Chosen by God

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This message is based on the words of Jesus in John 15, "I have chosen you and ordained you that you bear much fruit," and in Matthew 22, "Many are called, but few are chosen."

Written Excerpts:

Chosen by God

John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Introduction

I want to begin by briefly giving an explanation of the context in John 15:16, and also taking a brief look at the parable given by Jesus in Matthew 22 from which comes the phrase “many are called but few are chosen.”

One writer (Wm. Barclay) pointed out that the imagery of the vine (used here in the beginning of chapter 15) was one that had been employed by God several times throughout the Old Testament. The Jewish nation had many times been referred to as a vine or vineyard of God. The vine had actually become the symbol of the nation of Israel. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea had all used the analogy in their messages, and they lamented how that the vine or vineyards did not perform as God had desired. Now, Jesus is identifying himself as the true vine (as distinguished from those in the OT who had proven unfaithful and wild).

Jesus points out to those who are listening that they are connected to Him like branches on a vine if they truly have a relationship with Him. Their Jewish heritage wasn’t enough; they must be connected to Jesus.

In the verses closer to our text, Jesus is explaining the meaning of love and true friendship. He points out to His Disciples that they are not slaves, but friends.

(Adam Clarke) They did not choose Him (as most Jewish people would do in choosing a Teacher to learn from and follow), but He has chosen them to be His disciples and followers, and He has ordained them (NKJV, appointed; or planted, put or placed in the vine).

What an amazing concept this must have been to those disciples when they heard these words. It is truly amazing for us as well to think that every one of us has been chosen by Jesus Christ to become one of His devoted disciples and followers.

Matthew 22:14

This passage contains a parable that Jesus told to illustrate God’s invitation to the nation of Israel to be totally devoted (“married”) to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The parable seems to illustrate the rejection and dreadful treatment given to the prophets and messengers that God had sent to them. So God brings judgment upon those who had initially been invited, then he sends the servants out to bring in any guests they can find.

As the parable continues… we learn about the man discovered by the “king” not having the proper attire or clothing for the marriage feast.

(A. Clarke) Among the Orientals, long white robes were worn at public festivals; and those who appeared on such occasions with any other garments were esteemed, not only highly responsible, but worthy of punishment. Our Lord seems here to allude to Zephaniah 1:7, 8, The Lord hath prepared a SACRIFICE, he hath BIDDEN his guests. And it shall come to pass, in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will PUNISH the princes, and the KING'S CHILDREN, and ALL SUCH as are clothed with STRANGE APPAREL. The person who invited the guests prepared such a garment for each, for the time being; and with which he was furnished on his application to the ruler of the feast. It was this which made the conduct of the person mentioned in the text inexcusable; he might have had a proper marriage garment, if he had applied for it.

To afford accidental guests clothing suitable to a marriage feast, was a custom among the ancient Greeks….

So, whether the guests had made proper reservations, or not, they were always provided with appropriate attire, and to neglect it or even reject it was unthinkable.

The spiritual application of this parable seems to be that God offers “robes of righteousness” to everyone He calls as guests to the marriage of His Son. Attempting to join in the celebration and the benefits of the marriage without accepting the “attire” that God’s provided is to invite the wrath of a perfectly holy God.

It is in the context of this parable that Jesus announces, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” The use of the terms “called” and “chosen” make is sound as though God is the only One who is making a decision. Yet, if we re-examine the parable, the “chosen ones” were the people who accepted the invitation and the provision of appropriate attire.

I do not believe for a minute that God arbitrarily selects some people to be saved and others to be lost. I believe it is more accurate to say He has decreed that all who accept His calling will be chosen for salvation.

So, both of these passages (John 15 and Matt 22) have given us some insight into this matter of being called and chosen by God to belong to Him and to follow Him as a fervent disciple.

I would like to focus today on three of the callings of God.

The Calling for Salvation

The Bible is very clear that God is calling every human being into a saving relationship with Him.

Rev. 3:20 – Doesn’t actually use the word “call” but the image is implied as Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks; waiting for us to hear His voice, open the door and invite Him into our hearts and lives.

Isaiah 43:1 – “… thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”

Luke 5:32 – “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Acts 2:39 – “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

1 Cor. 1:9 – “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

These passages and many others we could have quoted all point to the fact that God is constantly calling men and women and children to seek Him for salvation. He’s calling all of us to come to him in surrender and repentance to accept the grace He offers and the forgiveness for our sins that we so desperately need.

Do you remember when and how God called you?

