[Matt's Messages] "Jesus' Followers Are Different: Part One"

“Jesus’ Followers Are Different: Part One”
Certain of Jesus:  The Gospel of Luke
November 22, 2009
Luke 6:12-26


Our series is titled, “Certain of Jesus” which was Luke’s purpose in compiling his history of the life, teaching, and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We’ve been at it about 9 weeks so far.  We have a long way to go!

Starting today, we are going to go into a sub-series within the Book of Luke that looks at Jesus’ teaching in an extended message often called the “Sermon on the Plain.”  This sermon, located in chapter 6 verses 17 through 45, is often compared with the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew chapters 5 through 7.  In fact, it may be the same sermon being reported on by two different writers with different parts of it being brought out and emphasized.  I’m not sure.

I am sure that this is Jesus’ teaching, and that Luke has preserved it for us in this form to teach us some things that Jesus really really wanted us to know.

If I had to summarize the entire Sermon on the Plain, I would give it this title: “Jesus’ Followers Are Different.”  And so, that’s going to be the title of the next 3 or 4 messages, we’ll just divide it up into parts. Part One is going to be verses 12 through 26.

Jesus’ Followers Are Different.

They act differently.
They believe differently.
They value things differently than others do.

Jesus’ followers belong to a different kingdom.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll learn what Jesus’ followers are like–what Jesus requires from those who believe in Him and how it plays out in their life.

Jesus requires that His disciples be different from the rest of the world.

In verses 12 through 16, Jesus hand picks His apostles.

He has a bunch of disciples that are at varying levels of interest in following Him.

Now, He decides that it’s time to gather a core group around Him that will be endowed with special authority. They will become His authorized representatives–that’s really what “apostle” means–authorized representative.

And before He does that, the Son of God, what does He do first?

He prays.

He prays all night!  V.12

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”

10 to 12 hours of solid prayer because He had a very big decision to make.

Now, if the Son of God needs to pray like that for His decisions...

Let this reminds us how much more we need prayer when we have to make a decision!

And here was His choice: 12 very ordinary men.  All nobodies.  None of these guys had ever been apostles before.  They weren’t from the high levels of society–they were fishermen, tax-collectors, zealots (which means former revolutionaries), and so on.  Here are their names.  V.13

“When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter [The Rock]), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”

We’ll learn more about Judas as the book goes on.

Now these men were ordinary, but the number of them was not.  How many were there?  12. Why?

Jesus is forming a new community, a new covenant people. And He’s signaling that by choosing 12 apostles like the 12 tribes of Israel.

And then He brings this group down to a level place and meets with and ministers to a bigger group of people–mostly disciples but also others.  V.17

“He went down with them and stood on a level place [The King James says, “The Plain.”]. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.”

Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?  What it must have been like to be with Jesus at that time!

It’s from this place, this plain, this level place that Jesus brings His message.

And it’s directed at His disciples.  A disciple is a follower, a learner, someone who is becoming like His teacher.  A disciple is a follower.

And verse 20 says that Jesus specifically looked at His disciples and gave them this teaching.  I never noticed that detail before, but I think it’s important.  This sermon is about what Jesus’ followers/disciples are really like.  Jesus’ followers are different.

And it contrasts that with what Jesus’ followers are NOT like.  What they are different from.

Jesus begins His message with 4 beatitudes and 4 woes.  And they directly contrast with one another.

A beatitude is a blessings statement.  It says who is blessed and why.  Who has God’s blessing and why.

And Jesus has 4 that He says here.  V.20

“Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. [That’s one.]  Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. [Two.]  Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. [Three.]  Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. [That’s Four.]  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”

Then, Jesus has 4 woes that He utters.  Notice how they correspond to each blessing:

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. [Rich vs. Poor] Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. [Well fed vs. Hungry]  Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. [Laughing vs. Weeping]  Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets [Being spoken well of vs. being hated.].”  Do you see the correspondence?

This are some of the strangest words in the Bible.

Jesus turns everything we think we know upside down and backwards.

Jesus’ Followers Are Different

#1.  JESUS’ FOLLOWERS KNOW THAT THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.

It has to be that way if we accept Jesus’ teaching here.

I mean, who would call the poor, blessed?

Who would call the hungry, blessed?

Who would call the weeping, happy?

Who would call the hated, loved by God?

It sounds so wrong!

I almost called this sermon, “Jesus Counts Our Blessings...Very Strangely.”

I thought it went with the Thanksgiving theme.

I would have guessed that those who have money are blessed.
Those who have a big Thanksgiving Dinner planned for Thursday are blessed!
Those whose life is a continual party are blessed.
Those who are popular are blessed.

But Jesus says the opposite.

Who are His woes for?

The rich, the well-fed, the well-entertained, and the popular.

Woe to them. [Careful that it’s not woe to us.]

Things must not be like they seem.

Do you need to hear that this morning?

Are you tempted to be jealous of the world and the things that come with the world?

Riches, delicacies, godless entertainment, popularity?

It seems, sometimes, like the wicked get away with everything.

And like Jesus’ own followers just suffer for it and get nothing.

But that’s just how it seems.  It’s not the way it really is.

Jesus gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what is really going on.

The poor are blessed. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The hungry are blessed.  They will be satisfied.
The weeping are blessed, they will laugh.
The hated are blessed. They will have great reward in heaven.

That’s the way it really is.

Things are not always as they seem.

And it’s true for you, too.  Does it seem like nothing ever goes your way?

Does it seem like you’re following Jesus, and yet you’re getting pounded for it?

Does it seem like it’s not worth it to follow Jesus?

Things are not always as they seem.

Watch out for teachers on television that tell you that Jesus’ followers are always experiencing blessing in this life.  Health, wealth, prosperity.

That’s not what Jesus says we can expect.

He says that we can expect trouble. Lots of it.

But that trouble is not all that there is.  Behind the scenes, there is blessing.

Now, why do I say, “following Jesus?”

I think that all 4 of these beatitudes are descriptions of what it means to follow Jesus.

This is a description of a disciple, at least what a disciple can expect.

V.20, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”

It doesn’t say, “Poor in spirit” like it does in Matthew, but I think it’s pointing there.

The poor are those who have nothing to lean on.

They know that they are needy.

And often, those who are poor financially have a better sense that they are poor spiritually.  Poverty itself isn’t a blessing, but those who use it depend upon God get a blessing.  They know that they are needy for God.

V.21, “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.”  Again, I see a spiritual hunger here, but also a physical one.

Someone who has tasted true hunger knows that they are dependent creatures. Dependent on their next meal for life.

And someone who knows that knows that God is satisfying.

V.21 again, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”

This is not calling for perpetual gloom in Jesus’ disciples!  What did we learn last week?  Jesus brings real joy!  He the Bridegroom. He is new wine!

But this is weeping over sin, over suffering, over evil in the world–even evil in our own hearts.  There is blessing in this kind of mourning.

V.22, “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil [this is important] because of the Son of Man.”

Notice why these bad things happen.  Because of Jesus.  Because of a disciple’s relationship with Jesus Christ they are persecuted.

And that seems bad.  (And it is.)

But there is more going on here than it seems.  It is also good.  V.23

“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.  For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”  You are in good company.

Things are not always as they seem.

There is blessing hidden in these sufferings–for Christ.

I think that all four of these are sufferings for Christ.

Poor because of following Jesus.
Hungry because of following Jesus.
Weeping in Jesus’ name.
Hated because of a love relationship with Jesus Christ.

The opposite is also true.

It seems like being rich is where it’s at.  But verse 24, “Woe.”

It seems like being well fed is terrific!  But verse 25.  “Woe to you...”

It seems like laughing away the day is great–but if that laughing is divorced from Jesus–if it is the laughing of the world, verse 25, “Woe to you...”

I seems like I would want people to like me.  But if they like me for all the wrong reasons (v.26), “Woe to you.”  That’s how they treated the false prophets.

Things are not always what they seem.

Why? Because things are not going to stay this way forever.

Jesus’ Followers Are Different.

#2.  JESUS’ FOLLOWERS KNOW THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE.

They are not going to stay the same.

That’s what Jesus is saying here.

The suffering for His name will only last for a time.  And then the blessing will come in.

And the opposite is true.  The worldly pleasure will only last for a time and then the woes will come crashing down.

Things are going to change–drastically!

If you are poor, then you have the kingdom of God.  Now.  But not like it’s going to be!

If you are poor in Jesus’ name now, you will be amazed at the Kingdom that you will inherit then.

On the other side, if you are rich towards the world now and not toward God, you have gotten everything good that’s coming to you.  Enjoy it while you can.

If you are hungry for Jesus’ sake now, you will be satisfied.  I love that word!

But if you are well-fed for the world’s sake now, hell will be a place of hunger.

If you are weeping over sin for Jesus’ sake now, then you will have the fullness of the Bridegroom’s joy!  V.21, “you will laugh!”

But if you are laughing now, then you will mourn and weep.

When I was youth pastor, my youth group was very into basketball–it was the Michael Jordan years in Chicago. And they were enamored with Dennis Rodman. Remember him?

I used to pray for him every week in youth Sunday School.  And I would pray these verses for him.  I was concerned for him. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.  He seemed to have everything–and laugh at the world!  But what was coming for him?

You could do that with just about any group of celebrities today.

Our young people would love to change places with Kristen Stewart or Robert Patterson or Taylor Swift or whomever.  But woe to them if they have it good now but they are outside of Jesus!

Things are going to change.

If you are hated now because you belong to Jesus.  Are you?

Do you get any flack for being a Christ-follower?  Big or small?

If you are hated for belonging to Jesus, rejoice!  Because great is your reward in Heaven!  (V.23)

Last week was the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Just yesterday, I saw a video of a group of Vietnamese Christians that were being raided in their worship service by the police.

Their things taken. Their leaders being arrested and banned from meeting with them.

Jesus says, “Jump for joy!”

It’s not going to be that way forever.

Things are going to change.

But if everyone speaks well of you (v.26), then watch out.

If no one gives you trouble because you belong to Jesus, then maybe you don’t belong to Jesus.

Jesus’ followers are different.

And they know that things are going to change.

And change, catch this, for the BETTER.


#3.  JESUS’ FOLLOWERS KNOW THAT THINGS SUFFERED FOR HIS SAKE WILL BE WORTH IT!

Listen to these words.  “Yours is the kingdom of God.” It belongs to you!

“You will be satisfied!”

“You will laugh!”

“Great is your reward in heaven!”

Doesn’t that sound awesome?!

It’s worth it, friends.  It’s worth it!

It’s worth being poor. I know that we’re not poor in this room by world standards.

But we can be generous now and live simple war-time lifestyle lives now because it will be worth it then!

I know that we’re not hungry now by world standards in this room.

But we can fast now with a hunger for God!  It will be worth it then!

We can weep now over sin, suffering, sickness, loss, pain because we belong to Jesus.

It will be worth it all!

We can be hated.  We can be excluded. We can insulted.

We don’t have to call in the lawyers when those things happen.

“I demand my rights!”  No.

