Hear it! Believe it! Connect it! (Romans 10:8-17)

Theme Verse for This Week's VBS/Kid's Camp:

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Jesus Christ. — Romans 10:17 (HCSB)

     It is amazing how little people know about the Word of God, especially here in America where virtually everyone has access to the Bible. This was demonstrated by Tonight Show host Jay Leno. Leno frequently does "man-on-the street" interviews, and one night he collared some young people to ask them questions about the Bible. "Can you name one of the Ten Commandments?" he asked two college-age women. One replied, "Freedom of speech?" Mr. Leno said to the other, "Complete this sentence: Let he who is without sin..." Her response was, "have a good time?" Mr. Leno then turned to a young man and asked, "Who, according to the Bible, was eaten by a whale?" The confident answer was, "Pinocchio."

 Such misunderstandings, while seeming to be humorous, are tragic. The importance of God’s Word is reiterated throughout its pages and no more powerfully than in Romans 10:17 where it states, "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ."

[Romans 10:8-17]

8  On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim:  9  If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11  Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame, 12  for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. 13  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14  But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things! 16  But all did not obey the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? 17  So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

 
1. HEAR IT!
Romans 10:14 declares, "…how can they believe without hearing about Him?..."

Proverbs 29:18   "Without revelation people run wild, but one who listens to instruction will be happy. "

Romans 10:17 declares that faith is the result of hearing God speak through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

   The Word of God produces faith in the matter of Salvation. In 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 the Apostle Paul says, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

   As a pastor, sometimes I feel like I’m in sales and promotion. Help me remember at the heart of it all, is not to "get" the word out, but to "let" the Word out. The Word of God produces faith in the matter of spiritual growth.

   Dwight L. Moody once wrote, "I prayed for Faith, and thought that someday Faith would come down and strike me like lightening. But Faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, ‘Now Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.’ I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever since."  (Dwight L. Moody, Leadership, Vol. 10, no. 4.)

   2 Timothy 3:16-17  "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

   John R. W. Stott said, “A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus, we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him.”

Other books were given for our information; the Bible was given for our transformation.

2. BELIEVE IT!
   You can read the Bible everyday of your life and still be unaffected by its pages and unchanged by its power, unless you are willing to believe it and receive it. Again, Dwight L. Moody said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.”

   Notice how Paul says you must believe before you can have saving faith in Romans 10:8-11.

8  On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim:  9  If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11  Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame…”

   Paul also wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”

   Long before contemporary authors Josh McDowell and Lee Stroebel researched the truth of the Bible, American Jurist Salmon P. Chase (1808-1873) wrote, "There came a time in my life when I doubted the divinity of the Scriptures, and I resolved as a lawyer and a judge I would try the book as I would try anything in the courtroom, taking evidence for and against. It was a long, serious, and profound study; and using the same principles of evidence in this religious matter as I always do in secular matters, I have come to the decision that the Bible is a supernatural book, that it has come from God, and that the only safety for the human race is to follow its teachings."

   Remember the plea of Colossians 3:16. “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” 

3. CONNECT IT!
Notice again Romans 10:14-15.

14  But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things!
Jesus commanded us in Mark 16:15 to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

   Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Christian leader who gave his life opposing the Nazis, studied for a year in New York City. He was uniformly disappointed with the preaching he heard there: "One may hear sermons in New York upon almost any subject; one only is never handled, namely, the gospel of Jesus Christ, of the cross, of sin and forgiveness."

   Don McKenzie told this story. One night very late in the evening, a pastor was called to the hospital. As he was walking down the semi-dark hall, with no people around, a man suddenly ran out of one of the patient rooms. He ran up to the pastor – the pastor had never seen him before--and said to him with joy in his face, "She’s going to make it. She’s better. She is going to make it," and then he made his way on down the hall. The preacher has not seen the man since. He does not know who the man was talking about. Apparently “she” was someone very near and dear to him, and he had just received good news. He could not wait to share it. He did not even have to know the person with whom he shared it; it just flowed from him because he had received good news, and good news is to be shared.

   The Apostle Peter said to those who opposed the Gospel in Acts 4:20, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 

   Luigi Tarisio was found dead one morning with scarce a comfort in his home, but with 246 exquisite violins, which he had been collecting all his life, crammed into an attic, the best in the bottom drawer of an old rickety bureau. In his very devotion to the violin, he had robbed the world of all that music all the time he treasured them; others before him had done the same, so that when the greatest of his collection, a Stradivarius, was first played, it had had 147 speechless years. Yet, how many of Christ’s people are like old Tarisio?

   In our very love of the church we fail to give the glad tidings to the world; in our zeal for the truth we forget to publish it. When shall we all learn that the Good News needs not just to be cherished, but needs to be told? All people need to hear it.

  The value of the Bible is not knowing it, but obeying it. Knowing the Bible is of little benefit unless you practice it.

   The best thing to do with the Bible is to know it in the head, stow it in the heart, sow it in the world, and show it in the life.

A Mother On Mission (Mother’s Day) -- 2 Timothy 1:1-5; 3:14-17

An army officer who had 9 children all under the age of 15 had been stationed in Germany. His wife and all nine of his children traveled from the U.S. to Germany to live on base. The mother and her 9 children traveled by commercial airlines to Germany. After three airports and 24 hours of layovers and flight time, they all stood all in line before the customs official in Germany. The German customs officer asked, “Are all these children and these twenty suitcases yours?” The mother tiredly replied, “Yes.” The official then asked, “Do you have any weapons or drugs?” The mother answered, “If I did, don’t you think I would have used them already?!” The official nodded in agreement and the whole family was waved right through without a single suitcase being searched.

Today, we honor our mothers and give thanks to God for all the blessings mother’s bring to our lives. Mother’s Day is a good day to review the basics of a mother’s priorities. We find these in 2 Timothy. Paul is writing to a young pastor which he had taken under his wing to train. Let’s look-in on the review Paul conducted with his young friend, named Timothy. We will examine two passages of Scripture found in 2 Timothy. First read with me 1:1-5:

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,
4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.
5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Next, look at 3:14-17.

14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.


Eunice was a single mother in a scary world. She was a Jewish believer in Jesus. She’d been married to a Greek unbeliever, who’d either left or died. Like today, raising a child in a single parent home was no picnic.

Then again, there are times of compensation. A little boy invaded the dress department of a big department store and said to the salesperson, "I want to buy my mom a dress, but I don’t know what size." "Is she tall or short, fat, or skinny?" asked the clerk. "Well, she’s just perfect," answered the boy. She wrapped-up a "size 8" for him. Two day’s later Mom came and exchanged the dress for a "size 16."

Eunice’s boy Timothy was that kind of compensation. And there were good reasons. Eunice was a wise and spiritually-strong mother. She had three priorities she taught young Timothy. Her priorities were learned at her mother Lois’ knee, and passed along to Tim. The world pushes temporary and transitory values - money, position, power and fame. You can sense that with a quick look at the TV lineup for most evenings - American Idol, Millionaire Matchmaker, and many more. Let’s examine these three priorities of godly mothers:

Priority #1: Savior


…and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:15 (NASB95)

INTRODUCE YOUR CHILDREN TO THE SAVIOR  AND EXPECT THEM TO FOLLOW THE SAVIOR.

Eunice led her boy Timothy to know the Lord Jesus Christ. She taught him about Jesus, and expected that he would accept Christ as Savior.

The word "leads" in this verse speaks of anticipation. When a mother anticipates, prays and leads toward Christ, she has every right to expect the cooperation of God in bringing her child to the Lord. This sounds simple; but it is not easy...or cheap.

Susannah Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, is said to have prayed one hour every day for her children. She was strict. But she was unselfishly faithful. She had six rules for teaching her children the priority of the Savior:

1. Subdue self-will in a child.
2. Teach him to pray as soon as he can speak.
3. Give him nothing he cries for, and only what is good for him when he asks politely.
4. Punish no fault confessed, but let no sinful act to go unnoticed.
5. Reward good behavior.
6. Strictly observe all promises you have made to your child.

