Instead of thinking about my defined list of New Year's resolutions, I am thinking about 2009 New Year's Resolutions. This is not because of the particular year; but because I feel like I have, at least, 2009 things I need to work on. Recently, I have been made aware of many of my deficiencies. I have a ton of things that could be made into resolutions for the new year; and yet how long should that list be? I know that if I make the list too long, I will never accomplish it, or even stick with any part of it, if I am overwhelmed.
So, what should I do? I could try to do them all anyway. I could just forget it this year and not make any new goals. OR, I could focus on just a few things, and really gve myself to growing in those ways this next year. That means that I need to identify those few things. It means I need to be content with working on just a few things off the long list of my weaknesses. It means trusting that God knows what He is doing; and that He can do much more than I could ever think or imagine.
Maybe that is what I should do. Take one thing at a time, and give myself to it. Instead of feeling defeated because I didn't accomplish everything, I can be encouraged because progress will be able to be seen (at least by me) in at least one area at a time. So, Lord, where do you want me to focus first?
I think I will focus on...
What about you?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
All I want for Christmas is a new personality
I don't think I noticed it much when I was younger. And although I was aware of it in college and seminary, I didn't care much about it. However, after becoming a pastor 15 years ago, I began to see it more clearly; and didn't like the results it seemed to bring. The "IT", of course, is my personality. Back in high school, the popular temperment analysis tests showed that I was Phlegmatic. Unlike the Sanguine that was full of charisma, the choleric that was full of leadership and "driven", and the Meloncholy, who was artistic, but easily depressed, I was labeled a phlegmatic. The general description is someone who is not too "up" and not too "down". Instead of calling me mediocre however, or static, or lukewarm, the psychologists would call me "even-tempered", balanced.
In college, there was the "DISC" personality profile, and although the terminology was different, I was still diagnosed (now it sounds like a disease!) with the same personality I had in high school. Personalities seem to "stick" somehow. I thought that I was fine with my personality, but once I became a pastor, I began to see the real downsides to it.
I was very slow to confront something or someone when they needed to be confronted. Even if I was excited about something in my heart, my lack of emotional exuberance caused people to think I was not happy or excited, at all (even about things they were excited about). To my dismay, some thought I was snobby or just plain ignored them; when I would never do that on purpose. Friends of mine have told me that when they first met me, they didn't like my personality; and thought I was somewhat "cold". That breaks my heart every time I hear it, because I enjoy getting to know people and being around people; but I have a hard time communicating that in a way that "gets through" when I first meet people. It does usually take people a while before they "warm up to" me. That really bothers me!
I have heard people say they think I am unloving, even though I do love them, deeply, in my heart. But, I think, they see my personality try to communicate love, and they actually interpret it as disdain or plain apathy. Being a pastor, I feel the downsides to this personality are multiplied and magnified, because of the position I am in. I have often been tempted to desire someone else's personality, especially other pastors. I see guys who are able to walk up to complete strangers and carry conversations, by themselves, for hours. I am not able, naturally, to do that. I see other people respond to certain pastor's personalities, warming up to them immediately, and talking about how much that pastor loves them (even if they have not yet spent much time together). I see guys who can deliver God's Word with an incredibly attractive personality, that causes people to automatically say: "I will follow that guy anywhere"
All I want for Christmas is a new personality.
Ok - not really. I do admit I have had these thoughts often over the past 15 years. I have had to ask God for forgiveness multiple times for my jealousy and discontent. I know there are many positives to my personality, such as:.......................................................................................................
Well - I can't think of any right now, but I now there are some. I'm sure if you call my mom, she will have a list for you (thanks mom!)
I think I have come to terms with my personality. I do thank God for how He has made me. When He points things out to me, I do thank Him personally for the positive sides of my personality. Even as a pastor, I know that God has placed me in a certain ministry, for a certain time, with my personality, to be used for His glory, with a certain people. And I am really enjoying the people He has put me with right now. They have been, overall, a great blessing and encouragement. I think a few of them might even like me, after only 4 years!
So, on the days, like a couple days ago, when I start to wish for a different personality, I will try to focus on what is "true, just, honest, of good report"...what is biblical and what is right, in the eyes of God.
My God-Given Personality
Merry Christmas to me!
In college, there was the "DISC" personality profile, and although the terminology was different, I was still diagnosed (now it sounds like a disease!) with the same personality I had in high school. Personalities seem to "stick" somehow. I thought that I was fine with my personality, but once I became a pastor, I began to see the real downsides to it.
I was very slow to confront something or someone when they needed to be confronted. Even if I was excited about something in my heart, my lack of emotional exuberance caused people to think I was not happy or excited, at all (even about things they were excited about). To my dismay, some thought I was snobby or just plain ignored them; when I would never do that on purpose. Friends of mine have told me that when they first met me, they didn't like my personality; and thought I was somewhat "cold". That breaks my heart every time I hear it, because I enjoy getting to know people and being around people; but I have a hard time communicating that in a way that "gets through" when I first meet people. It does usually take people a while before they "warm up to" me. That really bothers me!
I have heard people say they think I am unloving, even though I do love them, deeply, in my heart. But, I think, they see my personality try to communicate love, and they actually interpret it as disdain or plain apathy. Being a pastor, I feel the downsides to this personality are multiplied and magnified, because of the position I am in. I have often been tempted to desire someone else's personality, especially other pastors. I see guys who are able to walk up to complete strangers and carry conversations, by themselves, for hours. I am not able, naturally, to do that. I see other people respond to certain pastor's personalities, warming up to them immediately, and talking about how much that pastor loves them (even if they have not yet spent much time together). I see guys who can deliver God's Word with an incredibly attractive personality, that causes people to automatically say: "I will follow that guy anywhere"
All I want for Christmas is a new personality.
Ok - not really. I do admit I have had these thoughts often over the past 15 years. I have had to ask God for forgiveness multiple times for my jealousy and discontent. I know there are many positives to my personality, such as:.......................................................................................................
Well - I can't think of any right now, but I now there are some. I'm sure if you call my mom, she will have a list for you (thanks mom!)
I think I have come to terms with my personality. I do thank God for how He has made me. When He points things out to me, I do thank Him personally for the positive sides of my personality. Even as a pastor, I know that God has placed me in a certain ministry, for a certain time, with my personality, to be used for His glory, with a certain people. And I am really enjoying the people He has put me with right now. They have been, overall, a great blessing and encouragement. I think a few of them might even like me, after only 4 years!
So, on the days, like a couple days ago, when I start to wish for a different personality, I will try to focus on what is "true, just, honest, of good report"...what is biblical and what is right, in the eyes of God.
My God-Given Personality
Merry Christmas to me!
Monday, December 15, 2008
The 8 Greatest Words I've Heard
Daddy, I asked Jesus to be my Savior!
I heard those from my son yesterday. Those are the greatest words. He said that he had prayed with mommy to receive Jesus as His Savior. He explained that one time he had prayed because he really wanted to take communion; and that he didn't think he really meant it. This time, he did. People have a variety of responses to something like this.
Some do not think a child can understand the gospel or what it means to be saved.
Others would have had my son write a date in his Bible the first time; and when he doubted, would point to that date and scold: see, you were saved on this date, it counts, and you don't need to ever doubt it again. Just look at this date and don't worry about it.
Some would even go to the extent to say that we need to get as many kids as possible to say salvation prayer as soon as possible. So, in any situation, they might tell kids if they want to go to Heaven and not go to Hell, they just need to repeat this prayer.
My perspective is a little different. I first said a prayer when I was 4 years old, asking Jesus to come into my heart. I have no idea if that is when (humanly speaking), I was saved. I believe what the Bible says about the fact that before the foundation of the world, God graciously chose me to be His child, not because of anything I would earn; but out of His grace and mercy. I do not pretend to understand fully the sovereignty of God, as it relates to salvation; but I trust in it, because it is from the Word of God.
After the first time I prayed to receive Jesus, I then prayed many many times. Every time I felt extremely guilty, I would wonder if I was truly saved, and then would pray again to be saved. I didn't exactly understand eternal security at that point. As time went on, I understood more and more what it meant to be saved; and to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I was baptized and committed to honoring Christ with my life. But, over the first 9 or 10 years after I first prayed, I was"up and down" and in a sense, was in process, in terms of my understanding of salvation.
Does it really matter what "the date" is? I admit it can be helpful; and is especially nice for those who were saved after early childhood. To tell the truth, I wish I had a date. I review all of this, so that you might understand how I look at my children and their need of salvation. I pray all the time for their salvation. They all, as young children, have sang songs about God and talked about Him, inluding the knowledge that Jesus died for their sins. They seem to simply accept it as fact.
We do pray for days like yesterday, when one of them recognizes a need to trust in Christ, and in child-like faith, as far as we can tell, he prays a prayer.It is awesome. But, I also recognize that it is a process; and my son may experiences doubts, or even pray at other times. For me, I look for evidence that the Holy Spirit now lives in Him. He will still sin; but I pray that He will remain committed to Christ; just as He is now.
I don't pressure our children to make decisions. We talk about it and pray God will work on each of their hearts. I think it can be dangerous to put pressure on young hearts to commit to someone that they may not be ready to commit to, giving them false security. In the end, I leave it inGod's hands.
So, I don't get too excited with each prayer; but I do try to take it all at face value. And therefore, I am excited, and feel like it should be celebrated. As always, I commit my children into God's hands: not only their physical lives; but especially their eternal ones. Thank God for His inexpressible gifts.
I heard those from my son yesterday. Those are the greatest words. He said that he had prayed with mommy to receive Jesus as His Savior. He explained that one time he had prayed because he really wanted to take communion; and that he didn't think he really meant it. This time, he did. People have a variety of responses to something like this.
Some do not think a child can understand the gospel or what it means to be saved.
Others would have had my son write a date in his Bible the first time; and when he doubted, would point to that date and scold: see, you were saved on this date, it counts, and you don't need to ever doubt it again. Just look at this date and don't worry about it.
Some would even go to the extent to say that we need to get as many kids as possible to say salvation prayer as soon as possible. So, in any situation, they might tell kids if they want to go to Heaven and not go to Hell, they just need to repeat this prayer.
My perspective is a little different. I first said a prayer when I was 4 years old, asking Jesus to come into my heart. I have no idea if that is when (humanly speaking), I was saved. I believe what the Bible says about the fact that before the foundation of the world, God graciously chose me to be His child, not because of anything I would earn; but out of His grace and mercy. I do not pretend to understand fully the sovereignty of God, as it relates to salvation; but I trust in it, because it is from the Word of God.
After the first time I prayed to receive Jesus, I then prayed many many times. Every time I felt extremely guilty, I would wonder if I was truly saved, and then would pray again to be saved. I didn't exactly understand eternal security at that point. As time went on, I understood more and more what it meant to be saved; and to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I was baptized and committed to honoring Christ with my life. But, over the first 9 or 10 years after I first prayed, I was"up and down" and in a sense, was in process, in terms of my understanding of salvation.
Does it really matter what "the date" is? I admit it can be helpful; and is especially nice for those who were saved after early childhood. To tell the truth, I wish I had a date. I review all of this, so that you might understand how I look at my children and their need of salvation. I pray all the time for their salvation. They all, as young children, have sang songs about God and talked about Him, inluding the knowledge that Jesus died for their sins. They seem to simply accept it as fact.
We do pray for days like yesterday, when one of them recognizes a need to trust in Christ, and in child-like faith, as far as we can tell, he prays a prayer.It is awesome. But, I also recognize that it is a process; and my son may experiences doubts, or even pray at other times. For me, I look for evidence that the Holy Spirit now lives in Him. He will still sin; but I pray that He will remain committed to Christ; just as He is now.
I don't pressure our children to make decisions. We talk about it and pray God will work on each of their hearts. I think it can be dangerous to put pressure on young hearts to commit to someone that they may not be ready to commit to, giving them false security. In the end, I leave it inGod's hands.
So, I don't get too excited with each prayer; but I do try to take it all at face value. And therefore, I am excited, and feel like it should be celebrated. As always, I commit my children into God's hands: not only their physical lives; but especially their eternal ones. Thank God for His inexpressible gifts.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
It's time to speak - where are my notes?
It was a couple of Sundays ago, when I almost experienced one of my worst nightmares. As a pastor, who speaks almost every week, my nightmares include the greatest fears of most public speakers. And beside the fear that my "fly" would be open, I fear going up to speak and not having my notes. I realize that "real" pastors and public speakers don't need notes; but, unfortunately, I do; and if I didn't have them, I would be "lost".
So, our worship team (of which I am a part) finishes singing and I grab my file folder which I thought had my sermon notes. Fortunately, a video testimony began, which I had pre-planned to begin my message. I was going to wait up on the platform for the video to play, but when I looked in my folder, I realized it was the worship folder; and not my sermon notes! I panicked.
Fortunately, the video testimony was 4 minutes, 50 seconds; so I took the opportunity to walk off the platform, and then run down the outside hallway and to my office.
As I was running, as subtely as possible, I was trying to remember where I put those notes, since I usually walk all over the church, greeting people, before the service begins. they could be anywhere. I was praying that I would find it; and the first place to look was my office. Two guys who were assigned to pray for the message time were already in my office and I ran in, panting, asking if they had seen my message. To my relief, there it was, right on my desk where I left it!
I was very thankful. I hustled back to the hallway outside the platform and took my place with a minute or so to spare. I was grateful that this happened to be one of the few Sundays I used a video to begin my messge. I know, at some point, I will get up to speak, realize that I don't have my notes, and ask for people to pray while I run through the church looking for them. But thankfully, it hasn't happened yet. Someday, I'll be a real pastor and not need any notes. Until then, give me my folder (the one with my notes in it)!
So, our worship team (of which I am a part) finishes singing and I grab my file folder which I thought had my sermon notes. Fortunately, a video testimony began, which I had pre-planned to begin my message. I was going to wait up on the platform for the video to play, but when I looked in my folder, I realized it was the worship folder; and not my sermon notes! I panicked.
Fortunately, the video testimony was 4 minutes, 50 seconds; so I took the opportunity to walk off the platform, and then run down the outside hallway and to my office.
As I was running, as subtely as possible, I was trying to remember where I put those notes, since I usually walk all over the church, greeting people, before the service begins. they could be anywhere. I was praying that I would find it; and the first place to look was my office. Two guys who were assigned to pray for the message time were already in my office and I ran in, panting, asking if they had seen my message. To my relief, there it was, right on my desk where I left it!
I was very thankful. I hustled back to the hallway outside the platform and took my place with a minute or so to spare. I was grateful that this happened to be one of the few Sundays I used a video to begin my messge. I know, at some point, I will get up to speak, realize that I don't have my notes, and ask for people to pray while I run through the church looking for them. But thankfully, it hasn't happened yet. Someday, I'll be a real pastor and not need any notes. Until then, give me my folder (the one with my notes in it)!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
NOAH CELEBRATES A BELATED THANKSGIVING
I know that my last entry also emphasized giving thanks, although the day which our country has desigated as Thanksgiving, has already past. Hopefully, you will forgive me again, for I have something else to be thankful for. If you are wondering about the title, no, I don't feel like Noah because I'm that old; or even because I have a couple sets of twins! Instead, think water.
It was Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend, and if you read my last blog about the broken mirror, you will notice a theme here: we were playing board games; with different friends this time. All of a sudden, one of our kids comes running in: the basement is flooding, the basement is flooding! That brought back bad memories since in the first year of moving into our home, our basement was flooded, as many in the area were during that long-lasting, hard falling rainstorm.
But, it had not been raining, so it couldn't be that! We ran downstairs to see that, indeed, water was splashing down onto our basement carpet from the vents above. Where was it coming from? We came back up the stairs to the middle hallway and saw water dripping steadily from a light fixture onto the floor; so we kept going up. Once we reached the upstairs bathroom, we found the source of the "flood" - God!
Not really: instead we found a full and overflowing sink, which upon further investigation had been plugged purposely by our children, so that something fun could float in it. The bathroom floor was definitely flooded. We cleaned up the bathroom floor, put a bucket on the middle floor, under the light fixture, and two bins under heavy drips in the basement. Not ever having water flow through our house like that before, we had no clue what damage there could be or what to do.
I am so grateful for friends, people God has put in our lives to encourage us and help in time of need. Not only did our friends who were there help dry up some water, but I called my friend who had helped so much when our basement flooded a few years back. I thought there might be several damage issues, and that we could potentially lose a part of the carpet, having to cut several feet out.
However, he told me how to soak up some of the water, bringing it up from the pad through the carpet and into towels; and then drying it off with fans. He came by the next day, put two huge fans, for drying carpet under the carpet, on the pads; and told us that everything in the house would dry, and there would no damage, in his opinion. We were very grateful.
So, once again, I thank God for loving people He has put in our lives, for keeping us from losing anything through the "flood waters falling", and especially for reminding me to trust in Him. I never know what is going to happen next, but I do know it will be another opportunity to learn more of myself, as well as the soveriegnty and faithfulness of God. Praise Be to Him!
It was Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend, and if you read my last blog about the broken mirror, you will notice a theme here: we were playing board games; with different friends this time. All of a sudden, one of our kids comes running in: the basement is flooding, the basement is flooding! That brought back bad memories since in the first year of moving into our home, our basement was flooded, as many in the area were during that long-lasting, hard falling rainstorm.
But, it had not been raining, so it couldn't be that! We ran downstairs to see that, indeed, water was splashing down onto our basement carpet from the vents above. Where was it coming from? We came back up the stairs to the middle hallway and saw water dripping steadily from a light fixture onto the floor; so we kept going up. Once we reached the upstairs bathroom, we found the source of the "flood" - God!
Not really: instead we found a full and overflowing sink, which upon further investigation had been plugged purposely by our children, so that something fun could float in it. The bathroom floor was definitely flooded. We cleaned up the bathroom floor, put a bucket on the middle floor, under the light fixture, and two bins under heavy drips in the basement. Not ever having water flow through our house like that before, we had no clue what damage there could be or what to do.
I am so grateful for friends, people God has put in our lives to encourage us and help in time of need. Not only did our friends who were there help dry up some water, but I called my friend who had helped so much when our basement flooded a few years back. I thought there might be several damage issues, and that we could potentially lose a part of the carpet, having to cut several feet out.
However, he told me how to soak up some of the water, bringing it up from the pad through the carpet and into towels; and then drying it off with fans. He came by the next day, put two huge fans, for drying carpet under the carpet, on the pads; and told us that everything in the house would dry, and there would no damage, in his opinion. We were very grateful.
So, once again, I thank God for loving people He has put in our lives, for keeping us from losing anything through the "flood waters falling", and especially for reminding me to trust in Him. I never know what is going to happen next, but I do know it will be another opportunity to learn more of myself, as well as the soveriegnty and faithfulness of God. Praise Be to Him!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
GIVING THANKS FOR 7 YEARS OF BAD LUCK
Not sure if this is allowed, since we are past the Thanksgiving weekend, but I would like to give thanks to God for something. I know: we are supposed to be all about Christmas now - listen to the music, tear through the advertisements, and think only about buying and getting gifts. But, if you would allow me, I would like, just this one time, to give thanks for something.
On Thanksgiving Day, we had friends over, and after stuffing ourselves, were playing a game together. All the kids were playing nicely (as far as we knew) downstairs. All of a sudden, one of our children informed us that something had fallen and broken down where they were playing. It seemed somewhat urgent, so we took off for the basement.
Once we arrived, we saw what had happened: a huge mirror set in a corner had fallen over and broken in a million pieces (my estimation). One of our children had hidden behind the mirror, and when getting out from behind it, had pushed it over. It took us quite a while to clean up the mess. One of our friends, watching while we vacuumed up the pieces of glass, reminded us that we now face 7 years of bad luck.
And that brings me to my point of thanksgiving: I praise God that, even though a mirror was destroyed, and the clean up was a major pain, NO ONE WAS HURT. Since our child was behind the mirror, there was no injury there (and our child was wise enough not to walk on the broken glass!). And even though the basement was full of kids, no other child was over in that area at the time - THANK YOU GOD!
It is easy for me to take our children's safety for granted; but in cases like this, I am reminded that our child or someone else's could have been seriously hurt - and their safety, for we parents, is the most important thing. There are other lessons to be learned - safety lessons, etc. with something like this; but most all, this is a moment to GIVE THANKS!
On Thanksgiving Day, we had friends over, and after stuffing ourselves, were playing a game together. All the kids were playing nicely (as far as we knew) downstairs. All of a sudden, one of our children informed us that something had fallen and broken down where they were playing. It seemed somewhat urgent, so we took off for the basement.
Once we arrived, we saw what had happened: a huge mirror set in a corner had fallen over and broken in a million pieces (my estimation). One of our children had hidden behind the mirror, and when getting out from behind it, had pushed it over. It took us quite a while to clean up the mess. One of our friends, watching while we vacuumed up the pieces of glass, reminded us that we now face 7 years of bad luck.
And that brings me to my point of thanksgiving: I praise God that, even though a mirror was destroyed, and the clean up was a major pain, NO ONE WAS HURT. Since our child was behind the mirror, there was no injury there (and our child was wise enough not to walk on the broken glass!). And even though the basement was full of kids, no other child was over in that area at the time - THANK YOU GOD!
It is easy for me to take our children's safety for granted; but in cases like this, I am reminded that our child or someone else's could have been seriously hurt - and their safety, for we parents, is the most important thing. There are other lessons to be learned - safety lessons, etc. with something like this; but most all, this is a moment to GIVE THANKS!
Monday, November 24, 2008
IF I WERE KING...
This morning, I got in the car to take my children to school; and as usual, the car stereo was set on our favorite station: 95.5 THE FISH. I am used to hearing great contemporary Christian music on the way to school. But, what do I hear instead, as soon as I start the car? Some song about Santa Claus. I couldn't believe my ears. Are you kidding me? Is this the right station? Did I lose a month of time somewhere?
I said: what is this? And my children happily reminded me that our favorite radio station (or used to be!) plays Christmas music from now until Christmas. I did a quick calendar check in my mind and confirmed what I thought: It is Monday, November 24th. It is not even Thanksgiving yet. It was then that I made my announcment to all of my children:
IF I WERE KING, PLAYING CHRISTMAS MUSIC BEFORE THANKSGIVING WOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW!
I would add to that, that you must wait until Thanksgiving is over; that is- midnight - the beginning of the next day. Plus, you must stop playing Christmas music at midnight just after Christmas is over. It's over - let's move on. Playing Christmas music this early does not give Thanksgiving its due. Can we please do one holiday celebration at a time? The same goes for all the Christmas commercials and various advertisements for all we are supposed to buy for Christmas, before we even thank God for what we already have - at Thanksgiving!
