Rambling Rev

Scripture:  James 1:2-6

(Preached at FBC Nitro 1/22/2012 – morning worship)

A television program that has taken the country by storm for the last few years has been “The Biggest Loser.”  Every season several extremely overweight, sedentary individuals of all ages begin the process of losing weight, getting into shape and transforming their lives.  They are given very vigorous exercise routines, taught how to eat properly, and coached through every step of their journey by a skilled trainer.  Each week there is a public weigh-in, and the person with the lowest level of weight loss is in danger of being voted off the program by the other participants.  The goal is to remain on the program until the end of the season and to have lost the most weight.  That person will be the “Biggest Loser.”  He/she will win a substantial cash reward.  The most challenging part of each week for the players is not the weigh-in itself, but the “last-chance” workout that precedes it.  It is called the “last chance” workout because it is their last chance to exercise before they step on the scales.  Last-chance workouts are brutal.  Sweat pours, muscles ache, as each person labors towards total exhaustion.  Their trainer allows them to suffer and push them towards the goal that needs to be reached.  At the end of the season’s journey all the hard work shows as the people are radically different than they were when they started.  They are healthier, they are stronger, and other people take notice of the tremendous change that has taken place in them at the hands of a firm yet caring trainer.  Suffering occurs, but the results it produces are well worth the price.

In our spiritual lives today we have a similar situation.  Our God allows us to go through intense trials that are intended to strengthen our faith and to change us into the people He would have us to be.  Hebrews 12:11 says, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”  Our passage for this morning in James speaks of the trials we encounter, and what they produce in us as we go through them.  These trials are not easy experiences – they are hard, they are gut-wrenching, they are painful.  Yet when we reach the other side of them, we will see how God has used them to refine us into more of the godly men and women we really yearn to be.  Our trials can be seen as God’s last-chance workouts, given to prepare us for a better life that will bring glory to Him and greater fulfillment to us.  There are at least three things these trials produce in us.

First of all, God’s last chance workouts produce joy.  Contestants on the biggest loser program often have a deep sense of contentment, because they know that despite their hardship they are moving towards a worthy goal.  Verse 2 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds…”  This comment on the surface seems a little ridiculous to us.  I should count it all joy when I am going through a tough time, when I am suffering, when I feel like I am falling apart inside?  There is a huge difference however, between happiness and joy.  No, we won’t we be happy when we go through a tough time, we when are hurting or when we are shaken.  As followers of Jesus we can and should be joyful.  Happiness is based on circumstances, joy isn’t.  I could say, “I’ve been freezing today – it has been so cold.  But now I’m in my warm house with a hot bowl of soup and cornbread.  I’m very happy.”  Now if you turn down the heat a bit and take away my hot soup and my cornbread, I won’t be happy.  Happiness is in the moment.  Joy is different – joy is a supernatural delight.  Joy doesn’t come from our flesh, it comes from God.  On our own, we don’t have the capacity to be joyful.  We only have the ability to be joyful as we are in relationship with Jesus Christ.  The deeper our relationship with Jesus goes, the deeper our joy becomes.  When James says, “Count it all joy” he means, “Get God’s heart about this situation.  See it from His perspective.”  One preacher has said that joy is a “supernatural delight in the person, purposes and people of God.”  Joy in Jesus is far greater and far more intense than any happiness we can experience.  Joy in His purposes comes from understanding that there is something bigger than me happening in my life – there is something far beyond me.  I am just one piece of a far bigger masterpiece of what God is designing, even though I may not see that picture clearly right now.  Joy in His people is found in just being together.  When we open our lives to one another and we physically meet together, what we experience is unlike anything else.  James says, “Count it all joy, my brothers…”

There is a strong sense of unity here, of togetherness.  He is writing in a context of flesh-and-blood relationships.  His words are not just abstract ideas expressed to others in writing.  We find joy in being together in the same physical location, interacting with one another.

One of the great dangers of the digital age in which we live is becoming increasingly isolated from one another behind text messages, Twitter and Facebook.  Those things are not bad in themselves – we should use them as a means of communication.  When our fellowship however, becomes more electronic than it is up-close and personal, then we deprive ourselves of a great source of joy.  What results is really no fellowship at all.  We may say, “Well, I won’t go to a Bible study group tonight – I’ll just go to a computer forum online where we can chat about the Bible.”  “I really need the sleep this Sunday morning, so I’ll just get up later and watch a video feed of a church service.  It will take the place of being there.”  The greatest joy is found in being together in the same physical location.  That’s the way God has created us.  How many of us have seen in an email or a text message a virtual hug?  One way to express it is the word “hug” with several parentheses on each side.  Does a virtual hug really do much to encourage you?  How does it rate compared to an actual hug?  It doesn’t rate, because it isn’t a hug.  Joy is found in physically being in the same place with brothers and sisters in Christ.

Now before we go to the next point, we need to look carefully at the word translated “count.” Other versions translate it as “consider.”  “Count it all joy…”  Consider the trial, count the trial, measure the trial, and see that it is part of God’s purpose and plan.  The reason we are on this earth is to live for the glory of God.  It isn’t about our comfort or convenience, it is about God’s glory and His kingdom advancing in the lives of others.  The reason why God allows Christians to get cancer, for Christian parents to have prodigals, and for Christian businessmen to go bankrupt is that He might be glorified in the way we respond.  God desires for there to be a stark contrast between the way the world handles hardship and the way we handle hardship.  When we experience hardship, we can count it all joy, because in the end God’s purpose will prevail.  So the way to respond to trials is to count it joy….

