Sermon nuggets Mon Feb 8
Theme Facing Tragedy
Verses 1 Kings 17:17-24
Facing Tragedy
Farmers in southern Alabama in a certain area were accustomed to planting one crop every year-cotton. They would plow as much ground as they could and plant their crop. Then one year the dreaded boil weevil devastated the whole area. The next year the farmers mortgaged their holdings and planted cotton again. But as the cotton began to grow the insect returned and destroyed the crop, wiping out most of the farms.
The few who survived those two years of the boil weevil decided to experiment. They planted something the following season they’d never planted before-peanuts. The peanuts proved hardy and the market proved so strong for that product that the farmers who survived the first years reaped profits that third year that enabled them to pay off all their debts. They planted peanuts from then on and prospered greatly.
Do you know what they did? They spent some of their new wealth to erect in the town square a monument to the boil weevil. If it hadn’t been for that insect they would never have discover peanuts. They learned that even out of disaster there can be good things happening.
I dare say that there is hardly a home or a family in which some type of difficulties and tragedies occur. For many it becomes the means of growth and development in ways they could not begin to understand any other way. For others it becomes an experience from which they never recover.
I am hesitant to talk about facing tragedies or hard times because each person and family does so differently. We have different personalities, experiences, and faith levels. There is no right feeling or uniform paths that all should experience. There is one thing such as the tragedy of Haiti that affects the whole country or 100,000s of people. There is another thing when there is a death in the family of a loved one, a child or a spouse. It is one thing, like Job in the Bible, who loses everything in one day-all his possessions as well as his whole family and finally his health. It is another thing when someone loses his or her employment. Both are real, but the multitude of problems can surround a person beyond belief and be overwhelming.
A professor at Asbury Seminary conveyed the story of a country preacher who stood up in a testimony meeting and said, “Christ might near ruined me.” It shocked the people. He had listened to all the glowing reports of things that God did for them and explained sickness in his home, lost crops, financial worries and didn’t think they were any better or worse Christians. How is it when some feel like their prayers are never answered?
The Bible talks about peace with God, but it also addressed suffering.
In our series on Elijah we saw how he stood up to King Ahab, believing in a God who is alive and sovereign. He believed God was in charge not the King of a government, nor other men. He committed himself to obedience as a servant of God. He believed in God’s word and promises and would pray to that end.
Last week we discussed Gods provisions as Elijah learned to trust by taking the step of obedience into the wilderness to be fed by raven and the brook. He was further tested. The brook died up. Circumstances became difficult in the wilderness. God lead him to a widow woman and her son several miles away out of the country. She experienced the power of God when she sacrificed what little she had and gave it to Elijah. She found God provided enough flour and oil each day for their needs.
The Lord isn’t in the business of making us rich and glamorous, nor famous and problem free. The Lord is in the business of making us into the image of his dear Son and wants us to experience all that we need to grow into loving and trusting Him better even through calamities. He is preparing us for heaven.
This week we will look at reactions in tragedies that might allow some self evaluation.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 9
Verses- I King 17:17-18 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.
She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"
Emotional Responses
There is no time when feels run so deeply as in times of tragedy. There are feelings that may not be the same to all involved. Certainly emotions differ depending on the incident, people involved, relationships, and history for starters.
I don’t think there is anything as traumatic as a terminal illness of a young child. Compound the crises with the mother who already experienced the death of her husband. She is a widow. She is living in a land going through a draught. She obviously doesn’t have any resources as the four and oil are only enough each day for one day’s food.
One of the frustrations in that society is a woman had little if any rights. She was vulnerable. Work options were extremely limited. It is hard to find a job to provide for herself and her son.
There are no mention of nearby relatives. Aloneness seems to be overwhelming. The one she loves most in the world, her reason for living is her son who needs her and now he is taken from her. She saw him getting worse and the first feeling is hopelessness. This despairing experience that there is nothing one can do, or everything one tries doesn’t work.
When tragedy hits victims feel helpless. They are often in shock. It is hard to comprehend what is happening and confusion as to what they should do. Emotions and psychological turmoil is seeking to bring some balance, but one cannot make emotional sense out of what is happening.
In the past I have had the experience of being with parents of very seriously ill children. That is among the hardest things I have had to do. In the Children’s hospital to watch a younger in pain and not do anything is stressful. You want to do something but there is nothing anyone can do.
I remember when my son was running around and getting into things I wished he would be quieter and sedate, but after my trip to Children’s Hospital I thank the Lord with all my heart that he was healthy and can run around and cause havoc compared to the high fevered moaning of little ones.
Grief is the normal response to death or loss. Elizabeth Kuber Ross studied grief and noted some similarities depending upon the relationship and circumstances around a death. Initially there is often shock. Sometime people feel like they are going crazy because they are flooded with all kinds of thoughts. Your system is numbed and sometimes sick. Many have a lot of nervous energy. Denial of reality is the mind’s way to process it slowly. Maybe this is just a bad dream or one goes over and over in their mind how things could be different. The big “if” is asked, “If only I had done this, or didn’t do that”
In our relationship with people there are always things that we do wrong and they do wrong. Common thoughts are “What did I do to deserve this? Why Me?”
As a chaplain I learned that when many people are really mad at God they take it out on one who is suppose to represent him like clergy, or Christian friend or the church.
The sense of overwhelming despair is having what little hope the woman had taken away from her. Perhaps you’ve known folks who have struggle with a tragedy in their lives. Even people of faith can feel devastated and bitter. That anger turns toward God or those who represent him. The widow let’s Elijah have it with her anger. It is not his fault. What does he have against her?
Out of their confusion and anger man feel bitterness toward God. They can no longer worship a God who has the power to change the event, but God doesn’t Or they are disillusioned into thinking that there must not be a God who would keep his grace and mercy from situations such as these. I’ve seen pastors and church leaders who have held responsible and significant Christian position, today defeated spiritually and quit. They have rejected the Lord.
Anger can do that. Self pity can do that. In grief it is not at all unusual or people to reject and distance themselves from folks who are near. It is not uncommon for grief people to lash out as if they need to pace blame on someone. One of the reason doctors often have malpractice suits against them is the grief and anger to those unable to keep their loved one from dying.
When folks react to the situation, especially in the early responses, listen and love. Time is a great healer of emotions when people can feel free to talk it out. Do not try to correct their theology or preach at them, but help them by your prayers, presence and love.
More to be said in the next days.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Wed Feb 10
Verse- 1 Kings 17:18 She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"
Guilt Responses
In addition to emotional responses that are typical with grief, the widow expressed something also common-her guilty feelings. Many will replay in their minds following a death of a loved one, “I should not have said this” “I should have been a better mother (father, wife, husband)” “Maybe things would have been different if only I….”
Unresolved guilt can turn into depression, as well as inward anger. We get a glimpse of this type of response from the widow when she blasts Elijah.
When tragedies hit home people ask, “Why?” “What did I do to deserve this? “ Is there some sin in my life that caused this to happen?” We like to see cause and effect of things even if it is beyond our understanding.
The widow immediately thought of her sin when her son died. It is as if God is punishing her for something she did in the past “Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” There is no detail of actually what happened in the past. It might have been her heathen Baal worship, since the whole county is being punished for it. Maybe it concerned her husband. Possibly since it was directly relate to her son. Maybe the son was illegitimate, Maybe not her husband’s? Maybe had a son after her husband died. We just don’t know, but she knows and immediately that is what comes to her mind.
Either way this shows that there is a hidden sin that she did not deal with. It is unconfessed and needs to be handled with the Lord. There are times when you are under the conviction of the Spirit that someone’s word may raise it into your conscience. Or a song, or a sight of something or someone else and anguish, guilt, fear, suspicion all can be part of this hidden and unconfessed sin.
When crisis comes people do re-evaluation of their lives. Sometimes it is a means of re-prioritizing one’s commitments. Sometimes it prompts change in behavior or even accepting Christ to be one’s savior. Sometimes we take our weaknesses and sins and want to make things right before we died. Sometimes we hang on to things in the past that we cannot let go of because we can forgive others but cannot forgive ourselves. Satan is a master at making us feel unforgiven.
Loved ones, for God sake take care of it. Confess it and repent of it. Don’t carry around that burden. I Jn 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Unresolved guilt can get in the way of spiritual growth or can affecting your relationship at home or with others. Get rid of it and be free from that bondage. Confess it to the Lord and anyone else that needs to know. Ask forgiveness of others and clean your conscience.
If you bring your sin to Christ then God has forgiven you. There is no need to keep reminding yourself of it. And pity the other Christian who throws that up in their face of the offered often. As far as the East is form the West that is what the Bible says. God wipes it from his mind completely, buries it in the deepest sea. That is the reason Christ died. His blood cleanses you from all unrighteousness. Not some, not part, not only a few, but all unrighteousness and God picked murders adulterers and liars, and cheaters, and prostitutes and swindlers to prove it. As they all became his follows and served him in joy.
Claim the promise of Heb 10:17 “There sins and lawless acts I will remember no more” and for the racer in the faith He instructed in 12:1 “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders , and the sins that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
False guilt is carrying that feeling that we have been responsible for something when we haven’t at all. Some feel guilty that they are alive after a tragedy while others have died. They should have died in their minds because others are “better than me.” False guilt is guilt that individuals place on themselves for their regrets, failures to live up to the expectations of themselves or others. Talking about your past may be a good way to begin the healing process and to realize that you are not at fault.
We say we cannot change the past, but God can. We might not change the circumstances but God takes our past sins, real or imagined and by the works of Jesus takes our burdens upon himself and removes them from us. Do what you can do and leave the rest up to a merciful God who is full of compassion and ready to forgive. Even if the person we have offended has died I found it helpful to give that to the Lord who works even in our unseen world.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 11 – Practical Responses
Verses- 1 Kings 17: 19 "Give me your son," Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.
20 Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?"
21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"
Practical Responses
If we concentrate on the responses of Elijah we see some practice things he did regardless of the outcome. In v1 9 we see he listened to her grief and anger and rather than respond to it in defense he centered on the need most pressing. “Give me your son.” He went upstairs. He didn’t take it personally thinking “Well if that I the way she is going to speak and think about me then it is probably a results of her attitudes that her son died anyway.”
Elijah was concentrated on the situation more than his own need to defend himself. One of the things I learned as a chaplain is to be listening and seeking to understand the other person more than trying to think of how I am going to respond or how I feel. I ask myself, “Are you doing this more for them or for you?”
Elijah listened to her situation and her anger. He didn’t try to correct her thoughts of God or himself or her sin at that point. He didn’t’ hold a grudge. He didn’t stop speaking to her. He didn’t let his own feelings get in the way of what was really important to her and to him.
People are sensitive. I am sensitive. I don’t like to be spoken ill of any more than anyone else. Yet, I’ve been in people’s hospital rooms and in situations where they called me names. When it first happened I left the room and felt sorry for myself and anger toward my verbal attacker. I wanted to be a help and instead seemed to be the opposite in their need. I felt like a failure.
In our class the supervisor talked about projection and abuse directed toward God, or past reactions that people have had with ministers. The next time it happened I chose to reflect over their feeling and said, “It sounds like you had some back experiences with pastors” and that was all it took in that incident for them to unload the grudge they held. Sometimes staying to listen didn’t help and I had to ask myself again, “Whose needs am I trying to meet?”
Elijah shows that one’s feelings aren’t nearly as important as the well being of the child and mother’s.
Obviously the most important need at that moment was the emergency of seeing if something could be done with the boy. Was there anyway to help save his life? Was he really dead? Now Elijah could have thought of the Jewish law not to become unclean by touching a corpse. Lev 21 talks about that. It is defilement. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath so did Elijah recognize the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law and did Gods’ will. From unclean ravens to unclean Gentile widow and to touch an unclean body was part of his ministry call. The Lord sometimes brings us into situations that we might be uncomfortable. It may be easier not to get involved than to work in messy situations. Our world is messy. There are people without Christ. We may have contact with people that have bad reputations. People might talk negatively about us. What can be done to show compassion and help in their situation? What practical things need to be done?
For some it may be food, clothes, money, water, or transportation. The practical thing in this situation was health and healing. As Elijah sorted out the priorities of the situation the boy needed immediate attention. That is what the mother would have wanted also. He I willing to save a life.
So what is the next thing he does? He shares his doubts. I am glad that Elijah was a man like we were. He didn’t understand the situation either. Here was the widow woman kind enough to let him stay there and God had blessed him and her son with the gift of daily food. Just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean you are exempt from problems death or tragedies or questions. Even as a minister on is open enough to lay open his doubts and questions. Elijah didn’t know the answer either in vs 20. It didn’t make sense to him either.
Jesus was at the synagogue and the disciples came to him and inquired about this man who had been born blind. ‘Lord, who sinned, this man or his parents?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (Jn 9).
I wonder if I can have enough faith to say when the clouds of life are dark this is happening so the work of God might be displayed in my life?
Elijah spread the problem before the Lord. That is the great part. He knew didn’t have the power to change anything, but he still believed in the living God, the sovereign God, the God who gives us his promises and power. Elijah spread the problem out before the Lord and prayed. He exercised faith and didn’t give up. He laid outstretched upon the boy and prayed three times. The one practical thing people of faith can do is pray. Leave the matter to the Lord. Express your doubts, your feelings, and your requests. Talk to the one who does understand. Seek direction and wisdom from above. Don’t stop praying.
What can we do in troubled times as a helper? Listen. Seek to address the immediate needs, recognize your limitation, express you doubts and not try to answer questions that you don’t know, and pray. Just be there and show your compassion from a sincere heart! And wait upon the Lord.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 12
Verses- 1 King 17:21-24
21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"
22 The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived.
23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"
24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth."(NIV)
Faith Responses
Elijah in his confusion poured out his heart to the Lord. The happy news is that the Lord heard and answered his prayer. Remember what James said, “The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Remember who was praying? It was the one who not only had faith, but a heart right with God. He had passed the tests placed his way, The Lord was preparing Elijah for the conflict on Mount Carmel and I believe this was one of the steps of preparation. God was showing the repeated lesson that only He was the one who can do the impossible.
