Sunday Morning – Page 15 – Idaville Church

The Spirit United Church

8 Marks Of The Church Acts, Ephesians Sunday Morning Marc Webb Mission, Spiritual Gifts

MARK 5: THE SPIRIT UNITED CHURCH

This morning we continue our sermon series on the 8 Marks of the Church. So far we have looked at the Spirit-filled Church, the Son-confessing Church, the Scripture-keeping Church and the Sacrament Observing Church. Each week we have been focusing on a myth about the church which is perpetuated by the world wanting to twist what the church is, what it has to say and what its purpose is. And by Satan who wants to weaken the church and make it ineffective. We need to be aware of these myths and be united together with the Holy Spirit to continually strengthen the church.

Each week we have talked about an urban legend which are misguided, dangerous or both and the same goes for the myths about the church. Who remembers throwing rice at a newly married couple? You may remember then that the practice was stopped because birds would eat the rice left on the ground and sometime later the rice would expand and the birds would explode. How many people believe that rice is dangerous for birds? How many people believe rice is not dangerous for birds? For some reason, people just can’t get enough of urban legends about food causing living creatures to explode. For years, couples planning their wedding have been warned about not throwing rice at the ceremony because birds will be tempted to eat it, causing them to blow up. Now that can’t actually happen. Rice, whether it’s cooked or uncooked, poses no threat to birds. But Connecticut state legislator Mae Schmidle tried to introduce a bill in 1985 that would ban rice-throwing. She called the bill “An Act Prohibiting the Use of Uncooked Rice at Nuptial Affairs” and insisted birds can’t digest uncooked rice. Schmidle said ministers had told her they found dead birds after weddings, victimized by innocent rice celebrations. This myth was repeated in Ann Landers’ advice column. In 2002, a project conducted by a biology professor at the University of Kentucky tested this theory and found that while rice expands in size by 33 percent when soaked, birdseed expands by 40 percent. Since your bird feeder isn’t surrounded by detonated birds, rice is probably fine. The professor even fed rice to birds and noted no adverse effects.

Today’s mark of the church is the Spirit United Church and the myth is “you can be united by any vision in your church and be a healthy church.” This myth can be dangerous because it can cause professing children of God to be united around a vision for the family of God that is not in line with God’s vision, and it can lead the family of God into a lesser vision than He has for them as their good Father. Also, the vision for the church is made effective by the Holy Spirit and if Satan can get the church to believe that any man-made vision will do then the Holy Spirit is taken out of the equation making the church even weaker and less effective. We know this is a myth because Jesus said a clear mark of a healthy church would be a church filled with people who are united together by the Holy Spirit around the mission that God has given.

Before we study this 5th Mark of the Church, let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we come humbly before you asking to fill us with your Holy Spirit, uniting us together as your church. Unite us to be your witnesses in the world as we pursue, grow and multiply disciples. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Each week we have been looking at the different marks of the church and studying the scriptures about what Jesus taught, the Early Church taught and what the Apostles taught about each one. Let’s first look at what Jesus taught about the Spirit United Church in Acts 1:6-8. This is what God’s Word says, “Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

It is interesting that the disciples thought they knew what their mission was going to be. Like most of the Jewish people, the disciples still believed that the Messiah would usher in the Kingdom of God and that it would be realized by Israel conquering its enemies and being restored to the national prominence it felt was due them by being God’s chosen people. The disciples were probably thinking of the positions of authority that Jesus would give each one in that kingdom. Notice that Jesus doesn’t answer their question but tells his disciples (and I am paraphrasing), “It’s none of your business.” “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” The Greek word for “time” is chronos and the word for “dates” or some versions say “seasons” is kairos. Chronos denotes a duration of time. Kairos is event-oriented time. Chronos marks quanity and kairos marks quality. Jesus wants them to understand that the purposes of God for the world is none of their concern. All time is under God’s authority and his timing is always perfect. Ogilvie says what he senses Jesus saying to the disciples and to us is that the power of the Holy Spirit will be entrusted to people who can accept God’s authority over time.

Jesus then tells his disciples two things. One, they would receive power but not the political power they were thinking of. It would be the same supernatural power that Jesus exhibited while he was on the earth and it would be given to them for a very special purpose. This was the far greater power of the Holy Spirit and it would unite them as they fulfilled that purpose. Zechariah 4:6b says, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Just as Jesus had been anointed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism his disciples would be similarly anointed to be his witnesses in the world. These ordinary men would do extraordinary things and even greater things than Jesus did while he was on the earth. The Holy Spirit would make their preaching effective, people would be converted and the Kingdom of God would grow exponentially. Wiersbe states, “The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not a luxury it is an absolute necessity.” We can’t fulfill the mission God has given us without the Holy Spirit.

Second, he tells them that they would be his witnesses. What were they going to be witnesses of? They were going to be witnesses to what they saw and heard while with Jesus. They were to be witnesses to who he was and what he came to earth to do. They were to be witnesses to the good news that Jesus Christ came to save the world from their sins. The Greek word for witness is “martus” which means to avow what one has seen, heard or knows. Our word, martyr, comes from the same root, denoting someone who bears testimony for another person, or some cause, with his death. The disciples were going to witness to what they saw and heard from Jesus and they would bear that testimony to the world even if it meant their death. And we know that all of the disciples except for John died a martyr’s death. Lastly, God’s mission for the disciples was going to be organized and global. They would be his “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

What does this passage mean for us? One, we will be effective witnesses if we witness to our personal experience with Jesus. We can only witness about what Jesus has done for us and our own personal salvation. Two, this witness is a witness of deeds more than words. There was a story in Barclay’s commentary about David Livingstone who was a missionary and explorer in Central Africa. Journalist/explorer H.M. Stanley, who was famous for his search of David Livingstone, said, “If I had been with him any longer I would have been compelled to be a Christian and he never spoke to me about it at all.” The sheer weight of the witness of David Livingstone’s life was irresistible. Could that be said of you or of me? Third, to be a witness means to be loyal no matter the cost even if it means our death. For us it probably means being willing to die to ourselves and give up control of our agenda and our purposes for our lives. But we must be willing to die for the faith if it comes to that.

Four, who are we to be witnesses to and where are we to be witnesses at? Who has the Lord put on your heart to share his good news with and introduce to him? Who in your life may miss out on the abundant life they can have on this earth and the eternal life they can have in heaven if you are silent? We need to be on the lookout for those who need to hear the good news of Jesus. If we have eyes to see and ears to hear God will show us who we need to be witnesses to. We are to be witnesses where God has placed us, starting at where we live, work, play and learn. Our mission to pursue, grow and multiply disciples starts with the most intimate relationships where people really know us and can observe our life and witness. But it also means our nation and the world. We are called to be his witnesses and it is important that we are conduits or channels of Holy Spirit power not reservoirs or holding tanks.

Next, let’s look at what the Early Church taught about the Spirit United Church found in Acts 4:32-35. This is what God’s Word says, “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”

In this passage we see both the supernatural and the practical implications of being a Spirit United Church. Imagine this scene: The church was born of people from all walks of life, who were from different countries and spoke different languages. The only way that the early church could function with the kind of unity that was of one heart and one mind was because of the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only one who could bind the hearts and minds of those new Christians together. There is no way this can be done through human effort. When our hearts and minds are truly transformed by Jesus Christ then the Holy Spirit can make us one unified to fulfill the Great Commission to pursue, grow and multiply disciples. I find it telling that right before our passage we see that the apostles and all the believers were praying and then we are told they were of one heart and mind. If we are truly praying for each other and each other’s needs, disunity can never find a foothold in the church.

This unity of heart and mind was because of the common bond found in Christ. They had been shown grace and mercy by Jesus as he died on the cross for their sins and rose again. They had also been and would continue to be persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Through their struggles in the faith they came to truly know and understand each other’s hearts, minds, goals, desires and personal struggles. The Holy Spirit worked in the lives of these people who were so different from each other and removed all selfishness and self-centeredness from their hearts so they would be unhindered to do the work that they were called to do.

The practical implications of the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit was a generosity which flowed out of a love for one another. They realized that their possessions were not their own but were God’s to be used any way he saw fit. They were stewards not owners of what God had given them. They sold their possessions so the community could help anyone who was in need and scripture says there were no needy people among them. Barclay says we can note two things in this passage. “One, they had an intense sense of responsibility for each other. It seemed unthinkable to them that anyone could have too much and someone else could have too little. Two, this awoke in them a real desire to share all they had and it was utterly spontaneous.”

The Early Church was united, unselfish and unafraid. Their prayer in verse 24 was answered as they were given power to testify to the resurrection of their Lord and Savior. They knew their identity and exactly what God expected from them. As believers draw closer to God and to each other and are of one heart and mind through the Holy Spirit they became a powerful force proclaiming the good news of Jesus with boldness. God’s people allowed God’s Spirit to make them one in heart and mind. There was an unlimited commitment to Christ and to each other and it was expressed by unrestrained loyalty to one another.

How can we tell if Idaville Church is filled with the Spirit and is of one heart and one mind? First, we will truly want to know and care about what is happening in each other’s lives. We will want to know and care about each other’s burdens, struggles and needs. We will pray for each other and we will know when and how to help in a specific or tangible way. Like the early church who valued each other more than they valued possessions, we will truly value one another above the things of the world. We will see the Holy Spirit work in us to remove selfishness and self-centeredness from our hearts. Second, we will be unified by the Holy Spirit to accomplish our God-given mission to pursue, grow and multiply disciples. This happens when we boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ where we live, work, play and learn. If we are a Spirit United church, the Holy Spirit will be at work daily in our lives. We will see the evidence of that as we are filled with the Spirit, as we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, as we keep and obey God’s Word and as we observe the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion.

Next, let’s look at what the Apostles taught about the Spirit United Church in Ephesians 4:4-6. This is what God’s Word says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Paul spends the first three chapters of Ephesians laying the doctrinal foundation of Christianity. Then in chapter 4 he begins discussing spiritual unity. He did it this way because our unity must be built on the solid foundation of God, the Father, Jesus, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Our unity must be built on the truths of God’s Word first and then it grows when we love one another and work together to live out the Great Commission.

Paul relates seven basic spiritual realities that unite all true Christians. First, there is one body. We are many parts, in many places, speaking different languages and having different cultures but we are one body. We see this in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Christ is the head and the church is the body. There must be unity for the work of the church to be accomplished and this unity is founded on a common love for Jesus and for each other. Second, there is one Spirit. The Greek word, “pneuma” means spirit and breath. Just like a human body is dead without breath, the church would be dead without the Holy Spirit. Third, there is one hope. We are all called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost world. We all have the same goal which is a world redeemed in Christ and this is accomplished as we pursue, grow and multiply disciples. Four, there is one Lord. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except through Him. Christ died and rose again for the entire world and for the church and he is the only one we should be worshiping and obeying. The Greek word for “Lord” is “kurios” which means “master” and was the title of the Roman Emperor. Paul is saying that Christians are united together because they are Jesus’ possession and are in the service of one master and king.

Next, there is one faith. Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that Jesus raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Our faith is in Jesus Christ alone and no one or anything else. This confession identifies and unifies the church. Next, there is one baptism. In the early church baptism was a public confession of faith. Membership in the church comes through baptism and identifies a person as belonging to Christ. Baptism is the unifying mark of all believers. Lastly, there is one God and he is our Father. As Christians we are all God’s children in the same family, worshiping, loving and serving the same Father, and because of this we should be able to walk together in unity. Paul ends with three statements about God. God is over all meaning that he is in control of all things. God is through all meaning he created the world and is still actively and powerfully working in the world and in us guiding, directing, sustaining, upholding and loving. And God is in all which talks about the presence of God being in his children. It means we live in a God created, controlled, sustained and filled world.

So, we not only see this mark proclaimed to us through teaching, but through the picture or the metaphor of the Household of God in Ephesians 2:19-22. This is what God’s Word says, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Paul gives us a picture of a building made with stones. This building is made of people who used to be strangers and foreigners but now are citizens and members of God’s household. The foundation of this building is the apostles and prophets and the chief cornerstone is none other than Jesus Christ, himself. The key of course to this building is Jesus Christ because he is the one who gives life and through his Spirit comes unity in the household of God. All the pieces of this building join together and rise to become a holy temple in the Lord. This living temple is holy, set apart for God and made to glorify the Lord. In this temple God is worshiped and receives glory, honor, and praise. Christ dwells in the hearts of his people and the heart is the basic worship place in God’s kingdom on earth. This is important because if you are just coming to this building on a Sunday morning and going through the motions and not worshiping God in your heart, your worship will be weak and meaningless. Barclay says, “The church will only realize her unity when she realizes that she exists to give a home and a dwelling place where the Spirit of Christ can dwell and where all people who love Christ can meet in that Spirit.”

This leads us to the question: How will we know if this mark of The Church marks Idaville Church? First, our church will feel like a loving family. The household of God, with God as Father is a place where loving one another is a dominant feature. Next, our church will look like a good marriage. Ephesians 5:31-32 talks about two becoming one and that is what the church and Christ should be, united as one. Next, our church will feel like a healthy body. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 talks about being one body with many parts unified by one Spirit. There is unity and diversity in the Body of Christ. Next, our church will look like a united nation. 1 Peter 2:9 talks about us being a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s special possession. We are called by God and set apart to do his will in the world. Lastly, our church will have theological, philosophical, relational & missional unity. We will be unified together in every way.

Our desire as a body of believers is to have a church filled with people who are united together by the Holy Spirit around the mission that God has given the church in the world. Looking back at the survey questions pertaining to this mark all five questions were in the most difficult for us. The second most difficult of all the questions for us as a church was the people in our church know their specific role in helping to accomplish the mission and vision of our church and desire to do so. The third most difficult question was whether the people in our church know the mission and vision of our church and are fully supportive of it. The seventh most difficult question was whether the people in our church know the core values of our church and consistently live out those values with each other and those outside our church. The ninth most difficult question was it is clear that our church is united by the Spirit of God and not just good ideas. And lastly, the seventeenth most difficult question for us as a church was the leaders of our church are clearly united by the Spirit as they lead our church.

So let me start with knowing the mission and vision of Idaville Church. Our mission to pursue, grow and multiply disciples is in many different places to remind us of it. It is on the banners up here. It is on the front of your bulletin and on page 3 of the 2022 Yearbook among other places. The vision “We are preparing for company” is new for 2022 and came out of the Board’s Dream Retreat. You can find it on the top of the front page of the bulletin and also on page 3 of the Yearbook. Our Core Values are also new this year and came out of the Board’s Dream Retreat. You can find them on the front of your bulletin. We will brainstorm other places in the church building to put them so we can all be reminded of them.

How can we live these core values out with each other and those outside the church? I would suggest we could all pick one or two and be intentional about living them out in our daily lives. One that I would suggest is number 2: We are a family that is loving, caring and welcoming. This will go a long way in living out our 2022 theme of “Love One Another.” It would also fulfill our vision of “we are preparing for company” and being ready when company shows up to Idaville Church. Another one would be number 4: We are a church that reaches out, spreading God’s Word, God’s glory and God’s promises to those who do not know them. We can live this out with those who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. That brings us to our first next step on the back of your communication card: Pick one or two of our Core Values and live them out in our church and outside of our church.

Next, knowing our specific role in helping to accomplish the mission and vision of our church and desire to do so. First, I hope we all have a desire to live out God’s mission for the church to pursue, grow and multiply disciples. The vision “we are preparing for company” is the way we want to act as a body of believers in order to accomplish the mission. Our themes of Unity, Holiness, and Love One Another, are ways we can live out that vision. If we are unified, pursuing holiness and loving one another we will be prepared for company and will be better equipped to accomplish the mission. The best way that we can know our specific roles is by taking the Spiritual Gifts Survey and then serving in the ways God has gifted you. Again, one of our goals this year is a 20% increase in volunteers on Sunday morning and Wednesday evening but it can also include serving at other times and events outside those days. That brings us to the second next step which is to Take the Spiritual Gift Survey if I haven’t already done so in the past quarter. You can see me to get your survey. If you took your survey home to complete, please bring them back when you are finished filling them out so I can record your results. I will then give them back to you to keep.

The last two questions talked about it being clear that our church is united by the Spirit and that the leaders of our church are clearly united by the Spirit as they lead our church. This is something we all need to evaluate for ourselves by searching our hearts to see if we are Spirit United people. As we become more and more a Spirit United people we will then become a Spirit United Church that is united together by the Holy Spirit around the mission that God has given the church. That is what I want for myself and for Idaville Church and I hope you do too. That brings us to the last next step this morning to Search my heart to see if I am united with the Spirit of God around God’s mission for the Church.

As Gene and Roxey come to lead us in a final song, let’s pray: Heavenly Father, as we leave your house to go out into the world, help us to be more loving and united together as one, as we are to be united with you. Help us to be a healthy body unified by your Spirit and help us to be a united nation, holy and set apart to do your will in the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

February 13, 2022/by Office

The Sacrament Observing Church

8 Marks Of The Church 1 Corinthians, Acts, Luke, Matthew, Romans Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Baptism, Communion

8 Marks Of The Church

The Sacrament Observing Church

INTRODUCTION

Urban Legends

“There are bodies buried in Hoover Dam.

This is one urban legend that just won’t die. While there were many fatalities involved in the making of Hoover Dam, zero involved workers slipping into the mix and being covered up with concrete. It’s not hard to see its prominence in the human consciousness though, with six bodies buried in Montana’s Fort Peck Dam.”

[https://stacker.com/stories/577/25-popular-urban-legends-explained]

“The dam was built in interlocking blocks. Each block was five feet high. The smallest blocks were about 25 feet by 25 feet square, and the largest blocks were about 25 feet by 60 feet. Concrete was delivered to each block in buckets, eight cubic yards at a time. After each bucket was delivered, five or six men called ‘puddlers’ would stamp and vibrate the concrete into place, packing it down to ensure there were no air pockets in it. Each time a bucket was emptied, the level of concrete would raise from two inches up to six inches, depending on the size of the block. With only a slight increase in the level at any one time, and the presence of several men watching the placement, it would have been virtually impossible for anyone to be buried in the concrete. So, there are no bodies buried in Hoover Dam.

The ‘official’ number of fatalities involved in building Hoover Dam is 96. These were men who died at the dam site (classified as ‘industrial fatalities’) from such causes as drowning, blasting, falling rocks or slides, falls from the canyon walls, being struck by heavy equipment, truck accidents, etc. Industrial fatalities do not include deaths from heat, pneumonia, heart trouble, etc.”

