Church Requel Blog - Writings of Mark Pierce

When Lions Roar [Sermon]

Never in our lifetime has our political arguments been more divisive and quarrelsome. What are God’s expectations for leadership and administration of government? What are His expectations for those who are governed? How should we respond to unfair rules or laws? We learn the answers to these questions by studying the life and times of Daniel.

Here is the sermon outline PDF Handout download.

When Lions Roar - Daniel 1-10 NIV

Today Daniel. Daniel was a political advisor. He would be one of the president’s men. Exceptional at what he did - advised 4 different…

6 Lessons Learned From Daniel

#1: Earthly kings _COME AND GO_ so focus on the true King of kings.

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” “King Belshazzar gave a great banquet.” “That very night Belshazzar was slain and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.” “In the 3rd year of Cyrus king of Persia…” Daniel 1:1, 5:1,30, 10:1 

Give a little background. Israelites taken over by Babylonians, the were taken over by the Persians - all relied upon Daniel. But Daniel was never full of himself. Maintained humble excellence and worshipped God - Important for us to remember in our own political struggles…

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 ESV

Today’s political environment in our country is so divisive that we forget the real battle is not what is televised on the news each night. So how…

#2: When objecting to laws or rules demonstrate _REASON & RESPECT_ .

“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.” Daniel 1:8 

Daniel showed reason & respect even as a young man. Didn’t stage a protest. Didn’t get himself on the news. Didn’t write an op-ed. Didn’t shout “No! No! We won’t go!” He (1) resolved and (2) asked. And then followed that up with a test. Underlying all of this was his ability to see the situation from the other guy’s perspective. The one ruling over him had rules he had to follow and could be subject to his own penalties. We could take a lesson from young Daniel. NT instructions for Christians:

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” Titus 3:1-2 ESV

Compare this instruction from Paul to Titus with our own political discourse today. Rather than apply this to the talking heads on TV or our own political leaders, check yourself against each of these instructions.

BACK TO DANIEL - Nebuchadnezzar has a dream, no one can know…

“When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact.” Daniel 2:14 

Again notice the “wisdom and tact.” Hard when one’s life is on the line. What would be your first argument? Same as mine. Unfair! Impossible! This is where trust/faith in God comes in. Daniel knew that and so…

#3: When fighting wrong laws or rules  ___TURN TO GOD___ .

“Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends… He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven … so that he and his friends might not be executed.” Daniel 2:17-18 NIV

Trusted prayer network is so vitally important. Daniel remembered and relied upon God first before himself. Remarkable in a panicked moment. But also remembered one other thing - prayer warriors. Ask his friends to pray too! I have noticed this one important difference between experienced, mature Christ-followers and those who claim Christianity as their faith but don’t often show a lot of faith in their Christianity. Mature Christians invest into prayer - for themselves and others. They know who they can count on to pray. They let themselves be known as one who is dependable to pray for others. Do you have your list of prayer warriors ready to go at a moments’ notice?

BACK TO DANIEL - He tells Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and interprets. Becomes one of N’s most trusted advisors. Then advises his son, Belshazzar, even giving him bad news in a straight forward “just the facts” manner that wins praise from B. Then Babylonians taken over by Persians and Darius the Mede becomes his boss. Daniel so distinguish

#4: Godly administration and leadership is ___EXCEPTIONAL___ .

“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.” Daniel 6:3 NIV

Stop and think about this for just a moment because this is so amazing. Daniel is a conquered Israelite who serves a Babylonian king, who himself is conquered and then serves the new king so well that he puts Daniel in charge of all the others! (Sounds a lot like Joseph!) Important lesson for us - our religious faith should never be an excuse for why we cannot serve our government well. In fact should be just the opposite. Men and women who faithfully rely upon God to help them rule well should be the best leaders / administrators / politicians that we could have. Not because they wear their religion as a sash to attract like minded followers, but because they don’t do that. Instead they live out their faith so well that people want to follow them because they are exceptional in their leadership. Their faith in God makes that possible!

#5: Exceptional and godly leadership in this world will be  _CHALLENGED_ 

“[They] tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him… and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.” Daniel 6:4,16 NIV

One might think that such exceptional and godly leadership would be cherished by all - but sadly that is not the world in which we live. When someone rises so far in responsibility in government or business, there will always be others who will be resentful. Rather than learn from the exceptional leader what it is that makes him/her so exceptional, they look for excuses for themselves. “Right place, right time.” “He had an inside track.” “Who knows if that was really the dream or not - just stroked N’s ego.” “It’s his Hebrew faith - you know THEY all stick together!” Shocking really, the kind of things we’ll say about others so as not to take responsibility for our own failures. Daniel’s enemies devise a plan to trap Darius into throwing Daniel into the Lion’s Den. Daniel remains faithful.

#6: Depend upon God for  ___PROTECTION & JUSTICE___ .

“My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouth of the lions. They have not hurt me… At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den.’” Daniel 6:22,24 NIV
That had to be a long night, wouldn’t you think? But when reading this Biblical account, we get the sense that Darius was a whole lot more worried about Daniel than Daniel was. Daniel was actually in the lion’s den. (Can you imagine the kind of society that keeps a lion’s den just for punishment?) But Daniel wasn’t alone with the lions. God sent his angel. I can’t help but wonder if the angel did more than shut the lions’ mouths. Perhaps he (as messenger) opened his own mouth to Daniel. Gave him comfort / peace. Kept his mind off the danger.

The next morning came retribution to those who had accused Daniel. Important lesson for us all. Be careful of the people-games you play. You never know how it might come back to bite you and those you love! Both Psalm 37:27-29 and Romans 12:19 tell us that God will bring justice. And for those who are unfairly treated that vengeance belongs to God - not us.  

One Whale Of An Attitude [Sermon]

The Bible tells us that Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, not a whale as is popularly thought. Nonetheless we learn that Jonah had one whale of an attitude towards God and God’s purpose in his life. In this sermon we hear the story behind the story and along the way we learn six life lessons that can help us in our Christian journeys.

The sermon outline PDF with fill-in-the-blanks can be downloaded here.

One Whale Of An Attitude - Jonah 1-4 NIV

Turning to OT to study a few life lessons from major OT characters. Today Jonah. Jonah definitely has “One Whale Of An Attitude!”

Six Lessons Learned From Jonah

#1: When God gives us a purpose, there is _NO WHERE TO RUN__ .

“The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah ran away from the LORD.” Jonah 1:1-3 NIV

God had given Jonah the gift of preaching. He was good with words. He knew what God expected and could communicate. When God provides a gift (and we know He does for every Christian), God also provides a purpose. Every Christian is needed to fulfill God’s purpose & calling. Sometimes we have different plans in mind for ourselves than God’s…

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 ESV

Jonah had a different plan for himself. “Sure, I can preach. But I DON’T want to preach to the Ninevites!” And so Jonah heads the opposite way. But there is no where to hide, no where to run from God’s purpose. Everywhere you go, there you are! And there is God!

#2: God ___PROVIDES FOR US___ even in our rebellion. Jonah gets on a boat and then a great storm threatens. Jonah knows & admits.

“Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17 NIV

We often get this wrong. Great fish, not a whale. The whale could not physically do what a great fish could do. What could the “great fish” do? Whatever God created it to do! In this case swallowed Jonah whole. Most importantly allowed Jonah not to drown. And gave Jonah a space to think about his gifting, his purpose, his direction, and his obedience.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Cor. 9:8 ESV

Before moving on, it’s important to take note that God provides for us - even in our rebellion. Who among us can not look back at our lives and see the hand of God protecting us, even & especially in those moments when we were least deserving of God’s protection and grace?

