Obligations of the Older

Introduction

Let me go on record saying I have always loved older people. I was very close to my grandparents, especially my Dad’s parents. I would go to their house and my grandmother and I would spend lots of time playing Scrabble. My brother and I would also spend time with my mother’s parents at their trailer close by Pates Ford Marina at Center Hill Lake. Whether it’s grandparents or elderly people you associate with at church, work, etc. there are qualities about them which endear us to them. One time there was a movie released with the title Grumpy Old Men. These are not the type of older people we enjoy being around.

I’ve had the privilege of being around several who are older in the church whom I became close to. Ocena Thurston took me under her wing at Harding University. I learned about senior adult ministry from Jim Putman who said you can’t move old folks like you move cattle; you have to move them slow and deliberate. I used to visit Mattyvee Lewis quite frequently after her husband died and pick up some groceries from Harris Foodland. I ate several cheeseburgers with Tim Anderson at the ByPass Deli as he served as a mentor for me in ministry. There is great value in being around those who are older, especially when we consider that one day we will be in their shoes.

Paul wrote a letter to his young preaching friend, Titus, who he referred to as “my true child in a common faith” (Tit. 1:4). Titus was preaching on the island of Crete, and he was responsible for appointing elders in every city per the instructions of Paul (Tit. 1:5). As he opens up the second chapter, Paul tells him “speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine” (Tit. 2:1). As he elaborates on this, he gives Titus the responsibilities of older men and older women. Tonight we’ll look at what he relates to Titus in 2:2-4 as we notice the obligations of the older.

Older men are to be:

Temperate

This is also translated as sober or sober-minded. This is definitely pointing to the abstinence of alcohol, but it will be more encompassing than that. This is one of the requirements of an elder (1 Tim. 3:2). Tied with avoiding drunkenness, there will be an aspect of self-control in general. Several years ago while on a senior adult group trip, we stopped off at a Ryan’s to eat supper. While inside there was a family who had moved on to the dessert portion of their meal, and it floored all of us to see the amounts of ice cream mounded up on plates which they were consuming. One word came to mind: self-control. Older men need to show this in their lives.

Dignified

The idea here is being men of dignity or honorable character, but also reverent and holy. Paul uses the same word in Phil. 4:8 when he says “whatever is honorable.” This word is also a requirement for a deacon and his wife (1 Tim. 3:8,11). Webster’s Dictionary defines it not only as nobility of character, but also as “bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation ofthe formality or gravity of an occasion or situation” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dignity?s=t).

Sensible

Also translated as prudent, it means of sound mind. Sometimes we talk about people having common sense. Older men are to exhibit this sensibility. It is required of an elder (1 Tim. 3:2). Wisdom comes with old age (Job 12:12). Older men are better equipped to be sensible than those who are younger.

Sound

The word translated as sound means healthy and well (http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/hugiaino.html). Paul tells Titus that the older men are to be healthy or well “in  faith, in love, in perseverance” (2). While the physical health of older men eventually begins to fade, they should be sound in their spiritual health.

Older women are to be:

Reverent in their behavior

The Greek scholar A.T. Robertson says “like people engaged in sacred duties” (http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/robertsons-word-pictures/titus/titus-2-3.html). The same idea is conveyed in 1 Tim. 2:10 where Paul says women are to be clothed with good works “as befits a women making a claim to godliness.” Older women who want to be godly will be reverent in their behavior.

Not malicious gossips

This word is used 37 times in the NT: 3 times it’s translated as malicious gossips; 34 times it’s translated as devil (http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/diabolos.html). The idea conveyed here is someone who slanders or falsely accuses. You’ve heard the song by Marty Robbins Devil Woman; as Paul is pointing this out to Titus he is basically saying a woman who is a malicious gossip is a devil woman; she’s doing the desires of the devil. Many people’s character have been slandered by malicious gossip. Gossip is of course hearsay; it's something that is not true about somebody else. You could be one of three types of people when it comes to gossip: you can start it, you can spread it, or you can stop it!  Men are guilty of this too, but it seems more prevalent with women. Older women should know better than to do this.

Not enslaved to much wine

It is a mistake for an older woman to point to this passage to say she can drink alcohol as long as she does not get drunk. Remember that even if wine in the first century was alcoholic in content, it would not even resemble the strong drinks of our day and age. Remember that older women are supposed to be setting good examples for the younger women, which is where Paul goes next in the text.

Teaching what is good to the young women

Somewhere we’ve gotten away from this. The older women are to be teaching the younger women. What happens in congregational settings many times? The older women either taught for many years and handed the reigns over to those who were younger or they never taught to begin with and they sat in on the auditorium class. Granted James says not everyone should be teachers (Jas. 3:1), but older women have much to offer to young women by teaching them. I would like to see more of our older women teaching the younger ones.

Conclusion

Every congregation of the Lord’s people is made up of older and younger. Where would we be here at North View without those who are older among our number? We wouldn’t be anywhere! I hope tonight that those men and women who are older will recognize the type of people the Lord wants them to be, and if you don’t meet these obligations, take action and fix it now. Those who are older have obligations placed on them from Scripture, and those of us who are younger can benefit from them greatly if we see this example.

Noticing Nicodemus

Introduction

Many things have been done under the cloak of darkness. Most of the time those things are done with the intent of not getting caught. One time I remember my brother, Chris sneaking out of the house to join up with a friend of his as they had a plan to roll the yard of another friend of theirs. My brother left the house and set out on his bicycle, but his friend never showed up. While the intent was to roll the yard without being caught by their friend or her parents, what my brother didn’t count on was getting busted at home. Dad had heard Chris sneak down the stairs, and when he walked out the door my dad locked it behind him. Ah, the things that are done at night as it is supposed to be a time of secrecy. However, not everything done at night is bad.

There is an individual in John’s gospel we are introduced to who showed up under the cloak of darkness for a good purpose. His name was Nicodemus. Three times we see him in the New Testament, all in the gospel of John. Every time we see him it is something pertaining to Jesus. His first appearance was a nightly visit to the Master Teacher, and when we get to know a little bit about him we understand why he waited until dark to talk with Christ. Have you ever noticed certain things about Nicodemus? This morning I want us to notice aspects of Nicodemus from the three places we see him in John’s gospel. Upon noticing these three things, I want us to notice our lives and see if we can learn some things from this man.

First, notice that Nicodemus came to Jesus.

Who was this man named Nicodemus? In John 3 we have our first introduction of him. He was a Pharisee who came to Jesus by night (Jn. 3:1). The Pharisees were the Jewish rulers and authorities of the day who were legalistic hypocrites. They strictly held to the Law, while at the same time as Jesus said “…neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness…” (Mt. 23:23). Nicodemus is the only active Pharisee who has a positive take on Jesus.

He comes to Jesus by night because of the position that he held, for he would be ridiculed or worse for approaching Jesus if the others found out. Unlike the other Pharisees, he believed in Jesus. He said “Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (Jn. 3:2). Jesus begins a discussion about the new birth that is confusing to Nicodemus, which is probably the thing that people remember most about this encounter.

Here is what I want you to remember: he came to Jesus. Regardless of who he was, he came to Jesus. Regardless of when it was, he came to Jesus. The man came to Jesus, and that is important! There are a lot of people in this world who need to come to Jesus. It doesn’t matter what their religious background is, what their social status is, or when it is; people need to come to Jesus. Sometimes we use that phrase: “we’re gonna have a come to Jesus meeting!” There are many people who need a come to Jesus meeting.

Jesus tells us one of the reasons people need to come to Him is for rest and relief. ‘”Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I and gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light’” (Mt. 11:28-30). When we have problems in this world, Jesus wants us to come to Him. Jesus also wants us to come to Him for salvation. In Jn. 4 Jesus says that He gives living water which leads to eternal life (10, 14). Jesus also says there is a proper fashion for coming to Him. We need to receive the kingdom as a little child (Mk. 10:14) for humility and dependence must accompany our coming to Jesus.

