EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION
Gregory W. Lee
Preached 22 May 2005
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 19
-- this morning continuing our series on television shows -- the show this morning is "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" -- don't know if you have seen this or not, but this is one of the hottest shows out right now
-- the basic premise is a race against the clock for a team of designers, construction specialists, and neighbors to completely renovate homes -- including interior, exterior, and landscaping -- these projects would normally take 3-4 months -- but in this show, the work has to be entirely completed within seven days
-- the houses that are selected to be made over in this show are submitted by the family or by friends -- usually, either the home owner has problems that prevent them from either properly maintaining their homes or they have suffered some type of severe debilitation, such as sickness or death of a family member
-- I've watched this a couple of times, and the one episode that really stood out to me was when a man was stricken blind and could not safely move around in his home -- Ty Pennington, the star of the show, went in to the home with a blind kid and they designed the home to make it a safe and comfortable living place for the owner
-- it's amazing to watch this transformation take place week after week as the people on the show take these homes that are basically in very bad shape or have severe problems and transform them into beautiful masterpieces -- they bring life to homes that were slowly dying
-- well, ABC and Ty Pennington aren't the only ones interested in extreme home makeovers -- they aren't the only ones interested in transforming hovels into mansions -- we have a God who does that daily as well
-- let's look at an example of an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that took place in the New Testament
-- look now at Luke 19, verse 1
II. Scripture Lesson -- Luke 19:1-10
-- verse 1
1. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
-- let's stop there and let me give you a little of the context of this passage -- at this time, Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem with His disciples -- He knows that He is going there to offer His life up for the sins of the world -- He knows the cross awaits -- but still, as He and His disciples make their way towards Jerusalem, Jesus still takes the time to minister to all those around Him -- to continue to touch their lives even though His is about to be taken
-- right before the events of this passage take place, Jesus took time to heal the 10 lepers, restore sight to a blind man, and to show a rich young ruler that he cared more about money than the kingdom of God
-- now, as this passage opens, Jesus is passing through Jericho, a town located about five miles west of the Jordan River and about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem
-- Jericho features prominently in the history of the Jewish people -- if you remember your Bible stories, when the Israelites entered the promised land, their first battle against the people of the land occurred at Jericho -- the town was fortified with a great wall, and God had Joshua and the Israelites walk around the walls for seven days -- on the seventh day, they shouted to God and the walls of the city fell and the Israelites conquered Jericho
-- after the battle, Joshua pronounced a curse on the city of Jericho and on the person who would rebuild the walls that God had knocked down
-- if there ever was a place that needed an extreme makeover, it was Jericho -- Jericho was built under a curse and the town and all its inhabitants lived in darkness
-- but things were going to change because Jesus had come to town -- and when Jesus comes, He redeems curses through His presence -- when Jesus comes, His light dispels the darkness -- when Jesus comes, the old is made new again -- when Jesus comes, you see transformation of lives
-- verse 2
2. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
3. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.
4. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
-- Zaccheus was a tax collector -- tax collectors were despised by the Jews -- not only did they serve the Romans who occupied the Holy Land, but they taxed their own people unmercilessly -- you see, they were not paid a salary by the Romans to be tax collectors -- they made their money by skimming off the top -- taxing the Jewish people more than the Romans demanded and keeping the difference
-- the more they took from their Jewish neighbors, the more they could keep for themselves -- and not only was Zaccheus a tax collector, but he was a chief tax collector -- he was the chief of sinners and probably the most despised man in all of Jericho -- rich -- dishonest -- and short of stature -- someone who was looked down on by all, and not just because of his height
-- when Zaccheus heard that Jesus was passing through, he got curious -- the text says that he wanted to see who Jesus was
-- that's a curious phrase, isn't it? -- he wanted to see who Jesus was -- we can assume from this that Zaccheus had heard about Jesus and about His miracles and about His teachings -- but now, he wanted to see who He really was
-- we come into contact with a lot of people like Zaccheus every day -- they've probably heard about Jesus -- they know about church -- maybe they've even been to church off and on -- maybe they even call themselves a Christian -- but they've never really experienced Jesus -- they don't know who Jesus is -- they know about Him, but they don't know Him
-- that's where Zaccheus is -- he's looking for answers about Jesus
-- verse 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."
