SERMON: HE SAID/SHE SAID

FIREPROOF SERMON SERIES:
SERMON 1 -- HE SAID/SHE SAID
5 October 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Ephesians 5

21. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26. to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27. and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--
30. for we are members of his body.
31. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
32. This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

-- this morning we are starting a new sermon series on the movie, "Fireproof" -- the new movie from Sherwood Baptist Church that just came out last week -- I know that most of you in here have seen the movie and know that it is about strengthening the marriage relationship -- a couple of the sermons will focus primarily on marriages and the relationships with your spouse, but the majority of these sermons are going to have principles that you can apply in all your relationships -- whether that's with your spouse -- your family -- your friends -- or your God
-- when I saw the initial screening of the movie, I was very excited about the focus of this movie -- this is something that is near to my heart and something that I have been talking about from the pulpit for years
-- the family is in trouble in America today -- marriages are in trouble in America today -- right now, the divorce rate in America is holding steady at over 50% -- we have more kids growing up in single parent homes right now than ever before -- we have more couples living together unmarried than ever before -- and it's not just the unchurched
-- it's people who have received Christ as their Savior -- people who are dedicated to the Lord -- people who come to church and who have stood before their God and their family and friends and who have made a covenant to stay married who are divorcing in unheard of numbers today
-- right now, the divorce rate among Christians is 54% -- it's even higher than that of people outside the church -- I just found out that a friend of mine was getting divorced -- he is not a Sunday Christian -- this is a man who is devoted to God -- who has served as the leader on Emmaus walks -- who has gone into the prisons to minister to others -- this is a man whose wife was active in her church -- whose wife was in leadership roles in women's ministry -- but now they're divorcing
-- why is that? -- what is causing Christians to divorce? -- we are the people who proclaim the name of Christ -- we are the people who proclaim forgiveness and love to others because of the forgiveness and love shown to us by our God -- so, why do so many Christian marriages end in divorce?
-- think about it like this -- this line is about half the church -- what this means is that in any given church, the odds are all the people on this side of the room are going to get divorced at some point in their life -- and it just doesn't make any sense
-- like I said, these are Christians -- these are Christian families -- it's not like they just go home after church one day and say, "You know, I'm just going to throw my life and my family away" -- we know it's not that -- so what's causing this epidemic in America today?

II. The Primary Cause of Divorce
-- I've spent some time pondering that -- thinking about that -- we know that there's some big things out there that can lead to divorce -- spousal abuse -- addictions -- bad financial decisions that really impact families -- but I don't think that's what's driving the divorce rate among Christians
-- I don't think it's the big things -- I think it's the little things -- think of it like this -- how many of you in here have been bitten by an elephant? -- how many of you have been bitten by a rhinoceros? -- now how many have ever been bitten by a mosquito?
-- you see, it's the little things that creep in and chip away at marriages that you really have to watch out for -- I think most Christian marriages begin to fail when communication begins to fail -- when spouses just aren't spending time together and aren't talking and sharing with each other
-- it can be hard for men and women to communicate with each other -- men and women are different -- we all know that -- our bodies are different -- our minds are different -- we think differently -- we talk differently -- we reason differently -- men and women are not the same -- and so that makes communication difficult
-- From the first moment of birth, little girls have more lip and mouth movement than boys -- In a Harvard study of hundreds of preschoolers, researchers found that 100% of the sounds coming from little girls’ mouths were words -- while only 60% of sounds coming from preschool boys were words -- The other 40% were yells and sound effects like, “Vrrooom!” “Aaaaagh!” and “Toot, toot!” -- those of you who have had both boys and girls or who have spent time with toddlers know exactly what I'm talking about
-- Gary Smalley pointed out that “This difference persists into adulthood -- Communication experts say that the average woman speaks over 25,000 words a day, while the average man speaks only a little over 10,000" -- is it any wonder that we have communication problems in our marriages? -- by the time a man gets home from work, he's probably used up his daily amount of words while his wife is just warming up
-- Smalley said that he asked couples how much time they needed to spend in meaningful conversation with their spouses to keep their relationship strong -- women said they need 45 minutes to an hour every day -- men said they need 15-20 minutes, but only once or twice a week
-- and then, when you add in all the differences in the way we think and reason and act -- you can see how communication can be challenging -- when I counsel couples who are thinking about getting married, I tell them that getting married is like moving to another country -- in order to live there, they're going to have to learn a new language -- new customs -- new traditions -- and it's only the ones who take the time and put in the effort that are truly happy in this new place

-- now that we've spent some time talking about the dangers of not communicating with each other, let's take a moment and look at a clip from the movie, "Fireproof" [show clip 1]

III. Fireproofing Your Relationship
-- men and women are different -- but, we have to keep in mind that God designed us like that -- He made us different to complement each other -- not "compliment" -- but "complement" -- just like Tom Cruise told Renee Zelweger in the movie, "Jerry Maguire:" "You complete me"
-- God made us different so that we would need other people in our lives to complete us and to make us whole -- our differences should unite us -- not divide us
-- so, how do we do we do that? -- how do we reach the point where our relationships complete our life? -- or, as this movie asks, "How do we fireproof our marriages so that we can walk through the fires of life together without being burned?"
-- in this passage from Ephesians, God gives us three important concepts that we must apply in our relationships if we want them to be fireproofed -- these are the words "submit," "respect," and "love"

-- look back at verse 21

21. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

-- this verse tells us that we are to submit to each other -- the Greek word here literally means that to line yourself up under or to give up your rights -- in other words, God tells us that successful relationships are built upon the principle of selflessness -- on the principle that we put the other person's needs before our own
-- each person in a marriage is to give up their rights and look out for the best interests of their partner -- if you come into a marriage and refuse to give up your rights, your marriage just will not work well -- giving up our rights is an essential part of meeting each other's needs -- you can't meet your partner's needs if you are demanding that your needs be met at the same time
-- if Kim needs me to take out the trash, then I am called to submit -- to give up my right to sit on the couch and watch football in order to meet her needs and in order to work in the best interests of our marriage -- and the same holds true for her -- she has to give up her rights in order to meet my needs
-- this is the same thing that Christ did for us -- He humbled Himself and became a servant to us -- suffering humiliation and death on the cross -- to meet our needs -- and He calls for us to do the same thing for those people that we are in a relationship with -- especially our spouses
-- the first principle in fireproofing your marriage is to submit one to the other

-- verse 22


22. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

-- now in these verses we see the word "submit" again -- but a better translation would be "respect" -- God is telling us here that if we want strong marriages -- if we want strong relationships -- then wives are to respect their husbands
-- you heard that word come up in the clip from the movie that we watched -- men have been created with a need for respect -- this means that wives line themselves under the leadership of their husbands -- they submit to their leadership within the marriage relationship and they encourage and help their husbands meet their marriage responsibilities
-- even a casual reading of Scripture will lead you to see that God is giving men authority to be the leaders of their household -- that means that men are responsible for the direction that their house is going
-- it's kind of like a ship -- the marriage ship, if you will -- men are called to be the captains of the ship -- it is their responsibility to point the ship in the right direction and to make sure that it gets there -- it is their responsibility to know the route and to know the hazards of the route and to make sure that the ship avoids the storms and the rocks and the dangers of the sea -- it is the captain's responsibility to take care of his crew -- to make sure they are kept safe -- to make sure they are taken care of -- to make sure everyone is working to help the ship go in the right direction
-- the wives, then, are called to assist the captain -- to help him direct the ship to their final destination -- and it takes both of them, working together, to pull this off
-- they are partners -- the husbands have to trust their wives to do their part while the wives have to trust their husbands to be good captains of their marriage
-- this is the biblical image of a marriage -- two people, joined together and working together in Christ's name to keep their family pointed toward their heavenly destination
-- so, for this reason, wives are called in this passage to respect -- to submit to their husbands, because their husbands are the ones who are supposed to be leading the family -- so, whose responsibility is it to make sure that the family is running smoothly and headed in the right direction -- the husband's
-- this goes all the way back to the book of Genesis -- not good for man to be alone -- Gen 2:18 -- "help meet" -- NIV "helper" -- Eve was created to help Adam meet his responsibilities -- not take them over -- they were still Adam's responsibilities -- Eve was simply supposed to help -- to complement his efforts -- to complete him
-- when the wife follows the leadership of a Godly man, she if fulfilling her God-given purpose -- that is why it says in Ephesians 5:22, "submit as to the Lord" -- if a man is doing what God has called him to do, then when a woman follows him, she is acting in obedience to God
-- this is the second principle for fireproofing your marriage -- wives are to respect their husbands

-- and women, I'm going to go ahead and let you in on a secret -- most of us men are insecure in this area -- we need to know that we're the hero in our home -- we need to know that we're doing a good job -- we need to be affirmed and encouraged
-- you would be surprised at what a difference phrases like, "I'm so proud of you" or "I believe in you" or "you do that so well" make in the well-being of a husband
-- you need to respect your husbands -- and, if for whatever reason, you've stopped respecting your man, then think about what first attracted you to him, pray about how you can regain that sense of respect -- make a list of things you need to do if it will help you -- but decide that you are going to respect your husband once again and then get busy showing your respect to him
-- this can make the difference in your marriage

-- verse 25

25. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26. to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27. and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

