SERMON: CHRIST WAS LOVE

CHRIST WAS LOVE
21 December 2009

I -- Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 John 3

16. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
17. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
18. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
19. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence
20. whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God
22. and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
23. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
24. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

-- as we join together this morning to celebrate the last Sunday of Advent, I wanted to share with you a story by Carol Chand that has been very popular over the past several years and that I think really illustrates the text before us this morning

-- "Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience -- I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending -- Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas
-- My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year -- It was an exciting season for a six year old -- For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant --" I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production -- Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher -- She assured me there [would] be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation -- All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then -- Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise
-- So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down -- Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats -- As I waited, the students were led into the room -- Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor -- Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song
-- Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer -- So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title -- Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads
-- Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song -- As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C -- Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love"
-- The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W"
-- The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake -- But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W" -- Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together -- A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen
-- In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities -- For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: "CHRISTWAS LOVE" -- And, I believe, He still is."1

-- more than anything else, this was the message of John in this epistle to his followers -- Christ was love -- He was the physical representation of the Father and in Him and through Him we saw God's love lived out in this world for us
-- in fact, in two occasions in this letter, John boldly states that not only was Christ the epitomy of the Father's love when He was here, but "God is Love" -- in other words, God 's love is like all of His attributes -- it is never-ending -- it was and is and will be -- His love has no end and is the same yesterday, today, and forever -- God is the originator and the perfecter of love
-- when we say that God is love, we are describing His whole being, for it is only because of His love that we know and experience all of His other attributes -- His goodness -- His mercy -- His grace -- His majesty -- His glory -- His omnipotence -- His omnipresence -- His all
-- love is the reason God created us -- love is the reason God sent Jesus to us -- and it is only because of love that we share in His eternal glory and salvation -- as John makes so clear in this epistle, it is only when we are living in Christ do we truly recognize and experience and share in this love that comes from God
-- let's look back at this passage again and see what we can learn from John's letter to his followers

II. Scripture Lesson (1 John 3:16-24)
-- look back at verse 16

16. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.


-- as I said, the overall message of 1 John is love -- before we begin, it's important to understand what kind of love John is talking about here -- the word for love he is using here is "agape" love -- unconditional love -- he's talking about the perfect love of God that was expressed through Jesus and, as we'll see as we go on in this passage, the perfect love that we should be expressing towards others

-- so, how do we know what love is? -- our culture is obsessed with the concept of "love" -- it's in our songs -- it's in our movies -- it's on our lips daily -- but do we truly know what love is? -- are we truly experiencing the agape love of Christ or are we settling for a cheap, worldly imitation? -- how do we know?
-- the word "know" that John uses here is the Greek word "ginosko" -- it literally means "knowledge by experience" -- and John chose that word deliberately -- he didn't use the more common word "eido" here, which means "knowledge by understanding"
-- in other words, John is saying that to know what love is -- to know agape love -- you have to experience it -- you have to feel it
-- John knew the agape love of Christ -- he had seen that love expressed in the eyes of Jesus as He looked with compassion on the leper that He was reaching out to heal -- John had felt that love pouring from Jesus as the water poured from the basin in the upper room and Jesus started washing his feet -- and John had experienced the perfect and unconditional love of Christ as Jesus looked down on him from the cross and expressed with His eyes, "I'm doing this for you"
-- John knew what love was -- and so he's trying to express that to his readers so that they, too, might truly know the extent of God's love and share that love with others -- to know love, you have to experience it -- to know love, you have to live it -- you can't just read about it in a book -- it has to be something real in your life -- to know agape love in this way, you have to show it yourself
-- when John says "this is how we know what love is" he is saying, "This is love with feet -- this is love with skin on -- this isn't just loving with your head -- this is real love -- and to know this love you must first have experienced God's agape love through Christ"
-- so, in other words, the love that we proclaim and are obsessed with in our culture only reflects the love of Christ in as far as we have experienced that love in our own hearts -- to truly love you must have been loved -- to truly love you must know Jesus

-- John says, "this is how we know what love is -- Jesus Christ laid down His life for us -- and we should lay down our lives for others"
-- what does it mean to lay down your life for another? -- what does John mean when he says that Jesus laid down His life for us?
-- when we read these words, we are immediately drawn to the cross -- but that's not all that John means here -- when we read these words, we should also be drawn to the manger
-- for, you see, Jesus did not just lay down His life for us on the cross -- He laid down His life by willingly giving up His glory in Heaven and humbling Himself and becoming a man so that we might receive eternal life through Him
-- at this time of the year, we tend to forget who the baby in the manger was -- this was not just another baby -- this was not just the promised Messiah -- this was the Lord God Almighty -- the maker of heaven and earth -- El Shaddai -- the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords

-- one of my most favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, Did You Know," because it reminds us of just who Jesus was -- of what He gave up to be born in a manger -- of what He gave up to walk on this world for 33 years all so that we might have eternal life
-- let me share with you a few of the lyrics:
-- "Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water? -- Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters? -- Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new? -- That this Child that you delivered will soon deliver you?
-- "Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man? -- Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand? -- Did you know that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod and that when you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?
-- Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation? -- Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations? -- Did you know that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb and that the sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am."

-- when John says here that Jesus laid down His life for us, he certainly is referring to the cross -- but we can never forget what else Christ gave up for us -- we can never forget that He laid down His glory and His honor and His power and His majesty for us -- to be born at Christmas -- not in a temple or in a palace -- but in the humblest of circumstances -- in a manger in a stable -- surrounded by animals -- but celebrated by the universe

-- does that help you understand what John means when he then goes on to tell us that we are to lay down our lives for our brothers? -- John isn't calling us all to martyrdom -- he isn't saying that we should all die for those around us -- that's not what he means here
-- to lay down our lives for our brothers means that we give ourselves up just as Jesus gave Himself up for the world -- as John the Baptist put it, we decrease so that Christ might increase -- we willingly put aside our wants and our wishes and our desires -- we sacrifice ourselves, so that others might experience agape love through us

-- verse 17

17. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
18. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.



-- how wonderful is it that at this time of the year, more than other, we see Christ's agape love expressed in this way -- we see people laying down their lives and sacrificing for their brothers
-- what other time of the year do you know that people are willing to give up their hard-earned cash to buy presents for people they don't even know -- for families in need? -- what other time of the year do you know that people are willing to give up their time and their comfort to share the love of Jesus with those who are less fortunate, whether it's volunteering in the local food bank or ringing a bell for the Salvation Army or just giving out food and water and gifts to those in need?
-- John says this is how we should love -- this is how we should live -- not with words or tongue but with actions and in truth
-- what good is it for us to be biblically correct? -- to know in our heads the truth of God -- to know in our hearts the love of God -- and to do nothing with it
-- if Christianity is just about coming to church on Sunday and learning about God, it is an utter and total failure -- that is not what Christianity should be about -- that is not the message of the cross -- and that is not the message of the manger
-- before Nike ever came up with the slogan, "Just do it," -- John was using it here -- when it comes to love -- to God's perfect, unconditional, agape love, John says, "Just do it" -- love not with word and tongue -- but love with your hands and your feet -- love with your life -- love by laying down your life for another

-- Christmas is about love -- Christ is about love -- and more than anything else, that is what we are supposed to be doing

-- skip down to verse 23 and let's end there

23. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
24. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

-- when Jesus was here, He fulfilled the law of Moses -- He fulfilled every aspect of it through His life and through His death on the cross -- the law of Moses is gone -- it is no more --the old covenant that was experienced through the Old Testament law and the sacrificial system has been replaced by a new and better covenant through the blood of Christ
-- and, as we are so fond of saying in our modern, New Testament churches, we don't live by law -- we live by grace
-- and that is true, for we are not bound by the law of Moses any longer -- but that does not mean that we are not bound by another law
-- Christ gave us two laws -- two commands -- that we must follow if we are to be part of His kingdom
-- first, we are to believe in Him -- not just head knowledge belief -- but heart belief -- we must know that we know -- we must put our faith and our trust in the fact that Jesus was and is God and that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins -- and that if we trust and believe in Him we are forgiven -- that if we trust and believe in Him we have eternal life with the Father -- that if we trust and believe in Him we are new creations -- made pure and holy and spotless through His death on the cross
-- the second command is just as important -- Jesus told us to love one another -- to lay down our lives for our brothers -- to show them His agape love with our hands and our feet and our mouth and our heart
-- Jesus said that the world would know us -- not because of the name on our church sign -- not because our name was written on a church roll -- not because we had a little Jesus fish on the back of our car -- Jesus said that the world would know us because of our love

