Sermon Video -- Miracles of Jesus, Part 1 -- Jesus turns water into wine

SERMON: THE MIRACLES OF JESUS, PART 1 -- TURNING WATER INTO WINE

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to John 2:1-11

John 2:1-11 New International Version (NIV)

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

            -- on Saturday, June 23rd, a soccer coach led his 12 team members, aged 11 to 16, into a cave complex in Thailand to celebrate one of the boy’s birthday -- it was to be a joyous event -- a time when the team would band together to explore the cave system that underlies their region of Thailand

            -- but disaster occurred when heavy monsoon flooding unexpectedly flooded the passages of the cave, trapping them deep underground with little food and little hope

            -- the world watched with growing despair as rescue teams tried unsuccessfully day after day to locate the boys and their coach -- everyone began to lose hope as we realized it had been too long -- the boys and their coach were surely dead

            -- however, on July 2nd, we woke to the breaking news that a British rescue diver had located the team deep within the cave structure -- all 12 team members and their coach were alive -- they were hungry -- they were tired -- they were scared -- but, they were alive

            -- the question now was how to rescue them with the flood waters filling the cave and more waters entering every day, producing a strong current that tested even the strength of the most seasoned divers -- and, to make matters worse, oxygen levels in the cave had dropped to just 15% -- a few more days and they all would not have enough air to breathe -- no one knew how to get the team through the flooded, narrow channels and out to safety

            -- for the next week, we watched as effort after effort -- plan after plan -- was tried and failed -- finally, in desperation, the idea was conceived to have the divers escort the boys out one-by-one with their own SCUBA equipment, being led by a rescue diver through the passageway and out to safety

            -- on July 8th, the world cheered as the first four boys were successfully rescued from the cave and reunited with their waiting families -- the next day, four more boys were brought out -- and, then finally, on July 10th, the remaining team members and their coach were successfully rescued^{1, 2}

            -- the only word the news broadcasters could use as they relayed to us the story of this daring and improbable rescue was “miracle” -- “it was a miracle,” they said, over and over again

            -- this morning we are going to be starting a new sermon series on miracles -- specifically, the miracles of Jesus as recorded in the Book of John -- in his gospel, John relates to us seven specific miracles that Jesus performed:

                        1.  The turning of water into wine -- John Chapter 2

                        2.  The healing of the nobleman son -- John Chapter 4

                        3.  The healing at the pool of Bethesda -- John Chapter 5

                        4.  The feeding of the multitude -- John Chapter 6

                        5.  The stilling of the storm and walking on the water -- Also in John Chapter 6

                        6.  Opening of the eyes of a blind man -- John Chapter 9

                        7.  The raising of Lazarus -- John Chapter 11

            -- in the course of this series, we’re going to look at each of these miracles -- at what they were -- what they meant -- why Jesus did them -- and what it means for us

II.  What is a Miracle?

            -- so, let’s start this series off today by answering the question, “what is a miracle?”

            -- we use that word in our day for just about anything unexpected that happens -- just like the discovery and rescue of the soccer team from the cave in Thailand -- or, we might find a parking place close to the entrance of the store on a crowded Saturday afternoon and exclaim, “it was a miracle!” -- but, was it? -- was it really a miracle from God that we found a close parking spot? -- what is the biblical definition of a miracle?

            -- in the New Testament, we see three words that are used in relation to miracles -- the first is dunamis -- you probably have heard this word before -- it’s the power inherent in the action of a supernatural being -- we read of the dunamis -- the power -- of the Holy Spirit working in our lives -- whenever you read that word in the New Testament, it always refers to a supernatural power being involved

            -- secondly, we see the word terasa -- this speaks of the effect or the result of the action -- a miracle is an unusual event, and it causes a miraculous effect through the dunamis power employed by God

            -- there are basically three results or effects from God’s miraculous work in our world: 

                        1.  miracles showing power over nature

                        2.  healing miracles, which include the healing of those possessed by evil spirits

                        3.  miracles over death, where Jesus raises people from the dead

            -- the third word is semeion -- semeion means “sign” -- miracles happen for a reason -- there is a purpose for the supernatural dunamis power of God being made manifest in an event -- God doesn’t just do miracles on a daily basis for no reason at all -- when God moves in such a miraculous way, it is a semeion -- a sign -- it has a reason

            -- miracles reveal the attributes of Christ -- His omnipotence -- His mercy -- His grace -- His comfort -- His power to forgive sins

            -- when Jesus does a miracle in the Book of John, it is a sign of who He is -- it is a visual proclamation to the world that He is the Son of God -- He is the Messiah -- He is the promised Savior who has come to save the world

            -- Jesus didn’t just do miracles for the sake of doing miracles -- His miracles were done in public -- or at least in the presence of His disciples -- so that others would see them and come to know Him as their Lord and Savior

            -- so, putting all this together, we come up with our definition of a miracle as “an unusual or significant event which requires the working of a supernatural agent’s [power] and is performed for [a purpose or reason]”³

            -- in other words, a miracle is when God -- either in the person of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit -- exercises His power in this world to produce an unusual or significant event -- such as turning water into wine or healing a person -- for a specific purpose or reason      

            -- finding a close parking spot is not a miracle -- the rescue of the Thai soccer team and their coach was not a miracle according to that definition, although God certainly had His hand in that event

            -- so, what is an example of a miracle in our day? -- it could be the miraculous healing of someone -- when it is done in such as way that God’s power is made manifest clearly to all watching and when God receives the glory and praise from the event

III.  Scripture Lesson -- Turning Water into Wine (John 2:1-11)

            -- so, let’s look now at the first miracle of Jesus recorded in the Book of John -- the familiar story of Jesus turning water into wine