The Calling for Vocation

Not only does God call us to come to Him for salvation from sin and judgment, but He calls us with a purpose to fill, a job to do, and a mission to accomplish.

There are many illustrations in the Old Testament and the New Testament of people who were in a relationship with God, but they heard God calling them to a specific task, vocation, or ministry. I think of Moses; Samuel; and the Apostle Paul. I read in the Gospels where Jesus called his disciples and out of them He chose twelve whom he appointed apostles. (Lk. 6:13)

I remember the day that God spoke to my heart and called me to serve Him in full-time ministry. I didn’t know at the time that He wanted me to be a pastor, but I knew He was calling me to serve Him in some kind of ministry.

God not only calls people into ministry, but God calls people into various vocations; to use their skills and knowledge to glorify Him and to advance His Kingdom. God spoke through His servant Moses and called various gifted and talented people to come and use their abilities to build the tabernacle and make the utensils so the nation could honor God by obediently worshiping Him.

God still calls individuals today into various fields of work and labor for Him.

Sometimes people, especially young people, get the idea that since God hasn’t called me to be a preacher or missionary, then I just need to find something to do that pleases me and provides a comfortable income. But God may have something specific he wants you to do. Whatever He calls you to pursue, do it with intention and purpose to glorify God and expand His Kingdom.

What do you suppose God wants you to be/do? He will guide you and show you if you will remain surrendered to His will.

The Calling for Holiness

There are at least two different letters that the Apostle Paul writes in which he describes the recipients of the letter as people who have been “called to be saints.” (Romans & 1 Cor.)

Dear friends, it is still true… God calls His children to a life of godliness and holiness. He calls us to separate ourselves by His grace from the moral and spiritual darkness that surrounds us. He calls us to virtue, cleanliness and sacred living. We are to be different than the world in our behavior, our attitudes and our values. It seems that many so-called Christians today do not see the need to be any different than the unbelievers we associate with each day, but God calls us to be holy; to be saints.

The good news is – He doesn’t simply give us a command and then expect us to live up to it in our own strength and knowledge, but He will provide His Spirit to guide us and empower us to live the way He wants us to live.

Conclusion

We have been talking about the call of God and being chosen by God. I trust that everyone here today has heard the voice of the Holy Spirit and you have responded in obedience.

If you haven’t responded to His call for salvation and forgiveness of your sins, please respond today.

If you haven’t responded in obedience to His call on your life for your vocation and mission, please obey Him today.

If you have been making excuses for not following His call to holiness, please submit to the cleansing power of His Spirit today.

Fear or Faith

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This is a sermon based on three different stories recorded in the Old Testament and it attempts to draw a contrast between living a life based on fear or living life based on faith.

Written Excerpts:

Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:” (cf. v.27)

The context of this verse reveals the circumstances under which Jeremiah made this confident statement of faith.

The Kingdom of Judah is near the end of her existence. The city of Jerusalem is surrounded and besieged by the Babylonian army. Jeremiah himself is sitting in prison because the King didn’t like his “negative tone” in the messages he was bringing. While he is the prison, God tells him to buy a piece of property and preserve the legal papers in an earthen jar, because God was going to bring the people of Judah back from exile and the land would once again be inhabited and crops would be planted and harvested. (see vv.15, 37ff)

It is in that setting and context that Jeremiah proclaims, “…there is nothing too hard for thee.”

Introduction:

As I began to seek God’s will for the message today, my thoughts were naturally centered on the journey we have all begun into a new calendar year – 2013. Anyone who has been paying attention to the news understands that there are many uncertainties that confront us in this new year.

I don’t know about you, but I think that one of the natural human responses to these kinds of stories and information is the feeling of dread and fear. When we try to “look forward” into the weeks and months of the coming year, our imaginations may run wild with all the possibilities for disaster.

I began to think about the fact that fear cannot flourish and survive in the presence of genuine faith. Therefore, I felt led to draw our attention to a few biblical stories that illustrate the clear distinction between fear and faith.

The first story is found in Numbers 13 and it is the story of Moses sending the twelve spies into the land of Canaan. You recall how that 10 of the spies brought back a report based on fear, and two (Caleb & Joshua) brought a report based on faith.

The second story is found in 2 Kings 6:8-23 and it recounts the events involving the prophet Elisha and his servant. It was a time when the nation of Syria was at war with Israel. Every time the Syrian king would make plans to attack, the King of Israel would learn about the plan in advance. When the king of Syria asked who was telling their secrets, someone told him that it was the prophet Elisha getting the messages from God and delivering them to the king of Israel. So the king sent his army to capture Elisha.