We don’t respond to trials by filling our faces with food to dull the pain.
We don’t respond to trials by filling our minds with entertainment to forget about the pain.
We don’t respond to trials by filling our hearts with anger to avenge our pain.
We don’t respond to trials by filling our bodies with alcohol or drugs to escape the pain.

We respond to trials by counting them, by considering them against the backdrop of God’s purpose.  This trial is your opportunity, it is your moment to shine brightly for God.  It is a gift for you to use for God’s glory.  You can choose to be thankful for what God has given you and rejoice, or grumble about what God has taken from you and complain.  God’s last-chance workouts produce joy.

Then God’s last-chance workouts produce toughness.  With the Biggest Loser contestants, there is a change mentally before there is ever much of a visible change physically.  That change is becoming tough.  A decision is made that their situation in life, that the condition of their bodies, will not get the best of them – they will prevail.  Verses 2-3 of our passage say, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”  Steadfastness is a key word.  The Greek word is hupomone.  It is two words that have been joined together, the word meaning remain and the word meaning under.  So it means to remain under.  As we go through trials, God gives us the ability to remain under them until His time for them is complete.  God produces in us steadfastness, persistence, faithfulness, stick-to-itiveness.  Every good thing that God gives you in life comes through the funnel of remaining under.  If you cut-and-run every time you experience difficulty, you will never grow spiritually and you will never experience God’s purpose fulfilled in your life.   Stay put, keep going, don’t give up, and experience what God has for you in the midst of this fiery trial, whatever that trial may be.

A survey was done of 100 people, asking them what they want to do in the midst of hardship other than remaining under it and being steadfast.  The number one response was to complain.  “Be steadfast?  Fine, I’ll be steadfast.  But I’m certainly not going to keep my mouth shut about it.  You’re going to hear just how much I don’t like it!”  Complaining and steadfastness don’t work well together.  The number two response was to lash out or to take it out on the people around us.  We are suffering, so we make our spouses, our parents, our kids or our friends suffer with us.  “If I am going to be miserable, then you are going to be miserable too!”  That kind of attitude isn’t steadfastness.  Number three was to bail.  “I didn’t sign up for this, this isn’t why I became a Christian.  This was not part of deal when I got married.  This was not in my contract when I took this job.  This situation should not be a part of being a parent.  This church just has too many hypocrites – it needs more holy and humble people like me.  I’ve had it – I’m outta here!”  Another response is to fold.  “I’ve had it, I quit.  I can’t fight any more.  I just can’t handle it”  “Here I am God, just steamroll over me, take me out of the game”  We may not hit the road, but we hit the mat and we won’t get up.

Listen to what 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,”  Stick to it, keep standing in the storm, keep going through the hardship.  Why?  Because the nail that doesn’t remain under the hammer will never be driven to the goal.  Because the diamond that doesn’t remain under the chisel will never become the precious gem.  Because the gold that doesn’t remain in the fire will never be refined and purified.  Because the Christian who doesn’t remain under the hand of God will never see the purpose the trial could have accomplished.  Job 23:12 tells us, “…he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.”

It’s tough to stay in the same place when the pressure is on and show steadfastness.  Spouses leave their marriages and are shocked to find that the second or third marriage has problems too.   Students leave school only to learn that life beyond school is much rougher.  Church members leave churches only to learn that the next congregation has its own set of frustrating issues that get under their skin as well.  God will give you the steadfastness you need to remain under whatever challenge you face.  Trust him to do so.  God’s last-chance workouts produce toughness.

Then, God’s last chance workouts produce transformation.  Slowly but surely, the contestants who began the show as one person finish the series as a different person.  The before and after pictures are only an outward indication of the transformation that has occurred.  God accomplishes a far greater transformation with us.  Verse 4 of our passage tells us,

“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  As we stay submitted to Jesus and follow Him, we will change, we will be transformed.  We do not have to work at it, we do not have to turn over a new leaf, we only need to follow Jesus each day, obey Him each day, and the transform is His to effect.

Paul says in Philippians 2:13, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”   The real challenge for us is not quitting, not rebelling, or not becoming bitter during the hard times.  When life is pressing hard on us, when God is allowing us to experience a brutal workout, we are filled with questions and even doubts.  It is then that the next two verses are so important.  Verse 5 of our passage tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  Sometimes this verse is removed from its context, so we think that if we have a big exam of some sort, then we can just ask God for wisdom for the right answers and don’t doubt, then He will give us the answers

“God, I didn’t have time to study, but You’ve said that if I just ask for wisdom and don’t doubt, then You will tell me what I need to know.”  These two verses are in the context of experiencing trials.  When you are going through hardship and you are having a difficult time with questions wondering why you should continue serving the Lord, ask and He will give you answers.  He is not likely to tell you why it happened, but He will tell you why you need to keep following Him

He will teach you lessons in the midst of what you are experiencing.  He will enlighten your mind and change your perspective for the better.  In other words, if we ask, “What do You want to teach me from this experience Lord?  What can I learn from it?”  “What’s next on Your agenda for me in becoming a better man or woman of God?  I know there are things to learn in this midst of this hardship – teach me.”  Those questions God answers, and answers quickly and abundantly.  The key however, is making sure you really want to know when you ask God.