We can leap for joy when that happens. Because it will be worth it when we get to heaven.

Christian, have you been thinking about chucking the whole thing?

Maybe you wouldn’t say it that way, but maybe you’ve been thinking about just drifting off away from church, away from righteousness, away from Christ.

It seems too hard.

Don’t do it.  It’s worth it to continue!


Lean into the wind!

It’s worth it!  He’s worth it!

Maybe you aren’t a Christian yet.

Maybe you aren’t yet a follower of Jesus.  I understand.  The world seems much more exciting sometimes.

But it’s going to change.  And for those outside of Jesus, it will not change for the better.

“You have already received your comfort.”
“You will go hungry.”
“You will mourn and weep.”
You will have no reward in heaven.

Woe.

“Consider the vanishing nature of wealth, food, entertainment and popularity” [Mark Dever, “Jesus’ Claims” - Luke 6, April 8, 2007].

Repent now while you still can.

Because everything is going to change when Jesus brings His kingdom in full.

Do you see how different we have to be?

Christians are going to look different, talk different, value different things, and undergo suffering for being different.

Are you ready to suffer for Jesus?  Are you willing to suffer for Jesus?

Are you happy to suffer for Jesus?  “Blessed are you.”

He promises that it will all be worth it.  Let’s trust Him and His faithfulness and follow Him.

Messages So Far in Certain of Jesus:
Certain of Jesus
The Back-Story of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
Jesus - A Very Special Child
Preparing the Way for Jesus
Jesus Is the Son of God
Jesus in Galilee
Jesus and the Sinners
Jesus Brings Real Joy and Rest

Robin's Joke Book #1

Robin is getting into the act now, too.

Q.  What did the train say when he had to put on his sneakers?

A.  Shoe-Shoe! 

Get it?!

Peter's Joke Book #2

Q.  What is a Steeler's favorite thing to do?

A.  Steal things!

[No offense intended to the Pittsburgh team!  Peter is actually a fan.]

Calvin's Institutes

Finished.

I just completed reading John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, which was 1521 pages in English. Whew!

I read about 6-10 pages almost each day this year, and made it through the whole thing.

It was well worth reading. Calvin was a brilliant man, a real gift to the church.  He had his blind spots but he also could see incredibly clearly in other areas. I'm thankful that I read it.

My buddy Dan Ledford and I have been keeping each other accountable for reading the whole thing, and I've profited from reading the short companion expositions of it on this site.  Dan and I have been disgusted with ourselves that we call ourselves pastors and have never read it. Well, now that's changed!

I think my biggest disappointment was Calvin's intemperate use of language.  I know that he lived in a different era, when the pen needed to be a mighty sword, but he seems to fight almost the same with his close brethren as with his biggest enemies--with sarcasm.  I believe there is a place for that (Jesus showed us this, as did Paul), but I can't help but think that he crossed some lines that I couldn't and wished that he wouldn't.  (For example, though he married the widow of an anabaptist, he can't find a good thing to say about those of us who believe in believer's baptism.)

My biggest surprise was how little of his writing was devoted to election/predestination and how much of it was devoted to prayer.  Check out the proportions in his Institutes, and you'll be surprised, too.  Good for him!  (I happen to think he's right on election, too, but I applaud his biblical balance.)

My biggest take-away was awe of someone who had mastered so much Bible and been mastered by the Bible.  Calvin has texts for everything he believes.  Not just a text, and not just a proof text. This man knew his Bible, and it thoroughly shaped his thinking.  Oh, to be a man so steeped in Bible! Calvin has a reputation of being a theologian, but he was clearly an exegete first and foremost and then a systematician.

Several conferences have been devoted to Calvin this year.  He just had his 500th birthday.  I listened to all of the talks of this one at Desiring God.  Good stuff--and not just focused on Calvin--but on His great big, awesome, glorious, magnificent, majestic, joy-giving, all wonderful God and His Son Jesus Christ. As Calvin says in the last sentence of his big book, "God Be Praised!"

Preacher: Be Yourself

A funny and on-the-money post from Kevin DeYoung.

It took me some time to find my own preacher's voice (and I sometimes still try to be someone else).

Responding to 2012

My pastor friend, Jeff Wilson, has created a website that interacts with the popular notions about the end of the world in the new movie: 2012.

Check out Responding to 2012.

Lamppost - RIP

OBITUARY FOR MR. LANCE M. (LAMPY) POST.

Mr. Lance M. Post, know to friends and family as “Lampy”, passed away on October 9, 2009. He was approximately ten years old. A resident of Lanse, PA, Mr. Post was pronounced DOA after a tragic hit-and-run accident at his home.

Mr. Post was manufactured March 17, 1994 in East Brusnwick, NJ, and emigrated with other members of his family to Lanse, PA in 1999. He was the son of Lester and Latitia Post, of Edison, NJ, and a graduate of Thomas A. Edison High School in Edison, NJ. Later he attended Underwriter’s Laboratory in Red Bank, NJ, where he received an Associates Degree in Illumination. Following graduation from UL, Mr. Post enlisted to serve in the Driveway Guard, where he served until his recent demise. He was awarded honors on numerous occasions for distinguished conduct and bravery, including the Purple Filament for injuries received in the line of duty. Those who served with him said he really had mettle.

Although unknown to all but his closest friends, Mr. Post was musically gifted, and could be heard on many a dark and stormy night, humming quietly to himself– “You Light Up My Life”. He was loved by many, and will be fondly remembered as a light in the community, and a cheerful sight on many a snowy, winter night. Many claim he bore a remarkable resemblance to the well-known Lewis Post from Chronicles of Narnia movie fame, and was frequently mistaken for the celebrity by strangers. Also known for his electrifying wit, Mr. Post’s brilliant sense of humor undoubtedly helped him to endure many a long, lonely night on duty.

Mr. Post was preceded in death by a brother, Lemuel Post, who also served in the Driveway Guard in Lanse. He is survived by a sister, Lampetta.

A candle-light vigil will be held November 25th at the site of his accident, and a memorial service is scheduled for November 26th, 2009 at Bulb and Socket Funeral Home in Clearfield, PA at 4pm. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for Orphan Bulbs International. Mr. Post will be interred at the Clearfield County Scrap Metal and Recycling Facility.

[This post written by Jeff Schiefer as a tribute the lamppost in our front yard that had been hit many times and finally went the way of all posts last month.  Jeff is a graphic artist with a fertile imagination and too much time on his hands...]

Scripture Is Clear

Wayne Grudem on the perspicuity of scripture.

What a glorious doctrine!

The newest issue of Themelios is out, and it's a wonderful resource.

[Matt's Messages] "Jesus Brings Real Joy and Rest"

“Jesus Brings Real Joy and Rest”
Certain of Jesus:  The Gospel of Luke
November 15, 2009
Luke 5:33-6:11

Last week, we left Jesus in the middle of a party.
Do you remember who threw the party for Jesus?

It was Levi, the tax collector, who had become a follower of Jesus and wanted his slimy tax-collecting buddies to know Jesus, too.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law weren’t impressed with the crowd at this party–they were “sinners.”  Ewww.

But Jesus said that He came as a doctor...for the sin-sick, not the self-righteous.

We left off with that in chapter 5, verse 32.

Now, in verse 33, it appears that we’re still at that same party and the Pharisees are asking a new question.

They are still not impressed with Jesus.  And here’s how it comes out.  V.33

“They said to him, ‘John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.’”


Do you see where this is going?

They bring up John. Which John is that? John the Baptist.

John’s baptism was a baptism of what?  Repentance.

John’s job was to help people to understand their sin and their need for the coming Savior.

He did a lot of fasting.  And so did his followers.  It was perfectly right for him to do so.

And the Pharisees fasted, too.  Now, their fasting wasn’t necessarily good.  I’m sure that a lot of their fasting was trying to earn God’s favor by being rigid and self-disciplined.  That’s not repentance, that’s works-righteousness.

But both fasted.

And fasting is a...what?  Good or bad thing?  Well, it depends.

It be a very good thing. There are several fasts prescribed by the Old Testament Law.  And when done with a right heart, fasting from food (or even other things) can express a heart that longs for God.

John Piper’s book on fasting has this great title, “A Hunger for God.”

Fasting, when done with the right motives, can be a great way to enhance our prayers.

Did Jesus ever fast?

Of course He did.  He did in the last chapter! Chapter 4.  In the desert.  And He was very hungry, remember?

But, public fasting has not characterized Jesus’ ministry so far.  And his disciples aren’t known for their fasting.  In fact, they seem to like parties.

Remember where they just were, if not still are?!  Levi’s party.

Everywhere Jesus goes, people are having a good time.

And the Pharisees are not impressed.  There is an implied criticism here, a rebuke...“yours go on eating and drinking.”

How do you think Jesus should respond to this? 

Should He tell them, “Lighten up?”

“You guys are just sour-pusses!”

Jesus misses no opportunity to engage people in thinking about Who He Really Is.

And this is another opportunity.

He uses another name for Himself to make them think.

He calls Himself the “Bridegroom.”  V.34

“Jesus answered, ‘Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?  But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.’”

He turns their criticism on its head.

He says, “Have you ever been to a wedding?” 

How do people act at weddings when the groom is around?  In the Middle Eastern culture, the arrival of the bridegroom was one the climaxes of the event.  And wherever the groom is, there is joy and feasting!

Does everybody fast during a wedding or do they feast?!

Why?

Because the presence of the happy bridegroom brings real joy.

#1.  THE JOY OF THE BRIDEGROOM’S PRESENCE.

And Who is the Bridegroom here?

Jesus is.

Jesus brings real joy.

Pharisees, do you want to know why we don’t fast much?

Because I’m here.

That’s an audacious claim, isn’t it?

What if anyone other than Jesus said that?  “I’m the party!  It’s all about me. Where I go people become happy!  Get into the Me-Spirit!  Joy in Me!”

If anyone other than Jesus said that, we’d gag.

But it’s real when Jesus says it. Because Jesus brings real joy.

Do you know the joy of Jesus?

I have Heather Joy and Robin Joy. And they are great joys.

But nothing is as good as Jesus Joy.

So, should you and I fast today?

I mean, we Jesus Joy, if we are His followers?

Is fasting appropriate for you and me now that Jesus has come?

Well, no and yes, right?

Jesus has come.  And we have His real joy.

But Jesus has gone away for awhile, and so it’s appropriate right now to fast.  V.35 again.
“But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

Now, that could mean the days between Jesus’ crucifixion and His resurrection, but that was only 3 days.

And right now Jesus is not present like He will be one day soon.

Right now, while we wait for the fullness of Jesus’ joy to be given us, it is still appropriate for us to occasionally fast.  And I commend the practice of fasting to you as a way to enhance your prayers while we wait for Jesus’ return.

But the point here in Luke 5 is that where Jesus is, there is real joy.

Jesus Brings Real Joy.

This joy is something new.  Look at verse 36.

“He told them this parable: ‘No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.  And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.  No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.  And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.'’”

Now, that sounds good, but it’s really confusing.

