Matthew 5:13-16 "Be the Light"

Matthew 5:13-16 “Be the Light”

 

Black Holes: There are places in space where gravity is so powerful that even light cannot escape. A Black Hole takes everything in an allows nothing to be given out not even light. This is as far from God’s intension for the church as you can get. God wanted a beacon of faith for the entire world to see.

 

In the 1800’s shipping on the great lakes was booming. Ships loaded with iron ore sailed from the north to the mills in the south. Other cargo was shipped around the lakes. But the Great Lakes are a dangerous place where Iron deposits under the water make a compass spin. Ships would lose their way and crash upon the rocks. The first light house was built in 1825. Very slowly more would be added until the 1970’s modern navigation would take over. Churches are to be beacons of light helping the lost find their way home.

I was reading a book about Great Lakes lighthouses, most of which are no longer used. A story in the book told of a fisherman in Wisconsin, who lost his way and could not find the harbor. He suddenly saw a light from a long disserted light house. Using that light he found his way home. The lens of the light house had caught little bits of light, street lamps, headlights, porch light, no one really knows. Still all those lights came together to lead him safely home. That is the church.

 

You may think your light is no big deal, it’s not missed, but it is. You may think your light is so small of what use is it? But God wants it to shine.

 

John went to college and while there got into the life and party of being away and on his own. He stopped going to church and soon it was ten years later and he felt lost. He went back to his little church where he grew up. There was the light of his Sunday School teacher, the light of the old man who was always there, even older now. All around him he saw faith, and all that faith helped him decide to make a change.

 

Sally took a local job out of high school, got married has two kids, a dog, and a very busy life. The kids are now grown up and the house has a few quite moments, and the darkness sets in. She has gone to church off and on. But right now she needs help. Now the lights of friends from church help her find her way with a kind word, a thoughtful prayer, and invite to be part of the group. She is back to church and Bible study and her faith is growing again.

 

Alice died of cancer. She had great faith, everyone will tell you so. What most do not know was that there were many days she was frightened. On days when she struggled she would look around church and see others who believed and gained the strength to trust God through another day. Little lights of faith that never knew that they guided Alice home.

 

Each light in the church is important, needed, and valuable to us all. One day someone needs our light and on another we need theirs. And when all our lights come together we become a beacon that shines hope into a dark world. That is what it means to be a church.

Isaiah 53:1-6

Isaiah 53:1-6

Back in the 70’s there was a show called “To Tell The Truth”. In this game show there were three people all claiming to be someone. One would be the real person. Contestants would ask questions to try and find out who the real person was. Passion Week is a lot like that game show. We have the luxury of the whole story but the Jews in Jerusalem do not. Few if any expected or comprehended what would happen in the next week. Who is the real Jesus and what is He up to?

 

1. The Triumphal Entry

            Jesus has just 5 days to live.

            On the way to Jerusalem He has performed healings of Lepers, Blind people, and lame beggars. A huge crowd has been building on the way to Jerusalem. This crowd expects Jesus to ride into town and take over. He will kick out the Romans, Herod, and the Sanhedrin rulers of the temple. Jesus will set everything right again.

            So they sing and they dance, spread their coats and palm branches on the road.  Matthew 21:1-11 They thought Zech 9:9 as Jesus was riding on a donkey, and they sang Psalm 118:26.

            Jesus starts to meet expectations as He clears the temple.

            But Jesus is not only angry with the people at the temple He is frustrated with his disciples and followers slowness in learning. As He is returning to Jerusalem the next day He curses a fruitless fig tree, a symbol of the Jewish people and His disciples. Even though He has told them they still have no concept of His fulfillment of Isaiah 53:1-6. Tuesday Evening finds Jesus back at Bethany where the only one who seems to get it is Mary. The rest of the disciples are dumbfounded as she anoints Him with the perfume of death.

            By Friday the crowds will be completely disappointed and will shout for His death.

 

2. Jesus came as Isaiah 53:1-6 says

            a. out of a family of lesser expectations who lived in a town of even less respect.

            b. rejected by the leaders, the click of the temple insiders. Now even rejected by the public that had high expectations for Him.

            c. He took up your infirmities and carried your sorrows

            d. He was pierced crushed and punished

 

3. For you

            a. so you can be healed

            b. so you can find your way

            c. a good king to take power is a good thing

            d. a king willing to do whatever it takes to heal you is to be celebrated.

 

We do not sing Hosanna in ignorance, we sing it in wonder and praise, for the King of heaven did not enter the city that day to make Himself great. He came to make you whole.

