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How Teenage Girls Saved My Life
Intro: a two-time life saver
Did you know John saved the lives of two different people in the past?
I was witness
The first time was 10-15 years ago on a Sabbath afternoon
A young man was being beaten badly outside the church campus
John reacted the fastest when he realized what was happening
He shouted and chased away the perpetrator(s)
If it wasn’t for John, the young man likely would have been beaten to death
Who was the second person John saved?
It was actually Jessica
Now John didn’t save Jessica in the physical sense like the first person
When John first started becoming active in the church, he helped start an after-school tutoring program
I remember thinking that was a pretty cool idea when he proposed it
However, Jessica surprisingly was a little upset at the idea
She was thinking, “Who is this new guy? What is he think he’s doing?”
However, Jessica’s anger at John’s fervor as a new Christian made her realize how lukewarm her faith really was
She was forced to confront the reality she was a Christian described in 2 Timothy 3:1-4
A respectable Christian outwardly, but one with an unconverted heart
This sobering realization changed the trajectory of Jessica’s life
She decided to seek Jesus wholeheartedly
She says that if it were not for John, she might have ended lost in the church
The funny thing is John never knew he saved Jessica until many years later
Peter
Today I would like to talk about someone in the Bible who had a similar experience as Jessica
Peter, one of the twelve disciples (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-19)
What do you know about Peter?
He was a fisherman along with his brother Andrew when they were called to be disciples of Jesus (Matthew 4:18)
Despite his humble background, he was a very outspoken individual
He would say things aloud that other people would only think to themselves
Peter became known as the spokesman for the disciples
He was also part of Jesus’ “inner circle” along with James and John
Peter was also a proud person
When Jesus declared that the disciples would fall away from Him, what was Peter’s reaction?
Peter proclaimed while others might stumble, he would not stumble (Matthew 14:27-31)
Peter even went as far as to say he was willing to go to prison for Jesus and even die for Him (Luke 22:33)
Even though Jesus told Peter that he would deny Jesus three times, Peter was resolute he would stay strong
When Jesus was betrayed by Judas at the garden of Gethsemane, it was Peter who drew his sword and used it
Peter cut off an ear of the high priest’s servant (In all likelihood, Peter was trying to kill him but missed)
Peter was a passionate individual who acts before he thinks
With this basic character sketch in mind, let’s read Matthew 26:69:75
Peter denied he was a follower of Jesus to two servant girls
Peter was not brave enough to stand before two teenage girls and acknowledge he was a follower of Christ
What happened to the passionate and fiery follower of Jesus?
Peter even stopped to swearing and cursing in front of the people around him to try to hide the fact he was a disciple of Jesus
Compare Peter in this passage with him at his best
Luke 5:1-8 - Peter acknowledged his unworthiness in the presence of Jesus
Luke 9:1-6 - Peter cast out demons, healed people of diseases, and preached in Jesus’ name
Matthew 14:27-33 - Peter walked on water
Matthew 16:15-16 - Peter acknowledged Jesus to be the son of God
Mark 9:2-7 - Peter was witness to the mountaintop experience
So, what happened?
Peter’s faith was incomplete
He took his faith for granted
Peter’s faith was not battle tested
He did not prepare adequately
Peter did not keep watch and pray like Jesus asked him to on that fateful night in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40-43)
Peter’s failure in perspective
There is no denying Peter completely failed here
Peter learned the hard lesson that it is harder to live for Christ than to die for Christ
Let’s read Luke 22:31-32
Jesus revealed Satan asked for Peter, to sift him like wheat
Jesus prayed for Peter and predicted he will fall away
Jesus also predicted Peter would return
The reality is we all stumble
To be sure Peter failed miserably
However, you and I will fail also
James 1:2-4 - count it all joy when you fall into various trials?
Why does James say such a thing?
If we are tested, then we do not truly know the quality of our faith?
Those servant girls did not know it, but they saved Peter’s life that day
That incident forced Peter to realize that he was a Laodicean Christian - someone with a lukewarm faith
That incident forced Peter to confront some hard and uncomfortable truths - weaknesses in his character, the foolishness of his pride, his dependence upon self, rather than Jesus
Without this incident, we would never have seen Peter mature to be a leader of the early church
Proverbs 24:16 - a righteous man falls seven times and rises seven time
Peter 4:12 - The important thing is our response to failure
What is the difference between Peter versus King Saul or Judas?
After Peter fell, he repented and came back to Jesus
It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, it only matters if you are willing to get back up and continue to follow Jesus, to allow Him to be Lord and Savior in your life
Closing: my testimony
Did you know teenage girls saved my life?
Many years ago, the pastor asked me to teach the earliteen Sabbath school class
It was a class of mostly preteen girls
I was busy with college and work at the time
I told the pastor I couldn't teach these 12-13 year old girls
I named several young women my age who would be better candidates to be their teacher
The pastor told me he already asked all of them and they all turned him down
I was actually the last person on his list
Although I could not possibly relate to these Korean drama-loving kids, the Holy Spirit convicted me to say yes
As I taught these kids fundamental Bible doctrines every week, I eventually bonded with them
I also became convicted of my own sins
I had to change things about my own life which were inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible
I did not want to be a hypocrite - teaching one thing and doing another
As I reflect upon my time teaching these teenage girls, I realize the debt I owe them
They do not know this, but I might have drifted away from God and the church if it weren't for them
These girls saved my life and helped me completely dedicate my life to Christ
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Does Baby Jesus Still Matter?
Opening Scripture:
Revelation 1:12-16
Introduction: of nativity scenes and Christmas programs
Every year we have a Christmas program at church
The next one will be in two weeks
If you go to church long enough, you will notice a pattern to these programs
There are certain elements always present every year
There’s always a nativity scene with special music
You have a little doll in a wooden cradle to represent baby Jesus in a manger
You have Mary and Joseph kneeling next to the manger, looking on in adoration
You have shepherds surrounding them
Even though they technically were not present at the birth of Christ, we throw in three wise men into the nativity scene
Never mind the fact the wise men didn’t see Jesus until two years after he was born
Also, we actually don’t know how many wise men visited Jesus
We just assume there’s three because there were three gifts given to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh
Now for the sermon, the pastor will usually say something along the following lines:
“Christmas is more than just shopping, family gatherings, and getting presents”
“Christmas is all about the birth of Christ”
(Never mind that Jesus was probably not born at Christmas)
“His birth is super important, because salvation is only through Jesus”
“Will you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?”
“Amen. Now let’s sing one more song and then go have potluck.”
Nothing wrong with tradition, but…
Let me be clear: I am not criticizing those past Christmas programs
It’s a lot of work to put together special programs, I get it
I’ve been involved putting some of these programs together in the past
What I am saying is when you do the same thing year in and year out, you run the risk of losing the meaning behind these nativity skits and sermons
Think of what happened to the Pharisees
They loved the Sabbath
They loved the Sabbath so much that they put in extra rules to protect the sanctity of the Sabbath
However, they got so carried away in trying to protect the Sabbath, they lost sight of the true importance of the Sabbath
Let’s talk about baby Jesus
Today I would like to talk about baby Jesus
We have all these nativity scenes and Christmas messages, but do we really understand the significance of baby Jesus?
Is his story relevant to us today?
I would like to talk about baby Jesus from three perspectives:
Our perspective in 2022
The perspective of the Jews
The perspective of angels in heaven
Does baby Jesus matter to us today in 2022?
Answer: it depends on how you see the world
If you believe in the scientifically-sounding (but ultimately philosophical) concept of macroevolution, then baby Jesus does not matter
Let me elaborate
If you believe that all life evolved from a unicellular organism that somehow evolved out of non-living molecules by chance billions upon billions of years ago, then life is just a never-ending cycle of struggle and death
The ultimate conclusions of that worldview are
1) We are nothing more than animals
2) Life is meaningless
Giving that worldview the benefit of a doubt
To be fair, there are many people who believe in macroevolution and vehemently objective to what I am saying
Just for the sake of argument, let’s allow the alternative conclusion that we are evolving into something better
Perhaps one day humanity will evolve into that Star Trek utopian future, where humanity evolves past war, racism, harming others for personal gain, etc.
What do we see today?
Let me ask you, are things getting better in society or worse?
Even non-Christians would tell you things seem to be getting worse
The doomsday clock
Political and cultural hyper-polarization
Make America great again?
