Jesus Christ

Five Lights for Dark Days

PastorPartridge Sermon , , ,

“Five Lights for Dark Days”

February 21, 2016

By John Partridge*

 

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-21                  Philippians 3:17 – 4:1                        Luke 13:31-35

 

Have you ever gone outside at night and just looked up at the stars?

It is nothing short of amazing,

But as amazing as that sight can be, it is magnified tenfold when you can do the same thing in a place that is far from the city where you can find real darkness.  When I have been places out in the country, even in places where you could see the city far in the distance because of the halo of light that it emitted, the stars in the heavens are a wondrous sight.

But that magnificent view can rapidly become disorienting and a little frightening when you begin to lose what little light that you have.  In the fall of 1981, my Kenmore High School graduating class was among the first to use the brand new high school building that we had watched them build all during the previous school year.  But we had moved into the new building before the contractors were completely finished with it and some of the remaining “bugs” in the system had to do with the fire alarms and the electrical system.  Of course the school administrators had reassured us that our new school was a state-of-the-art building and even included a back-up generator on the top floor that would allow the school to operate normally in the event of a power failure.  But almost every day the fire alarm would go off at least once, and sometimes several times, each day.  And on one of those days, just as we were all filing out of the building during yet another fire alarm, all of the lights went out.

And it was dark.

But then, the back-up generator started and the lights came back on… for a few seconds… until the generator died.  And then it was really, really, dark.

You should also understand that our new, state-of-the-art building didn’t have any windows.  It was more energy efficient they said.  Also, for some reason, possibly because of overconfidence in the backup generator, neither was new building equipped with batter powered emergency lights.  And so, when the lights went out you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.  And so, while the fire alarm was still going off, and a thousand students were stuck in the pitch black classrooms, hallways and stairwells.

Those of us who were there swear to this day that it was the smokers that saved us all.  In an era long before everyone carried a lighted smartphone, all of the students and teachers who frequented the smoking area outside, pulled out their lighters and stood on the doorways and landings of the stairwells and guided us all out of the building.

When it’s really dark, just a few lights can make a big difference.

And the same is true in our emotional and spiritual lives.  There are days that seem to be filled with joy and light but we also experience seasons of darkness and despair.  And in those seasons of darkness, every little bit of light can make a difference.

And so this morning we will read three scriptures from different times and from different authors and from them we will discover five basic truths that can be points of light in our seasons of darkness.

We begin in Genesis 15:1-12, 17-21 where we find God making the first covenant with Abraham and his descendants long before Abram and Sarai had even had their first child.

15:1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”

8 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?”

9 So the Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.”

10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 

 17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

In this passage we see two things and both point to a single guiding principle that all of us should remember.  First, we see the beginning of God’s covenant, contract, and promise with the people of Israel and second, a more personal promise specifically made to Abram and Sarai.  God promises Abram that even though Abram has already given up on having children of his own with Sarai, that family will one day be as uncountable as the stars in the sky.

For those of us who know the stories, we know that God’s covenant with Abram and his descendants lasted for more than two thousand years before the birth of the Messiah and the beginning of the new covenant.  And we also know that while Abram and Sarai were given a son, that son did not arrive until they were both nearly a hundred years old.  And so, from these two promises we learn one guiding principle: God is faithful.  We know that God always keeps his promises even when it sometimes seems that he is taking far too long or has forgotten.  But God does not forget.  God always keeps his promises.

We find our second light in Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 where Paul says this:

3:17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.


4:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

Here, Paul reminds the people of the church that we must be careful on whom we choose to model our lives.  We must be careful because… how we live matters. There will always be people who claim to be good but who live as if they are not.  There will always be people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ but live as if they are not. And even though we might be ridiculed and despised because we choose to live as if our heavenly citizenship matters, we should be encouraged because how we live matters to God.

And then in Luke 13:31-35, we discover three more lights in the darkness.

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

In the very first verse we discover a huge source of encouragement that we often miss.  Luke says that several Pharisees came to Jesus to warn him that Herod wanted him dead.  But it is the Pharisees that we often believe were Jesus’ enemies and it is the Pharisees who we accuse, as a group, of being the men who accuse Jesus and who themselves want Jesus dead.  So how is this possible that Pharisees come to Jesus in an attempt to save his life?  Some commentators say that these Pharisees just wanted Jesus to go away and go somewhere else.  But another compellingly simple answer is that all of the Pharisees weren’t bad.  Just as you can never say that all of Congress is corrupt, or that all of our enemies are evil, or that all Christians are good, it is unfair, and wrong, to say that all of the Pharisees were of one mind and that all of them believed the same things.  Some of the Pharisees were good, some of them were not out to get Jesus, and in fact there were some of them who were supportive of what Jesus was doing.  And so we find encouragement in understanding that even when you seem to be completely alone, not everyone is against you, and you may even find allies in unexpected places.

The next encouragement immediately follows the last and is similar.  When Jesus is told that Herod, the most powerful man in that part of the world, wants Jesus dead, what does he do?  Does Jesus go into hiding?  Does he do as the Pharisees suggest and go to a different place, perhaps a place where Herod’s power is not so strong?  Clearly, the answer is no.  Jesus tells the Pharisees that they are free to tell Herod to his face that Jesus intends to continue to do what he has already done and not only today, but also tomorrow, and the next day.  And so our fourth point of light comes from Jesus’ example.  When we are doing what is right, and what God has called us to do, we should continue to do it regardless of our opposition and regardless of the threats that might come against us.

Finally, we read the last part of the passage where we hear Jesus weeping over the future of Jerusalem.  Jesus speaks about the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem that will not happen for another forty years.  Jesus sees the future.  And yet, he says “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  Jesus sees the future and knows that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left desolate, but he also knows that destruction is not the end of the story.  Jesus knows the future and so he must also know that will soon die.  But even so, he presses on because he knows that the destruction of Israel and even his own death is not the end.

Jesus is not discouraged because he knows that in the end, God wins.

While this is clearly not a complete list of all of the good news, we remember that when it’s really dark, just a few lights can make a big difference.  And so, here are the five encouragements we heard today that can bring a little light into our times of discouragement and darkness:

  • Even when it seems as if he has forgotten, God always keeps his promises.
  • Even when everyone around us seems to only care about themselves, how we live matters to God.
  • Even when you feel alone, not everyone is against you.
  • Even when we face opposition, when we are doing what God called us to do, just keep doing it.

