It's not Christmas yet...

Contrary to the traditional expressions of Christmas in our country, beginning with the unofficial Black Thursday/Friday celebrations of commercialism run rampant, and continuing past the ubiquitous Christmas tree hawkers selling on every street corner, hardware store, and specialty shop, Christmas has not arrived.  Nor has the Christmas season arrived, not yet.

This Sunday marks a new season in our Christian calendar, but it is not the Christmas Season, it is the Season of Advent.  Advent means "coming," and this four-week period on the Christian calendar prior to the actual Christmas season was conceived as a time for us to stop and reflect on the miracle of the incarnation and of our condition before Christ was born.  It is a time to think about where we were and who we were and what our future would have been without the birth of a baby in a manger on that first Christmas morn.

Many Christians today do not linger in the Season of Advent, but rush right on past Thanksgiving to Christmas.  But in doing so we miss the longing and the anticipation of what is to come on Christmas Day.  Remember what is was like when you were a child, and it seemed like Christmas would never come?  The presents were wrapped and placed carefully under the tree.  The lights would glisten each night.  Carols would be sung and the family would gather together with each other and friends to celebrate the season.  But the days crawled by.  The anticipation grew.  It seemed as if Christmas morning would never, ever come. 

That feeling, that longing, that utter desire for Christmas from the very soul of your being -- that, my friends, is what the Season of Advent is all about.

As the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 130:5-6, "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning."

Advent is celebrated through different themes each of the four Sundays prior to Christmas Eve.  The first Sunday is hope, the second is peace, the third is joy, and the fourth Sunday is love. 

I want to encourage you to make a change this year, to slow down, to enjoy again the true meaning of this season.  To once again anticipate the coming of Christ and of Christmas as a child.  To see once again through the eyes of a child the magic of Christmas morning.  Don't rush Christmas, but enjoy the time of reflection that is the Season of Advent.

SERMON: THE WATER OF LIFE

19 October 2014

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Isaiah 12:2-3

Isaiah 12:2-3 (NIV)

2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

            -- when I was a kid, we used to watch a lot of westerns on TV -- and, you know, they were always the same -- either they revolved around a lawman in a town who is fighting the bad guys who come into his peaceful little town or else they were about cowboys out on the range, driving cattle across the plains and deserts of the west

            -- good shows and good movies, like Rawhide and Gunsmoke and all those great John Wayne movies

            -- I remember one western in particular -- it was a throwback to the early days of the singing cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and as the cowboys settled down around the campfire after a long day on the range, someone grabbed a guitar and they started playing a song that Marty Robbins made popular back in the 70s -- you might have heard it:

            -- "All day I face the barren waste without the taste of water -- cool water

            -- "Old Dan and I with throats burned dry and souls that cry for water

            -- "Cool, clear, water."

           

            -- there's just something about water that makes you feel alive -- there's just something about water that draws us to it -- I guess because that's one thing we all need to stay alive -- you can survive a long time without food, but you can't go very long without water -- we need water to live

            -- growing up here in the modern south, I never really thought much about water -- we have so much water in the southeast that it's everywhere -- it's a major part of who we are -- our cities and towns are mostly located along rivers and creeks, because our ancestors knew we needed that source of water to live and prosper -- we find bunches of people along the coast -- not just for the beaches -- but because that's where all the fresh water eventually goes -- it's a natural place for people to settle

            -- and with our modern water plants, water is just a turn of the tap away -- water is something we tend to take for granted -- but when you find yourself in a place where water is scarce -- or when you turn the tap and the water doesn't flow -- then we start to panic

            -- I remember what it was like on the Appalachian Trail when I ran out of water on that last day I hiked -- I was already suffering from my oxygen deficit from sleep apnea, and then when I ran out of water because the streams were dry and I got dehydrated, I got in trouble -- if the final shelter that night had been just a few miles more, I'm not sure I could have made it

            -- that's the fear that made Marty Robbins write the song, "Cool Water" -- because to be without water, like that song alludes to, is not a good thing -- it's literally a life or death situation

            -- and in the majority of our world today, people do not have access to clean sources of water, especially in arid areas like Africa and the Middle East -- and it's a major health concern for the people who live there -- there's not only the danger of dying of dehydration, but the danger of dying from sickness and disease because of contaminated water -- so for people like this, the thought of water and where they are going to get their water is never far from their minds

            -- the same was true for the ancient Israelites -- living in the arid region of Israel, water was of primary importance -- the location of springs and wells would be mapped out and guarded -- wars were fought over ownership of wells, because without water, neither the people nor their animals could live -- water was their source of life and they continually prayed to God to provide the rain to fill up their cisterns, to keep their streams and rivers full, to keep them alive

            -- in fact, did you know they even had a special holiday to celebrate the giving of water from God?

II.  Sukkot

            -- the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (pronunciation: SUE coat) -- better known as the Feast of Tabernacles -- ended last Wednesday -- Sukkot is an annual holiday that occurs each fall and lasts for one week -- this year, the Jews celebrated Sukkot from October 8th through October 15th -- and I thought it would be interesting for us to take a look at this holiday in a little more detail, especially in how it relates to water

            -- the thing to remember when we study and discuss Jewish holidays is that they usually have many reasons and meanings for their celebration -- in the case of Sukkot, there is both a historical, agricultural, and spiritual meaning wrapped up with this holiday

            -- Sukkot derives its name from a Hebrew word that means "booths," referring to the temporary structures the Jews lived in while they wandered in the wilderness after leaving Egypt -- so the Jews celebrate this holiday to remember the time their ancestors were in the wilderness

