Responding to the Resurrection

In January, Kathryn and I went to Washington DC. It was not our first trip to our nation’s capital. We had a short list of things we wanted to see. On that list was Arlington National Cemetery. My father-in-law, who I barely knew, John Trojan is there. He is in the columbarium, located in the southeast section approximately one mile from the Memorial Gate. The cemetery personnel drove us there, but they didn’t stay as we visited his plague. Instead of waiting for a ride to return, we decided to walk back. There is no other way to say it. It was moving walking by those countless graves. There are approximately 400,000 graves in Arlington. The words between us were few, but they were meaningful. That evening we had dinner at a restaurant near the National Archives building. It was full of people having a good time. Arlington was moving, but the restaurant was fun. Let me state the obvious. It is more fun to be with the living than the dead. May we never forget we serve a risen Savior. Jesus is alive and well!

We find ourselves today in the twentieth chapter of John. Each one of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, have their own account of the resurrection of Jesus. The details vary, but the main point remains the same. Jesus is resurrected! This is John’s version. Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning. It is so early; it is still dark. It was the first time the law permitted anyone to touch the dead. Corpses could not be touched on the Sabbath. When she arrives, she discovers that the stone in front of the entrance had been rolled away. She is shocked by this discovery and assumes the worst. Someone had taken Jesus body! The abuse Jesus had endured on Friday was not enough. Now they had taken his body to continue the cruelty. She wants to find Jesus, so she enlists some help. There is no other way to say it. They lost Jesus! (Don’t you hate when you lose a corpse?) She ran to tell two disciples that Jesus is missing. The first is Peter. The second is described the one that Jesus loved. That is John’s way of describing himself. Instantly, the two run to the tomb and it is at this point the scripture comes to life for us.

The story is familiar because we have looked at it countless times. It is hard to preach the resurrection of Jesus Christ annually and be original. John’s account of the resurrection is unique. It illustrates for us the three responses to the resurrection. They are not unique to John. They are not unique to John’s time. They are the same ways people respond to the resurrection today. The question you must answer is, how do you respond the resurrection? Are you skeptical about the resurrection of Jesus? Are you curious about the resurrection of Jesus? Or, do you believe, in your heart of hearts, Jesus was resurrected?

Peter plays the role of the skeptic. Look at the text with me. It says when Peter got to the Jesus’ tomb he went in and saw all the clothes of clothes scattered. Verse ten says he does something that he must have regretted the rest of his life. What does that verse say? It says after he saw clothes scattered on the tomb’s floor, he went home. He missed the whole thing because he went home. It made logical sense to go home. The problem is the resurrection is not logical. It is a miracle that cannot be explained by science.

Do you know any skeptics? Our world is filled with skeptics. Our world has always been filled with skeptics. The story of the resurrection has always been surrounded by skeptics. Do you know how many theories exist trying to disregard the resurrection of Jesus? One theory says someone got to the tomb ahead of Mary Magdalene and stole Jesus’ body. One theory says Mary Magdalene got confused and went to the wrong tomb. (You know how women are with directions.) One theory says the women confused Jesus with someone else. After all, if you have seen one Jew then you have seen them all. One theory says Jesus never died on the cross. Instead, he was drugged and once his head had cleared, he simply walked out unnoticed on Saturday. Do I have to go on? We live in a skeptical world because many believe science is the final word. Miracles are dismissed because they cannot be proven. The resurrection is a miracle, so it must not have happened. There is only one problem with this line of thought.

The final word is not science; the final word is God. God is not frustrated by scientific law. God does, what God desires. Part of God’s plan of salvation for the world was to resurrect Jesus.

Mary Magdalene plays the role of the seeker. What does the text say? She followed Jesus to his tomb. She was going to treat his body. She thought it would be her last loving act for Jesus, but she was wrong. What does the text say? It says that after Peter and John examined the scene they went home. What did Mary Magdalene do? We are told that she stayed at the tomb. She knew something had happened, but she didn’t know what. She had been part of the great story of the resurrection, but she didn’t exactly know what happened. She waited outside of the tomb crying trying to comprehend what had happened. In other words, she had a few questions.

Does anyone here have a question about the resurrection? In your mind you understand that Jesus came back to life! However, that fact has not yet penetrated your heart. You are just like Mary Magdalene? You know something happened, but you can’t comprehend the true meaning of the resurrection. Ask all the questions you want because it is the best way to learn. Do you have any questions? Do you know anyone who is a seeker? Could it be you are a seeker? It is fine to be a seeker. I have a few questions myself.

John plays the role of the saved. The text says when he got to the tomb, he didn’t go in. Peter went into the tomb first. John stayed outside. There may be several reasons. Maybe he was resting? After all, he had just been running. Or maybe he was afraid that Mary Magdalene was wrong. He didn’t want to see Jesus’ mangled body. Or maybe he did not go in because he was just afraid? Roman guards could be waiting inside to arrest any Jesus supporters. He didn’t go in until Peter went in first. When he went in, he discovered Mary Magdalene’s account was accurate. Verse eight gives us one more piece of vital information.  It says that after John examined the tomb he believed. He remembered everything Jesus had said about his own death and resurrection. John remembered those things and believed.  His belief in the resurrected Jesus saved his very soul. Do you remember what Romans 10:9 says? That 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.” This is the question of the day.

What is your response to the resurrection of Jesus? I hope you are not a skeptic about the resurrection. No, science is not the final answer. The final answer is God! I hope you are not a seeker, just curious about the resurrection. It is the one thing you cannot question. I hope you believe that you are one of the saved. The resurrection changed everything. It changed the way you look at death, itself. It changed your final destination. May we never forget we serve a risen Savior. John Ortberg (born 1957) is the Senior Pastor of the Menlo Church in Menlo, California. He once said, “At the very heart of the Christian faith is the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection”If you believe in the resurrection, then, like John, you are saved!

The Beginning of the End

We begin in the twelfth chapter of Exodus, verses twenty-nine through thirty-two. Do you remember the story? We cover it annually. The descendants of Abraham had been spared from a great famine by following Joseph into Egypt. During his life they had been shown favor, but time changed things. Joseph died and his descendants had fallen into disfavor. They were enslaved by the Egyptians. Their lives were hard, and they cried out to God. The Almighty heard their cries and sent them a great liberator, Moses. Their freedom does not come in an instant. It comes at the end of a series of great plagues. The last was the worst, the death of the first-born sons. The will of the Pharaoh was broken, and the Hebrew people were given their freedom. It was a great day for God’s Chosen People. That day was such a great day that the people held an annual festival to remember what God had done just for them. The highlight of that festival was the Seder. It is a meal with a message. That whole annual feast is called the Passover.

Fast forward the clock thirteen hundred years. The people came to Jerusalem to remember what God had done for them one more time. This brings us to the scripture lesson for today. It was Passover, and the crowd was energized. The crowd was energized every Passover. I am not being critical. I am being honest. You cannot blame them. They were energized for the same reasons we are energized during our annual festivals, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Some were energized because they were away from home! There is some truth to that statement. Their lives were hard. Every day looked about the same. Every week looked about the same. Sometimes it is just nice to get away. There was a law that said all Jewish males within a fifty-mile radius of Jerusalem were required to attend the Passover in Jerusalem. That law wasn’t needed. People didn’t attend the Passover because they had to go. They attended the Passover because they wanted to go. It would be like passing a law that everyone was required to celebrate Thanksgiving. It isn’t necessary. We look forward to Thanksgiving and they looked forward to Passover. If nothing else, it was a time to just get away. Have you ever gone away to just get away?

I have a good friend who went to North Carolina to celebrate his brother-in-law’s 50th birthday. (You know how some have to make a big deal out of their birthday!) When he returned home, I asked him, “Rick, did you have a good time?” He answered, he said, “Yes, I guess.” Then he told me about his trip. They were in complete isolation. The restaurants didn’t serve his favorite adult beverage. The weather was cold and foggy. His bed was lumpy. The party, itself, was attended by some shady characters. At the end of his stories I said, “So you didn’t have a good time?” He said, “Well, it was nice just getting away.” It isn’t just his story; it is our stories. Maybe it was their story? Sometimes, just getting away can be exciting! Maybe the crowd was excited because they had just gotten away? If you like getting away occasionally say, “Hosanna!”

Some were energized because they were with the most important people in their lives! Passover had both a religious and a secular side. The religious side had to do with remembering what God had done for the Hebrew people. The secular side had to do with that day. It was a reunion. Everyone was in Jerusalem. People you had not seen in a year or longer were there. They were excited because they were with the most important people in their lives. Passover was like a great family reunion. It is exciting to see family. (It is more exciting to see them go home.)