Isaiah 42:1-9 A covenant for the people

Isaiah 42:1-9 A covenant for the people

 

We want justice, that is to say we want justice as we define it. Judge Judy, Nancy grace and 60 minutes, all seeking justice. Marsha wanted justice; a drunk driver slid across the median and hit her daughter’s car. The driver was 21 years old and her daughter 18. Her daughter was killed but the woman driver was not. A familiar story in Wisconsin. The woman had been at her apartment with her boyfriend who started to hit her; she managed to get away in the car. She got on the hwy to go to her parents house to leave her abusing boyfriend for good. Marsha having been abused in her first marriage was confused by justice. At some point Justice is relative to what standard we use and who is seeking it.

            Isaiah is a book of justice, but it is justice from God’s point of view and with regard to God’s standard. It tells of God seeking justice and the standard being used is His law. Some of the judgments you read about in the Bible you may agree with others you may not. Some of God’s laws you may like and support while others you may reject. But God has no need for His judgments or laws to be approved by us. Here again in Isaiah 42 God tells of coming justice, but it also tells of God’s grace.

 

1. a covenant for the people

            a. vs 1 and 6 identify the coming servant who will bring justice, Jesus.

            b. a covenant, a promise, a contract

2. The old way is gone a new way has come.

            a. vs 9

            b. 2 Cor 5:17

            c. Rev 21:3-4

            d. a new way has come

3. setting the captives free

            a. your own captivity, blindness, our dungeon of darkness vs 7

            b. others captivity, people around us whom we need to set free.

            c. we are God’s tool to bring freedom, sight, grace.

            d. Romans 10:14&15 you are God’s voice, His words to the world.

4. don’t give up on even the smallest spark

            a. vs 3. The bruised reed

            b. the smoldering wick

            c. don’t give up on them God hasn’t

 

While God will bring true justice, there is a way of grace. Claim it for your own, and share it with the world, this is the mission of God for our church and for you. You are His voice, You are His words, we must go and set the captives free.

Isaiah 35:1-6 New Hope

Isaiah 35:1-4

Much of what Isaiah has to say has to do with Judgment, of how their worship is negated by their lack of social ethics. They fail from the king down to the lowest subject, to honor God. Isaiah tells of times of exile and defeat. He tells of times of hardship and trial for those who remain. Yet Isaiah speaks of a time of the redeemed. A time when the remnant will return and God will bless them again. This passage made me think of our church.

 

A. great challenges we have faced

            1. Built a building, when we would hardly make budget.

            2. We have lost many dear friends, most to cancer, some to moving away.

            Annette, Shelly, Fred, Gwen, Rittia, Jan, and others.

            3. We have gone through the difficult process of leaving the PC (USA)

            4. We have faced financial shortfalls

 

B. We face challenges ahead

            1.Reaching the Lost people in our area. Friends, family, people we meet every day.

            2. Finances,

            3. building new friendships

            4. some of us are getting old.

 

C. But we are the Redeemed

            1. the desert will bloom vs 1&2

            2. Our God will take us there vs 3&4

            3. We will reach the lost vs 5&6

            4. Our Session is a forward looking group

            5. Our deacons are looking at new ideas

            6. Our missions, worship, and Christian Ed, committees are coming up with new things.

 

D. This sermon is for me.

            1. I lost the boldness that said we can build a building, have a thriving youth group and grow our church. Perhaps you have to.

            2. Believe better days are ahead, Read 1-6 again

            3. loose our doom and gloom, and instead encourage each other

            4. “forgetting what is behind press on.” Phil 3:12 -13

            5. Believe in God’s power to do what we cannot on our own.

            6. “It is not by might not by power.”

            7. God did not bring us here to let us fail

            8. this was Gods message to my fearful, grumpy, old heart.

Read vs 1-6

Isaiah 24:1-3

Isaiah 24:1-3

Isaiah not only tells of fate of Israel, Judah, Assyria and Babylon. Isaiah also tells of the fate of the world. Before the 1940’s we had no idea of global destruction. Now there is no end to the theories and movies about the end of the world. I was up late and came across a 60’s movie “Sea Quest” where a fire started in a ring above the earth. They had their little model submarine gliding through some producers fish tank to save the day. The result of all those predictions of doom is that the end of the world has been made the thing of nuts and quacks.

But the end is coming. It will not be the giant meteor, red sea sludge, global warming, or any other thing that will be the reason behind it. The destruction of earth will be at the hand of God and it will be because of the sinfulness of humans.

No one is exempt. Vs 2

            Every disaster movie has a way out.