            -- the way they do this is virtually unchanged since biblical times -- the people make booths -- temporary shelters -- that they live in and eat in during the week of Sukkot -- traditionally, the booths were put on the roofs of the homes in Israel -- remember that the roofs of most homes were flat and open to catch the evening breezes, and they would build their booths on the roof and enjoy the pleasant fall evenings under the stars -- now, most Jews build their booths in the backyard -- kind of like backyard camping

            -- according to tradition, the booths must have at least 2-1/2 sides and be made from material that grew from the earth -- tree branches, reeds, corn stalks -- most people now build theirs in panels from wood and then cover the outside with branches and corn stalk to resemble the traditional booths

            -- the people are encouraged to live in the booths during the entire week of Sukkot, but if the weather is bad, they at least try to take all their meals out in the booths

            -- so that's the historical meaning of the holiday -- but, like I said, there is also an agricultural meaning -- Sukkot is a feast of ingathering -- it is a celebration of the fall harvest -- a time to give thanks to God for the bounty He has provided

            -- so once the booths are constructed, they are decorated with symbols of the harvest, like squash and corn and pumpkins -- the decorated booths of Sukkot remind you of Thanksgiving decorations -- they look very similar

            -- in fact, despite what you were taught in school, there is good evidence the pilgrims got their idea of celebrating Thanksgiving from the biblical tradition of Sukkot -- both occur in the fall -- both celebrate the harvest and give thanks to God -- both decorate in similar manners -- both involved meals eaten outside

            -- but the major meaning of the Sukkot holiday I want us to think about is the spiritual meaning -- Sukkot begins five days after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement -- and, as you probably know, Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and of sorrow -- it is a day when you confess yours sins before God -- when you admit you have sinned and you commit to repenting of your sin -- from turning away from evil and turning to God -- it is on Yom Kippur that the annual sacrifice of sin was made for the nation of Israel

            -- but while Yom Kippur is a day of solemnity -- a day of sorrow and seriousness -- it is followed by Sukkot, which is a time of joy and praise and thanksgiving -- for joy must follow repentance as God's grace and mercy washes over us and our relationship with God is restored

            -- one of the events of Sukkot is the Celebration of Water-Drawing and the water offering at the altar -- historically, when sacrifices were made in the temple, wine was offered and poured on the altar as part of the celebration -- during Sukkot, water was also poured over the altar in a special joyful ceremony celebrated with music and dancing and singing all night

            -- on the last day of the Feast of Sukkot, the priests would lead a procession of worshipers to the stream that flowed south of the temple in Jerusalem within the walls of the city -- making their way to the Pool of Siloam, through which the stream flowed

            -- men holding shofars would line the procession route and would sound them loudly as the priests passed along the route and then walked down the steps to the pool -- once there, the priest would kneel at the pool and draw three "logs" of water -- about two quarts -- from the pool

            -- the next morning, the people would gather in the outer court to celebrate the offering of the water -- there were two holes in the altar for liquid offerings -- a larger hole where wine was poured and a smaller hole reserved for the water offering of Sukkot

            -- as the priest approached the altar, he would lift the ceremonial jug high above him so all in the crowd could see, and then he would pour out the water offering on the altar -- as he did that, the people would wave palm branches and shout the words of Psalm 118:25-26:

"Save us, we pray, O LORD!

O LORD, we pray, let us thrive!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

We bless you from the house of the LORD."

            -- the people would also recite the words from Isaiah we opened with this morning -- look back at that passage with me

Isaiah 12:2-3 (NIV)

2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

            -- it's important to note that both of these passages can be considered Messianic -- both of them point to the Messiah -- the Hebrew word for salvation used in the Isaiah passage is Yeshua -- this is also the Hebrew name for Jesus -- in fact, that's probably what He was called when He lived on earth -- we call Him "Jesus" because that is the Latin translation of the Greek form of the Hebrew word "Yeshua" or Joshua

            -- and it's interesting to note the people would wave palm branches and say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," from Psalm 118, just as they did on Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

            -- the tradition of the water offering is not in the Bible, but it is part of the religious tradition of the people of Israel, supposedly passed on from Moses -- the significance of the act is going to the living water of God and drawing deep from His presence and His revelation and His life -- an act made possible following the repentance and restoration of Yom Kippur

Talmud recorded that "one who had never witnessed the Rejoicing at the Place of the Water Drawing had never seen true joy in his life."

            -- if you would, turn over to John 7 and we'll end there -- John 7:37-41

John 7:37-41 (NIV)

37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet."

41 Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee?

            -- when John tells us Jesus stood up on the last and greatest day of the Feast, this would have occurred during the water drawing celebration and offering -- as the people waved their palm branches and recited Messianic passages from Isaiah and the Psalms, Jesus stood up and cried out in a loud voice

            -- this was not just a quiet teaching among His disciples -- He didn't do this as a Bible study while sitting on the steps of the temple -- no, He stood up and in the midst of the crowd -- as the water was being lifted high and the people were celebrating -- Jesus stood up and said, "You are celebrating Me -- that water you are lifting up represents Me -- if anyone is thirsty, come to Me and drink deep -- come to Me, the Living Water, and be refreshed for eternity -- come to Me and drink of Me and streams of Living Water will flow from you"

            -- when the people heard Jesus say this, they recognized God in their midst -- some of them said He was the Prophet promised by Moses -- this Prophet was understood by some to be the prophet who would proceed the coming of the Messiah, while others believed the Prophet to be a description of the Messiah Himself -- we know today it was referring to the Messiah since John the Baptist said he was not the Prophet prophesied by Moses

            -- others heard what Jesus said and they got it right away -- in verse 41 we read these people proclaimed Jesus was the Messiah

            -- this promise Jesus made to the people during the water drawing ceremony and offering -- that if we come and drink of Him we will be filled with rivers of living water -- this promise is true for us today

            -- as George Whitten writes, "Our Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever. -- He did not promise a sprinkling or a tiny stream. -- He promised rivers of living water."

