SIMPLIFY: less is more

A Quiz for the New Year

Let’s begin the New Year with a pop quiz! Everyone’s eyes on your own paper. This is a timed quiz. You will have twenty seconds to complete the quiz. Ready? Go!

Quiz Question: What is more?

a) More is more

b) Less is more



Time is up. What is your answer?

You probably fell into one of three groups. The first group is the logical/analytical group who said, “Well, of course more is more. It’s logical. More is always more. I pick ‘a’.” The second group is the philosophical group who doesn’t like to be confined to the strict boundaries of logic and possibly feels that progress comes at too great a cost. You will say, “I don’t care what logic says. I think less is more.”

The third group, into which probably most of you fall, says, “I know he is up to something. It’s a trick question. I’m not going to play his little game.” You didn’t mark anything at all.

You’re right. I don’t have a answer for you. But I do want to challenge the idea that more is always more. Because biblically speaking, more is not always more.

Let me give you some examples:

§ Gideon’s Army (Judges 6-8). He was called by God to lead an army against the Midianites. Their army was 120,000 strong. He recruited his army, but only 32,000 showed up. God said, “I want to talk to you about the number of your army.” Gideon said, “Good. I’ve been concerned about that, too.” God said, “There are too many men.” Gideon said, “That’s actually not what I was thinking…” God was saying less is more. Gideon was thinking that more is more.

The army of 32,000 was first reduced to 10,000. Still too many. The army was then reduced to 300 men. An army of 300 men against 120,000. Just right. God won.

§ David & Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Goliath was the champion of the Philistines. His name means ‘Great’ and he was said to be a giant. David was the youth who was just bringing supplies to the army. Goliath had a bronze helmet on his head; wore a coat of mail; had bronze armor on his legs; carried a bronze javelin and a huge spear with a bronze spearhead; he also had a sword and his shield-bearer carried his huge shield. David had only a sling, a walking staff and five smooth stones. Less was more on this day. God won.

§ Solomon (1 Kings 11:3). For being such a wise man, it is hard to believe that he didn’t figure out when it comes to wives, more is not more – less is more. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (wives of a lower status). Many of them were foreign women and they turned his heart away from God. More was less.

From the New Testament:

§ The Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 18). A young ruler came to Jesus with a lot to offer. Jesus said, “Go give it all away and then come and follow Me.” He didn’t get it and couldn’t do it. How could less be more? He walked away.

§ The Widow’s Mite (Mark 12, Luke 21). Jesus and the disciples were sitting in the temple near the place where the offering was made. It says, “The rich put in much.” Jesus made no comment. Then a widow came and put in the least of everyone. That’s when Jesus spoke up and said, “Her gift is greater than all the rest.” Jesus said, in effect, that in this case less was truly more.

I could give more examples, but maybe in this case less is more. So, let’s move on.

Revelation 2:1-7 (NKJV)
1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

The church in Ephesus had much going for them: their works, their labor, and their patience. They rooted out evil and dealt with it. They persevered in tough circumstances and didn’t give up. They had a great church resume.

It is all wiped out by one word in verse 4 – nevertheless. “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” No matter what or how much you place on the left side of the balance, if there is a nevertheless it is all outweighed by one thing on the right side – your first love. All of the activity and accomplishments and righteousness of this church meant nothing because they lost the one thing that really matters the most: their first love. More wasn’t the answer. First love was the answer.

How many ‘nevertheless’ churches are there today? “You do a lot of impressive things and keep very busy and look very righteous… nevertheless…

I do not want us to become a nevertheless church.

Repent, turn around, go back and do the first things. C.S. Lewis made the observation that sometimes the only way to go forward is by doubling back. It may feel like losing ground, but it is real progress.

The word ‘first’ is the word protos, from which we get our word ‘prototype’. It means first in sequence or in preeminence. The initial things. The most fundamental things. The most important things.

“This is a football”
When Vince Lombardi was the new coach with the Green Bay Packers they had been losing for almost ten straight years. They were at the bottom of the standings, and morale was sagging. Charged with the challenge of turning this franchise around, he began leading practices, inspiring, training, motivating. But at one point in a practice, he just got so frustrated with what was going on with the players that he blew the whistle.

"Everybody stop and gather around," he said. Then he knelt down, picked up the pigskin, and said, "Let's start at the beginning. This is a football. These are the yard markers. I'm the coach. You are the players." He went on, in the most elementary of ways, to explain the basics of football. Lombardi’s Packers went on to win Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II. Today, the Super Bowl trophy awarded is the Lombardi trophy.

The Apostle Paul said to the Philippians, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.” (Philippians 3:1) He kept going back to the basics.

THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES

Our theme over these next weeks and over this New Year is this: Simplify. It requires a bold step of faith. It involves returning to the basics; returning to our first love and doing again the first works.

Let me share with you quickly three important principles to keep in mind regarding simplicity and three powerful practices that we will take on as a church.

1. The Principle of Focus.

If you are now wondering what benefit would ever come through simplifying, or how less could ever be more, than consider the principle of focus. We are familiar with the great power of focus from burning bugs with our magnifying glasses on a sunny day to the laser beam that uses focus to direct light power on a single, deadly spot. Simply taking the energy that is already present and directed it on a limited area multiplies the power of that energy. The first law of focus is to limit or simplify your output.

You can’t focus on everything. That is a contradiction.

Why does God want you to simplify? To gain focus. Cut away the distractions so that you can focus on what is really important. Better to do a few things exceedingly well than to do many things poorly. Simplifying is the first step towards sharp focus.

2. The Principle of Dependency.

We are dependent, you and I. We need something. The question is not: Am I dependent. The question is: What do I depend upon?

We tend to depend upon more: more money, more stuff, more strength, more people, more intelligence, more planning, more activity, more, more, more. Not depending upon more allows me to really depend upon God.

Gideon couldn’t depend upon the number of his army. He had to depend upon God. David couldn’t depend upon his strength and weaponry. He had to depend upon God. The rich, young ruler depended more upon the amount of his wealth for his identity and his satisfaction than he was willing to depend upon God.

The Principle of Dependency says that simplification shows where your dependence really lies.

3. The Principle of Extravagance.

The final principle that I want to talk about is the Principle of Extravagance. It is contrary to the idea of simplification. Extravagance says, “More is more. More is always more. The more the merrier. I want more.” This has been, culturally, the anthem of the Baby Boomer Generation. We have brought it into our relationship with God and serving Him.

This is perfectly demonstrated in the classic quote from the 1987 movie ‘Wall Street’ starring Michael Douglas: “Greed… is good.”

‘Extravagance’

The word ‘extravagance’ literally means: wandering beyond bounds. It is related to the words vague and vagabond. It is contrary to the focus and simplicity. A choice has to be made. Will extravagance be our ultimate goal, or focus and simplicity?

THREE POWERFUL PRACTICES

Here are three practical, biblical ways to begin to apply focus and simplicity:

Practice #1: Fasting

In fasting, less is more.

We have lost a priceless, spiritual tool in the discipline of fasting. “Why would I not eat when I have plenty of food? Why deny myself?” That is exactly the point. We do not know how to deny ourselves, especially our flesh, or anything that it craves and is immediately available. As a result, we have become an addictive society. I am talking not talking about them out there, but us in here: the Church.

There is a way for us to teach ourselves how to deny our flesh. It is called fasting. We have labeled it old-fashioned, archaic, not under grace – and deeper into bondage to our physical urges we go. Fasting is one of the foundational things of faith.

