This is Amazing Grace…

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WYK6DGNX

 

Who breaks the power of sin and darkness
Whose love is mighty and so much stronger
The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder
And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder
The King of Glory, the King above all kings


This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross
You lay down Your life
That I would be set free
Oh, Jesus, I sing for
All that You've done for me

Who brings our chaos back into order
Who makes the orphan a son and daughter
The King of Glory, the King of Glory

Who rules the nations with truth and justice
Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance
The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Phil Wickham

When does God love us the most? When does God love us the least? Please think about those questions.

In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus tells a story (parable) to His followers. It is a parable that I didn’t like very much when I read it the first time. I believe we discussed this in class before. I think many of you didn’t really agree with it either. Maybe I didn’t like it because it didn’t make too much sense. It’s the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. I believe most of you are familiar with this parable. Let’s do a quick review. Who is the landowner? The landowner is God. What is this parable trying to teach us? The landowner’s dealing with the workers in his vineyard represents God’s dealing with the human family.

There is a contemporary Jewish version of this story. You might like it better. It goes like this. The workers hired late in the afternoon work very, very hard. They work much harder. And they also have to work under a very hot sun. The employer is impressed with their hard work. So he decides to award them a full day’s wages. How do you like this contemporary Jewish version of the story? We like it better, don’t we? It seems fair. However, Jesus’ version is different. The last group had been idly standing around in the marketplace. This is something only lazy workers would do during the harvest season. The workers do nothing special to distinguish themselves. Eventually, the other workers are shocked by the pay they receive. What employer in his right mind would pay the same amount for one hour’s work as for twelve! This makes no economic sense!

We don’t like this parable. Why don’t we like it? I’ll tell you why. As Christians, when we read this parable we identify with the employees who put in a full day’s work. We like to think of ourselves as responsible workers. We don’t like 11th hour workers. We don’t really like people like the thief on the cross. He came in at the last minute. He walked in at about 11:59, with about 5 seconds left. He labors for 5 seconds. He basically just says, “Lord, I believe.” And Scripture tells us that he was given a ticket into heaven.  Jesus said this to him: “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

We don’t like such people who make confessions on their deathbed. Deep down in our hearts, we envy them. We think they were so lucky. Got saved at the last minute and didn’t have do anything special.  We hate people who are luckier than we are. It is no wonder we don’t like this parable. The employer is right when He asked the other workers, “Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?” (Matthew 20:15) It ain’t fair, we’re jealous and that’s why we don’t like it.

What is Jesus trying to teach us through this parable which makes very little economic sense? Maybe what Jesus is trying to teach us is something that makes very little sense to us. Do you know what that is? It is grace. Jesus is trying to teach us about grace. Why does grace make very little sense to us? Why is it difficult for us to understand grace? Could it be because we rarely see it? On your way to church this morning, did you see grace?

We live in a very graceless world. Open the newspapers, or go to the internet, or turn on the t.v. and we enter a world marked by wars, violence, economic oppression, religious strife, lawsuits, and family breakdown. Would you like to talk about family breakdown? The good news is this: There will be less family breakdown in the future. The reason is because there will be less families in the future. There are more people divorcing than ever before. And more young people are planning to live as singles than ever before. Why is this? Could our homes be graceless? Well, it could be. But do you know what is really sad? Our churches may even be graceless.

Well known Christian author Phillip Yancey wrote a story he heard about in his book The Jesus I Never Knew. It goes like this: A homeless, sick prostitute who was unable to buy food for her 2 year old daughter came to me. Through sobs and tears, she told me that she had been renting out her two year old daughter, to men interested in kinky sex. She made more renting out her daughter for an hour than she could earn on her own in a night. She had to do it, she said, to support her own drug habit. I could hardly bear hearing her sordid story. For one thing, it made me legally liable—I’m required to report cases of child abuse. I had no idea what to say to this woman.

At last I asked if she had ever thought of going to a church for help. I will never forget the look of pure, naïve shock that crossed her face. “Church!” she cried. “Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They’d just make me feel worse.”  Wow!!!  How sad, but ……. Is maybe this true? After all, isn’t church for clean people? Isn’t it for people who look good? And smell good? And be like …… us? But if grace can’t be found in church, where can it be found?

