Peace Through His Arrival! – December 16, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

There's a story that has become legend in a small southern Minnesota town. I can't vouch for its truth, only that people tell it as though it really happened.

It seems that a man who was retiring from his position as mayor was to be honored at a party. He had served for more than a decade and had been responsible for several significant improvements to the area, and so it seemed good to have the community pay him tribute.

The party was held at the VFW hall west of town, and all agreed it was a great celebration. The music was loud, the room crowded and noisy; food and drinks were available until late into the evening. It was a great celebration.

At the Main Street diner, the following morning, people talked about what a wonderful event it had been… a fitting tribute. Some wondered if the mayor had enjoyed it, but no one seemed to know. In fact, no remembered talking to him or had even seen him there. And after asking around, they learned that he had checked into a hospital the previous day and had missed the party in his honor. It seems no one had noticed.

The parallel to our modern celebration of Christmas is all too obvious. People come together, the food is great, the music warms the heart, but where is the “peace on earth and good will toward men?” I suspect it’s because we’ve forgotten the guest of honor. The season has become about us. Sadly, we have lost perspective.

A great deal is said during Christmas about the announcement made by the angels. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors”[1] (Luke 2:14). But in today’s world we see very little peace, very little at all. Why is there so little peace in this world especially during a season that promotes peace? Maybe it’s because the world is so wrapped up in the celebration that it has forgotten the guest of honor.

The arrival of the Messiah was to usher in a new season of peace for the people of Israel. Through the Prophet Zephaniah, the Lord says, (Zephaniah 3:14-20) 14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster. 16 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! 17 For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” 18 “I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more. 19 And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and fame to my former exiles, wherever they have been mocked and shamed. 20 On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction, among all the nations of the earth, as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the Lord, have spoken!” [2]

This is an incredible promise God made to the people of Jerusalem. Despite the mocking’s, the persecution, and the hatred Israel had been receiving from the world, a time was coming when God would restore the nation to its former glory. It will happen when the Lord finally lives among them. God will save the weak and the helpless. He will calm their fears. He, the Lord, will sing their praises.

Okay, sure; I know this prophecy looks forward to a distant time; these things will happen when Jesus comes again. I get that; Jesus will come and establish His earthly rule and usher in a thousand years of peace. But there is a deeper truth in these prophecies that we often overlook. And that is, the work Jesus does in our hearts.

As I stated last week, the main reason Jesus came was to make us holy. He came to give His life as a ransom to set us free; because of His life and death, we are no longer held captive by sin and death (Romans 8:2). Jesus has given us this victory (1 Corinthians 15:57). And, here is the really interesting part, because of Jesus our hearts are transformed.

Through the Prophet Ezekiel, God says, “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart”[3] (Ezekiel 36:26). And this happens because of Jesus.

When Jesus comes again, there will be incredible peace on earth. But in the meantime, there is an opportunity for there to be peace in us. However, this will only happen if we remember to turn our focus toward Jesus. He does not force this inward peace upon us. Rather, He offers it freely; it’s up to us to respond accordingly and allow Jesus to do His mysterious work within to transform a hard, stubborn heart into one that genuinely loves and cares for others.

A wise woman once told me that if there is turmoil in our homes, there is probably turmoil in our hearts. And if we want peace in our homes then we need to have peace in our hearts. I suspect the same could be said about our world. Sure, there can be peace, but that peace begins in hearts that are truly focused on Jesus. If we want peace in our world today, then it begins by focusing on Jesus.

Where there is no Jesus, there is no peace. But, to know Jesus is to know peace.

May we never forget the Guest of honor during our Christmas celebrations this year.

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[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Lk 2:14). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Zep 3:14–20). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Eze 36:26). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Prepared for His Arrival December 9, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

A woman and her husband interrupted their vacation to go to the dentist. "I want a tooth pulled, and I don't want any painkillers because I'm in a big hurry," the woman said. "Just extract the tooth as quickly as possible, and we'll be on our way." The dentist was quite impressed. "You're certainly a courageous woman," he said. "Which tooth is it?"

