“After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land." So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of his palace. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD. While Jezebel was killing off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals." So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"
"Yes," he replied. 1 Kings 18:1-8
v.3-4 Ob playing a key role in building the kingdom of God - serving God and building the kingdom by personally taking care of these other men.
His role is much different than Elijah’s - Elijah is out front - up front, connecting with outsiders, teaching God’s Word, speaking with other leaders, confronting issues - he’s is front and center.
Ob. however is working backstage, in the background, not seen, hidden actually - taking care of others who were at 1 time and will be again, front and center.
Ob. is doing his part - playing the role God intended for him to play - moving and acting with the abilities, skills and gifts God has given him.
He is doing his part in building the kingdom.
This leads to the ?, are we doing our part in building the kingdom of God? Do we even know our part?
Are you doing your part? Do you know what your part is?
According to God’s Word, everyone of us has a role, a part to play in building the kingdom of God - of seeing the world
impacted w/ the the good news of J.C.
1 Corinthians 12
“Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.” v.4-7
You play a part
Treat everyone as if they have a need, because everybody does
3 needs:
physical - spiritual - emotional
3 ways we can serve:
To God - To believers - To unbelievers
Why should I be interested?
1. I’ve been created to serve - on purpose for a purpose.
“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
2. I’ve been saved to serve
“It is God who saved us and chose for his holy work. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began” 2 Timothy 1:9
giving life to Christ is not the end - it’s not the be-all, end-all - it’s the beginning - saved to serve!
3. I’ve been called to serve - every believer has been called.
“God in his grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him.” Galatians 1:15
“...You have been chosen by God himself...so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” 2 Peter 2:9-10
4. I’ve been gifted to serve
“God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you.” 1 Peter 4:10 - S.H.A.P.E.
5. I’ve been authorized to serve “Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples” Matthew 28:18-19
- not just clergy
“We are therefore Christ's ambassadors” 2 Corinthians 5:20
defin: a person who acts as a representative
6. I’ve been commanded to serve
“Your attitude must be like my own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve” Matthew 20:28
7. I’m to be prepared for service
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesians 4:11-12
8. Others need me to serve
“Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
9. I am accountable for my part
“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
Romans 14:12
there will come a day when each of us will be asked by God, did you play your part? - how do I know what my part is? shape
10. I will be rewarded for playing my part
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” Colossians 3:23-24
you will be rewarded for playing your part.
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
Matthew 25
Each of us have a part to play in building the Kingdom of God -
I think that’s incredibly exciting!!!
That God actually wants me, the average Joe to be a part of something so big, so huge, beyond my comprehension - something that matters more than anything else in this world - I get to play a part - WOW!
“In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world,
I give them a mission in the world.” John 17:18
Each of us have a mission, we each play a part
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
The Elijah Element - PUSH
Audio on iTunes:
1 Kings 17:17-24
quickly review vs. 7-16 - Amazing miracle - how cool would that be to never have to worry about or even think about getting any food - your pantry is just supernaturally replenishing - your friends ask if you have anything to eat -- uh.. yeah...
Dude I haven’t been to Krogers in 3 yrs. - my frig is full man.
17 “Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.”
Here is this Big, Huge miracle in this widow’s life, but that doesn’t mean the trouble is over... life continues... we live in a fallen world... bad things are gonna continue to come our way - sad, but true.
This woman may have thought, “well God is providing this miracle of the everlasting food, so everything in my life is good, no worries, no problems... not the case.
God’s provision is never given in order to let us rest upon just that
18 “She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"
She turns on him quickly, right? At 1st he’s this great prophet of God, making way for God’s food miracle, now all of a sudden he’s a bum. She goes bi-polar on him and turns into a hater.
Tragedy will do that to us. Fear will do that do us - it happened to her - ever happen to you?
When things aren’t going as planned, when life isn’t all merry and fun, it’s not always that bed of roses -
something goes awry, something unexpected occurs and really spoils the moment or day, or week, or year.
She’s just lost her son, now she’s lost her control.
In all tragedy or fear we must trust and depend on God.
We need to depend on Him
when the 911 tragedy struck the hearts of every american and others... that tragedy created a lot of fear and anger and raised a number of ?’s and doubt... people began asking how could God allow such a thing? why would he bring this tragedy upon innocent people? lost spouse, parents, children, they hurt, they ?
Many people turned quickly just as this widow did.
What’s important to understand about living in a fallen, broken world, where the Bible describes us as born w/ every inclination of evil - that God doesn’t bring disaster upon anyone, we bring it
B/c we are sinful people, b/c we do not live in a perfect world, bad things are going to happen and we have to be able to trust that Father knows best. Our heavenly Father cares so much for us and knows us better than we know ourselves.
That we can trust that He will guide us thru this and take care of us all the way, and as long as we need.
You mean that much to Him.
And He wants you to call to Him and cry out to Him.
vs.19-20
"Give me your son," Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?"
It's OK to cry out to the Lord, it’s OK to ? God. Asking Him, Hey, Lord, what’s going on here? I don’t get it - what’s happening? - I think those thoughts run thru our minds everytime we cross a scenario like this where the child has past away before the parent(s).
David cried out - known as man after God’s own heart -
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” Ps. 22:1-2
“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God” Ps. 13:1-3
God wants us to express every ounce of our being, every emotion, every thought laid out b/c He cares, He wants you to tell Him, He loves everything about you - even our questioning.
21 “Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"
Look at how Elijah prayed 3 times here.
Don’t stop after one prayer. Elijah prays once for child, we’ll geez I tried, sorry lady.
Our tendency is to quit to soon - we pray once, don’t get an answer, “well must not have been God’s timing or will - I quit”
(it can happen... marriage... relat.... job.. school)
If you call someone, let it ring once, didn’t answer, I guess they’re not available, go over to friends house
go up to door, knock once, they don’t answer - you leave.
Here is God teaching us perseverance in prayer.
“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Is. 40:31
Sometimes God has a purpose in the wait, in strengthening us - He sees the big picture, we don’t have a clue what lies ahead - so don’t stop praying, seeking God for the answers you need in life.
Daniel prayer in ch. 9 - no immediate response, no immed. idea or sense that God is doing anything at all - then a few days pass, a week passes, then 2 weeks, 3 weeks - here’s what happens:
“Daniel... Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days.” Daniel 10:12-13
an example of a delayed answer to prayer.
P.U.S.H.
Pray
Until
Something
Happens
in me, or the other, or the situation
22 The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"
God wants to answer, He wants to please, to bring us great joy in life.
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” John 10:10
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
Jesus also said that He wants to us ask of anything so that our Father in Heaven may be glorified.
“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:13
Jesus wants us to call out, cry out, regardless of what it is, or even the emotion we are displaying as ugly as that may be in that moment, God says, be real with me - he knows how we feel anyway - He already knows, so He says, be real. (vid)
This is one way our relationship w/ Jesus Christ will grow - if we are real, not holding back anything, any emotions.
How many close relationships do you have that are not real? how close are your relationships that you are holding back about yourself, not really letting the know who you are, or how you feel? How close are you to those people?
J.C. wants to be our best friend - Talk to Him just like you’d talk to your best friend.
remember v.23, you son is alive
24“Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth."
Really? Now you know? The whole everlasting food thing didn’t give you a clue. A little skeptical are you?
Look at how God brings her back around - Everything in life is going great - got the magical replenishing pantry, got a Prophet of God chillin’ in my house - then boom! tragedy strikes
and she loses it - Gets angry at God
and as Elijah crys out to God - PUSH - persevering
God answers - the widows son is brought back to life
and now she believes!
God is faithful - even when we get angry and upset, even if we blame Him, as she did - God is faithful, and He will prove it
everytime.
Doubting Thomas
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
A week later (push - didn’t happen immed.) his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:24-28
1 Kings 17:17-24
quickly review vs. 7-16 - Amazing miracle - how cool would that be to never have to worry about or even think about getting any food - your pantry is just supernaturally replenishing - your friends ask if you have anything to eat -- uh.. yeah...
Dude I haven’t been to Krogers in 3 yrs. - my frig is full man.
17 “Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.”
Here is this Big, Huge miracle in this widow’s life, but that doesn’t mean the trouble is over... life continues... we live in a fallen world... bad things are gonna continue to come our way - sad, but true.
This woman may have thought, “well God is providing this miracle of the everlasting food, so everything in my life is good, no worries, no problems... not the case.
God’s provision is never given in order to let us rest upon just that
18 “She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"
She turns on him quickly, right? At 1st he’s this great prophet of God, making way for God’s food miracle, now all of a sudden he’s a bum. She goes bi-polar on him and turns into a hater.
Tragedy will do that to us. Fear will do that do us - it happened to her - ever happen to you?
When things aren’t going as planned, when life isn’t all merry and fun, it’s not always that bed of roses -
something goes awry, something unexpected occurs and really spoils the moment or day, or week, or year.
She’s just lost her son, now she’s lost her control.
In all tragedy or fear we must trust and depend on God.
We need to depend on Him
when the 911 tragedy struck the hearts of every american and others... that tragedy created a lot of fear and anger and raised a number of ?’s and doubt... people began asking how could God allow such a thing? why would he bring this tragedy upon innocent people? lost spouse, parents, children, they hurt, they ?
Many people turned quickly just as this widow did.
What’s important to understand about living in a fallen, broken world, where the Bible describes us as born w/ every inclination of evil - that God doesn’t bring disaster upon anyone, we bring it
B/c we are sinful people, b/c we do not live in a perfect world, bad things are going to happen and we have to be able to trust that Father knows best. Our heavenly Father cares so much for us and knows us better than we know ourselves.
That we can trust that He will guide us thru this and take care of us all the way, and as long as we need.
You mean that much to Him.
And He wants you to call to Him and cry out to Him.
vs.19-20
"Give me your son," Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?"
It's OK to cry out to the Lord, it’s OK to ? God. Asking Him, Hey, Lord, what’s going on here? I don’t get it - what’s happening? - I think those thoughts run thru our minds everytime we cross a scenario like this where the child has past away before the parent(s).
David cried out - known as man after God’s own heart -
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” Ps. 22:1-2
“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God” Ps. 13:1-3
God wants us to express every ounce of our being, every emotion, every thought laid out b/c He cares, He wants you to tell Him, He loves everything about you - even our questioning.
21 “Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"
Look at how Elijah prayed 3 times here.
Don’t stop after one prayer. Elijah prays once for child, we’ll geez I tried, sorry lady.
Our tendency is to quit to soon - we pray once, don’t get an answer, “well must not have been God’s timing or will - I quit”
(it can happen... marriage... relat.... job.. school)
If you call someone, let it ring once, didn’t answer, I guess they’re not available, go over to friends house
go up to door, knock once, they don’t answer - you leave.
Here is God teaching us perseverance in prayer.
“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Is. 40:31
Sometimes God has a purpose in the wait, in strengthening us - He sees the big picture, we don’t have a clue what lies ahead - so don’t stop praying, seeking God for the answers you need in life.
Daniel prayer in ch. 9 - no immediate response, no immed. idea or sense that God is doing anything at all - then a few days pass, a week passes, then 2 weeks, 3 weeks - here’s what happens:
“Daniel... Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days.” Daniel 10:12-13
an example of a delayed answer to prayer.
P.U.S.H.
Pray
Until
Something
Happens
in me, or the other, or the situation
22 The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"
God wants to answer, He wants to please, to bring us great joy in life.
“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” John 10:10
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
Jesus also said that He wants to us ask of anything so that our Father in Heaven may be glorified.
“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:13
Jesus wants us to call out, cry out, regardless of what it is, or even the emotion we are displaying as ugly as that may be in that moment, God says, be real with me - he knows how we feel anyway - He already knows, so He says, be real. (vid)
This is one way our relationship w/ Jesus Christ will grow - if we are real, not holding back anything, any emotions.
How many close relationships do you have that are not real? how close are your relationships that you are holding back about yourself, not really letting the know who you are, or how you feel? How close are you to those people?
J.C. wants to be our best friend - Talk to Him just like you’d talk to your best friend.
remember v.23, you son is alive
24“Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth."
Really? Now you know? The whole everlasting food thing didn’t give you a clue. A little skeptical are you?
Look at how God brings her back around - Everything in life is going great - got the magical replenishing pantry, got a Prophet of God chillin’ in my house - then boom! tragedy strikes
and she loses it - Gets angry at God
and as Elijah crys out to God - PUSH - persevering
God answers - the widows son is brought back to life
and now she believes!
God is faithful - even when we get angry and upset, even if we blame Him, as she did - God is faithful, and He will prove it
everytime.
Doubting Thomas
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
A week later (push - didn’t happen immed.) his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:24-28
Monday, June 04, 2007
The Elijah Element - Where God Guides, He Provides
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."
So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
Imagine getting this assignment from God... hope you like camping - hope you like roughin’ it
in v. 3 God says, “Hide” (read) - last week we talked about living by faith & that Elijah moved and walked in obedience w/out hesitation - and that we should also apply this Elijah Element in our lives, to live by faith, walk in obedience to God’s Word.
It’s interesting to me here that God tells Elijah to hide, is it to you? When we talk about about walking in obed. to God’s Word sometimes that’s a bit challenging, our selfish wants and desires get in the way, or fear gets in the way so we become a little hesitant - but if God said, “Hey Joe, get out of here, run and hide” You’d think I’d just take off - “You mean you’re not telling me to stand up against the grain or do something that appears extremely difficult... sure... I’ll hide”
But I think, even in God asking us to run, we still question it.
“Why run, what’s the hurry God?” right?
Something in us that always want to ? the will of God.
If God says run, you better run. If God says hide, you better hide
You better put your tough guy Texan pride aside and GO!
A similar situation happened just about 1000yrs. earlier when we read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed.
Look at what God’s message is to His followers:
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished."
16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away! Gen. 19:14-17
If God says run... run!
There are different occasions in Deuteronomy and in Jeremiah
where God tells the people of Israel to flee or run b/c disaster is about to fall upon the cities they were in.
in 1 Corinthians 6:18 God tells us all to
“Flee from sexual immorality”
in 1 Corinthians 10:14 God tells us all to
“flee from idolatry”
Why is God telling us to run or flee from such things?
B/c disaster is about to fall - He is basically telling us, “you can’t hang - it will get the best of you, you can’t stand against it alone so get out of there. - don’t put yourself in compromising situations.
If God says run... run!
continuing in 1 Kings 17...
Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
"As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
1 Kings 17:2-16
In a nation that is required to take care of it’s prophets, it is ironic that God turned to ravens (considered unclean birds)
and a widow who is a foreigner from Jezebels homeland to take care of Elijah.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides.
God has help where we least expect it. He provides for us in ways that go beyond our limited imaginations or expectations.
No matter how difficult life becomes or how hopeless our situation may appear we can count on God to pull us through.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides
It’s usually a matter of timing:
God has made it easy for us to understand His timing. He made it simple to discover His time by giving us the seasons of life.
So we must understand that everything has seasons.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” Ecc 3:1
You see, to know the time for everything we need to understand that every activity has a season. Seasons are God’s clue to timing.
God’s Timing in your life can be discerned by determining what season you’re in, and when you find out the season you’re in, you can act accordingly.
For example, if it’s winter and cold outside, then it is time for you to wear a coat. You don’t have to pray real hard to figure out if you should wear a coat. Simply look outdoors and you’ll know what to do.
The same is true of life. In order to know what to do, simply find out what season it is in your life, and then act appropriately.
