Give Up Darkness!

Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962) is considered one the greatest violinists of all time. It was common for him to tour Europe. One day he was traveling to London from Hamburg, Germany. He was traveling by boat but had an hour before it sailed. To kill the time, he walked into the local music store. The proprietor asked if he could look at the violin Kreisler was carrying. He then vanished and returned with two policemen, one of whom was holding the violin, “You are under arrest.” “What for?” asked Kreisler. “You have Fritz Kreisler’s violin.” He responded, “I am Fritz Kreisler.” They responded, “You can’t pull that on us. Come along to the station.” As Kreisler’s boat was sailing soon, there was no time for prolonged explanations. Kreisler asked for his violin and played a piece he was well known for. “Now are you satisfied?” he asked. They were, and Kreisler performed in London on schedule. That story is about making a proper identity and so is this morning’s scripture lesson.

We find ourselves today in the third chapter of John. The story and the background are familiar. Nicodemus was one of that society’s leading citizens. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish Ruling council, also known as the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of the Jewish faith. Regularly, people came to him to ask him questions about the law and to ask him how to solve their personal problems. Yet, in our reading for today, Nicodemus was the one with the question. He hoped Jesus had the answer. Our reading for today is a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.

Through the ages much has been made about the timing of their discussion. According to verse two it was at night. Some say Nicodemus came at night to protect his reputation. How would it look for a leading member of the clergy to be seen talking to an itinerant preacher? Others say Nicodemus came at night because the day was complete. The two men could talk without interruption. You can make a case for both sides of the argument. However, you can also say the darkness of the night represented Nicodemus’s spiritual condition. He is spiritually confused and in the dark. He is trying to answer that question everyone must asked, who is Jesus? He knew he had come from God because he had heard about Jesus’ miracles, but what does that mean? Making a proper identification is extremely important, but it is not always easy to do.

You know it is true. Each one of us has an identity. The truth is each one of us has more than one identity. How many hats do you wear in life? Let me use myself as an example. I have been out at the mall and someone will walk up to me and say, “Aren’t you the preacher?” I have married or buried one of their loved ones. You know me as your pastor. My parents knew me as their son. My sister knows me as their brother. Kathryn knows me as her husband. My children know me as father. My neighbors know me as the guy in the red house or the guy who is always walking his dog, the world’s best dog, Macy. You get the point. Each one of us is an individual, but each one of us has several identities.

Today, I am going to ask you to identify Jesus. Some believe Jesus is just a fable from the past, like Paul Bunyan. Some believe Jesus was just a wise teacher or philosopher. Others believe Jesus is their ultimate friend, who believes in them when they don’t believe in themselves. I hope you believe Jesus is more. Do you believe Jesus is the Christ? Do you believe Jesus is your Savior? Do you believe Jesus is your Lord? Who is Jesus? It’s a hard question. That is why so many are living in the dark. This message will dig into your soul and will force you to examine your ways. That is a good thing because this is the season of Lent.

Who is Jesus? Do you understand Jesus to be the Christ? One of the great stories in the Bible is Peter’s confession. It is found in Matthew 16. Jesus asks the disciples the question, who do you say I am. He is hoping they identify him correctly. In verse 16 Peter does. He says, “Simon Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.” The Hebrew word Messiah is the Greek word Christ. That verse is vital because for generations the Hebrews had been waiting for the Messiah. The problem is their understanding of the Messiah was all wrong. They understood the Messiah to be the great problem solver. There would be no corner of their lives that would not be improved once the Messiah came. When the Messiah came, there would be no more violence. When the Messiah came, there would be no more disease. When the Messiah came, no one would be oppressed. When the Messiah came, everyone would be well-fed and happy. When the Messiah came, their lives would be perfect. Do you know of anyone who is frustrated with Jesus because their problems remain? If you do, then you know someone who is living in Peter’s generation. Listen to what I am about to say.

The word ‘Christ’ is a title. It is given to Jesus more than 700 times in the New Testament. The authors of the New Testament writings understood the sacredness of Jesus. He was not just another good person. He was the greatest person who ever lived. Do not take those words lightly. There are over seven billion people in the world today. I have no clue how many have lived in the world from the beginning of time. The total number of people is astronomical, but there has only been one Christ. His name is Jesus. He was the son of God; he was the incarnation of God. You know it is true. There is something about that name. Until you understand the true meaning of Christ, you are living in the dark.

Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Savior of the world! Is Jesus your Savior? I hope your answer is YES! The salvation of your soul depends on it. That is why Jesus came into the world. Do you remember the story? We tell the story annually. Mary and Joseph were betrothed to be married. Don’t just jump over that phrase. In their world it meant a great deal. It meant they were legally bound, but she was still sexually innocent. Mary was a virgin, yet Mary was pregnant. Joseph was placed in a difficult situation. He decides to divorce her quietly, but one night he had a dream. In the dream, he was told to take Mary as his wife. The child in her womb is truly unique. This child will be the greatest life that ever lived. Matthew 1:21 says, “She will give birth to a son and you will give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” A savior is one who protects us from harm. A lord is one you obey. Until you know Jesus as your savior, you are living in the dark.

Who is Jesus? Is Jesus your Lord? What does that mean? It can refer to two things. First, you can be describing the very nature of Jesus. For example, Jesus is the Lord, or Jesus is God. Second, you can be describing your relationship with Jesus. Jesus is your Lord or Jesus is your Master. When you are in bondage to someone, you must do what they say. Because, they are your Lord. How many people do you know understand Jesus as the Christ? How many people do you know have claimed Jesus as their Savior? How many people do you know that have grown deaf to their master’s requests? They want Jesus as their Savior because they want to go to heaven. They haven’t claimed Jesus as their Lord because don’t want to change anything about their lives. Is Jesus your Lord and Savior?

Several years ago, my wife, Kathryn, had a wedding in the Cleveland area. The bride and groom were former Youngstown State University students, Katie and Ben. I didn’t have any responsibilities at the wedding, so I got to play out my favorite role, the minister’s husband. I love that role because it is undefined. You can do what you want. I did nothing but tag along. I went to the rehearsal and sat in the back pew of the church playing games on my cell phone. When the rehearsal was over, Katie’s mother walked up to me and asked me if I was Kathryn’s husband. I proudly said, “Yes.” She said, “I have someone you have to meet. He looks just like you! He will be at the reception tomorrow.” Prior to the wedding, Katie’s mom walked up to me and said, “Have you seen someone who looks just like you? It is Katie’s uncle.” I said, “No!” We went to the reception and ate. As the dancing was about to begin, we decided to leave. We had an hour drive ahead of us and church in the morning. As I was putting my coat on when Katie’s mom returned. She said, “Did you see him?” I said, “No!” She said, “Don’t go any anywhere. You have to meet him because he looks just like you!” We promised to stay. I will admit I was a little nervous about meeting my double. I looked over the crowd and looked for someone who looked like George Clooney. I didn’t see anyone, but I soon saw her return. She was dragging a man who looked like Rodney Dangerfield on steroids. His round face was round red, and his stomach was exploding over his tight belt. As proud as could be, she looked at us and said, “You two could be twins! Do you see it?” I smiled and said, “Yes!” Then, I shook his hand. I looked at him and said, “It is hard to believe there could be two handsome studs like us at the same reception.” He sucked in his huge Texas size stomach and said, “I hope we don’t intimidate these young guys!” It isn’t just a story of identity, It’s a question of identity. So, let me ask you the question one last time.

Who is Jesus? Unless, you understand Jesus to be the Christ and your Lord and Savior, you are living in the dark. Mother Teresa once said, “Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is to love Jesus.”

Give Up Control!

John and Charlotte Henderson, 106 and 105 respectively, live at the Longhorn Village Retirement Community in Austin, Texas. They originally met at the University of Texas as students in 1934. On December 15, 1939, they married. On December 15, 2019, they celebrated their eightieth wedding anniversary. That makes them, according to the Guinness World Record, the oldest living married couple in the world. In marriage, couples submit to one another. Submission is a way of saying, I love you. William P. Young (born 1955) is a Canadian author. He wrote The Shack. He once said, “Submission is not about authority and it is not about obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect.” If it is true in marriage, then it is true in the Christian faith.