Consider the political slogan “Make America great again”
When was the last time America was considered great?
Post-911? - intolerance towards Muslims
World War 2 - Japanese internment camps
Pioneer days and western expansion? - killing Indians and taking their land
Post revolutionary war? - black slavery
As much as I love America…
American still is the greatest country in the world
However, all the problems that existed throughout our history have not gone away
Otherwise, there would be no need for hashtag movements like #MeToo or #BlackLivesMatter
We as a society are still struggling with issues of race and equality 150 years after the Civil War and 60 years after the civil rights movement
I don’t think anyone can really argue human society is getting better despite all our technological advances
The Bible’s rebuttal
Genesis 3
Isaian 59:2
The Bible on the other hand states the world was made perfect originally
It was broken when sin entered into humanity through Adam and Eve
The Bible claims the state of the world and humanity is getting worse as time goes on
No political party or wealthy influential person can ever fix what is broken in our world
Humanity is in dire need of a savior
This is where baby Jesus comes in
What about Israel?
Before I talk more about why we need baby Jesus, what about Israel?
They were given the truth first
Deuteronomy 18:15 - The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear
Numbers 24:17 - I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel; and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult
Job 19:25 - For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth
Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel
From Moses down to the prophets, Israel has been waiting in expectation of baby Jesus
The sanctuary system, their center of worship, pointed to a Messiah, to a Savior
They were waiting their entire lives for baby Jesus
While we can look back at baby Jesus, they were looking forward
It is a great irony and shame that many of the leaders of Israel did not accept Jesus when He actually came in the flesh
What about the angels?
Let me give you a couple of analogies
Imagine the uproar if a multi-billionaire CEO decided to give up his wealth and position to live like a homeless person for three years
How shocking would that be to the media, to company shareholders, his friends and family?
Or if you prefer a more extreme science fiction scenario, imagine a scientist somehow turned himself into an ant in an insane science experiment
How shocking would that be? How dangerous would that be? Risking your own life to such an extreme to be able to better understand ants?
Neither of these scenarios would compare to what the angels in heaven experienced to see their beloved Creator and Lord transform Himself into sinful flesh
How would they feel to see Jesus give up literally everything to live as a human in order to try to save humanity?
It’s one thing to risk your life to save someone great, like in movies where a subordinate sacrifices himself to save the captain
But to try to save sinners? Prostitutes? Drug dealers? Murderers?
Yet, Jesus gave up His divinity to become baby Jesus because He was trying to save people He infinitely loved
I can only imagine the awe and wonder the angels in heaven felt
What about us?
Unlike the Jews of old and the angels in heaven, we have the benefit of hindsight.
We can intellectually see why baby Jesus matters
But, let me ask you, have you taken the story of baby Jesus to heart?
We get all caught up in the Christmas season, shopping, decorating, preparing for parties
If you are more involved in the church, you may be caught up in choir practice, Christmas skit practice, church Christmas program preparation
Have you thought about what baby Jesus means to you?
Have you thought about your need of a Savior in your own personal life?
Do you live your life in a way that reflects the importance of baby Jesus?
Closing: Thaddeus
I’ve always talked about Jethro in my messages, but for the sake of fairness, I would like to share a little about my second born Thaddeus for a little bit
When Thaddeus was born, I experienced the miracle of normalcy
A normal vaginal birth
A normal baby with normal needs
I didn’t realize how loud a baby could actually get until I had Thaddeus
As wonderful as those newborn days were, (and I am sure Jenn would want those days to last forever), I am excited for Thaddeus’ future
To see him grow, learn to walk and talk
To see his personality develop
To see how he will interact with Jethro
To teach him about the Bible and Jesus
In the same way, as much as the story of baby Jesus is important to us, we cannot let baby Jesus stay as a baby in our hearts
As we reflect upon the miracle of His birth and the significance it has upon our salvation
We need baby Jesus to grow in our hearts
We need to see His entire life and let it change us for the better
We need to share the story of baby Jesus, not only with our children, but to those who do not know Him
I ask you friends to share the story of baby Jesus this holiday season
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The Power is Yours
Introduction: Captain Planet, Revival, and Reformation?
In the early 1990s there was a cartoon series called “Captain Planet and the Planeteers”
The premise is four teenagers and a young boy from around the world are given magic rings to save the planet from pollution and other environmental disasters
The powers they were given were earth, water, wind, fire, and heart
When these young heroes combine their powers, they summon a superhero called Captain Planet
In case you were wondering, Captain Planet’s powers included super strength, flight, manipulation of the elements, and firing energy blasts from his hands
At the end of every episode, Captain Planet returns to the five rings as after he saves the day
Before he leaves, he always says the catchphrase “The power is yours!”
Why am I talking about Captain Planet? You might be thinking to yourself right now
Today I would like to talk about revival and reformation
Mountaintop experience?
Christians often go into camps and retreats looking for revival and reformation
What do revival and reformation actually mean?
Revival
Psalm 85:6 - Will you not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?
Charles Spurgeon - ‘The word revive…may be interpreted thus - to live again, to receive again a life which has almost expired; to rekindle into a flame the vital spark which was nearly extinguished.”
Reformation
Jeremiah 3:1 - “They say, ‘if a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, may he return to her again?’ Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return to Me,” says the Lord.
Zechariah 1:3 - Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Hosts.’
Hosea 6:1 - Come, let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us.
Reformation is a call to come back to God, to follow His commandments and teachings in the Bible
How do we experience revival and reformation?
Two stories for your consideration
Story #1: Jesus forgives and heals a paralytic: Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-25
You may know this story at least superficially
Four men carrying a paralytic
Paralytic wants to see Jesus, but cannot because too many people
The men take the paralytic to the roof, uncover it, and lower the paralytic down to Jesus
Key verse:
Mark 2:5 - When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Luke 5:20 - When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
We all recognize it was a corporate faith that led to the healing of the paralytic
However, have you ever thought about the logistics to get to that point?
Houses in Nazareth in the time of Jesus
Flat-roofed houses with rough stone foundation
Poorer homes made from mud brick, while wealthier homes made from stone
Exterior stairs leading to the roof
Ceilings in poorer homes about six et tall
Roofs of these houses
Made with beams anchored to walls
Beams then covered by pine planks
Layer of brushwood laid over planks
Clay mixed with straw laid over brushwood
Layer of lime to make roof water-resistant
Luke 5:19 indicates topmost layer made with clay tiles instead of a solid mass
Parapet wall made around the edges of the room for protection (Deuteronomy 22:8)
Roof considered part of the living area
Roofs part of the living area
Place to dry clothes, fruits, vegetables
Store wood
Sleep
Pray (Acts 10:9-20)
Have conversations (Luke 12:3)
Some roofs had permanent structures built in: a summer room or “upper room”
Consider what it took to get to Mark 2:5 (and Luke 5:20)
Physically carry the paralytic upstairs
Break through several layers of a roof
Physically lower the man safely from the roof to the floor
Endure murmerings from the crowd, possible reprisal from the owner
Their faith took some work
Story #2: Elijah running away from Jezebel
1 Kings 19:1-21
In the previous chapter, the prophet Elijah had a literal mountaintop experience
Miracle of fire coming down from heaven, consuming Elijah’s sacrifice and altar, proving God was supreme over Baal
False prophets killed
Secondary miracle of the rain
Tertiary miracle of Elijah running to lead Ahab’s chariot down the mountain
Why did Elijah run for his life the next day?
Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah
Elijah gave everything he had, but revival and reformation did not happen like he expected
Elijah gave in to fear
The Journey
Elijah left his servant in Beersheba
Elijah ran all the way to Mount Horeb (aka Mount Sinai)
Distance between Beersheba and Mount Horeb about 420 kilometers
~10K a day for 40 days in sandals on the strength of one cake and one jar of water
The mountaintop experience (part 2)
Elijah alone in a cave, feeling depressed and suicidal
Elijah may have also felt guilt for failing to turn the hearts of the people of Israel
Elijah experienced many powerful natural phenomena: mighty wind that broke rocks, earthquake, fire
However, God was not in any of those things
God revealed Himself to Elijah as a still, small voice
Elijah told God he was all alone and that he was a failure
God responded to Elijah that he was not alone, that there were 7000 people faithful people in Israel
God told elijah to anoint Hazael as king of Syria, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as Elijah’s successor
What do these stories have to do with revival and reformation?