#3: One reason for trials is so we will  ___TURN TO GOD___ . So Jonah is in the belly of the fish. What does he do? Same thing we would.

“In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.” Jonah 2:1 NIV

Two things to note in distressing times: (1) Call to the Lord! Don’t be stubborn. Don’t stand on your pride and independence and claim “at least I’m not a hypocrite - I didn’t rely on God before so I won’t claim to now.” Foolish! You may be in this spot exactly because God wants to wake you up so you will turn to Him. (2) God answers. The truth is that God has never left us. He’s always near to us. We just forget.

“Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 NIV

God has never left us or forsaken us. But when we feel far away from God, it’s because we have left Him. When we “come near to God” we always find “He will come near to us.” That’s more a statement of our awareness than it is of God’s movement. James calls this the double minded attitude. Again, not so much just that we live a hypocritical lifestyle as much as we allow our minds to be in two places simultaneously - in the world’s philosophy and way of living AND God’s philosophy and way of living. Anyone who has ever had their mind distracted knows that doesn’t work well. Trials focus our attention!

#4: Our obedience to God’s calling allows us to see __GOD’S POWERFUL WORKS_ . So Jonah confesses and commits and goes to preach at Ninevah...

“When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” Jonah 3:10 NIV

Before we talk about Jonah’s reaction, we need to stop and appreciate this mind-blowing statement: God relented! We serve a God that is all-powerful and all-knowing, Who lives outside of time and space - indeed He is the Creator of time and space. So He knows. It’s all laid out before Him. And yet, within this moment we call “NOW,” God says the Ninevites’ wickedness has “come up before Him.” He calls Jonah to preach. The Ninevites respond by turning from their wicked ways. We have a word for that: Repentance. They changed their mind and changed their direction! And then we read this remarkable statement: “God relented.” IOW God was going to bring destruction on them, but now has relented. That means He changed His mind! To get this completely, grasp hold of the fact that the Ninevites changed their mind, attitude and direction and this was the direct link to God’s “relenting!” Now we can argue that God knew all along what would come about, that God provided Jonah to cause God’s intended purpose - which is all true. But still, God relented. That is a powerful work! Amazing! What would have happened, didn’t!

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 ESV

To fully appreciate the application of this lesson to our daily lives, Jesus tells His disciples (and us) that we too will do the same powerful works - even greater works! Think of it. This all is fueled by (1) our belief in Jesus and (2) Jesus going to God the Father and interceding on our behalf!

Back to Jonah’s response…

#5: God’s amazing grace can seem  ___OFFENSIVE TO US___ .

“But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry… I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” Jonah 4:1-2 NIV

I’m glad this is part of the Bible, aren’t you? Here we have a prophet of God, who just preached for life change, and life change happened and God provided GRACE - God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense - and mercy - the Ninevites didn’t receive what they had coming. But was Jonah happy? NOOOO! He didn’t love the Ninevites! He wanted them to receive the full blow of God’s judgment. // Before we too harshly judge Jonah, let’s just admit that there are times when we can be the same way. Either out of prejudice or out of a demand for justice. We are always ready to accept God’s grace when applied to our own sins, but we can be offended when that same grace is applied to others. Be careful of how you play God in your judgment of others. Ask God for grace in your mind!

#6: Even God, with all His power, does not force us  __TO ENJOY LIFE_ .

So Jonah has this stinking attitude toward the whole situation. He is so angry at God’s relenting, he just wants to die. Humorous story of tree… 

“But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’ … ‘It is. I’m so angry I wish I were dead.’” Jonah 4:9 NIV

And that’s it. That’s how the story of Jonah ends. God points out that He loves the Ninevites and that He is concerned for them - all 120,000 of them as well as even their animals! (For you pet owners - God loves even your animals!!!) But no where do we see Jonah change his attitude, or find joy at what God has accomplished through him. Important! Even God does not force Jonah to be joyful. That is Jonah’s choice. Joy always is a choice! God does not make that choice for Jonah or you or me:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3 ESV

Application: You also cannot force joy upon someone else either.

When Jesus Breaks Bread

There are many times when Jesus is with us even though we don’t know it. But we can be sure of His presence when we break bread at the communion table. Two of His earliest disciples learned this truth shortly after Jesus’ resurrection as they were walking on the road toward Emmaus. These disciples knew all the facts, but their eyes opened to their faith beyond the facts. Will our eyes - and hearts - be open to the faith beyond the facts too?

You can download the sermon outline here.

When Jesus Breaks Bread - Luke 24:13-35 NIV

We come to an unusual post-resurrection story. Two followers of Jesus - Cleopas and another unnamed follower - were walking on the road to Emmaus on Resurrection Day, when a third person starts walking with them. Luke lets us in on it - the 3rd walker is Jesus, but they don’t recognize him. In fact, they were kept from recognizing Jesus!

“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.” Luke 24:15-16 NIV

#1: Jesus is often with us even _WHEN WE DON’T RECOGNIZE HIM_ .

If this was the case then, why could it not also be the case with us today? I believe there could come a time in Heaven - after this life is over - when we will discover times that Jesus was with us and we didn’t even know it. In fact, Scripture tells us that when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those imprisoned we are actually doing those things to Jesus. Indeed that is how he knows us! (Read Matthew 25!)

There also are other times Jesus is with us and we might not know it.  Again, the Bible teaches us that one of Jesus’ names - Immanuel - …

“‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” Matthew 1:23 ESV

Jesus himself promised us that if even 2 or 3 gather in His name…

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20 ESV

This is one of those cases where there is fact and faith. I can point out all the Scriptures that tell us that God is always with us and will never forsake us, I can show you were Jesus Himself said the same thing, and you can even agree with me. We would say that this is fact. We would even say we believe it. BUT we don’t believe IN IT! There is a difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. In the first case we believe it but we don’t trust it. Chair illustration - I believe this chair will hold me up but the only way I will really trust (believe in) the chair holding me up is if I sit in it. Believing Jesus is always with me is the same thing.

#2: We can know all the __FACTS_ but still not know the __FAITH_ .

“Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” Luke 24:18 NIV

The two walkers to Emmaus had all the facts. They told the story of everything that happened, but it didn’t meant they believed it. Jesus…

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27 NIV

Let’s break this down a little bit. “Moses and all the Prophets” - what’s that code for? When you read this you should translate this in your minds - the Old Testament. Moses would be the first five books. The Prophets would be prophetical books. It was not unusual in the 1st century for Rabbis to have this entire thing completely memorized! But Jesus took it a step further. He not only knew it. He knew what it meant. And he could explain what it meant to others (teach). THAT was a rare gift and something that would be an incredible thing to hear. And in this case, specifically, Jesus is saying the entire OT points to him! This leads us to another important truth for us today. It’s not enough just to read Bible. We must have the Holy Spirit explain it to us!

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:18 NIV

Paul prays for the believers in Ephesus that God the Father would give them God the Holy Spirit for both wisdom and revelation. Wisdom to know the facts and revelation to believe how it applies to us now!

Let’s suppose that Jesus has been close to you this week, but you haven’t recognized him. Is there a way - something you can do - that will lead your eyes to be open to His presence in your life?

#3: Jesus is most clearly  _REVEALED TO US_ when we break bread.

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” Luke 24:30-31a NIV 

Certainly we want to be careful about holding out the communion time as a magical way of enchanting the Presence of Jesus. (Did you know that is where the original meaning of Hocus Pocus came from?) However, it is true that these Emmaus Christ-followers eyes were opened at that exact moment. AND SINCE it appears that “they were kept from recognizing Jesus” at the beginning, then something or Someone beyond them opened their eyes at that moment.Certainly early Christians

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42 ESV

All 4 were ways in which they could corporately meet with one another AND with Jesus Himself. That same devotion works for us today. This is why we include communion as a regular part of our worship. (Tell story of how it got started in house church and then remained with us. Now it seems strange to go to a church that doesn’t include communion, yet that is the Protestant tradition.)

