Sermon: Be Ready

Text: Matthew 24:36-44
(North Toronto, March 17^th 1991 PM)
(Glen Vowell, February 23^rd 1997 AM - Band Weekend)
(Whitehorse, April 13^th 1997 AM)

When I was young, I hated making my bed. I figured, why make it when I’m only going to mess it up again?

As I grew older, I came to appreciate the nice crisp sheets and freshly made bed, but the grogginess of morning still kept me from wanting to make it when I got up. Why make it when I get up? Why not wait until bed time and then just make it before I go to bed?

Well, I supposed I might be too tired when I go to bed, but then if I’m too tired when I go to bed, then I probably don’t appreciate it anyway – at least not for long before I’m asleep – so I’m back to not making it at all.

Can you tell that I am a procrastinator?

There are a lot of things in life we prepare for ahead of time: careers, marriages, children. Some even pre-arrange their funerals. Unless of course you are a procrastinator like me.

Or maybe you were all boy scouts, and girl guides when you were kids – remember the motto? “Be prepared”.

It’s good to be prepared, to be ready, and lots of us are well prepared for just about anything… but are we? Are we prepared for the most important event in history? Are we prepared for our own Judgment before the throne of God?

Matthew 24:44 tells us “So you must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Are you ready? Are you prepared? No one knows the time when Christ will come. Just like in the days of Noah, it will come quickly – not without warning, because we have been warned, just as Noah warned the people of his day – but at a time we do not know.

Many people will miss their chance because they are unprepared. You and I have been warned. Are we ready?

NO ONE KNOWS

These days it seems there is always someone predicting the end of the world – and some are even bold enough to put a date on it. There are some who claim they know exactly when Christ is coming and believe the scriptures tell them exactly when that is. But I don’t think they are reading the same bible I am, because Matthew 24, Verse 36 tells us no-one knows when Jesus will come again. The only thing we know with any certainty is that he will definitely return one day. 

You might think the angels would have some inside knowledge about this. They are working with God day in and day out, and for much longer than any of us. They not only know the scriptures, but listen to the very words uttered by the almighty directly from his mouth. They have a pretty good grasp of what is happening on earth and have even participated in some of the most important moments in history. They do God’s bidding, and yet even they have no idea when God will send his son again.

God’s word clearly tells us: “No one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father.”

That verse even states that Jesus himself – the son - has no idea when he will return. Like some modern day fighter pilot, he is on standby, sitting in the ready room, waiting to jump up and go on his next mission,  not knowing when that will be.

Verse 30 tells us “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” And yet even he doesn’t know the day or hour of his arrival.

Perhaps like me, you have sat in an airport at some point, waiting for your flight? You sit there an hour before there’s even a plane at the gate, ready to board it, knowing that in a few hours, you will be hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Yes, you probably have a departure time, but there isn’t even a plane there for you to board. But you know it’s coming. You trust that eventually it will arrive, and when it does, you must be ready. You are prepared to board. You know what will happen when you do, and you are looking forward to your destination – even though you may never have been there before and have only heard about it. If you’re not ready, however, you might miss your flight and your vacation or business trip would become a disaster very quickly.

Only God the Father knows exactly when Jesus will return, and although we don’t know exactly when, we do know he is coming. We are looking forward to it. Only God the Father has a complete understanding of everything, and only He can discern the right time for Jesus to return.

Nonetheless, we can be certain there is a day coming, known by the Father, and when it comes we know that we must be ready for it, because not being ready… well, let’s say for now that would not be good...

THE DAYS OF NOAH

In our text, Jesus reminded us of what it was like to live in the days of Noah. Do you remember the story? It wasn’t just about fuzzy animals climbing aboard a cruise ship to sail the ocean for a few weeks. God gave Noah a revelation, and prepared him for a cataclysmic event that would wipe out the face of the earth as he knew it.

Noah was not only working hard to build a boat in the middle of dry land, which seemed absolutely crazy in and of itself, he was also out there telling everyone to save themselves, warning that if they didn’t build themselves an ark, they would all perish. He couldn’t tell them exactly when, not that the people cared. They laughed at him and carried on with life the way they wanted to; eating and drinking. They acted like they didn’t believe there was a God, like they were the masters of their own fate and that nothing could hurt them.

Sound familiar? I wonder if one day there will be a note in history similar to verses 38 and 39 about us and our society?

“For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.”

Now, we all have to admit that it sounds a little crazy to say Jesus is returning. Perhaps you’ve even had the experience of explaining it to someone who politely listened, but whom you knew was holding back a snicker.

There are all kinds of believers around us today. Some say they don’t believe in God. Others say they believe in God, but their understanding of him is totally different. Some say they believe in God, but have no idea who or what he is all about. Some simply don’t care and go about their lives not caring whether God exists or not.

Unfortunately believing there is no God, or believing he would never destroy the earth, will not stop it from happening. The scriptures clearly state that one day there will be a judgment, and only those who have put their trust in the Savior of Man will be saved – the rest will perish.

It’s not a happy message. It might even sound crazy. But it is the truth. And a truth that is best headed.

Right up to the very day the flood came, people laughed at Noah and ignored his preaching. They didn’t believe what he was saying, and they were not prepared for what was going to happen. They scoffed at Noah until the rain began to fall, and then they clamored at the doors of the Ark crying to be let in, but it was too late. They all perished.

It is sad to think that when Christ returns - which could be tomorrow, or this afternoon, or even this very hour – there will be people lost simply because they are not prepared. Simply because they have not accepted Christ’s sacrifice for their sin, and therefore have no means of saving themselves.

Does that disturb you like it does me? Does that stir you? Does it motivate you to talk to people who might be amongst those who will be lost?

It concerns me to think that one minute I may be sitting talking to someone, knowing that I am no better or worse than they are, only that I know Jesus and have trusted in his precious blood to wash me of my sins, and the next moment I will be on my way to heaven and they… will be lost.

In an instant. In the twinkling of an eye. It will happen quickly. One second, your friend will be looking at you, and the next second you will be gone. One second, the Christian announcer will be on TV, the next there will be dead air. Can you imagine the free-way accidents at that moment when all the Christians disappear from behind the steering wheels?

THEREFORE KEEP WATCH

We don’t know the day or the hour when Jesus will return, but we do know he is coming. We know there will be some taken and some left. We know there will be those who will scoff until He actually returns. But what about you? Will you be one of the scoffers or one of those who are taken? Are you prepared?

What do we need to be prepared? We don’t have to commit ourselves to life in a monastery… We don’t have to give up everything we love unless what we love does not honor God. We simply need to watch and wait for Christ’s return.

When I was younger, we used to get ready early on Sunday morning, dressed in our finest, and stand in the front room of our house waiting for a big purple bus to come and pick us up – that was the Sunday School bus. When it came, the bus would stop in the circle in front of our house and wait for a minute for us to come out and climb aboard – but it wouldn’t wait long. The driver wanted us to climb aboard, but we were not the only ones he was picking up, and the minutes were precious.

We had to be prepared because the bus would not wait long. We would watch anxiously because we did not want to miss it. Like the parable in verse 43, we will miss Jesus if we are not ready when he comes, “like a thief in the night” he will be here, and then he will be gone, and if we are not ready, we will miss him.

In Egypt, during the plagues of Moses, the final plague was the death of the first born child. For the Israelites to be protected, they were to paint the blood of a lamb on their door posts so that the angel of death would not enter their houses. The children of those who did so were untouched. Since that time, the Jews have celebrated Passover, in remembrance of the passing over of the angel of death. But there is a newer meaning to this ritual. The ceremony was also a prophecy of the coming of Christ. So we sometimes refer to Jesus as our Passover lamb.

Without the preparation of the blood on the doorposts, the Israelites would have also lost their first born sons. Without the preparation of the blood of Jesus, we also will perish.

