John 3:16 - Because He Loves

(Thank you to Max Lucado for the inspiration for Sunday's sermon!)

God greatly loves us and He showed His love by giving. He decided to love, and then demonstrated His love with an action.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

He chose us.

"For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight."
Ephesians 1:4

He didn't choose us because we earned it. We didn't enter a "God's Most Desirable People" competition. He just chose us because He wanted to.

"God wasn't attracted to you and didn't choose you because you were big and important. The fact is, there was almost nothing to you. He did it out of sheer love, keeping the promise He made to your ancestors." Deuteronomy 7:7-8

Have you ever wondered why God chose the Israelites to be His people? It's pretty clear that it wasn't because they were all that holy or attractive or earnest. They were a mess. They were "stiff necked" (stubborn) and rebellious. They always had an idea that they deemed better than God's idea. Their idea of serving God was to do what they wanted until things got really bad, and then they would cry out and repent. God would forgive and restore, and then the cycle would start all over again.

If I had been God, I would have gotten tired of that after about 500 years or so. Okay, maybe sooner than that.

God chose them because He chose them. Humanly speaking, there was no reason. He could have chosen a people with more wealth, more population, or any number of "bigger, better, or more" that you can think of. But instead He offered them Himself and the privilege of being His chosen and beloved.

God chooses who He chooses, and thankfully we are included in His choosing. Let's face it, God doesn't get a prize when He chooses us, but miraculously He views us that way.

Let me end with lyrics from a song we sang on Sunday.

How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Stuart Townend

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

(That reminds me of the quote from Max Lucado: ""Junkyard wrecks and showroom models share equal space in God's garage.")

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts no power no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Is there anything more awesome than God's love?

God loved.
He gave.
We believe.
We live.

It's as simple as that. What are your thoughts?

BOASTING in the Greatness of the Lord!

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21

This is a powerful passage written by the Apostle Paul , and it is a favorite of mine!

Paul is taking the opportunity to underscore the vastness of God's power and love. He wants them to know that they are serving a God that is bigger than anything they can imagine! He is literally praying that they will be able to grasp how "wide and long and high and deep" the love of God is.

The psalmist recognized God's greatness. The psalms are full of wonderful passages that recite the vastness of God's creation and His limitless power, love, and mercy. No wonder, then, he wrote about "boasting" about the God he served.

"In God we boast all the day long, and praise Thy name for ever." Psalm 44:8

Another of my favorite passages is found in Job 26:7-14. Here is a guy who has been stripped of everything important to him--family, posessions, prestige, and health, and here he takes an opportunity to talk about the power and greatness of God! He didn't let his difficult circumstances change the way he thought about God. Read this, and remember it was written by a guy whose life was MISERABLE!

He [God] spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.

He wraps up the waters in his clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.

He covers the face of the full moon,
spreading his clouds over it.

He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters
for a boundary between light and darkness.

The pillars of the heavens quake,
aghast at his rebuke.

By his power he churned up the sea;
by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.

By his breath the skies became fair;
his hand pierced the gliding serpent.

And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
how faint the whisper we hear of him!
Who then can understand the thunder of his power?"

Now in case you missed it, go back and read that last verse again. He is basically saying, "God is big and powerful and we can see it in creation and in what he does in the world. But believe me, guys, that is just the tip of the iceberg. We have no concept of how big He really is!"

You boast about your kids or your new electronic toy or your favorite sports team. So as you go through this next week, I challenge you to boast about your God. Seize opportunities to let the people you meet up with know that the God you serve is bigger than anything in their wildest imaginations!

Talk to me....what do you think about serving this great God?

Listen! Act! Walk!

On Sunday, we read the passage in Leviticus where God had Moses do what seemed to be a very strange ritual:

Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. Leviticus 8:23

God does not give us any clues in that passage as to exactly why He chose that particular way of performing the consecration of Aaron and his sons. However, it is reasonable to conclude that there was a lot of symbolism involved. With our ears, we listen. With our hands we act or do. With our feet we walk or go.

So the message to Aaron and his sons (and to all of us as well) is clear. We must listen, act, and walk every minute and every day of our lives.