[https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/history/essays/fatal.html]

There are many common myths about the church that are misguided at best and dangerous at worst

BODY

Myth
- You can emphasize the sacraments as much as you want and be a healthy church
- This myth, if believed, can be dangerous because:
  - - It neglects the two main ways Jesus desired for us to identify with Him and His Gospel, together
    - It robs us of the two most compelling and consistent reminders of what Jesus has done for us and our union with him
- We know this is a myth because Jesus said a clear mark of a healthy church would be a church filled with people who remember Him and remember they are united with Him through observing and practicing baptism and communion

Let’s pray

GOD
- MARK: The Sacrament Observing Church
  - - The Sacrament Observing Church and the Teaching of Jesus (Luke 22:14-20; Matthew 28:19-20)
      - Communion (Luke 22:14-20)
        This is Luke’s retelling of the Last Supper
        Jesus and His disciples are enjoying the Passover meal together
        This will be the last time that Jesus eats the Passover with them until it finds its fulfillment in the kingdom of God
        Jesus was not going to drink wine with them again until God establishes His kingdom on earth
        Jesus then explains the significance of the bread and wine as it pertains to His death
        The bread represented His body that He was giving for them
        Jesus experienced a scourging that actually killed other men
        He had a crown of thorns embedded in his head
        Nails were hammered through His wrists and feet
        A spear was thrust into His side
        Jesus’ body was given for us!
        That’s what He was helping His disciples understand through the Last Supper
        The wine symbolized His blood that would be poured out for all humanity
        The lacerations that were opened up on Jesus’ back during the scourging caused His blood to flow
        The crown of thorns being embedded in his scalp created open wounds that allowed His blood to be poured out
        The nail holes in Has hands and feet created openings for blood to flow
        The spear, thrust into His side, allowed the blood and water that had accumulated in His torso to pour out
        Perhaps the disciples did not understand the significance of what Jesus was saying at this point, but within a day they would understand completely
        Jesus was modeling for the disciples what they were supposed to do – it was not just emphasizing the importance of the Last Supper, but it was actually participating in and observing the Last Supper again and again
        Jesus also instructed His disciples about baptism
      - Baptism (Matthew 28:19-20)
        Matthew 28:16-20 has the heading, Jesus Gives the Great Commission
        This is the mission of every church
        It is our mission – Pursue, Grow, and Multiple Disciples
        It is a the top of our bulletin
        We have banners at the front of the sanctuary
        We are now including it at the bottom of our weekly email updates
        It’s included on page 3 of the Yearbook
        It is part of the message on the inside cover of the Spiritual Life Journal
        It is on the back of all three Challenge Coins
        Growth
        Part of the growth process of a new believer is recognizing the need to go through believers baptism
        Believers baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision
        The believer is letting others know they have given their lives wholly to Jesus Christ – He is their Lord and Savior
        Jesus modeled baptism
        In Matthew 3:13-17 we find Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist
        John is reluctant to baptize Jesus, because He knows who He is
        He feels like he should be baptized by Jesus
        Jesus tells him that His baptism is to fulfill all righteousness, which appeases John and he consents to do it
        As Jesus comes up out of the water we see the Holy Spirit descend in the form of a dove and we hear the voice of God the Father approving of Jesus
      - Jesus modeled the importance of observing the sacrament of baptism and He commissioned us to continue to observe it
    - The Sacrament Observing Church and the Teaching of the Early Church (Acts 2:38, 42)
      - Baptism (Acts 2:38)
        Background
        As we have mentioned over the past few weeks, Acts 2 is talking about Pentecost
        This is the time when God poured out His Spirit on the Apostles and they preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness
        Peter is the primary Apostle who addresses the crowd and at the end of his address we see the crowd’s reaction
        When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do.” (Acts 2:37)
        Peter’s response (Acts 2:38-39)
        Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)
        We see that the early church not only needed to repent (180 degree turn), but also needed to be baptized
        Peter is not saying that baptism forgives our sins – repentance is what does that
        Baptism aligns us with Christ and other disciples of Christ
        “Acts 2:38 should not be used to teach salvation by baptism. If baptism is essential for salvation, it seems strange that Peter said nothing about baptism in his other sermons (Acts 3:12–26; 5:29–32; 10:34–43). In fact, the people in the home of Cornelius received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized (Acts 10:44–48)! Since believers are commanded to be baptized, it is important that we have a clean conscience by obeying (1 Peter 3:21), but we must not think that baptism is a part of salvation. If so, then nobody in Hebrews 11 was saved, because none of them was ever baptized.” [Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Dynamic, BE Series Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2010), 42.]
        Peter is making it clear that baptism is an important part of being a disciple of Christ
        He encouraged the crowd to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
        This was significant, because John the Baptist was already baptizing people with water for repentance
        “John baptized people as a sign that they had asked God to forgive their sins and had decided to live as he wanted them to live.” [NIV Life Application Bible, footnote for Matthew 3:11, pg. 1646]
        This was before Jesus had died on the cross, was buried, and came alive again to take the punishment for humanity’s sins
        From that point on, those who believed in Jesus and repented of their sins, would be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ – identifying with His saving power through His death, burial, and resurrection
        Peter used many other words to warn the crowd and he pleaded with them (Acts 2:40)
        The result was that about 3,000 accepted the message, repented, and were baptized in one day! (Acts 2:41)
        The early church not only taught about the importance of baptism, it also taught about the importance of communion
      - Communion (Acts 2:42)
        The new believers devoted themselves to four things:
        The Apostles’ teaching
        Fellowship – koinōnia
        It certainly can have the idea of sharing everything – having in common, which we see in Acts 2:44-45
        “Here the believers fulfilled the words the Lord gave his disciples just before the crucifixion: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35).” [Kenneth O. Gangel, Acts, ed. Max Anders, vol. 5 of Holman New Testament Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 1998), 31.]
        Breaking of bread
        This is referring to the Lord’s Supper/Communion
        It was probably part of a regular meal
        They would conclude the meal by remembering the body and blood of Christ, until He returns
        Prayer – corporate prayer
        It is noteworthy that these new believers were participating in these four things on a daily basis (it was a unique feature around Pentecost, but was not maintained or practical in later New Testament settings) – we don’t practice that today, but perhaps we should
      - The early church not only taught about baptism and communion, they also observed and practiced it
    - The Sacrament Observing Church and the Teaching of the Apostles (Romans 6:1-4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
      - Baptism (Romans 6:1-4)
        The Apostle Paul makes it clear how baptism connects us to Christ
        “The picture in baptism points two ways, backwards to Christ’s death and burial and to our death to sin (verse 1), forwards to Christ’s resurrection from the dead and to our new life pledged by the coming out of the watery grave to walk on the other side of the baptismal grave (F. B. Meyer).” [A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Accordance electronic ed. (Altamonte Springs: OakTree Software, 2001), paragraph 4711.]
        Paul also taught about communion
      - Communion (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
        This is one of the passages that I use when we observe communion together
        Paul received this message from the Lord when he was in Arabia for three years (Galatians 1:15-18)
        Jesus enlightened Paul to what happened at the very first Lord’s Supper
        Paul is then passing this message on to the Corinthian believers as something they should be observing and practicing
    - The Apostle Paul not only taught the importance of baptism and communion, he observed and practiced them
- METAPHOR: The Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23)

- - - “As the body of Christ, we’re the locus of Jesus activity now, just as His physical body was during His earthly ministry.” [Matt Kyser]
    - “Through baptism, we are not only united with Christ in His body, but picture His death and resurrection to the world around us.” [Matt Kyser]
      - Greg Laurie talks about how they observe baptism at a cove on the beach in Orange County California – inevitably there will be people walking along the beach who stop to ask what is happening (sometimes those individuals believe in Jesus and are also baptized)
      - Wade and Seth were baptized in the Pacific Ocean when the church we attended in Southern California had their own beach baptism – there were people who stopped and asked what was happening
      - In 2019 I had the privilege of baptizing Wyatt and Alayna Derr at Fuller Lake with other individuals we didn’t know watching
      - Also in 2019 Alger Melton and I baptized Randy Bouder at a boat ramp in the Susquehanna River and a another family arrived while we were doing it
    - “As the Body of Christ, we are nourished and directed by Him as the Head of His Body, and are reminded about this every time we take communion.” [Matt Kyser]

- APPLICATION (how will we know if this mark of The Church marks Our Church?)
  - - We will see regular baptisms (Acts 2:38)
      - In 2021 we had seven people who were baptized
      - In 2020 we had one person baptized
      - In 2019 there were eight people baptized
    - We will share communion on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 11:25)
      - Our normal practice has been to observe communion at the beginning of each quarter (January, April, July, & October)
      - We also observe communion during the Maundy-Thursday and Good Friday services
    - We will see baptism as:
      - A sacred act (Acts 2:36-41) [the early church]
      - A sign & symbol (Romans 6:1-14) [Apostles]
      - A sacred initiation (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
        Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
        We are all connected to the Body of Christ as disciples of Christ
        We are one unit made up of many parts
        We all have different areas of giftedness that the Lord uses in cooperation to allow the body to function correctly
    - We will see communion as an opportunity to:
      - Remember Jesus (Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
      - Remember to repent of sin (Read 1 Corinthians 11:27-32)
        We are going to observe communion following the message
        I don’t know how it works, but we see here that many among the Corinthian believers were weak and sick and some had died
        It appears that the weakness, sickness, and even death were a result of not recognizing the body of the Lord when they practiced the Lord’s Supper
        “It is a serious thing to come to the Communion with an unprepared heart. It is also a serious thing to receive the Supper in a careless manner. Because the Corinthians had been sinning in their observing of the Lord’s Supper, God had disciplined them. ‘For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep [have died]’ (1 Cor. 11:30).” [Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, BE Series Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2010), 129.]
        Warren Wiersbe says that the Lord’s Supper can be a blessing and provide spiritual growth if we come with the right attitude
        How can it be a blessing? Wiersbe gives us four ways:
        We should look back (vv. 23-26a) – broken bread reminds us of Jesus’ body and the cup reminds us of Jesus blood shed for us
        We should look ahead (v. 26b) – we observe the Lord’s Supper until he returns
        We should look within (vv. 27-28, 31-32) – we do not have to be worthy to take communion, but we do have to do it in a worthy manner (“we have to examine our own hearts, judge our sins, and confess them to the Lord”) [Wiersbe]
        We should look around (vv. 33-34) – we have to discern the Lord’s body (the church) and be unified and loving (love one another)
      - Remember to reconcile with other believers (Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-22, 33-34)
        The Corinthian believers had tainted the Lord’s Supper by allowing cliques to develop and selfishness to prevail
        The rich brought a lot of food and ate together, while the poor had little to no food and were not included with the rich
        The agape feast was supposed to be a meal that included everyone and provided for all
      - Remember to rejoice at His return (Read 1 Corinthians 11:26)
    - Our desire is to have a church filled with people who remember Jesus and remember they are united with Jesus through observing and practicing baptism and communion

YOU
- Idaville Member Survey from RESTOR Renewal Ministries
  - - There was one of the five survey questions that was in the top ten of least difficult for us as a church
      - “Our church provides regular, consistent opportunities to receive communion.” (9 out of 10).
      - Once a quarter and around Easter
      - Communion is for disciples of Jesus Christ – those who have believed in Him and repented of their sins
        It does not have any significance for someone who is not a disciple of Jesus Christ
        They are not remembering the broken body of Jesus or that His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of their sins
        We will be observing communion at the end of the message today
        Today could be the first time you observe communion as a disciple of Jesus Christ
        Gospel
        Romans 3:23 (all have sinned)
        Romans 6:23 (wages of sin is death)
        Romans 5:8 (God demonstrated His love for you)
        1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (Jesus fulfilled Scripture through His death, burial, and resurrection)
        Romans 10:9-10, That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
        My Next Step Today Is To: Be saved today by confessing with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.
      - Where did the other survey questions fall?
    - Three of the remaining four questions were in the top 15 of most difficult for us
      - “There is regular teaching in our church on the meaning and purpose of baptism and communion.” (11 out of 15)
        I hope that today was helpful in understanding the meaning and purpose of baptism and communion
        I will strive to provide regular teaching about the meaning and purpose of baptism and communion, especially when they come up in Scripture and when we observe these two sacraments
      - “Our church provides regular opportunities for people to be baptized, and I can remember the last person who was baptized in our church.” (13 out of 15)
        Most of us know that we usually provide one baptismal service a year, which is right after church and right before the VBS picnic in August
        We are not limited to just this one baptismal service each year or to one location (the parsonage pool)
        There are local churches that have a baptismal in their sanctuary that would welcome us
        There are portable baptismal units that can be used indoors
        Here are the names of the people who were baptized in the past three years
        2021 – Stewart Gebhart, Silas Brown, and Joe, Marsie, Alister, & Josephine Wynn
        2020 – Keith Strine
        2019 – Willow Toney, Christopher Sauble, Jennifer Sauble, Brenda Wible, Jeremy Melton, Randy Bouder, Wyatt Derr, Alayna Derr
        We are committed to observing baptism whenever individuals are ready to take that step of faith
      - “The people in our church know what baptism is, why it is important to their life and the life of the church, and have been baptized.” (14 out of 15)
        I hope that today’s message has helped everyone to understand what baptism is and why it is important to your life and the life of the church
        If you have not participated in believers baptism, I would like to encourage you to take that step of spiritual growth
        My Next Step Today Is To: Indicate my desire to participate in believer’s baptism.
    - The fifth question is in the middle as it pertains to most or least difficult for our church
      - “The people in our church know what communion is and why it is important to their life and the life of the church, and look forward to receiving communion.”

WE
- Vision
  - - Core Values
      - We are a family that is loving, caring, and welcoming
        This includes times around the Lord’s Table (communion)
        It also includes helping new believers take the growth step into baptism
      - Our leadership strives to be led more by Jesus, to lead more like Jesus, so we can lead more to Jesus
        We want to follow the lead of Jesus, the early church, and the Apostles as it pertains to observing baptism and communion
        As we lead more to Jesus, they will participate in baptism and communion
    - Core Focus
      - Pursue, Grow, and Multiply Disciples
      - This comes from Jesus commission in Matthew 28:19-20, which includes baptism
- Traction
  - - Have a 10% increase in the pursuit of holiness as evidenced through salvations, baptisms, and accountability

CONCLUSION

As we prepare for communion this morning, I would like to open up the altar for remembrance, repentance, reconciliation, and rejoicing.

February 6, 2022/by Office

The Scripture Keeping Church

8 Marks Of The Church 2 Timothy, Acts, John Sunday Morning Marc Webb Accountability, Discipleship, God's Word

MARK 3: THE SCRIPTURE KEEPING CHURCH

This morning we are continuing our sermon series on the 8 Marks of the Church. So far we have looked at the Spirit-filled Church and the Son-confessing Church. This morning we will be looking at the Scripture-keeping Church. Each week we have started with a myth about the church. The first two myths have been perpetuated by people who want to take the power away from the Holy Spirit and who want to reduce Jesus to just another good person or as C. S. Lewis put it to make Jesus out to be a “liar or a lunatic.” Our myth this morning is perpetuated by people who want you to believe that the Bible, the Word of God, is just another book. This is because they don’t want to live under its authority or ultimately under God’s authority. These myths about the church are misguided, dangerous or both which is why we need to be on guard in the church and be reminded of the truth.

The myth or urban legend I am going to recount to you this morning is from the 1970’s. It is the death of Life cereal spokesperson Mikey. Some of you might remember him. This new cereal was being introduced that was supposed to be “good for you.” These two brothers aren’t going to try it so they put it in front of their younger brother, Mikey. Mikey is the kid who hates everything so they believe there’s no way he will like it. But of course he does to their shock. The following comes from an August 19, 2021 article by Jake Rossen about the origins of urban legends. “In the 1970’s Mikey, the star of the Life cereal commercials was a big hit. At some point, word spread that Mikey had succumbed to a dangerous combination of soda and the effervescent candy Pop Rocks. The rumor grew so widespread that in 1979 the mother of child actor John Gilchrist, who played Mikey, got a condolence call from a stranger. The story likely stemmed from schoolyard discussions about Pop Rocks, which were fizzy carbonated candy, and how eating them seemed dangerous. It wasn’t, but the story was so widely believed that it seriously damaged sales of the candy. General Foods, which owned Pop Rocks, even begged John Gilchrist’s parents to let him film a commercial letting people know he was still alive, but they refused. The grisly story continued for years and all the negative publicity forced General Foods to discontinue Pop Rocks soon after. They have made a comeback, however, in case you’d like to test this theory out for yourself.” This myth was misguided but it’s interesting in showing how rumors spread and can cause harm. This morning’s myth about the church falls under the dangerous category. The myth we will talk about and study today is that “You can believe what you want about the Bible and be a healthy church.”

This is a dangerous myth because if you can put doubt in someone’s mind about even the smallest thing in God’s Word, you can cause people to not believe the bigger doctrinal truths found in there as well. This undermines not only God’s authority, but the deity of Christ, his work on the cross, sin, salvation and so much more. God’s Word points us to our creator who loved us and sent his son, Jesus, to die on a cross for our sins. It tells us how we are to live on this earth and how we can have eternal life. If you don’t believe the Bible is truth you will not believe that what Jesus came to earth to do is true and that he is the way, the truth and the life, and now your salvation is in jeopardy. It is definitely b slippery slope. Before we begin to dive into our scripture this morning, let’s pray: Heavenly Father, as we look into your Word this morning, open our hearts and minds to your Holy Spirit. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear your truth and help us to use your Word as a light for our path as we navigate our lives in this world we live in. Amen.

Our first point this morning is the Scripture Keeping Church and the Teaching of Jesus, found in John 14:21, 23-24. This is what God’s Word says, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

I want to take a minute and remind you of what God’s Word says about itself. God’s Word is truth, it is living and active and sharper than a two-edged sword. God’s Word is a lamp and a light. It is God-breathed and eternal. It is successful in that it will accomplish God’s purposes no matter what, it will not come back void. God’s Word is able to save our souls and can keep us from sin. It cleanses us and will keep our way pure. God’s Word is inerrant and infallible. That is God’s Word. Just because someone doesn’t believe these things about the Bible, doesn’t mean it is anything less than these things. It is still God’s perfect Word given to us to show us what he is like, to show us how to live life on this earth in obedience to him and to point us to the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. But we have a problem and it’s not a new problem. The problem is that people take the parts of the Bible they disagree with and say it’s ok to not believe this or that all the while still calling themselves Christians and claiming to be in a relationship with Jesus. There are non-negotiable doctrines in God’s Word that must be believed in order to call yourself a Christian. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise. But there are also non-doctrinal things in the Bible that on the face of it you might say “it’s no big deal if I don’t believe this or that.” Believing whatever we want about the Bible is dangerous for numerous reasons concerning our faith and once we decide to not believe one thing here or there it will be easy to not believe more and more as time goes on.

In our scripture Jesus said that those who “has” and “keeps” his commands is the one who loves him. Where do we find the commands of Jesus? In God’s Word. To “have” the commands of Jesus means to make them your own, to take them into your heart, mind and soul. To “keep” his commands means to obey them. It means to live them out in our daily lives. It is more than just having a head knowledge of God’s Word. It goes deeper than that. It should go down to our hearts and to our very souls. To use a sports metaphor: we need to eat, sleep and breath God’s Word. Every ounce of our being, every single second of every day, should be in obedience to every word in the Bible. We can’t pick and choose what we want to believe or not believe. The mark of true love, the mark of a true Christian and the mark of a healthy church is obedience to the entirety of God’s Word. If we love Jesus we will prove it by keeping his Word. Not just keeping it the way we want to keep it, not just believing the parts we want to believe, but believing it as the inerrant, infallible Word of God, not adding to or subtracting from it. The person who believes in the Word of God this way will be loved by the Father and the Father and the Son will make their permanent abode or dwelling in them. If we believe the Word of God in these ways we will experience the immediate presence of God.

Jesus follows up with telling us one of the reasons it’s dangerous to believe what you want about God’s Word. Those who do not believe in and obey God’s Word prove that they do not love Jesus. Our love for God and Jesus is shown through our obedience to his commands and teachings found in the Bible. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t consider ourselves a Christian and pick and choose what we want to believe about the Bible. We can’t be a healthy church and believe what we want about the Bible. The marks of a healthy church is believing what the Bible says and showing our love for Jesus and the Father by being obedient to everything it says. It is important that we mention both Jesus and the Father because the words found in the Bible are not only Jesus’ words but the Father’s as well. There is no higher authority. But isn’t it interesting that we want to be the highest authority so we only believe what we want about the Word of God and change it to fit what we believe.

Our second point is the Scripture Keeping Church and the Teaching of The Early Church found in Acts 2:42. This is what God’s Word says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This verse tells about another mark of a healthy church. A healthy Church in the first century and today is marked by the Apostle’s teaching. Acts chapter 2 tells us of the story of Pentecost where the Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire and rested on the disciples, filling them and allowing them to speak in tongues. Peter then stands up and links the OT texts with the ministry of Jesus and Acts 2:41 says that three thousand were converted that day. This was the power of Jesus’ teaching passed down through the disciples to the people. This was the apostle’s teaching which was everything Jesus told his disciples while he was on the earth. God told Jesus, Jesus told his disciples and they told the rest of the world. The apostles’ teaching was authoritative because it was the teaching of the Lord communicated through them. This teaching would take the written form of the NT scriptures that we have today. The Christian Church is most readily recognizable in those churches which have continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching from the First Century until present day and that includes Idaville Church.

