Connor

Connor is quite attached to his blankie. Everytime he has the blankie it usually ends up wrapped around his head. His security that gets washed at least once a week if not more.

Lessons in Faith

Hebrews 11:1-3

"How incredibly sad. The destruction of the creek along the banks has left behind a real mess. Look at all those roots exposed," he said.
I thought we were looking at two different things.
"Gee, I was just looking at that and found it incredibly fascinating. I guess you see the loss and I see the lesson," I told him.
Marianne and I decided to have lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. The Bear Creek Cafe is actually located on top of one of the small mountains that create the Wyoming Valley. A little over a year ago, the creek that runs past this beautiful place, flooded the entire area. It washed away the flowers, plants and some of the dreams of those who lived along it.
You can sit inside this small restaurant or dine outside among the wildflowers. The bird feeders provide entertainment of sorts as the native birds fly in and out regularly.
I'll admit the creek did wash away some of the most beautiful, natural plants leaving somewhat of an empty spot. But it also created something. A chance to see what lies beneath the beauty of the forest, the complex underground patterns created by growth, and I would guess survival.
The man standing next to me seemed a bit perplexed by my comment.
"Look at the root system of those trees. With the soil washed away we are able to see what made that tree grow so tall. Those roots run several yards in all directions," I said.
"But it looks ugly," he insisted.
"I would think that, too if I were to see the world in such simple terms, like black and white. Some see life and say, this is the way it should be and when it's not it's wrong. But look at what we can learn from this," I said pointing across the creek.
Taking a few steps closer to the man, I continued.
"That's life. That's humanity. The whole system works, exists there, because strength comes from a solid base. Growth comes from stretching far enough to find all you need to survive. The trees that didn't, dried up and withered. Our roots, grounded deeply in faith, help us weather the most destructive storms."
"But what about those fallen trees over there?" he asked.
"Look at their roots. They were mostly on the surface, not deep enough to hold them. They also stood alone," I said.
"What does that have to do with it?"
"The entire section that survived did so because they stood together. Look at how their roots are intertwined. The small trees and the bigger trees found their strength in unity," I said.
"So a person standing alone for what they believe in makes them weak?" he asked.
"If they stand on solid ground, rooted deep in moral principle, against all odds and for the good of all, they will survive, they will win. But unlike a tree against the mightiest storm, a human being has the ability to rise again after the fall," I said.
Then reaching for his hand I told him, "But that depends on whether one sees the "Loss or the Lesson."
We said our goodbyes and as we were leaving the restaurant I overheard him talking to another patron.
"Isn't that incredible? Look at that root system..."
He chose the lesson.

Are we busy looking at life from the tangible evidences that this world brings or are we looking deeper at the condition of our hearts and souls? We can live by the order of this world or we can live by faith and allow the Lord to be the judge of our lives. Without Faith it is impossible to please God. Do you seek to please the Lord?

In our passage today we see three lessons from faith.

First we see that through faith we are secure in all things. To start faith is the belief and the trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. You may have faith that your chair will hold you for the entire time of this sermon. You may have faith that when you live here that your car will start and make it home. You may have faith that when you go to the restaurant to eat that they will have a seat for you to sit in and food for you to eat. But unless you have faith in God your faith is pointless and meaningless. Faith in things is insufficient. Faith in God is required and beneficial. Our text tells us that Faith is the assurance or firm foundation of things hoped for. What is hope? For a believer, hope is that which we believe and trust and have faith that God will do for us in the end. When all else fails we trust that there some things that God will still do for us. We hope through faith that God will raise us from the dead. That death is not the end. We hope that through Christ we will be in heaven with him for eternity. We hope that through the Spirit we will be completely made new spiritually and physically. We hope that in the end that God will be supreme and evil will fall away punished and destroyed forever. But faith is the assurance the firm foundation for our hope that these things will take place. It is the reservation for these things. Faith is what makes certain that it will happen. It is through faith that we are not left out in the cold in our beliefs. The passage also says that it is the conviction of things not seen. You cannot see that in the end you will raise from the dead. Have you ever seen someone literally come back to life after being dead for four days? What real basis do you have to believe that you will be raised from the dead? You never saw Jesus alive so how can you know if he ever died and rose again? Your faith is the conviction that it will happen. Your faith is that gut feeling and calm assurance in the midst of doubt that it will happen. Your faith given and empowered and sustained by God.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." - 1 Peter 1:6-7
Jim Collins, the author of "Good to Great", interviewed Admiral Jim Stockdale, the highest-ranking officer in the Hanoi Hilton prisoner of war camp during the height of the Vietnam War. Admiral Stockdale was shot down in September 1965 and endured seven and half years of horrific imprisonment and torture. Regarding the prisoner of war camp, Collins asked Stockdale, "Who didn't make it out?" "Oh, that's easy," answered Stockdale. "The optimists." "The optimists? I don't understand," responded Collins. "The optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart. This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end-which you can never afford to lose-with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."
During the most difficult of times, optimism will be crushed. But our faith and trust in Christ is one that has overcome all that the world. Today in prayer, thank Jesus that He is the rock for your faith and look to Him for your strength during the most difficult of times.
"We grow and mature spiritually through adversity--not when everything is going smoothly. ... [I]n a time of adversity or trouble, the Christian has the opportunity to know God in a special and personal way." - C. Everett Koop
God's Word: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Faith is more than the positive mental attitude that so many people call it, but faith will give you a clear perspective on life. Faith is more than giving yourself a pep talk when things aren’t going so great. Faith is your solid unwavering foundation in the midst of difficult times. Faith is what keeps you attached to God the Father, the Creator, the Savior, the Redeemer when life, sinfulness and Satan would desire to pull you away from God.

The second lesson we see this morning is that through faith we are accepted before God. In verse 2 of chapter 11, we see that it reads For by it men of old gained approval. Now what approval do we need? Do I need the approval of men in my life? No, but it is comforting and assuring. Do I need the approval of my wife? No, but it is even more comforting and assuring and securing than anyone else’s approval. Do I need the approval of other pastors and friends? No, but it is nice. Do I need the approval of God? Yes. What approval from God do I need? I need the approval that in the end God accepts me to enter his presence. How do I gain God’s approval so that I may enter his presence? Through Faith. How do I gain that faith? Through Christ. How do I know how to gain that faith? Through the Word of God. Who are these men of old? Are they old men? No they are not all old men but some were. This is merely a reference to what we call the Old Testament. For the author it was a reference to those who came before. I believe even at that time they had a clear division between the time of anticipating Christ and the time of Christ. The men of old would have been people like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and also people like Joshua, David, Solomon and the prophets such Jonah, Isaiah, Jeremiah. Even these men and every other person gained God’s approval through faith. Their sacrifices did nothing but demonstrate their obedience and faith. Their actions and lives demonstrated their faith. Their willingness to suffer for the Lord and be attacked with insults and accusations demonstrated their faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Acceptance with God has always depended upon grace. "For by grace are ye saved through faith." Salvation begins with grace and ends with grace. Adam, the first sinner was justified and accepted before God by grace and so also the last sinner who is ever to be saved just before Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven will be justified and accepted before God by grace alone. The grace of which we speak is called the "unmerited favor of God". This means that we are adopted into the family of God only because of His pity and mercy for us as "ungodly" and unworthy of acceptance. "To him that believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." In Christ, God accepts the unacceptable; He loves the unlovable; He forgives the unforgivable. This is so at the BEGINNING of our life of faith and at the END of our life of faith. Whether we are new born babes in Christ or whether we have walked the way of faith for many years, we are always dependent upon the unmerited acceptance of God. We are always God's children only because He does not treat us as we deserve. He grants merciful favor towards us who are always unworthy, unlovable, and yes even "ungodly". But some may say, "Ah, but I am not the same person I was when I first came to Christ. I can praise God that I am now chaste, sober, kind, gentle and not the person I used to be." Yes, we Christians are not what we were when we first came to Christ. We can give honest and sincere thanks that we are not the people we once were. But having said that, we must also in the same breath always confess that we still are not what we ought to be. Christians are always "righteous yet unrighteous". We have all things in Christ that pertain to eternal life: justification, sanctification, wisdom, adoption, regeneration, and rebirth. Yet Christians still must always confess that we are poor, blind, miserable, and naked. Our prayer is always that of the poor publican who stood "afar off and would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. this man went down to his house justified. for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

Our acceptance before God is based in his grace and not our ability to live righteously. Because of Christ alone are we able to stand before the Father. Because of our righteous King do we have any ability to be justified. May we live in grace to all people because of the grace given to us.