            -- this promise is fulfilled in our lives in two ways -- first, as the passage from Isaiah 12 we opened with said, "with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" -- to come and drink from Jesus, the Living Water, is to draw water from the wells of salvation -- to drink of Jesus is to come to faith in Him as our Lord and Savior -- to trust fully in His atoning death on the cross and His victory over sin proclaimed through His resurrection on the third day

            -- but notice Jesus said this is "living" water -- this water is alive -- it is flowing -- it is rushing -- we have already talked about the fact we need water to live -- cool, clean water -- pure water -- and so we must go back to this fount of living water if we are to remain alive in Christ

            -- one thing His living water does for us is cleanse us of impurity -- as we walk in this world, we continually get dirty -- we pick up filth and evil and sin -- we do things we shouldn't do and they contaminate our souls -- and so we go to the living water and the water washes us clean -- it purifies us from our impurities -- it cleanses us of our unrighteousness

            -- every day, we should go to this living water and drink deep of Jesus -- every day, we should go and drink from His life -- every day, we should renew ourselves with His cool, clean water

            -- let us pray

SERMON: GOD CAME

12 October 2014

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Habakkuk 3:3

Habakkuk 3:3 (NIV)

3 God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth.

            -- this morning, I'm afraid I'm going to have to go all Big Bang Theory on you and display my inner nerd more than normal, for I want to take a moment and tell you about one of my favorite scenes in the movie series, "The Lord of the Rings"

            -- in the second installment of the trilogy, "The Two Towers," there is a pivotal battle that occurs within Helm's Deep at the Hornburg Fortress

            -- the Rohirrim, the horsemen of the plain, have been beseiged by Saruman the White, the evil wizard who is striving for power with Sauron in the western half of Middle Earth

            -- when news arrives that Saruman has amassed an army of over 10,000 orcs, Uruk-hai, and men from the wilds of Middle Earth, to wipe out the Rohirrim from the face of the earth, King Theoden realizes his only chance for survival is to retreat with his 300 remaining warriors and their wives and children to the Hornburg Fortress within the Helm's Deep ravine -- it is here, they hope, they can withstand the brutal onslaught of the forces of Saruman

            -- the mood is not good -- a dark cloud hangs over the entire company as they stream through the gates of the fortress into the dark ravine -- there is only one way in -- there is only one way out -- they know they will not survive unless someone comes to their aid -- unless someone comes and joins the fight with them -- their only chance is to pray for help and to ride out the attack within the fortress until a savior arrives

            -- the wizard Gandalf, who is fighting for what is good and right in Middle Earth, helps lead the people into the fortress -- but before the gates close, he withdraws -- Theoden calls out to him, "Are you leaving us in our time of distress? -- are you drawing away and leaving us defenseless? -- Are you not going to stay and fight for us?"

            -- to which Gandalf replies, "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day -- at dawn, look to the East" -- and with that, he rides away, leaving the Rohirrim to their fate

            -- the battle is fierce -- for four days, the Rohirrim stood firm against overwhelming odds -- fighting the army of Saruman from within the safety of the walls of their fortress -- but despite the valiant efforts of these warriors, on the fourth night the army of Saruman manages to break through the defenses of the fortress and breach the walls, something that has never happened in the history of this fortress

            -- Theoden and his remaining warriors retreat with their women and children to the deepest sanctuary within the fortress -- they all know the end is approaching -- they all know they have no hope -- they are all doomed to death

            -- rather than waiting for death within the walls of the fortress, Theoden and the Rohirrim decide to go out and face their fate in the open -- taking the fight, as futile as it may be, to the battlefield outside the gate -- so in the darkness before the dawn, they mount up on their horses and ride through the date, attacking Saruman's army as they ride forth

            -- they are surrounded on each side by the enemy -- there is no help -- there is only darkness and danger and death -- there is no hope -- but at that very moment, the sun rises in the east -- and as the rays of light shine forth over the ravine of Helm's Deep, they recall Gandalf's words, "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day -- at dawn look to the East"

            -- and as they lift their hopeless eyes to the east -- to the rising sun -- they see Gandalf mounted on a stunning white stallion -- sword lifted in defiance against Saruman's army -- and surrounded by an army of 2000 men of his own

            -- Gandalf and his men ride into the battle, and with the help of the supernatural Fangorn Forest and their Ent keepers, the battle is turned and Saruman is defeated and the Rohirrim are victorious

II.  Scripture Lesson -- Habakkuk 3:3

            -- how like our lives is this story of the battle of Helm's Deep -- for it is a portrait of our common experience as humans on this fallen plain

            -- into all our lives, conflict and trials and troubles come -- many times our situation looks dire -- many times we look at our lives and we see ourselves surrounded by darkness and death and despair, with no chance of survival -- with no way out -- and so we retreat within ourselves, hoping to just survive

            -- we eventually reach the conclusion there is nothing we can do to make the situation better -- there is nothing we can do to save the day

            -- and at times like this we have no option but to cry out for help -- to cry out for salvation -- to cry out for a Savior

            -- the prophet Habakkuk certainly understood this well -- not much is known about him -- unlike the other prophets, he offers no biographical information -- we don't know where he is from, nor the time period in which he writes -- we only know his name

            -- but perhaps that is all we are meant to know, because as the anonymous prophet, he speaks for the entire human race when he questions the evil and violence in our land -- when he asks why a God who can do something about it seemingly chooses to just stand by and not act

