“Breaking Through the Silence”

 Scripture:   Romans 5:10-25, 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13

Next Sunday is the beginning of Advent, a time of expectant waiting.  And what are we waiting for?  First, to celebrate the first coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas.  This day is symbolized by a manger, and initially by the lack of room in our hearts for this Child of God.  But the second coming, which is seldom proclaimed at Advent, may be just as important for Christians as the first coming is.

 And what are these “comings” all about?  They proclaim God’s great plan to overcome the condemnation that our sinful lives have created within us.  When Jesus first came into our world, He taught us the truths of the Father, which, even though scripture had already revealed the deadly truth of our sin, as well as the consequences of faithless living.  But the ultimate gift in that first coming, was the Lord’s destruction of the hold that sin had on our lives, and the eternal life that His sacrifice created for all who would simply believe that He is God!

 That which we could never accomplish has been completed by our Savior Jesus Christ.  Almighty God, in His infinite wisdom, has paid the penalty for the sin that we have chosen to allow into our heart. 

 But how about that second coming that has also been promised.  If Jesus has already destroyed the power of sin, what is left for Him to do?  There is still one more task, also one that we could never do on our own, and that is the destruction of every sin that will still exist throughout the entire world! And there are still a lot of people who will suffer in sin, and if they continue to trust in their own capacity to know the difference between the righteous life and the errant life of sin, there will be a day when they will discover the difference, but it will be too late for them to make any changes in their own life.  And at that point, they will never be able to understand the eternity that a life in Jesus will offer, for that door is going to remain closed for them.

 Read Romans 5:10-11

 The Father, through His Son Jesus, has completed the most difficult part of our reconciliation with God.  By Jesus’ sacrificial act at Calvary, the righteous life has been won for all who will put their trust in Him!  The death that our Christ accepted was the death toll for the sinful life, and without faith in Jesus, no one will be able to endure the judgment that their life will be subjected to!

 Without the Son of God in our heart, we will remain the Lord’s “enemy”, and God’s enemy will never know the life that He offers.  But by being one with His Son we also become the children of God.  And the effect of kinship means that not only do we know God, but God knows us!  This is the hope that Jesus was revealing in His parable of the 10 Virgins.  The ten were waiting to honor the arrival of a bridegroom.  5 were alert and ready, while the other 5 were foolish and failed to be prepared to welcome the groom.  They had to leave the banquet to obtain oil for their lamps, but while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived.  He and the 5 who were ready to honor him entered the hall, and the door was closed.

 When the other 5 finally arrived and tried to enter, the master told them “I say to you, I do not know you.” (Matthew 25:1-13)  This will be the fate for those who have never prepared their lives for the return of the Lord Jesus.  Anyone who is not prepared to welcome Jesus upon His return, will be unable to enter God’s Kingdom, because the Lord won’t even know them!  God will only know those who have prepared for that time by committing their lives to Jesus.

 Read Romans 5:12-14

 You may have heard Jesus referred to as ‘the second Adam”.  The human forms of each came to be through the grace of God.  But they differed in the way they responded to this blessing – Adam, by turning against the way that the Lord instructed him, and Jesus, by obeying every single thought that the Father placed in His heart.  Adam’s sin of disobedience (Genesis 2:15-17; Genesis3:1-7) has carried through to all of humanity that came after him.  Jesus’ righteousness has been made available to all who come to Him by faith.

 And even though sin has been prevalent since the time of the first Adam, consequences for sin was held back until the Law was given to Moses – in other words – other than the Lord’s command to Adam and Eve, humanity didn’t know the difference between what was righteous and what was sinful.  God gave Moses 10 commands that were to be respected and obeyed, as a sign of what was to be expected from the lives of Israel, as well as from all of humanity throughout the earth.