The third lesson we see this morning is that through faith we accept God’s Word. Verse three states that the believer knows and comprehends that the world was created out of nothing. It is through faith that we accept the words of God. It is through faith that we accept that what is written in God’s word is true. How else can you explain other than rebellion against the “acceptable scientific proofs” that we believe in creation and not evolution? It is through faith that we understand the origins of the universe and human life. When we understand where we come from then we understand where we truly stand. We are not the center of the universe God is. We may possess dominion over creation but we are not supreme. Christ is supreme. Through faith we are grounded in truth. Christ said that the Truth shall set you free. When we live in truth we are living freely in how God intended for us to live.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 3:11
On Sunday morning, January 9, 2005, Rebecca Swainston’s world literally caved-in. Her home on Springbank Avenue in Orange City Florida, the first home she had ever owned, slipped into a sinkhole that day.
It began at 7 a.m., the earth cracked open beneath Swainston as she fixed her son’s bottle. She found her front door jammed, its frame lodged in the ground.
She got her son Allen out first, and her animals next. She moved the Jeep and leaned on a tree across the street, watching her twenty-five year old house slowly slide into a 120-foot-wide, 40-foot-deep sinkhole. Less than an hour later the house was destroyed. Half of her neighbors’ house and a good part of the neighborhood were also destroyed.
Hysterical from the events, Swainston had to be sedated by emergency workers.
“It’s a large sinkhole, but it’s a fairly typical sinkhole” said Volusia County spokesman David Byron.
A year later, Rebecca reflected on the disaster. The sinkhole "has made me alert to what's really important in life," Swainston says. "Not stuff. People. My son."
In this world, everything can be lost from our grasp except our assurance in Jesus Christ. Today in prayer, thank Christ that He is our firm foundation and we can never be separated from Him.
“The doctrine of our Savior and his mediation is the principal doctrine of Christianity. It lies at the bottom, and is the foundation, of all the rest.” – Matthew Henry
God’s Word: “So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.” – Isaiah 28:16

When we live according to God’s Word we demonstrate our faith. When we live and work and serve according to the order set in the Word of God we demonstrate our faith. Our way of doing church may be called archaic and out of touch but if the church is structured and centered on the Word of God then it is faithful and accurate and demonstrating of our faith in God. The church is not intended to set the new trends in hip living but used of God to touch the lives of his people and those who are outside of the church.

As we close this morning some thoughts of response to our Lord.

If we are secure in him in all things may our convictions for life be based in his Word and full faith in Him.

If we are accepted before God may we live in His grace and extend that grace to all people.

If we accept God’s Word may we be faithful to reading His Word daily.

I challenge you this year to read His Word daily. Each month that has 31 days read Proverbs. One chapter a day. Each month that does not have 31 days read another book of the Bible. Each of those months read a different book. By the end of the year you will have read Proverbs 7 times and five other books of the Bible.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6

A Sunset and Brennan

Sports Illustrated Pictures of the Year

Sports Illustrated has a series of photos from throughout the year titled "The Year's Most Interesting Pictures." Has pictures from basketball to hockey. The Olympics to a German downhill sleigh race.

Some of the pictures are amazing and others can be seen on the evening sports highlights. Some great photos worth the time.

Reading

Reading for me is very important, as a believer and as a pastor. Every book we read adds to our ability to critically think because the content of that book is now in us permanently. I enjoy the opportunity to purchase some new commentaries, but I just ordered quite a few books to actually read. My plan for the year ahead is for every third book to be on preaching. Listed below are the books that I read this past year, and for the year ahead I will post a short review of each book I read. Right now I am working on the book My Bad. It is a history of 25 years of apologies. Ted Turner made the book more times than anyone else.I am hoping to finish it by the end of the year.

Jonathan Edwards by Marsden
Enthusiasm Makes a Difference by Norman Vincent Peale
The Pursuit of Holiness by Bridges
The Sacred Trust by Caner and Caner
Desiring God and The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper
Predestined for Hell? Absolutely Not! by Adrian Rogers
Revival and the Unregenerate Church Member by Jim Elliff
The DaVinci Code By Dan Brown
The Radical Reformission by Driscoll
Breaking the Missional Code by Stetzer and Putnam
To The Ends of the Earth by Jerry Rankin
Trial by Fire by Blackstock
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Going Under by Jim Elliff
Blue Like Jazz by Miller
The Simple Church by Rainer
Flabbergasted by Blackston

In the year ahead I hope to add a little more fiction in the list. This past year I have read 4,114 pages of completed books. I hope to bring next year's total to 5,000 or extremely close. I am challenging myself mentally and spiritually with this reading. Of course without the reading of God's word all of this would be pointless. My challenge there is to read Proverbs each month that has 31 days and a different book of the Bible each month for the remaining months.

Should I Believe in the Virgin Birth?

Hebrews 13:7-9

Over time people change and so do what they believe. Throughout history there have been mighty men of faith and belief that have spurred the church to greatness and many who have destroyed its credibility for a time. There have been times where it was fashionable to be a Christian and many times where it was not. There have been times where the church has stood strong and times where the church or portions of the church was weak. Should you believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ or should you consider it an old wives tale to be laughed at and then tossed in the garbage? Back in the time of terrible decay of theology in the Southern Baptist Seminaries there was a man by the name of Clark Pinnock. He was a young man and full of great potential, so much so that he was picked by the board of trustees and encouraged by many others to accept a teaching position at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The hope was that by having him in the seminary he could be an influence to turn the seminary back to conservative teaching. What happened was that no one stood with him, and he began to be discouraged and battered by the attacks of those who did not agree with his doctrinal positions. He eventually slipped into heresy. I do not know the full timeline of events but now Clark Pinnock is a proponent of the doctrine known as Open Theism or God does not know the future he is jus a good guesser. Where is the hope in a god who just happens to guess correctly? Where is the hope in a god who just happened to guess correctly that his son would be rejected and crucified in order to pay for our sins? Yet the Old Testament is full of prophecies of the coming Messiah we now proclaim as Christ. In Hebrews 13 we see three encouragements to continue to believe in doctrines such as the Virgin Birth.

First we see in verse 7 that there is a heritage of faith. The Hebrews are encouraged to remember those who led you. Remember those teachers who have come before me. I would say to you, remember not only what I bring to you on Sunday mornings but what pastor Howard has brought to you, and your pastor before that and so on and so on. The Lord speaks through all sorts of people. Remember what they bring to you as the Word of God. Then verse 7 says who spoke the word of God to you. Don’t remember their stories or what was their favorite team or the fact that I like soccer or the times that I mess up in a sermon but remember what the Lord says through me that glorifies him and points to his Word. Then the author says consider their conduct and imitate their faith. Now this is not saying any pastor you have imitate their faith. Some pastors have not an ounce of faith in them. Some pastors live like a heathen Monday through Saturday clean up on Sunday morning and then profess to be completely clean and faithful. Listen to their teaching. If their teaching matches the Scripture imitate their faith. If they are who they profess to be, follow them to the glory of God. Remember those who went before you.

How many of you know why Baptists observe the Lord’s Supper once a quarter? It began before there were Baptists, with a man by the name of Ulrich Zwingli. In protest of the misuse of communion in the corrupt Catholic church of his day he led his followers in observing it once a quarter. Baptists came into existence and took up the tradition. Throughout the history of the church there are many great pastors and theologians we should remember who have defended the faith and specifically the Virgin Birth. Men like Augustine, Chrysostom, Athanansius, Calvin, Luther, Spurgeon, Edwards, Whitefield, Wesley, Moody, MacArthur, Patterson, and the list could literally go on and on.

We do not come to today holding to the Virgin Birth because we have been brainwashed or are weakminded but because throughout the centuries the doctrine has been defended and supported with clear logic, reasoning and faith. What kind of a Savior would we have if he was born of a father and a mother? We would have a man born into a sin nature like you and me. But because his father is God he is perfect and complete. Because his mother was a real woman, he is human like you and me. Without the Virgin Birth there would be no salvation.

The second encouragement we see is that God does not change. You say what a minute the verse says that Jesus does not change? Let me rephrase and clarify, Jesus is the Unchanging God. Yes Jesus is not only God he is the GOD. No questions, no hesitation. There is no other. Verse 8 says that he is the same yesterday and today and forever. Who he was yesterday is the same as who he is today. There is not one single change. Who he was yesterday is the full and required and complete God and Lord and Savior that we needed. Who he is today is the full and required and complete God and Lord and Savior that we need. Who is from today to the end of time is the full and required and complete God and Lord and Savior that we will need. The God that we serve today is the God that King David served. The God that we serve today is the God that Adam and Eve sinned against in the Garden of Eden. The God that we serve today is the God that will one day bring all things into perfection and peace.

