The Heart of the Matter (Part 2)

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This is a sermon about the human heart from a spiritual / biblical perspective. This message focuses on the positive traits that should characterize the heart of a believer, in contrast to the negative traits that were presented in the previous message (Part 1).

Written Excerpts:

Hebrews 3:7-19

Introduction:

Last Sunday we spoke from this passage in the third chapter of Hebrews on the issue of the human heart and we looked at the various descriptions that were linked with the word “heart” in these verses. If you recall, all of the descriptions that we discussed from this passage, as well as a couple of other references, were all negative in connotation, i.e. hard heart, evil heart, erring heart, blind heart and troubled heart. These are conditions of the heart that we can safely say that God does not want us to have.

Today, I want to continue this discussion, but I want to focus on those references that emphasize more positive qualities of the human heart. Again this week I admit that there is so much material in the Bible on this topic that we will be pressed to cover all of it today, but we will endeavor to do so. Let us review what God’s Word has to say about conditions of the heart that God desires for us to possess.

We’re not going to review these in any particular order. We’ll just start off first with the one that appears in Hebrews, since we began in Hebrews last Sunday.

II. Positive heart descriptions…

A. True Heart (Heb. 10:22)

Hebrews 10:22 (KJV) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

(Matthew Henry) “With a true heart, without any allowed guile or hypocrisy. God is the searcher of hearts, and he requires truth in the inward parts.”

Luke 8:15 (KJV) But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. [Emphasis mine]

John 4:23-24 (NKJV) ²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

A true heart is a sincere, genuine or authentic heart. It is a person who makes no attempt to deceive God or man, but desires to show in spirit and in actions a life that is sincere and authentic; no pretense; no mask; no façade. I believe the concept of a true heart also includes what the Bible refers to as a “single heart.”

Acts 2:46 (KJV) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart…

Most recent translations of this verse read, “…sincerity of heart.”

How is your heart? Is your heart sincere, open, and authentic? Do you honestly, sincerely and authentically believe and live like one that is truly a disciple of Christ?

B. Pure Heart

Consider these references:

Psalm 51:10 (KJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Matthew 5:8 (KJV) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

1 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV) Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

2 Timothy 2:22 (NKJV) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

The concept of purity implies “not being mixed with any foreign matter or substance that pollutes or dilutes the real substance.” In relation to the human heart, it would imply a heart that is not contaminated by sin, but is clean and holy. A pure heart is one that is wholly devoted to one object of affection; undivided allegiance; or morally uncontaminated.

Jesus Christ said that out of the heart proceed all kinds of evil thoughts, attitudes and deeds. The reason why people perform wicked, evil deeds is because their hearts are morally corrupt and impure.

C. Burning Heart (Luke 24:32)

Passionate; zealous; on fire

Luke 24:32 (KJV) And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

A person with a burning heart is one that is full of passion and zeal; one that is on fire for the Lord.

Revelations – Laodicea, “I wish you were either cold or hot…”

D. Established Heart (Heb. 13:9)

Hebrews 13:9 (KJV) Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

An established heart is one that is settled, unshaken, and mature. A pure heart and sincere or true heart may still be an immature heart. A mature heart that is established is one that has learned much through experience and study so it is not likely to be swayed by the latest fads in religious circles.

E. One Heart (Acts 4:32)

Acts 4:32 (KJV) And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Having one heart means to be unified in purpose and passion with others of same heart desires. There was a unity among these early Christians so that they could understand what was important and necessary in the growth of the gospel and reaching the lost. They understood that they needed to be one in heart in order to accomplish the mission God had given.

How much more could the church get done today if we were as united in purpose as those early believers were?

F. Cheerful Heart (2 Cor. 9:7; Eph 5:19)

Delighted; not morbid, long-faced; pleasantly, willingly obedient.

Ephesians 5:19 (KJV) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

I believe that cheerfulness is the most attractive quality about Christians who have all the other heart qualities. I certainly believe whole-heartedly in the importance of honesty and truthfulness; holiness and purity; passion; and maturity. But those who possess all of those traits yet do not exhibit cheerfulness are not a very good “advertisement” for the Lord. Having cheerfulness on top of all the other heart qualities we have discussed is the thing that makes others hungry for the Lord. No matter how holy, and sincere and mature someone may be, if they are constantly portraying an attitude of dissatisfaction, anger, “poor me”, etc. then non-believers are not going to be interested in having what they have.

Conclusion:

We have been talking about the human heart these last two sermons.

How is your heart today?

Is your heart right with God?

We’re going to close today’s service by singing the closing hymn:

“Is Thy Heart Right with God?”

The Heart of the Matter

(To listen to this message, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon preached at Wayside Community Church on August 12, 2012. The message was based on Hebrews 3:7-19, as well as a short passage from Ephesians and another in John 14:1.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Last Sunday I spoke from the first chapter of Hebrews regarding the things that the author had to say about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I thought that I would stay in the book of Hebrews for today’s message and possibly for the next two or three messages. I’m not really trying to do a series, but I felt that I would just continue using some of the texts from this letter that had stood out to me in the past and I had underlined or highlighted in my Bible as potential sermon material. I guess I felt like this would be as good a time as any to go through the book and focus on some topics that caught my attention during personal devotional reading or through listening to other sermons.

Today, I want to draw your attention to a word that is used a few times in this third chapter – the word “heart.” In the verses of this chapter that were read earlier, the word “heart” is used four times, and it is used in connection to three different adjectives to describe the kind of hearts in the people that the author is referring to in Israel’s history. My desire is to look at these descriptions provided here, as well as a few other references, and learn what kind of heart we ought to have and what kind we ought not to have.

