Where Death Casts its Shadow - December 23rd, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

It will be a difficult Christmas for our nation. It will be an even more difficult Christmas for the families and friends of those killed at the school in Connecticut. Not only will people be mourning the loss of loved ones, but many will find it difficult to think of Jesus, let alone celebrate His birth. Some wonder how it could have happened. Many wonder why. Some will even ask “where was God” during this time of terrible loss. And with such bitter resentment filling their hearts, there is no room for celebrating the birth of His Son.

What took place in Newton, Connecticut is not one of a long list of problems. It is merely a symptom of a far deeper problem; a problem those investigating the crime may quite possibly overlook. They will spend a great deal of time trying to figure out why it happened. They will investigate the killer’s childhood, his mental health, his emotional health, and his home life. They will investigate the gun manufacturer. Our Government will talk about what measures should be taken to keep a tragedy like this from happening again. Legislators will promote laws. But the problem is not access to guns or lack of funding for mental health. The problem is that darkness lurks within the heart of Man, and we have witnessed once again just how dark and evil and wicked the people of this world can truly be. And no amount of legislation or gun control; no law or restriction is ever going to change the heart of wicked men. If those investigating this crime would research the cause and not the symptoms, they would find that this crime, and others like it, happened because of the depravity of Mankind.

[On a side note, I do appreciate the sadness and grief demonstrated by our government over the death of these innocent children. I just wish they were as deeply troubled by the other innocent babies that are brutally murdered each day.]

Truthfully, wickedness and evil have haunted humanity almost since the dawn of time. We read story after story in the history books not of wars but of genocide; where innocent people have been killed for no apparent reason; stories where it seems that all which is right and good and noble and just in this world was overpowered by the darkness. Darkness even raised its ugly head during the birth of Jesus; a story of a heartless, senseless murder somewhat similar to last week’s tragedy in Connecticut (Read Matthew 2:13-18).

Such wicked deeds were not unusual. And it wasn’t just a random act of violence from some wicked, evil person. The event Matthew mentions came from the king; the ruler of the land. Years later, Pilate will murder Jews from Galilee who were offering sacrifices at the Temple (Luke 13:1), while countless Christians are brutally slaughtered by the Roman Empire simply because of their belief.

Darkness filled the land. Evil roamed to and fro in search of a heart dark enough to do its dirty deed. And nothing, it seemed, could turn the hearts of men away from evil and wickedness. "So there is no justice among us, and we know nothing about right living. We look for light but find only darkness. We look for bright skies but walk in gloom" (Isaiah 59:9). But into this darkness God sent His Son in the form of a tiny babe lying in a manger. In Isaiah 60 God says "Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you" (Isaiah 60:2). Matthew says “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined” (Matthew 4:16). God’s solution to the problem of evil in this world was found lying in a manger in Bethlehem. And for the person who believes that Jesus is the Messiah and surrenders to Him as Savior, the darkness in their heart is taken captive. The solution to a land filled with darkness was to change the hearts of Men; to turn them away from evil and wickedness, and toward peace and love and compassion. Paul says, “For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

The solution to evil today is the same. We are a nation full of people needing a heart transformed by Christ. I believe the Church knows this. I suspect Christians everywhere know that this world needs Jesus to bind the darkness in Mankind’s heart. And so we pray. We pray that the Lord might work in the hearts of the people today who are still living in darkness. We pray that God might step in and prevent such wicked deeds. But there is a particular command given by Jesus that leads me to believe He expects Christians to play a major role in piercing that darkness.

In Matthew 5:16 Jesus command, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). And there is something about that command that makes me wonder if Jesus expects His Church to be actively involved in piercing the darkness of this world. Oh, we are not the ones who transform the heart, but we should be the ones living in such a way that those still living in darkness might see the light and might even desire the light. I get the impression that Jesus expects His Church to be testifying through word and deed that freedom from darkness can be found in Christ alone.

Let me be straightforward with this. We’ve all heard the question, “Where was God during this tragedy”, but maybe we should be asking, “Where was the Church?” Where was the Church when this murderer was young and impressionable? Was the Church busy arguing over music or carpet or predestination instead of being out among the young people who are in darkness and without hope? If it is the Church’s responsibility to introduce people to Jesus so that He may bind the darkness in their heart, is it possible that this tragedy, and the many like it, are the result of the Church not doing what it was called to do? I know not everyone will be saved, and I know wickedness will always be among us. But has the darkness been allowed to grow because the Church has been preoccupied with other things instead of bringing the people living in darkness to the light?

I don’t know the answer to that question. I could only speculate. But I do know this; when we see such dark and sinister deeds, the church needs to be reminded of the task set before us, and get cracking. This is a call to action for the church. This is a wake-up call that says there’s still work to be done. Oh I know it seems like an impossible task; to fight against darkness with the light of Christ. But Jesus isn’t asking you or me to win the war against evil. He is asking us to touch a person here or there with kindness, grace, and love; to let the light of Christ penetrate a person’s heart so they might turn to Him, instead of being held prisoner in a land where death casts its shadow.

In the movie The Hobbit, the character Gandalf says, “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love”. And I believe there is a great deal of truth in that statement because Jesus apparently feels the Church has a stronger influence in this world than it may realize. He compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32), insinuating that though the work may seem small and insignificant, it has the potential to grow and overtake the entire garden. He says that even a simple cup of cold water given in His name is a significant gesture in His Kingdom (Matthew 10:42).

This Christmas season we’ve caught a glimpse into the darkness that lurks within our land. And at times the darkness looms large and menacing; a great giant against tiny insignificant people like you and me. But can you imagine how much different this world might be if each one of us would let our light shine for all to see. Oh, the work you and I do in the Lord’s name may seem simple and insignificant, but we need to remember that the small seed we plant may one day change an entire life. No deed done in the name of Jesus is too small or too insignificant. We are called not to judge the size of the deed or the simplicity of the message we shared. We are called to be faithful, and let God do the mysterious work within that person’s heart.

In the Arms of Simeon - December 16th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Tom went out shopping for a Christmas present for his wife. "How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him a bottle costing $50. "That's a bit much," said Tom, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30. Tom frowned, "That's still quite a bit". Growing disgusted, the clerk brought out a tiny $15 bottle. Tom grew agitated, "What I mean," he said, "is I'd like to see something real cheap." So the clerk handed him a mirror. Ouch. Sometime the truth can be quite painful. It kind of reminds me of a similar lesson Jesus taught one day. Yes, Jesus; the One who we worship, especially during this time of the year.

It seems okay to talk about Jesus during the Christmas season. Even church attendance increases during this time of the year. It’s the time when many thank God for sending us His greatest gift; the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 6:6). But as this child was held in the arms of a man named Simeon, God revealed something more. We learn that the Son was not given just to be worshiped, but also to be followed, something many in Israel were not prepared to do (read Luke 2:25-35).

Simeon, guided by the Holy Spirit, pronounces that in his arms that day was the Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and Israel's glory. Even though many had not been watching and waiting for the coming of the Messiah, most Jews were aware of Isaiah's prophecy. But what they were expecting was not quite what they received. They were expecting a King to unite the nation, to restore the nation to its former glory. They were waiting for a King to show the rest of the world that God favored Israel above all others. But instead of getting a King who they could worship, they received a King who called them to follow. This is why Simeon looked upon the Child in his arms and added, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed" (Luke 2:34).

