ID10T - December 14th, 2014 sermon

by Pastor Greg

          I was having trouble with my computer. So I called Harold the computer guy, to come over. Harold clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem. He gave me a bill for a minimum service call. As he was walking away, I called after him, "So, what was wrong?" He replied, "It was an ID ten T error." I didn't want to appear stupid, but nonetheless inquired, "An 'ID ten T error'? What's that? Ya know, in case I need to fix it again?" The computer guy grinned, "Haven't you ever heard of an 'ID ten T Error' before?" "No," I replied.  "Write it down," he said, "and I think you'll figure it out."  So I wrote out

I D 1 0 T

I used to like Harold.

One of the conundrums of becoming a Christian is learning what a sin is, and trying to stop doing those things that are sinful.  We know that certain thoughts about other people are wrong.  We know that lying is wrong.  But we end up doing them anyway.  What does that make me?  What does that make us?  Does it make us an idiot?  Perhaps, but according to the Apostle Paul it simply means we are human.

The Apostle Paul calls himself a slave to sin.  He confesses that nothing good lives within him.  And he cries out “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:24).  Isaiah writes, “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.  Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:2)  He echoes the cry of all humanity when he writes, “For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us.  Yes, we know what sinners we are.” (Isaiah 59:12).  We, like Paul and like Isaiah realize that we are far too human.  There is far too much sin within us.  It’s not an ID10T error.  It’s a sin issue.  And that sin keeps us separated from God.

A long time ago an old man by the name of Eli said something to his sons that reveals the one truth all of us must face.  He said, “If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” (1 Samuel 2:25).  And Eli’s question rings true for all of us.  His question begs an answer.  Indeed, who can intercede for us?  Since we humans sin against God and even sin against each other, who would be willing to stand before God and plead for such a sinner?  Who is even worthy to stand before God?  It’s not that God didn’t look for someone.  He did, but, “He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no one to intercede;” (Isaiah 59:16a).  See, that’s the real problem, isn’t it?  All of us are just as guilty as the next person, and there is no one who can intercede.  What was God’s solution?  His solution was to take the matter into His own hands.  “So He himself stepped in to save them with His strong arm, and His justice sustained Him”. (Isaiah 59:16b)

So God made a promise to redeem Israel, to set them free by paying a price.  He promised that “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” (Isaiah 59:20).  This was the promise that was on the lips and the hearts of all Israel for generations.  Father’s told it to their children.  And the children told it to their children.  God would deliver.  God would redeem.  God would send a Savior; someone to intercede between Man and God.  This is the same proclamation made by an aged Temple Priest names Zacharias. (Read Luke 1:67-79)

Zacharias, who was the father of John the Baptist, exclaims that at last God had sent the One who would redeem (vs. 68), the One who would rescue (vs. 69-71), and the One who would provide the remission of sin (vs. 76-77).  At last a person will be able to serve God without fear, and at last a person will be able to stand before God in holiness and righteousness all their days, for as long as they live.

This is Christ the King, the One who would redeem His people.  “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. ¹⁹ It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. ²⁰ God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.” (1 Peter 1:18-20)  This is the One who would rescue His people from the adversary.  “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins”. (Colossians 1:13-14)  And this is the One who would provide the remission of our sin.  “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12).

This is the Baby we sing about during the Christmas season.  The Child resting on Mary’s lap is Christ the Lord; the long awaited Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer of humanity.  However, Christmas becomes more than a story; more than simply a song or a celebration once we fully understand the question.  Remember what Eli asked?  Who can intercede when someone sins against God?  The only reason a Savior is needed in the first place is because our sins are piled up before God.  Our sins have cut us off from God.  The Child we talk about at Christmas, the One who is our Savior, is God’s answer to Eli’s question.

          Eli asked who can intercede.  God’s answer was Jesus.  On those days when we act far too human (when we behave as idiots), Jesus becomes out Advocate.  I John 2:1 says that he is our Advocate.  If anyone sins, Christ is in heaven pleading on our behalf.  He turns to the Father and says, “I know he behaved like an idiot, but I love him anyhow.  He is one of mine”.  Yes, my friend.  If you, as a believer, behave in a way that is contrary to the teachings of God (if you sin), Christ becomes our Advocate.  Rather than allow those sins to become piles up between us and God, Jesus takes them upon Himself, pointing to the cross.  This is why Paul, who in anguish cried out, “who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death”, was able to rejoice.  He found his answer.  It answers Eli’s question, and it answers our own question.  What happens to us when we, as a Christian, sin against God?  Paul gave us the answer.  “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25).  He is not just our Savior.  He is our Advocate as well.  

Thirty Feet - December 7th, 2014 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!"

*sigh*. Only thirty feet. Only thirty feet.

I know all about thirty feet. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I intend to do great things for Jesus. In the morning I’m am optimistic. “Today I will not sin. Today I will spend more time praying. Today I will begin reading my Bible”. But by lunchtime all I have gained is a mere thirty feet. There are days I feel like I’m getting nowhere. I work and work and pray and pray and where do I find myself? Only thirty feet from where I started. Dealing with the same old sins and the same old issues over and over again. For all my years of study and all my years of walking with Jesus, I still feel like a broken mess. Who would want some old broken down failure of a man that can’t seem to make the right choices? Who could love a man that continues to disappoint; that continues to fail?

Jesus would.

Yes, you heard me. Jesus would. He did. He already has. Time and time again Jesus demonstrated that He loves those who are broken. He loves those who know all about their failures. He loves those who climb out of their wrecked lives; those who face their thirty feet day after day, year after year.

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” (Luke 7:36-39).