-- I like that phrase, "the spot" -- have you thought about that? -- what does that mean? -- and then, when Jesus gets to "the spot" He stops, looks up at Zaccheus and says, "I must stay at your house today" -- "I must"
-- I'll tell you what "the spot" is -- it's a divine appointment -- it wasn't just chance that caused Jesus to pass through Jericho on that day -- it wasn't just chance that the Savior who came to take away the curse on the earth passed through the only city built with a curse on that day -- it wasn't just chance that the Savior who came to take away the sins of the world stopped at "the spot" where the chief of sinners -- the chief of tax collectors -- waited to see Him
-- Zaccheus was led to that spot at that time by the power of the Holy Spirit -- through God's prevenient grace -- the grace that goes before salvation -- the grace that woos us and draws us in and causes us to seek Jesus -- Zaccheus climbed a sycamore tree seeking the face of Jesus
-- as it says in Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -- Zaccheus sought Jesus that day, and Jesus responded with grace -- Jesus always responds to the soul who earnestly seeks Him
- now look at the response of Zaccheus to Jesus' invitation
-- verse 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. -- Zaccheus "welcomed Him gladly"
-- Zaccheus' heart was changed -- Jesus had knocked on the door to his heart and Zaccheus had responded -- there was a whole lot more going on here than what those in Jericho could see with their human eyes -- there was a whole lot more going on in those three little words "welcomed Him gladly"
-- what was going on was a spiritual change -- he opened the door with repentance and Jesus came in, bringing life and hope and transformation -- this was an Extreme Makeover: Heart Edition
-- the heart of this chief tax collector had been changed and the curse of sin had been lifted
-- verse 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.'" -- why is it that people can't believe in the transforming power of Jesus? -- here a miracle has happened -- a sinner has been saved -- a life has been transformed through the power of Christ, and the people muttered, "he's still a sinner"
-- One night in a church service, a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. However, the change in her was evident. As time went on, she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans, this is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for the pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter.
-- So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this "My fiancé's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?"
-- The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ too.
-- that is exactly what the people of Jericho were doing to Zaccheus -- they couldn't believe that a person as vile as he -- that a person who was the chief of sinners in their town -- could be saved
-- we do that too, don't we? -- we judge people based on their past or their upbringing and we say, "God couldn't save them" -- and if they do get saved, if God does do a powerful work in their lives, we doubt it -- just like the people in Jericho doubted Zaccheus
-- but, when God does an extreme makeover, there can be no doubt that something has changed
-- I've got a friend whose life was changed just like Zaccheus -- he was a big-time sinner -- he used to be part of a motorcycle gang -- he ran with a rough crowd -- took drugs -- drank alcohol -- I don't know what all he had done in his life
-- I remember the first time I met him, he came into our church wearing black leather pants, a black motorcycle jacket and chains holding his wallet -- he had a long beard that fell down to his chest -- he looked really, really scary and I when I saw him, I didn't think "he's a Christian" -- I thought, "I don't want to mess with him" -- he was a person that I wouldn't want to pass by on the street
-- but, then he told how God had changed his life and how God had saved him from drinking and drugs and fighting and everything else -- and, as I got to know him, I saw what an extreme makeover God had done in his life -- right now, my friend has terminal cancer, but he's still witnessing to everyone he meets, bringing people to church on Sunday, and leading at least one person to Christ every week -- do you want to see an example of a changed life? -- just look at him
-- verse 8 8. But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9. Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
10. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
-- here we see Zaccheus proving his salvation through good works -- by giving half of all he had to charity and repaying back everyone he cheated four times the amount -- Zaccheus wasn't saved by his works -- as it says in Ephesians 2:8-9, "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."