If we say, “God I want to learn what You have to teach, as long as I don’t have to stay with my spouse, as long as I don’t have to keep putting up with my boss, as long as I hold on to this one habit or possession that is really important to me…”If we come to God asking with conditions, then we won’t learn anything at all.  We have to come to Him in faith, trusting what He says, regardless of what He says.  Verse 6 tells us, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

So how will you respond when you are the middle of what seems to be God’s last-chance workout in your life?  Will you experience the joy, the toughness, and the transformation that He has to provide?  You will be better, His kingdom will better, and everyone around You will benefit and be inspired.  The choice is yours today.

Scripture:  Luke 6:37-42
(Preached at FBC Nitro 1/15/2012)

One of my favorite movies is the 1998 classic “The Mask of Zorro” with Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas.  I’ve watched it several times – to me it is a classic, one that doesn’t get old easily. In the opening of the story the character Alejandro, played by Antonio Banderas, meets the aged Zorro, played by Anthony Hopkins.  Alejandro is drunk over the recent loss of his brother, who was killed at the hands of a mercenary soldier.  An old, bearded, unrecognizable Zorro strikes up a conversation with him.

During the conversation the mercenary appears across the street, and Alejandro tries to leave the tavern to stop him.  Zorro prevents him, and Alejandro pulls a sword to fight the unknown legend.  He is quickly subdued and knocked to the floor, and then informed how his life had just been saved.  Attacking a trained soldier while drunk and undisciplined would have been a quick death for Alejandro.  Zorro then makes an offer to train Alejandro, to teach him how to move, how to think, how to fight, how to live like a true hero.  He then says to him, “There is saying, a very old saying, “When the pupil is ready, the Master will appear.”

Listen to what Jesus says in verse 40 of our passage, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.”  When the pupil is ready, the Master will appear.  Jesus in this passage is calling us to follow Him in living a life of grace.  When we do so, others will see Him in us.  There are many spiritual traits we could seek to display to others.  Zeal, Biblical knowledge, holiness, peace, joy, self-control — all of them have their place.  The most powerful one of them all, the most Divine, the one that allows people to see Jesus in us more than any other, is grace.

Grace is defined by Nelson’s Bible Dictionary as “favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that person deserves.”  Jesus is calling us not just to demonstrate grace on occasion, but to live a life characterized by grace. When we do so, it means at least three things, according to our passage.

First of all, living a life of grace means to accept others different from you.  Verse 37 says, “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;” We hear this beginning phrase often nowadays – don’t judge others.  When taken to the extreme, it means do not be discerning, do not seek to distinguish right from wrong.  Nowhere in the Bible does God tells us not to be discerning, to make no distinction between light and darkness.  Instead, we are told to be wise as serpents, that by their fruit, by the evidence of their lives, we will know them.  Discernment and distinction of right and wrong are vital traits in this day and age, perhaps more vital now than at any time in history.  What we are being told here by Jesus is not to reject, not to condemn, not to look down our noses.  If any group of people are to be loving and accepting of others despite their differences, despite their sin, it is to be followers of Jesus Christ.  In first century Judea life was based on the idea that some people were acceptable, and some people were not Jews saw themselves as more acceptable to God than non-Jews.  They even referred to Gentiles as “dogs,” as less than human.  Rich people were seen as more blessed and acceptable to God than poor people.  The physically strong and healthy were seen as righteous, while people with chronic diseases or disabilities were judged to be sinners.  Some people were seen as human beings, some were seen as sub-human.  This kind of judgment is what Jesus condemns here.  When we condemn someone, when we say that a person has no worth, that an individual really doesn’t matter that much to God, we are doing something that grieves the heart of our Lord Jesus.  We may discern that another person or another group is wrong in their thinking or wrong in their actions, but when we begin valuing another person or group less, then we’ve crossed the line from spirituality to sin.  This kind of judgment opens the door for terrible things such as segregation, abuse, and ultimately to killing off individuals and groups because they are deemed sub-human.

In Jesus’ day this kind of thing was common practice, but it also happens today with many of us who call ourselves Christians.  We disagree with others on theology, politics, lifestyle, etc., then we cross the line and devalue them as people because they are different than us.  When we take that step, when we cross that line, we are grieving the heart of God and bringing shame on the cause of Christ.  What may have once been a shining witness for Jesus becomes a reason for others to reject Him.  In a 2008 a book was published called, “UnChristian:  What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity” by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons.  It is based on research done among non-Christian twenty-somethings.  One of the main findings is that we as Christians are perceived as being judgmental.  The authors say, “Nearly nine out of ten young outsiders (87 percent) said that the term ‘judgmental’ accurately describes present-day Christianity….Just to put this in practical terms, when you introduce yourself to a twenty-something neighbor, and you mention your faith, chances are he or she will think of you as judgmental.”

Whether or not we feel we are judgmental, the point is that many non-Christians today perceive us as that way.  Pastor Jud Wilhite shares the story of a church member named Cody Huff.  Before Cody became a member at Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, he was sleeping in an open field next to the church building.  At one time Cody was making loads of money as a famous bass pro fisherman who had even been featured on ESPN.  He had a problem with drugs however, that he just couldn’t overcome.  He began a crack addiction that led him to smoke up $600,000 worth of savings, his house, his Harley, his new boat.  He smoked away everything to his name and ended up homeless.  A man who had eaten at fine restaurants and interacted with celebrities had bottomed out and was now sleeping in an open field.

