“I AM” - The Greatest
Hebrews ch. 3 (Psalm 95, Ex.3:10-15)
Intro… Identification 2:14-18 Here is the secret of Jesus’ appeal to mankind. He did not stand off. He came and lived in our messy world in order to lead us into a great salvation.
1. through suffering - by his death - of pain and shame.
2. through sympathy - free the slaves - from fear of death.
3. through helping - those who are tempted – a present reality
So once again we see it “is all about Jesus”
The supreme revelation of God came through Jesus
The only access to God came through Jesus
We have seen in past weeks that Jesus is greater than the prophets and greater than the angels.
Today He is greater than Moses. First, what was “great” about Moses?
1. Moses spoke with God face to face. (lit. mouth to mouth) and didn’t die
2. Moses received the Law of God from God.
For a Jew (Hebrew) this was unique! He is their hero! Incredible that any human could get so close to God - and still live.
Ch.3:1 Fix your thoughts on Jesus. Not just look at Him but listen and learn. Ref Col.3:1-2
Eg Lk 12:24 “consider the ravens” “consider the lilies” etc.
Learn and understand, no superficial glance.
Here is the strength of a home group – where we can learn through mutual sharing and discussion. “iron sharpens iron”
Apostle….one who is sent out on a mission. Illus…Modern missionary
The Jewish Sanhedrin or parliament of the day used this same word of an
Ambassador - has all power and authority, one who speaks on behalf of.
So Jesus filled both these roles, sent by and on behalf of the Father God.
High Priest….. bridge builder the one who stands between man and God. Especially in taking our sin and pleading God’s mercy on our behalf. - More detail about this in ch.4.
“whom we confess” I am challenged by this, do I confess the name of Jesus as much as I should?
"faithful” Here is a key Christian word. WE are called to be faithful, not successful. The house here can refer to the world but more specifically it is the people of God, in today’s language , the church. (see P.25) It is this area of Faithfulness that we see Jesus greatness. For He is the living architect and builder of the house, the church. In his time Moses was only the caretaker IN the house of Israel., Jesus is the owner operator OVER the church. He is the greatest!
And WE are that house, that church IF we have courage and stand firm in our eternal hope.
Half time – take a break – “time for a Capstan” listen carefully to the words, you have heard them before! [Play CD] “Living stones in house of God”.
The house of God, the church, only stands strong when every stone stands firm.
1 Pet 2:5, 4:17, 1Tim 3:15
So then – don’t harden your hearts.
1. you yourself do it – don’t blame others!
2. Difficulties come, lose trust in God eg no water Ex17;1-7, Num 20:1-13
Rebellion - Meribah. Testing - Massah
Struck the rock instead of speaking to it.
Anger, violence, going it alone - forgetting we are on a pilgrimage as were the Israelites.
v. 13-14 God offers a life of blessing peace and rest now and in the future
IF we Trust IF we Obey. The great God of Grace and mercy does call us to be responsible as regards the salvation bought at great cost by Jesus. The little word “IF” appears many times in these chapters and for good reason.
IF we hold on to our courage. IF we hold firmly our confidence. IF you hear his voice
v. 16-19 Death came often to the Israelites, to the Jews throughout their history because they failed to see the “ifs”, the “or else” factor.
God has put a limit on this offer of salvation – the time of our lifespan
1. Sudden death, unexpected eg those who died in earthquake, or
2. Slow death, wasted time, God’s most precious gift “the years the locusts have eaten”. Joel 1:4, 2:25
Conclusion…. But let’s end on a brighter note, but not forgetting the seriousness of life and death for us all.
Joel 2:28-32. God does not give up His reaching out to us. Inspite of our hardness, our wasted years in the wilderness of worldly living, there is a message of revival in the air, God, still alive and well and reaching out. …
Eg a day of teaching on revival with Ian Malins on Saturday at the Baptist church. – join us next week!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
13.3.11 - God, obedience and the unusual
This is an unusual story. When we stop to think about what happened, it is all really rather unusual. Lets look at what lies behind it all.
The inhabitants of Jericho and of the whole land live in fear of what God will do. Israel’s God has already given Jericho over to Joshua’s power. It is only necessary for him to claim that victory.
So the King and the Warriors are already at Joshua’s mercy. Only the walls remain an obstacle.
The walls of Jericho did not tumble just because of a shout of the people walking around. There had been preparation for the shout of victory. Some of that preparation had started forty years earlier in the preparation of Joshua and Caleb and the soldiers that had been trained in the wilderness. There was more preparation after the Jordan had been crossed. There had been a renewal of the rite of circumcision and a new observance of the passover. The hearts of the people had to be right before there could be a full outpouring of God's blessing.
Let’s ponder that – the hearts of the people had to be right before there could be a full outpouring of God’s blessing. As individuals, as families, as a church, as a wider community – we want to be in a place where we can receive God’s blessing – our hearts need to be right. How is the state of your heart? Do we struggle with bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, jealousy, greed, the list goes on.
Do you recall the ad for Vogel bread that used to a TV awhile back? There’s the couple who live in New York and he used to preciously to guard his Vogel bread – she apparently let someone else get at it, he is still going on about it and she says – “Let it go – it was over a year ago” How do we hold onto things - Let it go – it was over a year ago!!
If we want to receive God’s blessing, our hearts need to be right – we need to let things go.
But the preparation did not stop with the circumcision and celebration of Passover. It continued right up to the moment of the victory shout. Everything that went before that moment was the preparation of the hearts of the people. The story stresses three steps.
