Who is He?

"Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—He is the King of glory

The psalmist had to answer this question at the end of Psalm 24. This after explaining how God is sovereign over all things, nothing exist without God. He created everything; everything was made by Him and through Him. So if God is who he says He is, where do you stand? Let's think about this for just a moment, what you believe about who God is will greatly impact your life. Because if you believe God is sovereign over all things, then it would be logical to submit to His will and not our own. But here is the rub, many of us say we believe but our live in no way reflect that belief.

I hear a lot about changing culture around us. I think about same sex marriage, abortion, materialism, individualism, and host of other "isms". How are we to change the growing tide of culture that is so set against Biblical truth? I think it starts with what you believe about God himself. Many of us in the Christian faith have abandoned the timeless practice of reading scripture on a regular basis, we have abandoned prayer and we have abandoned discipleship. As a pastor I see the results of this negligent in the everyday life of the church. It is becoming harder and harder to find people who are committed to the basic principles of our faith. With this said I do feel and incredible burden to teach people the truth and it starts with me setting the example. I firmly believe this and have to work harder at the basics. I struggle too with reading daily, praying daily.

Today I was convicted preaching a message for VBS (Vacation Bible School). It was a message provided by "Lifeway", the publisher who provides the material. The message was simply "Living God's Unshakeable Truth". I realized while preaching, I have been slacking. So tonight I spent the better part of three hours just reading the Bible. I have to tell you it stirred me, the scripture is so important to our lives and yet it seems we are so quick to move to other distractions. In the world around us there are hundreds of things to keep us busy. I can't help but to think of C.S. Lewis' book "The Screwtape Letters". In it you have a young demon writing his uncle Wormwood for advice about the man he has been assigned. In it the uncle tells the young apprentice to keep the man 'distracted', getting him playing cards, anything but learning more about the God he had surrendered to. I can almost hear the laughter from below as we hurry our busy lives to the beat of distraction.

So what is the point of this entry? I suppose it's simple, stop and take time to reacquaint yourself with "The Lord Almighty—the King of glory". Take a moment to give Him thanks for all he has done in your life.

-ps

Sermon: Jesus is Watching Mark 6:45-52

Three boys are at school bragging of how great their fathers are. The first one says, "Well, my father runs the fastest. He can fire an arrow, and start to run. I tell you, he gets there before the arrow." The second one says, "Ha! You think that's fast! My father is a hunter. He can shoot his gun and be there before the bullet." The third one listens to the other two and shakes his head. He then says, "You two know nothing about fast. My father works for the city. He stops working at 4:30 and he is home by 3:45!

This morning we are looking are still in the Gospel of Mark and we are going to look at Jesus and the disciples. Mark 6:45-52 this is a rich passage. Jesus tells the disciples to go to the other side of the lake. He turns and dismisses the crowd himself. He then goes up the mountainside overlooking the lake and prays. Looking down he is watching the disciples, they are struggling. The wind has come up which was common on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus prays and watches until the fourth watch which would have been between 3AM and 6AM. He then walks out to them. They disciples struggling to row the boat, they are battling the wind, see Jesus walking on the water and they are terrified.

They Jesus walking on the water and they think he is a ghost, they cried out and Jesus has to speak to them to calm them. “Take courage! He yells, It is I. Don’t be afraid.” He then climbs into the boat and the winds die down and the disciples can’t believe their eyes. They are completely amazed at what Jesus has done. Yet they still didn’t understand. Four things we want to take from this the first being.

Jesus on the Mountainside

I love the imagery here, you can see Jesus talking to the disciple and then turning dismissing the crowd. He goes up on the mountain side and prays all the while he is watching the disciples. He sees them struggling and he prays. It give meaning to Romans 8:34 (NIV) “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

Two things I take from this. Jesus took the time to pray, prayer was important to him. He’s had a long day, he just feed over five thousand people, he must have been tired, but prayer was necessary for him. We need to develop the same attitude. When you have a long day what is it you do to ‘unwind’? Do you come home sit on the couch with the remote and maybe a beverage you like? I beat though it’s not go and pray. Think of the difference in your life if you spent some of your time praying for the day. Jesus was watching the disciples and praying for them I’m sure. We need to watch over our families and pray from them also. What a great Fathers Day idea. We need to pray for our children, our spouses, our homes, our finances, our lives.

