Well Done! - August 19, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

Before you read any further, watch the attached video.  It is an excellent example of what it means to have a servant's heart.  

In the video, this young girl was confused; she thought that by giving blood she was laying down her life for the sake of her brother.  Now that is one young lady who was willing to use all that God had given her.  She didn’t take and keep; she was a servant.

A Christian should view themselves as a servant.  What the Lord has given, He expects to be used… to be used for His glory and in His service.  Twenty-five years ago, the Lord reminded me that what I thought was mine had, in reality, been given to me by the Lord; it was given with the understanding that I would use it for His glory.  Everything I thought I owned or every talent I thought was mine had been given to me by the Lord for this purpose: To continue His work while He is away.  In God’s eyes, it wasn’t enough that I was saved; because of my salvation, the Lord desired that I become His servant… a servant who recognized his responsibility.

Jesus tells an interesting story about three servants; it’s designed to teach believers about their responsibility in the Kingdom of God.  Many people wonder what they should be doing once they accept Jesus as their Savior.  They wonder what they should be doing while they wait for the Lord’s return.   In Matthew 25 we read…

¹⁴ “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. ¹⁵ He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

¹⁶ “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. ¹⁷ The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. ¹⁸ But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. ²⁰ The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

²¹ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

²² “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

²³ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

²⁴ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. ²⁵ I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

²⁶ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, ²⁷ why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

²⁸ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. ²⁹ To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. ³⁰ Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ^[1]

In the story, each servant is entrusted with a portion of the Master’s wealth, and it is assumed that they would invest that money (verse 20).  In the same way, Christians are given gifts by the Lord; He expects us to use them.  Peter says, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” ^[2] (1 Peter 4:10).  This is a biblical truth: God equips Christians to do His work.  He gives Spiritual gifts, He gives talents, and He gives abilities.  However, based on this story from Matthew, is it true that God gives us financial blessings as well?  Yes, even your money has come from God; that biblical teaching is almost as old as the Bible itself (compare Deuteronomy 8:18).  Speaking of our possessions, Paul writes, “Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness” [3] (2 Corinthians 9:10).  Don’t miss that: God provides the seed and the bread.  All that you have, including your finances, has come from God;

This makes us a little uncomfortable, am I right?  We’ve grown up believing that we made us into the person we are; we don’t like the thought of being a steward – a person who is entrusted with another’s wealth.  We’ve worked hard and saved so we could purchase the things we wanted; it’s our home, our car, our money, and our life.  And if we surrender these things to the Lord, He might just ask us to sell it all and give it to the poor (see Luke 18:22).  But see, that’s the fearful attitude found in the third servant from our story.  He was so afraid of losing it, he hid it away, not realizing that it was the Master’s money in the first place.  The Master understood the risk; if not, He never would have given away that much money to begin with.  Each bag of silver weighted between 58 and 80 pounds (about 20 years’ wages per bag).

So, to become a servant of the Lord is to realize that our gifts, talents, skills, and wealth have been given to us by the Lord so we might continue His work while He is away.  But… there is another part to this story I think we need to see.

The Lord makes it quite clear that He expects us to use what He has given us, not tuck it away and save it for a rainy day.  Christian author Warren Wiersbe writes, “What we do not use for the Lord, we are in danger of losing.”^[4]  But, are we not also in danger of losing these things if we exhaust ourselves or our resources?  Not so, says the Lord.  Look at what Jesus says in verse 29.  Those who faithfully labor for the Master while He is away will find an ample supply of what they need to keep serving.  Those who use what they have been given will be given even more so they might continue the work of the Master until He returns.

And just what does Jesus expect us to be doing; He expects us to rescue the lost… those held hostage by sin; we are to help them find freedom from bondage through Jesus.

The Lord expects us to be doing something.  While He is away, our Master has given us the task of continuing His work; He has given us what we need to continue that work.  And the real question is, are we using what He has given us, or are we hiding it away?  And, let’s be honest here; storing away our gifts, abilities, and resources will only cause them to rot.  By never becoming a faithful servant, we are storing up treasures on earth where moth and rust (and a lousy economy) will destroy (Matthew 6:20).

Some Christians never become servants; they take what the Lord has given them and “hide it in the ground;” they never use what the Master has given them. That’s not a servant; that’s a thief!  And some churches do the same.  They are given blessing after blessing but never use it to continue the Lord’s work.

To become a Christian is to surrender yourself to the Lord and to continue the work He began… which is, leading people to Jesus. 

The gifts and the finances we have right now belong to the Lord; they are not ours.  And we must faithfully use our talents and funds to help the lost, the hurting, the outcast, and the lonely; we help them find forgiveness and freedom in Jesus… this is the work He began and the work we must continue.  This is our responsibility until the Lord returns… what we must be doing until He comes again.