One clear message throughout the Old Testament is God's call to follow. From Adam to Nehemiah, God continually asked His people to follow. He called Adam and all of Israel to follow His commands. He called Israel out of Egypt, asking them to follow Him to the Promised Land. He called Israel to follow His Law. He called people to follow His guiding and counsel. He called people to follow the words of the Prophets. He called people out of Jerusalem when Babylon came to conquer. He called Nehemiah back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. But in spite of the many times God called, few were willing to follow. Oh, Israel loved believing in God. That was the easy part. And they loved being loved by God, especially when He protected and provided. But the moment God called people to obedience and surrender, the people complained about how hard and how demanding God was. They simply would not follow.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus would do the same. He announced that the only way to enter the Kingdom of God was through Him. He stretched out His hand to someone and beckoned, "Follow Me". Some did follow. Many did not. Some followed for a while, especially when Jesus provided for them and made life easier for them. But the moment Jesus started asking them to submit and surrender, many walked away (see John 6:66). Oh, they desired Jesus for what He could do for them, but Jesus came asking them to submit and surrender; to make Him Lord of their life.

As He ministered, Jesus traveled throughout Israel calling people to follow Him. And as I said some did reject Him. They flatly denied that He was anything more than some illegitimate carpenter from Galilee. But others, it seems, were right there with Him. The walked with Him, they listened to His teachings, they ate with Him. And you would think that these were the ones who followed Jesus. But one day, as Jesus was teaching in a town, someone asked how many of them would be saved. And shockingly Jesus replies that many gathered there that day would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He warns, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). Agonize to enter is what He literally said. And why will many not be able to enter? It’s because they ignored the call to follow Jesus, and instead merely wanted to fellowship with Jesus. “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers’ (Luke 13:26-27).

As Simeon held the infant Jesus in his arms and uttered those words about who the Child is, he also pointed out what the Child will do. But I doubt many who heard his words truly understood just how narrow this child would make the road to God’s Kingdom. This Child would announce that being a Jew was not sufficient, that obedience God’s Laws was not sufficient, that being good was not sufficient, and that even fellowshipping with Him was not sufficient. To enter the Kingdom of God, a person would need to pick up their cross and follow Jesus. Sadly, many only desired Jesus. Few truly surrendered.

I don’t know how this affects you, but it really concerns me. If people who walked and talked and fellowshipped with Jesus could be excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven, what does that say about me; about you? Are we just as deceived as these people were; deceived into believing that fellowship with Jesus means that we are following Jesus? How can we keep this from happening to us?

One of the greatest deceptions by the enemy is to get people to believe that socializing with Jesus is the same as surrendering to Jesus. Many have been deceived into believing that they will be granted entrance into the Kingdom of heaven by socializing with Jesus. But hanging around Church or reading your Bible or staying awake during the sermon does not guarantee entrance into the Kingdom; does not mean you are saved. Jesus is to be followed if we are to be saved, not just adored or worshiped. And when I say follow I mean we are to lay down our lives; we are to surrender and submit to Jesus. We must admit that we are lost. We must admit that we need saved. And we must admit that Jesus is the only one who might save us.

To agonize about entering the Kingdom of Heaven is to admit we are not good enough to enter on our own, to admit that we have done nothing to deserve entrance into the Kingdom. To agonize is to realize that the door to God’s Kingdom would remain closed to all of us had it not been for the birth of one small Child, held in the arms of Simeon. And when we realize this, we will do far more than simply desire Jesus. We will surrender to Jesus. We will understand that He is more than a King to be worshiped, but a Lord to be followed; that He alone can lead us to life.

Entrance into God’s kingdom is not by birth, not by merit, and not by fellowship. Entrance to the Kingdom rises or falls on this one thing; whether we accept or reject the out-stretched hand of the Savior as He calls “Follow Me”.

A Faithful Servant - December 9th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

In autumn, the Indians asked their Chief if it was going to be a cold winter. Not really knowing an answer, the Chief replied that the winter was going to be cold, and that the members of the village were to collect wood to be prepared. Later, He called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is this winter to be cold?" The man on the phone responded, "This winter is going to be quite cold indeed." So the Chief went back to tell his people to be prepared and collect even more wood. A week later he called the National Weather Service again asking, "Is it going to be a very cold winter?" "Yes," the man replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter." So the Chief goes back to his people and orders them to gather every scrap of wood they can find. After two more weeks he calls the National Weather Service again asking, "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be *very* cold?" "Absolutely" the man replies, "the Indians are collecting wood like crazy." It sounds like no one knows how cold it will be. And I thought predicting weather was a science.

If predicting the future was as easy as some claim, then why don’t we hear about the local psychic winning the lottery? I mean, I’m just saying that’s what you would expect, yet it never seems to happen. Kind of like these preachers that go around announcing the “End of the World”. After a while you just stop believing that they really know what they are talking about. Sure, we know that Jesus will return someday, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matthew 24:26). Because many people know this verse, even the un-churched, many have developed a bit of cynicism toward Christians who start predicting the end of time.

Most people feel this way especially when someone comes along predicting when the Lord will come. And I can understand why. People have been doing it for over a thousand years, and yet Christ still remains in Heaven. Well, in thinking about the Christmas season and the First Advent of Christ, I started wondering if people had the same attitude before Jesus was born. It seems they did. And I’m not sure why, considering all the signs and the prophecies given long before His birth.

Unlike the second advent of Jesus (His Second coming), His first advent was clearly spelled out in scripture. But somehow I get the feeling that people were not watching or waiting for the day. Matthew indicates several prophecies were fulfilled by the birth of Jesus. Jeremiah says that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David. “For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. (Jeremiah 23:5). Isaiah 7:14 says, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And it was not by chance that the Wise Men came to the little town of Bethlehem to visit the King. Micah, the prophet, had announced, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past” (Micah 5:2).

Long before Jesus was born, God spoke of how it would happen (through a virgin), through whom it would happen (a descendant of David), where it would happen (in Bethlehem), and even when it would happen. Yes, that’s right. God even indicated when the birth of Jesus would take place. In Daniel 9, God lays out a time-table for when the Messiah would appear.

“Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times. (Daniel 9:25)

This time of counting would begin once a decree is given to rebuild Jerusalem. After that, a period of 49 years and 434 years would go by, and then the Messiah would come. Incidentally, the decree to rebuild came in 444 BC (see Nehemiah 2:1-8). So to a Jew who was alert and paying attention, they would have realized that the appearance of the Messiah was imminent; that it could happen at any moment. So God gave the how, who, what, and when, long before Christ was born. Yet it almost seems that many were not even paying attention. It seems they were focused on other things.

Christ’s Second Advent will not be the same. Jesus says that, “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. ³⁸ In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. ³⁹ People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.” (Matthew 24:37-39). No one knows the day, so a believer is to be prepared. A believer should be expectantly waiting.

I suspect you and I know this. But it sure seems that the people of this world do not. As a matter of fact many people seem to have their eyes fixed upon something else. On any given night the media is talking either about how to survive the apocalypse, or talking about doomsday (and I don’t mean the cartoon). People are obsessed with the Mayan calendar that ends on midnight, December 21^st, 2012. That, they surmise, means an end (probably just the end of a calendar. Their local insurance agent can provide them with a new one). Isn’t it strange that these same people who believe that the Mayan’s could predict the end of the world scoff at Christians who try and do the same?

The world was distracted by other things when the flood came in Noah’s time. The world was distracted by other things when Christ was born in Bethlehem, even though God had spoken so precisely. Are things any different today? Hardly. So what should a Christian do about this? How should a Christian respond to a world distracted by a rising national debt, by killer asteroids from outer space, or ancient calendars from a lost civilization? Jesus says we should serve. He says we should care and love and be the source of hope to those who have none. He calls His Church to faithfully serve in love until that day He returns (compare Matthew 24:46).

Since no one knows when, the Church must face each day with the reality that Christ’s return is imminent; it could happen at any moment. The Church must be expectantly anticipating the Master’s return. The Church must believe that He is coming at any moment. And at times I wonder if we really do believe this, because if we did we would be ministering with a great sense of urgency.