And finally 5) Even when all seems lost, remember that this is not the end…

…because in the end, God wins.

 

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* You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page.  Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio.  Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you.  Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646.  These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership.  You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org.  To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn.   These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

Finding True Love

PastorPartridge Sermon , , , ,

“Finding True Love”

February 14, 2016

By John Partridge

 

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11                   Romans 10:8b-13                  Luke 4:1-13

 

Today is the day.

Today is the day that many of you will send cards, or buy flowers, or go out to dinner with someone special.  Today is the traditional celebration of St. Valentines Day, and a celebration of the people that we love.  But this is also the first Sunday in Lent, the forty days in which we prepare our hearts for Easter, the resurrection, and Jesus’ defeat of sin and death.  And so, as I considered these two great themes for today, I realized that since Easter is God’s most profound and eloquent statement of his love for us, the stories of Valentine’s Day and the stories of Lent are not separate and distinct from one another, but they are, in fact, very much connected.

Lent and Easter are, in the end, God’s greatest gift of love to his people.  In order to discover how, let’s turn to Deuteronomy 26:1-11 where God summarizes the entire story of the Exodus in one paragraph…

26:1 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

At first glance, this may not sound a lot like a love story, but it is once you get past the surface and look a little deeper.  As the people of Israel move into the Promised Land, God asks them to remember the story of how they got there, and in that story we keep coming back to the idea of love.  The story says that Jacob, also known as Israel, went down to Egypt with a few people, but God loved them, blessed them, and they multiplied.  But Egypt did not love them.  Egypt became afraid of the people of Israel, mistreated them, and abused them.  And so the people cried out to the only God they had ever known who had genuinely shown them love.  And, true to his nature, God heard their prayers and answered them.  Although God had great strength, he did not use that strength to frighten or to bully his people into obedience, but instead used it to protect them and bring them to a place that was even better than the one they had left behind.  And the only thing that God asks in return is for the people to remember and to celebrate the love that he had shown to them.

There is a great contrast in this story and it is the contrast to how Egypt treated God’s people, and how God treated them.  Egypt and its Pharaoh cared only for themselves and so they were afraid when Israel was blessed by God and became strong in both strength and numbers.  But God never reacted out of fear.  Instead, God always reacted out of love, compassion, and a concern for the best interests of his people.  Another great, but also quite similar, contrast is found in Luke 4:1-13 where Satan meets Jesus in the wilderness.

4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
11 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

As we read through this passage, what is it that Satan wanted?  Satan wanted Jesus to cut short his worship of God, he wanted Jesus to act selfishly and seize power before God gave it to him.  Satan wanted Jesus to worship him rather than the one true God.  And Satan wanted Jesus to force God to reveal his glory before his chosen time.  At every turn, Satan wanted what was best for Satan and not what was best for Jesus, what was best for God, best for God’s kingdom, or what was best for God’s people.

That, my friends, is not love.

We see that same behavior in human relationships where people only want what is best for themselves.  They take people, they use people, for their own ends, but they never truly love them.

True love is not about getting what you want.  True love is not about using others so that you can look good.  True love is not about using others to make yourself feel good or so that you can advance your career, become more powerful, more influential, or more wealthy.

True love is something different.

In Romans 10:8b-13, Paul reminds us of what it is that Jesus did for us…

8 “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In this short passage, Paul reminds us that it was Jesus who rose from the dead, and he did so because he was willing to give his life for others.  Jesus sacrificed himself in order to be obedient to the will of God and he sacrificed himself so that others could be rescued from sin and death.  Jesus demonstrated the same kind of love for God’s people that God himself showed to Jacob, Moses, and the people of Israel.

Jesus showed us that true love is sacrificial.

True love is about the needs of others.

And the message of Easter as well as the message of St. Valentine is very much the same.  We can recognize true love when we see that someone does what is best for someone else and not what is best for themselves.  We recognize true love when someone helps others to grow instead of only using others for their own pleasure or for their own benefit.

What we find in scripture is that God loves us with that kind of sacrificial love.

Likewise, Jesus was willing to give his life for us so that we could live without fear of sin and death.

This kind of selflessness is what we look for as we learn how to love others, and what we look for as we evaluate those who claim to love us.

We should always be asking ourselves two questions.

Do they love me like Jesus?

And,

Do I…

…love others

…like Jesus?

 

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* You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page.  Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio.  Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you.  Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646.  These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership.  You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org.  To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn.   These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

Resurrection. Then What?

PastorPartridge Sermon , , , , ,

“Resurrection. Then What?”

February 07, 2016

By John PartridgeU

 

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-13                      1 Corinthians 15:1-11                       Luke 5:1-11

Have you ever tried to figure out one of those Rube Goldberg machines?  If you aren’t familiar with the name “Rube Goldberg,” these contraptions are those machines that take lots of unnecessary steps to do something simple.  The beginning of the television detective show, “Elementary,” starring Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson begins with that sort of machine. There are many videos on the Internet that show these kinds of machines and a few really incredible ones by the musical group “OK Go.  Years ago, Kermit the Frog used to have one occasionally to talk about “what happens next” and with each step he would talk about, not surprisingly, what happens next.  Whether we are young enough to watch Sesame Street, or old enough to remember when Basil Rathbone was the definitive Sherlock Holmes, watching these sorts of things is fascinating as we all wonder how the builders think and we wonder what will happen next.

It is with this fascination that we look forward to the next book in a series, or the next sequel to our favorite movie.  And it is with this same fascination that we read other stories, including scripture, and we wonder, what happens next.  And so, even though the Easter story of Jesus’ resurrection is the highlight of the Christian year, and the climax of the Biblical narrative, we keep on reading to see what happens next until Jesus ascends into heaven, and then later, the story of Pentecost.

But then what?

When we read the Bible like a story that has a beginning, middle and end, we know that the Old Testament is the beginning and has a lot of the background and back stories that we need to understand the characters.  We understand that the Christmas story is the beginning of the Jesus story and Easter and the resurrection are the climax.  But what happens next?  Is the story over when Jesus returns to heaven?  Obviously, the disciples go out into the world and their story is in the rest of the New Testament, but what is the point?  If the whole story starts in Genesis, and Easter is the climax, then what’s the point?  We read these stories and we often wonder… what happens next?

To answer that, let’s begin once again in Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-13) so we can understand the background that led to the coming of Jesus the Messiah.