Several years ago, the news was filled with the story of Katheryn DePrill. Do you remember her story? She is the young woman who was looking for her biological mother on Facebook. Years earlier, her biological mother had left her as an infant in the bathroom of their local Burger King. Katheryn was looking for her to fill a void in her life. When her biological mother stepped forward, she openly admitted her mistake and told her side of the story. She had been sexually attacked at the age of sixteen, had the baby alone in her bedroom and headed to Burger King. She is relieved to know her baby is such a wonderful young woman. Katheryn’s biological mother cannot thank her parents enough for what they have done for her baby. Katheryn said when she met her biological mother there was a lot of emotions and everyone was excited. Maybe the people were just excited on Palm Sunday because they were reunited with the people in their lives? If you like seeing the most important people in your life, occasionally say, “Hosanna!”

Some were energized because they had renewed hope! The source of that hope was Jesus. Everyone knew the name Jesus. Everyone had heard about his teachings. Everyone had heard about his healings. Jesus was the one who brought Lazarus back to life! Some had felt his powerful presence. Everyone believed Jesus was going to usher in something new, and they were hungry for change. There is no other way to say it. The crowd was energized because Jesus was offering them hope. They had grown tired of Roman rules and domination. They longed for political change. Everything they did that day was political. They laid palm branches on the ground and waved them in the air. That is what previous generations did for their conquering heroes. They yelled political things. “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” They were excited because they knew change was coming. They were right, yet they were wrong. Change was coming but it was not political change. Jesus did not come for political change. Jesus came for spiritual change. Jesus came to lead a spiritual revolution. You know the story.

Palm Sunday is the beginning of the end. For Jesus, there would be no turning back. This is the truth. Holy Week means nothing for those who believe they can earn your salvation. It is nothing more than a celebration Spring or an excuse to eat ham. However, for those of us who understand our only hope for salvation is in the sacrificial death of Jesus, Holy Week means so much more. It is not enough to just return next week and celebrate the resurrection. This is so much more.

This year, I challenge you to take a few minutes out of each day this week and remember what Jesus did on that day. It will change the way you experience Palm Sunday. It will change the way you experience Easter. This is what the scriptures tell us:

          On Palm Sunday, Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem by the crowd. He was the eye of the storm. It was the point of no return. He spent that night in Bethany.

On Holy Monday, Jesus returned to Jerusalem. On the way he cursed the fig tree because it was not baring fruit, like the Hebrew faith had stop bearing fruit. It would be the only thing Jesus ever cursed. Then, he drove the money changers out of the temple. It was a place of prayer, not profit. He returned to Bethany that night.

On Holy Tuesday, Jesus returned to Jerusalem and saw the dead fig tree. He went to the temple and frustrated the authorities. He went to the Mount of Olives and taught about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of time.

On Holy Wednesday, Jesus rested. Jesus did nothing of note on that day. However, it was on Wednesday, Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, and Mary anointed Jesus’s feet with expensive perfume. The Master was preparing to die.

On Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and had his last supper with them. He transformed the traditional Seder into something new, communion, a living memorial. In the evening, Jesus went to the garden to prayer. It was there Judas Iscariot betrayed him with a kiss and was arrested. He was taken to the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas. They made their case against Jesus.

On Holy Friday, the Roman Governor, Pontius Pitot sentenced Jesus to death. The order was carried out and Jesus, the sinless one, was executed between two criminals. He was the perfect sacrifice. His sacrificial death covered the sins of the world. That means he died for you. Jesus’s corpse was claimed by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. They placed it in a tomb.

On Holy Saturday, some call it “Silent Saturday,” nothing happened because Jesus was dead.

On Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day, Jesus returns to life and changes our world forever. Without Jesus there is no hope of eternal life. He died for all of us, and it all began on Palm Sunday, the beginning of the end.

Last week, I told you about the cathedral in Milan, Italy. Do you remember? It is

such a large structure with five front doors. Each door leads to a different aisle in the sanctuary. The center three doors have carvings of note. Over the arch of one of the side doors is a carved wreath of roses, and underneath it is the legend, “All that which pleases is but for a moment.” Over arch of the other side door is sculptured a cross, and there are the words, “All that which troubles us is but for a moment.” But underneath the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, “Only the eternal is important.” Jesus came to save our souls.

How Great a Sacrifice

One of the most magnificent structures in the world is the cathedral in Milan, Italy. It is such a large structure it has five front doors. Each door leads to a different aisle in the sanctuary. The center three doors have carvings of note. Over the arch of one of the side doors is a carved wreath of roses, and underneath it is the words, “All which pleases is but for a moment.” Over arch of the other side door is sculptured a cross, and underneath it is the words, “All which troubles us is but for a moment.” But underneath the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, “Only the eternal is important.” It is the eternal we are going to look at in the next weeks. The eternal grabs our attention today.

We find ourselves today in the twelfth chapter of John, verse one through eleven. According to the text, it is a few days before the Passover. Jesus is in Bethany. Jerusalem and Bethany are approximately two miles apart. It just so happened, Jesus has friends who lived in Bethany, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus normally had an open invitation to their home. However, this time Jesus has a formal invitation. The women wanted to thank Jesus for resurrecting their brother, so they hold a dinner in Jesus’s honor. Jesus never traveled alone. He brings the twelve, along with a nameless crowd. The crowd was extra-large because they wanted to see the newly resurrected Lazarus.

The event is going off as planned. Everyone is having a wonderful time. Martha is serving. Lazarus is reclining at the table. It is Mary who does the unexpected. She took a pint of perfume nard and pours it on Jesus’ feet, wiping it with her hair. Mary seems to have some insider information. It is almost as if she was anticipating the week to come. Consider these two facts with me. First, she anoints Jesus like the dead were anointed. Second, she anoints Jesus’s feet like Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. The obvious happens. The house is filled with the odor of that sweet perfume. Everyone seems to handle the anointing, except one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot. He protests the waste. He is not completely wrong. The nard was expensive. He would have made the perfect church member in the twenty-first century. None of us believe money should be wasted. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned. The very least they could have done is sell the nard and given the money to the poor. Jesus deflects his criticism and applauds Mary for her priorities. Would Jesus applaud your priorities? We always sacrifice for those that we love. How much are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus.

Where were you on March 2, 2012? It is remembered as one of the most violent weather days in the history of our country. There were 140 tornados sighted that day, 76 confirmed landings. Thirty-nine people were killed. We prayed for the grieving, and all the lives that were changed that day, but we were inspired by one, Stephanie Decker.

On that day, Stephanie was a 37-year-old wife and mother, who lived in Henryville, Indiana. It was like a living nightmare. A tornado slammed into her home. With no other option, she acted like a human shield and laid on top of her children to protect them. The good news is everyone survived. The bad news is Stephanie lost both legs, one above the knee, one below the knee. Years later, she does not regret her sacrifice because she saved her children. It is a sacrifice she said she would do again. It is a sacrifice I hope I never have to make. I do not know how her children can look at her legs and question her love for them. I do not know how anyone can question her love for her children. We sacrifice the most for the people we love the most. That leads us to the question of the day. How much are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

How much money are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Imagine the scene with your sacrificed imagination. It is impossible to read this story and ignore the financial issues. You can still buy a pint of nard on the internet. It will cost you approximately $625 for a single pint. No wonder Judas Iscarot was shocked by her extravagance. It seemed economically impossible for a common to own such a possession. Some believe, Mary received the nard from her parents as a wedding gift for her wedding night. Mary sacrificed a great amount of money to show her devotion to Jesus. How much money are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

The Biblical standard for giving is the tithe, 10%. That is a challenge for a great number of people. According to Vanco, only 5% of all church goers’ tithe? 77% of all tithers give more than 10% The average church goer gives approximately $17 per week. That is $884 per year. It is the question I have asked you for the past quarter of a century. If everyone gave the amount to the church that you give to the church, would our ministry contract or expand? How much money are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love.

How much time are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Imagine the scene with your sacrificed imagination. The house is filled with guests and there are a million things to do. There is food that needs to be cooked. There are dishes that need to be washed. There are children that need to be entertained. There are a million things to do, so where is Mary. She is sitting at the feet of Jesus absorbing every word. It was not that those other things were not important. It was that this was an opportunity that could not be missed. You can do housework anytime, but you cannot always sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary sacrificed valuable time to sit at the feet of Jesus. How much time are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

It is impossible for our generation to sit at the feet of Jesus. However, that changes nothing. How much time do you spend with Jesus? I am not talking about the time you spend in the church building or the time you spend fundraising for the church. I am talking about spending time practicing the Holy Habits. How much time do you spend meditating? How much time do you spend studying your Bible? How much time do you spend in worship? How much time do you spend in prayer? How much time are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love.

How much pride are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Imagine the scene with your sacrificed imagination. The fact that Mary anointed Jesus’s feet is significant. That sounds odd to our generation. It was odd to her generation too for two reasons. First, usually someone’s head was anointed, not their feet. Second, Hebrew women never unwrapped their hair in public. They only unwrapped their hair at home. Both expose her humility. How much pride are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?