In California, where there are frequent earthquakes and rampant wild fires, and in other parts of the world where natural disasters threaten to occur without warning, people often keep a suitcase packed with enough clothes and goods that they can pick up and leave their homes at any time. They are ready. They don’t know the day or time when it will happen, but they are pretty sure it will happen one day, and they are ready to leave. Being ready to leave doesn’t affect their day to day lives. They get used to the idea and simply are prepared. But when it happens, they are ready.

At the second coming, Jesus will come like a thief in the night. We need to be ready no matter when that happens to be. Not by sitting on the edge of our seats staring into the sky constantly watching, but by being prepared. While we carry on our daily business, we have our spiritual bags packed, ready to leave on a moments notice.

When a fire strikes a town, we have men and women who are trained to deal with the fire. Police rush to the site, Ambulances and Fire trucks arrive. The situation is controlled because people are ready and prepared. Being prepared doesn’t mean they go around setting fires so that they have something to do. They make it their business to be prepared. They learn the things they need to know. They study how fire reacts and how they can fight it. They take the time to tell people about the dangers of fire, and how they too can prepare. When the alarm rings, they drop all they are doing, and move out without thinking twice about what they were just doing. Something more important has called them, and they must go. Just as it should be with us when that trumpet call comes and we are called to be with Jesus.

CONCLUSION

So… Have I encouraged you to be prepared? Are you ready? Are you anxiously awaiting Christ’s return? Will you rejoice when it happens or will you be surprised?

Even though we don’t know the day or the hour – and don’t let anyone tell you they do – Christ’s coming should not take us by surprise. We know he is coming and we can be prepared and expecting Him.

Will He be happy with what we are doing when He finds us? Are we doing all we can to prepare by learning more about Him? Are we keeping our ears tuned to hear what He has to say to us? Are we ready to drop everything, to follow Him when he calls?

If not, then why not? Now is the time to begin getting ready. Start packing your bags and be ready. He is coming.

Sermon: Reading the World’s Best Seller

Text: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
(Chatham Citadel – September 26^th, 1999 AM)

Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about studying God’s word. One of the “Staples” of our Christian faith along with prayer.

Paul writes in 2nd Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” So far, so good. Most of us can say “Amen to that”, but how well do we know these scriptures? How do we know that these particular writings are God-breathed? How do we know these verses are so useful in our lives?

There is a story of a new minister who was asked to teach the boys’ classes when their regular teacher was absent. He decided to find out what the boys knew, so he asked them who knocked down the walls of Jericho. When every one of the boys declared that it was not them, the preacher was appalled at their ignorance. At the next deacon’s meeting, he told about the experience. “Not one of them knows who knocked down the walls of Jericho!” he lamented. The group was silent until one seasoned veteran of the church spoke up, “preacher, this appears to be bothering you a lot. But I’ve known all those boys since they were born, and if they say they didn’t do it, then I believe them!”

Now, before you laugh too quickly, perhaps it is time for a quiz… Not a hard one, and the only one that needs to know how you did is you, so here we go. There are five questions. I’ll read the question, then after a moment, give you the answer. Each time you get an answer correct, count another finger. When we’re done, we’ll see how many fingers you have up.

1. True or False – Jesus was born in Jerusalem?

- False – Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem where his father was returning for a Roman census Matthew 2:1 – in research by George Barna, only 61% of Christians, and 55% of non-Christians knew Jesus birth place.

2. True or False – As well as being known for doubting Jesus’ resurrection, Thomas is the name of a book in the Bible.

- False – While Thomas did indeed doubt Jesus’ resurrection, (John 20:25), stating that he would have to put his finger into the holes in his hand to believe it, there is no book of Thomas in the Bible. One quarter of Christians get that one wrong.

3. True or False – the phrase “be sure your sin will find you out” appears in the Bible.

- True – Numbers 32:23 – After Moses divided the Promised Land among the Israelites, the tribes of Reuban and Gad requested land on the east bank of the Jordan. Moses granted their request but made them promise to go to war to conquer the land on the West Bank. If they broke the oath, Moses warned them that God would know.

4. True or False – the phrase “God helps those who help themselves.” Is in the Bible.

- False – Thomas Jefferson is credited as having said this famous phrase. The nearest thing in scripture is “The Lord helps [the righteous] and delivers them.” (Psalm 37:39-40)

5. True or false – The commandment “Thou Shalt not Kill” was the second commandment on the second tablet.

- True – The two tables given to Moses (Exodus 20:3-17) were divided between commandments relating to God, and those relating to man. When Jesus gave the two greatest commandments, (Matthew 22:37-38) he was really summarizing the two tablets made up of four commandments which referred to Loving the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind, and six commandments relating to loving your neighbour as yourself.

Now, how did you do?

Of course, if you made a mistake or two, you probably aren’t the only one. You are in good company; many people have made mistakes, even in translating and printing the Bible. The first English language Bible printed in Ireland in 1716 encouraged its readers to “sin on more” rather than “sin no more”, and a 1702 edition quoted King David as having said “Printers” instead of princes “have persecuted me without cause.”

If you made a mistake or two, however, hopefully you are challenged to get out your Bible and study it more. Even when we find it difficult to understand, we should only be spurred on to dig deeper and learn more.

Phillip Brooks once said, “The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it and so they see only the dead letter.”

Again, John Underhill tells a story from when he was painting the home of an 89 year-old lady in Spokane Washington. She had a large family Bible prominently displayed on the coffee table. The lady remarked that it was 116 years old and a priceless heirloom.

After commenting on how remarkable that was, John added “It doesn’t matter how old the Bible might be, what’s inside is what matters.” And the lady immediately replied “Oh, I know. That sure is the truth. Why, we have family records and births and marriages and deaths that go so far back, all recorded in that Bible; we could never replace them!”

It warms my heart when I visit a home, to see a worn out Bible on a table, filled with bookmarks and old bulletins, scribbled in and underlined. It means that the book is read and studied. It means that the person who owns it considers it more than a trinket to be placed on display.

The passage we read from the book of 2^nd Timothy is a record of Paul’s instruction to the young man who was working in the church in Ephesus. In it, he reiterates the importance of scripture. Let me read for you again the three verses from 2nd Timothy 3:15-17:

“…from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Without getting into a long discourse on how we came to have these sixty-six books, thirty-nine in the Old Testament, and 27 in the new. Or how they can be split into Pentateuch, Poetry, Prophets, Gospels, Letters and other divisions. Or how the writing spans millennium, or how the central theme of Jesus the Messiah keeps cropping up all through the collection. Without dwelling on the thousands of years of commentaries, and exegesis, there is really only one question that begs asking; have you read it?

Paul begins by saying Timothy has known the scriptures from a very young age. His mother and sisters taught him and his understanding brought him to knowledge of Jesus Christ and faith in His Salvation.

It would be enough if that is all the Bible did for us, but there is so much more; it is useful for teaching us, for telling us when we are dead wrong, for setting us on the right path, and for showing us the better way. It is also full of comfort, and joy, as well as wisdom. There is something for every one, and for every circumstance. The catch? The only catch is that you have to read it – really read it - to understand it – and more than read it, to take it to heart.

Some people think they know the Bible. They can quote verses to you from it in almost any situation, and yet they can also somehow miss the point.

There was a lawyer one time who thought he knew the Bible and tried to use a quote from it in a case.

He thought he would make a great impression on the jury by quoting from the Bible. So he said concerning his opponent’s client, “We have it on the highest authority that it has been said, “all that a man has will he give for his life.” But the other lawyer knew the Bible a little better, and said, “I am very much impressed by the fact that my distinguished colleague here regards as a highest authority the one who said “All that a man has will he give for his life.” You will find that this saying comes from the Book of Job (2:4), and the one who uttered it is the devil, and that is whom he regards as the highest authority!”

