John 13:1-17

John 13:1-17

October 4, 2009

Communion Meditation

Part 4 in “Touch Jesus” series

We are in the midst of a busy fall season here at Hopewell – and are “doing” many things!

This is truly an exciting time to be part of Hopewell Presbyterian!

But – even though we have a lot to celebrate and are doing a lot of things – we are also looking at ways that we can grow – spiritually.   As we get involved in and get excited about doing more things we are also growing in our relationship with God.

Our new prayer groups are giving us excellent opportunities to grow in our faith – and the adult study on Wednesday nights of Richard Fosters book Celebration of Discipline gives us an opportunity to explore some of the ways we can grow in our relationship with Christ.

On Sundays we are looking at “touching Jesus” – coming into contact with Jesus – and letting Jesus change our lives.  We’re looking at different ways we can “touch Jesus” – let Jesus touch us – and let Jesus change our lives.  We have seen the need to “touch Jesus” by looking at the story of a woman who reached out from a crowd of folks and touched Jesus – and had her life changed by Him –we have looked at the Lord’s Prayer and how we can touch Jesus when we pray – and we have looked at how we can follow and listen to Jesus.

Today I want us to look at another way we can “touch Jesus” – reach out to Him – and let Him touch us and change our lives — that being serving Him and serving others.

Listen to God’s Word as we read from John 13:1-17:

Jesus and his friends had gathered for the Passover Feast – the most special feast of the year for Jews — the feast where they celebrated God giving their ancestors freedom from slavery in Egypt. As they gathered for this special feast, none of the disciples considered a menial – but important – task – washing the dust, dirt, and mud from the streets off their feet. They all knew that it needed to be done – but none of them wanted to do this menial task. They were too busy arguing about which of them was the greatest in the group – and no one dared assume the role of servant and carry out the courtesy of washing feet.

So – what does Jesus do?

Jesus – the one many had proclaimed to be King – the one many hoped would lead them to freedom from the Romans much as Moses had lead them to freedom over the Egyptians – put a towel around Himself and washed the disciple’s feet.

Yes — Jesus was the king – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – and yet – He was the one  washing the dirty feet of his disciples and drying them with a towel. Here is the king – but His  scepter — His symbol of authority and power — is a towel.

At least four truths are taught by Jesus’ use of the towel that night.

The first is that the towel dramatizes the whole of Jesus’ ministry on earth.  Washing His disciples’ feet was not an isolated event. In fact, what He did that night in the upper room vividly portrayed the whole journey He made from the Father into the world and back to the Father.

John says that Jesus rose from supper, just as He had risen from his eternal throne.

Jesus laid aside His garments — just as He had laid aside His glory in heaven — just as He had chosen to lay aside His privileges as the Son of God.

Jesus wrapped a towel around Himself — just as He wrapped around Himself our humanity.

Jesus then washed his disciples’ feet — performing the most menial act of service — just as the next day He would die the degrading death of a common criminal.

When Jesus finished washing their feet, John says Jesus took up his garments and returned to his place of honor, just as He returned to God the Father after His ministry – death – and resurrection for our salvation.

Jesus’ use of the towel illustrated what the early church later would sing in the hymn the Apostle Paul records in Philippians 2:5-11:

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

In the room that night, the eternal Son of God, the King of all creation, stripped off His garments and got on his knees to wash the dirt from the feet of men who should have been serving Him.

That act was nothing new, for it symbolizes the whole of his career.

That brings us to the second truth taught in Jesus’ use of the towel.

The towel revealed the King’s own concept of royalty.

From our human perspective, washing feet is beneath the dignity of the King of Kings. Peter is horrified by Jesus’ actions: “You shall never wash my feet.”

In the upper room, Peter still has in his mind the things of men and not of God. In the upper room, Peter wanted Jesus to fit into human ideas of royalty and divinity:

“You, the divine King, you shall never wash my feet.”

In this foot-washing scene, Jesus is shattering our concept of divine royalty. We live with the idea that to be God is to be exalted, to be sitting on a throne, surrounded by willing servants. In His use of the towel, Jesus is revealing the God has of divine royalty –

Being God means coming down from that throne and giving Himself to serve.

Lesslie Newbigin writes a profound observation:

“This is not just an active lesson in humility. Peter could have understood that. The foot washing is a sign of that ultimate subversion of all human authority which took place when Jesus was crucified by the decision of the powers that rule this present age. In that act, the wisdom of this world was shown to be folly, and the powers of this world were disarmed. But flesh and blood—ordinary human nature — is in principle incapable of understanding this. It is to the Jew a scandal, to the Greek, folly. Only those whom the risen Christ will call and to whom the Holy Spirit will be given will know that this folly is the wisdom of God, and this weakness is the power of God. At that moment, as the man he is, Peter cannot understand. The natural man makes gods in his own image.      A supreme God will be the one who stands at the summit of the chain of command. How can the natural man recognize this supreme God in the stooping figure of a slave clad only with a loincloth?”

The fact is, Peter would have been perfectly comfortable washing Jesus’ feet. That would be normal, according to human ideas. But to see Jesus, the great I AM, stoop before Peter and begin to  reach for his dirty feet is not normal. Jesus is teaching Peter and us that such a posture and spirit are normal for the true and living God.

The truth is that the eternal King above All Kings serves us, and we will never be able to outserve Him.

How do you react to all of this?

If you are like me, you have a mixed reaction. On the one hand, I am touched by such a king. On the other hand, like Peter, I am disturbed.

As I have thought about this, I have discovered that a God on His knees before me humbles me and strangely makes me more God-centered.

If my only view of God is that of a supreme king at the summit of the chain of command, a King on the top rung of the ladder then I’m always wondering how I can get to Him – how I can ascend the ladder and “make my way to heaven” — and worrying about how I am doing.

Am I doing better than those around me?

Am I going to make it to heaven?

In the name of religion, I would become preoccupied with myself.

But – when I consider that – actually — God kneels in front of me – and serves me – I cannot help but be preoccupied with Him and with others.

This type of view of God knocks us off our throne and puts Jesus on his throne.

He becomes the center.

Jesus was helping Peter – and us — understand that we can only meet God at the bottom rung of the ladder, for this is where God is. Jesus was revealing the King’s own idea about what it means to be King — for this King finds His royal dignity in serving.

This leads us to the third truth taught by Jesus’ use of the towel that night.

The towel points to the King’s great action on behalf of His subjects. Jesus’ use of the towel that night points to His death on the Cross. John tells us that Jesus’ hour had come. John also mentions Judas’s betrayal of Jesus so that we will associate the foot washing and the Crucifixion.

John uses two words to describe Jesus’ actions: lay down (or lay aside) and take up.

Those two words are used earlier in the Gospel of John to refer to Jesus’ death. Jesus says in John 10: “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one has taken it from me. I lay it down on my own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.”

Only the ultimate act of service, only the ultimate stooping down, can cleanse us from sin.

And there’s a fourth truth taught in Jesus’ use of the towel.

The towel now identifies those who have allowed the King to serve them. The towel marks those who know and follow the servant King.

After washing their feet, Jesus says to His disciples:

“Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘ Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet.”

When he washed his disciples’ feet, Jesus was saying:

“I lay down my life for you. I will go to the Cross for you.”

Newbigin makes another observation – one that might change our whole idea of human relationships. Listen to what Newbigin says:

“Jesus has laid aside his life for us all, and the debt which we owe to Him is to be discharged by our subjection to our neighbors in loving service. Our neighbor is the appointed agent authorized to receive what we owe the Master.”

I owe Jesus Christ for what he has done for me.

My neighbor is now the appointed agent authorized to receive what I owe the Master.

The mark of a life touched and filled with the spirit of King Jesus is a willingness to serve others – just as Jesus has served us.

Your spouse is the appointed agent authorized to receive what you owe Jesus Christ the King.

Your children are the appointed agents authorized to receive what you owe the King.

Your friends – co workers – everyone you meet every day – are the appointed agent authorized to receive what you owe Jesus Christ the King.

Jesus’ new order turns everything upside down for us.

He changes our whole concept of power, authority, and status.

Remember what he said to his disciples when they were arguing among themselves about who would be the greatest in this kingdom of God? Calling them to himself, he said,

“You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them.” Note the preposition over. “They lord it over, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not so, among you. Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be number one shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.”

The King who is a servant is inaugurating a kingdom of servants.

In the world – where people are clamoring for power – folks are distinguished by climbing over each other to get to the top. In the Kingdom of God – folks are distinguishes by the self-emptying love of the King – a willingness to serve Him – and to serve others.

Serve Jesus – Serve Others.

As we touch Jesus and serve Him we are blessed – and our lives are changed.

As we touch others and serve them in the name of Jesus we are blessed – and our lives are changed.

Serve Jesus – Serve Others.

Jesus calls us to serve – and when we respond to that call – we find Him – and others find Him through us.

The young people and adults who went to Athens, GA this past summer to serve others can relate to this idea. Every night when we returned to the High School where we were staying we would gather for worship and praise.  Part of that time was sharing “God sightings” – times we had seen God that day.  Many times they would share of how they had seen God in the eyes of the folks they were serving that day.  Their sincere appreciation for what the young people and adults were doing radiated from them – and those serving them saw God in how they related to them. But – here’s the thing – when those being served were asked how they were “seeing God” that week – every one of them responded: “I saw God in the energy – the excitement – and the willingness of those who came to serve me this week.”

As we touch Jesus and serve Him we are blessed – and our lives are changed.

As we touch others and serve them in the name of Jesus we are blessed – and our lives are changed.

Serve Jesus – Serve Others.

Jesus calls us to serve – and when we respond to that call – we find Him – and others find Him through us.

Jesus is the King who serves us.

Jesus commands us – as His followers – to serve Him.

Jesus commands us to serve others.

Touch Jesus – have your life changed by Him.

Serve Jesus – and serve others.   Amen.

John 10:1-6

John 10:1-6

“Listen – And Follow”

September 27, 2009

3^rd in fall 2009 “Touch Jesus” series

We are in the midst of a busy fall season here at Hopewell – and are “doing” many things!

This is truly an exciting time to be part of Hopewell Presbyterian!

But – even though we have a lot to celebrate and are doing a lot of things – we are also looking at ways that we can grow – spiritually.   As we get involved in and get excited about doing more things we are also growing in our relationship with God.

Our new prayer groups are giving us excellent opportunities to grow in our faith – and the adult study on Wednesday nights of Richard Fosters book Celebration of Discipline gives us an opportunity to explore some of the ways we can grow in our relationship with Christ.

On Sundays we are looking at “touching Jesus” – coming into contact with Jesus – and letting Jesus change our lives.  We’re looking at different ways we can “touch Jesus” – let Jesus touch us – and let Jesus change our lives.  We have seen the need to “touch Jesus” by looking at the story of a woman who reached out from a crowd of folks and touched Jesus – and had her life changed by Him – and we have looked at the Lord’s Prayer and how we can touch Jesus when we pray.

Today I want us to look at another way we can “touch Jesus” – reach out to Him – and let Him touch us and change our lives — that being listening to Jesus and following Jesus.

Listen to God’s Word as we read from John 10:1-6:

I read of a father who was reading the paper and decided to share what he’d been reading with his teenage son. The article said that children today are lazy, have little concentration and barely possess any listening skills at all. When he was finished reading the article he turned to his  son and asked: “Well, son what do you think about that study?”

The boy halfheartedly lifted his head and said, “What was that again, Dad?”

Sometimes we just don’t listen, do we?

We do that with our parents – with our spouse – with our children – with our friends – at work – or wherever we may be – sometimes we just don’t listen.

Sometimes we do that to God and Jesus, our Shepherd, too.

Sometimes we’re just content to be in the presence of the Shepherd — and that’s OK – sometimes. But sometimes we get so absorbed in what we’re doing, what we’re thinking, with ourselves, that we don’t listen.

Kind of like the guy in a commercial that used to be on TV – I believe it was for Geico – who is watching a game on TV, eating popcorn, having a great time – when his very attractive wife walks into room  and asks: “Honey, does this dress make me look fat?” His team just scored a touchdown, and without even looking her way he says: “YESS!” Of course, that’s the wrong answer. And the guy’s in big trouble because he didn’t listen. He recognized his wife’s voice — but he didn’t listen to it!

If we are going to be the Church – and the Christians – God wants us to be, we are going to have to learn to listen to – and follow – Jesus.

Listen – and follow – Jesus.

Our passage for today — John 10:1-6 – has some things we need to hear – to listen to – as Jesus talks about listening and following the voice of the Shepherd.  This passage teaches us several things about the voice of the shepherd. It teaches us that:

The voice of the Shepherd goes before us,

The voice of the Shepherd guides us,

The voice of the Shepherd protects us and

The voice of the Shepherd tells us who we are.

We need to listen to – and follow – the shepherd.

We need to listen to – and follow – Jesus.

First — The voice of the Shepherd goes before us:

Hugh Redwood was a celebrated lay preacher in  England and was in great demand as a speaker. During one period of his life, Redwood passed through a difficult time. He had some very hard decisions to make and wasn’t sure what he should do. He was tempted to just give it all up, to run. He asked God for guidance, but as sometimes happens, it seemed that no guidance was given. The heavens were silent.  One evening he went to have dinner with some friends before going on to address a large public gathering. When the meal was over his hostess suggested he go to the study, put his feet up, and relax beside the fire. Redwood was glad for a little bit of peace and quiet, so that’s what he did. As promised, he found a fire burning. As he sat down in one of the chairs, he noticed that a Bible on the table beside the chair. Picking it up, he discovered it was open to Psalm 59, and began to read.  He came to the tenth verse, where he found these words underlined: “The God of my mercy shall go before me.” Someone had written a paraphrase of the text in the margin: “My God, in His loving-kindness, shall meet me at every corner.” Those words were so powerful and became like a lamp turning on for Hugh Redwood. Later he made his hard decisions, and they proved to be wise ones. He didn’t run away but went on to accomplish great things and to live a useful and fulfilled life.

