The sermon podcast for Sunday, July 31, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website. This is the fifth sermon in our series about Spiritual Gifts – “The Puzzle.” This series talks about spiritual gifts and this one deals with the gift of Mercy. The texts for this sermon are Luke 10: 29-37 and Micah 6:8. You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.
Monthly Archives: July 2011
Lists
This morning as I was reading in Mark, I noticed Jesus do something that I seem to only catch in Paul. I’m sure Jesus did it quiet often, but something about it caught my eye today.
He gave a list.
Jesus was teaching about things that make one “clean” or ‘unclean.” His disciples had been fussed at because they were “unclean.” They hadn’t washed their hands and the religious leaders said – hey, they are unclean! Jesus did some teaching on the truth of what makes someone unclean. He said what makes you unclean isn’t what’s on your hands, but what’s in your heart.
And then, He lists off some of this things. Listen to what He says in Mark 7:
And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
And what always sticks out to me is this. It’s the same thing that Paul does a lot. He says the unclean things like sexual immorality, theft, murder, things like this and folks are thinking, yeah God! Get ’em!
Get those evil, immoral people! They deserve to be smited! They deserve your judgement! Get ’em!
But the list doesn’t stop there. It keeps going. He gets to envy. . . . pride. . . . . foolishness. . . . . gulp. Suddenly our judgement is gone. Jesus has gone from preaching to meddling. It’s not just “them” who are sinful. It’s us too.
And that’s the problem with lists. That’s the problem with any of us thinking we are better than anyone else. We are all lacking somewhere. We are have some fault, somewhere. We all miss the mark somewhere.
That’s why it’s called grace. That’s why we can’t earn it. That’s why we all are saved by faith, not by works.
If we are saved by works, then we’d all end up on the “naughty” list.
So today, let’s not keep lists. Let’s not keep a list of “their” sin. Or “our” sin. Let’s just love. Love as we’ve been loved. Forgive as we’ve been forgiven. And know that God wants our heart, above all else. And if He has our heart, He’ll take care of the rest.
Today, may we give Him our total hearts.
Promises
Promises are a powerful thing. I was raised to not take a promise lightly. If you promised someone something, that’s the same as giving your word. And you should never go back on your word.
You should never break your promise.
Ever.
That’s the way I was raised.
The Bible is full of God’s promises to us. He promises so save us. To be there for us. To help us in our time of need. To be our rock. Our defender. Our safe haven. Our help.
We see in the Bible that He promised the nation of Israel (and the world) a savior. He promised to send them (and us) a deliverer. He promised to bring forth hope and salvation to the people.
And they waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.
They waited hundreds of YEARS (yes, years) between the promises He made and the fulfilment of the promise.
Today, we read in Luke, what it looked like when the promise came true:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
he promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham
God hadn’t forgotten His promise. He hadn’t forgotten His word. He was true to what He said He would do. He was true to who He was.
He kept His promise. Even if the time was not the time the people may have liked. Even if it didn’t fit their schedule.
It fit God’s time. It was on His schedule. It was according to His plan.
God kept His promises and His word to His people.
Just as He will keep it to each of us.
You can trust God and His promises today. He will keep His word. The time might not be the time you’d like. But it will be God’s time.
Today, trust in His promises. Trust in His word. He will take care of you.
Different
One of the things that I know Jesus calls us to is to be different. We, as Christians, are just supposed to be different.
Different from our culture. Have a different set of views, a different set of eyes, a different purpose.
As I said in my sermon Sunday, as Christians we are to live a life that makes those all around us say – hey, I want that! I want what they have!
Now, that life is not perfection. That life is just, well, different.
Ok, what does that different look like? Here’s what Jesus said today in Matthew 20
But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus says it must be different among us. As Christians, whoever wants to lead, must serve. To really show what a great Christian you are, we don’t pound our chest, we don’t see who can quote the most verses, we don’t try to “out holy” each other.
We do what our Savior did. We serve.
We care.
We forgive – others and ourselves.
We love.
We help.
We are called to be different. We are called to be a little weird. In the world, it’s about power and fame and wealth. In the faith, it’s about Jesus. It’s about service. It’s about love. It’s about humility.