“She’s a sinner”, Simon proclaimed. Even Simon knew about her measly thirty feet. Yes, she was a sinner. Probably a prostitute. The Alabaster Jar contained expensive perfume. To open the bottle it had to be broken and the perfume was sprinkled upon the bed. But this time it is the woman who becomes broken. And in her brokenness she pours out the tools of her trade at the feet of Jesus. How did Jesus react? How did He respond to this woman who obviously had failed to live a good and holy life? He looks at this broken woman and forgives her sins. He loves that which is broken.

Jesus takes the time to talk with a woman who had had seven husbands. And the man she was living with at the moment was not her husband. If anyone knew about thirty feet, this woman sure did. And yet Jesus goes out of His way to speak with her and show her respect, tenderness, and concern. The story about the woman at the well in John 4 demonstrates that Jesus loved those who were broken.

He spent time with Zacchaeus, a man everyone knew was a notorious sinner. Everyone knew about his thirty feet. Yet Jesus takes this broken-down failure of a man and forgives (Luke 19:9). He loves. He rejoices in this tax-collector turned believer.

The Apostle Peter knew all about thirty feet. He, who had walked with Jesus and who had pledged his life for Jesus (John 13:37), would lie three times before the rooster would crow in the morning. Oh, Peter knew all about thirty feet. He had broken a promise once again. He climbed out of the wreckage of his life to find himself right back where he had started. This is why Peter decides to go back to fishing (John 21:3). Since the three years he had spent with Jesus obviously didn’t change anything, Peter decided to back to Galilee, find his old fishing buddies, and return to the life he had promised to leave behind.

That’s what thirty feet will do to a person. It will drive you back to where you first began. If you are no better today than you were yesterday, then why bother pretending? Why pretend to be a Christian when you certainly can’t live like one? But don’t you see? That’s the whole point. The whole point in being a Christian is to admit that you can’t be a Christian. The whole point is in admitting you are broken; in admitting you are a failure. I tell you the truth, only when we are broken can we know who Jesus truly is. Only when we admit failure can Jesus do what only Jesus can do. He looks past our measly thirty feet and shows us love. He shows us grace.

Just who is Jesus? Jesus looks tenderly at those who are broken. He listens to the prayers of those who shake their head in remorse for their measly thirty feet. But brokenness is a word many of us refuse to embrace; a word that stumbles awkwardly from our tongue. Like Peter, we’d rather go fishing than come to terms with our thirty feet. We’d rather wallow in our failure than give it back to Jesus. Perhaps we refuse because we don’t truly understand who Jesus is. Perhaps we have no idea what Jesus does with broken people.

“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.

Brokenness. God uses broken things. It is the broken alabaster jar that gives forth perfume. It is the broken Peter that Jesus commissions to feed His sheep.

Across a charcoal fire Jesus confronts Peter the fisherman a second time. The same Peter that lied. The same Peter who wrecked his life once again. The same Peter who found himself right back where he started. The same Peter who was ashamed of his thirty feet. But rather than remind Peter of his thirty feet, Jesus tenderly says, Now come and have some breakfast (John 21:12). Jesus takes this broken man and says “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17).

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel like a broken mess? Have you ever felt hopeless; like all of your effort to live a good and holy life was a waste? Have you ever found yourself dealing with the same sins and the same destructive attitudes day after day? Then you know all about thirty feet – living a wreck of a life and getting nowhere. You know how the woman with the Alabaster Jar felt. Broken. Worthless. Helpless. You know how the woman at the well felt – the outcast who no one loved. You know about the pain Zacchaeus faced day after day. Everyone knows about your mistakes. You know how Peter felt. Rejecting Jesus and now there is no coming back. You know how it feels to let that thirty feet stand between you and Jesus.

May I just remind you who Jesus is? May I simply remind you what Jesus has done in the past? He will do it again because that’s who Jesus is. Jesus loves those who are broken. Jesus forgives those who are broken. Jesus uses those who are broken. He does this because that’s who Jesus is. He knows all about your thirty feet.

But He loves you anyway.

Firstborn From the Dead - November 30th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

          Johnny was coming home from church one Sunday morning with his mother. His mother noticed he had a serious look on his face. "What's on your mind, Johnny?" she asked. "Is it true what the preacher said about us all coming from dust and turning back to dust?" "Why, yes, it is, Johnny," she said. "Why do you ask?" "Well”, he answered, “when we get home you better look under my bed because someone's either comin' or goin!"

          Some of the most fragile times in our lives are the coming and the going.  But coming doesn’t seem to be as traumatic as the going.  It seems few of us remember the coming.  But we certainly are concerned about the going.  Recently someone said they don’t worry about being dead; it’s the process of dying they’re not too fond of.  However, birth and death are not the only stages we will face in our existence.  For the redeemed, there is another.

          To the Colossian Christians, Paul writes “He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”  (Colossians 1:18).  As Paul continues to lift up Christ to the Colossian Christians, he reminds them that Jesus is the head of the Church and that He is Firstborn of the dead; indicating that there is yet another step in store for those who call Jesus Lord.  Men and women and children who have been ransomed from the fire owe their life to Jesus.  By accepting Jesus as Savior, the Church (those who are “Born Again”) have been granted eternal life (John 3:16).

Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about being born of the Spirit (John 3:6).  And being born of the Spirit speaks of a moment when we become filled with God the Spirit because of our belief in God the Son.  And God the Spirit accomplishes many things in our lives while we live here on earth; for example, gifting us for ministry, helping us connect to God the Father, and convicting us of sin.  We call this being "Born again".  But according to Paul there is another rebirth as well; a lesson the Colossian Christians needed to hear.