Elijah was gentle with the widow. He was not a complainer. Imagine having the same food day in and out. How we like variety and change of diet, but Elijah was willing to take whatever the Lord provided as long as the Lord provided it, whether a barren cave in the hills with food from ravens, or bread from a poor widow staying at her humble home. He was grateful to receive these from the hand of the Lord. He emptied himself of pride and was prepared to let God use him. He was open to God’s word and promise. They were on close talking terms. The boy was brought back from the dead.
I think of my life and the activities that fill up the day that limit my time with the Lord. I think of not only of personal interests and hobbies but good things that little by little nudge the walk and talk time with God to a few minutes. He is waiting, I am impatient. He wants to show me more of His character and love, and I want to be about busy religious work as a pastor. Only in times of need and sometimes tragedies do I look again and re-evaluate and remind myself that wasted time is in my activity- not in my waiting, quiet and listening times. In those uninterrupted times God shows Himself to be faithful and has more things of Himself to show me. I am a poor listener.
To empty myself is on my terms and my negotiations of what I want to give to Him. It seems so trite to hang on to things that will disappear. It is a hard to step to understand naked I came into this world and naked I shall return. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
So God raised the widow’s son. Elijah had seen miracles in his life, not caused by his own efforts, but given by God’s grace and love. Now he had seen the best miracle of all from man’s perspective. It is to raise the dead.
Some have concluded that when Elijah laid on the boy he was probably breathing into him. They suspect this was early form of CPR. It was artificial respiration and resuscitation. It was fast thinking of the man who helped his heart beat again.
That seems so unlikely in the boy’s gradual declining illness and rapid recovery. The skeptics are so quick to think of natural reasons instead of acknowledging the miracle. They fail to also see the timing and the power in natural causes which are also the inventions of our Almighty creative God.
God uses circumstances to prepare us for bigger challenges in life when we are able to face smaller ones.
I hear of stories often of people who seek to demonstrate their faith and prove God by refusing medical treatment for loved ones and instead seek to trust only in the Lord. There are too many stories of people expecting God to raise their loved one from the dead. Daniel Rogers was in the news a few years back when his mother died. Believing God raises the dead refusehd to have her embalmed or buried. He kept her dead body in his living room, until the smell of her rotting flesh alerted authorities. The judge intervened and weeks later she was buried for public health reasons.
What does that do to the faith of many people who have a loved one- spouse or child who dies? There is much prayer for healing, for recovery for God’s glory. People gather around in faith believing, yet there is no miracle.
Paul prayed that God would remove his physical infirmity. Three times he sought the Lord to answer his prayer for relief of his “thorn in the flesh” his physical pain and ailment, but the answer he received was “My strength is made perfect in your weaknesses”. So Paul was willing all the more to boast in his weaknesses so that God would do what God wanted to do and if that meant his glory in pain or death so be it.
There are only 8 or 9 recorded incidences in all the Bible of people who were brought to life again. It was authenticating ministry pointing people to God, to truth, to His glorifying power. But is He any less when out of His sovereignty he decides to act differently than we want him to act? All those who were brought to life in the bible eventually died again including this boy. Jesus was the only one after his resurrection days later returned to his Father, and so shall all who believing in Hm. But remember Lazarus also had two funerals.
We live in a world filled with effect of sin and fallen nature. Evil is rampant toward the just and the unjust all will die unless Jesus comes first. All will experience death. There is illness, tragedy, circumstances that are impossible to explain. It is proper to pray for healing for divine intervention, to have God be glorified through normal and supernatural means. It is Scriptural that his grace is made known even to endure sufferings of various sorts. He is still God.
What do you do in tragedy? Express your emotion, your questions, your heart ache and your despair. Release the doubts. Recognize normal grief includes shock, anger, bargaining, depression. Seek to be a helper to others by practical ways of listening, helping, loving, and praying. But don’t fail to trust and trust and keep on trusting in the God who will never leave you nor forsake you. For to each one who has held tight to His hand find it is His hand that is holding us. In Him is hope. I will praise Him in my joys and in my sorrows. The woman had a new found faith in the Almighty.
Pastor Dale
Friday, February 12, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Learning to Trust 1 Kings 17:2-15
Sermon Nuggets Mon Feb 1 – Learning to Trust
Theme- Learning to Trust
Verses- I King 17:2-4 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: 3 "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."
I was in a store and saw a posted a sign, “In God we trust” all others pay cash.
We still have that motto on our coins but I am not sure for how long. Increasingly the government has either voted religious phrases are no longer acceptable or they say it is so identified with society it is no longer religious. It seems they are either taking government out of God, or God out of government.
Political groups such as the Civil Liberties Union claim to stand up for the rights of others. Even though they may not be atheistic they believe we should uphold the rights of atheists and agnostics by eliminating all references of God from our government.
As Christians we believe that one of the reasons God has so richly blessed our country was because of the faith of our forefathers, the growth of Christianity and the freedom of speaking out our faith throughout the land and acknowledged by government. As mentioned often the protection provided in the constitution was to protect churches from government interference and uphold the rights of others to believe what they want, (not to keep them from faith). The government officially has long since ceased from trusting in God, even though most of the political speeches end with “God bless America”, or “God bless us all”. It seems the government believes the strength of America is economics and the size of our military. Therein does it place its trust. Scary, huh?
Abraham Lincoln said, “I am not so concerned that God is on our side, as I am that we are on Gods’ side.” The Psalmist says, Ps 20:7-8 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” Where is your trust?
Many will say they trust God, but as soon as difficulty comes financially they prove that they really were rusting riches. As soon as difficulty comes with health or well being many give up on Him. Some might place all their energies working in their vocation to get ahead and by all outward practices they trust their own resources.
Last week we began a series on Elijah, the man of God. We saw that James said Elijah was a man like us. He believed God was alive, and well in Israel. His life was proof to that. He believed God was King and sovereign over all. God was in charge of Israel, not King Ahab. He believed in God’s word and was willing to pray it into action as he got on his knees an the rains of heaven stopped.
As a reminder King Ahab of Israel was married to Jezebel so he could trust in the military strength of her father, King of Phoenicia. They trusted in Baal who was supposed to be the god of the weather and crops.
Since many in the land still worshipped Jehovah Jezebel instigated her husband to make it illegal to worship Him and even killed his prophets. This was the situation that Elijah was in when he courageously stood up and spoke the prophecy of the draught to the King. That draught was a direct slap in the face to the false beliefs in Baal. Maybe if the people saw there was draught instead of rain they would know Baal could not help them. Perhaps they would repent and turn back to the one and true God.
In verse 2 God gave Elijah a new command to go to the Kerith Ravine. He gave him a promise that he would supply his needs miraculously. If Elijah was trusting the Lord there would be some steps along the way. Real trust results in some responses.
Think about how your responses today reflect your trust in God. Do you act or do anything differently than your unsaved friend or neighbor today? What?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 2
Verses- I King 17:5 So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
Vs 8-10 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
So he went to Zarephath.
Trusting involves a step of Obedience-
We know what people believe by what they do. I can proclaim all I want what I believe.
I knew a family that believed Sunday School was so important for their kids that when their church ceased having Sunday School they came to Stanchfield. The problem was they seldom came to Sunday school. Most of their Sundays were spent with hobbies, sports and other activities. The fact of the matter is, we know what people believe more by what they do more than what they say. If Elijah believed in God then he is going to obey God’s word.
The first step of trusting God is obedience. Elijah was told in vs. 3 to leave and go eastward and hide out at the Kerith Ravine. That was all he needed to know. Can you imagine Elijah saying, ”Wait a minute Lord, that is wilderness out there. How about a nicer place than that barren hill region? There are snakes out there. After all I just spoke a good word for you. What else do you have?”
Yet, there are many who think just like that. O, they want Gods’ direction in their lives, but they want to know what all is involved before they do what God tells them to. They want the plan completely laid out before them before they move to obey.
Friends, if God is directing you he will direct only one step at a time. You are not given a whole set of blueprints that map out your life as much as I wish He would do that. Instead He leads only one step at a time. Often we can never see the next one until we, by faith and obedience, move on what we know we should be doing next. God doesn’t send us anywhere without providing for us what we need to do what He wants. It may not be the Taj Mahal, it might be a desert or a wilderness, or a place of hiding, but that is far better than the Taj Mahal if that’s where God wants you to be.
There used to be marketing phrases appealing to our wants. Burger King’s phrase was “Have it your way.” McDonald’s slogan used to be “We do it all for you”. We hear things like that on advertisements enough we believe the whole revolves around us and Christians have bought into that thinking as well. The name it and claim it people make demands on God as if one wonders who is serving whom? That thinking toward God is sin. Sin is going your own way instead of God’s way.
God told Elijah to go to a barren, wilderness called Kerish. Elijah trusted God by taking that first step and what did he find here? He found the same situation that everyone else found all through their land-a draught. There wasn’t a nice cabin by the lake and beef steak on the open grill. There was a little tiny brook and the promise of God that birds would come and he could get food from them. Elijah experienced hardship as much as anyone else.
There is an unusual situation as Elijah step out. Ravens come and he gets his food, just as the Lord said would happen. God who could feed the Israelites in the desert with Manna from heaven, stopped the Manna as soon as the people entered the land and could work for themselves.
Elijah was cared for by a different miracle. The miracle didn’t have to be supernatural as much as intervention through the natural by God. Ravens could have easily come to feed their young with bread and meat, and the Elijah could have made himself available to it. Or they could have been so tame that Elijah was like their young, and the food was brought and laid out at his feet. The miracle was that God had so direct Elijah and promised food and drink. The ravens were directed to come to the very spot Elijah was directed to go.
Ravens were the first bird mentioned by name in Gen 8:6. Noah released a raven and it never returned to the ark. That bird was considered by Jewish law an unclean animal. The people were not allowed to eat it. We also read in the Psalms that God provides for the raven. Jesus said in Luke 12 “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap and they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them.”
Henry Bosh from Radio Bible Class told a story of Christians in Japan. They depended upon orchards of 1,000 trees for their livelihood. They noticed the infestation of a type of worm that could destroy their crops. They gathered for prayer and cried unto the Lord. They had labored long and hard to see their crops destroyed. The next morning they awaked to see 100s of strange birds eating the worms without inuring the fruit, and saved the crop.
God arranges the circumstances of obedient servants, bent on knowing and following God’s will. Move out on what you know in obedience even if you do not know where that path may lead. Trust Him to arrange the circumstances.
What is the next step of obedience God is asking of you?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 3
Verses- I King 17:5 So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
Trusting involves a step of Waiting.
I am too often tempted to be impatient in my Christian walk. Time when I know the truth of God’s word and the direction of God’s leading and seek to be obedient to that call. Then nothing happens. What went wrong? Did I misunderstand? What about others that seem to be getting blessings I long for? Temptation of trying new and improved methods, latest spiritual fads and competing in the spiritual race are attractive.
But when Elijah went to where God wanted him to go the word said “He stayed there”. He didn’t keep going looking for what God promised, he waited in obedience to see the next step God had.
For Elijah he was preaching the word. Now he is in the wilderness all by himself. I am convinced this was a growing experience. James says “count it all joy, my brethren when you fall into various trails for they produce patience.”
One of the jewels of faith is not so much the victory of success as it is the commitment to patience and perseverance in doing what God wants you to do. Waiting is hard. The problem with waiting is that we feel as if there is more for us to do. The struggle with trust is that we want to be in control again to accomplish what needs to be accomplished until we are reminded and taught the lesson that God must do His work in us. That is far more important than our doing our works for Him.
Type A personalities don’t wait very well. There is a time to run and a time to rest. Those times are determine by our Lord. When one waits one isn’t “doing nothing.” He is focusing on the Lord and reminded of His sovereignty. He is in prayer. He is in expectation of what is ahead not trying to force Gods’ hand but watching for what He is doing and learning contentment that He is a work in ways we know not of.
As I am thinking of the experiences of Moses I am reminding how much of faith is learning to trust in the waiting times. There are many examples in Scripture of barrenness and anticipating Gods’ next step. On the journey to the promised land God’s pillar of fire and cloud moved and stopped. When it moved the people picked up camp and were on their way. When it stopped they set up camp and waited. Certainly times of rest were important. Certainly preparation of heart and soul were needed during those waiting times. But can’t your imagine as I would the impatience they would have waiting for the blessings they were promised? God was wanting them to focus on Him more than what they were about to receive.
As much as I hate those waiting times if I am yielded to wait and not use my efforts and wisdom to do Gods’ work my faith, although not dramatic, is strengthened in the waiting and trusting times. Moses was in the wilderness 40 years before the promise land was realized. Jacob was 14 years in Hebron working before he received his wife and family. Paul was 3 years in training in Arabia before taken with Barnabas to Antioch.
With such important work to be done doesn’t it seem to be a waste of time to wait? But we read Ps 127:1-2 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
Do what you know God wants you to do, and wait to watch Him do His work in and through you. Elijah did just that.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 4 - Testing
Verses- I King 17:7-9 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him:
"Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
Trust involves a Step of Testing
To trust God completely almost always involves testing and trails in the life of any servant of God. I cannot stress that enough. There is too long the false teaching that when one becomes a Christian everything goes well. That is not Biblical.
There is peace that the world cannot offer. There is joy in serving Jesus. There is victory and happiness because life now has meaning and purpose and we are purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ for all eternity, but don’t confuse that with the circumstances of this world. There will be times of testing of your faith. There will be difficult periods, depression, frustrating, times when you almost want to say you’ve had enough. God sometimes doesn’t seem fair and you want to quit.
Elijah is having a long crash course in trusting God. I believe that this is in preparation for the tremendous contest that he will perform at Mount Carmel. Too many Christians want to reach the top of Mount Carmel and call down the fire from heaven, but are not wiling to take the steps required of faith.
As we have seen so far, the first step is obedience to His word and the second step is faithful through waiting for Him to do His work, and next is being persistent in testing. Notice that the brook dried up. That certainly can be a mind boggling after being fully convinced that God led him there and is sustaining him there. Now his resources dry up.