The woman turned to her husband and said, "Show him your tooth, dear."

Why do we laugh at jokes like that? Well, mostly because the ending is not what we expected. And the longer we think about the story, our laughing turns to sympathy. I mean, what does this trip to the dentist tell us about their married life… you know what I mean? If we actually take the time to think about what has been said, there is far more to the story than an initial chuckle.

It’s the same with the Christmas story.

When we tell the story of Christmas, we typically think of Mary, Joseph, some shepherds, the angels, the animals, the innkeeper, the Wise Men, and, of course, the Baby Jesus. However, there is a part of the story that is often overlooked; it’s the unexpected part of Christmas that Hallmark forgot.

“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 2“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. 4 Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past” (Malachi 3:1-4).

The Prophet Malachi turns to those living in Jerusalem and assures them that the Messiah will arrive one day. But, before He appears, a messenger will clear the way for the promised Lord (this messenger was John the Baptist; Jesus attributed the prophecy here in Malachi to John - compare Matthew 11:10). But Malachi shares something unexpected. He says the Messiah – the Lord the people desire – will refine and cleanse, not just comfort and love. When the Lord appears, He will thoroughly purify and cleanse the people; He will work in their lives to make them holy.

Unfortunately, this is something Israel forgot; they overlooked this part, and instead were merely looking for a Messiah who would love them and care for them. They did not expect this kind of Messiah.

I think today, people overlook this as well. It’s the part of the Christmas story we tend to ignore.

God, in His mercy, sent His Son – the Messiah – to ransom us and give us everlasting life. The little Child in a Manger is a “Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel”[1] (Luke 2:32). But, as Malachi points out, the tiny Baby will also confront our sin. Through the heat of trials and the washing of our heart, the promised Messiah will prepare us for the day when He presents us to the Father. According to the Apostle Paul, Jesus came to make us holy and clean; a church without spot or wrinkle (compare Ephesians 5:26-27).

If we examine the Christmas story more closely, we will realize that the whole reason God sent Jesus in the first place is because we are sinful people. We just cannot stop making a mess of things; our lives are a hopeless wreck. In Jesus, God does for us what we could not do for ourselves. As we gaze into the wooden Manger and the tiny Child sent by God, we recognize that He has come to wash away our sin and burn away the things in our life that do not belong.

It just seems to me, this is part of the Christmas story that is overlooked.

In the Old Testament, God sent Malachi to remind the people what their Messiah would do. In the New Testament, God sent John the Baptist with a similar message. John’s message of repentance and baptism is symbolic of refining and washing. He prepared people for the work Jesus was sent to do in their lives. The Church continues to spread this same message. God sent His Son because our lives are blemished; we are people soiled by sin. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If we allow Him, Jesus will do His work in our life… preparing us for the day we stand before God the Father as people who are holy and clean. As we await an Advent of our own – Christ’s second coming – I pray that this Christmas Season we are reminded why Jesus came in the first place.



[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Lk 2:32). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Anticipation! Advent 2018 – December 2, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

I recently purchased an item online; it’s something I don’t do very often. I’m more inclined to buy something once it is in my hands. And I suppose it takes a bit more faith to buy something without seeing it than it does to know what the product actually looks like or how it feels. Spending your money and then waiting for the product to arrive requires faith; this, I have learned. I wonder when it will arrive, and if it will arrive… and will I like it once it arrives. I think shipping companies understand this nervousness. Why else would they give you a tracking number? They provide that service to ease our apprehension. They seem to say, “You can trust us; we track your package through the entire process.”

Anticipating something requires faith.

Scattered throughout the Old Testament are promises of a new King. This King would one day lead the Nation of Israel with honesty, justice, and fairness. However, God constantly stressed He would arrive in the future. For example, in Jeremiah 33 we read, 14 “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. 15 “In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. 16 In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 33:14-16). This promised King - described as the Messiah, the “anointed one” - would come someday. But it the meantime, Israel would have to wait in anticipation. And that waiting required faith… and patience. Lot’s of patience, especially in Jeremiah’s time. You see, when Jeremiah wrote his words, it began to seem that God had forgotten His promise.

