Quick Christmas quiz on this passage related to the wise men.
Question 1 - How many wise men were there? Question 2 - What were their names? Question 3 - Were they kings? Question 4 - Where did they come from? Question 5 - When did they arrive?
Answer 1 - The Bible says only that they were men, so more than one. It is assumed there were three because there were three gifts mentioned in the Bible. Some Bible scholars believe there were between 2 and 10, and likely many more accompanying them to protect them from robbers, because of the dangers of carrying such precious gifts as gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.) Answer 2 - The Bible doesn't give us their names but regional tradition (some 500 years later) calls them by the names of Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar. Answer 3 - They were not kings but were Magi, a class of priests or spiritual advisors, men who studied the heavens and the stars. They also knew the scriptures quite well. Answer 4 - They had traveled on camel back from the east, (not the Far East, but again likely around Persia) some 900 miles along the royal crescent to Jerusalem and were guided by a star to find Jesus in Bethlehem. Answer 5 - The trip probably took them around 2 years, because of the conversation with King Herod who inquired when they had first seen the star and subsequently ordered all the children in that region under the age of two to be destroyed.
1) God's Star The wise men were wise because they followed God's star to where they would find Jesus. So the wise men headed out towards Bethlehem. The scriptures tell us that these men fell down and worshiped him and presented their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to him. Unusual gifts for a toddler. They were men on a journey following a light in the heavens and they found who they were looking for.
You and I are on the same journey. looking for the King of kings. but sometimes we lose our way, take unwise detours, even may wind up in a spiritual ditch. But thankfully the scripture reminds us that if with all our hearts we truly seek him, we shall ever surely find him. Wise men today will be wise if they follow God's Star - Jesus. The star over Bethlehem wasn't just in a story in the Bible, but also Egyptians, and Chinese and Persians recorded that star. The Persians had heard about the God of the Jews for Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego some 600 years before had faithfully followed God and would not eat of the king's rich foods and were delivered by God out of the fiery furnace and the lion's den. God had granted unto them great courage and wisdom and they foretold the time when God would send a Deliverer, a Messiah. Now it seemed God was fulfilling his promise. My, how the star seemed to hover right over the house. No problem for God the Creator of the universe to make a star that would move in the heavens and even stop. John said in 1:3 "all things were made by him." Also God called his angels to announce to the shepherds the birth of his son and they too were surrounded by the glory of God in the highest - a great light. George Harrison the drummer of the Beatles, interestingly once said "Everything else in life can wait, but the search for God cannot." God gave enough light for the journey of the wise men in their search for the Christ and so he will give us enough light to find Jesus too. John said in 1:4 "in him was life and the life was the light of men. v.5 and the light shineth in the darkness and the darkness was overcome by the light." And in Revelation 22:16 Jesus said "I am the bright and morning Star." So - we too follow the Light, Jesus, the Star.
2) The wise men were wise because they listened to the scripture. Herod didn't know the scriptures, so he brought in his chief priests and scribes and demanded of them where the Christ would be born. They replied yes we know what the scriptures say. In Micah it says he will be born in Bethlehem. It is interesting that although Herod's priests and scribes told Herod that the scripture in Micah 5:2 said the king of the Jews would be born in Bethlehem, that none of them went to accompany the wise men to see and worship the new born king... not one! So Herod privately told the wise men what the scriptures said.
Herod, pretending to wanting to worship him too, asked the wise men to return to tell him where they found the child. When they found Jesus he was referred to as a young child, no longer a baby, and the family was living in a house, no longer in a stable. Not all people agree on who God is, but the Bible is our guidebook and the roadmap on the journey to finding Jesus, the Savior of the world. James reminds us that we must not be hearers only but also doers of the word. It is not how many times we have read the Bible through, but how many times the Bible has lived through you.
3) The wise men were wise because the worshiped God's Son, the Savior, the king of kings. It is so incredible that these wise men traveled hundreds of miles to worship this baby, this young child and they knelt and presented to him these valuable gifts. It is so interesting that Joseph and Mary didn't understand a word of what they were speaking, but they understood when these men knelt down and worshiped Jesus... and presented their gifts. Gold, a gift worthy of a king; frankincense, a valuable gift that the priests used in worship in the Temple; and myrrh, an embalming liquid of yesteryear.