I wrote down in my notes this week as I was studying this, “This sounds good, but I don’t know what it means.”

There is a contrast going on here between the old and the new.  Right? That’s obviou, right?

What is the new in this parable?  Jesus is the new.

New joy.  Wine is often a symbol of joy in the Bible.

Jesus brings newness. 

What do you think is the old?

Well, it seems to be the old forms of the Old Covenant.  And also those who cling to those old forms and the traditions of man that have grown up around those old forms.

So, not so much God’s Old Testament Word Promise as the Old Testament system and the Pharisee’s accretions that have grown up around those forms.

We’ll see an example of that in just a minute.

Now which is better in this, the old or the new?

Well, Jesus is the new, so He’s got to be better, right?  Right.

V.36 again.

“He told them this parable: ‘No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.”

Jesus is a using a funny story here.  Imagine having an old pair of jeans that have a big old hole in the knee.  Do you go to your closet, get out a new pair of jeans, cut out the knee and sew it on to the old ones?

No, duh!

The new is better.  Out with the old.

The same story with the wineskins.

“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.  No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.”

The new is better.  Out with the old.

Now, this is not saying that new is always better.

But when Jesus is the new, He’s always better!

Because Jesus brings real joy.

Now, here’s where I got lost this week.  V.39

“And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.'’”

Is the old better?

No.  Jesus is saying that some people don’t get a taste for the new wine, the new joy of Jesus.

Some people, the Pharisees (?), the teachers of the law (?), unbelievers (?), prefer the old covenant, the additions to the old covenant, the old way of doing things, the old instead of the new.

And that’s scary.

Some people would rather fast even if Jesus is around than find their joy in Jesus.

Why?

Because they would have to recognize that He is the Real Bridegroom.

And the real joy is found in Him alone.

We have to choose.

We have to choose to find our joy in Jesus.

So, which will it be?  Going through life acting like it’s a funeral?

Or going through life acting like it’s a wedding–or at least the lead-up to a wedding?

Yes, the Bridegroom is not here right now.

But He has left His Spirit with us and by that Spirit promised to be with us always even to the End of the Age.

So, every day, we can find our joy in Jesus.

Tom Wertz died this week.  He went home to be with the Bridegroom.  He is experiencing Jesus’ joy in full right now.

“Welcome home, good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of your master.”

As I was thinking about Tom and preparing for his memorial service, I remember how much joy Tom had in Jesus.

It was a quiet joy.  It wasn’t loud and flashy and ostentatious.

But it was real joy.  Joy in Jesus.

Are choosing to find your joy in Jesus?

We all are prone to run to other things to give us joy.

We are all prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.

To say, “The old wine is better.”

No!  Nothing is better than Jesus.  Jesus brings real joy.

And real rest.

In chapter 6, Jesus lives out an example of this new wine principle.

The old wine, the old garment, included an old way of thinking about the Sabbath Rest.  V.1

“One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.  Some of the Pharisees asked, ‘Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’” Now, stop there for a second.

What’s going on here?

Are Jesus and his disciples stealing?  No.

It was legal in that time if you are passing through a grainfield, to catch a bite to eat. They didn’t have McDonald’s drive-throughs, and this was a legal way of eating while traveling.

So, why are the Pharisees in a dither?

It’s because they are doing work on the Sabbath!

What work?

They are harvesting grain.

Is that ridiculous, or what?

The Sabbath was a big deal.  Whose idea was the Sabbath?

It’s God’s idea, right?

A day of rest for the people of God!

God says, “You must rest.  Trust me.  I’ll take care of you.  Don’t work.  Take a break.”  It’s really an amazing command.

But over the years, the people had tried to protect that commandment by defining what was and what wasn’t work.

And then shaming people if they broke the definitions.

All of a sudden, keeping the Sabbath was a lot of work!

Not working was a lot of work!

How whacked is that?!

Now, Jesus could have just said that, right?

In other places He does say that.  He says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

But, catch this, that’s not exactly where He goes here.  Here He goes (again, surprise surprise!) right to His identity.  V.3

“Jesus answered them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?   He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.’  Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.’”

#2.  THE REST OF THE LORD OF REST.

Now, let’s try to understand Jesus’ argument.

He reminds them of a story from 1 Samuel 21.  The Uth Boys have been studying King David and His Mighty Men on Wednesday nights. We just recently read this story in our class.

David is on the run from Saul, and he ends up at the tabernacle, and he and his bunch are hungry.

There is bread there.  Very special bread.  Bread that, legally, on the priests should eat.

But King David eats it and shares it with his companions and it’s not sin.

Why?  Because he’s the king?  Yes, and also because of their need.

The needs of compassion outway the letter of the law here.

There is a greater law that supersedes–the law of love.

Now, are Jesus and his disciples eating the sacred bread?

No.  It’s just heads of grain.  So it’s an argument from greater to lesser.

At least in terms of bread.

But, catch this, it’s an argument from lesser to greater in terms of Persons!

David was Lord of Israel.

But Jesus is saying that He is the Lord of the Sabbath!

That is an even more audacious claim than being the Bridegroom!

He is saying that Sabbath is His to command.

He will say what is right to do on that day and what is wrong!

He will define what is true rest!

Jesus brings real rest.

“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

And then He goes on to prove it.  V.6

“On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled [probably paralyzed. The King James says, “withered.”]  The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.”

There is irony, isn’t there?

They want to catch Jesus doing something wrong–like healing somebody!  Ooh, how bad can you get?

That’s not what the Day of Rest is for!

We want our Old Wine!  Old Wine!  Old Wine! 

Fingers in their ears.  V.8

“But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, ‘Get up and stand in front of everyone.’ So he got up and stood there.  Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?’”

Do you care about people at all?

What is this day of rest for if not for compassion and goodness?

“He looked around at them all [can you imagine the look on his face, anger and compassion mingled perfectly together?], and then said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was completely restored.”

Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath Rest.

Jesus brings real rest.

That’s the new wine.

It’s the best of the old wine–its true intent.

And it’s something new altogether.

It’s real rest.  Because it comes with Jesus.

The point of this passage is who Jesus really is.

And the answer is. Jesus is Lord.

He calls the shots.  He is the King.

What He says, goes.

And think about what that means for real rest.

It means that real rest means true sanity.

No more upside down interpretations of the law.
No more the law being used against people.

No more of the law being a club to bludgeon people with.

But instead the law is restored to its original intent–to bless people!

Because He is Lord of that law.

Real rest means compassion.

It means that if we really enjoy the Rest of God, we will reach out to those in need and do good, save lives, do justice, have compassion on people.

That’s what the Lord of Rest does with His rest.

Are you finding your rest in the Lord of Rest?

The Pharisees had turned rest into striving.

Jesus restores rest to its original intent.

Jesus brings real rest.

Are you finding your rest in Him?

This isn’t the place to get into the debate about the Sabbath and whether or not it continues.  Some say yes in the Lord’s Day.  Other say, No.

I don’t think it does continue as a commanded day in the New Covenant.

You know why?

Because I believe that now the Sabbath is Person, not just a Day!

The Lord of Rest Is Rest Himself.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened [with the old wine, with the dour face, with the sad fasting, with the old garment], and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Jesus brings real rest.

But it was not free and easy.

Look at verse 11.

“But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.”

Jesus just healed someone, and they want to kill Him!

And they will succeed.

The plot begins now. Jesus has begun to make enemies.

And the old wine will win (for a time).

The old garment will rip up the new garment.

The guests of the bridegroom will fast while he is taken away from them.

That rest will come at a great price. The price of the Cross.

Why did they want to kill Him?

Because of Who He is.

Because He is the Bridegroom.
Because He is the Lord of the Sabbath.

And they would rather have the old wine.  “The old is better.”

What do you choose?

Do you choose to find your joy in Jesus?
Do you choose to find your rest in Jesus?

We are prone to look everywhere else for true rest.

Television, the internet, magazines, exercise, sports, leisure–everywhere but Jesus.

This last week, I finished that paper I was telling you about.

My information addiction.  I called it, “Need to Know.”

I’m prone to look to blogs, check my email a million times a day, check my account balances–any piece of information to throw a bone to my restless heart.

But I’m learning to find my rest in Jesus.

Jesus is the Lord of Rest.

And all true rest is in Him.

Jesus Brings Real Joy and Real Rest.


Messages So Far in Certain of Jesus:
Certain of Jesus
The Back-Story of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
Jesus - A Very Special Child
Preparing the Way for Jesus
Jesus Is the Son of God
Jesus in Galilee
Jesus and the Sinners 

Hallelujah!

I got to put my papers in the mail today!

I finished the last of 9 yesterday.

Praise the Lord!

Thank you for praying.

Now, it's time for celebrating and life after papers!

I'm not even going to think about the next steps towards the degree...

Give Me a Lever Big Enough

My kids and I picking up a car at COSI.

[Matt's Messages] "Jesus and the Sinners"

“Jesus and the Sinners”
Certain of Jesus:  The Gospel of Luke
November 8, 2009
Luke 5:1-32

We’re in the Gospel of Luke together, and we’re learning about Jesus so that we can be certain about Jesus.

Last week, at the beginning of His public ministry, we learned that Jesus is good news for needy people.

Jesus went all around the region of Galilee preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God and doing many miracles to show that it had begun in Him.

And there were wildly different reactions to Him, weren’t there?

What did they think of Him in His hometown of Nazareth?

They tried to drive Him out of town and kill Him!

What about in Capernaum?  There, they didn’t want to let Him go!

Remember how old Simeon had said that Jesus would divide people?  The rising and falling of many people in Israel?  That division has begun.  And it’s just going to get deeper.

Jesus has come on the scene and proclaimed that He is the fulfillment of Isaiah 61.

He said, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.’

Jesus claimed to be good news for needy people.

Well, in chapter 5, we see even more of this.

We get a sense of what kind of people gather to Jesus.

And they are very needy people.

In Luke 5, there are four stories about people who come into contact with Jesus and then He changes their lives forever.

And there is one theme that runs through these four stories.  It’s the theme of sin.

Over and over again, Jesus interacts with sinners. “Jesus and the Sinners.”

Now, you and I know that we are all sinners.  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

So, this chapter is all about us.  It’s about our sin.

But we don’t always think about ourselves in that way, do we?

Sometimes, we use the word “sinners” to refer to notorious sinners–the bad guys that do really bad things.  The folks who don’t even try to pretend that they are good.

Sometimes, that’s the way the word is used in the Gospel of Luke.  To describe “nogoodniks.”  People known for their bad deeds–sinners, yuck.

How do you think Jesus feels about sinners?  How do you think Jesus interacts with sinners?

This chapter begins to answer that question for us. And it’s good news for people like and you me.

The first story takes place by the lake.  Verse 1.

“One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, [another name for the Sea of Galilee] with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.  He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.”

Do you get the picture?

There is a big crowd, and Jesus is pressed.  So he jumps into a boat and makes it his floating pulpit.  His voice can carry over the water, more people can see Him, and He isn’t crushed by the crowd.