We find ourselves today in the fourth chapter of Matthew. The scene is a familiar one. Just prior to our reading Jesus has been baptized and his earthly ministry is about to begin. Yet, there is still one thing that must happen. Jesus must have a showdown with Satan. According to the text, Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted. He is not just tempted once but is tempted three times. It is an unfair test because Jesus has been fasting for forty days, and in that weakened state, Satan challenges Jesus to use his power to change the stones on the ground into bread but Jesus will not be tempted by selfishness. Then Satan challenges Jesus to jump off the top of the holy temple, causing the multitude to follow him, but Jesus will not be tempted by popularity. Lastly, Satan takes Jesus to the top pf a high mountain and offers his all the world’s wealth, if he worships him. But Jesus will not be tempted by materialism. In the end, Satan losses, and Jesus was attended to by the angels. If you use your scarified imagination you can imagine the scene.

As you imagine the scene, don’t get caught in the details, but instead, look at the scene at one time. Jesus is at a fork in the road. Is he going to submit to God’s will or is going follow another route? Remember, Jesus was fully human, and this is a pivotal moment in his life. However, it isn’t just Jesus’s story, it’s also our story too. Each one of us stands at the same fork in the road. Are you going to submit to God’s will, or are you going to take another route? You know it’s true. We know what God wants us to do, but we choose the other road. Far too often we follow the ways of this world. This is worth remembering. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have no other option but to submit to God’s will.

In 2013, Kathryn and I traveled to Boston, Massachusetts. We went over Memorial Day weekend to celebrate our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It was a great trip. We flew into Logan International Airport and rented a car. We stayed in Marblehead and took the subway, The T, into the city. We saw all the sites. We visited the capital, walked the Freedom Trail, went to the homes of Betsy Ross and Paul Revere, and went whale watching. We travel to Quincey and toured Peacefield, the home of two presidents, John Adams and John Quincey Adams. The Indians were in town that weekend and we got to see them play two games at Fenway Park. The Tribe won the first game easily, but they lost the second badly. In every Revolutionary site we visited, there were banners with the same slogan. It read: WE WILL HAVE NO LORD TO RULE OVER US! We love our independence but our independent spirit, which created a great nation, is damaging to our Christian discipleship. In my experience, Americans have a hard time submitting to anyone, including God. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have no other option but to submit to God.

Michael A. Milton (born 1958) is the founder and president of on organization called Faith for Living in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He says that many reject the idea of submitting because they don’t understand it. He says that their understanding is shallow and innocent. In other words, it is immature. He says that there are four great myths clouding our understanding of submission. This is his list:

Myth #1 – Submission to God is a loss of freedom! Many believe that if you submit to God, they will lose their freedom. This is the flaw in that thinking. We have no real freedom. The Bible says it clearly, we are all in bondage to sin, to the bondage of our own flesh, to the whims of our evil spiritual opponent, and to a world which is alienating itself from God. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have no other option but to submit to God. You must submit every area of your life. By submitting to God, you will experience a new freedom. Myth #1 is WRONG!

Myth #2 – Submission to God is a loss of identity! Many believe that if you submit to God, you will lose your identity. Your Christian faith does not make you a robot. Within the life of the church, there are many personalities and many identities. God wired each one of us differently to address the world’s needs in a different way. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have no other option but to submit to God. By submitting to God, you will forge a new identity. Myth #2 is WRONG!

Myth #3 – Submission to God is a loss of purpose! Many believe that if you submit to God, you will lose your purpose. In the scripture lesson for today, Jesus turned down the wealth of this world. Jesus knew there was more to life than collecting possessions. Jesus had a narrow purpose for his life and so do you. Let me warn you, discovering your purpose will consume your life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) once said, “When Christ call a man, he bids him come and die.” By submitting to God, you will discover a new purpose. Myth #3 is WRONG!

Myth #4 – Submission to God is a loss of joy! Many believe that if you submit to God, you will lose your joy. Our hearts hunger for truth. That is why we have turned everything in life into a party. C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) was right. He once said, “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what it meant by the offer of a holiday by the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” By submitting to God, you will experience a deeper joy. Myth #4 is WRONG!

So, there we are with Jesus at the fork in the road. Each one of us must make our own choice, but one thing is clear, in the wilderness, Jesus made it clear where he was going to go. He submitted to God and reject the ways of this world. What road are you going to take?

In my home these days, there is only one topic discussed. It’s not spring training, the coronavirus, or the upcoming presidential election. It’s the wedding! If you haven’t heard, mine and Kathryn’s daughter, Anna is getting married on May 30 of this year. We couldn’t be happier. Jeff is a great guy, who comes from a wonderful family. No detail has been overlooked for this wedding. Her first, of two, bridal showers, is next week. (I helped make some of the favors.) Her wedding dress has been purchased and she has gone to her first fitting. The bride maids have ordered their dresses and the men have ordered their suits. The church has been reserved, including the musicians and the officiant. The reception hall, DJ, photographer have all been arranged. Mine and Kathryn’s extended families have all made their plane reservations, so they can be here on Anna’s big day. The invitations have been ordered. The limo has been reserved. I have been asked my opinion on one or two things, but nobody seems to care about what I think. I really don’t care. All I care about is that Anna is happy. All I have ever wanted for her is to find someone who loves her as much as I love her. (That would not be easy because I love her so much.) I’m confident in saying, Jeff does. Marriage is the perfect model of submission. Couples submit to on another because they are in love.

I have a friend who just graduated. She is now a nurse practitioner. The other day I went to her party to celebrate her accomplishment. I sat at the end of the table with a guy who was alone. He was a mess, overweight and drunk. We started talking and Anna’s wedding came up. He told me I’m never getting married. That was good since no one wanted to marry him. He said he liked his freedom and he wasn’t going to be accountable to anyone. He thought submission was following the rules. We know submission is a form of love. How deep is your love for God? When we submit to God, we find a different kind of freedom, forge a new identity, find a new purpose and experience a deeper joy. Our independent spirit created a great nation, but it is damaging our spiritual health. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have no other option but to submit to God’s will because you are in love. Do you remember the quote from William P. Young? He once said, “Submission is not about authority and it is not about obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect.”

Give Up!

What are you giving up for Lent? That is the question I am asked annually. The one who asks the question is my ex-neighbor. I moved seventeen years ago, but we still get together regularly. He is my escape from this church and my portal into the real world. He was raised Roman Catholic, but he hasn’t practiced Catholicism in years. He married a Lutheran, but they are generally unchurched. However, they are good people. He has nothing positive to say about the Roman Catholic Church, but he looks at the world thru a Roman Catholic screen. His heritage is exposed when he asks me the question, what are you giving up for Lent? So let me ask you the question, what are you giving up for Lent? With that question in mind let us look at our scripture reading.

We begin our Lenten journey in the sixteenth chapter of Matthew. Do you remember the story? Jesus had grown to celebrity status. Everyone was talking about him. Everyone wanted something from him. Everyone was guessing about his identity. However, Jesus was not interested in what the masses thought about him. Jesus wanted to know what the disciples thought about him. So, he asked them the question that changed everything, who do you say I am? The normally chatty disciples grew strangely silent. It is not that they don’t have an opinion. It is that they don’t want to be wrong. It is Peter who answered first and correctly. Jesus is God’s Messiah. Instead of Jesus renting a billboard to announce his identity, Jesus asks the disciples not to tell anyone.

His messiahship was to be kept a secret. The reason is simple. That generation misunderstood the word Messiah. They longed for a military Messiah to liberate them from foreign rule. Instead, Jesus was a spiritual Messiah who came to liberate them from sin, itself. Jesus says it clearly, but the disciples don’t listen. As the spiritual Messiah, Jesus will suffer, be rejected and die. Jesus warns them to be prepared for the same. True discipleship is not about glory. It is about sacrifice. Traditionally people give up things for Lent to show the world they are completely committed to Jesus. By your presence here this evening, I am assuming you have decided to follow Jesus too.

So, let me ask you the question again: What are going to give up for Lent?

