Andrew G. Pittman
Sunday Morning
April 22, 2007
When Non-Christians Act Like Non-Christians…
Romans 1: 18 – 32; 1 Corinthians 6: 9 – 11; Galatians 5: 16 – 22.
I. Introduction.
I have no proof about what I am about to speculate. However, I believe, with the exception of September 11, this past week—the third week of April—is perhaps the deadliest week on the 52 week calendar.
Thursday, April 19 was the 12th anniversary of the bombing at the Alfred P. Murray Federal Building in 1995, that killed 168 people. That same day was the 14th anniversary of the U.S. government raid on the Branch Davidians outside Waco, TX in 1993. When the government raided the compound, the Branch Davidians set fire to the buildings and 81 people died. Then, Friday, April 20, was the 8th anniversary of the school shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado in which 15 people were killed.
These anniversaries did not receive as much news coverage this week, because they were overshadowed by the events that took place on Monday, April 16 at Virginia Tech. Twenty-three year old student, Cho Seung-Hui, killed 31 people and then took his own life.
The Virginia Tech shooting has captured the top story of most newscast for the past week. Some networks even dedicated several hours to cover the events and accusations. NBC made a controversial decision to broadcast pictures and video clips and excerpts from a package the killer mailed to NBC news the day of the shooting. This was controversial to some, because they feared that NBC actually gave the murderer the notoriety that he wanted. NBC chose to broadcast the materials in order to give more information about the person and some of his motives.
After reading through some of the materials that NBC made available, it was apparent to me that Cho was angry at the entire world. He singled out just two groups of people. He was angry at the “rich kids” who had everything. And he was angry at religion. He made statement against Christianity and made some veiled references to Islam.
The most amazing thing about the events at Virginia Tech and the information about the murderer is that no one was really surprised. Of course, we were shocked by the sheer brutality and the way the murderer showed no remorse for what he had done. But, we’ve been here before. This was not the first time we have lived through a tragedy like this, and it was not the first time we have seen this happen at a school.
Since we were not really surprised, it made me begin to think of this tragedy as a Non-Christian person acting like a Non-Christian.
Throughout the Bible, we find numerous lists of sins and activities that Non-Christians perform. I did not search through the lists in the Old Testament, but I did search the New Testament. I found that the Apostle Paul wrote nine lists of sins in his letters. I want to look at three of Paul’s lists this morning and find three responses to the statement “When Non-Christians Act Like Non-Christians…”
Paul’s first list comes in the letter that appears first in our New Testament. It was more than likely written at the very end of Paul’s life and career as a Christian missionary.
Read Romans 1: 18 – 32.
Romans contains the “most complete” theology written by the Apostle Paul. It follows a typical Pauline structure of theology and ethics. The first eleven chapters of Romans describes Paul’s theology, while the last five chapters describe a practical application of theology—How to live an ethical, Christian life in community with other Christians.
Some New Testament scholars refer to the book of Romans as “The Gospel According to Paul.” Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are Gospels in that they have written the narrative story of the life and ministry of Jesus. These books describe Jesus’ mission to bring about the Kingdom of God and to save all who would follow Jesus from the reign of Satan on earth. Romans, however, does not contain a narrative story of Jesus. Romans is a Gospel in the sense that Paul has written a theological treatise for those of us who live in the world AFTER the earthly life and ministry of Jesus.
We can say that Paul has written a Gospel, because the Greek word translated “Gospel” literally means “good news.” However, Paul begins the “good news” by first describing the “bad news.” The “bad news” is that we live in a world in which Satan has deceived humankind.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In this moment of creation, God established an order. There is night and day—a time to work and a time to rest. There is a week—six days to worry about human things and one day to worship the God of creation. There is synergy and interdependence among creation—plants and animals and earth and humans need each other for oxygen and carbon dioxide and life and food. God created male and female of every animal species and commanded humans to “be fruitful and multiply” and continue the circle of life on the earth.
Paul wrote about creation as a way that all humanity could know that there is a God and that the God of creation sustains life on this earth. God has a plan for his creation. God’s plan can be known by observing the created world around us. However, sinful humans have refused to live according to God’s plans. We have exchanged God’s ways for a way that we think is better—more enlightened, more tolerant, better suited for the 21st Century.
Notice how God responded to our rebellion: Romans 1: 24, “Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts…”; Romans 1: 26, “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts…”; Romans 1: 28, “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind…” God gave us our way! We wanted to live contrary to God’s plan. And God gave us what we wanted.
This is the bad news. The world lives as if there is no God. There is idolatry (v. 25), homosexuality (vv. 26 – 27), envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, arrogance and disobedience to parents (vv. 29 – 30). This is bad news, but it is not the end of the story.
Read 1 Corinthians 6: 9 – 11.
Once again, we have read a list of sins from the Apostle Paul’s writings. The world lives as if there is no God. And, the world demonstrates this by acting out numerous sins that are contrary to the order that God created into the world and contrary to the laws and commandments God gave his people.
There are two things that I want you to notice in this passage. You are not going to like this first one. Paul says that people who live as if there is no God are sexually immoral, homosexual and GOSSIPS. It’s interesting to me that there are two places where the New Testament states that homosexuality is a sinful lifestyle. And in both references, Paul says that GOSSIP is just as evil. We will just have to revisit the sin of gossip in another sermon.
The second thing to notice in this Scripture is verse 11: “And that is what you WERE…” In other words, every Christian person worshipping in this room and in churches all over the world started out as a wicked and vile sinner. “That is what you WERE.” But through faith in Jesus, God has changed us into clean, holy and righteous men and women. We could not change ourselves. But Jesus has changed us. We used to act like the world. But now, we act like Jesus.
I suggest we could apply this to our current situation by saying: “When Non-Christians Act Like Non-Christians…Christians Should Act Like Christians.”
II. Christians Should Act Like Christians.
When the world around us acts like murderers and sinners, we should act differently. We act differently, because we are different. We have been washed, sanctified and justified by Jesus. We are clean, holy and righteous. We used to act like the world, but now we act like Jesus.
Read Galatians 5: 16 – 23.
This is the place where Paul makes his best case that Christians and Non-Christians live different kinds of lives. On one hand, there is a life that is controlled by the sinful nature. On the other hand, there is a life that is controlled by the Spirit of God.
The life controlled by the sinful nature is best characterized by the “acts of the sinful nature.” The life controlled by the Spirit of God is best characterized by the “fruit of the Spirit.”
The “fruit of the Spirit” is not something that you and I are capable of doing on our own power. No. The word “fruit” could also be translated “harvest” or “produce.” In other words, when we have been washed, sanctified and justified by Jesus, these are the things that God produces in our lives. AND…This is the way we are supposed to respond when the world lives as if there is no God.
When the world is filled with sin: hatred, murder, sexual immorality and gossip, we are supposed to respond with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We should be the first ones to respond to tragedy with tangible expressions of peace and kindness.
III. God Is Still God.
I suggest the second way we can say this morning is: “When Non-Christians Act Like Non-Christians…God Is Still God.”
What do you believe about God? Do you believe that everything that happens in the world today is God’s will? That is what the Muslims believe. They teach that everything that happens in the world was caused by God. That is why it is possible for a Muslim to fly an airplane into a building, killing thousands of innocent people and say that it is God’s will. God does not allow things to happen, God causes things to happen. And God only causes things to happen if those things are in fact God’s will.
The Christian view of God is somewhat different. We believe that the world lives as if there is no God. The world lives in rebellion against God’s plan and order for creation. Therefore, there are some things that happen which God did not cause to happen. Some things happen as a result of sin and rebellion.
What is it that makes God, God? Is it possible for God to stop being God? Is it possible that a tragedy can be so great that God is no longer God? The Apostle Paul answers this question with a verse from Romans that we have all heard quoted dozens of times.
Read Romans 8: 28.
Paul does not teach us that God causes all things to happen. Paul tells us that God is working “in all things”—even when we are witnesses to a senseless tragedy. God did not cause these things to happen. God is there—in the midst of tragedy—to bring about his good purposes.
I like to think of Romans 8: 28 this way: “Despite everything that happens, God is working for good…”
Despite everything that happens, God will receive glory…And the surest way for God to receive glory is for Christians to act like Christians…Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
IV. Jesus Is Still Jesus.
The last thing we can say this morning is that “When Non-Christians Act Like Non-Christians…Jesus Is Still Jesus.”
I shared this outline with several people this week as I prepared for this Sunday service. I joked with several people that I am doing something radical by preaching a “three-point sermon.” I even printed an outline in the worship bulletin this morning. Radical! I usually don’t print an outline, because my sermons don’t have points. I preach “pointless sermons.” As I shared this outline, one person asked the question: “Isn’t it redundant to say ‘God is still God’ and ‘Jesus is still Jesus’?”
I do not intend this to be redundant. God is still God, because God can work in all circumstances. Jesus is still Jesus, because Jesus is the only way our world will be changed.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph found out that his finance was pregnant. He spent an entire night trying to decide what to do. An angel of the Lord came to Joseph and told him that Mary’s child was from God and would be the Savior of the world. The angel instructed Joseph to go home, get married and name the baby “Jesus.”
In the Gospel of Luke, an angel of the Lord came to Mary and told her that she was pregnant. Mary was confused how this could even be possible. The angel told her that the baby was from God and that Mary should name the baby “Jesus.”