Wise men still worship him today.
2 Corinthians 9:15 - Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
Most of us have a Christmas tree in our homes. What do you see when you look at your Christmas tree? work, memories, beauty? Brother Steve sees symmetry... on the tree and under the tree, the presents. You should first see Christmas not as a holiday but as a holy day to celebrate his Jesus' birth. The first decorations on the Christmas tree is credited to Martin Luther in Germany in the 1500's when he looked up into the heavens one night and saw all the stars through the branches of the trees. He brought in a small fir tree and decorated it with candles to remind him and the children of the star that guided the wise men to Jesus. In their local churches they were having Paradise Plays, which were dramas performed in the advent weeks (December 24) telling the story of Adam and Eve and the eating of a red apple. So hanging red apples on the evergreen tree is where we get the hanging of red and green ornaments on our trees. The trees were originally called paradise trees. The largest tree display is on the side of Mt Ingino, Italy and is 2,130 feet high. There are all kinds of Christmas trees... in the 60's there were silver aluminum trees, deco trees, upside down trees, trees of all different colors.
We can see the picture of Jesus in our Christmas tree...
* the trunk of all traditional trees is wood reminding us of the wooden cross on which Jesus was crucified. The trunk is the heart of the tree and the cross is the heart of Christianity. 1 Peter 2:24 - Who bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness...
* Type of tree is evergreen... reminding us of the eternal life that we receive in Christ
* the tree is a real one and is cut down to bring into our homes for decorating, so it is a dying tree. It is giving its life for our enjoyment. So it was with Christ that in dying he would bring to us the joy of the Christian life with him.
* What do we put on top of the tree? sometimes a star, reminding us of the star that led the wise men to Jesus.
Or we may put an angel on the top of the tree, reminding us of the angel that announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.
* Next we decorate the tree with globes or balls of all colors reminding us that Jesus came to the earth for all people regardless of their skin color. Notice that the globes are shiny and reflect the lights on the tree. We are to reflect the light of Jesus in our lives. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
* There are stories on most Christmas trees because we hang special ornaments that remind us of people or places or experiences in our lives or even past Christmases. But the story that should be most evident on the tree is the real reason we celebrate... that is the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
* The kneeling Santa ornament puts the Christmas celebration in the best and most proper perspective. It is the true reminder of the real reason we celebrate Christmas. After all, Christmas is all about Jesus.
* The presents under the tree also remind us of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 9:15 - "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift." Presents must be received and opened. So must God's gift. Revelation 3:20 - Jesus said Behold I stand at the door and knock and if any one hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me." He is standing at the door to your life and you must open that door from the inside in order to receive God's gift. The presents are His Presence.
It is Jesus' birthday. What can you give to King Jesus? You can give him your heart of love, and obedience, and gratitude, and time. Your best present is to be present with him in a strong close relationship.
Now when you go home, what will you see in your tree?
Bethlehem today is a town of about 50,000 people. Next week there will be thousands more visitors to celebrate Christmas at the Church of the Nativity, the oldest continually worshiping church in the Holy Land. It was built in about 326 AD over what was believed to be the grotto where Jesus was born. It was commissioned by the Emperor Constantine I and his mother, St. Helena. Bethlehem is about 6 miles from Jerusalem and was not a destination but a stopover on the way.
We are looking at 3 questions today about Bethlehem... Why Bethlehem?... What is Bethlehem?... When can we go to Bethlehem?