-- but, Zaccheus proved a change had taken place through his good works -- as James says, "faith without deeds is dead" -- Zaccheus had both faith and deeds
-- Jesus affirmed the change in Zaccheus when He said that Zaccheus was a son of Abraham --Zaccheus was Jewish -- he had been a descendant of Abraham through the blood, but now he was a descendant through faith as well -- because he now knew who Jesus was and had accepted Him into his heart
-- note what Jesus said there in verse 9 -- "Today salvation has come to this house" -- not only was Zaccheus saved, but his whole house through him -- Zaccheus was no longer a curse to his home, but a blessing to his family -- for through him, they all came to know who Jesus was
-- we see the same thing in the book of Acts 16:30-33 -- when Paul and Silas were in prison praising God and the walls shook and their chains were loosened, the jailer became convinced of the power of God -- the Bible says that He brought Paul and Silas out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" -- They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." -- Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. -- At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
-- when God transforms a life such as Zaccheus, entire homes become transformed as a result
III. Closing
-- I want to close with one more story
-- Tony's family was very poor, and his father and mother constantly fought -- one day, a coworker led his father to the Lord -- his life was transformed and he became a new man -- but Tony's mother continued to argue and fight every chance she had -- she wouldn't let him read his Bible or pray before the meals
-- so, every night at 4:00 in the morning, Tony's father would get up and read the Bible in the kitchen by himself -- one night, he heard his wife coming down the stairs -- he said to himself, "Oh no, here we go again." -- but Tony says that his mother was crying and said, "for months now I have done everything that I can to keep you from God -- I have tried to keep you from reading the Bible -- but you still get up and do it every single night -- I want what you have"
-- and, right there in the Evan's kitchen, Tony's father led his mother to Christ -- then they woke Tony up and led him to Christ, along with all their children
-- Tony's father found a good Bible believing church and got the family involved in church
-- and now, because of an extreme makeover in the heart of a man in Philadelphia that led to the salvation of his entire home, Dr. Tony Evans serves as the senior pastor at the 6,000 member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas
-- Jesus is still in the business of doing extreme makeovers in your heart and in your home -- no matter how big the problem is, Jesus can fix it -- there's not a broken heart that He can't mend -- there's not a broken family that He can't restore
-- if Jesus can reach down and change the heart of a chief tax collector in the middle of a street in Jericho -- if Jesus can reach down and transform a whole home through the witness of a believing father -- then He can touch you and your family no matter the situation
-- there's not a past too great or a problem too big for Jesus to handle
-- all it takes is you opening the door and letting Him in -- all it takes is you responding to His invitation to salvation and healing -- for you to experience an extreme makeover in your own life
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Saturday, May 21, 2005
SOUL SURVIVOR
Gregory W. Lee
Preached 8 May 2005
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Rev 2:1-7
1. "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
5. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
6. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
-- this morning continuing our series on television shows -- looking at survivor --talk about premise of the show -- slogan: outwit -- outplay -- outlast -- goal is to be the one who outlasts the others -- the sole survivor
-- it may surprise you to discover that Christians are called to be survivors as well -- but instead of being called to "outwit -- outplay -- and outlast" -- we are called to higher mission -- in God's word He calls us to "outlive -- outpray -- and outlast"
-- first, we are to outlive those around us who are in the world -- that is why Christ said that He came to bring life and to bring it to the full -- or, as the KJV says, Christ came to bring abundant life -- when you are a Christian, you are called to outlive those around you
-- secondly, we are called to outpray -- this means that we are walking in relationship with God -- we know whom our Savior is and we are in constant communication with Him -- thanking Him -- praising Him -- loving Him -- and praying to Him for our needs and for the needs of others -- the Bible tells us that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective -- we are to outpray others as our way of interceding for them
-- and, finally, we are called to outlast -- to survive -- but, as Christians, we are not called to be sole survivors -- we are not to survive alone but to survive spiritually until the very end -- we are called to be "soul" survivors -- and we pray that we will be surrounded by many other "soul" survivors at the end
-- the Bible talks a lot about being a "soul" survivor -- look back at the passage I just read from Revelation 2 -- this passage tells us a lot about what it means to be a "soul" survivor -- look back at verse 1
1. "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
in these three verses we see the definition of a "soul" survivor -- a Christian "soul" survivor is one who has persevered -- who has endured hardships in Christ's name and not given up -- and who has not grown weary of doing good but has kept the faith throughout their life -- this is what it means to be a survivor
-- Jesus gives us a synonym for "survivor" in this passage -- look at verse 7
7. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
-- a survivor -- one who has persevered and endured hardships and not given up is an "overcomer" -- one who has overcome the world and survived with their faith and their soul intact -- in each of the seven letters to the churches here in the Book of Revelation, Jesus ends each letter with a promise of blessing "to him who overcomes" -- to him who survives -- to him who perseveres
-- I think one of the greatest examples of a survivor is the author of this book, the Apostle John
II. The Apostle John
-- John, the son of Zebedee, was one of Jesus' first disciples -- Jesus called for John and his brother James to come and follow Him as John and James were in their fishing boat with their father
-- John was present with Jesus throughout His ministry -- he was there in the good times -- he was there when the miracles were done -- when the five thousand were fed with two small fish and five loaves of bread -- when Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm -- when the sick was healed and the dead raised -- he was one of the three present with Jesus when Jesus was transfigured and glorified before their eyes -- and he was with Jesus when they went to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the people shouted 'Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord"
