Holy Ground, Holy Purpose

August 31, 2014 Exodus 3:1-15 Holy Ground, Holy Purpose 12th Sunday After Pentecost Year A What are some of the problems of the world? We are living in some interesting times. There are so many different things going on in the world today. What are some situations going on in the world that you think need God’s attention…… The good news is that if you see it as a problem, God also sees. Sometimes when we hear the stories of the bible, we can start to believe that these stories are outdated, and say nothing about the world today. Nothing can be further from the truth. The God that we worship is a very hip and up to date God. He knows what is going on in the world – and he has a plan to fix this world up and to make everything right. What exodus says about what God can do 3. A Wonderful Experience. (v.7-10) (God replied with the following responses) A) "I have seen" (v.7a) B) "I have heard" (v.7b) C) "I know" (v.7c) D) "I have come down to deliver you" (v.8a) E) "I have seen the oppression" (v.9) We have all heard this story of Moses and the burning bush. It can be easy to be fooled into thinking that this is an old story, and that there is nothing new that we can learn from this story. But today, I want to encourage you to think about this story in a whole new way. I want to focus on things that we have not thought about. God is the center of this story not Moses. Story starts with God’s awareness of the world, not Moses answering God’s call. The message for today- God still appears to the faithful, God still has a plan. God still wants you and me to be apart of that plan to change the world. The importance of vision In the story, Moses had a vision to see beyond the ordinary, and to recognize God in the situation. Do we have that same vision? When we look at the world – what do we see? Do we see the situation, or do we see God’s future unfolding before our eyes. In order to see God, to have that special vision, you have to see with your eyes, but also see with your faith. The bush was burning, but was not consumed. Moses was able to see what was there, but to look beyond it and to recognize the presence of God. Is the world coming apart, or is the world coming together. It all depends on our vision. 5475 Mrs. Tan’s Vision Of Cross The New Grace Christian Church in the Philippines has a distinctively massive Cross outside its sanctuary. One mid-morning in 1976, Mrs. Julia L. Tan was returning home from a God-honoring project in Manila when she saw a beautiful, shining Cross over the church’s existing cross structure. Disbelieving her own eyes, she thought it must be a case of “double vision.” The shining Cross disappeared. But in another minute, the Cross again appeared over the roof of the church. This precious experience proved a great comfort and assurance to her in the ministry. Mrs. Tan co-founded the 5,000-student Grace Christian High School and Grace Bible Church, and started the Grace Gospel Church and Grace Christian Church. She still actively serves the Lord having completed over 50 years of educational service in the Far East by 1980. Count Zinzendorf owed much of his spiritual fervor to the casual sight of a picture of the crucifixion, with this simple inscription at the bottom: “All this for thee: how much for me?” In 1845, in the First Baptist Church of Augusta, Georgia, the Southern Baptist Convention was organized. As a tribute to the faith of the founding fathers, the church placed this inscription in the building: “Men who see the invisible, hear the inaudible, believe the incredible, and think the unthinkable!” The best way to see how God is at work in the world today, is to make sure that we see Jesus clearly. If we see Jesus in the world, we also see God’s plan. We come to know Jesus by reading the revelation in the bible. By practicing prayer, and most importantly by living our lives the way Jesus calls us to. If we do that – we will be blessed with a special vision – to see God in all things. And to know God is there, in places where others cant see him. The significance of taking off shoes the story – God tells Moses how to indeed stay close to God. He tells Moses to take off his shoes. In Middle Eastern culture, you always take off your shoes before entering a house. In a mosque, before you enter in you have to take off your shoes. It is disrespectful to bring the dust of your shoes into someone’s space. The dust from the ground represents a sinful world. You remove you sin as a sign of respect. But there are other stories in the bible of people removing there shoes. In Ruth when her husband dies, a relative must present his shoes to the judge in order to vouch for Ruth in court. But God has another reason for asking Moses to remove his shoes on holy ground. It is not so much a sign of respect. Shoes are a part of our persona- our presence to the outside world. You may walk around the house in your stocking feet, but when you go outside in the world – one of the things that you have to do is put your shoes on. That is a part of making yourself presentable to the rest of the world is putting your shoes on. God tells Moses to take your shoes off – take of the mask that the rest of the world sees. Become vulnerable, be yourself. Present nothing to God –but your innerself. One of the most dramatic and world-renowned shifts from "I" to God is the conversion of C. S. Lewis. This little man, who held the chair of medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge, sat in his study without typewriter or secretary and penned the great masterpieces, which made him perhaps the most broadly read Christian writer of our century. C. S. Lewis was an agnostic, but was Surprised by Joy--the title of a book in which he tells about "The Shape of My Early Life" as Christ replaced the "I" in his life. C. S. Lewis describes the exchange between self-will and God's will in Beyond Personality (and his words are a challenge to you and to me): "Christ says, 'Give me all. I don't want so much of your money and so much of your work--I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don't want to drill the tooth, or crown it, stop it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self instead. In fact I will give you myself, my own will shall become yours. Donald Deffner, Seasonal Illustrations, Resource, 1992, p. 162 Yahweh and abba It is interesting that in this story- we learn God’s name I am who I am – or Yahweh. A name so sacred, that we are not supposed to even pronounce it. And yet Jesus calls God Abba- daddy. You can’t get any closer than a father to a son. Jesus takes all the pretense away in his relationship with God. There are no secrets, no walls, no shoes. He has given his whole self to God, and he came to help us understand that we too can do the same. As a matter of fact, if we are to be what God calls us to be – we have to be present with God. 3. A Wonderful Experience. (v.7-10) (God replied with the following responses) A) "I have seen" (v.7a) B) "I have heard" (v.7b) C) "I know" (v.7c) D) "I have come down to deliver you" (v.8a) E) "I have seen the oppression" (v.9) G) "I will send you" (v.10) (God is fully aware of what we experience in life. He is able to handle anything that we might face.) The God who gets things done In his conversation with God, Moses first ask who am I that you would ask me to carry out this important task. God replies, I will be with you. You are important enough for God to want a relationship with you, you are important enough that God wants to know all about you, you are important enough that God has entrusted you with the most important thing in his heart – to save his people. God wants to know if you are up to the task? Are you ready for the relationship? Are you able to be close to God? God’s name is I am who I am – or more importantly I will be who I will be. The world that God created will be so. You may not know that Yahweh also means the one who causes things to be. Our God is the one who knows how to get things done. And we live in a world that needs him desparately. We were able to identify so many things that are going on in the world today. Yahweh knows how to make a difference and make the world a better place for all of us. He is choosing you to help him out – do you chose him?Let us pray. Amen. Children’s Sermon….. Yahweh by B. Kathleen Fannin Passage: Exodus 3:1-22 • Lectionary: Proper 17 Item 1 of 1 | Back to Results "But Moses said to God, 'If I come to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your ancestors has sent me to you," and they ask me, "What is his name?" what shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' He said further, 'Thus you shall say to the Israelites, "I AM has sent me to you." ' " Theme: Self-esteem. Visual Aid: White posterboard with "YHWH" written in capital letters. As the children come up to the front of the sanctuary, I place the posterboard face down in front of me. Following my usual practice, I begin with a question. "Does everyone here have a name?" This brings laughs and giggles as the children nod. Of course everyone has a name! At this point, with a small group, I will ask each child to tell me her/his name. "Have you ever forgotten someone's name?" Several children indicate they have. "How did that make you feel?" I ask. "Dumb!" Nancy responds. "Embarrassed!" offers Matt. "Once I forgot my OWN name," says George, causing more giggles. "Has anyone else ever forgotten your name?" I ask him. He nods affirmatively. "How about the rest of you? Has anyone ever forgotten your name?" Several more children acknowledge this experience. "How did that make you feel?" I question. "Like I wasn't very important ..." "Like they didn't recognize me ..." "Like they didn't care about me ..." "And how do you feel when someone remembers your name?" I continue. "Good!" "Yes, it feels good to have someone remember our name, doesn't it? Our names give us identity. Our names tell us we are somebody; we exist. "Did you know that God knows the name of every one of you?" This brings everything from assured nods to looks of surprise. "And we know lots of names for God, too, don't we? What are some of those names?" "Father!" "Lord!" "Creator!" "God!" "Jesus!" "Love!" Out of the mouths of children ... And then one little girl of about ten really gives me a surprise. "Yahweh," she says quietly. I know immediately that this child has been paying attention in church or Sunday School or both. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" I find myself responding to each reply. "Yahweh!" I repeat in startled wonder when it is pronounced by the girl. I reach down in front of me to pick up the posterboard. As the children look at what I have written, they look puzzled. "This looks funny, doesn't it?" I ask. They nod. "Why?" I question. After a moment's thought, one of the older children says, "There aren't any vowels." "That's right," I tell her. "The Hebrews didn't use vowels in their writing very often. This is an English translation of the Hebrew letters they used to write 'Yahweh,' the name of God." "After a while, the name of God became so sacred that the Hebrews wouldn't even pronounce it when they were reading scripture. They would substitute the name 'Adonai' instead. 'Adonai' means 'Lord.' "Well, what have we learned together this morning?" This is always a risky question with any group, but perhaps particularly with children because they tend to be so honest. "We've learned the name of God," Jerry responds. "And what is that name?" I ask the group, holding up the posterboard for all of them to see. "Yahweh!" a number of them reply. "So, we've learned the Hebrews' name for God was 'Yahweh.' What else have we learned?" An uncomfortable silence follows. "What if I call you the wrong name or can't remember your name?" I ask. "Oh, yeah!" Marian says, "I like for you to know my name and not mess it up when you say it." "And if I did mess it up, what would you do?" "Tell you how to say it right!" she assures me. And I have no doubt she would. "Are you telling me your name, your correct name, is important to you?" She nods vigorously. "In fact, each of your names is important to each of you, right?" I ask the entire group. Numerous little heads bob up-and-down affirmatively. "Sometimes we get down on ourselves. Sometimes we don't think we're worth much. If that ever happens to you, I hope you'll remember that you are important to God. In fact, you are so important, and God loves you so much, that God knows you by your very own name." Cows In Church, B. Kathleen Fannin, CSS Publishing Company, Inc, 1999, 0-7880-1346-7 Extra Illustrations…… NAME OF GOD...? If you’re in Lake City, Fla., one of these days and happen to run into a 50-something fellow with a sandy moustache, a receeding hairline, and aviator glasses, you may be in the presence of I Am Who I Am. Really. But that’s because Columbia County Court turned down his first request for a new name: God. The former Charles Haffey says he wanted a new identity because of lingering feelings of anxiety over his military service in Vietnam. (Source: 10/15/02 News Headlines from The Christian Science Monitor) Text Illustration: Life Examples: Moses: God’s Pattern for Success (Ex. 3:1-4) One of the greatest differences between the world’s message about success and God’s is this: The world seeks a single formula to produce one set of results for all people, while God’s plan is far more creative, far more individualized, and far more personal. Moses did not have a vision for success early in his life, although as an adopted son of Pharaoh he enjoyed a certain degree of privilege. After murdering an Egyptian, however, he ran for his life and then spent forty years tending sheep. But one day the Lord revealed Himself to Moses and gave him a specific life mission. Many of us go through difficult and even devastating experiences, and then one day come face-to-face with the reality of God. Is this the pattern that god seems to be implementing in your life? If so, stick with His plan, regardless of how unorthodox it may seem-The Promised Land lies in that direction! -The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible A Living Sacrifice There is, I think it is true to say, something a little bit depressing about Labor Day weekend. For Labor Day weekend signals the psychological end, at least, to summer with its periods of refreshment, and the start again, for many of us, of the more hectic rhythm of life and work at school, in college, at office or, in home. So let me ask you: How is your work? Are you giving of your self at work? Is work a place where you sacrifice for a cause? I find it helpful to remember the story of the little girl who, in the process of growing up, discovered that more than anything else she wanted to be able to mow the lawn. But each season she was told that she was too young. The great day came, however, when her parents decided that, at last, she was old enough to do the task. She did it with surprising skill and great delight, and having finished admiring her work, she began to cast long, envious glances across the fence at the neighbor's lawn, which also needed cutting. The neighbor, seeing her interest, said, "Sally, would you like to cut my lawn?" And the little girl enthusiastically said 'yes.' "Well, let's see...how about $3.00?" said the neighbor. The little girl's face fell, and she turned away, shaking her head. "What's the matter?" asked the neighbor. "I only have $2.00," said the little girl. Brett Blair, wwweSermons.com. Adapted from a sermon by Rev. C. Wayne Hilliker: "Living A Life That Matters" Back to Results | Item 1 of 1 Text Illustration: IT DEPENDS WHOSE HANDS IT’S IN A basketball in my hands is worth about $19 A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands is worth about $33 million It depends whose hands it’s in A baseball in my hands is worth about $6 A baseball in Mark McGuire’s hands is worth $19 million It depends whose hands it’s in A tennis racket is useless in my hands A tennis racket in Pete Sampras’ hands is a Wimbledon Championship It depends whose hands it’s in A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal A rod in Moses’ hands will part the mighty sea It depends whose hands it’s in A sling shot in my hands is a kid’s toy A sling shot in David’s hand is a mighty weapon. It depends whose hands it’s in Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God’s hands will feed thousands It depends whose hands it’s in Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands will produce salvation for the entire world. It depends whose hands it’s in As you see now it depends whose hands it’s in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God’s hands because It depends whose hands it’s in.(Author Unknown)

Transformed Relationships

August 24, 2014 Romans 12:1-8 Year A 11th Sunday After Pentecost “Transformed Relationships” Romans first sinful, now what it means to live in Christ Today I thought that we needed to hang out in Romans for one more Sunday. We have been dealing with chapters 9-11 as Paul talks about what it means be sinful. No matter how good we may think our relationship with God is, we are still sinful. As a matter of fact believing that you are a child of God, but that nothing is required of you, is a sin. Paul says that God brought sin upon all humans. We are all sinners,we are all in need of God’s grace in our lives. No matter who we are, we all are capable of being saved. We all need to accept Christ, we all need to live inside of Christ. We should be dead to our sinful nature and alive in Christ. The first words of chapter 12 – I appeal to you brothers and sisters, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. Being born dead I went to see Get on Up, the James Brown movie. It really was a powerful movie. One scene that stood out to me, James Brown was a little boy, sick in bed very discouraged. His aunt tells him that he was born dead. Literally when he was born he would not take a breath. The midwife spanked and spanked him but he would not take a breath. He started to turn blue and they started to give up on him. And then suddenly he let out a scream that could be heard in the next county. The aunt said that she knew then that he would be special. Being born dead is an oxymoran – you cant be alive and dead at the same time. Presenting yourself as a living sacrifice is also an oxymoron. Remember, a sacrifice is something that you kill as a gift to God. A sacrifice was put on an altar to God, they are born to die. If you sinned, you gave God a sacrifice, if you are thankful you give God the sacrifice. Your life should be a sacrifice to God. God is no longer interested in cows, goats or chickens, God wants you – your life. Being a living sacrifice means that you are dead to sin and alive to Christ. You are dead to what got you in trouble, but alive to salvation of Christ. Transform your mind Paul says to transform your mind. The head is the head of the body. The body does not think for itself, it does what the head tells it. If you transform your thoughts, then the body follows. Forgiveness requires repentance, repentance requires transformation. Then Paul tells us to learn to discern the will of God. Then Live according to God’s will. In order to live God’s will, you have to know it and then live it. Verses 9-21 is God’s will for us. It says…. Marks of the True Christian 9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.