An Easter Vision

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is a sermon given on Easter Sunday at Wayside Community Church. It is based on statements surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection narratives that speak about things the witnesses saw.

Written Excerpts:

Luke 23:44 – 24:12

Introduction:

In our day-to-day conversation and language usage we have different ways to express the fact that sometimes it is possible to “look” at something without really “seeing” what is going on, or what it is all about. Sometimes we say, “They can’t see the forest for the trees.”

Sometimes we may hear someone ask, “Did you really see what was happening there?”

As we live our lives each day we witness many things, but often we don’t have the time, or don’t take the time, to stop and analyze what we have seen in order to truly understand what we saw. There is a difference between merely observing something and comprehending what we see.

In the passage of Scripture that was read earlier we have the account of the disciples and followers of Jesus as they discovered the empty tomb and the truth that Jesus had risen from the dead. In the previous chapter (Luke 23:44-56), we have several verses describing the crucifixion. th of these chapters there is repeated use of various words that all have to do with vision (words like: saw, sight, seeing, watching, observe, found, and behold).

For the next several minutes I want to focus your attention on some sights surrounding the crucifixion and the resurrection so we all can leave this service having a genuine Easter vision.

I.    Look at the blood to see God’s love for sinners.

The Bible plainly tells us that the blood was very special.

Lev. 17:11 “The life of the flesh is in the blood.”

Because of this principle, the Israelites were forbidden to eat the blood of any animal, because the blood represented the life of the animal.

Gen. 9:6 – “Whoever sheds man’s blood (i.e. destroys the life that God has created, and only God has the authority to take), by man shall his blood be shed” (i.e. by the authority placed in them by God Himself).

Whenever blood is shed that means a life has ended; a life was sacrificed. Many, many passages in the OT that condemns the leaders because of the innocent blood that was being shed in Israel.

Starting with the symbolism in the sacrifices of the Old Testament and continuing to the sacrifice of God’s Son on the cross, the shedding of blood was always equated with the pardoning of sin.

Matthew 26:28 (NKJV) For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Jesus was willing to literally give up his life and shed His own blood so we could be forgiven.

In the Scripture we referred to earlier, it says, “When the Centurion saw what happened, he glorified God saying, ‘Surely, this was a righteous man!’” (In Matthew’s Gospel, “Truly this was the Son of God.”) The Centurion not only saw a crucifixion, but he saw the shedding of blood. If you compare a couple of the passages, it is very likely that he witnessed the spear driven into the Savior’s side.

He obviously could see the blood from the wounds on His back, and the thorns on His head. He saw a life being sacrificed as His blood flowed, and he saw the willingness with which He died, demonstrating His love for sinners.

Look at the shed blood, and the sacrificed Son to see God’s love for sinners.

II.  Look at the cross to see God’s hatred for sin.

We understand that the cross is the place where the blood was shed, so there is a close connection between this thought and the previous one. However, I want to underscore the stigma, the scandal and the horror of the cross.

Paul states it plainly to the Corinthians, “For the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18, 22-24)

I want to read for you a description of crucifixion that I came across in a Bible encyclopedia.

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

As an instrument of death the cross was detested by the Jews. "Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree" (Galatians 3:13; compare Deut. 21:23), hence, it became a stumbling-block to them, for how could one accursed of God be their Messiah?...
The usual mode of crucifixion was familiar to the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians, Persians and Babylonians... The Roman citizen was exempt from this form of death, it being considered the death of a slave. The punishment was meted out for such crimes as treason, desertion in the face of the enemy, robbery, piracy, assassination, sedition, etc… The suffering of death by crucifixion was intense, especially in hot climates. Severe local inflammation, coupled with an insignificant bleeding of the jagged wounds, produced traumatic fever, which was aggravated by exposure to the heat of the sun, the strain of the body and insufferable thirst. The swelling around the rough nails and the torn lacerated tendons and nerves caused excruciating agony. The arteries of the head and stomach were surcharged with blood and a terrific throbbing headache ensued. The mind was confused and filled with anxiety and dread foreboding. The victim of crucifixion literally died a thousand deaths… The length of this agony was wholly determined by the constitution of the victim, but death rarely ensued before thirty-six hours had elapsed… Death was sometimes hastened by breaking the legs of the victims and by a hard blow delivered under the armpit before crucifixion… The sudden death of Christ evidently was a matter of astonishment (Mark 15:44). The peculiar symptoms mentioned by John (19:34, i.e. pierced side – “blood and water came out”) would seem to point to a rupture of the heart, of which the Savior died, independent of the cross itself, or perhaps hastened by its agony.

In addition to all the physical pain, there was the total abandonment and isolation Jesus felt as He cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” Never before nor since has the intimate fellowship in the Trinity been affected like it was in those moments on the cross.

Standing there and seeing the cross in all its cruelty, all its horror and the abandonment of the Father, we can’t help but get a vision of God’s hatred for sin. It is so strong, it requires the full force of His judgment against His own eternal Son.

Finally,

III. Look at the tomb to see God’s power over evil.

Several of the people mentioned in our Scripture reading today were witnesses to the empty tomb.

These people, and undoubtedly many others, saw the empty tomb.

Some skeptics have alleged that they all went to the wrong tomb! But, in saying this, they also allege that everyone else evidently went to the wrong tomb too, including all the authorities. Surely within the next several hours, or the next few days, someone could have figured that out and simply led everyone to the “correct place.” No, they didn’t go to the wrong tomb. The tomb was empty. The day before it had a corpse, but today it is empty.

The sight of an empty tomb represents VICTORY! This is a victory over death; a victory over Satan; and a victory over sin. More than that, it’s a victory over all evil that has permeated the world ever since the Garden of Eden.

This victory represents the “crushing of the serpent’s head” that was predicted by God Himself in the aftermath of Adam’s sin.

This victory is not just for Jesus, but it your victory too! It is my victory too!

Rom. 8:11 “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

If we have the living Christ dwelling within our hearts, there is no need for us to be defeated and constantly beat down by the Devil and enemy of our souls.