Among other things, scripture says that fasting:

§ Is a mark of a disciple (Mark 2:18-20)

§ Is a key to spiritual power (Matthew 17:21)

§ Gives freedom (Isaiah 58:6)

§ Gives mastery over physical urges (Hebrews 12:16)

I invite you to join us as a church in beginning 2008 with a Daniel Fast. This is a three week period, from January 14 to February 3, based on Daniel 10:3. The idea is to make sacrificial choices in your diet during that time to hear from God individually and together as a church. The focus is on no meat or sugar during that time. You may need to make your own adjustments.

A woman from our congregation gave me some great insights and information about the Daniel Fast. One of the things that she did was show me if you rearrange the letters in the word ‘Daniel’ you get the word ‘denial’, or the word ‘nailed’! Additional information is available at the Community Life Center. Specific prayer points will be made available each week.

Practice #2: Sabbath

The Sabbath principle, taking a time of rest, is also about less is more.

There are seven days in a week to get stuff done. God said work in seven of them and rest in one of them. Trust me on that day of inactivity. Not only that, but every seventh year let the land have a Sabbath. Don’t work the land in that year. Let it rest from activity. Trust me to provide enough in the six years for that time of rest.

They did what many of us would do. They did the math. A field that will provide this much in six years will provide more in seven years. I want more. I’m going to work my field. I can’t rest. That’s lazy. Certainly God doesn’t want me to be lazy. Besides, I’ll lose all the momentum that I have created. I just can’t sit back.

I think we need to take a ministry Sabbath. I have spoken with the leadership team, and for the next three months we won’t be doing any ministry activities outside of Sunday morning and Wednesday night. Host Homes, Women’s Ministry, other groups and events will be on Sabbath. Not because they are unimportant, but because they are very important. During this time we are going to seek God about what we do here, why we do it and how we do it. I believe with this Sabbath there will be a freshness and new vitality brought to these areas. We will focus on the ‘first things’ during this time: Sunday and Wednesday services, Children’s, Youth and Worship.

You may think, “But, we’ll lose momentum. We can’t stop these activities.” Our trust is in God, not in momentum. If an area of ministry can’t survive a three month Sabbath, then maybe it shouldn’t continue at all.

Our adult small groups will be focused into these choices: Sunday morning you can attend ‘The Core’ (a great place to start), or a class on biblical finances. Wednesday night we have a class called “Dig in!” We will dig deeper in the topics and context of Sunday’s morning service. That means that you can write down questions, comments, concerns or additional insights on Sunday and come discuss those things on Wednesday night. This week we can talk more about the context of Revelation 2, more about fasting, or more about your questions and comments.

Sunday morning and Wednesday night; Children, Youth, Worship and only a few smaller group options. This will be our focus. We will hear God for the next step as it comes.

Practice #3: Life Journals

Finally, as we talk about ‘first things’ and ‘first love’, I want to encourage you once again in the area of Life Journals. For me personally, if I had to pare my activity down to just one activity and let everything else go, that one activity would be Life Journals. I receive more from my Life Journal than from any other source.

Life Journals are available at the Community Life Center. Instructions on use are inside.

Conclusion
As we continue in this series, we will focus on the fundamental elements of who we are as a church – our calling, our purpose and our vision – from Psalm chapter one.

Are you ready to make this year something different; something special; not like all the others? My wife and I own a gold 2002 Toyota Camry. It’s a nice car, but it is certainly not unique. It seems like one out of every three cars on the road is a gold 2002 Toyota Camry. I was rushing out of a grocery store one day in the rain. While running towards the car I hit the keyless entry, ready to jump into the unlocked car when I got to it. I opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat. I noticed the seat was pushed uncomfortably forward and I thought, “Oh, Dalene must have been driving the car.” But then I realized, I’m the one who drove it to the store. I looked around and saw some things I didn’t recognize. “Hmmm, that’s funny,” I thought. And then it hit me – I am sitting in someone else’s car. I jumped out and noticed my gold Camry two cars away.

Don’t just jump into this New Year. Slow down. Take a moment. Look around. What does God have for you this year?

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: The Promise of Advent

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

It is here, the fourth Sunday of Advent. It marks the final Sunday before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Today we light all four of the advent candles around the advent wreath: the Prophets candle, the Bethlehem candle, the Shepherds candle (which turns from purple to pink), and the Angel’s candle. As we have been talking about, each candle has s meaningful part in the Christmas story.

The middle candle, the Christ candle, will remain unlit until our Christmas Eve service.

Advent confession

Now that we are here at the fourth Sunday of advent, I have a confession to make. I have not been completely forthcoming with you regarding advent. I haven’t lied, exactly, but I have held something back from you.

You see, I have led you to believe that advent is all about a manger in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago. That is not entirely true. All that we have talked about up until this time has focused on that event. But that is not the only event of concern in the celebration of advent. In fact, it may even be argued that the manger in Bethlehem is not even the most significant element of Advent. So today, due to the stirring of my conscience, I will come completely clean with you. There is another aspect to advent.

Remember that I told you the meaning of the word ‘advent:’

Advent: to come, or to arrive

Jesus came, just as the prophets said He would come. He arrived in Bethlehem and we celebrate His advent. This is the First Advent.

There is also a Second Advent. It hasn’t taken place yet. There are even more prophecies, and Jesus’ own words, which tell us that He is coming again. He is not coming as a baby the second time, but “as lightning flashes from the East to the West.”

When we celebrate advent, we celebrate not just His first advent, as a Babe in a Manger, but we also celebrate His second advent, when He will come again. This series is entitled, “Great Expectations,” and there is no greater expectation that we have than to see Jesus upon His return. It is our Greatest Expectation.

THE KEYS OF ADVENT

So, let’s keep this very simple and very meaningful. There is a counterfeit Christmas out there, and it is anything but simple or meaningful.

Christmas in New York

At the Christmas dessert last week I talked with a woman from the church who took a trip with her husband to New York City the week before. I asked her how her trip went, and she said it was a sad trip. The city was all decked out for Christmas, but she could not find anything reflecting the true meaning and significance of Christmas. All she saw was about being big, and flashy, and expensive. It was commercialism at its max.

She said the one place she saw anything inspiring at all about the true meaning of Christmas was, surprisingly enough, at the Radio City Music Hall Rockets show. At the end of their show they had a live nativity with real animals. What an unusual place to find the true meaning of Christmas.

The holiday we see all around us at this time of year is an obvious counterfeit. Don’t be fooled by it.

A bogus bill

Some counterfeit is a bit more obvious than other counterfeits.

On Saturday, October 6 of this year, a man went into a grocery store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and tried to pass a counterfeit bill. Here was the plan: Pay for your groceries with a counterfeit bill, get the groceries free and get change for your fake bill in real money. Great plan!

So, he went through the line and handed the cashier the bill. You know those little pens that they have to tell if the bill is real or not? Well, the cashier didn’t even have to use it. Why? Because he handed the clerk a one million dollar bill.

First of all, do you think a grocery store cashier is going to have change for a million dollar bill in their cash register? Secondly, there is no such thing as a million dollar bill and never has been. The largest bill in circulation today is the one hundred dollar bill.

If you’re gonna make it fake, you might as well make it big. This also seems to be the motto when it comes to the commercialization of Christmas.

The whole story

So, here’s the whole story of advent, as simple as it gets:

1. Jesus came.

2. Jesus left.

3. Jesus is coming back.

Let’s take a look at a small piece of a conversation that Jesus had with His disciples:

John 14:1-6 (NKJV)
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

From this passage we see that: Jesus came, Jesus left, and Jesus is coming back.

1. Jesus came.

He said, “You believe in God, believe also in Me.” Jesus came as God in the flesh. Quoting from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14), Matthew puts it all together for us in his gospel when he says:

Matthew 1:23 (NKJV)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Why did He come? If you’re living in heaven, I wouldn’t think that the earth would be a popular destination spot. It isn’t. He came for a specific reason.