“The God of my mercy shall go before me.”

“My God, in His loving-kindness, shall meet me at every corner.” Or as the twenty-third psalm puts it,

“The Lord is my Shepherd.”

I personally find great comfort in that idea. The Good Shepherd goes before us to prepare the way, which means there is no place that we go that the Shepherd hasn’t already been. He’s already made sure the path is clear and safe. There may be hardships, there may be mishaps, there may be struggles but the Good Shepherd has already seen those and knows how to help us negotiate through the treacherous territory. He has already prepared a way for us to get through. All we have to do is continue to listen to His voice.

The voice of the Shepherd goes before us.

We need to listen to – and follow – Jesus – who goes before us and prepares our way.

Listen to – and follow – Jesus.

The second thing we can learn from this passage is that the voice of the Shepherd guides us.

When we prepare ourselves,  we are able to listen to the vice of the Shepherd.

And when we listen, Jesus – the Shepherd – will guide us.

At the age of forty-seven, Nick Thomas found himself unemployed and under tremendous financial pressure. He had had a successful career in the Air Force and the insurance business, but a series of financial reversals had set him back and the failure of his own consulting business had left him with no place to turn. He didn’t know what to do.  Frustrated and seeing no way out, Nick’s wife, Liz turned to prayer. She found a church that was opened for prayer every day – and every morning she’d be go and pray that something good would happen to change their fortune. She was in church one morning, praying about their dilemma, when she thought she could almost hear the words, “Make the mustard.” Her family had a mustard recipe from Russia, and every Christmas she made this special mustard and gave it to her family and friends as a special gift. At first she ignored the words. But they kept coming more and more persistent. Reluctantly she told Nick – who — of course — thought she was out of her mind. Liz had no idea from where or whom the voice came. But after considerable discussion and prayer Nick and Liz decided to listen to the voice. She prepared a substantial amount of the mustard – they packaged it — and called on a local cheese shop. The manager tasted it and immediately bought out their entire inventory. Within three months they had one the hottest selling items in the highly competitive New York major deli market.  The Thomases  committed their troubles to God in prayer and looked expectantly to God for guidance — and listened for the voice of the Shepherd.

They listened – and God guided.

Listen to – and be guided by – Jesus.

The third thing we can learn from this passage from John 10 is that the voice of the Shepherd protects us.

Listening to the voice of the shepherd – listening to Jesus — helps us in making hard choices — choices about who we are and what we believe and what is really important to us. The voice of the Shepherd protects us — and by listening to the voice of the Shepherd, He helps us choose.

About 4 years ago, Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, offered WGN Chicago Radio sports-talk host David Kaplan $50,000 to change his name legally to “Dallas Maverick.” When Kaplan politely declined, Cuban sweetened the offer. Cuban would pay Kaplan $100,000 and donate $100,000 to Kaplan’s favorite charity if he took the name for one year. After some soul searching, and being bombarded by e-mails from listeners who said he was crazy to turn down the money, Kaplan held firm and told Cuban no.  Kaplan explained: “I’d be saying I’d do anything for money, and that bothers me. My name is my birthright. I’d like to preserve my integrity and credibility.”

Friends — the name “Christian” is our birthright. From the moment of our baptism and our birth into the Kingdom of God, the Good Shepherd promises to lead us to green pastures and beside the still waters. He promises to restore our souls and leads us through the valley of the shadow of Death. The voice of the Shepherd protects us.  Don’t “sell out” by following other voices – regardless of how tempting they may be.

You have to make sure, however, that the voice you are listening is the right voice. There are a lot of voices out there vying for your attention and loyalty – and a lot of voices that want you to think they are the voice of the Shepherd — when in reality they are the thief Jesus describes in verse 1.

Bob’s Famous Ice Cream Parlor in Bethesda, Maryland, was robbed, but manager Nathan Peabody was warned in time. Moments before the robbery he was contacted by telephone. The voice said, “Are you the manager? Listen carefully; don’t panic. This is the police. You are going to be robbed. Do NOT resist. Let the robber have your money. We will be waiting right outside your store and we need to catch him with the money on him. Thank you for your cooperation.” Sure enough, a man with a scruffy beard and a knife came in demanding money. Mr. Peabody took all of his cash out of the drawer and gave it to him. Peabody watched as the robber left the store, waiting for the cops to close in. Instead, the robber just got in his car and drove away. And as he saw the taillights disappear in the distance he realized what had just happened. He realized that the call hadn’t come from police headquarters after all — but from the thief.

Listen to – be guided by – and protected by — Jesus.

There’s a fourth thing we can learn about following Jesus – the Shepherd – from this passage.

The voice of the Shepherd tells us who we are.

Phillip Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23, tells us that sheep are very fearful creatures. They simply won’t lie down unless they sense the shepherd is very near. They need to know that he’s present. We’re like that. Jesus was right when he said we are like sheep without a shepherd. Not all of us but some of us. And we’re fearful when we don’t feel we belong.

I once read about a young girl who lived in an apartment in a big city.  Her parents didn’t really care for her – they were too interested in drugs and alcohol to be bothered by her. After supper in the summer the children on the block gathered in the streets to play. But after a while one would say that she had to go home because her mother told her to be in before eight o’clock. Or a father would whistle and a boy would have to leave. A mother would call and others would have to go. The girl said, “They would all go. It would get dark and I would be there all alone, waiting for my father or my mother to call me in. They never did.”

What a sad story that is. There are children who don’t know the voice of a caring parent, who never get called in or called home. They can do whatever they want as long as they don’t inconvenience the parents. Actually, they really want and need someone to care. They really want and need someone to call their name with love — not filled with derision. They really want someone to reach out and let them know they matter.

Some adults — even after hearing all the promises of the God who loves us, who calls us by name, and gave His life for us — still persist in living outside the flock. They question the voice of the Shepherd or the sincerity of the voice. They question the other sheep in the flock, whether they will accept them or not. Or worse, they don’t think they can be worthy of that love, even after the Shepherd has rescued them and has bent down to give them refreshing water.

But that’s why Jesus came. That’s why He gave His life on the cross. He loves you.

Jesus — the Shepherd – even loves those who don’t want to have anything to do with Him. He even loves those sheep who wander away, who are distracted by the little clump of enticing greenery and suddenly find themselves separated from the rest of the flock. That’s when the Shepherd comes searching for them and brings them back into the fold and reminds them where they belong and to whom they belong.

Why? Because the voice of the Shepherd tells us who we are.

We are beloved of God – called by God – and should follow God.

Listen to – be guided by – and protected by Jesus – and let Jesus tell you who you are.

Jesus said:

[3] “the sheep hear the Shepherd’s voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

My Dad and I saw this played in right before our very eyes one afternoon on a trip we took with members of my home Church to Israel. It was a beautiful fall day and after lunch we went to the roof of the restaurant to see the view. As we looked out over the city we noticed a large patch of pasture – probably 3-5 acres. All of a sudden, from opposite directions, we saw a couple of shepherds bringing their flocks. Both had about 25 or 30 sheep apiece. The sheep went into the pasture to graze and the two shepherds stood at the gate exchanging greetings and smoking a cigarette. We wandered around to the other side of the roof and looked and then wandered back.

Just about the time we got there, one of the shepherds opened the gate and hollered something. I don’t know what it was but the sheep sure did. All the heads of the sheep in his flock came up. He hollered something else, and here they came. There was the truth of this passage right before our very eyes!

Here’s the thing we have to remember:

Jesus calls us – and we need to listen – and follow.

The voice of the Shepherd is whispering His love for us — calling us — and wooing us into an ongoing relationship.

The voice of the Shepherd goes before us, guides us, protects us and tells us who we are.

Jesus  goes before us, guides us, protects us and tells us who we are.

All we have to do is listen – and follow.

Jesus calls — but He’s not as annoying as the Verizon guy. You won’t hear Jesus say: “Can you hear me now?” But if your heart and soul and ears are tuned to Christ, you will hear.

Are you listening?

Are you following?

Touch Jesus – let Jesus touch you – and let Jesus touch your life.

Listen to Jesus – and follow!   Amen

Ezkiel 37:1-14, Acts 2:1-21, John 15:26-27

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Acts 2:1-21

John 15:26-27

Come, Holy Spirit

May 31, 2009

Pentecost

What an eerie – and yet tremendously exciting – description of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

What an eerie — and yet tremendously exciting — description of the Spirit of God bringing life to lifeless, dry bones.

Eerie – yes – even scary – and yet intriguing – and indeed exciting.

But still scary.

Today is Pentecost.

One of the three most important days in the church year – along with Christmas and Easter.  This is the day we celebrate the coming and power of the Holy Spirit – and yet we seem to be uncomfortable with it.  We don’t quite know what to do with it.  It’s hard to generate enthusiasm for Pentecost.

Why do we not celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in the same way we celebrate the coming of Christ – or the resurrection of Christ?

I’m not sure – - but I’m afraid it has something to do with the fact that we are scared.

We are comfortable with looking back at the Bible and saying -

“Yes – how wonderful the coming to the Holy Spirit was ” – -

or “Yes – how wonderful it was that the Spirit of God brought life the dry bones” —

but yet – - what we would do if it happened here and now?

The very thought of the Spirit coming into our lives and this Church right now scares us to — – doesn’t it?

We want to be able to look back and admire the coming of the Spirit – while keeping it at a safe distance from us.  Like a lion or tiger in the zoo or a shark at an aquarium.  It’s great to look at – but don’t let it get up close and personal.

The coming of the Holy Spirit is scary.

It’s risky business!

We don’t know what might happen if the Holy Spirit were to suddenly come upon us – do we?

We don’t know what might happen if we were to experience the renewing — life giving work of God’s Spirit — here and now – do we?

We don’t know what might happen if we were to experience a Pentecost of sorts here and now – do we?

And that can be scary!

We just might get excited.

We just might start worshipping like we really mean it.

We just might start really loving each other.

We just might become excited about doing God’s will.

We just might start really wanting to do something – to really make a difference for God’s glory.

We just might start wanting our faith to really mean something to us – and make a difference in how we live.

Yea – scary – risky business.

We wouldn’t want any of this to really happen – would we?

We don’t really want to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit – - the new life offered by the Spirit of God — because we are scared of what might happen if we do.

Let Pentecost just be something that happened “back then” – let’s just observe it as a historical event – but let’s not get carried away with it.  Let’s not act like it could happen here – and now.

Let the vision of the dry bones receiving life be just that — a vision — don’t let it be reality — especially not reality for us!

But — guess what — while  we try to avoid getting the Holy Spirit as if we were trying to avoid getting the Swine Flu

we also bemoan the fact that we just can’t get anything going –

we bemoan the fact that we can’t seem to grow as a Church!

Maybe – just maybe — we should re–think Pentecost.

Maybe we should re-think our attitudes about the life changing – Church changing power of the Holy Spirit.

Do you think that maybe we should take another look at Pentecost – and what the Holy Spirit can do for us – here – and now?

Do you think we should take another look at the life-giving power of God’s Spirit?

Should we take another look at the excitement and enthusiasm of the disciples – the new life of the dead bones – and maybe take the coming of the Holy Spirit more seriously – and see if there is a chance it could happen again – now?

What do you think can really make a difference in our lives and our Church?

Friends – it’s the work of the Holy Spirit that can make a difference in our lives – and the Church – so we need to see what the Spirit can do for us – pray to be filled with the Spirit – and learn to walk in the Spirit all our lives.

Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, said that if there was one message he could preach to the church, it would be a message about how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s how much of a difference the filling of the Holy Spirit can make in a person’s life.

Many people give up on trying to live the Christian life because it’s too hard. The fact is, it’s not just hard—it’s impossible.

It’s impossible to live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit’s power.

If we are going to be the Christians God wants us to be – and the Church God wants us to be – we had better start praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

You see — the Holy Spirit is the oil that makes the machinery of your life run smoothly. Have you ever tried driving a car without oil? You know what happens, don’t you. The engine locks up and breaks down. It’s the same way for a Christian who lives without the oil of the Holy Spirit in their life.

Some of you have been walking in the Spirit for many years – but fr some of you the idea of being filled with the Holy Spirit is a new concept. But the fact is that all of us need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The fact is that – if we are going to be the Christians God wants us to be – and the Church God wants us to be – we are going to have to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

On this Pentecost – let’s look at a passage of Scripture that teaches in plain detail what the Holy Spirit can do for you, how you can be filled with the Holy Spirit, and how you can live a Spirit-filled life. The passage we’ll look at is in Ezekiel 37, the story of the Valley of the Dry Bones. This passage teaches us a great deal about the Holy Spirit.

If you can turn to your Bibles or a pew Bible that might be helpful – because we are going to be referring to Ezekiel 37 a lot.

Look at the passage.

What can the Holy Spirit do for you?

Well – let’s look at some things the Holy Spirit can do for you:

One thing is: He can revitalize your life.

Take a look at verse 5 in Ezekiel 37 –

(v. 5) This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life.

Then — skip down to verse 14…

(v. 14) I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live.

That’s what the Holy Spirit does for you.

He revitalizes you.

He takes you from the point of merely surviving to the point of truly living.

He changes your life from “black and white” to the “wonderful world of living color” – so to speak.

It’s as if your life “mono” to “stereo”.

It’s as if your life were changed from a moped to a mercedes.

The Holy Spirit revitalizes your life.

He infuses you with freshness, and with newness.

Another thing the Holy Spirit can do for you is that He can renew your hope. Take a look at verse 11 – 12:

(v. 11-12) Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord days: O My people I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord.”

What’s God doing here?

He’s sending the Holy Spirit and renewing their hope.

Have there been times in your life when you felt like the people of Israel felt here?

Have there been times when you have said:

“My bones are dried up and my hope is gone”?

I think we all have.

The presence of the Holy Spirit changes your perspective on life. One of the benefits of life that is filled with the Holy Spirit is that the Spirit renews your hope.