Yes, there are other things that would be true if I were king (no veggies on pizza comes to mind); but I will save those for another time. So, I am ready...as soon as somebody makes me king.
It probably is not going to happen in my house; so how about yours?
I said: what is this? And my children happily reminded me that our favorite radio station (or used to be!) plays Christmas music from now until Christmas. I did a quick calendar check in my mind and confirmed what I thought: It is Monday, November 24th. It is not even Thanksgiving yet. It was then that I made my announcment to all of my children:
IF I WERE KING, PLAYING CHRISTMAS MUSIC BEFORE THANKSGIVING WOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW!
I would add to that, that you must wait until Thanksgiving is over; that is- midnight - the beginning of the next day. Plus, you must stop playing Christmas music at midnight just after Christmas is over. It's over - let's move on. Playing Christmas music this early does not give Thanksgiving its due. Can we please do one holiday celebration at a time? The same goes for all the Christmas commercials and various advertisements for all we are supposed to buy for Christmas, before we even thank God for what we already have - at Thanksgiving!
Yes, there are other things that would be true if I were king (no veggies on pizza comes to mind); but I will save those for another time. So, I am ready...as soon as somebody makes me king.
It probably is not going to happen in my house; so how about yours?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
WATCH THE LAMB: a message
I am not much of a cryer. As I tell my wife: I'm crying on the inside. There are "triggers", however, that bring tears to my eyes, or come very, very close. And one of those is the old song: "Watch The Lamb". It has been around forever (it seems) but still touches my heart every time I hear it. I asked a friend from another church to come and sing this song at the end of my message that bears the same title as the song.
If you would like to read the lyrics, go to:
http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/r/rayboltz8182/watchthelamb285245.html
During the message, we sang the song: Jesus Messiah. For these lyrics, go to:
http://www.sweetslyrics.com/609650.Chris%20Tomlin%20-%20Jesus%20Messiah.html
WATCH THE LAMB
Mark 15:1-39
Please turn in your Bible to Mark 15. If you are using the Bible in front of you, it is page 882 or 900
John lived in a remote forest at the northern edge of Canada. His one and only friend was his faithful German shepherd, Duke. John was a trapper, and every few days he and Duke would take the overnight trip to check the traps. Their simple life was sustained by the animal pelts they sold in a distant town. Duke loved his master and would do anything to protect him. John loved his dog and came to trust him fully.
But, eventually, on one of John’s trips to town, he fell in love with a beautiful woman and married her. Within a year, they had a beautiful baby daughter. But, tragically, his wife died during childbirth, and John was left alone to raise his daughter. He had no choice, but to leave Duke watching over his precious baby girl while he went overnight to check his traps. Returning home early in the morning one day, John’s heart began to pound wildly as he noticed the front door of the cabin pushed open. Throwing down his pelts, he ran to the open door and his worst fears were realized.
The 2 year old baby’s little bed was covered with blood. In that moment he caught sight of Duke cowering in the corner, covered with blood. Enraged, the man cocked his rifle and pointed it directly at Duke. You killed my baby! You killed my baby! John’s cry awoke the baby, who began to cry underneath the bloodstain blanket. And then John saw it. The dead bobcat, which must have threatened the life of his daughter, was opposed and killed by his trusted and faithful friend – his daughter’s protector – Duke.
The one whom he was about to kill was actually the one who had saved his daughter’s life; and thereby his as well. This is the story of the religious leaders in the last days of Jesus’ life and ministry. They viewed Jesus as the problem: the one who killed their dreams of religious superiority; the one who pointed the finger at them as being hypocrites and far from God. They determined to destroy Him. Yet, they were unwilling and unable to recognize the truth: this one they sought to destroy was the One who was there to save them.
The forerunner of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, said this about Jesus:
John 1:29 – “…Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
In these passages from Mark 15 this morning, we are going to watch the Lamb of God and learn more about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We begin in verses 1-5, where we watch the Lamb of God:
Tell the truth, without defending Himself (vs.1-5)
Mark 15:1 – “And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.”
Just after daybreak (probably between 5-6 a.m.) on that Friday morning, the Sanhedrin had their verdict: guilty; and they had their plan set for having the Roman government put him to death. They knew they could not do this on their own. That is why they had to be ready, at the break of dawn, to bring him before a Roman authority.
Pilate was known as being harsh as he governed, and actually despised the Jews.
He had the authority, on his own, to make decisions on behalf of the Roman court. When he held court, normally in public, the accusation against the defendant would be read, followed by Pilate asking whatever questions he desired. The one standing trial would be allowed to answer his accusers, and any other witnesses would be called to testify as well. Once he heard enough, he would receive some legal counsel and then make the final verdict. Once the verdict was in, the sentence was to be carried out immediately.
The Sanhedrin had brought Jesus to Pilate, having already pronounced him guilty and deserving of death; and now it was Pilate’s prerogative to judge the matter and give his own verdict. The Sanhedrin could pronounce a death sentence, but they could not carry it out. Pilate had the authority, as Roman Governor, to either support the Council’s sentence or to rescind it. The Sanhedrin had to convince Pilate to carry out the sentence.
Mark 15:2 – “And Pilate asked him, are you the King of the Jews? And he answered him, You have said so.”
The accusation that was first introduced to Pilate is recorded by Luke:
Luke 23:2 – “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
So, Pilate’s first question was: “Are you the King of the Jews?” This was a crucial question, because anyone who claimed authority, outside of Caesar, would be considered to have committed treason, which did carry a death sentence. Jesus answered with a yes, but qualified it by saying that Pilate had chosen the words, not He. Mark included this brief statement; but I do think it would be helpful for us to hear some more of the conversation, as Jesus explained how His Kingdom differs from any other ruler. Let’s listen in, as recorded by John:
John 18:33-38 – “So Pilate…said to him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered, do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. Pilate said to him, What is truth?..”
Jesus was making it clear that He was not a king in the sense of coming to take over rule at that time. His kingdom was a completely different kingdom – a spiritual one. While Pilate put the focus on his willingness to accept the title of King, Jesus put the focus on whether or not he was willing to accept the truth: the truth of who Jesus was and all He was teaching.
Pilate came back to the chief priests, after questioning Jesus; and John reports:
John 18:38 – “…he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him.”
Mark 15:3 – “And the chief priests accused him of many things.”
You probably have been falsely accused before…of something. For me, as I shared a few weeks ago, it was in the context of ministry, that a couple church leaders (in one of my previous ministries) decided to get rid of me. Thankfully, they just wanted me out of the church, not dead! But, in order to do so, they had to start throwing around accusations. Some of them had some truth sprinkled in, but at the heart of the accusations, were lies, not substantiated by the facts. Statements were taken out of context, and I was even accused of not preaching the gospel any more.
When Pilate told them that he didn’t see Jesus doing anything worthy of death; especially since he realized that Jesus was not trying to overthrow the Roman government, the religious leaders just started throwing accusations around. These were probably a lot of the accusations that were reported to them by false witnesses. They were hoping something would stick. After making those accusations:
Mark 15:4,5 – “And Pilate again asked him, have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you. But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.”
One reason he was amazed, was because everyone else he had ever judged pleaded for mercy, and tried to defend themselves in any way possible; but not Jesus. In fact:
John 19:10 – “So Pilate said to him, You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?”
Interestingly enough, it was Peter (who previously denied that he knew Christ) that would, later, encourage Christians to follow Jesus’ example in this regard:
I Peter 2:21-23 – “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him, who judges justly.”
SO WHAT? Tell the truth about Jesus, and be prepared to suffer for it.
No, you might not have to suffer the way Jesus did. But, if you live your faith out loud and are willing to talk about the truths of Christ with others, there will be times when you are opposed, mocked or shunned, at least. Consider Jesus and what He was willing to go through, for your salvation, and then decide whether or not you are willing to tell the truth about Him and how He has changed your life.
Jesus was obviously different than any other who had stood trial before Pilate. This amazed Pilate. He felt trapped. There was not enough evidence here to sentence Jesus to death; but he definitely did not want to just let him go, at the risk of having the religious leaders and then the crowds against Him.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary reminds us of what Pilate did next, recorded only in Luke’s account in Luke 23: “Learning that Jesus was a Galilean and hoping to avoid making a judgment against Him, Pilate sent Him to Herod Antipas, governor of Galilee, also in Jerusalem at the time. But Herod soon returned Him to Pilate.”
Now what was he going to do? An opportunity opened up as he was reminded of his tradition during the Passover festival. Now, in verses 6-15, we will watch the Lamb of God:
Get what He did not deserve (vs.6-15)
Mark 15:6-10 – “Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews? For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.”
In keeping with his tradition, he demonstrated goodwill each Passover festival, by allowing the people to vote on whom they would like to have released from prison. Pilate was certain they would choose to have Jesus released, feeling he had suffered enough already. His perception was that the religious leaders were just jealous, envious of Jesus’ appeal; and certainly the crowd would choose to have Jesus released. And this was another opportunity to show his distaste for the Jews, by offering to release to them their King.
Mark 15:11-14 – “But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. And Pilate said to them, Why, what evil has he done? But they shouted all the more, Crucify him.”
Barabbas had been accused of murder, a part of a rebellion against Roman authority. He was now on “death row”, waiting for his execution. The religious leaders were fearful of Pilate trying to get out of executing Jesus by releasing him at the crowd’s request. So, they stirred up the crowd, suggested that Barabbas be released instead, and had them convinced that the best thing that could happen, the only choice, was for Jesus to be crucified. They had no answer for why Jesus deserved it – He didn’t. But that didn’t matter. Crucify Him!
How ironic: the crowd wanted a man of violence released and wanted to crucify the prince of peace. They wanted to release a man of hatred and have crucified a man that personified God’s sacrificial love. They wanted to release a man who deserved the death penalty and crucify the only one to have lived a perfect life on earth.
Pilate didn’t anticipate this. What Barabbas deserved and was waiting for was now put on Jesus. So, at the demand of the crowd, Pilate had to do what He promised:
Mark 15:15 – “So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified.”
Matthew reports it this way:
Matthew 27:24, 25 – “So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves. And all the people answered, His blood be on us and on our children!”
Pilate decided to listen to other voices, rather than the voice of truth. Max Lucado, in his book: No Wonder They Call Him Savior, puts it this way:
“Pilate could have listened to the voice of Jesus. Pilate stood eye to eye with him. Five times he postponed the decision hoping to gratify the mob with policies or lashings. Yet Jesus was always sent back to him. Three times he stood eye to eye with this compelling Nazarene who had come to reveal the truth. ‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked rhetorically (or was it honestly?). Jesus’ silence was much louder than the crowd’s demands. But Pilate didn’t listen.”
We might easily read over the words from verse 15: “having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.”
In 2004, I saw a depiction of this scourging in the movie “The Passion of the Christ”. Even though it was just a movie, with makeup and actors, I had not and still have not seen anything as that realistic depiction of what Jesus may have really gone through during these hours of trial, on his way to the cross. The scene that was most disturbing depicted this scourging, this flogging, mentioned here in verse 15. It is so easy for us to read it, and not really consider what He went through. After seeing the scenes in that movie, I have at least a little better idea of the blood, the pain, the cruelty that Jesus endured for my salvation.
I read this in the Bible knowledge Commentary: “A Roman flogging was a brutal beating that always preceded the execution of a capital sentence on male offenders, though it could also be a separate punishment. The prisoner was stripped, often tied to a post, and beaten on the back by several guards using short leather whips studded with sharp pieces of bone or metal. No limit was set on the number of blows. Often this punishment was fatal.”
Will the worship team please come forward?
Now, in verses 16-20, watch the lamb of God:
Be mocked and humiliated (vs. 16-32)
Mark 15:16 – “And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion.”
The flogging was over, which may have been public, and they took Jesus back into the palace courtyard. Scholars believe the whole battalion may have included anywhere from 200-300 soldiers. This may have been the group of soldiers that came with Pilate to Jerusalem.
Mark 15:17-19 - “And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.”
This was not a fun, innocent skit they were performing, poking a little fun at Jesus. This was detestable, hate filled, and genuine physical torture! They were doing this to God (in the flesh)! They were mocking Him, using the King of the Jews phrase. They were hitting Him, spitting on Him and mockingly kneeling down to Him. They put the crown of THORNS on His head.
Mark 15:20- “And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.”
This was no surprise to Jesus and should not have been a surprise to His followers. Jesus said this would happen:
Mark 10:33,34 – “saying, See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
Would you stand with me please? Before we continue on, it is appropriate for us to sing about the one we are reading about. This was Jesus, God’s Son, here to take away the sins of the world. He was Jesus, the Messiah, promised from the Old Testament; but rejected by the religious leaders (who knew the Old Testament!) and by the ones He came to save. We sang it for you before the service this morning; and we invite you, as you learn the tune, to sing with us now:
.
Sing: JESUS MESSIAH (by Chris Tomlin)
Mark 15:21 – “And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.”
According to historians, a condemned man would carry his own crossbeam of the cross, which would weigh about 100 pounds, through the city streets and out to the place of crucifixion. But, in this case, Jesus was so weak from the beatings, that He could not.
So, they “compelled a passerby” says Mark; and His name was Simon. Most scholars believe He was a pilgrim, being so far from home, there for the Passover celebrations. Mark is the only one to mention his sons (Alexander and Rufus); but it is interesting that there is a Rufus mentioned in Romans 16:13. Some believe that Mark mentions them because his readers in Rome would be familiar with them. There seems to be some significance here, in that Mark names this man, tells us where he is from, and names his sons. It may be, that these boys that witnessed their dad carry Jesus’ cross, eventually become followers of Jesus! At the end of today’s message, we are going to hear a song that imagines this story.
Mark 15:22 – “And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).”
Outside, but close to the city wall, was Golgotha, the Greek rendering of the Aramaic word meaning The Place of the Skull. According to commentators Walvoord and Zuck, “The word Calvary comes from the latin variation of calva, which means: “a skull” Golgotha was a rounded, rocky knoll (not a hill or mountain) vaguely resembling the shape of a human skull.”
Mark 15:23 – “And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.”
The Roman soldiers offered him this drink that would act as an anesthetic, to dull the pain. But after He tasted it (Matthew 27:34), he decided not to take it; maybe wanting to take the full affect of the pain.
Mark 15:24 – “And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.”
Mark does not go into a lot of the crucifixion details. Historically, the criminal would be stripped, except maybe for a loincloth. He would be laid on the ground, with his outstretched forearms nailed to the crossbeam. This crossbeam then would be fastened to the pole already fixed in the ground. A wooden peg would be placed in the post so that the criminal could support his body with his feet. The criminal would then slowly die from thirst and exhaustion. At times, the process would be sped up by breaking their legs.
By tradition, the guards who served as the execution squad, were able to take the personal belongings of the dying criminal and split them up. In this case, they cast lots, to determine who would get what. There was probably an outer and inner garment, sandals, maybe a head covering that would be split up. They didn’t know it, but they were fulfilling prophecy, showing the Scriptures to be true, once again; and adding to the humiliation of Christ that was predicted:
Psalm 22:18 – “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
Mark 15:25 – “And it was the third hour when they crucified him.”
Mark is the only gospel writer saying this happened at the third hour; which according to the Jewish counting of time, would be 9 a.m.
Mark 15:26, 27– “And the inscription of the charge against him read, The King of the Jews. And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.”
Because verse 28 is not in many of the Greek manuscripts, the English Standard Version did not include it. Verse 28 out of the New King James Version reads this way:
Mark 15:28 – “So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And He was numbered with the transgressors.” (NKJV)
Mark doesn’t go into the details the other gospels do, but to let us know that Jesus was crucified along with two other criminals, who both deserved to die. And the humiliation of Christ continued:
Mark 15:29,30 – “And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!”
More verbal abuse, now as Jesus was hanging there dying. Again they mocked him, saying that if he could do what he had said (destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days) then certainly he could get himself down from the cross. Little did they realize, that when he had made that statement, he was referring to the events that were now taking place: his body (temple) was being destroyed; but in 3 days, he would rise again.
Mark 15:31, 32 – “So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, he saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe. Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.”
The religious leaders joined in the mocking, as they talked to one another: “He could do miracles and heal others; but he cannot heal (save) himself. What they didn’t realize is that He could not save himself, so that he could truly save others – all who would believe on Him. They mockingly said they would believe if He was the Messiah, if he came down from the cross. By staying on the cross, he proved that He was! We know from Luke that one of those crucified with Jesus eventually showed belief and was saved from his sins. In the whole crowd of non-believers, it was another condemned man that found the faith to believe that Jesus could be His Savior.
SO WHAT? Thank God that Jesus Christ took your place.
He didn’t just take Barabbas’ place; but He took yours and mine as well. We deserved to be convicted for sin, not Him. We deserved to die on the cross, not Jesus. He took our place. He paid our debt. He was beaten and mocked, for our benefit. He was falsely accused, spat on and whipped – even though He was dying for them. He took your place. Don’t forget to thank Him – continually! You do that as you sing to Him. You do that as you pray in thanksgiving. And you do that as you live a life that honors Him: as you pursue Christ-likeness.
Finally, in verses 33-39, watch the Lamb of God:
Die alone, providing the only way to get to God (vs. 33-39)
Mark 15:33-35 - “And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? Which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And some of the bystanders hearing it said, Behold, he is calling Elijah.”
Although Jesus said several things from the cross, this is the only one recorded by Mark. He is emphasizing Jesus, throughout his gospel, as the Son of Man, God’s Son: fully man, fully God. And this relationship with God the Father was tested greatly, as Jesus died alone. This was the only phrase Mark included.
Jesus hung on the cross for 3 hours and then total darkness came for another 3 hours, until about 3 p.m. The darkness may have pictured the sin being died for; and/or a visual expression of Jesus’ words of loneliness. When Jesus said these words, He experienced the separation from God that sin brings; since He took our sins in dying for them.
The crowd mistook his words or mocked him, saying he was calling for Elijah for help. Many Jews believed that Elijah came to people’s rescue when in distress.
Mark 15:36 – “And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”
We know from the gospel of John that Jesus said: I thirst; and verse 36, here, was probably a response to that, as someone went to get this for him. They continued the taunt, however, thinking if he continued to live, they could see if Elijah was going to deliver Him or not.
Mark 15:37 – “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.”
We know, from Luke, that that loud cry is translated: “It is finished.” The debt is paid.
Mark 15:38 – “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”
This is significant- no coincidence. And it is recorded here. The curtain, or veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This was the action of God. It would have been the time for the priests to perform the evening sacrifices. No longer would there need to be animal sacrifices for sins. And no longer would there be this obstacle between God and man. Man would no longer need to go through a priest to get to God; and he would no longer need to offer sacrifices to be right with God. The sacrifice was here. Speaking of Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 7:27 – “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and the for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.”
Mark 15:39 – “And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God!”
This Roman guard saw all that had taken place, as he would have been in charge of the execution detail. Whether this guard fully understood the meaning of his own words, we don’t know; but they were true, none the less. Even this Gentile had no barrier now – he could even see the truth found in Jesus Christ.
SO WHAT? Place your complete faith and trust, for salvation, in Jesus Christ alone.
John the Baptist had said, when He saw Jesus Christ approaching:
John 1:29 – “…Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Jesus was that Lamb, to be sacrificed, just once, for the sins of the world. So that, everyone who would place their complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, would indeed inherit eternal life. Regardless of how religious you are, if you have never placed your complete trust in Jesus Christ, gaining a personal relationship with Him and being 100% sure you are going to Heaven: we would like to talk and pray with you about that. You can come up to see me once the service is over, if you would like to talk further.
Would you bow your heads in prayer please? I would like you to take a few minutes to consider what you have heard from God’s Word today; and to decide how God would want you to respond to His truth. As you think and pray, listen to a song that illustrates the truth we have heard today.
Special: Watch the Lamb – sung by Brandon Bennett - music by Ray Boltz
If you would like to read the lyrics, go to:
http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/r/rayboltz8182/watchthelamb285245.html
During the message, we sang the song: Jesus Messiah. For these lyrics, go to:
http://www.sweetslyrics.com/609650.Chris%20Tomlin%20-%20Jesus%20Messiah.html
WATCH THE LAMB
Mark 15:1-39
Please turn in your Bible to Mark 15. If you are using the Bible in front of you, it is page 882 or 900
John lived in a remote forest at the northern edge of Canada. His one and only friend was his faithful German shepherd, Duke. John was a trapper, and every few days he and Duke would take the overnight trip to check the traps. Their simple life was sustained by the animal pelts they sold in a distant town. Duke loved his master and would do anything to protect him. John loved his dog and came to trust him fully.
But, eventually, on one of John’s trips to town, he fell in love with a beautiful woman and married her. Within a year, they had a beautiful baby daughter. But, tragically, his wife died during childbirth, and John was left alone to raise his daughter. He had no choice, but to leave Duke watching over his precious baby girl while he went overnight to check his traps. Returning home early in the morning one day, John’s heart began to pound wildly as he noticed the front door of the cabin pushed open. Throwing down his pelts, he ran to the open door and his worst fears were realized.
The 2 year old baby’s little bed was covered with blood. In that moment he caught sight of Duke cowering in the corner, covered with blood. Enraged, the man cocked his rifle and pointed it directly at Duke. You killed my baby! You killed my baby! John’s cry awoke the baby, who began to cry underneath the bloodstain blanket. And then John saw it. The dead bobcat, which must have threatened the life of his daughter, was opposed and killed by his trusted and faithful friend – his daughter’s protector – Duke.
The one whom he was about to kill was actually the one who had saved his daughter’s life; and thereby his as well. This is the story of the religious leaders in the last days of Jesus’ life and ministry. They viewed Jesus as the problem: the one who killed their dreams of religious superiority; the one who pointed the finger at them as being hypocrites and far from God. They determined to destroy Him. Yet, they were unwilling and unable to recognize the truth: this one they sought to destroy was the One who was there to save them.
The forerunner of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, said this about Jesus:
John 1:29 – “…Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
In these passages from Mark 15 this morning, we are going to watch the Lamb of God and learn more about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We begin in verses 1-5, where we watch the Lamb of God:
Tell the truth, without defending Himself (vs.1-5)
Mark 15:1 – “And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate.”
Just after daybreak (probably between 5-6 a.m.) on that Friday morning, the Sanhedrin had their verdict: guilty; and they had their plan set for having the Roman government put him to death. They knew they could not do this on their own. That is why they had to be ready, at the break of dawn, to bring him before a Roman authority.