Humility is not emptying yourself of self-worth. Humility is embracing your self-worth and your gifts and offering those things to the glory of God. Are you hoarding your gifts or are you using your gifts to bring glory to God? How much pride are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love. Let me state the obvious. During the next two weeks the issue is not how much we have sacrificed for God. The issue is how much God has sacrificed for us. In the Gospel lesson, only Mary seems to see the big picture. Only Mary, understands the events to come will have eternal consequences.

Jesus sacrificed it all because he loves us! You know the story, but it is worth repeating. It all began with the incarnation. God left the perfection of heaven to slum it with people like us. The incarnation of God, Jesus was born in the ordinary, yet he lived an extraordinary life. Let me make the point clear so there can be no confusion. Jesus’s father was God, and his mother was a poor young woman by the name of Mary. The most famous stepfather in his Joseph, a simple carpenter. At twelve years old, Jesus’s spiritual uniqueness became clear, yet he did not begin his ministry until he was thirty. That ministry only lasted three years, but it changed the world. In a nutshell, he simply loved everyone. Healing the sick and teaching about the Kingdom of God, Jesus threatened the orthodox leaders of his day. So threatened, they decided Jesus had to be eliminated. The plan was simply, but deadly. During the Passover, a few days after everyone cheered Jesus as he entered the city, one of Jesus’s own, Judas Iscariot, agreed to betray Jesus. He was arrested after the Passover meal on Thursday evening. Jesus was tried twice, once by his own people and again by the Romans. It was the Roman, Pontius Pilot, official who gave the death sentence. Hours later the order was carried out. Jesus died Roman style, on a cross between two criminals. The Sunday crowd has abandoned him, but the faithful remained. They saw him draw his last breath. They saw him take out his lifeless body. They cried because all hope was lost and they were the ones who asked the question, “Why?” No knowing the happy ending we call Easter, they wrestled with the harsh reality, Jesus was dead.

It was a powerful moment in the history of the world. Jesus, the incarnation of God, was dead. Remember, we are not afraid to sacrifice for those that we love. This is not doubt about it. Jesus loved us so he sacrificed it all for us. It has been said many times:

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

The only things that matter are eternal!

Sins of Omission

Her name was Catherine “Kitty” Genovese (1935-1964). She was a 28-year-old bartender who lived in Kew Gardens, Queens, New York City. She died in the early hours of March 13, 1964. Her death was shocking at several levels. She was fatally stabbed by Winston Moseley (1934-2016). He took her life for one reason. He did not like women. He was a “misogynist.” He spent the rest of his life in prison for the crime, dying in 2016 at the age of 81. As shocking as that crime was, the reaction, or the lack of reaction, of her neighbors was even worse. Two weeks after the crime, The New York Times reported 38 people either witnessed or heard Kitty’s cries for help by no one responded. It is one of the most famous cases in the history of American sociology. In the science of sociology, it has been called the by- standers effect or diffusion of responsibility. Moseley was guilty of committing the crime. The neighbors were guilty of not preventing the crime. Any kind of sin should be taken seriously.

Sin can be grouped into two categories. The first category are the sins of commission. They are the sins we do that are contrary to the ways of God. On that list is lying, stealing, murder, gossip, judging, and the rest. Winston Moseley committed a sin of commission because he did it. The second category are the sins of omission. They are the things we should have done but we did nothing. The neighbors committed a sin of omission because they did nothing. My sins of commission upset me, but my sins of omission terrify me. What are you not doing that you should do? That takes us to the scripture lesson for today.

Today, we find ourselves in the sixth chapter of John, the first thirteen verses.Jesus had gathered a big crowd. The reason is simple. They had seen or heard about the miracles. Jesus had brought wholeness and health to the limited and the sick. Listen to what I am about to say. They had seen the miracles, but Jesus wanted them to experience more. The Master went to a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. From that high elevation, he saw the great number that were following him. Wanting to challenge the disciples, he looked at Phillip and said, “Where shall we buy bread for all these people to eat?” Phillip does the math and admits the funds are not available. It would take eight months wages to buy enough bread. He was right, yet he was wrong. Money was only one option. By the end of the day, everyone was satisfied, and the power of God was obvious. 

This story reminds us of two things. First, with God all things are possible. How else can you explain how Jesus took five barley loaves and two small fish and fed 5,000 people? It must be from God. There is no other option. Second, it reminds us that Jesus cared not just about the spiritual needs of people, the Master cared for their physical needs as well. He could have sent them away hungry, and no one would have cared. That leads us to an interesting question: how concerned about the needy of our world? As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you should care. Remember, you are supposed to be a little more like Jesus every day, so let me ask you these three questions.

Do you see others like Jesus? When Jesus looked out and saw the multitude surrounding him, he saw their need. They were hungry. Jesus knew they had to be fed because they did not have resources to feed themselves. Jesus did not just care about their spiritual needs, Jesus cared about their physical needs. He responded to their need. Do you see the needs of others, or do you look the other way? Do you ignore the needy? Would you have said about the 5,000, “They are fools! They should have known better. They should have packed their own lunch!” Do you see others like Jesus?

Do you feel other people’s pain like Jesus? One of the things we struggle with is the humanity of Jesus. We are much more comfortable with his divine side. In Matthew 9:36, it says Jesus had compassion on the crowd because they were harassed and helpless. Jesus had compassion on this crowd because they were hungry. Never underestimate the compassion of Jesus. Wikipedia, the online dictionary, and encyclopedia, defines compassion as the response to the suffering of others that motivates to help. Do you feel other people’s pain like Jesus? Perhaps this is a better question, how compassionate are you? Do you worry more about your family pet, or human beings? Do you look at people, or do you look through people? Do you feel other people’s pain like Jesus?

Do you act like Jesus? The Master had the power to feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus used his power to respond to their need. We do not have the power to feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. However, we do have the power to do something. What are you doing to help others? Are you doing nothing at all? What is the Holy Spirit calling you to do? Do you act like Jesus?

Kitty Genovese was crying out for help, but her neighbors did nothing. They were guilty of a sin of omission. I hope that is not our story. Our world is crying out for help but very few are responding. Our community is crying out for help but only a few are responding. It is not a matter of physical deafness. It is a matter of lack of caring. Do you care about the needy in our community, or are you too preoccupied with yourself? Jesus cared and responded. Are you going to respond, or do nothing at all? American educator Yasmin Mogahed (born 1980) once said, “Compassion is to look beyond your own pain, to the pain of other.”

Living A Lie

Lance Armstrong (born 1971) dominated the world of professional cycling. He won the Tour de France seven consecutive times, from 1999-2005. He was the face of the sport. Can you name another cyclist? I can’t. For years the UCI, the Union of Cyclists International, suspected Armstrong of taking steroids, doping. For years Armstrong denied it. Then it happened. He grew tired of the lies and confessed it was true. The first one he told was Oprah Winfred (born 1954). I did not learn anything from the interview I had not suspected for years. Lance Armstrong was a doper! Lance Armstrong was a cheater! Lance Armstrong was a liar! Since his confession, he has been stripped of all his titles and has faced a mountain of lawsuits from past sponsors. Many consider Lance Armstrong to be the greatest cheater in the history of professional sports. Today’s blog is about lying. However, it is not about lying for personal gain. It is about lying to yourself.

We are in the eighth chapter of the gospel of John, verses twelve through twenty. Jesus is in the temple in Jerusalem. To be exact, he is in the temple courts. That was the place where rabbis taught their students. It is early in the morning, but a crowd has already gathered for another lesson. As Jesus surveyed the crowd, he knew it was going to be a bad day. For in the crowd were his well-organized enemies, the Pharisees. You remember them. They were experts on the law. That was no small task because there were 613 laws found in the Torah. The negative commandments numbered 365, which is the number of days in a solar year. The positive commandments numbered 248, which is the number of bones and organs in the human body. If you add the negative commandments and the positive commandment, there are 613 commandments. The Pharisees believed keeping those 613 laws was the key to spiritual enlightenment. The Pharisees believed keeping the 613 laws would hasten the return of the long-awaited Messiah. They did not just hope that was true. They believed that was true. In the end they were lying to themselves. That is why they were so outraged at Jesus.

They must have been shocked when Jesus uttered verse twelve, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” What does that verse men? It means Jesus is the key to spiritual enlightenment. It means the Pharisees are wrong. Then, a debate broke out between Jesus and the Pharisees over authority. The Master won the debate because he knew where he had come from, and he knew where he was going. The Pharisees knew neither because they were living in the dark. They were sincere, but they were living a lie. Do you know of anyone who is living a lie? You must know someone. There are so many.

