SERMON: WHERE WAS GOD?

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
22 April 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in your Bibles to Psalm 22:24 " For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help"
-- now turn over to John 5:17 "Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.""
-- as we open this morning, please bow your heads and pray with me a prayer written by Rev. Joseph P. Monahan -- let's pray
-- "Lord, we don't have words for what we've seen. There are no words. There are only tears -- tears for young lives lost, for promising lives cut off, for loved ones whom we can hold no more.
-- A place we cherish, a quiet place of study, a place filled with memories of friendships and laughter and learning, has been torn apart by gunshots and screams.
-- We heard, but we did not believe. We tried to comprehend, but we could not. And now we ache -- we ache with sorrow for eyes that witnessed what no human eye should ever witness, for dinner tables with empty chairs, for lives that took decades to grow but only seconds to extinguish.
-- We ache with fear for our own children, for the knowledge that a decision to kill, a decision made in an instant, can never be taken back, can never be undone.
-- And we ache with the emptiness that reverberates around the drillfield, through every corner of campus, because we hear the voices of our brothers and sisters no more.
-- God of love, God of blessing, God of life eternal, God of life all-powerful, God of life beyond all words, beyond all hurts, beyond all pain -- God of love, heal us. Amen.
[Copyright © 2007 Rev. Joseph P. Monahan. Published by The General Board of Discipleship. Used with permission.]

-- this morning, I am going to take a break from our series on "How to be a bad Christian" to address a matter of pressing importance -- as I'm sure you all know, this has been a momentous week, to say the least
-- on Monday of this past week, a lone gunman -- a student at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA -- committed a shooting rampage on that campus that left 33 people, including himself dead -- that left countless others wounded -- that left families looking for answers as they grieved and buried their sons and daughters -- and that left a nation wondering "Why?"
-- later in the week, we were greeted with the news of a massive bombing in Iraq, that took the lives of over 182 people in just one day -- more casualties added to an ever-growing number in a war that has divided this country as no war has since Vietnam
-- and finally, we had disaster and calamity strike close to home, as a massive wildfire erupted southwest of Waycross -- rapidly spreading to cover over 35,000 acres -- destroying 18 homes and causing the evacuation of over 1000 people -- threatening the Okefenokee Swamp - and causing smoke to affect people as far south as Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, Tampa, and central Florida
-- this fire still continues to rage virtually unabated this morning, despite the efforts of the Georgia Forestry Commission and local, state, and federal firefighters
-- it was a week of unprecedented disaster -- on a global, national, and local scale

-- it is during times like these -- when tragedies and calamities and natural disasters strike -- that we find ourselves calling out to God in the middle of the night -- asking not so much for comfort and peace -- but crying out for answers from a God who seems all too distant
-- Why? -- Why would a loving God -- a just God -- a righteous and benevolent God -- Why would He allow this disturbed man to shatter the peace at Virginia Tech and end the lives of 33 students and teachers? -- Why would God allow the violence to continue in Iraq, as we seek to restore order and peace to a region freed from the cruel rule of a dictator? -- Why would God refuse to send rain to stem the wildfire that threatened families and homes in our very own community?
-- Why did this happen -- and, more importantly, where was God when it happened?

II. Theodicy
-- the answer to the first question -- "Why?" -- has haunted mankind from the beginning of time -- it is a question that scholars and theologians and all of us have struggled with from time to time in our lives
-- the technical term is "theodicy" -- from two Greek words that mean "God" and "justice" -- but it comes down to this -- how do we reconcile the presence of evil in this world and in our lives if God is good and right and just
-- or, to put it another way, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" -- How can an all-knowing -- all-powerful -- all-loving God stand idly by and allow school shootings and bombings and wildfires to disrupt the lives of His people?
-- Dr. Al Mohler -- the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary -- put it this way in a message to students at the seminary after the events of 9-11 -- "How could a good God allow this to happen? How can a God of love allow killers to kill, terrorists to terrorize, and the wicked to escape without a trace?"

-- this question inevitably leads us to one of three possible answers:

1. There is no God -- that is, of course, the answer of the world -- the answer of the atheist -- both good and evil exists and occur at random times and in random places for no reason at all -- and since there is no God, there is no one who can stop evil from occurring
-- of course, as Christians -- as those who have experienced the living God in our own lives and in the world -- we reject this answer to the question of theodicy as invalid
-- but still, it continues to be proposed as an answer -- one day, a man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed -- As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."
-- "Why do you say that?" asked the customer. -- "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering
nor pain. I can't imagine loving a God who would allow all of these things."
-- The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
-- Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and un-kept -- The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? I don't believe that barbers exist."
-- "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber."I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!" -- "No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man
outside."
-- "Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me." -- "Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

2. God is not all-powerful and can't stop the evil from happening -- in other words, God only has a limited ability to affect other people and this world -- He can't prevent people from doing evil things any more than He can prevent nature from sending hurricanes into communities or wildfires into our forests -- all He can do is watch as it happens and cry with the victims who have been affected
-- of course, this vision of a limited deity -- of a God who is not all powerful -- does not square with the message of the Bible -- surely a God who can create the universe and all that is in it in six days can control a hurricane or stop a wildfire -- surely a God who created man from the dust of the earth and breathed into him the breath of life would be able to control what he does
-- Psalm 34:17-19 says, "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. -- The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. -- A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all"
-- a God who is not all-powerful would not be able to rescue the righteous from all their troubles or save the world from their sins -- so we cannot accept this answer to the question of theodicy as valid either -- which leaves us only one other choice

3. God has allowed the evil to occur for His own purposes -- this answer, while the hardest to accept, is probably the closest to the truth that we will ever arrive at as humans -- there are just some things about God and His ways and His purposes that we will never understand -- as He told the prophet Isaiah -- " "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways -- As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
-- there are just some things that we can never know of understand about our God -- why does God allow evil to exist? -- why does God allow natural disasters to come upon us?
-- once again, Dr. Mohler puts it better than I ever could -- "We dare not speak on God’s behalf to explain why He allowed these particular acts of evil to happen at this time to these persons and in this manner. Yet, at the same time, we dare not be silent when we should testify to the God of righteousness and love and justice who rules over all in omnipotence. Humility requires that we affirm all that the Bible teaches, and go no further. There is much we do not understand. As Charles Spurgeon explained, when we cannot trace God’s hand, we must simply trust His heart."
-- we may never know this side of heaven, why God allowed Seung-Hui Cho to kill 32 people at Virginia Tech last Monday -- we may never understand why God allowed terrorists to fly planes into the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001 -- we may never fully settle in our hearts why God allowed Hurricane Katrina or the Waycross wildfires or any of the other tragedies and calamities that strike our homes and our families to occur
-- our only response can be to trust in Him as an all-knowing -- all-powerful -- and all-loving God -- and trust that in all these things, God will work for the good of those who love Him -- who are called according to His purpose -- even if we never understand the answer to the question, "Why?"

