Myths and Mysteries - Prayer

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This is the fourth message in a series of sermons discussing some of the common misconceptions Christians hold that are not supported by an accurate understanding of the Scripture. This sermon talks about the "myth" that we can use prayer to manipulate God into doing our wishes if we just make sure we use the correct "formula" for our prayers.

Written Excerpts:

Luke 11:9-10 ^(NKJV) "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Introduction:

(Illustrations Unlimited) When Edward Everett Hale was chaplain of the U.S. Senate, someone asked him, "Do you pray for the senators, Dr. Hale?" He replied, "No, I look at the senators and pray for the country."

There’s a story told about a church in Texas that was praying for the Lord to close the bar next door. One night lightning struck the building and the bar burned down. The bar owner learned about the church members’ prayers and he sued the church for compensation of his loss. The church members denied any responsibility for the fire. The judge presiding over the case stated: “Apparently we have a bar owner that believes in the power of prayer and a whole church full of people that doesn’t.” (Snopes.com says this is not a true story. It still gives a humorous example of how we use prayer.)

Why would I include a sermon on prayer when we talk about Christian myths?

There are a number of professing Christians who talk and act as though prayer is little more than telling God what we want Him to do. For many people, it is much like making out a grocery list of things they need, then repeatedly telling God how desperately they need them.

In addition to that, if we really want results, we must make sure we use the correct “formula” and then God will be obligated to come through for us.

When I worked at NDTC, I remember a few instances when clients would describe how their prayers were not being answered and then they discovered they weren’t “praying the right way.” Now, since they learned the correct way to pray, God is really answering prayers for them.

So, what are some of the “formulas” we are told are needed for correct praying?

·     Pray in Jesus’ name.
·     Believe you receive whatever you ask for.
·     Pray to the right member of the Trinity: God, Jesus, or Holy Spirit. (Varies with individuals.)
·     Kneel/ Stand/ Lift Hands/etc. when you pray.
·     Close eyes, with head bowed / Open eyes, with head raised…
·     “Hail Mary”; “Our Fathers”; Rosary… (I've seen announcements in the newspaper classified section urging readers to do prayers certain ways in order to get what you pray for.)

Now, there is nothing essentially wrong with most of these ideas, but when we treat them like “formulas” it suggests something we actually believe about God.

·     When we conclude that following specific guidelines will produce the right results, we are essentially saying that if we “do it just right” we can “manipulate” God to do what we want.
·     If we emphasize the “correct prayer formula” then we basically treat God as if He was the same as all the pagan gods the heathen worship.
Elijah, on Mount Carmel, taunted the prophets of Baal, telling them they needed to pray louder, longer, etc.

Well, there are plenty of myths out there around us regarding the plan and purpose of prayer.

As a way of refuting the “myths,” I want to speak to you today about what prayer really is. The topic of prayer is greater than we can adequately cover in just one sermon, but today I want to consider the meaning of prayer in three ways.

Prayer is conversation with God.

Prayer is worship
Prayer is spiritual warfare

I.      Prayer is conversation with God.

The word “to pray” or “prayer” carries the idea of making an appeal, a supplication, or petition.

Most theologians and authors that I have read over the years have generally defined prayer as conversation with God when all of its uses in Scripture are considered together.

I read a comment by one author in which he describes the act of prayer like sitting down beside an empty chair, imagining that Jesus is sitting in the other chair, and simply talking to him like you would your best friend. So, what does it involve to think of prayer as conversation with God?

A.    Conversation means you can tell God exactly how you feel and what you think.

We have numerous examples in the Psalms of King David and others “venting” with God. They describe their fears, their disappointments, and their failures. They talk about victories, and happiness.

Psalm 31:9-10 ^(NKJV) Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! ¹⁰ For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.

Conversing with God means telling Him all about the things that burden you down as well as the things that give you hope and joy.

Psalm 51:3 ^(NKJV) For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

Psalm 62:8 ^(NKJV) Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

B.     Conversation means you can make your requests known with full knowledge of His infinite resources.

When we pray we speak to our Friend who has the ability to do the “impossible.” We can ask anything. If you had a close personal friend that was a multi-millionaire who had promised to help with any need in your life, would you be reluctant to ask for something you really needed or even really wanted? Over and over the Bible instructs us to make bring our request to God.

We acknowledge that there are many Scriptures that qualify the promises for getting our requests, such as:

        Asking in Jesus name = according to His nature

        Abiding in the vine; etc.