Jesus on the Water

Jesus decides to go out to the disciples, so he walks out to them. Jesus is walking on the water and as he approaches the boat scripture says “He was about to pass by them”. I really struggled with this part of the verse, why it was in there. He sees them struggling and it looks as if he is going to walk right past them. There are two thoughts here. First it is written from the perspective of the disciples. From the disciples view it looked as if Jesus was going to pass them by. How many times does it feel like in the middle of our struggles, Jesus is passing us by? The second thought is he was ‘making himself visible’ to the disciples. He was encouraging them.

In the Old Testament, God told Moses in Exodus 33:19 “the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence” Moses drew strength from the presence of the Lord. Jesus may have been trying to do the same thing. He wanted to encourage them in the mist of their trouble. But notice he doesn’t stop the struggle.

Jesus during the Struggle

Jesus watches them and tries to encourage them, but doesn’t remove the struggle. It is only when the disciples panic thinking he is a ghost, does he step in. Tanner Bixler was recently in the Sacramento Bee telling about his climb up to the top of Mount Everest, the highest point on earth. Mount Everest stands at 29,035 feet high. He spent months in training for the climb. Running stairs with a backpack loaded with books. At the foot of the mountain he spent two months practicing the climb, before the actual one. When he got to the high camp right before the summit attempt he was exhausted. He had seven hours to rest in the death zone before they would move. He went to his tent and started to eat and drink water although he had no appetite. He began the final climb in the dark using headlamps. Bixler’s oxygen apparatus froze up, slowing him down and making him even colder. The wind picked up and his face mask iced up to the point he could hardly see. When he blinked his eyelids would freeze shut. His toes, fingers nose and ears where totally numb. One of the experienced guides fixed his oxygen and gave him a new hat. He had frost bite on his ears and face. At 7:30 a.m. May 24, Bixler reached the top. He stayed for ten minutes and had his picture taken.

I see this story and think about the guide, just when he felt he couldn’t go on the guide did just enough to get him over the top. He fixed his oxygen and gave him a new hat. I think in life Jesus does the same thing for us. He does take away the struggle but he does just enough to get us to the top. I think we need to struggle, we need the challenge. What would be the value of life if everything came easy? Our faith is no different, Christianity is easy, and living your faith isn’t easy. It’s not meant to be, but you can’t give up. You can never grow to maturity if you don’t work at it. That is why Paul use the pictures of farmers, athletes and military men to
describe the faith. It takes hard work; it’s going to be full of disappointments, but Jesus comes along side us and spurs us on to greater things. For the disciples Jesus got in the boat and calmed the storm, because they couldn’t fully understand who he was. This despite all they had experienced, all they have seen.

Jesus is watching us

What a wonderful picture this morning for Father’s Day. He gives us all a perfect model to follow. We need to watch over our families, pray for them and encourage them. We might even get in the boat with them if needed. Jesus did all of this and more. He continues to this day. From Heaven Jesus watches his children struggling and he comes along side us and encourages us. He prays for us and at times he gets in the boat. But the one thing is we are never alone. He never leaves us alone in our troubles. It might seem like we are alone, it might seem as if he has ‘passed us by’ but he doesn’t. What we need to fear is getting to the point where our heart become hardened and we can’t understand. The bible close this portion with “They were completely amazed, (52) for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.”

If we don’t believe, if we don’t think Jesus can do all things. If we believe he has left us behind, we can also harden our hearts. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus and believe he can and is with us all the way because he is.

Fathers this morning I want to encourage you to watch over your family, to pray for them. Families do the same for your Dad, encourage him also and pray from him.

