Why the Resurrection Is Important
1 Corinthians 15: 1 – 28
I. Introduction
Two of the blind men that Jesus healed in the Gospels met at the market one day. Each man was thrilled to finally meet another person who had also been healed by Jesus. They talked about the wonder of sight, the color of flowers, the beauty of butterflies, the glory of sunrises, finally being able to see the faces of their own children and grandchildren. They talked about the wonder of having seen the face of Jesus. They were laughing and having a great time together, when one of them said, "And do you remember how Jesus took that mud, spit on it, and put it into your eye?"
The other fellow looked kind of stunned, and answered, "Why no, he simply said, 'Receive your sight,' and I could see." The first fellow said, "Wait a minute - now just wait a minute here. You mean he didn't use any mud?" "No." "Well, did he at least have you wash in the pool of Siloam?" "No…Of course not…who has ever heard of anything so ridiculous as mud in your eye?!"
"Well," said the first man, "if he didn't put mud in your eyes and have you wash in the pool of Siloam, then you are still blind! Blind - do your hear me? Because that's the way Jesus healed me; that's the way he does it!"
Then the second man began to get angry. He shouted, "Mud, mud, mud! Who ever heard of using mud?! That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! You still have mud in your eyes. You're the one who's still blind!"
They got into a big argument…Their relationship was destroyed…And right then and there, they formed the first two Christian denominations: the Mudites and the Antimudites!
I once heard Frank Pollard tell this story just a little differently. He said that there were three ways that Jesus healed the blind in the Bible: He touched, he used spit and he used mud. Dr. Pollard said, “I’m surprised that today we don’t have Mudites, Spittites and Touchites.”
This is not technically the story of how denominations came into existence. But, it’s not that far off base. Don’t misunderstand me at this point…I am a Baptist through and through. However, I can admit that some of the reasons Christians have separated into denominations are secondary issues. Worship style, role of women in the church, election verses free will, even the amount of water to use in baptism. None of these are primary issues.
Yet, during the season of Easter, we focus on the primary issue of the Christian faith. There was a time in history when Jesus Christ, the One and Only Son of God, was crucified and resurrected on the third day.
The fact that Jesus rose again on the third day has affected us even today. The resurrection has eternal significance and theological importance that is perhaps best described by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. Paul used this entire chapter to answer questions about the resurrection. He offered historical proof that the resurrection actually happened, theological meaning and how it applies to every Christian man and woman. I will not read all 58 verses this morning…
Read 1 Corinthians 15: 1 – 28
Can you imagine what the Disciples must have been going through as they stood at the foot of the cross watching Jesus die the humiliating and agonizing death of crucifixion? They had given up everything to follow Jesus—and now it seemed they would lose it all. Surely, if Jesus really is the Son of God, God will intervene; God will come and rescue Jesus from the cross…But God did not! Where was God as his Son suffered and bled and died?
The Bible tells us that Jesus said seven things while he was hanging on the cross. In six of these seven, it was obvious that Jesus was in control. He told John to take care of Jesus’ mother, Mary. Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of those who nailed him to the cross. Jesus offered hope of eternal life to the thief on the cross. And he proclaimed the ultimate victory, when he shouted, “It is finished!” Even as he was being executed by the Roman government by hanging on the cross, Jesus was in control. Jesus only said one thing on the cross that sounded like a cry of anguish…My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?
Does this mean that God had left Jesus alone? Had God abandoned his Only Begotten Son? Where was God when Jesus was dying on the cross?
According to the Apostle Paul, God was there. Paul tells us in Romans 5: 8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…God was demonstrating his love in the death of Jesus.
The death of Jesus demonstrates God love for us, because the death of Jesus was the ONLY way God could have possible offered us forgiveness of sins. Jesus had to die in order to forgive us our sins.
There is an interesting thing about Forgiveness. Forgiveness comes as a response to a sin or a crime that was committed against another person. It is interesting that the guilty person CANNOT EARN OR ACHIEVE OR DESERVE forgiveness from the innocent person. Forgiveness is something that can only be offered as a gift by the innocent person.
When someone sins against us, we have three choices of how we can respond. First, we can simply FORGET about the sin committed against us and pretend that nothing has ever happened. Of course this is nothing more than ignoring the sin and gives the person permission to continue doing exactly what they did in the first place. But Forgetfulness is not the same thing as Forgiveness. (Now it is possible for us to Forgive and Forget, just as God tells us that he will cast our sins away as far as the East is from the West and will remember our sins no more. But Forgiveness must come first.)
Our second choice is to seek JUSTICE and give the guilty sinner exactly what he or she deserves. But Justice is not the same thing as Forgiveness.
The third choice is FORGIVENESS. And FORGIVENESS is only possible is the innocent person accepts the penalty and the consequences of the other person’s sins. Forgiveness is never cheap, because Forgiveness is a response to sin. And sin ALWAYS involves suffering. Either the sinner will justly suffer the consequences of his or her own sins, or the innocent will suffer and offer costly FORGIVENESS.
And that is why Jesus had to die on the Cross. You and I are guilty of sin and should rightfully face the consequences and suffer the penalty of our sins. When Jesus died on the Cross, God FORGAVE us by personally suffering the penalty of sin so that if we would just believe, we would not face the penalty of sin.
God demonstrated his love for us by accepting the consequences and penalties of sin so that we would not have to. The death of Jesus was necessary in order to provide FORGIVENESS. But salvation involves more than just FORGIVENESS. Salvation is FORGIVENESS of sins and the reward of ETERNAL LIFE.
