The other day as I was headed for work, I saw a strange sight indeed. Three wood storks were standing on the edge of a small pond near our house, two of them standing together and the third on the other side of the pond. Now, in and of itself, seeing woodstorks is a remarkable treat in south Georgia. These are endangered species who have declined precipitously in recent years and can most reliably be seen only along the coast and in Florida. But what made the sight so strange was the fact that they were here when they were -- in mid-January.
Wood storks are migratory and spend the colder winter months in central Florida and regions south, not in south Georgia. They typically come up here in late March and stay until the weather starts to turn cooler again in September and October. As I drove by, I thought to myself that I knew exactly what those wood storks were thinking: "Man, it's cold out here! Whose bright idea was it to leave Florida and come north so early?" And, I guessed, it must have been the bright idea of the lone woodstork who was on the other side of the pond, distant from his relatives.
As I thought about that all day, a not-too-uncommon analogy with the modern church popped into my mind. How like those woodstorks are we? When someone makes a mistake, sins against us, disagrees in a church board meeting, or just otherwise enters into conflict with us, how often do we respond as the two woodstorks did? How often do we isolate the offender, refusing to allow them to have any part of fellowship with us? Oh, we probably won't kick them out of church (assuming this is where the conflict took place). We'd still welcome them in, but just like the woodstorks, we'd assume a cold shoulder and keep our distance even though we're all standing around the same pond (church).
I think this tendency in ourselves negates one of the biggest arguments against Christianity that I hear. When I witness to people and tell them the simple plan of salvation, that through faith, by grace, and not by works, they can come to see their sins forgiven and enter into eternal life with God, invariably I will have some tell me, "That can't work. It's too simple. You have to do more." In their minds, believing in Christ alone for salvation is too easy. "Forgiveness of sins demands more," they reason. "We have to do something. We can't let Jesus do it all." And so they rush around, trying to be holy, trying to be good, so they might earn their way into heaven.
But, when you think about it, whose tenet is actually the hardest to follow? The Christians who say all you have to do is believe in Christ, or those who feel you have to add something to Christ's death on the cross? I would contend it is the Christians, for it seems to be relatively simple to imagine working your way to heaven. Just ask the Pharisees. All you have to do is come up with a list of rights and wrongs, and make sure that at the end of the day, the number of rights that you did outweighed the number of wrongs. Or, if you want to get fancy, weight the rights and the wrongs and make their importance vary considering the holiness or sinfulness of the act. This way, since murder is so heinous, you know you have to do more than just help an old lady across the street to make up for it. You might have to help five old ladies.
This, in my mind, is simple. It meets all the criteria for goals that we have preached to us in church and in our secular jobs. It is definable. It is quantifiable. It is measurable. And, at the end of the day, you know exactly where you stand. Simple strategy for salvation.
But, the proponents of this don't see it that way. "It's much harder to live holy than it is to just believe in Jesus. Believing in Jesus is too easy. That can't be right." But, there's the rub. They are wrong. Believing in Jesus is not easy, and we can see that clearly demonstrated in the way we relate to others. Believing in Jesus means more than just knowledge that Jesus lived and died and was resurrected. The Bible tells us that even the demons believe that. Believing in Jesus means, not only do you know Jesus lived and died, but you are placing your trust in His death and resurrection. You are admitting that there is no other way but through Him, and you are putting all of your eggs in one basket, as it were. This sounds simple, but the hard part comes in actually living out your belief.
Just this past week, one of the most Godly men I know came to me and confessed that he had unforgiveness in his heart. "I just can't forgive this person. I know I'm supposed to, but I just can't." And, that is what makes believing in Christ so much more difficult than earning your way to heaven. Believing in Christ means that you not only trust His death and resurrection for your salvation, but that you allow Him to live in you and work through so that your relations with others mirror His relation with you. It means that you trust that the same blood that forgave you of your sins can also forgive another. It means more than just living a holy life on your own and doing more good than bad, it means trusting in the power of Christ to turn the curse of sin from all. When we can't forgive others, we are saying more about what we believe about Christ than anything else.
People do horrible things in life. They commit sins and violent acts against us and against God. But, as Christians, we are called to hate the sin and not the sinner. To love them into fellowship, to point them to the One who can cleanse them of every sin, no matter how vile, no matter how great in our eyes. To believe that Jesus has cleansed them of their sin. And to live in harmony and unity with all of our brothers and sisters. Anyone who thinks this is easy is just fooling themselves. All you have to do is go to a church board meeting, or hear the subcurrents of conflict rippling among the congregation, and you will quickly discover that to live this way -- to live life truly believing in Christ -- is the hardest thing you can do.