C.    Conversation means you listen for Him to speak to you.

A conversation must be two-way. It should not be all one-sided. It means getting quiet before the Lord and meditating and listening to His “voice” to give comfort, or guidance, or instruction. However, as we listen for God’s Spirit to speak to us, we must test everything by the Word of God. It is possible for us to have impressions that we think are coming from the Lord that actually may not be.

I’ve known of people who claim that God told them things that are not supported by Scripture at all. So, yes we need to listen for the Lord to speak and not do all the talking ourselves. But, we need to take whatever we “hear from Him” and compare it to the Word.

II.    Prayer is worship.

We have been talking about making petitions and requests to God in prayer as conversation. But prayer is also worship. It is a time to praise Him. It is a time to adore Him and acknowledge all His wonderful attributes. It is a time to meditate and celebrate His perfections in every one of His qualities: Holiness; Mercy; Power; Majesty; Justice; etc. etc.

Psalm 138:1-2 ^(NKJV) I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. ² I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

Prayer is a time to give thanks. Far too often our prayer time is taken up with asking for things from God and we neglect to thank Him for all that He has already done and all that He has already provided.

Psalm 100:4-5 ^(NKJV) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. ⁵ For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

Worship requires the right attitudes:

        Humility – “If my people… humble themselves…”  “Two men went up to the temple to pray…”

        Psalm 10:17 ^(NKJV) LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,

(Today's Best Illustrations) - When we pray, we relinquish in a radical way our so-called sovereignty over the purposes of our lives. We subordinate our plans, schedules and life scenarios to the infinitely wiser and more joyful work of God's hands. — Ben Patterson, Marriage Partnership, Vol. 7, no. 3. 

      Gratitude – proper worship requires sincere gratitude for what God has already provided.

III.   Prayer is spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 6:12, 18 ^(NKJV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. [Put on the whole armor of God] ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

God has invited us to engage with Him and partner with Him in spiritual conflict with the devil and demon spirits.

Requires persistence. For example, Jesus told parable about the widow who kept seeking justice from the judge. (Lk. 18:8)

Conclusion:

We have barely scratched the surface on the issue of prayer.

We’ve talked about the myth that prayer requires some sort of “magic formula” or specific posture.

We’ve talked about the mystery that God would invite us to use prayer as a way to combat evil.

Genuine, effectual prayer doesn’t just happen. It requires the right attitudes as we mentioned earlier, but it also requires desperation.

(Illustrations Unlimited - Mark Link, Breakaway) One day a boy was watching a holy man praying on the banks of a river in India. When the holy man completed his prayer the boy went over and asked him, "Will you teach me to pray?" The holy man studied the boy's face carefully. Then he gripped the boy's head in his hands and plunged it forcefully into the water! The boy struggled frantically, trying to free himself in order to breathe. Finally, the holy man released his hold. When the boy was able to get his breath, he gasped, "What did you do that for?" The holy man said: "I just gave you your first lesson." "What do you mean?" asked the astonished boy. "Well," said the holy man, "when you long to pray as much as you longed to breathe when your head was underwater—only then will I be able to teach you to pray."

Let us conclude the service by singing the old familiar hymn: What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Myths and Mysteries - Isolation

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This is the third message in a series of sermons that address common misconceptions people may believe that are not consistent with what the Bible teaches. This sermon speaks about the "myth" that Christian believers do not need to be involved in a church fellowship in order to survive and thrive in their life of faith.

Written Excerpts:

1 Cor. 12:27 ^(NKJV) Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

Introduction:
If you have been here for the past few weeks, you know that I have been speaking on some of the misconceptions people have acquired about the Christian faith. We have already addressed a couple of the “myths” that people seem to accept as being true about the Christian life, but they have no basis in biblical truth.

The first one was the myth: God’s primary purpose and goal for my life is for me to be happy. Therefore, whatever makes me happy is His will for me. The second myth we addressed was: If I live a good life and serve God, then He will bless me with material and financial prosperity.

Today I want to consider a third “myth” that many people have accepted about the Christian life of faith. We call it a myth because it is not supported by the Bible.

The myth is this: Christian faith is strictly / primarily an individual matter between Christ and the believer. This myth promotes the practice of not being involved in church or making any attempt to be connected to other Christians on a consistent/regular basis.

