Our Jealous God

            In Exodus 34, we see that Moses went back up Mount Sinai after the people of Israel had sinned by making the golden calf.  While he was there, God renewed his covenant with the people and once again wrote his commands onto stone tablets.  And God promised to drive out the peoples before them, giving to them the land of Canaan.

            However, God also warned them that they were not to make a covenant with the peoples of the land.  He told them to tear down the altars and the pillars used by the people of Canaan to worship their gods.  And they were to do this because they were to worship no other god.

            What’s interesting is that, as he gave these commands, the Lord described himself as a jealous God.  In fact, he said that his name is Jealous.  In this way, he’s telling us that jealousy is part of his character.

            This is confusing to many of us because we think of jealousy as a bad thing.  We think of it as sinful.  And in most cases it is.  However, we fail to realize that there’s a form of jealousy that is good and even healthy.

            Think of it in these terms: I’m married, and have been for almost 14 years.  And I can honestly say that I’m jealous for my wife.  I’m as jealous for her now as I was when we first began dating.  What I mean by this is that I love her and that I want her for myself alone. 

            I don’t mean by this that I forbid her from having friends.  Nor do I try to keep her from interacting with others.  However, I’m unwilling to share her with another man.  I want her affection for myself alone. If I found her giving her affection to another man, or if I saw a man trying to gain her affection, I would be insanely jealous and angry.    

            Even though this is a form of jealousy, it’s good because this is how God designed marriage to work.  He intended marriage for one man and one woman.  We’re commanded in various ways throughout Scripture to remain faithful to our spouse.  So it’s only fitting that this jealousy is a part of the marital relationship.

            The same thing is true when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.  His intent, as he states it throughout Scripture, is that he should be our God and that we should be his people.  He created us that we might be his people, and he redeemed us for the same reason.  And, because of this, he’s jealous for us.  He’s unwilling to share us with anything or anyone else.  He wants our affection for himself alone.

            When we think of it in these terms, the first commandment is more than a law for us to follow.  It’s a beautiful thing. It’s pure gospel. What it tells us is that the Lord loves us so much that he’s unwilling to share us.  It demonstrates his great affection for us.

            If your spouse was willing to share you with someone else, or if they desired to share you with someone else, it would cause you to feel unloved.  You would feel less than cherished.  And, once again, this relates to God’s jealousy for us.

            The fact that he is jealous demonstrates not selfishness.  It shows us how much he values us.  It reveals that we’re cherished.  It reveals that we are prized and precious in his sight.

Yesterday, as five of our young people confirmed their faith, we heard a message titled: Choose This Day.  We looked at the end of Joshua's life, and his charge of the people of Israel.  He told them that, because God had saved them, they were to serve him.  Yet, even though this was true, they still had a choice.  They could reject the Lord and worship other gods. To hear this message, click on the link.

Yesterday, we looked at Psalm 23 and considered The Wondrous Provision of God.  We saw that, because the Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want.  He will take care of our every need.  To stream this message, click on the link.  You can also subscribe to our podcast on itunes.

“And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.”

(Act 4:1-2 ESV)

          I’ve been thinking about evangelism a great deal this past month.  I’ve preached on it a couple of times, and I’ve written blog posts on this topic.  We also recently heard from Colonel John Eidsmoe, who shared with us on the topics of God and government, along with matters of faith and the Constitution.  So all of this has been rolling around in my mind as I read the above text.

            Peter and John were, initially, going to the temple to pray.  And, while entering, the Lord used them to heal a man who’d been lame from birth.  This, for obvious reasons, caused a stir among the people and provided Peter with the opportunity to preach to them.

            However, as they were speaking, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them.  They were annoyed because Peter and John were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.  So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day.  And as they were questioned by the rulers and the elders the next morning, Peter used this opportunity to share the gospel also with them. 

            Because of the miracle they had performed, the rulers and elders could say nothing against them.  But they wanted to stop Peter and John from teaching in the name of Jesus.  So they charged them to speak no longer in the name of Jesus.  But Peter replied to this charge, saying: "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

            I don’t think that any of us have been arrested for proclaiming the gospel at this point.  However, we do see that many in our society are annoyed by our teaching in the name of Jesus.  Like the rulers and elders of the Jews, they want nothing more than to silence us.

            They do this in many ways.  They do this by applying social pressure.  They do this by filing lawsuits, trying to remove the expression of the Christian faith from the public square.  They enact laws, trying to define the truth of God as hate speech or as discrimination. 

            The question we must ask ourselves, as we face this pressure, is this: How will we respond to the charge of our society?  Will we be silenced?  Will we cease our proclamation of the Word of God?  Or, like the apostles, will we remain faithful to the Lord’s calling?

            As Peter expressed to the rulers, we must listen to the Lord rather than men.  Even though men can make life miserable for us, we must remain faithful to God and continue in our proclamation of the gospel. 