Silence
In v.10 we find the command to the people to keep silent. They were to be utterly quiet as they circled the doomed city. Their lips were not to speak a word. Verse 10 says:
Joshua had commanded the people, "Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!" (6:10)
That must have been a difficult thing for the people to do. We are talking about a large number of people here – the whole nation of Israel. It is hard to imagine any large group moving anywhere without an increasingly noisy hum, then roar of voices. There were soldiers to get in line, a route to be pointed and taken. How this could be accomplished in silence I'm not sure, but this is what the people did. You can see why they only took the fighting men and not the kids. The kids would be saying:
Are we there yet, Dad?
How much longer, Dad?
Dad, we gotta stop, I need to go to the toilet””
By the 7th day Joshua Junior would have been saying “Hey, Dad, are you sure you know where you are going – we have been past this palm tree five times already today!”
Now the people would have difficulty ignoring the taunts of the people of Jericho. On the first day the Canaanites would probably have been silent too, watching to see what this army might do.
It must have been bizarre: a silent attacking force watched by silent defenders. But silence would hardly have lasted beyond the second day. By the then the people of Jericho would have begun to mock the Jewish soldiers, imagine what they might have said:
Are you getting good exercise marching round our walls?
Are you lost?
You've crossed the Jordan River, is that all your're going to do?
Are you checking to see if we've left a door open?
Are you afraid to fight?
Why don't you try to get in?
You're just cowards!"
Under such circumstances it would have been difficult for the Jewish people to have kept silent.
What do you think they were thinking about? I suspect they were thinking there is no way of conquering this city unless God delivers it to us. Jericho's walls were high. The gates were shut.
Each time they walked around the walls would have helped them to realize that if there was to be a victory, it would have to be given by God.
Silence before God is a lesson we all need to learn. If we are not speaking aloud, then there are a thousand mental voices inside our head, each wanting to have the last word. Listen to God? How can we possibly hear what he is saying when we ourselves never stop. This passage seems to be saying, "Hush, don't talk so much. Let God speak!”
2. Obedience
The second step in the preparation of the people for the conquest of Jericho was obedience.
Obedience is an essential part of true faith, which is why, I suppose, the actions of the people of Jericho are cited in Hebrews as a demonstration of faith.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days (Hebrews 11:30)
What is it that most honours God and which God takes delight in honouring? Is it powerful statements of faith? No, many people have loudly proclaimed his name, only to later fall away and cease to serve him. It is not about exercising our natural talents and abilities? No, Many people have had great ability but waste them on worthless projects. Is its attractive appearance or personality? No, Saul stood out amongst others, but he finished badly.
Samuel's words after Saul had sinned reveal the true answer. We find this in 1 Sameul 15:22:
Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the word of the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
That is the answer. The thing that most honours and that most delights God is obedience.
Even Jesus was honoured and given a name above every name because he was obedient "obedient to death – even death on a cross"
Obedience to the very end
The third step in the preparation of the Jewish people for victory was obedience to the very end.
This is involved in the previous point, of course, because obedience that is not total, is not real obedience; it is disobedience.
It is necessary to point this out, because how often do we start on the path that God has directed us, then for a variety of reasons fail to continue on that path.
The conquest of Jericho emphasizes the point. The people were given their instructions one day at a time, and at the end of their assignment for that day, they returned to their camp. And nothing happened!
They had encircled the walls. But when they reurned to the camp, the walls were still standing, no one surrendered, and the Jewish armies seemed to be no closer to the final conquest of Canaan than they had been the day before. So it was after the second day... and the third... and the fourth... and the fifth... and the sixth...
We need to learn the lesson that the Jewish armies learned at Jericho. There is no substitute for obedience to God, and in that obedience we are called to be obedient to the end. And when God does not act as quickly as we think he should or precisely in the way we are convinced he should act, we are still not justified in pulling back or starting off with our own methods and techniques.
One of the cornerstones of being a disciple of Christ is that of obedience and taking up our cross and being prepared to go to wherever that may lead.
It was only when the people had obeyed God faithfully that victory came and the walls tumbled.
Demolishing Strongholds
As disciples of Christ, as soldiers in the army of God we are engaged in a war where enemy strongholds need to be conquered. We see them everywhere. There are fortresses of evil in the world, in the church, and when we are honest - in ourselves.
They are surrounded by high walls. And like Jericho the gates they are sealed. How are we to respond? How do we respond to evil? The answer is that we are to assault them in the way God has told us to carry out warfare: by prayer, by the Word of God, by our behaviour, and by our testimony. We might look at the forces of evil and think the ancient weapons of the church are inadequate, and we may be tempted to abandon them and use the world's tools.
The apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians in Ch.10 v.4:
The weapons we fight with, are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
And the book of Revelation in Ch. 12:11 says of the battle against Satan:
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.
We need to listen to God and obey faithfully to the very end. When we do, then in God's own time the walls of Satan's strongholds will tumble.
The inhabitants of Jericho and of the whole land live in fear of what God will do. Israel’s God has already given Jericho over to Joshua’s power. It is only necessary for him to claim that victory.
So the King and the Warriors are already at Joshua’s mercy. Only the walls remain an obstacle.
The walls of Jericho did not tumble just because of a shout of the people walking around. There had been preparation for the shout of victory. Some of that preparation had started forty years earlier in the preparation of Joshua and Caleb and the soldiers that had been trained in the wilderness. There was more preparation after the Jordan had been crossed. There had been a renewal of the rite of circumcision and a new observance of the passover. The hearts of the people had to be right before there could be a full outpouring of God's blessing.
Let’s ponder that – the hearts of the people had to be right before there could be a full outpouring of God’s blessing. As individuals, as families, as a church, as a wider community – we want to be in a place where we can receive God’s blessing – our hearts need to be right. How is the state of your heart? Do we struggle with bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, jealousy, greed, the list goes on.
