Chardon church of Christ

Fathers

By Jerad Allen

Good morning. Happy Father's Day to all the fathers in here. I'm pretty sure there's quite a few of you. I hope everybody's week went well and it wasn't too much hassle.

The other day I was going through YouTube and I saw a channel with things that fathers typically teach children—how to tie a tie, how to change a tire, things like that. The whole purpose of this channel was to teach children without fathers what he wished his father would have taught him if he had a father in his life.

In 2022 estimates were roughly 18.3 million children were growing up in the United States without a father. That is almost one in every four children. It's been three years, but I have a feeling those numbers are still roughly the same. A lot of things can happen without a father in the household. Poverty rates go up, crime rates go up. Life, by all means, gets harder.

That's because the father is an instrumental part of the family. They have a great deal of responsibility and take care of a great deal of things. They are an essential part in growing up. Today we will be going over some lessons and some things the Bible has to say about fatherhood. About what it is and what it should look like.

To start off, if you would turn to Genesis 22, we will go quickly through verses 1-18. You might recognize this if you were here during Bible study because Mark went over it a little bit.

I will read verses 1-3. “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.”

We are told to do as the Lord commands. We are told to do what He tells us. Abraham was very much willing to do this. He trusted the Lord.
He trusted His ways. When the Lord told him to sacrifice his son, he did not blink. He rose up, and he went.

In Philippians 2:8 it says, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

This is obviously talking about Jesus. A lot of the time, I see being a Christian and being a follower as trying to imitate the Lord, and trying to act as Christ-like as possible. If Christ himself was obedient to the point of death, then so must we.

We must be willing to put our bodies, our children perhaps, on the line. As fathers, sometimes you must put yourself and your family in harm's way if that's what the Lord commands. That is what Abraham is thinking he is doing here.

Moving on to verses 4-8, it says, “Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.”

Both of them went together. Of course, Abraham knew there wasn't a lamb. He was under the full assumption that he was going to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Though there is another lesson here, I think, in looking at what the Lord will provide us with.

The Lord will provide for us if we are hungry. If we need food, he will make sure we have it. If we are thirsty, he will give us drink. He will give us what we need. He will never put a challenge ahead of us too great for us to handle.

In 1st Corinthians 10:13, it says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

In Matthew 6:33-34, it says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

How does this relate to Father's Day? As it is the Holy Father's duty to provide for his children, to make sure we have food and water when we need it, to make sure we are not tempted beyond our own capabilities, it is the earthly fathers’ to provide for his family and his children and their needs.

In 1st Timothy 5:8 it says, “but if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

It is the duty of the father and the household to provide for his family, to make sure they are fed, to make sure they have what they need to go on, to make sure that they have the capabilities and ability to walk this world and to walk through life.

Moving on to verses 9-10, it says, “And they came to the place which God had told him of, and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.”

As Christians, we must be willing to put our bodies on the line when serving the Lord. When Jesus and his disciples were traveling, they were often worried that those who they were going to come against, many times Jews were going to bring harm upon them, or crucify them. That eventually did happen. If the Son of God and those who traveled with him were able to put their lives on the line, and put their bodies through physical torment, then we should be able to do the same.

In Romans 12:1- 3 it says, “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

In these verses, our bodies are described as living sacrifices. Not as Abraham is about to do to Isaac here and kill his son as a sacrifice to the Lord, but we are to put our bodies as living sacrifices on the line. To follow the Lord's will, to put His will above ours, to cast out these earthly pleasures and sins that we take forth, and to not indulge in them. To sometimes put ourselves in harm's way to complete His will. It is the duty of Christians to do such.

Moving on to verses 11-13 it says, “And an angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here I am. And he said, Lay not thine hand on the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest God. Seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his thorns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

This was, at the end of the day, a test. It was a test on Abraham's willingness to do what the Lord asked him—a test on his faith in the Lord. A test if he truly believed. He believed that the Lord was righteous and His one true God. Even with something as outlandish as asking him to kill his son, Abraham was positive that there was a reason behind it. That whatever the reason may be, it was holy. It was glorious, and that it would please the Lord. He passed this test because he was willing to do that.

Verses 14-16 say, “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh (I can't really pronounce that) As it said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. The angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of the heaven the second time. And said, By myself I have sworn, saith the Lord. For because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son.”

(Pay attention to the wording here.) Hast not withheld thy son, thine only son. This sounds familiar, right? It's kind of how the Lord sent down his only son to be sacrificed for the remission of our sins. It sounds exactly like that, right? The Lord was not asking him to do something that the Lord himself would not do here. He is asking him to do something he hasn't done yet.

The Lord will send down his son to be a sacrifice that will save us. The ram is a burnt offering, but it is still an animal. Christ's sacrifice gave us something more. It gave us salvation.
In John 3:16 it said, “God so loved the world that he gave his only son. That whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

He loves us so much that he would give His only son. It is the duty of fathers everywhere to love Him so much that if the day asks, they will put Him above anyone else.

I think here we can see that yes, while fathers have a duty to their families, to their children. First and foremost, your duty is to the Lord as it is for all of us. He takes priority. He takes all because he is greater than the rest of us.

Verses 17-18 say, “that in blessing I will bless thee. And in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven. And as the sand which is upon the sea shore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

Later in Galatians 3:16 it says, “now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say and to offsprings, referring to many, but referring to one and to your offspring who is Christ.”

We can all receive this blessing by following in Abraham's footsteps, by obeying the Lord. We can receive the grace God has given us by following his commandments and obeying him, by confessing that Jesus, the seed of Abraham, is the Son of God and our Savior.

By looking Ephesians 6:1-4. We can see how fathers are supposed to nurture their children.

These verses say, “children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. That it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonishment of the Lord.”

Children at the end of the day are the next of kin. They are the ones who will take your place, who will continue your work. We have a duty to the Lord and that means that we need to make sure things are in place for when we are gone as well. That it is good if we ourselves are obedient and spread the word of God, but we are only here temporary. Fathers must bring up their children, must bring up the next generation, to continue the work when they are gone.

In Proverbs 2, it says, "train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old, he will not depart from it."

A father has a big responsibility here to train their children to do right by the Lord, to train and educate their children on what is right and what is holy. No wonder crime and poverty rise when fathers are out of the picture. No wonder children are lost and confused ever more so when fathers are out of the picture because it is a father's duty to help them learn these things, to help them find their way, to train and nurture them.

Moving on to Joshua 24:15, It says, “and if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve. Whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. It is the duty of the father to choose the direction in which their house will go. Will they live in sin? Will they choose earth? Will they choose worldly pleasures? Or will they follow the path of God? It is the father's responsibility to steer this ship. It is the father's responsibility to make sure and correct it if it sways, if it varies, if it moves. This is one of the roles of the father.

In Colossians 3:19-21, it says, “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. It can be a little tough for fathers, right? They control the ship, but they can very easily make it sway as well. If the father is not kind, if the father angers their children, they may be discouraged, and they may lose their path. The father has a vital role. Their presence can very much aid in this. At the same time, if a father fails, that could be worse. That could sway those children into a life of sin.

Moving on to Luke 15:20-22, it says, “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.”

This is the parable of the prodigal son. In here, we are shown a father whose son had lost their way, who had sinned against them, but cursed their name and left. And when he returns, this father did not shoo him away. He did not yell at him. He welcomed him back with open arms to his family. No hesitation. No matter how much he wronged him, it is the father's duty to welcome back his children. This is because the Heavenly Father does the same with us.

In Romans 10:9 it says, “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Despite our sins, despite our failures, fathers, mothers, children, everyone's, despite all of these things, despite everything we have done, there is still a way we can be saved. If we turn to the Lord, follow in the steps Jesus has laid out for us, and follow in his path, the Lord will welcome us back like the father in this parable—with open arms, with joy, with thunderous screams of happiness.

That should be the same for fathers. As the Lord does, so should we. If He is willing to welcome us back, then we should be able to do the same with our family members, with our children, with our mothers and fathers. No matter how much they have wronged us, when they return, we should open our arms.

To close this out, I just want to repeat this. Romans 10:9. “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

If you have not done that, I just must ask, why? Why wait? Death's knocking at any given moment. It will not wait for you. So why wait? Confess, repent, be baptized for the remissions of your sins, and walk with the Lord as commander.

Happy Father's Day, and thank you.

Lazarus of Bethany

By Jerad Allen

Good morning. I hope everyone's week went well. We have another one coming up and it just feels like we're always going through another week.

I was born in 2004. The pop culture I have been raised in has had a lot to do with Marvel movies. You might have heard of them. These are comic book inspired movies that are sometimes taken right from the comics they're based off of. Because comics are a medium that is never supposed to end, they're supposed to keep going through the years. I think the first Superman comic was back in the 30s and they're still publishing them today.

As a result, whenever they write a character off or kill them off, eventually down the line some writer is going to want to use that character again so they resurrect them. Sometimes to explain these resurrections they put years of explanations into these stories.

Resurrection, the raising of the dead, seems impossible to us. Today's story that we will be going over is in John chapter 11 verses 1 through 44. This is the death and resurrection of Lazarus where Jesus took a man who had fallen to illness and raised him in front of his sisters.

Starting at verse 1; “Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped His feet with her hair.) The sisters sent word to Jesus, Lord, the one you love is sick. When he heard this, Jesus said, this sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it.”[NIV]

Here we're just given some context. We are told who Mary is. We are told who Martha is. We are told that Mary was the one who poured perfume on Jesus and cleaned his feet. We are also told about glory and how this death will result in glory to God.

What does that mean? What does God's glory mean? In 1 Corinthians 10:31 it says, “so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

We are told that every action we take should be to glorify the Lord, to put Him up, to put up His power, show His glory. Here we are told it is a way to honor God, a way to show respect, a way to glorify Him and give Him credit.

In Romans 3:23 it says, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

This tells us that the glory is something we don't necessarily have. This isn't something we have attained. This isn't something that we possess. This is something we fall short of and can only try to recognize and try to see.

To try and answer what glory means I think would probably take a whole sermon to itself. These are just some quick intercessions on these first couple verses.

Moving on, verses 5 through 8 says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. And then he said to his disciples, let us go back to Judea. But Rabbi, they said, a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you and yet you are going back?”

Jesus was well aware of the danger that awaited him there. He was very aware that there was a threat on his life and that it might be ended if he returns.

In 2 Timothy 3:12 it says, “Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Jesus' actions here tell us that this persecution should not get in the way of our job, of what we are here to do. I think it's interesting who Jesus is afraid of as well. These aren't the Gentiles. These aren't the sinners. It's the religious leaders of the day. It is the people who are leading the church, who are leading the temple. These are the scholars that are after Jesus.

This tells me is that not only should we be worried about persecution from those who have gone against God and outwardly rebelled. It is those who say they are with him. It is those who say they are Christians. It is those who say they are religious. It is those who pretend to have faith to further their goals, to justify their actions.

Slave owners in the 1800s and 1700s were famous for reciting scripture as they whipped their prisoners. As we go on, we will undoubtedly see and face Christians, Jews, Muslims, and other people who claim to follow God. They will come at you.

They will come to persecute you for telling the truth, for calling them on their lies. They very well may be more dangerous than the Gentiles or sinners that have outwardly rejected the truth.

Moving on, verses 9 through 10 say, “Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world's light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” It's hard to see in the dark, right? Imagine the sun was out. Imagine there are no lights in this room. You really wouldn't be able to see me, would you? Especially with this black shirt on, it doesn't help.

You'd probably trip over something. You can't easily get where you want to go without being able to see the path. This is what it is like to walk through the world in a spiritual sense without Christ.

In John, verses 8-12, it says, “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have light of life.”

Even though the sun is shining, if the lights are on, and physically we can see, without Jesus we might as well be walking in the dark, because we will just continue to stumble and fall and trip because spiritually we are lost. Spiritually we have no idea where we are. We can't make out our surroundings. We will continue to trip and fall.

Verses 11-16 say, “After he had said this, he went on to tell them, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up. His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he went to natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” But let us go to him. Then Thomas, (also known as Didymus), said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”” The Lord is showing his own power here. He knows Lazarus has passed.

He knows he is not here anymore. He knows he is gone without being there. He tells the disciples, Be glad that this is the case, so you may see my power, so you may see my strength. I find this a little crazy at this point. They have seen Him walk on water. They have seen Him calm storms. They have seen Him do this and that. He still thinks they need more to see. I think that tells me that even if Jesus was right in front of us, even if he was staring at us in the face and did things, you could not imagine proving who He is. Many, most, still would not recognize Him as God, as the Son of the Father, as holy. This also shows the disciples' own thoughts on what was about to happen.

Thomas said that we may die with Him. They had no intention on coming back from this. They thought fully that the Jews were going to capture and kill them all. They were ready to die, which I think shows their courage and their strength and their faith in the Lord.

While He still wanted to show them more, they obviously still had some pretty strong faith to be able to trust in Him so much that even though they believed they were going to die, they knew they were going to die with the Lord.

In verses 17 through 22 it says, “On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him. But Mary stayed at home. Lord, Martha said to Jesus, If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Martha's words here are quite reasonable. She knows who Jesus is. She recognizes His power, His holiness, and His grace. She's well aware of the fact that if he was there, her brother would have been fine.

There are two ways you can take her words here. You can take it as an accusation on why didn't You save my brother? Why did he die? Or just regret that He wasn't there at the right time—He arrived late. He just wasn't there when Lazarus fell sick. I think it's probably more on that explanation. Martha is just sad that things played out the way they did.

I also think that those last words in verse 22, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask is exactly that, an ask.” An ask to bring her brother back because again, she's aware. She has faith in the Lord.

Moving on to verses 23 and 24. “Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. Martha answered I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

Martha has heard Jesus talk about rising in the Lord, about being saved and having eternal life through Him. Earlier in John 3:16, John talks about this being the case. Martha is aware of this, and her reaction to Jesus saying your brother will rise again is with this context. He will rise in a spiritual sense with the Lord in heaven and live eternally.

It seems like she's a little disappointed in that because she won't get to see her brother again in this life. She understands her brother will live eternally in heaven, but is saddened that he is not here anymore. Obviously, later on in the next few verses we realize he means in a physical sense, and not so much in the spiritual.

Moving on to verses 25 through 28. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live. Even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord”, she replied. “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who is to come into the world”. After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The teacher is here, she said and is asking for you.””

Jesus is asking if she has faith. Does she have faith in Him? In His power? Does she have faith that He is who He says He is? She replies, yes.