-- if there's one thing I have learned about women, it's that I will never truly understand them -- I will never really understand what it means to be a woman -- I don't know why women can't go to the bathroom by themselves in a restaurant -- I don't know why it takes hours to get ready to go out -- men, we're never going to go through monthly cycles or menopause -- we'll never get pregnant or do any of those other things that make women women -- so, we'll never really understand what it's like to be a woman
-- but I do know this -- our wives need to know that we love them -- they need to hear it from us -- they need to feel it from us -- they need to receive it from us -- and the way our wives receive our love will probably be in a way that we have never studied or trained or prepared for -- there's a book by Gary Chapman that I recommend to every married couple I know -- it's called, "The Five Love Languages" -- and it points out that people receive love in different ways and it teaches you how to learn the way your spouse receives and understands love
-- but even if you don't have this book, let me share with you how to show your love best to your spouse -- listen to her -- listen to her dreams and her feelings and her fears and her thoughts -- if you'll listen to her -- with full eye contact and as much emotional engagement as possible for just 5 to 10 minutes a day -- it will fill her more than you can know -- and your marriage will reap the benefit

-- that's what Paul means here when he tells us to love our wives as Christ loved the church -- it means to love them sacrificially -- to give ourselves to them -- to put aside our rights and our needs and to just serve them by spending time with them -- we don't have to fix every problem -- when they're sharing with us about their day, they're not looking for us to solve anything -- they just want us to listen and to be there and to love them
-- that's what we see in the life of Christ -- He always had time for other people -- He always took time to show them He loved them
-- when Christ was going to the temple, he loved the church so much he stopped to heal a sick woman -- when Christ was going to preach in Galilee, he loved the church so much he stopped to speak to a Samaritan woman at the well -- Christ always had time for His people -- He always had time for a touch or a laugh -- or to heal someone -- or to show love or compassion
-- He always put others first, never Himself -- He forgave wrongs -- He didn't keep a grudge -- He modeled a life of love and service to the church all the time He was here on earth -- this is what this verse is talking about
-- this verse is calling for us men to love our wives in the same way -- to give ourselves up for our wives -- to put aside our wants and our wishes and live in love and service to our wife
-- as Ray Steadman once said in a sermon, "No husband is playing his proper role in marriage until he learns to give himself up to his wife -- to open his heart to her -- to share his emotions and dreams -- his thoughts and disappointments -- his joys -- to fully expose himself to his wife -- and there is nothing that makes a woman happier than to know that she fully enters her husband's life -- that fulfills her and it fulfills him"
-- look at your wife right now -- think about your relationship with her and with your family -- are you fulfilling her -- are you doing what God has called you to do -- are you loving her as Christ loved the church, giving yourself up for her?
-- the third principle for fireproofing your marriage is to love your wife as Christ loved the church, and the best way to do that is by spending time with her and listening to her and communicating with her

IV. Closing
-- I know I've been going on for a while now, so I'm going to wrap this up -- but I'm going to close with a challenge -- in the movie, Caleb is about to give up on his marriage, when his dad hands him a special little hand-written book -- The book is called the LOVE DARE -- and in it is 40 days’ worth of practical ways for Caleb to demonstrate his love to Catherine
-- Caleb’s dad challenges him to do one of these love dares every day for the next 40 days and see if it doesn’t change his attitude and his marriage -- Caleb takes the challenge, and the dares do their work -- At the end of the 40 days, he really is a different man, just like we will be 40 days from now, if we take this series seriously.
-- One of the things Caleb discovers while working his love dares is that putting tangible effort into loving his wife does more to change him than change her -- if you saw the movie, you might remember the scene where Catherine stays home sick from work -- Caleb sees her in bed and asks if she needs anything -- she says "no" because she doesn't believe he really wants to love her and submit to her needs -- but he persists and he goes out and gets her lunch and gets her some medicine -- when he gives her the medicine, she says, "What are you doing? -- this isn't normal" -- and Caleb says “Welcome to the new normal." -- Caleb has changed, even though she may not have realized it yet

-- Over these next six weeks – which works out to almost 40 days – we are going to have our own Love Dare Challenges -- They’ll be practical assignments designed to raise the level of your relationships, whether you’re married or whether you're single
-- I know that many of you thought you were just going to come to a nice safe church service, sit through it and go home -- But church was never meant to be that way -- church is supposed to be life-changing -- God-honoring -- and hope-filled.

-- So are you ready for this first love dare challenge? -- when you leave here today, I've got a handout for you -- it's got questions on it for husbands and wives and singles -- and the challenge for this week is to think about and pray about the answers to these questions -- and then to do something this week that fulfills that need in your partner or, if you're single, with someone else that you are in a relationship with

-- let's close in prayer -- and remember that the altar is always open if you need a special time with the Lord this morning -- let's pray

THOUGHTFUL MOVIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

One word -- Netflix. Don't know how I lived without it. I never thought this movie in the mail service would have any effect on my spiritual life, but it has, because it has called my attention to movies that either never came to our small town cinema or our local video rental stores or that I just walked past because I didn't recognize the title. Netflix has a suggestion system based on previous movies that you rated, so I took a chance and rented several movies that I would not have noticed before. I'm glad I did.


Bella is a heart-warming film of life, love, and forgiveness with a profound pro-life message. A troubled cook reaches out to a pregnant and unmarried waitress and changes both of their lives forever.




Juno is another strong pro-life movie that came out last year and became a sleeper hit nation-wide. Although it contains some objectionable material, most notably language and sexual references, it tells the story of an unmarried pregnant teenager who seeks the perfect parents to adopt her baby.



Strange as it may seem, Lars and the Real Girl was one of the most heart-warming movies that I watched this year. Christianity Today promoted this movie as one of the year's most redeeming films, and since it involves the premise of a guy who purchases a life-like sex doll as a companion, I just had to see for myself if the Christianity Today editors had lost their mind or not. They had not. It was a great movie about a community coming together to care for Lars, a loveable loner in a small town who is unable to form a relationship with anyone, including his brother and sister-in-law. The "real girl" comes onto the scene to draw Lars and the town out of their proverbial shell and into reality together.




Time Changer is the story of a nineteenth century seminary professor who has written a book asserting that the teaching of morals is of more importance than teaching the source of those morals to the general public. Challenged by a colleague, Professor Carlisle is transported into the future -- our present day -- to see the results of such a teaching. In his time in our day, Professor Carlisle sees the current state of religion and morals and returns to his day aghast at his erroneous thesis in his book. A lot of Christian movies are, honestly, horrible. They are not well-written and have horrible acting. But this one is different. With the sole exception of Professor Carlisle looking suspiciously like Will Ferrell in a Saturday Night Live skit, this was a great movie and a great indictment on the lack of commitment in our churches today.




Although this movie is a couple of years old, I just got the chance to see Chocolat recently. While this movie has some objectionable material, most notably the not-shown but obvious tryst between Juliette Binoche as a senuous creator of chocolate desserts and Johnny Depp as a traveling gypsy, it is a superbly acted and compelling story. The most interesting facet of this movie for me was the interaction between the dessert maker and the lay leader of the local church and the not-so-subtle indictment of religious legalism. This movie raises questions about the church's image in the public eye and how we really live out the grace of Christ in our lives.

SERMON: THE IMPORTANCE OF IMAGINARY NUMBERS

THE IMPORTANCE OF IMAGINARY NUMBERS
31 August 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 15

1. Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him.
2. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3. Then Jesus told them this parable:
4. "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5. And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
6. and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'
7. I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

-- this morning, we are going to finish up our series on God as our math teacher -- so far, we have talked about how we can't add anything to our salvation and how God has provided all we need through Jesus to be saved
-- then we talked about how God can subtract our sorrows -- how He can give us hope and joy even in the most sorrowful times of life
-- after that we talked about how Jesus brings division -- how the Word of God divides families and communities and churches
-- and, finally, we talked about how anyone can multiply with God -- about growing the kingdom of God through God's grace and mercy
-- this morning, we are going to close this series by looking at how God's math is different from our math -- how in God's math numbers that are imaginary to us are the most important to Him
-- so, the title of my message this morning is, "The Importance of Imaginary Numbers"

-- several years ago I was invited to speak on careers in wildlife biology at a high school -- and I was there telling a group of juniors and seniors about my job and what I did and then I started talking about the educational requirements to go into the field of wildlife biology
-- one of the students asked me, "Well, how important is math?" -- and I knew I was being set up, but I went ahead and played along -- "Math is very important for wildlife biology," I said -- "You have to calculate proper dosages of drugs to capture wild animals -- you need to know statistics in order to quantify what is going on with wildlife populations -- things like that"
-- and then he asked, "What about imaginary numbers? -- how often do you use them?" -- and I had to laugh, because I knew what he was talking about
-- when I was his age in school and learning about math, they tried to teach us about imaginary numbers, too -- and, with apologies to any mathematicians that might be here this morning, that was one of the stupidest things I had ever heard
-- imaginary numbers -- I understood real numbers -- I may not have liked learning about them, but I knew that we needed to know how to do math in order to live and to work and to be successful in this world -- I had no real problem with learning how to do math with real numbers
-- but having to learn about imaginary numbers -- numbers that didn't even exist -- numbers that were made up by some guy back in the 16th century -- I just didn't understand that at all
-- it may be important for some fields like quantum mechanics and electrical engineering, but for a farmer or for a wildlife biologist -- which is what I wanted to be -- they had no meaning at all

