Tag: God

Norman Vincent Peale’s Tattoo 

Our scripture for today is 1 Peter 2:4-12. First Peter is writing a circular letter. He is not writing to any particular church or individual. He was writing to all Christians of his time, so his words had to fit every situation. So, what do you say to everyone that is relevant to everyone? He appeals to their most basic issues of life itself. This letter shows Peter’s pastoral side. In a firm and loving way, he tells them to keep living the faith. That sounds easy, but it is quite hard. It has always been hard. In the first century they were worried about Christian persecution. The threat was obvious. In our generation it is more subtle. The threat is no longer external; it is internal. The world is encouraging us to compromise the faith away. We live in the most immoral times in American history. We have become masters at compromising everything. We should live as aliens in this world. We should always have our eyes fixed on heaven. Peter tells us today to stop compromising faith, and start living the faith. 

Today, I want to talk about living the faith. The text reminds us that living the faith involves three things. If you want to live the faith, then you first must learn to love life. How do you feel about your life? Second, you must learn to love others. You do not live in isolation. You live in a world filled with people. Third, you must learn to love Christ. Jesus is simply the greatest life that ever lived. These three are the keys to unlocking your faith and living satisfying lives. They will change you from feeling like a loser to a winner. Let me begin.

First, you must love life. Look at the words Peter uses to describe his readers. They are not harsh words. They are affirming words. Verses nine and ten say, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  Those are God’s words to you. Do you believe them? Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist Victor Frankl (1905-1997) once said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, his attitude.”  

United Methodist James W. Moore (1938-2019) told the story of a woman who went to a doctor. It wasn’t her first visit. She went to the doctor every time she was down. She asked the doctor for a new pill to make her feel better. The doctor asked her to step into the back. The storage room was filled with countless empty pill bottles. The doctor looked at the woman and said, “Each one of these bottles is like every day in your life. You have a choice. Will you fill your days with medicine that will bring hope and healing to the people in your life? Or will you fill your days with poison that will bring death? The choice is yours.” That is the choice that we make every day in our life. What is your choice? This is my question for you: 

Do you love life? Jesus is the greatest gift we will ever receive. Life is the second greatest gift we will ever receive. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Love life!

Second, you must love others. It is woven through the fabric of the New Testament. It was why Peter wrote this epistle. He encourages others in the faith. If he had not cared, then not a single word would have been written. I hope your attitude is not like Prussia’s Fredrick the Great (1712-1786). He said, “The more I get to know people, the more I love my dog.” 

Peter Arnett (born 1934) was a CNN television commentator and reporter. He tells of a time he was in Israel, in a small town on the West Bank, when a bomb exploded. Bloodied people were everywhere. A man came running up to Peter holding a little girl in his arms. He pleaded with Peter to take her to a hospital. As a member of the press, he would be able to get through security. Peter, the man and the girl jumped into his car and rushed to the hospital. The whole time the man was pleading with him to hurry, to go faster, heartbroken at the thought the little girl might die. Sadly, the little girl’s injuries were too great, and she died on the operating table. When the doctor came out to give them the news, the man collapsed in tears. Peter Arnett was at a loss for words. “I don’t know what to say. I can’t imagine what you must be going through. I’ve never lost a child.” It was then that the man said, “Oh, mister! That girl was not my daughter. I’m an Israeli settler. She was a Palestinian. But there comes a time when each of us must realize that every child, regardless of that child’s background, is a daughter or a son. There must come a time when we realize that we are all family.”  

One of the great challenges in life is staying in love with people. Let us be honest. There are many people who aren’t even likeable. It would be easy to ignore them. But we can’t do it, because Jesus told us, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Why would Jesus say such a thing? The Master understood we find support in the healthiest relationships in our lives. Love life! Love others!

Third, you must love Christ. I love the story of the man who collected old books.  He met an acquaintance who had just thrown away a Bible that had been stored in the attic of his ancestral home for generations. “I couldn’t read it,” the friend explained. “Somebody named Guten-something had printed on it.” “Not Gutenberg!” the book lover exclaimed in horror. “That Bible was one of the first books ever printed. Why, a copy just sold for over two million dollars!” His friend was unimpressed. “Mine wouldn’t have brought a dollar. Some fellow named Martin Luther had scribbled all over it in German.”  

You see, that is the story of our lives. The world says our value comes from who we are. The faith tells us we are of value because of whose we are. It is an incredible story. The God of the universe came into the world and took a human form. He lived the perfect life and was executed as a common criminal. He suffered and died. Why? Because you are so valuable to Him! God knows what we often forget. We are winners! Consider these facts.

Did you know, only 13% of American women consider themselves pretty. Did you know only 28% of American men think themselves handsome. 94% of American men would change something about their looks if they could. 99% of American women would change something about their looks if they could. Can I be honest with you? You are perfect! I wouldn’t change a thing! The real question is, how do you feel about yourself? Do you feel like a winner or a loser? Love life! Love others! Love Christ!

American Protestant clergyman Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) told the story of walking down the streets of Hong Kong. He came across a tattoo shop. In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. There were all kinds of tattoos. However, one tattoo stood out. It was just three words: BORN TO LOSE. He entered the shop in astonishment and pointed to those words. He asked the Chinese tattoo artist, “Does anyone really have that terrible phrase, ‘born to lose’, tattooed on their body?” He replied, “Yes, sometimes.” Peale said, “I just can’t believe that anyone in his right mind would do that.” The Chinese man simply tapped his forehead and said in broken English, “Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.” Can I ask you a question?

Would you buy that tattoo, BORN TO LOSE? Maybe you should consider the tattoo, I AM A WINNER. After all, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, and you know how to live.  Disciples of Jesus love life. Disciples of Jesus love others. Disciples of Jesus love him. American Protestant author, teacher, and preacher Francis Chan (born 1967) once said, “Following Jesus is not something you do halfheartedly or on the side. It is not a label you can display when it is useful. It must be central to everything we do and are.”

Talking to God

The founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland was John Knox (1514-1572). He died on November 24, 1572. Historians tell us that as he lay on his death bed he asked his wife, thirty-two years his junior, to read the prayer in John 17. In that chapter, Jesus is about to be arrested, so Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and all believers. As Knox heard Jesus’s prayer, he seemed to forget his own weakness. Suddenly he began to pray. He prayed for his fellowmen. He prayed for the ungodly who had thus far rejected the gospel. He prayed for recent converts. He prayed for protection for the Lord’s servants, many of whom were facing persecution. He prayed a word of thanksgiving. As Knox prayed, his spirit went home to be with the Lord. The man of whom Queen Mary of Scotland (1542-1587) had said, “I fear his prayers more than I do the armies of my enemies,” ministered through prayer until the moment of his death.  

What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? One of the great privileges I had in the ministry was praying with people. I have prayed with people at some incredible times. Both the best and worst in life seem to lead us to prayer. I prayed with young couples who had just welcomed a child into the world. I prayed with young couples who experienced one of life’s greatest disappointments. I prayed with couples who had just decided to unite in marriage. I prayed with people who had decided to end their marriage. I prayed with families who were waiting for a loved one to pass. I prayed with people during a long surgery. I prayed before church dinners and meetings. I prayed for sick family pets and the blessing of a new home. I prayed early on Easter morning and late on Christmas Eve. I prayed for those who are incarcerated and those who were miles away serving our country. I prayed for strangers and for the people I love the most. I have asked people to pray for me when I was sick and recovering from surgery. What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? Martin Luther (1483-1546) said, “If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.” That leads us to our scripture reading, Mark 1:35-39.

According to the text, it is Sunday and Jesus is praying. Jesus is physically, emotionally, and spiritually spent. Saturday had been a long day. We will never know how long he taught in the synagogue. We will never know how many people were healed. We will never know how many demons he exorcised. What we do know is that Jesus was tired, but the population of Capernaum was energized about Jesus. Verse thirty-five says Jesus got up early the next day to pray. We do not know the content of his prayer, but it must have been something special. He decides to leave his popularity in Capernaum and teach in other synagogues throughout Galilee. 

However, there is more to this story than discovering Jesus’ itinerary. It models for us the importance of prayer. If you are a prayer warrior, then you understand the next line. Prayer changes the one who prays. You may think you are changing the outcome, but you are really changing yourself. When you pray, you change your heart. Consider these three things with me.

First, prayer changes your agenda. Look at the text with me. Verse thirty-five says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”  In other words, Jesus had a plan. He didn’t wait until an opportunity presented itself. Jesus was very intentional about prayer. He got up early and went to a private place to pray. Are you intentional in your prayer life, or does prayer just happen when an opportunity presents itself? Why is this point so important? It is my experience that people find time for things that are important to them. There is never time for things that are not important. 