Notice who the boat belongs to.  Simon (who Jesus will eventually re-name Peter).  This is the One whose mother-in-law Jesus has healed.

Professional fishermen were not at the top of society. They were stinky and smelly, they worked at night, they smelled like fish.

They were strong, had to be good businessmen, but they weren’t much liked.

But Jesus obviously liked them.  He hung around a lot of them–especially this Simon guy.  And He decides to do Him a favor.  V.4

“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’  Simon answered, ‘Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’”

Sounds pretty reluctant, doesn’t he?

Well, it stands to reason.

They had worked all night.  How many here have worked all night?

Night is the best time for catching fish on the Lake of Gennesaret.

And how much have they caught.  Nada, right?

Well, how does Peter feel? He feels wiped out!  He feels exhausted.  He’s tired.  He wants to go home to bed.

He’s happy to let the Master do His teaching thing, but He’s probably all whipped sitting there listening to Him.

But, okay, Jesus, if you say so, I will...even though you’re a carpenter by trade, and I’m a fisherman by trade...if you say so, I will.

And, to his credit, he does.  V.6

“When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”

These boats could be 25-27 feet long and 7 feet wide!

There’s several tons of fish being hauled into these boats.

There’s fins and flippers flying everywhere!  It’s a miracle!  V.8

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

Isn’t it interesting how Simon responded to this miracle?

He didn’t say, “Oh, Jesus!  Thank you for the fish.  You’ve made my business day!”

He didn’t say, “This is so cool.  You are so cool, Lord!”

He said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.”

#1.  JESUS’ POWER REVEALS OUR SIN.

Jesus hadn’t said a word about Peter’s sin.  Peter brings it up.

When you come into contact with the raw power of God, it makes you aware that you are a sinner.

That’s what happened to Isaiah in Isaiah 6, isn’t it?

Peter had been fishing all of his life, and he’d never seen anything like this.

He knew that God was doing something unique in Jesus, and it scared him.  It scared him because holy power reveals sinful hearts.

Jesus’ power reveals our sin.

And that scared Peter.

How did Jesus react to this fear?

V.10 says that he told him to not be afraid.

You see, Jesus IS holy, and that should scare sinners. But that’s not ALL He is.  He’s also...a lot of other things we’re going to see as we move on.

And instead of heading off or sending Peter away, He calls Peter to Himself and gives Him a mission.

Fully Follow Him, Catch Men

“From now on you will catch men.”  You guys are going to be a new kind of fishermen.  You are going to fish for men.

And you’ll catch them alive, too.

These men (v.11 says) left everything and followed Him.

They made a decisive break with their old lives and began to follow Jesus.

And they began to cast their nets for people to follow Him, too.

Question:  Have you left everything and begun to follow Jesus?

Are you on the lookout for people to need to be caught?

I’m thankful that the Gideons are with us today.  They have a historic track record of following the Lord and fishing for men.

But we can’t leave it up to the Gideons.

This is a call for all of us: Fully Follow Him; Catch Men.

What are you doing right now to attract others to Jesus?

How are you sharing the gospel or building a relationship with someone to share the gospel?

“From now on you will catch men...[they] left everything and followed Him.”

Now, in story #2 (verses 12-16), Jesus doesn’t actually interact with sin as much as with a picture of sin.

He heals a man who has a skin disease, one of many that go under the name of leprosy.  And leprosy, in the Bible, was not sin itself but it was a picture of sin and what sin does. 

If someone was a leper, they were un–what? Unclean.

And they even had to shout that everywhere they went.  Because uncleanness separated people.  The clean and the unclean.

And being unclean is a picture of sin.  Leprosy itself wasn’t sin but it was a picture of sin and it’s ugliness and how it divides people.  V.12

“While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.  [This man is very needy, isn’t he?]  When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’”

Notice this man’s bold faith.  He actually comes near to Jesus.  Near enough to fall before Him on the ground. The whole way up, he would have had to be yelling out, “Unclean!  Unclean!  Unclean!”

But now he begs, “‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

And here’s where it gets amazing.  V.13

“Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man [You’re not supposed to do that!]. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ And immediately the leprosy left him.  Then Jesus ordered him, ‘Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.’  Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

This is amazing.

Jesus touched a leper.  And instead of Jesus becoming unclean–which is how it is when anyone else touched a leper–the leper became clean!

#2.  JESUS’ TOUCH CLEANSES OUR SIN.

It really happened.  Jesus sent the man to go get it verified by the priest.  He wanted him to do it quietly so that no extra trouble got stirred up and so that His identity would more slowly become known. But you could hardly stop the good news from traveling.  That’s crowds came more and more and Jesus had to carve out time to go to lonely places and pray.

It really happened!  This man, who may not have felt someone touch him for a very long time (was he a Daddy?  A husband?)–was touched by Jesus and completely cleansed.

This is a picture of what Jesus does with our sin.

We are all sinners, tainted, tarred, painted with wicked rebellion–unclean.

But Jesus, because of what He did on the Cross, has power to touch our lives and cleanse us.

Application:  Boldly Believe In Him, Be Cleansed.

This unclean man believed that Jesus could heal him and make him clean again.

And He was.

I know a lot of people who believe that they are not worthy of Jesus’ cleansing.

“I don’t feel worthy.”
“I don’t deserve it.”

You know what?  You’re right!  But don’t let that keep you from seeking it.

Call out for cleansing–and He will touch you.

And that’s true for those who have fallen into patterns of sin after becoming a Christ-follower.

Call out for cleasning–and He will touch you.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Boldly Believe In Him, Be Cleansed.

The third story in this chapter features another healing and a confrontation over forgiveness.  V.17

“One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. [Whoa!  Now Jesus has a real audience!]  And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. [Things are happening!]  Some men came carrying a paralytic [a man who is paralyzed] on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.”

Interesting!  There is standing room only, and here are some very determined men. They can’t get in the front door, so they head up onto the roof–dismantle the roof (which might have been a big job!) and then lowered their friend down the roof on his mat.

Right in front of Jesus.

Do you get the picture?

Jesus.  Power.  Cleansing Power.

The Pharisees–the chief teachers of the law, the Jewish Religious Leadership.

A big crowd.

Some loving friends.

A hurting man.

What is Jesus going to do?

What is this story about?  Is it about healing?  Only partially.

It’s actually about Who is Jesus and how does He interact with sinners.  V.20

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’”

Huh?  Did you think that he was going to heal him?

Instead, He forgave him.

Well, the resident theologians get their knickers in a twist over this one.  V.21

“The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’”

And they have a point.

I mean, if I sin against Ernie back there.  Let’s say, I stole his car.

Would it be okay for Jen Kerlin down here to forgive me for that?

Have I sinned against her?  No.

I’ve sinned against Ernie.

But all sins are fundamentally against God.  So, if someone comes around handing out forgiveness to people–He’s claiming to be especially related to God!

“Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’”

That’s the point.  V.22

“Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, ‘Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?”

Stop there for a second. Which one is easier to say?

I think that means easier to say and get away with apparently?

It’s “get up and walk.”

I mean if you say, “Your sins are forgiven,” how do you know it happened?

But if you say, “Get up and walk” and then they keep lying there–you don’t have any real authority.  V.24

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....’ He said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’  Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.   Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’”

#3. JESUS’ AUTHORITY FORGIVES OUR SIN.

Jesus actually has the authority to forgive sin.

What does that say about who He is?

Jesus is the Son of God.  Like we’ve been seeing all along.

You know, the purpose of this book is grow us in certainty about Jesus.

Are you certain that your sins are forgiven?

Jesus has the authority to forgive them.

And do you see how He wants to?

He delights in forgiving sins.

Not that it was easy!  Jesus had to die to forgive those sins because someone had to pay the penalty for them.

But He did.  And He loves to dispense grace to those who wholly trust Him.

Application:  Wholly Trust in Him, Receive Forgiveness.

I think that sometimes it’s hard for Christians to feel forgiven.

We can feel defeated by sin.
We can feel distracted by temptation.
We can see our imperfections and our besetting sins.

It feels like we’ll never be perfect, doesn’t it?

But Christians aren’t perfect yet. They are forgiven.

Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to pay for all of my sin and all of your sin!

And He has authority to say to you, “Forgiven.”

“Your sins are forgiven.”

He’s saying that to every Christ-follower here.

“Your sins are forgiven.”

This month, we celebrate Thanksgiving.

And while we have many blessing to count–more than we have toes and fingers for, our greatest blessing is what Jesus’ authority says, “Your sins are forgiven.”

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

“Your sins are forgiven.”

That’s why He came.

The fourth story, and we’ll only get through the first part of it today, explains just that–Jesus came for sinners.  V.27

“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.”

I love this story–one of the reasons why is because I was named after this guy.  His other name is Matthew. 

Tax collectors were even further down the list of respected people than fishermen or shepherds.

These were bad guys in league with the Romans and know for practicing extortion.

But this one, Levi, becomes a Christ-follower.  Like Peter, he left “everything and followed him” (v.28).

And Levi was so happy to have come to Christ that he threw a party.

And I think that one of the reasons he did it was to be a fisher of men.

Look who he invited.  V.29

“Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. [Great crowd!  This is one of those crowds that you say if a bomb dropped on this building, it would be good for the public!  That’s at least what the Pharisees thought. V.30]  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?’”

Why do you go to their parties?

Why do you hang out at their bar?

Don’t you know that those folks are sinners?  Yuck!

How does Jesus feel about sinners?

How does He interact with them?

This is why He’s here.

“Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”

He knows that they are sinners.

And He doesn’t love their sin.  Doesn’t condone it.  Doesn’t applaud it. Doesn’t participate in it.

But that’s who He’s come for.

Not the healthy (or those who think they are). Not the righteous (or those who think they are)–but sinners, the sin-sick.

And the doctor is here.

He loves sinners.

#4. JESUS’ LOVE HEALS OUR SIN.

All we have to do is turn.

Application:  Repentantly Turn to Him, Be Healed.

Do you see that in verse 32.

“I have not come to call the righteous (or self-righteous), but sinners to repentance.”

That’s our part.

We have to turn away from our sin.

We can’t keep loving it, nurturing it, excusing it, turning towards it.

We have to repent and turn to Him.

And when we do, we meet the Sin Doctor.

And we are healed.

“[Jesus] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

But to get healed, you’ve got to turn to the doctor.

Repent.

Do you see better now how Jesus feels about sinners?

How He feels about you?

How do you feel about sinners?

Do you have a love for the wayward and the lost?

If you are caught, then you’ll want to be a fisher of people yourself.

If you have been forgiven, you’ll want to throw a party like Levi–and introduce your friends and loved ones to the Savior.

Jesus’ Power Reveals Our Sin–and it’s scarey.

But Jesus’ Touch Cleanses Our Sin.
Jesus’ Authority Forgives Our Sin.
Jesus’ Love Heals Our Sin.

If we turn to Him.