For hundreds of years, the Catholic Church kept the reading of the Bible to the elite – the priesthood. The result was a biblically illiterate mass of people.

In 1456, Gutenberg completed his three-year project to print a bible using moveable print. Since then, literally billions of copies have been printed and distributed, and yet there is still an immense number of biblically illiterate people in this world.

Even now, Christian believers know little of the bible’s history, its content, its structure, or the doctrines it contains. There have been two thousand years worth of classic works on the Christian life, basic theology, biblical language, and biblical ethics. How is it then, that those who have devoted themselves to lifetime habits of study in areas such as law, medicine, farming, and industry, sales and science, have only an elementary level knowledge of the Bible?

How is it that High School students can be taught and understand the complexities of computers, foreign languages, DNA, and Euclidean geometry, but cannot understand the basic principles taught in the sermon on the mount, let alone know who delivered that sermon.

How is it that people can teach Sunday school for years in a church, but find new truths in a beginner’s bible study, or at an introductory course on the bible at university or a bible college?

Why is it that when I talk about Bible Study, it is viewed as a task that is the sole responsibility of the pastor to undertake? Why do people think that a poor lay person has not the ability to comprehend the deep meanings contained in the Bible? Oh, my!

Let me say it now, clearly and without qualification. If you are not in a bible study, either in your own personal time, or with a group of friends, then you are starving yourself spiritually. There are plenty of good books at the Christian Book store to get you started if you feel uncomfortable with sitting down with only the Bible in front of you. There are friends and neighbours who would likely love to join with you to talk about the scriptures, and there are plenty of books to help you when you get stuck, as well as people in the church who will try to answer your questions.

Don’t wait for the Church to start a bible study that fits your personal socioeconomic demographic. Just do it! What are you afraid of?

We are blessed with a freedom to study God’s word. Unlike other countries where people are persecuted for even owning a bible.

Robert Seiple, president of World Vision in 1990, tells of a bible he has seen. A Russian Armenian owned it in 1915. He was beheaded while he was reading it. Mr. Seiple described the pages as large, thick, and well used, with a reddish stain inside that permeated most of the book – the stain of the man’s own blood – one of more than a million casualties of a religious and ethnic holocaust.

In the 1970’s, in the same country, a large shipment of bibles was sent from the west. Ceausescu, dictator of Romania, had his lieutenants confiscate them, shred them, and turn them into pulp. As if as some sick joke, they then had the pulp reconstituted into toilet paper and sold to the West.

All of this for a book that we take for granted. A book that many of us have several copies of in our homes, and rarely do we turn their pages. What a privilege we have to be able to read it.

Curtis Cartmel, a candidate for Salvation Army Officership in Williams Lake, BC told me of how God was challenging him to memorize the New Testament. He has worked with the people in Russia, and in other countries where the Bible is difficult to get a hold of. He felt that one day he might be in a place where he would not be able to have the bible, and wanted to make sure that he could carry it with him always, even if he did not have the book.

Where is that kind of dedication to God’s Word in the hearts of us who call ourselves Christians? Where is that kind of drive to take God’s word and apply it to our own living?

Let me leave you this morning with a poem by Amos Wells to consider:

I supposed I knew my Bible,
Reading piecemeal, hit or miss,
Now a bit of John or Matthew,
Now a snatch of Genesis,
Certain chapters of Isaiah,
Certain Psalms (the twenty-third),
Twelfth of Romans, first of Proverbs --
Yes, I thought I knew the Word!
But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do,
And the way was unfamiliar
When I read the Bible through.

You who like to play at Bible,
Dip and dabble, here and there,
Just before you kneel, a-weary,
And yawn through a hurried prayer;
You who treat the Crown of Writings
As you treat no other book,
Just a paragraph, disjointed,
Just a crude, impatient look,
Try a worthier procedure,
Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in very rapture
When you read the Bible through. [1]

---

[1] Leading the Way by Paul Borthwick, Navpress, 1989, Page 139

Sermon: The Parable of the Cars

Text: Matthew 13:1-8, 18-23
(Trenton, Summer, 1989 - On Radio)
(North Toronto, April 14/91 AM)
(Wallaceburg, September 5^th, 1999 AFT)

I want to tell you a parable this morning. It goes like this:

One day at a car dealership not far from here, four men went in. Each was looking to buy a family car. As luck would have It, they all bought the very same car, all on that very same day.

Now the first man took his car home and proudly showed it off to his wife and neighbors explaining all of the great features and how he had gotten such a wonderful deal. But that night, the car was stolen because he left the keys in the ignition and forgot to lock his doors.

The second man took his car home and also showed it off. It drove well, but unfortunately, the man didn't. On the third day he had the car, he drove around a curve at too high a speed and rolled the car into a ditch. It was totaled.

The third man brought his car home and it drove well, going many miles, but he didn't follow the maintenance schedule and take care of it. It wasn’t very long before it started giving him trouble. He blamed it on the fact that the car was built on a Friday, on the way his wife drove to work, on the guy who was supposed to repair it (even though he never took it to him), and anyone else he could think of, but the car simply fell apart around him.

The fourth man took good care of his car. He looked after it, followed the instructions, maintained it regularly, and drove carefully. His car took him 1000 miles, 10,000 miles, even 100,000 miles requiring only regular maintenance and checkups.

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

If Jesus come today, he would probably use things around him in parables just as he did in Israel. I wonder if he would have told the parable of the seeds something like this? But just as the parable of the seeds had meaning, the parable of the cars holds the same meaning. Listen carefully to see if I am right.

THE FIRST CAR: STOLEN

The first type of car, was the one stolen the same night it was bought. It is the seed that fell on the path. It represents someone who hears the word, but ignores what that word has to say to them. This man took his car home, but ignored the security features – the locks - that would have saved his car from being stolen that night.

In scripture, the seed that fell on the path couldn't take root and was plucked up by birds that passed by. The message of the gospel didn't sink in. Like someone not listening to what I am saying this morning, but instead thinking about what they want to have for lunch. The words of the gospel are heard, but they bounce right off again, unable to sink in.

People might tell you that the gospel is just so much dribble spoken by people who are half crazy. But If you hear the gospel and half believe it – that is, you find it interesting, and maybe even attend church, but you won’t let it affect your life - then you haven't taken the time to lock your doors and secure your faith. God is very real, and you can anchor your roots in His word, so that you will know the word will not be stolen from your heart when someone tries to steal it away.

Everyone can hear and understand God's word. It has meaning and application to every life. Some might try to convince you otherwise. The devil will tell you that it isn't true. But the only thing that can really stop the word of God from taking root in you is your own heart. If you haven’t already - find a bible and read it. Find out what God has to say, then take it further: let it sink into your heart. Every word can be applied to your life in some way. There is enough material in the bible to have kept preachers going for centuries. Volumes have been written on the truths contained in just a single verse. How can anyone say there is nothing in scripture that can apply to them directly?

Isaiah talked about people like this almost five hundred years before Jesus came, when he wrote:

"You will be ever hearing but never understanding, you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Isaiah 6:9 & Various)

Open our eyes, and our ears. Read the owner’s manual and lock the doors. Look into the word of God and find the message it holds for you today. Lock it in your heart and keep the key safe.

SECOND CAR: WRECKED

Now, remember the second driver? His was the car that was rolled in the ditch because he didn't know what he was doing. This car is like the seed that fell on the rocky places. Both represent the kind of person, who hears the word and receives it, but they are careless with it, and it can’t make the impression it needs to, to really be effective. It doesn't go deep enough, and it only lasts a short time. As soon as trouble comes along, control is lost, and this type of person winds up lying in a ditch somewhere blaming everyone and everything except themselves.