Rough Week

This has been one of those weeks. We have had a shakeup in our church and it's been difficult. We had a family leave the church and I hope them the best. I also had to make changes in our music, which was also very difficult. So what have I learned?

I learned I have a great church that has come along side me and has been a tremendous support. This despite my rookie mistakes, and many changes I have brought to them. I learned you can't put people in positions and trust things will just work out. You can get so desperate in a small church and you want things to work out so badly, you will over look short comings to keep the peace. Doesn't work….

I think my biggest disappointment was in people. I really tried to connect and I failed. I realized there are going to people whom I will not be able to connect to, for whatever reason. It's very much like entering a relationship, some of them work others don't. With that said I do think churches are battling our culture. We are up against the "McChurch" philosophy that makes the person a customer instead of a servant. It become all about them and not about God. It's about what they receive and not what they give. For that I don't think there is a quick solution. The older generation doesn't sing to the same tune, they will stick it out with you. They may disagree, but they don't leave you hanging. So to all you seasoned citizens out there supporting your church I say thank you.

Imagine church being like a family. You have the crazy uncle, all kinds of views. Some you like some you don't, but it's your family. You don't leave them, your there for them, you accept them for who they are. You love them because they are your tribe, your people. The problem is people are short sighted; they live in the right now. In reality right now is the short time, eternity is the future. So if you couldn't take me for a little while, you get me forever, eventually.

-ps

Sermon: God Provides Mark 6:30-45

Trust is important. What is a relationship if it doesn’t involve trust? I read this passage this morning and I can’t help but to see an object lesson in trust. Jesus understands the importance of the disciples trusting in Him, with their time with everything. Let’s think about this for a moment, we say we believe in God, we say we trust him. But in really we are always praying with a backup plan or we only trust him as far as my wallet.
Trust has to be built up, trust must be invested. Trust has to be tested in order for trust to grow. We built trust like a savings account, over a long period of time we build our trust accounts with someone and any time we are let down we withdraw from that account. There is no difference with Jesus; He wants us to trust him. But to do that you have to invest, you have to actively trust him.

This morning passage is in Mark 6:30-45…

Jesus sent out the disciples, they return to Jesus and start to tell them about what had happened to them. But the crowd of people started to gather and it was impossible to eat, let alone share what had happened. So Jesus suggests they get into the boat and look for some where quiet. But the crowd still follows from the shore; in fact it starts to grow.
Jesus see’s the crowd for what it is, sheep without a shepherd and he has compassion on them. He begins sharing with them, teaching them and it starts getting late in the day. So the disciples start trying to convince Jesus to send the people away, telling him it’s too remote here, send them away so they can get some food, it’s getting late.

I love the disciples! Isn’t that how we are still today? You could have Christ standing right in front of us and someone will say “I hope he doesn’t preach past noon…I’m no different, it’s in all of us. But this is what the disciples do; they try and get Jesus to send the people away by mentioning they need to eat.

Jesus being who he is naturally sees and opportunity to teach the disciples and tells them to feed the people. Now this next part is so us v.37, the accountant of the group says it would take eight months wages to feed this crowd, are you suggesting we go and buy the food?

Jesus sizing the opportunity says how much food do you have? They come up with five loaves and two fish. The crowd in front of them numbers well over five thousand, because they only counted the men. So image for a moment the disciples where thinking when Jesus tells them to have everyone sit down. Jesus looks to heaven and gives thanks and feed the crowd, and afterwards there is twelve baskets full of bread and fish. Everyone ate to they were satisfied.

Trusting Jesus with our Time

The first point I take from this story is trusting Jesus with our time. The disciples returned and are excited to tell their stories. But Jesus slows them down, tells them to, “"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Jesus was interested in their stories, but he understood the importance of getting away and resting. How many of us run at break neck speed and never rest. Yet here is Jesus saying here let us get away.
When we think about time away most of us think vacation time, but what about every day time, weekly getting some time with Jesus. Jesus wanted to spend time with the disciples and hear their stories away from the crowd; he wants this from us even today. When was the last time you went away somewhere quiet and just prayed, just too spent time with God. The crowd was there, it was always there for Jesus, but here we see Jesus purposely trying to get away for some ‘quiet time”, just him and the disciples.