In Ephesians 1 Paul says that the Holy Spirit is given to us as…

…a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those        who are God’s possession…(Ephesians 1:14)

Paul’s saying g that the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life guarantees that you will get through this life—no matter how dark it may seem, no matter dry you may feel, no matter how desperate things might be—the Holy Spirit will keep your hope alive. A benefit of the Spirit filled life is the absence of despair.

Another thing the Holy Spirit does for you is that the Spirit will restore your dreams. Look at what Ezekiel writes in verse 14:

I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. (vs. 14)

The people of Israel had a dream of living in their own land. When Ezekiel recorded these words from God they had been living for years in exile. God was saying /to them:

“Do you know that dream I gave you? Don’t give up on it. I’ll restore it.”

God will do the same for you.

Too many of us go through life like we’re living in exile. We live like we’ve been banished from our homeland, banished from the benefits and promises that all children of God can claim. If you’re not walking in victory, you’re living in exile. If you’re not experiencing power over sin, you’re living in exile. If you’re not filled with joy, and peace, and hope, and love—you’re living in exile.

God didn’t create us to live in exile. He created us to experience the benefits of our heavenly citizenship here on earth. It is through the fullness of the Holy Spirit that we experience the fullness of life. In him we experience life as it should be lived.

That’s what the Holy Spirit can do for you. He’ll revitalize you, He’ll renew your hope, and He’ll restore your dreams. He’ll give you life as it should be lived.

Now, maybe you’re saying,

“I want that. I want to go from the Valley of Dry Bones to the Valley of Life. How do I get there? How do I experience this difference in my life?”

Let’s take a look at that right now—how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

First of all… you have to ask for it. In fact, “asking” may not be a strong enough term. A better term might be “speak it” or “claim it.” Take a look at Ezekiel 37:4:

(v. 4) “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life…’”

The fullness of the Spirit is God’s promise to all believers. It’s a promise that we can all claim; it’s a promise that God will certainly deliver. But here’s the thing — if we don’t claim it, if we don’t speak it, if we don’t ask for it—we’ll never experience it.

You know — there are times when I have to speak to myself the same way that Ezekiel spoke to the bones in the valley. I have to say:

Bill, hear the Word of the Lord. The Spirit of God is going to breathe life into you. Receive it! Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Stop doubting Hm. Stop flirting with despair. Let God do His work.”

Maybe you need to have a little talk to that effect with yourself!

In Ephesians 5: 18 Paul writes:

Be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

He writes it as an imperative command. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an act of obedience on our part. It’s something we do; it’s something we initiate by asking for it…by claiming it as God’s promise. If you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then ask for it. Say:

“God, fill me with your Spirit.”

The first step to being filled with the Holy Spirit is that just that easy.

The second step is easy also. After you’ve asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you need to accept It. Another way to say it is “Receive it.” Even though we initiate the work of the Spirit in our lives by asking for it, being filled with the Spirit is not something we can do for ourselves. It is something that God must do for us — it is something we must receive. We receive the Holy Spirit by yielding to  Him ..by allowing Him to have His way in our lives.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is that simple.

You ask for it. You accept it – then you act on it.

Imagine with me if you will that your banker called you and said, “Someone has just deposited $10 million into your bank account. It’s there…and it’s all yours.”

How long would it take for you to act on it?

What would you do?

You would probably start writing checks (10% going to the Church, of course).  paying bills, making investments, giving gifts, and so on.

Or you might say, “But I don’t feel like a millionaire. I don’t look like a millionaire. I don’t deserve to be a millionaire. I don’t see any of the money…where is it?”

But the fact is, in this scenario you are a millionaire. You can live like a millionaire, if you’re willing to act on it.

In the same way, God has placed a deposit into your spiritual account — He has offered you the Holy Spirit. In your account there is joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. In your account there are spiritual gifts, there is power, there is life. They are yours, but you have to act on it. You have to start “writing checks”, so to speak. Don’t wait until you feel it—just do it.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not an elusive experience that we have to spend half of our lives chasing after. It is the promise of God, it is the command of  God, and it is available to all believers. If your heart is right with God, you can be filled with the Holy Spirit right now. Ask for it. Accept it. Act on it. It’s that easy

There’s another thing about the Spirit filled life we need to know.  In addition to knowing how to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we also need to know how to walk in the Spirit.

Bill Bright, whom I mentioned earlier, taught a principle called “Spiritual Breathing.” His concept was that, as we go throughout the day, we can become aware of impurities in our life, and can “exhale” them by confessing them to God. And then we can “inhale” his presence in our lives by surrendering ourselves to his control.

When you’re going throughout your day, and you realize you’ve just had an thought you should not have had, don’t wait to repent — don’t wait to confess it—take care of it right then. Breathe out – and ask God for forgiveness, — and breathe in – receiving the forgiveness God gives.

Do this all day long, every day of your life.

Whenever you think something or say something or do something that breaks the flow of the Spirit in your life, exhale — confess it immediately and surrender control to him. You exhale what is impure in your life, you inhale his presence. The idea is that you recognize and acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life throughout the day. You walk with him all day long.

This is how Paul said it in Galatians 5:

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

I like that phrase—let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Walking in the Spirit is an all-day, every-day experience. And it’s the key to victory. It’s the key to a dynamic relationship with Jesus.

God’s promise in Ezekiel is:

(v. 14) I will put my Spirit in you and you will live.

Anything less is just existing. God wants to fill your life with living color. He wants to revitalize you; He wants to renew your hope; He wants to restore your dreams. He wants to fill you with the Holy Spirit, so that you can live in his power.

Is this what you want?

Then ask for it. Accept it. Act on it. He will do it: he will fill you with his Spirit. And then, beginning at this very moment, start practicing spiritual breathing—keep in step with the Holy Spirit throughout the day, every day. I can promise this: His presence in your life means that you will never be the same.

So – it’s pretty easy to live that Spirit filled life.

What might happen if we were to ask for God’s Spirit – act on God’s gift – and walk in the Spirit?

Let’s try and see!

Let’s take the coming of the Spirit off the pages of the book – and into our lives as we ask for – act on – and walk in the Spirit of God. Amen.

John 21:1-19

John 21:1-19

Easter Means Changed Lives: Peter’s Story

Part 4 0f 2009 Hopewell Easter series: Easter Means Changed Lives

May 17, 2009

Easter 6

Read Scripture

The Season of Easter is the most joyously celebrative season we have as Christians.  It is the season when we focus on the resurrection of Christ – and the joy – the hope – the new life – the changed life – Christ offers.

This year as we worship during the Easter season we are looking at several people who had experiences with the risen Christ – and had their lives changed. As we look at their stories, we’re see how the resurrection of Christ can change us – change our lives – change our Church – change our community – and change our world.

Easter means changed lives.

The resurrection of Christ means changed lives.

The resurrection of Christ means that God is changing lives.

God is changing our lives – our Church – our community – and can change our world.

God is making our lives – our Church – our community – and our world — new.

Easter means that God is up to doing something that is new and marvelous.

Easter means changed lives.

The message of Easter is a message of hope – a message of joy – and a message of change — especially when it is least expected.

The message of Easter is that our lives – our Church – our community – and the world can be changed – because Christ has risen.

One person who experienced the life – changing power of the risen Christ was Peter.

When you think about it – you realize that Peter went from being failure prone, impulsive, and brash to ministering with power, preaching with boldness, and leading with authority.

How did this happen?

I believe that Peter’s life turned around because he chose to “stay in the game” – so to speak.

Peter did not give up when he failed – he didn’t quit – but he let the risen Christ touch his life – forgive him — use him – and do more powerful things than he ever dreamed possible through him.

You know — Judas failed, too, but he didn’t seek God’s forgiveness. He gave in to despair and hung himself.

Peter dealt with his downfall differently.

He “stayed in the game”.

Easter means that – regardless of how hard you may have fallen – no matter what you may have done – you can “stay in the game” for God – and God can forgive you – use you – and you can do things for Him that we never expected we were able to do!

Now — Peter must have felt defeated after the crucifixion of Christ.

Surely he felt that Christ could never use him again.

Imagine that you are Peter.

You have followed Jesus for 3 years — listening, watching, and learning.

You have given your life to following Jesus — and at times have been extremely committed to following Him.  You have even made a dramatic confession of Jesus being the Son of God.

But — all that has changed.

Jesus has been arrested — and you are scared.

You do not feel that you can risk being identified with Jesus — and try to hide.  At the house of the High Priest, three different people try to identify you as a follower of Jesus — and each time you vehemently deny it.

Let’s turn away from Peter for a moment and let me ask you – have you ever seen Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion Of The Christ”?

If so, I’m sure you remember the scene where Peter denied knowing Jesus.  It’s a mob scene – people pushing and shoving – people pushing Peter and yelling

“I know you are one of his followers!”

And Peter – scared that they might drag him before the authorities also – yelling back – “No!” “No!”

Most of us would have responded in the same way.

I probably would have.

Most of you probably would have, too.

Scared.

Not willing to stand up for Jesus when Jesus needs you.

Now – let’s imagine you are Peter again.

As soon as you deny Jesus  – you panic.

How could you have done such a thing?

Where is your commitment when Jesus needs you the most?

The next day Jesus is crucified — and you feel that you are an utter failure.  You feel that everything you have lived for — everything that you have given your life for — is gone — and it is somehow your fault.  All your claims of love seem to be nothing as you think of how you have denied Jesus.

If only you could hide.

And then the story begins to spread that Jesus has risen.

You see for yourself the empty tomb – - you even see Jesus — but you are still ashamed — and confused.  You are not sure what to do — so you return to Galilee to what you did before you began following Jesus — you return to the life of a fisherman.

Then — early one morning — Jesus appears.

You panic.

You don’t know what to say or do.

You want to apologize — but don’t know how.  You are mad — ashamed — embarrassed for having denied Jesus — and feel you just can’t face Him now.

The tension rises within you as Jesus speaks.

“Do you love me?”

Jesus asks.

“Lord — you know I love you!”

“Do you love me?”

Jesus again questions.

“Lord — you know I love you!”

“Do you love me?”

Jesus asks a third time.

“Lord — you know everything — you know that I love you!”

Jesus then looks at you — and in that look you know that all has been forgiven.  You realize that your three denials have been replaced by three affirmations of love.  You realize that Jesus loves you enough to forgive you and restore you to His work.

You have been forgiven – and you can start serving Christ again.

Peter did not give up when he failed – he didn’t quit – but he let the risen Christ touch his life – forgive him — use him – and do more powerful things than he ever dreamed possible through him.

Easter means that – regardless of how hard you may have fallen – no matter what you may have done – you can “stay in the game” for God – and God can forgive you – use you – and you can do things for Him that you never expected we were able to do!

Let’s look again at that conversation between Peter and Jesus that John gives us here.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” (John 21:15-21)

In this story, Jesus is reinstating Peter, so to speak.

Peter had publicly failed, but Jesus still had plans for him.

As far as Jesus was concerned, Peter was still one of the twelve.

As far as Jesus was concerned, Peter was still “the rock.”

As far as Jesus was concerned, Peter was still the one to whom he said, “On this rock I will build my church.”

In this conversation, Jesus reinstates Peter, and he also explains to him what his life is going to be about from now on. Peter is about to make a comeback, and he is going to live the rest of his life differently than the part before this.

Friends — Easter means that – regardless of how hard you may have fallen – no matter what you may have done – you can “stay in the game” for God – and God can forgive you – use you – and you can do things for Him that you never expected you were able to do!

The fact is that all of us have failed Christ at one time or another.

The fact is that all of us done things we wish we hadn’t.

The fact is that – when pressured – all of us have responded much like Peter – denying having anything to with Christ – and then wondered why we did that.

The fact is that all of us can bravely stand up and say: “I love Jesus” when we are within the friendly confines of the Church – but when we get out in the not so friendly world we have problems – we get scared – we deny knowing Him – either by saying things – or more often than not by staying quiet when we should say things!

Can you identify with that?

I know I can!

So – what do we do?

Do we give up and quit trying to follow?

Do we wallow in our despair?

Or – do we “stay in the game” – continue serving Christ – and let Him forgive us and use in brand new ways that we never dreamed were possible?

Friends — what Jesus said to Peter – and did for Peter — applies to you and me as well. You see — Jesus gave Peter a “game plan” for the rest of his life, and it’s a game plan that can be used – or really must be used — by anyone who wants to turn things around in their lives.

So – let’s look at that “game plan” – and see how you can make a comeback for Christ – go from being failures to being victorious for Christ

There are 3 things that you must do.

1. Focus on loving Jesus.

Look again at verse 15 –

(v. 15) When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “You know that I love you.”

I believe that “more than these” refers to the other disciples.

Jesus is saying: “do you love me more than they do”?

This is an interesting question.

Why would Jesus ask, “do you love me more than the others love me?” Maybe it was because Peter was the one who said, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”  (Mark 14:29). So when Jesus asked Peter this question, he said, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” Then Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Jesus taught that love isn’t a feeling, it’s an action. Love is something you do.

Do you know what song really rubs me the wrong way?

It was a hit for Elvis and later a bigger hit for Willie Nelson — the ‘love’ ballad “You Were Always on My Mind.” The song says – in effect –

“Honey, maybe I didn’t treat you so well, I was never there for you, I never said or did the little things that would have showed you that you’re special … but, hey, at least I was always thinking about you.”

The problem is that many of us try to sing the same song to God. We try to say, “Well, God, I realize I never did anything, I never served you, I didn’t pray that often, I barely read the Bible, and I skipped church most weeks, but, hey, you were always on my mind. And I love you.”

That’s not good enough.

In John 14:15 Jesus said — “If you love me, obey me.”

The type of love Jesus is talking about here – and needs from us — is not a feeling, it’s an action.

Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, and then He followed up with a command to take care of his people.

I’ll talk more about that in a minute – but the point at this point is that Jesus helped Peter refocus on his love for Jesus – and his willingness to act for Jesus.

This is job one for the Christian – our first priority.