We must listen to what God is saying. Not just when He says what we want to hear. Not just when we find ourselves in a tight situation and need His help or guidance. Not just when we are confused. We must listen.

Isn't it interesting that God had Moses anoint Aaron's ear first? And after the ear, THEN the thumb and the big toe.

To me that suggests that we need to listen FIRST and then, and only then, will we act and go.

After we have heard God tell us what to do or where to go, then we must obey. But the listening is critical in order to do the right thing or go the right place.

Listen. Act. Walk. That pretty much sums up our entire life, doesn't it?

What are your thoughts? Talk to me!

Who Needs Holiness Anyway?

On Sunday, we talked about the Israelites and their hot and cold commitment to the God who had brought them out of Egypt.

It would seem that they had some "stinkin' thinkin" about their calling as God's chosen people.

• They wanted the "perks" of being God's chosen, but didn't want to obey Him.
• They lacked commitment.
• They doubted God, even after experiencing His hand in their lives over and over.
• They lost their focus time and time again, even after recommitting time and time again.
• They acted much more like the Egyptians that they left behind than they did the people God wanted them to be.
  
• They wanted to do things in the way that they saw as best.
• They didn't want God "messing" with the parts of their lives that had nothing to do with worship and sacrificial rituals.
• They wanted God to leave them be except, of course, when they were in a pickle and needed Him to rescue them.

Sound familiar? Do you see these things in your life or in the lives of those around you? As a pastor, I have seen a lot of those "Israelite traits" in those that I have come in contact with. I see people who compartmentalize their lives and live their lives according to the rules of "Egypt" (our culture) and not according to the word of God. I see people who have a tough time committing to God and sticking with that commitment.

When we think about faithfulness and love for God in terms of a marriage covenant, hopefully it opens our eyes to what the Lord requires of us. Not part time faithfulness. Not faithfulness for a season. Not hot and cold. Just like those things would not work very well in a marriage, so they do not work in our relationship with God. He wants all of us, all of our lives, complete obedience and faithfulness, and total devotion to Him. Nothing less will do.

How is your devotion to God? Does He have all of you? Does He own every area of your life? Do you run to God when you need something, but run amok when things are going smoothly?

Comments? Questions? Talk to me!

From Desperation to Destination

On Sunday we looked at Exodus 14:10-15. You have to admit that the Israelites were in a pretty desperate situation. They were leaving their lives as slaves in Egypt and headed to the land that God had promised them. Out in the middle of nowhere pretty much. Stopped cold because the Red Sea is in front of them. No bridge. No B.A.R.T. No ferry boat. The only way across, it would seem, would be to walk across. Hmmm, a real problem, eh?

Then they look behind them and on the horizon they see Pharaoh and his army bearing down on them. They were suddenly focused on their past. At that point panic and pandemonium ensued. Here's what the Bible says:

"As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, 'Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!'"

Now, you have to admit you might have done the same thing in those circumstances. The word on the street was, "People, we have a problem! Now what?" But Moses is clear in his resolve. The Lord had led them to where they were now, and the Lord would not be abandoning them any time soon. Read what Moses said to these people of little faith.

"Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'"

Now I have to wonder if Moses had to seriously work on controlling himself to not lash out at them. But instead, he reassured them that God was with them and would fight for them. But then God had a word for Moses:

"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.'''

It sounds to me like God was saying something like, "Moses, this is not the time to be encouraging them to stand. This is NOT the time to be talking about faith. This is the time to move out. I already told you that you were going to the promised land. Maybe you should be ACTING like you're gonna reach the destination instead of TALKING about reaching it. Head 'em up and move 'em out, Moses!"

It occurs to me that Moses could have stood there all day long building them up, reminding them of God's hand in getting them out of Egypt, and speaking encouragement to them, but (knowing the Israelites like we do) I doubt whether they would have felt any better. Their focus was on the desperate situation of Pharaoh's army chasing them. What would build their faith more than to move out and see God's hand do a mighty act on their behalf?

Quit talking, and start moving!

So the question is, what do you need to move on? What do you need to let go of from your past in order to move forward into the destination God has for you? Where is your focus? Is it on your past, or is it on your faith and what God has called you to?