This is the point that Paul is making in 1 Corinthians 15. We have forgiveness of sins because Jesus died for our sins. We have the promise of eternal life because Jesus rose again…
II. The Resurrection Reveals God
Through the Resurrection of Jesus, we can know God for who he really is…
The Bible teaches us that we can only know God by his actions…A good place to see this is in Exodus 33 where God told Moses that Moses could not look at him, but he could look at where God had been…In the same way, we can see God by looking at what God has done…
The Old Testament teaches us that the One True God is the God of Creation and the God Who brought his people out of Egypt…In the New Testament, we know that same God as the One who Raised Jesus from the Grave…
Death is the only thing that you and I will ever face that is truly irreversible. If you have ever lost someone you love, you know what I am talking about. Death is that point of no return where nothing we say and nothing we can possibly do can ever bring that loved one back to us.
There is no one else, besides God himself, who can bring a dead man back to life. You see, Jesus did not die on the cross so that it might become POSSIBLE for him to rise again. NO, Jesus died on the cross so that it might be IMPOSSIBLE for him to rise again. The Resurrection of Jesus is not a possibility. The Resurrection of Jesus is an impossibility…Yet, nothing is truly impossible for the God who is able to bring his own dead Son back to life again!
III. The Resurrection Demonstrates that Jesus Is the Son of God
Through the Resurrection of Jesus, we can know that Jesus really is who he claimed to be, the Only Begotten Son of God…
Our Faith would be worthless if Jesus has not been raised…Resurrection demonstrates that there is something different about Jesus…He is Unique…The Unique, Only Begotten Son of God…
Resurrection reveals exactly who it was that died on the cross…It was not just any ordinary man…It was the Son of God…It was God himself…If we say that Jesus died for our sins, then our faith is literally destroyed if Jesus was no different from us.
IV. The Resurrection Gives Us Eternal Life (vv. 17 – 23)
Through the Resurrection of Jesus, we can know that we have the promise of Eternal Life with Jesus in Heaven…
Paul said in verse 26… The last enemy to be destroyed is death…And again in verse 54 – 57… Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Many of us are terrified of dying. This is a normal human fear. Most of what we do on a daily basis is an effort to avoid death…We breathe, because if we stop breathing, we die…We eat, because if we do not have food, we die…We take medicine, we go to the doctor, we have surgery, we wear our seat belts, we look both ways before crossing the street…Why? Because we do not want to die!
As living human beings, we have a natural-born instinct that teaches us Death is our enemy. We avoid death at all costs! But Paul tells us that through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, our enemy Death has been defeated once and for all!
There is no natural, human way for us to deal with our fear of death. We work as hard as we can possibly work to avoid death. And death continues to catch up with us. Every one of us will one day face death. There is no natural and human way to overcome death…But the resurrection of Jesus gives us the only way we can deal with death in a SUPERNATURAL and DIVINE way.
Read 1 Corinthians 15: 17 – 23
I like what Paul says in this passage about our salvation. If Jesus never rose again, then our forgiveness is meaningless. What good is forgiveness of sin, if there is no reward of Eternal Life?
We will share in the fate of our Lord Jesus…If he rose again, so will we…In this passage, Paul describes Jesus as the first fruit…Jesus was the first one to come back from the grave…Jesus was the first to experience Eternal Life…
V. Conclusion
"The Resurrection is an enormous answer to the problem of death," says Notre Dame theologian John Dunne. "The idea is that the Christian goes with Christ through death to everlasting life. Death becomes an event, like birth, that is lived through."
--Kenneth L. Woodward, "2000 Years of Jesus," Newsweek, March 29, 1999, 55.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009: Good Fish, Bad Fish
Good Fish, Bad Fish
Matthew 13: 47 – 52.
I. Introduction.
Four hundred years ago, there were so many cod fish off the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts that early settlers named the region “Cape Cod.” But in 1999, the cod population was so depleted that the United States government was forced to begin a series of programs to limit the number of cod that could be harvested.
Over those four hundred years, the fishing industry had changed so much that professional fishermen were known to say “the fish don’t stand a chance.”
Fishing boats became safer, faster and more capable of traveling farther out to sea. Fishing nets became larger and stronger. And, the fishing boats relied on underwater sonar to locate the fish. Indeed, the fish don’t stand a chance.
The result of all this technology is that Cape Cod has become “overfished.” This means the fishermen are catching fish faster than the fish can repopulate. In other words, there are not as many fish in the sea.
When Jesus called his first disciples, he found them fishing in the Lake of Galilee. One pair of brothers was actually in the boat, conducting their daily business of catching fish. A second pair of brothers was sitting on the lake shore repairing their nets, perhaps getting ready to begin their daily pursuit of fish. Jesus’ words to these two sets of brothers was simply, “Follow me; and I will make you fishers for people.”
I believe this is the same, simple call Jesus extends to us as well. “Follow Jesus, and become fishers for people.”
In a place like Lufkin, Texas…I wonder if we need to worry about “overfishing.” An entire industry in Cape Cod is struggling from overfishing. But, what about us? Is it possible for us to “overfish” in Lufkin and Angelina County?
There are a lot of churches in Lufkin and Angelina County. Our church is even involved with three “new” churches—helping them to get started. This fact alone should prove that we do not believe Lufkin has been “overfished.” There are still fish in the sea. There are still people who do not know Jesus as the Lord of their lives. There are still people who choose to stay at home on Sunday mornings to catch up on sleep, yard work or to do something as honorable as spend time with their families.
You have heard me say this before, but it is worth repeating… If you and I want our church to grow, we have three choices. There are three ways our church could grow and reach more people on a given Sunday morning.