Let’s start backwards with story #2
Many of us may feel our faith is either weak or starting to wane
You may feel in need of spiritual revival
Perhaps some of you are disappointed in the direction of the church - you are seeking reformation
Lessons from Elijah’s second mountaintop experience
Oftentimes, we are looking for that mountaintop experience Elijah initially had
Like Elijah, we believe if we have that mountaintop experience, revival and reformation will surely follow
We are hinging our faith on some type of spiritual experience
If that experience doesn’t happen or pan out like we imagine, we may lose our faith
God taught Elijah not to depend on such things
Revival and reformation often are not grandiose like we and Elijah imagined
Interestingly, while God told Elijah about the 7000 faithful in Israel, He does not command Elijah to contact them
Instead, God only sends one person to Elijah
What was God trying to teach Elijah?
Bible verses to consider:
Ecclesiastes 4:12 - Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken
Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend
Back to the paralyzed man and his four friends
The four friends were literally looking to Jesus for a revival - to cure their paralyzed friend
They worked together with one purpose - get the paralyzed man to Jesus
It was hard work, it was uncomfortable, it was risky (they left themselves open to criticism and derision)
However, they did not stop until they achieved their goal
How must they have felt to see their paralyzed friend healed?
How much did their faith in God increase after this experience?
How did they view Jesus after this encounter?
Physical healing lead to spiritual revival
Conviction that Jesus is the Messiah may have lead them into spiritual reformation
None of these people went to a mountaintop, but their actions that day led them to a mountaintop experience few could imagine
Back to Elijah and Elisha
Elijah may not have cared much for Elisha at first (1 Kings 19:20)
The Bible does not say anything about their spiritual journey together
However, I imagine Elijah experienced a spiritual revival as he taught Elisha how to be a prophet
Baal worship was finally eradicated through the sword of Jehu (2 Kings 10:28)
Reformation would come to Jerusalem many years later during the reign of Josiah
The power of yours
When we take these two stories together, revival and reformation must first happen at the individual level
If you truly want revival in your life and revival in the church, then it starts with you
Don’t wait for the pastor, don’t wait for the elders, don’t wait for the deacons or any of the church leaders
Are you willing to seek Jesus on your knees, pouring your heart out to Him in prayer?
Are you willing to study the Bible daily, learning God’s will for your life?
Are you willing to get uncomfortable and take a hard look at your own life, confessing any and all sins?
As you do this, keep an eye out for others who are walking towards Jesus just like you
Come together in prayer, come together in Bible study, encourage each other
Two can become three, three can before four…
Closing: Captain Planet, revival, and reformation!
Let’s go back to Captain Planet
The Planeteers using their individual rings all had impressive powers
Even the heart ring, while not doing much offensively compared to the other rings, had some good underrated powers that supported the team
The Planeteers could only call on Captain Planet when they were together, united in mind and purpose
In the same ways, individual Christians can only do so much, even the best of us
It is only when we gather together, whether in pairs, small groups, or as a corporate body, can we do much more amazing things under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit
Think of all the things we have accomplished in the past: health fairs, colporteuring, potluck reform, group prayer, building the mission center, after-school tutoring, spiritual videos, cookbooks, podcasts, lay missionary training - all of this accomplished by at least two people working together in the name of Jesus
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From a Certain Point of View
Opening Scripture:
Zechariah 13:6 - And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’
Introduction: Kyrie Irving, Politics, and Star Wars
Kyrie Irving’s trade from Brooklyn Nets to Dallas Mavericks
How people see performance of past presidents
Luke Skywalker confronts Obi Wan Kenobi about his father’s true identity
Two parables
Parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
Parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)
Summary of the parable of talents
Interestingly, similar parable told in Luke 19:21-27 with minas instead of talents
1 mina = 1.25 pounds in weight = 100 denarii = 4 month’s of wages for a worker in the time of Jesus (assuming a 6-day work week)
1 talent = 75 pounds = 60 minas = 20 years of wages in the time of Jesus (assuming a 6-day work week)
Master gives talents to his servants to do business for him while he goes away to a far country for a time
Each given amount according to his ability
First servant = 5 talents, second servant = 2 talents, third servant = 1 talent
First two servants double their money doing business
Third servant digs hole in the ground and hides money
When master returns, all servants give all the money back to the master with a report of what they had done
Master praises first two servants for their work and gives them promise of rulership
Third servant returns the one talent given to him with excuse of how he feared how harsh master was
Master rebukes third servant and orders him to be cast out from his presence
Master orders for third servant’s talent to be given to the first servant
Summary of the parable of the prodigal son
A man had two sons
The younger son audaciously asks for his inheritance now
Surprisingly, the man gives his son his inheritance
This young man goes away to a far country and wastes all his money
He inevitably falls into hard times
The only job he can find is a farm hand feeding swine
The younger son eventually realizes the error of his ways
He decides to return home, confess his sins to his father, and beg to be retained as a hired hand
Surprisingly, the father welcomes the son back home with open arms
The father orders his servants to dress the younger son in fine clothes
The father also orders the fattest calf to be killed and that a party be held in the younger son’s honor
The parable ends with an interesting conversation between the father and the older brother
The older brother cannot understand why they are having a party for the younger brother
Why are we talking about these two parables?
You’ve probably heard countless sermons on these two parables
For example, God gives us talents we must use
Or, it does not matter what talents you have or don’t have, God is only interested in your faithfulness in using what you have for His glory
Or, no matter how much you mess up in life, God can forgive all sins if you come to Him and sincerely repent
All good lessons, but not the ones I am interested in discussing today
Rather, I would like to focus on two conversations, one from each parable
Let’s look at the first parable read Matthew 25:24-30 together:
Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The third servant and the master
Let’s take a deeper look at the relationship between the third servant and the master
Why did the servant bury the talent of gold?
Ostensibly, he was afraid of his master
Perhaps he didn’t want to risk losing money on the master’s investment and get into trouble
Is this really the case, though?
Look at the performance of the other two servants
They each went out and doubled their money for the master
You don’t work that hard for someone you are afraid of or don’t like
I can tell you working in retail, it’s the same thing for employees and managers
If you have a bad manager, you only do the minimum necessary to not get in trouble
However, if you have a good relationship with your manager, you will go above and beyond for that person
Let’s go back to the second parable and read Luke 15:25-31 together:
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
Do you know what I find very interesting about this conversation?
It is how differently the elder son and the father view their relationship
The elder son actually views his relationship with his father in transactional terms
“I’ve been slaving for you” and “”I’ve never disobeyed your orders”
The obedient elder son never got a young goat, but the disobedient young son gets a party with the fatted calf?
In transactional terms, this is indeed not fair
The elder brother and younger son actually share a similar viewpoint about their father
It’s like two sides of the same coin
However, listen carefully to the father’s response
“My son, you are always with me and everything I have is yours”
The father had a more personal view of his children
The young goat and even the fatted calf were already the older son’s - just his for the asking
While in terms of a transactional relationship, the celebration may be unfair, but in terms of a personal relationship, a party is only appropriate
The lost son is now found
Back to the first parable: bad master or bad servant?
It seems to me the first two servants had a rather good relationship with their master, perhaps even a personal relationship
The third servant is claiming a transactional relationship with the master
However, the master calls the servant out on this claim
If the servant truly beloved his master was harsh, he would’ve deposited the money in a bank and earned interest for the master
That was the minimum necessary he would need to do to accomplish the task the master assigned to him
The parable of the good and wicked servants
Matthew 24:45-51: Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Luke 12:42-48 same parable, but verse 48 says the wicked servant will be assigned a place with the unbelievers
So, what is the third servant’s relationship with the master?
It’s apparent that the third servant did not respect his master or even fear him
The master was interested in a personal relationship and the third servant was claiming a transactional relationship
But the truth of the matter is, the servant wanted to relationship with the master
There are three possible kinds of relationship we can have with God
You can choose to have no relationship with God and live life on your own terms
You can choose to have a transactional relationship with God
This is a trap a lot of Christians fall into
We “need to do this” or “we need to do that” to get blessings
You can choose to have a personal relationship with God
This is what Jesus desires most of us
He doesn’t merely want obedient slaves and servants
He wants obedient sons and daughters who love Him and know His will for them
Closing:
Jethro’s voice
Soft and breathy - some kids might make fun of him
However, his voice is the most beautiful voice in the world in my mind
Why?