This is the experience in the lives of pastors I know. They are led to work in a certain church. They are convinced of it. Things are going well, and all of the sudden everything goes wrong. There is tension, fighting, lack of resources, tragedy, and hardship. It is easy to shake one’s his head and murmur, “What happened? Lord, where are you? If I knew it was going to be like this I would never have come.”
That is exactly what the Lord wanted. It prepares him for the hard times. Not to lean or your education or how to do it books, or trust ones own understanding or rely on your own resources but to trust entirely on God.
There is a lesson in Elijah’s progressive dinner. The brook dried up. And the circumstances fell upon him. He couldn’t stay in the place provided for him. God has something more. Many times those next steps are not given into the first door is closed.
I was talking recently with friends who were growing in their faith. Things were never better. The door of opportunity opened up for them which they interpreted as God’s leading. Then that door closed right in their face. There was confusion. There was questioning of God. They did some soul searching and was forced to look at other areas of their lives. Would they trust God in the dark as much as they trusted him in the daylight of their lives? It wasn’t until that door was shut that they were even interesting in looking at another opportunity. There seemed to be a testing in their life.
Why do brooks dry up? -To teach us to move on to be alert to new instruction, to test our faith, to keep us from being content in our surroundings. That brook didn’t mean a thing. God did. He was the provider. It wasn’t the ravens or the trickle of the stream.
I do not like the testing times in my life. I want answers that I cannot come up with clearly. I have feelings I want to get rid of quickly. I want situations to change immediately. But God puts me through experiences to test me and try my faith. I find there is no one else to turn to. That the things I trust sometimes become more important than the person I am to trust. Circumstances can become more important than the most important relationship. We need to be barren at times to trust God alone and bury our self-centeredness. We need experiences beyond us so that we learn to learn.
I read a prayer that was found in Eleanor Roosevelt’s Bible “Lord may our opportunities always exceed our abilities that we may ever trust thee for strength.”
Jesus was 40 days of testing in the wilderness before he began his public ministry. What about your times of testing? You will have them. Will you remain faithful through them? Can you be convinced that God will not let you down? When it is the roughest He will be there to pick you up, and give you the strength to endure. Then you will be more like Jesus.
2 Cor 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into the our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 5
Verses I King 17:9-16 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?"
11 As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
12 "As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread-- only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it-- and die."
13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.
14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.'"
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah. (NIV)
Trusting Involves a Step of Sacrifice.
Trusting is complete when we can give up that which we think we need the most believing in God. Elijah was told now to go to the city of Zarephath of Sidon. That was where Jezebel was raised. That is the area of Baal worship. That was pagan land not occupied by the nation of Israel. Elijah was sent many miles away to a Gentile widow woman. But we recognize the important steps he too of obedience, waiting, and testing. In obedience God was going to provide food in a different way.
Remember when the apostle Peter was keeping the Jewish law so as not to have contact with Gentiles? Yet interestingly Elijah was told to go and eat with a gentile woman and receive her hospitality. She was not a woman of means, but indeed the very opposite. She was in great need. Peter had to have a vision from the Lord 3 times on the roof-top of unclean animals to eat. Peter had to learn what God makes clean is clean. That was the opening to spreading the gospel among the Gentiles.
I just wonder if that is what happened partly in the desert at Kerith. There were unclean birds, the ravens, that provided Elijah’s food. He took it and ate it as it was from God. Now the Lord is sending him to this unclean Gentile woman. I believe God is showing Elijah and us that throughout the history of Israel He was working among non Jewish people as well.
Elijah asked for a drink and she agreed to give him some. He also asked for bread. But she didn’t have but enough flour and oil to make but one supper and then die of starvation. What would you do if you had only enough food for one more meal and a stranger, who was also from a different race, came and asked for food? More than likely you would do what I would do. No way! But when Elijah speaks of the God of Israel, she knew this was a prophet from the God. She may have even known that he was the one the whole country side was looking for.
Here is the step of sacrifice that leads to trust. Would you be wiling to give even what little you have in trusting God first? By faith she was willing to give up first what she had believing the Word of God that He would provide. He asked for a sacrifice. The feeding of the prophet of God before her son was not only a test, but a sacrifice.
This reminds me of an old Country Western song about a fellow finding a pump in the dessert. It has a sign saying the water is clean and pure and there is plenty of it, but first you must take the jar of water that is buried beside it to moisten the washers with all the water. Do not take a drink from the water. It is a step of faith. Giving up what water when you are thirsty is a step of faith that requires the sacrifice of what you need believing the word so you and others will receive what you need.
God wants us to trust Him with the little bit that you have. Give it to Him and I will multiply it beyond your imagination if it is in accordance with his truth. The God of miracles could have easily given a whole roomful of food for the next 2 years supply. But the lesson was to trust God for one’s daily need, continually applying faith. They must sacrifice to God what they had first, and He would supply the rest. Bread was given day by day. Strength that God gives is for the moment, not before and not after, but just for the time you need it. We must continually be looking to him for our strength. God he does not want us to trust the gifts he gives, but Himself as the giver.
I know a friend of our family in Detroit who was unemployed and his resources were running out. He prayed often for a job and nothing came. He attended the church meeting one evening and heard the plight of mission program. He sensed God wanting him to give his last $5.00. He thought of his need and wisdom said he shouldn’t. But out of obedience and sacrifice he put it in the offering plate- all he had. Tomorrow he would go beg for food.
Following the service one of the men from the church offered him a job to start immediately in the morning, food provided. He couldn’t believe it. He was not manipulated by some manipulative evangelist; his dealings were between him and God. His faith was not in what he gave but in obedience to trust the Lord with what he was prompted to do.
The story is told of Dr. Henry Ironsides from the Moody church met with some founders of Dallas Theological Seminary realizing there was a debt of $10,000 that had to be paid before the school was in forecloser. Henry prayed, “Lord, we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are Thine. Please sell some of them and send us the money.”
While they were praying a tall Texan with boots on and an open collar came into the business office and said, “I just sold two carloads of cattle in Fort Worth. I’ve been trying to make a business deal go through and it won’t work. I felt God is compelling me to give this money to the Seminary.”
The secretary took the check to where the men were praying and it was the exact amount of the debt.
There are many stories of people compelled to sacrifice under the direction of the Lord who find that with obedience, waiting, testing and sacrifice, God is worthy of their trust.
This widow found a little bit and God was enough.
Pastor Dale
Theme- Learning to Trust
Verses- I King 17:2-4 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: 3 "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."
I was in a store and saw a posted a sign, “In God we trust” all others pay cash.
We still have that motto on our coins but I am not sure for how long. Increasingly the government has either voted religious phrases are no longer acceptable or they say it is so identified with society it is no longer religious. It seems they are either taking government out of God, or God out of government.
Political groups such as the Civil Liberties Union claim to stand up for the rights of others. Even though they may not be atheistic they believe we should uphold the rights of atheists and agnostics by eliminating all references of God from our government.
As Christians we believe that one of the reasons God has so richly blessed our country was because of the faith of our forefathers, the growth of Christianity and the freedom of speaking out our faith throughout the land and acknowledged by government. As mentioned often the protection provided in the constitution was to protect churches from government interference and uphold the rights of others to believe what they want, (not to keep them from faith). The government officially has long since ceased from trusting in God, even though most of the political speeches end with “God bless America”, or “God bless us all”. It seems the government believes the strength of America is economics and the size of our military. Therein does it place its trust. Scary, huh?
Abraham Lincoln said, “I am not so concerned that God is on our side, as I am that we are on Gods’ side.” The Psalmist says, Ps 20:7-8 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” Where is your trust?
Many will say they trust God, but as soon as difficulty comes financially they prove that they really were rusting riches. As soon as difficulty comes with health or well being many give up on Him. Some might place all their energies working in their vocation to get ahead and by all outward practices they trust their own resources.
Last week we began a series on Elijah, the man of God. We saw that James said Elijah was a man like us. He believed God was alive, and well in Israel. His life was proof to that. He believed God was King and sovereign over all. God was in charge of Israel, not King Ahab. He believed in God’s word and was willing to pray it into action as he got on his knees an the rains of heaven stopped.
As a reminder King Ahab of Israel was married to Jezebel so he could trust in the military strength of her father, King of Phoenicia. They trusted in Baal who was supposed to be the god of the weather and crops.
Since many in the land still worshipped Jehovah Jezebel instigated her husband to make it illegal to worship Him and even killed his prophets. This was the situation that Elijah was in when he courageously stood up and spoke the prophecy of the draught to the King. That draught was a direct slap in the face to the false beliefs in Baal. Maybe if the people saw there was draught instead of rain they would know Baal could not help them. Perhaps they would repent and turn back to the one and true God.
In verse 2 God gave Elijah a new command to go to the Kerith Ravine. He gave him a promise that he would supply his needs miraculously. If Elijah was trusting the Lord there would be some steps along the way. Real trust results in some responses.
Think about how your responses today reflect your trust in God. Do you act or do anything differently than your unsaved friend or neighbor today? What?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 2
Verses- I King 17:5 So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
Vs 8-10 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
So he went to Zarephath.
Trusting involves a step of Obedience-
We know what people believe by what they do. I can proclaim all I want what I believe.
I knew a family that believed Sunday School was so important for their kids that when their church ceased having Sunday School they came to Stanchfield. The problem was they seldom came to Sunday school. Most of their Sundays were spent with hobbies, sports and other activities. The fact of the matter is, we know what people believe more by what they do more than what they say. If Elijah believed in God then he is going to obey God’s word.
The first step of trusting God is obedience. Elijah was told in vs. 3 to leave and go eastward and hide out at the Kerith Ravine. That was all he needed to know. Can you imagine Elijah saying, ”Wait a minute Lord, that is wilderness out there. How about a nicer place than that barren hill region? There are snakes out there. After all I just spoke a good word for you. What else do you have?”
Yet, there are many who think just like that. O, they want Gods’ direction in their lives, but they want to know what all is involved before they do what God tells them to. They want the plan completely laid out before them before they move to obey.
Friends, if God is directing you he will direct only one step at a time. You are not given a whole set of blueprints that map out your life as much as I wish He would do that. Instead He leads only one step at a time. Often we can never see the next one until we, by faith and obedience, move on what we know we should be doing next. God doesn’t send us anywhere without providing for us what we need to do what He wants. It may not be the Taj Mahal, it might be a desert or a wilderness, or a place of hiding, but that is far better than the Taj Mahal if that’s where God wants you to be.
There used to be marketing phrases appealing to our wants. Burger King’s phrase was “Have it your way.” McDonald’s slogan used to be “We do it all for you”. We hear things like that on advertisements enough we believe the whole revolves around us and Christians have bought into that thinking as well. The name it and claim it people make demands on God as if one wonders who is serving whom? That thinking toward God is sin. Sin is going your own way instead of God’s way.
God told Elijah to go to a barren, wilderness called Kerish. Elijah trusted God by taking that first step and what did he find here? He found the same situation that everyone else found all through their land-a draught. There wasn’t a nice cabin by the lake and beef steak on the open grill. There was a little tiny brook and the promise of God that birds would come and he could get food from them. Elijah experienced hardship as much as anyone else.
There is an unusual situation as Elijah step out. Ravens come and he gets his food, just as the Lord said would happen. God who could feed the Israelites in the desert with Manna from heaven, stopped the Manna as soon as the people entered the land and could work for themselves.
Elijah was cared for by a different miracle. The miracle didn’t have to be supernatural as much as intervention through the natural by God. Ravens could have easily come to feed their young with bread and meat, and the Elijah could have made himself available to it. Or they could have been so tame that Elijah was like their young, and the food was brought and laid out at his feet. The miracle was that God had so direct Elijah and promised food and drink. The ravens were directed to come to the very spot Elijah was directed to go.
Ravens were the first bird mentioned by name in Gen 8:6. Noah released a raven and it never returned to the ark. That bird was considered by Jewish law an unclean animal. The people were not allowed to eat it. We also read in the Psalms that God provides for the raven. Jesus said in Luke 12 “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap and they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them.”
Henry Bosh from Radio Bible Class told a story of Christians in Japan. They depended upon orchards of 1,000 trees for their livelihood. They noticed the infestation of a type of worm that could destroy their crops. They gathered for prayer and cried unto the Lord. They had labored long and hard to see their crops destroyed. The next morning they awaked to see 100s of strange birds eating the worms without inuring the fruit, and saved the crop.
God arranges the circumstances of obedient servants, bent on knowing and following God’s will. Move out on what you know in obedience even if you do not know where that path may lead. Trust Him to arrange the circumstances.
What is the next step of obedience God is asking of you?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 3
Verses- I King 17:5 So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
Trusting involves a step of Waiting.
I am too often tempted to be impatient in my Christian walk. Time when I know the truth of God’s word and the direction of God’s leading and seek to be obedient to that call. Then nothing happens. What went wrong? Did I misunderstand? What about others that seem to be getting blessings I long for? Temptation of trying new and improved methods, latest spiritual fads and competing in the spiritual race are attractive.
But when Elijah went to where God wanted him to go the word said “He stayed there”. He didn’t keep going looking for what God promised, he waited in obedience to see the next step God had.
For Elijah he was preaching the word. Now he is in the wilderness all by himself. I am convinced this was a growing experience. James says “count it all joy, my brethren when you fall into various trails for they produce patience.”
One of the jewels of faith is not so much the victory of success as it is the commitment to patience and perseverance in doing what God wants you to do. Waiting is hard. The problem with waiting is that we feel as if there is more for us to do. The struggle with trust is that we want to be in control again to accomplish what needs to be accomplished until we are reminded and taught the lesson that God must do His work in us. That is far more important than our doing our works for Him.
Type A personalities don’t wait very well. There is a time to run and a time to rest. Those times are determine by our Lord. When one waits one isn’t “doing nothing.” He is focusing on the Lord and reminded of His sovereignty. He is in prayer. He is in expectation of what is ahead not trying to force Gods’ hand but watching for what He is doing and learning contentment that He is a work in ways we know not of.
