Acts 14:21 – 28

1.)        How many of you need correction to your physical vision?  If so, you are either far sighted meaning that you need help in seeing things that are close to you, or, you are near sighted meaning that you need help seeing things that are far away from you.

I usually wear contacts on Sunday but I am wearing my glasses to show you that I need correction in my vision.

When I was in Junior High and had received an updated prescription and a new pair of glasses from the eye doctor I realized my vision was getting worse.  In my thinking I figured that eventually I would go blind.  I remember crying about it and prayed that it wouldn’t happen.  But my vision stabilized with the correction that I received.  But those moments as a young person seemed dramatic and troubling.

So, whatever your need in order to get correction for your vision you need contacts or glasses.  You need lens correction to allow your eye to focus on those things near and far.

2.)        Let’s take our understanding of our physical vision and connect that to our spiritual vision. Do we see the needs of people who are close, or do we see the needs of people who are far away?   As we see people are we near sighted or far sighted?

We are called to go and make disciples reaching and seeking the lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Is the Lord bringing to our hearts those closest to us or those farther away?  We all have a comfort in our faith as it relates to the needs of people.   Is it easier to go away or to stay here in making disciples?

3.)        Let’s discover what our scripture can tell us.  Paul’s first missionary journey in the book of Acts begins in the 13^th chapter of Acts.  “In the church at Antioch…while they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.  So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:1, 2, 3)

Paul had been given the task of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ away from the church at Antioch.  He was called to have a far sighted vision.  So, Paul and Barnabas went and we can read in the 13^th and 14^th chapters of the experiences that they had in distant lands.

Acts 14:21 finds Paul in the town of Derbe.  He preached there and then traveled on to other towns.  While they preached people came to believe in Jesus Christ and committed to become disciples.  Paul then strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to remain true to the faith.  This was a pattern that we see in Paul and his journeys.

Then Paul and Barnabas traveled back to Antioch and shared what had happened in ministry.  Then we read the last verse of this chapter.  “And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.” (Acts 14:28)  Paul stayed put and didn’t head out to distant lands.  He spent time with the disciples there in Antioch.  This is an example of near sighted vision.

4.)        What we discover in Acts is that Paul and the early church had a near sighted and a far sighted vision.  They could see the needs of the people in the local community and church as well as seeing the vision of people in different distant towns.

We also discover that Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in each church.  They wanted to make sure that local leaders were set so needs could be met.  Near sighted vision causes you to see the needs of people in that town and church.  Far sighted vision gives you a burden for those in distant and different lands.

This scripture from Acts tells us that churches need a balance of their vision.  We read about the different churches in the book of Acts and some that took up collections to help those in Jerusalem and some churches feeding the hungry in their own town.

5.)        We need to hear the stories of the church, and its people at work in meeting needs right in front of us and in distant places.  The stories help correct the vision that we have.  When we hear a story of meeting needs in Christ’s love it is like putting a pair of glasses on.

*So, we hear the story of McCurdy School and visualize what our Mission Team did.  Most of us have never been there and will never go.  Yet, we hear the story and let God use that experience to help our vision of people’s needs in distant lands.

*We hear the stories of the children, youth and adults involved in our camp ministry.  Some of our own children went to camp and these are some ways that they responded.  (Read some responses without mentioning the names of the children).  Ask some of those who volunteered as counselors or staff members and hear their stories.    

*We see the children and youth and how we can meet their needs to help them continue to grow in faith.  These are our children, living with us all year round.  We need to make sure that we have VBS, Sunday School, Bibles, Youth Group, for students to grow in their faith.

*We tell the stories of collecting canned goods that we give to local food banks.  We know that we are helping to feed people in our town.  This is a need we are meeting.

*We tell the story of support we provide for Ken Vance in his ministry in Africa.   We pray for him and we give money to him so that he can reach the needs of the children, youth and adults in Africa.  (As a side note Ken will be here in November to preach.  I wonder how many of us would be willing to travel to Africa in the next two years to see and participate in the mission work he is involved with?

*We tell the story of Epworth Forest and bring before the congregation the needs of a campaign and our $75,000 pledge to build some new lodges to prepare for the future.  This is vital to have our vision stretched beyond ourselves.

*We tell the story of the work being done on our parking lot and our need for $50,000 – $90,000 in gifts so that we won’t have to borrow.  This is vital to have parking so that people can enter the building for the ministry that will be provided.  We are doing it with the future in mind so that we will not have to spend money on parking for another 50 years or more.