III. Where Was God?
-- however, even if the lack of an answer to the question, "Why?" leaves us unsettled and unsatisfied, there is an answer for the second question on the minds of everyone this week -- "Where was God when this happened?"
-- looking at the news coverage of the shootings and the bombings and the wildfire, it is easy to think that God didn't care and that God wasn't there
-- it makes us think of the time when Elijah went up on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal for a test of fire to see whether God or Baal was God over Israel -- as they prophets of Baal surrounded their altar, calling on their god to light the fire while they cut themselves and sacrificed to him, Elijah taunted them -- "Call louder -- maybe Baal isn't listening -- maybe he is asleep"
-- where was God when Cho stalked the halls at Virginia Tech? -- was He asleep? -- was He not paying attention?
-- the answer, of course, is "no." -- Jesus tells us in John 5:17 that God is always at His work to this very day -- that means that last Monday, God wasn't absent -- He was there -- working
-- that means that in Baghdad on Thursday as 182 people lost their lives, God wasn't asleep -- He was there working
-- and that means that in the midst of the wildfire -- in the midst of Hurricane Katrina -- in the midst of the sickness or death that affects your family -- in the midst of the car crashes -- and the heart attacks and the injuries and all the tragedies of life -- God is there, working as only He can -- turning good out of evil -- beauty out of ashes -- love out of hatred and evil
-- the reason why we sometimes miss seeing God in the midst of the tragedies of life is because we expect Him to come in and solve everything in one fell swoop -- we think that God ought to be able to neatly wrap up tragedies and stop all pain and suffering in one hour just like on the t.v. shows -- we expect God to work on our time schedule and fail to see that He is working on His own
-- we are in a hurry -- we want it done today -- but God says, "I don't work that way -- I don't have to do it today -- I have My plan and My purposes and I will work them out in My timing -- even if that is a thousand years from now -- even if you aren't here to see it"
-- in a sermon one time, Dr. Frederick Wilson demonstrated how God takes care of the problem of pain and evil in His own time and in His own way -- Dr. Wilson talked about the time that he went to Rome, and the tour guide carried them by the balcony from which the dictator Mussolini spoke during the days of World War II when it looked like the evil axis of Germany and Italy and Japan was going to rule the world
-- Dr. Wilson reflected that everyone was worried about Mussolini and Hitler and they prayed for God to just step in and remove them from power -- but it didn't happen that way -- it took time -- God's time
-- and now if you go to Rome and see that balcony, they don't call it "Mussolini's Balcony" -- they call it, "The Balcony of Bad Memories" -- and they have purged all memory of Mussolini -- all street signs -- all statues -- all reference to him from their city and their country
-- God did take care of the evil of Mussolini -- just not in the time and not in the way that the world wanted -- just as the Bible says that God will take care of all of those who seek to perpetuate evil on His people
-- God is not absent -- or asleep -- or indifferent to the suffering of His people -- When tragedies strike -- when evil stalks our land -- when natural disasters threaten us or our homes or our way of life -- God is there with us -- working and accomplishing His will in the land -- bringing good out of all things for those who call upon His name -- who are called according to His purpose

IV. Closing
-- we may never know why God allows evil to come upon us -- we may never understand why God sometimes allows pain and suffering and death to come to people who trust in His name -- but we do know one thing
-- God is always with us -- He has promised to never leave us or forsake us
-- in the midst of the storm -- in the midst of the pain and suffering and death that comes through a fallen people and a fallen world -- God is there -- working in our lives and working out His purpose and His will for this world
-- though it may seem to us at the time that evil is triumphing -- that evil is holding sway -- the truth is that this is God's world -- and things will come out right and good will triumph
-- in fact, it already has -- lest we forget, the cross of Christ made all right again -- the cross of Christ defeated evil and sin and death once and for all time
-- and though Satan may send gunmen to our schools -- and terrorists to our cities -- and wildfires to our country -- God's answer rings through the words of Christ, "It is Finished," and is proven true by the empty tomb of Easter morning
-- how should we respond to events like those of this week? -- by affirming that God is all-knowing -- all-powerful -- all-loving -- and all-present
-- by recognizing that this is our Father's world and His Kingdom and that evil has no claim on it any longer because of the death and resurrection of Jesus
-- and by knowing that God's Will will be done in spite of how it might look to us at the time

-- I want to close this morning by sharing with you the words of David from Psalm 146:5-10

-- "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
-- He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
-- The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
-- The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD."

-- let us pray

ARE WE LOOKING FOR THE LOST?

I am taking a class on evangelism this summer at the Emory University Course of Study, and as I have been preparing and reading the material for the prework, I have been struck as never before with the need for the church to get outside the stained glass sanctuaries and into the real world where the lost are at. For too long, we have simply waited inside our hallowed ground for the lost to come to us, when they are perishing right outside under the shadow of our very own steeples. Jesus certainly carried His message to the people where they were, meeting their needs, both physical and spiritual in the villages, towns, and countryside of Judea and Samaria. Perhaps it is time for us to do the same.

This video by Casting Crowns is a poignant reminder of what we are and aren't doing, and a telling criticism of our churches today (Note: If you have a slow connection, you may need to let the video totally play through once to load it, and then replay it once it has been downloaded to your computer to view it at full-speed).

SERMON: THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Easter Sunday -- 8 April 2007

[Note: This sermon was prepared with an entirely different style of presentation than I normally use. My intent here was to prepare a message for seekers -- for the unchurched and the marginal Christians who usually attend in greater numbers on Easter Sunday. As such, I wrote this sermon as a narrative story, hoping to engage these people and reach past the defenses they usually put up when I go up to preach. There's just something about a preacher standing behind a pulpit that makes a non-Christian uncomfortable and sends them seeking distractions elsewhere. Unfortunately, we had no outside visitors in either worship service, and only a handful of unchurched/marginal family members who showed up for the second worship service. However, on a brighter note, the four pre-teens in our first service all came forward to receive Christ, so that makes it all worth it!]

-- this morning, I want to do something a little different -- rather than preaching a traditional Easter message -- please sit back and listen as I share with you a little tale that has been called, "The Greatest Story Ever Told"

-- Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a magical kingdom ruled by a benevolent King -- a place where evil was never known -- where there was only peace and love and perfection -- where storms were unknown and the light always shined
-- and in this kingdom, there was an enchanted garden -- the king had made it for his son's bride -- you see, in those days, kings still selected the bride for their sons -- and what a bride she was -- perfect in all her ways -- beautiful beyond compare -- pure and innocent in her heart -- the apple of his eye
-- during the cool of the day, the king would walk with his son's bride -- and they would enjoy each other's company as the king told her of the wedding to come -- of the great banquet that he had in store for her -- of the life she would live with them in the palace -- until that time, of couse, she had to stay in the garden, because there could be no whisper of impropriety between the bride and his son
-- the garden itself was filled with every flower imaginable -- roses and petunias and daffodils -- periwinkles and poppies and tulips, just to name a few -- with trees of every size and shape -- and above all, there were the animals -- big and small -- wide and tall -- mammals and birds and reptiles of all kinds lived in this garden with the bride in total peace -- the lions would lay down with the lambs -- and none who lived there even considered doing an act of violence
-- but the most remarkable thing about this garden was its centerpiece -- for you see, in the center of the garden the king had placed his wedding gift for the young couple -- off limits, of course, until the wedding -- but every day the bride wandered by just to sneak a peek and to dream of what would be

-- but outside the walls of the garden was a different place -- it was filled with darkness, and evil stalked the land -- rather than flowers, there were thorns -- rather than whispers of love, there were curses of hate -- rather than the promise of the future, there was hopelessness and despair
-- the ruler of the land outside the garden was wicked beyond belief -- he was cruel and merciless and hated all the things of life -- but he was not always that way -- once he too had lived in the magical kingdom with the good and wise king -- in fact, he was the king's right hand man -- his trusted confidant -- beautiful and talented beyond belief -- and he would charm the king's whole court with his beauty and with his songs
-- but over time, he became jealous of the king -- his pride got the best of him -- and asked himself, "Why shouldn't I be king instead?" -- so, he tried a coup -- he tried to overthrow the king -- he gathered some followers and attacked the king on his throne -- but the king's warriors fought back -- and won -- and cast the villian and all of his followers out into the darkness of the world outside the gates of the kingdom
-- hatred festered in his heart -- wicked schemes filled his mind -- plans to kill and steal and destroy were hatched -- he watched as the king walked in the garden with his son's bride -- he listened as they shared words of love and joy -- and the hatred in his heart grew deeper and deeper -- if he could not be king, then he would take away the very thing that made the king happy
-- a plan was hatched -- and he bided his time -- waiting and watching for the most opportune moment -- one day, he snuck in over the walls, disguised so none would recognize him -- he waited for the bride to come into the center of the garden, to look at the wedding gifts there -- and then he approached her, whispering poisoned lies and encouraging her to go ahead and take the gift -- it was going to be her's soon, anyway -- surely the king wouldn't mind -- it would make her royalty just like him
-- and the bride did just what the evil ruler suggested -- she took the gift and exchanged if for her innocence and purity -- as she took it, she realized it was a trap -- she had disobeyed the king, and in the process, had exchanged her loyalty to another -- her heart was broken -- and she fled in shame

-- when the king came to the garden, he couldn't find the bride -- he walked through the trees -- down the paths through the flowers that lined the way -- calling for her -- calling her name -- but she didn't answer -- finally, he caught a glimpse of her -- and he knew in an instant what had happened -- she had sold herself to another -- she had committed adultery and now belonged to the evil ruler -- and was no longer fit to be his son's bride
-- in sadness, he told her she had to go -- and she walked out of the garden never to return -- but as he watched her walk away, the heart of the king was broken -- justice had demanded that he do what he did -- the law demanded that she be punished for her crime -- but he swore to himself that he would rescue her from the grip of his enemy and make her worthy of his son once again