Almost the entire world missed His first coming. But if the Church is truly faithful, we can prepare as many as we can for the time He comes again.

A Lesson from Linus - December 2nd, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Linus has become famous for his explanation of Christmas. I would venture a guess that more people hear it from him than from any other source. But what Linus says is only part of the story. From the book of Matthew we learn of other events that took place as Jesus came into this world.
This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25).
As we think about the Christmas season, our minds naturally are drawn to the story of Jesus' birth. After all, this is what the Christmas season is all about. It's about the birth of our Savior. But what has caught my attention this year is how God accomplished all of this.
One day in Heaven God announces that the time has arrived for His redemption plan to begin. The Kingdom of Heaven would come to earth, and the Messiah would be none other than His Own Son. I can picture the excitement in Heaven as the plan was revealed. At last, the angels would have exclaimed. God will at last reveal His plan of Salvation for all of humanity. But could you imagine their shock when God informed them that the plan will unfold through the very people who are in need of a Savior. The Redeemer of all humanity would arrive on earth as an infant needing to be protected and nurtured. And Mankind’s greatest gift would be entrusted into the hands of two humans much like you and me; imperfect and weak. God did not choose two humans high on the social ladder or respected in religious circles. And instead of choosing Jerusalem, the hub of all religious activity, He selects a town far removed from the spotlight. God decided to entrust the Savior into the hands of a carpenter and his betrothed who lived in Nazareth, a small village on the other side of the kingdom. God didn’t choose the High Priest and his wife. God selected Joseph, the carpenter, and Mary, the young girl, to raise the Son of Man. And what we often miss is that God's faith in these two people was greater than we sometimes imagine.
Working through less-than-perfect people has been part of God’s plan all along. Matthew (a far from perfect Tax-collector by the way) begins his gospel account describing the ancestry of Jesus. In Matthew chapter one there is a long list of names that played a significant role in preparation for the day Jesus would be born. Among the names listed we find people with problems and weaknesses and sins in their life, just like you and me. Abraham told lies. Jacob deceived his own father. Tamar pretended to be a prostitute. Rahab was a prostitute. David committed adultery and murder. Bathsheba committed adultery. Solomon contaminated an entire nation by introducing pagan worship. But each of these individuals, imperfect as they were, were used by God in preparation for the day the Kingdom of Heaven would come to earth; the day the Messiah would be born.
God's faith in us never ceases to amaze me. His faith in us is greater than we often imagine. When God was working out His redemption plan, He included people not so different than you or me. And He brought the Kingdom of Heaven to the earth in the form of a helpless child dependent upon the care and protection of Mary & Joseph.
To me, this is one of the great mysteries about the Kingdom of Heaven. Not that God would send His Son to save humanity, but that God would choose to work through the very people needing to be saved. But this is the Divine prerogative; that God would chose to work out His redemption plan not through sinless people, but through people with flaws and weaknesses; those whose very sin nature were in need of a Savior.
Throughout the history of humanity God has chosen to work through imperfect people. And of course He can do that; He is, after all, God. But the fact that He does choose the weak and the lowly; the outcast and the despised, is a testimony to the depth of His faith in us. God actually believes that people like you and I can effectively witness for Him in this world. And instead of giving Him a thousand and one excuses why we can’t, maybe we need to realize just how much faith he has in us and accept what He is calling us to do.
The way I look at it, if a blanket toting boy with separation anxieties can effectively tell the world the meaning of Christmas, surely I can do the same. And as the world continues to ponder what Christmas is all about, I would hope that you and I would learn the lesson from Linus. Not to memorize the words as written in scripture, but to realize that even people like you and me can be used by God to tell a neighbor or a friend all about Jesus. And the truth is the world still needs to hear this. The world still needs to know this. And God still demonstrates an incredible amount of faith by using people just like you and me.

Welcome Home - November 25th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

As some of you know, we helped our daughter and son-in-law move into a new house last weekend. Looking back on that day it seems I provided more brain than brawn. It was apparent that I could not keep up with the younger men present. It wasn’t always like that. I used to be the one working long and hard. But because I have not been diligent, I am not in the same shape I was 10 years ago (and yes I know round is a shape). I was shocked at how quickly a growl turned into a groan.

All joking aside, a person must stay active in order to keep muscle from turning flabby and soft. It takes focus and a lot of discipline, especially as you grow older. Well, the same is true in our spiritual lives. A person must work diligently and stay focused in order to keep their faith from turning flat.

As Citizens of the Kingdom, a Christian is in this world but not part of this world. This is actually the Lord’s Prayer; that those He has been given would not fall away (see John 17:12). And Jesus understood the difficulty in being part of His Kingdom while still living in this world. This is why He is presently our advocate (1 John 2:1). He prays on our behalf, even when we sin.

This duality; this “in the world but not part of the world” reality in which we live, is what makes being a Christian so difficult at times. With corruption all around us (and at times within us), a Christian must be ever diligent; always watchful lest they fall away from the faith.

I think the Apostle Peter understood this all too well. I think this is what he experienced the morning he heard the rooster crow. Its sound became a wakeup call to Peter that his faith had gone flat; that when he needed his faith to be strong, he instead found it weak and flabby. Perhaps this explains why Peter continued to remind the early Christians to be diligent; to work hard at strengthening their faith and growing in maturity. Peter understood that for faith to endure until the end, a Christian must constantly be at work.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. ⁵ In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, ⁶ and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, ⁷ and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. ⁸ The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. ¹⁰ So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. ¹¹ Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3-11).

The call of Jesus in a person’s life is for that person to leave one kingdom behind and join Him in His Heavenly Kingdom. And as I said a few weeks ago, we wait for the day when we will finally come home. But in the mean time we live in this world as citizens of another; as Citizens of Heaven. Knowing this, God has provided what we need to live a godly life while in this world. Peter points out that God has provided His glory, His divine power, and His promises so you and I can escape this corrupt earthly kingdom and one day be joined with Christ in His Heavenly Kingdom. Because of Jesus, a believer has a new home. Yet even though God has provided these things, a believer must exercise that faith. That faith must be strengthened. And according to Peter we must add certain things to our faith so that we might endure. We are on a journey home, but it's going to take more than child-like faith to keep us from falling away until we get there.

Peter gives us seven Christian virtues we must add to our faith so we might remain steadfast until the end. As Christians, we begin with faith. But to that faith we must add Moral Excellence, Knowledge, Self-Control, Patient Endurance, Godliness, Brotherly Affection, and Love for Everyone. And he doesn’t deceive us into believing that these traits will develop by themselves. Nor does he lead us to believe that this growth will be easy. Becoming a Christian who demonstrates these traits will take a lot of work. But work we must; for if we do not, if we try to live out our Christian life on faith alone, we run the risk of falling away. It is the short-sighted and blind Christian who thinks faith is enough to see them through to the end. If a Christian remains an “infant in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1), they remain weak and vulnerable to the corrupt world all around them.

Have you ever wondered why a person seems to drift away from God? Have you ever wondered why your own participation in the church seems to rise and fall? Do you sometimes find yourself lured back into the world, acting just like the people of this world? Perhaps its because you have not added to your faith. Perhaps its because you have not strengthened yourself for the work. I tell you the truth; it takes a lot of effort to keep yourself from falling because we live in this world as citizens of another. And the temptations assail us every day; the temptations to turn our backs to God and instead start acting just like our coworkers or classmates. This is why it takes much diligence and work to endure in this world as a Christian.

Sooner or later your going to realize that there is a big difference in knowing the path and walking the path. And those unprepared for the journey might start out strong, but will probably find themselves weakened and ill-equipped for the long journey ahead. If the pilgrim is to make progress, he will need to add to his faith for the long journey ahead.

