Rendezvous With God

Sermon #2

For your listening enjoyment.  Here is Sermon #2.  It finally came together after a lot of struggle getting it off the ground.  But, I felt really comfortable giving this message.  Chime in and let me know what you think.

Just giving a little help to promote GoingToSeminary.Com

Answer to Question #3

The answer to Question #3 turned out to be my sermon topic a month ago. You can listen. Or you can read the text below.

Today we’re going to focus on a text out of Matthew 7. A section out of the gospel called the “Sermon on the Mount.” But before we turn there, we’re going to need a little bit of background. In order to do that we need to look at the very beginning of chapter 5.

1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying…

This is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. However, contrary to what is believed about this “sermon.” It really wasn’t a sermon at all. Take a look. “Now he saw the crowds…” Then, what did he do next? He went up the mountainside. Jesus wasn’t preaching to a crowd, he was getting away from a crowd. Then what does he do next? It says, “He sat down!” Now, for anyone who knows acting or speaking, the worst way to address a crowd is to sit down. So, it must have been a small crowd…which indeed it was because then the text says, “His disciples came to him and he began to teach them saying…”

What is very important to catch here is that Jesus wasn’t preaching to a crowd, he was preaching to his disciples. To his followers. It was an intimate small group teaching. The sermon on the mount folks isn’t for everyone. What Jesus goes on to talk about in chapters 5, 6, and then seven is meant for his followers, people walking with Him and know him well.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

I’ve seen that verse so many times, and it’s always presented as a downer. (more…)

I have a couple of blogs I’ve been frequenting in preparation for seminary. Here they are…

This is a cool site about going to seminary.

And this one too.

Hey guys…I preached this sermon at my church, Door of Hope Community Church. Enjoy.

Click Here!

Thanks to Shane Bertou for the Reminder!

Hurry…Today and Tomorrow til Noon you can watch the full version of the new NOOMA 018-Name video for free.

Click Here to Check it Out!

As I’m preparing for the question 3 and I am becoming acutely aware of how much we as Christians proof text verses without really looking at what is bookending the verses we often quote.  My next question is on Matthew 7:13-14…

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (NIV)

Man…I’ve seen that verse so many times, and it’s always been a downer for me, just reading it it looks like defeat.  That no matter how hard we try, only a few people will really be saved.  Many people will go to hell.  However…as I look at the verses leading up to that statement, then looking at the verses afterward, one must ask…does this really have anything to do with how many people make it “in” and how many people are “out?”

I’ve been struggling so much lately asking myself the emphasis we as Christians need to be placing on “sharing the gospel” in the sense of a salvation prayer.  Are we really supposed to be notching it up on our bible covers the amount of people we lead through the “narrow” gate? Or in light of God’s sovereignty, do we really do anything?

Then…it strikes me…how do we preach the gospel to those who need water, food, and a warm bed?  Is the gospel good news to someone who’s about to die?  Pray this prayer with me so you can be my brother so I can take care of you.  Does it really work this way?  Isn’t God’s love Agape, unconditional, meaning I will be loving toward you know matter what, even if that means you’re not having said “The Prayer.”  Did Jesus not feed the hungry, and heal sick, without condition?

The verses leading up to 13-14 talk about how to treat your brother in regard to judging him, being so careful how we judge each other as Christians.  In verse 6, it even suggests that the life we receive as Christians (in regard to morality and right-living) is to be considered sacred and treated like a pearl.  Something not thrown to pigs or dogs or people who have no appreciation for that way of life.  The verse preceding verses 13-14  is also talking about God’s provision and how He loves to give to His children like we love to give to ours. However, verse 12 brings the previous 11 verses home with the golden rule.  A truth so paramount in our society today, that it may not be even seen as scripture anymore…

 ”So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

This sums up the law and the prophets??? Wow…this certainly says something in regard to my previous question. Especially if Jesus has fulfilled the law of the prophets.

What happens after Jesus tells about the narrow road?  He talks about false prophets.  He talks about how a good tree bears good fruit.   Another way of saying, “We’ll know they are Christian, by their love.” as the old hymn says.  Then Jesus makes it clear that only a person who “…does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”(verse 21) may enter the Kingdom. Jesus ends the parable with the famous houses built on sand cannot stand speech.  A parable not about how much “knowledge” someone has…but, someone who “hears these words of mine and puts them into practice.“

What do I see going on before and after Verse 13-14?  I see a general sense of how a person is to conduct themselves as a member of the Kingdom.  No judging, asking God, doing to others as they would do to them self, watching out for false teachers, bearing good fruit, doing the will of the father, and putting His words into practice.  There is a general sense of what is to be done as a Christian and how to live this life.  What does this mean for Verse 13-14?  We’ll find out in my next blog entry.