§ To become one of us.

It Is Easy for You

The great writer Max Lucado tells about his neighbor who was trying to teach his six-year-old son how to shoot a basketball. They were out in the backyard. The father shot a couple of times, saying, "Do it just like that, son; it's real easy." The little boy tried very hard but he couldn't get the ball ten feet into the air. The little fellow got more and more frustrated. Finally, after hearing his father talk about how easy it was for the tenth time, the boy said, "It's easy for you up there. You don't know how hard it is from down here."

You and I can never say that about God. When Jesus became man and lived among us, he walked where we walked, he suffered what we suffer, he was tempted as we are tempted. He was Emmanuel which means "God is with us." (Bill Bouknight, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com)

2. Jesus left.

Jesus didn’t stick around. He didn’t intend to. He told His disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you.” He told them many times that He was just passing through; that He was going to be crucified and rise from the dead. That was the plan all along.

§ To prepare a place for us.

Please see the irony in this. When Jesus came to earth there was no place prepared for Him. We know quite well from many Christmas programs that there was no room for Him in the inn. And yet He went to heaven for the express purpose of preparing a place for us. He deserved it. We don’t. There was no place for Him. He is preparing a place for us. Amazing!

Mary, Let's Go To The Barn

Here is a nativity story with an interesting twist: A grade school class was putting on a Christmas play which included the story of Mary and Joseph coming to the inn. In that class was one little boy who wanted very much to be Joseph. But when the parts were handed out, his biggest rival was given that part, and he was assigned to be the inn keeper instead. He was really bitter about this. So during all the rehearsals he kept plotting in his mind what he might do the night of performance to get even with his rival who was Joseph.

Finally, the night of the performance, Mary and Joseph came walking across the stage. They knocked on the door of the inn, and the inn-keeper opened the door and asked them gruffly what they wanted. Joseph answered, "We'd like to have a room for the night." Suddenly the inn-keeper threw the door open wide and said, "Great, come on in and I'll give you the best room in the house."

For a few seconds poor little Joseph didn't know what to do, and a long silence ensued. Finally though, thinking quickly on his feet, Joseph looked in past the inn-keeper, first to the left and then to the right and said, "No wife of mine is going to stay in a dump like this. Come on, Mary, let's go to the barn." And once again the play was back on course. (Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Adapted from a Story by John Simmons)

Beyond imagination

Jesus came to a dumpy place that had no room for Him. He is preparing for you and me a place that is beyond our wildest imaginations. Have you ever been to the Tour of Homes in Salem or the Street of Dreams in Portland where you can see some of the most elaborate and expensive houses around? Some of them are in the millions. They pale in comparison with what Jesus is preparing.

3. Jesus is coming back.

If, when Jesus came He had no intention of staying, why would He be coming back? There’s only one reason:

§ To bring us home

He said, “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (v.3)

Go to prepare a place

About four years into our marriage, I left home alone and traveled all the way across the country. I left my wife and our three-month old daughter behind and went all alone to Asbury Park, New Jersey. Our family was going to be moving there, but I went there first so that Dalene and Jenni would have a nice place to stay when they got there. I drove to a place where I had never been before. I knew no one there. I stayed in a pretty rough place – nothing fancy. I spent my entire time there looking for a place that my wife would like, that would be good enough for our new baby. What a job! (Remember, I said it was in New Jersey.)

Well, after many attempts, I finally found a place. I thought I did pretty well, but what would Dalene think? The place was ready, so I flew back to Oregon. I got Dalene and Jenni, we got a plane and went back to New Jersey together. I was anxious to show her the place. We drove up, I opened the door, and… she loved it. I did good.

Do you see the parallel? Jesus left heaven for earth. I left Oregon for New Jersey. You just can’t get a closer parallel than that! I was so glad to see my wife pleased with her new home. Jesus is excited about showing you your new home in heaven. (And it will be a lot better than an apartment in New Jersey.)

The Promise of Advent is a place prepared for me.

*** Ushers: Pass out key chains ***

There is a home prepared for you. The keys are accessible through relationship.

Hide-A-Key

Once we had moved back to Oregon, our baby girl now had a baby sister and the two of them were attending school near our home. Dalene was home when they got home from school. But we thought we should have a contingency plan. If the girls had to come home early from school or if Dalene wasn’t able to be home for some reason, we thought it would be a good idea to have a key hidden so the girls could get in the house if they ever needed to. But, where do you hide a key? Under the mat? Too obvious. We needed a place that was easy for the girls to get at, but not for someone else to get.

Then we had a brilliant idea. At that time we had a large dog named Sully. He was half Husky and half Labrador. When we weren’t home he stayed in a dog kennel in the back yard. We put the key right inside his dog house. If the girls needed the key, they could walk into his kennel reach into his dog house and grab the key, no problem. If someone else who didn’t know Sully wanted to get in, it wouldn’t be so easy.

This may be a poor illustration but the point is this: The keys to your heavenly home are accessed through relationship. For those who have relationship with Jesus, access will be no problem at all. He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of My Father.” For those who He doesn’t know, scripture says that He will say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”

Jesus’ first advent is the key to His second advent. His coming as a Baby in Bethlehem and dying on a cross to open the way was to open the way for relationship with you and me to give us a place with Him for eternity in heaven.


Conclusion
Let’s end this service by reading a familiar story about Jesus’ first advent.

Reading of the Christmas Story

*** Luke 2:1-20 by Bill Noonan

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: The Hope of Advent

The Third Sunday of Advent
This is the third Sunday of Advent and the third Sunday of our current sermon series: Great Expectations. The Advent season makes up the four Sundays preceding Christmas and is all about expectation. Remember, the word ‘advent’ means: to come or to arrive. It is a time of expectant waiting.

Two weeks ago we introduced the Advent Wreath and lit the first candle, the candle of Prophecy. Last week we lit the second candle, the candle of Bethlehem. This week we lit a new candle, the candle of the shepherds. This candle changes in color from purple to pink (or rose), signifying that the four weeks of advent are now half over. Two weeks are now behind and two weeks still lie ahead. The candle of the shepherds traditionally represents joy.

During this series, “Great Expectations”, we have been dealing with some of the great themes of Advent. The first week we talked about the Light of Advent. The Light of Advent is Jesus. Last week we talked about the Faith of Advent. We said the Faith of Advent is Real. Today, let’s talk about the Hope of Advent.

The Christmas Story
Hope has always been associated with advent and with Christmas. What better illustration of hope is there than a child carefully sizing up the presents underneath a Christmas tree, shaking the packages and hoping beyond hope that the present inside is a cool toy and not some boring clothes?

Many of you would say that your favorite Christmas show is “The Christmas Story.” It is a program that we can all relate to. Ralphie, the main character in the story, is a nine year old boy who desperately hopes to get a BB gun for Christmas. But he doesn’t want just any BB gun: an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock. His hope turns into an obsession. His hopes are dashed when his mother says, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” In an unexpected twist, Dad comes through and Raphie gets his BB gun.
What is hope? And what is the Hope of Advent?

Hope means a lot of different things to different people. I found these acronyms for hope on the internet:

 Homeschool Organization of Parent Educators

 Harnessing Optimism and Potential through Education

 Human Organ Procurement and Exchange program

 Have Only Positive Expectations

 Help Our Planet Earth

and my favorite

 HUMMER Owners Prepared for Emergencies

I think the best definition of hope is this: A confident expectation of a preferred future. That is a good definition of the biblical use of the word hope. It is not wishful thinking, but a confident expectation. Let me tell you a story from the Bible which is the perfect illustration of hope.