Do not be deceived. Just because you said certain words one day in the past does not mean you have what it takes to remain faithful until the end. The writer of Hebrews warns that it is possible to turn away from the faith; to give up this Christian journey and turn your back to God (Hebrews 6:4-6). To keep this from happening, the believer must grow and mature. And so I say to you, work hard to add what you need in your life as a Christian to keep from falling away; to keep from becoming weary in your journey to the Kingdom of God. Do everything you can and all that you must to remain steadfast until the day you stand before the Lord, who will throw His arms open wide and say, "welcome home!"

The Greatest in the Kingdom - November 11th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled and his eyesight was blurred. At the dinner table his shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor; milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about dad," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor." So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. However, one evening at supper the four-year-old child spilled some of his food on the floor, and he too knocked over his glass of water. Turning to his parents, he asked “Does this mean I have to sit with grandpa?”

Children are remarkably perceptive. They see things and observe things that most adults miss. Children see our attitudes and observe our behaviors. And they are not afraid to ask penetrating questions. The grandson in the story rightly assumed that grandpa had to eat alone because he made such a mess. And in his innocence the boy assumed that based upon his parent’s behavior, there was rank in the house. And the messy were the least important in the home.

One day, as Jesus and His disciples were walking to Capernaum, the disciples began to argue among themselves which of them was the greatest. But they did this quietly, hoping that Jesus would not hear their discussion. But when they settled in a house, Jesus asks them what they were discussing out on the road. Oh, He knew what they were saying, and he wanted the disciples to know that He knew. According to Matthew, the disciples finally blurted out what was on their mind. They wondered who was the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And to illustrate His answer, Jesus uses a child.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:1-6).

According to Jesus the greatest in the Kingdom is not the most educated or the most gifted. The greatest is not the one who has done the most to advance the Kingdom of God. Isn’t that comforting to know? Jesus says that just because we are not the best of the best, or not the most gifted and talented, we are still of value in the Kingdom of heaven. As Jesus stood with this child, He could have turned to Peter who had recently been to the mountaintop with Jesus and witnessed His transfiguration (the same Peter who walked on water), and said “that’s not what makes you great”. Those words can be comforting. Not all of us (few of us, actually) accomplish such great things in life, yet we are not least in the Kingdom of God.

Although great deeds and great words do not equal greatness in God’s Kingdom, neither does doing nothing or little at all. Please notice that Jesus didn’t say that this child was greater than the disciples. That’s not what He was doing here. He didn’t say that innocence or an absence of works in the Kingdom is what makes someone greater either. I mean, let’s face it; this child probably didn’t bake very many casseroles for the weekend pot-luck meal. Neither did this child preach or teach or witness to others about Christ. So don’t start thinking that you are great because you do very little for God’s Kingdom. What Jesus is trying to teach is that the greatest in the Kingdom is the one who demonstrates humility; the one who has a servant’s heart, or the one who submits themselves to the Father’s authority. Greatness in the kingdom was not based on great works or words, but on childlike humility of spirit.

The disciples were asking the wrong question. They should have been concerned about serving the Lord, not asking about positions in the kingdom. Their service needed to be directed toward people, not themselves. Truthfully, their question was just as discriminating as the question a religious lawyer asked Jesus one day (see Luke 10:30-37). In that instance Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to answer the question “who is my neighbor”. In this case, Jesus pointed to a child to answer the question “who is the greatest”. Both lessons point straight to the heart, asking them the question “who is more important in your eyes, a despised Samaritan or yourself? Who is more important, you or this child?” According to Jesus the greatest in the Kingdom is the person who sees others as more important than themselves (see Philippians 2:3-4).

What makes the lesson of the child so significant is the fact that according to Jewish Law this child had no rights (as mentioned in The Bible Knowledge Commentary) But Jesus said that until the disciples get down off their high horse and begin seeing everyone as valuable and important, they would not even enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So instead of worrying over who was the greatest, these disciples should be more concerned that their selfish, self-centered attitudes will exclude them from the Kingdom altogether.

Do you think we struggle with this same tendency? Do you think we have developed the same idea that rank in the Kingdom is based upon great works or great words? Sometimes I think we do. It seems that today’s Church has fallen into this same mindset. It seems we have because I will often hear someone say that children are the church of tomorrow; as if today the adults are greater and the children are less simply because they do not contribute to the Kingdom in significant ways. That’s why those words just don’t seem right to me. To push the needs of the children aside; to say that tomorrow you can be part of the church, but not today, is to be guilty of the same sin Jesus addressed in this section of Matthew.

I believe our children see this. I believe they assume there is rank in the church based upon our behavior. Based upon our decisions a child can easily recognize that the needs of the adults are more important than the needs of the children. That’s why we must lay aside all selfishness, and instead humble ourselves before God; considering the needs of the children among us and recognizing their value in the Kingdom of God. They are not least in the Kingdom and we are not the greater. Everyone has value in God’s Kingdom, regardless of their age.

Thy Will Be Done - November 4th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

The couple's young daughter had adopted a stray cat. To her mother's distress, the cat began to use the back of their new sofa as a scratching post. "Don't worry," her husband reassured her. "I'll have him trained in no time." They watched for several days as he patiently "trained" their new pet. Whenever the cat scratched, he deposited the cat outdoors to teach him a lesson. The cat learned quickly. For the next 16 years, whenever he wanted to go outside, he scratched the back of the sofa.

What do you expect? It’s only a cat. I mean did they really think it would walk to the back door and ask to go outside? That’s just impossible. Who would expect a cat to do something impossible? And yet, it seems, this is what Jesus asks of us.

Last week, as I spoke about the Kingdom of Heaven, I pointed out that it is not only something we will experience one day in the future, but it is something that we, as Christians, are a part of right now. This is something Jesus tried to get the Apostles to understand. The Kingdom had come. Christ had begun to reign. God the Son was at work among the people of this earth. The scriptures talk about how He healed the sick, helped the blind to see, and how He cast out demons. This is what we expect from the Lord. But what we don’t expect is for Jesus to ask a mere mortal to do what He had been doing. “And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil” (Mark 6:7, 12-13).

Okay, these were the Apostles. But these twelve ordinary men accomplished God’s will. God’s will was being done on earth not just by Jesus but also through these men. But the obvious question is why. Why did Jesus feel it was necessary for these twelve men to do what He could do and was doing?

If you read closely through this part of the Gospel Story, you’ll notice that Jesus was not just helping the people of this world, but he was teaching and training these twelve men as well. He was preparing them for the day He would no longer be with them. Once gone, the work of the Kingdom would be their responsibility. If God’s will was to be done, it would be done on earth through these twelve ordinary men. So to prepare them for that day Jesus stretches their faith. He teaches them to trust. He opens their hearts and minds to the present reality of the Kingdom of God. Well, at least He tries to open their hearts and minds.

At the end of their very successful mission trip, the twelve Apostles return to Jesus amazed at what they were able to accomplish with His authority. This should have been an incredible eye opening experience. They should have learned that where Jesus sends or when He commands, great things can be accomplished by ordinary people. But unfortunately it seems they missed that point. In wasn’t more than a day later that they become shocked at what Jesus asks them to do next (read Mark 6:30-44).

Pointing out the obvious need, it seems the Apostles didn’t even expect Jesus to feed the crowd. It seems they expected Him to preach the benediction and send people down to SAL’S for pizza. But instead Jesus says “You feed them”. And truly, what Jesus asked was humanly impossible. They didn’t have the money and they didn’t have the resources. And I’m sure Jesus knew this. I’m sure He wasn’t shocked to learn they were broke. But that didn’t stop Him from giving the command.