[a] 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;[b] do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;[c] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Living God’s will We have to remember that God’s will for our lives is a commandement not a suggestions. God knows what is best for us better than we do. If you know God’s will you have to live God’s will. We can only know what God reveals to us. God is incomprehensible. There is no way that we can know everything about God’s will. But God did reveal the important stuff to us in the life of Jesus Christ. In order to know what we need about God, we have to read the word to see what Jesus reveals about God and God’s will for us. The rest of Romans teaches us how to live in God’s will. How to live inside of Christ. What to do and how to think. In Christ there are sinners and there are saints. A saint is a sinner who gave their life to Christ. We are all sinnners. As a matter of fact, it is the ones who brag about being a saint who are the biggest sinners. Paul says that we should never think of ourselves higher then we really are. Our biggest sin is our pride. Screwtape letters That reminds me of a book that I read in seminary – the Screwtape letters. C.S. Lewis wrote this book in the 40’s. It is a series of letters written by a senior devil to a junior devil. Screwtape is a devil who is in the hierarchy of hell. He writes letters to his nephew on earth, who is a young devil trying to tempt his first Christian. The patient has just become a Christian, and wormwood has the task of tempting him to become a sinner. Sin is an slow slope Screwtape’s most important advice is not to spend time on the big temptations, but to concentrate on the little things. He says not to lead the patient into evil places, but to stand along side of him in ordinary life. Our descent into sin is not an obvious turn, but a slow, gradual desent into sin. Screwtape says the best way to get a Christian is not so much to put evil thoughts into his head - but to keep him away from the things that keep him grounded. Give him excuses not to come to church, not to read the bible, not to do the right thing. And eventually you will find that person as a perfect vessel for the devil. “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,...Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters Romans says that faith that is not lived in your life is not faith. In order to live it, you have to believe it, in order to believe it you have to hear it. Romans very clearly spells out what it means to live in God’s will. If you make a point to live it you will be okay. Muddy the truth Screwtape tells wormwood not to spend so much time telling a Christian lies. The truth is very clear. And if we know that truth we are good at following the truth. Screwtape says not to lie, just muddy the waters. Tell the Christian that there are alternative truths. There is more than one way to getto heaven. Just because we read it in scripture, there are other waysto understand God. The devil does not have to confuse us, because we are Christians can confuse ourselves, Romans says that God’s will is good, acceptable and perfect. If we live and Christ and we read the word- then we have all that we need to live in God’s will. Distract from prayer and church The Screwtape letters are considered to be fiction, but they give truths about human nature. For instance in letter 4 Wormwood asks his uncle how to stop a Christians from praying – Screwtape tells him that if keeping a Christian from praying does not work, then lure them into thinking that they are an expert on prayer, so God always gives them what they want, just because they prayed- they wont know what to do when God challenges them. In the second letter wormwood asks about how to keep them from attending church, screwtape encourages him to get the Christian to see everyone and everything through there eyes and not God’s eyes. They will get so caught up in judging people, that they forget how to forgive and trust in others. War a spiritual matter on love can win Eventually the patient falls in love, he joins the army and he is killed in war. At the end of his life, he never gave up faith. Wormwood has failed at his task. Screwtape reminds him war is not about the body, it is about the spirit. The war is about who holds the heart of man. God always wins the war. Perhaps that is why Paul says to present your body as a living sacrifice to God. The body is the temple of God. If you are dead to sin, and alive to Christ, you can overcome the temptations of the devil. What you do in bodily form, directly affects what you do in the spirit. Wormwood learns the hard way- that love is the key to the heart of man. And temptation is not match for true love. As long as love is present in the heart ofman, in the heart of God in the heart ofChrist,all that the devil can do is stand with you and watch. Love one another, forgive one another, do not repay evil for God. Shame the devil, and serve God in all places, in all times for all people. Let us pray… Amen. Children’s Sermon SUCH A WASTE! Passage: Romans 12:1-8 • Lectionary: Proper 16 Item 1 of 8 | Back to Results Object: a drinking glass, a pitcher of water, and a pan to set it into. Good morning, boys and girls, and how are you this morning? It is certainly a pleasant day in God's House. How I love to come to the church on Sunday morning and know that I am going to greet you in the name of Jesus. It must be fun to get up and think about being with your friends on the Lord's Day. On the other hand, it is good to get up any morning and think about friends. When we think about each other, we don't think so much about ourselves, and that is good. Did you know that St. Paul wrote to the people in Rome and told them not to think too much about themselves and especially not to think too highly about themselves. It's easy to think about yourself. If we don't watch out, the first thing that we know we are saying to ourselves, "I sure am pretty," or "I sure am smarter than anybody else." That is what Paul means about thinking too highly about ourselves. There is another way, of course, to show you what I mean. Suppose, for instance, that my good friend Glenda Glass came to my house and asked for a glass of water. Now, I know that you may not know my friend Glenda, but she is one of those people who think a lot of themselves. Oh, my, when you start talking to Glenda, the only thing that she really ever seems to think about is herself. Let me tell you what I mean. Glenda came over to my house and she asked for a drink of water. Well, there isn't anything wrong with that, so I went into the kitchen to get her filled up, but she said to me, "Get a big pitcher full of water." I started to pour a little bit into her. "Pour it all in," she said. Glenda thought so much of herself that she believed she could take the whole big pitcher of water into herself. I tried to talk her out of it, but it just wouldn't work. She wanted it all. [Take the pitcher and pour it all out into the glass.] Well, as you might have guessed, the pitcher of water was just too much for Glenda. Now that is what I mean about somebody thinking too much of herself. It is such a waste. God doesn't want us to think too much about ourselves because, if we do, then we not only cause a lot of waste, but there is so little time left over for others. From now on I don't want anybody spending his time thinking about himself when he could be helping others. Just remember Glenda and you know what I mean. She was just another glass, she was never a big pitther. You are one of God's people, but you are not all of God's people. Don't think too highly There is another way, of course, to show you what I mean. Suppose, for instance, that my good friend Glenda Glass came to my house and asked for a glass of water. Now, I know that you may not know my friend Glenda, but she is one of those people who think a lot of themselves. Oh, my, when you start talking to Glenda, the only thing that she really ever seems to think about is herself. Let me tell you what I mean. Glenda came over to my house and she asked for a drink of water. Well, there isn't anything wrong with that, so I went into the kitchen to get her filled up, but she said to me, "Get a big pitcher full of water." I started to pour a little bit into her. "Pour it all in," she said. Glenda thought so much of herself that she believed she could take the whole big pitcher of water into herself. I tried to talk her out of it, but it just wouldn't work. She wanted it all. [Take the pitcher and pour it all out into the glass.] Well, as you might have guessed, the pitcher of water was just too much for Glenda. Now that is what I mean about somebody thinking too much of herself. It is such a waste. God doesn't want us to think too much about ourselves because, if we do, then we not only cause a lot of waste, but there is so little time left over for others. From now on I don't want anybody spending his time thinking about himself when he could be helping others. Just remember Glenda and you know what I mean. She was just another glass, she was never a big pitther. You are one of God's people, but you are not all of God's people. Don't think too highly of yourself and God will be pleased with you. 0-89536-053-5 Back to Results | Item 1 of 8