-- well, in recent years, my eyes have been opened to the importance of the imaginary, especially in our spiritual lives -- I think that for most of us the word "imaginary" has a negative connotation -- in that anything that is imaginary is not real -- and that is true to a great extent
-- as the dictionary defines it, something imaginary is something that we think exists, even though it may not have a direct counterpart at the physical level -- in other words, it is something that we believe in or that we picture in our minds that is not real -- at least, not real physically in this world -- it is not something that we can touch or hold or even see
-- but isn't that the definition of faith? -- being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see -- believing in that which is not real in a physical sense -- but that we know exists anyway
-- think about it like this -- no one in here has ever physically seen God -- no one in here has ever physically touched God -- yet we believe in Him -- we know He exists because we have pictured Him with our imaginations -- we have read His message in the Bible -- we have seen the evidence of His passing in this land -- and even though we can't point to Him and say, "There He is," we believe in Him nonetheless
-- we know God through our imagination -- through our hearts -- through our experiences with Him -- through our faith

-- so, what in the world do imaginary numbers and our imaginations have to do with the parable of the lost sheep? -- everything -- because this parable makes no sense if we only look at it in our physical reality
-- let's look back at this passage again and see what we might learn about God's use of the imaginary in our lives and what lesson He might want us to see in this passage

II. Scripture Lesson -- The Parable of the Lost Sheep
-- look at verse 3

3. Then Jesus told them this parable:
4. "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

-- Jesus begins this parable by asking the question, "If you have 100 sheep and one of them gets lost, don't you leave the 99 out in the open and then go and search for the one that you lost?" -- and my response has always been, "No, of course not"
-- in the church, of course, we spiritualize this and we say, "Jesus is saying that we need to go out and look for the lost sheep" -- and that's all well and good -- but are we reading into this parable what we want it to say?
-- if you look at this parable from a biological or agricultural point of view, this parable just doesn't make any sense -- it's not what we do in the real world
-- think about it for a moment -- when I was in wildlife school, I was taught that the population was more important than the individual -- in other words, it didn't matter if one deer got hit by a car or one deer got killed by a hunter provided that the whole herd -- the whole population -- wasn't declining -- we were more worried about the 99 than the one that got killed
-- the same holds true for agriculture or for ranching -- let's say that a farmer has planted a field of squash -- now if one squash plant in that field gets sick and starts to die, the farmer doesn't stand around and cry -- if he has one plant in a field of 100 that gets sick, he doesn't worry about it -- because he's more concerned with the entire field than the single individual -- it's only when most of the plants start getting sick or most of the plants start dying that he starts to worry and starts to do something about it -- whether it's spraying chemicals or adding fertilizer or changing his irrigation
-- the same is true with cattle -- you get one sick calf out of a herd of 100 calves, you're not going to be greatly worried -- you'll do what you need to do in order to take care of it -- but you're not going to neglect the rest of the herd to take care of one calf -- you're not going to go out and risk the 99 that you still have in order to save the one
-- and that's why this parable really doesn't make much sense
-- why in the world would a shepherd leave 99 sheep out in the open -- unguarded and unprotected -- and go off and look for one lost sheep
-- why risk something coming in and getting the other 99? -- wolves -- predators -- thieves -- all kind of things could come in
-- wouldn't it be better to just say, "Well, I lost one, but I've still got 99 left?" -- honestly, isn't that what you would do? -- it's what I would do -- and that's why this parable doesn't make any sense -- any shepherd worth his salt would know that what Jesus is talking about is not natural -- it's out of the ordinary -- it's not real

-- so, if it's not natural -- if it's not ordinary -- if it's not real -- then what is it?
-- that's where God's imaginary numbers come in -- for some reason, in God's math, this one sheep is more valuable than the other 99 -- in Jesus' parable, it doesn't matter what happens to the 99 sheep -- it doesn't matter if a wolf comes in and devours them -- it doesn't matter if lightning strikes them standing out in the open field and kills them all -- it doesn't matter if thieves try to sneak in and steal them -- because in this parable, the one which is lost is more valuable than all the others combined
-- now the only way this parable can make any sense at all is if Jesus is not talking about reality -- about something that we can see and that we know exists -- but something that is invisible to our physical eyes -- something that is imaginary in that it can't be touched or seen or felt

-- look back at verse 3

3. Then Jesus told them this parable:
4. "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5. And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
6. and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'
7. I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

-- o.k. -- now we've got a little bit more of the picture -- Jesus tells us here that this parable is about a lost sinner who repents and comes to Him for salvation -- so what He's talking about here is the spiritual state of the sheep -- He's talking about their soul -- not their lives
-- Jesus tells us that the lost sheep is a sinner -- so, what are the 99 that He leaves out in the open? -- well, by inference, you would have to assume that they are saved -- their eternal destinies are set -- they are sinners who have repented and have received forgiveness for their sins by faith through grace
-- and that's why it doesn't matter whether He leaves the 99 sheep alone in the open or not -- it doesn't matter if they live or die -- it doesn't matter what happens to their physical bodies in this physical reality -- because what is important is the state of their souls, not what happens to them here
-- when you look at it that way, this parable makes perfect sense, doesn't it? -- but, if that's the case, then why aren't we obeying the principles that this parable teaches?

-- first, this parable teaches that the most important part of a person is their soul -- but we tend to put more importance on the life of a person
-- let's say that you leave here today and you witness a car wreck in front of you -- person's trapped in their car and it's on fire -- you know it's about to blow -- so what do you do? -- you try to get that person out -- but the door won't open -- you have to break the glass, but you know it might cut you and it might them -- do you do it? -- sure
-- and then you try to pull the person out but their caught under the steering wheel -- their leg is trapped and the car's about to blow up -- the only way to get them out is to break their leg -- do you do it? -- yeah -- you don't want to -- you know it'll hurt -- but you do it because you're trying to save their life [Illustration from Jay Cardee sermon]
-- now, I want you to think about something and I want you to be real honest with yourself -- how many people did you witness to this week? -- how many people did you tell about Jesus?
-- you see, we put more importance on the life of a person than we do their soul -- Jesus said He would leave the 99 saved sheep out in the field -- He didn't care if they lived or died because their eternal destinies were set -- He'd leave them there and He would go out and hunt for the one that was lost and that was going to go to hell
-- but we don't do that, do we? -- we really aren't putting a great importance on the souls of those we pass by every day -- and that leads us to the second point

-- the 99 sheep in this parable are saved -- they are a group of saved people -- what do we call a group of saved people? -- the church -- and what should be the focus of the church? -- going out and looking for the lost sheep
-- that's what Jesus did -- and that's what we should do, too -- Jesus didn't sit there with the church and wait for the lost sheep to wander in -- He got up and went out and He actively tried to find it -- that's the purpose of the church -- that should be our overarching goal and purpose -- to find the lost sinner and lead them to repentance through Jesus, our shepherd
-- look back at verse 1

1. Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him.
2. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

-- the whole reason why Jesus preached this parable was because the religious crowd of His day -- the Pharisees and the teachers of the law -- were complaining because Jesus was associating with tax collectors and sinners -- not only were they not going out and searching for the lost sheep, they complained about the One who was
-- as the church of Christ we are called to go out and search for the lost sheep -- to search the highways and the byways for the lost soul -- for the person who is going to hell -- and tell them about the salvation that we have found through Jesus

III. Closing
-- Evangelist Ray Comfort shared about a conversation that he had with an atheist -- he had been talking with the atheist and trying to witness to him -- he had shared with him the truth of the gospel and the truth of heaven and hell
-- one day, the atheist went by a fire and watched as a fireman sat in the front of the truck with headphones on listening to a CD while his fellow firefighters ran into a burning building to rescue people who were trapped inside -- the atheist thought about everything that Ray had been telling him and then sent him an e-mail
-- this is an excerpt of the e-mail to Ray from the atheist: "You are really convinced that you've got all the answers. You've really got yourself tricked into believing that you're 100% right. Well, let me tell you just one thing. Do you consider yourself to be compassionate of other humans? If you're right, as you say you are, and you believe that, then how can you sleep at night? When you speak with me, you are speaking with someone who you believe is walking directly into eternal damnation, into an endless onslaught of horrendous pain which your 'loving' God created, yet you stand by and do nothing"
-- "If you believed one bit that thousands every day were falling into an eternal and unchangeable fate, you should be running the streets mad with rage at their blindness. That's equivalent to standing on a street corner and watching every person that passes you walk blindly directly into the path of a bus and die, yet you stand idly by and do nothing. You're just twiddling your thumbs, happy in the knowledge that one day that 'walk' signal will shine your way across the road."
-- "Think about it. Imagine the horrors Hell must have in store if the Bible is true. You're just going to allow that to happen and not care about saving anyone but yourself? If you're right, then you're an uncaring, unemotional and purely selfish (expletive) that has no right to talk about subjects such as love and caring."