Do you recall the ad for Vogel bread that used to a TV awhile back? There’s the couple who live in New York and he used to preciously to guard his Vogel bread – she apparently let someone else get at it, he is still going on about it and she says – “Let it go – it was over a year ago” How do we hold onto things - Let it go – it was over a year ago!!
If we want to receive God’s blessing, our hearts need to be right – we need to let things go.
But the preparation did not stop with the circumcision and celebration of Passover. It continued right up to the moment of the victory shout. Everything that went before that moment was the preparation of the hearts of the people. The story stresses three steps.
Silence
In v.10 we find the command to the people to keep silent. They were to be utterly quiet as they circled the doomed city. Their lips were not to speak a word. Verse 10 says:
Joshua had commanded the people, "Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!" (6:10)
That must have been a difficult thing for the people to do. We are talking about a large number of people here – the whole nation of Israel. It is hard to imagine any large group moving anywhere without an increasingly noisy hum, then roar of voices. There were soldiers to get in line, a route to be pointed and taken. How this could be accomplished in silence I'm not sure, but this is what the people did. You can see why they only took the fighting men and not the kids. The kids would be saying:
Are we there yet, Dad?
How much longer, Dad?
Dad, we gotta stop, I need to go to the toilet””
By the 7th day Joshua Junior would have been saying “Hey, Dad, are you sure you know where you are going – we have been past this palm tree five times already today!”
Now the people would have difficulty ignoring the taunts of the people of Jericho. On the first day the Canaanites would probably have been silent too, watching to see what this army might do.
It must have been bizarre: a silent attacking force watched by silent defenders. But silence would hardly have lasted beyond the second day. By the then the people of Jericho would have begun to mock the Jewish soldiers, imagine what they might have said:
Are you getting good exercise marching round our walls?
Are you lost?
You've crossed the Jordan River, is that all your're going to do?
Are you checking to see if we've left a door open?
Are you afraid to fight?
Why don't you try to get in?
You're just cowards!"
Under such circumstances it would have been difficult for the Jewish people to have kept silent.
What do you think they were thinking about? I suspect they were thinking there is no way of conquering this city unless God delivers it to us. Jericho's walls were high. The gates were shut.
Each time they walked around the walls would have helped them to realize that if there was to be a victory, it would have to be given by God.
Silence before God is a lesson we all need to learn. If we are not speaking aloud, then there are a thousand mental voices inside our head, each wanting to have the last word. Listen to God? How can we possibly hear what he is saying when we ourselves never stop. This passage seems to be saying, "Hush, don't talk so much. Let God speak!”
2. Obedience
The second step in the preparation of the people for the conquest of Jericho was obedience.
Obedience is an essential part of true faith, which is why, I suppose, the actions of the people of Jericho are cited in Hebrews as a demonstration of faith.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days (Hebrews 11:30)
What is it that most honours God and which God takes delight in honouring? Is it powerful statements of faith? No, many people have loudly proclaimed his name, only to later fall away and cease to serve him. It is not about exercising our natural talents and abilities? No, Many people have had great ability but waste them on worthless projects. Is its attractive appearance or personality? No, Saul stood out amongst others, but he finished badly.
Samuel's words after Saul had sinned reveal the true answer. We find this in 1 Sameul 15:22:
Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the word of the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
That is the answer. The thing that most honours and that most delights God is obedience.
Even Jesus was honoured and given a name above every name because he was obedient "obedient to death – even death on a cross"
Obedience to the very end
The third step in the preparation of the Jewish people for victory was obedience to the very end.
This is involved in the previous point, of course, because obedience that is not total, is not real obedience; it is disobedience.
It is necessary to point this out, because how often do we start on the path that God has directed us, then for a variety of reasons fail to continue on that path.
The conquest of Jericho emphasizes the point. The people were given their instructions one day at a time, and at the end of their assignment for that day, they returned to their camp. And nothing happened!
They had encircled the walls. But when they reurned to the camp, the walls were still standing, no one surrendered, and the Jewish armies seemed to be no closer to the final conquest of Canaan than they had been the day before. So it was after the second day... and the third... and the fourth... and the fifth... and the sixth...
We need to learn the lesson that the Jewish armies learned at Jericho. There is no substitute for obedience to God, and in that obedience we are called to be obedient to the end. And when God does not act as quickly as we think he should or precisely in the way we are convinced he should act, we are still not justified in pulling back or starting off with our own methods and techniques.
One of the cornerstones of being a disciple of Christ is that of obedience and taking up our cross and being prepared to go to wherever that may lead.
It was only when the people had obeyed God faithfully that victory came and the walls tumbled.
Demolishing Strongholds
As disciples of Christ, as soldiers in the army of God we are engaged in a war where enemy strongholds need to be conquered. We see them everywhere. There are fortresses of evil in the world, in the church, and when we are honest - in ourselves.
They are surrounded by high walls. And like Jericho the gates they are sealed. How are we to respond? How do we respond to evil? The answer is that we are to assault them in the way God has told us to carry out warfare: by prayer, by the Word of God, by our behaviour, and by our testimony. We might look at the forces of evil and think the ancient weapons of the church are inadequate, and we may be tempted to abandon them and use the world's tools.
The apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians in Ch.10 v.4:
The weapons we fight with, are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
And the book of Revelation in Ch. 12:11 says of the battle against Satan:
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.
We need to listen to God and obey faithfully to the very end. When we do, then in God's own time the walls of Satan's strongholds will tumble.
27.2.11 - Psalm 46 A Biblical Response to Disaster
This has been a week that our country will never forget.
Preaching involves at least two responsibilities. The first is to explain the Bible and relate it to life. The second is to take life and explain it in light of Scripture. My goal this morning is to accomplish both of these purposes. Let me begin by making two introductory comments.
