Langley Immanuel Sermon Interface

James 5:13-18 The Prayer of Faith

2007-10-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

¹³Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

¹⁷Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

It is obvious that faith and miracles or intimately connected. What is "prayer offered in faith." How is it different from other prayers? What is this faith that makes prayer effective? How do we "get" that kind of faith?

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jas 5:13

Mark 2:1-12 Breaking Barriers

2007-10-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ²So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. ⁴Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. ⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....” He said to the paralytic, ¹¹“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹²He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

The above passage is clearly about a person with disabilities and how others around him did all within their power to remove any barriers he faced. There are many around us who experience barriers, not only physical, but emotional and spiritual. What are some of those barriers and what are we doing to make access to God easier for them?

The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Mk 2:1

James 2:8-13 Law, Judgement and Mercy

2007-08-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

In this passage, James calls us to live righteous lives, lives that look righteous and lives that are filled with the righteousness of mercy. He writes

James 2

¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,”^b also said, “Do not murder.”^c If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹²Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

^bExodus 20:14; Deut. 5:18

^cExodus 20:13; Deut. 5:17

What do you think righteouness lived today looks like?

James 2:1-9 A Slanderous Favouritism

2007-08-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

As we have found in the past, there is some focused attention that is appropriate, like the attention that parents focus on their children or that God focuses on his children. But there is another kind of attention that is lethal. James describes it...

James 2

2 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^a you are doing right. ⁹But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

^aLev. 19:18

Do you feel that there is that kind of discrimination in our culture, our homes, our church community?

James 1: 27 True Religion

2007-08-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

James pictures Mother Theresa in these words...

²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

How does true religion come to expression in our lives given these standards?

James 1:19-21, 26 The Problem of Untied Tongues

2007-08-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

When it comes to community, we sometimes fail to use some of the best tools God has given us for building community! James talks about listening, speaking and anger. With James we will explore this truths as we look at the following passages...

James 1
¹⁹My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ²¹Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

²⁶If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

Another part of James' letter that refers to this issue though it will not be the focus of the message:
James 3

3 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ²We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. ¹¹Can both fresh water and salt^a water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

^aGreek bitter (see also verse 14)

The truth is, our tongues need to be reined in, or we need to be somewhat "tongue tied." What are some guidelines you have learned to controlling your tongue?

John 1, Luke 2 The Miracle of the Incarnation

2007-08-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

I think this stands as the greatest miracle in all of creation. In a sense, even the resurrection from the dead pales in comparison for the resurrection is only undoing what we have done. The incarnation however is combining the creator and the creature, the divine and what he made. This is a miracle above miracles. On this Christmas morning we will put this miracle into that perspective.

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to his own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^a the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning.

³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood^a it.

⁶There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁸He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.^b

¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³children born not of natural descent,^c nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,^d who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” ¹⁶From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. ¹⁷For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,^e ^f who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

^aOr darkness, and the darkness has not overcome

^bOr This was the true light that gives light to every man who comes into the world

^cGreek of bloods

^dOr the Only Begotten

^eOr the Only Begotten

^fSome manuscripts but the only (or only begotten) Son

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Jn 1:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

^aOr Messiah. ``The Christ” (Greek) and ``the Messiah” (Hebrew) both mean ``the Anointed One”; also in verse 26.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Lk 2:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Luke 126-38 A Miraculous Conception

2007-08-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

A virgin was promised a child.
In contrast to Isaiah's prophecy, this one is filled with life and hope and the atmosphere of judgment is pushed away by the brilliance of this promise.
In our series of miracles, we have discovered that does these things so that people will pay attention to what he is doing. This is true for advent also.

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^a the Son of God. ³⁶Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. ³⁷For nothing is impossible with God.”

³⁸“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

^aOr So the child to be born will be called holy,

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Lk 1:26). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Luke 1:1 - 25, 57-66 A Miracle in History - Pay Attention!

2007-08-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

The promise of and the birth of John the Baptist was a shocker to those who knew of it. Israel, who had just gone through some 430 years of the absence of God should have taken not. This first Sermon in Advent will look at how God grabs our attention if he can get it no other way. The scripture passages follow:

Introduction

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled^a among us, ²just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. ³Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. ⁷But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

⁸Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, ⁹he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

¹¹Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹²When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. ¹⁴He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, ¹⁵for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.^a ¹⁶Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

²¹Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²²When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

²³When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶²Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Lk 1:57). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

^aOr been surely believed

^aOr from his mother~s womb

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Lk 1:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

How did God get your attention?