I’ve been amazed at the number of people over the years of my ministry who have told me that they love the Lord, are Christian believers, and ready to meet the Lord, but they never attend church on a regular basis nor have any active part in a church. The Bible does not teach or promote this type of isolated Christianity.

As the Holy Spirit provides help, I want to explore this false idea of Christian faith by describing the biblical definition of the church and the role of the church in the life of a believer.

I.     Definition of Church

Shortly after I arrived here at wayside, I preached a short series of messages on the church as portrayed in Scripture. In fact, it was 9 years ago this month. Many of you were not attending here at that time, and I don’t really expect the rest of you to remember what I said, so let me review some of the information regarding the biblical definition of the church.

A. In some NT passages the church is identified as “Church.”

“church” - a compound word that lit. means “to call” (kaleo) and “out of” (ek). Therefore, as a noun, the word means “called out ones.”

The word church appears 76 times in the KJV English N.T. Some examples are:

Matt. 16:18 “… upon this rock I will build my church….”

1 Cor. 1:2 “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth.”

1 Cor. 12:28 “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers….”

1 Peter 2:9 (Here the word “church” isn’t used, but the concept is used descriptively.) “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

We could literally say that God has “churched” us from darkness to light. If you have been called from sin to salvation and have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you are a part of the church. Even those who don’t want to be involved in “a” church, are in “the” church if they have truly been saved.

B. In some NT passages the church is identified as Congregation / Assembly.

This includes the concept both as a noun – those who are congregating; and a verb – an event or happening. (When we gather together we are literally “churching”.)

Hebrews 10:25 “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.”

The writer of this letter (many think it is Paul), is literally saying, “Do not stop ‘churching’ like some have done. But rather do it more often as you get closer and closer to the end of time.

C. In other NT Scriptures the church is identified as Fellowship (community).

It is more than just a gathering event, but a fellowship of faith involving the ministry of spiritual gifts and exercise of the priesthood of believers. It is a caring, bonding community.

Let me briefly break that down.

Fellowship of faith – made up of those who have trusted in Christ.

Involving ministry of spiritual gifts – God has given every believer one or more gifts to be used in the church for the benefit of the whole body.

Exercising the priesthood of believers – The Protestant Reformation emphasized the biblical doctrine of the “Priesthood of Believers.” This principle taught in the NT Epistles stresses the fact that every child of God can “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16) rather than only having access through a priest. On the other hand, the doctrine “Priesthood of Believers” is meant to emphasize the duty of every Christian to act as a “priest” to one another, by which we carry each other to the Lord and we minister to one another the words of Christ and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:42 “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

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

We who have been called out of darkness and sin are now part of a community that shares many things in common. We who are joined together spiritually with Christ are also joined together with one another. It is both a privilege and a responsibility.

II.    Role of the Church

(Draper's Book of Quotations) Charles Colson – Biblically the church is an organism not an organization—a movement, not a monument. It is not a part of the community; it is a whole new community. It is not an orderly gathering; it is a new order with new values, often in sharp conflict with the values of the surrounding society.

To think about the role of the church in the lives of believers, it might be best to look at the different metaphors (pictures or comparisons) that the Bible uses to describe the church.

A.  The Church is a Body

Ephesians 1:22-23 ^(NKJV) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Colossians 1:24 ^(NKJV) I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,

1 Corinthians 12:12, 27 ^{(NKJV) 12} For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

(Draper's Book of Quotation) Edward Everett – We ask the leaf, "Are you complete in yourself?" and the leaf answers, "No, my life is in the branches." We ask the branch, and the branch answers, "No, my life is in the trunk." We ask the trunk, and it answers, "No, my life is in the root." We ask the root, and it answers, "No, my life is in the trunk and the branches and the leaves. Keep the branches stripped of leaves and I shall die." So it is with the great tree of being. Nothing is completely and merely individual.

Not only is this a great illustration of the life of a tree, but it is a great illustration of the life of the church. Every part of the church needs the other parts to survive and thrive. God meant for you to be intimately connected and involved, not only for your own spiritual health, but for the godly benefit of everyone else.