            -- look back at verse 1

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

            -- John begins by telling us that the events of this passage happened on the third day -- the third day of what? -- the third day of Jesus’ public ministry that began after His baptism by John the Baptist

            -- on this day, Jesus and His disciples are at a wedding at Cana in Galilee -- His mother is there and becomes concerned because the bride and groom have run out of wine -- her concern shows that either the bride or groom may have been related to her and to Jesus in some fashion, and so she was concerned that their running out of wine would cause them to be embarrassed or shamed in public because of this social faux paus

            -- so John tells us that Mary turns to Jesus -- which brings up a good point -- what should we do when we have a problem -- even something so seemingly insignificant as running out of food or drink at a public event? -- we should go to Jesus -- too often, we look at prayer or calling out to God for help as a last resort rather than the first thing we do -- we kind of keep prayer in our lives as a spare tire -- when we’ve exhausted our human strength and ingenuity at solving problems and nothing works, it is only then that we decide to pray -- we need to start turning to God first and ask for His help, just like Mary does with Jesus in this passage

            -- Mary turns to Jesus and says, “They’re out of wine” -- and Jesus responds by saying, “Why are you telling Me? -- Why do you involve Me? -- My time has not yet come”

            -- Jesus response to Mary here can seem a little rude or discourteous to our ears -- but, as Barclay pointed out in his commentary, it really wasn’t -- Jesus’ response was a common Jewish saying that meant, “Don’t worry -- you don’t quite understand what is going on, so leave things to me, and I will settle them in my own way.” 

            -- and, we can see that in Mary’s response -- she doesn’t get upset -- she doesn’t react in a negative way -- she understands what He is saying -- what He meant by His response -- so she turns to the servants and says, “Do whatever He tells you to do” -- which is another good principle for us to remember -- when God tells us to do something, we need to do it

            -- verse 6

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

            -- John makes a point of telling us that there were six water jars nearby -- the jars that were used for ceremonial washing by the Jews -- the reason they used these jars for washing their hands was based on Scripture -- Psalm 24:3-4 says, “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? -- Who may stand in His holy place? -- He who has clean hands and a pure heart…”

            -- so, the Jews would wash their hands to symbolically cleanse their hands and their hearts before God -- in their minds, this made them holy -- remember, later on in the gospels we read of an account where the Pharisees go before Jesus and complain about the disciples eating without first washing their hands -- this is what their complaint was about -- the Scriptures said that you had to wash your hands to be clean before God -- that’s why those ceremonial washing jars were there at the wedding

            -- now one thing you need to notice is that there are only six water jars, not seven -- that’s one short of God’s perfect number -- this is indicative of man’s efforts to reach holiness -- of man’s efforts to become pure and clean before God -- and this is where the sign part of this miracle comes in

            -- remember why Jesus came to earth -- remember His purpose in coming and dying on the cross for our sins -- He came to fulfill the law and to pay the penalty for our sins by being our perfect and complete sacrifice -- He came to fulfill the requirements of Psalm 24:3-4 for us

            -- we could not become clean and pure of heart by washing our hands in water from these ceremonial jars -- we could only become clean and pure of heart through Jesus -- so He takes these jars and changes their purpose -- no longer were they to be used for ceremonial washing, because now He has come to make us clean

            -- He takes the jars, has the servants fill them up with water, and miraculously changes the water into wine -- a miracle showing His power over nature -- but, more importantly, pointing to His power and purpose in being the One who would cleanse us from our sins and wash us white as snow through His blood shed on the cross of Calvary

            -- the other thing to note is that the wine Jesus created was better than all the rest that had been shared that day -- it was better than the best the bride and groom had at the start of the wedding -- it was better than anyone could imagine

            -- that’s the way it is with Jesus -- when Jesus comes into your life -- when Jesus works in your life -- He always brings the best -- as Romans 8:28 says, “In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” -- in all things, God is working for the best in your life

            -- He is not going to settle for second-best -- He is not just going to get you by when you’re in a jam -- but His plan and His purpose is for you to receive the best He has for you, because of His great love for you and for me

            -- of course, His greatest blessing was sending Jesus as our atoning sacrifice to restore our relationship with the Father and to offer us eternal life through the forgiveness of our sins

            -- verse 11

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

            -- John makes it clear that Jesus’ act of dunamis power that resulted in a terasa -- the turning of water into wine -- was a semeion -- it was a sign -- it was done for a reason -- to show the disciples and those gathered at the wedding that Jesus was the Son of God

            -- and John tells us, that because of this miracle, His disciples put their faith in Jesus

            -- when Jesus does a miracle, there will always be a response from those around -- some will be brought to new faith in Jesus or see their faith restored -- while others will turn away in disbelief because their hearts are hard and they refuse to believe the sign that is given

            -- miracles are done for a reason -- and that reason is always to bring glory to God and to lead people into faith in His Son Jesus Christ -- keep that in mind as we go through the rest of this series and as you go about your life this week

IV.  Closing

            -- in 1980, when we watched the underdog United States Hockey Team defeat the Russians to win the gold medal in the Winter Olympics, we all remember the jubilant scream of sportscaster Al Michaels as he exclaimed, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes, Yes, Yes!”

            -- that’s the question I want to leave you with this morning -- Do you believe in miracles? -- Do you believe that our God still works His dunamis power in this world today? -- Do you believe that God still works outside the laws of time and nature to accomplish His purposes in our world today? -- Do you believe God still does miraculous healings and other miracles as a sign of His presence and as a sign to point people to the saving grace of His Son Jesus Christ?