What is so familiar about these rules is it is exactly the way the Lord treats us. Knowing the love of the mother up-close and personal, the children will learn to love the love of the Father in heaven.

An exasperated mother sent her naughty son to his room to discipline him. He stormed up to his room and defiantly hid under the bed. When the boy’s father got home, he went up to check on his wayward son. The father entered the room but did not see the little guy. He wandered around the room for a moment and then looked under the bed. When he looked under the bed, he saw two eyes looking back at him. Then he heard his son’s voice: “Hi, Daddy. Is Mommy trying to get you, too?”

Mom’s tend to be the enforcers of the rules in most homes. Mothers, if you want to know what rules to set for your home, the Scriptures are God’s guidelines for the home.

Priority #2: Scripture

15   and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings….
16   All Scripture is inspired by God…
2 Timothy 3:15a, 16a (NASB95)

TEACH THEM YOUNG.

Eunice taught her son the scriptures starting at a very young age. Jewish boys start formal instruction in the Scriptures at age 5; younger than that is not too soon. It is said that Susannah Wesley had 19 children. (Whew!) What is more, this mother of Charles and John Wesley took each child aside for an hour every week to discuss and teach them the principles of spiritual living. Those two sons touched two continents for Christ.

The best formula I know for teaching children is to
a. Bring them to church on Sunday;
b. Apply what is learned on Sunday all throughout the rest of the week.

Mothers, nobody will MAKE you do this. In fact, it is just the opposite today. With God removed from public places and the schools faithfully teaching secular humanism, your child has little chance of growing up to be a Timothy, or with any kind of Christian values, unless YOU teach him!

With all the demands of today’s world, is this just another pressure, a burden, a further complication? When do single mothers and working mothers have time for "Susannah Wesley mothering?" Relax, dear mother. If you will have a priority in your own life for God’s Word, and simply live it before your children, and be ready to answer their questions, you will be teaching them.

On the other hand, if you won’t live it, don’t bother to teach it in any other way. They will learn what you live. A child that sees her mother carry a Bible to church, but never opens it from Monday to Saturday knows that Christianity is only for Sunday.

Dad was watching television after supper. Mom was doing the dishes while another load of laundry was in the washing machine. The children were in the den looking at pictures from the family album. The older brother pointed to the wedding picture and said to his younger sister, “This was the party they had when Dad hired Mom.”

Ladies, I know you get tired doing all the things you do for your family. Wouldn’t it be nice to take a break from it all. But, you know it will all be waiting for you when the break is over. Husbands and children, one the best things you can do for the lady in your home is help lighten the load of household chores.

Moms, you know it is important to teach your children (and husbands) how to help around the house. But, it is also important for you to teach your children how to serve the Lord through the church.

Priority #3: Service

16  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17  …so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB95)

All of Timothy’s instruction prepared him for service to the Lord.

As we learn in Acts 16:1-5:

1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek,
2 and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium.
3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe.
5 So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.

Timothy’s good reputation had its start in his mother’s good reputation. Often the best legacy we can leave our children is not a pile of pennies or possessions, but the simple fact of a good name. Eunice’s reputation replicated itself in her son, and Paul had no trouble taking a chance on this young man. Eunice served, Timothy followed.

Many good men and faithful servants of God have the same testimony. The great Baptist preacher, G. Campbell Morgan had four sons. They all became preachers. At a family reunion a friend asked one of the sons, "Which Morgan is the greatest preacher?" With his eyes beaming with delight, the son looked over to his father and said, "Why, it’s Mother!"

Mother, is your child ready to serve God?
*Are you leading that child to the Savior?
*Are you preparing that son or daughter with Scripture, learned by you both at church and practiced at home?
*Are you leading that child to His Service? Or is he unmotivated, unequipped and undirected; is he unprepared to meet the spirit of this age?

What will your child say when the world, peer pressure, and the culture challenges his faith and drives home its message against Jesus with materialism, relativism and rationalization?

If the truth be known, when a child is born there are at least two emotions - great joy (A CHILD IS BORN!)....and Oh MY! (NOW WHAT DO I DO?) As wonderful as being a mother is....it is just that scary to raise a child today. There are thousands of books from Dr. Spock to Dr. Phil. We are bombarded with suggestions and authority from our own mothers to Oprah. What’s a mother to do?

Answer:
Dump the trends and fads.
Be a godly woman.
Get your priorities in order: SAVIOR...SCRIPTURE... SERVICE

Mother and Father are not honorary titles - they are working job descriptions.

Mothers (and Dads), don’t leave the mission to the preacher, Sunday School teacher or anyone else when it comes to your precious children. An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. YOU lead them to the Savior; YOU teach them the Scripture; YOU prepare them for service. You be a mother on mission!

Jesus’ Financial Report (Mark 12:41-42)

Financial statements are an important part of church life. We receive periodic reports keeping us up to date with how we are doing in meeting our budget and expenses. Did you know that just a few days before Jesus died on the cross, He also issued a financial statement? Jesus reported on the income of the temple treasury. However, Jesus said nothing about large contributions made by the rich. He reported on the receipt of “two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.”

In Mark 12:41-42 we read:

41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.
42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.
43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

If you had been with Jesus that afternoon, would the large amounts of money offered by the rich distracted you from noticing the widow with the seemingly insignificant coins? It shouldn’t surprise you that Jesus’ attitude about an offering is different from the attitude of most of us.  Just as Jesus watched the offering that day and called his disciples to a proper perspective on giving, Jesus watches our offerings today and calls us to view the offering from a right perspective.

There are three mistaken attitudes about giving which seem to be common within the church today. As I expose these wrong beliefs, it is my prayer that you will find that giving an offering is one of the rewarding experiences of the Christian life. The weekly collection is not a necessary evil; it is an exciting part of worship.

1. SOME THINK THE OFFERING IS OFFENSIVE

As people saved by faith, we understand that an offering is not for the purpose of acceptance before God. The offering is a means of demonstrating our love, faith and obedience to God. It is also a way of giving praise and glory to God.

A. The Master’s Teaching About the Offering

In the first few pages of the Bible (Genesis 4:3-7) we find Cain and Abel bringing a sacrificial offering to God.

3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground.
4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering;
5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7 “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

In that first offering, we see that God accepted Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Why? God accepts or rejects our offering according to the attitude of our heart.

Noah made an offering when he could finally stand on dry ground after the flood. There are many examples of offerings being presented to God from the very first pages of the Bible, through the Law of Moses and the remainder of Old Testament history.

In the New Testament, we find that it is appropriate to present an offering to the Lord. The parents of infant Jesus brought the prescribed sacrifice for a firstborn son (Luke 2:24). When Jesus healed the leper in Luke 5, He instructed the healed man to offer the expected sacrifice. Jesus presented offerings to the Father. He even gave Himself as the ultimate sin offering.

The practice of giving an offering to God is practiced by the New Testament church, the Apostles and throughout church history. Virtually every reference in Scripture to an offering demonstrates that it is a positive expression of thanksgiving and commitment to God.

Just as Cain had the wrong idea about giving an offering, Jesus warns us about giving with wrong motives in Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

B. The Modern Thinking About the Offering

There is a disturbing trend within the church today that communicates that an offering is an uncomfortable necessity. It is declared in many ways, most often unintentionally, by what is said and the attitude with which it is presented.
In an attempt to make visitors at a worship service feel welcome, they will sometimes by told that they are not expected to participate in the offering. We invite them to share in every other aspect of the worship experience—sing the hymns and choruses, pray, listen to the sermon, and fellowship with others present. Yet, we are afraid that if they are are asked to worship by giving they will not return next Sunday.

At times, I have been guilty of emphasizing that the offering is for the members to support the ministry and program of the church. While it is true the church needs money to operate, the primary purpose of the offering portion of the service is worship! We give as an expression of praise and worship, not to pay the bills. When Christians understand the true nature of an offering, there will be a sufficient amount to meet the financial obligations of the church.

Remember, the most offensive thing that occurs in our worship service is not the offering, but the preaching of Christ. “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

The offering time of the worship service is one of the most visible expressions of worship. It not only declares our faith and appreciation to God, but it also serves as a testimony to those around us. When the heart is right, we can avoid the temptation of “Pharisee giving” to impress others (Matthew 6:1-2).