-- for years and years the bride lived in the dark world outside the garden -- things were hard there -- life was hard -- no longer were her days filled with love and joy and peace -- hatred and envy and strife became a way of life -- murder and evil stalked the land she now lived in -- wars and rumors of wars caught her attention -- but she couldn't leave -- she was trapped in bondage to the evil ruler -- and he continued to take from her the life of joy and love that she so desperately craved
-- there were times when she cried out with her heart to the king -- when she sought him and did everything she could think of to get back to the magical kingdom -- she thought that maybe if she was sorry enough for what she had done -- if she lived a good life and did more good things than bad -- then the king would take her back -- but, try as she might, she could never find her way back to the path that led to the garden
-- over time, she forgot why she was doing the things she was doing -- she even forgot what it was like to live in the garden -- it became a distant memory to her -- she forgot the feel of the dew under her feet -- the fragrance of the flowers -- the coolness of the trees -- she even forgot the sound of the king's voice -- of his sweet words of love -- of his promise that he would come and save her from her fate
-- oh, every now and then, she would spy a flower -- bravely splashing the darkness with color and with life -- every now and then she would watch a bird, flying freely over the canopy of the forest -- and her heart would leap -- and her mind would remember -- and she would hope -- for only the briefest of a moment -- that her prince would come -- that he would vanquish her captor and bring her home again -- and it would seem that she caught the king's voice on the wind -- but then the moment was gone -- and life went on -- and nothing ever changed

-- but the king never forgot -- he never forgot his son's bride -- he never forgot the love he had for her -- he sent messengers to the evil land -- to tell her that he still loved her and was coming for her -- that he would make a way for her to be reconciled to him and his son -- but these messengers were intercepted and killed by the enemy -- and their message died with them
-- the king wrote letters to her -- to remind her of his love -- to remind her of his promises -- some of these found their way to the bride -- but as time went on and her king did not come -- as the pages became yellow and brittle with age -- the bride began to doubt his words and tried to make the best of her life as it now was
-- finally, the king did the only thing he could do -- he sent the prince himself -- the king's only son -- the heir to the kingdom -- to wage war against the enemy on the enemy's own turf -- to destroy the power of this wicked ruler once and for all -- and to win back the heart of his bride
-- if the bride failed to listen to the messengers -- if she couldn't hear his words of love through his letters -- then maybe she would believe in his son when he came to claim his bride

-- the son was a daring young prince -- strong in character -- strong in life -- and while there was nothing about his appearance and bearing that would catch the world's attention -- no beauty or majesty -- when the prince passed through the gates to the kingdom of the evil ruler, everyone noticed his passing -- there was something about him that was different
-- and as he made his way through the darkness of the world, it seemed to brighten a little as he passed -- he did what he could to help those caught in the enemy's grasp -- he never failed to share a kind word with all those he met -- to feed those who were hungry -- to take care of those who were sick
-- you see, the prince brought something with him to this land that it was missing -- a pure and holy love -- and as he passed through the land, he shared with the people there the message and the promise of the magical kingdom -- of the garden of paradise that was there -- and he told them they could come and live there -- if they would just follow him

-- his passing did not go unnoticed, though -- the evil ruler heard of his good works -- of his words of love -- of his promise of a new life in a better place -- of his quest to bring his bride home again
-- so the evil ruler hatched an evil plan -- he laid a trap for the noble prince -- having him betrayed by one of his closest followers and turned over to the authorities -- the evil ruler bound him with chains -- he beat and whipped him and punished him severely for daring to speak life and love into the kingdom
-- and finally, when his body could bear no more, the evil ruler had the noble prince bound to a tree -- to die a slow and painful death in the presence of his very own bride
-- but there was one thing the evil ruler didn't count upon -- the power of love was greater than any power the evil ruler possessed -- and while he hung there -- nailed to that tree and suffering the most painful death imaginable -- the young prince looked down on his bride -- and said those words that penetrated her very heart -- "I love you -- I love you and I want you to know that death is not the end for a love as great as ours -- trust me -- believe in me -- and we will be together forever" -- and then he died

-- the evil ruler rejoiced at the death of his enemy -- the threat to his kingdom was gone -- the threat to take the prince's bride from him was gone -- he watched as the prince's body was buried in a cold dark tomb -- and as the stone rolled over the opening, he left to celebrate his victory
-- but, as I said, the power of love is the greatest force known to man -- known to this universe -- known to all creation -- it was love that had caused the king to create that garden for the bride -- it was love that had sent the prince to rescue her when she was in bondage to the evil ruler -- and it was love that reached across the veil of death -- reviving the prince and restoring him to full health -- causing his lungs to breathe again and his heart to beat again and for his body to rise in newness of life
-- three days after his death, as his bride made her way to the tomb to visit the body of her prince, she found the stone rolled away and the rays of the morning sun illuminating an empty tomb -- and as she turned to face the sun -- not sure of what had happened -- she saw him standing there -- full of life and full of love -- with his hand outstretched to her -- beckoning her to come
-- and off they went together -- hand in hand -- to the glorious land -- to the magical kingdom and the enchanted garden -- to live together forever in paradise -- the prince and his bride -- the king and his son
-- The End

-- as I told you in the beginning, this is the greatest story ever told -- for it is not a fairy tale -- it is not a story invented to capture the imaginations of our children -- it is a true story -- and it is a story that you are in the middle of
-- you see, this is the story about us -- the Bible tells us that we are the bride -- we were created to be the bride of Christ -- to marry Him and to spend eternity with Him in His palace
-- but we have this problem -- we are not pure and spotless brides -- we are born in sin and filled with sin -- as the Bible says in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
-- we can't live with God as His bride if we are not holy and pure -- and there is nothing we can do to make ourselves worthy for Him -- we can't do enough good things to make up for the sins in our lives -- we can't be good enough -- we can't be holy enough -- we can't go to church enough -- to make ourselves sinless again
-- the Bible tells us that we are in bondage to sin -- held captive by sin and by death and by the evil one -- and the only way that we can be made clean again -- the only way that our chains can be broken and we can become the true bride of Christ again -- is for our sins to be totally erased and for our sin debt to be paid in full
-- you see, when you sin against God -- when you break His law -- you have to be punished -- you have to pay the price -- but the price of sin is death -- and a dead bride cannot marry a king
-- so God sent Jesus to earth to pay the price of our sins for us -- to take our punishment Himself -- to bear all of our sins and to pay the price on the cross of Calvary so that we might not die but live forever
-- as it says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but shall have eternal life"
-- God sent Jesus to rescue us from the evil one -- to rescue us from our sin and from the penalty of death -- and so Jesus died on the cross in our place
-- but, on the third day, He rose again to prove that He had conquered sin and death and to prove that He had won for us eternal life
-- and if we want to live with Him -- if we want to leave this dark, fallen world that we are in and go to be with Him in His glorious kingdom, then all we have to do is believe and trust in Him
-- to believe that Jesus is God -- to believe that He died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day -- to believe that He has forgiven us for our sins through His very own blood -- and to ask Him to forgive us for our sins and to give us eternal life
-- as it says in Romans 10:9-10, "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. -- For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

-- I'm going to close now in prayer -- and I want to invite you to respond to God's word as you feel led -- as the last hymn is played, the altar is open -- and anyone who wishes to come can come and I'll be glad to pray with you
-- if you don't want to come -- if you don't feel ready yet -- if you still have questions or you just want to talk -- let me know after the service -- or give me a call or drop me an e-mail -- my contact information is on the back -- and I'd be more than happy to meet with you anytime
-- let's pray

SERMON: A CALL TO ACTION

A CALL TO ACTION
Sunrise Service -- Wright's Chapel UMC
8 April 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Acts 1

1. In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
2. until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
3. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6. So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7. He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city.

-- if you would, please listen as I read from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Paul Revere's Ride"
"Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.

He said to his friend, "If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--

One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."

