Where's God When Evil Prevails? [17mb]

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This is a message that was given on the tenth anniversary of the terrorists attacks on our nation. It is a brief "beginning" discussion regarding the problem of evil in the world and how a good God can allow such evil.

Written Excerpts:

Ps. 5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

Matt. 27⁴⁵  Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “EliEli, EliEli, lamalama sabachthanisabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Introduction:

Today we have taken the time to remember and reflect on the events of September 11, 2001 and how they changed our world forever. We have been reminded of the evil – despicably evil – deeds that were perpetrated against our nation on that day. While we reflect on those events we are reminded as well about many other horrible events of the past in the history of the world that can only be described as unspeakably evil.

I believe that the passage of Scripture I referred to a moment ago in Matthew 27:45 contains words that describe what we mean when we talk about evil prevailing. The reference to darkness over all the land implies the foreboding sense of evil everywhere. The words that Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” imply the same kind of message and feeling that the title of this message does…

God, where are you? Amid all this evil, where are you? Why can’t I feel you? Why can’t I see you? Have you forsaken us? These questions all beg for answers to them as well as other deeper questions. Where does evil come from anyway? If God is all powerful and if God is good, then why doesn’t He stop all kinds of evil?

I readily admit to you today that I do not have all the answers to these penetrating questions. Some of them really go beyond my ability to fully grasp. Yet, I do want to use our time this morning to consider some important thoughts, observations and principles that will at least offer some insight and provide some comfort and peace in these troubled circumstances.

I.       Evil results when free will asserts itself against its Creator.

Earlier this summer, I preached a message on the topic of freedom and liberty. I believe it was in conjunction with the July 4^th holiday. I tried to explain at that time the biblical foundation for the concept of God-given freedom to the human beings who were created in His image. The Divine image in humanity includes the aspect of free will; the ability to make real choices that are not coerced by an outside power.

Theologians and philosophers have long debated the matter of human freedom and will always do so. But I contend that the Bible supports the concept of free will and portrays human beings that are not mere robots. When men and women have the ability to choose between obedience and disobedience, submission or rebellion, then there exists the possibility for consequences that are very bad; not only for the individual making the choice, but for many others that are closely related to the person or the situation.

Why can’t God stop the evil? He can, or He could, but that would necessitate the removal of everyone’s free choice.

People have often asked in anger over some disastrous deed, why didn’t God step in and stop them? I don’t know all the answer to that question, but I think part of the answer is this: He could have stepped into the situation and stopped the perpetrator from committing his horrible deed. But justice would also require that God step in and eliminate your freedom to even question His actions. It seems obvious to me that true justice requires God to grant freedom to everyone or to no one.

II.      God is not absent, but He is active.

Where’s God when evil prevails? He is right where He always has been.

Deists believe in a model of creation that is described like a clock maker who designs and starts the clock and then leaves and lets the clock run on its own. He no longer interacts or interferes with the creation. The Bible, however, gives quite a different view of God. Over and over the Bible portrays God as being very active in human history and in the affairs of men, governments and nations.

The Bible portrays God as almighty and sovereign. There is no person, nation, or being of any kind that will ever derail God’s ultimate purposes and goals for the creation. Look at Joseph. All the time that he felt like God had abandoned him and forsaken him, but God was at work for a larger purpose and greater good than what Joseph could see or understand. It was only after years of disappointments and reverses and injustices that Joseph finally recognized the larger picture and was able to see God was actively at work with his life.

Job, David, Jeremiah, and a host of biblical characters all had their moments, even months or years, when they could not tell that God was near and at work in their lives. Yet, each of them ultimately discovered that when God seemed distant and life’s circumstances were dark and violent, God was working out His ultimate plan and purposes.

We too have those days even seasons in life when it is only by faith in the written word of God that we can know that God is aware of our situation and He is actively at work to accomplish His divine purposes in our lives and in our world.

III.    God provides grace for every trial for those who submit to His will.

James chapter 1 describes the attitude God desires to find in the hearts of the faithful when they are faced with tests and trials and tribulations.

In Chapter 4, James describes the proper condition for receiving the needed grace from God. It is humility.

4:6 – God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

The Apostle Peter says, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it is tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pe. 1:7)

I think of Scriptures like the 23^rd Psalm and the 46^th Psalm that provide comfort and strength to our souls in times of upheaval and distress. We read these and trust by faith that God hasn’t abandoned us, but will provide the grace, strength and comfort that is needed in the worst times.

I want to read Psalm 23 for us today as we close.

The Sanctity of Labor [32mb]

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This is a message that was preached in honor of Labor Day.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

A few moments ago I shared some historical information regarding the holiday we celebrate tomorrow – Labor Day. It certainly is interesting to learn about the admirable goals and accomplishments of those who championed the rights of individuals who were being mistreated in the early days of industrialization.

I felt that it would be appropriate for us to consider some biblical principles relating to the whole topic of work. I fear that many people in today’s American culture have a distorted view of labor and the rewards for labor. I admit at the outset that I am not an expert in labor relations issues or economics and don’t have answers for every problem that we face in our economy today.

Having said that, I do want to point out some biblical principles that emphasize the sanctity of labor.

I.       Work is sacred because God does it.

Gen. 1-2

If you read through the first two chapters of Genesis you will see that the Bible uses a few key words to describe God’s creative activity. We notice that most of the descriptions of God’s activity simply say, “God said…” then it was done. However, in chapter one I noticed several times the word “made” was used to describe God’s actions. (7,16,25,31)

Also in chapter 1, the word “created” is used several times. Again, I would acknowledge that God merely needed to “speak” and things came into existence, but the words “created” and “made” do seem to imply productive activity.