Pilate was known as being harsh as he governed, and actually despised the Jews.
He had the authority, on his own, to make decisions on behalf of the Roman court. When he held court, normally in public, the accusation against the defendant would be read, followed by Pilate asking whatever questions he desired. The one standing trial would be allowed to answer his accusers, and any other witnesses would be called to testify as well. Once he heard enough, he would receive some legal counsel and then make the final verdict. Once the verdict was in, the sentence was to be carried out immediately.
The Sanhedrin had brought Jesus to Pilate, having already pronounced him guilty and deserving of death; and now it was Pilate’s prerogative to judge the matter and give his own verdict. The Sanhedrin could pronounce a death sentence, but they could not carry it out. Pilate had the authority, as Roman Governor, to either support the Council’s sentence or to rescind it. The Sanhedrin had to convince Pilate to carry out the sentence.
Mark 15:2 – “And Pilate asked him, are you the King of the Jews? And he answered him, You have said so.”
The accusation that was first introduced to Pilate is recorded by Luke:
Luke 23:2 – “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
So, Pilate’s first question was: “Are you the King of the Jews?” This was a crucial question, because anyone who claimed authority, outside of Caesar, would be considered to have committed treason, which did carry a death sentence. Jesus answered with a yes, but qualified it by saying that Pilate had chosen the words, not He. Mark included this brief statement; but I do think it would be helpful for us to hear some more of the conversation, as Jesus explained how His Kingdom differs from any other ruler. Let’s listen in, as recorded by John:
John 18:33-38 – “So Pilate…said to him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered, do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. Pilate said to him, What is truth?..”
Jesus was making it clear that He was not a king in the sense of coming to take over rule at that time. His kingdom was a completely different kingdom – a spiritual one. While Pilate put the focus on his willingness to accept the title of King, Jesus put the focus on whether or not he was willing to accept the truth: the truth of who Jesus was and all He was teaching.
Pilate came back to the chief priests, after questioning Jesus; and John reports:
John 18:38 – “…he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him.”
Mark 15:3 – “And the chief priests accused him of many things.”
You probably have been falsely accused before…of something. For me, as I shared a few weeks ago, it was in the context of ministry, that a couple church leaders (in one of my previous ministries) decided to get rid of me. Thankfully, they just wanted me out of the church, not dead! But, in order to do so, they had to start throwing around accusations. Some of them had some truth sprinkled in, but at the heart of the accusations, were lies, not substantiated by the facts. Statements were taken out of context, and I was even accused of not preaching the gospel any more.
When Pilate told them that he didn’t see Jesus doing anything worthy of death; especially since he realized that Jesus was not trying to overthrow the Roman government, the religious leaders just started throwing accusations around. These were probably a lot of the accusations that were reported to them by false witnesses. They were hoping something would stick. After making those accusations:
Mark 15:4,5 – “And Pilate again asked him, have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you. But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.”
One reason he was amazed, was because everyone else he had ever judged pleaded for mercy, and tried to defend themselves in any way possible; but not Jesus. In fact:
John 19:10 – “So Pilate said to him, You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?”
Interestingly enough, it was Peter (who previously denied that he knew Christ) that would, later, encourage Christians to follow Jesus’ example in this regard:
I Peter 2:21-23 – “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him, who judges justly.”
SO WHAT? Tell the truth about Jesus, and be prepared to suffer for it.
No, you might not have to suffer the way Jesus did. But, if you live your faith out loud and are willing to talk about the truths of Christ with others, there will be times when you are opposed, mocked or shunned, at least. Consider Jesus and what He was willing to go through, for your salvation, and then decide whether or not you are willing to tell the truth about Him and how He has changed your life.
Jesus was obviously different than any other who had stood trial before Pilate. This amazed Pilate. He felt trapped. There was not enough evidence here to sentence Jesus to death; but he definitely did not want to just let him go, at the risk of having the religious leaders and then the crowds against Him.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary reminds us of what Pilate did next, recorded only in Luke’s account in Luke 23: “Learning that Jesus was a Galilean and hoping to avoid making a judgment against Him, Pilate sent Him to Herod Antipas, governor of Galilee, also in Jerusalem at the time. But Herod soon returned Him to Pilate.”
Now what was he going to do? An opportunity opened up as he was reminded of his tradition during the Passover festival. Now, in verses 6-15, we will watch the Lamb of God:
Get what He did not deserve (vs.6-15)
Mark 15:6-10 – “Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them, saying, Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews? For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.”
In keeping with his tradition, he demonstrated goodwill each Passover festival, by allowing the people to vote on whom they would like to have released from prison. Pilate was certain they would choose to have Jesus released, feeling he had suffered enough already. His perception was that the religious leaders were just jealous, envious of Jesus’ appeal; and certainly the crowd would choose to have Jesus released. And this was another opportunity to show his distaste for the Jews, by offering to release to them their King.
Mark 15:11-14 – “But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. And Pilate said to them, Why, what evil has he done? But they shouted all the more, Crucify him.”
Barabbas had been accused of murder, a part of a rebellion against Roman authority. He was now on “death row”, waiting for his execution. The religious leaders were fearful of Pilate trying to get out of executing Jesus by releasing him at the crowd’s request. So, they stirred up the crowd, suggested that Barabbas be released instead, and had them convinced that the best thing that could happen, the only choice, was for Jesus to be crucified. They had no answer for why Jesus deserved it – He didn’t. But that didn’t matter. Crucify Him!
How ironic: the crowd wanted a man of violence released and wanted to crucify the prince of peace. They wanted to release a man of hatred and have crucified a man that personified God’s sacrificial love. They wanted to release a man who deserved the death penalty and crucify the only one to have lived a perfect life on earth.
Pilate didn’t anticipate this. What Barabbas deserved and was waiting for was now put on Jesus. So, at the demand of the crowd, Pilate had to do what He promised:
Mark 15:15 – “So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified.”
Matthew reports it this way:
Matthew 27:24, 25 – “So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves. And all the people answered, His blood be on us and on our children!”
Pilate decided to listen to other voices, rather than the voice of truth. Max Lucado, in his book: No Wonder They Call Him Savior, puts it this way:
“Pilate could have listened to the voice of Jesus. Pilate stood eye to eye with him. Five times he postponed the decision hoping to gratify the mob with policies or lashings. Yet Jesus was always sent back to him. Three times he stood eye to eye with this compelling Nazarene who had come to reveal the truth. ‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked rhetorically (or was it honestly?). Jesus’ silence was much louder than the crowd’s demands. But Pilate didn’t listen.”
We might easily read over the words from verse 15: “having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.”
In 2004, I saw a depiction of this scourging in the movie “The Passion of the Christ”. Even though it was just a movie, with makeup and actors, I had not and still have not seen anything as that realistic depiction of what Jesus may have really gone through during these hours of trial, on his way to the cross. The scene that was most disturbing depicted this scourging, this flogging, mentioned here in verse 15. It is so easy for us to read it, and not really consider what He went through. After seeing the scenes in that movie, I have at least a little better idea of the blood, the pain, the cruelty that Jesus endured for my salvation.
I read this in the Bible knowledge Commentary: “A Roman flogging was a brutal beating that always preceded the execution of a capital sentence on male offenders, though it could also be a separate punishment. The prisoner was stripped, often tied to a post, and beaten on the back by several guards using short leather whips studded with sharp pieces of bone or metal. No limit was set on the number of blows. Often this punishment was fatal.”
Will the worship team please come forward?
Now, in verses 16-20, watch the lamb of God:
Be mocked and humiliated (vs. 16-32)
Mark 15:16 – “And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion.”
The flogging was over, which may have been public, and they took Jesus back into the palace courtyard. Scholars believe the whole battalion may have included anywhere from 200-300 soldiers. This may have been the group of soldiers that came with Pilate to Jerusalem.
Mark 15:17-19 - “And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.”
This was not a fun, innocent skit they were performing, poking a little fun at Jesus. This was detestable, hate filled, and genuine physical torture! They were doing this to God (in the flesh)! They were mocking Him, using the King of the Jews phrase. They were hitting Him, spitting on Him and mockingly kneeling down to Him. They put the crown of THORNS on His head.
Mark 15:20- “And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.”
This was no surprise to Jesus and should not have been a surprise to His followers. Jesus said this would happen:
Mark 10:33,34 – “saying, See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
Would you stand with me please? Before we continue on, it is appropriate for us to sing about the one we are reading about. This was Jesus, God’s Son, here to take away the sins of the world. He was Jesus, the Messiah, promised from the Old Testament; but rejected by the religious leaders (who knew the Old Testament!) and by the ones He came to save. We sang it for you before the service this morning; and we invite you, as you learn the tune, to sing with us now:
.
Sing: JESUS MESSIAH (by Chris Tomlin)
Mark 15:21 – “And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.”
According to historians, a condemned man would carry his own crossbeam of the cross, which would weigh about 100 pounds, through the city streets and out to the place of crucifixion. But, in this case, Jesus was so weak from the beatings, that He could not.
So, they “compelled a passerby” says Mark; and His name was Simon. Most scholars believe He was a pilgrim, being so far from home, there for the Passover celebrations. Mark is the only one to mention his sons (Alexander and Rufus); but it is interesting that there is a Rufus mentioned in Romans 16:13. Some believe that Mark mentions them because his readers in Rome would be familiar with them. There seems to be some significance here, in that Mark names this man, tells us where he is from, and names his sons. It may be, that these boys that witnessed their dad carry Jesus’ cross, eventually become followers of Jesus! At the end of today’s message, we are going to hear a song that imagines this story.
Mark 15:22 – “And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).”
Outside, but close to the city wall, was Golgotha, the Greek rendering of the Aramaic word meaning The Place of the Skull. According to commentators Walvoord and Zuck, “The word Calvary comes from the latin variation of calva, which means: “a skull” Golgotha was a rounded, rocky knoll (not a hill or mountain) vaguely resembling the shape of a human skull.”
Mark 15:23 – “And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.”
The Roman soldiers offered him this drink that would act as an anesthetic, to dull the pain. But after He tasted it (Matthew 27:34), he decided not to take it; maybe wanting to take the full affect of the pain.
Mark 15:24 – “And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.”
Mark does not go into a lot of the crucifixion details. Historically, the criminal would be stripped, except maybe for a loincloth. He would be laid on the ground, with his outstretched forearms nailed to the crossbeam. This crossbeam then would be fastened to the pole already fixed in the ground. A wooden peg would be placed in the post so that the criminal could support his body with his feet. The criminal would then slowly die from thirst and exhaustion. At times, the process would be sped up by breaking their legs.
By tradition, the guards who served as the execution squad, were able to take the personal belongings of the dying criminal and split them up. In this case, they cast lots, to determine who would get what. There was probably an outer and inner garment, sandals, maybe a head covering that would be split up. They didn’t know it, but they were fulfilling prophecy, showing the Scriptures to be true, once again; and adding to the humiliation of Christ that was predicted:
Psalm 22:18 – “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
Mark 15:25 – “And it was the third hour when they crucified him.”
Mark is the only gospel writer saying this happened at the third hour; which according to the Jewish counting of time, would be 9 a.m.
Mark 15:26, 27– “And the inscription of the charge against him read, The King of the Jews. And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.”
Because verse 28 is not in many of the Greek manuscripts, the English Standard Version did not include it. Verse 28 out of the New King James Version reads this way:
Mark 15:28 – “So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And He was numbered with the transgressors.” (NKJV)
Mark doesn’t go into the details the other gospels do, but to let us know that Jesus was crucified along with two other criminals, who both deserved to die. And the humiliation of Christ continued:
Mark 15:29,30 – “And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!”
More verbal abuse, now as Jesus was hanging there dying. Again they mocked him, saying that if he could do what he had said (destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days) then certainly he could get himself down from the cross. Little did they realize, that when he had made that statement, he was referring to the events that were now taking place: his body (temple) was being destroyed; but in 3 days, he would rise again.
Mark 15:31, 32 – “So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, he saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe. Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.”
The religious leaders joined in the mocking, as they talked to one another: “He could do miracles and heal others; but he cannot heal (save) himself. What they didn’t realize is that He could not save himself, so that he could truly save others – all who would believe on Him. They mockingly said they would believe if He was the Messiah, if he came down from the cross. By staying on the cross, he proved that He was! We know from Luke that one of those crucified with Jesus eventually showed belief and was saved from his sins. In the whole crowd of non-believers, it was another condemned man that found the faith to believe that Jesus could be His Savior.
SO WHAT? Thank God that Jesus Christ took your place.
He didn’t just take Barabbas’ place; but He took yours and mine as well. We deserved to be convicted for sin, not Him. We deserved to die on the cross, not Jesus. He took our place. He paid our debt. He was beaten and mocked, for our benefit. He was falsely accused, spat on and whipped – even though He was dying for them. He took your place. Don’t forget to thank Him – continually! You do that as you sing to Him. You do that as you pray in thanksgiving. And you do that as you live a life that honors Him: as you pursue Christ-likeness.
Finally, in verses 33-39, watch the Lamb of God:
Die alone, providing the only way to get to God (vs. 33-39)
Mark 15:33-35 - “And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? Which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And some of the bystanders hearing it said, Behold, he is calling Elijah.”
Although Jesus said several things from the cross, this is the only one recorded by Mark. He is emphasizing Jesus, throughout his gospel, as the Son of Man, God’s Son: fully man, fully God. And this relationship with God the Father was tested greatly, as Jesus died alone. This was the only phrase Mark included.
Jesus hung on the cross for 3 hours and then total darkness came for another 3 hours, until about 3 p.m. The darkness may have pictured the sin being died for; and/or a visual expression of Jesus’ words of loneliness. When Jesus said these words, He experienced the separation from God that sin brings; since He took our sins in dying for them.
The crowd mistook his words or mocked him, saying he was calling for Elijah for help. Many Jews believed that Elijah came to people’s rescue when in distress.
Mark 15:36 – “And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”
We know from the gospel of John that Jesus said: I thirst; and verse 36, here, was probably a response to that, as someone went to get this for him. They continued the taunt, however, thinking if he continued to live, they could see if Elijah was going to deliver Him or not.
Mark 15:37 – “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.”
We know, from Luke, that that loud cry is translated: “It is finished.” The debt is paid.
Mark 15:38 – “And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”
This is significant- no coincidence. And it is recorded here. The curtain, or veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This was the action of God. It would have been the time for the priests to perform the evening sacrifices. No longer would there need to be animal sacrifices for sins. And no longer would there be this obstacle between God and man. Man would no longer need to go through a priest to get to God; and he would no longer need to offer sacrifices to be right with God. The sacrifice was here. Speaking of Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 7:27 – “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and the for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.”
Mark 15:39 – “And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God!”
This Roman guard saw all that had taken place, as he would have been in charge of the execution detail. Whether this guard fully understood the meaning of his own words, we don’t know; but they were true, none the less. Even this Gentile had no barrier now – he could even see the truth found in Jesus Christ.
SO WHAT? Place your complete faith and trust, for salvation, in Jesus Christ alone.
John the Baptist had said, when He saw Jesus Christ approaching:
John 1:29 – “…Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Jesus was that Lamb, to be sacrificed, just once, for the sins of the world. So that, everyone who would place their complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, would indeed inherit eternal life. Regardless of how religious you are, if you have never placed your complete trust in Jesus Christ, gaining a personal relationship with Him and being 100% sure you are going to Heaven: we would like to talk and pray with you about that. You can come up to see me once the service is over, if you would like to talk further.
Would you bow your heads in prayer please? I would like you to take a few minutes to consider what you have heard from God’s Word today; and to decide how God would want you to respond to His truth. As you think and pray, listen to a song that illustrates the truth we have heard today.
Special: Watch the Lamb – sung by Brandon Bennett - music by Ray Boltz
Saturday, November 15, 2008
FINAL PREPARATIONS - a message
Thursday morning, November 13, a faithful member of our church went home to be with the Lord. Dave Pilkey had been struggling with cancer, and finally his fight was over and he was at rest. I used Dave as an illutration back in October, as God brought him to my mind in the midst of working on a message in Mark. I feel led to share that message with you now. This was preached at Grace Bapstist Church in Westlake, OH on October 5, 2008. An audio of this message is available to listen to at: www.gbcwestlake.org
FINAL PREPARATIONS
Mark 14:1-25
Please open your Bible to Mark 14.
Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit with one of our members, Dave Pilkey and his wife Barb, in their home. Dave is dealing with cancer, and the chemotherapy treatments have left him very weak. In fact, he is so weak, that he cannot endure any more chemotherapy. Hospice care has been called in to help a few times a week; and they are all talking now about improving the quality of life. They are trying to prepare Dave and his family for Dave’s death.
But, in talking to Dave about it, he was not necessarily preparing to die; at least not yet. He was preparing to live. He said to me: “Greg – I am praying for a miracle. God has healed me 3 different times in the past, and I am praying that He will heal me again – even with this cancer.” Dave is asking God to do the impossible. And He is definitely a God that can. Regardless of what God chooses to do, Dave and all of us, can trust Him with Dave’s life; and know that He will do what is best – for His glory!
As Dave prepares for this time of his life, he has chosen to face it, preparing to live each day as God gives it to him – enjoying each day with his wife, with his family, with his God. That is the spirit and attitude with which each of us should face each day – preparing to live this day for the glory of God.
This morning, we are in Mark 14 and will see different people making final preparations. Their actions will reveal their attitudes; and they are all connected to their denial or their worship of Jesus Christ. Don’t allow the details of their stories distract you from what is most important this morning. And that is: to evaluate our own heart attitudes and how we are going to apply the preparations of these people to our own relationship and worship of Jesus Christ.
The first people who were in preparation concerning Jesus are found in:
Mark 14:1,2,10,11 (we will get to verses 10,11 later)
· The enemies of Jesus plotted
Mark 14:1,2 – “It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, for they said, Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”
· They were preparing Jesus to be murdered
We are given an idea of a timeline here; as though we should be paying attention to when these things are happening. It is a little complicated for us to figure out the whole timing thing because of 2 different perspectives. The Roman system (which is ours) sees the beginning of a day as 12:00 a.m. or midnight. The Jewish system sees a new day beginning at sunset. There are some different ideas of the timing of all of these things. But, don’t get distracted by that. Just remember that all of these things were taking place within a few days; that everything was about to change – for those who lived in that day, for the disciples who would be responsible to report and write down what they witnessed; and for us, who receive eternal benefits from what took place over 2,000 years ago.
We read that this was 2 days before Passover. What was Passover? It was an annual feast, celebrated at that time, in Jerusalem, in the month of Nisan (which for us would cover parts of March and April). The Passover Meal was a major part of the Passover celebration. This would include the killing of a Passover Lamb. This was to bring back the memories for the people of God of what is recorded in the book of Exodus about their forefathers. That God delivered His people, as the death angel passed over the homes of those who had the blood of lamb on the doorposts. Once that was over, the people of God were released from bondage and on their way to the promised land.
So, this time of year was incredibly meaningful to the Jewish people; and that particular Passover time was going to take on an even richer meaning; and would become significant for all future believers, Jews and non-Jews alike. The Passover meal would be eaten later on Thursday evening. Immediately following this would come the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This specifically celebrated the nation of Israel’s departure from Egypt.
So, at the time when the Jewish people should be celebrating God’s deliverance, what are the Jewish religious leaders doing? They were plotting how to arrest Jesus and then kill him. And their only concern was not turning the populace against them. In this time of political strategies, it is easy to see the analogies. The political strategists are seeking to win…period! And in doing so, they will do pretty much anything, as long as it doesn’t hurt their candidate’s popularity. They need to have the populace on their side, and somehow turn the people against the other candidate. These religious leaders were doing the same thing; but instead of looking to win some election, they were looking to end Jesus’ life and get rid of him…for good.
· They were full of hate
They wanted a plan that would not cause a riot with the Passover crowd; and that would escape a lot of immediate attention. They decided they could not do it during the 8 day feast; but it wouldn’t be long before an offer from one of Jesus’ followers would give them an unforeseen opportunity.
Mark then pulls a little trick on those of us who think in a linear way. We like everything in order. But, he takes us back several days from what was just described. He goes back to the end of the previous week, and describes the preparation of another person:
Mark 14:3-9
· The friend of Jesus worshipped
Mark 14:3 – “And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.”
A parallel passage, that explains the same event, here, is John 12. There, it explains that this happened 6 days before Passover. That was when Jesus stayed in Bethany and was honored at a meal at Simon’s home, a man who was probably healed by Jesus in the past.
While Jesus was there at the meal, a woman comes in. In John 12, we find out this was Mary, most likely the sister of Martha and Lazarus. The important thing that Mark reports is what she does: She takes the small stone flask with a long slender neck and pours out the expensive ointment inside of the flask, onto Jesus’ head to begin with. While Jesus is reclining at the table, John tells us that she also poured it onto Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.
Actually, anointing someone’s head at a meal was a part of a custom; but this was unique (as we will see) and held a greater significance.
Mark 14:4,5 – “There were some who said to themselves indignantly, Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they scolded her.”
Mark is general here about the complainers, but in John, we find out that Judas Iscariot, who will be focused on soon, was one of main guys who criticized Mary’s gift. The basic consensus was this: Why would she waste something so valuable? We could have sold this ointment and given the money to the poor. Don’t they sound so spiritual? They scolded her, Mark reports, for her extravagance and sacrifice.
Mark 14:6-9 – “But Jesus said, Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
· She was preparing Jesus to be buried
Jesus saw Mary’s act from a completely different perspective than His followers. He saw her commitment and devotion; and praised her for it. In fact, He went a step further, saying that she was preparing His body for burial. Spices were normally used on the body before someone was buried; but Jesus said that this woman was doing it before his death and burial. Her focus was in the right place. What were the rest of them doing? Holding onto their resources; and criticizing this woman who gave of herself and what she had.
Jesus said in response to the disciples who were suggesting that the money be given to the poor: “you will always have the poor with you.” Jesus was all for helping the poor; but there would always be those opportunities. Jesus was trying to teach them, that while they were in His presence, their full concentration should have been on Him. He would not, at least in bodily form, be with them much longer.
Then, Jesus added this impressive statement: “wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Wow! Isn’t that something! He connects this to the gospel – the good news about Himself, that He came to die for the sins of the world. Her act of worship, Jesus said, would be remembered; and connected with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is instructive for us. That should make us want to take a moment and think about this:
· She was full of love
Would this be said about me? How could I apply the principles of what Mary did, so that my worship would be acceptable and connected to the gospel of Christ? How could I make sure that I am completely focused on Jesus, even if I am criticized for my sacrifice? Well, let’s consider a couple of the main principles of Mary’s act and consider how you could apply it today. Learning about what Mary did 2,000 years ago is very interesting; but
SO WHAT?