2. SOME THINK THAT TITHING IS OBSOLETE.

Some Christians believe that tithing is an Old Testament practice that is no longer valid for the Christian. They reason that it is part of the Law of Moses which was made obsolete with the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Therefore, according to their thinking, there are no guidelines about how much God asks His people to give to the offering.

Some point to the truth that Jesus demands a total commitment, so ultimately everything belongs to God. This idealistic position allows individual to make his own determination as to how much should actually be placed in the offering plate. It is somewhat reminiscent of the Pharisaical practice of “corban,” where money was dedicated to God but retained for personal use.

A. The Reality of the Tithe

The tithe definitely belongs to God. Leviticus 27:30 says, “Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.”

God lays claim to ten percent of what we have from the very beginning. For those who think that the tithe is no longer expected by God because it was part of the Law of Moses, I want to show you two facts.

First, the tithe predates Mosaic Law. In Genesis 14:20, Abraham offered the tithe.

Second, Jesus commanded the tithe to be given. Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 23:23, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.”

Jesus criticized the Pharisees for not practicing the qualities of justice, mercy and faithfulness; but He also commanded them not to ignore the tithe. The fact that the Pharisees did not accuse Jesus of neglecting the tithe seems to indicate that Jesus also tithed.

There is no reference in the New Testament writings which questions the continuing practice of the tithe. Other Old Testament laws, such as eating regulations and sacrifices, were clearly set aside by the writers of the New Testament. However, the tithe is not nullified.

B. The Reward of the Tithe

God teaches the tithe is the most basic component of His economic system. To fail with the tithe is to not only miss the blessings of God, but it also brings about difficulties. Most studies indicate that most Christians only give 2.5% of their income to the church. In other words, most Christians only give ¼ of what God asks with the tithe. Listen to Malachi 3:8-12,

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
9 “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!
10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.
11 “Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the Lord of hosts.
12 “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts.

God established the tithe for your benefit, not for His. God does not need your money. Tithing teaches you to master your money instead letting your money master you. There is actually a difference between a tithe and an offering. The tithe (10%) was what God expected. The offering (anything above the tithe) was what God encouraged. Don’t shoot the messenger, but if you aren’t faithful with the tithe, then you have never actually given an offering to God!

Did you notice that God said they were running short of their personal budget because they were greedy (v. 9)?

Did you see God’s promise to bless you for faithful tithing (vv. 10b-11)?

Did you see God’s promise to bless our church when members tithe faithfully (v. 10)?

3. SOME THINK THAT SACRIFICE IS OBSCENE.

There was a pastor who stood before his congregation on a Sunday morning to encourage them to give to a special offering. The pastor exposed the discomfort of the situation by reassuring everyone that no one would be asked to make a significant sacrifice. He said it had been calculated that if everyone would simply gather up the spare change from their pockets and purses each week and bring it to the church, the goal would be met in several months. His final words were, “You’ll not even miss the money!”

Are we moving toward the ultimate offertory experience—one that does not cost us anything? There is a movement to make the offering as painless and unnoticed as possible. Have we become uncomfortable with the idea of sacrifice when it comes to giving an offering? The idea of offering without sacrifice is foreign to the teaching of the Bible.

A.    Sacrifice Was Expected in the Old Testament

The word “sacrifice” is used more than 140 times in the Old Testament. It was always expected of God’s people. When King David was presented with the opportunity to give an offering to God which would not cost anything, he replied with these words in 2 Samuel 24:24, “I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.” David refused to present an offering to God that did not cost him something.

It would be difficult to explain to Abraham that God did not require sacrifice as he stood over his son, Isaac, ready to plunge a knife through Isaac’s heart. God is not afraid to ask for our best and most significant possession.

B.    Sacrifice Is Exemplified in the New Testament

Jesus commended several people who gave offerings. In each instance, the offering was characterized by sacrifice. Think of some of these examples.

There was the boy who gave five small barley loaves and two small fish to feed the multitude. Barley was the grain of the poor and from this we know the boy was from a poor family. His meager lunch was a very sacrificial gift to Jesus.

And then there was the widow who gave two insignificant coins. Her great sacrifice has been remembered for 2,000 years. She certainly sacrificed because she could have kept one coin and still have given 50%. Instead, she willingly gave everything. The wealthy, who put in large sums of money, were not praised by Jesus because they did not sacrifice.

Giving that is not costly sounds more like the world than the Christian faith. We must be careful that we don’t present the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a “good bargain.” Jesus spoke of taking up our cross. I don’t think Jesus would encourage us to give only our loose change because we would never miss it.

Remember, just as Jesus sat and watched the offering on that day recorded in Mark 12, He watches as we give every Lord’s day. Jesus is not concerned so much with how much we give. Jesus looks at our hearts to see why we give and how we give.

Who will roll away the stone?--Mark 15:42-16:8

On this Resurrection Sunday morning, I want to us to think about the stone which sealed the tomb of Jesus. The Bible tells us that the ladies who came to Jesus’ grave on that first Easter morning were concerned about the stone which blocked their access to the body of Christ.

They knew that this stone was blocking their destination, and yet, they would not let the stone stop them!

42 When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.
44 Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead.
45 And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
46 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him.
2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.
5 Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.
6 And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.
7 “But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’ ”
8 They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

These ladies began to walk to the tomb, knowing the stone was there. How would they be able to remove the stone and anoint the body of Jesus? Remember, this was a big stone. The three of them together would not be able to remove it. It was a burdensome stone. If they were to give it their all, they would still be unable to roll the stone away. Yet, it was a blessed stone.  In spite of the difficulty facing them, they began their journey toward the stone.

It would have been easy for these women to not even begin their journey. They knew this huge stone was standing in their way, and yet they pressed on. Oh can’t you hear them talking as they walked along the way, “Who is going to move the stone out of our way?”

Just like the stone over the grave of Jesus was an obstacle to these ladies, we all have stones which prevent us from reaching out in faith to Jesus Christ.

When you find yourselves climbing up the rough side of the mountain - bills are many, but dollars are few – are you going to let the stone stop you?

When your name is scandalized and dragged through the miry clay, are you going to let the stone stop you?

When you come across someone who doesn’t know the LORD, and their heart is cold, stony, and impenetrable,  are you going to let the stone stop you?

When your health is failing you and you’re lying on your bed of affliction, are you going to let the stone stop you?

When you don’t know how you’re going to finish your education because you don’t have the necessary funds, are you going to let the stone stop you?

You see, the enemy wants the stone to stop you today.  The devil wants the stone to stop your marriage from working. The devil wants your family to fail. The devil wants the stone to stop you from knowing God’s plan for your life. The devil wants your job to be a burden to you. The devil wants to stop you from getting your education. The devil wants to stop you from sharing Jesus with someone else. The devil wants to stop you from worshipping and praising GOD.

Let’s take a closer look at the stone sealing Jesus in the tomb. Then we will make an application to the stones which block our way today.

1. The Stone Was Big!

It is estimated the stone which sealed the tomb of Christ weighed about 2,000 pounds!  It would take a number of people to move it. Ancient grave-sealing stones were disk-shaped. They were balanced in a stone track and held in place by a wedge. When the wedge was removed, gravity caused them to roll into place and seal the tomb.

A huge stone was rolled in front of the tomb in such a manner that it sealed its entrance, that no one could enter or exit. They used a huge stone, an enormous boulder, a great big rock to seal the tomb of Jesus, the Christ.

Matthew 27:66 tells that the Romans not only sealed the tomb with a big rock, they placed a quaternion of soldiers there to guard the tomb. The Roman sentries were small units of sixteen soldiers. Each guard shift lasted six hours. Each shift, four soldiers formed a square formation with their backs to one another. It was not possible to sneak up on them from any direction. They were to guard their post with their lives and would lose their lives if they failed in their duty.

The stone was big and no one would be able to get to the body of Christ because of it! The guards would make sure that a group didn’t come and remove it.