6.)        Do you know the story of William Carey or of William and Catherine Booth?  They both had vision but with different results.

William Carey was a Christian man who started as a shoemaker.  He had a growing vision of the importance of reaching those who did not know Christ.  He wrote a book about missions and eventually went to India.  He is known as the father of modern day missions for his inspiring work in India.  Carey had a far sighted vision.

William Booth was a British Methodist Lay Minister.  He and his wife, Catherine Booth, wondered what they needed to do to fulfill their calling as Christians.  William was invited to preach to the poor and destitute of the city of London.  The people came to Christ and the Booth’s began meeting needs of the people through food and other help.   The Booth’s had a near sighted vision.  We know this organization today as The Salvation Army.

These vital people were used of God to do His work.  William Carey brought the vital vision of those in distant lands who needed to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Many missionaries, perhaps like Ken and Deb Vance, have been influenced by men like that.

William and Catherine Booth brought the vital vision of ministering to those who have need right in the town you live.  Shelter Ministries, perhaps has been influenced by men and women who stayed in town to meet needs, like the Salvation Army.

John Wesley and the early Methodist leaders were both far and near sighted.  Disciples were developed in local class meetings and churches were started by the early circuit riders who would take the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who would listen.

If we don’t have vision for the needs of those close or distant it could be disaster for our church and our spiritual life.

7.)        One day at a busy airport, the passengers on a commercial airliner are seated waiting for the pilot to show up so they can get under way.

The pilot and copilot finally appear in the rear of the plane and begin walking up to the cockpit through the center aisle. Both appear to be blind; the pilot is using a white cane, bumping into passenger’s right and left as he stumbles down the aisle. The copilot is using a guide dog. Both have their eyes covered with sunglasses.

At first, the passengers do not react thinking that it must be some sort of practical joke. After a few minutes though, the engines start revving, and the airplane begins moving down the runway.

The passengers look at each other with some uneasiness. They start whispering among themselves and look desperately to the stewardesses for reassurance.

Yet, the plane starts accelerating rapidly, and people begin panicking. Some passengers are praying, and as the plane gets closer and closer to the end of the runway, the voices are becoming more and more hysterical.

When the plane has less than twenty feet of runway left, there is a sudden change in the pitch of the shouts as everyone screams at once. At the very last moment, the plane lifts off and is airborne.

Up in the cockpit, the copilot breathes a sigh of relief and tells the pilot: “You know, one of these days the passengers aren’t going to scream, and we aren’t going to know when to take off!” (From Ahajokes.com)

8.)        I want to say thanks to all those who go away to serve the needs of others in Mission trips.  I invite all to consider opening your heart, to going away from this area to serve the needs of others.  We need you to have far sighted vision.

I want to say thanks to those who volunteer in this community, in this church, to help meet needs in the lives of people.  You make a difference.  I appreciate your near sighted vision.

I invite all to give two hours of your time to some need that helps children, youth or adults in ministry.  There are needs in our children’s ministry, our youth ministry or in some way in helping meet the needs of adults.  The Lord needs good vision in the life of the church.

Exodus 20:1 – 17

1.)        Freedom.  What a great feeling that must have been when the Israelites finally left Egypt.  They had been oppressed for over 400 years and now they had come through the Red Sea, miraculously saved by the Lord’s hand.  They no longer had to follow the laws, rules and demands of the Egyptian taskmasters.  The feeling was wonderful and they sang a joyful song.

(Exodus 15, from The Message)  “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God, giving voice together,   I’m singing my heart out to God—what a victory!   He pitched horse and rider into the sea.   God is my strength, God is my song,  and, yes! God is my salvation.   This is the kind of God I have and I’m telling the world!    This is the God of my father—   I’m spreading the news far and wide!”

The people were free!  It was a new day!

This new freedom and feeling needed some common structure so all could enjoy the freedom.  The people were living in the wilderness, like an extended camping trip, in a survival mode.  So, three months after their escape from Egypt God spoke to Moses.  The Ten Commandments and other laws were given out of love to the people so they could be free.

2.)        The Ten Commandments are the foundation of freedom for Israelites.  God spoke the words and the instruction comprised two aspects of life; relationship with God, and relationship with people.  Of the Ten Commandments there is one positive commandment relating to God and one positive commandment relating to others.  Can anyone guess what they are?  The remaining eight commandments are negative, things we are to avoid or are prohibited from doing.   These commandments and laws are given so that we can experience joy in our freedom.