One more important take-away for today:

#4: When we encounter Jesus we should _SHARE THE EXPERIENCE_ .

I don’t just mean this in an evangelistic sense, but with one another!

“They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem.” Luke 24:32-33a NIV

Did you catch that “returned at once?” They didn’t wait around. They didn’t say to themselves - “Wait until Sunday.” They returned at once. There was an urgency to it. Why? Because the others had to know too!

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

This is such an important part of our Christian journey and sadly too many of us are missing out. Did you know there are 94 verses in the NT with “one another” in them? Love one another. Accept one another. Forgive one another. Bear with one another. Greet one another. Christianity is a “one another” kind of group. There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian. And really there shouldn’t be even such a thing as a Sunday only Christian either! We should have relationships with “one another” so that when on those occasions in our lives when Jesus is revealed to us, we can “at once” tell others about the experience.

There are two really good reasons for this.

#1 - It’s good for others. You have a responsibility to build others up with your encouragement. And your “Jesus sighting” should be a positive, encouraging story to share with someone else. Who knows? Maybe they are struggling with their own faith and God is counting on you to be the one to provide the encouragement. In those cases you literally become Jesus to them!

#2 - It’s good for you! You also need the affirmation of your experience. Each time you tell your story it becomes just a little bit more real to you.  Have you noticed how much doubt can settle in when you keep the good news to yourself! Get in the habit of sharing with others… and listening to others when they tell you their good news. Win-win! 

The Most Incredible Message

Where do you search for Jesus? If you don’t find Him maybe it’s because you’re looking in the wrong places. We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on this Easter Day 2018 and talk about what this means for each one of us. This is such incredible good news it must be shared. 

The sermon outline handout PDF can be downloaded here.

The Most Incredible Message - Luke 24:1-12 NIV

He is risen! {He is risen indeed!} We celebrate Resurrection Day each year by the name of Easter. Our annual Christian holiday. Imagine that first Easter, when Jesus’ followers didn’t know what we know. What would that have been like? By stepping into their lives we recognize what it is like for many people today to discover the real and risen Savior.

#1: When we search for Jesus ___WE DON’T ALWAYS FIND__ what we’re looking for.

Imagine that first group of women looking for Jesus by searching in the tomb.

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” Luke 24:1-3 NIV

That’s where they expected to find Jesus because that’s where they last saw Him, where they last experienced Him. They walked with Joseph to deposit Jesus’ dead body in the tomb. But Jesus wasn’t there! Often the same is true for us too. We remember an earlier experience of church or a younger version of ourselves with some degree of faith. And we try to return to that place or to that person only to discover that Jesus is no longer there. Those who are searching for the real and authentic Jesus, don’t give up! The search is worth it! Jesus does want you to find Him, but not among the dead relics of your yesterdays.

#2: When we search for Jesus _DON’T LOOK AMONG DEAD__ but among the living.

“While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’” Luke 24:4-5 NIV

Every time someone encounters angels in the Bible, it is a frightening experience. They are God’s messengers. They told Mary about Jesus. They told Joseph (Jesus’ earthly father) to marry Mary & to flee to Egypt. Their message this time? To ask a question! Why look here? When I was a kid one of my favorite games to play with my Grandma was “I SPY.” She would hide a red bottle cap and we had to find it. She would sit in her easy chair and yell out “cold” if we were far away, “warmer” if we got closer and “Mark you’re on fire!” If we were right on top of it. Angel saying “why look for living among the dead” was their way of saying “cold!” What about you today? Are you searching for Jesus where you last found him, only to find out that that version of Jesus is just a dead memory? Don’t look for Jesus there because…

#3: The most incredible message: ___HE HAS RISEN___ .

“He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24:6a NIV

This is WORTH the celebration! This is why we sing and dance! We don’t find Jesus among the tombs of dead people, because He is not dead. He is alive and well! Have you ever done a Facebook search for an old high school friend and been surprised by what you found? That person you knew so well in 1975 no longer has long brown hair. Has held a long career (NOT IN ROCK AND ROLL), has gained a little weight and a few wrinkles! And they live in a whole different place now! Why? Because they are living their living lives! That’s what living people do! Jesus is the same. (Except for the weight and the wrinkles. Ha!) We wouldn’t expect to find our old high school friends back in high school. And we shouldn’t expect to find Jesus where we last saw Him either! He’s alive and doing amazing, incredible things. What we should ask is, “Jesus, where are You at? Help me to find You! I want to be where You are!” The search is SO WORTH IT! Why? Because the Bible makes it very clear that Jesus’ resurrection is not just for Him, but also…

#4: Remember what Jesus said! If we believe in Him _WE WILL RISE TOO_ . I love this part of the story because the angels don’t just leave it at “He’s not here.” They remind the women of what Jesus said. 

“Remember how he told you, while he was still with you…” Luke 24:6b

When we search for Jesus we also need to be reminded about what Jesus said to us! And for that we have The Bible - the living, breathing, inspired Word of God. Jesus’ Holy Spirit still speaks through His Word! If we want to find Jesus, this is where we start. Like any good detective looking for someone who is lost, who has the opportunity to read their diary, we should want to do that too if we want to find Jesus! Here’s what we will find about what Jesus said about his death and life and ours!!!

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” John 11:25-26 NIV

And to make sure we get it, we are reminded of this truth again…

“By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will also raise us also.” 1 Corinthians 6:14 NIV

Here is a fascinating Christian truth. If we are searching for Jesus but we can’t find Him, it’s not because He’s dead. It’s much more likely that it’s because we are dead! Oh we may be alive in a physical sense, but not in a spiritual sense. Jesus also talked about our need to be born again (anew, from above). The Bible talks about us being dead in our transgressions (Eph. 2:1). To know Jesus and to be able to believe so that we might also be resurrected means that we need new life now!

#5: Such good news needs to be ___SHARED___ with others.

“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.” Luke 24:9 NIV

The very first thing these women did upon hearing this incredible good news was to go back and tell the disciples. Imagine their excitement! They’d just seen not one, but two Angels and were given the best news possible. Very human to want to share the good news. BUT - these disciples (the very ones who would eventually give up their own lives telling others the good news of Jesus) DID NOT BELIEVE!

#6: Give room for others to ___SEARCH FOR JESUS___ in their own way.

“They did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” Luke 24:11-12 NIV

So two things we learn here:

1st - Just because something is so obviously true and exciting and wonderful for us, doesn’t mean that it will be the same for other people. And that’s ok! Often we Christians get in our own way when other people struggle with their belief. Remember that even Peter and James and John didn’t believe the first time they heard it either! We have to give some room for people to work through their own doubts about what we so firmly have faith in.

2nd - Each person finds Jesus in their own way. It’s not the same for everyone. The women believed from the angels. Mary M. believed when the gardener turned out to be Jesus. Thomas believed when he poked his hands into the holes. Every person finds Jesus in his or her own way. And that’s ok! Maybe you were saved at an altar… or a revival meeting… or by reading Scripture… or by having someone debate the merits of the Christian faith with you… or by experiencing the wonders of God’s creation. The way it happened for you may not be the way it happens for the other people in your life. Don’t focus on the method but on the message.

Jesus is alive and well. He is risen. And because He is risen, I believe I will rise too some day! And if you believe in Jesus, you too will live and be resurrected. Then we’ll have an eternity together to celebrate!