Maybe you are giving up one of these things? The list changes from generation to generation. This list can be found in a variety of places. It is a list of what most people give up. This is what people give up for Lent.

1. Chocolate or Sweets

2. Alcohol

3. Smoking

4. Fast Food

5. Swearing

6. Social Media

7. Shopping

8. Sports

9. Caffeine

10. Sex

There is a website called Catholic Extension. I found an article on that site called What to Give up for Lent. This is their list of what to give up:

Give up bitterness; turn to forgiveness.
Give up hatred; return good for evil.
Give up negativism; be positive.
Give up complaining; be grateful.
Give up pessimism; be an optimist.
Give up harsh judgments; think kind thoughts.
Give up worry; trust Divine Providence.
Give up discouragement; be full of hope.
Give up anger; be more patient.
Give up pettiness; be more mature.
Give up gloom; enjoy the beauty around you.
Give up jealousy; pray for trust.
Give up gossiping; control your thoughts.
Give up sin; turn to virtue.

That list speaks to me.

Unlike Christmas and Easter, Lent has not crossed over into the secular world. The reason is obvious. Christmas and Easter emphasize receiving something. Lent emphasizes giving up something. My Lenten sermon series this year is called Give Up! In the next few blogs, we are going to look at things we need to give up because they are stunting our spiritual growth. This is my list:

Control
Darkness
Arrogance
Enemies
Greed
Popularity
Death

Let me end not with a story but with a fact. Did you know, according to Life Way Research, 24% of all Americans observe the season of Lent? That means 76% of all Americans ignore Lent. That means, mathematically, we are in the minority. That does not bother me because Jesus as never interested in the crowd. Jesus was only interested in the committed.

Why is the Transfiguration Important?

We find ourselves today in the seventeenth chapter of Matthew. Our scene is set-up by the previous chapter, the sixteenth chapter of Matthew. For in that chapter, Jesus gives the disciples a little quiz. There are only two questions. This is the first question: who do people say that I am? They give a variety of impressive answers. Then, he asks the disciples the second question: Who do you say I am? Only Simon Peter’s answer is recorded for the ages. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” That answer means the disciples are making spiritual progress. To show his approval, Jesus takes three of the disciples, Peter, James and John, to the top a mountain. The Mountain was probably Mount Hermon, which raises 9,000 feet above sea level. The inner circle must have believed they were going to receive some special instruction from the Master, but they received so much more. According to the text, verse 2, Jesus was transfigured. We are not exactly sure what that means. It will have to suffice to say, Jesus was glorified. His face began to shine like the sun and his clothes became as bright as light, itself. It was an amazing scene, then the scene grows more complex. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared. They are endorsing Jesus’s ministry. The disciples are rattled, but then the truly miraculous happens. God, himself, suddenly appears. He identifies Jesus, so there can be on further question. Verse five quotes God. The Almighty says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” The scene is suddenly over. It is a great scene in the Bible, but what does it mean?

Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019) was an American pastor, Bible teacher, theologian and and author. He said there are four things about the transfiguration of Jesus that should never be forgotten. Consider them with me. They have merit.

The glory of His person – The transfiguration of Jesus came from his inside. It was not something that happened to Jesus, like a spotlight. It was something that came from within Jesus. His glory was permitted to shine. (Hebrews 1:3)

The glory of His kingdom – Moses and Elijah represented the Old Testament law and the Old Testament prophets. As great as they were, they are inferior to Jesus. Everything in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus and his ministry. Jesus was the final piece of God’s plan of salvation for the world. (Hebrews 1:1)

The glory of His cross – The transfiguration reminds us that suffering, and glory go hand in hand. In time, the transfigured, glorified Jesus would be nailed to the cross and die. (1 Peter 1:6-8)

The glory of His submission – In many ways, the transfiguration is the beginning of the end. Jesus did not go to the cross because he wanted to go. Jesus went to the cross because it was part of God’s plan of salvation. Jesus submitted to God’s will.

God said it clearly. We should listen to Jesus!

If the transfiguration of Jesus teaches us nothing else, it teaches us about the supremacy of Jesus. In the life of the church, if we don’t have Jesus, then we have nothing at all. That is one of my favorite themes. I have pounded that point countless times for many years. You have heard me. In the local church, I see it regularly. We get so involved maintaining our building, fundraising for a good cause and helping the needy, we forget about Jesus. That is why worship is so important. We are not a service club or a community action group. We are the church of Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, we have nothing at all. That is why we must keep Jesus the focal point of our ministry. If it is true in local congregations, then it is true of entire denominations. We must recognize the supremacy of Jesus and keep him the focal point of our ministry.

In 2014, the World Council of Churches reported there were 12 million United Methodists in the world. That means we are the second largest denomination in the world, behind Southern Baptist Convention. Many believe that will change in the next two months. Our denomination is ready to divide over one issue, sexuality. A 2017 Gallup poll reported 4.5% of American adults identified as LGBTQ. Many believe that figure is much lower. They say the research was faulty. The entertainment industry seems to believe the figure is much higher. The conflict will come to a head in Minneapolis, Minnesota between May 5-15. That is where and when the next General Conference, the largest administrative body in United Methodism, will gather. No one has uttered the word compromise. No one is permitted to be neutral. Everyone must choose a side. The sides are clear. On the one side, there are those who are opposed to ordaining homosexuals and officiating at gay marriages. They quote various Bible verses to support their stance. On the other side, there are those who think we should ordain the gay and officiate at gay weddings. They say the faith should include everyone. No one should be excluded.

How ugly is the situation? A group of influential United Methodist leaders, both lay and clergy, both liberal and conservative, have come up with an exit plan. Under that plan, entire Jurisdictions will be permitted to leave the United Methodist Church. (We are in the North Central Jurisdiction, which covers the Midwest.) Under that plan, entire Annual Conferences will be permitted to leave the United Methodist Church. (We are in the East Ohio Annual Conference.) Under that plan, entire churches will be permitted to leave the United Methodist Church. With means, under this plan, we will have to decide if we are going to leave the United Methodist Church and help for a new denomination. That means, we will lose people because people hate change. If the United Methodist Church begins to ordain gays and officiates at gay weddings, would you vote to leave the United Methodist Church or stay within the United Methodist Church? Everyone will be forced to make a choice.

The transfiguration is important because it reminds us of the supremacy of Jesus! Do you know what Jesus said about sexuality? Jesus said nothing at all. That means sexuality is a secondary issue. It is human beings who have made it a primary issue. I wish the Master would have said one thing, but he didn’t. It would have made the whole matter easier. However, Jesus did say to love everyone. (John 13:34) Jesus did say to judge no one. (Matthew 7:1) Can I be honest with you? The whole topic exhausts me. I have listened to both sides of the issue, those who support ordaining and marrying the gay and others who are against ordaining and marrying the gay. They are so passionate about the issue they have forgotten about Jesus. We have a shortage of love and a surplus of judgment. The one side is calling the other side homophobic. The other side is called the other side non-Biblical and compromising. Both sides seem to be using the issue. Those who want to accept the change, see it as a marketing tool. They seem to believe the entire LGBTQ will suddenly join the United Methodist Church. (I don’t see that happening.) Those who don’t want to see the change, are using the issue to begin their own denomination. They seem to have some ax to grind. May God have mercy on us, because in the end no one wins. In the end, the United Methodist Church, once one of the greatest evangelistic churches in the world, will be crippled. In the end, the only one who will win is Satan. The transfiguration is important because it reminds of the supremacy of Jesus.