I wonder how many people you know who are like that? I wonder how many people you talk to every day, who have been involved in a church, who were regular attendees, who were considered fairly, or even very religious, but who suddenly thought that it wasn't enough and turned away? Jesus described them this way, in Matthew 13:20-21. He says they have:

"received the ... word and at once received it with joy. But since it could not take root, it only lasted a short time. When trouble came, or persecution, you quickly fall away."

Once you receive the word, you must let it sink in. If the man with the second car had only thought about the laws of the road that were laid down for his own benefit, he might have followed the speed limit on that corner and been safer. If he had taken a drivers education course on how to drive the car safely, he might have not only saved the car, but enjoyed it far more as well.

Some of us are people who like to dive into things; to jump on the bandwagon. Our society is very much like that. In spite of recycling, and maybe even partly because of it, we are an “on demand”, “throw away” society. Everything is available instantly and is tossed aside when it is no longer useful to us. Razors, glasses, plates, cups, bulbs.... friendships ... marriages.

Most things come with a cost and a value. If you’re like me, then you often look at the cost right off the bat – how much is it going to cost me? Can I afford that?. But how many look at the value? If I buy something for 10 cents here that lasts me 10 minutes, but can buy one over there for a dollar that will last me a lifetime, which is the better value?

Most people consider the price, but not the value when they first look for something. We must consider the cost, not just in an initial look at the pricetag, but in the entire value of the proposition. In any relationship, there must be commitment, because without it, failure is certain when times of trouble come along. How much more should that apply when we are talking about securing an eternity in heaven. The benefits far outweigh the price – it is great value! But we must expect there to be a higher price.

Christ will see us through our hardships. We are promised that He will never let us down. Romans 8:31 tells us:

"What then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

And in verse 35:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword?"

Christ is not a quitter! He went to the cross, suffered a humiliating, horrible painful death and took upon himself all of the sins of the world, so that you and I, just two insignificant people among millions, could personally be saved from the consequences of sin that is within us.

That is the message of the gospel. Receive it, believe it and be saved. Let it take root in your life. Search for God, and He will be found. Matthew 7:7 says:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you, for everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

When you find it, commit yourself to it. Join a small group and study the owners manual. Be ready for times of hardship and trust that by following and applying the rules of the road, Christ will be with you. Read the instruction manual, take the drivers education course and obey the road signs. Then you will be able to navigate the corners safely and can avoid ending up in that ditch.

THIRD CAR: FELL APART

The third car was the one that was not taken proper care of. It is like the seed that fell on thorny ground. This person is one who listens to the instructions and knows them well, but for whatever reason, chooses to ignore them along the way.

We all know that anything worth keeping requires care and maintenance on a regular basis. If things are not maintained, they fall into disrepair and decay. Perhaps you have heard the word of God. You have received it. You actively try to live like you believe God wants you to, but neglect taking time with him, you rarely or never study his word, and you’ve given up on praying with Him?

Before you know it, you begin to drift. You begin to lack Christ's presence in your life. You begin to fall back into your old, ungodly ways. You ignore the rust holes and the broken pieces. You become one of those who gives the church the name “hypocrite” because your life does not demonstrate the truths you say you hold to.

Who would want to buy a car when they see the same model in disrepair and falling apart? When something needs fixed, you fix it or it will begin to cause you other problems.

I remember one time when I had a screw fall out of the tailpipe clamp on my car. I didn't have time to fix it, so I left it. A while later, after several pot holes, the end of the tailpipe fell off. I still wasn't willing to take the time to fix it, so I tried to tie it up with a coat hanger. A little while after that, the muffler fell off. I figured then, it was about time to get it fixed, but by the time I made it to the garage, the whole pipe from engine to trunk needed replacing.

If only I had replaced that one small screw, the whole assembly would have stayed in place and I would not have had the expense of replacing the entire system.

Many things in our lives try to crowd out Christ. Jesus said in verse 22 of Matthew 13:

"The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth chock it."

Day to day living is not a bad thing at all, but it can make us forget about God, let alone that Jesus died to save us from our sins.

If you’ve been married for any length of time, you know that the day to day chore of simply living and getting by can wear on your relationship with your spouse. You can begin to take them for granted, and unless you maintain that relationship with the occasional date, or time talking, or otherwise spent with each other, the relationship can crumble. How then can you expect the relationship with Christ to be any different? It also needs time and maintenance.

Wealth is another deceiver. When things look good financially, we can begin to feel so secure in this world that we forget there is a coming world into which we cannot take these comforts. Imagine being so focused on such a few short years that you can forget the eternity ahead. That sounds a little like my teen years! And what an amazing deception!

We must let God's word into our hearts, we must understand Christ's presence with us, and we must maintain our Christian experience.

FOURTH CAR: GOOD CAR

The fourth type of car was the one that was taken good care of. It is like the seed that fell on good ground. All of the security precautions were observed, all of the rules of the road were followed. Regular maintenance was performed, and the car served the driver not only for 1000 miles, not only for 10,000 miles, but even up to 100,000 miles.

This is the man who heard the word and didn't ignore it. He listened to what it said to him, and he put it into practice. He found Christ and asked him into his heart. But it didn't end there. He read the rules of the road and obeyed them. He read the owners manual and followed the instructions that were given in it. He took the drivers education course and applied what he learned. He met with other drivers to share tips of the road and share the fun of driving. He maintained his faith. He made sure Christ was still with him, and that he was still with Christ.

Because he did all this, he was able to keep his car running, to keep his faith going. It ran like it was supposed to. Even when he hit rough roads, he knew he was safe because he had discovered how to trust in God and obey his commands.

Naturally, I hope you will be like this fourth man. But probably you feel at least a little bit like one of the first three. So now you have heard the parable – “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.

How does this parable relate to you, and what are you going to do about it? Christ can find the time for you when you need it, why not find time for him right now.

Sermon: The Enemy of our Faith

Text: Matthew 4:1-11
(North Toronto, January 6^th, 1991 AM)
(South Shore, June 4^th, 1995 AM)
(Glen Vowell BC, November 24^th, 1996 AM)
(Chatham Citadel, January 9^th, 2000 AM)

Can I ask you to be honest with yourself for a moment?

Have you ever been tempted? Of course, you have.

Do you remember the last time? Was it to gossip about someone you know? Was it to over indulge in candy, food, drink, or maybe some drug? Was it to covet something that you just should not have? Was it very long ago? How long ago was it?

If it seems like it has been a really long time since you were last tempted, then I have to wonder why Satan seems to have forgotten about you. Hmm… There is really only one reason I can think of that Satan would leave you alone... he would only forget about you if he figured he already has you and has no need to worry. Otherwise, I’m sure you are tempted daily!

Anyway, when you were last tempted, did you give in to that temptation? Did you do what it was you were being tempted to do? If no, then praise God because you won another victory over Satan. If yes, then think about how hard it was to resist. Was it impossible to resist? Not likely. Did you just give in because you wanted to? Perhaps. But either way, the scoreboard was increased in Satan’s favour. He won that victory. The good news is; he never has to again!

The story of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness holds all kinds of theological truth. We could discourse on it for a very long time - but this morning I want us to take it simply at face value: Jesus was tempted, and he did not sin. This morning, let us consider that for a few minutes and learn from Jesus, and realize for ourselves that we do not have to sin.

THE CONDITIONS

Before we can look at anything objectively, we have to understand where it is placed; the context of the situation.

When someone writes a book, they have to take time to set the scene so that we can understand where the characters are coming from, and why they interact the way they do. Movie makers do the same. They literally spend millions to build sets that develop a particular mood. They spend hours setting up just the right lighting, and days clipping pieces of film together to get just a few seconds worth of a sequence that will help you understand what is happening in a scene.