Think of a piece of red ribbon that you might find on a Christmas present. Today, it is a symbol of hope.

Tiqvah
The word for ‘hope’ in Hebrew is the word ‘tiqvah.’ The first time it is used in scripture is in the second chapter of the book of Joshua. It is when the nation of Israel was entering the Promised Land after wandering for forty years in the wilderness. Joshua sent two spies to check out the city of Jericho. This was the first city in conquering the land.

The spies went into the city and met up with a woman by the name of Rahab. According to the text, she was a harlot (prostitute). She had a checkered past. She was living in a land that was doomed to destruction. The people of Jericho knew that Israel was on the way. They had heard what God did to Egypt in freeing Israel from slavery. They heard reports that God parted the Red Sea for Israel’s escape. They also heard about the way God gave Israel victory in their wars against other kings in the wilderness. Now Israel was heading their way and they didn’t have much hope.

Rahab needed hope. She had a checkered past and was living in a doomed city. She knew that God was behind these spies so, at risk of her own life, she hid the spies from the city guards who were trying to find them. When they were leaving, they gave her a promise to protect her when they returned with the army. They told her to bind a scarlet cord on her window. The Hebrew word used here for cord is ‘tiqvah.’ It is the word that comes to mean ‘hope’ or ‘expectation.’

This cord was her hope, her constant reminder.

The Israel army drew near, the people of Jericho freaked out, and Rahab had her hope. The army marched around the city of Jericho once, the people freaked out, and Rahab had her hope. The second day, the army marched around the city of Jericho again, the people freaked out, and Rahab had her hope. This happened six days in a row. On the seventh day they marched around the city seven times. On the seventh time the priest blew the trumpets and the people shouted. The walls of Jericho came down, but Rahab and her family, all that trusted in that scarlet cord of hope, were saved.

Mary
Now, let’s talk about another young woman – not a prostitute but a virgin – who speaks of hope.
Luke 1:26-38 (NKJV)
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

This message from Gabriel to Mary meant that things would never be the same again. For Mary and for the entire human race, this was a message of hope (a Savior coming to the world) and a message of change.

The Hope of Advent is transformation.

The message of Christmas is one of change and transformation. Christmas is the day when God said, “It’s time. Things are going to change around here.” It marks the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. It is marked on our calendars from B.C. to A.D.

It also meant a pretty major personal transformation for Mary. It was a transformation from unmarried virgin to a pregnant woman, which is itself a transformation to becoming a mother. You may notice that this skips over a step or two. This is a supernatural transformation.

There is probably no better picture of hope and transformation together than a pregnant woman. As hope grows, so does mom and she is transformed before our very eyes.

SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
Let’s apply this message of transformation to our own lives.

1. Spiritual transformation comes about not as we pursue change, but as we pursue God.

As far as we can tell, Mary did not have a ten-step plan to becoming the mother of God. She had not planned for or pursued the position. There is every indication that she loved God and wanted to please Him. The rest took care of itself.

This is the most important thing for us to understand in this area of spiritual transformation. Don’t seek change on your own. Seek God and let Him change you.

If you want to be a better husband or wife, don’t figure out what it takes and try your best to do it. Instead, just seek God. Read His Word. Pray. Commit yourself to doing what He says. Get involved in a Christian community. Do you know what will happen? You will become a better husband or a better wife.

The best way to be transformed from addictions is not focusing on the addictive behavior but focusing on God. Pursue Him and He will transform you from the inside out.

Whatever transformation is needed in your life, it is found in giving yourself to God.

Be transformed
Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Notice two key verbs in that paragraph. The first one is “present” (“present your bodies a living sacrifice”). It is in the active voice. That means that it is up to you. You do the action. Your part is to present your bodies a living sacrifice to God.

The next verb to notice is “be transformed.” It is in the passive voice. That means that you don’t do the doing, but it is done unto you. It doesn’t say, “transform yourself” but “be transformed.” The word there is ‘metamorphoo’ from which we get our word, metamorphous.

2. Spiritual transformation is a process, not a one-time event.

We mistakenly think all spiritual transformation is an immediate action. God waves his God-wand and ‘poof’, we’re done. Nope. Spiritual transformation is a process.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The spiritual transformation that took place in Mary and through Mary took time. It didn’t happen overnight. At first, she didn’t notice anything. She may have wondered if she heard correctly. Then she probably felt a little sick in the mornings. “It might all be in my head,” she may have said. Then, little by little, the transformation took place.

That is how spiritual transformation usually takes place. And sometimes the transformation can be very uncomfortable.

Turkey thermometer
Look at it this way: If all of us had a little spiritual thermometer like a turkey thermometer with the little red thing that pops out when the turkey is done, none of us would have the little red thing poking out. You’re not done. (Turn to someone and say, “You may be a turkey, but you’re not done.”)

 Other people are in process too.

You are in process. You need some patience. Other people are in process, too, so give them a chance. Give them some grace.

Rahab: the rest of the story
Let me tell you the rest of the story of Rahab and her transformation of hope. Rahab waited and waited. She was a person with a checkered past living in a doomed city, but she had hope: a scarlet cord. Then one day she left Jericho behind and became a part of Israel. She was no longer a Jerichonian. Joshua 6:23 says she and her family were brought outside the camp of Israel. Then, in Joshua 6:25, “Therefore, she dwells in Israel to this day.” She went from outside the camp to dwelling in Jerusalem. But that is not the last of Rahab.

Rahab married a man by the name of Salmon, a leader in the tribe of Judah. Salmon and Rahab had a son by the name of Boaz. Boaz married a woman by the name of Ruth and together had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David, king of Israel (Matthew 1:5).

Rahab’s transformation took her from prostitute in Jericho, to part of the children of God, to bride, to mother, to great-great-grandmother of the king of Israel and part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of David. Step by step, what an amazing transformation. This leads us into our third and final point:

3. Nothing is impossible with God.

The angel Gabriel concluded his message of transformation and hope to Mary this way:

Luke 1:37 (NKJV)
37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

God has shown us repeatedly that spiritual transformation of any kind is never impossible with Him. In fact, it is His specialty. We already talked about Rahab, who was transformed from prostitute to one of the most highly honored woman in all of scripture. Here are just a few others:

 Abraham: from childless to father of many nations

 Joseph: from prisoner to prime minister

 David: from lowly shepherd to king

 Peter: from fisherman to fisher of men

 Paul: from persecutor to apostle (“chief of sinners” 1 Timothy 1:15)

 You and me: from sinner to saint

The hope of advent is transformation. Jesus came for this purpose, to bring transformation. He came to change the world and He also came to change you and me. His transformation is, literally, our only hope.

CONCLUSION
What transformation do you hope for?
Take a look at the ribbon in your hand. You are a person with a checkered past living in a doomed world, like Rahab. There is absolutely no limit to the transformation work that Jesus can do in you.
What is your need of transformation? No matter what it is, your part is the same: pursue God and let Him do a work of transformation in you.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: The Faith of Advent

The Second Sunday of Advent

This is the Second Sunday of Advent and we light the second candle. The first candle is the Prophets candle and represents hope. The second candle is the Bethlehem candle. It represents humility and preparation.

Last week we talked about the Light of Advent. Today let’s talk about the Faith of Advent. There’s no better place to start than in Bethlehem.


Micah 5:2-5 (NKJV)
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” 3 Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. 4 And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth; 5 And this One shall be peace.

This verse from the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament in relationship to Jesus’ birth:

Matthew 2:6 (NKJV)
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Using this verse, the religious leaders were able to tell Herod and the Wise Men that the Messiah (‘Christ’ in the Greek) was to be born in Bethlehem. That wasn’t a big secret. There were discussions later about Jesus. Some people said, “Could He be the Christ?” Others, thinking he was born in Nazareth, not Bethlehem, said:

John 7:42 (NKJV)
42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”

Jesus grew up in Nazareth, but He was born in Bethlehem!