When I was in seminary, I served a small membership church between Danville and Lancaster, Kentucky. It was called the Pleasant Grove Christian Church. It is still there. I have nothing negative to say about those people. They were kind to me at a time when I needed some kindness. In the three years, I served that church, I got to know other churches in that community. One of those churches was the Mount Olivet Baptist Church. In Kentucky, at that time, every church was Baptist, regardless of the sign. Their theology leaned to the right. It was named after the Mount of Olives. Since I left that area, the Mount Olivet Baptist Church closed. The reason is sad. The church simply shattered over a series of differences of opinions. It all began when the Board of Elders held an emergency meeting. They were upset the pastor and his wife had filed for divorce. Being Baptist, they believed in the Bible and the Bible teaches against divorce. They decided to let that preacher go. The problem was the church was divided over the dismissal. Everyone who had suffered through a divorced, or had a family member who had been divorced, was upset. A large portion of that congregation left and swore they would never return. People from Kentucky are true to their word. They never returned. A search committee was formed to find a new pastor to fix the mess. They collected a few names. One of the names was a woman. She was by far the most qualified. She had an excellent education, could preach up a storm and was effective in every church she served. There was only one problem. She was a woman and you know what the Bible says about women preachers. For that reason, she didn’t get the call. They called an inferior man. Everything was supposed to be done confidentially, but the word leaked out. Once again, the church was in an uproar. Everyone seemed to know a gifted and effective female pastor. From that moment on, the Mount Olivet Baptist Church splintered. Each side quoted Bible verses and each side claimed they were right. In the end, the once healthy church struggled paying basic bills. In time, the church building and property was sold to a local brewpub. It wasn’t all a loss. I hear both the food and the beer are great. Can I ask you a question?

Why do you think the Mount Olivet Baptist Church closed? Was it a lack of Bible? Was it a lack of love? What it a surplus of a judgmental attitudes. I believe that church closed because they forget about the supremacy of Jesus. Do you remember what God said? He once said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Lead Us

John Paton (1824-1907) was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One-night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Paton’s and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came, they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?” Paton knew no men were present–but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. That story reminds us we are never alone. God has always been with us and God will always be with us.

Today, we look at the next section of the Lord’s Prayer, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.Don’t speed read those words. Take some time with those words, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Jesus is connecting temptation and evil. Temptation is defined as the desire to do something, especially wrong or unwise. Evil is defined as profoundly immoral or wicked, especially when regarded as a supernatural force. So, when Jesus speaks of temptation, he is not talking about being tempted by a piece of cake when you are on a diet. Jesus is talking about the temptations in our lives that damage our relationship with God. What is it in your life that is damaging your relationship with God? Perhaps, we need to hear less about grace and more about sin? Let me state the obvious. Everyone deals with temptation.

Even Thomas Steele deals with temptation. He should have known better. He had recited the line, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, countless times. Who is Thomas Steele? The Hendersonville, North Carolina newspaper, The Blue Ridge Now, posted his story the other day. The 63-year-old former pastor was sentenced to 73 to 100 months in prison for embezzling $123,367 from an 83-year-old parishioner over a five-year period. He also must pay her back. The story is not pretty. It is a sad story. He abused her trust. You can call her a fool, or you can call him a crook, but in the end no one wins. He illustrates for us everyone deals with temptation, even preachers. Thomas is not alone. You are not alone.

Even Jesus struggled with temptation. The story is found in the fourth chapter of Matthew. According the text, Jesus is led in the wilderness by the Spirit, where he fasted for forty days. The author gives us obvious information. After fasting forty days, Jesus was hungry, and the tempter came to him and offered him food. He suggested Jesus use his powers to turn the stones into loaves of bread. However, Jesus refused. Then, the devil took Jesus to the top of the temple in the holy city and requests Jesus to throw himself down. However, Jesus refused. Finally, the devil takes Jesus to the top of a high mountain and shows him the kingdoms of the world in all their splendor. He offers it all to Jesus, if he will worship him, but Jesus refused. The story ends and the devil leaves Jesus, and the angels care for him.

Those three temptations are not accidental. You can distill all temptation down into three categories. Each one is represented in Jesus’ temptation. Here are the categories of temptation.

The Temptations of Selfishness – Jesus hadn’t eaten in forty days, so he is beyond hungry. Satan suggests to Jesus he change stones into bread. That is not beyond Jesus’s power, but he refuses, because others did not benefit. Have you ever been tempted to do something that only benefits you?

The Temptations of Popularity – The temple was the eye of the storm in the holy city. Big crowds would have seen Jesus saved by the angels. That crowd would have followed Jesus. Jesus would have been a celebrity. However, Jesus was not interested in the crowd, he was only interested in the committed. Have you ever been tempted to do some that would make you popular?

The Temptations of Materialism – From the mountaintop Jesus doesn’t just see property. Jesus sees wealth. Jesus could have had it all, but he refuses because there is more to life than money. Have you ever been tempted by materialism?

This is the question you must answer. What is your greatest temptation?Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

Temptation is something all Christians face, no matter how long we have been following Christ. But there are a few practical things we can do to grow stronger and smarter in our struggle against sin. We can learn how to overcome temptation by practicing these five steps. They come from Christian blogger Mary Fairchild.

Recognize Your Tendency to Sin – The temptation to sin is a given, so don’t be surprised by it. Expect to be tempted daily and be prepared for it.

Flee from Temptation – When you come face to face with temptation, look for the way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says God will give you a way out. Run as fast as you can.

Resist Temptation With the Word of Truth – Jesus overcame the devil’s temptations in the wilderness with the Word of God. If it worked for him, it would work for us. And because Jesus was fully human, he can identify with our struggles and give us the exact help we need to resist temptation. Read your Bible daily.

Refocus Your Mind and Heart with Praise – Praising God takes our focus off our self and puts it on God. You may not be strong enough to resist temptation on your own, but as you focus on God, he will inhabit your praises. He will give you the strength to resist and walk away from the temptation.

Repent Quickly When You Fail – When you do fail and sin, repent quickly. It is dangerous to persist in your sin.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

In 1952, a writer named Bernard Malamud wrote a great novel called The Natural. If you haven’t read the book, then you may have seen the movie of the same name, staring Robert Redford. The story is about a man by the name of Roy Hobbs. He is the natural, untainted unspoiled. He was born on a Nebraska farm. It was his father who recognized his enormous talent for baseball, and it was his father who taught him the game. But one day, his father dies, and he never got to see his son make it to the big leagues. The Major Leagues are not kind to Roy Hobbs. The innocent farm boy is confronted by temptations. His greatest tempter is a woman, who in time was rejected by Roy. Her scorn was real. She shoots Roy and he walks away from the game early, wounded physically and emotionally. For years, he wonders how life could have been. Years later, at the age of 35, Roy Hobbs returns to the game. Once again, Roy is confronted with temptation. This time in the form of his team owner, who is the embodiment of evil, who has hired his old temptress. They want Roy to throw the game because the owner has made a huge bet against him own team. The moment comes when Roy must decide what to do. He is standing at the plate all alone. Will he surrender to the temptation and throw the game, or will he do what is right? What tips the scale is a woman wearing a white dress standing behind home plate. Her presence encourages him to do the right thing.

This is the point. In that scene, Bernard Malamud painted the human condition. We are confronted daily by temptation, pulling us, pushing us, enticing us to sin. We think we are alone, but we are wrong. God is standing near us encouraging us to do the right thing. There has never been a moment in your life when you have been alone. God is with us now and God is with us in the face of temptation. He is encouraging us to do what is right. God is with us now. Oscar Wild (1854-1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. His life was complex. He is remembered for his literary genius, his criminal conviction, imprisonment and early death. He died at 46. He once said, “I can resist anything except temptation.” I hope that is not your story. No wonder Jesus taught us to pray, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Our Daily Bread (Part Two)

Leroy Eims (1925-2004) served with The Navigators for over fifty years and wrote a best-selling book called The Lost Art of Disciple Making. In that book he told about his family driving from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa one spring. As they drove, they traveled past miles of orange trees. At one point they stopped for a late breakfast. Leroy ordered an orange juice. The waitress politely told him that was impossible, because the restaurant’s juicer was broken. He found that to be both comical and sad. There he was surrounded by millions of oranges, but there was no juice to be had. His situation on that day reminded him of the average church. The average church is surrounded by the Good News, but many are ignoring it. Could that be the story of the church today? May be that is why Jesus told us to pray for our spiritual needs?

