Trusted With Much
We are in the Gospel of Mark, looking this morning at three parables Jesus was sharing with the crowds. He just finished the parable of the seed and he is further explaining the Kingdom of God and the responsibilities of those entrusted with the gospel or the truth revealed.
We start in Mark 4:21-34
The first parable we talked about not to long ago, is presenting the gospel as a lamp. Jesus asks the question do you hide the lamp under a bowl or under your bed…where it is of no use. Would you turn on a lamp to hide its light? Of course not, you put it on a stand so that it’s light shine for all to see. You put it high enough to drive the darkness away. You read by it, you use it to guide your foot steps. Without the light we would be groping around and running into all kind of problems.
The second parable shows a man sowing seeds. He scatters the seed the best he can. He is unsure what will happen, but he hopes for the very best. He walks the field spreading the seed, throwing it on the soil. He patiently waits for the harvest to grow. He doesn’t know how the seed grows. He just knows they’ll grow. He can’t make them grow, the seeds sprout, form roots and grow leaves all on their own. The plants produce fruit and the man then harvest the crop.
The third parable is about a muster seed the smallest of the seed, it is planted in the ground and it grows and grows. Until its so large birds can nest in it’s branches. Again the farmer doesn’t control how big the seed grows. He plants the seed and it does all the rest.
So how does this relate to us, how are we to apply this to our lives…Firstly “We have been “Trusted” with the Gospel”
As Christian’s we have been entrusted with the Gospel. The gospel is given to us to be shared with others. We are never to keep it to ourselves; it is meant to be shared. The light of the gospel is to shine into a very dark world and we are the ones to carry it.
How serious is this? What is there to be lost if we fail in our mission? People’s lives, people are walking around in our communities lost. Lost in loneliness, lost in debt, lost in work, lost in self, lost in sin…there is no escape for the prisoners, they are lost. They try to find comfort in material ‘stuff’, big screen T.V., cars, recreation vehicles; they pursue the American dream, only to find emptiness. We have the answer, we hold the key. It’s Jesus Christ, Jesus who set us free from the bondage of our own selves, frees us from the burden of sin, “When the son set’s you free, you are free in deed.”
Not only that but we will be held accountable for this incredible responsibility. In verses 23-25 Jesus says this…
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." (Mark 4:23-25 NIV)
Jesus opens with a warning, if you can hear this take heed! Consider carefully what you are hearing, weight it, it is important you understand!
He continues by telling us if we do share, what we share will come back as a greater blessing. How many of you have ever taught someone? Isn’t it true many times the teacher learns more by studying the lesson and learning from the students themselves? It’s the same way with sharing the gospel, you will greatly blessed…
Many times when I have the opportunity to lead someone to Christ, I’m just as excited as the person receiving. But on the flip side of this, if I fail to share the gospel, what has been given to me, will be taken from me. This is what happens to us if we continually refuse to share Christ. This can happen to us personally and it can happen to us as a church.
As a church we have been charged with the responsibility to save lives, if we ever get out of ‘saving lives’, we will become the ‘club’ and the tragedy will be the deaths of many, who will simply drown in their world around them, they will die in their sin. Many churches slowly die because they have lost their way and have become comfortable. We cannot do that, we have to be about sharing the gospel!
The second parable shows a man sowing the seed he has no idea how the seeds grow, especially in Jesus day. The picture here shows we have two parts to play in the planting of the God’s kingdom. The first is to plant the seed, we are to spread the good news, we are to scatter the seeds of the kingdom, we do not grow the kingdom…think about that for a moment. We do not grow the kingdom God does that part. How a person responds to the gospel is between God and the individual, but we are to share our faith.
The second job we have in this parable is to harvest the crop. We are to receive what God has given to us; we are to prepare the grain for use. We are to receive new believers; we are to disciple them and prepare each person to reach their full potential in the Lord. For the purpose of spreading more seed!
The power of the gospel, to change people’s lives, it changed my life, its changed many of your lives.
Lastly it starts small and grows large.
We can look at the world around us and see the task at hand is daunting! It looks impossible, we cannot even begin to make a dent in the sea of the lost. We cannot impact our community, it’s to big, we are too small. What difference can I make! I am but one person. These thoughts can impact the way we think, it can impact our church. We have to remember small things can make a difference; a little faith goes a long way. If we believe in God is who he says he is, nothing is impossible. God loves to give out God sized task to the small, because he alone receives the glory, he alone is worthy of praise.
Stuck in a dead-end job and strapped for money, Kyle MacDonald came up with an improbable plan: starting with one red paperclip, he would trade on the Internet until he exchanged it for a house. First, he traded the red paperclip for a fish-shaped pen. Next, he traded the pen for a doorknob. He traded the doorknob for a Coleman stove. He traded the Coleman stove for an electric generator. He traded the electric generator for a Budweiser sign and a keg of beer, which he then traded for a snowmobile. Exactly one year and 14 trades later, MacDonald finally reached his goal: he exchanged a part in a Hollywood movie for a home in Saskatchewan, Canada.
The true story of Kyle MacDonald is told in his book One Red Paperclip. Now the book is being made into a movie. Fame, fortune, a book, a movie deal, and a home—it all began with one red paperclip.
Sounds incredible, doesn't it? But I believe our Christian faith is like that red paperclip. Jesus said that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we will be able to move mountains (Matthew 17:20). A mustard seed is very small—far smaller than a paperclip. And yet, Jesus says if we have that much faith, "Nothing will be impossible for you."
So as the opening video asks a simple question. Are we going to be a club or a saving station? As a church are we going to take on the responsibility of sharing the gospel with our community? Is saving lives going to be our focus? Or are we going to be a club, where our buildings are more important than reaching our community. Where we no longer gather to reach the lost, but gather for our own comfort. We have to be about reaching the lost, our church has to become intentional in everything we do to reach those who are without the hope of Christ. Whatever it takes has to be our attitude.
What will you do with what you have been entrusted with? Will you keep this precious gift to yourself, or will you share it with others. Will you hide it under your bed, or put it out there for the world to see. Will you become a rescue boat, risking your life for the lives of others, or will you simply stay on the shore in the comfort of your own club.
We have to share Christ, we have no other choice.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Sermon:Light of the Lamp
Light of the lamp
Mark 4:21”He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?”