Second, notice that Nicodemus contended for Jesus.

The next account of him we have is during a session where the chief priests and Pharisees were discussing Jesus in John 7:45-53. Notice that when the Pharisees remark that none of them have believed in Jesus, Nicodemus contends for Jesus by speaking up on His behalf. He said ‘”Our Law does not judge a man, unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?’” (Jn. 7:51). This was a fair question, but the chief priests and Pharisees were not interested in the truth of the matter. They wanted no part of Jesus, unlike Nicodemus who had already come to Jesus acknowledging who He is.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and they start saying something that’s not true about someone you are close to? How do you respond to that? Do you laugh and ignore what they are talking about? No, you stand up for them and defend them. You contend for them.

That’s what Nicodemus did for Jesus. Are you doing that for Jesus? Are you contending for Him to others around you? We as Christians are supposed to be contending for the faith (Jude 3). If we don’t stand up for the truth, we are not being contenders of the faith. On one occasion Peter was given three chances to stand up for Jesus, but he denied him all three times. Paul said “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them” (2 Tim. 4:16). When we’re given the opportunity to stand up for what is right and support the right cause, what will we do? Sometimes we sing the song Stand up for Jesus. Are you doing that?

Third and finally, notice that Nicodemus cared for Jesus.

It is said the average cost of a funeral in the USA is between $7,000 and $10,000 (http://www.parting.com/blog/funeral-costs-how-much-does-an-average-funeral-cost/). Funeral directors do a great job with taking care of everything pertaining to this process. I have been in an embalming room before for part of this process, and let me say that I appreciate the job they do. This is commonplace today, but did you realize in Bible times this wasn’t as commonplace? Embalming has its origins with the Egyptians, and even through the first century embalming was performed only for the wealthy.

Read Jn. 19:38-41. Jesus was the carpenter’s son, and He was not someone who had access to embalming services upon His death. However, Isaiah 53:9 talks about how He was with a rich man in His death. Joseph of Arimathea got the body of Jesus from Pilate, and he was assisted by none other than Nicodemus. They took care of the body of Jesus at his death by preparing it with a mixture of myrrh and aloes, wrapping it with linen wrappings, and burying it in Joseph’s own new tomb in the garden (Mt. 27:60; Jn. 19:38-41).

This is the third and final time we see Nicodemus as he cares for the body of Jesus by helping Joseph. You can’t care for Jesus in His death from the sense of assisting with the body, for He rose from the grave never to die again (Rom. 6:9). You can care for Jesus in His death by preaching Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 1:23). You can care for Jesus in His death by taking up your cross daily (Lk. 9:23). You can care for Jesus in His death by showing others that Jesus was lifted up from the earth for the purpose of eternal life (Jn. 3:14-15).

Conclusion

This morning we have noticed some things about Nicodemus: he came to Jesus, he contended for Jesus, he cared for Jesus. It helps to notice things from Scripture, but what about where the rubber meets the road? What about you? What are you noticing about yourself this morning? Do you need to come to Jesus? Jesus came to you so that you can come to Him. There’s a great invitation in the last chapter of the Bible. It says “And the Spirit and the bride say, “’Come.’” And let the one who hears say, “’Come.’” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Rev. 22:17). The water of life is without cost because Jesus already paid the cost; He gave it all! Have you noticed?

Lost Bible

Several years ago I was getting ready to leave the West 7^th church building. I momentarily placed my Thompson Chain-Reference Bible on top of my car while I did something with a car seat in the back seat, and then away I drove. At some point that day I realized when I drove off, my Bible was still on top of my car. It was heartbreaking for me because it was my favorite Bible. However, I made the remark to someone that maybe whoever found it when it fell off the top of my car was in more need of it than I was. Is it possible a lost Bible could do more good than one that never disappears?

My good friend Richard Riehn from EEM told a story a while back about a member of the church from Budapest, Hungary named Ivan Martos who was on a train bound for Vienna. As the train neared the Austrian border, an official asked him to unpack his bag. The first item removed from the bag was his personal Bible. The officer became enraged that man in the position of Ivan had a Bible, so he flung it out the window of the moving train. Ivan knew he’d never see his Bible again.

Fast forward two years later. Ivan received a package with a name and return address he didn’t recognize. Inside the package was his Bible and a note of apology. It turns out the letter was from an individual who said some of the kids from their village had found his Bible while they were playing by the railroad tracks. They took it back to the village and one of their grandmothers realized what it was. The people from the village took time to make copies of the Bible, and this took about two years. About thirty of the people obeyed the gospel, baptizing each other. Now they were a secret group of believers who met for worship and followed Jesus. They had found Ivan’s information inside the Bible, so the person writing him mailed it back to him after that lengthy period of time they took to make copies.

Wow! What a story about God’s Word teaching us that there are people out there who are hungry for the Truth. There are people here in Columbia, TN who are hungry, and we need to find them. I’m not suggesting that we need to lose our Bibles, but I am suggesting we need to find the people who need the Truth. The Bible alone is powerful. Remember what Paul said: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Brotherly,

Jeremy T. Butt

Be Mine

Introduction

Valentine’s Day is one of the most commercial holidays in the U.S.A. Last year, it is projected there were 18.9 billion dollars in sales for the holiday (http://www.business2community.com/trends-news/valentines-day-spending-statistics-2015-01153592#oGlX1kkKuOg41shk.97). All you have to do is swing by the grocery store, the jewelry store or the flower shop to see that Valentine’s Day is big business. While we understand what Valentine’s Day is today, what about how it originated?

The exact origin has some sketchy details, but we do know there was a pagan holiday called Lupercalia which was a Roman fertility festival. It was later attempted to be Christianized to get away from the pagan origins. But just who is the fellow we refer to as St. Valentine? There have been several recommendations. One would be the priest who was continuing to marry people even after the emperor Claudius II banned weddings. Claudius thought single men made better soldiers. He sentenced Valentine to death. Another legend has Valentine helping Christians escape prison, and he was killed. Yet a third legend has an imprisoned Valentine sending a note to his young girlfriend saying “from your Valentine.” Whichever Valentine became the inspiration for this day, we know it changed from what it used to be.

Pope Gelasius declared the 14^th day of February as a day to honor the soft-hearted Valentine. It wasn’t until the 1300’s it became associated with love and romance. People thought the middle of February was mating season for birds. In the 1400’s people began exchanging valentine greetings. In the 1900’s cards replaced the written notes. It is estimated that around 1 billion valentine cards are sent (http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day). Regardless of whether you see Valentine’s Day as a big day for your relationship with your significant other, I submit to you this morning there are some principles from this big day that will help you to become a better Christian.

This morning let’s examine the fact that the Lord has sent you a Valentine message that says “be mine,” so let’s apply some principles from God’s Word to show how a day of love toward your sweetheart is not as important as a life of love for the Lord.

Express Your Love

I’m sure we’ve all heard about the husband who wouldn’t say I love you. When his wife asked him why he never tells her he loves her anymore, he replies: “Honey, I said I love you when we got married. I told you if that ever changed, I would let you know.” We men know that wives like to hear I love you, and they like to hear it often.

What about God? Have you ever been like that husband who expressed his love for his wife that one time and that’s it? Have you kept God waiting on an expression of your love for Him? After Moses reminds the Israelites of the Ten Commandments, he tells them to “…love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5). Jesus later refers to this as the greatest commandment (Mt. 22:38). If we are supposed to love God this much, don’t you think we ought to tell Him?