It is no surprise that we don’t understand grace. We don’t see it. We don’t regularly experience it. On top of this, we have an image of God that is anti-grace. Our misconceptions are often fueled by our chronic habit of comparing God’s love to what we have experienced in life from others. We think, “God must be like Dad or Uncle Joe or the nice lady at the corner store.” Many of us have grown up with a very mathematical God. This God who is relentlessly weighing our good deeds and bad deeds on a set of scales. Somehow we have missed the God of the Gospels. A God of mercy and generosity. A God of grace. By the way, what exactly is grace? What does is mean to give grace? Well known Christian pastor Chuck Swindoll puts it this way: “To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it.” What is grace? Grace is an attribute or quality of God. Who is it given to? It is given to undeserving human beings. By definition, we receive grace because we are undeserving.

Have you tried hard to be really good? Have you believed that God will love you more if you are really good? It might have worked with our parents. Be a really good child, and we will receive more attention. Bring home better grades, and we will get bigger birthday presents. Maybe we’ll eat better food at home. Surely it will motivate our parents to work harder.

We may have been able to win our parents love, but we cannot win God’s love. We cannot earn God’s love. We cannot earn grace. Because grace, by definition, cannot be earned.

Look carefully at the parable. God does not dispense wages. Wages are what you earn. God dispenses gifts. Isn’t that good news? Ephesians 2:8 says, “⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” It’s a good thing we don’t get paid according to merit. Because we would all be lost if we received what we deserved. Do you know why that is? Do you know what God’s requirement is for eternal life? God requires a perfect life. None of us comes close to satisfying God’s requirements for a perfect life. If we were all paid on the basis of fairness, we would all end up in hell. Aren’t we glad God dispenses gifts and not wages.

Isn’t God good? Aren’t we thankful for grace? In 2 Corinthians 8:9 Paul writes, “⁹ You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” It’s not so easy for us to comprehend grace, is it? It is mind boggling. In a book on the life of Jesus called the Desire of Ages, it says, “He had been the commander of heaven, and angels had delighted to fulfill His word; now He was a willing servant…” Why did Jesus do this? It’s the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To the human mind, grace is not easy to understand.

There is a cure for people who doubt God’s love and question God’s grace. Turn to the Bible and examine the kind of people God loves. The Bible tells of a murderer and an adulterer who gained a reputation as the greatest king of the Old Testament. King David. A man after God’s own heart. It tells of a church being led by a disciple who cursed and swore that he had never known Jesus. Peter. And it tells of a missionary getting recruited from the ranks of the Christian-torturers. Apostle Paul.

If God can love that kind of person, maybe, just maybe, he can love the likes of me. Look at the way Phillip Yancey describes grace in his book What’s So Amazing About Grace. (Great book, by the way.) He writes, “Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more—no amount of spiritual calisthenics and renunciations, no amount of knowledge gained from seminaries, no amount of crusading on behalf of righteous causes. And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less—no amount of racism or pride or pornography or adultery or even murder. Grace means that God already loves us as much an infinite God can possibly love.”

No one loves us as much as God loves us. No one cares for us the way God cares for us.  No one understands us the way God understands us. I know that our parents love/loved us very much. Parents would die for us. They would give everything they have for us. No one loves you as much as our parents. And yet it is so little in comparison to God’s love for us.

And this is Amazing Grace!  Have we all accepted it?

Why Did God Create Us?

Why Did God Create Us?  To -----

Click link to listen to song as you read the words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I2csO7_pOI

Do Something

I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

I’m so tired of talking
About how we are God’s hands and feet
But it’s easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”
Well, I don’t know about you
But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire
I don’t want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
“I’m gonna do something”

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill (shine shine, shine shine)
But we’re never gonna change the world
By standing still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still
No we won’t stand still

If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it’s time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It’s not enough to do nothing
It’s time for us to do something

 

⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

⁴ I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began. (John 17:4-5)

We are called for a holy and noble purpose! We were put on earth to make a contribution. We were not created just to consume resources, to eat, breathe, and take up space. God designed us to make a difference with our life.

While many best-selling books offer advice on how to "get the most out of life", that's not the reason God made us. We were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants us to give something back. This is God's purpose for our life, and it is called our "ministry" or service.