1) Why Bethlehem? In Jesus' day the population was only about 300. There was nothing special about Bethlehem, an insignificant place. But God chose it to be the place where Jesus, the Savior of the world, would be born. Some 700 years prior to his birth, it was written by the prophet Micah that the Messiah would be born in the town of Bethlehem Ephrathah. God was specific in which of the two Bethlehems would be the birthplace of the Messiah. One was in the northern part of the country and this Bethlehem Ephrathah was in the southern part. God identified it as the city of David, where Samuel anointed David as king. The Messiah would be from the lineage of David. Isaiah 9:6-8 says the Messiah would sit upon the throne of David and of his kingdom there would be no end. So there is a definite link between King David and King Jesus. One of the names Jesus was called was the "Son of David." Bethlehem was the place where Rachel, wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph was buried. She died giving birth to Benjamin. Bethlehem was also the place where Ruth and Naomi lived. It was the place where the prophet Samuel came looking for the future king. David was called the man after God's own heart. Don't you find it wonderful that God can use flawed human beings like David and Peter and you and me? Of course it was prophesied by Micah (5:2) to be the birthplace of the Messiah. Bethlehem means the "house of bread." Jesus would call himself the bread of life, the living bread! (John 6:51)
2) What was the importance of Bethlehem? It was the first place where people could see Jesus, the Savior of the world. Likewise we need to be the place where people can see and meet Jesus. There is a parallel between the city where people could meet Jesus and our lives where people can meet Jesus. a) it is a place of potential... where the small can be made great; where the weak can be made strong; where trash can become treasure. God sees potential in all of us. b) it was a place of promise. It was told to Micah some 700 years prior, but how could Jesus be born there, his parents lived in Nazareth? God used a pagan emperor to get them to Bethlehem by declaring the registration in their home towns for the purpose of taxation. God kept his promise to Micah... he always keeps his promises. 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 4:8-10; Psalm 55. c) it was a place of privilege. Bethlehem was handpicked by God... not Jerusalem... not Rome... not Athens. The hope of the world is in Jesus. It is the most missed place in the history of the world.
3) When you come to Bethlehem? In 1865 Phillips Brooks was rector of Church of the Holy Trinity, in Philadelphia. He came to Bethlehem in 1865 and he took a midnight ride on a horse into Bethlehem and was inspired to write the words to the song "O Little Town of Bethlehem." He came to Bethlehem from over 6,000 miles from Philadephia. It has the message of the "holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray..." When you come to Bethlehem, Christ comes to you. He brings the grace of God into our hearts and we cherish him. Song "That Night" ... "That night in all of heaven there wasn't a sound, when God and the angels watched the earth. And there in a stable the Father sent his son to give himself through human birth. And then the cry of a baby pierced the universe once for all men were shown their worth... and the heavens exploded with music everywhere and the angels spilled over heaven's edge and filled the air and the Father rejoiced, for he did not lose his son, but he gained to himself forever those who'd come."
Let's go to Bethlehem!
Christmas means different things to different people. What does Christmas mean - to the single mom with 3 children and never quite getting everything done? - to the 80 year old man in Zimbabwe? - to missionaries half a world away from their family? - to the store merchants - perhaps making 30% of their annual income in a month? - to employees hoping for a bonus to help pay for Christmas? - to adults with a crowded calendar for get-togethers and Christmas parties, and church events? - to children, a time for impatience? For you and me, perhaps too much food, too much tree, too many presents.
The first Christmas, God started it all by giving us plenty of clues, read Luke 2.
We find 3 meanings in these verses.
1) A Caring Thought - God Cares for all his creation V.8 Beginning with the shepherds who had no standing in the community and wouldn't be called on in court to testify. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:25 the foolishness of God is wiser than man. In Genesis 41 we find a man sold as a slave, Joseph, became the second most powerful man behind Pharoah. In Matthew 14, Jesus fed 5,000 men (not counting women and children) with 5 loaves and 2 fish. God chose Mary, who lived in a little obscure village, not in a palace. to be the mother of Jesus. He even cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field Matthew 6. God cares for you and me. The sky lit up when the angels sang the message that Jesus was come to save the entire world.
2) A Challenging Thought - Will you take the dare? The shepherds stood amazed at what they had just seen and heard. We could imagine that their wives wouldn't believe them. It was unbelievable. Angels spilling over heaven's edge and filling the air with praise! The shepherds wondered how they would know when they found the baby - Christ the Lord. Surely there couldn't be very many mangers. We will find him. They went and found themselves in the Presence of Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus will not drag you through the Pearly Gates. You must come willingly... you must personally answer the invitation. Presents under your Christmas tree will not mean much until you open them. Jesus won't mean much until you open your heart and life to him and then he will mean everything.