-- but John was also there during the hard times with Jesus -- John was with Jesus in the upper room on the night in which He was betrayed -- Jesus washed John's feet, along with all the other disciples there -- and then John followed Jesus to Gethsemene and stayed there while Jesus prayed -- John was there when Jesus was arrested by the temple guards -- and he fled from the Garden of Gethsemene just like all the rest
-- after Jesus was taken prisoner, John followed Him into the temple and watched the trial -- John was present at Golgotha when Jesus was crucified -- and John was in the Upper Room when Mary came running with the news that Jesus' tomb was empty
-- after the resurrection of Jesus, John became a leader in the church and wrote the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation -- he eventually ended up in Ephesus where he served as a pastor
-- John's life was one characterized by hardships suffered in the name of Jesus -- he suffered persecution along with the rest of the early church -- first by the Jews -- the priests and the Pharisees -- and then later by the Romans
-- he was the only one of the original Apostles who was not martyred -- I think the reason why he was spared martyrdom and lived a long life was because Jesus had appointed him to look after Mary, the mother of Jesus
-- according to church legend, during the reign of Domitian, while John was still living and pastoring in Ephesus, Domitian ordered him to Rome to stand trial for being a Christian -- John was ordered killed and put in a boiling pot of oil -- but he did not die and was not burned -- the oil had no effect on him
-- so Domitian ordered him exiled to the island of Patmos -- it was there on the island of Patmos -- isolated from the church and from all his loved ones -- that John received the visions recorded in the book of Revelation
-- in spite of all the hardships and the persecutions and the exile, the Apostle John did not grow weary of doing good and he persevered in his faith -- he overcame the world -- he survived
III. Survivors
-- what does it mean to be a Christian soul survivor in the 21st century? -- what are we being called to overcome in this world?
-- here in America, we aren't really being faced with persecutions or hardships -- but we are being faced with other things that are tempting us and trying to pull us away from our faith and our relationship with God -- it is these things that we are called to overcome and to persevere against
-- for instance, we all suffer in our lives with trials and tribulations -- we get sick -- we get cancer and other diseases that rob us of our health -- we lose loved ones and family members in death -- we have to get up and go to work and try to make a living here in this world just like the non-Christians -- we have family problems and wayward children and suffer through divorce and pain and heartbreak
-- we have periods of doubt in our life, when things get so bad that we doubt God's up there and doubt that He cares about us
-- we have to put up with daily temptations to sin -- we have to deal with the teaching of false doctrines, not only in cults but also in our churches -- we have to put up with slander and disrespect and a culture that is dead-set against us
-- but, through it all, we are called to persevere -- to overcome -- to stand firm -- to hold firmly to what we have been taught and to our faith -- as it says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 "letting nothing move us" but holding fast to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the promises we have in Him -- enduring the hardships and not growing weary of following Christ and doing good in His name
IV. The Christian Marathon
-- if you would, turn over to Hebrews 12 and we're going to close there
1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
we're all familiar with the concept of our Christian life being like a race -- I preached on that just a couple of weeks ago in my sermon called, "The Amazing Race" -- but, I want to call your attention to something particular in this passage in regards to the race that we are called to run
-- in verse 1 in this passage, we are told to run with perseverance the race marked out for us -- this calls to mind the image of a long-distance run -- a marathon
-- a sprint starts out quickly and only goes for a short distance -- the course really doesn't have to be marked out for us -- and we don't face much adversity or tribulation when we're only running 100 yards or less
-- but, when you run a marathon, you have to have your course clearly marked out -- it is a 26-mile long race -- you have to know where you are going and you have to run with a clear goal in mind -- and, when you run a long distance race -- when you run for four hours straight -- you are going to face hardships -- both physical and mental hardships -- to be successful you have to be prepared and you have to persevere
-- I have a friend who is a marathon runner -- she shared with me how she trains for marathons -- it is a long and slow process -- she runs every day -- somewhere around 10 miles a day -- but several months before a race, she starts extending the distance she runs -- she'll slowly increase the length from 10 miles to 11 -- from 11 miles to 12 -- and over the course of several weeks, she builds up her endurance and her strength until she is able to run over 20 miles every time she goes out
-- but, you know, a lot of Christians don't realize that we are in a marathon -- they're living their Christian lives like it's a sprint -- and as soon as things start to get tough -- as soon as they face hardships and trials and tribulations -- as soon as things start to get difficult -- they grow weary -- they fall away -- and they don't finish their race
-- but, as Christians, we're called to stand firm and to overcome these hardships and to persevere through the long haul -- we are called to run this race set before us with perseverance -- to look at it as a marathon and to train accordingly so we can run without growing weary and without losing heart -- so we can run and finish the race that we have started
-- we're called to persevere in our families -- in our marriages and with our children -- to set an example for the world around us
-- we're called to persevere in our communities -- in our witness to the world of the good news of Christ
-- and, we're called to persevere in our faith -- in our belief and our trust in Jesus as the author and perfector of our faith
-- in 1968, in the Olympics in Mexico City, John Stephen Akhwari represented Tanzania in the marathon -- while running the race, he fell and was injured -- there was no way he could win the race -- but Akhwari didn't give up
-- more than one hour after the rest of the runners had finished the race, Akhwari hobbled into the Olympic Stadium with his leg bloodied and bandaged -- only a few spectators were left in the stands when Akhwari finally crossed the finish line
-- the reporters ran over to him and asked him why he continued to run the marathon while he was injured and knew he couldn't win -- Akhwari replied, "My country did not send me to Mexico city to start the race -- they sent me here to finish it."