There are two things that I would like you to consider regarding Bethlehem and faith.


What was promised is now a reality

When the prophet Micah wrote that prophetic word about Bethlehem, it must have seemed pretty far-fetched and far-off. Like all the prophecies, it was promised to happen, but it was not yet reality. The Bible says that Micah and others in the Old Testament only saw these promises from a distance. They died not having received the promises. To them it was a promise – a potentiality.

This isn’t true for us. It is not a promise that we look ahead to, but a reality that we can look back on.

The Faith of Advent is real.

Faith became reality when a young girl named Mary had a Baby Boy in Bethlehem, named Jesus. It is a perfect place for faith to become real.


Out of little Bethlehem came Greatness

Here is the second thing I want you to notice. Bethlehem was a nothing, little place. It was small and insignificant in every way. Yet out of this little, tiny city came the greatest event – the greatest individual – to ever walk the face of the earth. The impact of that city is still being felt today.

MUSTARD SEED FAITH

What does that have to do with faith? Consider a mustard seed. Notice how tiny this little seed is. It is like the city of Bethlehem. Out of this little seed comes a great plant. Jesus said to his disciples:

Luke 13:18-19 (NKJV)
18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

This seed is not a large tree, but it could be. It is a potential mustard plant – a virtual one.

1. Don’t be satisfied with virtual faith.

Some years ago, Madonna sang a song that said, “We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.” That may have been true back then, but not so much anymore. We are, more and more, living not in a material world but in a virtual world.

Many prefer virtual relationships

With some 30 million people now involved world-wide [in online, virtual reality video games], there is mounting concern that some are squandering—even damaging—their real lives by obsessing over their "second" ones. That's always been a concern with videogames, but a field of study suggests that the boundary between virtual worlds and reality may be more porous than experts previously imagined.

Nearly 40 percent of men and 53 percent of women who play online games said their virtual friends were equal to or better than their real-life friends, according to a survey of 30,000 gamers conducted by Nick Yee, a recent PhD graduate from Stanford University. More than a quarter of gamers said the emotional highlight of the past week occurred in a computer world…

Edward Castronova, associate professor in the Department of Telecommunications at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, says, "There's a fuzziness that's emerging between the virtual world and the real world." [Alexander Alter, "Is This Man Cheating on His Wife?" The Wall Street Journal (8-10-07)]

More than ever before, we are becoming accustomed to virtual living. Don’t be satisfied with virtual faith.

Luke 17:5-6 (NKJV)
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

So, what can we do? The disciples asked, “Lord, increase our faith.” That is just like us. “Jesus, just make my faith bigger. Make it automatic and clean and easy. You just do it for me. Bigger is obviously better, so increase my faith.”

Jesus said, “You just need faith as a mustard seed.” What are you talking about, Lord. A mustard seed?! Do you know how tiny they are? Wait a minute… Just a few chapters earlier Jesus was talking about mustard seeds. What did he say? Once they are planted, they become a huge plant.

- You don’t need increased faith.

- You need planted faith.

If this mustard seed is going to do any good at all and become anything other than what it already is, it has to go into the dirty ground. The seed undergoes change. It dies. And it grows. The same is true of faith.

2. Plant your faith.

Faith will stay virtual faith, seed faith, until you plant it. So, how do you plant your faith? How do you bury your faith deep so that it can soar upward? I’m going to give you some specific ways to do it, but I don’t think you’re going to like it. I’m pretty sure you’re not going to like it.

- Sacrifice

Faith will face challenges and hardship. How faith reacts to sacrifice shows what it’s really made of. Real faith makes sacrifice. Phony faith talks a big talk but won’t make actual sacrifice. It is sorted out at sacrifice.

- Obedience

Scripture says, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22) Believing God and doing what He says is about the best definition of faith that there is.

- Action

Real faith takes action. You can’t just believe in things, but that belief must drive you to take action for faith to come to life.

James 2:26 (NKJV)
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

- Risk

By definition, faith will take you into situations without guarantees. If my response to God is, “Once I know for sure what will be required, and that it won’t be too much, and there is no possibility of failure… than I’ll do it.” That is not faith. There is always risk.

Hospital waiting room reading

I was in a hospital waiting room last week with a woman whose husband was in having surgery. I noticed sitting on the end table in the hospital waiting room was a Reader’s Digest magazine. The cover article along with a big picture right on the cover was (I’m not making this up) “Fatal mistakes that hospitals make.” That will challenge your faith!

Do you really want your faith to soar? It takes sacrifice, obedience, action and risk.

Faith without sacrifice is phony. Faith without obedience is misdirected. Faith without action is dead. And faith without risk is a total contradiction.

3. Take small steps.

This small seed doesn’t become a great tree all at once. The growth takes time. It is almost indiscernible at times, but it is happening. But it has to be planted. There has to be a start.

Planting is a nasty business. It means to take the seed and shove it down into the dirt. It isn’t clean. It is a mystery how all that dirt activates growth to bring a great tree out of a small seed. But it does.

- Get your faith dirty.

This is the challenge I leave you with. Get your faith dirty. Is your faith dirty? Has your faith experienced sacrifice, obedience, action or risk lately? For most of us, the answer is no. And our faith stays in its nice, compact little shell.

You and I do not need more faith. We need to use the faith we have. We need to plant it and watch it grow into something great.

Conclusion
Will you get dirty?

Great Expectations: The Light of Advent

The First Sunday of Advent
Today is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. That means it is the first Sunday of Advent. But what does that mean? Well, it means a new sermon series, that’s for sure. But what else does it mean? What is Advent all about? I’m so glad you asked.

Advent: to come or arrive.

The word ‘advent’ comes from Latin. It literally means: to come or to arrive. It creates a sense of patient waiting and expectation. That’s why we’re calling this sermon series, “Great Expectations.” Advent is all about expectancy.

Advent calendars
My first exposure to advent that I can remember was in High School. I was part of a club that was trying to raise money one year by selling advent calendars. I didn’t know what advent was, but I was given a bunch of these calendars to sell. The calendars were square, made out of cardboard, with a little thickness to them. On the front were pictures of December and Christmas. In the cardboard were little perforated doors with the numbers one through twenty-five on them. On the first day of December you punch out the little door, open it up, and inside was a piece of chocolate in the shape of a toy or something. On the second day you open the little door marked number two, and inside was a piece of chocolate in the shape of a snowflake. This goes each day until the 25th, Christmas Day, and behind that little door is the biggest piece of chocolate of all.

So I had all of these calendars to sell. I wasn’t much of a salesman, but I knew that a salesman had to believe in his product, so I took one out and gave it a try. Door one opened. First chocolate found and tasted.

I found out that the little doors actually could be opened before the day on the door. “I wonder what the shape is behind door two?” I opened it. Then door three, door four, door five. You get the idea. I don’t remember for sure, but I don’t think I actually sold a single calendar that year. And I don’t think a single one of them actually made it unopened until December 25th. (Great fundraiser -- I paid for each one.)

Advent stories
Years ago we found out about advent stories that you can start at the beginning of advent, reading a portion of the story each night with your family, concluding on Christmas day. (I didn’t read ahead. There was no chocolate involved.)

Advent wreaths
Many of you are aware of advent wreaths. These are green wreaths that sit on a table with a place around the wreath for four candles. The candles are lit during the four Sundays before Christmas, the four Sundays that make up advent.

*** Ushers: Pass out candles ***

Candle 1 – The Prophet’s candle.