Have you ever had a boss where you could never figure out what they wanted? One day you come in and you do your work and you receive praise for your work. The next day you come in and do the same thing and nothing is right for your boss. So you come in the next day and try something different and nothing is right. So the next day you come in and do the same thing and you receive nothing but praise for your work. Well, with God everyday it is the same thing required, perfection. He requires perfect holiness and unfortunately without Christ we will never achieve that required perfection. Everyday he is perfection and everyday of your salvation through faith in Christ alone, Christ is your perfection. He is standing on your behalf before God the Father and claims you as his own.

John 14:6 will always be true. He will always be the only way to the Father. He will always be the only way to salvation.

In verse 9 we see our third encouragement and that is to stand on a heritage of teaching based in God’s grace. The verse says do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings. Teachings of a wide and diverse sort. Think through even the past fifty years or so and consider the diverse and numerous cults that have risen and gone. Each cult had a different take on certain passages or a new teaching that the leader had received directly from God or Jesus. The Branch Davidians of Waco TX believed Koresh was Christ come again and he was interpreting the seven scrolls and their destiny was to die in a battle with the law enforcement. So those who survived missed their “eternity.” The group heaven’s gate was attempting to reconnect to their higher being by allowing their souls to be freed and catch a UFO flying in the tail of the Hale Bop comet that was passing at the time. Teachings wide and varied compared to the teachings of Scripture. We could go on and on, but notice that the Word of God does not change. These groups for the most part come and go, but the church still stands on the same teachings from the beginning. The core doctrines of the church have never changed. The deity of Christ was asserted and accepted from the beginning. If you read the Gospel of John, Christ is God. The early church worshipped Christ as God. Throughout history the church has worshipped Christ as God. The heritage of teaching through history points to Christ as God. The heritage of teaching is that Christ was born of a virgin. When we look at this doctrine, it is required in order for God’s grace to be realized in our world. The Virgin Birth is required for Christ to be God’s Son. We celebrate Christmas as when God came in the flesh. Without the Virgin Birth then we have a very good man adopted by God as his son. With the Virgin Birth we have God in the flesh who is the Son of God. Without the grace of God in teaching from the Word of God then we have nothing.

Imagine hearing a sermon preached on Romans 3:23. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Now imagine that throughout the sermon they continually talk about our sin nature and how we are imperfect in our natures, but they never once point us back to God’s grace. You are a sinner and there is no hope for salvation because we are imperfect and unrighteous. Have a great day. Reminds me of a church sign I once saw. On one side it said, All sinners will burn in hell. The other side said, Have a nice day. Well, it is true that sinners will burn in hell, but there is this thing called grace. There is this thing called truth and do not compromise the truth but part of that truth is grace.

Matthew 1:21- You shall call his name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. Born of a virgin that he might be a perfect sacrifice for our sins. God gave of himself in order that we would have the opportunity to receive his grace. God gave himself in order that his grace would be received and have a righteous people to call his. Is his grace yours? Have you received and accepted his grace made available through his son on the cross? Without the death of Christ there would be no salvation. Without God’s grace there is no salvation.

1. Measure all teaching according to the Word of God.

2. Seek to proclaim Christ alone.

3. Worship Christ as God.

The Boys

Brennan and Connor having a good laugh together.


Brennan and Connor Christmas Eve.

A Christmas Thought

Christmas should be a time of reflection and meditation on what the Lord has done for us. Time with family, friends and Christmas Parties whether they are with work or with church are a part of this season. So often we become so busy that we do not have time to reflect on our Lord except on Sunday mornings. Here is a great article to bring us back to reality. Christmas is so much more than presents and family gatherings and church pageants and egg nog and exchanging cards at church. Our Savior was born, who is God in the flesh, God with us. Our Lord is deserving of so much more than a couple of hours Sunday morning.

May your Christmas be focused on our Lord.

Continuing in Ephesians

Ephesians 3:8-13

In verse 8 Paul calls himself the least of all the saints. What a profound irony considering that his name is attributed to more New Testament books than any other name. Even in Acts he is mentioned so many times with his missionary journeys and bold proclaiming in the midst of many different situations and settings. But he says to me, the least of all saints this grace was given. Why would Paul call himself “least of all saints”? What would prompt him to think so lowly of himself? Do we think of ourselves too highly?

Do we consider ourselves in our sins the least? Do we recognize the severity of our sins? Our sins are what cause us to be the least of all saints. It is not because Paul was used for so little because he was used greatly. He was available to follow the Lord’s will and the Spirit’s prompting. He was the least of all saints because he was a sinner. He did not have inferiority complex, but he had a realistic view of himself before God. (emphasis on the before God)

The unfathomable riches of Christ. We use the word unfathomable or incomprhesenible to talk about the universe but do we recognize the chasm between us and God? Do we recognize that without God’s grace we would have no rights to his presence?

Verse 9 he says to bring to light “the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things.” To bring to light means to make visible or known. It is no longer hidden or a puzzle or a mystery but he is now bringing out for the world to see. Why is it important that Paul sought to bring God’s grace to light? Despite this mystery being hidden for ages God was making it available. Despite the Jews holding onto it and not sharing it there were others who were receiving this grace. Look at Rahab and Ruth. Look at who God sent Jonah to preach.

The grandness of God’s wisdom made known through persecutors, deniers, peasants, former prostitutes and Pharisees. Now through plumbers, lawyers, farmers, stay-at-home moms, teenage dropouts, soldiers and the list could go on and on of the ordinary people the Lord uses today to make known his extraordinary wisdom. There are many other average ordinary people who are not listed It is through the ordinary that God makes His greatness known.

The dignity of the church is marked here in verse 10. Consider that the church is made up of these ordinary people. The church is comprised of those who are simple, ordinary people used of God to make himself known. It is through the church that God has chosen to work. The church is not great because of the people but because the people are the people of God. The church is the most glorious of God’s creations because it is a people who are made new. A people who are rescued out of sin. Just as the Hebrews rescued out of Egypt Christ’s church is people rescued out of sin. The church is the people that experience the work of Christ’s death. When we have faith in Christ then we are a part of the church.

Christ’s death allows us to be a part of a body newly created. We have fellowship with one another. We are a new humanity in that we are different than other people because we are made new.

In verse 12, what do we have access to through faith in Christ or who?

In verse 13, Paul commends them to not be of little faith but to be bold and confident. He tells them to not worry about his troubles but to continue on in faith.

The Perfect Sacrifice

Hebrews 10:1-4

The story of Cinderella is a wonderful and beautiful story. A story that even the most plain and ordinary woman could one day marry a prince. If a servant could marry a prince then any woman could marry a prince. What a tale! In that story the prince has to search out this mysterious lady who arrived at his ball, and all he has to find her by is the glass slipper he now holds. So he goes around the kingdom trying the slipper on all the ladies. He is looking for the perfect fit, and then he has found the perfect lady. If only our spiritual longings could be filled so perfectly and precisely and simplistically. Well, they can be. Through Christ alone. Today we will see another picture of Christ that continues to develop why he had to come.

Within our text today, there are two truths concerning Christ. As these Hebrews were enduring trials and possible persecution, the author was attempting to encourage the Hebrews to maintain their faith in Christ. Some would say they are being tempted to return to making sacrifices in the temple instead of trusting Jesus’ sacrifice for them. From our text today we see two truths concerning who Christ is for us.

The first truth we see today is that Christ is the one who casts the shadow. In verse 1 of chapter 10 the scripture says of the Law that “it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things.” The Law is not the real thing but a mere reflection or image of it. The verse continues “can never make perfect those who draw near.” The part I skipped says “by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year.” Despite their persistence and obedience, the sacrifice itself can do nothing for them. There is no hope for their perfection in the sacrifices that they offered. Verse 2 says that they would have ceased to offer the sacrifices because they would have been cleansed. But the sacrifices being a part of the Law are only a shadow a mere image, a poor reflection of the perfection to come. But notice at the end of verse 1 that it says “those who draw near.” Those who offered the sacrifices were seeking to draw near to God. In their obedience they were seeking him, but through the Law they only received a poor reflection. They were only seeking a shadow if they sought their salvation by their works, but those who offered the sacrifices in faith knowing that only God could cleanse them were seeking the one who casts the shadow.