The path to salvation is easy, at least for us. Jesus walked that path for us. He paid the price with His own body and blood. But He is calling us to follow Him, to receive His free gift, and to live in that gift in our relationship with others. Not easy. Not simple. But possible through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
When I got home that day, I drove again past the pond with the woodstorks. The sun had come out and the temperatures had warmed slightly. And I smiled inside as I saw those three woodstorks again, this time all three standing in one group, fishing happily in the waters of that little pond. Oh, that we might be as forgiving as they. Oh, that we might believe as they.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
SERMON: YOUR DEFINING MOMENT
Preached by Gregory W. Lee
14 January 2007
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 2
1. On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2. and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4. "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
5. His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6. Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
9. and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
10. and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11. This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
-- this morning, we are going to talk about defining moments -- those moments in our life that change us -- move us -- define who and what we are about -- our lives are made up of many of these, but there will usually be one major defining moment that sets the pace of our life or that changes who we are or what we are doing
-- let me give you an example from my own life -- after I got saved, who I was changed, but what I was doing didn't drastically change -- I still played at going to church -- I still played at reading the Bible -- I'd go through periods of time when I would go to church a lot -- when I would pray and read the Bible a lot -- but then I'd have periods where I wouldn't
-- this continued even after I got married until the time we moved up to Tennessee -- in 1997, I was invited to attend a Promise Keepers event at the University of Tennessee -- and that event was my defining moment -- God touched me through the speakers and through the singing and through the fellowship with 40,000 other men in that place
-- I recommitted my life to the Lord that day and I began to get serious about God - - I started really getting in the word -- I got heavily involved in Bible Study Fellowship and I started really trying to live for God -- I can tell you that I am standing behind this pulpit today because of my own personal defining moment -- the time when I was touched through the Promise Keepers event
-- another term that we use for these defining moments is an "epiphany" -- as we said last week when we celebrated the Day of Epiphany, an epiphany is when something is revealed or made known or shown -- so, an epiphany is that moment -- that defining moment -- when who or what you are is revealed or made known
-- in the church, we use this season of Epiphany to examine and celebrate the ways Christ was made known in the Bible -- the ways His divinity and His glory and His majesty were revealed in His life -- and we look at ways we can continue to make Him known in our day
-- this passage from John is one of those defining moments in the life of Christ -- it's a passage that all of us probably know really well -- even non-Christians can tell you that Jesus turned water to wine -- we even joke about it
-- I remember hearing a joke about this priest who is pulled over by the cops for weaving on the road -- when the cop came to the door, he asked the priest, "Have you been drinking?" -- the priest replied, "No sir, I've just been sipping water from this thermos" -- the cop said, "Let me see that thermos" -- and he took a sniff and said, "This isn't water -- this is wine" -- the priest crossed himself and said, "Praise God, He did it again"
-- like I said, we are all familiar with this story of Jesus turning water into wine -- but a lot of times, we stop right there -- we don't take the story any further and we tend to get caught up in the physical act of the miracle itself -- we miss the importance of what actually happened that day -- yes, Jesus is the God of joy -- yes, Jesus is the God of abundance -- but He didn't just turn water into wine so the party could keep going on -- He did it for another reason
-- this story, the first miracle of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John, is Jesus' defining moment -- it is His "coming out" party in a way, because through this mighty act, He revealed to His followers just who He was and why He had come
-- so, this morning, I want to spend some time looking at this passage in a little more detail
II. Context
-- before we get into this passage, though, let me share with you the context -- the wedding feast that John describes here occurred just days after he met Jesus -- John and Peter and John's brother James were disciples of John the Baptist -- one day, while they were with John the Baptist, Jesus came walking by -- John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"
-- John and Peter and James started following Jesus -- they had been with Him for only a little while when they went and got Andrew, Peter's brother, and brought him to Jesus, too -- all four of them spent the day with Him -- the next day as they journeyed along, Jesus invited Philip to follow Him -- and Phillip invited Nathanael to come
-- Nathanael didn't want to come at first, but he became convinced that Jesus was from God because Jesus told Nathanael that He had seen him while he studied under the fig tree -- Nathanael was amazed -- and Jesus told him in John 1:50, "You are amazed at that -- You shall see even greater things than that" -- Jesus was getting Nathanael and the others ready for what was about to happen
III. Scripture Lesson
-- look back at verse 1
1. On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2. and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
-- John tells us that Jesus and His disciples were invited to attend a wedding with Jesus' mother at Cana in Galilee, a small town about 12 miles north of Nazareth
-- John said this occurred on the "third day" -- we're not really sure what he means by this -- he might mean it was the third day after they had met Jesus or it might have been the third day of the wedding feast
-- wedding banquets were the most festive occasions in the world of first-century Palestine -- outside of the annual pilgrimages to the temple to celebrate the three high holy days in Judaism, weddings were about the only entertainment peasants living in the country of Israel had to look forward to -- these events normally lasted seven days -- and they featured dancing and wine and vast quantities of food -- normally, peasants in that day and time did not have much to eat -- meat would have been a luxury -- but at a wedding feast, the host laid out a banquet, complete with copious amounts of meat and vegetables and sweets -- this was an event that everyone would have looked forward to and everyone would have attended -- and the host and the bridal party would be judged based on the extravagance of the affair
-- so, it may have been in the middle of this wedding feast -- on the third day -- when Jesus' mother came to Him and said, "they have no more wine"
-- look back now at verse 3
3. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4. "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
5. His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
-- running out of wine in the middle of a wedding feast would have been a disaster for the hosts -- it would have been a serious loss of honor -- and it would have cast a negative impression on the bride and groom and their new family -- in other words, it would have been a bad way to start a marriage
-- so Mary comes to Jesus and tells Him that they have run out of wine -- as we read it, it seems like Jesus responds rather harshly to Mary -- the NIV softens it a little, and has Jesus respond to her, "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" -- but the King James Version makes it a little more harsh, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" -- it almost seems like Jesus is rebuking Mary, almost insulting her with His tone, and telling her to leave it alone -- but Mary doesn't take it that way -- she tells the servants to get ready and to do whatever Jesus tells them to do
-- verse 6
6. Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
9. and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
10. and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
-- so Jesus has the servants go get some stone jars that were standing nearby -- He had them filled with water to the brim -- and then He changed the water into wine while they were carrying it to the master of the banquet
III. What does it mean?
-- "This was clearly a miracle, but it didn't save a life -- it didn't still a storm -- it merely saved a host from embarrassment" [LaHaye and Jenkins] -- on the other hand, it do so much more -- but what? -- Why did Jesus choose to do this seemingly mundane miracle?