This is traditionally a purple candle. It represents the hope of Jesus’ arrival that was given to the prophets of the Old Testament who foretold the coming of the Messiah.

Candle 2 – The Bethlehem candle.

This candle is also purple. It reminds us that God came in a humble manner to a small town called Bethlehem. (It also represents preparation.)

Candle 3 – The Shepherd’s candle.

This candle is traditionally pink, or rose, signifying that advent is now half over. Its focus is the joy that the shepherds had when they heard the message and went to see Jesus.

Candle 4 – The Angel’s candle.

This candle is purple, like the first two. It speaks about the angel’s message of peace and good news to all men.

There is a fifth candle. It is a white candle. It is not part of the wreath, but placed in the center and is lit on Christmas Day. It is called The Christ Candle.

The Light of Advent is Jesus

Jesus came as God in the flesh. Just as the prophets foretold, to the small town of Bethlehem, as the Shepherd’s witnessed and about whom the Angels sang. Jesus is the center, the focus, the reason and the meaning of Advent.

We will be dealing over the next few weeks with traditional advent themes. This week we will talk about the Light of Advent, Who is Jesus. We will also talk about the Faith of Advent, the Hope of Advent and the Promise of Advent.

John 1:1-18 (NKJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
THE GREAT ADVENTURE

Jesus is the Light of Advent:

1. To see what we never could have seen.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. v.5
That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. v.9
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. v.18

The basic position of an agnostic is that there may be a God, but there is really no way to know if there is one or not. An atheist says there is no God. That’s a tough position to prove. An agnostic gets around the need for proof by saying, “He may be out there but we’ll never know because He is too far beyond us.”

It would be true that we would not be able to know God if He hadn’t chosen to reveal Himself to us. “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.” This is not a natural understanding, but a supernatural one. It is called revelation.

 Revelation

Real blindness
A friend of mine from college was in a car accident and lost his sight entirely. I spent some time with him in Portland recently. I asked him if he was entirely blind or if he could make out some blurry shapes. He said he was totally blind. He said, “You could turn a light on in a dark room and I wouldn’t even know it.”

Jesus came to give us spiritual light and to provide spiritual sight to see what we never would have seen otherwise. What is that? God. (verse 18)

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NKJV)
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

John 14:8-9 (NKJV)
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

We can see supernaturally what we never could have seen naturally.

2. To be what we never could have been.

Did anything look familiar to you when we began reading this passage? “In the beginning…” If you think you’ve seen it somewhere before, you have. John had heard it before too.

Genesis 1:1-3 (NKJV)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

There are numerous, significant similarities between the beginning of John’s gospel and these verses in the creation account: beginning, God, created, darkness, “God said”/the Word, and light. This is no coincidence. It is also not a case of plagiarism, as if John was copying another writer.

Genesis 1 is the story of creation. John 1 is the story of re-creation.

 Re-Creation

Since Genesis 1:1 there has been a supernatural story running right alongside of the story of creation and natural history. Jesus came to ignite that supernatural part of the story. He came to ignite a spiritual reality that is naturally impossible:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. v.12-13

Notice the distinction being made here between the natural and the supernatural. Three things are mentioned here in the negative:

Blood: It is not a lineage issue, passed on from one family member to another;

Flesh: It is not a matter of strength or natural drives;

Man: It is not culturally or intellectually attained.

“But of God.” We are talking about spiritual re-creation. Scripture says, “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.” You no longer need to be driven by or limited to who you are, naturally. Jesus came to take you beyond that.

We can be supernaturally who we never could have been naturally, Children of God.

3. To know who we never could have known.

I am not talking about knowing intellectually, but knowing relationally. Jesus came as the light of advent to make possible supernaturally relationships that would be impossible naturally.

 Relationship

This supernatural relationship begins with God. Jesus came to warm that relationship that had turned cold. It doesn’t stop there.

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. v.16

Grace
Consider the word ‘grace.’ It means ‘unmerited favor,’ or simply getting more than you deserve. It is relational generosity. It is overlooking faults and extending unconditional love. It is extending forgiveness when wrongs have been committed.

The word grace is used 23 times in the Old Testament. There are 929 chapters in the Old Testament. On average, ‘grace’ is used once every 40 chapters.

The word grace is used 128 times in the New Testament. The New Testament is much smaller than the Old Testament. There are only 260 chapters. That means that grace is used on average once in every two chapters, or every other chapter. The New Testament is a Grace Explosion!

Grace for grace
Now here is an interesting phrase, “grace for grace.” It is clearly speaking of a great abundance of grace. You know when parents of multiple kids have a limited amount of rooms to put them in they use bunk beds. Well, this is bunk grace. Grace on top of grace. More grace than there is room for. But that’s not all.

It is grace for grace. You have grace for the purpose of showing grace to others. The flame of a candle can be extended without being diminished. If you are holding a lit candle and I need a light on my candle I might ask you to light my candle with yours. If you say to me, “I’d really like to, but I can’t give you a light because I need all the flame for myself. I can’t spare any.” That wouldn’t make sense. You can light my candle and another candle and another candle and another candle without losing any of your flame. That’s what it means to be extended without being diminished.

Grace is like that. The supply to you is unlimited. It is also for you to pass on to others. This supernatural relationship is not just about you and God. It is also about you and other people.

Grace: unmerited favor, relational generosity, unconditional love, forgiveness. God extended it to you so you could extend it to others.

The Peace Village
A friend of mine just got back from Rwanda, Africa, where she visited a place called the Peace Village. During the mass genocide a million people were killed in tribal wars over a hundred day period. Pastor Gahigi’s wife and five kids were all killed by a man from a rival tribe. This same man hunted Pastor Gahigi for three months to kill him, too.

It took four or five years of bitterness before Pastor Gahigi was able to finally and fully forgive. He began ministering in a prison containing the very people who killed his family and others in the village. Then he met the man in prison who had killed his own wife and five kids. God gave him complete forgiveness for this man.

Pastor Gahigi began the Peace Village, where previous victims and perpetrators lived together, including Pastor Gahigi and the man who killed his family. The man told Pastor Gahigi he knew for sure that the forgiveness was for real when they were working on a building together with the pastor at the top of the wall and the other man down below. When Pastor Gahigi was handed large bricks and he didn’t throw them down on this man, he knew that he was really forgiven.

Grace for grace is for you to have relationships that go beyond natural relationships. Don’t seek to hurt those who have hurt you. Forgive. Be generous in relationships.

CONCLUSION

The sixth candle of advent
What you hold in your hand is the sixth candle of advent. Jesus is the light of the world. His light inspired the prophets to talk about his arrival. His light shone in the humble city of Bethlehem. His light was seen by the shepherds and heralded by the angels.

But that’s not all. His light comes to people like me. Like you. You’re the sixth candle of advent. Will you receive His light to see what you could not have seen; to be what you could not have been; and to know who you could not have known? Are there relationships in your life where you need to extend grace?

The Praise Initiative

*** Video: Thanksgiving at My House ***

Pure praise
A seminary professor of mine told me about a church that he once pastored. In this church there was a young boy who had Downs Syndrome. Once they got to know each other, this little boy loved his pastor. He said that he would often be standing in the church, talking to people about the sermon or the weather or whatever, when all of a sudden… bam! He would feel something hit his leg. This little boy would just grab his leg and hug him as tight as he could.

The pastor always sat at the front of the church so he could step right up to the pulpit when it was time to preach. One morning he was at the front of the church singing during the worship service when this little boy caught his eye. Without realizing it, the boy had sort of drifted right to the front and center of the sanctuary. There was this little boy with Downs Syndrome totally caught up in praising his Lord. His eyes were closed. His hands were lifted. His voice was singing praise to God. He was absolutely oblivious to everything and everyone who was around him.