Jesus also talks about himself in the “I am” sense. I am the resurrection and the life. Jesus does this a lot. He talks about Himself in these “I am” statements. We have another example in John 8:12, and in John 10:11 “He says, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” In Revelations He says, “I am the alpha, the omega. The beginning and end. Who is and who is to come, the almighty”.

Jesus uses these “I am” statements not to say I am like a sheep, but to say I am the power. I am glory. I am God. He is all. He is in all of us. He is here with all of us. As God sees all, knows all, and is all. He is talking about His power. He is referring to his strength. He is referring to Himself in these ways. Because of who He is.

It's a little hard to comprehend. Honestly I still don't think I fully understand it. That might be something else I want to look into a bit more for a sermon.

Jesus is talking about Himself in these “I am” statements because these are the things He can do. He was at the beginning.

Moving on to verses 29-31. I says, “When Mary heard this she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village. But was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went, they followed her supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.”

Notice how the verse specifies her haste. It specifies how quickly she got up and went to Him. Originally she stayed back wishing to mourn, wishing to continue to think about her brother and the loss. As soon as she heard that Jesus had called on her specifically, she wasted no time. She was ready to go. She was up and at it. She was going to Him. She was not going to waste another second mourning in her house while the Lord had asked for her. This is the sort of haste we should all have when called by the Lord—when the Lord calls upon us. When we are called to do something even if it's as simple as walking two miles to where He is.

Moving on to verses 32-35 it says, “When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Where have you laid him? He asked. Come and see, Lord. They replied. Jesus wept.”

Mary immediately after seeing Jesus had a similar response as her sister, Martha. She had regret that Jesus was not there, that he just sadly was not there when her brother was sick because she knows, as her sister does, that he could have saved him. I don't think that she is blaming Him here. It is simply just mournful regret.

She is saddened that things transpired the way they did, knowing that under different circumstances it could have been different. Something bad happens and you think, man, if only this happened or this happened or this person was here and this person didn't do this and this and this and this.

We see how Jesus is moved by her and the others that are grieved. We see that He is saddened. Why is this the case? He knows exactly what he's about to do. He knows he's about to raise Lazarus from the dead. He knows those tears are going to vanish and be replaced with joy. Why is He sad? It's because He's empathetic. He understands us.

He's human just as much as He is God. When you see people sad, when you see people mourning, it should move you. It should make you sad. Others' tears, tears are in a way contagious. Their sadness moved Him despite Him knowing that He was going to raise him. That Lazarus was going to be raised from the dead. They were sad.

In Hebrews 4:15 it says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet he did not sin.”

When picking leaders and picking people to represent us in Congress, the presidency, or this or that, we want them to be able to relate to us. We want them to be able to understand our position, to understand where we're coming from, to understand our thought process and view on things. It is the same way with Jesus. Jesus came to earth, and we can be reassured that we do not have a God who does not understand us, that does not understand our plight and our struggle with sin.

He is very much aware of it. He lived it. He was tempted in the same way we are tempted, in every way that we are tempted. Yet, unlike us, he did not fall short. Unlike us, he did not give in to the temptation. He kept his glory. He stayed strong, and he never sinned. He never fell like we have, like all of us have, like Adam and Eve did, like David did. Unlike every other human, he alone did not sin. Yet, he understands us because he was tempted.

We do not have a God who does not understand us. We have a God who has lived with us, who has lived for us, and we can be reassured that he understands us better than we understand ourselves.

In verses 36 through 37, it says, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”  Some of the Jews understood what was going on, but others showed their arrogance and ego. They questioned the Lord and cast doubts on Him.

When I read this, I think about the lawyer who was questioning Jesus in Luke 10:25 through 37. When he talks about the Good Samaritan, Jews were prideful and spiteful toward Jesus. It is no shock that when given the chance, some of them fully blamed Jesus for this man's death, instead of just being sad that things transpired as they did.

In verses 38 through 40, it says, ““Take away the stone”, he said. “But Lord”, said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there for four days””.

Jesus asks them to have faith and to trust in what he is doing. Oftentimes, He asks people if they believe Him, and He tells them all they need is faith.

Let's look at Matthew 14:30 through 31. It says, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me. Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. You of little faith, he said. Why did you doubt me?”

This was when Peter was walking out to the water, walking out to Jesus on the water, but fell when he became distracted by the storm around him. Jesus chastised his lack of faith and asked him why he doubts Him.

This parallels our life. Our lives are that storm on that sea. The storm is all around us. There is war, conflict, and destruction everywhere. There are so many things that can distract us from the Lord. If we keep our eyes on Him, we can continue to walk on the water and walk towards Him and continue to walk straight if we have faith. If we look at the storm around us, if we get caught up in its destruction, we will lose focus. We might let our faith waver. Jesus tells us to walk to him, to walk on that water. We must have faith and not let the storm distract us.

When Martha asked why they would open it, even though it would smell really bad, He asked them to have faith, to trust Him, to not let the odor distract them from Him.

In verses 41 through 42, it says, “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.””

When going over these verses, one thing I saw, one from, I can't think of the name commentator, but they were saying that all the miracles Jesus performed asked for the message that he was sending or the idea that he was trying to convey at the time to show the power of the Lord and that Jesus is the son of God. He was not always granted what he has asked.

In Matthew 26:39, it says, “Going a little forward, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me, yet not as I will, but as you will.”

When Jesus performs a miracle, when Jesus does anything, it is to further the Lord's will. It is to further God's will as we should do. He knows that even if it will not benefit him, even if it will cause him pain and suffering it still needs to be done. When he calls upon God here, He is making sure that the people understand that he has approval, that God is with Him, that God is behind him and that He is the Lord, that He is the son of God.

“When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “take off the grave clothes and let him go””. Here this man is risen from the dead.

Many times Jesus had performed miracles. Many times he continued to perform miracles. Until His own resurrection, until he was raised from the dead, none were as great as this. He raised a man from the dead, shown all those there that not even death, something so infinite, something so definitive to where in a comic book, a fictional thing we make up, sometimes people put years of work into explaining resurrecting a character that doesn't exist. Even this cannot hold Him back. He has dominion even over death.

To follow him, we can expect that the Lord, that death will never truly hold us. While we may not be jumping out of our graves, we will be born anew and find life in God.

In John 14:6, it says, “Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”

In Him we can find everlasting life, not in this physical world, not with this grass, not with these houses, not with this wood, not with this, but with the Lord, with Him, with God, in heaven for eternity.

With that in mind, I ask if you have not been baptized for the remission of your sins, if you have not repented and turned back to God and followed him and been faithful, why wait? Death is waiting around the corner at any time. Jesus may be a four days travel away and He may not resurrect you. Death can come at any point. Do not wait for it.

Thank you.

Do You Love Me?

JOHN 21:1-14

OPEN: About 50 years ago I went with my WIFE’S FAMILY on vacation up in Canada at a place called North Bay.
It was a great place. Beautiful lake, rustic cabin, and there was the fishing.
You remember the part in the story of the disciples out fishing where they’ve been out on the lake all night long?
That’s me.
If anybody’s not gonna catch a fish… it’s me.
Frankly, it’s a lot more fun to fish if you’re actually catching fish.
(Tell story about Jack and I making a bet on who would catch the next fish.)
The story we’re looking at this morning talks about another fishing story…

But the story actually began a few days before this.
A few days before, Jesus has had a Passover meal with His disciples and we’re told that “when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”
And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. (Mark 14:26-31)
Well, we all know the rest of that story.
Jesus was arrested.
Peter denied Jesus 3 times before the cock had crowed twice.
AND all the disciples scatter like sheep.
It’s not their finest moment!

Three days later Peter hears the tomb is empty, and he hears about the angels and that Jesus has risen from the dead… and he runs to see if it’s true. And it is!!! The tomb IS empty!

But then we're told that that Peter "went away, wondering to himself what had happened." (Luke 24:12)

There’s a song called “He’s Alive” that tells the rest of the story this way: “…something strange had happened there, but just what, I did not know.
John believed a miracle, but I just turned to go.
Circumstance and speculation couldn't lift me very high.
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him and then I saw Him die.
Back inside the house again the guilt and anguish came.
Everything I'd promised Him just added to my shame.
When at last it came to choices - I denied I knew His name.
And even if He was alive… it wouldn't be the same.”

There are many scholars who believe that that’s exactly how Peter responded to the resurrection.
He was despondent and filled with anguish.
It wasn’t that He wasn’t excited to see Jesus risen from the dead.
It’s just that he KNEW he’d betrayed Christ.
He knew he’d failed.
He knew that he’d made a promise and then did exactly what he said he wouldn’t do.
And when at last it came to choices - he denied he knew His name.
And even if Jesus were alive… it wouldn't be the same.

So, what’s he gonna do about it?
Well, he’s going fishing.
And he’s not going fishing for a couple of hours… or a couple of days… or a couple of weeks. He’s going back to what he knows.
He’s failed at being a follower of Christ, BUT he knows how to fish.
And it’s at this turning point in his life that Jesus comes to pay him a visit.
It’s been a miserable night.
They’ve been out all night and they’ve caught nothing.
And then this stranger appears on the shore and asks how they’re doing.
"Friends, haven’t you any fish?"
"No," they answered.
He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Now… why would Jesus do this a 2nd time?
I mean, I can understand why Jesus would have done it the 1st time.
He was trying to get their attention.
Trying to convince them that He was the one they should follow.
Trying to get them to realize they needed to abandon their fishing and be His disciples.
What I found interesting about Peter’s response to that first miracle was:
“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’” (Luke 5:8)

Now, isn’t that interesting?
Jesus did His first miracle for Peter, and that made Peter realize he was a sinful man.
And now Jesus has done that same miracle all over again all because Peter ALREADY believes he’s a sinful man.

And not just a sinful man… but an empty, useless, worthless man.
So, Jesus comes looking for Peter, because PETER needs “looking for”.
Peter needs something that only Jesus can give.
Peter needs forgiveness.
You know, people deal with their sins in the strangest ways.
Some folks deal with their sin by trying to hide it behind good deeds.
We call that kind of thinking karma.
Karma is the belief that if you do enough good stuff in your life you can cover up the bad stuff.
Peter had been a big believer in Karma.
That’s how he’d lived his life.
You see, Peter worked at being more righteous than the ones around him.

When Jesus said he was going to be betrayed – disciples would run away, do you remember what Peter said?
“Even though THEY all fall away, I will not.”
Why would he say that?
Because he believed he was more righteous than they were!

He wanted to impress Jesus with his superior righteousness so Christ wouldn’t see the dark struggles and doubts that lay just beneath the surface.
He was hiding his sinfulness behind the fact that he could be more righteous than anyone else.

Now, we can expect that kind of behavior from pagans.
That’s the only hope those outside of Christ have to feel good about themselves.
If they can just be better than their neighbor or their boss, or their friends they can somehow feel justified.
But there’s a lot of people in churches that are like that too.
They live their Christianity trying to show how much better than others they are.

They compare their giving to that of others.
They compare their superior attendance.
They compare their position and influence.
They are impressed by their own religious activity – because as long as they can be better than you are – then they can forget their sinfulness.

The Bible talks about that kind of mindset in 2^nd Corinthians 10:12b
“When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
In other words, if you go to comparing yourself with others in the church you show that you’re not very smart!

ILLUS: People like that remind of the story of the two men who were out in the woods one day. You remember the story?
They see a bear, and the bear sees them and chases them. They’re running for their lives when all of a sudden one of them stops, sits on a stump and starts to put on his running shoes.
“Are you crazy?” says the 2nd man. “You can’t outrun that bear?”
“Don’t have to outrun the bear,” said the 1st man. “All I have to do is outrun you.”

Folks like that think that if you can “out-righteous” the next guy (religiously out-run them) then God will pay more attention to the other guy’s sin instead of their own.
The only problem is you can’t out run that bear!!!

Unless your sinfulness is removed you can out-run/out-righteous anyone you want to… but the bear is still there.
Your sin WILL catch up with you.
So, one way people deal with their sin, is to try to hide that sin behind good deeds.
Another way folks deal with their sins by trying to hide THEMSELVES.

That’s what Peter’s been trying to do.
He’s wanting to go back to his fishing.
That way he doesn’t have to face Jesus again.
That way he doesn’t have to see Him and remember how he failed Him.
So Peter’s trying to hide from Jesus.
That’s what two other people in Scripture tried doing.
Remember when Adam and Eve were in the garden?
They ate of the tree they shouldn’t have eaten of and then they “heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they HID from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8
Now, why on earth would they hide from Him?

Because if He didn’t SEE their nakedness maybe He wouldn’t KNOW they had sinned.

ILLUS: I’ve done that.
In the past, I’ve been praying and I get to the part where I’m confessing my sins to God… and suddenly I stop. And I think to myself - IF I tell Him about that sin, then He’ll KNOW what I’ve done and He’ll hold it against me at the judgment.

Now, what’s wrong with that picture?
Is there any sin you’ve EVER done that God doesn’t know about.
Of course not.

Even if you don’t confess your sins to God… He STILL KNOWS.
He knows your very thoughts as well as every word or deed you’ve ever done.
There’s nothing you could possibly do or think that He doesn’t know about.

The only way to fix the problem is to come to Jesus.
There’s a wonderful promise in 1^st John 1:9 that says “If we CONFESS our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from (most of our) unrighteousness.”

Is that what it says?
NO. It says “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from ALL of our unrighteousness.”

But first I have to confess those sins.
First I have to come to Jesus.
But Peter won’t come to Jesus… so Jesus goes to Peter.
As I was thinking about this, a passage from Ephesians came to my mind
“everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’” (Ephesians 5:13-14)

Jesus is the “Light of the World” and now Jesus has come to shine His light on Peter.
So, how did He shine that light on Peter?
Well, He sat down with Peter and he ate with him.
And they talked about it.

And Jesus wanted to confront Peter’s failure before it got worse.
When Jesus sat down with Peter, He didn’t condemn him or insult him or to reject him.
Jesus sat down with Peter to confront his sin, but He confronted Peter because HE wanted to win Peter back.

So He sits with him
and eats with him
and He TALKS with him.
And do you know what Jesus says:
“Peter, do you love me?”
“Peter, do you love me?”
“Peter, do you love me?”
THREE TIMES Jesus asks Peter that question.

Why would He do that?
Why ask Peter that question 3 times?
Well, for one thing… Peter’s a little on the slow side.
It takes Peter a little time to catch up.