So, which of the three servants best describes you or your church?

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 25:14–30). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (1 Pe 4:10). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (2 Co 9:10). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

^[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 92). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The Tree of Life - August 12, 2018 sermon

By Pastor Greg...

Have you ever read the book Stop That Ball?  It was written in 1959 by Mike McClintock.  He tells the story of a young boy and his tetherball… a ball that breaks loose one day and bounces all over town.  In his backyard, he had his ball.  He had his bat.  He hit the ball.  He made it fly.  He hit his ball as it came by.  It went around and then came back.  He gave his ball another whack.  He hit it high.  He hit it low.  He hit so hard, the string let go.  Yes, the string let go.  There went his ball, away up high, out past the wall.

Throughout the rest of the book, this poor boy chases that ball in futile desperation.  He never catches it, but, through sheer luck, a cannon shoots his ball all the way back to his house.  Enthused, he races home, mysteriously finds the ball tied to the string, but shrugs and resumes his play.  He hit it high.  He hit it low.  He hit so hard, the string let go.  And, in disbelief, the boy ponders, “Could this go on all day and night?  It could, you know, and it just might.”

Have you ever had a sinking feeling that life is nothing more than a series of unfortunate events… that all you are doing is chasing an allusive ball all over town?  You get up, go out and do your thing, come home, eat, go to bed, and get up the next morning to start the same routine all over again.  Do you wish life was different… that you could catch that ball?

I think most people do.  Most people are looking for something more than the ordinary routine; something that makes life worth living. 

Some never find this. 

It’s sad, really.  Some people live their life day to day, looking for something to fill the emptiness in their heart.  Most people want to believe that there is more to life than merely surviving.  They believe there is more; there has to be more.  Most people hunger and thirst for something; they just don’t know what that something is.

In our study, we have reached the end of Revelation and the end of the Bible.  And the fact that Revelation is at the end is significant.  In chapters 4 through 19, we learn of the earthly tribulation humanity will face as the Lord God prepares to bring our present age to a close.  We discover that some will spend an eternity separated from God, while others spend eternity reunited with God.  John gives us this conclusion by saying, “¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. ¹⁵ Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie” ^[1] (Revelation 22:14-15). 

Once this separation happens, chapters 20 to 22 reveal what awaits those who have been ransomed from death.  We are given a glimpse into a future beyond our imagination; it is a future age without death or sorrow; without sadness or fear.  It is a future age that many long to experience.  However, it is here at the end of Revelation where we discover the single, most important thing in all of life.  Yes, heaven is important, but it isn’t the most important thing.

Most sane people want to experience Heaven, but truthfully, what they really desire isn’t the place… it’s the relationship.  They are hungry for meaning and purpose; they are thirsty for a life filled with love and acceptance… the kind of things a person can find only in a relationship with the Lord, not in a place.  I mean, look at what John says here at the end.  After describing the place, he concludes by saying “come.”  But not “come to the place,” rather come to the “bright and morning star” (verse 16); to the “Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” ^[2] (verse 12).  John writes, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life” ^[3] (Revelation 22:17).

Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again”^[4] (John 6:35).  He said, “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him”[5] (John 7:38).  Jesus didn’t come to earth and invite us to a place; He came inviting people to enter into a relationship with Himself.

The “ball” so many people are chasing in life is a relationship with Jesus. And it sure seems like the Early Church understood this. 

After Peter’s first sermon, 3,000 people believed and were baptized.   Acts 2:47 says, “And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” ^[6]  Odd, isn’t it, that the first Christians were able to accomplish so much without large worship centers, attractive programs, relevant pastors, or dynamic worship bands.  And they certainly didn’t have the local government on their side.  And yet, the Church grew each day.  Let that sink in for a moment.

Oh, don’t get me wrong.  Buildings and programs and music certainly help, but they are not the end; instead, they are the means to the end.  These things help a church reach its goal, but they are not the goal.  I mean, in a world where people are lonely and hopeless, they’re not searching for stunning architecture or a pastor who preaches in jeans.  They are looking for answers.  They want to know “who” or “what” can heal them… where they can find hope and meaning.  People who are chasing what eludes them don’t need a place; they need a relationship.

The early Church grew because those Christians focused on the message of Jesus.  They didn’t have anything else to offer except the “Bread of Life” and the “Living Water” … which is exactly what Jesus came and offered the world.  And it seems to me, here at the end of the Bible, John is leaving us with the same message.  In a world filled with lost and lonely people who are chasing an elusive “ball” – which is peace, contentment, purpose, and meaning – what they need most from the Church is the “Bright and Morning Star… the Alpha and Omega;” the Tree of Life; the Lord Jesus Himself.

