Sunday, January 25, 2015

A Tribute to my mom

My mom passed on to her eternal home on
Tuesday, January 20,2015.  She asked me to share a message at her funeral.  What follows is that message given on January 24, 2015

Message for Mom’s funeral on Psalms 23

On behalf of our family I want to thank each of you for taking the time to join with us as we remember our Mom and celebrate her life.  The past year has been one of challenges for her as well as for all of us as we have seen Mom’s health change.  Through it all she has been gracious in accepting the limitations and never complaining about anything.  Planning for her passing is never easy. When we asked her what Scriptures she would like at her service, her reply was Psalms 23. With this in mind I would like to share a few thoughts and relate them to Mom’s life and her relationship with God.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not lack.
Mom made Jesus the Shepherd of her life when she dedicated her life to Him and was baptized when she was 9 years old.  She grew up in a godly home where faith was an integral part of her life.  She had a solid faith in God to guide her throughout life in the decisions she made.  When she was 8 years old she had Rheumatic fever and was very sick.  Her illness kept her out of school and she had to repeat 4th grade.  But during this time of illness she knew that she wanted to be a nurse. It was her calling from the Lord to extend the compassionate care she received to others who would be in similar situations.  She pursued her calling by receiving training to be a nurse in a program at Presentation College during WWII.  She never regretted this decision and enjoyed her career as a nurse.  God used her suffering as a young child to point her in the direction he as the Good Shepherd wanted her to go and many people were blessed by her decision.  It was while she was working as a nurse in Worthington that she met our dad, Gunnar who was a patient in the hospital.  Again the Good Shepherd guided her to meet and marry dad, it was one of the best decisions he ever made, and their marriage lasted 56 years.  God’s providence and his provision have always been with Mom. We were never a rich family but we always had what we needed.  Each of the 6 children were helped by mom and dad to attend college and all were blessed with good jobs.
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still and restful waters, he refreshes and restores my life
When I think of these verses I reflect on Mom’s desire for our lives to be peaceful and our soul’s to be restored.  She saw the importance of knowing Jesus as our Lord and Shepherd who would restore our souls.  Attending church was important to Mom because of what we would be taught about Jesus and how we should live our lives. She often worked on Saturday nights, the night shift from 1130 p.m. to 730 a.m. and was not able to attend with us in the morning service.  But she made sure that we were able to get to the church.  The church was mom’s place to restore her soul.  If she was not able to attend in the morning she went to the evening service.  I remember many times going with her. Mom always had a peaceful disposition because her soul was at rest with the Lord.  She made reading her Bible and prayer a regular part of her day.  She knew that her strength and refreshing came from her daily connection with the Lord.
He leads me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Mom lived her faith.  She sought to follow the Lord in all that she did and lived to bring honor to him.  Her life was one of integrity, what she taught us was also how she lived.  One of her sayings that will be remembered by her children is, “Politeness is to do and say the kindest thing in the kindest way.”
 As far as we know, Mom did not have any enemies.  She treated people with kindness and respect and instilled these values in us.  She and dad taught us right from wrong and all of us received physical reinforcement when we violated the standards. One part of my anatomy had an intimate relationship with a board that said, “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”. This board was used to remind me that bad decisions have consequences. I am thankful for the love that mom and dad had for us that caused them to discipline us when we were not living as we should.  Doing what was right and pleasing to the Lord were values that Mom upheld for each of her children.
Yes Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Mom worked the night shift which always had fewer staff at the hospital.  She mentioned to me that she never felt alone, that God was always with her.  There were times when she knew something evil was lurking, a sixth sense God had given her to detect when she needed to pray and take action. She carried a lot of responsibility as the Night Supervisor at the hospital and relied on God’s presence to be with her and guide her decisions. She expressed to me how thankful she was that God was with her each day and how blessed she was to have known and experienced his presence in her life.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows”.
As a nurse mom cared for all kinds of people, regardless of who they were or what they had done.  A shepherd used oil to sooth the wounds of the sheep to keep them from getting infected.  Mom’s anointing oil was the care she gave to all hurting people.  When she was in nurses training she was given a prayer to recite before she started work each day.  I would like to read it as it truly reflects her desire to be healing oil to others.
A nurses Prayer
Oh my God I am about to begin my days work.
Teach me to receive the sick in your Name.  Give my efforts success Sweet Jesus for the glory of your Name, without You I cannot succeed.
Grant that the sick you have placed in my care may be abundantly blessed and that not one of them may suffer for anything that is lacking in me.
Enable me to bring relief and comfort to the sick and do all in my power to help them to a complete recovery.
Sacred Heart of Jesus I place all my trust in you.
Amen.
Mom cared for hundreds of people throughout her career as a nurse. Her cup of compassion overflowed to help many people.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Mom experienced the goodness and mercy of God in her life. Her children were an expression of God’s goodness to her.  She wanted a big family, she told me, “I wanted 12 kids but we stopped at 6”.  She told me she was proud of each one of her children and that she was very thankful for their care for her during her last days.  Her children gave her 12 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren that brought her great joy. 
Her family was her treasure and she made sure to celebrate each one’s birthday. Holidays were always special times for mom and she loved to host them at her home that she enjoyed.  She passed on God’s goodness to her children, her church, a variety of charities and Christian missions.  Mom was a generous giver and God blessed her richly.
 In her final days she often commented “God has been good to me. I have had a good life and have no regrets”.  Mom outlived all of her siblings and all of dad’s family as well.  92 years was more years than she thought she would ever live.
As her time on earth drew to a close, she looked forward to being in heaven.  I asked her who she wanted to see first when she arrived. She replied, “God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and after that it did not matter.”  She knew her final destiny was a place of peace, where pain and sorrow did not exist.  She looked forward to meeting people who had gone on before her.  Death was but a doorway to an eternal life with God.  She looked forward to all of her family being with her one day.
Mom has arrived in heaven and we are grateful to God for the many years she was with us. 
Those who like mom have given their lives to Christ and received him as their Lord and Savior have the promise that they will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  This is Mom’s desire for each one of you, that you will know the love of God that was demonstrated to us through the gift of Christ and receive forgiveness of sin that bars us from entry into heaven. 
Today if you have not made this decision, there is no better time.  Our days are numbered and some get more and others less but the grave awaits each one of us.  The most important thing is not how long we live but who we live for.  Our most important relationship is knowing God and his Son Jesus through whom we can receive the gift of eternal life. If you have not made him Lord of your life I encourage you to make that decision today.
The last time I saw Mom in person she said, “If I don’t see you again, I will see you on the other side.”
I look forward to seeing Mom on the other side and pray that you also will be one who will join her.