I can't spend millions of dollars this morning (sorry), but it is important that we understand some of the background to Jesus being tempted, so that we can better understand what happened in those moments.

Just before he entered the wilderness, Jesus was baptized by John. The Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove, and a voice from heaven said “This is my Son, whom I love, with Him I am well pleased.” In a sense, Jesus was coming from a “Mountain top experience” into the "wilderness." It would have been easy at that time to be filled with pride. He was happy and content. It would have been easy to relax and enjoy the feeling. But Jesus knew temptation would come.

In the first part of Chapter four we read how the spirit led Him out. Jesus knew he would be tempted, and he knew he needed to humble himself after his experience in the Jordan. So, He fasted and prayed.

Fasting is not something we practice a great deal these days. It was an act of devotion meant to purify a person in body and soul. It was more than just the act of physically allowing the body to purge itself, there was a self-sacrifice involved. When offered to God as a sacrifice, it was usually done as an act of repentance for sin. Jesus had not committed any sin, nor would he ever. He had no need to fast to cleanse himself. Instead, he fasted as an act of devotion to God. He believed God would provide all he needed, and relied completely on Him.

Luke tells us that all through the forty days, Jesus was being tempted constantly, but of all the temptations that came upon him, Matthew and Luke only record the last three. These were the climax; the worst Satan could throw at Him. These were the temptations that were tailor made and most crucial to Jesus.

THE QUESTIONS

Did you know that when we are tempted, it is not really the act of sin that Satan is looking for. It does not matter to him what we do. In fact, he doesn’t really care. What he is really after is the state of our heart. That’s what concerns him. He wants to bend your will. He wants you to reject God, to turn to your own selfishness.

Take a closer look. When Satan tempted Jesus, he did not really need Jesus to do anything. What he wanted was for Jesus to turn from God and place all of his trust in Himself, or worse yet place his faith in Satan.

Satan had no need for bread, and although Jesus was hungry, He would survive without it. Satan had no need to see Jesus jump from the temple, and Jesus was not seeking the thrill either. Perhaps Satan would have enjoyed the King of Kings bowing down and worshipping him, but all he really required was for Jesus to turn away from God. Satan knew very well that Jesus could do any of the things he asked him to do, but what he really wanted was for Jesus to turn from God and follow himself.

Satan’s goal is not to destroy our bodies. When he uses drugs, alcohol, abuse, harassment, or any of a thousand weapons, it is not the physical effects he is concerned with. He is looking for companionship in rejecting God.

My Mom used to say, "Misery loves company." Sin thinks it justifies itself when friends agree with it. Satan is out to destroy our souls. He is the enemy of our faith. Physical calamities are only a side effect. His real purpose is to have you reject God and turn somewhere else.

Every temptation Satan presents Jesus with used that one little word that creates doubt everywhere it is heard: “if.” And each time the “if” is used, it is followed closely by the word “you.” In two words, we see the pattern of temptation – “if” creates doubt and “you” promotes selfishness.

In the first two temptations, Satan tried to create doubt that Jesus was really the “Son of God.” The truth about Satan revealed here is one he would rather you not think about. He is a deceiver and a liar. Of all creatures, he and his demons knew more than anyone that Jesus was the Christ; the Son of God. Luke four records an incident not long after Jesus was tempted, when a demon cried out in front of Jesus “Ha, what do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!”

The devil uses the same tactic when he tempts us today. He may not ask us to turn stones into bread, but his goal is the same. He wants us to doubt God and place our faith in our government, or ourselves or worse yet, in Satan himself. Anywhere except the one place our trust should be - in God.

Satan’s method of choice for delivering the temptation might be different. The words might change, but the motive and goal is exactly the same. He wants you to turn from God. He does not care which way you turn, so long as it is away from the Almighty God.

If the question is always, ultimately, the same, then we might assume the answer is also be pretty much the same. That means it may be possible to find a ready-made formula to answer the temptations Satan throws at us. So let’s see…

THE ANSWERS

1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

That scripture holds a lot of important things for us to remember, and in the answers Christ gave the devil, every defensive weapon in the arsenal of that verse was used against Satan.

None of the temptations presented to Jesus were beyond his ability to resist. and the same is true for us: No temptation ever comes upon you that you cannot resist. That does not mean you cannot fall, only that you do not have to. If your will is set on God, and you want to resist, the devil has no power over you, and he will flee from you. The temptation will have no effect.

It is extremely important, however, to note that it is impossible to resist temptation on our own. The passage we just read says that God provides the way of escape from temptation. Without God on our side, we would fall to temptation in an instant, so although you do not have to fall, you do have to keep your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus to resist. Don’t expect to toss him aside and do it on your own.

It is also important to realize that we are talking about temptation itself here, because we who have fallen to sin also face the results – the consequences - of falling to past temptations: An addiction to alcohol, for instance, is the result of falling to an original temptation to drink, and is not completely a new temptation every time. It has created a physical addiction because the will was weak in the beginning. If the original temptation had been resisted, there would never be an addiction, and the resistance to temptation would now be easier.

Once an addiction has taken hold, the temptation becomes whether to accept your fate and let the booze control you, or to take action to combat the problem. Now you are faced with the addiction, and the fresh temptation of every drink to go even deeper. The problem seems compounded, but God’s promise still holds true! With God’s strength, and his assurance that you can beat it, it is possible.

Remember, in the end, it is not the physical condition Satan is seeking in you. It is not that he wants to see you become a drunk. It is what becoming a drunk means to your relationship with God that he is concerned about.

In each of Jesus’ temptations, He used scripture to help him resist. Ephesians six tells us the word of God is a sword. Jesus wielded it in battle with Satan during his time of temptation. The devil even tried his own hand at using the weapon of the word to support his arguments, but he did not use it properly. Instead, he misquoted, and Jesus easily refuted what he said from another part of scripture.

Scripture can help us to know what is right in times of temptation, but it is important that we understand the whole Bible, not just a few key verses. Knowing only a few verses makes it easy to be swayed by those who misquote it. And knowing the direction given by the whole bible helps us not be lead astray by misquoting it ourselves. We must have an understanding of what the Word of God says so that we can know the Words of God. It is not enough to be able to recite it from memory either, because one who recites it may not really understand it. We need to know it, to understand it.

Psalm 119:11 says “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul instructs Timothy to work hard at correctly handling the word of truth.

By reading, studying and meditating on God’s word, we learn His will, not by rote, but by message. Without knowing God’s word, the best we can hope for is to avoid temptation all together, and we all know that is impossible because we all are tempted.

The answer to the temptations is simple though. Scripture helps us do it. Remembering that it is possible to resist helps us do it. But the one thing that keeps us from falling to temptation is keeping our focus on God. To the people of Zion in Isaiah 30:19-21, Isaiah said that when their focus is on God, a voice will be in their ears saying "This is the way, walk in it." Like a guide leading us along a hazardous path.

THE HOW TO

Jesus was victorious over every temptation. He was able to escape even the more deceptive of Satan’s ploys. He did it by maintaining his trust in God, and using the word provided in scripture. We too, in God’s power and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, can resist the Devil’s temptations. Remember what Satan wants when he tempts us. If you do not, you might find yourself giving in to him without even having to be deceived. The solution is only this: Follow Christ, look to God and worship no other; Obey his commands, and listen to no one else, including yourself. Focus on Jesus.

Now, do you still remember your most recent temptation? Think about it honestly; with God’s help, could you resist? Was there a way of escape from the temptation that you fell under? Was your focus on Jesus, or was there doubt created by an “if” and a selfish desire? God has promised us that you can resist, and I believe it is true. Next temptation… what will you do?

