“Young Jesus” Luke 2:41-52

“Young Jesus” Luke 2:41-52

Not much is known about Jesus’ childhood.

On the 8^th he is circumcised
On the 40^th day Jesus is presented to the Lord
Simeon and Anna
The visit of the Magi
The flight to Egypt
They return to Nazareth

Nazareth is in Galilee
Galilee is the northern most province of Israel given to Naphtali, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Nazareth is a small town on a trade route. When Nathanael hears that the messiah is from Nazareth John 1:46 tells us he remarks “can anything good come from Nazareth.” 
Jesus is called a Nazarene, not to be confused with a Nazarite, a person who has taken a special vow to the Lord. The town could have adopted the name in honor of the term Nazarite, but we have nothing to prove this. Some say the town was known for making of ox yokes and this was Jesus’ trade, again nothing we have really supports this.

Jesus’ boyhood is summed up by Luke 2:40, “and the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.”

This leads us to my first take away from this time in Jesus’ life. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from as much as that God’s grace is upon you.” While the world will tell you, you’re are a nobody from nowhere, God says you are my child. God see you as His tool for His work in the world around you.

In the passage we read today the story jumps to Jesus at twelve. He stays at the temple and in home alone style is left behind. They finally go back to get Him and find Jesus in the temple. Jesus listens to the teachers and ask questions, giving answers to their questions and amazing everyone. I would have liked to sit in on that Sunday School Class, as God posed questions to the teachers of the law.

When confronted by his parents Jesus says, “did you not know I would be in my father’s house?”

My second take away from this time in Jesus’ life is a question. “Where would people know to find you?” “What would people say you would be doing?”

Fuzzy’s Bar
Gone Fishing or Hunting

The final words about Jesus as a boy is “and was submissive in all things.”

My last question is: “are we submissive to God in all things?” Is there a part of our lives that we are less than submissive to God? Will we make a vow to be submissive to God this year? Would someone describe you as submissive to God? Say that you are a Jesus follower?

Tithe was the first thing (Jerry)

This coming year what would people say of us? How would the describe us, where would they say we are and what we are doing? The past we can not change but we can work on changing this year. It starts tomorrow!

King of Kings Matthew 2:1-12

King of Kings Matthew 2:1-12

The word used to describe the wise men is Magi, from which we get our English word Magician. As the Christmas story wondered away from what the Bible says, they are assumed to be Kings. Because they bring three mentioned gifts, Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh, it is assumed that their must be three of them. Matthew says nothing about how many came to find Jesus.

The wise men were Astrologers, they read and sought meaning from the stars. They have traveled a long way to honor the birth of the King, which would require a large group of people with them. When they start asking questions people start getting upset. Herod is well known for killing his rivals, as well as innocent bystanders.

They ask “where is he who has been born King of the Jews” they seemed to expect everyone to know. Perhaps they thought Herod had a newborn son.

The star leads them to a specific house. A change in the star takes them from a general area to the exact spot. Through the years many scientific ideas have been put forth to explain what they saw. Some suggest a supper nova, others a conjunction of stars. None can account for the star leading them to a specific house.

The ironic thing is that the King, Herod, the Chief Priest, and the scribes, all fail to realize the Messiah has been born while the gentile magicians do. It is these Magi from Persia who lead the Chief Priest and Scribes to a 700 year old prophecy from Micah 5:2 which tells them Bethlehem is where the child is.

Now I come to the question I have to ask us. Is Jesus really our King, or are we still as much in the dark as the leaders of Israel were?

Submission, do we recognize and submit to Jesus as our king? In our lives do we seek to follow the commands of Jesus? Do we seek and support the agenda Jesus has for our lives, for the church, and for the world?

Confession, do we publicly proclaim Jesus to be our King? NRA bumper sticker, Obama, Trump. Do we confess that Jesus is our king, both in words and actions?

Respect, do we show respect to Jesus as our king. In the presence of the King one is to bow. This is to show both subservience and respect. Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth. The wise men they fell down and worshiped Him. How do we show our respect to Jesus, do we worship Him? When we come to church is it about letting Jesus be honored by our presence, or are we honored to be in His presence? Attendance at Worship is a sign of respect to God, a lack of attendance is a sign of disrespect toward God.