 God has blessed us all with the beauty of His creation, but when we begin to celebrate and desire the beauty that surrounds us instead of the Creator who brought all beauty into our life, it is then that we have broken from the relationship that the Lord has always desired for us.  And you may be wondering why the world doesn’t know this!  It may very well be that they have never heard!  The problem is that the church has been much too quiet outside of our walls, and others are going to suffer for our silence.

 Read Romans 5:15-21

 Paul now makes another comparison and distinction between the two Adams.  He claims that through each, the life that we live has spread from each of their lives.  Through the first Adam, we strive to be God-personally, instead of God-obedient.  Through Jesus, we strive to live Godly lives instead of becoming God-deniers.  And both sin and obedience flow from each of these two Adams.

 In comparison, Paul tells us that with sin through Adam, we inherit death, while, by faith in Jesus, we gain forgiveness for our sin, and inherit righteousness!  Paul never suggests that the choice that we have to make is between two balanced opportunities.  As a matter of fact, they are as different as the distinction between night and day, and yet, they are still our only options.  And what has the church done to help the masses understand that the differences are so vastly important?

 And for those who believe that their personal ways are just as valid as God’s are, Isaiah 55:8-9 would have us understand that the two ways – ours versus the Lord’s – are truly and uniquely  different, just as the results of each will be.  And the outcome all hinges upon the way that we choose – will we copy the way of disobedience through Adam, or will we look to Jesus for restoration, healing, forgiveness, and redemption?

 So what will it be?  Sin or righteousness?  Death or eternal life?  And what will we do about our decision?

 Read 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13

 Paul offers a thanksgiving to God for the faithful witness that goes out from the church in Thessalonica.  And, depending on the scriptural translation, we might read that Paul is elated that the Lord has increased their love beyond all understanding, so that it might overflow from their hearts to rest upon everyone whom it touches.

 In Romans 5, Paul wrote about the choice that we have to make, regarding the way that we will follow.  Either way will be observed by the people of this world, and yet, he now calls us to understand what choosing Jesus will do for both us as well as for those who receive the blessing of love that overflows from our lives.  And as love abounds within all who are blessed through the love that comes from faith in Jesus Christ, so will the message of eternal hope that it carries!

 This, too, is a choice that we have to make – to share the love of God with others, or to keep it all safely hidden away within our heart!  And when we deny others the love of God, it will gain us nothing.  For when we spread the love that we have received from the Lord, we also can’t help but share the message of eternal life that comes by faith in Jesus Christ – and it will overflow throughout the world! 

 No longer silent, no longer condemned, no longer under judgment, no more submission to the darkness of earth.  Isn’t this the better way?  Break the silence and let the Lord's way flow throughout the earth.

"Give Thanks to the Lord - Always!"

 Scripture:   Philippians 4:4-9;  Acts 2:22-28

For the past 5 weeks, we have been considering the many reasons that our good and faithful God has given us for showing our gratitude to Him later this week on Thanksgiving Day.  Of course, the Lord deserves our grateful heart and eternal thanksgiving every day, but especially on the day that is so specifically identified as Thanksgiving.

 Today will be the last in this sermon series, but we all should be confident that God’s gifts will continue to shower us with divine blessings throughout our lives.  The intent of these messages of thanksgiving for the Lord are to remind us all of what we owe to our Almighty God, and that we should be praising Him and giving thanks to Him as often and as fully as we possibly can. 

 The Lord asks very little from us, other than our faithful obedience and our honest gratitude for all that He provides.  But how much do we actually give back to Him?  He only asks for us to return a tithe out of all that He gives us in income, in abilities, and in our time, to be used in outreach, in service to others, and in witness to all that the Lord has done for us.

 Is that too much?  Is 10% of our “First and Best Fruits” an unreasonable amount to return to God?  Is 90% too little to keep for the living of our own lives?  Think about it as we celebrate the Lord’s generosity toward each of us!