In Chapter 2 the Bible uses the word “work” to describe what God was doing. In fact, verse 3 actually uses three words that all refer to God’s activity. They are: work, created, and made.

Here are definitions of the Hebrew words. (From THE COMPLETE WORD STUDY DICTIONARY: OLD TESTAMENT, Warren Baker, D.R.E.; Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D.)

Work –  מְלָאכָה melā’ḵāh: A feminine singular noun meaning work, occupation, business, something made, property, workmanship. This word is used for God’s creative work (Gen. 2:2, 3); as well as for human labor (Ex. 20:9, 10); skilled craftsmanship (Lev. 13:48); and agricultural tasks (1 Chr. 27:26). [There are a few other occurrences where the word takes on a completely different meaning.]

Create(d) – בָּרָא bārā’: A verb meaning to create. Only God is the subject of this verb. It is used for His creating: heaven and earth (Gen. 1:1); humanity (Gen. 1:27); the heavenly host (Isa. 40:26); the ends of the earth (Isa. 40:28); north and south (Ps. 89:12[13]); righteousness; salvation (Isa. 45:8); evil (Isa. 45:7). David asked God to “create” in him a clean heart (Ps. 51:10[12]). Isaiah promised that God will create a new heaven and earth (Isa. 65:17).

Made – עָשָׂה ‛āśāh: A verb meaning to do, to make, to accomplish, to complete. This frequently used Hebrew verb conveys the central notion of performing an activity with a distinct purpose, a moral obligation, or a goal in view (cf. Gen. 11:6

The use of these words in the biblical text definitely imply activity that is not only creative but productive and it is being done by the sovereign Creator God. We know from other passages in the Bible that God is perfectly good, holy and righteous. Therefore, He only engages in activity or “work” that is in harmony with His own nature. That is why I stated, “Work is sacred because God does it.”

II.     Work is sacred because it was ordained by God.

I don’t know about you, but I get the feeling from many people these days that work is a curse and a “plague” that has befallen the human race. If they happen to be religious, they might even tie it in with Adam and Eve’s fall into sin in the Garden of Eden. They imply that if Adam hadn’t sinned or if sin hadn’t ever entered into the world, then we wouldn’t have to work even today. If you listen to these people, you would get the feeling that their idea of utopia is a place where every fleshly desire is satisfied with no physical energy expended. In fact, for these individuals, their concept of heaven is everyone floating around on clouds, sipping on their favorite beverage with a host of angels attending to their every need and desire while they simply submit to all the pampering.

However, I believe that the Bible gives us quite a different picture. Work was not a curse from God, but an assignment and a responsibility that was given to us so we can glorify God.

See Genesis

1:26-28  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Have dominion – רָדָה rāḏāh: A verb meaning to rule, to have dominion, to subjugate. This Hebrew word conveys the notion of exercising domain, whether legitimate or not, over those who are powerless or otherwise under one’s control.

Subdue – כָּבַשׁ kāḇaš: A verb meaning to subdue, to bring into subjection, to enslave. It means basically to overcome, to subdue someone. It is used to describe God’s mandate to humans to subdue the created order (Gen. 1:28).

2:15 “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend (KJV, dress) and keep it.”

Dress (Tend) – עָבַד ‛āḇaḏ: A verb meaning to work, to serve. This labor may be focused on things, other people, or God. When it is used in reference to things, that item is usually expressed: to till the ground (Gen. 2:5; 3:23; 4:2); to work in a garden (Gen. 2:15); or to dress a vineyard (Deut. 28:39).

Keep – שָׁמַר šāmar: A verb meaning to watch, to keep, to preserve, to guard, to be careful, to watch over, to watch carefully over, to be on one’s guard. The verb means to watch, to guard, to care for.

2:19-20a “Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field.”

All of these verses in Gen 1-2 indicate that God had specific tasks and responsibilities assigned to Adam even before the entrance of sin into the picture.

Some of you may be wondering what the curse was then, if the assignment of work isn’t it.

According to Gen. 3:14-19 I would describe the curse as follows:

·        Discord and hostility in animal kingdom and between animals and humans. (14-15)

·        Pain, sorrow and hostility among humans. (16)

·        Adverse environmental conditions for work resulting in hard toil, sweat and exhaustion that is associated with work. (17-19)

There are other biblical texts that further define and explain the curse of sin on all mankind, but these are enough to show that work in and of itself wasn’t the curse. The curse was primarily the adverse environment and consequences associated with work.

III.    Work is sacred because laziness and sloth are strongly condemned by God.

(One only needs to read through the book of Proverbs to understand what God thinks of laziness.)

If God condemns laziness and sloth in the Bible, then God must approve of and even require creatures that are made in His image to be active and productive.

(Before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion right here let me say this: I’m not suggesting that individuals with physical handicaps and disabilities are violating God’s word because they are “not productive.” No one in their right mind would say that disability and laziness is the same thing.)

Obviously, as a result of the curse on the ground and the consequences for Adam’s sin, work is not usually easy. It often takes real effort and expends our energy and strength to the point of exhaustion. No one ever promised that work would be easy, but God still condemns laziness. Just because work is hard and life is hard, it doesn’t give any of us the right or the “license” to sit around and expect others to provide for our daily needs.

I know I run the risk of offending someone with some of my comments here, because they are not “politically correct.” But…People, in our society particularly, seem to have developed an attitude and mentality that says, “I deserve as much pay as possible for as little work as possible.”