As the pastor looked at this young boy he said, “Something came over me. I had the distinct sense that I was looking at someone who was gazing directly at the face of God. It immediately moved me to tears.”

What does it take to offer pure praise to God? Does it take a certain IQ? Does it take a well-developed vocal ability? Does it take a certain age level? Does it take accomplishment or prestige or financial status or citizenship or appearance or acceptance or discipline or strength or artistic ability or membership or indoctrination or particular political views or any of those things?

The answer is no. Praise God, the answer is no. What does it take?

THE PRAISE INITIATIVE
We are going to talk about the Praise Initiative today. If you have watched “Lost,” you may be familiar with the Dharma Initiative. I went online the other day to look at some real initiatives.

This is what I found:
National Nanotechnology Initiative; Global Reporting Initiative; Ethical Trading Initiative; Faith-Based Initiative; Nuclear Threat Initiative; eHealth Initiative; Healthy Forests Initiative; National Fatherhood Initiative; Women’s Health Initiative; Tobacco Free Initiative; Equal Justice Initiative; Biotrade Initiative; Children’s Literacy Initiative; and many, many, many, more.

These are important things. These are things that are worth initiating. These are things for which people are showing initiative. I think praise is important, and today I want to start a Praise Initiative. I hope you will join me.

First, let’s clarify some terms.
Initiative: a) An introductory act or step; leading action. b) One’s personal, responsible decision. c) The power or right to introduce new legislation.

For our purposes today, I want to distinguish between worship, praise and thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is different than worship and praise in that thanksgiving is appreciation to God for something that He has done for me. On Thanksgiving, we go around the table and answer this question: “What is something that you are thankful for?” That is a great question to ask and answer. It is important to have gratitude for what God has done for us. Without thankfulness we are thankless and ungrateful.

Praise and worship are very similar. Thanksgiving is gratefulness to God for what He has done or is doing. Praise and worship is gratefulness to God for Who He is. There doesn’t have to be a specific reason. Scripture says, “In everything give thanks,” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) meaning in the good and in the bad. No matter what. That is the essence of praise and worship.

In actual terms, praise and worship basically mean the same thing. The word ‘worship’ literally means ‘worth-ship.’ It means ascribing worth or value. ‘Praise’ comes from the word ‘prize.’ It means to prize something over everything else. Basically, they’re equal.

Practically speaking, I have noticed this distinction. Worship is normally used as a broad, umbrella term. It encompasses the attitude and actions that recognize God’s worth. It is the essence of being a worshipper.

Praise, on the other hand, is normally used to describe a particular act of worship. It is the expression of worship, usually a vocal expression of worship such as singing or speaking about how great God is. So, The Praise Initiative is about taking action and responsibility to express how great and awesome God is in practical ways.

Every initiative needs a good spokesman. Our spokesman today is the perfect spokesman for The Praise Initiative, King David.

Psalm 108:1-5 (NKJV)
1 A Song. A Psalm of David. O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2 Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. 4 For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth;

What great imagery David gives us in these verses! You can envision David getting up early in the morning, before the dawn, looking over at his silent instruments sitting over in the corner and saying, “I know how I will start this day. I will begin with praise. I don’t need anything to stir me up and prepare me for praise. I’m ready right now.” And before the day had even begun, David was praising God.

Remember the old Army commercial that used to say, “We do more before eight o’clock in the morning than most people do all day?” (I always wondered why they thought that was a selling point.) Well, David could say, “I praise God more before eight o’clock in the morning than most people praise all day.”

1. My praise is my choice .

Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. Psalm 108:2 NKJV
(Circle the words “I will”)

No one can choose for you whom you will praise. No one can praise for you, it is something you must do for yourself.

 It is personal.

Others can lead you into praise and worship, but no one can praise on your behalf. It is all you. The question isn’t, “How was the praise and worship in church today?” That is NEVER the question. The question is always, “How was YOUR praise in church today?” That is what really matters.

The camera is on you
You know those rides at those big amusement parks that have those cameras at the most exciting part of the ride? I remember years ago when our family went on Splash Mountain together. We were not alone. We waited and waited and waited our turn in line as the lines snake around, back and forth. There were hundreds of people. (Maybe millions) We finally got up to the front of the line and were ushered into our log ride, which was part of a number of logs joined together with people in all the logs.

The ride started off slow at first, floating through Disney scenes. Then it picked up speed and crested this hill where you face a straight drop. Right there you scream and hold on while a camera snaps a picture.

At the end of the ride you walk by a wall with all these pictures there just waiting for you. We found our picture on the wall. It was awesome. In the picture was just our log with just our family. Looking at the picture, you would think that we were the only ones on the whole ride.
God’s got one of those cameras. In those times of praise He only sees you. There is no one else around. What does He see?

2. My praise is a catalyst.

Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. Psalm 108:2 NKJV
(Circle the words “Awake” and “awaken”)

How hard is it to wake you up for praise? What does it take? A little coffee… a few rifts on the electric guitar… some nice, melodic keys… a fast song, a slow song, then two fasts songs?? “If they play just the right songs in just the right way, then maybe I will join in to praise.” Do you need to be waked up for praise, or can your praise wake others up? When someone tries to wake you up for praise, do you hit the snooze alarm?

 It doesn’t need a push. It is a push.

 Thanksgiving needs a reason. Praise does not.

Awake, saxophone!
Here is a saxophone. (We don’t have any lutes. Pretend it is a lute.) Look at how quiet it is. If this saxophone started playing, then I could really praise. But it can’t. It is an inanimate object. It is unable to wake up and praise God. If I’m waiting for it, then I’ll be waiting a very long time.
Worshippers don’t need to wait for the instrumentation. The instrumentation has to wait for the worshippers. Add the worshipper, and watch what happens.

3. My praise is not confined.

Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. Psalm 108:2 NKJV
(Circle the words “the dawn”)

David said, “I will awaken the dawn.” What does that mean? That means that his praise begins in the darkness. When it is still dark. When I can’t see what is happening around me. I’m not going to wait for the right conditions to praise the Lord.

 Praise in the darkness brings light.

Psalm 57:7-11
Was David in a nice, beautiful, comfortable temple when he praised the Lord? There is no indication where he was, is there? There isn’t in this psalm, but these words are an exact duplicate of Psalm 57:7-11. There we are told that David spoke this psalm while he was in a cave, hiding to save his life from King Saul. His praise was not confined to a certain time or a certain place.

Let me ask you a question: In the course of your week, where and when do you express praise to the Lord?

“Well, that’s simple,” you say. “I praise Him here on Sunday mornings.” Okay, great. What else? My point is, is your praise confined to a certain place and a certain time with certain conditions? If it is, I have good news for you. You do not have to confine your praise. You can let it out of its cage and give God praise all over the place.

CONCLUSION
Dayenu, recited at the Passover
If He had brought us out from Egypt, and had not carried out judgments against them
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed! (or “It would have been enough for us.”)
If He had carried out judgments against them, and not against their idols
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had destroyed their idols, and had not smitten their first-born
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had smitten their first-born, and had not given us their wealth
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had given us their wealth, and had not split the sea for us
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had split the sea for us, and had not taken us through it on dry land
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had taken us through the sea on dry land, and had not drowned our oppressors in it
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had drowned our oppressors in it, and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had supplied our needs in the desert for forty years, and had not fed us the manna
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had fed us the manna, and had not given us the Shabbat (Sabbath)
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had given us the Shabbat, and had not brought us before Mount Sinai
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had brought us before Mount Sinai, and had not given us the Torah
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had given us the Torah, and had not brought us into the land of Israel
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!
If He had brought us into the land of Israel, and not built for us the Holy Temple
— Dayenu, it would have sufficed!