Today, we look at the next section of the Lord’s Prayer, “And forgive us of our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” To understand that section you must re-examine the previous line, give us this day our daily bread. Some believe that line stands alone. If you do so the line is about our basic physical needs, air water, food, shelter and sleep. That is what we looked at last time. Others believe that line is coupled with the next section of the prayer: And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. They connect the phrase Give us this day our daily bread with John 6:48, where Jesus calls himself the bread of life. Suddenly the whole section becomes about praying for our spiritual needs. We are to spend time with Jesus daily. That is important because the battles in life are not with other people. The battles in life are against the Dark One. If we are going to win that battle, then we must be spiritually mature, and we can’t become spiritually mature without spending time with Jesus. That leads me to these two questions. Do you consider yourself spiritually mature? Are you making any progress in the Christian faith?

Three years ago, my Lenten sermon series was called Don’t Give Up. In that sermon series, I looked at five of the spiritual disciplines. The spiritual disciplines help us grow and mature spiritually. In that series, I encouraged you not to give up prayer, fasting, worship, meditation or the Bible. That list was not complete. Through the ages many philosophers, theologians and writers have identified many other things that may be considered spiritual disciplines. Those things include things such as fellowship, journaling, stewardship, self-examination and silence. The issue is not a lack of spiritual disciplines. The issue is practicing the spiritual disciplines. Perhaps, that is why we have a hard time answering the question of the day, are you making any progress in the Christian faith? It is not enough to have a religious opinion or spiritual thought. The spiritual disciplines must become part of your daily habits.

Years ago, I am across an article about spiritual maturity. We are not to remain spiritual babies. We aren’t to grow in the faith. I hate to admit it, but there are times, I look at things in a negative way. Perhaps that is why the article spoke to me. It came from the people at Crosswalk. It was called, Seven Signs You are Spiritually Immature. This is their list:

Spiritual infants are self-centered. They arrive at church thinking, “What can I get out of this?” Then, they sometimes leave saying, “I didn’t get a thing out of that today.” Their theme is that church is all about them. Are you self-centered?

Spiritual infants are noisy. They cry a lot, particularly when they don’t think their needs are being met. For example, they criticize a mission project because they don’t benefit. The money should be spent on something that meets their approval. They just can’t complain enough. Are you noisy?

3) Spiritual infants are messy. Toddlers do not clean up after themselves. That’s someone else’s job. On Sunday night after everyone has vacated the premises, I walk around the church building and you’ll know in a heartbeat whether the congregation is mature or immature. Are you messy?

Spiritual infants are impatient. The crying baby cannot be told that the milk is warming and should be ready in a few minutes. He wants what he wants, and he wanted it five minutes ago. To them, the church is there to provide services which members pay for with their offerings; if the services are inferior, they withhold their money or even leave. Are you impatient?

Spiritual infants are defined by what they cannot do. They cannot cooperate, cannot submit to others, and cannot understand deep things. They are unable to apologize and mean it and resist sharing. Are you defined by what you cannot do?

Spiritual infants are explosive. They are always mad. They are mad because their birthday wasn’t in the bulletin. They are mad no one noticed they were on vacation or no one called. They are mad because no one supported their ministry. They explode over every little issue. Are you explosive?

Spiritual infants are irresponsible. They’re great at expecting a lot from others and nothing from themselves. They always know who is to blame for all that’s wrong in the church. Aren’t you glad we don’t have any irresponsible people in this church? Are you irresponsible?

I did not list those statements so you could evaluate someone else. I listed those statements so you could evaluate yourself. Are you spiritually mature or immature? Are you making any progress in the Christian faith? Jesus tells us to pray for our spiritual needs, because we need help spiritually. It is sad because the only reason the church exists is to grow people spiritually, to make disciples. The problem is churches are easily distracted. We witness it regularly in the local church and we are witnessing it at the denominational level. We come to church to experience life’s very best, God. Sadly, that doesn’t happen all the time. We are distracted by good things, church programs and property. Many are close yet far away.

When I was in high school, football was a big deal. During my four years of high school the two schools won four state championships. At that time Warren, Ohio was still economically successful, and many moved to the city of Modern Methods feeding those teams with outstanding players. If you were a standout player on one of those teams you were a local celebrity.

During my sophomore year of high school, the best player on the team was a boy by the name of Tyrone. He was a great player. He was a gifted athlete, big, fast and quick. During that season college scouts from around the country came to watch Tyrone play. He had offers from a variety of Division One schools. His selection was a big secret. The local media was there for the announcement. It was an exciting moment when he announced he was going to Washington State University, in the great northwest. The entire east side of Warren beat their chests with pride. When he signed his name on the national letter of intent, the recruiter from Washington State gave Tyrone a grey and crimson ballcap, the official colors of Washington State. Stitched on it were the letters, WSU. He gave him a football jersey with Washington State across its chest. He gave him a football with Washington State Cougars painted on it. Everyone cheered and everyone dreamed of Tyrone’s big future in the northwest. The next day Tyrone came to school wearing that football jersey with the cap on his head. He held his football in his muscular arms. Everybody patted him on the back and congratulated him. I was standing next to one of the assistant basketball coaches, Dick James. When Tyrone passed Mr. James, he yelled out, “So, Tyrone, you are going to Washington State!” Tyrone broke out into one of those Heisman Trophy possess and yell back, “Yes sir, Mr. James. I’m going to Washington State so I can be near the president.” The whole hall grew silent. No one knew what to say. Tyrone was so close, yet so far away.

Don’t be like Tyrone. Don’t be so close, yet so far away. Don’t get so involved in the organizational life of the church that you die spiritually. Keep your eyes on Jesus and pray his words, give us this day our daily bread. That means you are spending time with Jesus daily. And if you spend time with Jesus daily it will change you, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Let me ask you the question of the day one more time: Are you making any progress in the faith? I hope your answer is YES!

Our Daily Bread

Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was a Hungarian born American illusionist and performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. Once he was locked and shackled into a Scottish town jail. The old turnkey shut him in a cell and walked away. Houdini quickly freed himself from his shackles and then tackled the cell lock. But despite all his efforts, the lock wouldn’t open. Finally, ever more desperate but completely exhausted, he leaned against the door–and it swung open so unexpectedly that he nearly fell headlong into the corridor. The turnkey had not locked it. He was limited by his own assumption. Have you ever assumed something that turned out to be wrong? That thought is at the very heart of this message today.

Today, we look at this line in the Lord’s Prayer: Give us this day our daily bread.” Don’t just run through those words, think about those words. There is a school of thought that says this line is not about our physical needs, but our spiritual needs. They align this line with the next line, forgive us of our trespasses, or debts. They connect these lines of the Lord’s Prayer with John 6:48, where Jesus calls himself the bread of life. They may be right, but they may be wrong. I was raised in a steel town in northeast Ohio, so I read it at face value. When Jesus mentions bread, I believe he is talking about physical bread, which represents are the basics things we need to survive. When was the last time you praised God for the basics of life? Do you appreciate those things, or do you assume they will always be there?

They tell us there are five basic things we need to survive. This is the list:

Air – The body’s greatest need is air. As little as five minutes without air will result in brain damage. After fifteen minutes without air, the brain damage is so severe that most people will not recover.

Water – Water is the most essential element of life. Our bodies are made up of 70% water. As we live, we deplete our body’s water resources. That is why we must stay hydrated. As 2.5% loss in water volume in a person leads to a 25% of blood volume. That effects every organ in the body.

Food – The body can last quite a while without food. Without food the body will exist on its own fat. They average person could exist for three weeks without food, but we are much more comfortable with food.

Shelter – It is not just proper housing. This includes proper clothing. Both proper housing and clothing help you maintain a proper body temperature. Without a proper body temperature, you run the risk of hypothermia and heat stroke.

Sleep – Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. A severe lack of sleep can be detrimental to your health and your life. Give us this day our daily bread.

One of the great things about being an American is we are almost guaranteed each one of those basic needs. I love walking my dog, Macy, the world’s best dog, early in the morning when the air is fresh. I love drinking a cold glass of ice water on a hot day. I love a good meal. I am not alone. Many do. Did you know roughly 30% of Americans are considered obese? I love getting into bed after a long day and drifting off to sleep. Do you know what? In America, we have good lives because we have what we need to survive. They are so abundant we can take them for granted. We assume it will always be that way. That is not the case everywhere.

Our world is facing some tremendous problems. When some in the world pray, give us Lord our daily bread, they are desperate for the basics. Look at those five things again through a different filter.