            -- Habakkuk writes that he calls out to God with cries of violence and injustice -- of destruction and wickedness -- but yet God does not act

            -- he questions why God tolerates the treacherous and is silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves

            -- he asks those questions we ask of God ourselves in the deepest part of our being when we are faced with a darkness too great to bear

            -- finally, after corresponding with God about his fears and frustrations, Habakkuk reaches the point we all must reach in our lives as well -- the point of faith -- where we trust in God despite our situation -- where we trust in Him to save us even though we don't understand what is going on or why this is happening in our lives -- where we look through our darkness to the East, trusting that the Lord will come with salvation in His hand at just the right time and in just the right way

            -- here in Habakkuk 3:3, we see the prophet reaching this point in his understanding of faith after his crisis of belief

            -- let's look together at this verse again and let's see what we can learn from the endpoint of Habakkuk's journey of faith -- verse 3

Habakkuk 3:3 (NIV)

3 God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth.

           

            -- out of all the prophet Habakkuk has written in this book, I would argue that none is more important than the first two words of this verse -- "God came"

            -- God came -- when Habakkuk had his back against the wall -- when he did not understand God's purpose in allowing the evil and violence to come against the people of Israel -- when he cried out for answers, God came

            -- with those two words, Habakkuk reminded the Israelites of their sojourn in Egypt -- how they cried out for deliverance from the bonds of slavery, and God came, freeing them from the Pharaoh's hands

            -- with those two words, Habakkuk reminded the Israelites of the time their backs were against the Red Sea with the Egyptian army bearing down on them, seemingly with no way out -- no where to go -- and God came -- and the Red Sea parted and they were delivered from the Egyptian army

            -- with those two words, Habakkuk reminded the Israelites of the time God came to them at Mount Sinai, entering into a covenant with the nation and telling them He was their God and they were His people

            -- with those two words, Habakkuk reminded the Israelites of the time the nation massed on the Jordan River at flood stage, ready to cross into the Promised Land, but knowing how -- and God came and parted the river and the Israelites entered the Land

            -- with those two words, Habakkuk reminded the Israelites of the time they faced overwhelming odds in their battles against the inhabitants of Canaan -- when it looked as if they would not be powerful enough to overcome Jericho and the other strongholds in the land -- but God came and the walls fell down and the people took possession of the land

            -- and with those two words, Habakkuk reminded the Israelites that even though they faced a time that looked as dark and as hopeless as those, God would come again -- His great light would shine on them -- His grace and mercy would fall upon them -- and, just as He had done in the past, He would rescue them again

           

            -- Habakkuk borrowed the first part of this verse from Moses' blessing of the Israelites from Deut 33:2, but he made some significant modifications -- Moses wrote, "The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir. He shone forth from Mount Paran"

            -- Habakkuk wrote, "God came from Teman," substituting Teman for Sinai

            -- for the people of Israel, Sinai was symbolic of the Law of God and God's covenant with the people -- however, the people had corrupted the intent of God's law, and had reduced it to mindless obedience apart from faith -- in other words, they followed the letter of the law through legalism and mindless obedience -- their lips gave service to God -- but their hearts were distant -- it was for that reason the people were being subjected to the violence and destruction Habakkuk questioned -- it was for that reason God was allowing the Babylonians to exact His wrath on the nation

            -- so Habakkuk replaces Moses' reference to Sinai with Teman -- pointing to another Law and another Lawgiver -- the Law of love and grace that was put into effect through the body and blood of Jesus

            -- Teman was a city in Edom, east of Israel -- the point Habakkuk is trying to get across here is when life is at its darkest -- when it seems all hope is lost -- we should turn our eyes to the East, knowing that God rises like the sun and shines His light and love and salvation on us

            -- similarly, Habakkuk writes the Holy One comes from Mount Paran -- just like Teman, Paran was also in Edom, east of Israel -- this mountain was important to the people of Israel -- after the Israelites were rescued from Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness, following God's presence in the cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night -- for a period of time, God had them rest from their wandering in the Desert of Paran

            -- it was here they saw the Glory of the Lord shine around them -- it was here they experienced His presence among them just as Moses had experienced it alone on Mt. Sinai

            -- by replacing Sinai with Teman and reminding the people of their experience in the Desert of Paran, Habakkuk is pointing the Israelites to the dawning of a new day -- of the coming of the Messiah -- he is pointing to the cross and to the Light of the world and he tells the people of Israel to not give up hope -- to trust in the Lord for His deliverance from sin and death and destruction

            -- Habakkuk also modified Moses' blessing when he added the phrase, "the Holy One," to this verse -- this term, "The Holy One," is another name for God and it points to God as the source of all holiness and righteousness -- it is a reminder to us that holiness and righteousness only comes through Him

            -- as the Apostle Paul said, all our works and deeds are as filthy rags when compared to the holiness of God -- what we think is good and holy and right is no where close to the true holiness of the Savior

            -- Paul's point was made clear to me one day when Kim went bought me some new t-shirts -- I had some white shirts in the dresser that had been recently washed -- and they looked clean and white and bright until I compared them to the new shirts she had bought me -- and I saw that what I thought was white was actually dull and gray -- that's the way it is when we try to compare our good works and our righteousness to the holiness of God

            -- but we are told in Scripture to be holy as God is holy -- and as Habakkuk points out here, the only way for us to be holy is to trust in the Holy One -- to take on His righteousness -- when we come to faith in Jesus -- when we turn from legalism and religion and the ways of this world and put our faith and trust in Him, then His righteousness and holiness is imparted to us -- our dull, grey shirts -- our dull, grey acts of goodness -- are covered by His gleaming white robe of holiness

