Vidalia Onions, Christ Jesus, and Gay Marriage

Juliet: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2), William Shakespeare.

In this quote from Shakespeare's famous play, he makes the point that a name is just a thing. It doesn't matter what you call it -- the object itself is the important thing. A rose is still a rose and still smells just as sweet if you were to mistakenly call it a daffodil or a turnip or anything else. In other words, many different names can be used to describe the one real and true flower that we recognize as the rose. I think we can all agree with that assertion made by old Will. The truth is the truth no matter what you call it.

But, in our day and age, we are seeing the converse applied with the same assertion that the truth is the truth no matter what you call it. However, in this case, the name has been misappropriated and misrepresented rather than the object itself. Let me explain.

For instance, take Vidalia onions. The Vidalia onion is a sweet onion that comes from a twenty-county area in the great state of Georgia. That is a fact. To be a Vidalia onion, this particular type of sweet onion must come from this region. Thus, the name "Vidalia onion" is unique. It can only refer to one object, to one true reality. So, while Shakespeare might be correct in saying that it doesn't matter what you call a sweet onion, it does matter what you call a Vidalia onion. Vidalia onions are sweet onions, but not all sweet onions are Vidalia onions. Now, why does this matter?

It matters because some grocery stores in other parts of the country were acquiring sweet onions from outside of the twenty-county area in Georgia that is legally recognized as the only producers of Vidalia onions and were calling them "Vidalia onions." They were using the same name, but meaning something entirely different. Just because they called it a "Vidalia onion" didn't mean that it was a Vidalia onion. In fact, it was no where close, because, as all Georgians know, the Vidalia onion is simply the best sweet onion in the entire world and all others pale by comparison (Take that, Walla Walla!).

So, let's get to the real point. What does our illustration about Vidalia onions show? First, it shows that, despite Shakespeare's assertions, sometimes what is in a name matters. Sometimes it matters a lot. For instance, think for a moment about the name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. You see Jesus' name used a lot. You hear Jesus' name being used a lot. In the Bible, in Christian literature, from pulpits, in church documents, even in religious blogs. We all know Who we mean when we say, "Jesus," right? WRONG!

On occasion, I will be disturbed in my living room early on Saturday mornings by the visit of uninvited guests. They have come by my house on this fine morning to share with me the good news of salvation that we have in Jesus. Now, I love talking about Jesus with other people. In fact, it's what I do. So, I welcome the conversation.

I listen as they open their holy text and share with me who Jesus is and what Jesus does and then, it hits me. The Jesus they are talking about is not the Jesus that I know. I don't remember the Bible talking about Jesus coming to North America. I don't remember my Jesus being the physical son of a sexual union between Heavenly Father and his wife. I don't remember reading that Jesus and Lucifer (Satan) were actually brothers. And then I understand what is going on.

We are using the same name (Jesus), but we are meaning something entirely different. The Jesus that I know from the Bible, the Second Person of the Trinity, God incarnate, is not the same Jesus that they have been sharing with me. And I wonder how many people have been led down a false path simply because this other group misappropriated a Name that means everything to me and to the world.

Names are important. That's why God changed people's names quite frequently in the Bible. That's why Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Jacob became Israel, and Simon became Peter. Names stand for something. They have meaning, and if used in the wrong way, they can cause a shift in understanding that will have effects all the way down through history. In other words, if you change what a name means, then you are exchanging the truth of that name for something entirely different.

We see the same thing going on right now in the push for same-sex marriages in our country. For years now, same-sex marriage has been an issue that has caused confusion, division, and discourse from federal and state politicians and judges to denominations and churches to the average man or woman in the grocery store.

On the surface, the issue appears easy enough -- why not allow homosexual couples in America the right to enjoy the same relationships and priviledges that heterosexual couples have enjoyed since the beginning of time? What is the harm in doing so? How does it affect heterosexual marriages in any way if we let gay couples marry? I can't tell you how many times I have heard those questions thrown my way in discussions with friends after work.

It all comes down to what I have been saying: Names matter. From my limited understanding of the issue and from what I know to be true from the few homosexual people I know, when the conservative Christian community uses the term "marriage," it means something entirely different than what the homosexual community means when they use it. When we use the term "marriage," we are referring to a God-given institution that was defined as one man and one woman whose lives, including their sexual lives, are experienced solely through that union. They leave their mothers and fathers, they cleave together, and they become one flesh.

However, when the majority of the homosexual community uses the term "marriage," they are not referring to a closed institution lived out between two persons (yes, I know that there are many gay couples who have lived monogamously during their entire relationship, but that's not the real issue here). Instead, they are referring to an institution that allows for openness among partners in the area of sexual intimacy, an "open" marriage, if you will. And, that's fine, if that's the type of relationship they are looking for. I can live with and tolerate things I don't agree with.

However, if the push for gay marriage succeeds, then more has been accomplished than just allowing homosexual couples to enjoy the same legal benefits of heterosexual married couples. What will have been allowed is the complete redefinition of "marriage." No longer will marriage mean the same thing it means today. No longer will marriage be defined through the religious communities that originally recognized it as a gift from God for men and women meant to reflect our relationship with God Himself. No longer will marriage be defined as one man and one woman living in a committed monogamous relationship for life.

Instead, "marriage" will mean something entirely different, and from the moment that same-sex marriage becomes the law of the land, the meaning of the word will have changed forever. The original institution of marriage will have been lost because of what scholars call an epistemiological shift. In other words, once the definition --the meaning -- of a word changes, it can never revert back to its original definition, and the new meaning takes hold in the hearts and minds of the people.

Thus, the battle over same-sex marriage is not so much a fight against the rights of others to enjoy relationships, but a fight for tradition and honesty and meaning. It is a fight for the true definition of marriage over a false definition that will change our lives forever.

This is the inherent danger with the push for same-sex marriage. This is the inherent danger with other groups who use the name "Jesus" but mean entirely something else. And this is why Shakespeare was wrong.

A rose may be just as sweet if you call it something else, but to call a garbage dump a "rose" and to change the meaning in the process, is just wrong.

What I am doing now...

As many of you know, I resigned as a pastor in the United Methodist Church effective June 16th of this year. While I absolutely loved being a pastor and I loved the churches that I served, I felt a calling from God to leave to pursue other interests. Specifically, I felt a calling for intentional evangelism, outreach, and teaching to the unchurched persons in our hometown who were not being ministered to by existing churches.

Thus, my wife and I created a new ministry called "Koinonia." "Koinonia" is the Greek word used in the New Testament for "fellowship," which we felt was an apt description of where we felt God was calling us. Our goal is conversation and fellowship with those who feel isolated and uncomfortable in formal church settings. Our hope is that through our ministry we might help these people become closer to God and eventually become part of an active and vibrant church.

Our approach is three-fold:

First, since we came to realize that many of my wife's clients at her Doggy Daycare were unchurched and unwilling to go to church without their dogs, we created a worship service on Sunday nights called "Woof and Worship," where people can bring their pets with them to a seeker-sensitive worship service.

Second, we offer more in-depth Bible studies in three locations, studying through the Bible with a verse-by-verse exegetical approach, tailored to the various participant's needs.

Finally, we are trying to get our friends to participate in servant evangelism and outreach to the community because we firmly believe that faith without feet is, as James put it, "dead." By encouraging our friends to get out and exercise their faith, it is our hopes that it becomes real for them as they see God minister through them and change hearts and transform lives.

This is our goal and mission as we see it, and it is for this reason that we have parted from the Methodist Church. As time passes, I will try to continue to update any readers of this blog on what we are doing and how things are going. You can also find us on Facebook by clicking here.

If anyone is in the Valdosta, Georgia, area and wants to participate or to help in any way, please send me an e-mail at: gwlee2 at bellsouth.net.

SERMON: NEW BEGINNINGS, AGAIN...