Isaiah 7 The impossible will happen - see the sign?

2007-08-16T15:30:00.001-07:00

Isaiah's prophecy concerning a virgin giving birth happens in a passage filled with judgment to unbelieving King Ahaz. How are we to understanding this prophecy regarding the impossible?

7 When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.

²Now the house of David was told, “Aram has allied itself with^a Ephraim”; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.

³Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub,^b to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman’s Field. ⁴Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah. ⁵Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah’s son have plotted your ruin, saying, ⁶“Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.” ⁷Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

”‘It will not take place,

it will not happen,

⁸for the head of Aram is Damascus,

and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.

Within sixty-five years

Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people.

⁹The head of Ephraim is Samaria,

and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son.

If you do not stand firm in your faith,

you will not stand at all.’”

¹⁰Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, ¹¹“Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”

¹²But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.”

¹³Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you^c a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and^d will call him Immanuel.^e ¹⁵He will eat curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. ¹⁶But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. ¹⁷The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

¹⁸In that day the LORD will whistle for flies from the distant streams of Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. ¹⁹They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. ²⁰In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River^f—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to take off your beards also. ²¹In that day, a man will keep alive a young cow and two goats. ²²And because of the abundance of the milk they give, he will have curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. ²³In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,^g there will be only briers and thorns. ²⁴Men will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. ²⁵As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.

^aOr has set up camp in

^bShear-Jashub means a remnant will return.

^cThe Hebrew is plural.

^dMasoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and he or and they

^eImmanuel means God with us.

^fThat is, the Euphrates

^gThat is, about 25 pounds (about 11.5 kilograms)

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 7:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Psalm 119:18 The Reformation: A Return to the Word

2007-08-16T14:47:00.001-07:00

Today is Reformation Sunday. We remember how God used people like Martin Luther to renew our confidence in God's character and God's grace over against our character and works. As Luther returned to the Word of God, he went through an intense struggle to rediscover this Grace that God offers.. This sermon will focus on that struggle. Our scripture passage is
Psalm 119:18
“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

What has a return to the Word done to you in your life?

Have you struggled with being "righteous enough for God?" How, why, when....

Luke 11:14-36 Faith and Miracles

2007-08-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

It has been said
It takes faith to see a miracle.
It has also been said
There is nothing like a miracle to create faith.

The truth is, we are surrounded by miracles. By faith we see them. By faith, we acknowledge that creation was made out of nothing says Hebrews. What a miracle! The scripture passage we will look at is from Luke 11:14-36...

Jesus and Beelzebub

¹⁴Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. ¹⁵But some of them said, “By Beelzebub,^a the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” ¹⁶Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

¹⁷Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. ¹⁹Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

²¹“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²²But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

²³“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

²⁴“When an evil^b spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ ²⁵When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. ²⁶Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”

²⁷As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

²⁸He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

The Sign of Jonah

²⁹As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one^a greater than Solomon is here. ³²The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body

³³“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. ³⁶Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”

^aGreek Beezeboul or Beelzeboul; also in verses 18 and 19

^bGreek unclean

^aOr something; also in verse 32

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Lk 11:14). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Yet, sometimes God breaks through our unbelief with a miracle.
What miracles can you point out in your life every day?
What miracles has God surprised your faith with?

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Miracles and Persuasion

2007-08-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

Paul acknowledged that his sermons were weak. I wonder how we would react to hearing Romans preached to us in a two hour monologue. He had people falling out of windows because his sermons put them to sleep. But for all its weakness, the power (dynamite) of God's Spirit accompanied Paul's weak preaching to produce demonstrations of God's saving power. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 we read

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.^c ²For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. ⁴My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

^cSome manuscripts as I proclaimed to you God's mystery

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (1 Co 2:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

In what ways have you experienced God's power that persuaded you to place your faith in him? Your feed forward is appreciated.