Why was it so important that this baby be named “Jesus?” Because the name “Jesus” is a form of the Hebrew word “Yeshua,” which means “salvation.” There is no other way to be saved. There is no other way to be washed, sanctified and justified. There is no other hope for you, for me, for the world we live in.
The last word for our sermon—and the last word for our world today—Jesus. You once lived like the world. But not any more. You have been washed, sanctified, justified…by Jesus.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Andrew G. Pittman
Sunday Morning
April 15, 2007
Jesus and the Tax Man
Luke 19: 1 - 10.
I. Introduction.
Lee Strobel was a confirmed Atheist. He had the best education offered by the secular world, including a Journalism Degree from the University of Missouri and a Law Degree from Yale. He spent thirteen years as a Journalist and eventually became the Legal Affairs Editor of the Chicago Tribune.
As a journalist and a lawyer, Lee Strobel had been trained to be a professional skeptic. He doubted everything, until it could be proven by the weight of evidence. And that is why he refused to believe in Jesus. He was not convinced that there was enough evidence to settle all his doubts.
In 1979, something strange and totally unexpected happened to Lee Strobel. His wife became a Christian and began asking him to attend church with her at the Willow Creek Church in suburban Chicago.
Just one year later, Lee Strobel began a monumental quest to research and discover the truth about the Christian faith. His original intent was to prove that his wife’s new faith was not true and get her off his back about going to church and becoming a follower of Christ. He approached this project just like he would an in-depth article for the legal section of the Chicago Tribune. He traveled all over the United States to meet with experts and conducted hours of interviews to get all the facts about the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus.
Can you guess what happened as a result of all his research? On November 8, 1981, Lee Strobel decided that the evidence overwhelmingly proved that Jesus of Nazareth was the Incarnation of God himself…That Jesus died a painful and humiliating death on a Roman cross…That Jesus rose again on the third day…That the Christian faith was the truth. In Strobel’s own words, he discovered that “It would require much more faith for me to maintain my atheism than to trust in Jesus of Nazareth.”
Lee Strobel became a Christian that day. He later left his position with the Chicago Tribune to become Teaching Pastor at Willow Creek Church in Chicago and now serves in a similar position at Saddleback Church in California. He also sat down and wrote a book that details his interviews and research to help other atheists to weigh the evidence and decide for themselves to become followers of Christ. (The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.)
Lee Strobel’s story serves as an important reminder for us on this First Sunday After Easter. We have just celebrated the highest and holiest of all Christian holidays. Jesus died on the cross…Jesus rose again on the third day…What’s Next?
Lee Strobel discovered for himself that Jesus died and rose again. But he was not content just to understand the facts…He understood…Then he asked the question: Why Is This Important? What are we going to do next?
Our Scripture today is not taken from the biblical events that followed the resurrection…But it does illustrate Why Jesus died and rose again and What’s Next.
Read Luke 19: 1 – 10.
II. The Rich as Outcasts.
We usually associate the story of Zacchaeus with memories of our childhood and singing the song: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see…” But this is not a sweet, children’s story. This is a scandalous story of Jesus reaching out to the untouchables.
Since today is April 15, and Tax Day…Just imagine how you feel about paying your taxes. No one likes to pay taxes. We worked for the money, and we want to take home all the money we worked for. It was even worse in Jesus’ day. Zacchaeus was despised, and verse 2 indicates how despised Zacchaeus truly was.
Wealthy…This is very difficult for us to understand, because our culture looks at the wealthy differently than the ancient Jews did…Late Jewish theology had developed to an association of poverty with piety. In the previous chapter (18: 24f) Jesus had described the difficulty of the rich entering heaven. Wealth indicated independence & self sufficiency, even rebellious spirit…rebelling from religion. Poverty indicated dependence & need for God.
Tax Collector…Usually understood as traitor and a thief. Collected taxes for Roman Empire from Palestinians. They were not paid by government, but from what they collected. They collected tax plus profit.
Chief Tax Collector…Worse than simple tax collector. The Chief Tax Collector set the fees & contracted lower tax collectors (Publicans) to do the actual collecting. Zacchaeus, possibly had been so good at what he did that he rose to management.
Total package. Luke described Zacchaeus as everything necessary to be worst possible sinner. And the original audience would have recognized that.
Zacchaeus was highly criticized by the religious establishment. The Pharisees were separatists. They taught the Jewish people not to run around with “sinners.” Separate yourselves from all evil people.
Dominant theme in Luke’s Gospel involved outcasts as recipients of salvation…Women, children, blind, lepers, Tax Collectors. This was an important and welcomed theme to Luke’s readers…Readers were just like you and me…Gentiles, non-Jews who were previously considered left out of God’s plan of salvation…And Luke shows us that it is possible for both Jews and Gentiles to be saved…Poor and Rich…Men and Women…Jesus came that everyone might be saved.
III. Jesus Associated with Known Sinners.
When J. associated with Zacchaeus, the religious folk began to whisper. Jesus was “Guilty by association.”
There was a common belief that for a person to partake in ill-gotten gain was same as participating in (or at least giving approval to) the crime that brought it about. Therefore, Jesus was guilty in their eyes. They accused Jesus of being Zach’s partner.
But Zach. did not remain a sinner for long. A real change / conversion took place in his life. Jesus called him a child of Abraham.
Zacchaeus demonstrated fruit of his new kind of life.
Repaid fourfold. . .Jewish law only required additional 1/5
Gave away half his possessions to the poor.
There was a real change…A conversion that took place in his life…
When I use the word “conversion” I don’t necessarily mean sudden conversion…But a change ALWAYS take place when a person encounters Jesus.
For some this conversion takes place over a course of time, slowly…For Zach. it was sudden.
When a baby is born, there is a certain degree of suddenness. One day there are two, the next day there are three. But this is not a sudden change, it is a process that took at least nine months to complete.
Read Luke 19: 10.
IV. Jesus and the Lost.
How many times have we heard sermon or bible lesson on this story with Zacchaeus as the hero? Verse 10 turns this view completely around.
No longer is the story about Zacchaeus searching for Jesus. Jesus initiated salvation!
Nobody else knew that Zacchaeus was in the tree.
No mention in Luke or other Gospels that Jesus knew Zach.
Jesus invited himself to dinner (v. 5)
Son of Man CAME. . .Active.
Son of Man SEEKS. . .Active.
Son of Man SAVES. . .Active.
The story of Zacchaeus is a story that describes the two sides of salvation. On one hand, Jesus has come into the world to search for sinners. On the other hand, there is a distinct responsibility for each of us to “come to Jesus.” One of my favorite verses that captures this best is John 6: 44… No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…
There are always 2 sides to salvation…The Father must draw…The individual must come.
Jesus stood at the foot of the tree calling Zacchaeus. But Zacchaeus. put himself in that tree where Jesus could call, and Zacchaeus accepted the Savior’s call.
V. Conclusion.
This is what Easter was all about. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save all who are lost. Easter is about salvation…Salvation for you and me…Salvation for the world.
And guess who Jesus came to save…Jesus didn’t come to save the good, religious, and church going people of the world. Jesus came to save the outcasts of the world…Outcasts like you and me…Luke was assuring his readers that salvation had come to them, even though they were outcasts: Gentiles.
We even see this by observing Jesus, the places he went and the people he spent time with…Jesus did not spend most of his time inside the church with Christians. Jesus spent his time in the world with those who needed to hear his message of salvation.
If we are to be the light of the world, then we must live in the darkness of the world in order to be effective.
The story of Zacchaeus is not a sweet, children’s story. It is scandalous and offensive. If you find this to be offensive, so be it…There is no other Gospel.
Sunday Morning
April 15, 2007
Jesus and the Tax Man
Luke 19: 1 - 10.
I. Introduction.
Lee Strobel was a confirmed Atheist. He had the best education offered by the secular world, including a Journalism Degree from the University of Missouri and a Law Degree from Yale. He spent thirteen years as a Journalist and eventually became the Legal Affairs Editor of the Chicago Tribune.
As a journalist and a lawyer, Lee Strobel had been trained to be a professional skeptic. He doubted everything, until it could be proven by the weight of evidence. And that is why he refused to believe in Jesus. He was not convinced that there was enough evidence to settle all his doubts.
In 1979, something strange and totally unexpected happened to Lee Strobel. His wife became a Christian and began asking him to attend church with her at the Willow Creek Church in suburban Chicago.
Just one year later, Lee Strobel began a monumental quest to research and discover the truth about the Christian faith. His original intent was to prove that his wife’s new faith was not true and get her off his back about going to church and becoming a follower of Christ. He approached this project just like he would an in-depth article for the legal section of the Chicago Tribune. He traveled all over the United States to meet with experts and conducted hours of interviews to get all the facts about the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus.
Can you guess what happened as a result of all his research? On November 8, 1981, Lee Strobel decided that the evidence overwhelmingly proved that Jesus of Nazareth was the Incarnation of God himself…That Jesus died a painful and humiliating death on a Roman cross…That Jesus rose again on the third day…That the Christian faith was the truth. In Strobel’s own words, he discovered that “It would require much more faith for me to maintain my atheism than to trust in Jesus of Nazareth.”
Lee Strobel became a Christian that day. He later left his position with the Chicago Tribune to become Teaching Pastor at Willow Creek Church in Chicago and now serves in a similar position at Saddleback Church in California. He also sat down and wrote a book that details his interviews and research to help other atheists to weigh the evidence and decide for themselves to become followers of Christ. (The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.)