-- this parable may be about the imaginary -- about the souls and the spirits that we can't see -- about the eternal destination of a lost sheep -- but it is a very real indictment on the church in America today
-- we spend our time focused on time -- we spend our lives focused on life -- and we let our neighbors and our friends and our families speed right on to hell -- all because we won't go and search for them and bring them home to God
-- as I close this morning, I want to leave you with this challenge -- I want you to read this parable one time each day for the next seven days -- and as you read it, I want you to pray that God would lead you to the lost sheep in your life -- that He would show you how to reach your lost sheep -- and that He would help you to remember to focus on what is truly important -- not the reality of life here on earth -- but eternity with Him in heaven
-- let us pray

SERMON: ANYONE CAN MULTIPLY WITH GOD

ANYONE CAN MULTIPLY WITH GOD
24 August 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 6

1. Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias),
2. and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.
3. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.
4. The Jewish Passover Feast was near.
5. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"
6. He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
8. Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up,
9. "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
10. Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
11. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."
13. So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14. After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."
15. Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

-- one day Ms. Johnson, the elementary school math teacher, was having her students do problems on the blackboard that day -- but no one seemed ready and no one wanted to get up before the class
-- Ms. Johnson asked, "Who would like to do the first problem, addition?" -- No one raised their hand -- so she called on Tommy, and with some help he finally got it right.
-- 'Who would like to do the second problem, subtraction?' -- all of the students hid their faces and wouldn't look at her -- finally, Ms. Johnson called on Mark, who eventually got the problem right
-- 'Who would like to do the third problem, division?' -- once again, no one looked at her and the teacher had to call on Suzy, who got it right
-- finally, Ms. Johnson said, 'Who would like to do the last problem, multiplication?' -- once again, Ms. Johnson didn't expect anyone to volunteer and started looking around the room for someone she could call on -- but, to her surprise, Tim's hand shot up -- Ms. Johnson was shocked but finally regained her composure and asked, "Thank you, Tim -- Why are you so excited about coming up here and answering this question?"
-- Tim replied, "Because God told me to" -- "God told you to?" -- "Yes, God said, 'Go fourth and multiply'"

-- well, this morning, we are continuing our series on God as our math teacher -- and since this is the fourth sermon in this series, we are going to go forth and talk about multiplying -- specifically, we are going to talk about how anyone can multiply in God's kingdom with God's help
-- so, if you would, please look with me at the very familiar story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 -- a story that most of us have heard before some time in our life -- and let's try to look at it with fresh eyes this morning -- as we go through this ask yourself, "What is God telling me today in this passage?"

II. Scripture Lesson (John 6:1-15)
-- before we turn to this passage in John 6, let me give you the context of this passage
-- as this passage opens, Jesus has just been teaching and preaching in the streets of Jerusalem -- in John 5 we read the account of how Jesus healed the paralytic man next to the pool of Bethsaida
-- John tells us that when the Pharisees heard of Jesus' healing of this man on the Sabbath and Jesus' claims to be equal with God, they began to persecute Him and question His authority
-- Jesus responded by appealing to their faith -- He told them that they had the testimony of John the Baptist -- they had the testimony of Moses -- and they had the testimony of God the Father Himself through the Holy Scriptures -- all of these, He said, point to me and to my purposes
-- but, if you don't believe in them -- if you don't have faith in them -- how are you going to believe in what I say?
-- which brings us to Chapter 6 -- this is a chapter about faith -- this is a chapter that asks the question, "Are you going to believe in what Jesus says?" -- it is a chapter that questions the faith and the belief of all those around Him, even that of the disciples

-- with that in mind, look back at verse 1

1. Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias),
2. and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.
3. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.
4. The Jewish Passover Feast was near.
5. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"
6. He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.


-- there will be times in our lives and in our churches when God is going to speak -- when He is going to call us to a task that is greater than ourselves -- a task that seems impossible
-- in this case, Jesus turned to Philip and said, "Here's a crowd of 5000 men -- we don't know how many women and children were there -- there could easily have been over 10,000 people there that day -- we don't know for sure -- but Jesus said, "Here's this crowd -- here's this multitude -- where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"
-- This was more than a question -- it was more than a test of faith -- it was a call to mission -- Jesus was telling Philip, "I want you to feed this people -- now how will you do it?"
-- take a moment and just think -- this was an impossible task -- there was no way that Philip could do it -- none -- and yet Jesus was asking him to do it
-- what is He asking us to do today? -- what impossible task is He calling us to do? -- this is where faith comes in -- this is where trust comes in -- this is where we truly say what we believe about God

-- verse 7

7. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

-- Philip missed the point, didn't he? -- Philip was trying to solve the problem on his own -- He looked at the crowd, he figured up the cost it would take to feed them, and then he turned to Jesus and said, "It can't be done"
-- we do that too, don't we -- God calls us to do something and we immediately start coming up with reasons why we can't do it -- "We don't have the money" -- "We don't have the people" -- "We don't have the resources" -- "We don't have the programs" -- "We don't have the time" -- "We don't have the talent" -- "It can't be done"
-- Philip missed the point -- this was a test of faith -- Jesus wanted Philip to say, "I can't do this, but you can" -- when Jesus asked Philip, "Where do we go to feed these people," He wanted Philip to say, "to You"
-- and when He calls us to an impossible task -- to something that we know we can't do -- He wants us to do the same -- He wants us to turn to Him and say, "We can't do it -- will you do it through us?"
-- Dwight L. Moody was a poorly educated, unordained, shoe salesman who felt God calling him to do the impossible -- God was calling him to preach the gospel -- and Moody heard that call and said, "I can't do that -- I'm only a shoe salesman -- I can't speak to people -- I don't have any talent -- it's impossible"
-- but then he went to hear the great Charles Spurgeon speak, and as he listened to the message from Charles Spurgeon, Moody realized something -- "it was not Mr. Spurgeon, after all, who was doing the work -- it was God -- and if God could use Mr. Spurgeon, why should He not use the rest of us -- and why should we not all just lay ourselves at the Master's feet and say to Him, 'Send me! Use me!"
-- Moody went on to become one of the world's greatest evangelists -- and the ministry that he started continues to this day -- all because he realized, "I can't do it, but God can"

-- verse 8

8. Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up,
9. "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

-- don't you just feel like encouraging Andrew along -- I mean, he has the right idea -- he is looking at the possibilities -- he knows that the only way this is going to happen is through Jesus -- he even goes so far as to say, "Here's a boy with five small barley loaves and two fish..." and you just know that he's going to go all the way and tell Jesus -- "multiply them and feed the crowd" -- "do a miracle and feed everyone we see"
-- you just want to stand back and say, "Yes, Yes, you're going the right way, Andrew, you're responding in faith -- you're not letting the size of the task keep you from moving forward -- now just ask Jesus to do something"
-- keep in mind that Andrew had been with Jesus from the start -- He had seen the water turn to wine -- He had seen the sick healed -- He had seen people released from demonic possession -- He knew that miracles happened when Jesus was around
-- but then Andrew says that little three-letter word that changes everything -- "BUT" -- here's the bread and fish...BUT
-- Andrew once again falls into the trap of the impossible -- in this case, Andrew is limiting God's ability to work -- he got so close -- he knew where to turn -- but, truth be told, Andrew's conception of God was too small
-- In essence, Andrew was saying, "We've got these five loaves and bread and two fish, BUT not even you can do anything with them"
-- "BUT" is a ministry killer -- "BUT" is keeping our churches from being faithful to God's calling -- "BUT" is keeping us from doing the impossible through God
-- a friend of mine asked me the other day, "Why don't we see miracles like the Bible describes? -- if God is real, then why don't we see miracles all over the place?"
-- the answer is because of our "BUT" -- it's because of us
-- Jesus said that God is always at work around us and He is always calling us to join Him in His work -- He is always calling us to do the impossible -- and when we hear His call, we add up our money -- we count up our resources -- and we say, "This is all we have -- we'd like to help, BUT it's not enough"
-- we limit God and so we limit His ability to do miracles through us -- not because God can't do them -- but because He only works through our faith
-- What does this tell us? -- if we want to live lives of faith -- if we want to experience the miracle of God doing the impossible through us, then we've got to get off our "BUTs" and start trusting God

-- verse 10

10. Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
11. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."
13. So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

-- in Mark 8, after Jesus had fed the 7,000 in a similar way, Mark tells us that the Pharisees came up to Jesus and asked Him for a miraculous sign -- and Mark says, "Jesus sighed deeply"
-- I just love that picture -- I think that's probably what Jesus did after testing Philip and Andrew -- I think He listened to them and heard their doubts and their lack of faith and just sighed deeply -- you see, Jesus knew what He wanted to do -- He knew what He was going to do -- He just wanted Philip and Andrew to be the ones who trusted in Him enough to suggest it
-- and when it didn't happen, I think Jesus sighed -- I think He does that with us, too -- I think when He calls us to do something impossible -- when He calls us to a new task or a new ministry and all we do is say, "BUT," -- I think He sighs -- and then He either turns to someone else or He does it on His own -- and we're the ones who miss out
-- in this case, Jesus took over and He fed the crowd Himself and He showed us what could have been
-- Jesus wasn't asking Philip and Andrew to feed the people -- He knew they didn't have the resources -- He knew they didn't have the ability -- He knew it was impossible for them
-- what Jesus wanted was for Philip and Andrew to come to Him with what they had and to say, "This is it -- this is all we have -- it's not enough -- we're not enough -- but we know that you can take what we have to offer and multiply it and do a miracle through us"
-- Jesus takes what we have and multiplies it by faith and produces a miracle every time -- the key to God's multiplication is knowing that you have to have both factors -- you have to bring your resources and you have to bring your faith
-- your resources aren't enough to get the job done -- you have to have faith, too
-- on the other hand, your faith is not enough -- God wants us to offer up what we have -- our time and our money and our gifts and our talents
-- why do you think God asks us to tithe -- why does God want your money? -- He doesn't need it -- He owns everything -- so why does He tell us to bring it? -- because He wants you invested -- He wants you to offer your money and your time and your talents and your gifts as a sacrifice in faith
-- it takes both resources and faith to produce a miracle
-- and when God multiplies our resources by our faith, the world changes

-- verse 14

14. After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."
15. Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

-- the people saw what Jesus had done and they responded in faith -- they recognized Him as the promised one -- the Prophet who Moses had said would come -- the Messiah who would be king
-- when we respond to God's call to do the impossible and bring our resources and our faith -- God multiplies it and does a miracle -- He produces a response in the lives of those around us -- people see the hand of God and they turn to Him for salvation and eternal life -- and we experience the power of God working through us

III. Closing
-- After the flood, Noah opened the doors of the Ark and released the animals -- God told them, "Go forth and multiply" -- and all of the animals in the ark -- all of the living creatures there rused off the boat and to freedom, except for two snakes who lingered in a corner
-- Noah asked them, "Why don't you go forth and multiply like the rest?
-- "We can't," sighed the snakes. "We're adders!"