2. The Stone Was Burdensome!

The stone is a burden that can’t be easily moved. Remember, the average grave stones weighed about 2,000 pounds. It was impossible to move it in the presence of the guards without causing a lot of commotion and being noticed.

This stone is just one of many stones that appear in the Bible.  The stone represents a burden. Yes, Jesus had died and his death was a burden upon all of those that loved Him. But to add fuel to the fire, they added the burden of a boulder. IF there was any hope in Jesus overcoming the burden of the grave, then it was diminished with the thought of there being no escape from the burden of the granite.

The stone was intended to serve as barrier. It would keep Jesus in and people out. The stone was an added burden to the hearts of the followers of Christ. Those seeking Christ were too helpless to overcome this burden.

There are some of you who are weighed down by the burdensome stone that has been cast upon you. Some of you are bearing the stone of financial difficulty. Some of you are bearing the stone of depression. Some of you are bearing the stone of guilt. Some of you are bearing the stone of a broken heart. Some of you are bearing the stone of ill health. Some of you are bearing the stone of a broken marriage, a broken family, or just being spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically BROKEN. Being broken is a heavy stone.

These stone are not meant to be easy. They are not meant to accommodate your lifestyle. They are not meant to fit into YOUR scheme of things. They are not meant to bring efficiency to your life. But they are meant to alter the way you do things. They are meant to alter the way you see things. They are meant to get in your way, to hinder you, and even stop you from accomplishing anything that GOD wants you to do. They are burdensome.

3. The Stone Was a Blessing!

Isn’t it wonderful how God makes a way out of no way?!

I can hear the Psalmist say in Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” 

If you know that GOD can and will sustain you, you ought to cast your burdens upon the LORD and DON’T LET THE STONE STOP YOU.

The ladies weren’t able to move the stone themselves that morning—but God did what they couldn’t do for themselves. That is why the stone was such a blessing.

God will remove the stone in your life. But He does it on His terms, not ours. We must come to Him in faith and surrender to His will.

I don’t know about you, but I know of another Stone. This Stone is on my side. My Stone is bigger than any stone that the devil can throw my way. My Stone is bigger than any stumbling block that the devil can lay down before me. My Stone is just like a mountain; and I can hide behind my mountain of a Stone when the going gets a little rough.

Jesus said in Mark 12:10 that He is the Stone which the builders have rejected and is now the Chief Corner Stone.

The stone that sealed the sepulcher that morning was no match for the Stone inside--the Stone the Builders Rejected, the Chief Cornestone!

The stone has been rolled away! He is risen from the dead!

There is one more stone I want you to know think about this morning.

In Revelation 2:17 Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”

In New Testament times, a white stone with a name written on it had two purposes.

First, during a trial with multiple judges, the judge who voted for a guilty verdict placed a black stone in a vessel with the defendant’s name written on it. A judge who voted for acquittal would place a white stone with the defendant’s name written on it in the jar. The stones would be counted and the verdict announced by whether there was a majority of black or white stones.

The second use of a white stone with a name written on it was to serve as an invitation to a wedding feast. The groom would write the invited guest’s name on a white stone. The door keeper would recognize the groom’s handwriting to make sure the invitation stone was genuine. Special guests would have a “nick-name” given by the groom written on the stone as a term of endearment.

I’m glad this morning, that when I enter into His presence, He’s got a new name for me waiting on a white stone. I don’t know about you, but I want my white stone with my new name on it. When heaven and earth pass away, and I’m standing on the Word of God, I’ll have my new name on a white stone—declared not guilty by the only Judge! 

And don’t get jealous because God has given me a stone with my new nick-name on it that invites me to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb-- GOD has enough white stones to go around for everyone!

The Bible tells me early, one Sunday morning, as the women went to the tomb, the stone had already been rolled away.  An angel sitting on top of that big stone told them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.”

Listeners and Livers (James 1:22-25)

While a student at Texas A&M University, I had a class with a man who was in his sixties. He wasn’t the professor. He was a student. I thought it was fantastic that this man had decided to earn his degree at the age most are starting to think about retirement. However, as I got to know him, my admiration turned to astonishment. He was not working on his first degree, but his twelfth degree. In fact he possessed many bachelors and masters degrees as well as three doctorate degrees in various fields of academic study.

This man had received a large trust that had set him up financially for the entirety of his adult life. So, instead of putting all his knowledge to practical use, he had spent his entire life doing nothing but learning. While he may have known many useful things, his life had no real purpose. The man spent almost 50 years in college. He acquired multiple degrees, but never put any of them into practice.

Unfortunately, there are far too many people who spend their whole lives listening to the teaching of the Word of God, but spend very little time living it out.

They hear all the “thou shalts,” they just don’t heed them. They can recite the fruits of the Spirit; they just don’t reproduce them in their lives.

In James 1:22-25, the brother of our Lord speaks out against this disconnect between listening and living.

[James 1:22-25]
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

James reminds us in this text of what someone once observed. “Christ’s sheep are marked in the ear and foot. They hear His voice and they follow Him.”

In Luke 6:46, Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” At the heart of being a follower of Christ is not just hearing, but doing what His Word commands.

Look with me at this passage from James 1, and consider some things it teaches us about the necessary connection between listening and living. First of all, notice that James points us to:


1. THE FOOLISH LISTENER
Look at verse 22. James says, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” Notice the phrase, “delude themselves.”

The word translated “delude” literally means “beside reason.” It describes that which is counter to reason.

In other words, James says that it is irrational to only hear the Word, but not do what it commands. You might say that it is senseless and foolish to only hear the Word, but not heed it.

Look at verse 22 with me, and notice what James says about only hearing the Word. First of all, notice:

A. We are commanded to apply the Word.
James says, “But prove yourselves doers of the word…” James opens this section with a command about how we are to apply the Word of God to our lives.

He says that we are to be “doers.” James chose an interesting word for “doer” when he originally wrote this verse.

The word the Spirit inspired James to use describes more than just following a prescribed course, or adhering to a set of instructions.

The word James used for “doer” describes someone who takes something they are given, and then creatively does something new with it.

The Greek word translated “doer” in verse 22 is ποιητής (poiētēs). This is the word that gives us our English word “poet.” A poet puts words together to create something artistic and beautiful.

Think about that. Like a poet, we are to take the words of God and put them together in our life so as to create something beautiful and unique that will glorify Christ Jesus.

Whenever you hear the Word of God, it is not just information for your head; it is inspiration for your heart! You are to take the Word and apply it creatively to your life.

James follows the positive command of “But prove yourselves doers of the word…,” with a negative one.

B. We are convicted if we audit the Word.
Again, at the close of verse 22, James indicates that it is possible to hear the Word and foolishly “delude” yourself.

This foolish self-deception comes from being “merely hearers.” James says, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers…”

Again, James chooses a unique word in this text. Notice that word “hearer.” The word translated “hearer” is the word that is now used to describe those who audit a class in a university.

Those who audit a class will attend all the lectures, and listen to all the material given, but they do not take any of the exams or tests.

Likewise, when the class is over, they get no credit for taking the class. They simply listened, but they did not actually “take” the class.

Unfortunately, this is exactly how many people approach the Word of God. They listen to sermon after sermon, and hear instruction after instruction, but they never put it into practice.

The foolishness of this approach is that you cannot graduate the course of the Christian life by only auditing the teachings of Christ.

Jesus said in John 13:17, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” The blessing of the Christian life is not found in simply knowing what you are to do, but in doing what you know.

In verse 22, James literally says that you are not in your right mind if you only hear the word, and do not do it. There is a foolishness that only hears the Word, but does not obey it.

Notice not only the foolish listener, but notice also further, James points out:

2. THE FORGETFUL LISTENER
Having encouraged us not to be “merely hearers,” in verses 23 and 24, James illustrates what it looks like for a person to listen but not live out what they hear from the Word.

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.”

Notice that the man is said to have forgotten what he saw in the glass. In verse 25, James says that the man who does what the Word says is not a “forgetful hearer.”

Obviously James connects the issue of forgetfulness with a failure to do what is commanded in the Scripture.