God has grace to provide victory for us through the same Spirit that raised the Son of God from the dead!

Conclusion:

The victory of the empty tomb provides the guarantee of an even greater victory at the end of this age. When I recognize and embrace the resurrection for what it truly is, I am instantly filled with hope and expectation for a victory that is yet to come, when all the forces of evil and darkness will be destroyed once-and-for-all.

Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will rule with holiness and righteousness. There will be an immediate end of all violence, deception, oppression, and every other manifestation of Satan’s schemes.

Because He Lives I can face tomorrow

     Because He lives all fear is gone
     Because I know He holds the future
    And life is worth the living because He lives!

The Call of Christ

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is a message based on several different passages of Scripture which speak about Jesus calling people for different reasons, ending with the call to discipleship.

Written Excerpts:

The Call of Christ

Mark 8:34 (NKJV) When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Introduction:

Will Rogers said, “We can't all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.” (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/f/follower.htm)

Dr. S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: "Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower." (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/f/follower.htm)

The Lord knows that we need good leaders. But it may be just important to have good followers – that is, people who know who to follow, why they’re following, and then faithfully follow with diligence and passion.

Each day we are getting nearer to Easter and the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. We’re still traveling through the season of Lent and hopefully seeking personal revival and spiritual renewal as we meditate on the suffering that Jesus went through for our salvation. I hope that you are practicing some form of fasting or self-denial and praying for Christ to be more real and more personal to you than ever before.

All during the earthly ministry of Jesus He engaged people by calling them to Himself for all kinds of purposes. In the verses we read earlier in the responsive Scripture reading we heard about Jesus calling people for different reasons.

      To hear and understand His teaching (Matt 15:10);

      To stand as an example of simple humility (child) (Matt 18:2-3);

      To come and be healed of physical infirmity (Mk. 10:49; Lk. 13:11-12);

      To repent of sins (Matt. 9:13);

      To become one of the 12 Apostles (Lk. 6:12-13) and

      To follow Him and learn His ways (Mk. 8:34).

Every one of these calls from Christ were very special to each of the people that received them. My message today will briefly touch on the calls these various individuals received, then concentrate more time on the final call mentioned in the earlier Scripture reading– the call to follow Him.

1. The General Call to Listen and Learn.

Matthew 15:10 (NKJV) When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand:

The context here is a scene in Galilee when a group of religious elders came from Jerusalem to apparently “evaluate” this popular rabbi and teacher. Their question related to the “tradition of the elders.” Jesus’ response takes them back to the commandments of Moses.

After showing their hypocrisy by putting tradition ahead of biblical commands, Jesus calls the people (multitude) to gather around Him and listen. He calls them to Himself in order to offer information that will benefit them spiritually.

Jesus calls all of us to listen and learn. He doesn’t expect blind followers – but He teaches truth for the searching heart.

2. The Call to Model Humility

Matthew 18:2-3 (NKJV) Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, ³ and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus literally called a child to come over to Him so He could teach a lesson using the child as an illustration.

I don’t think I am stretching the story out of context to say that Jesus’ call to that child and His following lesson is a call for everyone to be a model of humility.

3. The Call to Be Healed

The next two references we read had to do with people being healed of physical diseases or disabilities.

Mark 10:49 (NKJV) So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."

Story of “Blind Bartimaeus.”

Luke 13:11-12 (NKJV) And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."

Jesus healed dozens and dozens of people during His earthly ministry.

I’m glad Jesus calls people for healing. These cases were for physical healing, but Jesus heals all kinds of illnesses. If you’ve ever experienced His healing, whether physical, emotional or mental, you know you’re never the same.

4. The Call to Repentance

Matthew 9:13 (NKJV) But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

Jesus is quoting from Hosea 6:6.

The brief explanation of this passage: Jesus had been criticized by the Pharisees for eating and socializing with tax collectors and sinners. His mingling with them caused Him to be ceremonially unclean according to the rules of the rabbis.

(Tyndale Commentaries) The difference between Jesus and the Pharisees lies in their conception of priorities in the will of God: for the Pharisees the first priority is obedience to regulations, for Jesus a mission to people. A healer must get his hands dirty.

Jesus calls sinners to repentance; not the self-righteous. Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t require you to get your life all together before He called you?

He didn’t require me to get everything in order; everything clean and pure; everything true and right, everything under control… No, He called me when I was a sinner. He called me to repent and He gave me the grace to surrender to His loving grace and the power of forgiveness.

5. The Call to Apostleship

Luke 6:12-13 (NKJV) Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³ And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:

This Scripture speaks about two “levels” of disciples – a larger group of followers, and the 12 Apostles.

(Tyndale Commentaries) This will be a group of people who had attached themselves loosely to him. A disciple was a learner, a student, but in the first century a student did not simply study a subject; he followed a teacher. There is an element of personal attachment in ‘disciple’ that is lacking in ‘student’.

God does specifically call some people to specific ministries and vocations and callings.

(Tyndale Commentaries) The preceding incidents have shown that his enemies were increasing. One day they would kill him. What was he to do? Characteristically Luke tells us that he prayed. Then he chose a little band of men who would carry on his work after him.

These twelve men represent the total of his administrative machinery. Some of them were clearly outstanding men, but on the whole they seem to have been no more than average. Most have left very little mark on church history. Jesus preferred to work, then as now, through perfectly ordinary people.

6. The Call to Discipleship

Mark 8:34-35 (NKJV) When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."

The final call we’re looking at today involves a general call that goes out to everyone – deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. This is what we usually refer to as a “Call to Discipleship”

The call to repentance is vitally important. Jesus preached repentance as the path to the Kingdom of God. Luke 13  ... except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

After repentance comes the new birth that Jesus described to Nicodemus.

But Jesus is not simply interested in “handing out tickets to heaven.” He is seeking followers. He is seeking people who will not only believe in Him and trust Him for their salvation, but they pledge to be a learner and follower.