In the movie Sommersby, a war-torn confederate soldier returns home very much a changed man. Throughout the movie you see the love return to the home and also the questions beginning to arise in people’s minds about whether this is really the real husband or not. By the end of the movie you find that this man actually knew the real husband and heard his stories about home that this man desired for that to be his home. When the real husband died in combat the other man decided to attempt to make that his home. He sought a shadow in hopes of finding the one who cast it.

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven by which you must be saved.” John 14:6 “For I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.” Christ is the only way to salvation. There can be, there never was and there never will be any other means to achieving the salvation that we all desire. Have you ever caught yourself frantically and impatiently seeking to find peace in your life? Have you ever caught yourself needing that extra hour of TV or music or time away from home or work thinking it would finally bring that peace and rest you desperately desire? Have you ever considered that these things are false means to the peace we desire? Have you ever considered that they are mere shadows? They are a fantasy because it will never give what you want. Buying that extra outfit or movie or fishing pole or whatever it is that you think will bring you peace will not do what you want it.

The second truth we see this morning is that Christ is the one we anticipate. In verse 3 our text says that “there is a reminder of sins year by year.” And you are wondering how this points to us anticipating Christ? Well, they were seeking to free themselves from the guilt of their sins. They had faith in God that this was what would cleanse them. Only Christ could do that so they were desiring and anticipating what only he could do. If they are seeking to draw near then they are also seeking the one who commands them, and so they are seeking the one who can and will cleanse them. Our redemption is more than being declared innocent and righteous, but it is also about reconciliation. It is about being able to have a relationship with one that we were separated from. “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” “Your seed shall crush the head of the serpent.” Do you see it? Christ had to come to pay the price and when we desire and anticipate the redemption, the peace that only Christ can give we are desiring him. And when you sense that desire turn to him. When you desire him, the Spirit is drawing you. Do not turn away but continue to follow that drawing and the Spirit to work in you.

It seems sometimes that some women always seem to fall for the wrong kind of man. Have you ever noticed that or heard about this? Some women get married for the first time and find themselves in an abusive marriage. Often times this abuse begins before the wedding. Eventually the abuse becomes so terrible that they leave and get a divorce and move on. On down the road, they find themselves falling in love again and they marry. Yet again this man will abuse her. It seems for some ladies this cycle goes on and on. They are anticipating that this man will love them. They are anticipating that there deepest yearning for love will finally be fulfilled. Little do they realize they are looking in the wrong place.

Little do we know that so often we seek the love of God in the things we do rather than in him. We seek to feel his affection and approval through our works rather than just loving him and seeking to relate with him. Why? He is what we so deeply long for not works. It is HIM that we need.

Isaiah 53:5 “For He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” Daniel 7:13-14 “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.” Christ is the one who will bring all things to perfection. He will fulfill your deepest desires that you think will bring you peace. He will not give you what you want but what you desperately long for. He is what we all desire but so often we do not want him. We desire what He can give us but seldom do we truly desire Him? We want the peace and the righteousness but do we want the submission and pain and suffering and hurt that we will experience when we follow him. We want the blessings but not the responsibility.

Seek to love Christ by time spent with him.
Seek to love Christ by longing for him.

One Priest Forever

Hebrews 7

The Dallas Cowboys are considered in football history to be one of the greatest teams of all time. Having grown-up in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, my mind tends to quickly agree. The Cowboys have had such greats as Roger Staubach, Ed “Too Tall” Jones among many of the recent greats. In addition to those greats was one of the premier coaches in Tom Landry. He led the Cowboys to the playoffs many times and to the Super Bowl more than once. He was a great coach. Over time however something was changing within the Cowboys team. Was it the coach or the players or the management? That could be debated for a long time, but the truth is that something had changed. Due to that change and the continued lackluster performances from the Cowboys as a team Tom Landry was let go. Then comes Jimmie Johnson and a new era for the team. The first season was a disappointment with a record of 1-15. The next season gets better with a near playoff appearance. The next season is a success with a 14-2 season and a Super Bowl victory. The greatest game being the playoff victory in the playoffs at San Francisco. Yet look at the last couple of seasons and you wonder what happened, they were so good for those years? What happened? They were never perfect. If they could achieve perfection and hold on to that perfection that would be a team to be reckoned with, but we will never achieve it. Football teams will always be looking for better and find it. Then he will get old and they will have to find better again. Then they will have to find a better chemistry because they have new players. They will always be searching for better.

The priesthood of the Old Testament was never perfect. The author of Hebrews is pointing to Christ as the fulfillment and the perfection of the Old Testament. Today in Hebrews 7 we see that Christ is One Priest Forever. There was never one exactly like Him nor will there ever be another. To be a winning team forever you must be perfect. To be a priest forever, Christ is perfect.

Today we will see three attributes of Christ that make Him a perfect priest forever.

First we see that Christ is eternal. When we look at verses 1-3 we are pointed back to Genesis and the historical event of Abraham giving a tenth of his spoils of war to Melchizedek priest of the Most High God. Without going too in depth on this man, he was a real man. Some say he was a theophany, an appearance of Christ before his incarnation. I see no reason in the Genesis account to believe that. When we look at Hebrews 7 we see the author taking that account in Genesis and drawing out parallels to Christ with Melchizedek as a means to illustrate Christ. This can only be done by a biblical author under the inspiration of the Spirit. This is not a normal proper method of interpretation. This author was under the inspiration of the Spirit. This man was the king of Jerusalem at the time and was also a worshipper of the one True God and was a priest of God. Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils in gratitude to God for safety and provision during battle but also for the sanctuary received in Jerusalem. We see in Melchizedek that his name points us to Christ. Melchizedek and Melchisalem. Look at the end of verse 2, “was first of all by translation, king righteousness and then also king of salem, which is king of peace.” Who is the king of righteousness? Christ. Who is the king of peace? Christ. Who has made it possible for the sinful to become righteous? Christ. Who has made it possible that in the midst of turmoil in your life that you can still be at peace? Christ. Who has defeated sin and death that we may have eternal life in peace? Christ. The author of Hebrews wants the people who receive this letter to see that Christ is better. He is a better priest because he is eternal. In verse 3 he says that Melchizedek was without mother or father without any genealogy. We do not know his ancestral heritage, the genesis account does not tell us. Where did he learn about God? Where did he come from? When and where was he born? The text does not tell us. We will never know and we do not need to know. The point is that he points us to Christ. Who is Jesus’ father? God. What is Jesus’ ancestral heritage? God. Who created Jesus? No one. Not even God. He is God therefore he has always been. He has no beginning and no end. Look at Melchizedek. He has no end. We are never told of his death. He did die because he was a man, but Jesus did also die but rose from the dead in the power of God. Christ is a better priest because he is eternal.

The land of Persia was once ruled by a wise and beloved Shah who cared greatly for his people and desired only what was best for them. One day he disguised himself as a poor man and went to visit the public baths. The water for the baths was heated by a furnace in the cellar, so the Shah made his way to the dark place to sit with the man who tended the fire. The two men shared the coarse food, and the Shah befriended him in his loneliness. Day after day the ruler went to visit the man. The worker became attached to this stranger because " he came where he was". One day the Shah revealed his true identity, and he expected the man to ask him for a GIFT. Instead, he looked long into his leader's face and with love and wonder in his voice said, "You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dark place, to eat my coarse food, and to care about what happens to me. On others you may bestow rich GIFTS, but to ME you have given YOURSELF!"
There is an even GREATER King - The King of kings - '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" (Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus, the Son of God, left His heavenly palace to come and sit with us, to share OUR human existence, to experience life as WE know it, to show us that He cares.
But then, the King of kings condescended to a far greater depth than that beloved Shah: "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to DEATH -- even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:8). Jesus understood that our greatest problem is SIN. He looked past our many FAILURES and saw our great NEED! And as His body hung there upon that cross, He lovingly paid sin's HIGH price so that we might be forgiven. He didn't just give OF Himself; He gave HIMSELF for us! "He gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father" (Galatians 1:4).
When Jesus laid aside His royal garments and clothed Himself in human flesh, He became what WE ARE so that we might become what HE IS: a child of God.
To become a child of God you must be born again! You experience the new birth when you: place your faith in Jesus (Acts 16:31), repent of your sins (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in order to have our sins washed away (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Once you become a child of God....if you will CONTINUE to walk in the light of God's Word, the blood of Jesus will CONTINUE to wash away your sins (1 John 1:7).
He who resides in Heaven, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, willingly descended into OUR world. He became one of us! He breathed our air, felt our pain, knew our sorrows, and died for our sins. He was Immanuel -" GOD WITH US" - so that we might be with Him for an eternity...
"Out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe. ONLY His great eternal love, made my Savior go." (Harry Barraclough)

John 1:1-5: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things came into being through Him. Without Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. At the very end of verse 2, “but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.” If Melchizedek is a priest perpetually made like Christ, then Christ is a priest forever. He is eternal.