3.)        Several years ago, an interesting study was done of playground behavior in young children. The children came from several different schools, but each school had essentially the same size play area and the same ratio of teachers to students. Yet, there was one major difference between the two types of schools being studied: one group of schools offered children a fenced playground; the other groups had a play area with no fence.

When the study was over, guess which students showed more cooperative play, had fewer playground fights, and exhibited lower levels of anxiety during recess? Here’s a hint: it was the same group that used more space on the playground and had better attitudes toward school work following recess.

“Easy!” you say. “The kids who played in the wide-open spaces. Right?”  Wrong!

The children who played behind the protective boundaries of a fence were far happier at play and better adjusted after recess. When it comes to playground behavior, children playing inside a fence feel a security that other children do not. And when it comes to grown-up kids living in the fast lane, having “Fences” around their behavior is just as important.

God gave us his great ten commandments to keep us inside the fences of his love and blessing. (Seeking Solid Ground, Trent & Hicks p. 22)

4.)        We all need laws.  We live free and joy filled lives when we have boundaries.  We might not like certain rules and laws but they can help us.

I remember going to Haiti and observing the driving habits.  I think I only saw one stop sign in a week.  The driving was crazy.  The rule of the road seemed to be that when you came to an intersection you honked your horn and drove faster.  There was no common law governing the driving habits of people.  It seemed chaotic to me.  No laws seemed like they would produce anxiety, at least they did for me as a passenger.

When you stop at a four way stop and someone goes before you don’t you get a little “irritated,” because they went out of turn.  You are frustrated that the law was not enforced and it seemed to benefit the other person.  We have to agree to limit our benefit for the common good and not just for another person.  We have to benefit at times and sacrifice at times.

A foundation of freedom, the laws we agree to, give us confidence to live.

5.)        As we celebrate July 4 I invite us to consider freedom and what our past can tell us about our future.  There were Native Americans living here and people came over to this land and began settling it.    In the early 1600’s the first organized communities, or settlements began.  This was a free country, a new country to those who had lived elsewhere.  As more and more people came the King of Great Britain sought to influence life and control the people in this land.  There were different taxes, rules and laws that were oppressing the people from Great Britain.

On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was affirmed.  It was a separation from the King of Great Britain.  It was a radical statement that could have meant death for those who signed it.

It was a time for the country to have freedom.  How could the people best live under this new freedom?  In 1789 our Constitution was ratified after having people work on this document for years.  It was a document that sought to balance the freedom for the people without having any one person getting too much power, like a King.

We also further enacted laws in order to maintain freedom.  Those two documents have guided our country’s life.

6.)        I believe we all need and desire to live in freedom.  Freedom works best when we have a foundation in place and we have laws like boundaries to show us how to live.  That is what God gave through Moses to the Israelites in the Ten Commandments and Laws.

Our country has a balance of laws that might seem like they constrict our freedom but with this constriction it allows the majority to enjoy freedom.  It is like the idea of having a speed limit.  If we all decided to drive 95 miles an hour that would cause problems.  It works best to have a common speed limit so we all know what we can do to operate our cars in safety.

7.)        I want to take a little detour and offer some personal reflections about my life, my faith in Jesus Christ and what it means to be a citizen of the United States of America.

a.)        I am thankful to live in this country.  I am a first generation American.  My father came to this country when he was 16 from Norway.  What generation are you?  We each have a story about our heritage.

b.)        I have never been drafted to serve in the Armed Services.  I never had to sign up for the selected service because of the laws when I was growing up.  I don’t believe that I could have ever killed someone if I had to go to the Army.  So that has shaped my view of the world and this country.