Compassion on the Crowd

But the crowd followed them and Jesus was moved by compassion. Jesus saw the need of the crowd and was moved to help. He took the time to teach the crowd, to meet their pressing need. He also took the opportunity to teach the disciples. The disciples where the ones who suggested to send the crowd away so they could get something to eat. Jesus just took what they had suggested and turned it into an opportunity to teach the disciples about trusting God to provide.

Jesus tells them to feed the crowd, which was impossible. Jesus takes what they have and feeds everyone and provides enough for the next day. Jesus takes what is equal to a dinner roll and two small dried fish and feeds over five thousand people. Jesus can take what little we have and do so much more. One area I think about is our finances.

I was reading a few days ago how only five percent of Americans give 10% of their income to their church or charity. Looking at the economy I’m sure that number will only shrink more.
I haven’t preached many sermons about money; I have never been comfortable with the idea. But I do believe it is a trust issue. If we say we trust Jesus with our lives, our children, our jobs, we need trust him with our money, which is hard for us. I have had to learn this by trusting Jesus myself.

Years ago I began tithing my money, giving 10% to my church right off the top. Sharon and I decided we were going to trust Jesus with everything. Through the years there has been times when it was very difficult, but through time we have learned to trust and God has never let us down.

Many of you know the story of how I got here, but some of you don’t. In January 2006 I was in the Air Force, pastoring a small church in Yuba City and going to school. I knew something had to give and I felt God calling me out of the Air Force. I went to my commander and said it was time for me to retire. So there I was, wife and three kids, nowhere to live, no job, no plan…I only knew God was calling me. As my retirement date approached, I got job offers from several defense contractors who wanted to pay me very well.

But I turned them down, because I felt called to ministry and I knew God would take care of us. On my retirement day, I still didn’t have anything lined up and people thought I was crazy. After my ceremony Pastor Neely was in attendance and he approached me and told me he had a possible ‘job’ opportunity if I was interested. A week later he told me how he wanted to have me work with him for a year and then take over as pastor of this church. Sharon and me sat down and figured out exactly how much money we needed to make it, no frills, just make it. We came up with the figure of $2000 dollars a month and I met with Pastor Neely the next morning. He had no idea of the figure Sharon and I had come up with and Pastor Neely didn’t waste time saying the church could offer $2000 a month. The rest is history, Sharon and I were able to buy a house and work here.

I believe God has blessed us and continues to bless us over and over again because we have trusted him. He is able to take what we give and do so much more with it and at the same time meet all of our needs and more.

So this morning...

When Jesus was alive no one believed him, when he said he was the Son of God. He was rejected by all and even the disciples had trouble believing. Yet Jesus took the opportunities to prove who he was. He looked at the crowd and had compassion, he took what little they had and turned it into a feast with baskets left over. He proved over and over again he could provide.

You find yourself looking at your check book, trying to figure out how you’re going to fill your tank with gas, buy food and pay the bills. You’re so busy and there never seems to be enough time and everyone is demanding more from you. Jesus see’s you and has compassion, he want to help you. But it starts by trusting him. Trusting him with the impossible, trusting he can take a little and turning it into something only he could do.

But trust has to be tested; trust has to be built up. This morning I’m asking to too trust Christ. If you don’t have a quiet time with, make it a priority. Find a time where you can spend time with God. Go for a walk, get up 15 minutes earlier, lock yourself closet…do what it takes and see what God can do. If you never have tithed before, start today. Trust God to provide for you when it seems impossible. Trust God to provide, trust God to meet your needs, trust him this morning.

Sermon: Who is Jesus? Mark 6:14-29

Who is Jesus Mark 6:14-29

Most people dislike having their sins pointed out, especially in public. Herod Antipas was a man experiencing both guilt and shame. Herod's ruthless ambition was public knowledge, as was his illegal marriage to his brother's wife, Herodias.