V. Closing
-- as Christians, we have been called to do more than just start the race -- we have been called to finish it -- we have been called to be overcomers -- persevering and enduring hardships in Jesus' name and not growing weary along the way
-- we have been called to outlive and to outpray and to outlast -- we have been called to be survivors
-- let us pray
Gregory W. Lee
Preached 8 May 2005
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Rev 2:1-7
1. "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
5. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
6. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
-- this morning continuing our series on television shows -- looking at survivor --talk about premise of the show -- slogan: outwit -- outplay -- outlast -- goal is to be the one who outlasts the others -- the sole survivor
-- it may surprise you to discover that Christians are called to be survivors as well -- but instead of being called to "outwit -- outplay -- and outlast" -- we are called to higher mission -- in God's word He calls us to "outlive -- outpray -- and outlast"
-- first, we are to outlive those around us who are in the world -- that is why Christ said that He came to bring life and to bring it to the full -- or, as the KJV says, Christ came to bring abundant life -- when you are a Christian, you are called to outlive those around you
-- secondly, we are called to outpray -- this means that we are walking in relationship with God -- we know whom our Savior is and we are in constant communication with Him -- thanking Him -- praising Him -- loving Him -- and praying to Him for our needs and for the needs of others -- the Bible tells us that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective -- we are to outpray others as our way of interceding for them
-- and, finally, we are called to outlast -- to survive -- but, as Christians, we are not called to be sole survivors -- we are not to survive alone but to survive spiritually until the very end -- we are called to be "soul" survivors -- and we pray that we will be surrounded by many other "soul" survivors at the end
-- the Bible talks a lot about being a "soul" survivor -- look back at the passage I just read from Revelation 2 -- this passage tells us a lot about what it means to be a "soul" survivor -- look back at verse 1
1. "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
in these three verses we see the definition of a "soul" survivor -- a Christian "soul" survivor is one who has persevered -- who has endured hardships in Christ's name and not given up -- and who has not grown weary of doing good but has kept the faith throughout their life -- this is what it means to be a survivor
-- Jesus gives us a synonym for "survivor" in this passage -- look at verse 7
7. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
-- a survivor -- one who has persevered and endured hardships and not given up is an "overcomer" -- one who has overcome the world and survived with their faith and their soul intact -- in each of the seven letters to the churches here in the Book of Revelation, Jesus ends each letter with a promise of blessing "to him who overcomes" -- to him who survives -- to him who perseveres
-- I think one of the greatest examples of a survivor is the author of this book, the Apostle John
II. The Apostle John
-- John, the son of Zebedee, was one of Jesus' first disciples -- Jesus called for John and his brother James to come and follow Him as John and James were in their fishing boat with their father
-- John was present with Jesus throughout His ministry -- he was there in the good times -- he was there when the miracles were done -- when the five thousand were fed with two small fish and five loaves of bread -- when Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm -- when the sick was healed and the dead raised -- he was one of the three present with Jesus when Jesus was transfigured and glorified before their eyes -- and he was with Jesus when they went to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the people shouted 'Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord"
-- but John was also there during the hard times with Jesus -- John was with Jesus in the upper room on the night in which He was betrayed -- Jesus washed John's feet, along with all the other disciples there -- and then John followed Jesus to Gethsemene and stayed there while Jesus prayed -- John was there when Jesus was arrested by the temple guards -- and he fled from the Garden of Gethsemene just like all the rest
-- after Jesus was taken prisoner, John followed Him into the temple and watched the trial -- John was present at Golgotha when Jesus was crucified -- and John was in the Upper Room when Mary came running with the news that Jesus' tomb was empty
-- after the resurrection of Jesus, John became a leader in the church and wrote the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation -- he eventually ended up in Ephesus where he served as a pastor
-- John's life was one characterized by hardships suffered in the name of Jesus -- he suffered persecution along with the rest of the early church -- first by the Jews -- the priests and the Pharisees -- and then later by the Romans
-- he was the only one of the original Apostles who was not martyred -- I think the reason why he was spared martyrdom and lived a long life was because Jesus had appointed him to look after Mary, the mother of Jesus
-- according to church legend, during the reign of Domitian, while John was still living and pastoring in Ephesus, Domitian ordered him to Rome to stand trial for being a Christian -- John was ordered killed and put in a boiling pot of oil -- but he did not die and was not burned -- the oil had no effect on him
-- so Domitian ordered him exiled to the island of Patmos -- it was there on the island of Patmos -- isolated from the church and from all his loved ones -- that John received the visions recorded in the book of Revelation
-- in spite of all the hardships and the persecutions and the exile, the Apostle John did not grow weary of doing good and he persevered in his faith -- he overcame the world -- he survived
III. Survivors
-- what does it mean to be a Christian soul survivor in the 21st century? -- what are we being called to overcome in this world?