In the world today, there are 1.8 billion Muslims. I hate to say it, but they are living a lie. There are many sincere Muslims. Islam teaches death happens when the body and the soul are separated. Muslims believe they will stay in their graves until their Day of Judgement. The spirit returns to their earthly home on the seventh and the fortieth day after their death. Also, the spirit returns to their earthly home on the first anniversary of their death. In Islam, Allah decides when everyone will die. There are some elements of Christianity there, but they are missing a savior. In Christianity, God left the perfection of heaven to be the prefect sacrifice for the sins of the world. A life without Jesus is living a lie.

In the world today, there are one billion Hindus. I hate to say it, but they are living a lie. They believe humans are in a constant cycle between life and death called samara. They call our spirit the atman. At death, the atman simply moves on to another person. The life you are living now has been influenced by your previous life. If you have a hard life today, it is because of the bad life you live in the past. If you have a good life today, it is because of the good life you lived in the past. The goal is to live a perfect life so you can exit the cycle. Can I be honest with you? One life is enough for me. I do not what to again.

In the world today, many do not believe in an afterlife. According to the Pew Research over 7% of all Americans are atheists or agnostics. When they die, they simply believe it all ends for them. Some famous people are, or were, in this category. You know their names:

          Morgan Freeman

          Brad Pitt

          Woody Allen

          Daniel Radcliffe

          Stephen Hawking

          Sigmund Freud

          Thomas Edison

          Karl Marx

There are others, but I do not have the time. They are not just living in denial. They are living a lie. Who wants to live when there is no hope of a happy ending? I long to go to heaven.

George Lee is a retired United Methodist minister in the area and a good friend to me and this church. Years ago, he told this illustration and I never forgot. A woman in one of his churches did everything in the church that was humanly possible. She sang in the choir, served on all the committees, and never missed worship. She went to every Trustee workday. She taught Sunday school. She worked in the kitchen. She had a certain assigned job in the kitchen. She peeled the potatoes. She peeled the potatoes for years. She pealed more potatoes, then anyone in the history of that congregation. One day, George was told she had cancer. She fought the disease with a positive attitude. Unfortunately, the disease was winning. One night, George was called because the end was near. He went to the hospital to be with her. When he arrived, he found her in a weakened state. She looked up at him and said, “George, have I pealed enough potatoes to get into heaven?” George said his heart broke. She played a large role in every part of the church, but she missed the main message. There simply are not enough potatoes! There just is not enough anthems. There are not dinners to cook or classes to teach. There are just not enough sermons to preach. We are not saved by our good works. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. Our only hope of salvation is Jesus!

It is called works righteousness. It is a product of the Protestant Work Ethic. What does the Protestant Work Ethic say? It says anything worth having is worth working for. It built our country. The problem is it promotes works at the expense of grace. I hear it at nearly every funeral I preform. The loved ones gathered in front of the casket and report on the live of the deceased. He or she loved everyone, and everyone loved them. They would do anything for everyone. They would give you the shirt off their back. Then, someone will say it, “If anyone deserves to go to heaven it was them.” I have never corrected a single person at that moment, but this is the truth. The loved one does not deserve to go to heaven. The loved one deserved to go to hell and so do you. I hope you are not living a lie. We are not saved by what we have done. We are saved by grace! You know the old Gospel story!

Jesus was born in the ordinary way, but he lived an extra ordinary life. There was something special about Jesus. After all, he was the son God. He loved and respected everyone. He taught about the Kingdom of God in a small geographic area. He healed the sick and the afflicted. He deserved to live a long and happy life, but that was not part of the divine plan. He threatened the leaders of the orthodox faith and made some powerful influential enemies. It was during the Passover one of his own agreed to betray him. Judas Iscariot did it for thirty pieces of silver, but he regretted that decision later. He would hang himself. Jesus was arrested while praying in the garden. Within hours he would face two trials. The first was in front of his own people. It was a monkey trial. He did not have a chance. They had everything they needed but the authority to execute Jesus. The one with that authority was the Roman governor, Pontius Pilot. He saw through the scheme but lack the courage to confront the crowd. In the end he sentences Jesus to be executed, and releases a notorious criminal, Barabbas. The solders followed their orders and made the fast few hours on Jesus’ life miserable. The Romans used their way of executing. Jesus dies on a cross between two thieves. The cheers of Palm Sunday had been replaced by the tears of Good Friday. Everyone thought it was over. Everyone was wrong. There was a surprise ending.

Early on Sunday morning, a handful of women went to the tomb. They must have walked slowly. Their hearts were heavy, and their minds were full of questions. They did not have a clue what had happened. The stone was rolled away, but Jesus’s body was missing. At first, they fear the body had been removed by one of Jesus’s enemies. Then, they are informed that Jesus had returned to life. It is too good to be true. They run to the disciples to tell them, but they refuse to believe them. They run to the tomb, and they found the account to be true. A short time later they encounter the resurrected Jesus, himself. Over the next forty days Jesus appeared to a variety of people. Then, Jesus ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit filled the believers. There is no other way of saying it. The resurrection of Jesus changed everything! That is not a lie. It is the truth.

The Apostle Paul did not lie. He told us the truth in Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your hear God raised him from the dead you will be saved.” It is my favorite Bible verse. Jesus did not lie to the Pharisees in the temple courts all those years ago. Jesus is the light of the world! Plato (427 BC – 427 BC) once said, “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” Are you living a lie?

Five Questions

In 1849, the Japanese painter Hokusai (1760-1849) died at the age of 89. His work spanned decades. Toward the end of his life, the artist dismissed any of his work done before the age of 70. It was only after he reached 70, that he felt like he was turning out anything worthy of note. On his deathbed Hokusai lamented, “If heaven had granted me five more years, I could have become a real painter.” His story is the story of maturity. Can I ask you two questions? First, are you getting better, or just getting older? Second, how spiritually mature are you?

We find ourselves this morning in the fourth chapter of John. According to the very first verse of our reading, Jesus is in Samaria, near the town of Sychar. It is about noon and the Master was near Jacob’s well (Ge. 48:21-22). The Master was warm from his journey, so he approached the well for a cool drink of water.Normally, people drew water from the well at the end of the day because the heat had passed. Jesus discovered a woman at the well during the hottest time of the day. Jesus and the Samaritan woman must have been quite a scene. They were a study in contrast. He was a man; she was a woman. He was a Jew; she was a Samaritan. He was sinless, she was sinful. He was spiritually mature; she was spiritually immature. This is the truth. We are much more like the sinful woman than the sinless Savior. At first sight he knew she must have a story. In his culture, men and women did not address each other in public; in his society, Jews and Samaritans did not speak at all. Jesus breaks both rules and talks to a Samaritan woman. Most of our reading is a dialogue between the two.

The Samaritan woman must have been filled with regret because her life was filled with mistakes. She just couldn’t find a decent man; she was a repeat offender. She had been married five times and was living with another man. In our society, only fifty percent of first-time marriages last. Every time you marry, your chances of a successful marriage are cut in half. That means, on her fifth wedding day her chances of a happy marriage were down to 3.1%. If she would have married number six, it was down to 1.6%. She was at the well in the middle of the day alone to hide from the harsh tongues of the other women in the community. She was the punchline of every joke in her community, and she knew it. This is the oddest thing about the story. Jesus chooses this mistake- filled woman to talk about spiritual maturity.

Our world and our churches are filled with sinful, spiritually immature people. I have never met a sinless person; I have met very few spiritually mature people. Spiritually mature people stand out in our society because there are so few. Can I ask you these questions? Do the people in your life consider you spiritually mature? Do you consider yourself spiritually mature? The Samaritan woman struggled with Jesus’s words because she was spiritually immature. Could it be we struggle with God’s ways because we are spiritually immature too?

There is a website called Cripplegate.com.  It is a Christian website with the tag line, “for a new generation of non-conformists. (I consider myself a non-conformist.)That line plays off Roman 12:1-2, “do not conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  On November 7, 2011, they posted an article called: 5 Signs of Spiritual Maturity. That article seemed to be written for us. The article revolves around five questions. If you answer these five questions honestly, then you will discover your level of Christian maturity. Each one of these questions has Biblical roots. You may find out that you are more mature than you thought. You may discover you have some work to do. You can consider these five questions a little quiz.

This is question number one. Do you have an appetite for meat? Infants drink milk regularly, but in time they ask for solid food. When a twenty-one-year-old asks his mother to spoon feed him mashed potatoes, it is creepy and dysfunctional. When a nursing home resident can’t take a single bite, it is sad because the end is near. Spiritually mature people can’t get enough meat. They can’t get enough of the Bible. They study the Gospels. They study the entire Old Testament. They study the epistles. What part of the Bible are you studying right now? Are you studying the Bible? Have you ever really studied the Bible? Or is the Bible just too hard to understand? Maybe that is the reason you are spiritually immature. Spiritually mature people have an appetite for meat. Hebrews 5:14 says, “Solid food is for the mature.” This is question number one: do you have an appetite for meat?How mature are you?