-- let me close by asking you -- how's your love life? -- are you loving your neighbor as yourself? -- are you loving one another as Christ commanded? -- are you laying down your life for another?
-- you know, we tend to do pretty well with this at certain times during the year -- we do really well at Christmas -- we do the Angel Tree and give presents to needy children -- or we give gifts to the girls at the Methodist Home -- or we make donations to organizations that reach out to the homeless and the abused and the hurting
-- we even do pretty good at Thanksgiving -- and we see people volunteering and serving at food banks and soup kitchens and giving out turkeys and baskets of food to others
-- but are you really loving one another -- are you really laying down your life for another -- if this is the extent of your service -- of your sacrifice?

-- I read one time about this woman who was surprised at church one day when this other lady, who often ignored her and snubbed her at church, came up to her before the service and gave her a warm and welcoming hug
-- she sat there throughout the whole service wondering what had the change in this woman -- what had touched her heart and made her come up and hug her in such a loving way this Sunday
-- well, she got her answer when the pastor closed his message by saying, "Don't forget the challenge that I issued you last week -- I want you to go out there and love somebody that you can't stand"2

-- loving in this way is not loving as Christ -- loving out of duty or responsibility is not loving as Christ because it is not done in truth -- and loving just because it's Christmas is not loving as Christ because Christ's love never ends
-- as you continue to prepare for Christmas this week, I want to encourage you to keep in mind the message of John in this passage and the command of Christ to us in the gospels
-- remember to love one another -- remember to show love to one another -- not just in words and in tongue -- but with actions and truth -- and not just at Christmas -- but every moment of every day
-- this is the message of Christmas -- this is the message of Christ -- this is the message for you
-- let us pray

1 Copyright © 2002 Candy Chand [http://www --motivateus --com/stories/win --htm]
2 Adapted from Reader's Digest, [4/02], pg. 48 -- as cited in a sermon by Steven J. Cole -- http://www.fcfonline.org/content/1/sermons/040206M.pdf

A CHRISTMAS I.Q. TEST

A CHRISTMAS I.Q. TEST
[Posted by The Daily Encourager [dlangerfeld@HarrisburgBaptist.org]]


1. Joseph was originally from... (Luke 2:3)
A. Bethlehem
B. Nazareth
C. Hebron
D. Jerusalem
E. None of the above


2. What does the Bible say that the Innkeeper said to Mary and Joseph? (Luke 2:7)
A. "There is no room in the inn."
B. "I have a stable you can use."
C. "Come back later and I should have some vacancies."
D. Both A and B
E. None of the above


3. A manger is a...
A. Stable for domestic animals
B. Wooden hay storage bin
C. Feeding trough
D. Barn


4. Which animals does the Bible say were present at Jesus' birth?
A. Cows, sheep, goats
B. Cows, Donkeys, goats
C. Sheep and goats only
D. Miscellaneous barnyard animals
E. None of the above


5. Who saw the star in the east?
A. Shepherds
B. Mary and Joseph
C. Three Kings
D. Both A and C
E. None of the above


6. According to the Bible, how did Mary and Joseph get to Bethlehem?
A. Camel
B. Donkey
C. Walked
D. Joseph walked, Mary rode a donkey
E. Horse-drawn chariot
F. The Bible doesn't say


7. How many angels spoke to the shepherds? (Luke 2:10)
A. One
B. Three
C. Multitude
D. None of the above


8. What did the angels say/sing? (Luke 2:14)
A. "Glory to God in the highest, etc."
B. "Alleluia"
C. "Unto us a child is born, Unto us a son is given"
D. "Joy the world, the Lord is come"
E. "Glory to the newborn King"


9. What is a heavenly host?
A. The angel at the gate of heaven
B. The angel who serves refreshments in heaven
C. An angel choir
D. An angel army
E. None of the above


10. There was snow that first Christmas...
A. Only in Bethlehem
B. All over Israel
C. Nowhere in Israel
D. Somewhere in Israel


11. What is Frankincense?
A. A precious metal
B. A precious fabric
C. A precious perfume
D. None of the above


12. In Matthew, what does "wise men" or "Magi" refer to?
A. Men of the educated class
B. Eastern Kings
C. Astronomers
D. Sages


13. What is Myrrh?
A. Middle Eastern Money
B. A drink
C. An easily shaped metal
D. A spice used for burying people
E. None of the above


14. How many wise men does the Bible say came to see Jesus? _____


15. Where did the wise men find Jesus? (Matthew 2:11)
A. In a manger
B. In a stable
C. In Nazareth
D. In Egypt
E. In a house
F. None of the above


16. When the "magi" found Jesus, he was... (Matthew 2:11)
A. A babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
B. A young child
C. A boy in the temple
D. A grown man


17. The "star in the east" that the "magi" followed... (Matthew 2:9)
A. Stayed in the same place their entire journey
B. Disappeared and reappeared
C. Moved ahead of them and stopped over the place where Jesus was
D. Was just a mirage
E. None of the above


18. The "magi" stopped in Jerusalem... (Matthew 2:2)
A. To inform Herod about Jesus
B. To find out where Jesus was
C. To ask about the star
D. To buy gifts for Jesus
E. None of the above


19. Where do we find the Christmas story?
A. Matthew
B. Mark
C. Luke
D. John
E. All of the above
F. Only A and B
G. Only A and C
H. Only A, B, and C


20. When Joseph found Mary was pregnant, what happened?
A. They got married
B. Joseph wanted to break the engagement
C. Mary left town for three months
D. A and B
E. B and C


21. Who told (made) Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem? (Luke 2:1-5)
A. The angel chorus
B. Mary's mother
C. Herod
D. The shepherds
E. Caesar Augustus


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



THE ANSWERS: (read the scriptures beside the questions)

1. A. He worked and currently lived in Nazareth, but he was returning to Bethlehem - "his own city" (See Luke 2:3).

2. E. The Bible doesn't say that the innkeeper "said' anything (See Luke 2:7)

3. C. Feeding trough - Interestingly enough, most mangers in New Testament times were made of stone. Wood was too valuable to use for mangers. If you visit Israel today, you can see stone mangers used by Solomon to feed his horses at Megiddo.

4. E. The Bible doesn't say. We just "assume" that since Jesus was born in a stable that there were various barnyard animals present.

5. E. This is a "trick" question. The "magi" saw the star. However, the Bible doesn't say how many there were and they were not "kings", but astronomers or "star gazers" (see answer 15).

6. F. Although the modern "pictures" in my Bible show Mary on a donkey with Joseph beside her, the Bible doesn't say!

7. A. Luke 2:10

8. A. Luke 2:14

9. D. The word means "army". (Greek - "stratias") Now, since there was a "multitude" of the heavenly "army" (hosts), there could easily have been from 10,000 - 100,000 angels there that night! When the incarnate Son of God was born, heaven could not hold the angels back! No wonder the shepherds were "sore afraid"!

10. D. Another trick question. There is always snow on Mt. Hermon in northern Israel

11. C.

12. C. The word "Magi" literally means "star-gazers". Although there is no Biblical record of exactly who they were or their point of origin, I personally believe that they were descendants of the "wise men" ("star gazers") of Babylon. I believe that God, in His great providence, used Daniel (while he was in captivity in Babylon), to teach these men about future events - including the birth of the Savior of the world. Read Daniel 5:11 - Daniel was put in charge of these men!