13 June 2010

I. Introduction
-- if you have your Bibles with you, I would invite you to turn with me to Luke 24:13-35

13. Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
15. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
16. but they were kept from recognizing him.
17. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast.
18. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19. "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
20. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;
21. but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
22. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
23. but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
24. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
25. He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26. Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
27. And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther.
29. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
32. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33. They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
34. and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."
35. Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

-- well, here we are again -- ten years ago I stood on this spot and read to you this exact same passage from the Book of Luke as I ended my first message in this church
-- we began that day in 1 Corinthians 3 as I shared with you my thoughts on Paul's message to the Corinthian church concerning following human teachers -- just as we discussed last week, Paul's concern in this passage was that the church at Corinth had elevated earthly leaders to unseemly positions and that they were becoming divided because some would only listen to the teachings of Paul -- while others would only follow Apollos -- and still others, Peter
-- I used this passage as a springboard to the start of my ministry here -- and just as Paul pointed out that it was God who raised up each of these men and who gifted them in different ways in order to accomplish different purposes in the church, I told you that I could not be another Allen Carmichael or another Fred Foster or do what any of the other former pastors had done
-- we talked about how God moved pastors in order to build upon the foundation that He had built in the church -- and how every pastor had something to offer -- even if it was not exactly what you expected or wanted
-- I told you I didn't know how God wanted to use me -- or where He was leading the church at that time -- but I made you two promises on that first Sunday ten years ago
-- first, I promised to be myself and not to try to be Allen or Fred or any other pastor -- I promised to use the gifts and talents that God had given me to do the best I could to faithfully serve you as your pastor for as long as God allowed
-- and, secondly, I promised to let God lead through His word -- to base all my sermons and all that I did on the Word of God and nothing else
-- and, then, I challenged you to make a commitment to me -- do you remember what it was? -- I challenged you to bring your Bibles and to check everything I said and everything I did and everything this church did against the Word of God -- I told you that you were to be like the Bereans that Luke mentions in the Book of Acts -- men who would go home each night after Paul preached and who checked what he said against the Scriptures
-- I told you that this Bible was to be your guide and that, if we let it, it would be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path
-- and then I turned to this passage in Luke 24 that has probably become very familiar to you over the past ten years -- the story of the two disciples leaving Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus after Jesus' death on the cross
-- this passage has always been a personal favorite of mine -- and I can honestly say that it has changed my life
-- it is a passage that speaks of transition -- of new beginnings -- of new journeys -- of new experiences with Christ
-- and, just as we looked at it as I began my ministry here, I would like to look at it again -- as my part in this great adventure with you comes to a close and as another prepares to take my place

II. Scripture Lesson (Luke 24:13-35)
-- so, let's share together the word of God from the gospel of Luke again this morning
-- before we turn back to this passage, let me give you the background of this passage and remind you once again of one of the key elements to understanding scripture that I have tried to impress upon you for ten years
-- context, context, context -- never take the word of God out of context -- never allow anyone to share with you the word of God out of context -- but always make sure you know and understand the background of a passage -- know who the passage was originally written to and what they would have understood from this passage before you ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply it to your life
-- with that said, let me give you the context of this passage

-- the good doctor Luke -- Paul's traveling companion -- wrote this letter that we call the Gospel of Luke for one main reason -- to make sure that early believers had the true and complete story of Jesus' life so that they might know with certainty the things they had been taught and could live out God's truth in their own lives
-- in this particular passage, Luke is continuing to tell us what happened after the chaos of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday -- Jesus had been betrayed into the hands of the Chief Priests by one of His own disciples -- He had been tortured and crucified and died -- and He had been buried in a borrowed tomb in a garden not far from Calvary -- that was about as much as these two disciples on the Emmaus Road knew
-- they had heard that the women went to the tomb and found it empty -- they knew that Peter and John had gone to the tomb and found it in the same way -- but they didn't know why -- they didn't understand the meaning of the empty tomb
-- all they knew was that Jesus was dead -- and all they had dreamed and believed about Jesus was dead too -- all they knew was that the disciples had scattered and the priests were persecuting them -- and while some of the disciples hid in the upper room out of fear of the authorities, these two did the only thing that made sense to them at the time -- they left Jerusalem

-- look at verse 13

13. Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
15. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
16. but they were kept from recognizing him.
17. He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast.
18. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19. "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
20. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;
21. but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
22. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
23. but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
24. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
25. He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26. Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
27. And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.


-- What was Emmaus? -- we know from the text that it was a village about seven miles from Jerusalem -- you can go to Israel today and see Emmaus -- or at least the ruins of Emmaus -- that is the historical and physical fact
-- But, Emmaus was something else spiritually to these two disciples -- it was the place of new beginnings -- it was the start of a new journey for them
-- as the Sabbath ended and it became lawful for Jews to travel again, Cleopas and his companion hit the road and started on a new adventure together -- they didn't know what to make of the events of the past three days -- they didn't understand what was going on -- and so they walked down this road together -- talking and discussing everything that had happened and trying to make sense of what God was doing through the death of Jesus
-- as they are walking along trying to make sense of life, they were joined by Jesus Himself -- He opens the scriptures to them and reveals to them the story of their life -- sharing with them the truth of what they had been going through and explaining how it all fit together and how everything was going to work out for good in their lives because they loved and believed in God

-- in a very real sense, isn't this what church is all about? -- isn't this what we have been doing together for the past ten years? -- as I look back on the last ten years, I can see that we've been on a journey -- and on this journey, we have done exactly what Cleopas and the other disciple are doing here in these verses -- we've talked and we've discussed everything that is going on in our lives -- and we've tried to make sense of what God was doing in us and through us along the way
-- we've laughed -- we've cried -- we have seen new friends join us in our journey -- and we've said goodbye to loved ones -- we've rejoiced over the good times -- and we've been saddened over the bad
-- over the past ten years, we have been through so much together -- September 11th -- the tsunami of 2004 -- Hurricanes Charlie and Ivan and Katrina -- earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and China and Japan -- flooding in our own country and even in our own local area -- many, many natural disasters
-- we've seen wars start and wars end -- we've seen Bethlehem occupied by terrorists as Israel fought for its own survival -- we've seen our own men and women fight in Iraq and Afghanistan -- and, most recently, we've watched as an oil spill in the Gulf has threatened our economy and our way of life
-- we've shared in the glory and triumph of six different Olympic games -- the election of two presidents -- the birth and baptism of our own children and grandchildren -- and the graduation of our seniors -- we've worshiped at revivals and we've been filled with both fellowship and food time and time again -- at homecomings and fifth Sunday revivals and just because it was time to have another covered dish
-- we've been through two bishops and four district superintendents -- we've had 10 charge conferences and we've filled out enough reports and sent enough paper to the South Georgia Conference for a lifetime
-- but through it all, we have journeyed together with one goal and one purpose in mind -- to share life with one another as we sought to follow God with all our hearts and all our minds and all our strength -- and as we have walked along, talking and discussing the events of our lives, Jesus Himself has joined us in the journey
-- if that isn't the church, then I don't know what is -- if that isn't life, then I don't know what is

-- verse 28

28. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther.
29. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
32. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33. They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
34. and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."
35. Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

-- Even though these two disciples had been discussing spiritual things among themselves, the real truth came from Jesus
-- as Jesus broke the bread with Cleopas and his friend at the meal that night, their eyes were opened -- they finally understood as they recognized Jesus in their midst -- they understood what the cross was all about -- they understood what the resurrection meant -- and they understood what they had to do
-- notice that Luke tells us that when the disciples finally made it to Emmaus that Jesus acted as if He were going farther -- why? -- why did He do that?
-- Jesus always had a purpose for what He did -- He never did anything without there being a deeper meaning involved -- in this case, I think He was trying to let the disciples, and us, know that our journey is never done so long as we are here on earth
-- we might come to forks in the road -- we might come to a place where our paths diverge -- we might see the end of one adventure -- but all that means is that a new one is beginning -- all that means is that the journey continues
-- that was certainly true for Cleopas and his friend as they headed back to Jerusalem to share the good news of the risen Christ with those hungry for the Word
-- and this is certainly true for you and for me -- for a while we shared the road together -- but now our paths diverge -- Kim and Brooke and I are beginning our own new adventure and my time of walking with you is coming to an end
-- soon another will join you on the road -- another will share your journey -- and just think of this -- if we have been through so much over the last ten years, who knows where you and Jacque will go together? -- who knows what great adventures you will share? -- what great truths you will uncover?
-- but one thing is for sure -- your journey with Christ continues -- and I thank you for letting me be a part of it for the time we had together