400 years before Jeremiah was born, God promised David that his descendants would reign in Jerusalem forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Yet, by the time Jeremiah wrote his words, Babylon was about to capture the city of Jerusalem and march the last descendant of David off into captivity.

Very shortly, Jerusalem would be ruled by someone not related to King David, and people were likely to wonder if God had forgotten His promise or changed His mind. Jeremiah’s words assure the people that no, He had not. God continued to promise that one day the Messiah would appear.

Many of the Jews held this promise close to their heart. They had not forgotten what God had promised to do; to send them a “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). In New Testament times we see that some had not lost faith; they still anticipated the Messiah’s advent – His arrival. Consider a man named Simeon. He was expecting the promised King (Luke 2:25). Many people were anticipating the anointed One of God (compare Luke 2:38b). Even the Apostle Philip proposed that Jesus was the One the prophets had written about (John 1:45).

The Jewish people did not lose hope; because of their faith, they lived in anticipation… awaiting the day when the Messiah would appear – His first advent. Even though their situation in life had gone from bad to worse (secular influence from Roman society, corruption in their own government, and disingenuous religious leaders), people still anticipated God fulfilling His promise. Sure, they were expecting a “ruler,” not a “savior,” but they still awaited His arrival.

And that waiting took faith.

We are doing the same thing today. Today, the Church awaits the arrival of its King. The whole idea of Advent is recalling how Old Testament saints anticipated the arrival of the Messiah and remembering that we are awaiting an Advent as well. The faith required today is the same kind of faith demonstrated by these Old Testament saints. We’re just waiting for His second Advent.

In New Testament times, some critics scoffed at the idea of Jesus’ return. “What’s taking Him so long,” they taunted. Sadly, they lacked the faith to anticipate the Lord’s coming; they didn’t have the faith to trust in God’s promise.

In response, Peter says, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9).

Like the package I wished would soon arrive, I tend to wish the Lord would come again; the way I see it, the sooner, the better. But “sooner” is not God’s plan. God’s plan is to be patient and wait for a while, giving people an opportunity to repent and be saved. This requires patience on my part; anticipating His return with faithful patience.

Not too much has changed since the days of Jeremiah or Peter. Things today are going from bad to worse. Christians today are still dealing with the influence of a secular society. We still face corruption from leaders and government officials. And even the Church has become hypocritical in what it teaches. We know the Lord is coming, again, but we have no idea when.

We wish it would be soon.

I know how you feel; I wish the Lord would come right now and take us away from this crazy world and all its corruption. But see, I feel this way because I am not willing to faithfully wait. Like that package the UPS driver is supposed to deliver, I know God will one day send Jesus to gather the Church to Heaven; He has promised to come for us one day… someday (compare John 14:3), so I just need to be a little more patient.

The Christmas Season teaches us to patiently wait for things. But instead of waiting for the UPS Truck or Santa Claus, we are waiting for the Messiah… just like the people of Israel on that first Christmas. We too are looking ahead to the arrival of the Messiah; a day is coming when the Messiah will come and rule as King. We anticipate this day; I pray we have the faith to wait patiently, expecting His arrival at any moment.

God’s Promise of Kindness - November 25, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

     There once was an older man who went out jogging.  He was running around a track that circled the high school football field while the team was conducting their practice.  When the football players began running their sprints up and down the field, the man said to himself, "I'll just keep running until they quit."  So, they ran.  And he ran.  And they kept on running.  So, he kept on running.  Finally, in total exhaustion the man had to stop.  When he stopped, an equally exhausted football player walked over to him and said, "Boy, I'm glad you finally stopped, Mister.  Our coach told us that we had to keep running wind sprints as long as the old guy was jogging!"

I had a coach like that in college.  He pushed us and pushed us as we ran.  It wasn’t fun, but I did become a better runner… back then, of course.  I can’t run like I did back then, but who knows what I would be like if that coach was still influencing my life.