As I am thinking of the experiences of Moses I am reminding how much of faith is learning to trust in the waiting times. There are many examples in Scripture of barrenness and anticipating Gods’ next step. On the journey to the promised land God’s pillar of fire and cloud moved and stopped. When it moved the people picked up camp and were on their way. When it stopped they set up camp and waited. Certainly times of rest were important. Certainly preparation of heart and soul were needed during those waiting times. But can’t your imagine as I would the impatience they would have waiting for the blessings they were promised? God was wanting them to focus on Him more than what they were about to receive.
As much as I hate those waiting times if I am yielded to wait and not use my efforts and wisdom to do Gods’ work my faith, although not dramatic, is strengthened in the waiting and trusting times. Moses was in the wilderness 40 years before the promise land was realized. Jacob was 14 years in Hebron working before he received his wife and family. Paul was 3 years in training in Arabia before taken with Barnabas to Antioch.
With such important work to be done doesn’t it seem to be a waste of time to wait? But we read Ps 127:1-2 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-- for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
Do what you know God wants you to do, and wait to watch Him do His work in and through you. Elijah did just that.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 4 - Testing
Verses- I King 17:7-9 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him:
"Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
Trust involves a Step of Testing
To trust God completely almost always involves testing and trails in the life of any servant of God. I cannot stress that enough. There is too long the false teaching that when one becomes a Christian everything goes well. That is not Biblical.
There is peace that the world cannot offer. There is joy in serving Jesus. There is victory and happiness because life now has meaning and purpose and we are purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ for all eternity, but don’t confuse that with the circumstances of this world. There will be times of testing of your faith. There will be difficult periods, depression, frustrating, times when you almost want to say you’ve had enough. God sometimes doesn’t seem fair and you want to quit.
Elijah is having a long crash course in trusting God. I believe that this is in preparation for the tremendous contest that he will perform at Mount Carmel. Too many Christians want to reach the top of Mount Carmel and call down the fire from heaven, but are not wiling to take the steps required of faith.
As we have seen so far, the first step is obedience to His word and the second step is faithful through waiting for Him to do His work, and next is being persistent in testing. Notice that the brook dried up. That certainly can be a mind boggling after being fully convinced that God led him there and is sustaining him there. Now his resources dry up.
This is the experience in the lives of pastors I know. They are led to work in a certain church. They are convinced of it. Things are going well, and all of the sudden everything goes wrong. There is tension, fighting, lack of resources, tragedy, and hardship. It is easy to shake one’s his head and murmur, “What happened? Lord, where are you? If I knew it was going to be like this I would never have come.”
That is exactly what the Lord wanted. It prepares him for the hard times. Not to lean or your education or how to do it books, or trust ones own understanding or rely on your own resources but to trust entirely on God.
There is a lesson in Elijah’s progressive dinner. The brook dried up. And the circumstances fell upon him. He couldn’t stay in the place provided for him. God has something more. Many times those next steps are not given into the first door is closed.
I was talking recently with friends who were growing in their faith. Things were never better. The door of opportunity opened up for them which they interpreted as God’s leading. Then that door closed right in their face. There was confusion. There was questioning of God. They did some soul searching and was forced to look at other areas of their lives. Would they trust God in the dark as much as they trusted him in the daylight of their lives? It wasn’t until that door was shut that they were even interesting in looking at another opportunity. There seemed to be a testing in their life.
Why do brooks dry up? -To teach us to move on to be alert to new instruction, to test our faith, to keep us from being content in our surroundings. That brook didn’t mean a thing. God did. He was the provider. It wasn’t the ravens or the trickle of the stream.
I do not like the testing times in my life. I want answers that I cannot come up with clearly. I have feelings I want to get rid of quickly. I want situations to change immediately. But God puts me through experiences to test me and try my faith. I find there is no one else to turn to. That the things I trust sometimes become more important than the person I am to trust. Circumstances can become more important than the most important relationship. We need to be barren at times to trust God alone and bury our self-centeredness. We need experiences beyond us so that we learn to learn.
I read a prayer that was found in Eleanor Roosevelt’s Bible “Lord may our opportunities always exceed our abilities that we may ever trust thee for strength.”
Jesus was 40 days of testing in the wilderness before he began his public ministry. What about your times of testing? You will have them. Will you remain faithful through them? Can you be convinced that God will not let you down? When it is the roughest He will be there to pick you up, and give you the strength to endure. Then you will be more like Jesus.
2 Cor 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into the our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 5
Verses I King 17:9-16 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?"
11 As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
12 "As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread-- only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it-- and die."
13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.
14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.'"
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah. (NIV)
Trusting Involves a Step of Sacrifice.
Trusting is complete when we can give up that which we think we need the most believing in God. Elijah was told now to go to the city of Zarephath of Sidon. That was where Jezebel was raised. That is the area of Baal worship. That was pagan land not occupied by the nation of Israel. Elijah was sent many miles away to a Gentile widow woman. But we recognize the important steps he too of obedience, waiting, and testing. In obedience God was going to provide food in a different way.
Remember when the apostle Peter was keeping the Jewish law so as not to have contact with Gentiles? Yet interestingly Elijah was told to go and eat with a gentile woman and receive her hospitality. She was not a woman of means, but indeed the very opposite. She was in great need. Peter had to have a vision from the Lord 3 times on the roof-top of unclean animals to eat. Peter had to learn what God makes clean is clean. That was the opening to spreading the gospel among the Gentiles.
I just wonder if that is what happened partly in the desert at Kerith. There were unclean birds, the ravens, that provided Elijah’s food. He took it and ate it as it was from God. Now the Lord is sending him to this unclean Gentile woman. I believe God is showing Elijah and us that throughout the history of Israel He was working among non Jewish people as well.
Elijah asked for a drink and she agreed to give him some. He also asked for bread. But she didn’t have but enough flour and oil to make but one supper and then die of starvation. What would you do if you had only enough food for one more meal and a stranger, who was also from a different race, came and asked for food? More than likely you would do what I would do. No way! But when Elijah speaks of the God of Israel, she knew this was a prophet from the God. She may have even known that he was the one the whole country side was looking for.
Here is the step of sacrifice that leads to trust. Would you be wiling to give even what little you have in trusting God first? By faith she was willing to give up first what she had believing the Word of God that He would provide. He asked for a sacrifice. The feeding of the prophet of God before her son was not only a test, but a sacrifice.
This reminds me of an old Country Western song about a fellow finding a pump in the dessert. It has a sign saying the water is clean and pure and there is plenty of it, but first you must take the jar of water that is buried beside it to moisten the washers with all the water. Do not take a drink from the water. It is a step of faith. Giving up what water when you are thirsty is a step of faith that requires the sacrifice of what you need believing the word so you and others will receive what you need.
God wants us to trust Him with the little bit that you have. Give it to Him and I will multiply it beyond your imagination if it is in accordance with his truth. The God of miracles could have easily given a whole roomful of food for the next 2 years supply. But the lesson was to trust God for one’s daily need, continually applying faith. They must sacrifice to God what they had first, and He would supply the rest. Bread was given day by day. Strength that God gives is for the moment, not before and not after, but just for the time you need it. We must continually be looking to him for our strength. God he does not want us to trust the gifts he gives, but Himself as the giver.
I know a friend of our family in Detroit who was unemployed and his resources were running out. He prayed often for a job and nothing came. He attended the church meeting one evening and heard the plight of mission program. He sensed God wanting him to give his last $5.00. He thought of his need and wisdom said he shouldn’t. But out of obedience and sacrifice he put it in the offering plate- all he had. Tomorrow he would go beg for food.
Following the service one of the men from the church offered him a job to start immediately in the morning, food provided. He couldn’t believe it. He was not manipulated by some manipulative evangelist; his dealings were between him and God. His faith was not in what he gave but in obedience to trust the Lord with what he was prompted to do.
The story is told of Dr. Henry Ironsides from the Moody church met with some founders of Dallas Theological Seminary realizing there was a debt of $10,000 that had to be paid before the school was in forecloser. Henry prayed, “Lord, we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are Thine. Please sell some of them and send us the money.”
While they were praying a tall Texan with boots on and an open collar came into the business office and said, “I just sold two carloads of cattle in Fort Worth. I’ve been trying to make a business deal go through and it won’t work. I felt God is compelling me to give this money to the Seminary.”
The secretary took the check to where the men were praying and it was the exact amount of the debt.
There are many stories of people compelled to sacrifice under the direction of the Lord who find that with obedience, waiting, testing and sacrifice, God is worthy of their trust.
This widow found a little bit and God was enough.
Pastor Dale
Friday, January 29, 2010
The Spirit of Elijah 1 Kings 17:1
Sermon Nuggets Week of Jan 25 2010
Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 25
Theme The Spirit of Elijah
Verses. I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
James 5:16-18 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
The Spirit of Elijah
For the next several weeks I want to study the lives of two of Israel’s most famous and powerful prophets- Elijah and Elisha. Many lessons and principles can be learned from them. These are adapted from sermons preached in 1987 at Stanchfield-
Lois Anne William wrote this about prayer,
“I sat and gazed in silence at the azure sky overhead.
In the glory of that moment, a simple prayer was said.
I thanked God for all the grandeur, for His beauty everywhere.
I praised the Great Creator, as I sat in silent prayer.
I found an inspiration, and a peace within my soul.
I took the time to worship and I felt myself made whole”
Each January we have prayer week. It is fitting to begin a series on one of my favorite Old Testament Prophets, Elijah. But to do so I want to introduce him in the practical way that James does. James 5:16-18 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
James precedes this passage by talking bout the prayer of faith. Pray if you are in trouble; praise if you are happy. If you are sick, call the leaders to pray over you and be anointed with oil. If you have sinned pray for forgiveness, confess sin so that there will be healing. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
What is your prayer life like? Is it powerful and effective? Then we must ask is it from the lips of a righteous person?
James tells us that Elijah was a righteous, fervent pray-er. It also says he was a man with like passions as we have. Do you ever think that you are like Elijah? Most of you know the major stories that surround this character. He was one who raise a boy form the dead, called down fire from heaven to consume an offering to God at a contest of gods on Mt. Carmel. He was even taken up in a whirlwind and a fiery chariot.
Does that sound like someone of whom it is said “He had like passions as we do?” In fact when James lived there were many popular legends about Elijah in the Jewish stories. He was regarded by the Hebrews a mix of Daniel Boone, Robin Hood, and Superman all wrapped up in one. He represented all the prophets on Mount of Transfiguration when he and Moses met with Jesus in that miraculous manner. It was the prophecy form Malachi that Elijah would come again. That is why some people thought Jesus was really Elijah returned from the dead.
Harold W. Fife said, “A Man just Like Us.” “The real difference between Ahab and Elijah was not in their passion but in their outlets for it. Ahab incited by Jezebel, allowed it to lead the nation into appalling idol worship and unthinkable sin. Elijah, incited by the Spirit of God, allowed his passion to drive him to prayer. It is not our passion that makes or breaks us. It is the way it is channeled.’
If we put the Bible Characters up on pedestals and halos, it is hard to learn from them, but if we do as James did, identify him as an ordinary man who allowed God to use him and was filled with faith and obedience, then we can see some similarities with people of today.
We will also discover that Elijah was not exempt form incredible stress, intense fear and anxiety and crippling anger and depression.
Because Elijah was a man of intense faith and trust in the Almighty he was moved with indignation over evil. Elijah couldn’t just stand by and be quit. God put within his mouth a speaking tongue to warn the people and rebuke them before the ultimate punishment that comes from rejecting God. He was very jealous for God.
What was it that made him tick? It was the Spirit of God. We begin looking at his life from I Kings 17. We will look more at this verse and glean some important qualities about Elijah. But it seems to begin with a prayer life, according to James.
It is always an important reminder to reevaluate your prayer life and allow your time with the Lord to grow your faith.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 26
Verse- I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
The Call of God on Elijah
James tells us the thing that highlighted Elijah was the faithful righteous man who believed in the power of prayer. The very name, Elijah, means “Yahweh is my God.”
Sometimes the Bible tells us that God changes the name of people based on their call or their service for the Lord. We do not know if this is the case with Elijah. But the name is consistent with the call of God on his life and the mission to which he is called. Yahweh is my God is how Elijah is identified by name which runs contrary to the message of his day when Jezebel and Ahab are leading people away from Yahweh to other gods.
We are becoming quite used to many Muslims in the new who bear the name of Mohammed or Allah. They have often been named that by their family, or change their names to so identify with their faith.
The identifying title we have is Christian. Christian means Christ follower, or Christ’s disciple. Technically we bear the name of little Christs even if it isn’t our surname.
Little is known about Elijah’s beginnings other than he was a Tishbite which is an area in Gilead. It is a mountainous country. People there were sometimes thought of as rural, individualistic, sort of the reputation of the mountain people of the hills of Arkansas. His personality was consistent with one from the outdoors, rugged, independent with hermit like tendencies. He probably wouldn’t feel comfortable in the urban areas, or in the courts of a king. But he went where God led him to say what God wanted him to say. That was the call of God on his life.
We should remind ourselves of the circumstances which surrounded Elijah’s call. This was the period during the times of the Kings. He was called to speak the word of the Lord to the Northern 10 tribes who identified themselves now with the name “Israelites”. The Southern 2 tribes were known now as “Judah.” After King David’s death, his son Solomon reigned for many years. After Solomon died his son Rehoboam was the new king on the throne. He was not the leader his father was. Rehoboam was cruel and wouldn’t listen to the wiser advisers.
The oppositional leader, Jeroboam, lead a revolt and 10 tribes in the North split from the nation and developed its own king. The problem with going on our own and not according to the plan of God is that many who are called into the service of God, as Jeroboam was, find the power or the popularity to go to their head and moved in a direction God did not intend. The Lord needed a leader who was strong to lead His people, but not in a different direction and emphasis.
Jeroboam made Samaria the capital and built altars in two cities, Dan and Bethel, so that the people of the North didn’t have to go to Jerusalem to the temple to worship God. It wasn’t long before they started to also worship false gods and idols.
