The Promise of the Empty Tomb – Part Two.

Call to Worship: “Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him. Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness.” “The Lord gives strength to his people. The Lord blesses his people with peace.” Psalm 29:2, 11 (NIrV).

      Peace is something we all want.  It is something we all require!  Parents, during a time of noisy frustration may ask for just a moment of peace and quiet.  Yet the real peace we all need is internal, not external.  The promise of Jesus’ empty tomb that first Easter Sunday is the promise of peace.  

      The message of Easter is that what Jesus did by dying on the cross for humanity’s sins, and defeating death’s grip by rising from the dead makes experiencing peace with God and peace of God possible.  It is not automatic, however.  God does not force his will on you.  Each of us needs to admit that “I am a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness.”  Then we need to accept Jesus as our sin forgiver (Saviour) and submit to him as my life leader (my Lord).

      The inner peace experienced by a new Christian seems incredible to them.  Life now has purpose and makes sense.  I am at peace with the God who made me and loved me so much that he took my sins upon himself on the cross!  Why then do some Christians seem more at peace in their lives than others?

      When I married my wife Karin, I was so in love with her.  However, to my surprise, I discovered as the weeks and months went by, that my love for her continued to grow!  In fact, as I looked back at what I thought was my “huge” love for her on our wedding day, seemed so much less than what I felt for her now!  What happened?  As we now spent more time together, through joys and struggles, our relationship grew.  Likewise, the peace of God and peace we receive from God, can grow as well, greater and greater – how?  Here are four ways:

1- Our peace grows through trusting God.

      The more we trust God, the more we will experience his peace.  Then our trust grows and so does our peace, and so on!  Psalm 46 addresses what to do when the world seems to be coming apart at the seams. Verse 10 states: “Our God says, “Calm down, and learn that I am God! All nations on earth will honor me.”” Psalm 46:10 (CEV).  God says to his people, don’t look at your circumstances, look in trust to me!  Isaiah 26:3-4 confirms this, saying: “You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you. So, trust the Lord always, because he is our Rock forever.” (NCV)  

2-  Our peace grows through loving obedience to God’s direction.

      Where do we find God’s directions?  In his Word, the Bible.  The more we love God and obey his Word, the more we will know and experience his peace.  Trust that God knows what he is talking about when he tells us what to do and not do!  Hebrews 12:11 tells us that learning from God’s correction and adjusting our lives to his way, brings us peace: “We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful at the time, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right way.” (NCV).  Psalm 119:165 confirms that obedience to God’s directions bring us peace. “Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.” (NLT).  

3-  Our peace grows as we learn what brings true contentment.

      Looking for our peace in status, appearance, people or things, will eventually lead to disappointment and rob us of our peace.  Our possessions do not bring peace and neither does living busy lives.  Jesus didn’t say to ignore life’s necessities, but to make seeking God and his will our priority.  Then, to trust that God would ensure that we have what we need. In Matthew 6:31–33 Jesus says to us: “Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.” (NCV)  

4-  Our peace grows as we live as peacemakers.

      Peace is not just to be an inner experience for us, we as Christians are called to be peacemakers in our world. Matthew 5:9. “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” (NLT). Hebrews 12:14. “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” (NLT)

The church should be a place where peace abounds.  Christ has given us his peace through his death and resurrection.  The empty tomb means the wall between us and God has been removed.  Peace with God is possible for those that accept Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf.  The message of the empty tomb also means that Christ Jesus has broken down the walls between us, and peace between Christians is not only possible, but expected!  Finally, we are to bring and be, God’s message of peace and restoration to this world.  Be a peacemaker through your words and demeanor.  Pray for peace, in our land, in our world, and in the hearts of those around you.

Benediction: “May the Lord himself, who is our source of peace, give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (GNB).

The promise of the empty tomb – part one.

Esterhazy Baptist Church.  Easter, March 31, 2024.

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Call to Worship: “³ Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us a new birth and a hope that is alive. It is alive because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. ⁴ He has given us new birth so that we might share in what belongs to him. It is a gift that can never be destroyed. It can never spoil or even fade away. It is kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:3–4 (NIrV).

John 20:1–18 “¹ Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ² She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ³ Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. ⁴ They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. ⁸ Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—⁹ for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then they went home. ¹¹ Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. ¹² She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. ¹³ “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. ¹⁵ “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” ¹⁶ “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). ¹⁷ “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.” (NLT)

Even though Jesus had tired to prepare his disciples for his death, they are understandably devastated by it.  News of the empty tomb only added to their pain, that their friend who had been so giving to others would be treated with such indignity!  Who had stolen his body?  They had believed Jesus was the Messiah, the one promised by God, but none of this fit into their understanding of the scriptures concerning the Messiah.

As they gather that first Sunday evening in a locked room, 10 of the remaining 11 disciples and other followers of Jesus, they were trying to make sense of what had happened that day.  At dawn, word came that the tomb was empty and Jesus’ body was gone, but the grave clothes were still there.  Who would unwrap a body before stealing it, it didn’t make sense!  In addition, some among them said they had seen and talked with Jesus today.  What were they to make of all this?  We heard early from John 20:1-18, listen now to verses 19-23. 

John 20:19–23 “¹⁹ That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. ²⁰ As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! ²¹ Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” ²² Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”” (NLT)

The risen Jesus is standing there among them.  He is not a ghost, for he invites them to touch him and eats with them (Luke 24:36-49).  He is not someone who survived crucifixion and then crawled out of the tomb.  He is not bloodied and beaten, he is in a resurrected body, yet with scars of crucifixion still visible.  Jesus had died, the Roman soldiers, under Governor Pilate’s instruction had made 100% sure of that before they released his body for burial.

As the disciple’s eyes were opened to see that the scriptures showed that the Messiah would have to suffer and die, they also searched the scriptures to understand what Jesus’ resurrection meant.  They discovered that it meant that God had accepted Jesus’ sinless offering of himself.  This was the focus of Peter’s first sermon as he shows this from the scriptures:  Acts 2:22–32 “²² “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. ²³ But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. ²⁴ But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. ²⁵ King David said this about him: ‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. ²⁶ No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. ²⁷ For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. ²⁸ You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’ ²⁹ “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. ³⁰ But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. ³¹ David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. ³² “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.” (NLT)

The empty tomb tells us Jesus defeated death, and lasting peace is possible.  If we accept our need for God’s forgiveness of our sins, and that Jesus is the only means we can be forgiven by God, then, we can receive the promised peace.  This peace is peace of the heart – not a peace dependent on external circumstances, but an inner peace, a gift from God.  This peace is multi-faceted.  Today we are going to look at two aspects of this God given peace which results from the empty tomb, and the following week, two more.

1. Peace with God.

Romans 5:1–2. “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” (NLT)

The Apostle Paul, in the previous chapters, has shown that all of humanity is sinful, and can do nothing on its own to remove the curse of sin.  It is only as we place our faith and trust in the promises of God and receive his righteousness, that we can be at peace with God.  How is this peace with God possible?  As we place our faith in what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us through his death on the cross and his resurrection.  Jesus paid the price for him sin through his death in my place, although being sinless, he did not deserve death.

What does peace with God mean?  Paul says: “Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” The Greek word that Paul uses to describe what Jesus has done for us has two pictures.  The first, is illuminated in the above translation, and pictures being brought into the presence of royalty, and was commonly used to describe a worshipper approaching God.  Jesus has made it possible for us to come into God’s presence to experience his grace and kindness! 

The second usage of the Greek word, is to describe a safe harbour, a haven for ships when storms threatened.  This pictures the person who accepts the Words of Jesus being brought into the safety of the grace and presence of Almighty God, peace with God!  This leads to a second aspect of peace we experience through accepting Jesus as our sin forgiver and life leader:

2.  The peace of God.

In the hours before his arrest, Jesus promised his troubled disciples the gift of peace.  Peace of heart and mind not like the world offers, but a peace from God based on knowing that Jesus has overcome the world.  Peace is the gift of Jesus! Reviewing those of Jesus words in the context of his victory over the grave gives them life changing power!  John 14:27. ““I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (NLT).  John 16:33. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”” (NLT).

The prophet Isaiah foretold that God’s promised one would be known for bringing peace: Isaiah 9:6b-7a “And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ His government and its peace will never end. ” (NLT) 

The Apostle Paul, writing from prison to one of his concerned congregations, tells them the secret to inner peace in the midst of outward turmoil, is God’s peace through Christ Jesus.  “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (NIV). 

Easter is more than bunnies and the coming of Spring.  Easter points to the possibly of new life within, of an inner peace that cannot be robbed by unforeseen circumstances.  It is not something we can save for, or buy or work for.  This peace I am describing comes as a gift to those humble enough to accept it.  This peace only comes to those honest enough to admit that their attempts to manufacture the peace they so longed for, have failed.  And this peace only comes to those willing to make peace with God through accepting his only Son Jesus as their sin forgiver and life leader.  Have you done this?  Doing this, you will receive the true gift of Easter, the promise of the empty tomb – peace with God and the peace of God!

I will close with excerpts from Peter’s sermon to Cornelius and those in his household: “³⁴ Peter then said: Now I am certain that God treats all people alike. ³⁵ God is pleased with everyone who worships him and does right, no matter what nation they come from. ³⁶ This is the same message that God gave to the people of Israel, when he sent Jesus Christ, the Lord of all, to offer peace to them.” “⁴² God told us to announce clearly to the people that Jesus is the one he has chosen to judge the living and the dead. ⁴³ Every one of the prophets has said that all who have faith in Jesus will have their sins forgiven in his name.” Acts 10: 34–36, 42–43 (CEV).

Hymn: #220 “He lives” (vv. 1-3)

Benediction: “^15a Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, ^16a Let the teaching of Christ live in you richly. ¹⁷ Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.” Colossians 3:15a, 16a, 17 (NCV).

God’s Promises – “Good Friday?” 

Mar. 29, 2024.  Esterhazy Baptist Church.

Responsive Reading of Scripture:  Based on #182: “Glory in the cross”

John 12:23, 28-33; Phil. 2:8-9; Heb. 12.2; Gal. 6:14 (GW).

L Jesus replied to them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Father, give glory to your name.”  A voice from heaven said, “I have given it glory, and I will give it glory again.”  The crowd standing there heard the voice and said that it had thundered. Others in the crowd said that an angel had talked to him. Jesus replied, “That voice wasn’t for my benefit but for yours. 

• “This world is being judged now. The ruler of this world will be thrown out now. When I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people toward me.” By saying this, he indicated how he was going to die. 

• He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,  death on a cross.  This is why God has given him an exceptional honor—  the name honored above all other names— 

• We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. 

• But it’s unthinkable that I could ever brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By his cross my relationship to the world and its relationship to me have been crucified.

Hymn: #185 “When I survey the wondrous cross” (vv. 1-4).

Responsive Reading of Scripture: Based on #640: Christ’s death

John 19:1-4, 16-19 (GW).

• Then Pilate had Jesus taken away and whipped.

• The soldiers twisted some thorny branches into a crown, placed it on his head, and put a purple cape on him.

• They went up to him, said, “Long live the king of the Jews!” and slapped his face.

• Pilate went outside again and told the Jews, “I’m bringing him out to you to let you know that I don’t find this man guilty of anything.”

• Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.  So the soldiers took Jesus.

• He carried his own cross and went out of the city to a location called The Skull. In Hebrew this place is called Golgotha.

• The soldiers crucified Jesus and two other men there. Jesus was in the middle.  

• Pilate wrote a notice and put it on the cross. The notice read, “Jesus from Nazareth, the king of the Jews.”