Matthew 15:21-28 Yet, Faith Expects Miracles

2007-08-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman^{We have already looked at this passage once with a special focus on what Jesus called "the children's bread." God doing what he always does and sometimes doing something a little differently in answer to his children's prayers - that's what miracles are, that is the children's bread. This time we are going to focus on the same passage from the perspective of asking the question - what is this faith that enables us to see miracles happen? We will focus on some of the characteristics of faith demonstrated in the behaviors of this Canaanite women.

21}Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²²A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”

²³Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

²⁴He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

²⁵The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

²⁶He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”

²⁷“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

²⁸Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Mt 15:21). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Even though God works miracles all around us, Faith anticipates God's focused attention for the sake of his children. Miracles are, after all, "the children's bread." That attention was obviously first focused on Israel, but in Christ, it came to be focused also on the Gentiles. This woman's faith insisted.

Does your faith expect miracles today?

Kickoff Service - Mark 4:35-41 Arrested by a Miracle

2007-08-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

Jesus Calms the Storm

³⁵That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Mk 4:35). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

There are different ways of interpreting this dramatic short story - most of them hinge on what the disciples lack of faith was in. The simple scriptural truth is that the wind and the waves always obey God. And Jesus asleep on a cushion describes his deep confidence in God's miraculous control of the wind and waves. The disciples do not share that confidence (like we often do not share that confidence).

The call of this passage is to see God in control, all around us, all the time, evidence to the contrary taken into consideration. To be full of faith is to be resting on the cushion in a storm tossed sea. This sermon will focus on that confidence, knowing the miracle of God's sovereign control is all around us all the time, a theme fitting for the beginning of another church year.

Some questions for reflection....
What parallels do you see in this passage to the story of Jonah?
Why does Mark use "exorcism" language in this passage?
If you were in the boat - who would you be
- a person who gets frustrated with God over his lack of attention
- or like Jesus, snoozing out the storm

Your feedforward is appreciated.

James 1:19 - 27 An Evening Service Scripture Study - Holiness is Visible!

2007-06-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

¹⁹My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ²¹Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

²⁶If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:16 - 19 An Evening Service Scripture Study - First-Fruits-R-Us

2007-06-28T10:36:00.000-07:00

¹⁶Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:12-15 And Evening Service Scripture Study - Understanding Temptation

2007-06-28T10:34:00.001-07:00

¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

¹³When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

James tells us that "evil desire" is the key to falling for temptation. What do you think this "evil desire" really is?

James 1:1-12 An Evening Service Scripture Study - Asking for Wisdom

2007-06-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

Greetings.

Trials and Temptations

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

⁹The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. ¹⁰But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. ¹¹For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Isaiah 60: The Glory of God - the Joy of a Believer

2007-06-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

One of the common confusions about the Glory of God is that his Glory is something to be feared. After all, there are illustrations in the Old Testament where Glory and judgment are connected. But the theme that comes to us from Isaiah and many other passages is that our greatest joy is the Glory of the Lord in at least two senses.
Paul writes
¹¹In him we were also chosen,^c having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

^cOr were made heirs

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Eph 1:11). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Our Joy is because of his Glory - the two are intimately connected.
Our Joy is a demonstration, it is the expression of the Glory of God.
The passage that I will work with is Isaiah 60 which follows:

The Glory of Zion

60 “Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

²See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the LORD rises upon you

and his glory appears over you.

³Nations will come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

⁴“Lift up your eyes and look about you:

All assemble and come to you;

your sons come from afar,

and your daughters are carried on the arm.

⁵Then you will look and be radiant,

your heart will throb and swell with joy;

the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,

to you the riches of the nations will come.

⁶Herds of camels will cover your land,

young camels of Midian and Ephah.

And all from Sheba will come,

bearing gold and incense

and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.

⁷All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you,

the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;

they will be accepted as offerings on my altar,

and I will adorn my glorious temple.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 60:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Have you seen the "glory" of God on people? What does it look like? On a community? What does that look like? Your comments are deeply appreciated.