Twixt Gloom & Glory

In our Christian calendar we rightly make a big deal out of Good Friday and Easter, but what about the Saturday in between? The Saturday ‘twixt gloom and glory? Ironically this is where we live most days of our lives, not on the mountaintops nor in the valleys. As we consider the last ten verses of Luke 23, we discover three examples for living out our Christian faith on those days when we feel neither the elation of the celebration nor the despair of the sorrow.

You can follow along with the PDF sermon outline here.

Twixt Gloom & Glory - Luke 23:47-56 NIV

Lots of sermons about Good Friday and Easter. Not many about the Saturday in between. That’s ironic considering that it’s the Saturday between gloom and glory where we live 90% of our lives. We talk about what to do when disappointments and grief (gloom) come your way and we talk a lot about the glory of the Christian life! But what about those many (most?) days when you’re feeling neither up nor down?

#1: ___WORSHIP___ with God’s help when I don’t feel like it.

“The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, ‘Surely this was a righteous man.’” Luke 23:47 NIV

This may be the same centurion from Luke 7 who showed great faith for his servant’s healing. He was an officer. Didn’t gamble. Didn’t snooze. Watched everything. (List.) Concluded this Jesus was not guilty of crimes (righteous man!) Mark 15 records “Surely this man was the Son of God!” All solid impartial witness info for us to help our faith. One more critical fact: The centurion praised God. This goes against our normal sense of joy in worship. Yet on this day of all days, He praised God. Great example for us. This praise came out of a disciplined heart, not just an emotional one. He praised because it was the right thing not the easy.

How do we worship and praise, when we don’t feel like it?

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” Psalm 40:1-3 NIV

The Hebrew understanding of “wait patiently” is not the same as ours. Means “seek eagerly!” The Bible promises us that if we seek God, He will be found! (Deut. 4:29 / Matt. 7:7) That’s just how God is. AND that’s just how God designed humans to be - God seekers and finders! When we find God, HE gives us a song! Based on discipline. I started to advise something like “fake it until you feel it.” But that’s wrong with worship. Jesus was critical of fakers. The discipline comes in seeking God.

Two Struggles I must work through to praise God:

A. ___GRIEF___ from a broken heart.

“When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.” Luke 23:48 NIV

That’s understandable. There was nothing more to see or do. I’m sure there was also emotional grief & emptiness. On our own it is impossible to worship when our hearts are empty. No more tears to cry! We feel like we’ll never experience joy again! God knows! Psalmist assurances:

“I am faint and severely crushed; I groan because of the anguish of my heart.” 38:8 HSB

Life is not all rosy. Jesus KNOWS groaning! & anguish! But promises…

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” 34:18 

The Bible doesn’t advise that we get our act together, pick ourselves up by our bootstraps, or just get over it already. We don’t save us! God does!

B. ___COMPLACENCY___ from a distant heart. (The more common)

“But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.” Luke 23:49 NIV

Have you ever felt like you stood at a distance from God? When it comes to worship do you ever feel more like an observer watching these things, rather than a participant? The answer once again is to seek God!

“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4:8 NIV

Like Deut 4:29 & Matt. 7:7, this is a promise. This is just the way God is and they way He designed you. Learn to recognize complacency. Realize how deadly it is to your faith. REVIVE your faith by seeking God.

#2: ___DO GOOD___ when I see the opportunity.

“Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action… He took [Jesus’ body] down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock.” Luke 23:50-51,53 NIV

Joseph is a good lesson for us regarding good people being involved in groups that may have questionable ethics. Our first instinct is that good people should never be involved in anything that is un-good(unrighteous) so our gut says good people must resign at the first sign of wrong. But then wouldn’t the result be that all the good people are not involved? That the bad just becomes worse? Our schools, government, businesses need ethical, sound, righteous involvement from Christians at every level. Joseph sounded his dissent but then when the opportunity presented itself, he took action! You don’t have to FEEL LIKE IT to do good! It’s just the opposite:  “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 ESV

Those without the Christian faith - those without hope - give up. Not us!

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 ESV

We have a duty to not only do good ourselves, but to encourage others in our Christian community to do the same. This is how we overcome the worldly hopeless, blasé attitude that what we do doesn’t matter. It does matter.

#3: ___OBEY___ the commandments trusting that God knows best.

We come to this last “TWIXT” story of the women who wanted to bury…

“The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” Luke 23:55-56 NIV

Every instinct they had was to give one last honor to Jesus by giving his deceased body the spices and perfumes necessary to keep his decaying flesh from stinking as fast as would otherwise be the case. One last favor we could do for you! But that came smack up against obeying the Sabbath commandment. What did they do? “In obedience to the…”

What was one of the last teachings of Jesus?

On multiple occasions Jesus told his followers the importance of this…

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. / You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 14:15 / 15:14 NASB

Do you think God has a sense of humor that 1551 years later, when Robert Stephanus first numbered the verses in each chapter of the Bible that these two verses became 14:15 and 15:14? Last week we sang about being friends of God. How do we know for sure we are His friends? Jesus tells us. We keep his commands! We often think of this as a hard thing to do for those who are unrighteous. Actually the more difficult is for the righteous - for there will be times (like with the women) when a good thing to do will not be the commandment thing to do. What do we do when this happens? TRUST GOD! That’s what is most involved in obeying the commandments - trusting that God knew what He was doing when He gave us those commandments in the first place!

Conclusion - These three things are what we spend the majority of our Christian lives doing - in the 90% of the times when we are twixt gloom and glory. (1) WORSHIP. Seeking God so that we may praise Him. The strength we receive from our worship gives us energy to (2) DO GOOD and (3) OBEY COMMANDS. When we place our faith in action with (2) and (3), our every instinct is to come back to (1) worship. All three become on in the same. Acts of worship. More than singing. It’s not only the Saturday between gloom and glory, but every eternal day of our forever lives!

Let’s Pray.

Cross Encounters

Even while Jesus was enduring the pain of crucifixion, he encountered 6 groups of people. In this sermon we examine these exchanges to discover powerful meaning to us two thousand years later. Open your Bible to Luke 23:26-46 as we consider cross encounters of the divine kind.

Click here to download the PDF Sermon Outline.

Cross Encounters - Luke 23:26-46 NIV

We encounter the cross of Christ through the eyes of 6 groups there:

Encounter #1: Simon from Cyrene ______________ the cross.

”As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” Luke 23:26 NIV 

Not from the country like just outside the city. Cyrene located in Libya, a 900 mile journey. Journey took over a month. Potentially dangerous. Big risk weather, marauders, wild animals. Crowded Jerusalem relief & accomplishment. Would get to see Jesus. Eat passover in Jerusalem. Wrong place at wrong time? Roman soldier grabbed him, forced him to carry cross. Instantly unclean. All those miles in vain. Anger? Fear? Then he saw Jesus, what was left of him. Body mutilated beyond recognition. Simon could not participate in Passover feast but he encountered the Passover Lamb that changed his life forever. Doesn’t matter what your plans are. When you encounter Jesus your life changes. And it could be the most unexpected encounter you ever have!

Encounter #2: Wailing women _____________ the cross.

”A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.’” Luke 23:27-28 NIV (See also Hosea 10:8)

Women of Jerusalem - unlike the men - unconvinced of Jesus’ criminality - they remembered the miracles, the hope of the Messiah. Couldn’t believe their own government complicit with the Romans to execute Jesus. Then Jesus stops the entire parade to Calvary. This is the last paragraph from Jesus! And its with the women of the city. “Don’t mourn for me. Mourn for yourselves.” Then he reaches into Hosea! Voice of prophet who married a prostitute! Quoted a wish for mountains to fall upon us because death was preferred over what was to come. Jesus knew not only the future of the next 3 hours, but the next 40 years and the fall of Jerusalem. Doesn’t matter what your plans are. Jesus knows your future. And the future of the world. Life without Christ is not worth the living. Jesus knew Calvary was worth it! Don’t mourn what Jesus did for you.