Thank you for your presence and prayers for us as we mourn the loss and celebrate the life of a wonderful mother, grandmother and friend. We find great comfort in knowing that she is celebrating her new life in heaven. Today we buried her body but we not the memory of one who impacted many lives. May her life continue to be an example to all of us of one whose faith in God the Great Shepherd was lived out each day through her love and compassion for others.

May God bless each one of you.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Monday, January 19, 2015

The God of our darkest hour



The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end.  They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3.22,23 NRSV

The prophet Jeremiah wrote these words when Israel was taken into captivity.  This was at a time of their darkest hour, there would be no deliverance and it would be 70 years of captivity before a remnant would be allowed to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and inhabit the burned and broken city.

In spite of what had happened Jeremiah, the weeping prophet proclaimed three aspects of the character of God that would sustain him and his people during this difficult time.

The first was the steadfast love of the Lord.
I think most of the people during this time felt as though they had been abandoned by God that he no longer loved them and had rejected them as his people.  Yet Jeremiah could state confidently that this was not true.  Because God loved them he had to discipline them.  For many people this is hard to understand but it is the sign of true love when you discipline someone in order to prevent them from continuing to do the wrong things that will lead to their destruction. His unquenchable love will always be toward his people.  They could always count on his love to be there. As much as they rebelled against him and angered him by their worship of idols, his love would not be shut off.  He would continue to extend his love to them with the hope that they would repent and return to him.

Love is a powerful force. It is infallible.   When you know you are loved you are empowered.  Paul said true God kind of love will never fail (1 Cor. 13.8).  It will accomplish its mission.  The love of God would prevail over his people.  Eventually they would return to him as he drew them with cords of his love.
 Human love will fail.  We see its failures every day in broken relationships, adultery and selfishness.  There comes a point in these relationships based in human love, where the love ends and separation or divorce usually results.
 God in his nature is love.  His love is immeasurable and we are the objects of God's love that he lavishes upon us.  This is the true nature of love, the giving of oneself to another person whether they reciprocate the love or not.  God's love has no ending point, it is an eternal love. 
God's love is a transforming love. When we enter into his love it changes us to be like him. When we have his love in us we desire to share this love with others.  When God created Adam he did not have anyone he could love in his human flesh. God knew this and stated that it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2.8).  God created the perfect match for him in Eve.  Together they would grow in this love and enjoy the life God had given them.  The apostle John understood very well that the reason we can love is because God first loved us (1 John 4.19). He is the originator and the source of our ability to truly love.  When we have the same God kind of love it will be like his love for us, steadfast and unceasing. The challenge we face is to let that love continue when everything seems to turn against us and we are hated by others and persecuted by them for our beliefs.  There is a story of a man who was hated by a woman.  Every day he walked by her house, she cursed him and threw things at him.  But one day the woman was not waiting for him.  For most of us we would be relieved to not have to face the unkind words and actions of a person who was filled with hatred.  But this man stopped at her house because he thought something must have happened to her and he wanted to help her.  She was sick and he was able to help her.  His actions changed her attitude toward him. One of the greatest tests of love is how we treat our enemies.  Jesus said that we are to love them and pray for them. It does not mean we do not hold them accountable but it does determine how we treat them as a human being created in God’s image and likeness.
The news of late is a great example of what happens when people are not treated with love.  The offensive cartoons that had no basis of love motivating their drawings was reacted to by those offended not in love but in violence and destruction.  These groups are devoid of the love of God and their actions are true to their character.
As believers we have the opportunity to show God’s love to mankind in ways that are completely opposite to the ways of the fallen world. 