Lee Strobel’s story serves as an important reminder for us on this First Sunday After Easter. We have just celebrated the highest and holiest of all Christian holidays. Jesus died on the cross…Jesus rose again on the third day…What’s Next?
Lee Strobel discovered for himself that Jesus died and rose again. But he was not content just to understand the facts…He understood…Then he asked the question: Why Is This Important? What are we going to do next?
Our Scripture today is not taken from the biblical events that followed the resurrection…But it does illustrate Why Jesus died and rose again and What’s Next.
Read Luke 19: 1 – 10.
II. The Rich as Outcasts.
We usually associate the story of Zacchaeus with memories of our childhood and singing the song: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see…” But this is not a sweet, children’s story. This is a scandalous story of Jesus reaching out to the untouchables.
Since today is April 15, and Tax Day…Just imagine how you feel about paying your taxes. No one likes to pay taxes. We worked for the money, and we want to take home all the money we worked for. It was even worse in Jesus’ day. Zacchaeus was despised, and verse 2 indicates how despised Zacchaeus truly was.
Wealthy…This is very difficult for us to understand, because our culture looks at the wealthy differently than the ancient Jews did…Late Jewish theology had developed to an association of poverty with piety. In the previous chapter (18: 24f) Jesus had described the difficulty of the rich entering heaven. Wealth indicated independence & self sufficiency, even rebellious spirit…rebelling from religion. Poverty indicated dependence & need for God.
Tax Collector…Usually understood as traitor and a thief. Collected taxes for Roman Empire from Palestinians. They were not paid by government, but from what they collected. They collected tax plus profit.
Chief Tax Collector…Worse than simple tax collector. The Chief Tax Collector set the fees & contracted lower tax collectors (Publicans) to do the actual collecting. Zacchaeus, possibly had been so good at what he did that he rose to management.
Total package. Luke described Zacchaeus as everything necessary to be worst possible sinner. And the original audience would have recognized that.
Zacchaeus was highly criticized by the religious establishment. The Pharisees were separatists. They taught the Jewish people not to run around with “sinners.” Separate yourselves from all evil people.
Dominant theme in Luke’s Gospel involved outcasts as recipients of salvation…Women, children, blind, lepers, Tax Collectors. This was an important and welcomed theme to Luke’s readers…Readers were just like you and me…Gentiles, non-Jews who were previously considered left out of God’s plan of salvation…And Luke shows us that it is possible for both Jews and Gentiles to be saved…Poor and Rich…Men and Women…Jesus came that everyone might be saved.
III. Jesus Associated with Known Sinners.
When J. associated with Zacchaeus, the religious folk began to whisper. Jesus was “Guilty by association.”
There was a common belief that for a person to partake in ill-gotten gain was same as participating in (or at least giving approval to) the crime that brought it about. Therefore, Jesus was guilty in their eyes. They accused Jesus of being Zach’s partner.
But Zach. did not remain a sinner for long. A real change / conversion took place in his life. Jesus called him a child of Abraham.
Zacchaeus demonstrated fruit of his new kind of life.
Repaid fourfold. . .Jewish law only required additional 1/5
Gave away half his possessions to the poor.
There was a real change…A conversion that took place in his life…
When I use the word “conversion” I don’t necessarily mean sudden conversion…But a change ALWAYS take place when a person encounters Jesus.
For some this conversion takes place over a course of time, slowly…For Zach. it was sudden.
When a baby is born, there is a certain degree of suddenness. One day there are two, the next day there are three. But this is not a sudden change, it is a process that took at least nine months to complete.
Read Luke 19: 10.
IV. Jesus and the Lost.
How many times have we heard sermon or bible lesson on this story with Zacchaeus as the hero? Verse 10 turns this view completely around.
No longer is the story about Zacchaeus searching for Jesus. Jesus initiated salvation!
Nobody else knew that Zacchaeus was in the tree.
No mention in Luke or other Gospels that Jesus knew Zach.
Jesus invited himself to dinner (v. 5)
Son of Man CAME. . .Active.
Son of Man SEEKS. . .Active.
Son of Man SAVES. . .Active.
The story of Zacchaeus is a story that describes the two sides of salvation. On one hand, Jesus has come into the world to search for sinners. On the other hand, there is a distinct responsibility for each of us to “come to Jesus.” One of my favorite verses that captures this best is John 6: 44… No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…
There are always 2 sides to salvation…The Father must draw…The individual must come.
Jesus stood at the foot of the tree calling Zacchaeus. But Zacchaeus. put himself in that tree where Jesus could call, and Zacchaeus accepted the Savior’s call.
V. Conclusion.
This is what Easter was all about. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save all who are lost. Easter is about salvation…Salvation for you and me…Salvation for the world.
And guess who Jesus came to save…Jesus didn’t come to save the good, religious, and church going people of the world. Jesus came to save the outcasts of the world…Outcasts like you and me…Luke was assuring his readers that salvation had come to them, even though they were outcasts: Gentiles.
We even see this by observing Jesus, the places he went and the people he spent time with…Jesus did not spend most of his time inside the church with Christians. Jesus spent his time in the world with those who needed to hear his message of salvation.
If we are to be the light of the world, then we must live in the darkness of the world in order to be effective.
The story of Zacchaeus is not a sweet, children’s story. It is scandalous and offensive. If you find this to be offensive, so be it…There is no other Gospel.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007
Andrew G. Pittman
Sunday Morning
April 8, 2007 (Easter)
The New Beginning.
Mark 16: 1 – 8.
I. Introduction.
There are many things about Easter that I love. As a pastor, I love to have the church filled. I love the excitement in the air as children have eaten too much candy before church and are thrilled to search for colored eggs in the yard after church. I love the beauty of a light snow on the ground. But most of all, I love that Easter is not a federal holiday. I’m being serious. I enjoy having my mail delivered on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It is a reminder that this is our holiday. Easter belongs to Christians only. This is not a worldly or commercialized event. Of course there are some worldly elements to Easter, like the chickens and rabbits and eggs. But Easter is more than a celebration of Springtime. Easter is the celebration of the single most important event in all of human history—the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I do not intend to reiterate the gruesome details of a Roman crucifixion. Let me simply say that the condemned person was beaten, mocked, stripped naked and nailed to a wooden cross. The pain experienced during crucifixion was worse than anything that human words could ever describe. In fact, the Romans invented a new word to describe the pain of the cross. It was not Agony. It was not Brutal. It was not Severe. It was Excruciating. This word Excruciating comes from two Latin words: ex (Out of) and crux (Cross) which mean “Out of the Cross.”
More than likely, the person being crucified would have been nailed to the cross by the wrists and the feet. Traditional art depicts Jesus as having nail prints in the palms of his hands. However, archaeology has revealed that the Romans put the nails in the person’s wrist in order to hold up to the person’s weight.
Have you ever bumped your “Funny Bone” and rolled around on the floor because it hurt so badly? The nerve that we call the funny bone runs through the wrist and would have been either smashed or severed by the seven inch spikes that were hammered into Jesus’ flesh.
This is only part of the pain that Jesus experienced on the cross. Yes, Jesus experienced excruciating physical pain. However, Jesus also experienced other pain that we might classify as emotional pain. Jesus was an innocent man. I don’t mean that he was innocent of the crimes he was accused of committing. Jesus was actually innocent in every sense of the word innocent. Jesus had never committed any sin. Although Jesus had been tempted in every way you and I are tempted today, Jesus had resisted temptation and remained pure. But Jesus was not crucified for his sins. He was crucified for your sins and my sins. Can you imagine the emotional weight and strain of having the guilt of the entire world placed on your shoulders? Many of us feel weighted down with our own guilt and sin. But Jesus felt the emotional weight of all guilt and sin.
On top of this emotional weight of guilt and sin, Jesus felt abandoned by all his friends in his moment of need. According to three of our Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—all of Jesus’ disciples ran away when Jesus was arrested.
Just a week before the crucifixion, Jesus had been surrounded by twelve disciples, a larger group of followers, a group of women and a crowd. Then just a day before the crucifixion, Jesus had made a bold prophesy—They will strike the shepherd and the sheep will flee. Jesus knew that all his disciples would run away when faced with danger. Of course, Peter did not believe this was possible. Peter jumped to his feet and announced in front of God and everybody, “Though everyone else might fall away, I will never fall away.” But that wasn’t exactly what happened. Peter ran away—just like Jesus told him he would. Then Peter even denied Jesus in front of others.
In the Gospel of Mark, the last words spoken by any disciple were Peter’s words: “I don’t even know this man.” And Jesus died on the cross, while his disciples said, “I don’t even know him.”
However, the cross was not the end of the story for Jesus. And denial, betrayal and running away was not the end of the story for Peter and the rest of the disciples. Just as Jesus had promised his disciples, he was crucified; but on the third day he rose again.
Read Mark 16: 1 – 8.
Mark began this story by telling us about three women who had been followers of Jesus: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome. These three women had remained closer to Jesus than the disciples had. The disciples ran away. The women stayed at a distance and watched the crucifixion. There were two reasons why these women might have traveled to the tomb on the third day after Jesus was buried. First, they might have gone to the tomb to see if Jesus would keep his promise. On three separate occasions in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus had predicted that he would be killed by the religious leaders and on the third day rise again. But these women were not wondering if Jesus would keep his promise.