More than anything else, the Christian life is a love relationship between you and Jesus – and that means showing your love for Jesus by focusing on Jesus and what Jesus wants you to do for Him.

In the book The Case For Faith,  Lee Strobel tells about a meeting with Charles Templeton. In the 1950’s Charles Templeton was a famous evangelist, often preaching to crowds of as many as 10,000 each night. He was good friends with Billy Graham. They even shared the pulpit in some revivals. But Templeton began to have some doubts about the Christian faith, about the reliability of Scripture, about evolution vs. creation, about heaven and hell, and on and on. Eventually he stopped preaching. In 1996 he wrote Farewell to God — My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith. When Lee Strobel began writing his book, he decided to interview Templeton. He wanted to see if there was some deeper insight into his reasons for leaving Christianity. They debated some points back and forth, and then Strobel asked Templeton what he thought of Jesus personally. Templeton said:”He was the greatest human being who has ever lived. He was a moral genius…He was intrinsically the wisest person I’ve ever encountered in my life or in my reading.” Strobel responded: “It sounds like you care about him.” Templeton said:  ”Yes….everything good I know, everything decent I know, everything pure I know, I learned from Jesus.” Then Strobel said the old man’s voice cracked, tears came to his eyes, and he said, “I…miss…him.”

I know this scenario I am about to present my seem far fetched – but  what if something happened that prevented you from practicing Christianity — you couldn’t pray, you couldn’t read the Bible, you couldn’t go to church, you could read Christian books or listen to Christian radio.  What would you miss the most? The music? The potluck dinners? Max Lucado’s books? What would it be?

I’ll tell you what the answer should be. It should be “Jesus.”

The Christian life is, first and foremost, a love relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s what He wants. He wants you to love him. When Jesus reinstated Peter, He didn’t ask him, “Are you sorry? Are you ashamed of yourself? Do you promise never to do it again?” He said, “Do you love me?”

That’s the question He’s asking you.

Peter answered by saying, “Lord you know that I love you…you know that I love you…You know all things, you know that I love you.” Right now, if you want to experience a turn around in your life, focus on loving Jesus Christ.

Easter means that – regardless of how hard we may have fallen – no matter what we may have done – we can “stay in the game” for God – and God can forgive us – use us – and we can do things for Him that we never expected we were able to do!

The first step is to focus on loving Jesus.

The second step is

2. Focus on serving others.

Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, and Peter said “yes,” and each time Jesus followed up with ,”Feed my lambs…Take care of my sheep…Feed me sheep.”

If you want to “make a comeback” for Jesus, your life needs to be about   serving others.

Regardless of what your life  was about yesterday – maybe making money, having fun, being successful, hunting, fishing, football, music, and on and on — regardless of what you lived for yesterday – if you want to “make a comeback for Jesus” you need to let Jesus change the focus of your life.

The focus of your life now needs to be about serving others.

Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-28:

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.

Your role – the focus of your life – has to become being a servant – and your attitude must be: “What can I do for you?”

Go on – - give it a try.

When you come to church on Sunday, look for someone to serve.

When you go to work on Monday morning, look for someone to serve.

Here’s an ever bigger challenge: when you go somewhere that you would normally be served — such as a store or a restaurant — look for ways to be a servant. In a busy restaurant, for example, you can serve by the waiter by being patient and kind- hearted, and maybe leaving a bigger tip than usual. This may seem insignificant, but I’ve talked to folks who worked in restaurants – and they say that not very many people want to work on Sunday afternoon because “church people” are rude and don’t tip well. Maybe that’s fair, maybe it isn’t, but this afternoon you can do something to help change the perception.

If you want to “make a comeback for Jesus” – if you want God to use you in a new and greater way – even though you’ve failed many times before –  your life is going to have to be about being a servant.

Albert Schweitzer said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

Look for ways to serve.

Look for ways to take care of people.

With every person you meet, ask this question- – if not with your words then with your attitude:

What can I do for you?

So — Easter means that – regardless of how hard you may have fallen – no matter what you may have done – you can “stay in the game” for God – and God can forgive you – use you – and you can do things for Him that you never expected you were able to do!

To “turn things around for God” you need to focus on loving Jesus – and you need to focus on serving others.

Then – you need to:

3. Focus on staying focused.

Jesus told Peter that he would live a hard life, and then he said bluntly, “Follow me!”

In the very next verse – verse 20 –

(v. 20) Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved [i.e. John] was following them…When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Isn’t this classic?

Isn’t Peter just like one of us?

He says, “What about him? Is he going to have a hard life, too?”

If we’re not careful, we can lose focus of what we should be doing by becoming too focused on what everyone else is doing.

There’s a Seinfeld episode where Jerry and George are writing a pilot for NBC. They’re negotiating pay, and George wants more than NBC is offering, because after all, he says, Ted Danson gets $800,000 an episode. George says, “I can’t stand knowing Ted Danson makes that much more money than me!”

Ever worked with someone who’s the same way?

They can’t do their job effectively because they’re too worried about everyone else. But I have never known a successful person who kept tabs on anyone other their own employees. Successful people know how to focus on staying focused. Successful people know how to focus on getting their own job done, and they’re not prone to petty jealousies and office gossip.

If you want to experience “a comeback for Christ “ – if you want God to use you in a new way even after you’ve failed — then you need to focus on staying focused.

That’s a nice way of saying don’t be a busybody.

Don’t stick your nose in other people’s responsibilities.

Just do your job.

Life is far too difficult to spend it meddling.

If we are all trying to focus on Jesus and focus on serving others, we all have enough of our own responsibilities to focus on – and don’t need to focus on other people’s responsibilities also.

Jesus said to Peter,

(v. 18-19) I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

God has great things in store for you. The message of Easter is that – regardless of how hard you may have fallen – no matter what you may have done – you can “stay in the game” for God – and God can forgive you – use you – and you can do things for Him that you never expected you were able to do!

Friends — we are all like Peter.  We’ve all made mistakes – we’ve all failed – we all can say that there have been times we have not done what we needed to do for Jesus – for the Church – for others – but – like Peter – we can all “stay in the game” and be forgiven – and even do greater things for Christ than we ever imagined. We can let Christ forgive us – and “stay in the game” — so to speak – for Christ. If you’re serious about “staying in the game”, you need to experience God’s power to help you “make a comeback”: the power of focusing on loving Jesus – serving others – and staying focused.  If you’re ready to make a comeback, you need to get focused—on Jesus, on serving others, and on staying focused.

You can’t do it without God — and He won’t do it without you … but, if you will give yourself to Him, and trust him to work His power through you, He will give you the comeback of a lifetime. Amen.

John 20:19-31

John 20:19-31
Easter Means Changed Lives: Thomas’ Story

April 19, 2009

Part 2 of Hopewell “Easter Means Changed Lives” series

Read Scripture

The Season of Easter is the most joyously celebrative season we have as Christians – because it is the season when we focus on the resurrection of Christ – and the joy – the hope – the new life – the changed life – Christ offers.

For the next few weeks we are going to look at several people who had experiences with the risen Christ – and had their lives changed. As we look at their stories, we’ll see how the resurrection of Christ can change us – change our lives – change our Church – change our community – and change our world.

Easter means changed lives.

The resurrection of Christ means changed lives.

God is changing lives.

God can change our lives – can change our Church – can change our community – and can change our world.

God can make our lives – our Church – our community – and our world — new.

God is up to doing something that is new and marvelous.

God is changing us – changing our lives – changing our Church – changing our community and changing our world — in the resurrection of Christ.

Easter means changed lives.

The message of Easter is a message of hope – a message of joy – and a message of change — especially when it is least expected.

So – let me ask you – it has been a week since our celebration of the resurrection of our Lord — what kind week has it been for you?

Has it been a week filled with glorious hope — the glorious hope and power of God and the new life we have because of the resurrection of Christ?

A week filled with a joyous response to God because of the way our lives and our world are changed because of the resurrection of Christ?

A week of bringing the new life and hope we have in Christ into the world with joy and enthusiasm?

Is that the kind of week it’s been for you?

Or —

Has it been pretty much a week of “business as usual” — some joy but mainly just the mundane — work and whatever we usually do?

Did you leave the joy and excitement of Easter here last Sunday?

Did you forget to take it home with you — and take it out into the world?

Has the promise of the new life we have because of the resurrection of Christ changed your life –and given you a joyous message to proclaim to the world?

Has the promise of the new life we have in Christ – the change that Christ can make in our lives – our Church – our community – and the world – filled you with joy and excitement — and a new vision for what God can do in your life – the Church – the community – and the world?

Or –

Does the reality of the world – the reality of your life – the reality of things in the Church and the community seem to sap the energy and enthusiasm and “good news” right out of you?

Is it that your life and world and things in the Church just seem so hard to change – that you give up trying to let the resurrected Christ make a difference in your life – the Church – and the community before you even start?

Indeed — as we come together today you may find yourself wondering —

“So what if Christ has risen?”

“What difference does it make — to me?”

“What difference does it make in my life?”

“What difference does it make in this Church?”

“What difference does it make in the world?”

“Where’s the new life Christ offers?”

These are indeed legitimate questions — for as you go through your life it may be hard to see and experience the new life the resurrection of Christ offers you – and as you try to change the Church so it can be the active, excited Church God wants us to be that reaches out into the community with His love you may find it hard to believe that it can be done.

It may be hard to truly believe that things can be truly different in your life — in the Church – in the community – and in the world — because of the resurrection of Christ.

It may be hard to believe in the new life – the changed life – the changed Church – the changed community – the changed world that are possible because of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Maybe you are wondering if this new life – new Church – new community and new world can really happen.

Well — maybe — as you begin to think about your own struggles with believing in the new life Christ offers us — you can understand some of Thomas’ struggles.

Imagine that you are Thomas.

You are not there on that Easter night when Jesus appeared to the other disciples — so — as the other disciples excitedly tell you that Jesus has risen and appeared to them — you find it hard to believe. You don’t see much difference in your life — you are still scared — you still fear that the Jewish authorities may come and arrest you, also — you still feel ashamed for abandoning Christ — you just can’t understand what the others are so excited about.

Everything looks the same to you — and maybe your are asking the others:

“What new life are y’all talking about?”

“What new life are y’all talking about?”

“I don’t see any difference.”

It would indeed have been hard for you to believe in new life.

It would have been hard for you — until — you had an experience with the risen Christ — and saw His wounds for yourself — and put your fingers in the nail prints and His pierced side.

At that point — everything changes.

At that point — you begin to believe.

At that point — you begin to believe in new life.

At that point you begin to get excited.

Yes — Thomas became so excited about the new life Christ offered him that he wanted to tell the world. In fact, he wanted to tell the world so badly that he disobeyed the Roman government — the Jewish officials — and anyone else who tried to silence him.

So — what changed Thomas?

What happened to him?

What happened was that He finally had his opportunity to see and experience the risen Lord — to put his hands in the nail prints — and believe – and this changed his life.

In a sense, he became a “blood brother” with Christ.

My best friend as I was growing up was John Mackintosh.

John and I lived about a block from each other — and we saw each other almost every day. We were in the same grade in school — after school we would usually do things together — we roomed together for the first 3 years in college — he was a groomsman in Sally and my wedding.

When we were about 6 years old we became interested in Indians — as many boys that age do. We decided that we would bond our friendship in the way we had heard many Indians did. This is not the most hygienic thing to do but in 1961 we didn’t know about things like AIDS – so I would not recommend this practice to young people today — but John and I went to our secret hiding place one day — I pricked the middle finger on my right hand and he pricked his — letting the blood flow freely. We then touched fingers — and let our blood mingle.

We were blood brothers.

People who knew us said that we began to act alike talk alike — do things alike. We thought to ourselves that this is what blood brothers did.

Well, Thomas became a “blood brother” with the risen Christ.

He put his hand in Jesus’ nail-pierced hand and His pierced side.

In a very real sense, he became a blood-brother with Christ — his risen Lord — as his hands touched the wounds of Christ. At that moment he began to believe in the new life the risen Christ offered him – and began working to change the world with the power of the risen Christ.

He began to act like Christ.

After all — that is what blood-brothers do — isn’t it?

He began to proclaim the joy of the resurrection and the new life Christ offered to all.

He began to believe in the new life.

The community of believers that arose as the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost knew what new life was all about.

They lived as brothers and sisters with Christ — and in Christ.

They took Christ’s teachings to share and give to others quite literally — because the love of Christ was within them.

They had been touched by Christ’s Spirit — it made a noticeable difference in their lives.

Their lives were changed.

Their lives were new.

They lived differently — and everyone knew it.

You know what — like Thomas, you can begin to believe in the new life.

Like the early church – you can begin to believe in and live and boldly proclaim the new life we have in Christ.

You can begin to believe in — and live — the new life Christ offers you.

You can become a “blood brother” with Your risen Lord.

You can let the risen Christ touch you in new and different ways — and have a deep effect on how you live your life.

In your prayer life, your study of Scripture, your worship, your fellowship, your active participation in all aspects of the life of the church — you can experience the risen Lord in new ways — and share the new life Christ gives to you.

You can deepen your relationship with our risen Lord.

You can become a “blood brother” with our Lord – you can see His pierced hands and side – you can realize that He suffered death for you — yet rose again – you can experience His amazing love and power – and begin to act like Him —

which is — of course — what blood bothers do — isn’t it?

You can experience the new life God offers in the risen Lord – and share it with others.

Instead of doubting if new life and new opportunities for your life – the Church – the community – and the world is possible – you can experience the risen Christ and joyfully share the new life and new possibilities He gives you with others – and with the world.

Instead of looking at your life – the Church – the community – and the world and wondering why things are like they are – you can let the risen Christ give you a vision for how He wants things to be and wonder “Why not”?

Instead of complaining about how things are – you can let the risen Christ give you a vision for how they can be – and be a partner with Him in working to make them that way.

Instead of just seeing problems and not doing something to change them and make a difference – you can be a part of the solution that Jesus wants to provide for your life – the Church – - the community – and the world.