We see that again in Acts 10 where God wants to send Peter to talk with the first Gentile converts. Three times God sends the same vision to Peter, because it takes a while for Peter to catch on.
But more even more that that, this is the most important question anyone can answer.
If you don’t love Jesus… nothing else matters.
Jesus once said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15

Notice, Jesus didn’t say if you want to be holy, or righteous, or accepted you’ll keep my commandments. He said:
IF YOU LOVE ME

ILLUS: I once read the story of a woman who’d been married to a very mean man. He didn’t like the way she kept house. He didn’t like the way she did laundry or ironed his clothes. He didn’t like the way she dressed. He constantly criticized her for everything.
Early on their marriage he handed her a list of 25 rules for her to follow.
She hated it… and she hated him.

You can imagine how frustrating it was to her to have to constantly check her list to see if she was pleasing him - and to staying out of trouble. She usually failed miserably and each time, he belittled her all over again and he made her feel miserable and small.

Then, one day much to her great joy… he died.
Soon, she fell in love with and married a wonderful loving man. They loved each other very much. She practically broke her neck to please him – and even brought him breakfast in bed.

One day, she ran across that old list, and the feelings of anger and inferiority returned.
But, suddenly she began to laugh! As she checked the list, she realized that she was now doing it all for her new husband.
Why? Because she loved him.

Peter… do you love me?

Sing this song with me
“Oh, how I love Jesus, oh how I love Jesus.
Oh, how I love Jesus because He first loved me.”
Now, what’s interesting was that - after Jesus asked “Do you love me?” - He told Peter to do something.
"Feed my lambs."
"Take care of my sheep."
"Feed my sheep.”

If you love me: feed my lambs, take care of my sheep, feed my sheep.
WHY?
Because your Christianity isn’t about YOU.
Christianity isn’t about your personal desires and wants.
Jesus saved you… so you could become like Him.

You remember John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…”
Well, there’s a 1^st John 3:16 and it says this:
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us…”
Almost sound like JOHN 3:16 doesn’t it?
But then it finishes off this way:
“… and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
In other words - if you want to be like Jesus, you need to love like He loved.

Feed His lambs.
Take care of His sheep.
Feed His sheep.
Do you love Him? Then that’s what you and I need to do.
THIS is what love for Christ is all about.

(sing) “Oh, how I love Jesus, oh how I love Jesus
Oh, how I love Jesus because He first loved me.”
One last thing.
Until you realize you are a sinner in need of forgiveness you’re never really going to love Jesus.
Until you realize you need Jesus more than He needs you,
you’re not going to love Him like you should.
You see that’s what Peter’s problem had been all along – he thought Jesus needed him.
Peter viewed himself as Jesus’ muscle. His protector.
No one was going to touch Jesus as long as Peter was around. Jesus “needed” him.
Peter figured he was OK… just the way he was because Jesus needed him.

But it was only when he realized he’d failed… sinned…
he’d really messed up… that he knew how much he really needed Jesus. And that’s where this meal down on the shore helped him realize that truth.

From that day on, that was Peter’s message: you’ve sinned, you’ve failed – you need Jesus.
Everywhere Peter preached he made sure his audience knew they’d sinned.
At one point the Sanhedrin complained “… you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

Were they?
Were they guilty of Jesus’ blood?
Of course they were.
They had sinned and failed.
And so have you.
And so have I.

We need Jesus.
In one of his most famous sermons in Acts 2 Peter tells the crowd
“God has made this Jesus, whom YOU CRUCIFIED, both Lord and Christ." Acts 2:36
He wanted to bring them to the point where they NEEDED Jesus. To the point where they wanted to LOVE Jesus. And when you love Jesus – you’ll keep His commandments
When they heard this (they had sinned) they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Acts 2:37

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

If you love Jesus, you’ll come to Him on His terms

INVITATION

No Turning Back

John 21: 1 – 4

Imagine a sleepy, early morning at the Sea of Galilee.
A crew of fishermen friends—Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, and the rest—had spent a long, chilly night out on the water. Their fishing expedition was less "great catch of the day" and more "great nothing at all."
Imagine them sitting in their creaking boat, rubbing their eyes and muttering,
"Really, not a single fish tonight."
It was the kind of night where even the fish seemed to have hit the snooze button.

Then, as the first light of dawn tiptoes over the horizon, a mysterious figure appears on the shore.
This isn’t your everyday beachcomber—it’s someone who carries a hint of mischief and a knowing smile.

Standing there in the gentle light, he calls out CHEERFULLY, almost teasingly, “Friends, have you caught any fish?”
The fishermen, still half-asleep and nursing the memory of their fruitless night, reply in unison with a weary “Nope, just a bucket of empty nets here.”

It’s as if the universe itself decided to stage a little cosmic joke on the group.
After all that waiting and bickering with their nets, they’re met with an unexpected visitor whose timing couldn’t be more perfect—or perfectly puzzling.

Here they are, expecting a stern lecture on technique, only to face a lighthearted inquiry that underscores both the absurdity and the hope of the moment: sometimes even when nothing seems to work, a little unexpected spark (or advice on which side of the boat to fish from) can change everything.

We read in John 21:4, “Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus” (ESV)

They failed to recognize Jesus.
It was indeed an unusual situation on the seashore that day, as the resurrected Jesus stood on the shore, and his own disciples who had been with him for three and half years failed to recognize who He was.
They had been with Jesus, walked with Him, ate with Him, saw the wonders and mighty miracles He performed, and yet on that day, they failed to perceive Jesus as He stood before them.

It may bewilder us as to how this could be possible, but this incident serves as a word of caution to all of us who follow Jesus.
If that could happen to Jesus’ disciples who were so close to Him and who saw Him with their physical eyes, such a situation could also befall us, who have not seen Him, and experienced Him as they did.

As long as Jesus was with them for three and half years, every day the disciples woke up with much anticipation to witness the mighty deeds that Jesus would perform each day.
These disciples of Jesus were not only eyewitnesses but were participants of all the amazing miracles that Jesus performed, and yet they had come to this juncture where they forgot their call and could not even recognize the risen Lord Jesus.

For those of us who have decided to follow Jesus and be His disciples, we must be aware that we too will be confronted with situations, wherein we may not be able to see and perceive Jesus, who is the core of our faith.
They chose to go back fishing

We read in John 21:2-3, “Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."
They said to him, "We will go with you."(ESV)

There was nothing wrong with the disciples wanting to go fishing, but the regretful part was that they had given up following Jesus to go after their profession.
It was Peter who initiated the move to get back to fishing.
As long as Jesus was with them
Peter was happy and content, but after he had witnessed the arrest, trial, death and burial of Jesus and he had lost all hope and become totally discouraged though the risen Lord Jesus appeared to them.

Just think about it.
We still talk about Peter only because he was a disciple of Jesus.
If Peter was just another ordinary fisherman, none of us would have heard about him.

Peter received fame, blessings, had his daily needs met, saw miracles and wonders only because He was with Jesus, but unexpectedly everything seemed to have come to an end when Jesus died.

That same Peter was the one who gave up everything to follow Jesus, who walked on water, who trusted Jesus and caught a fish which had his tax money in its mouth, who experienced every awesome miracle that Jesus performed, was disheartened and tempted to give up on the Lord, and to go back to where he started.

If we are not watchful, it is possible that we too can backslide like Peter, and the other disciples did.
The only way for one to not go astray, is to be rooted and built up firmly on the word of God.

We must allow the written word of God, to be deeply embedded in our hearts, which alone helps to grow our faith in the Lord and keeps us on course.

They did not heed Jesus’ word.
In Matthew 16:21 we read, “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”(ESV)

The disciples of Jesus were clearly instructed by Jesus while He was with them that certain events were bound to happen.
He told them that He would go to Jerusalem where He would be tried, arrested, crucified, buried, and would rise again on the third day.

Though the disciples heard these oft repeated words of Jesus, they did not pay close attention to listen and take note of what He told them, and probably forgot Jesus’ predictions of what was to come.
That is the reason why they thought everything was over when Jesus died, and did not fully understand or comprehend the fact that Jesus would indeed rise again from the dead to be with them forever.

Some of us may be in such a situation where we too hear the word of God regularly but are not really paying close attention to what the Lord is saying to us.
It is only when one firmly believes, and accepts the word by faith, will our faith stand strong in the midst of trials, difficulties and discouragements.

It is a remarkable thought that this episode of Peter and the other disciples deciding to go back fishing, as recorded in John’s Gospel, happened after the resurrection of Jesus.
It makes us wonder as to why they would have decided to go back to fishing when they had been eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus who appeared to them.

The chief priests on the other hand, whose only aim was to do away with Jesus paid more careful attention to Jesus’ words than did the disciples of Jesus.

In Matthew 27:62–63, we read, “On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember, while he was still alive, how that the deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise’”. (NKJV)

The chief priests and Pharisees were more keenly listening to the words of Jesus, and therefore went to Pilate to take extra precaution to see that Jesus’ words that He would rise again would not be fulfilled and saw to it that the tomb of Jesus was safely sealed and guarded.

When Jesus calls us to be His disciples, He in no uncertain terms declares that we will certainly face problems and difficulties as long as we are here on the earth, but that also goes with the assurance as promised by Jesus in John 16:33,
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.
But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”(NKJV)

The assurance we have is that no matter how daunting our situations are, the Lord who called us is faithful, and He has promised us victory over every circumstance we face, no matter how grim it may be.

As long as the disciples were walking close with Jesus, there was only eager expectation, and no room for doubts and fears.
It was only when they walked away that they started to stumble. If we do not chose to walk with Jesus every day we too can easily become dejected and discouraged.
Each new day is God’s gift to us, and we must wake up with anticipation as to what the Lord will do for us, and through us.

Instead of having a fatalistic view on life, our lives must be firmly set on God and His word, if we seek to live a life filled with meaning and purpose.

It is the Lord alone who can turn all our hopeless situations to hopeful ones, and transform our areas of defeat to those of victory.

Here is a good way for us to check to see if God’s word is truly entrenched in our hearts.
When faced with problems and difficulties, if all we do is grumble and complain, we can be sure that God’s word has no place in our hearts.
On the other hand, if His word is deeply rooted inside of us, we will choose to speak words of faith and victory.

The bible says in Proverbs 18:21 that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” which means that it is within our power to speak positively words of faith and victory over our situations, instead of doubt and defeat.

It is important for us to learn THAT INSTEAD of constantly complaining to others about the hardships we face, WE NEED TO hand over everything to God, and allow His peace to rule in our hearts and minds.
YOU KNOW …. THE PEACE THAT PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING!

Most certainly if the disciples had listened to the words of Jesus, and had taken it to heart, there would have been no way they would have gone back to fishing.

By not remembering the words of Jesus and the assurance He left them, they were filled with fear, uncertainty, despondency, and decided to walk away from Him.

The outcome was that they got back to where they were earlier, as they trusted only what they saw with their physical eyes.
The call to follow Jesus and be His disciples is not a simple task, as it is a call to walk by faith, and with total trust in God and His word.

When Jesus first called Peter in Luke 5:1-3, we read,
“One day Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret while the people pushed their way up to him to listen to the word of God.
He saw two boats pulled up on the beach; the fishermen had left them and were washing the nets.
Jesus got into one of the boat, it belonged to Simon and asked him to push off a little from the shore.
Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd.” (GNB)

Jesus was on the shore of the Lake Gennesaret, and as he taught, he asked for Simon Peter to push his boat a little farther so He could get into it and teach from there.
The Lord chose to use Peter’s boat only.

It is the Lord who has chosen and called each one of us to be His children.
We often question the Lord when we are in a quandary and forget that the Lord in His grace chose us to be His children. The one who called us is faithful, and He will carry us through right to the very end.
The Apostle Paul understood this calling of God most vividly. Before his encounter with the Lord Jesus, he was a persecutor of the church of Jesus.
However, after his conversion Paul realized that God had chosen him even before he was born as he aptly says in Galatians 1:15, “But God in his grace chose me even before I was born
and called me to serve him.”

Not only did Paul know that God chose him, but he had the firm belief that nothing in all the world, not tribulation, famine, hunger or persecution could separate him from the love of God.

When the Lord first called Peter he was in a similar predicament as the one he found himself in after the resurrection of Jesus.
He and the other fishermen, three of whom also became Jesus’ disciples had fished all night, and caught nothing.

However, when Jesus told Peter to cast his net again he did so, only because he believed the words of Jesus.
It was Peter giving heed to the words of Jesus that built up his faith in Jesus.
After a whole night of wasted efforts, when morning came, it was only when Peter listened and obeyed the words of Jesus that their empty nets were now filled and BURSTING with fish like they had never seen before.

If Peter had decided to go by his own logical thinking, and refused to obey Jesus’ simple instruction, they would have caught nothing.
Our faith is built up as we constantly hear the word of God.
When the Lord instructs us to do something, and we obey implicitly, only then we will find victory in all that we do.
When the Lord first placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden they did not need to toil and sweat.

Sweat and toil was God’s curse on fallen man.
All our human efforts are useless and in vain unless the Lord blesses our efforts and labor.

Hearing the word of God increases our faith, and faith is what helps us overcome every difficulty, and gives us victory in the world.

Instead of leaning on our own mind and thinking, we should learn to trust in the Lord with all our heart and success will be ours.
Peter gave it all up.
After the miraculous catch of fish, Peter and the other disciples brought their nets full of fish to the shore.

All that Peter toiled for the whole night was now accomplished, but what Peter did was astounding.
When Jesus asked Peter to follow Him, He willingly left it all, and followed Jesus.

It seemed strange that after having received this miraculous catch of fish that Peter was longing to have, that he willingly gave it all up to follow Jesus.
The obvious reason for this transformation was that Peter realized that after he had found the Lord, the true giver of all blessings that he henceforth decided not seek after the blessings, but rather pursue the Lord, who is the originator and giver of all good things.

Peter may have gone hungry before he met Jesus, but we can be sure that once he decided to follow Jesus there was not a day when his needs were not met by Jesus.
Peter who had willingly left his profession, his boat and his nets to follow Jesus, was after three and half years tempted to go back to where he started.

To those of us who hold on to Jesus and follow after Him, the Lord promises to supply all our needs, and we will never be in want.
There may be times of trials and temptations that confront us, when we too may be tempted to give up.
Sometimes the temptation to give up on this journey with Jesus may come from those around us.

Instead of being satisfied with leading mundane and mediocre lives, let us surrender our lives to the Lord, who can strengthen us and build up our faith so we can be a great blessing to others.

Peter’s decision to get back to fishing also affected the faith of six other disciples who decided to go along with him.
The result was that they were back to square one, a place of toiling and emptiness.