Look closely at this story and you’ll notice a couple of details. Long before the resources were made available, Jesus tells the Apostles to have the people sit in groups. So they begin to wander through the crowd asking the people to be seated. “Why”, a curious boy would have asked. Well, what do you say to the boy, whose father is now listening closely as well? I guess you tell them the truth. “Jesus is going to feed us”. You say those words, but do you believe those words. You know quite well that back in the kitchen there is only a small sack lunch that another boy gave as an offering (no, he didn’t tithe his lunch – see John 6:9). The resources necessary for this task have not yet been supplied, but in obedience to Christ’s command you begin the work anyway; you start doing the ministry of the Kingdom before you have what you need to complete the task Jesus has just given you.

Notice as well that once the people are seated it is the Apostles who distribute the food while Jesus is the One who supplies the food, but only enough for the moment. Please notice that the Apostles had to return to Jesus to have their baskets refilled (Kept giving in verse 41). This is the Kingdom of God at work. This is God’s will being done on earth through twelve ordinary men. Jesus gave the command. The Apostles responded in faith. Jesus supplied all that they needed to fulfill that command, but only after the Apostles started doing the work of the Kingdom.

We pray Thy Will Be Done, but do we believe this? And what I mean is that when we see the needs all around us we had better be prepared for His response. His answer to our pray might catch us completely off guard. When we mention to Him the hurting, the naked, the sick, and the hungry, are we prepared to hear Him say, “You feed them”? This is a task seemingly impossible for ordinary people like you and me. And just as with the Apostles, I don’t believe our inadequacy will surprise Jesus. He knows where we are weak. He knows that our resources are limited. But still He calls us to feed them. He still calls us to do the work of the Kingdom. No, He’s not asking us to depend upon our own resources or our own abilities to accomplish His will. He is asking us to have the faith necessary to begin the task believing that He will supply all that we need in order to accomplish that task. And it is the same with our ministries. He is asking us to begin; to demonstrate faith that He will provide. But this is Christ’s way of preparing us. He stretches our faith. He teaches us to trust. He opens our hearts and minds to the Kingdom of God.

This is the Lord’s will. It is through the Church that Thy Will Be Done. Jesus has ascended to heaven but He has left the Church behind to continue His work. And He has equipped the church to do that work by the Holy Spirit. So instead of waiting for Jesus to do something or waiting for Him to provide everything we need to accomplish His will, the Church (we Christians) need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Then, and I believe only then, will Jesus begin to supply what we need for the work of His Kingdom.

I think it’s interesting that the group of Apostles barely had enough to feed themselves at the beginning. Yet at the end there were 12 baskets of leftovers. I find it significant that at the end of their labor of faith there was more than what they started with. And I wonder if Jesus will do the same for us if we will simply exercise some faith and get to work.

The Kingdom of God–A Mystery Revealed

This past week, as I was researching passages of scripture for my series on the Kingdom of God, I began to see a pattern or a theme unfolding in scripture that I had not noticed before.  As I looked at each passage, I began to notice that each spoke on a different element of God’s Kingdom.  Some spoke of how it is seen.  Others mentioned how we can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  In Matthew, for example, Jesus tells several parables describing what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.  So I decides to group them together and present them here as an outline.  I found it helpful in understanding God’s Kingdom, and though you might find it helpful as well. 

 

I. The Kingdom of God:

· Is Real

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

· Is Seen

By the Spirit

Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

By Christ’s Power

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matthew 12:28)

And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” (Mark 9:1)

· Is Known

By the Spirit

Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. (Matthew 13:11)

· Is Possessed

By Grace

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. (Matthew 18:23-27)

By Humility

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3).

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1-4)

But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

By Faith

And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-62)

Through Trials

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:10).

· Is Entered

By living the Faith

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (Matthew 7:21).

By Right Priorities

And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-24)

By Holiness

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (Ephesians 5:5)

· Is a Present Attitude

“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 10:7).

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20-21)

When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions. (Mark 12:34)

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

· Is a Future Place

Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:10–12).

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. (Matthew 25:1-2)

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. (Matthew 25:14)

“So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:31)

“Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25)

Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. (Mark 15:43)

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (1 Corinthians 15:50)

Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? (James 2:5)

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10-11)

· Is Greater for Some

Because of Obedience

“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20).

“Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11).

Because of Faith

“Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. (Matthew 21:31)

II. The Kingdom of God:

· Can be Lost

Because of Faithlessness

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. (Matthew 21:43)

“If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, (Mark 9:47)

Because of Rejection

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. “And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. (Matthew 22:2-3)

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13)

III. The Kingdom of Heaven:

· Will be Filled with Grace and Tenderness

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. (Matthew 13:24)

· Will be Revealed in Due Time

He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; (Matthew 13:31)

· Will change a Believer and the World

He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:33)

· Will be a Place where People are Valued

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44)

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, (Matthew 13:45)

· Will be Purged of all Evil

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. (Matthew 13:47-48)

· Will Reward our Service

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. (Matthew 20:1)

Thy Kingdom Come - October 28th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Every one of us in this place is aging. Some of us are aging in leaps and bounds. Others are aging slowly. But the truth is, we are all heading downhill, so to speak. We are all on a journey from this life to the next. So I thought I would give you a test this morning just to see how you are making out in the meantime; just to help you recognize some of the signs that indicate you’re slowing down a bit.

1. What do you put in a toaster?

2. Say "silk" five times. Now spell "silk." What do cows drink?

3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a greenhouse made from?

4. If the hour hand on a clock moves 1/60 of a degree every minute then how many degrees will the hour hand move in one hour?

5. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swindon, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people get on. In Carmathen, six people get off and three get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver?

If these simple questions were difficult for you, I regret to tell you this, but, you may not be too far from the Kingdom of God. Really? You said that cows drink milk?

Truthfully, none of us are far from the Kingdom of God. It is much closer than we think. As I pointed out last week, the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven) is not just some distant place that awaits us one day in the future. According to Jesus, the Kingdom of God is among you. And as Jesus talks about the Kingdom of heaven, He describes a place that we can see and possess right here and right now. He describes the Kingdom in ways that not only comfort but challenge us as well.

Take all the passages of scripture that talk about the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God and you will find that it is something we can see right now by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3) and by Christ’s power over Satan (Matthew 12:28). We know the Kingdom is real because of the Spirit within us (Matthew 13:11). We possess the Kingdom by grace (Matthew 18:23-27), by humility (Matthew 5:3, Matthew 18:1-4, Matthew 19:14), by faith (Luke 9:59-62), and through trials (Matthew 5:10). We enter the Kingdom by living out our faith (Matthew 7:21, Matthew 21:31), by getting our priorities in order (Matthew 19:23-24), and by living a life filled with holiness (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:5). The Kingdom of heaven is not just a present attitude (Matthew 10:7, Luke 17:20-21, Mark 12:34, Romans 14:17), but is also a future place (Matthew 8:10-12, Luke 21:31, Mark 14:25). And in the Kingdom of Heaven some will be greater because of their obedience (Matthew 5:20, Matthew 11:11), and others because of their faith (Matthew 21:31). We also learn that the Kingdom of heaven can be lost because of faithlessness (Matthew 21:43), or simply because of rejection (Matthew 22:2-3, Matthew 23:13).

Jesus describes the Kingdom of heaven as a place filled with grace and tenderness (Mathew 13:24), a place whose significance will be revealed in due time (Matthew 13:31). He says that the Kingdom of Heaven not only changes a believer, but will also change the world (Matthew 13:33). In the Kingdom of Heaven, people are valued (Mathew 13:44-45). One day, the Kingdom of Heaven will be purged of all evil (Matthew 13:47-48). And our service to the Kingdom will be rewarded, no matter how insignificant it may have seemed (Matthew 20:1).