My father did serve in the US Air Force in Germany and worked for the Navy for his career.  My military connection via my father was never something my Dad and I talked a lot about.  He was never in any battle.

c.)        When I became a Christian my focus expanded to a Kingdom of God vision.  I was not limited to a vision of life on earth, or even an exclusive perspective of this country.  I look at this country and all countries of the world through the Kingdom of God vision.

d.)        The church, the body of Christ, exists in a cultural context in each country and community that is unique.  It is important to understand that culture and its context but the church must not be narrowed by that context.

e.)        I never understood the term “Christian nation.”  Does that mean that at one point 100% of the people in the nation are followers of Christ?  Does that mean that we are all seeking to become Christians?  Does that mean that 100% of our early leaders in 1776 where Christian?  Are there other ideas of what this means that I am missing?

f.)        I believe that it is vital to have Christians, led by the Holy Spirit, involved in all aspects of our life in this country.  We need Christian politicians, teachers, lawyers, plumbers, business owners, etc.

g.)        No law can ever stop you from praying.  Daniel, a man in the Old Testament, was told about a law that prayers could only be to King Darius.  Daniel decided to not obey that law and prayed to the Lord as he faced Jerusalem.  King Darius had him arrested and he put Daniel in the lion’s den.  God saved Daniel’s life from the lions, even though it appeared to Daniel that he would die.  Daniel prayed, even though the law of the land said he could not.

h.)        My allegiance is ultimately to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.  That is what I ask each person who joins the church.  I understand that to mean that your faith is more important that your allegiance to your country.  My allegiance has a higher priority.

8.)        All citizens have a right and responsibility to live within the law of the country but Daniel’s story reminds us that when you face a law that is against God’s will you live out your faith and work for change.  We have been given freedom to speak and act on issues and concerns that we are facing as a country.  This is a great aspect of our country.

William Wilberforce was known as a politician and a Christian who spoke out against slavery in the British Empire in the late 1700’s.  It took 26 years for his conviction to make a difference in the passing of a law to abolish slavery.  His voice made a difference.  The movie, “Amazing Grace,” tells his story.

His life is an example of living out your faith to change society, the world.  There are others, like Martin Luther King, who lived out their faith as well.

9.)        John 8:36 says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” I believe that when Jesus Christ comes into a life He sets us free.  We are free from our past sins, we are free to listen to His voice in this moment, and we are free to give Him our future with confidence.  True freedom comes from the Son of God and not from our government or are laws or even the Bible or Ten Commandments.  We will be free when the Son sets us free.

10.)      What are your reflections on this day?  How does your faith in Christ inform your voice and your actions as it relates to the issues of our community, country and world?  What are your perspectives of history and your responsibility as a citizen?

May we enjoy this day, thank God for our freedom, and use it for the Kingdom of God.

Acts 2:1 – 13

1.)        In the Christian Year we celebrate this day as the birthday of the church.  The church is approximately 1,977 years old.  Whew!  That is a long time.  In fact that is older than some of you here.

I want to ask why did God pick that day to give birth to the church?  Are there insights about that day in history that can inform us in 2010 as to what God would desire of us and what would merit His blessing on us?  Let us go exploring.

2.)        Act 2 begins with these words, “When the day of Pentecost came…” We will take a look at the word Pentecost in a few moments, because that word along can give us some great insights.

What follows those words is a rather unusual and out of the ordinary scene.  We know from Acts 1 that there were a group of people together who had been following Jesus.  We know from the Gospels that these followers had been with Jesus for 3 years.  This group was gathered in a somewhat public arena and not huddled in a secret hideout.

There was the sound of a violent wind, perhaps a hurricane or tornadic force wind that was frightening and caught the attention of all people.  Then there was what looked like a fire storm of some sort from the sky that came down upon them and separated.  The flame hovered above and came to rest on each of those gathered.  This fire did not burn or scare them.  The fire caused no damage.  Unbelievable.

Then they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, different languages.  Many people could distinguish and understand their own language, yet other people could not understand their words.  In Acts 2:8 – 11 we read a list of 15 different languages being understood.  Wow.  What an interesting beginning!

3.)        The people who were drawn to this scene that were not followers of Jesus had this to say of what they experienced of the first moment of the church.  “These are a bunch of drunk people!”   It appeared to the culture and crowd there that alcohol had taken over their lives and this event was out of control and chaotic.

Then Peter begins preaching to the crowd sharing the message of Jesus God’s presence in history.  The people heard this message and responded by believing and were baptized.  We read these words in Acts 2:47, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

It appears to me that the beginning moments of the birth of the church was to “get the attention” of the people so that a message could bring them salvation. The Holy Spirit could enter their lives not with an expression of wind and fire or speaking in tongues but with salvation, with wholeness, with healing, with grace, with forgiveness.  The end result of the church’s birthday was not more fire, wind and tongues, but was people’s lives being saved, made whole.

I ask the question; why was the church born on this day?