 Read Philippians 4:4-9

 Rejoice and be gentle in all that you do!  Now, some folks will respond with the thought – “How can God expect us to be thankful and happy and gentle when life is rapidly dragging us into misery, trial, sickness, loss, all kinds of pain and worldly oppression, and even into death?”  But we have never been told to be thankful for a life that turns sour on us.  The thought that should be leading us into joyful thanksgiving is that God will see us through, not only the best of times, but also during the worst that we could ever imagine!

 This is the attitude that every Christian should be displaying to the world!  Those who have never given their lives over to our Lord Jesus Christ, will be amazed, and some will even be eager to understand what it is about this life that could possibly lead us into a love and admiration that goes so far beyond all understanding or appreciation!  After all, isn’t this the example that Jesus has laid down for us?  I don’t believe that He was all that happy about the torture, the hatred, the denial, the pain that those last few days of human life brought to Him.  But the joyful heart that sustained Him through it all was that His painful and humiliating death would enable all who trusted their lives to Him through faith, would one day discover eternal joy in the life that would, without a single doubt, come to them!

 The only problem for us is that we have been living in an instant kind of world – instant food, instant news, instant weather, instant love, and more “instants” than we could ever count.  The problem for “instant” oriented people is that God works in His own form of time, and not on the time that many folks measure Him by.  Many expect that even “peace” should be one of those instantaneous things, when it actually takes time for it all to come together!

 Then there is that string of “whatever’s” that also have little to do with human understanding.  Consider “truth” and “right” – truth in God is always synonymous with “right”.  What about noble?  The word implies honorable, moral, just, and so on.  But the world’s version has become understood as a personal trait, and one that each and every person should be allowed to define for themselves.  The word “pure” doesn’t even seem to be definable any more, as nothing seems to be pure in today’s culture!  Even “lovely” and “admirable” have moved beyond what scripture has always intended for their meaning, and these, too, have taken on a personal context, and God’s desire for what has always been His understanding of what we should strive for has become moot, at best.

 All of these Godly words are, in truth, absolute and eternal, and not the human kind that seem to be relative and up for change every time you turn around.  This passage from Philipppians is intended to call everyone to stop redefining, rewriting and misquoting the words that Almighty God has set down for our edification, and to begin living and loving in the way that the Lord has always lived and loved for us.

 And the concluding sentence tells us that when we begin to live and love in God’s virtuous way, and put His way into practice on a daily basis, not only will His peace rest upon us, but the God of Peace will also come into our lives, to live within us for all time.  And this will fill us with the true and complete reason for fulfilling thankfulness.

 Read Acts 2:22-28

 These words are a portion of Peter’s proclamation at Pentecost.  When he refers to the “miracles, signs and wonders” of Jesus’ life among us, he is basically telling the people to simply believe what their eyes have seen and ears have heard from the Lord.  They are also to decide for themselves if anyone other than God has ever had the authority and power to bring all of this to bear for the world. 

 The power of Pentecost is Spirit based.  The truth of the Lord’s salvation is Spirit affirmed.  The promise of Jesus Messiah’s coming, both then and on the day that is yet to come, is given by Jesus Himself, and the Father, as well as the Spirit, and finally by God’s word in scripture.  Everything that came from the teachings of Jesus was God inspired, everything that Jesus endured throughout His life, including the evil that denounced Him and took His life was necessary to fulfill God’s perfect plan.  And why did the Lord Jesus accept this task of rescue for the sinful likes of you and me?  Because only His death, resurrection and eternal life, along with our acceptance through faith that it is God’s truth, God’s purpose, and God’s desire that no one should perish without the opportunity of hope – a hope that only the Lord could promise and that only God could bring to completion. 

 And verse 28 is our response in faith to the Lord’s eternal blessings for our life – please join me in claiming these words for our own lives -  ²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’  

By faith, we are in the presence of God through Jesus, and if that isn’t the very best reason to be thankful, there isn’t a single ounce of gratitude that will ever overflow from our life.