Hymn: #210 “Jesus paid it all” (vv. 1,3,4)

Message:  God’s promises – “Good Friday?” 

“Good Friday” – The day of Jesus’ brutal death, seemed like a very bad day in the eyes of all those who cared (and still care) about Jesus!  His death was great victory for those threatened by his fearless presence and life altering ideas.  His public execution by the godless Romans as a cursed criminal meant his threat to the rules of Jewish religious practices would soon fade.  Jesus of Nazareth was a problem they had finally solved!  Or so they hoped.  Enough uncertainty had entered their minds that they had petitioned the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to the sealed grave site and post a guard unit, to stop his followers from taking away his body and telling the people he had risen from the dead.  This was something Jesus had prophesied about himself (Mt. 27:62-66).  The decision of Joesph of Arimathea, a member of ruling council, to go to Pilate, request the body of Jesus and place it in his own new tomb had likely raised concerns about the breath of support for Jesus (Mt. 27:57-60).

“Good Friday” only seemed good for those who hated Jesus and wanted him dead – and they had gotten their wish!  Yet, as we just mentioned, even the chief priests and pharisees had heard Jesus say, after three days he would rise again (Mt. 26:63).

Jesus had also told of his betrayal by a friend (Mt. 17:22; 20:18; 26:2, 16, 21, 49), to the chief priest and teachers of the law, be condemned to death and turned over to the gentiles to be mocked, flogged and crucified (Mt. 20:17-19) – just what had happened to him!

Throughout the Gospels, the accounts of Jesus’ teachings and ministry, we see that Jesus repeatedly tried to prepare his disciples for his crucifixion and death, as well as his resurrection.  However, his disciples are completely devastated, even though the events unfold just as Jesus had predicted.  At first, only a few women are willing to consider what seemed impossible, Jesus had defeated death!

“Good Friday” was a terrible day for the followers of Jesus!  As is recorded in Luke 24:19-21, they are mourning his death because they “had hope that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” and instead he was killed.  As the resurrected Jesus, unrecognized by two of his discouraged disciples, talked to them, he said something which seems rather harsh – calling them foolish and slow of heart for not believing all that the prophets have spoken (Lk 24:25-26).  Yet listen to what Jesus did next: “Then starting with what Moses and all the prophets had said about him, Jesus began to explain everything that had been written about himself in the Scriptures.” Luke 24:27 (NCV). Wait a minute, Jesus was only thirtysomething years old, how could anything have been written about him the ancient Scriptures?  Prophecy!  Jesus showed these two followers, from scripture, that all that happened to him had been prophesied in the scriptures, and therefore, needed to happen.

In essence, Jesus is telling us, Good Friday is good, not just because it confirms the truth of my words, but because it fulfills promises God has made to humanity, in the Holy Scriptures, in order to save humanity! 

Jesus’ betrayal by a close friend is foreshadowed in Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.” (NIV).  The falling away of his disciples is seen in Zechariah 13:7 and was quoted by Jesus in Matthew 26:31 & 56 as being necessary to fulfill the writings of the prophets. 

As we have seen before, even before the enormity of Adam & Eve’s sin again God has sunk in to them, God promises that the off-spring of Eve would crush the tempter’s head, and he (the devil) would strike his heel (Gen. 3:15).  The promised one will deal with the devil, but not without being struck!

On “Good Friday” Jesus words from the cross directs our attention to Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 22:1a (NIV).  Psalm 22:1-24 foreshadows Jesus’ suffering, including the piercing of his hands and feet, and the dividing of his clothing.  Isaiah 53:4-5 describe that his suffering was for our sins, even as we reject and turn away from him, and verse 9 says he will be buried in the grave of the wealthy (Joesph of Arimathea).

It is no coincidence that Jesus’ death took place during the time of the Passover, drawing our attention to events of the Exodus and the Passover lamb.  John the Baptist described Jesus as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Prior to the last plague of Egypt which caused the death of all the first-born male human and animals in Egypt, God gave Moses instructions on how the Hebrew’s could avoid death in their households.  They needed to take a lamb as a substitute for themselves, kill it, put its blood over the enter to their home.  They then cooked and ate the lamb, while dressed ready to leave Egypt.  Death came upon Egypt, but those who placed their faith in God’s Word and trusted in the blood and body of the lamb were spared (Exodus 11 & 12).

Good Friday is good for us, because Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection fulfilled God’s promises to send someone who would break the chains of sin and death for humanity.  Making it possible for us to have fellowship with God again!  Romans 3:23. “All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” (CEV) Romans 5:6–8. “Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.” (CEV) Romans 6:23. “Sin pays off with death. But God’s gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (CEV) John 3:16. “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” (CEV) 

Good Friday is good because of what our God has done for us if you accept Jesus’ sacrifice for your sin.  Guilt is gone, because Jesus has paid for your sin.  What should our response be to Good Friday?  Rick Warren gives three great suggestions:

1.  Let’s make our lives count?  The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 reminds us: “You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.” (CEV). If we truly appreciate the price God paid for humanity’s salvation, we can’t waste these lives on trivial things.  We have been bought with the body and blood of the Lord Jesus!

2.  Let’s be generous too!

2 Corinthians 8:9 says: “You know that our Lord Jesus Christ was kind enough to give up all his riches and become poor, so that you could become rich.” (CEV).  If we understand the grace God has extended to us, to give us eternal life with him, how can we not be generous toward him with all our resources?  Our time, money, opportunities & gifts.  God wants us to become like him – generous givers!  Finally…

3.  Let’s share the good news of Jesus!

Understanding what Jesus did for him on the cross re-aligned the purpose of Paul’s whole life: Acts 20:24. “I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.” (NCV).  If we really appreciate the good, that Jesus achieved for us, for humanity, through his sacrifice on Good Friday – we will want make our lives count and generously share this GREAT NEWS with others!

Hymn: #175 Hallelujah, what a Savior (vv.1-4).

Communion

Hymn: #338 “At Calvary” (vv. 1,2,4)

Benediction: “All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. ⁶ He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory & power to him forever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 1:5–6 (NLT).

God’s promises and Jesus’ character and work.  Matthew 20; 21.1-11.

March 24, 2024 – Palm Sunday.  Esterhazy Baptist Church.

Call to Worship: “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.” Zechariah 9:9 (NLT).

During the last message, we saw how Jesus fulfilled God the Father’s promises to send a Saviour.  This saviour would be a descendant of Eve, Abraham and David, able to defeat the devil, bless the world and rule eternally as a good king.  Jesus is the promised one, who is both a human being and God. 

Today, the church remembers when Jesus entered Jerusalem, days before his death, riding a donkey. This impromptu parade of people declared that he is the one God promised, he is the Messiah.  In Matthew 21:9 we read, “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”” (NIV).  The praise and blessings shouted by the crowd was drawn from Psalm 118, one of the Egyptian Hallel Psalms sung during Israel’s major feasts, of which the Passover was the most significant.  From the perspective of Jesus’ disciples at that moment, they were in the midst of a spontaneous celebration.  Yet later, as they read the scriptures, they realized that they had been part of a fulfillment of God’s promise given hundreds of years earlier through his prophet in Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (NIV). 

Jesus was the one the people had hoped for, the one God had promised, yet, his goals didn’t sync with all that they expected.  Jesus called them to deepen their relationship with God through placing childlike faith in their heavenly Father, rather than obeying the manmade rules of the Pharisees. They were hoping for someone who would bring down pagan Roman rule, and bring back the days of King David and Solomon’s reign.  They had hoped Israel would become a place of wealth and power once again.  After Jesus’ death and resurrection, as his disciples began to read the scriptures under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, they began to see Jesus’ character and ministry was foretold in the prophecies of Holy Scripture.

The book of Isaiah contains many messianic passages.  However, the servant of the Lord passages were not seen as referring to the Messiah, until they were seen in the light of Jesus’ life and ministry.  Jesus repeatedly found himself dealing with his disciples’ “visions of grandeur” as they debated amongst themselves who was the greatest.  Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 20:25-28: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. It must not be this way among you! Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NET).

In Isaiah 42:1-4, one of “the servant of the Lord” passages, we read: “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.” (NLT)

Isaiah 49:5-7 explains the scope of the Lord’s anointed included reaching out to the Gentiles, just as Jesus had commanded his disciples to do in Matthew 28:18-20.  Isaiah 49:5-7 “And now the Lord speaks— the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength. He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” The Lord, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations, to the one who is the servant of rulers: “Kings will stand at attention when you pass by. Princes will also bow low because of the Lord, the faithful one, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”” (NLT).  Doesn’t the second half of this passage sound reminiscent of Philippians 2:6-11.

Matthew 20, the chapter which precedes Jesus’ triumphal entry, recounts Jesus’ actions during his final weeks, yet also provides a summary of his ministry, reinforcing that Jesus is the Messiah promised by the prophets.  Chapter 20 begins with a parable of Jesus about the gracious generosity of the kingdom of God in the parable of the workers in the vineyard.  Jesus taught with parables extensively.  The parables were easy to remember, yet their meaning required the listener to have a heart open to hear from God.  Psalm 78:1-2 describes God talking to his people using parables.  In Matthew 13:13-17, Jesus explained he spoke in parables to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa. 6:9-10), that though God was present and speaking, the callousness of his people towards him means he goes unseen and unheard! 

In Matthew 20:17-19, Jesus again tells his disciples of his coming betrayal to the Jewish leaders, who will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, crucified and rise on the third day, which is exactly what happened.  Not only did Jesus accurately predict these events, the Hebrew scriptures foretold they would happen, for example: Psalm 22:1-24; 118:22-23; Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12.

Matthew 20:20-28 shows us Jesus’ patience with his disciples, whom after Jesus pulled them aside to tell them he was about to be crucified, argue amongst themselves about prime leadership positions within his administration!  Jesus tells them, great leaders are servant leaders (Mt. 20:26-28), and that he had come to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many – which fulfills another suffering servant passage in Isaiah, chapter 53:10. 

Matthew 20 concludes with Jesus and his disciples leaving the city of Jericho, where they would climb up out of the Jordan river rift to reach Jerusalem.  As they are leaving Jericho, Jesus stops as two blind beggars are shouting: “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.”  Jesus asks them what they want him to do for them.  They answer, “we want our sight” and Jesus, in compassion, restores their sight (Mt. 20:29-34).  The chapter ends by saying, these two men with their vison restored, were among those who followed him.  No wonder the crowd of Matthew 21 was so excited by Jesus’ presence among them!  The words of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 35:4-6a were being fulfilled among them: “Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.” And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!” Isaiah 35:4–6a (NLT). 

I’ve read this quote to you before and it bears repeating again, for it explains the reason for our focus: “If we can grasp God’s promises about who he is and what he is like, it will completely change our outlook on life. We will be able to trust him and see him at work!” Over 300 Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in the New Testament through the Lord Jesus Christ!  Today we’ve seen some of those which Jesus fulfilled through his life and ministry, including on Palm Sunday.  God has kept his promises and is still keeping his promises, what is your response to him?

The Old Testament believers who heard and read theses words of promise, longed for their fulfillment.  They stand as witnesses to us, urging us by their faithful examples not to give up.  Urging us to keep moving along in our faith in Jesus Christ.  He is the promised one they were waiting and longing for.  As Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.” Matthew 13:17 (NLT).  Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us what our response is to be: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1–2 (NLT).  What does the writer of Hebrew’s say our response is to be? Wake up sleepy head, stop sitting around, let go of those sins that trip you up, get moving and join the jubilant celebration: As the Palm Sunday crowd shouted “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!” Matthew 21:9b (NLT).  And as the great heavenly choir will sing: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13b (NLT).