It’s not about seeking our way. It’s about seeking His way.
That way of loving God and loving our neighbor.
Today, are we different? Are we living different from our culture? Are we living in a way where those around us say, hey, I want what they’ve got?
Today, as Christians, may we be different. And, in doing that, may we bring glory to our awesome God.
Two Roads
I had a teacher in high school that loved poetry. So, part of what he did for (perhaps to) us was that he made us memorize poems. Some of this memorization was standard class stuff. Others were for extra credit or to replace a bad grade.
Fail a test? Memorize a poem.
Need more points? Memorize a poem.
In his class, sometimes it seems like the answer to almost every question was memorize a poem.
And believe it or not, I’m thankful. Almost 20 years later I can remember bits and pieces of almost every poem that he had us memorize, and I’ve found as a preacher, that can come in handy a lot of days!
When I read the passage that I read this morning from Proverbs 3, I always think of the poem by Robert Frost – The Road Not Taken. You know it, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both.” In life, there are always choices, there are at least two road to choose between, sometimes there are even more.
Listen to the two roads before us this morning, as laid out by Proverbs 3: 5-7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Today, you have a choice. Will you choose your own road, or will you choose God’s road?
Will you choose your own wisdom, or will you choose God’s?
Will you choose your own route or will you let God guide you down the steps that you need to be going down?
There are two choices before each of us today. Our way or God’s way. Our wisdom or God’s wisdom. Our leading or God’s leading.
Today, we have a choice. Who’s way will we follow? Who’s wisdom will we trust? Who’s direction will we place our trust in?
If we trust in ours alone, we will fool ourselves into thinking we are heading down the right path. If we trust in God’s, He will direct our steps.
Today, what path are we walking down? Today, who are we trusting?
The Puzzle – Hospitality Podcast
The sermon podcast for Sunday, July 24, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website. This is the fourth sermon in our series about Spiritual Gifts – “The Puzzle.” This series talks about spiritual gifts and this one deals with a gift that is necessary for the church to be the church – Hospitality. The texts for this sermon are 1 Peter 4: 7-11 and Matthew 25: 34-40. You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.
Go and Tell
I like to brag on those that I love. I like to tell folks about my kids, my wife, and my family.
I like to tell folks about my church and what God is doing at Asbury Church.
I like to talk about good experiences I have at difference places. I like to go and tell others about the things of that I’ve experienced that have brought me joy or happiness or was just a good experience.
I like to go and tell others about the good things that I’ve seen in my life.
Namely, Jesus. He is the best thing I’ve experienced and the best thing that I’ll ever experience. And, I want to tell others about Him. Listen to what happens today in Mark 5:
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
Jesus had healed this man of many issues. He had made Him whole. He had changed this man’s life forever. And this man wanted to follow Jesus. He wanted to get on the boat and follow Jesus.
Jesus said – this is how you will follow me. Go and tell. Go and tell others about me. Go and tell others about what I’ve done. Go and tell others about what change has come to pass in your life.
Go and tell.
Sometimes to go and tell others means you have to go far away. Sometimes it means you have to you have to stay in your own family. Whatever it looks like, each of us are called to go and tell.
Go and tell what Jesus has done for us. Go and tell about His salvation and His hope. Go and tell about His life. Go and tell.
Go and brag on Jesus like you do your family. Or your favorite restaurant. Or your favorite pair of shoes. Or your favorite hunting spot. Go and tell. Go and tell others what He has done in your life.
Go and show His mercy in your life.
Go and brag on what He’s doing in your life.
Go. Go and tell.
Don’t You Care If We Drown?
If there is one thing we know about Jesus, it’s that He loves people. That’s one of the main points of the entire Gospel.
His loves His disciples. He loves the crowds that follow Him. He loves the sinners and tax collectors He meets along His journey. He even loves the Pharisees. He loves His family. He loves the entire world.
That’s kind of the point of John 3:16 – God loves the world. Through Jesus, we see God’s love for the entire world.
We can argue about a lot in faith. But, we all agree on this. Jesus loves people. There is no doubt about that.
Watch what happens today, through in Mark 4:
As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
There’s a lot in this passage. But, one of the things that always sticks out to me is this. The disciples asked Jesus, don’t you care that we are going to drown?