Instead of saying:

“I don’t see that anything has changed” —

You can truly experience the new life in Christ — and truly share it with others.

Others can begin to notice the love — the commitment – and the new life you have in Christ.

Others can begin to notice the difference Christ has made in your life.

It happened for Thomas

It happened for the early church.

It can happen for you.

New life is certainly a possibility for you.

New life can certainly be a reality for you.

And – it becomes a domino effect –

As you let the risen Christ touch you and change your life – others in the Church will begin to see the difference in your life and be touched by the new life Christ offers – and the Church will begin to be changed. Then – as change occurs in the Church – people in the community will begin to experience the new life Christ offers as we reach out to them with His love – and their lives will be changed – and on and on it will go.

But it begins with the first domino being toppled.

It begins with you.

It begins by your letting the risen Christ touch you and change you.

The message of Easter does not overlook reality.

It does not overlook the world and all its problems.

It does not call upon you to overlook your struggles to be faithful — your struggles to live your life in the ways of Christ – the struggles we experience as a Church to be the Church God calls us to be – the struggles we see in the community and the world –

No — the message of Easter is this:

Your faith may not be as strong as it should be

You may not be as committed to Christ as you can be

Your life may not be how you want it at this moment — it may not even be how God wants it to be

The Church may not be the Church you want it to be – and it may not be the Church God wants it to be

Things may not be the way God wants them in the community and the world –

Nevertheless — Nevertheless —

Christ has risen!

Your faith can be strengthened.

You can have a new commitment.

You can experience the new life in Christ.

The Church can be changed.

The Church can be different.

The community can be changed.

The community can be different.

because Christ has risen!

That’s the message of Easter and the Easter season.

Christ has risen.

There is new life — and new hope.

There is new life — and new hope —

for you —

for the Church —

for the community –

for the world –

because Christ has risen!

Friends – instead of doubting that new life – a changed life – a changed Church – a different community – a different world – is possible –

you can experience the new life that is yours through the risen Christ – and share the difference Christ makes in your life with others so the Church – the community – and the world can be changed!

Experience the risen Christ.

Let yourself become a “blood brother” with Christ.

Dare to let the risen Christ really touch your life.

Dare to let yourself touch the risen Christ in a life-changing way.

Dare to let Christ touch you in a way that will completely change you — so others can truly share the difference Christ has made in your life — the new life Christ has given you – and be Christ’s partner in changing the Church – the community – and the world.

Friends — Christ has risen!

Friends — there is new hope!

For you – for the Church – for the community —

Friends — there is new life!

If you came in these doors this morning wondering if the new life we have because of the risen Christ were true — and if you could believe it – I invite you to leave from here this morning celebrating the truth.

It is true.

New life is true.

New hope for the Church – the community – and the world is true.

It is true.

Thank God — it is true.

By the power of the risen Christ — we have a living hope — a hope for a new life and new opportunities – and changed life – a changed Church – a changed community – and a changed world.

Friends — we can stop questioning the new life we have in our risen Lord — and start living it.

Easter means changed lives.

We can live it – we can experience it – we can share it with each other – we can share it with the community – we can share it with the world – and Christ can make a difference – in the Church – the community – and the world — because Christ has risen! Amen.

John 20:1-18.09

John 20:1-18

“Easter Means Changed Lives: Mary’s Story”

Easter Communion

April 12,2009

Read Scripture

Easter is the most joyously celebrative day in the Christian year.

You can tell it in the beauty of the sanctuary.

You could tell it in the beautifully celebrative Community Service we had this morning – and the celebration of fellowship over good food afterwards.

You can tell it in the beauty of the music.

You can tell it in the beauty of the service as we celebrate the Sacrament of Communion.

All these elements work together to make this day the high point of our worship for the Christian year.

But what really makes today the high point of the Christian year – the reason we celebrate and fellowship in such a joyous way today — is the fact that this is our celebration of the resurrection of Jesus – the way He can change our lives – and the hope for new life in heaven as well as new hope a changed life here and now.

The resurrection of Christ is what makes us Christians – it is God’s response to sin and death – God’s assurance that sin and death do not have to have power over us – but that we can have hope through our risen Lord Jesus Christ.

For the next few weeks we are going to look at several people who had experiences with the risen Christ – and had their lives changed. As we look at their stories, we’ll see how the resurrection of Christ can change us – change our lives – change our Church – change our community – and change our world.

Easter means changed lives.

The resurrection of Christ means changed lives.

God is changing lives. God can change our lives – can change our Church – can change our community – and can change our world.

God can make our lives – our Church – our community – and our world — new.

God is up to doing something that is new and marvelous.

God is changing us – changing our lives – changing our Church – changing our community and changing our world — in the resurrection of Christ.

Easter means changed lives.

The message of Easter is a message of hope – a message of joy – and a message of change — especially when it is least expected.

One of those who had her life changed by the risen Christ was Mary Magdalene.

She must have felt alone – dejected – and that all hope was lost as she came to the tomb that first Easter morning.

Jesus — whom she had followed and in whom she had placed all her hopes and dreams — was dead — and it must have seemed that all her hopes and dreams of a better way of living — all her hopes and dreams of a new life – all her hopes and dreams of living differently and making a difference in the world had died with Him.

She had hoped that Jesus would make a real difference.

She had given her life to Jesus – she had committed herself to following Him – she had devoted herself to following His teaching – she had celebrated when Jesus had healed those who needed healing – and had rejoiced when Jesus had given new life to Lazarus.

She was convinced that Jesus was the Messiah – God’s chosen one – the one God had sent into the world to bring the world back to Him.

She had hoped that Jesus would truly make a difference in her life – and the world.

She was even ready to commit her life to following Jesus and help Him make a difference in the world!

But now – as she approached the tomb that first Easter morning – everything must have seemed different.

All her hopes and dreams must have seemed to have been buried with Jesus. She must have felt alone — and she must have felt like there was no way that she could get new hope for her life.

But then something happened.

She encountered the risen Christ – and in that encounter she realized that there was hope – that in Jesus God was truly changing her life and changing the world.

She had a new sense of hope.

She had a new sense of joy.

She suddenly had hope for a new and different way to live.

She suddenly had hope for a new and different world.

Just when she least expected it — God gave her new life — and God gave her new hope.

She now had hope for a different life – a life that was much more meaningful and joyous than she had ever dared to imagine before.

She now had hope for a different world – a world that was much more meaningful and joyous than she had ever dared imagine before.

As she ran back to the disciples with the news that she had seen the Lord she may have been confused — maybe incredulous — maybe even scared — but she also must have felt hope.

Hope that Christ was with her.

Hope that things could truly be different.

Hope that her life could truly be changed.

Hope that the world could truly be changed.

Can you imagine what a change there must have been in her voice – in her countenance – in her very self – as she found the disciples and announced to them;

“I have seen the Lord!”

What a message of joy and hope that must have been!

“I have seen the Lord!”

What a different message that must have been than the one she must have communicated earlier.

“I have seen the Lord!”

Her life was different!

Her life was new!

Her life had been changed!

She had seen the Lord!

Friends – Easter means that Christ has risen.

Easter means that everything has changed.

Easter means that everything can be seen from a different perspective – God’s renewing, life changing, world changing, perspective!

Easter means hope for changed lives!

Easter means hope for a changed Church!

Easter means hope for a changed community!

Easter means hope for a changed world!

As we gather around the Lord’s Table on this Easter morning – as we come into this beautiful sanctuary and as we celebrate the Sacrament of Communion – - there is hope – and the potential for change.

There is hope for our lives — there is hope for our families — there is hope for our community — there is hope for our church — there is hope for our world — because of the risen Christ.

There is the potential for change for our lives – there is the potential for change for our families – there is the potential for change for our church – there is the potential for change for our community – there is the potential for change for our world.

Because of the risen Christ — there is new life.

Because to the risen Christ — there is hope.

Because of the risen Christ – things can be different.

Because of the risen Christ – things can be changed.

Because of the risen Christ — there is hope — new life – a difference – and change — when we least expect it.

Because of the risen Christ – we can – like Mary — see the Lord.

Because of the risen Christ we can experience the Lord – and our lives – our Church – our community – and our world can be changed and made new – today and forever.

Because of the risen Christ we do not have to give up hope for our lives – our Church – our community – and our word.

Because to the risen Christ we do not have to settle for things as they are in our lives – our Church – our community – and our world – but we can dream of things being different – and work for the difference God wants to make in our lives – our Church – our community – and our world.

Can you see the Lord?

Can you see the Lord?

Can you see the hope — the new life — the love the risen Lord offers us?

Can you see the new life God gives us — especially when we least expect it?

Can you see the changed life – the changed Church – the changed community – the changed world – God is offering us?

Can you see the Lord?

Can you see the Lord?

If so — act like it!

Let the joy of the risen Lord – the joy of new life – the joy of a changed life – Church – community and world infect your life – let it infect how you worship — how you fellowship with each other — how you share God’s love with the world.

Can you see the Lord?

Can you let the risen Lord fill you with hope for a better life – a better Church – a better community – a better world?

If so – act like it!

Let the world know that you see the risen Christ.

Let the surprising love of God that renews us and gives us new life — especially when we least expect it – change you and give you such joy that the world will see it and wonder what has happened.

Let it make a noticeable difference in your life.

Let it make a noticeable change in how you live.

Share the difference Christ has made in your life with the Church and the world.

If you have seen the risen Christ – if the risen Christ has changed your life — you can not keep that a secret. You can not keep the new life and new hope God offers us through the risen Christ a secret.

You have to let it change how you live.

You have to let it change how you worship.

You have to let it change how you fellowship with others.

You have to let it change your actions as you reach out into the world with God’s love.

You have to tell the world the message Mary told the disciples:

“I have seen the Lord!”

“I have seen the Lord!”

Can you see the Lord?

Can you see the Lord?

Has your life been changed by an experience with the risen Christ?

Have you experienced the Lord’s love in a new way?

Have you let Christ make your life new?

Have you experienced God’s new life — especially in a way you never expected it before?

Can you see the Lord?

Can you see the Lord?

Easter has a clear message.

The message of Easter is that it does not matter how bad things seem to be in our lives – our Church – our community – and our world – God is at work changing things and making things new.

It does not matter how sinful or troubles our lives may be – the message of Ester is that God is at work changing things and making things new.

The current state of our Church does not matter — the message of Ester is that God is at work changing things and making things new – and we can be partners with God in that work.

The current sate of the economy and other things in our community that can depress us and get us down do not matter — the message of Ester is that God is at work changing things and making things new – and we can be partners with God in that work.

The current state of affairs in the world does not matter — the message of Ester is that God is at work changing things and making things new – and we can be partners with God in that work.

Because of the resurrection of Christ — our lives — our families — our community — our church – - our world — can be made new by God who makes all things new — even when — or maybe it‘s better to say especially when — we least expect it.

Let the message of Easter change your life.

Let the message of Easter change how you live.

Let the message of Easter change how you relate to all people.

Let the message of Easter truly change how you live.

Let the message of Easter give you hope for life – hope for a new Church – hope for a new community – hope for a new world – and the energy to work for God’s will that will bring that hope into a reality.

Just as the risen Christ changed Mary’s life and gave here hope and joy — the risen Christ can change you – and givng you hope – and giving you joy.

The risen Christ can change your life – can change this Church – the community – and the world!

By the life changing power Christ can give us – we can see there is new life and new hope – and proclaim – like Mary –

“I have seen the Lord!”

“I have seen the Lord!”

and the Lord can strengthen us to work for His new life – His changed Church – His changed community – and His changed world – in all we say and do.

Yea –

Easter means changed lives – a changed Church – a changed community – and a changed world.

See it.

Feel it.

Let the new life the risen Christ gives be a reality for you – and work to make it a reality for others. Amen.

Philippians 2:5-11, John 12:12-19

Philippians 2:5-11

John 12:12-19

April 5, 2009

Passion / Palm Sunday

Jesus Is The One We Can Follow

Part 6 of Lent series “Who do you say Jesus is?”

We have used the season of Lent this year to think about who Jesus is – and what Jesus means to us.

I’ve asked you to focus on one basic question:

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Remember that in Mark 8:27-29 Jesus questions the disciples about who “people” said that He was. They came up with a list of things people said about Jesus – that He was Elijah, that He was John the Baptist, or that He was another of the Old Testament prophets who had risen from the dead.

Jesus then made the question more personal by asking who they said that He was.

That’s when Peter made His confession that Jesus was the Christ.

You know – it didn’t really matter what others said about Jesus – did it?

What mattered was who Jesus was to the disciples.

What mattered was who they said Jesus was.

What mattered was that Jesus was the Christ. – the Savior – the only way to salvation – for them.

What mattered was that they said Jesus was their Lord and Savior.

The same is true for you.

You can listen to me talk about who Jesus is – or listen to others tell who they think Jesus is – but what really matters is who you say that Jesus is – who is Jesus for you.

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who is Jesus – for you?

We’re looking at several answers to that question during Lent.

We began Lent 5 weeks ago by seeing that the most important answer you can give to this question is that Jesus is your Savior.

Until you can say that Jesus is your Savior it doesn’t matter what else we say about Him – but once we can say that Jesus is our Savior – we can say other things about Him – things like:

1. Jesus is the one who helps me resist temptation – which we looked at 4 weeks ago

2. Jesus is the one who gave of Himself for me – which we looked at 3 weeks ago

3. Jesus is the one who keeps me clean and holy – which we looked at 2 weeks ago

4. Jesus is the one I want to see and hear – which we looked at last week

Today – on this last Sunday in Lent – this Passion / Palm Sunday – we are going to end our Lenten season by looking at how we can dedicate our lives to following Jesus.

You see – once you say that Jesus is your Savior – one of the things you can say is that Jesus is one you want to follow – and you can dedicate your life to following Him – regardless of where He may lead.

Jesus is the one I want to follow.