Sermon: The Shepherds Quest

Text: Luke 2:8-20
(Chatham Citadel - December 17^th, 2000)
(Meet Me at the Manger # 3)

A few days before Christmas, two women stood looking into a department store window at a large display of the manger scene, with clay figures of the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men, and the animals. With disgust written all over her face, one woman turned to the other and said, "Look at that! The church trying to horn in on Christmas!"[1]

Do you know people who might feel that way about the Christmas story? OK, so Jesus was not born on December 25^th. Yeah, the date was taken from the pagan celebration of the winter solstice. Sure, the presents and Santa Clause have to do with a man named Saint Nicholas who threw bags of gold through a window to help a poor man who had no dowry to marry off his daughters (and they happened to fall in their socks). But there can be no doubt that the celebration has become for us truly about the birth of Jesus. Why else would we call it "Christ-mas" – The Christ Mass, or celebration of Chris - or are you one of those who prefers to say "Happy Holidays".

Is that really how some people feel about the Christmas story? Is it an intrusion into all of the other things Christmas has become?

It is kind of like the two men who stood on the street corner in New York. One looked disgustedly at all the traffic (mostly Christmas shoppers madly rushing about to fill their Christmas lists), and commented to the other how Christmas has made everything so chaotic.

The other man looked at the first with a grin on his face and said, "It's really quite romantic. To think that a baby born two thousand years ago to poor parents in a squalid corner of a back woods town half way around the world could cause a traffic jam on fifth and main."

It didn't seem to bother the shepherds, however, when the angels horned in on their quiet evening out on the hills! God interrupted humanity - broke in with an angelic chorus - woke up the neighbours - and proclaimed the birth of a Savior for the world. And look where he chose to make the announcement… not in King Herod's court, or in Caesar's, but to humble shepherds out on the hillside; common people, who heard the call and answered; who responded with hearts full of praise and wonder.

God sent Jesus for all of us; not just for the rich, or those who consider themselves somehow special. As John 3:16 says, he came for the whosoever. God sent Jesus for the common man, and he began with those shepherds on the hillside - common people like us, and yes, even for those who consider him an intrusion into Christmas.

COMMON PEOPLE

In the verses following our scripture, we read about Jesus being presented at the temple to be circumcised. We meet Simeon and Anna, who we somehow figure must be part of the priesthood working in the temple, but it is not true. Simeon was a simple man - devout and righteous, but not a priest. He was a layperson who had been given a special promise and who hung out in the temple courts awaiting the fulfillment of that promise. Anna was a prophetess, yes, but she too was just a common person, a widow who had devoted her life to praising God in the temple. She too was a layperson.

Just like with the shepherds, Luke was making a point; God did not send Jesus for the scholars only. He sent his son to earth for everyone, because he considers everyone to be important in His kingdom. Jesus himself said "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17)

The Shepherds were common people - unschooled in theology, or homiletics or apologetics. He came for common folk like them, like you and like me. We are important to Him. We are all important to Him.

One time at a Christian conference, a woman, who was complimented on her homemade biscuits commented, "Just consider what goes into the making of these biscuits. The flour itself doesn't taste good, neither does the baking powder, nor the shortening, nor the other ingredients. However, when I mix then all together and put them in the oven, they come out just right."[2]

Many of us might consider our lives to be average, or even wrought with difficulties. We are different, and there are parts in all of our lives that perhaps do not "taste good", but God calls us all, because we are all part of the ingredients of his kingdom, the common and the uncommon.

James Cox comments: "Christianity my friends, has never been a religion of Priest and theologians, minister's and teachers; from the very beginning it has been a religion of devout men and women with no claim whatsoever to professional expertise about their faith. This is important to remember.

"God never intended the church to be an organization of ministers. What he did intend it to be is an organization of laypersons, all "righteous and devout" like old Simeon, all devoted to fasting and prayer like old Anna, and all ready, in simple faith, to receive his Kingdom and rejoice in it. Ministers, in Christianity, are expendable; good, simple folk are not!"[3]

So what is it that makes the common things so uncommon in God's eyes? It has to do with something called consecration, or holiness. In essence all that means is a devotion to God, completely and utterly. The shepherds, Simeon, Anna, the disciples, Mary Magdalene, St. Augustine, Booth, Billy Graham; they all heard the call and they all answered.

The disciples left everything and followed Him. The shepherds ran to his side. Booth gave up his position in the Methodist Church. All so that they could give themselves wholly to God. We know these people as uncommon people, but before they gave themselves wholly to God, they were no different from you or I. They too were just common people who came in contact with an uncommon Savior who changed their lives.

They all heard the call and they all answered.

COMMON PURSUIT

For the shepherds, there was no question, only a statement "Let us go…" They did not hesitate to seek out the new born baby - this "Savior" that the angels spoke of. Luke doesn't even tell us what they did with their sheep when they left, though anyone who has seen a shepherd working with sheep knows that Luke could not have used the verb "hurried" if the sheep had been with them!

Unlike the Magi, who had to search the scriptures and the skies to find the King of Kings, the shepherds knew with certainty what they would find - they believed. All they desired was to get a glimpse of this miracle they had been told about. Which are you more like? Are you like the Magi, are you searching spiritually and studying the scriptures deeply trying to find Jesus? Or are you more like the shepherds who simply heard, believed and accepted. Study is important, yes, but we do not need a deep understanding of theology before we can encounter the living God. It would be like us feeling we had to have an understanding of the complexities of biology before we could shake hands with someone.

What is more, we do not have to pursue God, because He is already pursued us!

One evening a woman was driving home when she noticed a huge truck behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas to gain some distance from the truck, but when she sped up, the truck did too. The faster she drove, the faster the truck did. She became more frightened and exited the freeway, but the truck stayed with her. She then turned up the main street, hoping to lose her pursuer in traffic. But the truck ran a red light and continued the chase. Reaching the point of panic, the woman whipped her car into a service station and bolted out of her car screaming for help. The truck driver sprang from his truck and ran toward her car. Yanking the back door open, the driver pulled out a man hidden in the back seat.

The woman was running from the wrong person. From his high vantage point, the truck driver had spotted a would-be rapist in the woman's car. The chase was not his effort to harm her, but to save her, even at the cost of his own safety. [4]

How like us that is. We think God is out to get us, he is the hound of heaven, chasing us and scaring us with His commandments, His call to righteousness and devotion, but all the time it is the other way around. He is pursuing us trying to help us avoid the one who really has evil in mind, and to rescue us from the hidden sins that endanger us.

There was no question in the Shepherds' mind. They heard the call, and they answered.

COMMON PROCLAMATION

There is not much detail about the Shepherds' actual quest. All we know for sure is that they left right away and "found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." We also know they were absolutely thrilled by what they found. Here before them was a real baby, just as the angel had told them - wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

When they left the scene, they were amazed and could not contain themselves. They told everyone they came in contact with. And, that is how an encounter with God should be… If you have really touched him - if you have really felt His touch - it effects you so deeply that you can't help but let those around you know.

How many more people came to see the new baby because the Shepherds went and told them what to look for? How many more later followed the grown man, Jesus, because they remembered hearing the shepherds speak of him in their youth?

TODAY

Today - that is this day - we may not hear an angel choir singing "Glory to God in the highest", but the call to us is just as clear. "Come and see the baby who is born the Savior of the world - he is Christ, the Lord." Will you, like the shepherds answer that call? Will you run to the manger to see the baby? Will you leave with the same enthusiasm and proclaim it to your friends that God has reached down from heaven and touched us?

The Shepherds responded with their hearts full of praise and wonder. Our response need not be any less. They all heard the call, and answered, what about you?

---

[1] Fredericksburg Bible Illustrator Supplements

[2] Leadership Magazine, Winter 1992, Greg Asimakoupoulos, Concord, California

[3] James W. Cox, The Minister's Manual 1995, New York: Harper, 1994, p. 275.