Barclay says, “It was a learning church. The word teaching or doctrine in verse 42 is not passive it is active. The phrase means they persisted in listening to the apostles as they taught.” Christianity is not a static relationship but an active relationship in pursuit of God and Jesus more and more each day. It is not being content with sitting idly by but learning from and obeying God’s Word daily. We can’t know God’s Word without reading and studying it, we can’t obey God Word without reading and studying it and we can’t believe God’s Word without reading and studying it. The mark of a healthy church is knowing God’s Word, obeying God’s Word and believing God’s Word entirely from cover to cover.

I like what Weirsbe says, “The three thousand converts needed instruction in the Word and fellowship with God’s people if they were going to grow and become effective witnesses. The early church did more than make converts; they also made disciples.” They were in line with the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20 which says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (there it is) And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Our mission statement – Pursue, Grow and Multiply Disciples – embodies this. This is what Idaville Church is about. This is our DNA. If we are going to be a healthy church we must make disciples who also make disciples and this is done through teaching what the Bible says and teaching obedience to everything the Bible says.

Our third point this morning is the Scripture Keeping Church and the Teaching of The Apostles. We will see this in the teaching of Paul the Apostle found in 2 Timothy 3:16. This is what God’s Word says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” What does it mean that scripture is “God-breathed?” It means that the power of God’s Word to change a person’s heart and bring about obedience to its teachings is because the Bible originates with God. God is the final authority on all things and because of that the Bible is true and dependable. The doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture is vitally important to the Christian faith. Satan has been attacking it since the beginning. Is it any surprise that people try to prove that God did not create the heavens and the earth as Genesis 1:1 says? Or that people question and disregard the commands and teachings of Jesus in the Bible? The world does not want to accept that God has complete and final authority over every aspect of their lives. The Holy Spirit used men like Moses, David, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Peter and Paul to write the word of God. God prepared them for that task. This supernatural influence on the writers guaranteed that what they wrote down was accurate and trustworthy.

Paul goes on to tell us that this God-breathed, inspiration is profitable or useful for four things. The first is for teaching or instruction. When we teach the Word of God we are instructing others about what it says and how it can be applied to our lives. The Word of God is our guidebook for life and our code of conduct for the Christian life. If something happens in your life or you have a question about life you can be assured that you can find the answers in the Bible. It can instruct you in your daily lives if you allow it to. The second and third are “rebuking” and “correcting.” This is the disciplinary authority of Scripture given to us and the church. God’s Word commands us not only about church discipline but is also our guidebook in implementing church discipline. Because the Bible is God-breathed inspiration and because it reveals the truth it exercises authority over those who disobey it and sin against it. “Rebuking” is pointing out sin and confronting disobedience. “Correcting” is the gracious, loving yet firm way we are to guide an individual back into obedience. We definitely don’t do this well in the church today. I think we have forgotten the concept of reconciliation that the Bible talks about. Neither side is gracious, loving or repentant and that makes it difficult for reconciliation to take place in the church.

The fourth thing God’s Word is useful for is “training in righteousness.” God’s Word shows us how to conduct our lives, how to be holy, and how to mature in our faith becoming more like Christ. I like how our churches themes of unity, holiness and love for one another fit so well here. It’s because they are biblical. Jesus commands his people to be unified, holy and loving towards one another. Weirsbe sums up these four useful things about God’s Word, in this way: “They are profitable for doctrine (or teaching) which is “what is right”, for reproof (or rebuking) which is “what is not right”, for correction which is “how to get right” and for instruction (or training) in righteousness which is “how to stay right”. A Christian who studies the Bible and applies what he learns will grow in holiness and avoid many pitfalls in this world.” If we, at Idaville Church, are going to be a church that believes the truth about the Bible that means we will use God’s Word in our lives and in our church in these four ways.

Lastly, we also see this mark through the picture or metaphor of the Pillar and Buttress of Truth found in 1 Timothy 3:14-15. This is what God’s Word says, “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” Pillars and buttresses are elements of architectural genius, used to uphold the most meaningful and valuable structures. Without these features certain buildings would not be able to hold their weight and would fall over. In a similar way, the Bible is the genius of God, because it upholds the truth about Him and His Gospel. I truly believe that if the Bible was not the God-breathed inspiration that Jesus, the early church and the apostle’s claimed it to be then we would not be sitting here 2000 years later still believing, teaching and obeying it like we are. The Bible would have passed away centuries ago as would have our faith.

Timothy would have understood Paul’s architectural metaphor. He would only have had to look as far as the Temple of Diana in Ephesus (picture) which had 127 pillars. A buttress suggests a strong foundation that would keep a structure from falling over or being swept away.

The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ and the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. The pillar aspect of the church relates primarily to displaying the truth of God’s Word so that all can see it. It reminds us of a statue up on a pedestal. We are to put Jesus on display in our lives so that people are pointed to Jesus and not away from Him nor to ourselves. So a question for you this morning: “when people look at you, who do they see? Do they see Jesus? Or do they see something or someone else? Being the foundation of the truth means that the church protects the truth and makes sure it doesn’t fall. When we as a church turn away from the truth by not believing in and obeying God’s Word we compromise our ministry and mission and Satan gains a foothold against us and in the world. When we don’t obey the truths and commands of God’s Word the world calls Christians “hypocrites” and the Great Commission to pursue, grow and multiply disciples is stymied.

We must make a stand against sin and apostasy. Apostasy is the act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith. Where have we heard that before? Every month or so we are hearing of another person who no longer calls themselves a Christian, who no longer believes the truth found in God’s Word and is not obeying those truths anymore. I for one am glad that the truth of God’s Word is not diminished just because people decide to not follow it, obey it or recognize it as truth. We as Christians and as the church, need to believe in and obey the Word of God because by doing so we uphold the truth about God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what the world needs to hear, know and accept and that is what we are commanded to proclaim and live out. We must proclaim and live out the Bible as the inerrant and infallible Word of God. That is a mark of a healthy church and that’s what I want Idaville Church to be and I hope you do too.

How does this apply to us? How will we know if this mark of The Church marks Idaville Church? First, we will want to hear the Bible being preached and taught. Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Do you come excited on a Sunday morning to hear God’s Word taught in Sunday school and during worship? Next, we will want to read the Bible. Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” Do you spend time daily in God’s Word and then obediently live it out? In the Spiritual Life Journal, there is a “read the Bible in a year” guide. I would encourage you to pick one up if you haven’t (you can find them in the foyer where you pick up your bulletin) and use it to start reading through God’s Word. Next, we will want to study the Bible. Acts 17:11 says, “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Do you study God’s Word for yourself? You need to. Please do not take Pastor Stuart’s or my word or your Sunday school teacher’s word for everything you hear. If there is something we say that doesn’t make sense or doesn’t come from scripture come talk to us, ask us about it. I would welcome that. I would welcome to study the scriptures with each one of you.

Next, we will want to memorize the Bible. Psalm 119:9-11 says, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” In the Spiritual Life Journal, you will also find our monthly memory verses that we recite each Sunday. I would encourage you to memorize those scriptures along with us. Next, we will want to meditate on the Bible. Psalm 1:2-3 says, “but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” Reading, memorizing and meditating on God’s Word are important ways we can know God’s Word which brings us to the next one which we will want to obey the Bible. 1 John 5:3 says, In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” When we eat, drink and sleep God’s Word we fall in love with God’s Word and with God and Jesus and we will want to obey God’s Word. Finally, we will want to emphasize Jesus as the hero of the Bible. John 5:39 says, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” One of the main reasons we can’t diminish the Bible is because when we do it diminishes Jesus and that is something we just can’t do.

Our desire as a body of believers and as leaders of Idaville Church is to have a church filled with people who believe in and obey the Bible completely. Again, it is exciting to see that from the surveys you filled out from Restor Renewal Ministries, that 3 of the 5 questions from the Scripture-keeping section were in the top 10 of the least difficult for us as a church and another one was in the top 15 of the least difficult. Let me read those four questions to you. The least difficult of the Scripture-keeping questions was “I believe the leaders in our church look to the Bible as the highest authority in our church, and lead our church in ways that are consistent with the truth revealed in it.” The next least difficult was “I consistently hear things from Scripture in Sunday sermons and other teaching venues that I desire to apply to my daily life.” They were four and five of ten respectively. The tenth least difficult was “our church regularly encourages me to read and study the Bible on my own and with other Christians.” And the fourteenth least difficult was “the people in our church have the highest view of Scripture, and believe it to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God.” These are the things we believe and embrace as a church and as a body of believers. Now the last question in that section scored as the fifteenth most difficult for us as a church. That question was “our church encourages and provides opportunities for accountability in living out the things we are learning together as a church through scripture.” So this tells us that the people of Idaville Church are interested in being held accountable to living out the things we are learning together as a church through scripture. That’s awesome. There are some ways that already happens: participating in Sunday school and or a small group are ways that you can be held accountable to living out what you are learning. When you are in Sunday school and or a small group and participating there is an accountability that naturally happens. Another way is to find another Christian and become an accountability partner with them. These all take intentionality. You must be intentional about being in and participating in Sunday school and or a small group. You must be intentional about finding another Christian to become an accountability partner with. Intentionality is important because without it, it will probably never happen.

At our dream retreat at the end of last year we set some quarterly goals that have to do with the things we are talking today. The first is we would like to see a 10% increase in the number of people attending Sunday school and or discipleship groups. That brings us to the first next step on the back of your communication card: To be intentional about joining and participating in a Sunday school class or discipleship group. There are still three weeks left of our Genesis study on Wednesday evenings that you can participate in. And we are getting ready to start a Men’s Discipleship group in February and hopefully a Women’s/Girl’s Discipleship group by the Spring. These are great opportunities to be intentional about being accountable to living out the things we are learning together as a church through scripture. If you are interested in learning more about Sunday school or the different discipleship opportunities we currently have or that are coming up, just make a note on your communication card, and I will contact you.

The second is we want to see a 10% increase in the pursuit of holiness through salvations, baptisms and accountability. Another opportunity for accountability is by participating in the commitments found in the Spiritual Life Journal. I earlier highlighted the “read through the Bible in a year” plan and the “monthly memory verses” found in there. I would love to be an accountability partner with everyone here. It would be a two-way street as I want to be held accountable as well. Also, this accountability is about encouragement not judgment. In 2021, there were seven or eight people in our congregation that I was in an accountability relationship with. If you would like to talk to one of them about their experience just let me know and I will put you in contact with them. Also, it doesn’t have to be with me. You can be in an accountability relationship with another Christian. It doesn’t even have to be with someone from Idaville Church. But we would at least love to know that you are in one because we feel that it is important as we continue to pursue holiness as a church body. That brings us to the second next step: to be held accountable to one or mor of the commitments found in the Spiritual Life Journal. If you would like to learn more about being in an accountability relationship, just make a note to that effect on your communication card and I will get in contact with you.

As I close this morning I want to highlight one of core values that you see on the front of your bulletin which is “we live, model and share the importance of being biblically grounded.” If we are going to be biblically grounded as a Church, as a body of believers, we need to know, obey and believe God’s Word and the only way we can accomplish this is by reading and studying God’s Word for ourselves and with other believers. That brings us to the last next step which is “to know, obey and believe God’s Word by reading and studying it myself and with other believers.” These marks of a healthy church and the next steps take intentionality and I pray that you will allow the Holy Spirit to guide you as you prayerfully consider them.

As the praise team comes to lead us in a final song, let’s pray: Lord God, we thank you for your holy, inspired and God-breathed Word given to us. Let us not neglect its reading, its studying, its memorizing etc. Help us to grow more each day in knowledge and obedience to it. Do not let us believe what we want about it but through reading and study help us to understand and believe exactly what you intended it to say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

January 30, 2022/by Office

The Son Confessing Church

8 Marks Of The Church 1 John, Acts, John, Philippians Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Accountability, God's Word, Prayer, Truth

8 Marks Of The Church

The Son Confessing Church

INTRODUCTION

Urban Legends

The 999 phone charging myth is an urban legend, which claims that calling the police and fire services, then hanging up, charges mobile phone batteries.[1]

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_urban_legends]

There are many common myths about the church that are misguided at best and dangerous at worst

BODY

Myth
- You can believe what you want about Jesus and be a healthy church
- This myth, if believed, can be dangerous because:
  - - It can cause people to think they know Jesus when they really know “another Jesus” that’s not really Him
    - It can cause a church to be schizophrenic at best and apostate at worst when it comes to Jesus.
- We know this is a myth because Jesus said a clear mark of a healthy church would be a church filled with people who confess correct things about His nature and character

Let’s pray

GOD
- MARK: The Son Confessing Church
  - - The Son Confessing Church and the Teaching of Jesus (John 10:37-39)
      - Background
        Jesus has been teaching at the Temple area during the Feast of Dedication
        The Jews gather around Jesus and ask Him a question and make a statement
        “How long will you keep us in suspense?”
        “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
        Jesus’ response is that He had already told them, but they didn’t believe
        The miracles He does in His Father’s name speak for Him
        They did not believe Him, because they were not His sheep
        Jesus then makes His confession and pleads with the Jews to believe
      - Just believe (vv. 37-39)
        I wish we could have heard Jesus’ tone of voice at this point, because my guess is that His tone was one of pleading with the Jews to believe
        Challenge
        Don’t believe me
        If I don’t do what my Father does, then don’t believe in Me
        This would certainly be an indication that Jesus was not from God
        He would have been a false prophet or teacher trying to direct them away from God
        So, they obviously shouldn’t believe in Him or follow Him
        Believe the miracles
        While Jesus doesn’t say it directly here, He is saying to them, “Even though you don’t believe my words, believe the works (miracles) from the Father
        “Jesus’ works were the window into his words.” [Borchert, The New American Commentary, John 1-11, 344]
        PRINCIPLE #1 – God’s people recognize His Son through His miracles.
        If you believe the miracles from the Father, you will understand that the Father is in me, and I’m in the Father
        “Interestingly, coming to understand is presented as the result, rather than condition, of believing.” [Köstenberger, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, John, 317]
        Sometimes we have to take the step of faith without having all of our questions answered and then we will be able to understand that Jesus’ works prove His words
        PRINCIPLE #2– Jesus and God are One!
        Even though Jesus is pleading with the Jews to believe in Him, they aren’t quite ready to take that step yet
        Reaction of the Jews
        They try to seize Jesus, either to stone Him or to arrest Him
        Jesus escapes their grasp, because it’s still not God’s timing for Him to be put on trial and killed
      - Jesus was confessing that He is the Son of God that the Father is in Him, and He is in the Father – Jesus and God are One!
      - Jesus confessed His deity and exclusive claims about Himself
    - The Son Confessing Church and the Teaching of the Early Church (Acts 2:24-36)
      - Background
        We saw last that Acts 2 retells the events that happened during Pentecost in Jerusalem
        We know that the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles in power and enabled them to share the Gospel in the various languages of the people who had gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks
      - Peter explains Jesus’ resurrection (vv. 24-32)
        Peter is confessing Jesus’ resurrection, to the people gathered in Jerusalem
        Jesus is alive!
        He is the only person who died, was buried, came alive again, and is still alive today
        The fact that He is still alive today sets Him apart from every other prophet, teacher, human being, or god
        Peter explains that David, as a prophet, has died and was buried and his tomb is still there to this day
        Peter and the other Apostles were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection
      - Peter explains Jesus’ ascension and current position (vv. 33-36)
        He is exalted to the right hand of God.
        Footstool – this was a practice in the Orient where the conqueror would put his foot on the neck of the conquered.
        God made Jesus both Lord, kü-rē-os, meaning he to whom a person or thing belongs; and Christ, khrē-sto’s, meaning anointed.
        Peter is confessing the deity of Jesus Christ
      - The teaching of the early church is that Jesus was resurrected by the power of God and is still alive today and that God has made Him Lord and Christ (deity)
    - The Son Confessing Church and the Teaching of the Apostles (1 John 4:2-3; Philippians 2:5-11)
      - Teaching of the Apostle John (1 John 4:2-3)
        John is helping believers everywhere to know how to discern whether a spirit is from God or not
        Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ is from God
        Here we see that the confession or acknowledgement is that Jesus came in the flesh
        This speaks of Jesus’ humanity
        John mentions it again in his second letter, Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. (2 John 7)
      - Teaching of the Apostle Paul (Philippians 2:5-11)
        Paul teaches us that Jesus is God (deity)
        Being in very nature God (v. 6)
        Jesus Christ is Lord (v. 11)
        He also teaches us that Jesus was human (vv. 7-8)
        We also learn about Jesus’ substitutionary death (v. 8)
      - The Apostles’ confession is that Jesus is both God and man and that He died on a cross to take our punishment for sin
    - We have the teachings of Jesus, the early church, and the Apostles about this mark, but we also have a picture found in Revelation
- METAPHOR: The Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:6-10)

- - - This is the end of human history – the hope of every believer
      - Jesus is the Lamb, the Bridegroom
      - His disciples are His bride
      - The hope of every follower of Jesus Christ is to be invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!
    - “As the Bridegroom, Jesus has confessed His love for us and union with us, and as the Bride, we likewise confess our love for Him and union with Him. He has intimate knowledge of us – who we really are, and we have intimate knowledge of Him – who He really is.” [Matt Kyser]
    - How does this apply to us?

- APPLICATION (how will we know if this mark of The Church marks Our Church?)
  - - We will have intimate knowledge of and confess the deity of Jesus (John 1:1-4)
      - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)
      - As disciples of Jesus Christ, we will confess that Jesus is fully God
      - He is not just another prophet, teacher, or good human being – He is God!
    - We will have intimate knowledge of and confess the humanity of Jesus (John 1:14)
      - The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
      - While it may be difficult for our finite human minds to comprehend, Jesus is also fully man
      - He is fully God (100%) and fully man (100%) and yet He is one person
        Colossians 2:9, For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
        Luke 24:39, Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.
      - As human beings, we do not have to understand how Jesus can be fully God and fully man at the same time, we just have to believe
    - We will have intimate knowledge of and confess the sinless life of Jesus (Hebrews 4:15)
      - Scriptures
        For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
        God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
      - Jesus was the only One who could take our punishment on the cross, because He was perfect, without sin
      - We are human and fallible, Jesus is both God and man and perfect
    - We will have intimate knowledge of and will confess the substitutionary death of Jesus (1 Peter 2:24)
      - He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
      - But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:26b-28)
      - But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
    - We will have intimate knowledge of and confess the resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
      - For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
      - Jesus’ resurrection is what sets Him apart from everyone else – He is still alive today, interceding for us before the Father
    - We will have intimate knowledge of and confess the exclusive claims of Jesus (John 14:6)
      - Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (Hebrews 4:15)
      - There are those in our culture today, that want everyone to believe that there are multiple ways to heaven and since God is loving, He will let everyone in to heaven
      - The old saying is, “all roads lead to heaven.”
        That saying is false
        I would modify the saying to say, “all roads lead to God.”
        For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
        You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12)
        “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
        During the final judgment, all the nations will appear before Jesus and He will separate the people like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46)
        Jesus is the only way to heaven and the Father
      - We have to confess the exclusive claims of Jesus
    - Our desire is to have a church filled with people who confess correct things about Jesus’ nature and character

YOU
- Idaville Member Survey from RESTOR Renewal Ministries
  - - Four of the five questions from The Son-Confessing Church section of the survey were in the top ten of the least difficult for us as a church
      - That is encouraging, because it means that these are things we readily believe and embrace
      - “The people in our church believe that Jesus is the unique Son of God, fully God and fully man, and the way, the truth, and the life – no one coming into a relationship with the Father but through Him.” (1 of 10)
      - “I hear the name of Jesus consistently in sermons, teaching content, small groups and interpersonal conversations in our church.” (2 of 10)
      - “Our church consistently teaches on the Person and work of Jesus on the cross, connecting the truth of the Gospel with any particular passage or theme.” (3 of 10)
      - “The leaders in our church consistently and publicly point to Jesus as the Head and primary Leader of our church.” (6 of 10)
      - “It is obvious that love for and obedience to Jesus is the reason our church exists.” (12 of 12)
    - Encouragement and Challenge
      - If you believe and it is a settled fact in your heart and mind that Jesus is fully God and fully man, that He lived a sinless life and gave His life on the cross for you, that God raised Him from the dead and is still alive today, and that the only way to heaven and the Father is through a personal relationship with Him, then I want to encourage you to continue in that faith
        These are the truths of Jesus that the world needs to hear
        We have been called and commissioned to confess these truths where we live, work, learn, and play
        #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Commit to confessing the truths about Jesus to my family, friends, fellow students, and coworkers.
      - If you are struggling in your heart and mind about any of these truths, that Jesus is fully God and fully man, that He lived a sinless life and gave His life on the cross for you, that God raised Him from the dead and is still alive today, and that the only way to heaven and the Father is through a personal relationship with Him, then I want to challenge you to do a couple of things
        Pray and seek the Lord’s face concerning the truth(s) that you are struggling with
        Spend time reading the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and ask the Lord to make these truths evident to you through His Word
        Reach out to Pastor Marc, myself, or another fellow believer, so we can walk alongside you as you pray and read God’s Word – accountability is so important
        #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Commit to praying, reading God’s Word, and reaching out to other believers concerning the truths of who Jesus is and what He came to earth to accomplish.