The key to success is acting relevantly to your circumstances. Simply waiting around for your ship to come in will never bring you success. Don’t wait for success? Success is who you are and what you do every day of your life. found in obed.
The problem with many of us is that we don’t know what to do.
Listen, it is easy to know what to do. Just as there are seasons of nature, there are seasons of life. Each season corresponds to a particular action that we need to take. For example, there is a time to plant and a time to reap. How do you know if it’s time to reap? You know it’s time when the harvest is ripe.-if it is ready. The same is true of your life.
So to find out God’s timing you simply need to ask yourself, "What season am I in?"
and listen He will provide.
God’s Provision
God is referred to as Jehovah-Jireh. which means "the Lord will provide."
This name comes from the story in Genesis of Abraham's obedience to offer Isaac to the Lord. You will find the story in Genesis 22. God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. Deciding to obey the Lord, Abraham took Isaac and set out to the place where God had chosen. He bound his son and laid him on the altar. As he was about to slay his son, God stopped him. He commended him for his willingness to obey and called his attention to a ram that he had provided for Abraham to offer. As Abraham offered the ram as a burnt offering to God, he called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh. He had experienced the provision of God. He had come to experience first-hand the reality that God could provide. ever had a Jeh.Jir. exper? Obviously God made this happen.
As a father provides for his own children, so God is our provider. James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights."
Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
God not only gives us the stuff we need, He gives us the good stuff. He gives us what we really need, not simply what we think we need. And much of what God gives us you simply cannot buy with money. When you are overwhelmed, you may be able to buy a bottle. When you sober up, however, the problem is still there. What you need is supernatural peace in the midst of the problem. What you need is the ability to deal with the situation. Only God Jeh.Jir. can give you that.
Let me give you some thoughts on receiving from God.
The first is the principle of obedience. If we want to receive from God, we must be in God's will.
The first area in which we need to be in the will of God is our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Jesus must be maintained if we are going to be in a position to pray for and receive what we need. Jesus said, in John 15:7, "If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you."
This is our first priority. Maintain that love relationship with Jesus Christ.
Another area in which we need to make sure we are in the will of God is our relationship to the church. If we neglect our fellowship with one another then we will find ourselves out of the will of God
Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another"
If we want to be in the will of God, we must be in right relationship to one another in a local church where we can serve God.
A final area of obedience is obedience in giving. So many people take themselves out of a position where they can receive from God because they will not be obedient in this vital matter.
God has promised that if we bring His tithes into the storehouse, He will pour out blessings upon us. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows." Malachi 3:10
You see, the principle God has established is that we first give than we receive. Luke 6:38 reads, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.".
v.13-14 -
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
Give to God 1st and He will provide!
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
So we must be obedient to God in terms of our relationship with Jesus Christ and with His church, and in terms of our giving.
When we walk in obed. putting God 1st - He will provide.
Where God guides, He provides
So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
Imagine getting this assignment from God... hope you like camping - hope you like roughin’ it
in v. 3 God says, “Hide” (read) - last week we talked about living by faith & that Elijah moved and walked in obedience w/out hesitation - and that we should also apply this Elijah Element in our lives, to live by faith, walk in obedience to God’s Word.
It’s interesting to me here that God tells Elijah to hide, is it to you? When we talk about about walking in obed. to God’s Word sometimes that’s a bit challenging, our selfish wants and desires get in the way, or fear gets in the way so we become a little hesitant - but if God said, “Hey Joe, get out of here, run and hide” You’d think I’d just take off - “You mean you’re not telling me to stand up against the grain or do something that appears extremely difficult... sure... I’ll hide”
But I think, even in God asking us to run, we still question it.
“Why run, what’s the hurry God?” right?
Something in us that always want to ? the will of God.
If God says run, you better run. If God says hide, you better hide
You better put your tough guy Texan pride aside and GO!
A similar situation happened just about 1000yrs. earlier when we read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed.
Look at what God’s message is to His followers:
So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished."
16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away! Gen. 19:14-17
If God says run... run!
There are different occasions in Deuteronomy and in Jeremiah
where God tells the people of Israel to flee or run b/c disaster is about to fall upon the cities they were in.
in 1 Corinthians 6:18 God tells us all to
“Flee from sexual immorality”
in 1 Corinthians 10:14 God tells us all to
“flee from idolatry”
Why is God telling us to run or flee from such things?
B/c disaster is about to fall - He is basically telling us, “you can’t hang - it will get the best of you, you can’t stand against it alone so get out of there. - don’t put yourself in compromising situations.
If God says run... run!
continuing in 1 Kings 17...
Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
"As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
1 Kings 17:2-16
In a nation that is required to take care of it’s prophets, it is ironic that God turned to ravens (considered unclean birds)
and a widow who is a foreigner from Jezebels homeland to take care of Elijah.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides.
God has help where we least expect it. He provides for us in ways that go beyond our limited imaginations or expectations.
No matter how difficult life becomes or how hopeless our situation may appear we can count on God to pull us through.
Where God leads, He feeds, Where God guides, He provides
It’s usually a matter of timing:
God has made it easy for us to understand His timing. He made it simple to discover His time by giving us the seasons of life.
So we must understand that everything has seasons.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” Ecc 3:1
You see, to know the time for everything we need to understand that every activity has a season. Seasons are God’s clue to timing.
God’s Timing in your life can be discerned by determining what season you’re in, and when you find out the season you’re in, you can act accordingly.
For example, if it’s winter and cold outside, then it is time for you to wear a coat. You don’t have to pray real hard to figure out if you should wear a coat. Simply look outdoors and you’ll know what to do.
The same is true of life. In order to know what to do, simply find out what season it is in your life, and then act appropriately.
The key to success is acting relevantly to your circumstances. Simply waiting around for your ship to come in will never bring you success. Don’t wait for success? Success is who you are and what you do every day of your life. found in obed.
The problem with many of us is that we don’t know what to do.
Listen, it is easy to know what to do. Just as there are seasons of nature, there are seasons of life. Each season corresponds to a particular action that we need to take. For example, there is a time to plant and a time to reap. How do you know if it’s time to reap? You know it’s time when the harvest is ripe.-if it is ready. The same is true of your life.
So to find out God’s timing you simply need to ask yourself, "What season am I in?"
and listen He will provide.
God’s Provision
God is referred to as Jehovah-Jireh. which means "the Lord will provide."
This name comes from the story in Genesis of Abraham's obedience to offer Isaac to the Lord. You will find the story in Genesis 22. God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. Deciding to obey the Lord, Abraham took Isaac and set out to the place where God had chosen. He bound his son and laid him on the altar. As he was about to slay his son, God stopped him. He commended him for his willingness to obey and called his attention to a ram that he had provided for Abraham to offer. As Abraham offered the ram as a burnt offering to God, he called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh. He had experienced the provision of God. He had come to experience first-hand the reality that God could provide. ever had a Jeh.Jir. exper? Obviously God made this happen.
As a father provides for his own children, so God is our provider. James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights."
Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
God not only gives us the stuff we need, He gives us the good stuff. He gives us what we really need, not simply what we think we need. And much of what God gives us you simply cannot buy with money. When you are overwhelmed, you may be able to buy a bottle. When you sober up, however, the problem is still there. What you need is supernatural peace in the midst of the problem. What you need is the ability to deal with the situation. Only God Jeh.Jir. can give you that.
Let me give you some thoughts on receiving from God.
The first is the principle of obedience. If we want to receive from God, we must be in God's will.
The first area in which we need to be in the will of God is our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our relationship with Jesus must be maintained if we are going to be in a position to pray for and receive what we need. Jesus said, in John 15:7, "If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you."
This is our first priority. Maintain that love relationship with Jesus Christ.
Another area in which we need to make sure we are in the will of God is our relationship to the church. If we neglect our fellowship with one another then we will find ourselves out of the will of God
Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another"
If we want to be in the will of God, we must be in right relationship to one another in a local church where we can serve God.
A final area of obedience is obedience in giving. So many people take themselves out of a position where they can receive from God because they will not be obedient in this vital matter.
God has promised that if we bring His tithes into the storehouse, He will pour out blessings upon us. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows." Malachi 3:10
You see, the principle God has established is that we first give than we receive. Luke 6:38 reads, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.".
v.13-14 -
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
Give to God 1st and He will provide!
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
So we must be obedient to God in terms of our relationship with Jesus Christ and with His church, and in terms of our giving.
When we walk in obed. putting God 1st - He will provide.
Where God guides, He provides
Monday, May 28, 2007
The Elijah Element - Live by Faith
“Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." 1 Kings 17:1
Elijah was the 1st in a long line of important prophets sent to Israel and Judah. Israel, the northern kingdom didn’t have a single faithful king throughout it’s history. Each king was wicked, actually leading the people into worshiping pagan gods. This is God’s chosen people in the promised land and this is how far they’ve fallen. There were few priests left in the land and the priests that were appointed by Israels kings were corrupt and ineffective.
So with no kings or priests to bring God’s Word to the people, God called prophets to try to rescue Israel from it’s moral and spiritual decline. Elijah was the 1st .
v.1 Elijah says to Ahab...confronts Ahab...think about this...
Ahab is the King of Israel - the power of life and death in his hands - to confront him....would be like walking up to Scarface and calling him a little girl - it could get bad.
We talked a bit last week of how Baal was worshiped as a weather god who brought the rains and big harvest. So when Elijah walks into the presence of this Baal-worshipping king and told him there would be no more rain for several yrs. - Ahab was shocked. there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
How brave, how courageous - realizing the ramifications of who he is speaking this to.
Elijah gallantly confronts the man who has led his people into evil.
What comes to mind when you think of confrontation? How do you feel when it’s time to confront someone or something?
Does the word confrontation make you feel uneasy? If so, you aren't alone. Although there are people who enjoy taking the bull by the horns, most of us would rather experience flight than fight, therefore make it our habit to avoid confrontation at all costs.
But there are many times, just as here w/ Ahab that it is absolutely necessary to confront an issue or att. or whatever...
(proper way?) vid
How to confront with success:
Get it from God - lines up w/ His Word
•You take the first step. Your goal is reconciliation rather than revenge. First, pray that God will grant you the love you need to speak the truth. Reconciliation is a two-way street, and unless both parties want to rebuild, reconciliation is impossible. Confrontation simply means coming together, articulating the problem, and allowing the other person to choose whether to be part of the solution. If so, you both move toward a fresh start. If not, you move toward a fresh start alone.
•You choose the right time. Timing is everything. Choose a time when you both won't be hurried and can really communicate.
•You choose the right place. Choose a location that is pleasant, private, and, if possible, neutral territory.
•You choose the right attitude. Confront caringly with real concern for the other person. Your main objective is to rebuild the love you once had for him or her. Do it gently, not offering more than the relationship can bear. Be constructive, taking into consideration any possible interpretations of blaming, shaming, or punishing. Be accepting of the other person's response and intentions.
•Don't confront when you are still too angry to control yourself.
•Don't confront when it's none of your business.
•Don't confront if you aren't sure about what really happened. Hearsay evidence doesn't count. - do your homework
•Don't confront when it's wise to overlook the offense. pic battle
•Focus on the issue. Don't wander off the subject or get diverted to another subject. Say, The situation I want to discuss with you is _______. If I get off the subject, please get me back on track, and I'll try to do the same for you, so we can resolve this problem.
•Focus on I, not you. Don't be accusative: You really made me mad. Or you have this lousy habit of... Instead start with the word I. I felt angry when you said... or I feel frustrated by your habit of...
•Focus on growth. Accept the fact that you, too, have contributed to the problem you're having. Enter into your confrontation with a willingness to hear the other person out, admit your faults, learn from your mistakes, and make amends.
•Focus on gentleness and mutual understanding. “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Phil 4:5).
Remember, the person you are talking to is more important than any issue. Affirm the person - confront the issue
Elijah steps up to the plate and confronts Ahab. He gets it from God and confronts Ahab.
It takes faith to live like that! (vid) We are to live by faith.
That means in it’s simplest form - obedience.
When we live by faith, walk in faith great things happen.
When we walk in obedience to God, in what His Word already says it is not only going to make a huge impact on our own lives, but a significant impact on the lives of others around us.
How cool is that! God’s Word will not return void/empty - the promises are true. All we have to do is live by them, walk in them - what are wanting to see happen? what are you dreaming of? what do you want to see happen that is much bigger than you alone can make happen?
Simply live by faith - and watch the Creator of the Universe work
This is exactly what we see in the life of Elijah
Look at how often scripture shows us Elijah walking, moving in obedience -
17:2-5; 8-10; 18:1-2; 19:5-6; 7-8; 11-13; 15-19; 2 Kings 1:3-4; 15
in every command of God, Elijah moved in obedience, w/out hesitation (oh... im not sure about that God.. that doesn’t make any sense.. really, you want me to do that?)
Elijah went for it - w/ a heart completely in line w/ God - it was easy for him to live by faith.
Amazing, amazing things happened in his life, as we see will together in the weeks to come - but I want to show you this before we move on... walking in obed. affects others.
read 17:9-15a
She went - she moved in obed. to the will of God
Obviously, this is a man of God, who is walking in obed. - in line w/ the heart of the Father and it creates in her this willingness to move in obedIence! WOW!
walking in obedience to God, in what His Word already says it is not only going to make a huge impact on our own lives, but a significant impact on the lives of others around us.
We are to be people who live by faith.
Charles Blondin tight rope illus.
Think about that. What does that mean? What could that look like even in a smaller community, a small group right here -
FOCUS*
The impact we can have even today is HUGE!
Let’s commit to being people who live by faith.
Elijah was the 1st in a long line of important prophets sent to Israel and Judah. Israel, the northern kingdom didn’t have a single faithful king throughout it’s history. Each king was wicked, actually leading the people into worshiping pagan gods. This is God’s chosen people in the promised land and this is how far they’ve fallen. There were few priests left in the land and the priests that were appointed by Israels kings were corrupt and ineffective.
So with no kings or priests to bring God’s Word to the people, God called prophets to try to rescue Israel from it’s moral and spiritual decline. Elijah was the 1st .
v.1 Elijah says to Ahab...confronts Ahab...think about this...
Ahab is the King of Israel - the power of life and death in his hands - to confront him....would be like walking up to Scarface and calling him a little girl - it could get bad.
We talked a bit last week of how Baal was worshiped as a weather god who brought the rains and big harvest. So when Elijah walks into the presence of this Baal-worshipping king and told him there would be no more rain for several yrs. - Ahab was shocked. there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
How brave, how courageous - realizing the ramifications of who he is speaking this to.
Elijah gallantly confronts the man who has led his people into evil.
What comes to mind when you think of confrontation? How do you feel when it’s time to confront someone or something?
Does the word confrontation make you feel uneasy? If so, you aren't alone. Although there are people who enjoy taking the bull by the horns, most of us would rather experience flight than fight, therefore make it our habit to avoid confrontation at all costs.
But there are many times, just as here w/ Ahab that it is absolutely necessary to confront an issue or att. or whatever...
(proper way?) vid
How to confront with success:
Get it from God - lines up w/ His Word
•You take the first step. Your goal is reconciliation rather than revenge. First, pray that God will grant you the love you need to speak the truth. Reconciliation is a two-way street, and unless both parties want to rebuild, reconciliation is impossible. Confrontation simply means coming together, articulating the problem, and allowing the other person to choose whether to be part of the solution. If so, you both move toward a fresh start. If not, you move toward a fresh start alone.
