perish, but have everlasting life… God did not send his son into the world to condemn us, but that we might be saved through him! Share the good news! Don’t keep quiet about it! Spread it around! Get ready!
Jesus shared a parable with his disciples one day, telling them not only to get ready, but to use the talents and gifts that God gave them. A businessman was going on a trip. Before he left for his trip, he called three of his household servants together, and gave them each a special assignment. He gave one servant 10 talents… he gave another servant 5 talents… and he gave yet another servant 1 talent. His instructions were to let the talents work… invest the talents, and when he came back from his trip he would see what were the results of those investments. The first servant invested the 10 talents and brought back 20. The second servant also invested his 5 talents and brought back 10. The third servant did something entirely different. He took his talent and buried it in the basement of the house.
When the master came back and called his servants into the boardroom, he was very pleased with the two servants who invested their talents wisely. The third servant was another story. The master looked at his talent, which had been buried, and read him the Riot Act… “You could have at least put the money in the bank and allowed it to accrue interest… you didn’t even do that! Instead, you buried your talent, and didn’t even use it.” He then took the talent from that servant, and gave it to the servant who had been given 10 talents and returned 20.
This point needs to be made… God gives us gifts… God gives us talents… not for our own benefit… the businessman in the parable wasn’t handing out talents simply for the benefit of his servants. He wanted to see how these three servants were going to invest and use the talents. He was concerned with one thing… what would his investment yield?
Jesus also pointed out what would happen if you do not use the talents you were given… One day Jesus was walking along with his disciples when he passed a fig tree. Fig trees are commonplace in the Mediterannean, and so that fact alone was of little consequence. Jesus was apparently hungry, and he wanted a fig. When he saw that this particular fig tree had not borne fruit, he pointed to the tree and said “You have not borne fruit, and you never will again!”
Paul gives us a catalog of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in
I Corinthians 11: 1 – 11… He points out first that nobody can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit… so the gifts in this catalog can only be yours if you have a specific relationship… if you have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Then he points out that there are different kinds of gifts… different talents that we are given… but the same spirit… and the same Lord. Wisdom… Word of Knowledge… Faith… Healing… Miraculous Powers… Prophecy… Discernment of Spirits… Speaking in Tongues… Interpretation of Tongues… and the same Holy Spirit gives these gifts to each one as he determines… so I might not have the same gifts of the Holy Spirit that you have, but the overall message to each of us is simple… be ready to use the gifts that God has given you… let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works, and give God all the glory.
The last verse of Chapter 11 is an interesting springboard from the catalog of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, to the most famous chapter in the whole Bible… the Love chapter… Paul looks back in this verse, points to each of these gifts, and says “earnestly desire these gifts… but there is something more… and now I will show you the most excellent way…”
What Paul does in the Love chapter is point back again at the gifts, and says that each of the gifts mentioned in the previous chapter… prophecy… healing… faith… miracles… tongues… is meaningless and worthless without the greatest gift… Love.
It had been at least 20 years since I had done any painting or sketching, and yet, while I was away at on retreat one year ago, God rekindled my love for painting, and who knows how that gift may one day be used to share Jesus.
I Timothy 1:6 gives us a kick-start… “rekindle the gift within you…” God’s word tells us that it is not too late to use your gifts to be a blessing to others… it’s not too late to bear fruit and allow God to minister to others through you.
Galatians 6:9 gives us even more encouragement… “Let us not be weary in doing good…”
Yes, it is often the easiest thing, when you are discouraged, when you are tired, when you feel as if all hope is gone, to throw in the towel. My pastor and mentor, Dr. Ken Steigler has often encouraged me by telling me that when I feel like throwing in the towel, I am to pick up the towel, drape it over my arm, and serve.
My word of encouragement for you today is simply this… be ready to use the talents that God gave you, whatever they may be, because he has given you those talents to be a blessing to those people around you… will the master give you even more talents for having borne much fruit, or will the master point at you and say “You haven’t borne any fruit, and you never will again…”
Get ready… be ready… for the day of the Lord… Get ready to use your gifts… roll up your sleeves… put the serving towel over your arm… the King is coming!