Let’s look at this illustration James gives us, and see what he teaches us about how forgetfulness will hinder us from carrying out what God has commanded. Notice first of all:

A. Who we find when we look in the Word
In verse 23, James says, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror…”

James says that a man looks into the mirror, and he sees his face. The mirror reveals who he really is.

Is that not what happens when we look into the Word of God? The Bible serves as a mirror to reflect back to us the truth of who we are.

In Romans 7:7, Paul says, “…I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”

When we look into the Word of God, it tells us who we really are. It tells us we are sinful. It tells us we need a Savior. It tells us that in Christ we are loved, accepted, and forgiven.

The story is told that, years ago, while working on one of his movies, actor Warren Beatty was spending so much time looking at himself that the film’s director had his assistants cover up every mirror on the set.

Someone once said that Beatty was so vain, he was the kind of man who would “end up dying in his own arms.”

Through his illustration, James reminds us that the Word of God is like a mirror, not to feed our vanity, but to build our virtue by pointing us to Jesus.

James not only reminds us in verse 23 of who we find when we look in the Word, but in verse 24, he reminds us of:

B. What we forget when we leave the Word
Look again at James’ illustration. He said a man who only hears the Word, but is not a doer, is like a man who looks at himself in the mirror.

Then he says in verse 24, “…for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.”

The mirror informs the man of who he is, but he walks away and forgets completely what he learned from the mirror.

Is that not how so many of us read the Bible? We take one look at it, and then we are off, never to consider again what God had to say.

There are two reasons I think we forget the Word of God after we have heard it or read it. One, we don’t meditate on it, and two, we don’t memorize it.

Psalm 1:2 says that a blessed man meditates on the Word of God “day and night.” David said in Psalm 119:11, that he “hid” the Word of God in his heart.

When we rush away from the Word, and never meditate on it, or memorize it, we are bound to become the kind of person who is only a hearer, but not a doer of the Word.

James has shown us the foolish listener and the forgetful listener. Lastly he shows us:

3. THE FAITHFUL LIVER
I know that using the word “liver” to describe the way someone lives is not grammatically correct, but it does capture the idea that living life is an action instead of a state of just being.

Look at how James presents the opposite of the man who only hears the Word. He says in verse 25, “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”

That phrase “the perfect law, the law of liberty” is another way of speaking of the teachings of Jesus. James is referring to the Word of Christ.

James says that in order to connect our listening to our living, there is a way in which we must handle the Word of God.

Notice a couple of truths James gives us to help us practice what we are taught in the Word of God. First of all, we find here:

A. How we should read through the Bible
Look carefully at verse 25. James talks about a person who “…looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty...”

Note that phrase “looks intently at.” It is translated from a word that literally means to turn your head sideways in order to look into something.

It is a picture of someone stooping down to look carefully at something. It is the same word that is used in John 20:5, where it describes what John did when he came to the empty tomb.

It says, “and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there…”
Imagine John squinting and leaning into that dark tomb, trying to make out what was inside.

That is the same effort and strain that James says a doer of the Word uses when he “looks intently at” the Scriptures.

James is teaching us that a quick skim over a Bible chapter is not sufficient to translate listening into living.

If we want the Word to become a part of our actions, we must look deeply into the Scriptures, and as James says in verse 25, we must “abide by it.”

I read about two rival Scottish writers who met on the streets of Edinburgh one day. One of them asked the other, “Have you read my latest book?” The other answered, “I have not…You write a great deal faster than I am able to read.”

Be sure; God is not so much worried with quickness of your reading, as He is with the quality of it. We must read the Word carefully; looking deeply into what God has to say.

The faithfulness that obediently handles the Word of God not only has to do with how we read through the Bible, but also further:

B. How we should respond to the Bible
Look again at verse 25. James says, “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer…”

Here is the original point where James began in verse 22, being not just a hearer of the Word, but an “effectual doer.”

You may fill your head with Bible principles until you sound like a certified theologian. However, if none of those principles become practice in your life, they are useless.

If Biblical information never becomes personal motivation, then you have mishandled the Word of God.

For instance, if you read that you are to love your neighbor as yourself, but you are so busy with yourself that you never get to know your neighbor or tell them about Jesus, then you have not truly responded to the Word.

If you read that those who have been forgiven are supposed to in turn forgive, and yet you carry around some dusty grudge against someone, then you have not faithfully and obediently responded to the Word of God!

One of my favorite stories is about a man who once bragged to Mark Twain that he was planning on visiting the Holy Land, climbing Mount Sinai, and shouting out the Ten Commandments at the top of his voice.

Twain told the man that it would be better if he just stayed at home and lived them.

It is not enough to simply hear and know what the Bible says. James reminds us that a faithful handling of the Word of God involves hearing and obeying what God has said.

James concludes verse 25 with a beatitude. He says that if a man carefully studies the Word, and then puts into practice what he has learned, “…this man will be blessed in what he does.”

There is a blessing – a happiness – in life that can only come from obeying the Word of God.

Hearing the Word of God is important, but hearing alone is not what God intends for us to do with His Word.

According to James, you are only fooling yourself if you fail to connect your listening to your living.

My prayer for each of you is that you will learn to obediently handle the Word of God, and live out what you learn.

What Love Is All About (1 John 2:7-11)

Today is Valentine’s Day—a day in which most of us make sure that we tell those special people in our lives of our love for them. The Apostle John began his ministry being called a “Son of Thunder” because of his hotheadedness. At the end of his ministry, Christ had so transformed him that John was known as the “Apostle of Love.”

After John’s years of exile on the Island of Patmos, he returned to Ephesus. Unlike the other disciples, John lived to be an old man and died a natural death. It is said that the old apostle insisted on being with his congregation in Ephesus for every meeting.

Jerome the historian tells us that when he was too old to walk, and too weak to preach in the pulpit, the people would carry him to the services. Unable to preach he had to content himself with but a sermon in a sentence. That one-sentence message that he constantly and continually shared with the Christians at Ephesus was: “Little children, love one another.”

It is said that on one occasion someone asked him, “But Master, why do you always say the same thing?” His reply: “Because it is the Lord’s command that we love one another."

 In our text we find John talking about this command—the Lord’s command that we love one another.   When you study the history of the early Church you find that love for one another and for others was an identifying mark of the Christians.

Centuries ago, Moravian missionaries went to Greenland to reach the isolated fishing and herding villages located there. The Moravians were unable during the first year to make any impression whatsoever. The second year was visited by an awful epidemic of smallpox in which multitudes were struck down, and the missionaries went about among them ministering to their bodies and souls in the Master’s name. After that, the way was clear. The people said, “You have nursed us in our sickness. You have cared for us in distress. You have buried our dead. Now tell us of your religion.” In much the same way, it was the love that the early Christians showed to one another and the lost that gave power to their witness and message.

As we look at 1 John 2:7-11, we see that love for one another and others is a distinguishing mark of those who are Christians.

[1 John 2:7-11]

7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.
8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.
9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.
10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

As we consider with me these verses, notice three things:


1. TRUE LOVE HAS A LAW.
Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you… (vv. 7-8a)

In those words, 4 times John speaks of love as a “commandment.” He is speaking of the law of love, a law that is to be obeyed and a law that is to govern our lives as Christians. In verses 3-4, he spoke of the “commandments” (plural), referring to the commands or laws of God in general. Now he speaks to us about one of those commandments—the commandment or law of love.

Notice that he describes this commandment as a law:


A) Established In the Old Testament
In verse 7, he says, “Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you.” He further describes this commandment as an “old commandment” and one they had received and heard from “the beginning.” Loving one another is a command that has existed from the beginning. One has only to go to the pages of the Old Testament to see that God commands that we love one another. The fact is, from the beginning we see that we are to demonstrate a love that is both vertical and horizontal.



Vertically speaking, we are to love God. We read in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”


Horizontally speaking, we are to love one another. An example is found in Leviticus 19:18 , “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

When it comes to loving one another and loving others, you could say this command or law had been on the books from the beginning. It was a law established in the past. As John said in verse 7, “Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.”