            -- our answer must be a resounding, “Yes, Yes, Yes!” -- as God’s people -- touched by His grace -- saved through the blood of Jesus Christ -- living in the hopeful expectation of eternal life with Him -- we must answer this question by saying, “Yes”

            -- miracles still happen -- as the Bible says in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever” -- Jesus still does miracles -- and we need to be looking for them and expecting them in our lives and in this church

            -- so, as we close today, I want you to join me in praying for God to do a wonder in our lives and in this church -- to join me in asking God to do something miraculous in our lives and in this church so that others may see Him and come to know Him through this event

            -- let’s close now by believing as we pray that miracles are going to happen

            -- let’s pray

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Thailand: Boys’ Soccer Team Lost in Cave Found Alive [https://www.dw.com/en/thailand-boys-soccer-team-lost-in-cave-found-alive/a-44494040]

2 Thai Cave Rescue: All 12 Boys and Soccer Coach Freed, by Euan McKirdy, Kocha Olarn, and Steve George, CNN [https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/09/asia/thai-cave-rescue-mission-intl/index.html]

3 https://bible.org/seriespage/1-introduction-miracles-jesus

GIVING AWAY YOUR SHOES

One of the very first Christian biographies I read was "The Cross and the Switchblade," by David Wilkerson, the story of his ministry and outreach to the gangs in New York City in the 1950s and 1960s.  I was fairly young when I read it, but one story really impressed me and has stuck with me to this date.

Wilkerson was on the street witnessing to a gang member one day, when the guy looked down at David's feet and said something about his shoes and how nice they were.  His own shoes were worn out, with holes and worn soles.  Without a moment's hesitation, Wilkerson took his shoes off, handed them to the gang member, and prayed for him.  He then left, walking down the streets in his socks, much to the amusement of those passing him by.

I was listening to a podcast on Art of Manliness the other day and I was reminded of this story about Wilkerson.  The guest on the podcast had his own account of how the story of a man giving away his shoes to another greatly impacted his life.  In this case, it was a doctor who gave his shoes to a homeless man in the ER, and then worked his whole shift and later went out to his car in the parking lot only in his socks.

Thinking of these two stories, I have come to the conclusion that we ought to give away our shoes more than we do.  Maybe not physically give away our shoes to strangers, but symbolically do so by serving others and meeting their needs, whatever they may be.  When we give a cold drink to a thirsty person, we are giving away our shoes.  When we give food to a homeless man on the street, we are giving away our shoes.  When we help someone across the street, open the door for a stranger, help someone in the store get something from the shelf, more shoes are given away.

Maybe it's something as simple as picking up trash on the street or smiling at a stranger.  But it's obviously something we need to do.  It's something that makes us better and shares Christ's love to others in a real and tangible way.  Consider how you might serve someone in this way this week.  Consider doing intentional acts of kindness in extravagant ways, ways that require sacrifice on your part.

How can we intentionally give our shoes away this week?  

SERMON: FINISHING WELL

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Psalm 119:111

Psalm 119:111-112 New International Version (NIV)

111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;

    they are the joy of my heart.

112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees

    to the very end.

            -- on February 5, 2017, I joined the entire state of Georgia and turned on the TV to watch the Atlanta Falcons take on the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl -- this was a momentous occasion for us as Georgians and as Atlanta Falcon fans -- never in the history of the Atlanta Falcon franchise had there been a true opportunity for the team to actually win the Super Bowl

            -- true, the Falcons had been there once before -- way back in 1998, Atlanta had appeared in Super Bowl XXXIII (33) against the Denver Broncos, but everyone knew that Atlanta didn’t really have a chance in that game

            -- but, this time, we had a chance -- we had a real, good chance -- this would be the time for the Falcons to finally live up to expectations and bring home the glory to a city and a state that always seemed to end up on the losing side when it came to national and world championships

            -- the first quarter was scoreless as both teams searched for opportunities -- and, then it happened -- Matt Ryan found a hole and led the Falcons to score 21 unanswered points in the second quarter -- the only thing Tom Brady and the celebrated Patriots could muster was a measly field goal

            -- when the teams headed into the locker room at half-time with the score 21-3, people statewide held their breath -- the victory and the championship was finally in our grasp

            -- the second half began and Atlanta scored again -- 28-3 -- an insurmountable lead -- this was one for the record books -- everyone relaxed -- everyone took a moment to just relish in the moment -- apparently, even the team

            -- because it was at that moment that Tom Brady led the Patriots to overcome the greatest deficit in Super Bowl history -- Atlanta would never score again -- and could only watch as the Patriots tied the game at 28 with 58 seconds left after converting a touchdown for two points -- history was decided when the Patriots received the ball in overtime, driving 75 yards to the end zone for a touchdown that gave them yet another Super Bowl Championship -- leaving the Atlanta Falcons to once again walk back to the locker room in defeat

            -- so, what in the world does the 2017 Super Bowl have to do with our faith? -- it demonstrates an important lesson -- it doesn’t matter how well you start the game -- it doesn’t matter what you have accomplished in the middle -- what matters is how you finish

II.  Finish the Drill

            -- I have spent some time reading through Psalm 119 the past couple of weeks -- if you haven’t looked at it lately, let me encourage you to do so -- Psalm 119 is David’s magnum opus -- his masterpiece -- about the word of God

            -- in this Psalm, David reflects on the beauty and mystery and power and life that is found in God’s very words spoken to us and given through the Scriptures

            -- it was in God’s word that David found the strength to fight the lion and the bear and to confront the giant Goliath in battle -- it was in God’s word that David found the wisdom and guidance to lead the nation of Israel as their servant-king -- it was in God’s word that David found hope and restoration during the weak points in his life, including his failure with Bathsheba and the rebellion of his son Absalom -- and it was in God’s word that David found the determination to finish the drill -- to finish the race -- to press on to the end

            -- here in verses 111-112, we see David’s grit and steadfastness in his faith displayed -- look back at verse 111

111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;

    they are the joy of my heart.