We see many who think that the world owes them everything they need to live a carefree and comfortable life. If their parents won’t or can’t give it to them and their employer won’t give it to them, then they expect the government to give it to them. We sometimes refer to this as an “entitlement mentality.” “I’m entitled to have what I want provided by the hard work of someone else.”

IV.    Work is sacred because of other biblical principles.

A.     Honesty and integrity.

All of the passages in the Bible that speak about the importance of honest can be related to the way we do our work. That includes everything from doing a day’s work for a day’s pay, to making sure we do not cheat our employer in any way.

B. Justice and mercy.

The Apostle Paul has many statements in his epistles about the way that masters (employers) were to treat their slaves (employees) and vice versa. Being a ruler, master, or employer doesn’t give anyone the right to mistreat another person; nor does it give the work any right to cheat the employer.

Please notice that I didn’t say anything about the biblical principle of fairness. That is because it isn’t there. Fairness is based on the practice of each one of us looking around at the benefits that others have and demanding we get the same. Justice is doing what is right and what we agreed to do for the pay we were promised.
Conclusion:

As we close this message I just want to make reference to some spiritual analogies that are pointed out in Scripture.

In the Scripture reading that was given earlier, there was a distinct analogy presented between the concept of work and rest as it relates to the life of faith. I actually had intended to preach on that passage today, then felt drawn into this other emphasis as I was developing the introduction for that sermon.

None-the-less, I want to end today by reminding each one of us that God has spiritual rest for each one of us. There is a certain kind of rest implied when we cease from our labor in sin and come to the Lord for salvation and forgiveness. The passage in Hebrews 4 apparently talks about a different kind or level of rest for the “people of God.” Some think it is referring to heart purity and sanctification, while other scholars think it is referring to heaven.

I will address this some time in the future in another sermon.

But, let us all remember that God has a spiritual rest for each one of us to cease from the labor of sin and rest in the assurance of faith in what Christ has accomplished.

Blessing the Name of the Lord [38mb]

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Written Excerpts:

Job 1: ²¹… the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Psalms 89 ⁵²Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen.

Cf. Psalms 113:1-3

Introduction:

We often talk and think about the blessings we receive from the Lord, and we often say to other people, “The Lord bless you. Or God bless you.” It is more rare for us to think about our privilege and responsibility to bless God. Yet, our Scripture verses we are considering today tell us exactly that. We are to bless the name of the Lord.

With the help of the Holy Spirit and by looking at a few different Scripture passages, I want to direct our thoughts on the theme of Blessing the name of the Lord and consider three questions:

What does it mean to bless the name of the Lord?

When and where should one bless the name of the Lord?

Why should one bless the name of the Lord?

I.       What Does it Mean to Bless the Name of the Lord?

A. “Bless” – barak; A primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):— bless, congratulate, curse, kneel (down), praise, salute, thank. (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries)

(Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) “… there may have been a felt association between kneeling and the receiving of a blessing….

“To bless in the OT means ‘to endue with power for success, prosperity, [fertility], longevity, etc.’”

“In general, the blessing is transmitted from the greater to the lesser.” 

“The verbal blessing… was normally futuristic. However, it could be descriptive; an acknowledgment that the person addressed was evidently possessed of this power for abundant and effective living." (Compare Gen. 14:18-20; 1 Sam. 26:25) This address becomes a formalized means of expressing thanks and praise to this person because he has given out of the abundance of his life. Very commonly, the Lord is addressed this way.”

A phrase in Neh. 9:5, “stand up and bless the Lord your God” indicates that the word is not to be understood literally in the sense of kneeling down, but to kneel in the heart with an attitude and spirit of worship. It appears to be closely related to the word “worship,” which is a word that also means to prostrate one’s self or to bow down; and includes the idea of giving praise and adoration to the only one worthy – the LORD.

In summary, to bless the Lord means that we acknowledge with humility, gratitude and adoration that God possesses every benefit for success such as power, prosperity, fruitfulness and long life. We are acknowledging that He has freely bestowed these benefits on human beings who are weak, limited and unworthy.

To bless Him is to praise Him and to worship Him.

B. “Name” – in the Bible, names of persons often signified some truth about the character of the person. The same is true of the LORD. There are a number of names ascribed to God in Scripture and every one of them reveal a great truth about His character. Every name reveals God’s provision and solution to a particular need of man.

Thus, blessing the name of the Lord implies the act of giving worship, praise and adoration to the One whose name, character and reputation is worthy of all praise. Blessing the name of the Lord is more than just saying words – it is living a life that honors his character or reputation.

Cf. The Lord’s Prayer: “hallowed be thy name.” This means “let your name be sanctified or sacred.” God’s name is already sanctified, so why should we pray that it be sanctified? So our lives and our witness would uphold and confirm the sacred reputation of the Lord.

II.     When and Where Should One Bless the Name of the Lord?

The answer to this question is found in verses two and three of Psalms 113 – “Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. ³From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.”

The simple truth of the matter is that our whole life should be a life of praise and worship to the Lord.

A. We should bless the Lord at all times – “from this time and forevermore” (v.2)

There is never a time when it is not appropriate to bless the Lord.

When we consider who God is and what he has done, it ought to bring the spirit of praise to our hearts and the words of praise to our lips.

B. We should bless the Lord in all places – “from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same.”  (v.3)

This is not referring to when the sun is up, but where the sun passes, i.e., over all the earth.

It doesn’t matter where you or I may go in the entire world; God’s grace and goodness are still evident. His blessings are still new every morning and His benefits are still abundant every day. We may find ourselves in locations or situations from time to time that cause us to feel isolated and remote, but we can still be the beneficiaries of God’s wonderful love and grace.