•You choose the right time. Timing is everything. Choose a time when you both won't be hurried and can really communicate.
•You choose the right place. Choose a location that is pleasant, private, and, if possible, neutral territory.
•You choose the right attitude. Confront caringly with real concern for the other person. Your main objective is to rebuild the love you once had for him or her. Do it gently, not offering more than the relationship can bear. Be constructive, taking into consideration any possible interpretations of blaming, shaming, or punishing. Be accepting of the other person's response and intentions.
•Don't confront when you are still too angry to control yourself.
•Don't confront when it's none of your business.
•Don't confront if you aren't sure about what really happened. Hearsay evidence doesn't count. - do your homework
•Don't confront when it's wise to overlook the offense. pic battle
•Focus on the issue. Don't wander off the subject or get diverted to another subject. Say, The situation I want to discuss with you is _______. If I get off the subject, please get me back on track, and I'll try to do the same for you, so we can resolve this problem.
•Focus on I, not you. Don't be accusative: You really made me mad. Or you have this lousy habit of... Instead start with the word I. I felt angry when you said... or I feel frustrated by your habit of...
•Focus on growth. Accept the fact that you, too, have contributed to the problem you're having. Enter into your confrontation with a willingness to hear the other person out, admit your faults, learn from your mistakes, and make amends.
•Focus on gentleness and mutual understanding. “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Phil 4:5).
Remember, the person you are talking to is more important than any issue. Affirm the person - confront the issue
Elijah steps up to the plate and confronts Ahab. He gets it from God and confronts Ahab.
It takes faith to live like that! (vid) We are to live by faith.
That means in it’s simplest form - obedience.
When we live by faith, walk in faith great things happen.
When we walk in obedience to God, in what His Word already says it is not only going to make a huge impact on our own lives, but a significant impact on the lives of others around us.
How cool is that! God’s Word will not return void/empty - the promises are true. All we have to do is live by them, walk in them - what are wanting to see happen? what are you dreaming of? what do you want to see happen that is much bigger than you alone can make happen?
Simply live by faith - and watch the Creator of the Universe work
This is exactly what we see in the life of Elijah
Look at how often scripture shows us Elijah walking, moving in obedience -
17:2-5; 8-10; 18:1-2; 19:5-6; 7-8; 11-13; 15-19; 2 Kings 1:3-4; 15
in every command of God, Elijah moved in obedience, w/out hesitation (oh... im not sure about that God.. that doesn’t make any sense.. really, you want me to do that?)
Elijah went for it - w/ a heart completely in line w/ God - it was easy for him to live by faith.
Amazing, amazing things happened in his life, as we see will together in the weeks to come - but I want to show you this before we move on... walking in obed. affects others.
read 17:9-15a
She went - she moved in obed. to the will of God
Obviously, this is a man of God, who is walking in obed. - in line w/ the heart of the Father and it creates in her this willingness to move in obedIence! WOW!
walking in obedience to God, in what His Word already says it is not only going to make a huge impact on our own lives, but a significant impact on the lives of others around us.
We are to be people who live by faith.
Charles Blondin tight rope illus.
Think about that. What does that mean? What could that look like even in a smaller community, a small group right here -
FOCUS*
The impact we can have even today is HUGE!
Let’s commit to being people who live by faith.
Monday, May 21, 2007
The Elijah Element - Polarity
As we begin this series, let's take a quick look at Israels history.
Following the reign of King David, his son, Solomon reigned in what scrip. says, in wisdom and the strength of God for approximately 30-35 years before his own decline and downfall. After Solomon, Israel divides into 2 separate nations - Judah (southern) & Israel (northern) - the Kings of Israel all did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forsook His ways to serve idols, and led the people themselves into idolatry. Conspiracy and assassination were the methods used in ascension to the throne; a sharp contrast to the anointing that God gave His chosen Kings; David, and Solomon. Finally, fifty-five years and six kings later, Ahab comes on the scene. The Bible tells us that Ahab did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him.
What a legacy; to be known as one who has excelled in evil!
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him. 1 Kings 16:29-33
I Kings 16:31 tells us that Ahab considered it ‘no big deal’ to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, who had raised up idols in the land after the death of Solomon; and so little did sin and the
doing of evil matter to Ahab.
Making light of less sins makes way for greater sins, that he even marries Jezebel, a devout worshipper of Baal and the daughter of a king who worshipped Baal.
He marries this wicked woman, who he knew would bring in the worship of Baal, and seemed to marry her with that design. As if it had been a light thing to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, he took Jezebel as his wife(v. 31), she’s a God hater, extremely malicious in her natural temper, addicted to witchcraft (2 Ki. 9:22), and every way vicious. considered 2day:
High Maintence wicked Pysho-babel babe
Ahab built a temple in Samaria, the royal city, because the temple of God was in Jerusalem, the royal city of the other kingdom. He would have Baal’s temple near him, that he might the better frequent it, protect it, and put honour upon it.
He built an altar in that temple, on which to offer sacrifice to Baal, and they acknowledged their dependence upon him and sought his favour.
To sum up the life of Ahab we could say,
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
We've seen people like this in our world. We know folks who fit this description don't we?
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
I think if we look really close, I think we'll see we all have a little Ahab in us. Not nearly to the extreme he took it, but something there.
Ahab walked his own path, did what he wanted to do - we do that from time to time. “Aahhh it’s not that big of deal is it? I live under God’s grace”
Ahab choose to serve and worship other gods - we don’t do anything like that do we? That sounds so harsh. I don’t worship other gods! Really?
I do everytime I place something above God or at a higher priority than Him, or things I even choose to spend more time in or with - we have so many interests, hobbies, things we love to do,
watch on TV, and submerge ourselves totally in to. There are 1000's of things that fit this description.
In every instance, if not done in balance and with the proper
priority in order w/ God, we too serve these other gods - we think they’re serving us, giving us great pleasure, but how naive we are.
Then we look at the people Ahab chose to be with. Jezebel in particular b/c she had the greatest influence on him.
We just talked about influ. a couple of weeks ago, but who we hang out with, spend our time w/ matters. it matters.
It doesn’t mean we forsake all contact w/ those we know who are not true Christ-followers, but it certainly matters what kind of impact is taking place. Now that really matters!
Are you impacting/influ. them w/ the love of Christ or are you using this time w/ them to drop our guard a bit,
b/c “they won’t mind, and I can’t do this at home, so... it’s ok today”
Oh, there’s a little Ahab in us all I’m afraid.
This hard heart that sometimes ignores God and lives for self.
Let's set up this next verse. Baal was worshipped as a weather-god. Later, the weather-god should have been able to strike his priest’s sacrifice with lightning, there on Mt. Carmel. But God would mock this false god by consuming Elijah’s sacrifice with fire from heaven. In like manner Elijah, first coming on the scene in chapter 17, mocks Baal’s power by announcing that there will be no rain...not even morning dew...until he, Elijah, says so.
“Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." v.1 Now as a legitimate prophet of God, we know that Elijah didn’t just decide on his own initiative to make this declaration.
That would be stupid - get you killed.
It must have followed very earnest and real-time in prayer, that God told him to go to Ahab and make the announcement. Ahab would understand that it was Elijah’s God who would hold back the rain; but I don’t want you to miss the way God honors the man who is truly close to His own heart. He has promised Elijah that when the rain finally comes, it would be at Elijah’s bidding. (“...there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”)
This can only be done by a man who truly loves and seeks God in all and every area of life that his heart is in complete line w/ the heart of God - WOW!
What a contrast to Ahab.
He is the polar opposite - a true follower of the Most High God.
One with a heart after God.
A Heart after God
The Beatitudes do not describe many separate individuals, but rather the characteristics of those who are wholeheartedly,
passionately pursuing God.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you. Matthew 5:3-12
Let’s look at each of these & how they describe those with a heart after God
I. Seek God (3) ...poor in spirit...
Know they don’t know it all
Know they need outside help
2. Mourn Sin’s Results (4) ...they that mourn...
Sad from what they see, not proud of the world
around them - people lost w/out Christ (what do you see in regards to people
when walk into rest... groc.. mall... ballgame...?)
3. Wait for God to Act (5) ...the meek...
Not resisting God’s directions
Following God and letting Him change your life
4. Work to Further God’s Impact (6) ...after righteousness...
Work to satisfy strong desires for what’s right. Balance God’s grace and our good works (“speak truth in love” Eph.4:15)
5. Help Suffering People (7) ...the merciful...
Desire to be a “neighbor” (Luke 10:25-37)
Distributing mercy and relief - Montrose
6. Seek Another’s Best (8) ...the pure in heart...
Pure hearts share service and love
Pure motives, putting others above yourself - known by love
7. Help Strengthen Relationships (9) ...the peacemakers...
Builders, not breakers
bringing people 2gether and to Christ ()
8. Stand Up for What is Right (10-12) ...for my sake...
Does the “unusual” for God - go against the grain/ the world
Taking a stand for God & His ways - Elijah
It’s amazing to see as we study the life of Elijah just how
passionate and obedient and willing he was to move and
stand for God.
Over the next weeks we will see these in Elijah.
What a heart! What an example. study the life of Elijah this summer to learn, glean from God’s Word how to implement
The Elijah Element into our own lives.
It begins in the heart
Following the reign of King David, his son, Solomon reigned in what scrip. says, in wisdom and the strength of God for approximately 30-35 years before his own decline and downfall. After Solomon, Israel divides into 2 separate nations - Judah (southern) & Israel (northern) - the Kings of Israel all did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forsook His ways to serve idols, and led the people themselves into idolatry. Conspiracy and assassination were the methods used in ascension to the throne; a sharp contrast to the anointing that God gave His chosen Kings; David, and Solomon. Finally, fifty-five years and six kings later, Ahab comes on the scene. The Bible tells us that Ahab did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him.
What a legacy; to be known as one who has excelled in evil!
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him. 1 Kings 16:29-33
I Kings 16:31 tells us that Ahab considered it ‘no big deal’ to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, who had raised up idols in the land after the death of Solomon; and so little did sin and the
doing of evil matter to Ahab.
Making light of less sins makes way for greater sins, that he even marries Jezebel, a devout worshipper of Baal and the daughter of a king who worshipped Baal.
He marries this wicked woman, who he knew would bring in the worship of Baal, and seemed to marry her with that design. As if it had been a light thing to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, he took Jezebel as his wife(v. 31), she’s a God hater, extremely malicious in her natural temper, addicted to witchcraft (2 Ki. 9:22), and every way vicious. considered 2day:
High Maintence wicked Pysho-babel babe
Ahab built a temple in Samaria, the royal city, because the temple of God was in Jerusalem, the royal city of the other kingdom. He would have Baal’s temple near him, that he might the better frequent it, protect it, and put honour upon it.
He built an altar in that temple, on which to offer sacrifice to Baal, and they acknowledged their dependence upon him and sought his favour.
To sum up the life of Ahab we could say,
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
We've seen people like this in our world. We know folks who fit this description don't we?
Completely ignoring God and living for self.
I think if we look really close, I think we'll see we all have a little Ahab in us. Not nearly to the extreme he took it, but something there.
Ahab walked his own path, did what he wanted to do - we do that from time to time. “Aahhh it’s not that big of deal is it? I live under God’s grace”
Ahab choose to serve and worship other gods - we don’t do anything like that do we? That sounds so harsh. I don’t worship other gods! Really?
I do everytime I place something above God or at a higher priority than Him, or things I even choose to spend more time in or with - we have so many interests, hobbies, things we love to do,
watch on TV, and submerge ourselves totally in to. There are 1000's of things that fit this description.
In every instance, if not done in balance and with the proper
priority in order w/ God, we too serve these other gods - we think they’re serving us, giving us great pleasure, but how naive we are.
Then we look at the people Ahab chose to be with. Jezebel in particular b/c she had the greatest influence on him.
We just talked about influ. a couple of weeks ago, but who we hang out with, spend our time w/ matters. it matters.
It doesn’t mean we forsake all contact w/ those we know who are not true Christ-followers, but it certainly matters what kind of impact is taking place. Now that really matters!
Are you impacting/influ. them w/ the love of Christ or are you using this time w/ them to drop our guard a bit,
b/c “they won’t mind, and I can’t do this at home, so... it’s ok today”
Oh, there’s a little Ahab in us all I’m afraid.
This hard heart that sometimes ignores God and lives for self.
Let's set up this next verse. Baal was worshipped as a weather-god. Later, the weather-god should have been able to strike his priest’s sacrifice with lightning, there on Mt. Carmel. But God would mock this false god by consuming Elijah’s sacrifice with fire from heaven. In like manner Elijah, first coming on the scene in chapter 17, mocks Baal’s power by announcing that there will be no rain...not even morning dew...until he, Elijah, says so.
“Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." v.1 Now as a legitimate prophet of God, we know that Elijah didn’t just decide on his own initiative to make this declaration.
That would be stupid - get you killed.
It must have followed very earnest and real-time in prayer, that God told him to go to Ahab and make the announcement. Ahab would understand that it was Elijah’s God who would hold back the rain; but I don’t want you to miss the way God honors the man who is truly close to His own heart. He has promised Elijah that when the rain finally comes, it would be at Elijah’s bidding. (“...there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”)
This can only be done by a man who truly loves and seeks God in all and every area of life that his heart is in complete line w/ the heart of God - WOW!
What a contrast to Ahab.
He is the polar opposite - a true follower of the Most High God.
One with a heart after God.
A Heart after God
The Beatitudes do not describe many separate individuals, but rather the characteristics of those who are wholeheartedly,
passionately pursuing God.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you. Matthew 5:3-12
Let’s look at each of these & how they describe those with a heart after God
I. Seek God (3) ...poor in spirit...
Know they don’t know it all
Know they need outside help
2. Mourn Sin’s Results (4) ...they that mourn...
Sad from what they see, not proud of the world
around them - people lost w/out Christ (what do you see in regards to people
when walk into rest... groc.. mall... ballgame...?)
3. Wait for God to Act (5) ...the meek...
Not resisting God’s directions
Following God and letting Him change your life
4. Work to Further God’s Impact (6) ...after righteousness...
Work to satisfy strong desires for what’s right. Balance God’s grace and our good works (“speak truth in love” Eph.4:15)
5. Help Suffering People (7) ...the merciful...
Desire to be a “neighbor” (Luke 10:25-37)
Distributing mercy and relief - Montrose
6. Seek Another’s Best (8) ...the pure in heart...
Pure hearts share service and love
Pure motives, putting others above yourself - known by love
7. Help Strengthen Relationships (9) ...the peacemakers...
Builders, not breakers
bringing people 2gether and to Christ ()
8. Stand Up for What is Right (10-12) ...for my sake...
Does the “unusual” for God - go against the grain/ the world
Taking a stand for God & His ways - Elijah
It’s amazing to see as we study the life of Elijah just how
passionate and obedient and willing he was to move and
stand for God.
Over the next weeks we will see these in Elijah.
What a heart! What an example. study the life of Elijah this summer to learn, glean from God’s Word how to implement
The Elijah Element into our own lives.
It begins in the heart
Sunday, May 06, 2007
HEROES - The Success Journey
There's this time of discovery for every HERO - discovering their powers, abilities, gifts, talents.
They all come to this moment, this place of... what does it all mean? What is the purpose?
The begin to discover a true meaning and goal in life.
However, each of them discover that it's a journey - it may even be a long journey toward the ultimate goal
or dream or vision. That is filled with difficulties and obstacles along the way.