1. Like you, I have experienced a wide variety of emotions this week. Sadness, shock, despair, helplessness, grief. Jesus said in Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” It is important that people have time to grieve and take stock. Can I please urge you to have extra patience and consideration for the stresses that people may find themselves under. If people snap and bite a bit more or don’t quite act in their normal manner – take it with a grain of salt.
2. I know that I will not be able to address all the questions you may have. My purpose this morning is to help draw our attention back to God and to allow Him to speak to us through His Word.
Please turn in your Bibles to Psalm 46. This song was written in the context of problems, stress, and uncertainty. The writer’s world was crumbling all around him. This Psalm was written with the nation of Israel in mind, but it certainly applies to us today. A nation is strong when their trust is in God. The source of our strength cannot be in our government, our economy, our buildings, or anything else that is temporary. We must return to God.
Before we get into the Psalm, let me point out the use of the word “Selah” after verse 3, verse 7, and verse 11. This curious phrase is most likely a musical rest, in which the singers stopped singing and only the instruments were heard. According to one Bible dictionary, this phrase can also signify a musical crescendo that is then followed by silent reflection. It also carries with it the idea of “meditation.” In Psalm 46, we’re called to pause and meditate three different times so that we can comprehend what God is saying to us. For our purposes this morning, we’ll follow this natural outline and pause at these same spots.
We’re reminded of three essential truths about God from this passage. God demonstrates His dependability through:
His Protection (1-3)
His Presence (4-7)
His Position (8-11)
His Protection
Follow along as I read Psalm 46:1-3: “1. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3. though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah.”
In the midst of whatever we’re feeling today, God desires to be our refuge, our strength, and our help. God is our refuge even when what seems permanent is demolished. When the world crashes in around us, God is still there, protecting us. The word “refuge” literally means “to flee,” as in running to a shelter. The idea is that God wants us to run to Him for protection. The word “strength” implies that we can rely on His might when we feel weak and defenceless.
The phrase “ever-present help” means that God is quick to give assistance. It literally means that He has “proved” Himself to be such a help in the past and we can therefore trust in Him in the present. Because of this we do not have to fear. Verse 2 & 3 are true only if verse 1 is true. If God is your refuge and strength, you don’t have anything to worry about this morning. He will do His part as you seek protection in Him.
In verse 2 the writer is imagining the worst calamity that could possibly hit his people as he describes earthquakes, volcanoes erupting, and mountains slipping into the sea. Even though the “earth may have given way,” we don’t have to be afraid. Mountains provided refuge in times of war and were considered to be the most secure part of nature. They were the most fixed and firm things on earth.
Verse 3 describes the roaring waters of the sea, which is a picture of our lives when they’re out of control. “Roaring,” means to “be in great commotion, to rage”. When the “mountains quake with their surging” refers to the pride or haughtiness of the mountains. Our sense of pride as a country has been replaced with quaking and concern about the future.
If we become more humble as a result, and recognize that God is our protector, our faith can cast out fear. The psalmist is saying that when that which is secure is suddenly gone, we’re to seek refuge in God Himself. Our sense of helplessness and fear should drive us to Him. As 2 Chronicles 7:14 so beautifully puts it: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
The first “Selah” is used at the end of verse 3. Let’s pause here and reflect silently upon God’s protection and our need to seek refuge in Him. Confess any personal sins, any sins in our church, and the sins of our nation right now.
His Presence
Let’s look at verses 4-7: “4. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.”
God protects us when we seek refuge in Him. Fortunately, we don’t have to run far to find Him because His presence is right here with us. Verse 4 paints a picture that is easy for us to miss. First of all, the city of God is Jerusalem. While it was a very beautiful city, it had no river that ran through it like the other major cities and countries of that day. Babylon was built on the Euphrates. Egypt had the Nile. Rome had the Tiber. Jerusalem did not have a physical river but it had something even better ¬ the very presence of God.
God’s grace flows through like a river that brings gladness and joy to His people. While the ocean rages and foams, God’s presence is depicted as a calm and gently flowing stream. This image in Scripture is used to represent happiness, abundance, and peace, even when everything else is falling apart.
God’s presence with His people is one of the central truths of Scripture. Verse 5 says that “God is within her” and verse 7 declares that the “Lord Almighty is with us.” This is from the root word “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” and was used in Matthew 1:23 to refer to Jesus. That means that when we put our faith in Jesus, we have “God with us” at all times.
Notice the last part of verse 5: “God will help her at the break of day.” No matter how bad things get, God’s presence means that He will help us. When we wake up to start a brand new day, we will experience what Jeremiah did in Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” God is faithful to us. He will never leave us or forsake us.
Following the 9/11 attack in the USA, President Bush reminded the American people of this truth when he quoted part of Romans 8:39 in his speech at a national prayer service: “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God is present with His people even when “nations are in uproar and kingdoms fall” according to verse 6. “Uproar” is the same word that is used in verse 3 to describe the roar of the waters. When the nations are agitated like the waves of the sea, God is still with His people.
Currently we see major change and upheaval for the people of the Middle East. For Christians in that part of the world may they take comfort that God is with them. No matter how bad things get, we can always count on His presence. The last part of verse 6 reminds us of God’s incredible power. When “he lifts his voice, the earth melts.” What we saw this week is nothing compared to the awesome power of God. The raging world melts or dissolves before Him.
Verse 7 concludes by saying that the “God of Jacob is our fortress.” As in verse 1, God is depicted not only as powerful, but also as a fortress that we can run to for safety. The description of God as “The Lord Almighty” in the first part of verse 7 means, “The Lord of Hosts.” The hosts refer to all the armies of heaven. The Lord Almighty has all the hosts of heaven ready to do His work. As such, we can take comfort in His presence as we seek His care and protection.