Because Christ is eternal then all that He accomplishes and works on our behalf is also eternal. Your salvation is forever sealed because he reigns as the King of kings and conqueror of death. He is eternal and through the Spirit you are being remade and that work is eternal. You will for eternity be perfectly righteous as Christ is eternally righteous and your Lord.

Second we see that Christ is a priest by appointment. In verse 4-10, the author is making the case that Levi, through Abraham, paid tithes to one who pictured Christ. If Melchizedek is a representation of Christ, then Levi gave him tithes. So the levitical priesthood is second to Christ. Make sense? In Abraham the father of the Jews, Levi gave a tithe to Christ through Melchizedek. The Levitical priesthood is not supreme in comparison to Christ the eternal. Then in verse 11, the question is raised, if the priesthood was perfect what was the need for Christ to arise according to the priesthood of Melchizedek? If Aaron and his descendants were a perfect priesthood then why did Christ have to come? If the Cowboys were perfect, then why did they need Terrell Owens or need a new coach? If the church is perfect why is the average tenure of a pastor nationwide less than 2 years? Remember Melchizedek is a representation of Christ and he blesses Abraham, the recipient of the promises of God. Who would bless whom in a family? The father would give a blessing to the children. The greater to the lesser. And here Abraham is receiving the blessing. Christ is greater. The one who has no genealogy. Christ has no father on earth. Christ has no line that leads back to the Levites. Christ was of the tribe of Judah. Then how could he be a priest? He was a priest by appointment. God appointed him as priest. He was priest before Aaron was born. He blessed Aaron. Christ is a better priest because he is not in the traditional lineage but because he is qualified by his character and attributes. He is priest because God the Father has called him to be a priest. He has no beginning and no end. The levitical priesthood has a constant turnover of priests because of death. Christ is a priest forever according to Melchizedek. Psalm 110.

The President’s cabinet is made up of people who are chosen by the President. They are people that he sees qualified for the position and would best work to fulfill the desired agenda for that administration. Imagine for a moment that the position of Attorney General was open. As the president begins the process of finding a person qualified for that position. Would he likely go to the federal prison and begin interviewing there? Or what about Camp X-Ray there in Guantanamo Bay Cuba? What about the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan? He will look for someone who is knowledgeable of the laws of the land and experienced in legal matters. Will he pick someone because they are related to him? Hopefully not just because they are related to him. He will be looking for someone who fulfills the list of qualifications for the position.

When it comes to the position of priest, Jesus meets the qualifications required to completely fulfill the position of priest. Psalm 110:4- The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. By the Lord’s will Christ is a priest. It is by his design and desire.

What does it really matter to you that Christ is a priest appointed to the position? Remember he is a priest appointed outside of the line of priests. He was not from the tradition but to fulfill the position. Often times we follow what has always been done only to find it is broken. Christ came and gave us eternal life. The King of Righteousness came that we might be righteous. The King of Peace came that we might have peace. He died for the church not the way we do church or the traditions we follow in our lives. He came to fulfill in us all that God desires from us. Christ came to fulfill our ability to experience the fullness of life now. Barna did some research and found that a majority of professed born again believers were not satisfied with their church experience. They felt that they could be a better Christian without the church. Not good. That is a sad verdict on the church. Now what these people desired was to simply have a great spiritual life and experience with God. I think often times we make our spiritual walk more complex than it really ought to be. How difficult is it to not attach our spiritual well-being with our feelings? Christ fulfilled in us through the office of priest the ability to come to God. You can simply now wake up and commune with God. No goat, sheep, bulls or any other animals required. There is no special language or code words required. You don’t have to speak Greek, Hebrew or Latin.

Third we see that Christ is our Intercessor. A priest is one who intercedes on behalf of man. In the Catholic church you can go to your priest and confess your sins. In the Old Testament sacrificial system, the priest would sacrifice on your behalf. On the day of Atonement the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies on behalf of the people. Yet all of these people doing these things must first confess their sins and make payment for them. The High Priest on the Day of Atonement was required to be clean before entering the Holy of Holies. There was need for their being completely clean. Yet today, verse 26 tells us, that we have a high priest who is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. Our high priest is completely and utterly pure. There has never been a single sin in his life. He is perfect without blemish. Verse 27, he does not need daily to offer sacrifices for his own sins. Nor does he need to pay for our sins again. He has already paid for our sins once and for all. Verse 28, the Law appointed priests who were weak. They were ineffective at making complete amends for sin. They had to do it daily. But in God’s promise, or oath, there came one who was strong. He was able to make complete amends for sin. The payment has been made perfectly. The Law is completely and perfectly fulfilled. Now he daily stands before the Father on our behalf. He stands before the Father as one who has made our payment. He is the one who stands before the Father and says, They are clean they belong to me.

When I worked for Wal-Mart in one of their distribution centers, I became concerned about a policy that was causing me some trouble. If you missed the goal of 99.98% accuracy within a week you were given a write-up. After so many write-ups you received a warning. After 4 warnings you were fired. In order to make the goal you could only make 2 errors for every 20,000 cases you handled. In talking with my manager, I expressed concern about this policy because I tried hard but would keep missing the goal. My manager assured me that if I were to reach the point of possible termination there would be significant evidence that would keep me from losing my job. There were others that they were eagerly waiting for to lose their job and would have no grounds to keep them. I had an advocate, one standing between me and the Building Manager who speak on my behalf.

Who stands on your behalf before God is a significant issue. Christ came in order to be our perfect advocate. Our perfect intercessor. If you trust your works for your salvation, you have a weak and ineffective intercessor. If you trust your goodness and love, you have a weak and ineffective intercessor. If you trust Christ, you have a strong and perfect intercessor. Who do you trust to stand before God on your behalf?

The Day of Infamy

The attack on Pearl Harbor December 7 1941 was called a day of infamy. Many of our military lost their lives on that day. A day after the US attempted to negotiate peace with Japan. Diplomacy goes only so far with the enemy. Thank you to those who laid your lives on the line so we could remain a free nation. Thank you to those who live with the pain of loss because their loved ones gave their lives for our freedom.

May we stand together as the US military even now fights to win our freedom from other tyrants who would seek to remove our freedoms.

Mission Impossible

Charles was no stranger to prison life. This was the third time he had been incarcerated in less than 2 years. The police knew him well. Sharing a cell with drug users, thieves, rapists, and murderers, Charles was considered, according to Nepalese law, the worst of criminals. He had been arrested again and again for converting Buddhists and Hindus to Christianity. Anyone who was caught baptizing a new believer would be sentenced to death.

On the king's birthday, Charles was released from prison and he returned to his small house nestled in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. His American friend Rick arrived as planned. They sat over a rickety table enjoying their bowls of rice with steamy vegetables, and gave thanks to the Lord for Charles' deliverance once more from jail. Then they discussed their next mission to bring the light of the gospel to the darkness of souls.

At daybreak, the young men drove to the end of the existing road. Then, by foot, they walked to the path's end. They walked through rice fields and pulled themselves up the steep sides of the hilltops, then dipped back down into lush green valleys. The following day they walked through three ice cold rivers, holding their knapsacks above their heads.

Before them lay the village. Rick and Charles preached, ministered to the needs of the people, and baptized the new converts. At the end of the few days, they went deeper into the country.

"This is going to be the hardest village," Charles explained. "Its stronghold here is a witch doctor the people revere and fear."

Before beginning any work, the men prayed and fasted in the humble home of one of the few Christians who lived in that part of the country. On the third day, Rajen the witch doctor called for them. Speaking through Charles as an interpreter, he told them, "I know you have come to preach and to convert my people. Please eat this wonderful food I have prepared for you." Not wanting to offend him, Charles and Rick ate until their bellies were full. Rajen sat watching them for a long time before speaking again.

"You may tell my people about your God but you must not convert them to Christianity," he warned.

"What if they want to become Christians?" Rick asked.

"You may tell them about your God and how He has worked in your life, but nothing else."

That night all the village people gathered around the smoky fires and listened to the two young men speak. They fascinated with the Nepalese man and with how fair the young white American looked. Rick and Charles spoke for a long time about a Baby that was born in a far-off country, and how this Baby grew up and performed miracles. The village people thought this Jesus must have been a good man.

The next day the witch doctor called for them again. Once more a meal was spread out before them and Rajen pointed to it. The two young ministers sat cross-legged on mats and ate until they were full. Rajen watched them carefully.