Encounter #3: Betting soldiers _____________ beneath the cross.

”And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” Luke 23:34 NIV

Four Roman soldiers - not Jews - not familiar with Old Testament prophesies, randomly assigned to Jesus’ execution. Their right was his clothing. Passed out head-dress, sandals, girdle & outer garment. 4 to 4. But then came to the tunic, indivisible, unique, more valuable. What do they do?

“When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ‘Let’s not tear it,’ they said to one another. ‘Let’s decide by lot who will get it.’ This happened that scripture might be fulfilled.” John 19:23-24 NIV (See also Psalm 22:18)

Consider that until then the prophesy of how the clothing could be divided 4 ways and yet still need to cast lots to determine who got it was a mystery. 1,000 years later happened just like it was predicted. God’s plans work out. We can’t always see it or understand it. But we look back and think, oh I get it now. Every detail. Every jot and tittle. God has a plan for you and me too. He knows us intimately and created us for His unique purpose. We go through tough times and can’t understand why, but we can look back later and see who we have become as a result of what we endured. And we can look back (or we will be able to look back) and say, oh I get it now.

Encounter #4: Mockers ______________ wine up to the cross.

”There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.” Matthew 27:34 NIV (“wine mingled with myrrh” - Mark 15:23)

We come to a confusing question of wine offered to Jesus. Luke & John say he drank. Matthew Mark say no. Which is right? Both! 2 times. First time with Matthew & Mark, Jesus was offered wine to drink with gall (myrrh) - a narcotic to dull the pain of the crucifixion. He refused shortcut. Took on the full pain of the execution. But then 3 hours into the ordeal…

“The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar.” Luke 23:36 NIV

Mocking him. Come down off that cross if you’re so mighty! John adds:

“Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge… and lifted to Jesus lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’” John 19:28-30 NIV (See also Psalm 69:21)

Psalmist talks about BOTH gall and vinegar - both fulfilled in Jesus’ sacrifice. We already talked about God’s Word being inspired & fulfilled. Same truth here. But consider this too. Both deal with the full penalty for our sins being completely paid for. Jesus did not shortcut the pain of the cross in any way. When his mouth was so dry that he could not speak and he knew his time was short, he said he was thirsty. What was it he wanted to be able to say? Why did he take the vinegar? So that you and I would know for sure: “It Is Finished.” Tetelestai. Paid For In Full!

Encounter #5: Two criminals ________________ next to the cross.

”Then [the other criminal] said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:42-43 NIV

Was it a coincidence that there were two thieves crucified on either side of Jesus? One joins the crowd to mock Jesus even in his dying minutes. The other defends Jesus and asks to be remembered - demonstrating saving faith. Jesus ignores the first and rewards the second. This same division happens today all over the world. Why will some reject and mock while others show remorse and faith? To be ignored by Jesus would be a terrible tragedy. To be welcomed by Jesus would be the ultimate reward. Which side of Jesus do you want to be on?

Encounter #6: Temple veil ___TORN IN TWO___ by the cross.

”And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.” Luke 23:45-46 NIV

3 things happened all at once: (1) Jesus cries out to His Father; (2) He drew his final breath; (3) the temple curtain (veil) torn in two. What was this veil? Thick! 4 inches. Fashioned from blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. 60 feet high! Separate the “Holy of Holies” from rest of temple worship. Once a year the High Priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil to enter into God’s presence for all of Israel and make atonement for their sins. BTW - this high priest was to wear a tunic with no seams from top to bottom. Sound familiar? Jesus became both our high priest AND the sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins!

“We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtains that is, his body.” Hebrews 10:19-20 NIV

The tearing of the veil at the exact moment of Jesus’ shedding of His own blood for us was a sufficient atonement for our sins. And now the way into the Holy of Holies was not just the right of one high priest once per year, but now is open for all people, for all time, every and any time. God moved out - never to dwell in a temple. Now He wants to move into to the new temple - the temple of your very being. He went through so much to make it possible.

There are six groups of people, but we've only talked about five. Who are the sixth group? Us! You and me! Our only question is this: will you let Him in?

No Basis Exchange

From childhood’s earliest days we know the meaning and expectation of “fairness.” How many times have you heard a child cry out in frustration: “But that’s not fair!” There’s just something about rightness and wrongness that is built into our human psyche. That’s why this sermon is so important. There was just nothing fair about the exchange of Jesus for Barabbas. Yet, as unfair as it was, it was the best possible exchange for each one of us.

Here is the sermon OUTLINE.

Here is are my sermon notes:

No Basis Exchange - Luke 22:63-71; 23:1-25 NIV

I believe we are born with a “fairness” gene. Children say early in life: “That’s not fair.” We think life should be fair. Yet the single most important exchange in human history was as unfair as it could be!

1. ___FAIRNESS___ has nothing to do with it.

”The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, ‘Prophesy! Who hit you?’ And they said many other insulting things to him.” Luke 22:63-65 NIV 

Before any charges were brought, before any trial, Jesus was mocked and beaten, insulted, made fun of. Lest we are quick to hurl accusations at the guards, I believe they acted under orders. What we see from beginning to end, fairness had nothing to do with it. Jesus did not get what he deserved. As we’ll see before we’re finished - that ends up being a good thing for us. Why? Because we don’t get what we deserve either! All that Jesus endured he endured for us - in our place. There is an “unfair fairness” to Jesus’ passion. He endured the unfair punishment so we wouldn’t have to be fairly punished.

2. Jesus never ___FORCES FAITH___ on us. (But He still IS Lord!) In the mockery of a trial, the religious leaders tried to get Jesus to incriminate himself about His divinity. He knew it and gave them nothing.

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” Luke 22:67-69 NIV

Consider what Jesus could have done. Remember the power he demonstrated when he replaced the high priest’s servant’s ear? He could have called down a legion of angels to reveal themselves. He could have forced each one of them to bow down. He could have caused them to immediately suffer from leprosy. However, that has never been the way Jesus operated. Either then or now. He never forces faith on anyone.

Do you want to have faith? Do you want to believe in Jesus? Then he will make it possible. You’ll discover Jesus in your life…

“Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” John 7:17 NIV

What does Jesus say through John when he is on Patmos 60 yrs later?

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20 NIV

If you are indeed a Christ follower, then you know the truth of this.  We call it being under conviction. Feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit asking to come into your life. But He never forces himself. (How could we love if our actions were only forced upon us?) And yet it’s also true that we could not have faith and could not love without Jesus and what he did

3. There was ___NO BASIS___ for any charge against Jesus. Pontius Pilate - the Roman governor under the emperor of Tiberius. He was officially known as the Prefect of Judea. As such he was granted the power of a supreme judge. He had sole authority to order the execution of a criminal. Yet 3 different times Pilate says there is no basis for Jesus:

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” // “I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.” // “What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty.”  Luke 23:4,14,22  NIV 

Basis is an interesting word. In this jurisprudence sense it means grounds for execution. We would call it grounds for a guilty verdict. Except it didn’t have to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. And remember that Pilate is both judge and jury here.

Basis has another meaning in economic terms. The basis of an investment is its cost. When filing a tax return, we must know the basis of a sold asset in order to calculate its gain or loss. If something has no basis, then the sale is all profit and results in the highest tax penalty possible. Pilate claimed the charges against Jesus had no basis - or 0 basis. Pure profit for us who are saved by Him. 100% penalty for Jesus!