2 Corinthians 4:6, Hebrews 1:3: The Glory of God - Jesus Christ

2007-06-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

The scripture says it clearly:

2 Corinthians 4:6
⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^a made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

^aGen. 1:3

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Co 4:6). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Hebrews 1

The Son Superior to Angels

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. ³The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ⁴So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Heb 1:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

In fact, the book of John pictures the Glory of God revealed in Christ specifically when he is raised up on the cross. This message will focus on the myriad of ways that Jesus revealed the Glory of God, one of the main reasons also that so much of our worship and adoration goes not only to the Trinity, but also especially toward Christ who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

When you look at Christ - how do you sense he reveals the glory of God? Your feed forward is deeply appreciated!

Psalm 19: The Glory of God - the Essential Purpose of Creation

2007-06-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

This is a first of a series of four sermons that I hope to do this summer on the overarching theme of the Glory of God. Scripture from the beginning to the very end resonates with the chorus - "to the Glory of God." In this series, we hope to explore how rich this theme is. This first sermon will focus on creation. When we go on holidays, we often experience wonderful sights in nature. It may be that this summer you have experienced in a new way the Glory of God through creation. Feel free to share. It may well come up in this sermon.

The scripture that we will be meditating on:

Psalm 19

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

²Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

³There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.^a

⁴Their voice^b

goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

⁵which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

⁶It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is hidden from its heat.

⁷The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

⁸The precepts of the LORD are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

⁹The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure

and altogether righteous.

¹⁰They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

¹¹By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

¹²Who can discern his errors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

¹³Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then will I be blameless,

innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

^aOr They have no speech, there are no words; | no sound is heard from them

^bSeptuagint, Jerome and Syriac; Hebrew line

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ps 19:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

One of the books that I am reading in preparation for this series:
"God's Passion for His Glory" by John Piper (electronic pdf version available for free on the internet. Click on the Book title)

CAN'T YOU TAKE A YOKE?

2007-06-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the pun, but I had to.

This will be our last Summer Evening Service before summer holidays kick in seriously. I usually give a sermon on rest before summer - and since the morning services have been taken over by our annual theme, this is it.

Matthew 11:25-30 is a very interesting passage. In it Jesus invites us to rest by taking on a his yoke. If you are familiar with an agrarian culture, though, you know that a yoke is actually something that involves work. It is the cross member between two burden bearing animals that helps them to pull a heavy load. This is the scripture passage

Rest for the Weary

²⁵At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

²⁷“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

²⁸“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Mt 11:25). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

How would you understand the rest that Jesus is calling us to? What kind of work is he calling and to and what does the yoke have to do with it? Give you input, your thoughts, your struggles, it will all be appreciated.

Pastor Bill

Sunday June 17 PM Service - The Unreasonable Actions of a Faithful Father

2007-06-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice Isaac on the Altar puzzles many people. But this is a test, a test which needs a faithful father's response. Read
Genesis 22:1-19

1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.
Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,
7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."
15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

As we read this passage, we discover a father who even in the context of family conflict over what he was doing, was willing to obey God. On this Father's day, a halmark Sunday, have you discovered that sometimes being a Father who obeys God causes conflict in your family, school, work life? If you have illustrations, please share them. It may be that this sermon also applies to the summer second service option which we are going to decide on after the service.

July 8, Numbers 6:22-26 "The Blessing"

2007-05-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

The intent of this sermon is to complete the presentations of the parts of worship liturgy that are in almost every service. We conclude our services with a blessing. This practice has its foundation in Numbers chapter 6. What impact does the blessing have on you before you leave a worship service? As many have noticed, when we close a service with the priestly blessing of Numbers 6, I often add a phrase "the Lord treat you as his favourite children." You may have wondered why I add that phrase. The sermon will explain that. Here is the passage. Your reflections are invited.

²²The LORD said to Moses, ²³“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁴““‘The LORD bless you

and keep you;

²⁵the LORD make his face shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

²⁶the LORD turn his face toward you

and give you peace.”’

²⁷“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Nu 6:22). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

July 1, Revelation 22 "The Tree of Live in the Middle of the City"

2007-05-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

We come to the conclusion of our theme this year - "From the Garden to the City, Trees along the way" and we come to the final chapter of scripture to discover that now the garden and the city have become one for both speak of the presence of God. And the river is here to - the river of the water of life.
In your mind, what do some of the symbols in this vision represent?

The River of Life

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ²down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

⁶The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

Jesus Is Coming

⁷“Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.”