The Bible says, “He (God) has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.(Eph. 2:10b) " (Col. 3: 23-4; Matt. 25: 34). These good deeds are our service. Whenever we serve others in any way, we are actually serving God “⁷ Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Eph. 6:7). Look what God told Jeremiah "Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work" (Jer. 1:5). We were “all” placed on this planet for a special assignment.

We were saved to serve God, the Bible says. "It is He who saved us and chose us for His holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was His plan" (2 Tim. 1:9). God redeemed us so you could do His "holy work." We are not saved by service or works, but we are saved for service. James, brother of Jesus writes this: “¹⁴ What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? ¹⁵ Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, ¹⁶ and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?  ¹⁷ So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.  (James 2:14-17)

In God's Kingdom we have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill. This gives our life great significance and value.

We should not serve God out of guilt or fear or even duty, but out of joy, and deep gratitude for what He has done for us. We owe Him our lives. Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured. In light of these incredible benefits, Paul concluded, "Because of God's great mercy ... offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service" (Rom. 12:1).

The apostle John taught us, "Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life" (1 John 3:14). If we have no love for others, no desire to serve others, and we are only concerned about our needs, we should question whether Christ is really in our life. A saved heart is one that wants to serve.

Another term for serving God that's misunderstood by most people is the word "ministry." When most people hear "ministry" they think of pastors, priests, and professional clergy, but God says every member of His family is a minister. In the Bible, the words servant and minister are synonyms, as are service and ministry. If you are a Christian you are a minister, and when you are serving, you are ministering.

Have you ever wondered why God does not just immediately take us to heaven the moment we accept His grace? Why does He leave us in a fallen world? He leaves us here to fulfill His purposes. Once we are saved, God intends to use us for His goals. God has a ministry for us in His church and a mission for us in the world.

Our call to salvation included our call to service. They are the same. Regardless of our job or career, we are called to full-time Christian service. A "non-serving Christian" is a contradiction in terms.

The Bible says "He saved us and called us to be His own people, not because of what we have done, but because of His own purpose (2 Tim 1:9). Peter added, " You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you" (1 Peter 2:9). The Bible says, "Now you belong to Him ... in order that we might be useful in the service of God" (Rom. 7:4). How much of the time are you being useful in the service of God? In some churches in China they welcome new believers by saying, "Jesus now has a new pair of eyes to see with, new ears to listen with, new hands to help with, and a new heart to love others with."

One reason why we need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill our calling to serve other Believers in practical ways. The Bible says "All of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it" (1 Cor. 12:27). Remember, there are no insignificant ministries in the church. Some are visible and some are behind the picture, but all are valuable. Small or hidden ministries often make the biggest difference. Every ministry matters because we are all dependent on each other to function.

We are commanded to serve God-if we are saved. Jesus says " ²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others………." (Matt. 20:28). For Christians, service is not optional, something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time. It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came "to serve" and "to give" - and those two verbs should define our life on earth.

Serving is the opposite of our natural inclination. Most of the time we are more interested in "serve us" than service. We say, "I'm looking for a church that meets my needs and blesses me," not "I'm looking for a place to serve and be a blessing." The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, "Who is going to meet my needs?" and starts asking, "Whose needs can I meet"

God wants to use us to make a difference in His world. He wants to work through us. What matters is not the duration of our life, but what we do with it. Not how long we lived, but how we lived. If we are not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have we been using? God doesn’t need us but he created us for a purpose and He will use us if we stop making excuses.

So we need to “Do Something”.

I Am Not A Fan Of Jesus. What??

I Am Not A Fan Of Jesus. What??

Did I really say this?

But think about it, are you just a fan, or a real follower of Jesus?

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Are we a fan of Jesus, or a follower?

It is not enthusiastic admirers Jesus wants, but committed followers. I have heard this question several times lately: “If I were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me?”