Comments, please?

Job Opportunity

Well, I figured that the title would certainly catch your interest! :)

On Sunday, we talked about what Jesus told us to do, that is go and work in the field to bring in the harvest. The field, of course, is the lost world and the work is bringing people into the Kingdom of God. There is no question but that Jesus is sending out the word that He seriously needs EVERYONE to pitch in and be one of the harvesters:

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had great compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" Matthew 9:35-38

This is one job, folks, that we don't have to apply for. You don't need to fill out endless paperwork. You don't need to take a physical or an agility test. You don't need to show proof of a college degree or extensive training, or go through a psychological evaluation.

Jesus was talking to His disciples. That's you and me, by the way. And He wasn't going through the group and choosing those who could do the work. "Let's see, um, Peter I think you need some anger management work before I can trust you to go out in the field. Thomas, maybe if you spent a couple of years more following me around, your faith will grow big enough to work at the harvest. James, you and I need to hang back and work on your attitude. Andrew, I just don't see you as ministry material. Matthew, your past of being a dishonest Tax Collector seriously disqualifies you to participate in this work."

Nope, he didn't say any of those things. He looked at that rag tag group of followers, looked past all of their imperfections, and told them He needed them to do a job for Him. They were seriously underqualified from a human perspective. They lacked training. They had personality flaws. They had their issues. But He called them, and He sent them.

He sent them, but not just them. Us too! We are all underqualified, lack training, and we are none of us perfect. But God isn't interested in any of that. He's only interested in who will obey His command to go into the field and work the harvest! Period. He takes our flaws, our insecurities, our lack of ability and He pours on His power through the Holy Spirit, and amazing things happen!

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

"The Spirit of the Lord" may be the most important part of those verses. Jesus was doing His work under the power of the Holy Spirit--the same Holy Spirit that resides in you and me.

So here's the point. The job is open. The field is ripe. A "Help Wanted" sign is calling you. The question is, will you be a harvester in your circle of influence--your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers you encounter? Will you start now? Are you willing to step out and be amazed at what God will do through you?

Talk to me! I want to know what you are hearing!

How to Avoid Paying Up

On Sunday we talked about dealing with and resisting temptation. We talked about how giving into temptation will cause you to find yourself in a trap, trying to cover up sin, and ultimately dealing with the consequences.

What I want to focus on today is the traps set for God's people. As a pastor over the years, I have seen hundreds of temptations that people deal with. Often the problem with temptation, as I said on Sunday, is that they are so subtle. One type of temptation that often goes largely unnoticed by Christians is the temptation to think more like the world.

Paul writes: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2

We are not to be "world thinkers." We need to be thinking as God wants us to think. The Bible talks about having the mind of Christ. If we look at life, at relationships, at our responsibilities, at the world in the same way that Christ does, then it makes me wonder if we would be so quick to buy into the thinking behind these sayings. Here are a few, followed by my thoughts.

"Seek always for the answers within yourself." (Excuse me, but I have no answers. God is my source of answers.)

"There are many roads to heaven." (Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him.)

"Re-examine all you have been told. Ignore those that make you unhappy." (My happiness or unhappiness in being told something is not a good measure of whether what I've been told is true and valuable.)

"God wants you to be happy." (No, God wants me to be content in whatever state I find myself. He offers me abundant life.)

"Pay attention to that unchanging part of yourself. It is perfect." (The only thing perfect in me is Jesus.)

"It's important to feel good." (Feeling good is not the goal. The goal is to honor Christ with my life and sometimes that involves doing things that might not feel good at the time.)

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." (God is my only source of peace.)

"Visualize a great life and it will come to you." (Where does it say that in the Bible?)

"Life is full of opportunities to find great power within yourself." (Again, my only power is in Christ.)

"Learn to trust your intuition. It is your spirit whispering directions in your ears." (I trust God to lead me. My intuition has led me astray many times!)

"Love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't." (The Bible says love your enemies.)

Do you ever buy into these lies? Do you know Christians who do? Why do you think Christians get sucked into these deceptions? Talk to me!