Messages So Far in Certain of Jesus:
Certain of Jesus
The Back-Story of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
Jesus - A Very Special Child
Preparing the Way for Jesus
Jesus Is the Son of God
Jesus in Galilee

After My Papers

For those of you counting (and praying, I hope!), I still have 2 papers to write for my doctoral classes: one medium-sized, one larger.  I'm hoping to nail at least one of those today.

I've begun to make a list of things I'm going to get to make a priority after my papers are done:

Woodpile

Circulator in Heating System (Not sure it's working right)

Blog Layout

Target Practice for Hunting Season

Homeschool Phys. Ed with Kids

The amazing thing is that when these 2 papers are done and sent in with all the rest, I'll be DONE with my coursework for a D.Min degree at WTS.  I'll still have 2 major exams and the great big humongous applied research paper to go, but I won't have any more "classes" to work through.

With the classes I took at Biblical (2004) and TEDS (2005, 2006), I've been working on this for the last five years.

It really feels significant to reach this place.  Hooray!

[Matt's Messages] "Jesus in Galilee"

“Jesus in Galilee”
Certain of Jesus: The Gospel of Luke
November 1, 2009
Luke 4:14-44


Today, we are continuing our series on the Gospel of Luke – “Certain of Jesus.”  Luke wrote this to help people to grow in certainty about who Jesus is, what Jesus has done, and what Jesus wants from us and for us.  Certain of Jesus.

Last week, we learned about Jesus’ miraculous baptism, His genealogy, and his testing in the wilderness–a test that He passed for us with flying colors.  Jesus is the Son of God.

Now, at the end of chapter 4, Luke tells us about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee–the northern territory of the nation of Israel.  “Jesus in Galilee.”

The passage is broken up into 2 parts.  I’m going to read both of them for you and then comment upon them together.

The first part (after a general statement about all of Galilee) focuses on Nazareth.  It runs from verse 16 through verse 30, and it tells the story of the time Jesus came back to His hometown and tried to preach a sermon and how people reacted to it.

It’s a sermon unlike any other that you and I will ever hear.

So verses 16 through 30 take place in Nazareth.
Verses 31 through 44 take place in Capernaum.

Both of these are cities in Galilee.

And I want you to notice how different the reactions are to Jesus in Capernaum versus Nazareth.

Same Jesus.  Same message.  Very different reactions.

Okay? Let’s read verses 14 through 44 and then pray.

[Scripture reading, prayer]

Did you notice how different the reactions were between Nazareth and Capernaum?!

How did Jesus play in Nazareth?  Not so good!  I’m glad that no one has ever responded to one of my sermons like that!  But then again, maybe mine aren’t very good.  Jesus preaches the best of all and gets run out of town.

Why?

It started out okay.  In verses 14 and 15, we read that everyone in all of Galilee was praising Him, at the start!

And even in Nazareth, they started out happy with their hometown boy (v.22).

Why did things go South?

We’ll talk about that in a second.

How did they respond in Capernaum to Jesus’ ministry?

Verse 42 says that they didn’t want him to leave!  They tried to keep Him there.

Same Jesus. Same message.  Very different responses.

Let’s look first at the Nazareth one.

Jesus has returned in the power of the Spirit from His testing in the wilderness.  Remember, it was the Spirit that took Him there and the Spirit that brings Him back.

And he heads home.  V.16

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.”

Synagogues weren’t temples, they were more like schools, local religious schools spread throughout the countryside. And there was religious instruction there on the Sabbath.

Jesus had the habit of visiting synagogues.

And now, back at His home synagogue, where He had probably heard over a thousand sermons on the Old Testament, He offers to preach one Himself.

The synagogue leader gives Him a scroll, and He picks out His text very much on purpose. Verse 17.

“The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.’  Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.”

Sitting down was the appropriate custom for a teacher at that time.  We stand up to preach, but they sat down to teach the Scriptures.

So, Jesus has announced and read His text–it’s from Isaiah chapter 61, and it’s about the Servant of the Lord–this mysterious Person that shows up in Isaiah doing God’s will, proclaiming God’s favor, and bringing in the Kingdom of God.

And here’s the riveting moment.  V.20

“The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’”

“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Wow!  Isaiah 61 is coming true right here, right now?

This sounds good!

Verse 22, I think shows the range of reactions that come with Jesus’ pronouncement.

“All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn't this Joseph's son?’ they asked.”

The first part of that very seems to indicate that they were excited by Jesus’ words.  They sound good.  Jesus is a good speaker. He’s saying something that people want to hear.  How long have we waited for Isaiah 61 to be fulfilled?!

But the second part of that verse seems to show that they quickly grew skeptical.

“I mean, this is Jesus.  He used to play with our boys.

This is Joseph’s son, right?  The carpenter?”  Joseph is probably dead already by now.

“This is Jesus?  We know Jesus.  He’s a great kid, but he’s no ‘Servant of the Lord!’

If he’s the Messiah, I guess we don’t need the Messiah!”

We can just about see the quizzical looks on their faces. “What’s going on here?”

Here’s what’s going on here.  Jesus is saying that He is the Messiah, the Servant of the Lord, the fulfillment of God’s promises, the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

And they’re not going to believe it.

Jesus is saying that He is good news for needy people.  V.18 again.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

v.21 “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

JESUS IS GOOD NEWS FOR NEEDY PEOPLE.

He brings good news.  He has been anointed to bring good news.  And He is the fulfilment of that good news!

He is, in a word, the Messiah.

This is quite a claim.

It doesn’t shock us because we already believe all these things about Him.

We know His backstory and the story of His birth and the story of His baptism and His family.  We know what He went through in the desert.

But the folks don’t.  And they aren’t going to believe Him.

Jesus claims to be good news for needy people.

Notice the four kinds of needy people in verse 18.

The Poor
The Prisoners
The Blind
The Oppressed

Those are descriptions of truly needy people, aren’t they?

The poor don’t have anything.
The prisoners don’t have freedom.
The blind don’t have sight.
The oppressed don’t have peace or joy.

I’m sure that these categories relate to the materially poor, the physically incarcerated, the physically blind, those oppressed by other humans.

But I also think that those categories point to the more ultimate, spiritual categories.

Poor in Spirit.
Enslaved and Jailed by Sin.
Blinded by Idolatry
Oppressed by Hate, Doom, and Demons

These point to our more ultimate neediness–spiritual neediness.

And Jesus says that the Spirit (who led Him into the desert to be tempted and now into the synagogue to preach) is upon Him, anointing Him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor–the coming of the Kingdom of God!

Jesus is good news for needy people.

The real question is, “Do we see ourselves in these categories?”

Do we realize that we are poor?

I think that the poor in spirit, are those who realize that they are bankrupt spiritually on their own.  The poor in spirit are those who realize that they are spiritually needy.

Do you sing, “I need thee, O I need thee, every hour I need thee...”

There is good news for you in Jesus.

The spiritual prisoners are those who are enslaved and incarcerated by the power of sin.  Sin is powerful.

Everyone who is addicted to something knows that. And most of us are addicts of some kind or another.

Do you see yourself as imprisoned?

Jesus proclaims freedom for the prisoners.

The blind are those who cannot see, spiritually, the glory of the Lord and have been deceived by Satan and fallen into his traps.

Do you see yourself as blind?

Jesus brings sight to the blind.

The oppressed are those are beaten down by tormentors.  Maybe depression.  Maybe despondency.  Maybe demonic oppression. Maybe by your own sin.

Do you see yourself as oppressed?

Jesus brings release for the oppressed.

Jesus is good news for needy people.

But we have to see ourselves as needy!

I think that’s where the good folks of Nazareth went wrong.

They thought they were good folks!

Jesus knew their hearts. He knew how they felt about Him and how they were going to react to Him. So He put it into words.  V.23

“Jesus said to them, ‘Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself!  [You see a problem here?  I think the problem is you!  You think you’re so great? Do a sign for us.]  Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'’ [News has spread of the miracles He’s already done, and there is more to come. But not here.]  ‘I tell you the truth,’ he continued, ‘no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”

And then He gets personal.  V.25

“I assure you that there were many widows in Israel [God’s nation!] in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.  Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them [Israelites], but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon [A Gentile!].  And there were many in Israel [God’s good people!] with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed–only Naaman the Syrian [also a Gentile].’

And then the townspeople got furious and tried to kill Him!

If He wasn’t the Son of God and it wasn’t His time yet to die, Jesus would have been killed right there on the spot.

Why?

I don’t think these Nazarenes wanted to think of themselves as needy.

Jesus was putting His divine finger on, not just their ethnocentricism, their racism, and their lack of love for Gentiles.  He was putting His finger on their pride.

He was basically saying that they were worse off than Phoenician widows and Syrian lepers!

Because they wouldn’t recognize it!

And they thought this was insulting.

This is why John wrote this in chapter 1 of his gospel, “[Jesus] came to that which was His own, but His own received Him not.”

These folks didn’t want to see themselves as needy like that.

And if they had needs, they weren’t going to look to Jesus to fill them!

And they turned into an angry mob.

We have to see ourselves as needy and see Jesus as the answer to our need.

In verse 31, Jesus took His message and His miracles to another Galilean city–Capernaum. 

“Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people.  They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.”

The Spirit is on Jesus. And He teaches like no one else does.

Everyone else quoted authorities. Jesus spoke as an authority.

And He began to back up His message with demonstrations of power.

V. 18 is beginning to be fulfilled.

Jesus is good news for needy people.

Good news for the demon-possessed.

Verses 33-36 and again in verses 41.

Jesus confronts these evil spirits. And they always lose.

They try to control Him by saying His name. Doesn’t work.

He controls them. And He doesn’t need their testimony to prove that He’s the Messiah!

He uses His kingdom authority to start bringing that freedom to those who were imprisoned by demon possession.

Good news for the sick.

First with Simon’s mother-in-law. She had high fever and there was no ibuprofen.

Jesus bends down and “rebukes” the fever.  As if the fever was a person, it’s rebuked.

And she feels so good that she gets up and starts to serve others with the health that’s been regained!

Jesus is good news for the sick!

These miracles are tangible demonstrations of the Spirit’s power that is working through Jesus.

They are a taste of the good news of the Kingdom that Jesus is bringing to the neediest of the needy.

And the folks in Capernaum receive it!  V.42

“At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place [I assume, to pray]. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.  But he said, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’  And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Now, I don’t imagine that the folks in Capernaum understood all of what He was saying and that their response was one of total faith.

Maybe they just like the miracles.

But their response was much better than those in Nazareth who didn’t receive Jesus at all.

They were seeing, at least in part, that He was Who He said He was–the fulfillment of Isaiah 61.

Good news for needy people.

Now, how do we apply this passage to our lives?

I can think of several things.

First, we can be glad that God has love for Gentiles.

The Nazarenes didn’t love Gentiles, but Jesus loves to tell stories about how God met the needs of Gentiles, non-Jews.

This is good news for us because most of us here are not Jewish.  We’re all on the outside. We’re all widows of Zarephath and Naamans of Syria!

I’m sure that the good Jewish folks in Nazareth never expected Isaiah 61 to apply to Gentiles like you and me.