            -- God comes and the Holy One shines and we are made holy as He is holy

            -- if you'll notice in your Bible, the term selah appears right in the middle of this verse -- selah is a musical term we think denotes a rest -- a pause -- in a song or Psalm -- you typically see it before something changes in the tune, such as a change in cadence or rhythm

            -- as a general rule, you never see selah written in the middle of a verse -- it always appears at the end of a passage, as a pause between thoughts -- in all of the usages of the word selah in the Bible, there are only three instances of this occurring in the middle of a verse, with one of them being this passage in the Book of Habakkuk

            -- here it must be taken as more than just a note to the musician -- I believe it is introduced as a prophetic thought -- I think Habakkuk is trying to get across the message that before God acts -- before God comes -- there is a pause -- a breath -- a stillness that appears

            -- it is like that moment we have all experienced when we've been outside and see a thunderstorm approaching -- for just a moment, it seems like the whole world pauses -- the wind stops -- nature is silent -- and then the storm comes and we see it in all its power and force -- the lightning and thunder and downpour

            -- I think that's the feeling Habakkuk is trying to evoke here -- that when it seems as if all is lost -- when it seems that the conflict is too large for us -- that there is a pause -- a moment -- as Creation prepares itself for the coming of God

            -- we see this in Genesis 1, as the universe waited for the Creator to speak life into existence

            -- and we see this in the New Testament, in the moment before Christ dies on the cross of Calvary, the world holds its breath -- there is a pause and then Jesus dies -- and then new life is spoken into existence as victory over sin and death has been accomplished

            -- so Habakkuk has us pause here on the threshold of destruction to consider the coming of the Lord -- and as this verse closes, we see the glory of God covering the heavens and creation responding by filling the earth with praise

III.  Closing

            -- going back to the story of the battle at Helm's Deep from the Lord of the Rings, I think it's important to note that Tolkien wrote this passage during World War II, as the darkness of Germany and the evil forces of Hitler were exacting their fury against Great Britain and the people of London retreated inside their strongholds to survive the bombing onslaught

            -- and although his books would not be published until after the war, I think Tolkien may have been writing to himself in this passage -- as he looked out upon the devastation and violence and destruction of his way of life -- as he recognized the very survival of his country and his people hanged in the balance -- he also realized that hope is never truly lost -- and as the country rallied around its leaders and stood against the evil of Hitler's regime, Tolkien looked with hopeful eyes for the salvation and deliverance of his nation

            -- that is the message of the prophet Habakkuk in this verse -- there is always hope in the midst of whatever surrounds us because there is always God -- God promises to never leave us or forsake us -- He is the God who was and is and is to come -- and through faith we can look for salvation and deliverance from all that afflicts us -- through faith we can survive -- through faith we should look to the Messiah and trust in the dawning of a new day through His grace and mercy

            -- let us pray

SERMON: RAPTURE READY

5 October 2014

I.  Introduction

      -- turn in Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

      -- now flip over to 1 Corinthians 15:50-54

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NIV)

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--

52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

      -- when I was living in Tennessee in 1995, I was browsing in a Christian bookstore for something new to read when I stumbled across a book called Left Behind that had just been published -- the cover had actually attracted my attention -- so I picked it up and read the publisher's summary teaser on the back cover -- the book was supposed to be a fast-paced thriller about the events of the Book of Revelation, a subject that had always intrigued me since I had read Hal Lindsey's seminal work The Late Great Planet Earth

      -- growing up, no one talked about the Book of Revelation -- it was the one book in the Bible that no one in the church mentioned -- it was a mystery to us -- with scary beasts and fearsome creatures and horrific accounts of the suffering on earth in the last days -- no one understood it, so no one talked about it -- no one preached about it -- and certainly, no one wrote about it, even though it was a message to us from Jesus Himself about what was going to happen on earth at the end of time

      -- and now here was this fiction book that offered to explain the Book of Revelation in a fictional manner while being true to the Bible's message -- so I left the store with the book Left Behind in a paper bag

      -- I had no idea at the time what a journey I was beginning with this book -- it took about a year or so, but all of a sudden, the Left Behind series took off and captured the attention of an entire nation -- the books became extremely popular, with three of the books in the series making it to number 1 on the New York Times Best-Seller's List, absolutely unheard of for a Christian book -- it had never happened before

      -- in the early 2000's these books were all anyone talked about in church or in evangelical circles -- the series just became so popular and so controversial that everyone was reading them and talking about them and either loving them or rebuking them

      -- three low-budget movies starring Kirk Cameron were made, but didn't do well at the box office -- and several spin-off series were written for teens and other target audiences

      -- regardless of what you thought about the message of the books, the Left Behind series was a phenomenal success and continues to impact our country today

      -- just this weekend, a new movie based on the series and starring Nicholas Cage was released at the box office -- so since the teachings captured in the Left Behind series and movie will probably be the topic of discussion at the water cooler once again, I thought it might be fitting to talk this morning about the seminal event of the movie and the book -- the rapture of the church which ushers in the events of the Book of Revelation

      -- now before we really get started, let me make sure you understand that this is one of the most controversial subjects in the church today -- the teachings offered by Tim LaHaye, one of the authors of the Left Behind series, and others such as Hal Lindsey -- which offer a literal understanding and interpretation of the events of the Book of Revelation -- are not accepted by all Christians

      -- some in the church reject these interpretations as misguided and incorrect -- some of these who disagree with the teachings of Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey say the Book of Revelation is not a prophetic book, but instead a coded picture of the events occurring in Rome during the Apostle John's lifetime -- in other words, they contend the events of the Book of Revelation have already occurred and are not future events

      -- others believe the Book of Revelation is simply a picture of the grand sweep of history, showing the rise and fall of nations and the advent of the Christian faith through the symbols and messages given by John in this book