Twenty four years after the reign the Jeroboam’s death Omni became the 10th king in Israel. He was evil. It was not uncommon for the king of one name to have his son or daughter to marry the king of another names for the sake of alliances and expansions and protection. Ahab was the son of Omni and Jezebel was the daughter of the Phoenician king, who was also a high priest of Baal. On order to keep his new wife happy along with his father-in-law the King of Phoenicia, Ahab and Jezebel built shrines to the gods Baal and Asherah. Jezebel was given great power. After Omni died she spearheaded a campaign to have all the followers of Yehwah be put to death. She made the Jewish religion to God illegal. (read about that 1 Kings 16:29-33).
Ahab was more evil than all before him. Even to bear the name for Yehweh would have put Elijah in danger for his life. But into that situation God raised him to testify and demonstrate the power of God .
Gods’ laws have our own best interests in view. One does not break Gods’ laws but Gods’ laws break those who transgress them. Ahab and Jezebel will learn the hard way. But God had given warning. Obey His word. Israel was once rich in spiritual heritage, but wandered from the Lord.
Interestingly there are many parallels in American with godly heritage, the religious founders. The system of law and justice were founded on the law of God. The opportunity to follow Christ and trust him was evident in the early history of our nation. Even “Trust in God” is on our coins, which will probably be removed in our generation. In this last 30 years we have raised up a generation of people who do not know God. The roots of faith have been removed to relative political correctness where to embrace anyone and everyone faith root the Christian principles have been quickly eroding. We bear the consequences of the tearing down in the morals by increase living and making laws where idols of license replace the throne of God. Rights now are for free choice in areas of pornography, homosexuality, abortion, greed, rights, drugs, and drunkenness.
When leaders follow power, money and prestige they become self serving.
Let us be aware that there are two nations. Jesus was clear in his conversation to Pilate. I have a Kingdom that is not of this world. Regardless which country or leaders are in power, like Elijah we have a call. It is to make the Lord our King and be identified with Him.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Wed Jan 27
Verse- Verse- I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
He believed God was Alive.
He believed that Yahweh lived and was alive and real. Elijah was very angered at what was happening. Ahab did not believe anymore in the Lord. He felt Baal and Asherah were stronger. He listened to his wife. He put up several idols to Baal. He agreed the prophets of God should be put to death.
Sometimes there are philosophical arguments concerning the existence of God. The God is dead movement by Frederick Nietzsche proposed we no longer needed a God created from our simple emotional needs. In our superior knowledge and scientific age belief in God is something of the past.
When one lady heard that God was dead, she was surprised and responded, “He can’t be. I was just talking with Him this morning.”
I was reading an article in the paper about the place of science and faith. The author proposed that science looks at fact and faith remains for the unexplainable. Some might say there is something aesthetic and spiritual watching a sunset in the glowing hews of the evening. The color, the majesty and the beauty inspires our emotions. That unexplainable appreciation falls into the category of faith according to their arguments. Does science take away the spiritual dimension explaining by measuring guidelines the atmospheric data to explain the color wave and optical frequencies?
Increasingly there are debates over evolution and creationism that I didn’t think possible when I grew up. The lines were more clearly defined that religion and faith had no place in the realm of science. Since then more serious scientists have found no plausible explanation for many scientific phenomena without an intelligent designer.
Psychologists explain away guilt and sin and need for forgiveness based on “mistaken” belief systems.
Religions itself can be practiced with programs and performance without any heartfelt involvement. Prophets of old warned against sacrifices without commitment of love or obedience. That would be dead worship.
Elijah was willing to prove God’s existence by means of a miraculous contest, which we will look at in another chapter. Although people believed in spiritual forces Elijah had a personal relationship with God Almighty. Today we need people who will show God is alive by their own life changed by the Holy Spirit.
` But the greatest step for a Christian is to acknowledge that Jesus Christ had lived a real life. He died a real death. At His crucifixion there were real spikes and wood, real sword and thorns, real death and burial. But that is not all or we would be worshiping a dead God. But we worship one who rose from the grave and is living today. One who is just alike and with us as if he saw him walking it the street. “I am he that lives. I was dead and behold am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Rev 1:18)
The world is full of dead gods and idols. Most of the people of this world are still pagan and living with idol worship. In Japan they worship ancestors and build shrines to them. Buddists have the idol of Buddah. Hindus have prayer temples for various gods with the grotesque figures. You talk to missionaries in South America and in Mexico. When someone is killed or dies, people will come with all kinds of gifts and trinkets and statues and make that place a place of worship and prayer and superstition syncretism that combines Christian Catholicism with pagan idolatry.
But we also must beware of idols which take the place of honor of God. Romans 1 warns us from worshipping the creation instead of the Creator. Since man himself is a created being it applies that too often we worship people- Elvis Presley, Brett Favre, rock stars, or even political powerful people who capture people’s commitment, money, devotion and love.
Is God alive for you? Have you placed your confidence that he is alive within your own soul through His Holy Spirit? Have you the complete awareness that God is active and alive in our world?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 28
Verse- I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
God was His King
It wasn’t King Ahab that Elijah was subject to. It was God. Ahab could make all the rules and laws that he wanted, but Elijah was the servant of king Yahweh. The Lord was the one before whom he stood accountable. Elijah grasped an idea that is important. We must all stand before the Lord. We can do it now or later. We stand before Him now as his servants, or stand before Him later to be judge. Elijah was the servant.
It is difficult to go against the opinions of King Ahab and the majority. It is hard to be an individual when being an individual means rejection and even danger. That is hard for a young person who wants to live for the Lord, or a business man who makes decisions for his boss. However, for Elijah he knew whom he would serve whether or not it was popular. He knew to whom he belonged, if standing for God meant his life. Jezebel was out to kill all the prophets and Elijah was so identifed publicly.
God wasn’t only Elijah’s God, but the God of Israel, not Baal. That is the God all should worship. God loved Israel and redeemed his people. The Lord was a God that showed love and was personal to Elijah unlike Baal to anyone.
Elijah’s confrontation with Ahab was confronting the wickedness and evil in the land. He was the one sent to cry out against the sins of his day. Isa 59:19b “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”That was being realized in the person of Elijah who made his King the Lord.
Harper Lee in her book, To Kill a Mockingbird” said, “The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” A conscience cannot agree with what is wrong if that conscience is committed to Jesus and He reigns in your life. It was a Bobby Dylan’s song in Slow Train Coming album-“You’ve got serve somebody. It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’ve got to serve somebody.”
Years ago when I went to a Conference meeting I listened to a Pastor Klaus, president of the Baptist World Alliance. He was German. He communicated with church leaders in East Germany under communist rule at that time. He had friends there who were not allowed to preach. No children would be allowed to go to Sunday School. Just like the Russian Christians I met, parents could be arrested to teaching their children about Jesus and baptisms was something done in the middle of the night so as not to be persecuted. Hundreds passed around handwritten Bibles because it was illegal to buy then or print them.
Pastor Klaus told about an underground Baptist church and how literally under ground they built a place that would sit over 2,000 in East Germany. Why? Because they believed with all their Heart that God was the only they served.
There are rules and regulations whereby we as a nation must be governed. It is right to obey those rules. Scriptures often tell us to do so. But when God’s truth conflicts with government we are to serve the Lord. That was Daniel’s decision which led him into the lion’s den. That was the decision of the Hebrew young men willing to go into the fiery furnace. Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed because they preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. And many who made God their king against the commands of Ahab and Jezebel were killed.
God raised up Elijah to bring judgment on Israel and its leadership. God must be sovereign . He must be your King. If that is true then he has ownership of our money, our entertainment, or pleasures, our hobbies, our work, our homes and our lives.
When Elijah obeyed Him he found a renewed strength through faith. He found courage. He found purpose. He found His peace in the midst of national turmoil.
Where is God in your priorities and decision of life today?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 29
Verse I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.
Believing God’s Word
Elijah acted on that which he knew to be God’s word both written and revealed. God would bring a draught by his word because of the sin of Ahab and those who allowed it to happen. This draught would come to everyone, children, and women and destruction until people would be brought to their knees. This was a Biblical warning long before Elijah came on the scene.
Duet 11:16-17 “Be careful or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you. And he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce and you will soon perish form the good land the Lord is giving you..”
Elijah was aware of Moses’ writings. They were often read in Judah. He knew it was important to remember God’s word and this blessing of the land was conditional. He saw the people were allowing such horrible apostasy to occur. He believes God and prayed that heavens would be stopped from rain. Elijah believed God could be counted on to keep His word both for blessing as well as for judgment. He must preach judgment against sin. James tells us that he brought on this draught by prayer.
Israel believed Baal was the god of fertility. They believed Baal would give the harvest. He controlled the weather to allow the fruit to grow and the crops to be harvested. Elijah was already beginning the contest between false Baal and the God who lives. If Baal was the god of the harvest and the god of the weather then let’s see what he does when it doesn’t rain until I say so through the spirit of God. It was a direct attack on the falsehood of Baal.
Elijah he took God’s truth and prayed it into a reality.
While serving as a St. Paul reserved police chaplain, there was a man who had bombed out a Shell gas station. He did so because the S on the sign was out. He read the Bible and listened to a voice that he believed was from God and acted in his emotional and psychological state that indeed was misguided. He needed to bring judgment on the _hell gas station.
Some people try to prove their point by turning to the Bible and taking passages out of context. The abuses of verses and principles in the Bible are the beginning of many cults and false teachers. Fortunately in our age we have our personal Bibles and can check out so many false claims.
Do you believe God’s word? Most would say yes. But many do not act on their belief. What about keeping our promises, or tithing, or forgiving one another, or loving our enemies?
One plus God make a majority. It made a difference with Elijah. he prayed and believed and acted on his faith. That is the spirit of Elijah.
Elijah prayed earnestly. He had no power within himself. But he had a spirit that knew God lives, God is sovereign and God’s word is true. He believed that.
Elijah could have said like the apostle Paul, “Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 2 Tim 2:12
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 25
Theme The Spirit of Elijah
Verses. I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
James 5:16-18 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
The Spirit of Elijah
For the next several weeks I want to study the lives of two of Israel’s most famous and powerful prophets- Elijah and Elisha. Many lessons and principles can be learned from them. These are adapted from sermons preached in 1987 at Stanchfield-
Lois Anne William wrote this about prayer,
“I sat and gazed in silence at the azure sky overhead.
In the glory of that moment, a simple prayer was said.
I thanked God for all the grandeur, for His beauty everywhere.
I praised the Great Creator, as I sat in silent prayer.
I found an inspiration, and a peace within my soul.
I took the time to worship and I felt myself made whole”
Each January we have prayer week. It is fitting to begin a series on one of my favorite Old Testament Prophets, Elijah. But to do so I want to introduce him in the practical way that James does. James 5:16-18 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
James precedes this passage by talking bout the prayer of faith. Pray if you are in trouble; praise if you are happy. If you are sick, call the leaders to pray over you and be anointed with oil. If you have sinned pray for forgiveness, confess sin so that there will be healing. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
What is your prayer life like? Is it powerful and effective? Then we must ask is it from the lips of a righteous person?
James tells us that Elijah was a righteous, fervent pray-er. It also says he was a man with like passions as we have. Do you ever think that you are like Elijah? Most of you know the major stories that surround this character. He was one who raise a boy form the dead, called down fire from heaven to consume an offering to God at a contest of gods on Mt. Carmel. He was even taken up in a whirlwind and a fiery chariot.
Does that sound like someone of whom it is said “He had like passions as we do?” In fact when James lived there were many popular legends about Elijah in the Jewish stories. He was regarded by the Hebrews a mix of Daniel Boone, Robin Hood, and Superman all wrapped up in one. He represented all the prophets on Mount of Transfiguration when he and Moses met with Jesus in that miraculous manner. It was the prophecy form Malachi that Elijah would come again. That is why some people thought Jesus was really Elijah returned from the dead.
Harold W. Fife said, “A Man just Like Us.” “The real difference between Ahab and Elijah was not in their passion but in their outlets for it. Ahab incited by Jezebel, allowed it to lead the nation into appalling idol worship and unthinkable sin. Elijah, incited by the Spirit of God, allowed his passion to drive him to prayer. It is not our passion that makes or breaks us. It is the way it is channeled.’
If we put the Bible Characters up on pedestals and halos, it is hard to learn from them, but if we do as James did, identify him as an ordinary man who allowed God to use him and was filled with faith and obedience, then we can see some similarities with people of today.
We will also discover that Elijah was not exempt form incredible stress, intense fear and anxiety and crippling anger and depression.
Because Elijah was a man of intense faith and trust in the Almighty he was moved with indignation over evil. Elijah couldn’t just stand by and be quit. God put within his mouth a speaking tongue to warn the people and rebuke them before the ultimate punishment that comes from rejecting God. He was very jealous for God.
What was it that made him tick? It was the Spirit of God. We begin looking at his life from I Kings 17. We will look more at this verse and glean some important qualities about Elijah. But it seems to begin with a prayer life, according to James.
It is always an important reminder to reevaluate your prayer life and allow your time with the Lord to grow your faith.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 26
Verse- I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
The Call of God on Elijah
James tells us the thing that highlighted Elijah was the faithful righteous man who believed in the power of prayer. The very name, Elijah, means “Yahweh is my God.”
Sometimes the Bible tells us that God changes the name of people based on their call or their service for the Lord. We do not know if this is the case with Elijah. But the name is consistent with the call of God on his life and the mission to which he is called. Yahweh is my God is how Elijah is identified by name which runs contrary to the message of his day when Jezebel and Ahab are leading people away from Yahweh to other gods.
We are becoming quite used to many Muslims in the new who bear the name of Mohammed or Allah. They have often been named that by their family, or change their names to so identify with their faith.
The identifying title we have is Christian. Christian means Christ follower, or Christ’s disciple. Technically we bear the name of little Christs even if it isn’t our surname.
Little is known about Elijah’s beginnings other than he was a Tishbite which is an area in Gilead. It is a mountainous country. People there were sometimes thought of as rural, individualistic, sort of the reputation of the mountain people of the hills of Arkansas. His personality was consistent with one from the outdoors, rugged, independent with hermit like tendencies. He probably wouldn’t feel comfortable in the urban areas, or in the courts of a king. But he went where God led him to say what God wanted him to say. That was the call of God on his life.