The video we just watch is from the perspective of John, the writer of the Gospel of John, three letters and the book of Revelations. He was the last apostle, and the only one to die of old age. He was an eyewitness of Christ, he was chosen by Christ, walked with Christ, lived with Christ. He was the disciple whom Jesus loved; he was the only apostle to witness the crucifixion, when the other apostles had gone into hiding. He and his brothers where call the “Son’s of thunder” for their called of fire down on a town who had rejected Jesus.
His brother was the first apostle to be killed and John would be the last to die. The son’s of Zebedee, would be the bookends of the ministry of the Lord’s disciples. John says in the video, it’s his story of what he witnessed as a disciple of Christ. It is what he saw with his own eyes that he testified too. He was an eyewitness to Christ.
Last week we looked at the ‘parable’ of the seed. We saw how people respond to the gospel when it is presented to them. The first way was to dismiss it out of hand, the seed upon the path. The second way, was to receive it with joy, but then wither at the sign of being questioned or having to make life changes, because they didn’t have the roots to support their new found faith. The third was they grew, but the desires of life keep them from producing fruit. Lastly, was the good soil and the person produces fruit for the kingdom.
Tucked in the middle of this fourth chapter is one verse, where Jesus is about to explain the meaning of the parable of the seed to the disciples. It a simple but powerful illustration for the disciples to see the importance and the significance of sharing their new found faith.
It reads in Mark 4:21”He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?”
Remember in Jesus’ time there wasn’t electricity. When it grew dark, you would have to light oil burning lamps to light your house. These lamps where designed to be carried and as you moved from room to room you carried your lamp to light your way. When you entered a room to stay, you would place the lamp in a place to maximize the light, perhaps a shelf or a stand designed for the lamp. We do the same thing today; we place lamps on special tables to light a room or specific location.
Jesus is asking the disciples, he is asking us today…do you hide your light or do you put in a place for all to see. As Christians we have been given the light of Christ. As Christians we are to share that light with all people. We are to shine, to spread the ‘good news’ of Christ. We are entrusted with this responsibility; we are commanded to share with others what we have seen and experienced. It no coincidence that Jesus used the picture of us spreading the ‘seeds” of the kingdom, it is meant to be received and grow. Just as the light pushes back the darkness, we are meant to shine.
Eyewitness
We are all an eyewitness to Christ. As John we all have seen the work of Christ. Even the people who don’t believe have seen the effects of Christ on the world. No one in history has had a greater impact on our lives, than Christ. But this morning think about the changed lives, people changed forever. Testimonies of being freed from drugs, lives changed forever. There are millions and millions of people who where never the same after meeting Christ. Today he is still in the business of changing lives. If you’re a follower of Christ you have a testimony of what Christ has done in your life. You are a different person because of Christ.
As an eyewitness we are to share that testimony with others. It is our story of Christ, it is truth. John said in the video, he was willing to swear his life on what he saw and experienced. In fact John would spend years in prison for his faith. I often wonder would we still be willing to do the same today. Jesus was a real person, he walk the earth and died for you and me. He lived the life I could never live…he was sinless and was crucified for my sins, for your sins. He died that I might have life through him, a new life an eternal life. It was the resurrection that changed the disciples; it was Jesus defeating death and sin that would spur the disciples on to share their faith without fear. We are to do the same today, we are to be an eyewitness to Christ. So a question might become, “If we don’t share the gospel what is at stake?”
At Stake?
If John and apostles hadn’t shared their faith in Christ, we wouldn’t be here today. We would have been lost and without forgiveness of our sins. Our lives would have been forever codenamed and we would be forever lost. I saw a saying the other day that said many of us (Christians) are looking forward to the second coming of Christ, but many in the world have never seen the first coming!
There are billions of people in the world today who have never seen or heard of Jesus Christ. There are millions who are born each year, who will grow up and will never hear the gospel. While we are comfortable and secure, they will grow and die never knowing what it means to have the peace of Christ, never knowing what it was like to live in forgiveness; they will die in their sin.
Closer to home for the first time in our history, there is a generation that could grow in America who has rejected the gospel. We are losing our kids and grandkids. There is an urgent need for us to reach the people under 30 years old. They are turning away at unprecedented levels. This should greatly alarm us, we have to reach them.
What can we do?
We can start by showing people love. This generation coming up has been lied too so many times they have become very skeptical. They don’t want another sales pitch; they want to see you and me practice what we preach, without expecting anything in return.
One of the biggest ‘turn offs’ for the younger generations are Christians themselves, because they say one thing and live another. We need to reach out in love first. Show people love by simply loving them. Don’t ask for anything in return, if their hungry feed them, if their thirsty give them a drink. Build a relationship with them; spend time getting to know about them and pray for the opportunity to share Him--Jesus. Show people love and share Him. We all have a testimony and when given the opportunity we share what Jesus has done in our lives. It’s that simple, it is how the gospel has been spread from the beginning.
Christ built a relationship with the disciples; they knew him and loved him first, before they put their faith in him for eternity. We can do the same today with those around us, we have to, because there is too much at stake. Jesus says to put our light on a stand, for all to see. We are the shine for those who are lost in darkness. We are to shine, for those who cannot see. We have to lift or light up high, because there are so many who need the love of Christ.
Closed with the video "You're Losing Us"
(video: Kids asking to 'disciples in training, not disciples in waiting' also letting us know we are losing them and will we make a difference in their lives?, very emotional, hard hitting point)
-ps
Mark 4:21”He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?”
The video we just watch is from the perspective of John, the writer of the Gospel of John, three letters and the book of Revelations. He was the last apostle, and the only one to die of old age. He was an eyewitness of Christ, he was chosen by Christ, walked with Christ, lived with Christ. He was the disciple whom Jesus loved; he was the only apostle to witness the crucifixion, when the other apostles had gone into hiding. He and his brothers where call the “Son’s of thunder” for their called of fire down on a town who had rejected Jesus.
His brother was the first apostle to be killed and John would be the last to die. The son’s of Zebedee, would be the bookends of the ministry of the Lord’s disciples. John says in the video, it’s his story of what he witnessed as a disciple of Christ. It is what he saw with his own eyes that he testified too. He was an eyewitness to Christ.
Last week we looked at the ‘parable’ of the seed. We saw how people respond to the gospel when it is presented to them. The first way was to dismiss it out of hand, the seed upon the path. The second way, was to receive it with joy, but then wither at the sign of being questioned or having to make life changes, because they didn’t have the roots to support their new found faith. The third was they grew, but the desires of life keep them from producing fruit. Lastly, was the good soil and the person produces fruit for the kingdom.