-- living 2000 years after the fact -- having the ability to read scriptures and the teachings about Jesus handed down by His disciples and faithful men and women through the years -- we know who Jesus was -- we know why He came -- we know that He was born to die -- that He was God incarnate -- God in man -- and that He came to die on the cross to save our lives
-- and so when we read this passage, it doesn't shock us -- it doesn't seem out of character for Jesus to do that -- and that's why we have to read it in context
-- keep in mind that at this point, John and the other disciples have only known Jesus for about three days -- all they know about Him was that John the Baptist called Him the Lamb who was to take away the sins of the world -- I have no doubt that they had no clue what John the Baptist was meaning -- at this point they didn't know about the manger and the virgin birth -- at this point they didn't know about His miraculous healings and His teaching with authority -- at this point they didn't know about the cross and the empty tomb
-- all they knew was that they had found a man -- a rabbi -- a teacher -- who just might be the Messiah king who would rule Israel and run the Romans out of town -- they weren't looking for a miracle worker -- and they weren't looking for a God
-- but Jesus knew why He was there -- He knew why God had sent Him and He knew how His ministry was to be played out on earth -- there was a time and a place and a method to God's plan in Jesus' life
-- that is why when Mary came to Jesus and told Him, "They are out of wine," He replied, "My time has not yet come"
-- but something happened with her request that made Him change His mind -- perhaps it was a word from the Father -- perhaps it was a prompting from the Holy Spirit -- or perhaps it was the faith of his earthly mother -- when the wedding ran out of wine, Mary knew who to turn to -- and Mary had so much faith in Jesus, that she told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do
-- and that moment -- that breath between Jesus saying, "It's not my time" and Mary telling the servants to get ready -- that was Jesus' defining moment -- that was the moment it became "His time" -- that was the moment, as it says in verse 11, that Jesus displayed His glory
-- the word "glory" refers to that which defines a person -- it means their honor -- their dignity -- it means the thing that makes someone important -- by choosing to display His power over creation by transforming water into wine, Jesus revealed His "glory" -- He revealed Himself -- to His disciples
-- at that moment, John says they recognized Jesus for who He was -- and they put their faith in Him
-- but, in addition to revealing to His disciples who He was, Jesus also used this opportunity to reveal why He had come -- no, He didn't tell them about the cross -- He didn't share with them about the resurrection -- but He pointed to His mission on earth in the way He transformed the water into wine
-- Jesus could have done this in many ways -- but He told the servants to get the ceremonial stone jars that were standing there and to fill them with water -- this is significant -- part of the Jewish religious traditions and rites involved the ceremonial cleansing of the body by washing with water -- these jars would have held water that the wedding guests would have used to wash their hands and feet before the feast
-- so, by taking these stone jars, Jesus took something that was part of the old tradition -- He took one of the Jewish religious rites -- and He transformed it into something better -- He took the water that symbolically cleansed and He turned it into wine -- something that He would use later to represent His own blood, that would cleanse us once and for all
-- in turning the water into wine, Jesus pointed to the cross -- in turning the water into wine, Jesus pointed to the transformation that He was going to make possible in our lives -- the transformation from sin to righteousness -- in turning water to wine, Jesus revealed to His disciples and to us exactly why He had come
IV. Closing
-- John tells us in verse 11 that this was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs -- a miracle or sign means nothing on its own -- it serves another purpose
-- seeing a sign is an invitation to believe -- and this miracle of turning water into wine was a sign that revealed to the disciples who Jesus was and why He had come -- and, as a result, they placed their faith in Him
-- and, it is a call for us to make a choice -- to make a decision -- to come to a defining moment in our own lives -- in turning water into wine, Jesus showed us that He was more than just a man -- He was God incarnate -- and that He came to save us from our sins
-- He came and lived and died so that we might be transformed -- He came to offer us an invitation -- an invitation to attend a wedding feast with Him -- the wedding feast of the Lamb -- where the wine never runs out and where the best is saved for last
-- I want to close this morning with the words from a song called "Your Defining Moment" by a local contemporary Christian group called "Newsong"
-- there comes a time in every heart -- a time of real decision -- when we reach the point of choosing -- how we will live our lives
-- all our hopes -- all our dreams -- will rise up from that moment -- the moment we surrender and choose to follow Christ
-- He's been waiting all our lives -- to hear us say -- "I am yours, Lord -- take my hand and lead the way" -- when you believe, He's all you need -- that will be your defining moment -- as you live your life walking in HIs light -- trusting Him completely -- that will be your defining moment
-- in this passage -- in this defining moment of Christ -- as He reveals to us who He is and why He has come -- He is inviting us to make a defining moment of our own -- to choose to believe -- to choose to love -- to choose Him as our Lord and Savior
-- maybe you've never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior -- He is inviting you to do so right now -- if He can transform water into wine, He can surely transform you into the person God has called you to be
-- and maybe you are somewhat like I was -- you've been just playing church -- you've been just playing with God -- you're saved -- of that, there's no doubt -- but you have yet to truly commit yourself and your life and all that you are to Him -- if that is the case, Christ invites you to come as well -- to do just that -- and to truly put your faith in Him in all areas
-- whatever you need to do this morning, I pray that you will respond to God's word as you feel led -- and that this day will go down in your life as your defining moment
14 January 2007
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 2
1. On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2. and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4. "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
5. His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6. Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
9. and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
10. and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11. This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
-- this morning, we are going to talk about defining moments -- those moments in our life that change us -- move us -- define who and what we are about -- our lives are made up of many of these, but there will usually be one major defining moment that sets the pace of our life or that changes who we are or what we are doing