Let’s pause at this second “Selah” and thank God for His presence with us.
His Position
We can depend on God during times like this because of His protection, His presence, and finally, because of His position.
Notice verses 8-11: “8. Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10. ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ 11. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.”
As a nation, according to verse 8 we’re called to “come and see the works of the Lord.” This word means to “run or pursue” in order to “see,” which refers to “gazing, contemplating, or perceiving.” I’ve been amazed at how people are seeking the Lord right now.
Verse 10 calls us to bow before His position as sovereign ruler. We’re called to “Be still and know that I am God.” To “be still” means to “cast down or let fall.” It’s the idea of not putting forth exertion. The picture is of letting our hands fall to our sides, as we leave matters with God. We’re not to just have a “moment of silence” or even to just be quiet. The purpose is so that we can know God. To “know” means to “acknowledge and comprehend, or to discover.” We can’t even begin to know God experientially until we become still before Him. This is actually a rebuke. We’re to cease striving and working in our own self-effort and submit ourselves to God.
Notice the last part of verse 10: “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” As we quiet our souls and reflect upon His position as Lord over the whole world, we will recognize His supremacy and inevitable triumph. Until we’re still and quiet before Him, the awesome reality of His coming exaltation among all the nations will not impact us. Friends, no matter what happens, remember this: God will be exalted among the nations!
Philippians 2:10-11: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Verse 11 is a great summary statement of this entire psalm. Because “the Lord almighty is with us, and the God of Jacob is our fortress,” we can trust Him.
Jesus Christ is God and Lord of history. Nothing has happened outside of His plan. Nothing ever leaves him bewildered or astonished. Nothing ever catches him by surprise. Though there is tragedy and war, though the mountains fall into the sea, those who know Jesus Christ have nothing to fear. Whether nature wreaks havoc, or the nations rage against one another, God is our refuge. God will still provide His protection and presence because of His position as Lord of Hosts. He will ultimately triumph.
Let’s pause here at the final “Selah” and be still before God. Affirm the central truth of Scripture that He is supreme and will be exalted among the nations.
Action Steps
It’s difficult to know how to respond to what happened in our country this week. But I feel compelled to conclude with at least 3 action steps.
1. Get right with God.
Life is way too unpredictable and too brief to live it without God at the centre. We count our lives in years but God tells us in Psalm 90:12 to number our days. On Tuesday morning people thought they were going to work, or going to travel on a bus or have a look at a Cathedral. The truth of the matter is that everybody in this room is just one heartbeat away from eternity. In 1 Samuel 20:3, David said, “Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
We’re all going to die, one way or another, therefore we must get ready. If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus, you need to do it right now, before it’s too late!
2. Tell others about Jesus.
I’ve been struck by the images of the rescue workers who have worked so diligently to find people who are trapped. As I’ve watched, I can’t help but wonder if I exhibit that same zeal to help rescue people who are trapped in their sins. Instead of spending time with people who are surrounded by life’s debris, many of us insulate ourselves from those who need rescuing.
Friends, a crisis always creates opportunity. When Jesus describes the signs of the end of the age, He tells his followers in Luke 21:13 that, “this will result in your being witnesses to them.” I’ve had several significant conversations this week with people who are not yet believers. There is unprecedented openness to spiritual matters right now. Talk to your friends and family members about a relationship with Jesus. Don’t hold back. Let’s be bold and point people to Christ.
3. Time for the church to be the church.
Let’s stop playing games. Let’s bind together in unity and minister side-by-side with each other. Let’s pray as if everything depends on God, because it does! Let’s deal decisively with sin in our lives and practice grace and forgiveness with others.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Amen.
Preaching involves at least two responsibilities. The first is to explain the Bible and relate it to life. The second is to take life and explain it in light of Scripture. My goal this morning is to accomplish both of these purposes. Let me begin by making two introductory comments.
1. Like you, I have experienced a wide variety of emotions this week. Sadness, shock, despair, helplessness, grief. Jesus said in Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” It is important that people have time to grieve and take stock. Can I please urge you to have extra patience and consideration for the stresses that people may find themselves under. If people snap and bite a bit more or don’t quite act in their normal manner – take it with a grain of salt.
2. I know that I will not be able to address all the questions you may have. My purpose this morning is to help draw our attention back to God and to allow Him to speak to us through His Word.
Please turn in your Bibles to Psalm 46. This song was written in the context of problems, stress, and uncertainty. The writer’s world was crumbling all around him. This Psalm was written with the nation of Israel in mind, but it certainly applies to us today. A nation is strong when their trust is in God. The source of our strength cannot be in our government, our economy, our buildings, or anything else that is temporary. We must return to God.
Before we get into the Psalm, let me point out the use of the word “Selah” after verse 3, verse 7, and verse 11. This curious phrase is most likely a musical rest, in which the singers stopped singing and only the instruments were heard. According to one Bible dictionary, this phrase can also signify a musical crescendo that is then followed by silent reflection. It also carries with it the idea of “meditation.” In Psalm 46, we’re called to pause and meditate three different times so that we can comprehend what God is saying to us. For our purposes this morning, we’ll follow this natural outline and pause at these same spots.
We’re reminded of three essential truths about God from this passage. God demonstrates His dependability through:
His Protection (1-3)
His Presence (4-7)
His Position (8-11)
His Protection
Follow along as I read Psalm 46:1-3: “1. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3. though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah.”