⁸I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. ⁹But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”

¹⁰Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. ¹¹Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.”

¹²“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

¹⁴“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

¹⁶“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you^a this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

¹⁷The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

¹⁸I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. ¹⁹And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

²⁰He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

²¹The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

^aThe Greek is plural.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Re 22:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

June 24 Revelation 21 "The City of God - the Bride made Ready"

2007-05-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

Revelation 19 has a key phrase for understanding history, our own history and the culmination of history in the City of God - "the Bride has made herself ready." This statement is followed by visions of beauty - the city of God descends from heaven to be on the earth. Yet its foundation is earthly and its gates have an earthy origin - tribes and apostles. It is a city that is defined by the presence of God in it (compare to Ezekiel 48:35) and as a result, the city will be forever. Here is the passage. Your comments are invited

19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

²for true and just are his judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

³And again they shouted:

“Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

⁴The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:

“Amen, Hallelujah!”

⁵Then a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God,

all you his servants,

you who fear him,

both small and great!”

⁶Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

⁷Let us rejoice and be glad

and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

⁸Fine linen, bright and clean,

was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

⁹Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

¹⁰At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ²I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

⁵He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

⁶He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ⁸But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

⁹One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. ¹¹It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. ¹²It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. ¹³There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. ¹⁴The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

¹⁵The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. ¹⁶The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia^a in length, and as wide and high as it is long. ¹⁷He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits^b thick,^c by man’s measurement, which the angel was using. ¹⁸The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ¹⁹The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, ²⁰the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.^d ²¹The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.

²²I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. ²⁵On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. ²⁶The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. ²⁷Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

^aThat is, about 1,400 miles (about 2,200 kilometers)

^bThat is, about 200 feet (about 65 meters)

^cOr high

^dThe precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Re 21:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

June 17 Revelation 18, "The City Called Babylon"

2007-05-16T12:11:00.001-07:00

The city of Babylon pictured in Revelation 18 - 19:3 is a city that has profound and interesting qualities.

The Fall of Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. ²With a mighty voice he shouted:

“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!

She has become a home for demons

and a haunt for every evil spirit,

a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.

³For all the nations have drunk

the maddening wine of her adulteries.

The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,

and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”

⁴Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“Come out of her, my people,

so that you will not share in her sins,

so that you will not receive any of her plagues;

⁵for her sins are piled up to heaven,

and God has remembered her crimes.

⁶Give back to her as she has given;

pay her back double for what she has done.

Mix her a double portion from her own cup.

⁷Give her as much torture and grief

as the glory and luxury she gave herself.

In her heart she boasts,

‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow,

and I will never mourn.’

⁸Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:

death, mourning and famine.

She will be consumed by fire,

for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

⁹“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. ¹⁰Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:

”‘Woe! Woe, O great city,

O Babylon, city of power!

In one hour your doom has come!’

¹¹“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more— ¹²cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; ¹³cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men.

¹⁴“They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ ¹⁵The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn ¹⁶and cry out:

”‘Woe! Woe, O great city,

dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,

and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!

¹⁷In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. ¹⁸When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ ¹⁹They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:

”‘Woe! Woe, O great city,

where all who had ships on the sea

became rich through her wealth!

In one hour she has been brought to ruin!

²⁰Rejoice over her, O heaven!

Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets!

God has judged her for the way she treated you.’”

²¹Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:

“With such violence

the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,

never to be found again.

²²The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters,

will never be heard in you again.

No workman of any trade

will ever be found in you again.

The sound of a millstone

will never be heard in you again.

²³The light of a lamp

will never shine in you again.

The voice of bridegroom and bride

will never be heard in you again.

Your merchants were the world’s great men.

By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.

²⁴In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints,

and of all who have been killed on the earth.”

Hallelujah!

19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

²for true and just are his judgments.

He has condemned the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

³And again they shouted:

“Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

⁴The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne.

What qualities does this city have? Does it remind you of some cities we are quite familiar with? This picture of the city is very negative. Can you think of themes or qualities of the city that are worthy of the eternal kingdom? What is the role of the cult or idols or religion in this city? Your input is invited, I will add as I research.