The Gifts and Calling of God are Irrevocable

August 24, 2014 Romans 11:1-2,29-32 Year A 10th Sunday After Pentecost “For the gifts and calling of God are Irrevocable” Spiritual Jealousy Jealousy can be a very powerful motivator, even for the most spiritual of people. That becomes more and more obvious to me as I stay on facebook. Facebook has become a great way to communicate with church people. They seem to be the most active participants. Pastor’s, including myself love to put our church activities on facebook. But lately, it seems that it turns into a competition as to who is doing the most. For some it is all about bragging about their church and getting attention. But even Paul in Romans 11 says that spiritual jealousy can be a powerful motivator. 2669 The Devil And The Hermit There is a fable wherein the Devil once was crossing the Libyan desert and met a group of friends tempting a holy hermit. They tried seductions of the flesh, used doubts and fears, etc. But to no avail. The holy man was unmoved. The Devil then stepped forward: “Your methods are too crude. Permit me one moment.” Going to the hermit, he said, “Have you heard the news? Your brother has been made the Bishop of Alexandria.” According to the fable, a scowl of malignant jealousy clouded the serene face of the holy man. The good news is that everything that we do for God is relevant. God does not judge between the actions of the faithful, not at this point. And if God called you to perform a task, then it everything each of us does – is for the glory of God and God’s kingdom. And yet Paul’s message in Romans 11 is if you cant get people’s attention any other way, then use spiritual jealousy to bring them into action. Romans 9-11 is Paul’s discussion of the jews. Can the jew be saved, if they do not accept the good news of Christ. The short answer is no, but the long answer is that with God all things are possible. The themes for chapters 9, 10 and 11 is election, rejection, and reconciliation. In chapter 9 – Paul talks about the elect. And Paul’s definition of the elect is a little different than John’s definition in Revelation. In revelation, John is speaking of Christians who God has preordained as automatically going to heaven. In romans 9 Paul is talking about the jews, who have a preordained relationship with God. They are God’s chosen people. And Paul explains that that cannot be taken away from them. God will always love them, but Paul says that they have not always loved God. But unlike we as humans, God never stops being God. If God makes a promise, that promise will always be so. If they are the elect, then there is nothing that they can do about it. But I think that when Paul speaks of the elect in romans he is referring to the jews, but he means all of us. All who God calls, God will stand by their side. The elect are not everyone, but they are the ones who have a relationship with God. If God has chosen you as a child, then you can run all you want, But God’s will will always catch up with you. And those whom God calls, God gives them gifts to follow through with that call. Romans says that God’s call and God’s gifts are irrevocable, you cannot take them away. And yet you can be disobedient and refuse to use them. 3071 To Celebrate Eve’s Disobedience “Eve’s eating of the apple in the garden of Eden was the first free act of the human race. We ought to recognize that act. We ought to celebrate Eve. She began the process of freedom.” So stated the Reverend Patricia Budd Kepler, director of ministerial studies at Harvard Divinity School. Speaking to the Western New York Presbytery, Reverend Kepler said that the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise into reality was God’s way of giving birth to people. The minister went on to say that this made sin possible “because sin comes with freedom and choice.” —Pastor’s Manual God is always God, and God is always going to give you a choice – to do right or to do wrong. To follow the call or to ignore it. To use the gifts you have for God’s purposes or your own. That is your free will. Romans chapter 10 is all about disobedience to God. Paul says the chosen people disobeyed God – but that God made good use of their disobedience. He used it as an opportunity to reach out to the gentiles, and to give us the grace of God also. It is told that once a child stood at the window on a night when the gale was terrifying in its savage velocity. “God,” she said, “must have lost grip of his winds tonight.” To Paul, that was precisely what never happened. Nothing was ever out of God’s control; everything was serving his purpose. The good news for us is that God is always in control. Times of chaos are being used to create more order. Our times of disobedience are a part of the plan. It is used to draw more people in, and to help us to better understand God’s plan for us and for the world. If we are a part of the elect, then disobedience is only temporary – God’s will will prevail. Paul says in Romans 11 that God created us all special, but he also created us all as sinners. We are all in need of God’s mercy. Jesus is not just the savior for Christians, he is the savior for all people. Even the jews that rejected him have a savior in Jesus Christ. Sin is universal, because we all make use of our freedom and choice. Jesus is the savior of all. God’s word does not fail for anyone. Chapter 11 is about reconciliation. First there is election, then disobedience and then reconciliation. God’s grace will make a way for all of us to be saved, even the chosen people. That is where the spiritual jealousy comes in. the old testament makes it very clear that our God is a jealous God. He does not like us putting other gods before him. That is why Paul suggest that we can get jealous as people also. When the jews see that you have a better relationship with God then you do, then they will be jealous, and try to outdo you. And that is okay – because what we do for God is all about building God’s kingdom for all. There was a soldier who was wounded in battle. The padre crept out and did what he could for him. He stayed with him when the remainder of the troops retreated. In the heat of the day he gave him water from his own waterbottle, while he himself remained parched with thirst. In the night, when the chill frost came down, he covered the wounded man with his own coat, and finally wrapped him up in even more of his clothes to save him from the cold. In the end the wounded man looked up at the padre. “Padre,” he said, “you’re a Christian?” “I try to be,” said the padre. “Then,” said the wounded man, “if Christianity makes a man do for another man what you have done for me, tell me about it, because I want it.” Christianity in action moved him to envy a faith which could produce a life like that. It was Paul’s hope and prayer and ambition that some day the Jews would see what Christianity had done for the Gentiles and be moved to desire it. To Paul it would be paradise if the Jews came in. If the rejection of the Jews had done so much, if, through it, the Gentile world had been reconciled to God, what superlative glory must come when the Jews came in. If the tragedy of rejection has had results so wonderful, what will the happy ending be like, when the tragedy of rejection has changed to the glory of reception? Paul can only say that it will be like life from the dead. ll food, before it was eaten, had to be offered to God. So the law laid it down (Numbers 15:19, 20) that, if dough was being prepared, the first part of it must be offered to God; when that was done, the whole lump of dough became sacred. It was not necessary, as it were, to offer every separate mouthful to God. The offering of the first part sanctified the whole. It was a common thing to plant sacred trees in places sacred to the gods. When the sapling was planted, it was dedicated to God; and thereafter every branch that came from it was sacred to God. when others see how blessed you are for being faithful, they will want to be faithful too. When they see the benefits of your relationship with God, the will want the same thing you have. And you can tell them that they can. If they acknowledge their sin, accept Christ as their savior, and live within God’s calling. Election, disobedience, and reconciliation – that is