Remember their fixation on angels and spirits (Colossians 2:18).  The great false teaching at this point in history was that the physical world was wicked and sinful, but the spiritual world was good and pure (called Gnosticism).  This is why Paul speaks often about the physical body in which Christ lived (For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body - Colossians 2:9).  Trying to correct a common-held misunderstanding, Paul points out that the greatest thing God the Father can do for us is not to kill the body so the spirit can be freed from sin, but to give humanity the gift of the resurrection; and Jesus is the “Firstborn of the Dead”; the first of many who will one day be reborn from the dead.

Gnosticism taught that death freed the spirit; and when free, a person would live eternally as a spirit no longer confined in a sinful, physical body.  Yet the Gospel writers all point out that Jesus rose again with a body.  He could be touched.  He could eat.  He could be seen.  And Paul says that the resurrected Jesus is just the beginning.  As the head of the church, Jesus has become the first of many who will be resurrected.

Resurrection is different than being brought back to life.  The truth is we do not die.  We continue to live even though the body in which we live dies.  So when Christ talks about the resurrection, He isn’t taking about the reanimation of our bodies (like Lazarus, for example), but recreating something new; something like the old, but not the same.  We see this in the resurrected Jesus.  His new body was like the old, but so much more.  It was similar, but not the same.

In pursuit of a bigger Messiah, Paul reminds us that Jesus is not just Lord over life and Lord over creation, but He is also Lord over death.  And as Lord (head), He will take the Church with Him.  This is what Paul means when he says that Christ is the Head; the Firstborn from the dead.  He implies that others will follow; meaning The Church.  Just as He holds all things together in this life, so too will He hold all things together in the next.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-56. There, Paul mentions that one day death will be overcome.  But how can there be victory if only our spirits live?  They are already eternal.  Death has laid claim to the physical, so victory over death can only be claimed when it becomes a physical victory; which is exactly what Jesus accomplished by leaving death behind and walking out of the grave.   Death is defeated not just spiritually but physically as well.  Paul stresses quite clearly that even though our present bodies may pass away, a new immortal body will be given to all who call Jesus Lord. “These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever”. 

Christ does what no other could; He rises from the dead so that the church might also rise to life.  Christ does what none other has.  He leaves behind an empty grave.  And the best part of this is that you and I are already halfway there.  We have won half of this victory by being born of the Spirit.  Total victory over sin & death will one day be ours when mortality puts on immortality.  For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. ² We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. ³ For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies (2 Corinthians 5:1-3). 

Without the resurrection of Jesus there would be no resurrection.  If Christ had not been flesh and blood, there would be no physical resurrection, only a spiritual release from creation.  But since Jesus is Lord of Creation and Lord over Creation, and since Jesus will receive a glorified creation as an inheritance, then there must be more than simply a “spiritual” world up there somewhere; a place where we exist as angelic creatures with wings and halo’s over our head.   If Jesus is the “First fruits” of the resurrection, then it seems to make sense that what He has become, we will become as well.

It is not ashes and dust that awaits us.  Our future is not one where we become angel-like waiting to win our wings, but a future where we become like Christ; for He is the head, the firstborn from the dead.  On that day when we are reborn we will not become angels, but we will receive our resurrection gift; a glorified body that shall never die.  And as the Bride (the Church) is given to Christ, the angels will stand back and sing praises to what God the Son has done; that through Him and by Him and For Him all Creation is glorified.

The Son’s Inheritance - November 23rd, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

  

 Some of the worse spankings I received as a child came because I was a bit too insolent.  For example, I remember dropping a potato chip on the ground while we were at a picnic.  I did what any 7 year old boy would do; I picked it up and ate it.  Dad, of course, scolded me.  But I reminded him that potato chips come from potatoes which, I reminded him, come from the ground.  And besides, wasn’t he the one who told me to eat the skin of my baked potato, and they grow . . . That was about as far as I got.  Then I got what I deserved.

We all know that you don’t go around eating things that have fallen on the ground because of germs.  Germs are bad for us.  Germs are unhealthy.  We are supposed to be wary of germs; almost fear them.  And it seems that our fear doesn’t stop at germs.  Alarmists have given us lots of things to worry about.  We are continually informed about things which hurt our health, our well-being, and our world.  Not only are we to be concerned about germs, but certain foods and certain chemicals in our food as well.  We worry about failing health and looking old.  Even Nature may, at any moment, unleash its fury against our peace and security.  Fear the ocean because of all the man-eating sharks.  We are afraid of killer asteroids and killer tornados.  Alarmists have made us worry about Global Warming (oh, I’m sorry, that’s now called “Climate Change”).  And if all these scary things were not enough, we now are told to be alarmed about population growth.  It seems there are too many people on this planet, and in order to make things better, we need to drastically reduce the earth’s population.

About two and a half years ago, the United Nations met to discuss growing population trends, and they called all the countries of the world to enforce more population control.  Their fear is that at some point the earth will not be able to sustain such a large number of people.  These alarmists point to the fact that we humans are destroying the earth.  We are the earth’s greatest enemy.  This planet would be better off without us; at least that’s what some want us to believe.

If this world was the result of chance then its existence hinges precariously in the balance.  Tip the scales too far, and the whole thing will come crashing down.  But if this world has a Creator, and if this Creator is watching over His creation, and if this Creator continues to have a vested interest in His creation, then the Creator is not about to allow His work to fall apart.

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he points out that this world was created through Jesus, by Jesus, and for Jesus.  And it is Jesus who holds all things together.  “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17).