1. Growth by birth. If you would just have more babies, our church will grow. Actually, it is a little more complicated than that. You have to have more babies, AND you have to bring your babies to church.
2. Growth by transfer. This is actually how many churches in the United States are growing right now. Larger churches have been the beneficiaries, while the smaller churches have suffered. The Mega Churches offer more ministries and activities for children and youth than smaller churches can afford. As a result, smaller churches have gotten smaller. Mega Churches have gotten larger, or Mega-er. The sad thing about this type of growth is the way some churches look larger, while the number of Christians has remained about the same. The churches are growing, but the Kingdom of God is not.
3. Growth by evangelism. I believe this is the type of growth described in the New Testament. This is what it means to become “fishers for people!” Jesus didn’t call us to transfer fish from one aquarium to another. Jesus didn’t call us to grow our churches by having more babies than the rest of the world. Jesus called us to throw our nets out into the sea and bring in fish who have never seen the inside of an aquarium.
Jesus called us to “go fishing.” But, please don’t misunderstand me on this point. Yes. I want you to have more babies. There is nothing wrong with having babies and rearing your children in the church. We just do not need to rely on our birthrates to grow our church.
And, Yes. We do accept people who are moving their church membership from one church to another. We have a dynamic youth ministry that many people may want their kids to be a part of. We are developing a children’s ministry right now by searching for a fulltime children’s minister. The committee has been reviewing résumés and is ready to begin interviewing prospective candidates. I met with one of our young married adult Sunday school departments two weeks ago to tell them how much I need them to invest in the children’s ministry—for the future of our church.
And, as far as evangelism goes… We have made some progress. I am not ready to say we are the best in Texas. But we are doing more evangelism now than we did three years ago. We have held two Matthew Parties and had professions of faith, baptisms and new members as a result of both parties. On Easter Sunday, New Beginnings Baptist Church held their first worship service in the location on Pershing Avenue. In that service, they had 134 people present—they have been averaging 40 in our chapel. They also baptized seven new believers, including one man who was baptized with his wife and child. At the end of the service, they had three people join by transfer of membership.
What would it take for us to experience the same kinds of results at First Baptist Church? A short answer…Go Fishing.
Read Matthew 13: 47 – 52.
One characteristic of the Gospel of Matthew is the way it shows Jesus doing a lot of talking. If you have a “red letter” Bible, you will probably find more red letter in Matthew than in any of the other Gospels. That is because the words of Jesus are in red. Matthew shows us Jesus as a teacher. Not just any kind of teacher…Jesus was a teacher with authority. People listened to Jesus when he taught them.
In this section of Matthew, we find Jesus teaching through the use of parables. There are many different ways we can define the term parable. Sometimes a parable is a story, but not always. At other times, a parable is a comparison. We find one of each kind of parable in Matthew 13: 47 – 52. In fact, I would suggest that we just read two parables—one about a net, another about an owner of a house.
II. The Parable of the Net.
Notice the way Jesus began the Parable of the Net. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net…”
More than likely, the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” means exactly the same thing as the “Kingdom of God.” Matthew is the only Gospel writer who does not use the phrase “Kingdom of God.” Perhaps this indicates that Matthew was writing to a primarily Jewish audience and was using Jewish terminology. Good Jews would not use the word “God” out of fear of violating the third commandment—Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.
If this is true, then Matthew is talking about the realm in which God is the King, whether that realm is in Heaven or on earth. That would be consistent with the other Gospels’ usage of the “Kingdom of God.” On one hand, God is the King of Heaven. On the other hand, God is the King on earth in the hearts and lives of the individuals who name Jesus as their Lord.
The Kingdom of God—both in Heaven and on earth—is like a net. But, how is it like a net?
The type of net Jesus describes here was a common way of fishing in the First Century world. The net was shaped like a cylinder and was open on the top and bottom. The top of the net had some kind of floatation device to keep it from sinking. The bottom of the net had weights to allow it to sink as close to the bottom of the lake as possible.
As the bottom of the net sank to the floor of the lake, all kinds of fish were trapped inside. The fishermen would then draw the top and the bottom of the net closed, then haul it back into the boat.
There is at least one place in the Bible where we see the disciples using this kind of net. It is the story of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples after the resurrection in John 21. The disciples had fished all night long, with no luck. As the sun was rising, Jesus appeared on the shore line. He commanded them to cast their net out the opposite side of the boat. They did as he said and caught 153 fish!
This catch was so large that it nearly sank their boat. The net was so full of fish that the disciples couldn’t even pick it up to put it in the boat. They had to tow the net behind the boat.
On a typical day in the First Century, anyone walking along the lake shore would see fishermen with nets spread out on the banks going through the fish. Some of the fish were “keepers,” but most of the fish were trash. They had to be thrown back into the lake. Perhaps the fish were too small. Perhaps they weren’t the right kind of fish. Either way, the net would bring in both good fish and bad fish. The net was indiscriminate.
Again, notice that Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is like a net.” He didn’t say, “The Kingdom of God is like a bunch of fishermen sorting out their fish on the banks of the lake.”
This is the mistake we Christians make when we “go fishing” for people. We usually look for the good people and try to witness to them or to invite them to church. Jesus doesn’t tell us to discriminate. Jesus tells us to be like a net that catches all kinds of fish. In fact, Jesus used a very curious word to describe the fish in verse 47.
“The Kingdom of God is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all RACES of fish.”
If Matthew did write his Gospel to a primarily Jewish audience, this is significant. The Jewish people believed there were only two types of people in the world: Jews and Gentiles. Jesus said, “The Kingdom is not just for the Jews. It is for Jews AND Gentiles.”