4. Crowds and mobs do not make the ___RIGHT___ choice. We come to one of the most troubling (and unfair) parts of this event. The mob cries out for Jesus’ execution. And when Pilate offers Barabbus, a criminal actually guilty of the crimes, the crowd demands Jesus be killed!

“But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.” Luke 23:23 NIV

Be careful of “falling in with the crowd.” There is a psychology that happens that overpowers our reasonable sense of right and wrong. If everyone around us agrees, then it seems - feels right. Even though it clearly is not. We must also realize is that mobs can be manipulated:

“The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. / [They] stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.” Matthew 27:20 / Mark 15:11 NIV

Don’t be a member of a mob. Don’t be a crowd pleaser. Stay in tune with God and His sense of right and wrong. Be willing to stand up against the crowd. Whenever I read this I ask where was the blind man? The deaf man? The centurion whose daughter was healed? The lame man? The bleeding woman? The father whose son was paralyzed? Lazarus? Zachhaeus, tree climber who had lunch with Jesus? The large crowds who laid out palm branches the week before? Thousands who were fed?

5. Barabbas for Jesus - the ___WORST___ exchange ever? 

“So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.” Luke 23:24-25 NIV

So we come back to the fairness question. Pilate gave in to political expediency. Kept the peace at the sacrifice of the one sinless, guiltless person there. In exchange was a criminal guilty of all the crimes. Was this the worst exchange ever? Yes… and no!

 Or the ___BEST__ exchange ever? 

“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:25 NIV

Remember how I’ve told you that you should read this story in such a way that you put yourself into the story? But who are we in Jesus’ trial? I submit to you today that each one of us is Barabbus. Our sins. Our justification! Our transgressions! Our iniquities. Isaiah 700 years before:

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

Conclusion: Over the next 2 weeks heading into Easter, think about this no basis exchange. There was no basis for people bringing a charge against the sinless God-man, Jesus. There is every basis for God to bring a charge against each one of us -  all sinners, all guilty. As hard as it is to think this way, pray - “But that’s not fair!” “And thank you God!”

That Look Of Jesus [Sermon]

We take a close look at the Christian life cycle through the story of Peter. Along the way we discover the crisis each Christ-follower must face in his or her own life. The end result of this crisis will be either life everlasting or stillbirth. The good news? Jesus is on our side and even prays for us!

Date Delivered - February 25, 2018

Download Sermon Outline PDF HERE.

Bible App Sermon Notes HERE.

 That Look of Jesus - Luke 22:31-34; 54-62 NIV

Today we consider the life cycle of a genuine Christian. Why is it important? Because we live in two ways. We are born physically. Then we are born spiritually. We can be walking around in a physical sense yet be walking dead in a spiritual sense.

 

This is especially important when we become disappointed in ourselves and our Christian performance. Are we real? Authentic? Or just fooling ourselves? Peter demonstrates what we all go through. And good to know that Jesus is cheering us on. Praying for us!

 

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32 NIV

 

5 Marks of Our Christian Growth:

 

1. Christian Hubris: I __IDEALIZE__ my Christianity.

 

We all have idealized concepts of what it means to be a Christian. How we are raised to what we were taught to what we’ve always thought.

 

But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Luke 22:33 NIV

 

It’s perfectly natural to think that if we were a Christian that we would do it right. That’s why critics say there are only hypocrites in that church. Truth is that none of us are perfect ever, but especially when we begin. We think we are better than what we are. We fail to realize the depth of our depravity. But often we try to live like a Christian…

 

2. Christian Crisis: I __RECOGNIZE__ my inability.

 

This is where the crisis comes in. No one can do it. We don’t have the ability. And often our inability comes right at the point that we thought we were so strong. Peter thought that he would go to prison or die. But the reality…

 

Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today,

you will deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:34 NIV

 

And it came true just like Jesus said it would!

 

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. Luke 22:60 NIV

 

This recognition brings on crisis? Why crisis? Because it is exactly at this point that we either give up, fake out, or move through.

 

(1) Give up - I just can’t do it so I won’t even try.

 

(2) Fake out - Pretend to be a Christian but not really. Still relying on my own strength. Pray but never experience power of God’s Holy Spirit. Prayer as last resort.

 

(3) Move through. This is hard and painful. But it’s a wall every authentic Christian goes through.

 

3. Christian Genesis: I __AGONIZE__ my failure.

 

When we come face to face with our own depravity and the fact that we cannot please Jesus through our own efforts alone - that becomes agony for us.

 

The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered…

and he went outside and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:61-62 NIV

 

We have a word for this deep emotional sorrow for our sins. It’s called contrition. It is the beginning of our reconciliation to God. Without the feeling of sorrow for our failure, our confession means little, and our repentance even less. It’s important to recognize that Christ died for us and loved us regardless of our own imperfection.

 

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV

 

Once we understand this truth about Jesus - his unconditional love even at the point of our sinfulness - we have room to respond. We agonize our failure (contrition) - we have a “contrite” heart - and that leads us to confession (agreement with God) and then to repentance (change of direction).

 

This is where authentic Christianity begins - Contrite, Confession, Repentance…

 

4. Christian Phoenix: I _METABOLIZE__ my love.

 

The rest of Peter’s story - his reconciliation to Jesus - is told in John 21…

 

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me? He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:15-17 NIV

 

3x “Do you love me, feed my sheep” Why 3x? Reflects the 3 betrayals. Do I have to name each sin? You committed each of them! More than a reminder of Peter’s failure, this 3x was also an emphasis of Jesus’ restoration. 3x “Feed my sheep!” 3x Peter’s calling and purpose. Had not changed. Peter still had his job! He was still going to be the leader!

 

Why the 3x “Do you love me?” What was now and forevermore going to be the source of Peter’s strength and affection? No longer for himself, but for Jesus! Which ALSO means his faith could now be solid. Wasn’t dependent on his own perfection. (Peter wasn’t perfect still.) But since his faith was based on his love of Jesus RATHER than himself, he was good to go for the rest of his life.

 

This is why we use the word, “metabolize.” Means to change. A caterpillar “metabolizes” into a butterfly. It is forever changed. The same is true of an authentic Christ-follower. The person who calls himself a Christian but is still at #1 above is dependent upon himself. Will fail. His faith will falter. Still in love with himself and comes to Jesus full of himself. (“I will never deny you!”) When we change / metabolize our love from ourselves to Jesus, then God can use us like a phoenix rising from the ashes into God’s purposeful life…

 

5 Christian Oasis: I __REALIZE__ my purpose.

 

We all have different purposes. Not many have the genuine purpose to serve to martyrdom. But Peter did! Do you remember what he promised? “I will follow you to prison and even unto death!” Yet on that night of nights, he denied Jesus 3x. Yet it was still his highest calling / purpose…

 

“But even if you should suffer for what I right, you are blessed. Do not fear their threats. Do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:14-15 NIV

 

30-40 years before Jesus affirmed his own faith in Peter that he would indeed live his life and give his life for Jesus. That Peter would be faithful!

 

“Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” John 21:18 NIV

 

Tradition holds that Peter died a martyr’s death on the cross. Unlike Jesus, Peter insisted on being crucified upside down, because he thought himself unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as Christ.

 

This may not sound like a good thing, but remember that few people are a Peter and called to be faithful even to the death penalty. We do have to ask “What is my purpose?” What are You calling ME to do for You, Lord Jesus? That may be something we even sense before our salvation, but we fail to live up to it.