[4] Fredericksburg Bible Illustrator Supplements

Sermon: The Difficult Journey

Scripture: Luke 1:45-55, 2:1-7
(Series: Meet me at the Manger # 2)
(Chatham Citadel, December 10^th, 2000)
(Wallaceburg Corps, December 17^th, 2000)

A professor at Harvard once said to Rebecca Pippert (author and speaker on evangelism), "I admire the fact that you are devout, but in the end it doesn't make any difference whether you believe in God or not. Life is essentially the same for everyone. Don't Christians get cancer, get divorced, long for their children to do well? Don't Christians fail, morally?"

She answered yes, they do.

"You're proving my point," the man said. "God DOESN'T make a difference."

She explained to him that one of the difficulties is; Christians try to pin the difference in the wrong place. Sometimes we try to make it seem as if, when we follow Jesus, we are no longer human. So, what is the difference God makes?

It begins to show, Rebecca told him, in how we handle problems and personal failings - not in freedom from them. She understood there is nothing we do that does not contain some corruption, that does not have some self-serving motive. God shows us the problem of human nature and He gives us a diagnosis for our condition: SIN.

The professor interrupted at this point, "If I was that hard on myself, I'd be depressed! But you seem so joyful."

Then she told him the rest of the story: "That's because I've also been given a solution. It's the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me overcome."

"Has the cure worked?" the professor asked.

"I'm not a finished product, if that's what you mean. But I'm learning to live in recovery from sin and I'm growing in amazing grace, and that would make anyone joyful!"[1]

Our journey does not end when we meet Jesus, it only puts us on the right road.

That was Mary and Joseph's experience. One would think that meeting an angel would prove to be a life changing experience, and it was, but the young couple did not find their lives enriched and filled with ease when the angel left them. Rather, they found themselves thrown into hardships beyond belief. But they pressed on, because they trusted God. They trusted that he would ultimately bring redemption to the world, through that same Jesus who would be their son.

They knew God could work miracles, and they trusted that he was using them to fulfill his plan.

STIGMA

The first difficulty Mary and Joseph faced on the journey to the manger was the stinging judgment of their friends and relatives.

Even in the 21st century, being pregnant out of wedlock still holds some stigma, but not anything like in those first century days. Mary could well have been stoned to death for what appeared to everyone to be indiscretion.

Joseph was not immune either. By separating himself from his bride to be, Joseph would have been considered blameless, but he chose to stand by Mary's side, and so took on himself the same stigma. The illegitimate pregnancy would likely have been blamed on him by people who considered themselves wise. They would have raised their eyebrows and whispered knowingly to their cohorts, "aaah, so he is the father…"

But Mary and Joseph pressed on, because they trusted God. They trusted in the message he had given them and they trusted in God's ultimate providence, no matter what the hardships were along the way.

F.B. Meyer tells a story, of visiting a beekeeper who told him how young bees are nurtured. The queen lays her eggs in six-sided cells filled with pollen and honey - enough to feed them until they reach maturity. The top of the cell is sealed with a cap of wax. When the young bee has exhausted their supply, it is time to leave the cell, but to do so, they must fight their way through the wax seal. The opening is narrow, and the struggle is agony for the young bee. In the midst of the struggle, the bee rubs off a membrane that encases its wings, so that when the bee finally emerges, it is able to fly. But that is not the end of the story…

The beekeeper explained that once a moth got into the hive and ate all of the wax capsules. The young bees were able to crawl out without any effort at all. But they could not fly. They were unproductive, and eventually the mature bees instinctively stung them to death.[2]

Hardship is part of our existence in this world, but God in his wisdom has used even these hardships to benefit us. Romans 8:28 reads, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." That is why Joseph (that is, the Joseph with the coat of many colors), could say to his brothers after he had been through so many trials, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20). And why Paul could say to the Corinthians, after all he had endured, "I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." (1 Corinthians 9:23)

They pressed on, because they trusted God.

JOURNEY

The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is approximately 140 km long - around the distance along the 401 between Chatham and Woodstock. Not a long way by car, but can you imagine the trip walking, or on the back of a donkey - let alone being nine months pregnant at the time? It is a miracle that Mary made it to Bethlehem at all. Under normal conditions, the journey would have taken the better part of a week, but with Mary expecting at any moment, it may have taken much longer.

What is more, Mary was probably not even required to make the journey at all. As the head of the household, her husband, Joseph, could have gone alone to register, saving his pregnant wife the hardships of travel. So why did she go?

She may have went because she wanted Joseph at her side when the baby was born, but more likely she went because she could not continue to face the difficult questions, the ridicule and the scoffing of the people in Nazareth - not without Joseph with her.

That scoffing did not end. Almost thirty years later, at the commencement of Jesus' ministry, after reading from the scripture and prophesying, Jesus was almost thrown off a cliff by these same people.

The road was hard, the ridicule was difficult, but they pressed on, because they trusted God. They trusted that his promise was true - that they would be the earthly parents of the coming Messiah. They trusted that God would take care of things, no matter how terrible they looked at that moment.

INN

Even on reaching Bethlehem, the hardships did not end.

Some have conjectured that Joseph probably arranged a place for them to stay ahead of time, but the place where they were supposed to be that night was given to someone else before they got there - possibly because they were delayed on the journey.

We have no record of what the stable was like, we only know that Jesus was lain in a manger. The manger could have been in an open courtyard with the animals, or in a wooden shed as tradition has made it. Or it might have been in a cave, carved out of the stone, as was often the case in those days. Whatever the facts, however, it was not the most pleasant place to give birth, or to spend your first hours on earth.

Yet, Mary and Joseph endured it. They pressed on, because they trusted God. They trusted that even in these humble surroundings, God was working a miracle. They were focused on what God had in mind, and did not worry about the situation surrounding them.

In the early morning hours of July 4^th, 1952, a swimmer named Florence Chadwick made an attempt to become the first woman to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast, a 21 mile swim through shark-infested waters. The water became foggy that morning, and less than half a mile from shore, Chadwick had to be pulled from the water. It was not fatigue that defeated her. It was limited vision. "If I could have seen land, I might have made it." She said later.

After two months, she made another attempt. This time she kept a picture of the coast in her mind, overcame the despair, and reached her goal. (Wikipedia)

How many times over those nine months, and even in the months following Jesus' birth, must Mary and Joseph have despaired? But they pressed on, because they trusted God.

How many times do we despair at the difficulties life brings us - death, corruption, deceit, disappointment - they blind our vision of the goal.

What is the solution? Focus on Jesus - see your goal and press on. Trust in God.

PROMISE

There are difficulties in life, whether we have faith in God, or whether we do not. The difference is in how we approach those difficulties when we have accepted God's providence. Mary & Joseph faced ridicule, rejection, a difficult journey, and lowly accommodations at the end of that Journey. But they pressed on, because they trusted God.

Our hope is not in earthly things, but in heavenly. Our goal is not ease on earth, but joy in heaven. How else can we understand the words of Paul to the Philippians when he says:

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained." (Phil 3:10-16 NIV)

Let me close with this simple story: A father, who climbed the ladder of success by determination and hard work, told the dean of a college where he hoped to send his son to school, that he wanted to spare his son from the same hardship he had endured. He intended to give his son all the money he wanted.

The dean, after listening to the man's good intentions, suggested he send his son to another college. He told the good man, "Our College already has enough students on that road to perdition."

Are you facing struggles today? Are you not sure sometimes, if you can make it to the next day, past the next bill, through this difficult trial? Trusting God will not make those things go away, but it will change your heart. What others intend for harm, God will use for good. Press on, and trust in God.

 

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[1] When You Don't Have It All Together, Rebecca Pippert, Discipleship Journal #57, May 1990, page 17.