Gifts, the wise men brought gifts to honor the King. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. What have we given Jesus? Our time? Our treasure? Will we honor a waitress with a tip that is more than we have given to God? Will we give our family members more for Christmas than we give to God?

I put these questions to myself as well as to you, not for the spreading of guilt, but as an evaluation. Questions to seriously reflect on so that our lives will truly reflect what we believe. The Bible says that every knee in heaven and on earth will bow to the name of Jesus.

Is Jesus Your King? Is Jesus My King? Is Jesus Our King? Is there something in our lives that needs to change? Perhaps you have never confessed Jesus as King, never asked Him for forgiveness….

 

Why Shepherds? Luke 2

Why Shepherds? Luke 2

You might wonder why shepherds would play such a part in the Christmas events. But if we take a look at shepherds in the Bible we see why the angels are sent to them and not others.

In Genesis 48:15 Jacob describes God as “the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,” David’s psalms are filled with pictures of God as the shepherd. Psalm 32 gives that wonderful picture of God’s love and care as the shepherd.

Jacob is a shepherd and he married Rachel a shepherdess. The traditional manger scene has men and boys, but it’s just as likely that woman and girls were at the manger as well. The site of Rachel’s grave is in Bethlehem.

David the spiritual king of Israel by which all others are measured, was a shepherd.

Throughout the Old Testament God presents the priest and leaders of Israel as shepherds.  Zechariah 11 tells of the spiritual leadership of Israel as worthless shepherds who eat the sheep. Many of the other prophets repeat this judgement.

Yet God tells the people a good shepherd is coming who will care for the sheep.

Isa 40:11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom,  and gently lead those that are with young.

Jeremiah 10 & 11     “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away;      say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’ For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

We are told in Matthew 9:36 Jesus saw the crowds coming to Him “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

John 10 is devoted to Jesus being the Good Shepherd who has been sent to care for the sheep.

In sharp contrast to the worthless shepherds who kill, abuse and eat the sheep, Jesus lay’s down His life for the sheep.

So we can understand why the angels are sent to the shepherds. God calls on them to welcome one of their own. God announces that the great shepherd, the good shepherd has been born. The words of God spoken and looked to for ages have been fulfilled, the Messiah has been born. In a city of shepherds like Rachel and David, Bethlehem, Jesus Christ is born.

Each of us are shepherds, to our children, our family or even some larger group. We have a responsibility to shepherd those God has put in our care. Can you picture yourself on that hillside with the angels to numerous to number singing out “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”

God into all the world and share the good news, the Good Shepherd has been born in the city of shepherds, and the sheep who follow Him will be blessed and need not be afraid. Jesus Christ is born!

 

1 Peter 2:25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 5:2-4 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Genesis 48:15 Jacob describes God as “the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,”

Isa 40:11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom,  and gently lead those that are with young.

Jeremiah 10&11     “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away;      say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’ For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

Ezekiel and Micah, repeat the coming shepherd

Zechariah 11 tells of the worthless shepherds of Israel who “does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

Matthew 9:36 Jesus saw the crowds coming to Him “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

John 10: 1-15 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

 

The Life of Jesus: John 1:1-18

The Life of Jesus: John 1:1-18

John 1 

The Word Became Flesh

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

 

There is so much to look at in today’s scripture. John’s us of “The Word” to describe Jesus. Jesus is not a happy accident, He is the declaration of God, a declaration of God’s love and will on earth. John’s use of light and darkness, Christmas the celebration of light held at the darkest time of our year. John’s connection of light and life is also an interesting thing to consider. But for today I will look at something else.

 

It is Advent, and on this the first Sunday of Advent we start the story of Jesus. If we are to understand who Jesus is and what Jesus does we must start at the beginning, before history. Jesus is not just a man, Jesus is God the creator, and only from this prospective can He be understood.

 

Advent also is a season of waiting, we wait for the Christmas Day celebration and at the same time we wait for that day we see Jesus return a second time.

 

How many of you enjoy waiting? What no hands?

Wait for the light to change color.

Wait for the person with 20 items in the express checkout, then something needs a price check!

Wait for that pokey truck who at best is doing the speed limit on a downhill.

Wait for our computer to load a new screen.