2 Kings 6:14-18 (NKJV) ¹⁴Therefore he [i.e., the king of Syria] sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. ¹⁵And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" ¹⁶So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." ¹⁷And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. ¹⁸So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray, with blindness." And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

The third story I want us to consider is found in 2 Chron. 20:1-30. The story is too long to read it all now, but it records another war when the nations of Moab, Ammon and others came against King Jehoshaphat and Judah.

Let us consider a few ways in which fear is contrasted from faith, and then ask God to help us eliminate our fears by exercising faith in Him.

1. Fear focuses on material realities while faith focuses primarily on spiritual realities.

Numbers 13
²⁸  Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.…³¹  But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we."…

The ten discouraged and fearful spies who reported on Canaan could only think about the size and number of the inhabitants. “There are giants…. We appeared as grasshoppers in our own sight and in their sight.” They focused on the size and fortifications of the cities.

Caleb and Joshua, on the other hand, boldly proclaimed their belief that the land could be conquered. They weren’t focusing so much on the size of the cities and the size of the people. They were focusing on the size of their God and the size of His promises to Israel.

2 Kings 6

When the servant of Elisha came out all he could see was the city was surrounded by soldiers and horses and chariots.

The servant said to Elisha, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

The man of God simply prays, “Lord, open his eyes.” Get his focus off the enemy and on to your resources.

2 Chron. 20

Jehoshaphat was overcome with fear when he focused his attention on the number of people coming against him. Although Jehoshaphat called for prayer and fasting and called on the Lord, it was another man (Jahaziel) who received a fresh anointing of the Spirit of God and proclaimed a message of hope and victory. (v.15-17)

2. Fear focuses on present circumstances while faith focuses on divine promises and abilities.

In all of these stories the scenario is very similar. In every case there were people of God who were essentially thinking and saying…

We’re outnumbered. We’re too few; they’re too many.

We’re too weak; they’re too strong.

We’re too small; they’re too large

At the same time there were others in each of the stories who saw all of the same details as the fearful ones had seen, but they saw more than that.

Caleb and Joshua focused on what they could do with the help of God.

Elisha knew that God was with him and hadn’t abandoned him to the enemy, and he knew that God was mightier than all of the Syrian army or the Syrian king. The way the story is told, we get the distinct impression that Elisha saw the army of the Lord immediately when he came outside, even though the young servant couldn’t see them.

Jahaziel heard from a different “news source” than Jehoshaphat had. He understood by divine revelation that God was going to fight for them and that God was capable of taking care of the situation. They wouldn’t even have to fight; only “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” The text verse I mentioned at the beginning truly says all we need to know.

 Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:”

I may not know about tomorrow, but I know our God is strong enough and wise enough and loving enough to handle everything you and I will face in 2013. There is NOTHING too hard for Him!

Conclusion:

Every one of us here today already knows by experience that it is very likely we will face some frightening and overwhelming circumstances during this coming year. We are going to have those moments when we get to looking at the circumstances and the material realities rather than the spiritual realities.

What should we do?

We should do what Jehoshaphat did. By calling for prayer and fasting, he illustrated his confidence in God. He illustrated his faith that Almighty God could and would provide the victory they needed. We should do what Peter did when he was walking on the water and began sinking – cried out to the Lord, “Save me!”

Fear paralyzes us and causes us to continue focusing on the negative circumstances, but Faith inspires us to look at the abilities and qualities of the God who created heaven and earth, and to trust Him for every need we have.

A Merry Rest

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This is a message delivered on the third Sunday of Advent on the theme of Joy and Peace. The title is taken from the Christmas Carol, "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen."

Written Excerpts:

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 4:8 (NKJV) I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Introduction:

For our message today, I am again using the lessons and themes from the Advent candles as the basis for the message. Today, I am going to be combining two different themes; the theme of joy from today’s lesson, and the theme of peace from next Sunday’s lesson. (Because I won’t actually be preaching next week due to the Christmas Cantata presentation.)

It is always an interesting challenge to think of a sermon title that adequately provides a hint regarding the content of the sermon, and serves to initiate a certain level of curiosity in the minds of the hearers in order to “tune in” to what is coming. You might have guessed already, but the idea for today’s title again comes from a well-known Christmas song, “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen,” which is listed as our closing song today.