WE
- Vision
  - - Core Values
      - “We are a church that reaches out, spreading God's Word, God's glory, and God's promises to those that do not know Him.”
      - “Our leadership strives to be led more by Jesus, to lead more like Jesus, so we can lead more to Jesus.”
    - We are committed as a church and as leaders to confessing Jesus to those we live, work, learn, and play with
- Traction
  - - One of our annual goals for 2022 is to have a 10% increase in the number of people attending Sunday school and/or discipleship groups
    - Another annual goal is to have 10% increase in the pursuit of holiness as evidenced through salvations, baptisms, and accountability

CONCLUSION

“The greatness of God is most clearly displayed in his Son. And the glory of the gospel is only made evident in his Son. That's why Jesus' question to his disciples [in Matthew 16] is so important: ‘Who do you say that I am?’

The question is doubly crucial in our day, because [no one is as popular in the U.S. as Jesus]—and not every Jesus is the real Jesus. …

There's the Republican Jesus—who is against tax increases and activist judges, for family values and owning firearms.

There's Democrat Jesus—who is against Wall Street and Wal-Mart, for reducing our carbon footprint and printing money.

There's Therapist Jesus—who helps us cope with life's problems, heals our past, tells us how valuable we are and not to be so hard on ourselves.

There's Starbucks Jesus—who drinks fair trade coffee, loves spiritual conversations, drives a hybrid, and goes to film festivals.

There's Open-minded Jesus—who loves everyone all the time no matter what (except for people who are not as open-minded as you).

There's Touchdown Jesus—who helps athletes fun faster and jump higher than non-Christians and determines the outcomes of Super Bowls.

There's Martyr Jesus—a good man who died a cruel death so we can feel sorry for him.

There's Gentle Jesus—who was meek and mild, with high cheek bones, flowing hair, and walks around barefoot, wearing a sash (while looking very German).

There's Hippie Jesus—who teaches everyone to give peace a chance, imagines a world without religion, and helps us remember that ‘all you need is love.’

There's Yuppie Jesus—who encourages us to reach our full potential, reach for the stars, and buy a boat.

There's Spirituality Jesus—who hates religion, churches, pastors, priests, and doctrine, and would rather have people out in nature, finding ‘the god within’ while listening to ambiguously spiritual music.

There's Platitude Jesus—good for Christmas specials, greeting cards, and bad sermons, inspiring people to believe in themselves.

There's Revolutionary Jesus—who teaches us to rebel against the status quo, stick it to the man, and blame things on ‘the system.’

There's Guru Jesus—a wise, inspirational teacher who believes in you and helps you find your center.

There's Boyfriend Jesus—who wraps his arms around us as we sing about his intoxicating love in our secret place.

There's Good Example Jesus—who shows you how to help people, change the planet, and become a better you.

And then there's Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Not just another prophet. Not just another Rabbi. Not just another wonder-worker. He was the one they had been waiting for: the Son of David and Abraham's chosen seed; the one to deliver us from captivity; the goal of the Mosaic law; Yahweh in the flesh; the one to establish God's reign and rule; the one to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, freedom to the prisoners and proclaim Good News to the poor; the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.

This Jesus was the Creator come to earth and the beginning of a New Creation. He embodied the covenant, fulfilled the commandments, and reversed the curse. This Jesus is the Christ that God spoke of to the Serpent; the Christ prefigured to Noah in the flood; the Christ promised to Abraham; the Christ prophesied through Balaam before the Moabites; the Christ guaranteed to Moses before he died; the Christ promised to David when he was king; the Christ revealed to Isaiah as a Suffering Servant; the Christ predicted through the Prophets and prepared for through John the Baptist.

This Christ is not a reflection of the current mood or the projection of our own desires. He is our Lord and God. He is the Father's Son, Savior of the world, and substitute for our sins—more loving, more holy, and more wonderfully terrifying than we ever thought possible.”

Used by Permission

Source: Kevin DeYoung, "Who Do You Say That I Am?" from his DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed blog (posted 6-10-09)

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2009/august/1082409.html]

January 23, 2022/by Office

The Spirit Filled Church

8 Marks Of The Church Acts, John, Titus Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Fruit of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, Spiritual Gifts

8 Marks Of The Church

The Spirit Filled Church

INTRODUCTION

Urban Legends

The Killer in the Backseat (also known as High Beams) is a common car-crime urban legend well known mostly in the United States and the United Kingdom. The legend involves a woman who is driving and being followed by a strange car or truck. The mysterious pursuer flashes his high beams, tailgates her, and sometimes even rams her vehicle. When she finally makes it home, she realizes that the driver was trying to warn her that there was a man (a murderer, rapist, or escaped mental patient) hiding in her back seat. Each time the man sat up to attack her, the driver behind had used his high beams to scare the killer, after which he ducked down.[38]

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_urban_legends]

There are many common myths about the church that are misguided at best and dangerous at worst

BODY

Myth
- If your church is filled with people, you have a healthy church
- This myth, if believed, can be dangerous because:
  - - It can cause us to focus more on how many people are in our church instead of how Jesus is at work in the lives of the people who are in our church
    - It can give a false sense of security to those who attend our church – that they are part of His Church simply because they show up to our church
- We know this is a myth because Jesus said the first mark of a healthy church would be a church filled with people who are filled with His Spirit

Let’s pray

GOD
- MARK: The Spirit Filled Church
  - - The Spirit Filled Church and the Teaching of Jesus (John 3:5-7)
      - Nicodemus has come to Jesus at night
        Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again
        Nicodemus is trying to understand how someone can be born again, physically
        Jesus is helping Nicodemus to understand that He is not talking about being born again physically, but rather, spiritually (being born from above)
      - Born of water and spirit
        Jesus uses the phrase born of water and spirit to mean the same thing as being born again or born from above
        Jesus is not talking about baptism or two births here
        Ezekiel 36:25-27, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
        “In essence God said, ‘You need to be clean on the inside – washed with water. You need your heart to come alive by my Spirit. Then, and only then, will you be able to obey me.” [Carter and Wredberg, 57]
      - Like gives birth to like
        Flesh gives birth to flesh is simply referring to natural human birth – the physical
        Spirit gives birth to spirit is the supernatural – the spiritual (born from above)
      - So, Jesus teaches us that we cannot participate in the kingdom of God unless we are born from above, meaning that we have the Holy Spirit living in us
    - The Spirit Filled Church and the Teaching of the Early Church (Acts 2:38-39)
      - Background
        Luke explains in Acts 2 how the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles at Pentecost
        He also retells Peter’s address to the crowd when they speculated that the Apostles had had too much wine
        After Peter shares the Gospel with the crowd, they are cut to heart and ask him what they should do
      - Peter’s reply
        Repent
        Repenting is much more than just being sorry about our sin or being sorry that we got caught in our sin
        Turning from sin – “changing the direction of your life from selfishness and rebellion against God’s laws.” [NIV Life Application Bible, p. 1948]
        Turning to Christ – “depending on him for forgiveness, mercy, guidance, and purpose.” [NIV Life Application Bible, p. 1948]
        It is recognizing that we are done with sin
        Read Romans 6:1-14
        Peter couples repentance with baptism
        Be baptized
        Baptism does not save us from our sins, that is what repentance does
        Baptism identifies us with Christ and fellow believers
        “It is a condition of discipleship and a sign of faith.” [NIV Life Application Bible, p. 1948]
        I always refer to baptism as believers baptism, because it is a step of faith that shows outwardly what has taken place inwardly (repentance)
        Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
        Peter experienced the gift of the Holy Spirit coming upon those who repented while visiting Cornelius
        Cornelius had been visited by an angel and was told to send for Peter who was staying in Joppa
        The Lord prepared Peter for this important evangelism task by giving him a vision of clean and unclean animals and telling him that what He has made clean in not impure
        Peter returned to Cornelius’ house and shared about Jesus of Nazareth with Cornelius and everyone who was in his house
        Peter explains that he and the other Apostles were witnesses to Jesus’ arrest, conviction, death, burial, and resurrection
        While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. (Acts 10:44-48)
        The gift of the Holy Spirit was not reserved just for the circumcised Jews
        The promise is for everyone
        While Peter was addressing primarily Jews from all over the diaspora (Roman Empire), he realized, even at Pentecost, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone
        It is for children, youth, adults, etc.
        It is for those in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)
        It is for everyone the Lord calls – all ethnic groups
      - The teaching of the early church reminds us that the evidence of true repentance is the filling of the Holy Spirit and a desire to be baptized
    - The Spirit Filled Church and the Teaching of the Apostles (Titus 3:4-7)
      - God’s love expressed (v. 4)
        The word “but” makes the transition to the discussion of how to deal with the sin that has enslaved us
        God’s kindness and love appeared when He sent His Son Jesus from heaven to earth
        God’s love was expressed for us through this act
        Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
        God’s love for us never ends – He wants us to recognize our sin and turn to Him – to be in relationship with Him
        We know God’s will concerning mankind
        Some people will tell you that God’s will and purpose is to make their life miserable
        Others will tell you that God is simply waiting for them to make a mistake, so He can discipline them
        But, scripture tells us God’s will
        Matthew 18:14, In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. (He wants children to be saved from their sins)
        2 Peter 3:8-9, But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. He is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
        His will is that everyone of us turns from our sin, repent, and seek His salvation
        Jesus’ work
        Jesus’ purpose was to seek and to save the lost
        He did that by dying on a cross, taking our sin on His body, and paying the ransom so we could be saved
        God accepted Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for our sin by allowing Him to come alive again
      - He saved us! (v. 5)
        God is the One who initiated salvation for mankind
        We can’t save ourselves
        We can’t do enough good things to be saved by God
        We can’t say enough good things, help enough people, give enough money, etc., to be saved by God
        It was God’s mercy that saved us (mercy is not getting what we deserve)
        Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.
        How did God save us? (vv. 5b-6)
        Through the washing of rebirth and renewal
        Washing – some scholars believe this is referring to baptism, but baptism is not a part of salvation
        Baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision – letting others know publicly that you have asked Jesus Christ to save you
        “‘Washing’ here means ‘bathed all over.’ When a sinner trusts Christ, he is cleansed from all his sins, and he is made ‘a new person’ by the indwelling Holy Spirit.” [Wiersbe, 267]
        It is a spiritual cleansing that removes moral stains
        Psalm 51:7, Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
        Rebirth is the result of washing – we are made new, our sins have been removed
        Renewal – the process of moral renovation or transformation which follows the new birth [Stott, 204]
        By the Holy Spirit
        The washing that brings about rebirth and renewal comes by the Holy Spirit
        God poured out the Holy Spirit on us generously through Jesus Christ
        The Holy Spirit lives in us as a reminder and as evidence that we have been washed, made new, and transformed
        The Holy Spirit is the One who helps us to understand Scripture
        He is the One who reminds us of Scripture when we are tempted to do wrong
        He is the One who prompts us concerning spiritual disciplines that will deepen our relationship with God
        Why did He save us? (v. 7)
        We see the purpose clause that begins with “so that” – it tells us why God saves us
        Paul reminds us again that we have been justified by God’s grace
        Justification is defined as “just as if I have never sinned”
        That’s how God sees us through the blood of Jesus Christ – without sin
        Become His children
        God saves us so that we might become heirs
        John 1:12-13, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
        God saved us so we could be part of His family
        If we’re part of His family then we will be able to live with Him someday where He lives – heaven
        Have hope of eternal life
        As God’s children we have hope of eternal life
        Eternal life is the kind of life we need here on earth to obey God and the kind of life we need to live with God in heaven someday
      - We learn from the teaching of the Apostles that God saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal that takes place by the Holy Spirit that lives within us
    - We not only see this mark proclaimed to us through teaching, but through a picture
- METAPHOR: The Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16)

- - - Bible Project Video – “Temple” (Windows Media Player) [https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/temple/]
    - Imagery in Scripture
      - Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
      - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
      - What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)
    - As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are God’s temple since the Holy Spirit lives within us

- APPLICATION (how will we know if this mark of The Church marks Our Church?)
  - - We will look like a new people (1 Peter 2:9-10)
      - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
      - Our unity, pursuit of holiness, and love for one another will be evident to our community and those around us
    - We will have a new perspective (2 Corinthians 4:6)
      - For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
      - We will recognize the glory of God as we shine His light to those around us
      - It is serving within our giftedness
    - We will walk in a new power (Acts 1:8)
      - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
      - The Holy Spirit will give us boldness in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those locally, domestically, and internationally
    - Our desire is to have a church filled with people who are filled with the Holy Spirit

YOU
- Idaville Member Survey from RESTOR Renewal Ministries
  - - Four of the five questions from The Spirit-Filled Church section of the survey were in the top ten of the most difficult for us as a church
      - “The people in our church understand what their spiritual gifts are and regularly use them to serve our church in tangible ways” (1 of 10)
      - “The people in our church consistently live out the ‘fruits of the Spirit’ in their everyday lives” (5 of 10)
      - “The people in our church know what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit” (6 of 10)
      - “Our church consistently teaches on the Person and ministry of the Holy Spirit in various teaching settings” (10 of 10)
    - How do we address these questions?
      - We have provided and will continue to provide a spiritual gift survey for every church attender
        We will counsel with you about how to use your spiritual gifts in a tangible way to serve the church
        #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Take the spiritual gift survey and begin using my spiritual gifts in a tangible way to serve the church.
      - The fruit of the Spirit are found in Galatians 5:22-23a, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
        How are you using the fruit of the Spirit in your everyday life?
        #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Choose at least one of the fruit of the Spirit and begin using it in my everyday life.
      - To be filled with the Holy Spirit means that we are transformed as disciples of Jesus Christ
        We are dead to sin and alive to Christ – we longer desire to pursue the things of this world and the evil in it
        Our thoughts, actions, and speech are controlled by the Holy Spirit
        #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Allow the Holy Spirit to control my thoughts, actions, and speech.
      - As leadership, we will make a concerted effort to highlight teaching about the Person and ministry of the Holy Spirit through messages and lessons

WE
- Vision
  - - One of the core values that we developed at the Dream Retreat is, “We are a church who encourages our members to discover, develop, and use their spiritual gifts.”
    - Under the growth strategy, proven process section we are committed to our membership knowing their spiritual gifts and using them
    - We are also committed to the fruit of the spirit being evident in our body
- Traction
  - - One of the annual goals for 2022 is to have 20% increase in volunteerism for the Wednesday evening and Sunday morning services
    - One of the quarterly goals is to have the Board of Administration take the spiritual gift survey
    - Another quarterly goal is to have you all take the spiritual gift survey

CONCLUSION

“I cannot make someone fall in love with Jesus.

It really came home for me, literally, with my own teenage daughter, who, 18 months ago, was not in love with Jesus. I spent nights crying, bawling, praying to the Lord. Here I am known for my ability to communicate, but there was nothing I could do for my own daughter that would make her fall in love with Jesus. Of course I could still guide and lead her, but I was powerless to convict her.

I prayed, ‘God, either your Spirit comes into her or your Spirit doesn't. It doesn't matter how great a dad I am. I cannot bring her to life.’

One day she came into my room and said, ‘You were right, Dad. The Holy Spirit was not in me. But now he is.’ She talked about how near she was to God and how everything had changed. My wife and I were skeptical. We wanted to see evidence of change. But 18 months later, I can say she really is a new creation. I didn't do that. It was the Holy Spirit.”

Source: Francis Chan, "Catching Waves," LeadershipJournal.net (posted 5-17-10).

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2010/june/3060710.html]

January 16, 2022/by Office

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Origins Genesis Sunday Morning Marc Webb God's Plan, Harmony, Worship

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

In an illustration from Preaching Today called “Fred Rogers Created Rather Than Complained” we read this moving tribute to him by Jonathon Merritt taken from a May 18, 2011 Q Ideas article called "Restoration in the Land of Make-Believe." Here are excerpts from that article.

Jonathon Merritt recounts how Rogers chose to reform society through his gentle and persistent influence on a children's television show. “In 1965, a thin, soft-spoken man sauntered into Pittsburgh's WQED, the nation's first public television station, to pitch a show targeting young children. The concept was simple enough: convey life lessons to young children with the help of puppets, songs and frank conversations. It doesn't sound like much. That is, until you realize that the man was Fred Rogers, and the program was Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. But Rogers was more than a great neighbor or good host; he was a restorer. According to Gabe Lyons in The Next Christians, a "restorer" is someone who views the world as it "ought to be." Faced with the world's brokenness, restorers are "provoked, not offended." They work to make the world a better place by "creating, not criticizing" and by "being countercultural, not relevant." Using this definition, Rogers may be one of the greatest American restorers of the 20th century. Rogers got into television because he "hated" the medium and faced with the decision to either sour on television itself or work to restore the medium, he chose the latter. Fourteen years later, he would create one of the most beloved American television shows of all time, and one that would shape entire generations of children. Rogers was a devout Christian that almost never explicitly talked about his faith on the air, but the way his show infused society with beauty and grace was near-biblical …. "You've made this day a special day by just your being you," he'd famously sign off. "There is no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are." In many ways, the lasting legacy of Fred Rogers will not be the greater emotional stability of generations of children or even a reinvigoration of imagination. It will be his example of how to restore the world through impassioned creativity and craftsmanship. For nearly four decades, Rogers entered our homes and entered our hearts. And each day without fail, he left our collective neighborhoods better and made our days a little bit more beautiful.

We have been studying Abraham, who has been led by God to the Promised Land for the express purpose of taking ownership of it. Along the way he has had many interactions with the people native to that area. Being a neighbor has not been easy for Abraham and I am sure we all have stories of hard times dealing with our neighbors. But God had blessed Abraham in order to be a blessing to his neighbors and we will see that played out this morning. Everyone that Abraham came in contact with were pagan peoples and he was still called by God to be a blessing to them. We can learn a lot from Abraham in how we should interact with those around us that do not know God.