Years ago, when I was a seminary student, Christmas fell on a Sunday. I remember that year clearly because it was the first Christmas morning I wouldn’t be home. I served a small membership church near Danville, Kentucky and duty called. I preached both on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. I planned to leave for home after Sunday morning worship. My parishioners worried about me driving home. They lived in Garrard County and rarely left their little corner of the world. They saw northeastern Ohio as another planet. They asked for a short service on Christmas morning so I could get on the road, because they didn’t want me to get home too late. It was about 400 miles. One of the men surprised me by filling up my car with gas during the service, and I drove from Danville, Kentucky to Akron, Ohio.

When I got to Akron, I needed a break and some gas. The only gas station that was open was manned by a hairy young fellow with worn-out jeans. He was wearing a shirt that looked like something stolen from Goodwill, and a large multicolored wrinkled hoodie. I walked in and said, “It stinks to work on Christmas Day!”  He smiled and said, “I don’t care. I am off on New Year’s Eve! I am having a party! I couldn’t care less about Christmas, but I wouldn’t miss the party.”  He asked me, “What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?”  I said, “I don’t know.”  I hadn’t even thought about New Year’s Eve. It is all a matter of priority. Honestly, I am normally depressed on New Year’s Eve because Christmas is over.

Have you ever noticed people make time for what is important to them? How much time do you spend at work? How much time do you spend golfing? How much time do you spend watching television? How much time do you spend watching football? How much time do you spend playing with the children in your life? How much time do you spend in prayer? Those questions expose your priorities in your life. We make time for the things that are important to us. Prayer changes your agenda.

Second, prayer changes your heart. Prayer makes you more sensitive to human need.  Jesus got up early to pray. Then the disciples came and told him everyone was looking for him. He was the talk of the town! But Jesus wasn’t interested in popularity. He was more concerned about others. Prayer led Jesus to the physical and spiritual needs of his world. Verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine say, “Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.”  That piece of scripture tells us prayer calls us to action.Never forget, faith is a verb. The great reformer Martin Luther also said, “Pray as if everything depends on God, then work as if everything depends on you.”  Where are your prayers leading you? 

Years ago, the Salvation Army was holding their international convention and their founder, Gen. William Booth (1829-1912), could not attend because of physical weakness. He cabled the convention his message. His one-word message was: “OTHERS.” That is the one message that God has sent to our world from the very beginning. The problem is, we aren’t listening. We are so consumed with ourselves that we have missed it. Prayer is not about our needs and wants. Life is not about our needs and our wants. Life and prayer are about OTHERS! God is sending you to the intersection in your life where your personal interest meets human need. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart.

Third, prayer will change your relationship with God. Prayer cultivates a friendship with God. Real friendships take time to grow. Have you ever noticed how much time Jesus spent praying? He is cultivating a relationship with God, an intimacy with God. Let me give you a short, incomplete list of all the times in scripture that Jesus prayed. 

1. Mark 1:35   Jesus prayed in the morning 

2. Mark 6:46   Jesus prayed in the evening 

3. Luke 5:16   Jesus heals the leper and retreats for prayer 

4. Luke 6:12    Jesus prays all night and then calls the twelve 

5. Luke 9:18    Jesus is praying with the disciples 

6. Luke 22:41  Jesus is praying in the garden of Gethsemane 

Do I have to go on? Jesus was always praying because it was a priority to him.  Prayer was a priority to him because he was trying to stay connected to God. When you pray, you are cultivating a friendship with God. 

I am always humbled when I say this, but when we pray, we are talking to the God of the universe. Maybe the reasons you don’t feel an intimacy with God is because you haven’t spent enough time cultivating your friendship with God? Prayer is not just informing God of your needs and your wants. Prayer is taking the time to develop a relationship with God. German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) once said, “Physics is easy, relationships are complex”.  Take time to cultivate the most important relationship you will ever have, your relationship with God. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart. Prayer will change your relationship with God.

Bill Moyers (born 1934) was a special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973). He was asked to say grace before a meal in the family quarters of the White House. As Moyers began praying softly, the President interrupted him with “Speak up, Bill! Speak up!” The former Baptist minister from east Texas stopped in mid-sentence and without looking up replied steadily, “I wasn’t talking to you, Mr. President. I was talking to God.” When was the last time you talked to God?  

Children of the Light

On February 3, 2013, the city of New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. San Francisco played Baltimore. The Ravens won 34-31. It was a perfect evening for the National Football League, except for a few embarrassing moments. Early in the third quarter there was a blackout in the Superdome. Over 108.4 million people were watching the game when the lights suddenly went out. At the time, it was a big issue with a surplus of finger pointing. The media had a field day. They interviewed many about the situation.

One media outlet interviewed three women who were at the game. They were in one of the sections that grew dark. The interviewer asked them what they did. They said they did three things. First, they tried to stay calm. Second, they decided to stay together. Third, they left their seats and headed toward the exit. They never left the stadium, but they stood near the exit. One of the women said, “We stood near the exit and looked out into the city streets. We saw a light in the distance and decided to run toward that light if something went wrong.” That is the story of the Christian faith. At some point in your life, you ran toward “the light of the world” for protection. That takes us to our scripture reading.

Our scripture reading is Ephesians 5:8-14. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Christian congregation in the city of Ephesus, which is in present day Turkey, approximately the year AD 60. I had the good fortune to visit there last year. It is an amazing place, and the background of the epistle is important. Paul is not writing to them to address any problem. There is no sign of heresy or internal conflict. Instead, Paul is writing them with a word of encouragement. He is challenging them not to be content with their present spiritual condition. Instead, they must strive for perfection. In other words, they must strive to be a little more like Jesus every day. To completely understand the text, you must know Paul uses the word “light” to symbolize Jesus. His thought is not original. Jesus called himself “the light of the world” in John 8:12. That makes us, as disciples of Jesus Christ, children of the light, and as children of the light we are striving to become like Jesus.

That does not mean conversion is not important. Every conversion story stands on its own. There is no such thing as a good story or a bad story. It is just your story. Some conversion stories are filled with sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Like jumping off the high drive, everything changed in an instant. Some conversion stories lack fireworks. You waded into the faith because you were loved by Christian people. Your parents took you to church, enrolled you in Sunday school then confirmation class, and sent you to church camp or on a mission trip. When the Holy Spirit moved you, you accepted Jesus. No one noticed but you would never be the same again. How you accepted Jesus really doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you accepted Jesus. However, conversion is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of the story. It is the beginning of a journey that will consume your life.

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior forty-nine years ago. I like to think I have made some progress in the faith. I hate to think my faith is the same as it was as a seventeen-year-old boy. Your spiritual growth is not an option, it is expected. 1 Peter 2:2-3 says, “Like newborn babes, carve spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” As children of the light, Jesus should transform your life. The bloggers at Divinity Jewells say Jesus should transform our lives in four ways.

Jesus transforms our minds. Romans 2:2 says, “Do not conform to the ways of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Paul understood one of the great influences on our lives is our environment. The country in which we are born, the community in which we live, the family in which we belong, all influence us. That is not always a bad thing, but there is a risk. The attitudes of our environment can run contrary to the ways of God. For example, we are taught to love conditionally, but Jesus loves unconditionally. Our attitudes should never completely be conformed to the ways of this world. Jesus must be the greatest influence on your life. My we never forget we are just visitors in this world.

Jesus transforms our desires. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” What does your heart desire? It is a fair question. Many in our world desire the best for themselves. How many people do you know desire wealth, so they dream of winning the lottery? Others desire recognition, status, position, and fame. The world tells us to desire the best for ourselves, but Jesus desired the best for others. Sometimes it was the temporary things of this world – health and security. Sometimes it was eternal things – salvation. The spiritual mature desire what Jesus desired. Jesus desired what was best for others. What do you desire?

Jesus transforms our relationships. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus commands us to love one another the way that he loves us. In Matthew 26:37-38, Jesus tells us loving our neighbor is the second greatest commandment. How would your relationships change if you simply loved the people in your life? How much drama would you eliminate from your life if you simply loved the people in your life. And everyone in your life loved you? Our relationships are extremely valuable.

Jesus transforms our purpose. In my time in the ministry, I never forgot the bigger picture. I was not working for profit. I was not working for my church or my Bishop. I was working for the Kingdom of God. It consumed me. That is why my personal witness was important. That is why I gave my best to every church I served. John 15:16 says we are to bear fruit that will last. I hope I did. What is your purpose in life?