Hymn: #390 May the mind of Christ my Saviour (vv. 1,2,5)

Benediction: God did not say that it would be easy to bring the good news to all people, but God did say that God would be with you. So go now in peace, walking humbly with God. Bring the good news of hope to all the people. AMEN. 

Call to Worship: “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – whom should I dread?” “I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:1, 13-14. (CSB)

    Promises, promises… You might not realize it, but we’ve become rather cynical when it comes to promises.  More than a few people were caught by surprise last Sunday at the severity of the snow storm which even closed some highways around us!  It seems we’re not used to weather forecasts keeping promises made, or our politicians!  Yet, if we’re willing to be honest, we don’t do well keeping the promises we make either; unexpected things happen (a storm), schedules get changed, memories fail… and regardless of the excuse, we break our promises.

    Lately in our sermons we’ve been thinking about the promises of God.  God doesn’t get caught by surprise or forget what day it is.  If God makes a promise, it is because he intends to do what he promises!  The Bible records God’s interaction with humanity, including God’s Words to us – and the Bible is full of promises.  In fact, there are over 300 promises in the Hebrew Bible (OT) which are fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus Christ.

    If you are just starting to explore the Christian faith you may wonder, why did Jesus come and why is it important that he did?  For the rest of us listening, it is good to review how we might answer those questions if we are asked them. 

    Why do we need Jesus?  Because humanity is in trouble!  There are countries on this planet saying: “If we are attacked, we will start a fight that will destroy the world” – the fear of mutual self-destruction is all that is keeping the peace among nations – yikes!  Then we have areas of this world with people on the brink of starvation governed by people who don’t seem to care, they are only concerned for their own well being.  In addition, we people in the western world have better health, more money and more leisure time than any similar sized group of people in our world’s history – and yet we aren’t content!  Despair, depression and drug use continue to rise – what is wrong with us?  What is wrong with the world?  These problems are actually the symptoms of our real problem: sin.

    What is sin?  The Bible tells us sin is missing the target, the standard, which is God’s glory.  Sin is crossing the line, rebelling against God, our creator’s authority over us.  Sin twists and deforms God’s good standards.  Sin is displayed in our insistence on living independent from God – who created us to be in relationship with him.  It is no wonder everything is in a mess!

    Why is sin a problem?  Sin has shattered our relationship with God.  Isaiah 59:2 says: “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (NLT).  Sin has hardened our hearts and made us calloused toward God and other people.  Even though we know the harm we are causing others and ourselves, we can’t change, we are addicted to sin and in bondage to it.  Sin is like a cancer in our souls which we cannot cure and it causes physical and spiritual death – which is eternal separation from God and all that is good.  Because of sin, we deserve God’s judgment and sin’s consequences – death.

    What can we do about sin?  We can’t do anything to deal with the root problem of our sin.  We can try to control our words, actions and thoughts, but our inner being is still twisted – caring only for pleasing itself.  We have lost our way, turned away from God and cannot change.  Our sin is why we need Jesus.  Our sin is why Jesus came.

    In Luke 15, in answer to criticism that he was spending time with known sinners, Jesus tells three parables about heaven’s (God’s) joy in finding lost sinners.  Yet how can Jesus of Nazareth, someone born over 2000 years ago, help me now, with my sin problem?  Because he is the answer to a promise God made, and remember, God always keeps his promises!

    Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve rejected the truth of God’s Word and its authority over their lives.  As the judgment for their action was unfolding, God made a promise.  In Genesis 3:15 we read that the seed (descendant) of a woman would have his heel bruised by the serpent (Satan) but would defeat him (crush his head).  The question of who this might be, begins to come into focus as Abraham is promised that one of his seed would bless the nations, and later King David is promised that one of his sons would reign forever. 

    When Magi from eastern lands came to Jerusalem, they had studied the stars and determined that a great king of the Jews had been born.  They asked King Herod where he was so they could worship him.  Herod, not being Jewish asked the religious leaders where this great king was to be born.  They turned to the Hebrew scriptures, Micah 5:2, and said Bethlehem – where Jesus was born.  The wise men went to Bethlehem, found Jesus, worshiped him, and them being warned by an angel didn’t tell Herod where Jesus was, but returned to their homeland a different route.  Mary’s husband Joseph, after being warned in a dream about Herod, took Jesus and his mother Mary and hid in Egypt until Herod died (Matthew 2:13-15).  This fulfilled Hosea 11:1 in which God says he will call his son out of Egypt.  Jeremiah 31:15 records that children would be killed at the time of the promised one’s birth.  Sadly Matthew 2:16-18 tells when the Magi didn’t tell him where to find Jesus, he ordered that all the boys in Bethlehem and area under the age of two be killed.  These are just a few of the promises Jesus fulfilled as a baby!

    As a man, Jesus attracted followers and taught them.  He got tired, hungry, thirsty, sleepy and sad.  He laughed, cried, suffered emotionally & physically and died – according to the circumstances he had described to his disciples would happen.

    Jesus was a human being his disciples could touch and talk to, but they also saw him do things that human beings can’t do, but God promised to do: the blind see, the lame walk, leprosy is cured, the deaf hear and the dead are raised (Isaiah 35:4-6; Luke 7:21-22).  Jesus knew people’s thoughts and could forgive sin (Luke 5:17-26).  The early church, as they read the scriptures came to understand that Jesus is the promised eternal Son of God: “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.” Psalm 2:7 (NIV). “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”” Matthew 16:16 (NIV).  “For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,” Colossians 2:9 (CSB).  Isaiah 9:6–7 “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (NLT). Jesus was born of a virgin, as the prophet Isaiah foretold (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-22) and anointed with the Holy Spirit of God, again as Isaiah foretold (Isa. 11:2; Matt. 3:16; Luke 4:14-19). 

    Since Jesus is both God and man, he is able to deal with our sin problem!  “¹⁶ “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.” John 3:16–19 (NLT).  

    We can rejoice that we have a promise keeping God.  God always keeps his promises, even though there may be a long time between when the promise was given and its fulfillment, because this is part of his gracious plan.  “⁹ The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.” 2 Peter 3:9 (CEV). In future messages we will continue to look at God’s promises fulfilled through the Lord Jesus.

Hymn: #271 Standing on the promises (vv. 1-3)

Benediction: “¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other…” “¹⁷ Let every detail in your lives… be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” Colossians 3:15a, 17 (The Message).

Our Great God is faithful – Lamentations 3.23.

Esterhazy Baptist Church, Feb 25, 2024.

Call to worship: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Lamentations 3:22–23(NRSV); Psalm 100:1, 2, 5 (NIV)

When I last shared with you, we were thinking about the amazing truth that it is possible to become a friend of God.  This is a friendship that God initiates and makes possible.  From our childhood, we long to be with others and develop friendships.  Sometimes, while children are together, you might hear: “I won’t be your friend any more if you don’t…” 

Adults may not state their relationship “terms” as directly as children, but we also will abandon friendships, if people repeatedly let us down or break their promises.  Today, I want us to marvel at the truth that when we respond to God the Father’s invitation to become his friend, through accepting Jesus Christ as our sin forgiver and life leader, that he will never abandon you as a friend, even when you let him down or break your promises to him.  One of the ways that God described himself to Moses, is as one who is “abounding in faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6-7). 

But can we trust God to remain faithful?  If significant people in our lives have been unfaithful in keeping their promises, we can struggle with trusting God’s promises.  This is because our experiences influence our expectations.  To counter this, remind yourself that God doesn’t makes promises he will not keep!  “God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.” Numbers 23:19 (CEV).  God remains faithful, even when we are not: 2 Timothy 2:13. “If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful, because he must be true to who he is.” (NCV). 

The Bible is full of assurances of God’s faithfulness.  Deuteronomy 32:4. “The Lord is your mighty defender, perfect and just in all his ways; Your God is faithful and true; he does what is right and fair.” (GNB).  God keeps his covenant with those who love and obey him: Deuteronomy 7:9. “You know that the Lord your God is the only true God. So love him and obey his commands, and he will faithfully keep his agreement with you and your descendants for a thousand generations.” (CEV). 

God’s faithfulness is seen in:

• The order of creation – God is faithful in sustaining this world! “As long as the earth exists, planting and harvesting, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never stop.” Genesis 8:22 (GW).
• The keeping of his word – “¹³ For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.” Psalm 145:13 (NLT). “⁸ He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ⁹ God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:8–9 (NLT).
• His willingness to help us – We see this:
  • In his willingness to Forgiving our sins – “If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.” 1 John 1:8–9 (CEV).
  • When we are tempted – Hebrews 4:15-16
  • When we need protection – Psalm 32:7

We see assurances of God’s faithfulness in the Bible and can hear of it from the experiences of others, but do we have proof of God’s faithfulness?  The handbook of Bible promises says: “The New Testament says that God has given one great, unshakeable piece of proof that God is faithful; a piece of proof that no one can take away—the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ!”  Acts 13:32–33a “³² We are telling you the Good News: What God promised our ancestors has happened. ³³ God has fulfilled the promise for us, their descendants, by bringing Jesus back to life.” (GW).  John 3:16 tells us that God, out of love for us, sent Jesus to die in our place, for our sins. We then need to respond by acknowledging our need of forgiveness and accepting his sacrifice in our place.  Jesus’ resurrection confirms that Jesus’ sacrifice was accepted and has defeated the grip sin and death held on us – God has kept his promise to us!

What does God’s faithfulness mean for us today?

• It means, no matter what happens, he is always with us.  Isaiah 49:15-16a

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (NIV)

• It means we can put our faith in him, continually growing in faith and experiencing his blessings. Proverbs 3:5–6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (NLT)

• It means our faithful God expects us to live as faithful people. 

Hearing and reading stories of God’s faithfulness is encouraging, but it’s not enough! We really come to know about God’s faithful when we put it to the test in our lives.  When you think about Christians whose lives have been examples of faithfulness to you, I would venture to guess, if you asked them how their faith grew, they would tell you it was in moments of struggle when they clung to God, and he proved faithful.  When you believe God’s promises enough to act on them, his faithfulness becomes real to you and your faith in the Lord grows!

Faithfulness is to be practical and lived out in our daily activities, to be seen in…

• • In our behaviour towards God.
  • In our obedience in what he calls us to do.
  • In our actions and attitudes towards others.

Faithfulness is not just an attribute of God’s character; it is at the heart of who he is and how he acts.  Because he is faithful, we are assured that he will keep his promises.  We experience our God’s faithfulness daily, as we trust and depend upon him.  Involve him in your daily life, consciously take him wherever go and invite him to be a part of all your conversations.  At the end of your day, reflect on how you saw your faithful God guiding, directing and impacting your day.

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” Proverbs 3:3–4. (NIV) 

Hymn: “Great is Thy faithfulness (beginning to end)

Benediction: ^“May kindness and peace be yours from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness. Jesus was the first to conquer death, and he is the ruler of all earthly kings. Christ loves us, and by his blood he set us free from our sins. He lets us rule as kings and serve God his Father as priests. To him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6 CEV).

“Our Great God, is Holy.”  Isaiah 6:1-8.

January 21, 2024.  Esterhazy Baptist Church.