In closing, let us stand and sing the hymn:

Wherever He Leads I’ll Go

First Things First

(To download an mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is a sermon that was given on February 28, 2016. The theme of the message is priorities and it emphasizes the importance of ordering our lives in order to draw closer to Christ during this season of Lent.

Written Excerpts:

Haggai 1:3-4

Introduction:

The title of my message today is “First Things First.”

Haddon Robinson points out that one old recipe for [cooking] a rabbit started out with this injunction: "First catch the rabbit." Says Robinson: "The writer knew how to put first things first. That's what we do when we establish priorities -- we put the things that should be in first place in their proper order. (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/p/priorities.htm)

Whenever we set out to accomplish something important, we need to identify what needs to be done first. In other words, we need to prioritize our plans.

We are in the season of the year identified as Lent. This has traditionally been a period of 40 days leading up to Easter (not counting Sundays). It is a period when many people intentionally practice some form of self-denial, or sharpen other spiritual disciplines in order to improve their connection with Christ. As we consider the whole idea of self-denial, spiritual growth and spiritual renewal, I want to talk to you today about one area of common concern for all of us – the issue of “priorities.”

Every one of us is given the same number of hours in each day, the same number of days in each month and the same number of months in each year. The question is: “What are we doing with the time that we have been given?”

If you’re like me, part of the problem is procrastination…

(Frank & Ernest Comic, by Bob Thaves, 2/22/16) “There’s so many things I should be doing that when I procrastinate, I’m [actually] multitasking!”

No wonder procrastination is so tiring!!

Today, I hope God will inspire us to greater diligence and accountability as we purposely seek to draw closer to Him.

There are at least three different passages of Scripture that I want to use today as illustrations regarding the importance of setting proper priorities in our lives.

I.    Priorities are revealed by life decisions.

Haggai 1:3-4 (NKJV) ³ Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, ⁴ "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?"

After receiving orders from Cyrus, the king of Persia, a large group of Jews returned to Israel from Babylon. There was an immediate start to rebuild the temple of the Lord, but opposition from enemies nearby caused the work to stop.

(A letter from King Artaxerxes – Ezra 4:23-24 (NKJV) Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease. Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.)

The second year of Darius king of Persia = a total of 16 years since the work stopped. A lot of changes have taken place in the political world and in the country.

Haggai 1:2 (NKJV) "Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: 'This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built." ' "

The prophet confronts their neglect of the temple and mimics their excuse. (One gets the impression by the prophet’s use of it that it had been offered over and over.) He immediately destroys their excuse by showing their hypocrisy – all the time they could not rebuild the temple for the worship of God, they had plenty of resources and initiative to build fancy houses for themselves. Their real priorities were revealed by the choices they made regarding their time and their work. Their excuse didn’t “hold water” when they conveniently had the time and the resources to build their houses.

The prophet shows by his question that they had succumbed to the circumstances rather than rising above them, and they had developed selfish desires for comfort rather than sacrifice for their God. Yes, 16 years earlier, there was an order to cease the building project, but the political landscape had changed and they didn’t bother to resume the project. They apparently just continued on with life as they had.

Do we realize how much our behaviors and our choices reveal about our priorities?

There are plenty of people today claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ who usually choose to satisfy physical desires and earthly/temporal goals over seeking God’s purpose and fulfilling His will.

Haggai explained to the people that their neglect of God and God’s house accounts for the “poor return” on their investments in planting crops and other endeavors (see 1:6)

There may be Christians who would deny that God purposely “punishes” people by causing their crops to fail, etc.

But God is explaining what many people have discovered down through the years – if your priorities aren’t right, you can spend all your wealth, time and energies to “get ahead” and it seems like you’re just “spinning your wheels.”

1 Samuel 2:30 (NKJV) Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

People are pretty much the same today… Don’t have time or ability to come to church; get involved in helping the poor/sick; or use gifts and abilities in other ways for the Kingdom of God. But… their actions demonstrate that they do have time and resources/abilities to participate in activities that cater more to selfish interests.

John Lancaster Spalding - What we love to do we find time to do. (Draper's Book of Quotations)

Now, if you’re sitting here and saying to yourself, “Well, Pastor Les is telling us we need to spruce up our church building and invest time and money in making it a magnificent facility.” Then you would be wrong. The prophet Haggai was talking literally. They did need to construct the temple and re-engage in the worship of God as they were instructed by Moses. The emphasis today, as expressed in the NT, is not at all on physical structures, but on spiritual life and vitality, which still requires our priorities to be in proper order.

Not only do our actions and behaviors reveal our priorities, but…

II.  Priorities are revealed by financial decisions.

Malachi 3:7-10 (NKJV) ⁷ …from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, 'In what way shall we return?' ⁸ "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. ¹⁰ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Better than 70 years after Haggai’s prophecy, Malachi is confronting many of the same problems that still exist among the Jews. There are a number of issues addressed by the prophet, but one of them has to do with the fact that the people were not properly supporting the temple and its workers. There is no explanation or excuse offered for their neglect, but it is implied that they neglected because it just wasn’t important to them, and there were too many other things they wanted to do with the products that should have been given to the Lord.

(Tithes did not merely involve money/currency, but more likely involved crops and livestock.)

Jesus Himself taught that our hearts will be wherever our treasure is. In other words, the things we invest in the most will be the things we cherish the most. (Matt. 6:21)

Finally, I want to show that…

III. Priorities are revealed by our anxieties.

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Context = Matthew 6:24-34 (Read)

Jesus has just described to these people how God watches over the birds and the flowers. Three times in these 11 verses Jesus says, “Do not worry.” In addition to that he also says, “Why do you worry?” and “What good will worry do?” (v.27)

The word “therefore” in v. 25 refers back to the principle in verse 24, “You cannot serve God and mammon (money/ material possessions).” It’s as if God is saying that it is only possible to be truly concerned about 1 thing at a time. If money and the things money can buy are occupying your worry/concern/anxiety, then you cannot concentrate on serving and pleasing God.

The things or issues that we are the most anxious about will be the things that consume our time, energies and resources.

So what’s the answer?

