2 cor 5:16&17 “A New Beginning”

2 cor 5:16&17  “A New Beginning”

Steve Wozniak designed and built the first personal computer in his garage workshop. Since he worked for HP at the time he had to get them to give him the rights to his computer. The people at HP could not see the opportunity that the personal computer presented and they gave Steve the rights to his computer design and Apple Computer was born.
            You have most likely heard a lot of sermons on 2 Corinthians 5:17 that center on the forgiveness of your past, I want to focus on the opportunity of the future.

1.      Personal opportunities
a. choose who or what you will be. 2 Corinthians 5:15
b. being transformed 2 Corinthians 3:17
c. be transformed Romans 12:1&2
d. be conformed to the likeness Romans 8:29

2.      Opportunity in others
a. Where do we focus when we look at people?
b. the lostness of people, how broken and sinful they are?
c. Do we look at what they can become?
d. the stake thief

e.      Jesus looked at a tax collector but saw a disciple
f. Jesus looked at a fisherman and saw a leader
g. approach and treat people as possibilities

3.      Opportunity in the church
a. we do not have to be what we have always been
b. we have opportunities to transform who and what we are
c. focus on the newness that is ours in Christ.

This new life in Christ is more than erasing our past it is an opportunity for the future, our future. The people we meet every day also have an opportunity to become something new. So let us set our sights on what and who we and others can become and let Jesus transform our world.

Matthew 2:1-12 “A New Kind of King”

Matthew 2:1-12 “A New Kind of King”

Today is the fourth Sunday of advent. The day of the kings. The Wise men come from the east and announce Jesus as King and present gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.  

1.      The Story
a. wise men, “Magi” magicians or astrologers.
b. seeking a great King of the Jews,
c. they cause trouble for Jerusalem and Herod
d. Chief priests and Scribes
e. summoned the wise men
f. learned of the time
g. The wise men go and worship
h. Leave another way
i. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus leave for Egypt
j. Herod kills the children

2.      A king of hearts and lives not nations
a. They looked for a king for the nation
b. God knew something different was needed
c. Tony Evans “the messed up man”.
d. The key to the nation and world is the heart of the individual

3.      How do you change the world?
a. We allow God to be our King, transforming our life
b. We help Jesus to become the King for our family and neighbors
c. Is Jesus your King, does He rule in your life?
d. a simple prayer and a big decision.

Jesus did not come to be the King of a nation that would conquer the world, Jesus came to be King of the individual and transform the world.

Luke 2:8-19 Why the shepherds?

Luke 2:8-19 Why the shepherds?

We can with just a little imagination put ourselves out on the hillside watching the stars, listening to the murmur of the sleeping flock in the dark. No campfire because you need your night vision to keep watch for predators. Then suddenly one angel appears and announces the birth of the savior, the Messiah. Then just as suddenly a host of angels to sing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is well pleased.” And then they are gone. Your eyes still blinded to night slowly adjust to the darkness, and then your mind starts to think.

“Did you see that?” “What about you?” Then they decide to go off and find Jesus.

I wonder why Shepherds? I have often focused on the ordinariness of the shepherds, people like you and I. Not people of great power, influence, or affluence.  But the shepherd has been used throughout Israel’s history to talk about spiritual leadership.

1.      A shepherd
a. Psalm 23
b. King David
c. Zechariah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Micah, the spiritual leadership

2.      The worthless shepherds
a. Zechariah 11:15-17
b. Matthew 9:36
c. Ezekiel 34:1-10

3.      The Good Shepherd
a. Isaiah 40:9-11 proclaim the good news from the hills
b. Micah 5:4
c. Ezekiel 34:11-24
d. John 10:7-16

 

Jesus is the Good shepherd, He searches for the lost, carries the weak, Heals the broken, He lays down His life for His sheep. This is why the angels come to proclaim the news to Shepherds and not to kings. And it is why with faith we can say. (Read Psalm 23)   

Bethlehem Luke 2:1-7

Bethlehem Luke 2:1-7

Mica 5:2

Bethlehem means house of bread, Ephrathah means fruitful. It is a little town south of Jerusalem. The town was considered too little to even be considered among the clans of Judah. David came from Bethlehem and when Judah brought out his sons to Samuel (1 Samuel 16), David was not brought to see Samuel. David was left to watch the flock while his more prospective brothers are presented.

Bethlehem sat for the next 700 years after Mica makes his prophecy about the coming Messiah. People who studied the scripture knew of Bethlehem but paid little attention to what went on there. The people of Bethlehem they do not pay attention or look forward to the coming Messiah. You might think the little town would take hold of the prophetic message and name their football team the Messiahs. Perhaps build a home for the coming King. But they do not.

Into this normally sleepy, forgotten town come Mary and Joseph. The town is full now because all the descendants of David the King must come there to be counted in a Roman census. Mary and Joseph have no place to stay but they do find a place that has a manger or feeding trough to use as a crib for Jesus to lie in.