But Jesus is good news for needy people in Western Pennyslvania, too.

We can be glad that God has love for Gentiles.

Second, we have to recognize our need.

Jesus came for needy people.  Elsewhere He says, “The healthy people don’t need a doctor. I have come for the sick.”


We need to humble ourselves and recognize our need.

That goes for the person who is not yet a Christ-follower and for the person who has been following Christ by faith the longest.

Are you poor, imprisoned, blind, oppressed?

Jesus is good news for you.

Jesus lives a perfect life and then died on the Cross for our sins to bring the good news of the Kingdom to all who trust in Him.

But we have to admit our need.

It matters how we respond to Him.

Whether we want Him to stay or to go away.

Jesus came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.

But those who did receive Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become [dependent!] children of God.

Not only do we have to recognize our neediness, we have to recognize that Jesus is the answer to our neediness.

And third, we need to turn to Him while we still can.

Why do I say that?

Because Jesus left off a part of the verse.

When Jesus read Isaiah 61, He stopped in the middle of the verse.

Listen to Isaiah 61, verse 2.

The Spirit has sent me to “to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor...and the day of vengeance of our God...”

Jesus left that part off. Why?

Not because He didn’t believe it.

But because it wasn’t time for that yet.

Right now Jesus was emphasizing the first part with His first coming.

Jesus had come to bring good news to the needy.

But He will come again and bring bad news to the bad.

He will bring vengeance when He returns.

We need to turn to Him while we still can.

Are you a faith-follower of Jesus Christ?

If you are not yet a faith-follower of Jesus Christ, I urge you to turn to Him today.

Trust in Him for the forgiveness of your sins and the hope of eternal life.

He did everything on the Cross, everything needed for your hope and salvation.

Repent of your sins and put your trust in Him.

Don’t be like Nazareth, rejecting Him once again.

Receive Him and be His child.

If you are His child, don’t stop being needy.

Every day sing, “I need thee, O, I need thee, every hour I need thee!”

Admit your poverty, your imprisonments, your blindnesses, your oppressions and see Jesus bring hope and change and transformation piece by piece bit by bit in your life.

Because Jesus is good news for needy people like you and me.

Previous Messages In This Series:

Certain of Jesus
The Back-Story of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
Jesus - A Very Special Child
Preparing the Way for Jesus 

Jesus is the Son of God

Hallelujah! (Like You've Never Seen It Before)

[HT: GT]

Family & Church: Two Ditches to Avoid

Chris Brauns on expecting the local church to do the work of your family AND expecting the family to do the work of the local church.

Great points!

Update: That title looks terrible!  Just to be clear, the family and the church aren't ditches!

What's Best Next

One of the blogs I follow is by a guy named Matt Perman who works for DesiringGod.

It's called What's Best Next, and it's about productivity.

I read everything he says, it seems like he knows his stuff--but I'll be honest--I don't do what he says all of the time, even if it makes sense.

It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

Matt's having a subscriber special right now.  Check it out.

[Matt's Messages] "Jesus Is the Son of God'

“Jesus Is the Son of God”
Certain of Jesus:  The Gospel of Luke
October 25, 2009
Luke 3:21-4:13

I enjoyed being away last weekend, but I always miss worshiping with you, and I’m so glad to have the opportunity to open the Word of God with you again today!

What a privilege it is to have the Word of God in our own heart language. And what a privilege it is for me to be able to set aside time during the week to study it for you to prepare a sermon for you like a good meal and then to stand up here on Sunday mornings and offer it to you to consume.

Thank you for having a great appetite for the Word of God!  Last week, my picture was in the paper for pastor appreciation month.  Thank you for that–especially for the little captions that you put in there.  This year it said, “Pastor Matt, thank you for helping us to see what is really important in life.”

And you are talking there about the ministry of the Word.   I’m glad that you are hungry for it. It is a great privilege and joy to be your pastor.

Today, we return to the Gospel of Luke.  Does it feel like we’ve barely gotten started?

Six messages into our series, and we’re still only in chapters 3 and 4!  Jesus, so far, has only said two sentences!  And the book is all about Him!

By now, you’ve probably noticed that every title in this series has Jesus’ name in it.

Certain of Jesus
The Back-Story of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus
Jesus - A Very Special Child
Preparing the Way for Jesus

Luke’s Gospel is all about Jesus.

And I’m going to try to use His name in every sermon title through the whole series in Luke.

Today is Name Tag Sunday, and we’ve emphasized already everybody’s names.

There are a bunch of names in today’s passage. Especially in chapter 3 verses 23 through 38.  I’m going to read them all.  Don’t worry about my pronunciation.  If don’t know it, I just fake it!

There are a lot of names in this passage.

But there is only one name that is above every name.  And that is Jesus Christ.

Today’s passage is going to be Luke chapter 3, verse 21 through chapter 4, verse 13. And that covers a lot of ground, very diverse territory.

But there is one theme that runs throughout this passage that ties it all together.

It’s a theme that, for most of the rest of the book, runs underground and is implicit.

But here it is front and center and explicit.  It is the unique Sonship of Jesus.

JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.

That’s what Dr. Luke wants to show.  He does it in three ways.  First, through the story of Jesus’ baptism. Then, through a listing of Jesus’ genealogy.  And finally, through the story of the temptation of Jesus.

And all along, Luke is seeking to show us and grow us in certainty about how Jesus is the unique Son of God.

Now, you may already believe that.  I hope you do.

But don’t tune out because you do.  Tune in and see it again with eyes of faith.

Open your heart to that truth and experiencing what it means for Jesus to be the unique Son of God.

Because it makes all of the difference for our lives.

And if you are not yet convinced, listen up.  Because this is the difference between life and death eternally.

When we left off last time, John the Baptist had been preaching repentance to prepare hearts for the coming King.

And the sign and symbol of this repentance was baptism in the waters of the Jordan River.

John said that he was as forerunner of the Messiah. He came before Him and prepared the way for Him. He was the voice crying out in the desert, “Prepare the Way for the Lord!”

And he said that One greater than him was to come.  One whom John wasn’t worthy to untie His shoelaces.

Now in verse 21, that Great One appears.  And He, too, wants to be baptized.

He never had anything to repent of!  But still, He comes forward to be baptized. Baptism is an identification with someone or something.  Jesus comes to be identified with us.

And the most amazing thing happened when He did. Look at verse 21.

“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’”

Okay, I’ve got to say it–“Yikes!  Wow!”

This was amazing.

Notice that Jesus was praying. Only Luke brings that part out.

John was baptizing. Jesus was praying.

And God showed up in a miraculous way.

The heavens opened up.  I don’t know what that means.  But it sounds awesome!

And the Holy Spirit visibly, bodily, something like a dove, descended upon Jesus.  People could see it!  John certainly could.  He talks about it in one of the other gospels.

And then God spoke from heaven!

This wasn’t some angel!

This wasn’t Gabriel.

This was God Himself!

What did that sound like?

More importantly, what did He say?

He basically said one thing. And it was a message for Jesus.

It was this– “Jesus, You are My Beloved Son!  And I’m proud of you.”  V.22

“And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’”

Can you imagine?

Now, I’ve noted that the entire Trinity is present here. Father speaking, Spirit descending, Son being baptized.  I’ve preached on the Trinity before, and it’s important that it’s all here.

But that’s not the most important thing.

The most important thing in these 2 verses is that God shows up and says that Jesus is His son.

Jesus is the Son of God.  God Himself says so!

#1.  BELOVED.

God says to Jesus, “You are my Son, whom I love.”

The King James translates it, “Thou art my beloved Son.”

That’s how God feels about Jesus.

He is loved.  Uniquely loved.  He is loved as the most precious thing in the universe to God.

I have three sons.  I love them all dearly.

Drew, you are my beloved Son.
Peter, you are my beloved Son.
Isaac, you are my beloved Son.

(Robin, you are my beloved daughter!)

That’s what God is saying to Jesus.

I love you, Son!

I’m happy with you!  V.22, “...with you I am well pleased.”

“You are a good boy.

You are a perfect representation of me.
You are have obeyed me perfectly for the first 30 years.
You have love, trusted, and obeyed me.
You are perfectly God-centered.”

And this is before Jesus has begun His public ministry!

“You are a good Son.  And I love you, Son!”

Can you imagine?

This alone should lead us to worship Jesus.

We should be in awe of Jesus and hold Him in reverence.

He is unique. He is special.  He is God’s Beloved Son.

There are a lot of people who “like” Jesus but don’t worship Him.

They are more like what I call, “Godlians.”  They aren’t Christians.  They aren’t Christ-followers.  They say they believe in God.

Good.

But that’s enough.

You have to believe in Jesus.

If you truly believe in God, you will believe in Jesus.  And even worship Him.

And even LOVE Him.

Because that’s what God thinks about Him.

Our church exists to bring people into a love relationship with Jesus Christ.

Do you know why?

Because God the Father has that kind of a relationship with Him!

Beloved.  “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

#2. OFFICIAL.

Where would you go after the baptism of Jesus?  Those two verses are totally amazing and miraculous and deep in meaning.  If you were Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, where would you take your readers next?

A genealogy, of course!

We’ve learned over the years that God is interested in genealogies.  And not for history alone–but for theology.

Every genealogy in the Bible has a point that it’s making.  At least one point.

And that point drives the names that get included in it.  Every genealogy is selective. And that’s not to leave out information for no reason but to demonstrate certain points.

The genealogy in verses 22 through 38 is very different from the one in Matthew.

For example, it descends from Jesus to down through the Old Testament instead of ascending from the Old Testament up to Jesus.

And both genealogies skip generations–that’s normal–but they skip different ones to prove their own points.

Matthew’s begins with and emphasizes Abraham.
Luke’s ends with and emphasizes Adam.

Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus is divided up into 3 groups of fourteen names.
Luke’s genealogy of Jesus is divided up into 11 groups of 7 names covering a longer period of time.

Now, there are a lot of other details in this genealogy that I could point out, and a number of interpretative difficulties that I studied this week, but I’m not going to talk about this morning.

If you’re interested in that kind of stuff, see me afterwards.

But what I do want to show you as we go through it is what I think Luke is most interested in proving.

It’s that Jesus is the Son of God.  Officially.

This genealogy, I think, isn’t so much concerned with bloodline and DNA like we might be, but about Jesus’ official legal standing as a Son of David, a Son of Abraham, and the Son of God.

He is, after all, adopted!  And I think this genealogy shows that as an adopted son, He is official.  Let’s look at it. 

Imagine having these names on your name-tag!  V.23

“Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, [remember chapter 1.  He was born of a virgin!]  the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz,  the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Jesus was the OFFICIAL Son of God.

Listen to what Darrell Bock says about this genealogy and the point its trying to make.