If you are like me, you may have misunderstood the meaning of this song title your entire life. It was only a few years ago that I heard someone explain why the comma appears after the word “Merry” in that song title. It is because the word “merry” (which is an adjective) does not modify the noun “Gentlemen” as many people assume. The word actually qualifies the kind of “Rest” that is being wished for.

The song is not expressing a wish for happy gentlemen to have some rest. Rather, it is expressing a wish for some gentlemen to have a happy rest. Some of you probably just now said to yourselves, “Huh?” In other words, if we were to reconstruct the title into a sentence that would make more sense to us today, it would read like this, “[May] God [give] you a merry rest, gentlemen.”

As I pondered the distinction and the true meaning of the sentence as it is structured, I came to the conclusion that this phrase truly does combine the themes of joy and peace, which are represented by the Advent candles for today and next Sunday. Therefore, I am speaking to you today on the combined topics of joy and peace and, in doing so, I hope to explain the meaning of a merry rest.

Transition: I believe that genuine peace mixed with joy is a state that can only be acquired from God.

With the help of God’s Spirit, I want to provide some insights from the Word of God that relate to the state of peaceful joy or a “merry rest.”

I. Definitions of Key Words

As I often do in my sermons, I want to begin by defining some of the prominent words we will be using.

A. Joy

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) The idea of joy is expressed in the Old Testament by a wealth of synonymous terms that cannot easily be differentiated. The most common is [a Hebrew word found in] (1 Samuel 18:6), [that is] variously translated in English Versions of the Bible [as] "joy," "gladness," or "mirth"; [and is thought to stem] from [another Hebrew term meaning], "to be bright," "to shine" (as we read in Proverbs 13:9, "The light of the righteous rejoiceth," literally, "is bright"), but generally used figuratively "to rejoice," "be glad".

[Sometimes when we use the phrase, “She is a bright girl.” We mean that she is intelligent, but sometimes we simply mean that she is happy and merry; there is a brightness that accompanies her wherever she goes.]

“Other [words used to express the concept of joy] are "to spring," "leap;" "shouting;" "to go in a circle," hence, "be excited" (dancing round for joy).

As you see, these words describe the actions of joy. If we have true joy in our hearts it is likely to find expression somehow in our actions.

(Theo. Dict. of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume.) “Philo, [Hellenistic Jewish-Greek philosopher] relates joy to religious “intoxication.” Joy is a supreme “good mood.” It is the opposite of fear [dread].

“In the NT chaírō is the secular term and agalliáomai the religious term, but the two may be synonymous (cf. Rev. 19:7), and they are associated, e.g., in Matthew 5:12 (NKJV) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.; 1 Peter 4:13 (NKJV) but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

 “In Christ, the Christian "rejoices with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8), in spite of his temporary afflictions (1 Peter 1:6). Christian joy is no mere gaiety that knows no gloom, but is the result of the triumph of faith over adverse and trying circumstances, which, instead of hindering, actually enhance it.

(See Acts 5:41 (NKJV) So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.  and

1 Peter 4:13 (NKJV) but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. and

Matthew 5:11-12 (NKJV) Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.)

B. Peace

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.) In the Old Testament: [Peace] Is a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul.  The Hebrew word is shālōm, meaning, primarily, "soundness," "health," but coming also to signify "prosperity," well-being in general, all good in relation to both man and God.

(Theo. Dict. of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume.) “The Greek Concept of eirḗnē. “For the [secular] Greeks eirḗnē primarily denotes a state, not a relationship or attitude. It is the opposite of pólemos (“war”). It is linked with treaties of peace or the conclusion of peace. It is also the opposite of disturbance. In a negative sense, it may denote a peaceful attitude, i.e., the absence of hostile feelings.

“The main meaning in the NT is obviously not the Greek one but salvation in a deeper sense. This embraces human concord, but also peace with God. [There are a few references where the mere absence of war or conflict is the meaning] and [also] Paul’s use for peace of soul (cf. Romans 15:13 (NKJV) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.)

In the material use of the NT we find peace as a feeling of rest, peace as a state of reconciliation with God, and peace as [end-times] salvation….”

C. Rest

Dr. Tan (Prof. at Fuller Theo. Sem.), quotes from another source when he relates the three Hebrew words used in the OT to describe rest. One word (Sabat) is the Hebrew word for Sabbath, meaning to stop or cease from work and activity. The second word (Nuah) means to settle down with no more movement but with a sense of inner ease or security. The final word (Saqat) carries the idea of tranquility and absence of inner anxiety and external pressure. (Rest, Siang-Yang Tan, p.23)

Dr. Tan goes on in his book to discuss four types of rest: physical, emotional, relational and spiritual. He concludes that “because the four are inter-related, our eventual experience of rest is a holistic one, integrating all types of rest as the shalom or peace of God.” (Ibid, p.32)

Here he has made the connection that I believe is an obvious one – genuine rest is inseparable from the peace of God.