But, we also see how John describes this law as being:


B) Exemplified In the New Testament
John says in verse 7, “I am not writing a new commandment to you,” but then turns around and says in verse 8, “I am writing a new commandment to you.” Someone might say that in his old age, his mind was slipping a bit. Yet, there is no contradiction in what he says.

The word “new” that John uses does not speak of that which is new in origin or existence. It is a word that speaks of that which is fresh in respect to age. John is talking about an old commandment, but giving us a fresh perspective on how we look at it and what it should mean to us as Christians.

Notice verse 8 in its entirety: “On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.” This fresh perspective on this commandment is seen in the person of the Lord Jesus (“true in Him”) and our relationship to Christ (“in you”).

Loving one another is not new, but the Lord Jesus brought the matter of loving one another to a higher level, and that level of loving is to be demonstrated in how we love one another and others. Notice with me John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

If you notice, Jesus calls the matter of loving one another a new commandment. As we have already seen, the command to love one another is not new, but old. It is new in that it is now being considered in a fresh way. What is that fresh or new way?

Notice the latter part of John 13:34. How did Jesus tell us that we were to love one another: “even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” We are to love others the way Jesus loved others. How does Jesus love others? How does He love each of us? Jesus loves us with a love that is without limits. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus loves us so much that He was willing to die for us.

Jesus loved us sacrificially. He possesses a love for us to the extent that no sacrifice was too great. There were no limits to where He would go and what He would do for us.

Jesus loves us with a love that is without conditions. The Bible says in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” He loved us when were sinners. He loved us even when we did not love Him. He loved us, not because we loved Him, but simply because He loved us. We did nothing to earn or merit His love, yet He loved us. He loved us unconditionally.

The love that Christ showed is an unprecedented love. It is a love without equal or measure. In Christ, loving others was elevated to a level that had never been known.

It is this kind of love that both Jesus and John are speaking about--a love that is to be practiced and promoted among Christians.


2. TRUE LOVE HAS A LESSON.
Since loving one another and others is a law, this makes loving one another and others a priority in your life. As a new commandment--a commandment elevated to a greater and higher degree in your life as a Christian--loving one another and others teaches you great things in your life as a Christian. First, notice with me:


A) True Love Requires Much from You.
This old and new commandment requires that we love one another and others as Jesus loved people. I read a story that demonstrates this kind of love put into practice.

During the days of the Revolutionary War, there was a Baptist Pastor in Ephrata, Pennsylvania by the name of Peter Miller. He was a close friend of Gen. George Washington. In the town where Miller pastored, there was a man named Michael Wittman who did everything in his power to abuse and oppose Pastor Miller. There came a day when Wittman was arrested for treason and sentenced to death. When Miller heard about it, he started out on foot and walked 70 miles to Philadelphia to plead for the man’s life.

He was admitted into Gen. Washington’s presence and began to beg for the man’s life. Washington said to him, “Peter, I cannot grant you the life of your friend.” Pastor Miller replied, “My friend, he is the bitterest enemy I have.” Washington, taken back said, “What? You’ve walked 70 miles to save the life of an enemy? That puts the matter in a different light. I will grant the pardon.” Because of the man he had mistreated and had done everything in his power to hurt, his life was spared. They both walked back home together -- not as enemies, but as friends.

When Jesus told us to love one another and others as He loved, He was telling us that we are to love people sacrificially and even unconditionally. We are to reach out to others in love even when they do not deserve our love. It is easy for us to love someone who loves us. But this new commandment to love means that we will love people even if they do not love us.  We are to show love even if we are not shown love. We are to love others no matter what they do or don’t do.

If someone hurts us, we love anyway. If someone mistreats us, we love anyway. If someone loves us back, fine. But if not, we love anyway. You see this love that Jesus and John talked about was more than a feeling. It was a choice. It is the kind of love that is an act of the will. We choose to love people. We choose to show them love. It is the kind of love that reaches out to others. It is the kind of love that takes the initiative. It is the kind of love that performs. It is the kind of love that acts. 

Is that not the kind of love Jesus has shown to each of us? Sure it is. That is the kind of love we are to show to one another and others. Furthermore, we see:


B) True Love Reveals Much about You.
This kind of love is not only required of us as Christians, but it also proves whether or not we are Christians. Notice verse 9: “The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.”

We know that keeping the commandments of God is a test to whether or not we have been saved. Now John tells us that loving one another is also a test as to whether or not we have been saved.

He tells us in verse 10, “The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” In short, John says, “If I love my brother, it reveals that I have been saved. But if not, it reveals I am not saved.”

Notice verse 11, “But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” A lost person is in darkness, therefore he walks in darkness. He is spiritually blind. He does not live as a Christian because he is not a Christian. He does not behave as a Christian because he is not a Christian. On the other hand, verse 8 tells us that for a Christian, the darkness is past and the true light shines in their life. Therefore in verse 9, the Christian is in the light.

What we are and who we are is manifested in how we live. One that has been saved sees things differently. They act and behave differently because Christ lives in them. He changes how they think and live, even in the matter of how they love one another.

But a lost person, they love when it is conducive for them to love. They love if they are loved. They will not love someone who has done them wrong. Instead, they will hate and seek to get even. But with a Christian, they will be different.

If you find yourself full of hate for someone or others, you ought to examine your heart as to whether or not you are saved. John shoots straight and tells us that it is a test to whether or not we are saved.

Finally, notice with me:


3. TRUE LOVE HAS A LORD.
This kind of love is made real by the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one that took the old commandment and made it new. For one thing we see:


A) Jesus is the Picture of True Love
If you want to see real love, look at Jesus. He is the greatest demonstration of love. As I have already stated, His love was without limits and without conditions. Jesus showed the world what real love is all about. He is the great example of love.

Furthermore:


B) Jesus is the Power of True Love
The kind of love that this new commandment demands is not natural for us. It is the kind of love that goes against our nature. Yet, that is the point John makes. Our nature has been changed. As verse 8 states, what was true about the Lord Jesus is now true in us. Something has happened to us. We are no longer in darkness. We are in the light.  What has happened to us is what enables us or empowers us to love as this new commandment demands.



I once had a lady in a church in Texas who told me that she hated another person and had done so for years. She told me of what had happened and the truth is she had been treated unjustly. Yet, what had happened had eaten in her heart like a cancer and left her angry and bitter. I said to the woman, “You must forgive this person.” She looked at me and said, “I can’t forgive her, I’ll never forgive her.” I said, “But God says you can.” She said, “But I can’t.”  I read to her 1 John 2:9. I looked her straight in the eyes and said, “If you can’t, then you need to face the fact that you are not a Christian; because if you can’t forgive, then you’ve never been born again.” She looked at me like she was going to kill me, then the light turned on. She said, “I guess you are right. I know I am a Christian, and I see that I have just been deceiving myself. I need to forgive.” And she did.

The story reminds me of what John has said that our love for one another proves whether or not we are saved. But it also reminds me that if we have been saved, we can forgive and love others.

The Man in the Cemetery (Mark 5:1-20)

There is an old Scottish proverb that says, “The devil’s boots don’t creak.”  The devil and his minions never announce their arrival, they sneak in on those who are over-confident and prideful.

In fact, as the great preacher Cotton Mather said, “That there is a devil is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influence of the devil.”

In Mark 4 Jesus and the apostles have just crossed the Sea of Galiliee in a little boat. A storm had suddenly come upon them and the apostles almost drowned. But Jesus, who had been asleep, spoke to the water and the wind and they became instantly calm. Jesus had shown the boys that He had power over the natural world. Now Jesus was going to show them that He had power over the supernatural world, as well.


1 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.      
2 When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him,      
3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain;      
4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him.      
5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones.      
6 Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him;      
7 and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!”      
8 For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”      
9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”      
10 And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country.      
11 Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain.      
12 The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.”      
13 Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.      
14 Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened.      
15 They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened.      
16 Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine.      
17 And they began to implore Him to leave their region.      
18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him.      
19 And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”      
20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.     

Matthew’s Gospel (8:28) tells us that there were two demon possessed men. Mark records the response of the one that wished to follow Jesus. The eighth chapter of Luke’s Gospel also records this event.