Jesus is teaching us the same thing today. The Kingdom of God is not just for the white people. It is for Red and Yellow, Black and White. The Kingdom of God is not just for American citizens. It is for Americans, Mexicans, Scandinavians, Ethiopians, Kenyans and even for the illegal aliens living in Texas. The Kingdom of God is not just for the middle to upper class. It is for the kid at school with no lunch money, the man working at the factory, the woman waiting on tables, the family evicted from their home, the businessman, the CEO, the doctors and lawyers. The Kingdom of God is like a net, because it knows no boundaries.
If you want to do the work of the Kingdom of God, then be like a net that does not discriminate or sort good fish from bad fish. Jesus said there will be an appropriate time and place for sorting the good and the bad. But that is not our job.
Sorting is God’s job, and God will do the sorting at the final judgment.
Judgment is real. But, it’s not our job. Heaven and Hell are real. But, we don’t determine which people go to Heaven or Hell. Our job is to catch the fish and leave the rest to God in the final judgment.
III. The Parable of the Homeowner.
After telling the parable to his disciples, Jesus asked them if they understood. For once in their lives, they did understand. But, with understanding comes responsibility.
Notice Jesus’ words in verse 52…
“Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the Kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
When I first started studying this Scripture, I was expecting Jesus to finish the parable by describing the way the homeowner sorted out the new and the old. I was expecting Jesus to tell his disciples to throw away all the old stuff and keep the new stuff. But, Jesus made no mention of sorting. The old is still good. The new is also good.
The key to understanding this parable is a word that doesn’t show up in our English translations. Literally, Jesus said, “Every scribe who has been DISCIPLED about the Kingdom of God is like the owner of a house.”
Usually when we use the word “disciple,” we are talking about the students of Jesus. The men (and later women) who lived life with Jesus, witnessed his miracles and learned about the kind of life Jesus came to give us. If we think in these terms, then it seems that Jesus is telling us that all disciples ought to combine the old and the new as we do the work of scribes. The scribes were teachers.
IV. Conclusion.
The Kingdom of God is NOT about sorting good fish from bad fish. The Kingdom of God is NOT about sorting the old and the new. The Kingdom of God is about catching all kinds of fish, instructing them in all the traditions (old and new), then allowing God to do the work of sorting.
"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for." -Charles Spurgeon.
Matthew 13: 47 – 52.
I. Introduction.
Four hundred years ago, there were so many cod fish off the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts that early settlers named the region “Cape Cod.” But in 1999, the cod population was so depleted that the United States government was forced to begin a series of programs to limit the number of cod that could be harvested.
Over those four hundred years, the fishing industry had changed so much that professional fishermen were known to say “the fish don’t stand a chance.”
Fishing boats became safer, faster and more capable of traveling farther out to sea. Fishing nets became larger and stronger. And, the fishing boats relied on underwater sonar to locate the fish. Indeed, the fish don’t stand a chance.
The result of all this technology is that Cape Cod has become “overfished.” This means the fishermen are catching fish faster than the fish can repopulate. In other words, there are not as many fish in the sea.
When Jesus called his first disciples, he found them fishing in the Lake of Galilee. One pair of brothers was actually in the boat, conducting their daily business of catching fish. A second pair of brothers was sitting on the lake shore repairing their nets, perhaps getting ready to begin their daily pursuit of fish. Jesus’ words to these two sets of brothers was simply, “Follow me; and I will make you fishers for people.”
I believe this is the same, simple call Jesus extends to us as well. “Follow Jesus, and become fishers for people.”
In a place like Lufkin, Texas…I wonder if we need to worry about “overfishing.” An entire industry in Cape Cod is struggling from overfishing. But, what about us? Is it possible for us to “overfish” in Lufkin and Angelina County?
There are a lot of churches in Lufkin and Angelina County. Our church is even involved with three “new” churches—helping them to get started. This fact alone should prove that we do not believe Lufkin has been “overfished.” There are still fish in the sea. There are still people who do not know Jesus as the Lord of their lives. There are still people who choose to stay at home on Sunday mornings to catch up on sleep, yard work or to do something as honorable as spend time with their families.
You have heard me say this before, but it is worth repeating… If you and I want our church to grow, we have three choices. There are three ways our church could grow and reach more people on a given Sunday morning.
1. Growth by birth. If you would just have more babies, our church will grow. Actually, it is a little more complicated than that. You have to have more babies, AND you have to bring your babies to church.
2. Growth by transfer. This is actually how many churches in the United States are growing right now. Larger churches have been the beneficiaries, while the smaller churches have suffered. The Mega Churches offer more ministries and activities for children and youth than smaller churches can afford. As a result, smaller churches have gotten smaller. Mega Churches have gotten larger, or Mega-er. The sad thing about this type of growth is the way some churches look larger, while the number of Christians has remained about the same. The churches are growing, but the Kingdom of God is not.
3. Growth by evangelism. I believe this is the type of growth described in the New Testament. This is what it means to become “fishers for people!” Jesus didn’t call us to transfer fish from one aquarium to another. Jesus didn’t call us to grow our churches by having more babies than the rest of the world. Jesus called us to throw our nets out into the sea and bring in fish who have never seen the inside of an aquarium.
Jesus called us to “go fishing.” But, please don’t misunderstand me on this point. Yes. I want you to have more babies. There is nothing wrong with having babies and rearing your children in the church. We just do not need to rely on our birthrates to grow our church.