            More than that, proclaiming Jesus and his gospel should be something that we cannot cease.  As Peter stated, we shouldn’t be able to help speaking of what we’ve seen and heard.  Caving into the pressures of our society shouldn’t even be an option for us.

            The apostle Paul expressed a similar sentiment in 1 Corinthians 9:16, where he said: “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”

For Paul, there was no other option.  Proclaiming the gospel was something he had to do.  And the same should be the case for us as well.

            As we face pressure from society to cease our proclamation of Jesus, let’s ask the Lord to give us the spirit of the apostles.  Let’s ask him for a heart that cannot but preach the gospel.  Let’s ask him for the boldness to carry out his call regardless of the commands of men.

When People Refuse Jesus

            As I’ve been thinking about evangelism the past couple of weeks, a passage from Luke 9 came to mind.  Starting in verse 51, we see that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem as the time of his death approached.  And he sent messengers ahead of him, into a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.

            We see several times in Scripture the mutual dislike harbored by the Samaritans and the Jews.  And we see here that, because he was going to Jerusalem, the Samaritans did not receive him.  Because of his destination, they would not welcome him into their village.

            When James and John saw this, they were obviously upset.  They said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” Remembering the judgment of God that had fallen upon Sodom and Gomorrah, they thought that this was an acceptable punishment for their refusal of Jesus.

            In one sense, they were right.  It’s quite clear in Scripture that refusing Jesus can only lead to one outcome.  It leads only to hell.  As we read in John 3:18, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

            However, when Jesus heard this, he rebuked them.  This makes it clear to us that he didn’t feel the same way.  He didn’t feel that their refusal of him merited their judgment, at least not yet.

            The text in most of our Bibles doesn’t explain his reasoning for this.  However, some of the variant manuscripts do provide an explanation.  In addition to Jesus’ rebuke, they also include him saying: “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy people’s lives but to save them.”

            Even though this variant doesn’t have enough manuscript evidence to be included in the text, it is consistent with another statement of Jesus.  In John 3:17, he says: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

            As we saw from verse 18, which I cited above, this isn’t denying that there will be a judgment for those who refuse Jesus.  However, when Jesus was sent by God into the world, his purpose was salvation rather than judgment.  And this is what he was seeking during his ministry: the salvation of souls.

            Jesus’ response to the rejection of this Samaritan village was to simply move on to another village.  He moved on to another place where the people would receive him.

            In considering this passage, when people today refuse Jesus, we often respond in a way similar to the disciples.  We quickly become upset when they refuse the gospel.  And our immediate response is one of judgment.

            Obviously, their refusal of Jesus is not a good thing.  And if they persist in their refusal, they will receive the judgment of God.  However, in the meantime, the Lord continues to both desire and to seek their salvation.

            As his people, this should be our heart as well.  Even though it’s only natural for us to be saddened by those who refuse Jesus, we must bear in mind that it is still the day of grace.  And, until they stand before the Lord, we must continue to desire and to seek their salvation.

            When people refuse the gospel that we’re commissioned to bring, we must simply move on.  We must continue in our calling.  We must continually proclaim the message of salvation to those who are in need of his grace.

The Importance of Truth in Evangelism

            This past week, at Prince of Peace, we talked about evangelism.  This is an important topic because Christ has called us to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  He’s called us to make disciples of all nations.  And, as the people of God, we should share his heart for the lost.

            However, that being said, there’s a mistake that’s being replicated in church after church across this nation.  We often begin to think of evangelism and outreach as a numbers game. We count the number of conversions that have taken place in our church.  We count the new members.  We count the attendance.  We count the giving.  And we do anything we can to ensure that the numbers are continually going up.  As I was once told, “It’s about butts in the pews.”

            My response to this is yes and no.  It’s yes because, of course, we want to see people coming into the church.  We want them coming into the church because we want them to hear the Word of God.  We want people to receive the gospel and to look to Christ in faith.  We want them to join with us in the ministry he’s entrusted to us.  Again, as the people of God, we want to see the lost coming to faith.  We want to see the growth of God’s kingdom.

            However, my response to this is also no.  It’s not all about butts in the pews.  In order to achieve this, churches have made great sacrifices.  They’ve made sacrifices that ought not be made. 

            In order to get butts in the pews, many churches have softened their stance on the truth.  They either avoid the difficult issues, so that they won’t offend anyone or drive them away, or they compromise.  They will do just about anything to keep their membership heading in the right direction.

            We must never sacrifice truth for butts in the pews.  Consider with me the words of Paul in 1 Timothy 1.  Starting in verse 3, he says: “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”

            In Paul’s instructions to Timothy, we see that it’s essential for us to proclaim right doctrine.  We must be concerned that no other doctrine be taught than the one given to us in God’s Word.  We must make sure that what’s being taught is not speculation and opinion, but truth.

            He says that the aim of this charge is love.  We teach right doctrine and insist on it because of the love we have for others.  We ensure that only right doctrine is taught so that people might receive the grace of God that’s in Christ.