Sometimes when preparing these lessons, that I truly know that God has led me to do, I think, “is this lesson going to really hit someone hard or maybe even offend them”?  I really want people to come to our class or continue to read the lesson on the our “blog” or in an email or facebook. You see, I really want people to continue to “Forward” our email lesson to others!  So maybe, just maybe, I should not use the lesson I believe God wants me to do if it may offend someone. Maybe I should just make some “slight” changes to take away the “bite” of the lesson. But wouldn’t that really be selling Jesus cheap and watering down the gospel in hopes that more will read the lessons, that more will come to hear the lessons? I am afraid that today that many preachers and teachers tend to “water down” their sermons or lessons to increase attendance.  They want to make it “easy” to be just a “fan” of Jesus.

 

And that's why this Sunday we're talking about whether or not we are prepared to just be an excitable fan of the Lord Jesus Christ, awed by His miracles, caught up in His stories and parables, or have we really made a decision to be committed to the only Lord of Glory, to belong to Him in such a way that it doesn't matter whatever happens, whatever comes, whatever anyone says?

Have you ever looked seriously at Luke 9:23? Seriously?

 

“Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

 

Notice the word “daily” not just ever now and then!

Take a moment and go word-for-word through Luke 9:23 -- Jesus' invitation to follow Him -- and honestly ask yourself, "Am I a fan or a follower of Jesus?"

You see, the dictionary defines a fan as an "enthusiastic admirer." But our Jesus, the living Son of God, the Prince of Peace down through eternity, was never interested in enthusiastic admirers. It is completely committed followers, and no one else, for whom He will stand before the Father. It's not raised hands during the worship service, bowed heads during the benediction at the end of the service, or even prayer before a meal that He is looking for. It goes to much more than a "Honk If You Love Jesus" bumper sticker, or a Christian fish symbol on the back of our car. He wants more of us than for us to declare ourselves as His fans. Look what Jesus said to a group of his followers in another scripture: "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)  If He said it more than once then it must be important to “follow” Him!

Some amazing things happen when we “turn from our selfish ways”!

 

During these very difficult, emotional, roller coaster times in which we live, troubled on every side by the threat of physical death by terrorists, and financial ruin by professional politicians, our religious “freedoms” gradually be taken away, we also see a “movement” within churches that allows other religions and false gods to challenge our commitment to Him, to tickle our ears with logical sounding heresy, to encourage those committed to personal comfort, emotional highs, and to be ignorant of the inspired Word of God. Listening to just what is heard on Sunday morning instead of studying the Bible ourselves. How can we do what He says, if we don't know what He says?

We need to be reminded that there is no believing without following, no salvation without surrender, no forgiveness without repentance, and no life without death. Preachers far too often quickly skip over the "bad news" of the Gospel in fear they will scare people away. But instead of pushing people away, the truth of the Gospel is what draws people together, the Gospel is what sets them free, breaking the chains of their sins they have been dragging around with them.

Once we are free, we need the support of fellow Christians more than ever. Once the burden of sin has been lifted from us, we need to follow Jesus in baptism, and know why, with its symbolism of dying to self and being alive in Jesus Christ. For there is a date circled on God's calendar, even though we walk around unaware of it, a day in our life circled on God's calendar since before you, and I, and they were born. It's a day when we will all be held accountable before God, just one more step in His intricate and compassionate plan for us.

We are part of God's plan down through eternity.

If we are in a difficult situation, if we have come face to face with someone else's need, the chance is good that God either wants us to learn something, or to do something. He will impart to our heart which message it is.

Will we be just another fan of God’s miraculous presence. Just cheerleading the real followers from the safety of the stands.  But never really following His Son? Maybe just following Him from a distance. Uncomfortable to let Jesus shine through us. Never moving a hand to make a difference? Or will we step forward to take our place in His plan for us, accepting responsibility for who we are, accepting His gift of eternal life, that gift He has meant for us all along?

We just need to say yes to Him. He's crazy about us. After all He“…. so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

When Christianity Becomes Uncomfortable

When Christianity Becomes Uncomfortable

In the book of Luke, Jesus challenges us look at the cost of discipleship.

The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵ A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, ²⁶ “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? ²⁹ Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. ³⁰ They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

³¹ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? ³² And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. ³³ So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. (Luke 14:25-33)

The King James translation sounds a little “harsher”: “²⁶ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

As an American Christian, most of us have never had to fully weigh the impact of Jesus' words here. We've lived in a bubble of acceptance, especially those, like most of us, who've mostly been “raised” in church. Sure, there is the occasional derogatory remark by an unbelieving family member or neighbor. Yet even among those who don't profess faith, Christianity has been something considered worth commending. For much of the church's history, this was not the norm. Christianity has been uncomfortable. It has involved cross-bearing. 