When I was in seminary, I served a small membership church in Garrard County, Kentucky. The people of the Pleasant Grove Christian Church were patient with me. They were kind to me at a time when I needed some kindness. Most of my parishioners are gone, but I long to worship in that church one more time. If I did anything positive in the ministry, it was because of them. They encouraged me at a time when I needed some encouragement. Without them, I would have left the ministry. That church had a custom that was unique. I have never experienced it anywhere else.

They called it the “The Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing.” The concept was simple. On the fifth Sunday of the month the various Christian churches in the county got together. The location rotated but the order of worship was constant. The host pastor welcomed everyone, invited the crowd to stay for refreshments, and prayed. We would sing a few congregational hymns, then all the choirs from the various churches shared two pieces. Near the end of the service the pastor would ask if anyone had a testimony to share. A few brave souls would come forward to speak. One man from the Mount Hebron Christian Church came forward every time we gathered.

He was an older gentleman who wore an old dark suit, yellowed white shirt and a tie with an American flag print. His story was simple and sincere. He was sixteen years old, and his mother insisted he attend the annual revival. Reluctantly, he went and sat in the corner of the back row. He expected to leave before the benediction, but the preacher talked about hell that evening. The topic grabbed his attention and he hung on every word. He didn’t want to go to hell, so when the altar call was given, he ran to the front of the church as the congregation sang “I Surrender All.” He ended his testimony full of emotions. His final words were, “Thank-you Jesus! Thank-you Lord!” It was a fine story.

I served that congregation for three years and I never missed a Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing, so I must have heard that gentleman’s story twelve times. I knew his testimony better than I knew my own. His testimony was excellent, but it was incomplete. I wanted to ask him if God had done something for him since he was sixteen years old? What was the rest of his story? The Apostle Paul was encouraging the Christians at Ephesus to continue to grow spiritually. As Children of the light, we must continue to grow spiritually too. American author and psychiatrist M. Scott Peck (1936-2005) once said, “The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning.”

Perfect Balance

On February 24, 1584, Pope Gregory VIII (1105-1187) signed a papal decree that the Christian world would accept the new Gregorian calendar. The motivation behind the Gregorian calendar was the Julian calendar, which assumes that the earth takes 365.25 days to circle around the sun. The days are divided into twelve months and an extra day is added every four years. According to the Gregorian calendar the new year begins on the first day of January.

Today, the new year is celebrated around the world. Can you name any other holiday that the world, in its entirety, embraces more than New Years? Did you know Sydney, Australia celebrates the New Year by exploding 80,000 fireworks for an estimated crowd of 1.5 million at the stroke of midnight? In Valparaiso, Chile two million come to see fireworks explode. In England, everyone gathers at the London Eye to watch fireworks as Big Ben strikes midnight. In New York City, a crystal ball is dropped in a one-minute countdown in Times Square. Edinburgh, Scotland hosts the world’s largest Hogmanay events to celebrate the New Year. The event lasts four days. In Rio de Janeiro two million people gather on the famous Copacabana Beach to watch a fifteen-minute fireworks display. Finally, in Central America New Year’s events are scheduled throughout the entire month of January.

Can I ask you a simple question? Why do so many people get excited about New Years? The world does not celebrate any other day on the calendar like New Year’s Day. Why January 1? Just think about it. There is nothing special about March 1. We barely notice it. No one cares about August 1. The world does not notice the coming of November 1. December 1 is lost in the Christmas season. What makes January 1 so special? Why do so many people get excited about a New Year? If you surveyed the worldwide crowds, then you would discover there are several reasons why people celebrate the New Year.

Some celebrate the New Year because they will celebrate anything. This group is always ready to party. Are you in this group? They are the same people who pretend to be Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day. They are the same people who pretend to have Mexican roots on Cinco De Mayo. For this group any reason is a good reason to party, so why not celebrate New Year’s Day?

Some celebrate the New Year because they are glad to see the old year go. Maybe you are glad to see 2023 go. For many, it was a difficult year. I have had years I am glad to see end. You will always remember 2023 as the year you did not have a job. You will remember 2023 as the year you lost a loved one. Or you may remember 2023 as the year you discovered that you had cancer or some other health issue. Every year is not a happy year. I remember 2020 as the year of the pandemic. It frustrated our good lives. Some years are a mix of the very best and the very worst. 2021 was the year my daughter got married and the year I had major surgery. How will you remember 2023?

Some celebrate the New Year because it symbolizes a brand-new start. Do you need a brand-new start? I use an electronic calendar, but my wife still uses a paper calendar. I will admit it, there is something about a brand-new paper calendar. Your old calendar is faded and worn but your new calendar is clear and crisp. Each day is empty and filled with possibilities. What do you want to do better in 2024? What area of your life do you want to improve? That is why people make New Year’s resolutions. Have you ever made a resolution to mend a broken relationship? Have you ever made a resolution to watch less television and read more? Have you ever made a resolution to eat less or exercise more? Now is the time to improve yourself! There is no better time to improve yourself than right now.Let us look at our scripture lesson.

We are instructed today from the first nine verses in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes. These words were written by King Solomon. He will always be remembered as a man of wisdom. Some have questioned that because he had 700 wives. (One is enough for me!) Our scripture reminds us that life should be lived in balance. There is no way you could miss the pattern of these verses. There is a time for this and a time for that. If you look at the text, you discover that the this’s and the that’s are linked. Nothing should be done all the time. Nothing should be eliminated all the time. Life is meant to be lived in a certain balance. For example, no one should work 24/7. On the other hand, no one should vacation 24/7. The wise one, Solomon, tells us life must be lived in balance. Are you living your life in balance?

Is your spiritual life in balance? In Matthew 4:4, Jesus quotes, Deuteronomy 8:3. It says, “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Our world has a surplus of people who are living spiritually out of balance. There is a time to do the temporary things of this world and a time to do the eternal things of God. How much time do you spend doing temporary secular things? (Working, paying bills, cleaning the house) How much time do you spend doing eternal things with God? (Worship, devotion, prayer) Solomon believed mankind is basically blind to God’s meaning for man’s existence. We spend our days chasing after things that really don’t matter. How many meaningless things are going to fill your calendar in 2024? How much time are you going to give God in 2024?

This is the good news for today – now is the time! There is no better time to improve yourself than right now. Now is the time to break your old secular patterns and draw near to God. My goal is to help you live more balanced lives, spiritually. I am going to do that by reminding you of one thing and then challenge you to do something else. There is a time for the things of this world and there is a time for God.

First, if you want to live a balanced spiritual life then I want to remind you that you are a child of God. That is easy to forget in our world. We are so busy running around; we are so busy dealing with life’s problems and challenges. Never forget, you belong to God. The Westminster Confession of Faith says, “The purpose of life is to glorify God.” In Romans 14:8 Paul says, “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”  Never forget that you are a child of God. Is the way that you live bringing glory to God?

On September 3, 1967, the old television game show What’s My Line? went off the air. It had been a staple on CBS for seventeen years, airing 867 episodes. Do you remember What’ s My Line? If you do, then you have been watching television for over fifty-five years! Do you remember how the game was played? What’s My Line was a guessing game. The three-person panel would ask the guest ten yes and no questions. They were trying to discover their vocation. At the end the panelists would guess what the guest did for a living. In seventeen years, the country discovered there were many odd vocations and many people who did not stereotypically look like their vocation. So let me ask you the question:

What is your line? You can earn money in many ways. You may be a teacher, preacher, librarian, engineer, secretary, or a person of business. Those are ways to earn money, but they are not your primary purpose in life. Your job is just a part that you play in this world. It is how you pay the bills. However, what you really are is a child of God. If you are going to live a balanced life, both secularly and spiritually, then never forget your true purpose, to glorify God. Does your life bring glory to God? Or do you have some work to do?

Second, if you want to live a balanced spiritual life then I challenge you to develop a plan to help you grow spiritually. In other words, I want you to schedule God into your life. I hope you make God a real priority in your life. There should be a time for service and a time for spiritual disciplines. Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) once said, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”  Now is the time. What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024?

Years ago, I preached a sermon series on the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. Do you remember his story? He went back to the city of Jerusalem. The city at that point in history lay in ruins. Nehemiah dreamed of building a wall around the city so he could rebuild it. Along the way we learned that he was both a visionary and a leader. We learned he was detail oriented. Do you remember? He had a plan. He knew the length of the completed wall. He knew the height of the completed wall. He knew the thickness of the completed wall. Based on those facts he knew what he needed to complete the wall. Having a plan doesn’t mean you don’t trust God, having a plan simply means you going to do your best for God.

What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024? Maybe one of the reasons you aren’t growing in faith is that you don’t have a plan? Now is the time to plan. How much time are you planning on giving God this year? Are you going to read the Bible more? Are you going to pray more? Are you going to mediate more? Have you scheduled God into your life, or doesn’t God fit into your plans for this year? What is your plan to grow spiritually in 2024? Let me end with the random facts.