Jesus said it. “Seek first the kingdom and God… and all these [other] things will be added to you [as God sees fitting and appropriate for you].”

A. W. Tozer - Yet for all God's good will toward us he is unable to grant us our heart's desires till all our desires have been reduced to one. (Draper's Book of Quotations)

Jesus is not promising that God will give you everything you desire simply because you pay your tithe and go to church (or any other simplistic way people that people try to manipulate God). He is saying, “Give God and His Kingdom first priority and attention, and you will be free from anxiety because your focus will be centered on honoring and glorifying God not on your needs.”

Conclusion:

Is there some kingdom project or calling that God has spoken to you about, but you haven’t “had the time” to get it started (or finished)?

Has God spoken to you about the way you use your finances, because you rarely have much to give for His work or Kingdom, but you usually have enough to buy the latest electronic gadget or some other item that appeals to you personally?

What spiritual pursuit has God placed on your heart, but you’ve continued to neglect it and put it off; waiting for a more convenient time?

Modern Parable - A man rises to face his day like usual. This day, however, he has a doctor appointment. He’s had to work really hard to fit it into his busy schedule. He expected the dr. to be a long wait and to have to allow for that extra time. What he didn’t expect, though, was to hear that he might have a malignant tumor. What were the odds? The dr. couldn’t be sure. Tests were scheduled, a biopsy. It was going to be a couple weeks. Then, it would be another week before the results came back. Finally, the day came for the follow-up visit with the dr. No cancer! What a relief! No chemotherapy. No radiation. No surgery, even. So, does he go back to life just like before? No. He just had a brush with death. What used to look so important before doesn’t look as important now. Spending more time with the people he loves takes on a higher priority. He now has a tendency to change a conversation to something more important than the weather. He’s been given back his life when he feared it was over. He won’t go on living just like it never happened. Things have changed.  (http://www.sermoncentral.com/illustrations/sermon-illustration-sherm-nichols-stories-29982.asp)

I trust that God will challenge every one of us to re-evaluate our lives and re-arrange our priorities in order to have a closer relationship with Christ than ever before.

Let us close the service by singing the hymn that is listed in the bulletin

Seeking Jesus

This is a sermon that was given on March 8, 2015 and is the first of four sermons during Lent taking us up to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.

Psalm 107:9 (NKJV)
⁹  For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Introduction:

About 1 ½ weeks ago we entered into the season of Lent on the church calendar. Lent starts with Ash Wednesday and concludes on the day before Easter. It is a period of 40 days (not counting Sundays, because Sunday is always considered a celebration of the resurrection), and it was a period devoted to repentance, prayer and fasting. Some believe that 40 days was designated as the length of the Lenten season in order to correspond with the 40 days Jesus fasted in the wilderness before the beginning of his ministry.

You may or may not know this, but for three different Sundays I have attempted to preach a sermon titled, “Loving Jesus.” Obviously God had other plans. I was beginning to wonder if I should scrap that message! Instead of scrapping the sermon, I have decided to postpone it for another couple of weeks. (If we get a snow storm on that Sunday, then you know what’s going to happen to that sermon!)

I feel that the Lord gave me an idea for a short series of topical messages to use during the Lenten season leading up to Easter. The message I had planned to use before will now be a part of that series.

The series will begin today with the title “Seeking Jesus” and will also include messages on “Knowing Jesus;” “Loving Jesus;” and “Serving/Worshiping Jesus.” All of these messages will focus on the idea of taking time and putting forth the effort to draw closer to the Lord in this season leading up to the celebration of the resurrection.

There are three observations about seeking Jesus that I want to focus on today.

1. Spiritual thirst/hunger is the beginning of our search.

a. Man was created with a spiritual hunger.

Perhaps you have heard others make reference to the idea that we humans were created with a “God-shaped hole in our hearts” that cannot be adequately filled or satisfied with anything else but Him. I don’t know of any verse in the Bible that teaches that specific concept, but we do know from Scripture that every human being is created with a soul and a spirit.

Theologians believe that it is the spirit of man that enables him to have contact/communication with God, and distinguishes him from animals. On that basis, we would conclude that God created man with the capacity and the desire for a spiritual connection that is higher than himself.

b. Man was created with the gift of choice.

The story of creation includes the fact that God gave our very first parents the ability to choose whether they were going to obey Him or not. The privilege of choice is accompanied with great responsibility. Every one of us will be judged according to what we have done with our opportunities to choose God’s way or our own way. Every one of us will be accountable for our responses to each opportunity God has provided for us to satisfy our God-given spiritual hunger.

c. Man has a history of fighting against the created hunger.

Psalm 14:2-3 (NKJV) The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. ³  They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.

In reference to these words of the Psalmist, the Apostle Paul concludes: Romans 3:11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.

Paul uses these convicting words to argue for the fact that every human being is guilty of sin and stands before God without excuse.

Dear friends, God created us with a spiritual hunger and that hunger must be nurtured in order to seek the Lord. Regardless of what your level of spiritual hunger and thirst may be at this time, it can get stronger and this season of Lent is a great time to stimulate that appetite and develop a greater hunger for God.

2. Intensity of search determines success.

The Bible is full of examples that demonstrate God’s activity in seeking fallen humanity. The whole story of redemption and the coming of Christ into our world is nothing more than God doing everything necessary to “seek and save that which was lost.” Yet, He gives us the responsibility to seek Him. And we have evidence in Scripture that it is only whole-hearted seeking that will be rewarded.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

When Jesus Himself was teaching and preaching during His earthly ministry, we are told that He often spoke in parables. Some of His parables were simple to understand and “get the point” while others were rather vague. In fact, when asked by some of the disciples why He spoke in parables, Jesus responded by saying,

Matthew 13:13-16 (NKJV) Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴  And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; ¹⁵  For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' ¹⁶  "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

This answer seems to indicate that Jesus deliberately framed His messages at times to appeal more to the ones in the audience who possessed a strong enough desire to seek God and seek the truth that they would earnestly inquire to know more and understand more. But, to the people who were only half-hearted in their quest for spiritual truth, His messages seemed uninteresting or too deep and too confusing.