      -- finally, others see the Book of Revelation as simply an allegory of our spiritual lives -- a story or an illustration given by John to describe our struggles with good and evil in our lives which should not be taken literally

      -- I believe in a literal understanding of all Scripture, including the Book of Revelation, which puts me into the literal, fundamentalist camp -- as a scientist, I was taught the principle of Occam's razor, which says the simplest explanation with the fewest assumptions is usually correct -- applying this to biblical interpretation, this means when you read the Bible, you accept the message that has been given as literally and as faithfully as possible, which is the direction the Left Behind series takes with the events of the Book of Revelation

      -- so this morning, we're going to talk about the rapture of the church with that understanding -- and even if you fall into one of the other camps when it comes to interpreting the Book of Revelation, at least you'll have an understanding of the literal, fundamentalist position so you can speak to it at the water cooler or at school tomorrow when the topic of the Nicholas Cage Left Behind movie comes up

II.  What is the rapture?

      -- now, as I said, the seminal event of the Left Behind movie revolves around the rapture of the church -- so what is the rapture? -- you may have heard that term before, but not really understood what it was talking about

      -- basically, the rapture is a description of the moment when Christ returns for His church -- at some point in the future, Jesus will come back and call the church to come meet Him in the clouds, leaving the unbelievers behind -- this is how the Left Behind book begins

      -- the book opens with the unexplained disappearance of passengers on an airliner -- the flight attendant notices several passengers are missing from their seats, but their clothes are left behind -- and neither she nor the pilot have any inkling as to why they have disappeared -- when they finally land the plane and make their way into the airport, they quickly learn these disappearances have occurred world-wide -- people just vanished into mid-air with no explanation at all -- this is Tim LaHaye's idea of what the rapture is going to look like

      -- now if you do a search in your Bible for the word rapture, you're not going to find it -- the word is not in the Bible, but it is a biblical term -- and the idea -- the picture of the rapture -- is given to us here in 1 Thessalonians 4 and in other places in the Bible

      -- let's look at this passage and see what we can learn from Paul about the rapture and what happens to Christians at the beginning of the events of the Book of Revelation

      -- look back at 1 Thessalonians 4 and let's see what Paul has to say about the rapture

      -- look back at verse 13 with me

1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 (NIV)

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

      -- when Paul talks in this verse about the believers who have fallen asleep, he's using a metaphor for death -- in other words, Paul is talking about believers who have died -- there was a false teaching going on in the church at Thessalonica at this time that said believers were going to live until Christ returned -- so when some of the believers died, the members of the church were confused and didn't understand what was happening -- some were even teaching that these people who died were not true believers and were not saved and that's why they died -- so Paul addresses their concerns in this passage

      -- he tells them, I don't want you to be ignorant of what happens when you die -- and I don't want you to grieve like the rest of the world who has no hope -- death for a believer is not the end -- it is only the beginning

      -- so real quick, let's address that question -- what happens when you die? -- the Bible teaches that if you are a believer in Christ -- if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and put your trust in Him for your salvation and live in repentance and obedience to His teachings -- then when you die, you will immediately go to be with the Lord

      -- Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:8, to be absent from the body is to be with Christ -- and when Jesus spoke to the thief on the cross, He promised him he would be with Jesus in paradise that very day -- so when a believer dies, their spirit goes immediately to be with the Lord -- they're going to go to heaven before those of us who are still alive -- and, when Jesus returns, He's going to bring these believers back with Him

      -- for that reason, we should not grieve like the rest of the world -- that's Paul's message to the church at Thessalonica in these first three verses

      -- he's telling the church, "Don't worry about your loved ones who died in Christ -- they've already gone ahead -- they're already in heaven -- and when Jesus comes back, He's going to bring them with Him"

      -- verse 16

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV)

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

      -- and here we see the rapture of the church -- at some point in the future -- and I want to say the very near future -- Christ will return to earth to claim His church and take them from the earth to be in heaven with Him

      -- now there's two things that are going to happen at the rapture -- first, the dead in Christ will rise -- now that can be a little confusing -- I just told you when a believer in Christ dies, they immediately go to heaven to be with the Lord -- and we just read in verse 14 that God will bring these believers with Jesus when He returns -- so if the dead in Christ are already with Jesus, then why do we read here they rise first?

      -- hold your place here and turn over the 1 Corinthians 15:50

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NIV)

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--

52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

      -- now we see what's going on -- when someone dies, their spirit goes to heaven but their mortal, perishable body stays behind -- that's what we bury -- that's what we see at funerals -- their spirits are gone, but their bodies remain

      -- but when Christ returns to call His church home, He is preparing us for the new heaven and the new earth that will be created at the end of the Book of Revelation -- and to live in the new heaven and the new earth, we need a new body -- an imperishable, immortal body -- we were not made to go through eternity as spirits, but as spirits within a body

      -- this is what Paul is talking about in this passage in 1 Corinthians 15 -- when we read here in verse 52 that the dead will be raised imperishable -- and when we read over in 1 Thessalonians 4 that the dead in Christ will rise first -- what Paul is telling us is that the new imperishable, immortal bodies of those who have died will rise to join with their spirits in the clouds -- in other words, when Jesus comes back, we will be given our new bodies -- those who have died will be given their bodies first, and then those of us who are still alive, will be changed into our immortal, imperishable bodies next -- in the twinkling of an eye -- that is the second thing that happens during the rapture

      -- go back to 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 16 -- the dead in Christ rise first -- they are given their new bodies that join together with their spirits in the clouds