 

What about you? Where are you at? Are you stuck? Do you need to move through one of these markers of Christian faith?

Real Dads of Genius [Audio Podcast]

Real Dads of Genius are dads who are caring, consistent, close, and Christian. This is the Father's Day talk delivered by me to Church Requel on June 15, 2014. It also includes 4 "Real Dads of Genius" videos of real dads within our congregation. The cover art photo is my son, Jonathan, with his 4 children: Grayden, Lila, Lincoln, and Cohen.

Click to Listen!

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Getting Your Family Financially Fit!

Getting Your Family Financially Fit from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

 Some say we are in economic recovery. But many families are still in a recession. There are more people out of work right now than ever in our lifetime. Sadly, more folks fall under the poverty level in America than ever before. Lots of folks are upside down on their mortgages.

If ever there was a time to learn what the Bible has to say about our finances, it’s NOW! Join me, as I share ancient wisdom from Matthew, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes - age old wisdom for today’s age!

February 23rd - The Foundation of Financial Health. We begin our financial fitness study with an in-depth examination of the Parable of the Talents. We will learn the 7 foundational principles of financial management. Jesus had much to say! God is actually watching how I handle my wealth here to see what He can trust me with in heaven.

March 2nd - The Law of Contentment. This law of contentment is a crucial foundational step. You won’t be able to handle the others if your yearnings always exceed your earnings. We will first talk about the effects of always wanting more. Then we’ll discuss 4 important principles for learning contentment in your life.

March 9th - The Laws of Sowing & Reaping. This law of our finances is also a law of life. We’ll study sowing and reaping from the Bible and discover 9 laws of life. This is not only good for our money, but also for our relationships, our time, our words, our talents and our energy. You’ll walk away convinced this law of sowing and reaping is as universal as gravity.

March 16th - The Habits of Financial Health. We’ll learn healthy habits for healthy finances. Are you in a financial hole? This week is for you. We’ll look at the eight habits for getting financially free. We’ve arranged them in order of importance from most important to least and in the order of how you should do them. Sharpen your pencils for this talk!

March 23rd - Where Best To Invest. Jesus had a lot to say about banking and investing. “Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven,” is mentioned five times in Scripture. It’s true you can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead! We’ll balance our investment portfolios by examining God’s five investment funds.

Stressbusters - New Sermon Series This Summer at CR

This summer at Church Requel, we’re going to look at our seven greatest sources of stress. They are all found in Psalm 23. The antidotes are also found in Psalm 23, the most beloved psalm of the Bible. It tells us what God is really like. The more we understand God, the easier it will be for us to trust Him!

May 26th - God’s Antidote to Worry. Worry is unhelpful, unreasonable and unhealthy. The antidote is to believe God will take care of me. God is the Shepherd who provides, protects, guides and corrects. We’ll learn 3 ways to make God the good Shepherd of our lives.

June 2nd - God’s Antidote to Busyness. Are you always in a hurry? Is your “To Do” list always unrealistically long? God is interested in your rest and relaxation. He wants you to live a whole, balanced and complete life. We’ll learn the prescription for pressured people - to R.E.L.A.X.

June 9th - God’s Antidote to Damaged Emotions. We all need to have our souls restored sometimes. We get hurt. Life’s tough. God wants to take out our emotional garbage. He wants to restore our souls. How? We’ll learn to make 3 changes about our guilt, grief and grudges.

June 16th - God’s Antidote to Indecision. Life is a series of choices. Success is a matter of making wise decisions. We make decisions and then our decisions make us! How do we know God’s will? We’ll learn 4 things we must do to let God guide us in the right path.

June 23rd - God’s Antidote for Dark Valleys. All sunshine and no rain makes a desert. It’s the dark valleys of our lives that give us depth and maturity. Even in our darkest days, God is there. We’ll learn 5 facts about the dark valleys and then what to do when we’re in those valleys.

June 30th - God’s Antidote to Your Hurt. Relationships are our greatest blessing and joy, but also the greatest source of stress in our lives. How should we respond when we are hurt by someone we love? We’ll learn what not to do, and then how God overflows us with healing.

July 7th - God’s Antidote to Fearing the Future. Do you never enjoy today because you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow? We’ll learn to gain the confidence that God is watching over us, that His grace is working in us, and that Heaven is waiting for us.

"Today Is The Day" [Sermon Notes]

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

Today Is The Day - 05.05.13

Intro: Talk about my friend Michael, who died unexpectedly. I have been reminded anew of the truth of James:

 “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’.”  James 4:13-15 NIV (p. 852)

This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t make plans. It means that we always need to recognize that we are not in control of our own futures. Compared to the eternal God, our mortal life is like a mist. Like a fog.

Illustration - Tuesday morning fog before breakfast. Gone completely afterward. 

 1. ___TODAY___ is the only day I have.

I can’t change ___YESTERDAY___.

I have no guarantee of ___TOMORROW___.

May not be a new lesson, but one worth reminding myself of daily. Otherwise I squander the day and lose opportunity. Today is all we have. This is why the psalmist...

 “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 NIV (p. 413)

Illustration of $86,400 a day. What if each day you were given $86,400 to spend on anything you wanted. But anything you didn’t spend you lost. NO SAVINGS! NO BORROWING! How hard would you work to spend every last dime? This is what our lives are. Each day we have 86,400 seconds, no more, no less. We use them or we lose them.

The more we live in each moment, the more we become like God:

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’.” Exodus 3:14 NIV (p. 40)

Isn’t this fascinating, because if there is anyone Who has the power to change yesterday and Who has the guarantee of tomorrow, it the Almighty! Yet He more than anyone identifies Himself as the “I Am.” Always in this present moment - for all eternity!

So how do we make the most of this moment? How do we best live in today?

Plot Lines: The Golden Rule of the Christian Life [Sermon Notes]

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

Plot Lines: The Golden Rule of the Christian Life - 02.10.13

Matthew 7:12-14 NIV  

Introduction: If you become a reader you’ll quickly discover that a great plot makes for a great book. A lousy plot makes for a lousy book. What is plot? It’s the sequence of events in the story combined with the motivation for why the characters do what they do. Plot is both the WHAT and the WHY!

When it comes to writing my story of my Christian life, the plot is also crucial. It’s WHAT I do as a Christ-follower combined with WHY I do it. A great plot leads to a great Christian story. Lousy plot, lousy story. The question we want to answer today is this: What makes for a great plot in my Christian life? To answer that we go to the pinnacle of Jesus’ teaching in his Sermon on the Mount.

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. ¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:12-14 ESV

This is the plot of the great Christian story: FIND the narrow gate, ENTER through the narrow gate, and WALK the narrow road. 

Keeping My Confidence [Sermon Notes]

Having condidence sometimes makes all the difference in the world to what you are trying to accomplish. Did you know that the Bible has a lot to say about confidence? In this sermon we learn the 3 things you need to be confident - in any area of life - but especially in your faith.

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

Keeping My Confidence - 01.13.13

Hebrews 10:32-36 / Colossians 3:12-17

Video: "Charles Blondine - Tightrope Walker"

Introduction: There’s a difference between the man in the wheelbarrow and the crowd. And what’s that difference? Confidence. Confidence is what makes the man leave the safety of the shore and get into the wheel barrow that will go across the tightrope over Niagara Falls. This is not the confidence we usually think of - “self” confidence, but confidence in someone else. You know how important confidence is, right? When you’re confident you feel like you can be bold and that you can accomplish anything. When you lack confidence, you’re afraid to even try. Did you know that the Bible has a lot to say about this topic of confidence?

TODAY’S BIG IDEA: 

If I’m not careful, I could ___THROW AWAY___ my confidence.