Tucked in the middle of this fourth chapter is one verse, where Jesus is about to explain the meaning of the parable of the seed to the disciples. It a simple but powerful illustration for the disciples to see the importance and the significance of sharing their new found faith.
It reads in Mark 4:21”He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?”
Remember in Jesus’ time there wasn’t electricity. When it grew dark, you would have to light oil burning lamps to light your house. These lamps where designed to be carried and as you moved from room to room you carried your lamp to light your way. When you entered a room to stay, you would place the lamp in a place to maximize the light, perhaps a shelf or a stand designed for the lamp. We do the same thing today; we place lamps on special tables to light a room or specific location.
Jesus is asking the disciples, he is asking us today…do you hide your light or do you put in a place for all to see. As Christians we have been given the light of Christ. As Christians we are to share that light with all people. We are to shine, to spread the ‘good news’ of Christ. We are entrusted with this responsibility; we are commanded to share with others what we have seen and experienced. It no coincidence that Jesus used the picture of us spreading the ‘seeds” of the kingdom, it is meant to be received and grow. Just as the light pushes back the darkness, we are meant to shine.
Eyewitness
We are all an eyewitness to Christ. As John we all have seen the work of Christ. Even the people who don’t believe have seen the effects of Christ on the world. No one in history has had a greater impact on our lives, than Christ. But this morning think about the changed lives, people changed forever. Testimonies of being freed from drugs, lives changed forever. There are millions and millions of people who where never the same after meeting Christ. Today he is still in the business of changing lives. If you’re a follower of Christ you have a testimony of what Christ has done in your life. You are a different person because of Christ.
As an eyewitness we are to share that testimony with others. It is our story of Christ, it is truth. John said in the video, he was willing to swear his life on what he saw and experienced. In fact John would spend years in prison for his faith. I often wonder would we still be willing to do the same today. Jesus was a real person, he walk the earth and died for you and me. He lived the life I could never live…he was sinless and was crucified for my sins, for your sins. He died that I might have life through him, a new life an eternal life. It was the resurrection that changed the disciples; it was Jesus defeating death and sin that would spur the disciples on to share their faith without fear. We are to do the same today, we are to be an eyewitness to Christ. So a question might become, “If we don’t share the gospel what is at stake?”
At Stake?
If John and apostles hadn’t shared their faith in Christ, we wouldn’t be here today. We would have been lost and without forgiveness of our sins. Our lives would have been forever codenamed and we would be forever lost. I saw a saying the other day that said many of us (Christians) are looking forward to the second coming of Christ, but many in the world have never seen the first coming!
There are billions of people in the world today who have never seen or heard of Jesus Christ. There are millions who are born each year, who will grow up and will never hear the gospel. While we are comfortable and secure, they will grow and die never knowing what it means to have the peace of Christ, never knowing what it was like to live in forgiveness; they will die in their sin.
Closer to home for the first time in our history, there is a generation that could grow in America who has rejected the gospel. We are losing our kids and grandkids. There is an urgent need for us to reach the people under 30 years old. They are turning away at unprecedented levels. This should greatly alarm us, we have to reach them.
What can we do?
We can start by showing people love. This generation coming up has been lied too so many times they have become very skeptical. They don’t want another sales pitch; they want to see you and me practice what we preach, without expecting anything in return.
One of the biggest ‘turn offs’ for the younger generations are Christians themselves, because they say one thing and live another. We need to reach out in love first. Show people love by simply loving them. Don’t ask for anything in return, if their hungry feed them, if their thirsty give them a drink. Build a relationship with them; spend time getting to know about them and pray for the opportunity to share Him--Jesus. Show people love and share Him. We all have a testimony and when given the opportunity we share what Jesus has done in our lives. It’s that simple, it is how the gospel has been spread from the beginning.
Christ built a relationship with the disciples; they knew him and loved him first, before they put their faith in him for eternity. We can do the same today with those around us, we have to, because there is too much at stake. Jesus says to put our light on a stand, for all to see. We are the shine for those who are lost in darkness. We are to shine, for those who cannot see. We have to lift or light up high, because there are so many who need the love of Christ.
Closed with the video "You're Losing Us"
(video: Kids asking to 'disciples in training, not disciples in waiting' also letting us know we are losing them and will we make a difference in their lives?, very emotional, hard hitting point)
-ps
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Surprised of Course…
Isaiah 25:9 In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
Never really paid attention to this verse, probably read it several time without it jumping out at me. Sort of like driving the same route everyday and noticing a building or a house you never saw before, but for some reason it caught your eye on that particular day…to your surprise of course. I was surprised by this verse because of it simplicity and majesty. First is speaks of God as our God. In Revelations 21:3, it says, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
What an incredible picture this is, a time when God and man will dwell on the same plain of existence. All of this will happen because we trusted Him and he saved us. Salvation was always the plan.
What does this salvation look like and why do we need it. In Isaiah 25 talks about a time when God would prepare a banquet for all people, verse 6. In verse 8, he will swallow up death, wipe away the tears and remove the disgrace of his people. He will save the people from the enemy, verse 10 (represented by Moab, a long time enemy of the Lord’s people). So we see a picture of Salvation being, rescued from an enemy, having been restored from disgrace, relieved of pain and suffering for all time. Death no longer holds a grip on our souls and we will rejoice in the presence of the Lord at a great feast prepared by God himself.
How could God accomplish such a work? The answer is Jesus Christ. Jesus being the nature God humbled himself and became flesh. He lived the perfect life you and I could never live, he was sinless. He was crucified and died once and for all, for the sins of the many. He died for you and me. Through his death he conquered or mastered death, and put and end to the enemy, Satan, the deceiver. Through his sacrifice we have the forgiveness of our sins and through his resurrection we have the New Life…a new life in Christ. When we believe and trust in the risen savior, we become a new creation. Better yet we become children of the Most High, heirs to the Kingdom.
So you see through Christ God fulfilled his promise in Isaiah, he rescues us from the enemy, he removed our disgrace and gave us grace. He defeated death and when we die he will wipe away our tears, and we will sit with him in eternity at the great feast prepared by Him.
So when you read Isaiah 25:9 and its says…, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Kind of gives the verse a whole new meaning. Rejoice, rejoice again I say rejoice!