Therefore, we need to bless his name in all places.

C. We should bless the Lord in all circumstances.

For example, the text we referred to in Job tells of his response in the times of great disaster and tragedy.

Another example is found in Psalms 89. We do not have the time to read through the entire Psalm, but if you want to turn to it we can scan it together.

The Psalmist begins by giving praise and adoration to the Lord. (1-18)

He recounts the provisions of the covenant between God and the nation of Israel, especially with King David. (19-37)

Then in vv. 38-51 the writer describes what appears as evidence that the Lord has not fulfilled the covenant promises. Yet, at the end, he concludes the psalm with the words, “Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.”

Dear friends, many of us are fairly quick to praise the Lord and bless His name when things are going well; when He has answered prayer in the way we had hoped He would; or if we have just been blessed with some great benefit. But what about when we find ourselves in circumstances like Job? What about those times when all outward appearances indicate that God hasn’t kept his covenant promises?

We need to bless His name during those times as well.

III.    Why Should One Bless the Name of the Lord?

A. There is no one who compares to the Lord.

See Ps. 89:5-18; Ps. 113:4-6

Creative power and works; calms raging seas; destroys enemies; heavens and earth, including mountains are under His control; no one compares to Him.

B. He performs wonders for the children of men.

For example: Ps. 103: 1-14; 113:7-9

Forgives iniquities; heals diseases; redeems from destruction; crowns with blessings; administers judgment; provides mercy; raises the poor from the dust; lifts up the needy; cares for the barren woman…

C. It is an expression of our faith.

See Neh. 9 – The people of Israel have returned from captivity. They have listened to the reading of the Law (ch. 8) and have been obeying what it says (observing Feast of Tabernacles). Now the Levites and elders have gathered the people to hear what God has done for them in the past and then conclude by renewing the covenant they had made with God.

In this context the leaders tell the people to “stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” Having just returned from captivity, they might not have much to give praise for in the way of current benefits and blessings. But they are still blessing the name of the Lord for what they expected Him to do for them.

In the example of Job, he believed that God was in control and would continue to work His will. Even though he went through a time of confusion, doubts and distress, he was able to say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him….” (13:15)

In Psalms 89, even though it appeared as though God had not fulfilled the promises of the covenant that He made with David, yet he gives expression to his faith that it will be done by ending with the words we quoted earlier, “Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.”

In a book titled, “Destined for the Throne” by Paul Billheimer, the author declares that praise is the highest expression of faith.

Conclusion:

God is worthy of all our praise. His Word is full of truths regarding his matchless character. It reveals His holiness, His power, His faithfulness and a multitude of other traits. God has poured out many blessings upon His creatures. He has especially blessed us with salvation through the blood of His one and only Son – Jesus Christ.

Even in times of severe testing and trials, we may have questions. We may have struggles with doubts, but through it all we can still bless the name of the Lord by faith. He is still in control and He will eventually bring us through.

God's Photo Album [33mb]

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Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 11:16

(NKJV) “But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

(NLT) “But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

(The Message) “But they were after a far better country than that—heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.”

Introduction:

Several months ago I preached a short series of sermons on the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. When I was doing that series, I mentioned this verse briefly and suggested that a whole new sermon could be given on the phrase, “God is not ashamed to be called their God.” 

I chose the title that I have for this message because this phrase definitely reminds me of a proud parent or grandparent showing off pictures of the kids / grandkids. I think this is essentially what the writer is saying about God. As he is describing the faithfulness of these people who demonstrated their faith in remarkable ways, the author proclaims, “God isn’t ashamed [embarrassed] to be called their God.”

It kind of reminds me of a Bill Cosby quote I have used on Father’s Day. He said, “Poets have said the reason to have children is to give yourself immortality; and I must admit I did ask God to give me a son because I wanted someone to carry on the family name. Well, God did just that and I now confess that there have been times when I have told my son not to reveal who he is.”

Not so with these people. God is saying, “Go ahead and tell everyone who your God is. I’ll gladly admit you’re my children any day!”

In the Old Testament book of Job, the story starts out in a similar way. It’s as if God is bragging to the Devil about his servant. I would compare it to God pulling out the old photo album of his children then while pointing to Job’s picture, exclaiming, “Look at this boy! Isn’t he fantastic?”

Transition:

I want to explore a few observations about God’s Photo Album that arise out of our text in Hebrews 11:16 and surrounding verses.

Observations:

I.       God is like a proud Father.

I’ve already touched on this in the introductory comments, but just want to reiterate the fact that the wording here does imply that God is like a proud father.

“He is not ashamed to be called their God.”

The word “ashamed” is the intensive form or strengthened form of a Greek word that refers to the feeling of shame or disgrace that arises from something that has been done. (Vine’s Expository Dict. of NT Words; see also Theological Dict. of NT, Kittel, et.al.)

Compare: 1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” John says that if we do not abide in him, we can end up being ashamed of ourselves when he returns.

There are some people that Jesus proclaimed he would be ashamed of… i.e. those people who were ashamed of him. Mark 8:38 “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

In Hebrews 11, the author is saying that rather than being ashamed of His people because of what they have done, God is NOT ashamed. In modern terminology we could say: God doesn’t feel the need to hang his head in embarrassment when the names of these faithful saints are mentioned.

If God isn’t ashamed to be identified as their God, then I believe that we can conclude he is “like” a proud father. He’s dragging out the photo album of his children and showing them off to the world of skeptics and doubters. Even bragging to the Devil about how faithful his children are, as He did in the case of Job.