People don't know what I know about Jethro
They don't know all the bronchoscopies and throat surgeries he had to go through
They don't know that his endocrinologist didn't even think he could ever speak at all
Because I know the true, you can never, EVER convince me otherwise
Zechariah 13:6
Jesus’ scars on his wrist, ankles, and side will be with Him for all of eternity
They may seem ugly, but one day we will acknowledge how beautiful they are
Those scars are eternal proof of the love He has for us, to die for our sins on an old wooden cross
Jesus wants to have a relationship with you
What kind will you choose?
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Lepers, Prostitutes, and Thanksgiving
Intro:
Several years ago, a woman bought a frozen pumpkin pie to bake for Thanksgiving dinner
She burned the pie badly
Accidents happen
However, this woman did not take responsibility for her mistake
Instead, she took a picture of the burned pie and posted it on the pie company’s Facebook page
She actually blamed the pie company for “ruining her Thanksgiving dessert”
Internet reaction and memes aside, it’s apparent she did not have her priorities straight
She could have taken the time and effort to make a pumpkin pie from scratch
A frozen pumpkin pie is a convenience
If you think about it, a frozen pie is one of the easiest things you can cook
No cooking skill required
In any event, it’s probably safe to say this woman did not have an attitude of thanksgiving
Her Facebook post revealed a sense of self-centered entitlement
It’s easy to look down on this woman, whether to make fun of her or judge her
However, are we much different than this woman when it comes to Thanksgiving?
Especially in the eyes of God?
Today, I would like to discuss two stories of Thanksgiving
A story about lepers and a story about a former prostitute
Let us pray…
Story #1: cleansing of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
Jesus was passing through Samaria when He was spotted by ten lepers from afar off
They cried out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
Interestingly, Jesus does not immediately heal these lepers
Instead, Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priests
As they go to the priests, they are healed
Only of these ten lepers comes back to thank Jesus for what He had done for them
Story #2: the anointing at Bethany (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-50)
A former prostitute shows up at the house of Simon the Leper
She anoints Jesus by breaking an alabaster flask of expensive oil over His head
However, she was greatly criticized by several people who witnessed her action
“What a waste of expensive spikenard!”
“She could have sold the spikenard for 300 denarii and used the money for the poor!”
So, what do these stories have to do with each other, let alone Thanksgiving?
Let’s go back and look at each story in greater detail
Story #1 revisited
Leprosy in the Bible refers to any variety of contagious skin diseases
In Jesus’ time, leprosy was often a death sentence
No matter how esteemed or rich you were, if you contracted leprosy, you were driven out of society into the fringes
You were not allowed to participate in daily societal activities or even go to the temple to worship
In the worst forms of leprosy, lepers would lose their extremities like their fingers, toes, ears, and even nose
Sometimes leprosy could even affect your vocal chords
This cruel disease robs its victims of feeling human
Is it any wonder those ten lepers cried aloud to Jesus for healing?
When Jesus responds to their pleas by telling them to show themselves to the priest, Jesus is testing their faith
A leper would only show themselves to the priest if they were healed
The priest would then have that individual undergo a cleansing ritual as prescribed in Leviticus chapter 14 to confirm their healing
Only then could that individual officially reintegrate that person back into society
These ten lepers actually walked in faith to the priest, even though Jesus did not actually heal them yet
Somewhere along the way, all the lepers were miraculously healed of their leprosy
When the priest pronounced these men to be free of leprosy, they were allowed to re-enter Jewish society
Surprisingly, nine of these ten lepers did not return to Jesus and acknowledge what He had done for them
When those men had leprosy, they would have given anything, done anything to receive healing
Yet, Jesus did not receive a simple thank you from them
Before we criticize these nine ex-lepers too much, are we any different?
When times are difficult and you go through trials in life, do you not pray more?
Have you ever promised God you would be more faithful, read the Bible more, be more active in church if He would only deliver you?
When God delivered you, did you follow through on your promises?
Did you truly thank Jesus for what she did for you or did you go back to living life as normal?
How often do we come to church faithfully every week, but don’t think about God the rest of the week?
Let’s go back to our second story
Story #2 revisited
What’s the big deal about the oil anyways?
Before we can answer that question, let’s talk a little about spikenard
Spikenard was derived from a Himalayan aromatic plant of the Valerian family
It has a very distinct fragrant aroma
The only other mention of spikenard in the Bible other than the Gospels is in the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament (1:12; 4:13-14)
Considering the origins of this plant, spikenard was not very easy to obtain
The value of the spikenard was estimated to be 300 denarii
One denarius was worth about a day’s wages
Therefore, 300 denarii was almost a year’s worth of wages
To put this into perspective, let’s say you earned $20 an hour at your job
One day’s work is $160
If you worked for 300 days, that’s $48,000
I think it would be safe to assume spikenard is the stuff of kings
Now, why would a prostitute have spikenard?
A prostitute would not allure men with just her appearance, but also through smell
This box of spikenard would be considered invaluable by prostitutes
Now, let’s consider the act of breaking the box of spikenard over Jesus
Not such a minor thing, is it?
This former prostitute was so thankful for Being saved by Jesus, gave Him something back at great personal cost to herself
This alabaster box of spikenard represented her former livelihood
How long did she have to save to be able to purchase it?
Now she is giving it all to Jesus
That, brothers and sisters, is true gratitude
Interestingly, her act of gratitude and self-sacrifice was condemned
Are we much different today?
How often do we judge and criticize others when they try to do something for God?
Putting it all together
Brothers and sisters, I want you to know you have a lot to be thankful for
No matter how bad things are going in your life right now…
…the fact you live in America automatically makes you better off than half the people in the world.
If you own a car, that puts you in the top 15-20% of the people living in this world
Even if you do not feel blessed, God has showered you with an abundance of blessings you may not even be aware of
Brothers and sisters, will you be thankful to Jesus for all that He has done for you?
Brothers and sisters, we all have been stricken with the leprosy of sin
It is a fatal disease and the prognosis is eternal death
However, Jesus loves us so much He gave His life for us, so that we can be cleansed
We can have eternal life if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior
Not only that, Jesus wants us to be kings and queens to reign with Him forever
Yet, oftentimes, we are so caught up in this current life, we are not thanful for what He has done for us
We are afraid to sacrifice what we have for Him
And we don’t consider the cost that He paid for us
Closing: Jethro
My wife and in-laws don’t really like to buy toys for my son Jethro
Maybe he can have something on his birthday and at Christmas
They don’t want to spoil him
That’s a good thing and I respect that
However, personally, I don’t believe in that limitation
If you know Jethro’s story, then you know we’ve been through a lot in the first three years of Jethro’s life
Therefore, I buy him toys whenever I feel like it
I just enjoy the surprise and joy that comes upon his face when he unexpectedly receives a new toy
A few weeks ago when I was working on the computer (on this very message), Jethro gets up from where he was playing nearby
He comes to me with the newest toy I bought him
He shows it to me and says something that surprised me:
“Daddy, I like this toy very much. It is my new favorite toy. Thank you, thank you so much for buying it for me.”
Needless to say, I was very surprised and very touched to hear that unsolicited display of gratitude
And there’s been several times when Jethro wakes up in the morning and the first thing he says to me is, “I love you, Daddy”
This made me think
Do I show the same gratitude and love towards my heavenly Father?
Have I thanked God for the simple things in life?
Have I told Him how much I love Him?
Brothers and sisters, will you thank Jesus for all that He has done for you?
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Thanksgiving with John the Baptist
Opening verse
Matthew 11:5-6 - The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.
Prelude
There are many stories in the Bible that exemplify the theme of Thanksgiving
Stories of redemption, miracles, people receiving blessings
Stories where people got on their knees and thanked God
I wondered what story should I choose
What would be a perfect Thanksgiving story to share today?
Something relevant, something poignant, something hopeful
Then inspiration hit me
Today let’s visit the story of John the Baptist...just before he was executed
Introduction
Annual tradition during Thanksgiving service to invite people to share how they have been blessed in the past year
Not to discount those individuals who have been truly blessed by God, but oftentimes people talk for far too long and sound almost boastful about their blessings
What about those people sitting in the pews who have no such blessings to share?
Holidays like Thanksgiving may be a blessing for some, but a stark reminder of pain and loss for others
Not everyone experiences stories of redemption, miracles, and blessings
So, what does John the Baptist have to do any of this?