Some people from the church’s homeless ministry were handing out sandwiches in the park where Cody slept, and they told him he could get a shower at Central Christian Church.  The last place Cody wanted to go was a church, but he hadn’t bathed in so long that even other homeless men couldn’t stand his smell anymore.  Cody explains what happened next:  “I walked into the church, and this lady named Michelle, who knew me from the homeless ministry, said, ‘Good morning, Cody. How are you?’  Then she looked at me, and she said, ‘Cody, you need a hug.’  And I said, ‘Honey, you don’t want to touch me because I haven’t had a shower in 3 months.’

“If Michelle heard me, she didn’t seem to care.  She walked up, and she looked in my eyes, and she gave me a big hug and told me that Jesus loved me.  In that split second, I was somebody. She even remembered my name. That was the point where I knew that God was alive in this world.”

Over the next several weeks, Cody’s life began to be restored.  He gave his life to Christ. He started leading a Bible study in the park for other homeless people.  ”That was over 3 years ago,” Jud says. “Now he’s married, and he and his wife serve faithfully in our homeless ministry every weekend. He has his own business. From ashes, God has raised him up to use him as an instrument.”  His involvement in ministry all started with the warm embrace of a single church member who was living a life of grace, and accepted someone much different than herself.  Living a life of grace means to accept others different from you.

Then, living a life of grace means to give to others less fortunate than you.  Verse 38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”  When we look at this verse in its context, it isn’t promoting any kind of get rich quick scheme.  It is connecting giving with a life of grace.  When we follow Christ, we give.  We become more and more generous, because Jesus is generous.  As we increasing follow Jesus and give away from ourselves, He will take care of our needs abundantly.  The point here is not just to give, but to give to people whom we may feel aren’t worthy of our giving, people who don’t deserve our money or our time or our effort.  The point here is to give with grace.  What is grace?  “favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that person deserves.”

While preparing for this message I read about a college student in Minneapolis named April.  She is a Christian actively involved in a ministry group.  There was a mosque in her community that had burned down due to an arson attack.  The leader of the mosque, the imam, appealed to the community for help in cleaning up and rebuilding after the fire.  April answered the call.  When others in her ministry group heard about what she was doing, that she was actually helping Muslims rebuild their mosque, they confronted her about it.  “Why would you help them?  They are the ones we are fighting against.  They are the enemy.”  April responded,  “I disagree with their beliefs, I disagree with their worship.  But they’re my neighbors, and I have to help them.  I have to love them.  That’s what Christ has commanded us to do.”  Sadly, April was expelled from her Christian group.

Living a life of grace means to give to others less fortunate than you, including spiritually less fortunate than you.  Sometimes we may even look down our noses not at mosque in our neighborhood, but at the established church.  We see that things are not as they should be, that beliefs are not as Biblical as they should be and that lifestyles are not as godly as they should be.  We disagree with some of the beliefs in the local church, we disagree with some of the worship in the local church, we really disagree with the politics of the local church.  We then determine that they are not worthy of any money or time or energy.  The thing is, they are our spiritual family, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  More importantly, they are the body of Christ and the bride of Christ.  The body may not be in perfect shape.  The bride may not be drop-dead gorgeous.  Still, this local church is the prize possession of Jesus — He gave His life for her.  Living a life of grace means to give to others less fortunate than you.

Then, living a life of grace means to see others as flawed as you.  Verse 42 of our passage says, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”  When it comes to living a life of grace, we aren’t just called to be tolerant and to give.  We are also called to forgive and to reconcile.  This aspect requires even more grace than the first two mentioned, and can only be done by walking closely with Jesus.  When we find ourselves in a position to judge, when we find ourselves in a position where we feel any gift from us is undeserved, it is then we reconcile.  If we have been judged, if we had others turn away from us when were in need, it is then that we forgive.  When we reconcile and when we forgive, we do so with humility, realizing that they are just as flawed as we are.  We don’t attempt to reconcile or to forgive until we deal with our sin.  That’s living a life of grace.

Many people will not listen to what we have to say until they realize that we are real, that we are vulnerable, that we are very much human.  The world is drawn to believers who are real, not believers who are plastic and perfect.  Admitting our own sins and shortcomings must be done before others can experience God’s grace through us.  The great author C.S. Lewis has said,

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to be sure of keeping your heart intact — you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully around with hobbies and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safely in the casket of your selfishness. And in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will not change, it will not be broken. It will become unbreakable, impenetrable and irredeemable. The only place outside of heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the dangers of love is hell.

 Living a life of grace is a risk – we openly acknowledge our own sins and failures.  The risk is rejection or ridicule.  But without taking that risk, there is no possibility of the greater reward of touching someone’s heart and soul.  Living a life of grace means to see others as flawed as you.