I Bid You Peace..
Dr. Ken+
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Fear Not - Shalom!
Isaiah 41: 8 – 16
One of my favorite speeches of all time is Russell Conwell’s classic of encouragement and wisdom, Acres of Diamonds. It is about a wealthy farmer who was one of the richest men in all of Africa, who did not know that those shiny looking rocks that were peppering his property were actually diamonds.
Conwell was pointing to four weapons of mass destruction which the enemy of our souls uses against the Body of Christ in an attempt to render us ineffective in our work for the Kingdom of Heaven. The Body of Christ is being attacked by four heavy guns… four spirits which have been latching onto God’s people for years, and in some instances, stopping us dead in our tracks. These are spirits straight from the enemies’ camp, and we have the authority in the Name of Jesus to roll these attacks and render them ineffective. The true identity of these attacking spirits are Lack, Limitation, Hindrance, and Devouring. And while these spirits are pretty daunting we need to remember that greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.
Martin Luther was trying to tell us something when he wrote his famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God…” He was telling us that God has already given his children the victory over the forces of darkness…
Where there is lack… God has no lack…
Where there is limitation… God is limitless…
Where there is hindrance… God has no hindrance…
Where the enemy devours… God is the God of abundance!
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Lack…. The enemy wants us to believe that there is just not enough… That nothing we can do will ever be enough to make ends meet… The enemy is waiting in the wings to see the church fall on its face… God’s word says something different… Paul writes “I know my God will provide all your needs according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus!
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Limitation… The enemy wants us to believe that we will never be able to do enough – that because of whatever situation we face, we will never amount to anything… that we are fighting a losing battle… The Word of God says something different… “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…”
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Hindrance… The enemy has tried to stop God’s faithful people in so many ways… sickness, injury, “accident”, financial trouble, strife…” The Great “I AM” says something different… “Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength… they will mount up with wings as eagles… they will run and not grow weary… they will walk and not faint.” “He sent his word and healed them…” “By the stripes of Jesus we are healed!”
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Devouring…. The enemy seeks to rob, to kill, to destroy the things that God’s people have… our finances… our health… our families… our marriages… our relationships…our children… our parents…
The promise that the enemy does not want you to know is that God says himself that He WILL REBUKE THE DEVOURER FOR OUR SAKES!
The Greatest weapon that the enemy has to level against the church is the spirit of fear… Evangelist and Pastor Dwight Thompson uses a very revealing acrostic for the word FEAR…
FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.
A Mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing…
We have on our side…
God himself (His word says “Fear not, for I am with you…)
We have the Word of God… We have his faithful promises…
We have the Blood of Christ… Without the shedding of his blood there is no remission for our sin…
We have the Cross of Christ…
We have the Resurrection of the Carpenter…
That is resurrection power!
HE is our shield and our great reward!
God’s word is simple and straightforward about paralyzing fear… This week I had a day in which the Spirit of Fear seemed to be encroaching on all sides, and it seemed as if there were no way out of the fear that was looming all around me… and it reminded me of an experience I had many years ago one autumn day walking along the beach at LaJolla, California. It was during a very difficult time in my life many years ago. I had taken a moment to sit on the rocks and watch the surf roll in and crash on the breakers below… as I was watching the seagulls rolling and playing above me, and the seals frolicking on the beach below me, I could faintly hear the voice of one speaking through the crashing waves, “fear not… fear not… fear not…”
God’s word has specific guidelines for navigating through rough waters and uncertain times.
II Timothy 3: 16 – 17 “All scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the Man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work…”
II Timothy 1:7 “God did not give us a spirit of fear (or timidity), but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.
Isaiah 26: 3 “You will keep him in peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you…”
And these words from Jesus himself…
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.
Jesus invites us to come to his table today…
If you are anguished… he says “come”
If you are troubled… he says “come”
If you are careworn… he says “come”
If you are feeling condemned… he says “come”
If you are in pain… he says “come”
Whoever you are…
Where-ever you are in your journey of faith…
You are welcomed at his table…
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken+
One of my favorite speeches of all time is Russell Conwell’s classic of encouragement and wisdom, Acres of Diamonds. It is about a wealthy farmer who was one of the richest men in all of Africa, who did not know that those shiny looking rocks that were peppering his property were actually diamonds.