 

But consider for a moment starting “in the beginning” with a course of action all chosen and yet having to wait for thousands of years for it to happen. Children get more rambunctious each day as Christmas approaches. A car ride to a favorite place becomes “are we there yet”. Grown ups are not much better at waiting. Yet God had to wait from before He said, “Let there be light” until that night in Bethlehem when He would enter our world to save us. Now God waits again until that day when He will come again to bring history to a close.

 

2 Peter 3:8-10 reminds us; “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

 

Imagen how it feels to be God who wants you to understand His love for you, yet He must wait for you to understand. When you must wait a day can seem like a thousand years. How much love God must have for us, for you, to wait this long. How can we ever understand Jesus and what He does without the waiting, without the beginning?

 

As you wait for Christmas Day, wait for the family to come together, wait for them to all go home, remember the loving wait of Jesus for you. He waited for your eyes to open to see Him, He waits for the day you will be with Him face to face. Jesus waits for you, waits for your friends, and waits for your family. Celebrate the patience and Love of God for you.

Competing Voices 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Competing Voices 2 Timothy 4:1-5

2 Timothy 4:1-5
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

There are so many voices shouting at us today. Fox News, CNN, and every other news outlet. And we have the never to criticize North Korea and the Russians, for their fake news? There are tweets and soundbites, investigations and senate sub committees, the latest tell all book, and the who’s grabbed who in America list.

There are thousands of different people saying they have the spiritual truth, or a spiritual truth. Some claim to be pastors or prophets to sway you to listen to them. At Christmas time they all seem to come out more than usual. Paul wrote to Timothy “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

In Matthew 24:24 Jesus warned “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”

How do we stay focused on the truth and not lead off as Ephesians 4:14 says “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Hold on to what you know is true.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

1Peter 1:25
“All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Is it from the Bible?

2 timothy 3:16&17
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:20
knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Test everything by what you know is true.

1 Thessalonians 5:21
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.

To know the truth, to discern between all the competing voices in our world do these things.

Focus on what you know is true, God’s Word and His Gospel.

Test it. Is it from the Bible or does it contradict the Bible?

Is the voice consistent with the things Jesus taught us?

Then you will know the truth and only the truth can set you free.

Why Love

Why Love

1cor 13

John 15:12-17

John 3:16-21

John 21:15-19

1 John 4:7-21

Matthew 5:43-48

Romans 5:6-11

Today’s subject has the greatest potential for Joy in our lives and the greatest potential for pain. Way back in June, I had a sermon on “The Nature of Love” from 1 Corinthians 13. I talked about how the Greeks had 3 words for love, Phileo, Eros, and Agape. These words are often intertwined to the point where we have all three going on at the same time. Ideally in marriage all three are present.

Our world is also confused to where one necessitates the other, I feel warm fuzzy connections with you (Phileo) so I must have sex with you, (Eros). And on the other hand, some want to experience sex, (Eros) without any emotions (Phileo) or responsibility, (agape).

Remember this song?

Oh well, I'm the type of guy who will never settle down
Where pretty girls are, well you know that I'm around
I kissed 'em and I loved 'em everywhere I went
I hugged 'em and I squeezed 'em Then I ran for president.

 

Oh well, there's Flo on my left and then there's Mary on my right
And Janie is the girl well that I’ll be with tonight
And when she asks me, which one I love the best?
I tear open my shirt and I show "Rosie" on my chest

 

How messed up are people in our world? There are people who say I love you so much that I have to shoot you and a school full of children because you don’t love me back.

Because of the Pain it can cause emotionally some people choose to not love at all. To isolate themselves to avoid the hurt and pain that came come with love.

Oh yeah, I’m the type of guy that likes to roam around
I’m never in one place, I roam from town to town
And when I find myself a-fallin' for some girl
Yeah, I hop right into that car of mine and drive around the world

So, with the potential for so much harm; Why Love. Why not stay isolated.

I could just say because God says you must, as we saw in our scripture today. But why would God demand this of us?

1.      Genesis 2:18 “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper fit for him.”

a.      God designed us physically and emotionally to be together.

b.      If we do not have love in our life we are incomplete, something less than whole.

2.      1 John 4:7-21 “God is love” “for He who does not love his brother or sister who he can see, cannot love God who he does not see.” Anyone that does not love does not know God.”

a.      Love is such a part of God that we can never know God unless we open up to love.

b.      We can not understand God unless we have love in our life.