I got an e-mail from my friend Chris Barrett today he manages Rock the Sound Concerts and he let me know that my old church St. Paul’s Church in Brookfield, CT is sponsoring a concert for my wife and I’s favorite Christmas album, Behold the Lamb by Andrew Peterson. So awesome is this music that we listen to it all year, but…it’s especially a blessing at Christmas.  Seeing that our stable Christmas event that we participate in Musicon’s Handel’s Messiah is not happening this year…this will be a welcome treat.

Here is the event info…

St. Paul’s Church in Brookfield is sponsoring a concert called Behold the Lamb: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ on 12/8 at New Milford High. It will feature Andrew Peterson, Bebo Norman, Sara Grives, Jill Phillips, and many more. Frankly, this is the best distillation of the Bible in music I have ever heard. I know many churches do their own Christmas programs, but this has blessed me so much and really helps me focus on Christ. Tix are on sale at www.RTSTickets.com, MorningStar Bookstore, St. Paul’s and iTickets.com. Great gift and for those of us busy with ministry, a great reminder of why we do it and more so whom we do it for.

And here is a documentary found on YouTube about this album…GREAT STUFF!!

Question 2 - Continuing with the NT Questions. I will not post the questions as they are not my work to publish, but…I hope you enjoy reading my answers.

In Matthew 5, we have a perplexing statement by Jesus, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” This statement, might not have been perplexing to the average Jew in Jesus’ time, as every good Jew was trying to fulfill the law. However, with any knowledge of the Old Testament law, it becomes clear for our 21st century audience that carrying out a good deal of the commands in the law is out of the ordinary and near impossible.

Has the law been abolished by our doing or not doing?

Are we failing to fully live out the law thus sinning everytime we do not do what the law says?

What is the law?

Let’s be clear, the Greek word “Nomos” — law, is referring to the Pentateuch, meaning the entirety of the Old Testament. Yet, the law has traditionally been referred to as the Torah, or the first five books of the Old Testament where the bulk of the law is given by God through Moses to the Hebrews. These laws made it clear how a person is to live and be “right” in the sight of God. There are 613 laws in the Torah. These laws, called the Mitzvot, comprised the 10 commandments and others from circumcision to not eating kernels of grapes. A large portion of these laws explain in detail how and what is to be done with sacrificial animals. Some laws are meant as a means of cleanliness and cultivation and show how people are to live a practical better life. Some laws were cultural, having much to do with the Hebrews and their life in the promise land.

Today, most of the laws are all but forgotten. Pulled out mostly by those wishing to keep others from getting tattoos or earrings. Today, the law is never followed in its entirety even by the most conservative Jew as the practice of animal sacrifice is no longer in practice.

So what does Jesus mean by not coming to abolish the law? Why then do so many Christians ignore these laws?

When Jesus says he has come to fufill the law he means just that, to complete them, to “give them their full meaning” as one translation says. Because a large portion of these laws deals with sacrificial animals then it would makes sense, as Jesus is the substitutionary sacrificial animal, there is no need for these laws. His fufillment is both finished and yet continuing to be fulfilled as atonement covers those sins we have yet to even commit. He lived the life of a perfect Jew. Practicing the Mitzvot in every area of His life. So, as Christians as we seek to live as Christ would. We are taking up the task of fulfilling the Mitzvot in our own lives. Also, the law serves as a reminder of our need for God. We can’t live out the law perfectly as Christ did. However we can trust that the Holy Spirit can help us live as Christ lived. The law serves as a constant reminder of what Christ did and what Christ continues to do.

These videos are ussually so timely to what’s going on in my life. As I struggle to find out just what God’s is doing with me…out comes another video from Nooma entitled “Name” Ironically, it comes out the day we gave a new name to our little Grace…October 31.

Here is the info on it.

We all compare ourselves to others. We spend our lives wondering what others think and say about us. Some of us even wish we were someone else. We question why we are the way we are and not the way we wish we could be. Some of us have let the expectations of others dictate who we’ve become. We act a certain way to be accepted but know that we’re being untrue. But why are we so concerned with what other people think, say, or look like? What does it say about us if we are unable to accept who we are? Maybe if we really knew our true selves, we wouldn’t give so much attention to other peoples’ lives and live more in tune with the life God wants for us.