We do need to tell Him, but how do we do that? We can pray. As our primary vehicle for communicating to God, we need to utilize this to the fullest. Pray fervently; pray often; pray with reverence and humility. Whatever we do, let’s make sure we communicate to God that we love Him. Though it is not a prayer, there is a Psalm that conveys this sentiment. The Psalmist says: “’I Love Thee, O Lord, my strength.’ The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies” (Ps. 18:1-2).

We can also sing, which is another aspect of our communication with Him. We sing hymns when we gather for worship such as I Love You Lord, I Love the Lord, and Father, I Adore You. In these we are singing to God by praising Him with the fruit of our lips (Heb. 13:15). Let’s make sure we remember how important it is to include the expressions of our love for God in song when we gather for worship.

Rod Stewart sang the song Have I Told You Lately That I Love You? When is the last time you told God how much you love Him in prayer and in song?

The Gift Matters

We’ve all seen the commercials from Jared, the Galleria of Jewelry. Much emphasis is put on the man who went to Jared to buy his wife something from that store. I have never felt the need to go to Jared. However, guess what this guy did this year for Valentine’s Day? He went to Jared! Granted, we know deep down it’s the thought that matters and it doesn’t matter what you really get her, right guys?

What about God? Is it just the thought that matters? We know from the Bible there are some things that God expects of us as His children. By way of practical observation: don’t go to the grocery store at the last minute; don’t think you can shop conveniently online for God’s gift; don’t try to get a deal on what you will give to Him.

What does God want from us? I’m reminded of Micah 6:8 which says: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Wrapped up in a nutshell, those are the requirements that God expects of us. We also know it’s a sacrificial life which Paul sums up in Romans 12. Jesus even told His apostles that it is a daily denial of self as we seek to be cross-bearers (Lk. 9:23). We know if we love the Lord, we will keep His commandments (Jn. 14:15). Earlier I mentioned the greatest commandment, but Jesus also elaborated on this by saying we also need to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mk. 12:31).  This is not an exhaustive list, but I think we can see that what we give to God matters. I’m not even talking about our financial gifts to God, but we know that’s important too! We should give cheerfully (2 Cor. 9:7), liberally (2 Cor. 9:11), according to our ability (2 Cor. 8:3), as we’ve purposed in our hearts (2 Cor. 9:7) and giving ourselves first to the Lord (2 Cor. 8:5).

Let’s give God the gifts He desires from us as we want to please Him (2 Cor. 5:9). The gifts that we give Him do matter. Don’t go to Jared; God has already equipped you with the gifts He wants you to offer.

We Need Reminders

Sometimes you see calendars with certain days marked, highlighted, circled, etc. as reminders. Some men might need help remembering Valentine’s Day. Sometimes it slips up on you, so any extra reminder can rescue you from being in the doghouse with your wife.

What about God? Do you think He saw fit to make sure we have built-in reminders of gifts for Him? You better believe it! Remember after Moses reminds Israel of the Ten Commandments, in Deuteronomy 6 he talks about the importance of keeping God’s Law before the people. These were to be visual reminders (especially the visual reminders: hands, foreheads, doorposts) “…lest you forget the Lord…” (Deut. 6:12). Moses wanted God’s people to remember, so he gave them built-in reminders of these things. Remember when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper? He said “…do this in remembrance of Me” (Lk. 22:19). This is a weekly reminder of what He did for us. That’s important for we do this every first day of the week. Also, Peter said it was important to be reminded of things, so he would “…stir you up by way of reminder” (2 Pet. 1:13).

Conclusion

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day with the one we love, let us remember that God has already sent us the ultimate valentine: He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins (Jn. 3:16). We know how much God loves us, but does God know how much we love Him? We need to express that love. We need to understand that it does matter what we give to God. We need reminders at times so we can love God like we’re supposed to. God says “Be Mine.” If you haven’t obeyed the gospel, the time is now to enter that covenant relationship with God. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 8:37) and confess Him before men (Mt. 10:32). Be convicted of your sins (Acts 2:37) and repent (2 Cor. 6:10). Put on your Lord in baptism washing away your sins (Acts 22:16). God is waiting on you to tell Him, “Be Mine!”

Do You Want God's Word?

There has been a lot of hype about the week of the Super Bowl, but now that has come and gone. This week is a big week for a different reason. It is the 80^th annual Bible lectureship at Freed-Hardeman University. I love this week for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons is the extra time I get to spend hearing lessons from God’s Word. Granted even spending one day at the lectureships makes you tired, but it’s worth it to be involved in a day of Bible study with such great speakers.

Our group from the North View Church of Christ will be traveling on Tuesday, but I will be going to speak on Wednesday. By the time you read this article, the lectureship will almost be over. Let me encourage you to take advantage of opportunities such as this to help you grow as a Christian. Aside from studying the Word, you also get to spend more time with our people from North View, as well as the fact that you get to see several other saints you might not have seen in many years. People come from all over to gather at the lectureship to soak in the benefits of this week.

I am reminded of what the Psalmist said: “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97). We will not always spend that much time in God’s Word in one day or one week, but let’s take advantage of these moments when they come. Do you love being in God’s Word? Do you crave the Bible as you do some of the super bowl food you consumed over the weekend? One of the verses I read Sunday morning shows what happens when someone wants the Truth: “Thy words were found, and I ate them…” (Jer. 15:17).

God provides ample opportunities for us to let His Word sink into our hearts and minds. The choice is up to us as to whether we do it. Do you want God’s Word?

Brotherly,

Jeremy T. Butt

A Common Goal

We’ve all seen them at some point when we’re driving down the road: roadkill! Here in Middle Tennessee we regularly see the remains of skunks, rabbits, cats, dogs, possums, armadillos, turkeys and deer after they have a fatal encounter with a vehicle. What was very interesting on Sunday morning was what the boys and I saw gathered around the remains of a deer. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so what you see in this picture tells the whole story. I don’t recall in my 37 years of life seeing something quite like this dog and these buzzards sharing this same deer carcass. I turned the car around and went back just so I could take some pictures. Who knew they could get along well enough to do this?

What about the church? There are times people who are supposed to be family can’t stand to be around each other. Brethren, it ought not be this way. We should love one another (Rom. 12:10); have the same care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25); look not to our own interests, but the interests of others (Phil. 2:4). We need to be getting along and working together in the church. We should be coming together to accomplish a common goal. If this dog and these buzzards can do this, why can’t we?

Brotherly,

Jeremy T. Butt

The New Birth

Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night. The Apostle John records for us the evening interaction that took place between these two. During this conversation, Jesus brings up the concept of the new birth as he says “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (Jn. 3:3). Nicodemus doesn’t understand what Jesus is talking about, as he is focused on the physical birth. He knows that a man cannot enter his mother’s womb to be born a second time. Jesus was not talking about the physical birth, but the spiritual birth. He explains this birth is “…of water and the Spirit…” (Jn. 3:5).

This past Sunday our oldest son, Conner experienced the new birth that Jesus was talking about with Nicodemus. His physical birthday is July 13, 2005. His spiritual birthday is September 27, 2015. I am grateful that he will be brought up in a congregation of the Lord’s people who will encourage him, help him and mentor him in his Christian walk. North View is a special place, and I have every confidence that he will thrive spiritually in this church. What a blessing it is to be able to baptize your child into Christ. I can now say I was there on both days that he was born and born again.

Unconstitutional Uproar

Let me go on record as saying I love the United States of America. I still believe this is the greatest nation on earth. I can still sing along with Lee Greenwood because I am proud to be an American. I cannot ignore, however, the direction this country is headed. Sometimes we will use the proverbial phrase “hell in a handbasket” as a tongue in cheek way of saying our country is headed for trouble. I believe most of my acquaintances feel the same way. I’ve been sitting back watching to see what other people are saying about the recent developments, and it’s time I go on record.