-ps
Never really paid attention to this verse, probably read it several time without it jumping out at me. Sort of like driving the same route everyday and noticing a building or a house you never saw before, but for some reason it caught your eye on that particular day…to your surprise of course. I was surprised by this verse because of it simplicity and majesty. First is speaks of God as our God. In Revelations 21:3, it says, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
What an incredible picture this is, a time when God and man will dwell on the same plain of existence. All of this will happen because we trusted Him and he saved us. Salvation was always the plan.
What does this salvation look like and why do we need it. In Isaiah 25 talks about a time when God would prepare a banquet for all people, verse 6. In verse 8, he will swallow up death, wipe away the tears and remove the disgrace of his people. He will save the people from the enemy, verse 10 (represented by Moab, a long time enemy of the Lord’s people). So we see a picture of Salvation being, rescued from an enemy, having been restored from disgrace, relieved of pain and suffering for all time. Death no longer holds a grip on our souls and we will rejoice in the presence of the Lord at a great feast prepared by God himself.
How could God accomplish such a work? The answer is Jesus Christ. Jesus being the nature God humbled himself and became flesh. He lived the perfect life you and I could never live, he was sinless. He was crucified and died once and for all, for the sins of the many. He died for you and me. Through his death he conquered or mastered death, and put and end to the enemy, Satan, the deceiver. Through his sacrifice we have the forgiveness of our sins and through his resurrection we have the New Life…a new life in Christ. When we believe and trust in the risen savior, we become a new creation. Better yet we become children of the Most High, heirs to the Kingdom.
So you see through Christ God fulfilled his promise in Isaiah, he rescues us from the enemy, he removed our disgrace and gave us grace. He defeated death and when we die he will wipe away our tears, and we will sit with him in eternity at the great feast prepared by Him.
So when you read Isaiah 25:9 and its says…, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Kind of gives the verse a whole new meaning. Rejoice, rejoice again I say rejoice!
-ps
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Sermon: The Parable of the Seed
The Parable of the Seed
This morning we are going to look at the Parable of the Seed, I have always loved this parable because it explains for me a question. All my Christian life I can’t understand why everyone doesn’t believe as I do. I’m serious, Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I can’t understand why others don’t see the same thing.
Christ has changed my life; he has taken away all the junk that plagued my life early on. He has forgiven me of my sins and I have become a “new creation”. My encounter with Christ changed me forever and why would everyone want the same thing? Yet millions hear the word of God and reject it out of hand. Many like what they hear but for whatever reason they never commit. This morning we are going to see four ways people react to the Word of God.
Mark 4:15-20
Again we see this crowd following Jesus, this time the crowd pushes him to the waters edge and he gets into a boat and teaches the masses along the shore. Jesus taught the people by parables, he used stories of everyday life, he used pictures they could understand. He tells a story of a farmer sowing seed. In Jesus time seed was planted by hand. As a farmer walked across the field, he threw handfuls of seed onto the ground from a large bag slung across his shoulders. The plants didn’t grown in neat planted rows as we see them today. No matter how skillful a farmer was he could keep some of the seed from landing a footpath, or from being scattered among the rocks or thorns, or from simply being carried off by the wind. So the farmer would throw out the seed liberally, hoping enough would fall on the good ground to ensure a harvest. So this was a picture everyone was familiar with, they had seen it all their lives.
The farmer sowed the good seed, but not all the seed sprouted, and even the plants that grew had varying yields. Lets look at this parable from two angles… Firstly…
How others respond…to the Word of God.
As we share our faith, we can expect one of four responses. When we share our faith some people who hear the gospel some people will totally reject the message out of hand. In fact this person is so harden to the gospel, they have become a footpath. It’s interesting the Bible says Satan comes along and never allows the seed to grow. The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person's heart, something the devil is very much against
The second person hears the word among the rocky soil. In parts of the Middle East there is a limestone base that runs right under the surface. So the person hears about Christ and loves the story, they received with ‘joy’ but as soon as they are questioned about their faith, or realize the changes evolved, this is because they lack depth or a root, their faith dies.
The third group receives the word and they grow, but their lives never allow them to produce fruit. The Bible says, “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. This person want to follow but cannot, they are so wrapped up into their own lives they never produce fruit. Many people fall into this camp or at least have visited this camp from time to time.
The last group, the seed lands on good soil and grows, they produce spiritual fruit in their lives and for the Kingdom of God. You will notice out of the four possible results of sharing the gospel, only one result in the person producing fruit.
The point we can take from this, is not to get discouraged if you don’t see results every time your share your faith. We need to understand that some people will not understand God’s truth because they are not ready for it. God reveals truth to people who will act on it and make it visible in their lives. When we talk to people about Christ be patient, take every opportunity to
share more about what Christ is doing in your life. Tell them more about God and pray that the Holy Spirit will open their minds and hearts to receive the truth and act on it. Remember productivity is in God’s hands, and not in ours.
Here is something to think about to encourage you to share…Fact and Trends did a polled 1402 adults who had not attend church in the pervious six months. Though some of the information is negative in nature, there are two very interesting answers…the first was 71% of the people surveyed believed Jesus makes a positive difference in a person’s life. And the second was 78% said, “if someone wanted to tell them what he or she believed about Christianity, they would be willing to listen.”
The second way we can view this parable, is how you and I receive the Word of God. Some of us will dismiss what God tells us to do, through his word, or through prayer, right out of hand. It’s not for us….can’t do it. Satan has silenced this person and they never share or produce fruit.
The second person hears the Word of God and because they never have learned to live the Christian life, they never where disciple, the first time they are challenged or persecuted about there faith they wither and remain quite.
The Brazilian walnut tree is majestic in size and strength. But this beautiful tree has one enemy, the strangler fig. When a strangler fig seed lands on the walnut tree, its roots begin to descend to the ground. As it grows, the vines of the fig squeeze and choke the walnut tree. The fig’s grip on the tree becomes so great that the vine-encased tree slowly dies. Over time, all that is left are twisting vines in the form of a tree. The tree itself has long since disintegrated. Only a vine structure in the shape of a tree remains, while the inside is hollow and lifeless.
The third group can become like the Brazilian walnut tree, they hear the word and just like
someone hearing the message for the first time, receives the word and they want to respond, but their lives never allow them to produce fruit. Again this person want to follow but cannot, they are so wrapped up into their own lives they never produce fruit. Over time they have played church for so long, been involved with church programs…but long ago left the relationship with Christ and can not longer hear his voice. They hollow and lifeless and shell of there former self.