4.)        Pentecost is a Greek word for fiftieth, which designates seven weeks and a day after the First Fruits Feast, and Passover.  The day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Feast of Weeks that God commanded the Israelites to observe.

As I studied the Feast of Weeks I discovered three insights of significance that were a part of that feast that people in Jerusalem were a part of.  Let me read Leviticus 23:15 – 21.  I encourage you to follow along.

“’From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks.  Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.  From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the LORD.  Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the LORD, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.  Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering.  The priest is to wave the two lambs before the LORD as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the LORD for the priest.  On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.”

I want to look at that scripture, understand what God had commanded, what the people were doing and what the disciples were doing when the church was born.  Then I want to make the connection to today.

5.)        a.)        The people were to give to God a portion of their harvest.  The Feast of the First Fruits was a gift at the beginning of the harvest and this gift was a celebration of the end of harvest.  This offering was more costly than the first fruits one.  The people had more in possession and were able to give more and so they were commanded to do so.  Leviticus 23:16 – 19 gives us this insight that they were to give back to God.

b.)        So, when we make a connection to what the people were doing and what God expects of us as the church today we realize the importance of giving back to God.  As you connect your life and faith you need to give back to God time, money, energy, love, gifts, service.  You will grow spiritually and in vitality when you give back to God.  You need to acknowledge in a substantial way the fact that God has blessed you with His love, giving you the gift of His only Son, giving you His provision and grace and has allowed you to have the resources you do.  Give back to God.  We are the church when we give.

This offering plate is a symbol of giving.  We give as an act of worship to God.

6.)        a.)        The people were to unite together as Jews.  They were to come together as Jews for a time of fellowship and worship.  Leviticus 23:17 says, “from wherever you live… The people had to travel to the Temple to do this.  When they were all together they experienced a common bond of joy by their friendship.

b.)        Today we understand the importance of uniting with other believers in Christ.  We are all different and yet when we come together in worship and service the bond of friendship is vital.  The people in Jerusalem that came from all different regions heard the same message of God’s wondrous love.  The power of the church united is a beautiful and wonderful thing.

This coffee cup is a symbol of the relationship that can bind us together in relationship and fellowship.  Today this might happen more in the Fellowship Hall than in our sanctuary.

7.)        a.)        The people were to remember the story of what God did for them in all of history.  Leviticus 23:21 commands the people that they are to do no work but to remember and to do this for all generations.  The people are to hear the story of what God did in their past, and what God is doing in their lives now, and what they believe will happen in the future.

The people in Jerusalem were remembering the God who brought them salvation and life from the past.

b.)        Today the church must help all remember our story.  We listen and read God’s word the story of God’s love becomes our story.  What the Lord did in the past reveals His life and character, and we count on that for the future.  We sing about God’s story, we hear God’s story, we memorize God’s story, we study God’s story and make it ours.  We give thanks for the word of God.

This Bible contains what we remember.  It is vital that we read and remember privately in our own scripture reading and in public expressions.  We need both.

8.)        We also need to look at the disciples of Jesus and discover what they were doing.  We read in Acts 1:4 Jesus words.  “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait…” So the disciples are waiting and they were praying.  Acts 1:14 tells us that, “they all joined together constantly in prayer…”

So the disciples were waiting and praying on that day.  Both of these are vital as we consider the life of the church.

9.)        a.)        There are times when the church, to be the church, needs to do nothing but wait on God.  This might seem like a hard part of being the church.  We have to slow down, put life on pause, do nothing but wait.  This was vital for the followers of Jesus so they would be ready for the next steps they had to take.  The disciples had been waiting for fifty days.  I am sure that some were anxious and thought they needed to do something, especially Peter, because he sure sprang into action on the day of Pentecost, preaching to the crowd.  Some of us need to wait on God and do nothing but look to Him.

The chair is a symbol of the importance of waiting.

b.)        It is vital all times to pray for direction.  We need to focus our hearts on the Lord and be a people of prayer.  All that we “do” needs to be lifted up to God in prayer.  We have the heart of God when we pray, this is vital as we week to be the church.  Prayer teaches us that this is God’s church and not our church.

This kneeling bench is a symbol of prayer in the church.  We are God’s people under His love and direction.  Prayer helps us listen better.

10.)      What is the one object that seems to connect to you as vital for you to practice as you connect to this church?  Giving, Uniting, Remembering, Waiting, Praying.