They labored all night and ended up only with sheer exhaustion and failure.
When we chose to walk away from the Lord, not only does it affect us, but also our family and those around us.
Our backsliding will usually result in others following suit.
If we KEEP our eyes focused on our faithful God, we will not go astray.

Also the kind of people we associate with will in many ways affect our walk with the Lord.
It is beneficial to have fellowship with those who love the Lord
and are being used by the Lord, as this helps us to keep focused and to shine for the Lord.
Let us always remember that we are called to BE the salt of the earth, those who will influence others positively.

If we like Lot’s wife look back, we will become pillars of salt that will be of no use to anyone.
When Jesus first called Peter and the others he called them from being ‘fishermen’ to becoming ‘fishers of men’.

The difference between ‘fishermen’ and ‘fishers of men’ is huge. ‘Fishermen’ catch live fish and then kill them whereas ‘fishers of men’ are those called by the Lord to find men who are dead in their trespasses and sins and help them find eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Every one of us must choose to be either a ‘fisherman’ (those who take life) or ‘fishers of men’ (those who give life to others).

God’s call to us is to be those who give life to others.
If we backslide, and go back to our old way of living, our lives will become fruitless and worthless to others.
Let us decide to remain faithful to the Lord, and to His calling for our lives.
May the Lord on His return find each one of us standing firm in our faith.
As those who have decided to follow Jesus, let us press on with perseverance, and never turn back but keep running forward, looking only to Jesus who is the author, and the finisher of our faith.

Who Is Jesus?

John 1:43-51

INTRO: Good morning church. It is easy to miss, but the Apostle John has given a number of different titles to Jesus. Recall that the gospel began with the description that Jesus is the Word (1:1). Jesus is called the true light (1:9) and the Only Son (1:14). He is called God in verse 1 and verse 18. John the Baptizer has proclaimed Jesus to be “the Lamb of God” (1:29, 36). The two disciples who begin to follow Jesus call him “Rabbi,” which means “Teacher.” In verse 41 we see Jesus called the Messiah, which we understand as the Christ, a title given in verse 17 also. These titles are descriptors of course, and each gives us insight to who Jesus is. The New Testament presents many descriptors. In House to House Heart to Heart Volume 30 Number 3 you can find a list of these on the inside back page.

One would probably suppose that this would be enough titles. Yet, in verses 43-51 we read three more titles given to Jesus. Nathanael ascribes two of these titles to Jesus, after being amazed that Jesus knew his spiritual condition (“an Israelite without deceit”) and knew his physical location (“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree”). That's why the lesson today is titled, Who is Jesus?

The two titles Nathanael proclaims are found in verse 49, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

I. Son of God, King of Israel – Let’s read John 1:43-51 – “43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.””

A. Recall that John gave his purpose for writing this gospel, “That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). John the Baptizer declared that the baptism of Jesus proved that Jesus was the Son of God (John 1:34). The term, “Son of God” is easily and frequently misunderstood. D.A. Carson in his commentary on John makes this observation – (and I paraphrase);

1. “The expression ‘the son of X’ can have an extraordinarily wide range of meanings, owing in part to the influence of Hebrew on the Greek of the New Testament. Hebrew does not have as many adjectives as some languages, and compensates for this lack, by a variety of idiomatic structures including this one. Thus ‘a wicked man’ might be called ‘a son of wickedness’ (Psalm 89:22). Those deserving execution are ‘a son of death’ (1^st Samuel 20:31). Small wonder, then, that Judas Iscariot can be called (literally) a ‘son of perdition’ (John 17:12). In the Sermon on the Mount, peacemakers are called ‘sons of God’ (Matthew 5:9), because their peacemaking attests that… in this respect at least… they are imitating God.”
2. I found that to be a very useful explanation of why we have this “son of …” language commonly found in the Old Testament, also in the New Testament. When we read ‘son of wickedness’ it's not talking about you were born of a wicked person and therefore you're a child of wickedness. It's an adjective, saying, you are a wicked person, therefore a son of wickedness.
3. In the same way when you see Jesus being described as son of God, we are not talking about some kind of physical descendancy, but an adjective to say He is God. He possesses the very qualities and characteristics of God.

B. Turn with me now to Psalm 2. We will start reading at verse 1. “1. Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? 2. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, …” Stop right there a minute. Look at what is being said. There are the nations, the people, the kings and the rulers. They have set themselves against two entities, the Lord and His anointed. The psalmist asks, “Why is the world against the authority of the Lord and His anointed?”

1. Psalm 2:3 – “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” It sounds like they're trying to break free from submission to God. V. 4f – “4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” God Himself upon the occasion of Jesus' baptism made it clear enough who this Son is, in the thundering message from heaven, Matthew 3:17. "on Zion my holy hill." Is a reference to Jerusalem, referred to here as holy, meaning not that Jerusalem's citizens were holy, but that God had recorded His name there and that, in time, the Anointed would appear on her streets.
2. Verse 7, "I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”" The Messianic King now speaks, quoting the promise given to David in 2^nd Samuel 7. This sonship and kingship imagery is tied directly together. This carries the implication of authority, rule and a kingdom.
3. We see how the psalmist brings these two images together. He says the Lord has established His anointed as king. The anointed then turns around and speaks and says, Here's the decree that the Lord gave to me.

C. Continuing in Psalm 2:8, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.”

1. Let’s turn 2^nd Samuel 7:12f and read God’s promise to David – “12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” Not even an angel of heaven deserved such a line as this. The inspired author of Hebrews makes this absolutely indisputable. "To what angel did God ever say, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son."? (Hebrews 1:5-7).
2. These are just two texts that hold together being king and being son. I think this helps us understand what Nathanael is saying in his declaration, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!'' Nathanael recognizes Jesus as the king of Israel, the one that they have been looking for, the Son of God.

D. It is astounding how some scholars teach that Jesus never took any claim of divinity or kingliness or godliness upon himself. I would suggest they don't read very well. Listen to some of the things where Jesus intentionally indicates who He is.

1. In John 5:16-17 – “16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”” Like father, like son.
2. Jesus here affirmed the unique relationship between Himself and God. He taught the disciples to pray "Our Father," but many times used "My Father" in His own reference to God. Here Jesus' argument is that the interpretation the priests insisted upon would make God himself a Sabbath-breaker! Does God not heal on the Sabbath? Is not the maintenance of the universe a work of God going on every second of time, Sabbath days included? These are the implications of Jesus' words, "My Father is working until now."
3. Note that by the use of the first person possessive, "My Father," and by His statement that He also works (on the Sabbath day) He claimed equality with God. “and I am working”… By this, Jesus affirmed that He was doing exactly what God was doing. The Father had never ceased to work in the support and maintenance of all things, and therefore the Lord was in full character with the Father when He healed a man on the Sabbath day. Furthermore, no Sabbath regulation of any divine sanction had ever forbidden such an act.

E. This is why the Jews were seeking to kill him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, as they saw it… but He was even calling God His own father. Making Himself equal with God. To be son of God is to be God. To call God your father as He was doing was to set up that equation like father, like son. He's working. I'm working.

1. Consider the Jewish leaders would not have killed Jesus if he was only a prophet. If the only label that He accepted upon Himself was, I'm just a prophet sent from God. That's no problem to the Jewish people at all. The nation would have readily accepted that. It is because He continually accepted this language and continually pressed it even further indicating, that's who I am.
2. Recall what they told Pilate? John 19:7 – “The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”” Divine. He made himself God. That's what that phrase means. The Jews heard what Jesus was saying as He went around teaching. Notice what the Jews are saying, He's making himself equal to God. He's saying he's God. That's what son of God means.
3. That is why this becomes an amazing statement in this first chapter of John when Nathanael says, you knew my spiritual condition. You know that I was without guile or deceit, and you knew where I was under that fig tree before we even met. You're the son of God. Who else can know that? How else can that be done? Then he adds, you are the King of Israel.

F. Now let’s look at Zephaniah 3:15f – “15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love;…” That's the equation. You are the king of Israel, you're the Lord. You're the prophesied king. You are the Christ. You are the one that we have been looking forward to. Everything that Jesus does, everything that Jesus teaches and says as we read about His life… continues to press that connection.

1. We cannot say, “Jesus is the Messiah but that doesn't make Him God”. Scripture takes those two concepts and incorporates them together and you can not pull them apart.

a. The Jews understood that. Look again, John 19:12 – “From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”” They understood what Jesus had been saying. They didn't say he's claiming to be a prophet. They said he's claiming to be the king of Israel.
b. Recall the inscription Pilate had put on the cross. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Oh that greatly upset the Jewish leaders and they petitioned Pilate to change it. Pilate refused. They were upset because it is the claim of God. It is the claim of Messiah-ship. It is the claim of kingliness.

2. It is the claim of everything that the Old Testament was pressing toward. It is the recognition that Jesus could not be the Savior of the world, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and not also be the Creator, God, and Lord.
3. That's what John is doing in this Gospel. That's really important so I'll say it again, it is not possible for Jesus to be the Savior of the world, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, AND NOT also be the Creator, God, and Lord.
4. Remember how John’s gospel began. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Two verses later, all things were made through Him, and there was not anything made that was made apart from Him. He made everything. He is Creator God. John in this Gospel is just linking those two in concrete and trying to drive that home for us to believe in who Jesus is. It demands recognizing He is the Savior, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, but He is also the King of Israel. He is the Messiah. He is the eternal God

II. Son of Man - Let’s look at the third title, a title that Jesus gives to Himself. It is the most common title that Jesus uses for Himself, and it is found in v. 51, “Son of Man.” This title is found 18 times in John’s gospel and is used about 80 times in the four gospel accounts. This is a very serious title that Jesus gives because it also points to a particular Old Testament prophecy found in Daniel 7.

A. Daniel 7:13f Daniel says, “13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”[ESV]
B. Here the title of “Son of Man” carries the same two ideas that we have been examining in this study. Jesus is the King and rules over all creation. He comes in the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days and is standing before Him. Only God can do that. Only God is going to take His stand before the very throne of God and receive whatever the Lord has to give. In Revelation John has a vision, and what happens to John? He can't bear to stand. Ezekiel has a vision. Can he bear to stand? No, he cannot. Constantly, this imagery is given about how flesh and blood is unable to deal with the full force of the glory of God. It is absolutely impossible. Moses told of the same thing.
C. In Daniel we see kingship and sonship tied together. The kingship is obvious. Verse 14, what was given to Him; glory, a kingdom, an everlasting dominion that's never going to fade away. He's given the eternal rule of God. Notice in v. 13 Daniel says that “… with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days …” This reminds me of Acts 1:9 where the two watched Jesus ascend. Daniel is envisioning Him coming in that ascension to the Father, receiving a kingdom, and beginning His rule.
D. In a previous lesson we learned that John, the witness, sees Jesus walking by and he makes the declaration, “Behold the Lamb of God”. Remember what the two disciples of John did? They start following Jesus. When you understand that Jesus is the Lamb of God, you drop everything and you follow Him.

1. Consider that a bit more now. When we understand that Jesus is the Son of God, the King over heaven and earth, who has an eternal kingdom, an eternal rule, and has all authority, glory, and might, the Son of Man… the only reaction that we can have is to not only drop everything and follow Him, but to drop everything and bow the knee at the feet of Jesus.
2. I want to read again Psalm 2:5f. “Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” Here we have the Son. Here is the anointed One and He says here is the decree given to Me.
3. Verse 8. “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” Just say the word and You rule the world, which is exactly what Daniel 7 pictures. He comes to the Ancient of Days and receives the kingdom.
4. Verse 9f. “You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”[ESV]

E. Psalm 2 begins with a question. Why do the nations rage? Why do people continue to go up against the will of God? I like verse 3. The Lord sits back and holds them in derision. He laughs. You want to go up against God? It is like the comical picture of a kindergarten-aged child being upset at his parents and running away from home... all the way to his neighbor’s house.

1. There is obviously a serious side to this as well, and although the picture of weak and silly man trying to match wits with an almighty and all-knowing God is comical, God takes no delight in their waywardness and its consequences, but rather desires to see them turn around.
2. God continues. I will establish my anointed. I will install Him as my King even though He would be rejected. Even though the earth would kill Him, even though the kings would reject Him… God appoints Him as ruler over heaven and earth. As Savior of the world, as God Himself.
3. Then He says, and I paraphrase, bow the knee or else. Yield to the King or it will not go well for you. Yield to the King and it will go very well! Blessed are all those who take refuge in Him.

III. Jesus Is The Ladder - Finally, we need to look at what Jesus says about Himself in John 1:51. After Nathanael’s amazement concerning Jesus’ ability to know him spiritually and physically, Jesus tells him that he is going to see even greater things than that. What more could they possibly see? What they have seen so far is quite amazing! But there is more. “And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.””[ESV]  As an aside, that second “you” is a plural pronoun. The King James makes it more obvious. “…I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see…” They will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. – This is a puzzling statement. What does Jesus mean?

A. You may recognize that this is an allusion to the vision that Jacob had, which is recorded for us in Genesis 28:10-22. Verse 12 contains the direct connection: “And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!”
B. As this is happening in the vision, God is speaking from the top of the ladder, declaring His covenantal promise to Jacob in verses 13-15. This will be your land. You will have many offspring. God will not leave you until he has kept his promise. – Yet there is no explanation given about the vision of the ladder.

1. Listen to what Jacob says and what he does. “16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.””
2. Consider this… Jesus is the link between heaven and earth. Jesus is the house of God. Jesus is the gate of heaven. Jesus is the place to meet God. Jesus is the holy place. Jesus is the gateway to heaven.
3. Jesus does not say that the angels are ascending and descending on the ladder, but they are ascending and descending on Him, the Son of Man. Jesus is the place where all the promises of God are fulfilled. Jesus is where you have a covenant relationship with God.

CONCLUSION: That is what Jesus is saying with this imagery. He is saying you think you have seen great things? You haven't seen anything yet. You are going to begin to see that you come in contact with God through me.
You will see that I am the way to heaven. You will see that I am the holy place. You are going to see that I am that link between heaven and earth.
You are going to see me as the mediator between people and God. You are going to understand that I am that high priest. You are going to see me as that connection between you and God.
That is what we saw back in John 1:14-18. Remember what John said there? The word became flesh and tabernacled with us. We have seen his glory. The glory of the only son from the Father full of grace and truth. The very same picture. John is wrapping up by answering the question of who Jesus is. Jesus is the awesome place where we meet God.