In my years of ministry I’ve met people who admit that their spiritual understanding was very limited and it was very hard for them to grasp biblical truths and concepts. There is nothing wrong with that and it is a fairly normal condition. The thing that often frustrated me and saddened me was the fact that many of those same people demonstrated little or no desire to get serious or diligent about trying to understand or trying to learn.

They seemed completely satisfied to shrug it off and go on their way, seeking satisfaction in everything else except the one Person who could satisfy their longing – Jesus Christ.

As we approach the time when we once again commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, let us all purpose to get serious about seeking Christ and all that He desires to bestow upon those who desire Him.

3. Satisfaction of desire is the result of diligent seeking.

I’m so happy I can proclaim on the authority of God’s Word that “…he that asks receives, and he that seeks finds and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”

Psalm 107:9 (NKJV) For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Jesus said, “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.”

In our Scripture reading earlier in the service we heard,

Psalm 34:10 (NKJV) The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Luke 11:13 (KJV) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit [i.e. Jesus Himself] to them that ask him?

Hear it!

Believe it!

Live it!

Amen.

Let’s close the service by singing a hymn that is a prayer for God to fill us with His Holy Spirit.

A Well-Founded Confidence

(To download an mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is a sermon that was given on February 21, 2016 regarding Psalm 46. It speaks comfort and confidence to those who are experiencing adversity.

Written Text:

Introduction:

As you can see in the bulletin, the topic of the message today is “Confidence.”

Confidence is that quiet, assured feeling you get just before you fall flat on your face. (Phillips' Treasury of Humorous Quotations) That quote may be true in the natural human world of experience, but today we want to examine the concept of trust and confidence in the spiritual life.

The passage of Scripture that I felt impressed to use today is one that has inspired hope and confidence in countless believers down through the years. It is said to be the passage of Scripture that inspired Martin Luther’s hymn: A Mighty Fortress.

(Believer's Bible Commentary) - During the First World War in an island community in the highlands of Scotland, young men were being called up in increasing numbers for military service. Each time contingents of them gathered at the pier to sail to the mainland, their relatives and friends assembled there and sang… [Psalm 46 from the Scottish Psalter].

All Christians go through trials and circumstances that tests their faith to the limit. Therefore, it is necessary and important for us to find comfort and hope for our souls from time to time. I know you’ve all heard some of these verses many times and many of you probably have quoted them yourself in periods of stress and adversity.

Oswald Chambers - Confidence in the natural world is self-reliance, in the spiritual world it is God-reliance. (Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World)

Let’s turn our attention to the words of Psalm 46 and renew our confidence and hope in the Lord of heaven and earth.

Background Information about the Psalm

The opening “title” of the Psalm states that it is a psalm of the “Sons of Korah” and “for Alamoth.”

“Alamoth” – is a word that indicates female voices, i.e. sopranos, or it could be referring to “tenor” voices singing in “falsetto” which was common in Hebrew music.

When was the Psalm written? Or, what was the occasion?

Several authors place the time and occasion coinciding with 2 Chron. 20.

Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - When, during the reign of Jehoshaphat, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites (… 2 Chron. 20:1…) carried war into the kingdom of David and threatened Jerusalem, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziël the Asaphite in the temple congregation which the king had called together, and he prophesied a miraculous deliverance on the morrow. Then the Levite singers praised the God of Israel with jubilant voice, viz., singers … out of the family of Korah. On the following day Levite singers in holy attire and with song went forth before the army of Jehoshaphat. The enemy, surprised by the attack of another plundering band of the sons of the desert, had turned their weapons against one another, being disbanded in the confusion of flight, and the army of Jehoshaphat found the enemy's camp turned into a field of corpses….

There’s probably no way to know for sure if this is the time that Psalm 46 was composed, but the evidence is pretty convincing. There are others who think it could have been inspired by the miraculous slaughter of the Assyrian army led by Sennacherib.

With this background in mind, let us examine more closely the claims that the authors were making about God.

There are three distinct sections to the Psalm. As we discuss each section, I borrowed an outline by G. Campbell Morgan which is mentioned in the Believer's Bible Commentary and I adapted it for our purposes.

I.       The challenge of confidence: Do not fear. (vv. 1-3)

Psalm 46:1-3 (NKJV) ¹ God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. ² Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; ³ Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

In verse 2, the Psalmist proclaims “we will not fear.”

Fear is a common enemy of every individual. Fear is a result of giving in to our doubts. The challenge for every believer, whether ancient Jew or modern Christian, is to continually believe that God is presently with us.

The wording of v. 1 indicates that God is a place of safety; a strong fortress to which one may resort when under attack. Not only is God a place of safety and a strong fortress, but He is the source of power and strength. He has proven Himself to be a constant helper in times of trouble and adversity.

The word “present” can mean – come forth, appear, to meet, etc. Seems to portray the thought that God has previously proven that He comes forth or appears whenever there are times of trouble, opposition and adversity.

The sons of Korah knew what they were singing about because of the rich history of Israel and the many, many times God appeared on their behalf during times of trouble. Because of who God is, the believer is able to overcome his/her fear, no matter how severe the trouble. (Even if the earth is removed and the mountains are moved to the seas.) But the challenge goes out to all of us – do we really believe that God is all these things for us?

II.    The secret of confidence:   God is in control. (vv. 4-7)

Psalm 46:4-7 (NKJV) ⁴ There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. ⁵ God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. ⁶ The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. ⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.

(Tyndale Commentaries) The first stanza uses the metaphor of unruly waters overwhelming the land, even the mountains, to depict utter chaos, but in the second stanza the waters are under control, a river whose streams make glad the city of God. The city of God is Jerusalem, where the temple is located on the heights of Zion. It is a holy, or consecrated, place, because God (the Most High) makes his presence known there…. Jerusalem does not have, and never had, a river running through it, so this river is figurative, not literal. The river symbolizes the spiritual sustenance that God’s presence provides….