6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

9 He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’  10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”

And he answered:

“Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.
13 And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”

Isaiah proclaims that Israel will be destroyed, the cities left empty, houses deserted, fields and crops burned, and even those who survive will face another round of destruction until even the forests are left with only stumps.  All of Israel is described as a desolate wasteland.

But hope remains.

Isaiah doesn’t describe the stumps of the trees as dead things as most of us would expect, but as seeds.  “The holy seed will be the stump in the land.”  Isaiah wants the people to know that the holy seed, that thing that God is doing, remains in the land.  Although the land is desolate and the people are few, God is not dead.  Instead, both the land and the people of Israel are to endure a time of dormancy.  In more modern language, Isaiah says, “Winter is coming.”  But dormancy and winter, although dreary and dark, still contain a seed of hope… the hope of spring.

And we find the spring in the coming of Jesus.  In Luke 5:1-11 we hear these words:

5:1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

In this short story, there are several things that reveal who Jesus is.  The fishermen can see immediately that Jesus is able to see things in nature that they cannot.  They see that Jesus can see in each of them, what they could not see in themselves.  They see that God can prepare a blessing for them even though they cannot see it.  And finally, they see that Jesus’ knowledge of the world, and of them, is truly frightening.  For these men there was no doubt that the seed Isaiah spoke of had sprouted, there was no doubt that winter was over, and that the promised Messiah had come.

That was God’s story all along.  Eight hundred years before the coming of Jesus, during the life of the prophet Isaiah, God knew.  God knew that Jesus would stand by that lake; he knew that those fishermen would be there, and he knew that those fish would be where he needed them to be.

God knew.

It was a part of his story.

But where does that leave us?

How does this all lead us to what happens after the resurrection?

And so, let us turn to 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, where Paul is answering a very similar question.

15:1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

At first, this may not seem to answer the question about what happens after the resurrection but it does, so bear with me for just a minute.

Paul says that the story of Jesus, his birth, life, death, and resurrection, is what he has preached, what we have all believed, and that our belief in that story is what has saved us.  Then Paul says that this story, that Jesus died for our sins, is of first importance.

And so what happened after the resurrection of Jesus?

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the twelve disciples.  Then he appeared to more than five hundred men and women who believed in him, and then he appeared to Paul and converted him as well.

And if we go one step further, what happened next?

What did the disciples do after they saw Jesus resurrected, alive, and walking the earth?  What did the five hundred do when they heard?  What did Paul do when he heard?  And what did Paul’s church do when he told them?

They all did what Paul was doing.  They all considered that story, the birth, life, death, resurrection of Jesus to be of first importance, to be more important than anything else.  And all of them committed their lives to telling others what had happened so that they could also hear the good news and be saved.  Each generation that has heard this story has believed that it was true, and they took upon themselves that same mission.  Each generation told the next generation until now that story has come down to us.

Every story has a beginning, middle, and end.  God’s story didn’t end with the resurrection.  God’s story is still being written.

“What happens next,” has been happening for two thousand years and is still happening today.

What happens next is that the story that Paul told is still the story of first importance.  The story of the Gospel message is still the most important story ever told, it is still the most important story that we know, and it is still the most important thing that we do.

What happens next is that we must still do what the disciples did, what the five hundred did, what Paul did, and what every generation since then has done.

We are no longer the people who listen; we have become the people who know the story.  And because we know the story, the story that is of first importance, it is our turn, it has become our job, our mission, to share that message of good news with anyone who hasn’t yet heard it.

That is what happens next and that is what happens after the resurrection.

The Gospel story is of first importance.

And sharing that story with others is the first, and the most important, thing that we do.

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U You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page.  Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio.  Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you.  Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646.  These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership.  You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org.  To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn.   These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

God’s Story is YOUR Story

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“God’s Story is Your Story”

January 24, 2016

By John PartridgeU

 

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-10               1 Corinthians 12:12-31a                  

 

Do you watch the news about what is happening in Europe?

As we watch the Middle Eastern immigration into Europe, we are seeing some very ugly things.  Some, though certainly not all, of the men coming into Europe are behaving terribly.  Not only is there violence and bloodshed, but many European women are being disrespected, groped, abused and even raped simply because the morals and acceptable behaviors of Europe are very different than the places from which these men have come.  Since our morals are similar to those in Europe, we find the behavior of these men to be utterly inexcusable.  I do not condone their behavior in any way, but these news stories may provide an opportunity for us to see something in ourselves that we might ordinarily not see.  What would it be like, for us, if we were to find ourselves in a new place where all of the rules of behavior were different?

I have several friends who experienced this to varying degrees as they adapted to life on the mission field.  In other places, things that are absolutely normal to the people there are quite different to those of us who were raised in another part of the world.  Rules of conversation, behavior, and even simple gestures are entirely different.   And so, as we think about this sort of culture shock, let’s thinking about tis as well:  What would it be like if you had never heard the word of God, and then, as you came to faith in God, suddenly discovered that there were things that God wanted you to do, but many of them were things that you had never heard?  In that sense, the followers of God are much like the newest immigrants to Europe.  New believers come to church and suddenly discover that the rules of behavior, morality, and every day life have become much different than they used to be.

In our first passage of scripture this morning we read from Nehemiah 8:1-10, and in this passage the people if Israel, having recently returned from captivity in Babylon, and having completed a wall around the city of Jerusalem, gather together to hear the scriptures read to them.  Having grown up as Jewish slaves in Babylon, many of these people had heard only those parts of the scriptures that their parents and grandparents had memorized.  Even those who had been able to hear portions of scripture were unlikely to have heard all of it, and since almost no one had access to the few copies that were available, if they had heard any of God’s word at all, it was only in bits and pieces and on rare occasions.  And so, as soon as they have finished the walls of the city and have secured for themselves enough safety to take a day off and bring the people together, the priests call everyone in the city together for a day of celebration.


8:1 All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah tells us that all of the people in the city came together as one.  They were of one mind and they all came so that they could hear the words of the God.  As Ezra the priest began to read the scriptures, other priests echoed the words out to the crowd to be sure that everyone could hear and they explained the meaning of what Ezra had read.  As a sign of respect, when the word of God was read, the people stood.  And this went on for hours.  But there were times where the people heard things that made them worship God with all their might or repent of things that they had done, and at those times the people fell on their faces before God.