[2] Fredericksburg Bible Illustrator Supplements

Sermon: Angelic Announcement

Text: Matthew 1:18-25
(Series: Meet me at the Manger - Advent # 1)
(Chatham Citadel / Wallaceburg Corps - December 3^rd, 2000)

We all know the story of the first Christmas, and we all, to some degree, enter into the spirit of the holidays. But every year, I wonder do we really appreciate what a momentous occasion the birth of Jesus Christ was? Do we really understand how miraculous it was?

I am not just talking about the miracle of the virgin birth, or that a star could lead kings to a specific spot, or that angels would shout for joy in the presence of shepherds. I am talking about the miracle of God directly entering into his own creation.

Yes, we have dated our calendars by the incident, and we have marked and celebrated it as one of our longest standing holidays. Yes, at no other time can we say Love, Joy and Peace reign anywhere close to the way they do during the Christmas season, and, yes, Christmas is very special in our hearts, but do we really appreciate how cosmically significant the birth of Jesus on earth is?

The event was grand enough to warrant a visit from foreign kings. It was relevant enough to all of humankind that common Shepherds were also invited to come and see. At no other time on earth, in the Biblical record, are angels seen so frequently, or in such great numbers as at this point in history.

Prophecies were proclaimed about the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ, but interpretation was not clear enough for those who studied them to recognize the events when they occurred. If those who studied the coming of the Messiah could have missed it, how easy could it be for us to miss it even today? Perhaps that is why angels had to be sent to proclaim to the participants, and to the witnesses, that God was about to intervene in human affairs.

As we begin our journey through advent, I would like to remind all of us of the importance of the event. Perhaps we will not witness the angel chorus proclaiming "Glory to God in the highest," but we do not have to miss the significance. For a few minutes, let us look at three or four particular instances when angels delivered their proclamation from God. In each case, directly, or indirectly, those instances were related to the coming of Jesus Christ, and in every case, the message was given, not only to inform the recipients, but also to invite them to be participants in the event.

We, too, though it is some 2000 years later, are invited to be participants in the advent, and so, as we look at the angels' message, let us not forget that we are more than hearers of the good news. We too are invited to come and see Jesus.

ZECHARIAH

Luke takes us further back in the story of the nativity than any other Gospel. All of the gospels recognize John the Baptist, and his important role, near the beginning of their story, but only Luke explains the events of his birth, and remarkably, the first dialogue in Luke, following some preamble and stage setting, is spoken by an angel.

The circumstances surrounding John's birth were certainly not as miraculous as those surrounding Jesus' were, but they were definitely out of the ordinary. So much so, that Zechariah himself lacked confidence in the message. As a sign, the angel Gabriel struck him dumb so that he could not speak until the baby was born and it was time to name him. (Perhaps some of us men would have been better off if that happened to us while our wives were pregnant!…)

But the angel's message was not merely to tell Zechariah and Elizabeth they were going to have a son. The announcement brought some much more important news as well. Zechariah's son, John would be the Elijah prophesied in the Old Testament (Malachi 4:5-6), and he would precede the Messiah, the Christ - the Saviour of the world. If Zechariah was struck dumb because he could not believe that he would have a son, imagine what his reaction to this news must have been!

Zechariah was amazed at the news the angel brought - in spite of the fact he had been praying for a son.

Just like Zechariah, we often engross ourselves in our Christian "religion" and hold firmly to its doctrines, even pray fervently for a wide variety of things, but when God says he will answer our prayers, or our faith is tested in some way, we let go so easily.

Zechariah was not only invited to share in the miraculous answer to his prayers, but in the most miraculous event in history. If that kind of message is brought every time an angel appears, it is perhaps not any wonder that they seem to always be saying "do not be afraid!"

JOSEPH AND MARY

Six months later, after that first appearance to Zechariah, the same angel Gabriel traveled to Nazareth, and to Mary, who would become the mother of Jesus. Again, we hear the words "Do not be afraid."

This time, however, Mary has more to fear than the astonishing appearance of Gabriel. To be pregnant out of wedlock in those first-century days could easily have meant death for her. Yet, Mary was certain of her own uprightness before God. Apart from asking how such a thing could be possible - a much more rational and practical question coming from Mary, than it was from Zechariah - Mary is willing to serve God in whatever way she can. Mary knew what she was not guilty of. She had her own integrity to stand on, no matter how it might look to other people, she knew the truth and she seems to accept the matter with relative ease.

Mary's fiancé, Joseph, however, did not take it so lightly. I think we can all appreciate it is easier for a woman to know that there is no possible way she could have been impregnated in the normal way than for a man to know his wife has not been violated. It would take a more extreme step of faith for Joseph to believe than for Mary.

Joseph was a compassionate man, however, and he did not want to bring any harm, or disgrace, to the woman he had chosen to marry. So, he thought it best not to make a fuss over the matter. Instead, he would let her out of her nuptial commitment quietly and gracefully.

That was the rational thing to do, but this was an irrational situation. Joseph needed some divine intervention to boost his faith in Mary, and the story she was telling him. An angel visited him, too. And again the words "do not be afraid" are spoken. But this time in direct relation to the ridicule Joseph and Mary would face from those who simply could not, or would not understand.

Do we need an angel to visit us before we can believe the account lain out before us? Zechariah, Mary and Joseph all had that kind of support to their faith, but there are many that did not.

There is no account of John the Baptist ever having been visited supernaturally in any way we have not, and yet he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah boldly.

Some of us, like Mary and Joseph, are thrown into faith. The young couple did not seem to have any choice but to participate in the birth of Christ. Many of us have grown up in a Christian home and sometimes have the challenge of seeing the grit and grime of living faith - the day to day challenges - without having had the incredible conversion experience of those who have not know Christ until later in life. But whether we are thrust into faith, or come to it in some other way, a miracle is no less a miracle. The fact of God coming to earth is just as thrilling either way.

THE SHEPHERDS

The shepherds did not have the same kind of experience. They were not direct participants, but rather privileged witnesses to the event of Christ's birth. Imagine a quiet night in the fields minding the sheep, when all glory breaks out in the sky above you. Again we hear the words, "do not be afraid" and this time, it is definitely to calm some very shaken shepherd nerves.

Perhaps most of us can relate most closely to those herdsmen on the hillside. We are not the parents of the prophet John, or of the Saviour - we too are common people who live our lives in the daily grind of making a living. The message the angels spoke to those shepherds was one for us too: "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior is born to you; he is Christ the Lord." And when the great company arrived - the back-up choir - they sang "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

There was no recorded conversation between the shepherds and those angels. Perhaps there were others who heard the same message that night. It was the shortest encounter of all those recorded in the nativity, but the message is the most far reaching. The Shepherds could not sit still after hearing it. Immediately they had to pick up their things and go - to find the Christ child.

YOU

This Christmas you will hear the message once again. Not the gruesome events of the crucifixion, or the challenging words of Jesus in his ministry; not the difficult task of following under persecution in Acts or toiling to grow a fledgling church in the epistles. Or any of the other times in the Bible when following faith is shown to be the difficult task that it is. The message we hear at Christmas is that of love. Of the love of a gracious God who went to the extreme of entering into his own creation so that it might be saved from its own corruption.

You too are invited to be a participant this Christmas in that message of love, and in the nativity. How will you answer the invitation? Will you be struck dumb like Zechariah? Will you try to quietly pass it off as a surviving urban legend as Joseph almost did? Will you accept the truth quietly and with confidence as Mary, or will you run to meet Jesus as the Shepherds did?

We know what that little baby became. We know what he means to us personally. Are you prepared to meet the savior in that lowly stable in that manger? The angelic announcement of his coming to earth has been proclaimed… will you come to meet him?

Sing with me again as we just as the words say; Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ, the new born King.