"You may tell them more about your God tonight. If anyone wants to become a Christian it is all right. No harm will come to them in this village."

Rick and Charles rejoiced. Through prayer they had battle many strongholds; now they prayed for a harvest of souls in this village. That evening they continued telling about Jesus. They explained that He was the Son of God and that because of Him no more blood sacrifices were necessary, because His blood atoned for all our sins.

When Rick and Charles had finished sharing the gospel, people came forward, forsaking their gods for the one true God. Rick noticed Rajen watching from the shadows, beyond the light of the fires. Charles and Rick prayed through the night for God to soften the witch doctor's heart.

On the third day they were summoned again to Rajen. They sat and ate, and again the witch doctor touched nothing. But he was quieter and seemed withdrawn. When they finished eating, Rajen in a raspy voice that shook said, "You may do whatever you would like to do."

Once outside, Rick hollered, "Yahoo!" and clicked his heels together as Charles laughed at him. They knew that God had answered and removed the enemy's stronghold from around the village. That night after Charles and Rick preached, nearly every one in the village came forward to accept Jesus into their hearts.

The next day Charles and Rick spent hours baptizing the new converts in the river. "This will be known from now on as a Christian village and other preachers will follow us to do more work here," Charles explained to Rick.

Before them in the water stood Rajen. His cockiness was gone and his eyes were dark and empty. "I want your God," he proclaimed. Rick and Charles prayed with Rajen and he became a new creation in Jesus Christ. Then they baptized him in the cold mountain river. "When you are finished here," he said, "come to see me."

This time there was no food spread before them. "For the past 3 days you have eaten my food," Rajen began. "With my own eyes I watched you put it into your mouths."

From a large box Rajen pulled a huge dead rat. "I put poison in your food. See, it killed this rat. But it does not kill you. It did not even make you sick. Your God is much more powerful than my magic. And your God loves you and protects you. I want this God and this love inside my heart."

Rick and Charles began to rejoice and thank God for this miracle. "But before I decided I wanted to know your Jesus, I sent a man from the village to get the Nepalese police. The message said you were converting and baptizing. You must flee for your lives. I am truly sorry for this. But I did not realize at the time that your God was the one true God." Rajen wept.

In an hour Charles and Rick had packed their belongings and were ready for the trip down the mountainside and said their good-byes to the people. As they walked through the clearing, Rajen stood with a small knapsack, ready to accompany them. "I want to come," he told them, "I want to learn more about Jesus."

The three Christian brothers walked in single file along the dusty path, moving quickly, saying little. They crossed two icy rivers and didn't stop to change or even to dry off. Charles would be killed this time if he were caught, and Rick would be jailed and then expelled from the country.

The road widened, but down the mountain they saw troops walking steadily toward them. There was no place to run, nowhere to hide. They began to pray. Suddenly a fog grew around the side of the mountain and covered them and the soldiers. Charles, Rick and Rajen walked with their shoulders scraping the side of the mountain as the Nepalese soldiers passed within inches on the other side of them, never seeing them through the heavy fog.

This was an impossible mission from beginning to end. But Jesus is a Master of the impossible. All things are possible with Him. Since that time, Charles and his family have had to leave Nepal. But their work has not diminished; instead it has grown. A Bible school has been established in India and from there young ministers go into Nepal to continue the word Charles started. Where there was once only a handful of Christian ministers there are now dozens walking through the mountains, preaching and baptizing believers in the cold rivers. Rajen is one of these ministers.

I found this story here. I did not write this story. All information concerning the origin of this story may be found here at the end of that page.

Two for the Weekend

Day of Worship

Today was an unusual day at church. Within our congregation of about 60 we are blessed to have two ladies who can play the piano. One is an older lady who has played most of her life and does a tremendous and wonderful job playing. The other is my wife who plays when the other lady is unable. The other lady, Emily, has been having some problems with extreme pain in her legs and is not going to be able to play for the month of December. Well, today my wife stayed home with our youngest who is sick and showing signs of RSV.

Not being a trained a musician, we skipped the music today. We watched an update on Tsunami & Katrina relief efforts and a short message on missions from Dr. Rankin. I left feeling as though we had worshipped. I challenged the congregation to worship even though we did not have music. (We did have a sermon, offering, and Lord's Supper.)

Our worship is ascribing the worth due to God. May it be done at all times not just when the piano is playing.

A Better Hope

Hebrews 6:9-20

Every week, Linda Bremner sends a thousand letters to children she doesn't even know. Some parents might not like their children getting letters from a stranger. But not these moms and dads. They write back to thank her-and so do the parents. Linda's letters give their kids hope, keep them alive a little longer, or just brighten their days when they see the postal carrier coming up the walk with the day's mail.

That's how it started-with the daily mail. In November 1980, Linda's eight-year-old son, Andy, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. After he returned home from his first hospital stay, he was welcomed with dozens of cards and letters from friends and relatives. "No matter how bad he felt before the mailman arrived," Linda remembered, "he always felt better afterward."

Inevitably, however, the flood of cards and letters tapered off. So did Andy's cheerful spirit. Concerned, Linda mailed him a note she wrote herself and signed it "Your secret pal." Andy perked up. After that, Linda never let a day go by without putting another cheerful message in the mail for her little boy.

After sending Andy letters for nearly a month, Linda found him one day drawing a picture of two unicorns. It was for his "secret pal," he said. After putting Andy to bed that night, Linda picked up the drawing. At the bottom, he had written "P.S. Mom, I love you."

He had known all along who was sending him the letters! But that didn't matter-what mattered was that they made him happy and lifted his spirits. Andy's precious life ended less than four years later; he died on August 31, 1984.

"Although I had two other wonderful children," Linda remembered, "the grief and pain of losing Andy was unbearable. I felt my life was over because his was over." Sorting through her son's belongings, she found a shoebox in his closet. Inside the box was his address book listing all the friends he'd made at a "cancer camp" not long before he died. The address book gave Linda the idea that Andy would have liked her to be a "secret pal" to his sick friends the way she'd been to him.

She decided to send one card to each child in Andy's book. Before she'd gotten through the list, one twelve-year-old boy wrote to thank her. In his letter he told her, "I didn't think any one knew I was alive." Those words made Linda realize someone else was hurting besides herself. She cried bitterly, not for herself or for Andy this time, but for the lonely, scared child who needed to know someone cared.

Just after responding to that boy's letter, she received a simi­lar note from another child on Andy's list. That was it. She had found her calling, a purpose that gave passion and meaning to her life. She vowed then to write to any child who needed her until they stopped writing her back.

The Hebrews this letter was written to were believers, but they were either experiencing persecution or was certain to come their way. The author is writing to encourage them in their faith and give them a true hope to stand on in the difficult days that were definitely ahead. As we think about the coming of Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, he came in order to bring a better hope. The Israelites in the wilderness and in the Promised Land were required to bring a sacrifice to atone for their sins. These sacrifices were insufficient but their faith in God is what provided their forgiveness. Their faith was and our faith is crucial to our receiving forgiveness. In our passage this morning we see two sources of hope for our lives as believers.

The first source of hope is that we know that our works will endure. During the temple times they had to repeat year after year their sacrifice for their sins. This was done over and over again. They were to annually perform the sacrifice of Atonement. This was the significant sacrifice as a reminder of their need for salvation, and they had to perform it annually. Then there was the Passover and the sacrifice required for it. This was done annually. All of their sacrifices and rituals and ceremonies were to be followed in detail, and they were required. When you look at the New Testament there are numerous passages that refer to the Christian life and what our lives should look like. These passages are not a prescription to eternal life but are because of your eternal life this is what your lives should look like. As James says, “I will show you my faith by my works.” Works are not to be what saves us, but they are to be what demonstrates our salvation. In the end, our works will endure if they are done for the Lord. Verse 10 tells us “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward his name.” God’s justice remembers the works done in his name. When we seek to serve and strive to glorify the Lord our works are remembered. The last part of verse 10 says “in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” Our service to one another to encourage and uplift one another as we go along in our lives is service done to the Lord that will not be forgotten. Our works endure when done in faith. In fact as a believer, works are required. They are required for obedience to the Lord. He expects certain actions from us. They are required for rewards. We are promised eternal rewards that moth and dust will not destroy. They are required for our witness. The Bible tells us that others will know that we belong to him by our love for one another. Love is demonstrated not just felt.

Christianity has never had a very strong presence in Japan. In fact, with industrialization, Japan has become one of the most secular nations on earth. But right now, thousands of Japanese are hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ in a new, or should I say old, way-and they're embracing it.