3.      John 3:16 “for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son”

a.      God knew the price was worth it, and paid it for us.

b.      John 15:12&13 God chose to experience it.

 

Romans 5:8 “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

To be all you can be, choose to love.

To experience God’s presence, choose to love.

To experience the greatest joy in life, choose to love.

To know God in His fullness, choose to love as He did.

Therefore, even though I am not good at it, and even though it hurts, I will choose to love.

Know God! Choose to love

 

Great Expectations John 13:1-20

Great Expectations John 13:1-20

Last week I spoke about how to have a proper self-image, today I want to talk about how we see other people.

How do we view the other people in our lives? What is their value to you and the world. How do we determine that value?

What do we expect of them morally?

What do we expect of them, to become, to contribute to society, to be?

What is their value as a friend?

What is their value as a person?

What do you believe about a person?

In our passage Jesus clearly puts a value on each of the disciples, including Judas. Jesus takes on the lowliest of social positions by washing the disciple’s dirty feet. To do so elevated them to a place of honor. Peter’s questioning of Jesus shows that radicalness of Jesus’ actions.

But then Jesus throws the curve ball. Jesus says “I am the greatest one in this room and I treat you as more important than myself. You should imitate my actions.” Over and over in the Gospels Jesus says he came to seek and save the lost, poor and neglected people of the world. He challenges his followers to be the servant of all. Jesus places the highest value on rescuing the lost and broken people of the world. Therefore, we should place the highest value on the lost. What is the value of each person’s life, soul? It is worth suffering for, it is worth being beaten for, it is worth being humiliated by everyone in town, it is worth the pain of dying on the cross.

A homeless person with some obvious mental issues came to church looking for help. The man had no shoes, His feet cut, bleeding, sores all over them, and the stunk up the whole room. Jacki Ritchie, a nurse in our church who was there took this man and washed his feet over and over until they were clean. Jacki put ointment on them and bandaged those broken feet. Another woman came up with the size fifteen shoes that would fit him. It was one of the trues pictures of Jesus’ love I have ever seen. Jacki trying not to gag at the sight and smell of those feet that belonged to a man she did not know and would never see again. Washing them with all the love of Jesus for one of his lost.

What limits do you place on people? Do you believe they have something of value to contribute?

My head deacon
There was a woman whose children were unruly, her husband came to church in a dirty and often mismatched suit, with part of breakfast on it. Often the whole family could be heard fighting with each other blocks away. She herself dressed plainly with little make up or work on her hair. So, my expectation of her when they elected her a deacon was not high. When they made her head of deacons at her first meeting I went into shock. She broke every preconceived idea I had by being the best deacon I ever had. She organized and empowered the whole church to become servants and ministers to each other.

We mistakenly put limits and values on people. We forget that is not them, but God in them that sets the limits of what they can do. Abraham, Ruth, Ester, Rahab, Jacob, David and even the disciples were not the kind of people you would choose for your save the world team. But what God did with them was not limited to their abilities, it was limited by God who empowered them.

The world around us values people for their looks, their intelligence, strength, productivity, or their wealth. But God challenges us to see differently.

God’s question to each of us is; “are other people worthy of you washing their feet? Are you more interested in seeing them succeed than your own success? Is their Joy and happiness important to you? Will you give of your own life so that they can find their way back to Jesus?

 

“What Number Are You?” Romans 12:3

“What Number Are You?”  Romans 12:3

I was in the store and these two frazzled parents and three screaming kids were today’s special! The parents treated the children harshly, trying everything to get them to behave. I thought at one time they just might desert them and leave them in the store. Many people see their relationship with God like that family in the store. God is yelling at us, treating us, beating us, and sorry He made us.

How do we see ourselves, self-image? Do you see a prince or princess of God’s kingdom? Do you see a weak skinny kid, or an overweight kid, The kid with crooked teeth, or flat lifeless hair? Do you see the fine cloths the master has provided, sparkling earrings or neckless of gold? Or are you focused on the smudge of dirt on your face and the grass stain on your knee? Or maybe you see your split lip, black eye and bruised knuckles? How do you see yourself? Are you a 1 or a 9? How do you see yourself? How does God see you?