· Mary focused on Jesus, not on the crowd. It is pretty obvious that she was not worried about the critical thoughts of others. She didn’t care what they thought – if they thought this was appropriate. Her attention was in one place, on one person – solely on Jesus Christ.
SO WHAT? Worship Jesus, keeping your focus on Him alone
In other words, think about what God thinks of your worship – His expectations, and then go with that. Don’t waste your time thinking of everyone else’s expectations of you. The Pharisees worship of God was all about impressing others. They did not have the singular focus on God. You might ask: Greg – can you give me some specific examples in our worship context here at Grace? Sure!
You are focused in praising Jesus in your worship through singing and that causes you to sing out loudly and you feel led to raise your hands. If you do feel led, out of a heart of response, then do it. Don’t worry about what I think. Don’t worry about what the person next to you will think. Keep your focus on the God you are worshipping.
Another example:
You feel led by God to speak to someone about your faith. Keep your focus on Him. Don’t worry about what others are going to think about you talking about God. Let them criticize or slander you. If God’s Spirit leads you to speak up for Him, then do it with all you have. If His Spirit leads you to confront another believer about a sensitive issue, then keep your focus on God and do it; regardless of how the person might respond to you; or try to get back at you.
A second application:
· Mary gave sacrificially, something of great value. This was expensive. She gave it all to Jesus.
SO WHAT? Worship Jesus, giving all of yourself to Him
Don’t hold back in your worship. This woman was willing to humble herself in the presence of God, by pouring the ointment and wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. She didn’t care that others would criticize her extravagant gift. How could this relate to your circumstances of life and worship?
You give of yourself in serving God. You get involved in ministry here, giving of your energies and time and talents; even though you could be using those to make money elsewhere, or to enjoy yourself doing other things. Invest your life in someone else, making an eternal impact on that person. That will take all of you. Find a ministry that fits your passions, and give yourself for the glory of God. You may have to evaluate your priorities and decide if you are giving all of yourself; or if you are holding back for selfish reasons, worried about the response of others.
Paul Harvey once told the story of how The Butterball Turkey company set up a hotline to answer consumer questions about preparing holiday turkeys. One woman called to inquire about cooking a turkey that had been in her freezer for 23 years.The operator told her it might be safe if the freezer had been kept below 0 degrees the entire time. But the operator warned the woman that, even if it were safe, the flavor had probably deteriorated, and she wouldn’t recommend eating it.The caller replied, “That’s what we thought. We’ll just give it to the church.”
That would not be considered sacrificial worship to God! If God puts it in your heart to give sacrificially, you give, not worrying about what others will think; knowing God will meet your real needs; trusting in God to provide. I hate to admit this to you; but I have had my reservations when Teresa has decided to give some of her home business savings to other needy organizations. That is not right of me; and all of us need to be prepared to worship as God leads us, even if those closest to us try to become an obstacle.
I would like to stop here for a few moments and allow you to just consider this story and these SO WHAT statements. Listen to the song: Alabaster box, based on this biblical story; and consider your own response to God in your worship. While the song is playing, will the deacons please come forward to prepare for the Lord’s Table.
Song: Alabaster Box [deacons forward]
Most likely, one main reason why Mark placed this story of Mary’s devotion in this spot, was that he could then contrast the religious leaders desire to destroy Jesus with her desire to place Him at the head of her life. And, Mark could contrast her commitment with the kind of commitment that can be bought, such as with the disciple Judas Iscariot. He had been one of the chosen followers of Christ, and was trained by Jesus for those 3 years. And yet, we read this:
Mark 14:10,11 – “Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.”
Judas Iscariot took the initiative and sought out the chief priests. His main objective was to make some money by betraying the One who had chosen him to be a disciple. Judas’ focus was much different than Mary’s. His focus was solely on one person as well, but that person was himself.
Who would have imagined, certainly not the religious leaders, that one of Jesus’ own disciples would betray Him? So, when Judas came to make a deal, they were obviously elated and made the financial agreements. As prophesied in the Old Testament, and reported in John 12, they agreed on the amount of 30 pieces of silver. So, Judas, from that time on, began to look for the right time for him to deliver Jesus into their hands at a time and place that would not catch the attention of the Passover crowds.
You can begin to see how everything is coming together here in Jesus’ last few days. Although this was the cowardly act of sin, God would use Judas’ betrayal to bring about His sovereign plan and fulfill His word: all that was prophesied about Jesus, the Messiah, would happen just as it was written. There was another group, that was being prepared and making preparations, even though they didn’t understand it. In:
Mark 14:12-25
· The disciples of Jesus celebrated
Mark 14:12-16 – “And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover? And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us. And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”
The disciples assumed Jesus would celebrate the Passover meal with them and asked Him where to prepare it. Jesus told them where to go and that just the right person would find them. Then, they were to go and ask the one in charge about using his home. Jesus told them that the man would gladly accept and they would then know where to prepare. Mark specifically reports that they “found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”
According to biblical scholars, preparing the Passover meal “involved roasting the lamb, setting out the unleavened bread and wine, and preparing the bitter herbs along with a sauce made of dried fruit moistened with vinegar and wine and combined with spices.”
And that brings us to the Lord’s Table or communion, as it is often referred to. It was the last supper that the disciples would share with Jesus before He went to the cross to die for them. And He commanded His followers to continue the tradition of remembering Him through this celebration:
We are to do this until Jesus returns. It is appropriate that we would do this in the midst of this passage on the Last Supper, which instituted this practice. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and it is your desire to live for Him, then we invite you to participate with us in the elements of the bread and the cup. If you are not 100% sure that you have trusted in Christ, then we ask that you do not partake of the elements of this table, but let them pass and spend the time in prayer.
Mark 14:17-21 – “And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me. They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, is it I? He said to them, it is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
There are a couple things to note about this passage. First, Jesus decides to reveal to His disciples that one of them would betray Him; although He doesn’t reveal the particular one in public. He most likely, as recorded in Matthew, told Judas in such a way that no one else heard it. It is significant to note that one of His closest followers, one of the 12 chosen by Jesus, would turn his back on Him; and deliver Him over for the incredible suffering and death that Jesus predicted. But, Jesus also gives a warning and curse, really for that individual who has made the choice. One of them would give into Satan’s influence and choose to walk away from God:
Luke 22:3 – “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.”
Let’s get our focus back, not to the one who betrayed Him or the disciples who would also flee from Him very soon; but on what response God is desiring we would have to these passages:
SO WHAT?
· Those who claim to follow Christ are not always true followers; and all of us can potentially deny Him. Let’s keep in mind, that although Judas would betray Him, all the disciples would leave Him for a time; and Peter would even deny He knew Him. Don’t think it won’t ever happen to you
SO WHAT? Allow the Lord’s Table to strengthen your commitment to follow Christ
In the context of the last supper, Jesus dealt with the issue of commitment. So, whenever we celebrate the Lord’s Table (communion), it is a great time for you to evaluate your own commitment. Perhaps that would lead you to confess sin; or just praise God for what He has done (such as through singing) and re-commit yourself to following Christ and God’s will for your life. In a moment, you will be asked to join us in a song of commitment – because of what Jesus has done for us, we make Him the King of our lives.
While the elements are being passed out, I ask that you respond to this great gift of Jesus Christ – His life, by singing along with us. Then, take the element as it is passed, and hold onto it until you are instructed to partake. Don’t miss the significance of this last supper in the lives of His disciples. He was still preparing them to carry on without His visible presence.
Prayer for the bread – Bruce Baker
Passing of the bread
· Singing: You are My King
Mark 14:22 – “And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, Take; this is my body.”
Partaking of the bread
Jesus gave thanks for the bread, gave it to His disciples; and then used the bread as a picture of His body. Jesus had said before that He was a light, or a rock or the bread of life. He is not saying the bread turns into His body; but that the bread represents His body. In the future, He wanted them to think of the coming suffering that His body would go through on the way to the cross. It would actually begin that very night. This would have an incredible impact on them in the future.
The disciples probably didn’t understand this yet; but (in your notes):
· They were preparing to remember Jesus
It would be later that the words and actions Jesus took that night would come back to them in full force. And based on that last supper, the disciples would begin celebrating this with other believers on a regular basis. After prayer, let’s sing again about the blood that was shed by Jesus Christ to cover our sins.
Prayer for the Cup – Larry Montgomery
Passing of the Cup
· Song: There is a Fountain; There is None Like you
Mark 14:23-25 – “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
The disciples struggled with fear, no doubt, but what Jesus told them gave them hope. I believe (in your notes):
· They were full of hope
Jesus gives a promise that they would be with Him in His Kingdom. So, although things were going to get scary, even later that night, looking back to this event would bring incredible hope to His followers.
Jesus then used the cup of wine to represent His blood. He said that His blood would be the agent to save many people (those who believed). And then He told them that he would not again share this celebration with them until they were together in the Kingdom. And that is still future, even today. He would share with them again once He returned to Earth to set up His Kingdom, as He explained in the chapter before. Jesus referred to His blood of the covenant. This was the new covenant, a new promise from God. The Old Covenant was based on law, but with Christ’s death, it would be based on grace. Everything would change!
· Jesus made it clear that He wanted His followers to continually celebrate the Lord’s Table until He returned
I Corinthians 11:24,26 – “Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
SO WHAT? Allow the Lord’s Table to remind you of who Jesus is and what He has done for you
Hope delivers us from the despair that nothing we do matters, and enables us to tackle even the most menial job with vigor. Elmer Bendiner tells the remarkable story of a B-17 bomber that flew a bombing mission over Germany in the latter days of World War II. The plane was hit several times by shells and flak, with some of the hits directly in the fuel tank. Miraculously, the bomber did not explode.
When it landed, eleven unexploded twenty-millimeter shells were taken out of the fuel tank! The shells were dismantled, and to the amazement of everyone, all were empty of explosives. Inside of one shell was a note written in Czech. Translated, it read, This is all we can do for you now. A member of the Czech underground, working in a German munitions factory, had omitted the explosives in at least eleven of the twenty-millimeter shells on this assembly line. That worker must have wondered often if the quiet work he was doing to subvert the Nazi war effort was going to make any difference whatsoever to the outcome of the war.”
Don’t get overwhelmed by the seemingly overwhelming task of living the Christian life. Take it one step toward Christ at a time, one day at a time. God wants to use your heart to live for Him for His glory; even though you don’t think it will make much of a difference. That fact is, just like the underground worker who did his little part saved lives; so your effort to give of yourself to God in the ways we have described this morning, allow you to make an incredible, spiritual, eternal impact in the lives of others, for the glory of God. What is the next thing God is preparing you for- what is God askine you to do?
FINAL PREPARATIONS
Mark 14:1-25
Please open your Bible to Mark 14.
Thursday, I had the opportunity to visit with one of our members, Dave Pilkey and his wife Barb, in their home. Dave is dealing with cancer, and the chemotherapy treatments have left him very weak. In fact, he is so weak, that he cannot endure any more chemotherapy. Hospice care has been called in to help a few times a week; and they are all talking now about improving the quality of life. They are trying to prepare Dave and his family for Dave’s death.
But, in talking to Dave about it, he was not necessarily preparing to die; at least not yet. He was preparing to live. He said to me: “Greg – I am praying for a miracle. God has healed me 3 different times in the past, and I am praying that He will heal me again – even with this cancer.” Dave is asking God to do the impossible. And He is definitely a God that can. Regardless of what God chooses to do, Dave and all of us, can trust Him with Dave’s life; and know that He will do what is best – for His glory!
As Dave prepares for this time of his life, he has chosen to face it, preparing to live each day as God gives it to him – enjoying each day with his wife, with his family, with his God. That is the spirit and attitude with which each of us should face each day – preparing to live this day for the glory of God.
This morning, we are in Mark 14 and will see different people making final preparations. Their actions will reveal their attitudes; and they are all connected to their denial or their worship of Jesus Christ. Don’t allow the details of their stories distract you from what is most important this morning. And that is: to evaluate our own heart attitudes and how we are going to apply the preparations of these people to our own relationship and worship of Jesus Christ.
The first people who were in preparation concerning Jesus are found in:
Mark 14:1,2,10,11 (we will get to verses 10,11 later)
· The enemies of Jesus plotted
Mark 14:1,2 – “It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, for they said, Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”
· They were preparing Jesus to be murdered
We are given an idea of a timeline here; as though we should be paying attention to when these things are happening. It is a little complicated for us to figure out the whole timing thing because of 2 different perspectives. The Roman system (which is ours) sees the beginning of a day as 12:00 a.m. or midnight. The Jewish system sees a new day beginning at sunset. There are some different ideas of the timing of all of these things. But, don’t get distracted by that. Just remember that all of these things were taking place within a few days; that everything was about to change – for those who lived in that day, for the disciples who would be responsible to report and write down what they witnessed; and for us, who receive eternal benefits from what took place over 2,000 years ago.
We read that this was 2 days before Passover. What was Passover? It was an annual feast, celebrated at that time, in Jerusalem, in the month of Nisan (which for us would cover parts of March and April). The Passover Meal was a major part of the Passover celebration. This would include the killing of a Passover Lamb. This was to bring back the memories for the people of God of what is recorded in the book of Exodus about their forefathers. That God delivered His people, as the death angel passed over the homes of those who had the blood of lamb on the doorposts. Once that was over, the people of God were released from bondage and on their way to the promised land.
So, this time of year was incredibly meaningful to the Jewish people; and that particular Passover time was going to take on an even richer meaning; and would become significant for all future believers, Jews and non-Jews alike. The Passover meal would be eaten later on Thursday evening. Immediately following this would come the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This specifically celebrated the nation of Israel’s departure from Egypt.
So, at the time when the Jewish people should be celebrating God’s deliverance, what are the Jewish religious leaders doing? They were plotting how to arrest Jesus and then kill him. And their only concern was not turning the populace against them. In this time of political strategies, it is easy to see the analogies. The political strategists are seeking to win…period! And in doing so, they will do pretty much anything, as long as it doesn’t hurt their candidate’s popularity. They need to have the populace on their side, and somehow turn the people against the other candidate. These religious leaders were doing the same thing; but instead of looking to win some election, they were looking to end Jesus’ life and get rid of him…for good.
· They were full of hate
They wanted a plan that would not cause a riot with the Passover crowd; and that would escape a lot of immediate attention. They decided they could not do it during the 8 day feast; but it wouldn’t be long before an offer from one of Jesus’ followers would give them an unforeseen opportunity.
Mark then pulls a little trick on those of us who think in a linear way. We like everything in order. But, he takes us back several days from what was just described. He goes back to the end of the previous week, and describes the preparation of another person:
Mark 14:3-9
· The friend of Jesus worshipped
Mark 14:3 – “And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.”
A parallel passage, that explains the same event, here, is John 12. There, it explains that this happened 6 days before Passover. That was when Jesus stayed in Bethany and was honored at a meal at Simon’s home, a man who was probably healed by Jesus in the past.
While Jesus was there at the meal, a woman comes in. In John 12, we find out this was Mary, most likely the sister of Martha and Lazarus. The important thing that Mark reports is what she does: She takes the small stone flask with a long slender neck and pours out the expensive ointment inside of the flask, onto Jesus’ head to begin with. While Jesus is reclining at the table, John tells us that she also poured it onto Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.
Actually, anointing someone’s head at a meal was a part of a custom; but this was unique (as we will see) and held a greater significance.
Mark 14:4,5 – “There were some who said to themselves indignantly, Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they scolded her.”
Mark is general here about the complainers, but in John, we find out that Judas Iscariot, who will be focused on soon, was one of main guys who criticized Mary’s gift. The basic consensus was this: Why would she waste something so valuable? We could have sold this ointment and given the money to the poor. Don’t they sound so spiritual? They scolded her, Mark reports, for her extravagance and sacrifice.
Mark 14:6-9 – “But Jesus said, Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
· She was preparing Jesus to be buried
Jesus saw Mary’s act from a completely different perspective than His followers. He saw her commitment and devotion; and praised her for it. In fact, He went a step further, saying that she was preparing His body for burial. Spices were normally used on the body before someone was buried; but Jesus said that this woman was doing it before his death and burial. Her focus was in the right place. What were the rest of them doing? Holding onto their resources; and criticizing this woman who gave of herself and what she had.
Jesus said in response to the disciples who were suggesting that the money be given to the poor: “you will always have the poor with you.” Jesus was all for helping the poor; but there would always be those opportunities. Jesus was trying to teach them, that while they were in His presence, their full concentration should have been on Him. He would not, at least in bodily form, be with them much longer.
Then, Jesus added this impressive statement: “wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Wow! Isn’t that something! He connects this to the gospel – the good news about Himself, that He came to die for the sins of the world. Her act of worship, Jesus said, would be remembered; and connected with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is instructive for us. That should make us want to take a moment and think about this:
· She was full of love
Would this be said about me? How could I apply the principles of what Mary did, so that my worship would be acceptable and connected to the gospel of Christ? How could I make sure that I am completely focused on Jesus, even if I am criticized for my sacrifice? Well, let’s consider a couple of the main principles of Mary’s act and consider how you could apply it today. Learning about what Mary did 2,000 years ago is very interesting; but
SO WHAT?
· Mary focused on Jesus, not on the crowd. It is pretty obvious that she was not worried about the critical thoughts of others. She didn’t care what they thought – if they thought this was appropriate. Her attention was in one place, on one person – solely on Jesus Christ.
SO WHAT? Worship Jesus, keeping your focus on Him alone
In other words, think about what God thinks of your worship – His expectations, and then go with that. Don’t waste your time thinking of everyone else’s expectations of you. The Pharisees worship of God was all about impressing others. They did not have the singular focus on God. You might ask: Greg – can you give me some specific examples in our worship context here at Grace? Sure!
You are focused in praising Jesus in your worship through singing and that causes you to sing out loudly and you feel led to raise your hands. If you do feel led, out of a heart of response, then do it. Don’t worry about what I think. Don’t worry about what the person next to you will think. Keep your focus on the God you are worshipping.
Another example:
You feel led by God to speak to someone about your faith. Keep your focus on Him. Don’t worry about what others are going to think about you talking about God. Let them criticize or slander you. If God’s Spirit leads you to speak up for Him, then do it with all you have. If His Spirit leads you to confront another believer about a sensitive issue, then keep your focus on God and do it; regardless of how the person might respond to you; or try to get back at you.
A second application:
· Mary gave sacrificially, something of great value. This was expensive. She gave it all to Jesus.
SO WHAT? Worship Jesus, giving all of yourself to Him
Don’t hold back in your worship. This woman was willing to humble herself in the presence of God, by pouring the ointment and wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. She didn’t care that others would criticize her extravagant gift. How could this relate to your circumstances of life and worship?
You give of yourself in serving God. You get involved in ministry here, giving of your energies and time and talents; even though you could be using those to make money elsewhere, or to enjoy yourself doing other things. Invest your life in someone else, making an eternal impact on that person. That will take all of you. Find a ministry that fits your passions, and give yourself for the glory of God. You may have to evaluate your priorities and decide if you are giving all of yourself; or if you are holding back for selfish reasons, worried about the response of others.
Paul Harvey once told the story of how The Butterball Turkey company set up a hotline to answer consumer questions about preparing holiday turkeys. One woman called to inquire about cooking a turkey that had been in her freezer for 23 years.The operator told her it might be safe if the freezer had been kept below 0 degrees the entire time. But the operator warned the woman that, even if it were safe, the flavor had probably deteriorated, and she wouldn’t recommend eating it.The caller replied, “That’s what we thought. We’ll just give it to the church.”
That would not be considered sacrificial worship to God! If God puts it in your heart to give sacrificially, you give, not worrying about what others will think; knowing God will meet your real needs; trusting in God to provide. I hate to admit this to you; but I have had my reservations when Teresa has decided to give some of her home business savings to other needy organizations. That is not right of me; and all of us need to be prepared to worship as God leads us, even if those closest to us try to become an obstacle.
I would like to stop here for a few moments and allow you to just consider this story and these SO WHAT statements. Listen to the song: Alabaster box, based on this biblical story; and consider your own response to God in your worship. While the song is playing, will the deacons please come forward to prepare for the Lord’s Table.
Song: Alabaster Box [deacons forward]
Most likely, one main reason why Mark placed this story of Mary’s devotion in this spot, was that he could then contrast the religious leaders desire to destroy Jesus with her desire to place Him at the head of her life. And, Mark could contrast her commitment with the kind of commitment that can be bought, such as with the disciple Judas Iscariot. He had been one of the chosen followers of Christ, and was trained by Jesus for those 3 years. And yet, we read this:
Mark 14:10,11 – “Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.”
Judas Iscariot took the initiative and sought out the chief priests. His main objective was to make some money by betraying the One who had chosen him to be a disciple. Judas’ focus was much different than Mary’s. His focus was solely on one person as well, but that person was himself.
Who would have imagined, certainly not the religious leaders, that one of Jesus’ own disciples would betray Him? So, when Judas came to make a deal, they were obviously elated and made the financial agreements. As prophesied in the Old Testament, and reported in John 12, they agreed on the amount of 30 pieces of silver. So, Judas, from that time on, began to look for the right time for him to deliver Jesus into their hands at a time and place that would not catch the attention of the Passover crowds.
You can begin to see how everything is coming together here in Jesus’ last few days. Although this was the cowardly act of sin, God would use Judas’ betrayal to bring about His sovereign plan and fulfill His word: all that was prophesied about Jesus, the Messiah, would happen just as it was written. There was another group, that was being prepared and making preparations, even though they didn’t understand it. In:
Mark 14:12-25
· The disciples of Jesus celebrated
Mark 14:12-16 – “And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover? And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us. And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”
The disciples assumed Jesus would celebrate the Passover meal with them and asked Him where to prepare it. Jesus told them where to go and that just the right person would find them. Then, they were to go and ask the one in charge about using his home. Jesus told them that the man would gladly accept and they would then know where to prepare. Mark specifically reports that they “found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”
According to biblical scholars, preparing the Passover meal “involved roasting the lamb, setting out the unleavened bread and wine, and preparing the bitter herbs along with a sauce made of dried fruit moistened with vinegar and wine and combined with spices.”