Air – In 1993, Kathryn and I went on a volunteer in mission trip to the Philippines. We stayed near the city of Manila. When we first arrived, our hosts gave us washcloths to place over our noses and mouths because the pollution was so thick. Many escaped to the mountains where the air was clean. Give us this day our daily bread.

Water – The World Health Organization reports 11% of the world’s population, 790 million people, don’t have an adequate water supply. They also report 25% of the world’s population, 1.8 billion people, don’t have adequate sanitation. Give us this day our daily bread.

Food – The Food Aid Foundation says 12.9% of our world is undernourished. That is 795 million people. They also say one in seven people are hungry and one third of all food is wasted. Give us this day our daily bread.

Shelter – On January 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by a massive earthquake. People who had nothing, suddenly had less than nothing. When I was there several years after the earthquake, many were afraid to enter any building because they feared it would fall on them. Give us this day our daily bread.

Sleep – You don’t have to leave the country for this one. The Smithsonian reported one-third of Americans get six hours of sleep a night or less. We should be getting between seven and nine hours. How much sleep do you get on an average night? Give us this day our daily bread.

Let me say it again. We have good lives. We have grown to take the basics for granted. We assume they will be there. That is why it is good to be reminded occasionally of our daily blessings. When was the last time you had to go without? Give us this day our daily bread.

About four and a half years ago, Kathryn and I were in Ukraine. It was an exploratory trip. We hoped to return with a Volunteer in Mission Team, but that never happened because the Russian took control of the Crimean Peninsula. The negative press made it impossible to organize a team. Regardless, Kathryn and I have warm memories about that trip. The people we met were wonderful.

Our guide for that trip was a man by the name of Patrick. We stayed near the city of Chernivtsi near the Hungarian border. It was a hard trip to Chernivtsi. We flew into Kiev, their capital, and had to take a twelve-hour train ride to our destination. The scenery was not impressive. With every mile we saw more economic depression. When we arrived, we found that city to be like many cities in Eastern Europe, tired and warn out. We were thankful to arrive and enjoyed the various people we met. There was only one problem. If we wanted to return to the United States, we had to make that same trip again. About a week later, we climbed back on the same train and rode those same rails again back to Kiev. We traveled at night and arrived in Kiev in the morning. Patrick, Kathryn and I locked our luggage into a locker at the train station, and we began to walk. At first, it felt good to walk and stretch our legs. Kiev is a beautiful city and I enjoyed the sites. Somewhere along the way, I asked Patrick the question, “Where are we going to spend the night?” He responded, “I think, we are going to spend tonight at a friend’s apartment.” He got his cell phone out and called. However, there wasn’t answer. Over the next nine hours, Patrick called his friend countless times and he never answered. Once, we stopped and got a cup of coffee at an outdoor café. Once, we stopped and had lunch. However, by and large, we walked, and my pleasant personality began to change. I was tired. I had gotten next to no sleep on the bumpy train filled with odd smelling people, who didn’t speak English. My few possessions were locked up in a locker and I was convinced they wouldn’t be there when I returned. My feet hurt from all the walking. We were at a McDonald’s when the reality hit me. Patrick didn’t know what to do with us on our last night in Kiev. I asked him two things. Did you tell your friends we were coming? Do you have a Plan B? He just gave me the deer in the headlights look. I walked over to Kathryn, who looked like she was a cast member on the Living Dead and told her Patrick didn’t know what to do with us tonight. She looked at me and in perfect Russian said, “I want an ice cream cone!” I am not a natural leader, but I found my way being forced to the front. In the middle of a crowded McDonald’s filled with Ukrainians, I walked over the Patrick and said, “This is what you are going to do. You are going to take Kathryn and I to a hotel as close to the airport as possible. I don’t care what it costs. I am tired and hungry.” Patrick looked at me and said, “That is a good idea!” I walked over the Kathryn and told her we were going to spend the night at a hotel near the airport. She asked, “What is Patrick going to do?” I answered, “I don’t care!” Went back to the train station and got our luggage. Within an hour we were checked in the hotel, which wasn’t too expense.” I few minutes later Kathryn was asleep in our room and I was sitting in the hotel restaurant. It was nice and quiet. I ordered my meal and a beverage. Before I ate, I prayed. I don’t remember that exact words, but it went something like this: Give us this day our daily bread.

When you live in America, you have a good life. We take so much for granted. Don’t assume they will always be there. It doesn’t take long to remember how it could be. Stephen Hawking Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) was an English theoretical physicist and author. He suffered with Lou Gehrig’s disease for over fifty years. He once said, “When one’s expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have.” Give us this day our daily bread!

Thy Kingdom Come

History tells us Edward VI (1537-1553) of England sat on the throne in the 16^th century. He is remembered as being a very spiritual. He attended worship regularly. He stood when the Bible was read. He took notes on the weekly message and studied those notes later. And, he strived to apply the Gospel to his daily life, altering his opinions and actions. No one questioned his sincerity, because he always surrendered to God’s will. Here is an interesting question. Will you be remembered as one who did it your way? Will you be remembered as one who did it God’s way?

Today, we look at this line in the Lord’s Prayer: Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done.” In order to understand that line you must be able to answer this question. What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is not a location, like 12 Paradise Way. The Kingdom of God is not limited to a certain time, like during the time of King David. The Kingdom of God can’t be understood in human terms. It is much more elusive. If you do not believe me, then look at the teachings of Jesus. The Kingdom of God was central to his teaching. Sometimes Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God in the past. He said Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the prophets were in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes, he speaks of the Kingdom of God in the present. In Luke 17:11, Jesus said, the Kingdom of God is, “in the midst of you.” Sometimes, he spoke of the Kingdom of God in the future. He taught people to pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God. It is all quite confusing. Theologians and Bible teachers don’t clarify the matter. William Barkley (1907-1978) was a Bible professor at the University of Glasgow. He wrote a popular Bible commentary on the New Testament. He sold 1.5 million copies of those commentaries. I own one. In that commentary, he defines the Kingdom of God as a society in this world where God’s will is perfectly done, as it is heaven. That maybe correct but it is a little wordy. Let me answer the question for you. I believe, the Kingdom of God can be summarized in one word, obedience. We are part of the Kingdom of God anytime we obey God. We are not part of the Kingdom of God when we don’t obey God. With that in mind, say the line in the prayer again. Thy Kingdom come thy will be done. It’s all about obeying God’s word. How obedient are you to God? We should not be surprised, because, being obedient is a dominant theme throughout the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Do you remember these stories?

Do you remember Noah’s story? At the center of it is obedience. According to Genesis 6, the world had grown so wicked God decided to start over again. There is only one righteous man left, Noah. God tells Noah of His plans to destroy the world with water and commands Noah to build an ark of cypress wood to save himself and his family. There traveling partners will be the various animals. Noah hears God’s words and begins to build the ark on the driest day of the year. The people must have thought he was crazy, but he obeyed God. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.

Do you remember Moses’s story? At the center of it is obedience. According to Exodus 3, God spoke to Moses through a burning bush that was not consumed by the flames. The sight was odd to Moses’s eyes, but the words God spoke to him were painful. God asks him to do the one thing Moses feared, face his past. You remember the story. Moses, a Hebrew, is raised in the palace of the Pharaoh. Yet, he never forgets his roots and on an ugly day Moses killed and Egyptian defending one of his own, a Hebrew. Moses runs away and plans to never return to Egypt, but God had other plans for him. God tells Moses to return to Egypt to liberate his people. Moses tries eluding his divine mission, but in the end, Moses returns and obeys God. The rest is history. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.

Do you remember Mary’s story? At the center of it is obedience. Christmas was just a few weeks ago. According to Luke 2, Mary was a teenage girl with her entire life in front of her. She must have dreamed of being a respectable Jewish wife with a pack of youngsters. Unfortunately, that was not God’s plan for her life. Of all the women who had ever lived, Mary grabbed God’s attention. The angel said, she was highly favored, but Mary must have had her doubts. She is going to give birth to a boy and name him Jesus. He is the son of God, Himself. Two thousand years later, we still admire her, but on that day many scoffed. Discarding the personal plans for her life, she obeys God and changes this world forever. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.