The story of John the Baptist
Miraculous circumstances with regards to his birth
Chosen by God to be a messenger to proclaim the arrival of the Messiah
Became a prophet, living a life of an ascetic in the wilderness
Boldly proclaimed a message of repentance and the coming of the Messiah
Incidentally, the Messiah was his cousin Jesus
Acknowledged by Jesus as the greatest of the prophets
John the Baptist lived a life completely devoted to God
He was a Christian in the truest sense of the word
He lived a life of integrity and fidelity
He was not afraid to call out sin by its name whether committed by the Pharisees, soldiers, or even Herod
John did not succumb to the temptation of pride when he was losing his followers to Jesus
John 3:30 - He must increase, but I must decrease
Where did his faith lead him?
John was thrown into prison because of his faith
Mark 6:17-18 - For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
John did everything right, as far as I can tell from the Bible, yet this was his reward
If I told you about someone who lived their life faithfully to God like John the Baptist, you would expect them to be one of the people standing to tell everyone at church how much God as blessed them
What do you think went through John’s mind while he was in prison?
At first - “Oh well, this is a minor setback”
After a few days - “Jesus will save me and set me free”
After a long time - “Why isn’t Jesus coming?”
John began to doubt Jesus
Matthew 11:2-3 - And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
Have you ever felt like John the Baptist?
You’ve been faithful to God, you’ve prayed to God, you’ve done your best
Yet, prayers go unanswered: you didn’t get that job, you didn’t get into that school, that relationship failed, that loved one died
You are asking God, “What is going on?”
Was it wrong for John to question God?
I don’t think so
All relationships have their ups and downs - even your relationship with God
This story reminds us even “super Christians” are subject to the same problems and doubts we have in our lives
Faith and doubt aren’t always opposites - sometimes they exist side by side
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
How did Jesus respond to John’s question?
Interestingly, Jesus did not directly respond to John’s question
Luke 7:20-23 - When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Jesus asked John’s disciples to spend the day with him and observe what He did
And what did Jesus do? He performed many miracles and preached the Gospel to many people
Jesus gave John a gentle rebuke
It was almost as if He was saying, “Hey cuz. You know me, man. We’ve been through a lot together, yo. You know who I am. Why are you doubting me now?”
How did John respond?
The Bible does not explicitly say
Shortly after John’s disciples report back to him, John is executed by Herod
Matthew 14:6-10 - But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.
Jesus could have done something to save John
In the book of Acts chapter 12, an angel freed Peter from prison
Read a little further and you’ll find another miracle in Acts chapter 12, where the chains fell off all the prisoners and all the prison doors were opened
Yet, Jesus didn’t do anything for John
Jesus didn’t even visit His own cousin in prison
What kind of Thanksgiving story is this?!
I believe John the Baptist experienced thanksgiving when his two disciples reported to him
I imagine John gladly received that gentle rebuke
John’s faith was restored at that moment
His life’s work was not in vain
Although John died a martyr’s death, he died with peace in his heart
Why do I believe this?
Matthew 11:7-11 - As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus called John the greatest of the prophets?
John never performed any miracles like Elijah
He never uttered any time prophecies like Daniel or Isaiah
John never even got a chance to witness the miracles Jesus performed
I believe Jesus called John the greatest of the prophets, because John believed in Him completely on faith, even unto death
Jesus believed in John and entrusted him with one final duty
John’s story, including his death, will become known as a story of hope
Why hope? Think of all the martyrs throughout the ages, taking solace in this story. They are encouraged they can die in faith, just as John did
Psalm 136:1 - Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 - in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
We often equate thanksgiving with blessings, but the Bible says we should give thanks because God is good
While our circumstances in life may change, God never changes
While our faith may falter and we entertain thoughts of doubt, God will always remain faithful
While we seemingly suffer with no answer from heaven, God loves us and intends a good end for us, even if we cannot see from our vantage point
If you truly believe in God, you will learn to completely trust in God and give Him thanks, regardless of what is happening in your life
We may live in a time of uncertainty right now in these end times
People are arguing with each other over politics, vaccine mandates, personal freedom versus public health
Instead we need to be thankful to God right now
We still have opportunities to share the Gospel, to teach others about true thankfulness
Closing
Jethro’s story
Jethro was born with a rare, life-threatening disease
Chronic high airway obstructive syndrome (CHAOS)
Jethro spent the first three years of his life breathing through a trach
When Jethro had major reconstructive throat surgery
Things you take for granted are a miracle in my eyes
Hearing Jethro say “mommy” for the first time
Giving him a bath and letting him play with water without fear of drowning
Seeing him play the beach
There were times during this ordeal I was faced with the following questions:
Would I still be thankful to God if Jethro did not survive?
What if he died in the womb? What if he died during delivery? What if Jennifer died from bleeding out?
I come into the hospital expecting to be a father, but I come out a widower having to bury my wife and child
To be honest, I struggled greatly with these questions
Then I remembered the story of John the Baptist
For the first time in my life, I had a glimpse of what he went through
I understood him better than ever before
Thanksgiving with John
Now is the time to learn the lesson John learned two thousand years ago in a dark and cold prison
Whether good or bad things happen, God is still good
Whether He delivers me from the lion’s den or allows me to die a martyr’s death, God is still good
If you truly believe in Jesus, this life is not the only life to be had
If my story ends in sorrow today, I can be confident Jesus will raise me to glory and reunite me with my family
Now is the time to overcome the doubts in your life, the negativity, the anxiety, the bitterness, the pride, the arrogance, the jealousy, the lack of faith
The story of John the Baptist’s last days is a lesson of hope and of thanksgiving.
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Mindset
Opening verse:
Colossians 3:2 - Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Introduction: could have been the great of all time
I know not all of you here watch professional basketball or even follow the Lakers, but I am sure you have heard of a basketball player named Shaquille O’Neal
He played center for the Lakers and won three consecutive championships in the early 2000s
He was a dominant force in his prime and is widely considered to be one of the top 50 NBA players of all time
You could count the number of people who could give him a challenge on one hand
Shaq himself only admitted to two people he struggled to play against
As great as Shaq was, he had glaring flaws
He was a terrible free throw shooter - less than 50% for his career.
He did not have the maniacal work effort like his teammate Kobe Bryant
His ego and inability to share the ball with Kobe (who admittedly had a big ego also) caused a schism on the Lakers
Shaq was ultimately traded away
Don’t get me wrong - Shaq had a great career, winning 4 NBA championships among all sorts of other accolades
However, if Shaq actually worked half as hard as Kobe and raised his free throw shooting percentage to 75%, he could have been the highest scoring player of all time
Not only that, if he stayed with the Lakers, he and Kobe could have easily won at least another 3 championships together, if not not more
What I am saying is Shaq could have been the greatest player of all time, even greater than Michael Jordan or Lebron James
What hindered him?
He just did not have the mindset
Mindset
Whether you are going to propose to someone, try to get fitter, or became the greatest basketball player in the world, you must first have the mindset to achieve such goals
What do I mean by mindset?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines mindset as a fixed attitude, disposition, mood, or intention
While we often talk about mindset in achieving physical and earthly goals, I would like to talk about the importance of having a spiritual mindset
There are two passages I would like for you to keen in mind for today’s message
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Revelation 2:2-5 - the loveless church
Saul
What do you know of King Saul of the Bible?
Some people would answer that he was the first king of Israel
Most people would say he was an unfaithful king who was eventually replaced by David
I am sure quite a few of you here would say he was the guy who consulted with the witch of Endor in that famous Bible story all good Adventists know
To be sure, those are defining aspects of Saul’s life
What if I were to tell you if Saul had remained completely faithful to God, we would be calling Jesus the son of Saul?
I would like to take a brief look at Saul’s life so we can learn some insights about spiritual mindset
First appearance
We first meet Saul in the book of 1 Samuel chapter 9
At this time the people of Israel began asking for a king to lead them, to be like other nations
While this was a terrible idea which would have long-lasting repercussions, God obliged and chose Saul to be their king
Saul was looking for his father’s lost donkeys
He ended up going to the prophet Samuel to inquire for his help
(This is a rather mundane request to ask of a prophet, if you think about it)
Samuel invited Saul to eat with him and told him to not worry about the donkeys
And Samuel said something rather interesting to Saul:
“And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house?”
Saul’s response:
1 Samuel 9:21 - And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?
What was Saul’s mindset at this time?
Doesn’t he seem rather humble?