-- here in America, we aren't really being faced with persecutions or hardships -- but we are being faced with other things that are tempting us and trying to pull us away from our faith and our relationship with God -- it is these things that we are called to overcome and to persevere against
-- for instance, we all suffer in our lives with trials and tribulations -- we get sick -- we get cancer and other diseases that rob us of our health -- we lose loved ones and family members in death -- we have to get up and go to work and try to make a living here in this world just like the non-Christians -- we have family problems and wayward children and suffer through divorce and pain and heartbreak
-- we have periods of doubt in our life, when things get so bad that we doubt God's up there and doubt that He cares about us
-- we have to put up with daily temptations to sin -- we have to deal with the teaching of false doctrines, not only in cults but also in our churches -- we have to put up with slander and disrespect and a culture that is dead-set against us
-- but, through it all, we are called to persevere -- to overcome -- to stand firm -- to hold firmly to what we have been taught and to our faith -- as it says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 "letting nothing move us" but holding fast to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the promises we have in Him -- enduring the hardships and not growing weary of following Christ and doing good in His name
IV. The Christian Marathon
-- if you would, turn over to Hebrews 12 and we're going to close there
1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
we're all familiar with the concept of our Christian life being like a race -- I preached on that just a couple of weeks ago in my sermon called, "The Amazing Race" -- but, I want to call your attention to something particular in this passage in regards to the race that we are called to run
-- in verse 1 in this passage, we are told to run with perseverance the race marked out for us -- this calls to mind the image of a long-distance run -- a marathon
-- a sprint starts out quickly and only goes for a short distance -- the course really doesn't have to be marked out for us -- and we don't face much adversity or tribulation when we're only running 100 yards or less
-- but, when you run a marathon, you have to have your course clearly marked out -- it is a 26-mile long race -- you have to know where you are going and you have to run with a clear goal in mind -- and, when you run a long distance race -- when you run for four hours straight -- you are going to face hardships -- both physical and mental hardships -- to be successful you have to be prepared and you have to persevere
-- I have a friend who is a marathon runner -- she shared with me how she trains for marathons -- it is a long and slow process -- she runs every day -- somewhere around 10 miles a day -- but several months before a race, she starts extending the distance she runs -- she'll slowly increase the length from 10 miles to 11 -- from 11 miles to 12 -- and over the course of several weeks, she builds up her endurance and her strength until she is able to run over 20 miles every time she goes out
-- but, you know, a lot of Christians don't realize that we are in a marathon -- they're living their Christian lives like it's a sprint -- and as soon as things start to get tough -- as soon as they face hardships and trials and tribulations -- as soon as things start to get difficult -- they grow weary -- they fall away -- and they don't finish their race
-- but, as Christians, we're called to stand firm and to overcome these hardships and to persevere through the long haul -- we are called to run this race set before us with perseverance -- to look at it as a marathon and to train accordingly so we can run without growing weary and without losing heart -- so we can run and finish the race that we have started
-- we're called to persevere in our families -- in our marriages and with our children -- to set an example for the world around us
-- we're called to persevere in our communities -- in our witness to the world of the good news of Christ
-- and, we're called to persevere in our faith -- in our belief and our trust in Jesus as the author and perfector of our faith
-- in 1968, in the Olympics in Mexico City, John Stephen Akhwari represented Tanzania in the marathon -- while running the race, he fell and was injured -- there was no way he could win the race -- but Akhwari didn't give up
-- more than one hour after the rest of the runners had finished the race, Akhwari hobbled into the Olympic Stadium with his leg bloodied and bandaged -- only a few spectators were left in the stands when Akhwari finally crossed the finish line
-- the reporters ran over to him and asked him why he continued to run the marathon while he was injured and knew he couldn't win -- Akhwari replied, "My country did not send me to Mexico city to start the race -- they sent me here to finish it."