One man made Herod's sin a public issue. That man was John the Baptist. John had been preaching in the wilderness, and thousands flocked to hear him. It was no secret that John had rebuked Herod for his adulterous marriage. Herodias (Herod's wife) was particularly anxious to have John silenced. As a solution, Herod had imprisoned John.

Herod liked John. John was probably one of the few people he met who spoke only the truth to him. But the truth about his sin was a bitter pill to swallow, and Herod wavered at the point of conflict: He couldn't afford to have John constantly reminding the people of their leader's sinfulness, but he was afraid to have John killed. He put off the choice. Eventually Herodias forced his hand, and John was executed. Of course, this only served to increase Herod's guilt.

This portion of scripture (Mark 6:16-29) is the story of how Herodias had forced the hand of her husband. She had used her daughter to entice the king into a promise he couldn't back out of. She had asked for the head of John the Baptist. Something the king didn't want to do, but fulfilled her request to keep his word. In doing so he fulfilled John's mission, who was sent for one purpose. His job was to prepare the way for the coming messiah, to get people ready for Jesus.

A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3 NIV)

John was that voice and now he was silent. Jesus was here and Herod had heard of him. Maybe it was the guilt of killing John, but Herod had an opinion about who Jesus was.

King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago." But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!" (Mark 6:14-16 NIV)

Everyone even in Jesus' day had to answer one fundamental question and that question is one we still are trying to answer to this day. The question is

"Who is Jesus"?
We opened the service with a video, showing the many different views people have of Jesus. Even in today's world it seems people are just as confused as they were when Jesus was walking the earth.

So how do we answer this question, what does the scripture say about Jesus? In the gospel of John it says this…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3 NIV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14 NIV)

Paul says this of Jesus in Colossians
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16 NIV)

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, (Colossians 2:9 NIV)

Jesus is God in flesh that came for the sole purpose of reconciling himself with all mankind through the shedding of his blood on the cross. He humbled himself and took on human flesh…Jesus

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV)

We are separated from God because of sin. The Bible says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 NIV)
and it says "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NIV)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NIV)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (John 3:16-18 NIV)

You see scripture is very clear to who Jesus is and why he came. There is no other way to read it. But we all have to make a decision.

Herod wrestled with the question, people all over the world have to wrestle this question, but we all have to make a decision. With Christ there is no middle ground, he forces you to make a decision, and you will either accept or reject him.

So where does this put you?

Herod thought Jesus was John the Baptist returned from the dead. People throughout the ages have all had different opinions about who Jesus was. Today he is still widely talked about. He still commands attention. Even though he

lived over two thousand years ago, he is still the subject of documentaries, books and movies. Billions have put their faith in Him and still billions have rejected him. But we all have to decide.

On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed just after taking off from the Detroit airport, killing 155 people. One survived: a four-year-old from Tempe, Arizona, named Cecelia.

News accounts say when rescuers found Cecelia they did not believe she had been on the plane. Investigators first assumed Cecelia had been a passenger in one of the cars on the highway onto which the airliner crashed. But when the passenger register for the flight was checked, there was Cecelia's name.

Cecelia survived because, even as the plane was falling, Cecelia's mother, Paula Chican, unbuckled her own seat belt, got down on her knees in front of her daughter, wrapped her arms and body around Cecelia, and then would not let her go.

Nothing could separate that child from her parent's love—neither tragedy nor disaster, neither the fall nor the flames that followed, neither height nor depth, neither life nor death.

Such is the love of our Savior for us. He left heaven, lowered himself to us, and covered us with the sacrifice of his own body to save us.

So this morning you have been presented with a question one that you will have to answer. It is the question we opened our services with; it is the question Herod wrestled with. It is a question you will have to answer yourself, but there is no way around it, you will answer this question. So how do you answer the question of 'Who is Jesus"?

Prayer…