Jesus wanted his followers to know this. We notice he said these very hard things when the crowds followed him. It's as if he's saying to them, "If you are following me for the benefits, for the goodies, for the anticipated health and wellness, well, you've got the wrong Messiah." It's not that Jesus was sadistic. But the spiritual battle between light and darkness involves hardship, suffering, and a willingness to be considered on the "wrong side of history."

Maybe this is where we often get Jesus wrong. It is also possible that this is where we often get Christianity wrong. The New Testament shows nothing about, really, of the Jesus-as-“mascot” example. To claim to follow Jesus, but reject the radical new way of life He calls to us to, is to reject Jesus altogether. Look what Paul writes about following Jesus “¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)  To begin a new life is pretty radical, don’t you think?  But the way of Jesus is better. But many don't see that. Many of us don't see that.

For American Christians, there is very real possibility that the coming years will force us to make difficult choices. We will have to choose between cultural acceptance (maybe political correctness) and the way of Jesus. In other words, Christianity, truly bearing the name of Christ, will involve a cross. It will be rough and uncomfortable. Sometimes this discomfort is in the form of cultural rejection. Sometimes it's the discomfort of forgiving someone we want desperately to despise. Sometimes it's the self-sacrifice to give ourselves for those we are called to love and nurture: our spouses, our children, our neighbors. Sometimes it's the discipline to speak the truth in a type of love that others don't exhibit. Sometimes it involves making reasoned arguments in favor of truth that are unfairly dismissed as bigotry.

Are we ready for this? Let’s now look at the words of Peter to the first-century church.  In the Old Testament the Bible says “So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19) Jesus referred to this scripture when He reminded the Church that they were to remember their status as “foreigners in the land.” (1 Peter 1:17b) But, we should remember the part about showing love to foreigners”.  To me this means that we will and should be out among the non-Believers but not to become as them or “as the world”. Christians follow another King and live out the values of another Kingdom. There would be, for them and is for the American Christian, cultural pressure to abandon Jesus or to synch up Jesus with whatever is popular. Just as if Jesus is the clay and we are the potters. Just opposite of the story of in Jeremiah 18:1-10: “Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand….”   (Jeremiah 18:6) Peter urged the first century church to stand strong, to have courage, but also to do this with a kind of joyful anticipation of the world to come.

Peter goes on to say:^“13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. ¹⁵ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶ But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. ¹⁷ Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!” (1 Peter 3:14-17)

Since Peter had “warmed” himself by the fires of cultural acceptance (“⁶⁷ and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁶⁸ But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,”… (Mark 14:67-68) and having also been a fiery zealot, Peter argued for a third way. Followers of Jesus must be should not “worry or be afraid”, but give a calm, rational, joyful defense of Christian faith, shaped by gentleness and respect if “someone asks about your Christian hope”. Being misunderstood, slandered, and disparaged by the culture and even fellow evangelicals is no fun. But our response should not only be courageously truthful, it should be “of another world” in terms of kindness. We not only communicate the values of another world. We speak with tools from another world. So we shouldn't add to our suffering with worldly responses.

As we anticipate life in a post-Christian world, and we seem to be getting there rapidly, we need to not only reacquaint ourselves with Christian, but by faith live out the Gospel of Jesus fully before a world that is watching our every move!.

 

Part 2: Temptation Is Only A Question - Our Response Is The Answer

Temptation Is Only A Question - Our Response Is The Answer

 

Part 2

 

Temptation is not meant to weaken us but to make us emerge stronger from the ordeal. Earlier in the lesson read the verse where we find that Jesus was "led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." We may wonder why would the Spirit lead Jesus into a situation to be may be, "Hey, this is not a good thing! Excuse me!"Wait a minute!

The Greek word used here for tempted is peirazo (Pear rod zo) which means to try, to prove.  Temptation helps us to see how we will respond when the pressure is on how we will answer the question. How we will respond to the event.

Remember, temptation is only a question--not an answer. Our Response is the answer.