II.     There are good reasons for His pride.

Notice in our text that there is a direct link made that gives us a clue about the reasons for God’s attitude. In verse 16, we find the word “therefore,” and we immediately understand that what follows is directly related to what precedes.

A. He was proud of their spiritual insight.

If we look immediately prior to this statement, we find that it is linked to the statement about these saints looking for a better country than the earthly one that was originally promised.

There are other promises alluded to here that they had not seen the actual fulfillment of (such as: descendents that were innumerable as the sand on the seashore), but the predominant promise referred to was the one about a land that they were to inherit.

Yet, they never did see that come to complete fruition. Instead they apparently diverted their attention away from the earthly to the heavenly fulfillment. So God is proud of the fact that these people get it. It’s not all about earthly accumulation of things and property and wealth. It is about a future world. That is something only people with spiritual eyesight can even envision and seek for.

We are living in an age where almost all non-Christians and many Christians are living out their lives as though they have their sights set on the things that money can buy. They are totally preoccupied with material possessions, entertainment and popularity. For many, if not all, of these people they would never consider the possibility of denying themselves of anything they want so that they might enhance their spiritual aptitude and awareness. Their lifestyles and their daily choices indicate that they are living for this world or this country, not the “better country” that is referred to in our text.

B. God was proud of their motivation and passion.

In reading the remainder of the sentence we find, “For he has prepared a city for them.” Again, the word “for” indicates a purpose and connection to the preceding statement. I don’t know if this is what you get out of it or not, but when I read that phrase it seems as though the author is saying: God is really happy about the fact that their desires, their tastes, and their real passions match up exactly with what he has prepared for them.

There is nothing more disheartening or sorrowful for a parent than to spend a great deal of time, money and effort to create or acquire a valuable present for a child, then discover that the child has no interest or desire whatsoever in the gift.

It almost seems like God is saying, “YES! They want what I made. They crave what I planned. I made it for them and it’s exactly what they want!” God has made a country and a home for each one of us if we will accept it and prepare for it. But I think the question we need to ask ourselves is, “Do we really want it?”

You might be thinking, “Well, of course; who wouldn’t want to have a home in heaven?”

Yet, there are many people who talk about a home in heaven who have done nothing to prepare for it. Some have never met even the initial conditions – saving faith in Jesus Christ. Others have had a moment in their lives when they confessed their sins and trusted in Jesus, but then they just kind of put their lives on autopilot and assumed that they will end up at the right destination without ever seriously seeking the things that please God or seeking a vibrant personal and ongoing relationship with Him. It makes one wonder how happy they will be if they ever do make it to heaven, because their treasures are all invested in this earth and this world.

Conclusion:

A.     How does one get into God’s photo album?

How does one get on God’s “bragging list?”

The simple answer is: Faith. However, there are all kinds of faith.

Saving faith – This is not just an intellectual agreement with some facts about Jesus. The demons have that much “faith” (James 2:19). Romans 4 talks about Abraham’s faith that was counted for righteousness. Then later in the chapter and in other passages the Scriptures elaborate on how Abraham demonstrated his faith with obedience (circumcision) and other works. (James 2)

Enduring faith – Look at the people mentioned here and you will see that every one of them had the kind of faith that kept them through all kinds of trials and tribulations.

Accomplishing faith – Many of the people mentioned in this context either accomplished great things through faith, or received great things through faith.

Focused faith – This is based on the verse that we used as our text. These people were focused on spiritual values and eternal values rather than earthly and temporal possessions and riches. They were focused on the same things that God values.

B.     What does it mean for me?

It means I’m going to have opposition.

It means I’m going to be stretched to the limit.

Whenever we find ourselves in these circumstances where we have been faithful to the Lord and are perhaps nearning the end of life or we are battling with discouragement and depression because we haven't seen the actual fulfillment of God's promises, I can imagine God showing us off to the devil or to other heavenly beings and He’s saying, “That’s my son; that’s my daughter! Look how faithful they have been. Look at what they have been through, but they haven't given up. They still believe and trust me."

The Handicapped Jesus [29mb]

(To download an MP3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon based on Mark 6 regarding the visit that Jesus made to his hometown of Nazareth. It discusses the fact that Jesus could not do many mighty works there even though he desired to do so.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:  This Scripture presents the story of Jesus’ visit to his hometown of Nazareth. I suppose that any normal person would have the desire to do something special for his hometown folks. So it was with Jesus, no doubt. The passage also reveals that He was unable to work any miracles like He had done in many other towns that He visited.

This gives some insight in the debate between the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. In some mystical way, God’s sovereign rule and power works in harmony with man’s free will. In our human understanding it seems as though they are mutually exclusive, but they are not. It is difficult for us to understand how God can be totally sovereign and have sovereign control over this universe, yet allow human beings to exercise free will and have the ability to resist His will for their lives.

I would compare it to the concept of the Trinity. In our human understanding it seems that three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is mutually exclusive to one God, but somehow both one-ness and three-ness are true at the same time.

The fact that Jesus could not do something that He would have done and apparently wanted to do, brings us to the title I have chosen for this message: “The Handicapped Jesus.” This title is a thought that hopefully grabs our attention. It might seem a little shocking! Who would ever think that Jesus is handicapped in any way? Who would think that He is limited or restricted from doing something that He really wants to do?

In our board meeting this week, we were discussing the need to designate two or three more spaces in our parking lot as “handicap parking spaces.” I wonder if we need to reserve one of them for Jesus?

If Jesus were to visit our church this week, would He be restricted, hindered or limited from His normal activity? Would there be something that He wants to do for us that He would be unable to do?