Listen to the Palm Sunday story as John records it in John 12:12-19 – and to Paul’s call in Philippians 2:5-11 to have the mind of Christ.

Read Scripture

I read not long ago about a girl named Susan. Susan had high aspirations of being an actress – and wanted to be a serious actress in Broadway or – at the very least – in serious movies. She went to college and even got a graduate degree in theater. Well, she never thought that the only job she could land after graduation was in an outdoor drama — a Passion Play at that. No, she had visions of going to New York, at least in an off-Broadway role. Or maybe she would wind up in Hollywood. Instead, she was in what she considered to be some frontier outpost of the arts performing on a concrete stage of a half-completed outdoor theater with a strange assortment of misfits who, like herself, could find no other work for the summer.

Every evening at 5:30 she would show up for makeup. When they had started production, there hadn’t even been dressing rooms finished for costume changes. Costume changes had to be done in a scenery shed “right out in front of God and everybody.” Such phrases were as close as most of the cast got to even pretending to be religious. Not many in the cast – if any — found anything spiritual about what they were doing. It was just a way to pay the rent and put food on the table – just a check. In fact, every night the actors played some sort of trick on one another to break the boredom that had set in about this play. The disciples would come backstage after the Last Supper scene to tell what gross or otherwise objectionable object had been place in the wine cup that evening. Sometimes there would be cigarette butts – other times much more objectionable objects – and they would choke as they pretended to drink from the cup.

Behind the stage was a hill that was crossed by a fairly steep path. This hill served various purposes during the show, one of which was the entryway for Jesus as He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The donkey Jesus rode was, of course, named Jack — and was probably the most reliable and arguably the most religious of the cast. He certainly was the most sensible. One night after a terrible rainstorm Jack refused to maneuver the path down the hill. This caused a real problem in the casts telling the story of the Triumphal Entry. It was of vital importance that Jesus make His entry riding on a donkey. But Jack absolutely refused to maneuver the steep path after it had become covered with slippery mud.

Finally the actor playing Jesus walked the muddy, slippery, path without Jack. About one-third of the way down he slipped and fell. One of the actors near Susan quoted, under his breath, the line about Jesus entering Jerusalem on His — — well, you can imagine what was said. Susan didn’t laugh, though. Instead she felt embarrassed for how the actor playing Jesus must have felt. She got an immediate, painful sense of his vulnerability — and her own.

At that moment the story came together for her as never before — and her faith meant more to her than ever before. She felt Jesus’ vulnerability as He moved toward His cruel death. She began to realize how so many could have loved Jesus. It was not His strength — but His weakness that attracted her now. The God who could incorporate such helplessness into some divine yearning might even use a ragtag band of irreverent actors rewriting the story of Jesus on a muddy hillside as well.

The actor made it down the hill, after two more falls, and, finally, to the cross. As Susan stood at the cross for the umpteenth time watching this pretended crucifixion, she could not help the tears that welled up in her eyes. It was then and there that she decided that — if Jesus could give of Himself for her — even die for her — she could follow Him.

Like the Pharisees said of the crowd on that first Palm Sunday, she could “go after” Him.

She could follow Him.

So – how about you?

Are you “going after” Jesus?

Are you following Jesus?

Once you say that Jesus is your Savior – one of the things you can say is that Jesus is one you want to follow – and you can dedicate your life to following Him – regardless of where He may lead.

One of the things you can say about Jesus is; Jesus is the one I want to follow.

Are you following Jesus – regardless of where He may lead?

Are you “going after Him” – which is what the Pharisees were concerned that the whole world was doing on that first Palm Sunday?

Would the Pharisees be concerned if they saw your commitment to Jesus?

Are you “going after” Jesus?

Is Jesus the one you are following – regardless of where He may lead?

Someone once told me that they wished they could have been there that first Palm Sunday. They said they imagined that the sky must have been a beautiful blue — the sun shining — the children running after Jesus, waving their palm branches and shouting:

“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord — the king of Israel!”

You know what — I’m not sure if I wish that I had been there on that first Palm Sunday or not.

Everyone was excited — except for the Pharisees — the religious leaders. They hadn’t liked Jesus all along. He was a threat to them. His understanding and teachings about God and theirs didn’t match — and as He became more and more popular they became more and more scared — more and more indignant – - and more and more determined to kill Him. So — as Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day — they looked at each other — and said:

“Look, the whole world has gone after Him.”

The whole world has gone after Him.

Too many people were following Jesus — and they didn’t like it. Something was going to have to be done — and quickly. Maybe the sun was shining that Palm Sunday – I don’t know — l but the shadow of the cross already loomed in the horizon.

Jesus — although the crowd is shouting His glory and praise — didn’t even look like a king at all.

Look again.

Isn’t He riding a donkey?

Kings don’t ride donkeys.

Servants ride donkeys.

Why — Jesus looked more like a servant than a mighty king. More like someone who was destined to be humble and to serve — not the powerful and successful king the folks may have thought He was going to be. He seemed to understand life as being a chance to give of Himself — not an opportunity to take over the government and reign in splendor.

“Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord — the king of Israel!”

On that day it may have appeared to the Pharisees that the whole world was going after Jesus — and if you and I had been there we may have “gone after” Him too – we may have followed Him — but what about when He didn’t lead the people in revolt — but made it clear He had come to serve — not rule — and to call His followers to serve — not rule?

What would we have done then?

Would we have followed Him in service to others — even if it meant death — or would we have given up on Him — and even turned against Him – as so many did during the week following Palm Sunday?

Would you have followed Him in service to others – even if it meant death – or would you have given up on Him – even turned against Him?

Once you say that Jesus is your Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is;

Jesus is the one I want to follow.

Are you following Jesus – regardless of where He may lead?

Are you “going after Him” – which is what the Pharisees were concerned that the whole world was doing on that first Palm Sunday?

Would the Pharisees be concerned if they saw your commitment to Jesus?

Are you “going after” Jesus?

Is Jesus the one you are following – regardless of where He may lead?

As long as it was the popular thing to do — it seemed the whole world was going after Jesus. As long as it seemed He was bringing power and glory to the people — the whole world went after Him. But when it became clear He had no intention of bringing power and glory but instead was bringing humility and service — well — people changed their tunes.

And I’m afraid we would have changed ours.

That’s why I’m not too sure I would want to have been there on the first Palm Sunday. I may have gotten caught up in the excitement of the moment and shouted my “Hosannas!” to Jesus — but I’m not sure I would have followed Him all the way to the cross.

How about you?

Are you committed to following Jesus – all the way to the cross – all the way t giving of yourself for Him and others?

Is Jesus the one you really want to follow?

Do you really want to be a follower of Jesus?

You know — as much as we hate to admit it — we still prefer power and glory over service and humility — don’t we?

If you had a choice between telling someone what to do or being told what to do — too many times you might choose to be the chief — and not the Indian.

And yet Jesus chose to come into the world in service — even to the point of death — and in the end found new life.

The whole world has gone after Him.

The whole world has gone after Him.

Has it really?

Have we?

Have you?

When Susan in my story saw the vulnerable side of Jesus, she saw how much God loved her — so much that Jesus died for her. She then saw how she could follow Jesus — and serve others. She decided to “go after” Jesus. She decided to follow Jesus.

Have you “gone after” Jesus?

Are you following Jesus?

One of the things you need to say about Jesus is:

Jesus is the one I want to follow.

Are you following Jesus?

Is Jesus the one you want to follow?

In Philippians 2 Paul calls on us to have the mind of Christ.

This is a call to thinking and acting like Christ.

Jesus showed us what God is like — not power-hungry and demanding but serving — suffering — dieing — but finding new life in the process.

That’s one of the things it means to be a follower of Christ.

That’s one of the things it means to follow Christ.

Following Christ – going after Christ – means thinking like Christ thought – and doing things like Christ did.

It means that you don’t focus on what you want or what seems to be good for you — or what’s in something for you.

“What’s in it for me” is not the first question you ask when considering doing something – but “What’s God calling me to do”?

Are you following Jesus – thinking like Jesus thought – doing things Jesus did?

It means that you participate in things that will help others – even if they are not necessarily convenient for you. It means you do things because they are good for the group – even if they might be inconvenient for you. It means that you do things that God wants you to do – and that will help you grow in your faith – whether they are things you would automatically choose to do or not.

Are you following Jesus – thinking like Jesus thought – doing things Jesus did?

The whole world has gone after Him.

That’s what the Pharisees said.

That’s what the Pharisees were afraid of.

You know – I’m afraid that – if the Pharisees were to see us today – they might breathe a sigh of relief!

They feared that the whole world was following Jesus.

I don’t know about that.

I’m not sure that it has.

I’m not so sure we have.

Have you?

Are you?

Are you following Jesus – thinking like Jesus wants you to think – doing what Jesus wants you to do?

One of the things you need to say about Jesus is:

Jesus is the one I want to follow.

Are you following Jesus?

Is Jesus the one you want to follow?

Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus — Paul writes.

Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Are you following Jesus in the way of service — of giving of yourself — but discovering that true life involves serving others — not demanding to be served by others – and serving God?

Like Susan in my story –have you looked at what God has done for you — the love He has for you — and responded to the love of God by wanting to follow Him?

Is Jesus the one you want to follow?

Is Jesus the one you are following?

If you were to “go after” Jesus if you were to follow Jesus — where might it lead?

Do you think it might lead to giving of yourself?

Do you think it might lead to serving God and others?

Do you think it might lead to sacrifice?

Do you think it might lead to seeing the needs of others and responding to those needs — instead of just looking out for yourself?

Do you think it might lead to seeing what needs to be done for God’s will in the Church and the world – and giving of yourself to doing it?

Do you think it might lead to seeing the things God wants changed in your life – in the Church – in the community – and in the world – and dedicating yourself to working to change them?

Or – do you think it might lead to making God’s things important for your life — things like your prayer life — or your personal study of Scripture — or our corporate worship — or our corporate study times like Bible Study, Sunday School — or our outreach times or fellowship times?

Yes – you know as well as I do that it would certainly lead to all these things – but – here’s the thing — it also would lead to life — life as God calls you to live and experience it — life in God’s will — life that Jesus shows us how to live.

One of the things you need to say about Jesus is:

Jesus is the one I want to follow.

Are you following Jesus?

Is Jesus the one you want to follow?

Maybe it’s a good thing we weren’t in Jerusalem that Palm Sunday.

We may have been part of the crowd that day — but we also may have been part of the crowd on Good Friday, too.

If our devotion to following Christ here and now is any sign — I’m afraid our shouts of “Hosanna!” would not have lasted very long.

Are you following Christ?

Is Jesus the one you want to follow?

Is Jesus the one you are following?

Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus – Paul writes.

Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Do you have “the mind of Christ”?

Do you think the things Jesus would think – and do the things Jesus would do?

Do you have the commitment to following Christ in a life of serving others — while living life in its truest sense?

I invite you to use this day — this Holy Week — to see Jesus in a new light — to see His love for you — and respond by following Him — wherever that might lead you.

Pray for strength to follow Jesus as you give of yourself — knowing that it is in giving of yourself — committing to God and His will — that you find new life.

Once you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior you c an say other things about Him – things like

Jesus is the one who helps me resist temptation

Jesus is the one who gave of Himself for me

Jesus is the one who keeps me clean and holy

Jesus is the one I want to see and hear

Jesus is the one I want to follow.

So how about it – are you following Jesus? Amen.

John 12:20-33

John 12:20-33

March 29, 2009

Lent 5

Jesus Is The One We Can See And Hear

Part 5 of Lent series “Who do you say Jesus is?”

We are using the season of Lent this year to think about who Jesus is – and what Jesus means to us.

I’m asking you to focus on one basic question:

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Remember that in Mark 8:27-29 Jesus questions the disciples about who “people” said that He was. They came up with a list of things people said about Jesus – that He was Elijah, that He was John the Baptist, or that He was another of the Old Testament prophets who had risen from the dead.

Jesus then made the question more personal by asking who they said that He was.

That’s when Peter made His confession that Jesus was the Christ.

You know – it didn’t really matter what others said about Jesus – did it?

What mattered was who Jesus was to the disciples.

What mattered was who they said Jesus was.

What mattered was that Jesus was the Christ. – the Savior – the only way to salvation – for them.

What mattered was that they said Jesus was their Lord and Savior.

The same is true for you.

You can listen to me talk about who Jesus is – or listen to others tell who they think Jesus is – but what really matters is who you say that Jesus is – who is Jesus for you.

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who is Jesus – for you?

We’re looking at several answers to that question during Lent.

4 weeks ago we saw that the most important answer you can give to this question is that Jesus is your Savior.

Until you can say that Jesus is your Savior it doesn’t matter what else we say about Him – but once we can say that Jesus is our Savior – we can say other things about Him – things like:

1. Jesus is the one who helps me resist temptation – which we looked at 3 weeks ago

2. Jesus is the one who gave of Himself for me – which we looked at 2 weeks ago

3. Jesus is the one who keeps me clean and holy – which we looked at last week

4. Jesus is the one I want to see and hear – which we will look at today

5. Jesus is the one I follow – which we will look at next Sunday

Today we’re going to look at how some folks wanted to see Jesus – and how they also heard Jesus – as we look at John 12:20-33:

Read Scripture

Whenever I go into a Church I want to stand behind the pulpit and get a “feel” for the sanctuary from the perspective that I usually have. I like to imagine what it would be like to stand behind that pulpit and imagine the congregation that would be there on a Sunday morning. Most of all, however, I want to sneak a peek behind the pulpit – just to see what’s back there.
Many of you may have never looked behind a pulpit, but there are a couple of shelves in most pulpits, and you often find unusual sorts of odds and ends back there. There is some paper and pencils in the shelf behind Hopewell’s pulpit – but Hopewell’s pulpit is rather tame compared to some. I can remember looking behind the pulpit at one church and finding a fire extinguisher. I wondered what kind of “fiery sermons” would make that necessary! I can remember visiting another church and finding a telephone behind the pulpit. I wondered if it were “a direct line to God”. When I assisted in my uncle’s funeral several years ago I entered the pulpit with the presiding pastor and discovered a monkey puppet behind the pulpit. I assume that preacher in that church used the puppet with the children on Sunday morning as I do – but I found it very difficult to stifle a laugh as I thought of the puppet “saying a few words” about my uncle. I was tempted to put the puppet on and see what it had to say – but looked out at my family sitting in the front pew and thought better of it.