Call to worship: “And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”” “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;” (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 95:6 NIV)

We gather together today to learn about our God.  This knowledge comes from what God has taught us in the Bible, and also what we learn about God as we apply his word to our lives.  For example, we are to love others and use things (not the other way around).  Last week we looked at our great God and lessons from Isaiah 40 we need to remember, such as: No problem is bigger than God.  No detail in my life is too insignificant for him.  No sin is bigger than God’s power to forgive, and no event will ever take God by surprise.

Today we are learning more about our God through the experience of the prophet Isaiah, looking at Isaiah 6:1-8. “¹ In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a high and lofty throne. The bottom of his robe filled the temple. ² Angels were standing above him. Each had six wings: With two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³ They called to each other and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies!  The whole earth is filled with his glory.”  ⁴ Their voices shook the foundations of the doorposts, and the temple filled with smoke.  ⁵ So I said, “Oh, no!  I’m doomed.  Every word that passes through my lips is sinful.  I live among people with sinful lips.  I have seen the king, the Lord of Armies!”  ⁶ Then one of the angels flew to me. In his hand was a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. ⁷ He touched my mouth with it and said, “This has touched your lips. Your guilt has been taken away, and your sin has been forgiven.”  ⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom will I send? Who will go for us?”  I said, “Here I am. Send me!”” Isaiah 6:1–8 (GW).

King Uzziah/Azariah reigned over Judea as king for 52-years.  The loss of a long-loved king can be unsettling and is remembered by those who experience it.  It during this time, it seems while Isaiah was visiting the Temple in Jerusalem, that he had a vision of God which changed his life.  For Isaiah, as it was for Moses & the Israelites at Mount Sinai, when God came near, there was thick smoke and the ground around them shook.  What Isaiah experiences is humbling, and fills him with awe and fear.  He sees the Lord God sitting on throne, high and exalted, in a long flowing garment as worn by dignitaries and royalty in the ancient Near East.  Merely the bottom of his robe completely filled the Jerusalem temple, ‘his temple.’  Isaiah was reminded that King Uzziah may be gone, but Judea’s true King still reigns and is present in power and royal majesty.  His angelic attendants announce his presence with the words: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is filled with his glory.” (Isa. 6:3b, NIV).

In Isaiah’s vision, with the thrice repeated call that the Lord is holy, we learn about God.  God is holy, almighty and full of glory.

What is meant by holiness?  In Hebrew, holiness has the idea of ‘being separate,’ ‘set apart,’ and ‘special.’  God is indeed special, he is different, separate from everything else.  This is why his holiness is related to his glory.  Essential to God’s being and his holiness is that he abhors sin.  God is pictured in scripture as being pure light and sin as darkness. Darkness, cannot exist in the presence of light.

Isaiah in his vision of the holy God, not only learns about God, but he also learns about himself.  He quakes in the presence of the holy God because he sees his sin and that of his people disqualify him from being in God’s presence.  ⁵ So I said, “Oh, no!  I’m doomed.  Every word that passes through my lips is sinful.  I live among people with sinful lips.  I have seen the king, the Lord (Almighty) of Armies!”  The clearer we see God’s holiness, the clearer we see ourselves and our sinfulness!  Isaiah’s experience, in this sense, was repeated by the fisherman Peter, when he realized his net full of fish, caught mid-day, could only be explained by the presence of God: “When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”” Luke 5:8 (NLT).  1 John 1:8 “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” (NLT).  Romans 3:10 “As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.” (NLT). Romans 3:23 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (NLT).

Scripture, God’s Word makes it clear that we are helpless to help ourselves – we all fall short of God’s glorious standard, as Isaiah said – “Oh, no!  I’m doomed.”  Yet as Isaiah was mourning his sinful condition he learned a third lesson, God can make people holy.  “⁶ Then one of the angels flew to me. In his hand was a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. ⁷ He touched my mouth with it and said, “This has touched your lips. Your guilt has been taken away, and your sin has been forgiven.”  Our best effort can never make us holy.  It is God himself who deals with people’s sin.  Holiness is vital to the Lord, and as he calls his people to be holy, he also provides the means by which we can be holy!  1 Peter 3:18a. “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God.” (NLT)

Romans 5:6–8. “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (NLT).  God is the one who makes people holy – it is not through our efforts!

A fourth lesson to learn from Isaiah’s vision is that being “cleaned up,” being forgiven, always comes before being “sent-out.”  Trying to serve God without first experiencing his forgiveness and renewing power will lead us to frustration, not holiness.  After Isaiah received God’s cleansing from sin, then he could offer himself to God’s service.  Isaiah 6:8. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom will I send? Who will go for us?”  I said, “Here I am. Send me!”” (GW). David learned this lesson as well: Psalm 51:10–13. “Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me.  Do not force me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.  ⸤Then⸥ I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious, and sinners will return to you.” (GW)

We have a great God; a holy God and in light of this we need to remember:

• I cannot hide my sin from God, so bring it to him, seeking his forgiveness – Hebrews 4:13. “Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived.” (NCV)
• God does not deal with our sins as we deserve – he is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love (Psalm 103:8).  Romans 6:23. “Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.” (MSG)
• God says that no sin is too bad to be forgiven.  The Apostle Paul used himself as an example of this: 1 Timothy 1:15. ““Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This saying is true, and it can be trusted. I was the worst sinner of all!” (CEV). Paul is saying, if God can forgive me, he can forgive anyone!
• Holiness is more than my external actions. God wants my outward actions to be a reflection of my heart, and not a cover-up for the real me, he doesn’t want actors!  This was Jesus’ concern with the Pharisees emphasis on their outward behavior, yet ignoring their inner life.  Mark 7:15. “There is nothing that goes into a person from the outside which can make him ritually unclean. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that makes him unclean.”” (GNB) Mark 7:21–23. “For from the inside, from a person’s heart, come the evil ideas which lead him to do immoral things, to rob, kill, commit adultery, be greedy, and do all sorts of evil things; deceit, indecency, jealousy, slander, pride, and folly- all these evil things come from inside a person and make him unclean.”” (GNB)
• God comes to us, for our benefit, not our harm.  When Isaiah found himself in God’s holy presence, he felt unworthy and wanted to flee.  God’s purpose was to allow Isaiah to see his true nature and then to change him.  Romans 6:22. “Now you have been freed from sin and have become God’s slaves. This results in a holy life and, finally, in everlasting life.” (GW)
• Personal holiness doesn’t just happen. You may have heard, going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, just as going to a garage doesn’t make you a car!  I need to choose to be holy by depending upon God’s strength, he alone is the one who can make me clean.  Joshua 24:14. ““Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.” (NIV) Joshua 24:19–24. “Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.” But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.” Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.” “Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied. “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”” (NIV)

Personal holiness does not ‘just happen.’  We must choose to surrender our will to the Holy God and depend upon him to make us clean.  God the Father sent Jesus the Son to die in our place.  He paid the full penalty for our sins.  Accept his forgiveness.  Accept him as your sin forgiver and life leader.  Then, the Spirit of God will come to dwell within you – who is he?  The HOLY Spirit of God!  He will lead, guide, teach, correct and strengthen you!  Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!

Closing Hymn: #262 Holy, holy, holy (vv. 1,3,4)

Benediction: “May the God of peace himself make you holy in every way. And may your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (ISV).

“Our Great God.”  Isaiah 40.

January 14, 2024.  Esterhazy Baptist Church.

Call to Worship: “⁸ Lord God All-Powerful, who is like you? Lord, you are powerful and completely trustworthy.” “¹⁵ Happy are the people who know how to praise you. Lord, let them live in the light of your presence.” Psalm 89:8, 15 (NCV).

As Christians, it is important that we know what we believe.  It is vital that we know the truth about our God, and so, we rely on his word, the Bible.  God reveals himself to us in his word and through his word, by the power and inspiration of his Holy Spirit. 

However, Christianity, our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, must include more than book (head) knowledge, it needs to be personal and relationship driven.  Amazing as sit sounds to some, we are invited into a personal relationship with Almighty God.  We do not simply know about him, but we come to know him as we experience him working in and through our lives!  How can we do that?  One way, is to know what God has said, and then respond appropriately. 

During the advent season, we reminded ourselves that Jesus’ birth was in keeping with promises our God had made from our very beginning to send the saviour.  I would like to spend most of our remaining months together looking at what our God has promised, and its implications for us, as we take him at his word!  It’s been said: “If we can grasp God’s promises about who he is and what he is like, it will completely change our outlook on life. We will be able to trust him and see him at work!”  Let’s remind ourselves what our God has promised about who he is and what he will do, and then act in response to this truth.

Isaiah chapter 40 is a powerful chapter which tells us much about our God.  It contains the passage John the Baptist used to describe his ministry and ends with God’s promise to strengthen the weary who place their hope in him.  Here are the first 11 verses of Isaiah chapter 40: “¹ Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. ² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. ³ A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. ⁴ Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. ⁵ And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” ⁶ A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. ⁷ The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. ⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” ⁹ You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” ¹⁰ See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. ¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:1–11 (NIV).

What do we learn about our God in this passage and this chapter?  In the first two verses we see God has dealt with his people’s sin.  This promise was fulfilled through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity.

1.  God has dealt with his people’s sin vv. 1-2.

“¹ Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. ² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for…”

Ephesians 1:7 “For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God,” (GNB).

A second amazing promise in this passage is that God himself is ‘rolling up his sleeves’ and coming into our situation!

2.  God himself is coming into our situation vv. 3-5, 9-10.

“^3b …make straight in the desert a highway for our God…¹⁰ See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm.”  God himself is coming, this is no small thing!  Remember, the presence of God in a situation always changes things!  Sea’s part, foes flee, droughts end and the lame leap.

3.  God’s word & promises are unchanging & eternal v. 8.

⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

Isaiah 55:10–11. ““Rain and snow fall from the sky. But they don’t return without watering the earth that produces seeds to plant and grain to eat. That’s how it is with my words. They don’t return to me without doing everything I send them to do.”” (CEV)

God warned his people not to make rash vows that they might later regret. He wanted them to use their words thoughtfully & purposefully, only making promises they could and would keep.  In this they were to reflect their God.  God speaks in truth and with purpose that will be fulfilled – he is worthy of our trust!

Verse 10 speaks of the Lord’s mighty rule, yet this is balanced in verse 11, which shows him as shepherd gently caring for his sheep.  This verse reminds us:

4.  God comes with power but also with tenderness vv. 10-11.

¹⁰ See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. ¹¹ He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

In verses 12 and following, God is pictured as a merchant weighing and counting his inventory.  But rather than counting coins and weighing wheat, God is seen measuring the earth’s oceans in the palm of his hand and weighing its mountains on his scales!  Idols are nothing more than man made objects no matter that they are made with.  In these verses we see that:

5.  God is incomparable – there are none like him vv. 12-26.

Isaiah 40:25. “The holy God asks, “Who compares with me? Is anyone my equal?”” (CEV)

• God is incomparable, there are none other like him.
• God comes to us with power, but also with tenderness.
• God’s word and promises are unchanging and eternal.
• God himself is coming into our situation.
• God has dealt with his people’s sin problem!

We have a GREAT GOD, as we see even in this short list from Isaiah chapter 40.  So why do we still struggle to trust him when things get crazier for us than normal?  Could it be that our image of God is wrong?  Could it be that we see God as being just a bit bigger, just a bit stronger and just a bit smarter than us?  If that is the case, your problem is, to borrow from J.B. Philips, ‘Your God is too small!’

After God humbled Pharaoh & Egypt with 10 plagues, freeing the Israelites from slavery, and then buried Pharaoh’s army in the sea, Moses and the Israelites sang a song to the Lord which included this line: “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord— glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?” Exodus 15:11(NLT).  Our God is great!  Because our God is great, he is able do what he promises!  Romans 4:20–21 says: “His (Abraham’s) faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God’s promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God. He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised.” (GNB).   