This is very interesting since the Bible first describes Saul as being very handsome and a head taller than ay of the people in Israel
Saul was also the son of Kish, who was described as a mighty man of power
If Saul were alive today, he probably could have become an athlete or a movie star
Yet, he saw himself as a regular person, a nobody even
Saul anointed as king
Let’s go to the next chapter
Samuel anointed Saul to be king of Israel
The Holy Spirit came upon Saul and he prophesied with a group of prophets
When Saul finally came home, he told his uncle he went out looking for the donkeys and went to see the prophet Samuel
Saul’s uncle asked what Samuel said to him
How did Saul answer:?
1 Samuel 10:16 - So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel said.
Isn’t that interesting?
Saul didn’t tell uncle that Samuel anointed him king of all Israel or that he was prophesying with other prophets
When Samuel proclaimed to Israel that Saul was to be their king, no one could find him
They actually had to inquire of the Lord to find Saul
1 Samuel 10:22 - …and the Lord answered, “He is there, hidden among the equipment”
The new king of Israel was hiding from his own coronation!
It seems evident he did not feel he was qualified to be king
However, there were some people in Israel who did not approve of Saul as king
1 Samuel 10:27 - But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
Saul could have commanded the dissidents be punished, imprisoned, or even put to death, but he did not
This showed great character
Saul’s victory
Jabesh Gilead besieged by the Ammonites
The Holy Spirit came upon Saul (1 Samuel 11:6) and he rallied the Israelites to fight the Ammonites
Saul led the Israelites to a great victory
The people wanted to put the rebels who despised Saul to death, but Saul intervened on their behalf
1 Samuel 11:13 - “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel”
Saul was open to the Holy Spirit
Saul showed mercy to those who despised him
Saul gave all credit to God for his victory
Turning point 1: Saul’s unlawful sacrifice (1 Samuel 13:1-15)
Two years later, Israel at war with the Philistines
Saul had 3000 men, Philistines had 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen alone
People were scattered, in hiding, afraid
Saul waited seven days to meet Samuel at an appointed place
However, Samuel seemingly did not appear on time
Saul decided to offer the a sacrifice to the Lord on his own
Samuel arrived when Saul just finished the offering
Saul was severely rebuked
God was testing Saul’s heart and he failed
Had Saul passed, God would have established Saul’s kingdom forever
Saul was found to NOT be a man after God’s own heart
Turning point 2: Saul’s rash oath
1 Samuel 14:24 - “And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.”
The men of Israel were faint and hungry but were afraid of Saul’s curse
Even when they found honey, they did not eat it
Jonathan, who earlier won a battle acting on faith, returned and saw the honey
He did not know about the oath and ate some honey
He was told of the oath, but he disagreed with what his father had commanded
When the Philistines were driven back and it was evening, the people took the spoils, slew the sheep and oxen, and ate them with blood
Saul built his first altar to God
When Saul inquired of God, he received no answer
Saul blamed the people’ sin on Jonathan and tried to have him killed
However, the people rejected this and saved Johnathan
Turning point 3: Saul’s failure to completely eradicate the Amalekites
Saul was commanded by God to completely destroy the Amalekites
However, Saul spared Agar, the Amalekite king
Saul and the Israelites also spared the best livestock, which they took as spoils
1 Samuel 15:12 - “So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.
Note when Samuel went to meet Saul, he found out Saul set up a monument for himself
When Samuel confronted Saul and told him he did not follow God’s command, Saul tried to justify himself
Samuel told Saul that God will choose someone else to lead Israel, Saul was most concerned about his reputation and keeping up appearances (1 Samuel 15:30)
What happened to Saul?
When we first met Saul, it seemed that he had the right mindset to be a good king for Israel, a good Christian, and a faithful follower of God
Yet, in only two years, Saul was already drifting away
1 Samuel 13:14 - But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Did God make a mistake in choosing Saul?
Or did God purposely pick someone faulty to teach the people of Israel a lesson?
I don’t think so
Consider last five years of NBA drafts
The first pick in the past five years did not prove to be the best player in that year’s draft
(Picks 3-5 seem to have better careers so far)
Why were those number 1 draft picks chosen in the first place?
Oftentimes, it was based on their athletic ability and their potential to be even greater
Saul had all the qualities necessary to be a good king for Israel
He had the potential to be a great example for all of Israel
However, it was up to Saul to make the commitment to be completely faithful to God
A man after God’s own heart
Acts 13:22 - And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.”
How was David superior to Saul?
if you compare what the Bible records about Saul and David, relatively speaking, Saul’s sins pale in comparison to David’s sins
Let’s be honest, David’s spiritual life at times was a dumpster fire
David committed sexual assault, adultery, murder
He was a liar, he was a poor father
One time his pride caused a plague to fall upon Israel
Is this same David really a man after God’s own heart?
Yet, as spectacular as David has fallen spiritually at times, he always came back to God
Unlike Saul, David confessed his sins and repented of them
He endured the consequences of his sins, but in the end, David put his trust in God
While Saul had a great spiritual experience in the beginning, he did not advance further spiritually
Saul’s actions during those three pivotal moments of his life showed that he grew to be reliant upon himself, rather than upon God
He had experienced spiritual eyes as a prophet and a king, but he did not grow further spiritually
Ultimately, Saul’s mindset was focused on worldly greatness
What is your mindset?
Are you more like Saul or David when it comes to your spiritual life?
Do you truly believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior?
Do you have the right spiritual mindset?
Does your inward spiritual life reflect the outward life you portray to other people?
Are you willing to commit more time to prayer and Bible study every day?
Going to church every week or even going to things like GYC is not going to cut it with God
Representation is not salvation
I’ve heard the adults in the Vietnamese group talk
“Oh, if we had someone else like Jessica or John or Hung or Kristi, our church would be able to do more.”
I understand their sentiment, but they are wrong
We have you
You all have potential for greatness in the kingdom of God
Are you truly hungry for righteousness?
Are your eyes completely upon Jesus?
Do you have the mindset to follow Jesus wherever He guides you?
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Donkeys and Dogs
Opening scripture:
Luke 16:8 - So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
Intro: when you can’t see the forest for the trees…
A man goes into the pharmacy and waits a long time in the pickup line
When he finally gets to the register, he is already agitated
The man gets really upset the pharmacy tech cannot find his prescription or even the profile in the computer
The man lashes out at the tech, screaming, “Every time I go to Walgreens, I always have trouble with you guys! Why can’t you do your job right? I dropped my prescription over an hour ago. You told me it would only take 15 minutes to fill! Where is my prescription?
The pharmacy tech doesn’t know what to say to the man and is silent
The pharmacist steps in and says, “Excuse me, sir? This is Rite-Aid. Did you drop off your prescription at the Walgreens down the street?”
The man was in such a hurry to pick up his medication, he went into the wrong pharmacy
He didn’t even notice that the store colors, pharmacy layout, and even the employees were completely different
Two stories
Balaam (Numbers chapters 22-24)
Woman with demon-possessed daughter (Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30)
Story #1
This story takes place in the time of Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt
The children of Israel defeated the Amorites and the people of Bashan
The Moabites were fearful of the children of Israel
Balak, king of the Moabites sent messengers to Balaam, a prophet of the Lord
Apparently, Balaam had a reputation for blessings and curses
Balak promised to reward Balaam greatly if he came out and cursed the Israelites
Balaam inquired of the Lord
God denied Balaam’s request to curse the Israelites - they were blessed
After some negotiation with the Moabites and further inquiry with God, Balaam agreed to go with them, but only speak the words God gave him
The donkey encounter…
Story #2
Jesus went to region of Tyre and Sidon to continue His ministry
He encountered a Gentile woman (Matthew calls her a Canaanite, Mark calls her a Greek, Syro-Phoenician by birth)
She begged Jesus to heal her daughter, who has been “severely demon-possessed”
Jesus ignored her
Woman continued begging
The disciples ask Jesus to send her away
Woman continued begging
Jesus finally responded and said:
Matthew 15:24 - But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Her response?
Matthew 15:25 - Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
His response? A cutting insult:
Matthew 15:26 - But He answer and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
The woman persisted:
Matthew 15:27 - And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Jesus finally acknowledged her faith and agreed to heal her daughter
What is the common thread in these two stories?