In one of her many books, Beth Moore shares a moment when God spoke to her heart about experiencing His grace.  She writes,

I will never forget watching an evening talk show featuring the story of the parents and killer of a young college student. The killer was his best friend. The weapon was high alcohol content inside a speeding automobile. … What made this particular feature prime-time viewing? The parents had forgiven the young driver… And if that was not enough, they had taken him in as their own.  This young man sat at the table in the chair which was once occupied by their only son.  He slept in the son’s bed. He worked with the victim’s father, teaching seminars on safety. He shared their fortune and supported their causes. He spoke about the one he had slain in ways only someone who knew him intimately could have. …Why did these parents do such a thing?  Because it gave them peace. The interviewer was amazed; I was amazed.  I kept trying to put myself in the parents’ position—but I could not.  Then, as the tears streamed down my cheeks, I heard the Spirit of God whisper to my heart and say:  “No wonder you cannot relate. You have put yourself in the wrong position. You, my child, are the driver.”  God was the parent who not only forgave, but also invited me to sit at His table in the space my Savior left for me. As a result, I have peace.

 Living a life of grace begins with the realization of the grace God has shown to us.  Will you accept that grace this morning?  Will you commit to living a lifestyle that demonstrates it to others?

Scripture:  Matthew 1:1-17

(Preached at FBC Nitro WV, 1/8/2012)

We are one week into the new year, and many of us may be struggling now with new year’s resolutions.  The first day was fantastic as we started that new practice that we hoped would develop into a habit.  It may have been exercise, it may have been dieting, it may have been something else that we needed to do but really hadn’t gotten to doing.  With the new year however, and with a clean slate, we were ready to go and tackle the challenge.  One week into the resolution, we are now experiencing the real challenge.

The newness has passed, and we wonder if we will be able to keep the pace that we have set for ourselves.  One of the best new year’s resolutions we can make is to read through the Bible in a year.  I’ve read through the Bible several times, and I understand Matt has challenged our youth to read through the Bible this year.  There is no substitute for spending time in God’s Word.

When we read through the Bible, there are certain areas of it that are much more challenging to read than others.  If we’ve started in the Old Testament, we find one such section in the latter part of Exodus and the entire book of Leviticus.  What was once fast-paced action slows down into the details of the law God gave His people.  Another challenging section is the apocalyptic literature of the latter half of Daniel and other certain places in the Old Testament in Revelation in the New Testament.  The images are vivid, but understanding what they mean is tough.

Perhaps the most challenging section of all the Bible is what we could call “the boring begats.”  In other words, the genealogies.  The genealogies in the modern translations speak of one man being the father of another man, who was the father of another man, who was the father of another man, etc.  In the more dated King James Version translation however, the word used to express fathering a son is “begat.”  So one man would begat another man, who begat another man, who begat another man, and so forth.  For many of us they may seem so dry and boring that we just skip them and move to the next section of Scripture.  Heaven help us if we are doing a small group Bible study and it is our turn to read aloud and pronounce all those difficult names!

Despite how we may feel, God has put the genealogies in His word for a reason.  God being the God He is, He can speak to us powerfully through any portion of His Word, including the boring begats.  So in our passage this morning we find some life-changing truths, if we only take a bit of time to find them.  There are three sections to this passage, that represent the three stages of Israel’s history.  If we had to summarize what we find here in just a few words it would be God promises, we mess it up, Jesus redeems.

First of all, in the boring begats we see God’s promises.  Verses 1-6 speak of the promises God gave His people from Abraham through King David.  God promised Abraham in Genesis 12 that He would make his descendants into a great nation.  By the time we get to King David, the descendants of Abraham had become a great nation.  God kept his promise, He was faithful.

The God who kept His promises then keeps His promises now, for God doesn’t change.  God promises to save you, to deliver you, to provide for you, to comfort you, to protect you, to empower you, and never to leave you.  Psalm 100:5 says, “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”  He keeps His promises despite our shortcomings.  As we go through this list, we are reminded of some seriously dysfunctional families.  At first glance we may think the names mentioned in the Bible didn’t have any of the issues we have today in our lives.  When we look at them in detail however, they had major issues.  Abraham and Sarah have a son, Isaac.  Isaac’s wife is Rebekah.  Isaac and Rebekah start playing their twin sons against one another.  Isaac’s clear favorite is Esau.  Rebekah’s clear favorite is Jacob.  Jacob in turn has a whole mess of children and favors Joseph over all the rest.

So there are parenting problems here, and there are some serious issues of deceit that we haven’t even mentioned yet.  Abraham lied about his wife, Isaac lied about his wife, Jacob lies about pretty much everything.  Then Jacob’s kids lie to him about what happened when Joseph suddenly disappeared.  They told him Joseph had been killed by wild animals when actually they had sold him into slavery.  So we have favoritism, lying and then we get to King David.  His life can be seen as a total mess.

David takes another man’s wife and gets her pregnant.  Her husband is faithfully serving in David’s army, so David has him moved to the front lines so he will be killed and so he can take the man’s wife as his own.  The prophet Nathan then confronts him in what he had thought was the perfect sin and cover-up.  By the way, your sin will always find you out.  There is no such thing as secret sin.  There is only sin that hasn’t come to light, yet – it will.  Anyway, David has a son named Amnon who is attracted to his own sister, Tamar.  Amnon rapes his sister, and David does nothing about it.  Then David has another son Absalom who kills Amnon because of what he did to his sister Tamar then runs away to hide from his Dad.  Later Absalom puts together an army and tries to overthrow his father.  There are major issues in these Biblical families.  The reason I mention them and go into such detail about their failings is that God was faithful to them despite what they did.