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US TODAY? We need to remember:

• No problem is bigger than God.

2 Chronicles 32:7–8 “Be brave and confident! There’s no reason to be afraid of King Sennacherib and his powerful army. We are much more powerful, because the Lord our God fights on our side. The Assyrians must rely on human power alone. These words encouraged the army of Judah.” (CEV).

• No detail is too insignificant for God.

Luke 12:6–7. “Five sparrows are sold for just two pennies, but God doesn’t forget a one of them. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.” (CEV)

• No need is beyond God’s reach.

Luke 7:14–16. “Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, “Young man, get up!” The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother. Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, “A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people.”” (CEV)

• No opportunity is bigger than God.

Numbers 14:7–9. “We saw the land ourselves, and it’s very good. If we obey the Lord, he will surely give us that land rich with milk and honey. So don’t rebel. We have no reason to be afraid of the people who live there. The Lord is on our side, and they won’t stand a chance against us!” (CEV)

• No sin is bigger than God’s power to deal with it.

Isaiah 1:18. “I, the Lord, invite you to come and talk it over. Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool.” (CEV)

• No circumstance can ever make God forget me.

Isaiah 44:21–22. “People of Israel, you are my servant, so remember all of this. Israel, I created you, and you are my servant. I won’t forget you. Turn back to me! I have rescued you and swept away your sins as though they were clouds.” (CEV)

• No event will ever take God by surprise.

Psalm 139:16b. “Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do.” (CEV). Romans 8:31. “What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?” (CEV)

Isaiah chapter 40 invites you to slow down, and reflect on the greatness of God.  Recall his promises, accept his invitation to place your trust in him as Lord, and act believing he will renew your strength, just as he promises!

Hymn: #4 “How great Thou art” (vv. 1,3,4)

Benediction: “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you” 1 Chronicles 28:20b (NASB 2020).

Hebrews 12:1-2a.  “My response to our promise keeping God.”

Jan. 7, 2024.  Esterhazy Baptist Church.

Call to Worship: “All that I am, praise the Lord; everything in me, praise his holy name.  My whole being, praise the Lord and do not forget all his kindnesses.  He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.  He saves my life from the grave and loads me with love and mercy.  Everything the Lord has made should praise him in all the places he rules. My whole being, praise the Lord.  Psalm 103:1–4, 22 (NCV)

We have been looking at how our God kept his promises concerning the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The prophets foretold he would come.  The angel’s message to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds announced his coming.  We see that after Jesus’ birth, the confirmations that his birth was a work of God continued.  In Luke 2:25-33 we read about what happened when Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus to the Temple to offer sacrifices for the birth of a son.  “²⁵ At this time a man named Simeon was living in Jerusalem. Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for God to save the people of Israel. God’s Spirit came to him ²⁶ and told him that he would not die until he had seen Christ the Lord. ²⁷ When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to do what the Law of Moses says should be done for a new baby, the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. ²⁸ Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, ²⁹ “Lord, I am your servant, and now I can die in peace, because you have kept your promise to me. ³⁰ With my own eyes I have seen what you have done to save your people, ³¹ and foreign nations will also see this. ³² Your mighty power is a light for all nations, and it will bring honor to your people Israel.” ³³ Jesus’ parents were surprised at what Simeon had said.” (CEV).

I believe Mary & Joseph are surprised, not at what Simeon said about Jesus, for they knew this, rather, they are in awe that God’s Spirit is revealing this truth to his people who are awaiting him.  The promises of God are being fulfilled, and those who are looking for it, see it!  ²⁸ Simeon took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God, ²⁹ “Lord, I am your servant, and now I can die in peace, because you have kept your promise to me. ³⁰ With my own eyes I have seen what you have done to save your people, ³¹ and foreign nations will also see this. ³² Your mighty power is a light for all nations.” Luke 2:28-32a (CEV).

Isaiah 9:2f says that the promised Saviour would be a light in the darkness: “² Those who walked in the dark have seen a bright light. And it shines upon everyone who lives in the land of darkest shadows.” Isaiah 9:2 (CEV).

The Gospel of John used the theme of light to describe Jesus, who is the second person of the Trinity.  John 1.1-14: “¹ In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. ² From the very beginning the Word was with God. ³ And with this Word, God created all things. Nothing was made without the Word. Everything that was created ⁴ received its life from him, and his life gave light to everyone. ⁵ The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out. ⁶ God sent a man named John, ⁷ who came to tell about the light and to lead all people to have faith. ⁸ John wasn’t that light. He came only to tell about the light. ⁹ The true light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ The Word was in the world, but no one knew him, though God had made the world with his Word. ¹¹ He came into his own world, but his own nation did not welcome him. ¹² Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. ¹³ They were not God’s children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children. ¹⁴ The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us.” John 1:1–14 (CEV).

The Gospel of John goes on to tell us about Jesus, and the response of John the Baptist, the one who God chose to prepare for Jesus’ ministry.  People were asking John – are you the one God promised? John 1:19-34 “¹⁹ The leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and temple helpers to ask John who he was. He told them plainly, “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹ Then when they asked him if he were Elijah, he said, “No, I am not!” And when they asked if he were the Prophet, he also said “No!” ²² Finally, they said, “Who are you then? We have to give an answer to the ones who sent us. Tell us who you are!” ²³ John answered in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “I am only someone shouting in the desert, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord!’” ²⁴ Some Pharisees had also been sent to John. ²⁵ They asked him, “Why are you baptizing people, if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?” ²⁶ John told them, “I use water to baptize people. But here with you is someone you don’t know. ²⁷ Even though I came first, I am not good enough to untie his sandals.” ²⁸ John said this as he was baptizing east of the Jordan River in Bethany.

²⁹ The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ He is the one I told you about when I said, “Someone else will come. He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born.” ³¹ I didn’t know who he was. But I came to baptize you with water, so that everyone in Israel would see him. ³² I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. ³³ Before this I didn’t know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me, “You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” ³⁴ I saw this happen, and I tell you that he is the Son of God.” John 1:19–34 (CEV).

John the Baptist has an important ministry, but he makes it clear, he is not the promised one!  His job is to prepare the people for and identify the one God promised.  After Jesus has been revealed to John as the promised Messiah, he begins identifying Jesus as “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn. 1:29, 36).  God is keeping his promises, they are being fulfilled, he is sending the Saviour.

As you begin this New Year, 2024, have you taken that step of faith to believe that God can accomplish in you what He promised?  Are you praising God for what He has done in you – in salvation – Romans 10:9 (NIV) says: “if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

Are you rejoicing for what the Lord God is doing in you as a Christian? Sanctification – the cleansing and pruning that comes as we give up our old habits and attitudes and put on the new attitudes and actions of Christ?  The author of the letter to the Hebrews calls us to join God in this work: ¹ Since we are surrounded by so many examples ⌊of faith⌋, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. ² We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God. ³ Think about Jesus, who endured opposition from sinners, so that you don’t become tired and give up. Hebrews 12:1–3 (GW). 

Why has God promised to draw humanity back to Himself if they are willing to respond to His invitation?  Because he desires a relationship with you!  He is pursuing you!  He is in love with you and He longs for a relationship with you!  Wow. 

As we prepare to celebrate communion, reflect on what it means that God the Father loves you.  He knows you by name, sent His only Son Jesus to die in your place, and as you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, has given you the Holy Spirit. It is awesome, and incredible what God has done for us.  Praise the Lord!

Hymn: #163 “As with gladness men of old”

Benediction:  May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Psalm 67:1–2 (ESV)

The promise of a Saviour – The promise through the Angel.

Dec. 24, 2023.  Esterhazy Baptist Church.

Call to Worship: “The angel said, “Don’t be afraid.  I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.  Luke 2:10-11 (The Message)

I.  Introduction:

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent and also Christmas Eve.  As we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth, let’s review why it is so important.  God has been at work from our beginning to make a renewed a relationship with Him possible! With the birth of Jesus, God the Father is fulfilling His promises to send one who would save His people from their sins.  Let’s review some of his promises:

1^st God’s promise through Adam & Eve: A victor is coming.

Genesis chapter three tells how Adam and Eve rejected God by disobeying Him.  Judgment is a consequence of their sin, but there is also a hint of hope.  In Genesis 3:15, God promises that a descendent of Eve’s would one day defeat the devil.  Our deceiver will be defeated by a representative of those he deceived.  Here at the very beginning of our history, God makes it clear that He has a plan for us and so, we are not without hope!

2^nd God’s promise through Abraham & Sarah: A blessing for the whole world is coming.

This couple was not flawless, but they took God’s promises seriously.  Eve’s promised seed would come through them, resulting in a blessing for all the people groups of the world. 

3^rd God’s promise through Isaiah: A son of David, the Messiah is coming.

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord God gave many promises about the coming Savior.  In chapter 9, we read that the darkness which covered our world would be dispersed by a great light.  That light would be a child, one who would be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” and who would rule on King David’s throne forever. 

When the time was right (Galatians 4:4) God sent this child, his son, as an baby.  An important part of the final preparations was letting the right people know “the time has come!”  To do so, God sent angels, his messengers.

II. God’s Promise Through the Angel:

1. The Angel visits Zechariah: Luke 1:11-20

The angel Gabriel was sent to Zechariah with good news (v. 19).  Although he and his wife Elizabeth were older and childless, the angel announced that she will bear a child, whom they are to name John.  John will prepare the people of Israel for the Saviour.

Initially, Zechariah is skeptical about the chances of becoming a father.  Yet, after losing his voice and regaining it at his son’s naming, he is filled with excitement at what God is doing.  Luke 1:76–79 “⁷⁶ You, my son, will be called a prophet of God in heaven above. You will go ahead of the Lord to get everything ready for him. ⁷⁷ You will tell his people that they can be saved when their sins are forgiven. ⁷⁸ God’s love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky. ⁷⁹ On us who live in the dark shadow of death this light will shine to guide us into a life of peace.” (CEV).  It is happening, God’s promise of a Saviour is unfolding!

2. The Angel visits Mary:

Next, the Angel appeared to Mary with the news that she had found favor with God and would bear a son, even though she was still a virgin.  She was to name this boy, Jesus.  Luke 1:26b-38 “²⁶ God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee ²⁷ with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. ²⁸ The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ Mary was confused by the angel’s words and wondered what they meant. ³⁰ Then the angel told Mary, “Don’t be afraid! God is pleased with you, ³¹ and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. ³³ He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.” ³⁴ Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not married!” ³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God’s power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. ³⁶ Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. ³⁷ Nothing is impossible for God!” ³⁸ Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her.” (CEV).

God’s message, delivered through his angel, sent Mary to her relative Elizabeth, and both women rejoice that God is fulfilling his promise of a Saviour.  Mary’s song concludes with these words: “⁵⁴ God helps his servant Israel and is always merciful to his people. ⁵⁵ The Lord made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his family forever!” Luke 1:54–55 (CEV), [cf. Genesis 17:1-7).

3. The Angel visits Joseph:

Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, also had a visit from the angel and who confirmed her pregnancy was by the power of God.  Matthew 1:18–25 “¹⁸ This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David’s family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God’s Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding. ²⁰ While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. ²¹ Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ²² So the Lord’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, ²³ “A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” ²⁴ After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord’s angel had told him to do. ²⁵ But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.” (CEV).