-- In the spring of 1775, the American colonies -- especially the colony of Massachusetts -- were hotbeds of sedition -- they had been preparing for open conflict with England throughout the winter -- producing and storing arms and munitions -- training milita and minutemen -- and organizing defensive positions around key American towns and villages
-- in April, General Thomas Gage -- the English military Governor of Massachusetts -- decided to counter the brewing revolution by sending a force out of Boston to consfiscate the weapons in the village of Concord and to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams -- leaders of the patriots who were staying in Lexington
-- when word of General Gage's intentions were made known, the patriots set up a messaging system to altert the countryside of any advance by the British troops -- Paul Revere arranged for a signal to be sent by lantern from the steeple of Christ Church if the British troops were on the move -- one if by land -- and two if by sea
-- on April 18th, 1775, two lanterns were lit in the steeple -- alerting Revere that the British were coming across the harbor towards Lexington -- so Paul Revere, William Dawes, and a few other riders took the road to Lexington -- to warn the villagers that the British were coming and to alert Hancock and Adams so they could get to safety
-- as they rode through the countryside of Massachusetts in the early morning hours of April 19th, they cried out to all the villagers they passed -- "To arms -- to arms -- the British are coming -- the British are coming"
-- and in the rider's wake, church bells began to ring -- drums began to beat -- gun shots rang out -- and pots and pans were beat on to announce the danger and to call the local militias to action

-- so what does the story of Paul Revere have to do with us being gathered here this morning at the foot of the cross to watch the sun rise on Easter morning? -- in one sense, nothing -- the story of the American Revolution may be stirring and patriotic, but it has nothing to do with the resurrection of Christ
-- however, in another sense, the story of Paul Revere -- of his willingness to not just stand by while others prepared for war -- of his willingness to become actively engaged with the enemy -- of his willingness to take action against oppression -- speak to us this morning as followers of Jesus Christ

-- as we all know, after the death of Jesus on the cruel cross of Calvary on Friday, the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan -- He was taken from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and was buried in Joseph's own tomb in a garden
-- in the early morning hours on the third day -- on Sunday morning -- Mary Magdelene and a few other women went to the tomb to finish anointing the body of Jesus with spices and oils in accordance with the Jewish burial traditions
-- as they approached the tomb, they saw that the rock that had been placed over the door to seal the tomb had been rolled away -- and they found the tomb empty -- Jesus' body was gone -- He had been resurrected, just as He had said -- and He subsequently appeared to Mary and to the disciples on many occasions
-- Luke tells us in this passage that Jesus continued to spend time with His disciples for 40 days after the resurrection -- teaching them through His Word and through the Holy Spirit what had happened on the cross and what it meant for mankind
-- at the end of those forty days, Jesus went with His disciples to the Mount of Olives -- a small hill located about ¾ mile from Jerusalem -- a place where they had often gathered to pray and spend time with Him
-- as they were walking toward the mount, they asked Jesus if He was going to restore the throne of Israel at that time -- in other words, they wanted to know if Jesus was about to set up His kingdom on earth

-- look back at verse 7

7. He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

-- "No," He said -- "It's not that time yet -- you don't need to worry about when that will happen -- for I have other plans for you -- I don't want you to sit around here waiting for me to set up the kingdom -- I want you to carry the message of my death and resurrection -- of the good news of the forgiveness of sins -- to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria -- to all the ends of the earth -- tell them I have risen and that I am coming again"
-- right after He said this, Jesus ascended into heaven -- look at verse 9

9. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

-- I want you to get the picture of what is going on in that moment -- Jesus has just been standing there talking to the disciples -- in His last words, He tells them to go and be His witnesses to all the ends of the earth -- and when He finishes speaking, He starts to rise and physically goes up into the sky towards heaven
-- and all the disciples are standing there -- looking up at the sky -- where Jesus has just been -- straining their eyes to see Him -- when all of a sudden, two men dressed in white -- angels -- messengers from God -- appeared next to them -- standing there with them on the Mount of Olives
-- verse 11

11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

-- now this is the key verse that I want you to focus on this morning -- "Men of Gallilee -- why do you stand here looking in the sky?"
-- that is a good question -- that is a loaded question -- in other words, the angels were sent by God to the disciples standing there to find out why they were still there
-- Jesus had just given them the Great Commandment -- He had just told them to go out in His name -- in the power of the Holy Spirit -- to be His witnesses -- to testify to His death and resurrection -- to tell people the good news of the Kingdom of God and to let them know that Jesus was coming soon
-- God wanted to know why the disciples weren't moving -- why they weren't responding -- why they weren't doing what Jesus had called them to do
-- and so He sent two angels -- two Paul Reveres -- who called out to the disciples and said, "To arms -- to arms -- the Lord is coming again -- the Lord is coming again"

-- Paul Skogstrom wrote that Paul Revere became a symbol for the American Spirit -- a citizen-patriot ever ready to drop his plow, grab his musket, and awaken the sleeping masses to the danger that was at hand -- writing at the onset of the Civil war, Longfellow wanted to ignite that same spirit in his fellow countrymen -- to call them to action -- and so he tried to stir the hearts of men with his poem about Paul Revere's ride
-- the angel's words to the disciples on the Mount of Olives was a call to action -- a call from God to stir their very spirits -- to compel them to go forth in the name of Christ -- to be His witnesses and to share His message to the ends of the earth

-- these very same words are a call to us who are gathered here this morning -- I believe God is asking us, "Why are you still standing here? -- Why aren't you moving and doing what My Son called you to do? -- Why aren't you going forth in the power of My Holy Spirit to share My message of reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins? -- Why are you still here?"
-- the message of the angels tells us that Christ did not die just so we could enjoy sunrise services -- He did not die so that we could spend our lives sitting in church each Sunday
-- Christ died for the forgiveness of the sins of the world -- and He has commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations -- baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit -- and teaching them to obey everything that He has commanded us to do

-- Jesus does not want us to be like the disciples -- just standing there on the Mount of Olives -- looking up to Heaven and waiting for His return
-- He does not want us to be static Christians -- to be static churches -- content with coming to sunrise services -- content with coming to church every Sunday -- content with just sitting on the pews while the world around us is going to Hell
-- He is calling us to arms -- to battle against the spiritual forces of evil in this world -- to assail the very gates of Hell itself -- and to win souls for His kingdom

-- in the same way the angels called the disciples to action, Paul Revere called a nation to action -- let me ask you this morning, "Who among you is going to be our Paul Revere?" -- Who among you is not going to be content to just do church any longer? -- Who among you is not going to be happy just sitting in a pew, doing nothing?
-- Who among you is going to rise to the challenge -- to carry the message of God to your family and your friends -- to the cashier at the grocery store -- to the waitress who serves you?
-- Who among you is going to be stirred to action -- to fulfill the command of God?
-- God is calling us to more than we are -- to more than we do -- He is calling us to be His hands and His feet -- to be His army who responds to the call and wins the battle for Him

-- a few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago -- they had assured their wives they would be home on Friday night in plenty of time of supper
-- well, on Friday, they were running late -- and as they were rushing through the airport, trying to make it to the gate to get on the plane which was already boarding -- one of the salesmen accidentally kicked over a table which held a display of apples
-- apples flew everywhere -- rolling all across the terminal floor -- but without stopping or looking back, the salesmen all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding -- all but one
-- this one salesman looked back -- he paused -- took a deep breath -- and felt a twinge of compassion for the girl who owned the apple stand
-- he told his buddies to go on without him and to call his wife and tell her that he would be taking a later flight and would miss supper
-- he went back to the table that they had knocked over -- and he was glad he did
-- the teenaged girl who owned the apple stand was totally blind -- she was softly crying -- tears running down her cheeks in frustration as she helplessly groped around on the floor -- trying to find her apples that had rolled away and that she couldn't see
-- the salesman knelt on the floor with her -- gathered up her apples, and put them back on the table -- as he did, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised -- he put those in another basket
-- when he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said the to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did -- are you okay?"
-- she nodded through her tears -- he said, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly -- and as he started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister" -- he paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes -- "Are you Jesus?"
-- he stopped in mid-stride and his heart skipped a beat -- he slowly made his way to the gate to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul -- "Are you Jesus?"