II. The Source of Joy and Peace

(Theo. Dict. of the N. T.: Abridged in One Vol.)

A. For Paul, joy is connected to faith (Phil. 1:25)

Philippians 1:25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,

B. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

C. Joy is found in the Lord (Phil. 3:1).

Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

D. Joy is connected to hope and hope is focused on future salvation.

Romans 15:13 (NKJV) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 (Theo. Dict. of the N. T.: Abridged in One Vol.) “… when restoration of paradise is prophesied, international peace promised (Isa. 2:2ff.), or a humble king of peace awaited (Zech. 9:9-10), we have a proclamation of peace of the widest possible significance.”

John 16:22 (NKJV) Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

In other words, the thought and expectation of the second coming of Christ, and the initiation of His eternal reign of righteousness brings both a sense of peace and joy to the believer.

E. Peace also is clearly found in a deep connection to God.

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

“stayed” – lean on; rest; stand fast.

Dear friends, if you want to live in constant worry, turmoil and dread, then let your mind rest on the events and news of the day, but if you want to have peace and comfort and rest, then fix your mind on God and trust in Him.

III. The Expression of Joy and Peace

Practically speaking I see the believer giving the expression of joy and peace in a number of ways.

Communicating Joy and Peace in my speech. Does my conversation and speech convey the joy and peace that I have found by resting in the Lord?

Communicating joy and peace in my attitudes. Do my attitudes express a confidence in God that exhibits the joy of the Lord?

Communicating joy and peace in my actions. Are my actions witnessing to an inner peace and rest that rejoices in the God of my salvation?

Conclusion:

I’ve tried to imagine in my mind what a visual image or picture of “a merry rest” might look like.

Imagine that it is dark outside. It is not only dark because it is the middle of the night, but it is dark morally. The political and social environment is riddled with vice and moral evil. There is suspicion and intrigue in the halls of the kingdom and the political powers. Even in the religious world, it has been hundreds of years since a true prophet of the Lord has proclaimed any message of hope or salvation.

On this particular night there is a greater than usual amount of commotion. Travelers are everywhere. The tyrannical rulers have ordered everyone to make the trek to towns and regions of their ancestors to be counted and registered for a census, undoubtedly for the imposition of another tax.

Because of this decree from the top, people are jamming even the small towns that normally would be quite and sparsely populated. Every house is full of relatives who had to come from distances. The public places for lodging are overflowing; every “nook and cranny” is taken up with a body, a crate, or a beast.

There is constant bleating of sheep, braying of donkeys or crowing of roosters. Wives are trying to get their husbands to listen again as they tell them where to find the corn meal. Men are laughing and talking about the dangers they escaped on the journey, as well as describing what they would like to do to the emperor if they could get their hands on him.

Some of the crowd are taking advantage of the upheaval to drink heavily from the jugs of wine. Tempers flare, cursing and fighting breaks out. Soldiers step in to quell the situation before it gets totally out of hand.

On the edge of the small town there is a cave that shelters the animals owned by the proprietor of the public inn. Even there, restlessness invades the atmosphere. The livestock in the stalls stamp their feet nervously. The sheep bleat and oxen respond with bellows as they all sense the tenseness in the air.

In the corner of the cave, there is a feed box filled with hay and there is a man, a woman and some grimy shepherds gathered around it looking, and gazing, but saying nothing.

As we look over their shoulders to discover the object of their stares, we see him. The baby, wrapped tightly in bands of cloths and he is asleep. There may even be a slight upward curve of his lips that certainly looks like a smile to the loving parents looking on.

This, my friends, describes a merry rest.

Our world is certainly full of all kinds of turmoil and evil that we can’t even describe. (We got another glimpse of evil this week in Connecticut with the “Sandy Hook School shooting.”)

But, while we are surrounded on all sides with the commotion and turmoil of the world, God wants to give us a merry rest. He wants to fill us with joy and peace that we will recognize as divinely inspired.

“God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” (and ladies). 

Love Was When God Became a Man

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

This is a sermon that was preached for the Third Sunday in Advent on the theme of Love. It emphasizes the love of God demonstrated in the Incarnation of Christ.