There is solid evidence that the city of Babel (Genesis 10, 11) and Babylon are the same city. The name of both means "the gate of god" (bab + el= Sumarian) and at the same time in Hebrew it means "confusion." What resonances do you notice in the Old Testament story of Babel and the Revelation story of Babylon do you read?

June 10 Matthew 6 "For Thine is the Kingdom"

2007-05-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

This theme fits well into our annual theme of "From the Garden to the City - Trees along the Way." The "city" represents the kingdom of God in its fullness. Close to the beginning of the prayer we pray "Your Kingdom Come," now at the end of the prayer, we are once again reminded that the Kingdom, power and Glory all belong to Him. This is a prayer with a profound kingdom focus at both the beginning and the end. In this sermon, I hope to talk about a healthy desire for the kingdom - as represented in the New Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the desire of Israel in the Old Testament. It was the place where their king had his throne. It was the place where God sat enthroned on the Ark of the Covenant. It was placed on a high hill, and so Israel would sing its songs of ascent and longing on their way up to Jerusalem. When Jerusalem was taken and pillaged by the Assyrians, the people of Israel sat at the river side and wept. To have ones name in the citizenship scrolls of Jerusalem was to have your name remembered eternally as a possessor of the promised land. Thus Israel kept long geneological records that incidentally were destroyed in 70AD. Now the book of Hebrews tells us that our citizenship is in heaven, the new Jerusalem, our names written in the book of life. And this city will never be taken. We are secure in the city where there will be no more crying, tears, or pain. Don't you find yourself hungry for that at times? Maybe more often than not? Yet its seems that we are reluctant to talk about what heaven is like. Maybe that's because, when push comes to shove, we are often reluctant to talk about "the kingdom" because we are not quite sure what it should really look like. To say that the Kingdom is wherever "Jesus is Lord" is theologically true but painting a picture of that is sometimes less than clear. Should the church be giving courses in how to become poor (Matthew 5:3)? Or "The five easy steps to hungering and thirsting for righteousness" (Matthew 5:10)? Or "The two best strategies to fall off the social ladder and become the least" (Matthew 5:19)? Or "The eighteen mysterious secrets of the kingdom" (Matthew 13:11)? Kingdom and the New Jerusalem are concepts that intermingle. Are we people who seek first the kingdom (the New Jerusalem) and its righteousness? How hungry are we?

If you are really brave, you might want to check out my research on the city of Jerusalem... in the third comment below.

What do you think the "markers" of the kingdom are? What would church look like if the kingdom of God came to a more perfect expression among us? Your ideas or input on this sermon or future sermons is deeply appreciated.

"True godliness is always a matter of desire." and "desires are true prayers." Charles Spurgeon (http://sovereign-grace.com/spurgeon-sn/chsn0034.htm)

On Knowledge and Desire according to Augustine see http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3664/is_200110/ai_n8958098/pg_6

"“Desires for other things”—there’s the enemy. And the only
weapon that will triumph is a deeper hunger for God. The weakness
of our hunger for God is not because he is unsavory, but
because we keep ourselves stuffed with “other things.”" - John Piper Hunger for God p. 10

"The fight of faith is a fight to feast on all that
God is for us in Christ. What we hunger for most, we worship." - John Piper Hunger for God p. 10

Whom have I in heaven but thee?
And there is nothing upon earth
that I desire besides thee.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion for ever.
—PS A L M 7 3 : 2 5 - 2 6 , R S V

"Christian fasting, at its root, is the hunger of a homesickness for
God." - John Piper Hunger for God p. 14

"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie.
It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for
heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not
the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we
drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God
describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is
a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18-20). The
greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts.
And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but
for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an
appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable,
and almost incurable." - John Piper Hunger for God p. 14

John Piper is an excellent writer and a great theologian - and guess what - he is offering his books on the internet to readers for FREE! Future Grace is a great book, a good read. Check his books out @ http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/

June 3 Matthew 6, "Deliver us from Evil"

2007-05-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

In the Lord's prayer, we regularly pray "Deliver us from evil" (or "the Evil one"). How aware are we of the forces of evil in our time? Paul says that "we fight not against flesh and blood but against powers and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."(Ephesians 6) How aware of these spiritual influences are we?