-- do people mistake you for Jesus? -- that's our destiny, isn't it? -- that's our calling -- that's the challenge from the angel's message to the disciples -- to be so much like Jesus that the world cannot tell the difference as we live and interact people that are blind to His love -- His life -- and His grace
-- if we claim to know Him -- if we claim to be Christians and to be part of His church -- then we should live and walk and act as He would
-- knowing Jesus is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church -- it's actually living the Word and sharing His message with others as life unfolds day to day

-- we are gathered here this morning because we are like the apples in this story -- we have been bruised and battered by a fall -- but Jesus stopped what He was doing and He picked us up on a hill called Calvary -- and He paid the price for our damaged hearts -- for the sins that we had committed -- and all He asks in return is that we do the same for others -- that we take a moment and share with them His message of salvation and forgiveness of sins
-- we can't do that sitting in our pews -- we can't do that standing at the foot of the cross looking up at the sky -- we can only do that if we leave where we are and go back into the world
-- will you be a spiritual Paul Revere today? -- Will you carry the message of Christ to this world -- letting them know that the battle has been won and that Christ is coming again? -- Will you take up your arms for Him?
-- let us pray

THE RISE AND FALL OF ZOMBIES

For some time now, I have been pondering the best way to approach this subject. I know the majority of the Christian community don't believe in zombies, with only a select few prophetic voices (o.k. -- really only one) proclaiming the dangers of zombies to our modern society. I think the problem is that the vast majority of the Christian community has been lulled into a false sense of security through the media. Zombies have been relegated to mythical creatures seen only in low-budget horror movies with more gore than plot, and the truth of the matter has been hidden by a vast right-wing conspiracy [Just as an aside -- no matter how long you watch "28 Days Later," you will not see either zombies or Sandra Bullock. The antagonists are merely infected with a virus and are not true zombies, and Sandra Bullock was in "28 Days" , something we discovered after watching "28 Days Later" for about 30 minutes.]

However, as I learned during my subsequent research in this matter, zombies are definitely real and very much "alive" in our day and age. According to Wikipedia , the definitive source of all real information on the internet, zombies are considered a vital doctrine and belief in other religions, most notably the religion of Vodoun (or Voodoo) as widely practiced in Haiti and in Africa. To quote from the Wikipedia article:

"According to the tenets of Vodoun, a dead person can be revived by a bokor or sorcerer. Zombies remain under the control of the bokor since they have no will of their own. "Zombi" is also another name of the voodoo snake god Damballah Wedo, of Niger-Congo origin; it is akin to the Kongo word nzambi, which means "god." There also exists within the voudon tradition the zombi astral which is a human soul that is captured by a bokor and used to enhance the bokor's power."

Until I began my research, I didn't know that the belief in zombies was widely held among Christians and other religious people in the middle ages, with references dating all the way back to the Epic of Gilgamesh of ancient Sumer. [Another aside -- isn't it curious how many things have their sources in the region that is now known as Iraq?]. In fact, it wasn't until my recent experience that I became aware of the abundance of biblical information regarding zombies and the very real fact of their existence and interaction with Christians.

I first ran up on this clue to zombies in the biblical record while working on an in-depth study of the Book of Romans. In this epistle, the Apostle Paul lays out the foundations of our faith and the blending of Gentiles and Jews into a new body formed as a result of Christ's atoning death on the cross for our sins. While studying through this book, I stumbled upon Paul's references in many places to the presence of zombies. For instance, consider his phrasings in Chapter 3 when describing the enemies of God: "Their throats are open graves," "The poison of vipers is on their lips," "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness," "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know." Sounds sorta zombie'ish to me!

And then I found the clincher in my quest for more insight on the lives of these zombies among us. In Romans Chapter 6, Paul began to write of his "old self," a self that had been killed, crucified on a cross, dead and buried. But, this "old self" did not go away. It came alive again, living in Paul's heart even though it was dead. It led him to give in to the most heinous acts, such that Paul, one of the world's most dedicated Christian, evangelist, and missionary, could cry out in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." This "old self," this zombie that was living inside of him, was controlling even Paul, making him stray from God's commands and live disobediently and unrighteously from time to time. Paul went on to write in the next several verses (17-21), "As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me."

Finally! This zombie had a name! It was sin! This sin nature that was destroyed by the body and blood of Christ had risen again and continued to live a life of evil within Paul and within us all. This explained it all! In my own Christian walk, I had been attacked on many occasions by zombies. I fought back the best I could, but to no avail. Time and time again, the zombies controlled my actions, forcing me to turn away from God and to give in to the evil that they carried in their bodies. At the time, of course, I didn't know what was going on. I knew that I was a Christian. I knew that I had been washed in the blood of the lamb. I knew that my sins were forgiven. But, yet, that old sin nature, the same one that Paul said had been crucified on the cross with Christ, would come back to life at the most inopportune times, leading me into temptation and sin and evil until I cried out with Paul, "I do not know why I keep doing what I don't want to do!"

Now I know that it was truly an attack by the undead, by a zombie released from the pit of hell itself, all designed to take me down and to destroy, not my flesh, but my very soul. But as I looked up from my research, I found hope. Because evil now had a name. And a named evil, an identified evil, could be destroyed. Unfortunately, the best sources on how to kill a zombie didn't identify how to kill a zombie within, only external zombies that rise from the grave to attack you. Obviously, a bullet or sharp blow to the head wouldn't work. Fire wouldn't work. So what would?

Once again, I found the answer in the Book of Romans. Faced with a similar predicament, the Apostle Paul cried out (7:24), "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" And immediately, he received his answer. Deliverance would only come through Christ Jesus, his Lord! You see, just like vampires can't stand against garlic, just like werewolves are powerless against silver bullets, sin zombies are powerless against the blood of Christ. The secret to totally vanquishing this messenger from hell was to completely saturate and inundate yourself with the blood of Christ, literally turning yourself completely over to Him, making yourself, in essence, His slave, so that He controlled your actions and the zombie could not gain a foothold. Sin zombies cannot stand the sight of Christ's blood. It actually repels them and forces them to flee.

So how is this done in practice? Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2. We must make ourselves a sacrifice to God. "1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." In other words, cover yourself with the blood of Christ and offer yourself as a holy and pleasing sacrifice to Him, dedicating your life and all that you are, and the undead will flee. A life of holiness and righteousness and obedience can be lived, and the undead sin zombies that once plagued you will be gone forever.

Of course, this only works if you continue to remain soaked in the blood of Christ, if you remain in close proximity to Him and allow His very presence to infuse your life. The best way I have found to do this is through prayer, daily Bible reading, regular worship, and participation in the Lord's Supper. When I neglect these daily disciplines, I find the zombie sin monster coming to life again, and I immediately have to turn to Jesus for His grace and mercy in order to defeat this evil from within.

Here are the take-home messages: 1) Zombies are real; 2) Zombies have a name: Sin; 3) Zombies can only be defeated by the blood of Christ; and, 4) You must have daily infusions of Christ in order to maintain vigilance against these evil, undead creatures. Take heart -- the Apostle Paul recognized and controlled zombies in his life, and we can do so, too!

SERMON: A SKELETON IN GOD'S CLOSET

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
4 March 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Corinthians 15

1. Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.
2. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4. that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5. and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
6. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
7. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
8. and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

12. But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
15. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

-- in 1994, Paul Maier published a fiction book called, "A Skeleton in God's Closet" that really shook up the Christian community -- in this book, Dr. Jonathan Weber, a world-renowned archeologist, discovers a previously unknown tomb in Rama in Israel -- as he starts his excavations, he is shocked to discover that there is writing on the tomb that states it is the final resting place of Yeshua -- Jesus -- the son of Joseph
-- he starts to wonder, "Could these really be the bones of Jesus?" -- he really begins to wonder when he finds a sign in the tomb, written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek, that says, "King of the Jews" -- the same sign the Bible tells us was placed over Jesus on the cross
-- finally, he finds a scroll in the tomb itself telling how Joseph of Arimathea stole the body of Jesus from the Garden Tomb in the middle of the night and carried it off and buried it so everyone would think that Jesus had risen from the dead
-- convinced now that he has discovered the actual remains of Jesus, Dr. Weber breaks the news to the world -- and when he does so, millions of Christians around the world begin to abandon their faith -- churches are left empty -- and only a handful of people still believe in the story in the Bible that Jesus died on the cross, was physically resurrected on the third day, and ascended to heaven, leaving an empty tomb with no body and no bones and nothing but his burial shroud
-- Dr. Weber finds himself identified as the man who destroyed Christianity, and the story follows the rest of his adventure as he is hated and loathed by some and hailed as a hero by others