Written Excerpts:

Love Was When God Became a Man

1 John 4:9-10 (NKJV)
⁹  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

John 3:16-17 (NKJV)
¹⁶  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Introduction:

As you already know from the lighting of the Advent Candle earlier, our theme today is the topic of Love. I want to speak to you for a while today about God’s love for you and me.

Some of you might recognize the fact that I have chosen the words of a gospel song for the title of my message: “Love was when God became a man.” I am intrigued by these lyrics and I believe they convey a message that we need to be reminded of often. These lyrics convey the truth of the passage I read earlier in 1 John 4:9, "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (NKJV)

During the next several minutes I want to attempt to describe God’s love in coming to this earth as a man. The incarnation of love in human flesh.

I. Love is defined in the incarnation.

I don’t know if you have thought of love in this way or not, but the phrase from the song that I have used for the title has made me ponder and compare the demonstration of love shown by the incarnation and the love shown by the crucifixion.

The Apostle John says that the love of God was manifested in God sending His Son into the world.

The Apostle Paul says God’s love is commended in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8)

Certainly we all agree that it was a tremendous display of sacrificial love for Jesus Christ to willing surrender his life to be scourged and abused and crucified. We evaluate all the physical pain he endured and conclude that it was the highest quality of love that made him suffer all that for us; for our salvation; for our restoration, and it certainly was love in the highest degree. However, the more I think about it, I’m convinced that the willingness of the Father to send the Son, and the willingness of the Son to come from the Father is a love that is higher yet in degree.

Why?

Because the distance from Bethlehem to Calvary and the Garden Tomb is a finite distance, but the distance from heaven’s glory and the glory of the Divine Godhead (Trinity) down to earth is an infinite distance. When Paul describes the humility of Christ in Philippians chapter two, he describes an unimaginable distance of descending from the throne room of Divine Sovereignty to the lowliest place a person could be born and enter the world of humanity.

Philippians 2:5-7 (NKJV) ⁵  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant…

Listen to the same verse from a couple of newer translations.

Philippians 2:5-7 (NRSV) ⁵  Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶  who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷  but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness… 

Philippians 2:5-7 (NLT) ⁵  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. ⁶  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. ⁷  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being… 

II. Why would God love humans so infinitely?

What would motivate the Father and the Son to do what they did?

We carry His image within in us.

Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV) ²⁶  Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… ²⁷  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The Bible clearly teaches us that God did not send His one and only Son to the earth to save the planet. He did not send Him to save the animals. He did not send Him to save the forests. God sent His only Son down to this save human beings who were created in His own likeness and His own image.

The divine image includes many things perhaps, but it at least includes these things: personality; intelligence and wisdom; spirituality; moral righteousness; and free will.

“…the "image" does not consist in bodily form; it can only reside in spiritual qualities, in man's mental and moral attributes as a self-conscious, rational, personal agent, capable of self-determination and obedience to moral law.” (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.)

(Concise Theology, J.I. Packer) “The scope of God's image in man is not defined in Genesis 1:26-27, but the context makes it clear. Genesis 1:1-25 sets forth God as personal, rational (having intelligence and will, able to form plans and execute them), creative, competent to control the world he has made, and morally

admirable, in that all he creates is good. Plainly, God's image will include all these qualities… The human capacity for communica­tion and relationship with both God and other humans, and the God-given dominion over the lower creation… thus appear as farther facets of the image.”

The image has been marred by sin, but it is still present.

III. What does this love include?

Some theologians believe that there are at least three essential principles in love. (See H. Orton Wiley)

A. Self-communication (Revelation; manifestation)

B. Fellowship (Relationship)

C. A desire to possess the object loved (Jealousy)

Conclusion:

Let me close by reading the lyrics of the song “Love Was When”

Love was when God became a man,
Locked in time and space, without rank or place;
Love was God born of Jewish kin;
Just a carpenter with some fishermen;
Love was when Jesus walked in history,
Lovingly He brought a new life that's free,
Love was God nailed to bleed and die
To reach and love one such as I.
Love was when God became a man,
Down where I could see love that reached to me;
Love was God dying for my sin
And so trapped was I my whole world caved in.
Love was when Jesus met me, now it's real;
Lovingly He came, I can feel He's real!
Love was God, only He would try
To reach and love one such as I.

There is a wonderful story of God’s love in the incarnation. Let us stand and sing the closing song, “Wonderful Story of Love.”