Today we are going to see a second interaction between Abraham and Abimelech which goes a lot smoother than the last one because this time Abraham is treating his neighbor with respect. We can imagine that he is trying to make his neighborhood a better place by creating and restoring friendships instead of criticizing and deceiving. We will see him return to life as a peacemaker as we saw with Lot earlier in Genesis. Worshiping the one true God was countercultural to the way the Canaanites and other peoples in that land would have been living but Abraham wanted to live in peace and harmony with them. The only reason he was able to live in peace with his neighbors was because he had been blessed by God. We see these words in Genesis 12:2-3: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

We’ve talked before about being in the world but not of it. That doesn’t mean we can be disrespectful to those who don’t believe the way we do or criticize them and look down on them. We are called to show the love of Christ to all people and this should especially be true to those who are far away from God. How can we reach the world for Jesus when we are pushing them farther and farther away from Him? We can’t and that is the problem that we have not only individually but also as the church. In Romans 12:14, we are commanded to “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” And in Romans 12:17-18 we are commanded to, “Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.” This is what we will see Abraham doing in our scripture this morning and it brings us to our big idea: “When we live at peace with our neighbors God can bless us so we can be a blessing to them.”

Before we look at how God blessed Abraham and how Abraham was a blessing to those around him, let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word given to us to show us how to live on this earth. Give us ears to hear from your Holy Spirit this morning so we can live the way you want us to as we interact with our neighbors especially those who don’t know you as their Lord and Savior. Open our hearts and minds to what you want us to learn that we can share it with those we come in contact with this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our scripture is found in Genesis 21:22-34. There are four points this morning. The first point is Confrontation which is found in verses 22-24. This is what God’s Word says, “At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.” Abraham said, “I swear it.”

This is the second time we have seen Abimelech. In Genesis 20:1 we saw that Abraham and Sarah were living in Gerar where Abimelech was the king. Abraham and Sarah deceive the king by telling him that Sarah is his sister and the king takes Sarah into his house probably to be one of his concubines. But God intervenes and Sarah is delivered before Abimelech can touch her. Abimelech is not happy with Abraham’s deception and in the end Abraham prays for God to heal Abimelech and his wives and slave girls so they could have children again. We notice that Abraham was not a very good neighbor in that story. He deceived his neighbors and indirectly caused them to incur God’s wrath. That first encounter sets the stage for this one.

“At this time” refers to a time after Isaac has been weaned and Hagar and Ishmael were sent away. Abraham and Sarah have probably been living in the area of Beersheba for a number of years. Abimelech approaches Abraham with the commander of his military forces, Philcol. Bringing his military commander with him could indicate a couple of things. First, Abraham may have been a person of some status. He may have had a political or even military presence in the area. Remember back in Genesis 14, Abraham had defeated the four kings with 318 trained men to get Lot back. Abraham probably has an entourage of substantial size and power at his disposal. Abimelech probably considered him a force to be reckoned with, especially with a powerful God on his side. Also, Beersheba was only twenty-five miles from Gerar so maybe there were tensions in the area and Philcol was there in case hostilities broke out. Later in the story we will see that it was possible there were ongoing problems on the border between Abimelech’s men and Abraham’s men.

Abimelech realizes that Abraham is doing well. His herds and flocks are prospering which dominates a lot of land and he now has a son with Sarah in his old age. He would have been seen as being richly blessed. Abimelech realizes this blessing because he says “God is with you in everything you do.” Abimelech has seen firsthand God’s blessing on Abraham and now has seen his continued blessing in the subsequent years since their last encounter. The sentiment that “God is with you” will also be noticed later in Genesis with Isaac and this same Abimelech, with Jacob and Laban and with Joseph and Potiphar in Egypt. This begs a question of all of us. Do people in your neighborhood or in your sphere of influence see your life and say: “God is with you in everything you do.” If not, we need to examine our lives and our interactions with our neighbors because they should be able to notice God’s work in our daily lives. That brings us to our first next step this morning, which is to “live my life in such a way that my neighbors see God at work in my daily life.”

Abimelech realizes that it is in his best interest for his people to live peacefully with Abraham and his people but is not sure if he can trust Abraham on the basis of their previous encounter. He is hoping that Abraham will treat him now the way he treated Abraham before. Ross states, “It is interesting that the two things that Abimelech knew about Abraham was that God was with him and that he could not altogether be trusted.” We may wonder who the superior party is, Abimelech or Abraham? Abimelech acts like Abraham is as he asks for a favor instead of demanding terms. In the previous encounter Abimelech being the king was the superior party who treated Abraham fairly. But now based on what happened before the roles seem reversed. Even though he is the king and commands an army he knows that a powerful God is at work in Abraham’s life. He is asking Abraham to show him the same “loyalty” in a covenant relationship that he showed previously.

Abimelech’s suggestion of an alliance of friendship with Abraham would not only be binding for the present but for their children and descendants as well. Abimelech is hoping that by brokering peace now it will bring lasting peace for his land in the future. Abraham’s response is short. The meaning is “I give you my word”, literally, “I, I swear.” The use of a second pronoun reinforces the certainty of Abraham’s pledge. Here the emphasis is solely on Abraham’s act of swearing but later on we will see that they both mutually swear an oath to live in peace and harmony with each other for generations to come. There is no confrontation or deception with Abimelech who doesn’t believe the same way Abraham does, there is only acceptance. I like what Hamilton says, “That God is with Abraham does not mean that he has a two to one majority over Abimelech. It means that others’ expectations of Abraham now increase.” This is why God has blessed Abraham. So that Abraham will be a blessing to those in his neighborhood around him. He needs to be more respectful, more helpful, more humble, more of a restorer than those around him. Especially those around him that do not know God and are far away from him. This is what it means to be a neighbor in the places God has put us. (Big Idea).

The second point is Complaint and we see this in verses 25-27. This is what God’s word says, “Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized. But Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.” So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a treaty.”

Abraham swears to deal honestly from now on with Abimelech and his people. But before formally ratifying the treaty, Abraham lodges a formal, legal complaint. It seems that Abimelech’s servants had illegally and violently seized one of Abraham’s wells. Wells were important in a desert climate where water was the difference between the life and death of Abraham’s flocks and herds and the life and death of him and his family as well. Abraham’s claim to the water relied on two factors. One, that Abraham had dug the well and, two, that it was Abimelech who invited Abraham to reside anywhere in the land in the first place (20:15) giving Abraham the right to local pasturage and use of the well’s water.

The Hebrew suggests that Abraham had made this complaint several times with nothing being done about it. Here were the makings of a feud between the two men that had the capability to explode and cause irreparable damage to Abraham’s witness and to his relationship with Abimelech and the people in that region. There needed to be respect and restoration and this was a good test of their relationship in whether this vital resource could be negotiated fairly. We see how this negotiation plays out. They both brought their complaints to each other. They both listened respectfully to what the other had to say and were allowed to respond. Abraham was gauging Abimelech’s response to see if he knew anything about the seizure but seems convinced because he gives Abimelech sheep and cattle in order to formalize the treaty.

The gift of sheep and cattle was to cement their relationship. The act of seizing the well will not be allowed to cause potential unrest. We notice a number of things about this encounter. First, it is Abraham who gives Abimelech the animals, meaning that Abraham was the inferior party even though it was Abimelech who proposed the treaty. The gift was also given to cement a peace treaty between the two men. Abraham takes the higher ground in that he wasn’t going to let the dispute over the well cause hostilities to escalate. Second, this is another example of a “cutting of the covenant” that we saw between God and Abraham in chapter 15. “Cutting the covenant” was a ritual of cutting sacrificial animals in two and placing them in rows so that the two parties involved in the treaty could walk between the animal parts. This signified that whoever broke the covenant could be “cut” in two just as the animals were. Thirdly, we also notice that in neighborly fashion the two parties talk about the offense, give their explanations which are accepted and finalize the treaty to the satisfaction of both parties. The covenant ensured that disputes of this kind would not be repeated by their children and their descendants which would keep peace in the land for generations to come. Similar steps when used wisely today can produce harmony in the place of discord and cooperation where previously there was only confrontation. That brings us to our second next step which is to “strive for harmony and cooperation when conflicts arise with my neighbors.”

The third point is Committed and we see this in verses 28-30. This is what God’s Word says, “Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, and Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?” He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.”

Abraham wanted to show Abimelech that he was committed to the truth and to dealing honestly with his neighbors. Abraham in addition to giving the sheep and cattle also set apart seven ewe lambs for Abimelech. This must have been a strange act to do in that time because Abimelech questions it. He was probably a little wary of Abraham’s motives because he had been deceived before and it may not have been normal for people to be overly generous within a covenant. These were not for sacrifice but a gift to Abimelech. Abraham wanted something from Abimelech but it was only what he deserved and nothing more. Abraham had dug the well that Abimelech’s servants had seized and the proof was the seven ewe lambs. The lambs would have been vital to propagating his herd and the generous number of seven would have reflected how important the well was to Abraham and his descendants. Abimelech knew that this gift would put him under obligation to accept Abraham’s version of events surrounding the seizing of the well. Being able to supply this number of ewe lambs speaks to Abraham’s wealth and strength of bargaining position.

The seven lambs were set aside as a “witness” that Abraham had dug the well and had the rights of ownership to it. It reminds me of someone giving a reward for a lost wallet. When the wallet is returned to the rightful owner the person who returned it might get a reward showing how valuable the returned item is. Just like the well was valuable to Abraham, so is the wallet to the owner. Only the owner of the wallet would be willing to give a reward for its return. The reward would be proof that the wallet really was theirs just like the seven ewes was the proof that Abraham had dug the well and it was his. Only Abraham would be willing to give this valuable gift to get the well back. In accepting this gift, Abimelech was legally acknowledging that Abraham had dug the well, releasing any rights to it and conceding that Abraham was in fact the legitimate owner of the well. This would also hold Abimelech to side with Abraham in any future altercations involving this well. Ross says, “By securing the right to the well Abraham was securing the continued enjoyment of God’s blessing to him, represented by the well. Abimelech gains a pact with Abraham to ensure the future stability between them.”

The last point is Commemoration and we see this in verses 31-34. This is what God’s Word says, “So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there. After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.”

There is commemoration taking place in a couple of different ways here First, calling the place, Beersheba, where the two men swore the oath to each other. The Hebrew word “to swear” means “to bind by seven things” and the words “swear and “seven” are very similar. Beersheba means “Well of the Sevens” or “Well of the Oath” which fits the story of what happened there exactly. Now this doesn’t necessarily mean that this event caused the place to be named Beersheba. Most commentators believe the city was already named but this event gave it more significance. Beersheba now becomes a place commemorating the treaty. Abraham has prospered under God’s blessing and has agreed to a peace treaty with Abimelech at Beersheba that will bring a peaceful coexistence allowing Abraham to serve God in the Land of Promise. This commemorative naming also preserved for future generations the record of how the property was secured. Once the treaty had been sworn, Abimelech and Philcol returned to their own land, the land of the Philistines. It seems that Abraham was living on the outskirts of the land ruled by Abimelech, but was close enough that Abimelech felt the need to make a peace treaty with Abraham.

The second way that we see commemoration taking place is Abraham planting a tamarisk tree. In the OT, trees were a symbol of life and blessing from God. Abraham has built altars but this is the first time we see him planting a tree. The tamarisk tree grew in sandy soil and was deciduous. It could grow up to twenty feet high and provide much needed shade in the desert. Also, its branches provided grazing for animals. Its leaves excreted salt, its bark was used for tanning and its wood for building and making charcoal. It was considered a holy tree and had purifying qualities. Planting a tree would have had as much significance as building an altar. This tree was a witness to what God had done for him in showing favor with Abimelech. He had been blessed by God and was showing the fruit of being a blessing to his neighbors as God had promised. Trees played an important part in Abraham’s life in the Promised Land. He stopped by a tree in Shechem (12:6), he built an altar by a tree at Mamre (13:18), he lived near trees (14:13) and entertained Yahweh under a tree (18:1). By planting this tree it reinforced his claim to the land. In some interpretations, the word “tamarisk” means “a strip of ground” meaning Abraham didn’t just plant a tree but actually laid out a plot of land. This would make sense in light of verse 34 that he settled down in the land for a long time. This tree was the proof of Abraham’s faith in God for his prosperity and security and the security of his descendants.

Thirdly, we see Abraham calling on the name of the Lord in worship. He is commemorating the way that God has orchestrated this treaty so that Abraham could be a blessing to those in his neighborhood. Now, Abraham legally owns a well in the land of promise and there will be peace and harmony in this land for his children and his children’s children. When Abraham called on the name of the Lord he called him, “El-Olam” or “the everlasting One.” This name for God is used only here in Genesis. God was revealing himself to Abraham in every event that took place in the Promised Land. Abraham knew that everything else would pass away but God would endure for eternity. He knew that God would never change so could cling to the promise that his descendants would one day possess this land just as he was possessing it now. Wenham states, “that after so many delays the promises of land and descendants at last seem on their way to fulfillment.” But now came the responsibility to use this land for the honor and glory of the Lord. This anticipates a peaceful coexistence that the Israelites should have with other tribes who would respond to the message of peace and desire to share in God’s blessing. By living peacefully with its neighbors, the Israelites could more readily become the channel of blessing they were intended to be.

Think about your own life. Can you look back and see God’s sovereign hand at work in your life to get you where you are today? I definitely can. That should cause us to worship our Sovereign Lord. That should cause us to call upon the name of the Lord in praise and worship. That brings us to our third next step which is to “call on the name of the Lord in worship for his sovereign hand at work in my life.”

Finally, we see that Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time, maybe for as much as ten to fifteen years. It was probably a great time of peace and happiness for Abraham. Tranquil old age was a sign of God’s blessing. This was going to be Abraham’s neighborhood for a long time and God had blessed him and would continue to bless him so he could be a blessing to those around him. We may ask what was the author’s point in including this story? Walton in his commentary says, “It has to do with covenant roots. Gradually Abraham is establishing roots in the land – digging wells and planting trees. Additionally as relationships are established with the peoples in the land the blessing is taking root. Finally, Abraham’s relationship with God is taking root as land and family become established.”

So how can we be good neighbors that would make not only Fred Rogers proud but more importantly our Heavenly Father proud? We can live into the example of Abraham. First, believers should agree to the request for peaceful relationships. Second, believers should try to restore peace when it is disrupted. Third, believers should strive to ensure that peaceful relationships continue into the future. Fourth, believers must use their peaceful, prosperous life to serve God. God brings us peace and harmony so we can be a blessing to those we come in contact with where we live, work, and play.

The question that again comes to mind after studying this passage is, “Does the world see God in our everyday life?” First, for God’s purpose to be fulfilled through us, the world should see God in us. As Christians we need to be aware that the people in our neighborhoods who don’t know Jesus are watching us to see if we are different than everyone else. They are watching what we say and do and our attitudes toward them. How do we react when mistreated? Do we grumble and complain like everyone else? They are watching us at work, in restaurants and across the street in our yards. Do we work hard or take shortcuts? Are we honest even in the smallest matters? They are watching and they should be able to tell that we are ambassadors of God and followers of Jesus without us saying a word. And when we do open our mouths and witness to the blessing and goodness of God we need to be careful that our words match our actions and vice versa. If we don’t the world will see us as hypocrites and they won’t be able to see God in us at all

Second, for God’s purpose to be fulfilled through us, we have to be walking with God. In spite of Abraham’s past deception, Abimelech recognized God in his life. Why? Because Abraham was a friend of God and walked in daily communion with God. He wasn’t perfect, but he had a reality with God and God’s gracious hand was on him. Abimelech could sense that in spite of Abraham’s previous failure in the incident with Sarah, he was a man who walked with God. As God faithfully provides us protection and our daily needs, and as we walk with Him and give Him the credit for His care for us, as Abraham did, He uses us in the ordinary matters of life to bear witness to a world that desperately needs to turn to Him. When we are faithfully walking with God our neighbors see it and will know that we have something they lack.

If you know the Savior, walking with Him and enjoying His faithful provision, God wants to use the ordinary events in your life to fulfill His purpose of blessing all the nations through the Seed of Abraham, the Lord Jesus Christ. What a privilege to be used by the Eternal God as we live our ordinary lives on this earth!

As Gene and Roxey come to lead us in a final hymn, let’s pray: Lord God, I pray that your Holy Spirit would continually indwell us as we strive to be the kind of neighbors you want us to be in this world that you have placed us in. As we share the good news of Jesus Christ, help us to live in such a way that our neighbors see God at work in our daily lives, help us to strive for harmony and cooperation when conflicts arise with our neighbors and let us remember to call on your name in worship for your sovereign hand at work in our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

January 2, 2022/by Office

Wondering While Wandering

Origins Genesis Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Hope, Provides

Origins

Wondering While Wandering

(Genesis 21:8-21)

INTRODUCTION

“I did not want to go to prayer service that evening; I wanted to stay home and make a dish of candied fruit from a new recipe. But the recipe called for three oranges, and I had none.

Reluctantly, I decided to go to church, thinking that if I got the oranges that night, I could make the dish first thing in the morning. As I drove through the city to church, I stopped at every corner store along the way, looking for oranges. Unfortunately, all the stores I passed were out. I arrived at church feeling disappointed but determined to keep my mind on the service until the end.

As I was leaving, a teenaged boy asked for a ride home, and I agreed to take him. When we pulled into the public housing project where he lived, my headlights landed on a loaded pick-up truck. As we drew in closer I shrieked, ‘Oranges!’ There, spotlighted by a street lamp, stood a truckload of oranges, boxes and boxes of large, beautiful oranges.

‘Where is the driver?’ I asked aloud.

‘Here he comes now!’ replied the teenager. Reaching hurriedly in my purse and finding one dollar, I gave it to the teen and told him to ask the man if I could buy three oranges. He jumped out as I craned my head out the window trying to see around the truck. I was still holding my breath when the boy came around the truck with as many oranges in his arms as he could carry.

‘He didn't have any bags!’ called the boy.

Awed and overjoyed, I took the fruit, returning several to the grateful teen. That night, I made my candied fruit, knowing I had put God first, and he had met my needs.”

Source: Margaret D. Pagan, Baltimore, Maryland.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2002/october/13938.html]

BODY

ME
- Moving from Florida
  - - We were living in Florida at the time
    - We were expecting our first child and we decided to live off my income only and save Judy’s income
    - We knew that after the school year was over and our baby was born, that we were going to be moving back to Ohio from Florida
    - The savings we accumulated was just what we needed to survive until I started serving with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF)
    - It took us a little bit of time to raise our personal finances with CEF
    - God provided for us while we were wandering
- Moving from California
  - - He did the same thing when we moved from California
    - We put everything in storage and started back across the country not knowing that we would finally settle down in Pennsylvania
    - We spent time with Judy’s parents in Florida and my parent’s in Alabama
    - We even spent time with Judy’s grandma in Ohio
    - Eventually, God called us to serve Idaville UB Church in Pennsylvania
    - God had provided the income we needed while we wandered across the country and He provided places for us to stay
    - We knew that He was with us while we were wondering what the next step would be

WE
- Wondering while we wander
  - - Perhaps each person here today understands what it’s like to wonder while we wander
    - My guess is that we have all seen God provide during a transition
    - Maybe He prepared us ahead of time or provided throughout the transition
    - The great thing is that He was with us the whole time

Family tensions came to head at a feast Abraham had held in Isaac’s honor. The result caused Hagar and Ishmael to wander through the desert with minimal supplies. God was with them through their wanderings and He provided for them as they wondered what was going to happen to them. Through this important narrative today, we will learn that . . .

BIG IDEA – God is with us even in our wanderings.