And, Yes. We do accept people who are moving their church membership from one church to another. We have a dynamic youth ministry that many people may want their kids to be a part of. We are developing a children’s ministry right now by searching for a fulltime children’s minister. The committee has been reviewing résumés and is ready to begin interviewing prospective candidates. I met with one of our young married adult Sunday school departments two weeks ago to tell them how much I need them to invest in the children’s ministry—for the future of our church.
And, as far as evangelism goes… We have made some progress. I am not ready to say we are the best in Texas. But we are doing more evangelism now than we did three years ago. We have held two Matthew Parties and had professions of faith, baptisms and new members as a result of both parties. On Easter Sunday, New Beginnings Baptist Church held their first worship service in the location on Pershing Avenue. In that service, they had 134 people present—they have been averaging 40 in our chapel. They also baptized seven new believers, including one man who was baptized with his wife and child. At the end of the service, they had three people join by transfer of membership.
What would it take for us to experience the same kinds of results at First Baptist Church? A short answer…Go Fishing.
Read Matthew 13: 47 – 52.
One characteristic of the Gospel of Matthew is the way it shows Jesus doing a lot of talking. If you have a “red letter” Bible, you will probably find more red letter in Matthew than in any of the other Gospels. That is because the words of Jesus are in red. Matthew shows us Jesus as a teacher. Not just any kind of teacher…Jesus was a teacher with authority. People listened to Jesus when he taught them.
In this section of Matthew, we find Jesus teaching through the use of parables. There are many different ways we can define the term parable. Sometimes a parable is a story, but not always. At other times, a parable is a comparison. We find one of each kind of parable in Matthew 13: 47 – 52. In fact, I would suggest that we just read two parables—one about a net, another about an owner of a house.
II. The Parable of the Net.
Notice the way Jesus began the Parable of the Net. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net…”
More than likely, the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” means exactly the same thing as the “Kingdom of God.” Matthew is the only Gospel writer who does not use the phrase “Kingdom of God.” Perhaps this indicates that Matthew was writing to a primarily Jewish audience and was using Jewish terminology. Good Jews would not use the word “God” out of fear of violating the third commandment—Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.
If this is true, then Matthew is talking about the realm in which God is the King, whether that realm is in Heaven or on earth. That would be consistent with the other Gospels’ usage of the “Kingdom of God.” On one hand, God is the King of Heaven. On the other hand, God is the King on earth in the hearts and lives of the individuals who name Jesus as their Lord.
The Kingdom of God—both in Heaven and on earth—is like a net. But, how is it like a net?
The type of net Jesus describes here was a common way of fishing in the First Century world. The net was shaped like a cylinder and was open on the top and bottom. The top of the net had some kind of floatation device to keep it from sinking. The bottom of the net had weights to allow it to sink as close to the bottom of the lake as possible.
As the bottom of the net sank to the floor of the lake, all kinds of fish were trapped inside. The fishermen would then draw the top and the bottom of the net closed, then haul it back into the boat.
There is at least one place in the Bible where we see the disciples using this kind of net. It is the story of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples after the resurrection in John 21. The disciples had fished all night long, with no luck. As the sun was rising, Jesus appeared on the shore line. He commanded them to cast their net out the opposite side of the boat. They did as he said and caught 153 fish!
This catch was so large that it nearly sank their boat. The net was so full of fish that the disciples couldn’t even pick it up to put it in the boat. They had to tow the net behind the boat.
On a typical day in the First Century, anyone walking along the lake shore would see fishermen with nets spread out on the banks going through the fish. Some of the fish were “keepers,” but most of the fish were trash. They had to be thrown back into the lake. Perhaps the fish were too small. Perhaps they weren’t the right kind of fish. Either way, the net would bring in both good fish and bad fish. The net was indiscriminate.
Again, notice that Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is like a net.” He didn’t say, “The Kingdom of God is like a bunch of fishermen sorting out their fish on the banks of the lake.”
This is the mistake we Christians make when we “go fishing” for people. We usually look for the good people and try to witness to them or to invite them to church. Jesus doesn’t tell us to discriminate. Jesus tells us to be like a net that catches all kinds of fish. In fact, Jesus used a very curious word to describe the fish in verse 47.
“The Kingdom of God is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all RACES of fish.”
If Matthew did write his Gospel to a primarily Jewish audience, this is significant. The Jewish people believed there were only two types of people in the world: Jews and Gentiles. Jesus said, “The Kingdom is not just for the Jews. It is for Jews AND Gentiles.”
Jesus is teaching us the same thing today. The Kingdom of God is not just for the white people. It is for Red and Yellow, Black and White. The Kingdom of God is not just for American citizens. It is for Americans, Mexicans, Scandinavians, Ethiopians, Kenyans and even for the illegal aliens living in Texas. The Kingdom of God is not just for the middle to upper class. It is for the kid at school with no lunch money, the man working at the factory, the woman waiting on tables, the family evicted from their home, the businessman, the CEO, the doctors and lawyers. The Kingdom of God is like a net, because it knows no boundaries.
If you want to do the work of the Kingdom of God, then be like a net that does not discriminate or sort good fish from bad fish. Jesus said there will be an appropriate time and place for sorting the good and the bad. But that is not our job.
Sorting is God’s job, and God will do the sorting at the final judgment.
Judgment is real. But, it’s not our job. Heaven and Hell are real. But, we don’t determine which people go to Heaven or Hell. Our job is to catch the fish and leave the rest to God in the final judgment.
III. The Parable of the Homeowner.
After telling the parable to his disciples, Jesus asked them if they understood. For once in their lives, they did understand. But, with understanding comes responsibility.