This is question number two. Are you easily offended? Experience has taught us that mature Christians seldom get offended. The reason is simple, they see the big picture. When Jesus turned the tables over because people were using the law for personal gain, people were upset with him. Jesus didn’t care because he saw the big picture. The temple was a house of prayer, not a place of profit. Do you see the big picture, or do you only see yourself or your interests? You may have heard me say this in the past. The only thing that matters is Jesus! Our churches are filled with offended people because our churches are filled with spiritually immature people. Philippians 1:18 says, “In every way Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes. I will rejoice.” This is question number two: are you easily offended?How mature are you?

This is question number three. Is your conscience formed by scripture or opinion? One of the great attributes of a mature Christian is grace. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. It is a simple truth to understand, but it is a hard truth to live out. I have grown tired of negative, critical, and judgmental people. No one needs your permission; no one must live up to your standards. Spiritually immature people are always critical of others. Spiritually mature people understand that we are saved by grace. Romans 14:1 says, “As for one who is weak in the faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.”  This question number three: is your conscience formed by scripture or opinion? How mature are you?

This is question number four. Do you serve humbly? God uses sinners in this world to do good things because there is no one else to choose. Have you ever known anyone who boasted about what they did for their church? Have you ever known someone who boasted of something they did for God in this world? If so, then you have the perfect example of a spiritually immature person. Spiritually mature people get it. They know it is not about us, it is all about God. Do the people in your life consider you humble? 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”  Do the people in your life consider you arrogant? This is question number four: do you serve humbly?How mature are you?

This is question number five. Do you credit God for success? We live in a culture that idolizes people. It may be a well-loved pastor or the pope. It may be a professional athlete, Tom Brady, or LeBron James. It may be a historical figure, like George Washington or John Wesley. That is a true sign of spiritual immaturity. Spiritually mature people understand the truth. People, both contemporary and historical, are nothing more than tools in the hands of God. It is God who deserves all the credit. I Corinthians 3:7 says, “So neither he who plants, nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”  This is question number five: do you credit God for success? How mature are you?

So how did you do with your little quiz? Did you find you are a spiritually mature person? Or did you find you have some work to do?

When I was young my grandmother came to visit us twice a year. She lived in Brooklyn, New York and we lived in Warren. I can remember going to the Greyhound bus station to pick her up. Later, she flew into the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. It really didn’t matter where she arrived. It was always exciting to pick her up because she came with gifts. Every reunion was the same. I would run up to her and give her a big hug. She would always square my shoulders and say, “Let me look at you. Look how big you have grown.” My dad, who hated those visits because he didn’t like her, always responded, “I would hope so. If he wasn’t growing there would be something wrong.” I think he missed the point, but he wasn’t wrong. We expect healthy children to grow.

Since the Russians have invaded Ukraine, I have been wondering about all the orphans I met in Eastern Europe. I have met orphans on both sides of the conflict. One of my lingering memories comes from the Renewal Orphanage in Dmitrov, Russia. It is the home of approximately one hundred emotionally, physically, and mentally disturbed children. Each one of those children had a story. One of the boys in the orphanage stood about four foot tall. That would be fine if he was a preschooler, but he was a teenager. I don’t remember his name, but my heart went out to him. He stood with crutches and always had a smile on his face. The other children liked him and considered him a leader. Every time I saw him, I wondered what was wrong. We expect healthy children to grow. This is the truth.

God expects you to grow, and God expects you to mature spiritually! When God looks at you does he say, “Look how big you have grown!” Or does God say, “What is wrong?” Never forget, we are to be a little more like Jesus every day. It is your choice. Are you just getting older, or are you getting better? Are you going to mature, or are you going to remain a spiritual babe? The author of Hebrews said it for the ages: by this time, you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. Let me say it clearly. Grow up!

Are You Born Again?

We find ourselves in the third chapter of John, verses one through eight. The storyline of John is different than the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They have Jesus cleansing the temple at the end of his ministry; it is part of the climax. John is different. He has Jesus cleansing the temple at the beginning of his ministry (John 2). That fact is important to us for only one reason; Jesus had the attention of some very powerful influential people from the very beginning. If you want to get someone’s attention, then touch their money. It is still true today.

One of those powerful influential people was Nicodemus. According to the second half of verse one, he was a member of the Jewish ruling council. That means he had climbed to the very top of his profession. It is safe to say Nicodemus spent his days answering the questions of others. This story is unique because he is the one with the question. With everything that has been written about this passage through the ages, one thing is important to remember. This story is nothing more than a private discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus. It is John, the author and editor, who promotes this private discussion to the public’s attention.

According to verse two, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. There is some debate about that fact. Some say Nicodemus went at night so the darkness could help hide his identity. How would it look for a trusted member of society to go to Jesus, a man with no credentials? Others say he went to Jesus at night so the two could talk privately. There was time to talk. The business of the day was done. Maybe it is a combination of the two? However, this point is crystal clear. Nicodemus went to Jesus because he was impressed by the Master. No ordinary man could have performed such miracles; he must have come from God. Jesus hears through these kind words and knows the real topic, salvation! That takes us to the key verse in the reading.

Jesus says in verse three, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born again. Two thousand years later, the world is still wrestling with those words, so we should not be surprised that Nicodemus wrestled with them that night. Nicodemus thinks Jesus is speaking of physical birth, reentering your mother’s womb. That sounds painful for everyone involved. However, Jesus is speaking of spiritual birth. The two are as different as night and day. This is the plain truth. From the moment you were physically born, you struggled to survive. Babies cry to fill their lungs with oxygen. The goal of life is survival, so the most important person in your universe is you. Spiritual rebirth is different. From the moment you are reborn, the most important person is God. Spiritually immature people live for themselves; spiritually mature people live for God. Which is more important to you? Are you the center of your universe, or is God the center of your universe?

Let me take you a little deeper. One of our primary understandings of God is that God practices free will. In other words, God may be directing history, but you are directing your own life. The choices you make are yours, so the burden of responsibility rests on you. So many things in life distill down to a choice. It has been reported the average person makes 35,000 choices in a single day. That figure seems high to me. (I know that figure is true because it came from the internet.) Some of our choices are simple choices. What are you going to have for lunch? Some of choices are harder? They will affect the rest of your life. Some choices have eternal consequences. That is what we find in the discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus is telling Nicodemus he must be born again. So, this is the question of the day.

Are you born again? Do not answer too quickly. Your answer has eternal consequences. If you are born again then Jesus should be affecting every corner of your life. Remember, those who have experienced a physical birth live for themselves. Those who have experienced a second spiritual birth live for God. To answer the question of the day correctly, let me ask you three secondary questions. This is question number one.

Is God pleased with the way you are spending your time?  

One of the great stories in the Bible is the story of Mary and Martha. It is found in Luke 10:38-42. You know the story. Mary and Martha were sisters of Lazarus, the one who Jesus resurrected from the dead. The Master stops there on his way home to Jerusalem. For you see, their town, Bethany, was only two miles from the Golden City. When Jesus arrives, Mary sat at Jesus’s feet and hung on every word he spoke. Martha, on the other hand, slaved away doing the necessary duties, cooking and entertaining. That was the traditional role of women at that time. In time, Martha resents doing all the work and goes to Jesus to enlist some help. Instead of a helping hand, she receives some divine truth. Do you remember that divine truth? Jesus applauds Mary for her priorities. Martha filled her time doing good things, cooking, cleaning, entertaining. Mary filled her time with the best thing in life, Jesus. How do you fill your time?

Is God pleased with the way you are spending your time? I am not talking about spending your time in sinister ways, selling drugs or embezzling funds. However, I am talking about spending your time just doing good things, work, family, friends, church committees and fundraisers? How much time do you spend on the best thing, Jesus? That question challenges your priorities. Perhaps, this is a better question. How are you spending your time? Is God pleased with the way you are spending your time? If you are born again then God is the center of your universe. Are you born again? This is question number two.

Is God pleased with the way you are spending your money?

In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos (1917-1989) was elected President of the Philippines, which made his wife, Imelda (born 1929), first lady. They held those posts until 1986, when the entire family fled to Hawaii. The international news was fascinated with what was left behind. After having ruled a poor country for decades, the inventory was impressive: 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, 1,000 handbags and approximately 7,500 pairs of shoes. (However, Time magazine reported she only owned 1,060 pairs of shoes.) For your information, I only own four pairs of shoes; one is an old pair of sneakers for when I work on the lawn. Within a short time, Imelda Marcos was labeled the most selfish person in the world. One can only imagine how the world would have benefitted had she shared her wealth. Do the people in your world consider you selfish? In 2018, Imelda Marcos at age 89 was sentenced to forty-two years in prison for corruption.