The Colossian Christians had begun to worship angels (Colossian 2:18), and this is part of the reason Paul points to Christ and said that He is above all things, even in the spiritual realm, and that all things were created by Him and for Him.  Borrowing an image from Old Testament literature, Paul says that the “Wisdom” which crafted the world was Jesus (I was the architect at his side - Proverbs 8:30).  Paul even echoes the words of John the Apostle; where John says that “God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.” (John 1:3).  Paul wanted these Christians to put Jesus in His proper place of authority.  They needed to see that Jesus had a unique position over creation, and that He is the One who should be worshiped.

I understand why Paul told these things to the Colossian Christians, but how does this affect you and me today?  We certainly don’t worship angels, do we?  What difference does it make for us to know that Jesus was the Master Workman of creation?  I tell you that it is extremely significant for Christians to know this and understand this.  Knowing that Jesus, the Lord who died upon the cross to save us, was the agent of creation and the reason for creation, our hearts should move from fear to trust.  Think about this: In the beginning Jesus was the agent of creation.  In the end we will find that this creation was for Jesus.  In other words, He is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end.  The reason we exist and the reason for all of creation is Jesus.  This world, this universe, and you and I are Christ’s inheritance.  “God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe” (Hebrews 1:2).  God’s certainly not going to promise Him something, only to let it slip away.  To give an inheritance, there must be something to give.  Paul also points out that between the beginning and the ending, Christ will sustain all things.  Jesus is in a place right now where he is holding all things together (He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command - Hebrews 1:3).  Jesus will not allow this world to fall apart until it is time.  And no force of nature, no power on earth, and nothing in the spiritual world will ever prevail against creation until that appointed time.  No prophecy of Nostradamus, no Mayan calendar, no asteroid from space will ever put an end to what Christ is holding together.  Not even Global Warming (oops! Climate Change) will bring about creation’s demise.  Christ will not allow this to happen to His creation until He is ready.  As a matter of fact, when the end does come, it will happen through Him.  He brought all of this into existence, and he will be the One to end this existence.

Too often humanity forgets that Jesus is still the author of creation.  He notices even when a sparrow falls from the sky.  This is His world, not ours and not Satan’s (although Man gave Satan rule on this earth, the earth still belongs to Jesus).  And although humanity may not be living in fear of angels like the Colossian Christians, we are still a people who look nervously over our shoulder at the next thing which might spell our doom.

Honestly I think we have misplaced fear.  We’ve become more afraid of the things that might kill us or make our lives more difficult.  We’ve become more afraid of running out of food or running out of money or running out of freedom than we have in fearing God.  But Christ commands “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:28-31). 

We place our hope in Jesus for our salvation in the life to come (when we die).  Can we not also place our trust in Jesus for our life today?  Have we forgotten that the One who holds us in His hand is the same One who is holding all things together (My Father, who has given them to Me,  is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. – John 10:29).

As the world panics all around us, I believe the Church has a responsibility to remain calm and assured amidst the chaos; amidst the stormy gale.  And I believe we can do this because the One who is holding all things together is the same One who said: For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!  “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  (Matthew 6:25-34)

Firstborn of All Creation - November 16th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

Little Johnny was shopping with Grandma. One of the things she tossed in the cart was a package of pantyhose.  He sounded out the words "Queen Size" and exclaimed, "Grandma, you wear the same size as our bed!" 

Why thank you Johnny for reminded me of this.  And while you’re at it, why don’t you give me a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it.  Oh sure, the name might be the same, but it’s the application of that name that matters.

It’s the same with Jesus.  People might mention the name of Jesus, but it’s the application of that name that really matters.  For example, some people think He was a god who looked like a man (a teaching prevalent in the Emergent Church movement).  Some think He was a man who became a god (this view is held by the Mormons). Some feel that He was simply another of God’s prophets; a man that grew up in Palestine who became God’s messenger (this view is held by the Muslim faith).  However, among Christians, many believe that Jesus was divinely created (the virgin birth), and because of this He was a sinless man.  Then, after He was baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus began His ministry on earth.  He lived His life as God’s sinless witness, and the Father worked through Jesus to perform all those miracles.

Chances are, as a Christian, you know better than to think Jesus was simply a prophet like Moses or Elijah or Mohamed.  And you also know better than to think Jesus was a man who became like God.  That’s just nonsense.  Perhaps, in your Christian journey, you’ve embraced the teachings of the Emergent Church movement.  They are becoming more and more popular among some Christians, especially through teachers like Brian McLaren and Rob bell.  I run into more and more people who take away the humanity of Jesus by insist the cross was not necessary.  Perhaps you have heard their teaching.  They say faith is all that matters; claiming everyone gets to go to heaven, and questioning whether there is any sin.  But, most of the Christians I meet believe the last example; that Jesus was a man empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the work of God on earth; that it was God the Father who fed the 5000 or who healed the sick and cast out demons.  He did this through Jesus.  However, even this view diminishes who Jesus truly is.

Jesus was most certainly more than a sinless man gifted by the Holy Spirit and empowered by God.  He was and is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15).  In other words, God did not work through Him because He was a sinless man, but instead Jesus was and is God.  Jesus had authority and power to perform all those miracles we read about in the Gospels. Here in Colossians, Paul reminds us that Jesus is both God and Man.  He speaks of the dual nature found in Jesus.  And I understand that this is a difficult concept for us.  How can He be both?  If Jesus is not a man who became like God or a god who looked like a man, then what is He; who is He? 