            This goes against the way that many of us tend to think.  We think that it’s more loving to compromise the truth for the sake of people.  We think that it’s more loving to give them what they want so that they’ll join with us in our congregation.

However, I want you to think about this for a minute: If we compromise the truth that we might get butts in the pews, are we truly making disciples?  If we’re altering our doctrine, if we’re compromising truth, that we might grow the church, are we truly reaching people for Christ? If people are coming because they’ve placed their faith in a compromised version of the gospel, are we truly meeting their spiritual need?  Absolutely not. 

By doing this, we’re seeking only to build our own kingdom rather than the Lord’s. We’re showing more concern for our church than we are for the souls of men.  And this is not what Jesus means when he calls us to make disciples of all nations.

To faithfully carry out the call Christ has given us, we must reach out to those around us.  We should desire to see more and more people coming to church and placing their faith in him.  But we do this properly as we proclaim the truth and live in the truth. We do this rightly when we care enough to see not simply their butt in the pew on Sunday morning, but their soul in the hands of the Savior.

This week, at Prince of Peace, we talked about Spirit Empowered Evangelism.  We were reminded of the calling that Jesus gave to us as his followers, and of our reluctance to carry it out.  We often fail to reach out to those around us because we feel incapable.  However, God doesn't call us to fulfill this calling with our own strength, wisdom, or abilities.  He gives to us everything we need that we might carry out this mission.  Our evangelism is empowered by the Spirit of God.  To hear this message, click on the link.

Confession

            This week, at Prince of Peace, we’ll be looking at John 20:19-23.  And one of the things that stand out in this passage is the call that Jesus places on his followers.  He tells them that, as the Father has sent him, so is he sending them.  He then says, in verse 23: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

            This is what, in the Lutheran Church, we refer to as the Office of the Keys, which is drawn from a similar statement that Jesus makes in Mathew 16.  It’s a troubling statement for many of us because we don’t believe that man has any power to forgive sins.  And we really struggle with the thought that we have the authority to retain the sins of another.

            However, Jesus isn’t saying that we can arbitrarily forgive or retain the sins of men.  It’s not a decision we can make by our own authority.  This is something we do according to his Word and under his authority. 

We cannot forgive the sins of anyone that Jesus would not forgive.  Nor can we retain the sins of one whom Jesus has forgiven.  Jesus uses us to proclaim his gospel. He uses us to announce the forgiveness of those who repent and trust in him.  And he uses us to warn those who are unrepentant and who fail to believe in him.

            This ties in with a practice that has been largely lost in the church today.  The practice to which I’m referring is confession.  And the reason it’s been gradually lost is because of the abuses associated with it.

            The practice of confession in the Catholic Church is often tied together with acts of penance.  This has been shied away from because it promotes the belief that we can do something to earn the forgiveness of our sin.  And we know from Scripture that God’s grace is a free gift received by faith.

            However, even though there have certainly been abuses of confession over the years, this doesn’t mean that we should throw out the baby with the bath water.  Confession, in itself, is a good thing.  It’s even a Scriptural thing.

We can see this, for example, in James 5: 14-16: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

In the context of prayer, James calls on us to confess our sins to one another.  He then reassures us that, if we have committed sins, we will be forgiven.  And, in addition to this, he encourages us to pray for one another that we might be healed.

This is a struggle for most of us.  It’s a struggle because we don’t want to admit our sins to others. We’ll make a general confession of our sin during worship.  We’ll admit to the fact that we are indeed a sinner.  But we don’t like to get specific.  Instead, we like to put on a façade.  We try to convince people that we’re good and that we have no struggles.

We fear that, if we reveal our weakness, others will look down on us. We fear that, if our brothers and sisters in the church know our sin, they’ll reject us.  They’ll look down their nose at us because we’re not as godly as they seem to be.

We fail to realize that this mindset actually undermines the gospel.  After all, the Church isn’t for those who are perfect.  If this were the case, none of us would belong.  It’s a place for sinners.  It’s a place for those who recognize their sin and their need for the grace of God. Remember the words of Jesus, in Luke 5:31-32: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

I don’t know about you, but I’m in need of a physician.  I am not well. I need Jesus.  This is why I’m a part of the church.

For this reason, we can feel free to confess our sins to one another.  We don’t need to share them from the microphone.  But we can feel free to sit down with our brother and share with him our failures.  Knowing that we’ve come in faith, and knowing that we’re seeking mercy, he can then offer us the reassurance of the gospel.  He can announce to us that our sins have indeed been forgiven.

This week, I've been getting settled into my new congregation.  And, being Holy Week, we had several services.  On Maundy Thursday, I shared a message titled "As Jesus Loved." We reflected on the command that he gave to his followers as they gathered for the Passover, to love one another as he'd loved them.

On Good Friday, we reflected on the death of Christ.  We talked about why this day can be considered good, when it's a remembrance of Jesus' sufferings in a message titled: "A Required Sacrifice."