            -- by statutes, David means God’s word -- His commands -- His promises -- His instructions

            -- our lives -- everything we do -- is to be defined and informed by God’s word -- it leads us -- it guides us -- it lights our path to the very end -- forever, as David puts it

            -- at the end of our lives, we will not be measured by fame or fortune -- we will be measured based on how well we followed the statutes in this Book -- that’s what David means when he says that these statutes are his heritage -- they are his legacy -- they are what he left behind to the next generation

            -- David’s steadfastness in following God’s law was what defined him as a person and as a man and as the leader of Israel -- which begs the question: what defines you? -- what heritage are you leaving?

            -- verse 112

112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees

    to the very end.

            -- this is the verse that really spoke to me this week -- “my heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end” -- in other words, David is proclaiming, “I’m not giving up in the middle -- I’m not resting on my laurels -- I’m not going to let up -- I’m not going to sit back and put up my feet and go into the sunset satisfied with what I have done -- I’m going to keep on keeping your decrees -- I’m going to press on to the end -- I’m going to finish well”

            -- what a difference it would have made in Super Bowl LI (51) if the Atlanta Falcons would have adopted David’s mindset and not quit in the middle -- what a difference it would make in our lives if we would just adopt this same mindset in our own lives -- both in our secular and in our spiritual lives

            -- David’s proclamation here reminds us that God doesn’t have a retirement plan for the saints -- He doesn’t intend for us to stop working and to stop striving for Him and to coast to the end -- He intends for us to continue on -- to strive to keep His decrees and do great things for Him and to press on to finish our Christian lives well

            -- too often in our lives, we quit in the middle -- we don’t go all out as we did at first -- we make it to the half-time in our lives, and we think to ourselves, “We’ve done enough -- we’ve got victories in Christ to point to” -- and so we just stop striving and start coasting -- we still go through the motions -- we still go to church -- we still read our Bibles -- we still pray and tithe and go to Bible study -- but, we’re not really trying to gain ground -- we’re not running up the mountain any longer -- we’re not really progressing

            -- all our spiritual growth -- all our spiritual victories -- are in the past -- and we haven’t done anything recently -- we haven’t experienced Christ in our lives recently

            -- let me give you an example -- when we were at Morven UMC, we hosted a couple of missionaries from Brazil -- and I remember a conversation they had with Pastor Debbie that has stuck with me almost 20 years later

            -- one of the missionaries asked Pastor Debbie what God had been doing in her life -- she began talking about her salvation and her call to the ministry -- the missionary interrupted her and said, “I didn’t ask you what God did in your life in the past -- I asked what He was doing now”

            -- and, if you stop and think about it, that’s a good point -- I can’t tell you how many times I have asked people about their testimony or heard speakers at Emmaus or Chrysalis or from the Gideon’s tell their stories, and they’re all about the past -- sometimes they’re about the distant past -- rarely does anyone get up and say, “Let me tell you what God did in my life or in the life of this person I ministered to yesterday”

            -- why is this? -- has God quit being God? -- has Jesus stopped changing hearts and transforming lives? -- No!

            -- so, what has happened? -- we’ve quit -- we’ve taken our foot off the gas and we’re coasting through life towards the end -- we’ve somehow adopted the “been there -- done that -- and got the T-shirt” mentality and think we’ve done all that God wanted us to do

            -- David tells us otherwise here in this verse -- it’s not over till it’s over -- “my desire,” David says, “is to keep your decrees to the end -- to not let up -- to keep my foot on the gas and to go into eternity doing great things for You!”

            -- turn over to 2 Timothy 4 and let’s finish up there -- 2 Timothy 4, and we’ll start in verse 1

            -- 2 Timothy 4:1-5

2 Timothy 4:1-5 New International Version (NIV)

1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

            -- so, to give you the context of this passage, Paul is writing this letter to his disciple Timothy from the bowels of a Roman prison -- he knows his ministry is almost over -- he knows his life is almost over -- and he wants to make sure Timothy knows what to do when that happens

            -- so, he charges Timothy in this passage to keep up the good work -- to preach the Word -- to correct, rebuke, and encourage the saints -- to teach them how to live in the faith -- to encourage them to keep going and to never give up, even though hard times are coming -- even though the people around them may refuse to listen to God’s word

            -- Paul tells Timothy to keep going -- to endure hardship - to do the work of an evangelist -- and to discharge all the duties of his ministry to the very end

            -- but, what don’t you see there? -- Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to quit when he gets to be retirement age -- he doesn’t say, “Do all this until you get ready to rest -- do this until your social security kicks in” -- no, he says, “you keep on doing this till the end -- through hardships and persecution -- through trials and tribulations -- keep on keeping on until the Lord calls you through”

            -- and then Paul shares with Timothy his own personal example

            -- verse 6-8

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

            -- do you see the point of these verses? -- do you see what Paul is trying to get Timothy to see? -- you don’t quit in the middle -- you don’t quit when times get hard -- you don’t quit when you get tired -- you don’t quit until God calls you home

            -- “look at my life,” Paul says -- “I have fought the good fight -- I have finished the race -- I have kept the faith”

            -- what a fitting epithet for a life well-lived

            -- Paul never gave up in life -- even when things got hard -- even when he faced persecutions and sufferings, he continued to live for Christ -- he never wavered -- he never doubted -- he never quit -- but kept on until the end of the race