II. The Lost Tomb of Jesus
-- when I first read this book, it made me really uncomfortable -- it caused me to stop and reflect on what I believe and on what I would do if someone did come forward and say they had found the remains of Jesus -- what would happen to my faith if the central-most important belief of the church was to be suddenly shattered by science? -- what would happen to our churches?
-- well, as I'm sure most of you know by now, the unthinkable has happened -- tonight at 9:00 pm, the Discovery Channel will air a special documentary by James Cameron called, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus"
-- in 1980, archeologists discovered 10 ossuaries in the Talpoit tomb in Jerusalem that several people think belong to Jesus and His family -- just in case you don't know, an ossuary is a box that contains the bones of a person who has died -- according to Jewish burial practices, the bones of the deceased were collected one year after burial and were placed in a carved stone box -- these ossuaries were sometimes decorated with geometric or other designs and frequently had the name of the deceased carved on the side
-- the ossuaries from the Talpoit tomb supposedly contain inscriptions that read, "Jesus, son of Joseph" -- "Judah, son of Jesus" -- "Matthew" -- "Mary the master" -- "Mary" -- and "Jose," a shortened form of the name "Joseph"
-- Cameron and some archeologists believe that the inscriptions prove that these ossuaries contain the remains of Jesus, His mother, His wife Mary Magdalene, and His son, in addition to a couple other family members
-- other scholars and archeologists, though, have already questioned the assumptions being made by Cameron and disputed his findings -- they state that the names on the ossuaries were extremely common in that era in Palestine, and that this is a mere coincidence, nothing more
-- one thing is certain -- this is going to remain a highly controversial and polarizing discovery for the next several years, with one side continuing to claim that these are the remains of the Jesus from the Bible while the other side says that they are not
-- regardless of the controversy, we -- as Christians and as a church -- are faced with the fact that someone has produced a skeleton from first century Israel that they claim belongs to Jesus -- which begs the question, "What is our response?" -- I don't mean our official church response -- I mean our response of faith
-- does this discovery -- does this documentary tonight -- cause you pause in your faith? -- does it cause you to question your belief in the Bible and in the resurrection of Christ?

III. The Need for the Resurrection
-- without a doubt, our faith in Jesus hinges on the resurrection -- it is the cornerstone of our faith -- Paul makes that quite clear in this passage from 1 Corinthians -- look back at verse 1 1. Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.
2. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4. that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5. and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
6. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
7. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
8. and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

-- if we take all the denominations -- all the different interpretations of the Bible -- all the different ways we worship God -- and if we were to distill them all down to their most basic essence, this is it -- this is the gospel -- this is the message of the New Testament
-- Jesus was the Son of God -- He came to earth and He died on the cross for our sins -- He was buried -- and He was raised on the third day
-- this is what we believe -- this is what our faith and our hope rests on -- and, as Paul says in verse 2, it is "by this gospel that you are saved"
-- we can debate the means of grace -- we can argue about once saved, always saved -- we can have differences in the way we understand and practice baptism -- but there is no debate over the gospel message -- this is foundational -- to be a Christian, this is what you must believe and put your faith in

-- the resurrection has always been at the heart of Christianity -- without it, Christianity crumbles -- so, is there any wonder that this has always been the one facet of our belief that has always come under attack?
-- in Paul's day, there were many people who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead -- most notably, the Sadducees, one of the sects of Judaism -- did not believe that people were physically resurrected from the dead -- in Matthew 22, Jesus Himself was questioned about the resurrection by the Sadduccees and affirmed that the dead would be raised by God in the last days
-- evidently, there were others in Corinth who had infiltrated the church there and who were teaching that the dead were not resurrected -- look back at verse 12

12. But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

-- Paul starts off his discussion of the resurrection by stating up front that it rests on the resurrection of Jesus -- he then goes on to make the case that our faith depends on this resurrection

-- verse 13

13. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
14. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

-- do you see the importance of this claim by Cameron and his followers concerning the remains of Jesus? -- if the documentary, "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" is correct and these are indeed the bones of Jesus, it would be proof that Jesus was not resurrected -- it would be proof that He did not rise from the dead -- and, it would mean that our faith is in vain -- useless -- and without merit
-- Paul goes on to make this case -- verse 15

15. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
16. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

-- if Christ was not resurrected, then our sins have not been forgiven -- if Christ was not resurrected, then we have no hope of eternal life -- if Christ was not resurrected, then all hope is lost

IV. Our Response
-- so, what is our response to the claims of Cameron and the others who say that these ossuaries from the Talpoit tomb contain the remains of Jesus and His family? -- we can't just dismiss them by saying they don't matter -- they do matter -- Paul makes that quite clear in this passage
-- your response to this documentary and to all the attacks on Christianity by people like James Cameron and Dan Brown, who wrote "The Da Vinci Code" comes down to just one word -- "Faith"
-- the Bible defines faith in Hebrews 11:1 as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" -- "being sure" -- knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt -- knowing in our hearts that what we hope for -- the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with God -- is certain because of what happened in the past
-- things that we did not see ourselves but that we trust in because they are contained in the Bible -- Jesus' life here on earth -- His death on the cross as the atonement for our sins -- and His resurrection proving that He was God and had power over sin and death and was going to resurrect us in the future
-- Faith -- this is all that saves us -- as it says in Ephesians 2:8-9 -- "For it is by grace you have been saved -- through faith -- and this not from yourselves -- it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast"
-- let me ask you this morning, "How is your faith? -- Are you sure of what you hope for? -- Are you certain of what you do not see?"
-- how you respond when your faith is challenged tells you where you are in your relationship with Christ

-- I want to give you a demonstration of faith -- is there any one of the kids here today who would like to get a dollar? -- I'm going to pick one kid -- and all you have to do is come down here -- answer a few questions -- and I'm going to give you a dollar
[go over demonstration of faith with the dollar]

V. Closing
-- Faith -- it all comes down to faith -- do you believe the message of the Bible? -- do you believe the words of God recorded in these pages? -- do you believe the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection preserved in our New Testament texts? -- do your believe in the presence of Jesus in your life?
-- let me tell you what I believe
-- I believe in God the Father Almighty -- maker of heaven and earth -- and in Jesus Christ His only Son -- who was conceived by the Holy Spirit -- born of the virgin Mary -- suffered under Pontius Pilate -- was crucified, dead and buried -- on the third day He rose from the dead and He ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty -- from thence He shall come to judge the quick and dead
-- I believe in the Holy Spirit -- the Holy Catholic Church -- the Communion of Saints -- the Forgiveness of Sins -- the resurrection of the body -- and the Life Everlasting -- Amen

-- I believe in Jesus -- I believe in the cross -- in the atonement of my sins through the body and blood of Christ -- and I believe in the empty tomb
-- I believe that James Cameron and those archeologists might have found some bones in Israel, but they aren't the bones of my Savior -- because my Jesus is not dead -- He is alive and lives forevermore -- I know that beyond the shadow of a doubt, because I talked with Him just this morning
-- I know that my Savior loves and lives and is always there for me -- how can I fail to do likewise for Him?

-- today, March 4th in the year of our Lord 2007, we find our faith and our beliefs challenged by those who would destroy the very foundation of Christianity -- our only response can be one of faith -- of affirmation in Who and what we believe
-- in a few moments, we will join together in Holy Communion -- drawing together as one body -- as one people -- as believers in Christ -- to unite in remembrance of His mighty acts
-- but, before we do so, I want you to take a moment to examine your faith -- do you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is Lord? -- do you believe in Him and are you trusting Him for your salvation?
-- Jesus said that He is the way and the truth and the life -- no one comes to the Father except through Him -- there is no other way to receive forgiveness of your sins and eternal life with God except through faith in the finished work of Christ
-- do you have faith in Him this morning? -- have you received Him as your Lord and Savior? -- if not, then I want you to pray with me right now -- I am going to close in prayer, and I'm going to ask you to pray with me the prayer of salvation
-- if you pray this prayer, if you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord -- that He died for your sins and rose from the dead and offers you eternal life -- then you will be saved
-- for those of you who are saved -- who have made a personal decision to follow Christ, use this opportunity to renew your faith and commitment to Christ and pray for those who might be making this decision for the first time today
-- let's pray

SERMON: FASTING FROM THE HEART

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
25 February 2007

I. Introduction
-- turn in your Bibles to Luke 5

27. After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him,
28. and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
29. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
30. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and `sinners'?"
31. Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
32. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
33. They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."
34. Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?
35. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."