On Easter Sunday, we talked about the significance of the resurrection in a message titled "Why the Resurrection?"

To listen to any of these messages, click on the link, which will take you to the right place.

The Accomplishment of Jesus' Death

“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:22b-26

            This week, as I’m beginning to serve a new congregation, and as I prepare for Holy Week, I’ve been thinking about the sufferings of Christ.  And, as I’ve done so, the above passage came to mind.  It clearly presents what God has done for us in Jesus.

            We’re, first of all, reminded of why Jesus came.  He came into this world because we’re a sinful people.  He came to redeem us from sin and death by his sacrifice on the cross.  And, because of his sacrifice, we are justified through faith in Jesus.

            His death, then, accomplished two things.  We see at the end of this passage that he is both just as well as the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

            In sending Jesus to give his life for us, God demonstrates his justice.  We find in Scripture that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).  This tells us that, because of our sin, we deserve to die.  By our sin, we have earned the consequence of death.  And, because of God’s just nature, that consequence must be satisfied.

By sending Jesus to give his life on our behalf, his justice and righteous nature are satisfied.  As we read in Hebrews 9:22, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Without Jesus’ death, without the shedding of blood, we could not be forgiven.

            The death of Jesus satisfied God’s just nature for the sins of not only a select few, but all mankind. It satisfied the just nature of God for even those who’ve gone before us. As we read in 1 John 2:2, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

            However, in addition to this, he’s also the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  So, yes, by Jesus’ death God’s justice is satisfied.  But, in this way, we’re also justified by him as a free gift.  It’s he who sent Jesus into the world for this very purpose.  It’s Jesus who gave his life on the cross.  So, even though we are undeserving of this blessing, God has mercifully provided it for us.  Knowing this, I pray that your Holy Week, and especially your Easter celebration, will be rich and meaningful.

Yesterday at Ebenezer, we celebrated Palm Sunday, the confirmation of eight of our young people, and it was my last Sunday.  In the message, we looked at the crowd that assembled on Palm Sunday, and compared it with another crowd that gathered later that week to condemn Jesus.  And we asked: What Will You Do With Jesus? To stream or download the audio file, just click on the link.  This week, I'll begin serving Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Beulah, ND.

Last night, on our last Wednesday evening worship service of Lent, I shared about The Signs Accompanying Jesus' Death.  We saw that, as Jesus died, several things happened which revealed to the people who he truly is.  However, some recognized it and some didn't.  The same thing is true in our own time.  Some recognize the signs given by God and what they indicate to us about Jesus.  We receive him for who he truly is.  But other refuse him.  They deny the signs and what they mean, along with the salvation Jesus has provided.  The question for us is this: What is our response to Jesus?  What is our response to the signs that accompanied both his life and death? To stream or download this message, click on the link.

Thy Will Be Done

            On the night that Jesus was betrayed, we see how he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He prayed (Luke 22:42 ESV): "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

            A couple of things stand out as we read this prayer.  We see that, first of all, Jesus didn’t look forward to the suffering he was to endure.  He knew what was to happen.  But, if he could somehow satisfy God’s will without enduring this pain, he asked that he might not have to withstand it.

            I think that most of us can understand his feelings.  None of us like to suffer.  None of us enjoy pain.  If it’s possible, we would much rather avoid it.  And so it’s understandable to us that, even though he is God, Jesus felt that same way.  Because he was fully man, like you and me, he didn’t want to endure unnecessary suffering.

            However, he was willing to endure suffering that he might satisfy the will of God.  And we know that it was the will of God for Jesus to suffer.  It’s was God’s will that Jesus should die upon the cross that he might pay the penalty of our sin.

            The will of God for our life in no way compares to that of Jesus.  We have been given a great calling by God.  We’ve been called to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  But our suffering can never accomplish the end that his death produced. However, there are times when the will of God for our life involves pain of some sort.

            For this reason, like Jesus, we submit ourselves to the pain.  We submit ourselves to the Lord, that his will might be accomplished.  And we excitedly anticipate what God will do as he works in our life.

            This partially explains how I feel right now, as I leave the people of Ebenezer and Northwood.  In the few years that I’ve lived among you, I’ve grown to love the people of this church and this community.  And, for this reason, it pains me to leave.

            I am also not a person who enjoys moving around a great deal.  I like stability.  I prefer to build long-term relationships.  I feel that the best ministry can take place once the pastor and the congregation get past the “honeymoon” phase into the comfortable routine of life together.  And for this reason, in my mind, it’s much too soon for me to move on.

            However, that being said, I’m also excited to see what the Lord has in store.  I know that his will for me, and for all of us, is good and gracious.  And, for this reason, I believe that the greatest blessing will be experienced when we submit ourselves to his will, no matter how painful it may be.

            For this reason, I want to thank the people of Ebenezer and Northwood for allowing me to serve you the past few years.  Please know that you will be in my prayers.  And I hope that you’ll share my confidence that the Lord will work everything out for our mutual blessing.