John wraps up his introduction telling his audience, do you understand how great Jesus is? Chapters 2, 3, and 4 are going to amplify those images when we look at the water turned to wine, the temple, the discussion with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. These signs John evidently included with regard to the absolute authority by which each was performed. Jesus is the awesome place.

Pull your song books out. We will sing Invitation Song number 592. We are inviting you to see who Jesus truly is. To understand that He is the only way to God, the only way to have a relationship with the Father. Jesus is the only way into heaven. He is the only place where you enter the kingdom of God. He is the only place where you can be reconciled to God.

He is the awesome place where you and I come and meet God. He is the true temple of God. I pray when you see that, when you understand that He is the son of God, the son of man, the king of Israel. That this understanding will cause each of us to bow the knee before Him, praise Him for who He is, how glorious He is, how powerful He is, and how awesome it is to serve the living God. Turn away from your sins and be immersed in water to have your sins washed away to enter that relationship with Him.
Won't you come now while we stand and sing?

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Reference Sermon: Brent Kercherville

The Influence of a Mother

Proverbs 31 and 2^nd Timothy 1

Today, we not only acknowledge the mothers who brought us into this world, but we also salute every soul who has taken up the role of nurturing us in any way possible.
On our journey through life nothing can compare with the impact made by our mothers. Their words, for good OR for bad, are never fully forgotten, and the memory of their presence lasts a lifetime.
I would like to take a moment to reflect on the wise insights shared by some mothers:

1) A son told his mother that he couldn’t tell the difference between a rose and a dandelion. So when it came time to fix up his garden, he had no clue which plants to keep and which ones to remove. Until, that is, his mother gave him this handy tip: “Pull them all up. If it comes back, it’s a weed.”

2) Another Mom had a small decorative windmill in her yard. A storm broke one of the blades, causing the windmill to shake violently. Dad announced that he would “take care of it” and rebalanced the windmill by snapping off the opposing blade. Watching him, Mom remarked, “I hope I never break a leg.”

3) While rummaging through her attic, a woman named Debbie found an old shotgun. Unsure about how to dispose of it, she called her parents. “Take it to the police station,” her mother suggested. Debbie agreed and was about to hang up when her mother added, “Oh, and Debbie? Make sure you Call them first.”

4) And then there is the mother, who can be a master of the guilt trips. When her son finally got around to calling his mom he heard the following answering machine message: “If you are a salesperson, press one. If you’re a friend, press two. If you’re my son who never calls, press 911 because the shock will probably give me a heart attack.”

Abraham Lincoln said, "No one is poor who had a godly mother." And I believe he was right. The influence of a godly mother on her children cannot be overstated.
There are some notable examples of motherhood in scripture. But this morning I want to mention two special passages that we ought to consider. One is found in Proverbs, chapter 31. Listen to a few selected verses.

"10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.

13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”

30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates."

And the 2^nd passage we find in 2^nd Timothy 1:5
It was written by the apostle Paul to young Timothy,

"5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well."

Whether you’re a “stay-at-home” mom like Timothy’s mother, or one who works like the mother praised in Proverbs 31, the emphasis of my message this morning has to do with a mother’s influence upon her children and her family.

And I urge those of you who have no children or whose children are far away, look around and take note of those who may be in need of a "parent figure," or a "second mom or dad." You may be just the mentor or friend that someone else desperately needs.
Proverbs 24:3-4 tells us that "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, passed on to your children so that they might build their lives on a foundation that is sufficient for all their needs.
There were once 4 scholars who were arguing over Bible translations.

• One said he thought that the King James Version was the best because of its beautiful and eloquent style of speech.
• Another said he preferred the American Standard Bible for its accurate translation of the original text.
• A third preferred the New International Version because of its modern language and ease of understanding.
• After thinking about it for a moment, the 4th scholar said, "I have always preferred my mother's translation."

When the others expressed surprise, saying that they didn’t know that she was a translator, he responded, "Yes, she trans-lated it. She translated it into life, and that's the best translation I’ve ever seen."
We have already mentioned one young man who saw such a translation of God's Word in his lifetime. His name was Timothy. He lived in the 1st Century, and it is to him that Paul's New Testament letters of 1 and 2 Timothy were addressed.
Paul was Timothy's older friend and mentor. As Paul sat in a Roman dungeon, facing impending death, he wrote to Timothy to encourage him in his ministry.

But 1st and 2nd Timothy are also letters filled with nostalgia. Paul draws upon his memories and recalls the examples of faith and commitment he has observed in the life of Timothy.
Particularly in 2 Timothy 1:2-7, Paul reminisces about the way Timothy's faithfulness is largely a reflection of the examples and instruction which he had received from his mother and grandmother.

And, in the process, Paul pinpoints some contributions that they made to his life; contributions we will consider this morning.

Listen as I read 2^nd Timothy 1:2-5.
“To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

This passage deals with the contributions Timothy's mother and grandmother had made to him as he was growing up.

The 1^st contribution they made, and I think the most important one, is "A Living Faith."
In Vs. 5 Paul refers to the "...sincere faith, which first lived in your grand-mother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”

The word "sincere" here is a word that means "without hypocrisy…. genuine."
In essence, it's a faith that is real, that has been applied realistically and consistently to the issues and situations of life.

Where Lois and Eunice came from originally... we have no idea, but we do know that they eventually settled in the Roman town of Lystra.
They had been born Jewish, but they came to know about Jesus, and they DID take their faith in Christ very seriously, seriously enough to make sure that Eunice's young son knew all about it.

What did Timothy hear and see in his home?
Assuming that he was a normal kid, everything!
That is the way it works.
Despite all the aggravation that our children give us by apparently not listening to what we tell them, they still hear and see, and it does make an impression - for good or for ill.

Those of us who have, or have had, young children
We are amazed at the things youngsters pick up.
They see commercials on TV and then, when it’s time to go to the grocery store, they’re already prepared with a mental list of all the brand names that have attracted them.

They repeat words or phrases that they hear around the house, sometimes to mommy's and daddy's embarrassment.
They remember things that parents quickly forget.
They might be naive and easily led, but kids will not be fooled for long.

And just as they are not fooled by anything else, they will not be fooled about religion either.
So, if you really want to share the Gospel with your children, or with anyone else, you had better take your own faith seriously. Paying lip-service to Christ and the church will never give the proper message.

By your attendance at Bible Study and Worship, by your participation in the life and mission of the church, by the effort you put forth in the deepening of your relationship with the Lord, you will determine what lessons about the Lord and the church your children will learn first.

One thing is certain; parents can never fool their children with a message of "Do as I say, not as I do."
Kids are too smart for that.

If you tell them that Sunday School and attendance at worship is important but you yourself find other things to do on Sundays, what message will your children get?

If you tell them that a personal relationship with the Lord is important but they never see you opening the Bible or praying, what message will they get? You know the answer!

Parents who want to make serious claim on the name "Christian" had better make sure that their faith shows in front of their children.

Apparently, Lois and Eunice lived their faith in front of Timothy. They made whatever efforts they could to learn about Jesus.

And then mother... and grand-mother passed on the results of that learning to the receptive boy.
They left him an outstanding legacy – a living faith!

This kind of living faith is what we all should demonstrate to our children, and to others around us through our actions as well as through our words.

A 2^nd contribution is given in Vs. 7.
“7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
2^nd Timothy 1:7 carries a powerful message for believers: rather than being ruled by fear and timidity, God has bestowed upon us a spirit of strength, love, and self-discipline. This verse reminds us that fear does not come from God. Instead, the Holy Spirit empowers us to face life's challenges with courage and confidence.
Power The “power” mentioned here isn’t a boastful claim about our own strength; But it’s an empowerment that comes from God and enables us to overcome obstacles and to stand boldly in the face of adversity. Whether you're confronting personal challenges, uncertainties at work, or difficult decisions, this power encourages you to act with conviction and resilience.
Love is central to the Christian faith. The verse emphasizes that the Spirit God gives us a divine, unconditional love. It’s a love that motivates us to care deeply for others, forge genuine relationships, and reflect God’s compassion in our actions. This love not only transforms how we interact with people but also softens our hearts to embrace forgiveness and understanding.

Dr. Stanley Coopersmith, in a study of middle-class boys, found that children have higher esteem and become more successful and independent when they have a home where sure and consistent discipline is present.

It's been said that children need two pats on the back:
*One high enough to encourage them when they do right, and *one low enough to discourage them when they do wrong.
Dorothy Nolte wrote, "If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice." And the only way to be fair to our children is to praise where praise is appropriate, and to discipline where discipline is appropriate. And sometimes you will be making a difference in ways that you never imagined.
Yes, today is a special day. And for most of us there are many precious memories that we will always treasure.

I will close today’s lesson with this story.

The young mother set her foot on the path of life.
"Is the way long?" she asked.
And her guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard.
And you will be old before you reach the end of it.
But the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.
So, she played with her children and gathered flowers for them along the way.

The sun shone on them, and life was good, and the young woman cried,
"Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the night came, and storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said,
"Oh Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come." The Mother said,
"This is better than the brightness of the day, for I have taught my children courage."

The morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary but she said to her children, "A little patience and we are there."

So the children climbed, and when they reached the top, they said, "We could not have done it without you, Mother."
And the Mother, when she lay down that night, looked up at the stars and said,
"This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned perseverance in the face of difficulty. Yesterday I gave them courage.
Today I have given them strength."

With the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth - clouds of war and hatred, and the children groped and stumbled.
The mother said: "Look up. Lift your eyes to the light."
And the children looked up and saw above the clouds an everlasting Glory, and it guided them and brought them beyond the darkness.
That night the Mother said,
"This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God."

The days went on, and weeks and months and years, and the Mother grew old, and she was little and bent.
But her children were strong and tall, and walked with courage.

When the way was hard, they helped their mother; and when the way was rough they lifted her, for she was light as a feather.
And at last they came to a hill, and golden gates open wide.

The Mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey.
And now I know that the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them."

The children said, "You will always walk with us mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her, and they said,
"We cannot see her, but she is with us still."

INVITATION

Sermon Contributor Melvin Newland

What Are You Seeking?

John 1:35-49

INTRO: Good morning church. In studying John’s Gospel we learned that John the witness was sent by God for a purpose. We read that he called himself “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord,''” When Jesus came toward him, he began declaring, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” With that great declaration! John is doing his mission, proclaiming and revealing that Jesus is the one sent by God to deliver the people from their sins, to save them from their coming punishment.

I. Follow The Lamb (1:35-39) – Let’s begin today by reading John 1:35-39 – “35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.”[ESV]

A. In verse 35 we are told it was the next day and John the Witness was standing with two of his disciples. Jesus walks by and John continued his proclamation: “Behold, the Lamb of God.” John was pointing out Jesus to those two disciples. When John’s disciples heard his declaration of Jesus as the Lamb of God, they leave John and follow Jesus. Remember a disciple is a learner, a student and these two it seems wanted to know more. Perhaps John had given them more detail already but that is our imagination since we are not told.

1. John knew and repeatedly declared that his work was not about himself, but about revealing Jesus as the Lamb of God to Israel. Seeing the Lamb of God and understanding that Jesus is the one, who takes away our sins; the reaction of these two disciples is absolutely appropriate. That really should be the same reaction that we have.
2. We are not told what the conversation was between those two disciples and John. We don't know what they were doing at that moment, or what plans they might have had for that day. They stop what they're doing and immediately follow Jesus.
3. We are told when they see that Jesus is the one that they have been looking for, here is the one who has come to take away our sins, they drop everything and go after Him. They're not going to let Him get away as He continues along.

B. This is the point that John the Apostle is making. When a person encounters Jesus and understands who He is, not just some good guy, not just somebody who gives advice from His Word, advice that is useful and gives you a better life. But that Jesus is the eternal Word who came from Heaven, who died for our sins so that we could be forgiven. When we truly have a handle on that knowledge, then we are going to stop everything we are doing. We will leave everything behind and we are going to follow Him.

1. You don't go back to doing what you were doing before. You don't go back to the old routine. You don't get back to your old schedule. You don't go back to your normal way of life. Everything changes at that point.
2. And everything must change or otherwise, I submit to you, that you truly don't know who Jesus is. It changes everything when you grasp that there is the Lamb of God who will take away my sins.

C. In verse 38 we read, “Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”” Jesus notices that they are following Him. Jesus asks them an important question. “What are you seeking?” Obviously Jesus knows what these two are doing. Notice that Jesus does not ask them who they are seeking, but what they are seeking. I suspect that He wants them to consider what their motivation is.

1. That is something we need to consider about ourselves. What is our motivation? From my limited experience over the years, the conversations I have had and the comments people have made, the answers are widely varied as to why people follow Jesus. I wonder perhaps if sometimes the motivation is merely social.
2. Perhaps we may follow Jesus for some sort of social benefit. How often today people speak of the church in terms of social benefits. People will readily declare that they go to church because the people are nice, the programs are good, the children’s ministry is excellent, the music is good, the food is good, the potlucks are great, or something like that. These things are nice but they are not the reason to follow Jesus and I wonder why these things might come to people’s lips first?
3. Perhaps some follow Jesus to feel good about them selves. You'll feel so much better about yourself if you attend service. That's not the reason to follow Jesus. In fact, following Jesus often does the opposite. It is a constant reminder to us of our sinfulness and of our shortcomings. He is so holy and good and righteous, and we so often fall short.
4. I also suspect some people just follow Jesus because that's all they've ever done. My parents went to church and my grandparents went to church and their parents went to church. Perhaps they don't know what else to do on a Sunday or they feel weird if they didn't go to church on Sunday. It wouldn't feel right. Some people come out of habit. This is what they've always done. They do not follow from the heart but from habit. They follow because they think they have to, not because they want to. I think it is a very valid question to consider why we are here following Jesus.
5. I suspect this is the question that Jesus wants these disciples to consider. Their response in verse 38 was more timid and hesitant than we might have expected. Instead of answering; "We understand that you are the Messiah, the Lamb of God that takes away sins and would like to follow you," they politely addressed Him as "Rabbi," and inquired where He lived! John then explains the term "Rabbi" and that leads me to think that the greater part of the Christian world to which this was written, was Gentile.

D. In verse 39 Jesus rewarded the two disciples by inviting them home with Him, which resulted in their spending the day. Jesus understood that they want to get to know Him and spend time with Him. They wanted to learn more about the Lamb of God. That's why they ask, “Where are you staying?”, because they want to be there too.

1. Jesus responds with the words they were hoping to hear: “Come and you will see.” Jesus receives people who with honest hearts are seeking to know Him. The only reason to follow Jesus is because you are seeking a relationship with the sin remover.
2. Following Jesus is about our needing a Savior. We're not following for any other reason except that we want to have a relationship with the one who can take away sins. Yes, there are other benefits but that is the most important thing.