The Kingdom of God is not just a Spiritual attitude found in Christians, but a place where one day we will be in fellowship with God. Because of our relationship with Jesus, one day we will gather with other believers to worship our Savior face to face. And all that is of this world; the lies, the hurt, the sickness, the pain, the regrets; all things of this world will pass away. And you and I will be pure and blameless at last. We will gather at a great banquet table and enjoy unrestrained fellowship with God. But that day, that part of God’s Kingdom, we will enjoy one day in the future. Until then; until the perishable will put on the imperishable, we must remain faithful and diligent. Until then “my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). We are part of God’s Kingdom today. And it is a Kingdom seen by our faith, by the Spirit; by our attitude, our faithfulness, and our diligence.

We are Citizens of Heaven, my friend. We are the Pearl of Great Price. We have been purchased by the blood of our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And we have been promised an inheritance. “Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (James 2:5).

As Christians, we look forward to the Physical Kingdom of God. And that day will come. This we have been promised. But in the meantime we live as Children of the Kingdom in this world with our pain and hurts and sadness and suffering. Today we see the Kingdom of God through Spiritual eyes and with hearts of faith. But one day we will see it face to face. As Peter has reminded us, “For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering”. Romans 8:16-17). And our suffering is to be in this world yet not part of this world.

We have been asked to endure living in a world filled with counterfeit Christians (see the Parable of the Tares in Matthew 13:24-30). We have been asked to endure hardships and suffering for the time being. Peter call us, “Temporary residents and foreigners” (1 Peter 2:11). So, because we are citizens of Heaven we find this waiting and enduring difficult. We suffer in the flesh for the time being because we know that this world is not our home. But do not let the current condition of things diminish your hope. Do not be discouraged. Do not be moved. Remain steadfast and immovable. Draw strength from God and from one another. Keep your eyes fixed on the Kingdom and upon Jesus Christ for the journey home.

Oh, I almost forgot the answers! 1 – Bread. 2 – Water. 3 – Glass. 4 – One degree 5 – Your Name!

The Kingdom of Heaven - October 21st, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

A dying granny tells her granddaughter, "I want to leave you my farm. That includes the villa, the tractor and other equipment, the farmhouse and $22,398,750.78 in cash." The granddaughter, absolutely floored about becoming so rich, says "Oh granny, you are SO generous! I didn't even know you had a farm. Where is it?" And with her last breath, Granny whispered, "Facebook..."

Farm Town and Farm Ville are just a few of the many online games a person can play where they can live an imaginary life. They plant imaginary crops with imaginary seeds which grow into imaginary plants that can be harvested by imaginary tractors and sold at an imaginary market for an imaginary price so they can by imaginary things. And participation in these imaginary words is booming. I find it sad that a person can become so immersed into the affairs of one life that they ignore another life altogether.

It is not just those who play online games who live in another reality. Most people live blind to another reality. Many people live as if this other world doesn’t even exist. You can see it in the way they worry or hear it in their spoken concerns. Many people don’t give this other place a second thought, even though Jesus spoke of quite often. It is the Kingdom of God.

As Jesus taught He would often speak about the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God. He would say, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like . . .”, and then give some sort of a comparison. And as He spoke these things, we get the impression that His listeners knew what he was talking about. But when they heard “Kingdom of Heaven” they thought one thing while Jesus meant something more.

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you” (Luke 17:20-21). The Pharisees were confused because they were expecting only an earthly kingdom. And that part is true. Eventually Jesus will return again, and it is then that His earthly reign as King will take place. But in the meantime He has established a Spiritual reign, something these religious leaders just couldn’t grasp.

Speaking to the Roman governor, Jesus says to Pilate, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven (or the Kingdom of God – both terms mean the same thing), He was not just speaking about some future time and some distant place where one day God will establish His Kingdom for all believers. Jesus was trying to get His listeners to understand that God’s Kingdom had come right then. Sure, it was not an earthly kingdom yet. That would come later. But the Kingdom of God is best understood as the reign of God, or the Rule of God. In other words, when Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is upon you, He meant that God had established His rule, and as evidence Jesus pointed to the authority He had over the forces of Satan. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you (Luke 11:20). Satan and his demons understood this. They knew that Jesus had absolute authority over them. Jesus had come to earth to establish His rule; His reign; His Kingdom. The demons trembled with fear before Jesus. When confronted by Jesus, the demons would scream “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?” (Matthew 8:29). Sadly, the forces of darkness understood more about the Kingdom of God than the Jewish religious leaders. Their eyes were fixed upon this world, not the Kingdom of God.

Long before Jesus was born, Daniel was introduced to One who looked like a Son of Man. And in his vision he was shown that to this One a Kingdom would be given that will never end. “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

Jesus is the One whose kingdom will not pass away. His is an everlasting kingdom. And that Kingdom is no longer hidden. His Kingdom has come. His will is being done on earth as it is in Heaven. His reign began the day all power and authority and majesty were given to Him by the Father. Jesus isn’t waiting patiently in the corner of heaven for the day when He can finally reign as King. He’s ruling as King right now. And no force of darkness, no power on earth, no nation, or no ruler on earth will ever be able to replace Jesus as King and as Lord. “Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority” (1 Peter 3:22). Since all of this is true, shouldn’t we recognize His authority as well? Shouldn’t we have our eyes fixed on His reign? Shouldn’t we be thinking about His Kingdom and not the kingdoms of this earth? I believe we should. But unfortunately it seems that we don’t.

The presidential election will soon be upon us, and this year there seems to be a great deal of upheaval, even among Christians. Even Christians seem to be divided over which man is best suited to lead this nation. I can understand that a person of this world can become stressed and filled with worry. Their eyes are fixed on an earthly kingdom. But this attitude should not be found among believers. A Christian is a citizen of Heaven; a Child of the Kingdom. There is nothing wrong with voting wisely and making intelligent decisions. And we should be electing individuals with a strong morality. But our hope should not rest in the policies of a man or the promises of an administration. These men and women who are seeking your vote will come and go. Earthly kingdoms will rise and fall. So our hope and security and future should not be placed into the hands of men, but into the hands of Christ. As believers we are no longer a part of this world. Jesus has called us into His Kingdom (John 15:19). So as we approach this election season, may I remind you what Jesus said to those who were worried and anxious about tomorrow (Read Matthew 6:25-34).

As Christians we must stop fixing our eyes on the temporary things of this life and instead fix our eyes on the Kingdom of Heaven; the Kingdom of God. Jesus is in control. Jesus is the only One whose policies never change. Jesus is the only One who keeps His promises. Jesus is the only One who’s Kingdom will never end. Regardless of who is in the Whitehouse, Jesus will still be on His Throne. We are Christians, and it’s time we start living like Jesus is our King.