You never know what you might find behind a pulpit!

Behind the pulpit at the chapel at Columbia Theological Seminary, the Seminary I attended, there is a small brass plate with an inscription that originally read — quoting the New Testament lesson for today:

“Sir, we would see Jesus.”

I say that it originally read

“Sir, we would see Jesus.”

because, while I was a student there, women were attending, graduating, and being ordained – and while I was a student at Columbia someone scotched taped an appendix to that quote, so that the sign read:

“Sir, or madam, we would see Jesus.”

The reason the sign was put behind the pulpit in the Seminary chapel was to remind the students – those being trained to be preachers – that they needed to proclaim Jesus to those gathered to worship.

We would see Jesus.

That was the request some folks made to the disciples.

We would see Jesus.

That should be your request – your passion – also.

Seeing Jesus.

Once you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things that you can say is that Jesus is the one you want to see – and hear.

Jesus is the one I want to see – and hear.

I want to have the eyes to see Jesus – and the ears to hear Jesus.

Jesus is the one I want to see –

Jesus is the one I want to hear.

That seemed to be important to the Greeks seeking Jesus in our passage from John 12. It would be important for you, also.

Seeing and hearing Jesus.

You know – there are a lot of different things in the world that we can see – and a lot of things that we can hear. Some of these things are good – and some not so good. When you turn on your radio or your TV – read books or magazines – go on the internet – go to the movies – or do anything – you are bombarded with things to see and hear. Some of these things are good and educational – entertaining – and can even help you be a better follower of Christ. Other things, though, are not so good – not educational – and may be entertaining – but not in the way you might need to be entertained if you want to be a follower of Jesus.

Some of the things you see and hear every day can help you see and hear Jesus.

Some of the things you see and hear every day can keep you from seeing and hearing Jesus.

You need to be very selective about what you let yourself see and hear – because, as a Christian, you need to have a passion for seeing and hearing Jesus.

Once you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things that you can say is that Jesus is the one you want to see – and hear.

Jesus is the one I want to see – and hear.

I want to have the eyes to see Jesus – and the ears to hear Jesus.

Jesus is the one I want to see –

Jesus is the one I want to hear.

You have to be very selective about what you see and hear – because – while there are a lot of things that you can see and hear that can help you see and hear Jesus better — there are a lot of things that you can see and hear that can interfere with your ability to see and hear Jesus.

The thing is – if you are like me, you know that there are things that you can see and hear that can help you be a better follower of Jesus — and things that you can see and hear that will keep you from being a better follower – but making the effort to keep from seeing and hearing the inappropriate things and focus on the appropriate things can be hard – it can take work – and – if you are like me, sometimes you may wonder if it is worth the effort. Maybe, if you are like me, you become lazy. For example, if you are watching TV and something that you know is inappropriate is on, it’s so much easier to sit that and watch it than to make the effort to turn the TV off or change the channel – even though for most of us all it takes is a push of a button on a remote within easy reach.

Laziness can be one of the reasons you might find it difficult to focus on – to see and hear – Jesus.

Another reason you may find it difficult to see and hear Jesus – and focus on things that can help you see and hear Jesus – is your ability to rationalize that you are strong enough in your faith to watch or hear things that go against Jesus’ will for you – and still grow as a Christian. I do that a lot myself. Maybe you think that watching something on TV – or reading something – or looking at something on the internet – or watching certain movies – or listening to certain music – might keep someone else from growing in their faith, but that you are stronger than that.

“This isn’t going to hurt me” you might think.

But – if you are not careful – you might find that — after seeing and hearing these things for awhile – it becomes increasingly difficult to see and hear Jesus.

Once you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things that you can say is that Jesus is the one you want to see – and hear.

Jesus is the one I want to see – and hear.

I want to have the eyes to see Jesus – and the ears to hear Jesus.

Jesus is the one I want to see –

Jesus is the one I want to hear.

Laziness and rationalization are the devil’s best tools in keeping you from growing in your walk with Christ – seeing Christ, hearing Christ, and following Christ.

Growing in the faith – seeing and hearing Jesus – takes work.

You can’t be lazy and see and hear Jesus.

You can’t rationalize and see and hear Jesus.

You have to be willing to commit to seeing and hearing Jesus – to focusing on seeing and hearing things that can help you see Jesus more clearly and grow in your faith.

Reading and studying scripture helps you focus on seeing and hearing Jesus. Developing a plan for daily reading the Bible – and daily prayer and devotional time – is part of what it takes to see and hear Jesus more clearly.

Joining groups of fellow Christians who are committed to studying scripture, praying for God’s will in their lives, and looking at ways to live our God’s call to follow Him is another thing that can help you focus on seeing and hearing Jesus.

We have great Sunday School classes for all ages and interests here at Hopewell. If you are not a part of one, I would urge you to become involved in one. Those of you who missed Sunday School Assembly today missed a great program that our young people did. We’re also looking into starting a Christian book reading club here at Hopewell. There’s more about that in the newsletter. If you want to see and hear Jesus more clearly, joining with others wanting to do this can indeed help.

Worshipping on a regular basis is another way to help you see and hear Jesus.

Gathering with God’s people to praise and worship God helps you grow in your faith – and see and hear Jesus more clearly. Some folks say that they don’t need to come to Church to worship God. I believe that – while we can worship without being a part of the community of faith for awhile – after awhile we let other things crowd into our schedules and we don’t worship. If you want to see and hear Jesus, you need disciplined, scheduled attendance at worship – a “hit and miss” approach won’t work.

Gathering with God’s people to fellowship together can also help you see and hear Jesus more clearly.

You know – there are a lot of groups we can spend our time with. Spending time with some can hold us back from growing as Christians – but spending time with others can encourage us in our walk with Christ and help us see and hear Jesus more clearly. The members of the Church – God’s people – is one of those groups that – if we spend time with them and get to know them – can help us grow in our faith and see and hear Jesus more clearly. Make an effort to fellowship with members of the Church – and see if that doesn’t help you see and hear Jesus more clearly.

Serving God and others is another way that can help you see and hear Jesus more clearly.

God calls us to serve Him and serve others. The more time you spend in doing this the more you will grow as a Christian, the more you will be able to see and hear Jesus, and the less time you will have for things that can take you away from Christ!

I want to see and hear Jesus.

Once you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things that you can say is that Jesus is the one you want to see – and hear.

Jesus is the one I want to see – and hear.

I want to have the eyes to see Jesus – and the ears to hear Jesus.

Jesus is the one I want to see –

Jesus is the one I want to hear.

Friends – we need to have a passion for seeing and hearing Jesus.

You need to have a passion for hearing and seeing Jesus.

You need to stop being lazy and stop letting yourself see and hear things that can take you away from Jesus.

You need to stop rationalizing that you are strong enough in your faith to be able to keep things that pull you away from Jesus aren’t hurting you – when really they are.

You need to be disciplined in your approach to reading scripture – studying things Jesus wants you to know — coming to Sunday School and worship – fellowshipping with God’s people – and serving God and others.

Seeing and hearing Jesus is not easy – but necessary if you are going to grow as a Christian.

I want to see and hear Jesus.

When was the last time you said that – and meant it?

When was the last time you worked on not being lazy and tried to keep yourself from seeing and hearing things that Jesus does not want you to see and hear?

When was the last time you worked hard on not rationalizing that you could watch and listen to things Jesus does not want you to watch and listen to – when actually you can’t?

When was the last time you followed a disciplined plan for studying scripture – or participate in a group that studied God’s will for your life – or were disciplined your attendance in worship – or attendance at fellowship times – or in your service to God and others?

All these things can help you see and hear Jesus.

Maybe you began a disciplined approach to doing things that can help you see and hear Jesus and not doing things that can keep you from seeing a hearing Jesus a long time ago. If so, and if you have stuck to it, you know how beneficial this can be to your growth as a Christian. I know that many of you are active in doing these things, and I commend you for that.

But – maybe you started a disciplined approach to doing things that can help you see and hear Jesus and not doing things that can keep you from seeing a hearing Jesus a long time ago – but your passion for it is not what it was – and you have let yourself get away from the things that were helping you see and hear Jesus. If that’s the case, I pray that you will let God re ignite that fire for Him within you – and re ignite within you a passion for seeing and hearing Jesus.

Or – maybe you never have started a disciplined approach to doing things that can help you see and hear Jesus and not doing things that can keep you from seeing and hearing Jesus – and you are floundering in your walk with Christ. If that’s the case, I urge you to look at your life – let Jesus touch your life – and begin a disciplined approach to seeing – hearing – and following Jesus.

I want to see and hear Jesus.

Look for ways to be more disciplined in your approach to seeing and hearing Jesus.

Once you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things that you can say is that Jesus is the one you want to see – and hear.

Jesus is the one I want to see – and hear.

I want to have the eyes to see Jesus – and the ears to hear Jesus.

Jesus is the one I want to see –

Jesus is the one I want to hear.

Don’t let yourself get lazy and not tune out the things that can hurt your walk with Christ.

Don’t let yourself rationalize that you are stronger than the things that can hurt your walk with Christ.

Develop the habits of reading and studying scripture – praying – gathering with others to study about God and worship God – fellowshipping with other Christians – and serving God and others.

These are habits that will help you see and hear Jesus more clearly. Amen.

John 2:13-22

John 2:13-22

“Jesus Keeps Us Clean”

March 22, 2009

Lent 4

Part 4 of 2009 Lent series “Who Do You Say Jesus Is?”

We are using the season of Lent this year to think about who Jesus is – and what Jesus means to us.

I’m asking you to focus on one basic question:

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Remember that in Mark 8:27-29 Jesus questions the disciples about who “people” said that He was. They came up with a list of things people said about Jesus – that He was Elijah, that He was John the Baptist, or that He was another of the Old Testament prophets who had risen from the dead.

Jesus then made the question more personal by asking who they said that He was.

That’s when Peter made His confession that Jesus was the Christ.

You know – it didn’t really matter what others said about Jesus – did it?

What mattered was who Jesus was to the disciples.

What mattered was who they said Jesus was.

What mattered was that Jesus was the Christ. – the Savior – the only way to salvation – for them.

What mattered was that they said Jesus was their Lord and Savior.

The same is true for you.

You can listen to me talk about who Jesus is – or listen to others tell who they think Jesus is – but what really matters is who you say that Jesus is – who is Jesus for you.

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who is Jesus – for you?

We’re looking at several answers to that question during Lent.

3 weeks ago we saw that the most important answer you can give to this question is that Jesus is your Savior.

Until you can say that Jesus is your Savior it doesn’t matter what else we say about Him – but once we can say that Jesus is our Savior – we can say other things about Him – things like:

1. Jesus is the one who helps me resist temptation

2. Jesus is the one who gave of Himself for me

3. Jesus is the one who keeps me clean and holy

4. Jesus is the one I want to tell others about

5. Jesus is the one I follow

Two weeks ago we saw how Jesus can help you fight temptation and last week we saw how Jesus can help you follow Him – and give of yourself in serving Him and others.

Today we’re going to look at how Jesus cleared from the temple things that distracted from worship – and how He can help you stay clean and holy before God.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is that:

Jesus is the one that helps me stay clean.

Indeed, Jesus can make us – and keep us – clean and holy.

Listen to God’s word as read from John 2:13-22:

Imagine with me that you were a livestock dealer in the Temple on the day Jesus came in and – literally – cleaned house. Imagine that you had been a livestock dealer in the Temple all of your life, as had your father before you, and his before him, and his before him – your family had been livestock dealers in the Temple for hundreds of years. You would always get to the temple early to claim your spot. People would look for you there — they knew you and trusted that your cattle and sheep always met the requirements specified in the law for sacrifice.

But on that day when Jesus came in and “cleaned house”, you could only watch in dismay as your livestock scattered into the city.

Your business was ruined.

Why?

How had it happened?

Who was this crazy Galilean, anyway?

You look around and see one of the followers of that crazy Galilean — the one they called Thomas — sitting alone, and shaking his head dejectedly. You run over to him and say:

“Hey — you — don’t you realize what you people have cost me?”

“I know. I know.” said Thomas.

“I’ll send Judas over tomorrow to see if we can cover your losses.”

“What was this all about?” you demand.

“I don’t know” replied Thomas.

“Something set Him off — I’m not sure what. It’s just that He feels so deeply…”

“Yea, right. That’s obvious,” you reply. .

“He seemed to think I was committing a crime or something. Doesn’t He know how the temple operates? I provide a service for the people — I sell the animals they need to sacrifice. Without me, no one could sacrifice. And if they couldn’t sacrifice, they couldn’t obey God. It’s as simple as that. So, don’t I deserve to be paid for our services? Isn’t the workman worthy of his wages?”

“Sure you are.” replied Thomas.

“Don’t take it personally. I don’t think it was directed at you.”

“Then what was it all about? Is He an atheist or something? Doesn’t He understand the law — that sacrifice is what God commands?”

“Yes, yes, He knows that. And no, He’s not an atheist. Far from it. If anything, He believes too much.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Thomas pondered this a moment —

“I don’t know. It’s strange. It’s as if He wants people to have a right relationship with God — to live in a right relationship with God — to let the commandments change their lives. Maybe He’s telling us to get right with God.”

“Well — I don’t know — all I know is that He sure turned my life upside down.” you mumbles as you walk off.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is that:

Jesus is the one that helps me stay clean.

Indeed, Jesus can make us – and keep us – clean and holy

What gets you worked up?