            -- it would have been a lot easier for Paul to say, “I’ve done a lot -- I’ve started all these churches -- I have raised up Timothy and Titus and given them charge over these congregations -- it’s time for me to relax -- maybe just take a cruise around the Mediterranean -- enjoy life here at the end”

            -- but Paul didn’t do that -- Paul kept on pressing until the very end -- he didn’t rest on his laurels -- he didn’t kick back and gather the saints around him and speak of what he had done in the past -- no, Paul went out in a blaze of glory with the gospel of Christ on his lips -- he kept God’s decrees to the very end and received the crown of righteousness from Christ

            -- the Bible is filled with the record of those who quit in the middle -- think about King Solomon -- Solomon started well, but the record shows that he stopped trying to keep God’s decrees to the end -- he had accomplished so much in his life through God’s blessings -- but rather than continue on, he decided to just stop and enjoy his wealth and wives and material pleasures, and the Bible seems to indicate he drifted away from God after idols and foreign gods in his later years

            -- the history of Christianity is filled with men and women just like Solomon -- people who started well, but did not finish the race -- men and women who quit in the middle of the fight, and walked away from their faith and their God

            -- a legacy is not made in a moment -- a legacy is made over the course of a lifetime -- and the record of Paul's life given here shows that he was faithful to the end

            -- God does not want us to quit, but to press on towards the end in faith -- remember, it doesn’t matter how well you start -- what matters most is how you finish the race

            -- some of our great heroes of the faith -- people like Moses and Joshua and Caleb and Corrie ten Boom and others -- their greatest victories in Christ didn’t even occur until they were in their later years -- Moses was 80 when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt -- Corrie ten Boom was in her late 50s when God called her to hide the Jews from the Nazis -- and she ended her life as an international evangelist

            -- God doesn’t have a retirement plan for us -- your greatest victories in Christ may be just ahead

III.  Closing

            -- let me close by sharing with you another sports story

            -- during the 1968 Summer Olympics, the world had gathered at the finish line for the men’s marathon at the Mexico City Olympics Stadium to watch Mamo Waldi of Ethiopia win the gold medal as he charged across the finish line at about 6 pm that night -- by 7 pm, it was beginning to get dark as the sports crews wrapped up their news reports, talking about how Waldi looked as strong at the end of the 26-mile race as he had at the beginning

            -- the final spectators were beginning to drift out of the stadium, when they heard police sirens and whistles outside the stadium -- the sounds got louder and people realized the police were coming through the gate to the stadium -- everyone turned to look at the gate to see what was going on -- and all eyes were on the entrance as a sole figure, wearing the colors of Tanzania, came limping into the stadium

            -- his name was John Steven Akhwari -- he was the last man to finish the marathon in 1968 -- his leg was bandaged and bloody -- he had taken a bad fall early in the race and had fallen way behind all the other competitors -- now, it was all he could do to limp his way around the track -- the crowd stood and applauded as he completed that last lap.

            -- When he finally crossed the finish line, one man dared ask the question all were wondering. "You are badly injured. The race was over -- you had no chance to win a medal -- why didn't you quit? -- why didn't you give up?"

            -- Akhwari, with quiet dignity said, "My country did not send me seven thousand miles to start this race -- my country sent me to finish."¹

            -- that is the message of David from Psalm 119 -- that is the message of Paul from 2 Timothy 4 -- God didn’t just send us to start this race -- He didn’t just send us to just do great things in the middle -- He sent us to finish well

            -- all of us are in the middle of our Christian race -- some of us are nearing the end while others are just getting started -- God has already done amazing things in our lives, but our call is not to stop where we are -- our call is to press on to end and to the crown that God has for us

            -- God has so much that He wants you to do -- He wants to write new stories into your lives every day -- and He wants to use you to be His hands and feet to minister to others in this place -- He wants to use this church to minister to others around us -- God is not done with us, and we should not be done with Him

            -- so, get up, go forth and do good things for Him -- take up your cross, lace up your shoes, and get back in the race!

            -- if you need ideas on what to do -- if you need to get jump-started in your walk with Him again, just let me know, and we’ll work on a plan to get you back in the race again

            -- set your eyes on the goal before you and press on to the end -- strive to keep His decrees -- and let Christ lead you on to victory

            -- let us pray

-----------------------------------------------------

1Craig Brian Larson, "Strong to the Finish," Preaching Today, Tape No. 155.

The Neuroscience of Religion

Ran across a very interesting read about the effect of religion on brain function on Medical News Today (click here to open the article). 

This article summarizes some of the recent research being conducted in the field of neurotheology, the neuroscience of theological belief.  While Christians know the spiritual impacts of their faith, this article demonstrates the scientifically documented physical and mental benefits from religion.

Some notable quotes:

"...religion fulfills needs that our brains are designed to have."

"When our study participants were instructed to think about a savior, about being with their families for eternity, about their heavenly rewards, their brains and bodies physically responded"

"Religious belief can increase our lifespan and help us better cope with disease."