13. D. Herod was buried with over 150 lbs. of Myrrh wrapped in his burial clothes.

14. They were "magi" (star-gazers), not necessarily "wise men" - but the Bible doesn't give the number. Many people assume that there were three because of the three gifts. However, in ancient times such men usually traveled in large caravans, along with a full entourage for provision and protection.

15. E. Read Matthew 2:11 (see next answer)

16. B. Read Matthew 2:11 When the Shepherds found Jesus (Luke 2), he was a "babe" in a manger. The Greek word used in Luke 2 is for a "newborn baby". However, by the time the Magi appeared, Jesus had been moved from the manger to a house (verse 11) and the Greek word used in Matthew is for "toddler or young child". He was probably somewhere between 12-24 months old.

17. C. Read Matthew 2:9 Most people miss this question. The star did not stay stationary over the manger or the house. This verse makes it clear that the star moved "in front" of the magi and guided them until it "stood over where the young child was".

18. B. Read Matthew 2:2

19. G. Isn't it amazing how God divinely inspired these two gospel writers to write His exact words, but, yet, He used their interests and professions to recall different aspects of Jesus' birth. Matthew, a tax collector, records the genealogy of Jesus (used for taxation) and the story of the "magi" - men of importance from a foreign country. Luke, a physician, records the pregnancy and birth.

20. E. Joseph wanted to "put her away" secretly and Mary left town to see her cousin Elizabeth. Matthew 1:19 and Luke 1:39, 56

21. E. "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus... everyone into his own city... " (Luke 2:1-5)

SERMON: PEACE ON EARTH

PEACE ON EARTH
6 December 2009

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Genesis 32

22. That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.
24. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
25. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
26. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
27. The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.
28. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
29. Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
30. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

-- in this passage, we read the story of Jacob wrestling with God -- this story comes as Jacob is preparing to go home and deal with his brother Esau, who Jacob had cheated out of his inheritance and birthright and blessing
-- going home and making amends with Esau is not something that Jacob wanted to do -- but God had brought about the circumstances and now Jacob is having to deal with his sin -- both his sin against Esau and his sin against God
-- Jacob had lied and cheated and stolen -- he had broken the law of his people and the law of God -- and no matter where he roamed on the earth, his sin was always there before him -- looking at Jacob's story as a whole, you can see how everything he did and all that he longed for can be explained as trying to deal with that sin -- as trying to put it behind him
-- first, he had tried to leave it behind by fleeing from Israel and settling in the land of Haran, where his mother's family was from -- but Jacob quickly found out you can't run from sin
-- next, he tried to work his sin off by paying penance -- by living with his uncle Laban and serving him in the fields in order to marry Laban's daughters and to increase Laban's wealth -- he thought he could work his way to righteousness, but of course, that didn't work -- and Jacob was now having to leave Laban's land and go back to Israel
-- finally, faced with the prospect of coming against Esau and his men, Jacob has decided to deal with his sin by bribing Esau -- by paying him off with flocks and herds of sheep and cattle and goats -- if righteousness and forgiveness can't be earned through hard labor, then perhaps it can be bought -- so he sends his family and his servants and his gifts across into the land ahead of him and he waits for the next day when he can come into Esau's presence after Esau had already received Jacob's bribe
-- and, so, there we find Jacob -- alone in his camp -- alone at night -- alone with his sin
-- and the Bible tells us that while Jacob was there alone that night, he wrestled with God -- he physically and spiritually fought with God throughout that whole night
-- what does that mean? -- what does it mean to wrestle with God?

-- well, this story of Jacob wrestling with God is a picture of all of our lives -- just like Jacob, all of us have been at odds with God in the past -- all of us have rebelled against Him -- as it says in Romans 3:23, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
-- and just like Jacob, all of us have tried to deal with our sins on our own -- we've tried to run from them and hide from them and pretend they don't exist -- we've tried to do good works and to do good things so that our good might outweigh our bad -- we've tried to compare ourselves with others and justify ourselves for heaven because we're not as bad as them
-- but hiding from sin doesn't work any better for us than it did for Jacob -- and the Bible clearly tells us that we can never do enough good works to pay off our sin debt that we owe to God and to others
-- but the good news of this passage is that God doesn't leave us alone in our sin -- at some point in our lives -- at many points in our lives -- God comes to us in the still of the night and convicts us of our sin and offers another way out, just like He did with Jacob
-- He wrestles with us for control of our lives -- He offers us the chance to leave the past -- to put our old ways and our old name behind us -- He encourages us to repent and take a new path -- a path that leads to a new future and a new name -- a path that leads to peace with Him rather than continuing sin and rebellion and disobedience
-- Jacob wrestled with God and before the dawn breaks that day, Jacob has been changed forever -- the Jacob that leaves that place by the fords of the river Jabbok is not the same Jacob that set up camp there that night
-- because God came to him, Jacob found forgiveness -- because God came to him, Jacob found healing for the soul and restoration of relationships -- because God came to him, Jacob found peace

-- isn't this really what Christmas is all about? -- isn't this the message that God sent that first Christmas night so many years ago? -- J.I. Packer wrote that "the Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity—hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory" -- all because of Jesus -- all because God didn't give up on us, but sent His Son to wrestle with us in the silence of our souls
-- In Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke, we read that after Jesus was born, angels appeared to shepherds who were there in the fields outside of Jerusalem and proclaimed to them the birth of a Savior -- the birth of the Messiah -- and promised peace and good will to them from the Father above
-- it is that promise of peace through Jesus that I want us to spend a few moments thinking about together today

II. Scripture Lesson
-- if you would, please turn over to Colossians 1 and we'll finish up there

-- verse 1

1. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2. To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

-- Paul begins this letter to the saints in Colosse -- the holy and faithful brothers there who had received the Savior of Christmas as their own -- in the same way he begins most of his epistles
-- he prays on them grace and peace -- and always in that order -- for Paul had wrestled with God in his own life -- he knew what it meant to be at war with God -- he knew what it meant to try to follow the law and do good things and pay for sin in your own strength -- and he knew it wasn't possible
-- Paul knew that the only path to salvation -- the only path to forgiveness -- was through grace -- through the free, unearned and unmerited, gift of God -- grace has to come first -- God has to come first -- before you can know peace with Him
-- that is something that Jacob could identify with -- that is something that Paul knew -- and so that is how he starts each of his epistles to the churches that he is ministering to

-- now, what is peace? -- what is this peace that Paul is referring to here in verse 2?
-- the word "peace" here is the Greek word "eiriene" -- it is a translation of the Hebrew word, "shalom" -- and it brings with it an entirely different understanding than what most of the world knew at that time
-- traditionally, the word "peace" was a negative term -- not in the sense that it was a bad thing -- but in the sense that it was defined in the negative -- as the absence of something -- so, for the Greeks and Romans, peace was simply the absence of war or hostilities
-- this is the main way that we have continued to use this word today -- when the President talked last week about achieving peace in Afghanistan, he was referring to the absence of war in that country -- he was pointing to the time when all hostilities would end there and we could bring our military men and women home
-- however, the word "peace" as Paul uses it here and as the Bible traditionally uses it is not just defined in the negative -- yes, it is the absence of war and hostility -- but the Hebrew word, "Shalom," also is defined in the positive, because this peace that comes from God not only removes war and hostility but brings with it serenity and harmony and restoration
-- in other words, when Paul uses the word "peace," he doesn't just mean the war is over -- he means that all has been made right again -- that the scars of war have been healed -- that the wounds of war have been erased -- and all is right with the world and with God
-- this peace is what Jacob experienced after his wrestling match with God -- this peace is what the angels sang about to the shepherds -- this peace is what Jesus came to bring

-- earlier this year, in our series on Holiness through the fruit of the Spirit, we talked about peace and I pointed out that the Bible actually mentions three types of peace
-- the first was peace among men -- the traditional definition of peace as the absence of war and hostility
-- the second type of peace was peace from God -- that internal feeling of comfort and support that lets you survive daily in the chaos and the struggles of life -- that is the peace that we discussed in that sermon series on the fruit of the Spirit
-- the third type of peace is peace with God -- this is the peace of Christmas -- this is the peace of the cross -- this is the peace that only Jesus can bring -- this is the peace that Paul is talking about in this passage