They are stories about people seeking something
What was Balaam seeking
Balaam as a prophet of the Lord, is supposed to seek righteousness
He says all the right things at first
“I cannot go with you because God refused to give me permission”
“Even if Balak were to give me his house full of gold and silver, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord”
When the Moabites come back with an even greater offer of wealth and honor, Balaam inquired of the Lord again, even though he knew the answer was no
Balaam was looking for a loophole to go, even though knew he could not curse the Israelites
Consider the incident with the donkey and angel with a flaming sword
Balaam was so focused on his goal, he didn’t even bat an eye when his donkey started talking to him
Balaam met Jesus and was told his way was perverse
Listen carefully to Balaam’s response in Numbers 22:34
And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it [i]displeases You, I will turn back.”
“If it displeases You”?! I would have thanked Jesus for His mercy and immediately turned back
Yet, Balaam chose to go on
Balaam ends up speaking four prophecies blessing Israel, much to Balak’s dismay
What was the woman seeking?
Healing for her demon-possessed daughter
How Balaam and the Gentile woman are different
Balaam was self-seeking, he was chasing sin
Despite all that happened, he still tried to seek after wealth and honor from the Moabites
In Numbers chapter 25:1-3, the men of Israel commit harlotry with the woman of Moab
2 Peter 2:15-16 - They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
Jude 1:11 - Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.]
Revelation 2:14 - But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
The woman was not seeking something for herself
The woman is disrespected four times in her quest
#1 - Jesus gave her the silent treatment - silence can actually hurt (dehumanizes you)
#2 - the disciples want her to go away (you know you are not wanted, racism)
#3 - Jesus said His mission field in only the Jews (you are an excluded group)
#4 - Jesus insulted her by calling her a little dog (most people would get angry and leave)
However, the woman doesn’t care about the disrespect she received
She was willing to endure it all for the sake of her child
She would go to any lengths to save her child - sacrificing her pride is nothing
What happened after Balaam and the Gentile woman got what they wanted?
Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:22 - Balaam was killed by the sword along with five kings of Midian
We don’t know what happened to the Gentile woman and her daughter, but I imagine they became followers of Jesus
Chasing sin versus chasing righteousness
It seems that people will chase so hard after sin but give up so easily
Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 15:28: - Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Jesus only complimented two people in the Gospels for having great faith - the centurion with the sick servant and this Gentile woman
You may have thought Jesus seemed cruel to the woman, but He already knew the quality of her faith
Jesus wanted to let her faith shine and teach His disciples a lesson on faith
Closing:
Luke 16:8 - So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
Matthew 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
How hard are you seeking the kingdom of God? For Jesus?
As hard as you study? As hard as you work? As hard as you play games or sports?
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What are You Seeking?
Opening verse:
Matthew 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Intro: Jethro, Emma, and Thomas the Train
I was sitting in the parents room a couple of months ago with my son Jethro, Tim, and his daughter Emma
Emma was playing with a set of Thimas the Train toys
Jethro wanted to play with a train
I told Jethro to ask Emma
Jethro politely asked, but Emma cried out, “NO!”
Tim and I both go into parent mode (using the situation to teach some life lessons)
I tell Jethro it’s okay that Emma said no - they are not his toys
Tim is trying to encourage Emma to share
Emma emphatically says “NO!”
She gathers all the trains in her arms and goes to play somewhere else
However, her arms aren’t big enough to hold all the trains
Three trains slip out
Emma goes to play by herself, not realizing she dropped three trains
Jethro now has three trains to play with
It’s funny - Emma was seeking to not share her trains at all, but lost three trains, while Jethro was only seeking to play with one train and ended up with three
Three stories
Numbers 15:32-36
A man was caught gathering sticks on the Sabbath
He was brought to Aaron and Moses because they did not know what to do with him
Moses inquired of God what should be done with this man
God commanded that the man should be brought out of the camp and stoned to death
2 Kings 5:20-27 -
Naaman - a mighty Syrian warrior - came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy
Elisha had him bathe in the Jordan River seven times
Naaman wanted to reward Elisha, but Elisha refused all his gifts and sent him home
Elisha’s servant Gehazi decided to go after Naaman
He lies to Naaman and said Elisha would like two changes of clothes and a talent of silver for two sons of the prophets who just came by to visit
Naaman gladly gave Gehazi two changes of clothes and two talents of silver
When Gehazi came back home, he is confronted by Elisha
Gehazi tried to lie to Elisha, but ends up being stricken with leprosy forever
Acts 5:1-11
During the time of Paul the Apostle, the followers of Jesus were selling their possessions
Ananias and Sapphira sold their possessions for a certain amount, but kept part of the proceeds for themselves
Peter called out Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit about how much they sold their possessions for
Ananias and Sapphira both died immediately afterwards
Why was God so harsh in these stories?
Death penalty for gathering sticks seems like overkill, even if it is the Sabbath
Leprosy is basically a death sentence - punishment doesn’t seem to fit the crime of lying and stealing
Instant death penalty for lying about donations - again seems too extreme a punishment
Even in certain Middle Eastern countries, the punishment for stealing is whipping, or at worst, getting your hand chopped off
What do we make of these stories?
When we think of being of following Jesus, we think about things like seeking first the kingdom of God
We also think about things like grace and mercy
Hearing these stories may make us uncomfortable and wonder about God’s grace and mercy
In order to better understand these stories, let’s go back and try to figure out the motivations of these characters
What were they seeking?
Consider this imaginary scenario:
A man walks into a bank
He walks past the security guard and acknowledges by nodding his head
The man then pulls out a gun and shoots a teller dead
The man then starts killing the customers in the bank
In response, the security guard pulls his gun and immediately shoots the man dead
In this scenario, would we criticize the security guard?
Would we complain what he did to the man was unjustified?
I think not
The man gathering sticks
In the story of the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath, he was disobeying a direct command from God to keep the Sabbath holy
What did God give that command?
The people of Israel were to commune with God and worship him
Why was this man seeking to gather sticks instead of worshiping God?
It’s like telling your husband and wife, you’d rather work overtime then spend time with them
His action was actually an act of rebellion against God
Gehazi
In the story of Naaman the leper, what was Gehazi seeking?
He thought just as Naaman did - that this miracle should be a transactional service
“I pay you a large sum of money, you perform a miracle for me”
Also, Gehazi was seeking to make a little profit for himself
By lying to Naaman, Gehazi was misrepresenting the message Elisha was trying to convey to Naaman - God’s miracles are a blessing and mercy
The point of the miracle was not transactional, but salvational
Gehazi messed up that lesson with his greed
Ananias and Sapphira
In the story 9f Ananias and Sapphira, they were seeking to represent themselves as pious Christians
However, by keeping money for themselves, they demonstrated they did not have as much faith in God’s ability to provide for them
They just wanted to look holy in front of other people
Why God dealt with these people so severely
In the story of the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath, God was setting up the church in the Old Testament
In the story of Naaman the leper, God was teaching a lesson about salvation to a Gentile
In the story of Ananias and Sapphira, God was setting up the church in the New Testament
God had to deal with these individuals harshly, because He had to set a high standard for His people
They are to take worship of Him seriously - no double standards, no false representation
He is a holy God and His people need to be holy in His presence
If Gehazi had proven obedient to God, he would have been the next prophet after Elisha
What are you seeking?
The common theme in these stories is that of people claiming to seek the kingdom of God, but not really
They wanted the appearance of holiness, but not the heart change associated with it
They wanted to be called followers of Christ, without actually really following Jesus
Brothers and sisters, I ask you today - what are you seeking?
Are you truly seeking the kingdom of God?
Or do you come to church just to make a show, to appear “holy” to others on the outside?
How serious are you about your faith?
Closing: Don’t let the pastor fight your battles
It seems nowadays people look at pastors as how the people of Israel saw their kings in the past
They look to pastor to fight their spiritual battles for them and to spoon-feed them the word of God
Don’t get me wrong - having a pastor is a good thing
I have a friend who is a pastor
When we used to live near each other, he made me read a lot of books on religion, then he would discuss them with me
I wasn’t even a member of his church!
He challenged me to study the Bible more deeply
That said, we don’t need to wait for a pastor to share the Gospel
How earnestly are you seeking the kingdom of God
How serious are you about reaching out to your friends, family, local community, and even strangers?
We can so much more than we are right now
As I close, I ask you one more time - what are you seeking for? Jesus is waiting for you answer.
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Is Perfection Possible?
Is perfection possible?
If so, when will we be perfect?
What does the Bible say about perfection?