-- as I close this morning, I want to make one thing clear to all of you -- God hasn't called us to be adders -- He's called us to go forth and multiply -- He's called us to get off our "BUTs" -- to get off our "We can'ts" -- and to trust that we can do all things through Him
-- Jesus told His disciples that they would do even greater things than Him -- He told us that we would do even greater things than He did on earth -- but we're not -- just look around
-- the problem is not with Jesus -- the problem is with us -- we're still walking in sight and not in faith -- if we can't see how something can be accomplished, then we don't even try
-- God wants to take our limited resources and our limited faith and He wants to multiply them together to do miracles in this place and in our lives
-- anyone can multiply with God -- it just takes trust and faith and obedience

-- What is God asking us to do today? -- What is God asking you to do today? -- what ministry are you refusing to do because you think you don't have enough? -- trust God -- trust Jesus -- and let Him multiply your ministry and your life
-- as I close I want to invite you to respond to God's word -- give Him your BUTs today -- give Him your "We can'ts" -- and leave here saying, "with You, I can"
-- let's pray

SERMON: INCREASING YOUR EFFICIENCY

INCREASING YOUR EFFICIENCY
17 August 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Corinthians 13

1. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8. Love never fails.


-- yesterday, as I was on my way to the United Methodist Men's gathering at Camp Tygart -- saw one of the most thought-provoking messages on a sign that I have ever seen
-- you know, it seems like everyone has signs these days -- most of our churches have signs -- and one of my favorite things is to ride by and read those signs and all the clever and witty remarks they put out for the public to chew on
-- signs like "Stop, drop, and roll won't help you in hell" -- and the one where they have "church" spelled without the "U" and the "R" and the sign asks the question, "What's missing?" -- You Are
-- seems like a lot of businesses have gotten caught up in this as well -- there's a couple of really good signs in town that I like riding by and reading -- one is at the chiropractor on Northside -- his signs are always funny and clever -- the one this week asked the question, "How deep would the ocean be if it didn't have all those sponges?"
-- well, like I said, yesterday I saw one of the most thought-provoking messages on a sign that I have ever seen -- it was at a muffler shop on Ashley Street and it read, "Restricted exhaust kills fuel mileage"
-- did you get it? -- "restricted exhaust kills fuel mileage" -- when I rode by there and saw that sign, it was like a thunder-bolt from God -- let me explain it to you
-- think about your car -- right now, in the days of extremely high gas prices, everyone is looking for a way to make their cars more efficient -- to help them run better -- to run smoother -- and to get more bang for their buck -- in other words, to get better gas mileage -- if you can squeeze two more miles per gallon out of your car, you've probably saved several dollars on a tank of gas
-- when you bought your car, the dealer probably told you that this car would get X miles per gallon -- but, more than likely, you're not getting that out of your car -- over time, little things start to break down and keep your car from being as efficient as it used to be
-- for instance, worn tires or improperly inflated tires can decrease your fuel efficiency -- dirty air filters can decrease your fuel efficiency -- and, as this sign points out, a restricted exhaust can kill your fuel mileage

-- well, anyway, I was driving along Ashley yesterday and I saw that message and I started to think about efficiency -- not about fuel efficiency -- but about efficiency in our lives and in our homes and in our churches
-- we all want to be efficient at what we do -- as a general rule, we all want to excel -- we all want to be successful -- whether we're talking about jobs or hobbies or whatever -- we all want to do the best we can at everything we attempt
-- why do you think we've got so many magazines and websites related to hunting? -- right now, we are just a month or so away from deer season, and if you go to Walmart or any of the sporting goods stores in town, you'll see the magazine aisles filled with men reading hunting magazines -- why?
-- because they're trying to find that one thing that will make them more efficient -- that one new gadget -- that one new concept about deer behavior or deer biology that will make a difference in their hunting season -- it doesn't matter what they did last year -- the question is, "what can I do to make myself more efficient this year?"
-- we do that in our jobs -- we go to seminars and workshops -- we take training -- we read about the latest developments in our fields -- whatever it takes to be just a little more efficient -- just a little more successful -- just a little better than we are right now

-- but what about our homes? -- what about with our marriages? -- what about with our relationships with others? -- what about in our Christian lives and in our churches?
-- how much time are we spending trying to improve our efficiency in these areas? -- how much time are we spending to be just a little more successful -- a little bit better -- in these areas in our lives?

-- as I rode by and saw that sign, I was listening to a workshop on CD by Dan Seaborn about marriages and about safe-guarding your marriage from divorce -- in this message, he was going over 11 things that we have to be careful with in our lives if we want strong marriages -- he said that if you've got a problem with 2-3 of these areas, you're pretty normal -- but if you're seeing problems with more than 3 of these areas, then your marriage may be in trouble -- and he was encouraging the men and women in the audience to make sure these things weren't creeping in and affecting their marital relationships
-- in other words, he was saying that if we aren't careful, things can affect our effectiveness -- just like a restricted muffler can affect fuel efficiency in our cars -- we can let things creep in and affect our successfulness in our marriages and our other relationships

-- just last week, we met to get ready for Charge Conference and we spent quite a bit of time discussing our goals and vision for next year -- what could we do to reach out to people in our church and in our community next year? -- what could we do to be more "efficient" as a church?
-- and, truth be told, we have not been that efficient in this church -- we're progressing -- we're growing a little bit -- but efficiency is not about the number of people who sit in the pews on Sunday -- efficiency is more about the number of people who are sent
-- for a Christian, efficiency is about obedience -- it's about mission -- it's about transformation -- it's about sharing your life in Christ with another person -- and that really happens outside the walls of this church building
-- and when I saw that sign, "Restricted exhaust kills fuel mileage" -- I had to ask the questions, "Is there something in our lives and in our church that is restricting us and killing our efficiency? -- Is there something in our lives and in our church that is keeping us from being obedient to the call of Christ?"

-- you know, the church at Corinth wanted nothing more than to be an efficient and successful church -- I think as Americans we are an awful lot like them -- we want to be efficient -- we want to be successful -- and when it comes to church, we define that by size and by money and by the number of programs that are going on
-- if you were to make a list of the most successful churches in America today, who would be on your list? -- every year, this magazine that I read makes a list of these churches -- and every year, the churches touted on the list as the most successful are simply the largest churches and most powerful churches in the land -- churches like Saddleback in California where Rick Warren is pastor -- Willowcreek where Bill Hybels is pastor -- Lakewood where Joel Osteen is pastor -- churches where the average Sunday morning attendance is over 20,000 people
-- if you were to ask people in our town, "What are the most successful churches in Lowndes County?" -- they'd probably tell you Perimeter Road Baptist Church -- Morningside and Northside Baptist -- Park Avenue UMC -- First UMC -- First Baptist -- big churches -- lots of people -- lots of money -- lots of programs -- but, is that the measure of effectiveness? -- is that the true measure of success for a church?
-- if you read through 1 and 2 Corinthians, you get that kind of feeling from the church at Corinth -- they kind of seem to be a church that really wants to grow -- to be big and have a lot of programs and a lot of power and a lot of recognition in the overall Christian community
-- the people in that church clamored for power and prestige -- for instance, they wanted the more obvious spiritual gifts, such as talking in tongues, so that people would see them and appreciate them for what they were doing -- for them, it was more about looking successful in the eyes of the world rather than being successful in the eyes of God
-- so Paul spent two letters and an awful lot of time trying to refocus the people in the church in Corinth on what was truly important -- on what actually defined efficiency in Christ's eyes
-- he told them, "You're doing well -- but there's something that's restricting your mileage -- there's something that is restricting your efficiency -- there's something that you really need to change if you're going to be successful for Christ" -- and then he shared with them the words in this chapter that we call "The Love Chapter"

-- if you would, look back with me now at verse 1 and let's look at this passage again

1. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

-- on the surface, the folks at Corinth looked pretty good -- we would have looked at them and put them on the list of the most successful churches in the first century AD
-- they were in a powerful and influential city -- their membership was growing -- their members were the upper crust of society -- they had money -- they had power -- and they had a lot of programs -- they were doing things -- they were being busy
-- Paul here says that everyone could see the spiritual gifts at play in that church -- they could speak in the tongues of men and of angels -- they were busy proclaiming God's word every Sunday -- but, he said, "that's not enough"
-- they had the gifts of prophecy -- they could discern the deep mysteries of the Bible -- they knew an awful lot about God -- they were growing in their knowledge -- but Paul said, "that's not enough"
-- they were faithful -- they believed in God -- they believed in Jesus -- their faith was so great they could move mountains -- but Paul said, "that's not enough"
-- they were reaching out to their community -- they were taking care of the poor -- they were sharing all they had -- they were even offering their bodies to the flames as they were being persecuted by the Romans and by the Jews -- but Paul said, "that's not enough"
-- they looked good -- they looked busy -- they looked like a church that anyone would want to join -- but Paul said, "Something's missing -- something's restricting your efficiency" -- that something was love
-- it had to do with motives -- the church at Corinth was doing all the right things, but for the wrong reasons -- they were more interested in how they looked to others than in how they looked to Christ
-- and so Paul pointed it out -- "Your muffler's restricted -- your love is not getting out -- and it's keeping you from living the full, abundant, and successful life that Christ has called you to live"
-- if you want to be truly effective, you have to base your actions on love and not just on a checklist that the world tells you makes you successful

-- when Jesus left His disciples on earth, He didn't tell them, "People will know you by the number of people who come to church on Sundays -- people will know you because you have programs for the kids or outreaches to the community -- people will know you because you have a lot of money" -- No, Jesus didn't say that -- Jesus said, "People will know you by your love"
-- love should be the driving force behind all that we do as a church and as a people -- love should be the reason we reach out to the communities -- love should be the reason that we share our faith with other people -- love should be the reason we help people financially and materially when they are in need
-- our motives betray our hearts -- and Paul says here that it's what's in your heart that is the deciding factor in whether you are effective and successful
-- verse 4

4. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

-- do you see how Paul is getting to the root of the problem in Corinth? -- they were boastful -- they were full of pride -- they envied the other churches around them that were larger and more powerful and had more money and people and programs
-- and so they sought that for themselves -- they wanted to be large and to be powerful and to have people and programs, too -- not as a means to serve Christ -- not as a means to serve the people around them -- but for their own pride and glory
-- but Paul says, "Love is not like that -- love is patient -- love is kind -- it doesn't envy -- it doesn't boast -- it is not proud -- it is not self-seeking"
-- if the motive behind your action is love, then your focus is on the other person and on Christ and not on yourself

-- verse 6

6. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8. Love never fails.