Do you remember Jesus’s story? At the center of it is obedience. Jesus did nothing wrong. He lived for thirty-three years and never committed a single sin. If salvation can be earned, then Jesus was home free. Unfortunately, salvation cannot be earned. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. Salvation is only possible by the sacrificial acts of Jesus. According to Mark 14, after Jesus ate the annual Seder with the disciples, he went to the garden to prayer. The scriptures say he was overwhelmed with sorrow, so he prayed these words, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” It was God’s will for Jesus to die an agonizing death, so we have an opportunity to spend eternity in heaven. Jesus didn’t like it, but Jesus obeyed. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.

The problem is not ignorance. The problem is obedience. Don’t tell me you don’t know what God expects you to do. You know you are to love unconditionally. You know you are to forgive. You know you are to have faith. You know you are to respond to human need. You know you are to live generous lives, giving your time, talent and your financial resources. You know these things, but do you obey? How obedient are you? Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.

Mary Fairchild is a Christian blogger. In a blog called Why Is Obedience to God Important, she says there isn’t a single reason why we shouldn’t be obedient to God. She says, there are numerous reasons. Let me read some of them to you.

Jesus calls us to be obedient. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, you need to obey what Jesus said. John 14:15 quotes Jesus. He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Obedience is an act of worship. You cannot earn your salvation by obedience, but you can express your gratitude for your salvation by obedience. Romans 12:1 says, Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.”

God rewards obedience. That is a constant theme in the Bible. Luke 11:28 says, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Obedience to God proves love. 2 John 6 says, “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.”

Obedience to God demonstrates our faith. Your obedience is part of your personal evangelism. 1 John 1:3-4 says, “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him but does not keep his commands is a liar.”

This is the bottom line. If you want to be part of the Kingdom of God, then you must obey. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.

When I was about five years old, my family got our first dog. She was a black miniature dachshund by the name of Jenny. I believe they got her because my Uncle Bob and Aunt Phyllis had two miniature dachshunds, Heidi and Fritz. They were great dogs. They loved everyone. Jenny wasn’t a great dog. She hated nearly everyone. She hated children, including me. She bit me and my friends regularly. She hated all men, including my grandfather. She growled at him the entire time he was in our home. She hated everyone who was in the room when she was eating. She once bit a family friend during mealtime. The woman got mad. She bit the vet during her annual visits, so we had to tranquilize her. She wanted to maim the mailman daily. At some point, my parents decided to take her to obedience school. They wanted to teach her the basic commands, sit, heal, and bark on command. It didn’t go well. During the final exam, she bit the instructor. I believe, she is the only dog in the county to fail obedience school. In the end, her sparkling personality was her demise. That is another story for another day. However, Jenny was not dumb. Jenny loved my mother and my mother loved her. My mother defended the dog’s poor behavior for years. This is the truth. Despite all the biting, we loved Jenny because she was our dog. This is equally true. We loved her but we never trusted her. How could you? She was disobedient and may have been the world’s worst dog.

What does my childhood family dog, Jenny, have to do Lord’s Prayer? You are more like a miniature black dachshund of yesterday than you think. Just think about it for a moment. We loved our disobedient dog, but we never trusted her. In the end, she was the one who missed out. In the same way, God loves His disobedient people, but He can’t trust them. How obedient are you to God’s will? Maybe this is a better question. Can God trust you? In the end, the disobedient miss out. Joyce Meyer (born 1946) is an American author and speaker. She once said, “Obedience to God is the pathway to the life you really want to live.” Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done.

Our Father

For the next five weeks we are going to be in the Gospel of Matthew, so it is important you get some background. The early church believed it was written by the the former tax collector, then disciple, then Apostle Matthew, between the years AD 50 and 70. The original recipients were Greek-speaking Jewish Christians. That is why Matthew quotes more Old Testament verses than Mark, Luke or John. It was written for one reason. He wanted to proclaim Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. That is helpful but what is equally helpful is the outline of the Gospel. Matthew contains five great discourses. Our reading for today comes from the first.

It is found in the sixth chapter of Matthew. Many call it the Sermon on the Mount. It covers chapters five through seven. Several years ago, I was in Israel and part of our tour was the location of the Sermon on the Mount. I was surprised. It was more of a hill than a mountain. Jesus must have had strong lungs for all to hear. Many believe, it didn’t happen on a single occasion. They believe it is a collection of Jesus’s teaching from various times and locations. They may be right. I don’t know. However, what I do know is the Sermon on the Mount is rich in divine truth found in three different kinds of literature. The first are the beatitudes, the blessings. The second are the ethical teachings. The third is the contrast between Jesus’s teaching and the teachings of the orthodox faith. The Sermon on the Mount ends with a short parable about practicing what Jesus taught. Our reading for today, Matthew 6:5-13, is considered an ethical teaching.

In our reading for today, Jesus teaches us about prayer. He begins by saying that prayer must be sincere. Pray is not about religion, it is about a relationship. Do not pray to show off your piety to impress others. Pray to build a relationship with God. Please don’t misunderstand the scripture. There are times we pray in public. The faith is lived out in a community. For example, I utter a Pastoral Prayer three times each Sunday. I pray before each meeting and meal. It is important we pray together as a church. There are times we pray with fellow believers. For example, I pray with people who are hospitalized. People expect me to pray before their surgery. There are times we pray alone. Those are the times we can be completely honest with God and share our greatest concerns with Him. That is when I pray for my wife, children, and granddaughter. That is where I confess my great shortcomings, disappointments and fears. The location and the company do not matter. The only thing that matters is our prayers are sincere. Let me state the obvious. Jesus understood the value of pray! According to the Lord’s Prayer the first thing every prayer must contain is praise. How much time do you spend praising God in prayer?

The Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) was one of the leading military and political figures of Britain in the 19^th century. He was the one who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. History remembers him as a demanding leader. He rarely showered his subordinates with compliments. Yet, even Wellington realized that his methods left something to be desired. In his old age a young lady asked him what, if anything, he would do differently if he had his life to live over again. Wellington thought for a moment, then replied. “I’d give more praise,” he said. I hope that isn’t your story. I hope you praise the people in your life because people need encouragement. Life is hard. I hope you praise God because that is what He expects. If you don’t believe me, then look at the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s prayer begins with praise. How does the prayer begin?

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Don’t just recite the words. Slow down and think about them. The word OUR reminds us we are not living out the faith alone. The word OUR means we are part of a community. There are 2.4 billion Christians in the world today and you stand with them. The faith was not meant to be lived out in isolation. The faith was meant to be lived out in community. That is why church is so important. The word FATHER in Greek in the prayer is close to the English word for DADDY. God is not a harsh distant father, always correcting. God is an intimate loving father, always encouraging and loving. The words HEAVEN and HALLOWED remind us God is an all-powerful and pure God. There is no way you can compare your imperfect life to our perfect God. With that understanding, look at that verse again. Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, it is a praise. The Lord’s Prayer is a model praise. That means Jesus expects you to included praises to God in each one of our prayers. Do your prayers contain praise? Here is a question you must answer. Why is it so important that our prayers contain praise? There are two correct answers. First, God expects us to praise him. Second, our praise to God is beneficial to us.

Debbie McDaniel, along with her husband, have been in the ministry for years. She is a blogger for crosswalk. Many have found them beneficial. She wrote a blog called: What the Power of Praise Can Do. In the blog, she says there are five benefits to praising God. I cannot disagree with any one of them. She hit the nail on the head. Here is her list:

Praise gets the focus off yourself, and back on God. When we praise God, we stop thinking about ourselves. Let me tell you something you already know. Life is not all about you. We know that in our heads, but we all tend to be selfish. God expects us to keep our eyes on Him, because He is our true hope. Psalm 150:2 says, “Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for his excellent greatness.”

Praise brings us to a place of humility. When we praise God, we admit our dependency on God. God is in control, not us. Psalm 95:3 says, For the Lord is a great God, a great king above all Gods.”