Let’s look at four aspects of this day:

1.  WHAT THE DEVIL DID WITH THE MAN (vv. 1-3a, 5)
The Bible tells us that Satan and his demons have one goal and purpose regarding each of us. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8,  “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

What is that purpose? To devour, to destroy, to kill us!

What did the devil do with the man? He gave him…

A.  A Living Death

         He had a dead religion--This man was possessed. Demon possession involves false religion, namely the occult. The Bible teaches that false doctrines and religions are originated by demons. 1 Timothy 4:1 says, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,” and 1 Corinthians 10:19-20 says,  “What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?  No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.”
  
        He had dead dreams—The devil had robbed the man of his future on earth and eternity in heaven. There was nothing but misery in this man’s future dreams and plans.

        He had a dead hope—As bad as having death in your present religion and destruction in your future are, the worst part of this “living death” was having a dead hope. There was nothing this man could do to escape the clutches of this evil. No matter how hard he fought, he was powerless.

B.  A Lonely Dwelling
  
    He Left Family and Friends Behind.

    He Lived in a Cemetery by Night.

    He Longed for an end— A salesman traveling down a country road saw a pig with a wooden leg standing in a pen. He had to know why this pig had a wooden peg leg. So he stopped and asked the farmer. The farmer said, “That pig saved my life! I got pinned under my overturned tractor. It was on fire. That pig saw me about to be burned alive and ran over, grabbed me by the collar and dragged me to safety.”

    The salesman replied, “That doesn’t explain why the pig has a wooden leg.”
    To which the farmer replied, “Sure it does, that pig’s too good to eat all at once!”

         The devil was driving the man to cut himself with stones and bleed. The devil was eating him one bite at time.

C. A Legion of Demons

   He was controlled by them—A legion was the largest unit in the Roman military. It contained anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 soldiers. This man was possessed by as many as 6,000 demons!

   He was condemned with them—Demons are angels who sided and fell with Satan in his rebellion against God (Rev. 12:4). Jude 6 says, “And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” The demons were afraid Jesus would cast them into the Abyss, or Hell. They know ultimately that is where they will spend eternity. The devil wants as much company as possible in Hell.

2.  WHAT THE PEOPLE DID WITH THE MAN (vv. 3b-4)
We have seen what the devil did to the man. What did the people do to him? They…

   A.  Chained Up the Man

   The man NEEDED FREEDOM, but he RECEIVED FETTERS!

   B.  Cast Out the Man

   They NEEDED TO REACH the man, but instead they REJECTED THE MAN.


3.  WHAT JESUS DID WITH THE MAN (vv. 6-17)

We have seen what the devil and the people did with the man. Now let’s see what Jesus did with the man. He…

   A.  Cast Out the Spirits
   Satan will turn a man into a pig because, to Satan, a pig is as good as a man. The demons drove the pigs to destruction. This is a reminder to us what Satan will do to people.

   B.  Cleansed the Sinner
   Do you remember Jimmy Swaggart? Of course you do. He was the Assembly of God/Word of Faith preacher who was caught in immorality with a woman that wasn’t his wife. These Word of Faith preachers like Swaggart, Frederick K. Price, Benny Hinn, etc. on TV sound good. But they are serving up false doctrine right and left. They are warming up in their microwave oven left over false teachings from the Gnostics of Persia that predate Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.

   In the ancient Gnostic view, a good god rules the spiritual world and a bad god rules the physical world. In their view, everything that is wrong is the fault of the bad god. Every pain, trial and suffering is the fault of the bad god.

   Jimmy Swaggart had been banned from preaching by the Assembly of God Church for a year. He defied the order and assured the public that he was free of moral defect. He said he called Oral Roberts who cast the demons out of him over the phone. Oral Roberts confirmed Swaggart's report, insisting the demons had their claws deeply embedded in Swaggart’s flesh. Now that those rascals were gone, Swaggart could get on with preparing the way for Christ’s return. This sounds a lot like comedian Flip Wilson’s famous quip, “The devil made me do it.”

   Do you catch the problem? For these metaphysical evangelists, even personal sins can be attributed to the bad god, since he is, after all, sovereign over this earthly realm. When this heresy was revived during the Reformation, John Calvin said, “They made the devil almost the equal of God.”  This teaching replaces the problem of sin with the problem of Satan. To them, the problem is facing Satan, not facing their own sin and rebelliousness. “I’m not the problem—the devil is!”

   Don’t make this mistake too! Like us, this man’s greatest problem was his sin, not Satan.

   Jesus cast out the demons and cleaned up his sin. Sin was going to take the man to hell, not Satan.

   C.  Clothed the Saint
   Luke 8:27 tells that this man ran around naked and hadn’t worn clothes in a long time. Now he is seated (calm), in his right mind (freed from sin and Satan), and clothed at the feet of Jesus! He also has new spiritual clothing.  Revelation 7 pictures the saints in heaven wearing robes of white. Why are they white? Because they have been “washed by the blood of the Lamb.”

4. WHAT THE MAN DID WITH JESUS (vv. 18-20)
We have seen what the devil, the people and Jesus did with the man. Finally, let’s see what the man did with Jesus. He…

   A.  Begged to Follow Jesus

    He Loved Jesus—He wanted to be with Jesus.

   He Was Loyal to Jesus—He wanted to go where Jesus went.

   He Listened to Jesus—When Jesus told him to go back home, the man obeyed.

   B.  Became the First Missionary

  The man had a new Master!

   The man who was REJECTED by the people was now REACHING the people!

   George Scott, a one-legged school teacher from Scotland came to J. Hudson Taylor to offer himself for service in China. "With only one leg, why do you think of going as a missionary?" asked Taylor.
"I do not see those with two legs going," replied Scott. He was accepted.

   What made this just saved and  former demoniac the best man to go back to his village as a missionary? His willingness to go!

Let’s be like the man…

Let Jesus cleanse and clothe us.

Take Jesus to our neighborhood.

God’s Test of a Church’s Faithfulness (James 2:1-7)

Many centuries ago, a medieval theologian named John Scotus was visiting Rome, and was escorted by the Pope into the Vatican’s treasuries. Pointing to all the money and assets, the Pope said, “No longer does the church have to say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.”

Scotus quickly replied, “That’s true, but also no longer can we say, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ…rise up and walk’.”

In 2,000 years, the church has moved from the catacombs to cathedrals, from prison cells to worship centers, from upper rooms to arenas.

These days, celebrities accept awards with diamond crosses dangling from their necks, and drug-enhanced athletes give thanks to Jesus for the ability to hit a ball.

We’ve come a long way, but have we come in the right direction? Is it possible that in our efforts to pack our pews and build our buildings, we have misunderstood the kingdom of God completely?

In James 2:1-7, Brother James deals with an issue that was as contemptible in the 1st century as it is common in the 21st century.

[James 2:1-7]

1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,       
3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”       
4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?       
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?       
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?       
7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?    


James warns the people of God NOT to live out their faith while practicing a sinful favoritism toward society’s elite. He says in verse 1, “My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.”

This text calls for us to see if our pride and prejudices might be blinding us to the kingdom of God at the very doors of our church.

Let’s look at this passage together, and follow Brother James as he points us to some failures that may be realities in our church, or in our lives. First of all, notice that James describes for us:

1. A Timeless Scenario
Beginning in verse 2, James sets up a hypothetical situation that does not require all that much imagination to connect it to reality.

The setting is what James calls in verse 2, “your assembly.” This is what amounts to a typical Sunday morning service.

On this particular Sunday, two very different visitors attend the service. Based on the contrast between them, they are greeted and treated very differently by the people of the church.

Church should be the one place where everybody is somebody; but as James’ story reveals, and as is all too often the case, the church can be as segmented and segregated as the sin-sick world around it.

Notice a couple of things about this scene that James describes for us. First of all, notice:

A. Three Actors
Look beginning in verse 2. James says, “For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes…”

The first actor in this story is Mr. Goldfinger. The original language actually describes him as a “gold-fingered man.” His gold rings were his status symbol in the first-century.