What gets you excited? Some people get excited over ballgames. Some get worked up over political issues. Others are energized by work. I know some who get excited over things such as cars or trucks. Such individuals work diligently to keep their car or truck washed and waxed at all times. They want it to be detailed properly. They want it to look good. They want it to smell good. And they get agitated when it does not.
I had a friend in college who would park his sports car sideways in a parking lot so no one could park beside him and maybe ding his car as they opened the doors of theirs.
I had another friend who got very upset when they found out we were carrying a cooler of fish in the back of his new pick up.

What gets you excited or agitated or worked up?
Jesus got angry when He cleaned out the temple.

He got agitated and angry.

That’s right, Jesus got angry. But — His anger was not a sinful anger because He was angry for the right reason. He had a legitimate reason to be agitated.

Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The Jewish Passover celebration commemorated the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. Passover attendance for Jewish males 12 and over was compulsory. On the 10th day of Nisan (March/April), a lamb without blemish was taken to Jerusalem and on the 14th day, between 3-6 pm, the sacrificial lamb was killed. Passover was a sacred holiday for the Jewish people. It represented the very essence of who they were—God’s chosen people.

It is difficult to imagine how Jesus must have felt when He approached the temple and found it filled with merchants and money-changers.

You might ask, “What were they doing there?”

Well, multitudes of people flocked to Jerusalem during Passover. People from all over the world traveled to the Holy City for the celebration. The purpose of these merchants and money-changers was two-fold. One, many of the people did not bring animals with them for sacrifice, so they purchased animals there in Jerusalem. Second, all Jewish males and proselytes were required to pay a half-shekel temple tax in the coinage of the Temple. Foreign monies bearing the image of a pagan deity or ruler were unacceptable; therefore, the money changers would exchange the unacceptable coinage people brought with them into the acceptable coinage of the Temple for a small fee.

When this began, these activities took place outside of the temple, but by Jesus’ time, the merchants, animals, and exchangers had moved inside the Temple courts.

The sacredness of the Temple had been bartered for profit and convenience. And as Jesus approached the temple, he becomes angry at what the temple has become.

The temple needed a good cleaning.
Ant that is exactly what Jesus does.

Jesus makes a scourge of cords and drives away the animals and merchants. He overturns the tables of the money changers and commands the profiteers to get out of the temple.
This incident brings to the disciples’ minds a quote from Ps. 69.9:

“Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Jesus was consumed with zeal for His Father’s house — and it displays itself in His actions.
Here’s the thing you need to know here — just as Jesus burned with a passion for the Temple to be holy – a holy place where people could worship God – God wants your life to be clean and holy – and wants you to have a passion for cleanliness and holiness in your life.

Jesus wants this so much that He can give you the ability to do this – in fact, He can help you keep your life clean and holy.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is that:

Jesus is the one that helps me stay clean.

Indeed, Jesus can make you – and keep you – clean and holy.

You see — God loves you – but He hates sin. Absolutely hates it. He has hated it since the creation. He didn’t say to Adam and Eve:

“ you made a slight mistake”

He didn’t tell Noah,

“Noah, I am going to make everybody tread water for a couple of minutes…”

He didn’t just turn the heat up in Sodom and Gomorrah to 95 degrees

God hates sin and He punishes sin.
You’ve got to understand that God loves you – but that God hates sin.

Sin is why Jesus hung on the cross.

God’s feelings about sin are pretty evident here in the story of Jesus cleaning house in the Temple.
You see — your heart is the dwelling place of God.

You can pray for Jesus to work in your life, but still have sin in your life – sin that blocks Jesus from changing you. It’s as if Jesus were saying:

“I can’t do it, I’m sorry; I can’t work in you and dwell in your heart unless I can be there alone.”

As long as you let sin remain in your life you miss out on what God wants for your life.

But – just as Jesus cleaned house in the temple – Jesus can clean your life – and make your life holy – if you will let Him.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is that:

Jesus is the one that helps me stay clean.

Indeed, Jesus can make you – and keep you – clean and holy
There are times in each of our lives when we need to cleanse the temple of our hearts. We need to get busy and clear it out—drive out the cattle and upset moneychangers and shovel out the dirt that is keeping Jesus from working. We need to clean the sin out of our lives.
You can sit here in Church and sing the hymns and have a good feeling – but you can’t stay here – can you?

What happens when you go into the world – live your daily lives – and have face the temptations you face every day?

You might be letting God touch your life – and then go back and let the sin pollute it again.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is that:

Jesus is the one that helps me stay clean.

Indeed, Jesus can make you – and keep you – clean and holy
What’s the answer?

The first step is to examine your life to see if there is anything unclean.

Too many of us go through days – or months – or years — without examining ourselves and letting Jesus examine us through His Word.
You see — your heart is like a garden — and sin is as quick to pop up as weeds are in a garden if you are not careful. If you stop examining your life and asking God to search you, you will quickly be overcome by weeds of sin.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is that:

Jesus is the one that helps me stay clean.

Indeed, Jesus can make you – and keep you – clean and holy

The first step to letting Jesus cleanse you and make you holy is to examine your heart and see what sins are there.

The second step is to confess your sins.

There is no shortcut to being the person God wants you to be. Being God’s person comes as you confess your sin – as you go off by yourself – and give Jesus 15 minutes of silence.

When was the last time you were still and confessed your sins to God?

Jesus wants to be the one to help you be clean and holy.

The first step is to examine your life and see what sins are there.

The second step is to confess your sins.

The third step is to repent.

Repentance is not just saying that you are sorry — it means changing your life – changing what you think, say, and do. It means making a U -Turn turning around from what you are doing and doing what God wants you to be doing.

In a garden you need to pull the weeds up by the roots.

You need to do that in your life also – and Jesus can help you if you will let Him.

Pull the weeds of sin in your heart up by the roots.

Jesus can make you clean and holy.

Jesus wants to make you clean and holy.

Jesus is passionate about your being clean an holy – just as He was about the Temple being clean and holy.

Jesus wants you to examine your life and see where the sins are – confess those sins – and live a new and different life.

A lot of folks believe that Jesus can forgive them of their sins – but belief doesn’t make you clean and holy. You can believe that Jesus can forgive your sins all you want, but the question is — have you been cleansed?

Have you examined your life – found your sins – confessed them – and then repented?

Examine your life – find the sins – confess them – and repent.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is that:

Jesus is the one that helps me stay clean.

Indeed, Jesus can make you – and keep you – clean and holy

One more thing you need to know – after you examine your life — find the sins – confess them – and repent – you can know that you are forgiven. This is something you need to do almost on a daily basis to keep your life clean and holy – but once you do it – let Jesus work in your life and don’t let the forgiven sins hold you back. Let Jesus forgive you – let Jesus cleanse you – let Jesus make you holy – and then celebrate that by living the life Jesus calls you to live.

Jesus – who had passion for the temple being clean and holy – has a passion for you to be clean and holy also.

Find your sins – confess your sins – and repent of your sins – and let Jesus make you – and keep you – clean and holy. Amen.

Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:1-18

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Ephesians 1:3-14

John 1:1-18

This Year Will Be Different

January 4, 2009

Communion

Happy New Year!

We are 4 days now into a new year – a year filled with new possibilities – new potential – - new opportunities.

Some of you may have made New Years Resolutions – promises to yourself and possibly to others to improve some area of your life.

Maybe some of you have made a resolution to lose weight. That’s one of mine for this year – but it has been one of mine for several years now – with little success.

This year – though – will be different!

Maybe some of you have made a resolution to exercise more. That’s been another one of mine for the past several years – with little success.

This year – though – will be different.

Maybe some of you have made a resolution to spend more time with your loved ones.

Some of you have made a resolution to spend more time with God or in serving others.

We have a tendency to make New Years resolutions.

Some of you may be doing really well with your resolutions so far.

I mean – we are lonely 4 days into the year!

But – then again — some of you may have already be struggling.

And some of you may have not even made any resolutions at all – knowing that they are hard to keep.

But every year – we tell ourselves –

This year will be different.

This year will be different.

I remember one December 31^st when I was with some friends – and we happened to met another friend. This one turned to one of the others I was with and said:

“Well – I know you’re misbehaving today – you’re probably getting it all out of your today – because I’m sure your New Years Resolution will be to behave next year.”

We all laughed.

But – whether you made a New Years Resolution or not – whether you are keeping your resolution so far or not – it can not be denied that it is a new year – and it indeed can be – if we will let it be – a time for new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities.

We can truly say that this year can be different.

And – if we let it be – we can truly say that

This year will be different.

This year will be different.

But we have to let it be that for us.

We have to let it be different.

We have to let ourselves take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that may be before us this year – or this year will not be any different than any other.

When I was young I used to want to stay up until midnight on New Years Eve and “see the New Year in”. When I was four we not only were celebrating a new year – but a new decade—the 1960’s! I was just sure that it would be different – look different in some way – and I begged my parents to let me see the new year – the new decade – in. Finally, they decided to let me stay up.

I was excited!

I was ready to stay up to “see the New Year’ – the “new decade” – “ in” – but around 10:00 my tiredness caught up with my excitement.

I decided I would lie down for awhile – but slept through the whole thing.

On the morning of January 1 , 1960 I awoke – disappointed that I had missed the New Year – the new decade — coming in – but raced outside to see how this new year – this new decade — looked.

I think I expected things to look different.

A New Year had come in.

A new decade, for that matter.

Surely things would look different.

But – guess what.

Things did not look different.

Things looked the same.

Disappointed again – I went back inside – and told my parents that I did not know what the big deal was – everything looked the same to me.

Is that how this new year will be for us – just the same?

Is that how it will be for us personally?

Is that how it will be for us as far as our personal relationships with God go?

Is that how it will be for us as far as how we do as a Church – how we serve God in the Church – the community – and the world?

Will 2009 be for us – as individuals and as a Church – just more of the same?

Or – will it be different?

Will we see and take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that lie before us?

Will we commit ourselves to letting God make a difference in our lives – then making a difference in the Church — the community – and the world?

Will this year be the same – or indeed – will it be different?

Will your commitment to God – to the Church –

to loving God with all your heart – soul – mind and strength – and your neighbor as yourself –

be greater – or different – this year?

Or will it be the same?

We all have the opportunities to make it different – but will we?

If you are like us – you have not only been involved in celebrating a new year and maybe making resolutions this week – but have also been involved in taking down Christmas decorations and sorting through Christmas gifts.

You know the process – you go through the gifts – decide which ones you really like and will use – and put the rest away.

Christmas gifts can be very nice – and with many we remember the one who gave them to us every time we see them.

Others are not as special – and are put away – either to be brought out at some other point in time or forgotten about forever.

But – when putting away all the Christmas gifts — there is one Christmas gift we should not just “put away” – should not just put aside and maybe look at again next year.

That’s God’s Christmas gift to us –

The Greatest Gift of All

God’s Son – Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ –

as John writes – THE WORD –

the one who is part of the Godhead –

who was with God from the beginning –

who was part of the creating force that created the world. –

who came into the world to show us God –

who came into the world to save us from our sins –

who came into the world to give us life

Jesus Christ – God’s gift to us of salvation – of peace – of love – of justice.

Jesus Christ – God’s gift of Himself to us.

I remember a sign I once saw outside a church in Greensboro, NC before one Christmas that read:

THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT

IS NOT UNDER THE TREE – BUT

ON A TREE.

The best gift we can ever receive is not one that will be wrapped under our Christmas trees – but Jesus Christ – the Son of God – who died on a cross – on a tree – for us.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT

IS NOT UNDER THE TREE – BUT

ON A TREE.

God’s great gift to us of Himself – Jesus Christ – God’s gift to us of salvation – of peace – of love – of justice.

That’s the greatest gift – isn’t it?

Here’s something to remember for the new year –

If you want the New Year to really be different –

If you want to really see a difference in this year –

If you really want 2009 to not just be the same as every other year –

If you really want things to be different this year –

If you really want your life as a Christina and as a member of Hopewell to be different this year –

If you really want to see and take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that lie before you this year –

You have to open the greatest gift of all —

You have to open yourself up to Christ – and the salvation – love – joy – and peace Christ can bring for you.

When you open yourself to the greatest gift, you life changes.

You experience God’s love, joy, and peace for this life – and salvation for the life to come.

The year – in fact your life – cam not be “business as usual” – but the year – and your life – will be filled with the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that God will lay before you.

As John writes – you will have the power to become a child of God –

born not of blood or the will of man – but of God

You will be blessed in a special way.

If you will open yourself up to Christ, and let Him change your life, you’ll see a difference in your life. And – a number of us will do that – we will see a difference in the Church.

This year will be different.

Our lives will be different.

The Church will be different.

You’ll be blessed with a different life – a different way to live – and a different way to love God and others.

You’ll be blessed with an ability to share the richness of God’s love – grace – peace – and salvation with the community – indeed a world that is hurting and needs to experience Jesus Christ in a new way.

Jesus Christ – God with us –

God in our midst –

God in our world –

God’s will for salvation – justice – mercy – and peace –

is God’s greatest gift to you.

Jesus Christ is the way to make your life different – the Church different — the community different – the world different.

Jesus Christ is the only one who can give us the assurance to say:

This year will be different.

This year will be different.

Accepting God’s gift – with the salvation – love – mercy – justice and peace Jesus brings – is the way to make your life different – the Church different – the community different – the world different.

As we accept that greatest gift –

as we begin to let God change us – and through us change our Church – our community – and our world – things will indeed be different.

Committing – or recommitting — your life to serving Christ – is the only way you can insure that this year will not be “business as usual” – but will be filled with God’s love and blessings for us as a individuals and as a Church.

Committing – or recommitting — your life to serving Christ – is how you insure that you can take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that God will lay before you.

Make that commitment.

Make it your New Year – or maybe we should say New Life – resolution to accept God’s greatest gift — Jesus Christ – and either commit or recommit yourself to sharing Christ with others.

If you can do that – you will be able to receive – and share the greatest gift God offers — and can have a happy –

no – I think it better to say – blessed –

New year

And new life.

That’s indeed how we can make sure that this year will be different!

Amen.