At the end of the day, Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest, and all of the Levites who were leading worship reassured the people and tried to calm them because many of them were weeping.  For years they had worshipped God, but as they heard his words read in public they had been convicted that they were doing wrong.  For the first time, they were hearing the instructions of God, instructions on the morality of God, and instructions on how God’s people were to behave and act.  And as they listened, they had culture shock.  They discovered that what they were doing was not what God wanted.  They discovered that the rules were different than they had expected, that the way that they were living was not acceptable to God, and that the way that they were behaving fell short of God’s standards.  But instead of condemning them, Nehemiah encouraged them to rejoice, enjoy the food and drinks that had been brought to the celebration, and to rejoice in the God that loved them.

The people had come to worship God, to honor him, and to praise him.  And in doing so, the people had been convicted of their guilt.  They learned for the first time, or remembered, what God had called them to do.  But because all of this was new to many of them, Nehemiah does not call on them to punish themselves.  They had heard the words of God, they had repented of their sins, and now they could adjust, and begin to live new lives.  Now they could do better.  Now they could begin to change their behavior to be more like the people God was calling them to be.

Eventually, the entire synagogue system eventually mirrored this model.  Each week, the people would gather in the synagogue, a portion of the scriptures would be read, and a priest would explain to everyone what it meant and how they might apply that teaching to their daily lives.  In fact, this remains a good description of Christian worship even today.  And so, with all of this in mind, let us turn to the words of the Apostle Paul where he teaches the words that I shared with the children just last week (1 Corinthians 12:12-31a)

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

One result that sometimes comes from reading scripture is that, as we begin to identify as Christians, and as we begin to model the beliefs and behaviors modelled in scripture, we also begin to excuse ourselves from some of the harder pieces.  We hear the stories about spiritual gifts and the fruits of the Spirit and we say to ourselves, “Those are the things that pastors do.” Or, “Those are the things that leaders do.” Or, “Those are the things that only people who are specially called and gifted can do.”  Or even, “I wish I was like that person because they are special and can do those special things.” None of this is new.  Paul was hearing the same excuses two thousand years ago and this was his response.  Paul says that we are all one body but we are not all the same.  Each of us has been created differently and each of us has been given different gifts.

But make no mistake, each of us have gifts.

And so each and every one of us must do that part that God has called us to do.  The body can’t work the way that it is supposed to with only one eye or with only one foot.  Paul addresses all of the people who have come to faith in Jesus Christ and he says, “ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

Each of you are a part of it.

When we come to faith in Jesus, not only are there new rules of behavior and morality to which we must adjust, we must constantly be reading, listening, and studying the word of God to discover where we fall short and what we ought to be doing better.  Nehemiah found that even people who had heard the word of God had forgotten parts of it and had to repent that they were not doing everything that God expected of them.  The same applies to us.  The Bible is a big book and there is always something new for us to learn and we can always find something that we can do better.  But more than that, Paul reminds us that following Jesus is not a spectator sport.  We cannot just sit back and watch what others are doing.

God’s story is your story.

We are all called to be a part of the body, and there is work for each of us to do.

Let us all eagerly desire to do the work of Jesus.

 

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U You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page.  Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio.  Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you.  Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646.  These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership.  You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org.  To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn.   These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

Power, Jesus, and You

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“Power, Jesus, and You”

January 17, 2016

By John PartridgeU

 

 Scripture: Isaiah 62:1-5                      1 Corinthians 12:1-11                       John 2:1-11

My grandparents were marvelous gardeners.  They had composted, turned the soil, and nurtured their garden for five or six decades with such care that, even when the soil was dry, you could stick your bare hand wrist deep without much effort.  They had combined generations of practice and stewardship that they had learned from their family and combined it with the best that science had to offer and grew incredible, and delicious, things without chemicals, without fertilizers, and without very many weeds (and what weeds there were, didn’t last long under their watchful care).  When we visited them, we intended to, and were expected to, help.  But helping out came with a few rules.  Grandma and Grandpa were the bosses.  Whatever they said was the law.  You could help but you did what they told you to do, the way that they told you to do it.  Even though their house was a place of incredible love, there was a clear division of labor that was not to be toyed with.

It was good training for real life.

As we got older we discovered that work is often like that too.  At most places of employment there is a division of labor.  Sometimes it is a division between labor and management, or blue collar and white collar, or both, and even within those divisions there are divisions between sales and engineering, between laborers and electricians, skilled and unskilled, and lots of other divisions.

And so, as we come to faith in Jesus, it is fair for us to wonder what the division of labor might be in the church.  Especially in light of last week’s message where we learned how the Spirit of God lives with us and gives us the strength to do God’s will.  If we are called to do God’s work, then what is it that we are called to do?  What should I expect Jesus to do, what does the pastor do, and what am I expected to do?  And so this morning we’re going to talk about some of the ways that we discover a division of labor, as it were, in the Christian life.

We begin with the prophet Isaiah as God declares how he will use his people, and his blessing, to make his name knows throughout the world (Isaiah 62:1-5).

62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
2 The nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah, [Hephzibah means my delight is in her.]
and your land Beulah [Beulah means married.];
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.

First off, what we just heard says that God intends to use his power to restore Israel and to vindicate his people.  ‘Vindicate’ is not a word that we use a lot, but it means to clear someone of suspicion, to acquit, or exonerate them of the charges against them.  And so God intends to prove that his people were right in their belief in him and remove all doubts among the nations that Israel’s God was the creator of the universe and rules over everything in it.  God intends to prove to the world that he is the only true God.  But, at the same time, God intends to use his people to accomplish his purpose.  God intends for his people to be so obvious, so amazing, so wonderful, so blessed, and so good, that the entire world will be attracted to him because of them.

And then at the end of that passage, God speaks of his love for his people, his love for you.  God says that he loves you with the love that a bridegroom has for his bride.  God wants you to know that he not only loves you, but he wants to pour himself into you until he is thrilled with you.

And then in John 2:1-11, we see some of the power that Jesus wielded during his life on earth.  It is power that was sometimes a little different that the power of God that we see in the Old Testament, it is power that is a little more local and more personal, but it is still power that goes beyond anything that ordinary human beings could ever hope to accomplish.

2:1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

The jars that Jesus ordered to be filled with water were not small pitchers; they were huge jars that, when full, would weigh between two hundred fifty and four hundred pounds.  Even empty they were probably fifty to a hundred pounds each.  It would have taken considerable time and many trips to the local well for the servants to fill six of these jars.  The servants could probably only carry between two and five gallons at a time, and so to fill the 180 gallons held in these six jars would require between 36 and 90 trips to the well.  And suddenly, without a word being spoken, all six of these huge jars are no longer filled with water, but wine, and not only is it wine, it is excellent wine that the steward in charge of the feast felt must be the best wine in the house.  When it comes to the division of labor, Jesus does those things that no one else can do, those things that require the power of God to do, and when he does them, he does so with outrageous excellence.