Jesus’ genealogy in 3:23-38 ties all humankind into one unit.  Their fate is wrapped up in Jesus.  His ministry, as seen from heaven, represents the focal point of history. The introduction of the genealogy right before the commencement of his ministry serves to highlight the scope of Jesus’ concern for humans. It points to his universal perspective.  Jesus is not some isolated minister to Israel; he does not merely minister to a tiny nation of subjected people seeking political deliverance from a dominating Rome. Rather, he is the culmination of a line of descendants stretching back through the great men of promise like Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. The lineage confirms his position and suggests his ministry’s comprehensive character.  In him, the entire hope of the [Old Testament] is inseparably and eternally bound.  In him, as well, the fate of all divinely created humans is bound together.[BECNT, pg. 360]

I think that’s right.  I don’t know how to bring it all out as we read it together, but I think that’s all there.

Jesus is the OFFICIAL, legal, rightly recognized Son of God.

That was important for Luke to establish, because for Luke it established Jesus’ qualifications for what He was about to do.

What does it mean for Jesus to be the Son of God?

Well, the whole rest of the book is going to explain that.  Everything Jesus does is tied to His Sonship.

Part of being the Son is being the Messiah–the Royal Rescuer that had been promised throughout the Old Testament.

Well, Jesus is the Son of David. Legally.

Psalm 2, right?  God says to the Davidic King, “You are my Son!”

Jesus was qualified to do all that it meant to be our Savior and Lord.

There is no other genealogy in the Bible or in other ancient documents that ends like this one does. V.38

“The son of Adam, the son of God.”

Jesus is the Son of God.

God said it!

The genealogy says it!

And now, it’s going to be get put to the test.  Chapter 4, verse 1.

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.”

Now, let’s get the story straight.

The devil led Jesus into the wilderness, right?

Wrong.  Who did?

The Holy Spirit did?

Why would He want to do that? The devil was going to be there!

God wants a face off.

God allows Jesus to go through a TEST.

You know that He does the same for us, don’t you?

When Satan is tempting, often God is testing!

Don’t ask which it is. It’s both.

Jesus is going to be tested. Where?

In the desert for 40 days.

What does that make you think of?

Israel right?  They were taken care of in the desert for 40 years.  But they failed their test.  Will Jesus pass?

Who else was tested at the beginning?

Adam was, right?

Did he pass or fail?

He failed, too.

Was he allowed to eat? 

Yes, Adam was allowed to eat everything in a nice garden except the fruit from one tree.

Jesus is fasting.  It’s a harder test. 

Was this real fasting or just fake? Did this really affect Jesus?

You bet it did.  He was a real person like you and me.  What does v.2 says?

“He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.”

I’ll bet!

He was weak, no food, in the harsh conditions–and the devil comes along to test Him.

What’s the test about?

It’s about whether or not Jesus was the Son of God.  V.3

“The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’”

That’s a test.  Have you ever been hungry?

Now, we can learn a lot about how to resist temptation from this story.

I remember hearing the famous preacher E.V. Hill preach this passage and teach us to “Hit Satan with the Word” “Hit him!”

Because that’s what Jesus does. And the Word is effective in warding off temptation.

But that’s not the point of this passage.

The point of this passage is that Jesus is the Son of God.

#3. LOYAL.

Jesus is the loyal Son of God.

The way that Satan poses the question in verse 3 is meant to sound like this, “Jesus, since you are God’s Son, and God must care a lot about you.  Beloved?  I think He once called you...then surely you can use your supernatural powers to feed yourself.  If God really cares about you, then He’d want you to be well fed.  Tell this stone to become bread.  You can do it!”

It’s a test of His loyalty. Is God really good?

Is God good when we’re hungry and suffering?  When bad things happen to us?

Is God really good?

Does He really love us?

Maybe He doesn’t.

Maybe we’re on our own.

Maybe we need to take things into our own hands.

Jesus says, “No.”  V.4

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'’”

Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 3.

“Hit him with the word!”

“Devil, I may be hungry, but I’m doing only what I know God wants me to do. I listen to His Words and they are more important than bread.”

I don’t listen to you.  I listen to Him.

Loyal.

Do you see how He’s acting like a loyal son?

Satan tries again.  V.5

“The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.  And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.  So if you worship me, it will all be yours.’”

Do you see what Satan is offering?

He’s offering the world without the Cross.  By-passing the Cross to win the world.

I can see how that would be tempting.

But Jesus doesn’t take the bait. He fights back. Again, with Scripture.  Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 13.  V.8

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'’”

Take that, Satan.

Jesus is loyal.  He is the Son of God, and He will worship no God but God!

He is loyal.

One more time, the devil tries His hardest.  V.9

“The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down from here.”

[Come on! Take a nose dive.  Since you’re the Son of God. God will protect you. Prove it once and for all!]

For it is written [Satan knows the Bible, too!]: ‘'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'’ [Psalm 91]

Jesus answered, ‘It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'’ [Deuteronomy 6:16]

[Satan, that’s not how it works.  God tests you. You don’t test Him.]

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”

Now, again, we can learn a lot about how to stand up under temptation from watching Jesus here.

And we are all tempted every day to go in our direction.

God’s Word, His promises, have power to keep us from giving in.

But the main point of this passage is that Jesus didn’t give in!

Jesus is the Son of God.  The perfectly loyal Son of God.

The Father was right to say, “I am well pleased” with You, Jesus!

Because unlike Israel, unlike Adam, unlike you and me, Jesus passed the test!

And that makes Him qualified to be our Savior.

Did you ever think about that?

If Jesus had turned the stone to bread or briefly bowed the knee or bungie jumped off of the temple, we would all be lost forever.

But He didn’t.

He stayed perfectly loyal.

He didn’t give in.

He passed the test for us.

He truly is the Son of God.

And because He is, we can become sons and daughters of God, as well.

Jesus passed every test perfectly and He offers His perfect scores to you and me.

When He died on the Cross, He took our failures on Himself.  That’s what His baptism pointed to.

And when He came back to life, He offered His life, His perfect record to be given to us.

That’s the greatest news in all of the world.  It’s the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Do you see what I say that this is the difference between death and life eternally?

Are you trusting in Him and what He did at the Cross and His resurrection?

If you are not, I invite you to do it now. He invites you to trust Him now.

He is the Son of God!

Believe in Him.

And worship Him! 

And love Him!

And follow Him!

And center your life on Him!

And talk about Him!

Tell other about Him and what He did for you!

He is God’s Beloved Son.
God’s Official Son.
God’s Loyal Son.

And He offers Himself to you.

Audio: Preparing the Way for Jesus

Listen online: Preparing the Way for Jesus.

Robin Joy

Bunnies at Way Fruit Farm

Pumpkining at Way Fruit Farm

John Deere at Way Fruit Farm

[Matt's Messages] "Preparing the Way for Jesus"

“Preparing the Way for Jesus”

Certain of Jesus: The Gospel of Luke

October 11, 2009

Luke 3:1-20

After a great visit from the Durocher Family last week, we are returning to our study of the Gospel of Luke, the series I’ve entitled, “Certain of Jesus.” Luke told us in the first paragraph of the book that he’s written it to assure us of the certainty of Who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. And so, we are studying it together to grow in that certainty.

We’ve reach chapter 3. This is where the story really gets rolling.

We’ve gotten past the “Back-Story of Jesus” where his conception and that of his relative John’s were predicted, and past his humble and yet glorious birth, and past the few yet significant details about his very special childhood.

Now, the story really gets going. In fact, Luke just about begins again in chapter 3 with a new introduction. The prologue is over; the story has begun.

And it begins, again, with John, the son of Zechariah. We call him, “The Baptist.”

In chapter 1, we left John in the desert, growing strong into adulthood and waiting until the time for his public appearance in Israel (1:80).

It’s now time. Just as his father, Zechariah, had predicted John’s job was to prepare the way for Jesus. Zechariah had said, “You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins...” (1:76-77).

And that’s exactly what he did.

Luke 3. Verse 1.

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar–when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene–during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.”

Let’s stop there for second.

Notice how Dr. Luke is doing his historian-thing again. This time, Luke sets his story in the context of not just one ruler so that you know when this all happened, but in no fewer than seven historical figures: Tiberius, Pilate, Herod (this is Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great who we talked about in chapter 1), his brother Philip, Lysanians, and Annas and Caiaphas.

Again, these are historical people. They really lived. They really had positions of authority during this time period. The date is about 29 AD.

Luke is careful to make sure that we know that this stuff is not a fairy tale or a myth. This really happened in space/time history.

I think that’s more and important in our day when the historicity of the gospel accounts is so much under attack. This really happened.

Now, what happened? V.2, “...the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.”

John was called to be a prophet. God’s word came to him in some special way–and he had to proclaim it. What was this word? V.3

“He went into all the country around the Jordan [that’s a river in Palestine], preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

This is why we call him, “John the Baptist.”

He had unique ministry. Under the inspiration of God, John was preaching that people–good Jews even!–ought to get baptized to symbolize their repentance to prepare for the forgiveness of sins. Water as a symbol of cleansing.

This was a preparatory baptism, a preparatory repentance, preparing for forgiveness.

How do we know that? Luke fills us in on what this meant in verse 4. John’s baptism of repentance was preparing the way for the Lord. V.4

“As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.'’” Isaiah 40:3-5.

Luke sees that John fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy.

He is “The Voice.” It’s his job to call out in the desert “Prepare the Way for the Lord.”

That was John’s message. Point #1 of 3 this morning.

#1. PREPARE FOR THE KING!

This repentance, this baptism that John was preaching was preparatory. It was getting hearts ready, getting people ready for the coming king.

I love the picture in verse 5.

“Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.”

What is Isaiah talking about?

He’s talking about building a highway.

How many have taken the new 322 highway from Port Matilda to State College?

How about the new I 99 from Altoona to State College? Pretty cool, huh?

It seemed like those construction projects would never be done, didn’t it?

What did they have to do to build those roads?

They had to move the mountains didn’t they? And it was a bigger project than they predicted, wasn’t it? Because they found that acid rock.

They had to cut through the mountains and move a lot of dirt to make those highways.

That’s the picture in Isaiah 40 and in verse 5 of Luke 3.

They are making a highway. Who is going to roll in on the highway?

The KING! The Lord.

“Make straight paths for the Lord.”

The King is coming.

Make a royal highway for him!

Prepare for the King!

That’s John’s message. Prepare for the King!

Now, what does that look like? John says that it looks like repentance.

And if you come to him for baptizing, repentance is what you are saying by getting baptized by John, “I repent.”

The mountains and the hills and the valleys that need leveling are sins that must be turned away from. This is a highway into the hearts of God’s people.

A baptism of repentance to prepare the way for the Lord.

Before the King comes, His people must get ready, and the way to get ready is to repent.

And crowds of people started coming out to the desert to get baptized!

Can you imagine the sight?

The Bible says that John was a strange man with strange clothes and strange diet in a strange location.

And people come flocking out to see this strange man and submit to his message and his baptism.

Clearly, something is happening.

John is preaching repentance. Is anyone listening?

Are we listening? When the subject is repentance, are we tuning or tuning out?

Is repentance just for non-Christians or is it for everyone?

Is repenting just something you do once and then you’re done?

John was trying to get people ready for the coming of the Messiah, the King.