Did you ever have a coach like that; a teacher like that?  Did you think they were kind?

We often associate “kindness” with being friendly, generous, and considerate toward another person.  Passing out food to those in need is considered an act of kindness.  And we tend to view God’s kindness in the same way.  We say God is kind when we receive His love, mercy, and grace.  Take Psalm 116 for example.  Here is a person who had been rescued from a terrifying situation, and because of this, they write of God’s kindness.  (Psalm 116:1-8)  ¹ “I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. ² Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!  ³ Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me.  I saw only trouble and sorrow.  ⁴ Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!” ⁵ How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours!  ⁶ The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.  ⁷ Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.  ⁸ He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.” ^[1]

Which one of us would deny God’s kindness when He “bends down to listen to and answer our prayer” (verse 2).  However, what judgment would we make against God when our prayers go unanswered?  What do we say about God when He doesn’t spare someone’s life… even though an entire church has been praying for healing?  Where is God’s kindness when good people suffer?

I’ll admit, it’s mighty hard to see the kindness of God when tragedy strikes our home.  In light of our trials, it seems the psalmist’s judgment of God is skewed.  Of course he said God is kind; the Lord rescued him from his situation.  Would his words have been different if God had not healed or had not rescued?

People question the kindness of God when sadness and sorrow strike.  Based on their circumstances, they conclude God must not care; He certainly is not kind.  They protest saying, “If God really cared, He would not have permitted this great tragedy.” However, God deserves a fair trial.  Before we make any rash judgments about God, maybe we should consider all the facts.  And there is no better way to understand the heart of God than to look at the actions of Jesus.  Remember what Paul says in Colossians 2:9 – “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ.” [2]

According to Jesus, God considers everyone to be precious.  “The death of a saint is not something the Lord considers as cheap; He does not let His people die for no reason.” ^[3]  According to Jesus, not even a sparrow falls from the sky without the Father noticing (Matthew 10:29).  The Lord is saddened when people die.  Consider His reaction to the death of Lazarus (John 11:35); although Jesus knew full well what He was about to do, He still wept.

Also, consider the affect the Holy Spirit has on a person.  Someone who had been indifferent and uncaring toward others becomes kind and considerate once they are reborn by the Spirit.  Why did that person change?  They changed because they were given God’s Spirit – God’s “heart.”  When a person can, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior,” and “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven [them],” ^[4] (Ephesians 4:31-32) then it is clear that God is kind; they became kind because God’s heart is kind.

So, is God kind even though our prayers go unanswered?  Is God still kind even though we are inflicted with sadness and sorrow… when tragedies destroy our life?  I know it’s difficult to imagine that He is being kind, but perhaps we make our judgment for no other reason than His choices and His decisions have made us unhappy.  But, see, that’s probably why we fail; we have forgotten that God is not striving to make us happy; He is working in our life to make us holy.  And sometime holiness comes through trials and hardships.  Sometimes God must tell us “no” because what we want is not always what is best.  Consider the image God gives through the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah; God depicts Himself as a potter working with a piece of clay, and our lives are like the clay on the wheel.  As it spins, the potter molds and shapes the clay into something that is useful (compare Jeremiah 18:1-6).  In the same way, God is trying to shape and form us into more than we were, and His hands press in on us molding us according to His will.

Is this not what a parent does for a child?  When a teacher pushes us to learn more or work harder, are they unkind, or is it because they see great potential in us?  Because they care, teachers stretch us to move beyond “Sam I am.”  From athletic coaches to music directors, these people push us to work harder and practice longer, and it makes life somewhat difficult.  Yes, it’s hard and it doesn’t always make us happy; it does, however, make us better than we were.

It is those who are uncaring or indifferent that let us remain a shapeless lump of clay.