The words mighty works are used to translate the Greek work “dunamis” from which we get our English word, “dynamite.”  Thus, a mighty, powerful, display of God’s ability.

The Scriptures also reveal the reason why Jesus was unable to perform the mighty works that He would have done – it was because of their unbelief.

Mk. 6:6 …He marveled because of their unbelief.

Matt. 13:58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

So, the underlying reason why Jesus was limited and restricted from doing many wonderful things that He wanted to do for His own people of Nazareth was their lack of genuine faith in Him.

Today, I would like to take a little while to explore...

I.     The Cause of Their Unbelief

II.    The Results of Their Unbelief

I.          First of all, I want to discuss the causes of their unbelief.

A.   Their personal prejudices produced a lack of faith.

(v. 3) - They were offended at him.

The word offended means a stumbling block. In other words, Jesus became a stumbling block to them. The Greek word is actually the same word from which we get our word “scandal.” This Man, His teaching, and His wonder-working miracles all appears to be scandalous to the hometown folks.

Some have even suggested, due to the comments of the people about His occupation (carpenter) and His family, that it was scandalous for someone of such lowly upbringing to be this popular with the people. (see Adam Clarke) Earlier in v. 3 - “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary...”

v. 4 – “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

The double negative makes this a little harder to grasp. He is saying that a prophet does have honor, respect or esteem everywhere except among his own kinfolk and his hometown.

They stumbled because of familiarity. They had watched Him grow up and they had seen Him so often as a child and a young man it caused them to doubt that He was anyone special or different than themselves.

I think there is a spiritual lesson for us in this. Has the story of Jesus Christ become so familiar to us that it really doesn’t mean that much any more? For those of us who have been around the church for years and we’ve heard the gospel message over and over, have we gotten so used to hearing it and accustomed to the lessons that it doesn’t really impress us any longer?

His willingness to leave the glory of heaven to be born in a stable; His willingness to die as a sacrifice for the sins of all people; His awesome display of power and victory in the resurrection from the dead; all of these events and more should be absolutely astounding to us, but we just kind of take it for granted and think nothing of it anymore.

This “oh-hum” attitude and lack of awe or wonder with the message of the gospel can certainly put a damper on the work of God in our lives and in our community.

What about His deity? Without a doubt, the townspeople did not really think of Jesus as being divine. They had watched Him grow up. No doubt they had seen some things that made them “scratch their heads,” but He was just the son of Joseph and Mary, nothing special about Him.

What about His divine power? It seems to me that it must have been hard for them to believe that He really had the power that they had heard about. Surely they had heard the stories of the kinds of miracles Jesus had done in other towns, but this was different. He was home now. He’s right here among those with whom he grew up. He looks the same. He seems like one of us.

How about us? Are we really convinced that Jesus is the Son of God? Are we really convinced that He can do anything? Any time that I doubt the ability of God to do what needs to be done it prohibits His working in my life.

B.    Their fear of personal cost produced a lack of faith.

Now this point is not taught in this specific text either explicitly or implicitly. However, I am making this point based on other passages of Scripture that expound on the meaning of genuine faith and what is involved.

If you will remember in the 11^th chapter of Hebrews, many of the examples provided in that chapter gave vivid demonstrations of people who realized that their faith required some commitment and action or response on their part. Genuine faith cannot be divorced from actions that demonstrate our commitment. Genuine faith and trust in someone or something will become the basis for decisions and actions that otherwise would not have been made or performed.

Another example is the story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus, knowing the key obstacle in his life and the thing that hindered his faith in God, tells him to sell all and give it away. The Bible records the sad results of the conversation as it describes him walking away in great sorrow for he had great wealth.

I truly believe that these people might have been thinking, “If we acknowledge that Jesus is different; if we believe what others are saying about Him, what will that require from us?”

There are many people today who either refuse to believe or they are afraid to believe, because of a fear of what it will cost them. It might require more sacrifice and dedication on our part if we were to really believe God for mighty works or miracles in our church.

For me to truly believe and trust God for a miracle might require a willingness to be used by Him in some capacity that I fear. It might require me to get outside of my comfort zone and get involved in some kind of ministry or get involved in a work for the kingdom of God that I am afraid I can’t really do.

If we can just kind of nod our heads in agreement with the nice Scriptures and songs and sermons, but don’t really give serious thought to how God wants to implement His strategy through us, then life can go on real comfortable like and it won’t really require any sacrifice, commitment or disruption for us.

If I really believe in Him, I might have to get involved in things that I don’t think I can do. I might have to give up some other activities that I really enjoy. If I really believe people are lost and on their way to hell, I might be compelled to spend more time in prayer and more time in reaching out in love with the message of Christ.

II.        Secondly, let us notice the results of their unbelief.

Briefly, I only see one result identified in this passage. – He could do no miracles, no mighty works. There was no display of His supernatural power; no display of divine power.

The sad thing, I feel, about this whole story is that these people apparently never realized what they missed. Here was the Messiah, the Son of God right here in their company. He desired to do many mighty works for them. He desired to demonstrate His love and His awesome power. But... they missed it.

I can’t help but think of the passage where Jesus is looking over the city of Jerusalem and says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:37-39)

The people of Nazareth no doubt went on with their lives as usual. The Scripture doesn’t say that God sent judgment and wrath upon them... They just missed out on something wonderful and miraculous that God had for them.

Conclusion:

Wouldn’t this be a sad commentary on our church today?

Friends, I believe that this same Jesus desires to work mighty miracles in our lives, our homes and our churches today. I believe that He loves to demonstrate His power and grace to needy people.