-- as I'm sure you know, we have now passed from the season of Epiphany -- from the season in the church where we recognize the revealing of Christ to the world -- to the season of Lent -- that time where we spiritually prepare ourselves and reflect on the reason why Christ came to earth -- namely, to die on the cross as an atonement for our sins
-- during this 40-day period of Lent, the church has traditionally focused on the remembrance of our sins and entered a time of mourning and reflection so that we might rejoice all the more on Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus
-- it was with that understanding that we joined together last Wednesday for our Ash Wednesday service -- to symbolically represent our humanity and our sinfulness before God and man through the ashes placed on our foreheads -- this is also the reason why the church typically takes up asceticism during the season of Lent -- why we traditionally practice fasting in some form -- it is a way to deny ourselves and to give up some pleasure -- whether it is eating or drinking or some other form of entertainment -- in order to draw closer to Christ
-- fasting and prayer can be powerful means for us to seek God and to draw closer to Him -- the late Bill Bright once wrote that fasting and prayer can be a "powerful means for causing the fire of God to fall again in a person's life" -- through fasting and prayer, we surrender our body, our soul, and our spirit to Jesus and reach the state where we can be fully aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives -- Dr. Bright taught that fasting and prayer was a means by which personal revival could be brought about

-- fasting is a gift from God -- but just like any gift we have received from the Father -- we tend to have the unique human ability to misunderstand and misapply it in our lives, thus turning something sacred and holy into something dutiful and mundane
-- let me give you an example -- God instituted the practice of sacrifice with the Israelites as a means by which they could worship Him and seek forgiveness from their sins -- however, over time, this spiritual act of worship turned into a work -- into a duty done because the law said do it
-- they forgot the heart of the matter -- the heart of worship -- it was never about the sacrifice itself -- it was about drawing near to God -- for that reason, the Psalmist writes in Psalm 51, " You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings" -- instead, what God was seeking -- the sacrifices He desired, were a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart
-- in other words, God was not seeking sacrifices -- He was seeking the heart of the person who was coming to Him in worship
-- in the same way, when we undergo the spiritual discipline of fasting, we must take care to not let it fall into a work -- into something that we have to do -- but let it remain a means by which our heart draws near to our God and Father -- denying ourselves and our body through fasting and using that time to draw closer to God helps us to renew and revive our bodies and our souls and our spirits and to draw near to Jesus -- but we must never forget that God doesn't desire our act of fasting -- He desires our hearts -- He desires us

II. Scripture Lesson -- Luke 5
-- in this passage from Luke, we see Jesus teaching with this understanding of fasting -- let's look at this together and see what we might learn about fasting from this passage
-- look back at verse 27
27. After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him,
28. and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
29. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
-- this passage takes place right on the heels of a miraculous healing by Jesus -- as you remember, Jesus was teaching in a house one day when some men tried to carry their paralytic friend to Jesus to be healed -- since they couldn't get to Jesus through the door, they dug a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down to Jesus -- Jesus responded to the faith of those men by not only physically healing their friend, but by proclaiming, "your sins are forgiven" -- immediately, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to object, saying that Jesus was committing blasphemy because only God alone could forgive sin
-- when Jesus left the house where the healing had occurred, He passed by the tax collector's booth where Levi -- Matthew -- sat -- He called out to Levi, "Come, follow Me" -- and Levi immediately left His booth and started to follow Jesus
-- as is often the case when someone is saved and is brought into the presence of Jesus, Levi was overjoyed and immediately threw a great feast -- a banquet -- for all of his friends and for Jesus and His disciples
-- the Pharisees and the teachers of the law saw Jesus going in to eat with these men who they considered to be sinners and complained to His disciples -- look back at verse 30

30. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and `sinners'?"
31. Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
32. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

-- having already condemned Jesus for blasphemy in their hearts, the Pharisees were looking for confirmation that Jesus was not following God in His life -- when they saw Him eating with tax collectors and sinners, they claimed, "Aha, here is a clear example -- the law forbids us to eat with sinners"
-- do you see what is truly going on in this passage? -- the Pharisees were bound by the law -- they had forgotten the purpose -- the heart of the law -- and had instead turned it into a list of restrictions and regulations that they felt were going to make them holy in God's eyes -- so when they saw Jesus eating with the tax collectors and sinners, this confirmed for them that He could not be a man of God -- a true man of God would never associate with sinners
-- but Jesus rebuked them and revealed His ministry on earth that the Pharisees had been neglecting -- namely, to lead others to God -- to call sinners to repentance and to a right relationship with the Father -- we can't forget that the Jews were God's chosen people -- not chosen to be the only holy ones of God, but to the be the ones through which salvation for the entire world would come -- the Pharisees had forgotten that and were not offering God's grace to those they deemed "sinners"
-- having failed at trying to condemn Jesus for eating with sinners, the Pharisees then pulled their trump card and brought up the issue of fasting -- verse 33

33. They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."

-- can't you just hear their arrogance and self-righteousness in this statement -- "If You and Your disciples were truly Godly, then you would fast and pray -- we do -- even John's disciples do -- why don't yours?"
-- and here we get to the heart of the matter -- listen carefully to Jesus' words in these next two verses

34. Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?
35. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."

-- "they don't fast now, because I am with them"

-- what is the purpose of fasting? -- simply to deny ourselves food or some other pleasure for a period of time? -- no, of course not -- the reason we fast is to draw near to God -- to willingly put aside something in our lives so that we can use that time to seek the presence of Jesus -- as Jesus points out in these verses, the object of fasting -- in fact, the object of all of our spiritual disciplines and acts of worship -- is Jesus Himself
-- why do we pray? -- not to get things, but to spend time with Jesus
-- why do we take communion? -- not to participate in a religious observance, but to experience the grace of God that comes through Jesus' body and blood
-- why do we fast? -- not to just give up something for Lent because that's what Christians do, but to spend time seeking the presence of Jesus -- not just on Sundays -- but in our daily lives
-- the Pharisees fasted because the law said to fast -- Jesus says you should fast because you want to be in His presence
-- Jesus' disciples did not fast while He was on earth because He was already in their midst -- they had no need to seek His presence in this way -- He was with them -- however, Jesus said that later, when He had been taken up to Heaven -- that His disciples would then fast as a means by which they could draw closer to Him and be in an intimate relationship with Him once again

-- let me give you an illustration to help you see what Jesus is talking about in this passage -- shortly after Kim and I started dating, I discovered something about her -- she is a card person -- almost every day, she would leave a card or a short note under the windshield wiper of my truck at school that would say stuff like, "Hi -- hope you're having a good day -- I'll see you later tonight"
-- and I'd read those cards and notes and I'd look forward to seeing her later that day -- I didn't dwell on them, because she was there -- I knew I'd be seeing her in a few hours -- the cards and letters were not what was important -- what was important was spending time with her
-- but after we had dated for several months, we were separated for quite a while -- I was sent down to the island of Antigua to work on a project down there -- and we couldn't see each other or talk to each other like we had been doing
-- but Kim still sent cards and letters all the way down there -- and when they came in, I would pour over them -- I would read them and reread them -- she had poured out her life and love into those cards -- and when I read them, they helped me to remember her presence -- they helped me to draw close to her -- they helped me to maintain our relationship, even though we were miles and miles away
-- there was a vast difference between reading a card when I was in Athens where Kim was and between reading a card when I was in Antigua, separated from her and unable to spend time with her -- when she wasn't there, the act of reading and pouring over the cards became more important -- it was a way for us to remain connected

-- this is the purpose of fasting and prayer and this is what Jesus was trying to get the Pharisees to see -- you don't just fast and pray because you are commanded to do so -- this turns fasting and prayer into a duty -- into a work -- into something that you are required to do
-- no, you fast because you are separated from a loved One and you want to stay connected -- you want to draw near to His presence -- and so you deny yourself pleasurable things -- such as eating or drinking or something else -- so that you can spend that time communing with Jesus and drawing near to Him with your heart
-- the object of our fast is not the act itself -- but the God we are trying to reach

III. Closing
-- if you would, turn over to Isaiah 58 and we'll close there

3. `Why have we fasted,' they say, `and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
4. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
6. "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7. Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10. and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

-- in this passage, God rebukes those who have turned fasting into a duty and a work -- those who are fasting simply because they think it will make them more holy or more righteous in God's eyes
-- Martin Luther once wrote about the problems of practicing fasting as a good work -- he said that it was pointless to approach fasting as if it were a "meritorious work before God" -- something that could "atone for our sins and obtain grace" -- something that would make us holy in God's eyes
-- approaching fasting like this, Luther wrote, made our fasting a stench and shameful act before God
-- in this passage, God reminds us that it is not the act of fasting that is important, but the heart of the people -- doing without food for a day or a week or even a month has no spiritual value at all, unless you are using this time of abstinence to draw nearer to God and to spread His love to those around you, even tax collectors and sinners
-- the purpose of fasting is not to impress Jesus, but to stay connected with Him