They had watched Jesus die. They had watched as Jesus’ body was lowered from the cross. And they had watched as Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus’ body in the tomb. There was one thing these three women knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. They knew that Jesus was dead. And they came to the tomb on the third day with burial spices in their hands. There was no doubt in their minds that Jesus was dead. They were simply there to finish the process for burial. That is why they came. They had not come to see Jesus!
Jewish tradition was to place spices and perfumes on the dead body and then to wrap the body inside cloths. However, the circumstances of Jesus’ death prevented the women from preparing Jesus’ body for burial. Jesus died on the day before the Sabbath Day right before sunset. Jewish people mark time differently from the way we mark time. We think of a day as morning and night. Jews think of a day as evening and morning. The Sabbath Day begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday.
Since Jesus died right before sunset at the beginning of the Sabbath, the women could not prepare Jesus’ body, because it would have been a sin for them to work on the Sabbath. Since the Sabbath ended at sunset on Saturday, the women chose to wait until early the next morning, because no one likes to walk through a cemetery after dark.
It was unusual for the women to come to the tomb several days after a person died, but in this case, it was the earliest possible time for them to anoint Jesus’ body for burial.
When the women arrived at the tomb, Mark tells us they saw a young man dressed in white. We should probably interpret this as an angel. Angel is the Greek word for “messenger.” Sometimes it can refer to a human messenger who was sent to communicate to other people. Other times it refers to a heavenly messenger who was sent to deliver a message from God. In this case, it is best to think of this young man as a heavenly messenger. He was there to report two things to the women. First, Jesus is alive! “He has risen! He is not here.” Second, he had a specific word of instruction: “Go tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
The message from the angel on the first Easter Sunday morning is an announcement. He has announced a new beginning.
II. New Beginning for Jesus.
The resurrection was a New Beginning for Jesus. Just three days earlier, Jesus had borne the weight of all the guilt and sin of the world on the cross. He had died at the hands of his enemies.
The Roman government was threatened by Jesus, because they thought he might be able to rally support from the Jewish people and lead them in a rebellion against the empire. The Jewish religious leaders were threatened by Jesus, because he taught a new interpretation of the Jewish Law. The leaders wanted to use the Law as a way of oppression and control over the people, and Jesus set people free from the Law. Satan was threatened by Jesus, because Jesus is God’s only Son. Jesus began his ministry by preaching about the Kingdom of God on earth. Satan didn’t like that, because Satan is the king of the earth.
When Jesus hung lifeless on the cross, it appeared that he had been defeated by his enemies. It was a good run. He preached a wonderful message of freedom from the Law and life under the Lordship of God himself. But if Jesus were dead, it was over. His enemies had won.
But the Enemies did not win…If death is a symbol for defeat, then resurrection is a symbol of victory…
III. New Beginning for the Disciples.
The resurrection was a New Beginning for Jesus’ disciples. The Gospel of Mark does not show the disciples in very favorable light. Mark shows them as real human beings who had great moments, like when Jesus sent them out on a missionary journey to preach repentance and to cast out demons. But Mark also shows the disciples as men who were struggling to follow Jesus. James and John argued about which one would sit on Jesus’ right hand in the Kingdom. Peter failed Jesus by promising that he would never run away and then breaking his promise when Jesus was arrested.
But in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus kept all his promises. Peter couldn’t keep his promises, but Jesus could. Peter denied that he was a disciple and professed that he never even knew who Jesus was. But at the empty tomb, the angel gave the women specific instructions. Go find the disciples, and go find Peter. Go tell the disciples that they have a second chance. Go tell Peter that he can have a New Beginning.
There is nothing Peter could do to escape from the love and forgiveness of the cross. There is nothing that you can do either. No matter what you have done in your life. No matter what sins you struggle with. However you might have failed, you are never out of the reach of grace. You too can have a New Beginning. This is only possible because of the cross, and because of the empty tomb.
IV. New Beginning for the Gospel.
The resurrection is also a New Beginning for the Gospel. If you are reading from the New International Version, you will notice a parenthetical statement right after verse 8. It says: “The earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not have Mark 16: 9 – 20.”
In New Testament translation, scholars like to use the oldest Greek manuscripts available. They have discovered that the older copies are more reliable. Just like you and I write in our Bibles, sometimes people would write in the margins of their copies of Scripture and over time, those notes got added to some of the copies. More than likely, that’s what happened to the end of Mark. The oldest and most reliable Greek manuscripts of this book end at verse 8.
It seems rather abrupt and a little bit awkward for Mark to end like this. But look with me at Mark 1: 1. Read Mark 1: 1.
Mark was not trying to write a complete Gospel about Jesus. He specifically told us in his very first verse, “This is just the beginning of the Gospel.” The Gospel has not ended. It is still being written, even today. You and I are supposed to complete the Gospel.
I think Mark has written an abrupt and awkward ending so that we will not be satisfied with what is written. We are supposed to ask questions. What did the women do? Did they ever deliver the angel’s message? If the women will not tell others about the resurrection of Jesus, who will tell?
We are supposed to tell. We are supposed to complete the Gospel by telling everyone we know that Jesus is alive!
V. Conclusion.
How much preparation did you put into Easter today? Did you buy new clothes for yourself and your family members? Did you cook lunch, or make a reservation at the country club? Did you polish your shoes? Did you decorate eggs? Did you tell anyone that Jesus is alive?
It comes as sort of a shock to read that the women said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. But that might just be our story today as well. The only difference…The women did not tell, because they were afraid. What about us? We have no reason to be afraid. Who needs to hear? And who among us is willing to tell the world about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus?
Sunday Morning
April 8, 2007 (Easter)
The New Beginning.
Mark 16: 1 – 8.
I. Introduction.
There are many things about Easter that I love. As a pastor, I love to have the church filled. I love the excitement in the air as children have eaten too much candy before church and are thrilled to search for colored eggs in the yard after church. I love the beauty of a light snow on the ground. But most of all, I love that Easter is not a federal holiday. I’m being serious. I enjoy having my mail delivered on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It is a reminder that this is our holiday. Easter belongs to Christians only. This is not a worldly or commercialized event. Of course there are some worldly elements to Easter, like the chickens and rabbits and eggs. But Easter is more than a celebration of Springtime. Easter is the celebration of the single most important event in all of human history—the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I do not intend to reiterate the gruesome details of a Roman crucifixion. Let me simply say that the condemned person was beaten, mocked, stripped naked and nailed to a wooden cross. The pain experienced during crucifixion was worse than anything that human words could ever describe. In fact, the Romans invented a new word to describe the pain of the cross. It was not Agony. It was not Brutal. It was not Severe. It was Excruciating. This word Excruciating comes from two Latin words: ex (Out of) and crux (Cross) which mean “Out of the Cross.”
More than likely, the person being crucified would have been nailed to the cross by the wrists and the feet. Traditional art depicts Jesus as having nail prints in the palms of his hands. However, archaeology has revealed that the Romans put the nails in the person’s wrist in order to hold up to the person’s weight.
Have you ever bumped your “Funny Bone” and rolled around on the floor because it hurt so badly? The nerve that we call the funny bone runs through the wrist and would have been either smashed or severed by the seven inch spikes that were hammered into Jesus’ flesh.
This is only part of the pain that Jesus experienced on the cross. Yes, Jesus experienced excruciating physical pain. However, Jesus also experienced other pain that we might classify as emotional pain. Jesus was an innocent man. I don’t mean that he was innocent of the crimes he was accused of committing. Jesus was actually innocent in every sense of the word innocent. Jesus had never committed any sin. Although Jesus had been tempted in every way you and I are tempted today, Jesus had resisted temptation and remained pure. But Jesus was not crucified for his sins. He was crucified for your sins and my sins. Can you imagine the emotional weight and strain of having the guilt of the entire world placed on your shoulders? Many of us feel weighted down with our own guilt and sin. But Jesus felt the emotional weight of all guilt and sin.
On top of this emotional weight of guilt and sin, Jesus felt abandoned by all his friends in his moment of need. According to three of our Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—all of Jesus’ disciples ran away when Jesus was arrested.
Just a week before the crucifixion, Jesus had been surrounded by twelve disciples, a larger group of followers, a group of women and a crowd. Then just a day before the crucifixion, Jesus had made a bold prophesy—They will strike the shepherd and the sheep will flee. Jesus knew that all his disciples would run away when faced with danger. Of course, Peter did not believe this was possible. Peter jumped to his feet and announced in front of God and everybody, “Though everyone else might fall away, I will never fall away.” But that wasn’t exactly what happened. Peter ran away—just like Jesus told him he would. Then Peter even denied Jesus in front of others.
In the Gospel of Mark, the last words spoken by any disciple were Peter’s words: “I don’t even know this man.” And Jesus died on the cross, while his disciples said, “I don’t even know him.”
However, the cross was not the end of the story for Jesus. And denial, betrayal and running away was not the end of the story for Peter and the rest of the disciples. Just as Jesus had promised his disciples, he was crucified; but on the third day he rose again.
Read Mark 16: 1 – 8.
Mark began this story by telling us about three women who had been followers of Jesus: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome. These three women had remained closer to Jesus than the disciples had. The disciples ran away. The women stayed at a distance and watched the crucifixion. There were two reasons why these women might have traveled to the tomb on the third day after Jesus was buried. First, they might have gone to the tomb to see if Jesus would keep his promise. On three separate occasions in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus had predicted that he would be killed by the religious leaders and on the third day rise again. But these women were not wondering if Jesus would keep his promise.