Did you know the first electric light was so dim that a candle was needed to see its socket? Did you know the first steamboat took 32 hours to chug its way from New York City to Albany, 150 miles? Did you know Wilbur and Orville Wright’s first airplane flight lasted only 12 seconds? Did you know the first automobiles traveled 2 to 4 miles per hour and broke down often? Carriages would pass them with their passengers shouting, “Get a horse!” What do those stories teach us? How you begin really doesn’t matter. What matters more is how you end.

How are going to end 2024? Are you going to be closer to God then you are at this moment? The great wise one, Solomon, said mankind is basically blind to God’s meaning for man’s existence. We spend our days chasing after things that really don’t matter. Life is meant to be lived in perfect balance! Is your life in perfect balance between the temporary things of this world and the eternal things of God? Or do you have some work to do. Now is the time to begin.

Ther Savior is Born

Everyone knows the name Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). He was a French statesman and military leader, who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. He was the Emperor of France from 1804-1814, and for a short time in 1815. During those years he dominated Europe. In 1809, the name Napoleon grabbed the headlines of every international newspaper. Yet, under the headlines God was at work.

The year 1809 was quite a year in the history of the world. For in that year, some significant babies were born. For example, in 1809, William Gladstone (1809-1898) was born. He grew up to be one of England’s finest statesmen. The great writer Alford Lloyd Tennyson (1809-1892) was born in 1809 to a minister and his wife. In 1809, Oliver Wendall Holmes (1809-1894) was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In Boston, Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was born. In 1809, a physician and his wife, the Darwin’s, welcomed their son into the world. They named him Charles Robert (1809-1882). In 1809, a baby was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky to the Lincolns. They named him Abraham (1809-1865). Napoleon may have been dominating the headlines, but God was moving under the headlines. It has always been that way.

Our scripture reading is Luke 2:1-7. The headline on the day Jesus was born must have read: HIGHER TAXES! No one wanted to read that headline because no one wants higher taxes. Yet, taxes cannot be ignored. So, for that reason, a decree went out throughout the entire Roman world. Everyone had to return home to be counted for tax reasons. Joseph was not excluded. He was required to return to his hometown, Bethlehem. It is not as simple as it sounds. Joseph was traveling with his true love, Mary. The journey began in Nazareth, Mary’s hometown, so the journey was seventy miles long. To make the story even more complicated, Mary was pregnant, and Joseph was not the biological father. She conceived, not by the help of a man, but through the Holy Spirit. Timing is everything. The child comes after the long journey. Some say the baby came while Mary was in a barn, some say he was born in a cave. Regardless, the baby was born surrounded by animals, so they had to be careful where they stepped. Joseph and Mary did as God commanded. According to the Gospel of Matthew, they gave him the name Jesus. It is important that you know Jesus means “to save.” This is the question you must answer: What did Jesus save us from? In this blog, I am going to look at three answers to that one question. This is the first answer.

Jesus came to save us from disillusionment. One of the great stories of this season is A Christmas Carol. It was written by Charles Dickens (1812-1870) in 1843. You know the story. The theology is poor, but the theme is wonderful. The story revolves around a man named Ebenezer Scrooge. When we first meet him, he is a selfish, greedy businessman. His now famous response, “Bah Humbug!” has become a symbol of a disillusioned spirit. However, thanks to the visits of three ghosts, the ghosts of past, present and future, on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is transformed. By Christmas morning his transformation is complete. He became generous, loving, and a gracious servant of society. The reason our society can’t get enough of A Christmas Carol is, we all relate to Ebenezer Scrooge. Can I ask you a question? Have you ever grown disillusioned?

Jesus came to remind us that there is more to this world, than this world itself. The next time you feel disillusioned, remember this. The God of the universe, who created this entire world out of nothing, knows your name. When you are at your lowest, listen for God. He is calling your name to remind you that you are a person of significance. How important are you? You are so important, God sent his one and only son into this world to die for you, so God can spend eternity with you. Jesus came to save us from our disillusionment. This is the second answer.

Jesus came to save us from defeat. In 1939, a man by the name of Robert May (1905-1976) worked for Montgomery Ward department store. For marketing purposes, he was asked to create a new Christmas character. So, he combined two famous characters, Santa Claus and the Ugly Duckling. He called his new character Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer. You know this story too. The misfit reindeer goes on to save the day. Except for a few “Bah Humbug” people, everybody loves the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer because everybody can relate to Rudolph. We all dream of being the hero. Let me tell you another story.

In 1960, Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994) became the first American woman to win three gold medals in the Olympic Games. Millions of Americans were glued to their television sets that summer. They believed she was the greatest female athlete ever. What made Wilma Rudolph resonate with so many was her personal story. For the first three years of her life, she couldn’t walk and wore heavy braces. The reason was her left leg was paralyzed. Medical experts said she had no hope of ever walking, but Wilma didn’t listen to the experts. She listened to her heart. She worked those long legs in Clarksville, Tennessee, and beat the odds. She became the fastest woman in the world!

I am not going to lie to you. I have known many good people who feel lost. However, I will say this: The nativity stands as a reminder to the fact that God came into the world to stand with us. Jesus was not born in the palace surrounded by aristocrats. He was born in a barn surrounded by commoners, like us. Sometimes, we experience victory, and sometimes, we do not. As Christian people, we know the truth. God is always by our side, and in the end, we are going to be victorious. In the end, everyone who believes in Jesus is going to heaven. Jesus came to save us from our disillusionment. Jesus came to save us from defeat. However, there is more. This is the third answer.

Jesus came to save us from death. It has been said, “Death is not extinguishing the light from the Christian; it is putting out the lamp before the dawn.”  When I first read that quote, I thought of my grandfather, Roger Adams. He was the greatest man I have ever known. He had the ability to make any situation fun. He had the gift of making everyone in his life feel important and special. This is his story. He was born in Pierpont, Ohio, just south of Conneaut. As a teenager his leg was damaged in a train accident. His father, my great-grandfather, refused to let the doctor amputate his leg. My grandfather had his leg, but he always struggled with that bad leg. Maybe that is why he was the first Adams to leave the farm and head to the big city. He moved to the bright lights of Ashtabula, Ohio. He had many jobs in his life, but the only job I remember him holding was on the docks of Ashtabula harbor. It was a good job, but it was not the job he really wanted. He wanted to go into the ministry, but he never had the opportunity. When I went into the ministry, I wasn’t just fulfilling my dream. I was fulfilling his dream of ministry too. In the twelfth chapter of Hebrews, it says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, saints, who are cheering us on to do our best. One of those saints cheering me on is my grandfather, Roger Adams. When I see him again in heaven, I am going to tell him everything he missed in the ministry. I am going to tell him I was passionate about the ministry because I did it for the two of us. The Ecology Global Network tells us that two people in our world die every second. You must know someone in that great cloud. There must be someone you miss. There must be someone you will never forget.

I have many questions, but there is one thing I know for sure. Someday, I am going to heaven. I am not making this statement because I think I am a good person or a perfect person. I know I cannot save myself by my good works or by being a good person. I know I am saved by grace and by grace alone, and I lean heavily on grace. I am going to heaven because I worship a perfect Savior. I am going to heaven because of Jesus, who was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. May we never forget it. Salvation is a gift! Salvation is yours by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. When I get to heaven, I am going to look for Roger Adams, the greatest man I have ever known. Who are you going to look for when you get to heaven?

On December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, after many attempts, Orville (1871-1948) and Wilber Wright (1867-1912) got their flying machine off the ground. Orville was the pilot. He flew for 12 seconds and went 120 feet. The world would never be the same again. Wanting to share their good news, the Wright brothers telegraphed their sister, Katherine (1874-1929), back in Dayton, Ohio this simple message: WE HAVE ACTUALLY FLOWN 120 FEET. WE WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. Katherine was thrilled her brothers had flown and wanted to share their good news with the world. She went to the editor of the local newspaper and handed him the message. He read it and responded, “How nice! The boys will be home for Christmas.” He totally missed the big news!

I hope you don’t miss the big news. The Savior of the world is born! He came to save us from our own disillusionment. He came to save us from defeat. He came to save us from death. Do you remember the words of the unnamed angel in the first chapter of Matthew? The angel said, “She will give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

At Peace

We find ourselves in the second chapter of Luke, verses eight through fourteen. The scene is a familiar one. Perhaps it is so familiar, the shock has worn off. After centuries of waiting, the Savior of the world has been born. For generations, everyone longed for his arrival, because he would solve all their problems. Everyone assumed he would be born in the palace; after all, he was a king. Everyone was wrong. (You know what they say about assuming.) He was born in a barn or cave. To the world, his parents, Joseph and Mary, were just another poor couple. Aren’t the poor always having children they can’t afford? According to the Gospel of Matthew, they named him Jesus. The name means “to save.”