The name ‘Jesus’ is the Greek form of the Hebrew name ‘Joshua” which means, “the Lord saves”.  The Angel brings God’s Word, that Mary’s child is conceived by the Holy Spirit and is to be called “The Lord Saves” because He WILL save His people from their sins! Joseph’s response to God’s message is to take Mary as his wife, to protect and provide for her and Jesus.

4. The Angel Visits the Shepherds:

The day Jesus was born God’s messenger, an angel was sent with his message to Shepherds outside of Bethlehem, saying: “^10b “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. ¹¹ This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10b-11 (CEV). Upon hearing this is great news, the shepherds when to Bethlehem to see God’s Saviour for themselves and then joyfully told others all about it!

God’s plan is unfolding as he promised.  The one to defeat the deceiver and be a blessing to all the nations, a light in the deep darkness of sin, has come as our Savior. He will save us from our sins.  God the Father knew from the very beginning that we would need a Savior, and so he sent Jesus.  The second person of the Trinity came and lived among us.  John 3:16 says, “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” (CEV). God’s love for us motivated His actions seen throughout human history!

Matthew 1: 22-23 reminds us that Jesus’ virgin birth fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy:  ²² So the Lord’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, ²³ “A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” (CEV). God with us, amazing words!  God has not only acted to save us; he is with us and he became one of us in order to save us.  This is the awesome message of Christmas. 

The message of Christmas is that God, in Jesus Christ is here with us.  We need not face life alone.  Your worries, your struggles, your pain, your frustrations, and your loneness – you need not face these alone, for God is here.  In Jesus Christ he wants to be with you.  He is the greatest gift you could ever accept and receive.

The greatest gift you could give this Christmas is to give God your heart, your life, your all – and in doing so you will receive the greatest gift – a renewed relationship with God as your sins are forgiven through his Son as your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christmas means we don’t have to walk this life alone.  A Savior has come, he is Christ the Lord.  Do you know Him?  Is he walking with you today?  he surely wants to.  Ask him to join you, ask him into your life.

You can pray this prayer silently, as I pray it:  Dear Jesus, thank you for making me and loving me, even when I’ve ignored you and gone my own way.  I realize I need you in my life and I’m sorry for my sins.  I ask you to forgive me.  Thank you for dying on the cross for me.  Please help me to understand it more.  As much as I know how, I want to follow you from now on.  Please come into my life and make me a new person inside.  I accept your gift of salvation.  Please help me grow now as a Christian.  Amen.  And remember: Romans 10:13 says “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” 

Closing hymn #170 Joy to the World (vv. 1,3,4)

Benediction:  The one who is God, who was born as a Babe that long-ago night reflects the light of his Father’s love to you now.  Receive the love – and pass it on!  And may God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, bless you all with a very Merry Christmas.  Amen.

The Promise of a Saviour – The Promises Through Isaiah.

Dec. 17, 2023.  Esterhazy Baptist Church.

Call to Worship: “¹ Arise! Shine! Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned.  ² Darkness now covers the earth, and thick darkness covers the nations.  But the Lord dawns, and his glory appears over you.  ³ Nations will come to your light, and kings will come to the brightness of your dawn.” Isaiah 60:1–3 (GW).

The Advent season, beginning four Sundays before Christmas, is a time to prepare and reflect on the birth of God’s Son, Jesus the Christ.  This year we are reminding ourselves that Jesus’ birth was a fulfillment of prophecies of old, to bring men and women back into a personal relationship with God again.  Beginning with Genesis chapter 3 we have seen that God has been seeking us out!  After Adam & Eve sinned, they hid from God, yet he went looking for them, with a plan to defeat the deceiver through a descendent of Eve.

God came to Abram with a promise, if he would trust Him fully.  Along with the promise to bless Abram (Abraham) and his descendants, was the promise that all the nations of the world would be blessed through a descendent of Abraham.  That promise was affirmed with Abraham’s son Isaac and grandson Jacob.  About 1000 years later God promised King David that the promised descendent would come through his blood line, and he would rule as king forever.

After King David, things did not go well.  Following the death of David’s son King Solomon, the 10 northern tribes refused to acknowledge his successor as their king and choose a man outside of David’s family as their king.  This kingdom became known as Israel and quickly substituted the worship of the Lord God with gods of their own making as well as foreign gods.  Judea, the southern kingdom continued to worship God at the temple in Jerusalem. However, many people worshiped other gods in the high places as well.

All through this time the Lord God sent his prophets to correct and his warn people.  The prophet Isaiah was called by the Lord in the year that King Uzziah of Judea died (704 BC).  Despite the great wealth people were experiencing, spiritually these were dark days.  Most people had turned away from the Lord their God.  In 722 BC the Northern Kingdom was invaded by Assyria and disappeared into exile.  The southern kingdom would be crushed and exiled by the Babylonian empire 140 years later.

The prophet Isaiah brought warning of approaching judgment and exile, but also a message of future hope.  God wanted his people to know that he would still keep his promises!  Isaiah chapter 8 ends with a picture of the dark emptiness of a heart without God: Isaiah 8:19–22 ¹⁹ Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead?  ²⁰ Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. ²¹ They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God. They will look up to heaven ²² and down at the earth, but wherever they look, there will be trouble and anguish and dark despair. They will be thrown out into the darkness. (NLT)

The darkness of chapter 8 gives way in chapter 9 to God’s promise of coming hope: Isaiah 9:1–7 ¹ Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. ² The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. ³ You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. ⁴ For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. ⁵ The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. ⁶ For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen! (NLT)

Isaiah is prophesying that God will keep his promises!  The darkness and despair will end, the oppressor’s rod will be broken.  For a child will be born who will rule David’s throne with fairness and justice forever!  He is the promised seed.  Take note of this: Jesus spent much of his childhood and most of his ministry in the area described in Isaiah 9:1, Galilee!  The people who walk in darkness will see a great light – how is it possible that this could happen?  Look at how verse 7 ends “The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”  It will happen because this will be a work of God!

Isaiah continues with words of prophetic hope in chapter eleven, even as the Davidic kings of Isaiah’s time were failing to trust God’s promises.  Isaiah 11:1–3a ¹ Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. ² And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. ³ He will delight in obeying the Lord. (NLT)

When Isaiah spoke these words there was doubt that David’s line would survive, but God has a plan and keeps His promises! The one promised by the Lord, beginning with Adam & Eve will begin to restore what was lost: his people and his creation.

For 700 years these passages and others from God’s Word were still remembered by those who followed the Lord God, because he keeps his promises.  After an Angel of God brings news to Mary that she will bear the promised child and of her relative Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy, Mary sings a song of praise to God.  Mary’s song is full scripture as she praises God for keeping His promises!  Luke 1:46–55 ⁴⁶ Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. ⁴⁷ How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! ⁴⁸ For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. ⁴⁹ For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. ⁵⁰ He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. ⁵¹ His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. ⁵² He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. ⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. ⁵⁵ For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” (NLT)

People may wonder why we celebrate the birth of one who lived 2000 years ago?  Why do we recall promises made hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth?  The Apostle Paul has an answer for this question in Romans 15:4–13. ⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. ⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. ⁸ For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹ and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” ¹⁰ Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” ¹¹ And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.” ¹² And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” ¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

The scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.  “And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.” Romans 15:4b (NLT).

What is the value of the scriptures to you? Verse 13 say: The God of hope wants to fill you with His JOY and PEACE as you trust in HIM. This results in an overflow of HOPE as the Holy Spirit works in you. 

JOY – PEACE – HOPE.  Aren’t those familiar themes for this season?  Joy, peace & hope are what Jesus’ birth brings us as we know him; not as a baby, but as our master and the one who died for all our sins. 

What must you do to know him as Lord?  Accept his sacrifice on your behalf for your sins.  Believe he is the eternal Son of God, and commit your life to following him, depending on his help.  You must live your life by trusting God, who alone has the answers you need.  “May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13. (GW)

Benediction: “May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13. (GW)

Gen. 12:1-3.  “The Promise of a Saviour: The Promise to Abraham.”

Dec. 10, 2023.  Esterhazy Baptist.

Call to Worship: “Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.” Psalm 89:8, 15 (NIV).

Christmas is a time of giving, & retailers are trying to entice you to buy your gifts from them in order to make this Christmas “extra special”!  However, you will never exceed the Greatest giver of all, God, who gave his son Jesus!  Last week we saw that even as Adam & Eve heard the results of their rebellion against God, the Lord had a plan to bring men & women back into relationship with himself.  This is what 2 Timothy 1:9-10 says: “It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began—to show his love and kindness to us through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the coming of Christ Jesus, our Savior, who broke the power of death and showed us the way to everlasting life through the Good News.” (NLT).  The birth of Jesus through the seed of a woman, is God keeping his promise to defeat the power of the devil and to save his people from their sins.

After the fall in chapter 3, the book of Genesis shows humanity as it develops.  Although a few people walk with God, the vast majority choose not to, and sinful behaviour grows to frightening proportions.  Eventually only Noah’s family is willing to take God’s direction seriously, and prepare for a rainy judgment.  It is clear we are unwilling and unable fix ourselves regardless of how many hundreds of years of life experience we are given to try.

The next big step in God’s plan for humanity involved finding someone who would trust him and follow his plan.  At the end of Genesis chapter 11 we are introduced to 75-year-old Abram. His name means exalted father, yet he and his wife have no children.  Years later, when Abram was 99, God changed his name to Abraham – father of many, even though his wife Sarah had still not had a child (Gen. 17:1-6, 15-16)!  Why did God do this? Because he was preparing to keep his promise!  A year later Sarah gave birth to a son, whom they named Isaac, which means “he laughs” because of all who laughed at the idea God could do such a thing through such an elderly couple.

In Genesis 12:1-3, God comes to Abram with a request and four promises, if Abram obeys him.  Then the Lord told Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3 (NLT).

At first glance, verses 2 & 3 seems to say that God is only interested in blessing Abram (you obey me & I’ll bless you).  Yet, as we come to the last of the four promises, we see God’s goal in choosing and blessing Abram.  The result of his obedience will be: “All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”  This was not understood by most of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob in Jesus’ day.  The assumption was that non-Jews were beyond hope because they are not descendants of Abraham, but God had other plans!  We can see this in the lives of those mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1. Genealogies generally only listed the males, and this one begins with Abraham, goes through King David, and includes at least three gentile women.  Here we see again God’s heart for everyone; this was his plan from the very beginning, to give all of humanity the opportunity to return to him. 

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians, to persuade Gentile Christians not to accept the argument that they needed to add keeping the Jewish laws & traditions to complete their faith.  Legalism as an attempt to prove to others and God, that we are worthy of salvation is: hopeless, worthless and unnecessary.  Paul, to counter the Jewish argument of the need to keep the law turns to Abraham, the “founder of their people” as an example of someone who pleased God through his faith in God, rather than keeping the law.  Abraham was accepted by God before he was circumcised and long before the Law was given to Moses.  Abraham is described as one who became the father of those who follow God by faith.  Look at Galatians 3:1-14.  “¹ Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. ² Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. ³ How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? ⁴ Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? ⁵ I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not!  It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. ⁶ In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” ⁷ The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. ⁸ What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” ⁹ So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. ¹⁰ But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” ¹¹ So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” ¹² This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” ¹³ But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” ¹⁴ Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:1–14 (NLT).

God has kept his promise to Adam, Eve & Abraham in a mind-blowing way!  The Lord himself provided the sacrificial offering we needed. He took upon himself the penalty for sin we deserved, to rescue, ALL of humanity.  Jesus, the seed of a woman, endured the bite on his heal, the cross, to crush the head of the devil, keeping his promise to us.