The second thing Jeremiah noted was the mercy of God.  He noted that God’s mercy would never end.  Israel was his chosen people, his special possession, through whom he chose to bring the Messiah to the world.  The nation was being punished for their sins of rebellion, idolatry, abuse, oppression of the poor and failure to keep the covenant God had made with them.  Yet Jeremiah could see the mercy of God in spite of what they were experiencing. 
Some have defined mercy as not receiving what you deserve.  So how could Jeremiah state this when the nation was getting exactly what God had told them would happen? 
Perhaps Jeremiah was looking at the captivity as a way that God would turn the nation back to himself. He could have completely abandoned them yet he was merciful in executing his punishment because it would have a positive effect in the end.  Had he spared them they probably would have returned to their sinful practices.
I think Jeremiah was also looking to the future when God would demonstrate his mercy to them.  His mercies would not come to an end there would be mercy extended to them daily in different ways but the punishment would not be lifted. 

Mercy is one of God's attributes that always amazes me.  It is God's kindness, compassion, pity and his favor that are synonymous with mercy. The word mercy is use 622 times in the NRSV of the Bible.  It is obviously a major emphasis.

His mercy is demonstrated often when he does not give us what we deserve or he spares us from something bad or evil that will happen to us.
The first time the word mercy is used in the story of Lot and his family when they were rescued from the judgment God was going to execute upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen. 19.15-16
15 As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, “On your way! Take with you your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”
16 When he hesitated, the men, by the LORD’S mercy, seized his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters and led them to safety outside the city.

Lot was lingering when he should have been running.  God is his mercy had the angels grab his hand to pull him and his family out of a situation that would have ended his life.  God's mercy rescued Lot and his family.
I think there are many times in our life that God extends his mercy to us when we are unaware of what is happening or what is going to happen.  He changes circumstances, diverts people with evil intentions or intervenes to cause something to happen to spare us from experiencing something horrible.
God honored the intercession of Abraham to spare Lot and his family from the destruction.  God's mercy is at times the answer to someone's prayer for us.  I think we will be surprised when we get to heaven and God reveals to us how many times He intervened in his mercy and in response to the prayers someone has prayed for us.
I know in my own life God in his mercy spared me from accidents that could have led to my death.  You probably have stories you can tell as well of how God extended mercy to you to keep you from harm.  The following testimony is an example of God intervening in a life to spare them from eternal damnation.

Darrel Hall's testimony "Heaven & Hell Are For Real!" on 11/08/2014, 1:57pm...

I became a real believer in June of 2008 when in a bar, a very haggard and angry looking man told me my drinking has led me to a doorway of heaven or hell, then he showed me that one more step in the same direction and what lays beyond. Whoever this man was did not appear to enjoy suffering fools like myself. He was dressed in sackcloth or perhaps burlap like John the Baptist. As he motioned downwards my gaze was led to a hole or passage in the floor that led straight to hell. What I saw next sent me reeling out of the bar. The grisly detailed view of suffering below was shocking and caused me to windmill my arms and fall backwards out of the bar's front door. What I saw was no hallucination nor did it look like a picture - it was real! …

What drove me to drink was the knowledge of the evil of this world without the knowledge of why. I have spent years researching the evil in this world but got much more than I bargained for. That was my last drink - I prayed to have the obsession for alcohol removed from me and Jesus Christ made it very easy for me to stop and has really changed my entire selfish personality to something much better than what it was. Heaven and Hell are for real. This is a true story.

Just as the angels reached out and grabbed Lot and his family's hands God reached out to this man to spare him from an eternity in hell which is exactly where he was headed.
God revealed himself to Abraham as a God of mercy not only in Lot's life but also in his own.
God’s mercy shown to Abraham.
When he and his beautiful wife Sarah were traveling in Egypt, he was afraid that she would be taken and he would be killed.  In order to spare his life he asked her to identify herself as his sister.  I call this story "Beauty and the Beast" as Abraham's actions were less than noble and almost animal like in self-preservation at the expense of his wife.  God had mercy on both of them by intervening in a dream that King Abimelech had.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she has a husband.”
4 Abimelech, who had not approached her, said: “O Lord, would you slay a man even though he is innocent?
5 He himself told me, ‘She is my sister,’ and she herself also stated, ‘He is my brother.’ I did it in good faith and with clean hands.”
6 God answered him in the dream: “Yes, I know you did it in good faith. In fact, it was I who kept you from sinning against me; that is why I did not let you touch her.
7 Therefore, return the man’s wife—as a spokesman he will intercede for you—that your life may be saved. If you do not return her, you can be sure that you and all who are yours will certainly die.” Gen. 20.3-8 NAB
God intervened to keep all parties from experiencing a painful and disastrous situation. In his love for Abraham and Sarah and because of his covenant promise to them he preserved them for his purposes.  King Abimelech was also shown mercy through the dream that enabled him to remain innocent even though he was acting in good faith.

We have many examples in the Scriptures of God demonstrating his mercy toward his chosen people. 