The question is, will He be able to demonstrate His power, or will He have to go away in amazement at our unbelief?

“Lord I believe, Help thou mine unbelief.”

Our closing hymn today is titled, “Trusting Jesus.” (# 190)

This song speaks of putting our full trust in Jesus in all kinds of circumstances. As we sing, let us realize that to really trust in Him requires more than saying words, but it requires commitment and response in our actions.

He Will Live Again [26mb]

(To download an MP3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon based on the passage of Scripture in John 11:1-27.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

I can almost envision the look on Martha’s face as she told Jesus that her brother would not have died if Jesus had been there a couple of days earlier. Jesus responds to her heart-felt words by assuring her that her brother would live again – not merely after the future resurrection, but he would live again now.

Have you felt that same sorrow and pain over the circumstances in your family. It might have been the death of a family member like Martha experienced. Or, it might have been some other crisis – abuse, addiction, violence, cutting remarks and a permanent separation… the list goes on and on.

How many of you here today have known the feeling that Martha is expressing in this story? “Lord, if you had been here, my marriage would still be whole; my child or spouse would be healed from disease or addiction; etc.”

I.          Death is a reality.

In his classic novel, A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens begins with the blunt declaration: “Old Marley was dead.”

I think I might say something similar to describe the situation facing Jesus as he arrives at Bethany. “Old Lazarus was dead.” Of that fact there was no doubt. He had been in the grave four days and everyone knew what Martha candidly expressed, “By now he stinketh!”

In the spiritual reality every one of us were dead. Lester was dead... You fill in your name.

A.        We are dead by nature.

We are born “with our backs toward God.” We are born with a nature that is predisposed to self-centeredness and sin. It is a condition that the Bible tells us we somehow inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve, passed down through each generation. Theologians call it: inherited depravity.

No one has to teach us how to sin; it comes natural. No one has to teach us how to be selfish; it comes natural. Our problem is not lack of opportunity, education or proper environment. Our problem is a defective nature that is contrary to God’s nature.

Not only are we born with a defective spiritual nature, but…

B.        We are also dead by choice.

Eph. 2:1 “You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.”

Rom. 6:23 “The wages of sin is death.”

We are dead because spiritual death is the consequence of our own decisions and choices to follow the impulses of our sinful nature. We’ve knowingly made deliberate choices to disobey what was right and good. And, according to the message in Romans 6:23, and James 1:15, death is the result.

II.        Death is not God’s perfect will, but it serves God’s purposes.

In this story, Jesus states, “I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe….” He proclaims to them that this event, as tragic and sad as it was, would be an event that would ultimately be used to bring glory to God and create new faith in the hearts of the witnesses. Likewise…

A.        Sin and its consequences are not God’s fault, but ours.

It is never correct to say or imply that God tempts us to sin or leads us to sin (James 1:13-15). His Word clearly states that sin is the result of our own willful choice, and death came about as the consequence of sin.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that death entered the world because of the sin or disobedience of our first parents in the Garden of Eden (Romans 5:12). He also states that death has passed upon all humanity because we have all followed in the footsteps of our ancestors and disobeyed the will of God. So, death was not originally God’s design for Adam and Eve and certainly sin and death was not God’s original design for any of us. It is the consequence of every one of us exerting our own will over the will of God for our lives.

However, in spite of all this…

B.        God can still be glorified when He intervenes.

In spite of the fact that individuals make choices that lead them down a path of dire consequences, yet Christ is ready and able to turn those circumstances and consequences into opportunities for miracles; opportunities for glorifying God.

How could Jesus be glad about someone’s death? Because He knew that it is an opportunity to display the infinite power of God, for which God’s name would be praised and exalted and glorified.

Sometimes I have heard men at the chemical dependency treatment center where I used to work talk about how they believe it was God’s will for them to go through the experience of addiction so that they would ultimately come to the place of total surrender to His will. I understand what they mean. Even though God would have rather kept them from addiction, yet He is now teaching them lessons they wouldn’t have learned otherwise. It simply illustrates the point that God is still all-powerful and still has the ability to create “beauty from ashes.”

III.       Resurrection is both a present and future reality.

In the conversation that takes place between Jesus and Martha (vv. 21ff), both of them make reference to the fact that the resurrection is coming in the future, but Jesus wants her to understand that it is also possible now.

A.        It is only possible because Jesus is the author of life.

(v. 25) “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”

John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

John 1 indicates that Jesus Christ was the agent of creation; and the original author of life. Therefore He can bring life anytime He wills.

B.        Resurrection is literal and spiritual.

We obviously do not usually hear about miracles just like this today. Other than those events that are sometimes called “near death experiences,” or “out of body experiences,” we usually do not hear of people literally being brought back to life; especially after 4 days. However, we know by faith that the future resurrection will be a literal reality.

We also certainly know that resurrection from spiritual death is a present reality. The Scriptures often contain language that uses the imagery of resurrection to describe the spiritual new birth.

IV.       Resurrection produces major changes.

We can only imagine the changes that literally transpired in the lives of Lazarus and his family and friends.

Spiritually, the same is also true. The Apostle Paul stated like this in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

V.        Being resurrected has its “dangers” or challenges.

A.        Some will always oppose God’s divine work.

John 12:10-11 “But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; ¹¹Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.”

Any person that has been raised from death to life; sin to salvation; and depravity to righteousness will sooner or later face the opposition of Satan and others who are the enemies of grace.

You would think that everyone ought to be ecstatic about a resurrected life! But, it isn’t always true. The Devil always seems to make sure that there is someone around to oppose anything and everything positive that God is doing in people’s lives.