If there is one lesson we should learn from this study of Revelation, it is that we do not exist as a church to make more members or grow the organization.  We exist to lead others to Christ.  Our programs, buildings, and ministries are tools we use to accomplish this.  People need Jesus, not a place.  When they find Jesus, they will finally stop chasing that ball.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 22:14-15). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 22:13). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 22:17). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 6:35). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[5] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Jn 7:38). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

^[6] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 2:47). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

The New Jerusalem - August 5, 2018 sermon

   By Pastor Greg...

As I write this, it is Monday morning.  I’m sitting at a picnic table outside of the church office.  I’m out here because I locked my keys in the building.  Oops.   The secretary should be along any moment now, but, while I wait, I figured I could at least read over the sermon text for Sunday and make a few notes.

The church sits on a hill that looks out across housing developments and farmland.  I’m looking toward Stoverstown; across the shallow valley to the hills beyond.  It’s quiet out here this morning.  It’s peaceful.  There is a pleasant breeze.  Somewhere a Mockingbird is pretending to be a bird it is not. 

I’ll be honest, on days like this I would gladly move my desk outside.

I find it difficult to describe the view I see right now.  If you have been at this spot before, you know what I am talking about; if not, then I am sure my words do not do it justice.

This was my view while reading Revelation 21, specifically John’s description of the New Jerusalem.  I suspect he was having the same problem; he too was trying to describe something of mesmerizing beauty… something that filled his heart with awe and wonder.

(Revelation 21:10-27) ¹⁰ So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal. ¹² The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. ¹³ There were three gates on each side—east, north, south, and west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

¹⁵ The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. ¹⁶ When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. ¹⁷ Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel).

¹⁸ The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. ¹⁹ The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

²¹ The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.

²² I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. ²⁴ The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. ²⁵ Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. ²⁶ And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. ²⁷ Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. ^[1]

After the glorious promise of being made physically and emotionally new, an angel reveals the new place where these people will live.  John attempts to describe some of what he saw – using words such as “like” or “as” – while also describing specific features and dimensions of this new place.  Israel will be honored by the 12 gates and the Church will be honored by the 12 foundation stones.  This allows those ransomed through the Tribulation and those accepted through the judgment to be reminded of individuals who honored the Lord by their faith.

John described a massive city; 1,400 miles square and 1,400 miles high (or 1,500 miles square and high, depending on how you measure a stadia).  That’s roughly the square mileage of the United States… stacked 1,400 miles high.  Some see this new city as a cube while others believe it is a pyramid (although I can’t see how they can picture this as a pyramid).  Jesus was right; in His Father’s house are many dwelling places (John 14:2).

Now, if you are like me, the concept of a walled city isn’t all that appealing.  But to John and his readers, it spoke of permanence (the foundations) and protection (the walls).  Those who lived in this city would never live in fear again; the gates were guarded by angels (Revelation 21:12) and would never need to be closed (Revelation 21:25).  Even the wall was 216 feet thick!

So, out of the sky descends a New Jerusalem; a new city for those who have been made new.  And this New Jerusalem rests on a new earth and sky, for the old has passed away (Revelation 21:1).  And although I’m not too fond of the city life, I will trust that this New Jerusalem will be far more than I can imagine.  However, sitting here, looking out across this little valley, I’m a little saddened because, like my view right now, many places on this earth are breathtaking.  It seems unfortunate that in preparing this earth to receive the New Jerusalem that all the beauty of this present earth will pass away.

Or will it?

What do you suppose happens to the old earth and sky?  Is it possible that God does the same with the old earth just as He did for those who are redeemed?  Maybe the earth and sky are “renewed” in the same way believers are renewed; it will be similar to the old, minus the curses it endured because of Adam and Eve’s sin (Genesis 3:14, 17-18).  I don’t know for sure, just “wishing,” I guess.

Whatever God has planned, I do know it will be a place beyond our imagination.  I mean, picture a place that stirs your heart.  For some, it is a seaside view.  Some of us love a forest glade with soft grass swaying beneath a canopy of trees; a small pond located behind a rustic barn where the fish are always biting. Or a mountain lake filled with crystal water; water so clear that you can scarcely tell where land and sea meet.  We have all seen places like this; places that moved our hearts… and words cannot describe the beauty that touched our souls.

But… these places of beauty are still part of a world that is cursed.  And since that is true, what kind of beauty will this new earth possess once the curse of sin is removed?  I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that I will see it one day.

If you place your trust in Jesus today, one day you will see this for yourself as well.

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^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Re 21:10–27). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.