They are afraid. This huge storm has blown up all around them. It doesn’t look good. The boat could sink. They could drown. They could die. That’s a scary, scary thing.
So, out of their fear, they ask Jesus, don’t you care that we are going to drown! Don’t you care that we are going to die!
In short they are asking, aren’t you going to save us? Don’t you love us?
Each one of the disciples knew that Jesus loved them. They had seen His love. They knew His love. They had felt His love.
But now they were scared. They were worried. They didn’t know what was going to happen. And so they questioned. They questioned His love. They questioned His help. They questioned Him.
Do you not care if we drown?
Of course He did. But, in their fear, they lost sight of that. In their fear, they lost sight of God’s love.
Today, no matter what you are going through, God loves you. God loves you in your storm. God loves you in your life. God loves you no matter what. God loves you.
Don’t let the storm you are going through take your eyes off of God’s love. Don’t let fear cause you to doubt God’s love. God loves you more than you’ll ever know.
Don’t let the storm of today take your eyes off the love of God.
No Mark
As I’ve said several times that the thing I love most about the Psalms is that they are honest. When the Psalmist is angry, you 
know it through reading what’s on the page. When the Psalmist is happy and full of joy, you know it by reading what’s on the page. When the Psalmist is struggling with something, you know it.
And the struggles that the Psalmist has with God is apparent in different times. Sometimes he’s upset with God about something. Sometimes he’s afraid that God will be mad at him because of something he has done. Sometimes he is just scared of his enemies, of his sin, of the things in his life.
I just love them because they are so honest about the things that we go through. The emotions behind them match the emotions of our lives. We are the same. The Psalms reflect what we feel, so many times in our lives.
Listen to part of the words of one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 130:
Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?
But you offer forgiveness,
that we might learn to fear you.
If the Lord kept a record of sins, who among us could stand? If the Lord were to mark our mistakes, His book would be full of failures and sins. If we had to do more good than bad in our lives to earn His love, we wouldn’t be able to stand. None of us could do that. None of us could undo the bad that we’ve done.
We can’t do enough good to make God ignore the bad.
That was the work of the cross. Through the cross, our sins are done away with. Through the cross we are forgiven. Through the cross, things have changed, life is different, we are new. Through the cross, our sin is forgiven.
Through the power of the cross, there is no mark. It is erased. It is forgiven. It is forgotten. It is gone.
Through the power and grace and love of God, offered through the cross, there is no mark. There is no record. There is no sin. The Psalms also tell us that as far as the East is from the West, that’s how far our sins are from God.
Today, you are forgiven. Today, there is no mark. Today, they are gone.
Today, may we live like the forgiven children of God that we are.
Nothing
Sometimes in a devotional, there is the need to tell a story to help connect someone the truth of scripture to their life. Sometimes there is the need to further explain what is happening in the text, or what is happening behind the scence or what the intent was, or whatever.
But, here’s the thing about the Bible. It doesn’t need my (or anyone’s) help. It speaks for it’s self. It proclaims truth in it’s self. At the end of the day, there’s nothing to add to it. It speaks truth.
Today, I want to share a passage with you that I read, and really, there’s not a lot I can add to it. This is from Romans 8:
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Today, nothing will seperate you from God’s love. Nothing.
Not life, not death, not anything created, nothing in your life, no worries, no fears, no doubts, no mistakes, no failiures, no nothing (yes Enligsh majors/teachers. That’s a double neagive. Sorry 🙂 ). Through Jesus, nothing can separate us from God’s love.
So, today, remember though Jesus Christ, nothing is going to separate you from God’s love. He loves you. And He wants you to live in the reality of that love. That’s where life, hope, peace, everything is found in. God and His love.
Today, let’s God’s love form you. Let it shape your actions. Let it shape your thoughts. Let it form your very being. You are loved. Today. You are. Live in that knowledge. Live in that hope. Let that sink down deep in your soul. You are loved.
And nothing can take that from you. Nothing.
Live in that knowledge today. Live with that confidence today. Live in that assurance today. Through Jesus Christ, nothing can separate you from God’s love.
Nothing.
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