Hope for the Hopeless

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

This is a sermon given on the first Sunday of Advent 2012 on the theme of Hope.

Written Excerpts:

Hope for the Hopeless

Romans 5:5 "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Introduction:

For today’s message I have chosen to speak about the topic of hope since that is the theme that goes along with lighting the first candle in Advent. I “hope” I can do an effective job in communicating the message that God wants you to have. And, you’re probably “hoping” it doesn’t take too long!

I read this online recently:

Teacher: Johnny, I hope I didn't see you looking at Tommy's test paper.
Johnny: I hope you didn't see me either!

A writer by the name of Ted Cunningham said, “Our culture often defines hope as merely a fanciful wish or a casual desire: ‘I hope tomorrow is a better day.’ ‘I hope to go to Disney World next year.’ ‘I hope the Chicago Cubs win the World Series.’”

Obviously he is not from western Pennsylvania or he would have said, “I hope the Pirates win the World Series.” (Although both of those statements might be classified as fantasies!)

Nevertheless, he continues, “Clearly, what is hoped for may or may not come to pass. The hope of believers, however, is more than a desire or a wish. It’s an unshakable confidence in God — even when circumstances give us every reason to doubt.”

As Cunningham explains, hope is inseparably tied with faith. In fact, there are times when Bible translators have taken the same word for “hope” and translated it as “faith” or “trust”. This seems to highlight the fact that hope definitely involves more than a mere wish or desire for those who know God. It involves a confidence and desire for the eventual satisfaction of divine promises.

With God’s help today I want to speak to you about the matter of hope and show how it is tied into our faith in God and in particular, how it relates to the coming of the Messiah.

I. Hope is founded in a divine person.

First and foremost, hope is not based upon some fantasy about ideal circumstances that one craves for his/her own comfort. Rather, hope is based upon the being and existence of a person – the divine Son of God, Who was sent into this world for the very purpose of providing hope for everyone that were previously without hope.

Paul writes to the Ephesians and says, “…you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12, NKJV)

Here he is specifically linking hopelessness with being without Christ, which implies the converse, having Christ brings hope to those who previously had no hope.

I tried to find specific Messianic prophetic passages that included the word “hope” in them, but didn’t find any. (Not saying there aren’t any, I just said I didn’t find them.) However, the overall theme of hope is certainly intertwined with the promises of the coming Messiah.

As an example of the Jewish mindset even among Jesus’ followers, remember the words of the two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus following the resurrection. They said, “We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel…” (Luke 24:21)

The Apostle Paul quotes from Isaiah, but appears to add a line from some other ancient writings as he says in Romans 15:12, “And again, Isaiah says: ‘There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.’” (NKJV)

All of these passages, and many others, emphasize that the hope of all believers is founded in the person of Jesus Christ. It is not in any religion, any code of laws, or any supernatural experiences. Hope is found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone!

II. Because of our hope in Christ, there are other blessings for which we also hope.

A. Hope in God’s divine plan for our lives.

Jer. 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

B. Hope of present and future salvation

Heb. 7:19 – The law made nothing perfect, on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Romans 5:1-5 – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (NKJV)

Gal. 5:5 –  For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

1 Thes. 4:13 – But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

1 Cor. 15:19 – If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

C. More specifically, hope in eternal life

Titus 1:2 – In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

Titus 3:7 – that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

D. The Glorious appearing (return) of Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:13 – looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, let me remind you that God’s Word tells us that our hope for all these benefits and blessings will create a desire and purpose within us to live carefully and godly before Him.

1 John 3:3 – And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

How about you? Have you found the hope in Jesus Christ?

What is your confidence and your hope based upon today?

I want to say something here that some of you may not like, but I’m going to say it anyway! J

My hope for the future isn’t based in the President of the United States and all that he promises. It isn’t based on the Democrat Party or the Republican Party. It isn’t based on Senators or Representatives or even Supreme Court Justices. All of them have let this country down, in my humble opinion. But they are not the source of my hope this morning.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness! When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Let us close our service by singing the closing song:

The Solid Rock, p. 526

Drinking New Wine

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

This is a message used for a Communion Service and is based on Matthew 26:29. It emphasizes the promise and prospect of drinking new wine with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Written Excerpts:

Drinking New Wine

Matt. 26:29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (NKJV)

Mark 14:25 (NKJV)
²⁵  Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Luke 22:15-18 (NKJV)
¹⁵  Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶  for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." ¹⁷  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; ¹⁸  for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

Introduction:

Today we are celebrating and commemorating the Lord’s Supper. Our focus for the message today is not so much on the events of the evening in which Jesus shared this last Passover meal with his disciples. Our focus is going to be on a particular phrase that Jesus said as they were drinking the cup of wine that he shared with them. “…I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

(On the parallel passage in Luke 22:18 Adam Clark interprets the Lord’s remark to mean, [“I will not drink again”] before the time of another Passover, the Holy Ghost shall descend, the Gospel of the kingdom be established, and the sacramental supper shall take place of the paschal lamb; for in a few hours his crucifixion was to take place.”