When Jesus taught his followers the basic core values of his kingdom which we call the "Beatitudes" he stated. "Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy." (Mt. 5.7) We are all recipients of mercy from God for our failures.  God could enforce his justice and give the punishment we deserve yet he holds back and is merciful to us in giving us time to repent.  His mercy triumphs over judgment.  This same mercy he extends to us is the way he wants us to treat others.  James the brother of Jesus wrote (James 2.13 NRSV)
13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

We live in a world that often shows no mercy because they do not understand the mercy God has shown to them.  I have been reading a book called the "Locust Effect" by Gary Haugen who works with the International Justice Mission.  The book recounts many stories that are difficult to read because they portray humanity acting in ways that are almost beyond belief.  One story was of a man in Chennai, India who took a job working in a brick factory.  The owner gave him a loan of $10 to help him with some of his expenses and debts he had incurred from not having sufficient income in his previous job. But this loan became a way for the owner to make him his slave.  His salary was only a dollar or two per day to support his family and this was not enough so there was no extra money to pay off the debt.  In addition the only food he could buy was the food provided by the owner who charged more money than what could be purchased in the market.  His debt grew greater and the owner had no mercy whatsoever upon the man. When the man asked if he could leave the factory to find wood to sell to make more money to pay off his debt he was denied.  There was no way out for this man and there was no help from the police to be able to get away and report what was happening because the police were being paid by the owner to come to the factory and beat anyone who tried to leave.  It was a hopeless situation for the man and his family as there was no mercy extended to him.  Eventually he was rescued by IJM but it was a very difficult process.  There are many similar cases like this throughout the world where people become the slaves of owners who are corrupt and have zero compassion and mercy for their slaves.  God's kingdom of mercy has not come to these people but as Jesus stated they will not receive mercy in their day of judgment
We are to be merciful, to hold back our judgment to give people an opportunity to change their ways.  We are often quick to judge and quick to sentence someone to punishment but showing mercy can often produce a change in behavior that may not have been accomplished through judgment. 
I remember when I was taking a motorcycle trip with a club I belonged to and something fell off the back of my motorcycle.  I turned around to get it but the group kept going so by the time I picked up the falling article they were a ways ahead.  At that time the speed limit was 55 mph and in order to catch up with them I had to do a different version of 55 mph.  The highway patrol was coming toward me and he turned around when I passes him.  His lights were on and I knew I was in trouble.  I did not make any excuses but was surprised when the patrol man said, “you need to slow down and have a good weekend!”  It was not what I expected but it was an act of mercy that I will never forget. And I rode more slowly after that.

The final attribute that Jeremiah noted in this verse was the faithfulness of God.  God is always faithful to act according to his character.  He is faithful to be just as he has said he would be. He was a God of mercy and he was faithful to show these mercies every day.    His faithfulness was not dependent upon ours.  If we are unfaithful he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself (2 Tim 2.13 NRSV)
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
God is also faithful to keep his covenant.  The covenant he made with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David was never rescinded.  Hebrews 11.11-12 gives this information regarding Abraham:
11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”
God kept his covenant with Moses to bring his people to the Promised Land.  He kept his covenant with David to always have a descendent upon his throne through which the Messiah would be born.


Jeremiah knew that God would be faithful to his covenant he had made with his people even thought they had been so unfaithful to him.  The covenant God had made with them would be honored and that gave him hope. They were still God's chosen people, he had not completely rejected them.  The promise of the Messiah would still come through his people.  God would honor the covenant he made with them.  You will be my people and I will be your God was still how God would operate.  (Ex 6:7)
I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians.

God demonstrates his faithfulness to us not only in his character and covenant but also in his help he gives us.
God is faithful to us in our daily walk with him.  The following verses confirm his faithfulness toward us in specific areas.

He is faithful to strengthen us (1 Cor. 1:8-9 NRSV)
He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

He is faithful to now allow us to be tempted beyond what we can take and provide the escape route (1 Cor 10.13 NRSV)
13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

He will be faithful to sanctify us until the day of Christ's return (1 Thes. 5.23-24 NRSV)

23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

He is faithful to strengthen us and guard us from the evil one (2 Thes. 3:2-3 NRSV)
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one

He is faithful to us in our times of suffering (1 Peter 4.19 NRSV)
19 Therefore, let those suffering in accordance with God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good.

Faithful to forgive us (1 John 1.9 NRSV)
If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Faithful to fulfill the hope he has promised to us of eternal life.(Heb 10:23 NRSV)

23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.

We are exhorted to be faithful in our steadfast devotion to the Lord (Ac 11:23)

23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion;

Faithful in our duties as ministers (Eph 6:21)
21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus will tell you everything. He is a dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord.

Faithful to walk in the truth (3 Jn 3)
I was overjoyed when some of the friends arrived and testified to your faithfulness to the truth, namely how you walk in the truth.

Be faithful in times of persecution even until our death. (Re 2:10)
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

 
In Israel’s darkest hour, Jeremiah knew God as a loving, merciful and faithful God.  These attributes of God give us a solid foundation in our relationship with him that will sustain us in times of difficulty or adversity.  These same attributes should also bear witness in how we live our daily lives before God and our fellow man.










Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Don’t go there!