II. Be Changed By Jesus (1:40-42) – Continue with me now in John 1:40-42 – “40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter.)”[ESV]

A. Andrew is one of the two disciples of John that heard John say, “Behold, the Lamb of God” when Jesus walked by. Andrew and the other disciple turned to follow Jesus. Andrew goes and finds his brother Simon and tells him that they had found the Messiah. I suspect at this point Andrew was probably quite excited and in my imagination I picture him saying to Simon; “We have found Him, we have found the One! We found the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

1. Andrew takes his brother to meet Jesus. Jesus looks at Simon and says; “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas”. Not a very dramatic statement, yet imagine how you would feel if somebody that you've just met, knows you, knows who your father is and effectively says you’re not going to be called Simon but Cephas.
2. For those that are interested in these things "Cephas" is a Syriac word which is a Semitic language, specifically a dialect of Aramaic, the everyday language of the Jews at that time. “Cephas” is equivalent to the Greek word Pétros, which we render "Peter." Both mean stone or rock.
3. I think it is interesting to consider that what Jesus does here is point out to us that He not only has the ability, but He has the absolute authority to change our identity. Thinking about it, Jesus has the ability and the authority to change everything about you.

B. Calling someone “Rock” is a strong name. Think of the many times that word is used in scripture and it gives us a picture of solidity, and permanence. Yet when we read of Peter in the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, does he seem to be as solid as a rock to you?

1. Certainly I’m impressed by his bravery at times, his courage and willingness to declare his loyalty. Peter’s temperament was resolute. Think about the walking on water for example in Matthew 14; “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Wow, I am amazed and I don’t think I would have done that.
2. Then we think about the colossal failures of Peter. The most notable one to me is in the courtyard of the high priest where Jesus is having that awful trial. Mark reminded us of this last week. “Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.” (Matthew 26:57f)

a. A servant said to Peter “You were with him” and Peter denied it even going so far as to say “I do not know what you mean.” Another said “This man was with Jesus” and Peter denied it with an oath. Then a bystander accused Peter of being “one of them” and Peter said “I do not know the man.” At this point Luke writes, “And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.''”[ESV] (Luke 22:60f)
b. What a colossal failure, especially when Jesus warned him, you're going to deny me three times. Recall what Peter had said? “… I will never fall away.” (Matthew 26:33)

C. Consider the prophetic blessing Jesus was placing upon Simon though. Jesus changes Simon’s name to Cephas meaning “rock”. Jesus knew what Peter would become.

1. When we get to the book of Acts, that's exactly what we see. What a magnificent shift in the life of Peter, who goes from shaky and falling, making mistakes and colossal errors—to becoming a solid leader.
2. There he is in Acts chapter 2, standing up with the 11 proclaiming the message of a risen Savior in the face of the enemies, in the face of imprisonment, in the face of danger and death. Did Peter still have some things to learn? Oh yes, but we now see him as the “rock” Jesus named him.
3. Peter is the right name for you, Jesus says. You are going to be the rock. What is especially awesome about this name change is that it does not seem like Peter is a rock during the life of Jesus. He is full of faith and fire for Jesus but we see him falter on many occasions, even to the denying Jesus three times during His darkest hour, but Jesus knew what Peter would become.

D. What about us? What will we become for the glory of the Lord? What are we going to do for His kingdom? What can we accomplish for him? We know that what we accomplish is not for our own personal benefit, not for our own glory; but what are we going to do in the work of the kingdom of God?

1. Folks, we must never look at our past and our failures and think they prohibit us from working for the kingdom and working for the glory of God. We could easily look at our past and say, I can't be what God wants me to be. Think of what Mark told us last week about John Newton and how he had concluded that his sins were too great to be forgiven. We can’t do that.
2. Can you imagine how Peter would feel if he did that on that day of Pentecost? He might look back at his history and think; “Man, I was sinking in water, I lost faith, I nearly drowned, and I denied our Lord three times!” “I’m obviously not cut out to be an Apostle. I’m not worthy to stand here and preach to people. It should be John or Andrew, anybody else but me!” No Peter, be the rock.

E. If you have ever been involved in looking at investment choices perhaps for a 401k IRA, you probably read about all those great returns that have happened over the past five years, this investment got returns of 15% year after year or the like. Then somewhere in the paperwork you find a line like this, “Past performance is not an indication of future results.”

1. That applies to us as well. All of our past failures and mistakes and sins and errors do not have to be an indication of future results. That's not who we have to be. That's what Jesus does with Peter.
2. Jesus is God, He knows Peter. Jesus could say, “I already know the mistakes you're going to make, but I also know what's past that. I know you're going to fall on your face. I know that you're going to slip up. I know that you're going to be tempted. I know that you're going to make colossal errors, but you don't have to keep doing that.” That doesn't disqualify you from serving God.
3. It is so true of us. Your past does not have to be an indication of what you can be for the Lord. How about Paul for example? Paul is a monument to a disastrous beginning. Persecuting Christians, chasing them down, Acts recalls that he was causing havoc in the churches.
4. Paul considered his past a mark of being the chief of sinners, but look at the glory he brought to the Lord through his life! You can be changed to be a rock in the kingdom of the Lord.

III. Jesus Knows Our Condition (1:43-49) – You can be changed into the rock just like Peter and just like Paul. You and I have the same ability to turn our lives away from disaster because of the glory of God, and to become what He wants us to be. Those that come to Christ must come with a fixed resolution to be firm and constant for Him, like a stone, solid and steadfast. I’d like to touch on one more thing and point out just how John the Apostle puts this text together.

A. John 1:43-49 - “43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!””

1. Notice the conversation in verses 45-46. Here we see an observable mixture of pious zeal with weakness. This is usually found in beginners that are seeking the way to God. Philip, newly acquainted with Jesus himself, steps aside to share the good news. It also shows us that Philip was well acquainted with the scriptures.
2. Rather then our being upset with Nathanael’s reaction, I think his caution could be considered commendable, in that he did not lightly agree to every thing that was said. Philip’s response was both wise and kind. He knew enough to satisfy himself but rather then attempt to answer Nathanael’s objection on his own, he took him to the One that could.
3. It is sad but many people are kept from accepting Christ by the unreasonable prejudices they have against Christianity. These prejudices come from many places.

B. What we read next is similar to what we saw before. Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus and “Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John.” Philip tells Nathanael to come meet Jesus and “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”. Nathanael then asks, “How do you know me?” Jesus answer must have rocked Nathanael back on his heals. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

1. “I know that you have no deceit. I know where you were earlier.” Jesus is displaying His divinity to Nathanael. This pushes Nathanael over the edge to recognizing that Jesus is truly the Son of God. Jesus knew the physical and spiritual condition of Nathanael. He knew where Nathanael was that day and He knew the heart of Nathanael.
2. We read that “before” Philip called Nathanael Jesus saw him under the fig-tree. Isn’t it interesting that His eye was towards him before Philip called him? Christ has knowledge of us before we have any knowledge of Him. In Isaiah 45:5 God is speaking to Cyrus and says, “…I will gird you, though you have not known Me…”.
3. What Jesus says to Nathanael would have been a private token which nobody understood but Nathanael. We are not told why he was under the fig tree but Jesus words “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” gives me to wonder if as Matthew Henry said; “Nathanael here in was an Israelite indeed, that, like Israel, he wrestled with God alone, prayed not like the hypocrites in the corners of the streets, but under the fig-tree”.

C. We are not told what Nathanael was doing but we are told the important part, Jesus knows what you are doing and knows your heart. Jesus knows everything about us, and He has the power to change us.

1. He knows the challenges that you are facing. He knows the difficulties that you have. He knows the spiritual battle that is going on inside your heart and mind. He's aware of all of that. He knows what's happening. He knows your heart.
2. Nobody is outside of this gospel call. It doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter what difficulty is there. It doesn't matter how tough things have been. He knows what you're going through. He knows who you are and He wants you to follow Him.

CONCLUSION:
To conclude then; we need to consider if we are following Him for the right reason. Jesus knows why you're here. Jesus knows your motivation. He knows your heart.

We need to make sure that we are turning our heart to Christ because He wants us to have a deeper relationship with Him. He wants you to see Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

See who He is, deepen that relationship and follow Him with all of your heart. Your mistakes and your sins do not prevent you from getting those things washed away. God will forgive you of your sins and you can move forward in serving Him and giving Him the glory as you serve in this kingdom.

That's why Jesus came. He died for your sins, not because you and I would be perfect people. We are all sinful, fallen, broken people. Yet, God sent His son to take away our sins so that we could become His adopted children and live with Him in Glory.

It is spring time here and it is a time of renewal of the living things around us. It is also the first day of the week, a time of renewal as well. Now is a time to dedicate your heart and dedicate your mind to seek a real relationship with your Lord. To see Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. When you see Him as He is, then what else can you do but drop everything, change your life, and give Him all that He demands because He's been so good and gracious to us.

Turn away from your sins. Confess Him as the Son of God and be immersed in water to have your sins washed away to begin a relationship with the Father.

Won't you come while we stand and while we sing?

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Reference Sermon: Brent Kercherville

It Was Grace That Taught My Heart to Fear

ACTS 9: 1-25

What comes to mind when I mention Friday the 13th?
Both Fridays and the number 13 have both been considered “unlucky” down thru the ages.
Take the number 13, for example:
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue.
Many buildings don’t have a 13th floor.
And according to information I had a number of years ago, some airlines refused to have a Flight 13 or even a row of seats with that number.

As for the fear of Friday old wives tales say that you should:
Never change your bed on Friday; it will bring bad dreams.
Never start a trip on Friday or you will have misfortune.
If you cut your nails on Friday, you cut them for sorrow.
Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck.

We can all recall the almost DISASTEROUS flight of the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. Unlucky to have that oxygen tank explosion in the first part of the mission but then DID make it BACK TO EARTH safely.

You put those two together - Friday and the number 13 – and you can end up with a whole bunch of people that are actually afraid of that date on the calendar.

I have heard that the fear of Friday the 13th may come from Christian tradition— the Last Supper had 13 guests, including Jesus and his 12 apostles.
Judas, the betrayer, was the 13th guest, and the next day—Friday—was the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.
Over time, these associations contributed to the fear surrounding Friday the 13th.

Dr. Donald Dossey, a psycho-therapist specializing in the treatment of phobias estimates that at least 21 million people in America are frightened of Friday 13th

People can become afraid of the strangest things.
But the Bible tells us that God’s people should not be.
We should not be a people of fear.
Around 365 times in Scripture, God tells us “Do not fear” or “Fear not” or something similar. 365 times – that’s one time for every day of the year.

And Psalms 118:6 tells us WHY we should not fear:
“The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?”
Now, because this is true, many of gotten the mistaken impression that God doesn’t endorse fear.
That God would never want us to be afraid of anything.
But, that’s not true.

Proverbs 9:10 says "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”

Ecclesiastes 12:13: “…Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man”

And Jesus taught: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

This concept of fearing God was very real to John Newton.
When he wrote his song “Amazing Grace” he included this verse:
“It was grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.”
From what I understand… John Newton was a wicked man. If there was something evil he could do... and he could figure out a way to do it… he did it.

In fact, his wickedness was so obvious, that when his ship, the Greyhound, was caught in a terrible storm at sea, the captain of the ship seriously considered throwing John overboard like Jonah because he believed Newton’s wickedness was the cause of all their misery.

During the 9 terrifying hours of a storm that had everyone – including Newton – praying.
John Newton concluded that his sins were too great to be forgiven.
He waited with fear and impatience to receive his doom."

Newton was afraid.
And he later came to believe that his fear was God’s tool to get his attention.
“It was grace that taught my heart to fear”
John Newton believed God had to bring him to his knees in FEAR before he would ever give his life to Jesus.

Acts chapter 9 tells us a similar story about a man named Saul (we know him as Paul).
Saul was a very righteous Pharisee who had been responsible for the death of the first Christian martyr to die for the faith – Stephen.

Saul became fanatical in his opposition to the church.
He hated the name of Jesus and he hated anyone who belonged to our Lord.
By the time we get to Acts 9, Saul has obtained letters of authority from the Sanhedrin, and he’s on his way to Damascus with an armed guard, determined to arrest any Christian he can find there – and bring them back in chains.
That’s when Jesus stepped in and brought Saul to his knees.
And that brings me to our text this morning Acts 9:3-6
“As he neared Damascus on his journey,
suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
"Now get up and go into the city,
and you will be told what you must do."

For 3 days, Saul sat in a house in Damascus waiting for the messenger Jesus had promised.
For 3 days he’s blind, and he sits alone in his room, fasting and praying.

Now tell me… do you think Saul was a little afraid???
You better believe it.
I suspect there were times during those 3 days that Saul (like Newton) probably thought:
“I concluded my sins were too great to be forgiven.
I waited with fear and impatience to receive my doom.”
It was grace that taught Saul’s heart to fear.

When Ananias came to him and explained how much God really loved him, and Saul was baptized into Christ and accepted Jesus’ grace. From that day forward, Saul was determined, focused, and unstoppable.

Acts 9:20-23 says that
“At once he began to preach in the synagogues
that Jesus is the Son of God.
All those who heard him were astonished and asked,
‘Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem
among those who call on this name?
And hasn’t he come here
to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’
Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him.”

There were people that became annoyed with him and didn’t like him.
But Saul didn’t care.
He didn’t love the world… he loved Jesus.

I’ve noticed that God DOES use fear every once in a while, to get people’s attention

I heard of a man who often shared about his auto accident that brought him back to Jesus.
He had been a Christian years before but had wandered away and lived his life without God.

Then one day, he was driving a pick up truck down a road in Kentucky.
He was towing another truck behind him.
He came to a section of road that had a pretty steep grade.
He wasn’t troubled by it… until his brakes went out.
He ended up going down a weaving Kentucky road at speeds of at least 70 mph.
Then the trees parted to show that his road was going to “T” with another highway… and on that other road there was another car traveling on a collision course with him.

“Oh dear Lord,” he prayed. “Don’t let me kill them.”
He did miss that car.
But his vehicle launched across that other highway and barreled into a tree on the other side.
He says he didn’t remember anything until he woke inside his truck.
The dash was crushed up against the seat and the steering column was driven into the place where he had been seat belted in just moments before.
His body was scrunched up against the driver’s side door in a section that was hardly big enough for him to breath.