            I ask for your continued prayers as my family and I move to Beulah, and I begin serving as pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.  Pray that God will smooth our transition and that he will use us to bless the people of that church and community.

This past week, I was on vacation as I began moving our household to our new home.  However, here is the message from a week ago, as I continued our series on major Bible stories.  We looked at the story of Joseph Sold into Egypt.  And we asked ourselves how we respond to feelings of jealousy and hatred.  To stream or download this message, click on the link.

Content in God's Blessing

In Genesis 29-30, we read about the children who were born to Jacob. And we see that his wives, who were sisters, had a competitive attitude when it came to children. It began when God opened the womb of Leah, because she was not loved like Rachel, and gave her four sons. She envied her sister because of the love Jacob had for her.  And she felt that, because she had given him children, Jacob would finally love her.

     Rachel, however, was barren and was jealous of her sister because of the children God had given her. So she gave her servant to Jacob as a wife that she might build a family through her. With this serpent, Bilhah, Jacob had two sons. When the second was born, she declared that she'd prevailed over her sister.

     The competitive attitude didn't stop there. Because she'd stopped bearing children, Leah also gave her servant to Jacob as a wife. And with this servant, Zilpah, Jacob had two sons.

     At this point, Leah conceived again. She bore two more sons to Jacob. And, again, she was convinced that her husband would honor her because she'd born to him so many sons.

     Then, finally, God opened Rachel's womb and she bore a son. She would later have one more son before dying in childbirth.

     We see in this that Rachel and Leah were jealous of each other. They envied the blessings that God had given the other. Leah envied Rachel and the love that Jacob had for her. And Rachel envied Leah for the children God had given her.

As we read this account, it seems almost ridiculous.  We realize that Rachel should have thanked God for the blessing of a loving husband.  And we realize that Leah should have thanked God for the children he’d given her.  But, instead, they focused not on the blessing God had given to them, but on the blessing given to the other.

     Even knowing that all we have is a gift of God, we often struggle in the same way. Even though God has richly blessed us, we envy the blessings God has given to others. We completely overlook the blessing God has given us.  We aren't satisfied with the grace God has given us. We want even more.

     Some women, who struggle to get pregnant, envy those who have several children. Mothers with many children sometimes envy the freedom of those who have no children. Mothers who work outside of the home envy mothers who are able to stay home with their children. And mothers who stay home with their children envy those who have an outside career..

     Even though they have a great job, men will often envy others who have a job with more responsibility, or a job that pays more. Even though God has given them a nice home, they envy those who have a bigger or nicer home.

     We even see this in ministry. Even though God has called them to serve him in ministry, which is a great honor in itself, some pastors become envious of others who serve in a larger congregation or who have more exposure.

     Instead of being envious of one another, we should rejoice in the ways that God has blessed others. And we should be thankful for the many ways in which God has blessed us.  Why God chooses to bless us in one way and someone else in another, we can't be sure. But, regardless of the reason, our own blessing is absolutely sure.

Longing for His Blessing

            In Biblical times, parents didn’t simply choose a random name for their child.  They didn’t go through the list of most popular names in their effort to choose the right one for their baby.  Names typically reflected the character of the child or, at times, the promise of God given to a child.

            We can see an example of this when we look at the story of Esau and Jacob in Genesis 25.  They were twins.  However, Esau was born first.

            When Esau was born, he was red.  His body is described as a hairy cloak.  And this is why he was given the name Esau.  It means “red.”

            Jacob came out of the womb with his hand holding Esau’s heel.  It seemed to his parents that he was trying to prevent Esau from being born first.  So they gave him his name, which means “he takes by the heel” or “he cheats.”

            When we consider their reasoning, we can understand why they chose this name for their second son.  He did emerge from the womb grasping the heel of his brother.  However, in another sense, this name hardly seems endearing.  After all, who would want to name their son “cheater?”

            Yet, even though his name may seem far from appealing to us, it reflects a quality in Jacob that’s essential for us to possess.  As an infant, it seemed that he desired to be born first.  And this was not simply a random occurrence.  We see that, as he grew, he desired the benefits of the firstborn.

            In their culture, the firstborn child was entitled to the birthright.  This meant that he would receive a double portion of the inheritance, and that he would be the leader of the family when their father passed.  In the case of Esau and Jacob, it also included the blessing of God which had been given to their grandfather, Abraham, and then passed to their father, Isaac.

            We see his desire as he took advantage of Esau.  After coming back exhausted from a day of hunting, and finding his brother cooking stew, Esau asked Jacob to share it with him.  Jacob, however, demanded Esau’s birthright in exchange for the stew.  It seems ridiculous that Esau gave in to Jacob’s demands.  But it seems equally absurd that Jacob was unwilling to share the stew with his brother and demanded something so valuable for so little a price.

            We see his desire again as Isaac intended to give his blessing to Esau.  Jacob, with the help of his mother, deceived Isaac.  And, in this way, he received the blessing instead of his brother.