It was the greatest moment in human history, but the world almost missed it. An announcement had to be made. It was delivered to an unimpressive group of hard-working shepherds, despised by the religious of their world, but obviously valued by God. Our scripture reading tells us, once the announcement was given, the messenger was surrounded by a great company of singing angels. Their sheet music is long gone, but their words remain: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. We call those words Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the first words in the Latin Vulgate translation. We know those words because they are great words, but what do those words mean? How do you interpret that verse? That is not a simple task.

Some believe the angels are speaking about internal peace. One of my favorite Christmas movies is Home Alone. You may know the background. Home Alone was released in 1990. It was made for $18 million and has grossed approximately $354,000,000. It was filmed in Winnetka, Illinois, and stars Macaulay Culkin (born 1980) as Kevin McCallister. You remember the storyline. Eight-year-old Kevin finds himself home alone, because he got lost in the shuffle as his family leaves for their Christmas vacation. At first, he celebrates his independence, but in time he begins to value his family. Near the end of the movie, Kevin begins to regret how he had treated his family. He walks into a church and confesses his feelings to a stranger, who has his own family problems. The stranger, Kevin’s neighbor, a weird old man, has a great line. He says, “You’re in church now. This is the place to come when you are feeling bad about yourself.” It is a secular movie, but it holds a divine truth.

Have you ever gone to church to find some rest? The world is exhausting because the world promotes your failures. During my time in the ministry, I sat alone in my church’s sanctuary many times because I needed some peace. What I really needed was Jesus. Augustine (354–430) once said, “Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in God.”  Internal peace is important! How exhausted are you? Internal peace is important, but it is not the right interpretation.

Some believe the angels are speaking of political peace. Did you know, historians from England, Egypt, Germany, and India tell us, since the year 3600 BC, the world has only been free of war 292 years? During that same period, there have been 14,352 wars, killing 3.7 billion people. The amount of property destroyed during those wars would pay for a golden belt large enough to surround the world, 98 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Did you know that since 650 BC, there have been 1,656 arms races, and only 16 have not ended in war. Most countries involved in a war end up in economic collapse. Did you know there are thirty-two wars raging in our world today, taking more than 526,000 who die annually because of violence associated with armed conflict? Our time is not the only one. There has always been a shortage of peace in our world. Political peace is important, but it is not the right interpretation.

Some believe the angels are speaking of social peace. I love baseball. I remember the night Hank Aaron (born 1934) broke Babe Ruth’s home run record on April 8, 1974. Al Downing of the Los Angelos Dodgers allowed the home run. He held that record for thirty-three years. When his 23-year baseball career ended, he was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame and went to work for the Atlanta Braves. In my eyes, Hank Aaron is a somebody.

One night, he was checking into a hotel, but the clerk didn’t recognize him and told him there were no rooms available. The owner of the hotel recognized Hank Aaron and pulled the clerk to the side. He said, “That is Hank Aaron. He is the one who broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. Tell him we will find him a room.” The clerk went back to the counter and said to Hank, “I am sorry, Mr. Aaron. I didn’t recognize you. Of course, we have a room for you. I didn’t know you were a somebody.” I love Hank Aaron’s response. He said, “Everybody is a somebody.” How would our world change if we treated everybody like somebody?

There is a certain amount of logic to this interpretation. After all, God sees everybody as a somebody, because God loves everyone. It is God’s desire to have everyone accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, so God can spend eternity with everyone. If you treated everyone as a somebody, how would your relationships change? You know the truth, revenge is never sweet. Violence breeds more violence. Hatred poisons the soul. Resentment, jealousy, bigotry, and prejudices are spiritual viruses that will kill your soul. Hank Aaron was right! Everybody is a somebody. Those interpretations are not all bad. Internal peace is important. Political peace is important. Social peace is important, but those interpretations are not correct.

The angels are speaking about peace with God. It is the kind of peace that satisfies your entire being. The great hymn writer of the Methodist movement, Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was at peace with God. He wrote approximately 6,500 hymns. In one of his hymns, he talks about his peace with God. Read the words slowly:

          I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade

          My griefs expire, my troubles cease;

          Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,

          Keep me still in perfect peace.

Charles Wesley was at peace with God. This is the question you must answer today: Are you at peace with God? Consider these two stories with me.

Nicholas Ridley (1550-1555) was an English Bishop in London. However, he is remembered for being one of the greatest martyrs in the history of the church. His witness for Christ was unfailing. He died burned at a stake. On the night before his execution, his brother came to visit him in prison. He wanted to add some comfort. Ridley refused the offer. He told his brother to go home, because he wanted to get a good night’s rest, because he was going to meet Jesus the next day. Those who guarded over him said he slept soundly that night.

One of my favorite movies is The Outlaw Josey Wales. It was released in 1976 and stars Clint Eastwood (born 1930) in the title role. He plays the part of a Missouri farmer who joins a Confederate guerrilla unit at the close of the American Civil War. He ends up on the run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family. Along the way, he encounters a variety of characters. One of those characters was a young man by the name of Jamie, who got wounded. Wales cares for his wounds and bonds with him as they run. At a certain point Jamie admits, “Josey, I’m afraid to die.” Jamie is not alone. I meet people regularly who are afraid to die because they still question their eternity. This is the question you must answer.

Are you afraid to die? Are you more like Nicholas Ridley, who was at peace with God, or Jamie, who was facing an unknown future? I am not a perfect person, but I sleep well

at night because I am at peace with God. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior years ago. The angels sang those words to the shepherds, but their words are still true today: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. Are you at peace with God?

Experiencing God

Approximately two years ago, I had emergency surgery in Chicago. Thanks to the good people at Northwestern Medical, I am here today to write this blog. Unable to fly home, a good friend drove to Chicago to take my wife, Kathryn, and me home. I will never forget her kindness. However, complications set in, and I was admitted into the Cleveland Clinic. During my ten-day hospitalization, I received excellent care and was tested for a variety of things. I was given a variety of painkillers which my system did not handle well. That takes me to an experience, I wish I could forget.

One evening, they took me for a test. I don’t remember the exact test because I was heavily sedated. Assuming I would be gone for a few hours and the hour was late, Kathryn left me to drive home. When I returned to my room, I was confused. To be more exact, I was completely disoriented. I didn’t recognize my room or any of the surroundings. I was told later, I acted oddly. Odder than normal. In that state I experienced something new in my life. For some unknown reason, I felt alone and unloved. I felt like God had abandoned me. I felt like everyone in my life had forgotten me, my wife, my children, my extended family, my friends, my church family. I don’t remember the details, but I do remember panicking. In an emotional state, my roommate came to my aid. He said, “Russ, everything is ok. You are back in the room and your wife will be back early tomorrow morning.” Slowly the pieces of my life came back together again. I was relieved I was not forgotten.  I was relieved I was loved. I was relieved I was not alone, because God was with me. May we never forget that God is always with us. May we never forget God has always been with us. That takes us to our scripture reading.

Many years ago, before man walked on the moon, before a civil war threatened to divide America, or before Columbus discovered a New World, there was a man who spoke for God. His name means God is Salvation, but we simply call him Isaiah. His audience was the people of Judah. To be more exact, his audience was the people of Jerusalem. The Old Testament book that carries his name has been dated between the years 740 BC and 680 BC. In his sixty-six chapters, he speaks of both immediate judgement and future restoration.

We find ourselves in the sixth chapter, verses one through thirteen. It is the climax of the first major section of his prophecies. To be blunt, Isaiah is experiencing God. Let me break down those verses. In the first four verses, Isaiah sees the glory of God. In verses five through seven, Isaiah recognizes his own uncleanness. In verses eight through thirteen, Isaiah discovers his purpose. Clean and forgiven, Isaiah sets his sight on God’s rebellious people and delivers his message of judgement. The words in this passage are both foreign and intriguing to us because they are about a person experiencing God. Experiencing God is one of the deep desires of our life. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) once said, “Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in God.”