Let us begin by discussing the meaning implied in the word “heart” then we will consider the types of heart conditions that God’s Word warns us against, and those that it exhorts us to possess.

A. The Meaning of the word “heart.”

“Heart” – Most theologians and scholars have defined the human heart as used in Scripture, as the seat of the will and the emotions.

(Thayer) 1. Properly, that organ in the … body which is the center of the circulation of the blood, and hence, was regarded as the seat of physical life…

2. Universally, καρδια denotes the seat and center of all physical and spiritual life; and

a. “the vigor and sense of physical life”

e.g. Acts 14:17 (NKJV) Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."

Luke 21:34 (NKJV) But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

b. The center and seat of spiritual life, “the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors” (so in English “heart, inner man,” etc.); including the will and character.

….of things done “from the heart i.e. cordially or sincerely, truly” (without simulation or pretence) ….  For example,
Romans 6:17 (NKJV) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

These descriptions and definitions would also include what some have referred to as the motives or intentions of an individual.

The heart is so crucial to everything we do. It is the core of life. This can be demonstrated by this illustration:

(moreillustrations.com) One of the interesting aftermaths of the great flood [in] Pittsburgh was the revelation of the underground life and structure of a great city. Passing along the streets, one looked down into man­holes, sewers, trenches, chambers, and boxes. One was amazed at the depth, the intricacy, and the extent of these catacombs of a modern city. Under normal conditions they are hidden from view, and we think little about them. Only the excavations and openings for the repair of the damage wrought by the flood revealed this subterranean world; and yet there were lodged and hidden the power lines, the gas, the electricity, the telephones, the water mains, without which the great granite buildings which raise heavenward are but cold, dark, and useless shells. Like a great city, man has an underground life. It is not visible as the surface man is; yet the hidden man of the heart, as Peter calls him, is a real man. He is, indeed, the hidden man.

B. The immediate context of the passage.

The passage we are considering here in Hebrews 3 is presented by the author as a warning.

It is a warning to believers. Remember what I have stated in the past that this letter was written to Jewish believers in Palestine who were severely persecuted and tempted to give up their faith in this “new doctrine” and return to the Mosaic covenant. In the verses leading up to verse 7, the author has been talking about the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, our High Priest. He has also been talking about the faithfulness of Moses.

He contends that Moses was completely faithful in the charge he was given over “his house” (v.5) yet Jesus is more worthy of honor and glory than Moses (v. 3). Jesus Christ is also faithful over His “house” (v.6), which consists of all those believers who hold fast their confidence and hope until the end.

Immediately after speaking about holding fast to our confidence and hope until the end, the writer gives a stern warning against unbelief manifested by departing from the living God (v.12). The warning is tied to the previous thought with the conjunction “Wherefore” that is found at the beginning of verse 7.

Literally, he is saying, “Since it is only by holding fast our confidence to the end that we continue to be the house of Christ and enjoy His faithful oversight, beware (take heed) that you do not end up in unbelief like those who hardened their hearts during the Exodus.” (Marcus Dods, Expositor’s GT)

As we consider the descriptions of the heart provided in Hebrews 3 and a couple of other references, we will first consider the negative then we will discuss the positive descriptions in our next message.

I. Negative heart descriptions…

A. Hard Heart (v. 8, 15)

The first heart description provided by the author is a hardened heart. He alludes to the hard heart by warning those early Christians to not harden their hearts like their ancestors had done back in the days of the Exodus. The Apostle gives the warning twice; once in v. 8 and again in v. 15.

How does a heart get hard?

It seems to me that there are some illustrations from everyday life that might shed some light on this point.

1. Calloused – Just like a person’s hand can be soft, gentle and tender at one point in life, but after a long time of rough, hard work, the hands can become so calloused and hard that hardly anything bothers them; not heat, not sharp objects, not a lot of things. This calloused condition came about as a result of repeated exposure to harsh treatment until the skin became thick and hardened.

In similar fashion, individuals who experience harsh treatment to the emotions and the soul become hardened in their attitudes about life in general.

2. Some become hardened simply through a process we call desensitization.

(This is very similar to the process of becoming calloused.)

Many years ago, I read an article that described how terrorists are trained. It described how very young boys were taken away from their families and subjected to a daily barrage of violence and destruction to animals and other humans. At first they cried, they were afraid, and they showed all kinds of tender emotions. But as they were forced to view it and participate in it day after day, they eventually lost their ability to feel those emotions. They became so hardened in their hearts that rather than feeling emotional pain over the violence and harm, they began to delight in it. They began enjoy it and crave it. Their hearts had become so hard that what had caused them great sorrow at one time, now became the very thing that caused them perverted joy.

The same process is possible spiritually speaking. There have been people who have been exposed to the message of salvation and have been emotionally moved upon, but through the process of stubborn resistance, they no longer feel that same emotion. They no longer feel the desire to follow God and obey His voice. Now, they can hear the truth and not be the least bit moved by it.

Notice that this warning, as I stated earlier, is given to believers. Friends, we must be careful how we respond to the Word of God and the truth He sends to us. It is possible to become hardened through repeated resistance.

3. Some are hardened through the “deceitfulness of sin.” (v.13)

(Matthew Henry) [1.] There is a great deal of deceitfulness in sin; it appears fair, but is filthy; it appears pleasant, but is [destructive]; it promises much, but performs nothing.