Is God pleased with the way you are spending your money? Money is limited, so we only spend our money on things that are important to us. So, money is revealing. How much money do you spend on yourself? How much money do you spend on your family? How much money do you spend supporting the ministry of the church, the bride of Christ? How much money do you spend responding to human need? Imelda Marcos spent a fortune on shoes because shoes were important to her. What is important to you? Is God pleased with the way you are spending your money? If you are born again then God is the center of your universe. Are you born again? This is question number three.

Is God pleased with your personal witness?

We are only in this world for a short time. How will you be remembered? Will you be remembered as a kind person? Will you be remembered as a generous person? Will you be remembered as a loving person? Will you be remembered as a selfish person? Will you be remembered as a person who was passionate about your favorite team? Will you be remembered as a person who was passionate for God? Imelda Marcos owned 7,500 pairs of shoes. How do you think she will be remembered? How will you be remembered? Is God pleased with your personal witness? If you are born again then God is the center of your universe. Are you born again, or do you have some work to do?

It is like watching history. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin (born 1952) announced in a prerecorded television broadcast he had ordered a special military action inside of Ukraine. It was not a complete surprise. I am not an expert on Eastern European history, but there has been tension between Moscow and Kiev for years. Some believe it can be traced back to the Bolshevik Revolution (1917-1923). The Ukrainians did not support Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) and the Bolsheviks. The Ukrainians were punished for their lack of support. The Soviets starved the Ukrainians. When the Soviet Union fell in 1991, Ukraine became an independent nation. Russia has been trying to reclaim that land sense. In 2005, the Ukrainians expelled their Russian backed President because he failed to keep a campaign promise and join NATO. In 2014, the Russians took Crimea without a shot being fired. The latest military action is not as much a surprise as a continuation. Like Adolph Hitler (1889-1945) expected quick victories in the Second World War, Putin expected a quick victory, but it is not happening. The Ukrainians are fighting back. The west has responded with severe economic sanctions. The fragile Russian economy is crumbling, but the Ukrainians are suffering. The United Nations has reported more than 1,000,000 Ukrainians have left their country. That figure may jump to 5,000,000.

Nightly, I watch reports on those refugees. It is heartbreaking. Mothers/wives are taking their children to safety. Husbands/fathers are staying in Ukraine to support or serve in the Ukrainian army. Those men are willing to sacrifice everything, to change everything about their lives because they love their wives, children and country. There is no doubt about it. Love is the most powerful force in the world. We are not afraid to sacrifice and change for those that we love.

It is the story of the Christian faith; how much do you love God? How much are you willing to sacrifice for God? How much are you willing to change for God? The time has come to change the way you spend your time. The time has come to change the way you spend your money. The time has come to change your witness. Are you the center of your universe or is God the center of your universe? It is the question that will not go away. Are you born again?

Following Jesus

C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was a novelist, poet, lecturer, and Christian apologist. He held academic posts at both Oxford and Cambridge for decades. He was a blessing to both the academic and nonacademic worlds. His Christian faith can be seen in his classic literary works. Perhaps, you have read or heard of one of these: The Screwtape Letters, The Chronical of Narnia, The Space Trilogy, Mere Christianity, Miracles and The Problem with Pain. It is interesting to note that there was a long period in his life when he believed in nothing at all. In his memoir, Surprised by Joy, Lewis told how he was baptized in the Church of Ireland, but the sacrament had no influence on him. He walked away from the faith and didn’t come back until he was 32 years old. He thanked his friends, including J. R. Tolkien, for his spiritual wakening. Who do you credit for your spiritual awakening?

We find ourselves in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. It is obviously early in Jesus’s ministry. It is so early in Jesus’s ministry that Jesus doesn’t have a single disciple. That is about to change. According to the text, John the Baptist was with his disciples, when Jesus passed them. John the Baptist, who always was pointing toward Jesus and away from his own earthly success, identified Jesus as the Lamb of God. With this endorsement, two of John’s disciples leave him and follow Jesus. The Bible identifies one of the disciples as Andrew, tradition identifies the other disciple as John, the author of this Gospel. Seconds later, Jesus notices that they are following him and asks them, “Why?” It is an excellent question because no one likes to be stocked. They answer Jesus’s question with another question, “Where are you staying?” Jesus answered that question with an invitation, “Come and you will see.” They accepted the invitation and stayed with him. They must have been impressed. They stayed with Jesus until about 4:00 in the afternoon. At that time, the two temporary left Jesus and told others about him. Andrew told his brother Peter, who decided to follow Jesus too. In this story, three people decided to follow Jesus. In each case their lives wouldn’t be the same again. Can I be honest with you?

There is something about this story that bothers me. Something is missing. I know God does not need my vote or approval. However, in my opinion, I find it to be innocent and unrealistic. Just think about it for a moment. Andrew and John are with John the Baptist. He identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God and they simply left and followed Jesus. A few hours later, Andrew tells Peter about Jesus, and he immediately follows Jesus too. It is all too simple. Following Jesus should not be taken lightly. There is a cost to discipleship. It is not just the story of the three disciples. It is true of anyone who has decided to follow Jesus. Let me ask you three questions that will reveal if you are taking your discipleship seriously.

Do you follow Jesus exclusively?

Our country changed forever on September 11, 2001. Where were you when you got the news? Kathryn and I were still living on West Main in Canfield. The girls were in school, and I was getting ready to stain our new deck. Kathryn stuck her head out of the door and said, “You need to watch this.” I came in and sat down. I saw our world change in front of my eyes. America was attached by terrorists in three places, western Pennsylvania, New York City and Washington DC. Our national innocence was gone, and we entered a new sinister world. The painful truth became common knowledge. America was under attack by extreme members of the Islamic faith. On September 11, those terrorists wanted the world to know that the Muslim faith was the only way. They frustrate us for many reasons. One of the reasons is their narrowness. If you are going to follow Jesus exclusively, then you are telling the world that Jesus is the only way. Some may call us narrow. That is fine with me.

In the story, Andrew and John begin as disciples of John the Baptist. Don’t forget, John the Baptist was their rabbi or teacher, Andrew and John were his disciples or students. In other words, he gave them spiritual insight and direction. When John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, they listen to him because they trusted him. This story is incredible because Andrew and John turned their backs on John the Baptist to follow Jesus. There is something cold about that fact. From that moment on, they followed Jesus exclusively. Are you following Jesus exclusively? Are you willing to tell the rest of the world they are wrong? In a politically correct world, everyone is right. Are you going to follow Jesus exclusively?

Do you follow Jesus unconditionally?

One of the great stories in the Bible can be found in the Book of Job. Everyone knows the story because everyone has played the part of Job. In the beginning he has everything, wealth, health, and relationships. Satan believes, Job’s loves for God is conditional so he begins to take things away from Job. His wealth is taken away. His health is taken away. His loved ones are taken away. His friends witness his ordeal and encourage him to curse God and die. Job refuses.

How many people do you know follow Jesus conditionally? It is easy to follow Jesus when life is good. It is easy to follow Jesus when you have a well-paying job that you enjoy. It is easy to follow Jesus when your health is good and your loved one’s health is good. It is easy to follow Jesus when all your relationships are sound. It is not so easy to follow Jesus when you are unemployed, sick and alone. It is not so easy to follow Jesus when your friends tell you to stop following Jesus. After all, we believe in an all- powerful God who resurrected Jesus from the dead. Have you ever wondered why our all-powerful God doesn’t help you? Do you follow Jesus conditionally? Do you follow Jesus unconditionally?

Do you follow Jesus passionately?

In the scripture lesson for today, three people decided to follow Jesus. There was Andrew, John and Peter. They did not have a clue how much Jesus would change their lives. They followed Jesus because they wanted to change their lives. You can’t blame them because their lives were hard. Any change seemed to be better. However, they didn’t have a clue how much their lives were going to change. They followed Jesus until the very end of their lives. Only John died of old age. Yet, he experienced the isolation of Patmos because he refused to stop following Jesus. Tradition tells us, Peter followed Paul to Roman and was crucified upside down because he wasn’t worthy to die like Jesus. Tradition tells us, Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross. Each one wanted changed and they got it.

How far are you willing to follow Jesus? I know many who use Jesus to promote their own ideas and beliefs. I know many use Jesus to promote their political agenda. I hope we are open to change. The reason is simple. This world is not the main event. The main event is heaven. That means, our agenda in life doesn’t really matter. The only thing that really matters is Jesus’s agenda. Are you willing to follow Jesus passionately? Perhaps those question led us to the most important of them all.