            In no way am I suggesting that Jacob’s actions were right.  After all, God had told his mother before he was born that he would be greater than his brother.  And, for this reason, he should have trusted that God would be faithful to his Word.  He should have simply trusted that God would give to him the blessing.

            However, that being said, Jacob’s desire is one we should all share.  There’s, of course, no way we can scheme to gain possession of God's blessing.  There’s no way we can attain it by our own efforts.  However, knowing what God has done for us in Jesus, and knowing his promise that’s found in Jesus, we should desire his blessing above all else.  We should long for it more than anything this world has to offer.

            

Yesterday, we heard the next message in our series on major Bible stories.  We looked this week at Esau & Jacob and their contrasting attitudes.  We saw that, even though he obtained them wrongly, Jacob greatly desired the blessing of God.  Esau, however, despised his birthright.  We then asked the question, are we more like Jacob or Esau?  The audio file of this message can be streamed or downloaded by clicking on the link.

Abraham's Faith Tested

            In Genesis 22 we see how, after receiving the child of promise, God made a difficult request of Abraham.  God told him to take his son, his only son whom he loved, to a mountain and to sacrifice him as a burnt offering to the Lord.

            We see in this chapter that Abraham did just that.  In fact, we see that he did so without hesitating.  We see that he got up early the next morning, and saddled his donkey.  He took two of his servants, and his son Isaac.  He cut the wood for the burnt offering.  And then he left for the place about which God had told him. 

            As we read this account, it forces us to ask how Abraham could do such a thing.  This question arises for a couple of reasons.  First of all, after waiting 25 years for the fulfillment of God’s promise, after waiting this long for a son to be born to them, how could he kill this son?  How could he take the life of the son he loved?

            Second, as I mentioned, Isaac was the child of promise.  He’s the one through whom God was going to establish his covenant.  It was through Isaac that Abraham would become a great nation.  It was through Isaac that Abraham’s descendants would inherit the land of Canaan.  So how could God’s promise be fulfilled if this very child was put to death?

            We find the answer to this question in Hebrews 11.  Starting in verse 17, we read: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.”

            Even though the promise of God and this command of God seemed contradictory, Abraham believed that the Lord is faithful to his Word.  He believed that, even if he sacrificed his son as God had commanded, the promise of God would be fulfilled through Isaac.  Even if God had to raise Isaac from the dead, his promise would be fulfilled.

            What an example of faith this is for us.  If I were there, in Abraham’s shoes, I doubt that I would display the faith that we see in his actions.  I think I would begin to doubt and to question the Lord.  I think I’d get so rattled that I would fail to act on his command.

            In all reality, I’ve failed to trust in God’s faithfulness in lesser circumstances.  At times, I’ve allowed my emotions to hinder my faithfulness.  I’ve allowed by reason to sabotage my trust in the Lord.  I’ve allowed my own wants and my own desires to entice me away from the great blessing God has for me.

            We’ve all failed in this regard.  However, like Abraham, we can be absolutely confident in God’s promise.  As God asked when Sarah laughed at the notion of bearing a child: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” No matter how things seem outwardly, and no matter how unreasonable they may seem in our mind, God is certainly able to keep his Word.

            The question we must ask ourselves is this: Are we willing to trust the Lord no matter how unreasonable it seems?  Will we cling to the Lord’s promise even when it doesn’t seem rational?  If we truly know that the Lord is faithful, and if we truly know his power, there is no reason we should fail to do so.  Like Abraham, we can heed his Word leaving the outcome in his hands.

Yesterday, as we continued our look at major Bible stories, we talked again about Abraham.  And we looked specifically at: Abraham's Faith Tested.  We saw how God commanded him to sacrifice his son, the son of the promise, and how Abraham was able to do so.  From this, we saw that our actions are a direct response to our faith.  We saw that, if we have faith within our heart, it will be expressed in our life.  To stream or download the audio file, click on the link.

This past Wednesday, Pastor Nate continued our series on the Passion history by looking at Judas' Betrayal.  Again, for the audio, click on the link.

We held our annual men's conference on Saturday, with Pastor Jonathan Unverzagt.  Our focus was on passing the faith to the next generation.  Session 1 can be downloaded at this link.  Session 2 is found here.  And Session 3 is here.

Counted Faithful?

            I’m always amazed when I read the words of Hebrews 11:11, which say: “By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.” I’m amazed, because when we read the account of Sarah and the birth of Isaac in Genesis, it seems less than trusting.

            In Genesis 16 we see how, after waiting ten years, Sarah decided that God was preventing her from bearing children.  And for this reason, she encouraged Abraham to marry her servant, that they might build a family through her.  Hagar did conceive and bear a son by Abraham.  However, God made it clear that this was not the child of promise.