[2.] The deceitfulness of sin is of a hardening nature to the soul; one sin allowed prepares for another; every act of sin confirms the habit; sinning against conscience is the way to sear the conscience; and therefore it should be the great concern of every one to exhort himself and others to beware of sin.

We Christians must not ever assume a casual attitude toward sin; even the smallest sin. Why? Because every sin committed and excused will generate the rationalization for the next one.

B. Erring Heart (v. 10)

A second description of the human heart is offered in verse 10. Here the Apostle refers to the story of the Exodus and the refusal of the Israelites to obey the Lord and conquer the land of the Canaanites. In his reference to that historical event, he quotes from a passage in Psalm 95 where God says “…they err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.”

Most modern translations of the Bible use the phrase, “go astray” in place of the word “err” that is used in the KJV. The point seems to be that they turn away, or veer off the path that God had intended for them to go.

And, they “have not known my ways.”

This is probably a parallel thought with previous statement. i.e., They err or go astray, which is further described as not knowing God’s ways.

(Barnes Notes on the New Testament) They have not been acquainted with the true God; or they have not approved my doings. The word “know” is often used, in the Scriptures, in the sense of approving, or loving.

An erring heart is one that refuses to stay on the path that God has designed and “mapped out.” It gives the image of someone that continually chooses his/her own willful or “head-strong” way. Because of their insistence to keep straying from God’s plan and God’s way, they never “know” learn by experience what God’s way is really like. They never get to experience the joy and satisfaction and peace that results from being in the center of God’s will.

“I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.”

Those who persist in going astray and doing their own will are forbidden by God to receive what He had originally designed for their pleasure and their good. God finally grants them their desire and lets them have their way.

C. Evil Heart (v. 12)

The third description of the human heart provided by the author of this epistle is found in the 12^th verse.

Here, the author draws a parallel between an evil heart and an unbelieving heart. He further describes the evil, unbelieving heart as one that results in departure from the living God.

(Marcus Dods, Expositor’s Greek Testatment) “…it is when the heart is hardened through sin, it becomes unbelieving, so that the psychological order might be stated thus: sin, a deceived mind, a hardened heart, unbelief, apostasy.”

D. Blind Heart (Eph. 4:18)

Ephesians 4:17-18 (NKJV) ¹⁷ This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, ¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

In this passage, the Apostle Paul clearly links the blindness of heart with the practice of sin. It appears that both are intertwined so that the more one indulges in sin the more blind one becomes and the more blind one becomes the more he/she indulges sin.

E. Troubled Heart (John 14:1)

In this passage, the heart is described as troubled. This is different from the previous descriptions in that it doesn’t seem to be a result of willful disobedience or defiance, but a condition of anxiety.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in me.

(Thayer) “Troubled” – “to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity; to disquiet, make restless”; to strike one’s spirit with fear or dread….

Jesus is calling the anxious, fearful, disturbed heart to place its trust in Him.

Fear of the future or fear of the unknown can be handled by the Lord. All we need to do is trust Him.

Conclusion:

This is all that we have time to discuss today. I plan to continue this topic next week by taking a look at Scriptures that talk about some positive descriptions of the heart.

As we close today, let us seek God’s grace and the aid of His Spirit in order to clearly understand the condition of our own hearts. Let us prayerfully seek to have our hearts in full compliance with His will and completely aligned with His purposes and designs for our lives. Let us diligently avoid the conditions we have been describing today: the hard heart; the erring or straying heart; the evil unbelieving heart; the blind heart and the troubled heart.

God wants to guide us into His marvelous provisions and blessings just like He did for the Israelites described in our text. If we stay surrendered and committed to Him, He will accomplish His plan.

Let us sing an old hymn of surrender and dedication:

Cleanse Me (# 657)

God's Superior Son

(To listen to this message, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon based on Hebrews 1:1-4 and was given at Wayside Community Church on August 5, 2012.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

As I was trying to discern the Lord’s will for today’s message I felt impressed to use this passage in Hebrews to focus our attention today on the central figure of our faith and of our entire history – Jesus Christ.

As Christian believers it is sometimes easy to get so involved in the behavioral and ethical components of our faith and trying to stay focused on how we should act, and live out our faith, that we sometimes lose sight of the fact that the central point and focus of our faith is a person; not a belief system; not a code of ethics; not a list of taboos. Those things are important and have their rightful place, but it is a person that we worship and serve. It is a person that we celebrate and honor, for He and He alone has accomplished our redemption from sin, from corruption, from destruction and hell. If we’re not careful our attention can be diverted completely away from Him and get caught up in the peripheral agendas of our daily lives.

So, today, I want to take some time to just focus on Jesus. I want to take some time to exalt Him, to emphasize some of the truths that the Bible reveals about His identity, His personality, and His achievements. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to help us all to get a new glimpse of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I want to help us get a renewed vision of the central figure of our salvation.

Obviously, there are hundreds of Scripture texts we could have used to accomplish this goal, because the entire Bible is about Him in one way or another. However, I believe that the writer of this letter to the Hebrews starts off his epistle with a description of Jesus that is as good as any other we could use.

Before we actually look at the statements made by the Apostle, I want to remind us about the historical setting and context of this letter, some of which I have mentioned in previous messages.