-- as I end my time with you, I could think of no better way to do so than to share with you Holy Communion one more time -- this sacrament has deep meaning to all of us -- not only does it open our eyes and remind us of what Jesus has done for us -- of His body and blood that was given so that we might have life
-- but it reminds us that we are one -- that even though we make take different paths -- that even though we may tread different roads -- we are still family -- we are still one in Christ
-- and so, as we close in prayer, let us go to the Lord and rejoice in what He has done for us in the past and what He will do through us in the future as we prepare our hearts to receive Holy Communion together
-- as always, as the last hymn is played, the altar is open for any who wish to respond -- and after the hymn ends, we will share together in the Lord's Supper
-- let us pray

SERMON: THE TEST OF FAITH

6 June 2010

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

10. I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
11. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
12. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas "; still another, "I follow Christ."
13. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14. I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15. so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
16. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)
17. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

-- every year at Moody Bible Church they have what they call "Founders Week" -- it is held to commemorate the birthday of the founder of Moody Bible Church -- and it is a time for all of those who have been impacted by the church's ministries to come together for a time of spiritual enriching and renewal as the focus of this week is about getting back to the basics of the church's foundational beliefs
-- in the Methodist Church, we have something similar -- every four years we gather for what we call "General Conference," when Methodists from all around the world gather together to worship and to remember the past and to look towards the future -- we also have similar gatherings at the local levels called "Annual Conferences" -- in fact, the Annual Conference for South Georgia is just beginning this week in Tifton
-- as I said, these gatherings are times for the church to come together to do two main things -- to remember and to look forward -- to remember means that we look back at the beginnings of our denomination and to the foundations of belief that God called this church to when it was started back in the 18th Century
-- most of us know that John Wesley is considered the founder of Methodism, but did you know that this was not Wesley's goal when he started his career? -- Wesley was actually an ordained Anglican priest -- he was a member of the Anglican Church in England -- and his Methodist movement began -- not as a means to create a new church -- but as a way to reform the Anglican Church
-- Wesley was concerned that the Anglican Church had lost its way -- lost its meaning -- and he wanted to help get the church back to the basics of belief -- so Wesley began to work inside the church to encourage an orthodox view of Christianity -- he emphasized the fact that we had to meet people's physical needs as well as their spiritual needs -- and he felt that the church should do more to reach out to those who were outside the church -- to the social outcasts -- at that time
-- however, Wesley's efforts were not widely accepted within the church -- and because of persecution, he reluctantly allowed his Methodist Societies that were in the Anglican Church to begin meeting outside the church and eventually to form a new denomination
-- but Wesley hated the concept of denominations -- he felt it divided the church of Christ -- he felt it was unbiblical -- and he even had dreams about the effect that the rise of denominations was having on the entire church of Christ
-- he tells the story of a dream he had where he was ushered to the gates of Hell -- from outside the gate, he called inside and asked, "Are there any Presbyterians here?" -- and he heard a resounding "Yes!" from inside -- Then he asked, "Are there any Baptists? Any Episcopalians? Any Methodists?" -- each time the answer was "Yes!"
-- Very upset over what he had heard, in his dream Wesley was then ushered to the gates of Heaven -- There he asked the same questions, "Are there any Presbyterians here? Any Baptists? Any Episcopalians? Any Methodists?" -- this time, the answer came back "No!"
-- To this, Wesley asked, "Who then is inside?" -- The answer came back, "There are only Christians here."

-- I don't know what it is about human nature, but we sure like to divide up, don't we? -- we break up into clubs and cliques -- into groups and organizations -- into factions and gangs
-- if you take 100 random people and put them into a building, before long, they will have divided themselves up -- we can see this all around us -- we know this, because we do this
-- think about our schools -- when I was in high school, we were very much divided -- we had the jocks -- the preppies -- the druggies -- the brainiacs -- the farmers -- the cheerleaders -- and the losers
-- and it doesn't get much better when we grow up -- we are having our Squadron picnic in a few weeks at work -- this is a time for everyone who works in the Civil Engineering Squadron to come together and just take an afternoon off and eat barbecue and play games and just enjoy each other's company
-- when I first started at Moody, I went to a couple of these picnics, but I quit going -- someone asked me the other day if I was going to go, and I said, "no, because of all the divisions" -- even there, in a crowd of people who work together, we divide up into our own particular cliques -- all of the environmental people get together in one group -- and all of the shops -- the electricians and the plumbers and the HVAC folks get together in another group -- and all the engineers and architects in another group -- and all the squadron leadership in yet another one
-- this is supposed to be one big party, but instead it divides up into many, individual gatherings

-- unfortunately, that is what we see in the church all too often, too -- not only today -- but all the way back to the very beginning of the church -- we see that all too clearly here in this passage
-- Corinth was a cosmopolitan city -- it was kind of like Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas all rolled into one -- people flocked there from all regions of Rome's empire
-- Corinth was the center of government, commerce, sports, wealth, and sin -- their patron saint was Aphrodite, the goddess of love -- and her temple was served by a thousand prostitutes -- it was a mix of saints and sinners and of every ethnic group at that time
-- Paul had founded the church that he writes to in this letter -- he first visited Corinth around 51 AD and within eighteen months he had formed an exciting community of converts from all walks of live -- but, just five years later when he wrote them this letter, the church was on the verge of disintegration because of division and factions and cliques -- he wrote this letter to them because he was upset with them and was concerned about what they were doing to the body of Christ
-- let's look back at this again and see what we can learn from Paul's message to the church

-- verse 10

10. I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.


-- Paul doesn't waste much time getting to the point in this letter -- right after his opening greetings to the church, he immediately launches into the reason for this letter that we know as 1 Corinthians
-- he says, "I appeal to you, brothers, that you might agree with each other and have no division in the church" -- the KJV makes this a little stronger -- it says, "I beseech you" -- in other words, Paul was so concerned about this that he was literally begging the church to come together -- he was pleading with them to get rid of this divisions -- to put aside their differences -- and to unite together as one under Jesus
-- he doesn't appeal to them based on his position as the founder of the church or as their pastor, but rather, he appeals to them on the basis of Jesus -- "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, stop these divisions"
-- and then he goes on to let them know exactly what he is talking about

-- verse 11

11. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
12. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas "; still another, "I follow Christ."


-- divisions had risen in the church at Corinth in just five short years -- and these divisions weren't over doctrine -- they weren't over worship matters -- these divisions were about who the church was going to follow
-- you had some people there who were going to follow Paul -- it didn't matter who Paul sent to lead the church, they weren't going to listen to them -- "I'm a Paul man -- Paul started this church -- and he never steered us wrong -- I'm going to follow Paul"
-- you had others that really liked Apollos -- Apollos was a fiery young preacher -- new in the faith and very eloquent -- and that's just what they were looking for -- "I'm going to follow Apollos -- boy, he can really bring it -- he's got fire in his sermons"
-- others said they were to follow Cephas -- Peter -- after all, wasn't Peter the head of the whole church -- Peter was there from the beginning -- wasn't it Peter who Jesus always called to go off with Him when He needed a friend? -- "if he was good enough for Jesus, he's good enough for me"
-- finally, you had a group of them there who took the spiritual high-road, "We follow Christ" -- sounds good, but in reality all they were really saying was that they wanted to do their own thing and they weren't going to follow any preacher, regardless of who he was
-- divisions -- cliques -- factions -- I'm glad that we're above that now in the church -- or are we?