The recent decision by the Supreme Court, the highest court in our land, to say that the same-sex marriage bans violate the 14^th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, is a travesty not only to our maker and creator, God, but also to those who established the laws and regulations of this God-fearing country at its inception. You’ve heard of people rolling over in their grave, and if that was possible I believe that those who had a hand in establishing our independence and our constitution would utterly be ashamed. Lest you forget, our good ole’ US of A was established as a godly nation on godly principles with a constitution that had godly laws in mind. 

The homosexual community has long been after what they consider equality, fairness, justice. What they don’t realize is that they have thwarted the concept of justice. They have absolutely corrupted that concept to make it mean something they want it to mean. To them justice is getting what they want. In actuality, justice is what is right. The justice of God is what demands that sin be punished. Paul deals with this by saying that the public demonstration of Christ on the cross is how God displayed His justice (Rom. 5:25-26).  How in the world have people corrupted this concept to make it mean equality and fairness in the sense of getting what we want as people?

In the book of Habakkuk we see a description of God’s people having forsaken Him, and Habakkuk cries out to God concerning the wickedness he sees. One of those aspects of wickedness is the perversion of justice. Here is what he says: “…the law is ignored and justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted” (Hab. 1:4). We don’t have to look too far in our world to see the wicked surrounding the righteous. We are labeled as bigots, hateful, unloving and unaccepting of the sinful ways of the homosexual community.

Do you remember when Lot was in Sodom? That is a classic example of how the wicked surrounded the righteous. Lot told them not to act so wickedly, and they responded by saying he was acting like a judge (Gen. 19:7-9). Peter says Lot was “oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men” (2 Pet. 2:7). These men were going after “strange flesh” (Jude 7). Unfortunately our world today has returned to much of the same thought processes that we can reflect on from Lot’s time. People have no regard for what God’s Word says on this matter. As in the case of what happened with the case of Judah so long ago, Isaiah says "they display their sin like Sodom" (Is. 3:9). The media has a field day with the display of this news of an apparent victory by those on the left.

Marriage is being mocked at every turn, as people have been trying hard to redefine what God has defined as marriage. From the beginning it has been that a man would leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife for them to become one flesh (Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:4-5). Homosexuals have no part in this plan which was ordained and defined by God. Paul goes on to talk about how this sin goes against nature, and how it’s indecent, degrading and improper (Rom. 1:26-27). This is what people do who don’t acknowledge God.

The Gentile world of which Paul was describing did not acknowledge God, did not honor God, did not give Him thanks and exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Rom. 1:18-32). Such, my friends, is the state of our country today. In many ways we are like the ancient Roman Empire who grew so strong, yet some of the same things that are going on with us today caused their downfall: internal corruption, homosexuality, arrogance.

I will guarantee you that God is aware of everything that is going on with us. In chapters two and three of the book of Revelation, Jesus addresses the spiritual condition of the seven churches of Asia Minor as He tells each of them He knows. In John’s Revelation, it is clear that Jesus knew what was going on with them at that present time. We would be fools to think that God is unaware of what is going on with us right now during this moral decline we have seen over the last several years.

So why is God allowing all of this to take place in our world today? It seems as if what happened in the ancient Gentile world that Paul describes in Romans chapter one is what is happening today. God gave them over to their lusts and passions and desires. When we see the direction our country is headed, we understand that is the way they want to go. Does that mean we all feel that way? Absolutely not! However, what are those of us who are opposed to all of this going to do about it? It has been said that evil will triumph when good men do nothing (source of quote highly debated). We as people who believe in God and His Word need to speak up against these ungodly things that are going on in the world.

I’ve been told there is coming a day when we as preachers won’t be allowed legally to preach against sins like this from the pulpit. So be it! The way I see it, as God’s spokesman, I must continue to preach the Word of God. As the apostles said, “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). They also said “we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). The people who are making their stand for these new laws are the vocal minority. They are the ones getting their way because they are being the loudest. It’s time for us to speak up on behalf of God. How can we be surprised these things are happening when we are being quiet? It’s time to echo the sentiments of Earl Pitts when he says “Wake Up, America!”

The Victory Is Ours

I’ve seen it numerous times in football games when the winning team has the ball at the end of the game: the victory formation. When they do this, they are saying to the other team the victory is ours. This will only happen when the time is running out and they are ahead by a certain number of points where they can ensure the win is theirs.

Did you know that we as Christians are in victory formation right now? We’ve looked at our enemy on the Dark Side. The Bible has told us all we need to know about our opponent. We’ve looked at the Lord’s Side. The Bible tells us this is the side we want to be on. As people who belong to the Lord’s Side, we know that we can claim victory because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. The Scripture we previously looked at in Revelation about the war in heaven says those in the kingdom “overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony…” (12:11). The victory is ours, but we need to talk about some aspects of this victory according to Scripture.

The Victory Is Planned

Nobody is going to go into a game, war, competition, etc., without some kind of plan. It has been said that to fail to plan is to plan to fail. I remember watching The A-Team on television many years ago. One of the characters named Hannibal was notorious for saying “I love it when a plan comes together” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084967/quotes). Those who want victory in anything have to plan for it.

God planned for our victory by putting a sacrificial plan in place. This was not a reactionary plan, but it was a pre-actionary plan. Consider what the Bible says. “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you” (1 Pet. 1:20). “…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…” (Eph. 1:4). God enacted this before sin even entered the world. He knew what would happen, so He arranged for this ultimate sacrifice.

The concept of sacrifice implies that something must be given up. When Araunah tried to provide King David with everything he needed to build an altar and sacrifice to the Lord, David replied “’…No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing’” (2 Sam. 24:24). When God was giving Moses the instructions for the institution of the Passover, it was required there be a spotless lamb for the offering (Ex. 12:5). We know that the sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world was Jesus, the Son of God (Jn. 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7). This was the plan of God.

The Victory Is Pledged

When someone goes to buy a piece of property, there is something called earnest money that must be given. It is a down payment, a promise that lets the one who is selling the property know that you are intending to buy the property. By giving this earnest money to the seller, the buyer is making a pledge to fulfill the purchase of the property. It is a guarantee. You might remember watching the cooking show with the Cajun chef, Justin Wilson, where you would hear him utter the phrase “’I gar-on-tee’” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Wilson_%28chef%29).

Christians have been given a guarantee by God. Consider what Paul says: “…you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:13-14). God’s Spirit is given to us as a pledge that we will have the inheritance in Heaven. One of the aspects of the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will fulfill His promise.

The Holy Spirit is a much debated part of our lives. I want to go by what the Bible says about the Spirit. Some go to the extremes by saying the Spirit indwells only through the Word and others by saying the Spirit spoke to me and still works miracles today. Here’s what the Bible says: 1) It indwells us (1 Cor. 6:19; Rom. 8:9ff); 2) It works through the Scripture (Eph. 6:17); 3) It works through prayer (Eph. 6:18; Rom. 8:26); 4) It bears witness with our spirit (Rom. 8:16); 5) The Spirit cries from our hearts “Abba! Father!” (Gal. 4:6); 6) The Spirit is a seal from God (Eph. 1:13); 7) The Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance (Eph. 1:14). This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I simply wanted to show that many times we devalue and de-emphasize the role of the Spirit in our lives. Let us be a people who follow what the Scripture says about God’s Spirit and understand that this pledge we have from God is active in our lives to help us understand our victory.

The Victory Is Protected

Outside of a Buddhist temple in Malaysia you will find a statue called the Panca-Rupa. It combines parts of different animals that it supposedly uses to be the protector of the world (http://encircleworldphotos.photoshelter.com/image/I00007ynLLVOR2d4). We know that is nonsense, and we have protection from something much greater than a funny-looking animal combination. We have the ultimate protection plan put in place by God. Peter says:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Pet. 1:3-5).