We are not alone in our struggles – these individuals and families in the Bible were swamped with issues.  Despite their brokenness, their selfishness and their sinfulness, God was faithful to them and kept His promises.  God was faithful to them despite their own failings, and God is faithful to you.  In Matthew 9:13 Jesus says, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”  This church building is not a hotel for saints, it is a hospital for sinners.  We all are sinners.  Our only hope is God’s faithfulness, for we have done nothing to deserve His favor.  God promises, we mess it up, Jesus redeems.

Then in the boring begats we see our unfaithfulness.  In verses 7-11 the nation of Israel begins a long period of decline.  There are some bright spots along the way, but in essence from the time of King David to the time of the deportation into Babylon they are drifting more and more from their God.  God still has an amazing way of using extraordinarily broken people to accomplish His purposes.  We see it throughout this entire passage.  God takes what society deems undesirable and uses it for His glory and the good of others.  In this list there are five women mentioned.  Women in Biblical times were seen as second-class citizens.  They couldn’t give testimony in court because they didn’t have the standing that men had.  Still, the names of women are here.  Tamar is mentioned. This Tamar is another Tamar, long before David’s daughter.  She is the daughter-in-law of Judah, Joseph’s brother.  She dresses like a prostitute and seduces her father-in-law.  She ends up conceiving a child from the whole incident  – Tamar makes the list.  Rahab is also mentioned.  Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho who allowed spies from Israel to stay in her house before the city fell – she makes the list.  Then we find Ruth.  Ruth is often seen as a fine example, but her background was checkered.  She was a Moabite, and Moabites were seen as cursed because of incest and godlessness.  Ruth makes the list.  Uriah’s wife is here.  Why is she called Uriah’s wife and not Bathsheba?  Because God’s intent was for her to be with Uriah, not David.  David invaded another man’s bedroom, another man’s marriage, and took another man’s wife.  God takes marriage very seriously.  The wife of Uriah makes the list.  The fifth woman of course is Mary, who gave birth to Jesus.

The point here is that in our own lowliness, our own limitations and our own unfaithfulness, God can and does use us.  He has a special place in His heart for the downcast and for the people often forgotten.  Maybe you feel this morning there is no hope for you – there is always hope.

In this passage we see our own unfaithfulness, and how God weaves it into His purpose.  God promises, we mess it up, Jesus redeems.  God’s purpose doesn’t stop with our mess, it climaxes in the person of Jesus and what He accomplishes for us.

Then, in the boring begats, we see Jesus’ redemption.  Verses 12-16 speak of the darkest period of Israel’s history.  They also introduce the arrival of Jesus, who would redeem His people from all their sin. God promises, we mess it up, Jesus redeems. When we look at this list, we find that godliness isn’t inherited, it is a choice.  My parents raised me in a Christian home and took me to church, but they couldn’t follow Christ for me – I had to do it on my own, it was a choice I had to make.  As parents and as grandparents, we need to understand that each generation has to make a choice.  We can’t control them, we can only seek to influence them, pray for them, then release them to follow Jesus as He calls them.  In our passage we see that each generation has to choose.  We find kings here who are more godly, then we find kings who are incredibly evil.  King Ahaz sacrificed his own son to Baal and led the people astray to worship idols.  Then his son Hezekiah came to the throne, and he was much more of a righteous king who sought to follow God.  He led the people back to God and cleansed the land of idols.  The point is that just because your Mom and Dad were Christian doesn’t mean you are Christian.  You have to choose.  Just because you are a Christian doesn’t mean your kids will be Christians – they too have to choose.

Verses 17-18 don’t speak of the end for God’s people – they usher in the beginning.  In Jesus we have a new start.  In Jesus we find redemption.  We find redemption from all the baggage of the past, from all the brokenness, unfaithfulness and sinfulness that plagues us.  Jesus sets us free.  Jesus transforms us and gives us a new beginning.  Jesus takes what was once the boring begats and brings them to life.  Jesus takes the fragments of who we are makes us whole.

1 Peter 1:18-19 says,“…you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”  This redemption isn’t based on our goodness – it is based on God’s goodness in Jesus.  It isn’t based on what we do, it is based on what Jesus has done for us.  Your part is only to trust in what Jesus has accomplished already on the cross for you.

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  In Jesus we become new.  The idea here is not like a new phase of our lives or turning over a new leaf.  It is a brand new beginning, it is a clean slate, it is a re-birth.  Something happens at one point in our lives – we trust in Jesus as our redeemer.  After that point, all things become new and continue to become new.  The newness doesn’t stop when we trust in Jesus – it begins there, and continues until we reach eternity.  God continues to make all things new for us in Christ.  You are not confined by your past – you are free in Jesus.  You are not confined by your parents – you are free in Jesus.  You past and your parents do not determine who you are – Jesus determines who you are.  What an exciting, powerful truth we find in the “boring” begats!  It is just like God to take something many see as lifeless and meaningless and fill it with energy and purpose.  If God can do it with a list of names in this Bible, He can do it with you.