Have you ever been warned by someone to not go to a specific place or warned to not do something? Sometimes the warnings are based on wisdom and experience of the person issuing the warning and other times the warnings are based on fear and lack of understanding of the situation you will face. Some have stated that “the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.” I am not sure I fully agree with that statement when you understand what the word “safe” means. When I taught motorcycle classes we would always ask the students if they thought you could ride a motorcycle in a “safe” manner. Almost all of them agreed that it was possible but when I explained what the word safe means, it changed their view. “Safe” means to have the absence of risk. Riding a motorcycle will always have risks involved, it is unavoidable so one needs to understand what those risks are and how to minimize them to keep from having accidents. Likewise when thinking about fulfilling the Great commission to go into all the world, there will be risks that one will have to take to be able to reach the people with the gospel message. I would rather say that the best place to be is in the center of the will of God. Safety is not guaranteed as many missionaries have lost their lives going to where God called them to go.

Jesus was faced with the challenge of going to places where the potential for problems was great. On several occasions his disciples warned him or were very concerned about him going to certain areas. One area the Jews avoided was Samaria. When the kingdom was divided into the northern and southern kingdoms, Samaria became the capital of the northern 10 tribes. The northern kingdom rebelled against following God and had no king who truly led the people to follow Jehovah. The prophet Micah along with many other prophets were sent to warn them of the coming destruction and captivity. In addition to being disobedient to God they were also oppressive of their own people and used them to gain wealth.

The prophetic corpus generally exhibits a disdain for Samaria, targeting it as the recipient of imminent judgment. In Micah 1, Samaria is the embodiment of sin. Hosea and Amos specifically target the corruption, violence, and apostasy of Samaria and its monarchy. Burglary and violence were rampant (Hos 7:1). Samaria’s officials were corrupt and immoral (Hos 7:2–7). In Samaria, the poor and oppressed were victimized (Amos 4:1). Samaria was also the hub of idolatrous practices (Hos 8:5–6; Amos 8:14).

Schreiner, D. B. (2012, 2013, 2014). Samaria. In J. D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair-Wolcott, R. Klippenstein, D. Bomar, … D. R. Brown (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

The prophet Amos condemned the people of Samaria who lived in houses and beds decorated with ivory (Amos 3:15; 6:4) because their wealth was gained through oppression of the common people of the nation of Israel

Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., & Harrison, R. K., Thomas Nelson Publishers (Eds.). (1995). In Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

The Samaritans were a mixed breed of Jewish heritage and pagan nations. After the northern Kingdom was taken captive by Assyria most of the Jews were transported to another city and only a few were left in Samaria. They began to intermarry with the other foreigners which was an uforgivable crime. Even in the strictest Jewish households today intermarriage is forbidden. If one marries a Gentile, his or her funeral is carried out. They are considered dead. The Samaritans set up their own temple in Mount Gerazim rather than in Jerusalem.

In the New Testament times the Jews did not associate with the Samaritans. If at all possible they avoided passing through Samaria on their journey to the north or south of Samaria. The Samaritans often made it difficult for them to pass through so there was resentment and bitterness against them.

In spite of these contentions and the concerns of his followers, Jesus did not let that hinder him from passing through the country. On his way he met the woman at the well and ministered to her as well as the village where she lived. I am sure the disciples questioned in their minds whether it would be safe for them to go through Samaria and they had justifiable reasons to avoid going there. Yet the “Don’t go there” message did not register with Jesus and the lives of many people were affected because of his being there.

Another incident in the life of Jesus that drew opposition from his disciples was his journey to Bethany. The scribes and Pharisees had been plotting against him for some time and his disciples were afraid that something bad was going to happen to him. They had tried to stone him but Jesus was able to get away from them. When Jesus announced to his disciples that they were going to return to Judea to go to Lazarus’s home, the disciples questioned him.

8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?

The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 11:8). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

When Jesus told him the purpose of his return was to wake up Lazarus they again protested by stating that if he was just asleep he would wake up and be okay. They really did not want Jesus to go back to Bethany. Yet Jesus went in obedience to his Father and a tremendous miracle happened when Lazarus was raised from the dead. Again the “Don’t go there!” message was ignored by Jesus.

The final account of Jesus going to Jerusalem during the Passover noted that he led the disciples and many followed behind him in fear.

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid.

The New International Version. (2011). (Mk 10:32). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Jesus knew what was going to happen to him and the people had a pretty good idea that trouble was coming. Jesus had warned his disciples of his impending abuse and death that would happen in Jerusalem. He continued in spite of the fear of the people and did not let anything keep him from going where he needed to go. He knew his mission, the risks involved but he also knew the outcome which enabled him to face what was going to happen.

Hebrews 12.2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.* Because of the joy* awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. NLT

When the church was born persecution caused many to scatter to unreached areas. Phillip was one who ventured on to Samaria to share the gospel message with a people who formerly were avoided. Whatever obstacles that kept the church from moving into Samaria were removed as Phillip went into this previously forbidden territory. This was a major event in setting a new course for the early church.

Philip’s evangelism enjoyed success, albeit unexpected success (Acts 8:14–25). From this, the Church expanded and grew, securing a solid infrastructure—enough to support the global missions of Paul and other missionaries. Thus, the sequence of the events recounted in Acts portrays the evangelization of Samaria as a critical hurdle for the spread of the Gospel. Only after seeing the evangelization of Samaria was the Church bold enough to target the world and the Gentiles for evangelism.