And then in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, the Apostle Paul describes how God’s power comes down to us, and how we can be called to do the will of God.

12:1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

What Paul describes is often referred to as the Spiritual Gifts, but this is not an exclusive list.  In other places there are other lists that include more gifts and those are also intended for use by God’s people.  But here we see not only the list, but some important rules on how these gifts can, and should, be used.  Paul says “4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”  And so we know that we do not all receive the same gifts.  Each of us is different, we were created to be different, we are built differently, gifted differently, and inclined differently.

But regardless of our differences, it is the same God that works through us and the gifts that we are given are intended to be used for the common good.  God has given us different skills, abilities, inclinations, and different gifts, but that doesn’t make one gift better or more valuable than any other.  That doesn’t make pastors more important than the congregation, just different.  It doesn’t make prophets, or teachers, or healers, or evangelists, better than people who have different gifts, just different.  Engineers and designers have no reason to design if sales people can’t sell.  I may have been given a gift that allows me to teach and help lead worship, but I do not have the gifts that many of you have with music, with children, with food, hospitality, and many other things.  I am not the church, I cannot to do the work of the church by myself, and no one or two of us can.  What we do, we must all do together, using all of the gifts that God has poured out upon all of his people.  Each one of us has a role to play regardless of how important we think that role might be.  Each and every one of us is needed and the gifts of every one of us are required to get the job done.

And so, while the life of the church has an exclusive role for the power of God, and a role for the power of Jesus Christ as he does the things that none of us can do, there is also a role for each one of us.  Just as we saw in Isaiah, God intends to prove to the world that he is the only true God.  But, at the same time, God intends to use his people, God intends to use you, to accomplish his purpose.

God intends for us to be so obvious, so amazing, so wonderful, and so good, that the entire world will be attracted to him because of us.

No one of us is more important than any other.

No one of us is unnecessary.

To do the work that God has prepared for us will require the efforts of all of us, using all of our gifts, working together.

 
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U You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page.  Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio.  Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you.  Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646.  These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership.  You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org.  To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn.   These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

What Power is Within You?

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“What Power is Within You?”

January 10, 2016

(Baptism of Jesus)

By John PartridgeU

 

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-7                      Acts 8:14-17               Luke 3:15-22

Here is a question that might seem odd at first.

Where does strength come from?

Certainly we get physical strength from the food we eat and mental or moral strength from the way that we were raised, the life experiences that we have had, and the struggles we have survived.  But what else is there?

Clark Kent was able to be Superman because he came from a planet with stronger gravity and a different sun.  Billy Batson was able to become Captain Marvel because of the magic word that he had been taught.  Dr. Donald Blake was able to become the Mighty Thor because tapping his cane caused it to transform into the enchanted hammer Mjolnir.  And lately, if you watch the show Limitless on CBS, Brian Finch (played by Jake Dorman) becomes the smartest man on the planet whenever he takes the mysterious drug NZT.

But that’s all just comic books, fiction, and storytelling isn’t it?

Or is it?

In the summer of 1984 (or thereabouts), I entered the United States Army and reported to Fort Dix, New Jersey for basic training.  While there we were regularly pushed to our limits physically as well as emotionally in all sorts of ways.  We did things that we had never done before and we discovered that we were able to do things that we never thought we could do before.  But one afternoon, I experienced something spiritual that opened my mind and my heart to a whole new set of possibilities.

After weeks of training and uncountable numbers of push-ups and sit-ups, I had grown to understand what my body could do and had become much better at listening to what it had to say when it was tired, hurt, or just getting warmed up.  But one afternoon, after several nights of little or no sleep and, again, an almost uncountable number of push-ups, we were, once again, pulled out of class because too many of us were falling asleep.  When we were pulled out of class for sleeping, our drill sergeants would form us up in ranks outside and we would do calisthenics for as long as they thought necessary to wake us up.

They seemed to last forever.

And at some point, I ran out of whatever I had that kept me going.  In the middle of doing a set of push-ups, I collapsed.  I had done enough push-ups, and had felt enough pain, and knew enough about listening to my body, that I knew I did not have another push-up in me.  I was at the end of myself.  I was so frustrated that I almost wept.  I knew that my failure would cost my friends even more push-up and even more pain.

And, laying there on the ground, at some point, I began to pray.

I prayed for myself, but I also prayed for my friends.  And although it might sound strange to those who haven’t been in that kind of a place, I prayed that God would give me strength to do more push-ups.  I prayed for strength so that I wouldn’t get yelled at and so that I wouldn’t be a target for the drill instructors because I was the one who had failed.  But I also prayed because I didn’t want to let my buddies down.  I didn’t want it to be me that caused them to endure even more than what we already had.

And something happened.

I struggle to find the words to describe it.  The word that I want really isn’t “unexpected,” or “unexplainable,” or “amazing,” even though all of those adjectives hold a piece of the truth.  But all of a sudden I had the strength to go on.  Suddenly I began doing more push-ups, first one, then another, then five, ten, and on and on.  I don’t remember how many more there were, but I remember, clear as day, that I marveled at how many it became.  I was sure that I could do no more push-ups with the strength that I had left, but even allowing that I had a short break of several seconds, I thought that a short rest might allow me to do a few more, but our set of push-up went far beyond what I would have ever called a few, and I kept up.  I knew that I had been filled with strength that I didn’t have, strength that didn’t come from me but seemed to come from somewhere outside of myself.

For one brief moment in time, I felt God’s strength flow through me in a way that I previously could have never imagined.

So what does all of that have to do with everyone here?  Let’s begin once again by reading from Isaiah 43:1-7 as God reminds his people what he has done for them and why their relationship to him matters.


43:1 But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

God reminds his people that he is powerful, but also that each of them are not alone, that they are each known by God, protected by God, valuable to God, loved by God and will, ultimately, be reunited with their sons, daughters, and all of the family of God.

That was then, and remains today, an important message and it is one worth remembering about our own relationship with God.  But then, 800 years later, with the coming of Jesus, our relationship with God grew even closer.  In Luke 3:15-22, we read these words…

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

In this short picture, John tells the crowds that the Messiah will baptize the people with the Holy Spirit and with fire and then moments later he describes for us a moment when all three members of the trinity appear together, Jesus in the water with John, the Spirit descending like a dove, and the Father speaking, “You are my Son, whom I love.”  And once again, we have an image of a God is powerful, but also a promise that Jesus will baptize his people in the Spirit of God.