(Wesleyan Bible Commentary) - In contrast to the terror such chaotic seas might produce [v.3], those in God's city are gladdened by a river (46:4a). Jerusalem had no river running through it, but it had something better, a faithful God living in His holy house (46:4b). With God in residence, there is no fear of chaos.

The real secret to having the kind of confidence this Psalmist is describing is to understand that God is here and He is in control. No raging nation or any other danger is capable of overcoming Him or His Kingdom.

This stanza ends with the assurance that the Lord of hosts (the armies of heaven) is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge (fortress, place of safety and security).

Dear friends, you and I can have confidence and hope if we know the secret – God is still in control and He always will be. We don’t know what the future holds. The nations will surely rage as it says in v. 6, but even if all the nations of the world rage together, God will still be in control!

III.   The vindication of confidence: God wins. (vv. 8-11)

Psalm 46:8-11 (NKJV) ⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth. ⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. ¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! ¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.

The 3^rd and final stanza of this poem emphasizes the victory that God gains over all His enemies.

(Believer's Bible Commentary) By the time we get to verse 8 the tumult and cataclysms have ended. Man's day is over. Now the King is seated upon His throne in Jerusalem. We are invited to go out and examine the field of His victory. Everywhere we look we see the wreckage of His defeated foes. Everywhere lies the evidence of the awful judgments which have descended on the world during the Tribulation and at His glorious appearing.

46:9 But now that the Prince of Peace is enthroned, wars have ceased throughout the world. What councils and leagues and summits have been helpless to achieve, the Lord Jesus brings about by His iron rod.

46:10 (Wesleyan Bible Commentary) Be still and know that I am God. These may be words of comfort to His people; more likely He is commanding the nations to "desist" and "acknowledge" that He is God. His lordship over the earth has been demonstrated in this psalm (see 46:2, 6); here He proclaims it himself. To this, His people enthusiastically respond,

The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress (46:11).

In this last stanza, all those who have placed their confidence and trust in God are vindicated as God declares victory over His enemies and peace has finally come. It seems to me that this stanza is more prophetic in nature as we do not know of any period in history when this kind of peace has literally been achieved. Regardless, it is a vivid picture of a victorious God over the forces of evil. Peace has been ushered in by the Prince of Peace.

Conclusion:

We have been talking about confidence that believers can have in their hearts about the present and the future.

The challenge of confidence is to surrender our fear.

The secret of confidence is the knowledge that God is in control.

And, the vindication of confidence is the victory that God has gained and will gain over all the raging nations and enemies of righteousness.

For each of us today, our confidence remains in God and the knowledge that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

I want to close by sharing some quotes from different authors concerning the topic of trust and confidence.

A. W. Thorold - The highest pinnacle of the spiritual life is not happy joy in unbroken sunshine, but absolute and undoubting trust in the love of God. (Draper's Book of Quotations)

William Arthur Ward - God wants us to be victors, not victims; to grow, not grovel; to soar, not sink; to overcome, not to be overwhelmed. (Draper's Book of Quotations)

A. W. Tozer - What we need very badly these days is a company of Christians who are prepared to trust God as completely now as they know they must do at the last day. For each of us the time is coming when we shall have nothing but God. Health and wealth and friends and hiding places will be swept away, and we shall have only God. To the man of pseudo faith that is a terrifying thought, but to real faith it is one of the most comforting thoughts the heart can entertain. (Draper's Book of Quotations)

Do you have this confidence in God that the Psalmist is describing? You can, if you will surrender your life to Him and quit trusting in your own power and abilities. Rest in the knowledge that the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is a place of security for you.

Our closing hymn that I’ve chosen for today is a song about a place of safety in the storms of life: A Shelter in the Time of Storm.

Biblical Principles for Marriage - Part VI

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This is the sixth and final message in a series of messages talking about biblical principles that help define God's view of marriage. This sermon speaks about the bond of love that holds the union together, and it was given on Valentine's Day - February 14, 2016.

Written Excerpts:                  The Bond of Marriage is Love

Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her

Introduction:

As I have stated for the past 5 weeks, Focus on the Family organization encouraged churches and pastors to use this day to honor marriage. Marriage has been under attack in our culture, and by government decree, it has come to mean something that probably most of us never dreamed it would include. We’ve been doing a series of messages about marriage in which we have been trying to explain different principles that comprise a biblical definition of marriage.

Today, we are going to conclude the series by first of all looking at a passage of Scripture that speaks specifically about honoring marriage. Then, we are going to take the rest of the time to talk about the final principle that defines marriage.

I.      Marriage is to be held in honor.

Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV) Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

A. Statement or command?

The very first phrase of this verse is constructed in Greek so that it can be interpreted as a statement of fact (marriage is honored/honorable) or as a command (let marriage be honored).

Many Bible teachers I consulted understand it to be a command. In direct opposition to the standards and trends of the current culture, the author of Hebrews is raising a standard of morality here and affirming that marriage ought to be honored among all people. It was a direct answer to both extremes of morality that was common in that day.

On the one hand, there were those who upheld a very ascetic or Spartan lifestyle that viewed physical intimacy as something evil and morally impure. But the apostle is boldly proclaiming the opposite to be the case. On the other hand, the society was rampant with those who practiced all kinds of sexual immorality. For those people and for the Christians who had become lax in their moral standards, the apostle was reminding them to give honor to marriage.

B. Give marriage its due.

“honor” – depending on the context, the word means to value, pay tribute money, or esteem.

The biblical author is urging his readers to raise marriage up to the level of esteem and worth that God originally intended. Going against the standards of the world, he proclaims the “marriage bed” (physical intimacy within marriage) is to be kept “undefiled” (unsoiled).

(Lenski New Testament Commentary) - The defilements that dishonor marriage are fornication, which dishonors marriage in advance, and adultery, which dishonors marriage after it has been entered into.

Let us move on to finish the principles of marriage that we have been exploring each week.

II.    The bond of marriage is love.

Two weeks ago we presented the principle that marriage is the union of spirit, soul and body between two people – husband and wife.