Schreiner, D. B. (2012, 2013, 2014). Samaria. In J. D. Barry, L. Wentz, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair-Wolcott, R. Klippenstein, D. Bomar, … D. R. Brown (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles and he ventured into many new areas to preach the gospel. He was often rejected, driven out of town and once was stoned by his own Jewish people. He did not quit in spite of the opposition he faced. He was led of the Holy Spirit to change direction at times to reach people prepared to hear the message. He was determined to go to Jerusalem and was given warnings by several prophets of what would happen to him if he went there. Many tried to convince him to “don’t go there” because of the potential of trouble but Paul was determined to go in spite of the conditions he would face. Were this warning a prohibition or a preparation for what he would face? The prophecies he received came true, Paul was imprisoned but God used this to further the gospel and provide us with many of the books of the New Testament.

Reaching the Muslims has always been a challenge for the church. The first missionary to the Muslims was Raymund Lull who was born in 1235 A.D. He was from a wealthy family and lived a life of wine, women and song. His conversion came as a result of seeing a vision of Christ.

“One evening the seneschal was sitting on a couch, with his cithern on his knees, composing a song in praise of a noble married lady who had fascinated him but who was insensible to his passion. Suddenly, in the midst of the erotic song, he saw on his right hand the Savior hanging on His cross, the blood trickling from his hands and feet and brow, look reproachfully at him. Raymund, conscience struck, stared up; he could sing no more; he laid aside his cithern and, deeply moved, retired to bed. Eight days after, he again attempted to finish the song and again took up the pleas of an unrequited lover. But now again, as before, the image of Divine Love incarnate appeared-the agonized form of the Man of Sorrows…Then Lull could not resist the thought that this was a special message for himself to conquer his lower passion and to devote himself entirely to Christ’s service.” P.34-36 Biography of Raymund Lull by Samuel Zwemer

During this era the Crusades against the Muslims were taking place. Lull was moved by the love of God to reach out to the Muslims through his writings and his personal ministry. He believed that the “pen was mightier than the sword.” He was a great proponent of sending missionaries to reach the unreached nations. He was instrumental in getting instruction in foreign languages into the universities for the purpose of equipping Christians to reach the Muslims. He made 3 trips to Northern Africa to preach the Gospel to them. His first trip that was scheduled he did not board the boat as the fear of death overwhelmed him. A second ship was going to Africa and he boarded it in spite of being very ill. Once the ship left the harbor his sickness went away. He actively shared the gospel and was involved in debates with the Muslim leaders. Twice he was expelled from the country and told if he ever came back he would be killed. The threats did not stop him. He returned the third time when he was 79 years old. He was prepared to be a martyr for his faith.

“His love had not grown cold, but burned the brighter “with the failure of natural warmth and the weakness of old age.’ He longed not only for the martyr’s crown, but also once more to see his little band of believers. Animated by these sentiments, he crossed over to Bugia on August 14, and for nearly a whole year labored secretly among the little circle of coverts whom his previous visits he had won over to the Christian faith.”

He also spent time trying to influence those who had not become believers in Christ. He constantly emphasized the love of God revealed in Christ. The church at that time used warfare to try to convert the Muslims but Lull’s weapon was always the love of God.

Lull finally came out of hiding and presented himself in the open market.

“Lull stood before them and threatened them with divine wrath if they still persisted in their errors. He pleaded with love, but spoke plainly the whole truth. The consequences can be easily anticipated. Filled with fanatic fury at his boldness, and unable to reply to his arguments, the populace seized him, and dragged him out of the town; there by the command, or at least the connivance, of the king, he was stoned on the 30th of June 1315.” P. 143

Another believer during this era who tried to reach the Muslims was St. Francis of Assisi. He traveled to Jerusalem to talk with the main Sultan of the Muslims. Many appealed to him to not go there. They thought he was crazy to make this trip and feared that he would be killed. But Francis appealed to the Sultan and shared the gospel with him. The Sultan was not willing to believe so Francis challenged him to have a fire built and he and one of the Muslims followers would walk through the fire. The one who survived would prove whether Islam or Christianity was true. It was like the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Francis was prepared to walk through the fire when the Sultan stopped him and told him that he would not accept his faith and told him to return to his country.

William Carey is known as the “Father of Modern day Missions.” He was discouraged to not go to India by his own church members and leaders. His wife was reluctant to go and I am sure she tried to convince him to not go there. Yet he went in spite of all who said, “Don’t go there!” His work was difficult and discouraging for the first 7 years. But he began to have breakthroughs and found his real gifting in learning the language of the people and creating a written language for them so they could have a Bible in their own language to read. Carey’s accomplishments are still felt today in India. One of the practices he was able to change was the Hindu custom of burning wives with their husbands after they had died. India has never been the same because of Carey’s faithfulness to go.

Gladys Aylward was told she was not suitable to be a missionary and was rejected by a mission board. She knew God had called her and she began to take steps to be able to go to China on her own. She reached China and had a tremendous impact on the nation, reaching many for Christ. She did not heed the “Don’t go there!” message communicated to her but went to a nation with great challenges and fulfilled God’s call on her life. Aylward was able to convince the leaders of China to abandon the practice of tying young girls’ feet with rope to make them pointed and smaller but also deformed which impaired them from walking.


Short video of her life.