What exactly does that mean?

To find out, let’s keep going and look at Acts 8:14-17 where Luke describes this scene:


14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

I want you to hear that again.

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

After the coming of Jesus Christ, God is no longer a god who is far away.  Instead, God becomes a god in whom we are baptized, dipped, immersed, and who becomes a part of who we are.  After the coming of Jesus, the followers of God receive the Holy Spirit.  And while I cannot tell exactly how that happens, what it means is that the creator of the universe, in some way, takes up residence inside of each one of his followers and that means a lot more than just giving us the strength to do more push-ups.

This isn’t just the stuff of comic books, stories, and legends.

Because we are baptized by, and filled with, the Spirit of God, we are able to do far more than we ever could by ourselves.  I consider myself blessed because, for one brief moment during Army Basic Training, I was able to feel the presence and strength of God and know that what was happening wasn’t me.  But being filled with the Spirit of God is bigger than that.  Being filled with the Spirit of God means that, through his strength, we are given the power to do what we could never do alone.

Because we are filled with the Spirit of God, we are able to do the work of God, according to the will of God.

When you receive the power of the Spirit of God, then you will, through his power, do the things that God does.  You will do the things that Isaiah saw. You will help others to know that they are known by God.  You will help others to know that they are not alone, that they are valuable, protected, and loved, and that one day, we will all be reunited with brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, and all those who have been adopted into God’s family.

That power lives and breathes inside of each one of you.

Use it wisely, use it well, but be certain that you use it.

 

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U You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page.  Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio.  Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you.  Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646.  These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership.  You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org.  To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn.   These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

God’s Greatest Mystery: Revealed!

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“God’s Greatest Mystery: Revealed!”

January 03, 2016

(Epiphany)

By John Partridge*

 

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-6        Ephesians 3:1-12           Matthew 2:1-12

For hundreds of years, perhaps even thousands, there was a great mystery of faith and scripture.  Since almost the earliest writings of the prophets, there was a promise that God would send a king, a redeemer, a rescuer, that would lift Israel above the other nations of the earth and who would bring about a time of great justice, righteousness and peace.

But despite a great many clues, despite even knowing where he would be born, no one knew who it would be or when he would come.  It was, undoubtedly, God’s greatest mystery.  Although a great many prophets had provided a part of the story and a part of the mystery, the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 60:1-6) said this:


60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

Isaiah proclaims that the coming of the Messiah would be like the dawn of a new day, a time when the darkness was stripped away and a new light appears.  He also told that it would be a time of great joy, when the sons and daughters of Israel would return home, when Israel would regain her wealth, and when foreigners would come to Israel, bringing great gifts and lifting praises to God.

This was indeed a great mystery.  What would it be like to live in such a time?  Would there not be a great fanfare at the birth of such a person?  Surely, the entire nation would rejoice.  There would be parades and celebrations everywhere.  Surely, if visitors from other nations came bearing gifts, then the birth of this amazing person must have been announced everywhere.  But what kind of a person would this be?  Would it be the son of a king or the high priest?  Would there be a great announcement by Israel’s greatest prophets?

But that is not how it happened.

Instead of grand announcements, parades, and fanfare, the Messiah was born in the back room of a tiny forgotten town, to a poor family no one ever heard of.

But even so, the angels sang and heaven rejoiced.

And even so, dignitaries came from far away bearing gifts just as Isaiah has said. (Matthew 2:1-12)


2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The heavens themselves proclaimed the arrival of this child.

They saw his star and knew that the time had come.

But the king in Jerusalem, Herod, himself a foreigner, an Idumean, a descendant of Esau and not of Jacob, whose family had converted to Judaism, missed the signs, and so did all of his advisors and all of the scholars and religious leaders.  Until, of course, the magi arrived in search of him.  And then Herod wants to know, he wants to find this child, this supposed king of the Jews.  Not because he wants to worship, but because he is threatened and afraid.  Herod was paranoid and overprotective of his dominance and power.  Herod was not a nice man.  History tells us that he executed his own wife; sons, brother-in-law, his wife’s grandfather, and several other family members who he thought might threaten his power.  And so it is not difficult to understand that Herod’s motives in asking where the child was born were not noble.

Herod wanted to find the child so that he could make this new problem go away.

But Herod’s fear, was as misplaced as it was ironic.

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, an ancient Greek city that is within the borders of modern Turkey, Paul explains that the birth of Jesus was not only the fulfillment of prophecy, but the revelation of the mystery that everyone had been talking about for millennia. (Ephesians 3:1-12)


3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Paul’s great insight is that the Magi, the wise men from foreign nations, were the first of a new kind of believer, the first to hear a new invitation from God.  This great mystery that is revealed in the birth of Jesus, is that the Gentiles, those people who were not genetically Jewish or converted to Judaism, were also being invited to be followers of God and heirs together with Israel and the Jews, who would be adopted in to one single family of faith.

And that is the ironic part of Herod’s fear.  Herod was afraid of being the outsider.  He was afraid that this new Jewish king would be a threat to his rule and reign because he was born to be the King of the Jews and, being Jewish by birth, would gain the trust and support of the people over and above Herod who was a foreigner and a convert.  But instead of being a threat, the child, the new Jewish king, had come, not to overthrow Herod for his foreignness, but for the particular purpose of inviting the foreigners and Gentiles into God’s family.

Herod was afraid of being the outsider but Jesus had come to invite the outsiders in.

And Paul’s message to the church, beginning with a church full of outsiders, Greeks, Turks, and non-Jews, was that the mission of the church was to tell this good news, this revealed mystery of God, to rulers, authorities, and everyone we can find.  The coming of the wise men signified the arrival of, and the invitation of, the foreigners, strangers, and outsiders, Gentiles, non-Jews, people like the Greeks…

…and people like us.

God’s rescuer was not only the fulfillment of a great many promises, he was, and is, an explosion of grace and an amazing expansion of God’s invitation.  Jesus came to earth not only to rescue the Jews, but to invite all people, everywhere, regardless of birth, or wealth, or nationality, to follow God.