The last person hears the word of God and obeys, he listens and follows…they are ‘doers’ of the word. Their lives are patterned around the fruit they produce… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…
Lastly, the way other view and react to the word of God and we receive and act to the word of God go together, which brings me to the “Easter Challenge”, Jesus command us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." We are command to share the gospel, you will respond to this command in one of four ways…and we looked at each one this morning.
This Easter I want to challenge you to bring a someone else to church…That is the Easter Challenge…
I know some of you right now are thinking I don’t know how to share my faith; I want to help you…the best way to share your faith, starts with one word. That word is Hello, it’s that simple starting a conversation with someone is the first and most important step to sharing Christ. The second step is to share what Christ has done and what he is doing in your life, in other words, your testimony. Your personal story of how you met and how Christ changed your life, is the greatest way to share our faith.
-ps
This morning we are going to look at the Parable of the Seed, I have always loved this parable because it explains for me a question. All my Christian life I can’t understand why everyone doesn’t believe as I do. I’m serious, Christ is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I can’t understand why others don’t see the same thing.
Christ has changed my life; he has taken away all the junk that plagued my life early on. He has forgiven me of my sins and I have become a “new creation”. My encounter with Christ changed me forever and why would everyone want the same thing? Yet millions hear the word of God and reject it out of hand. Many like what they hear but for whatever reason they never commit. This morning we are going to see four ways people react to the Word of God.
Mark 4:15-20
Again we see this crowd following Jesus, this time the crowd pushes him to the waters edge and he gets into a boat and teaches the masses along the shore. Jesus taught the people by parables, he used stories of everyday life, he used pictures they could understand. He tells a story of a farmer sowing seed. In Jesus time seed was planted by hand. As a farmer walked across the field, he threw handfuls of seed onto the ground from a large bag slung across his shoulders. The plants didn’t grown in neat planted rows as we see them today. No matter how skillful a farmer was he could keep some of the seed from landing a footpath, or from being scattered among the rocks or thorns, or from simply being carried off by the wind. So the farmer would throw out the seed liberally, hoping enough would fall on the good ground to ensure a harvest. So this was a picture everyone was familiar with, they had seen it all their lives.
The farmer sowed the good seed, but not all the seed sprouted, and even the plants that grew had varying yields. Lets look at this parable from two angles… Firstly…
How others respond…to the Word of God.
As we share our faith, we can expect one of four responses. When we share our faith some people who hear the gospel some people will totally reject the message out of hand. In fact this person is so harden to the gospel, they have become a footpath. It’s interesting the Bible says Satan comes along and never allows the seed to grow. The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person's heart, something the devil is very much against
The second person hears the word among the rocky soil. In parts of the Middle East there is a limestone base that runs right under the surface. So the person hears about Christ and loves the story, they received with ‘joy’ but as soon as they are questioned about their faith, or realize the changes evolved, this is because they lack depth or a root, their faith dies.
The third group receives the word and they grow, but their lives never allow them to produce fruit. The Bible says, “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. This person want to follow but cannot, they are so wrapped up into their own lives they never produce fruit. Many people fall into this camp or at least have visited this camp from time to time.
The last group, the seed lands on good soil and grows, they produce spiritual fruit in their lives and for the Kingdom of God. You will notice out of the four possible results of sharing the gospel, only one result in the person producing fruit.
The point we can take from this, is not to get discouraged if you don’t see results every time your share your faith. We need to understand that some people will not understand God’s truth because they are not ready for it. God reveals truth to people who will act on it and make it visible in their lives. When we talk to people about Christ be patient, take every opportunity to
share more about what Christ is doing in your life. Tell them more about God and pray that the Holy Spirit will open their minds and hearts to receive the truth and act on it. Remember productivity is in God’s hands, and not in ours.
Here is something to think about to encourage you to share…Fact and Trends did a polled 1402 adults who had not attend church in the pervious six months. Though some of the information is negative in nature, there are two very interesting answers…the first was 71% of the people surveyed believed Jesus makes a positive difference in a person’s life. And the second was 78% said, “if someone wanted to tell them what he or she believed about Christianity, they would be willing to listen.”
The second way we can view this parable, is how you and I receive the Word of God. Some of us will dismiss what God tells us to do, through his word, or through prayer, right out of hand. It’s not for us….can’t do it. Satan has silenced this person and they never share or produce fruit.
The second person hears the Word of God and because they never have learned to live the Christian life, they never where disciple, the first time they are challenged or persecuted about there faith they wither and remain quite.
The Brazilian walnut tree is majestic in size and strength. But this beautiful tree has one enemy, the strangler fig. When a strangler fig seed lands on the walnut tree, its roots begin to descend to the ground. As it grows, the vines of the fig squeeze and choke the walnut tree. The fig’s grip on the tree becomes so great that the vine-encased tree slowly dies. Over time, all that is left are twisting vines in the form of a tree. The tree itself has long since disintegrated. Only a vine structure in the shape of a tree remains, while the inside is hollow and lifeless.
The third group can become like the Brazilian walnut tree, they hear the word and just like
someone hearing the message for the first time, receives the word and they want to respond, but their lives never allow them to produce fruit. Again this person want to follow but cannot, they are so wrapped up into their own lives they never produce fruit. Over time they have played church for so long, been involved with church programs…but long ago left the relationship with Christ and can not longer hear his voice. They hollow and lifeless and shell of there former self.
The last person hears the word of God and obeys, he listens and follows…they are ‘doers’ of the word. Their lives are patterned around the fruit they produce… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…
Lastly, the way other view and react to the word of God and we receive and act to the word of God go together, which brings me to the “Easter Challenge”, Jesus command us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." We are command to share the gospel, you will respond to this command in one of four ways…and we looked at each one this morning.
This Easter I want to challenge you to bring a someone else to church…That is the Easter Challenge…
I know some of you right now are thinking I don’t know how to share my faith; I want to help you…the best way to share your faith, starts with one word. That word is Hello, it’s that simple starting a conversation with someone is the first and most important step to sharing Christ. The second step is to share what Christ has done and what he is doing in your life, in other words, your testimony. Your personal story of how you met and how Christ changed your life, is the greatest way to share our faith.
-ps
Saturday, March 8, 2008
See to it….
Paul says in Hebrews 3:12, “See to it, brothers, that none of you has sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
See to it, brothers…I don’t think Paul opened this up as he did by accident. I think he has something in mind here that is very important. First he adds an ‘urgency’ “See to it”, don’t just sit there!, don’t take this lightly!, this is important!, listen up!...it there to get our attention, to get us to focus on the task that is about to be laid out. In the military they would call this a ‘preparatory command’…it might be simple as “Forward”…pause…”March”. Forward tells you to get ready to move, ‘March’ means move.