-- verse 13

13. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14. I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15. so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
16. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)
17. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

-- not many of us here know the name, Dr. E.H. Chapin -- but when it came to revivals -- when it came to evangelical preachers in the mid-nineteenth century -- he was the man -- you might say that he was the Billy Graham of their day -- people would come from miles around just to hear him -- they would travel days just to sit and listen to this well-known and respected evangelist
-- well, one day Dr. E. H. Chapin got sick and knew that he wasn't going to be able to preach that Sunday -- so he asked a friend to fill in for him at church -- as the service began, there was a buzz in the congregation as a stranger got up and stood behind the pulpit to announce the opening hymn -- within seconds, a whole group of people got up out of their seats and began making their way to the door
-- the stranger looked around and understood at once what was going on -- so, from the pulpit he said, "All who came here to worship Dr. Chapin can leave now; but those who came to worship God can turn to hymn number 43 and sing all three stanzas"

-- that's basically what Paul is saying here -- he reminds the church of Corinth of the real reason they are there -- that church wasn't formed for Paul -- it wasn't formed for Apollos or Peter or any other earthly leader -- no, that church was there because of Jesus and Him only
-- the problem was, the church had forgotten why they were there
-- so, Paul tells them, "I didn't die for you -- I wasn't crucified on the cross for your sins -- you weren't baptized into my name or Apollos' name or even Peter's name -- the one you should be following is Jesus because He's the one that we all are called to follow"
-- what is important is not what I did or what I said, but the message of the cross -- the message of Jesus -- the good news that Jesus died for our sins and rose again to prove His victory over sin and death
-- quit saying you're following me, because I'm nothing -- quit saying you're following Apollos or Peter or anyone else, because we're all nothing -- the only thing we are is servants of the living God, Jesus Christ Himself -- He is the one you should be following -- not us
-- over in Chapter 3 Paul carries this lesson a little deeper -- turn over to chapter 3 and let's end there

-- verse 4

4. For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?
5. What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
6. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
7. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

-- Paul points out that regardless of how charismatic a preacher might be -- how gifted -- how talented -- how dedicated -- they are still only human -- and humans are not to be worshiped
-- by breaking into factions like they had, the church at Corinth was, in essence, putting Paul and Apollos and Peter up on pedestals where only Jesus should be -- and they were worshiping them instead of the risen Savior
-- Paul once again points out here -- "Apollos and I are just servants -- and we're different servants -- God gifted us in different ways and He used us in different ways -- and just because God touched you through one of us, doesn't mean that you should follow only that person from now on"
-- Paul points out that his calling was to evangelize -- to plant the seed -- to spread the gospel
-- Apollos came after him -- not to replace Paul -- not to supplant Paul -- but to further God's work in Corinth by watering the seed -- by building on the foundation that Paul laid and by helping the people grasp deeper spiritual truths
-- but, over all, Paul writes -- it is only God -- God is the One who made you grow -- God is the One who works in you and through you to build this church -- and you need to quit trying to divide yourselves up over earthly leaders -- but follow God and Him alone

III. Closing
-- I read one time about this church that had gone out and bought a new church sign -- you see, the old church sign they had only had the name of the church on it and the worship times and it couldn't be changed -- and they wanted one of those new signs so they could put out a catchy message on the road to get people's attention
-- well, this church was a lot like the church at Corinth -- and they were divided -- and so, when it came time to put a message on their new sign, they argued back and forth -- and they yelled at each other and they just couldn't decide what to say
-- finally, they said, "well, for this one Sunday, let's put out a message that sums up the way our really thinks" -- so they had the sign-keeper put out the message, "Jesus Only" on their sign
-- that night, there was a major thunderstorm -- lightning and thunder -- hail came up and the wind roared and roared -- that Sunday morning, when they went to church, they found out that the wind had actually blown some of the letters off the sign -- and the new message really reflected who they were
-- you see, the "J" and the "E" and the "S" got blown away -- and instead of reading, "Jesus Only" -- the sign now read, "Us Only"

-- that's the problem with division -- that's the problem when people get so enamored over earthly leaders or over their particular issue that they forget what the church is all about -- it quits being about Jesus and it starts being about "us"
-- Paul's message is clear -- our purpose as the church is to exalt and worship Jesus and nothing or no one else -- and when we quit doing that, then we're no longer the church
-- so, as we close today, I want to encourage you to take a moment and think about why you are here -- what is the reason you are here today? -- is it to worship man or is it to worship God? -- is it to press your agenda or God's agenda?
-- let's pray

SERMON: THE PASSING OF THE OLD

30 May 2010

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Numbers 27:15-23

15. Moses said to the LORD,
16. "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community
17. to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd."
18. So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.
19. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence.
20. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.
21. He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in."
22. Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly.
23. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses.

-- one good thing about having kids is that it forces you to go back and learn things that you had forgotten -- since we have been home-schooling Brooke, I have been trying to find little teaching moments wherever I am where I can drop nuggets of wisdom to help her learn -- but, in the process, it has really opened my eyes and caused me to ask questions and seek out answers for things around me that I had never thought about before
-- for instance, just the other day, we were buying shrimp -- and they had a lobster tank right there at the counter -- and as we were waiting for someone to help us, we looked at the lobsters -- and it occurred to me that I didn't really know much about lobsters
-- I knew they were invertebrates -- I knew they were crustaceans -- I knew they lived in the ocean -- and I knew that the best habitat for them was on a plate with butter and hush puppies -- but, other than that, I realized I didn't know a lot about them -- so I got on the computer and started looking up facts about lobsters in order to learn more about them and use them in our home-schooling
-- did you know that lobsters can grow to be 100 years old? -- and that some species of lobsters can weigh up to 40 pounds? -- that's an awful lot of lobster -- I had no idea that a female lobster could produce up to 100,000 eggs each year and that each year, there are these mass migrations of up to 100,000 lobsters at a time, moving from one part of the ocean to another
-- I also learned about the lobster's shell -- the shell is really their exoskeleton -- this is what protects them from predators and from the harsh environment they live in -- without their shell, they are vulnerable to attack
-- but, their shell is also a liability for them -- a lobster can only can only grow as large as its shell -- in order for it to grow larger, it has to get rid of the old shell and grow a new shell through a process called molting
-- I leaned that the brief period of time between when the old shell is discarded and the new one is formed is the most dangerous time in the life of a lobster -- During this terribly vulnerable period, the transition must be scary to the lobster -- no longer does it have the protection of that old, hard shell
-- but now, they have to be careful or ocean currents will pick them up and bounce them against the rocks -- they have to watch out for hungry schools of fish that are ready to make them a part of their food chain -- and they have to hide from all the dangers of the ocean that they used to just walk by without a care
-- For a while at least, that old shell must look pretty good -- the lobster might be thinking it was crazy to let it go -- but in just a few days, the new shell will harden and give the lobster a new and larger protective barrier -- and when that happens, the lobster emerges from its place of hiding, bigger and stronger than every before and ready to take on the world

II. Lobsters and Churches -- Scripture Lesson (Numbers 27:15-23)
-- you know, when you think about it, we're not so different from lobsters -- sometimes, we get trapped in our shells and we can't grow because we're clinging to the past -- sometimes, we can't grow because we're unwilling to embrace change -- but the Bible teaches that if Christians and churches are going to change and grow, then we have to put the past behind us -- we have to get rid of our old shells and step out in faith
-- sometimes this means letting go of church traditions in order to create new traditions -- sometimes this means letting go of old programs in order to start new programs and new ministries or new missions -- sometimes this means letting go of old pastors and leaders so that new ideas and new ways of doing things can happen

-- a great example of this is seen in this passage here in Numbers 27 -- for forty years, Moses had been the leader of the Israelites -- through him, God had rescued the Israelites from bondage in Egypt -- it was Moses who had defied Pharaoh in God's name -- it was Moses who brought the people across the Red Sea -- it was Moses who had led them in the wilderness
-- when they were hungry, Moses went to God for their provision -- when they were thirsty, the people turned to Moses for help -- when enemies threatened or when they faced difficulties in their journeys, it was always Moses who had the answer -- it was always Moses who God used to bring them through
-- for forty years, Moses was the man -- for forty years, Moses was their leader -- but, now, it's time for a change
-- for the second time in his life, Moses has led the people to the edge of the Promised Land -- but things are different, this time -- Moses is much older -- Aaron is gone, passed away years ago -- in fact, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, everyone else who had come up from Egypt and crossed the Red Sea and stood with Moses in that spot the last time are gone -- it's a new generation that is standing on the banks of the Jordan River this time, ready to cross over into the Promised Land
-- it's obvious to all that it's time for the old to pass away -- it's time for a change -- no longer will the Israelites be wandering in the wilderness -- no longer will they be moving from place to place as God leads -- no longer will they be homeless strangers just passing through
-- it's time for the people of Israel to cross the river -- it's time for them to step into the promises of God -- to take up a new mission -- to begin a new adventure -- to take a new journey -- so, it's time for Moses to step aside