And that brings us to the Lord’s Table or communion, as it is often referred to. It was the last supper that the disciples would share with Jesus before He went to the cross to die for them. And He commanded His followers to continue the tradition of remembering Him through this celebration:
We are to do this until Jesus returns. It is appropriate that we would do this in the midst of this passage on the Last Supper, which instituted this practice. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and it is your desire to live for Him, then we invite you to participate with us in the elements of the bread and the cup. If you are not 100% sure that you have trusted in Christ, then we ask that you do not partake of the elements of this table, but let them pass and spend the time in prayer.
Mark 14:17-21 – “And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me. They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, is it I? He said to them, it is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
There are a couple things to note about this passage. First, Jesus decides to reveal to His disciples that one of them would betray Him; although He doesn’t reveal the particular one in public. He most likely, as recorded in Matthew, told Judas in such a way that no one else heard it. It is significant to note that one of His closest followers, one of the 12 chosen by Jesus, would turn his back on Him; and deliver Him over for the incredible suffering and death that Jesus predicted. But, Jesus also gives a warning and curse, really for that individual who has made the choice. One of them would give into Satan’s influence and choose to walk away from God:
Luke 22:3 – “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.”
Let’s get our focus back, not to the one who betrayed Him or the disciples who would also flee from Him very soon; but on what response God is desiring we would have to these passages:
SO WHAT?
· Those who claim to follow Christ are not always true followers; and all of us can potentially deny Him. Let’s keep in mind, that although Judas would betray Him, all the disciples would leave Him for a time; and Peter would even deny He knew Him. Don’t think it won’t ever happen to you
SO WHAT? Allow the Lord’s Table to strengthen your commitment to follow Christ
In the context of the last supper, Jesus dealt with the issue of commitment. So, whenever we celebrate the Lord’s Table (communion), it is a great time for you to evaluate your own commitment. Perhaps that would lead you to confess sin; or just praise God for what He has done (such as through singing) and re-commit yourself to following Christ and God’s will for your life. In a moment, you will be asked to join us in a song of commitment – because of what Jesus has done for us, we make Him the King of our lives.
While the elements are being passed out, I ask that you respond to this great gift of Jesus Christ – His life, by singing along with us. Then, take the element as it is passed, and hold onto it until you are instructed to partake. Don’t miss the significance of this last supper in the lives of His disciples. He was still preparing them to carry on without His visible presence.
Prayer for the bread – Bruce Baker
Passing of the bread
· Singing: You are My King
Mark 14:22 – “And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, Take; this is my body.”
Partaking of the bread
Jesus gave thanks for the bread, gave it to His disciples; and then used the bread as a picture of His body. Jesus had said before that He was a light, or a rock or the bread of life. He is not saying the bread turns into His body; but that the bread represents His body. In the future, He wanted them to think of the coming suffering that His body would go through on the way to the cross. It would actually begin that very night. This would have an incredible impact on them in the future.
The disciples probably didn’t understand this yet; but (in your notes):
· They were preparing to remember Jesus
It would be later that the words and actions Jesus took that night would come back to them in full force. And based on that last supper, the disciples would begin celebrating this with other believers on a regular basis. After prayer, let’s sing again about the blood that was shed by Jesus Christ to cover our sins.
Prayer for the Cup – Larry Montgomery
Passing of the Cup
· Song: There is a Fountain; There is None Like you
Mark 14:23-25 – “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
The disciples struggled with fear, no doubt, but what Jesus told them gave them hope. I believe (in your notes):
· They were full of hope
Jesus gives a promise that they would be with Him in His Kingdom. So, although things were going to get scary, even later that night, looking back to this event would bring incredible hope to His followers.
Jesus then used the cup of wine to represent His blood. He said that His blood would be the agent to save many people (those who believed). And then He told them that he would not again share this celebration with them until they were together in the Kingdom. And that is still future, even today. He would share with them again once He returned to Earth to set up His Kingdom, as He explained in the chapter before. Jesus referred to His blood of the covenant. This was the new covenant, a new promise from God. The Old Covenant was based on law, but with Christ’s death, it would be based on grace. Everything would change!
· Jesus made it clear that He wanted His followers to continually celebrate the Lord’s Table until He returned
I Corinthians 11:24,26 – “Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
SO WHAT? Allow the Lord’s Table to remind you of who Jesus is and what He has done for you
Hope delivers us from the despair that nothing we do matters, and enables us to tackle even the most menial job with vigor. Elmer Bendiner tells the remarkable story of a B-17 bomber that flew a bombing mission over Germany in the latter days of World War II. The plane was hit several times by shells and flak, with some of the hits directly in the fuel tank. Miraculously, the bomber did not explode.
When it landed, eleven unexploded twenty-millimeter shells were taken out of the fuel tank! The shells were dismantled, and to the amazement of everyone, all were empty of explosives. Inside of one shell was a note written in Czech. Translated, it read, This is all we can do for you now. A member of the Czech underground, working in a German munitions factory, had omitted the explosives in at least eleven of the twenty-millimeter shells on this assembly line. That worker must have wondered often if the quiet work he was doing to subvert the Nazi war effort was going to make any difference whatsoever to the outcome of the war.”
Don’t get overwhelmed by the seemingly overwhelming task of living the Christian life. Take it one step toward Christ at a time, one day at a time. God wants to use your heart to live for Him for His glory; even though you don’t think it will make much of a difference. That fact is, just like the underground worker who did his little part saved lives; so your effort to give of yourself to God in the ways we have described this morning, allow you to make an incredible, spiritual, eternal impact in the lives of others, for the glory of God. What is the next thing God is preparing you for- what is God askine you to do?
Monday, November 10, 2008
Another Theology Book?
I love to read. And I admit, part by choice, and part because of my occupation, I read a ton of theology and ministry books. Not much fiction, that is for sure. I do love ministry and I enjoy reading about what God is doing in other places, as well as learning more of how to minister effectively; and dreaming of what God might do here, in this ministry. And for many years, especially in college and seminary, theological books were a mainstay.
So, now I have another book to recommend to everyone. And, I would like to think it has theological connections; but I admit some might think I am treading on the edge of blasphemy when I say that. I would like to argue that this book teaches us about God, right and wrong; interdependence and true success. I, of course, am referring to the great theological work:
"Top of the World" by Peter May
Not familiar with it? Let me give you a little hint about it's content by giving you the subtitle. I hope the theological jargon doesn't confuse you. Are you ready? Are you sure? O.K. Here it is:
"Top of the World: The inside story of the Boston Celtics' amazing one-year turnaround to become NBA champions"
Now do you see what I mean? I'm sure you understand why I would call this a theological masterpiece - right? Maybe not. But, I did love the book, just like I love my Celtics. Yes, I said MY Celtics. I have followed and loved them since I first started to love basketball. And finally, after 22 years, they have won their 17th world chamionship. The inside information and behind the scenes stuff included in this book was fun for me to read. I'm sure you will love it too!
I know God doesn't probably "follow" basketball; but if He did, I have no doubt He would be a Celtics fan! The stars on the team came together to win a championship; and in order to do so, they had to put personal pride aside and embrace the team concept. What is more spiritual than that? They played hard, endured hardship, and never stopped believing. See hints of faith there? They followed their coach's lead, and the stars on the team led on and off the court. Even the guys who didn't play (benchwarmers) practiced hard, cheered hard for their teammates, and were ready to step in and play as needed - for the good of the team. Can I get an Amen?!
Ok - perhaps I have gone too far; but judge for yourself - AFTER you read the book!
So, now I have another book to recommend to everyone. And, I would like to think it has theological connections; but I admit some might think I am treading on the edge of blasphemy when I say that. I would like to argue that this book teaches us about God, right and wrong; interdependence and true success. I, of course, am referring to the great theological work:
"Top of the World" by Peter May
Not familiar with it? Let me give you a little hint about it's content by giving you the subtitle. I hope the theological jargon doesn't confuse you. Are you ready? Are you sure? O.K. Here it is:
"Top of the World: The inside story of the Boston Celtics' amazing one-year turnaround to become NBA champions"
Now do you see what I mean? I'm sure you understand why I would call this a theological masterpiece - right? Maybe not. But, I did love the book, just like I love my Celtics. Yes, I said MY Celtics. I have followed and loved them since I first started to love basketball. And finally, after 22 years, they have won their 17th world chamionship. The inside information and behind the scenes stuff included in this book was fun for me to read. I'm sure you will love it too!
I know God doesn't probably "follow" basketball; but if He did, I have no doubt He would be a Celtics fan! The stars on the team came together to win a championship; and in order to do so, they had to put personal pride aside and embrace the team concept. What is more spiritual than that? They played hard, endured hardship, and never stopped believing. See hints of faith there? They followed their coach's lead, and the stars on the team led on and off the court. Even the guys who didn't play (benchwarmers) practiced hard, cheered hard for their teammates, and were ready to step in and play as needed - for the good of the team. Can I get an Amen?!
Ok - perhaps I have gone too far; but judge for yourself - AFTER you read the book!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
FORWARDED E-MAIL - PRESS DELETE
Normally, that (press delete) is my response to forwarded e-mails. I rarely find one worth keeping, let alone reading. And I never do what every forwarded e-mail pleads with me to do at the end of said e-mail: "Please forward this to everyone you know!" I never do that. With that said, I received a forwarded e-mail recently that I actually read; and believe it or not, considered forwarding it to others. But, since I never do that, I decided to post it here on my blog. It is related to my last couple of entries, which concerns the election for President held this past Tuesday, November 4th. Here it is, just as I received it:
"For months now my email Inbox has been besieged by nearly hysterical warningsabout what will happen if Barack Obama becomes President. I have been encouraged to be worried, afraid, concerned, prepared for disaster, and awhole host of other maladies if this happens. I do not deny the importance of this election, but it seems to me that we need a dose of perspective. So here, on the eve of the election, I would like to start my own email concerning this election. It's a "True/False" test. I'd like for all of usto take it. Feel free to email it on to whomever:
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, Jesus will still be King.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our responsibilities as Christians will not have changed one iota.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the greatest agent for social change in America will still be winning the hearts and mindsof men and women through the gospel, not legislation.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my primary citizenship will still be in this order - (1) the Kingdom of God, (2) America,not vice-versa.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the tomb will still be empty.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the cross,not the government, will still be our salvation.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our children will still be more concerned with whether or not we spend time with them thanwith who is President.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my neighbor will still be my neighbor, and loving him/her will still be the second greatest commandment. (Do you know the first?)
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see abortion ultimately overturned will still be winning men and women to ahigh view of life through the gospel of Christ.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only wayto see gay marriage ultimately defeated will still be winning men and women to a biblical view of marriage through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my retirement will still not match my treasure in Heaven.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, "Jesus Is Lord" will still be the greatest truth in the Universe.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, we will still know that God is in control.
William Rhoades
Mechanical Engineer
"For months now my email Inbox has been besieged by nearly hysterical warningsabout what will happen if Barack Obama becomes President. I have been encouraged to be worried, afraid, concerned, prepared for disaster, and awhole host of other maladies if this happens. I do not deny the importance of this election, but it seems to me that we need a dose of perspective. So here, on the eve of the election, I would like to start my own email concerning this election. It's a "True/False" test. I'd like for all of usto take it. Feel free to email it on to whomever:
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, Jesus will still be King.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our responsibilities as Christians will not have changed one iota.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the greatest agent for social change in America will still be winning the hearts and mindsof men and women through the gospel, not legislation.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my primary citizenship will still be in this order - (1) the Kingdom of God, (2) America,not vice-versa.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the tomb will still be empty.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the cross,not the government, will still be our salvation.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our children will still be more concerned with whether or not we spend time with them thanwith who is President.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my neighbor will still be my neighbor, and loving him/her will still be the second greatest commandment. (Do you know the first?)
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see abortion ultimately overturned will still be winning men and women to ahigh view of life through the gospel of Christ.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only wayto see gay marriage ultimately defeated will still be winning men and women to a biblical view of marriage through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my retirement will still not match my treasure in Heaven.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, "Jesus Is Lord" will still be the greatest truth in the Universe.
True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, we will still know that God is in control.
William Rhoades
Mechanical Engineer
Thursday, November 6, 2008
GOD CHOSE OBAMA
I truly believe this. I'm not a Democrat, but I truly believe this. God Chose Obama to be the next President of the United States. I believe that every baby conceived was created by God and should be protected - I am pro-life- but I believe that Obama, who is not pro-life, is God's man for today. I believe God's Word is clear about sensitive issues such as homosexuality: that although I love people who are homosexual, I do not have to agree with them. In fact, I can stand with God's Word which says that lifestyle is against God's ways. Obama does not believe that; and may even pursue special rights for that group, treating it the same as the important issue of equal rights for minorities (race). However, I still believe that God elected Obama. I have grown up learning the Republican ideals and am still a Republican today. But, I believe that God's choice for our Country is Obama.
WHY?
Because I fully believe what the Scriptures teach:
Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What you have done?”
Isaiah 55:8 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
Psalm 115:3 – “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”
Psalm 75:7 – “But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”
Daniel 2:21 – “…Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might…He removes kings and sets up kings…”
God is the One who does these things: according to His own purposes, He puts rulers in positions of authority and He takes them down. We vote (at leat we should), but God determines the outcome. Even when people are voted in that we do not agree with, we need to remember that God is still at work when we do not understand.
The best biblical example I know from the Old Tetament is when Pharoah was in power in Egypt, after Joseph died (who had saved the people of Israel from extinction). Pharoah enslaved God's people and God was going to bring 10 plagues on Egypt, until Pharoah let His people go. But, listen carefully to what God said to Pharoah, through his servant Moses:
Exodus 9:16 – “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
God put Pharoah in that position, so that God's glory and purposes could be accomplished!
Things have not changed. Regardless of my opinion, God has placed in leadership HIS choice; and that is the best for everyone - always!
Obama has made history by becoming our first black president. That is great. He overcame odds, being very inexperienced in the political arena. I like underdogs. He is a very polished communicator. I like people who can deliver a message effectively. He seems to be compassionate and even tempered. I like that. He claims to have trusted in Jesus Christ for his salvation. That sounds good. I have as well.
I don't agree with our President Elect on many things; but I agree with him on this: God has chosen him to be our President. Therefore, I will pray for Him. I will respect the position God has placed him in. I like what I saw on Fox News last night. General Tommy Franks, a conservative and former central command for our military gave a great response to Obama being elected President. He said that he fully expects the military to respond to Obama with respect as our new Commander-in-Chief. They will honor him as President and they will follow his orders. I thought that was great. I will honor him as well, as the Bible clearly tells us to.
My trust in not in our goverment or supreme court or some piece of legislation. My trust is fully placed on God. He has made His choices for this election term, and I fully believe this will lead to God's will being accomplished. All praise and glory go to Him!
WHY?
Because I fully believe what the Scriptures teach:
Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What you have done?”
Isaiah 55:8 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
Psalm 115:3 – “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”
Psalm 75:7 – “But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”
Daniel 2:21 – “…Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might…He removes kings and sets up kings…”
God is the One who does these things: according to His own purposes, He puts rulers in positions of authority and He takes them down. We vote (at leat we should), but God determines the outcome. Even when people are voted in that we do not agree with, we need to remember that God is still at work when we do not understand.
The best biblical example I know from the Old Tetament is when Pharoah was in power in Egypt, after Joseph died (who had saved the people of Israel from extinction). Pharoah enslaved God's people and God was going to bring 10 plagues on Egypt, until Pharoah let His people go. But, listen carefully to what God said to Pharoah, through his servant Moses:
Exodus 9:16 – “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
God put Pharoah in that position, so that God's glory and purposes could be accomplished!
Things have not changed. Regardless of my opinion, God has placed in leadership HIS choice; and that is the best for everyone - always!
Obama has made history by becoming our first black president. That is great. He overcame odds, being very inexperienced in the political arena. I like underdogs. He is a very polished communicator. I like people who can deliver a message effectively. He seems to be compassionate and even tempered. I like that. He claims to have trusted in Jesus Christ for his salvation. That sounds good. I have as well.
I don't agree with our President Elect on many things; but I agree with him on this: God has chosen him to be our President. Therefore, I will pray for Him. I will respect the position God has placed him in. I like what I saw on Fox News last night. General Tommy Franks, a conservative and former central command for our military gave a great response to Obama being elected President. He said that he fully expects the military to respond to Obama with respect as our new Commander-in-Chief. They will honor him as President and they will follow his orders. I thought that was great. I will honor him as well, as the Bible clearly tells us to.
My trust in not in our goverment or supreme court or some piece of legislation. My trust is fully placed on God. He has made His choices for this election term, and I fully believe this will lead to God's will being accomplished. All praise and glory go to Him!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
WHO WOULD JESUS VOTE FOR?
This message was preached on October 26, 2008. It was an incredible challenge to prepare and preach. Not because I was sick the day I presented it; but because this topic is so sensitive and potentially expolosive with people. Many people, even within the church have passionate views about politics and hope that the pastor will say something that will support their view. And it is not just whether someone votes Democrat or Republican, but also includes certain issues, whether or not the world is about to end, and who the Anti-Christ might be! It was my desire not to answer all of their questions or to break down each issue; but to present the principles from the Word of God that could be useful during election years.
I put a lot of work into preparing this message; and as usual, had to leave some of my work, including illustrations, out of the finished product. So, in this blog, I have included, not only the manuscript of the message I spoke, but in [brackets], I have included my extra notes that I was not able to include. So, it is up to you to decided if you woudl like to read and think about the extra notes, which are in brackets, or not.
Near the beginning of the message, there is a skit that was acted out live on stage. The names listed are the first names of the actors. They did a great job of acting like debaters, including during the intro. music, shaking hands and waving to the audience! At the end of the message are the resources that are mentioned in the message, that was available to our people on the back of their message outlines. We do not necessarily agree with everything in those resources or with the organizations or persons that produced them; but we do think they can be helpful as Christians get all the information they can in determining for whom they should vote.
The audio of this message will be available as soon as our website is fixed at:
www.gbcwestlake.org You can click on the listen option and choose that particular message.
I would be interested in your comments after reading this message.
WHO WOULD JESUS VOTE FOR?
[expanded version]
[Presidents video– Can be viewed for free at sermonspice.com by searching politics, then choosing the Presidents video – it gives quotes about the Bible and God, attributed to past Presidents of the USA]
Please turn in your Bible to Job 38. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 463 or 476.
[Why would I take a detour out of our journey in Mark, in order to talk with you today about this controversial topic? First, this is on the hearts and minds of people right now. They are struggling with it; and are wondering, as a Christian, how to approach this issue of politics. But, most importantly, I felt led by God to spend time this morning dealing with this issue. The difference between what we are doing this morning and the constant talk of politics in the office, living rooms and throughout the media is this: we get to talk about it in the context of the truth: the living Word of God! And the fact is: the Bible has something to say to us about politics.
I received several e-mails and faxes from a certain Christian group over the past few weeks; and one I received this week really caught my attention. It is addresses to all church congregations, and part of it reads: “Has your Pastor, Rabbi or Priest explained that (and then it talks about a certain candidates views on abortion) Why is he silent? If Herod were running for King today, fir your congregational leader knew of the slaughter ahead, and recognizing that it is perfectly safe and legal to speak out in t eh USA…would he or she say even one word?...How, in heaven’s name, can pulpit silence on this possibly be rationalized?
Has your pastor talked about the (presidential candidate’s name) this person’s view on sexual orientation. Why not? Does your pastor even have a clue regarding his First amendment, free exercise, Free Speech rights to teach the bible and tradition from pulpit to pew—while clearly explaining policies of political leaders and naming names? Is there any reason he or she would prefer ignorance? Has your Shepherd spoken even one clear word on these monumental matters from the pulpit? Is your shepherd a man of God…or just a holy pontificator…a church mouse…a wimp?
I’m not afraid to talk about or do messages on abortion, or marriage. We’ve recently done messages on Hell, homosexuality and other controversial topics.
Let me very clear, from the beginning. I am not here to talk about the specific issues in politics, although we have already brought several of them up. I am not going to endorse a particular candidate, although I have been receiving e-mails telling me that I can legally do so. I am not going to tell you how to vote. My job, my responsibility before God, this morning, my goal is this: to help you see the political scene through God’s eyes, as revealed in His Word. If you leave here, more committed to seeing God’s perspective, rather than assuming your perspective is His, then I will have been successful this morning.
Why do many people say that they will talk about anything but politics or religion? It is because these 2 topics bring out emotions from people, unlike any other topic, and can sometimes lead to fighting, division, mocking and even hatred. Bring up the topic of politics today in public, step back and watch the sparks fly.]
People are passionate about their politics. This story appeared recently in the Akron-Beacon Journal:
“Poll workers from opposing sides in the presidential race apparently clashed in a physical altercation Friday at a Cuyahoga Falls nursing home when one accused the other of improperly marking a ballot. George Manon, the 75 year old Republican, told police that Edith Walker, the 73 year old Democrat, jumped on his back and struck him in the head three to four times with her fists. Manos said two other elections workers had to pull Walker off his back, according to a report filed with Cuyahaga Falls police.
Manos said it happened after he accused Walker of ballot tampering, and he wants to prosecute. The incident, which occurred about noon at Gardens of Western Reserve nursing home, is being investigated by both the police and the Summit County elections board.
Walker said in her statement that Manos tried to grab the ballot in question out of her hand. She said he accused her of marking the ballot wrong and she apologized to him if she did it, but she said: he was very mean to me.”
Politics brings out strong emotions. That is why many churches and pastors stay out of politics all together. I am not here to talk about the particular issues or give you my personal opinion. I would be happy to do that in private.
My job, my responsibility before God, is to point your attention to the Word of God; and talk about some guiding principles that apply to all areas of our lives, including politics. And then, it is up to you to take these biblical principles and make your own decisions; hopefully, seeking God’s will and direction. On the back of your outlines this morning, are some resources that might be helpful to you. The voter’s guides mentioned are on the welcome center table. You can use your own discretion to determine which of these resources will be helpful to you.
At times, listening to the political parties can be just frustrating and confusing – but usually interesting!
[cue debate music] [Steve and Kourtney shake hands]
THE DEBATE: RED vs. BLUE
Jen: Welcome to the first and probably the last debate held here at Grace. I am Jenn, and serving as your moderator today. This morning’s debate is unique because our guests debating are not the candidates themselves, but are representing the two major political parties. The color red will represent the Republican party, and the color blue will represent the Democratic party. Also, I will be asking questions that I am sure you have not heard in any of the previous debates this election season. I will ask our guests to introduce themselves at this time:
Kourtney: Thank you Jenn for moderating and to Grace for hosting us today. I am Kourtney, representing the Republican Party: Go Big Red!