-- if you would, skip down to verse 15

15. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
17. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
20. and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

-- here Paul reminds us of who Jesus really is -- for a lot of people, the only Jesus they know is the Jesus of Christmas -- the only Jesus they want to know is the baby who was born in the manger
-- they don't want to know Jesus as the Lord God Almighty -- as the Creator of heaven and earth -- they don't want to know Jesus as the One who has all authority and supremacy on earth -- they don't want to know Jesus as King and ruler
-- they want a Jesus they can put on their mantle -- they want a Jesus they can put in a box and just bring out at Christmas -- they don't want a Jesus who demands their heart and their soul and their obedience -- they don't want a Jesus who comes to them at night and wrestles with their consciences
-- but, Paul says, this is who Jesus is -- He came as both Savior and Lord -- He came to bring peace to those who were at odds with God -- with those who had sinned and fallen short of His glory
-- Jesus came to die -- to offer Himself on the cross so that through His blood we might experience peace -- shalom -- with Him
-- this type of peace not only brings an end to our hostility with God -- but it brings reconciliation and a restoration of our relationship with God -- it makes us right with God again -- it makes us like we had never sinned in the first place
-- peace with God only comes through Jesus -- there is no other way -- you can't get this peace of God through Buddha or Mohammed or any of the other religions that are out there -- this peace with God is something that we can only receive when we turn our lives over to Jesus because this peace was bought with His blood and His blood alone -- we can only get it from Him

-- verse 21

21. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
22. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--
23. if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

-- here Paul tells us what we used to be like before we were saved -- before we came to know Christ -- we were alienated from God -- we were dead in our transgressions and our sins
-- Paul says that we were God's enemies -- we were willfully disobedient and hostile to the God who created us -- we followed the ways of the world and of the flesh and of Satan -- our very nature was evil from the inside out
-- in other words, we were at war with God -- you may not have thought about it in those terms, but that was what was going on -- before you came to Christ, you were actively working against God -- you were actively living against God -- you were opposing His attempts to lead you in your life
-- that's why Jesus came -- that's why He wrestles with us in the night -- that's why His prevenient grace calls to us in the stillness of our souls -- Jesus wants to reconcile us to God -- He wants to restore our relationship with the Father
-- Jesus came to bring peace with God -- the baby who was born at Christmas came to die in our place -- to offer up His life and His righteousness in place of our own, so that we might no longer be at war with God, but be at peace with Him instead

III. Closing
-- On July 25, 2000, Air France Concorde Flight 4590 crashed on take off in Paris killing one hundred passengers and nine crew on the aircraft and four people on the ground
-- The cause of the crash was a 16-inch strip of metal found on the runway -- during takeoff, the plane had run over that strip of metal and punctured a tire, sending up debris that ruptured a fuel tank in the aircraft's wing
-- With the plane on fire and already hurtling down the runway at a great speed, the pilot realized he couldn't stop the plane without causing a catastrophe -- his only chance was to get the plane in the air to help suppress the flames and to make an emergency landing at Le Bourget airport, which was only one minute of flying time away -- but, despite his best efforts, when the plane left the ground, it went into a stall and plunged to the ground, exploding into a massive fireball
-- As investigators sought to discover the reason for the accident, they listened to the tapes of the pilot's conversations with the control tower -- His last words as he fought to save his stricken craft were, "Too late."
-- We only have one life to live on Earth -- and if we fail to make our peace with God before our life ends, it will be "too late" for us, too [adapted from an illustration by Owen Bourgaize, Guernsey, United Kingdom]

-- however, the good news of Christmas is that Jesus has come to wrestle with our souls and to bring us His peace and forgiveness so that we might experience reconciliation and restoration of our relationship with God
-- you know, when Jacob had reached rock-bottom -- when he had no options left -- he wrestled with God over the sin in his life -- he quit trying to solve his sin problem on his own -- he turned to the only One who could deal with it once and for all -- then, and only then, did Jacob experience true and lasting peace with the Father
-- as we continue in this advent season -- as we continue to look forward to the coming of Christ -- let us not forget to seek the peace that He offers before it is too late for us to do so

-- Paul tells us here that Jesus came to pay the price for our sin -- all we have to do is accept the forgiveness that He so readily offers and we will be saved
-- if you have never done so, then I urge you this morning to offer your life to Jesus -- to ask Him to forgive you of your sins and to ask Him to be your Lord and your Savior -- you don't have to make yourself right first -- you don't have to clean yourself up or to do any good works -- Jesus wants you just as you are
-- all you have to do is repent -- to turn from your sins -- and to turn to Him -- believe in Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and you will know the peace that He offers -- the peace that the angels sang about -- the peace that came at Christmas
-- let us pray

SERMON: HOPE IS KINDLED

HOPE IS KINDLED
29 November 2009

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Jeremiah 33

1. While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time:
2. "This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it--the LORD is his name:
3. `Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'
4. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword
5. in the fight with the Babylonians : `They will be filled with the dead bodies of the men I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.
6. "`Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.
7. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.
8. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
9. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.'
10. "This is what the LORD says: `You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without men or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither men nor animals, there will be heard once more
11. the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.
12. "This is what the LORD Almighty says: `In this place, desolate and without men or animals--in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.
13. In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,' says the LORD. 14. "`The days are coming,' declares the LORD, `when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
15. "`In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land.
16. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.'
17. For this is what the LORD says: `David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,
18. nor will the priests, who are Levites, ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.'"

-- it is a terrible thing to have no hope -- such was the case with Michael Oher -- Oher was the son of a crack addict who lived a block from the Mississippi River in west Memphis -- with no help from his mother, Oher and his 12 brothers and sisters survived by begging food from neighbors and hiding from social services -- they had been in and out of foster care their whole lives, and they wanted no part of that any more -- and so they lived on their own the best they could
-- with no one caring for him or making sure he went to school, Oher "spent his days on the basketball courts of Hurt Village, a housing project so dilapidated even the city of Memphis abandoned it" -- and so, by the fall of 2002, at age 15, with no education, no parental support, and really, no home, Oher dreamed that he was going to succeed in life by being the next Michael Jordan -- he was 6-foot-5 -- the only problem was that he also weighed 350 pounds -- but such are the dreams and lives of the hopeless
-- it's dreams and lives like this that fuel our lottery system -- it's dreams and lives like this that feed our criminal courts -- it's dreams and lives like this -- born of despair and lived out of hopelessness -- that define the entire lives of young men and women on the streets of America today -- and Michael Oher was no exception -- despite his dreams of making it as an NBA star, the sad truth was that he was headed down a one-way street towards crime and jail or even worse
-- everyone, it seemed, had abandoned Oher -- until the fateful day before Thanksgiving in that same year when the Tuohys, a wealthy white family who lived there in Memphis, passed by and saw Michael walking down the street in near-freezing temperature without a coat, headed to a nearby gym just to warm up
-- rather than just passing by or writing a check to a relief agency who worked with the homeless in Memphis, Leigh Anne Touhy got involved -- it turned out that Michael was actually enrolled in the same Christian school as her own children -- not for the value of the education, but because the coach needed a football player of Oher's size and skill -- this was the 11th school that Oher had been in, and now, at the age of 15, he could barely read or write
-- when Leigh Anne found out what was going on in Michael's life, she got involved -- she brought him to her own home -- she gave him a place to stay -- she bought him clothes -- she made him part of her family -- she even went so far as to hire the best tutors and worked with him in her kitchen to help him catch up in school -- before the year was out, Leigh Anne and her husband Sean adopted Michael as their own son
-- Leigh Anne didn't sit on the sidelines and let Michael be another statistic -- another casualty of hopelessness in America -- instead, she invested in his life -- both physical and spiritual -- when the Tuohys went to church, Michael did, too -- eventually giving his life to Jesus while he was in high school -- and under her tutelage, Michael succeeded -- graduating from high school and then college -- and going on to star in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens
-- Michael's story is the subject of the new movie, "Blind Side," that just came out starring Sandra Bullock -- speaking of the movie -- and of her life and experiences with Michael, as well, Leigh Anne Tuohy had this to say:
-- "People call it a fluke, but this is not by chance -- The Lord takes us down paths in our lives that are often hard to understand and we certainly wish we knew where this was all going but it is clear to me that He has a plan for this movie and it is bigger than we are."
-- looking back, it is clear that God not only had a plan for this movie, but also for Michael Oher and Leigh Anne Tuohy -- plans to prosper and not to harm -- plans to give hope and a future to someone whose life was the epitome of hopelessness [Adapted from "All American Adoption Story," by Amy Henry, World Magazine, November 21, 2009]