But he wasn’t convinced that everyone who was coming to be baptized was the Real Deal. V.7

“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”

I don’t think that John would have won any popularity contests!

What a response! Here come all of these people out to hear him and be baptized, and this is how he treats them?

He sees that many are not genuine. They are a bunch of snakes. They feel the heat of the fire coming, and they snake out looking for somewhere safe.

But they are not real. Real repentance can be verified. V.8

“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’”

John was quite a preacher, wasn’t he? Vivid! Stones and axes and fruit.

Some of the people coming out didn’t think they needed repentance. Because they were Jewish! They were Hebrew. They were children of Abraham.

“Abraham is my father! I don’t need this ‘baptism of repentance’ thing.”

John says, “Oh yes, you do!”

Being a child of Abraham is nothing. God can raise up a child of Abraham wherever he wants. It’s not race, it’s grace!

And we to hear today, too.

God has no grandchildren, only children.

You don’t get into the Kingdom by belonging to a godly family.

The Durochers who were here last week, they have a great family. All happy and holy–loving the Lord. But just because you are a Durocher doesn’t make you a Christian.

Everyone has to repent for themself.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a part of this church for 80 years, if you are not repentant yourself, you are outside of grace.

Everyone has to repent for themself.

And it’s important. John says, “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

This is a “repent or else” message. It IS “turn or burn.”

Those are the only two choices. It is that important.

Judgment is coming. It is imminent.

Notice John’s message.

#2. “PRODUCE FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE.”

And if you don’t have it, you’ll be chopped down and burnt up.

What is John saying?

John is saying that true repentance includes a change in behavior.

Repentance is a heart-thing, right? It starts in the heart.

But it doesn’t stop in the heart, does it?

No, it always works itself out in a change in behavior.

Produce Fruit in Keeping with Repentance.

The root is our hearts. That’s where repentance happens.

But if it is true repentance, our root will produce fruit that shows it.

The crowd wants examples. V.10

“‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.’”

Want to know what repentance looks like? It looks like sharing. It looks like generosity. It looks like taking care of others. V.12

“Tax collectors also came to be baptized. ‘Teacher,’ they asked, ‘what should we do?’ ‘Don't collect any more than you are required to,’ he told them.”

Whenever you see the word “tax-collector,” you should think, “Boo, Hiss!” and maybe spit. These guys were hated in Israel for not just collecting money for the Romans but forcing people to pay big amounts on top of the Roman tax–just because they could.

John says, if your baptism of repentance is real, then you’ll cut that out. You’ll only take what you should.

Another hated group was the soldiers. V.14

“Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’ He replied, ‘Don't extort money [don’t shake people down] and don't accuse people falsely–be content with your pay.’”

Produce Fruit in Keeping with Repentance.

Change your behavior if you really mean it.

Now, I want you to notice what John does not say.

What John does say seems pretty basic. “Give to others. Don’t steal. Be content. Don’t lie.”

What doesn’t he say?

He doesn’t say, “Go through all of these motions. Take on these rituals.” Sure, baptism, but not if you don’t mean it. And not a lot of other rituals–no extra sacrifices, no new religious rigamarole. Let’s get religious! No.

And he doesn’t tell them to get all emotional, either. Sometimes, we think that repentance is a feeling that we need to work up or have come over us. No, there is no navel-gazing here, no working up your feelings.

Repentance is a radical change of heart that leads to a radical change of life.

And that radical change is to live holy and loving lives.

You say that you are repentant? John says, “Okay. Show me.”

Here’s the question:

Is there fruit in keeping with repentance in your life and mine?

Now, I would urge everyone here that professes to believe in Jesus to get baptized.

Everyone who believes in Jesus should either get baptized or be planning to get baptized. That’s a matter of obedience.

But the real and deeper question is whether or not our baptisms point to real repentance or not.

Has there really been a change in our lives?

Is there fruit in keeping with repentance in your life and mine?

Or is it just “talk?”

Now, John wasn’t calling the Jews to claim perfection. He was calling them to change their ways.

And God is calling us to the same thing.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

I’m working on a paper right now for one of my classes on my information addiction.

Did you know that I’m an information junkie?

I am.

I love to know things. Sometimes, I feel like I HAVE TO KNOW THINGS!

This last week, I was worrying about a financial transaction–whether some money that I had asked to be deposited had been deposited in time so that I didn’t get another “speeding ticket” like I mentioned this last Summer.

And so, I checked my balance online–online banking, right? Great idea.

I checked my balance–30 or 40 times a day for a couple of days.

My wife pointed out very lovingly (by laughing at me) this was not a healthy use of my time. In fact, it was sinful. And she was right.

And I needed to repent.

What would fruit in keeping with repentance look like for me in this situation?

It would mean only checking once or twice a day, right?

And what else? Using that redeemed time to love my family and my church, right?

The Lord wants you and me to be repentant, to turn from sin.

That’s one of the things that our baptisms symbolize–though they symbolize more than that now that Jesus has come.

But he wants us to turn, to repent.

Where is the Lord looking for repentance in your life right now?

Is it an addiction of some kind like my information addiction? Maybe an addiction to food or gossip or something else.

Is it a relationship or a behavior or an attitude?

It isn’t enough to feel bad about it.

God is calling for us to change.

Not to become perfect all at once–but to turn away from our sin and produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Maybe it has to do with money for you. Did you notice how all three examples of repentance that John gave were about stewardship and generosity?

What is your checkbook saying right now about your repentance, about where your heart it?

Repent! God will give you the grace. Repent.

I have a third point this morning, but I want pause right here for a second and pray for us that we would produce this kind of fruit in keeping with repentance.

[prayer]

Now, John was stirring things up. He didn’t care a bit about what people thought of him. And people kept coming and coming and coming.

And some people were changing. It seemed like the King was arriving! There was something big happening. It was making the officials uncomfortable.

And people started to get excited and expectant that maybe the Messiah was here! V.15

“The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.”

Is this it? We are preparing the way for the Lord!

John says, “No. I’m not the Christ.” He’s someone much greater than I am. V.16

“John answered them all, ‘I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’”

Number 3. This is John’ message.

#3. PONDER THE POWER OF CHRIST!

Oh, no, friends. I’m not the Christ! He’s still coming. And boy is He powerful!

I’m not worthy to untie his shoelaces.

You think I’m something?

I just baptize in water. He baptizes in God the Holy Spirit and with fire!

Now, I’m not sure what that fire refers to. I think it might be the fire of Pentecost on the heads of the disciples. Or maybe the purifying fire that refines us who are believers.

But my main thought is that it is the fire the separates the believer from the unbeliever in final judgment. V.17

“[The Messiah’s] winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The picture here is that the Powerful Messiah, the Christ, holds a winnowing fork, a great big wooden fork that you pick up the grain with and toss it in the air to thresh.

The heavy stuff which is good lands down on the floor and is kept and useful.

The light stuff, the chaff blows away and then is only good for a fire.

The Messiah is powerful and brings judgment.

And there is no escaping Him! Remember verse 9 and His ax at the root of the tree.

Ponder the Power of the Coming Messiah!

I am not the Christ. He is still coming.

And you’d better repent while you still can!

That’s John’s message.

Some people received it. Others did not.

Herod Antipas did not. V.18

“And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.”

Herod had stolen his brother’s wife.

And John preached against it. He didn’t care who Herod was.

And Herod locked him up and eventually killed him.

But that didn’t stop him or his message.

#1. Prepare for the King! The King is coming. Make a highway. Do whatever it takes, move whatever it takes to get ready for His coming.

#2. Produce fruit in Keeping with Repentance. Stop. Turn. Change. Do something differently. Walk out your talk.

#3. Ponder the Power of the Christ! He is coming! And is Great! And He is powerful. He is going to bring judgment. Repent while you can.

That’s John’s message.

What do you think is going to happen next?

In the next verse, which we’ll read in two weeks, Jesus steps out onto stage.

And He gets baptized.

But His baptism is not a baptism of repentance. It’s a baptism of identification–with us.

While our baptism says that we’re sorry for our sins, Jesus’s said, “I’ll take your sins on me. I’ll be one of you.”

And that’s how baptism becomes “a baptism for the forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus dies for those sins.

He pays for those sins.

He pours out His blood for those sins.

Repentance opens the doors of our hearts for the Lord to come in.

But it was His work on the Cross that cleanses us.

That’s what we now celebrate at this table.

If you are a faith-follower of Jesus Christ, that is producing fruit in keeping with repentance, then you are invited to eat and drink this meal with us today.

If you are not yet a faith-follower of Jesus Christ, then please do not eat and drink with us yet. But instead use this time to ponder the power of Christ.

Do you believe in this history?

Do you believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah?

Do you believe that there is a judgment coming?

Wheat and chaff separated?

Chaff burned with an unquenchable fire?

An ax laid at the root of the trees? And every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire?

If you are not yet trusting in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sin and the hope of eternal life, I urge you turn today and trust in Him.

Repent and believe in Jesus.

Tell Jesus that you want to turn and trust in Him.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire!

This is the good news.

If you do believe the good news, don’t stop repenting.

The Christian life is a race of repentance.

The Lord is probably putting His finger on some sin in your life. Some area that hasn’t been conquered yet.

Tell Him that you want to change and you are ready to be radical about it.

He will help you.

He wants your transformation more than you do.

Use this time to talk to the Lord about what you need to repent of and how you can about doing it.

Thank Him for being broken for your sin and pouring out his blood for your sin.

And tell Him how you want to change because of it.

Tell Him that you want a highway in your heart that the King smoothly ride right on so that all mankind will see God’s salvation.

A New Forgiveness Quiz

Chris Brauns, author of Unpacking Forgiveness has posted a new quiz about the subject on the one-year anniversary of the publishing of his book.

Take the quiz, enter a contest to win a copy of the book and/or a Flip Camera.

A New Friend - Steve Lutz

Got to meet Steve Lutz today, a missionary with the CCO.

We met through the Gospel Coalition.

Check out his ministry: Missio Dei.

Good to meet likeminded brothers!

Filled Up

“Filled Up”

Love gives up himself and ends up receiving.

Love takes up his cross and ends up relieving.

Love loses his life and ends up finding.

Love is bound up in death and ends up unbinding.

Love loses it all and ends up keeping.

Love dies to make seeds and ends up reaping.

Love owns nothing at all and ends up giving.

Love hates his own life and ends up living.

- BRW

Concert Report

Excellent!

And what a joy to have them and get to know them better.

If you can come to church at Lanse tomorrow (9am Paul is going to speak, 10am worship and preaching), don't miss it!

Craig & Carolyn Williford - Blog

The new president and first lady of Trinity International University have begun a blog.

For those who care about TIU, their posts will probably be something important to read.

Concert Tonight!

Paul and Judy Durocher and 10 of their kids are currently running along I-80 on their way to Lanse Free Church for tonight's free concert.

We're all ready to be blessed and to be a blessing to our community.

And--NEW'S FLASH--the Durochers are going to be back to worship with us on Sunday!