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”  Hebrews 10:35 ESV

We find that confidence is incredibly important to living the Christian life. According to the Hebrews writer, confidence is something that we can either keep... or something that we can toss aside. There’s no question that it’s something we desperately need to live the life that God has in mind for us. I’m not saying that your confidence is something that is optional - a take it or leave it kind of thing. What I’m saying is that your confidence is not “automatic.” It does not come and stay as part of your faith decision.  Let’s talk about what we mean by “confidence”:

Church Requel in 2013 - Up, In and Out [Sermon Notes]

The Church Requel mission is to be a community loving God and loving people. Short. Simple. But not as easy as it sounds. In this past weekend's talk, I talk about the 3 aspects of "Up," "In," and "Out" that we want to be and do this year.

Every week I publish my sermon notes so that you may read them for yourselves.  For my parishioners, this could be a good review from the weekend before.  And it gives you a chance to see what I intended to say!  For other pastors and ministers, feel free to borrow and use any of this material.  I'd love for God to be glorified by you incorporating these notes into your own worship.

"CR in 2013: Up, In and Out" 01.06.13

Video: “Clear” by Journey Box Media

Introduction: This past weekend I traveled to Celina for the Hawk family Christmas. Others were showing photos of their kids and grandkids. I was showing pictures of our new church building. LOL. Examples. We are all happy about God’s provision of St. Luke’s Point of Grace. We have a feeling of legitimacy and purpose. I share that. OTOH, we must remember what “church” is supposed to be. We must not forget our mission: WHO and WHOSE we are supposed to be.

 ILLUSTRATION: Andy Stanley’s book, Deep and Wide, give history of word, “church” in NT. Ekklesia - gathering, assembly. Or “basilica” (Latin), “kirika” (Gothic), “kirche” (German), “church” (English.) “The word church is not a translation from the Greek. It is a substitution for the Greek... A kirche is a location. An ekklesia is a purposeful gathering of people. You can lock the doors of a kirche. Not so with the ekklesia of Jesus.”

Let’s remember our mission - 

Audio Podcast: Productive Christ Follower

This week's Church Requel podcast is loaded with great listening content for you. 

• K-Mart Christmas in May - Rankin Paynter demonstrates Christ-like behavior when he buys out $200,000 of a local K-Mart store (3:16)
• Facebook Accountability - The initial public offering took place last Friday.  Two weeks ago I made my predictions public on this podcast.  Let's check in and see how well those prognastications turned out. (9:09)
• Last Tuesday my friend Len Edgerly, the voice behind the popular The Kindle Chronicles podcast stopped in Mansfield for a visit with me.  We both came armed with microphones.  I talked to Len about the labor of love involved each week in producing TKC. (15:37)
• Mad Men and Christianity - what does the wildly popular AMC television show have to do with Christianity, you ask?  This past Saturday the Mansfield News Journal published my Viewpoint article in which I answer this question.  My daughter Jillian reads this piece for you. (35:51)
• Rotten Banana Christianity - listen to the funny responses of the kids at Church Requel last night when they were offered rotten bananas during the Children's sermon. (44:35)
• Church Requel Sunday night sermon: "The Effective and Productive Christ Follower." (53:30) We learn the what, 2 whys and the how of becoming a fruitful servant for Christ.

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

Here are the links for the things we talked about on this week's podcast:

• Len Edgerly's The Kindle Chronicles Show Notes - click here.
• Len's Facebook page, The Reading Edge - click here.
• Donate a Kindle to the Troops - click here.

Audio Podcast: Influential MOMs

In this week's Church Requel podcast, I talk about

1. The Ivy League Janitor
2. Same Sex Marriage and the Pulpit
3. House Church
4. Re-Using a Used Sermon
5. Influential Moms

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

Here are the show notes and links:

The Ivy League Janitor story on The Daily http://bit.ly/IQ5dAL.

Black Churches Conflicted in USA Today http://usat.ly/KhFxj1.

Approach about Faith Questioned Romney http://usat.ly/KeM9fu.

Video Sermon: Love Is More Than A Feeling

We learn six lessons from Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan: (1) The gold standard of Christianity; (2) Loving people required to live the good life; (3) There are no loopholes; (4) Loving people doesn't come from obligation but from compassion; (5) Compassion trumps our schedule and plans; (6) Our kindness to others is God's plan to confront evil.  Join me in this 5th sermon from The God Life series. This CR talk was recorded on May 6th.  Thanks so much to Dave Johnson for his video editing work.

 

Here are the resources to support this week's sermon.  You may want to download the weekend program and follow along.  Or perhaps you'd like to have a copy of my notes.  If you are a pastor or ministry leader of another church, you are most welcome to use these resources in any way that could build the kingdom of Christ.  We're on the same team!  Download any of the following:

• Download 120506OUTSIDE - the outside of our printed program
• Download 120506INSIDE - the inside of our printed program
  
• Download 120506 Love More TEACHING NOTES - sermon manuscript
  
• Download 120506 Love More NOTES SLIDES - manuscript plus graphics, used by tech team
  
• Download 120506 Planning Sheet - our worship order of service with good theme ideas
  

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast.

Audio Podcast: Love Is More Than A Feeling

In this week's Church Requel podcast Mark talks about:

1. churches being sensitive to single people.  Less than half of the U.S. Population is married now.  How should that change the way we lead our churches? 
2. The Wildcat roller coaster is closing at Cedar Point. It started running in 1970, the same year Mark and his brother, Todd, went to Cedar Point for the first time. 
3. What's really the difference between leadership and fellowship?  Mark considers that maybe the two are not as different as some people think. 
4. Facebook's Initial Public Offering is less than two weeks away.  Will it be a good investment?  Mark puts his investment cap back on and looks at the numbers.  
5. Cutting Room Floor segment - what do you do when you have a topic that could contain so much material... say, "The Good Samaritan" parable?
6. Church Requel's Sermon from May 6th: "Love Is More Than A Feeling." We consider six lessons we learn about loving other people from The Good Samaritan story. 
7. Mark's wrap-up after church Sunday evening.

Listen to this week's Church Requel Podcast:

Subscribe to this audio podcast!  It's available every week on iTunes or for any other mp3 player.

Video Sermon: Keeping My Eyes On The Ball

In this Church Requel video sermon from April 29th, we learn perseverance lessons from the parable of the Sower and the Seeds... and from baseball!  Much appreciation to Dave Johnson for his editing labors!

Keeping My Eyes On The Ball from Mark Pierce on Vimeo.

Here are the resources to support this week's sermon.  You may want to download the weekend program and follow along.  Or perhaps you'd like to have a copy of my notes.  If you are a pastor or ministry leader of another church, you are most welcome to use these resources in any way that could build the kingdom of Christ.  We're on the same team!  Download any of the following:

• Download 120429OUTSIDE - the outside of our weekly printed program
• Download 120429INSIDE - the inside or our weekly printed program
  
• YouVersion Sermon Notes - the notes published for the Bible app
• Download 120429 Eyes on Ball TEACHING NOTES - my sermon manuscript I used in pulpit.
  
• Download 120429 Eyes on Ball NOTES SLIDES - the same manuscript, but with graphics in the margins.  This is the document used by our tech team.
  
• Download 120429 Planning Sheet - our order of service for April 29th.  Pastors and worship planners may find good ideas to support the theme of perseverance.
  

All of the Church Requel sermons are available either in the CR Video Library or the CR Audio Library or you can listen on the Church Requel Audio Blog.  Would you like to subscribe to the weekly audio podcast and receive the sermon each week?  Subscribe here for iTunes or here for all other mp3 devices.  You can also subscribe to the weekly video podcast.