Steve: I also want to thank Grace for hosting our debate; and of course you, Jenn, for being our moderator. I am Steve, representing the Democratic Party: Go Blue!
Jenn: Kourtney: Tell us a little bit about the history of the Red Party
Kourtney: Our party was created in 1854 in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act that would have allowed the expansion of slavery into Kansas. The party founders adopted the name "Republican" to indicate it was the carrier of "republican" beliefs about civic virtue, and opposition to aristocracy and corruption. The symbol for our Party is the elephant, which cartoonist Thomas Nast created in 1874. From the beginning, our party was all about abolishing slavery, free speech and women’s suffrage.
Jenn: Steve, tell us a little about your Blue Party
Steve: Thomas Jefferson founded our party in 1792. Our Party's founders decided that wealth and social status were not an entitlement to rule. They believed that wisdom and compassion could be found within every individual and a stable government must be built upon a broad popular base. The late Ron Brown put it best when he wrote: “The common thread of Democratic history, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill Clinton, has been an abiding faith in the judgment of the hardworking American families, and a commitment to helping the excluded, the disenfranchised and the poor strengthen our nation by earning themselves a piece of the American Dream.”
Jenn: So, Steve, what do you think about Red’s mascot?
Steve: The Elephant? How ridiculous looking! It describes their party well, lumbering around, stepping all over our freedoms!
Jenn: Your response Kourtney?
Kourtney: Come on – Blue’s mascot is a donkey? Enough said!
Jenn: So, Steve, what are your 4 favorite bumper stickers right now?
Steve: I was hoping you would ask that Jenn! They are:
· End the War – Stop McCain
· Obama: Hope, not fear
· It would be insane to vote for McCain
· Pro Family – Pro Obama
Jenn: And Kourtney, what are your favorite bumper stickers right now?
Kourtney: My favorites are:
· Go Navy – Beat Obama
· 10 out of 10 terrorists agree: Vote for Obama
· Your wallet is the one place democrats are willing to drill
· Vote McCain not Hussein
Jenn: Kourtney, tell us a little about your candidate’s faith.
Kourtney: Well, Jenn, at the recent civil forum at Saddleback Church in California, our candidate was asked this question by Pastor Rick Warren: “You’ve made no doubt about your faith in Jesus Christ. What does it mean to you?” And this is how our candidate answered: “It means that I am saved and forgiven of my sins. When we are talking about the world, our faith encompasses not just the United States of America, but the entire world.” He went on to explain how his faith in Christ is played out in everyday life and even through difficult circumstances.
Jenn: And Steve, what about your candidate?
Steve: Well, our candidate was asked the same exact question as theirs, at the same forum, and this is how our candidate answered: “It means that Jesus Christ died for my sins and that I am redeemed through Him. That is a source of strength and sustenance on a daily basis…If I can get myself out of the way, I can do what He intends.” So, you can see, our candidate is a humble, completely dedicated Christian man.
[Jenn: Have either of you ever heard of Gene Amondson, Chuck Baldwin, Bob Barr, Roger Calero, Charles Jay, Gloria La Riva, Cynthia McKinney, Brian Moore, Thomas Stevens, or Ted Weill?
Kourtney: No
Steve: Nope.
Jenn: These are the presidential candidates from the following political parties:
Prohibition party; Constitution party; Libertarian party; Socialist workers party; Boston Tea party
Kourtney: Did you just say The Boston Tea Party?
Jenn: Yes: The Boston Tea Party, Socialism and Liberation party; the Green party; Socialist party; Objectivist Party; and the Reform party
Steve: Sorry - We only recognize, and the American people only care about the big two: Blue and Red.]
Jenn: So, let me ask both of you:
· Which Party cares more about women? Kourtney: Red Steve: Blue
· Which Party cares more about the middle class? Kourtney: Red Steve: Blue
· Which Party sticks closest to the United States Constitution? [same answers]
· Which Party is most economically responsible? [same answers]
· Which Party is most concerned with raising our level of education? [same]
· Which Party believes marriage is between a man and a woman? [same]
· Which Party believes there should be less abortions? [same answers]
· Which Party believes they can defeat terrorism? [same answers]
· Which Party is the real Party of change? [same answers]
· Which Party’s candidate won the first presidential debate? [same answers]
· How about the second debate? [same answers]
· And the third? [same answers]
Jenn: How about the vice presidential debate?
Steve: Our candidate knocked it out of the park!
Kourtney: Our candidate? She knocked it way out of the park!
Jenn: OK, last question. Steve, in your opinion, Who Would Jesus Vote For?
Steve: Well, that’s a no-brainer Jenn! Jesus would vote blue, across the board. He would vote for our candidate. Why? Because Jesus cares about the poor, like our party does. It’s all over Scripture. We are also concerned about the economy, and Jesus talked a lot about money. Jesus also said taxes were not necessarily a bad thing – don’t forget that! Jesus would see that we are most concerned about people, and therefore, He would most definitely vote BLUE!
Jenn: And Kourtney, in your opinion, Who Would Jesus Vote For?
Kourtney: That is an easy one Jenn. Jesus would, undoubtedly, vote for Red, across the board. He would vote for our candidate. Why? Because Jesus cares about the sanctity of life, just like we do. He cares about the ability to teach about Him in school, to pray, and to offer an alternative to evolution, just like we do. And Jesus would most definitely want a constitutional amendment on marriage, just like us! No doubt about it – Jesus would vote RED!
Jenn: Thank you Kourtney and Steve. And now the question goes to all of you: Who do you believe Jesus would vote for?
[We are taking a break from the gospel of Mark this morning to deal with an issue that is on most everyone’s mind at this time. It is a topic that churches struggle with how to present, if at all. It is the turbulent topic of politics. Even within this room this morning, there are a variety of views on politics, and some of those perspectives are backed with great emotion and a strong will. Many people become very passionate about politics; and there is good reason for that. I want to deal with it this morning because: God has led me to; it is something the Scriptures address; and we all need some biblical help to sort through all the political talk of today.
If you are looking for me to tell you who to vote for, you will be disappointed. As a pastor, I am uncomfortable telling you how to vote. I certainly have my personal viewpoints, and am happy to talk to people personally about politics and specifics. But, this morning, it is my goal and responsibility before God to share with you what God has to say about the principles of politics; so that you can then base your decisions on what He has to say, rather than me or a media outlet; or even other good Christian organizations.]
I want to have a conversation with you, this morning, about what God’s Word has to say to us, during this highly emotional, sometimes confusing political season.
Let’s consider some biblical principles on politics, as it relates to God; and then to us. Let’s begin with God:
[So, at our home, we received 2 different mailings: one from the Republican State Leadership committee; and one from the Ohio Democratic Party. They both had to do electing a state representative for District 16. And both of them, instead of saying why you should vote for their candidate, the whole mailing was about why you shouldn’t vote for the other candidate. In fact, the only picture on each mailing was a picture of their opponent. And the main accusation against the opponenent, for each side?:
Democratic ad: “Think your taxes are high enough already? Nan Baker wants to raise them even higher…She even fought against a $3.8 million property tax cut.”
Republican Ad: “Our budgets. Our bank accounts. Our businesses. All Running on Empty…Is there anything left in your wallet? State Representative Jennifer Brady co-sponsored legislation to raise Ohio income taxes…[and] supported higher taxes on both our incomes and our businesses.”
Both Ads negative and critical, about the very same issue. Have you listened to any of the debates? Both sides making accusations, taking some facts and using them for their own benefit. Both sides accusing the other side of distorting the truth. Both sides throwing out statistics and numbers and quotes that are very difficult to track down, as to their validity. And even newspapers, like the Plain Dealer, that try to tell you they are telling the truth about whose telling the truth in Ads…the newspapers have a slanted view as well – they all pick a candidate that they are backing; and you can tell.
Study it out. Read and listen to the voices you trust. Do the best you can to understand what is really going on. Then, go vote the way you believe God would want you to vote.]
1. God is neither Republican nor Democrat.
Now, that might be surprising to you Republicans…and Democrats. You independents are thinking: I knew it all along! You never see God taking a political side; and there is no reason to think, that if Jesus were here today, that He would always vote one way (Republican OR Democrat; or even register as such). If anything, He would most likely be an independent, who voted as He thought best at any given time.
When people wanted Jesus to do something, whether it were His enemies asking for him to perform miracles to prove His claims, or the crowds wanting Him to set up His Kingdom immediately; or His closest disciples, who did not want Him to go with the suffering and dying plan, Jesus always responded the same way: He voted with God the Father. In other words, no matter how compelling other’s arguments might be for what He should do, He always and only voted (lived) according to what God, the Heavenly Father wanted done.
Although we never hear of them, you probably know that there are other political parties out there and presidential candidates from those parties. There are independents as well, but all of these have found that they pretty much have no chance of winning unless they run as a Republican or Democrat. In the past, I have had extended family, and just recently a friend from my former church in Florida sent a mass e-mail out, backing the Constitution party. Many followers of Christ believe that the Constitution Party not only abides most closely to the Constitution but also to Christian principle. However, many Christians would never vote for anyone that they knew couldn’t win. Each believer, based on the fact that god is not affiliated with a party, must choose whom they think God would want them to vote for.
In the book of Joshua, Joshua was getting ready to fight a battle for Israel and He has an encounter with God, most likely another appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Listen to this conversation:
Joshua 5:13,14 – “…And Joshua went up to him and asked, Are you for us or for our enemies? Neither, he replied, but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come…”
Jesus, representing God the Father, did not take sides, even though it concerned His own people Israel. God was on His own side; and I don’t think that has changed. If you want to ask the question: God, are you the Republicans side or the Democrats side, I think God would say: neither. The question is whether or not you are pursuing what God wants you to do in every area of life, including how you vote and to what extent you are involved in politics.
[D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe, in their book “How Would Jesus Vote”, address this issue of whose side God is on. “What Party Does God Claim? What side is God on? People have wanted to know that since the beginning of warfare. During the Civil War, people wondered which side God was on. Initially many pastors and their congregations were duped by Adolf Hitler. Journalist and historian William L. Shirer, author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, notes that some German Christians even drew up a resolution (which ultimately was not adopted) demanding One People, One Reich, One faith, and these same professing believers wanted to require all pastors to take a oath of allegiance to Hitler. Surely, God did not approve of Hitler’s anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, antifreedom regime.]
2. God is not American
[Are these Scriptures true?
Psalm 33:12 – “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!”
Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Yes, of course they are true. But, first of all: I don’t think we could even say that the USA treats God as our LORD. And we are not the ones God has chosen as His heritage: it’s Israel. And would we really say that we are living as a righteous nation right now? We can certainly see how destructive sin is, in our personal lives and in our nation.]
I’m sure you know that is true; but many people act as though God were. We somehow think He loves America more than others and has promised us great things in the future. However, to be biblically honest with you, God has not promised us, as the United States of America, anything. I know not everyone agrees with that.
Someone just this past week asked me directly: “Do you see America in biblical prophecy”? I said something like this: No. Now, it might be there, and I’m just not scholarly enough to see it; but I don’t see it, clearly stated, that God makes any promises about the United States in particular. I know there are those who have interpreted certain passages of Scripture and say otherwise. I might be wrong. What this means, for me, is that if God chose to wipe out the United States of America, so that we were not even around for future biblical end times, that would completely up to Him. He would not be wrecking prophecy if the USA was not around in the future.
Do I believe that many of our founding fathers were true believers who included God in politics? Yes. Are there still many reminders in our country, that at one time, we had a great trust in God? Absolutely. The video we showed during the offering demonstrated that many of our Presidents looked to the Bible as their authority and to God for direction for the United States.
Well, what about the passage that is quoted so often:
II Chronicles 7:14 - “If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways – I will hear from Heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land.”
That promise was not just for anyone – it was for Israel. Yes, I do believe in the principle of that verse. I think America should seek God and ask for forgiveness of her sins. But, even if she did, God would not be under no obligation to do anything for us (except forgive us) or keep us around any longer than what He originally planned. But, it is always a good idea to ask forgiveness for sins, to seek God and turn from wickedness. In most cases, that does bring God’s blessing and it is always a better way to live.
I like what author’s Kennedy and Newcombe had to say about this in their book: How Would Jesus Vote? : “God created only one country in the history of the world: ancient Israel. He did not create America. The United States is not the new Israel. The United States is not now nor ever was a theocracy, although the Puritans attempted to created such a colony in Massachusetts. That attempt failed, but because they culled the Word of God for biblical principles on government, law, civil liberties, education, and morality the Puritans have essentially served as the midwives of our current freedoms. We do not claim that God is on the side of the United States. What we do claim is that as many people as possible in the United States should strive to be on God’s side.”
3. God is God and we are not
[Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What you have done?”
If only Roe v. Wade was overturned, then everything in America would be just right. If only we had prayer in schools, then God would bless us. Although your guy being elected and your choices are ruling on the supreme court; and if you could choose what laws were overturned and what happened in the public schools, would we then have God’s complete blessing?]
This principle applies to everything, but it certainly includes politics. It begins with the willingness to admit that we don’t always know what is best; and we certainly cannot fully control what happens. Even those who are committing voter fraud are not ultimately, in control. We need to be careful not to adopt the attitude that God might be making a mistake.
Job is a character in the Bible that is given to us as a great example of trusting God, while going through terrible loss and suffering. But, in the midst of it all, Job did challenge God as to why He was allowing these things to happen in his life. And God responded to Job, with some rhetorical questions. Look at:
*Job 38:4 – “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth…”
*Job 38:12 – “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place?”
*Job 38:36 – “Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?”
*Job 40:2 – “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
What was God’s main message to Job? “Job, listen: I am God. I created the Universe. I have all wisdom. You concentrate on obeying me; and let me take care of the rest of the world, including the circumstances in your life that seem unfair.” God would say the same things to us; even in the midst of this election season; especially if things don’t go the way you think they should go.
Here are two key verses and universal biblical truths to keep in mind, for all of life:
God said this, and it applies to all of us:
Isaiah 55:8 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
Psalm 115:3 – “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”
You can let these truths frustrate you; or you can embrace them as a great comfort, and draw strength from them, regardless of your circumstances.
Please turn in your Bible to the book of Exodus, which is the second book of the Bible – just after Genesis.
4. God’s goal is to glorify Himself
What might be our goals in life and politics do not necessarily match God’s. A great example of what God is trying to do, using all political situations as His tool, is found here in Exodus: God had sent Joseph to Egypt so that He could use Joseph to preserve His own people Israel, once the famine came. The nation of Israel was in Egypt and well taken care of. However, Joseph died and then we read this:
Exodus 1:8 – “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.”
· And that ruler (also known as Pharoah) decided that Israel needed to be controlled…
*Exodus 1:10,11 – “Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and , if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land. Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens…”
*Exodus 1:12– “But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad…”
*Exodus 1:13 – “So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves.”
*Exodus 1:15– “Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives…”
*Exodus 1:16 – “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”
Go to chapter 3. So, here was an evil ruler, oppressing God’s people; and killing babies. The people of Israel cried out because of their bondage. God heard them and appointed Moses (read about his incredible story in Exodus 2) to go to the ruler, Pharoah, and demand that His people be let go…
*Exodus 3:19,20 – “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go.”
Turn over to chapter 7.
So, God says that Pharoah would not let the people go at first; and He would send some plagues to convince him to do so. But, not only would Pharoah harden his own heart, as the plagues were being sent to Egypt, God explains that He would play a major role in how Pharoah would respond.
[Exodus 4:21 – “…[God said] I will harden his heart…”
Exodus 9:12 – “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharoah, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses.”
Exodus 10:20 – “But the LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.”
Exodus 10:27 – “But the LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart, and he would not let them go.”
Exodus 11:10 – “…and the LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart…”]
You have turned to Exodus 7. Look at what God says to Moses in…
*Exodus 7:3-5 – “But I will harden Pharoah’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharoah will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”
Here we have the connection between God hardening Pharoah’s heart, and one of the major reasons why: so that Pharoah would not let God’s people go until God was done using him. And primarily, what God wanted to accomplish is mentioned right here in verse 5: “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” This is the name for God that refers to Him as the covenant keeping God of Israel; even the God that can be trusted to keep His promises. Egypt was going to learn the truth about God.
[There are other mentions of what God was trying to accomplish:
Exodus 7:17 – “…by this you shall know that I am the LORD…”
Exodus 8:10 – “…that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.”
Exodus 8:22 – “…that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.”
Exodus 9:14 – “…that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.”
Exodus 9:29 – “…so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.”
Exodus 11:9 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Pharoah will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”]
Go to chapter 10. God was also going to teach His own people about Himself:
*Exodus 10:1,2 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharoah, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”
This was God talking to Moses and to Israel, His people, saying they also, His own people, would see what God was doing, and were to know who He was; and to continue, then, to worship Him alone. That was the goal. Now, come back one chapter and listen to what God has to say, directly to Pharoah, about why He was put in that position of power:
Exodus 9:16 – “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Did you catch that? Let me read it one more time. It’s also on the screen:
Exodus 9:16 – “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
God claimed responsibility for Pharoah being in the position of leadership he was in. This leader, that all of God’s people would call evil…this leader, who killed babies…this leader, who brought incredible suffering on God’s people…this leader was chosen by God. But, he wasn’t chosen because he was a Christian, or because he would promote God’s ways. He was chosen, as God explained, because it was through His evil rule, that God would show His own power and reveal Himself to all. This was God’s doing. Here is a biblical truth, that not only applies to Pharoah in Exodus, but to all rulers who have taken power in every nation ever since:
Psalm 75:7 – “But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”
Daniel 2:21 – “…Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might…He removes kings and sets up kings…”
God is in control of who wins elections.
Please turn in your Bible to I Timothy, chapter 2. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 1027 or 1053.
Now: Based on what has been revealed about God, we need to consider our response; and ask the all important question:
SO WHAT? What does God expect of us, as it relates to politics?
[What are some other things we are to remember about our responsibility to those in authority?
· Pay your taxes (fulfill your responsibilities)
Jesus encouraged the people to pay the taxes that they were subjected to.
He did not encourage them to withhold payment or try to cheat the government:
Matthew 22:17,21 – “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not…Then he said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
· Obey the laws unless they contradict God’s Word
Romans 13:1,2 – “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
The followers of Christ, from the beginning, obeyed the laws of the State. Even if the politicians were corrupt and the government was adverse to Christianity; which it was in almost every case back then. The only time they were encouraged not to obey, was when the State asked them to do something the Bible for bid them to do. When the Apostles were asked to explain why they kept preaching the gospel, even though they were jailed and beaten and told not to, they explained:
Acts 5:29 – “…We must obey God rather than men.”]
1. Trust in God, not in man
Israel learned this as they had to face opponents like Goliath and see God use a boy with a slingshot to bring him down and the entire Philistine army to their knees. King Saul of Israel was trusting in man but David put His trust in God; and God did His thing.
It is easy to think: If only this guy gets elected, then everything will be fine. If only that guy gets appointed to the supreme court. What can happen is that we begin to trust in man, putting hope in a certain candidate or a certain court or a certain piece of legislation. We have to be careful. Even when there was Theocracy, where God ruled in Israel, they still sinned, and eventually replaced God’s rule with a King of their own. All human rulers have their limitations and are just a breath.
The only one who has been here all along and will never go away, is the one and only true God. Should you pray that God would put godly men and women in leadership? Sure! Should you do your part, get involved in politics and vote for followers of Christ that are pursuing what is important to you? Absolutely. I hope more Christians become involved in politics. But, when things are not going your way, or those believers aren’t able to accomplish what you had hoped, there is still one you can trust in, who knows what He is doing.
Psalm 146:3,4 – “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he…whose hope is in the LORD his God.”
Jeremiah 17:7 – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.”
2. Pray
[When it comes to prayer, we need to be careful what we attribute to God. What do you think of this story forwarded by e-mail, by a pastor in Ohio?
Tuesday at 2:00 A.M. - God spoke these words to me - "Go turn the Radio
on!" Immediately the Reporter's Words were - "McCain & Palin Bus to be
in Lebanon later this morning for a 10:00 A.M. Rally!" God said, "You are to go. You will meet them and give them a message for Me!"The News would later report they were expecting 5,000 people and the actual head-count of those who had been scanned was more than 10,000 people.
I simply obeyed and God actually told me where to stand, who to talk to
and when to be on the move. As I was standing there, two Boy Scouts came running up my back-literally, they almost knocked me to the ground because they were running so fast behind me up my back and over to the right.
The Scout Leader grabbed me and told me bring the other Scouts up front.
I just became the leader of the rest of the Scouts to lead them right up front and center.
When I got there I was fifteen feet from the podium. GOD said, "Stand here, and don't move from this spot.” A little lady who stood by me, reached up and told the Rep that they had promised a Picture with her because she was the one who had lost a son in Iraq, recently.
When McCain came to hug the lady, he immediately shook my hand and
following his moment with her, I shook his hand and said, "God wants you to know that I'm praying for you, Sir!" He thanked me and kept smiling. I repeated that phrase to him five times. He grabbed my hands and looked right into my
eyes and said, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"
As he moved to my right, Sarah Palin came over and got on her hands and knees and hugged that the little lady who had lost the son, telling her, "It was not
in vain." It was at this moment that Sarah Palin reached out for me to help her up
and as I was assisting her to stand I was now face to face with her and
GOD said, "Open up your Mouth and I will fill it."
Here is what came out... "God wants you to know that you are a present day Esther! [She immediately began to cry]! God wants to tell you that you are Chosen for such a time as this! You are called, and chosen to be a leader. Don't lose heart and don't fear man. Keep your eyes on GOD and know that He has chosen you to Reign! Stay strong. Be strong. Don't tire. Don't be weary in well-doing. Be strong."
If you believe God reveals something to you in prayer, then you should examine it according to the Scriptures, and consider that it may be God’s Spirit directing you to do something. What we must be very careful with, is making some type of predictions or prophecies, as though God is revealing new truth to us. If this pastor’s prophecy about Sarah Palin does not come true, it doesn’t mean that God made a mistake – it means that this pastor sinned in making a false prophecy and attributing it to God] Please look at:
*I Timothy 2:1,2 – “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions…”
We would all agree that we should pray for our leaders. But, keep in mind, that in that day, their kings, their leaders were opponents of Christianity. And the concerns the believers had were far from abortion and an amendment on marriage. They were concerned about persecution and death just because they were believers! And yet, in the midst of that kind of persecution, what did God tell them He wanted them to do? Picket? Protest? Politic? Nope. He told them to do the one thing they could do, which they could control – the one positive thing that God knew would made the greatest difference – PRAY
And this has not changed for us today. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be involved in politics or even picket and protest if you choose. But, what I am saying is what the Bible emphasizes, even if the government and its leaders are not godly – we are to pray for them. But, did you catch what else? This leads us to a third application:
3. Focus on heart change
It is easy to focus on a political party or a piece of legislation. It is easy to focus on all the things we wish were right in the world, according to us. But, the real focus must be where real change comes from. The Focus must be on heart change. And there is only one person who can change a heart. People must be introduced to Him.