Christian Conduct 101 - October 7th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg
Coming home from work, a woman stopped at the corner deli to buy a chicken for supper. The butcher reached into a barrel, grabbed the last chicken he had, flung it on the scales behind the counter, and told the woman its weight. She thought for a moment. "I really need a bit more chicken than that," she said. "Do you have any larger ones?" Without a word, the butcher put the chicken back into the barrel, groped around as though finding another, pulled the same chicken out, and placed it on the scales. "This chicken weighs one pound more," he announced. The woman pondered her options and then said, "Okay. I'll take them both."
Apart from the fact that today each chicken would be individually wrapped and labeled, there is still a tremendous lesson to be learned here. Eventually our conduct will either condemn us or confirm us. Our conduct toward others will testify what sort of person we really are. Jesus touched on this when he said, “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions” (Matthew 7:20).
Many places in the New Testament call believers to act in ways far different than the world. Not only did Jesus expect His disciples to change the way they acted toward God, but He also expected them to change the way they acted toward one another. As He spoke to the crowd from the mountain side, He called His followers to reconcile broken relationships before giving an offering to God (Matthew 5:24). He called His disciples to turn the other cheek when wronged, to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:39-44). He said, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). Later on Jesus taught His disciples to go to the person who has hurt them or wronged them. Speak to them face-to-face about what they have done or how they have hurt their feelings. Instead of gossiping and complaining to everyone else, Jesus says, “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back” (Matthew 18:15). When two of His apostles were trying to gain positions of power, Jesus reminded them, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave” (Matthew 20:25-27). I could go on, filling several pages with statements like “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). But the point is that Jesus expected that those called by His name (Christian) should conduct themselves in this world in ways that are not of this world.
As Christians, we no longer have the freedom to act anyway we please. We no longer represent ourselves; we are Christ’s ambassadors, and we are expected to behave in this world with Christian conduct; to turn aside from the ways of the world and walk according to Christ. Now, when I say this; when I point out that we are to turn aside from the ways of the world, most think about turning aside from smoking or drinking or sex. Many will think about increasing church attendance or reading the Bible. But what Christ expects is far deeper than that. He expects that our minds be completely renewed. Consider what Paul says in Ephesians 4:17-32.
So much of what Paul says here deals with our Christian conduct toward other people, not just our personal vices. Much of what Paul mentions addresses our interactions with other people, and the way in which we act toward others gives significant testimony to what sort of person we really are.
“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (Philippians 2:3-4), says Paul. He also calls believers to, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Colossians 4:6). The truth is Christ expected His followers to be different from the world. Not just different in their beliefs about Him, but also different in their conduct toward others. He expects the same from you and me.
Christian conduct demands that we consider our behavior toward God AND toward others. That’s the real shocker for many people. Many people feel that to be Christian only means that we consider our conduct toward God. But scripture says that our conduct toward one another is just as condemning. As Christians we MUST remember that not only is murder a sin, but so is character assassination, better known as gossip and slander (where we speak poorly about someone behind their back). Look at Paul’s words in Galatians 5. In verse 19-21 he says, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God”  (Galatians 5:19-21).
As we spoke recently about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, Paul says that He (the Spirit) will transform us into Christians filled with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). And Christians who conduct themselves in the world in this way do not condemn themselves but confirm themselves as believers. These are the behaviors and the attitudes that set the Christian apart from the rest of the world.
“So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith”  (Galatians 6:10), says Paul. And if our conduct is controlled by the Holy Spirit; if the Fruit of the Spirit is found within us, our conduct will convince the world that we are indeed followers of Christ. But, woe to the person whose conduct condemns them. Woe to the “Christian” who continues to act just like the people of this world, for, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter”  (Matthew 7:21).

“Broken” - September 30th, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Two hunters hired a pilot to fly them into the far north for elk hunting. They were quite successful, bagging six big bucks. When the pilot returned, he objected and said, "The plane can only carry four of your elk. Those other two will weigh the plane down too much. You'll have to leave two of them behind."
The hunters were insistent. They said, "Last year, we shot six elk and the pilot let us put them all on a plane that was the exact same model." Reluctantly, the pilot finally agreed. Rolling down the grassy runway, the plane was not able to take off, crashing into the wilderness.
Climbing out of the wreckage, one hunter said to the other, "Do you know where we are?" "I think so," replied the other hunter. "I think this is about thirty feet from where we crashed last year!"

Only a self-sufficient, self-reliant, stubborn individual would continue to live a self-destructive life; never willing to admit that they’ve reached the end of their rope; never admitting that their life is broken. So, why don’t more people admit they are weak? Why don’t more people admit they have failed? I honestly don’t know the answer, but I do know that if a person will humble themselves before God, He will lift them up. He will restore them. He will transform them, but only if they are ready to be broken. And sometimes that brokenness comes when our life hits rock bottom; when we crash and burn. But God is able to rebuild our life in ways we couldn’t begin to imagine, especially when personal situations or the pressures of the world or even our own poor choices tear us down. But even then God cannot accomplish His work in us unless we are ready to submit our lives to Him; until we become broken.

Brokenness. God uses broken things. It is the broken alabaster jar that gives forth perfume. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken grain to give bread, and broken bread to give strength. It is the broken Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever. It is the bent and broken person who God rebuilds when they finally turn to Him pleading, “If You are real then help me. I’ve no where else to turn.” But brokenness is a word many of us refuse to embrace; a word that stumbles awkwardly from our tongue. But my friend only when we are broken can we be rebuilt.

In one of the clearest contrasts of a person broken and a person who was not is found in Luke 7. Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” Luke 7:36-39. A woman, who more than likely had been a prostitute, kneels broken at the feet of Jesus. And in her brokenness she pours out the tools of her trade at the feet of Jesus. The conduct of Simon, on the other hand, stands in stark contrast to this woman’s attitude. One was broken at the feet of Jesus; the other stood firmly and confidently face to face with the Savior.

In another example, Jesus tells of two men who were in the temple praying. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’  “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’  “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14. Again, one comes to God with a broken attitude; the other stands face to face with his God.

The necessity for our brokenness occurred to me at one of the most powerful conferences I have ever attended. 1500 pastor’s filled an auditorium in anticipation of being strengthened and revived. I was thirsty for new strength and a deeper focus on what God had called me to do. But I never expected what I received. Unlike any other business convention you will ever attend, at this gathering of pastors, we were called to be broken; to admit that we could not do this on our own. As the leader that day continued to teach, just about every pastor in that place was in tears. Why? Because brokenness was what we needed, but brokenness was so hard to be given.

Are you bent and broken before your Lord? Or are you still clinging to the false hope that the next time things will turn out better? Are you bent and broken before your Lord? Or do you still refuse to admit your weakness? Restoration cannot begin unless you are broken; torn down before the Savior who promises that if we will let Him, He will build us up into something new and different and stronger than we could ever accomplish on our own. Will you continue to stand face to face with your Savior in your pride and stubbornness and self sufficiency? Or will you fall broken at His feet and allow His grace and His glory to build you back up into the person He knows you can be. What will it be?

Jack - September 23, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

About fifteen years ago we had a tornado rip through our yard at the house in Shippensburg.  Just tore up trees and stuff everywhere.  Across town, some friends from church happened to walk by and see the damage. The next day, many people from the church volunteered to help with the cleanup.  We took 20 pickup loads of split wood out of that yard.  Butch and I ran chain saws all day.  My next door neighbor, who had damage as well, asked if he could hire the crew when they were finished at my house.  You should have seen the look on his face when we told him that these were people from the church; not to mention his reaction when we all marched into his yard and cleaned it up as well.  So accustomed to being alone and looking after himself, Jack was overcome with what a church community is really like.

Church community, a place where a person feels they belong, is something I believe the people of this world long for, yet is very elusive. As the un-churched people of this world live out their lives in isolation, deep in their hearts is a longing to find some place where everybody knows their name.  And, as Jack noticed, to see this sense of community and belong will make the un-churched pause and take notice.  That’s because community is so unusual in today’s culture.  People have become so isolated and alone in today’s culture.  And although there are no steel bars before them, many people today are living in their own private prison where nobody knows and nobody cares.  But maybe this isn’t a new problem. Maybe people struggled with this even in Jesus’ time. If so then perhaps that explains why Jesus gave us the Church.

John the Baptist had a very short ministry.  He baptized people for one year, but spent two years in prison.  I know that John said to his disciples, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30), yet it is apparent that John began to wonder and question things as he sat alone in prison.  Perhaps this is why John sent two of his disciples to find Jesus and ask Him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” (Luke 7:19). 

John’s life would have hit rock bottom, at least from his perspective. Dejected, depresses, and doubting, John was looking for some assurance; some strength and hope to hold on to when his world was falling apart.  But instead of a straight answer, Jesus offered John something far greater.  Jesus offered John the community of believers.  “Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” (Luke 7:20-22).