Remember this lesson about the potter and the lump of clay.  God could have left you lying on the ground; you could have remained useless – something the world trampled beneath its feet.  But instead, God chose to pick you up, place you before Himself, and begin molding and shaping you into someone more than you are; some one better.  And in my mind, that is incredibly kind.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 116:1–8). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Col 2:9). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

^[3] Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 877). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Eph 4:31–32). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

God’s Promise of Compassion - November 18, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

A panda walks into a diner, sits down, and orders a sandwich. He eats the sandwich, pulls out a gun, and shoots out the restaurant's windows.  As the panda stands up to go, the owner shouts, "Hey! Where are you going? You just shot my windows out, and you didn't pay for your sandwich!"  The panda yells back at the owner, "Hey man, I'm a PANDA! Look it up!"  So, the owner opens his dictionary and sees the following definition for "panda": "A tree dwelling marsupial of Asian origin. Eats shoots and leaves."

Okay.  I didn’t know pandas had such a sharp temper.  It’s not the sort of characteristic one associates with pandas.

Out of curiosity, what sort of characteristics do you associate with God?  I’m curious.  What is God’s personality like?

There are several places in the Old Testament where we discover God’s personality – His “Character.”  If someone were to ask what God is like, we could quote Psalm 145:8-9… ^8 “The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. ⁹ The Lord is good to everyone.  He showers compassion on all his creation.” ^[1]  Based on his relationship with God, David wrote of his experience with God.  David knew God’s heart, and he experienced God through times of love, grace, mercy, and compassion.

The Old Testament Prophet Micah also knew God’s heart.  He knew God was loving, gracious, merciful, and compassionate.  Micah asks, ¹⁸ “Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.  ¹⁹ Once again you will have compassion on us.  You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!” ^[2](Micah 7:18-19).

As Micah points out, people may receive the Lord’s discipline, but it is intended to correct a behavior, not destroy; this is God’s personality – His “Character.”  And there is no other god imagined by men that shows such restraint; such compassion.

The Apostles of Jesus experienced the same thing.

As they walked with Jesus, His apostles and disciples witnessed the same compassion, mercy, and love seen by those who lived in Old Testament times.  In fact, Paul suggests that to know Jesus is to know God; he goes on to say, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God” ^[3] (Colossians 1:15); to know Jesus is to know God.

The compassion of God is mentioned over 100 times throughout the Bible.  Those who lived in Old Testament times and those who lived in New Testament times spoke of God’s promise of compassion.  But, what do they mean by saying “God is compassionate.”  Well, following Paul’s advice, we need look no further than the actions of Jesus.

What does it look like when God is compassionate?  It looks like Jesus kneeling before a crowd of Pharisees who are accusing a woman of adultery.  It looks like Jesus touching a leper or a dead body.  It looks like Jesus feeding a great crowd of people, healing the blind, or loving the unlovable.  It looks like Jesus seated next to a Samaritan woman who has been divorced five times or weeping before the grave of Lazarus.  To see the compassion of God, look no further than the compassion of Jesus.

Our Lord and our God not only promises to forgive our sin, but He has compassion for us as we deal with the consequences of our sin.

Yes, you heard me correctly; the compassion of God is something He extends to us even though we sin.  What did Micah say?  “Where is another God like you, who pardons our guilt?”  Or, to put it another way, when we commit a sin, God doesn’t tear up the adoption papers; He doesn’t throw us out in the street.  Instead, He shows us compassion.  How do I know this?  I know this because Jesus demonstrated compassion toward those who had sinned and had fallen out of favor with society: The woman with the bleeding problem, the woman at the well, Judas, the political revolutionary, Matthew the Tax-collector, Peter, who denied knowing Jesus, Zacchaeus, the corrupt public servant, the woman caught in adultery, or the demon-possessed man who lived in a cemetery.  I know God shows compassion because He has been doing this from generation to generation.

It was compassion Jesus demonstrated toward Paul; even though he was killing Christians, the Lord called Paul to take the message of Jesus out into the world.  It was God’s compassion that pointed Peter to the home of Cornelius, a Roman soldier.  It was with God’s compassion Paul and Silas were able to pray with their jailor in Philippi.

On and on I could go, pointing to people who had failed God over and over.  Yet, in His compassion, God, “Trampled their sins under His feet.”  And since God’s character does not change - He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8) – we can be convinced that he will be compassionate toward us.