-- protects -- trusts -- hopes -- and perseveres -- a definition of effectiveness -- of successfulness -- in a church and in a home and in a family
-- if, at the end of your life, you can look back on your relationship with your family and say, "My love protected them -- it gave them something to trust -- it gave them hope -- and it lasted to the end" -- then you can say that you finished well
-- if, at the end of our time in this church, we can look back on our relationships with the community and with the people Christ brought into our midst and say, "Our love protected them -- it gave them something to trust -- it gave them hope -- and it lasted to eternity" -- then we will be able to say that we finished well

-- programs and people and money will all eventually fail -- you can build on this, but you can't build an efficient church on this -- churches can only be built on love -- churches can only be driven by love -- if they are to be efficient and successful in the eyes of God

-- as I close this morning, I want to share with you a modern paraphrase of this passage by Dave Sanford that may help get to the point I was making:

"If I talk a lot about God and the Bible and the Church, but I fail to ask about your needs and then help you, I'm simply making a lot of empty religious noise.

If I graduate from theological seminary and know all the answers to questions you'll never even think of asking, and if I have all the degrees to prove it and if I say I believe in God with all my heart, and soul and strength, and claim to have incredible answers to my prayers to show it, but I fail to take the time to find out where you're at and what makes you laugh and why you cry, I'm nothing.

If I sell an extra car and some of my books to raise money for some poor starving kids somewhere, and if I give my life for God's service and burn out after pouring everything I have into the work, but do it all without ever once thinking about the people, the real hurting people-the moms and dads and sons and daughters and orphans and widows and the lonely and hurting-if I pour my life into the Kingdom but forget to make it relevant to those here on earth, my energy is wasted, and so is my life.

Here is what love is like--genuine love. God's kind of love. It's patient. It can wait. It helps others, even if they never find out who did it. Love doesn't look for greener pastures or dream of how things could be better if we just got rid of all our current commitments. Love doesn't boast. It doesn't try to build itself up to be something it isn't. Love doesn't act in a loose, immoral way. It doesn't seek to take, but it willingly gives. Love doesn't lose its cool. It doesn't turn on and off. Love doesn't think about how bad the other person is, and certainly doesn't think of how it could get back at someone. Love is grieved deeply (as God is) over the evil in this world, but it rejoices over truth.

Love comes and sits with you when you're feeling down and finds out what is wrong. It empathizes with you and believes in you. Love knows you'll come through just as God planned, and love sticks right beside you all the way. Love doesn't give up, or quit, or diminish or go home. Love keeps on keeping on, even when everything goes wrong and the feelings leave and the other person doesn't seem as special anymore. Love succeeds 100 percent of the time. That, my friend, is what real love is!"

-- as we begin to look ahead to the next year -- as we strive to find that elusive balance between existence and effectiveness -- we must remember why we are here -- we must remember why Christ called our forefathers to join together in this place called Naylor -- we must remember what Jesus wanted us to do and to be for Him -- and we must leave here and do it
-- not for prestige or power -- not for recognition or to grow our church -- but simply because of love -- love for Christ and love for those Christ loved and died for
-- may love lead you today as you leave this place
-- let us pray

SERMON: JESUS BRINGS DIVISION

JESUS BRINGS DIVISION
10 August 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 12

49. "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50. But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!
51. Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
52. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
53. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."


-- the other day, a friend of mine came to me and asked me this question, "Why can't we all just get along?" -- he said he didn't understand why there was so much division and strife in the world today -- especially among Jews and Christians and Muslims
-- he pointed out that most of the conflicts going on right now were along religious lines -- the Iranians threatening to destroy Israel because the Muslims in Iran hate the Jews -- the Jews and the Palestinians fighting against each other because of land and territory and racial and religious differences -- the United States fighting the Muslim terrorists who look at us as the "Great Satan"
-- he said it even happens within the religions -- look at what's going on in Iraq right now as the Sunni Muslims battle the Shia Muslims in the streets of Baghdad and other places
-- he said that if you look back at history, almost every war that has ever been fought has been fought along religious lines -- and he said, "I don't understand this -- why are all of these religions fighting each other?"
-- he went on to tell me about a documentary that he had just watched on the foundation of the three major religions -- all three -- Jews, Christians, and Muslims -- trace their heritage back to the patriarch Abraham from the Old Testament -- all three trace their religion back to Abraham's God
-- the Jewish Torah -- the Christian Old Testament -- and the Koran all agree that Abraham's God was the God of life -- the Creator God who called Abram from the Land of Ur and sent him to the Promised Land
-- he finished his discussion by asking, "If all three of these religions have the same God -- have the same basis -- have the same original founder -- then why can't we all come together and unite in peace? -- Why does there have to be division and war and strife? -- Shouldn't religious people be able to get along?"

-- these are pretty good questions that learned men and women have struggled with throughout the centuries -- why is there so much strife between the Jew and the Muslim -- between the Christian and the Jew -- and between the Christian and the Muslim? -- if we have a common ancestor in the faith -- if we worship a common God -- they why are we constantly at war with one another?
-- the answer is, amazingly, simple -- the answer is Jesus

-- you see, it's not enough to believe in Abraham -- it's not enough to believe in the God who created the world -- you still have the question of how to obey and fulfill this God's righteous demands
-- all three religions confirm that God requires righteousness and holiness and obedience from us if we are to live in harmony with Him and eventually enter into eternal life with Him
-- the Jews teach that you must follow the Law to be saved
-- the Muslims teach that you must fulfill the five pillars of Islam
-- the Christians teach that you can't do either -- that fallen and sinful man is incapable of producing holiness and righteousness and obedience -- and that we must rely on Someone else to fulfill the Law's demands on our behalf -- and that Someone is Jesus
-- and it is because of Jesus that all three of the major monotheistic religions in the world just can't get along
-- Jesus is the stumbling block that causes division and strife in this world
-- in 1 Peter 2:6-8, we read: "For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." -- Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, " and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for."

-- that is the message of Christ in this passage from Luke -- His presence leads to division and strife among religions -- among the nations -- even among families
-- so, this morning, as we continue our series on God as our math teacher, let's consider the concept that Jesus brings division

II. Scripture Lesson -- Luke 12:49-53
-- this passage from Luke 12 is a difficult passage -- it is a hard passage for us to understand -- we think of Jesus being the Light of the World -- the Prince of Peace -- but yet He tells us quite clearly that His presence was going to bring division and strife
-- in context, we have to remember when Jesus said these words to His disciples and why He said them -- Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem -- for most of His ministry, Jesus had been in the countryside -- going from town to town -- ministering to people's needs -- both physical and spiritual
-- great numbers of people had begun to follow Him -- and His disciples were beginning to whisper to themselves something that they had been hoping for in their heart
-- Perhaps Jesus was indeed the Messiah -- perhaps He was the anointed one of God who was coming to restore Jerusalem and Israel to its former glory -- perhaps He was the promised King who would bring in a utopian kingdom -- a kingdom of peace and prosperity and perfection unlike any that the world had ever known
-- Jesus knew what was in their heart -- Jesus knew what they were expecting Him to do and to be -- He knew they were still looking for an earthly king -- and He knew that His reception in Jerusalem would not be what they expected
-- so Jesus shares with them this teaching to prepare them for the division and strife and persecution that was going to come as He carried His ministry to Jerusalem -- He wanted them to understand that even though the people were going to cry out "Hosanna, Hosanna" when He rode in on Palm Sunday, His purpose was not to usher in a time of peace and a utopian kingdom -- but to force people to proclaim what they truly believed in their heart of hearts

-- so with that context in mind, let's look back at this passage and let's try to understand it together
-- verse 49

49. "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

-- in the Bible, fire always symbolizes three things -- judgment, purification, and the Spirit of God -- and in this verse, Jesus is referring to all three when He says, "I have come to bring fire on the earth"

-- first, Jesus had come to bring judgment on the world -- God had given us His law to point us to Himself -- to show us His way and His will and His purpose for our lives -- He told us quite plainly what we should and shouldn't do if we wanted to live in harmony with Him
-- but because of the sin that entered into the world in the Garden of Eden, we just can't live the lives of holiness and righteousness that He wants us to -- we disobey God every single day -- we sin against Him -- as Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
-- this sin -- these transgressions against God -- have to be dealt with -- the Bible tells us that at the end times, God is going to judge us for what we did and didn't do -- and we are going to have to pay the penalty for that sin -- we are going to have to go through the fire of judgment, and that is one reason Jesus came