Notice Jesus’ words in verse 52…
“Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the Kingdom of Heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
When I first started studying this Scripture, I was expecting Jesus to finish the parable by describing the way the homeowner sorted out the new and the old. I was expecting Jesus to tell his disciples to throw away all the old stuff and keep the new stuff. But, Jesus made no mention of sorting. The old is still good. The new is also good.
The key to understanding this parable is a word that doesn’t show up in our English translations. Literally, Jesus said, “Every scribe who has been DISCIPLED about the Kingdom of God is like the owner of a house.”
Usually when we use the word “disciple,” we are talking about the students of Jesus. The men (and later women) who lived life with Jesus, witnessed his miracles and learned about the kind of life Jesus came to give us. If we think in these terms, then it seems that Jesus is telling us that all disciples ought to combine the old and the new as we do the work of scribes. The scribes were teachers.
IV. Conclusion.
The Kingdom of God is NOT about sorting good fish from bad fish. The Kingdom of God is NOT about sorting the old and the new. The Kingdom of God is about catching all kinds of fish, instructing them in all the traditions (old and new), then allowing God to do the work of sorting.
"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for." -Charles Spurgeon.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Easter Sunday 2009: What Is Your Life Worth?
What Is Your Life Worth?
Mark 8: 34 – 38.
I. Introduction.
Join me this morning as we reflect on the title of the sermon: What is your life worth? What value would you place on your life? Is your life something that can be measured in a monetary value?
Scientists from Japan and the United States have actually done research to determine the value of a human body based on its chemical composition. Of course, many of the basic building blocks of your body are minerals which are traded on the commodities markets, so the value of your body will fluctuate along with the New York Stock Exchange and the Japanese Nikkei Index.
The elements of the human body and the skin combine for an approximate value of $4.50. The skin on an average human body is worth $3.50 by itself. The elements and minerals that make up human life are worth about $1.00.[1]
The Indiana University School of Medicine cites a different kind of study on the human body. This study, conducted by Wired Magazine, came up with different results. Instead of breaking down a human body into basic elements and minerals, Wired Magazine placed a monetary value on human tissues, organs and fluids based on the amounts insurance companies pay for organ and tissue transplants. This study claims that the working parts of a human body are worth an estimated $45 Million.[2]
Somewhere in the middle of these two surveys, we meet a man named Ian Usher. In 2001, Ian Usher moved from England to Australia with his wife. Six years later (2007), they went through a very painful divorce. Ian continued to live in the house he and his wife had built, surrounded by all the furnishings and memories he shared with his wife. After a year of trying to forget his pain and move on with his life, Ian decided it was time to take drastic measures. He put his life up for sale on the Internet.
You cannot sell your life on eBay, so Ian had to set up his own website, www.ALife4Sale.com. Ian’s life included: a three-bedroom house, car, motorcycle, jet ski, all his friends, his memories of his wife, and his job. (His employer agreed to allow the person who bought Ian’s life to work at the rug shop for two weeks with the potential of permanent employment.)
The website was set up like an auction. The bidding began at $1.00, but Ian was hopeful it would go as high as $500,000. But, it didn’t. The auction for Ian’s life ended with a disappointing high bid of $399,000. Then, to add insult to injury, the person who won the auction couldn’t get the financing to complete the sale.[3]
The question about the value of your life is not something we should take lightly. Sure, I have cited a chemical survey that underestimates the value of life; a survey about organ and tissue transplants that is illegal and unethical; as well as a silly story about a heartbroken man who failed to sell his life online. However, this is a question Jesus asked his disciples. This is a question Jesus asks us to consider as well.
Read Mark 8: 34 – 38.
I believe Jesus is talking about discipleship in this Scripture. On one hand, this teaching falls in the context of what I call the “discipleship section” of Mark. On the other hand, this teaching comes at a time when Jesus is setting his course toward Jerusalem and the crucifixion.
“Counting the cost” is an evaluation Jesus asks from all of his followers. If you want to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus, a Christian, then you must be willing to give your life away for Jesus and for the sake of the Gospel. As you evaluate your life today, which do you think is more valuable? Is it better to continue living life on your own terms? Or is it better to give your life away to Jesus in exchange for eternal life in heaven?
One of the goals Jesus had in offering this teaching to his disciples was to prepare them for what was about to take place. Jesus began by predicting his death. Jesus knew that his teaching and healing ministry had angered the religious and political leaders. Jesus knew that his view of the Kingdom of God was in direct conflict with the views and values of the powerful elite. Jesus knew that if he continued to teach about God’s Kingdom, he would be rejected; he would suffer; and he would die on the cross. Jesus knew that continuing on his journey to Jerusalem would lead him to the cross. But, Jesus also knew this was his purpose.
The cross was Jesus’ purpose… Because the cross is the only value that can ever be placed on a human life.
The story begins with the story of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God spoke, and everything we see came into existence. The sun, moon, stars and earth were created by the Word of God. The plants, insects and animals were created when God said, “Let there be…” There is only one thing God created without speaking a word—human beings. When God created humans, he got his hands dirty. He reached down, scooped up a handful of dirt (probably about $1.00 worth of dirt), shaped the dirt into a human being, then breathed into the human the breath of life—God’s own breath.
Practically speaking, the act of creation shows there is something different about human beings that separate us from the rest of creation. God didn’t speak humanity into existence. God didn’t call us forth from the chaos. No. God shaped us and formed us and breathed his own breath into us.
Theologically speaking, there is another difference that separates humanity from the rest of God’s creation.
Genesis 1: 27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
God created human beings in his own image.