SERMON: HEALING FORGIVENESS

I.  Introduction

      -- turn in Bibles to Matthew 6:9-15

Matthew 6:9-15 (NIV)

9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

      -- as you know, I took off a few days last week to carry my mother to West Virginia to see her family -- we stopped off in Greensboro, NC, and visited with my uncle and his family -- and then we carried him with us on to West Virginia -- and, even though I mostly went on this trip for her, it meant a lot to me, too, because this is the first time I’ve been to West Virginia in at least 40 years -- my parents had been up there a few times in recent years, but this was my first visit and my first time to see relatives up there in almost four decades

      -- and what was really surprising to me is how it felt like going home -- I recognized a lot of the area -- I had more memories of the places and of the stories than I thought I would -- and it felt comfortable and right sitting with my great-aunt and uncle and cousins and just visiting and talking with them

      -- it turns out family is still family, no matter how distant -- and being family means we’re a lot alike -- even though I haven’t been around these people in 40 years, I saw myself in them in a lot of ways and they recognized themselves in me -- I can’t tell you how many times I heard someone compare me to Uncle Bill and comment on how my humor is just like his -- or how we’d be talking about something and realize that we all had the same thoughts or the same habits in that area -- I guess that’s what people mean when they talk about family traits being carried on through the younger generations

      -- one family trait I noticed that we did all share was the ability to hold a grudge -- when someone wrongs us or hurts us or hurts one of our family members, we remember -- we don’t forget -- and that’s both good and bad -- it’s good from the sense that we are faithful and loyal and fiercely supportive of our family -- it speaks to the backbone of our family and what we hold dear

      -- but, this family trait to hold a grudge is negative when it leads you to not forgive someone when they wrong you -- unforgiveness -- even unforgiveness concerning a justified wrong -- can build up in your heart and lead to a bitterness in the soul that affects who you are and your relationship with Christ and with others

      -- I saw that trait in my life clearly this week -- after I got back from West Virginia, I went out to eat lunch with someone from the office -- and while we were waiting in line, I recognized someone coming in the restaurant -- it was a guy I went to high school with -- a guy my sister graduated with -- I knew him well -- I knew his family -- we grew up together -- he had been in my house and I have been in his -- we even went to the University of Georgia together -- it should have been a moment where we reconnected and spoke to one another and caught up on each other’s lives

      -- but that didn’t happen because, in my mind, this guy had wronged my family -- several years ago, we needed help and we had gone to him for assistance -- it’s what he did for a living -- and even though we were friends -- even though we had known each other and each other’s families for our whole lives, he looked me in the eye and said, “No” -- he refused to help us when we needed help desperately

      -- and, even though that happened almost 10 years ago, I just couldn’t forget -- I just couldn’t forgive -- and even though he stood in the line behind me to order his meal, I kept my back turned to him and never once said a word -- bitterness filled my soul -- because I had not forgiven him for the wrong he had done, I was filled with hatred and animosity towards him, and it affected me more deeply than it would ever affect him

      -- this morning, we are going to be talking about what it means to forgive -- a lot of times when we talk about forgiveness in the church, our focus is always on the forgiveness of Christ for our sins -- the forgiveness of the cross

      -- but we can never forget that we, who have received such forgiveness from Christ, are commanded to live out that love and that gift by forgiving those who have wronged us

      -- Jesus told His disciples that the world would know them by their love -- and that love is no more evident than when we forgive someone who has wronged us

      -- in fact, we see this command to forgive others right here in one of the most familiar passages of Scripture in all the Bible -- the Lord's Prayer -- how many times have you heard this prayer in church? -- how many times have you prayed this prayer yourself?

      -- and, in all of those times, how often did you stop to think about what you were asking God in verse 12? -- look back at verse 12 again

12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

      -- this version says, "forgive us our debts" -- others say, "forgive us our trespasses" -- but it means the same thing -- forgive us when we do something wrong -- forgive us when we sin against you

      -- that's the basis of our faith in Christ, isn't it? -- that's the message of the Cross -- Christ has forgiven us of all of our sins and our acts of disobedience -- all of our debts and trespasses

      -- but, have you ever noticed the second part of that verse?

12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

      -- in my opinion, this is one of the scariest passages in the Bible, because the implications are profound -- Christ is literally telling us here that if we do not forgive others -- if we do not forgive those who trespass against us -- those who have wronged us -- those who have sinned against us and hurt us -- then we will not be forgiven by God

      -- Is this what Jesus is actually telling us here? -- is He actually telling us that we will not receive forgiveness from God if we harbor unforgiveness in our heart? -- the answer, as best I can tell from my study of scripture, is "yes"

      -- and, in case you didn't get that from verse 12, Jesus said it again in even stronger terms -- look at verses 14-15

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

      -- stop and think about that for a moment -- think about what that means in light of your salvation

            -- as the authors of "Truefaced" point out, "if we harbor unforgiveness in our hearts towards others, how can we even pretend that we are truly desirous of His forgiveness toward us?"

            -- the Apostle John said something similar in 1 John 2:9 -- "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness."

      -- in other words, how can we say that we are in the light -- how can we say that we have truly received Christ's gift of forgiveness if we refuse to forgive those who have wronged us?

      -- consider the context of this passage and how it would have been received by the people who actually heard Jesus speak these words -- Matthew tells us that Jesus gave the Lord's prayer and this amplification of His thoughts during the sermon on the mount -- He was speaking to first century Jews -- a people chosen by God to be His voice and His light and His deliverance to the world

      -- the Jewish people had been severely wronged and harassed and persecuted over the ages -- in fact, when Jesus spoke these words, their country was in bondage to the Romans -- they may not have been slaves, but their very lives were controlled and restricted by these foreigners who had taken over their land

      -- as a result, the Jews resented and hated the Romans -- according to one scholar that I read, the Jews were a people who sought revenge for trespasses and rarely showed forgiveness to others

      -- but, in this petition, Jesus was calling them to a higher state -- He was calling them to put aside their hatred and their resentment and calling them to forgive those who had wronged them -- He is calling us to the same -- Why?