I read about a sign this last week – it was a lost dog sign.  I first thought of my daughter-in-law Amy, for she is incredibly passionate about rescuing lost animals, particularly dogs.  Anyway, the sign offered a big cash reward for whoever might find the dog, and then gave the following description:  “He’s only got three legs, he’s blind in the left eye, he’s missing a right ear.  His tail has been broken off and he was neutered accidently by a chain link fence (ouch).  He’s almost deaf.  He answers to the name, ‘Lucky.’”  That’s the idea of redemption.  That dog isn’t lucky!  He’s been through a mess of a life.  He is Lucky however, in that he has an owner who loves him dearly, despite all his brokenness, and wants him back.  Do you realize that you have a God who loves you dearly, despite all your brokenness, and wants you back?  All you have to do is to trust in what Jesus has done for you to bring you back to Him.

As You Begin the New Year, Remember…

(Preached January 1, 2012 – FBC Nitro, WV)

 Scripture:  Deuteronomy 6:20-25

This last week I read about a man who had retired, and his habit each morning to was read the obituaries in the newspaper.  On one particular morning he found his own name there.  He called the newspaper somewhat angry and somewhat shocked.  When reached the editor he lectured him about his horrible error.  Finally when he finished his rant, the editor said, “Look, I’m really sorry.  I tell you what we’ll do.  In the morning I’ll put your name in the birth column and you can have a brand new beginning!”

There is something exciting about new beginnings.  I always enjoy the anticipation of the first day of a new year, then enjoy when it arrives. It gives us the possibility of a new beginning.  If we start a new job, we have an opportunity for a new beginning.  If we move into a new house, we have the opportunity for a new beginning.  As we stand on the threshold of a new beginning however, it is vital that we learn from our past.  Throughout the Bible God was always telling His people to remember what He had done for them in the past. By remembering what He had done in the past, they would have strength in the present and hope for the future.  The same is true for us today.

In our passage for this morning, the people of Israel are poised to cross the Jordan, conquer the land of Canaan, and experience a new beginning.  Before they did so however, Moses encouraged them to remember their past.  Before we today can look to the future or even live in the present, we have to learn from the past.  As we stand at the beginning of this new year, we need to do what Moses told the nation of Israel to do before they entered the promised land.

First of all, as you begin a new year, remember God’s providence.   v. 21 of our passage says, “…you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.’”  Israel was now ready to cross the Jordan River because of the circumstances God had brought together in the past.  God reached down his hand and sent plagues on the land of Egypt so that the people of Israel would be released from slavery.  Even when Pharaoh resisted the plans of God, God used that resistance to glorify himself and to inspire His people.  They experienced God’s providence then, and we experience God’s providence now.  Providence is God’s ruling over all the events in a person’s life to accomplish His purpose and to care for His people.  Perhaps the best single verse in the Bible we have on providence is Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,…”  God “bringing things together” is His providence.

I remember back as a senior in college that I was terribly smitten with a young lady who was a college sophomore.  I was crushed when she broke up with me – I simply couldn’t understand.  A few years later I was preparing to graduate from seminary and preached at a “neutral church” for two pulpit committees of churches seeking pastors.  I didn’t go to either church, but instead was called by the neutral church, that was also without a pastor but didn’t have any initial interest in my ministry.  A few months into pastoring that congregation, a gorgeous young lady with dancing blue eyes came through the doors of the church for a Sunday worship service.  After several more incidents of God working through circumstances, that woman became my wife.

In all those things, He knew what was best for me – His providence was working then.  His providence is still working now, for God does not change.  He is constantly changing us, but He himself never changes.  On this first day of 2012, we each have a choice – we can celebrate God’s providence, or we can lament what we perceive as God’s inactivity.   We can find reasons to do both, but the truth is that in the end God knows best, and He is in control.  His way is always the best way.  As you stand at the beginning of a new year, remember God’s providence in your life.

Then as you begin a new year, remember God’s presence.  v. 22 of our passage says, “…the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes.”  God wanted Israel not only to know He is real, but also that He is there.  He demonstrated it with signs and wonders.   God doesn’t do miracles for show or to give us a thrill.  God does miracles, both small and great, to show us His presence and to magnify His glory.  God is moving in our lives every day, and showing us His presence.  The question is, “are we looking?”  Have you ever gotten a phone call, a letter, an email, that was exactly what you needed to hear at that time?  Have you ever come across a friend that you hadn’t seen for ages, but at a crucial time and in an unexpected place you encountered him/her?  Have you ever been sitting in church and a song is song or words are spoken in a message that you are convinced were just for you?  Those things are all demonstrations of God’s presence!   The God who has been with us to this point in our lives isn’t going anywhere – He will always be with us.  Jesus promises us in Matthew 28:20, “…behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

As you begin a new year, remember God’s provision.   V. 23 says,  “And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers.”  Let’s focus on these words:  he brought us out, that he might bring us in.  Let’s repeat them together:  He brought us out, that He might bring us in.  God does not bring heartache into our lives with nothing else in mind.  When God allows us to lose one set of circumstances, it is because He has something better in store.  The people of Israel lost the predictability of their slavery in Egypt.  Their taskmasters managed to keep them alive so that they may work and do their bidding.  Even though life was hard, it was predictable.  God brought them out that he might bring them in, that he might bring them in to something far better.   God brings us out, so that He can bring us in.  Philippians 4:19 says, “…my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  God doesn’t supply some of our needs, He supplies every need.  He doesn’t do it according to our riches, thank goodness!  He supplies our needs according to His riches.  If you will look back and ask God to show you, you will begin to see ways in which God has provided for your needs.