-- let me give you an example from my own life -- after I got saved, who I was changed, but what I was doing didn't drastically change -- I still played at going to church -- I still played at reading the Bible -- I'd go through periods of time when I would go to church a lot -- when I would pray and read the Bible a lot -- but then I'd have periods where I wouldn't
-- this continued even after I got married until the time we moved up to Tennessee -- in 1997, I was invited to attend a Promise Keepers event at the University of Tennessee -- and that event was my defining moment -- God touched me through the speakers and through the singing and through the fellowship with 40,000 other men in that place
-- I recommitted my life to the Lord that day and I began to get serious about God - - I started really getting in the word -- I got heavily involved in Bible Study Fellowship and I started really trying to live for God -- I can tell you that I am standing behind this pulpit today because of my own personal defining moment -- the time when I was touched through the Promise Keepers event
-- another term that we use for these defining moments is an "epiphany" -- as we said last week when we celebrated the Day of Epiphany, an epiphany is when something is revealed or made known or shown -- so, an epiphany is that moment -- that defining moment -- when who or what you are is revealed or made known
-- in the church, we use this season of Epiphany to examine and celebrate the ways Christ was made known in the Bible -- the ways His divinity and His glory and His majesty were revealed in His life -- and we look at ways we can continue to make Him known in our day
-- this passage from John is one of those defining moments in the life of Christ -- it's a passage that all of us probably know really well -- even non-Christians can tell you that Jesus turned water to wine -- we even joke about it
-- I remember hearing a joke about this priest who is pulled over by the cops for weaving on the road -- when the cop came to the door, he asked the priest, "Have you been drinking?" -- the priest replied, "No sir, I've just been sipping water from this thermos" -- the cop said, "Let me see that thermos" -- and he took a sniff and said, "This isn't water -- this is wine" -- the priest crossed himself and said, "Praise God, He did it again"
-- like I said, we are all familiar with this story of Jesus turning water into wine -- but a lot of times, we stop right there -- we don't take the story any further and we tend to get caught up in the physical act of the miracle itself -- we miss the importance of what actually happened that day -- yes, Jesus is the God of joy -- yes, Jesus is the God of abundance -- but He didn't just turn water into wine so the party could keep going on -- He did it for another reason
-- this story, the first miracle of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John, is Jesus' defining moment -- it is His "coming out" party in a way, because through this mighty act, He revealed to His followers just who He was and why He had come
-- so, this morning, I want to spend some time looking at this passage in a little more detail
II. Context
-- before we get into this passage, though, let me share with you the context -- the wedding feast that John describes here occurred just days after he met Jesus -- John and Peter and John's brother James were disciples of John the Baptist -- one day, while they were with John the Baptist, Jesus came walking by -- John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"
-- John and Peter and James started following Jesus -- they had been with Him for only a little while when they went and got Andrew, Peter's brother, and brought him to Jesus, too -- all four of them spent the day with Him -- the next day as they journeyed along, Jesus invited Philip to follow Him -- and Phillip invited Nathanael to come
-- Nathanael didn't want to come at first, but he became convinced that Jesus was from God because Jesus told Nathanael that He had seen him while he studied under the fig tree -- Nathanael was amazed -- and Jesus told him in John 1:50, "You are amazed at that -- You shall see even greater things than that" -- Jesus was getting Nathanael and the others ready for what was about to happen
III. Scripture Lesson
-- look back at verse 1
1. On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2. and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
-- John tells us that Jesus and His disciples were invited to attend a wedding with Jesus' mother at Cana in Galilee, a small town about 12 miles north of Nazareth
-- John said this occurred on the "third day" -- we're not really sure what he means by this -- he might mean it was the third day after they had met Jesus or it might have been the third day of the wedding feast
-- wedding banquets were the most festive occasions in the world of first-century Palestine -- outside of the annual pilgrimages to the temple to celebrate the three high holy days in Judaism, weddings were about the only entertainment peasants living in the country of Israel had to look forward to -- these events normally lasted seven days -- and they featured dancing and wine and vast quantities of food -- normally, peasants in that day and time did not have much to eat -- meat would have been a luxury -- but at a wedding feast, the host laid out a banquet, complete with copious amounts of meat and vegetables and sweets -- this was an event that everyone would have looked forward to and everyone would have attended -- and the host and the bridal party would be judged based on the extravagance of the affair
-- so, it may have been in the middle of this wedding feast -- on the third day -- when Jesus' mother came to Him and said, "they have no more wine"
-- look back now at verse 3
3. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4. "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
5. His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
-- running out of wine in the middle of a wedding feast would have been a disaster for the hosts -- it would have been a serious loss of honor -- and it would have cast a negative impression on the bride and groom and their new family -- in other words, it would have been a bad way to start a marriage
-- so Mary comes to Jesus and tells Him that they have run out of wine -- as we read it, it seems like Jesus responds rather harshly to Mary -- the NIV softens it a little, and has Jesus respond to her, "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" -- but the King James Version makes it a little more harsh, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" -- it almost seems like Jesus is rebuking Mary, almost insulting her with His tone, and telling her to leave it alone -- but Mary doesn't take it that way -- she tells the servants to get ready and to do whatever Jesus tells them to do
-- verse 6
6. Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
9. and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
10. and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
-- so Jesus has the servants go get some stone jars that were standing nearby -- He had them filled with water to the brim -- and then He changed the water into wine while they were carrying it to the master of the banquet
III. What does it mean?
-- "This was clearly a miracle, but it didn't save a life -- it didn't still a storm -- it merely saved a host from embarrassment" [LaHaye and Jenkins] -- on the other hand, it do so much more -- but what? -- Why did Jesus choose to do this seemingly mundane miracle?