      -- then, verse 17, we who are still alive and are left will be transformed and given our new bodies in the twinkling of an eye and we will join them in the clouds as we meet the Lord and live with Him forever

      -- that is the rapture of the church -- at that moment, every believer in Christ -- those who have already died and those who are still alive -- will be in heaven with Jesus -- there will be no believers left on earth -- the only people left on earth are those people who do not believe in Jesus or have not made a personal decision to follow Jesus and accept Him as their Lord and Savior -- these people are "left behind"

      -- so where does the term rapture come from? -- in verse 17 Paul says that those who are alive will be "caught up" together with them in the clouds -- the Greek word for caught up is harpazo, which literally means to snatch up, to claim for one's self eagerly

      -- when the Bible was translated into Latin, the Greek word harpazo was translated as raptus -- raptus became rapture in English -- so while the word rapture may not technically be in the Bible, it comes from this passage and is a translation from the term "caught up" from Greek to Latin to English

     

III.  What does this mean to us?

            -- so let's bring this home and let's talk for a moment as we close about what all this means to us

            -- verse 18

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (NIV)

18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

            -- Paul closes his comments about the rapture by telling the Thessalonians to use his message to encourage each other -- they no longer had to worry about what happened to their friends and family who died in Christ -- they could take comfort and encouragement in the knowledge that their loved ones were already with Jesus in heaven -- and they could take hope in the promise of Christ that He was going to return for them, as well -- that one day all believers, those who had died in Him and those who were still alive, were going to go to live with Him forever

            -- so the promise of eternal life -- of a new imperishable, immortal body and everlasting life with God Himself -- this was the promise that Paul said should encourage the church as they sought to live out their faith in their homes and their communities

            -- so the promise of the rapture is a source of encouragement to us

            -- it is also a source of purpose -- a source of mission -- knowing the truth of God's word and His promise of everlasting life -- knowing that those who are not Christians are going to be left behind to face the wrath of the Tribulation Period -- should spur us on to tell others the good news of Jesus

            -- one of the purposes of the church -- one of its primary purposes -- is to tell others the good news of Christ's death and resurrection and to point them to the cross of salvation -- unfortunately, not many of us are doing that -- statistics show that the majority of Christians today have never witnessed to anyone else about their faith or shared with anyone else the plan of salvation

            -- knowing the promise of God and the fate of those left behind should make us want to share the good news of Christ and should be a source of purpose in our lives

            -- finally, knowing about the rapture is a source of warning -- it's like a smoke alarm that wakes you up in the middle of the night to let you know you're in a dangerous situation

            -- the Bible teaches the rapture can happen at any moment -- in the gospel of Luke, Luke 17:34-35, Jesus said, "on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left -- Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left." -- when Jesus comes back, He is going to come like a thief in the night, when no is expecting Him

            -- Adrian Rogers once said there is nothing left on the prophetic timetable before the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church -- it could happen tomorrow -- it could happen today -- it could happen right now, in the next several moments -- we don't know

            -- the question is: "Are you rapture ready?" -- are you ready for the rapture? -- are you ready to be caught up with the Lord? -- or are you one of those who are going to be left behind?

            -- to be rapture ready means you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior -- it means you believe in Him as the Son of God -- you trust in His atoning death on the cross of Calvary and have asked Him to forgive you of your sins and to be your Lord and Savior and you are living a life of repentance and obedience in Christ

            -- if you have done that, you have no worries -- you are ready for the rapture -- but, if you haven't, you might really want to put some thought into your eternal destination -- because you're either in or you're out -- and only you can make that choice

            -- so let me close now with a word of prayer -- and let me encourage you to spend some more time reading this passage and the passage from 1 Corinthians 15 this week to give the Holy Spirit time to speak to your heart

                -- let's pray

THOUGHTS ON A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION

Leviticus 19:34 (NIV)
³⁴ The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.


On Thursday, 20 November, President Obama announced his intent to sign an Executive Order authorizing sweeping changes in the United States policies towards illegal immigrants, primarily by granting a waiver of deportation for certain categories of immigrants.  This move, he said, was precipitated by the lack of Congressional action on the issue.  Not surprisingly, Republican leaders in the country lambasted the President's actions as unauthorized and damaging to the country.

As a pastor I have had the occasion to speak on a variety of contentious topics, ranging from divorce to homosexuality to adultery and pornography.  But the most vocal responses and negative criticism I received from any message I ever gave in the pulpit came when I spoke about the immigration issue several years ago.  The State of Georgia, where I reside, was proposing a law similar to that recently passed in Arizona, which would make it a crime to aid or assist an illegal immigrant in any form or fashion.  As the law read at the time, if I stopped to assist someone on the side of the road with a flat tire and that person turned out to be an illegal immigrant, I could be charged with a crime in the State of Georgia, which I thought was unjust.  When I spoke out against this law from the pulpit, I was harshly criticized by some in the church for this stance.

From my perspective, the issue of immigration in the United States has gotten more contentious since I preached that message several years ago.  The events of 9-11 and the threat of terrorism within our borders has caused this issue to become a rallying cry for some in our country, and rightly so. As I said in my earlier sermon, I favor strong borders and the process of legal immigration.  But, at the same time, we have a responsibility as Christians to minister to all in our country, whether citizens or not.  I have been disappointed in the lack of Christian response and discussion on this issue from the prominent Christian leaders in our country, and I have been disappointed in how love of country has been so intertwined with Christianity in this regard.

So I'm asking this question to generate discussion:  How should we respond to the issue of illegal immigration from a Christian perspective?