In the midst of whatever we’re feeling today, God desires to be our refuge, our strength, and our help. God is our refuge even when what seems permanent is demolished. When the world crashes in around us, God is still there, protecting us. The word “refuge” literally means “to flee,” as in running to a shelter. The idea is that God wants us to run to Him for protection. The word “strength” implies that we can rely on His might when we feel weak and defenceless.
The phrase “ever-present help” means that God is quick to give assistance. It literally means that He has “proved” Himself to be such a help in the past and we can therefore trust in Him in the present. Because of this we do not have to fear. Verse 2 & 3 are true only if verse 1 is true. If God is your refuge and strength, you don’t have anything to worry about this morning. He will do His part as you seek protection in Him.
In verse 2 the writer is imagining the worst calamity that could possibly hit his people as he describes earthquakes, volcanoes erupting, and mountains slipping into the sea. Even though the “earth may have given way,” we don’t have to be afraid. Mountains provided refuge in times of war and were considered to be the most secure part of nature. They were the most fixed and firm things on earth.
Verse 3 describes the roaring waters of the sea, which is a picture of our lives when they’re out of control. “Roaring,” means to “be in great commotion, to rage”. When the “mountains quake with their surging” refers to the pride or haughtiness of the mountains. Our sense of pride as a country has been replaced with quaking and concern about the future.
If we become more humble as a result, and recognize that God is our protector, our faith can cast out fear. The psalmist is saying that when that which is secure is suddenly gone, we’re to seek refuge in God Himself. Our sense of helplessness and fear should drive us to Him. As 2 Chronicles 7:14 so beautifully puts it: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
The first “Selah” is used at the end of verse 3. Let’s pause here and reflect silently upon God’s protection and our need to seek refuge in Him. Confess any personal sins, any sins in our church, and the sins of our nation right now.
His Presence
Let’s look at verses 4-7: “4. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.”
God protects us when we seek refuge in Him. Fortunately, we don’t have to run far to find Him because His presence is right here with us. Verse 4 paints a picture that is easy for us to miss. First of all, the city of God is Jerusalem. While it was a very beautiful city, it had no river that ran through it like the other major cities and countries of that day. Babylon was built on the Euphrates. Egypt had the Nile. Rome had the Tiber. Jerusalem did not have a physical river but it had something even better ¬ the very presence of God.
God’s grace flows through like a river that brings gladness and joy to His people. While the ocean rages and foams, God’s presence is depicted as a calm and gently flowing stream. This image in Scripture is used to represent happiness, abundance, and peace, even when everything else is falling apart.
God’s presence with His people is one of the central truths of Scripture. Verse 5 says that “God is within her” and verse 7 declares that the “Lord Almighty is with us.” This is from the root word “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” and was used in Matthew 1:23 to refer to Jesus. That means that when we put our faith in Jesus, we have “God with us” at all times.
Notice the last part of verse 5: “God will help her at the break of day.” No matter how bad things get, God’s presence means that He will help us. When we wake up to start a brand new day, we will experience what Jeremiah did in Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” God is faithful to us. He will never leave us or forsake us.
Following the 9/11 attack in the USA, President Bush reminded the American people of this truth when he quoted part of Romans 8:39 in his speech at a national prayer service: “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God is present with His people even when “nations are in uproar and kingdoms fall” according to verse 6. “Uproar” is the same word that is used in verse 3 to describe the roar of the waters. When the nations are agitated like the waves of the sea, God is still with His people.
Currently we see major change and upheaval for the people of the Middle East. For Christians in that part of the world may they take comfort that God is with them. No matter how bad things get, we can always count on His presence. The last part of verse 6 reminds us of God’s incredible power. When “he lifts his voice, the earth melts.” What we saw this week is nothing compared to the awesome power of God. The raging world melts or dissolves before Him.
Verse 7 concludes by saying that the “God of Jacob is our fortress.” As in verse 1, God is depicted not only as powerful, but also as a fortress that we can run to for safety. The description of God as “The Lord Almighty” in the first part of verse 7 means, “The Lord of Hosts.” The hosts refer to all the armies of heaven. The Lord Almighty has all the hosts of heaven ready to do His work. As such, we can take comfort in His presence as we seek His care and protection.
Let’s pause at this second “Selah” and thank God for His presence with us.
His Position
We can depend on God during times like this because of His protection, His presence, and finally, because of His position.
Notice verses 8-11: “8. Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10. ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ 11. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.”
As a nation, according to verse 8 we’re called to “come and see the works of the Lord.” This word means to “run or pursue” in order to “see,” which refers to “gazing, contemplating, or perceiving.” I’ve been amazed at how people are seeking the Lord right now.
Verse 10 calls us to bow before His position as sovereign ruler. We’re called to “Be still and know that I am God.” To “be still” means to “cast down or let fall.” It’s the idea of not putting forth exertion. The picture is of letting our hands fall to our sides, as we leave matters with God. We’re not to just have a “moment of silence” or even to just be quiet. The purpose is so that we can know God. To “know” means to “acknowledge and comprehend, or to discover.” We can’t even begin to know God experientially until we become still before Him. This is actually a rebuke. We’re to cease striving and working in our own self-effort and submit ourselves to God.
Notice the last part of verse 10: “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” As we quiet our souls and reflect upon His position as Lord over the whole world, we will recognize His supremacy and inevitable triumph. Until we’re still and quiet before Him, the awesome reality of His coming exaltation among all the nations will not impact us. Friends, no matter what happens, remember this: God will be exalted among the nations!
Philippians 2:10-11: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Verse 11 is a great summary statement of this entire psalm. Because “the Lord almighty is with us, and the God of Jacob is our fortress,” we can trust Him.