Even though Satan and others oppose what God is doing…

B.        People that have been brought to life will testify anyway.

Their very life is a testimony in itself.

Lazarus was a living breathing testimony even if he didn’t say anything.

Can you imagine his friends going up to Lazarus and saying, “Hey, Laz, what happened man? You’re walking around and breathing and eating and everything.”

Lazarus may reply, "Oh nothing. It's just another normal day," but they can readily see that he is alive.

I believe that the same parallel can be made to the person that has been spiritually resurrected from a life of being dead in sin. When anyone has been truly born again through faith in Jesus Christ, he / she is a “new creature.” “Old things have passed away and behold all things are become new.” (1 Cor. 5:17)

People will immediately notice something is different. As time passes, they will see more and more evidence of the miraculous change that has taken place in the heart of the new Christian.

Conclusion: 

This is the predominant message I want to leave with you today. If you have unsaved and wayward loved ones; if you have insurmountable crises in your family or your life; hear the words of Jesus, “He will live again. She will live again. You will live again.” It can happen through the power of the divine Son of God.

Jesus still has the power to resurrect the spiritually dead. He has the power to resolve any crisis. Jesus has the power to raise all of us in the final resurrection to live for ever with Him in glory.

The New Covenant [24 mb]

(To download an MP3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon based on Hebrews 8:1-13 and Matthew 26:28. It was given at a worship service which included the sacrament of communion.

Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 8:1-13

Matthew 26:28 “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Introduction:

There are several different covenants that are described in the Bible. For example:

            Noah; Abraham; Moses; David, etc.

Many of the covenants described in the Bible had specific components that made up the covenant.

First, the Introduction contained a preamble that usually defined the participants of the covenant including their specific identities; and a prologue that describes the setting for the covenant.

For example: Exodus 20:2 – I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.

This sets up the introduction for the covenant that God was making with the people of Israel through Moses.

Secondly, the body of the covenant sets forth the stipulations and requirements of the covenant. In the example of Exodus 20, the body would be the Ten Words (Commandments) that God gave to Moses.

In a covenant between two people, there would be stipulations offered by both parties. In the covenants with God, He sets forth the stipulations for both parties by stating “these are the requirements you must follow, and these are the blessings that I will provide.”

Finally, the Conclusion of the covenant would include witnesses if there are any, and the sanctions that specify the blessings and curses upon the participants of the covenant for obeying or violating the terms of the covenant.

In commenting on the verse in Matthew 26:28, Adam Clarke says,

The original… [wording for] New Testament… simply means, the new Covenant. Covenant, [in Latin] from con, together, and venio, I come, signifies an agreement, contract, or compact, between two parties, by which both are mutually bound to do certain things, on certain conditions and penalties. It answers to the Hebrew [word for covenant], which often signifies, not only the covenant or agreement, but also the sacrifice which was slain on the occasion, by the blood of which the covenant was ratified; and the contracting parties professed to subject themselves to such a death as that of the victim, in case of violating their engagements.

It is as if Jesus is holding the cup representing his own blood that would soon be shed and illustrating to them, “This is the cost and this is the sacrifice by which I am ratifying this covenant.”

For a few moments today, I want to consider a few distinctions between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant and its significance for us today.

I.          The Old Covenant was temporal, but the New is Eternal

Heb. 13:20-21 “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

This passage is a benediction offered for the readers of this letter, but it emphasizes the fact of the eternal covenant established by Jesus.

See Hebrews 9:11-15

The whole message of Hebrews is to inform the Jewish believers that they are better off now than they were before.

See Heb. 8:6 “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”

One of the reasons for that is the New Covenant is a permanent and eternal covenant; not a temporal and earthly one. This is one that will never have to be updated, revised or renewed.

II.        The Old was written on stone, but the New is written on “flesh.”

In our series of messages we preached on the Ten Commandments, I started out by explaining the purposes and the weaknesses of the Law compared to grace.

In regards to the covenant, the implications are similar. The Old Covenant was important and necessary, but it wasn’t complete. It had weaknesses that the Gospel and Grace of the New Covenant overcame.

The Old Covenant was external on tables of stone, written by God, but all too commonly, not embraced by the people. But the New Covenant is one that specifically and purposefully affects the heart.

The Lord told the prophet Jeremiah, who is quoted here in Hebrews 8, that the day was coming when He would “put His laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.”

The wonderful news of the gospel dear friends, is that we no longer force ourselves to live up to an external standard of righteousness while we struggle with a heart that is self-centered and turning away from the Lord.

Now, we can enjoy a heart that has been transformed in its most intimate and passionate desires, and purified by the Holy Spirit, so that our desires are His desires. His will is our will. We seek what He wants and seeks.

III.       The Old was ratified yearly, but the New was ratified once-for-all.

Hebrews 9 emphasizes the differences between the OT priests that went once per year into the holy of holies with the blood of the animal to make atonement for the people; to keep the covenant active, because this was God’s requirement.

But, now the Son of God, the perfect High Priest, goes into the Heavenly temple with His own blood and makes atonement once-for-all, obtaining eternal redemption for everyone.

No more sacrifices are necessary. The covenant has been ratified for ever and ever.

Conclusion

Now, here we are today, once again using emblems instituted by our Lord for the purpose of reminding us of the new covenant He has established.

The emblems we partake of today symbolize His sacrifice that He willingly gave, consisting of His own life and His own blood.

They symbolize the everlasting covenant established for every one of us to have eternal redemption and a permanent relationship with God the Father, the Sovereign Creator and Ruler of this universe.