“Thanksgiving Through Generosity”

 Scripture:   2 Corinthians 9:6-13;  Luke 11:39-46

As the days draw ever closer to our annual day of Thanksgiving, our reasons for being thankful in the Lord should also be growing in purpose, in passion, and in commitment.  And even as the mess that the world is in grows beyond all measure, the blessings that will come to the Lord’s people will grow in even greater ways.  Have you been considering what you might include in your thanksgiving list - those blessings that God has provided, and continues to provide for you each and every single day? 

 The truth of the matter is as proclaimed in the Nicene Creed – that the Lord is creator of all things – those that are seen, as well as those that are unseen!  I am also certain that those discoveries and inventions that have generally been attributed to the wisdom and ingenuity of human beings, are also the work of the hands of God!  He guides, inspires, and directs our works, and even though the labor saving, entertaining and even more important devices that we use each and every day were built by human hands, they still should be offered up to the credit of God’s desires. 

 Unfortunately, all too often, the God given gifts that we have in this lifetime are seldom used to praise and glorify the Creator!  And even worse, they are, many times, used to advance personal agendas of wickedness and self-importance.  So let’s take some time to see what scripture has to say about this state of affairs.

 Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

 Believers in Jerusalem were going through a difficult time, and churches throughout the region were collecting offerings to send to those faithful, to help them in their hour of need.  Paul, in the 8^th chapter of 2 Corinthians (8:13-15), tells believers in Corinth that they aren’t being asked to give more than they have, but to give as much as they can.  And that they will be helping others, so that when, and if, Corinth finds itself in need, that others can help them.  He refers to this exchange of aid as true “Equity”.  (Matthew 7:12)

 In this passage for today, He makes the comparison to planting and harvesting, that we receive in direct comparison to what we give.  As the Lord blesses us, we are to give a portion of our blessing to bring blessings to others.  It should never be by way of obligation, or pressure, or self-worth, but out of a desire to give as God has already given to us.  It’s all about our attitude in the giving, and the apostle reminds us that “God loves a cheerful giver.”  The prophet Micah has also reminded us that the things we do are nowhere near as important as is the attitude that inspires us to do them in the first place! (Micah 6:8)

 Even in the Psalms we read that when we live in the way that the Lord would have us live, we will give generously and intentionally.  Psalm112:6-10, for example, tells us “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever”  This is inspiration to serve as the Lord has served us.

 In other words, “God (truly does) love a cheerful giver”!

 Read 2 Corinthians 9:10-13

 As we read this passage, we need to carefully understand that the author isn’t only speaking about providing food to other believers.  In Matthew5:15-17; 46-48, Jesus tells us that the light that shines through our righteous acts is intended to bless all who experience it, and that the love we show should benefit everyone, and not just those who love us in return.  And the Lord would have us know that to live and love in this way will be our reflection of how God would have us reach out to all people of this world.

 Paul wants us to know that our “God of Abundance” will bless our giving out of the abundance that He has already given.  But if we only give out of our poverty, out of our lacking, there will never be sufficient glory shown toward the One who has given us everything in the first place!  And when we give generously out of all that we have received, our example of living the Godly life, will never go unnoticed – not by those who have benefitted from our generosity, and definitely not by our great and generous Lord.

 One further point – how should we respond to God’s blessing of enabling and allowing us to live in a way that brings divine blessings into the lives of others?  Thankful lives bring others to an awareness of thanksgiving for their own lives.  But we must never take credit for being so able, for ability is also a gift from our Almighty, Gracious, and Generous Lord.

 Read Luke 11:39-42

 This passage follows an event in which Jesus had been invited to join a Pharisee in a meal at his home.  But the Lord had failed to wash His hands before joining in the feast, and the law-abiding Pharisee was appalled and expressed his sense of personal insult.  Jesus tells him that he, and other legalistic men like him, are always far more concerned about exterior cleanliness than they are about their spiritual well-being.  Pharisees had always seen their adherence to the Law of Moses as proof that they were, in all regards, righteous and worthy of being representatives of their Jehovah God.  But Jesus turns the tables on him with the accusation that, in reality, he is actually filled with greed and wickedness. 