Biblical scholars obviously do not all agree on the circumstances surrounding this letter, but many have proposed that it was written around the year of 63 AD during a time when the Apostle Paul would have recently been released from his first imprisonment. It was probably written to the Christian Jews living in Palestine, and it was written to dissuade them from turning back to the Mosaic and Judaic beliefs and away from faith in Christ. Evidently a great deal of persecution had arisen against the Christian believers. Some were sorely tempted to abandon the faith and return to the former practices of sacrifices, ceremonies and rituals they knew under the old covenant.

I’ve already mentioned other times that the book of Hebrews emphasizes the key word, “better.” The idea was to convince the readers that they were far better off now because of the fact that Jesus was a better sacrifice, a better high priest, better than the angels, better than Moses, etc.

So, for today, let us take a look at these words in the first few verses of this letter to discover (or review) some important truths about the Son of God – our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. By examining the contents of these first four verses, we see that the author establishes the “credentials” of Christ by presenting the Identity of the Son; the Accomplishments of the Son; and the Exalted Position of the Son.

Let us begin with the

I. The Identity of the Son

One of the problems confronting the author as he is writing to the Jews was the fact that they undoubtedly struggled with who Jesus really was. Imagine the difficult time that Jewish believers would have trying to reconcile the belief in Jesus as Messiah along with their long-held understanding of only one God. Try to imagine how strange it would be for a Jew to think of Jesus Christ as God without somehow equating it with the common paganism all around them that promoted multiple gods. So the Apostle “had his work cut out for him” in trying to explain the truth about Jesus in a way that could convince devout Jews without making them feel like they were becoming pagans.

A. The Son is the brightness or radiance of God’s glory.

Someone has defined God’s glory as the expression of the divine attributes collectively and is used of various displays of divine light and splendor. (Wuest) Others have said that “glory” is equivalent to “honor,” “power,” or “majesty.” (NIDNTT)

Here in v. 3, the author is boldly stating that Jesus, the Son, is the brightness or the splendor of God’s glory.

(Clarke) The word implies the exhibited or emitted splendor in contrast to the inherent splendor. But they are one and the same since you cannot have one without the other.

What the Apostle seems to be saying is that Jesus Christ is the exhibited splendor of God’s glory shining forth the glory of God in a darkened world.

I am reminded of the passage in the OT when God told Moses that he could not view His full glory, but could only see a limited amount of it,

Exodus 33:20-23 (NKJV) ²⁰ But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." ²¹ And the LORD said, "Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. ²² So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. ²³ Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen."

Some writers have suggested that what God essentially did for Moses here was…. (Clarke) “probably … that appearance which he should assume in [later] times, when it should be said, God is manifest in the flesh…. covering him with his hand, and passing by in such a way as to exhibit a human similitude."

All of this to say that the writer is equating Jesus, the Son, with the glory of the Father for the benefit of those who were worried about worshiping another God. But, he doesn’t stop there. He goes on to proclaim that

B. The Son is the exact representation of God’s being.

v. 3 “…He is the express image of His person…”

In addition to declaring His splendor of God’s majesty, the author continues to declare that Jesus is the exact image or reflection of God’s very essence.

The word “person” used in the KJV, is the word that means being, substance or essence.

Col. 1:15 – “who is the image of the invisible God…”

In Hebrews, the word “express image” is the Greek word meaning carving or engraving. But in Colossians, the word “image” is the word meaning likeness or profile (icon). In both passages the emphasis is the fact that Jesus Christ is the exact likeness of the Father, who is invisible to the human eye, but truly represents God in human form. This must have been difficult for a trained Jew to grasp without concluding that there were two gods.

II. The Accomplishments of the Son

The author of this letter not only presents the identity of Christ, but he further establishes His credentials by emphasizing His accomplishments. There are four different accomplishments that are presented in verses 2 and 3.

A. He created the worlds.

v. 2 “by whom also He made the worlds.”

Genesis 1:  God created… God said let there be… and there was….

John 1: All things were made by him [i.e. the Word] and without him nothing was made that was made.

Colossians 1:16 (NKJV) ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

This blazing splendor of God’s glory and exact impression or engraving of His being is the one that created all the worlds in this universe. He is the Word of God creating things out of nothing just by speaking them into existence.

B. He sustains the worlds.

v. 3 “…and upholding all things by the word of His power.”

“upholding” – is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word when Moses told God, “I am unable to bear this people…” The idea expressed is of guidance and responsibility of governance. (Wuest, Expositors NT)

This Son of God, Word of God, image of God, splendor of God not only speaks worlds into existence that never existed before, but He also holds all of those worlds together by the same powerful word that brought them into existence. He is the One that set the “Laws of Nature” into action and causes them to continue their courses by simply saying so.

If I understand my Bible correctly, there is coming a day when He will SAY it is enough and the Laws of Nature will revolt; the world will be dissolved and will melt with intense heat (2 Peter 3).

C. He reveals the Father

v. 3 “brightness of His glory… express image of his person.”

We already talked about Jesus revealing the Father through the fact that He is the exact image of God’s being and the shining forth of His glory. Now, we want to add the thought expressed in the beginning of verse 2 where the writer emphasizes the fact that God spoke to us in our language by sending His Son to be one of us.

v. 2 “Hath…spoken to us by His Son…”

Messages were previously communicated by God through the prophets to His people. But, eventually God sent His own Son to assume the form of humanity and communicate God to us in a way that we can relate to and we can understand.

(Wuest) “…the revelation God gave in His son consisted not merely in what was said, as in the case of the prophets, but [also] in what … the Son was….”

They not only could hear the Word of God, but now they could see the Word lived out before their very eyes.

D. He provided our Salvation.

The final accomplishment mentioned here is explained in verse 3.