Jesus Christ is God and Lord of history. Nothing has happened outside of His plan. Nothing ever leaves him bewildered or astonished. Nothing ever catches him by surprise. Though there is tragedy and war, though the mountains fall into the sea, those who know Jesus Christ have nothing to fear. Whether nature wreaks havoc, or the nations rage against one another, God is our refuge. God will still provide His protection and presence because of His position as Lord of Hosts. He will ultimately triumph.
Let’s pause here at the final “Selah” and be still before God. Affirm the central truth of Scripture that He is supreme and will be exalted among the nations.
Action Steps
It’s difficult to know how to respond to what happened in our country this week. But I feel compelled to conclude with at least 3 action steps.
1. Get right with God.
Life is way too unpredictable and too brief to live it without God at the centre. We count our lives in years but God tells us in Psalm 90:12 to number our days. On Tuesday morning people thought they were going to work, or going to travel on a bus or have a look at a Cathedral. The truth of the matter is that everybody in this room is just one heartbeat away from eternity. In 1 Samuel 20:3, David said, “Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
We’re all going to die, one way or another, therefore we must get ready. If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus, you need to do it right now, before it’s too late!
2. Tell others about Jesus.
I’ve been struck by the images of the rescue workers who have worked so diligently to find people who are trapped. As I’ve watched, I can’t help but wonder if I exhibit that same zeal to help rescue people who are trapped in their sins. Instead of spending time with people who are surrounded by life’s debris, many of us insulate ourselves from those who need rescuing.
Friends, a crisis always creates opportunity. When Jesus describes the signs of the end of the age, He tells his followers in Luke 21:13 that, “this will result in your being witnesses to them.” I’ve had several significant conversations this week with people who are not yet believers. There is unprecedented openness to spiritual matters right now. Talk to your friends and family members about a relationship with Jesus. Don’t hold back. Let’s be bold and point people to Christ.
3. Time for the church to be the church.
Let’s stop playing games. Let’s bind together in unity and minister side-by-side with each other. Let’s pray as if everything depends on God, because it does! Let’s deal decisively with sin in our lives and practice grace and forgiveness with others.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Amen.
060311 - “What is man that God should care”?
“What is man that God should care”?
Hebrews chapter 2, Sunday 6 March 2011
Introduction…
V1. Following on further as regards, “Why it’s all about Jesus”, we are first of all challenged as regards what we already know and have acted upon as a Christian, to pay attention to what we already have heard. If we have attended church for ?? years, we must know something, in fact we must know a lot! It was already a problem anticipated in the early church, e.g. 2 Tim. 4:2-4. In addition we must ask the question: have we put it into practice?
Pay Attention…
The danger for the eternal pew-sitter is that one day they will get bored and drift away or go get their ears tickled! Here at Calvin we don’t want that to happen. That’s one reason why we had “ministry expo” last week, so you can be involved – for your own good as well as for that of the church.
Listen up…
V2. What did the angels say? See Mt 1:21, Lk2:10-11, 14 and in the OT. The angels as messengers were to be listened to, not ignored.
Note the use of very strong words…
Violation
Disobedience
Punishment
V3. But the greatest of these (sins) is ignoring salvation – the crystal-clear warning notice at the top of the cliff – “turn around” to the Grace of God in Jesus. Just as being passionately in love with your wife or husband will keep us from the sin of adultery, so will our passion for salvation in Jesus keep us from the sin of violation of God’s laws. Don’t ignore your spouse, don’t ignore your salvation by taking it for granted, by not growing into Christ.
The writer of Hebrews did not have first-hand contact with Jesus it seems, BUT he is prepared to accept what others have witnessed and experienced. Consider the power of a testimony. How open are we to take on board what others experience? Or are we skeptical?
V4. But now comes the heaviest and undeniable evidence for salvation direct from God:
Signs: not pointless displays, but signs for direction.
Wonders not explained by human reason – but outside our normal box.
Miracles: works that require superhuman power
Gifts of the HS: abilities that stretch our faith for Christian service.
Look Up…
Jesus enters our world. Jesus identifies with those who are lost.
V5: God is giving us the reason for salvation – He is building a future with His redeemed. And this is where mankind comes in – for who are we? Now in a world that teaches unceasingly that we are merely the highest form of the animal world, these verses are a shaft of bright light. Here is who mankind is – straight from the Manufacturer’s user guide and maintenance manual. Page 2, ch 2 v 6-8. (read)
1. made by God
2. instructed by God (mindful) guided, will- and purpose-driven.
3. maintained by God (in good times and bad).
4. positioned by God (lower than angels, higher than animals ref Gen. 1:24-31.
5. honoured by God (with gifts of intelligence etc) e.g. language learning.
6. responsible to God everything under Him.
YET – not yet! Because sin has cut across that plan of uninterrupted relationship between God and mankind. But what we do see is the fulfillment of that plan in Jesus. That’s why it is still – “all about Jesus”.
Look Out…
V9. “But we see Jesus…” hope of the world incarnate, made “a little lower” than the angels, so that “by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone”. The taste was being shut off from God His Father, of having that relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit interrupted by our sin. That is what it means, this for Jesus was the True horror of the Cross, not just the pain of physical death BUT the bitter agony of separation from God. NOW why don’t you and I and the world around us feel that too??? The pain of our spiritual paucity, our spiritual bankruptcy. This MUST be a pain that God Himself still feels.
V10: Jesus was made “perfect”, meaning the perfect, spotless and only acceptable sacrifice for sin through that terrible separation from God.
Remember Jesus’ cry from the cross? It wasn’t, “My God my God, these nails and thorns are hurting me” (physically). No, what was it? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”: broken fellowship, severed relationship – that was the agony cry!
What do we feel when away from church, when we are away from Christian fellowship for a period? What do we feel when we miss our quiet time, our daily Bible reading, or our family devotions?