Let us evaluate three statements about perfection
Statement 1: We are not required to be perfect in this lifetime.
Fact or myth? Let’s look at some Bible verses…
Matthew 19:21 – Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Luke 1:6 – And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Genesis 6:9 – This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
Genesis 17:1 – When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.”
Psalms 37:37 – Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace.
The Lord Himself refers to Job as being “blameless and upright” two times in Job 1:8 and Job 2:3
The aforementioned Bible verses are a few examples of people called to be perfect by God. Why are these characters in the Bible mentioned as perfect?
We must conclude that statement 1 must be false
Statement 2: We attain perfection only when Jesus comes
Matthew 5:48 – “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Note that Jesus does not say “You will be perfect” (future-tense)
Do we become perfect before or after Jesus comes?
The purpose of preach is to teach man to be perfect
Colossians 1:28 - Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
Romans 12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
This happens before Jesus comes
Hebrews 13:20-21 - Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luke 6:40 - A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
Matthew 19:21 - Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
1 Thessalonians 3:13 - so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
Jude 1:24-25 – Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power,both now and forever. Amen.
Philippians 2:15 - that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 - And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
It is by the sacrifice by Jesus Christ that every permission has been made for the believers to receive and attain perfection
Only through Christ alone that we can be and will be perfect before He comes
Therefore, statement 2 is false
Statement 3: We will cease from sinning only when Jesus comes
Is it possible not to sin anymore?
1 John 2:1 - My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 John 3:9 - Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
1 John 5:4 - For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our[a] faith.
Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Human weakness combined with divine strength
Therefore, statement 3 is false
We are called to be partakers of the divine nature
We can attain perfection of character through Jesus Christ
Sanctification is not an instantaneous process – it is a gradual process that shapes our character throughout our lifetime
1 Corinthians 5:52 - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
What is being changed? It is only our body that changes when Christ comes again
1 Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Our character is the only thing we can take with us to heaven
Moral perfection is possible
It does not come to us by accident
It is earned by individual effort through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ
Surrender your will to Christ day by day and look upon Him and you will be changed.
We strive for perfection at school, in sports, and at work – so why not in church?
Closing story: famous tightrope walker over Niagara Falls
Tightrope walker asked people if they believed he could carry someone across with him over Niagara Falls
People cheered
Tightrope walker then went to individuals and asked them if he could take them now, but they became afraid and said no.
A few people actually took up the offer, including the manager of the tightrope walker
He safely carried them on his back over Niagara Falls
Do you believe Jesus can carry you through?
Do you believe Jesus can make you perfect?
Do you have the faith that anything can be possible through Jesus, including the perfection of character?
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Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. – Martin Luther King Jr.
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What is Faith?
Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.
Not a comprehensive answer, but useful
Helps us answer a fundamental question in Christianity
Am I a man or woman of faith?
Depends on how you define faith
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Faith is an indispensable channel of salvation
What faith is not
Not a vague subjective religious feeling that is divorced from the objective truth that God has made known
Example: people who have a strong feeling that they are a “Christian” but do not believe in Jesus’ literal resurrection
1 John 2:22 - Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
Biblical faith goes far beyond feelings
Not the attitude of people who accept something as true apart from the evidence
Example: people who think having faith means they should put their brain under the pew when they go to church
Afraid of examining the evidence for the fear of it not being true
A leap into the dark – believe in something hard enough, it becomes true
Biblical faith involves evidence
Not the kind of positive mental attitude, where if people believe, it will happen
Positive thinking is not biblical faith
Example: “What About Bob?” movie
“Faith in faith”
It is the object of our faith is what gives it significance
Real faith
Not dependent upon our feelings, which are unstable and can fluctuate
Is reliable and dependent upon the trustworthiness of God
Starts with God
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God…”
Creates surety for what we hoped for and certainty for what we believe
Noah was asked by God to build an ark
He built it on faith that it would rain
He preached to people to get on the ark
It takes more faith to believe in nothing than a creator God
People choose to not believe because such a God would have a right to call them into conformity into His commands
People would rather go their own way
Think of faith as a title deed to a piece of property
You bought an island sight unseen
You sat down with the seller and a lawyer to hammer out the details and settle the terms of the deal
A reputable title company comes in to do the final paperwork
People ask how are you sure you own an island having never seen it yourself
You show your title deed and express your confidence in the seller and the one who signed the title deed
We have never seen heaven, but we have faith in God
The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 all heard the story, trusted in the promise, and lived in in the light of the promise
Many people are okay with the first two steps, but stop short on the third step
What faith involves
1. Knowledge of God
John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 1:18 - No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
You can know God through the person of Jesus Christ
1 John 5:5 - Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
If we are prepared to accept human testimony (e.g. bus driver taking you to your destination, bank teller telling you how much money you have in your bank account), wouldn’t we trust God?
2. Once we recognize knowledge is true, we must give our assent to God
Story of soldiers who follow their captains anywhere, no matter how dangerous the battlefield
You will find in Jesus Christ someone who can compel belief in you
Demons are not atheists – they have knowledge of God
3. Trust in God
Faith is action
See the examples in Hebrews 11
Are you a man or woman of faith?
Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ?
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Divine Healing
Intro:
Jenny was a Christian with a non-believing husband
He was dying
He was about to have brain surgery to remove a tumor
Many people from Jenny’s church visited her and her husband in the hospital
Jenny’s pastor anointed her husband with oil and prayed for him
Jenny’s husband was touched by this outpouring of love
He told Jenny he wanted to give church a try again
Jenny had prayed for her husband for years
She was confident God would heal her husband and he would start a new life in Christ
However, the surgery failed
Jenny’s husband died of brain hemorrhage a few days later
Jenny was crushed, her faith shaken
Why did God let her husband die?
Mark 1:32-38
Jesus healed people and cast demons after Sabbath sunset in a city in Galilee
The next morning people heard of Jesus’ deeds and came looking for Him in search of healing
Jesus’ disciples found Him praying in a solitary area, they told Him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
How did Jesus respond?
Mark 1:36 - But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
Why didn’t Jesus stay and heal the people looking for Him?
They had legitimate felt needs
It was well within Jesus’ power to give them healing
However, Jesus’ main purpose was not physical healing, but to heal sin-sick souls
2 Corinthians 12:7-9
The apostle Paul suffered some sort of affliction
Scholars have speculated he suffered lingering vision damage after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-18; 23:1-5)
Paul prayed for healing, but was not healed
Why didn’t Jesus heal Paul?
Paul was doing a great work, spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles
Paul was faithful and true to Jesus after his conversion
Jesus simply told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
Jesus never promised His followers good health and a happy life
Consider all the martyrs who died for Jesus
John the Baptist decapitated
John Huss burned at the stake
Hugh Latimer burned at the stake
Why didn’t God save these devout men?
Tertullian - “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
Jesus promises to be with us in sickness and in health
Jesus promises to give us the strength to endure
Jesus does not promise us physical health
He promises to be with us in sickness and health
He promises to give us strength to endure (Philippians 4:13)
What does the Bible teach us about praying for the sick?
James 5:14-15 - Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Why anoint with oil?
Oil was a symbol of consecration to God for the work ahead (Exodus 30:30-32)
Oil was a symbol of the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13; Luke 4:18: Acts 10:38)
Oil is a symbol of healing (Leviticus 14:5-18; Mark 6:12-13)
Symbol of light or witness (Zechariah 4:1-14)
Why on the forehead?
Forebrain - processing of cognitive functions, higher reasoning
The word “save” in the Greek language is “sozo’
Sozo - complete healing of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing
In this context, saving the sick has to do with more than just physical healing
Saving the sick means to see them rise again when Jesus returns
Why is it that some are healed and some are not?
They are testimonies of people receiving miraculous healing after intercessory prayer
There are stories of faithful people who still died after many people prayed for their healing
Sometimes God will miraculously, sometimes God will heal over time, and sometimes God will not heal at all
The Bible does not promise physical healing on our timetable
What does the Bible teach about divine healing?
Even when Christ does not heal, our witness and faith when we die may bring others to faith
1 Corinthians 15:51-54
Sickness does not have the last word, death does not have the last word
Christ will have the last word
Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
I invite all of you today to trust the One who holds your life in His hands.
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"In the Old Testament, Christ is predicted. In the Gospels, Christ is revealed. In the Acts, Christ is preached. In the epistles, Christ is explained. In the book of Revelation, Christ is expected." – Alistair Begg
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