Did you notice the verses we just read that have to do with prayer? Notice verse 2:
[praying]… “for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. [why]?
*I Timothy 2:3-5 – “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Did you see that? What is this all about? Why are we to be praying, even for corrupt rulers? And why, instead of overthrowing the government, are we to pray for the strength and grace to live quiet and peaceable lives? Because: it’s all about the gospel! What is important to God, regardless of the political circumstances, is that we live rightly; even loving our enemies, so that they can see the light, the truth, through us.
So, if you are arguing with someone about politics, and being unloving as you do it, don’t think you are honoring God. If you are, in any way being an obstacle to the gospel, as you passionately pursue your politics, you are being an obstacle to God and what is most important to Him. There is a way to be passionate about politics and honor God; and that is by being much more passionate about the good news of Jesus Christ – because it changes lives for eternity!
When Jesus’ followers began sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, they endured incredible persecution. But that did not wipe out their testimony or Christianity. In fact, Christianity exploded and grew through the time of persecution. We would look at it as the worst thing that could happen; and yet God saw it as positive, for one reason – people’s hearts were being changed.
We do live in a land that has been blessed by God; even though we don’t deserve it. I am so thankful for the freedoms God has given us. But, there are times that God takes away those freedoms in order to do what is more important to Him than our religious liberty – and ironically, he took away liberty in order to promote the gospel! Isn’t that something! We pray God will not choose to do the same thing here; but He might.
[What if you could have the government exactly the way you wanted it: With a president who shared your views, a supreme court who voted your way, and the Ten Commandments as the law of the land? Would that make us a God honoring nation? Not necessarily. The only way to have real, lasting change that will honor God is to have people’s hearts changed. We can get so focused on changing the politicians and legislation, that we forget this very fundamental principle. The focus for us, when it comes to politics, must be the gospel: the good news of Jesus Christ.]
4. Live in love, not fear
I received this e-mail recently:
“If the [fill in the political party] win the upcoming election, America as we have known it will no longer exist. This country that we love, founded on Judeo-Christian values, will cease to exist and will be replaced by a secular state hostile to Christianity… The damage will be permanent.
[AFA letter continued: This “city set on a hill” which our forefathers founded, will go dark. The damage will be deep and long lasting. It cannot be turned around in the next election, or the one after that, or by any election in the future. That is why it is so important for you to vote and to encourage friends and family to vote. This is one election where your vote really counts.”] – Donald Wildmon, founder and chairman of the American Family Association
I also, this past week, received a forwarded message from one of our missionaries, who was sending me an article from World Net Daily. It was entitled: Trail of Terror – Islamic takeover of U.S. already under way: "We estimate thousands of terrorists have already been smuggled into America. ... Hamas is here. ... They have cells in over 40 states. ... They asked: "What happens if a [particular party is named here] wins the 2008 election?" The answer: "We are doomed. Our enemies want the (particular party) to win. This last election, jihadist websites were playing victory songs and declaring the (particular party) are our allies in the war against America," she said.
[Continued world net daily: We also need to reform our immigration and visa programs. We need to monitor who is coming into our country and why. ... We need to increase human intelligence. … I want everyone who fits the terrorist profile to be profiled. We have men between the ages of 16 and 40 who have committed terrorist acts around the world in the name of Islam. They are not little old ladies from Ohio with blue hair. They are not children going to Disney World on their Easter vacation," she said. ]
Then, I also received several forwarded e-mails from Dr. John Tisdale, President of Anchor Bible Institute at McAllen, TX. Part of one of those e-mails said this:
“How long is the beast allowed to have authority in Revelations? Revelations Chapter 13 tells us it is 42 months, and you know what that is? Almost a four-year term of a Presidency. According to The Book of Revelations the anti-Christ willbe a man, in his 40's, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations withpersuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal....the prophecy saysthat people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace,and when he is in power, will destroy everything..Do we recognize this description? Is it (a particular presidential candidate is named).
It is so easy to rely on fear to get people to do what we want them to do. And it is possible if you have been reading e-mails and listening to various Christian organizations that you are very fearful of what might happen if the election doesn’t go your way. I can understand that. I have many fears of my own. But, I don’t think it is the way God wants us to approach this topic or any other.
All of these things are meant to motivate us to vote a certain way; but what they really do is drive us to fear. The Bible warns against that:
I John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…”
II Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
We are not to live in fear, or use fear tactics to manipulate people to vote how we want them to vote. We have to be very careful of what we accuse people of, including presidential candidates or political parties, making broad stroke statements that may not be true; especially of everyone who supports a particular party or candidate. Plus, some of these are simply not biblically true, and to assert such things is misusing the Scriptures. And those who choose to do that, even for what they consider to be a good cause, are not honoring God.
Instead, we are to have His strength and confidence, that no matter who is elected; and no matter what happens, we have a God who is all powerful, the God of truth, and we are to be on His side, regardless of our political views. Speaking about believers in Bible days, that were persecuted for their faith, but considered heroes:
Hebrews 11:13,16 – These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth…But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared for them a city.”
Those who were persecuted for their faith were not despairing because things weren’t the way they wanted them in the government here on Earth. They were keeping their attention on the future, on their home in Heaven. They didn’t look at their dwelling here as the only thing that mattered; but instead, they knew this was a temporary dwelling place; and what really mattered was the eternity to come with God in Heaven. If we can keep our focus there as well, then the things of this Earth, including politics doesn’t have to drive us into fear and depression. It can, instead, take us closer to God, to live for eternity rather than expecting Heaven here.
So, the answer you have all been waiting for: Who would Jesus Vote for?
This is probably not the answer you were hoping for. But, based on what I have just shared with you , I think the answer is this:
· Jesus would vote for the one that He knew was the will of God. Whomever, for this time in history, would be the one used by God to do His purposes for His glory would be whom Jesus would vote for.
· [John 5:30 – “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”]
And sorry to tell you this: but I don’t know who that is. And you may think you know who that is: but you don’t – not for sure. God sometimes surprises us , doesn’t He?
[How would Jesus vote? Abraham Lincoln put it best in 1863 when he heard someone remark that he hoped ‘the Lord was on the Union’s side.’ Here is how Lincoln responded: ‘I am not at all concerned about that, for I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side’.”]
If God doesn’t choose your guy, then please realize it is His guy, for this time, for His own purposes, whether we like the guy or not; whether he is godly or not. This is about what God is doing. If your guy doesn’t get elected, you don’t need to get depressed, mourn for days or leave the country. Instead, there are some things the Bible would encourage us to do, based on these principles about God and politics.
So, what should you do?
Pray, pray, and pray some more. Get involved in politics. Read and listen to people you respect; and consider your political views. Ask God what He would want you to do. And then, go vote. And then…keep your focus on the God who is in control.
Will you pray with me please? Based on this, I would like for us to close this time with some silent prayer and meditation. Listen to a song that reminds us who is in control; and that we need to respond to Him in love and praise, as we trust Him, even during these days. Take a few moments to pray; and then consider your response to God’s Word this morning as you listen to the song.
Let’s pray:
Song: Let My Words Be Few [Phillips, Craig and Dean] – Linda Kuyper
Resources:
Saddleback Community Church (interview from a faith perspective with the presidential candidates)
www.saddlebackcivilforum.com
click on “view past forums”, then click on “presidential”
Ohio Christian Alliance (voter guides available at welcome center table-while supplies last)
www.OhioCA.org
330.887.1922
Focus on the Family
www.focusvoter.com
Citizens for Community Values (find more information on the specific people and issues you will be voting for in your area)
www.Ohioelectioncentral.com
Desiring God Ministries (for an article on one issue voting: abortion)
www.desiringgod.org
search: One issue politics (click enter), then choose article: One-Issue Politics, One-issue Marriage and Humane Society – by John Piper – January 1, 1995
Book: Is God on America’s Side? The Surprising Answer and How It Affects Our Future
By Erwin w. Lutzer, pastor of Moody Bible Church in Chicago, Illinois
Book: How Would Jesus Vote: A Christian Perspective on the Issues
By D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe
I put a lot of work into preparing this message; and as usual, had to leave some of my work, including illustrations, out of the finished product. So, in this blog, I have included, not only the manuscript of the message I spoke, but in [brackets], I have included my extra notes that I was not able to include. So, it is up to you to decided if you woudl like to read and think about the extra notes, which are in brackets, or not.
Near the beginning of the message, there is a skit that was acted out live on stage. The names listed are the first names of the actors. They did a great job of acting like debaters, including during the intro. music, shaking hands and waving to the audience! At the end of the message are the resources that are mentioned in the message, that was available to our people on the back of their message outlines. We do not necessarily agree with everything in those resources or with the organizations or persons that produced them; but we do think they can be helpful as Christians get all the information they can in determining for whom they should vote.
The audio of this message will be available as soon as our website is fixed at:
www.gbcwestlake.org You can click on the listen option and choose that particular message.
I would be interested in your comments after reading this message.
WHO WOULD JESUS VOTE FOR?
[expanded version]
[Presidents video– Can be viewed for free at sermonspice.com by searching politics, then choosing the Presidents video – it gives quotes about the Bible and God, attributed to past Presidents of the USA]
Please turn in your Bible to Job 38. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 463 or 476.
[Why would I take a detour out of our journey in Mark, in order to talk with you today about this controversial topic? First, this is on the hearts and minds of people right now. They are struggling with it; and are wondering, as a Christian, how to approach this issue of politics. But, most importantly, I felt led by God to spend time this morning dealing with this issue. The difference between what we are doing this morning and the constant talk of politics in the office, living rooms and throughout the media is this: we get to talk about it in the context of the truth: the living Word of God! And the fact is: the Bible has something to say to us about politics.
I received several e-mails and faxes from a certain Christian group over the past few weeks; and one I received this week really caught my attention. It is addresses to all church congregations, and part of it reads: “Has your Pastor, Rabbi or Priest explained that (and then it talks about a certain candidates views on abortion) Why is he silent? If Herod were running for King today, fir your congregational leader knew of the slaughter ahead, and recognizing that it is perfectly safe and legal to speak out in t eh USA…would he or she say even one word?...How, in heaven’s name, can pulpit silence on this possibly be rationalized?
Has your pastor talked about the (presidential candidate’s name) this person’s view on sexual orientation. Why not? Does your pastor even have a clue regarding his First amendment, free exercise, Free Speech rights to teach the bible and tradition from pulpit to pew—while clearly explaining policies of political leaders and naming names? Is there any reason he or she would prefer ignorance? Has your Shepherd spoken even one clear word on these monumental matters from the pulpit? Is your shepherd a man of God…or just a holy pontificator…a church mouse…a wimp?
I’m not afraid to talk about or do messages on abortion, or marriage. We’ve recently done messages on Hell, homosexuality and other controversial topics.
Let me very clear, from the beginning. I am not here to talk about the specific issues in politics, although we have already brought several of them up. I am not going to endorse a particular candidate, although I have been receiving e-mails telling me that I can legally do so. I am not going to tell you how to vote. My job, my responsibility before God, this morning, my goal is this: to help you see the political scene through God’s eyes, as revealed in His Word. If you leave here, more committed to seeing God’s perspective, rather than assuming your perspective is His, then I will have been successful this morning.
Why do many people say that they will talk about anything but politics or religion? It is because these 2 topics bring out emotions from people, unlike any other topic, and can sometimes lead to fighting, division, mocking and even hatred. Bring up the topic of politics today in public, step back and watch the sparks fly.]
People are passionate about their politics. This story appeared recently in the Akron-Beacon Journal:
“Poll workers from opposing sides in the presidential race apparently clashed in a physical altercation Friday at a Cuyahoga Falls nursing home when one accused the other of improperly marking a ballot. George Manon, the 75 year old Republican, told police that Edith Walker, the 73 year old Democrat, jumped on his back and struck him in the head three to four times with her fists. Manos said two other elections workers had to pull Walker off his back, according to a report filed with Cuyahaga Falls police.
Manos said it happened after he accused Walker of ballot tampering, and he wants to prosecute. The incident, which occurred about noon at Gardens of Western Reserve nursing home, is being investigated by both the police and the Summit County elections board.
Walker said in her statement that Manos tried to grab the ballot in question out of her hand. She said he accused her of marking the ballot wrong and she apologized to him if she did it, but she said: he was very mean to me.”
Politics brings out strong emotions. That is why many churches and pastors stay out of politics all together. I am not here to talk about the particular issues or give you my personal opinion. I would be happy to do that in private.
My job, my responsibility before God, is to point your attention to the Word of God; and talk about some guiding principles that apply to all areas of our lives, including politics. And then, it is up to you to take these biblical principles and make your own decisions; hopefully, seeking God’s will and direction. On the back of your outlines this morning, are some resources that might be helpful to you. The voter’s guides mentioned are on the welcome center table. You can use your own discretion to determine which of these resources will be helpful to you.
At times, listening to the political parties can be just frustrating and confusing – but usually interesting!
[cue debate music] [Steve and Kourtney shake hands]
THE DEBATE: RED vs. BLUE
Jen: Welcome to the first and probably the last debate held here at Grace. I am Jenn, and serving as your moderator today. This morning’s debate is unique because our guests debating are not the candidates themselves, but are representing the two major political parties. The color red will represent the Republican party, and the color blue will represent the Democratic party. Also, I will be asking questions that I am sure you have not heard in any of the previous debates this election season. I will ask our guests to introduce themselves at this time:
Kourtney: Thank you Jenn for moderating and to Grace for hosting us today. I am Kourtney, representing the Republican Party: Go Big Red!
Steve: I also want to thank Grace for hosting our debate; and of course you, Jenn, for being our moderator. I am Steve, representing the Democratic Party: Go Blue!
Jenn: Kourtney: Tell us a little bit about the history of the Red Party
Kourtney: Our party was created in 1854 in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act that would have allowed the expansion of slavery into Kansas. The party founders adopted the name "Republican" to indicate it was the carrier of "republican" beliefs about civic virtue, and opposition to aristocracy and corruption. The symbol for our Party is the elephant, which cartoonist Thomas Nast created in 1874. From the beginning, our party was all about abolishing slavery, free speech and women’s suffrage.
Jenn: Steve, tell us a little about your Blue Party
Steve: Thomas Jefferson founded our party in 1792. Our Party's founders decided that wealth and social status were not an entitlement to rule. They believed that wisdom and compassion could be found within every individual and a stable government must be built upon a broad popular base. The late Ron Brown put it best when he wrote: “The common thread of Democratic history, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill Clinton, has been an abiding faith in the judgment of the hardworking American families, and a commitment to helping the excluded, the disenfranchised and the poor strengthen our nation by earning themselves a piece of the American Dream.”
Jenn: So, Steve, what do you think about Red’s mascot?
Steve: The Elephant? How ridiculous looking! It describes their party well, lumbering around, stepping all over our freedoms!
Jenn: Your response Kourtney?
Kourtney: Come on – Blue’s mascot is a donkey? Enough said!
Jenn: So, Steve, what are your 4 favorite bumper stickers right now?
Steve: I was hoping you would ask that Jenn! They are:
· End the War – Stop McCain
· Obama: Hope, not fear
· It would be insane to vote for McCain
· Pro Family – Pro Obama
Jenn: And Kourtney, what are your favorite bumper stickers right now?
Kourtney: My favorites are:
· Go Navy – Beat Obama
· 10 out of 10 terrorists agree: Vote for Obama
· Your wallet is the one place democrats are willing to drill
· Vote McCain not Hussein
Jenn: Kourtney, tell us a little about your candidate’s faith.
Kourtney: Well, Jenn, at the recent civil forum at Saddleback Church in California, our candidate was asked this question by Pastor Rick Warren: “You’ve made no doubt about your faith in Jesus Christ. What does it mean to you?” And this is how our candidate answered: “It means that I am saved and forgiven of my sins. When we are talking about the world, our faith encompasses not just the United States of America, but the entire world.” He went on to explain how his faith in Christ is played out in everyday life and even through difficult circumstances.
Jenn: And Steve, what about your candidate?
Steve: Well, our candidate was asked the same exact question as theirs, at the same forum, and this is how our candidate answered: “It means that Jesus Christ died for my sins and that I am redeemed through Him. That is a source of strength and sustenance on a daily basis…If I can get myself out of the way, I can do what He intends.” So, you can see, our candidate is a humble, completely dedicated Christian man.
[Jenn: Have either of you ever heard of Gene Amondson, Chuck Baldwin, Bob Barr, Roger Calero, Charles Jay, Gloria La Riva, Cynthia McKinney, Brian Moore, Thomas Stevens, or Ted Weill?
Kourtney: No
Steve: Nope.
Jenn: These are the presidential candidates from the following political parties:
Prohibition party; Constitution party; Libertarian party; Socialist workers party; Boston Tea party
Kourtney: Did you just say The Boston Tea Party?
Jenn: Yes: The Boston Tea Party, Socialism and Liberation party; the Green party; Socialist party; Objectivist Party; and the Reform party
Steve: Sorry - We only recognize, and the American people only care about the big two: Blue and Red.]
Jenn: So, let me ask both of you:
· Which Party cares more about women? Kourtney: Red Steve: Blue
· Which Party cares more about the middle class? Kourtney: Red Steve: Blue
· Which Party sticks closest to the United States Constitution? [same answers]
· Which Party is most economically responsible? [same answers]
· Which Party is most concerned with raising our level of education? [same]
· Which Party believes marriage is between a man and a woman? [same]
· Which Party believes there should be less abortions? [same answers]
· Which Party believes they can defeat terrorism? [same answers]
· Which Party is the real Party of change? [same answers]
· Which Party’s candidate won the first presidential debate? [same answers]
· How about the second debate? [same answers]
· And the third? [same answers]
Jenn: How about the vice presidential debate?
Steve: Our candidate knocked it out of the park!
Kourtney: Our candidate? She knocked it way out of the park!
Jenn: OK, last question. Steve, in your opinion, Who Would Jesus Vote For?
Steve: Well, that’s a no-brainer Jenn! Jesus would vote blue, across the board. He would vote for our candidate. Why? Because Jesus cares about the poor, like our party does. It’s all over Scripture. We are also concerned about the economy, and Jesus talked a lot about money. Jesus also said taxes were not necessarily a bad thing – don’t forget that! Jesus would see that we are most concerned about people, and therefore, He would most definitely vote BLUE!
Jenn: And Kourtney, in your opinion, Who Would Jesus Vote For?
Kourtney: That is an easy one Jenn. Jesus would, undoubtedly, vote for Red, across the board. He would vote for our candidate. Why? Because Jesus cares about the sanctity of life, just like we do. He cares about the ability to teach about Him in school, to pray, and to offer an alternative to evolution, just like we do. And Jesus would most definitely want a constitutional amendment on marriage, just like us! No doubt about it – Jesus would vote RED!
Jenn: Thank you Kourtney and Steve. And now the question goes to all of you: Who do you believe Jesus would vote for?
[We are taking a break from the gospel of Mark this morning to deal with an issue that is on most everyone’s mind at this time. It is a topic that churches struggle with how to present, if at all. It is the turbulent topic of politics. Even within this room this morning, there are a variety of views on politics, and some of those perspectives are backed with great emotion and a strong will. Many people become very passionate about politics; and there is good reason for that. I want to deal with it this morning because: God has led me to; it is something the Scriptures address; and we all need some biblical help to sort through all the political talk of today.
If you are looking for me to tell you who to vote for, you will be disappointed. As a pastor, I am uncomfortable telling you how to vote. I certainly have my personal viewpoints, and am happy to talk to people personally about politics and specifics. But, this morning, it is my goal and responsibility before God to share with you what God has to say about the principles of politics; so that you can then base your decisions on what He has to say, rather than me or a media outlet; or even other good Christian organizations.]
I want to have a conversation with you, this morning, about what God’s Word has to say to us, during this highly emotional, sometimes confusing political season.
Let’s consider some biblical principles on politics, as it relates to God; and then to us. Let’s begin with God:
[So, at our home, we received 2 different mailings: one from the Republican State Leadership committee; and one from the Ohio Democratic Party. They both had to do electing a state representative for District 16. And both of them, instead of saying why you should vote for their candidate, the whole mailing was about why you shouldn’t vote for the other candidate. In fact, the only picture on each mailing was a picture of their opponent. And the main accusation against the opponenent, for each side?:
Democratic ad: “Think your taxes are high enough already? Nan Baker wants to raise them even higher…She even fought against a $3.8 million property tax cut.”
Republican Ad: “Our budgets. Our bank accounts. Our businesses. All Running on Empty…Is there anything left in your wallet? State Representative Jennifer Brady co-sponsored legislation to raise Ohio income taxes…[and] supported higher taxes on both our incomes and our businesses.”
Both Ads negative and critical, about the very same issue. Have you listened to any of the debates? Both sides making accusations, taking some facts and using them for their own benefit. Both sides accusing the other side of distorting the truth. Both sides throwing out statistics and numbers and quotes that are very difficult to track down, as to their validity. And even newspapers, like the Plain Dealer, that try to tell you they are telling the truth about whose telling the truth in Ads…the newspapers have a slanted view as well – they all pick a candidate that they are backing; and you can tell.
Study it out. Read and listen to the voices you trust. Do the best you can to understand what is really going on. Then, go vote the way you believe God would want you to vote.]
1. God is neither Republican nor Democrat.
Now, that might be surprising to you Republicans…and Democrats. You independents are thinking: I knew it all along! You never see God taking a political side; and there is no reason to think, that if Jesus were here today, that He would always vote one way (Republican OR Democrat; or even register as such). If anything, He would most likely be an independent, who voted as He thought best at any given time.
When people wanted Jesus to do something, whether it were His enemies asking for him to perform miracles to prove His claims, or the crowds wanting Him to set up His Kingdom immediately; or His closest disciples, who did not want Him to go with the suffering and dying plan, Jesus always responded the same way: He voted with God the Father. In other words, no matter how compelling other’s arguments might be for what He should do, He always and only voted (lived) according to what God, the Heavenly Father wanted done.