The other night, my wife was busy, so I went to a local restaurant to eat. I was alone and the place was busy, so I sat at the bar. The seat next to me was open, but a few minutes later, it was occupied by a man who ordered his food to go. The service was slow, so we sat there in awkward silence. After a few minutes, I spoke to him about the service. Seconds later we were talking. He told me his name. He was married with two children, a boy, and a girl. They lived in a neighboring community. Seconds later, he asked me where I worked. I confessed I was retired, but I had been in the ministry for forty years. He was a little uncomfortable with my answer. We sat in silence for a few seconds, then he asked me, “What do you miss?” I answered, “Not much. I didn’t retire to get away from my liturgical duties, things like preaching, weddings, and funerals. I retired because I grew tired of the pettiness of the church. Unchurched now, he was raised Russian Orthodox. He confessed; he missed the sacredness of that tradition, but he left because of the pettiness of his church. Then he asked me a question that caught me off guard. He asked, “Have you ever experienced God?” It was an excellent question and I have been thinking of my answer since our encounter. As I look back of my life, I have had several experiences with God. They may not have been as vivid as Isaiah’s experience with God, but my experiences with God changed my life. Let me talk about three.

In December of 1974, I was a senior in high school. My soul of restless, and I was uncomfortable with my own mortality. It shouldn’t have been that way. I was raised in the life of the church. My parents were active church members, who made sure I was involved in the life of the church. My home church offered a wonderful youth group, and I looked forward to our weekly meetings. I still consider my fellow youth group members to be the finest people I have ever known. It was one of my fellow members who asked me a question that changed my life. She asked, “Russ, would you like to go to heaven?” She was the prefect person to ask the perfect question.” I responded, “yes,” and we prayed. I felt a peace in my soul that has never left me. I was no longer afraid to die. Let there be no doubt about it, God was there. I could have put my head on his shoulder. That was my first experience with God.

My second experience with God came when I was in college. At that time, the University of Mount Union was called Mount Union College. I had wonderful friends during those days. Each one was planning on going into the ministry. That was not my story. I was studying Business Administration. Looking back, I know God was calling me into the ministry too, but I was filled with self-doubt. Once again, my soul was restless. To escape the school and to be alone, I walked through the backstreets of Alliance, Ohio. As I walked, I prayed, looking for direction. Without warning, God suddenly appeared. My senses became keener. Everything I looked at became more vivid. Everything thing I touched took on a new texture. The air itself became fresher. My heartbeat faster and my spirit jumped to life. When I went back to campus, I was surprised the whole world hadn’t changed. Looking back, I understand that experience to be on sanctification. Like Isaiah, God was setting me aside for a divine purpose. My time in the ministry came naturally to me because God was leading the way. That was my second experience with God.

My third experience with God came during my time in the ministry. It was probably twenty years ago. I was the pastor of the Western Reserve United Methodist Church in Canfield, Ohio. On Easter morning, I preached four times. During the last service the church was full. I was glad to say the benediction because I was tired. I stood in the back of the church shaking hands. As the line grew shorter, I noticed a young couple standing off to the side. They were visitors. Their little girl stood by their side and the mother held an infant. When everyone else was gone, they walked up to me with a request. With tears running down the father’s face, he asked, “Can you pray for my son?” Wanting to be more specific, I asked to hear the story. The baby’s head was growing fast because there was something wrong with his brain. I took them to the altar and prayed. A few days later, I was in their home, and we prayed again. As that visit came to an end, I asked them to bring the baby back to church the following Sunday, so the whole church could pray for him. They did and during that service I asked for prayer warriors. The entire congregation stood up and came forward. Those in the front touched the baby. Those who couldn’t touch the baby touched his parents. In the end everyone put their hand on someone else’s shoulder. I prayed for healing and ended with the Lord’s Prayer. I will never forget standing in the middle of that small mass. As we prayed that prayer together, the Holy Spirit washed over us. On that day my church went from being an organization with committees to an organism, part of the body of Christ. Everyone who left church that day knew the baby was healed. The aftershock of that experience was felt in that church for years to come. That was my third experience with God. Years later, it is impossible to look back on that day and not smile. I am happy to report that the baby grew up and is how a chemist, using his fully functioning brain daily.

These are not my only experiences with God. I have had many. I cannot imagine living without God. Perhaps God is like the air we breathe. He is invisible, but He is vital to our existence. I do not understand people who say they don’t need God or who do not believe God exists. I need God every day and so do you. Who wants to live unloved and alone. Internationally renowned author and speaker Wayne Dyer (1940-2015) once said, “The purpose of life is to know God.” When was the last time you experienced God?

Everything Changes!

We find ourselves today in the Book of Exodus. The word Exodus means to “exit.” Like Genesis, Leviticus, Number, and Deuteronomy, tradition tells us, it was written by Moses. Those five books make up the Pentateuch. Those books do not stand independently. They are related one to another. Exodus is a continuation of the storyline that began in Genesis. It is continued in Leviticus, Number, and Deuteronomy. Exodus was written between 1446-1406 BC. The Book of Exodus dominates the rest of the Old Testament. For it is in the Book of Exodus God reveals himself to the Hebrews and establishes a covenant with them.

It is in Exodus, we are introduced to the great lawgiver, Moses. Do you remember his story? You may remember it because you have seen the movie. He was born to a Hebrew couple, yet he was raised in the palace of the Pharaoh. His secret is well kept. He lives in the palace for forty years, but he never forgot his ancestry. That good life ended on the day he struck down an Egyptian soldier. He ran from the law and spent the next forty years building a new life. He married a woman named Zipporah and worked for his father-in-law, Jethro. He could have easily lived the rest of his life in that remote location, but God heard the cries of the Hebrews. God commands Moses to return to Egypt to liberate his own people. Moses illustrates the fact you cannot always run from your past. He confronts the Pharaoh, but the Egyptian ruler will have to be convinced.

Liberating the Jews would not be an easy task because they were the backbone of the Egyptian economy. Moses’s request to liberate the Hebrews fell on the death ears of the Pharaoh. To break the will of the arrogant leader, God sent the plagues. Count them with me:

  1. Water Into Blood
  2. Frogs
  3. Lice
  4. Flies
  5. Diseased Livestock
  6. Boils
  7. Hail and Fire
  8. Locust
  9. Darkness
  10. Death of Firstborn

That is the one that did it. The Pharaoh agrees to free the Hebrews. That takes us to our reading for today.

It must have been quite a scene in the Hebrew section of the city. The will of the Pharaoh had been broken and the freedom train had arrived. Everyone was excited about the future. The yoke of bondage had been broken and the dreams of a better life were about to become a reality. Let me state the obvious. They were hungry for change! We can relate to their story because many Americans are looking for change. Did you know, according to CBS News, 63% of Americans say our country needs to change. The problem is change can be a difficult thing. Change would be a difficult thing for the Hebrews. Just think about it for a moment. Everything in their lives was about to change. They had lived their lives within Egyptian cities. They were urbanities, but soon they would be living in the desert. City life and life in the desert are extremely different. As soon as the emotion of the day wore off, the reality of their changing world would take hold. Change is never easy. I remember reading years ago, 90% of Americans hate change. How do you feel about change? Our world is always changing.

How much has the world changed in your lifetime. How much has the world change in my lifetime. I was born in 1957. The world has changed a great deal in the last sixty-four years. Consider these numbers with me.

  1. the hourly minimum wage in 1957 was $1.00
  2. the average worker made $4550 in 1957
  3. the average price of a new home was $12,220 in 1957
  4. the average price of rent was $90 a month in 1957
  5. the price of gas was 24 cents a gallon in 1957
  6. the price of a dozen eggs was 28 cents in 1957

In 1957, Wham-O introduced a new toy, the Frisbee. In 1957, the USSR launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. That event launch both the space age and the space race. In 1957, CBS aired the last episode of I Love Lucy. In 1957, the Asian Flu killed 150,000 people worldwide. In 1957, Dwight D. Eisenhower was President of the United States and Richard M. Nixon was Vice President. (Whatever happened to him?) Those are things that grabbed the headlines.

How many changes have you been forced to endure personally? Just think about it for a moment. Our lives are always in a state of change. When you were young your greatest responsibility was getting a passing mark at school. You played on the playground and ran like the wind. Twelve years later, you graduated, and everyone was asking you what you were going to do with the rest of your life. It was, and is, a cruel question. You were forced to make the most important decision in your life when you had the least amount of experience. Were you going to go to college? If so, what college and what were you going to study. Were you going to trade school? Were you going to be an electrician or a plumber? Were you going to enter the work force? Then, you met someone special and had to decide if you wanted to marry. You did not want to live in your parent’s basement, so you had to decide if you were going to live in an apartment or house. You bought a starter house for the two of you, but soon it was not just the two of you, so you bought a bigger house to accommodate your growing family. Then, in what seems to be a matter of weeks, your children left, and you decided to downsize. Then, you woke up one day and discovered you were part of the older generation. Everyone older than you had died. Retired, you sit in your quiet house and think about how the world had changed from your youth, or you sit in your quiet house and think about how you have changed. There was a time when you could run like the wind but now you have a hard time standing up. Our lives are always in a state of change and that is why we can relate to the ancient Hebrews. Everything changes, except God, Himself. He is the one thing in our lives that does not change. He is our stability. Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”  That is why me must be the foundation of your life.