First of all, Paul reminds us that Jesus is fully God.  In Colossians 2:9, Paul says, “In Him dwelt the fullness of God”.  In other words Jesus is fully God and God is fully Jesus.  Jesus said of Himself, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father”! (John 14:9).  The writer of Hebrews says that He is “the exact representation of (God’s) nature” (Hebrews 1:3).  Although some today insist that Jesus never claimed to be God, truthfully He never left His identity open for debate.  In John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.”  And according to theologian John MacArthur, “The one-ness that Jesus is claiming is not one-ness in purpose.  It is not one-ness in mission.  It is not one-ness in theological agreement.  The one-ness that he is talking about is one-ness in nature, one-ness in essence, one-ness in being”.[1]  In other words, Jesus says that He is God.  And God the Son created a sinless body in which He could dwell.  The Word became flesh.

The Gospel of John emphasizes the eternal nature of Jesus right from the beginning.  “In the beginning was the Word.  The Word was with God.  The Word was God” (John 1:1).  But then John goes on to add, “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as the only begotten from the Father” (John 1:14).  The Word which existed from the beginning became flesh.  And the same glory we see in the Father we now see in the Son.

          Paul reemphasizes this teaching from John by describing Jesus as the “firstborn of all creation”.  However, he doesn’t mean first in order as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim, but first in authority or rank.  By taking on flesh Jesus takes His place within His creation as the one with the highest authority.  The Greek word used here (prototokos) is not a noun, but an adjective.  Since Jesus existed with God from the very beginning, and since Jesus is God (John 1:1), both John and Paul describe God in the flesh as Jesus, and describe Jesus in His glory as God.

          I know.  This is a concept very difficult to grasp.  And truthfully, theologians have been struggling with this for years.  With finite minds we try to understand the workings of the infinite.  So we are naturally going to struggle with this.  But it is a truth taught to us by Christ Himself.  “I and the Father are one”, He has said.  And even though “Christ sometimes operated in the sphere of His humanity and in other cases in the sphere of His deity, in all cases what He did and what He was could be attributed to His one Person”.^[2]  Only God could forgive sins.  Only a man could be killed.  Only God had power over death and life.  Only a sinless Man could atone for the sins of Humanity.

          As the second person of the trinity, Jesus possesses the same characteristics we see in God, yet they are contained in human flesh.  Jesus willingly surrendered portions of His true nature (for example, omnipresence – to be everywhere at once), in order to dwell in a human body.  Paul reminds us that “Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up his divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross”. (Philippians 2:6-8).  Christ took on flesh, and chose to live according to the same limitations you and I have.  He grew weary.  He got hungry and thirsty - things He would not experience in Heaven.  He lived in a frail body that could be cut and wounded.  He could bleed to death.  But even thought His body was like yours and mine, that body contained the second person of the Trinity.

Paul reminds us first that Jesus is the exact representation of the invisible God.  What we know of God we can see lived out in Jesus.  And secondly he reminds us that not only has Jesus existed eternally with the Father, but that He has been given authority over all creation.  Paul says that Jesus wasn’t “born”, but that He chose to limit Himself and live like one of us in a sinless mortal body.  And what that means is that for 33 years God Himself walked this earth.  God took on flesh and became like us.  And because of this, the world has never been the same.

This doctrine of Christ (called the Hypostatic Union) was important in Paul’s time, and it’s just as important today.  It is vitally important that we understand Just who Jesus really is. English pastor J. S. Baxter summarized this best when he said “Fundamentally, our Lord's message was Himself. He did not come merely to preach a Gospel; He himself is that Gospel. He did not come merely to give bread; He said, "I am the bread". He did not come merely to shed light; He said, "I am the light". He did not come merely to show the door; He said, "I am the door". He did not come merely to name a shepherd; He said, "I am the shepherd". He did not come merely to point the way; He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life".

Truthfully, Jesus never gave us the option of deciding for ourselves who we want Him to be.  The character of Jesus is not open to personal preference or opinion.  The only option He gave us was to either accept Him for who He is and be saved, or ignore Him and face judgment.  “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).  Honestly, if Jesus was merely a good man filled with the Spirit and empowered by God, then I can understand why people get offended when Christians say “no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).  But if He is truly God in the flesh, then His words, His commands, His teachings, and His death need to have absolute sway over our life.

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[1] http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/43-54/I-and-the-Father-Are-One-Part-1

^[2] Enns, P. P. (1989). The Moody handbook of theology (227). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.

No Other Name - November 9th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg




Bob and his wife live up north. One winter morning while listening to the radio, they hear the announcer say, "We are going to have 4-6 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even numbered side of the street so the snowplow can get through." Bob's wife goes out and moves her car. A week later while they are eating breakfast the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 6-8 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd numbered side of the street so the snowplow can get through." Bob's wife goes out and moves her car again. The next week they are having breakfast when again the radio announcer says "We are expecting 8-10 inches of snow today. You must park”, then suddenly the electric power goes out. Bob's wife is very upset. With a worried look on her face she says, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the plow can get through?" Bob says, "Why don't you just leave it in the garage this time?"
I’m not sure if Bob’s wife appreciated that answer. I’m sure it caused hard feelings. He wasn’t being sensitive about her confusion. And we all got a good laugh at her expense. But Bob’s frankness in pointing out the obvious reminds me of something that happened with two apostles of Jesus. They said something that not only offended a group of religious leaders but continues to offend people today.