V. Closing
-- as Christians, we have been called to do more than just start the race -- we have been called to finish it -- we have been called to be overcomers -- persevering and enduring hardships in Jesus' name and not growing weary along the way
-- we have been called to outlive and to outpray and to outlast -- we have been called to be survivors
-- let us pray
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Anglicans and Catholics Find Common Ground on Mary
A recent flurry of news articles (click here for one from Belief Net) report on the recent agreement between the Anglicans and the Catholics on the Catholic church's teachings related to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This is a major step for a protestant denomination, albeit one with close ties to the Catholic church.
This agreement affirms two Catholic teachings in regards to Mary, namely the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption.
A lot of people have a misunderstanding of the Immaculate Conception, thinking that this refers to the virgin birth of Jesus. In fact, it deals with the sinlessness of Mary. Here is the official definitition of Immaculate Conception from a Catholic site (click here). Basically, this teaching states that Mary was born without sin and without the stain of original sin. Based on my understanding of the scriptures, this teaching is without biblical foundation and is false.
The concept of the "Assumption" of Mary teaches that when Mary died, she was immediately bodily resurrected. This teaching is, of course, extra-biblical since the death of Mary is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. We know from the Bible that Jesus placed Mary under the Apostle John's guardianship when He was on the cross. Church tradition holds that Mary went with John to Ephesus where she died and is buried. Sites on the internet report that Mary's grave is still present in Ephesus.
While God did translate people directly to heaven without them having to die (i.e. Elijah and Enoch), there is no evidence of anyone being resurrected other than Jesus. Note that a resurrection is not the same as being raised from the dead. Jesus raised many people from the dead, most notably Lazarus. But, the difference being that a person raised from the dead does not receive a resurrected immortal body but dies again. Christ is described in the writings of Paul as being the first of those to be resurrected -- the "first-fruits." Christ was resurrected by the power of God and given a transformed body. Lazarus was not. And, assuming this teaching from the Bible is consistent, Mary was not either.
A recent flurry of news articles (click here for one from Belief Net) report on the recent agreement between the Anglicans and the Catholics on the Catholic church's teachings related to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This is a major step for a protestant denomination, albeit one with close ties to the Catholic church.
This agreement affirms two Catholic teachings in regards to Mary, namely the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption.
A lot of people have a misunderstanding of the Immaculate Conception, thinking that this refers to the virgin birth of Jesus. In fact, it deals with the sinlessness of Mary. Here is the official definitition of Immaculate Conception from a Catholic site (click here). Basically, this teaching states that Mary was born without sin and without the stain of original sin. Based on my understanding of the scriptures, this teaching is without biblical foundation and is false.
The concept of the "Assumption" of Mary teaches that when Mary died, she was immediately bodily resurrected. This teaching is, of course, extra-biblical since the death of Mary is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. We know from the Bible that Jesus placed Mary under the Apostle John's guardianship when He was on the cross. Church tradition holds that Mary went with John to Ephesus where she died and is buried. Sites on the internet report that Mary's grave is still present in Ephesus.
While God did translate people directly to heaven without them having to die (i.e. Elijah and Enoch), there is no evidence of anyone being resurrected other than Jesus. Note that a resurrection is not the same as being raised from the dead. Jesus raised many people from the dead, most notably Lazarus. But, the difference being that a person raised from the dead does not receive a resurrected immortal body but dies again. Christ is described in the writings of Paul as being the first of those to be resurrected -- the "first-fruits." Christ was resurrected by the power of God and given a transformed body. Lazarus was not. And, assuming this teaching from the Bible is consistent, Mary was not either.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Who Goes to Heaven?
This is a question that we have all asked and all struggled with. Just yesterday in Sunday School, we were discussing this question when the topic of syncretism came up. Which religion is right? Whose adherents go to heaven? Who don't? And Who decides?