And Paul’s revelation was not only this understanding of the mystery, or this invitation, but that we, the church, have now been given the responsibility to make this good news known to all people, everywhere. (Luke 2:9-11)

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

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U You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page.  Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio.  Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you.  Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646.  These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership.  You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org.  To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn.   These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

A Reason For Rejoicing

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“A Reason for Rejoicing”
December 24, 2015
(Christmas Eve)
By John Partridge

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7     Titus 2:11-14     Luke 2:1-20

Eight hundred years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2-7)

Today we say things like, “It was as if someone had flipped a switch.” Or talk about how “a light went on” when we discover great new ideas or hear news that might transform our lives. That is exactly the idea that Isaiah was trying to communicate. A light would come into the darkness and the world would be transformed. Joy was increased, people celebrated as if it was Thanksgiving or the end of a war, people threw off the burdens that had weighed them down, soldiers retired and burned their boots and their blood stained clothes. It would be a day of unimaginable celebration and it came because a child was born who would be a Mighty God and the Prince of Peace.

And for eight hundred years the people of Israel remembered God’s promises and they waited… and hoped.

And then, as we read in the gospel of Luke, God came to earth as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. And the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill, toward men.” (Luke 2:1-20)  The shepherds rejoiced at the news and went into town to see for themselves and as they returned, they glorified God and lifted up praises for the things that they had seen and heard.

It was a moment that changed the world.

The creator of the universe came to earth and put on humanity, became one of us, so that we could be rescued, saved, purified, perfected, and made fit for heaven. God came to do what we could never do for ourselves, he came to sacrifice himself so that we could be transformed and, through his power and sacrifice, made good enough to enter into his perfect home.

In Titus 2:11-14, it says…

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

God came to earth so that he could pour out mercy and grace upon the earth for all people.

It is the coming of Jesus and his sacrifice for us that teaches us to say “no” to our culture, to say “no” to the corrupt desires that pull us away from God, and that gives us the strength to live lives of godliness. Just as Israel did before the coming of the Messiah, today it is our turn to wait… and hope. But as we do we remember not only the promise, but we also remember the reason for our hope.

Jesus, the Son of God, the rescuer of all humanity, the creator of the universe, who put on human flesh and sacrificed himself so that we could be rescued from ourselves, purified, and transformed into something greater than we could have ever imagined.

Tonight we remember that night long ago, that silent night that brought joy to the world.

Tonight we remember… not just a baby in a manger.

We remember that tiny baby gave all of humanity… a reason for rejoicing.
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 You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page. Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio. Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you. Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646. These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership. You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org. To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn. These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

 

The Heart of the King

PastorPartridge Sermon , , , ,

“The Heart of the King”
December 20, 2015
(Fourth Sunday of Advent)
By John Partridge

Scripture: Micah 5:2-5a             Hebrews 10:5-10               Luke 1:39-55

How many of you have ever watched a boxing match and actually listened to the commentators?

There is one comment that is often made when discussing boxers, or football players, or horse races or even music that is in common with all of those things. There is a song that came out in the early 80’s by Huey Lewis and the News that starts like this:

New York, New York, is everything they say
And no place that I’d rather be
Where else can you do a half a million things
All at a quarter to three

When they play their music, ooh that modern music
They like it with a lot of style
But it’s still that same old back beat rhythm
That really really drives ’em wild

They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating
And from what I’ve seen I believe ’em
Now the old boy may be barely breathingBut the heart of rock and roll, heart of rock and roll is still beating.

“The Heart Of Rock & Roll” (Huey Lewis and the News, 1983)

Huey Lewis goes on to say that the music they play in New York, L.A. and other parts of the country can be very different but it’s still rock and roll because it has the same heart. When we are trying to understand something, “heart” is important. A great boxer has “heart,” and football, soccer, baseball and sports figures, even horses, often stand out because they play with “heart.” We often trust people because we understand them and we say that we “know their heart.”

As we read our scripture lessons today, this idea of “heart” is critical to our understanding. We begin, first of all, with the writing of the prophet Micah. Micah lived about 700 – 750 years before the birth of Jesus and about the same time as the prophet Isaiah. And in his writing, Micah speaks about the Messiah that is to come saying… (Micah 5:2-5a)

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be our peace

Micah tells the world that even though Bethlehem is small and often considered to be unimportant, the Messiah and king of Israel will come from among her people. Although Micah warns that Israel’s unbelief and sinful behavior will bring judgement upon them all, and that Israel will be abandoned for a time, when the Messiah comes, he will lead his people from a position of strength. The Messiah will stand in the strength of God and his great strength will, finally, bring peace.

Here again, as we noted a few weeks ago, we see the prophetic idea of the “already and not yet.” The Messiah that Micah sees will come after Israel returns from her abandonment, which clearly was after the return from captivity in Babylon and which we see in the birth of Jesus. But Jesus’ rule and reign as king still lies in the future.

In Luke 1:39-55, we remember more.

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary’s speech has long been known as “Mary’s song” and it is written poetically as if she were singing. In her song we hear her describe God by making a list of his mighty acts. Mary describes God as having done great things, scattering the proud, bringing down rulers, but also as a God that lifts up the humble, fills the hungry, extends mercy, and as one who keeps his promises.

Mary’s God is more than just a god of strength and power, but a God with heart.

Mary’s God has a heart for his people and a heart that you can trust.

And in Hebrews 10:5-10, we see that Jesus is described in much the same way…

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;

6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’”

8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Although God had instituted the entire sacrificial system and created its rules, it was not the sacrifices, nor the offerings, that God really wanted. It wasn’t the subservience of the people that God wanted. It wasn’t the money that God wanted.

What God really wants, are the hearts of his people.

And so when Jesus comes, he does not say, “I have come to follow all of the rules and to obey the traditions.” What Jesus says is, “I have come to do your will.”

Sacrifices and offerings were made “in accordance with the law.” They were done out of obedience to tradition and not out of love. But Jesus says that he has come to do the will of God, to do the things that God wanted. Jesus came to set aside rules and traditions, in order to establish a pattern of love.

The coming of Jesus signifies a change in the heart of God’s people.

The coming of Jesus represents a call of God.

The coming of Jesus calls us to obey, not out of tradition, but out of love.

The coming of Jesus announces to the world that God’s first priority isn’t about following the rules; his primary concern is about our hearts.

We know this is true, because we know the heart of our King.

And so, as we prepare for the arrival of the Messiah at Christmas we must ask ourselves this question:

“Do I have a heart like Jesus?”