All of these are vital and essential in the life of the church.  As we celebrate the birth of the church and we think of our church may God’s blessing of the Holy Spirit come upon us as we seek to fulfill what was happening on that first day.

11.)      Next week we are going to look at the rest of Acts 2 and a metaphoric question of the church.  It is a metaphor that involves cars.  Is the church a museum of classic cars or is the church a repair shop of broken down cars?

Romans 8.1-18 (NLT)

How many of you have those little key fobs on your key chains? If you have one with you, pull it out for a moment and flip through it.  I brought mine with me today.  Let’s see what I’ve got here.  Kroger Plus Card, Lassus Handy Dandy Rewards Card, Pharmacare Card, Blockbuster Rewards Card, Best Buy Reward Zone Card, Anytime Fitness Key Fob, and Babies R Us Rewards Card.  Looking at each of the pieces I have here, I feel like someone could deduce a little bit about me.  Apart from the fact that I enjoy utilizing the reward benefits and multiple stores, I enjoy movies and electronics, have a child, and an interest in staying fit.  What about you?  What do your key tags say about you?

Sometimes I think the pieces of our lives become like these little key tags.  They mark and identify who we are, the things that we do, and the ways in which we respond to different situations.  They are simply little snippets of our lives, but they aren’t the whole picture, are they?  Are we to be defined by the tiny pieces of our lives or is there something bigger and greater that we are called to be a part of?

You know, sometimes I feel like there has got to be something bigger and better and greater than all of our everyday experiences. We tied down to and bogged down with all of the temporal things of this life – the drama, the chaos, the complacency, the little nitpicky things of life.  We almost get to the point where we feel enslaved to the everydayness of life, and then passages like this morning’s Scripture rip me back to the reality that is not of this world.

The very first verse of this morning’s Scripture tells us explicitly that there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. This means that there is no judgment, no guilt, no condemning of the people who put their full trust in Jesus as Lord and Messiah.  This does not mean that we will never sin, because that is simply a reality of being human.  We are a broken people who are constantly seeking to be restored to their Creator.  But the realization that comes through this passage is that no matter what we do, no matter what our key tags say about us, our hope and salvation are found in our trust in Christ.  This is wonderful news for us!

We find the reasoning for this in verses 3 and 4.  The Message version states, “God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.  The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.”  Right here is the crux of the message.  The law that was set in place under the Old Covenant, before Jesus, demanded things of us that we could never ourselves accomplish.  So Jesus, the Son of God, came so that we might be freed from that old law, from suffering under the penalty of our own sins, and find life in Him.

And what then is the result of such a life? Verses 5-9.  Paul is pitting life in the world versus life in Christ.  Are you to be controlled by your sinful nature or by the Spirit of God?  The Scriptures remind us over and over again of who we are in Christ and one of particular importance is that we are united with Christ.  Not just united as a body of Christ and with one another, but when we accept Christ as our Lord, we become a part of Him.  This means that everything we do, everything we say, every aspect of our being is to be informed by that particular relationship, by that identity.  We often ask ourselves, how are we to respond to a particular situation or circumstance.  Perhaps even this morning you have come seeking a specific answer to a problem in your life.  We don’t always have the answers, and the good book isn’t always specific.  Instead, we are called to come to know God more, to spend more time with Him, to seek to understand Him more deliberately and more deeply.  And through that relationship, through better understanding who God is, then we can know how to respond to life in this world. When we find our identity in Christ, we are so much more capable of answering the question, “Who am I?”  So, is your life with Christ simply another key tag on your key chain or is your identity placed fully and completely in Him such that your every aspect of your life is informed by Christ’s impact on your life?

And here comes the promise.  If you are truly living life in the Spirit, if you are truly allowing yourself to be directed by the will and wisdom of God, then you will not be controlled by your sinful nature. Verse 10 in the Message says, “But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms.”

Let’s check out this video that speaks about just that.

[skit guys “verdict” video]

You must begin to see yourself for who you really are.  You are free.  Free from guilt.  Free from brokenness.  Free from sin. All this simply upon the acceptance that Jesus Christ has paid the price for you.  Allow your life to be transformed by Him.  Verses 12-14: “¹² Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. ¹³ For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”  And continuing on in verses 17-18: “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory… What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”  You see, our spiritual situation is so much greater than our temporal issues.  So whatever it is that we are facing, wherever it is that we are in this world, the important thing to realize is that as Christians, we are each part of something much larger than simply the here and now.