When I was in seminary, I had a friend by the name of Mike. He was a wild guy with bright red hair. He combed it ounce in the years I knew him. We lived in the same apartment complex in a community near the school. We would take turns driving. As we traveled, we shared our stories. One day, Mike decided to tell me how he decided to follow Jesus. His story included a surplus of drinking, drugs, and lose women. He said that all end in a flash. He was driving home from a party loaded. He fell asleep behind the wheel and got into a horrible traffic accident. He did not remember the accident, but he did remember being in the local emergency room. In a semi-conscious state, he heard the doctor talking to his mother. He heard the doctor say he had done all he could do. It was in God’s hands. Then, he heard something that changed his life. Mike heard his mother crying. Mike did not want to die and cause his mother more pain. It was at that moment Mike made a deal with God. Mike said if he lived then he would accept Christ and be a better man. Mike was in seminary to prove his words were sincere. That was Mike’s story. What is yours?

When did you first decide to follow Jesus? No two stories are the same. No one’s story is better or worse than another story. Your story is just that, your story. Your story may include loving parents who sacrificed for you. They took you to church every week so you could know Jesus as your own. For them, Sunday school was not an option, it was a requirement. When your heart was just right, God spoke to you in just the right way. You decided to follow Jesus. The people in your life never saw a great change and your story was not exciting. I like those none-exciting stories because it sounds so much like mine. Or maybe, your story is exciting. There was a surplus sex, drugs and rock and roll. Maybe your story included long periods away from loved ones. To the outside world you were living the life. However, you knew the truth. You were miserable and your heart was restless. You didn’t like the person you had become. When you hit the lowest, God spoke to you. It was an incredible experience. You were born again! That was a good thing because you wanted to start your life over again. The people in your life couldn’t believe the change. They had grown tired of the old you and wanted to get to know the new you. Can I tell you the truth? It doesn’t really matter how you came to follow Jesus. The only thing that matters is that you decided to follow Jesus. It is like going swimming. It does not matter if you wade in the water or jump off the high dive. All that matters is you get in the water. All that matters is that you follow Jesus. When did you first decide to follow Jesus?

I hope you did not make that choice lightly. Do you follow Jesus exclusively? Do you follow Jesus unconditionally? Do you follow Jesus passionately? The great evangelist Billy Graham (1918-2018) once said, “Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ and seek to follow him every day. Don’t be swayed by the false values and goals of this world but put Christ and his will first in everything you do.”

Real Christians Endure!

William Miller (1782-1849) studied his Bible for 14 years and believed he had unlocked the greatest secret in the history of the world. He announced to his followers that Christ would return on April 3, 1843. He must have been a credible man, because so many people believed him. His followers were called Millerites. Some of his disciples went to mountaintops, hoping for a head start to heaven. Others went to graveyards, planning to ascend into heaven with their departed loved ones. In Philadelphia, society ladies clustered together outside of town to avoid entering God’s kingdom amid the “common herd”. There was only one problem, Christ didn’t return. April 3, 1843, came, and April 3, 1843, went. The next day, April 4, 1843, came like every other day.

I don’t want to sound critical of Mr. Miller. However, in 14 years of Bible study I want to know why he didn’t read Mark 13:32 once? What does that verse say? Jesus had been teaching his disciples about his return and says, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

People have been waiting for the return of Christ for a long time. The truth is, you’d better get comfortable. God has never been in a hurry. If you are going to be a real Christian, then you better endure.

We are in the fifth chapter of the epistle of James, the last chapter. We are looking at verses seven through eleven. These are his final words to his scattered congregation. He wants each word to count, so the topic he brings up the most important topic of them all, the second coming of Christ. The return of Christ is one of the greatest secrets in the history of the world. No one knows when it is going to happen. Not even Jesus knew.  The first two words of the scripture reading (Be patient) summarize all five verses. It was difficult for his generation to wait for the return of Christ. It is even more difficult for our generation to wait. Our generation is preoccupied with time. Our generation values speed. How many examples do you need?

Years ago, I walked into the Golden Arches. I ordered my fast-food meal and looked at the cash register. There was a sign on that cash register that read: we will serve you in 90 seconds or less. I took that as a challenge. I looked at my watch and discovered they served me in about 75 seconds. I ate my feast out of the Styrofoam box and had to admit it was fast! However, I don’t remember if it was good. Could it be that speed is more important to us than quality? Think about this fact. There came a point in our society when fast food wasn’t fast enough, so we created the first drive-thru so our fast food could be faster. We are always in a hurry!

One day I was driving toward the mall. I noticed a new billboard. It was promoting a local emergency room. They had one of those electronic digits on the sign that could be changed. It told me the current wait time at the emergency room was only five minutes. I have known people who have waited in an emergency room for over a day. That is fast! However, let me ask you this question. What is more important to you when you go to the emergency room, speed, or medical care? The sign is telling us speed is more important. We are always in a hurry!

Christmas shopping has changed. If you do not believe me, then visit your local mall. The shopping crowd has been thinned out. Did you know, according to the National Retail Association, 66% of holiday shoppers made at least one purchase online. Online shopping equaled 25.7% of total sales. I will admit it. I was one of the 66% who purchased something on-line this year. I purchased more than one item online. I like online shopping for two reasons. It is easy and it is fast. Instead of driving to a store and wasting the time. I just sit in front of my computer screen and hit the magic keys. Who wants human interaction during Christmas anyway? We are always in a hurry!

The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. “What’s the trouble, Mr. Brooks?” he asked.  “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!” Have you ever grown impatient with God? If you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, then you’d better get comfortable. This is the problem.

God is not preoccupied with time or speed. That is what the ninetieth Psalm tells us. We are different from God in many ways. One of those ways is the way we look at time. The second verse says, “From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.” What does that mean. It means, God always been present. God was there before the beginning of time. God will be there once time is complete. God always has been, and God will always be. God is immortal. We are mortal. In other words, we are preoccupied with time because we feel like our time is running out. Time is a major factor in our lives. We marvel at the age of our adult children. Times goes fast. We marvel at our age because we have grown old. We judge what is fair and what is not so fair, on the basis, of time. That is why we struggle with the death of a young person. Like it or not, we are preoccupied with time. However, God is not preoccupied with time because God transcends time. God is limitless. If you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, then you better get comfortable. God is never in a hurry.

In the second chapter of Luke, we find two wonderful stories. We looked at them several weeks ago. The first occurred when Jesus was eight days old. It was on that day Jesus was circumcised and given his name. Never forget, Jesus was Jewish, and Mary and Joseph followed the various laws. The second occurred when Jesus was forty days old. For it was on that day the Old Testament law, Leviticus 12:2-8, demanded that Mary go to the temple. All women who gave birth to a boy had to go to the temple to offer a sacrifice of purification. She made the sacrifice the poorest always made, two doves. Everything was scripted. The only thing that made those stories unique were the people they met in the temple. The first was a man named Simeon. (Luke 2:25-35) He is described in scriptures as righteous and devout. For years, he had seen babies come and go. However, he knew from the very first glimpse that Jesus was different. The Holy Spirit was upon him. He knew that Jesus was the Messiah! The second person was a woman named Anna (Luke 2:36-38).  She was a prophetess. The scriptures tell us that at the age of 84, she lived in the temple. She too had seen babies come and go. When she saw Jesus, she knew Jesus was no common baby. She too knew Jesus was the Messiah! Simeon and Anna must have talked. They must have wondered why they had to wait so long for God to act. Listen to the next line. Both characters, Simeon, and Anna, had waited a lifetime for that single moment because God has never been in a hurry. God is everlasting! If you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, then you better get comfortable. Real Christians endure! If that divine truth makes you uncomfortable, say, “Amen!” This is the question you must answer.

Why is patience an important part of Christianity? This is the answer. Patience helps us grow and become stronger in our faith during trials. Our patience pleases God and results in His blessing. If that is true, then this is also true. A lack of patience is a sign of spiritual immaturity because it is rooted in arrogance. Let me take it one step farther.

Michael Kelley is a Christian author for Lifeway in Nashville, Tennessee. He says patience is important in our spiritual maturity for three reasons.

Patience is an act of humility. When we become impatient, we are telling God we know best. Our impatience shows our short-sighted vision and wisdom.

Patience is an act of service. When we become impatient, we are putting our desires first. Our world is filled with needy people. To the patient, inconvenience is not an annoyance. It is an opportunity to serve.

Patience is an act of faith. When we become impatient, we are refusing to let God control our lives. If you believe God is truly sovereign, then you will follow him at his appointed time.

Patience is important to your spiritual maturity because patience is a sign of love. How much do you love God? The question is not when God will act. The question is what are you going to do while you wait for God to act? James said, “Be patient!”

Several years ago, I was on call for a local colleague. He was vacationing in Florida. I stayed in the Mahoning Valley. I was happy to help him out. I only had to visit three people during his time away. I visited a woman by the name of Ruth once, who had her knee replaced. I visited a woman by the name of Dawn once, who had a bad reaction to her chemotherapy.