-- fasting and prayer can be important means of grace in our lives, but only if we approach it with the right understanding -- we shouldn't simply fast because we feel it is a requirement -- a duty -- or something we need to do to be holy
-- we should fast only when we sense the stirring of our spirit and desire a renewed closeness with Jesus -- fasting can lead you into a deeper experience with God -- it can help cleanse you from sin -- protect you from the weakness of the flesh -- and help you clearly discern the guidance of God -- but, it must be approached from the heart

-- as we enter this season of Lent -- the traditional time of fasting in the church -- I would invite you to examine your heart and your relationship with God -- if you feel you need to be closer to Him -- to revive and renew your heart with His presence -- then I would invite you to consider entering a time of fasting and prayer during this season -- maybe only one day over this 40-day period -- maybe one day a week until Easter -- maybe longer
-- if you do so, and if you enter this time with the right attitude and with a seeking heart -- then you will find yourself drawing closer to God and becoming more connected to Him in your life
-- Jesus expected us to occasionally fast in order to maintain our relationship with Him -- the important thing is to do it from the heart and not as a duty or an obligation
-- let us pray

TAKING A BREATHER

Well, tonight for the first time in a very long time, I have actually been able to spend a couple of minutes at the computer, checking e-mails, looking at some other blogs, and just generally catching up on the news in the electronic world. For some reason, despite my best efforts, I just can't seem to get any breathing room in my life. It seems like I'm always on the run and always busy, with little time to catch my breath in between.

Christmas is always a busy season, but I thought things might slow down after that. But then it was the Wild Game Supper at our church -- a rousing success with over 125 men and boys coming to enjoy a night of fellowship. Not bad for a church with just 58 members! But, just as soon as that was past, we started getting ready for our Chrysalis Journey, which we held just last weekend.

For those who don't know, the Chrysalis Journey is an off-shoot of the Walk to Emmaus, a three-day ecumenical spiritual retreat sponsored by the Upper Room. The Walk to Emmaus is for adults, while Chrysalis is for those under 25. Chrysalis Flights are for high-school aged kids (15 to 18), while Chrysalis Journeys are for college-aged men and women (19-24).

This was an incredible weekend, and although we only had 21 men go through the Chrysalis Journey, I think it is safe to say that every man there, including those on the team, was touched by God in some way. Several of the young men on the Journey rededicated their lives to Christ and committed to carrying the gospel message back to their campus, to their dorms, and to their families. While I know that there are many such spiritual retreats and many ways to experience a closer walk with Jesus, this is one that many people find particularly enlightening.

Anyway, I am hoping that I have somewhat of a break now for a little while. I am starting back at the Course of Study for the Methodist Church, so I am starting on my pre-work assignments, but I don't think they will be too overwhelming. Hopefully, I'll be able to post more as time goes by. My plans are to get my past several sermons on the blog for those who are interested in them, and to start doing occasional posts on a variety of topics, including a post I'm thinking about on zombies (just in case John the Methodist is lurking).

FLOCKING TOGETHER

The other day as I was headed for work, I saw a strange sight indeed. Three wood storks were standing on the edge of a small pond near our house, two of them standing together and the third on the other side of the pond. Now, in and of itself, seeing woodstorks is a remarkable treat in south Georgia. These are endangered species who have declined precipitously in recent years and can most reliably be seen only along the coast and in Florida. But what made the sight so strange was the fact that they were here when they were -- in mid-January.

Wood storks are migratory and spend the colder winter months in central Florida and regions south, not in south Georgia. They typically come up here in late March and stay until the weather starts to turn cooler again in September and October. As I drove by, I thought to myself that I knew exactly what those wood storks were thinking: "Man, it's cold out here! Whose bright idea was it to leave Florida and come north so early?" And, I guessed, it must have been the bright idea of the lone woodstork who was on the other side of the pond, distant from his relatives.

As I thought about that all day, a not-too-uncommon analogy with the modern church popped into my mind. How like those woodstorks are we? When someone makes a mistake, sins against us, disagrees in a church board meeting, or just otherwise enters into conflict with us, how often do we respond as the two woodstorks did? How often do we isolate the offender, refusing to allow them to have any part of fellowship with us? Oh, we probably won't kick them out of church (assuming this is where the conflict took place). We'd still welcome them in, but just like the woodstorks, we'd assume a cold shoulder and keep our distance even though we're all standing around the same pond (church).

I think this tendency in ourselves negates one of the biggest arguments against Christianity that I hear. When I witness to people and tell them the simple plan of salvation, that through faith, by grace, and not by works, they can come to see their sins forgiven and enter into eternal life with God, invariably I will have some tell me, "That can't work. It's too simple. You have to do more." In their minds, believing in Christ alone for salvation is too easy. "Forgiveness of sins demands more," they reason. "We have to do something. We can't let Jesus do it all." And so they rush around, trying to be holy, trying to be good, so they might earn their way into heaven.

But, when you think about it, whose tenet is actually the hardest to follow? The Christians who say all you have to do is believe in Christ, or those who feel you have to add something to Christ's death on the cross? I would contend it is the Christians, for it seems to be relatively simple to imagine working your way to heaven. Just ask the Pharisees. All you have to do is come up with a list of rights and wrongs, and make sure that at the end of the day, the number of rights that you did outweighed the number of wrongs. Or, if you want to get fancy, weight the rights and the wrongs and make their importance vary considering the holiness or sinfulness of the act. This way, since murder is so heinous, you know you have to do more than just help an old lady across the street to make up for it. You might have to help five old ladies.

This, in my mind, is simple. It meets all the criteria for goals that we have preached to us in church and in our secular jobs. It is definable. It is quantifiable. It is measurable. And, at the end of the day, you know exactly where you stand. Simple strategy for salvation.

But, the proponents of this don't see it that way. "It's much harder to live holy than it is to just believe in Jesus. Believing in Jesus is too easy. That can't be right." But, there's the rub. They are wrong. Believing in Jesus is not easy, and we can see that clearly demonstrated in the way we relate to others. Believing in Jesus means more than just knowledge that Jesus lived and died and was resurrected. The Bible tells us that even the demons believe that. Believing in Jesus means, not only do you know Jesus lived and died, but you are placing your trust in His death and resurrection. You are admitting that there is no other way but through Him, and you are putting all of your eggs in one basket, as it were. This sounds simple, but the hard part comes in actually living out your belief.

Just this past week, one of the most Godly men I know came to me and confessed that he had unforgiveness in his heart. "I just can't forgive this person. I know I'm supposed to, but I just can't." And, that is what makes believing in Christ so much more difficult than earning your way to heaven. Believing in Christ means that you not only trust His death and resurrection for your salvation, but that you allow Him to live in you and work through so that your relations with others mirror His relation with you. It means that you trust that the same blood that forgave you of your sins can also forgive another. It means more than just living a holy life on your own and doing more good than bad, it means trusting in the power of Christ to turn the curse of sin from all. When we can't forgive others, we are saying more about what we believe about Christ than anything else.

People do horrible things in life. They commit sins and violent acts against us and against God. But, as Christians, we are called to hate the sin and not the sinner. To love them into fellowship, to point them to the One who can cleanse them of every sin, no matter how vile, no matter how great in our eyes. To believe that Jesus has cleansed them of their sin. And to live in harmony and unity with all of our brothers and sisters. Anyone who thinks this is easy is just fooling themselves. All you have to do is go to a church board meeting, or hear the subcurrents of conflict rippling among the congregation, and you will quickly discover that to live this way -- to live life truly believing in Christ -- is the hardest thing you can do.

The path to salvation is easy, at least for us. Jesus walked that path for us. He paid the price with His own body and blood. But He is calling us to follow Him, to receive His free gift, and to live in that gift in our relationship with others. Not easy. Not simple. But possible through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

When I got home that day, I drove again past the pond with the woodstorks. The sun had come out and the temperatures had warmed slightly. And I smiled inside as I saw those three woodstorks again, this time all three standing in one group, fishing happily in the waters of that little pond. Oh, that we might be as forgiving as they. Oh, that we might believe as they.