      -- I think He gives us the answer in the way He links our forgiveness of others to the forgiveness from God

      -- our ability to forgive others is a sign of God's love and forgiveness in our life -- it is a proof of our salvation -- a proof of our sanctification -- a proof that God has worked in our lives and changed us from who we used to be into people who live with the knowledge and power of God's grace and forgiveness in our lives

      -- the Jewish people claimed to be the Chosen of God -- they were proud of the fact that God had established a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- they knew they were the keepers of His word and that the promise of eternal life rested with them -- but, instead of showing God's love and grace and mercy to the world, they showed resentment and hatred and unforgiveness

      -- in the same way, a lot of us Christians claim to be filled with God Himself -- we claim to possess within us His truth and His light and His love, but then, rather than showing that love and mercy and grace to others, we turn our backs to them and give them our resentment and hatred and unforgiveness

      -- I think that what Christ is trying to get us to see in this prayer is that if we are truly God's people -- if we have truly been touched by God's mercy and grace and forgiveness -- then we will live out the commandment to "love our neighbor as ourselves" by pouring out God's mercy and grace onto others -- by forgiving others for the trespasses that they have committed against us even though they don't deserve it

      -- if we find that we cannot forgive others, then it may be that we have never actually accepted forgiveness ourselves -- we may be like the Jewish people in Jesus' day -- claiming to represent God while not truly loving and serving Him with our whole hearts

      -- as one scholar has said, "no one can reasonably imagine himself to be the object of divine forgiveness if he is deliberately and habitually unforgiving towards his fellow men"

      -- there is no question about it -- if you are a Christian -- if you have been forgiven by Christ for your sins -- for all the debts and trespasses against Him -- you must forgive others when they trespass against you -- you must live a life of gracious forgiveness

      -- but what does this mean? -- what does this look like?

      -- I think one reason why Christians refuse to forgive is because we really don't understand what forgiveness is -- we have a misconception of forgiveness based on how the world defines it

      -- a lot of us think that when we forgive someone, we are just letting them off the hook -- we're just saying, "don't worry about it -- it was nothing," and we pick right up and go back to the way things used to be and just pretend like nothing ever happened

      -- that is not forgiveness  

      -- forgiveness is not about restoring a relationship -- restoration and reunion may eventually come through forgiveness -- but that is not the primary purpose of forgiveness

      -- I want you to listen to this -- I want you to understand this -- the primary purpose of forgiving -- the reason God calls us to forgive others -- is to heal the hurts and the scars in our heart that were caused when someone that we trusted trespassed against us and sinned against us and wronged us

      -- forgiveness is not something that we do for others -- it is something that we do for ourselves -- forgiveness is something that happens within us -- within our hearts -- and it doesn't have to involve anyone else

      -- true forgiveness is one-sided -- it occurs when you make the choice to heal the hurt that is within you -- when you decide to let God heal the hurt that another has placed in your life

      -- you can forgive someone and never, ever restore your relationship with them or even let them know that you have forgiven them

      -- let me show you an example from the Bible

      -- In two of Paul's epistles, Philemon and Colossians, we learn about Demas -- a friend of Paul's -- a fellow-worker for Christ -- someone who Paul had shared the gospel of Christ with and led to faith in Jesus and who was travelling with him and ministering with him throughout Asia

      -- Paul closes his letter to the Colossians in Chapter 4 by mentioning all those working with him and he says in verse 14, "Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings" -- Demas was a trusted friend and brother to Paul -- but, Demas trespassed against Paul and wounded him deeply

      -- flip over to 2 Timothy 4:9-18

2 Timothy 4:9-18 (NIV)

9 Do your best to come to me quickly,

10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.

12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.

15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.

17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.

18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

      -- Demas had abandoned the faith and deserted Paul when Paul was first arrested -- he refused to stand up for Paul and instead left him alone and in prison

      -- but, in this closing to the second letter to Timothy, we can see how forgiveness in the life of a Christian should work -- Paul had evidently forgiven Demas for trespassing against him -- for wounding him and violating his trust

      -- look at the second part of verse 16

"May it not be held against them."

      -- Paul had forgiven Demas -- he was no longer holding a grudge against him -- he was no longer harboring unforgiveness in his heart 

      -- but, note that this forgiveness was one-sided -- Paul forgave Demas in his heart -- but Paul did not attempt to restore their relationship -- he did not attempt to reach out to Demas and bring him back into the fold of Paul's closest confidants -- Paul's trust had been violated and he could no longer trust Demas in the future -- in fact, it seems as if Paul is warning Timothy to watch out for Demas and not to trust him if he comes to Timothy

      -- forgiveness does not mean restoration -- when someone hurts you -- when they wound you severely and violate the trust that you had in them -- then you may never trust them again -- in a lot of cases -- such as in the case of Demas and Paul -- such as in the case when a wife forgives an abusive husband -- you probably should never trust them again -- but, you can forgive them -- not for their sake, but for yours

      -- you see, there is only one real reason for forgiving someone else when they trespass against us -- yes, Jesus does tell us that we should forgive others because it is a commandment of God -- but, it is a commandment of God for the same reason that we should go ahead and forgive on our own

      -- when someone wrongs you -- when they sin against you -- it is like they have wounded your heart -- they have damaged your heart -- and you will never be well -- you will never be whole again -- until you have repaired the damage that they have done to you

      -- hearts damaged by others keep us from loving God as we should -- it keeps us from loving others as we should -- it keeps us from living life as we should

      -- hearts damaged by others gives Satan a stronghold into our lives -- and Satan fills up these damaged places in our hearts with anger and hatred and resentment and bitterness and a desire for vengeance -- things that hamper our Christian life

      -- I've heard it said that unforgiveness is a poison we drink hoping the other person dies -- unforgiveness hurts us more than them

      -- that guy that wounded me so greatly -- that guy who wronged my family and that I felt such bitterness and hatred towards at lunch the other day -- I bet he doesn’t remember -- I bet he’s completely forgotten what he did -- it’s not bothering him a bit -- but, apparently, it has been a bitter seed in my own soul this whole time -- I’m the one who has been hurt because of my unforgiveness, not him

      -- so, when God commands us to forgive others when they trespass against us, it is a commandment for our own good -- it is a call for the healing of our hearts -- not for those who wronged us -- but for us -- to cut out of our lives something that is hindering our walk with Christ and that is keeping us from becoming who God wants us to be

      -- forgiveness is like the surgeon's knife that cuts cancer out of our body -- God uses this process of forgiveness to heal us and to make us whole once again

III.  How do we forgive?

      -- so, how do we forgive? -- what is involved in forgiving someone for trespassing against us?