-- living 2000 years after the fact -- having the ability to read scriptures and the teachings about Jesus handed down by His disciples and faithful men and women through the years -- we know who Jesus was -- we know why He came -- we know that He was born to die -- that He was God incarnate -- God in man -- and that He came to die on the cross to save our lives
-- and so when we read this passage, it doesn't shock us -- it doesn't seem out of character for Jesus to do that -- and that's why we have to read it in context
-- keep in mind that at this point, John and the other disciples have only known Jesus for about three days -- all they know about Him was that John the Baptist called Him the Lamb who was to take away the sins of the world -- I have no doubt that they had no clue what John the Baptist was meaning -- at this point they didn't know about the manger and the virgin birth -- at this point they didn't know about His miraculous healings and His teaching with authority -- at this point they didn't know about the cross and the empty tomb
-- all they knew was that they had found a man -- a rabbi -- a teacher -- who just might be the Messiah king who would rule Israel and run the Romans out of town -- they weren't looking for a miracle worker -- and they weren't looking for a God
-- but Jesus knew why He was there -- He knew why God had sent Him and He knew how His ministry was to be played out on earth -- there was a time and a place and a method to God's plan in Jesus' life
-- that is why when Mary came to Jesus and told Him, "They are out of wine," He replied, "My time has not yet come"
-- but something happened with her request that made Him change His mind -- perhaps it was a word from the Father -- perhaps it was a prompting from the Holy Spirit -- or perhaps it was the faith of his earthly mother -- when the wedding ran out of wine, Mary knew who to turn to -- and Mary had so much faith in Jesus, that she told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do
-- and that moment -- that breath between Jesus saying, "It's not my time" and Mary telling the servants to get ready -- that was Jesus' defining moment -- that was the moment it became "His time" -- that was the moment, as it says in verse 11, that Jesus displayed His glory
-- the word "glory" refers to that which defines a person -- it means their honor -- their dignity -- it means the thing that makes someone important -- by choosing to display His power over creation by transforming water into wine, Jesus revealed His "glory" -- He revealed Himself -- to His disciples
-- at that moment, John says they recognized Jesus for who He was -- and they put their faith in Him
-- but, in addition to revealing to His disciples who He was, Jesus also used this opportunity to reveal why He had come -- no, He didn't tell them about the cross -- He didn't share with them about the resurrection -- but He pointed to His mission on earth in the way He transformed the water into wine
-- Jesus could have done this in many ways -- but He told the servants to get the ceremonial stone jars that were standing there and to fill them with water -- this is significant -- part of the Jewish religious traditions and rites involved the ceremonial cleansing of the body by washing with water -- these jars would have held water that the wedding guests would have used to wash their hands and feet before the feast
-- so, by taking these stone jars, Jesus took something that was part of the old tradition -- He took one of the Jewish religious rites -- and He transformed it into something better -- He took the water that symbolically cleansed and He turned it into wine -- something that He would use later to represent His own blood, that would cleanse us once and for all
-- in turning the water into wine, Jesus pointed to the cross -- in turning the water into wine, Jesus pointed to the transformation that He was going to make possible in our lives -- the transformation from sin to righteousness -- in turning water to wine, Jesus revealed to His disciples and to us exactly why He had come
IV. Closing
-- John tells us in verse 11 that this was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs -- a miracle or sign means nothing on its own -- it serves another purpose
-- seeing a sign is an invitation to believe -- and this miracle of turning water into wine was a sign that revealed to the disciples who Jesus was and why He had come -- and, as a result, they placed their faith in Him
-- and, it is a call for us to make a choice -- to make a decision -- to come to a defining moment in our own lives -- in turning water into wine, Jesus showed us that He was more than just a man -- He was God incarnate -- and that He came to save us from our sins
-- He came and lived and died so that we might be transformed -- He came to offer us an invitation -- an invitation to attend a wedding feast with Him -- the wedding feast of the Lamb -- where the wine never runs out and where the best is saved for last
-- I want to close this morning with the words from a song called "Your Defining Moment" by a local contemporary Christian group called "Newsong"
-- there comes a time in every heart -- a time of real decision -- when we reach the point of choosing -- how we will live our lives
-- all our hopes -- all our dreams -- will rise up from that moment -- the moment we surrender and choose to follow Christ
-- He's been waiting all our lives -- to hear us say -- "I am yours, Lord -- take my hand and lead the way" -- when you believe, He's all you need -- that will be your defining moment -- as you live your life walking in HIs light -- trusting Him completely -- that will be your defining moment
-- in this passage -- in this defining moment of Christ -- as He reveals to us who He is and why He has come -- He is inviting us to make a defining moment of our own -- to choose to believe -- to choose to love -- to choose Him as our Lord and Savior
-- maybe you've never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior -- He is inviting you to do so right now -- if He can transform water into wine, He can surely transform you into the person God has called you to be
-- and maybe you are somewhat like I was -- you've been just playing church -- you've been just playing with God -- you're saved -- of that, there's no doubt -- but you have yet to truly commit yourself and your life and all that you are to Him -- if that is the case, Christ invites you to come as well -- to do just that -- and to truly put your faith in Him in all areas
-- whatever you need to do this morning, I pray that you will respond to God's word as you feel led -- and that this day will go down in your life as your defining moment
Sunday, January 14, 2007
SERMON: REVEALING CHRIST
Preached by Gregory W. Lee
7 January 2007
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Matthew 2
1. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2. and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
3. When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6. "`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' "
7. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
12. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
-- today we have gathered to celebrate the start of Epiphany, which began yesterday -- this means that the Christmas season is officially over and it's time, if you haven't done so already, to take down the tree and to put up all the decorations until next December
-- it's time for us in the Christian church to move past the baby in the manger and to start the journey leading to the upper room, the Garden of Gethsemene, the Via Dolorosa, the path to the cross, and to the empty tomb
-- as you're putting up your Christmas decorations, though, there are a couple things that you might consider leaving up through the Epiphany season, which runs from January 6th until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday -- your nativity set and your Christmas lights
-- let me explain
-- the word "epiphany" means "to show" or "to make known" or "to reveal" -- when someone says that they've had an "epiphany" in their life, what they are saying is that they've had some revelation in their life -- some new idea or some new realization that is going to change the way they've been living or the way they've been doing things
-- our epiphany -- the Epiphany that we celebrate in the church -- recognizes the revealing of the Christ to the world -- the time when Jesus was recognized for who He was and why He came
-- the Day of Epiphany remembers the coming of the wise men -- the Magi from the East -- who revealed Jesus as the Christ when they brought their gifts to lay before Him -- this was the first time that the Christ was made known to the world
-- if you think about it, the nativity -- the birth of Christ -- was really a quiet affair -- it happened in the humblest of circumstances and was attended by just a few people -- Mary and Joseph, of course -- and the few shepherds who were told by the angels that the Christ had come -- but no one else was there -- no one else knew -- while the Christ was being born in a manger in the back streets of Bethlehem, the rest of the town slept in silence