-- transitions are never easy -- not for leaders or for the people -- so God calls Moses away from the people for one last time -- He leads Moses up into the mountains -- to the highest mountain in the Abarim range -- some translations say to Mount Abarim itself -- and from that vantage point, God bids Moses to look out over the people of Israel -- and to look out onto the Promised Land
-- many have said that we will never know what impact we have made for the Kingdom of God until we get to Heaven -- but up here on this mountain, God lets Moses get a glimpse of what his leadership over the past forty years has meant to the nation of Israel
-- Moses looks out over a group of people that is different from what he started with -- they have grown -- not only in numbers -- but also spiritually -- they are more mature -- more open to God than before
-- they no longer murmur against the Lord -- they no longer complain of the hardships of the desert and long to go back to Egypt -- instead, they are ready to go forth and do what God calls them to do, wherever He calls them to do it -- even if that means crossing the River and waging war against the Canaanites -- they trust that God will see them through
-- Moses shifts his gaze and looks out over the Promised Land -- finally, he has seen that which God has promised -- he sees the land flowing with milk and honey that was promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- finally, he sees the desire of his people and he knows it is time -- he knows they are finally ready to enter
-- but, God tells him that it is not for him -- that he will not be the one to lead the people across the river -- but that another will take his place
-- so, with the heart of a pastor -- with the wisdom of a leader -- Moses prays for the people of Israel and asks that God would raise up a new leader to take his place

-- look back with me at verse 15 again

15. Moses said to the LORD,
16. "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community
17. to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd."

-- there's several nuggets of wisdom in these three verses
-- first, we see the growth of Moses -- over the course of the past forty years, he has learned humility and trust -- the reason God was not letting Moses carry the people across the river was because of what Moses did when the people had asked for water in the desert
-- the first time the people had come to him, God had told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and that water would flow from the rock -- he did as God said, and the people drank their fill
-- but, the second time the people had come to him about water, God told Moses to stand before the rock and speak to it in the Lord's name and that water would gush out -- but Moses didn't trust that God could bring water out without his help -- and so he struck his staff against the rock twice to make it give up water and then he tried to take credit for the miracle along with God -- his lack of trust and his pride caused him to sin against God
-- but now, Moses has learned his lesson -- he has realized that all he has accomplished -- everything he has done -- has only been done because of God -- and now he shows his trust and faith in God by willingly letting go of the reins of power -- by willingly laying down the leadership of the people so that God could use another in his place

-- the second thing we see here is that leaders are exalted to their places of authority through the will and power of God -- whether we're talking about the leader of the nation of Israel or the leader of the United States -- the Bible is clear -- God is the one who selects and allows men and women to rise to positions of authority and leadership
-- Moses recognizes that fact clearly -- I'm sure he remembers who he was when God first called him -- an itinerant shepherd who stuttered and couldn't speak plainly before others -- but God chose him and put him in the position of power -- so, now Moses asks God to choose the next leader for Israel in the same way
-- Moses recognized that it was God alone who knew the heart of a man -- it was God alone who could look past the exterior to the heart within and who would select a person with the right moral qualities and gifts and talents needed for that moment and that time -- so Moses asks God to appoint the right person to the task

-- the final thing we see here is the mission and ministry of the new leader -- Moses asks God to appoint a person who will "go out and come in before them -- one who will lead them out and bring them in" just like a shepherd does for his flock
-- before a shepherd leads his flock into the pasture, he goes out first and checks out the pasture -- he makes sure that there is no danger -- that no wolves or bears or anything else that might harm the sheep is there -- and then, and only then, after he has made sure things are o.k., he comes back and gets the flock and leads them in
-- Moses indicates here that was to be the primary role of the new leader for Israel -- the people were entering an unknown land -- a land with hidden dangers -- both physical and spiritual -- and it was the job of the new leader to scout out the land first -- to map out the dangers and to devise a plan to overcome obstacles -- before he led the nation across the river

-- let's look at God's response to Moses' prayer
-- verse 18

18. So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.
19. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence.
20. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.
21. He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in."
22. Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly.
23. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses.

-- so, God tells Moses to go back down the mountain to where the people are waiting -- once he is there, he is to take Joshua, son of Nun, and lay his hands on him before Eleazar the priest and in the presence of all the people and commission him to a leadership role
-- this was an important moment for the people of Israel -- for most of them, Moses had been the only leader they had ever known -- they didn't know any other way of doing things -- and, as we know, people are generally resistant to change -- we like things to stay the same -- we like things to go on exactly like they have for years -- but, as we said earlier, we can't stay the same and go with God -- we have to change and to grow if we are going to fulfill His call in our lives and in our churches
-- when Moses and Eleazar -- the political and religious leaders of the nation -- laid their hands on Joshua -- it showed the nation that Joshua was accepted as the new leader by both of them
-- it was a dramatic way for God to tell the nation to begin the transition from Moses to Joshua -- from the old to the new -- and to accept the changes that were going to come through this transition
-- and, it was a visual reminder to the people that Joshua was not Moses -- he wasn't going to act like Moses -- he wasn't going to talk like Moses -- he wasn't going to lead like Moses -- because that's not what the nation needed at this moment
-- Joshua had his own gifts and talents -- he had his own skills and his own way of doing things -- just because Moses had done things in a certain way didn't mean that Joshua had to do it the same way -- just because God had used Moses to bring water from a rock didn't mean that He would use Joshua in the same way
-- the nation of Israel was embarking on a new adventure -- and they needed a new person to lead them on the journey -- and this person had been appointed by God and approved by Moses and Eleazar

III. Closing
-- the Bible is a road-map of change -- God is constantly asking His people to leave behind the old and to embrace the new -- He sometimes asks us, like Abraham, to go to places that we don't know just because He asks -- just like with the first disciples, God sometimes asks us to lay aside all of our former patterns of worship and theological understandings to accept new wine and new wineskins -- and just like He did with the nation of Israel in this passage, sometimes God asks us to allow our former leaders to move on so that new people can lead the church down new paths and through new adventures
-- I don't know what river we are standing next to right now -- I don't know what new path the Lord has laid out for you and for me -- I don't know where God wants this to go in the years ahead or what He wants it to do
-- but, I do know this -- God has a plan for you and for this church -- for a time, He allowed me to share this journey with you -- but now, it is time for another

-- in our modern-day churches, we typically are not able to have a transfer of leadership like the one that we see in this passage -- and that's true whether we're talking about the Methodist Church or the Baptist Church or any other denomination
-- usually, the former pastor has to leave before the new pastor comes on the scene -- and, so, that forces us to trust in God all the more
-- we have to trust that God has called and appointed the person with the right skills and talents to take over leadership in this church
-- we have to trust that God gave the Bishop and his cabinet the wisdom to put the right person in place
-- and, we have to trust God when the new pastor doesn't do things exactly the same as in the past -- just because it's different -- just because it's new -- doesn't mean it's not exactly what God wants us to embrace
-- we can't stay where we are and go with God -- and if God has called a person with different gifts and talents to lead this church, that means that God is leading us down a new path
-- when it was time for the nation of Israel to step into the Promised Land, God raised up a new leader with new gifts and talents to show them the way
-- and the fact that you are about to welcome a new pastor and a new leader into your church is a sign that God is about to do something as remarkable with you

-- so, let me leave you with these thoughts as we close
-- first, trust God -- trust that God knows what He is doing and He has called into place the right person for the job at hand
-- second, embrace change -- for without change, we become locked in our shells and we slowly die -- it is only when we change an grow that we become who God has called us to be
-- finally, look to the future -- don't look back, but look at where God is leading you -- Moses' generation looked back at Egypt with longing eyes and lived their whole lives in the wilderness -- but the next generation looked at the promise, and crossed the River to a land flowing with milk and honey
-- if you want to be all that God has called you to be -- if you want this church to do all that He has called it to do -- look ahead and trust the leader that God has put before you
-- let us pray