There are examples of this all through scriptue.
moses
noah
joseph
Our lives are very much the same.
recap series
1. TWO SIDES TO SUCCESS: Finding the Right Way +
Persevering in it. 1a. Finding the right way is essential. Illustration: Climbing a ladder up a wall with great perseverance over one’s entire life, only to find out in the end that you were on the wrong ladder 1b. Persevering in it is essential. Illustration: The couple who has gotten in debt and decides to dig out. They plan a workable budget, which over time will get them out of debt. But after a couple of months, they fall back into their over-spending ways.
Success is obedience - it’s really that simple
Success is a matter of being where God wants you to be
“We live by faith, not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7
Success is growing to your potential.
Our potential is God’s gift to us, and what we do with it is our gift back to him. In truth, our potential is probably our greatest untapped resource. Henry Ford said, "There is no man living who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can do." We have nearly limitless potential, yet too few ever try to reach it. Many people let everyone around them decide their agenda in life and as a result they never really dedicate themselves to their purpose in life. They become a jack of all trades, master of none--rather than a jack of few trades, focused on one.
Let me give you some principles on growing toward your potential
1. Concentrate on one main goal.
Reaching your potential requires focus, that’s why it is important to discover your purpose. Once you decide where to focus your attention, you must decide what you are willing to give up to be successful, for there can be no success without sacrifice. If you want to accomplish little, sacrifice little, but if you want to accomplish great things, be willing to sacrifice much. 2. Concentrate on continual improvement.
This is the key to reaching your potential, each day you work to be a little better than you were the day before, it puts you one step closer to your potential.
3. Forget the past.
Jack Hayford said, "The past is a dead issue, and we can’t gain any momentum moving toward tomorrow if we are dragging the past behind us." Maybe you made a lot of mistakes in your life, or you’ve had an especially difficult past, work your way through it and move on, don’t let it stop you from reaching your potential. Think of people like Booker T. Washington who was born into slavery, denied access to the resources available to white society, but did not let that prevent him from pursuing his potential. He founded the Tuskegee Institute and the National Black Business League. He said, "I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed." Think of Helen Keller who lost her sight and hearing at nineteen months old. She overcame her severe disabilities, went on to graduate from Radcliffe College and became an author, lecturer and champion for people who are blind. Think of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In 1921, at the age of 39 he had a severe case of polio which left him disabled and in severe pain. He never walked again without assistance. But that did not stop him from pursuing his potential. Eight years later he became governor of New York and in 1932, he was elected President of the United States. I know there are others you can think of who have overcome past tragedies or mistakes and pursued their potential. Let them inspire you to do the same because God has placed within you the potential to become an overcomer.
4. Focus on the future.
Your potential lies ahead of you, no matter what your age. You can become better tomorrow than you are today.
And remember that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). The purchase price for all of God’s blessings has already been paid. All we have to do to receive them is to keep believing, and keep praying. 2. THE TEMPTATION TO QUIT. 2a. The biblical history shows us the type, those who start but do not finish, those who draw back and are lost (Heb 10:39).
“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, (they quit - tough, obstacles) but of those who believe and are saved.”
We maintain in good times, in bad times, in all circumstances. 2c. One characteristic of the “quitting” phenomenon: There are signs leading up to it. It is a sliding back, not a falling off. They are just - hanging on - barely. “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees” Heb. 12:12
2d. One thing that commonly leads up to it: the feeling that it is a “futile perseverance.”
-It is the feeling that whatever fruit it produces is not worth it (Illustration – pastoral license).
We can be sure, however, that to persevere for GOD’S SAKE is worth it. Hebrews 6:10.
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” -Or it is the feeling that it cannot be done, that we’ve gotten ourselves in over our heads in taking this one on.
So let’s consider some things that will relieve us of this feeling of futility....first, that we must be relieved of any false models that we hold of perseverance.
3. MODELS OF CHRISTIAN PERSEVERANCE 3a. A false model of perseverance leads to despair.
Example: The Perfectionist Model. The Comparison Model 3b. We must develop a true model of perseverance, and keep it ever in view.
The Apostle Paul
Jesus/carpenter 30 years 3 yrs ministry
Elements of a true model of perseverance: (1) Persevering in FAITH, in looking to Christ Jesus as the Mediator, the Author of your salvation. In other words, in trusting in God and seeking personal salvation in the ways the Gospel directs us too. “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.” Rom. 4:20 (2) Persevering in DISCIPLESHIP. In learning. In growing. In eating the bread of life.
“Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.” 1 Thes 4:1 - purple book (3) Persevering in WORSHIP.
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all
circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thes 5:16-18. In Prayer, Joy and Thanksgiving.
(4) Persevering in GOOD WORKS.
“So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit.” Gal 6:9.
In using your talents, in shining your light. Think especially of these three areas: FAMILY, CHURCH, JOB It has been said that we make a living by what we get, and we make a life by what we give.
4. HOW CAN WE PERSEVERE? 4a. Only with self-determination
It begins in the heart and travels to the mind - Rom. 12:1
ILLUS: Story of Glenn Cunningham (Found in "Chicken Soup for the Soul"). 4b. Only with the help of others.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another
Heb 10:24-25
4c. Only with the help of God.
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Phil 1:6;
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
1 Thes 5:23-24;
Conclusion. Perseverance is essential. What would Christianity on earth be without it? What will be the destiny of your soul without it? But when it’s all said and done, it will be to the praise of God that we endure. All glory and praise be to him, the creator and sustainer of Christian perseverance. Amen
They all come to this moment, this place of... what does it all mean? What is the purpose?
The begin to discover a true meaning and goal in life.
However, each of them discover that it's a journey - it may even be a long journey toward the ultimate goal
or dream or vision. That is filled with difficulties and obstacles along the way.
There are examples of this all through scriptue.
moses
noah
joseph
Our lives are very much the same.
recap series
1. TWO SIDES TO SUCCESS: Finding the Right Way +
Persevering in it. 1a. Finding the right way is essential. Illustration: Climbing a ladder up a wall with great perseverance over one’s entire life, only to find out in the end that you were on the wrong ladder 1b. Persevering in it is essential. Illustration: The couple who has gotten in debt and decides to dig out. They plan a workable budget, which over time will get them out of debt. But after a couple of months, they fall back into their over-spending ways.
Success is obedience - it’s really that simple
Success is a matter of being where God wants you to be
“We live by faith, not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7
Success is growing to your potential.
Our potential is God’s gift to us, and what we do with it is our gift back to him. In truth, our potential is probably our greatest untapped resource. Henry Ford said, "There is no man living who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can do." We have nearly limitless potential, yet too few ever try to reach it. Many people let everyone around them decide their agenda in life and as a result they never really dedicate themselves to their purpose in life. They become a jack of all trades, master of none--rather than a jack of few trades, focused on one.
Let me give you some principles on growing toward your potential
1. Concentrate on one main goal.
Reaching your potential requires focus, that’s why it is important to discover your purpose. Once you decide where to focus your attention, you must decide what you are willing to give up to be successful, for there can be no success without sacrifice. If you want to accomplish little, sacrifice little, but if you want to accomplish great things, be willing to sacrifice much. 2. Concentrate on continual improvement.
This is the key to reaching your potential, each day you work to be a little better than you were the day before, it puts you one step closer to your potential.
3. Forget the past.
Jack Hayford said, "The past is a dead issue, and we can’t gain any momentum moving toward tomorrow if we are dragging the past behind us." Maybe you made a lot of mistakes in your life, or you’ve had an especially difficult past, work your way through it and move on, don’t let it stop you from reaching your potential. Think of people like Booker T. Washington who was born into slavery, denied access to the resources available to white society, but did not let that prevent him from pursuing his potential. He founded the Tuskegee Institute and the National Black Business League. He said, "I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed." Think of Helen Keller who lost her sight and hearing at nineteen months old. She overcame her severe disabilities, went on to graduate from Radcliffe College and became an author, lecturer and champion for people who are blind. Think of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In 1921, at the age of 39 he had a severe case of polio which left him disabled and in severe pain. He never walked again without assistance. But that did not stop him from pursuing his potential. Eight years later he became governor of New York and in 1932, he was elected President of the United States. I know there are others you can think of who have overcome past tragedies or mistakes and pursued their potential. Let them inspire you to do the same because God has placed within you the potential to become an overcomer.
4. Focus on the future.
Your potential lies ahead of you, no matter what your age. You can become better tomorrow than you are today.
And remember that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). The purchase price for all of God’s blessings has already been paid. All we have to do to receive them is to keep believing, and keep praying. 2. THE TEMPTATION TO QUIT. 2a. The biblical history shows us the type, those who start but do not finish, those who draw back and are lost (Heb 10:39).
“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, (they quit - tough, obstacles) but of those who believe and are saved.”
We maintain in good times, in bad times, in all circumstances. 2c. One characteristic of the “quitting” phenomenon: There are signs leading up to it. It is a sliding back, not a falling off. They are just - hanging on - barely. “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees” Heb. 12:12
2d. One thing that commonly leads up to it: the feeling that it is a “futile perseverance.”
-It is the feeling that whatever fruit it produces is not worth it (Illustration – pastoral license).
We can be sure, however, that to persevere for GOD’S SAKE is worth it. Hebrews 6:10.
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” -Or it is the feeling that it cannot be done, that we’ve gotten ourselves in over our heads in taking this one on.
So let’s consider some things that will relieve us of this feeling of futility....first, that we must be relieved of any false models that we hold of perseverance.
3. MODELS OF CHRISTIAN PERSEVERANCE 3a. A false model of perseverance leads to despair.
Example: The Perfectionist Model. The Comparison Model 3b. We must develop a true model of perseverance, and keep it ever in view.
The Apostle Paul
Jesus/carpenter 30 years 3 yrs ministry
Elements of a true model of perseverance: (1) Persevering in FAITH, in looking to Christ Jesus as the Mediator, the Author of your salvation. In other words, in trusting in God and seeking personal salvation in the ways the Gospel directs us too. “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.” Rom. 4:20 (2) Persevering in DISCIPLESHIP. In learning. In growing. In eating the bread of life.
“Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.” 1 Thes 4:1 - purple book (3) Persevering in WORSHIP.
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all
circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thes 5:16-18. In Prayer, Joy and Thanksgiving.
(4) Persevering in GOOD WORKS.
“So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit.” Gal 6:9.
In using your talents, in shining your light. Think especially of these three areas: FAMILY, CHURCH, JOB It has been said that we make a living by what we get, and we make a life by what we give.
4. HOW CAN WE PERSEVERE? 4a. Only with self-determination
It begins in the heart and travels to the mind - Rom. 12:1
ILLUS: Story of Glenn Cunningham (Found in "Chicken Soup for the Soul"). 4b. Only with the help of others.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another
Heb 10:24-25
4c. Only with the help of God.
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Phil 1:6;
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
1 Thes 5:23-24;
Conclusion. Perseverance is essential. What would Christianity on earth be without it? What will be the destiny of your soul without it? But when it’s all said and done, it will be to the praise of God that we endure. All glory and praise be to him, the creator and sustainer of Christian perseverance. Amen
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
HEROES - The Sylar Scenario
in the show, HEROES, we find these ordinary people who are actually extraordinary. Of those there are 2 that are very extraordinary - Sylar and Peter Petrellie.
Both of them can absorb the extraord. abilities of others.
Sylar takes this to an extremely negative level.
Peter puts a positive spin on his.
Our lives are very much the same way.
We too have this ability - and just as Sylar and Peter have the choice, as to how they are influenced and choose to influence others - so do we.
Key Question for us to ask regarding everything we do and are in life:
what is your motive/purpose?
some sub-questions to help answer that are:
is it for me?
who do you spend time with?
where do you spend your time?
what do toy do with your time?
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt. 6:21
Sylar’s motivation was self and b/c of that he was never satisfied. He was intent on getting more and more, feeding on others to make him stronger. He would try whatever he could to get and do what he wanted, mostly manipulation.- selfish motivation
This same type scenario can occur w/ us if we too have these selfish motivations. repeat ?’s Gal. speaks to this:
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” Galatians 5:16-17
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14
Godly Influence
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-5:16
Sermon on Mount
In the SOM, Jesus’ aim was to create a lifestyle in his followers that would make people think about the value of God, or to glorify God. Jesus talks about being salt and light that is being an influence in the world around us, even a hostile world.
He tells us how influence in a godly way
1. My life is an influence (v. 13a).
The text tells us that we are salt and that we are light. The personal pronoun is emphatic – you are. It is what we are – salt and light. You are an influence. God by nature influences and as followers of Christ we partake of the divine nature so that we influence also. For example, the love we have is Gods love in us; the joy we have is Gods joy in us; the passion we have is Gods passion inside of us; the mercy we have is God’s mercy in us.
Reflect on your life this morning. What was your influence this morning on your house, what about yesterday. What was your influence down at the restaurant, at the store, your work. How did you treat your family, your coworkers, the person standing next to you in line? Was it Sylar or was it Peter? Would they have any idea that you are a christian? Did you laugh at their off colored jokes? Did you participate in a conversation degraded another person? Did you stand up for what was right?
• Salt is a preservative
Salt is a preservative. The ancients used it to preserve food in the days when there were no refrigerators. So as salt we preserve our culture or society around us with our influence. That is, the poor in spirit influence, the meek influence, the merciful influence, the pure in heart influence, the peacemakers influence. But to preserve salt must come into contact with that which it seeks to preserve. No contact no preservative. We cannot blame society for its evils when we idly stand by and just let it be. No contact; no impact!
God says we’re salt so make an impact - to touch the lives of those around you - some take opposite approach ‘bubleman’
Salt does not just preserve, it also produces.
• Salt is used to season
Salt is also used to season, to make something taste better. By our contact with our culture we season it, make it better. We Influence it. But again no contact; no impact.
Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer
everyone.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Do you fit this description? know anyone that fits this description?
v.13 there is a promise but also a warning here – if the salt loses it saltiness it will be thrown away and trampled. context of J.C day - Some salt had impurities so that the outer layer was lacking flavor so was discarded as worthless. Salt would be thrown into the street to be trampled. He is trying to shake us up – wake up. True followers are salty, have flavor. Don’t think you can slide in this life. Do not insulate and isolate. Jesus is warning us not to pull back and be people who are caught up in themselves or just follow the pattern of everyone else.
Salt is useless without contact!
No contact; no impact!
2. My life makes a difference (v. 14a).
Jesus tells us we are not only salt but we are also light of the world. His point is that the world is shrouded in darkness because it does not see Jesus and we are to light the way or be a light.
Our lives can point to Jesus (v. 16).”In the same way, let your light shine before men” In the same way that a light beacon in the ocean lights up the dark skies - so to do the lives of followers of Christ light up a world shrouded in darkness. Your words and your life makes a difference. You may not see it or you may not hear about it, but it does. We are light because Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12 )
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
ESV Ephesians 5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
• Light exposes darkness(v. 14b) “you the are light of the world”
Jewish tradition considered Israel or Jerusalem the light of the world. A city on a hill exposes the darkness around it. In modern times in so many cities the skys are lit up by the lights that you do not realize how dark it is without lights.
we must remain distinct; the danger in American church is that we are not distinct. There is not a big difference. Too often Christ followers just blend in rather than stand out for J.C.
what happens? we end up influenced by world, rather than
influencing the world.