B.  The Church is a Marriage

Revelation 19:7-9 ^(NKJV) Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." ⁸ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. ⁹ Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

Ephesians 5:31-32 ^(NKJV) "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." ³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

C.  The Church is a Building (Not literal)

The church is not this building that we are meeting in. It is the people who meet here. But, the people that make up the church are referred to as a building in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:19-22 ^{(NKJV) 19} Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

 (Draper's Book of Quotation) C. S. Lewis – The New Testament does not envisage solitary religion; some kind of regular assembly for worship and instruction is everywhere taken for granted in the Epistles. So we must be regular practicing members of the church. Of course we differ in temperament. Some (like you—and me) find it more natural to approach God in solitude; but we must go to church as well. For the church is not a human society of people united by their natural affinities, but the body of Christ, in which all members, however different (and he rejoices in their differences and by no means wishes to iron them out) must share the common life, complementing and helping one another precisely by their differences.

What C.S. Lewis seems to be saying is this: some of us by personality prefer a more solitary life of faith. But, God designed the church to be a mixture of personalities, preferences, talents and gifts precisely so that we can learn and grow from one another.

Conclusion:

The American church has developed a sense and spirit of independence that is not promoted in Scripture. We are never meant to be independent, but “inter-dependent.”

We’ve been talking about the myths and mysteries of being a part of the body of Christ, the church. The Myth is: I can survive and thrive as a Christian believer without being an active part of the church. The Mystery is: My spiritual health requires more than church involvement.

Yes, I need the rest of the body (the church) as much as it needs me, but I also need to attain and maintain individual connection with the Lord through prayer and study of the Scriptures.

(Draper's Book of Quotation) What would my church be like if every member were just like me?

As we close the service today, let us examine our own lives to see if we are truly connected and involved in the body-life of the church as God intends us to be.

Our closing song today is They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love

Myths and Mysteries - Prosperity

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This is the second message in a series of sermons that address common misconceptions people may believe that are not consistent with what the Bible teaches. This sermon speaks about the "myth" that God will provide wealth and prosperity to sincere Christians who not only trust Him, but obey all His commands.

Written Excerpts:

Psalm 112:1-3 (NKJV) Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. ² His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. ³ Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.

Introduction:

Last Sunday we began a short series of messages on Christian Myths; common beliefs that many Christians hold that are not consistent with the teaching of the Bible. We already considered the myth: God wants His children to be happy, so whatever it takes to make me happy must be His will for me. Today I want to continue examining some common misunderstandings held by many Christians by taking a look at what some people have called the “health and wealth gospel.”

The myth of the health and wealth gospel is the belief that God’s children will be blessed with good health and riches if they obey God’s Word and have enough faith. We’ve already addressed the matter of health and suffering in a message several weeks ago, so I won’t revisit that topic except to remind us that the Bible gives ample evidence of the fact that suffering is a natural part of our world that has been cursed by sin. It also describes the ways that God uses suffering and adversity to grow our faith like nothing else can do. 

So, today I want to speak to you about the myth that goes something like this: “If I obey the Lord and follow His will for my life, He will bless me with riches and success.” I have heard some express the viewpoint, “Christians are the children of the King, so we should live like king’s kids.” Meaning: our lives should be rich, extravagant, and filled with material blessings.

Let’s begin with some "words of wisdom" relating to gaining riches and wealth.

Jolene Horn, Today's Christian Woman, "Heart to Heart." —While putting my 4-year-old daughter to bed one evening, I read her the story of the Prodigal Son. We discussed how the young son had taken his inheritance and left home, living it up until he had nothing left. Finally, when he couldn't even eat as well as pigs, he went home to his father, who welcomed him. When we finished the story, I asked my daughter what she had learned. After thinking a moment, she quipped, "Never leave home without your credit card!" (Today's Best Illustrations)

(Draper's Book of Quotations) [More interesting thoughts about riches and wealth.]

·     Every man serves a useful purpose: a miser, for example, makes a wonderful ancestor.
·     God has to take some people out of this world in order to set their money into circulation.
·     It's hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but easy for him to get on the church board of trustees. [If we have rich people on the board here at Wayside, then those people are really good at keeping secrets!]
·      The Scriptures first taught the futility of riches. It took income tax to drive the lesson home.

With the help of God’s Spirit, let us review what the Bible has to say about wealth, riches and material blessings.

I.    In the OT, wealth and riches are presented in both good and bad contexts.

 (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) There is an ambivalent attitude in the OT respecting wealth and riches. On the one hand, riches are said to be
·      the blessing of Yahweh to the righteous (Ps. 112:1-3 ^(NKJV) Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. ² His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. ³ Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.

cf. Pro. 10:22 ^(NKJV) The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.
Ex. 23:22-26 ^(NKJV) But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. ²³ For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. ²⁴ You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. ²⁵ So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. ²⁶ No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

·     the reward of humble faith (Prov. 22:4 ^(NKJV) By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.)… 

·     and the proper adornment of kings (e.g. Solomon - 2 Chr. 1:11-12 ^{(NKJV) 11} And God said to Solomon: "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life--but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king-- ¹² wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like."….)