SERMON: SHAPED BY THE SPIRIT

23 May 2010

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 14:16-26

16. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--
17. the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
18. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
20. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
21. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22. Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23. Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
24. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25. "All this I have spoken while still with you.
26. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

-- a couple of weeks ago, when I was in Colorado, I had the opportunity to go to the top of Pikes Peaks -- I don't know whether any of you have had the chance to do that, but if you are ever out that way, I would encourage you to do so
-- Pikes Peak is over 14,000 feet high and overlooks Colorado Springs -- from the top of Pikes Peak you can see all of the front range of Colorado and you can see the Continental Divide -- it was the view from the top of Pikes Peak that inspired Katherine Lee Bates to write her patriotic song, "America the Beautiful"
-- there's two ways to get to the top -- you can drive up a two-lane, partially paved roadway with hairpin turns and 1,000-foot drop offs -- or you can take the train -- I didn't want to chance driving up that road, so I took the train
-- the trip up in the train was fascinating -- we started in the bottom of the valley at about 7,000 feet in a town called Manitou Springs -- it was heavily forested with ponderosa and logdepole pine -- -- but as we headed up the mountain, the vegetation changed -- the pines gave way to hemlocks and firs as we climbed in elevation -- and it became easier to see great distances from the train
-- finally, as we neared the top, the trees almost completely thinned out and you could feel the wind blowing up the mountain, rocking the train car that I sat in -- wind was blowing about 35 miles per hour -- and I asked the engineer about it -- he said that it always blew that hard
-- he pointed out the snow drifts that the wind had piled up right next to the tracks -- he said that they have to go up there daily with a specialized train to cut a path through the wind-blown snow -- he showed me how the wind really shaped the environment up at the heights of the mountain
-- right before we left the tree line, I noticed how all of the trees had this unique shape -- in ecology, we learned this is called a "krummholz" -- it is a German term for crooked, bent, and twisted wood -- and that was the perfect term to describe the trees up there at the edge of the treeline
-- that constantly blowing wind that was coming up Pikes Peak had affected the growth pattern of these trees -- it had caused them to change shape -- to grow with the wind -- rather than standing up straight with a full canopy on each side like all the other trees in the forest, these trees looked abnormal -- their trunks were bent and their canopy was shifted towards the downwind side -- they didn't like the other hemlocks that were up there -- they were permanently affected by the blowing of the wind -- the wind shaped them -- the wind formed them -- the wind gave them life on top of that mountain

-- today is the Day of Pentecost -- the day when we remember the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church of Christ following His ascension -- as I'm sure you all remember and as we read in Acts 2, after Jesus left the disciples and ascended up to heaven, the disciples were all gathered together in one place praying and studying God's word
-- all of a sudden the room where they were at was filled with the sound of a rushing wind and what seemed like tongues of fire came in and fell on each of them -- immediately, they were indwelt with the Holy Spirit and they began to express the power of God through prophecy and the speaking of tongues
-- they rushed out into the street -- Peter preached his first public sermon and over three thousand people were convicted of their sins and turned to Jesus for salvation
-- what made the difference in the lives of these disciples? -- what changed them from just being followers of Jesus to becoming people that the Romans said were turning the world upside down? -- what led them to abandon all for the sake of Christ? -- to endure persecution and hardships -- to experience joys and fruitfulness in their ministries -- to walk hard paths and experience everything from the valley of discouragement to the mountaintop of success?
-- there can only be one answer -- on that day in Jerusalem -- the first day of Pentecost following the ascension of Jesus -- something happened -- Someone happened -- they were filled with the Spirit and forever shaped by Holy Wind into something abnormal -- people who didn't look or act or believe like those around them but who marched to a different beat and followed a different drummer
-- we shouldn't be surprised at this -- because this is just what Jesus promised His disciples here in this passage -- before the cross -- before the arrest in Gethsemane -- before the beatings and the persecution and Jesus' death and resurrection, Jesus promised His disciples that He would send Someone to be with them forever -- Someone who would dwell with them and in them and who would shape them through His power and presence into the people that God wanted them to be

II. Scripture Lesson (John 14:16-26)
-- let's take a moment and look back at this passage again as we celebrate this Day of Pentecost together
-- turn back to John 14:16

16. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--
17a. the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
-- this passage takes place in the context of the upper room on the night that Jesus was betrayed -- Jesus has already shared the Last Supper with His disciples and washed their feet -- Judas has left to go to the temple to betray Him -- and Jesus is sharing a few final thoughts with His disciples before they leave the upper room
-- Jesus knows exactly what is fixing to happen -- He knows this will be the last time that He will be with His disciples before the resurrection -- He knows that after His arrest and death that they will be scattered and frightened and feel like they have been left all alone -- so He comforts them in the passage and tells them that He will not leave them alone -- that He will send to them the Holy Spirit to live with them and in them
-- the word that Jesus used here is the Greek word, "parakletos" -- our Bibles translate this as counselor, comforter, advocate, or even as paraclete
-- Jesus use of this word here gives us an insight into the purpose and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives -- in His day, someone called a paraclete would do one of three things, all of which the Holy Spirit do for us

-- first, a paraclete was a legal advocate for someone -- they were the counsel for defense -- in other words, a paraclete is the person who stood by another person's side and defended them in a court of law
-- when Satan accuses us and tries to condemn us before God -- it is the Holy Spirit who stands up and defends us
-- when the devil whispers words of guilt and discouragement and doubt into our minds, it is the Holy Spirit who speaks to our hearts and tells us the truth -- it is the Spirit who reminds us that we are forgiven -- that the price has been paid and that we are redeemed through the blood of Christ -- it is the Spirit who tells us we are loved with an everlasting love -- it is the Spirit who tells us the truth when the world whispers lies
-- the Holy Spirit advocates on our behalf -- He defends us from the attacks of this world and the evil one

-- second, a paraclete could be an intercessor -- someone who intercedes or who speaks on the behalf of someone else -- we normally think of that word, "intercessor," in a prayer context, but it stands for anyone who speaks out for another person -- of course, in this case, we know that the Spirit speaks to the Father on our behalf
-- in Romans 8:26-27, Paul wrote that the Spirit intercedes for us in accordance with God's will -- he says that the Spirit helps us in our weakness -- that when we don't even have the words -- when we don't even know what to pray -- the Spirit prays for us with groans that words cannot even express

-- finally, a paraclete could be a general term for a helper -- for someone who stood in and assisted another person -- usually not in the role of a servant -- but in the role of a peer who was willing to give of their time and energy to help another person in their life
-- we are told in the Bible that God has gifted all of with at least one spiritual gift -- if you read these passages in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, or 1 Peter 4 -- you will quickly see that these are not talents that God gives us, but rather, these are the actual manifestations of the Spirit within us
-- in other words, we're not the ones doing anything -- it is the Spirit within us who helps us to manifest the power of God in our lives -- the best way to think of spiritual gifts in a person is to think of a glove -- a glove is powerless on its own -- it can't do anything -- until you put a hand in it -- we are the glove and the Holy Spirit is the hand -- and it is only through Him working through us that we ever accomplish anything for God

-- now, if you were to take all of these definitions and roll them together, you would begin to see the overall picture of ministry that the Holy Spirit takes in our life -- He is Counselor and Comforter and Advocate -- He is the One who shapes the church and gives life and power to it

-- look back at the second part of Verse 17

17b. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
18. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
20. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