Next Paul, says “brothers”…together, you need to be together on this, you can’t do this alone, you need each other. Paul is telling these guys, you can’t accomplish what I am about to tell you alone. You are going to need each other. Why would Paul do this? Because Paul is dealing with sin! Sin is not to be taken lightly, even the smallest of sin needs to be addressed, because it leads to more sin…more sin leads to unbelieving heart, that has to turn away from God. God is perfect, he is Holy, he is sinless. Sin cannot be in the presence of a Holy and Righteous being. Thus, sin separates from a Holy God, when that happens our heart can become hardened towards God.
What would that look like in our lives? You compromise with a small sin, let’s say a lie. The phone rings and your wife answers the phone, it’s so-and-so. You don’t want to talk to them, for whatever reason…you say, “Tell them I’m not here”, so your wife lies for you. Now this might seem innocent enough, but you have lied and dragged your wife along with you. You get in the habit of doing this when some calls you don’t want to talk to…and the next thing you know it normal and acceptable to you…you have hardened your heart. So then it’s tax time and you decided the Federal government doesn’t need to know all you taxable income…next you tell your wife your at work, while your out to dinner with your buddies…sin grows, it slow, it hardens our hearts. Before you know it your making excuses to why you can’t attend church or your faith becomes a ‘religion’ and it’s not for me. My relationship is broken with God, and I am lost.
That is why we need to encourage each other, to hold each other accountable, to admonish each other…to keep us on the right path. Let’s face it, the world is against us. It wants us to sin and turn from God and will do anything to get us to be quite, or better yet denounce God with our mouths and life style. We are in a battle; we have to help each other along. So if you’re out there trying to live this faith alone, you will fail. You need to connect yourself with a body of believers and get encouraged. I want to encourage you to stay true to the calling God has place upon you. Remember you are a child of God, precious to him and of great value. Don’t cheapen or sell yourself short for something that doesn’t last.
-ps
See to it, brothers…I don’t think Paul opened this up as he did by accident. I think he has something in mind here that is very important. First he adds an ‘urgency’ “See to it”, don’t just sit there!, don’t take this lightly!, this is important!, listen up!...it there to get our attention, to get us to focus on the task that is about to be laid out. In the military they would call this a ‘preparatory command’…it might be simple as “Forward”…pause…”March”. Forward tells you to get ready to move, ‘March’ means move.
Next Paul, says “brothers”…together, you need to be together on this, you can’t do this alone, you need each other. Paul is telling these guys, you can’t accomplish what I am about to tell you alone. You are going to need each other. Why would Paul do this? Because Paul is dealing with sin! Sin is not to be taken lightly, even the smallest of sin needs to be addressed, because it leads to more sin…more sin leads to unbelieving heart, that has to turn away from God. God is perfect, he is Holy, he is sinless. Sin cannot be in the presence of a Holy and Righteous being. Thus, sin separates from a Holy God, when that happens our heart can become hardened towards God.
What would that look like in our lives? You compromise with a small sin, let’s say a lie. The phone rings and your wife answers the phone, it’s so-and-so. You don’t want to talk to them, for whatever reason…you say, “Tell them I’m not here”, so your wife lies for you. Now this might seem innocent enough, but you have lied and dragged your wife along with you. You get in the habit of doing this when some calls you don’t want to talk to…and the next thing you know it normal and acceptable to you…you have hardened your heart. So then it’s tax time and you decided the Federal government doesn’t need to know all you taxable income…next you tell your wife your at work, while your out to dinner with your buddies…sin grows, it slow, it hardens our hearts. Before you know it your making excuses to why you can’t attend church or your faith becomes a ‘religion’ and it’s not for me. My relationship is broken with God, and I am lost.
That is why we need to encourage each other, to hold each other accountable, to admonish each other…to keep us on the right path. Let’s face it, the world is against us. It wants us to sin and turn from God and will do anything to get us to be quite, or better yet denounce God with our mouths and life style. We are in a battle; we have to help each other along. So if you’re out there trying to live this faith alone, you will fail. You need to connect yourself with a body of believers and get encouraged. I want to encourage you to stay true to the calling God has place upon you. Remember you are a child of God, precious to him and of great value. Don’t cheapen or sell yourself short for something that doesn’t last.
-ps
Friday, March 7, 2008
I’m back from the fog….
I’m back, or I feel like a new person. What has changed, because it is literally overnight. For the last few years I have put on a few pounds and then I noticed I was losing all motivation. I moods started to swing, I found myself depressed easily. I walk around in a fog and I couldn’t get enough sleep. I would drive for twenty minutes in the morning and start nodding off, in traffic! After three-four hours at the church I would drive home and I would have to pull over and take a nap to complete the drive. I always thought about food, I couldn’t eat enough…which mean more weight and the symptoms got worse. I decided to go the doctor after my wife threatened to move me out of the bedroom because my snoring had become ‘legendary’ in level. I mean the poor women was sleeping with pillows on her head and was very ‘grumpy’ in the morning…which I sleep through and that added fuel to the problem.
Well the doctor looked at me, looked down my throat. She put her hand around my neck, moved my head around and said you’re a good candidate for ‘sleep apnea’ and beat that is the problem. Now I knew a little about sleep apnea, I have a few friends who have had this problem. But I never thought much about it. So I went in for a sleep study--that is I went to the hospital to go to bed. I got there they wired me up, attached things allover my head, put two little prongs on the entrance to my nose, attached a few wires to my back and chest…two on my legs and to me to sleep. The technician told me before he left the room, “if you have ‘sleep apnea’ we’ll know within a few hours. If that is the case and I think you you’re a good candidate, we’ll wake you up and try the C-PAP machine.” No problem, out I went…with in three hours he is waking me up, with a smile, “let’s try the C-PAP”. So he puts this mask on me that covers my nose and mouth, no problem. The machine starts to hum softly and a gust of air hits my nose pushes air into my throat. Now there is a problem, because when I breath, there is not suppose to be air in my throat, panic sets in for a moment, claustrophobia starts to also rise. I asked the tech, “how to I get out of this if I have to”…I needed to know where the eject button was. He showed me to quick release straps and I was ok. I settled down and just concentrated on breathing, one breath at a time. Next thing I know four hours had passed and I had to use the restroom, very badly! So the tech came in and what a process, I’ll leave at that. 3:30 A.M. and I’m awake, time to go! I asked the tech if I could see the computer monitors, so I could see the difference before and after the C-PAP machine. Because right at that moment, I was fully awake, I mean my brain was ‘buzzing’. The first three hours without the mask I woke up over eight times (brain wise), my oxygen level went below 64 and that is bad…so in turn my brain would wake me up. My heartbeat was above 90 or higher the entire time, and I never fully entered into REM sleep. After the mask, my oxygen levels stayed above 90, my heart went into the low 80’s, high 70’s and my brain went into REM sleep for a normal cycle. I went to Wal-Mart to buy breakfast stuff, because this morning I was cooking…the works. Biscuits and gravy, bacon, eggs…all timed perfectly to when everyone woke up. At the table the boys are looking at me like I’m on something. I’m buzzing, I’m alive…I mean I can think, I got energy, I’m moving! This went on all day, no nap…12 hours later I finally come down. Needless to say, it was the first real sleep I have had in years.