-- it was only with the coming of the Magi that news of the birth of Jesus was made public and the world informed that they had a new King -- so, it is perfectly acceptable to leave up your nativity set through the Epiphany season as a reminder of the revealing of Jesus to the world by the Magi
-- along the same lines, the birth of Christ marked the end of darkness on the earth -- ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the earth had been covered with a pall of darkness -- with a curse brought on by the sin of man
-- but with the birth of Christ, a new light had dawned that would push the darkness away forever -- when Jesus was born, God said, "Let there be Light" -- and the Light of Christ was brought into the world to reveal the path back to the Father -- as John put it in John 1:4-5, "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men -- the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it"
-- as Christians, we are called to bear witness to Christ Jesus -- to shine His light out to the world hungry for hope -- so, leave your lights up and your nativity sets out -- let your candles burn brightly -- to proclaim the coming of our Lord and Savior
II. Scripture Lesson
-- so, as we begin reflecting this morning on the Epiphany and on how we might continue to reveal and proclaim the coming of Jesus in this new year, please look back with me once again at Matthew 2
1. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2. and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
-- the Magi were wise men from the east -- most likely, these men were the learned men of their day, trained in a variety of disciplines of science and spirituality -- we know they were trained in astronomy, because they had seen the star of Christmas in the western sky -- and we know they had some understanding of spiritual issues and of prophecy, since they recognized the importance of the star and made the journey to Jerusalem to find the Christ child
-- the Magi probably came from Persia -- from the area that is currently Iraq -- the region where the great Babylonian Empire had been -- this means that they were Gentiles -- they were not Jews -- they were not of God's Chosen People
-- still, God had revealed to them the coming of the Christ through the revelation of the star of Christmas -- so, Matthew tells us that they traveled west to Jerusalem looking for the newborn King so they might worship Him
-- when we think of the Magi, we usually only think about them coming to lay their gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh at the feet of Jesus -- but, in doing so, they did so much more
-- by coming to Israel looking for the Christ, the Magi were the first to show or reveal Jesus to the wider world as the Messiah -- as God incarnate -- as God made man in the presence of Christ Jesus
-- as Simeon said in Luke 2:32, Jesus was to be "a light of revelation to the Gentiles" -- when the Magi made their journey from Persia, God was letting the Jews know that Jesus had come not only for the Jews, but for the whole world -- Jew and Gentile -- man and woman -- slave and free -- all people -- all races -- all nations
-- the Magi revealed Jesus to the world in two main ways -- first, they made Him known through evangelism -- through telling others about Him
-- when the Magi made their way into Jerusalem, they immediately sought out the ruler of Israel -- King Herod -- and they shared with him the good news of the birth of Christ -- Herod called for his chief priests and the teachers of the law -- and they were told that the Christ had been born
-- as Christians, we are called to do the same as the Magi -- to evangelize others -- to tell them the good news of Christ -- to make His presence known to them by sharing with them the story of Jesus
-- there is no better way to make Christ known to someone than by simply doing what the Magi did -- telling them about the moment you became aware of Jesus and what His presence in your life means to you -- how knowing Jesus has changed you and set you on a journey unlike any that you have ever taken before
-- the second way the Magi revealed Jesus to the world was through worship -- look over at verse 9
9. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
-- when the Magi found Jesus, Matthew tells us they were overjoyed and bowed down and worshiped Him, laying their gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh at His feet
-- when you worship Christ -- when you truly give yourself and your gifts to Him -- when you proclaim to the world the worth of Christ and what He has done in your life -- what you are doing is pointing others to Jesus
-- when they see you focused on something other than the world -- on something other than tv or money or power or fame -- they are going to look to see what has captured your attention -- and when they do, the glory of God -- the glory of the newborn King of the Jews -- is going to be made known to them, perhaps for the first time
-- when you worship Christ with your life -- when you tell others about Him -- then you are revealing Him to them and they will be drawn to His presence in their own lives
III. Application
-- Epiphany is the season in the Christian calendar when we should be making an effort --
in our churches -- in our homes -- in our lives -- to reveal Jesus as the Savior of all mankind
-- we make Christ known through evangelism and worship, but these can take many different forms and shapes -- there are many ways that we can show Jesus to our friends and family and to the world as we move from the manger to the cross
-- for instance, Larry Stewart revealed Jesus to the world through his generosity -- for almost 30 years, no one knew who Larry was -- all they knew was that this man would appear on the street in his city and pass out $100 bills to people who looked like they needed help
-- it all started back in 1979 when he was at a drive-through restaurant -- he had just lost his job the week before Christmas -- it seemed like the world and everything else was against him -- as he sat there having his own pity party, he noticed that the car hop serving him was out there in the bitter cold without a heavy jacket -- he said to himself, "I think I've got it bad -- She's out there in the cold making nickels and dimes" -- so, he handed her a twenty to pay for his meal, which cost less than $3.00, and told her to keep the change -- she cried and told him he had no idea what his gift meant
-- through that simple act, Larry had shared the presence of Christ -- the grace of God -- and he enjoyed the feeling so much that he went straight to the bank and took out $200 in fives and twenties and started passing them out to anyone who looked like they needed help -- over the past 25 years, Larry has done more than just give away $1 million dollars a few bills at a time -- he has also given away Christ
-- how can you give away Christ in your life? -- how can you reveal Jesus to someone this year? -- maybe you're not called to drive around and pass out money like Larry Stewart -- but you are called to reveal Christ to others through your gifts and your service
-- little things that you do -- purposeful acts of kindness -- purposeful acts of service -- can do more to reveal Christ than all the sermons of the world
-- one day, St. Francis of Assisi invited a young monk to join him on a trip into town to preach -- the young monk was so honored to get such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted -- all day long, he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people
-- at the end of the day, the two headed back home -- however, not even once had St. Francis addressed a crowd or talked to anyone about the gospel -- the young monk was greatly disappointed, and he said to St. Francis -- "I thought we were going into town to preach?" -- St. Francis responded, "My son, we have preached -- we were preaching while we were walking -- we were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched -- it is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk"
IV. Closing
-- that is the heart of Epiphany -- to preach everywhere as we walk, revealing Christ and making Him known to all around us -- I want you to take a moment and think about how you might do that in this new year
-- it might be through evangelism -- through directly sharing with someone about the good news of Jesus and how He has touched your life -- or it might be through your worship -- through your sharing of your gifts and service to someone else in Jesus' name
-- how can you reveal Jesus to someone this year? -- maybe you could do like Larry Stewart and leave a waitress or waiter a bigger than expected tip -- maybe you could give someone a coat to keep them warm this winter -- maybe you could buy lunch for a stranger -- maybe you could make blankets or robes for the elderly -- maybe you could give someone a bottle of water or a cup of coffee
-- the list is endless -- but the impact is eternal
-- my challenge to you this morning is, "Will you do something to reveal Jesus to someone this Epiphany Season?" -- will you share the good news of Christ with someone, either through evangelism or through an act of worship?