 The point is that God has created us to be whole and complete people, and when we choose to live in ways that deny the Lord’s perfect creativity, we no longer reflect the reality that brought us into being in the first place!  And the only hope for us is to get rid of all that condemns us on the inside, and to let the Lord rebuild us from the inside out.  Our actions should always be a reflection of where and how our heart and spirit lives.  If it is ungodly ways that reside within us, then the discharge of those ways is our only hope of restoring the relationship that we have broken through our unworthy heart.

 Our giving, our outward sacrifice, is only the visible portion of our generous acknowledgment of God’s grace and goodness.  For without a heart-felt desire to give God thanks for the ability to love others as we were first loved (1 John 4:19-20), it is only a half-hearted effort at best.

 Read Luke 11:43-46

 An external appearance of the pious life is no life at all.  The analogy that Jesus is offering regarding the unmarked grave, is a reference to the Hebrew practice of whitewashing their family tombs to make them more attractive and noticeable.  The Lord is telling the scribes and Pharisees that the life that they were living was no better than an unwashed tomb – that they were actually filled with death, and that true life had become elusive for them.

 And as for the legalism that they were imposing on everyday Jews and their families, this was one more example of their lack of generous love for others!  A legalistic faith is hollow faith, a self-centered faith, a worthless faith, and it gives absolutely no glory, and no thanksgiving to the only One who actually deserves our praise.

 So the question for our own lives is this – does our inner person, does our heart’s passion, give credence to the thought that the ways of God hold importance in our life?  Or are we living a lie by pretending to be faithful, in an attempt to give others the impression that our desires and passion are truly a reflection of our gratitude for all that the Lord has, and is, and continues to do for us?

 May our lives always be a true reflection of who our Lord is for us, in this life and in that which is beyond all we know.

"Give Thanks, No Matter What Else Comes"

Scripture:   2 Corinthians 4:5-18;  Romans 8:20-25

Have you ever thought about making a list of all the things that God has given you, and has done for you, that deserve your expression of thanksgiving?  If we are truly honest about it, that list would be rather extensive!  In today’s epistles that were both written by the apostle Paul, he gives us many reasons as to why we should be grateful to the Lord, but the list that he offers is more general in faith than it is specific in those blessings and gifts that believers have received throughout the centuries.

 Imagine the thanksgiving that he could have offered that solely surrounded his encounter with the Living Jesus on the road to Damascus.  As just a few examples, there was God’s forgiveness for the many acts of persecution committed against Jesus and His people; there was the personal words of love that were spoken to him; there was the healing that was performed on his eyesight; there was the act of courage and kindness that Ananias offered through his faithfulness and prophesy regarding Paul’s future ministry with the Lord; and the list could go on! (Acts 9:1-19)

 And as we put our own personal lists together, don’t forget to include those acts of power and forgiveness that He has offered to all who come to him in faith, for they are definitely gifts that God has spread out upon you, too.

 But what did Paul have to say specifically that we should be claiming in our own walk with Jesus.

 Read 2 Corinthians 4:5-12

 This first reason for thankfulness may be one that we have never actually considered before  - the gift of Godly Light that shines within us, and enables us understand and appreciate the grace that empowers us to share the Lord’s grace, love and word with other people.  Now I know that some folks are keenly unaware of the call that comes upon all who give their lives to Jesus Christ.  But in Ephesians 3:4-7,  we read that we Gentiles “are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”  We are all “sharers” in Jesus’ gifts, and as such, are to share our gifts with one another, as in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, where we read that we are to be “generous and willing to share.” 

 And how far should this “sharing” extend?  It goes as far as our love of God does; as far as our gratitude for God’s blessings and gifts; as far as our love for others, whether we know them, or agree with them, or not; or as far as the truth of Christ’s salvation calls us to share His love with the people of this world!