Let’s pray

GOD (Genesis 21:8-21)
- Deride (vv. 8-10)
  - - Weaned
      - Approximately three years have passed from verse 7 to verse 8
      - “In traditional societies mothers nurse children for longer than is customary in the West; in 2 Macc. 7:27 a mother refers to having nursed her son for three years.” [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Pentateuch, Genesis, 331]
        Hannah waited until Samuel was weaned before taking him to the temple to serve for the rest of his life (1 Sam. 1:22-24)
        Gomer waited until Lo-Ruhamah was weaned before having another son with Hosea (Hosea 1:8)
      - Feast
        We are not told if Abraham held a great feast for Ishmael when he was weaned
        In the ancient Near East, it was something to celebrate when a child made it to the age of three, because the infant mortality rate was so high
        We see here that Abraham prepares a great feast to celebrate Isaac turning three and moving on from milk to solid food
      - Even though Sarah was no longer barren, it appears as though there was still tension between her and Hagar
        Goldingay highlights the fact that family gatherings have the ability to bring to the surface underlying issues that are not resolved, but are festering [Goldingay, 331]
        How many of us can relate to that reality?
        Perhaps yesterday brought some things to light
        Maybe there was tension during the family Christmas gathering
        Some of us were probably not looking forward to getting together with our family
        Can I encourage you, today, to forgive your family members, whether or not they ask for forgiveness?
        Just tell the Lord, right now, that you forgive them
        Don’t end 2021 and begin 2022 with a rift behind you and another family member
      - Isaac has been weaned and the family is having a party for him, but Sarah is worried
    - Worried
      - Sarah was acutely aware that Ishmael was actually Abraham’s first-born son
        Because of the miraculous nature of Isaac’s birth, Sarah is probably guessing that she will not have any more children
        Imagine how protective she probably was of Isaac
        She was not going to let anything happen to him, physically
        She would not tolerate others mistreating him verbally
        I know how protective I am of my own children, as most parents are
      - Mocking
        During the celebration for Isaac, Sarah noticed that Ishmael was mocking Isaac
        The Hebrew root word for mocking means “to laugh” [Waltke, Genesis, A Commentary, 294]
        Some people believe that Ishmael was just laughing together with Isaac – playful laughing
        But, it would seem that Sarah would not react the way she does, if they were simply playing together
        The Apostle Paul perhaps helps us to understand the seriousness of what Ishmael is doing
        Galatians 4:29, At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.
        In the Piel form of the verb it means to laugh in bad taste, with the intent to verbally harm
        Perhaps Ishmael is using Isaac’s name in a way that is making others laugh at him or to ridicule him
        “Isaac, the object of holy laughter, was made the butt of unholy wit or profane sport. He [Ishmael] did not laugh, but he made fun. The little helpless Isaac a father of nations! Unbelief, envy, pride of carnal superiority, were the causes of his conduct. Because he did not understand the sentiment, ‘Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?’ it seemed to him absurd to link so great a thing to one so small” (Hengstenberg).” [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 156]
        As a protective mother and the first wife of Abraham, Sarah will not stand for this
        She demands that Abraham get rid of that slave woman and her son
      - Drive out
        Sarah’s demand is not a friendly request
        “Her entreaty is strongly worded: “get rid” (gārēš) describes the evictions of Adam (3:24) and Cain (4:14), the removal of Moses by Pharaoh (Exod 10:11), and the dispossession of Canaan’s population (e.g. Exod 23:29-30; Josh 24:18).” [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 269]
        This verb in the Piel form means to “throw out, drive out, get rid of”
        The same verb in the Qal form means “divorce” [Goldingay, 332]
      - No sharing
        Sarah does not want anyone to be in competition for Abraham’s inheritance
        She wants Isaac to be the only heir
        “According to the legal practices of that time, she [Sarah] had no genuine cause for worry. The Nuzi documents . . . imply that just as the inheritance rights of a son born to a man and his servant girl take precedence over the rights of an adopted son, so also do the inheritance rights of a son born to a man and his wife take precedence over those of a servant girl’s son. To summarize the matter in the context of Abraham’s family, just as Ishmael’s rights superseded those of Eliezer, so also Isaac’s rights would supersede those of Ishmael (Youngblood, 181).” [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 184]
    - The demand from Sarah, concerning Hagar and Ishmael, is distressing for Abraham
- Distress (vv. 11-13)

- - - Concerned

- - - - Abraham is emotionally attached to Ishmael – how can he not be, since Ishmael was his only child for around 11-12 years
      - Sarah is demanding that Abraham cut all ties with Hagar and Ishmael
      - There is a high probability that Abraham will never see Ishmael again
      - Distressed
        The Hebrew word can also be translated as “displeased, very wrong, grievous”
        “The word translated ‘grievous’ means ‘to shake violently,’ like curtains blowing in the wind.” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Pentateuch, 102]
        Abraham is physically upset
      - But the Lord comforts him in his distress

- - - Comforted
      - God tells him not to be distressed about Hagar and Ishmael
      - He tells Abraham to listen to what Sarah is telling him
        Perhaps Abraham is struggling to understand why the covenant cannot come through Ishmael
        The Lord again reaffirms the fact that Abraham’s offspring will be reckoned through Isaac
        PRINCIPLE #1 – God is sovereign!
        “God has determined that Isaac is the one through whom fulfillment will come, through whom Abraham’s offspring will be ‘named’: his genealogical line is the one that will count.” [Goldingay, 333]
        “Ishmael will not share in the inheritance with Isaac, but that is not because of Sarah’s pettiness, or jealousy, or skullduggery. It is because God has decreed that Abraham’s line of promise will be continued through Isaac. Here is an instance of God using the wrath of a human being to accomplish his purposes.” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 81]
        God in his sovereignty chose several second-born children to fulfill his purposes and continue the line to Jesus
        The Lord accepted Abel’s sacrifice over Cain’s
        The Lord chose Jacob over Esau (Gen 27:27-29)
        The Lord chose Ephraim over Manasseh (Gen 48:14)
        Even when we do not understand God’s plans, we can trust in His sovereignty to accomplish His purposes
        PRINCIPLE #2 – “The Lord has a word for us even in our severest dilemmas.” [Baldwin]
        The Lord can speak to us in various ways
        Through prayer
        Through His Word
        Through a sermon
        Through other believers
        Even through unbelievers
        He can speak to us through difficult circumstances, which is what Abraham experienced
        Abraham had to be attentive to what the Lord was saying
        Perhaps someone here today is going through a difficult situation
        Is the Lord speaking to you through someone else?
        What He is saying may not be what you want to hear, but God is sovereign
        It may cause you to shake violently when you think about what has to be done
        Are you willing to be obedient to what the Lord is saying?
        #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Listen to the voice of the Lord in the middle of the difficult situation I am experiencing.
        As we will see in just a moment, Abraham obeyed the Lord
        The Lord not only told Abraham to listen to Sarah, He also reaffirmed His promise concerning Ishmael
      - Promise reaffirmed
        The Lord promises to make Ishmael into a nation also
        The reason the Lord gives, is because Ishmael is Abraham’s offspring
        This again goes back to the promises the Lord gave to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
        PRINCIPLE #3 – God keeps His promises!
        We know that the Arab nations came from Ishmael’s line
        God fulfilled His promise to Abraham that Ishmael would also become a nation of people
      - The Lord comforted Abraham in the difficult task that lay before him
    - Abraham was obedient as he accomplishes the task early the next morning
    - PRINCIPLE #4 – God is pleased when we obey Him.
      - We fleshed this principle out last week, so we will not spend additional time on it this week
      - It is still an important principle for us to embrace

- Drift (vv. 14-21)
  - - Sent (v. 14)
      - Abraham gives Hagar food and water
        He does not give her cattle and flocks
        He does not give her servants
        “In the Lipit-Ishhtar law code (ca. 1875 B.C.), a clause stipulates that if a slave bears children and the father then grants freedom to her and her children, ‘the children of the slave shall not divide the estate with the children of their (former) master.’” [Waltke, 294]
        This is in keeping with the fact that Sarah states that Ishmael will not share in Isaac’s inheritance
        Abraham gives her the amount of food and water she is able to carry on her own
        The skin would have held approximately 3 gallons of water (24 pounds) [Waltke, 295]
        We’re not told how much food she is carrying
      - Separation
        After supplying her with food and water, Abraham sends her off with Ishmael
        The Hebrew word for “sent her off” in the Piel form is “another term that can mean divorce.” [Goldingay, 333]
        Abraham is making a clean break with Hagar and Ishmael
        He is setting them free
        At this point, Abraham has to trust the Lord to provide for Hagar and Ishmael
        Abraham’s hope and faith are based on the promise that the Lord had given him that Ishmael would also be a nation
        Abraham could trust in the promise of God, that his son would not die, while wandering in the desert
        Hagar wanders in the desert of Beersheba
        [Show map of the desert of Beersheba]
        The fact that they are wandering is evidence that she and Ishmael are all alone and do not have a place to live [Mathews, 273]
        They are probably moving from place to place, but have not found a permanent location to call home
        Imagine being given just enough food and water to carry and then being sent away
        Everything we have ever known, and the security of a family unit are all gone
        We have to start all over again
        The emotions we would be having would be devastating
      - That is exactly what Hagar and Ishmael were experiencing
    - Sad (vv. 15-18)
      - No water
        “In such wilderness, when your water is finished (v. 15), you are finished, and so is your child.” [Goldingay, 334]
        Hagar recognizes that fact, which is why she does what she does with Ishmael
        Perhaps dehydration has sapped the boy of his strength and ability to walk – he is dying!
      - Sobbing
        Hagar cannot bear to listen to Ishmael’s cries of suffering
        She separates herself from him after putting him under a desert bush for shade
        A bowshot is approximately a half a mile [Goldingay, 334]
        At this distance, she would not be able to hear Ishmael’s cries, but she could probably still see him
        If she could provide food and water for him, she would
        Hagar’s sobbing is without hope
        She is thinking that she and Ishmael are going to die
        She has forgotten that God was with her in the wilderness 16 years before
        He had appeared to her by the spring that is beside the road to Shur (Gen. 16:7-9)
        God was going to be with her again
        God is with us even in our wanderings.
        When we don’t know what to do or where to turn, God is with us
        When we feel like we are wandering through life’s desert, God is still with us
        He will take care of us and provide for us
        We can have hope in His presence with us
        He promises to never leave us or forsake, so we can say with confidence that the Lord is our helper (Heb. 13:5-6)
        It appears as though Hagar’s sobbing is simply that – she is feeling sorry for herself and for Ishmael and just sits down and begins to cry
      - God hears and responds
        God heard Ishmael crying
        Perhaps Ishmael was crying out to God asking Him for help
        As God hears Ishmael’s cries, He responds to Hagar
        He speaks to her from heaven
        First, He asks her what is wrong
        Then He encourages her not to be afraid – He has a plan to save them
        Hagar has to return to where she left Ishmael and help him to stand
        Finally, God reveals that He will make Ishmael into a great nation
        They are not going to die, but rather thrive, by God’s grace
        PRINCIPLE #5 – God is concerned about the outcasts.
        There are all kinds of outcasts
        Those who have been alienated from their immediate family
        Those who have been alienated from their extended family
        Men and women who have experienced divorce or separation
        Husband and wives who have lost their spouse to death
        Children who have lost their parent(s) to death
        Individuals who have been alienated from a friend group, because of either negative or positive life changes
        I want you to know, today, that God is concerned about you!
        He hears your cries for help
        He knows you are feeling hopeless, anxious, depressed, and like there is nothing to live for
        He is ready to send someone to help you stand – to support you through this difficult time
        He is ready to save you
        #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Find hope in the truth that God is concerned about my situation and me.
      - The Lord encouraged Hagar in her seemingly hopeless situation and He provided a way of salvation
    - Saved (vv. 19-21)
      - There the whole time
        God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw a well of water
        She was able to refill the skin and give Ishmael a drink
        It is amazing that the solution to Hagar and Ishmael’s plight was there the whole time – they were just blind to it
        How often is that true of us, as well
        The solution to our problem, to our situation is already at hand, but we cannot see it
        This happens because we are so consumed with the problem
        When we step back and turn to the Lord for help, He gives us a new perspective on the situation
        We can see clearly what we need to do and how to handle the situation
        PRINCIPLE #6 – God provides for us.
        I do not know about you, but I’m always blessed when God provides the solution to my problems
        Our problems are not a surprise to God, because He is all-knowing
        He already has a plan prepared to help with and provide just what we need
        We just need to turn to Him and trust Him
        #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Turn to the Lord and trust Him to provide for me.
        My guess is that the cool drink of water helped to revive Ishmael and Hagar
        Finally, we see the quick progression of Ishmael’s life from teenager to adult
      - God is with us
        God was with Ishmael as he grew up
        This fulfilled the promise God had made to Abraham and Hagar concerning their son
        He lived in the desert and became an archer
        His mother obtained an Egyptian wife for him while he was living in the Desert of Paran [show map]
        God was with Ishmael in his wanderings – it appears as though he never stopped wandering in the desert
        God is with us even in our wanderings.

YOU
- Do you need to listen to the voice of the Lord in the middle of your difficult situation?
- Find hope in the truth that God is concerned about you!
- Are you ready to turn to the Lord and trust Him to provide for you?

WE
- As a body of believers, we experience difficulties too that require us to listen to the voice of the Lord, find hope in the truth that He is concerned about us, and trust Him to provide for us

CONCLUSION

“David Jeremiah wrote a book entitled A Bend in the Road (Word, 2000) that details his struggle with cancer that began in September 1994, when he was diagnosed with lymphoma. He describes the dark days of ‘life’s disruptions’ and reminds us that as the Israelites traveled long distances from their homes to Jerusalem to worship and celebrate the great feasts, they often sang to express their joy and faith in God.

We don’t see Abraham singing at any point in Scripture, but he certainly set the foundation for people of faith who want to handle life’s disruptions and struggles with spiritual courage. Abraham exemplified Jeremiah’s emphasis on how to handle the burdens of life, including the conflict with Abimelech and the agony of sending Hagar and Ishmael into the desert. Jeremiah says, ‘When the enemy closes in, we’ll never defeat him using his own weapons. Instead, we load the weapons of our lips, our tongues, our hands, our wills … with the most powerful gun powder that has ever been discharged on earth—worship and praise’ (Jeremiah, 126).

Jeremiah survived the first physical struggle, but his cancer reappeared in the fall of 1998. During this time he found great comfort in the Book of Psalms: ‘Whenever I have suffered, the psalms have provided my medicine; when I have been wounded, they have bandaged me and have pointed me toward healing … I’ve drunk deeply of them, bathed in them, and let them wash over me until I’ve felt the dust of the world cleansed away by the hope and peace of God’s presence in the music of the psalms’ (Jeremiah, 141).”

[Gangel & Bramer, 189]

December 26, 2021/by Office

Le J.I.T.

Origins Genesis Sunday Morning Stuart Johns All-Powerful (Omnipotent), Faith, Faithfulness, Obedience, Promises

Origins

Le J.I.T.

(Genesis 21:1-7)

INTRODUCTION

“JIT is a form of inventory management that requires working closely with suppliers so that raw materials arrive as production is scheduled to begin, but no sooner. The goal is to have the minimum amount of inventory on hand to meet demand.

JIT inventory management ensures that stock arrives as it is needed for production or to meet consumer demand, but no sooner. The goal is to eliminate waste and increase the efficiency of your operations. Since the main objective is often quality and not the lowest price, JIT requires long-term contracts with reliable suppliers.

JIT is what’s known as a lean management process. In JIT, all parts of any production or service system, particularly people, are interconnected. They inform each other and are mutually dependent on generating successful outcomes. This practice’s origin comes from Kaizen, a Japanese term meaning “change for the better.” Originating in Japan, the business philosophy looks to continuously improve operations and involve all employees, from assembly line workers to the CEO. Like JIT, the goal is to reduce waste and improve quality.”

[https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/inventory-management/just-in-time-inventory.shtml]

BODY

ME
- Placenta previa
  - - We had a miscarriage between our second and third sons
    - Since Judy’s body did not naturally remove the fetus, she had to have a procedure to remove it
    - The procedure created scar tissue, which posed a problem with the next pregnancy – our youngest son
      - It is not uncommon for the egg to implant low in the uterus, because of the scar tissue
      - Early on in that pregnancy, Judy was diagnosed with placenta previa
      - This condition happens when the baby’s placenta partially or fully covers the mother’s cervix – the outlet of the uterus, which leads to the birth canal
      - Natural birth is not an option and delivery requires a C-section
    - During the pregnancy we kept praying that the placenta would move up the uterine wall and not cover the cervix
      - God answered those prayers, and we saw, through various ultrasounds, the movement of the placenta
      - Judy was able to have a natural delivery of our third child
      - We trusted and had faith in God’s power and ability to cause the placenta to move on its own
      - God allowed the placenta to move just-in-time

WE
- Just-in-time
  - - Every one of us can probably share a time when we experienced God’s power through our faith arriving at just the right time
    - It was not too early or too late
    - We may have felt like it was too late or getting too late, but it was not
      - Perhaps our experience is centered around a medical issue or pregnancy
      - Maybe our experience had to do with finances and God providing at just the right time
      - Some people have experienced God’s perfect timing through relationships
      - Students can attest to the fact that God helped them to complete a paper or project, just-in-time

Abraham and Sarah have been living in the Promised Land for 25 years. Abraham had received a word from God of a promised son. While he may have thought that Ishmael was that promised son, the Lord reminded him that the promised son would come from him and Sarah. At just the right time, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham. God’s promises are Le J.I.T. (legit/legitimate). Sarah had heard the promise just a year before and had laughed with doubt. Abraham had also laughed when he heard the promise, but his laughter was filled with faith instead of doubt. What we will see today in Genesis 21:1-7 is that . . .