-- so, who is this Spirit of truth -- this counselor -- this comforter -- this advocate -- that Jesus speaks of here in this passage?
-- a lot of people are confused by the Holy Spirit -- they just don't understand Him -- a lot of people just kind of ignore Him -- we talk about God the Father and we talk Jesus -- but we really don't talk a lot about the Spirit -- Francis Chan calls Him, "The Forgotten God"
-- but, Jesus explains who the Spirit is right here in these verses -- the Spirit is nothing else but the Spirit of the living God within us -- the third person of the Trinity -- God Himself dwelling with us
-- you see, when Jesus was on earth, He was fully God and fully man -- He allowed Himself to be bound in human flesh -- and, in a very real sense, this limited His power on earth -- Paul says in Philippians 2 that Jesus willingly laid aside His power and His glory, taking the form of a man and the nature of a servant, and came to earth on our behalf
-- as a man, Jesus had the same limitations as us -- He was bound in one place at one time -- He couldn't be in multiple places -- He couldn't heal everyone -- He couldn't speak to everyone who needed Him -- not because He didn't have the ability -- but because as a man He was limited in what He could do
-- Jesus knew we needed Him with us -- but, He also knew that we needed someone who could be with all us, all the time -- someone who could be everywhere, at every place -- and so, He chose to come back and indwell us as the Holy Spirit -- not bound by human flesh -- but with the ability and the power to change the world by touching many people at the same time
-- notice in verse 18 that Jesus says "I will come to you" -- the Holy Spirit is Jesus -- just not in human form -- as He implies in verse 20, all three persons of the Trinity -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- are all interconnected -- they are three in one -- and they dwell within us to empower us and shape us and form us in this life

-- verse 21

21. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22. Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23. Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
24. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25. "All this I have spoken while still with you.
26. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

-- how do you know if you have the Holy Spirit within you? -- the answer is clear -- if you obey God -- if you follow His commands -- then you have the Spirit within you
-- in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Paul tells us that God put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit -- as a seal of our inheritance
-- if you have been saved -- if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior -- the moment you receive Him you are indwelt with His presence -- with the Holy Spirit
-- and it is the Holy Spirit within you who enables you to obey God's commands and to truly love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength
-- that doesn't mean that Christians don't sin -- we all sin -- but it means that now, we have Someone within us who can lead us to obedience when we are tempted if we just follow His teaching and do what He tells us to do
-- Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey Him -- the only way we can do that is through the power of the Spirit within us
-- it is the Spirit who teaches us to follow Christ -- it is the Spirit who reminds us of the Word of God and what we should do when we are tempted -- and it is the Spirit within us who walks alongside us -- who forms us and shapes us through His power and presence and transforms us into new creations as we follow seek to follow Jesus

III. CLOSING
-- I heard the story about two guys from south Georgia who were traveling together on vacation -- they had decided to see each of the great natural wonders in the United States and were headed to Niagra Falls
-- as they got out of the car following the beautiful drive from Lake Erie to the falls, they were filled with awe at the size and power of the Niagra River -- it was so much larger and so much more impressive than anything we have down here
-- they were really impressed with the rapids just above the falls and the massive mist cloud that always hangs over the drop-off -- and the roaring thunder of the falls as they hit the rocks below
-- one of the men said, "Just look at that -- That has to be the greatest unused power in the world"
-- the other guy replied, "No, I think you're wrong -- the greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the living God"

-- when Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to talk to Him, Jesus described the Holy Spirit as a wind that blows in the life of men -- and just like the trees at the top of Pikes Peak, if we allow the wind of the Holy Spirit to blow in our lives, He will form us and shape us and make us into the people God has called us to be -- but, we have to let Him
-- in the Christian life, we are not called to be passive responders to the presence of God -- but rather, we are called to be active participants -- the Bible tells us that we are to be holy as God is holy -- but this implies a responsibility on our part
-- Albert Einstein once wrote that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing every time but expecting different results -- if we want to see the same power that God expressed through Peter and the disciples on that first Day of Pentecost -- if we want to see this world turned upside down for God -- if we want to see our lives and the lives of those around us changed for the better -- then we have to do something different -- we have to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us
-- the Holy Spirit is a great power in our lives -- but we have to connect to Him -- we have to open ourselves up to His presence -- we have to listen when He speaks -- we have to do what He says -- or nothing will ever change
-- so, this morning, as we close in prayer -- I want to ask you to respond to God's word -- to open yourself up to the Holy Spirit who is within you -- ask Him to fill you with His presence -- ask Him to give you His wisdom and understanding -- ask Him to speak truth in your life -- and ask Him to empower you so that you might be all you can for Christ
-- let us pray

SERMON: THE NEW NORMAL

16 May 2010

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Ezekiel 16

49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

-- Hudson Taylor is a name that few of us are familiar with these days -- but in his day, he was widely known and regarded as an ambassador of God to the heathen nation of China -- serving as a missionary in China for 51 years, Taylor began the ministry known as the China Inland Mission -- through this organization, he established 20 mission stations and brought over 950 additional missionaries to the field in China -- he trained about 700 Chinese workers in ministry -- raised four million dollars by faith -- and developed a vibrant Chinese church of over 125,000 believers
-- out of these, it has been said that Taylor brought 35,000 to faith in Christ and that he personally baptized 50,000 Chinese Christians over the course of his time in China
-- Hudson Taylor is known as the father of modern missions -- but the question before us this morning is, "Why is he considered so remarkable a man?" -- or, in other words, why are we not doing the same things for Christ in our life and in the place where God put us that Hudson Taylor did where God put him?

-- Taylor's Christian life was not always one that was remarkable and miraculous -- in fact, he started his Christian life much like most of us -- he grew up in a Christian home -- he went to church faithfully with his parents -- but, like so many of us, he drifted away from his faith when he was a teen -- he took up worldly vices and lived a secular life apart from the church for years
-- one day, when he was 17 years old, he went into his father's library to find a book to read -- his eyes fell on a gospel tract called, "It is finished," -- and after picking it up and reading it, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior
-- immediately after his conversion, Taylor was on fire for the Lord -- he was enthusiastic -- he participated in worship with a new-found vigor -- but, within a few months, he found himself giving way to the "normal" way of doing Christianity -- going to church -- singing the hymns -- listening to the sermon -- and going home -- just like everyone else -- just like us
-- but Taylor recognized his growing complacency with the faith -- he recognized that he was falling into the trap of just getting by in his faith -- and so he took a sabbath -- a time off -- to pray and to be with the Lord alone
-- reading through his Bible, he began to realize that the life he was living was not the normal Christian life that the early Christians enjoyed -- he realized that the life he was living was one of disobedience characterized by a lack of power and true Godliness
-- he longed to follow the pattern of the early Christians -- to follow their life and to live with Christ as they had lived -- over the course of this sabbath time with God, his faith was renewed -- his fire for Christ was rekindled -- and Taylor began to make plans to head to China to fulfill his call to be a missionary -- living a life and experiencing a fruitful ministry that we would call remarkable and out of the ordinary but that Taylor would call "normal Christianity"

II. Normal Christianity
-- there is a growing concern among Christians about the state of the church in America today -- when we look at the church in America today and compare it to the early church, we do not see the power and the miraculous experiences that they had -- we do not see a people sold out for Christ -- sacrificing all that they have in order to experience Jesus and to see great things done in His name -- we do not see a group of people capable of turning this world upside-down as the early church did
-- we are experiencing what we call "normal Christianity" in our churches today -- we read our Bibles -- we go to worship services -- we pray and gather for Bible studies -- we have Vacation Bible Schools and fellowship dinners and other programs -- but is this enough? -- is this Christianity? -- or as Francois Fenelon questioned in "The Seeking Heart," "To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid 'big' sins -- is this passionate, wholehearted love for God?"
-- while the Christian life we are living is normal for us, is it the normal that we should be seeking? -- if we have the same God as the early church did -- if we have the same Jesus that the early church relied on for power and miraculous works in their midst -- then why should stories of men and women like Hudson Taylor and Mother Teresa and Billy Graham be considered something extraordinary -- something abnormal? -- why shouldn't their example be the normal pattern of life for a Christian rather than something that occurs only once in a while?