“When he had by himself purged our sins…”

As the Bible thoroughly explains in other places, this phrase is a reference to the fact that Jesus Christ made it possible for our sins to be completely washed away; forgiven; and atoned for through the sacrifice Jesus made of his own blood.

The grammatical structure of this phrase emphasizes two thoughts:

1) He did it to himself. It was a willing self-sacrifice.

2) He did it once-for-all. It was a sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

III. The Position of the Son

Finally, we want to talk about the author’s reference to the exalted position of the Son of God.

v. 3 “…sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

This phrase emphasizes the exaltation of Christ following His sacrifice and passion. What a contrast to the shame and humility He experienced in Jerusalem and on Calvary! There are three thoughts that are stressed by the structure of this phrase regarding His seat at the right hand of God.

A. It is a position of rest.

His work of redemption is finished. It is a description that is in direct contrast to the OT priests who always stood while they were in service at the temple because their work was never finished. There were always more sacrifices to be offered. There was incense to be offered.

Christ, as I stated a moment ago, made a sacrifice to end all sacrifices. There are no more sacrifices required or necessary. His work is completed. He cried from the cross, “It is finished.” So now He is seated, signifying His work is done.

B. It is a position of authority and preeminence.

(Expositor’s NT) Sitting down on the right hand denotes entrance upon a reign. The source of this expression is Ps. 110:1, which is quoted later in verse 13.

(Rendall) “The king’s right hand was a place of power and dignity, belonging to the minister of his authority and his justice, and the channel of his mercy, the mediator in short between him and his people.”

C. It is a position that is superior to any of the angels. (v.4)

Angels were always considered important beings in the Bible, mediating some form of God’s interactions with man; carrying out His orders and purposes. But none of them were ever given a position of prominence and authority like this.

Conclusion:

John 12:32 - Jesus said,³² And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

We have been trying to exalt and lift up the Son of God here today. As I stated at the outset, He is the central figure of our faith. He is the focus of our love and devotion. He is the center of all history.

He is the exact image of the Sovereign Majesty in heaven. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is our redeemer, our sanctifier and our coming warrior. Jesus is the Son of God and He is far, far superior to any other in the universe!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Love Him, Serve Him, Worship Him!

I think it is only fitting for us to sing a song that glorifies Him, so I have chosen the hymn:

Crown Him with Many Crowns.

Treasures and Turmoil

(To listen to this message, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)

This is a sermon given at Wayside Community Church on July 29, 2012. It was based on the Scripture 2 Corinthians 4:7-18.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

As I try to determine the will of God for the messages I bring, I do try to maintain a balance in the themes that I emphasize in my ministry. One of the things that I try to do periodically is present a message that inspires hope and faith.

As a pastor that has the responsibility to instruct and motivate people to a greater level of discipleship and a deeper level of love for the Lord, it can be appealing to make most of my sermons focus on who we ought to be or where we ought to be going or what we ought to be doing. Those kinds of messages are certainly necessary and hopefully helpful. But, a steady diet of that can begin to cause people to be discouraged, as it begins to seem that we are never achieving.

So, today I felt drawn to this passage of scripture that I hope will inspire some fresh hope and renewed faith in every one of us. With the help of God’s Spirit today, I want to bring a message that lifts your spirits to a renewed confidence in God and that inspires each of us to keep faithfully serving our Lord until He calls us home.

The two contrasting words I have used in my title seem to emphasize the stark contrast that the Apostle used in these verses before us today. On the one hand he speaks of a treasure. On the other hand, he immediately begins to speak in terms that I think are best described with the word turmoil.

Whenever we think of the word treasure, we usually do not think of trouble. And, when we think of the word turmoil, we do not usually think of treasures. But, Paul shows a clear connection to the two concepts in our passage we are considering today.

As we consider this passage today I want to emphasize

The treasure - I. We have a treasure.

The vessel - II. We are earthen vessels.

The turmoil - III. We experience turmoil and trouble.

The victory – IV. But not destroyed.

I. We have a treasure.

A. The treasure represents the message of the gospel.

The word is probably a reference back to the preceding verse where the apostle uses the phrase, “… the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” This knowledge, that is akin to a light suddenly coming on in the darkest surroundings, has been explained and developed in all of the verses leading up to verse 7.

B. The treasure did not originate with us; it was given to us.

Let us never forget, dear friends, that this gospel, this treasure, this knowledge is purely a gift of divine grace.

II. We are earthen vessels.

Our normal conclusion regarding such a rich treasure is that God would keep it, store it, or protect it in containers that are perfect and completely indestructible. Yet, this is not the case.

“earthen” – a word that Greek language scholars say is derived from the word that is used for the shell of an oyster. Thus, is implies something fragile or even brittle.

“vessel” – a common word that had different uses depending on the context. It is translated 19 times as “vessel,” but it is also translated twice with the word “goods,” once as “stuff,” and once as “sail.”

Some believe that Paul is alluding to an ancient custom of storing gold and silver in earthenware pots. (JH Bernard, Expos. Gk. NT)

His point seems to be this…

A. We are human.

We are made from dust.

We are “clay in the potter’s hand”.

We are mere flesh and bones.

Although, this doesn’t seem to be Paul’s point here, it is worth mentioning that this analogy seems to run parallel to the fact that God chose to become incarnate in human flesh. The treasure of the Godhead was wrapped in the earthen vessel of human flesh. (JH Bernard)

B. We are flawed.

We are limited, finite, weak, fragile, etc, etc. We are unlikely vessels for such a valuable treasure, but God has entrusted it with us. God has granted us the awesome privilege of carrying the knowledge of the gospel that is described like a bright light shining into a room of darkest ignorance.