Conwell was pointing to four weapons of mass destruction which the enemy of our souls uses against the Body of Christ in an attempt to render us ineffective in our work for the Kingdom of Heaven. The Body of Christ is being attacked by four heavy guns… four spirits which have been latching onto God’s people for years, and in some instances, stopping us dead in our tracks. These are spirits straight from the enemies’ camp, and we have the authority in the Name of Jesus to roll these attacks and render them ineffective. The true identity of these attacking spirits are Lack, Limitation, Hindrance, and Devouring. And while these spirits are pretty daunting we need to remember that greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.
Martin Luther was trying to tell us something when he wrote his famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God…” He was telling us that God has already given his children the victory over the forces of darkness…
Where there is lack… God has no lack…
Where there is limitation… God is limitless…
Where there is hindrance… God has no hindrance…
Where the enemy devours… God is the God of abundance!
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Lack…. The enemy wants us to believe that there is just not enough… That nothing we can do will ever be enough to make ends meet… The enemy is waiting in the wings to see the church fall on its face… God’s word says something different… Paul writes “I know my God will provide all your needs according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus!
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Limitation… The enemy wants us to believe that we will never be able to do enough – that because of whatever situation we face, we will never amount to anything… that we are fighting a losing battle… The Word of God says something different… “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…”
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Hindrance… The enemy has tried to stop God’s faithful people in so many ways… sickness, injury, “accident”, financial trouble, strife…” The Great “I AM” says something different… “Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength… they will mount up with wings as eagles… they will run and not grow weary… they will walk and not faint.” “He sent his word and healed them…” “By the stripes of Jesus we are healed!”
The enemy would attack us with the Spirit of Devouring…. The enemy seeks to rob, to kill, to destroy the things that God’s people have… our finances… our health… our families… our marriages… our relationships…our children… our parents…
The promise that the enemy does not want you to know is that God says himself that He WILL REBUKE THE DEVOURER FOR OUR SAKES!
The Greatest weapon that the enemy has to level against the church is the spirit of fear… Evangelist and Pastor Dwight Thompson uses a very revealing acrostic for the word FEAR…
FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.
A Mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing…
We have on our side…
God himself (His word says “Fear not, for I am with you…)
We have the Word of God… We have his faithful promises…
We have the Blood of Christ… Without the shedding of his blood there is no remission for our sin…
We have the Cross of Christ…
We have the Resurrection of the Carpenter…
That is resurrection power!
HE is our shield and our great reward!
God’s word is simple and straightforward about paralyzing fear… This week I had a day in which the Spirit of Fear seemed to be encroaching on all sides, and it seemed as if there were no way out of the fear that was looming all around me… and it reminded me of an experience I had many years ago one autumn day walking along the beach at LaJolla, California. It was during a very difficult time in my life many years ago. I had taken a moment to sit on the rocks and watch the surf roll in and crash on the breakers below… as I was watching the seagulls rolling and playing above me, and the seals frolicking on the beach below me, I could faintly hear the voice of one speaking through the crashing waves, “fear not… fear not… fear not…”
God’s word has specific guidelines for navigating through rough waters and uncertain times.
II Timothy 3: 16 – 17 “All scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the Man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work…”
II Timothy 1:7 “God did not give us a spirit of fear (or timidity), but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.
Isaiah 26: 3 “You will keep him in peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you…”
And these words from Jesus himself…
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.
Jesus invites us to come to his table today…
If you are anguished… he says “come”
If you are troubled… he says “come”
If you are careworn… he says “come”
If you are feeling condemned… he says “come”
If you are in pain… he says “come”
Whoever you are…
Where-ever you are in your journey of faith…
You are welcomed at his table…
I Bid You Peace...
Dr. Ken+
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Church That God Blesses
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+
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+
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+
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