They had watched Jesus die. They had watched as Jesus’ body was lowered from the cross. And they had watched as Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus’ body in the tomb. There was one thing these three women knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. They knew that Jesus was dead. And they came to the tomb on the third day with burial spices in their hands. There was no doubt in their minds that Jesus was dead. They were simply there to finish the process for burial. That is why they came. They had not come to see Jesus!
Jewish tradition was to place spices and perfumes on the dead body and then to wrap the body inside cloths. However, the circumstances of Jesus’ death prevented the women from preparing Jesus’ body for burial. Jesus died on the day before the Sabbath Day right before sunset. Jewish people mark time differently from the way we mark time. We think of a day as morning and night. Jews think of a day as evening and morning. The Sabbath Day begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday.
Since Jesus died right before sunset at the beginning of the Sabbath, the women could not prepare Jesus’ body, because it would have been a sin for them to work on the Sabbath. Since the Sabbath ended at sunset on Saturday, the women chose to wait until early the next morning, because no one likes to walk through a cemetery after dark.
It was unusual for the women to come to the tomb several days after a person died, but in this case, it was the earliest possible time for them to anoint Jesus’ body for burial.
When the women arrived at the tomb, Mark tells us they saw a young man dressed in white. We should probably interpret this as an angel. Angel is the Greek word for “messenger.” Sometimes it can refer to a human messenger who was sent to communicate to other people. Other times it refers to a heavenly messenger who was sent to deliver a message from God. In this case, it is best to think of this young man as a heavenly messenger. He was there to report two things to the women. First, Jesus is alive! “He has risen! He is not here.” Second, he had a specific word of instruction: “Go tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
The message from the angel on the first Easter Sunday morning is an announcement. He has announced a new beginning.
II. New Beginning for Jesus.
The resurrection was a New Beginning for Jesus. Just three days earlier, Jesus had borne the weight of all the guilt and sin of the world on the cross. He had died at the hands of his enemies.
The Roman government was threatened by Jesus, because they thought he might be able to rally support from the Jewish people and lead them in a rebellion against the empire. The Jewish religious leaders were threatened by Jesus, because he taught a new interpretation of the Jewish Law. The leaders wanted to use the Law as a way of oppression and control over the people, and Jesus set people free from the Law. Satan was threatened by Jesus, because Jesus is God’s only Son. Jesus began his ministry by preaching about the Kingdom of God on earth. Satan didn’t like that, because Satan is the king of the earth.
When Jesus hung lifeless on the cross, it appeared that he had been defeated by his enemies. It was a good run. He preached a wonderful message of freedom from the Law and life under the Lordship of God himself. But if Jesus were dead, it was over. His enemies had won.
But the Enemies did not win…If death is a symbol for defeat, then resurrection is a symbol of victory…
III. New Beginning for the Disciples.
The resurrection was a New Beginning for Jesus’ disciples. The Gospel of Mark does not show the disciples in very favorable light. Mark shows them as real human beings who had great moments, like when Jesus sent them out on a missionary journey to preach repentance and to cast out demons. But Mark also shows the disciples as men who were struggling to follow Jesus. James and John argued about which one would sit on Jesus’ right hand in the Kingdom. Peter failed Jesus by promising that he would never run away and then breaking his promise when Jesus was arrested.
But in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus kept all his promises. Peter couldn’t keep his promises, but Jesus could. Peter denied that he was a disciple and professed that he never even knew who Jesus was. But at the empty tomb, the angel gave the women specific instructions. Go find the disciples, and go find Peter. Go tell the disciples that they have a second chance. Go tell Peter that he can have a New Beginning.
There is nothing Peter could do to escape from the love and forgiveness of the cross. There is nothing that you can do either. No matter what you have done in your life. No matter what sins you struggle with. However you might have failed, you are never out of the reach of grace. You too can have a New Beginning. This is only possible because of the cross, and because of the empty tomb.
IV. New Beginning for the Gospel.
The resurrection is also a New Beginning for the Gospel. If you are reading from the New International Version, you will notice a parenthetical statement right after verse 8. It says: “The earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not have Mark 16: 9 – 20.”
In New Testament translation, scholars like to use the oldest Greek manuscripts available. They have discovered that the older copies are more reliable. Just like you and I write in our Bibles, sometimes people would write in the margins of their copies of Scripture and over time, those notes got added to some of the copies. More than likely, that’s what happened to the end of Mark. The oldest and most reliable Greek manuscripts of this book end at verse 8.
It seems rather abrupt and a little bit awkward for Mark to end like this. But look with me at Mark 1: 1. Read Mark 1: 1.
Mark was not trying to write a complete Gospel about Jesus. He specifically told us in his very first verse, “This is just the beginning of the Gospel.” The Gospel has not ended. It is still being written, even today. You and I are supposed to complete the Gospel.
I think Mark has written an abrupt and awkward ending so that we will not be satisfied with what is written. We are supposed to ask questions. What did the women do? Did they ever deliver the angel’s message? If the women will not tell others about the resurrection of Jesus, who will tell?
We are supposed to tell. We are supposed to complete the Gospel by telling everyone we know that Jesus is alive!
V. Conclusion.
How much preparation did you put into Easter today? Did you buy new clothes for yourself and your family members? Did you cook lunch, or make a reservation at the country club? Did you polish your shoes? Did you decorate eggs? Did you tell anyone that Jesus is alive?
It comes as sort of a shock to read that the women said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. But that might just be our story today as well. The only difference…The women did not tell, because they were afraid. What about us? We have no reason to be afraid. Who needs to hear? And who among us is willing to tell the world about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus?
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Palm Sunday
Andrew G. Pittman
Sunday Morning (Palm Sunday)
April 1, 2007
The Cross and Discipleship
Mark 8: 34.
I. Introduction.
Today is Palm Sunday—the Sunday before Easter. Traditionally, this is the day that Christians unite around the cross and suffering of Jesus. It is the day that we remember Jesus’ riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds were cheering, and the children were dancing, and grown men were shouting “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to the King of Israel!” For one brief moment, all the people of Jerusalem recognized who Jesus really is. Yet, less than a week later, these same people shouted “Crucify Him!” And they helplessly stood by to witness the shame and rejection Jesus suffered as our crucified Lord.
Today, I want to direct your attention to the cross—the “Old, Rugged Cross” on which the Prince of Glory died.
I want you to see a cross that a friend of mine gave me last year for Christmas. My friend is one of the church secretaries from First Baptist Church, Canton, Mississippi. We stopped by her house when we traveled to visit my family last Christmas.
This cross is a special gift she gave me. It is special to me for at least two reasons. First, it was made from wood taken from a house that our church in Mississippi owned while I was pastor. The house was one of only a precious few Antebellum houses remaining in Canton. It was built in 1860 and was used as a Post Office during the Civil War. Adjacent to the house was the last remaining, free-standing “Slave Quarters” in Madison County Mississippi.
The church purchased the house, because we needed the land for building expansion. We worked with the Historical Commission to find a buyer who would relocate the house to a suitable place to be restored. During my time in Canton, I worked with three potential owners. We did everything we could do to relocate the house—including donating the house and slave quarters to the Historical Commission—but the Historical Commission made us look like the bad guys in every form of local media.
The Historical Commission never accepted the house as a gift from the church, because they could not afford the estimated $1 Million in renovation costs. In the Summer of 2005—after I had left Canton—the house and slave quarters burned. This cross is what is left from that fire.
This cross is made from wood that is nearly 200 years old. It’s really not very pretty. It has lived through the Civil War in Mississippi; intense racial wars; the devastation of fire; and two centuries of suffering. Today, this ugly wood with a horrific past forms a beautiful religious symbol—the cross. A checkered past…But a wonderful future.
This cross has experienced the same transformation as Jesus’ cross. In the First Century world, there was nothing beautiful about a cross. It was an instrument of torture. It was an inefficient way for a criminal to die. But it was the perfect way to steal the humanity and dignity from men who had committed crimes against the Roman Empire. Yet, the cross was also God’s chosen method to demonstrate his love for all sinners.
It should surprise us that God’s only Son faced such a shameful execution. It should surprise us even more that Jesus invited us to embrace the suffering and shame of the cross…
Read Mark 8: 34.
The Gospel of Mark begins with the words: “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.
In this one, short verse Mark spelled out his entire premise for writing this book. Mark wants to tell us the story about Jesus. This story is the Gospel—that is The Good News. This Good News story focuses on Jesus, who is the Christ.
The Greek word “Christ” is the Greek form of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” So, Christ is not Jesus’ last name. Christ is his title. It describes who Jesus is and what he came to accomplish on earth. Both “Christ” and “Messiah” can be translated to mean “The Anointed One.” This means that Jesus had a specific mission and purpose to fulfill.
The Jewish people were hoping and praying for the Messiah to come and restore Israel to her rightful place among the nations. Israel was at one time a significant nation with a God-given purpose in the world. The Messiah was the Promised One, who would reestablish Israel as a prominent nation and no longer one of the many nations that served the Roman Emperor. They had hoped for a political leader who could rally support among the Jewish people. They had hoped for a military leader who would lead an insurrection against Rome. But Jesus was neither a governor nor a general. Jesus was something completely different. Jesus was the Son of God.