*** Video: Gift of Worship ***

EMOTIONS SURVIVAL MANUAL: In Case of Loneliness: You've Got a Friend

An emotional sermon series

Over the last eight weeks or so, we have explored this rarely navigated area of who God created us to be – our emotions. We have talked about attitude, depression, joy, grief, anxiety and anger. Today we are concluding our series with another powerful emotion: Loneliness.

*** Skit: “Freight Train Peace” (part 1) ***

LONELY IN A CROWD

The women in the skit feared what many of us fear: being alone. For many others, this is not a fear, it is a reality.

This is not due to a shortage of people. You can find a ticking population clock on line that will tell you that, as of today, the world population is estimated to be 6,630,364,193. The United States population is 303,337,455. (4.5% of world population)

There’s plenty of people, and the population is growing all the time. You can watch the numbers tick up constantly on the internet. So, how are we doing?

Americans have less close friends

A study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, released in June of 2006, revealed that Americans have less people they can confide in than past generations.

In 1985, the average American had three people in whom to confide matters that were important to them. In 2004, that number dropped to two.

Perhaps even more striking, the number of Americans with no close friends rose from 10 percent in 1985 to 24.6 percent in 2004. [Janet Kornblum, "Study: 25 Percent of Americans Have No One to Confide In," USA Today (6-23-06)]

Even the Apostle Paul had his share of relationship woes.

2 Timothy 4:9-17 (NKJV)
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly;

Be diligent to come to me quickly

Paul begins by saying, “Timothy, I need you, Buddy. Don’t leave me all alone. I’m lonely without you.” Let’s continue reading:

2 Timothy 4:9-17 (NKJV)
9 Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. 12 And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Within this passage of scripture, we deal with 9 people with whom Paul had some type of relationship. And this is only a partial list of a much greater list throughout the New Testament. Four of these deal with specific relationship issues, and we’ll deal with those four in just a few moments.

Let’s make a couple of important observations and applications from this passage.

SURVIVAL TIP: Develop relationships with people

(Add in there, “Develop comparable relationships”)

The Apostle Paul was a model of ministry though relationships. But he wasn’t the only one. Page after page, the Bible is filled with relationships.

From the very beginning, in the original design and construction of people, there was wired in a need for relationships

Genesis 2:18 (NKJV)
18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

New King James: a helper comparable to him

New Living: a helper who is just right for him

New English Version: a suitable companion

New Int’l Version, New American Standard Bible: a helper suitable for him

- We are made for relationships.

Genesis 2:20 (NKJV)
20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

Here was the problem: There was man, there were the animals, and there were God. Man needed someone comparable to him for relationship. The animals were not comparable. And God was not comparable. Among the universe, he was a unique creation. He was all alone. He needed a pal.

… Someone who is like me… someone who understands me… a soulmate…This is true in our marriage relationship, but also applies to other friendships as well. We need companions. We need relationships with those who are comparable to us.

Which leads us to number two:

SURVIVAL TIP: Prepare for disappointment.

Here’s the deal: If you get into the relationship mode, you will experience disappointment. I guarantee it. It is inevitable.

- Demas: Forsaken.

Paul mentions Demas in other letters (Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24). He refers to Demas as his co-laborer in the gospel. But not in this letter to Timothy. Paul served with Demas and figured that was a relationship that would stand the test of time. But at some point, Demas decided to go his own way – do his own thing – and they split paths. Demas left, “having loved this present world.” That generally means that he chose the good-life over the God-life. Paul didn’t see it coming. He couldn’t anticipate it.

Have you ever had a relationship that just went sideways like this? Not that you did anything to them or they did anything to you, you just went different ways. It can be hard to take. It happened to Paul. But he continued to build relationships.

- Luke: Faithful Few.

I feel bad for Luke here. Paul says, “No one is around. I’m all alone. Only Luke is with me.” Luke must’ve been thinking, “Hey, Paul, what am I, chopped liver?”

I had someone come into the church office when I was the only one there and say, “Where is everyone? Isn’t anyone here?” Well, I’m here and I’m somebody.

This last week I went to a pastor’s conference in southern California, and I was all alone. I flew down there alone, I stayed alone and I went to the sessions alone. Only Pastor Tom was with me.

Here’s the point. These faithful friends, like Luke (or Pastor Tom) are so valuable, but they are just too few. We need more of these faithful friends.

Who are your faithful friends? Who can you count on? confide in? be alone with? Do you have one? Good, but you need more. Don’t stop there.

- Mark: Forgiven.

The next person Paul mentions is Mark. He says, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.” Luke is here. I want you here too, Timothy. And bring Mark with you. I want my three amigos with me.

Mark is mentioned in a number of other places in scripture. He was the cousin of Barnabbas. Peter called Mark “my son.” Mark was the writer of the Gospel of Mark, and most scholars think he did it using Peter’s eyewitness accounts. There are other interesting facts about Mark as well. He was well-connected.

But the most important fact for this conversation is this: This is the Mark, also known as John Mark, who went along with Paul and Barnabbas on their first missionary journey. Mark couldn’t hack it and, for some unknown reason, left the mission and went home. When Paul and Barnabbas were planning their second missionary journey, Barnabbas wanted to bring Mark along. Paul refused. Paul was so dead-set against Mark coming along that there was a sharp contention between Paul and Barnabbas and they split up. Paul went with Silas and Barnabbas went with Mark.

Mark had really disappointed Paul. But their relationship had been reconciled so that Paul said here, “Bring Mark with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.”

Some relationships will experience a falling out. One person may disappoint another. Those relationships can be reconciled. Not just put back to the position they were before the problem arose, but even better and stronger than before.

- Alexander: Foe.

There are some people that are going to give you problems. In this search for significant relationships, you will encounter enemies along the way. That’s okay. It is not a failure. It is going to happen. Don’t let this stop you from reaching out in relationship.

Paul said to Timothy, “This Alexander dude caused me a lot of trouble. He is against me and the Christianity that I preach.” Notice what he doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “Go get him Timothy. You’re a young guy. Take him out. Slander him. Organize rallies against him. Write books against him.” His comments are so low key. He just says, “Watch out for him. Separate yourself from him. God will repay him. You don’t have to do that.”

Don’t waste your energy fighting your foes. Use your energy finding your friends.

There may be some people who have hurt you, like Demas. Bounce back. There may be a few people like Luke in your life, but too few. Appreciate them and find more. Maybe there are people with whom you need to reconcile, like Mark. Don’t wait. Do it today. There may be someone in your life like Alexander that has been a continual problem to you. Don’t waste your time with them. Just avoid them. Let God deal with them.

SURVIVAL TIP: Realize this: With Jesus you never stand alone.

Here is the most important survival tip of all. In verse 16 Paul says, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.” Then he says in verse 17, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me.”

How do they do it without the Lord?

I know I tell you this all the time, but only because it happens all the time. One week ago I was standing by the hospital bed of a man in our congregation. He had been given a dreadful diagnosis. He had three weeks to live. They were going to have to begin some radical treatment.

I stood with him and prayed with him. We had a great visit. He had great peace and confidence in the Lord. Then he said to me, “I can’t imagine how people deal with these types of situations without the Lord. Without the Lord right by me, I don’t know how I would get through this.”

There is a tangible, real, priceless benefit when God stands by you and strengthens you.

*** Skit: “Freight Train Peace” (part 2) ***

- Jesus became comparable.

Remember how I said that in Adam’s relationship with God that He was not comparable? Well, God decided to change that, and so He became comparable in Jesus to have relationship with us.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.