Although we never hear of them, you probably know that there are other political parties out there and presidential candidates from those parties. There are independents as well, but all of these have found that they pretty much have no chance of winning unless they run as a Republican or Democrat. In the past, I have had extended family, and just recently a friend from my former church in Florida sent a mass e-mail out, backing the Constitution party. Many followers of Christ believe that the Constitution Party not only abides most closely to the Constitution but also to Christian principle. However, many Christians would never vote for anyone that they knew couldn’t win. Each believer, based on the fact that god is not affiliated with a party, must choose whom they think God would want them to vote for.
In the book of Joshua, Joshua was getting ready to fight a battle for Israel and He has an encounter with God, most likely another appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Listen to this conversation:
Joshua 5:13,14 – “…And Joshua went up to him and asked, Are you for us or for our enemies? Neither, he replied, but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come…”
Jesus, representing God the Father, did not take sides, even though it concerned His own people Israel. God was on His own side; and I don’t think that has changed. If you want to ask the question: God, are you the Republicans side or the Democrats side, I think God would say: neither. The question is whether or not you are pursuing what God wants you to do in every area of life, including how you vote and to what extent you are involved in politics.
[D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe, in their book “How Would Jesus Vote”, address this issue of whose side God is on. “What Party Does God Claim? What side is God on? People have wanted to know that since the beginning of warfare. During the Civil War, people wondered which side God was on. Initially many pastors and their congregations were duped by Adolf Hitler. Journalist and historian William L. Shirer, author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, notes that some German Christians even drew up a resolution (which ultimately was not adopted) demanding One People, One Reich, One faith, and these same professing believers wanted to require all pastors to take a oath of allegiance to Hitler. Surely, God did not approve of Hitler’s anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, antifreedom regime.]
2. God is not American
[Are these Scriptures true?
Psalm 33:12 – “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!”
Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Yes, of course they are true. But, first of all: I don’t think we could even say that the USA treats God as our LORD. And we are not the ones God has chosen as His heritage: it’s Israel. And would we really say that we are living as a righteous nation right now? We can certainly see how destructive sin is, in our personal lives and in our nation.]
I’m sure you know that is true; but many people act as though God were. We somehow think He loves America more than others and has promised us great things in the future. However, to be biblically honest with you, God has not promised us, as the United States of America, anything. I know not everyone agrees with that.
Someone just this past week asked me directly: “Do you see America in biblical prophecy”? I said something like this: No. Now, it might be there, and I’m just not scholarly enough to see it; but I don’t see it, clearly stated, that God makes any promises about the United States in particular. I know there are those who have interpreted certain passages of Scripture and say otherwise. I might be wrong. What this means, for me, is that if God chose to wipe out the United States of America, so that we were not even around for future biblical end times, that would completely up to Him. He would not be wrecking prophecy if the USA was not around in the future.
Do I believe that many of our founding fathers were true believers who included God in politics? Yes. Are there still many reminders in our country, that at one time, we had a great trust in God? Absolutely. The video we showed during the offering demonstrated that many of our Presidents looked to the Bible as their authority and to God for direction for the United States.
Well, what about the passage that is quoted so often:
II Chronicles 7:14 - “If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways – I will hear from Heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land.”
That promise was not just for anyone – it was for Israel. Yes, I do believe in the principle of that verse. I think America should seek God and ask for forgiveness of her sins. But, even if she did, God would not be under no obligation to do anything for us (except forgive us) or keep us around any longer than what He originally planned. But, it is always a good idea to ask forgiveness for sins, to seek God and turn from wickedness. In most cases, that does bring God’s blessing and it is always a better way to live.
I like what author’s Kennedy and Newcombe had to say about this in their book: How Would Jesus Vote? : “God created only one country in the history of the world: ancient Israel. He did not create America. The United States is not the new Israel. The United States is not now nor ever was a theocracy, although the Puritans attempted to created such a colony in Massachusetts. That attempt failed, but because they culled the Word of God for biblical principles on government, law, civil liberties, education, and morality the Puritans have essentially served as the midwives of our current freedoms. We do not claim that God is on the side of the United States. What we do claim is that as many people as possible in the United States should strive to be on God’s side.”
3. God is God and we are not
[Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What you have done?”
If only Roe v. Wade was overturned, then everything in America would be just right. If only we had prayer in schools, then God would bless us. Although your guy being elected and your choices are ruling on the supreme court; and if you could choose what laws were overturned and what happened in the public schools, would we then have God’s complete blessing?]
This principle applies to everything, but it certainly includes politics. It begins with the willingness to admit that we don’t always know what is best; and we certainly cannot fully control what happens. Even those who are committing voter fraud are not ultimately, in control. We need to be careful not to adopt the attitude that God might be making a mistake.
Job is a character in the Bible that is given to us as a great example of trusting God, while going through terrible loss and suffering. But, in the midst of it all, Job did challenge God as to why He was allowing these things to happen in his life. And God responded to Job, with some rhetorical questions. Look at:
*Job 38:4 – “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth…”
*Job 38:12 – “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place?”
*Job 38:36 – “Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?”
*Job 40:2 – “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
What was God’s main message to Job? “Job, listen: I am God. I created the Universe. I have all wisdom. You concentrate on obeying me; and let me take care of the rest of the world, including the circumstances in your life that seem unfair.” God would say the same things to us; even in the midst of this election season; especially if things don’t go the way you think they should go.
Here are two key verses and universal biblical truths to keep in mind, for all of life:
God said this, and it applies to all of us:
Isaiah 55:8 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
Psalm 115:3 – “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”
You can let these truths frustrate you; or you can embrace them as a great comfort, and draw strength from them, regardless of your circumstances.
Please turn in your Bible to the book of Exodus, which is the second book of the Bible – just after Genesis.
4. God’s goal is to glorify Himself
What might be our goals in life and politics do not necessarily match God’s. A great example of what God is trying to do, using all political situations as His tool, is found here in Exodus: God had sent Joseph to Egypt so that He could use Joseph to preserve His own people Israel, once the famine came. The nation of Israel was in Egypt and well taken care of. However, Joseph died and then we read this:
Exodus 1:8 – “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.”
· And that ruler (also known as Pharoah) decided that Israel needed to be controlled…
*Exodus 1:10,11 – “Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and , if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land. Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens…”
*Exodus 1:12– “But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad…”
*Exodus 1:13 – “So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves.”
*Exodus 1:15– “Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives…”
*Exodus 1:16 – “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”
Go to chapter 3. So, here was an evil ruler, oppressing God’s people; and killing babies. The people of Israel cried out because of their bondage. God heard them and appointed Moses (read about his incredible story in Exodus 2) to go to the ruler, Pharoah, and demand that His people be let go…
*Exodus 3:19,20 – “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go.”
Turn over to chapter 7.
So, God says that Pharoah would not let the people go at first; and He would send some plagues to convince him to do so. But, not only would Pharoah harden his own heart, as the plagues were being sent to Egypt, God explains that He would play a major role in how Pharoah would respond.
[Exodus 4:21 – “…[God said] I will harden his heart…”
Exodus 9:12 – “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharoah, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses.”
Exodus 10:20 – “But the LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.”
Exodus 10:27 – “But the LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart, and he would not let them go.”
Exodus 11:10 – “…and the LORD hardened Pharoah’s heart…”]
You have turned to Exodus 7. Look at what God says to Moses in…
*Exodus 7:3-5 – “But I will harden Pharoah’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharoah will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”
Here we have the connection between God hardening Pharoah’s heart, and one of the major reasons why: so that Pharoah would not let God’s people go until God was done using him. And primarily, what God wanted to accomplish is mentioned right here in verse 5: “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” This is the name for God that refers to Him as the covenant keeping God of Israel; even the God that can be trusted to keep His promises. Egypt was going to learn the truth about God.
[There are other mentions of what God was trying to accomplish:
Exodus 7:17 – “…by this you shall know that I am the LORD…”
Exodus 8:10 – “…that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.”
Exodus 8:22 – “…that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.”
Exodus 9:14 – “…that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.”
Exodus 9:29 – “…so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.”
Exodus 11:9 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Pharoah will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”]
Go to chapter 10. God was also going to teach His own people about Himself:
*Exodus 10:1,2 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharoah, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”
This was God talking to Moses and to Israel, His people, saying they also, His own people, would see what God was doing, and were to know who He was; and to continue, then, to worship Him alone. That was the goal. Now, come back one chapter and listen to what God has to say, directly to Pharoah, about why He was put in that position of power:
Exodus 9:16 – “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Did you catch that? Let me read it one more time. It’s also on the screen:
Exodus 9:16 – “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
God claimed responsibility for Pharoah being in the position of leadership he was in. This leader, that all of God’s people would call evil…this leader, who killed babies…this leader, who brought incredible suffering on God’s people…this leader was chosen by God. But, he wasn’t chosen because he was a Christian, or because he would promote God’s ways. He was chosen, as God explained, because it was through His evil rule, that God would show His own power and reveal Himself to all. This was God’s doing. Here is a biblical truth, that not only applies to Pharoah in Exodus, but to all rulers who have taken power in every nation ever since:
Psalm 75:7 – “But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”
Daniel 2:21 – “…Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might…He removes kings and sets up kings…”
God is in control of who wins elections.
Please turn in your Bible to I Timothy, chapter 2. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 1027 or 1053.
Now: Based on what has been revealed about God, we need to consider our response; and ask the all important question:
SO WHAT? What does God expect of us, as it relates to politics?
[What are some other things we are to remember about our responsibility to those in authority?
· Pay your taxes (fulfill your responsibilities)
Jesus encouraged the people to pay the taxes that they were subjected to.
He did not encourage them to withhold payment or try to cheat the government:
Matthew 22:17,21 – “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not…Then he said to them, Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
· Obey the laws unless they contradict God’s Word
Romans 13:1,2 – “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
The followers of Christ, from the beginning, obeyed the laws of the State. Even if the politicians were corrupt and the government was adverse to Christianity; which it was in almost every case back then. The only time they were encouraged not to obey, was when the State asked them to do something the Bible for bid them to do. When the Apostles were asked to explain why they kept preaching the gospel, even though they were jailed and beaten and told not to, they explained:
Acts 5:29 – “…We must obey God rather than men.”]
1. Trust in God, not in man
Israel learned this as they had to face opponents like Goliath and see God use a boy with a slingshot to bring him down and the entire Philistine army to their knees. King Saul of Israel was trusting in man but David put His trust in God; and God did His thing.
It is easy to think: If only this guy gets elected, then everything will be fine. If only that guy gets appointed to the supreme court. What can happen is that we begin to trust in man, putting hope in a certain candidate or a certain court or a certain piece of legislation. We have to be careful. Even when there was Theocracy, where God ruled in Israel, they still sinned, and eventually replaced God’s rule with a King of their own. All human rulers have their limitations and are just a breath.
The only one who has been here all along and will never go away, is the one and only true God. Should you pray that God would put godly men and women in leadership? Sure! Should you do your part, get involved in politics and vote for followers of Christ that are pursuing what is important to you? Absolutely. I hope more Christians become involved in politics. But, when things are not going your way, or those believers aren’t able to accomplish what you had hoped, there is still one you can trust in, who knows what He is doing.
Psalm 146:3,4 – “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he…whose hope is in the LORD his God.”
Jeremiah 17:7 – “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.”
2. Pray
[When it comes to prayer, we need to be careful what we attribute to God. What do you think of this story forwarded by e-mail, by a pastor in Ohio?
Tuesday at 2:00 A.M. - God spoke these words to me - "Go turn the Radio
on!" Immediately the Reporter's Words were - "McCain & Palin Bus to be
in Lebanon later this morning for a 10:00 A.M. Rally!" God said, "You are to go. You will meet them and give them a message for Me!"The News would later report they were expecting 5,000 people and the actual head-count of those who had been scanned was more than 10,000 people.
I simply obeyed and God actually told me where to stand, who to talk to
and when to be on the move. As I was standing there, two Boy Scouts came running up my back-literally, they almost knocked me to the ground because they were running so fast behind me up my back and over to the right.
The Scout Leader grabbed me and told me bring the other Scouts up front.
I just became the leader of the rest of the Scouts to lead them right up front and center.
When I got there I was fifteen feet from the podium. GOD said, "Stand here, and don't move from this spot.” A little lady who stood by me, reached up and told the Rep that they had promised a Picture with her because she was the one who had lost a son in Iraq, recently.
When McCain came to hug the lady, he immediately shook my hand and
following his moment with her, I shook his hand and said, "God wants you to know that I'm praying for you, Sir!" He thanked me and kept smiling. I repeated that phrase to him five times. He grabbed my hands and looked right into my
eyes and said, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"
As he moved to my right, Sarah Palin came over and got on her hands and knees and hugged that the little lady who had lost the son, telling her, "It was not
in vain." It was at this moment that Sarah Palin reached out for me to help her up
and as I was assisting her to stand I was now face to face with her and
GOD said, "Open up your Mouth and I will fill it."
Here is what came out... "God wants you to know that you are a present day Esther! [She immediately began to cry]! God wants to tell you that you are Chosen for such a time as this! You are called, and chosen to be a leader. Don't lose heart and don't fear man. Keep your eyes on GOD and know that He has chosen you to Reign! Stay strong. Be strong. Don't tire. Don't be weary in well-doing. Be strong."
If you believe God reveals something to you in prayer, then you should examine it according to the Scriptures, and consider that it may be God’s Spirit directing you to do something. What we must be very careful with, is making some type of predictions or prophecies, as though God is revealing new truth to us. If this pastor’s prophecy about Sarah Palin does not come true, it doesn’t mean that God made a mistake – it means that this pastor sinned in making a false prophecy and attributing it to God] Please look at:
*I Timothy 2:1,2 – “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions…”
We would all agree that we should pray for our leaders. But, keep in mind, that in that day, their kings, their leaders were opponents of Christianity. And the concerns the believers had were far from abortion and an amendment on marriage. They were concerned about persecution and death just because they were believers! And yet, in the midst of that kind of persecution, what did God tell them He wanted them to do? Picket? Protest? Politic? Nope. He told them to do the one thing they could do, which they could control – the one positive thing that God knew would made the greatest difference – PRAY
And this has not changed for us today. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be involved in politics or even picket and protest if you choose. But, what I am saying is what the Bible emphasizes, even if the government and its leaders are not godly – we are to pray for them. But, did you catch what else? This leads us to a third application:
3. Focus on heart change
It is easy to focus on a political party or a piece of legislation. It is easy to focus on all the things we wish were right in the world, according to us. But, the real focus must be where real change comes from. The Focus must be on heart change. And there is only one person who can change a heart. People must be introduced to Him.
Did you notice the verses we just read that have to do with prayer? Notice verse 2:
[praying]… “for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. [why]?
*I Timothy 2:3-5 – “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Did you see that? What is this all about? Why are we to be praying, even for corrupt rulers? And why, instead of overthrowing the government, are we to pray for the strength and grace to live quiet and peaceable lives? Because: it’s all about the gospel! What is important to God, regardless of the political circumstances, is that we live rightly; even loving our enemies, so that they can see the light, the truth, through us.
So, if you are arguing with someone about politics, and being unloving as you do it, don’t think you are honoring God. If you are, in any way being an obstacle to the gospel, as you passionately pursue your politics, you are being an obstacle to God and what is most important to Him. There is a way to be passionate about politics and honor God; and that is by being much more passionate about the good news of Jesus Christ – because it changes lives for eternity!
When Jesus’ followers began sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, they endured incredible persecution. But that did not wipe out their testimony or Christianity. In fact, Christianity exploded and grew through the time of persecution. We would look at it as the worst thing that could happen; and yet God saw it as positive, for one reason – people’s hearts were being changed.
We do live in a land that has been blessed by God; even though we don’t deserve it. I am so thankful for the freedoms God has given us. But, there are times that God takes away those freedoms in order to do what is more important to Him than our religious liberty – and ironically, he took away liberty in order to promote the gospel! Isn’t that something! We pray God will not choose to do the same thing here; but He might.
[What if you could have the government exactly the way you wanted it: With a president who shared your views, a supreme court who voted your way, and the Ten Commandments as the law of the land? Would that make us a God honoring nation? Not necessarily. The only way to have real, lasting change that will honor God is to have people’s hearts changed. We can get so focused on changing the politicians and legislation, that we forget this very fundamental principle. The focus for us, when it comes to politics, must be the gospel: the good news of Jesus Christ.]
4. Live in love, not fear
I received this e-mail recently:
“If the [fill in the political party] win the upcoming election, America as we have known it will no longer exist. This country that we love, founded on Judeo-Christian values, will cease to exist and will be replaced by a secular state hostile to Christianity… The damage will be permanent.
[AFA letter continued: This “city set on a hill” which our forefathers founded, will go dark. The damage will be deep and long lasting. It cannot be turned around in the next election, or the one after that, or by any election in the future. That is why it is so important for you to vote and to encourage friends and family to vote. This is one election where your vote really counts.”] – Donald Wildmon, founder and chairman of the American Family Association
I also, this past week, received a forwarded message from one of our missionaries, who was sending me an article from World Net Daily. It was entitled: Trail of Terror – Islamic takeover of U.S. already under way: "We estimate thousands of terrorists have already been smuggled into America. ... Hamas is here. ... They have cells in over 40 states. ... They asked: "What happens if a [particular party is named here] wins the 2008 election?" The answer: "We are doomed. Our enemies want the (particular party) to win. This last election, jihadist websites were playing victory songs and declaring the (particular party) are our allies in the war against America," she said.
[Continued world net daily: We also need to reform our immigration and visa programs. We need to monitor who is coming into our country and why. ... We need to increase human intelligence. … I want everyone who fits the terrorist profile to be profiled. We have men between the ages of 16 and 40 who have committed terrorist acts around the world in the name of Islam. They are not little old ladies from Ohio with blue hair. They are not children going to Disney World on their Easter vacation," she said. ]
Then, I also received several forwarded e-mails from Dr. John Tisdale, President of Anchor Bible Institute at McAllen, TX. Part of one of those e-mails said this:
“How long is the beast allowed to have authority in Revelations? Revelations Chapter 13 tells us it is 42 months, and you know what that is? Almost a four-year term of a Presidency. According to The Book of Revelations the anti-Christ willbe a man, in his 40's, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations withpersuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal....the prophecy saysthat people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace,and when he is in power, will destroy everything..Do we recognize this description? Is it (a particular presidential candidate is named).
It is so easy to rely on fear to get people to do what we want them to do. And it is possible if you have been reading e-mails and listening to various Christian organizations that you are very fearful of what might happen if the election doesn’t go your way. I can understand that. I have many fears of my own. But, I don’t think it is the way God wants us to approach this topic or any other.
All of these things are meant to motivate us to vote a certain way; but what they really do is drive us to fear. The Bible warns against that:
I John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…”
II Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
We are not to live in fear, or use fear tactics to manipulate people to vote how we want them to vote. We have to be very careful of what we accuse people of, including presidential candidates or political parties, making broad stroke statements that may not be true; especially of everyone who supports a particular party or candidate. Plus, some of these are simply not biblically true, and to assert such things is misusing the Scriptures. And those who choose to do that, even for what they consider to be a good cause, are not honoring God.
Instead, we are to have His strength and confidence, that no matter who is elected; and no matter what happens, we have a God who is all powerful, the God of truth, and we are to be on His side, regardless of our political views. Speaking about believers in Bible days, that were persecuted for their faith, but considered heroes:
Hebrews 11:13,16 – These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth…But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared for them a city.”
Those who were persecuted for their faith were not despairing because things weren’t the way they wanted them in the government here on Earth. They were keeping their attention on the future, on their home in Heaven. They didn’t look at their dwelling here as the only thing that mattered; but instead, they knew this was a temporary dwelling place; and what really mattered was the eternity to come with God in Heaven. If we can keep our focus there as well, then the things of this Earth, including politics doesn’t have to drive us into fear and depression. It can, instead, take us closer to God, to live for eternity rather than expecting Heaven here.
So, the answer you have all been waiting for: Who would Jesus Vote for?
This is probably not the answer you were hoping for. But, based on what I have just shared with you , I think the answer is this:
· Jesus would vote for the one that He knew was the will of God. Whomever, for this time in history, would be the one used by God to do His purposes for His glory would be whom Jesus would vote for.
· [John 5:30 – “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”]
And sorry to tell you this: but I don’t know who that is. And you may think you know who that is: but you don’t – not for sure. God sometimes surprises us , doesn’t He?
[How would Jesus vote? Abraham Lincoln put it best in 1863 when he heard someone remark that he hoped ‘the Lord was on the Union’s side.’ Here is how Lincoln responded: ‘I am not at all concerned about that, for I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side’.”]
If God doesn’t choose your guy, then please realize it is His guy, for this time, for His own purposes, whether we like the guy or not; whether he is godly or not. This is about what God is doing. If your guy doesn’t get elected, you don’t need to get depressed, mourn for days or leave the country. Instead, there are some things the Bible would encourage us to do, based on these principles about God and politics.
So, what should you do?
Pray, pray, and pray some more. Get involved in politics. Read and listen to people you respect; and consider your political views. Ask God what He would want you to do. And then, go vote. And then…keep your focus on the God who is in control.
Will you pray with me please? Based on this, I would like for us to close this time with some silent prayer and meditation. Listen to a song that reminds us who is in control; and that we need to respond to Him in love and praise, as we trust Him, even during these days. Take a few moments to pray; and then consider your response to God’s Word this morning as you listen to the song.
Let’s pray:
Song: Let My Words Be Few [Phillips, Craig and Dean] – Linda Kuyper
Resources:
Saddleback Community Church (interview from a faith perspective with the presidential candidates)
www.saddlebackcivilforum.com
click on “view past forums”, then click on “presidential”
Ohio Christian Alliance (voter guides available at welcome center table-while supplies last)
www.OhioCA.org
330.887.1922
Focus on the Family
www.focusvoter.com
Citizens for Community Values (find more information on the specific people and issues you will be voting for in your area)
www.Ohioelectioncentral.com
Desiring God Ministries (for an article on one issue voting: abortion)
www.desiringgod.org
search: One issue politics (click enter), then choose article: One-Issue Politics, One-issue Marriage and Humane Society – by John Piper – January 1, 1995
Book: Is God on America’s Side? The Surprising Answer and How It Affects Our Future
By Erwin w. Lutzer, pastor of Moody Bible Church in Chicago, Illinois
Book: How Would Jesus Vote: A Christian Perspective on the Issues
By D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe
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