In fact, those of us who read the Gospel of Mark know who Jesus is just by reading the first verse. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. So, as we read the Gospel, we have an opportunity to witness how the disciples, the women and the crowds gradually begin to gain understanding of who Jesus is. But no one seems to understand Jesus.
Well, there was one man who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. It will surprise you. It wasn’t one of the disciples. It wasn’t a religious person. It wasn’t even one of the many people Jesus healed. No, it was a Roman soldier who stood at the foot of the cross when Jesus died. In Mark 14: 33 – 39, we read Mark’s account of Jesus’ death. When Jesus had taken his last breath, the Roman soldier said, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” I understand this to mean that there is only one way to recognize Jesus for who he truly is…The Cross. We have to accept the cross if we want to recognize Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.
In Mark 8, Peter got very close to understanding Jesus. Jesus asks, “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked a personal question: “But what about ya’ll? Who do ya’ll say that I am?” Peter was the first one to answer, “You are the Christ.”
Since you and I have already read Mark 1: 1, we expect Peter to keep going… “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” But he doesn’t go far enough. Peter stops short of confessing who Jesus really is…The Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus went on to explain that is was necessary for the Christ to suffer rejection and crucifixion in order to fulfill the role God had anointed Jesus to fulfill. Peter rebuked Jesus by saying, “No, Lord. This cannot be.”
At this point, we can make a choice between two alternative understandings. First, perhaps Peter didn’t understand what Jesus was saying and just needed a better explanation. Second, perhaps Peter really did understand what Jesus was saying and didn’t like what he had heard. I think Peter understood and didn’t like it. That is why Peter tried to talk Jesus out of the rejection and suffering of the cross.
At this point, Jesus made a bold statement to Peter. Peter has been understood as the Rock of the church. Peter preached a bold, spirit-filled sermon at Pentecost from which 3,000 men and women became Christians. And, Jesus looked at Peter and said, “Get behind me Satan.”
Peter had become a tool of Satan without even knowing it. He didn’t want to work for Satan, but that is what he was doing. He tried to introduce a way for Jesus to avoid suffering and rejection. He didn’t want Jesus to go to the cross. He tried to impose the Jewish system of understanding the Messiah and perhaps convince Jesus to work in a way contrary to God’s original plan. And anytime we place human expectations above God’s will, we are inadvertently doing the work of Satan...By opposing God’s will.
Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me.” I think Jesus was telling Peter that he had overstepped his bounds as a disciple. A disciple is supposed to follow his or her master. Peter was now trying to lead his master. Instead of following behind Jesus, Peter was trying to tell Jesus where to go. It is impossible for us to follow, if we insist on leading the way.
An interesting thing happens in the Greek text of Mark 8. Jesus used the same words to address Peter and to address the crowds. Jesus commanded Peter: “Get behind me.” Then, Jesus invited the crowd to become disciples by saying, “If anyone wants to follow behind me…”
This tells me that the very first step in becoming a disciple of Jesus is to get into a proper relationship with Jesus. Jesus has to be the leader. You have to become the follower. In other words, Jesus is in front. We are behind Jesus. Jesus leads the way. We will only go into the places where Jesus has already gone. For disciples of Jesus, there is no such thing as uncharted waters. If we follow Jesus, he leads us to places where he is already present.
At this point, I think it is worth noting that Jesus began his invitation to discipleship by demonstrating the voluntary nature of discipleship. No one is conscripted into becoming a discipleship. No one is drafted into Jesus’ army. No one is snatched into a relationship with Jesus against his or her will. NO! Jesus said, “If anyone wants…If anyone wills…If anyone desires…to become a follower…”
Then, Jesus made three points about true discipleship…
II. Deny Self.
Again, Mark 1: 1 tells us that Mark wrote his Gospel to tell us the “beginning of the Good News about Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.” The Gospel is about Jesus. Everyone else in the book of Mark is a supporting character. In other words, Mark does not tell us the story of the Twelve disciples. Mark tells us the story of how the Twelve disciples relate to Jesus.
The First Century disciples serve as a model—or perhaps a picture—of what discipleship is supposed to look like in the Twenty-First Century. This picture of discipleship began with Jesus’ very simple call: “Come. Follow Me.”
When Peter and Andrew heard Jesus’ call, they were fishing. James and John heard Jesus’ call while they were repairing their fishing nets. Levi first encountered Jesus while he was counting the money at his tax collection booth. These five men were doing the things they were most comfortable doing. Then, one day, everything changed. Their lives were never the same again.
Jesus called them to enter into an uncertain, new life of following behind Jesus. When faced with a choice between the certainty of their past lives and an uncertain future with Jesus, these five men dropped everything. They left their old way of life and entered into a new life.
This is what it means to deny your self. To become a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must deny your self by leaving the things you are most comfortable doing and enter into a life that is no longer comfortable. Before you become a disciple of Jesus, you get to do anything you want to do. You are fully in control of your own life. But when you hear the simple call from Jesus—Come. Follow me.—you are no longer in control. Jesus is now in control of your life and your desires.
Discipleship is the same thing for us in the Twenty-First Century. We must leave our old way of life for Jesus. We must leave our past behind. We must give up any rights we think we have to own our future in order to hand the future over to Jesus.
III. Take Up Cross.
This is one of those expressions that has lost its “shock value” over the past 2,000 years. There wasn’t a single person in this sanctuary who was offended when I read this Scripture. That would not have been the case in the original, First Century setting. First Century people would have immediately remembered the gruesome scene of lifeless criminals hanging on crosses on the side of the “interstate highway.” Perhaps they would even remember watching condemned men agonizing under the weight of a cross-beam, walking through the city streets.
It was a typical practice for Roman executioners to force criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of execution. It was a part of the shame of crucifixion. Everyone could watch. Everyone could ridicule. Everyone could experience the terror of the Romans. Yet, Jesus said this shame and humiliation is a part of being a disciple.
We can interpret this in two ways. I think both of these interpretations are correct. First, Jesus’ life was headed toward a literal Roman cross. And we know now that most of Jesus’ original disciples faced extreme suffering and humiliation just because they were followers of Jesus. This tells us that we will not have an easy life just because we are Christians. We can expect to face the same kind of life that Jesus and his disciples faced. We will face the sufferings of the human life, and we will suffer for our faith.
Second, we can build on the image of a condemned criminal carrying his own cross. As the criminal was marched through the busy city streets, everyone who saw him knew that he was headed to his own death. He was a “dead man walking.” That is what it means to be a Christian. Your life is over. You can no longer live for your own desires. You belong to Jesus. Your past is over, and your future is in God’s hands.
IV. Follow Jesus.
Throughout the Gospel of Mark, this is the primary characteristic of a disciple. Outside of the New Testament, disciples were students and learners. For Jesus, disciples are followers.
In a very literal sense, this means that we should go where Jesus goes and always stay behind him. In a figurative sense, this means that we should do the things that Jesus has demonstrated for us. In a spiritual sense, this means that we should conform our lives to the life of Jesus. We should live like Jesus lives…Love the people that Jesus loves…Pray like Jesus prays…Preach like Jesus preaches…Desire what Jesus desires…And ultimately, give our lives away…
Sunday Morning (Palm Sunday)
April 1, 2007
The Cross and Discipleship
Mark 8: 34.
I. Introduction.
Today is Palm Sunday—the Sunday before Easter. Traditionally, this is the day that Christians unite around the cross and suffering of Jesus. It is the day that we remember Jesus’ riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds were cheering, and the children were dancing, and grown men were shouting “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to the King of Israel!” For one brief moment, all the people of Jerusalem recognized who Jesus really is. Yet, less than a week later, these same people shouted “Crucify Him!” And they helplessly stood by to witness the shame and rejection Jesus suffered as our crucified Lord.
Today, I want to direct your attention to the cross—the “Old, Rugged Cross” on which the Prince of Glory died.
I want you to see a cross that a friend of mine gave me last year for Christmas. My friend is one of the church secretaries from First Baptist Church, Canton, Mississippi. We stopped by her house when we traveled to visit my family last Christmas.
This cross is a special gift she gave me. It is special to me for at least two reasons. First, it was made from wood taken from a house that our church in Mississippi owned while I was pastor. The house was one of only a precious few Antebellum houses remaining in Canton. It was built in 1860 and was used as a Post Office during the Civil War. Adjacent to the house was the last remaining, free-standing “Slave Quarters” in Madison County Mississippi.
The church purchased the house, because we needed the land for building expansion. We worked with the Historical Commission to find a buyer who would relocate the house to a suitable place to be restored. During my time in Canton, I worked with three potential owners. We did everything we could do to relocate the house—including donating the house and slave quarters to the Historical Commission—but the Historical Commission made us look like the bad guys in every form of local media.
The Historical Commission never accepted the house as a gift from the church, because they could not afford the estimated $1 Million in renovation costs. In the Summer of 2005—after I had left Canton—the house and slave quarters burned. This cross is what is left from that fire.
This cross is made from wood that is nearly 200 years old. It’s really not very pretty. It has lived through the Civil War in Mississippi; intense racial wars; the devastation of fire; and two centuries of suffering. Today, this ugly wood with a horrific past forms a beautiful religious symbol—the cross. A checkered past…But a wonderful future.
This cross has experienced the same transformation as Jesus’ cross. In the First Century world, there was nothing beautiful about a cross. It was an instrument of torture. It was an inefficient way for a criminal to die. But it was the perfect way to steal the humanity and dignity from men who had committed crimes against the Roman Empire. Yet, the cross was also God’s chosen method to demonstrate his love for all sinners.