He still has pictures of the crumpled truck… and he knows full well there was no way he should have walked away from that crash.
Only God could have saved him in such a dramatic fashion.
When he got out of the hospital, he called one of the elders of the local church and asked what time church was.
And on one of the worst Sundays of that winter, this man came hobbling into church on his crutches, and he’s been there ever since.

Many have faced a fear of impending judgment, and that fear caused them to repent.

We see another example of this in
Acts 16:25 – 34
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God,
and the prisoners were listening to them,
26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.
And immediately all the doors were opened,
and everyone's bonds were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke and saw
that the prison doors were open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice,
“Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”

29 And the jailer[a] called for lights and rushed in,
and trembling with fear
he fell down before Paul and Silas.

30 Then he brought them out and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus,
and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him
and to all who were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night
and washed their wounds;
and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
34 Then he brought them up into his house
and set food before them.
And he rejoiced along with his entire household
that he had believed in God."

The Bible tells us that there are unlimited reasons for people Outside of Jesus Christ to fear.
Hebrews 9:27 “… it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

It’s grace that can teach our hearts to fear… and to repent.
But wait… after Paul was baptized, he doesn’t appear to be afraid of anything.

Acts 9:20 says that
after he’d spend some time with the disciples in Damascus
“he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.”
And this preaching got him into some trouble with some of the Jews in that town.

Acts 9:23 says After many days had gone by,
the Jews conspired to kill him…”
Paul learned of their plan, but he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave town.
He just kept on preaching.
But his followers were concerned, and so they “took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.” Acts 9:25

For the rest of his life, Paul didn’t care what the world thought about what he preached. He wasn’t afraid of what they could do to him.
BUT WHY?

Just a few days before this, Paul sat in a lonely room, fasting and praying totally afraid of the judgment of God that he knew he deserved.
But now he doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything.
– what happened?

Well, two things come to mind:
1. The fear of God gave him courage to confront any fear of men.
I saw a quote that stated: "The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else."

God told Israel “Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,
for the LORD your God goes with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you”
Deuteronomy 31:6

Or as Romans 8:31 says: “If God is for us,
who can be against us?”

It’s knowing that God is “with us” that gives us our courage… and helps us overcome our fears.

I read the story about a woman who was babysitting for the 2 year old son of her minister.
The boy was sleeping in her home one night while the minister and his wife were out of town and the boy woke up at 4:30 a.m. crying for his daddy.
She didn’t know what to do until she remembered her tape player.
She got up and plugged it in.
Together they listened to one of his dad’s sermons.
The little fellow knew it was his father’s voice, and went back to sleep.”

That little boy overcame his fears because he sensed his father was near, and he was safe.
Likewise – our Father can give us courage to stand up against any danger that this world may threaten us with because we know that He is a fearsome God who has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

2. Paul was not afraid because, now he was no longer under judgment.
Romans 8:1-2
“Therefore, there is now NO CONDEMNATION
for those who are in Christ Jesus,
because through Christ Jesus the law
of the Spirit of life set me free
from the law of sin and death.”

Or John Newton wrote: “It was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved” We can’t earn salvation, we can’t buy salvation, we can’t do enough good to deserve it, but God saves us because of His grace.

Well, how then do we “accept” this grace?
The Bible tells us we need to do just a few simple things:

1. We need to BELIEVE that Jesus is
the Christ the Son of the living God (John 3:16)
2. We need to ACKNOWLEDGE that we are sinners
and be willing to turn away form that sin (Acts 3:19)
3. We need to CONFESS Jesus
as our Lord and Master (Romans 10:9-10)
4. We need to die to our sins and
be buried in the waters of BAPTISM (Romans 6:1-5)

Grace CAN teach our hearts to Fear
But ultimately His grace can relieve our hearts from the fear of judgment.

Scripture says there will be a time of final judgment, but His grace can remove any fear of that judgment.

I would like to close this morning with a story about a man who was attending a Youth Ministry class.

When he got to class, everybody was doing their last minute studying.
The teacher came in and said he would review with us for just a little bit before the test.

We went through the review, most of it right on the study guide but there were some things he was reviewing that we had never heard of.

When questioned about it, he said that they were in the book and we were responsible for everything in the book.
We couldn’t really argue with that.
Finally it was time to take the test.

The professor instructed us to "Leave the tests face down on the desk until everyone has one and I tell you to start"

When we turned them over, every answer on the test was filled in!

The bottom of the last page said the following:
"This is the end of the Final Exam.
All the answers on your test are correct.
You will receive an ’A’ on the final exam.

The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you.
All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you get the A.
You have just experienced...grace."

The Lamb of God

The Lamb of God
John 1:19-34

INTRO: Good morning church. Open your Bibles to the Gospel of John, and we will be picking up today in John 1:19. In our look at John’s gospel so far we saw the first 18 verses describing Jesus as the Eternal Word. The Word became flesh, made His dwelling, His tabernacle among us, and we have seen His glory and from that fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

Also in chapter 1:6-8 we were told about a man named John. We know him as John the Baptizer, but this Gospel calls him John the Witness. He is the one who has come to give witness of who Jesus is, that Jesus is the light, that John himself is not that light.

Now we will consider John 1:19-34 in two sections. The first section is going to be John's testimony of himself and then the second section is going to be John's testimony of Jesus.

I. John's testimony of himself. (1:19-28) - We will begin with John 1:19-28 – “19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said. 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

A. Verse 19 sets up the scenario for us. Jews have come from Jerusalem to ask John some questions. They want clarification about who John is. Verse 24 gives us additional insight saying they had been sent from the Pharisees.

1. The word "Jews," by the end of the first century and the time John wrote this Gospel, had acquired a sinister meaning in Christian society, resulting from “official” Israel's rejection of the Savior.
2. Coffman wrote that; “John's use of this word (Jews) throughout the Gospel was to designate the avowed enemies of Christ; and it should never be understood as including the whole race of Israel, despite the fact that the vast majority of Israel had followed their evil leaders in rejecting Christ.”

B. I wondered why they bothered to come out to question John in the first place. We are told they are priests and Levites. Most of the high priestly class was Sadducees but verse 24 indicates some Pharisees were seeking answers too. I suspect then that the Sanhedrin was the body that initiated this inquiry. Why? The popular report of John's success had reached Jerusalem; and, unthinkably, he was even teaching that "Jews" needed repentance and baptism! Were they not the chosen people? What brand of teaching was this, then, that demanded repentance of Jews?
C. These Jews are trying to dig a little deeper. They come to John and they are asking; “who are you, John?” They are not asking; where did you come from, who are your parents and what's your occupation. They are asking where John fits in a theological sense, a messianic sense, brought about no doubt by his activities. There must have been whispers that this man might be the Messiah; and were not the lords of the Sanhedrin God's chosen instruments for running down and foiling any false Messiah?

1. In short then, they are asking; are you the one that has been sent by God that we've been looking for, the messiah? Verse 20, “He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”” That does not satisfy them and the questioning continues, “Are you Elijah?” “No”. “Are you the Prophet?” “No”. That leads me to pause because I have some more questions.
2. John the Baptist was called Elijah by Jesus (Matthew 17:12), and this raises the question of why John denied it here. This is another example of the kind of "contradiction" which so delights some of the critics. Literally, John the Baptist was NOT Elijah, and John's literal answer WAS literally true. Typically and spiritually, John the Baptist was THAT Elijah foretold in Malachi 4:5. However, the popular notion was that the original Elijah would rise from the dead; and, if John the Baptist had given an affirmative answer to their question, it would have been, in that context, a falsehood. This literalization of the promised return of Elijah in the popular mind would have made it impossible for him to have answered affirmatively to their question.

D. The second question gives me pause because what prophet they are referring to. Most likely, “Are you the Prophet” refers to Deuteronomy 18:15-18 when Moses in his final word says, there is a prophet that is going to be raised up like me. We know this is talking about the Messiah. This question covers the same ground which had already been answered.

1. Here's John saying, no, I am not him. That is not me at all.
2. John’s answers; no, I'm not the Christ, no, I'm not Elijah, no, I am not the prophet does not satisfy them. So then verse 22, “well, then who are you? We need to tell the people who've sent us.” [para] What's your point of view? Where do you belong in all of this?

E. John answers in verse 23 when he says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” In John 1:6-8 he is called the witness. Now he calls himself the voice of the one crying out in the wilderness. John, as a witness, reaches back to the prophecy of Isaiah to a reference point to describe who he is.
F. The Isaiah prophecy is an excellent summary of the work of John. The message of Isaiah is a challenge to the nation, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” Prepare your hearts for the coming of the Messiah. Remove the obstacles and barriers in preparation for the coming king. This is the message of John: you need to get your hearts ready because the Lord is coming. John pictures himself as merely a laborer preparing the road in advance of the arrival of the King.

1. Let’s take a look carefully at the prophecy of Isaiah. Isaiah 40:3-5 – “3. A voice cries in the wilderness: “prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.''”[ESV]
2. There is a literal historical concept here. When a king was going to come into a village the people got everything prepared. They got the roadways cleared. All the obstacles were removed. Perhaps you recall what happens when a city is going to host the Olympics; everything gets built up and fixed.
3. The king is coming. Make ready, get yourself prepared. Isaiah is making the calling, get your heart prepared; you need to be ready and watching for the king. John's message about who he is, is very important. The Lord is coming.

G. This is a call of repentance to the nation to get their hearts right before God. Look at Isaiah 40:5 again, “…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Remember what John 1:14 said? “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

1. John the apostle is arguing, we have seen the glory of God, we have seen the Lord. He tabernacled among us. He lived here. By seeing Jesus, we have seen God. I notice that's exactly what John the witness, John the voice, is declaring as well. Make straight the paths because the glory of the Lord is coming and all flesh is going to see His arrival.
2. Would you not expect the messengers to go, wow, you're the voice that Isaiah was speaking of, and that means the King is about to arrive, and we need to get our lives right, and we need to turn to God and clear out the darkness and the obstacles in our hearts so that when the King, the Messiah arrives, we are prepared for His coming. But John 1:25 shows this just flew right over their heads.

H. In verse 25 “They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” From our vantage point I can almost imagine John giving a big sigh. He says, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

1. John once again dismisses himself as nothing. John is baptizing with water, but the one coming after him is far greater.
2. We have to appreciate how John continues to depreciate himself and say, I'm not anybody in all of this. Which of course is fascinating when you read Jesus' words in Matthew where He says, “… among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;…” Yet here is John saying, I'm nothing, somebody greater is coming. This is John's testimony about himself. He is doing the job that we saw set out for him in John 1:6-8, that he would bear witness, give his testimony about who Jesus is, and this is exactly what John is doing.

II. John’s testimony of Jesus (1:29-34) - John is fulfilling his purpose and pointing to the light, pointing to the Christ and saying, “this is the one”. This comes to fruition in verses 29 through 34 where we read John's testimony of Jesus. John 1:29-34 – “29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.””

A. John sees Jesus coming to him and John says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It is the day after the questioning by the “Jews” and here comes Jesus approaching John. John was in exactly the right frame of mind to identify the Savior, and his disciples had been fully prepared, emotionally and intellectually, to transfer their love and loyalty to Jesus Christ. To me this is far more than merely accidental circumstances.

1. John is fulfilling his purpose, pointing out Jesus and describing Him as the one who is going to fulfill the prophecies of God. What is really interesting about this, is his calling Jesus the Lamb of God.
2. When we consider this we realize that there is nothing ferocious about a lamb. There is nothing about a lamb that is a picture of strength or leadership. No one uses a lamb as a symbol of power. The Lamb is led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). It brings to mind that in the Old Testament, lambs, goats, and bulls were the primary animals used in sacrifices to God. The lamb has its strongest meaning in the Passover. A lamb without blemish was offered (Exodus 12:3-11). The apostle John takes the imagery of the Passover lamb (a picture of God’s deliverance) and combines it with the picture of the sin sacrifice (taking away the sins of the world).

B. The witness of John is staggering. By calling Jesus the lamb, John is declaring His sacrificial death. This is the primary image of the lamb. Lambs are for slaughter, but His death would be with purpose. He is the lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Notice that this lamb is not sin-substituting, but sin removing. Notice the other key message of John’s testimony. Jesus is the lamb that not only has come to remove the sins of Israel by His sacrificial death, but the sins of the whole world. Everyone can access this sacrifice for sins when the Lamb of God is slain. Jesus is the world’s Messiah, not just Israel’s Messiah.
C. John continues in John 1:30 - “This is He of whom I said, `After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'” We saw that very message before in John 1:15 “John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, `He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' ''” John is saying this again. The reason why He is so great is because even though He comes after me, He was actually before me. Here is this eternal nature described about the Lamb. Jesus is the eternal God. He is the Word that we read about in chapter 1. He is now described not only as the Word, but the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. He is the eternal God coming to die for our sins.
D. Then John continues in verse 31. “"I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.''” We know that John the witness was a cousin of Jesus and well acquainted with Him from the purely human standpoint. The meaning here has to be that John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah. He did know, however, that the Messiah was soon to appear, that He would shortly be revealed to Israel, and that John’s own heavenly commission was connected with the appearance and identification of the Messiah. The words here are the equivalent of saying, "I did not know who Jesus really is, any more than you did." This and the following verses reveal the means by which John himself was enabled to identify Jesus Christ as the Messiah with certainty.

1. In John 1:32-34 John gives his testimony showing how he knew Jesus was the Son of God. “32. And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33. "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34. "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.''”
2. John the witness says “…He who sent me to baptize with water…” Who is it talking about? It is God, as John the apostle says back in verse 6. In order for John to be able to see the Holy Spirit, it was necessary for the Spirit to assume a physical form; and, appropriately, it was that of a dove, long the symbol of peace and goodness. This was not merely a case of a bird alighting on Jesus for a moment, a phenomenon which, while rare, is occasionally experienced.
3. The dove visibly descended from on high, an action different from the typical flight pattern of a dove. Then this Spirit-dove remained visibly upon the Lord identifying Jesus absolutely as the one who would baptize in the Holy Spirit, with the necessary deduction that the same was the Messiah. Now I ask you, what did this dove do? It witnessed that the one on who the Spirit descended and remained is the Son of God.

E. Thinking about this look at 1^st John 5:8 – “there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” The point that's being made is that these are the three things that testify that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was sent from God and He came into this world.

1. First of all, let's take the Spirit. How does the Spirit testify? We just saw this in John 1:32.
2. Second, Mark 1:9f – “It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” Also Matthew 3:16f – “Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.''” (and Luke 3:21f) In that baptism which Jesus submitted to, we see again the witness.
3. Third, Matthew 27:50f – “50. Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit. 51. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52. and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53. and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!''”