I could cite many more examples of people who have gone to the hard places, against the advice of well-meaning people and have had fruitful ministry as they pursued God’s calling. The calling to go to the hard places does not always involve going to another country or people group. There are thousands of unreached people in our communities. They will not come to our churches on their own, they must be reached by people like you and I who are willing to go to the places where they can be reached. Some of the places they frequent may be uncomfortable and unnatural for us to go to but we cannot let that be a deterrent to reach out to them. The gospel message must be preached, it is God’s vehicle to bring the message of salvation to the lost. However foolish it may seem, it is still God’s plan and his calling on each of us to convey his message.

I want to play a part of a video taken at the Ignite conference to conclude our time tonight. It is an example of people who were willing to go the hard places to share the gospel.

Show video ( message by Pastor Jeff Durbin; start at 34.39)

Preaching at an abortion clinic not a friendly environment but the people who go there for abortions need to have the opportunity to hear the gospel and be spared from living with the lifelong guilt of murdering a human being.

Maybe tonight God is speaking to you about going to a country, a people group, a place where the lost gather for the purpose of reaching them with the gospel. He is looking for people who are willing to go to the hard places to share his message of love, repentance and forgiveness. Will you go in obedience to him regardless of the suffering, rejection and threat of death? There will always be some risks but the rewards will far outweigh whatever the risks may be.






Monday, January 5, 2015

What do you want me to do for you?


If Jesus came to you and asked you, “what do you want me to do for you?” what would be your request?  What would you ask for or desire from the Lord?  Would it be for yourself, for other people or ministries?  It is a question that reveals the needs we perceive as well as the motivation of our heart when we express our request.  In Mark 10 this question is asked by Jesus on two occasions.  The first involved two disciples, James and John.
Mar 10:35  And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
Mar 10:36  And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"
Mar 10:37  And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."
Mar 10:38  Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
Mar 10:39  And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,
Mar 10:40  but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."
The two disciples were in what is referred to as the “inner circle” of the twelve disciples.  They possibly had a closer relationship with Jesus than the other disciples and were participants in some ministry that the others were not a part of. It seems that they thought they had a special in with Jesus and could ask him for something that would distinguish them from the other disciples.  Their petition was presented with somewhat of a demand, expectation or entitlement that Jesus should do something for them without even considering whether it was good or bad.  They were asking Jesus for a blank check signed by him.  There was a presumption on their part that their position or relationship with him would give them access and receive whatever they asked of him.  So their approach to Jesus seems to be filled with pride and there is not much humility in the way they presented their request. It was also presented as being something very selfish. “We want you to do for us…”  Did they think Jesus owed them something or that they deserved to have whatever they would ask of him?  Jesus did not rebuke them for asking, he gave them the time to make their request rather than chastise them for their attitude and approach to him. Jesus had much more patience that I would have had with a request like this.
Their request was very selfish and reflected their desire to be recognized as someone very important, powerful and worthy of honor and being honored by the other disciples and everyone else. To be seated at the right and left side of a person of honor was a special honor.  They were not asking for something trivial, it really was a big request. 
Jesus responded by stating that what they were asking for had a price they would have to pay to be even considered for this position of prestige, power, authority and privilege.  We use the expression “right hand man” to indicate someone who is very important and useful to us. 

Jesus questioned them asking if they were able to pay the price of drinking from the same cup he would drink and be baptized with the same baptism.  The cup was a reference to the cup of suffering that he would take and the baptism was the baptism of fire, another reference to the extreme suffering he would face.  Jesus had just informed them for the third time what he was going to face in Jerusalem.

Mark 10.32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

I am not sure if they had this in mind when they gave their reply. They were confident that they could do both of them.  Jesus only confirmed that they would be experiencing both of these but he did not predict how they would respond. 
Jesus turned down the request because it was not in his power to give them this position.  His father would make that decision. Only the Father could determine who would meet his qualifications to be in these positions.
There are several things we can learn from the request of James and John.  Matthew claimed that it was the mother of them that made the request while Mark claims it was not the mom but the two men who made the request.  James and John were the authors of it no matter who presented it.

Wrong Motivation.
We at times are not any different from them as we often bring our request to the Lord with wrong attitudes and selfish desires.  We like recognition, power and authority.  It makes us feel important. Requests like this will not be given as they will do more damage than good.  I think at times God is being merciful to us by not giving us what we ask for.
 James the brother of Jesus made it clear that we do not receive what we ask for because our motivations are not correct.

James 4.3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

James and John were known as the “Sons of Thunder” .  You have to wonder what they would have done given this power.

Proximity does not give privilege.  James and John had been walking with Jesus for some time and they were close to him.  We can get messed up with this idea and we see it happen in relationships especially with people who have influence or power because of their position.  We think that because we know someone or are with someone they will do something for us.  Our proximity to them does not merit them doing anything for us.  We basically are trying to milk the relationship to get something out of it that others would not be considered qualified or worthy.  We have expectations that are based on a false idea.  Sometimes it is the proximity of another person we know who is closer to the person that we are that we try to go through them to get something.  We find someone who can get the attention and the ear of the person and use them to get something for us.