We suggested then that marriage is not merely about two people who have completed the necessary paperwork to legally live together as husband and wife. There is an additional element in the union that glues the two together – genuine love.

We can’t talk about marriage, especially on Valentine’s Day, without bringing up the subject of love.

A. What is love anyway?

I’m sure most of us have heard about the three kinds of love defined by three common Greek words, eros (erotic, sensual, lust), philia (family, affection, kindness and compassion toward), and agape (divine love, self-sacrificing, unconditional). Out of the three, eros is the only one that is not mentioned in the NT.

In the books and articles written by people, I suspect there are probably just about as many different definitions of love as there are authors, maybe more!

Love is that funny feeling you feel when you feel that you have a feeling you have never felt before.  (Phillips' Treasury of Humorous Quotations)

Well, that clears it up doesn’t it?

The Bible certainly has a lot to say about love, some of which we will be looking at shortly.

 (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) - While the Hebrew and Greek words for "love" have various shades and intensities of meaning, they may be summed up in some such definition as this: Love, whether used of God or man, is an earnest and anxious desire for and an active and beneficent interest in the well-being of the one loved.  Different degrees and manifestations of this affection are recognized in the Scriptures according to the circumstances and relations of life, e.g. the expression of love as between husband and wife, parent and child, brethren according to the flesh, and according to grace; between friend and enemy, and, finally, between God and man.  

(Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms) - ….Many Christian thinkers suggest that the essence of love is unconditional giving of oneself for the sake of others.

B. Christians are commanded to love.

There are various passages in the Bible that instruct Christians on how and when to demonstrate love.

Love God; Love our brother (fellow Christians); Love our enemies; Love our spouses, etc., etc.

Today, we want to remind you of a text in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”

Some people don’t really understand what it means to love. I read a story about…

A woman was suffering from depression, so her concerned husband took her to a psychiatrist. The doctor listened to the couple talk about their relationships, and then said, "The treatment I prescribe is really quite simple." With that he went over to the man's wife, gathered her up in his arms, and gave her a big kiss. He then stepped back and looked at the woman's glowing face and broad smile. Turning to the woman's husband, he said, "See! That's all she needs to put new life back into her." The clueless husband said, "OK, Doc, I can bring her in on Tuesdays and Thursdays." (Illustrations Unlimited.)

How does a husband (or wife) love their spouse?

The passage of Scripture that was read earlier in the service certainly provides some insight.

See 1 Cor. 13.

The passage begins by affirming the importance of love. It is so important, that any other gallant effort attempted amounts to nothing (zero) if it is not accompanied with genuine love.

After that opening, the apostle describes all the qualities of genuine love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NKJV) ⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Let's read the passage over again from the Amplified Bible for an expanded meaning of the text.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (AMP) ⁴ Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. ⁵ It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. ⁶ It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. ⁷ Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

Listen to these definitions that various authors have offered, which were published in, Draper's Book of Quotations. Most of them really describe what Paul was talking about in 1 Cor. 13.

C. S. Lewis – Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.

M. Scott Peck – Love is an action, an activity. It is not a feeling.

Margaret Anderson – In real love you [desire] the other person's good. In romantic love you [desire] the other person.

Joseph Fletcher – Erotic [love] and philia love are emotional. Christian love [agape] is an attitude, not feeling.

Madeleine L'Engle – Agape love is... profound concern for the well-being of another, without any desire to control that other, to be thanked by that other, or to enjoy the process.

Thomas à Kempis – A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.

Conclusion:

In closing, let me remind you that the union of a man and woman in spirit, soul and body is held together with the bond of love. It includes romance and feelings, but it is so much more than that. The Apostle Paul says it’s the same kind of love that God has for us.

The Supreme Court of the United States recently affirmed what the loudest voices in society have been saying, “You should be able to marry the one you love!” However, the imperative of Scripture is, “Love the one you marry!”

Remember, in some cultures, the marriages were somewhat, if not totally, arranged. This would have been true in the OT and possibly for the areas where Paul wrote his letters.

(Manners and Customs of Bible Lands) - Orientals would say that husband and wife love each other, because God through the parents, selected them for each other. In other words, the usual Oriental idea is that love comes after marriage.

In this arrangement, there was little or no opportunity to have a romantic kind of relationship prior to marriage. There was no such thing as “infatuation” or passion (except in the case of Samson). However, those situations did not release the spouses from the command to love, especially for the husband to love the wife. (Presumably because she didn’t have as much choice in her marriage partner as he did.) I believe that Paul is saying, if husbands will love their wives as Christ loves the church, which is the kind of love described in 1 Cor. 13, then the wives would reciprocate with mutual love and respect.

Finally, this love we’ve been talking about is only possible if we have the presence of God and His love in our hearts.

Oswald Chambers – There is only one being who loves perfectly, and that is God, yet the New Testament distinctly states that we are to love as God does; so the first step is obvious. If ever we are going to have perfect love in our hearts we must have the very nature of God in us. (Draper's Book of Quotations)

Let us end the service today by singing the hymn that is listed in the bulletin: A Christian Home

Biblical Principles for Marriage - Part V

(To download an mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player here.)

This is the fifth sermon in a series of messages on marriage. It was given on Feb. 7, 2016 at Wayside Community Church.

Written Excerpts:

Matthew 19:5-6 (NKJV) ⁵ … 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

Introduction:

Today we are continuing the series of messages on the sanctity of marriage with this 5^th sermon of the series.

First, for those who may not have been here before now, the idea for the series was founded in a request from a Christian organization called, Focus on the Family, for pastors and churches to use Valentine’s Day as a Sunday to honor marriage in our nation’s churches. Therefore, I felt impressed to do a series of messages on marriage leading up to the 14^th of February.

In the first message, I gave several phrases that characterize the principles of the marriage relationship as defined in the Bible, then I concluded it by giving a definition of marriage that incorporated those principles.

The principles we’ve discussed so far include:

Marriage is gender specific – one man and one woman.

Marriage is a complementary partnership – each spouse living out their God-given roles as a team to divide their weaknesses and multiply their strengths.