[This could also be viewed not so much as the proper adornment for kings, but the reward for expressing passion for divine assistance and guidance rather than seeking for riches in themselves.]

Conversely, riches [are bad when they] 

·     lead to self-confidence rather than dependence upon Yahweh (Hos. 12:8-9 ^(NKJV) And Ephraim [i.e. Israel] said, 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.' ⁹ "But I am the LORD your God, Ever since the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, As in the days of the appointed feast.)

·     derive from deceit and treachery (Jer. 5:26-27 ^(NKJV)'For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men. ²⁷ As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.) 

·     [become the primary goal of life (Prov. 28:20 ^(NKJV) A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.)]

cf. Prov. 28:22 ^(NKJV) A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

cf. 1 Tim. 6:9-10 ^(NKJV)But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[In our Wed. night Bible study on the “gifts of the Spirit,” we noted that a person doesn’t have to possess a lot of money in order to have the “gift of giving.” Similarly, neither does one have to possess a lot of money in order to have the “love of money!”]

·     cannot redeem a soul (Ps. 49:6-7 ^(NKJV) Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, ⁷ None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him)

cf. 1 Pet. 1:18-19 ^(NKJV) knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  

·     cannot last (Ps. 49:16-17 ^(NKJV) Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; ¹⁷ For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.) 

cf. 1 Tim. 6:7 ^(NKJV) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

You cannot take it with you! 

II.  In the NT, material wealth is often contrasted with the more important eternal/spiritual wealth.

Matt. 6:19-21 ^(NKJV) "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matt. 13:22 ^(NKJV) Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Luke 12:15 ^(NKJV) And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

1 Tim. 6:6-8 ^(NKJV) Now godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸ And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

III. Those who emphasize wealth as a sign of God’s blessing on Christians are mistaken.

(The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity) The prosperity gospel now being preached worldwide is not satisfied with a comfortable existence or merely praying for our daily bread. We can critique it on at least three grounds. First, it encourages perverted motives: focusing on profitability. Second, it misinterprets God’s deepest concerns for us: material well-being rather than total well-being. Third, it misinterprets God’s promises to Israel as immediately applicable to Christians without being fulfilled and transfigured in Christ (compare 1 Tim. 6:6-10). 

There are a number of passages in the NT and OT that teach us that wealth is not necessarily the sign of God’s blessing. God “sends the rain on the just and the unjust.”

Neither is wealth the primary objective of life for the follower of Christ. Our primary objective in living the Christian life is to become like Christ. There’s absolutely nothing in the life of Christ that indicates a goal of obtaining riches.

Conclusion:

Many Christians over the years have been deceived and misguided into thinking that success, defined by material wealth and possessions, is the most important goal in life. Many have also presumed that the measure of success they may experience in those pursuits are an indication of God’s approval and blessing.

But…

 Luke 12:18-21 ^(NKJV) So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' ²⁰ But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' ²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

There’s so much more we could say on this topic…

e.g. – Those who are blessed with wealth and riches often are used by God to given generously to the work of God’s Kingdom around the world. We all have known people who love the Lord with all their hearts and use their wealth to generously support the needs of others and the promotion of the gospel.

Next week when we emphasize Faith Promise giving for missions, we’ll be talking about the kind of support this church has given for God’s work. God does promise to bless those who are generous for His work and His glory.

The question for us to answer is this: “Do we have riches, or do riches have us?”

Orin Philip Gifford – Ahab sold himself for a vineyard; Judas, a bag of silver; Achan, a wedge and a garment; Gehazi, silver and raiment. Are you for sale? (Draper's Book of Quotations)

Billy Sunday – The fellow that has no money is poor. The fellow that has nothing but money is poorer still. (Today's Best Illustrations)

For our closing hymn today we are going to sing a song that emphasizes our spiritual riches.

A Child of the King 

Myths and Mysteries - Happiness

(Due to technical problems, there is no audio recording of this sermon.)

This message is part one of a mini series of sermons on misconceptions that Christians have about the teaching of the Bible. This sermon speaks about the "myth" that many Christians believe, which goes like this: “God wants His children to be happy, so whatever makes me happy must be His will for me.”