How many of our troubles in life can be traced back to our self-image? The girl or woman who starves herself to death because she thinks she is to fat? The person who eats to much or drinks to much because they feel like a failure? The person who must have everything perfect? The person who must have all the toys, all the money etc.

High

When some people look in the mirror they see God. They are the greatest and deserve to be treated that way. They want to be treated as more important than everyone else. They deserve to get their way and most often do. They are prideful, boastful, and arrogant, but then again, they have a right to be, they’re the best.

Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.

Low

When others look in the same mirror they see failure, and imperfection. Who would want to be around or with them, they don’t even want to be with them. They have nothing to offer to the world that it would want so why bother.

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

 

How God sees you

Ephesians 1:4-6 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will–to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

You are the prince or princess of the kingdom.

There was a mother at a playground with her son, she sat on a bench trying to pretend to read a book while keeping a watchful eye on him. He wanted no help today he had announced he was a big boy. He worked hard to climb ladders and monkey bars. Went down the slide and got his knees skinned when he fell face first at the end. He looked up managing not to start crying and mom gave two thumbs up. So, he ran off to the swings. Later when another kid on the titer totter jumped off low while he was high, he got is elbow knocked hard on the ground. He was tired, so mom carried him to the car and smiled as she drove home, and he took a nap.

I watched a father at the zoo with his daughter walking hand in hand, laughing and pointing at all the strange animals God has created. Sometimes to see he would lift her high or even carry her on his shoulders. It was clear she was getting tired, so he carried her to the car and left the rest of the zoo for another day.

This is how God sees you, you are His child and He wants to both see you walk on your own and is more than willing to kiss skinned knees and carry you when you are worn out.

Psalm 34:3-7 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

 

Why Believe the Bible? Joshua 1:7-9

We study the Bible, read the Bible and know what it says about how we are to live and relate to God. But one real question we seldom ask is why we believe in the Bible. 1 Peter 3:15 says “but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;”.

The Bible is not one book but is a collection of 66 books written over a period of 1500 years by many different writers. 33 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. The name “The Bible” comes from the Greek name of a town where papyrus plants were made to form the first paper that was bound like a book. The name they gave this new item was “Book”. The collection of the 66 books of scripture together became “The Book” or in Greek “The Bible”

Before Jesus lived on earth the Jewish people collected the 33 Old Testament books and used them in worship. Jesus refers to these collected books as Scripture in John 10:35, meaning Holy Books”. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus says, “do not think I came to abolish the law or the Prophets.” In Matthew 4:4 Jesus says that these words of Scripture are “words breathed by the mouth of God. Therefore, we include them in our Bible today.

The 27 Books of the New Testament are the writings of people who saw the events and listened to what Jesus said. Matthew and John were two of the twelve Disciples, John was one of Jesus’ closest friends. John says in John 20:30 – 31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”

Mark and Luke wrote down their gospels based on the teaching of Peter and Paul. The rest of the New Testament are books that the church could trace back to the Disciples. Peter attest to the validity of Paul’s teaching in 2 Peter 3:14 & 18 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.   15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.    “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

So, what we have in our New Testament is an accurate presentation of What Jesus said and did, written by people who were there. There are many other way to prove the Bible is true and reliable.

 

 

Archeology;

Eden and the Land of Cush

Joseph's tomb in Hebron and Shechem

The exodus from Egypt

Abrahams tax records in Ur

Two Jericho's

Prophetic proof:

Daniel’s prediction of when Jesus would minister and be crucified.

The description of the crucifixion found in Isaiah and psalms.

Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem, the siege of Jerusalem and the defilement of the temple.

Personal experience;

I have personally found what it teaches me to be true.

I do not believe the Bible because someone told me I should, I believe it because I have carefully considered its content and have found it to be true.

 

 

 

 

Matthew 6:25-34 Pursue Holiness

Matthew 6:25-34 Pursue Holiness

I am not a holy man, A good man I hope but not Holy, 1 John 1:8 tells us “that if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” We will never be Holy, until the day you meet Jesus face to face in heaven. Yet Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 to “Seek first the Kingdom of God” More than food, water, clothing or shelter, we are to seek the Kingdom of God. We are called to pursue holiness.