-- secondly, Jesus came to purify the earth -- the Bible teaches and we know in our own lives that we can't live holy and righteous lives on our own -- we live in a fallen world -- corrupted by sin and the presence of evil
-- but just like fire is used to refine silver and gold by burning out all the impurities -- Jesus was teaching that He had come to purify the world through His presence and His life -- He was going to make all things new -- He was going to redeem the curse and to remove the sin through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead

-- third, Jesus came to bring the Holy Spirit to us -- as John the Baptist said, Jesus came to baptize us with fire -- and after we have been judged and purified through the fire of His word, He promised to send us the Holy Spirit to indwell us -- to fill us with His very presence -- as a sign and seal on our lives -- as a way to make us holy and fit for His kingdom

-- verse 50

50. But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!

-- this fire was being kindled through the presence of Jesus -- through the Word of God and the preaching that the kingdom of heaven was near -- but it wasn't a roaring fire yet
-- before it could be a raging flame, Jesus had to undergo a baptism of suffering and shame -- in verse 50, Jesus is referring to the passion of the cross -- Jesus was going to go to the cross on our behalf -- He was going to take our judgment on Himself -- He was going to pay our penalty for sin with His own body and blood
-- He was not coming to set up a utopian kingdom -- He was not coming to establish heaven on earth at this time -- He was coming to be baptized for us -- and after His death and resurrection, the fire He talked about would be turned into a raging fire when the Holy Spirit would come at Pentecost, indwelling the believers and empowering them to preach the gospel throughout the world

-- verse 51

51. Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
52. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.
53. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

-- the result of Jesus' coming is division and strife -- that is not the reason He came -- that is not why He went to the cross -- but it is a fact of life
-- Jesus came to take on Himself the judgment of the world -- to purify the world through His body and His blood -- and to send us the Holy Spirit as a refining presence in our lives
-- Jesus came to bring peace on earth -- when the angels appeared to the shepherds on that first Christmas night, they didn't sing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth war and division and strife to men" -- no, they sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and earth peace to men on whom His favor rests"
-- the peace that Jesus brought was reconciliation between God and men -- rather than being objects of God's wrath -- rightfully waiting for His judgment to fall -- we are now at peace with God because Jesus paid the penalty of our sin
-- so why does He say in this passage that He came to bring division? -- it's because of us -- it's because of our hearts
-- salvation is a free gift from God -- it is offered by grace through faith because of what Jesus did for us on the cross -- but many, many people refuse to accept this gift -- they refuse to come to Jesus and receive forgiveness for their sins -- and so they separate themselves -- they divide themselves -- from Him and from those who follow Him
-- Jesus requires a decision -- either you choose to accept His forgiveness and follow Him -- or you choose to reject it
-- we always like to quote John 3:16, but we always take it out of context and never read the rest of Jesus' words in this passage -- if you would, hold your place here and turn over to John 3:16

16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
19. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

-- Jesus makes it clear here that the world is divided into two kinds of people -- those who receive His free offer of salvation and those who do not -- those who live in the light and those who continue to live in the darkness
-- look back at Luke 12 -- division comes because of Jesus -- because people -- even people in the same family -- make different decisions about who Jesus is and whether they are going to trust and believe in Him or not

III. Application and Closing
-- so, what does this passage tell us? -- what can we take home with us today?

-- first, Jesus requires an active decision on our part -- you can't be a believer just by coming to church or by sitting in the pews every Sunday or just because your parents are believers -- you must choose
-- we've been studying the Book of Revelation -- and the purpose of this book is evangelistic -- God gave us the Book of Revelation to lead us to make a decision about Jesus -- that is the purpose of the seven-year tribulation period -- it's not just a time for God to pour out His wrath on the world through all the plagues and judgments -- no, God wants to use those plagues and judgments to force everyone on earth living at that time to finally make a decision -- either to choose Jesus or to choose the world -- at the end of the Tribulation Period, there won't be anyone who can say, "I didn't have a chance to make a choice" -- God is saying "choose now"

-- second, we need to expect opposition to the word of God -- when we witness to people about Christ, some are going to accept Him and put their trust in Him as Lord and Savior -- and others are going to reject it -- they are going to oppose it
-- we need to understand this and not get discouraged if people, even people in our family, don't respond to the gospel like we want them to -- Jesus said division would come about because of Him -- it is Him they are rejecting, not us -- all we can do is be faithful and proclaim the word of God and pray for our family and friends to receive it
-- this also means that we should expect to experience suffering and persecution because of Christ -- Jesus said that we shouldn't be surprised if the world hated us, because it hated Him first -- suffering and persecution is the normal life of the believer, and if you aren't experiencing this in some degree or the other, then you should examine yourself and find out if you are truly living as Christ intended
-- Satan wants to stop the word of God from going forth -- and He will do all he can to oppose it -- I remember hearing about a seminary student in Texas who bragged to his teacher that since he started seminary, his life was going great -- he never had any problems -- everything was perfect -- his teacher said, "That is the worst thing you could have told me -- because it tells me that Satan doesn't consider you a threat" -- the Christian who is living for God should expect division and strife in their lives, because they are coming against the evil of this world

-- and, finally, this passage makes it clear that we can't compromise the word of God -- Jesus said that He brings division -- in Matthew 10:34, He even said that He brings a sword because He is at war with the evil in this world -- Peace can only come through Jesus, but peace doesn't come by compromising His word
-- we must remain true to the teachings of Jesus even if they bring division -- there is common ground between us and the other two major monotheistic religions -- the Jews and the Muslims -- but

we cannot apologize or minimize the importance of Jesus and His death and resurrection for the sake of peace on earth -- what is more important is peace with God

-- my friend asked the question that Rodney King made famous during the riots of 1990 -- "Why can't we all just get along?"
-- because of Jesus -- Jesus is the only One who has the power to bring peace to this land -- but many, many people reject Him and His offer of salvation -- leading to division and strife between religions, nations, and even families
-- this morning as I close, I want you to think about any divisions that may exist in your family in regards to Jesus -- we all have loved ones who have refused to turn to Jesus -- we all have loved ones who refuse to accept His offer of forgiveness and eternal life -- and this may be causing division and strife in your life
-- as we close, I want to invite you to pray for your family and friends who are in this situation -- pray that their eyes and their ears might be opened to see and hear Jesus -- and pray that they would accept His offer of life rather than turn away from it
-- maybe this message was for you -- maybe you're the one who is divided from your family and your God because you have yet to turn to Jesus for salvation -- if so, then I want to invite you to come to Him now and to receive His forgiveness for your sins and your transgressions so that you might experience the true peace that He offers
-- whatever you need to do, I invite you to respond to God's word as you feel led
-- let us pray

SERMON: GOD CAN SUBTRACT YOUR SORROWS

GOD CAN SUBTRACT YOUR SORROWS
3 August 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 8

40. Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.
41. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house
42. because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.
43. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her.
44. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45. "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you."
46. But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."
47. Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.
48. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."
49. While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more."
50. Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."
51. When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother.
52. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep."
53. They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
54. But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!"
55. Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.
56. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.


-- very few things on earth touch our hearts like the death or injury of a child -- in his book, "The Shack," William Young demonstrates this through the poignant story of the main character, Mackenzie "Mac" Phillips
-- as the story opens, we read of a condition that besets Mac that he calls "The Great Sadness" -- and as the pages unfold, we learn that this great sadness has come about because of the death of his youngest daughter Missy -- the apple of his eye -- the joy of his life
-- Missy had disappeared on a camping trip and we later find out she had been kidnapped and murdered by a serial killer -- the loss of his daughter and God's seeming refusal to help find and save Missy plunged Mac into the Great Sadness -- a deep dark depression that overwhelmed his life and affected his relationships with everyone he knew, especially with his family
-- but Mac's story doesn't end there in the depths of this Great Sadness -- one day he receives an invitation in the mail to come to the very shack where Missy was killed for a weekend visit -- this invitation was from God Himself -- and even though Mac doesn't really believe that this note is from God, he goes to the shack that weekend, anyway, looking for answers -- Mac thinks, "if by some chance God does actually show up, then I've got some issues to bring up with Him -- why did He let Missy get kidnapped? -- why didn't He save her? -- why did He let me and his family suffer so much?"
-- I don't want to spoil too much of the plot for you, but suffice it to say that God did show up and met with Mac at the shack that weekend -- and his time with God changed Mac forever -- Mac learned that God is always with us -- on the mountains and in the valleys -- in the good times and in the bad -- in the birth of a child -- and in the loss of a child -- when we laugh, He laughs -- when we weep, He weeps -- and when we experience sorrow, God is there with us
-- when the weekend ended and Mac left that shack and went home, he left a changed man -- the Great Sadness had been removed -- and in its place was the presence of the living God -- the God who saves -- the God who encourages -- the God who removes the sorrows of our lives

-- this morning we are continuing in our series that we began last week in anticipation of the start of school -- what would God teach us if He were our math teacher? -- what lessons would we learn? -- last week, we talked about how God's salvation doesn't allow addition -- this morning, we are going to discuss how God subtracts our sorrows