• Light must not be hidden(v. 15)
“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone”
The danger of the Christian community is to withdraw, to have no contact with unchurched around us so we become insulated and isolated.
It’s like we’re all in this spiritual jacuzzi - you know?
I’m comfortable with these people -
Think about it - Hotel jac. - people in it - you don’t want to join in with strangers - your family of 4 waits for it to empty out - but as soon as it does another group of people jump in, b/c they’re thinking the same thing - you never get in by yourself and say, ‘I want 7 strangers to jump in with me” - don’t do that!
I think what happens alot of times is we live our lives in the jac. of relationships. We have a group of people we enjoy, they enjoy us, were comfortable - so we don’t have room in the jac. for other people.
For us to be the salt and light, to really influence and impact -
it begins when you have a life compelling enough that other people want to be around you.
How - we are only alive in Christ - it’s only when we focus on developing a relationship w/ Christ that we can fully enjoy life.
and see His love impact those around us.
THE GOAL is to Glorify God (v. 16)
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
I have a vision for us to be so radically distinct and different in our values and our lifestyles that people want Jesus.
wouldn't it be cool if your friends or family members said to you - "im not sure about the whole God, Jesus thing, but i cant explain you"
that’s when we are being the salt and light to the world.
What path are you taking?
Sylar or Peter?
Both of them can absorb the extraord. abilities of others.
Sylar takes this to an extremely negative level.
Peter puts a positive spin on his.
Our lives are very much the same way.
We too have this ability - and just as Sylar and Peter have the choice, as to how they are influenced and choose to influence others - so do we.
Key Question for us to ask regarding everything we do and are in life:
what is your motive/purpose?
some sub-questions to help answer that are:
is it for me?
who do you spend time with?
where do you spend your time?
what do toy do with your time?
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt. 6:21
Sylar’s motivation was self and b/c of that he was never satisfied. He was intent on getting more and more, feeding on others to make him stronger. He would try whatever he could to get and do what he wanted, mostly manipulation.- selfish motivation
This same type scenario can occur w/ us if we too have these selfish motivations. repeat ?’s Gal. speaks to this:
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” Galatians 5:16-17
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14
Godly Influence
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-5:16
Sermon on Mount
In the SOM, Jesus’ aim was to create a lifestyle in his followers that would make people think about the value of God, or to glorify God. Jesus talks about being salt and light that is being an influence in the world around us, even a hostile world.
He tells us how influence in a godly way
1. My life is an influence (v. 13a).
The text tells us that we are salt and that we are light. The personal pronoun is emphatic – you are. It is what we are – salt and light. You are an influence. God by nature influences and as followers of Christ we partake of the divine nature so that we influence also. For example, the love we have is Gods love in us; the joy we have is Gods joy in us; the passion we have is Gods passion inside of us; the mercy we have is God’s mercy in us.
Reflect on your life this morning. What was your influence this morning on your house, what about yesterday. What was your influence down at the restaurant, at the store, your work. How did you treat your family, your coworkers, the person standing next to you in line? Was it Sylar or was it Peter? Would they have any idea that you are a christian? Did you laugh at their off colored jokes? Did you participate in a conversation degraded another person? Did you stand up for what was right?
• Salt is a preservative
Salt is a preservative. The ancients used it to preserve food in the days when there were no refrigerators. So as salt we preserve our culture or society around us with our influence. That is, the poor in spirit influence, the meek influence, the merciful influence, the pure in heart influence, the peacemakers influence. But to preserve salt must come into contact with that which it seeks to preserve. No contact no preservative. We cannot blame society for its evils when we idly stand by and just let it be. No contact; no impact!
God says we’re salt so make an impact - to touch the lives of those around you - some take opposite approach ‘bubleman’
Salt does not just preserve, it also produces.
• Salt is used to season
Salt is also used to season, to make something taste better. By our contact with our culture we season it, make it better. We Influence it. But again no contact; no impact.
Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer
everyone.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Do you fit this description? know anyone that fits this description?
v.13 there is a promise but also a warning here – if the salt loses it saltiness it will be thrown away and trampled. context of J.C day - Some salt had impurities so that the outer layer was lacking flavor so was discarded as worthless. Salt would be thrown into the street to be trampled. He is trying to shake us up – wake up. True followers are salty, have flavor. Don’t think you can slide in this life. Do not insulate and isolate. Jesus is warning us not to pull back and be people who are caught up in themselves or just follow the pattern of everyone else.
Salt is useless without contact!
No contact; no impact!
2. My life makes a difference (v. 14a).
Jesus tells us we are not only salt but we are also light of the world. His point is that the world is shrouded in darkness because it does not see Jesus and we are to light the way or be a light.
Our lives can point to Jesus (v. 16).”In the same way, let your light shine before men” In the same way that a light beacon in the ocean lights up the dark skies - so to do the lives of followers of Christ light up a world shrouded in darkness. Your words and your life makes a difference. You may not see it or you may not hear about it, but it does. We are light because Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12 )
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
ESV Ephesians 5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
• Light exposes darkness(v. 14b) “you the are light of the world”
Jewish tradition considered Israel or Jerusalem the light of the world. A city on a hill exposes the darkness around it. In modern times in so many cities the skys are lit up by the lights that you do not realize how dark it is without lights.
we must remain distinct; the danger in American church is that we are not distinct. There is not a big difference. Too often Christ followers just blend in rather than stand out for J.C.
what happens? we end up influenced by world, rather than
influencing the world.
• Light must not be hidden(v. 15)
“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone”
The danger of the Christian community is to withdraw, to have no contact with unchurched around us so we become insulated and isolated.
It’s like we’re all in this spiritual jacuzzi - you know?
I’m comfortable with these people -
Think about it - Hotel jac. - people in it - you don’t want to join in with strangers - your family of 4 waits for it to empty out - but as soon as it does another group of people jump in, b/c they’re thinking the same thing - you never get in by yourself and say, ‘I want 7 strangers to jump in with me” - don’t do that!
I think what happens alot of times is we live our lives in the jac. of relationships. We have a group of people we enjoy, they enjoy us, were comfortable - so we don’t have room in the jac. for other people.
For us to be the salt and light, to really influence and impact -
it begins when you have a life compelling enough that other people want to be around you.
How - we are only alive in Christ - it’s only when we focus on developing a relationship w/ Christ that we can fully enjoy life.
and see His love impact those around us.
THE GOAL is to Glorify God (v. 16)
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
I have a vision for us to be so radically distinct and different in our values and our lifestyles that people want Jesus.
wouldn't it be cool if your friends or family members said to you - "im not sure about the whole God, Jesus thing, but i cant explain you"
that’s when we are being the salt and light to the world.
What path are you taking?
Sylar or Peter?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
HEROES - The Making of a Hero
Daniel 1:8-20
Scripture
The movie "Cinderella Man" tells the true story of boxing legend James J. Braddock, who made an incredible comeback during the Great Depression. Injured and arthritic, Braddock’s promising career was cut short, and he had to go on public assistance when he couldn’t get work at the docks in New Jersey. But when an opportunity came for him to get back in the ring—and provide for his family—he took it, and his world changed.
Now fighting with a purpose, Braddock started winning fight after fight. He inspired the nation with his perseverance in the midst of hardship. As his comeback built steam, he kept remembering the faces of his children and his wife, and how important it was for him to provide for them. Finally, Braddock won his way into a showdown with the World Heavyweight Champion, Max Baer.
Baer was a vicious fighter. In fact, he was notorious for killing two men in the ring! In the days before the fight Baer ridiculed, threatened, and mocked Braddock, and as the world looked on there was great concern for Braddock’s life.
When the big day arrived, Braddock’s wife—who had never attended any of his fights—sneaked into the bowels of the arena to find her husband in the locker room just moments before the fight. The look in her eyes sent everyone else from the room, and she marched straight up to Braddock. With a tender fierceness that could only come from a loyal wife, she locked her husband in her stare for the final words he would hear before the big event.
“So you just remember who you are,” she said. “You’re the Bulldog of Bergen, and the Pride of New Jersey. You’re everybody’s hope, and the kids’ hero. And you are the champion of my heart, James J. Braddock.”
Braddock then went into the ring to fight Max Baer. After a bloody and brutal contest, Braddock won the fight.
Remembering who we are truly makes a difference.
(last week - we are heroes)
Knowing that he belonged to God made the difference in Daniel’s life. Daniel endured difficult times and encountered tremendous opposition, but he knew that he belonged to God. And that knowledge enabled him to stand alone for God and be a hero.
So, with that in mind, let us read Daniel 1:8-20, which is the text for today’s sermon titled, “The Making of a Hero”:
"8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
"11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
"15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
"17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
"18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom." (Daniel 1:8-20)
If I were to take a poll of your past and present heroes, who would be on your list? Perhaps you might list a teacher, a professor, a grandparent, Neil Armstrong, John Wayne, Tony Dungy, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, Francis Schaeffer, Jim Elliot, the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter, or even Jesus himself.
I rather suspect that no-one would have the prophet Daniel on his or her list. I hope that this series of sermons will change that.
One common thread that seems to be woven throughout the lives of most real heroes, past or present, is that their heroism did not develop overnight. It wasn’t a sudden creation.
Instead their hero status was almost always achieved after being tested over and over again in the many small, mundane trials of life. Present heroism usually cannot be explained apart from past faithfulness under fire.
This was true of Daniel. Without question, Daniel should be numbered among one of the greatest heroes of Scripture. In fact, even by today’s Hollywood standards, Daniel deserves hero status.
In the next five chapters we will be going from one cliff-hanging, spine-tingling adventure to the next, as Daniel and his friends face death-dealing kings, dazzling dreams, a golden idol, a fiery furnace, a king turned into an animal, a palace plot, and a literal lions den. Steven Spielberg would love this material!
But what I want you to notice today is that Daniel does not appear in Daniel 1 as a full-blown hero on the scene of history. Instead, he is introduced to us as a young disciple facing very difficult and compromising temptations and choices—and all of these are very much out of the spotlight!
In Daniel 1, God gives us an inside look at the making of a true hero. In Daniel 1:8-20 I want you to see in Daniel three distinguishing marks of a true hero in any age.
I. Courage (1:8a)
The first mark of a hero is courage.
Last time we saw that when Daniel was faced with the temptation to compromise his moral convictions, verse 8 tells us that he resolved to do what was right before God, no matter what the price: “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.” He was willing to stand alone. He realized that for the child of God there were certain things that could not be negotiated or compromised. So he refused the king’s delicacies.
In many ways, Daniel’s future usefulness in the kingdom of God depended on this single, seemingly mundane decision about what kind of food he was willing to eat—food that was forbidden to him by God’s law. If Daniel had not made this decision, he would never have found himself in the positions he later occupied, nor would he have been faithful enough to cope with them the way he did.
Instead, from the very beginning, in what to others seemed to be a trivial matter, he took a stand. And in doing so, he gained a bridgehead into enemy-occupied territory and found himself increasingly strong in the Lord.
The best time to take a stand is early. Daniel didn’t wait to decide what he was going to do. He made his mind up early.
The best time to make up your mind is that first moment you walk onto a new job and see those alluring opportunities. As a young person, it’s that first time someone tries to get you to go past those sexual limits God has set for your own protection and welfare. It’s the first night you unpack your suitcase at college. It’s the first day you fly out of town on your way to a week on the road away from your wife and family. In each instance, take a stand and say, “By God’s grace, I will honor God in all things.”
Another practical lesson we can learn here is that taking a stand in the little things is usually the biggest test.
Don’t say things like, “If terrorists dragged me from my home and threatened to kill me unless I denied my faith, I would stand firm. I would never deny Christ.”
As we dream about taking a strong stand in such a dramatic situation, we often let the little things slide in the meantime. We are less willing to offer our lives in all those little battles for honesty, integrity, commitment, and love that rage about us daily.
The fact is that many people lapse in the face of a test. Many a husband has walked out on his wife and children because he was no longer committed to his marriage. Many a wife has engaged in an extra-marital affair because she was wanted more sizzle and romance in her life. Many a young person has become addicted to drugs because he was curious about the euphoric feeling.
Learn to take a stand in all the little things in life today. Learn to be faithful in all the little things today. Then, if you should face a large test, you are much more likely to stand.
The week before September 11, 2001, America’s "Tuesday of Terror," 32-year-old Todd Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had spent a romantic getaway in Italy. The couple, both 1991 graduates of Wheaton College, returned home Monday rested and relieved to be reunited with their boys David, 3, and Andrew, 1.
But extended family time would have to wait. The next morning Todd, an executive with Oracle, had to be at a sales reps meeting in Northern California. He kissed Lisa goodbye, who at the time was five months pregnant with their third child, and headed to the Newark, NJ airport where he boarded United Flight 93 for San Francisco, CA.
About 90 minutes into the westbound flight, the Boeing 757 was approaching Cleveland when three hijackers onboard identified themselves to the 34 passengers and 7 crew and proceeded to take control of the cockpit and cabin. The plane, now piloted by the would-be terrorists, made a sharp turn to the south.
Todd reached for the GTE Airfone in the back of the seat and was connected to a GTE supervisor on the ground. He explained to her what was happening and indicated that he and the other passengers would not likely survive. He presumed the pilot and co-pilot were already seriously injured or dead.
The GTE employee explained to Todd what had already happened at the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Upon hearing this news, Todd must have realized that the hijackers were intent on crashing the plane into another prominent building near Washington D.C. (the direction in which they were now headed). Even though the hijacker nearest to Todd had a bomb belted around his middle, the former Wheaton College baseball player told the GTE representative that he and a few others were determined to do whatever they could to disrupt the terrorists’ plan.
He then asked the person on the other end of the phone to call his wife and report their entire conversation to her (including how much he loved her). Before hanging up, this committed Christian and devoted family man, who taught Sunday school each week, asked the GTE employee to pray the Lord’s Prayer with him. With the sound of passengers screaming in the background, she complied. When they concluded the prayer, Scott calmly said, “Help me, God. Help me, Jesus.”
The GTE employee then heard Todd say, apparently to the other three businessmen he’d alluded to earlier: “Are you ready, guys? Let’s roll!” With that the phone went dead.
Within a few minutes, Flight 93 was nose diving into a rural field 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, where it left a crater 40 feet deep as it disintegrated upon impact, killing everyone on board.
Because Todd Beamer was committed to Jesus Christ and His kingdom, because he was faithful in the little things, he was willing to do whatever was necessary to put the needs of others above his own fear of danger and imminent death. That’s
courage! Thanks to him and the three other businessmen who joined with him, the intended target in the nation’s capital was not reached and who knows how many lives were saved because of that. No one on the ground was killed.
According to Todd’s wife, Lisa, “His example of courage has given me, my boys (and my unborn baby) a reason to live.”
That’s what can happen when we, by the grace of God, learn to obey the Lord in all the little things of life.
Like Daniel, your growth in grace and your usefulness in God’s service do not begin in the world of your dreams but in the context of life’s harsh realities. It is in all those small matters in life that victories are won.
God means for all of your smaller battles to be a training ground to prepare you for the major conflicts that are coming. If we are not faithful to Christ on today’s training ground, believe me, it will not be easy to follow him on tomorrow’s field of battle.
II. Humility (1:8b)
The second mark of a hero is humility.