F. We should consider also, what does it mean for John to say that he was sent by God to baptize with water, but the one who came after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit?

1. When we read the Old Testament, we see the Glory of God leaving the temple in Ezekiel 10. We read of God removing Himself from the people because of their sins. God is saying, “We can't be in fellowship. We can't have a relationship.” His glory would no longer dwell with them. This imagery is used of God leaving and separating, but the prophets come along and prophesy, the Holy Spirit is going to be poured out one day. When we read all the surrounding context of that wording, it is a picture of God's returning. Recall Haggai said “The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former”.
2. John, the witness, is making the distinction between his baptism and Jesus' baptism. Don't underestimate John's baptism. People sometimes say, well, John's baptism was only for repentance. Be careful with that, because Mark 1:4 says John was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” So does Luke 3:3 and Matthew.

G. What set John's baptism apart from Jesus' baptism? It's not the fact of water baptism. John's baptism brought repentance and brought about forgiveness of sins. Jesus' baptism does the same, but what makes Jesus’ greater, as John is arguing, is that it is Jesus' baptism that brings the restoration of God's blessings. It is Jesus' baptism that brings us into the covenant kingdom of God. That's what makes what Jesus would do greater.

1. When John baptized people, sins were forgiven. People are looking forward to the Messiah. They're turning their hearts and repenting.
2. When Jesus comes along, there's not only forgiveness of sins and repentance. There's something way better. It is entrance into the kingdom of God. It is entering into a covenant relationship with God. It is receiving the blessings of God. That's what makes Jesus' baptism greater.

H. Read with me from the letter to the church in Ephesus starting in Ephesians 1:3f – “3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4. just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5. having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.”

1. Paul describes, that before the world was ever created… the divine plan for the Son of God's visitation to humanity existed. That body that Christ would gather from the populations of earth is destined to receive eternal life; because what God purposes is certain of fulfillment. Yet, we have free will so every person may decide if they will or will not become a part of it and receive the intended blessing.
2. The word “adoption” is used here to describe the acceptance of sinners into the family of God. It is only one of many words that describe the relationship Christians receive when they are converted. Thus, they are "the temple of God, the family of God, the bride of Christ, the vineyard of the Lord, the church of the firstborn, and (as here) the adoption." Each of these different terms describes some special and significant feature of the "new creation."
3. The word adoption seems to tell us the Christian's privileges in God's family. Just as an abandoned and forsaken child may be taken into a family by adoption, such a legal action bestowing upon the child all of the rights and privileges of that family without any regard whatever to any merit of the child.

I. Continue in “ 7. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8. which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9. having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10. that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in Him, 11. in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12. that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”

1. The blessings enumerated here in the Ephesian epistle belong exclusively to those who have been "baptized into Christ," there being absolutely no other way mentioned in the New Testament through which any person may fancy that they are "in Christ."
2. We are united with God "in Christ" through faith, repentance and submission to God's ordinance of baptism (1^st Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27).

CONCLUSION: I submit to you, that is exactly what the Apostle Peter is arguing when he preaches that first sermon in Acts 2:38f. “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, (Folks, there's not a period here. There is more.) and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. [ESV]

In the Old Testament the prophet Ezekiel told of the forgiveness of sins; regeneration; and the reception of the Holy Spirit. (Ezekiel 36:25-31) This inspired prophet writes of the cleansing through the new covenant as in Jeremiah 31:31-38. With that covenant your sins are going to be washed away and you get to be part of this glorious kingdom, and you get to receive the blessings of God. You will be in a covenant relationship with Him. That was all stripped away in the days of Israel and the days of Judah when they broke the Old Covenant. That relationship is destroyed.

Now restoration has occurred. That's the message that's being given. Your sins are taken away and the blessings of God are being poured out. The covenant now has been brought back. You can be in a covenant relationship with Him and you can be part of that glorious kingdom.

That's what John is arguing. I'm baptizing with water. The baptism that Jesus brings is what you're looking for—restoration with God. Reconciliation can occur and all the hope of Israel and all the hope of the world will now be established through the baptism of Jesus Christ. Repent of those sins. Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins in the name of Jesus Christ. It's through His authority, through His power that we have entrance into this kingdom and that we have this glorious hope.

The message is yours.

Don't Be Surprised

Luke 7:36 – 50

The AP Wire Service reported this story out of Nashville, Tennessee a few years ago.
A Tennessee Highway Patrolman stopped a car that was a total wreck. It had 3 flat tires.
Every window had been broken out, and the roof was caved in, indicating that it had rolled over.
This car had been wrecked, but it was still going down the highway.

When they stopped it, the woman who was driving expressed surprise that her car had been wrecked.
In fact, she said she didn't realize that she had been in an accident until she started to roll down the window to talk to the arresting officer.
When she saw that the glass was shattered, she knew that something must have happened.

When they questioned her a little further, she admitted that she had had 2 or 3 beers.
But the alcohol breath test revealed that it had to be many, many more than just 2 or 3.
Here was a woman who had wrecked her car, rolled it over, and was so drunk that she didn't even realize that she had been in an accident.

I believe that there are people who will be surprised at many things.
People will someday stand before the judgment of God and express surprise that they are lost.
They are the ones Jesus talked about, who said, "Lord, Lord... in your name we have done many wonderful works."
Some of them will even say, "We did miracles in your name."
But Jesus will tell them, "I never knew you: depart from me..." (Matthew 7:22-23)

God has written in His Word what He expects us to do.
If we don't do it, we have ignored Him.
And to stand in the judgment and be surprised that we are lost, is like this woman expressing surprise that her car had been wrecked.

Our scripture text this morning is Luke 7:36-50.
And I want to read vs's 36-39 to you right now. "Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table."

"When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears."

"Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them."
"When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner.'"

I have just 2 points to my sermon this morning.
#1. We will consider the story with some explanations.
#2. We'll consider its lessons with some applications.

Jesus had been invited to the home of a Pharisee by the name of Simon.
That is quite something because the Pharisees saw Jesus as a threat to their power, their teachings, and to their very legalistic system.
They considered Jesus an enemy. Not all of them did, but most of them resented Him and His teachings.
In that time period in Israel, houses of well to do people were usually built around an open courtyard.
Many times there were flowering plants or a fountain there, and often it was the best place to eat their evening meals when the weather was hot.

It was probably in such a setting Jesus had been invited to eat on this occasion.
Now they had an interesting custom in Israel.
That custom was this: When a Rabbi was visiting and you were out in the courtyard, anybody could come and listen to the conversation in order to learn from the Rabbi.

You also need to know that when a guest arrived, it was customary to make him feel welcome by going through certain common courtesies.

First of all, his feet would be washed.
A guest's feet would be caked with dirt after walking in sandals on the dusty roads.
So a servant would greet him at the door with a basin of water, and would wash and dry his feet.
After his feet had been washed, the host would greet him with a "kiss of peace" to make him feel welcome, and let him know that he was an honored guest.

Then it was a matter of courtesy to anoint the head of the guest with some sweet smelling oil.
Maybe it was because of the hot oriental sun.
Maybe some of the men were thin on top and slightly sunburned. I'm not sure exactly why, but it was customary to use oil to anoint the head of a guest.
All of these things went together to say, "You are welcome in my home."
But when Jesus visited the home of this Pharisee, none of these things happened.
Luke says that Jesus sat down at the table without His feet being washed, without the customary kiss, or the anointing of oil.

Which leads us to ask the question, "Why did Simon invite Jesus in the first place?"
Well, we don't know.
Some speculate that maybe Simon was really interested in what Jesus was teaching and who He was, and wanted to find out more.
But had this been true, I think he would have certainly observed the customs of common courtesy in his treatment of Jesus.
One Bible scholar suggests that Simon was probably "a collector of celebrities."
It was now popular to have Jesus as a dinner guest.
Simon invited Him so that he could say, "Oh yes, I had this new teacher, this new Rabbi in my home."

But since he didn't agree with Jesus, he received Him with a rather patronizing attitude.
But most commentators believe that Simon, as a Pharisee, was one of the religious elite, critical of what Jesus was teaching and hoping to expose Him as some kind of religious fraud.

So Simon treated Jesus with a barely disguised contempt, carefully neglecting every custom that would have made Jesus feel welcome in his home.
Then, as they began eating, an unusual thing happened.
This woman who Luke calls a "sinner" – and the word he uses means "an immoral woman, a prostitute," came to where they were eating in the courtyard.

She stood at the feet of Jesus and started weeping.
Her tears fell on His feet, so she dried them with her hair.
Then she broke a vial of expensive perfume and anointed His feet, and began kissing them.
All the while, Simon the Pharisee was watching.

He was greatly offended by what was going on because it was obvious that all the things he had failed to do to make Jesus welcome, this woman was now doing.

Simon knew what kind of woman she was.
So, as he judges her, he also judges Jesus.
He assumes that Jesus, in not stopping her, is condoning immorality. Simon thinks to himself, "If this man really is a prophet, He would know she is an immoral woman."

Jesus knows what Simon is thinking, and Jesus knew more about her than Simon did.
When Simon looked at her all he saw was a prostitute, a sinner, someone to be shunned.
But Jesus saw her as a repentant sinner, a precious soul seeking some way to express her love and appreciation for what Jesus had come to mean to her.

I want you to notice a couple of things in this passage that you may not have thought about before.
Vs. 37 begins with these words, “When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town…”
Wait a minute, it doesn’t say, “who is living a sinful life.”
It says “who had lived a sinful life.”
That’s past tense, isn’t it?
“She must have heard Jesus preach, and in repentance she determined to lead a new life.”
And in just a few moments we will be reading vs. 47 where Jesus, in speaking about her says,
“Her many sins have been forgiven…”
I think we can safely conclude that Jesus had met her before, had already forgiven her, and she had become one of His followers.
And that’s why she had followed Him there that evening.

Now let’s continue on with vs’s 40-42, "Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.'
'Tell me, teacher,' he said.
'Two men owed money to a certain moneylender.
One owed him 500 denarii, and the other 50.
'Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.
Now which of them will love him more?'

Now don't try to translate that into dollars, because you could easily get confused.
Just remember that a denarius represented a day's wage.
So, one owed the equivalent of 50 working days, and the other owed 500 working days.
Using a 5 day work week, one man owed him 10 weeks work and the other owed him 100 weeks, or almost two years.

Jesus asks Simon a very important question…which one will love the money lender more?”
I imagine Simon was sitting there with his mouth open.
First of all, to think that a moneylender would not collect what was owed him was unreal.
Simon couldn't even imagine that type of thing happening with moneylenders he knew.

Secondly, he was probably trying to figure out why Jesus was telling him that story at all.
He couldn’t see any point to it.
But he went ahead and answered the question, "'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.'
'You have judged correctly,' Jesus said.”

Vs’s 44-47 tell us, "Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman?
I came into your house.
You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
"You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet."

"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven for she loved much.
But he who has been forgiven little… loves little."

Now, from that story let's bring out 4 lessons and apply them.
Lesson #1. Everyone is in debt - Everyone of us is a debtor.
Every person in this room is in debt to society, to our nation, and to God. We are all debtors.

When I talk about being in debt, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
And, if you don't remember to whom you owe money you're going to have all kinds of trouble.
And Simon's problem was that he had a poor memory.

I imagine when Simon looked at himself he thought, "God, you're lucky to have me on your team.
I'm pretty special. I've memorized the law, and I pray beautiful prayers, and I do many significant things for You.
I'm a Pharisee and I have mastered the art of being a Pharisee.
God, I'm a pretty special guy."
What Simon forgot was that he was a sinner.

His sins were sins of the heart, and he didn't recognize them as sins.
So it was easy for him to forget that he needed forgiveness too.

Isn't it easy for us to forget how indebted we are to those who paid a price to achieve freedom for us?
Isn't it easy to come into God's house and open our Bibles and forget those early pilgrims who paved the way for us!
Song #222 Faith of Our Fathers

We put hamburgers on the grill and sit around enjoying all the material blessings that God has given us and forget the blood that was shed.
We owe a great debt to those who have gone before.
We also owe an even greater debt to our God who has redeemed and forgiven us.
We are all debtors. We all owe a debt.

Lesson #2. We can never repay those debts.
When I think of the debt of freedom that I owe to our forefathers, I realize that is a debt that I can't pay.
And when I think of the debt that I owe God in heaven for the price He paid for my sins, I realize that I can't pay that either.

Now back to our story.
This woman came to Jesus and stood at His feet.
She wet His feet with her tears and tried to dry them with her hair. Then she anointed His feet with oil.
It was an expression of gratitude and love.

You say, "Well, that's one way to pay God back."
But she wasn't paying Him back.
All she was doing was saying, "Thank you, Lord.
Thank you for forgiving my sins."
That's all we can do, too. We can never pay God back.
But we can roll up our sleeves and go to work.
We can worship and serve, we can cry and pray.
We can seek to reach others for Jesus.
We can do all that, but we will never even if we work 20 hours a day the rest of our lives never be able to pay the debt that we owe our God.

Lesson #3. Forgiveness is available to everyone.
First of all, we stated that all of us are spiritually in debt. Secondly, we said we can never repay the debt.
Now we are saying that "Since we can't pay it, therefore we stand in need of forgiveness from it."
And the good news is that forgiveness is available to everyone, but forgiveness is not free.

Lesson #4. Forgiveness is not free.
Forgiveness always costs something.
For the moneylender it cost 550 denarii to forgive those who were indebted to him.
A small amount perhaps when compared to the debts we're talking about.
But forgiveness always costs something.

When God said, "I forgive you of your sin," then it cost God something because before forgiveness there had to be the agony of Gethsemane. Before forgiveness there had to be the death on the cross and the resurrection.
And Jesus paid that price!

The ledger had to be clear before forgiveness of sin could become a reality.
But now that it has been paid it's available to all.

Robert McCormack was a sergeant in WW 1.
He nearly lost his life while saving the life of Major Henry Parkin. Fortunately, both men survived the war.
From that day on, until he died 25 years later, in April of every year Parkin wrote McCormack a letter of gratitude.
The last letter Parkin wrote contained this brief note:
"Dear Bob, I again want to express to you my appreciation for another year of life which I would not have enjoyed had it not been for you and the price you were willing to pay to save my life. I want you to know, I am grateful."

Today, God's forgiveness is available.
He offers it to you through Jesus Christ His Son.
The price has been paid and He invites you to come.
Will you come as together we stand and sing Our song of INVITATION?