The Holy Spirit is as likely to lead us into the wilderness as into green pastures. Remember the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness.

Peter again reminds us 1 Peter 1:7 "⁷ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. ……… So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

 

The Greek word here translated "trials" means a type of proving. This trial under fire is God's faith in us.  A faith that will be able to stand up under the temptation.

We might think that "of course, Jesus could overcome temptation, He is God." Yes He is fully God, but Jesus was also fully human. While he was on earth Jesus felt hunger, he felt fatigue, he felt sorrow, and he was fully man. Jesus was tempted just as we are.

The Apostle John 1 John 2:16 summarizes how we are tempted, “¹⁶ For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”

But He was full of the Holy Spirit.

Are we walking close enough to the Lord that when temptations come; you can recognize them through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Do you know them for what they are even if they are subtle, half truths and look pleasing in and within themselves? When we give in to temptation it leads to trouble.

The trouble with temptation is that comes through ordinary things and ordinary desires. When it comes we are often caught off guard.  Folks, temptation may even "seem to be" an answer to prayer.

The Devil is no fool when it comes to temptation. Jesus knew the Scriptures and how to use them skillfully in answering Satan. We need to know the scripture. The writer of Psalms rites:  “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11).

Are we prepared for the temptations that will be set before us.

Do we know enough of scriptures to fend of the Devils’ temptations? “⁷ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Our response is non-negotiable. We didn't discuss temptation with Satan or his “staff”. We don't stick around to debate the issue. A fish will not be caught if it doesn't open its mouth.

Do not prolong the temptation.  Let our Yes be Yes and Your No be No. Walk from temptation. If we do not know what to say then repeat the name of Jesus over and over. For at the name of Jesus Satan will surely flee.

For Christians, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

When the devil comes knocking at the door of our heart, and asks: 'Who lives here?' the Jesus goes to the door and says, "  ___________ used to live here, but he/she has moved out. Now I live here."

Quit answering the door of temptation. Be mature men and women of Faith. Make mature decisions. When we meet the allure of sin do not test God. Trust God. Trust God and His word! Let God rather than our feelings lead us. Trust God not our Feelings

AND when we flee temptation, leave no forwarding address.

PART ONE: Temptation Is Only A Question - Our Response Is The Answer

This lesson also had a lot of discussion so it will be in two parts.  A lot of discussion is a good thing.    Hayward

 

Sometimes temptation is only something like a 500 calorie piece of chocolate cake, which does not leave too severe of a consequence unless we give in to the temptation again and again.

Other times the stakes are high and consequences are indeed very painful and very serious. Some temptations start adding up and get stronger until it becomes almost impossible to not give in.

The Bible has quite a lot to say about temptation and how to deal with it.

Do Not Be Surprised By Temptation:

If Satan was so bold as to tempt the Son of God (Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.  Matthew 4:1)  then he will have no trouble in tempting us.

A man who came to the theologian Charles Finney said this:"I don't believe in the existence of a devil."  "Don't you?" said Finney. "Well, you resist him for a while, and you will believe."

The Scriptures do not teach us that we will be temptation free after we come to the Lord. In fact we are warned many times about facing temptation. Jesus himself said “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

One person might be tempted by something and have a real struggle . whereas it might not be a temptation at all to another Christian.

We may find ourselves being prideful and say, "I would never do that" and yet there could be another temptation trap that we would be susceptible to fall into.

There was once a poor country pastor who was livid when he confronted his wife with the receipt for a $350 dress she had bought "How could you do this!" he exclaimed. "I don't know," she wailed, "I was standing in the store looking at the dress. Then I found myself trying it on. It was like the Devil was whispering to me, "Gee, you look great in that dress. You should buy it."  "Well," the pastor persisted, "You know how to deal with him! Just tell him, "Get behind me, Satan!"  "I did," replied his wife, "but then he said "It looks great from the back too."  J

So we do not need be surprised when temptation comes to us.

We need to hear Peters warning in1 Peter 5:8, "⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."

We may feel the temptation more when we are tired or under stress, when we are alone or away from home, after a spiritual high, when we are not expecting it, or when we are not attending church and not around our Christian friends. Or when we put ourselves in bad situations.

Some people take the view that they should isolate themselves from every temptation and therefore they will be successful. In other words – just avoid all contact with outside influences.