If you think the strength of Daniel’s stand is impressive, look even closer now at these next verses to see the manner in which he took his stand. Verse 8b reads, “. . . and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”
Notice that Daniel did not send around leaflets encouraging a riot. He didn’t begin a protest movement. He didn’t start a hate campaign. He didn’t try to embarrass his superior because of his own strong convictions. Instead he responded to his situation with a spirit of humility and respect by requesting permission of the chief official not to eat the king’s food.
Daniel does not seem to have explained to this official that no matter what his response to Daniel’s request, he had already resolved that he would never eat the king’s food and defile himself. Instead Daniel seems to have patiently explained his situation and his desire to be faithful to his God and ask respectfully that he might receive this privilege.
There is something very Christ-like about this humble spirit of Daniel. True faithfulness to God is seen not only in your determination to take a strong stand but also in the way you do that.
Daniel learned how to take a strong stand for the Lord in a way that showed the greatness of God, not in a way that left people staring at Daniel himself, and there is a world of difference. To take a strong stand for Christ today and to still be humble is a grace that far too few of us ever attain.
III. Faith (1:9-14)
The third mark of a hero is faith.
The response of the chief official to Daniel’s request to forego the king’s food was not too positive. Even though verse 9 tells us he was sympathetic toward Daniel, he was also very concerned about the personal ramifications of such a decision.
In verse 10 we find that “the official told Daniel, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.’”
But this first rejection didn’t cause Daniel to waver. He remained steadfast in his commitment, as is then evidenced in his creative appeal later to the guard that the official had placed over him and his three friends.
Verses 11-14 say, “Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ‘Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.’ So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.”
It is evident from his request that Daniel sincerely believed that God would honor the strong stand he had taken. Daniel dared to believe that as he stood for what was truly right, God would supernaturally intervene on his behalf! Although it might not have been God’s will to intervene, Daniel still knew that he had a very good reason to believe God would intervene. Why? Because Daniel knew that the issue at stake was God’s glory and name.
Learning what it means to live for the sake of God’s glory will produce in you a spirit of humble faith that God will act on your behalf as you put him first. It was just this confidence that has always marked the lives of the heroes of the faith, in both the Old and New Testaments. And it’s this kind of confidence in God that continues to mark men and women of faith today.
The confidence of true Biblical faith is an assurance that is based on what God has promised in his word to do. If you know that God has promised to do something, you have every reason to join with Daniel and have a genuine spirit of expectancy that he will work on your behalf.
Allow me to close with a practical application. In 1 Samuel 2:30 God makes a very special promise, “Those who honor me I will honor.” You handle your situation right and God promises to honor that. God’s response may not be exactly what you want, or exactly when you want it, but his promise stands: “Those who honor me I will honor.”
Daniel knew that about God. That is why he lived with a spirit of expectancy. And that is why I don’t think Daniel was too surprised at what happened next. In verses 15-21 we discover how God honored Daniel’s faithfulness. Daniel and his friends were healthier than the other young men and the king was so impressed with their knowledge that he hired them into his royal service.
The faithful stand that Daniel took was not in vain. God honored his faithfulness. And he will honor your faithfulness as well!
I continue to hear the stories of those who say, “I was in a compromising, high risk situation. My job and my reputation were on the line. I bit the bullet. I took it to God and I dared to take a stand and trust God. And God honored that in my life. He granted me his favor.”
The development of Daniel’s character began by learning the importance of honoring God in the little things—like what he would and would not eat to obey God’s law. Daniel soon learned that these smaller battles were actually God’s training ground to prepare him for the much more major conflicts that were coming.
Scripture
The movie "Cinderella Man" tells the true story of boxing legend James J. Braddock, who made an incredible comeback during the Great Depression. Injured and arthritic, Braddock’s promising career was cut short, and he had to go on public assistance when he couldn’t get work at the docks in New Jersey. But when an opportunity came for him to get back in the ring—and provide for his family—he took it, and his world changed.
Now fighting with a purpose, Braddock started winning fight after fight. He inspired the nation with his perseverance in the midst of hardship. As his comeback built steam, he kept remembering the faces of his children and his wife, and how important it was for him to provide for them. Finally, Braddock won his way into a showdown with the World Heavyweight Champion, Max Baer.
Baer was a vicious fighter. In fact, he was notorious for killing two men in the ring! In the days before the fight Baer ridiculed, threatened, and mocked Braddock, and as the world looked on there was great concern for Braddock’s life.
When the big day arrived, Braddock’s wife—who had never attended any of his fights—sneaked into the bowels of the arena to find her husband in the locker room just moments before the fight. The look in her eyes sent everyone else from the room, and she marched straight up to Braddock. With a tender fierceness that could only come from a loyal wife, she locked her husband in her stare for the final words he would hear before the big event.
“So you just remember who you are,” she said. “You’re the Bulldog of Bergen, and the Pride of New Jersey. You’re everybody’s hope, and the kids’ hero. And you are the champion of my heart, James J. Braddock.”
Braddock then went into the ring to fight Max Baer. After a bloody and brutal contest, Braddock won the fight.
Remembering who we are truly makes a difference.
(last week - we are heroes)
Knowing that he belonged to God made the difference in Daniel’s life. Daniel endured difficult times and encountered tremendous opposition, but he knew that he belonged to God. And that knowledge enabled him to stand alone for God and be a hero.
So, with that in mind, let us read Daniel 1:8-20, which is the text for today’s sermon titled, “The Making of a Hero”:
"8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
"11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
"15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
"17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
"18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom." (Daniel 1:8-20)
If I were to take a poll of your past and present heroes, who would be on your list? Perhaps you might list a teacher, a professor, a grandparent, Neil Armstrong, John Wayne, Tony Dungy, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, Francis Schaeffer, Jim Elliot, the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter, or even Jesus himself.
I rather suspect that no-one would have the prophet Daniel on his or her list. I hope that this series of sermons will change that.
One common thread that seems to be woven throughout the lives of most real heroes, past or present, is that their heroism did not develop overnight. It wasn’t a sudden creation.
Instead their hero status was almost always achieved after being tested over and over again in the many small, mundane trials of life. Present heroism usually cannot be explained apart from past faithfulness under fire.
This was true of Daniel. Without question, Daniel should be numbered among one of the greatest heroes of Scripture. In fact, even by today’s Hollywood standards, Daniel deserves hero status.
In the next five chapters we will be going from one cliff-hanging, spine-tingling adventure to the next, as Daniel and his friends face death-dealing kings, dazzling dreams, a golden idol, a fiery furnace, a king turned into an animal, a palace plot, and a literal lions den. Steven Spielberg would love this material!
But what I want you to notice today is that Daniel does not appear in Daniel 1 as a full-blown hero on the scene of history. Instead, he is introduced to us as a young disciple facing very difficult and compromising temptations and choices—and all of these are very much out of the spotlight!
In Daniel 1, God gives us an inside look at the making of a true hero. In Daniel 1:8-20 I want you to see in Daniel three distinguishing marks of a true hero in any age.
I. Courage (1:8a)
The first mark of a hero is courage.
Last time we saw that when Daniel was faced with the temptation to compromise his moral convictions, verse 8 tells us that he resolved to do what was right before God, no matter what the price: “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.” He was willing to stand alone. He realized that for the child of God there were certain things that could not be negotiated or compromised. So he refused the king’s delicacies.
In many ways, Daniel’s future usefulness in the kingdom of God depended on this single, seemingly mundane decision about what kind of food he was willing to eat—food that was forbidden to him by God’s law. If Daniel had not made this decision, he would never have found himself in the positions he later occupied, nor would he have been faithful enough to cope with them the way he did.
Instead, from the very beginning, in what to others seemed to be a trivial matter, he took a stand. And in doing so, he gained a bridgehead into enemy-occupied territory and found himself increasingly strong in the Lord.
The best time to take a stand is early. Daniel didn’t wait to decide what he was going to do. He made his mind up early.
The best time to make up your mind is that first moment you walk onto a new job and see those alluring opportunities. As a young person, it’s that first time someone tries to get you to go past those sexual limits God has set for your own protection and welfare. It’s the first night you unpack your suitcase at college. It’s the first day you fly out of town on your way to a week on the road away from your wife and family. In each instance, take a stand and say, “By God’s grace, I will honor God in all things.”
Another practical lesson we can learn here is that taking a stand in the little things is usually the biggest test.
Don’t say things like, “If terrorists dragged me from my home and threatened to kill me unless I denied my faith, I would stand firm. I would never deny Christ.”
As we dream about taking a strong stand in such a dramatic situation, we often let the little things slide in the meantime. We are less willing to offer our lives in all those little battles for honesty, integrity, commitment, and love that rage about us daily.
The fact is that many people lapse in the face of a test. Many a husband has walked out on his wife and children because he was no longer committed to his marriage. Many a wife has engaged in an extra-marital affair because she was wanted more sizzle and romance in her life. Many a young person has become addicted to drugs because he was curious about the euphoric feeling.
Learn to take a stand in all the little things in life today. Learn to be faithful in all the little things today. Then, if you should face a large test, you are much more likely to stand.
The week before September 11, 2001, America’s "Tuesday of Terror," 32-year-old Todd Beamer and his wife, Lisa, had spent a romantic getaway in Italy. The couple, both 1991 graduates of Wheaton College, returned home Monday rested and relieved to be reunited with their boys David, 3, and Andrew, 1.
But extended family time would have to wait. The next morning Todd, an executive with Oracle, had to be at a sales reps meeting in Northern California. He kissed Lisa goodbye, who at the time was five months pregnant with their third child, and headed to the Newark, NJ airport where he boarded United Flight 93 for San Francisco, CA.
About 90 minutes into the westbound flight, the Boeing 757 was approaching Cleveland when three hijackers onboard identified themselves to the 34 passengers and 7 crew and proceeded to take control of the cockpit and cabin. The plane, now piloted by the would-be terrorists, made a sharp turn to the south.
Todd reached for the GTE Airfone in the back of the seat and was connected to a GTE supervisor on the ground. He explained to her what was happening and indicated that he and the other passengers would not likely survive. He presumed the pilot and co-pilot were already seriously injured or dead.
The GTE employee explained to Todd what had already happened at the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Upon hearing this news, Todd must have realized that the hijackers were intent on crashing the plane into another prominent building near Washington D.C. (the direction in which they were now headed). Even though the hijacker nearest to Todd had a bomb belted around his middle, the former Wheaton College baseball player told the GTE representative that he and a few others were determined to do whatever they could to disrupt the terrorists’ plan.
He then asked the person on the other end of the phone to call his wife and report their entire conversation to her (including how much he loved her). Before hanging up, this committed Christian and devoted family man, who taught Sunday school each week, asked the GTE employee to pray the Lord’s Prayer with him. With the sound of passengers screaming in the background, she complied. When they concluded the prayer, Scott calmly said, “Help me, God. Help me, Jesus.”
The GTE employee then heard Todd say, apparently to the other three businessmen he’d alluded to earlier: “Are you ready, guys? Let’s roll!” With that the phone went dead.
Within a few minutes, Flight 93 was nose diving into a rural field 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, where it left a crater 40 feet deep as it disintegrated upon impact, killing everyone on board.
Because Todd Beamer was committed to Jesus Christ and His kingdom, because he was faithful in the little things, he was willing to do whatever was necessary to put the needs of others above his own fear of danger and imminent death. That’s
courage! Thanks to him and the three other businessmen who joined with him, the intended target in the nation’s capital was not reached and who knows how many lives were saved because of that. No one on the ground was killed.
According to Todd’s wife, Lisa, “His example of courage has given me, my boys (and my unborn baby) a reason to live.”
That’s what can happen when we, by the grace of God, learn to obey the Lord in all the little things of life.
Like Daniel, your growth in grace and your usefulness in God’s service do not begin in the world of your dreams but in the context of life’s harsh realities. It is in all those small matters in life that victories are won.
God means for all of your smaller battles to be a training ground to prepare you for the major conflicts that are coming. If we are not faithful to Christ on today’s training ground, believe me, it will not be easy to follow him on tomorrow’s field of battle.
II. Humility (1:8b)
The second mark of a hero is humility.
If you think the strength of Daniel’s stand is impressive, look even closer now at these next verses to see the manner in which he took his stand. Verse 8b reads, “. . . and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”
Notice that Daniel did not send around leaflets encouraging a riot. He didn’t begin a protest movement. He didn’t start a hate campaign. He didn’t try to embarrass his superior because of his own strong convictions. Instead he responded to his situation with a spirit of humility and respect by requesting permission of the chief official not to eat the king’s food.
Daniel does not seem to have explained to this official that no matter what his response to Daniel’s request, he had already resolved that he would never eat the king’s food and defile himself. Instead Daniel seems to have patiently explained his situation and his desire to be faithful to his God and ask respectfully that he might receive this privilege.
There is something very Christ-like about this humble spirit of Daniel. True faithfulness to God is seen not only in your determination to take a strong stand but also in the way you do that.
Daniel learned how to take a strong stand for the Lord in a way that showed the greatness of God, not in a way that left people staring at Daniel himself, and there is a world of difference. To take a strong stand for Christ today and to still be humble is a grace that far too few of us ever attain.
III. Faith (1:9-14)
The third mark of a hero is faith.
The response of the chief official to Daniel’s request to forego the king’s food was not too positive. Even though verse 9 tells us he was sympathetic toward Daniel, he was also very concerned about the personal ramifications of such a decision.
In verse 10 we find that “the official told Daniel, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.’”
But this first rejection didn’t cause Daniel to waver. He remained steadfast in his commitment, as is then evidenced in his creative appeal later to the guard that the official had placed over him and his three friends.
Verses 11-14 say, “Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ‘Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.’ So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.”
It is evident from his request that Daniel sincerely believed that God would honor the strong stand he had taken. Daniel dared to believe that as he stood for what was truly right, God would supernaturally intervene on his behalf! Although it might not have been God’s will to intervene, Daniel still knew that he had a very good reason to believe God would intervene. Why? Because Daniel knew that the issue at stake was God’s glory and name.
Learning what it means to live for the sake of God’s glory will produce in you a spirit of humble faith that God will act on your behalf as you put him first. It was just this confidence that has always marked the lives of the heroes of the faith, in both the Old and New Testaments. And it’s this kind of confidence in God that continues to mark men and women of faith today.
The confidence of true Biblical faith is an assurance that is based on what God has promised in his word to do. If you know that God has promised to do something, you have every reason to join with Daniel and have a genuine spirit of expectancy that he will work on your behalf.
Allow me to close with a practical application. In 1 Samuel 2:30 God makes a very special promise, “Those who honor me I will honor.” You handle your situation right and God promises to honor that. God’s response may not be exactly what you want, or exactly when you want it, but his promise stands: “Those who honor me I will honor.”
Daniel knew that about God. That is why he lived with a spirit of expectancy. And that is why I don’t think Daniel was too surprised at what happened next. In verses 15-21 we discover how God honored Daniel’s faithfulness. Daniel and his friends were healthier than the other young men and the king was so impressed with their knowledge that he hired them into his royal service.
The faithful stand that Daniel took was not in vain. God honored his faithfulness. And he will honor your faithfulness as well!
I continue to hear the stories of those who say, “I was in a compromising, high risk situation. My job and my reputation were on the line. I bit the bullet. I took it to God and I dared to take a stand and trust God. And God honored that in my life. He granted me his favor.”
The development of Daniel’s character began by learning the importance of honoring God in the little things—like what he would and would not eat to obey God’s law. Daniel soon learned that these smaller battles were actually God’s training ground to prepare him for the much more major conflicts that were coming.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
HEROES - Are you on the list?