II. Scripture Lesson (Jeremiah 33:1-18)
-- hopelessness is a plague that infects many in different ways -- sometimes, like in the case of Michael Oher, it comes about through no effort on our part but because of the bad choices that others have made -- other times, though, hopelessness can come about as the consequence of our own bad choices -- of our own wrong decisions
-- such was the situation with the nation of Israel in this passage that we opened up with this morning -- both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah had rejected the Lord and worshiped idols and false gods -- because of their adultery, God had disciplined the nations by allowing them to be conquered and exiled to foreign lands -- first, the northern kingdom had fallen to the Assyrians -- and now, in the time of Jeremiah the prophet, the southern kingdom of Judah had fallen to Babylon -- with the people being sent to live in Babylonia by the successors to the Assyrians
-- the Jewish exiles had lost everything -- their homeland -- their temple -- their possessions -- their family and friends -- their freedom -- their nation -- their hope
-- and now, as this chapter opens, we see the remnant of the Jews who survived the Assyrians and the Babylonians living without hope in a foreign land -- not only had they lost everything, but it appeared that God had abandoned them, too -- The last of the kings of Judah was dead -- the "line of David" that God had promised to sustain appeared to be utterly cut off, leaving nothing but a dead stump and failed hopes and dreams of a brighter future
-- but, in the midst of the Israelite's despair, God spoke words of healing and promise and restoration through the prophet Jeremiah -- words of hope -- not only for the exiled Israelites in Babylon -- but words of hope for the entire world
-- let's look back at this passage in a little more detail

-- verse 1

1. While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time:
2. "This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it--the LORD is his name:
3. `Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

-- at this time, Jeremiah has been confined in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace by Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, because Zedekiah did not like the word that Jeremiah proclaimed -- instead of giving out a message of prosperity and wealth like the other prophets, Jeremiah prophesied destruction and calamity because the people had turned from the Lord -- and so Zedekiah had him arrested and bound in the palace courtyard
-- for the second time since he had been bound, the word of the Lord came to him there in that place -- the Lord said, "I am the one who made the earth -- I am the one who formed it and established it -- I am the Creator -- call on Me and I will answer you"
-- in essence, God is reminding Jeremiah of who He is -- that He is the Lord God Almighty -- that He created the heavens and the earth -- and that if He can do that, He can do great and unsearchable things -- He can bring about healing and restoration in the midst of any situation -- if His people will call to Him -- if His people will seek His face and turn from their wicked ways

-- verse 4

4. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword
5. in the fight with the Babylonians : `They will be filled with the dead bodies of the men I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.
6. "`Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.
7. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.
8. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
9. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.'


-- the nation of Israel was being punished for their wickedness -- God had allowed Nebuchadnezzer and the Babylonians to come against the city of Jerusalem and lay siege to it -- and God tells Jeremiah that the city will fall because of their sin against Him
-- however, God makes a promise here that is not only for the people of Israel but for all of us -- God promises a day when the city of Jerusalem will be restored -- when peace and security will reign -- when the people will be brought back out of captivity -- when their sins will be cleansed and forgiven through God's grace and mercy

-- as we will see in a few verses, this is actually a Messianic prophecy -- a proclamation of the final days when Jesus will return and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem forever -- in that day, God says that Jerusalem will bring Him renown, joy, praise and honor before all the nations of the earth -- this will only come to pass when Jesus returns
-- God repeats this promise two more times in this passage

-- verse 10

10. "This is what the LORD says: `You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without men or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither men nor animals, there will be heard once more
11. the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.

-- where we only see desolation -- where we only see devastation and destruction and desertion -- where we see no hope -- God sees restoration and healing
-- God says that joy and gladness will return to the streets that are now silent when the voices of the bride and the bridegroom are heard again and when He is worshiped again in His holy city
-- now, while this passage may be speaking literally of brides and bridegrooms, I think this is also a picture of the end of the age -- when the bride of Christ -- the church -- is joined with Jesus at the heavenly banquet feast
-- until that time, Israel and Jerusalem will know no lasting peace -- until that time, we will know no lasting peace -- but, God promises, there will come a day when joy and gladness -- when peace and prosperity -- come forever

-- verse 12

12. "This is what the LORD Almighty says: `In this place, desolate and without men or animals--in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.
13. In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,' says the LORD.
14. "`The days are coming,' declares the LORD, `when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

-- "the days are coming," says the Lord, "when I will fulfill My promise" -- although you were faithless, I was faithful -- although you lost hope, I brought hope -- although all looked desolate, I brought healing -- and in those days, you will enter My rest -- you will be kept safe and secure by the Good Shepherd forever

-- verse 15

15. "`In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land.
16. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.'

-- in Isaiah 11:1, God had promised that a stem would come the stump of Jesse, David's father -- from his roots, a Branch would bear fruit -- this was a promise of the Messiah -- the promised one who would come from the line of David -- who would bring healing and restoration -- who would deliver the people from their captivity -- who would bring forgiveness for sin -- and who would usher in an endless age of peace and prosperity for the nation of Israel and for all those who believed
-- Jeremiah reiterates that promise here -- he says that a "Branch will sprout from David's line" -- although it appears that the tree of Israel is dead -- although it looks like the tree has been cut down and only a stump remains -- God will bring life and healing through this righteous Branch
-- we know this to be a Messianic prophecy through the name that God gives to the Branch -- His name shall be, "The Lord our righteousness" -- a title of deity -- the name of our King

-- verse 17

17. For this is what the LORD says: `David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,
18. nor will the priests, who are Levites, ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.'"


-- here we see the final description of the Messiah in this passage -- the righteous Branch will be both king and priest -- He will sit on the throne of David -- and He will intercede for us as our High Priest by making sacrifices on our behalf
-- indeed, as the author of the Book of Hebrews points out, Jesus has already the perfect sacrifice
-- in Hebrews 9:24-28 we read, "For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. -- Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. -- Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. -- Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so

Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

-- in this passage, God reminded the people of Israel that He was with them and that He had heard their cries for help -- and, just like He did in Egypt, God would deliver them from captivity and bondage once more -- not just the physical bondage of exile in Babylon, but the spiritual bondage of sin and death
-- through the promised Messiah -- the righteous Branch -- healing and restoration would come -- the sound of peace and joy would reverberate through the streets of Jerusalem -- and all would be made new again
-- with these words, hope was kindled in the hearts of the hopeless

III. Closing
-- as I close this message and as we start our season of Advent together and begin preparing our hearts for the coming of the Messiah at Christmas, I wanted to use a physical reminder this year to draw our hearts and our hopes to the Lord
-- this passage is about bringing life to the lifeless -- bringing hope to the hopeless -- it is a promise that the Messiah will come from the line of David -- that a righteous Branch will come from the stump of Jesse
-- so, to remind us of the promise that we celebrate at Christmas, I have put on the altar a Jesse tree -- a Jesse tree starts out at the beginning of Advent dead and lifeless -- nothing but a bare tree and a promise -- but each day, another ornament is added to reflect the promise of the coming Messiah -- until the branches come alive with the symbols of Christ, fully decorated by Christmas morning
-- since we're not going to be here every day during the Advent season, we're going to decorate our Jesse tree each Sunday with another ornament to remind us of the promise that we have in Jesus
-- so, let me hang our first ornament on the tree, and then we'll close with a prayer of thanksgiving for the righteous Branch -- for our blessed hope -- for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