Our inheritance is protected more than the gold at Fort Knox! Nobody is going to take what we have through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Dark Side is powerful, but Christians who display their faith in God are protected by His power. The only way to be seduced by the Dark Side is if we turn aside on our own, like Judas (Acts 1:25). This protection is not the same thing that is promoted by Calvinism, which is referred to as the perseverance of the saints. Once saved always saved is a flawed principle, as Scripture tells us it is possible to fall from grace and lose our salvation. Without covering all of that right now, let’s return to the protection. Peter says it is through faith that we receive this protection. We can ensure that we are receiving God’s protection if we are faithful children of His. 

We have the victory over Satan if we will uphold our faith in Him.

Those of us who are on the Lord’s Side can go ahead and claim victory. The Apostle John writes “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:13). Are you one who knows you have the victory this morning? If you know you are saved, you know you are victorious. The victory is ours.

The Lord's Side

In the wake of the whole event with the golden calf in Exodus 32, Moses sees that the people are out of control. This was the backdrop for our reading this morning, where we saw Moses say “Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come unto me!” (26). We learn that the sons of Levi were the ones who gathered on the Lord’s side, and at the instructions of Moses they proceeded to kill about three thousand men that day (28). Are you on the Lord’s side? We studied last week about the dark side, examining from the Scripture about Satan who is leading the forces of darkness (Eph. 6:12). Today let us examine the right side, the Lord’s side, in contrast to the dark side.

The first principle I want to mention is that you have an option.

We get to pick which team we’re on. This is not the NFL draft where a team picks you. In Joshua 24:15 Joshua gave the people a choice to serve the Lord or the gods of their fathers and of the Amorites. In 1 Kings 18:21 Elijah told the prophets of Baal: “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, follow him.” The choice to follow God is ours; nobody else can make this decision for us. It is a personal choice.

Don’t make the wrong choice. If you recall the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at the end of the movie when Elsa made her choice by picking the wrong cup for Walter Donovan to drink from, leading to his death. The Grail Knight responded by saying “he chose poorly” (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0245517/quotes). Life is full of choices, as George Jones sang about several years ago. Sometimes it seems confusing which way to go. Dorothy came to a fork in the yellow brick road when the scarecrow first appears. She had a choice to make, and the scarecrow tried to help her out. He said “pardon me, that way is a very nice way…it’s pleasant down that way, too…of course people do go both ways” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yejtZgzB5Ik).

When it comes to the dark side and the Lord’s side, you can’t go both ways. Make sure you choose the right option by aligning yourself on the Lord’s side. It’s your option; choose wisely.

The second principle I want to mention is you have an opportunity. 

Look at this as the offensive side of things. Many people are watching basketball right now, commonly referred to as March Madness. They hear those terms offense and defense. Think about the Lord’s people being on offense with the things we can be proactive in regarding our Christianity. We get the opportunity to do good (Acts 10:38); to be servants (Jn. 13:14); to let our lights shine (Mt. 5:16); to teach others about the Lord (Mk. 5:19).

The other night I was listening to the Vanderbilt and Tennessee basketball game in the SEC tournament. Tennessee was being passive and letting Vanderbilt control what happened with the game. Tennessee went on to come from behind and defeat Vanderbilt because they stopped being passive and went on the offensive. Christianity is not for passive people. If you are letting the dark side dictate what happens in your life, you are going to fail.

Princess Anna sang with Hans in the movie Frozen Love is an Open Door. When those doors open, you have to go through them. In life we have open doors. If you are passive, you choose not to go through them. In Revelation 3:8 the Lord had put an open door before the Philadelphia congregation. This was some type of golden opportunity, but they were going to have to take advantage of it. Those on the Lord’s side need to take advantage of these opportunities.

The third and final principle I want to mention in conjunction with being on the Lord’s side is the fact that you have an opponent.

Look at this as the defensive side of things. With all of the things pertaining to the dark side we looked at last week, we need to understand that we as Christians need to know our opponent. In the sports world, it is understood that before you play your opponent, you must know your opponent to have the advantage.

In a post game press conference where coach Denny Green was questioned about the greatness of the other team, he said “they are who we thought they were” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmQbk5h86w). We need to know our opponent, Satan. Sometimes we will be on the offensive as Christians, but sometimes we’re going to be on the defensive. These are the times that Satan comes against us. Don’t let Satan block us from our goal. In basketball defenders will try to block your shot and keep you from the goal. You must play defense as well to keep them from scoring. We can do this by taking up the full armor of God. Paul says:

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:14-17).

Christians need to stand up against the devil when he comes against us. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7). Our bodies are even equipped with certain defense mechanisms to protect us from certain harmful things. How much more should the body of Christ need to be on defense against the devil?

In Numbers 16 we have the account of Korah, a man who rallied 250 men to rise up with him against Moses, and in so doing they in the words of Moses were “…gathered together against the Lord” (11). These who were found going against the Lord were swallowed alive when the ground opened up taking them to Sheol. They were not on the Lord’s side, and we can read about their fate.

Which side will you pick? Proverbs 16:25 says “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” This morning don’t be caught on the other side from the Lord, for there are eternal consequences at stake. Abraham Lincoln once said “I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right, but it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side” (https://www.haikudeck.com/the-lords-side-uncategorized-presentation-AjQI2BrDLP#slide-8). As we sing at times, “who will follow Jesus, who will make reply, I am on the Lord’s side, Master here am I” (http://www.hymnlyrics.org/lyricsw/who_will_follow_jesus.html).

The Dark Side

Those who are Star Wars junkies understand the phrase “The Dark Side.” The character named Darth Vader was second in command to the Emperor for the evil Galactic Empire who were in opposition to the rebel forces. There was a time when Luke Skywalker, the one who would eventually lead the rebels against the empire, chose to leave his Jedi training so he could go rescue his friends and face Darth Vader. Obi-Wan Kenobi, knowing Luke’s Jedi training wasn’t complete, said “This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the dark side of the Force” (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000273/quotes). The Star Wars story is great and has captivated many for years. With the next installment in the series coming out on the big screen this coming December, the love for Star Wars has been rekindled and the force has been awakened.

Christians understand there is a real battle of good and evil out there, and we are smack dab in the middle of it. Darth Vader is not the opponent we are fighting; Satan is our opposer. Let us never forget that Satan is real, and there will be many encounters we will be faced with in our lives. With this in mind, let us go back to Scripture to make sure we are talking about him as a reality.

Satan’s Dawning

Many have asked over the years if Satan is a created being. The answer is yes. The only being in Scripture we read about who doesn’t have an origin is God. By that I mean the deity: the Father, the Word (Son) and His Spirit. The Apostle Paul tells us in speaking of God’s Son: “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16). Since God made everything, Satan is included in that number.

Satan is included among the angels as we look at Scripture. When the earth was created, the morning stars sang and the sons of God shouted for joy (Job 38:7). Jesus talks about the devil and his angels in Mt. 25:41. In Ezek. 28:14 there is a condemnation against the King of Tyre, where Satan is also referenced as “the anointed cherub.” In the first two chapters of the book of Job, Satan was among the sons of God. Angels were created beings, but they were present at the creation of the world. Therefore, Satan would have been included in that number.

Satan’s Downfall

Satan was created perfect. Go back with me to the Scripture in Ezekiel 28 and let’s examine verses 11-19:

Again the word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God, you had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you. By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, o covering Cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; your corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you. By the multitude of your iniquities I, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified, and you will be no more.

Contextually this was against the King of Tyre, but when you examine what is listed much of this is directly applied to the power behind the King of Tyre: Satan himself. The King of Tyre was not perfect; he was not in Eden; he was not on the holy mountain of God. The imagery used in this chapter gives us some of the details behind what happened with Satan that caused his downfall. He was created perfect. In Genesis 1:31 after God was done creating on day six, He said it was very good. This statement included Satan, and we know at this point his downfall wouldn’t have happened yet.