One of the names also forgotten by history is George Tod (1773-1841). He was a farmer by trade and bought a piece of property on, what is today, Youngstown’s lower north side in 1801. He named that agricultural venture Brier Hill. The area was changed forever when coal was discovered in those hills. Thousands of immigrants came to work in those mines and settled in that neighborhood. Brier Hill is considered Youngstown’s oldest working-class neighborhood. In 1847, the Tod family opened the first iron furnace in the district, drawing more immigrants from Italy, Wales, Ireland, Germany, and African Americans. Brier Hill was known as “Little Italy.” The area thrived until the 1950’s. No area was hit harder than Brier Hill when the steel industry began to decline. Depopulated, the only thing that remains in that area now is an ITAM, an Italian American Veterans Club, and St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church. However, once a year a small section of Brier Hill springs to life. It is like a warm-up to the Canfield Fair, but it is better because we only go for a few hours.

My family has gone to the Brier Hill Festival for years. I remember taking my children when they were young. Do not be afraid, go! It is a good time. The food is great. The beverages are great. The music is loud and annoying, but my wife and I dance. This is the best part. Everyone is having fun. However, none of those reasons is the reason we go.

We go to the Brier Hill Festival because a good friend was raised in Brier Hill. Every year, we make him drive because he knows the old neighborhood. Every year, he drives us by his old family home. It was not built to impress. It was a conservative home. The house was so small, he slept in his parent’s bedroom until he was seventeen years old. (That fact explains a great deal about him. Yes, he has a younger sister.) The house has been declining for years. The first time I saw the house it was in good shape. A few years later, the detached garage was failing, then a few years later the garage was gone. At first, the house just needed painted. Then, a few years later the storm door in the front was missing. The next time the front door was gone. It did not matter because the windows were gone too. The last time, we drove by the house, it was missing and only the sidewalk remained. I never set foot in that house, but it was sad. My friend would tell me how it used to be back in the day. With a certain amount of emotion in his voice he said, “Everything changes!” Have you ever uttered those words, “Everything changes!”? 

I hate to say it, but my good friend is wrong! Most things do change, but one thing stays the same. God does not change. God is consistent. His love for us is constant. That is why God must be the foundation of your life. Do you remember the quote from the 90th Psalm? “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

In The Beginning God

We find ourselves today in the first chapter of Genesis. It is one of the most familiar chapters in the Bible. We have been teaching it to children for generations. There is no background to offer because nothing happened prior to this chapter. In the beginning, there was nothing, yet God has always existed. However, do not worry because God had a plan. This is God’s plan:

According to the Bible, on the first day of the week God created light. You should not be surprised because light is a major theme in the Bible. Jesus called himself the light of the world (John 8:12) and Jesus tells us to let our light shine (Matthew 5:15-16). Without light, there is only darkness.

On the second day, God created the atmosphere and the firmament. In Biblical cosmology, the firmament was a solid dome that surrounded the earth, causing the dry ground to appear. Without the creations of the second day, life of any kind could not have existed. From the very beginning our world was designed to be full of life.

On the third day, the dry ground appeared along with plants. Each plant was suited to its climate. Caucus exist in the desert regions. Palm trees in the tropical regions. Pine tree in the northern regions.

On the fourth day, God put objects in the sky. There was suddenly the sun, the moon, and the stars. Each one of those objects plays a major role in the world we know today. The tide would not exist without the moon. Life, itself, would not last long without the sun.

On the fifth day, God created sea creatures to live in the water and birds to fly in the sky. We call them fish and birds. Whales are impressive. Parrots are beautiful.

On the sixth day, God created animals to walk on the dry ground. We seem to like the fuzzy cute ones and we have trouble with the dry scaley ones. Later that day, God created the crown jewel of his creation, humans. They are to rule over the rest of creation. According to Genesis 1:26, God created mankind in his own image or likeness. That means there is a part of God resting inside of you. That means everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, even the preachers. If you struggle with self-doubt, then read Genesis 1 every day. It was quite a week, but God was not done. God “separated” and “gathered” on the first three days. God “created” and “filled” on the next three days.

On the seventh day, God rested and created the Sabbath. It was not created to have a day to play football. It was created to help us rest physically and be recharged spiritually. Never forget, God longs to spend time us. God expects us to worship him. Worship is not an option to your spiritual development. It really is an amazing piece of scripture. God created this entire world out of nothing. I find that fact to be humbling. Did you know, according to the Pew Research Group, 40% of Americans believe God created the world 10,000 years ago? I will confess. I am part of the 40%.

While the entire creation story is impressive. It is the very first verse of the Bible that grabs our attention. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning,God created the heavens and the earth.” That one short verse summarizes the entire story. That one short verse tells us three divine truths about God. Each one is significant and should never be forgotten. I do not want to plagiarize. These thoughts are not original. These thoughts came from Shawn Thomas, who has been the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Angelton, Texas for 35 years. Here are the three.

First, Genesis 1:1 tells us of the centrality of God. “In the beginning,God created the heavens and the earth.”The Bible teaches us from the very first verse; it is all about God. It is not about us. Our universe is what scientists call a “helio-centric” universe. Helio means sun. That means the sun is at the very center. That means everything revolves around the sun. The sun gives us light and without the sun nothing would be able to live. Many in our world believe we live in a “ego-centric” universe. Ego means self. That means many believe everything revolves around them. The very first verse of the Bible, “In the beginning,God created the heavens and the earth.” reminds us that it is not all about us. It is all about God.

Second, Genesis 1:1 tells us God is a triune God. “In the beginning,God created the heavens and the earth.” That verse tells us there is one God and He is the one true God. However, there is a plurality in God. The Hebrew word for God in that verse is plural. That is interesting but Genesis 1:26 states it clearly, “Let us make mankind in our image.” God is triune, three in one. The traditional benediction reminds us of our triune God. Now may God the father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit, be with you now and forever more. God the father is the creator. God the son is the redeemer. God the Holy Spirit is the life giver. Experience has taught me it is impossible to understand the trinity completely. It has been said, if you understood God completely then you would not have much of a God. The trinity is one of those things you must accept with faith. “In the beginning,God (plural) created the heavens and the earth.” 

Third, Genesis 1:1 tells us God is a creator God. “In the beginning,God created the heavens and the earth.”  John 1:3 says, “All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being.” God created everything. The Hebrew word for created in Genesis 1:1 is bara, to initiate something new. It is interesting to note, bara is only used when God is the topic. It is never used when mankind is the topic. “In the beginning,God created the heavens and the earth.” 

One of my favorite places in the world is Aa, Estonia. You may know where Estonia is located. It is in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Russia. The history of Estonia can be traced back to the year 9,000 BC, but her national identity did not develop until the twentieth century. When I arrived in Estonia, I expected to find a Slavic influence, but I found a Nordic influence. The capital of Estonia is Tallinn.

Located on the northern border of Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, is the town of Aa. According to the 2000 census, the population of Aa was 190. Most of those residents live in a state-run home for the elderly. However, Aa is also the home of Christian Camp Gideon. One of the disappointments of the last 18 months for Kathryn and I was not being about to return to Christian Camp Gideon. It is part of our travel itinerary for next year. The camp has an interesting history. During Soviet times it was a Pioneer Camp, where children learned about communism and atheism. When the Soviet Union disbanded in 1991, the camp was purchased by a United Methodist congregation in Tulsa, Oklahoma and given to the church in Estonia. Today, that camp teaches children about Jesus. Kathryn and I spent a few sacred days at Christian Camp Gideon two years ago. The children and the staff were wonderful.

Every day, Kathryn and I would go for a walk. Completely safe, we exited the campgrounds and headed south. As we walked the dirt road and absorbed the beautiful countryside. Our walk ended when we came to the end of the dirt road, where the dirt road ran into a blacktopped road, maintained by the government. At that intersection were a herd of sheep behind a wire fence. Near the goat pen were the remains of an old manor house. It was not just a single building. There was the main house and several outbuildings. At the heart of that property was a small pond with ducks. We sat on a bench overlooking the pond and watched ducks’ takeoff and land. It was just beautiful and relaxing. We were a million miles from our responsibilities. We just sat there and talked. We talked about how we met. We talked about how our lives had changed. We talked about what brought us the greatest joy and our greatest disappointments. We talked about where we had been and where we still wanted to go. We talked about our children and how the world had changed. We talked but most of the time we sat in silence. It happens every time.