One of the major ways in which I have seen God provide for needs is through tithing.  I can’t explain it, and from a strictly financial standpoint it makes absolutely no sense to release 10% of our income and surrender control of it completely to God.  From a personal standpoint, I know that when I give to God, I have much more wisdom to manage what remains in my care.  Actually I have more overall than I did before I gave.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Again he says in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”  God provides in other ways in addition to finances.  The point is that he takes care of us.  The old hymn says,
“Do not dismay what’er betide
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.”
As you begin a new year, remember God’s provision.

Then, as you begin a new year, remember God’s protection.  v. 24 of our passage says, “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day.”  I believe we will all be amazed when we get to heaven and see all the ways God protected us from harm while we were on this earth.  We may realize a few of them now, but God is protecting us over and over again.  Psalm 68:20 says, “Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.”

As I look back upon my own life in 2011, one of the things that is prominent to me is the incident of breaking my ankle, missing a marathon, then having to spend a month on crutches.  At first I was angry and discouraged, but then began realizing how blessed I was.  I started to hear about how other people in the area had been struck by cars and severely injured or killed.  I know now God was watching over me, and I am grateful.  I would say each one of us can recall ways in which we have experienced God’s protection, if only we would take the time to do so.

Then after recalling the past, we set our minds on living in the present and moving towards the future.  While we must remember the past, we cannot remain in the past.

Clean House is the name of a television show on the Style Channel where experts in cleaning, organizing, remodeling, and painting sweep into a cluttered home with the purpose of leaving it more comfortable, attractive, and livable.  The experts face the challenges of clothes strewn across the floor, bulging cabinets, closets filled from top to bottom, filled counter tops, and overflowing kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and living rooms—not a clean room in the house!  The experts’ first step is to take an inventory of all the “stuff.”  Then, decisions are made about what to sell at a yard sale and what to keep. The home’s inhabitants hesitate and hold on to favorite clothes from years gone by, childhood keepsakes, space-taking trivia, but then they yield.  The sale is held, and money comes in to help with the makeover. Then the family leaves, and the work begins.  Rooms are cleaned out, redone for more efficiency and attractiveness, and repainted.  Curtains are hung, cabinets set in, and walls decorated. A transformation takes place, and when the family returns, what a difference it makes!  Any nervous anticipation quickly gives way to excitement and laughter when the family sees what’s taken place.  “Thank you, thank you,” the family says often amid smiles and tears.

In our spiritual house, there comes a time for each of us to “take inventory” of what’s in our hearts, get rid of some things, and do some repairing and remodeling.  Like the families on the show, we have an expert in remodeling and renovation—Jesus Christ—who can make our makeover an astounding success.

As you begin a new year, remember the God of the past is the God of the present and the God of the future.  He is faithful to take you into next twelve months in new and exciting ways that exceed your fondest dreams.

A few months ago I wrote a newsletter article on why we should have a church budget.  Well, the congregation has voted and we now have a 2012 budget.  As the new year begins, we have the responsibility of supporting that budget.  I am confident we can do so if we give according to the following Biblical principles.

To support the budget, we must give sacrificially.  The Bible speaks over and over of sacrifices being offered to God.  These sacrifices were not cheap, and they were not leftovers after all other needs and desires were met.  They were the first-fruits, a tenth from the top of what the land produced.  Tithing of our finances may seem overwhelming for some of us, but I have never known anyone who tithes whom God did not bless even more abundantly in return.  Tithing is a step of faith financially.  If you still are not ready to give a tithe, then increase the percentage of your giving.  Statistics indicate the average Christian gives just over 2% of his income to God.  We can do better.

To support the budget, we must give freely.  Most of us would not consider something received from a family member or a friend a true gift if “strings were attached.”  If we had to use the item in a certain way as a condition of what was given, then it would be more like an agreement or a lease than a gift.  When we shared gifts this past Christmas, we gave them to one another freely.  Once the items are in our possession, we can do with them whatever we desire – they were gifts.  When it comes to church giving however, many Christians insist on giving with strings attached.  The contributions are designated, indicating that the money can be spent only for a certain purpose.  If that purpose is not actively being pursued by the church, then the funds just sit in a bank account while other pressing needs go unmet and vital ministries go unfunded.  Giving freely not only helps church leaders direct funds to where they are needed most to support the budget, it also allows us to relinquish control.  Serving God is all about surrendering control of our lives and trusting His sovereignty and providence.  Designated giving seeks to maintain control of the funds contributed, and deprives us of surrendering to God’s purpose, which may not be the same as our own.  In short, designated giving hinders us from supporting the day-to-day church budget that is vital to everyone.

To support the budget, we must give consistently.  Due to increasingly complicated work schedules and family responsibilities, many of us aren’t able to attend church as regularly as we would like.  The vast majority of us only give when we are in worship, so if we aren’t in worship we skip our giving until the next time we are present.  The financial needs of the church however, aren’t suspended when we are absent.  In Biblical times giving was a consistent practice, not sporadic.  If we can’t be in church consistently, we can still give consistently.  We can mail our offerings to the church office, as several of our shut-ins and non-resident members do already.  We also can make arrangements through our online banking to send recurrent contributions to FBC Nitro, just as we would with other regular, ongoing expenditures.

There is no better time than the present, at the beginning of a brand new year, to change your pattern of giving.  Will you commit to giving of your finances sacrificially, freely, and consistently?  “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, …and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3:10).