Although Luke does not record John’s reaction when his two disciples returned, can you imagine the stories they would have been able to tell!  A blind man stumbling through the crowd would have walked away seeing clearly.  Someone who was carried to Jesus would have danced with joy. Those with withered hands or skin diseases; those tormented by evil spirits; every affliction you can imagine would have been wiped away by the touch of the Master’s hand.  So can you image what these men might have said once they returned to John?  They could certainly do more than simply say “Yes, He’s the Messiah”.  While facing his doubt, John would have been able to draw strength from these two disciples who now believed because of the evidence they had seen and heard.  John would have been able to draw strength from those around him who were convinced that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah.  What Jesus gave John was the comfort of two other believers who could assure him that his faith has been placed in the right person all along.

Just before these two disciples of John leave, Jesus pulls them aside and says, when you go back to John, I’m sure you are going to tell him what you have seen and what you have heard.  He knows the scriptures well enough.  No doubt he is familiar with what the prophet Isaiah said. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies” (Isaiah 61:1-2).  But I want you to remind him of one more thing.  Tell him, “Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me” (Luke 7:23).  Literally it means “Blessed is the person who is not ensnared away from me”.  A person is blessed when they do not fall away; when they are not trapped by something else.  John was not just behind bars at this point in his life, but he became a prisoner to isolation. And perhaps through no fault of his own, John may have been left alone during this time in his life; abandoned, perhaps, even by those who had been his disciples.

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25), says the author of Hebrews.  It’s important to meet together because in community a believer can find strength and encouragement.  Of course, I don’t need to tell you that, you already know this.  But there are many who do not.  There are many who have become ensnared and isolated; trapped by their own loneliness and isolation.  And I feel it is the responsibility of the church to reach out to them with open arms and draw them into the fellowship of believers.  This is what Jack needed.  It’s what a lot of people need.

There are times in each of our lives when our faith wavers.  We all struggle with periods of doubt.  And it’s times like these that I am thankful for what Jesus has given us.  When I see the evidence of your faith; when you tell me of what Christ has done in your own life, I find the strength I need to battle the doubts that haunt me.  When you give testimony of what you have seen and heard, each of us is strengthened because of your conviction.  That’s the beauty of the Church.  That’s the warmth and strength found within a body of believers.  That’s what separates a church from the rest of the world.  In a Church, you are not alone.  In a church, you can find strength when you are weak.  In a church, you need not face a crisis alone. Our Savior knew this.  He knew we would need each other to hold on to when we are weak and to encourage us when we fail.  That’s why Jesus sent these two disciples back to John with evidence and not just an answer.

Christ gave us Himself.  But He also gave us each other; people like you and me who gather as a family because of what we have seen and what we have heard.  Thank you for the strength you give me on the days when I am weak.

Knowing Holiness - September 16, 2012 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Saturday, as I was returning from District Conference, I was passed by an individual driving erratically and dangerously; weaving in and out of traffic.  He actually passed me on an exit ramp, cutting back into traffic just as the lane came to an end; his tires throwing gravel as he spend through traffic at a furious pace.  It was in that moment I lost my holiness.  I passed judgment upon an individual I did not know and who was perhaps dealing with a situation unknown to me.  I did not wish the driver well.  I did not pray for his traveling safety.  I actually began to hope that something would happen in order to teach the driver a lesson.  It was about then that I realized the sinfulness of my thoughts, and how unholy my attitude really was.  And in that moment, I felt unclean.

I recently read an article in Leadership Journal called When Clean and Unclean Touch. Author Mark Buchanan challenged his readers to think about who Jesus touched while He walked this earth. And that is something that has often touched me. As I read about the people Jesus actually touched, most all of them were individuals the religious people of the time would have avoided. These were people deemed unclean or unholy. Yet, as Mark Buchanan points out, those who were unholy were made holy by the touch of the Master’s hand. It’s an interesting piece, which I have made available out on the bulletin board shelf. But one thought continued to run through my mind as I read this article; the idea that there is a difference between holiness and righteousness.

About a month ago I spoke about how the Holy Spirit helps us to know we are loved by God. If you’ll recall, Paul points out that, “we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love” (Romans 5:5). But in spite of that tremendous gift, many people struggle to really feel the depth of the Father’s love. Many people are still haunted by past sins, and they continue to bear guilt that God has actually removed. I pointed out that sometimes we are the ones who resurrect guilt from sins Christ has put to death. But sometimes the one who reminds us is Satan. And if we will let him, Satan will not hesitate to remind us and remind God of our apparent lack of holiness, just as he did to Joshua, the High Priest.

One day, the prophet Zechariah received a vision from God, and in that vision, he sees three characters; the Jewish High Priest Joshua, the Angel of the Lord (which is Jesus before He was born), and the Satan. And Satan was up to his old tricks. Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. (Zechariah 3:1-3)

When Judah returned from captivity in Babylon, Joshua (son of Jehozadak) began leading the Jews in worship and sacrifice to God. But the adversary, the Satan, simply wanted to point out just how unholy Joshua truly was. And indeed, Joshua was clothed in filthy garments. He certainly was not completely holy. But that didn’t change the Lord’s opinion of Joshua. It didn’t seem to faze Him one bit. The Lord simply rebuked Satan’s attempt at passing judgment on someone’s holiness. And instead, the Lord spoke of Joshua’s righteousness; that the Lord decided to snatch Joshua from the fire.

“Holiness”, as described in the Bible, basically means cutting off or separation from what is unclean.  In Old Testament times God gave Israel the Law so the people might know how He expected them to live. It was not given as a means to righteousness.  The Apostle Paul says, “Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.” (Romans 3:19-20).  In other words, righteousness is not found in perfect obedience to God’s laws, but, as Paul points out, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” (Romans 3:22).  A person was holy when they lived according to the Law, but not Righteous; not right with God. Righteousness has always been and will always be a gift from God for our faith.  “Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins” (Romans 3:24).

Righteousness is given to us by God because of our faith in Jesus Christ.  It is not earned. We are not made right with God because we have stopped smoking or drinking or chewing or hanging around people who do. We are not made right with God through obedience to His Holy Laws. But it is our unholiness that Satan likes to attack. It is our filthy clothes, stained by our sin that the Satan uses against us.

Since salvation comes by Faith and not by obedience, then why does Satan use our unholiness against us? Why does he work so hard to convince us that we do not deserve God’s grace, mercy, and love? It’s because he is trying to deceive us. Satan wants us to believe that we obtain the Father’s love and are made right with Him by obedience to a set of laws and rules. But that simply is not true. As a matter of fact, God demonstrated the depth of His love for us when He sent His Son to the cross while we were still covered with filthy sin. Satan lies. He has twisted holiness around as something to be used to his advantage; something to drive a wedge between us and God.

Although the Bible is filled with laws and commands, a Christian is not made right with God by obeying those laws and commands. So why were they given? Why has Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? Why should a Christian live a holy life (a life set apart and different than the rest of the world)? We don’t strive to be holy so God will declare us righteous. We strive to be holy because God is holy. And if we are to represent God to the people of this world, we need to act in a way that reflects His holiness. “You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own” (Leviticus 20:26).  “You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be sanctified among the sons of Israel; I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 22:32). In other words, a Christian strives to be holy because a holy life becomes an offering to God.

When a Christian strives to be truthful, honest, loving, and kind; when a Christian turns the other cheek or prays for their enemies, these deeds become an offering to God. The Christian exclaims “Lord, I give You my honesty. Lord, I give You my sexuality. Lord, I give You my integrity. Lord, I give You my obedience to Your holy standard of living”.

Righteousness is a gift from the Father; holiness is our gift to the Father.  We strive to be holy so that God might be glorified and so that the world might know He is Holy.  As Christians, we follow God’s commands of Holiness not because it makes us righteous, but because it demonstrates the character of God to the people in this world. And if the Satan can keep us from doing that, then God is mocked and His name is defamed before the unbelieving people of this world.