However, when unrighteousness was found in him, he was cast down. Think about what we know from Scripture and put the big picture together. In Rev. 12:7-9 the dragon and his angels waged war in Heaven against Michael and his angels. The great dragon, the serpent of old, Satan was cast out of Heaven along with his angels. In 1 Tim. 3:6, one of the qualifications of an elder is someone who is not a new convert. The reason for this is so they will not become conceited and incur the condemnation of the devil. We learn a bit about the sentence prepared for these angels. In the judgment scene in Mt. 25:41, Jesus talks about the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In 2 Pet. 2:4 we are told the angels who sinned were cast into hell and committed to pits of darkness reserved for judgment. In Jude 6 we learn that the angels who didn’t keep their own domain abandoned their proper abode and are kept by the Lord in eternal bonds under darkness for judgment day. After the seventy that Jesus had sent out returned and reported that the demons were subject to them in His name, Jesus talks about watching Satan fall from Heaven like lightning (Lk. 10:18). This had contextual reference to what they were able to do, but it seems there is also a reference to Satan’s fall from Heaven. In Is. 14:12 we read that the star of the morning and son of the dawn fell from heaven, cut down to the earth.

Putting it all together, Satan was an angel who became conceited and rebelled against God. He was cast out of Heaven along with those who chose to follow him. His eternal fate is sealed. He was not strong enough to defeat God, much less His angels. Therefore, having received the eternal sentence in Hell, he is waging war against those who are made in the image of God. How does he do this?

Satan’s Devices

Willard Collins used to talk about the three bullets of Satan from 1 Jn. 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” Paul said of Satan to the church at Corinth: “…we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11). We know from Scripture that Satan is described in many different ways and he employs many different devices in trying to take us down to Hell with him.

He is the tempter (Mt. 4:3). He is the dragon who deceives the whole world (Rev. 12:9). He is the ruler of this world (Jn. 12:31). He is the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2). He is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). He is a murderer and the father of lies (Jn. 8:44). He is the accuser (Zech. 3:1).

The name Satan means an adversary (http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/satanas.html). The word devil means slanderer (http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/diabolos.html). Interestingly enough, this word in Greek is where we get our English word diabolical (https://answersingenesis.org/angels-and-demons/satan/what-about-satan-and-the-origin-of-evil/). I was doing some searching on the internet around this word diabolical, and I ran across a quote from the book The Princess Bride. This quote was left out of the movie, and it’s a shame. The character Vizzini in explaining to the man in black how smart he is speaks of himself in such a manner that we can see the following characteristics in someone much more sinister:

There are no words to contain all my wisdom. I am so cunning, crafty and clever, so filled with deceit, guile and chicanery, such a knave, so shrewd, cagey as well as calculating, as diabolical as I am vulpine, as tricky as I am trustworthy…I am the slickest, sleekest, sliest, and wiliest fellow who has yet come down the pike (https://books.google.com/books?id=5eAwAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA175&lpg=PA175&dq=there+are+no+words+to+contain+all+my+wisdom&source=bl&ots=mOBcqCXTNL&sig=grN_u2XPQoViOw6traGzOqVysHc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tAT7VKbSG4uZgwSqwYGgAw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=there%20are%20no%20words%20to%20contain%20all%20my%20wisdom&f=false).

From what we know about Satan, this fits the bill. He has all kinds of tricks in his bag as he attempts to lure us away from God who are Christians, but he also tries to keep people away from God who are not His yet. There are some myths about how Satan operates. First, it is a myth that the devil makes you sin. You’ve heard the phrase “the devil made me do it.” We can even see that in the Garden of Eden when Eve pointed at the serpent.  James tells us that we are enticed by our lusts, and the conception of such leads us to sin (1:14-15). The devil doesn’t make us do anything; we do that ourselves. Second, it is a myth that you can defeat the devil alone. Yoda told Luke about the only way to defeat the dark side of the force: "Only a fully trained Jedi Knight, with the Force as his ally, will conquer Vader and his Emperor" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080684/quotes). We are only able to resist the devil if we take up the full armor of God (Eph. 6:13).

Satan is going to do everything in his power to align us with him, away from God. The Emperor and Darth Vader tried to pull Luke Skywalker over to the Dark Side, but they were unsuccessful. That was fictitious. What we’re talking about this morning is real. Paul says "...our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12) The devil wants you to go to Hell with him. This morning if you are not a Christian, you are on the Dark Side. You need to become a child of God before your eternal sentence is sealed away from the presence of God paying the penalty of destruction (2 Thess. 1:8-9). You can make sure you are on the Lord’s side by repenting of your sins, confessing Jesus as the Son of God, and being baptized to have your sins washed away. If you haven’t been baptized into Christ, you are without the continual cleansing of the blood of Christ (1 Jn. 1:7; 1 Pet. 3:21). Why not take action now to make sure you are walking in the light rather than walking in darkness?

Be a Microwave and a Crock Pot

If you stop and think about it, every kitchen appliance you own has its own unique characteristics and purpose for your kitchen. That being said, some of them operate at different speeds. Take for instance the microwave and the crock pot. The microwave is designed to heat foods quickly, taking less of our precious time so we don’t have to spend it waiting on the oven. The crock pot on the other hand is designed to cook food slowly so food will be tender. You can put something in the crock pot and leave it while you’re working and not touch it until you’re ready to eat that night. Both of these appliances have a purpose in your kitchen. In these instances, it’s good to be quick and slow.

Did you know Christianity was like that? In the book of James we read: “…let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (Jas. 1:19-20). This morning the title of the sermon is “Be a Microwave and a Crock Pot.” Let us examine the need for Christians to apply these principles to our lives and see how we can be a microwave and a crock pot when it comes to listening, speaking and anger.

First, we need to be quick to hear.

Remember the story of Little Red Riding Hood? Fast forward to the part where Grandma has gone to gather cresses from the brook, so the wolf dressed up like Grandma and hopped in the bed. Little Red Riding Hood walks in and comments about the wolf’s big ears. The wolf replies “the better to hear you, my dear, the better to hear you” (Grimm 21). The Disney elephant, Dumbo got made fun of because of his big ears until people realized he could fly. Sometimes big ears are an asset.

They are definitely an asset for Christians. I’m not talking about having big, physical ears. Christians need to be a listening people. You learn more when you listen to others. The writer of Proverbs tells us that giving an answer before you hear is folly and shame (Prov. 18:13). I know I’m guilty of this many times, and you might can relate to this. Often I find myself listening to someone else talk, only to want to proceed with what I want to tell them. By doing this, I have already turned off my listeners. Elsewhere the preacher would say “make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding” (Prov. 2:2). If we want to be understanding, we need to be listening.

Marriage classes and counselors will often stress the importance of practicing active listening. Instead of having someone talk to you where you simply nod your head in response, they want to know you are listening. Active listening includes finding ways to let the person who’s doing the talking know you are listening with statements from you such as “so what you’re saying is…” and sometimes maybe just throwing in a word or two to acknowledge what they are saying. Let’s make sure we are listening so we can understand what others are saying. Christians need to be quick to hear.

Second, we need to be slow to speak.

A long time ago I used to go by on Friday afternoons and play Skip Bo with some of the residents at Poplar Estates. An older sister in Christ named Hae Gentry was someone who said very little. As I enjoyed going mostly for the social interaction, I was still trying to learn the game. An observation I made was that Hae was winning most every hand of cards we played. I asked after one game why she won so much. She laughed at me and said “You talk too much. Be quiet and pay attention more!” That was a reminder to me that sometimes we can run our mouths too much.