My question to you this morning is are you viewing your life as if you are simply made up of a bunch of different pieces, just like these key tags or does your life have a higher, more unified purpose?  Are you living your life in light of the freedom and grace that Christ has given you?

So, who am I?  I am a child of God.  I am one with Christ.  I am living in the fullness and the freedom of the Spirit.

Genesis 1:20 – 31

1.)        Did you know that while you were sleeping God was at work creating new life, was with you by His Spirit, was naming what was good?  As we explored Genesis 1:1 – 19 we learned those truths.  The first four days of creation offered those insights into life.

Today we read the rest of Genesis and discover what God did on days 5 and 6.  God created living creatures in the water, in the air and on the land in two days.  God calls them good as God did in each of the other days of creation.

2.)        On the sixth day, after the creatures of the land, something new is talked about in Genesis 1:26, 27.  “Then God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.  So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

God creates people and not just in any particular way.  As fascinating and interesting as we are of the living creatures we have on earth and even creation humanity have been created with something very different.

We are created in the image and likeness of God.  Wow.  Nothing in all creation has that aspect of it.  Humans are the only part of creation with that distinction.

3.)        I looked up the words image and likeness to see the meaning in Hebrew.

The word for image in Hebrew is selem.  It has a meaning of something detailed, specific.  The KJV uses the term in describing an idol in Exodus 20:4, when it says, “thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” Image had a specific meaning.    

It is like a digital picture of a person.  The image gives you details because of the pixels.  The more pixels, the more detail is revealed.   Image means detail.

The Hebrew word for likeness is de mut.  It has a more generalized meaning, more abstract than specific.  Likeness is a big painted picture contrasted with a digital picture.  Likeness is about general aspects not exact details.

One way of understanding the words is to say that Judy looks like her mother, that is the essence of image, contrast that with saying Judy looks like a woman, the essence of likeness.  That is more general.

4.)        What does it mean to be created in the image/likeness of God?

One commentator in the Old Testament Word Study believed that the image of God is not referring to our bodies because we are created from the elements of the earth.  That person believes that the spiritual, intellectual and moral aspects of our lives are what make each of us have the image/likeness of God.

Our bodies are not eternal, like God is, yet Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20, “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”

Humanity shows God’s essence ways, through our bodies, and through our soul.

5.)        When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into his sixth day of “overtime” when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”  And the Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?

She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; Have 180 movable parts… all replaceable; Run on black coffee and leftovers; Have a lap that disappears when she stands up; A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair; And six pairs of hands.”

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands… no way.”

“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. “It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”

“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. “One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, ’What are you kids doing in there?’ when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.”

“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “Go to bed. Tomorrow…”

“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick… can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger… and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower.”

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.

“But she’s tough!” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”

“Can it think?”

“Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromise,” said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told You You were trying to push too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”

“What’s it for?”

“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.”

“You are a genius,” said the angel.

The Lord looked somber. “I didn’t put it there,” He said. (Erma Bombeck’s Mother’s Day column for May 12, 1974.)

6.)        When God finished creating humans God did not say it was good.  No, according to Genesis 1:31 God said, “it was very good.” God was excited, energized, fully and abundantly blessed after male and female were created.  It is like the feeling of energy when you hear a good song and you want to turn up the volume.  God wanted to turn up the volume on His affirmation of creation and the humans He made.  The New Living Translation uses these words, “it was excellent in every way.” (Genesis 1:31)

7.)        As I look around this sanctuary and see you I am viewing the best part of God’s creation.  When I see people in this community I am seeing the best part of God’s creation.  When I see people of different cultures I am seeing the best part of God’s creation.  This is excellent.

We don’t live in a Genesis 1 world today and as we read past the first chapters we realize that even though humans messed things up God is loving and reaching out to them.  That is the wonderful story of God’s love in history.

We hold on to the truth of God’s design for each us… in the beginning.

Genesis 1:1 – 19

1.)        What did you expect when you went to sleep last night?  What did you expect when you woke up this morning?              Did you expect there to be light?  Did you expect it to be Sunday?  Did you expect God to be in control of the world?  Did you expect it to be a good day, a new day, a day not yet lived?  Did you expect God to be with you?