III. We experience turmoil and trouble.

Immediately after declaring that we have been entrusted with this awesome treasure, the Apostle switches his focus to the struggles we face.

As I said at the beginning… whenever we think of the word treasure, we usually do not think of trouble. And, when we think of the word turmoil, we do not usually think of treasures. But, Paul shows a clear connection between the two concepts here.

A. Trouble is just a fact of life.

It is undeniably and unavoidably a part of our earthly journey. You can’t get to the end of this journey without experiencing some kind of trouble and turmoil. Some people have the mistaken idea that if we are Christians and we are trying to obey the Lord and live a good life then we should be exempt from trouble, suffering and turmoil.

But… our world has been deeply infected by the consequences of sin ever since the Garden of Eden. The curse which came about as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience has only heightened and worsened through time.

We are a part of this earthly environment. And we will also be affected by the curse of sickness, death, trouble, evil, and all other consequences of sin. This world never will again be a paradise, no matter what the earth-worshippers and environmentalists fanatics or others may say!

B. Sometimes, trouble seems to get progressively worse and compounded.

Look at the description Paul uses in verses 8 & 9.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NKJV) [emphasis added]
⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--

Adam Clarke concurs with others by assuming that Paul’s language here is referring to the athletic games or contests that would have been common knowledge for his readers. In any case, he is using figurative language to draw an analogy to life’s experiences, and more particularly his own experiences.

Notice what he describes later on in this letter, chapter 11.

2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (NKJV)
²³ Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. ²⁴ From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶ in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷ in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness--

There are many times in life when we feel like we are squeezed nearly to death, perplexed or in doubt, persecuted (pursued, chased), and knocked down all at the same time.

Have you been there? Many of us have felt like this at various times in our lives. But, I’m glad Paul’s message doesn’t end here.

IV. We triumph in victory.

Look again at Paul’s words in verses 8 and 9.

In every description of adversity he gives, he balances it with a word of hope.

We may be squeezed in, pressed, or beset with trouble on every side, but we are not crushed, distressed or straitened.

We may be in doubt and perplexed, but we have not given up in complete despair or given up our faith.

We may be persecuted (pursued, chased like an animal) but we have not been forsaken or abandoned by God.

We may be knocked down, but we haven’t been destroyed, killed or lost.

In all of these troubles, there is a ray of hope. There is a ray of light. God hasn’t abandoned us.

Look at verses 11-15.

2 Corinthians 4:11-14 (NKJV) [emphasis added]
¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you. ¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

Religion or Relationship

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This is a sermon that tries to emphasize the contrast between understanding Christianity as a religion versus understanding Christianity as a relationship with a person - Jesus Christ. Various Scripture texts were used to emphasize different metaphors that are used in the Bible to describe a relationship.

Religion or Relationship

Introduction:

I remember years ago when I would use encyclopedias to look up information about various countries of the world for school projects or reports I would discover all types of useful information about the different countries that I would research for my report.

I remember being perplexed to read about the predominant religions of each country. The religion might be listed as 60% one religion, 30% some other religion and 10% a different religion. Usually one of the religions listed would be Christianity. How could the government or any educational organization possibly know how many people were really true Christians out of millions in the country?

I had been raised to believe that one had to be “saved” or born again in order to really be a Christian. I had been taught that the word Christian meant that you were like Christ in actions and attitudes.

Well, I learned that the statistics in the encyclopedias were estimates probably based on surveys and population samples. Perhaps they were calculated from boxes that people checked on some sort of census form. They were based on the assumption that any people who claimed some sort of affiliation with a church or denomination were considered a member of that religion.

However, I’m sure many of us here have heard it said many times that Christianity is not primarily a religion; it is a relationship. Yet, many people who have reduced it down to a religion.

What is the difference anyway? Does it really matter?

Different people have described the difference between religion and relationship like this:

Religion – man (people) working in his own efforts to attempt to find God and please (or appease) Him.

Relationship – God seeking us and making the way for us to come to Him through the sacrifice of His Son so that we could know Him.

With the help of God I want to draw your attention to various Bible texts and concepts that emphasize the fact that Christianity is a relationship rather than a religion.

1. “Walk”

This word is used in both the OT and NT to describe relationship with God.

Genesis 5:24 – And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Micah 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 Cor. 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight…

2 Cor. 6:16 … God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (In the context of this verse, Paul had stated the principle of not being “yoked” together with unbelievers because light cannot fellowship with darkness…)

There are many more passages that we could refer to, but the point I want to stress is that walking beside someone implies a personal relationship; a daily, moment-by-moment interaction; a sharing of common experiences; etc.

Shortly after we moved here to assume the role of pastor, my wife (Kris) started a daily walking routine with Lori Giesler. They both were wanting to get enough exercise to stay healthy, to manage their youthful look, and to have someone else to do it with in order to feel some sort of obligation to keep at it. Well, they have kept at it. There aren’t very many times that they miss their daily commitment. But you know what? Walking isn’t the only thing they do. They talk; they solve all the problems of the world; they

2. “Love”

Deut. 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (This “command” is quoted by Jesus in the NT.)

Deut. 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

These verses are only a small sampling of the verses that express the love God has for us and the love we have for God.

The very concept and idea of love rises way above the mere rituals and performances of a religion. It stresses the bond of affection between two parties. There are many commands in Scripture to love God, yet the truth about love is – you don’t have to be commanded. It is a deep-rooted desire to please the one I love.