So they ordered me a machine and I picked it up the day before, so last night was my second night. Yesterday, I was up for 16 hours without a nap and my brain was in high gear…I mean it was buzzing. Poor Gay and Cammille at the church probably thought I was high. All of the sudden I had plans and thoughts and at hundred mile hours I went. I stayed at the church all day, until 6:30 P.M. working on things.
This morning I’m up at 5:30 and I wanted to blog and read and cook breakfast for the kids before school. So I think this is the beginning of something special, I feel totally different. So if your out there and you have any of the symptoms I talked about, go get checked…it could change your life.
-ps
Well the doctor looked at me, looked down my throat. She put her hand around my neck, moved my head around and said you’re a good candidate for ‘sleep apnea’ and beat that is the problem. Now I knew a little about sleep apnea, I have a few friends who have had this problem. But I never thought much about it. So I went in for a sleep study--that is I went to the hospital to go to bed. I got there they wired me up, attached things allover my head, put two little prongs on the entrance to my nose, attached a few wires to my back and chest…two on my legs and to me to sleep. The technician told me before he left the room, “if you have ‘sleep apnea’ we’ll know within a few hours. If that is the case and I think you you’re a good candidate, we’ll wake you up and try the C-PAP machine.” No problem, out I went…with in three hours he is waking me up, with a smile, “let’s try the C-PAP”. So he puts this mask on me that covers my nose and mouth, no problem. The machine starts to hum softly and a gust of air hits my nose pushes air into my throat. Now there is a problem, because when I breath, there is not suppose to be air in my throat, panic sets in for a moment, claustrophobia starts to also rise. I asked the tech, “how to I get out of this if I have to”…I needed to know where the eject button was. He showed me to quick release straps and I was ok. I settled down and just concentrated on breathing, one breath at a time. Next thing I know four hours had passed and I had to use the restroom, very badly! So the tech came in and what a process, I’ll leave at that. 3:30 A.M. and I’m awake, time to go! I asked the tech if I could see the computer monitors, so I could see the difference before and after the C-PAP machine. Because right at that moment, I was fully awake, I mean my brain was ‘buzzing’. The first three hours without the mask I woke up over eight times (brain wise), my oxygen level went below 64 and that is bad…so in turn my brain would wake me up. My heartbeat was above 90 or higher the entire time, and I never fully entered into REM sleep. After the mask, my oxygen levels stayed above 90, my heart went into the low 80’s, high 70’s and my brain went into REM sleep for a normal cycle. I went to Wal-Mart to buy breakfast stuff, because this morning I was cooking…the works. Biscuits and gravy, bacon, eggs…all timed perfectly to when everyone woke up. At the table the boys are looking at me like I’m on something. I’m buzzing, I’m alive…I mean I can think, I got energy, I’m moving! This went on all day, no nap…12 hours later I finally come down. Needless to say, it was the first real sleep I have had in years.
So they ordered me a machine and I picked it up the day before, so last night was my second night. Yesterday, I was up for 16 hours without a nap and my brain was in high gear…I mean it was buzzing. Poor Gay and Cammille at the church probably thought I was high. All of the sudden I had plans and thoughts and at hundred mile hours I went. I stayed at the church all day, until 6:30 P.M. working on things.
This morning I’m up at 5:30 and I wanted to blog and read and cook breakfast for the kids before school. So I think this is the beginning of something special, I feel totally different. So if your out there and you have any of the symptoms I talked about, go get checked…it could change your life.
-ps
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Sermon: House Divided
Last week talked about how Jesus took twelve common men and pulled them in close to himself. He trained them personally, he certified them to go share the good news. We learned Jesus brought them in close for the main purpose of knowing him….that Jesus was the beginning and end. From that position of having sat at the feet of Jesus, he would send them out to preach the ‘good news’.
After Jesus death and resurrection he told the disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The disciples had a model to work from, they where taught by the master himself. When the Holy Spirit came upon them they would teach with a new boldness and the gospel would spread over the entire earth, even to Rocklin CA, as we are proof this morning.
So we determined this was what the mission of the church was to equip and share the Good News, we gather and study to share with others, we have fellowship and read our Bibles…to share the Good News. It all starts with Jesus and it all ends with Jesus.
This week we are still in Mark 3:20-30 (Read)
Jesus is again in someone’s house and such large crowd has gathered that Jesus and the disciples are unable to eat. Jesus is so busy trying to meet the demands of the crowd he is seen as wearing out, so his family shows up and tries to take him home, thinking he has lost his mind.
The interesting point here to observe is how families, those closest to us will become some of our toughest opponents to the Christian life. I have always wondered about this, but think for just a minute….they know you. They know all about you and when you start living for Christ, they will be the first ones to point to you, your short comings. So how do you deal with it? You love them…you show them Christ. I think it’s important to remember Jesus’ own family ridiculed his beliefs…We are to respond with love when negatively attacked and remember over time they will accept you and your beliefs, so stay true to you faith.
Starting in verse 22, we get into the meat of this story. The scribes have come down from Jerusalem (Which sits high in the mountains) and the teachers of the law accused Jesus of being possessed by Satan himself. In other words the reason he could cast out demons, was because he was powered by the ‘chief’ demon. So to discredit him, in trying to deny him as messiah, they call him the ‘prince of demons’…in other words Jesus power was from Satan and not from God.