            Then, in Genesis 18, we see how God came to Abraham.  And God promised him that, by the next year, he and Sarah would have a son.  Sarah overheard this conversation, and her response was laughter.  She said to herself: “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”

            Yet, even though this is true of her, even though she did struggle with her doubts, we find in Hebrews that God counted her faithful.  We find that, by faith, Sarah received the power to conceive.  And this wasn’t merely the power to conceive as most women.  It was miraculous because she was past the age of childbearing.

            I find this comforting because, as I consider Sarah, I find that my faith resembles hers more than I care to admit.  Even though I too have received a great promise of God, it’s sometimes difficult to believe.  It’s difficult to believe because it seems beyond reason.  It’s difficult to believe because of the circumstances in which I find myself.

            At times, I find it hard to comprehend the fact that God would want to save someone like me.  I find it hard to comprehend that he’d want me to spend eternity in his presence.  Because of my failures, it seems unreasonable.

            I also find it hard to believe because of the circumstances in which I find myself.  I’m a sinner, with no power to escape my condition.  I live in a world of sin, with evil all around me.  I’m tempted and lured by the evil one, who seeks my destruction.  And considering these circumstances, my situation seems hopeless.  I can only be saved by the miraculous power of God.

            Even though I generally believe, there are times when faith is a struggle.  There are times when it seems easier to pursue a blessing by my own means rather than trusting in God.  There have been times when his promise has brought me to laughter. 

            Yet, in spite of my human response, and in spite of my doubts, God also counts me as faithful.  In spite of my sin, my faith is counted to me as righteousness.  And, for this reason, I am enabled to receive the blessings of God.

            

This past Wednesday, I started a series that Pastor Nate and I will share.  We're looking again at the Passion history.  This message was titled Jesus Anointed.

On Sunday, I continued our look at major Bible stories.  We again looked at the circumstances surrounding the birth of Isaac.  We looked specifically at Hagar & Ishmael.

To stream or download the audio files, click on the links.

Children of Abraham

          

            I remember, as a child, singing the song “Father Abraham” at Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and church camps.  We always loved it because it was goofy and enabled us to get up and wiggle around.  However, this song contains a truth that we find in Scripture.  It tells us that we are the children of Abraham.

            When the name of Abram was changed to Abraham, God said that he would be the father of many nations.  Now, this is true in a physical sense.  Through Isaac came the people of Israel, who eventually split into two nations.  Abraham’s son through Hagar, Ishmael, also became a great people.  Isaac’s son, Esau, eventually became the nation of Edom.  However, when we read Romans 4, we see that God’s promise referred to more than only the physical nations that descended from him.

            In Romans 4, starting in verse 13, Paul says: “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.  For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring-- not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.”

            If it were through the law, if it were through our obedience and good deeds, that we were counted righteous in the eyes of God, his promise would be empty.  It would be void because the law brings wrath.  Because we’re sinful, the law brings to us the condemnation that we deserve.  It does nothing to guarantee the promise God has given.

            In order for God’s promise to be guaranteed, it had to rest on faith.  Because it’s a free gift, given to us by God, we can be assured of the hope it gives us.  We can be assured because it doesn’t rest upon our ability to measure up to God’s standards, which is impossible for us to attain.  It rests instead upon the faithfulness of God.

            Because it’s given by faith, God’s promise can be guaranteed to all of Abraham’s offspring.  It can be given not only to the physical descendants of Abraham, to those who live under the law.  It can be given also to us, to those who share the faith of Abraham.

            Paul says that, in this way, Abraham is the father of us all.  He then points us back to the promise God gave to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations.  So he’s the father not only of those who’ve physically descended from him, but of those who share his faith.

            As believers, then, we are all the children of Abraham.  We’re not less than those who were born of him in the physical sense.  We are inheritors of the promise that God gave to him so long ago. 

            Knowing this, that Abraham is our father, may we then continue in the faith he displayed.  May we trust in God’s promise knowing that, in this way, we too will be counted righteous in his sight.  And may we seek to share this promise with others, that the Lord might draw them to faith, and that they too might become the children of Abraham, inheritors of the promise of God.

As we're continuing our look at major Bible stories, we came this week to the Birth of Isaac.  We saw how, when Abraham was once again promised a child, he laughed.  He found it unbelievable that a child would be born to Sarah and himself in their old age.  In the same way, as we receive the promise of God, we're called to believe the unbelievable.  To stream or download the audio file, click on the link.

            Abraham is a key figure in the Old Testament.  He is counted as the father of Israel because of the great promise God made to him, and because their nation descended from him. And his example of faith is meaningful for us, even today.

            As we read through the Biblical account, it seems to us that Abraham had a faith that far surpasses our own.  When called, he left his home and family and journeyed to a land he knew nothing about.  He trusted God’s promise, that he would become a great nation, even though his wife was barren.  And after God miraculously gave them a child, he obeyed God’s command to offer him as a sacrifice to the Lord (although God stopped him before he actually killed his son). 

            However, even though these acts were a great demonstration of his faith, it’s equally clear that Abraham was a sinner.  We see how he lied about his wife, allowing her to be taken by another man, to protect himself.  We see how, before the birth of Isaac, he struggled with God’s promise.  We see how he went along with Sarah, trying to fulfill God’s promise in their way, when she remained childless. 

            Yet, in spite of his shortcomings, the Lord counted Abraham as righteous.  And why?  It wasn’t because of anything he did.  It was because of his faith.

            In Genesis 15, we see that God came to him, and once again reassured him of his blessing.  But he answered the Lord, in verse 2, saying: “O LORD GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And, in verse 3, he went on to say: “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

            Abraham had left his home and family trusting God’s promise.  And here he was, a long time after, without any children.  God had yet to bless them with a son. 

            At this point, God spoke to him again.  He assured Abraham that his very own son would be his heir.  He then took him outside and had him look at the stars.  He told Abram to number the stars, if he was able.  God then said: “So shall your offspring be.”

            It’s here that we see the statement I want to consider.  We’re told that Abraham believed the Lord.  And we’re told that the Lord counted it to him as righteousness.

            He was counted righteous not because of anything he’d done.  He was counted righteous because of his faith.  He was saved, not by his obedience, but by the grace of God that he received through faith.

            Paul talks about this in Romans 4.  Starting in verse 1, he says: “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness…”

            This is a great encouragement to us.  When we look at ourselves in light of God’s Word, we see our sin.  When we compare ourselves to the great men of faith in Scripture, or even those around us today, our shortcomings glare right back at us.  And we tend to think that we don’t measure up in the eyes of God. 

            It’s true that we don’t measure up to God’s standards.  Scripture tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But this isn’t what determines our standing before God.  We aren’t declared righteous based on our good works.

            Like Abraham, it’s by faith that God counts us righteous.  Righteousness is not something we earn.  It’s a gift, given to us by God, and received by faith.

            So, even as we see our guilt, we can be comforted by the fact that, by faith, we are counted righteous in the eyes of God.  As we trust in his promise, given to us in his Word, we’re reckoned as upright and blameless before him.

This week, in our series looking at major Bible stories, we come to The Call of Abram in Genesis 12. We see how he was called to leave behind his home and family to go to an unknown land that that Lord would show him.  In the same way, as believers, we've been called to leave behind all that we value most in this life that we might follow the Lord.  But, like Abram, will we make the sacrifice? You can stream or download the audio file by clicking on the link.

Noah

            As I come to the story of Noah, I’m always amazed by the description of man that’s given to us.  And we find that this is the reason for the judgment of God that fell upon the world of that day.  We see this description in the fifth verse of Genesis 6, which says: “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

            Think about this description for a minute, especially the last part.  It tells us that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  Each phrase in this statement is exhaustive.  It rules out any other possibility.  And what we find is that there was nothing at all good in man.

            Every intention of the heart of man was evil.  Not only were some of them evil.  All of them were evil.

            His intentions were only evil.  Again, there were no good intentions present at all.  His sole intent was to commit acts of wickedness.

            And this was the case continually.  It wasn’t true only some of the time.  It was true all of the time. 

            After this statement is made, we’re told that God regretted that he’d made man on earth and his heart was filled with pain.  This too is an intense statement.  When we consider the greatness of God’s love for man, it’s hard to reconcile the fact that he regretted making us.

            Just as a point of comparison, I can’t imagine having these feelings about my children.  Yes, kids can make bad decisions.  In fact, they can do things that cause their parents to grieve.  But it’s hard to fathom getting to the point where you regret having them.

            So, again, this says something to us about the greatness of man’s sin.  It was so great that God regretted making man.  It was something that caused him great pain.

            There are many other statements about the sinful nature of man that we find throughout Scripture.  For example, in Jeremiah 17:9, we read this: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

            The heart is deceitful above all things.  In other words, it’s more deceitful than everything else in creation.  It’s desperately sick.  It’s in a dreadful condition and in need of immediate help.  It’s in such a condition that we can’t understand it.

            In Romans 3, starting in verse 10, we find the following description of man.  And this isn’t a new statement Paul is making.  Each phrase is a direct quotation from the Old Testament.  He says: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

            Once again, this is not a pretty statement.  And it’s also exhaustive.  There are no exceptions to the statements that are made.

            When we consider the truth regarding man and his sinfulness, it becomes clear that God’s judgment is just.  It was just in the days of Noah, when God sent the flood on the earth.  And it will be just at the return of Christ, when the present age comes to an end.

            However, it also highlights the greatness of the grace of God.  It does so because, in spite of our condition, God loves us.  In spite of our sin, he desires our salvation.  And he’s done everything necessary, to the point of sacrificing his only Son, that we might have mercy.

Yesterday, we continued our series, looking at major Bible stories.  And the focus of our time was the story of Noah.  We looked specifically into God's reason for the flood.  Many people struggle with God's judgment.  They struggle with the thought of him destroying all of mankind.  However, as we look at the text, we see that he was right in doing so.  To stream or download the audio file, click on the link.