Christians need to be slow to speak. Sometimes you’ve heard of putting the cart before the horse? Sometimes our mouths are running faster than our brains, and that will get us into trouble. One of the problems with speaking quickly includes saying things we don’t mean. If you are slow to speak you are more apt to say what you mean and mean what you say. Another of the problems of speaking quickly is saying words untimely. Timing is everything, especially with speech. Solomon said “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances” (Prov. 25:11). If we will think before we speak, we can avoid many pitfalls of the tongue. “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things” (Prov. 15:28).

Consider some other words from ancient wisdom found in Guy N. Woods commentary on James:

• "Speech is silver; silence is golden"
• "The ears are always open, ever ready to receive instruction; but the tongue is surrounded with a double row of teeth, to hedge it in and to keep it within proper bounds”
• Xenocrates said “I have sometimes had occasion to regret that I have spoken, never that I was silent”…”talk little, and work much”
• Socrates once was approached by a young man who wanted to be taught oratory and after the young man kept rattling off at the mouth Socrates said he would charge the young man double. When the young man asked why, Socrates said “I shall have to teach you two sciences; first, how to hold your tongue, and second, how to use it” (Woods 75)

There is wisdom in restraining what we say as we can avoid many transgressions by doing so (Prov. 10:19). Also consider that “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin” (Prov. 13:3). Some people in life and even in the church are like the largemouth bass. They never seem to understand when to keep their mouths shut. Don’t be the kind of person who is known in the congregation as the largemouth bass. Be slow to speak. We’ve got two ears and one tongue. It may be there is a reason for that, use your ears more than your mouth. Be slow to speak.

Third, be slow to anger.

Remember the television show  The Incredible Hulk? Dr. David Banner was the character played by Bill Bixby who would turn into a green muscle-maxed creature when angered or outraged, caused by an overdose of gamma radiation. A reporter named Jack McGee is constantly trying to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Dr. Banner tells Mr. McGee “don’t make me angry; you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQsJtkk-NGQ)

Anger is an emotion that we all feel at some point, but it needs to be kept in check. It can be a good thing. Remember when Jesus cleansed the temple with the scourge of cords because the moneychangers had turned it into a den of thieves (Jn. 2:14ff)? The Apostle Paul says in quoting Psalms 4:4 “be angry, and yet do not sin…” (Eph. 4:26). There is such a thing as righteous indignation that can be used in a proper way. However, there are times anger can be a bad thing. From our text today, we read “…the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (Jas. 1:20). When people get angry, they have a tendency to lose their common sense. Their judgment is blurred. They do things they wouldn’t normally do. One proverb says “…he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding” (Prov. 17:27).

One of the qualifications of an elder in Titus 1:7 is “…not quick-tempered.” There is much good about a person who has a long fuse. Don’t be someone with a hair-trigger of a temper. I was by Gateway Tire and Service Center the other day and the movie 55 Days at Peking with Charlton Heston was on the TV. There was a scene in the movie where a long fuse had been set to blow up an artillery bunker. I don’t remember why, but there was a need to stop the fuse. Those who attempted to do so were able because the fuse was long. It could be put out before there was an explosion. We need more people with long fuses where they can be put out before there are explosions of anger. Are there reasons for anger? Certainly. However, keep in mind what Benjamin Franklin said: “Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.”

So, this morning when it comes to hearing and listening some of you are microwaves. You don’t want to be a slow listener; be attentive and receptive with your ears to be a quick hearer. When it comes to speaking, be a crock pot. Don’t shoot off at the mouth. Be slow to speak. When it comes to anger, be a crock pot. Don’t have a quick fuse. Certain things in the kitchen are better when they’re faster: boiling water, toaster ovens, microwaves. Our speech and anger should not be like these. When you cook meat in the crock pot, it’s tender and savory. People who are slow to speak and slow to anger are this way. The presentation is more savory to those who are on the receiving end. Be a microwave and a crock pot. Let’s make sure we are trying to achieve the righteousness of God.

The Crux of the Cross

Often times we talk about getting down to the heart of the matter. Sometimes we can have superficial discussions about things, but there are times that you need to quit scratching around the surface and get down to business. Crux is a word we use at times for this reason. The crux of any issue is what really matters. If you look it up on thesaurus.com it will give you other terms that are synonymous, such as meat and potatoes, nitty gritty, core, essence, bottom line (http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/crux?s=t).

Did you know the cross of Jesus Christ has a crux? Yeah, we know that people wear one around their neck, we talk about carrying our own cross daily, and maybe even referencing it as a historical event. However, when it comes right down to it, the crux of the cross is of the utmost importance. This morning I want us to look at the crux of the cross from three perspectives.

For the Savior, the crux of the cross was His curse. 

God made man and something went haywire, because sin entered the world. Not to worry though because long before sin appeared on the scene, God had already put a plan in motion. He would send His Son to remedy this problem. Paul says “…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…” (Gal. 1:3). Peter in referring to the work of Christ as the sacrificial lamb of God says “…He was foreknown before the foundation of the world…” (1 Pet. 1:20). God was going to send His Son down to this earth to take care of the sin problem. How was He going to do that?

In Gen. 3:15 it was prophesied that the serpent would bruise His heel. Moses talked about the person being hung on a tree being cursed (Deut. 21:23). We can read about the suffering the Savior would endure as depicted in Isaiah chapters 52 & 53. Jesus was going to have to suffer in order to take away the sin of the world. In order to crush sin, the Savior must be crushed (Is. 53:10).

Paul said that Jesus in going to the cross became a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). In doing so, Paul also said this is where He became sin on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21). This doesn’t mean that Christ literally became sin; rather it’s that He became the sacrifice for sin, evidenced by the use of propitiation by Paul in Rom. 4:25. The cross was something that He had to endure alone; no other person could take this away from Him. God Himself didn’t even intervene with this divine plan, as Jesus cried out “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”  (Mt. 27:46). The crux of the cross for the Savior was His curse.

For the Saint, the crux of the cross is his cure. 

We know that the cross stands for salvation for those who believe. Paul said in speaking of the cross, “…to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). There was a time God brought about a pandemic of death among the Israelites when He caused fiery serpents to bite them because they became impatient and complained. Moses approached the Lord after the people came to him so he could intercede for them to God to have the serpents taken away. Because of this, God had Moses make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole so that the people would look at it when they were bitten and live (Num. 21:4-9). In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus said “’…as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life’” (Jn. 3:14-15).

The incident in Numbers 21 served as a type of what was to come with Christ being lifted up on the cross. It would serve as salvation to those who believed. Paul said that Christ’s death on the cross served as the peacemaker: “…having made peace through the blood of His cross…” (Col. 1:20). Those of us who have taken advantage of the cross of Christ have taken hold of the antidote for sin.

In the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Dr. Jones drank some poison without realizing it. The individual who poisoned him showed him the antidote from across the table. There was a mad scamper after everyone heard a gunshot where he was trying to get to the antidote which was at that point rolling around on the floor (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1984). If you knew that somebody had a cure for the poison inside of you, I would dare say you would do everything in your power to get it. Those of you who are Christians have not only been provided the antidote for sin, but you have taken it when you obeyed the gospel.

For the Sinner, the crux of the cross is his crisis. 

When Paul was speaking of the reactions of those who didn’t obey when Christ was preached as crucified, he said “…to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:23). People who don’t obey the message of the cross are perishing (1 Cor. 1:18). People who are perishing for the most part don’t know they have a crisis. It’s like a person getting a diagnosis they have a fatal disease but they refuse to believe the doctors; and imagine the doctor has the cure to the disease, but the patient not believing there is a crisis don’t take the cure that is offered.

What types of spiritual crises are there? There are people who don’t care anything about God, about the church, about salvation; they have no interest in spiritual matters. They, like the Gentiles described in Romans chapter one, ignore the evidence. There are people who would be what we consider religious, yet they think they are saved. We’ve all known people like this. They believe they are saved because they said the sinner’s prayer. They believe they are saved because they did what the preacher told them to do. They believe they are saved because they have faith, and they don’t need to be baptized. The disciples at Ephesus were confronted by Paul with the news that they needed to obey properly because the baptism of John was no longer valid to be administered after the establishment of the church, thus they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:5).