-- I want to challenge everyone of you to do one purposeful act of kindness -- one purposeful act of service -- every week from now until the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 21st -- will you commit to doing that this year?
-- if so, then I'm going to ask you to respond to God's word where you are -- to make that commitment to Him -- and I'm going to ask you to leave here with a purpose and mission, just like that of the Magi -- to reveal the presence of Christ to this world
-- let us pray
7 January 2007
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Matthew 2
1. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2. and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
3. When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6. "`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' "
7. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
9. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
12. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
-- today we have gathered to celebrate the start of Epiphany, which began yesterday -- this means that the Christmas season is officially over and it's time, if you haven't done so already, to take down the tree and to put up all the decorations until next December
-- it's time for us in the Christian church to move past the baby in the manger and to start the journey leading to the upper room, the Garden of Gethsemene, the Via Dolorosa, the path to the cross, and to the empty tomb
-- as you're putting up your Christmas decorations, though, there are a couple things that you might consider leaving up through the Epiphany season, which runs from January 6th until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday -- your nativity set and your Christmas lights
-- let me explain
-- the word "epiphany" means "to show" or "to make known" or "to reveal" -- when someone says that they've had an "epiphany" in their life, what they are saying is that they've had some revelation in their life -- some new idea or some new realization that is going to change the way they've been living or the way they've been doing things
-- our epiphany -- the Epiphany that we celebrate in the church -- recognizes the revealing of the Christ to the world -- the time when Jesus was recognized for who He was and why He came
-- the Day of Epiphany remembers the coming of the wise men -- the Magi from the East -- who revealed Jesus as the Christ when they brought their gifts to lay before Him -- this was the first time that the Christ was made known to the world
-- if you think about it, the nativity -- the birth of Christ -- was really a quiet affair -- it happened in the humblest of circumstances and was attended by just a few people -- Mary and Joseph, of course -- and the few shepherds who were told by the angels that the Christ had come -- but no one else was there -- no one else knew -- while the Christ was being born in a manger in the back streets of Bethlehem, the rest of the town slept in silence
-- it was only with the coming of the Magi that news of the birth of Jesus was made public and the world informed that they had a new King -- so, it is perfectly acceptable to leave up your nativity set through the Epiphany season as a reminder of the revealing of Jesus to the world by the Magi
-- along the same lines, the birth of Christ marked the end of darkness on the earth -- ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the earth had been covered with a pall of darkness -- with a curse brought on by the sin of man
-- but with the birth of Christ, a new light had dawned that would push the darkness away forever -- when Jesus was born, God said, "Let there be Light" -- and the Light of Christ was brought into the world to reveal the path back to the Father -- as John put it in John 1:4-5, "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men -- the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it"
-- as Christians, we are called to bear witness to Christ Jesus -- to shine His light out to the world hungry for hope -- so, leave your lights up and your nativity sets out -- let your candles burn brightly -- to proclaim the coming of our Lord and Savior
II. Scripture Lesson
-- so, as we begin reflecting this morning on the Epiphany and on how we might continue to reveal and proclaim the coming of Jesus in this new year, please look back with me once again at Matthew 2
1. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2. and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
-- the Magi were wise men from the east -- most likely, these men were the learned men of their day, trained in a variety of disciplines of science and spirituality -- we know they were trained in astronomy, because they had seen the star of Christmas in the western sky -- and we know they had some understanding of spiritual issues and of prophecy, since they recognized the importance of the star and made the journey to Jerusalem to find the Christ child
-- the Magi probably came from Persia -- from the area that is currently Iraq -- the region where the great Babylonian Empire had been -- this means that they were Gentiles -- they were not Jews -- they were not of God's Chosen People
-- still, God had revealed to them the coming of the Christ through the revelation of the star of Christmas -- so, Matthew tells us that they traveled west to Jerusalem looking for the newborn King so they might worship Him
-- when we think of the Magi, we usually only think about them coming to lay their gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh at the feet of Jesus -- but, in doing so, they did so much more
-- by coming to Israel looking for the Christ, the Magi were the first to show or reveal Jesus to the wider world as the Messiah -- as God incarnate -- as God made man in the presence of Christ Jesus
-- as Simeon said in Luke 2:32, Jesus was to be "a light of revelation to the Gentiles" -- when the Magi made their journey from Persia, God was letting the Jews know that Jesus had come not only for the Jews, but for the whole world -- Jew and Gentile -- man and woman -- slave and free -- all people -- all races -- all nations
-- the Magi revealed Jesus to the world in two main ways -- first, they made Him known through evangelism -- through telling others about Him
-- when the Magi made their way into Jerusalem, they immediately sought out the ruler of Israel -- King Herod -- and they shared with him the good news of the birth of Christ -- Herod called for his chief priests and the teachers of the law -- and they were told that the Christ had been born
-- as Christians, we are called to do the same as the Magi -- to evangelize others -- to tell them the good news of Christ -- to make His presence known to them by sharing with them the story of Jesus
-- there is no better way to make Christ known to someone than by simply doing what the Magi did -- telling them about the moment you became aware of Jesus and what His presence in your life means to you -- how knowing Jesus has changed you and set you on a journey unlike any that you have ever taken before
-- the second way the Magi revealed Jesus to the world was through worship -- look over at verse 9
9. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
-- when the Magi found Jesus, Matthew tells us they were overjoyed and bowed down and worshiped Him, laying their gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh at His feet
-- when you worship Christ -- when you truly give yourself and your gifts to Him -- when you proclaim to the world the worth of Christ and what He has done in your life -- what you are doing is pointing others to Jesus
-- when they see you focused on something other than the world -- on something other than tv or money or power or fame -- they are going to look to see what has captured your attention -- and when they do, the glory of God -- the glory of the newborn King of the Jews -- is going to be made known to them, perhaps for the first time
-- when you worship Christ with your life -- when you tell others about Him -- then you are revealing Him to them and they will be drawn to His presence in their own lives
III. Application