Here are a few thoughts of my own:

1.  We need to separate nationalism from Christian faith.

There is a tendency in the United States to intertwine our religion with nationalism, meaning we equate being a United States citizen with Christianity.  In other words, we equate loyalty to the state synonymous with loyalty to Christ, but that is not the case.  Supporting a particular country's political doctrine runs counter to the Bible's message that we are aliens and strangers in this world.  Our loyalty should be first and foremost to the Kingdom of God and not to our country or any political system or political party.  Jesus' actions on earth were an affront to the religious and political leaders in His day, and the church has historically stood against the policies of political leaders when they were deemed incongruent with God's law or injust.  We must do the same and divorce our political stance in the case of strong borders and immigration from our faith in Christ if we seek to be obedient to His commands in this case.

2.  We need to search God's word and seek His guidance on our interactions with illegal immigrants.

It is one thing to support securing the borders of our country and mandating legal immigration (which I do) versus withholding basic human care of people within our borders.  The Bible clearly tells us we have a mandate to minister to the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the aliens and strangers living in our land.  Leviticus 19:34 (NIV) says, "The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."  No amount of political spin can change the basic meaning of this verse, and this is not the only verse in the Bible where we are commanded to love and take care of aliens and strangers. 

This is where nationalism and Christianity diverge, for if we are Christians, we are also aliens and strangers in the land in which we live.  Our home is not of this world, but of the Kingdom of God, and we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves, regardless of who they are or their legal status in our country.  To demand the withholding of basic human rights from an illegal immigrant by a Christian is the same as saying we will love our neighbors, but only those neighbors we like, not the Samaritans in our midst.  

Does that mean we should expect our country to take care of illegal immigrants?  No.  Does that mean we should mandate our taxes pay for the college tuition of illegal immigrants? No.  But it does mean the church of Christ in this country has a mandate to take care of the basic human needs of those who live with us within the borders of our country:  food, water, clothing, and housing.  Should we expect the Government to take care of it?  No.  That is not the Government's responsibility or their mandate -- the Bible's commands are not to a political state.  The Bible's commands are to Christians.

3.  We need to question the reason for the increase in illegal immigration.

Brother Andrew preached a message about the Russian invasion of Poland.  As many fled the country to the west, Brother Andrew drove into the nation carrying a carload of Bibles.  When he visited a church in that country to address their concerns over the occupation, he pointed out the occupation may be a result of their own disobedience.  It may be, he said, your failure to go into Russia and evangelize the Russians that led God to allow them to come here. If you wouldn't go to them, God would send them here so they might hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

Why are our borders busting with illegal immigration?  Is it only the promise of material and financial wealth and freedom?  I think not.  I truly believe God is drawing people to this country to allow them to hear the good news of Jesus Christ from the people in this country who have refused to minister to those outside our border.  Certainly, the people streaming across our border are not coming because of the gospel.  But I do believe God is allowing this immigration pulse to occur in order to reach people with His word.  God's focus, first and foremost, is eternal and not temporal.  Ours should be as well.

There is an economic term called "remittances" -- this is the transfer of money from one country to another through individual workers.  It is one of the criticisms of President Obama's recent Executive Order since it allows the flow of resources from our country to transfer from illegal immigrants working here back to their native country.  But I contend there are also spiritual remittances.  In other words, spiritual resources obtained in the United States can also transfer back to the illegal immigrants native country.

For instance, let's say I minister to an illegal alien working at a job here in America.  I give them clothing and food and assistance in living in Christ's name.  And I share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ, leading them to receive Jesus' offer of forgiveness and eternal life through His atoning death on the cross.  That illegal alien is now a brother in Christ.  Now let's say this illegal alien has family members in his native country.  As he works and lives here, he sends home money and other resources he obtains here.  But as he speaks with them and shares with them about his life here, he also shares the life-changing power of the gospel, and through his witness, his family comes to true faith in Jesus Christ.  A spiritual remittance has taken place.

What impact can the presence of illegal immigrants have on the kingdom of God?  It can be enormous, IF the church steps up and fulfills our mandate to minister to the aliens and strangers among us and share with them the love of Christ.  Our simple witness to a neighbor, although an illegal immigrant, can result in a ripple of salvation and life-transforming grace through an entire nation.  Revivals have started with less than this.

So here's where I stand on the issue of illegal immigration:

1.  I believe we should secure our borders to minimize the risk of terrorism and the importation of crime.

2.  I believe we should allow legal immigration to occur in accordance with the policies of the United States.  Our country was built through legal immigration, and we should continue to support the immigration of people to our great land.

3.  I do not believe it is feasible or even humanly possible to deport all of the illegal aliens currently in America.  It just can't happen.  It makes good political rhetoric, but it is an impossibility.

4.  Given we will always have illegal immigrants in this country in some form or fashion, I believe it is time for the Christian community to stand up and be obedient to the call of Christ to minister to them, as well as the poor, the orphans, and the widows in our midst.  It is not the job of the nation to do this.  It is not their responsibility to take care of non-citizens.  But it is the responsibility of Christians to minister to our neighbors, regardless of race, class, gender, or national status.

5.  Our focus in ministering to illegal aliens should ALWAYS have a spiritual component.  True, we must help take care of their basic human needs, but their greatest need is salvation through Jesus Christ.

6.  We must submit to the authority of our country to the greatest extent possible and support political leaders whose views we ascribe to, but we must never compromise our spiritual beliefs to nationalism.  In other words, we follow the law as far as it is possible without violating the commands of God.  If the law of the land says you cannot hire an illegal immigrant, then I don't believe Christians have a mandate to do so.  However, this law does not preclude us from assisting them by providing basic human needs and helping them to move from an illegal to a legal status, even if that means temporary deportation to allow for a return through legal channels.

How do we respond from a Christian perspective on this issue of illegal immigration?  You've heard my thoughts.  Now what are yours?