“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose,” ^[4] says the LORD God (Exodus 33:19).  Like the father in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-24), God has compassion as he sees you struggling under the burden of sin.  You have done things and said things that dishonor God.  You have turned your back to Him.  But He has not turned His back to you.

Living in this world is difficult enough, let alone trying to live a life that honors God.  We will sin from time to time; we will fail to be perfect.  And our Lord knows this.  He knows what it is like to deal with all the temptations that assail us.  He knows how sorrowful life can be; he sees our sadness and our loneliness.  With compassion, the Lord places His hand on our shoulder and says, “Don’t Cry.”

Compassion is to look at another person’s situation in life and offer to do something to help.  This is what God promises to do for us.  God is compassionate.  He sees the mistakes we have made in life.  He sees us struggle to live a good and decent life.  But rather than point His finger and condemn, God reaches down into our despair and offers us grace, mercy, and love.  Through the sacrifice of Jesus, God demonstrates His compassionate heart.

He helps us to our feet.  He dusts us off.  He places His hands on our shoulders, looks us in the eye, smiles, and makes us feel like a person once again.  Through His compassion, God makes us feel valuable.  Actually, in His eyes we are valuable.  You see, “No matter what we’ve done we can’t erase His love.  We’re still a daughter.  Were still a son.  No matter what.”[5] 

I know God is compassionate; He is tenderhearted and kind.  I know this because I see it demonstrated by Jesus.  He showed compassion to those He met; He will do the same with you and me.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 145:8–9). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mic 7:18–19). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Col 1:15). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ex 33:19). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[5] No Matter What by Ryan Stevenson – Video at https://youtu.be/It_xQ4NYtDQ

The Promise of Mercy - November 11, 2018 sermon

   By Pastor Greg...

A wife asked her husband to run to the grocery store and pick up a few things for their afternoon party.  She “also” suggested he take their son along.  So, off they went; father and son on an errand for the lady of the house.  The wife stood in the doorway, beaming that this father would take the time to teach their son about what it means to be a loving husband.

When they arrived, the son grabbed a grocery cart, and the father pulled out his list.  But, before they ventured down the aisles, dad pulled his son aside.  With a serious look on his face, he said, “Son, I want you to listen to me; what I am about to say is something only a real man will understand.  This is something special that should only be shared with other men.  Do you understand this?”  Nodding, the boy said yes.  With a look of seriousness on his face, the father said, “Son, if we really mess this up, we'll never have to do it again."

Okay, just for the record: ladies, this is a “joke.”  Things like this don’t really happen… at least not on purpose.  Men are not this stupid; a real man knows that a woman will eventually discover the truth.  You simply cannot do something like this and get away with it… something King David learned the hard way.

King David once wrote a confession where he had to humbly admit he was wrong.  And in that confession, David asks for mercy… not from his wife, mind you, but from God.  Psalm 51 says, ^1 “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.  ² Wash me clean from my guilt.  Purify me from my sin.” ^[1]

King David was pleading for mercy from God because of an affair he had with a woman named Bathsheba; she was the wife of one of his trusted soldiers.  Through their sexual encounter, Bathsheba conceived a child and, when she told David, he tried desperately to cover his sin.  He brought her husband, Uriah, home from battle hoping he would sleep with his wife during his R&R.  However, Uriah was a man of integrity.  He could not relax while his fellow soldiers were on the front line.  So, David sent Uriah back to the battle, arraigning to have him killed by the enemy.  And then, when Bathsheba finished mourning Uriah’s death, David brought her to the palace and took her as one of his wives.

In David’s eyes, he had covered his tracks.  No one would know of his sins.  At least that’s what he had thought.  However, a man of God named Nathan confronts David and reveals to the King that the LORD knew his sin.   The LORD was displeased with what David had done (2 Samuel 11:27).  And Psalm 51 is David’s response to God.  David comes to God and asks for mercy.