God’s plan for the world. (Talk about the remnant in call to discipleship). Amen. Children’s Sermon Can't Take It Back by Brett Blair and Tim Carpenter Passage: Romans 11:1-10 • Lectionary: Proper 15 Item 7 of 7 | Back to Results Exegetical Aim: Words and promises, especially God’s promises, cannot be taken away. Props: A tube of toothpaste, a large spoon or ladle, and a towel for cleanup. Initially place the towel under the activity to cover mishaps. Lesson: Has anyone ever made a promise to you? (response) What was the promise? (response)Did they keep their promise? (response) We usually remember the promises people make to us especially if it’s a good promise like dad promising you that you’ll get an ice-cream cone after school. I want you to help me today with an experiment. I need two volunteers. Choose two children. I need one of you to hold this tube of toothpaste, and one of you to hold the spoon. I want you squeeze the toothpaste into the spoon. Make sure that you hold the spoon and toothpaste over the towel in case any spills. Have the child fill the spoon. Now, I want you to put the toothpaste back in the tube. (response) Allow a time for thought here. You can't do it, can you? Why? (response) Application: God’s promise to us is like that toothpaste. Once it’s out in can’t be put back in. God makes all kinds of promises to us. Let’s name some of his promises. What does he promise? (response) He has promised to watch over us, and to love us, to never leave us, and to save us through his Son Jesus Christ. I want you to know that God will remember those promises. He’s not going to put them back in the tube. Let’s Pray: Thank you God that your promises will never be taken back. Thank you for loving us, caring for us, and saving us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Children, Brett Blair and Tim Carpenter, ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., 0-0000-0000-1 Extra illustrations Have Faith Anyway The place was a suburb of Detroit. The speaker, Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel. The subject: "After Auschwitz, Can We Still Believe!" Jews and Gentiles alike filled the great synagogue to listen to the recollections of one who survived the furnaces of Dachau. Thin and fragile, Wiesel stood at the podium for nearly an hour telling one story after another of the horror and despair of those bleak days in the '30s. His stories were of people confused with their imprisonment and sometimes destroyed with their release. Painfully, silently, the audience relived the events of Wiesel's young life when he was the only surviving member of his family. Finally the stories ceased. His eyes dropped to the floor. There was no sound at all in that mammoth room for what seemed an agonizing eternity. Then he repeated the question, "After Auschwitz, can we still believe?" He shook his head slowly, sadly, "No, no,..." before concluding powerfully, "but we must!" Concerning whether or not to have faith, there is no choice. There was none for that Canaanite mom, none for Elie Wiesel, there is none for you and me. The message of this wonderful mother is "Chose to believe anyway!" You may not feel you are allowed to have faith, have it anyway. You may not feel God loves you, believe it anyway. You may come to understand that you are not included, include yourself anyway. Even the dogs get the crumbs that fall from the master's table. David E. Leininger, Hang In There! _____________________________ Savior of All People Jesus is not a generic savior, an anonymous Superman from a distant planet somewhere in space. Jesus is a Jew; indeed, he is the Jew who stands as the culmination of all of Israel’s history . . . Jesus can be the savior of all people only by remaining faithful to God’s chosen people Israel, even in the face of their rejection of him. Thomas G. Long, Matthew: The Westminster Bible Companion Divisions in the Church As a seminary intern in St. Louis, Missouri, I was part of a Jewish-Christian Dialogue group. We were seeking to understand one another's traditions, work together for the good of our neighborhoods, and promote tolerance and respect in society. I had been invited into the group by a member of the church at which I was serving. She grew up Jewish, and in recent years had, in her words, "completed my faith" by gaining an understanding that Jesus is the Messiah foretold by the prophets of Israel. One of the dimensions of religious life that we all found we had in common across faith traditions and denominational lines was the incessant divisiveness that split our seemingly monolithic communities into dozens of similar yet tenaciously varied subgroups. A Jewish professor of psychology said of his tradition, "If there are ten Jewish males in a city, we create a synagogue. If there are eleven Jewish males, we start thinking about creating a competing synagogue." A Baptist police officer had a similar tale. He said, "One Baptist family in a neighborhood witnesses until they bring another family to Christ. Then they form a church, and start witnessing to the rest of the community. When another family joins, they have a schism and form a rival church." According to a Presbyterian homemaker, her communion was a little like vegetable soup. "We have," she said, "the OPs, RPs, BPs, and Split Peas!" And a Methodist businessman complemented these tales with an apocryphal tale of a man from his faith community who had been shipwrecked for years on a small island. When found by a passing ship, rescuers asked him why he had constructed three huts, since he was there by himself. "Well," he replied, "that one is my home, that one is my church, and that one is my former church." Wayne Brouwer, Political Religion, CSS Publishing Company

Happy Are The Feet of those who Tell the Gospel

August 10, 2014 Romans 10:5-15 9th Sunday After Pentecost Happy are the Feet of those who tell the good news! Year A The importance of Romans We have been studying the book of Romans in bible study, very rich lesson, as a matter of fact, one of our most productive lessons. Romans is a very rich book, so I thought it would be important for me to preach on it while I have the chance. In our study of Genesis and the first family, we have been talking about the meaning of the promise of God, what that promise was, who that promise was made to and what are the implications of being truly blessed. The promisedland continues to be in the news as the Palestinians and the Jews continue to be at war with one another, and many innocent people on either side continue to get killed. As the violence in the middle east continues to escalate, we have to be careful not to take sides from a conflict that we are removed from. On the one hand some of us believe that the Jews are God’s chosen people and that we should not interfere with God’s promise to them. And yet the new testament also has verse like in Romans, where Paul says that the jews messed up and were not faithful, which is why God extended his promise to others. It is easy to interpret chapters 9-11 of Romans as Paul being critical of how own people. He says that the law never worked, and no matter how hard we try, that following the law never works, we never live up to what the law expects of us. And yet Paul says that God’s grace is big enough to save us all, even the jews. Paul’s prayer and our prayer that God’s grace will prevail and children will stop dying. That is the message of Romans. Many of our church fathers and mothers do indeed consider Romans to be the greatest lesson of the bible. Everything we need to understand about salvation is in Romans. Cant cover it all in one sermon. Just want to point the Roman Road. Looking at all of Romans and pointing out the scriptures that lead to salvation. Romans Road The first verse on the Romans Road to salvation isRomans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent.Romans 3:10-18gives a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives. The second Scripture on the Romans Road to salvation,Romans 6:23, teaches us about the consequences of sin - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death! The third verse on the Romans Road to salvation picks up whereRomans 6:23left off, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."Romans 5:8declares, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus' death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus' resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus' death as the payment for our sins. The fourth stop on the Romans Road to salvation isRomans 10:9, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe in Him, trusting His death as the payment for our sins - and we will be saved!Romans 10:13says it again, "for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation.Romans 5:1has this wonderful message, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God.Romans 8:1teaches us, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. Finally, we have this precious promise of God fromRomans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Would you like to follow the Romans Road to salvation? If so, here is a simple prayer you can pray to God. Saying this prayer is a way to declare to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ for your salvation. The words themselves will not save you. Only faith in Jesus Christ can provide salvation! "God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. With your help, I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!" Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have learned through the Romans Road to salvation? If so, please click on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below. Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/Romans-road-salvation.html#ixzz39wLwtrFj FOUR WORDS The great English statement and man of God William Wilberforce once wrote that "Christianity can be condensed into four words: admit, [Christ as Lord] submit, [To Christ as Lord] commit, [Our lives to doing His will] and transmit [The Love of God to a dying world]." (Draper's Quotes, Accessed QuickVerse Platinum 2010) Samuel Wilberforce (1805--1873) The Other Half of the Gospel A MAN came to me one day in Chicago and said, “I want to talk with you.” Mr. Moody was away, so I took him into Mr. Moody’s room, and asked, “What do you want to talk with me about?” He said, “I am a Scotchman. When I was seven years old over in Scotland, I started to read my Bible through. Before I had read long, I came to a place where it said that if a man should keep the law of God a hundred years, and then break it, he was under the curse of a broken law. Is that right?” “Well,” I said, “the Bible does not put it in just those words, but it amounts to that. It says, ‘Cursed is every man that continueth not in all the things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them.’ ” “Well,” he said, “that is what I found, and I knew I had already broken the law of God, though I was only seven years old, and I was under the curse of a broken law. I was plunged into the deepest distress. Though I was only a child of seven, I wept over my sins often by day and often by night. I was in distress of soul for a whole year, but I kept on reading my Bible, and at last I got over to the New Testament, and read John 3:16, ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ I saw that Jesus died for my sins, and my burden all rolled away, and I was perfectly happy. Was I converted?” “Well,” I said, “that sounds like an evangelical conversion.” “Wait a moment,” he said, “and listen to the rest of my story. I grew up to manhood; I moved to America; I came over here to Chicago; I went to work in the stockyards, and live down there. You know it is a hard place. I have got to drinking, and every little while I go off on a drunk. Now, what I want to know is this, is there any way I can get victory over drink and over all sin?” “You have come just to the right place to get an answer to your question,” I replied, “I can tell you the way. You have only believed half the Gospel, and therefore you’ve got only half a salvation. Listen to the whole Gospel.” I opened my Bible to 1 Cor. 15:1–4 and I read, “ ‘This is the Gospel that I have preached unto you … that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures.’ That is the first half of the Gospel but it is only half. Listen as I read on and you will see the other half, ‘And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.’ Do you believe that half of the Gospel also? You have already believed in Christ crucified and found pardon and peace, but the rest of the Gospel is that Christ rose again. Do you believe that?” “Oh, yes,” he said, “I believe everything in the Bible.” I said, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ rose again?” He said, “I do.” “Do you believe He has all power in heaven and on earth as He said He had?” He said, “I do.” “Well, if He has all power in heaven and on earth, He has power to set you free from the power of sin. Do you believe that?” “Yes, I do.” “Will you trust Him to do it now? You have believed half the Gospel, you have got half a salvation. You have believed in a crucified Christ and got pardon; now will you believe in a risen Christ and get victory? Will you trust Him now as the risen Saviour to set you free from the drink and other sin?” He said, “I will.” “Let us kneel down and tell God so.” We knelt down. I prayed and he prayed. After he had prayed he looked up and said, “Lord Jesus, I have believed half the Gospel that Thou didst die in my place and I have found pardon and peace through believing it. I now believe the other half of the Gospel that you rose again and have all power in heaven and on earth and have power to set me free from drink and sin and I trust you to do it. Set me free now.” When he had finished, I said, “Do you really trust Him to do it?” He said, “I do.” We got up. I gave him a few words of advice and we separated. In a few weeks I received a letter from him, a very short letter, but very much to the point. He said, “I am so glad I came to see you. It works.” Thank God it does work. A crucified Christ brings pardon; a risen Christ brings deliverance from the power of sin the moment you believe. Entering a crowded street car, with his Bible under his arm, a young minister soon became the brunt of sneering remarks and wisecracks from the group of fellows. These remarks continued, and when the minister left the car, one youth said, “Say, mister, how far is it to heaven?” The Christian replied, “It is only a step; will you take it now?” The gospel has two powerful messages, Christ died to take away our sins, and in rising, he gave us the power to live a new life. Everday that I read something in the bible, I discover a new powerful verse. In Romans 10, Paul says that salvation is dependent on believing, and believing is dependent on hearing, and how can they hear unless someone tells them? George Sweeting, in his book "The No-Guilt Guide for Witnessing," tells of a man by the name of John Currier who in 1949 was FOUND GUILTY of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Later he was transferred and paroled to work on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee. In 1968, Currier’s sentence was terminated, and a letter bearing the good news was sent to him. But John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything about it. Life on that farm was hard and without promise for the future. Yet John kept doing what he was told hard year after hard year. Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer learned about Currier’s plight, found him, and told him that his sentence had been terminated. He was a free man. Sweeting concluded the story by asking, "Would it matter to you if someone sent you an important message-the most important in your life-and year after year the urgent message was never delivered?" And whose responsibility is it to spread the goodnews. Paul says happy are the feet of those who spread the gospel. But what does it mean to have happy feet? : I want to close with this story by Doug Nichols, Bothell, WA (Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 2.) Nichols tells this story: “While serving with Operation Mobilization in India in 1967, tuberculosis forced me into a sanitarium for several months. I did not yet speak the language, but I tried to give Christian literature written in their language to the patients, doctors, and nurses. Everyone politely refused. I sensed many weren’t happy about a rich American (to them all Americans are rich) being in a free, government-run sanitarium. (They didn’t know I was just as broke as they were!) The first few nights I woke around 2:00 A.M. coughing. One morning during my coughing spell, I noticed one of the older and sicker patients across the aisle trying to get out of bed. He would sit up on the edge of the bed and try to stand, but in weakness would fall back into bed. I didn’t understand what he was trying to do. He finally fell back into bed exhausted. I heard him crying softly. The next morning I realized what the man had been trying to do. He had been trying to get up and walk to the bathroom! The stench in our ward was awful. Other patients yelled insults at the man. Angry nurses moved him roughly from side to side as they cleaned up the mess. One nurse even slapped him. The old man curled into a ball and wept. The next night I again woke up coughing. I noticed the man across the aisle sit up and again try to stand. Like the night before, he fell back whimpering. I don’t like bad smells, and I didn’t want to become involved, but I got out of bed and went over to him. When I touched his shoulder, his eyes opened wide with fear. I smiled, put my arms under him, and picked him up. He was very light due to old age and advanced TB. I carried him to the washroom, which was just a filthy, small room with a hole in the floor. I stood behind him with my arms under his armpits as he took care of himself. After he finished, I picked him up, and carried him back to his bed. As I laid him down, he kissed me on the cheek, smiled, and said something I couldn’t understand. The next morning another patient woke me and handed me a steaming cup of tea. He motioned with his hands that he wanted a tract. As the sun rose, other patients approached and indicated they also wanted the booklets I had tried to distribute before. Throughout the day nurses, interns, and doctors asked for literature. Weeks later an evangelist who spoke the language visited me, and as he talked to others he discovered that several had put their trust in. Christ as Savior as a result of reading the literature. What did it take to reach these people with the gospel? It wasn’t health, the ability to speak their language, or a persuasive talk. I simply took a trip to the bathroom. What won these people was the fact, that when he walked, he walked like Jesus. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” Whenever we do what Jesus would do, we have happy feet. People see not only what we do, but who we are. When we walk like Jesus, we are automatically spreading the gospel. Contrary to popular belief, people want to hear your story of salvation. People spend millions of dollars looking for answers, but will listen you for free. Millions of people who are looking for a new answer to an old question. Need to know that Jesus Christ is the answer. Whatever the problem, Christ is the answer. But how can they believe that if they don’t hear. Need to hear it from those who believe it themselves. People all over the world need to hear about God’s grace. May you admit, submit, commit and transmit the good news! Amen Extra illustrations….. SITTING DOWN It’s said that when Henry Ward Beecher was a boy, he had a teacher at school who asked one of the boys in class a question which the boy answered. The teacher became angry and told the boy he was wrong and commanded him to: "Sit down!" The boy was obviously confused because he’d thought he’d answered correctly, but he sat abruptly down. Several boys were asked the same question, they gave the same answer and promptly rebuked by their teacher. Finally Beecher was asked to stand and answer the question. He gave the same answer and was commanded "Sit down!" But Beecher held his ground and insisted that the answer was correct. For a few moments the teacher stormed at him, but seeing Beecher wasn’t going to give up he smiled and said, "Well, boys, you were all correct, but Beecher was the only one sure enough to stand up for it.” Many people have lost their faith in Christ because they simply lacked the courage to stand up for what they believed. They had grown so used to apologizing for their faith that once someone mounted a serious challenge to that faith they just gave up and sat down. Children’s Sermon (From a sermon by Jeff Strite, Confession Is Good For the Soul, 10/24/2010) Offer Them Christ by King Duncan Passage: Romans 9:30--10:21 • Lectionary: Proper 14 Item 2 of 8 | Back to Results Object: a map of your town and a highlighter Lesson: Good morning, boys and girls. I want you to pretend with me. Let's say you had a friend, and that friend wanted to go from his/her house to McDonald's. Now, here's your friend's house (make a dot on the map), and here's McDonald's (make another dot). And to get to McDonald's, your friend wanted to take this road, then get off on this road, and then go over to this road, and (highlight a very circuitous, out of the way route, offthewall route), then take this road to get there. Now that looks like a pretty hard way to get to McDonald's. And your friend just might get lost along the way and never make it there. But what if you knew a better way to McDonald's? What if you knew a way that was shorter, faster, easier, and better, so you knew for sure that your friend wouldn't get lost? Wouldn't you tell him/her about it? If you care about your friend, you would. Well, what if your friend wanted to know the way to Heaven? You can't look at a map to get there. Some people think that you get to Heaven by doing nice things all the time and never sinning. But that's really hard to do, and it won't get you into Heaven. Some people think that you get into Heaven by praying a lot, and following a lot of very strict rules. But that's really hard to do, too, and it won't get you into Heaven. The Bible says that the way to get into Heaven is to believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and then to tell people about your faith in Jesus. That's pretty easy, isn't it? And now that you know the way, I hope that you will tell others, so that they can go to Heaven someday, too. There was a peculiar fisherman from Minnesota who was very well prepared. He knew how to fish. He had everything you need to be a good fisherman. He had poles, nets, bait, and even a really nice boat, but this fisherman had a problem. You see, for all his preparation he never caught anything. Not one fish. Not one, not ever. And you know why he never caught a fish? What do you think? The answers easy: He never went fishing. He had all the knowledge and all the equipment, but he never got into the boat, he never left the dock..

The Meaning of a Blessing

Genesis 32:22-31 August 3, 2014 8th Sunday after Pentecost The Meaning of a Blessing We acknowledge to You, O Lord, that You are our God, as You were the God of our ancestors, forever and ever. Rock of our life, Shield of our help, You are immutable from age to age. We thank You and utter Your praise, for our lives that are delivered into Your hands, and for our souls that are entrusted to You; and for Your miracles that are with us every day and for your marvelously kind deeds that are of every time; evening and morning and noon-tide. Thou art good, for Thy mercies are endless: Thou art merciful, for Thy kindnesses never are complete: from everlasting we have hoped in You. And for all these things may Thy name be blessed and exalted always and forevermore. And all the living will give thanks unto Thee and praise Thy great name in truth, God, our salvation and help. Selah. Blessed be Thou, O Lord, Thy name is good, and to Thee it is meet to give thanks. This is the final benediction of the amidah- the standing prayer that one should say every day. It is 19 blessings to God. It is 19 acknowledgements of what God does for us daily. In the Jewish tradition every blessing is a blessing of God. We are the ones to bless God. Blessing simply means a praise, We praise God for what he had done for us. And we can admit that God has done a lot for us. Today, I want to talk about another Jacob story. This is the story of how Jacob became Israel. The name Israel means one who strives with. But us not Jacob who strives with God, it is God who strives with Jacob. God strives with each one of us and we are all better because of it. Everytime that I hear this story –I love it more and more. This is the story of each of us –sinners who reach a point in our lives that we need God’s help to survive. To prevail over our circumstances. Jacob had finally reached the point in life – where his chickens had come home to roost. He stole a blessing from his older brother, he had spent his life running, now it was time to come home, and in order to be at home, he had to face his brother. He had ruined his brother’s life, and would his brother pay him back by ruining his. He wouldfind that our tomorrow, but tonight he encountered someone else. Some people say the stranger in the night was God, some say an angel, some say God, some even say it was leviathan, the river demon that God defeated in the creation story to bring order out of chaos. Jacob was next to a river, and there was a belief that every river had a demon that lived in it and protected the water. If you got too close to the water, then the demon would rise up and attack you. Some one attacked Jacob in the night and they fought all night. This story is in Genesis, intended to answer a lot of questions about the history of the Jews. According to the story, they do not eat meat surrounding the hip, because that was where Jacob was injured in this fight. There is a lot of symbolism and mystery in this story. Jacob fights this man all night, neither win, but neither give up. When the man is tired and ready to walk away, Jacob will not let him go until he gets a blessing. Only God can give blessings, so Jacob names the place Panuel – the face of God. We are all a lot like Jacob, we know what we have done in life, we know who we are – but all we want in life is a blessing. Someone to say that they care and that they love us. This is from a writer named Mary Ann Bird: I grew up knowing I was different. I hated it. I was born with a cleft palate. When I started school, my classmates made it clear how I looked to others. Little girl, misshapen lip, crooked nose, lopsided teeth, garbled speech. When schoolmates asked, 'What happened to your lip?' I'd tell them I'd fallen and cut it on a piece of glass. Somehow it seemed more acceptable to have suffered an accident than been born different. I was convinced nobody outside my family could love me. Then there was a teacher in the second grade we adored, Mrs. Leonard. Annually we had a hearing test. Mrs. Leonard gave the test to everybody in the class. Finally, it was my turn. I knew from past years as we stood against the door and covered one ear, the teacher sitting at her desk would whisper, and we'd have to repeat it back, something like, 'The sky is blue' or 'Do you have new shoes?' I waited there for the words. God must have put in her mouth those seven words that changed my life. Mrs. Leonard said in a whisper, 'I wish you were my little girl.'" To people made ugly and twisted by sin, God whispers through Jesus, "I wish you were my little girl. I wish you were my little boy." All those blessings