I think it is important for us to realize that God did not create us to BE our own gods. God created us to REFLECT the image of the one true God. We fulfill God’s purpose for our lives when we reflect his image to others. We live up to our greatest potential when other people see God at work in our lives.
Another way to think of this is to think of our relationship with God like the relationship between the sun and the moon. The sun is the source of all light on the planet earth. We are only aware of the sun during the daytime. At night, there is another “light” in the sky—the moon. However, the moon is NOT a source of light. It is merely a reflection of the light emanating from the sun. The moon fulfills its purpose by reflecting the light from the sun. In the same way, I fulfill my purpose by reflecting the image of God.
The story of Easter is the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Easter was not a surprise to Jesus. He knew that he had come to earth as God’s only-begotten Son to suffer and die on a Roman cross and to rise again on the third day. He predicted this to his disciples in Mark 8. This was no surprise to Jesus. It was his purpose. Jesus had to die and rise again. This was the only way to place a value on the human life.
You and I were created in the image of God, to reflect God’s image to the world. Jesus lived a human life on earth. But, The New Testament tells us that Jesus’ life was different from ours.
Hebrews 1: 3, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (NIV).”
Colossians 1: 15, “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (NIV).”
This is the Good News! Chemists believe your life is worth $4.50. Transplant doctors and insurance companies believe your life is worth $45 Million. If you are lucky, you might find someone on the Internet willing to pay $400,000 for your life. But, God thinks you are so valuable that he gave his only-begotten Son.
God could not send any human being to purchase your life. He sent his Son—the exact representation of his being, the perfect image of the invisible God—to die on the cross and to rise again. This is how much your life is worth TO GOD.
II. What Are Other People Worth?
Since you and I were created in the image of God, our lives cannot be measured in monetary values. But, what about other people? What about the people who do not go to church? What about the people who do not even believe in God?
In God’s eyes, their lives are just as valuable as yours and mine.
John 3: 16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5: 8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God did not send Jesus to die for Christians. God sent Jesus to die for sinners. God sent Jesus to die for the world.
III. Conclusion.
What is your life worth (to God)? He sent his only Son to die for you.
What are other people worth (to God)? He sent his only Son to die for a world of sinners.
But, what are other people worth to you? Now THAT is an interesting question.
The best answer I have ever found to this question comes from the mouth of a professed atheist—magician and comedian Penn Jillette. Two weeks ago, I discovered a video of Penn describing a Christian man who tried to witness to him after a show. As you watch this video, keep in mind…This is an atheist talking.
Penn Says - Micro Church Message Video from The Church at Chapel Hill on Vimeo.
How much do we hate other people when we refuse to tell them about Jesus? God loves sinners so much that he sent his only Son. We love others so much that…
I can think of three decisions God may be calling you to make today.
Is God calling you to give your life to Jesus today?
Perhaps, God is calling you to be a better witness—to do something “socially awkward” by telling your friends that Jesus died for them.
Perhaps, God is calling you to start inviting your friends to church. If you believe your church makes a difference in your life…If you believe your church preaches the Gospel…If you believe your church has something to offer the people you care about… Then, telling your friends about your church is a way to tell them about Jesus.
[1] http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/worth.asp
[2] http://soundmedicine.iu.edu/archive/2003/quiz/humanWorth.html
[3] http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23391578-23109,00.html, http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23690706/, http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/03/after-divorce-m.html, http://www.alife4sale.com/index.htm, http://alife4saleblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/who-bought-alife4sale-all-answers.html.
Mark 8: 34 – 38.
I. Introduction.
Join me this morning as we reflect on the title of the sermon: What is your life worth? What value would you place on your life? Is your life something that can be measured in a monetary value?
Scientists from Japan and the United States have actually done research to determine the value of a human body based on its chemical composition. Of course, many of the basic building blocks of your body are minerals which are traded on the commodities markets, so the value of your body will fluctuate along with the New York Stock Exchange and the Japanese Nikkei Index.
The elements of the human body and the skin combine for an approximate value of $4.50. The skin on an average human body is worth $3.50 by itself. The elements and minerals that make up human life are worth about $1.00.[1]
The Indiana University School of Medicine cites a different kind of study on the human body. This study, conducted by Wired Magazine, came up with different results. Instead of breaking down a human body into basic elements and minerals, Wired Magazine placed a monetary value on human tissues, organs and fluids based on the amounts insurance companies pay for organ and tissue transplants. This study claims that the working parts of a human body are worth an estimated $45 Million.[2]
Somewhere in the middle of these two surveys, we meet a man named Ian Usher. In 2001, Ian Usher moved from England to Australia with his wife. Six years later (2007), they went through a very painful divorce. Ian continued to live in the house he and his wife had built, surrounded by all the furnishings and memories he shared with his wife. After a year of trying to forget his pain and move on with his life, Ian decided it was time to take drastic measures. He put his life up for sale on the Internet.
You cannot sell your life on eBay, so Ian had to set up his own website, www.ALife4Sale.com. Ian’s life included: a three-bedroom house, car, motorcycle, jet ski, all his friends, his memories of his wife, and his job. (His employer agreed to allow the person who bought Ian’s life to work at the rug shop for two weeks with the potential of permanent employment.)
The website was set up like an auction. The bidding began at $1.00, but Ian was hopeful it would go as high as $500,000. But, it didn’t. The auction for Ian’s life ended with a disappointing high bid of $399,000. Then, to add insult to injury, the person who won the auction couldn’t get the financing to complete the sale.[3]
The question about the value of your life is not something we should take lightly. Sure, I have cited a chemical survey that underestimates the value of life; a survey about organ and tissue transplants that is illegal and unethical; as well as a silly story about a heartbroken man who failed to sell his life online. However, this is a question Jesus asked his disciples. This is a question Jesus asks us to consider as well.