3. “Friend”

Exodus 33:11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

John 15:14-15 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

4. “Bride”

Matt. 9:15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Rev. 19:6-7And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

This metaphor speaks of intimacy, mutual love and devotion as well as faithfulness and fidelity. God passionately loves each and every one of us and he desires for us to have the same passion for him. It is just like a loving relationship between a husband and a wife.

Imagine what things would be like at home of our spouse treated us like we often treat the Lord.

·          They only talk to us when they want / need something.

·          They only talk to us when things are going wrong or they have something to complain about. They never share any joys or blessings.

·          They show up for special celebrations or occasions, but they never call or come around just to talk and spend time.

You might say, “Wow, that’s not much of a relationship! That’s awfully one-sided!” And you would be right. But sadly, that is the way many, many so-called Christians act with the Lord.

There are undoubtedly many people who have never grasped the idea that Christianity is a relationship rather than a religion. They treat this Christian faith as though it is just another religion and they go through life doing their “Christian duties and obligations,” but there is nothing vibrant, intimate or satisfying about it. They perform their “minimum requirements” but nothing more.

Religion: Seeking to do what I must do in order to gain acceptance with God.

Relationship: Realizing that God is seeking me and accepts me because He created me for Himself.

Religion: Worried that I haven’t done enough for God to approve of me, or love me.

Relationship: Realizing that God sent His Son to die for me before I ever cared about Him, so that I can be accepted and adopted into His family.

Religion: Looks at every command or teaching of Scripture as a duty or obligation that I must follow in order to keep God from rejecting me, or sending me to hell.

Relationship: Recognizes that the commands and ethical principles of Scripture are my privilege follow in order to show my love for Him.

Example – the kind of things that spouses do for each other just for the simple reason they want to please their lover. They love to show their spouse just how much they value the relationship and want to demonstrate their devotion.

That is why we obey the Lord and seek to please Him.

Conclusion:

God has designed the entire plan of redemption for the purpose of bringing each of us into a personal relationship with Himself. That original intimate relationship which existed when God first created Adam and Eve was severed and permanently broken when sin and disobedience entered the world. Our own personal sins and disobedience against God’s will has continued the separation between us and God individually.

But… because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, God has done everything that is necessary to re-establish the connection between Him and us. We must understand and acknowledge that religion is not enough. All our efforts to satisfy God and get His approval are not sufficient. We must recognize that it is only through trusting in the blood of Jesus that we can experience forgiveness for all our sins and have the relationship established with God our heavenly Father.

If you haven’t found this kind of meaning and joy and satisfaction, then I dare say that Christianity is still just a religion for you.

God wants to walk with you.

God wants to demonstrate His love for you and receive your love in return.

God wants to be the closest friend you’ve ever known… Someone you can go to with your burdens… Someone you can rely on for strength and counsel.

If this is what you desire, then I urge you to come forward for prayer and let us have a prayer with you.

Let us sing our closing hymn as a prayer of commitment to our Lord. 

Hymn # 593 Where He Leads Me

Christian Influence

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This is a message preached by Rev. Kenton Shaw while filling in for Pastor Les who was away.

A Visitation from Heaven

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This is a sermon that was preached at Wayside Community Church on July 1, 2012. The message was based on the text of Isaiah 64:1.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

As I began to seek the Lord’s will for today’s message, I was thinking about the national holiday coming up this week (July 4^th – Independence Day). I was thinking about the founding of this nation and about many of the problems that face us today.

I have been saying from this pulpit for many weeks and months that we need a genuine spiritual awakening in America. With the landmark rulings from the US Supreme Court this week regarding the Arizona immigration law and the national healthcare law, I personally believe it has become more evident that our nation is on the fast track to destruction. I know that I am probably speaking to some people here today that do not agree with that assessment, but I’m being honest with you about how I see it and how I feel.

Regardless of the rulings from the court this week, there is plenty of evidence that demonstrates the fact that our country has departed far from the ways of the Lord and the ways of morality and righteousness that it was founded upon. But I remind us today that several of those founding fathers of our nation clearly proclaimed at the beginning that our form of government was designed for a moral people; for a godly people; a people guided by biblical convictions of behavior.

We have an abundance of political leaders today who argue that we are witnessing the failure of capitalism. Well, if it is a failure, I can tell you why it is. It is because we are no longer a nation of predominantly righteous and moral individuals. Therefore I concur with what many Christian leaders have been saying, as well as some political leaders – there is no hope for the future of America outside of a genuine, nation-wide, spiritual awakening and renewal of faith and morality.

I don’t have a copy of the book yet, but Joel Rosenberg, a prominent Christian author, has recently published a book called Implosion. I’ve been reading some comments about the book on his internet site. In his book, he develops the argument that America is on a course to implode financially, morally, etc. But, he also reminds us that there is hope. And that hope is the same hope that rescued our nation in the past – it is another great awakening of spiritual life and a genuine revival of Christian faith.

As I was contemplating these subjects, I was reminded of the prayer in Isaiah that I have mentioned a moment ago. I truly believe that Isaiah’s prayer that is recorded in chapter 64 is a prayer that would be relevant for us to pray in our day today. Isaiah was praying for a special “visitation from heaven” -- a genuine revival or spiritual awakening sent from God.

Transition:

I would propose to you that this is our greatest need today in this nation, in this community, in this church, and in my own life – a visitation from heaven.