BIG IDEA – “Faith in God’s promises releases God’s power.” [Wiersbe]

Let’s pray

GOD (Genesis 21:1-7)
- Obtained (vv. 1-2)
  - - Gracious
      - The Hebrew is literally “visited”
        It meant that God intervened in the affairs of humanity
        It meant that God supernaturally superseded nature
        He was concerned about Abraham and Sarah
        “. . . we have here an instance where visit takes on the connotation of Yahweh mercifully delivering one form an apparently hopeless situation, that is, infertility.” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 72-73]
      - PRINCIPLE #1 – God keeps His promises!
        He is never early and never late
        He keeps His promises in His time and in His way
        This is especially difficult for us in America, because we are accustomed to instant gratification
        Most times we do not have to wait for anything
        Patience is a virtue, but it is one virtue most people in our society lack
        “Trusting God’s promises not only gives you a blessing at the end, but it gives you a blessing while you are waiting.” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Old Testament, Genesis-Deuteronomy, 99]
        Most of us do not recognize the blessing while we are waiting
        We become frustrated and angry with God
        We experience dissolution toward God
        Doubt in God’s ability to do the supernatural begins to creep in, which can breed doubt in His existence, love, compassion, and care for us
        That doubt can drive people away from a personal relationship with the Lord
        In the midst of our frustration, anger, dissolution, and doubt, we have to hold on to faith in an all-powerful God who is able to do far more than we can ask or imagine
        “Faith is a journey, and each happy destination is the beginning of a new journey. When God wants to build our patience, He gives us promises, sends us trials, and tells us to trust Him.” [Wiersbe]
        Is God building your patience right now?
        What promises has He given to you? (take a moment to write those down)
        What trials are you experiencing, currently? (take a moment to write those down)
        Are you trusting the Lord through those trials?
        James 1:2-8, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
        God can and will keep His promises to you and me
        #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Patiently wait, through the trials I am experiencing, for God to fulfill His promises to me.
      - Abraham and Sarah had to exhibit a great deal of faith as they waited 25 years for the promise to be fulfilled
    - Promise fulfilled
      - That is what we see in the verse 2
      - Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son
      - This happened when Abraham was 100 years old
        That seems amazing to us, but God is able to do the miraculous
        God continued to sustain Abraham in his old age, because he remained alive until this promised son grew up to be an adult
        God’s sustaining power is incredible!
      - Faith in God’s promises releases God’s power!
        This promised son came at the very time God intended for him to come and according to the promise given the year before
        God waited for Abraham and Sarah to be “as good as dead” so that their son would be a miracle from Him and not just from a natural process
        Read Romans 4:17-21
        Ephesians 4:20-21, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
    - While we see the faith and patience of Abraham and Sarah, we also see Abraham’s obedience
- Obedience (vv. 3-5)

- - - Abraham names his son
      - NOTE: “Both Isaac and Jesus were named before they were conceived (Gen. 17:19; Luke 1:31). Both mothers conceived through God’s supernatural activity. Both sons fulfilled the Abrahamic covenant.” [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 183]
      - He gives him the name Isaac just as God had directed him
      - Genesis 17:19, Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
      - The name Isaac means “he laughs”
      - Genesis 17:15-17, God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are not longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
      - As we saw in Romans 4, Abraham’s laughter was not without faith – he still believed that God was able to accomplish what He had promised
      - “Isaac was designated as the fruit of omnipotent grace working against and above the forces of nature.” [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 155]
      - Abraham not only names his son Isaac, in obedience to the Lord's command, he also circumcises him
    - Abraham circumcised his son
      - On the eighth day, after Isaac’s birth, Abraham circumcised him
      - Genesis 17:10-12, This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner – those who are not your offspring.
    - PRINCIPLE #2 – God is pleased when His people obey His commands.
      - Abraham was obedient to the commands of God
      - Are we obedient to the commands of God?
        This is a question that we need to ask ourselves
        “There is a simple exercise I walk through with church leaders. First, I have them list all the things that people expect from their church. They usually list obvious things like a really good service, strong age-specific ministries, a certain style/volume/length of singing, a well-communicated sermon, conveniences such as parking, a clean church building, coffee, childcare, etc. Then I have them list the commands God gave the Church in Scripture. Usually they mention commands like ‘love one another as I have loved you’ (John 15:12), ‘visit orphans and widows in their affliction’ (James 1:27), ‘make disciples of all nations’ (Matt. 28:19), ‘bear one another’s burdens’ (Gal. 6:2), etc. I then ask them what would upset their people more – if the church didn’t provide the things from the first list or if the church didn’t obey the commands in the second list. . . . God had given clear commands in the Old Testament He expected His people to obey (613 things to be exact). Then along the way those people created additional traditions God never actually asked them to do but they felt were good ideas. . . . Honoring traditions made the Pharisees feel like they were obeying God when they actually weren’t. . . . Many of us have become so accustomed to various traditions that we genuinely think they are commanded.” [Francis Chan, Letters to the Church, 46, 48]
        Francis Chan’s comment hits close to home for many of us
        Are we more concerned about our expectations being fulfilled and traditions being followed or obeying the commands of God?
        How are we doing with obeying God’s commands?
        I know for myself, and I’m guessing the same is true for every one of us, that we can improve in the area of obeying God’s commands
        That is what pleases the Lord
      - #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Choose to obey God’s commands and identify at least one command where I need to improve.
        Imagine what it will look like when we focus on obeying the commands of God instead of our own expectations and traditions
        The Lord will be pleased and we will be more unified, holy, and loving
        What an incredible opportunity we have to continue to develop these qualities as followers of Jesus Christ
    - Abraham obediently followed the commands of God and Sarah worshiped the Lord for His grace extended to her

- Overjoyed (vv. 6-7)
  - - Sarah’s laughter has been transformed
      - Before, she laughed to herself
      - Genesis 18:12-13, So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’”
      - Now, she laughs openly and encourages others to join in her laughter
      - “Sarah credits God with changing her laughter of incredulity (17:17-19; 18:12-15) into joy. All will now laugh in joy and amazement with Sarah.” [Waltke, Genesis, A Commentary, 293]
      - Even Sarah’s statement about her nursing a child, shows the joy she is experiencing
    - PRINCIPLE #3 – God is glorified when we rejoice at the display of His sovereign power.
      - The birth of Isaac obviously helped to strengthen Sarah’s faith
      - How often does the display of God’s sovereign power strengthen our faith?
        When the initial diagnosis says there is something there that needs further investigation, but when the time comes for that appointment, the doctors cannot find what was originally there (our faith is strengthened)
        The end of the month is coming, but there is not any more money to pay bills and someone anonymously drops off an envelope with money in it (our faith is strengthened)
        The furnace, air conditioner, or vehicle breaks down and we do not have the money to repair it, but God provides the money through the benevolence fund at church or through other people (our faith is strengthened)
      - Application
        How have you seen the display of God’s sovereign power in your life?
        Has it strengthened your faith?
        Have you taken time to rejoice and thank the Lord?
        #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Rejoice in the Lord for displaying His sovereign power in my life.
      - “Nothing can give such deep, lasting satisfaction as the faithfulness of God, demonstrated in the fulfillment of his promises especially, perhaps, after a long time of expectant waiting.” [Baldwin, The Bible Speaks Today, The Message of Genesis 12-50, 85]

YOU
- Are you waiting patiently for the Lord to fulfill His promises to you?
- What command of God do you need to improve upon?
- Do you need to rejoice in God’s sovereign power at work in your life?

WE
- God has given promises to His church, so we have to wait patiently for His timing
- God has given His church commands that we need to be following
- Corporately, we need to rejoice when we see God display His sovereign power in the life of the church

CONCLUSION

“We become so used to reading about miracles in the pages of the Bible that it is easy to lose an appreciation for how startling they are. In an attempt to recover the wonder, let’s take a moment to observe the response to such an occurrence in a modern medical context. The details of the following account were reported in the Chicago Tribune, September 8, 1981.

A woman whose ovaries ceased to function almost three years ago has given birth to a healthy 9-pound baby girl, baffling doctors at three hospitals. ‘It is impossible, impossible,’ the 35-year-old woman quoted one of the doctors as saying when he detected a fetal heartbeat. In effect, the birth took place after the woman . . . had gone through menopause, her doctors said.

The woman had been diagnosed with premature ovarian failure and was told she did not have to worry about getting pregnant. A further complication was that the woman was on hormone medications to ease the symptoms of menopause. These medications typically serve as effective contraceptives. Dr. Jerry Rakoff, director of the Scripps Clinic Medical Group’s Fertility Center had confirmed the diagnosis of another physician but was also the one who eventually discovered that the patient was pregnant.

Rakoff said neither he nor Dr. John Willens, the University Hospital physician who delivered the baby on August 18, had ever heard of birth by a woman with a well-documented case of premature ovarian failure. . . . Rakoff said that there is no medical therapy to reverse premature ovarian failure. He said that he and Willens believe an egg may have been left after the ovaries shut down.

We can see that even in today’s world of medical sophistication, this is a remarkable obstacle for God to overcome.”

[Walton, The NIV Application Commentary, Genesis, 499-500]

How does all of this tie in with Christmas?

Genealogy

Matthew 1:1-17

Jesus came just in time

Galatians 4:4-5
Romans 5:6-8

December 19, 2021/by Office

Unstoppable

Origins Genesis Sunday Morning Stuart Johns God's Plan, Patience, Prayer

Origins

Unstoppable

(Genesis 20:1-18)

INTRODUCTION

“On any given night at a bowling alley in America, you might find someone who has bowled a 300, a perfect game. A good bowler on a hot streak can roll 12 consecutive strikes. For a competitive bowler, however, the "holy grail" night is a perfect series—three consecutive perfect games. A 900. In the history of bowling, there have only been 21 perfect series.

And Bill Fong was three rolls away from just that—perfection.

On a January 18, 2010, league night at the Plano Super Bowl, Bill Fong had rolled 33 consecutive strikes. The crowd of fellow league members stopped to watch, as on frame 34, Bill Fong gathered his ball, walked up, and rolled another strike.

And then he rolled another on frame 35, and the crowd went wild.

But something was wrong. Two frames back Bill had begun sweating profusely and feeling dizzy. But he was just one roll away from history. Bill pulled the ball to his chest, took his usual five steps, and released the ball perfectly.

People actually started applauding before the ball reached the pins. That's how perfect the roll was. It curved exactly where it was supposed to, made contact with the pins at precisely the right spot. Pins flew, the crowd cheered.

And the number 10 pin wobbled, but settled back onto its base. Standing.

899. One pin short of perfection.

Heartbroken, Bill headed home.

The dizziness that began on frame 34 had not improved. Bill staggered into his bathroom and threw up. The walls continued to spin.

Bill was having a stroke. Already struggling with high blood pressure, the events of that Monday evening turned a delicate situation into a deadly one.

But Bill never realized he had suffered a stroke until he had another one later. His doctor found scar tissue, and was told about the league night.

The only thing that saved Bill on the night of the 899? That number 10 pin staying up. Had that last pin fell, Bill's doctor feels certain that his body, already in the midst of a stroke, would have pushed his blood pressure even higher. That, most likely, would have killed Bill immediately on lane 28.

What felt like the worst thing that could have happened turned out to be the very thing that saved Bill's life.”

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Sovereignty of God—Although the article did not mention Bill's faith or lack thereof in Christ, we do know that believers can have confidence in God's good and sovereign plans for their lives despite disappointments, confusion, and failures. God may have a better purpose that we can't imagine with our limited perspective. (2) Success and Failure—Sometimes the success we think we must achieve can actually hurt us. And at times it's the apparent "failures" that actually save us from greater harm.

Source: Michael J. Mooney, "The Most Amazing Bowling Story Ever," D Magazine (July 2012).

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2012/october/1101512.html]

BODY

ME
- Moving to Birmingham, AL
  - - Growing up, our family had always lived in a parsonage
    - From the time I was two-years old until age 17, our family had never owned a home
    - When my parents felt the call to plant a church in Birmingham, AL, we had to find a house to live in
    - That was the first time my parents had ever had to buy a home, so everything was new
    - Grace Ministries was the organization that had the vision to plant multiple churches in Birmingham from various denominations
    - That ministry had a real estate agent associated with it that made himself available to the pastors who were moving
    - He asked my parents what kind of neighborhood that were hoping to reach and then showed our family several houses
    - After seeing the one house all five of us said, “That is the house!”
    - My parents have lived in that house for 34 years
- God’s plan for our family
  - - We knew that God had led us to that particular house
    - The previous owners of the house were both doctors
    - So, you probably guessed it, the wife became our family practice doctor for many years
    - God’s sovereignty was evident through our move from Pennsylvania to Birmingham
    - His plans for us never failed

WE
- Every one of us probably has a testimony of when God’s plans have succeeded in our lives
  - - Perhaps the testimony is about a relationship
    - Maybe it’s about a financial success
    - It could even be about a job or being accepted to a particular college or university
- As we look back over our lives, we can probably share multiple stories of how God’s plan didn’t fail us
  - - We may not have recognized it at the time
    - Time and hindsight give us clarity and a different perspective

It would seem as though time and hindsight had not given Abraham and Sarah clarity. They use a familiar ruse 25 years later with a different ruler and got similar results. They were still struggling to trust the Lord with their fears about the people of this new land. What they learned, again, was that even though their fears caused them to mislead another ruler, God’s plan could not be stopped. This truth is one that we need to learn and embrace. We will learn today that . . .

BIG IDEA – God’s plans never fail.

Let’s pray

GOD (Genesis 20:1-18)
- Ruse (vv. 1-2)
  - - On the move
      - Most scholars agree that Abraham is moving from his current location, near Hebron, by the trees of Mamre
      - He takes his entire family and clan and moves them to the region of the Negev
        We are not given the exact location, but rather a between two regions
        They were staying between Kadesh and Shur
        [Show map]
        This was the same region where Hagar had fled to after being mistreated by Sarah (Genesis 16:7)
        It was here that the Lord spoke to Hagar and promised her many descendants (Genesis 16:8-14)
      - Stay in Gerar
        While his clan remain in the region of the Negev, it appears that, at least, Abraham and Sarah move north and stay in Gerar
        Abraham probably left his flocks and herds in the care of his servants in the Negev
      - While they are in Gerar, Abraham uses the same half-truth that he used 25 years earlier with Pharaoh in Egypt
    - Half-truth
      - Abraham tells the people of Gerar that Sarah is his sister
      - We already know that Abraham and Sarah had the same father, but different mothers
      - Because of the half-truth, Abimelech, King of Gerar, sends for, and takes Sarah as part of his harem
        Sarah is now 89 to 90 years old
        In the Egyptian episode, Pharaoh took Sarah because of her beauty (Genesis 12:14-16)
        There is no mention of the reason why Sarah is taken by Abimelech
        It is perhaps based on the desire of Abimelech to forge “an economic relationship with the Abraham clan” [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 251]
        Sarah has described herself as “worn out” in Genesis 18:11-13 [Mathews, 252]
        All of this played an important role in protecting Sarah and preserving God’s plan for the promised son to come from Abraham and Sarah
        God’s plans never fail
      - PRINCIPLE #1 – God is patient with His people!
        We know that God’s plans never fail, but sometimes we, in our humanness, put God through the ringer
        He has to bring plagues and illness to others in order to preserve His plans
        He has to threaten death and command that certain things be returned, in order to set things right
        How have we put God through the ringer as it pertains to His plans for us?
        I know that, for Judy and I, we moved all over the country and served with various ministries before being obedient to the call to pastoral ministry
        I know that Judy had to wait 13 years to be a pastors wife (she always thought that was God’s calling for her, when she grew up)
        What has it looked like for you?
        What things did you have to go through before submitting to God’s plan for your life?
        Perhaps you are still putting God through the ringer, because you are resisting His call on your life
        God’s patience is so amazing!
        He is willing to wait on us
        He is willing to allow us to go done a different path, until we realize we need to be on His path for our lives
        #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Thank the Lord for His patience and submit to His plan for my life.
        God was certainly patient with Abraham and Sarah, even when they used the “sister act” again, 25 years later
      - Their deception had adverse consequences not only for them, but also for others
        “Charles Spurgeon said, ‘God does not allow His children to sin successfully.’ When we deliberately disobey God, we suffer both from the consequences of our sins and from the chastening hand of God, unless we repent and submit.” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Old Testament, Genesis-Deuteronomy, 96]
        Read Hebrews 12:5-11
    - We see Abimelech’s reaction to this deception
- Reaction (vv. 3-13)

- - - With God (vv. 3-8)
      - God came to Abimelech in a dream (v. 3)
        Pharaoh was aware of Abraham’s deception because of the serious diseases that he and his household experienced
        This time, God uses a dream to expose the ruse
        Dreams were a common form of communication or revelation in the ancient Near East [Walton, The NIV Application Commentary, Genesis, 494]
        “Dreams were a mode of revelation, even to those outside of the covenant (see 28:12; 31:24; 37:5-9; 40:5; 41:1; Num. 22;9, 20).” [Waltke, Genesis, A Commentary, 285]
        God tells Abimelech that he is as good as dead
        The reason He gives is that the woman he has taken is a married woman
        Even within the pagan culture, adultery was a serious offense
        “In Egypt (marriage contracts), Mesopotamia (hymns to Ninurta and Shamash), and Canaan (king of Ugarit extradites and executes his wife), adultery is regularly referred to as ‘the great sin’ and is considered extremely detrimental to society to the extent that it is characteristic of anarchy. Hittite laws, Middle Assyrian Laws, and the Code of Hammurabi all contain legislation against adultery.” [Walton, 495]
        “Mosaic legislation required the death penalty for adultery, both the man and the woman (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22).” [Mathews, 252]
        Leviticus 20:10, “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife – with the wife of his neighbor – both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.”
        Deuteronomy 22:22, If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel
        Abimelech realizes the seriousness of God’s revelation to him, and so he pleads his case
      - Abimelech’s plea (vv. 4-5)
        The narrator tells us that Abimelech had not gone near Sarah, meaning that he had not been intimate with her
        Abimelech wants to know if God will destroy an innocent nation
        This is Abimelech’s view of his kingdom
        But, Abimelech is not saved – he is lost – he is not a follower of God
        Abraham is a follower of God – he is saved
        He explains to the Lord that Abraham and Sarah both said that they were brother and sister
        He confesses that he took Sarah with a clear conscience and clean hands – it was unintentional
        Abimelech’s sin was one of ignorance and not negligence – there was potential for deliberate action (adultery) without knowledge [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 62]
        God acknowledges Abimelech’s plea
      - God’s reply and command (vv. 6-7)
        The dream is still taking place
        God confirms that Abimelech took Sarah with a clear conscience, but He is the One who kept Abimelech from sinning against Him
        God kept Abimelech from touching Sarah
        PRINCIPLE #2 – God is sovereign!
        God’s sovereignty means that He has the right to rule and He rules rightly
        God was completely in control of the circumstances that Abraham and Sarah had created, which had to potential to mess up His plans for the promised son
        God’s plans never fail
        He protected the purity of Sarah, by His sovereign power
        God, in His sovereignty, is in complete control of the circumstances that we create
        Those circumstances have the potential to mess up His plans for our lives, but God knows exactly what to do to get us back on track
        He may be stopping you from touching something
        He may be stopping you from moving
        He may be stopping you from taking another job
        He may be stopping you from looking at certain things
        He may be stopping you from pursuing a particular relationship
        He may be stopping you from doing something that will be detrimental to you, physically, financially, emotionally, or spiritually
        Instead of trying to push forward, we need to thank God for stopping us
        God commands Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham
        Abraham is identified as God’s prophet
        God calls Abraham His prophet
        Abraham’s deception has not negated his salvation or standing with God
        His deception has not rendered God’s promise void – that all nations will be blessed through Abraham
        God will use Abraham and his prayer to bring healing to Abimelech and his household
        PRINCIPLE #3 – God uses His people in spite of their failures.
        Romans 11:29, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable
        As Christians, we will still choose to sin sometimes
        When we choose to sin, God does not take back the spiritual gifts or the calling that He has placed on our lives
        He still uses that calling and those gifts in spite of our sin – for His glory!
        “. . . I have found that the thing which hobbles so many people in their service for the Lord is thinking, ‘God can’t use me. God wouldn’t use me. God won’t use me because I’ve failed so miserably; I’ve botched it so badly.’ That’s the voice of the enemy, for the voice of the Lord says, ‘Because you didn’t earn the gifts I gave you or the calling I sovereignly placed upon you, there’s no way you can lose them either.’” [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Volume 1: Genesis-Job, 84]
        Have you been living with the enemy’s lie that God cannot, would not, or will not use you because of your failures?
        Today is the day to put that lie in its place, to put that lie to rest
        God can, would, and will use your calling and your gifts in spite of your failures
        Our testimony and witness may be hurt because of the failures, but our ability to pray for and serve others is not affected
        #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Reject Satan’s lie and embrace God’s truth that He can, would, and will use me in spite of my failures.
        God was still going to use Abraham even though he had failed to trust in God’s power to protect him
        God tells Abimelech the result of not obeying His command
        Death will be the result of his disobedience
        If Abimelech refuses to return Sarah to Abraham, he and his household will die
        That was how serious God was about making sure His plans would not fail
        Abimelech takes the warning seriously
      - Seeking counsel (v. 8)
        Abimelech does not waste time seeking the counsel of his officials
        He is up early and calling his officials together
        He confides in them about the dream he had
        His officials took the warning seriously
        They were very much afraid – they did not want to die because of Abimelech’s ignorance about Sarah
      - We have seen Abimelech’s reaction with God, but we also see his reaction with Abraham
    - With Abraham (vv. 9-13)
      - Abimelech’s questions (vv. 9-10)
        After consulting with his officials, Abimelech called for Abraham
        Abimelech peppers Abraham with questions
        What have you done to us?
        How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom?
        What was your reason for doing this?
        Abimelech also scolds Abraham for doing something to him that should not have been done
      - Abraham’s response (vv. 11-13)
        Assumption
        Abraham did not consult the Lord concerning the people of Gerar
        He assumed they were like all the other inhabitants of the land
        Keep in mind that Abraham just witnessed the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah along with two other cities in the plain, because the Lord did not find ten righteous people there
        We see Abraham acting independently of the Lord’s guidance and direction, because of fear and a lapse in faith
        PRINCIPLE #4 – God is pleased when we trust in Him instead of ourselves.
        Mode of operation
        From the time that Abraham set out on his own and separated from his father’s household, he and Sarah have been using the “sister-act” as their standard mode of operation when entering new territories
        It has worked in the past, so they continue to use it (even 25 years later)
        Abraham pulls the, “if you love me,” card and asks Sarah to tell everyone that he is her brother
    - Abimelech must have accepted Abraham’s response to his questions, because he provides reparations to he and Sarah