Read Mark 8: 34 – 38.
I believe Jesus is talking about discipleship in this Scripture. On one hand, this teaching falls in the context of what I call the “discipleship section” of Mark. On the other hand, this teaching comes at a time when Jesus is setting his course toward Jerusalem and the crucifixion.
“Counting the cost” is an evaluation Jesus asks from all of his followers. If you want to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus, a Christian, then you must be willing to give your life away for Jesus and for the sake of the Gospel. As you evaluate your life today, which do you think is more valuable? Is it better to continue living life on your own terms? Or is it better to give your life away to Jesus in exchange for eternal life in heaven?
One of the goals Jesus had in offering this teaching to his disciples was to prepare them for what was about to take place. Jesus began by predicting his death. Jesus knew that his teaching and healing ministry had angered the religious and political leaders. Jesus knew that his view of the Kingdom of God was in direct conflict with the views and values of the powerful elite. Jesus knew that if he continued to teach about God’s Kingdom, he would be rejected; he would suffer; and he would die on the cross. Jesus knew that continuing on his journey to Jerusalem would lead him to the cross. But, Jesus also knew this was his purpose.
The cross was Jesus’ purpose… Because the cross is the only value that can ever be placed on a human life.
The story begins with the story of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God spoke, and everything we see came into existence. The sun, moon, stars and earth were created by the Word of God. The plants, insects and animals were created when God said, “Let there be…” There is only one thing God created without speaking a word—human beings. When God created humans, he got his hands dirty. He reached down, scooped up a handful of dirt (probably about $1.00 worth of dirt), shaped the dirt into a human being, then breathed into the human the breath of life—God’s own breath.
Practically speaking, the act of creation shows there is something different about human beings that separate us from the rest of creation. God didn’t speak humanity into existence. God didn’t call us forth from the chaos. No. God shaped us and formed us and breathed his own breath into us.
Theologically speaking, there is another difference that separates humanity from the rest of God’s creation.
Genesis 1: 27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
God created human beings in his own image.
I think it is important for us to realize that God did not create us to BE our own gods. God created us to REFLECT the image of the one true God. We fulfill God’s purpose for our lives when we reflect his image to others. We live up to our greatest potential when other people see God at work in our lives.
Another way to think of this is to think of our relationship with God like the relationship between the sun and the moon. The sun is the source of all light on the planet earth. We are only aware of the sun during the daytime. At night, there is another “light” in the sky—the moon. However, the moon is NOT a source of light. It is merely a reflection of the light emanating from the sun. The moon fulfills its purpose by reflecting the light from the sun. In the same way, I fulfill my purpose by reflecting the image of God.
The story of Easter is the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Easter was not a surprise to Jesus. He knew that he had come to earth as God’s only-begotten Son to suffer and die on a Roman cross and to rise again on the third day. He predicted this to his disciples in Mark 8. This was no surprise to Jesus. It was his purpose. Jesus had to die and rise again. This was the only way to place a value on the human life.
You and I were created in the image of God, to reflect God’s image to the world. Jesus lived a human life on earth. But, The New Testament tells us that Jesus’ life was different from ours.
Hebrews 1: 3, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (NIV).”
Colossians 1: 15, “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (NIV).”
This is the Good News! Chemists believe your life is worth $4.50. Transplant doctors and insurance companies believe your life is worth $45 Million. If you are lucky, you might find someone on the Internet willing to pay $400,000 for your life. But, God thinks you are so valuable that he gave his only-begotten Son.
God could not send any human being to purchase your life. He sent his Son—the exact representation of his being, the perfect image of the invisible God—to die on the cross and to rise again. This is how much your life is worth TO GOD.
II. What Are Other People Worth?
Since you and I were created in the image of God, our lives cannot be measured in monetary values. But, what about other people? What about the people who do not go to church? What about the people who do not even believe in God?
In God’s eyes, their lives are just as valuable as yours and mine.
John 3: 16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5: 8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God did not send Jesus to die for Christians. God sent Jesus to die for sinners. God sent Jesus to die for the world.
III. Conclusion.
What is your life worth (to God)? He sent his only Son to die for you.
What are other people worth (to God)? He sent his only Son to die for a world of sinners.
But, what are other people worth to you? Now THAT is an interesting question.
The best answer I have ever found to this question comes from the mouth of a professed atheist—magician and comedian Penn Jillette. Two weeks ago, I discovered a video of Penn describing a Christian man who tried to witness to him after a show. As you watch this video, keep in mind…This is an atheist talking.
Penn Says - Micro Church Message Video from The Church at Chapel Hill on Vimeo.
How much do we hate other people when we refuse to tell them about Jesus? God loves sinners so much that he sent his only Son. We love others so much that…
I can think of three decisions God may be calling you to make today.
Is God calling you to give your life to Jesus today?
Perhaps, God is calling you to be a better witness—to do something “socially awkward” by telling your friends that Jesus died for them.
Perhaps, God is calling you to start inviting your friends to church. If you believe your church makes a difference in your life…If you believe your church preaches the Gospel…If you believe your church has something to offer the people you care about… Then, telling your friends about your church is a way to tell them about Jesus.
[1] http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/worth.asp
[2] http://soundmedicine.iu.edu/archive/2003/quiz/humanWorth.html
[3] http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23391578-23109,00.html, http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23690706/, http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/03/after-divorce-m.html, http://www.alife4sale.com/index.htm, http://alife4saleblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/who-bought-alife4sale-all-answers.html.
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