One day the apostles Peter and John healed a lame beggar right outside of the Temple. Well, the religious authorities didn’t like this, specifically because Peter and John used that opportunity to teach people about Jesus and tell them about the resurrection of the dead (Acts 4:1-2). This upset the religious authorities, so they had the apostles arrested. Now if I were Peter or John, I’d be thinking back to what happened about two months prior to this event. This same group of religious leaders had demanded Jesus’ crucifixion. So when these men asked “by what power, or in what name have you done this (the healing)”, I’d be tempted to soften my words; to be a little vague on my answer. “I don’t know what happed sir. We were just coming to church and we saw this guy lying along the road, so we said, ‘aw, get up and walk, for crying out loud’, and that’s just what he did. It must have been God at work here. Hallelujah!” Well, that’s probably what I would have said. It’s not offensive. It doesn’t cause any hard feeling. It helps us all get along. It doesn’t mention the name of Jesus. I mean, the name of Jesus can be so offensive. That’s why these religious leaders will command Peter and John to stop mentioning the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18).  But instead of being politically correct, Peter says “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved”[1] (Acts 4:12).

Had Peter not uttered those highly divisive words, he could have avoided a lot of anguish for himself and for the church. But, guided by the Holy Spirit, Peter says NO OTHER NAME. Salvation cannot be found through anyone else.

This is a rather bold claim; one that continues to set the world on edge. Oh, everybody’s for God. The name of God doesn’t offend too much, just the radical crowd. But mention Jesus and oh my, watch the sparks fly. That’s why some have tried to soften the name of Jesus. Some try and appease the world by circumnavigating around Jesus and insisting there are other ways to get to God. A movement called Progressive Christianity officially “Recognizes the faithfulness of other people who have other names for the way to God's realm and acknowledge that their ways are true for them, as our ways are true for us.” [2] And yet Peter asserts that there is “no other name”.

So, is this claim true? Is Jesus really the only way to heaven? If He’s not then He was a liar. Either that or He was delusional, because He even said these things about Himself. To Nicodemus Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”. [3] (John3:16). And to His apostles He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life”[4]. What kind of man would say such things? What kind of man would insist “no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6)? Either Jesus was really who He said He was, or He was a madman. We must choose one or the other. There is no middle ground. We cannot say that He was simply a good man; a man filled with the Holy Spirit who taught us how to be good and how to love both God and one another. Not even those who were alive when He walked the earth took this middle ground. John points out that “a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.” [5] (John 7:43). Either people believed Him, or they thought He was mad.

As Jesus walked on earth, people were constantly amazed at what they heard and what they saw. The crowds were amazed at His teaching (Matthew 7:28). His disciples were amazed when the wind and the waves obeyed Him (Matthew 8:27). “What kind of man is this” they asked. Even Peter realized that this person standing before him, who looked like the son of a man, was the Son of God. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”[6] (Matthew 6:16).

Just as the world has been diminishing God to a size it can manage, so too is Jesus being reduced to nothing more than a spiritual man; a man filled with the Holy Spirit who attempted to turn our eyes back to God. Theologians, biblical scholars, and seminary professors have taken the Jesus we encounter in scripture and reduced Him to simply a deified man; a man who demonstrated god-like character. This is why I believe the time has come to pursue a bigger Savior.

There is no other name by which we might be saved because there was no other “man” like Jesus. No other name would be sufficient to atone for man’s sin, and no other person could become the perfect sacrifice for man’s sin. No other god took on flesh. No other man was sinless. Paul writes in Colossians, “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ”[7] (Colossians 2:9). In other words, what we have come to see and know of God, we also see lived out in Jesus. And this truth became foundational to the new Church.

I believe Christians today have no idea who Jesus really is. I believe far too many Christians have softened the claim that Christ made 2000 years ago. We want the world to like us, so instead of speaking truth, we bring Jesus down to our level. We make Him one of us. He becomes the world’s best friend. This is what was happening in the Colossian church, which is why Paul begins his letter reminding them just who Jesus really is. And if we are to stand firm in the truth of Jesus, we need to know the real Jesus as well. So for homework I want you to read Colossians 1:15-23, and in the next few weeks we will take a deeper look into the characteristics found in no other name.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. (3rd ed.) (Ac 4:12). Carol Stream, IL
[2] http://www.progressivebrethren.org/Home/ProgressiveChristianity.html
^[3] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 3:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[4] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 14:6). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[5] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 7:43). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[6] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 16:16). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
^[7] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. 2009 (Col 2:9). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

Pocket God - November 2nd, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

I have a very bad habit of taking popular song and twisting the lyrics.  I do it for Christmas Carols.  “Later on, we’ll perspire, cause we’re sittin to close to the fire”.  I do it for popular rock songs.  Instead of singing “It’s a hard day’s night”, I’ll sing “It’s a long sermon, and I’m sleeping like a log”.  I’ve learned that there are others who do the same thing.  And no song is sacred.  I once heard a favorite Christian song for children twisted into “Jesus loves the predestined children, all the predestined children of the world.  Jesus only loves a few, not you or you or you.  Jesus loves the predestined children of the world”.  People even twist Jesus and Christianity into songs that make us laugh.  They should make us cringe, though.  One song, made popular in the movie Cool Hand Luke, proclaims “I don’t care if it rains of freezes as long as I have my plastic Jesus sittin on the dashboard of my car.  Through my trials and tribulations, and my travels through the nations, with my plastic Jesus I’ll go far”.  Yes, it makes me giggle.  But the world doesn’t need a plastic Jesus.  It doesn’t need a pocket God either.

A number of years ago someone created a game called Pocket God.  In the game, you are god to a group of people living on an island, and you decide what their life will be like.  But based upon some of the choices, it seems the developers sure have a twisted idea what “God” must be like.  Considering that some of the options are throwing people into volcanos, using islanders as shark bate, or creating earthquakes to destroy their homes, it appears that God, at least for the developers of this game, is nothing like the God we read about in the Bible.