We should remind ourselves of the circumstances which surrounded Elijah’s call. This was the period during the times of the Kings. He was called to speak the word of the Lord to the Northern 10 tribes who identified themselves now with the name “Israelites”. The Southern 2 tribes were known now as “Judah.” After King David’s death, his son Solomon reigned for many years. After Solomon died his son Rehoboam was the new king on the throne. He was not the leader his father was. Rehoboam was cruel and wouldn’t listen to the wiser advisers.
The oppositional leader, Jeroboam, lead a revolt and 10 tribes in the North split from the nation and developed its own king. The problem with going on our own and not according to the plan of God is that many who are called into the service of God, as Jeroboam was, find the power or the popularity to go to their head and moved in a direction God did not intend. The Lord needed a leader who was strong to lead His people, but not in a different direction and emphasis.
Jeroboam made Samaria the capital and built altars in two cities, Dan and Bethel, so that the people of the North didn’t have to go to Jerusalem to the temple to worship God. It wasn’t long before they started to also worship false gods and idols.
Twenty four years after the reign the Jeroboam’s death Omni became the 10th king in Israel. He was evil. It was not uncommon for the king of one name to have his son or daughter to marry the king of another names for the sake of alliances and expansions and protection. Ahab was the son of Omni and Jezebel was the daughter of the Phoenician king, who was also a high priest of Baal. On order to keep his new wife happy along with his father-in-law the King of Phoenicia, Ahab and Jezebel built shrines to the gods Baal and Asherah. Jezebel was given great power. After Omni died she spearheaded a campaign to have all the followers of Yehwah be put to death. She made the Jewish religion to God illegal. (read about that 1 Kings 16:29-33).
Ahab was more evil than all before him. Even to bear the name for Yehweh would have put Elijah in danger for his life. But into that situation God raised him to testify and demonstrate the power of God .
Gods’ laws have our own best interests in view. One does not break Gods’ laws but Gods’ laws break those who transgress them. Ahab and Jezebel will learn the hard way. But God had given warning. Obey His word. Israel was once rich in spiritual heritage, but wandered from the Lord.
Interestingly there are many parallels in American with godly heritage, the religious founders. The system of law and justice were founded on the law of God. The opportunity to follow Christ and trust him was evident in the early history of our nation. Even “Trust in God” is on our coins, which will probably be removed in our generation. In this last 30 years we have raised up a generation of people who do not know God. The roots of faith have been removed to relative political correctness where to embrace anyone and everyone faith root the Christian principles have been quickly eroding. We bear the consequences of the tearing down in the morals by increase living and making laws where idols of license replace the throne of God. Rights now are for free choice in areas of pornography, homosexuality, abortion, greed, rights, drugs, and drunkenness.
When leaders follow power, money and prestige they become self serving.
Let us be aware that there are two nations. Jesus was clear in his conversation to Pilate. I have a Kingdom that is not of this world. Regardless which country or leaders are in power, like Elijah we have a call. It is to make the Lord our King and be identified with Him.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Wed Jan 27
Verse- Verse- I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
He believed God was Alive.
He believed that Yahweh lived and was alive and real. Elijah was very angered at what was happening. Ahab did not believe anymore in the Lord. He felt Baal and Asherah were stronger. He listened to his wife. He put up several idols to Baal. He agreed the prophets of God should be put to death.
Sometimes there are philosophical arguments concerning the existence of God. The God is dead movement by Frederick Nietzsche proposed we no longer needed a God created from our simple emotional needs. In our superior knowledge and scientific age belief in God is something of the past.
When one lady heard that God was dead, she was surprised and responded, “He can’t be. I was just talking with Him this morning.”
I was reading an article in the paper about the place of science and faith. The author proposed that science looks at fact and faith remains for the unexplainable. Some might say there is something aesthetic and spiritual watching a sunset in the glowing hews of the evening. The color, the majesty and the beauty inspires our emotions. That unexplainable appreciation falls into the category of faith according to their arguments. Does science take away the spiritual dimension explaining by measuring guidelines the atmospheric data to explain the color wave and optical frequencies?
Increasingly there are debates over evolution and creationism that I didn’t think possible when I grew up. The lines were more clearly defined that religion and faith had no place in the realm of science. Since then more serious scientists have found no plausible explanation for many scientific phenomena without an intelligent designer.
Psychologists explain away guilt and sin and need for forgiveness based on “mistaken” belief systems.
Religions itself can be practiced with programs and performance without any heartfelt involvement. Prophets of old warned against sacrifices without commitment of love or obedience. That would be dead worship.
Elijah was willing to prove God’s existence by means of a miraculous contest, which we will look at in another chapter. Although people believed in spiritual forces Elijah had a personal relationship with God Almighty. Today we need people who will show God is alive by their own life changed by the Holy Spirit.
` But the greatest step for a Christian is to acknowledge that Jesus Christ had lived a real life. He died a real death. At His crucifixion there were real spikes and wood, real sword and thorns, real death and burial. But that is not all or we would be worshiping a dead God. But we worship one who rose from the grave and is living today. One who is just alike and with us as if he saw him walking it the street. “I am he that lives. I was dead and behold am alive forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Rev 1:18)
The world is full of dead gods and idols. Most of the people of this world are still pagan and living with idol worship. In Japan they worship ancestors and build shrines to them. Buddists have the idol of Buddah. Hindus have prayer temples for various gods with the grotesque figures. You talk to missionaries in South America and in Mexico. When someone is killed or dies, people will come with all kinds of gifts and trinkets and statues and make that place a place of worship and prayer and superstition syncretism that combines Christian Catholicism with pagan idolatry.
But we also must beware of idols which take the place of honor of God. Romans 1 warns us from worshipping the creation instead of the Creator. Since man himself is a created being it applies that too often we worship people- Elvis Presley, Brett Favre, rock stars, or even political powerful people who capture people’s commitment, money, devotion and love.
Is God alive for you? Have you placed your confidence that he is alive within your own soul through His Holy Spirit? Have you the complete awareness that God is active and alive in our world?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 28
Verse- I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
God was His King
It wasn’t King Ahab that Elijah was subject to. It was God. Ahab could make all the rules and laws that he wanted, but Elijah was the servant of king Yahweh. The Lord was the one before whom he stood accountable. Elijah grasped an idea that is important. We must all stand before the Lord. We can do it now or later. We stand before Him now as his servants, or stand before Him later to be judge. Elijah was the servant.
It is difficult to go against the opinions of King Ahab and the majority. It is hard to be an individual when being an individual means rejection and even danger. That is hard for a young person who wants to live for the Lord, or a business man who makes decisions for his boss. However, for Elijah he knew whom he would serve whether or not it was popular. He knew to whom he belonged, if standing for God meant his life. Jezebel was out to kill all the prophets and Elijah was so identifed publicly.
God wasn’t only Elijah’s God, but the God of Israel, not Baal. That is the God all should worship. God loved Israel and redeemed his people. The Lord was a God that showed love and was personal to Elijah unlike Baal to anyone.
Elijah’s confrontation with Ahab was confronting the wickedness and evil in the land. He was the one sent to cry out against the sins of his day. Isa 59:19b “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”That was being realized in the person of Elijah who made his King the Lord.
Harper Lee in her book, To Kill a Mockingbird” said, “The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” A conscience cannot agree with what is wrong if that conscience is committed to Jesus and He reigns in your life. It was a Bobby Dylan’s song in Slow Train Coming album-“You’ve got serve somebody. It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’ve got to serve somebody.”
Years ago when I went to a Conference meeting I listened to a Pastor Klaus, president of the Baptist World Alliance. He was German. He communicated with church leaders in East Germany under communist rule at that time. He had friends there who were not allowed to preach. No children would be allowed to go to Sunday School. Just like the Russian Christians I met, parents could be arrested to teaching their children about Jesus and baptisms was something done in the middle of the night so as not to be persecuted. Hundreds passed around handwritten Bibles because it was illegal to buy then or print them.
Pastor Klaus told about an underground Baptist church and how literally under ground they built a place that would sit over 2,000 in East Germany. Why? Because they believed with all their Heart that God was the only they served.
There are rules and regulations whereby we as a nation must be governed. It is right to obey those rules. Scriptures often tell us to do so. But when God’s truth conflicts with government we are to serve the Lord. That was Daniel’s decision which led him into the lion’s den. That was the decision of the Hebrew young men willing to go into the fiery furnace. Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed because they preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. And many who made God their king against the commands of Ahab and Jezebel were killed.
God raised up Elijah to bring judgment on Israel and its leadership. God must be sovereign . He must be your King. If that is true then he has ownership of our money, our entertainment, or pleasures, our hobbies, our work, our homes and our lives.
When Elijah obeyed Him he found a renewed strength through faith. He found courage. He found purpose. He found His peace in the midst of national turmoil.
Where is God in your priorities and decision of life today?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 29
Verse I King 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.
Believing God’s Word
Elijah acted on that which he knew to be God’s word both written and revealed. God would bring a draught by his word because of the sin of Ahab and those who allowed it to happen. This draught would come to everyone, children, and women and destruction until people would be brought to their knees. This was a Biblical warning long before Elijah came on the scene.
Duet 11:16-17 “Be careful or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you. And he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce and you will soon perish form the good land the Lord is giving you..”
Elijah was aware of Moses’ writings. They were often read in Judah. He knew it was important to remember God’s word and this blessing of the land was conditional. He saw the people were allowing such horrible apostasy to occur. He believes God and prayed that heavens would be stopped from rain. Elijah believed God could be counted on to keep His word both for blessing as well as for judgment. He must preach judgment against sin. James tells us that he brought on this draught by prayer.
Israel believed Baal was the god of fertility. They believed Baal would give the harvest. He controlled the weather to allow the fruit to grow and the crops to be harvested. Elijah was already beginning the contest between false Baal and the God who lives. If Baal was the god of the harvest and the god of the weather then let’s see what he does when it doesn’t rain until I say so through the spirit of God. It was a direct attack on the falsehood of Baal.
Elijah he took God’s truth and prayed it into a reality.
While serving as a St. Paul reserved police chaplain, there was a man who had bombed out a Shell gas station. He did so because the S on the sign was out. He read the Bible and listened to a voice that he believed was from God and acted in his emotional and psychological state that indeed was misguided. He needed to bring judgment on the _hell gas station.
Some people try to prove their point by turning to the Bible and taking passages out of context. The abuses of verses and principles in the Bible are the beginning of many cults and false teachers. Fortunately in our age we have our personal Bibles and can check out so many false claims.
Do you believe God’s word? Most would say yes. But many do not act on their belief. What about keeping our promises, or tithing, or forgiving one another, or loving our enemies?
One plus God make a majority. It made a difference with Elijah. he prayed and believed and acted on his faith. That is the spirit of Elijah.
Elijah prayed earnestly. He had no power within himself. But he had a spirit that knew God lives, God is sovereign and God’s word is true. He believed that.
Elijah could have said like the apostle Paul, “Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 2 Tim 2:12
Pastor Dale
Friday, January 22, 2010
Precious Fellowship Col 4:7-18
Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 18
Theme- Precious Fellowship
Verses Col 4:7-18
Precious Fellowship
My Aunt and Uncle, who have now passed away, visited with me some time ago about churches. They traveled a great deal and visited churches all over this country and the world of various denominations. Their observations were interesting. It seemed that the churches that refused to associate with any fellowship or conference had a very prideful, separatistic attitude that often bordered on conflict.
Many churches are independent churches without any denominational or fellowship associations. Each Baptist church has the right to chose to associate or not with other churches. Most members of Stanchfield Baptist really don’t know much or care much about the larger fellowship to which we belong, The Baptist General Conference. More recently they have changed their nickname to Converge World Wide. But like any organization we can agree and disagree about lots of details, but what it is that unites us with other churches of similar doctrine?
The connection of Stanchfield began well over 100 years ago when our identity was with Swedish speaking Baptist churches. They met together for planting churches, sharing pastors, and later starting Bethel College to train Swedish speaking pastors and students.
Being part of this fellowship through the years in our state meant working together to do things that we could not do as a single congregation. We helped contribute to starting newer churches. We helped start a camp. We sent missionaries overseas. WE came up with Sunday School material and the Standard became the magazine that communicating what was happening in the country and the world that we had some ministry involvement in the larger sense.
Long since ethnic identity subsided we now reached out to other ethic groups for ministry, the first being Hispanics. We developed a Spanish speaking Bible school in Chicago. We branched out to African American churches, and now have several sub groups under our umbrella that find a place of fellowship.
Likewise, I am concerned about the Christian individual who becomes so narrow minded in his or her belief which eliminates associations with other believers in a church fellowship. It is not true to Biblical teaching. Not many Christians grow in their faith without fellowship and cooperation with other Christians. I feel that a church or person that refuses to recognize the larger body of Christ not only misses out on some of God's blessings but is in fact hindering the larger work of Christ.
I have enjoyed learning from this little book of Colossians which we've been studying since last fall. We are now at the conclusion of Paul's letter to this church. Paul wanted them to make Christ central in all things, to remain faithful to the revealed Word of God. He wanted their witness to show at home, at work and in the world. Now we see this witness of love is to be in cooperation with other believers.
Paul had his support team, which is the church. He surrounded himself with other congregations and other fellow workers. He was dependent not only on God for his support, but the people of God. For you see God is not just interested in our own welfare and ministry, but designed the church in such a way as to plan His outreach in cooperative design. I would like to suggest some ways in which Christian fellowship is so important this week from this passage.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 19
Verses- Col4:7-9
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
There is Practical Support
There are people of God who gave practical help to the ministry. Paul couldn’t have done it without them. They helped carry out the tasks that needed to be done. Paul was given the vision of carrying the good news to the Gentile community. He was not alone in that job. God would raise up congregations to support his missionary endeavors as well as workers to go along with him on his journeys. Also be reminded he was not the only one being sent by God as a missionary. Churches were being planted in the East, traditionally by Thomas and other helpers.