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 You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page. Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio. Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you. Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646. These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership. You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org. To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn. These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

From Fear to Fruitfulness

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“From Fear to Fruitfulness”
December 13, 2015
(Third Sunday of Advent)
By John Partridge

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:14-20    Philippians 4:4-7    Luke 3:7-18

We begin today with an easy question.

Have you ever been afraid?

Almost certainly, every single one of us can answer that “Yes” we have been afraid. But after that simple answer, things quickly get a lot more difficult.

We have all been afraid at one time or another. We might have been afraid of a bully, afraid of losing, afraid of looking foolish in front of our family or friends, when we were expecting babies or held them for the first time we were afraid of what the future might hold, we have been afraid as we watched loved ones spend their last moments on earth or as we attended their funerals and were forced to face a future without them, we were afraid as we sent our children off to school for the first time, or watched them leave for college, or move out of our homes as they started lives and families of their own. There are a great many moments in our lives when fear has crept in.

For the moment, I want you to find one of those places of fear inside of yourself and remember what it was like. Hold on to that feeling for just a moment, and imagine what the people of Israel might have felt as Zephaniah proclaims that God is about to bring judgment upon the nations of the world, Including Judah and Israel, because of their unbelief. At that moment, during the life of the prophet Jeremiah, the Scythians, a nation that had migrated out of what is now Russia, perhaps similar to the Mongols who would come later, had crossed into their nation and had destroyed the fortresses of both Ashdod and Ashkelon and only stopped at the Egyptian border when Pharaoh Psamtik paid them off. Soon, the Babylonians would rise to power, defeat the Assyrians and would also come into the lands of Canaan destroying cities, killing and capturing anyone who got in their way.

Fear was real.

And so, into that environment, Zephaniah pours gasoline on the fire of their fear by proclaiming God’s coming judgment. But… before he is finished, God also gives hope for the future with these words: (Zephaniah 3:14-20).

14 Sing, Daughter Zion;
shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

18 “I will remove from you
all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
which is a burden and reproach for you.
19 At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed you.
I will rescue the lame;
I will gather the exiles.
I will give them praise and honor
in every land where they have suffered shame.
20 At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes
before your very eyes,”
says the Lord.

Although judgment is coming, be glad. Although things look grim, do not fear. Never again will God leave you. Never again will you fear harm because God is the Mighty Warrior. God will deal with those who oppress you. God will rescue you and gather those who have been scattered. God says, “I will bring you home.”

Even though God’s people are afraid, and even though the worst is yet to come, God is already moving them toward hope and restoration.

Interestingly, in Luke 3:7-18, as John the Baptist proclaims the coming of the Messiah, his message is very similar. John proclaims the coming of judgment but also offers helpful instruction… and hope.

7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

I cannot remember a single time when I have taken classes on preaching or public speaking, when we have been advised to begin a message by openly insulting and taunting our listeners. In fact, I am virtually certain that this is a bad idea most of the time. But this is exactly what John does. I told the children last week that John was probably considered, by most people, to be pretty weird and this is yet another example of that. John begins by calling everyone snakes, and begins talking about judgment and the wrath of God.
According to John, no one can be saved because they were born in the church, born to people who went to church, or because they themselves go to church. For John, the only real measure of godliness is the fruit that grows out of repentance.

Today, some of us would almost certainly have a follow-up question because we wonder what the fruit of repentance would look like, and the people in the crowd felt exactly the same way. John’s answer to that very question is to share what you have with people who don’t have any. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked. But even that isn’t enough because some people want to know specifics. Tax collectors, who were widely considered to be cheats, scoundrels, and collaborating with the enemy, are told to just do their jobs as honestly as they could. Soldiers, who were, in fact, the enemy, were told to do their job, not to take money they weren’t entitled to take, and not to accuse innocent people. It is interesting to note, that although both of these groups were widely hated because of what they did, John did not advise them to quit or to change jobs, but simply to do them honestly.

John then tells the people of the coming Messiah who will bring judgment as he separates the wheat (which is fruit) from the chaff (which is basically useless). Overall, John encouraged, admonished, advised and appealed to the people that they should hear the good news of the coming Messiah.

As we have been working our way through the Advent season, we have spoken often of repentance and the need to get our hearts right before God, but John tells us that repentance is just the first step. What comes next, producing fruit, is just as critical. Fruit trees without fruit will be cut down and burned in the fire. The wheat and the chaff will be separated and the useless chaff burned in the fire. John warns everyone, including us, that our purpose is to live a life of fruitfulness, to do our jobs well, but honestly, and to willingly share what we have with those who do not have.

But just in case we were still a little unclear on what a life of fruitfulness would look like, the Apostle Paul provides a little more detail in Philippians 4:4-7.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s addition to John’s teaching is to rejoice and give thanks always for the things that God has done and for the things that God is doing. But Paul also says that our gentleness should be obvious to everyone around us, and that is a harder thing for some of us to do. In our culture, many of us have found that weakness is scorned and strength is honored and so we, both men and women, have often cultivated a sort of public fierceness in order to appear strong. Paul’s instruction reminds us that gentleness is also necessary. Jesus was a stone mason. He worked with his hands and was no stranger to hard labor. Jesus was no wimp and was not afraid to defy the Temple guards as he overturned tables and stared down mobs that didn’t like his teaching. But at the same time, Jesus was known for his gentleness and self-control with women and children.

Additionally, the followers of Jesus Christ should not worry about anything but instead spend their time praying about their problems and giving thanks for what God was doing. Paul says that when we do these things, then we will find peace that is far beyond all human understanding.

And so the road that we travel from fear to fruitfulness may not be easy, but it ends in a truly wonderful place.

It is no coincidence that at the end of that journey, the person that we find is the same one of whom the angels sang…

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14, KJV)

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 You have been reading a message presented at Trinity United Methodist Church on the date noted on the first page. Rev. John Partridge is the pastor at Trinity of Perry Heights in Massillon, Ohio. Duplication of this message is a part of our Media ministry, if you have received a blessing in this way, we would love to hear from you. Letters and donations in support of the Media ministry may be sent to Trinity United Methodist Church, 3757 Lincoln Way E., Massillon, Ohio 44646. These messages are available to anyone regardless of membership. You may subscribe to these messages by writing to the address noted, or by contacting us at subscribe@trinityperryheights.org. To subscribe to the electronic version sign up at http://eepurl.com/vAlYn. These messages can also be found online at http://www.scribd.com/Pastor John Partridge. All Scripture references are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.