If this story were told today, perhaps the man would step out of a chrome-covered SUV, and walk in wearing a three-piece tailored suit, while checking his Rolex to see if he was on time.

Look again at the text, and notice a second actor in this story. Continuing in verse 2, James says, “…and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes.”

This man walked up to the church from off the street, and his clothes look as if he had slept in them, and smell as bad as they look.

These are the two visitors, but there is one more actor – the greeter who meets them at the door. Notice verse 3. It says, “and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool.’”

This socially-savvy, seeker-friendly usher leads the man in the suit to a comfortable and prominent seat, while he tells the poor man to stand in the back, or else sit on the floor.

These are the actors described in this scenario. My prayer is that we would not see ourselves playing out this scene in our own church.

Notice not only the three actors described in this scene, but notice also:

B. Their Actions
You don’t have to know Greek or understand systematic theology in order to see what is going on this scenario that James describes for us.

This scene is an illustration of the conduct that James condemns in the first verse. It is the sin of showing partiality and favoritism toward a particular group or person.

It is holding your faith in Christ, while showing personal favoritism. It is claiming that you believe Christ died for all, while only proclaiming that Christ died for all to a select group of people.

If we are not careful, this hypothetical scene will become a practical reality in our church. We will consciously or unconsciously target a certain class and kind of people.

We will witness to and welcome in only those who look like us, talk like us, dress like us, think like us, and act like us.

We will become a cookie-cutter fellowship that better resembles a club than a congregation. We will have socio-economic uniformity, but not a genuine Christian unity.

Though 2,000 years old, there is something definitely and disturbingly familiar about this scene that James paints in this text. Notice a second thing we draw from this passage.

Notice not only that we have here a timeless scenario sadly common in the church of God, but notice also secondly that what James describes is:

2. A Troubling Sin
This favoritism for a certain class or kind of person is something that goes completely against the character of our God.

In Acts 10:34, Peter said, “…God is not one to show partiality…” In Leviticus 19:15, God commanded his people to do the same. He said, “…you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.”

The favoritism of the snooty usher in verse 3 is something that the Word of God soundly condemns. It is an ungodly and unholy practice.

There are two aspects of this sin that I believe James is specifically confronting in this text. Notice first of all, this sin involves:

A. A Shallow View of People
In verse 4, James asks two questions. The first is this, “have you not made distinctions among yourselves…?”

The word “distinctions” is translated from a word that literally means to create divisions. James’ question is literally, “Have you not then divided people into two categories?”

By seating the rich man, and slighting the poor man, the usher had distinguished between two people in a way that was wrong and unwarranted by the gospel.

What caused this distinction? It goes back to verse one. Notice there the phrase, “attitude of personal favoritism.”

That phrase is translated from one word that literally means “to focus on the face.” The usher had judged each of the two men by what he saw of them on the outside. He viewed them superficially rather than spiritually.

We too are tempted to size people up by what we can see of them on the outside. Their apparel and their appearance too often form our opinions of them.

Contrary to this, the Lord told Samuel, in 1 Samuel 16:7, “…God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

There’s a little poem that goes like this:

“Full many people go to church,
As everyone knows;
Some go to close their eyes,
And some to eye their clothes.”

Somewhere, we have got learn to stop viewing people in such a shallow manner, based on their appearance. The man with the tie may be no more spiritual than the man with the t-shirt.

This sin that is condemned by the Word of God is not only the sin of a shallow view of people, but it also involves:

B. A Selfish View of People
Look at the second rhetorical question James asks in verse 4. He asks, “…and [have you not then] become judges with evil motives?”

When we distinguish between people, based on their outward appearance, James says we become judges whose thoughts or motives are evil.

What are these evil motives? Well, based on the story James used, it must be greed.

The rich man is schmoosed while the poor man is shunned, and it must be because the rich man had money to give.

One writer commented on this passage and said, “One of the great dangers of the church is to look for people who can help us instead of looking for people we can help.”

When we are worried more about budgets than baptisms, and more about finances than faithfulness, we fall into the trap of viewing people selfishly.

I read about a poor, cleaning lady who tried to join the fashionable, up-town first church. The preacher was a little concerned about how his wealthy, influential members would feel about this meager, little woman sitting on the pew with them.

He met with the woman and told her to go home and talk to God about it, and then let him know later what God had said. The little woman never returned to the church again, and the preacher began to wonder about her.

He ran into her one day as she was scrubbing the floor of a building he entered, and he asked her why she hadn’t come back.

She told him, “I talked to God about it, just like you said, and God told me not to worry about it, that He had been trying for twenty years to get into your church too.”

It is a sin to view people shallowly and selfishly. If God is no respecter of persons, then we cannot be without disobeying Him.

There is a third thing we find in this text, and it is what I feel to be the real heart of this passage. James points us not only to a timeless scenario and a terrible sin, but we see also finally:

3. A Terrible System
Look closely at verse 5, James says, “Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”

Now look at the first part of verse 6. James says, “But you have dishonored the poor man.”

In verse 5, James calls for close attention, and then he explains the nature of God’s plan in this world, and the make-up of His kingdom.

Then in verse 6, he condemns the church for working in a way that is completely counter to that plan and that kingdom.

At the heart of this passage is an indictment against a church that would follow the values of a sinful culture, while forgetting the truth of what God’s kingdom really looks like.

Notice with me a couple of reasons why this system that James confronts is counter to God’s plan for His church. Think first of all about:


A. Those Favored by the System
In verses 6 and 7, James points out an irony that was true of the first century church, and is still true today.

He says that while you are despising the poor and needy, the rich people you are courting are actually your strongest enemies.

He asks in verse 6, “Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?” He goes on in verse 7, “Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?”

The early church was made up of mostly poor peasants and servants. They were the bottom of the societal ladder, and they were often abused by the upper class and wealthy.

James asks, “Why are you so interested in the pleasure and approval of the very people who oppress you and oppose you?”

There is a temptation and a tendency for the church to try desperately to be cool and attractive to the mainstream of our society.

As a result, we try to appeal to the educated, upper-class, socially-stylish people. We target the Starbucks and sushi crowd, with their Blackberry’s and BMW’s, thinking their presence in our church will validate us in the world.

The only problem, is that so very often, this is the same crowd who resents the presence of the Church in the world, and scoffs at the message of the gospel we proclaim.

It is a sad and ironic system of operation when the church chases the very classes and culture that despise it.

We must realize that the Bible will never make Oprah’s book club, and the church will never be cool in a world that sees the cross of Jesus as silliness.

There is something further that makes this system so counter to the plan of God. Notice not only who this system favors, but notice also further:


B. Those Forgotten by the System
In this text, James is rebuking the church for misunderstanding the truth about God’s kingdom.

Look again at verse 5, James says, “Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”

While these church members were fawning after the rich, they had forgotten what their own Savior had said. In Luke 6:20, Jesus said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”

Not long before that statement, in Luke 4:18, Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. “

As much as it stings our egos to hear it, we need to be reminded of how Paul described the church in 1 Corinthians 1:26. He said, “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble…”

If we are not careful, we will value the same select people and the same shallow principles of our sin-sick society, and we will forget that the kingdom of God is primarily made up of those whom the world overlooks and undervalues.

We need to be reminded that Christ is building His body, and the people who make it up probably look less like the CEO in the new convertible, and more like a single-mom in an old minivan full of kids.

We need to recognize that the Kingdom of Christ will more likely include a calloused-handed mechanic with his name on his shirt, than a well-dressed executive with his name on the office door.

James is not saying that no rich man ever gets saved, or that every poor man is saved already. No, but He is reminding us of the overall plan of God.

The plan of God for his church is for us to, as the parable in Luke 14 says, “…Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.”

While social standing and wealth may offer some advantages in a world where those things are valued, they should make no difference whatsoever in the church of the Lord Jesus.

Pride and prejudice at the house of God are sure signs that the church has missed the truth of the kingdom of God.

D.L. Moody hung a sign over the door of his church in Chicago that I believe would have pleased Brother James. It said, “Ever welcome to this house of God are the strangers and the poor.”

May that be true of this church as well, and may we never hold the faith of Christ with favoritism.