As we consider the kind of visitation for which Isaiah prayed I want to notice the:

I.   Existing Conditions

II.  Expression of Desperation

III. Expected Result

I.     First, let us consider the existing conditions in which Isaiah uttered this prayer.

There are numerous descriptions that we could give regarding the conditions in Judah and Israel leading up to Isaiah’s prophecy.

Listen to this description provided in the book, Exploring the Old Testament, edited by WT Purkiser.

The Nations of Judah and Israel were both fearfully facing the possibility of invasion from their enemies – the Assyrians. There were deplorable social conditions – the poor and widows were being oppressed, all sorts of economic crimes were perpetrated, Jerusalem became a hothouse of factions and intrigue, the custodians of law abused their powers, prophets were flattering and catering to the rich, and the lust of wealth ruled on all sides, commercialism and materialism were supplanting almost the last vestige of everything ethical and spiritual.

Sound familiar? Let me read it again with some of the words changed and see if you think I’m accurate or off base.

The USA fearfully faces the possibility of invasion from terrorists crossing over unguarded borders. There are deplorable social conditions – the poor and widows are being oppressed, all sorts of economic crimes are perpetrated, Washington has become a hothouse of factions and intrigue, the custodians of law abuse their powers, pastors are flattering and catering to the rich, and the lust of wealth rules on all sides, commercialism and materialism replaces almost the last vestige of everything ethical and spiritual.

Read 63:18 and 64:10-11 for a further description of conditions.

Isaiah 63:18-19 (NKJV)
¹⁸ Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary. ¹⁹ We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, Those who were never called by Your name.

Isaiah 64:10-11 (KJV)
¹⁰ Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. ¹¹ Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

If there was any place on the face of the earth that was ripe for a fresh visitation from God, it was Judah and Israel.

Sometimes we look around at the darkness and wickedness, and we get so caught up in discouragement and despair we forget that these are the conditions into which God desires to display His almighty power. We forget that these days aren’t all that different from the circumstances preceding the great revivals in the past.

The Anglican minister, John Wesley, visited a city named Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England. After his visit he responded, “I was surprised: so much drunkenness, cursing and swearing (even from the mouths of little children) do I never remember to have seen and heard before, in so small a compass of time. Surely this place is ripe for Him who ‘came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”

Societies decay and become rampant with crime and wickedness when people forsake God. “Out there” in the world is not the only place where social and moral decay has set in. Conditions in the church or professing community of faith are not much better. But we can return to God and watch His supernatural power begin to reform our nation through the grace of God that is working in the individual lives of its citizens.

II.     Secondly, notice the expression of desperation.

A. Desperation is expressed in the use of the interjection: “Oh.”

The Hebrew word is a particle that can be translated: “If only that!” “Oh that” or “Would that.”

It just seems to me that the way this is structured, Isaiah is expressing a very heavy soul burden and utters a cry of desperation.It implies a cry of distress. Isaiah apparently was so distressed over the existing conditions that this cry seems to burst forth from his lips.

B. Desperation is expressed by the extreme display of power he prays for.

It seems as if Isaiah is asking God to show the greatest display of His power. He’s asking God to go to the limit in showing his presence.

Some writers point out that Isaiah is using poetic and figurative language that should not be understood literally, but none-the-less, he is crying out for God’s supernatural display of power in their behalf.

C. Desperation is expressed in the confession of guilt. (vv. 5b-7)

“…You are indeed angry, for we have sinned-- In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved. ⁶ But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. ⁷ And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities.”

Now, Isaiah was a faithful follower of the Lord and a true prophet of the Lord, but here he is expressing the condition of all the people and he includes himself along with all the rest of them.

When people get desperate for God’s divine and miraculous intervention, we forget about trying to prove all the ways in which we have been good and deserving of God’s grace. When we get desperate for His intervention, we begin to confess our faults, our sins, and our departure from His holy commands and requirements.

Remember, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

III.     Finally, notice the expected results of the prayer.

A. Isaiah expects a tremendous display of God’s omnipotence.

vv. 1,2a, 3.  Descriptions provided here seem to correspond to the events of Mount Sinai.

Compare these references:

Exodus 19:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸ Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.

Judges 5:5 (NKJV) ⁵ The mountains gushed before the LORD, This Sinai, before the LORD God of Israel.

Psalm 68:8 (NKJV) ⁸ The earth shook; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

I really don’t know if Isaiah is wanting/expecting God to do the exact same thing as then, but the least we can say is that he is expecting some kind of revelation of God’s power.

B. Isaiah expects the enemies to notice God’s actions.

v. 2b.  “to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!”

At a time when Israel and Judah are being attacked and oppressed by their enemies, Isaiah calls upon the Omnipotent God of heaven to “make a name for Himself.”

Today, there are many enemies of the church and the cause of Jesus Christ. We need a tremendous display of God’s power that will silence the enemies of the cross.

We need a Pentecostal-style revival of the Holy Spirit that will cleanse away sin and impurity in the church and set her on fire with passion for the lost like the early disciples experienced until people begin to say that we too are “turning the world upside down.”

Conclusion:

I don’t know about you, but I have a hunger to see a divine manifestation of God’s power and presence. However, such a manifestation will more than likely not just happen. It will require someone getting a burden like that of Isaiah’s. It will require prayer and earnest seeking after God. It will require the people of God getting desperate enough to miss a few meals in order to pray; or to miss a few TV programs in order to pray. It will require obedience to the Lord – whatever He wants us to do.

May the Lord help us to stand in the place of intercession like the prophet.