-- the story of Mackenzie Phillips in "The Shack" was one of the most moving fictional stories that I have ever read -- I rarely recommend fiction books to you, but I want to recommend this one -- don't take it as a theological text -- don't base your theology and your understanding of God on this fictional story -- but if you get this book and read it, it will stretch your faith and will lead you to appreciate God on a different level
-- this book was self-published and has been on the New York Times best-seller's list for months -- there's just something about the story of Mac Phillips and the loss of his daughter Missy in this book that just resonates with us
-- we've all experienced loss of some kind in our lives -- it could have been the death of a loved one -- it could have been sickness or financial problems or addictions or hundreds of other things -- but we've all been there -- we all know what it means to have the "Great Sadness" in our lives -- and I think this is what is leading so many people -- Christian and non-Christian -- to read this book


-- in a very real way, "The Shack" seems to parallel this passage from Luke that we opened with -- a story that was recorded almost 2000 years ago -- but that could have been ripped from the headlines of today's paper
-- so let's look now at this story from Luke with fresh eyes -- let's look at it, not as an ancient text -- not as a familiar story that we know by heart -- but as something that could happen to us -- as something that does happen to us

II. Scripture Lesson -- The Heart of a Father
-- look with me again at verse 40

40. Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.
41. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house
42. because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

-- in these verses, Luke introduces us to Jairus, a synagogue ruler in this town -- the head of the Jewish elders -- the keeper of the law
-- but, more importantly, Jairus is a father who is worried about his dying daughter -- Jairus is so worried that he breaks from religious and social conventions and seeks out this healer Jesus, who the church leaders have already begun to brand a heretic -- in other words, Jairus was willing to do anything for his daughter's sake -- even risk his own standing in the church
-- where do you turn when sorrows break out in your life? -- where do you go for answers? -- Mac went to a shack in the wilderness seeking his answers -- Jairus went to God -- what do you do?

-- skip down to verse 49

49. While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more."

-- don't miss what has been going on here -- in the church, we tend to break this passage from Luke down into two parts -- the story of Jairus and his daughter -- and the story of the woman with the issue of blood
-- but don't miss that the story of the woman is embedded within the story of Jairus -- it is a parentheses -- a pause in the action -- for us -- but for Jairus, it was a nightmare
-- here his daughter is dying -- he has humbled himself and turned to the only person he thinks might be able to help -- even though it might cost him all financially and politically and religiously
-- and as Jesus agrees to help and starts towards Jairus' house, Jesus stops -- He takes time to seek out this woman and to talk with her about the healing that has happened -- what do you think Jairus was feeling as Jesus lingered with this woman, knowing that his daughter was on death's door -- knowing that every moment counted -- that every moment could be her last?
-- picture it like this -- suppose someone you loved had an accident and was bleeding and dying -- you ran to find help and a paramedic was right there and both of you started running to help your loved one -- but, on the way, the paramedic stops and puts a band-aid on somebody who has a problem that's not life-threatening -- maybe they've lived with it for years -- but he's stopped to help them while all the time your loved one is dying -- that is what was going on with Jairus at this moment
-- it seems like Jesus has forgotten all about him -- His focus is on this woman -- and Jairus is just standing there -- anxious and worried and ready for Jesus to get moving again
-- and while he's waiting, some friends come up to him and give him the news that he never wanted to hear -- his daughter is dead -- "It's over," they said, "Just come on home and leave the teacher alone"
-- Jairus and Jesus didn't make it on time -- this woman with the issue of blood had taken his daughter's healing -- she had taken his miracle -- and immediately Jairus is crushed by grief and sorrow

-- verse 50

50. Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."

-- Jesus heard what Jairus' friends said -- and he responded to the sorrow in Jairus' heart -- "Just believe -- just have faith -- just trust in me -- and she will be healed"
-- in the midst of the sorrows of life, this is sometimes all that we can do -- just believe -- just trust -- just have faith -- maybe we've prayed for a healing that didn't come -- maybe we prayed for help that never arrived -- maybe we've waited for God and He never did anything
-- but He hasn't stopped loving us -- He hasn't stopped being with us -- and He tells us -- "Just believe -- just trust -- just have faith -- and I will respond"

-- verse 51

51. When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother.
52. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep."
53. They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.

- when Jesus finally got to Jairus' house, he only allowed Peter and James and John and the girl's parents to enter with Him -- why? -- Luke tells us the place was filled with mourners who were wailing and grieving at the loss of Jairus' daughter -- why were they excluded? -- why couldn't they come in?
-- because they didn't have faith -- they didn't believe -- they didn't trust -- "It's too late," they said, "Your daughter is dead -- there's nothing God can do for you now"
-- but the child's parents believed -- they hoped -- they trusted -- Jesus had said He would do something -- and so they went with Him in hopeful anticipation

-- verse 54

54. But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!"
55. Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.
56. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

-- in one moment, the faith of Jairus became sight -- the wailing turned to laughter -- the sorrow turned to joy -- Jesus reached down and touched Jairus' daughter -- her spirit returned -- and she came back to life

III. Subtracting Our Sorrows
-- God never promised that we wouldn't have trouble and heartache in this life -- He never told us that life was a bed of roses for a Christian -- in fact, He told us to expect trouble -- to expect storms and valleys -- to expect times of grief and sorrow and loss
-- but He did make a great promise to us -- He told us that He would never leave us or forsake us -- that He would be with us in the midst of our trials and temptations -- our troubles and our sorrows -- and that He would subtract our sorrows -- if we just believed and trusted and had faith
-- in Revelation 21:4 we read the great promise of God that will be realized in the new earth -- "He will wipe every tear from their eyes -- There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away"
-- right now, we are living in the "old order of things" -- we still experience death -- we still mourn and cry -- we still feel pain -- but God is with us in the midst of death and mourning -- crying and pain -- and He subtracts our sorrows and restores our hope and joy -- just as He did for Jairus -- Just as He did for Mac in the story of the "The Shack"
-- that doesn't mean that our lost family members will come back to life here -- it doesn't mean that our sick loved ones will be immediately healed -- it doesn't mean we won't experience grief and sorrow and loss
-- but it does mean that God will be with us through it -- He will bear us up -- He will lift up our head and let us see past the storm to the sunshine beyond the clouds -- He will give us hope in our distress -- joy in our sorrow

-- just take a moment and think about how He has already done this -- the Bible tells us in Ephesians 2 that we were dead in our transgressions and sins -- condemned to an eternity in Hell with no hope of salvation -- overwhelmed and overcome by our sorrow and our guilt
-- but Jesus took our sin and our sorrow to the cross -- He became sin for us -- He became the man of sorrows -- so that He might subtract sin and sorrow from our life with His own body and blood
-- Ephesians 2:4-5 says that because of His great love for us -- God -- who is rich in mercy -- made us alive with Christ even while we were dead in our transgressions -- God's love subtracted our sins and our sorrows -- and replaced them with hope and with joy
-- through faith, God's love pours into us and gives us hope in situations that Jairus' -- situations that look hopeless -- that look impossible -- He reminds us of our future -- He reminds us of the end of the story -- and He helps us to press on through the pains and suffering and sorrows of life

IV. Closing
-- yesterday at Promise Keepers I sat next to an elderly man from South Carolina -- as we sang the great hymn, "It Is Well," tears came to his eyes -- he told me that he was going blind -- that he had lost all vision in his right eye and that his left eye was almost useless because of macular degeneration
-- for most of us, this would be a time of great sadness and sorrow -- but still he sang, "It is well with my soul" -- he said, "For 70 years I praised God with my sight -- now I get to praise Him in my darkness"
-- he didn't need eyes to praise God -- he only needed faith -- God had subtracted his sorrows and replaced it with eternal hope and joy
-- in the same way, Jairus and his wife went from sadness to gladness -- from sorrow to joy -- because they just believed -- just trusted -- just had faith in Jesus
-- even when it seemed like all hope was lost -- even when the world said it was over -- even when their friends told them to give up -- they just believed, and Jesus subtracted their sorrows

-- I want to close by sharing with you the story of Horatio Spafford and the story behind our closing hymn -- you may have heard this before, but if so, please listen like it's the first time
-- in 1873, Horatio Spafford -- a prominent American businessman who worked with D.L. Moody in his evangelistic campaigns -- waved good-bye to his wife and four daughters as they boarded a ship for Europe -- Spafford had to attend to some business at home and then he was to join them in Europe for a short vacation
-- their ship collided with another ship and sank within 20 minutes -- though Horatio's wife Anna survived by clinging to wreckage, his four daughters perished at sea
-- Horatio received a horrible telegram from his wife with these words, "Saved alone"
-- he immediately boarded a ship for Europe to be with his wife, following the same route that his family's ship had taken -- he asked to be notified when they reached the place where his daughters had died
-- when the captain came and got him and said, "This is the spot" -- Horatio stood on the deck of that ship and watched the waves on the ocean -- he went downstairs to his cabin, and immediately penned the words to this hymn:

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way -- when sorrows like sea billows roll -- whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say -- It is well, it is well, with my soul"

-- God did not restore the lives of Horatio's daughters -- but He did heal Horatio's soul -- He subtracted his sorrow and gave him peace and hope -- and He can do the same for you

-- as this last hymn is played, I want to invite you to respond to God's promise this morning -- maybe you've been living with troubles and sorrows in your life -- maybe you've been dealing with them alone -- maybe you're still living with the sorrow of sin because you've never accepted Christ as your Savior
-- God hasn't us that He is going to take away all of our troubles and problems -- but He has promised to take away our sin and our sorrow -- and He wants to do that for you right now, if you'll let Him
-- as this last hymn is played and the altar is opened -- won't you respond to God's word and God's promise and let Him subtract your sorrows?
-- let us pray