Written Excerpts:

Psalm 1:1-2 ^(NKJV) Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Introduction:

Several weeks ago I preached a sermon on suffering and I remember telling you that some people are very troubled or puzzled by the suffering that God’s children go through at times. It almost seems like some have the mistaken idea that suffering is a sign that I’m being punished for something I did wrong, and if I haven’t done anything wrong, then it is unfair for me or other good people to suffer. I referred to this type of thinking back then as a “Christian Myth.” That is, an idea that has no basis in biblical truth, but is still believed by many professing Christians.

I also remember saying that I had done a short series of Bible study lessons on Wednesday evenings some time ago on the theme of “Christian Myths,” and I may adapt them into a sermon series. I felt the Lord leading me to begin this study today.

Today we are going to consider another one of the “myths” that is relatively common among believers, as well as non-believers. I would describe the myth like this: “God wants His children to be happy, so whatever makes me happy must be His will for me.”

(Draper's Book of Quotations) The doctrine of man's inalienable right to happiness is anti-God and anti-Christ, and its wide acceptance by society tells us a lot about that same society. – A. W. Tozer

Before we go any further, I should also describe the opposite view, which is also a myth. “God’s will for my life involves anything and everything that makes me miserable.”

Speaking of happiness, I came across several things that I thought might make you chuckle:

(Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World)
·     Happiness and intelligence are rarely found in the same person. – William Feather (b. 1889)
·     Men who are unhappy, like men who sleep badly, are always proud of the fact. – Bertrand Arthur William Russell

(Phillips' Treasury of Humorous Quotations)
·     Real happiness doesn't consist so much in what a man [has] as it does in what he doesn't want. — Josh Billings

(Illustrations Unlimited)
·     You should do something every day to make other people happy, even if it's only to leave them alone.
·     Chinese proverb – If you wish to be happy for one hour, get intoxicated. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married. If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it. If you wish to be happy forever, learn to fish. 
·     A man had just had his annual physical exam and was waiting for the doctor's initial report. After a few minutes the doctor came in with his charts in his hand and said: "There's no reason why you can't live a completely normal life as long as you don't try to enjoy it."

Well, these various quotes have certainly shed some light on the pursuit of happiness haven’t they?

Today I want to speak to you about the mistaken idea that many Christians have expressed in one form or another. That mistaken idea is not supported in Scripture, so that is the main reason it is a “mistaken idea” and therefore is a myth! As I mentioned earlier, the mistaken idea (or myth) that is held by many people is this: “God wants His children to be happy, so whatever makes me happy must be His will for me.”

I.    Two things wrong with this statement.

1.      It proposes that our happiness is God’s highest goal.

When I say, “God wants His children to be happy,” I claim that my happiness and the happiness of all humanity is the highest goal and desire of almighty God. The problem with that view is that it doesn’t measure up with Scripture. The Bible makes it pretty clear that God’s greatest desire for human beings is for us to be in a genuine relationship with Him. In order for that to be possible, we must share His character and His nature.

Dr. John Oswalt – If a person constantly reads the NT in light of the Old, which the Church Fathers clearly intended by their joining of the two in one [collection], then it becomes unmistakably clear what the purpose of the Gospel is. It is the same purpose that God has had from Genesis 4 onwards: the transformation of human behavior in this world with the consequent possibility of living with God through all eternity. The OT shows us what that transformation is, and the NT shows us what God has done to make the transformation possible.

This means that unless Christians are truly transformed into the character of God, the whole purpose of the Church’s existence becomes blurred and confused….

Dr. Steve Herron – God is more concerned with our holiness than either our health or our happiness.

Now, as I stated a few minutes ago, there are some people who think God’s main objective is for us to be miserable. That idea is also a myth.

When we understand the purpose for which God created us, we learn that our main purpose is to know Him and enjoy Him. And, in order to enjoy Him, we must be like Him. If we are going to be like Him, it is us that will have to change. God isn’t going to change so that He can be like us (except to the extent that He already has in the person of Jesus Christ).

2.      It makes happiness the main objective in all our pursuits.

When we say, “Whatever makes me happy is God’s will,” we automatically (even if it is unconsciously) make the pursuit of happiness to be the highest priority of our lives.

Therefore, Happiness has become our god rather than God Himself.

We become obsessed with “What will make me happy today?” The answer to that question becomes our motivation for life. We judge all our actions and pursuits in life by “Does this make me happy?”