This could be good in some cases such as: not going to a bar if you are an alcoholic.  However, victory comes not through the avoidance of the assault but through the resources of the Holy Spirit. We can have victory in the middle of temptation.

Scripture tells us: “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” (Romans 12:21).

When we read about Jesus' temptation we find that after the temptation, Satan left him and the angels ministered to him. (Matthew 4:11).  So it was over! NOT!

What is interesting to note is in the same account of this temptation in Luke 4:13; that “¹³ When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.” Satan said “I’ll Be Back”!

Satan and the spiritual forces of wickedness are relentless.  We need to realize that throughout our faith journey on this side of eternity that we will never "arrive" at a place where we are temptation free.

C. S. Lewis made these observations about temptation: "No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good. We are never so spiritual that something cannot get to us.

There is an old story concerning sin that is worth sharing.

One night an Arab had settled in for the night and had just fallen asleep when his camel stuck his head in his tent because it was awfully cold. Then the camel asked permission to just stick his legs inside the tent to keep them warm. Granting him permission the Arab went back to sleep. A little while later the camel woke him up a second time and asked permission to stick his head in. Again permission was granted. This continued on throughout the night until finally the Arab woke up to find the entire camel in the tent with him. When he told the camel that there just was not enough room in the tent for the both of them the camel suggested that the Arab might want to leave.

That is exactly what Satan does. That is exactly what sin does in our life. Sin slips into our lives a little at a time and one day we wake up and find that there just is not enough room for both the Devil and Jesus in our lives. To which the Devil suggests that we ask Jesus to leave.

Not only should we not be surprised when temptation presents itself to us, but we need to realize that temptation is not necessarily bad. Why, because it allows us to test our convictions.

It has been said "Your convictions are only as strong as they hold up under pressure. A person has not shown true obedience if they have never had the opportunity to disobey."

Temptation is not meant to weaken us but to make us emerge stronger from the ordeal. Earlier in the lesson read the verse where we find that Jesus was "led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." We may wonder why would the Spirit lead Jesus into a situation to be may be, "Hey, this is not a good thing! Excuse me!  "Wait a minute!"

 

 

 

 

 

Final Part: Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering

Final Part  Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering

Well, we did finish this lesson Sunday. Very good discussion on the entire lesson.  Hayward

Point of Light #4: Our suffering will pale in comparison to what God has in store for his followers.

We can’t always minimize pain and suffering, but it helps if we take a long-term perspective. Look at this verse, and remember they were written by the apostle Paul, who suffered through beatings and stonings and shipwrecks and imprisonments and rejection and hunger and thirst and homelessness and far more pain that most of us will ever have to endure. These are his words:

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.” — wait a second: “small and won’t last long”? Five different times his back was shredded when he was flogged 39 lashes with a whip; three times he was beaten to a bloody pulp by rods. But he says, “Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Paul also wrote Romans 8:18: “¹⁸ Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”

Think of it this way. Let’s say that on the first day of 2013, you had an awful, terrible day. You had an emergency root canal at the dentist and the ran out of pain-killers. You crashed your car and had no insurance. Your stock portfolio took a nosedive. Your spouse got sick. A friend betrayed you. From start to finish, it was like the title of that children’s book: Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

But then every other day of the year was just incredibly terrific. Your relationship with God is close and real and intimate. A friend wins the lottery and gives you $100 million. You get promoted at work to your dream job. Time magazine puts your photo on its cover as “The Person of the Year.” You have your first child and he’s healthy and strong. Your marriage is idyllic, your health is fabulous, you have a six-month vacation in Tahiti.

Then next New Year’s Day someone asks, “So, how was your 2012?” You’d say, “It was great; it was wonderful!” And they’d say, “But didn’t it start out bad? Didn’t you go through a lot of trouble that first day?” You’d think back and say, “You’re right. That was a bad day, no denying it. It was difficult at the time. It was hard. It was painful. But when I look at the totality of the year, when I put everything in context, it’s been a great year. The 364 terrific days far outweigh the one bad day. That day just sort of fades away.”