flow from the Cross; Blessed,blessed, blessed, blessed. It was those words of blessing that made all of the difference in the world. That is why Jacob was looking for a blessing. And the only person who could fill the hole in his soul completely was God. Jacob says I prayed, I persisted,I prevailed, and Iwas preserved. That is life for all of us. The request for a blessing was the request of a desparate man in a desparate situation. This is the story of all if humanity. We have to strive with God day by day. We wake up. Face the day and we prevail. Things are not perfect, but as long as God is with us, we have enough fight in us to deal with the day. Is it my strength that helps me to prevail, or God’ strength, it God blessing me or am I blessing God. Jacob becomes Israel because God and man went toe to toe and both prevailed. That is what it means to be blessed – to be in God’s favor. In the Jewish understanding of blessing, we bless God, in the Christian understanding God blesses us. But what does that mean. It is just a difference in focus. All things in our life come from God. So we say thank you. Christ reminds us that God blesses us, so that we can be a blessing to others. John Ortberg, a Presbyterian pastor says that the story of Jacob is important – because the people of God identified with this story. They themselves became Israel- ones who strive with God. Jacob was blessed his whole life, but he didn’t know what to do with it. He received his blessing from his dad. In those days there was only one blessing –for the oldest child. But Jacob took it. When it was time for Jacob to pass the blessing on, he gave it to all twelve of his sons. He loved them all. He even blessed his grandsons. He crossed his hands so that he could bless the younger one before the older one. Joseph assumed because his dad was blind he didn’t know what he was doing, so he uncrossed his hands. But Israel crossed his hands back – and gave the least the blessing. Jesus continues that tradition with us – which is why we are blessed. Jesus spread the blessing to all, even those who were outsiders and sinners and didn’t deserve a blessing. Through God’s grace we got it anyway. At age 16 Andor Foldes was already a skilled pianist, but he was experiencing a troubled year. In the midst of the young Hungarian's personal struggles, one of the most renowned pianists of the day came to Budapest. Emil von Sauer was famous not only for his abilities; he was also the last surviving pupil of the great Franz Liszt. Von Sauer requested that Foldes play for him. Foldes obliged with some of the most difficult works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann. When he finished, von Sauer walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. "My son," he said, "when I was your age I became a student of Liszt. He kissed me on the forehead after my first lesson, saying, 'Take good care of this kiss--it comes from Beethoven, who gave it to me after hearing me play.' I have waited for years to pass on this sacred heritage, but now I feel you deserve it." Source Unknown. There are actually three elements to a blessing. First there is a touch, a kiss or a hug. That is why we lay hands on people- touch is a part of the blessing. Then you give positive words of encouragement, then you promise to do all you can to make the blessing a reality. – all of this is in the story – God touches his hip, God gives him a new name, and them God gives peace that surpasses all understanding so that Jacob can face the challenges of tomorrow. God blesses us, so that we can bless others. The blessing of Israel was extended to all who strive with God and who through God’s grace are able to prevail. Who have you blessed today? It is not too late – the day is still early, and there are still those in your life who need to know that they are loved. Bless someone – because you have been blessed. Here are some of the blessings promised in the bible. F.E. Marsh has enumerated some of God's blessings: An acceptance that can never be questioned. (Ephesians 1:6). An inheritance that can never be lost (I Peter 1:3-5). A deliverance that can never be excelled (2 Corinthians l:10). A grace that can never be limited (2 Corinthians 12:9). A hope that can never be disappointed. (Hebrews 6:18, 19). A bounty that can never be withdrawn. (I Colossians 3:21-23). A joy that need never be diminished (John 15:11). A nearness to God that can never be reversed (Ephesians 2:13). A peace that can never be disturbed (John 14:27). A righteousness that can never be tarnished (2 Corinthians 5:21). A salvation that can never be canceled (Hebrews 5:9). F.E. Marsh. One morning R.C. Chapman, a devout Christian, was asked how he was feeling. "I'm burdened this morning!" was his reply. But his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, "Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?" "Yes, but it's a wonderful burden--it's an overabundance of blessings for which I cannot find enough time or words to express my gratitude!" Seeing the puzzled look on the face of his friend, Chapman added with a smile, "I am referring to Psalm 68:19, which fully describes my condition. In that verse the Father in heaven reminds us that He 'daily loads us with benefits.'" Source Unknown. Amen. Extra illustration…… Historically, God has always worked with people, and through people, to get things done in the world. Remember, please, that it was with the food the disciples brought to Jesus that he fed the multitude. And he didn't feed them, really; it was the disciples who did that; it was from their hands those people received that food that day. It is the way of God to use human instrumentality to accomplish his purpose. Perhaps he could by-pass the human instrumentality and get his work done without the participation of his people, but he rarely does, if ever. A story has long been told concerning a country preacher who came upon a member of his parish working in his newly-made garden alongside the road. With an air of great piousness, the preacher said, "Brother William, you ought to be very grateful to God for all the beautiful tomatoes and potatoes and beans the Lord will give you in your garden this year." Glancing up and down along neat rows of planted vegetables, Brother William slowly replied, "Yes, Parson, I suppose so, but, you know, you really should have seen this patch of ground last year when the Lord had it all by himself." Leonard W. Mann, Life-Size Living, CSS Publishing Company Children’s Sermon…… Some Things Money Can Buy, For Everything Else There's Grace by Brett Blair Passage: Isaiah 55:1-13 • Lectionary: Proper 13 Item 2 of 2 | Back to Results Exegetical Aim: God's gift of mercy is given without cost. Props: Give everyone a nickel, a dime, or a quarter. The money should work out so that the children can make the first two purchases. Additional props: Can of Sprite, a toy from a gumball machine (e.g. small deck of cards or one of those gooey toys-leave the toy in the container), a freshly cut tree branch that is budding, and a communion chalice. Optional: A small table to set the objects on while they are being sold. Lesson: Good morning. (response) How much money do you have on you this morning?(response) Everyone dig in your pocket count your money and tell me how much you've got.(response) That's not a lot. Let me give you some more. Give everyone a dime. Ok, I am the store and I brought some things with me to sell but now I don't know if you can afford them. The first thing for sell this morning is this. What is it? (can of sprite) How much is a can of sprite? (fifty cents) Does anyone have enough? (response) If no one has fifty cents suggest that some of them team up to buy it. Here is a hard question for you: Why is that can of sprite worth fifty cents? (response) The second thing for sell this morning is this. What is it? (small deck of cards) How much is the small deck of cards? (fifty cents) Does any body else have enough? (response) Suggest again that some of them team up to buy it. Why is the small deck of cards worth fifty cents?(response) The third thing for sell this morning is... What is this? (a stick) What is it worth? (nothing, it's a stick) Ok, now look a little closer. What's on the ends? (buds) What do those buds mean?(getting close to summer) It means spring is almost here. In fact this Tuesday is the first day of Spring. Now I would like to sell spring to you. How much is Spring worth? (you can't sell spring) Why not? (response) Place the chalice on the table The last thing for sell this morning is God's forgiveness. How much is God's forgiveness worth? (response) I can't sell God's forgiveness either? (response)Why not? (response) Application: You are right. And the Old Testament book of Isaiah tells us that there are things money can buy but for everything else hold up the branch there is grace. We can't buy Spring but we can enjoy it because God gives it to us. We can't buy God's Forgiveness but we can receive it because God in his mercy gives it to us. Let's Pray: Lord, we thank you for all kindness and mercy you show us. And, we thank you that there is no cost for them. They are worth more than we could pay! Amen. OT Children's Sermons, Brett Blair, ChristianGlobe Network, 2001, 0-0000-0000-1