Praise leaves no time for complaining and negativity. When we praise God, there is no time left for negativity or complaining. Some people believe it is their role in the life of the church to complain. Do you know of anyone who complains all the time? How much time do you spend encouraging? How much time do you spend complaining? Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

Praise makes room for God’s blessings in our lives. When we praise God, we identify our blessings more easily. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.”

Praise invites God’s presence. When you praise God, you invite him into your presence. Psalm 22:3 says, “He inhabits the praise of His people.”

I would encourage you to write those five things down. You will need them the next time you discover your prayers are void of praise. The first line of the Lord’s Prayer reminds us our prayers must contain praise.

Years ago, I was involved in a pulpit exchange in another community. I arrived early to meet the people and to settle before I preached. A woman holding a purse met me at the door and I identified myself. She didn’t know what to do with me, so she ask if I wanted to go to an adult Sunday school class. To be honest, I didn’t, but it was expected, so I said, “Sure.” I was escorted to a room down the hall and was introduced to a man wearing an old brown suit and tie. He welcomed me and encouraged me to take a seat at the end of the table. When the other six class members showed up, the lesson began. It was a lesson from the Old Testament, but the group seemed more interested in olden times. For about fifty minutes, they reminisced and cursed our modern world. Everything was better when they were young. As the hour came to an end, the man in the old brown suit and tie encouraged the group to bow their heads for prayer. He pulled a piece of paper out of his suit coat pocket and prayed. In his prayer he prayed for the people on his list. His prayer was close to this:

God, we prayer for Mildred who is struggling with shingles. We pray for Ed who is struggling with kidney stones. We pray for Betty who is having hip surgery and Dave who is having knee surgery. We pray for Ernie whose dog ran away and we pray for my granddaughter, Melissa, who wants a date with a guy named Steve. We prayer for Sue’s grandson who is back in rehab.

The pray went on for about five minutes and he closed with an Amen.

It was an odd prayer. As a rule, I am not critical of other people’s prayers and I have no doubt his prayer was sincere. However, his prayer seemed incomplete. His prayer seemed out of balance. He wanted the best for the people in his life, but that didn’t seem like enough. He wasn’t praying to God. He was informing God. Ok, I will say it. To my ears, his prayer seemed selfish. Can I ask you an uncomfortable question? To God, do our prayers sound selfish? There is more to prayer than informing God about our needs and wants. There must be praise. Our praise is important because it forces us to get our attention off ourselves and on God. M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965) was a Christian doctor. However, he was also the co-editor of Our Daily Bread. He wasn’t wrong. He once said, “If we would talk more about the Lord and praise Him, we would have less time to talk about ourselves.”

What Does the Bible Say?

In 1857, John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1820-1891) wrote one of the great hymns of the church, We Three Kings. At the time, Hopkins served as the rector of the Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. However, he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City. The carol is a combination of Bible and tradition. Tradition, not the Bible, tells us they were kings. Tradition, not the Bible, tells us there were three kings. Tradition, not the Bible, tells us the names of the three kings. Melchior was an old gray-headed man with a long white beard. He brought the gold. Caspar was young and beardless. He brought the frankincense. The myrrh was brought by Balthasar, who was dark-complexioned. Those things are interesting, but those things aren’t in Bible. We are a Biblical church, which means we are more interested in what the Bible says about the Magi (not kings).

We find ourselves today in the second chapter of Matthew. According to that chapter, sometime after Jesus was born, Magi came from the east to see the newborn king. They had seen the star which announced his birth. That sounds innocent enough, but it led to many dark days. Do you remember what they say about assuming? The Magi assumed the newborn king was born in the palace. They were wrong. They should have stopped and asked the shepherds. He was born in a barn. Their wrong assumption ignited the insecurities of the sitting monarch, King Herod. He summons all his counselors and discovers where the child was born. The Magi told him when he was born. The Magi never see Herod again. Thanks to a dream, they returned home by another route. Once Herod discovered he had been fooled by the Magi, he gave a cruel order. Based on what he knew, he ordered the death of all baby boys in the vacancy of Bethlehem who were two years old or younger to be killed. That means your nativity set is wrong. The Magi and the shepherds never met. What does the Bible say? It says the star rested over a house, not a barn or manger. Here is a question you must answer.

Why is the story of the Magi so important to us today? There are two reasons. First, the Magi illustrate for us that Jesus came for all people, the Jews and the Gentiles. The Magi were Gentiles, non-Jews. All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. Second, the Magi model for us true discipleship. Never forget we are in the disciple making business. In true discipleship three things must happen. The Magi do each one. Let’s look at them individually.

Shortly after Booker T. Washington (1856-1919) took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him, and later revealed his identity to the lady. The next morning, the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. “It’s perfectly all right, Madam,” he replied. “Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.” She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating large sums of money to the Tuskegee Institute. God uses humble people.

First, the Bible says the Magi bowed down. In other words, they humbled themselves.Who were the Magi? Many have tried to answer that question. Some say they were scientists. Some say they were astrologers. Some say they were politicians. Some say they military officers. Some say they were priests. We do not know who the Magi were, but we do know they were important, and they bowed down and worshipped Jesus. In other words, they humbled themselves before Jesus. That fact is so important. True discipleship begins with humility. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Do the people in your life consider you humble? The Magi bowed down.

Money is always a challenge in the life of the church. We are no exception. Because money comes in unequally, we never know where we stand until the end of the year. In many cases, I am convinced churches like to cry ‘poor’ because churches generally don’t want to do anything. That isn’t the case here. I saw the final treasurers report for 2019. I am pleased to report, we met the budget. In other words, all the bills are paid, and we paid our district and conference support in 2019. That is impressive. However, in my opinion, the best part of the report is the fact they we raised approximately thousands of dollars for missions. That included things like Heifer International, Estonia, Baton Rouge and the rest. That figure came from the church’s treasurer’s report and does include other groups like United Methodist Women or Helping Hand. They gave generously too. That figure does include our various collections, like the giving tree, warm weather tree, socks and food collections. Generosity is the sign of a growing church. (Don’t get too excited. We started over again on New Year’s Day at zero.)

Second, the Bible says the Magi opened-up. What did the Magi give? Everyone knows the answer. They gave Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh. They were odd gifts for baby. Gold was a great gift for a king. Jesus is the king of kings. Frankincense was a great gift for a priest. Jesus is the great high priest. Myrrh was a great gift for the dying. Jesus died so we could live. Those gifts had one thing in common. They were expensive! That means the Magi were generous. How we spend our money says a great deal about our priorities and our spiritual maturity. Hebrews 13:16 says, “And do not forget to do good and share with others, for such sacrifices please God.” Do the people in your life consider you a generous person?The Magi bowed down. The Magi opened-up.

Third, the Bible says the Magi changed. According to the scripture, after the Magi worshipped Jesus, they stayed long enough to need sleep. As they slept, they dreamed and in one of those dreams they were warned to return home by another route, hence avoiding Herod. In other words, they knew what God wanted them to do and they changed. In our time, we know what God wants us to do, but we seldom change. For example, we continue to love selectively, not universally. If you want to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, then you must be prepared to change. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Do the people in your life consider you flexible?

Did you know on approximately 40% of Americans make a New Year’s resolution? That figure came from the Cleveland Clinic. Most resolutions revolve around three things. The first is health. “I am going to lose weight.” The second is economics. “I am going to get out of debt.” The third is education. “I am going to learn something new.” The Cleveland Clinic also tells us 90% of resolutions are forgotten in a few weeks.

On New Year’s Eve, Kathryn and I were with friends. She asked me the question many have asked me through the years. “What is your New Year’s resolution?” I have answered that question the same way I have for many years. THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO BE A BETTER PERSON. However, this year I have decided to make a different resolution. THIS YEAR I AM GOING TO TAKE MY DISCIPLESHIP MORE SERIOUSLY. I would challenge you to do the same. However, let me warn you. Discipleship is not easy. It takes work. You must do what the Magi did. They humbled themselves. They were generous with their time, talent and finances. They changed. They obeyed what God commanded. Can the same thing be said about you? Brandon Cox is the founding and Lead Pastor of Grace Hill Church in Bentonville, Arkansas. He once said, “Discipleship is the art and science of helping people find, follow and fully become like Jesus.