But if we are honest our pursuit of holiness is a frustrating endeavor. We think we have the holy living thing all worked out and then we sin and it all falls apart. Sometimes pursuing holiness is like trying to herd a group of cats. So why pursue holiness at all? Why not as 1 Corinthians 15:21 says “eat and drink for tomorrow we die” Jesus pays the price of our sin, so why not party on and make the most of it?

Today I want to look at why pursue holiness. What promise except frustration is there for us in pursuing holiness?

Our passage we started with Matthew 6:25-34 says if we “seek first the kingdom of God, all these things will be added unto you.” Notice Jesus did not say obtain, He said seek, pursue the Kingdom of God. As we pursue holiness the other things will take care of themselves. When we get the first priority right the others will fall in line. But if you fail in the first priority the rest will never be taken care of no matter how much you have to eat, drink, how well you dress and no matter where you live.

1 John 1:5-7 says “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

If we walk in darkness, the oppose of pursuing holiness, there are things we will be lacking.

Truth, The only way to know what is true is to walk in the light, pursue holiness. All around the world there are people living in deception, like cattle in the stock yard thinking they are safe. We can see it in places like North Korea, where their leader passes himself off as God, living in luxury while the people starve.

Truth even evades us in the United Sates, people’s minds are feed fake news, and fake science, many people no longer know who or what to believe. But in pursuing holiness you will know the truth, the real truth.

Another thing is fellowship with God and with each other. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?   What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?   What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,”

When we stop pursuing holiness our fellowship with other believers falls apart. Our support group our source of encouragement fails us and we are alone. The people of the world do not accept us fully because they know we do not belong. The people of God cannot have fellowship because we no longer seek the same things. We become miserable people to be around.

1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

If we walk in darkness not only is our fellowship with other Christians hindered but so is our fellowship with God. “we do not walk in truth.” “What part can God have with evil?” none.

If we pursue holiness, we have this promise. “The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Though I know I never will be a Holy Man, I will pursue holiness. Though I will not achieve it apart from Christ forgiveness I will seek it. For the blessing comes from seeking. The good things of life, the truth of God and all the rest will come as a result of the pursuit for holiness.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Finishing well

Finishing well

Philippians 3:13-14  “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

 

 

I was watching a football game, the runner is way out in front as he reaches the goal, so he stops running the walks backwards over the goal line. My first thought is I’d like to see him blindsided by the defender he had missed. My second thought is that this is a great time for some forgotten rule to disqualify you and your run.

In baseball it’s the missed bag on a run. For instance; you are on first and fly ball is hit, you’re watching the ball drop in, in your excitement you round second but fail to touch it on your way to third. The Ball gets thrown to second and now you are out. This is so common that we have a saying, “Touch all the bases”.

In Nascar it’s running out of gas with two laps to go.

As we near the finish line of it is important to remember to finish well, because God looks at the whole race. In the middle of our lives it is important remember many who have been disqualified for a step out of bounds in the middle of the race.

This brings up the question of goals in our life. “If you aim at nothing you will be certain of hitting it.” This is why Paul writes to the Philippians “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.” Paul has no intention of coasting in using past momentum.

We may be in a place where we think we cannot offer any great work for God. We might not be able to do some great thing that will be noticed, but finishing well matters just as much as the rest of our race.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:26 & 27
“²⁶So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.   ²⁷But I discipline my body and keep it under control,  lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

Philippians 2:12

^P12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,   ¹³for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

It is important for us to finish well.

Not only should we plan to finish well, but we should be prepared to help outers around us finish well. On the news they showed a video. At the end of a High School cross   country race a runner collapses near the finish, a competitor stops and helps her up and across the finish line.

What are our intentions? What are we aiming at? “If you aim at nothing you are sure to hit it.” Are you pressing on toward the finish line or just trying to coast it in?

Secretariat, won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont in 1973 with times that still stand as records for the fastest times. But what he is known for is his finish in the Belmont. In that race he would win by the longest margin in history 31 lengths. The horse could have let up and coasted in, but pressing on he was lengthening his lead to the very end.

How are your brothers and sisters in Christ doing? Do they need your help? Do they need the strength of your faith to help the up and across the finish line?

“if you aim at nothing you are sure to hit it.” Press on to the finish line of life. Make it your goal to finish well.