Whenever, I sit in natural beauty, I think about creation and how God created it out of nothing. I thought about how God created the world out of nothing when I saw the Grand Canyon. I thought about how God created the world out of nothing when I saw the hot springs in Yellowstone. Something big is going on beneath the surface. I think about how God created the world out of absolutely nothing every time I look out the window of an airplane. I think about how God created the world out of nothing when I walk outside of clear cold winter’s night and look at the stars. I think how God created the world when it snows the first time every year. I think about how God created the world out of nothing every time I walk on a beach and listen to the surf. This is the best! I think about how God created the world out of nothing when the fall leaves are at their peak of color in the fall. I thought about how God created the world out of nothing as I sat next to the love of my life on an old bench looking a beautiful Estonian pond.

Do not just memorize the verse, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Think about it. Meditate on it and be prepared to be amazed. It is not all about us. It is all about God. When was the last time you thought about the greatness of God?

Our Unchanging God

Many years ago, before man walked on the moon, before a civil war threatened to divide America, or before Columbus discovered a New World, there was a man who spoke for God. His name meant “my messenger,” but we just call him Malachi. He lived approximately the year 400 BC. That means he lived 100 years after Haggai and Zechariah, the Minor Prophets we looked at the last two weeks. Time did change certain things. The reconstruction of the temple was complete. However, certain things did not change. The spiritual renewal that Haggai and Zechariah desired never happened. God’s Chosen People were stuck in a spiritual funk. The book of Malachi echoes their spiritual condition. It is a dialogue between God and His Chosen People. Malachi acts as the go between. God is concerned about the unfaithfulness of both the priests and the people, themselves. Yet, God does not give up on his people. The book ends with a word of hope. Someday the Messiah would come. Jesus would be born four hundred years later. The background is interesting, but one verse stands above the rest.

Last Sunday evening, I googled the question, what is the most important verse in Malachi. The answer did not surprise me. The answer came back, Malachi 3:6, “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” That verse grabbed both my attention and imagination. In a world that is constantly changing, it is refreshing to find something that remains the same.

On month from today I will be in Yellowstone National Park. Due to the pandemic, Kathryn and I have not been out of the area since last October. We are going to be gone for two weeks. It will be a great trip. We start off at Mount Rushmore near Rapid City, South Dakota. Then, we travel to Billings. Montana. We will spend three days in Yellowstone, travel to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and end up in Salt Lake City. It was supposed to be a bus trip, but the company canceled the tour when the coronavirus invaded. We are renting a car and following the same route. I am excited about the trip because I have never been to that part of the country.

I am really looking forward to seeing Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. It has always fascinated me. It was named by explorers in September 1870. In the early days of the park it was used as a laundry because of the ample hot water. It erupts approximately every ninety minutes and shoots up to 8,400 gallons of hot water into the air some 150 feet. Historians tell us there are records of Old Faithful erupting 500 years ago. Old Faithful has erupted more than 1,000,000 times. It is safe to say it is as old as the earth, itself. Old Faithful is the same, but the world has changed over that period. Only a fool would say our world has not changed since Old Faithful erupted the first time!

One of my favorite places in Ohio is Johnson Island. It is located off the Marblehead Peninsula in Ottawa County. Over the last few years, the rich have come to develop it, but for many years it was rustic. On the north coast of that island is a Civil War cemetery. It is filled with former Confederate officers from the deep south. It is all that remains of a former prisoner of war camp. The Union built it there because it was so remote. The Daughters of the Confederacy maintain it. I love to take that short walk to the shore of Lake Erie. If you look out across the water, you can see Cedar Point Amusement Park. If you turn around you can see the graves. The contrast is shocking. Do you believe our world has changed since the Civil War? Would you like to be operated on using Civil War era medicine or knowledge? Only a fool would think our world has not changed since the Civil War!

How much has the world changed in your lifetime? I was born in 1957. When my parents moved to Warren, they lived in an apartment at first. When my sisters were born, they bought one of the few houses for sale in town. They paid $5,400. According to Zillow, that house is now worth $60,000. When I was very young my parents only had one car. I remember riding the bus occasionally. Our black and white television set got three stations. I remember the day we got our first color television. I remember the color nob to adjust the color from red to green. The first movie we watched in color was Alford Hitchcock’s The Birds. I remember the day they got an antenna that moved so we could watch Cleveland or Pittsburgh. We thought we were flying. I remember the day John Kennedy was shot. The announcement came out of the school’s public address system. I remember my teacher, Mr. Fuller, went to the hall and cried. I remember the day Martin Luther King getting shot and my dad wondered how the world could get any worse. It did. I remember the milk man coming to the house. He left the milk in a small silver box on the front porch. His name was Gilbert. He sold pop-cycles on the side for a nickel. How much has the world changed in your lifetime? Only a fool would think our world has not changed!

How much has our world changed in the past twenty years? The people at Insider released a list of ways our world has changed since 2000. It was only twenty years ago much has changed. This is their list of ten changes:

  1. The internet has taken over. It is no longer a novelty. It is a requirement.
  2. Landline telephones are disappearing. Everyone has a cell phone.
  3. Smoking in restaurants is history. There is no longer a smoking section.
  4. Streaming services, like Netflix, have become the rage.
  5. It is impossible to get away on vacation. The internet will find you.
  6. People now fear terrorism and mass shootings.
  7. People are more likely to text than leave a voice mail.
  8. Online dating is the norm.
  9. Airport security has redefined travel.
  10. More pictures are being taking by cellphones than cameras.

All those changes have taken place in the last twenty years. How has your life changed in the last twenty years? How will our change in the next twenty years? Only a fool would say our world has not changed!

How much has our world changed since the pandemic began? In March of this year, The Washington Post predicted the pandemic would change our world in several significant ways. This is their list:

  1. Mass gatherings are a thing of the past.
  2. Political melodrama will escalate.
  3. In person doctor’s appointment will end.
  4. Working from home will be the new normal.
  5. Handshaking is obsolete.

How much has your life changed since March? It has been reported, 99% of all Americans have experienced change due to the pandemic. I would like to meet the 1% who have not experienced change. They must not have understood the question. Only a fool would say our lives have not changed since the pandemic began. This is the point.

Our world has been changing for a long time, but God remains the same. This message is not called Our Changing World. This message is called Our Unchanging God. This message is not about volatility, it is about stability. We hear it in the Malachi reading, “I the Lord do not change.” We hear it in the ninetieth Psalm says, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” This is not a new concept or discovery. It should be a foundational piece of your understanding of God.

One of the reasons you come to church is not to expound on your understanding of God. You come to church to learn about God. Churches teach about God in a variety of ways, sometimes from the pulpit, sometimes from the classroom, sometimes in our music. Hymns are not just a collection of pleasing notes. Hymns teach us theology. They teach us about the basic elements of the Christian faith. Let me give you an example. In 1867, a new hymn came out. It was called Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise. It was written by Walter C. Smith. It is a loved hymn in traditional worship. We have sung it countless times. There is a stanza in that hymn about the unchanging character of God. Do you remember it? It goes:

          We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,

          And wither and perish – but naught changieth Thee!

In other words, we change regularly, but God remains the same. God is God and God does not change. Whatever God is, God always has been, and God always will be. That is important to remember in our changing world.

Theologians call it immutability. The word is not connected to physical appearance. It does not mean God does not get gray or God does not need hip surgery. The word means the character of God does not change. Our reading for today, Malachi 3:6, is one of several verses which attests to the immutability of God. So, in what ways does God not change? This is the list.

God is:

          Always wise

          Always powerful

          Always holy

          Always just

          Always good

          Always true

          Always gracious

          Always present

          Always knowledgeable.

          Always sovereign

          Always loving

God is unchanging! Let me end with public service announcement.

It was in the newspaper last weekend. The Niles First Presbyterian Church will be hosting their last worship service tonight, August 30, 2020, at 6:00. It has been located at the corner of Robbins Avenue and Summit Street for more than sixty years. If you are interested, they are serving refreshments at the conclusion of the service. I have never attended a worship service in that church, but I find myself mourning at its closure. It is sad to see any church close. I am sure the people were nice. I am sure the congregation was committed. I am sure the building was well maintained. I am sure the pastors for the past fifty years were assigned the task to rebuild the congregation. It is hard to do in an area with a shrinking population base.

A closing church is a sign that the world is changing. I am not saying the world is getting worse or the church was bad. I am not saying the members of every closing church were not gifted. I am not saying younger generations are not spiritual or religious. All I am saying is the world is changing. That should not be a big surprise because the world has always been changing. The problem is people are reluctant to change. That is why God is so appealing to us. God never changes. Malachi knew it. He quoted God, I the Lord do not change. Isn’t that refreshing?