It should surprise us that God’s only Son faced such a shameful execution. It should surprise us even more that Jesus invited us to embrace the suffering and shame of the cross…
Read Mark 8: 34.
The Gospel of Mark begins with the words: “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.
In this one, short verse Mark spelled out his entire premise for writing this book. Mark wants to tell us the story about Jesus. This story is the Gospel—that is The Good News. This Good News story focuses on Jesus, who is the Christ.
The Greek word “Christ” is the Greek form of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” So, Christ is not Jesus’ last name. Christ is his title. It describes who Jesus is and what he came to accomplish on earth. Both “Christ” and “Messiah” can be translated to mean “The Anointed One.” This means that Jesus had a specific mission and purpose to fulfill.
The Jewish people were hoping and praying for the Messiah to come and restore Israel to her rightful place among the nations. Israel was at one time a significant nation with a God-given purpose in the world. The Messiah was the Promised One, who would reestablish Israel as a prominent nation and no longer one of the many nations that served the Roman Emperor. They had hoped for a political leader who could rally support among the Jewish people. They had hoped for a military leader who would lead an insurrection against Rome. But Jesus was neither a governor nor a general. Jesus was something completely different. Jesus was the Son of God.
In fact, those of us who read the Gospel of Mark know who Jesus is just by reading the first verse. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. So, as we read the Gospel, we have an opportunity to witness how the disciples, the women and the crowds gradually begin to gain understanding of who Jesus is. But no one seems to understand Jesus.
Well, there was one man who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. It will surprise you. It wasn’t one of the disciples. It wasn’t a religious person. It wasn’t even one of the many people Jesus healed. No, it was a Roman soldier who stood at the foot of the cross when Jesus died. In Mark 14: 33 – 39, we read Mark’s account of Jesus’ death. When Jesus had taken his last breath, the Roman soldier said, “Surely this man was the Son of God.” I understand this to mean that there is only one way to recognize Jesus for who he truly is…The Cross. We have to accept the cross if we want to recognize Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.
In Mark 8, Peter got very close to understanding Jesus. Jesus asks, “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked a personal question: “But what about ya’ll? Who do ya’ll say that I am?” Peter was the first one to answer, “You are the Christ.”
Since you and I have already read Mark 1: 1, we expect Peter to keep going… “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” But he doesn’t go far enough. Peter stops short of confessing who Jesus really is…The Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus went on to explain that is was necessary for the Christ to suffer rejection and crucifixion in order to fulfill the role God had anointed Jesus to fulfill. Peter rebuked Jesus by saying, “No, Lord. This cannot be.”
At this point, we can make a choice between two alternative understandings. First, perhaps Peter didn’t understand what Jesus was saying and just needed a better explanation. Second, perhaps Peter really did understand what Jesus was saying and didn’t like what he had heard. I think Peter understood and didn’t like it. That is why Peter tried to talk Jesus out of the rejection and suffering of the cross.
At this point, Jesus made a bold statement to Peter. Peter has been understood as the Rock of the church. Peter preached a bold, spirit-filled sermon at Pentecost from which 3,000 men and women became Christians. And, Jesus looked at Peter and said, “Get behind me Satan.”
Peter had become a tool of Satan without even knowing it. He didn’t want to work for Satan, but that is what he was doing. He tried to introduce a way for Jesus to avoid suffering and rejection. He didn’t want Jesus to go to the cross. He tried to impose the Jewish system of understanding the Messiah and perhaps convince Jesus to work in a way contrary to God’s original plan. And anytime we place human expectations above God’s will, we are inadvertently doing the work of Satan...By opposing God’s will.
Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me.” I think Jesus was telling Peter that he had overstepped his bounds as a disciple. A disciple is supposed to follow his or her master. Peter was now trying to lead his master. Instead of following behind Jesus, Peter was trying to tell Jesus where to go. It is impossible for us to follow, if we insist on leading the way.
An interesting thing happens in the Greek text of Mark 8. Jesus used the same words to address Peter and to address the crowds. Jesus commanded Peter: “Get behind me.” Then, Jesus invited the crowd to become disciples by saying, “If anyone wants to follow behind me…”
This tells me that the very first step in becoming a disciple of Jesus is to get into a proper relationship with Jesus. Jesus has to be the leader. You have to become the follower. In other words, Jesus is in front. We are behind Jesus. Jesus leads the way. We will only go into the places where Jesus has already gone. For disciples of Jesus, there is no such thing as uncharted waters. If we follow Jesus, he leads us to places where he is already present.
At this point, I think it is worth noting that Jesus began his invitation to discipleship by demonstrating the voluntary nature of discipleship. No one is conscripted into becoming a discipleship. No one is drafted into Jesus’ army. No one is snatched into a relationship with Jesus against his or her will. NO! Jesus said, “If anyone wants…If anyone wills…If anyone desires…to become a follower…”
Then, Jesus made three points about true discipleship…
II. Deny Self.
Again, Mark 1: 1 tells us that Mark wrote his Gospel to tell us the “beginning of the Good News about Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God.” The Gospel is about Jesus. Everyone else in the book of Mark is a supporting character. In other words, Mark does not tell us the story of the Twelve disciples. Mark tells us the story of how the Twelve disciples relate to Jesus.
The First Century disciples serve as a model—or perhaps a picture—of what discipleship is supposed to look like in the Twenty-First Century. This picture of discipleship began with Jesus’ very simple call: “Come. Follow Me.”
When Peter and Andrew heard Jesus’ call, they were fishing. James and John heard Jesus’ call while they were repairing their fishing nets. Levi first encountered Jesus while he was counting the money at his tax collection booth. These five men were doing the things they were most comfortable doing. Then, one day, everything changed. Their lives were never the same again.
Jesus called them to enter into an uncertain, new life of following behind Jesus. When faced with a choice between the certainty of their past lives and an uncertain future with Jesus, these five men dropped everything. They left their old way of life and entered into a new life.
This is what it means to deny your self. To become a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must deny your self by leaving the things you are most comfortable doing and enter into a life that is no longer comfortable. Before you become a disciple of Jesus, you get to do anything you want to do. You are fully in control of your own life. But when you hear the simple call from Jesus—Come. Follow me.—you are no longer in control. Jesus is now in control of your life and your desires.
Discipleship is the same thing for us in the Twenty-First Century. We must leave our old way of life for Jesus. We must leave our past behind. We must give up any rights we think we have to own our future in order to hand the future over to Jesus.
III. Take Up Cross.
This is one of those expressions that has lost its “shock value” over the past 2,000 years. There wasn’t a single person in this sanctuary who was offended when I read this Scripture. That would not have been the case in the original, First Century setting. First Century people would have immediately remembered the gruesome scene of lifeless criminals hanging on crosses on the side of the “interstate highway.” Perhaps they would even remember watching condemned men agonizing under the weight of a cross-beam, walking through the city streets.
It was a typical practice for Roman executioners to force criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of execution. It was a part of the shame of crucifixion. Everyone could watch. Everyone could ridicule. Everyone could experience the terror of the Romans. Yet, Jesus said this shame and humiliation is a part of being a disciple.
We can interpret this in two ways. I think both of these interpretations are correct. First, Jesus’ life was headed toward a literal Roman cross. And we know now that most of Jesus’ original disciples faced extreme suffering and humiliation just because they were followers of Jesus. This tells us that we will not have an easy life just because we are Christians. We can expect to face the same kind of life that Jesus and his disciples faced. We will face the sufferings of the human life, and we will suffer for our faith.
Second, we can build on the image of a condemned criminal carrying his own cross. As the criminal was marched through the busy city streets, everyone who saw him knew that he was headed to his own death. He was a “dead man walking.” That is what it means to be a Christian. Your life is over. You can no longer live for your own desires. You belong to Jesus. Your past is over, and your future is in God’s hands.
IV. Follow Jesus.
Throughout the Gospel of Mark, this is the primary characteristic of a disciple. Outside of the New Testament, disciples were students and learners. For Jesus, disciples are followers.
In a very literal sense, this means that we should go where Jesus goes and always stay behind him. In a figurative sense, this means that we should do the things that Jesus has demonstrated for us. In a spiritual sense, this means that we should conform our lives to the life of Jesus. We should live like Jesus lives…Love the people that Jesus loves…Pray like Jesus prays…Preach like Jesus preaches…Desire what Jesus desires…And ultimately, give our lives away…
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Andrew G. Pittman
Sunday Morning
March 25, 2007 (Clay Walker “In View of a Call”)
A Flexible Church
Mark 2: 13 – 22.
I. Introduction.
From 1937 to 1964, the Golden Gate Bridge across the mouth of the San Francisco Bay was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It is almost 9,000 feet long and over 750 feet tall. It has only two towers that are anchored in concrete in the ocean floor and a series of thousands of steel cables that suspend the platform. The platform supports six lanes of highway traffic as well as bicycles and pedestrians. It is still considered one of the “Ten Wonders of the Engineering World.”
The Golden Gate Bridge was built as a suspension bridge so that there would not be a series of pillars to support the platform. Pillars would have obstructed the ocean traffic coming and going in the San Francisco Bay.
One of the most fascinating things about the Golden Gate Bridge is that it was engineered to withstand winds in excess of 70 MPH, and it even survived the 1989 earthquake that registered 7.1 on the Richter Scale. The engineers who designed and built the bridge designed it to stand up to this kind of stress by designing it to move. The Golden Gate Bridge is not a rigid, fixed object. It moves and shifts and sways as it encounters the forces of nature.
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE DEFLECTION STATISTICS:
Maximum transverse deflection, center span: 27.7 ft = 8.4 m
Maximum downward deflection, center span: 10.8 ft = 3.3 m
Maximum upward deflection, center span: 5.8 ft = 1.77 m
As an example of how the Bridge is built to move, during the winter storms in 1982, the main span bowed approximately 6 to 7 feet
Read Mark 2: 13 – 22.
Mark begins telling us this story by telling us that Jesus has returned to the Lake of Galilee. Do you remember what happened the last time Jesus was at the Lake of Galilee? He found four fishermen, who were engaged in their daily activities. Jesus interrupted their daily work by issuing a simple and straightforward call to discipleship: Come. Follow me. The call to discipleship is a call to drop everything and go on a journey with Jesus. To walk away from your old way of life and to walk together with Jesus.
The first four disciples were fishermen. They were engaged in daily work, and Jesus found them. I think it is significant that they were not searching for Jesus. Jesus was searching for them.
The next time Jesus was beside the Lake of Galilee, he was searching for another disciple. This man was not a fisherman. Fishermen were respectable in the ancient world. They put in an honest day’s work, and no one questioned how they earned their money. Everyone could accept a fisherman becoming a disciple of a new religious leader. However, the next disciple Jesus found surprises us all. He was a tax collector.
More than likely, Levi was a low-level tax collector. Mark did not describe him as a “Chief Tax Collector” or some other designation to make him sound more important. It seems that Levi was a lowly tax man who sat at a toll booth by the road. There are two possibilities for the types of taxes or tolls that Levi collected. Either he charged people to travel on the roadway owned and operated by the Romans. Or, he was collecting taxes on the fish caught and sold from the Lake of Galilee.
If Levi was collecting taxes on fish, this raises an interesting question in my mind. What did the first four disciples—Peter, Andrew, James and John—think about Levi? More than likely, they held a strong resentment against Levi. Fishermen worked hard for their money. Tax collectors just sat by the Lake counting the number of fish caught honestly and then charged money for those fish. Mark makes no mention about this, but it makes me wonder about the relationships between the disciples at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
We don’t know what the other disciples thought about having a tax collector in church with them. BUT…we do know what the Pharisees thought about it. They didn’t like it. They were not feeling resentment, they were being judgmental. Tax collectors were known as “sinners” throughout all of Israel. They stole money from the hard working people, and they were closely aligned with the Romans. Therefore, in the eyes of the Pharisees, tax collectors were considered “unclean.”
People who were close to God were “clean.” People who were not close to God were “unclean.” And the Pharisees taught that “clean” people should NEVER associate with “unclean” people, because “unclean” people might make us “unclean” as well. But that was not Jesus’ approach. Jesus was actually searching for “unclean” people who were not close to God.
II. Jesus and the “Sinners.”
The story of Levi is one of the most wonderful stories ever told. I am not going to try to make Levi into a hero for us this morning, because there was not much of anything heroic about Levi. He really was a “sinner.” He really did spend a lot of time working for the Romans. In fact, he was more than likely more loyal to his Roman bosses than he was to his fellow Jewish brothers and sisters. We might even call him a traitor. At the very least, he was not very patriotic.
But Levi did not stay like this for the rest of his life. When Jesus found him, he was a sinner—lost and far away from God spiritually. But then his life changed. Jesus gave Levi the same call that he had previously issued to Peter, Andrew, James and John: Come. Follow Me. And, Levi responded in the same way the first disciples responded. He walked away from his old way of life and entered into a new life with Jesus.
Levi was so excited about his new relationship with Jesus that he actually threw a party. He invited everyone he knew, all his friends and family members and business associates. He even invited Jesus.
There is nothing unusual about Levi’s party. It’s unusual that Jesus accepted his invitation. Jesus was enjoying a party and a feast with sinners, and the religious people did not approve.
Here is one example of a significant difference between the Christian faith and all other world religions. Every world religion began as a human search to find God. This search for God has taken on many different forms. There are rules and regulations. There is transcendental meditation. There are chants and incantations. But Christianity did not begin as a human search for God. No. The Christian faith began and continues to be God’s search for human followers.
Jesus said it this way… Read v. 17…On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus was looking for a sinner, and Jesus found Levi. Jesus called Levi to follow Jesus, and Levi’s life was changed.
The saddest part of this story is how the Pharisees failed to see the miracle that took place in Levi’s life. He was changed. Jesus changes lives.
Everyone seems to believe that Jesus can change lives. That is…Everyone except the religious people… We have the same problem today, don’t we? A man is placed in jail and makes a jailhouse conversion. The other prisoners notice a difference. The judge notices a difference. The parole board notices a difference. But what do religious people say? “I’ve seen this before. He is just trying to get out of jail. This will never last. It won’t be long. As soon as he gets out of jail, he’ll be back to his old way of life.”
III. The New and the Old.
It’s ironic at this point that on the very day Jesus was enjoying a feast that celebrated a changed life, the Pharisees were fasting. They criticized Jesus for spending time with “sinners,” and they criticized Jesus for not observing a fast.
Now there are only two days per year that the Old Testament told Jewish people to fast. They were required to fast on Yom Kippur—the day the high priest offered a sin offering to atone for the sins of the entire nation. And they were required to fast on Rosh Hashanah—the Jewish new year and the beginning of the Passover season.
The Pharisees had added additional fast days throughout the year. Eventually, the Pharisees developed two fasts every week—Monday and Thursday, the days that just so happened to be the market days. Everybody went to Wal-Mart and Brookshire Brothers on Monday and Thursday and watched the Pharisees walk around and act hungry and super-spiritual.
Instead of fasting…Jesus and his disciples were feasting…They were celebrating a new life…A man who had just surrendered his life to the Kingdom and reign of God.
When questioned about his feasting, Jesus told a parable about a wedding feast. It is not appropriate to fast at a wedding. As long as there is a bride and a groom, there should be celebrating. If the groom doesn’t show up for the wedding, then you ought to fast. And Levi has just entered into a new relationship with Jesus, which gives us a reason to celebrate.
One of the reasons why the Pharisees did not understand Jesus and his disciples is because the Pharisees were still trying to hang on to the old system of the Jews. They could not recognize that Jesus was bringing a new system. The Pharisees were waiting for the Kingdom of God and trying to prepare themselves for the Kingdom of God by becoming perfectly righteous. Jesus did not wait on the Kingdom or even prepare for the Kingdom. Jesus announced the Kingdom…Jesus is the Kingdom. Standing right in front of their faces was a man feasting on a day they thought he should be fasting. This man in front of them is the key to the Kingdom of God. Stop waiting for the Kingdom. Stop preparing for the Kingdom. Join the Kingdom!
Jesus pointed out for us that the Pharisees’ system for understanding the Kingdom was wholly inconsistent with the actual Kingdom. It was like sewing a piece of new cloth on an old shirt. The old shirt had been washed hundreds of times. It was broken in and fit on the body in a comfortable way. It has already shrunk as much as it will ever shrink. Therefore, it would be ridiculous to sew a new piece of unshrunk cloth to patch the hole. The new cloth would shrink when it is washed and tear an even bigger hole…And the shirt is ruined!
A similar thing is true about wine. Wine was a large part of the ancient Jewish culture. Every family grew their own grapes. When the grapes were ripened, the family would stomp on the grapes and press all the grape juice out of the fruit. Then they would separate the smashed fruit from the juice. The juice was poured into goatskins.
If the families had refrigeration, they could have preserved the grape juice. Since there was no such thing as refrigeration, the grape juice would begin a natural process of fermentation. The natural sugars in the grape juice turned into alcohol. This is a natural process and did not require any additional effort or even additives. Grape juice automatically turns into wine if it is not kept in a refrigerator.
When sugar turns into alcohol, the liquid grape juice begins to bubble. The process of fermentation creates carbon dioxide gas. This gas caused the wineskin to bulge and stretch. For this reason, every person in the ancient world knew that new wine had to be placed in new wineskins that were still flexible. An old wineskin would not be flexible enough to withstand the pressure of the expanding gasses. An old wineskin would burst and spill all the wine.
I want you to notice something about the new wine and the new cloth. Nothing could stop the new wine from expanding, and nothing could keep the new cloth from shrinking. The new wine and the new cloth were going to move and change. The old shirt and the old wineskin could not move or change, and therefore were destroyed.
IV. Conclusion.
I want to give you a modern day parable. Think of the blue crab. You can find blue crabs on the Texas coast and all the way up the coast to around Boston, Mass. As the crab grows, it is necessary for the crab to shed its hard outer shell. It leaves the shell behind and begins to grow a new shell. If the crab were to remain in its hard shell, two things would happen. First, it would stop growing. Second, it would die.
I think Christians are the same way. I even think churches are like crabs. Now, don’t go home and tell people that I said you were crabby. No. We have to leave our old shells behind and grow new shells, or at least we have to remain flexible.
I want to announce to the world that today is a new day for Lufkin’s First Baptist Church. We are flexible…And we are growing.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
First Entry
A few weeks ago I decided that I wanted to start my own blog. I don't really know why. I am not sure that anyone would want access to my thoughts about life, and I don't particularly like to journal. But for some reason I want to give this a try. Maybe I will have more to say in future entries.
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