While Grace is getting from God what we do not earn, Mercy is not receiving from God the punishment we deserve.  And, as King David rightly admits, we all deserve to be punished.  “Indeed, I was guilty when I was born,” writes David; “I was sinful when my mother conceived me,” he says.^[2]  He admits that God desires truth and sincerity and that the LORD would reveal this deep within his heart (Psalm 51:5-6).  This is why David pleads to God for mercy; he knew he had sinned against God.  Turning to God, David begs, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” ^[3] (Psalm 51:7).

Through his actions with Uriah and Bathsheba, David had sinned against God, and when confronted he admitted to this sin.  He didn’t argue against his guilt, he simply asks for mercy.  David did not want to receive the punishment he deserved; this is what it means to seek the mercy of God.

You know, I think the admission of guilt is missing in the world today.  Rather than admit guilt, many people come to God and argue for their innocence.  There is a trend in some Christian circles to rewrite God’s list of sins – things a person might do or say that are contrary to God’s ethical boundaries.  God has established a way of living that He considers holy.  Jesus reconfirms these boundaries in His teachings.  Even the Apostles reconfirm these sins.  Read Galatians 5, for example.  In that chapter, Paul has separated immoral behavior from godly behavior… indicating that the “fruit of the world” is condemned by God but the “fruit of the Spirit” is acceptable to God.  And what this means is that whether we want to admit it or not, there is a way of living that God considers sinful.  And when caught in one of those sins, we deserve to be punished.

I know this isn’t a popular topic; a person will not be invited to appear on talk shows if they insist people are guilty of sin, but the truth is truth whether we admit it or not.  We simply cannot live according to God’s standard of excellence all the time.  We will sin.  We will lose our temper.  We will think lustful thoughts.  We will covet what someone else owns.  Sure, we may not murder, but, according to Jesus, we sin even if we call someone an idiot (see Matthew 5:22).  And, this is the crucial part, we cannot hide these sins from God; we are not able to keep them a secret.

I know; this is a tough message.  Like I said, the world will not beat a path to hear a person preach about sin.  Preach about certain sins today, and it is the police who are liable to beat down your door.  So, how are we to respond to this?  What should we do when we sin?  We need to respond like David.  In his brokenness, David confesses “¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering.  ¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.  You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” ^[4] (Psalm 51:16-17). 

When confronted by our sin, the proper response is to admit your guilt; don’t try to lie about your sin, and don’t argue for your innocence.  Admit your guilt to God… and ask Him for mercy, for mercy is what God has promised to show us IF we admit our guilt. 

God is not a god who drives people away; the Lord God is seeking to draw us near.  According to the Apostle Paul, God chooses to show us mercy so we might become an example to others; others who sin might be encouraged to seek the Lord and find mercy just as we did.  Paul writes, “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’—and I am the worst of them all. ¹⁶ But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life” ^[5] (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

David received mercy: so did Paul.  They did not receive the punishment they deserved.  Neither did I, and neither will you.  God gives mercy; it is what He desires to do.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 51:1–2). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ps 51:5). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 51:7). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 51:16–17). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (1 Ti 1:15–16). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

The Promise of Grace - November 4, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg

A man stopped to watch a Little League baseball game. He asked one of the youngsters what the score was. "We're losing 18-0," was the answer.  "Well," said the man. "I must say you don't look discouraged."  "Discouraged?" the boy said, puzzled. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't come to bat yet."

I like that boy’s attitude.

Some people become discouraged when they fail to see the desired results.  But most people are discouraged because life doesn’t turn out the way they expected.  Some people become discouraged when find themselves at a place or in a situation they never imagined; they wake up one morning and realize they are far from the green grass of home.

Take Mephibosheth, for example.  He was handicapped; crippled because of an unfortunate accident.  When he was just a child, his nurse picked him up in a hurry, and as she was rushing out of the room she dropped the boy, and he became crippled.  It’s sad, really; this nurse panicked when she learned that Mephibosheth’s father and grandfather had been killed.