 In verses 7-12, Paul writes that God’s “all-surpassing power” has been given to us, but in no way is it intended to benefit or define us!  The mortality and humanity that we live under will never be strengthened or improved until that day of Christ’s return.  Until that time, we will continue to encounter all kinds of hardships in life, but we should never interpret this to mean that God has turned against us!  In this list of human frailties and God-given relief that comes our way, these are the very support that we are, in turn, to show to those who have only known the pain and failure that the world brings upon them.

 The “sharing” that we are called to bless others with has nothing to do with our own limitations!  We share the truth and power of God that has sustained us throughout our own trials and struggles.  We are to become an example of divine grace that others might discover God and His ways for themselves.

 Read 2 Corinthians 4:13-18

 And the how and why of our ability to show others the goodness and mercy of our precious Lord, and to assure them that Jesus has always been “all in” for them, too, is all centered on the “spirit of faith” that lives within each of us.  And how far will that spirit go for us?  It will take us to the point that we are able and willing to “believe and speak” to others about Jesus and His gift of life eternal that is available for all who come to Him in that same power of faith that we have come to know.

 Is this a good enough reason for us to give God our thanks for allowing us to be His disciple, and His example for reaching out to the world around us?  Are we prepared to be a completely dedicated and submissive servant of Christ so that others can see the power of God at work within and through us?  Even though the power of death is at work all around us, have we become a powerful, living, joyful, and thankful person to the extent that “grace is overflowing to the glory of God”?

 Others are going to see this in us, you know!  They will be amazed at what they come to see through us!  And in their amazement, some will only be touched to the point of ridicule and disbelief, while the eyes of others will be opened to see the truth and grace of God unfold before them! (Acts 2:5-13; 40-41)

 But we must never let the scoffers get to us – if we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord and His gracious nature, victory and blessings will dominate our understanding, and the denial of others will only become a call to us to continue to show them the fullness of God’s mercy that has been poured out on their behalf.  Remember Paul’s words – “that our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

 Read Romans 8:20-25

 Paul’s letter to the Romans is primarily laid out as a message of encouragement to the Church.  In Romans 5:1-5, we read that by faith, we have received grace as well as sufferings.  But then the assurance is named – that suffering produces perseverance, and from that comes character, and finally a heart-felt hope that is ours for eternity.  Paul’s message is just this – that faith in Jesus Christ will never take away the struggles and suffering that occur during this lifetime, but that God will always be with us during those most difficult times. 

 In verse 22 above, he  writes that it isn’t only we who are suffering, but that all of creation is in the same mess as we are!  And yet he compares it to the pains that come through childbirth, which also has held out a unique form of hope for the life that the Mom has carried for 9 months!  Mothers have understood this kind of hope ever since creation was completed.  The pain that they endure is severe, but the hope and love that fills them is such that most mothers are willing to suffer the pain of childbirth far more than just once!

 The hope of Christ is one that we receive and anticipate without proof and visual certainty.  But by faith in Jesus, we know that His promises are, in and of themselves, certain and assured through all that we have come to know and believe about our Lord.  And we know, as Paul wrote back in chapter 5, that our suffering can never take precedence over faith, and that through faith, that God will see us through the most trying of times - even when those times strive to break our resolve to trust in the Lord beyond all other things.

 And this is our reason for giving thanks – certainly during this time of year, but also, in every moment, of every day, throughout our lives.  And not just as some spiritual exercise, but as true love and appreciation for all that our Lord has done on our behalf, and for all that He will continue to do for all who believe, until the day He returns.  And on that day, we will receive the Lord’s certainty by presence and sight, when everything that God has promised us is finally given, and seen and received, and will be ours for all time.

 And the words of that great hymn of faith “Trust andObey” will see us through – 

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey

Trust and obey, for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey

 So, as we wait for the Lord’s time to arrive, continue to give thanks for all that He has given, and for all that He has promised, and to truly believe that it all has already been received.  And that should be enough to be eternally thankful!  (Mark 11:23-24)