In biblical times there were many different gods.  But you just don’t hear of this today.  You don’t hear people worshiping some strange deity who is the god of thunder and lightning (which would be Thor, by the way).  No, today we are much more educated and civilized.  We don’t believe in many gods.  For the most part humanity only believes in one.  But WHAT that God is like is a matter of personal opinion.  Oh, we might believe in one, but we’ve created Him in our own image.

There a many different opinions about God.  Some people form their opinion of God based upon personal likes or dislikes.  Some form an opinion of God based upon their personal experiences or observations.  In effect, many people have created God in their own image; their own pocket god, so to speak.  But rather than form an opinion, perhaps it would be better to simply ask God what He is like; to turn to Him and ask, “God, show me who You really are”.

Like most of us, Moses had a desire to know God.  He wanted to know what He was like.  Moses prayed, asking to know God’s ways (Exodus 33:13).  In this powerful encounter with God, Moses learns what God is like.  As Moses falls on his face, the Creator of the Universe reveals His heart.  God actually describes Himself to Moses, and I believe it is a description we all need to hear.  “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations”^[1] (Exodus 34:5-9).  This is the personality of God.  This is who He is.  This is how He feels and acts toward humanity.  It’s nothing like the Pocket God some have created.

As God reveals Himself to Moses, He points out several characteristics that help us determine just who God is and what He is like.

·         God is Compassionate – He actually cares about what we face in life.

·         God is Gracious – He will abundantly provide for us

·         God is Slow to Anger – He demonstrates an amazing amount of patience

·         God’s Love is Steadfast – His love for us does not waver and is not conditional

·         God is Faithful – He continues to walk by our side and never abandon us.

If we want to understand God’s heart, then we need only to look at these characteristics of God.  But God isn’t finished yet.  After He describes Himself to Moses, He tells Moses what all of this means.  It means that:

·         God’s Steadfast Love is granted freely to all – In other words God’s love is given not as part of a contract, but given even if we fail; even when we fall; even when we sin.  God doesn’t love us less when we disobey or love us more when we are perfect angels.  His love is the same – steadfast.

·         God chooses to forgive injustice (iniquity), violation of His Law (transgression or rebellion), and missing the mark (sin).

This is God’s everlasting Character.  And His character is eternal.  He does not change.  Throughout the Old Testament the eternal Character of God is repeated over and over again.  We read it in Number 14:18, in Nehemiah 9:17, In Psalm 86:15, 103:8, and 145:8.  Joel mentions it and Jonah confessed it.  In those moments Israel was reminded that Yahweh is no Pocket God.  And He is the same today as He was when He described Himself to Moses.  Everything we know and understand about God is guided by this revelation.  I know God is not vengeful and spiteful.  I know God is not impatient.  I know God does not love me more or less than the next person.  I know God is watching over me.  I know He will not abandon me.  I know this because this is who God is.

However, these characteristics of God also mean that:

·         The guilty will be punished, and

·         The consequences for their injustice will be felt for the next three or four generations.

In other words, one day God will hold us accountable for our sin but we’ve discovered that He has provided a way to be forgiven of that sin.  However, He will not always remove the consequences of our sin.  When we make the choice to sin, we also make a choice to suffer the consequences of that sin.

Over the past two months we’ve been studying the Majesty, Splendor, and Awesome Power of our God.  To discover these things we’ve looked up, out, and within.  We’ve discovered a God we cannot measure, a God more powerful than any of us can comprehend. We’ve seen His mercy, His faithfulness, His holiness, and His presence within all of life.  And today we’ve discovered God’s eternal character.  The reason I’ve pointed out these attributes of God is so that you might be able to truly understand who God is, what He is like, and get a glimpse into His majesty and splendor.  I’ve been trying to help you see the real God.  He is not wicked and cruel and spiteful, but loving and kind and patient.  And neither is He soft and condescending and tolerant, but demands justice, holiness, and reverence.  He is a God of truth and love.  And this God, this Creator of the cosmos, holds you gently in His arms (Isaiah 40:11).  This is the God I wish the world know.  AND, this is the Jesus I wish the world would know.

Just as humanity is guilty of creating God in its own image, the same has been done to Jesus.  People have formed all kinds of opinions about Jesus.  Some of them not even close to being accurate.  And since no one comes to the Father except through Jesus, doesn’t it make sense that we know who Jesus really is?  And truthfully, I think the real Jesus will shock you.  It certainly shocked those who spent time with Him while He walked this earth.  When Philip begged, “Show us the Father” (John 14:8), Jesus shocked the world by proclaiming “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9); words which led some to have Him crucified.

So, just as we have spent some time discovering God, I’d like to take a couple of weeks finding out just who Jesus really is.  We don’t need a pocket God.  And we don’t need a plastic Jesus either.  Let’s not follow the ways of the world and create Christ in our own image as well.

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^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Ex 34:6–7). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

The Immeasurable Mercy of God - October 26th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

Let me read something to you this morning that perhaps you have never heard before.  You may find that it sounds a bit familiar.  "You know the city Shurrupak, it stands on the banks of the Euphrates. That city grew old and the gods that were in it were old. There was Anu, lord of the firmament {earth}, their father and warrior Enlil their counselor, Ninurta the helper, and Ennugi, watcher over canals; and with them also was Ea. In those days the world teemed, the people multiplied, the world bellowed like a wild bull, and the great god was aroused by the clamor. Enlil heard the clamor and he said to the gods in council, 'The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel {everyone talking at once}.' So the gods agreed to exterminate mankind. Enlil did this, but Ea warned me in a dream. He whispered their words to my house of reeds, “Reed-house, reed-house! Wall, O wall, hearken reed-house, wall reflect; O man of Shurrupak, son of Ubara-Tutu; tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save your soul alive. Tear down your house, I say, and build a boat. These are the measurements of the barque {boat} as you shall build her: let her beam equal her length, let her deck be roofed like the vault that covers the abyss; then take up into the boat the seed of all living creatures."