What did you expect when you went to sleep?  What if when you woke up is was dark and it was Wednesday and God was not in control of the world and it was not a new day but a day you had lived before, a day that was one of the hardest days of your life, and you knew that God was not with you.  What would that be like?

As we explore Genesis 1 let us open our hearts.

2.)        Look at Genesis 1, verses 5, 8, 13 and 19.  Did you notice anything about those verses?  “And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day.” They say the same thing but mention different days; first, second, third, fourth.

In this first chapter we are exploring beginnings, patterns, designs, intentions and the divine, as contrasted with the human.  As we dig a little deeper in these verses may we uncover something to take with us.

3.)        For most people the thing that happens from evening to morning is sleep.  Humanity is designed to rest, to do nothing, to sleep.

We let go of our lives and whether we name it or not we trust God.  We are not able to function and do anything.  Our bodies are tired, exhausted and cannot think or move.  They need rest.

Yet, while we rest God is still at work.  This is a vital and foundational truth taught to us in Genesis.  God is working while we are not.

Genesis 1 highlights three aspects of what God is doing.

4.)        “In the beginning… God created.” (Genesis 1:1)  God is creating.  The Lord is doing new things.  It is the nature of God to be creative and making things new.   When you  see a sunrise you get a sense of the creative power of God.

“In the beginning… the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”  (Genesis 1:2) God’s Spirit is hovering. The Lord is present over the natural world which includes our lives watching, caring, considering all that is happening.  The Spirit is present in life.  Listen to these words from Romans 8:26, 27.  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we out to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

“In the beginning… God saw that the light was good.” (Genesis 1:4)  God is calling creation good. The Lord is naming what is good.  This is important to hold on to.  There are a lot of negative, bad, evil things that we name in our lives and world.  But God is a good God and what He created is good.

When we sleep, evening until morning, if we accept that God is present and active in all of life we are invited to receive the work of God in our hearts.

5.)        In the current issue of National Geographic there is an article on sleep.  Sleep is a universal experience; it is common to us all.

In the article written by D.T. Max it is shared that scientific study has been done related to sleep and physical health and sleep and our brain functions.  The article tells that some testing was done on mice who were subjected to sleeplessness for weeks.  All of the mice died but they couldn’t determine a cause of death, other than a lack of sleep.

The article indicates there is no conclusive evidence in any of the studies that explains our need for sleep.

D.T. Max wrote these words in his article on page 80.   “At Stanford University I visited William Dement, the retired dean of sleep studies, a co-discoverer of REM sleep, and co-founder of the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center.  I asked him to tell me what he knew, after 50 years of research, about the reason we sleep.  ‘As far as I know,’ he answered, ‘the only reason we need to sleep that is really, really solid is because we get sleepy.’”

I suggest that sleep has a pattern designed by our Creator that invites us to consider Genesis 1.  Our own bodies, which cannot live without rest, are giving witness to God as described in Genesis 1.       Spiritually we cannot live without trust in God.   We cannot live life without the presence of God.

6.)        Patterns are reassuring.  With pattern and routine we know what to expect.  Our lives are less stressful when we have more routine.  As we consider Genesis 1 and the evening and morning pattern of life trust in what God is doing in our world and in our lives.  Genesis 1 reminds us that we may of God’s plan in our lives.

7.)        We are going to celebrate Communion.  Communion in the life of the church is a reassuring pattern we regularly experience.   Celebrating Communion means that we receive God’s grace rather than working for us by our merit.  We don’t do anything when we celebrate Communion but let God work in us.  God’s work in us is similar to God’s work in Genesis 1.

a.)        God is creating. God creates new life in us by Jesus’ life.  Jesus forgives our sins, leads us, gives us a new heart.  God, in Christ, makes us a new creation by the work of grace.  We are given new chances, new hope, new life.

b.)        God’s Spirit is hovering.  Consider what God’s name for Jesus was as first prophesied in the Old Testament and mentioned in the New Testament. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:20 – 23)  One of the names of Jesus is, “Immanuel,” which means God with us.  The Spirit of God is with us, hovering close in ways we cannot fully understand or explain.  Even as we look at the bread and juice the Spirit of God is hovering and inviting us to see God’s love.

c.)        God sees good things. Jesus Christ loves us.  Jesus sees the good in each of us.  We might struggle seeing good in ourselves but believe God who says we are good.  We are sinners but in Christ’s love and grace God names us good and righteous.  We can sing, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells us so.”