 (Adam Clarke) “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine—These words seem to [indicate] no more than this: We shall not have another opportunity of eating this bread and drinking this wine together; as in a few hours my crucifixion shall take place.

On the other hand, others interpret the passage to reflect “vows of abstinence [that] were common in Palestinian Judaism: “I will not eat any such and such until this happens,” or “I vow that I will not use this until that happens.” Jesus vows not to drink wine again until the kingdom comes, and he apparently abstains from the fourth cup [after the meal]. Jewish tradition commonly portrayed the time of the kingdom as a banquet (based on texts like Isaiah 25:6), when the Bible had promised an unending supply of wine (cf. Amos 9:13-14). (Bible Background Commentary )

(Jam. Fau. Bro.) “…until that day when I shall drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." It was the point of transition between two economies and their two great festivals, the one about to close for ever, the other immediately to open and run its majestic career until from earth it be transferred to heaven. [Emphasis Mine]

(Vincent Word Studies) [In other passages], another adjective, νεόν, is employed to denote new wine in the sense of freshly-made (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37, 38, 39). The difference is between newness regarded in point of time or of quality… In our Lord’s expression, “drink it new,” the idea of quality is dominant. All the elements of festivity in the heavenly kingdom will be of a new and higher quality.

 (Clarke) “Until that day when I drink it new with you—That is, I shall no more drink of the produce of the vine with you; but shall drink new wine—wine of a widely different nature from this—a wine which the kingdom of God alone can afford.

“The term “new” in Scripture is often taken in this sense. So the New heaven, the New earth, the New covenant, the New man—mean a heaven, earth, covenant, man, of a very different nature from the former.

“It was our Lord’s invariable custom to illustrate heavenly things by those of earth, and to make that which had last been the subject of conversation the means of doing it.

“Thus he uses wine here, of which they had lately drunk, and on which he had held the preceding discourse, to point out the supreme blessedness of the kingdom of God.

“But however pleasing and useful wine may be to the body and how helpful… it may be to the soul in the holy sacrament; yet the wine of the kingdom, the spiritual enjoyments at the right hand of God, will be infinitely more precious and useful.

“From what our Lord says here, we learn that the sacrament of his supper is a type and a pledge, to genuine Christians, of the [happiness] they shall enjoy with Christ in the kingdom of glory.”

Both of these writers (Vincent & Clarke) indicate that the probable meaning of Jesus’ word “new” is more to do with quality than with chronology or “point in time.” That is, he may not be referring to a literal drink of new wine at a future time when we are together again, but rather a euphemism to emphasize the wonderful blessing of eternal fellowship with him in the kingdom of heaven.

Whether he is speaking literally or figuratively, in either case the emphasis is on the future kingdom when they would be re-united with him. Thus, when they celebrate the Lord’s Supper, they were not only to remember what the Lord had done, but they were to anticipate his future return.

1 Cor. 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” The next “great feast” that believers will literally share together with the Lord will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb that is described in the book of Revelation.

That is the reason I chose the passage in Revelation 5 for our responsive Scripture reading earlier in this service. I wanted to link this discussion between Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper with the coming eternal Kingdom of Heaven and the references to the Lamb that had been slain.

Conclusion:

We partake of the bread and the juice as a reminder that Jesus said he will drink again with us in the Kingdom of God. It is a reminder that there is a day coming when He will fulfill all His promises for a new heaven, a new earth, new bodies, etc. etc.

When we partake of the emblems today, let us meditate on the day that is coming in the future when we will be eternally united with the Lord – that time when we celebrate the marriage of the Bride and the Lamb.

Let us remain faithful to him as we “commune” together until we finally reach our ultimate destination and eternally fellowship unhindered by any physical limitations or worldly distractions.

A Good Picture of Jesus Christ

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

This is a sermon based on the Scripture found in Hebrews 1:1-4 and preached by Rev. David Harstine while filling in for Pastor Les.