God, the greatest giver, in sending Jesus, has given us the greatest gift!  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 (NIV)

Today, with the second candle of Advent we remembered the faith of Mary & Joseph in believing God’s promise about the baby Mary was carrying – Jesus.

Have you received Jesus, the most precious gift of Christmas?  Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come and rule your life?  You do this not through self-effort, rather it is through putting your faith in Jesus to save you!

If you have accepted this precious gift, you are most blessed!  Now remember, like Abraham, you have been blessed in order to be a blessing!  God’s heart is for all to hear of his salvation and return.  Will you join Him in that work this Christmas? Samuel M. Shoemaker said: “Most people are brought to faith in Christ not by argument for it but by exposure to it!”  This Christmas, live out your faith and celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a descendent of Abraham, through whom the whole world would be blessed – the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Hymn: #123 “O Come O Come Emmanuel” (vv. 1, 4).

Benediction: ^“I pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give peace, love, and faith to every follower! May God be kind to everyone who keeps on loving our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 6:23-24 CEV)

Call to worship: Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 1 Chronicles 16:8, 10 (NIV)

      Today is the beginning of Advent. It covers the four Sundays before Christmas. Advent prepares us for Jesus’ coming – his birth and his return – as King.  This Advent season we will be looking the promise of a Saviour we find throughout God’s Word, the Bible. 

      Genesis, the first book in the Bible, sets the framework for God’s interaction with humanity.  As Genesis begins, we see that:

      God created the universe He spoke it into existence – the stars, planets, sky, sea, plants & animals and it was good. Finally created humanity.  Genesis 1:26–27; 2:7, 15-18, 22. “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”   “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”  “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”” “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” (NIV)

      God altered his pattern of creation with humanity, in that he literally got his hands dirty creating us!  He formed us from the earth and then breathed his Spirit into us.  Humanity was not only “handmade” by God, we were made in his image, put in charge of this world and designed to have a special relationship with God.

      It is important we remember that this is our starting point with God!  We are created by God for a loving relationship with him with purpose & responsibility!  God gave us a framework in which to live – things to do (rule over the animals & tend to the Garden of Eden) and not do (Gen. 2:17 – eat from the tree of the knowledge of good & evil).  Then came a choice, believe God or not:  Genesis 3:1–8. “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (NIV)

      One might think that the Bible would be a really short book since by the third chapter of Genesis, humanity has rejected God as their source of truth.  Sin, judgment, and death come to Adam & Eve and the created world is altered – that sounds like the end of the story!

      Yet at this, the lowest point in human history, our fall from God’s grace, all is not lost, there is hope spoken by God Himself. As judgment is passed on the serpent, Eve and Adam, and the consequences of their sin is revealed (Gen. 3:8-21), God in verses 14-15 tells of a future event. 

Genesis 3:14; 15 “So the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, you will be punished. You are singled out from all the domestic and wild animals of the whole earth to be cursed. You will grovel in the dust as long as you live, crawling along on your belly. From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.’” (NLT)

      Adam & Eve had just rebelled against God.  They had done the only thing they were told not to do, & they had been warned of the results!  At the very moment the consequences of their disobedience is being given, God also makes a promise, indicating that He already has a plan.

      Satan, the deceiver of humanity will one day be defeated by one of Eve’s offspring (He will crush your head)!  The Bible then begins to record God’s work of drawing humanity back into relationship and preparing for the coming of the promised one.

      This act of grace from our God speaks hope to us right now!  Is anyone struggling with the question of whether God could love you as you are?  Genesis tells us he created you for relationship, he loves you!  But you respond by thinking: “With all I’ve done could he ever accept or forgive me?”  Yet remember this, our God has been at work from the moment we sinned, and He is still at work all around us, to draw each of us back to Himself.

      From the very beginning of our rebellion against God, which caused our need of redemption, we see that God is there with a plan.  Even before humanity realizes the depth to which it has fallen God is there with a promise. 

      In God’s promise we are given:

1)  The news of the incarnation.  Jesus was born of a virgin, the seed of a woman.

2)  The news of His sufferings & death.  Bruising His heel.

3)  The news of His victory over Satan. He will crush your head.

      As the writer of Hebrews says: Hebrews 2:14; 15 “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” (NLT)

      Because God the Father sent His Son Jesus, we can be forgiven our sins and made alive in Christ.  Today, we celebrate: 

–      His coming as one of us – flesh & blood.

–      His victory in life.

–      His victory over sin and death which frees us from the power of the devil.

Hymn: #124 “Come thou long expected Jesus”

Benediction:  ^“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 1:5b-6 NIV).

Call to worship: “He is near to those who call to him, who call to him with sincerity. He supplies the needs of those who honour him; he hears their cries and saves them.” “I will always praise the Lord; let all his creatures praise his holy name for ever.” Psalm 145:18–19, 21 (GNB)

      We’ve been looking at the book of Proverbs and most recently seeing what Proverbs says about the deadly follies, sins.  These are sins of the mind and attitude which if unconfessed will damage our relationships with each other and with God.

      Last week we looked at the problem of wrath and anger.  Today we will be looking at the solution to wrath.  Holding onto anger and stewing in it leads to the sins of bitterness, resentment and rage (Ephesians 4:31).  However, you may say, what was done was wrong and I cannot act as if it never happened – the anger and frustration is eating me up and I want them to suffer as well!

      How can I get out of the swamp of anger and wrath or better yet, avoid it all together?  Proverbs and other passages of scripture gives us the answer:

1.  FORGIVE THEM! 

      Rather than seek some sort of revenge, forgive the offense, insult or even crime against you.  Do not let it fester in your heart and infect you, making you one who want to hurt!

Proverbs 17:9. “Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend, but gossiping about the sin breaks up friendships.” (NCV)

In Luke 17:3-4 Jesus says: “Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him.” Luke 17:3–4 (MSG).

Ephesians 4:32. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (NIV)

Proverbs 20:22 reminds us not to give into the temptation of taking matters into our own hands.  Instead, trust God to take care of matters: “Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.” Pr. 20:22 (NLT).

2.  HELP THEM! 

Proverbs 25:21. “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” (NIV).  Not only are we not to seek personal revenge on our enemies, we are to respond to their basic needs with compassion, regardless of how they would treat you if the situation was reversed.  We are not to withhold help that any person deserves, for we are all created in God’s image.

      After the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, no person in all of East Germany was more despised than the former Communist dictator Erich Honecher. He had been stripped of all his offices. Even the Communist Party rejected him. Kicked out of his villa, the new government refused him and his wife new housing. The Honechers were homeless and destitute.

      Enter pastor Uwe Holmer, director of a Christian help center north of Berlin. Made aware of the Honechers’ straits, Pastor Holmer felt it would be wrong to give them a room meant for even needier people. So the pastor and his family decided to take the former dictator into their own home!

      Erich Honecher’s wife, Margot, had ruled the East German educational system for twenty-six years. Eight of Pastor Holmer’s ten children had been turned down for higher education due to Mrs. Honecher’s policies, which discriminated against Christians. Now the Holmers were caring for their personal enemy—the most hated man in Germany. This was so unnatural, so unconventional, so Christlike.

      By the grace of God, the Holmers loved their enemies, did them good, blessed them, and prayed for them. They turned the other cheek. They gave their enemies their coat (their own home).

      They did to the Honechers what they would have wished the Honechers would do to them. (Reported by George Cowan to Campus Crusade at the U.S. Division Meeting Devotions, Thursday, March 22, 1990.)

      Proverbs 25:22 finishes the statement to show kindness to your enemy in verse 21 with: “In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.” Proverbs 25:22 (NIV).

This may be expressing the hope your kindness will lead to their repentance or if instead they continue to harden the hearts, God’s judgment for rejecting a demonstration of his grace.  However they chose to respond, the Lord is pleased when you reflect his mercy.

      Jesus went even further; he didn’t stop at helping your enemy.  Matthew 5:43–48. “You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? Don’t even unbelievers do that? But you must always act like your Father in heaven.” (CEV).   

      It seems we really should go back to point two and replace “Help them” with “Love them.”  Jesus wants us to forgive our enemies and show them love! 

      By now, if you have been listening, your mind should be full of questions.  Forgive and love those who have hurt me?  Do I really have to do this to get out of the swamp of anger and bitterness?  Does Jesus ask this of all his disciples or just leaders?    

      What did Jesus teach us to pray in the Lord’s prayer?  “And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” Matthew 6:12 (NLT).  It seems the forgiveness of our sins is contingent on our forgiving those who have sinned against us!  Is that what Jesus is saying?  Is sure is, as you look at Matthew 6:14–15. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (NLT).  Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you.” (NCV).  

      Christian, Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt. 18:23-35) is for us!  How could one who has been forgiven a debt they could never repay, be so callused and heartless to not forgive a small debt owed them?  That is what we are doing when we refuse to forgive and show love to those who hurt us – do we not understand the Gospel? 

      Luke 7:36-50 tells of a time Jesus was invited to dinner at the home Simon the Pharisee.  While Jesus ate, a woman with a sinful reputation came weeping.  With her tears she washed Jesus’ feet, wiped them with her hair and anointed his feet with perfume.  Simon couldn’t believe what was happening.  He thought to himself, if Jesus really was a prophet from God, he would know that this woman touching him was a sinner and would send her away.  Jesus knew what Simon was thinking and asked him a question about being grateful for being forgiven.  Jesus concluded his conversation with Simon by saying: “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”” Luke 7:47 (NIV).  Christian, an unforgiving heart says you do not appreciate your own forgiveness.

      But you say: “This is so hard!”  No it’s not hard, it’s impossible! It’s impossible for us forgive & love this way.  Jesus’ answer to his disciple’s question in Matt. 19:25-26, about if the rich struggle to enter heaven, then who can be saved, fit here as well: “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”” Matthew 19:26 (NLT).

      Christian, humanly speaking, responding to evil with forgiveness and love is impossible.  That is why you cannot do it in your own strength.  Bring your struggles, your resentments, your bitterness, your questions to the Lord – but it’s so ugly, I don’t want him to see it.  He already knows – trust him with it, turn it over to him, read his word, listen to his Spirit’s prompting and leave it with him to take care of it.  Daily, ask the Lord, through the power of his Holy Spirit to love your enemies through you.  Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.” (NCV)

      Let’s listen to our closing hymn, it is called “Forgive our sins as we forgive.”  https://youtu.be/OqG_iQwqEOE?si=t9HalhBuUld1WiWa 

Forgive our sins as we forgive, You taught us Lord to pray. But You alone can grant us grace to live the words we say.

How can Your pardon reach and bless the unforgiving heart, that broods on wrongs and will not let old bitterness depart?

In blazing light Your cross reveals the truth we dimly knew, how small the debts men owe to us, how great our debt to You.

Lord cleanse the depths within our souls and bid resentment cease.  Then reconciled to God and man, our lives will spread Your peace.

Rosamond Eleanor Herklots. CCLI Song #3162143 © 1969 Oxford University Press. For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use.  All rights reserved. www.ccli.com  CCLI Licence No.1348394

       Rosamond E. Herklots (b. Masuri, India, 1905; d. Bromley, Kent, England, 1987) wrote these words in 1966 after digging out weeds in her garden and thinking how bitterness, hatred, and resentment are like poisonous weeds growing in the Christian garden of life. “Forgive Our Sins” is a hymn about being ready to forgive others again and again-as Jesus said, seventy-times-seven times! We have many hymns about God’s forgiveness of our sins, but this one adds a most helpful guide in forgiving others’ sins.