As you watch Heroes (the show) you find all of these seemingly ordinary people who are actually extraordinary.
There’s this list with an unknown # of people who fall into this category. So the buzz is... Are you on the list. Could u b hero?
Something else you may not be aware of is that God has a list. It is the most important list that can be found in heaven or on earth. I cannot emphasize how important this list is and how extremely important it is for us to know with certainty if our name is on that list. My purpose in today’s message is to provide you with the latest information about God’s list, what it is, and how one gets their name on that list.
We will all agree that it is important for our names to be on certain lists. There are good lists and there are bad lists. Everyone wants his or her name on a good list. (like Santa) I hope that this will be the case when I tell you about the best list of all – God’s list.
How many of you have heard of the “Do not call” list?
How many of you asked that your name be placed on the “Do not call” list?
Many welcomed the chance to get our name on a list that would penalize telemarketers if they called. I read that since the list has been created the number of such calls has been drastically reduced.
A telemarketer’s list is a bad list to be on.
A “Do not call” list is a good list to be on.
When someone has a grudge against one who has offended or hurt him or her in some fashion we may hear the offended party say about the offender, “He (or she) is on my list.” In other words they are going to remember what was done and maybe even seek to retaliate. In an even more serious sense mobsters or members of the Mafia may put people of their “hit list.” A Mafia “hit list” was a death sentence.
There’s the Dean’s list in college. That was good because it meant that I made good grades.
One of the lists we don’t like is the waiting list. Only because we want instant gratification and we don’t want to have to wait to get what we want. Some know what it is to be on an organ transplant waiting list to get a kidney or perhaps for a heart transplant.
Whether actively or passively in some way, some form, fashion, and for some good or bad reason we all have our names on a list somewhere. Your name is written down on some record either in a book or perhaps a computer. Your name is recorded at the Court House, in a Social Security file in Washington, DC or the local driver’s license bureau.
It’s interesting that the Bible has much to say about another official record where we may (or may not) find our name written down. I am talking about a record in Heaven. There is a book of names in Heaven. I am talking about a list of names that God Himself writes down as He oversees each entry in His book. This is the reason for my question, “Is Your Name On God’s List.” Meaning, is your name written down in God’s book?
Let me provide some Scripture background that will validate and authenticate the question I have asked. There are more than just a few passages of Scripture that relate to my question.
The first I have chosen is not the best but it is interesting because of the events that make up the story where this verse is found. Jesus had sent out 72 of His disciples on a mission of preaching and teaching that included the ability to work miracles. When they returned from their very successful ministry tour they were overjoyed. Luke tells us:
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."” Luke 10:17-20
In the show Hereos - try to stop bomb from destroying city
let’s suppose there was only one safe place to flee and because this place could accommodate only a limited number of people it meant only a certain number of people could board the buses to flee to safety.
In order to determine who would go and who would stay a list is made and only those whose name was on the list is allowed to find shelter and safety. If you knew such a danger existed and you knew the only way to live – the only way to get on the bus and save your life -- was to get your name on the list, how many of you would try your best to get your name on the list?
My story is an imaginary one. However, let me take you to the Scripture and ask you to seriously consider what the Prophet Daniel says about a day of calamity that is to come upon this earth. This is not imaginary. I am not making this up.
“"At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.” Daniel 12:1
This verse predicts a day and time—perhaps a season lasting for an extended period—when the nations of this world will enter into a period of distress of such magnitude, such intensity and suffering, that has never happened before in the history of the world. This verse seems to describe a division between those who will suffer and those who will not suffer. It says some will be delivered from the suffering and others will not be delivered. The prophecy makes a clear distinction between those who will and those who will not be delivered. “Everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered” (vs. 1).
This verse says there is a book.
This verse says names are written in this book.
This verse says those whose names are written in this book will be delivered.
Is your name in the book? Is Your Name on God’s List?
This is the most important question. Thousands and thousands of people today want to know when this time of trouble will come. They want to know what will be happening when it comes. They want to know what they can do to protect themselves when it comes.
What is going to happen, how is it going to happen, or when is it going to happen, these are not the question one should be asking. The most important question that needs to be asked and answered is: Is your name on God’s list. Is your name found written the book?
The Bible has much to say about God having a Book—and names being inscribed in it--that hasn’t been mentioned yet. Consider the following:
1. Moses
As you know, Moses was God’s instrument in leading the Hebrews out of Egyptian slavery toward freedom in a land God had promised. On several occasions the people sinned against the Lord with murmuring and complaining through their unbelief. On one occasion it was more serious than it had ever been. Because of the sin of the nation, God was about to literally wipe them off the face of the earth. Moses sensed a catastrophe was in the making. The Bible says:
“The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the Lord on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin.”
So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a terrible sin these people have committed. They have made gods of gold for themselves. But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!”
But the Lord replied to Moses, “No, I will erase the name of
everyone who has sinned against me.” Exodus 32:31-33
2. The Apostle Paul was familiar with this book.
“And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.” Phil. 4:3
3. John the Revelator spoke often of this book. Consider:
“All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.” Rev. 3:5
There are several other passages of Scripture that mention names being written in God’s book. All these verses—Old and New Testament—make ever so real the truth Jesus set forth in our text found in Luke 10:20. “….rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
1. There is a book in heaven called “The Book of Life.”
2. It is possible for our names to be written in it.
3. It is imperative—absolutely of the greatest importance—that we know our names are written there.
4. The question we face, the question, which must be given the most serious consideration, is: IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE? ARE YOU ON GOD’S LIST?
WHAT CONDITIONS MUST I MEET TO HAVE MY NAME PLACED ON GOD’S LIST?
I have no power to write my name there. Another hand must write it. I sign checks. I sign order blanks. I sign letters. I write my name often and for many reasons, as you do. But no king, dictator, general, merchant, scholar, or scientist can write his name in heaven. Think about that! You and I may get our name written into a church book but getting it in the Lamb’s Book of Life is another matter.
But you will never be good enough to write your name there. And the Son of God says it is better to have your name written there than to have it on the largest bank check ever drawn. Someone is going to have to write it there for you.
Another question arises: WHO CAN DO IT FOR ME?
Can my pastor?
Can the evangelist?
What about my attorney?
Can my personal physician take care of it for me?
Can my congressman, or senator do it?
All these may legitimately act in your behalf in urgent matters that affect your life down here but THEIR POWER IS LIMITED TO THIS EARTH!
Only one person has the right—has the authority and power--to place your name, or my name, in the Book of Life. It is the privilege of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. If your name is ever
written in heaven, it will be written on God’s terms alone.
HOW CAN WE KNOW?
“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
The Cross is God’s Great PEN that inscribes your name in the Book of life
1. The cross is a sign of God’s love
2. The cross is a sign of God’s mercy
3. The cross is a sign of God’s grace
4. The cross is a sign of God’s forgiveness
5. The cross is God’s great quill dipped in the precious blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It is the only instrument worthy enough--powerful enough—to inscribe your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Only the hand of God can do that!
There’s absolutely nothing we can do - only to believe He DID it
HOW CAN A PERSON BE SURE?
1. This is something we cannot afford to merely guess about. We cannot afford to take a chance. If it were not possible to be sure that your name is there, Jesus would not have told us to rejoice. Remember, “…rejoice that your names are written in heaven…” (Lk. 10:20. You and I cannot rejoice about something we are not certain about.
2. Don’t tell me, “I hope so,” or “I do the best I can.” When I ask you, “Is your name written there, are you on God’s list?” I want either a “yes,” or a “no.”
3. It is as simple as A-B-C.
a. ALL have sinned
b. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
c. Confess with your mouth
If you have never done, if you’re just not sure, now is the time.
COULD YOU BE A HERO?
“And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children... You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.” Galatians 3:29
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these” John 14:12
There’s this list with an unknown # of people who fall into this category. So the buzz is... Are you on the list. Could u b hero?
Something else you may not be aware of is that God has a list. It is the most important list that can be found in heaven or on earth. I cannot emphasize how important this list is and how extremely important it is for us to know with certainty if our name is on that list. My purpose in today’s message is to provide you with the latest information about God’s list, what it is, and how one gets their name on that list.
We will all agree that it is important for our names to be on certain lists. There are good lists and there are bad lists. Everyone wants his or her name on a good list. (like Santa) I hope that this will be the case when I tell you about the best list of all – God’s list.
How many of you have heard of the “Do not call” list?
How many of you asked that your name be placed on the “Do not call” list?
Many welcomed the chance to get our name on a list that would penalize telemarketers if they called. I read that since the list has been created the number of such calls has been drastically reduced.
A telemarketer’s list is a bad list to be on.
A “Do not call” list is a good list to be on.
When someone has a grudge against one who has offended or hurt him or her in some fashion we may hear the offended party say about the offender, “He (or she) is on my list.” In other words they are going to remember what was done and maybe even seek to retaliate. In an even more serious sense mobsters or members of the Mafia may put people of their “hit list.” A Mafia “hit list” was a death sentence.
There’s the Dean’s list in college. That was good because it meant that I made good grades.
One of the lists we don’t like is the waiting list. Only because we want instant gratification and we don’t want to have to wait to get what we want. Some know what it is to be on an organ transplant waiting list to get a kidney or perhaps for a heart transplant.
Whether actively or passively in some way, some form, fashion, and for some good or bad reason we all have our names on a list somewhere. Your name is written down on some record either in a book or perhaps a computer. Your name is recorded at the Court House, in a Social Security file in Washington, DC or the local driver’s license bureau.
It’s interesting that the Bible has much to say about another official record where we may (or may not) find our name written down. I am talking about a record in Heaven. There is a book of names in Heaven. I am talking about a list of names that God Himself writes down as He oversees each entry in His book. This is the reason for my question, “Is Your Name On God’s List.” Meaning, is your name written down in God’s book?
Let me provide some Scripture background that will validate and authenticate the question I have asked. There are more than just a few passages of Scripture that relate to my question.
The first I have chosen is not the best but it is interesting because of the events that make up the story where this verse is found. Jesus had sent out 72 of His disciples on a mission of preaching and teaching that included the ability to work miracles. When they returned from their very successful ministry tour they were overjoyed. Luke tells us:
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."” Luke 10:17-20
In the show Hereos - try to stop bomb from destroying city
let’s suppose there was only one safe place to flee and because this place could accommodate only a limited number of people it meant only a certain number of people could board the buses to flee to safety.
In order to determine who would go and who would stay a list is made and only those whose name was on the list is allowed to find shelter and safety. If you knew such a danger existed and you knew the only way to live – the only way to get on the bus and save your life -- was to get your name on the list, how many of you would try your best to get your name on the list?
My story is an imaginary one. However, let me take you to the Scripture and ask you to seriously consider what the Prophet Daniel says about a day of calamity that is to come upon this earth. This is not imaginary. I am not making this up.
“"At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.” Daniel 12:1
This verse predicts a day and time—perhaps a season lasting for an extended period—when the nations of this world will enter into a period of distress of such magnitude, such intensity and suffering, that has never happened before in the history of the world. This verse seems to describe a division between those who will suffer and those who will not suffer. It says some will be delivered from the suffering and others will not be delivered. The prophecy makes a clear distinction between those who will and those who will not be delivered. “Everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered” (vs. 1).
This verse says there is a book.
This verse says names are written in this book.
This verse says those whose names are written in this book will be delivered.
Is your name in the book? Is Your Name on God’s List?
This is the most important question. Thousands and thousands of people today want to know when this time of trouble will come. They want to know what will be happening when it comes. They want to know what they can do to protect themselves when it comes.
What is going to happen, how is it going to happen, or when is it going to happen, these are not the question one should be asking. The most important question that needs to be asked and answered is: Is your name on God’s list. Is your name found written the book?
The Bible has much to say about God having a Book—and names being inscribed in it--that hasn’t been mentioned yet. Consider the following:
1. Moses
As you know, Moses was God’s instrument in leading the Hebrews out of Egyptian slavery toward freedom in a land God had promised. On several occasions the people sinned against the Lord with murmuring and complaining through their unbelief. On one occasion it was more serious than it had ever been. Because of the sin of the nation, God was about to literally wipe them off the face of the earth. Moses sensed a catastrophe was in the making. The Bible says:
“The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the Lord on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin.”
So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a terrible sin these people have committed. They have made gods of gold for themselves. But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!”
But the Lord replied to Moses, “No, I will erase the name of
everyone who has sinned against me.” Exodus 32:31-33
2. The Apostle Paul was familiar with this book.
“And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.” Phil. 4:3
3. John the Revelator spoke often of this book. Consider:
“All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.” Rev. 3:5
There are several other passages of Scripture that mention names being written in God’s book. All these verses—Old and New Testament—make ever so real the truth Jesus set forth in our text found in Luke 10:20. “….rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
1. There is a book in heaven called “The Book of Life.”
2. It is possible for our names to be written in it.
3. It is imperative—absolutely of the greatest importance—that we know our names are written there.
4. The question we face, the question, which must be given the most serious consideration, is: IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE? ARE YOU ON GOD’S LIST?
WHAT CONDITIONS MUST I MEET TO HAVE MY NAME PLACED ON GOD’S LIST?
I have no power to write my name there. Another hand must write it. I sign checks. I sign order blanks. I sign letters. I write my name often and for many reasons, as you do. But no king, dictator, general, merchant, scholar, or scientist can write his name in heaven. Think about that! You and I may get our name written into a church book but getting it in the Lamb’s Book of Life is another matter.
But you will never be good enough to write your name there. And the Son of God says it is better to have your name written there than to have it on the largest bank check ever drawn. Someone is going to have to write it there for you.
Another question arises: WHO CAN DO IT FOR ME?
Can my pastor?
Can the evangelist?
What about my attorney?
Can my personal physician take care of it for me?
Can my congressman, or senator do it?
All these may legitimately act in your behalf in urgent matters that affect your life down here but THEIR POWER IS LIMITED TO THIS EARTH!
Only one person has the right—has the authority and power--to place your name, or my name, in the Book of Life. It is the privilege of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. If your name is ever
written in heaven, it will be written on God’s terms alone.
HOW CAN WE KNOW?
“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
The Cross is God’s Great PEN that inscribes your name in the Book of life
1. The cross is a sign of God’s love
2. The cross is a sign of God’s mercy
3. The cross is a sign of God’s grace
4. The cross is a sign of God’s forgiveness
5. The cross is God’s great quill dipped in the precious blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. It is the only instrument worthy enough--powerful enough—to inscribe your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Only the hand of God can do that!
There’s absolutely nothing we can do - only to believe He DID it
HOW CAN A PERSON BE SURE?
1. This is something we cannot afford to merely guess about. We cannot afford to take a chance. If it were not possible to be sure that your name is there, Jesus would not have told us to rejoice. Remember, “…rejoice that your names are written in heaven…” (Lk. 10:20. You and I cannot rejoice about something we are not certain about.
2. Don’t tell me, “I hope so,” or “I do the best I can.” When I ask you, “Is your name written there, are you on God’s list?” I want either a “yes,” or a “no.”
3. It is as simple as A-B-C.
a. ALL have sinned
b. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
c. Confess with your mouth
If you have never done, if you’re just not sure, now is the time.
COULD YOU BE A HERO?