Barnabas had left Paul and went with another team to other areas. Appollos was one place, Peter another and host of unnamed missionaries known only to God who spread the good news to people all over.
When I became part of the Ralph Bell Crusade in Cambridge and then in a minor way up in Mora, I was both surprised and impressed as to how many people were involved in the practical tasks to put on a crusade. There were people who were to lead Bible studies; others asked to serve on prayer teams; those who were called upon to raise money; some who providing transportation and setting up lodging; a host of people needed to physically take up and remove the chairs the stage, the sound system and extra lighting; Counselors were trained, people manned the book tables, and food contributions. It is a great experience to work with neighboring Christians and churches for Christ. It was rewarding to see people come to salvation.
Paul was appreciative of all the fellow workers, those who worked behind the scenes as well as those who get the public credit.
He took no pride in accomplishing those tasks alone. The Lord used lots of men and women to carry out the job of evangelism.
There was Tychicus. He was a postman. He was sent to carry letters, packages, back and forth among the churches and individuals. He was in charge of the communication systems. He would tell others about the work, share the needs, and inform the team what was going on in the churches. It was through Tychicus that they found out about the Revivals, about the false teachers. Tychicus was part of the delegation chosen by the churches of Macedonia to accompany Paul when he took to Jerusalem the special offering for the poor and needy saints. Paul sent him to Ephesus to take Timothy's place in that city.
Three words are used to describe him- A dear brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant. Paul found him faithful and reliable. If you gave him a job, he'd get it done. You didn't have to worry about it. There are people who if they have a responsibility sometimes don't show up, or do a half baked job, or need consistent supervision. How great it is to have faithful workers you can trust and know they will do a great job.
He was also a fellow servant in the Lord. All those who do what they do to the glory of God are his servants. Many do things for personal recognition, for money or some personal benefit. A servant of God does what he does because he loves Jesus Christ. It is that type of person who can be counted on.
Secondly there was Onesimus: He was the runaway slave belonging to Philemon. Paul wrote Philemon a letter returning to you your slave Onesimus, but explaining now he is a brother in Christ. There had been a big change in his life since he ran away. He has been a big help to me personally, How? Carrying for Paul's personal needs.
In the jail there was minimum security. Paul doing some of this time was in the section where he could have friend and visitors. Onesimus came to know Christ through Paul and served him. Some how the story got out of his background. Paul realized he needed to have restitution for his sin. Philemon needed to learn forgiveness. Paul used his position not only teaching Onesimus responsibility but reconciliation for the larger body of Christ.
Paul knew he could not do ministry solo. It is a partnership under the direction of God. Share you appreciation of those who are a help and friend to you especially in the practical things of life.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Wed Jan 20
Verses- Col 4:10-11
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)
11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
There is Emotional Support
Looking at Paul’s friends he also mentioned Aristarcus. We find out more about him from Acts 19.He came from the Macedonia church. There was an uprising in the city. A riot developed. They grabbed Aristarcus and another disciple. He was beaten almost to death, because they couldn't find Paul.
Aristarcus also went with Paul to Jerusalem and traveled with Him to Rome. That means he was also subjected to the shipwreck, the hardship on the Island of Maltus, and He was referred to as a fellow prisoner. He also was put into chains because of his faithful and forceful witness. Paul was not the only Christian prisoner, just the one we hear most about.
John Mark has a story all of his own. During that first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas they took along Mark who was a cousin of Barnabas. But Mark left the team shortly after they began. Maybe it was fear, maybe home sickness, Maybe it was divided attentions, Maybe it was sin. The only thing Acts 15 tells us was when Paul and Barnabas were getting ready to go on their second journey Barbabas wanted to bring Mark along again and Paul said, "No way." He left once he was not willing to give him a second chance. They got into a heated argument over that. They split company over the issue of Mark.
You know something Paul as wrong. Barnabas was right. Now maybe this was God working out their personal problems so His ultimate plan could be better served. He allowed their dissension to result in two missionary teams and the further on the job training of Silas with Paul. But Paul later learned that Mark was very valuable help. He welcomed him and was willing finally to forgive and forget.
What a reminder of the God of the Second Chance! Some may have muffed things badly in a ministry, or failed area of their life. But God is gracious and offers a second, third, and fourth chance.
Jesus the Justis has little said about him. I would like to think he represented the hundreds and thousands of Christians who get little or no recognition. They are known to God for their faithful labors.
We have people in this church that I accidently catch doing something, fixing something, giving something that no body knows about. We got an anonymous gift recently that will enable us to get a project done, but I don't know where that money came from. It was given to the Lord not to me. Recognition isn't important, but being faithful to God is important. All these folks will be reward.
They have proved to be a comfort to him. That is emotional support, to feel comforted. To know there are people willing to work hard with you and join in your suffering. There are people who are with you during thick and thin. Friends who spend time with you and understand you, pray with you and support you in your Christian walk are of great emotional support.
Never underestimate the importance of a friend. A friend is one that is with you, encourages you, one to talk to, to listen to you. I learned early when I was a Chaplain student that the greatest help a chaplain could do was listen. We are called upon to bear with other in their emotional and spiritual struggles, through their anxieties and sorrows. We could pray; we could read the Bible; but to be their during major surgery, to get an update by the staff for the family how things were going, to sit with folks while someone was in ER or stabilization room fighting for their life was primarily emotional support during crises. There were tragedies and when there is nothing one can say at a death. A chaplain was one to hear their anger, hold the sobbing, and weep with those who weep. People often found strength in knowing someone cared.
When I was studying in the Emergency room the chief of staff at Hennipen County General hospital told us when things got hectic it was good to know that chaplains were are around willing to be with people as well as for the staff.
Along with other pastors, I am still a chaplain volunteer at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. Both nurses and doctors as staff have affirmed how helpful it is to have someone there especially during the traumatic times. Even for some who aren't Christians they received emotional support.
Emotional support isn't just for emergencies. I thank God for you people who are encouragers. I got a simple note of appreciation last week from someone. That is emotional support. When I hear of some churches where there is fighting and tensions criticism and consistent complaint about every little thing. I am so grateful to be at Stanchfield Baptist. I want to affirm you in your gift of emotional support.
In an article by Dianne Hales in the Reader's Digest, she mentions some important ways to make friendships part of your life. 1) Just do it. Even if it’s been years since you've contact an old friend, take that initiative. 2) Stay in touch. If you don't have a lot of time, a quick e-mail, or simple note will suffice. 3) Double up- Do a project together. Ask a friend to join you in an activity. Talk on the phone while your folding laundry. 4) Cultivate friends of different ages. I think it is great to have friendship with someone older, youth and your age. Now maybe you are older, then develop a friendship with different generations and initiate it. Maybe you are younger. Do the same. 5) Reveal yourself. Closeness comes with sharing.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 21
Verse- Col 4:12-14 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
There is Spiritual Support
Fellowship isn't just for physical support and emotional support, but fellowship is essential for Spiritual encouragement as well. Paul is encouraging the church to grow in the Lord.
Then there are the Gentiles: Epaphras was probably the pastor of Colossae. He was concerned about his people but now having this missionary experience himself. When I was doing missionary work in Russia and talked to Judi on the telephone, I wanted all the news that was happening at Stanchfield. I discovered news of who was sick and how some special meetings went and so forth. A pastor has ongoing interests in his people and church matters, so did Epaphras.
We encourage one another spiritually by praying for them. vs. 23 shows that Epaphras was wrestling in prayer for them. He was not an example of snapping "bless my family and friends" prayer, but rather he was fervently and seriously raising up their concerns and challenges before God. He prayed for them to withstand the false doctrine. He prayed for the young converts not be deceived, that marriages be Godly and strong, that families demonstrate Christ like love. He prayed that they may stand firm in the will of God.
Luke is another team member. We know him to be a doctor, an historian. He wrote not only the gospel of Luke, but also the book of Acts. He was the only Gentile God used to produce Scripture. He also helped as a physician. He was an eye witness to authenticate the miracles and healings that happened. He is an example of a professional man, using his education and skill in Gods services. Not only was he a practical help but providing us all with the spiritual service designed by God to become Scripture. These trips were God ordained and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit lays down information for the church and added truths on the life and ministry of Jesus, especially some of the healings and wonderful parables. That is spiritual support to us all.
Sometimes the spiritual encouragement is reminding one another what is really the priorities of life. It is not making money and having fun. Joy comes in knowing God and living for him. Respond to the needs around you. I think Dr. Luke fell into that category.
Prov 28:24 says "The man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother". God has designed the church and Christian fellowship that we might work together and fellowship in ways to stretch our barriers and boundaries.
Lastly Demas is mentioned in v 14. Paul said almost nothing about Demas. We have other information about him in 2 Tim 4:10 Demas has forsaken me having loved this present world." That bothered Paul a great deal. A friend is one who rejoices when you rejoice, but is saddened when one is tempted by Satan and is overcome in sin. Demas worked with Paul but temptations became too great, or the pressures revealed a true heart. You cannot serve two masters, you must choose between the things or the world, or Jesus Christ. It will be a struggle.
Can one be an encouragement and then a disappointment? Absolutely. As a pastor I delight in seeing people grow in the Lord and something happens where they are sidelined. Often it is sin. Sometimes it is false doctrine or a trail that puts people in a controversial extreme that really is not of God.
FB Meyer, a legendary preacher who was marvelously used of God, was beginning to take pride in himself and his gift, but soon realized that his successes were due primarily because a poor widow in his congregation never ceased to pray for him.
We need to pray for one another, for our missionaries, our church members, those in need, our families, our pastors, officers, our SS teachers, our children workers, students.- We need spiritual support.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 22
Col 4:15-18 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord."
I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
There is Church Support
Paul was a church planter. The design of Jesus was not just to get converts, but disciples. The Biblical method for disciple making is to infuse people with in the fellowship of believers, the church. This is a local organization that according to Acts 2 was established to corporate worship the Lord, teach the Word of God, evangelize, but also for fellowship and help meet the needs of one another in and out of the fellowship.
Paul mentions Nympha and the church in his house. Some older versions have the ending as male instead of female. Recent studies show that it was probably a lady, a business woman or wealthy widow. She is part of God's team and giving what she has to the Lord.
Loved ones we are all gifted and needed for the building up the church. When we read these words before us we see heartfelt concern for brothers and sisters in the Lord. Paul was people oriented, not program oriented. He wasn't concerned about the latest church program, but he did affirm people and recognized his emotional need for friendships. There was no place for competition, nor pride, nor struggle for authority or power over one another. They were equally submissive to Christ sharing the joy and sorrows of each other. They all want to share their greetings to their friends at Colossae Laodicia & Ephesus.
Notice also this dynamic of emotional encouragement. The basis of their relationship was as workers together for Christ. Luke was a doctor, a professional. Onesimus was a slave, probably illiterate. Economic position means nothing, nor did race. There were Jews as part of the team as well as Gentiles. There was no social status.
Prejudice has no place in Christian fellowship. If one knows and loves Jesus it doesn't make any difference how rich or poor or what color their skin is, or what nationality they are, or how popular they are or what their occupation is, they are brothers and sister in Jesus.
Also in v. 16 we understand that Colossians were to read this letter their congregation and pass it on to the church at Laodicea. Likewise they received a letter form Paul, we never know what is was, but it was to be read at Colossae. God inspired these writings. So they were reading aloud the Bible.
I wonder if this is why he says of Archippus to complete the work. He had a ministry he was neglecting. He had a ministry just like we all have a ministry. Ministers are not those of us who stand up front and preach and teach. We are coaches, the players are in the pew. The impact of this church is not going to be made by what I say in the pulpit so much as it is by what you do when you leave here. You are ministers for Christ. You are the ones responsible to carry on the work. We seek to prepare each believer for his or her ministry. That is what Paul is doing here.
The book of Colossians teaches us our most precious fellowship must begin with Jesus Christ who is all and above all. We are complete in Him. But then we need each other. We need each other for physical support, emotional support and spiritual support.
Paul concludes his letter "Remember my chains". He is in prison because of his commitment to Jesus, but he is able to share the ministry because of the precious fellowship.
Ray Stedman prayed for his church, "Thank you Father for this church to which I belong, for those who help me, intercede for me, support me, love me, inspire me. Lord I cannot life as a Christian without them, for I need that part of Yourself that You have placed within them. And they cannot live without me, because they need the gifts that you have deposited in me. Lord free us of the selfishness, the self-centeredness, the ego-tips, the independence of spirit that keeps us from binding ourselves into one. Lord, help us to think first of those things which will benefit others before we begin listing our own needs Give us grace to live in such a way that we draw attention to You Amen.”
Pastor Dale
Theme- Precious Fellowship
Verses Col 4:7-18
Precious Fellowship
My Aunt and Uncle, who have now passed away, visited with me some time ago about churches. They traveled a great deal and visited churches all over this country and the world of various denominations. Their observations were interesting. It seemed that the churches that refused to associate with any fellowship or conference had a very prideful, separatistic attitude that often bordered on conflict.
Many churches are independent churches without any denominational or fellowship associations. Each Baptist church has the right to chose to associate or not with other churches. Most members of Stanchfield Baptist really don’t know much or care much about the larger fellowship to which we belong, The Baptist General Conference. More recently they have changed their nickname to Converge World Wide. But like any organization we can agree and disagree about lots of details, but what it is that unites us with other churches of similar doctrine?
The connection of Stanchfield began well over 100 years ago when our identity was with Swedish speaking Baptist churches. They met together for planting churches, sharing pastors, and later starting Bethel College to train Swedish speaking pastors and students.
Being part of this fellowship through the years in our state meant working together to do things that we could not do as a single congregation. We helped contribute to starting newer churches. We helped start a camp. We sent missionaries overseas. WE came up with Sunday School material and the Standard became the magazine that communicating what was happening in the country and the world that we had some ministry involvement in the larger sense.
Long since ethnic identity subsided we now reached out to other ethic groups for ministry, the first being Hispanics. We developed a Spanish speaking Bible school in Chicago. We branched out to African American churches, and now have several sub groups under our umbrella that find a place of fellowship.