However, did you realize concerning the cross there can be a crisis for those who have already obeyed the gospel? The writer of Hebrews talks about Christians who have fallen away, as he says “…it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame” (Heb. 6:6).

The cross forces someone to make a decision. This morning some of you are standing at the crossroads. You either choose to be cured by the cross or remain in crisis. Interestingly enough, the Greek word for preacher looks real similar to the English word crux that we have used this morning. The connection for us this morning is the cross. What I have preached to you is the cross of Jesus Christ. The choice is yours. The crux of the cross is either your cure or your crisis. Let the Bible be your guide to see if you are in crisis or not. The Bible tells us to repent of our sins and be baptized into Christ Jesus (Acts 2:38). If you have done this, you are cured. If you haven’t, please come this morning and respond to the cross of Christ. If you need prayers of the church because you are in crisis for falling away, we would be glad to pray with you and for you.

Peter: A Rock or A Roadblock?

Simon Peter is probably apostle with whom most of us could relate. I can definitely say that for several reasons: I have spoken without thinking, I have acted rashly, I have let the Lord down on more than one occasion and I’m sure there are multiple times I’ve been carried away in hypocrisy. On one occasion we see Peter go from saying something great to laying a spiritual egg. One of the monumental occasions in his life was when he lived up to the new name Jesus had given him. He made the great confession that Jesus was the Son of God (Mt. 16:16). As Jesus used the play on words by stating that He would build His church on this rock, we know that Peter was a small stone that would be part of a bigger rock, the confession that he made. It was upon this confession that Christ would use to build His church which would not be stopped by His death (Mt. 16:18). In order to carry out this plan, Jesus looks into His crystal ball to show them what lay ahead with His upcoming passion. 

Our text for this morning will be Matthew 16:21-28. It reads:

From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to His deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Using this exchange between Jesus and Peter, let us consider in this instance whether Peter was a rock or a roadblock.

Jesus had a road to travel

In Luke 9 Jesus talked on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah about his upcoming departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (31). Later in the chapter Jesus resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem (51). Jesus had to go to Jerusalem and fulfill the role of the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah 52 & 53. Jesus knew how He was going to die, and He had to reveal this to His disciples.

In order for Jesus to travel that road, God was paving the way for His Son. If God had a paving business, it could be called Providential Paving Company. God was working out the details of how His Son, Jesus Christ would save people from their sins. Paul says “…at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). This plan was set in motion before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:20), proclaimed by the prophets (Deut. 18:15), preached by John the Baptizer (Jn. 1:29), but it wouldn’t be finished until Jesus died on the cross (Jn. 19:30). God’s providence is evident throughout the whole process of the plan of salvation. Jesus had a road that He must travel, and He proclaimed it to His disciples.

Peter attempted to block that road

Sometimes we think we are doing the right thing, but then we find out that we didn’t know best. Peter might have thought he was trying to protect Jesus; that wasn’t what was needed to be done, and this was man’s interests talking instead of God’s interests. Jesus actually called Peter Satan in this text. It wasn’t that Peter was Satan, but Peter was acting in a manner opposite God’s interest, which is what Satan does. Peter was acting in a selfish manner. Consider what James says about this: “…if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth…where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (3:14,16). We know these things are tied with Satan, and Peter was definitely not acting in accord with God at that moment.

It is possible that Peter acted this way because he knew if Jesus was killed then the earthly kingdom would not be. The selfish side of Peter would want Him to stay and establish that kingdom. Of course we know that is not the type of kingdom that Jesus would establish. After feeding the multitudes, He perceived the people wanted to come and take Him by force and make Him king, so He withdrew to the mountain by Himself (Jn. 6:15). However you view this passage, Jesus said that Peter was a stumbling block.

We can be like Peter and be guilty of attempting to get in the way of the Lord’s plans. Think about an opportunity you had to tell someone about the Lord, but you stayed silent. Imagine someone who the Lord has enabled to be qualified to serve as an elder in the Lord’s church, but they don’t accept the nomination because they want to travel more. Sometimes people don’t want to teach a Bible class because they don’t want to make the effort. There are ways that we can attempt to get in the Lord’s way. The great thing about God is that He will get His way regardless. Peter was trying to stand in the way of the cross. Don’t be like Peter who attempted to block that road.

All disciples must travel that road

In order to be a follower of Jesus, He says we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (Mt. 16:24). Luke’s account adds the word “daily” to the taking up of our cross (9:23). Christians can’t be like the Christ they claim to follow without taking up the cross daily that He died on. I have discussed this before with people that it is not simply a burden as some have phrased it. The cross was a symbol of death. When we deny ourselves and die to ourselves, we are focusing on what He wants and not what we want. Is your fulfillment a priority, or are you wanting to please the Lord? Jesus said “…I always do the things that are pleasing to Him” (Jn. 8:29).

Are you taking up your cross each and every day? What have you done recently where you put your own interests to the side and focused on God’s interest? Jesus gets right to the heart of people when He addresses the things of this life that we want to pursue, instead of pursuing what God wants us to pursue. If we are going to be a disciple of Jesus we’re either on His road or we’re on our road. You can’t serve God and mammon (Mt. 6:24). When our possessions are controlling our lives, it can force us to turn back from following the Lord like the rich young ruler (Mt. 19:22).

There are things in this life which can keep us from traveling the road that Jesus talks about. It has been said by some in offering options, “it’s my way or the highway.” In Disney’s movie The Pacifier, the character played by Vin Diesel narrowed that down by saying “my way, no highway option.” Let’s remember that Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father, but through Me” (Jn. 14:6). Jesus did travel that road. He went to the cross for you and me. We can’t be guilty of trying to keep Jesus from the cross like Peter, but we can be guilty of being a roadblock by following our own will instead of His. Bounty paper towels claim to the quicker picker upper; we as Christians need to be the cross taker uppers. Can you accept this challenge?

Turnovers are Terrible

Recently during the Super Bowl the New England Patriots were leading by four points, but the Seattle Seahawks had the ball at the one yard line with around thirty seconds left in the game. It appeared for all practical purposes that they would be able to score by running their stud of a running back, Marshawn Lynch into the endzone and claim victory in Super Bowl XLIX. As life shows us at times, things don’t always turn out like we think. Instead of them putting the ball in the hands of their running back, the call was made to attempt a pass at the goal line, which was intercepted by New England. The game was essentially over for Seattle at that point, because they couldn’t get the ball back with the limited time on the clock. Oh, to be so close, but yet so far. We know that turnovers are terrible and can cost a team the football game.

Football games are not that important in the grand scheme of things, and we know there is a type of turnover which is much worse. People can turnover their salvation at any given moment, and they are at risk of spending an eternity in Hell where the worm doesn’t die and the fire is not quenched (Mk. 9:44); where they are away from God’s presence (2 Thess. 1:9); where the Devil and his angels are (Mt. 25:41).

There are seven congregations listed in the opening chapters of the book of Revelation: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These seven are representative of all the churches in Asia Minor during the reign of the Roman Empire. Five of the seven are found to be in need of repentance. If the Lord were to come back before they had remedied their spiritual slackness, they would be dealt with accordingly. A very valuable lesson we can learn from that is to make sure we are maintaining our salvation. Don’t throw it away. Don’t turn it over.

The Seahawks will have another chance at competing for more Super Bowls. Though it will hurt them severely as a football team for a while, it’s not the same as someone losing their salvation. Don’t be like Judas who turned aside to go to his own place (Acts 1:25). That kind of turnover can cost you for eternity!