“And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children... You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.” Galatians 3:29
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these” John 14:12
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
HEROES - The ULTIMATE Hero
Good morning. Today we are beginning our series ‘Heroes’. When you first heard the term “hero” what came to your mind? Perhaps you thought of a sports hero like Lance Armstrong or Tiger Woods. Or maybe an action hero. Some of us possibly thought of a military hero like Jessica Lynch or a fantasy hero like Superman.
or maybe you connected with John Wayne. John Wayne was a man’s man and a tough guy. He rode into town, cleaned things up and did it in a way that made you want to buy a horse, a six shooter and see what you could do with your town.
As I look at all those heroes I see a common denominator: they are all safe. Some of them are safe simply because they are not real. Some are safe because they are just playing a role. Others are safe because I could never physically do what they do. Our hero’s are safe and that, I believe, is part of their attraction.
This morning if I were to ask you to name your favorite hero I would expect you to say, “I like John Wayne but I’m at church so I’m going to say Jesus.”
This is sort of like the old story of a 2nd grade boy attending a Sunday school class. The teacher was telling a story that involved animals. Looking at her class she asked, “What is brown, furry, has a bushy tail and collects nuts to eat?”
The class responded with an eerie silence. Finally a little boy responded, “Teacher, it sure sounds like a squirrel but I’m going to say Jesus.” And today, that is the right answer. Today we are going to
consider Jesus as our ultimate hero. Now right up front I want us to acknowledge that our task is
beyond our reach. Jesus blows away the standards when it comes to heroes. He is unique. He is supreme. He is different. Different in the same way that a candle is different than the sun. They both may give off light but that is where the comparison ends. But I encourage you with this; this task has been out of reach for others as well. David said, “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.” Psalm 145:3 Christ supercedes our grandest thoughts and surpasses our best efforts at description. He is a hero beyond of our ability to explain. So what are we to do? I would propose that today we dance on the very edge of mystery. That we strive to describe the indescribable. Let’s remember however, that the closer we get to mystery the further we get from our ability to explain and describe that mystery. To help us do that I want us to look at Colossians 1:15-22 together. These two paragraphs are going to tell us that the hero Christ is supreme to all others because His nature is unique and because His work is unmatched. This truth is then going to demand that we answer two personal questions: 1. Have you and I made Jesus into a hero who is safe? 2. Do I really want Jesus as my hero? Read Colossians 1:15-18 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”
Our Ultimate Hero: Jesus Christ: verses 15-18 1. The ultimate hero is divine: “the image of the invisible God”: vs. 15a The word “image” does not speak to physical image but to the very person of God and Christ. It communicates the idea of an image on a coin that is an exact representation of a real person. Or the idea of looking into a mirror where you see an exact representation of yourself. When a Hebrew or Gentile looked on the person of Christ they were seeing the very nature and being of God revealed. They were seeing the divine revealed. Jesus said in John 14:9, “anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Our hero, men and women, is divine. 2. The ultimate hero is the Creator and Sustainer: v15b-17 “the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
These verses tell us that Christ is the eternal Creator who after creating all things continues to sustain or uphold them by His power. Christ made all things and He has not given up His control of them or His power to govern them. This reference to Christ as the “first-born over all creation” speaks to both the eternal nature of Christ, He is before any created thing, and His rank or supremacy to all things. He is both before and supreme over His creation. What a wonderful encouragement to us. Someone is indeed in charge of this crazy world we live in and it’s the ult.hero Jesus Christ. Moment by moment He makes the universe we live in a cosmos instead of a chaos. Things may appear to be falling apart in our life but take encouragement; nothing has slipped through the fingers of the hero Christ. In His universe, nothing…and I mean nothing, diverts His focus, avoids His direction or limits His influence. Our Hero is the Creator and the One who remains supreme and sovereign. 3. The ultimate hero is the head of the Church – verse 18a “And he is the head of the body, the church” Take note of Paul’s use of language here. He has just explained that Christ is the supreme and sovereign Creator of all things visible and invisible. Genesis is not the final testament of Christ’s creative work. The church too is His creation. And as its Creator, He is its Head. The church refers here to both the local assembly of believers as well as to the universal church of all Christ-followers. He is the head, the leader of the church. Ephesians 1:22: “And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything FOR THE CHURCH”. Do you see how powerful this is? Christ’s supremacy over all creation is a gift to the church. Christ is supreme for the benefit of the church. His supreme authority over all things and His power over all things are for the benefit of FOCUS* - A Foursquare Church. One writer said this, “The Church has authority and power to overcome all opposition because her leader and head is Lord of all.” Expositor’s Commentary, volume 11, page 31. 4. The ultimate hero is the victor over death: verse 18b
“he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Christ is the first to rise in an immortal body. The first to look death square in the eye and defeat it. And because He rose from the dead He can offer life to those who are dead. Do you see the picture Paul is attempting to draw of Christ?
He is the divine God who created all things and continues to sustain all things. He created the church as an expression of His creative work through which He exercises His power. And a primary expression of His power and benefit to the church is creating new lives out of dead people. I think Paul is writing all this stuff and stops to add a word of WOW found in verse 18. “In everything Christ might have the supremacy.” Folks, our hero Christ is supreme. Let me ask you one of the questions I mentioned earlier. Have you and I made Jesus into a hero who is safe? Think back to some of the categories of heroes. Fantasy Heroes: Several of the heroes were fantasy heroes. They do not really exist and they make no real difference on reality. Is Christ a fantasy hero who is making no difference in the reality called your life? Sports Heroes: These are the people we admire from a distance but have no relationship with at all. We admire them, talk about their athletic exploits but they would never accept an invitation to our home because we have no relationship with them. If I were to holler at Craig Biggio one night after a baseball game and invite him to my house for dinner, I seriously doubt if he would come. Why? Because we have no relationship. Is Christ like that for you? Someone that is fun to watch on Sunday mornings but does not get invited home with you? Action Heroes: A couple of our heroes represent well the rugged individualist who needs no one and who can conquer life on his own. I believe that this is the most lethal of deceptions. This is the Christ-follower who makes walking with Christ so private that he can no longer see how he is manipulating Christ to fit his own agenda and life. Let me give you something to chew on later today. Christ did not die to be your private hero. He died to be your personal hero so that you could express him publicly. The writer Sidney J. Harris once said this in relation to a list of heroes identified by society. “the heroes created by our society are people who have made it big, but not necessarily people who have done big things.” Christ has not only the character or nature to be our hero; He has also done the big things to warrant hero stature. What is the big thing that Jesus did?
Read Colossians 1:19-22
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” The Big Thing That Jesus Did To Warrant Hero Status? He Died to Reconcile You and Me to Himself. We all admire people who are willing to lay it all on the line for what they believe or for people they care about. Remember Cassie Bernall? She was the teenager at Columbine High School who looked up at a boy with a gun pointing at her and said, “Yes, I do believe in God.” Or Todd Beamer who on 9/11 turned to those around him on a plan hijacked by terrorist and said, “lets roll” and plunged to his death. Or Pat Tillman who gave up the wealth and status of the NFL only to be killed in Iraq. We admire that type of heroism and rightly so. I wonder if our admiration is not partially due to the fact that they remind us of Christ. He looked Pilate straight in the face and said, “It is as you say. I am the King of the Jews.” Then he paid for that truth with His life. Christ prayed in the garden and wrestled with the Father over what to do. Then, if you would allow me to say it this way, Jesus said to the Father, “let’s roll” and then went to His death. Christ called his disciples His friends and then took a cross for them.
Let me say with all honesty, this work of Christ amazes me.
It forces me to wrestle with the greatness of Christ. It challenges me to search for appropriate words of wonder. But there is something even more astounding to me regarding the work of this hero Christ. Something that forces me to my knees in complete awe. And it is this.
Christ died for the young boy who pulled the trigger that day at Columbine High School. Christ died for those men who believed so strongly in their cause that they would hijack a plane and kill innocent people. And Christ died for those soldiers who shot the bullet that killed our soldier. Now let me ask you the second of our two questions. Do you want this Jesus as your hero? If you do not know Christ as your savior, then this is a time for you to wrestle with this question, “Do you want this Jesus as your Savior?” If so, then I invite you If you are already a follower of Christ, then use this time to examine your heart. Let me ask the same question with a different twist for you. Do you want this Jesus as your Lord? Is the Jesus described this morning the Jesus you have given every aspect of your life to? Or have you substituted another hero. Use this time as a time to repent or affirm your followership of the hero Jesus.
The class responded with an eerie silence. Finally a little boy responded, “Teacher, it sure sounds like a squirrel but I’m going to say Jesus.” And today, that is the right answer. Today we are going to
consider Jesus as our ultimate hero. Now right up front I want us to acknowledge that our task is
beyond our reach. Jesus blows away the standards when it comes to heroes. He is unique. He is supreme. He is different. Different in the same way that a candle is different than the sun. They both may give off light but that is where the comparison ends. But I encourage you with this; this task has been out of reach for others as well. David said, “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.” Psalm 145:3 Christ supercedes our grandest thoughts and surpasses our best efforts at description. He is a hero beyond of our ability to explain. So what are we to do? I would propose that today we dance on the very edge of mystery. That we strive to describe the indescribable. Let’s remember however, that the closer we get to mystery the further we get from our ability to explain and describe that mystery. To help us do that I want us to look at Colossians 1:15-22 together. These two paragraphs are going to tell us that the hero Christ is supreme to all others because His nature is unique and because His work is unmatched. This truth is then going to demand that we answer two personal questions: 1. Have you and I made Jesus into a hero who is safe? 2. Do I really want Jesus as my hero? Read Colossians 1:15-18 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”
Our Ultimate Hero: Jesus Christ: verses 15-18 1. The ultimate hero is divine: “the image of the invisible God”: vs. 15a The word “image” does not speak to physical image but to the very person of God and Christ. It communicates the idea of an image on a coin that is an exact representation of a real person. Or the idea of looking into a mirror where you see an exact representation of yourself. When a Hebrew or Gentile looked on the person of Christ they were seeing the very nature and being of God revealed. They were seeing the divine revealed. Jesus said in John 14:9, “anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Our hero, men and women, is divine. 2. The ultimate hero is the Creator and Sustainer: v15b-17 “the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
These verses tell us that Christ is the eternal Creator who after creating all things continues to sustain or uphold them by His power. Christ made all things and He has not given up His control of them or His power to govern them. This reference to Christ as the “first-born over all creation” speaks to both the eternal nature of Christ, He is before any created thing, and His rank or supremacy to all things. He is both before and supreme over His creation. What a wonderful encouragement to us. Someone is indeed in charge of this crazy world we live in and it’s the ult.hero Jesus Christ. Moment by moment He makes the universe we live in a cosmos instead of a chaos. Things may appear to be falling apart in our life but take encouragement; nothing has slipped through the fingers of the hero Christ. In His universe, nothing…and I mean nothing, diverts His focus, avoids His direction or limits His influence. Our Hero is the Creator and the One who remains supreme and sovereign. 3. The ultimate hero is the head of the Church – verse 18a “And he is the head of the body, the church” Take note of Paul’s use of language here. He has just explained that Christ is the supreme and sovereign Creator of all things visible and invisible. Genesis is not the final testament of Christ’s creative work. The church too is His creation. And as its Creator, He is its Head. The church refers here to both the local assembly of believers as well as to the universal church of all Christ-followers. He is the head, the leader of the church. Ephesians 1:22: “And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything FOR THE CHURCH”. Do you see how powerful this is? Christ’s supremacy over all creation is a gift to the church. Christ is supreme for the benefit of the church. His supreme authority over all things and His power over all things are for the benefit of FOCUS* - A Foursquare Church. One writer said this, “The Church has authority and power to overcome all opposition because her leader and head is Lord of all.” Expositor’s Commentary, volume 11, page 31. 4. The ultimate hero is the victor over death: verse 18b
“he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Christ is the first to rise in an immortal body. The first to look death square in the eye and defeat it. And because He rose from the dead He can offer life to those who are dead. Do you see the picture Paul is attempting to draw of Christ?
He is the divine God who created all things and continues to sustain all things. He created the church as an expression of His creative work through which He exercises His power. And a primary expression of His power and benefit to the church is creating new lives out of dead people. I think Paul is writing all this stuff and stops to add a word of WOW found in verse 18. “In everything Christ might have the supremacy.” Folks, our hero Christ is supreme. Let me ask you one of the questions I mentioned earlier. Have you and I made Jesus into a hero who is safe? Think back to some of the categories of heroes. Fantasy Heroes: Several of the heroes were fantasy heroes. They do not really exist and they make no real difference on reality. Is Christ a fantasy hero who is making no difference in the reality called your life? Sports Heroes: These are the people we admire from a distance but have no relationship with at all. We admire them, talk about their athletic exploits but they would never accept an invitation to our home because we have no relationship with them. If I were to holler at Craig Biggio one night after a baseball game and invite him to my house for dinner, I seriously doubt if he would come. Why? Because we have no relationship. Is Christ like that for you? Someone that is fun to watch on Sunday mornings but does not get invited home with you? Action Heroes: A couple of our heroes represent well the rugged individualist who needs no one and who can conquer life on his own. I believe that this is the most lethal of deceptions. This is the Christ-follower who makes walking with Christ so private that he can no longer see how he is manipulating Christ to fit his own agenda and life. Let me give you something to chew on later today. Christ did not die to be your private hero. He died to be your personal hero so that you could express him publicly. The writer Sidney J. Harris once said this in relation to a list of heroes identified by society. “the heroes created by our society are people who have made it big, but not necessarily people who have done big things.” Christ has not only the character or nature to be our hero; He has also done the big things to warrant hero stature. What is the big thing that Jesus did?
Read Colossians 1:19-22
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” The Big Thing That Jesus Did To Warrant Hero Status? He Died to Reconcile You and Me to Himself. We all admire people who are willing to lay it all on the line for what they believe or for people they care about. Remember Cassie Bernall? She was the teenager at Columbine High School who looked up at a boy with a gun pointing at her and said, “Yes, I do believe in God.” Or Todd Beamer who on 9/11 turned to those around him on a plan hijacked by terrorist and said, “lets roll” and plunged to his death. Or Pat Tillman who gave up the wealth and status of the NFL only to be killed in Iraq. We admire that type of heroism and rightly so. I wonder if our admiration is not partially due to the fact that they remind us of Christ. He looked Pilate straight in the face and said, “It is as you say. I am the King of the Jews.” Then he paid for that truth with His life. Christ prayed in the garden and wrestled with the Father over what to do. Then, if you would allow me to say it this way, Jesus said to the Father, “let’s roll” and then went to His death. Christ called his disciples His friends and then took a cross for them.
Let me say with all honesty, this work of Christ amazes me.
It forces me to wrestle with the greatness of Christ. It challenges me to search for appropriate words of wonder. But there is something even more astounding to me regarding the work of this hero Christ. Something that forces me to my knees in complete awe. And it is this.
Christ died for the young boy who pulled the trigger that day at Columbine High School. Christ died for those men who believed so strongly in their cause that they would hijack a plane and kill innocent people. And Christ died for those soldiers who shot the bullet that killed our soldier. Now let me ask you the second of our two questions. Do you want this Jesus as your hero? If you do not know Christ as your savior, then this is a time for you to wrestle with this question, “Do you want this Jesus as your Savior?” If so, then I invite you If you are already a follower of Christ, then use this time to examine your heart. Let me ask the same question with a different twist for you. Do you want this Jesus as your Lord? Is the Jesus described this morning the Jesus you have given every aspect of your life to? Or have you substituted another hero. Use this time as a time to repent or affirm your followership of the hero Jesus.
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