Benediction: You have been given every good gift for proclaiming God’s presence and God’s love. The world is thirsting for this good news. People struggle for words of hope and peace. As you have been blessed, now go to be a blessing in God’s Name. AMEN.

Call to Worship: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30 NIV)

      We are looking at the book of Proverbs, to learn how to live above life’s deadly follies or deadly sins.  These are sins of the mind and attitude.  Though we may try to hide them, they influence our choices, impact our relationships and unless abandoned, will sever our walk with God.  Today we are looking at pride.  How do you define pride? …  There is a positive element to pride as well as the negative.  The Lexham Theological Wordbook says: While pride can have a positive connotation of self-worth or boasting, it is often used in Scripture to refer to an unhealthy elevated view of one’s self, abilities, or possessions.[1] 

      Pride can be positive, we want to have a healthy self-image, and teach this to our children.  Accomplishing something new and difficult is worth celebrating and encourages us to keep trying and learning – “You can do it!”  However, there is a dark side of pride, where our sinful nature takes over control and evil is the result. Proverbs 21:4 says: “Evil people are proud and arrogant, but sin is the only crop they produce.” (CEV).  This is the sinful pride which God opposes.  Proverbs 16:5. “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” (NIV). The reason for this is the impact of arrogant pride on others and consequence of sinful pride on the proud.  Proverbs 16:18 says: “Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.” Proverbs 16:18 (GNB).  

      The Lexham Theological Wordbook says: In the NT, as in the OT, the concept of pride is often easier to recognize through context than by searching for any one word. During his ministry, Jesus often confronted the pride of the religious leaders of the day (e.g., Luke 14:7–11; 18:9–14), not because they were religious, but because they took solace in their religiosity rather than in God.[2]  Luke 14:7–11 – is where Jesus noticed guests picking the places of honour at a feast.  To those who were confident in their own righteousness, Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector – Luke 18:9–14.

      Pride is something we may not easily identify within ourselves, especially in a society which celebrates the individual’s right to make their own choices.  Where does pride show up?

1.  In our arrogance.

        We can tell ourselves we are positive thinkers and people who can make things happen, but under the veneer is pride.  “I know what I’m doing,” “I know what’s best for me,” “They failed because they are fools, it won’t happen to me…” “If you don’t like it tough,” “You change, I don’t need to!”

Proverbs 27:1–2. “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” (NIV)

Proverbs 26:12. “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” (NIV)

Proverbs 30:11–12. “Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.” (NLT)

 Pride also shows up:

2.  In our stubbornness.

      Stubbornness to admit you need help, to ask for help or listen to wise advice, is pride – “I want to do it or fix it myself – stop trying to help!”

Proverbs 13:10. “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” (NIV)

Proverbs 12:15. “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” (NIV)

Proverbs 13:1. “Children with good sense accept correction from their parents, but stubborn children ignore it completely.” (CEV)

Proverbs 28:26. “Only fools would trust what they alone think, but if you live by wisdom, you will do all right.” (CEV)

      Our refusal to admit our struggles and ask others for prayer, or counsel, or help, hinders us as individual Christians and the Body of Christ.  It isn’t weakness to ask for help, rather, it is foolish to trust in yourself and not to seek wise advice.  Proverbs 29:23. “Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.” (NLT).  The ultimate source of wisdom is found in the Lord God and His Word.  Proverbs 1:7 reminds us: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (NIV).  

 What is the remedy to our pride?

      The Lord loves us too much to leave us struggling on our own with pride.  He sometimes needs to deal with our arrogant, stubborn pride using the painful reality of our limitations.  Here are portions of Pastor Charles Swindoll’s article, “Pride is a thorny issue.”

      In my experience, the number one obstacle to finishing well in Christian life and ministry is not sexual immorality or unbridled greed…. Those head-turning and heartbreaking stories may make headlines, but the real enemy to finishing well often goes undivulged and unreported: pride. That insidious sin of the heart is the root of the more obvious fruits—envy, boasting, unteachability, arrogance, selfish ambition, lust, and greed.

      I’ve observed that pride is a particularly acute malady for three categories of people who have a disposition toward it: the highly intelligent, the greatly gifted, and the deeply religious. Genius, talent, and spirituality attract attention, laud, and applause. Pride is quick to take a bow. Yet this disease of pride can quickly turn into a condition that disfigures our character…

      In this mortal life, burdened by our sin nature and surrounded by temptations, no instant remedy completely cures the disease of pride. It won’t be cured until these sinful bodies are replaced by glorious bodies free from corruption. Yet God hasn’t left us to suffer from the affliction of pride without treatment in this life…

      Each May, at the end of the academic year at Dallas Seminary, the handful of top preachers of the senior class get a turn in the pulpit of Chafer Chapel. One year a talented young man preached on the passage in John 13 in which Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. Talk about humility! It’s hard to beat Jesus’ example.

      After a compelling exposition of that simple text, the young senior-class preacher leaned low into the microphone, looked across the faces in that auditorium, and asked his fellow students, “Do you want to have a great ministry—or do you just want to be great?”

      The packed chapel went silent. Nobody blinked.  Though the question was directed toward the students, it hit everybody hard—from junior faculty to seminary president. I’ll never forget that question. I doubt that anyone who heard it will.

      With that single challenge, he captured the crucial issue: greatness. Let us seek greatness, not as the world defines it, but according to the example of Christ. A greatness achieved not by flexing worldly power, but by breaking earthly pride.

      For the highly intelligent, greatly gifted, and deeply religious, pride is often the major roadblock in the path to maturity. But the Lord uses painful events and chronic suffering to mold us and fashion us into the image of His Son.

At times, God will make you aware of attitudes and behaviors in your own life that need to be changed. It may seem like He’s crushing you, but in reality, He’s curing you. It may feel like He’s harming you, but He’s healing you. Let’s be brutally honest: it may look like He hates you, but He loves you.

      You may be there right now. And for the first time in your life, you may realize that there is a holy purpose in it all. He’s calling you to attention and turning you away from yourself and toward His Son.

      If your pain has brought you to your knees, I commend you to our loving Father. That’s the best place to begin the rest of your life. I invite you to call out to Him. Tell Him that your fight is over, that you willingly surrender.

      In utter and complete weakness, tell Him you’ve come to the end of your own resources. The crushing in this crucible has made you aware of your desperate need for hope, a hope that is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tell him this—say it aloud: “Your grace is enough for me.” [3]

      Pride is so addictive because initially it feels good and feeds our egos, but it is so destructive, and opposed to all that is truly good.  Proverbs 11:2 says: “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (NLT).  In humility submit your way to the Lord, trusting Him to do in and through you what will bring him glory and honour, rather than seeking it for yourself.

Hymn: In Christ alone

Benediction: God did not say that it would be easy to bring the good news to all people, but God did say that God would be with you. So go now in peace, walking humbly with God. Bring the good news of hope to all the people. AMEN.

Call to Worship: “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:2–4 NIV)

      Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  We are continuing to glean wisdom from the Book of Proverbs.  Since this is the Thanksgiving Day weekend, I want you to think about this question: What brings you to the place of thankfulness where you can be thankful?  In other words, what does it take for you to be thankful?  Some possible answers might be:

      Have you ever thought about the goal of advertising?  In part it is to inform and instruct us about new things or businesses.  However much of today’s advertisement aims to offer you something while taking it away at the same time?  Any guesses what that is?  Contentment. Some ads are specifically designed to arose feelings of need and desire, with their product being just the answer to fulfill your desires and end your discontentment.  

      There is an assault on our contentment from all directions, and it is having an impact.  I read an article which said: One hundred years ago, it when asked, the average American had 70 wants. A similar survey taken recently showed the average person had nearly 500 on their list. —Beveridge Paper Co.

      David Owen in a Reader’s Digest article called “Rich as a King” addresses our growing list of necessities with some humor: William I, who conquered England some 930 years ago, had wealth, power, and a ruthless army. Yet although William was stupefyingly rich by the standard of his time, he had nothing remotely resembling a flush toilet. No paper towels, no riding lawn mower. How did he get by?

      History books are filled with wealthy people who were practically destitute compared to me. I have triple-tracked storm windows; Croesus did not. Entire nations trembled before Alexander the Great, but he couldn’t buy cat food in bulk. Czar Nicholas II lacked a compound-miter saw.

      Given how much better off I am than so many famous dead people, you’d think I’d be content. The trouble is that, like most people, I compare my prosperity with that of living persons: neighbors, high-school classmates, TV personalities. The covetousness I feel toward my friend Howard’s new kitchen is not mitigated by the fact that no French monarch ever had a refrigerator with glass doors.

      There is really no rising or falling standard of living. Over the centuries people simply find different stuff to feel grumpy about. You’d think that merely not having bubonic plague would put us in a good mood. But no, we want a hot tub too.

      Of course, one way to achieve happiness would be to realize that even by contemporary standards the things I own are pretty nice. My house is smaller than the houses of many investment bankers, but even so it has a lot more rooms than my wife and I can keep clean.

      Besides, to people looking back at our era from a century or two in the future, those bankers’ fancy countertops and my own worn Formica will seem equally shabby. I can’t keep up with my neighbor right now. But just wait. Condensed from Home, David Owen, in Reader’s Digest, July, 1996, p. 193[1]

What brings contentment?

      Contentment is more than just having things.  It goes much deeper into ourselves, though we often believe the advertising that says having more or better material things is what will bring us contentment. Wealth isn’t bad, but if you sacrifice your character to get it, you have lost your greatest possession, to gain what is only temporary! Proverbs 16:19: “It is better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.” (NLT) Proverbs 28:6. “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity, than a person who is crooked, though he is rich.” (NASB 2020)

      The writers of Proverbs understood that contentment is not dependent on things but on the company you keep and the life you live: “A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than a steak with someone you hate.”  15:17 (NLT).  G.K. Chesterton wrote: True contentment is a real, even an active virtue – not only affirmative but creative. It is the power of getting out of any situation all there is in it.  Some mothers are especially good at this with their children, helping them to appreciate what they have, instead of focusing on what they don’t have.  “Yes, we don’t have sprinkles for the cupcakes, but look how blue the sky is, and listen to the concert the birds are putting on for us – how can we stay sad on a beautiful day like today, we are so blessed!”

What brings contentment?

      The choices we make and the goals we set are what create either contentment or discontentment.  The Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 6, encourages Timothy to find his contentment in trusting in God: 1 Timothy 6:6–8, 17 “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.” (NLT)

      It is God supplies who our needs, this is very clearly taught in Proverbs:

–      The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. Proverbs 10:3 (NIV)

–      When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7 (NIV)

–      Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

      What do these passages tell us?  GOD IS IN CHARGE!  What brings contentment?  Understanding that God is in control.  So, our question should be: Who brings contentment?  Contentment comes through having a living relationship with the living God.  The Apostle Paul, criticized by some preachers for being in a Roman prison for preaching about Jesus, could still write to his friends in Philippi: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12–13 (NIV). Who is it that gave Paul the strength to be content in any and every situation?  The Lord Jesus Christ! 

      Bill Gothard wrote: “Contentment is realizing that God has already provided everything we need for our present happiness.”    There is much in the life that promises the inner contentment we long for, but there is only one who can give us what we need in unending supply – Jesus – draw from him today and every day after.

Benediction: You have been given every good gift for proclaiming God’s presence and God’s love. The world is thirsting for this good news. People struggle for words of hope and peace. As you have been blessed, now go to be a blessing in God’s Name. AMEN.

[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 332). Bible Communications, Inc.

[2] Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.