The evangelist responsible for leading this spiritual awakening might surprise you. He's none other than Johann Sebastian Bach. That's right. The German composer who died 250 years ago is bringing Christianity to Japan through the beauty of his music. Now there are reports of thousands of Japanese, inspired by his cantatas, converting to Christianity. It's a testament to the power of art steeped in a biblical worldview.

Christianity has never been widely embraced by Japanese culture. When European traders and missionaries came to the island nation in the 17th century, they met with mixed success: Commerce thrived, but the Gospel languished. But Japan eagerly embraced the music of Western culture.

Shinichi Suzuki even developed a method to learn to play classical instruments that became famous worldwide. But now, through a resurgence in Bach's popularity, that music is providing a foothold for evangelism that trade and traditional approaches never have. Bach's popularity is so great that the classes at the Felix Mendolssohn Academy in Bach's hometown of Leipzig, Germany, are filled with Japanese students. These students are learning about more than the music of the great composer-they learn about the spirit that moved him to write: that is, Bach's love of God.

Writing on this resurgence of Bach's music for Civilization, the magazine of the Library of Congress, Uwe Siemon-Netto reports that his Japanese interpreter asked to start the day with one of Bach's cantatas. She selected one whose lyrics declare that God's name is Love. "This has taught me what these two words mean to Christians ... and I like it very much," she said.

As Siemon-Netto points out, Bach's music was once celebrated as the "fifth gospel"-praise that has never been more aptly said of Bach's work than it is in Japan today.

What began as an interest in the brilliance of the music has led to an understanding of the richness of God's grace. Masaaki Suzuki, founder of a school for Bach's music in Japan, says that, "Bach is teaching us the Christian concept of hope." And Yoshikazu Tokuzen, of Japan's National Christian Council, calls Bach nothing less than "a vehicle of the Holy Spirit." And the revival his music is causing indeed confirms that.

At the end of every one of his works, Bach inscribed the initials "SDG"-shorthand for Soli Deo Gloria, "to God alone be the glory." Little could he have imagined what purposes God would have for his work, even hundreds of years after his death. And Bach could hardly have imagined that his music would contribute to the evangelization of Japan.

James 2:14-17 “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” Our works are important and vital to our faith. We act in obedience as a demonstration of our faith. Without works there is no evidence of our faith.

The second source of hope we see in our passage today is we know our God is faithful. In these verse the words promise, swear, or oath are used 9 times. All of these words demonstrate something that will be fulfilled or has the backing of someone’s character. For instance, a parent who regularly promises ‘tomorrow we will play catch or go do what you want to do’ to their children but never does it, their character demonstrates that their ‘promises’ are not truly promises. But when someone who has demonstrated faithfulness in fulfilling their word they proclaim promises that their children will eagerly wait for the fulfillment of. Verse 13 we are reminded of the promise that God made to Abraham. I remember as I was growing up being told to never swear by God’s name. I never understood why but when you swear by God’s name you are basically stating those to be the words and desires of God, but also you are swearing by what you cannot give. When you break that promise you break the character of God. But God, seeing is there is nothing greater to base His character on, will swear by his name. His character demonstrates that he is faithful to fulfill his word and over time we see him fulfill his promises. Verse 15 tells us that Abraham waited and received the promise. I struck by the fact that the verse tells us that Abraham waited patiently. I remember reading that Abraham attempted to fulfill God’s promise by having a child with his servant. Could it be that Abraham learned to be patient and trust the Lord? Could it be for us that the Lord is burdened by our disobedience and failures but he is looking to the end and not necessarily the here and now? Could it be that in our lives we fail and fall but the Lord is concerned that we eventually through successes and failures conform to his likeness? Could it be that our works are a source of evaluating our conforming to the Lord? Verse 16 we are told that an oath would be given as confirmation of the man’s word. Remember back to Genesis 15. After the Lord tells Abraham to go and get the animals, he gives instructions as to what needed to be done. He tells Abraham to cut the animals in two. And when the Lord passes through the pieces, he is telling Abraham, “May this be done to me if I do not fulfill my words to you.” In verse 17 we see that the encouragement of God fulfilling his promises is in that God’s purpose has never changed. Also, that God has given an oath, his word. Those two have never changed. In verse 18 we are told to have strong encouragement and to take hold of the hope set before us due to God’s word being faithful and it is impossible for him to lie. What a better hope one in which the word never changes and lasts because the one who has given it is faithful.

I was born and raised in a Javanese family, fully Islamic way in Jakarta, Indonesia. When I became a teenager, I studied about Islamic teachings in my academic education. Islam has many adherents in Java, where I have lived all my life. I prayed five times to "Allah" (deceptively known as God Almighty) almost every day, and I received religious moral education in Islam with great eagerness. Of course, I read the Quran and I learned all of the prescribed ritual prayers. I tried to obey "Allah" as faithfully as prophet Muhammad did.

After my graduation from the University of Jakarta, I worked for few commercial business companies and even had a colleague who claimed to be a Christian but I detested the way her life as a Christian. Many questions arose and I was not satisfied with my life as well as stumped by the economic crisis in Indonesia. I began to search for the true answers to the questions of life in my heart. My next door neighbours in Jakarta Pusat district are caring Christians but I was a little apprehensive to ask about the Christian faith/teachings. Whenever I passed an old church building on my way home, I wondered what kind of God the Christians were taught.

Last year a tourist named "Sam" from Singapore visited the shop at the Jakarta International Airport where I worked. He had a warm and genuine smile that radiated an undeniable inner peace. Well, initially he seemed to be more interested in my colleague than me. Sigh...after that brief encounter with this radiant peranankan Christian, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I could not shake the image of his kind and happy face from my mind. I knew that he had something in his life that I didn't have. To my surprise I was later introduced to him by my colleague and we began our courtship. Sam and I fell in love and he shared with me from the Bible: "Jesus said, `I am the way - and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). The claim that Christ is the only way made it very clear that the Bible teaches that every human being is a sinner, and yet God loves us and through Christ he can forgive and save us. There was so much I ! did not understand about Jesus.

I read that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23), but I did not know what it meant. Sam shared with me that his joy came from trusting in Jesus as his Saviour and Lord. He not only told me about God's holiness, he also told me about God's love. When he told me that God demonstrated His love by coming in the person of Jesus Christ to give His life on the cross for our sins, I was amazed. I had never heard anything like that before. It was wonderful, even overwhelming, to think that God is like that and that by trusting in Jesus Christ one could have all of his sins forgiven. Now I could begin to understand why a true Christian had so much joy and peace even in the midst of troubles. A Christian did not need to fear the judgment of God. He had his sins forgiven because Jesus Christ took all those sins on Himself when he died on the cross so that we need not face the judgement of God once and for ! all. Alleleuia!

I wondered if all of this could be true. I thought about it very much - then I told Sam I wanted Jesus to come into my life because he was a real friend, and his sincere love for me touched me very much. That same day, I accepted Jesus as my personal Saviour though I was a little unsure of God's great love. When I came to New Creation Church in December of 2000 I was more impressed by what I heard from God's message by Senior Pastor Joseph Prince. What affected me most of all was the attitude of the Christians in church. The first time I stepped into the Rock auditorium at Suntec City, I sensed a tremendous attack on my tummy. I nauseated to a point of fainting and I met a Christian a young ursherer named "Jeann Ong". Christians laid hands on me and prayed for me to be healed in Jesus' name. Jeann had a joyful face and the ursherers were loving people. Praise God. They were so kind to me that I was astonished. It was difficult for me to believe that they would b! e that way with a person of "another religion", so I thought.

Sam showed such love and kindness to me and more too that I could not understand why. I continued to go to church with Sam because of the great joy and sincerity I saw in the people there and the Bible became a book of God's revelation to me. By God's grace in Sam's life I saw the love of Christ made real before my eyes. Sam demonstrated God's love toward me. It was this and the wonderful message of God's love I heard at the church worship service that affected me most deeply. After my third Sunday attendance in church, I finally concluded that I MUST forsake Islam and put my entire trust in Christ Jesus as my Savior and Lord publicly. Pastor Prince called for the last time for those who wanted to receive Jesus as their personal Saviour. Without hesitation, I raised my hand way up high enough to catch the attention of Pastor Prince and the Lord as well. It was the trning point of my life history.