 You’ve probably never heard of this man.  And if you’re thinking his name sounds biblical then yes, you are correct. He lived about 3,000 years ago when David was King of Israel.  Mephibosheth’s grandfather was Saul, and Saul hated David.  While Saul was king, he pursued David across Israel.  However, rather than responding in hate, David responded to Saul with patience and respect.  David could have killed Saul on two occasions, but instead, he showed restraint.  He would not kill someone anointed to leadership by God.

But Mephibosheth did not know this.  Neither did his nurse.

The nurse feared for Mephibosheth’s life.  In those days it was common practice for a new king to execute anyone related to the old one; surviving family members could become a threat.  Well, since David would soon be anointed as the new king of Israel, she assumed he would come to the palace and execute all those related to the old king.  But, the nurse did not need to be afraid; you see David was unlike any other king during that time.  David was a man ruled by grace.

Mephibosheth was sent to live with a man called Makir in the land of Lo-debar – a desolate place which literally means “no pasture.”  And for 18 years, Mephibosheth was living in a desert, hiding from his king all because he had been told the king would have him executed. 

Have you ever experienced this?  Do you know what it’s like to live in Lo-debar?

Imagine this man’s life.  Crippled at the age of 5.  Sent to live in a desolate place.  His father and grandfather killed.  And ever since he was a boy, he had been in hiding; told that if people found out who he was, he would be killed (sounds like the beginning of some comic book superhero, doesn’t it).  For 18 years he had been told to be afraid of the king.  Do you think Mephibosheth lived with discouragement?

I believe the story of Mephibosheth is included in the Bible for two reasons.  First, it shows us what sort of man David was, and secondly, it demonstrates something the Bible calls grace.

2 Samuel 9 tells us what happened to Mephibosheth; we are told what became of that poor crippled boy who was taken out into the wasteland.  After about 18 years – once David was securely settled into Jerusalem – he asks if there are any of Saul’s descendants still alive.  A servant tells him about Mephibosheth.  So, David sends a carriage out to Lo-debar and escorts the young man back to Jerusalem.  Picture this crippled man standing before the king – the very man he had been told to fear.  Surely, this young man must have been afraid.  Surely, he must have expected to be punished… to be killed.  He expected a sad ending to a sad and miserable life.  And yet, Mephibosheth did not know the heart of the king.  He did not know what sort of king was seated on the throne.

 Rather than call Mephibosheth to the palace for an execution, David invites him there to show him grace.

(2 Samuel 9:5-10) David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. ⁶ His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”

Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”

⁷ “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”

⁸ Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”

⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰ You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.”^[1]

Mephibosheth received grace, not because he earned it or did something to deserve it; Mephibosheth was treated like a son because of a promise made by the king.

God does the same thing to you and me.

We do not receive what we expect when we come to God.  We come to God expecting to be scolded and punished for who we are and what we have done.  Yet, because of a promise, we receive grace.  We are invited into the palace and treated like a son or a daughter, not because our behavior has been excellent, or our deeds have been commendable.  We receive more than we can imagine because of a promise the King has made… the promise God has made.  He has promised to show us grace when we place our faith in Christ.  Jesus has purchased this grace for us by His death upon the cross.  Instead of receiving the punishment we deserve, “He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” ^[2] (Isaiah 53:5).

In David’s exchange with Mephibosheth, I see an excellent example of what grace truly is: it is God’s favor and blessing extended to us for no other reason than it is what He chooses to do.  “By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. ⁴ But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, ⁵ that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”^[3] (Ephesians 2:3-5).

I’m not sure if you can identify with Mephibosheth.  I can.  Do you know what it is like to be afraid of a king…not an earthly king, mind you, but the King of Heaven?  Do you believe that God hates you because of your sin?  Has this fear of God caused you to live in a dry, desert place?  Is your life parched and dry?  Do you struggle to find joy and peace?  Are you discouraged with a life that has no value or purpose?  Maybe you don’t really know God at all.

Like Mephibosheth, and like myself, you will be amazed at what will happen when you come to God through Jesus the Son.  When you place your faith in Jesus, you will receive God’s grace.  Instead of punishment, He will shower you with His love and His grace.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Sa 9:5–10). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Is 53:5). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Eph 2:3–5). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.