I have struggled with this question for years, especially since I have coworkers and friends who belong to other religions, denominations, and even some organizations referred to as "cults" by most Protestant denominations.
Answers to this question range from "All get in (Universalism)" to "Only those who believe in Christ get in (Orthodox Christianity)" and all in between. This article here by Amy Green addresses this same question.
As a Christian, the bottom-line answer for me is based on the words of Jesus from the Bible. Jesus said plainly that He was "the way, the truth, and the life." No one comes to the Father except through Him. In the Book of Acts we read that there is no other name under heaven by which men are saved.
This seems to answer it for me, but you are still left with the nagging problem of how to interact with other religions. It seems very intolerant and arrogant to proclaim your religion has the only possible path to Heaven, but isn't that what Jesus' words imply? As Christians, are we diluting the gospel by affirming that there are other ways into heaven? As I understand it, if there are other ways, then Jesus died for nothing. Why would God send His Son into the world to die and suffer such a horrible death if there was another path?
I am going to stick with my answer based on the words of Christ. I may tell others that I am not God and I don't know what God will ultimately do, but I have the words of God Himself in the person of Jesus telling us to come to the Father through Him, not through any other way.
This is a question that we have all asked and all struggled with. Just yesterday in Sunday School, we were discussing this question when the topic of syncretism came up. Which religion is right? Whose adherents go to heaven? Who don't? And Who decides?
I have struggled with this question for years, especially since I have coworkers and friends who belong to other religions, denominations, and even some organizations referred to as "cults" by most Protestant denominations.
Answers to this question range from "All get in (Universalism)" to "Only those who believe in Christ get in (Orthodox Christianity)" and all in between. This article here by Amy Green addresses this same question.
As a Christian, the bottom-line answer for me is based on the words of Jesus from the Bible. Jesus said plainly that He was "the way, the truth, and the life." No one comes to the Father except through Him. In the Book of Acts we read that there is no other name under heaven by which men are saved.
This seems to answer it for me, but you are still left with the nagging problem of how to interact with other religions. It seems very intolerant and arrogant to proclaim your religion has the only possible path to Heaven, but isn't that what Jesus' words imply? As Christians, are we diluting the gospel by affirming that there are other ways into heaven? As I understand it, if there are other ways, then Jesus died for nothing. Why would God send His Son into the world to die and suffer such a horrible death if there was another path?
I am going to stick with my answer based on the words of Christ. I may tell others that I am not God and I don't know what God will ultimately do, but I have the words of God Himself in the person of Jesus telling us to come to the Father through Him, not through any other way.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
NO EXCUSE SUNDAY
To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday."
Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."
There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard.
Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night.
We will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave in if I ever came to church."
Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold and fans for those who say it is too hot.
Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.
Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can't go to church and cook dinner, too.
We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those who feel that church is always asking for money.
One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.
Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.
The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen church without them.
We will provide hearing aids for those who can't hear the preacher and cotton for those who can.
(Author unknown)
To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday."
Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in."
There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard.
Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night.
We will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave in if I ever came to church."
Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold and fans for those who say it is too hot.
Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.
Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can't go to church and cook dinner, too.
We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those who feel that church is always asking for money.
One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.
Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.
The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen church without them.
We will provide hearing aids for those who can't hear the preacher and cotton for those who can.
(Author unknown)
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
What Kind of American English Do You Speak?
Here's how I scored. Somewhat surprised at the 45% General American English. Wonder if that's a reflection of our television viewing?
Your Linguistic Profile:
45% Dixie
45% General American English
5% Midwestern
5% Upper Midwestern
0% Yankee
Click on the link above if you want to take the quiz yourself
Here's how I scored. Somewhat surprised at the 45% General American English. Wonder if that's a reflection of our television viewing?
Your Linguistic Profile:
45% Dixie
45% General American English
5% Midwestern
5% Upper Midwestern
0% Yankee
Click on the link above if you want to take the quiz yourself
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Beth Stroud Interview
Shane Raynor, author of The Wesley Blog, has an excellent interview with Beth Stroud posted here. As noted below, Rev. Beth Stroud is the self-avowed homosexual pastor whose credentials were removed in December by a United Methodist court. She recently won an appeal and has been reinstated to full connection in the church.
Shane Raynor, author of The Wesley Blog, has an excellent interview with Beth Stroud posted here. As noted below, Rev. Beth Stroud is the self-avowed homosexual pastor whose credentials were removed in December by a United Methodist court. She recently won an appeal and has been reinstated to full connection in the church.
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