Marriage is a union of spirit, soul and body – complete intimacy of the entire personality.

Now, we are going to talk about the next principle that we presented.

Marriage is a lifetime commitment or covenant.

It is a sad fact that many people do not think of marriage as a life-time promise. Some people act as though they view it the same as dating, courtship, or engagement, which can be abandoned if things aren’t going well.

A few Sundays ago I shared this quote:

(Illustrations Unlimited) Marriage used to be a contract. Now many regard it as a ninety-day option.

Which reminds me of something I read a while ago… (Illustrations Unlimited) Lucy says to Lois: What happened when you showed your new engagement ring to the women in the office? Did they admire it? Lois: Admire it? Four of them recognized it! 

Let us look at some passages in the Bible that speak about this principle of commitment.

I.    God’s original design promotes permanence.

Matthew 19: 6 (NKJV) ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." (KJV, “put asunder”)

Jesus said, Matthew 19:8 (NKJV) "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”

Here we are specifically told that there may be times when the termination of a marriage is permitted, but God’s original design and plan didn’t include divorce. These are just two of the references in the Bible that reveal the truth that God designed (intended) marriage to be a permanent relationship.

Romans 7:2 (NKJV) ² For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.

To these verses I’ve just mentioned could be added a host of others, even from the OT, that reveal the fact, “God hates divorce” (see Mal. 2:16, KJV-“He hateth putting away…”)

The clear message that has been lost in our culture and is rarely communicated plainly to our youth and young adults is this, “God intended for marriages to be for life.” No person, especially a Christian, should enter into marriage with the idea that it might be a temporary thing.

I am sadly aware of the fact that there are myriads of people who got married with every intention of staying together for life, but serious circumstances intervened and derailed their best intentions. All of those situations cause years of sorrow and untold heartaches, for which we mourn and pray for help and hope. However, what I’m trying to say this morning is this, “Let us never surrender to the spirit of this age, and conclude that God is pleased with all the marriages breaking apart.”

II. The concept of covenant promotes permanence.

There are at least two references that clearly use words and concepts that teach the permanence of marriage. Let’s revisit a couple of the verses we read earlier this morning in our responsive Scripture reading.

Proverbs 2:17 (NKJV) Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God.

The context of this verse includes the words of Solomon giving counsel to young men to let Wisdom and Discretion deliver them from the “immoral woman” who has forsaken the companion (KJV, “guide”) of her youth and forgotten the covenant of her God.

Malachi 2:14 (NKJV) …the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.

The word covenant appears in both of these texts.

In the Proverbs reference, the meaning is not clear. It could be referring to the covenant/vow she made to her husband before God, or it could be referring to the covenant her people (nation) had with God, which included the seventh commandment regarding adultery.

The second reference in Malachi is more direct. “She is your wife by covenant.” (KJV, “wife of thy covenant.”)

There are probably a lot of things we could say about the concept of covenant, but let me just say this much…

A covenant includes a vow or promise.

There’s not much information in Scripture about the proceedings of a wedding or marriage ceremony. However, all types of covenants even in the earliest days of biblical history included an oath/promise to follow and maintain the terms that had been agreed upon, whether it was a covenant between two equals, or between a superior subject (king) over an inferior subject. The sources I consulted indicated that ancient Jewish practices included this “promise” or “oath” to keep the covenant. This idea would have been familiar to the audiences of the prophets, and even Jesus.

A covenant includes witnesses.

In many of the biblical covenant passages, God is assumed to be the witness between the parties making the covenant. In other contexts, elements of nature were witnesses; e.g. mountains, the heavens, the seas, etc. “I call heaven and earth to witness between us this day…”

I remember the OT Hebrew professor that I had many years ago said that the ancient “weddings” of Semitic or eastern cultures were more related to civil ceremonies than they were religious ceremonies because of the fact that the marriage required the approval and sanction of the family/ community and it involved the participation of the clan or community. Marriages were not “complete” until there was a covenant promise made in the presence of witnesses to confirm and validate the promises being made.

I really don’t have time to go into it much further, but in my reading and study, I discovered a couple of passages in the NT which seem to indicate that immoral behavior could be described as “becoming one flesh” but the physical intimacy that occurred during immoral conduct was still not viewed as the equivalent of marriage. Why? I believe it was because there was no public covenant (vow) in front of witnesses. Evidently then, as time went on, marriages took more of a religious tone and became a function of the church as well as the “state.” The company of witnesses expanded to include the community of faith.

We’ve already observed that Paul in the NT compares the relationship between husband and wife to the relationship between Christ and the church. OT prophets compared the relationship between God and Israel to a marriage. The idea of covenant comes out clearly in these comparisons. God did at times bring judgment against Israel, but He never abandoned them. He never gave up on them entirely. Why? He told them repeatedly it was because He had made a covenant with Abraham, Moses, and David. God was not going back on His promise.

Conclusion:

Dear friends, nothing illustrates the permanence of marriage any better than the unfailing commitment God has made to His people. Following the normal practices of the eastern cultures regarding covenants, God sealed His covenant with Israel by the blood of sacrificial animals. But… there came a day, many centuries later, when He sealed the New Covenant with the blood of His own Son. That covenant still stands today and “whosoever will may come” to take advantage of the salvation God offers, which will make them a member of the “Bride of Christ” to be joined with Him forever some day!

Hallelujah!

Before we close, I would be remiss if I failed to speak to those who have suffered through the breakup of one or more marriages. I said at the beginning of this series that I did not want to project any spirit of condemnation and judgment.

I read something as I was studying for this message where the author said, “Divorce is never justifiable, it is sometimes permissible and always forgivable.”

If you’re feeling the weight of guilt because of failed marriages, please seek and accept the forgiveness of God and the comfort of His love and grace. Don’t allow any failure in the past to keep you stuck from moving forward in His grace. Remember a definition for “forgiveness” that I shared quite some time ago?

“Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.” Let go and let God pour grace all over your soul.

As we close this morning, let us stand together and sing the song that is listed in the bulletin:

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus