tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51040521893131106462024-03-16T11:50:20.599-07:00Minister's MusingsPastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.comBlogger519125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-58224220036261478472024-03-10T13:38:00.000-07:002024-03-10T13:38:05.539-07:00Injustice System; Luke 22:66-23:25<p> To listen, click <a href="http://ia600203.us.archive.org/24/items/240309-2305/240309_2305.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-56657546761569401382024-03-04T07:17:00.000-08:002024-03-04T07:17:42.443-08:00Betrayal and Denial--Luke 22:47-62<p> To listen, click<a href="https://ia600206.us.archive.org/7/items/240303-0004/240303_0004.mp3"> here</a>.</p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-9916080694188538592024-02-26T11:26:00.000-08:002024-02-26T11:26:47.510-08:00The Toughest Decision; Luke 22:39-46<p> *Recommended Reading--Hebews 11-12:7</p>
<p align="left" class="Textbodyuser" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%;">For the remainder of the season of Lent
we will be looking at the passion narrative of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will not cover it all in these next few
weeks, and we will not pick it up again until next winter, though we will look
at the Last Supper text on World Communion Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week, we saw Jesus tempted in the desert
wilderness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today He faces His toughest
decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is truly the “more
opportune time” for which Satan had been waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know this because we will hear Jesus say
next week to the chief priests and temple officers that came to arrest Him that
this was the “hour and the power of darkness” that belonged to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="left" class="Textbodyuser" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%;">But I don’t think that was the only way
Satan was at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the devil
isn’t visible in today’s text like he was in last week’s text, the power of
temptation is great with Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of
us don’t have conversations with the devil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We don’t have little angels and devils on our shoulders like they used
to show in the old cartoons, but we wrestle with temptation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wrestle in our minds, with our flesh, with
our wills, and yes, even with our emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just like last week, Jesus is tempted whether or not He will love God
with all of His heart, soul, strength and mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This temptation doesn’t come in three different incidences like His time
in the desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is one big
temptation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is tested in every
way—with His all of His soul/life—Will He sacrifice His life to save
humanity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With all of His strength—all
the pain He is about to endure, the beatings, the crown of thorns, the
scourging, and crucifixion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even this
time in the Garden left Him physically exhausted so that once again, just like
in the wilderness, angels come to minister to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was tested with all of His heart—Will He
still align His will with the Father’s?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
know from the other gospels that it was 3 times that He asked the Father to
“remove this cup from” Him and said, yet ‘not My will, but Yours be done.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="left" class="Textbodyuser" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%;">Matthew’s gospel tells us that Jesus had
been praying an hour before He went to wake the disciples the first time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is laboring in prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the disciples, I struggle to pray for an
hour, especially about a single, yet significant subject.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find it easier to spend time praying
through a litany of requests, and if I am part of a prayer group, I can pray
for an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The disciples could have
been praying with each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus had
given them a topic, “that you might not enter into temptation.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was Jesus’s request for Himself as well.
He was praying that He might not fall to temptation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needed strength to pass the test!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can say that it was easier for Jesus than
for us, but I don’t think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t
have a test where literally the fate and weight of the whole world is resting
on us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We might sympathize with the
disciples because, as we will learn in the Christ in the Passover program on
March 19, that the disciples had 2 more cups of wine than Jesus did, but Luke’s
gospel tells us that the disciples didn’t fall asleep the second time from the
very late hour or from being tipsy, but because they “were sleeping from
sorrow.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the joy of celebrating
the Passover feast, it ended with a very heavy tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having observed Jesus from a distance, having
heard Him speak of His death multiple times, they are depressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think all of us can identify with times
when we have gotten heavy news or have been depressed to the point that you are
exhausted and need a nap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is natural
for the body to want to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just
need to be sure we aren’t sleeping too much when then happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as Jesus again wakes the disciples and
tells them to pray, prayer can be part of our healing and getting strength in
times of depression and temptation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
now the time of praying has come to end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus’s enemies come to the garden to arrest Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From here on out, it will be a long, hard
night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t wait until it’s too late to
pray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pray first!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="left" class="Textbodyuser" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%;">Prayer is work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prayer is doing something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus strove in prayer for Himself and for
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood was mingled with His
sweat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a real medical phenomenon
called hematidrosis that happens under conditions of extreme exertion involving
distress or fear, thought to be related to our “fight or flight response”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we think of Jesus shedding His blood for
our sins, we think immediately of the cross, of Him getting pierced in the
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We think about the nail prints in
His hands and feet, we think of the blood from the crown of thorns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of us think of the brutal scouring, but
how many of us think about the fact that Jesus shed His blood for us beginning in
the garden?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story is not new to us,
but I hope we pause to think about its significance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus wasn’t just praying for Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world was on His mind. He thought of His
disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted there to be another
way, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there’s any other way…This was the
Father’s will. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 5.25pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5.25pt; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In Hebrews 12, the writer encourages the Hebrew church facing
persecution to remember the saints that have gone before them who are cheering
them on to persevere and to keep their eyes on Jesus, their example and
Savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author tells the readers in
verse 4, “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your
striving against sin.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author is
warning them that persecution is going to get a whole lot worse and that some
of them are likely to face the things as did the saints of old, but the author
also talks about the discipline that comes from the hand of the Lord, as
consequences for sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear the writer
saying in Hebrews 12, “Look, I know it is hard, but what you are going through,
others have gone through, even Jesus, and He did it for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can keep the faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The saints are cheering you on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, you haven’t even shed blood in
trying to resist temptation. You aren’t even working that hard to stay out of
sin.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Persecution is hard, but have you
even prayed about it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you prayed
for endurance?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you prayed so that
you will not enter into temptation when it comes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The writer of Hebrews is not saying, “Bad
things won’t happen to you if you just pray enough and have enough faith.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s saying, “Prayer will help increase your
faith so that you will be able to endure when harder things come.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t even pray enough about the
temptations you face now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus sweat
blood to resist temptation!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my
former missionary colleagues still serving with A3, the agency I served with in
Japan, recently participated in leading a training called, “Resilience in
Persecution” in a Southeast Asian country where it is difficult to be a
Christian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She writes, “This week I got
some feedback from a participant and leader at the recent module we did for the
Persecuted church. Some of the feedback that they gave was the surprise that,
in our approach to resilience and endurance in persecution, one big piece of
that was their love relationship with God and their spiritual habits and how
they are continually restoring themselves in that spiritual vibrancy and
life... and how that habit and that formational kind of experience, it
strengthens them to endure in persecution—prepares them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as Jesus was preparing for the great
persecution that was facing Him, these believers are prepared because they know
the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They spend time with Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are to be prepared for persecution and
trials, we need to know the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
need to spend time in prayer and in the Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="left" class="Textbodyuser" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%;">My favorite scene in the <u>Passion of the Christ</u> by Mel Gibson is the 3rd scene. T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">here’s so much I love about how Mel Gibson has done this scene.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This scene depicts that third time that Jesus went away today.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He has already gone to wake up and rebuke the disciples.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In fact, that’s how this movie opens.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It shows Jesus praying and then going to the disciples. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In Scene 4, a</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ll of Jesus's prayers come straight from Scripture, specifically from the
psalms.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Other than, “Father, if you are
willing, remove this cup from Me, yet not My will, but Yours be done,” we don’t
know what all Jesus prayed.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">However, it
is extremely likely that His prayers did indeed come from the Psalms.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The psalms were the Book of Common Prayer of
the time.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">We know that He had them
memorized.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">More than one scholar has
described the psalms as the prayers of Christ.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At least one has said they are the prayers of Christ for Christ in
you.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Many of the psalms were prophecies
of Jesus’s life, particularly about His passion.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">We know from His time of temptation in the
wilderness that He would use Scripture to resist temptation.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The psalms cover every human emotion and
situation.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Because they are the prayers
of Christ for Christ in us, we can pray them too.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even if you don’t have whole psalms memorized,
familiarize yourself enough with them, so you know where to go when you face
temptations.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">You can make notes in your
Bible.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Note whether the psalm is a
prayer of praise, of thanksgiving, of confession, a plea for help, a warning,
etc.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pick some that speak to you and
keep them at hand for reference.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Make
praying the psalms a practice.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pray
through them regularly.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">You can make it
part of your Lenten discipline to pray at least one Psalm a day.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p align="left" class="Textbodyuser" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: left; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%;">Just like in the desert, Jesus is prayed
up before the hard things happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
ending of the scene 4 in <u>The Passion</u> is my favorite part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus stomps the head of the serpent, hearkening
back to the promise of Genesis 3:15 that the serpent will bruise the heel of
the seed of the woman, and indeed, Jesus will be more than just a little
bruised, by the serpent, but the serpent is crushed, defeated!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus wins; Satan does not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
look that Jim Caviezel gives Satan right as he stomps the serpent is a look of
triumphal contempt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face is a
flint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shows Jesus has fully given in
to the Father’s will, and whatever comes, this look of fierce determination
remains, even as his face is twisted with pain and agony, there is a
resoluteness to follow through to the end without wavering, without giving
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s such a great depiction of what
we see in Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is strong
through all these trials even as His body grows weaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time of prayer in the garden with angels
ministering to Him has given Him the strength and the resolve to carry on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are truly committed to doing the
Father’s will, we too should not hesitate to follow through on what God has
clearly shown us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The time of
questioning is over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we don’t know
the next step, we go back to God in prayer, but once we know, we are called to
follow through no matter the cost, no matter how crazy it seems to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like Jesus, like Mary His mother, may we be
committed to doing the will of God, even when faced with the toughest decision.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-25350286728638160452024-02-20T05:14:00.000-08:002024-02-20T05:14:44.381-08:00Passing the Test with Flying Colors; Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Matthew 4:1-11, Hebrews 4:14-5:10<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">There are many different kinds of tests. We test in school. We test to get a license or a job. Tests are used to evaluate different skills or
knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some tests to a good job with
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some just demonstrate that you do or
don’t know how to take a test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tests
these days are ones where we want the answers to benign, negative,
insignificant, or normal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we also
get tested by God to see if we will be obedient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first test was in the Garden of
Eden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adam and Eve failed that
test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In today’s gospel, Jesus is tested
as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like Adam and Eve, His love for
God the Father is tested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We read that
the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marks’s gospel says the Spirit drove Him into
the wilderness to be tested. Like Adam and Eve, the devil is the agent of
testing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible study group is studying
Jesus’s temptation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful to our
study author, Ray Vanderlaan, for pointing out that the temptation order in
Matthew’s gospel shows Jesus’s demonstration of fulfilling the Shema, our
Deuteronomy passage. Jesus’s love of the Father was tested—to love God with all
of his heart, soul, and strength (might).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus passed this test with flying colors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">When asked, “What is the greatest
commandment,” Jesus went right to the shema—to love the Lord your God with all
of your heart, soul, strength (and Jesus also adds mind), and to love your
neighbor as yourself as the second greatest commandment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Old Testament, the heart was the seat
of the will, not the seat of the emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The seat of emotions was the bowels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Notice this commandment does not mention loving God with all of our
bowels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We often think of love as a
feeling, but the love God desires of us is more than feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, feeling love isn’t even
necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love is demonstrated by
actions and ones life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love takes will—commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loving God means doing what God wants, not
necessarily what you want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Next
is to love the Lord your God with all of your soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soul is often translated as life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For sure this includes our physical
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it is far more than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Physical life is described as “spirit”--wind
or breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without spirit, one is not
alive. When you stop breathing, you are dead, unless you start breathing again
in a very short period of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So soul
is more than physical life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It includes
identity, and all that makes you, you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
love the Lord our God with all of our soul is to love God with our whole
being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It means that the way God sees us
and defines us not only supersedes any way we would choose to identify
ourselves, but replaces those ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
have an identity crisis in our society today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone wants the ability to self-identify, and in a free society, they
should be able to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it is also
demanded that others accept that identity, no questions asked, even if that
person chooses to change his or her identity from day to day week to week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Who am I” is one of the most important
questions we ask as human beings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most
humans start exploring that question on a deep level as teens or
pre-teens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ask it when we face major
life changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God wants to answer that
question for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, God made
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God wants us to find our identity in
Christ as children of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the
kind of identity that is permanent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
doesn’t change with our life circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To love God with all of our strength or might is to love God with our
actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are called to do everything,
even down to eating and drinking for the glory of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What we do with our bodies shows our love or
lack of love for God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus adds
“mind.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Greek and Roman times, the
mind took on more significance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Intellect was emphasized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
separates out mind to adjust to the culture of His day and to emphasize that we
are also to love God with our thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
are to love God with our thought by aligning our thinking with His thinking, to
meditate on God, God’s ways, and God’s commands, to remember God and God’s
word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To love the Lord our God with all
our heart, soul, strength, and mind is to love God with all that we are and
with all that we’ve got.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How did Jesus’s tests show His
complete love of God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see it in
Jesus’s answers to the devil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
tempted to turn stones into bread, Jesus replies by quoting Deuteronomy
8:3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the verse prior, Moses tells the
people that all that testing of 40 years in the wilderness was from God, “that
He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you
would keep His commandments or not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
first part of verse 3 that Jesus didn’t quote specifically mentions the test of
hunger and God giving manna to the people. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">In the second test, to throw Himself off
the pinnacle of the temple, Jesus shows He loves God with all of His soul by
not putting God to the test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus isn’t
going to test God with preserving His physical life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a difference between asking God to
do things contrary to God’s nature versus asking God to confirm His word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the devil also uses Scripture to tempt
Jesus, he leaves out the part where God promises to preserve the lives of those
who love God and call upon His name, not those who foolishly take their lives
into their own hands just to make a point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rest of the verse that Jesus quotes back to the devil refers to the
people tempting God at Massah, when they were complaining about a lack of
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After God provides water from the
rock, Moses names the place Massah and Meribah, because the people “tested the
Lord saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God is not obligated to prove Himself, though God reveals Himself to us
all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think about Jesus
Himself after the resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
didn’t go around showing Himself to those who had criticized Him, proving to
them that He was who He said He was and that they were wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went to those who were already following
Him, confirming their faith and strengthening them in their discipleship. This
was an identity challenge for Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
He going to test who God says He is, the beloved Son, or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus did not need God to prove His identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knows He is the Son of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The last test of getting all the
kingdoms of the world tested Jesus as to whether He loved God with all of His
strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The devil offered Jesus the
easy way to get what was rightfully His, a way that required little effort from
Jesus and none of the pain of His passion and crucifixion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus quotes Deuteronomy again, “You shall
worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This verse comes from Moses warning the
people that when they get into the Promised Land and start building homes and
living the good life from the all that the land easily produces, not to forget
the Yahweh their God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses knew the
temptation would be both to claim their success as self-made and to worship the
gods of the nations that surrounded them, traps into which they did eventually
fall. Loving the Lord our God with all of our strength means it takes some
effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Worship is service, that is
doing things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus knew that loving the
Lord with all of His might took effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would take all he could humanly handle and reliance on God to uphold
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Philippians 2 says that because
Jesus humbled Himself and was obedient even to death on the cross that He has
been given the name above all names at which every knee will bow and every
tongue will confess that He is Lord, and this will also bring glory to God the
Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Jesus is worshipped the
Father too is worshipped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Notice the tools that Jesus used to
overcome temptation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was prayed up
and studied up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These temptations come
at the END of Jesus 40 days of praying and fasting in the wilderness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So He was hungry, but He was spiritually
mighty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has spent 40 days in
communion with the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
studied up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact these passages
could roll so quickly and easily off Jesus’s tongue showed that He had spent
time studying and memorizing God’s Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was customary especially for Jewish young men to memorize the
Torah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure Jesus had the writings
and prophets memorized as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus’s
own practice of spiritual disciplines serves as a model for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jesus loved God fully and
perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was just the first
testing we hear about prior to His public ministry, but all through His life,
He lived in perfect love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next week we
will look at Jesus’s biggest time of testing—His time in the Garden of
Gethsemane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the moment when
Jesus most struggled with His will versus the Father’s will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew what was coming, and He knew that
this is why He had been born, and yet, He didn’t want to do it, but He remained
fully committed to loving God with all of His heart, soul, strength, and mind,
and what He went through, certainly took everything out of Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet He did it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ray Vanderlaan writes in regard to the Shema
that through Israel had not been able to keep the Shema fully, “they believed
that when Messiah came, He would show everyone, Israel and the nations, how to
live by that creed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they were
right!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t command it of us if
He hadn’t done it Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In loving God
perfectly, Jesus also loved us perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In our epistle reading, we hear that Jesus is the superior High
Priest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is because He can identity
with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His temptations were part of
Him learning what it is to be fully human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He knows what it is to be weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet
Jesus passed all His tests with flying colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of this, not only is He the perfect High Priest, He is the
perfect sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t have to
offer sacrifices for Himself before offering them for the people, because He
was sinless. He doesn’t have to offer repeated sacrifices, because He is the
perfect once for all sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He intercedes
for us still.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can come boldly to Him
expecting grace and mercy in our times of trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is, as Hebrews 5:9 says, “the source of
eternal salvation” for those who obey Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus not only perfectly loved the Father, He perfectly loved us and
loves us too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-81789114457695328872024-01-30T10:43:00.000-08:002024-01-30T10:43:05.083-08:00Enough Violence!; Luke 22:35-38<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia601300.us.archive.org/35/items/240127-2356/240127_2356.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-62189304620678113612024-01-16T16:59:00.000-08:002024-01-16T16:59:15.575-08:00Getting Set Up; Luke 22:1-13<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia601305.us.archive.org/25/items/240114-0001/240114_0001.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-89566518414992846062024-01-09T11:05:00.000-08:002024-01-09T11:05:56.107-08:00In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; Luke 3:15-22, Acts 8:4-17<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">Jesus commanded
part of the disciple making process is to baptize in the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit as recorded by Matthew in what we know as the Great
Commission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today we have two stories of
baptisms that don’t use this formula—one in Acts, and Jesus’ own baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the Trinitarian formula all that
important?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We consider baptisms that don’t
use the Trinitarian formula invalid, so why wasn’t it used in these two
cases?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">We see in our Acts
passage that in fleeing persecution, Philip went to Samaria, taking the gospel
with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as Jesus said, the gospel
was proclaimed in Jerusalem first, then Judea, and then in Samaria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Philip’s evangelistic work wasn’t wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people were coming to Christ and were
being baptized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Peter and John are
sent to check out what was going on, what they saw in the believers was a
testimony to the work of Philip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
gospel was preached and received.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
Philip’s work wasn’t complete,; he only baptized in the name of Jesus, and baptism
into the name of Jesus wasn’t enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did Philip not know about the Trinitarian formula?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps, if this is Philip the deacon and evangelist
and not Philip the apostle, which is most likely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet even Philip the evangelist was well
acquainted with the baptism of the Holy Spirit for he had received it
himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did he think that it was only
the apostles who could baptize in the Holy Spirit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I think Philip baptized in the name of Jesus to show the people that
Jesus was God, and most likely it is because the apostles needed to know that
in Christ, there was no difference between Samaritan believers and Jewish
background believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The apostles
complete the work of Philip and recognize the Samaritan believers as equal brothers
and sisters in Christ, breaking down hundreds of years of hostility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">In our Luke
passage, Jesus wasn’t baptized in the Trinitarian formula, and yet Jesus was
baptized with Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know from
historical Jewish records that John would have said something very close to the
following.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would have prayed, “<span style="color: #1d1d1d; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;">Blessed are
You, O Lord our God, King of the universe who sanctified us with His
commandments and commanded us in tevilah (immersion or dipping for ritual
purification).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as Jesus was
baptized, John might have said, ”May God, whom we call <span class="hebrew">Mikveh
Yisrael (the Purifier of Israel)</span>, be a source of hope and sustenance to
you, now and always.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John might have
added, “As you enter the waters in peace, may you emerge as a source of peace
to your family and to the Jewish people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And truly Jesus is the source of peace, not only to the Jewish people,
but for all people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;">What John
wouldn’t have said is “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the way Jesus
commanded us to baptize, and yet we still see that all members of the Trinity
were present in Jesus’s baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
is obviously present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy Spirit
appeared as a dove, and the Father’s voice was heard from heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note that the Holy Spirit rested on
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was empowered with the Holy
Spirit to begin His public ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Jesus
received the power of the Holy Spirit at Baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus wasn’t baptized using the words of the
Trinitarian formula, but this was a Trinitarian baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #1d1d1d; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;">Jesus lived continuously in the power of the
Holy Spirit. He could say, “I do nothing of My own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only do what I see the Father doing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could say, “I and My Father are One.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span>In
looking at the Greek text, the Acts passage doesn’t say, “The two went down and
prayed for them that they might receive THE Holy Spirit” but just “that they
might receive Holy Spirit,” implying not the person of the Holy Spirit, but the
work of the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The evidence of
the supernatural gifts of the Spirit were missing even though the presence of
the Spirit is obvious by the faith of the believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the apostle’s did in the laying on of
hands was for their benefit and the benefit of the Samaritan believers to
recognize who had the gifts of the Spirit needed for leadership in the church
and to do the work of ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
God who gifts and equips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is God who
ordains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The laying on of hands makes
manifest those things, just as it does today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The presence of the apostles also demonstrated that there was no
distinction in the Spirit between Samaritan and Jewish background
believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It represented the unity in
Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">The Trinitarian
formula is important for us today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Baptism is directly linked to the coming of the Holy Spirit, but the
order is not always the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
case of Cornelius and his friends, they received the power of the HS first and
were baptized with water afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>True baptism is an invitation for the Holy Spirit to work in your life
to the good of the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy
Spirit can work without baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You do
receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conversion and baptism were closely linked in
the NT and still are often today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Baptism invites the work of the spirit, not the person of the Spirit who
works independently, and indeed the Holy Spirit is active in our lives well
before we are aware.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For it is the
Spirit Himself who enlightens our hearts to recognize Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why we can baptize infants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">Baptism is a seal
of the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think of a
passport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a seal that shows that
one is a citizen of a particular country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Baptism shows that we belong to God and God’s kingdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are citizens of the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a new nationality, if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The role of the Father in baptism is to say
as He did to Jesus, “This is My beloved child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This one is mine!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;">Jesus was baptized
for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John’s baptism was the baptism
to show repentance, but Jesus has nothing from which to repent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why John said to Jesus, “You should
be baptizing me!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reverend Edward
Markquart points out that “</span><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jesus was baptized not to get rid of his sins, but in order
to carry our sins on the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it is
with our baptism: when we are baptized, it is guaranteed that Christ carries
all of our sins on the cross.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
reminds that when the Father spoke from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son
in whom I am well-pleased,” that God is specifically identifying Jesus for the
people that Jesus is the Servant spoken of in the book of Isaiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, Isaiah 42:1—“Behold, My Servant,
whom I uphold, My Chosen One in whom My soul delights.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And from the great Servant Song of Isaiah 53:10-12:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him
and cause him to suffer,<br />
and though the Lord makes[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053%3A10-12&version=NIV#fen-NIV-18722a" title="See footnote a"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">a</span></a>] his life an offering for sin,<br />
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,<br />
and the will of the Lord will prosper in
his hand.<br />
11 After he has suffered,<br />
he will see the light of life[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053%3A10-12&version=NIV#fen-NIV-18723b" title="See footnote b"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">b</span></a>] and be satisfied[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053%3A10-12&version=NIV#fen-NIV-18723c" title="See footnote c"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">c</span></a>];<br />
by his knowledge[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053%3A10-12&version=NIV#fen-NIV-18723d" title="See footnote d"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">d</span></a>] my righteous servant will
justify many,<br />
and he will bear their iniquities.<br />
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053%3A10-12&version=NIV#fen-NIV-18724e" title="See footnote e"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">e</span></a>]<br />
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2053%3A10-12&version=NIV#fen-NIV-18724f" title="See footnote f"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">f</span></a>]<br />
because he poured out his life unto death,<br />
and was numbered with the transgressors.<br />
For he bore the sin of many,<br />
and made intercession for the transgressors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The Servant is
the Sin-bearer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;">John the
Baptist said Jesus was the One who would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and
with fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the One who
baptizes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>The Holy Spirit is with
every believer and desires to work through every believer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because the Holy Spirit is with us, we have
immediate access to the power of the Spirit, to the comfort of the Spirit, to
the wisdom of the Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the Spirit
must be invited to work in and through our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as we want to be the ones in control,
the Holy Spirit takes a back seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
why we are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is why these believers in Acts were taught
about and filled with the Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">You’ve heard how
we have a God-shaped vacuum in our hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blaise Pascal originated this phrase except his original word was
abyss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have an abyss, an infinite
void in our finite bodies that cannot be filled with finite things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can only be filled by an infinite
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy Spirit fills our void.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">We can ask the
Holy Spirit, “Do what you want to do with me just as you did with Jesus and
with these believers in Acts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Empower
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guide me as You did Jesus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can live in the same Spirit power as Jesus
did and as these believers in Acts did.<o:p></o:p></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-23020603078964601702023-12-26T06:43:00.000-08:002023-12-26T06:43:01.188-08:00Keep on Watching!; Luke 21:29-38, Matthew 6:25-34<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Friends,
Christmas is coming!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tonight we
celebrate that God stepped into the world in human form as a little baby many
years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we believe that is true,
we know what God can do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely, the One
who came insisted He would be returning one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must believe the truth of the return of
Christ as much as we believe that He came the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Advent is a season of expectation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have been waiting to celebrate Christmas,
but even more we have been waiting for the return of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Advent is the season of expectation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet as Advent ends and Christmas begins, we
are called to live in a permanent state of expectation until Christ comes again,
keeping watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our passage finishes up what we hear
of Jesus’s public teaching ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From this point, Jesus is focused spending time with His disciples,
especially getting ready for the Passover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In this last little bit of Luke 21, Jesus tells a parable about a fig
tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s simple, we know by watching
deciduous fruit trees what season is coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When the leaves appear, we know summer is coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note, it isn’t summer yet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still have spring to go through, but
summer is still on its way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week,
we heard the signs of the times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
show that Jesus might not be coming just yet, but He is still on the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure that there were some followers of
Jesus who recognized that the temple was about to be destroyed, just like Jesus
said it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that made many of
them expect the return of Christ even more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>John was blessed to see the return of the Son of Man in a vision given
to him when he was in exile on the Island of Patmos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the book of Revelation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We already know the ending of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know what is waiting for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing the ending should cause us to have
hopeful expectation that Jesus will return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How many of you have been paying attention to the volcano in
Iceland?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A month or so ago, they thought
it was going to erupt very soon, so they started evacuating people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were a lot of earthquakes in increasing
frequency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some lava did start to flow,
but not towards the town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Week before
last, they thought the volcanic activity was starting to die down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earthquakes were lessening in frequency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then this week, volcanic activity increased
again, and the lava is heading toward a power plant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the geologists knew the volcano would
have a major eruption, but they didn’t know exactly when. They could read the
signs and prepare the people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The signs
tell us that Jesus is coming, but we don’t know when.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to keep watching. But unlike a
volcano erupting, which I actually find interesting and fascinating, but can be
destructive and dangerous for people living near them, the return of Christ is
a joyful event!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Jesus reassures us that even though
heaven and earth will pass away, His words will not pass away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His return is certain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus’s promise that “this generation will
not pass away until all these things take place” not only meant the judgment
upon Jerusalem would come, or that John would see the return, but is also a
promise that no matter how bad things get, no matter how even corrupt the
visible Church gets, there will always be a faithful body of believers on the
earth until Christ returns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we wait and
endure the “signs of the times,” Jesus tells us to keep on watching, which is
what the apostles did, not really knowing if Jesus would return in their
lifetime or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We too must keep watch
with expectation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus instructs us
what watching looks like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a very
active state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the watchman on the
wall stays awake looking for signs of potential trouble, looking out for
travelers in need of shelter, allies coming to make a treaty, or dreaded
enemies planning an attack, we are to keep watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first thing Jesus tells us to guard is
our own hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We aren’t to get
drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two different Greek
words for drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NIV uses carousing
and drunkenness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether alone or
together, inebriation to the point of losing control of one’s faculties or
abilities, even to the point of having a headache the next day, yes the Greek
is that specific, is sinful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know
that Jesus drank wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s going to
soon be offering it to His disciples as a sign of His own blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But though He was accused of being a
drunkard, He never imbibed to excess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
can’t be in your right mind when you are drunk. One of the words is not even
alcohol specific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any substance or thing
which causes loss of self-control could fall under these words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our day, we know there are other
addictions besides substance abuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
can be addicted to electronic devices or what we find on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s not just about addiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are people who get drunk who are not
alcoholics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are people who get
high who are not addicts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can spend
too much time numbing our senses and being distracted so that we aren’t being
watchful.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">We are also to keep watch over our
hearts in regard to not being weighed down by the worries of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For most of us, this is probably a lot more
challenging than not getting drunk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
we see the “signs of the times,” wars, persecution, natural disasters, it’s a
challenge not to worry or be fearful, especially when we feel helpless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much harder when they actually affect us
directly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we are even more prone to
worry about the stuff that affects our daily life—our own or a family member’s
illness or injury, whether or not we can meet our financial obligations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But once again, we see Jesus harkening back
to His early ministry—the Sermon on the Mount, those words we heard from Matthew 6.<b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>We
aren’t supposed to worry about what we will eat, what we drink, what we will
wear, where we will live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping watch
for Christ’s return by guarding our hearts against the worries of life could
keep many of us busy until He comes, especially when we do it by seeking first
God’s kingdom and His righteousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Practicing right living and working towards serving and growing the
kingdom of God, we have plenty to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our lack of fear and worry is also a witness to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a whole generation growing up in
fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you look at data about how many
young people today are on antianxiety medications, it’s appalling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are people who have chosen not to have
children because of “climate change.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There will be climate change!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
can’t have the disruption of the heavens that Jesus has talked about without
major climate change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t mean
we panic about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor does it mean that
we don’t do our part to steward the earth as was commanded to the human race at
Creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we don’t have to fall for
climate panic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The news media does
everything it can to create fear over everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still see people in a car by themselves
wearing a mask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world is a scary
place for a lot of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
temptation to join in the fear panic is strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But if you are not fearful and full of worry, you can be a non-anxious
presence for another person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can
share why you don’t have to be afraid all the time, because you know the end of
the story, and it’s a happy, wonderful ending!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And in the meantime, you are not alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God is still with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">But Jesus gives us one more command to
keep watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is to pray, to pray for
ourselves that we will have the strength to escape “all these things that are
about to take place and stand before the Son of Man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can we escape the “signs of the times”
when Jesus said that we will have to endure them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, some of this escape could be referring
specifically to the destruction of Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I think the command to pray remains for us in the midst of the signs
in our times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly, we can literally
pray for escape from these things, but know that God’s answer won’t always be a
yes, though many times it will be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think
of how many disasters from which God has spared us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if Florence had been a Category 4 like
it was at one point!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pray for escape
that the coming of the Son of Man will be our time of redemption, not of
judgement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pray of course for
salvation, but Jesus uses praying here in the continuous sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Praying for escape means these things won’t
cause us to lose our faith and our hope in Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pray against despair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pray for strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pray to escape temptation—temptation to
give up and give in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are in
constant communication with God, we won’t be caught off guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Remember that expectation implies not
resignation—bad things are going to happen, life is hard and will be hard—no
expectation implies excitement and joy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We keep watch, not for signs, but for the Son of Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We keep watch for a person, a person we love
and who loves us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We keep watch for a
Savior, just as the shepherds joyfully sought the Savior of the world in
Bethlehem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard a sermon this week where
the pastor said, “There is a difference between watching for a train to arrive
and watching for a person that you love to get off the train!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">We are the watchmen on the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must first keep watch out and for
ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t want to be caught in
God’s judgement, but we want to be ready to welcome our King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, we keep watch for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are called to warn and encourage people with
the truth that the Lord is coming again with power and glory to judge all
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because we don’t know when, we
must be ready at all times, which means that today is the day of
salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But salvation isn’t just for
the future, it is for now, to know that God will be with you and will see you
through whatever hardships come your way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember that the return of Christ is good news!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s something we look forward to with
anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the signs that are
the hard part, but when Jesus returns all hardships, all pain, all evil will be
ended!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything will be perfect and
good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe Jesus will return in
2024!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would sure be wonderful, but
may watching by living soberly, by not worrying but by seeking God’s kingdom
and righteousness, and by praying keep us busy until He does come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-18856931314660768492023-12-17T15:35:00.000-08:002023-12-17T15:35:33.325-08:00Signs of the Times; Luke 21:5-28<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia601705.us.archive.org/0/items/231216-2359/231216_2359.mp3">here</a>.</p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-50039491250931482492023-12-11T07:10:00.000-08:002023-12-11T07:10:02.936-08:00Don't Lose Heart; Luke 18:1-8<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia601204.us.archive.org/21/items/231209-2357/231209_2357.mp3">here</a>.</p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-1673214107856155492023-12-03T10:38:00.000-08:002023-12-03T10:38:13.222-08:00Be Prepared; Luke 17:20-37, Rev. 19:17-21, I Thess. 5:1-11<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia600503.us.archive.org/0/items/231203-0002/231203_0002.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-57416972762507902382023-11-26T16:57:00.000-08:002023-11-26T16:57:19.601-08:00The Day of the Lord Part 2; Acts 17:22-31, I Thess. 4:16-17<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia600503.us.archive.org/9/items/231126-0000/231126_0000.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-24631266234705689132023-11-13T05:19:00.000-08:002023-11-13T05:19:47.131-08:00Let Justice & Righteousness Flow; Amos 5:18-27<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia601201.us.archive.org/25/items/231112-0000/231112_0000.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-17733115896084582172023-10-24T05:29:00.003-07:002023-10-24T05:29:52.551-07:00A Stark Contrast; Luke 20:45-21:4<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Most
of us are familiar with the story of the widow and her two copper coins, but
perhaps less of us are familiar hearing her story in context of Jesus’s prior
words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This widow is often held up an
example, and she is, but not so much for her generosity but for her faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is 100% dependent on God for her life,
and her act of giving is an example of that dependence. In stark contrast to
the widow, we have the scribes, who are out to make a name for themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our story takes place after the last
word game attack on Jesus, which was by the Sadducees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All those testing Jesus were done with them,
but He was not done with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw
how He wouldn’t let the issue of the resurrection be dropped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pushed not only the Sadducees, but all
listening about the truth of the resurrection and His part in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then Jesus goes on to criticize the
scribes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He specifically singles them
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that Jesus in the past has
been critical of the Pharisees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it’s
the scribes’ turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His criticism comes in
the form of a warning to His disciples of how not to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Jesus’s first warning has to do with the
scribes walking around in long robes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But wait, you might say, “Pastor LaVera, you are wearing a long robe!
That doesn’t seem like you are heeding Jesus’s warning!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some pastors do think this way and won’t wear
any garment which would distinguish them from the laity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some, in my opinion, dress too casually, so
that the sense of coming together in the presence of an Almighty and Holy God
is diminished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There seems to be a lack
of reverence in worship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the
practice of clergy wearing robes dates back to the OT Law, when very specific
garments were required of the priests and Levites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were to be worn as they were performing
their official duties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scribes,
while scholars, were given no such instructions regarding the wearing of robes,
but they wanted to be identified with the priests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My robe was conferred upon me at my ordination
to the pastorate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will not see me
wearing this robe outside of the context of a worship service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to it being a sign of my office,
as a female member of the clergy, I have found it to be practical. Women
generally tend to be judged more strongly on appearance than men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I wear a robe, hopefully you are less
distracted by how I look, what I’m wearing, whether or not I have gained or
lost weight, and perhaps it is easier for you to focus on what the Spirit is
saying through my words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether or not
it is true, it does make me a little less self-conscious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That being said, unlike the scribes, you will
never see me wearing this robe in the marketplace!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are occasions when you may see me
wearing a clerical collared shirt out in public, even at the grocery store, but
it would be because I am on my way to or from a pastoral duty in the
public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Priests and clergy from other
denominations often wear their collars all the time, because their call is to
be always on duty all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I
consider myself always on call, I don’t consider myself always acting in an
official capacity as a pastor, though all of us all the time represent Christ
wherever we go and whatever we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes we represent Hiim better than other times, but it is important
for us to remember this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The next three critiques have to do with
attention seeking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scribes even
thought they deserved more honor than their parents. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while there is nothing about the duty to
give honor to religious authorities in the 10 Commandments, there is one about
honoring your father and mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember that the 10 Commandments was given to adults, not
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adult males in particular were
responsible for keeping them for themselves and on behalf of their
families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we all want to be
respected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all appreciate being
honored, but I hope we don’t go around expecting to be honored or acting like
we are superior to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Jesus told
in another warning, don’t seek out the chief seats at a banquet, but take lower
seats until you are invited to take the more privileged spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">And then we come to a really important
criticism—“who devour widows houses.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How did they do this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scribes
are the lawyers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They charged fees for
legal help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes these fees were
extreme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read that the case of the
Navy Seals who were dishonorably discharged from the service for refusing the
COVID vaccine was settled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
awarded $1.8 million, 100% of which went for their legal fees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they won, but not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can receive now an honorable discharge
or they are free to reenlist, but as far as lost wages or time—zip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And these are mostly men still in their
prime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But imagine a widow trying to get
justice and having all her efforts go to legal fees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also oversaw loans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you couldn’t repay it, your property was
seized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scribes were also known to
mismanage the estates of those widows who chose to dedicate themselves to temple
service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you were a widow with no
heirs, you might not have anyone to take care of you, but you could dedicate
yourself to temple service and be taken care of that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your estate, if you had any, would be
taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember Anna, the prophetess,
who met the baby Jesus in the temple?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
don’t know if her estate was mismanaged or not, but she was one of those widows
who dedicated herself to temple service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Some
scribes charged fees for prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rabbis
could not legally charge for their teaching, and many were dual career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, pastors shouldn’t get paid, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some churches believe this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They use minimally or informally trained
elders who have other jobs to preach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But Jesus was financially supported in His ministry largely by
women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know this from Luke
8:1-3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul also said that the apostles
had a right to be financially supported for their work and gives Peter as an
example, even though Paul himself chose to partially support himself through
his tentmaking abilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He writes this
in I Corinthians 9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But abuses still
happen today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think of multimillion
dollar TV preachers who continue to seek donations and promise blessings and
miracles for such gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason I
left Grace Presbyterian was financial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It became painfully obvious they could no longer afford me even at
half-time, but they didn’t want to fire me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the time, it was required that ministers who were part of the
pensions program also had to get health insurance through the denomination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That didn’t change until the 2016 General
Assembly when the Minister’s Choice program was approved, allowing stated
supply and lay pastors to accumulate pension credits without having to have
health insurance through the Board of Pensions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This allowed me to continue serving Antioch Presbyterian Church for
another couple of years and has continued to allow me to serve churches like
Trinity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The final critique is that the
scribes prayed long prayers for appearances sake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping public prayers short is generally a
good idea, but there are certainly examples of powerful longer public prayers
in Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, whole communal
services dedicated to lament occurred with people praying for many hours as
well as long services of praise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
generally, these prayers weren’t just given by one person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have examples of saints and faithful
believers who prayed for hours, but these prayers were largely private.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether public or private, these good
examples of long prayers were not done to put the attention on the person
giving the prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were not looking
for admiration from a congregation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is the motivation that makes the difference in prayer, not the length.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And then Jesus gives us the
seriousness of His warning why not to be like the scribes—“for they will
receive greater condemnation.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
our interesting discussions last week was the intermediate states between when
Christ returns and the new heavens and new earth are ushered in, when all the
dead are raised, both believing and unbelieving—the righteous with new,
glorified bodies to live in the New Jerusalem and the unbelieving to be
resurrected and cast into the lake of fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Bible does point to intermediate states until the resurrection, but
it is not clear exactly what they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is an intermediate state of punishment for the wicked, and it
seems to have degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it seems even
believers will be judged in the intermediate state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should be
teachers, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether the scribes were ultimately destined
for the New Jerusalem or the lake of fire, we don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably a mix of both, but James will most
certainly be in the New Jerusalem, and yet he is aware of his accountability
for what he has taught before Jesus. Though we don’t know all the details, we
have heard again and again from Jesus Himself that what we do or don’t do
matters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And those in positions of
teaching the word of God will be judged more harshly, though not necessarily
condemned. Romans 8:1 assures us, “Now, therefore there is no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Condemnation isn’t even a remote possibility for the believer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And then the widow comes in with her
two small copper coins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What she offers
is only enough for one, small meal, but it is all she has.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one notices her, except Jesus, who points
her out to the disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her giving is
both a willing gift as well as a sacrificial one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one is compelling her to give.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who would care whether or not she kept this
paltry amount or gave it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
cares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says her gift is greater and
more important than all. Is she an example?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I saw this week where Donald Trump is no
longer in the top 10 of the world’s richest people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His wealth is valued only at 2.4 billion and
the cut off was 2.9 billion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still
Donald Trump could give away 80% of his assets to charity and still have more
to live off of than all of us combined plus!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His hypothetical 80% giving might not be as much of a gift as your 10%
or 15%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you still have nearly a
half a billion in wealth, it hardly seems sacrificial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not to say that giving away all that
wealth couldn’t do great good in the world, because it could if given in the
right way to the right places. But at the same time, he may or may not think
about being dependent upon God for his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He sure talks a lot from an “I”-centered point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, whether or not he realizes it, he is
just as dependent upon God for his life as you or I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But God wants us not only to recognize our
dependence on God, but to live it out in faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is the widow an example to us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her complete trust in God to provide for her and care for her, her
holding loosely to earthly things, and her willing and selfless giving are
certainly to be emulated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">This widow is also the prime example of
what Jesus condemned in the scribes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
house has been devoured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus noticing
her is as much a lament of her state as it is praise of her faithful
generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she doesn’t join temple
service, if she is not helped by the temple or others, if God doesn’t
miraculously provide for her needs, she will soon die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has nothing left and nowhere to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woe to those who prey on the poor in the name
of God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The treasury was used for
various things, much of it for the building. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Extra biblical sources talk of 13 different
collecting boxes, called “trumpets” that echoed when you dropped your coins
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One was for wood, another for
incense, another for care of the golden vessels, etc. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Herod’s temple wasn’t completely finished, and
as we are keenly aware, maintenance is always needed and is often costly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there are costs occurred for the
maintenance of worship itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still,
some temple funds were supposed to be set aside particularly for widows and
orphans, and it was to be a priority fund, not a secondary fund. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God through the prophet Jeremiah condemned
religious leaders especially and the people in general for not obeying the
God-given duty to care for widows and orphans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In Jesus’s day, this command continued to be neglected, at least in
part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let’s bring it home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a building which we can’t
afford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have several widows in this
congregation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would hate to see us be
a church that spends its resources on a building over using its resources to
grow the Kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not to
say buildings don’t have value, even this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We provide a site for the Scouts to meet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that there are several churches in
Havelock that have had the Scouts and don’t particularly we want them back, but
we value them as an important part of ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Scouting program is not a ministry in and of itself, but ministry
takes place in the context of Scouting as we have many leaders who are strong
Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christ is modeled in the
lives of believers, in conversations with participants and in practices
incorporated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of these young people
would have little to no Christian witness other than through encountering
faithful Christians through the Scouting program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But is keeping a building for the Scouts the
most faithful way we as Trinity Presbyterian Church are called to be stewards
of God’s resources?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there a different
way we can serve Scouting and do even more to promote the kingdom of God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To that end the session continues to work on
turning our property from a liability to an asset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-73690147411260146492023-10-04T04:32:00.001-07:002023-10-04T04:32:08.789-07:00Jesus: Bread of Heaven, Bread of Life; John 6:25-60<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Long
before the Last Supper, Jesus associated Himself with bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In John 6, He declares Himself as the “Bread
of Heaven” and the “Bread of Life”, words which we associate with Communion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are part of the “I Am” statements of
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus has already introduced
Himself as the “I Am” to the woman at the well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He did not tell her that He was the Living Water, only that He is the
source of living water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, His
self-introduction to her was simply, “I Am” after she said, “I know that
Messiah is coming who will teach us all things.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus identified Himself as Messiah and
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This treatise about bread by Jesus
takes place after the feeding of the 5000+ people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A group went the next day looking for Jesus
and couldn’t find Him, but eventually caught up with Him in Capernaum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may have taken a day or so to make that
trip by foot. They want to see what Jesus can do next, but Jesus shows them
that what they need is Him, not simply what He can do or even what He teaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this World Communion Sunday, when we come
to the table, we acknowledge our need for Jesus Himself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jesus is the gift of life and
sustenance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus gives living water,
but He is the Bread of Heaven and the Bread of Life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The living water probably and rightly reminds
many of us what Jesus does for us in baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the picture of water, Jesus emphasizes the joy that comes from
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in Communion, we do not eat bread
with water, but with the fruit of the vine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though Jesus calls Himself the True Vine, He does not call Himself the
fruit of the vine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather we are to bear
the fruit as we are connected to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
the Last Supper, Jesus tells us that the cup symbolizes the new covenant sealed
by His blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though I won’t focus too
much on the cup in this message this morning, both the bread and cup remind us
that Jesus is God giving Himself to us that we might have life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The crowd following Jesus was looking
for what they could get out of Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were not looking for Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus says, “You
seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were
filled.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, we know this
because many of them quit following Him after this speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some wanted to kill Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even His disciples said, “This is a hard
saying.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many of you have been in a
relationship with someone who was only out to use you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe someone you thought was a friend, maybe
a family member, maybe someone you were genuinely trying to help, maybe someone
you dated?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did it make you feel
about yourself and about that person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did it affect your relationships with other people?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one likes being used, including
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you chasing Jesus because of
what you can get from Him or are you pursuing Jesus for Himself, for what He
willingly offers to you and wants you to have?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">When the crowd hears Jesus tells them
they should desire the food that gives eternal life, not food that perishes,
they ask, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, what must we do so that we
can get this bread from heaven which gives eternal life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is simple yet profound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Believe in God and the One whom He has
sent.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe, as Ernst Haenchen puts
it, “that Jesus is the One sent from God, and in Him God is represented and
made presence.” There is only one work that we must do—believe in Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe in who is He—that He is God, that
eternal life is found in Him, that He is Life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unlike the woman at the well who responds quickly upon hearing Jesus
say, “I am”, even running back to her village to tell others about the Messiah,
this crowd is slow to respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead
of faith, they ask for another sign, another sign having to do with physical
food—like the manna that fell from heaven in the Old Testament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, this crowd knew the story from the
Midrash that in the last days, manna from heaven would again fall, but they
make some mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, they
attribute the giving of manna to Moses instead of to God the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus corrects them and goes on to say that the
Father gives the true bread from heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now they decide it is something they want, so they ask Jesus to give
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is their second
misunderstanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bread is
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is eternal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus affirms the prophecy, but lets them
know that it is fulfilled in Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is
the manna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the bread of heaven,
sent by God the Father in the last days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How much does Jesus have to prove Himself to you before you believe
Him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want Jesus always, or only
when you are desperate or it serves your convenience or your purposes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the gift!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus promises not to cast out anyone who
comes to Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like last week, we hear
Jesus promising resurrection and putting Himself at the center of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus affirms life and life to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Early Christians were accused of
cannibalism because of the Last Supper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The recitation of Jesus’s words, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of
Man and drink of His blood, you will not have life within you,” caused outsiders
to believe that some kind of human sacrifice was happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the Jews who heard Jesus say these words
were confused by them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t know
how they could possibly do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
fact, it was especially offensive when Jesus said that we must drink His
blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eating and drinking blood was
forbidden by the Mosaic law as recorded in Deuteronomy 12:23, “for the life is
in the blood.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even in the Book of Acts,
as recorded in Acts 15, the prohibition against blood was one of three laws
that was passed on to the Gentile believers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The life is in the blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus’s
blood had to be shed for us to give us life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Today’s passage is the key passage on
which Catholics base the doctrine of Transubstantiation, that in the mass when
the words of institution are given, the bread, which is called the Host,
actually becomes the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They take the words that Jesus says in this
passage literally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do not take all
of Jesus’s other I Am sayings as literally as this one, such as “The True
Vine,” “The Good Shepherd,” “The Door of the Sheep”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the doctrine of Transubstantiation is
quite ancient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the earliest clear
teachers of this doctrine was Justin Martyr who died in 165 AD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Reformed Protestants, we too believe that
Jesus is the Host at the Communion meal, but we generally do not call the bread
the Host.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Host remains unseen by our
physical eyes, but He is still present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We believe that Jesus feeds us with Himself without the bread literally
becoming the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We believe the bread and cup are
representative of Jesus’s real presence with us and that this sacrament is more
than just a memorial ordinance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
affirm that in this meal, the power of Christ is transferred to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That being said, we welcome all baptized
believers to the table because we believe in the one body of Christ, and the
one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, and because the table does not belong
to Trinity Presbyterian Church, but to Jesus Christ, who invites His own to
come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">So how do we eat Jesus’s flesh if we do
not believe the bread and cup literally become His body, blood, soul and
divinity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we eat Jesus’s flesh
and drink His blood if not literally?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First,
Jesus says it starts with God the Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We can’t even begin to do this if God hasn’t drawn us to Jesus
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, most of us do not eat
things while they are still alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
if you eat something raw, you want it dead first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again, we see Jesus referring to His
sacrificial death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In verse 51, He says,
“And the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>German theologian A. Schlatter taught. “What
we have to do with His flesh and blood is not chew and swallow, but that we
recognize in His crucified body and poured out blood the ground of our life,
that we hang our faith and hope on that body and blood, and draw from there our
thinking and willing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We unit our lives
to Christ’s; for we have no life without Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Friends, to eat and drink of Jesus is to depend on Jesus for your very
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is to do the will of
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the disciples came back with
lunch for Jesus and saw Him at the well with the woman running away, they
wondered if He had eaten, but He replied, “My food is to do the will of the One
who sent Me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In John 6:38, Jesus
affirms, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will
of Him who sent Me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Jesus did the
will of the Father, He was satisfied and lacked nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In verses 56-57, Jesus says, The one who eats
My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the living Father sent e, and I live
because of the Father, so the one who eats Me will also live because of
Me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Ignatius of Antioch equated
eating Jesus’s flesh and drinking His blood to being united with Him through
martyrdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St. Ignatius was bishop of
the church in which the apostle Paul was discipled, not during Paul’s time, but
shortly after as He was martyred in 110 AD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Knowing he was going to be executed, St. Ignatius wrote to the Roman
church:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I have no delight in corruptible food, nor in the
pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, the heavenly bread, the
bread of life, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became
afterwards of the seed of David and Abraham; and I desire the drink of God,
namely His blood, which is incorruptible love and eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">In
these last days of his life, St. Ignatius declared that Jesus was everything to
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needed nothing but Jesus nor was
there anything that mattered but Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
do Jesus’s will is enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Follow
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finish His work of being and
making disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Embrace the way of the
cross for the promise is eternal life and resurrection!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May Jesus be everything to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-1255150666434034302023-09-26T05:43:00.004-07:002023-09-26T05:43:40.338-07:00God of the Living; Luke 20:27-44<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia800503.us.archive.org/4/items/230923-2245/230923_2245.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-31323516827102215702023-09-18T14:45:00.001-07:002023-09-18T14:45:14.444-07:00Render Unto God; Luke 20:20-26<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I don’t know that anyone enjoys paying
taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just paid my 3<sup>rd</sup>
quarter, and it was not a small chunk of change!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, I think we can agree that at least a
portion of our taxes goes to things that benefit us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In today’s passage, we see that Jesus’s
enemies are trying to set another word trap for Him to fall into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ask Him if it is lawful to pay taxes to
Caesar or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus shows in His answer
that although taxes are legal, our duty to God as God’s image bearers is the
most important thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">The religious leaders have just heard a
parable spoken against them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know
that they can’t do anything to Jesus, so they are hoping that they can get
Jesus to say something so that Pilate will have cause to put Jesus to death. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Jesus said paying tax was wrong, they could
report it to the Roman authorities. After all, there was a rebellion against
Rome over the poll tax in 6 AD led by a man named Judas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His rebellion was short-lived as he was
killed by the Romans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gamaliel mentions
this rebellion in Acts 5:37. Despite the fact that the parable Jesus told
indicated that the rule of Rome wasn’t going to come to an end soon as everyone
had hoped, the expected answer to the question is that Jesus is going to say
taxation is wrong, but even if he goes along with taxation, the hope is that He
will lose a good chunk of His support, for the tax wasn’t popular among the
common people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have seen how tax
collectors were among the most disliked of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Jesus could have answered with a list of
Scriptures from the Law and the prophets about the responsibility to pay
tribute as part of covenantal obligations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He could have traced how God’s people were conquered as a result of
their disobedience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Jesus does not
give a long historical and theological discourse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, He asks for a denarius.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They provide one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus doesn’t have one, but someone else
does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Peter had answered a
different time that Jesus paid taxes, this one the temple tax, Jesus had to
send Peter to catch a fish with a coin in its mouth, to cover the amount of
both Jesus and Peter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A denarius was the
exact amount of the debated poll tax or head tax—the tribute each person, 14
years or older, had to pay annually to Rome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was equivalent to a day’s wages, certainly not excessive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that they had a coin showed that
they were participating in the economic system that they were claiming was
unjust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, the coin had
Caesar’s picture on it with an inscription “son of the deified Augustus.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the back was a picture of his mother Livia
with an inscription “high priest.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
could have been argued that possession of the coin violated the second
commandment against idolatry, having a graven image, esp. since Caesar was
worshipped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one was arguing about
whether it was right to possess and use money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember that we have already heard that these religious leaders were
“lovers of money.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Jesus doesn’t stop with “Render unto
Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He goes on to add, “And to God, the things that are God’s.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By asking about the image on the coin, Jesus
is reminding His audience that they are God’s image bearers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were created in the image and likeness
of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wherever we go and whatever we
do, we bear God’s image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We belong to
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We represent God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We carry God with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As image bearers of God, we are called to
give our lives to and for God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Jesus also reminds us that God’s reign
is bigger than Caesar’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything
belongs to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Caesar falls under the
reign of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though paying tribute is
legitimate, obedience to Rome or any authority must be measured first against
obedience to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The apostle Paul
reminds us of this in <b>Romans 13:1-7.</b> <b>READ</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do have to submit to the governing
authorities, because God put them in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their role is to punish evil, execute justice, and protect the people,
and support the common good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this
doesn’t mean that they always stick to their role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Caesar may get our money, but God gets our
hearts, our minds, our bodies, and our wills, along with our stuff, remembering
that the first fruits belong to God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Governments are not perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will be no perfect government until
Christ returns to reign on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Earthly governments are made up of flawed human beings, most of whom
aren’t even disciples of Jesus, but that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t ordain
and direct them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still they will do evil
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both Jesus and Peter told us to
expect the governments to persecute followers of Jesus even to the point of
martyrdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They warned us to not be
afraid, to be prepared to stand strong, and to trust that the Holy Spirit will
be our guide and voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prepare
ourselves by staying close to Jesus through prayer, learning the Scriptures,
and learning how to hear and obey the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faithful Christians make good citizens
because they are submissive, work hard and ethically, and care about their
fellow human beings, and yet the gospel is a threat to those who thirst for
power because the way of the gospel is the way of humility and not power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is always a higher power who comes
first, and it’s not those in control or who want control, but it is God
Almighty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why Christianity is
hated around the world despite all the good done by Christians. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">There are times when civil disobedience
is necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toward the end of our
peacemaking Bible study series, the group watched a 2-part documentary on
non-violent resistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People united
together in civil disobedience were able to tear down and stand against evil
regimes, like apartheid in South Africa, resistance against the Nazis in
Denmark, the overthrow of military dictatorship in Chile, the overthrow of the
communist regime in Poland, the end of segregation here in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see an examples of nonviolent civil
disobedience in the book of Daniel both when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
refuse to bow down to the golden statue of Nebuchadnezzar, and when Daniel
opens his window and prays toward Jerusalem against the edict to pray only to
the emperor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember that God comes
first, so when governments grossly violate God’s demands for justice, it’s time
to resist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If rulers demand obedience to
a law that directly violates God’s commands, it’s time to resist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">God must always come first in our
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We belong to God and we bear
God’s image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Regardless of what regime
is in power wherever we live, our true citizenship is in heaven as Paul reminds
us in Philippians 3:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we are
commissioned to be Christ’s ambassadors, representing the kingdom of heaven on
earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As ambassadors that means that
our job is not to try to escape from or disengage from civic duties, but to
engage from a biblical point of view, with the gospel as our message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to act like God acts, for indeed God
acts through us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to value what
God values.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to be Jesus’s voice,
hands, feet, eyes, ears, and heart in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We carry God with us wherever we go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we are reminded of the original way that
God created us, we also remember the original mandate, to care for the earth,
to make it fruitful and productive, to live into God’s goodness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we ought to value our fellow human beings
as well, because whether they believe in Jesus or not, they too are made in the
image and likeness of God and deserve dignity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Treating people the way we want to be treated is hard enough, but what
if we treated people as if they were Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In Bible study today, we are finishing up our discussion of the Matthew
25 passage where Jesus compares Himself to the “least of His followers,” and
that doing or neglecting to do basic, although often inconvenient things in
service to others is the way we treat Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus’s command to “render unto God the things that are God’s” reminds us
to look for the image of God in others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes it’s hard to see. This is turn ought to cause us to examine
ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the image of God easy to
see in us, or is it hard to see?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-8552063563348606902023-09-12T07:24:00.001-07:002023-09-12T07:24:18.288-07:00The Gift of the Vineyard; Isaiah 5:1-7, Luke 20:9-19<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">We
saw in the parable of the minas and some of Jesus’s other teachings that
stewardship of money is just a small part of what it means to be a good
steward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are not good stewards
with our finances, it is unlikely that God will entrust us with more or more
important things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we can be faithful
with earthly things, God promises to put us in charge of heavenly things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most important responsibility of
stewardship God gives us is that of the gospel and of people’s souls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus called all of us to be disciple
makers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of us He called to be
pastors, teachers, prophets, and evangelists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is a privilege to have this responsibility, and it is a gift to be
part of God’s Vineyard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>God uses different metaphors for
God’s people in Scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see the
Kingdom, which is the full reign of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have the metaphor of Shepherd and sheep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we have what we see in our readings
today, a vineyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Isaiah passage
tells us that this Vineyard is God’s people, specifically, the house of
Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, it was the
vineyard’s fault that it only produced worthless grapes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Beloved did everything He could to make
the vineyard fruitful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He made sure the
ground was good and that the stock was the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He protected it in multiple ways through a
wall, a hedge, and a tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He expected
it to bear fruit, built a wine press in it to prove it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it didn’t produce, so the Lord of the
Vineyard removed all the protections from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He stopped pruning and tending it and left the ground and even told the
clouds not to rain on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">It
is an incredible gift to be called a child of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t deserve to be grafted into the Vine,
who is Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t earn God’s care
and blessings and protection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With all
that God gives us, however, we should bear fruit, but if we don’t, it is our
fault, and God will remove those blessings from us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are responsible for how we respond to
God’s good gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God clearly says what
Israel and Judah have done to warrant the removal of God’s blessings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t give justice, but instead
bloodshed, instead of righteousness, a cry of distress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They killed the innocent and caused strife
where none should have been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
weren’t caring for the souls of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were not living out their God-given mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In real life, they were conquered by enemies
and taken into exile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temple was
destroyed, and the land was literally laid to waste with few exceptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A remnant was left to tend the land so that
tribute could be sent to the conquering nations and other exiles were brought
in so that the local population didn’t become too strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jesus’s audience would have known
exactly what the Vineyard stood for in His parable. Commentator Craig Evans
says that this parable stands over all of Biblical history, including the
gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus’s audience indicates their
understanding when at the end of the parable, they exclaim, “May it never be!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in this case, it was not the fault
of the people that control of the Vineyard would be given to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a thriving Vineyard, producing great
fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tenant farmers were benefiting from the
healthy vineyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They got to share its
fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were rewarded for their good
care. Just as it is a privilege to be part of God’s Vineyard, it is a gift to
be able to steward God’s Vineyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
the tenants didn’t own the Vineyard; they only leased it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Owner was due a portion of the fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don’t want to give the Owner, His share
of the harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are reminded that
while God blesses us for good stewardship, we do not own the results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The harvest is God’s not ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can rejoice when we see someone come to
know Jesus, but we don’t save anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
can rejoice when our church grows, but we can’t take credit for growing the
church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When we try to claim what is
rightfully God’s then we will fall under God’s judgment. In Isaiah, the
Vineyard was destroyed because of disobedience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the parable, the Vineyard is seized from the wicked tenants who are
destroyed, and the Vineyard is given to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In this case, the hearers interpreted it as the control of Rome over the
Jews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is telling them that the
Roman empire isn’t going away any time soon, and that the Messiah isn’t going
to save them in this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we try to
claim God’s harvest for our own, God will also remove it from us and give it to
someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week in Bible study,
we saw that God doesn’t just judge individuals, but God holds peoples as a
group to account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God judges
nations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as God did in the Old
Testament, God does today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not everybody
in Isaiah’s day was producing bad fruit, but all the people were judged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faithful people were made slaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faithful people were killed, but their reward
is not in this life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have seen that
sometimes we suffer for other people’s lack of faithfulness and that our
faithfulness or lack thereof makes a difference in the lives of others as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes God preserves people due
to the faithfulness of a remnant, but eventually it becomes time to give
account. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Religious leaders are held the most
accountable for the judgement of the people of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Ezekiel 33, God says, “If a threat is
coming and the watchman warns the people, those who don’t heed the warning,
their blood is on their own head, but if the watchman sees the danger and
doesn’t warn the people, the watchman is responsible when the people
perish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James 3:1 states outright that
teachers shall “incur stricter judgement”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Despite the shrinking number of churches and believers in the US and
Europe, the church is exploding in other parts of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iran is one of the fastest if not the number
1 place where the Church is growing right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Despite increasing clamp downs on Christians in China, China is expected
to have more Christians than any other country in just a couple of years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has given the Vineyard to other
tenants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t mean that we have to
give up, but it means that we need to show our faithfulness with what we
have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are called to be disciple
makers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Despite God’s declaration of justice, we
also see in this parable that God is extremely patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus tells us the owner of the vineyard was
gone on a journey for a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
generally takes vineyards 3 years to produce a decent harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 years is a number of completion in the
Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that the tenant farmers
had a least one good, decent harvest, so this may be the 3<sup>rd</sup> year
that the owner sends the servants to claim the harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When harvest time does come, the owner sends
slaves to the vineyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are beaten
and sent back empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Matthew’s and
Mark’s versions, more than two slaves are sent, and some are killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These slaves represent the prophets, just
like John the Baptist, whom Jesus mentioned earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, His audience would recognize
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, the Owner sends His Son,
the Heir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of respecting Him and
listening to Him, the tenants kill Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus’s clever audience has it figured out that there are those who
would kill the Messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
appalled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Owner gives the tenant
farmers so many opportunities to do the right thing, but they refuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as God as Vinedresser in our Isaiah
passage gave Israel and Judah everything they needed to be fruitful, God does
the same for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God gives opportunities
for repentance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God warns us time and
time again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And God gave us His own Son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Jesus acknowledges that this parable is
a hard saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He continues by quoting
Psalm 118:22, “The stone which the builders rejected became the chief
corner.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is one of the most quoted
Old Testament Scriptures in the New Testament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus is talking about Himself as the rejected One, but there is hope in
this verse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has become the chief
cornerstone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the foundation on
which His Church, His people, are built.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is going to die, but He is going to triumph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But He is a stumbling block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You either have to trip over Him and fall on
Him and be broken by Him or be crushed by Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be broken by Jesus is to come to place of repentance, humility, and
submission. While it is hard to be broken by Jesus, it is where we find hope.
It is in being broken by Jesus that we can be healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We realize that we cannot thrive while being
disconnected from the Vine, but when we realize that we need the Vine, we can
be grafted in and bear fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be
crushed by Jesus, on the other hand, is to fall under condemnation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one can get around Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">It's interesting to note that in this
parable, Jesus answers the question that the religious leaders asked of
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we saw last week, He refused to
play into the word trap, but it is clear to everyone in this parable that Jesus
is claiming to be the Son of God, that He is the Messiah, and that His
authority as well as that of John’s is God-given.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The religious leaders know that they are the
tenant farmers described in the parable, and they are not too happy with Jesus
telling them they will be removed and destroyed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though Jesus just said that they kill
the Son, they tried to kill Him on the spot, but “they feared the people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This shows that they really weren’t serving
God at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again, they show
disdain for the Master by rejecting His Son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was their opportunity to repent and be good tenant farmers, but
soon they would see their power taken away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Kingdom is given to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are blessed to be included as God’s
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are given everything by God
that we need in order to thrive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
harvest, however, belongs to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
not only a privilege to be part of the Vineyard but to be a tenant of the
Vineyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a steward of souls is an
honor, but it is a position that comes with great responsibility and
accountability to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not everyone is
given the responsibility of stewarding souls as a church leader, but we are all
called to be disciple makers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Great
Commission is for everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we think
the risk of judgement is too hard that we don’t want the responsibility of
being a disciple maker, God will remove other responsibilities from us and give
them to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May we bear good fruit
that we can give to our Master and Maker.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-39040414952207665292023-09-04T15:59:00.003-07:002023-09-04T15:59:40.872-07:00It's a Trap!; Luke 20:1-8<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia600508.us.archive.org/11/items/230902-2245/230902_2245.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-34046609466072042592023-08-27T14:45:00.002-07:002023-08-27T14:45:25.275-07:00Please Send Someone!; Luke 16:19-31<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia600507.us.archive.org/1/items/230826-2244/230826_2244.mp3">here.</a></p><p>Source of the Virginia/Evelyn story was submitted by Rev. Durwood Busse of Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship in the Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Evangelism Sunday. Other material at the end of this message regarding being a witness is drawn from the pamphlet "Me? A Witness?" by Gary Demarest produced by the office of Evangelism and Church Development of the PC(USA). </p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-62611669024816954682023-08-21T08:11:00.002-07:002023-08-21T08:11:47.896-07:00Whom Do You Serve?; Luke 16:10-15<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia600506.us.archive.org/33/items/230819-2245/230819_2245.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-23924540267285396602023-08-15T10:40:00.002-07:002023-08-15T10:40:19.156-07:00The Shrewd Steward; Luke 16:1-10<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia800505.us.archive.org/28/items/230812-2246/230812_2246.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-28016941228365543492023-08-07T14:49:00.004-07:002023-08-07T14:49:55.521-07:00The Exacting King; Luke 19:11-28<p> To listen, click <a href="https://ia802705.us.archive.org/11/items/230805-2246/230805_2246.mp3">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-64849744999179619092023-07-25T04:45:00.002-07:002023-07-25T04:45:12.155-07:00A Generous Heart; Luke 19:1-10<p> To listen, click <a href="https://archive.org/details/230722-2250">here.</a></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5104052189313110646.post-87721890936432626812023-07-21T11:22:00.000-07:002023-07-21T11:22:30.352-07:00Sight and Insight; Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43<p> <i>This message was prefaced with some pictures of and facts about Jericho. I have included some picture in this message.</i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">If
you read all three accounts of the healing of the blind man from Matthew, Luke,
and Mark, you would see a few differences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Luke has Jesus coming into Jericho and Matthew and Mark have Jesus
coming out of Jericho<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>--In Jesus's day there were Jerichos,
old and new, will we see both.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJ1IVTaZdQLWhJ6w6ZXhphBDXbtxJCBo1_yMSC0-YDtJRmHmkrX1mM4kpgk5yGhC9Ux_GXFHxm81KVTQKJKrfOoAsAEYpk1Iaq4l559yPs4WL_bx1L6Gk501ep1vTQH1K7LH4cbF5qKkRfsG5i9t1iHMZrFUk7HYycFpvOXghRIAghf-_nBMZ2xTg-YWY/s1024/Jerichowalls.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJ1IVTaZdQLWhJ6w6ZXhphBDXbtxJCBo1_yMSC0-YDtJRmHmkrX1mM4kpgk5yGhC9Ux_GXFHxm81KVTQKJKrfOoAsAEYpk1Iaq4l559yPs4WL_bx1L6Gk501ep1vTQH1K7LH4cbF5qKkRfsG5i9t1iHMZrFUk7HYycFpvOXghRIAghf-_nBMZ2xTg-YWY/s320/Jerichowalls.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWPwR7mqe7HcdEx49OrUfLvD7BH0ilDoWGeUHP7kL6flsECuW-m9-xQyulBOA9kSWYEa5IBuJMy8O910Ztz6icx1AsY0IhY_ohgJOgq80k9uRCfqRikiyrmnZ2SDQc1WOAwwnpOaxMq-h7paUwa74hshj_l8VFc_dM81P6r0DHOiopRqIyPlcGKBb97bK/s1024/Jericho4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWPwR7mqe7HcdEx49OrUfLvD7BH0ilDoWGeUHP7kL6flsECuW-m9-xQyulBOA9kSWYEa5IBuJMy8O910Ztz6icx1AsY0IhY_ohgJOgq80k9uRCfqRikiyrmnZ2SDQc1WOAwwnpOaxMq-h7paUwa74hshj_l8VFc_dM81P6r0DHOiopRqIyPlcGKBb97bK/s320/Jericho4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZoio9n2K-9T9ryZfEFpMcSFaOQazJrKwqcup-OZPswD0uQJdBgmOQRAw_IkqPUHIx7AwwpGf8NClv8uOYl3Vm9DgVN6qeSL5imj5EaUGo45uiR9Rib8NDuUgx-qkl-6RHpbKLrHmetQ2IAJxj0YeTIfWkVQGM8qtPkX1jlgOnMzdVzBJVNzXuP3KBOJg/s1024/Jerichofort.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZoio9n2K-9T9ryZfEFpMcSFaOQazJrKwqcup-OZPswD0uQJdBgmOQRAw_IkqPUHIx7AwwpGf8NClv8uOYl3Vm9DgVN6qeSL5imj5EaUGo45uiR9Rib8NDuUgx-qkl-6RHpbKLrHmetQ2IAJxj0YeTIfWkVQGM8qtPkX1jlgOnMzdVzBJVNzXuP3KBOJg/s320/Jerichofort.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfXYvPAxONMJToFhLCHotgs4nLrbREC_DM5uZZRUX-Rjkhjhh4faQLPKlqKpxZgbz-z8ljNUNGJSNRqKKiyZm4liJ5epVY4SeE8OQe8Cnfrv8BP39lrhGYHUKSOdMWifCeWJEb3vKfzfgKkhqudlZILuj6_DRbVkUwvQ3epE_BC-YgDWcnewhFbpmfF2H/s1024/Jerichospring.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfXYvPAxONMJToFhLCHotgs4nLrbREC_DM5uZZRUX-Rjkhjhh4faQLPKlqKpxZgbz-z8ljNUNGJSNRqKKiyZm4liJ5epVY4SeE8OQe8Cnfrv8BP39lrhGYHUKSOdMWifCeWJEb3vKfzfgKkhqudlZILuj6_DRbVkUwvQ3epE_BC-YgDWcnewhFbpmfF2H/s320/Jerichospring.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQkg5JReKwbURCM-U715KVaoLDKrkHC2w2AI_mYF8FTBN06uK_b08UFchYNKyUS3-Q6sOC5sE9hbfwguLLY6cRmuIqfW0Uc07C756HKOBIM5QTungqauOC5G8I2WJJu4SXx_c3MRSv3RT0B6KCivoDm2L5scTNeDkNiunIWhXAT9Zq6hMAENLtmWvlIfc/s1024/Jerichospring2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQkg5JReKwbURCM-U715KVaoLDKrkHC2w2AI_mYF8FTBN06uK_b08UFchYNKyUS3-Q6sOC5sE9hbfwguLLY6cRmuIqfW0Uc07C756HKOBIM5QTungqauOC5G8I2WJJu4SXx_c3MRSv3RT0B6KCivoDm2L5scTNeDkNiunIWhXAT9Zq6hMAENLtmWvlIfc/s320/Jerichospring2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke records that this is where
Zaccheaus lived, so that story takes place here, which we will hear about next week. Jesus is passing through as He continues on His way to Jerusalem, but a blind man recognizes who Jesus
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like Zaccheaus, the blind man wants
to see Jesus, and also faces resistance from the crowds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Mark we find he is known as Bartimaeus—the
son of Timaeus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew has 2 blind men,
but Matthew has 2 in a lot of places the other gospels don’t—Jesus rides 2
donkeys, 2 demoniacs, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> because he wants the support of two witnesses. This man has insight first and then receives sight as he responds to Jesus.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;">Before Bartimaeus ever receives his sight, he has insight. In all three accounts, he names Jesus as the Son of David.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;">Son of David is an Old Testament title for the Messiah.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;">Bartimaeus recognizes what many of the multitude following Jesus do not, including His disciples.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;">He knows Jesus the Messiah.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">In contrast to the disciples whom we
heard last week didn’t understand what Jesus was saying to the about His
impending death and resurrection, even though they heard it multiple times, Bartimaeus
has great spiritual insight before he ever gains physical sight.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">In Matthew and Luke, he addresses Jesus as Lord or Master.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He knows Jesus has authority over him. In Mark, he calls Jesus Rabboni—my great one, My master.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Similar to Lord, but it is more personal.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span> <span> </span> </span>Note crowd tells Bartimaeus to shut
up in all three accounts.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">They are
emphatic, but this does not stop, and in fact only encourages Bartimaeus to
appeal to Jesus’s mercy more loudly.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> The way the crowd acts is not unlike how the disciples tried to keep parents from bringing their babies to Jesus. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Have you ever experienced others trying to
keep you from Jesus? Thankfully, Bartimaeus is not deterred. H</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">e keeps calling out all the more.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">In fact, Luke uses two different words for shout, in which the second is far more visceral than the first.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He is persistent above the crowd trying to get him to calm down.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">How persistent are you in your prayers to God?</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span> </span>When Jesus actually stops to wait
for Bartimaeus and asks him what he needs, the crowd changes their tune
according to Luke’s gospel and encourages Bartimaeus to go to Jesus.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Sometimes we get so caught up in what we
think it means to follow Jesus, that we forget Jesus is interested in other
people and in gaining more followers.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">We
ought to always be encouraging of those who are seeking Jesus.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">We don’t want to be like the crowd,
discouraging people from Jesus, making them think that Jesus doesn’t have time
for them.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Jesus makes time for anyone
who calls out to Him.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">No request is too
great or too small.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Jesus will have mercy.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He may not answer the request in the way that
it is asked, but He gives what is needed.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">
</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He gives wholeness. May we live and speak in such a way as to help people move toward Jesus, not block their way to Him. We may even be those who carry people to Jesus. We never want to hinder someone who is seeking Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Bartimaeus is blessed with sight by Jesus even as he continues to reveal his insight into who Jesus is. When Jesus waits for him, he runs to
Jesus.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Mark gives us the detail of him
leaving his cloak behind.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">His cloak
would have been used to hold the alms that were given to him.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who all
left their fishing nets to follow Jesus, Bartimaeus leaving his cloak behind is
leaving his source of income.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He will no
longer be depending on it.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">He believes
that Jesus will heal him, so he leaves it there.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">No more blindness means no more begging.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Like many whom Jesus heals, he believes and
Jesus says that it is that faith which saves him.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Bartimaeus’s insight becomes
physical sight when Jesus heals Him.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">In
Matthew, Jesus does not comment on the healing and heals by touching, but in Mark
and Luke, Jesus comments on Bartimaeus’s faith.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">
</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Jesus heals by speaking, and he may have touched and spoken at the same
time.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> Regardless, he receives sight and salvation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">When Jesus heals the man, He says, “Your
faith has saved you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something
we have seen Jesus say before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We recall
the Samaritan leper, the only one of a group of 10 lepers who returned to give
thanks and praise to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Luke
account, we also see Bartimaeus glorifying God for his sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This leads others in the crowd to praise
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sharing our insight helps to give
sight to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Jesus answers our
prayers, we need to give thanks and let other people know, especially when they
have been privy to our requests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
praise serves as a witness to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How have you seen Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
insight do you have that you can share with others?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In all three accounts, Bartimaeus
follows Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Mark, Jesus tells him
to go his way, but he chooses the Way of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think he realizes his way is not the right way, but that Jesus is the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus becomes his Way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will witness Jesus’s encounter with
another man, whom we will see next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He would have been part of the Triumphal entry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bartimaeus doesn’t know all this, but without
hesitation, he leaves his old life behind to follow Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was worth the risk for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How readily do you follow Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there a cloak you need to leave behind—something
on which you have been depending but Jesus is calling you to something different?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is your security in anything other than
Jesus?<o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Paratohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12947499305640015296noreply@blogger.com0