      -- before we can begin to forgive, we need to recognize that there is a need for forgiveness and we have to have a desire to heal the hurts within us

      -- this takes time -- when we have been hurt -- when we have been violated -- it may take months, or even years, until we reach the point where we are ready to forgive the other person for the hurt that they inflicted in our hearts

      -- it is okay to be angry at what happened to us -- in fact, we should be angry at what happened -- because someone we trusted violated that very trust in our lives -- and it is through that anger that our desire to heal should come

      -- and, we should keep in mind that forgiveness is a process -- it is not something that happens just once and is over -- we may forgive and then find ourselves feeling those same hurts once again -- we may find that we have to continually forgive the wrong that was done to us -- that is okay and it is part of the healing process

      -- in his book, "The Art of Forgiving," Lewis Smedes outlines the three steps to forgiveness that we follow when we truly seek healing in our life:

      -- first, we begin the process of forgiving when we start separating the person who wronged us from the wrong that they did to us -- when someone wrongs us, in our minds, they become the wrong that they did to us -- we say things like, "he is nothing but a cheat -- he is nothing but a liar" -- we look at them and all we see is the sin

      -- but, as Smedes points out, when we begin the miracle of healing, we begin to see our enemy through a cleaner lens, less smudged by hate -- we begin to see them as a person who did something wrong -- not as wrong itself

      -- when God forgave us, the first thing He did was to separate us from our sin -- we were not the problem -- it was the sin that was the problem and that needed to be dealt with -- so God provided a way to cover our sins -- when God sees us, He doesn't see the sin any longer -- He sees the person underneath the sin, cleansed through the blood of Christ

      -- the first step to forgiveness, then, is continuing to hate the sin but not the person who committed the sin against you

      -- the second step to forgiveness is to surrender our right to get even -- when we are first wronged -- when we are first hurt -- we want to get even -- we want the other person to suffer like we have suffered and to know that they are suffering because of what they did to us -- we call this "vengeance"

      -- when you start on the road to forgiveness, you are releasing your right to vengeance -- to hurting the other person unjustly -- keep in mind, though, that there is a difference between vengeance and justice -- vengeance is our pleasure of seeing someone who hurt us get hurt back -- justice is making sure that someone pays a fair penalty for wronging another -- vengeance is personal satisfaction -- justice is moral accountability

      -- forgiveness does not do away with justice -- someone who wronged you may have to pay for the wrong that they have done -- but, forgiveness does mean that you don't desire them to be hurt in an unjust way simply as revenge for what they did to you

      -- the final step to forgiveness is when you revise your feelings towards the person that wronged you -- you no longer hate them for who they are and you even can hope that God's grace might fall into their lives

      -- this does not excuse the wrong that they have done -- it does not mean that we are going to tolerate them trespassing against us again and it does not mean that we are going to restore our relationship with them

      -- but it means that you no longer have a desire for them to suffer because of what they have done to you -- and it means that if God was to reach out and touch them and change their lives for the better, that you would be happy to see that happen

      -- when you have reached this stage of forgiveness, you can know for sure that the hatred and the bitterness are now removed from your life and that your heart has been healed and restored by the miraculous power of forgiveness

      -- you need to know this takes time -- forgiveness is a process -- and you may find yourself having to forgive someone over and over again -- that hurt was real -- it’s not going to magically go away

      -- you may go through these steps and forgive someone for what they have done and then see them or remember them and feel that hurt all over again -- you may feel bitterness or hatred towards them again -- that’s normal -- just recognize it and forgive them again -- go back through the steps of forgiveness so you won’t let a root of bitterness build up in your heart again -- remember, you forgive for your own health and benefit -- not for the other person

IV.  Closing

      -- forgiveness is a gift from God -- through Christ, God forgave us for the sins that we committed -- He refused to pour out His vengeance and wrath on us but offered His very Son as a sacrifice to ensure that justice was done -- and, once justice was served, God poured out His blessings on us -- on the very people that once had trespassed against Him

      -- in the same way, God calls for us to forgive others that have trespassed against us -- He knows that our hearts have been hurt and damaged by others -- and He knows that these wounded hearts can keep us from loving Him and loving others as He wants

      -- so, He encourages us to offer forgiveness to others in our hearts -- so that in the process of forgiveness we might find healing from the hatred and bitterness and resentment that we have built up in our lives

      -- there is power in forgiveness -- and that is why Jesus commands us to pray daily, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us" -- we have to continually forgive -- we have to continually show mercy and grace -- we have to continually love in this way -- if we want to be who Jesus is calling us to be

      -- as we close now, I want to encourage you to take a moment in the quiet of this place -- search your hearts and speak to the hurts and the sins and the trespasses that have been done against you -- and offer up forgiveness to those who have wronged you in the past -- not for their sake -- but for your sake -- receive the healing that God offers you as you forgive those who have trespassed against you

      -- let us pray