Likewise, I am concerned about the Christian individual who becomes so narrow minded in his or her belief which eliminates associations with other believers in a church fellowship. It is not true to Biblical teaching. Not many Christians grow in their faith without fellowship and cooperation with other Christians. I feel that a church or person that refuses to recognize the larger body of Christ not only misses out on some of God's blessings but is in fact hindering the larger work of Christ.
I have enjoyed learning from this little book of Colossians which we've been studying since last fall. We are now at the conclusion of Paul's letter to this church. Paul wanted them to make Christ central in all things, to remain faithful to the revealed Word of God. He wanted their witness to show at home, at work and in the world. Now we see this witness of love is to be in cooperation with other believers.
Paul had his support team, which is the church. He surrounded himself with other congregations and other fellow workers. He was dependent not only on God for his support, but the people of God. For you see God is not just interested in our own welfare and ministry, but designed the church in such a way as to plan His outreach in cooperative design. I would like to suggest some ways in which Christian fellowship is so important this week from this passage.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 19
Verses- Col4:7-9
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
There is Practical Support
There are people of God who gave practical help to the ministry. Paul couldn’t have done it without them. They helped carry out the tasks that needed to be done. Paul was given the vision of carrying the good news to the Gentile community. He was not alone in that job. God would raise up congregations to support his missionary endeavors as well as workers to go along with him on his journeys. Also be reminded he was not the only one being sent by God as a missionary. Churches were being planted in the East, traditionally by Thomas and other helpers.
Barnabas had left Paul and went with another team to other areas. Appollos was one place, Peter another and host of unnamed missionaries known only to God who spread the good news to people all over.
When I became part of the Ralph Bell Crusade in Cambridge and then in a minor way up in Mora, I was both surprised and impressed as to how many people were involved in the practical tasks to put on a crusade. There were people who were to lead Bible studies; others asked to serve on prayer teams; those who were called upon to raise money; some who providing transportation and setting up lodging; a host of people needed to physically take up and remove the chairs the stage, the sound system and extra lighting; Counselors were trained, people manned the book tables, and food contributions. It is a great experience to work with neighboring Christians and churches for Christ. It was rewarding to see people come to salvation.
Paul was appreciative of all the fellow workers, those who worked behind the scenes as well as those who get the public credit.
He took no pride in accomplishing those tasks alone. The Lord used lots of men and women to carry out the job of evangelism.
There was Tychicus. He was a postman. He was sent to carry letters, packages, back and forth among the churches and individuals. He was in charge of the communication systems. He would tell others about the work, share the needs, and inform the team what was going on in the churches. It was through Tychicus that they found out about the Revivals, about the false teachers. Tychicus was part of the delegation chosen by the churches of Macedonia to accompany Paul when he took to Jerusalem the special offering for the poor and needy saints. Paul sent him to Ephesus to take Timothy's place in that city.
Three words are used to describe him- A dear brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant. Paul found him faithful and reliable. If you gave him a job, he'd get it done. You didn't have to worry about it. There are people who if they have a responsibility sometimes don't show up, or do a half baked job, or need consistent supervision. How great it is to have faithful workers you can trust and know they will do a great job.
He was also a fellow servant in the Lord. All those who do what they do to the glory of God are his servants. Many do things for personal recognition, for money or some personal benefit. A servant of God does what he does because he loves Jesus Christ. It is that type of person who can be counted on.
Secondly there was Onesimus: He was the runaway slave belonging to Philemon. Paul wrote Philemon a letter returning to you your slave Onesimus, but explaining now he is a brother in Christ. There had been a big change in his life since he ran away. He has been a big help to me personally, How? Carrying for Paul's personal needs.
In the jail there was minimum security. Paul doing some of this time was in the section where he could have friend and visitors. Onesimus came to know Christ through Paul and served him. Some how the story got out of his background. Paul realized he needed to have restitution for his sin. Philemon needed to learn forgiveness. Paul used his position not only teaching Onesimus responsibility but reconciliation for the larger body of Christ.
Paul knew he could not do ministry solo. It is a partnership under the direction of God. Share you appreciation of those who are a help and friend to you especially in the practical things of life.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Wed Jan 20
Verses- Col 4:10-11
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)
11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.
There is Emotional Support
Looking at Paul’s friends he also mentioned Aristarcus. We find out more about him from Acts 19.He came from the Macedonia church. There was an uprising in the city. A riot developed. They grabbed Aristarcus and another disciple. He was beaten almost to death, because they couldn't find Paul.
Aristarcus also went with Paul to Jerusalem and traveled with Him to Rome. That means he was also subjected to the shipwreck, the hardship on the Island of Maltus, and He was referred to as a fellow prisoner. He also was put into chains because of his faithful and forceful witness. Paul was not the only Christian prisoner, just the one we hear most about.
John Mark has a story all of his own. During that first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas they took along Mark who was a cousin of Barnabas. But Mark left the team shortly after they began. Maybe it was fear, maybe home sickness, Maybe it was divided attentions, Maybe it was sin. The only thing Acts 15 tells us was when Paul and Barnabas were getting ready to go on their second journey Barbabas wanted to bring Mark along again and Paul said, "No way." He left once he was not willing to give him a second chance. They got into a heated argument over that. They split company over the issue of Mark.
You know something Paul as wrong. Barnabas was right. Now maybe this was God working out their personal problems so His ultimate plan could be better served. He allowed their dissension to result in two missionary teams and the further on the job training of Silas with Paul. But Paul later learned that Mark was very valuable help. He welcomed him and was willing finally to forgive and forget.
What a reminder of the God of the Second Chance! Some may have muffed things badly in a ministry, or failed area of their life. But God is gracious and offers a second, third, and fourth chance.
Jesus the Justis has little said about him. I would like to think he represented the hundreds and thousands of Christians who get little or no recognition. They are known to God for their faithful labors.
We have people in this church that I accidently catch doing something, fixing something, giving something that no body knows about. We got an anonymous gift recently that will enable us to get a project done, but I don't know where that money came from. It was given to the Lord not to me. Recognition isn't important, but being faithful to God is important. All these folks will be reward.
They have proved to be a comfort to him. That is emotional support, to feel comforted. To know there are people willing to work hard with you and join in your suffering. There are people who are with you during thick and thin. Friends who spend time with you and understand you, pray with you and support you in your Christian walk are of great emotional support.
Never underestimate the importance of a friend. A friend is one that is with you, encourages you, one to talk to, to listen to you. I learned early when I was a Chaplain student that the greatest help a chaplain could do was listen. We are called upon to bear with other in their emotional and spiritual struggles, through their anxieties and sorrows. We could pray; we could read the Bible; but to be their during major surgery, to get an update by the staff for the family how things were going, to sit with folks while someone was in ER or stabilization room fighting for their life was primarily emotional support during crises. There were tragedies and when there is nothing one can say at a death. A chaplain was one to hear their anger, hold the sobbing, and weep with those who weep. People often found strength in knowing someone cared.
When I was studying in the Emergency room the chief of staff at Hennipen County General hospital told us when things got hectic it was good to know that chaplains were are around willing to be with people as well as for the staff.
Along with other pastors, I am still a chaplain volunteer at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. Both nurses and doctors as staff have affirmed how helpful it is to have someone there especially during the traumatic times. Even for some who aren't Christians they received emotional support.
Emotional support isn't just for emergencies. I thank God for you people who are encouragers. I got a simple note of appreciation last week from someone. That is emotional support. When I hear of some churches where there is fighting and tensions criticism and consistent complaint about every little thing. I am so grateful to be at Stanchfield Baptist. I want to affirm you in your gift of emotional support.
In an article by Dianne Hales in the Reader's Digest, she mentions some important ways to make friendships part of your life. 1) Just do it. Even if it’s been years since you've contact an old friend, take that initiative. 2) Stay in touch. If you don't have a lot of time, a quick e-mail, or simple note will suffice. 3) Double up- Do a project together. Ask a friend to join you in an activity. Talk on the phone while your folding laundry. 4) Cultivate friends of different ages. I think it is great to have friendship with someone older, youth and your age. Now maybe you are older, then develop a friendship with different generations and initiate it. Maybe you are younger. Do the same. 5) Reveal yourself. Closeness comes with sharing.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 21
Verse- Col 4:12-14 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
There is Spiritual Support
Fellowship isn't just for physical support and emotional support, but fellowship is essential for Spiritual encouragement as well. Paul is encouraging the church to grow in the Lord.
Then there are the Gentiles: Epaphras was probably the pastor of Colossae. He was concerned about his people but now having this missionary experience himself. When I was doing missionary work in Russia and talked to Judi on the telephone, I wanted all the news that was happening at Stanchfield. I discovered news of who was sick and how some special meetings went and so forth. A pastor has ongoing interests in his people and church matters, so did Epaphras.
We encourage one another spiritually by praying for them. vs. 23 shows that Epaphras was wrestling in prayer for them. He was not an example of snapping "bless my family and friends" prayer, but rather he was fervently and seriously raising up their concerns and challenges before God. He prayed for them to withstand the false doctrine. He prayed for the young converts not be deceived, that marriages be Godly and strong, that families demonstrate Christ like love. He prayed that they may stand firm in the will of God.
Luke is another team member. We know him to be a doctor, an historian. He wrote not only the gospel of Luke, but also the book of Acts. He was the only Gentile God used to produce Scripture. He also helped as a physician. He was an eye witness to authenticate the miracles and healings that happened. He is an example of a professional man, using his education and skill in Gods services. Not only was he a practical help but providing us all with the spiritual service designed by God to become Scripture. These trips were God ordained and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit lays down information for the church and added truths on the life and ministry of Jesus, especially some of the healings and wonderful parables. That is spiritual support to us all.
Sometimes the spiritual encouragement is reminding one another what is really the priorities of life. It is not making money and having fun. Joy comes in knowing God and living for him. Respond to the needs around you. I think Dr. Luke fell into that category.
Prov 28:24 says "The man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother". God has designed the church and Christian fellowship that we might work together and fellowship in ways to stretch our barriers and boundaries.
Lastly Demas is mentioned in v 14. Paul said almost nothing about Demas. We have other information about him in 2 Tim 4:10 Demas has forsaken me having loved this present world." That bothered Paul a great deal. A friend is one who rejoices when you rejoice, but is saddened when one is tempted by Satan and is overcome in sin. Demas worked with Paul but temptations became too great, or the pressures revealed a true heart. You cannot serve two masters, you must choose between the things or the world, or Jesus Christ. It will be a struggle.
Can one be an encouragement and then a disappointment? Absolutely. As a pastor I delight in seeing people grow in the Lord and something happens where they are sidelined. Often it is sin. Sometimes it is false doctrine or a trail that puts people in a controversial extreme that really is not of God.
FB Meyer, a legendary preacher who was marvelously used of God, was beginning to take pride in himself and his gift, but soon realized that his successes were due primarily because a poor widow in his congregation never ceased to pray for him.
We need to pray for one another, for our missionaries, our church members, those in need, our families, our pastors, officers, our SS teachers, our children workers, students.- We need spiritual support.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 22
Col 4:15-18 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord."
I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
There is Church Support
Paul was a church planter. The design of Jesus was not just to get converts, but disciples. The Biblical method for disciple making is to infuse people with in the fellowship of believers, the church. This is a local organization that according to Acts 2 was established to corporate worship the Lord, teach the Word of God, evangelize, but also for fellowship and help meet the needs of one another in and out of the fellowship.
Paul mentions Nympha and the church in his house. Some older versions have the ending as male instead of female. Recent studies show that it was probably a lady, a business woman or wealthy widow. She is part of God's team and giving what she has to the Lord.
Loved ones we are all gifted and needed for the building up the church. When we read these words before us we see heartfelt concern for brothers and sisters in the Lord. Paul was people oriented, not program oriented. He wasn't concerned about the latest church program, but he did affirm people and recognized his emotional need for friendships. There was no place for competition, nor pride, nor struggle for authority or power over one another. They were equally submissive to Christ sharing the joy and sorrows of each other. They all want to share their greetings to their friends at Colossae Laodicia & Ephesus.
Notice also this dynamic of emotional encouragement. The basis of their relationship was as workers together for Christ. Luke was a doctor, a professional. Onesimus was a slave, probably illiterate. Economic position means nothing, nor did race. There were Jews as part of the team as well as Gentiles. There was no social status.
Prejudice has no place in Christian fellowship. If one knows and loves Jesus it doesn't make any difference how rich or poor or what color their skin is, or what nationality they are, or how popular they are or what their occupation is, they are brothers and sister in Jesus.
Also in v. 16 we understand that Colossians were to read this letter their congregation and pass it on to the church at Laodicea. Likewise they received a letter form Paul, we never know what is was, but it was to be read at Colossae. God inspired these writings. So they were reading aloud the Bible.
I wonder if this is why he says of Archippus to complete the work. He had a ministry he was neglecting. He had a ministry just like we all have a ministry. Ministers are not those of us who stand up front and preach and teach. We are coaches, the players are in the pew. The impact of this church is not going to be made by what I say in the pulpit so much as it is by what you do when you leave here. You are ministers for Christ. You are the ones responsible to carry on the work. We seek to prepare each believer for his or her ministry. That is what Paul is doing here.
The book of Colossians teaches us our most precious fellowship must begin with Jesus Christ who is all and above all. We are complete in Him. But then we need each other. We need each other for physical support, emotional support and spiritual support.
Paul concludes his letter "Remember my chains". He is in prison because of his commitment to Jesus, but he is able to share the ministry because of the precious fellowship.
Ray Stedman prayed for his church, "Thank you Father for this church to which I belong, for those who help me, intercede for me, support me, love me, inspire me. Lord I cannot life as a Christian without them, for I need that part of Yourself that You have placed within them. And they cannot live without me, because they need the gifts that you have deposited in me. Lord free us of the selfishness, the self-centeredness, the ego-tips, the independence of spirit that keeps us from binding ourselves into one. Lord, help us to think first of those things which will benefit others before we begin listing our own needs Give us grace to live in such a way that we draw attention to You Amen.”
Pastor Dale
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)