Expectation of entitlement will lead to disappointment. James and John appear to have had an entitlement mentality.  For whatever reason thought they were entitled to these positions more than any of the other disciples.  The request was denied and I am sure there was some disappointment and perhaps a feeling of foolishness thinking that they were entitled to receive something this important.  Their request has a negative impact on the relationship with the other disciples when they found out what they had asked of Jesus. An attitude of entitlement keeps many people from living with a healthy work ethic.  People owe them something. Perhaps this was James and John’s thoughts as well. When I was in the military we had a Catholic chaplain who drank and smoked.  He felt he was entitled to do these things because he had taken a vow of celibacy.  Entitlement gets us into trouble in many areas of our life.

There is a price tag we must be willing to pay to receive what we desire. Places of honor, privileges, positions, power all come with a price.  Salvation is God’s gift to us but it cost him dearly.  Few things in life come without a price that we have to be willing to pay.  As missionaries one of our challenges is to learn the language and the culture of the people we minister to.  It takes time, effort, sacrifice and dedication to get to the point where we can communicate at a level of understanding.  We have the example of many missionaries who ventured into people groups that were difficult to reach yet they were willing to pay a heavy price to minister to the people. 
 Many never achieve their potential because they are unwilling to pay the price required.  James and John thought they could pay the price but it was much more costly than they really understood.  They saw the glamour and prestige but not the price they would have to pay. Eventually they did experience what it meant to truly follow the Lord and the price that is required.  James was beheaded (Acts 12) and John was sent to the isle of Patmos and was possibly also martyred later in life.

The positions they requested were not in Jesus prerogative to reward.  It was only to be granted by the Father.  Jesus submitted himself to the will of his Father as was reflected in his response to their request.  A lesson for all us when people ask something of us and we are not in a position to grant it. You can’t give what you don’t have.
In spite of their misguided request we do see in both James and John that they understood that Jesus would set up a kingdom and he would reign over it.  They knew in the end he would be victorious even after he had just told them that he was going to die.  They had faith in his mission and wanted to be a part of it.

The second person to make the same request was Bartimaeus, a blind beggar.
Mar 10:46  And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
Mar 10:47  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:48  And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:49  And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
Mar 10:50  And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Mar 10:51  And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
Mar 10:52  And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

A blind beggar’s life in that day had to be very difficult.  Levitcus 19.14 prohibited putting stumbling blocks in the way of the blind.  Yet this did happen as it was a source of entertainment for sick minded people.  Begging for people with a conscience has to be one of the most humbling acts.  I can’t think of too many other things that will make a person feel like low life than begging.  But for Bartimaeus it perhaps was his only way of staying alive and he was forced to do it.  Regaining his sight would radically change his life.
His petition was granted while the petition of James and John was denied.  Bartimaeus had a real need, his blindness was a hindrance and forced him to live a difficult life.  But I wonder if his true desire was to see Jesus and follow him.  Perhaps his request went way beyond meeting a human need.  There are many things we can learn from him regarding his request.

First, Our requests should be based on a true need and bring glory to God.
 Blindness made life very difficult for him and his request was not considered selfish but a true necessity. It was also a request that had even greater significance in that it enabled him to follow Jesus something he probably would not have been able to do. Whatever it is that we ask of Jesus must be based on a true need and when given will give glory to him.  I am sure his testimony was on his lips wherever he went and God was glorified through it.

Secondly Determination and persistence get God’s attention.
We see in Bartimaeus a strong determination to get the attention of Jesus in spite of those who tried to silence him.  Bartimaeus would not be denied.  When he was told to be silent he cried out even louder.  He was not going to miss this opportunity and the reality was that Jesus never passed that way again.  For him it was now or never and he was not going to let others determine his destiny.  He knew Jesus as Rabbi and the son of David and he had obviously heard of his miracles.  Jesus was not going to pass him by but stopped and had him brought over to him and then asked him what he wanted. He was not going to be denied, he was persistent.  Prayer is often like that.  We need to be persistent and not let anything or anyone keep us from asking for something we know is needed.  At times we need to ask and keep on asking, not because God does not hear but because God is testing us to see if this is really something we want or desire. 

Thirdly, God honors faith.  he had faith that Jesus could and would do what was asked of him.  Faith is based on knowledge and Bartimaues had heard about the miracles of Jesus and he believed he could heal him.  Why bother to ask if you do not have faith to believe it can happen?  His faith was based on what he knew to be true about Jesus.  He had enough knowledge about him that gave him confidence that his request would be heard and granted by him.  Our prayer must also be like this, full of faith in the character of our God.  He is not a God who says ‘No’ all the time.  He delights in hearing and responding to our prayers as a loving Father.   God responds to faith filled prayers. It is prayer of faith that is not double minded that gets results (James 1.8).  It is the prayer of faith that brings healing (James 5.15). It is prayer the prayer of faith that speaks forth what is desired specifically to happen in the situation (Matthew 17.19). God honors prayers of faith.  It demonstrates our confidence in him to do what we know he is both able and willing to do for us.

As we begin a new year all of us have things we want to ask from the Lord and he invites us to ask just as he did for James, John and Bartimaeus. We can base our request on selfish, vain glorious things like James and John and be denied. Or we can ask as Bartimaeus did based on true need, bringing glory to God, faith filled confidence in God’s desire to respond favorably, determination and persistence to not be denied and expressing specifically what it is that we want.
Jesus is asking each one of us tonight, “What do you want me to do for you?”