This is not to deny the reality of your pain in this life. It might be terrible. It might be chronic. But in heaven, after about a gazillion days of a perfect life — and with an infinite more to come — if someone asked, “So, how has your existence been?”, you’d instantly react by saying, “It has been absolutely wonderful! Words can’t describe the joy and the delight and the fulfillment!”

And if they said, “But didn’t you have a tough time before you got here,” you’d probably think back and say, “Well, yes, it’s true that those days were painful, I can’t deny that. They were difficult, they were bad. But when I put them into context, in light of all God’s outpouring of goodness to me, those bad days aren’t even worth comparing with the eternity of blessings and joy that I’m experiencing.”

God promises a time when there will be no more crying, no more tears, no more pain and suffering, when we will be reunited with God in perfect harmony, forever. (Remember Revelation 14:2) Let the words of 1 Corinthians 2:9 soak into our souls: “⁹ That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared   for those who love him.”  How cool is this promise?

Finally, Point of Light #5: We decide whether to turn bitter or turn to God for peace and courage.

We’ve all seen examples of how the same suffering that causes one person to turn bitter, to reject God, to become hard and angry and sullen, can cause another person to turn to God, to become more gentle and more loving and more tender, willing to reach out to compassionately help other people who are in pain. Some who lose a child to a drunk driver turn inward in chronic rage and never-ending despair; another turns outward to help others by founding Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.

As one philosopher said: “I believe all suffering is at least potential good, an opportunity for good. It’s up to our free choice to actualize that potential. Not all of us benefit from suffering and learn from it, because that’s up to us, it’s up to our free will.”

We make the choice to either run away from God or to run to Him. But what happens if we run to Him?

We used part of John 16:33 at beginning of lesson. Now let’s look at the entire verse: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. But be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

In other words, He offers us the two very things we need when we’re hurting: peace to deal with our present and courage to deal with our future. How? Because he has conquered the world! Through His own suffering and death, He has deprived this world of its ultimate power over you. Suffering doesn’t have the last word anymore. Death doesn’t have the last word anymore. God has the last word!

Suffering is a personal problem; it demands a personal response. And God isn’t some distant, detached, and disinterested deity; He entered into our world and personally experienced our pain. Jesus is there in the lowest places of our lives. Are you broken? He was broken, like bread, for us. Are you despised? He was despised and rejected of men. Do you cry out that you can’t take any more? He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Did someone betray you? He was sold out. Are your most tender relationships broken? He loved and He was rejected. Did people turn from you? They hid their faces from Him as if He were a leper. Does He descend into all of our hells? Yes, He does

It’s not just that God knows and sympathizes with us in our troubles. After all, any close friend can do that. Any close friend can sit beside us and comfort us and empathize with us. No, Jesus is much closer than our closest friend. Because if we’ve put our trust in Him, then He is in us. And, therefore, our sufferings are His sufferings; our sorrow is His sorrow.

So when tragedy strikes, as it will; when suffering comes, as it will; when we’re wrestling with pain, as you will – and when we make the choice to run into His arms, here’s what we’re going to discover: we’ll find peace to deal with the present, we’ll find courage to deal with our future, and we’ll find the incredible promise of eternal life in heaven.

As I’ve been saying, all of us will go through pain and suffering. Often, we don’t get any warning when a heart attack strikes, or when a drunk driver crosses the centerline, or when a wildfire sweeps through a canyon, or when an airplane loses power. And so the question that needs to be asked  is this – “Are we ready?”

Don’t rely on the fact that we come to church or we’ve gone through some sort of religious ritual in the past. The Bible is clear that we can be religious but not be in a relationship with God. Religious activities and affiliations never saved anyone. Salvation comes from knowing Christ personally and receiving His provision for OUR sin and OUR future. It comes from making him OUR Savior, by asking Him to forgive OUR every sin, and by asking Him to lead OUR life.

But it doesn’t happen automatically. It doesn’t come by attending a great church, or being baptized, or taking communion, or hanging out with a bunch of Christians. It comes from deciding in our heart that we want to turn from our sin, to stop trusting in our own resources, and to accept the forgiveness and eternal life that Jesus purchased on the cross and is offering us as a free gift. THAT is how we gain God’s peace and confidence.

So let the pain of that tragedy open our hearts to Christ. Let’s take what was intended for evil and watch God start creating something good from it.