-- let us pray

SERMON: JOY IN THE SUFFERING

JOY IN THE SUFFERING
22 November 2009

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Hebrews 12

1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

-- in the 17th century, the world experienced one of the most devastating conflicts known to man -- starting as a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics, the Thirty Years' War soon spread to erupt all of Europe in the fighting -- but what made this war so devastating was not the military battles, but the complete destruction of entire regions and the whole-sale slaughter of innocent people
-- during this war, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from their home for their very lives -- they traveled throughout the country, homeless and afraid, not knowing where they might find safety or shelter with so much destruction going on around them
-- One night, as they sought shelter in a small village inn, Gerhardt's wife broke down and wept bitterly in the midst of her despair -- the constant traveling -- the hiding -- the desperation of their situation finally broke her to her core -- she was worried about her children -- about her family -- and she saw no hope and no end to their struggles to survive
-- Gerhardt tried to comfort her by reminding her of Scripture promises about God's provision and keeping -- but the promises came forth like empty platitudes in the midst of their situation -- finally, Gerhardt, too, broke down and wept at the hopelessness he felt -- they had come to their darkest hour and all hope was gone -- the suffering was too great -- soon, the blackness would overwhelm them and his family would be destroyed
-- but, praying there in a garden near the inn, Gerhardt felt his burden lifted and sensed anew the Lord's presence -- he took his pen and wrote a hymn called "Give to the winds thy fears," that has brought comfort to many.
-- here are part of the words that God gave Gerhardt in that hymn that night -- "Give to the winds thy fears -- hope, and be undismayed -- God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears -- God shall lift up thy head -- Through waves and clouds and storms He gently clears the way -- Wait thou His time -- so shall the night soon end in joyous day."

-- there have always been times in the lives of God's people when the darkness threatened to overwhelm -- when it seemed like all hope was gone -- when it seemed like God would never appear again
-- we only have to think of Job, and the suffering that he endured -- the loss of his family -- his wealth -- his health -- and all that he had
-- we only have to think of the holocaust and the lives of six million Jews who suffered and died at the hands of the Nazis
-- and, we only have to think of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are imprisoned at this very hour -- some in the most horrific of places -- some facing torture and the prospect of execution -- to realize that some have faced -- and are facing -- suffering and persecution so great that hope seems a distant dream
-- the chapter that precedes the passage that we opened with -- Hebrews 11 -- sometimes called the "Hall of Faith" -- is filled with the stories of men and women who suffered in this lifetime at the hands of others
-- Hebrews 11:35-39 says, they "were tortured and refused to be released" -- "Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. -- They were stoned ; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. -- They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated -- the world was not worthy of them -- They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground" -- and yet, they "were all commended for their faith"
-- how can this be? -- how are men and women able to endure such sufferings -- to face such trials and persecutions -- and yet not lose their faith? -- that is the question that I want us to consider this morning

II. Scripture Lesson (Hebrews 12:1-3)
-- look back at Hebrews 12 and let's start there -- before we read this again, let me give you the context
-- this letter was written around 64 AD to encourage the early Jewish Christians in the face of persecution by the Roman Emperor Nero following the devastating fire in Rome
-- as you probably know from your history, Nero blamed the fire in Rome on the Christians and had the people turn on them -- Christians were betrayed by their friends and arrested and thrown in prison -- "many Christians were crucified -- Some were sewn up in the skins of wild beasts -- and then big dogs were let loose on them, and they were torn to pieces -- Women were tied to bulls and dragged to death -- Nero even went so far as to coat Christians in oil, tie them to stakes, and set them on fire at night to provide light for people to visit his garden while he "drove around in his chariot enjoying the spectacle
-- it was a time of extreme suffering -- it was a time when many were losing hope and turning from their faith in Christ
-- and, so, the author wrote this letter to remind them of the hope that they had in Christ and to encourage them to remain faithful in the face of persecution and suffering

-- look back at verse 1

1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

-- the author begins by reminding the Jewish Christians of those who had gone before -- of those who had faced similar persecution and suffering in their own lives -- but who had remained faithful to the end
-- he uses the analogy of a race to point out to them that the purpose of life in Christ is not to focus on what you receive now -- whether good or bad -- but to focus on what comes at the end
-- when you run a race, you don't expect to receive the reward in the middle -- if you're going to receive the prize, you have to continue on until you cross the finish line
-- I have a friend who runs marathons -- and she says that in the middle of a race, you hit what the runners call "the wall" -- it's a place where many people give up and quit -- they face extreme fatigue -- they face suffering -- their body starts to collapse on them and a lot of them lose control of their bodily functions -- she told me that the only way to make it past "the wall" was to think of the end -- to focus on finishing the race -- on crossing the finish line -- she said that if you have your goal firmly in mind, you can press on past the pain and persevere and endure all the hardship of running the race
-- that's the picture that we see here -- the writer says, "You're going to hit the wall -- you're going to feel like it's too hard -- you're going to feel like giving up -- but throw off all that is hindering you -- all that is slowing you down -- think about the end -- think about the reward that is waiting for you in Christ -- and keep on keeping on until you reach the final victory"

-- as we've talked about before, this is a problem that we have in our modern world -- we don't like to wait -- we want it now -- we want instant gratification for all our wants and needs and desires
-- this is what is driving the prosperity theology and the "feel good" messages that are so prominent in our culture today -- this is what makes Joel Osteen such a popular preacher -- because he and others like him tell us that God wants us to be successful and happy and wealthy -- they tell us we can have our best life now and that if we're not getting it, it is because we don't have enough faith

-- I even heard a preacher one time make the claim that if you had faith, God would make you rich -- he told people that even if they couldn't pay the electric bill right now, that if they would go ahead and send him a donation for his ministry, that God would bless that and one day they would own the electric company
-- but the claims of all these people fall in the face of the biblical witness -- God's focus is not on making us wealthy here on earth -- God's focus is not on what we might get now -- God's focus is on the future -- on our eternal life -- on the end of the race
-- that is why Christians sometimes suffer and die -- and that is why the author here encourages us to be faithful and to endure and persevere through the trials and troubles of life because we know a better life awaits

-- verse 2

2. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

-- the author tells us, "Don't look at your circumstances -- don't focus on your suffering -- look instead to Jesus -- focus on the promises that you have in Him"
-- in Romans 8: 18, the Apostle Paul wrote, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." -- in other words, whatever suffering I face right now pales in comparison to the reward that awaits me in Jesus -- whether that's suffering in prison or in sickness or even in death
-- the author here in this verse tells us that Jesus endured the suffering of the cross -- He willingly took upon Himself our sins and our punishment and the entire wrath of God -- all because of the joy that was before Him
-- Jesus didn't want to go to the cross -- He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene for that cup to be taken from Him -- but, when the Father said, "no" -- Jesus faithfully endured the flogging and the suffering on the cross because He knew what the future held -- He knew that this was part of His journey -- the middle of the race -- and not the end
-- the author says here, "Think of Jesus -- think of what He did -- think of what He endured -- think of what He promises -- so that you will not grow weary and lose heart in the face of your own suffering

III. Closing
-- in 1 Peter 4:12-13, Peter reminds us that it is normal for Christians to face trials and persecutions -- it is normal for us to suffer in our present life -- he wrote, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you -- but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
-- both Peter and the writer of Hebrews give us the same answer to our initial question, "How do we endure suffering?" -- their answer, "Rejoice in what suffering can produce and in the promise of eternal life with Christ"
-- you know, honestly, most of us Christians in America don't suffer or face trials greater than anyone else -- what we face is really nothing compared to our brothers and sisters in other countries around the world -- so, sometimes it's hard for us to know what to tell people when they're going through a hard time -- when they're facing trials that are so great that hope is lost