D. H. Lawrence, as early as 1923 D. H. Lawrence, described the new spiritual atmosphere that was possessing (what would become Nazi) Germany:
"It is as if life had retreated eastwards. As if the Germanic life were slowly ebbing away from contact with western Europe, ebbing to the deserts of the east...
Returning again to the fascination of the destructive east, that produced Attila... at night you feel strange things stirring in the darkness, strange feelings stirring out of this still unconquered Black Forest. You stiffen your backbone and you listen to the night. There is a sense of danger. It is not the people. They don’t seem dangerous. Out of the very air comes a sense of danger, a queer, bristling feeling of uncanny danger.
Something has happened. Something has happened which has not yet eventuated. The old spell of the old world has broken, and the old, bristling, savage spirit has set in. . . . Something has happened to the human soul, beyond all help. . . . It is a fate; nobody now can alter it. . . . At the same time, we have brought it about ourselves—by a Ruhr occupation, by an English nullity, and by a German false will. We have done it ourselves. But apparently it was not to be helped." (Quoted from Walter Wink, "Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination." p. 53)

Have you experienced the evil one in your life? How and when? How does the evil get at you? What in your opinion are some of its main strategies? Your input is invited!

May 27 - Pentecost Sunday Morning: From the Garden to the City - Trees along the Way - the first taste

2007-05-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

We have been on a journey together that started with the promises of the Garden in the Old Testament. Scripture tells us that the fulfillment of those promises is a city that comes down out of heaven filled with the glory of the Lord called "the New Jerusalem." In our journey, we have come to Pentecost - the first taste of the city.

Acts 2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^a as the Spirit enabled them.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. ⁴⁶Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

^aOr languages; also in verse 11

The early church in its birth was experiencing a foretaste of the city of God. It strikes me that the city, as represented in Acts 2:42-47 was characterized by the following kingdom principles:

1. Citizens were devoted (they persisted in) to the apostle's teaching, to fellowship (Koinonia), to breaking of the bread (The Eucharist) and to prayer. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, their faith became reliable and consistent. Even their attendance to the building of community became very reliable. It seems to me that the focus of this "taste of the new city" is that God and the truths of his kingdom along with his people came before everything else. "Seek first the kingdom..." This was the culture of the new city.

2. Citizens became remarkably generous, willing to sell their possession in order to share with those in need, regarding themselves as stewards of what God had given them. It seems to me that ideally, in the city, this is possible. Isn't it ironic that we live so close to each other, each with our little plot of grass, yet we all have our own mower and hardly ever share with one another. The disease of the present city is individualism, materialism and loneliness. The taste of the new city culture in Pentecost is a radical contrast from what we experience today.

3. They met with each other daily. Here is a picture of connectedness. Once again, only possible in the city where we can meet our neighbours on our walks, etc. Their connection even went to the point of common meals (BBQs?) and feasted together (or at least a "love feast - which according to Krieder, were feasts where the rich waited for the poor to eat first, where they shared their wealth with the needy and the least became first) in their homes. The dynamic of today's cities however is that we are remarkably disconnected. Many of us do not know the names of our immediate neighbours. Yet we are so physically close together. Yet we are so disconnected from one another. The culture we live in and the culture we look forward to in the new City are dramatically different.

4. They celebrated! They were marked as a people who praised God. Revelation clearly pictures throngs joined in worship and celebration. This is a culture of happiness for tears and sorrows will be wiped away. Joy never ending! Wow! How different from our cities where a lack of generosity and a pervasive individualism results in homelessness, poverty, brokenness, secrecy, pain etc. etc.

5. This culture was magnetic! For those who hunger for the kingdom - it is the ideal. Every day people were being added. (There is however good evidence that many also were not added - and even though they enjoyed good favour at first, by Acts 6, major persecution had started.)

Every city, every church has a culture. How close to the culture of the New city is our church?
In your experience of the cities we live in - is the city as we know it a foretaste of the eternal kingdom of God, or is it a foretaste at all in any way at all?
How do you picture the city, the new Jerusalem, that God is bringing to us? What excites you about it?

Feel free to add any of your own questions or themes that you might like to see addressed in this sermon or future sermons.

Possible theme song of Response: "Take us to the River" by Robin Mark

Pastor Bill