- Reparation (vv. 14-16)
  - - Pharaoh had given Abraham sheep, cattle, donkeys, camels, and servants prior to knowing the truth about Sarah (perhaps as a bride price)
    - Abimelech gives Abraham sheep, cattle, servants, and first choice of land after he finds out the truth about Sarah (this is recompense)
    - Abimelech obeys the command of the Lord and returns Sarah to Abraham
    - Abimelech also gives Abraham 1,000 shekels of silver
      - That is about 25 pounds of silver
      - This is a very generous amount of silver
      - Mathews points out that Abraham paid 400 shekels of silver for the cave at Machpelah where he buried Sarah (Gen. 23:15-16), Jacob purchased a piece of land in Shechem for 100 pieces of silver (Gen. 33:19), and Joseph was sold into slavery for 20 shekels of silver (Gen. 37:28) [Mathews, 258]
      - Waltke states, “A Babylonian laborer, usually paid a half shekel per month, would have had to work 167 years to earn such a sum.” [Waltke, 287]
      - The silver was given to Abraham as a way of restoring Sarah’s honor in the eyes of those who knew about Abimelech taking her into his harem [Waltke, 288]
      - It was done to hide Sarah’s shame [Mathews, 258]
      - Abimelech did not blame Sarah, which is what is meant by her being completely vindicated
    - After reparations are made, Abraham prays for Abimelech and his household
- Restoration (vv. 17-18)
  - - Abraham’s prayer released God’s healing power
    - God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his slave girls
      - We are not told what Abimelech needed healing from, but it probably had something to do with him not being to engage in sexual relations
      - We know that God had closed up every womb in Abimelech’s household, so now the woman would be able to conceive again
    - PRINCIPLE #5 – God answers the prayers of His people on behalf of others.
      - It probably took a long time for Abimelech to trust Abraham
      - He was probably cautious whenever Abraham spoke to him
      - Wiersbe highlights what this one lie cost Abraham [Wiersbe, 97]
        His character
        His testimony
        His ministry (instead of a source of blessing, he was the cause of judgment)
        He almost lost Sarah and Isaac
        His peace (he watched Isaac repeat the same lie years later, Gen. 26:7-11)
      - Perhaps our lies have cost us some of the same things
        We may have lost our character, testimony, and ministry to family and friends
        They don’t want anything to do with Christianity, because of what we have said or done
        Fortunately, when we repent of our sins, the Lord forgives us and restores us
        We still have the ability to bless our family, friends, and even our enemies through prayer
        “When I pray for my enemies, not only does it release blessing upon them, but it keeps me from getting involved in a cycle of bitterness which will only destroy me.” [Courson, 86]
        Matthew 5:43-45a, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”
      - #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Pray for the healing, prosperity, and well-being of my family, friends, and enemies.

YOU
- Do you need to thank the Lord for His patience?
- Are you ready to submit to the Lord’s plan for your life?
- Is it time to reject the lie and embrace that God can, would, and will use you in spite of your failures?
- Whom do you need to pray for today?

WE
- Idaville Church needs everyone to embrace God’s truth that He will use us in spite of our failures – we need everyone to be serving
  - - Pastor Marc handed out spiritual gift surveys during the Mission Possible Meeting last week
    - Our hope is that everyone will take the time to complete one of those surveys, so we can serve in our area of giftedness

CONCLUSION

“Henri Dunant was a wealthy 19th century Swiss banker. He was sent to Paris by the Swiss government to work on a business deal with Napoleon. He arrived only to be informed that Napoleon was off fighting a war against the Austrians in Solferino, Italy. So Henri Dunant got back into his carriage and set his horses galloping down to the battlefront. He got there just in time to hear the bugles blast and see the thundering charge of Napoleon's troops. Dunant had never before witnessed the ghastly carnage of war. He watched in horror as cannonballs tore through human flesh, and acres of land became heaped with maimed and dying men. Henri Dunant was so devastated that he remained at the front for weeks helping doctors tend to the wounded in churches and nearby farmhouses.

After his return to Switzerland, Dunant continued to be haunted by the images of war he had seen in Italy. He could not keep his mind on banking, becoming so distracted that he lost his fortune. Yet even with his career derailed and his plans askew, he had a sense of God's sovereignty in all that had occurred. Of this time he later wrote: ‘I was aware of an intuition, vague and yet profound, that [this was] God's Will; it seemed to me that I had [something] to accomplish…as a sacred duty and that it was destined to have fruits of infinite consequence for mankind.’

And indeed it was. Out of his depression and failure—after following the wrong road to Italy—Henri Dunant founded the Red Cross, which has saved millions and millions of lives and given aid to countless victims of war and disaster over the years. For establishing this organization, he received the first Nobel Peace Prize.”

Source: Victor D. Pentz, from the sermon "A Hobo's Heart: How Wrong Roads Often Lead to the Right Places."

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2004/august/15490.html]

December 12, 2021/by Office

The Issue with Isolation

Origins Genesis Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Compromise, Immorality, Isolation

Origins

The Issue with Isolation

(Genesis 19:30-38)

INTRODUCTION

“For two of his five years in a Vietnamese POW camp, Senator John McCain was locked in a tiny isolation cell, cut off from all human contact. He was beaten regularly and then denied adequate medical treatment for two broken arms, a broken leg, and chronic dysentery. But for McCain something was far worse than physical pain—the pain of isolation. McCain said, ‘[Isolation] crushes your spirit and weakens your resistance more effectively than any other form of mistreatment.’

Medical doctor Atul Gawande points to McCain's experience and then describes a study of nearly 150 U.S. naval aviators who returned from imprisonment in Vietnam: they reported that social isolation was as agonizing as any abuse they had suffered. But what happened to them was physical. EEG studies going back to the 1960s have shown diffuse slowing of brain waves in prisoners after a week or more of solitary confinement

Gawande writes:

Some prisoners whose only social contact was a food tray shoved through a slot became catatonic or developed autistic features. … Still others had panic attacks or became extraordinarily aggressive. These symptoms suggest neurological damage. Neuroimaging studies confirm that isolation creates the same level of activity in the brain as does physical distress; the neural signs of social pain look a lot like the signals created by physical pain. Even months after they were released, MRIs of prisoners of war in the former Yugoslavia showed the gravest neurological damage in those prisoners who had been locked in solitary confinement. Without sustained social interaction, the human brain may become as impaired as one that has incurred a traumatic head injury.”

Source: Adapted from Susan Pinker, The Village Effect, (Spiegel and Grau, 2014), pg. 100-101.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2015/march/6031615.html]

BODY

ME
- Family Life, Weekend To Remember
  - - Judy and I have attended the Weekend To Remember for many years now
    - It’s a great way for us to stay connected to the Lord and to each other
    - “If couples are not intentionally moving toward oneness, their marriages will drift toward isolation.” [Weekend To Remember Manual, 20]
    - “The goal of marriage is not isolation; it’s oneness.” [Weekend To Remember Manual, 20]
    - The natural drift toward isolation
      - Romantic phase (dating or honeymoon)
      - Reality phase (honeymoon or early marriage)
      - Renovation phase (working over our spouse to adapt to their own preferences)
      - Retaliation phase (resentment and bitterness turn into hurtful words and actions)
      - Rejection phase (emotional separation or divorce)
    - The path to oneness . . . leads to hope
      - God’s purpose for marriage
      - God’s plan for marriage
      - God’s power for marriage
      - God’s process for marriage
      - God’s product for marriage
    - Our desire and goal as a married couple is to intentionally move toward oneness

WE
- How have we experienced isolation in our lives?
  - - Dating
    - Marriage
    - Work
    - School
    - Church
- What has that isolation done to us?
  - - We may not think clearly
    - We may make decisions that we would not otherwise make
    - We can become irrational, agitated, angry, aggressive, frustrated, depressed, anxious, hopeless, suicidal, etc.

Today finishes the story of Lot and his family. He is not mentioned again in the Genesis account. We will see that he and his two daughters were isolated from the rest of society and the effect that had in their lives. Isolation caused them to compromise their morality. We will learn today that . . .

BIG IDEA – Compromise leads to immorality.

Let’s pray

GOD (Genesis 19:30-38)
- Move to Isolation (v. 30)
  - - Out of fear, Lot and his two daughters leave Zoar (tso’ar/tso’air) and head to the mountains
      - We’re not given the reason for Lot’s fear of staying in Zoar
      - We can speculate and say that perhaps he noticed, rather quickly, that Zoar was just as wicked as Sodom and he knew the end result of that
      - It is possible that Lot believed that God would also destroy Zoar sooner than later and he didn’t want to try to establish a dwelling there, only to be uprooted again
    - It was out of fear that Lot had petitioned the angels to allow him to flee to Zoar instead of the mountains
    - Now we find Lot and his daughters right where they were originally supposed to be
      - It is amazing how that happens, right?
      - PRINCIPLE #1 – God’s plan is always best for us.
        Has that ever happened to you?
        God has made it clear to you what He wants you to do or where he wants you to go
        In our humanness, we believe we know better than God, so we don’t obey His Word immediately
        Instead we try to accomplish it a different way or try to do something completely different
        Many times, when we finally come to our senses, we obey the Lord’s original message to us and find ourselves right where we were supposed to be
        Sometimes that journey is short, while other times it is long and difficult
        I do not know about you, but the older I get, the shorter those journeys become, because I have learned to follow the Lord, first, and not try to do my plan
        Where are you at today?
        Are you on a long, difficult path right now, because you are trying to do something in opposition to what God has told you?
        Remember Jonah’s story (went opposite direction, endangered others because of his rebellion, spent 3 days in the belly of a large fish, got regurgitated onto land, repented, and finally he obeyed the Lord and went to Ninevah)
        Do you need to recognize that God’s plan is best for you?
        Do you need to abandon your plans and begin following God’s plan?
        Are you glad that God is loving, compassionate, forgiving, and patient?
        #1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Acknowledge that I am following my own plan instead of God’s, and begin to follow God’s plan, today.
    - My guess is that God’s plan to move Lot to an isolated location was completely different than the outcome we will see in a moment
    - Lot moved out of a nice home in Sodom and is now living in a cave
    - PRINCIPLE #2 – God’s design for His people is relationship and fellowship, not isolation.
    - What we see next is how isolation can cause us to become irrational
- Isolation Irrationality (vv. 31-32)

- - - The older daughter recognizes that their father is old, which likely means that they believe he will not remarry (there is no hope of additional siblings)
    - No man around here
      - “To the best of the daughters’ knowledge, the loss of life at Sodom has been total: there is not a man on earth to come into us.” [Hamilton, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50, 51]
      - PRINCIPLE #3 – Isolation breeds misinformation.
        We see this with the two daughters
        Even though Zoar is not destroyed they still feel like they are the only people left on earth
        If their fiancés’ in Sodom were any indication of the moral fiber of the men in Zoar, then they probably didn’t even consider them as potential husbands
        Certainly they were aware of Abraham and Ishmael by this point
        There were also many other towns and cities besides the five cities in the plains
        We saw this with the pandemic shut downs in our own country
        When we were isolated, our only form of information was from the major news outlets
        The isolation that we experienced only bred misinformation
        It was difficult to know what was true and trustworthy and what was not
        Were certain prophylactic (preventive) drugs successful against the coronavirus or not?
        Certain viewpoints and beliefs were labeled as “misinformation” and some individuals were “cancelled”
        While in isolation we were left to figure it out on our own, which bred misinformation and fear
        The misinformation and fear then caused some people to think and act irrationally
        When have you experienced misinformation, because of being isolated?
        It happens in our work environment when we have to work remotely
        It can happen in our families when we live far apart
        It can happen at church when we aren’t able to attend consistently (we hear news about the church, second-hand, with the individuals perspective and understanding of what they heard, which may not always be accurate)
        It can happen with our friends when we text them and they misread or misunderstand what we were saying (sometimes we miss a text or don’t receive it immediately after it is sent, which can breed fear and anxiety about what the other person is thinking)
        It can happen at school, if we miss several days (we may not get the right information about what is due and when)
        When we are misinformed, we can become irrational in our thinking and actions, which is what we will see in verses 32-35
        The only way to combat misinformation is to go to the source
        Judy does a great job with this, and then she keeps me informed
        During the election cycle, she would try to listen to the whole speech from a candidate instead of listening to the opinion pieces or media spin
        When she did that she avoided the hazard of misinformation and therefore could make an intelligent decision about which candidates to vote for
        #2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Avoid misinformation and becoming irrational, through regular fellowship with others.
      - The two daughters were perhaps not even in fellowship with the Lord, which is evident by their statement about the customs all over the earth
    - Custom all over the earth
      - The daughters were looking to the customs of their society to dictate and justify what they were about to do
      - They were not relying on the Lord to provide a miraculous and moral solution to their problem
      - How many of us would admit that sometimes we have chosen the societal customs of the earth to dictate and justify our irrational behaviors and/or decisions
      - We do not rely on the Lord to provide a miraculous and moral solution to our problem
      - I want to encourage us, today, to rely on the Lord to help solve our problems – turn to Him in prayer, read His Word, seek the advice of godly family members and friends
      - That is not what Lot’s two daughters did, instead they turned to trickery
    - Trickery
      - The two daughters know that what they are proposing is immoral, which is why they conspire to get their father drunk
      - Compromise leads to immorality
      - “The intent to ‘preserve our family line’ (vv. 32, 34) was honorable, but the means of incest was deplorable (e.g., Lev 18:6-18; cp. Tamar 38:13-26). That it was so understood by the daughters themselves explains why they had to trick their father through drink.” [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Volume 1B, Genesis 11:27-50:26, 245]
      - Read Leviticus 18:6-18
    - While their desire to have a family was not immoral, the way in which they proposed to have a family was

- Isolation Immorality (vv. 33-35)
  - - Lot’s two daughters got their father to drink wine two nights in a row
      - The first night, the older daughter went in and laid down with him – she had sexual relations with him
      - The second night, the younger daughter went in and laid down with him – she too had sexual relations with him
      - To even think about what they are doing should make our skin crawl
      - That is what compromise does, it leads to immorality – it makes us think that what is immoral is acceptable (the ends justify the means)
      - “Earlier the father was willing to use his daughters for sexual purposes without their consent. Now they will use their father for sexual purposes without his consent.” [Hamilton, 51]
    - PRINCIPLE #4 – Isolation can lead to immorality.
      - Lot’s two daughters knew that no one else was around to judge or hold them accountable for their actions
      - The other inhabitants in the region would never have to know how they became pregnant
      - Isolation can do the same thing for us
        The internet and personal devices have allowed us to be isolated, even in a crowd (we completely ignore those around us, while we on our phones/devices)
        We can lock our phones so no one else can access them to see what we have been looking at
        We can even browse the internet with the “private” setting engaged, so that no one will know what we have been searching for
        We can engage in emotional affairs online, without having to really tell the other person who we are
        The move to isolation has taken a major toll on the morality of our society
        If anyone is struggling with immorality because of isolation, I want to encourage you find an accountability partner that will ask you the tough questions, that will be there for you when you are tempted to give in to immoral behaviors
        God did not design us to live in isolation, but rather in fellowship with others
        #3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Admit that I am dealing with immorality, and commit to finding an accountability partner.
      - Lot’s two daughters had allowed isolation to lead them to irrational decisions about immorality
    - Lot was not even aware of what had happened with he and his daughters
    - We are not told if Lot every found out how his daughters became pregnant, but we see the results of their isolation immorality
- Result of Isolation (vv. 36-38)
  - - Both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant
    - Lot’s descendants
      - Older daughter
        Moab
        “‘Moab’ was apparently derived from the combination of min (‘from’) plus ʾāb (‘father’), which becomes mēʾāb, ‘from [my] father (v. 37); mēʾāb is a reflection of the previous mēʾăbîhen (v. 36), meaning lit., ‘from their father.’” [Mathews, 245]
        The older daughter was not very discreet in naming her son
        Moabites
        Moab’s descendants became the Moabites
        “The Moabites worshipped a fertility god and indulged in orgies which beguiled the Israelites on their way into the promised land (Nu. 25).” [Baldwin, The Bible Speaks Today, The Message of Genesis 12-50, 80]
        They caused the Israelites all kinds of problems as they attempted to possess the Promised Land, and yet, God protected the Moabites from the Israelites
        Deuteronomy 2:9, Then the Lord said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession.
        The younger daughter probably followed in her sisters footsteps
      - Younger daughter
        Ben-Ammi
        “‘Ben-Ammi,’ born to the younger daughter (v. 38), is ‘son of my [paternal] kinsmen’ or singular ‘kinsman.’” [Mathews, 245]
        The younger daughter was no less creative or discreet in naming her son
        Ammonites
        Ben-Ammi’s descendants became the Ammonites
        “Ammon became noted for cruelty not only in war (Am. 1:13) but even in religious observance (Lv. 18:21), for Molech was the Ammonite god who demanded child sacrifice.” [Baldwin, 80]
        They too caused the Israelites headaches, but God also protected their land
        Deuteronomy 2:19, “When you come to the Ammonites, do not harass them or provoke them to war, for I will not give you possession of any land belonging to the Ammonites, I have given it as a possession to the descendants of Lot.”
      - While Lot was unaware of when his daughters came in to him to lay with him, my guess is that he knew what had happened when both daughters became pregnant at the same time and then named their sons the way they did
    - Through this Bible passage today, we have learned that isolation can cause us to think and act irrationally and that compromise leads to immorality

YOU
- Are you currently on a long and difficult path, because you have chosen your plan over God’s plan?
- Have you given in to irrational behavior due to misinformation and the lack of fellowship
- Do you need to find an accountability partner to help you with immorality in your life?

WE
- As a body of believers, we need to seek God’s face for His plan for Idaville Church and not allow our plans to take precedence
- We need to make sure that misinformation does not spread by going to the sourced
- God’s Word tells us not the neglect meeting together (Heb. 10:25), so we need to make sure we are obeying God’s Word – the fellowship of believers is so important

CONCLUSION

“The Europeans who came to settle North America found it vast and unexplored. ‘Self-reliant’ was the watchword, and the scout, the mountain man or pioneer, with his axe and rifle over his shoulder, became the national hero.

In the early days the government gave away quarter sections of land to anyone who would homestead, in order to encourage settlement. People flocked west from crowded cities and villages to have their own land at last. Before they could farm the land they had chosen, their first job was to build a sod hut to live in, and most families built them right smack-dab in the middle of their quarter section. The reason was obvious. People who had never owned land before had a new sense of pride and ownership. They wanted to feel that everything they saw belonged to them.

But that custom changed quickly. This chosen isolation did strange things to people. Occasionally, photographers went out to record life on the frontier and returned with photographs of weird men, wild-eyed women, and haunted-looking children. Before long most of these families learned to move their houses to one corner of their property to live in proximity with three other families who also lived on the corners of their property. Four families living together, sharing life and death, joy and sorrow, abundance and want, had a good chance of making it.”

Source: Chuck Swindoll, Dropping Your Guard (Word Books, 1983), p. 23; quoting Bruce Larson, There's a Lot More to Health Than Not Being Sick.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2003/october/14641.html]

December 5, 2021/by Office

The Spirit United Church

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Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Wondering While Wandering

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Unstoppable

The Issue with Isolation

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