-- I faced such a situation a couple of weeks ago in the prison -- as part of the Kairos weekend, we ask the men to prepare a map of their life that shows the ups and downs -- the highs and the lows -- both physical and spiritual
-- and for most of them, they looked at that timeline of their life and realized that, in a very real way, their life here on earth was over -- many of them were going to be in prison their whole life -- they would never experience freedom again -- and rightly so, because they were having to face the consequences of their wrong choices that led them to that place
-- but, the purpose of this exercise was not to make them feel bad -- to take away their hope and their faith -- the purpose of the exercise was exactly the opposite -- it was to show them how they could experience joy in the midst of their suffering by looking to the future that Christ promised -- to eternal life with Him -- rather than focusing on the walls of their prison and their current situation
-- just as God told the German pastor Paul Gerhardt -- we told them to lift up their heads -- to wait for God's time -- because soon the night would end in joyous day as they entered God's eternal life and enjoyed being with Jesus forever
-- this is the lesson to us -- this is the answer to enduring sufferings and trials and persecutions -- to not look at what we are going through, but to look to the future and to trust and believe in the promise of God

-- I want to close by leaving you with a story that Richard Wurmbrand in his book, "In God's Underground"
-- he tells the story of a doctor in the early days of the church who was unjustly imprisoned by the emperor -- After some weeks his family were allowed to see him, and at first they wept -- His clothes were rags -- and all he got for his meals was a slice of bread with a cup of water every day-- yet he was bright and cheerful and full of joy
-- His wife asked, "How is it you look so well? You have the air of one who has just come from a wedding!" -- The doctor smilingly replied that he found a remedy for all troubles -- he said, "I have discovered a tea which is good against all suffering and sorrow -- It contains seven herbs that I found here in this place"
-- "The first herb is called contentedness: be satisfied with what you have. I may shiver in my rags as I gnaw on a crust, but how much worse off would I be if the emperor had thrown me into the dungeon naked and with nothing at all to eat!
-- "The second herb is common sense. Whether I rejoice or worry, I shall still be in prison, so why complain? -- I must simply endure what God has allowed
-- "The third herb is remembrance of past sins: by counting them and considering the punishment I would face for them if Christ had not paid their debt, I realized that even this time in prison is letting me off lightly
-- "The fourth herb is the thought of the sorrows which Christ bore gladly for us. If the only man who ever could choose his fate on earth chose pain, what great value He must have seen in it! So we observe that, borne with serenity and joy, suffering redeems.
-- "The fifth herb is the knowledge that suffering has been given to us by God as from a father, not to harm us, but to cleanse and sanctify us. The suffering through which we pass has the purpose of purifying us, and preparing us for heaven.
-- "The sixth herb is the knowledge that no suffering can harm a Christian life -- If the pleasures of the flesh are all, then pain and prison bring an end to a man's aim in living; but if the core of life is truth, that is something which no prison cell can change -- In prison or out of it, two and two make four -- Prison cannot stop me from loving: iron bars cannot exclude faith. If these ideals make up my life. I can be serene anywhere.
-- `The last herb in the recipe is hope. The wheel of life may put the emperor's physician in prison, but it goes on turning. It may put me back into the palace, and even put me on the throne -- if not, then my hope remains in Christ's eternal life"

-- wise words for all of us who face sufferings and trials and persecutions in our lives -- the secret to enduring these times is to fix our eyes on Jesus and to focus on the goal that awaits at the end of the race
-- let's pray

SERMON: MAKING DISCIPLES

MAKING DISCIPLES
15 NOVEMBER 2009

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Samuel 17

1. Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.
2. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
4. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.
5. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels ;
6. on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."
10. Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."
11. On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

-- on October 21st, the passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 188 were expecting a routine flight from San Diego to Minneapolis -- the weather was good -- they had a tail wind -- and right after takeoff, the pilot assured them that they would reach their destination on time, if not a little early
-- so, you can imagine their surprise when their estimated time of arrival came and went with no word from the cockpit -- as time continued to slip by, the flight attendants tried to calm the passengers, who were getting increasingly irate about missed connections
-- finally, one attendant called the pilots on the intercom to find out why the landing had been delayed and to see if there were any emergencies that she should be aware of -- it turns out that the pilots were supposedly in a heated argument and failed to pay attention to their flight indicators and to start making landing preparations1
-- the plane passed over its destination at 9 pm and continued on its path for another 15 minutes, missing the Minneapolis airport by over 100 miles until the attendant finally got the attention of the pilots
-- once the pilots discovered what had happened, they turned around and got the plane safely landed -- although it was almost an hour behind schedule
-- “Andrea Allmon, who had been traveling from San Diego to Minneapolis on business, said no one on the plane knew anything was amiss until the end of the flight when police boarded. She was "horrified" when she discovered what had happened.
-- she said, and I quote, "When I do my job I do my job -- These guys are supposed to be paying attention to the flight -- the safety of the passengers should be first and foremost -- [It's] unbelievable to me that they weren't paying attention -- just not paying attention."” 2

-- this morning, we are going to be continuing our discussion on the call to discipleship -- as I pointed out last time, the church in America is failing in its mission to make disciples and to be the body of Christ in this world
-- somewhere along the way, we did exactly what the pilots on Northwest Airlines Flight 188 did -- we got distracted from our calling -- we lost sight of why we are here -- we quit paying attention
-- instead of focusing on making disciples, we started focusing on increasing the size of our churches -- we started focusing on making members and filling our time with programs and committee meetings -- and, in doing so, we drifted away from our real calling
-- and just like those pilots, our churches are missing the mark -- we are missing our destination -- we’re missing our purpose -- and we have turned into a church that is weak and ineffectual in influencing our country and our culture in any tangible way
-- Christ never called us to be members of a church -- He never said, “Go and fill the church rolls” -- No, Jesus said, “Go, and make disciples” -- anything else is a distraction from our mission as Christ’s body in this world -- anything else is failure, plain and simple

II. Scripture Lesson -- The Failed Disciple
-- I opened this morning with a story that most of us have heard from childhood -- the story of David and Goliath -- but in spite of all the times that we have heard this story, most of us have missed the real importance of what’s happening here
-- it’s not just the story of God using a shepherd boy to slay a giant -- to do what was physically impossible for a boy of David’s stature -- it’s not just the story of the making of a king -- the exaltation of a man after God’s own heart
-- it’s also the story of a failed king -- of a failed nation -- of a chosen people who quit paying attention to God and who got distracted from their calling to be God’s voice in their world
-- as we read this story, we tend to forget who Saul was -- Saul was Israel’s first king -- the man chosen and anointed by God to lead His people -- the man uniquely empowered to build up the kingdom of Israel and to lead them down God’s path and to fulfill God’s calling
-- Saul started well -- the Bible says that he literally stood head and shoulders above the rest of the men -- physically and spiritually -- he knew God -- and he took up the mantle of leadership and began to do great things in God’s name
-- he immediately rallied the men of Israel and conquered the Ammonites who had terrified the city of Jabesh Gilead -- he began to fight against the Philistines and won battle after battle -- but, he began to get distracted -- he forgot Who was behind his success - he quit paying attention to God and to the commands of God and started doing things his own way
-- he eventually went so far as to offer up burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to God in the place of Samuel the priest -- what he was doing seemed good -- it seemed right -- his men were beginning to scatter in the face of the enemy, and so he sought to do church in his own strength to rally the troops
-- but, by failing to wait on Samuel, Saul failed to do what God called him to do -- and, as a result, lost the kingdom of Israel -- the kingdom of God -- and we see the result of his disobedience painfully displayed for us here in this passage

-- look back at verse 1

1. Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.
2. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

-- this was the pivotal battle of the war -- the battle that would determine the future of Israel -- the entire Philistine army has taken battle lines against Israel -- and if they were to win, the nation of Israel -- God’s chosen people would be no more