-- I think the answer to this question lies with the issue of obedience, faith, and trust -- the reason we are not seeing Christ magnified in our homes and in our churches and in our country today -- the reason we are not seeing lives changed and transformed in miraculous ways -- is because we are not living wholeheartedly for God -- we are not living in our faith -- we are not trusting in God to do great things through us
-- in a very real way, we are like the nation of Israel in these verses we read from the Book of Ezekiel -- in this prophetic passage, God was condemning the nation of Israel for their sins and their failures as His people -- earlier in the chapter he reminded them that He had chosen them -- that out of all the nations on earth, He had called them forth to be His people -- He had blessed them and brought them into the Promised Land -- He had told them that He was to be their God and they were to be His people and that He would be with them always
-- but rather than living the promise -- rather than living lives that were different -- they continually sought to be like the nations around them -- they wanted to be "normal"
-- instead of following God and His commands wholeheartedly, they did life on their own -- they still read the Scriptures -- they still went to temple -- they still gave the appearance of following God -- but they didn't follow Him with their whole heart -- they depended more on themselves and their riches and talents than they did in the providence of the Creator

-- and so God condemns them in these verses -- look back at verse 49

49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

-- God says the sins of the nation of Israel -- the sins of the people that He had called by His name and chosen for Himself -- were just like those of the city of Sodom
-- He says here they were arrogant or prideful -- in other words, they relied upon themselves and their own strength to survive -- they thought they were greater than they were -- they thought they were self-made people capable of doing anything on their own

-- God calls them "overfed" or filled with bread and unconcerned about others -- in other words, they satisfied their own wants and wishes rather than sacrificing to meet the needs of others -- they did not help the poor or the needy, but only took care of themselves -- they were rich and prosperous and ignored the plight of those around them
-- Jesus told us in Matthew 5:40-42, "if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. -- If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. -- Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
-- normal Christianity should be demonstrated through our concern for the well-being of those around us

-- God called the Israelites "haughty" -- prideful -- scornful of those around them -- because they were the people of God -- because they were rich and all their desires were met, they considered themselves superior to those around them -- when really, they were just like them in their attitudes and in their behavior
-- God said they did detestable things before Him -- even though they were God's chosen people, they rejected God -- first, by seeking a king like all the other nations -- and then, by turning away and worshiping foreign gods
-- rather than follow God with their whole hearts, they chose to run after the gods of this world -- to fill their lives with material things rather than the spiritual wealth that God offered
-- because of all their sins, God told the nation of Israel that they would suffer the same fate as Sodom -- that they would be sent away and destroyed as a nation -- in the case of Israel, the nation would be exiled into captivity in Babylon, far away from the promised land and the promises of God

III. Lukewarm Christians
-- another term for the way the Israelites in Ezekiel's day were living life is "lukewarm"
-- in Revelation 3:15-16, Jesus warned the church at Laodicea that they were following the pattern of the Israelites -- He tells them that they are neither cold nor hot -- they are neither fully against Him or fully for Him -- instead, they are just lukewarm
-- in other words, they were just getting by -- they were going through the motions of Christianity -- they were going to church -- they were singing the hymns -- they were listening to the sermon -- but they were not living it in their heart -- just like the Israelites in this passage, they were not following Christ with their whole hearts
-- the Laodiceans thought they were rich -- they thought they had it made -- they thought they didn't need anything or anyone else -- but Jesus called them poor, blind, and naked -- He warned them that they needed spiritual wealth, spiritual clothes, and spiritual healing -- or they would face the same fate as the Israelites in Ezekiel's day
-- He called for them to revive themselves -- to make themselves alive for Him again -- to set themselves on fire by loving Him with their whole heart and not just part of it anymore

-- as I read through these two passages, it struck me how similar we are to these people -- rather than living lives sold out to Christ, American Christians are really no different from anyone else around us -- we call ourselves "normal" when we go to church just once or twice a week when in reality we are halfhearted, lukewarm, and only partially committed to Christ
-- what does a lukewarm Christian look like in our day? -- Francis Chan gives us several examples in his book, "Crazy Love" -- see how these descriptions fit your life

-- first, he says that lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly -- after all, it is what is expected of them and it is what good Christians do -- so they attend church on a regular basis -- they read the scriptures -- they listen to the sermon -- they sing the hymns -- but then they go home and do nothing for Christ

-- lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church -- but they do so out of their wealth and not out of their need -- in other words, we don't mind giving, as long as it doesn't really affect our standard of living -- we give, but not enough to hurt -- we give, but not enough to force us to give up our cell phones or our cable TV or any of the other luxuries we enjoy

-- lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right -- we worry more about what other people think about us rather than what God would want us to do -- we'll do church -- we'll do Christianity -- but we're not going to go crazy about it -- we're not going to be fanatics or like those weird people who talk about Jesus all the time or who witness to others on street corners

-- lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin -- they only want to be saved from the penalty of their sin -- that's why we find ourselves giving in to the same old sins over and over again -- we've never really given them up, because, secretly, we enjoy them in our hearts and know that Jesus will forgive us anyway

-- lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends -- they don't want to be rejected and they don't want to make people uncomfortable by talking about God or about religion

-- lukewarm people gauge their morality by comparing themselves to others -- we try to justify ourselves by looking at those around us and breathing a sigh of relief when we see them falling for the big sins or not living life for God at all -- "Why, they don't even go to church"

-- lukewarm people say they love God and Jesus -- and they do -- just not with their whole hearts -- God has a place in their life, but it is a defined place -- Sunday mornings -- Tuesday nights -- and not much outside of that -- life is busy -- so long as we give God some time, isn't that enough?

-- lukewarm people don't really love others as much as themselves -- oh, they might care for those who love them in return -- their family, friends, and other people they know -- but they really don't love or spend time on those who cannot love them back -- for those people they really don't like a lot -- for the poor and the homeless and the others they pass by on a daily basis

-- lukewarm people worry more about life on earth than they do eternity in heaven -- our daily lives are focused on today's "to-do" list -- on this week's schedule -- on planning for the next vacation -- rarely do we focus on heavenly treasure, but spend all our time and effort on the here and now

-- lukewarm people are truly thankful to God for their luxuries and comforts, but rarely consider trying to give more to the poor than they are doing -- they are quick to point out, "Jesus never said money is the root of all evil, only that the love of money is" -- having things isn't a sin -- surely God wouldn't have given me all of this if He didn't want me to enjoy it

-- lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty -- they ask, "How far can I go before it's considered a sin?" rather than "How can I keep myself holy?" -- they ask, "How much do I have to give?" instead of "How much can I give?" -- they ask "How much time should I spend reading my Bible and praying?" instead of "I wish I could spend more time reading my Bible today"

-- Lukewarm people do not live by faith -- they believe in God -- they just don't trust Him -- they build up savings accounts and emergency funds in case something unexpected happens -- they don't let God direct their lives -- they have their lives all planned out -- they don't depend on God on a daily basis -- their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health

-- the truth is, for lukewarm people, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God -- the point that Francis Chan is trying to make is that a "relationship with God simply cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions, or commitments are piled on top of it" -- we can't love God with our whole hearts if our hearts are divided
-- this is the reason our churches are so impotent -- this is the reason our lives are so impotent -- this is the reason why preachers aren't in the pulpit this morning talking about you or about me
-- it's because we are not living sold-out lives for Christ -- it is because we are trying to straddle the fence -- to live part of our lives for Christ and part of our lives for the world -- this may be normal for today but it is not normal, Biblical Christianity
-- Jesus didn't say He wanted part of us -- He didn't say, "Follow me on Sundays" -- He didn't say that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with some of your heart and some of your strength and some of your soul -- no, Jesus wants it all -- that's why we sing, "All to Jesus I surrender -- all to Him I freely give -- I will ever love and trust Him -- in His presence daily live"

-- as I close this morning, I want you to stop for a moment and think about what it means to be a normal Christian -- not normal as the world defines -- not normal as we define -- but normal as God defines it
-- all of us fit the definition of a lukewarm Christian from time to time -- all of us have periods in our lives when we are not living for God as we should -- but the call from Christ is to give Him our all -- to make Him the priority -- and to let Him be both Savior and Lord of our lives
-- as we close today, ask God to help you give Him your whole heart -- ask God to help you turn from complacency and from being a lukewarm Christian into a person sold-out for Jesus -- into a person that God can use -- into a person that lives for Him with your whole heart and soul and being
-- and don't just listen to the word of God this morning -- but do something with it -- make a change -- make a difference -- be a world-changer like Hudson Taylor or Mother Teresa or Billy Graham
-- all it takes is a new normal -- all it takes is truly loving the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength
-- don't settle for the same old-same old but rise above it with the power of Christ in your life
-- let us pray