V11-13: This is the way, and the only way the God /man relationship can be restored. Again it is by Grace that Jesus is not ashamed to call us family, to call us His brothers and sisters.
Conclusion….
For the Christian it seems to me that God has gone out of His way to focus our attention on Jesus and the salvation He is offering to mankind, the ultimate of His creation. We owe it to God to listen up to all His messengers, angels, signs, wonders etc. He has bought us by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and brought us into His family – the very thing He originally intended. We are therefore responsible to live and act accordingly as Christians.
Thinking of Christchurch again, and especially the amazing stories, great and small, that we are reading of dedicated rescuers, neighbour helping neighbour and a multitude of organizations pitching in to help, too many to name etc, we are witness to the glow of the essence of a Christian ethic that has under-girded this nation’s social fabric since its beginning. You and I have the responsibility to see that that remains, that this nation remains a nation under the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and that the Christian Faith lived out by you and me remains alive, strong and effective both at the heart of individual faith, and maintains that glow of the glory and honour that God has entrusted to us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hebrews chapter 2, Sunday 6 March 2011
Introduction…
V1. Following on further as regards, “Why it’s all about Jesus”, we are first of all challenged as regards what we already know and have acted upon as a Christian, to pay attention to what we already have heard. If we have attended church for ?? years, we must know something, in fact we must know a lot! It was already a problem anticipated in the early church, e.g. 2 Tim. 4:2-4. In addition we must ask the question: have we put it into practice?
Pay Attention…
The danger for the eternal pew-sitter is that one day they will get bored and drift away or go get their ears tickled! Here at Calvin we don’t want that to happen. That’s one reason why we had “ministry expo” last week, so you can be involved – for your own good as well as for that of the church.
Listen up…
V2. What did the angels say? See Mt 1:21, Lk2:10-11, 14 and in the OT. The angels as messengers were to be listened to, not ignored.
Note the use of very strong words…
Violation
Disobedience
Punishment
V3. But the greatest of these (sins) is ignoring salvation – the crystal-clear warning notice at the top of the cliff – “turn around” to the Grace of God in Jesus. Just as being passionately in love with your wife or husband will keep us from the sin of adultery, so will our passion for salvation in Jesus keep us from the sin of violation of God’s laws. Don’t ignore your spouse, don’t ignore your salvation by taking it for granted, by not growing into Christ.
The writer of Hebrews did not have first-hand contact with Jesus it seems, BUT he is prepared to accept what others have witnessed and experienced. Consider the power of a testimony. How open are we to take on board what others experience? Or are we skeptical?
V4. But now comes the heaviest and undeniable evidence for salvation direct from God:
Signs: not pointless displays, but signs for direction.
Wonders not explained by human reason – but outside our normal box.
Miracles: works that require superhuman power
Gifts of the HS: abilities that stretch our faith for Christian service.
Look Up…
Jesus enters our world. Jesus identifies with those who are lost.
V5: God is giving us the reason for salvation – He is building a future with His redeemed. And this is where mankind comes in – for who are we? Now in a world that teaches unceasingly that we are merely the highest form of the animal world, these verses are a shaft of bright light. Here is who mankind is – straight from the Manufacturer’s user guide and maintenance manual. Page 2, ch 2 v 6-8. (read)
1. made by God
2. instructed by God (mindful) guided, will- and purpose-driven.
3. maintained by God (in good times and bad).
4. positioned by God (lower than angels, higher than animals ref Gen. 1:24-31.
5. honoured by God (with gifts of intelligence etc) e.g. language learning.
6. responsible to God everything under Him.
YET – not yet! Because sin has cut across that plan of uninterrupted relationship between God and mankind. But what we do see is the fulfillment of that plan in Jesus. That’s why it is still – “all about Jesus”.
Look Out…
V9. “But we see Jesus…” hope of the world incarnate, made “a little lower” than the angels, so that “by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone”. The taste was being shut off from God His Father, of having that relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit interrupted by our sin. That is what it means, this for Jesus was the True horror of the Cross, not just the pain of physical death BUT the bitter agony of separation from God. NOW why don’t you and I and the world around us feel that too??? The pain of our spiritual paucity, our spiritual bankruptcy. This MUST be a pain that God Himself still feels.
V10: Jesus was made “perfect”, meaning the perfect, spotless and only acceptable sacrifice for sin through that terrible separation from God.
Remember Jesus’ cry from the cross? It wasn’t, “My God my God, these nails and thorns are hurting me” (physically). No, what was it? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”: broken fellowship, severed relationship – that was the agony cry!
What do we feel when away from church, when we are away from Christian fellowship for a period? What do we feel when we miss our quiet time, our daily Bible reading, or our family devotions?
V11-13: This is the way, and the only way the God /man relationship can be restored. Again it is by Grace that Jesus is not ashamed to call us family, to call us His brothers and sisters.
Conclusion….
For the Christian it seems to me that God has gone out of His way to focus our attention on Jesus and the salvation He is offering to mankind, the ultimate of His creation. We owe it to God to listen up to all His messengers, angels, signs, wonders etc. He has bought us by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and brought us into His family – the very thing He originally intended. We are therefore responsible to live and act accordingly as Christians.
Thinking of Christchurch again, and especially the amazing stories, great and small, that we are reading of dedicated rescuers, neighbour helping neighbour and a multitude of organizations pitching in to help, too many to name etc, we are witness to the glow of the essence of a Christian ethic that has under-girded this nation’s social fabric since its beginning. You and I have the responsibility to see that that remains, that this nation remains a nation under the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and that the Christian Faith lived out by you and me remains alive, strong and effective both at the heart of individual faith, and maintains that glow of the glory and honour that God has entrusted to us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
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