-- verse 4

4. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.
5. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels ;
6. on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7. His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."
10. Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."
11. On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

-- in the past, Saul would not have blinked at the imposing figure of Goliath, much less the Philistine army arrayed against him -- but things have changed
-- in disobeying God, Saul and the nation of Israel had taken matters into their own hands -- they were relying on their own strength and not that of God
-- look back at verse 8 at see what Goliath shouted to the Israelites -- “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul?”
-- did you catch what Goliath said? -- no longer were the people of Israel the servants of God -- they were the servants of Saul -- although they claimed to be the people of God -- although they still had His name on their churches -- they were no longer serving God but were serving their own interests
-- when we, as the people called Christian -- as His Church in this world -- turn from His commands and start to do church by focusing on what we think is important -- members -- programs -- activities -- we, too, fail to serve God and start serving man
-- and look what happened to Saul -- verse 11 says that Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified -- this is what happens when you fail to be an obedient church -- when you fail to make disciples --- when you fail to rely on God’s power and Spirit
-- this is why our churches are floundering in our society today -- this is why we are not influencing any major policy decisions in this country -- because we have turned from our purpose and our calling, we no longer have a voice in the important issues of today
-- if we want to stand up against all the giants that threaten our families and our homes and our country today, then we need to get back to the basics -- we need someone to knock on the cockpit door and get our attention so that we will start focusing once again on our calling and our purpose as the body of Christ -- and quit wasting time on matters that have not eternal value whatsoever

III. Discipleship
-- with that said, please turn over to Matthew 28:16 and we’ll finish up there

16. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

-- here we see the antithesis of Saul and the Israelites -- here we see the promise of a church engaged in the culture -- active in the fight -- making a difference in the lives of those around them -- because they are empowered and strengthened through the very presence of God in their lives
-- the key to becoming an obedient church is there in verse 19 -- we are called to be disciples and to go and make more disciples

-- so, what is a disciple? -- well, before we try to answer this question, we need to recognize that there is a major difference between a disciple and a member that comes down to the issues of commitment and calling -- for example:

-- a member warms a pew -- a disciple warms the heart of another
-- a member fills a spot on the roll -- a disciple leads others in following Christ
-- a member comes to receive -- a disciple goes to serve
-- a member knows about God -- a disciple knows God and lives for Him
-- a member serves the church -- a disciple serves God

-- our goal is to be disciples and not merely members playing church and pretending to follow Christ
-- so, if a disciple is not a member, then what is a disciple? -- well, we see that answer right here in these verses
-- first, a disciple is a believer of Christ -- someone who has received Jesus as Lord and Savior and who worships Him as God -- someone who has repented of their sins and asked Jesus to forgive them and to save them -- you cannot be a disciple without first believing in Christ

-- second, a disciple is someone who has been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit -- the Greek word here that we translate as “baptism” is baptizo -- it literally means to immerse -- to submerge
-- so, in other words, Jesus is saying that a disciple is immersed into the presence of the Trinity -- their lives are filled with the presence of God -- it is the air that they breathe -- it is the food that they eat -- it is what defines them as a person -- it is who they are
-- we see this same concept in the gospel of John where the Apostle John never identified himself by name but always referred to himself as the one whom Jesus loved -- he was so immersed in the person and the presence of Christ that this was the only way he could describe himself
-- that is what it means to be baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit -- it’s not about water -- it’s about the presence of God

-- third, a disciple is someone who is constantly learning about God and sharing what they know with others -- I don’t care how old you are or how long you have been a Christian -- there’s always something new to learn about God -- there’s always a new experience with Him
-- as His word says, God’s blessings and mercies are new everyday -- that means that God is constantly revealing new things about Himself and His ways to us
-- did you know that Bishop King is actually being discipled one on one by someone else right now? -- if a man as learned as Bishop King is aware that he has a need to learn more about God, then surely we should be aware of that ourselves
-- the flip-side of this, though, is that we should also be passing on what we know about God to others -- that means that we should be actively discipling others in the faith at the same time we are being discipled -- I’ll talk more about that in a moment

-- finally, a disciple is someone who obeys God -- who knows the commands of God and fulfills them in their life -- someone who does not allow themselves to be distracted from their destination and their calling, but who go forth in God’s name to do great things -- to finish the race -- to fulfill the purpose and calling of their lives
-- this is where the Northwestern pilots failed -- this is where Saul failed -- and this is where our churches are treading -- just because an activity is religious doesn’t make it a command of God -- just because a church is busy doesn’t mean it’s fulfilling its mission -- we need to take time to evaluate our activities and our programs in light of this calling of God to go and make disciples

-- which brings me to my final point -- Jesus has just told us what a disciple looks like -- but, how do we get there? -- and how do we go and make more disciples?
-- the process of making disciples is called discipleship -- the “intensely personal activity of two or more persons helping each other experience a growing relationship with God” 3
-- as Neil Anderson puts it, “Discipleship is being before doing, maturity before ministry, character before career.”3
-- it is being who Jesus called us to be -- it is allowing someone to lead us down the paths of righteousness and holiness and it is us carrying others with us on the journey
-- discipleship is personal and relational -- it can be experienced in a one-on-one relationship or in a small group setting -- Jesus showed us the 1-3-12 model as a way of making disciples
-- there were times when He discipled others one-on-one, such as He did with Nicodemus in John Chapter 3
-- Jesus also discipled a group of three men -- Peter, James, and John -- He chose them out of the crowd to receive discipleship and teaching about leadership and following Him in all their ways
-- and, finally, Jesus discipled a group of 12 -- “the” disciples -- the men He called from various walks of life to live with Him and learn what it meant to serve Him in ministry -- it was these men though whom Jesus established His church -- it was to these men that He gave this command to go and make other disciples

-- currently, there is an exciting movement here is south Georgia where men and women are discipling each other and leading each other into deeper relationships with God -- this started in Valdosta, and has spread now to the southwest corner of Georgia to
the center part of the state
-- in fact, this group that started here, called “Fishermen,” is the same group that is discipling Bishop King and the Bishop was so impressed that he has requested that the group start discipling six members of his staff up in Macon
-- if you are interested in learning more about this group, let me know and I can put you in contact with the person who schedules these appointments -- this group ministers to men and women -- and, in fact, I’m starting next week
-- the point is not to necessarily go to this group -- there are many others -- and you can certainly start by just finding someone to start meeting with in your own circle of friends -- the point is to start doing what Jesus called us to do in this passage
-- this is the only way to revitalize our churches -- this is the only way to revitalize our personal walks with Christ -- if you are tired of doing the same old-same old -- then it’s time to step out and start obeying Christ by becoming a disciple and making a disciple of others

IV. Closing
-- I want to close by leaving you this thought from Randy Carlson -- he said, “Successful people are intentional, not merely well intentioned” -- for too long, we have been doing church with good intentions -- and you remember what the old saying is about the road to hell being paved with good intentions
-- we’ve been trying to do good things in our churches, but we don’t need any more good intentions --we need God intentions -- we need to start doing what He told us to do rather than what we feel like doing or what we feel is important
-- Carlson went on to say, “The key is commitment plus action -- we can have great ideas about what we want to do next, but if we are not committed to actually changing what we do and how we think, nothing much will change.”
-- we have been doing church the same way over and over again for years and expecting different results -- if we are going to see any change in our churches, we're going to have to do something different -- something revolutionary -- we're going to quit doing church in our own power and our own strength and start trusting God to fulfill the Great Commission through us with His power and authority
-- let us begin by committing ourselves today to become a true disciple of Christ by following His command and experiencing Him more in our lives -- and, as we begin that process, let’s find someone else that we can disciple and lead down the road of righteousness
-- let’s pray

1. http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20091023/UPDATES01/91023010/Pilots-miss-Minneapolis-runway-by-150-miles-during-%5C-heated-discussion%5C-
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/23/northwest-pilots-argument-miss-runway
3. http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/8349.htm