2. Jesus is coming again
a. John 14:1-3 “I go to prepare a place for you”
b. many of the messianic prophecies have yet to be fulfilled.
c. Rev 22:7-14 “Behold I am coming soon”
d. Matthew 24:30-44 All will see it and no one knows the day
e. Jesus warns of not being ready
f. The man who comes to the wedding not dressed properly Matthew 22:11-14
g. Matthew 25:13 watch and be ready
h. the Talents (14) and the caring for the king (vs 44)

3. Are we ready?
a. year 2000 and a friend
b. Are we ready?
c. Are the people we know ready?
d. The man with cancer in LV I waited too long.
e. 1 peter 3:15 always be ready

Bethlehem the forgotten sleepy little town had forgotten itself. They stopped believing or looking for the messiah.  Let us be ready in our hearts and lives to meet Jesus face to face with Joy and thanksgiving. Let us meet him with our friends and neighbors by our sides singing and rejoicing in praise to Jesus’ forgiveness and grace. Let us be ready when the King comes back.

Isaiah 7:4 What do you need?

Isaiah 7:4 What do you need?

Ahaz King of Judah finds that the 10 Northern tribes, called Israel, have joined forces with Syria to attack him. His army suffers a great defeat, 2 Chronicles 28. Ahaz needs a new army but God sends him something else a Baby.

1.       Ahaz
a. worshiped every god except the real one.
b. 2 chronicles 28:2-4 28:22-25
c. God gives Ahaz a chance Isaiah 7:10 But he refuses
d. So God pronounces Judgment
e. He wanted an army but God sends him a Baby.

2.       Israel wanted a warrior King but God sends them a Baby
a. 700 years after Ahaz the people of Israel were looking for a Messiah
b. They look at prophecies about the warrior king
c. Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, 2 Samuel 7:12, Gen 49:10, Gen 12:2
d. the savior God sends is for their souls not their country

3.       Everyone but Jesus
a. confused, lost, broken and looking everywhere for help
b. new car, new video game, more money, facelifts and tummy tucks.
c. exercise, diets, overeating, magic pills, or another party.
d. power crystals, tarot cards, any and all religions.
e. But God sent them a baby
f. a suffering servant to save their soul not their carnal life.

What have you been looking for Jesus to be? A marriage counselor? A financial planner? A family therapist, a job finder? A love doctor? A Physical trainer. You may think you need an army, but God knows you need a Baby. A baby born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, to suffer and die to forgive your sins and save your soul. Each of us must receive this gift. Open it and make it ours. A simple prayer will do. Lord Jesus forgive my sin. I accept your death on the cross in my place. Lord Jesus I give You my life. Give me a new life today that I can live for You. Amen. Whatever you think you need, what you really need is a Baby.

Mark 12:28-34 “The greatest commandment”

Mark 12:28-34 “The greatest commandment”

The Jewish legal system had grown into hundreds if not thousands of thou shalt nots. All of them considered important. It is enough to make you dizzy. Imagine driving through Minneapolis and all the road signs are missing. Now you have to drive remembering all the laws of the road with no reminders. No speed limit signs, no stop signs, no one way signs, no white or yellow lines, and no school or work zone signs. And while you are trying to remember all the laws about driving and parking there is a police person just waiting to write you a ticket. That is how it must have felt for the average Jewish person in Jesus’ time. But what if you could take all those laws and distill them into one or two commandments. Some countries have only two driving laws, don’t you let nobody hit you and don’t you hit nobody.

1.       There is only one God
a. There is only one God and you are not Him.
b. God is not your check book. Or your 401K.
c. God is not your good looks. your important job.
d. God is the one who created you, and saved you

2.       Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
a. love God with all that you are.

3.       Love your neighbor as yourself.
a. Why add this, it was not part of the question?
b. If you love God you will love the things God loves.
c. John 3:16 Romans 5:8
d. John 13:34-35
d. John 15:12-17
e. Matthew 5:43-48
f. James 2:1-4 & 8-10

Opportunities to Love God exist all around us. We meet them every day. We talk with them, work with them, live and play with them. Jesus knew we did not need hundreds and thousands of rules and laws. Two will do just fine.

Mark 10:46-52 What Do You Want Me To Do?

Mark 10:46-52 What Do You Want Me To Do?

One of the things I have learned through years of counseling people is that what they think they want is not what they need or even truly desire for their life. They want to continue to do the same things and somehow get different results. The saying I love says “if you always do what you have always done you will always get what you always got. Two weeks ago we talked about believing or having faith in the long term. Last week we talked about believing deeply. Now we have the question of what do we really want and what are we willing to do to get it?

1.Bartimaeus gets ready
a. Bartimaeus the beggar by the road
b. people passed by and ignored him all the time.
c. He shouts out to Jesus
d. people around him tell him to shut-up
e. He shouts even louder

2. Jesus stops
a. Jesus calls him
b. Bartimaeus springs up and comes to Jesus
c. “What do you want me to do for you?”
d. “I want to see.”
e. “Go your way” he is healed and then follows Jesus

3. What do you want me to do for you?
a. What is it you really want Jesus to do?
b. how far are you willing to go to get it?
c. cry out to God, throw off your comfort robes, run in the darkness
d. If you always do….

4. Your encounter
a. Imagine you are sitting by the road
b. in your heart cry out to Jesus
c. though people tell you it’s no use yell even louder
d. Jesus stops and turns around and calls you
e. you run to him and He looks at you.
d. Jesus ask you “What do you want Me to do for you?”
e. Tell Jesus right now.
f. Listen now as Jesus tells you it is done “your faith has made you well.”