3) A Compelling Thought Go and Share! The shepherds now realized that their lives were really going to count for something touching heaven. Their lives were changed. When they left, they went and told everyone. The Bible says in V.18 that the people who they told, were in awe - they wondered at all those things that the shepherds said to them.
Bubba Smith was a great professional football player. A beer company approached him to hire him at a large sum of money be the spokesman for their beer and he agreed to do it for the money. The commercial theme was "tastes great - less filling." That was all he had to say. The funny thing about all this was Bubba Smith didn't drink. When crowds on the street saw him they greeted him with the slogan "Tastes great, less filling." He realized that he only influenced people to drink beer. He eventually quit that commercial, admitting he only did it for the money.
What about you and me? 1) Do you really care? 2) Have you opened the door to your life and let Jesus come in? 3) Do you tell others about Jesus?
That is what Christmas really means!
Are you ready for Christmas? It isn't so much about actions, but about your thoughts and attitudes - having the right attitude with God. In the Dr. Seuss children's book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" the Grinch decided by stealing gifts and decorations and Christmas trees and even food from homes that he could keep Christmas from happening, because he was annoyed by it. When he saw that Christmas went on anyway, he realized that maybe Christmas was "a little bit more" than just presents and food, perhaps more about your thoughts. That would make Christmas more complete. That caused his heart to grow three sizes.
Matthew 1:18-25 we find Joseph was was pledged to be married to Mary. We know that he was of the line of Jacob, a carpenter, and poor. Most likely he was a teenager - the common age for marriage in those days was between 14 and 18. He is never recorded as speaking in scripture, but we do see some attitudes that show us what kind of man he was.
1) He was a trusting man in 1:19 we find he was a just man, a man who trusted in God... a devout man... a righteous man... a man of faith. We see him walking into a crisis. He was "espoused to Mary." Jewish marriages had 3 parts. 1- engagement, arranged by the parents; 2- literally was betrothed, promised, espoused. could last up to a year. This was legally binding and they were actually called husband and wife but did not live together; 3- wedding feast lasted up to a week. Joseph really loved Mary. He was called her husband and was sworn to fidelity. When she told him she was going to have a baby, he felt betrayed and enraged and assumed she had been unfaithful. He could have a public divorce or a private divorce, which required only 2 witnesses. He chose the private because he loved her and if he chose public, she could be stoned for adultery. Then he had the dream where God told him to trust God and take Mary as your wife and provide for her and the baby's name will be Jesus (OT=Joshua) for he will deliver his people from their sins. Joseph was being asked to break the Jewish law... but he trusted God and this would be his finest hour. He is convinced that God is in this. David said in Psalm 56:3, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. The song says "when we can't see his hand, trust his heart."
2) Joseph had a caring attitude He took Mary to be his wife V24. He would provide shelter and protection for Mary and because he cared for her, Christmas happened. We care at Christmas for people we don't know... angel trees, homeless shelters, Christmas child shoeboxes, Lottie Moon Christmas offering, etc. John reminds us that we love him because he first loved us. Paul tells us that by love we are to serve one another.
3) Joseph had a following attitude He followed the paths of God's choosing. God said "Take Mary as your wife," "Go and take Mary to Bethlehem (85 miles)," "Leave the country and take Mary and the child to Egypt (300 miles) 2:13-14. And he follows God's directing again... whatever God asks, wherever God leads, Joseph obeys. Jesus said in 16:24 to take up our cross and follow him. What about you... are you following the path God has laid before you?
We find 3 attitudes from Joseph to help us get ready for Christmas - a trusting attitude, a caring attitude, a following attitude.
In Guidepost the story was shared about a boy named Wally, a large boy who wanted to be a shepherd in the school Christmas play. The teacher asked him to be the innkeeper instead. He was to open the door and say... all filled up, no room, go away. The night of the play when Joseph knocked on the door, he said all full, go away. after a second time Joseph turned away slowly... and there was silence from Wally. The teacher prompted him to say no room, be gone. But Wally cried, wait a minute, you and Mary can have my room... I'll sleep in the Stable. Some people said the play was ruined, but others said it was the perfect ending. He made room for Jesus in his heart. We need to make room for Jesus in our hearts. "O come to my heart Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee."