Pursuing happiness will inevitably take our eyes and our focus off of Christ.

II.  Two simple but undeniable truths

1.      The pursuit of pleasure (happiness) is bound to end in disappointment.

We were created for a higher purpose, so anything less is certain to produce frustration, discontentment, and even anger. No material possession, no amount of earthly wealth or no extent of sensual pleasure can produce genuine happiness. Why? Because we were made for relationships; first of all, an intimate relationship with God, and secondly, relationships with other people because we are made in God’s image. Genuine happiness (joy) comes through meaningful relationships.

No one knew this any better than the author of Ecclesiastes, whom many people believe was King Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, 17-20 (NKJV) ¹ I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth [entertainment, merriment]; therefore enjoy pleasure"; but surely, this also was vanity. ² I said of laughter--"Madness!"; and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?" ³ I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. ⁴ I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. ⁵ I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. ⁷ I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. ⁸ I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. ⁹ So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. ¹⁰ Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. ¹¹ Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. (Then he continues several verses later)

¹⁷ Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. ¹⁸ Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. ²⁰ Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.

Proverbs 21:17 (NKJV) He that loves pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

In the Ecclesiastes passage and in the Proverbs Solomon emphasizes the simple fact that pursuit of pleasure and happiness is a vain and worthless pursuit. It doesn't end up well.

2.      The pursuit of God is the fountain of pleasure, happiness and joy.

Hebrews 11:24-26 (NKJV) ²⁴ By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Because of his faith, Moses could easily see that identifying with God and God’s people would ultimately produce more benefit than the “passing pleasures of sin.”

Proverbs 16:20 (NKJV) ²⁰ He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.

“happy” – same word that is sometimes translated “blessed.” It carries the idea “to be envied.”

Psalm 144:15 (NKJV) ¹⁵ Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

Psalm 16:8-11 (NKJV) ⁸ I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. ¹⁰ For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ¹¹ Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

You and I can seek out all kinds of activities and pursuits in life to make us happy, but the final analysis is this: God created us for Himself and the only truly lasting joy and happiness to be found is only found in God Himself.

Conclusion:

The title of the message today was, “Myth and Mysteries.”

They Myth is: “God wants me to be happy, so whatever makes me happy is God’s will for me.”

The Mystery is: “Happiness cannot be found by pursuing it.” 

Happiness can only be found in knowing Christ. 

The truth of our message today is the fact that we can pursue happiness and pleasure all our lives and still be unfulfilled, unsatisfied and unhappy. We can fill up our lives and our schedules with earning more money, acquiring more things, pursuing all kinds of recreational events, seeking to satisfy all our fleshly desires, and we can still be miserable. If we haven’t developed an intimate relationship with Jesus, nothing else will be able to fill the void that is left when we don’t have Him.

If you want to be happy… seek to know God; seek an intimate relationship with Christ; seek to be holy like Christ; then you will be “compatible” with the Lord and, knowing Him, your joy will be full. Holiness is happiness, because God is holy.

John Wesley – holiness is loving God with all the heart, soul, mind and strength.

Let us sing a closing song: Joy Unspeakable

Dirty Feet and Clean Hearts

(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 that is based on the account of the last supper that Jesus shared with His disciples in which he took a basin and washed the feet of the disciples. It focuses on the kind of washing they needed as well as the kind of washing they already had received - the washing of their hearts. 

Written Excerpts:

John 13:10 ^(NKJV) Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."

Introduction:

I want to speak to you today on a passage of Scripture that is familiar to us, but probably not often referred to. The passage that was read earlier in the service, John 13, relates the story of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. We’ll talk about the lessons we can learn from this story in just a moment, but first I would like to address a question that sometimes comes up in connection with this passage.

Is feet-washing a required part of the ordinance of communion? You may already be aware that some denominations or some Christians say it is, and others say it isn’t. I am convinced that it is not to be understood as a necessary part of the sacrament; not to be seen as an ordinance or requirement.

1. Verse 15, “example” – lit. a pattern. Jesus is telling them that what He did for them is a pattern or representation of what they should do.

2. “do as I have done.” The word translated “as” is a comparative. It does not convey the idea of doing the exact thing, but something like it or compared to it.

In that culture, there was little else that would exhibit the spirit of humility like the act of washing someone’s feet. In our modern western culture, with the majority of people wearing protective covering for their feet, there are many other ways that humble service can be demonstrated for others.