I visited a woman by the name of Lois eleven times. She had a long list of medical problems. She spent most of my tenure in the Intensive Care Unit. I never heard Lois’ voice. She was in some form of a medical coma. Every visit was about the same. Lois lay in her bed hooked up to the various machines. Something was always flashing or beeping. Her husband, Bud, was always sitting next to her side. In my eleven visits, there was never a time when Bud was not there. He was always there patiently waiting for his wife to show some sign of life. In eleven visits, I got to know a great deal about Bud. I learned his son lived in Connecticut. I learned his daughter lived in southwestern Ohio. I learned about his working career. I learned he was really frustrated with the Cleveland Browns. I learned about his church. However, what I really learned was that Lois was the love of his life. They have been married for 62 years. He was ready to sign up for 62 more. He longed to take her home. In a world filled with many exciting destinations, Bud could not leave her side. He just sat there patiently. How could I not respect this man? Each visit ended the same way. Each time he would take Lois’ hand and looked at Lois’ face and would say, “Sweetheart, Pastor Russ is going to pray for you.” In the face of complete hopelessness, Bud never lost hope. How could you question his love for his wife?

It has been said: Waiting is a true sign of love and patience. Anyone can say I love you, but not everyone can wait and prove it is true. Can people question our love for Christ as we wait for his return? James said it for the ages, be patient. Remember, real Christians endure!

Real Christians Tame the Tongue

It must have been the fall of 1967. I was ten years old, and my music teacher asked who would be interested in playing a musical instrument. In my family, it was not really an invitation. It was a demand. My father had a great passion for music, which he passed on to my sisters, who played the flute and the French horn into college. I decided my instrument was going to be the trumpet. I chose that brass instrument for one reason. My father played the trumpet. I always felt a distance from my father and longed for his approval.

At first, I really worked at it. Without threats, I practiced. I thought I was making some progress and I felt good about the whole thing. I knew my father would be proud of me. One day, my father came down the basement stairs as I was practicing. He looked at me and said, “Do you need some help?” I was thrilled because I thought we would have a breakthrough in our relationship. For an awkward couple of minutes, he listened to me play. Without saying a word, he got up and walked upstairs. He closed the door behind him, looked at my mother and said loud enough for me to hear, “Well, he is loud, but he is no damn good!” Those words cut my heart. I placed the trumpet back in the case and never practiced again. It was on that day I discovered, I was like my mother, who had no music appreciation or talent. At best she tolerated music because she loved my father. For years to come, I seized every opportunity to communicate to him how much I hated music. It was my opportunity to hurt him, like his words had hurt me. At ten years old, I learned that words are important.

We begin today in the eleventh chapter of Genesis, verses one through nine. That chapter ends the pre-historical period in the Bible. The next chapter begins the story of Abraham. The first eleven chapters of Genesis give us the origin of many things in the world today. The first chapter explains how the world was created. The story of Adam and Eve explains the origin of sin. The story of the Tower of Babel, in the eleventh chapter, explains why there are so many languages in the world today. The first eleven chapters of Genesis are important.

According to the story, at one time everyone spoke the same language. Using this common language, mankind decided to build a city with a massive tower. It would be permanent structures made of brick and mortar. The goal was to make a bridge between earth and heaven. It was a project that was rooted in human arrogance. When God came down from heaven and saw the tower, he knew something had to be done. It is at that moment God decided to scatter mankind around the world and give each group a different language. When God does something, he does it well.

Did you know:

  • there are approximately 6,500 languages in the world today?
  • approximately 2,000 of those languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers.
  • approximately 3,000 languages spoken in the world today will be extinct by the     end of this century.
  • the most common language spoken in the world today is Mandarin Chinese,   1,213,000,000 speakers. The second most common language in the world is

  Spanish, 406,000,000 speakers. The third most common language in the world    is English, 375,000,000 speakers.

  • the English language has 1,013,913 words. That number has doubled over the past 100 years.
  • the average American woman speaks about 20,000 words a day.
  • the average American man speaks 7,000 words a day.

Let me state the obvious. Words are important! That takes us to the Epistle of James.

We find ourselves in the third chapter of James, verses one through twelve. James also recognizes that words are important too, but James also admits words can be destructive. There is a world of difference between constructive words and destructive words. Verse nine is haunting. It reminds us, the tongue is fickle. It says, “With our tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.” Verse ten underscores that thought, “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brother and sisters, this should not be.” Can I be honest with you? I hate that piece of scripture because it is so true. In the life of the church, we are much more comfortable talking about people, then we are talking to people.

When I was in the Cleveland area, I served the Hathaway United Methodist Church. It pains me to say it, but it is now closed. I had a wonderful experience with that parish. I had a good relationship with the choir because I was not my predecessor. The choir hated my predecessor for one reason. She couldn’t talk to them. Every Thursday evening, they would gather for practice. They would walk in with a cup of coffee, or bottle of pop or a bag of chips. They should have known better, but they left their waste behind.

Every Friday morning, the custodian would come in and clean up the mess. He complained to the Trustees, who could not talk to the choir. They assigned the job to my predecessor. She could not talk to the choir either, so she sent them a letter. Every choir member received a letter in the mail about a week before Christmas. The letter was read, copied, and passed around the church. Soon, it was passed around the community. It was not pretty. That letter was a spark that torched that whole ministry. The whole situation could have been eliminated if someone could have talked to the choir. I would have said, “the custodian would appreciate it if you would clean up after yourselves. I am confident they would have done it. They were good people. This is the point. We are better at talking about each other than we are talking to each other.

Several years ago, I went to a chili cook-off in one of the community churches. Their youth were raising money to go on their mission trip. I went because I wanted to support them, and I like chili. I sat there alone eating my chili. It was nice not being responsible. A woman came up to me and asked how I liked it? I said, “It is great”, because it was. She asked, “Are you a preacher?” I said “Yes,” and identified myself. She said, “Can I ask you for a favor? Can you tell the cooks the chili is too spicy? My gastroenterologist says I should not eat spicy food. You are a minister, and they will listen to you.” I thought, why would you go to a chili dinner if you can’t eat spicy food? I said, “I am just a visitor. Why don’t you tell them?” She walked away frustrated. We are better at talking about each other than we are to each other. Do I have to go on? Do I really have to go on? You know it is true; we are better at talking about each other than we are to each other. However, this is equally true.

The words we utter about one another are often destructive. You do not need illustrations because you know it is true. Sometimes we mask our critical words as a concern. I am concerned people will get upset. (That person is you and we know it.) Sometimes, we mask our critical words as a suggestion. People will come if the music would be more upbeat. Why don’t we sing something more upbeat? (Because it is Good Friday and not a party.) Sometimes, our words come out unmasked and they come out as a complaint. I am upset and I do not care who gets upset. Sometimes you must take a stand. It does not matter how foolish or selfish it makes me look. Regardless, our critical words spoken to one another are always destructive. Those words fracture the unity of the church. I am not talking to anyone else. I am talking to you. Take an inventory of the words you have uttered about your fellow church members. Are they more constructive to the ministry of the church? Are they more destructive to the ministry of the church? Mother Teresa (1910-1997) once said, “Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.”  In the end, those negative words, damage the ministry of the church and expose your spiritual immaturity.

Do you remember Galatians 5:22-26? It says:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other.

It is painfully obvious. We have some work to do. We have a difficult time talking to one another and we have a difficult time speaking constructive words about one another.There isno doubt about it. Words are important! May our words be constructive, benefitting the ministry.

When I was in the eighth grade, my home church received a new minister. He moved to Warren from Huntington, West Virginia. He was a tall man with a large Adam’s apple that stuck out over the knot of his tie. His name was Dr. Jim Cox. On his first Sunday, the church was full of life. Everyone wanted to get a good look at him. At the close of the service, he stood at the back of the sanctuary and met his new flock. One by one, the people walked by and introduced themselves to Dr. Cox. When my parents walked by, they welcomed him and said, “We are Ron and Ruth Adams. This is our son Russell.” He smiled and went on to the next family. One week later, I was in that same line. Dr. Cox looked at my parents and said, “Ron and Ruth, good to see you.” Then Dr. Cox did something that changed my life. He looked at me and said, “Russ, how are you?” For years, I had walked through that line and the various preachers never bothered to learn my name. I cannot blame them. I was nothing special. I was just another kid. Dr. Cox did something in one week that none of his predecessors had ever done. He spoke, me into existence and made me feel included with one word, Russ. To this day, I consider him the finest pastor I have ever known because he simply spoke my name. He made me feel included. This is the truth.

I do my best to speak to everyone in this church everyone Sunday morning for one reason – Dr. Cox spoke to me. He made me feel important. He included me. This is also true. I do very little work in my office. I work at home, but I come out to the church nearly every day to talk to people. I want everyone to feel included and important. Don’t tell me words aren’t important.

Words are important. Are your words constructive words? Are you words destructive words? Are your words bringing glory to God? What are your words saying about your spiritual maturity? The wise one Solomon said it best in Proverbs 21:23 says, “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from trouble.” How tame is your tongue?