The first winter our ancestors spent in the new land was a hard winter. There were seven times as many new graves as there were new homes built. In spite of the hardships of that winter, the settlers had 2 things that helped them get through that time... they had a courageous attitude and a great gratitude to God. It was so bad that first winter that their daily ration was 5 kernels of corn. That first thanksgiving was all about what God had done for them. So in future thanksgivings, they remembered that first winter by putting 5 kernels of corn on their plates. The question is asked if this Thursday you put 5 kernels of corn on your plate, could you name 5 things that you are most thankful for? Can you name 5 blessings as you give thanks to God. In these 5 verses we see both the upward blessings and the downward blessings - Bless the Lord o my soul, and forget not all his benefits. In these verses we fond 5 things to be thankful for. It can be called our Biblical Thanksgiving list.
1) Verse 3 - the Kernel of Forgiveness. In a certain graveyard there is a tombstone with only one word on it... Forgiven. that person summed up the most important thing to him or her in that one word.. What a great testimony. Forgiveness is only possible through Jesus. Ephesians 1:7 says “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Micah 7:18-19 (NKJV) says it this way 18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. 19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. Frank Pollard former pastor of FBC Jackson said it this way, "God took my sins and cast them into the sea of forgetfulness and put a sign there that said No Fishing Here!" So be thankful for God's forgiveness.
2) Verse 3b - the Kernel of Healing In every healing God is present... so be thankful. God doesn't always heal every physical illness in this life, but he heals it in the next. He may heal us of our sicknesses through doctors and surgeries. But he also heals us of our sin sickness I Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. So be thankful for God's healing.
3) Verse 4a - the Kernel of Redemption Jesus is our redeemer. The word redemption is a term used for the purchase price of a slave on the market. We are bought from the slave market of sin by Jesus... he purchased our redemption with his shed blood at Calvary. We don't have to endure the torment of hell, or the smothering darkness, or the eternal separation. The Bible tells us that hell was made for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41). The hymn says it well, "Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe..."
4) Verse 4b - the Kernel of Crowning God crowns us in the present with his loving-kindness and tender mercy. Our King crowns his children with his everlasting love. His is a constant source of refreshing and renewing for us. Lamentations 3:22-23 expresses it beautifully - Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
5) Verse 5 - the Kernel of Satisfaction every day we receive his blessings which satisfy our hunger. He give us only good blessings. Such blessings as food. There are people in our world who have no food and are starving. We need to be thankful for the kernel of satisfaction. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. "Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before."
This Thursday, Thanksgiving, we should express our gratitude to God for his blessings of forgiveness, healing, redemption, crowning and satisfaction.
THEY BLEW IT! THEY BLEW IT! Exodus 34:6-7 - Moses was up on the mountain for 40 days and received the centerpiece of the law of God... the Ten Commandments, which the Bible says God wrote with his own finger Ex. 31:18. The people got impatient, not knowing if Moses was still alive, so they tried to replace God with the Egyptian deity - the golden calf. But God is a jealous God and glory only belongs to him alone. When Moses reached the camp and saw the sin of the people, he threw the tablets and broke them. It was symbolic of the people breaking the law of God. The Bible says that about 3,000 men idolaters were slain and those who had sinned against God were blotted out of God's books.
Now comes the big question. If God could forgive them, would he? Moses made the second trip up Sinai and God gave him a second set of the Commandments. He told Moses to hew out 2 tablets of stone like he had at the first Ex 34:1. Moses got his answer about forgiveness... it is not about what we do, but about what God does! God was willing to forgive if the people would return to following and obeying him.
We find in vs 6-7 three qualities of God that remind us why God forgives.
1) God can forgive because he is compassionate and gracious (Psalm 145:8). in 1975 a boy named Raymond Dunn was born in NY state. The Associated Press reports that at his birth, a skull fracture and oxygen deprivation caused severe retardation. As Raymond grew, the family discovered further impairments. His twisted body suffered up to twenty seizures per day. He was blind, mute, immobile. He had severe allergies that limited him to only one food: a meat-based formula made by Gerber Foods. In 1985, Gerber stopped making the formula that Raymond lived on. Carol Dunn scoured the country to buy what stores had in stock, accumulating cases and cases, but in 1990 her supply ran out. In desperation, she appealed to Gerber for help. Without this particular food, Raymond would starve to death. The employees of the company listened. In an unprecedented action, volunteers donated hundreds of hours to bring out old equipment, set up production lines, obtain special approval from the USDA, and produce the formula--all for one special boy. In January 1995, Raymond Dunn, Jr., known as the Gerber Boy, died from his physical problems. But during his brief lifetime he called forth a wonderful thing called compassion from scores of people.