Remember the more effective you are in your Christian life, the more extreme will be the attacks of the enemy. Even the most ridiculous accusation will convince some when it's cleverly packaged to sound sincere and concerned. Stand firm for the truth, even when clever attacks come
Jesus carefully picks apart their augment, how Satan drive out Satan? How can a house divided stand? How can you rob a house with first tying up the strong the man?…then he say a few verses that have taking literally by many Christians.
Mar 3:28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Many people have been held captive by this verse by saying they have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. They feel their lives have been such a wreck, that God never forgive them. I don’t believe a Christian today can commit the ‘unpardonable sin’. I believe it was a time period sin, in that the Pharisees witness the power Jesus and refused to believe. Even when the Pharisee’s saw the work of the Holy Spirit, they still didn’t believe, thus sealing their fait.
So what can we take from this message…
First, those closest to you will test your faith. They are the ones who watched you grow and now cannot accept your beliefs. Remember to stand firm in your faith, to love them with the heart of Christ and over time they will learn to accept your new found faith.
Take encouragement from the fact that Mary came and tried to pull Jesus away, she knew who he was and still tried to inter fear. James, Jesus brother was most likely one of Jesus half-brothers and he would go on to lead the Jerusalem church, and become know as ‘old camel knees” because of the callous he built in prayer.
Secondly, the enemy doesn’t want you to share Christ. The enemy wants us to be quite. The enemy will say and do anything to keep us quite. We must be united in the message, we must be of one heart and mind in sharing the gospel with the world. Nothing else matters, not you, not me, only the gospel. The enemy wants to divide our house, to get us fighting and squabble over things that take our time and energy. Anything to distract us…to get us off target…We cannot allow this to happen. The Church is about the spreading of the gospel, to Know Christ and to make Christ known.
Thirdly, There isn’t a sin today that you cannot be forgiven from, I believe that. I believe Satan has used this verse to personally bring people down and keep them out of the picture. Satan will bind you in your own prison if you let him. The Bible says…
Col 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
Satan has no hold on you, you have been forgiven of all you sins if you have put your faith in Christ.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We will have victory in Christ, victory in our families, victory in our church and in the world. We just need to follow the example Jesus gave us.
I just want to encourage you this morning, this message has a theme running through it, it’s a house divided can not stand. Your family will try to divide us from Christ, Satan will try to divide us from Christ in Church, and lastly he will use our very own past sins to make us think we are ‘unforgivable’ or unworthy.
This morning I want you to know there is nothing that can divide us from the Love Christ.
Rom 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Pray
After Jesus death and resurrection he told the disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The disciples had a model to work from, they where taught by the master himself. When the Holy Spirit came upon them they would teach with a new boldness and the gospel would spread over the entire earth, even to Rocklin CA, as we are proof this morning.
So we determined this was what the mission of the church was to equip and share the Good News, we gather and study to share with others, we have fellowship and read our Bibles…to share the Good News. It all starts with Jesus and it all ends with Jesus.
This week we are still in Mark 3:20-30 (Read)
Jesus is again in someone’s house and such large crowd has gathered that Jesus and the disciples are unable to eat. Jesus is so busy trying to meet the demands of the crowd he is seen as wearing out, so his family shows up and tries to take him home, thinking he has lost his mind.
The interesting point here to observe is how families, those closest to us will become some of our toughest opponents to the Christian life. I have always wondered about this, but think for just a minute….they know you. They know all about you and when you start living for Christ, they will be the first ones to point to you, your short comings. So how do you deal with it? You love them…you show them Christ. I think it’s important to remember Jesus’ own family ridiculed his beliefs…We are to respond with love when negatively attacked and remember over time they will accept you and your beliefs, so stay true to you faith.
Starting in verse 22, we get into the meat of this story. The scribes have come down from Jerusalem (Which sits high in the mountains) and the teachers of the law accused Jesus of being possessed by Satan himself. In other words the reason he could cast out demons, was because he was powered by the ‘chief’ demon. So to discredit him, in trying to deny him as messiah, they call him the ‘prince of demons’…in other words Jesus power was from Satan and not from God.
Remember the more effective you are in your Christian life, the more extreme will be the attacks of the enemy. Even the most ridiculous accusation will convince some when it's cleverly packaged to sound sincere and concerned. Stand firm for the truth, even when clever attacks come
Jesus carefully picks apart their augment, how Satan drive out Satan? How can a house divided stand? How can you rob a house with first tying up the strong the man?…then he say a few verses that have taking literally by many Christians.
Mar 3:28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Many people have been held captive by this verse by saying they have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. They feel their lives have been such a wreck, that God never forgive them. I don’t believe a Christian today can commit the ‘unpardonable sin’. I believe it was a time period sin, in that the Pharisees witness the power Jesus and refused to believe. Even when the Pharisee’s saw the work of the Holy Spirit, they still didn’t believe, thus sealing their fait.
So what can we take from this message…
First, those closest to you will test your faith. They are the ones who watched you grow and now cannot accept your beliefs. Remember to stand firm in your faith, to love them with the heart of Christ and over time they will learn to accept your new found faith.
Take encouragement from the fact that Mary came and tried to pull Jesus away, she knew who he was and still tried to inter fear. James, Jesus brother was most likely one of Jesus half-brothers and he would go on to lead the Jerusalem church, and become know as ‘old camel knees” because of the callous he built in prayer.
Secondly, the enemy doesn’t want you to share Christ. The enemy wants us to be quite. The enemy will say and do anything to keep us quite. We must be united in the message, we must be of one heart and mind in sharing the gospel with the world. Nothing else matters, not you, not me, only the gospel. The enemy wants to divide our house, to get us fighting and squabble over things that take our time and energy. Anything to distract us…to get us off target…We cannot allow this to happen. The Church is about the spreading of the gospel, to Know Christ and to make Christ known.
Thirdly, There isn’t a sin today that you cannot be forgiven from, I believe that. I believe Satan has used this verse to personally bring people down and keep them out of the picture. Satan will bind you in your own prison if you let him. The Bible says…
Col 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
Satan has no hold on you, you have been forgiven of all you sins if you have put your faith in Christ.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We will have victory in Christ, victory in our families, victory in our church and in the world. We just need to follow the example Jesus gave us.
I just want to encourage you this morning, this message has a theme running through it, it’s a house divided can not stand. Your family will try to divide us from Christ, Satan will try to divide us from Christ in Church, and lastly he will use our very own past sins to make us think we are ‘unforgivable’ or unworthy.
This morning I want you to know there is nothing that can divide us from the Love Christ.
Rom 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Pray
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