-- Epiphany is the season in the Christian calendar when we should be making an effort --
in our churches -- in our homes -- in our lives -- to reveal Jesus as the Savior of all mankind
-- we make Christ known through evangelism and worship, but these can take many different forms and shapes -- there are many ways that we can show Jesus to our friends and family and to the world as we move from the manger to the cross
-- for instance, Larry Stewart revealed Jesus to the world through his generosity -- for almost 30 years, no one knew who Larry was -- all they knew was that this man would appear on the street in his city and pass out $100 bills to people who looked like they needed help
-- it all started back in 1979 when he was at a drive-through restaurant -- he had just lost his job the week before Christmas -- it seemed like the world and everything else was against him -- as he sat there having his own pity party, he noticed that the car hop serving him was out there in the bitter cold without a heavy jacket -- he said to himself, "I think I've got it bad -- She's out there in the cold making nickels and dimes" -- so, he handed her a twenty to pay for his meal, which cost less than $3.00, and told her to keep the change -- she cried and told him he had no idea what his gift meant
-- through that simple act, Larry had shared the presence of Christ -- the grace of God -- and he enjoyed the feeling so much that he went straight to the bank and took out $200 in fives and twenties and started passing them out to anyone who looked like they needed help -- over the past 25 years, Larry has done more than just give away $1 million dollars a few bills at a time -- he has also given away Christ
-- how can you give away Christ in your life? -- how can you reveal Jesus to someone this year? -- maybe you're not called to drive around and pass out money like Larry Stewart -- but you are called to reveal Christ to others through your gifts and your service
-- little things that you do -- purposeful acts of kindness -- purposeful acts of service -- can do more to reveal Christ than all the sermons of the world
-- one day, St. Francis of Assisi invited a young monk to join him on a trip into town to preach -- the young monk was so honored to get such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted -- all day long, he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people
-- at the end of the day, the two headed back home -- however, not even once had St. Francis addressed a crowd or talked to anyone about the gospel -- the young monk was greatly disappointed, and he said to St. Francis -- "I thought we were going into town to preach?" -- St. Francis responded, "My son, we have preached -- we were preaching while we were walking -- we were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched -- it is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk"
IV. Closing
-- that is the heart of Epiphany -- to preach everywhere as we walk, revealing Christ and making Him known to all around us -- I want you to take a moment and think about how you might do that in this new year
-- it might be through evangelism -- through directly sharing with someone about the good news of Jesus and how He has touched your life -- or it might be through your worship -- through your sharing of your gifts and service to someone else in Jesus' name
-- how can you reveal Jesus to someone this year? -- maybe you could do like Larry Stewart and leave a waitress or waiter a bigger than expected tip -- maybe you could give someone a coat to keep them warm this winter -- maybe you could buy lunch for a stranger -- maybe you could make blankets or robes for the elderly -- maybe you could give someone a bottle of water or a cup of coffee
-- the list is endless -- but the impact is eternal
-- my challenge to you this morning is, "Will you do something to reveal Jesus to someone this Epiphany Season?" -- will you share the good news of Christ with someone, either through evangelism or through an act of worship?
-- I want to challenge everyone of you to do one purposeful act of kindness -- one purposeful act of service -- every week from now until the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 21st -- will you commit to doing that this year?
-- if so, then I'm going to ask you to respond to God's word where you are -- to make that commitment to Him -- and I'm going to ask you to leave here with a purpose and mission, just like that of the Magi -- to reveal the presence of Christ to this world
-- let us pray
Monday, January 01, 2007
THE BEST OF 2006
Found a link to the best of 2006 for almost every single category you can think of -- list after list after list from a variety of sources.
Check it out at Fimoculous.com.
Check it out at Fimoculous.com.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope this new year finds all of you living life to its fullest in the grace of our Lord and Savior! As I'm sure most of you do, I tend to be somewhat retrospective at the start of a new year, and think back on the good and bad of the last year.
Like most years, last year had its ups and downs. In my secular job, I was unexpectedly hit with an EEO complaint alleging that I had discriminated against an employee because of religious differences. While the allegation was proved to be unfounded, it had a drastic impact in how I conduct myself in my professional life, and has caused me to not share as openly as in the past as to what God is doing in my life and in the life of our churches. On the other hand, our office was selected as the best Natural Resources Manager for the entire Air Force for the second consecutive award period (biannual award).
I was excited this year to be blessed by God in our churches with the first numerical growth since I've been there. While the churches have grown spiritually and while individual members have matured and grown in grace over the past seven years, we did not experience any numerical growth. This year, we added four members to one church and three to another, which doesn't sound like much until you consider that was an increase of 8% and 20%, respectively. More importantly, out of the seven new members, three of them were added by profession of faith! We also stepped out this year by conducting intentional evangelism and outreach, and four of us who witnessed as part of a Fellowship of Christian Farmers event had 21 professions of faith over a 4-hour period.
I can only look forward to 2007 as being a great year in the Lord and as being a great year in our churches. I pray that it will be the same with you and your churches.
Like most years, last year had its ups and downs. In my secular job, I was unexpectedly hit with an EEO complaint alleging that I had discriminated against an employee because of religious differences. While the allegation was proved to be unfounded, it had a drastic impact in how I conduct myself in my professional life, and has caused me to not share as openly as in the past as to what God is doing in my life and in the life of our churches. On the other hand, our office was selected as the best Natural Resources Manager for the entire Air Force for the second consecutive award period (biannual award).
I was excited this year to be blessed by God in our churches with the first numerical growth since I've been there. While the churches have grown spiritually and while individual members have matured and grown in grace over the past seven years, we did not experience any numerical growth. This year, we added four members to one church and three to another, which doesn't sound like much until you consider that was an increase of 8% and 20%, respectively. More importantly, out of the seven new members, three of them were added by profession of faith! We also stepped out this year by conducting intentional evangelism and outreach, and four of us who witnessed as part of a Fellowship of Christian Farmers event had 21 professions of faith over a 4-hour period.
I can only look forward to 2007 as being a great year in the Lord and as being a great year in our churches. I pray that it will be the same with you and your churches.
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