It is impossible for me to describe the change that Jesus brought in my life when I turned from everything else and put my faith in Him. I felt that a great burden had been removed from my heart. I experienced the same joy that other Christians had. It became a personal reality to me and no longer something I only saw and envied in others. Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it in all of its fulness (John 10:10). Now I discovered what Jesus meant. He also gave me the desire and power to overcome the problems in life together with Sam. Before I trusted in Jesus, I was frequently afraid of all kinds of consequences. After I believed in Jesus, I did not care what would happen and the things Sam and I were to overcome with his ex. Even though I had been a faithful Muslim for years, I never lost my fear of lonliness because Jesus is alway within me. I believed that Jesus Christ loved me so much, to die for my sins and conquered death by His miracu! lous resurrection, the fear of what to come was taken away. I also came to appreciate that my heavenly Father led me to know Sam because the Lord has something very special for me. His loving purpose for my life became my main motivation and goal. Sam and I were married in early January 2001 with limited income to live and the abundant life in Christ begun.

My heart had previously been dominated by fears and to be loved, but Christ cleansed me of these base and corrupt attitudes and replaced them with His blessed assurance and love. I found that I had a great desire to pray for my parents and siblings about the wonderful Savior who became my everlasting Hope. My father had told me to remain a faithful Muslim but I have my own choice in life and praise God He enabled me to make the right choice. Now, I would arise on Sunday morning with a deep desire to worship the Lord together with many others in church where the name of Jesus is glorified and honoured! Alleluia! My heavenly Father, God in heaven greatly loves me to send Jesus to die for me for He (Jesus) gave all for me - He overpaid the penalty of death for me (because of my sins) and Jesus is coming again soon for me and all who takes Him as their personal Saviour. I am convinced that no other endeavor in life could compare with that joyful calling. By the grace of! God, He rescued me and lifted me up. I am deeply loved, highly favoured and greatly blessed by God and that I have nothing to fear. It is a glorious experience to have this certainty - to know that all of my sins are forgiven and God will not impute my sins against me. Amen!

Christ who died for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead. No other religion knows a God of love such as the God who is revealed in Jesus Christ. He loves sinners, not in the sense that he approves their sins but in the sense that He loves everyone though He does not love the evil things people do. And God's love is not just a matter of words, for the Bible says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

In Islam I had no certainty and no peace. I was always in a state of anxiety and frustration. But in Christ I have assurance and rest in my heart. The most important thing to me is the love of Christ and the love he puts in the hearts of those who sincerely believe in Him and know him. True Christians love Muslims too. If anyone calls himself a Christian and hates anyone else, he is self-deceived, for he does not truly know Christ. The Bible warns against all of those who think that by persecuting and killing others they are doing God service (John 16:2).

When I came to Singapore and became a believer in Christ, Christ has taken care of me and so has my dear husband Sam. Since I came to know Jesus I have found that I have other brothers and sisters in Christ all around me - and many more all over the world via the internet. I left my parents, brother and sister, relatives and friends in Indonesia but God gave me a greater family in Singapore and in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. In fact, God gave me far more than I lost. In the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written in Romans 1:17: "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." Jesus who sits at the right hand of God in heaven, is my righteousness before God, my heavenly Father. I am God's precious precious child now and I am greatly blessed in Christ Jesus. I hope my testimony will encourage all t! o know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. To God be the glory for all He had done for us.

Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Our Lord is faithful. May we be faithful to obey and trust. May we trust our Lord who has given every reason to rely upon him and not ourselves.

May we trust in our Lord who has faithfully supplied the redemption needed for our salvation. May he gain all of the glory and honor.

He possessed a five-day supply of food, a Bible and Pilgrim's Progress (his two treasures), a small ax for protection, and a blanket. With these, Legson Kayira eagerly set out on the journey of his life. He was going to walk from his tribal village in Nyasaland, north across the wilderness of East Africa to Cairo, where he would board a ship to America to get a college education.

It was October 1958. Legson was sixteen or seventeen, his mother wasn't sure. His parents were illiterate and didn't know exactly where America was or how far. But they reluctantly gave their blessing to his journey. To Legson, it was a journey derived from a dream - no matter how ill- conceived - that fueled his determination to get an education. He wanted to be like his hero, Abraham Lincoln, who had risen from poverty to become an American president, then fought tirelessly to help free the slaves. He wanted to be like Booker T. Washington, who had cast off the shackles of slavery to become a great American reformer and educator, giving hope and dignity to himself and to his race.

Like these great role models, Legson wanted to serve mankind, to make a difference in the world. To realize his goal, he needed a first-rate education. He knew the best place to get it was in America.

Forget that Legson didn't have a penny to his name or a way to pay for his ship fare.

Forget that he had no idea what college he would attend or if he would even be accepted.

Forget that Cairo was 3,000 miles away and in between were hundreds of tribes that spoke more than fifty strange languages, none of which Legson knew.

Forget all that. Legson did. He had to. He put everything out of his mind except the dream of getting to the land where he could shape his own destiny.

He hadn't always been so determined. As a young boy, he sometimes used his poverty as an excuse for not doing his best at school or for not accomplishing something. I am just a poor child, he had told himself. What can I do?

Like many of his friends in the village, it was easy for Legson to believe that studying was a waste of time for a poor boy from the town of Karongo in Nyasaland. Then, in books provided by missionaries, he discovered Abraham Lincoln and Booker T. Washington. Their stories inspired him to envision more for his life, and he realized that an education was the first step. So he conceived the idea for his walk.

After five full days of trekking across the rugged African terrain, Legson had covered only 25 miles. He was already out of food, his water was running out, and he had no money. To travel the distance of 2,975 additional miles seemed impossible. Yet to turn back was to give up, to resign himself to a life of poverty and ignorance. I will not stop until I reach America, he promised himself. Or until I die trying.

Sometimes he walked with strangers. Most of the time he walked alone. He entered each new village cautiously, not knowing whether the natives were hostile or friendly. Sometimes he found work and shelter. Many nights he slept under the stars. He foraged for wild fruits and berries and other edible plants. He became thin and weak. A fever struck him and he fell gravely ill. Kind strangers treated him with herbal medicines and offered him a place to rest and convalesce. Weary and demoralized, Legson considered turning back. Perhaps it was better to go home, he reasoned, than to continue this seemingly foolish journey and risk his life.

Instead, Legson turned to his two books, reading the familiar words that renewed his faith in himself and in his goal. He continued on. On January 19, 1960, fifteen months after he began his perilous journey, he had crossed nearly a thousand miles to Kampala, the capital of Uganda. He was now growing stronger in body and wiser in the ways of survival. He remained in Kampala for six months, working at odd jobs and spending every spare moment in the library, reading voraciously.

In that library he came across an illustrated directory of American colleges. One illustration in particular caught his eye. It was of a stately, yet friendly looking institution, set beneath a pure blue sky, graced with fountains and lawns, and surrounded by majestic mountains that reminded him of the magnificent peaks back home in Nyasaland.

Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington, became the first concrete image in Legson's seemingly impossible quest. He wrote immediately to the school's dean explaining his situation and asking for a scholarship. Fearing he might not be accepted at Skagit, Legson decided to write to as many colleges as his meager budget would allow.

It wasn't necessary. The dean at Skagit was so impressed with Legson's determination he not only granted him admission but also offered him a scholarship and a job that would pay his room and board.

Another piece of Legson's dream had fallen into place - yet still more obstacles blocked his path. Legson needed a passport and a visa, but to get a passport, he had to provide the government with a verified birth date. Worse yet, to get a visa he needed the round-trip fare to the United States. Again, he picked up pen and paper and wrote to the missionaries who had taught him since childhood. They helped to push the passport through government channels. However, Legson still lacked the airfare required for a visa.

Undeterred, Legson continued his journey to Cairo believing he would somehow get the money he needed. He was so confident he spent the last of his savings on a pair of shoes so he wouldn't have to walk through the door of Skagit Valley College barefoot.

Months passed, and word of his courageous journey began to spread. By the time he reached Khartoum, penniless and exhausted, the legend of Legson Kayira had spanned the ocean between the African continent and Mount Vernon, Washington. The students of Skagit Valley College, with the help of local citizens, sent $650 to cover Legson's fare to America.

When he learned of their generosity, Legson fell to his knees in exhaustion, joy, and gratitude. In December 1960, more than two years after his journey began, Legson Kayira arrived at Skagit Valley College. Carrying his two treasured books, he proudly passed through the towering entrance of the institution.

But Legson Kayira didn't stop once he graduated. Continuing his academic journey, he became a professor of political science at Cambridge University in England and a widely respected author.

Like his heroes, Abraham Lincoln and Booker T. Washington, Legson Kayira rose above his humble beginnings and forged his own destiny. He made a difference in the world and became a magnificent beacon whose light remains as a guide for others to follow.

Does your life demonstrate your faith?

Do you trust in God or your works for your salvation?