This is an excerpt from The Epic of Gilgamesh, part of the Chaldean Flood Tablets that were found in the ancient southern Iraqi city of Ur (Which, by the way, is where Abraham was born. See Genesis 11:28).  This story sounds somewhat similar to the familiar story of Noah (Read Genesis 6:5-22).

In this Genesis record of the flood, God was angry at humanity’s sin, not irritated at all the noise as Gilgamesh describes.  Plus the dimensions of the Ark are much different.  Gilgamesh describes a cube six stories high, a box that would have never floated.  A box has no buoyancy.  But the Ark in Genesis was much different.  Depending on what measurement you use for a cubit (which is the distance between the fingertip and the elbow; about 18 inches), the Ark was at least 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high; that’s over 1.5 million cubic feet inside, equal to about 569 railroad cars.  But, in spite of the differences in the two stories, they both depict a great flood that would destroy all living things.

The story about Noah and the Flood is one that is hotly debated.  Many people feel it’s nothing more than a fable designed to teach some lesson about morality.  Sadly, you’d be surprised who the skeptics are.  It is not limited to just the Atheists and Agnostics.  Many Christians do not view this as an actual event.  They can’t seem to get their minds wrapped around the concept that the whole earth was covered by water.  They can’t seem to grasp how 1 million different species of animals would fit on the Ark.  Some Christians and most non-Christians cannot comprehend the possibility, so they discredit the story.  I’d say these people need to find themselves a bigger God.

If the crust of the earth were leveled (mountains lowered and ocean depths raised), the land would be covered with water over a mile and a half deep[1].  A theory among some geologists is that at one time only one large continent existed on the earth.  But something happened that split the earth’s crust apart and separated that land mass into the continents we have today[2].  It’s as if the land was broken apart from beneath the surface of the earth, and drove the continents apart (compare Genesis 7:11).  And here’s something interesting; if you look at the ocean floor, you will find deep trenches that bear the scars of this catastrophe.  The Mariana Trench, for example, just off the coast of Japan, is almost 36,000 feet deep.  It’s as if the crust of the earth split apart.

In regards to the animals, of the 1 million different species, only about 35,000 would have needed to be rescued from the water.  And if we disregard the variety of breeds, that number drops to about 16,000[3].  For instance, 4500 years ago there was not the broad variety of dogs we have today.  Creation experts like Ken Ham and John Woodmorappe have averaged the size of these animals and concluded that these 16,000 different animals would have filled about 37% of the Ark, leaving plenty of room for food and Man.

There are many other objections people have raised.  What about feeding all these animals for the 371 days they were on board?  What about cleaning up after them?  How did Noah get all these animals to come? What about the fish and other aquatic life?  People raise these doubts all the time.  And you know what?  They need to have their minds opened to conceive a bigger God.  We’ve all heard of hibernation, have we not?  And fish have been known to move from fresh water to salt water and back again.  Why, even at the National aquarium in Baltimore they have tanks that display fresh and saltwater fish in the same tank.  So instead of thinking whether this flood or the Ark could have happened, maybe we just need to allow our minds to conceive a bigger God.

As I thought about the Genesis account of the flood, one thing struck me; if it was nothing more than a fable, then why include it in the Bible in the first place?  Why did the patriarchs of the Old Testament feel this story was necessary?  And why did Jesus mention this story as if it were fact (Matthew 24:37-39)?  I’ll tell you why, because it demonstrates the immeasurable mercy of God.

In His mercy, God plans for a means to escape the flood.  God uses one man to preserve life.  As God looked upon the wickedness of humanity He saw one man who was righteous.  And because of his righteousness, that one man rescued God’s creation from destruction; a destruction by water.  In the same way, God is preparing another time when the earth will be destroyed, only this time by fire (see 2 Peter 3:3-7).  And in the same way He is, or has, prepared a means to escape this destruction; this time of judgment.  And just as in Noah’s day, a Man was found that could rescue humanity, not from destruction by water, but destruction by fire.  That Man is Jesus Christ.

In God’s immeasurable grace, He has sent His own Son to rescue all who believe.  He has provided a means to escape judgment.  But sadly, just as in Noah’s day, people ignore the signs and disregard the impending judgment.  These are the people who will find themselves standing on the outside wishing they had heeded the warnings; wishing they had accepted the outstretched hand of Christ and allowed Him to be their Savior.

Those safe in the Ark were spared the wrath of God.  Those resting safely in the arms of Jesus will be spared the wrath of God as well.  And His wrath of destruction is coming.  Where will you be when it comes?

Prayer of Confession and Faith

Read John 3:14-17

Father, I am a sinner bitten by sin and destined to die.  But today I believe the promise of Jesus; that if I turn to Him and believe in my heart, I will be saved and granted Eternal Life.

Jesus, I call upon Your name.  Cover my sin and heal me; transform me, and move me from darkness to light.  I accept You as my Savior and my Lord.  I pray this in Your name.  Amen

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[1] http://christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-floodwater.html

[2] http://geology.com/pangea.htm

[3] https://answersingenesis.org/noahs-ark/how-could-noah-fit-the-animals-on-the-ark-and-care-for-them/