In His explanation, Jesus seems to make much of the fact that He did this in light of His position as “Lord and Master” (v. 14). The emphasis seems to be on teaching a lesson about how position/status should not prevent service, not on starting a new ceremony or ordinance.

Now, as we look at this story, what does it reveal to us about Jesus, the Savior?

I.    It reveals something about the Savior’s knowledge.

A.  He knew the right time had arrived.

John 13:1 ^{(NKJV) 1} Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – In the earlier part [of John’s Gospel] we are told that things did not happen ‘because his hour had not yet come’ (2:4; 7:30; 8:20).

John 2:4 ^(NKJV) Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."

John 7:30 ^(NKJV) Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

John 8:20 ^(NKJV) These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

Starting in John 12:27, there are four different texts appearing later in John that indicate now his time has come.

When Jesus knew the time was right He proceeded with the significant actions to demonstrate His humility and love for His disciples.

B.  He knew His identity and destiny.

³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – Knowing this did not make him think he was above carrying out menial service. Knowing full well who he was, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet.

When we are secure in our identity, we don’t have to exercise superiority over others to “prove our worth” or to “show our status.” Knowing who we are in Christ, and being in relationship with the Father, gives us the confidence to assume the roles of a servant without feeling demeaned or humiliated.

C.  He knew the hearts of everyone.

John 13:11 ^{(NKJV) 11} For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."

Because He was divine, He could tell the motives and intentions of men’s hearts. Thus, He knew His betrayer. Judas is not the only one Jesus knows. He knows every one of us, including the deepest needs of our hearts and lives.

II.  It reveals something about the Savior’s love.

John 13:1-3 ^{(NKJV) 1} Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – Jesus’ love was expressed not only in performing the menial service of foot-washing but also in what this act symbolized: his humiliating death upon the cross by which spiritual cleansing was made possible (this becomes clear as the story unfolds).

We are told by one author that the word “example,” we mentioned earlier that is used in verse 15, was a word that was used in extra-biblical literature (2 Maccabees) in close relation to the “example of death.” Brave martyrs are described as having provided an “example” to others.

So, the act of washing their feet, being an example to them, clearly could have had an additional reference to His pending death for them as well.

“loved them to the end” – (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) The evangelist’s statement that Jesus loved them ‘to the end’ can be construed in two ways: (1) adverbially, meaning to the uttermost, or as the NIV has it, ‘he showed them the full extent of his love’; (2) temporally, meaning to the end of his life, i.e. Jesus’ love for his disciples did not fail; it persisted to the last moments of his life. Perhaps there is intended ambiguity here, for Jesus did indeed show the full extent of his love, and he did so until the end of his life.

This act of washing the disciples’ feet was an act of service streaming from a heart of love. Remember this: love for others is not merely demonstrated by nice words, but also by sacrificial service.

III.  It reveals something about the Savior’s gift.

The Savior’s gift is implied in the words of Jesus to Peter after Peter had resisted having Jesus wash his feet.

John 13:10 ^(NKJV) Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – The cleanliness Jesus was speaking about was forgiveness of sins, which makes people fit to have fellowship with him, fit to enter the presence of God. The disciples were already clean in this sense because they had accepted Jesus’ word... Later, Jesus would say to his disciples, ‘You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you’ (15:3).

In the first part of the Lord’s reply, He obviously seems to be speaking in a literal sense: Those who have bathed before leaving home to come to the meal need only to have their feet washed because of the dusty roads.

However, the second part of the reply: “you are clean,” seems to have a separate, higher meaning. Thus, a reference to the gift of salvation/redemption provided by His upcoming death.

The disciples may have had dirty feet, but they had clean hearts.

Conclusion:

As I was thinking about this humble display of love and service that Jesus did for His disciples, I thought about the fact that we sometimes use the phrase “getting our hands dirty” when we speak about hard work or lowly tasks. Perhaps my sermon title should have also included the phrase “dirty hands” to emphasize the aspect of doing hard or humiliating work for others.

When we remember the awesome example of humility and service that Jesus provided, and we remember the gift of redemption He provided, we need to live out our lives in demonstration of gratitude by following His example. The highest form of devotion and honor we can show towards someone is to mimic their conduct and attitudes.

How will you, how will I, demonstrate our love and gratitude for Christ’s sacrificial love?

Before we share the elements of communion today, let us take our Praise and Worship Hymnals and sing the hymn: Here at Thy Table, Lord