            A scientist has a formula
            The government has a ship or a shelter
            NASA has a spaceship with oil rig workers to drill hole in the meteor
            Or a super strong person will weave their way through it.
            We may even get help from aliens
            King Richard shouts a horse a horse, psalm 33:17 a horse is a vain hope
            Matthew 24:36-42
            Rev 21:1

Salvation is available to everyone

            Read vs 2
            Matthew 24:40
            Romans 1:16 Jew and Gentile
            Gal 3:28
            White, black, Indian, Arab or Asian, all can be saved with a simple prayer
            Citizen of the year, good church people, gang member, and drug addict all can be saved.

What do we do?

            Prepare yourself. Make sure you have surrendered your life to Jesus
            Remember that what happens is only temporary.
           Tell others how they can be saved.

Will the end of the world come? Yes. It will come because of God’s judgment on the sinful human race. Will your end come? Yes, maybe soon, or perhaps a long time from now. But you have nothing to fear. This world is not fatal nor final. Romans 8:37-39

Isaiah 12:1-6 “In That Day”

Isaiah 12:1-6 “In That Day”

Isaiah writes about God’s judgment upon the people. God sets forth various reasons. They forget to worship Him, they acknowledge other Gods and even worship them, and they take advantage and oppress each other. Isaiah tells how God will bring the Assyrians and the Babylonians to punish the people. Yet Isaiah has some good news. A day is coming, a day of redemption.

 

1. in that day

            a. in this instance the word for day “yom”, might be better translated “time”

            b. God tells the people a remnant will return and prosper again 538 – 432BC

            c. chapter 11 tells of a new kind of leader

            d. 11:6-9 true peace will come

            e. still “in that day” God will gather His people a second time. 1948

            f. the day is not finished until Jesus returns.

 

2. present history

            a. chapter 12 in that day refers to the time of Ezra when he reads the law

            b. it also refers to a time yet to come when modern Israel will return to God

            c. But more importantly the “yom” of chapter 12 is your Yom and my yom

 

3 our day

            a. a world full of anger, anger we do not understand, from neighborhood and school shootings to wars in Afghanistan. Why all the anger? As a result we work hard at not upsetting people.

            b. But this scripture tells us that God is angry with us just as He has been with Israel.

            c. but His anger has been turned away, as we draw water from the Well of Salvation.

            d. Jesus said in John 7:38 when you believe in Him streams of living water will flow

            e. The most valuable resource is water, the need for clean water, water is protected

            f. the superstition mountains of Arizona , every year people die hiking from dehydration

            g. the well of salvation will never run dry, no need to guard it or limit it

            h. it cannot be bottled, sold, or stolen, it is free.

            I. God’s requirement, rejoice in His kindness

            J. give as much of it away as you can.

 

Someone you know or might meet needs their day. Their hot and dry from the struggles of life. They are thirsty and lost just as you where or have been. The water of salvation is what they need and Jesus has given you a big cool bottle full, if you give it away, Jesus even promises to give you more.

Isaish 1

Isaiah 1:10-18

Our trip through the Bible now takes us from the books of wisdom, to the Prophets. Often people make the mistake of thinking of the Prophets as fortune tellers. People who were predicting the future. Though they did that they were more like pastors, making social commentary and reflections. Holy men through whom God would warn the people, try to call them back. Even though their words predicted the future and even speak to our present, they were first and foremost words for the people of their day. Today we start Isaiah. Isaiah writes at the time of the fall of the northern tribes of Israel in 722 BC. He is writing to the people of Judah for the most part, who will fall to the Babylonians in 586. From Isaiah we get the idea of the Messiah, the suffering servant of God who will restore the nation and the people. Today we start with Chapter 1 which really is an overview of the entire book.

 

A.  Religiously correct

            Sacrifices, burnt offerings, incense, festivals and appointed feasts.

            They have the religious part down well, like a clock.

            They have the right music, the worship team, the pastor with a perfect hair, a smooth tongue and a bright smile. All the spiritual bling, glamour and glitter.

            Yet this religious stuff is not working for God. Vs 12-14

            God has stopped listening vs 15

            Vs 2&3

 

B. Let us reason together

            God wants to make a deal

            What God wants is reasonable

            Today our world is crippled with unreasonableness.

            From congress to board rooms to families.

            On the news the celebrate some meaningless compromise (color of the restroom walls)

 

C. Gods’ offer

            Vs 16&17 Stop doing what is wrong, learn to do right.

            Seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the widow and the orphans

            Willing and obedient

            Your sins will be forgiven vs 18

            You will eat the best from the land vs 19

 

Where are you today? Are you religious or do you have a relationship with God. Are you being obedient or leaning heavy on that forgiveness thing. Are you busy naming and claiming the blessings of God while you shirk your responsibilities to God. Jesus wants you to get real, be reasonable. Romans 12:1 KJV “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.” Let us stop doing what is wrong and start doing what is right.