Our God cares even more than that... 1 Peter 5:7. He has made forgiveness permanent because of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:9. Make it a point to thank God this week.
2) God can forgive because he is slow to anger A man was sitting in his chair reading the paper and drinking his drink when his little son who was playing ball in the house knocked over the drink and spilled it all over the chair, his dad and the paper. The dad was angry and jumped up an popped his son. There are people in our world today that think that God is like that... he is just waiting for us to mess up and he will "pop us."
Psalm 103:8-10 tells us... "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." (NIV)
3) God can forgive because he is rich in love We all know John 3:16... For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. AND... Romans 5:8 - God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.. AND John 15:13... Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jason Tuscus was close to his mom, his dad a paraplegic in a wheelchair and his younger brother, Christian. He was scuba diving in some caves in Florida with a friend when they stirred up the waters and lost visibility. His friend went up but Jason was disoriented. Running out of air and knowing he probably would not be able to surface he scratched on his tank with his knife, "I love you Mom, Dad, Christian." In those moments, he was thinking about his mother and dad and brother. In his memory, his family erected a flagpole bearing the American Flag and the Divers Down flag on it. They had etched in the granite stone at the base of the flagpole, "We love you too." God's love was etched on a cross in Jerusalem some 2000 years ago. It was for all the sins of the entire world, once and forever. But God not only forgives, he chooses not even to remember our sin. (Isaiah 43:5; Psalm 103:12; Micah 7:19; Jeremiah 31:34). There is a laundry stain removal that is considered to be the best in the world. It removes ink stains but has a hard time removing red stains. The only thing that can remove the stain of sin in our lives is the shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Isaiah 1:18 Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
God can forgive because he is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in love!
We thank the Lord for the men and women who volunteer to lay down their lives in service to our country and our way of life... to serve and protect the constitution of the United States. We salute you and we honor you. You are the best of the best of us.
A little Veterans Day quiz -
1. True or false - November 11 is always celebrated as Veterans Day no matter what day of the week it comes on. That is true. It was chosen because World War I ended at 11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th month (November).
2. What was the original name of Veterans Day? If you said Armistice Day you are correct. It literally means the "clearing of arms."
3. Who was President when the day became a national holiday? Woodrow Wilson
4. When was the name changed to Veterans Day? In 1954 Congress passed the bill into law and President Eisenhower made it official with his signature as President.
What is a Veteran? It is a person who has served in the Armed Forces of the United States. It is different from Memorial Day because on that day we remember those who died in active military service. Today we are considering two kinds of veterans... veterans of the country's military and veterans of our Lord . 2 Timothy 2:3-4 says 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. There are three things that every good soldier does. 1) Endures Hardship 2) Does not entangle himself in the affairs of this world 3) Always seeks to please the one who chose him to be his soldier.
There are some things that both the Sacred and Civil soldier have in common.
Firstly, both respond to the invitation to serve. Our country's soldiers are all serving voluntarily. The is no conscription or draft where we are required to serve. As soldiers of the cross, we were not forced to become spiritual soldiers. Jesus said in Revelation 3:20 Behold I stand at the door and knock, If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him. The door has no door knob on the outside. Christ will not force himself into your life. You must open the door to your life from the inside, voluntarily.
Secondly, both the sacred and civil soldier depend on those beyond themselves for sustenance - for food, for clothing and shelter. Jesus said in Philippians 4:19 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Thirdly, both soldiers must have a singular commitment. There is no place for a haphazard service. When you enlisted you began your service committed willing to accept only the results of your service. Luke 14:33 Jesus said In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. On a battleship everyone has a definite job to do in order to meet the needs of the mission. John 14:12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing,
Fourthly It is all about obeying orders of your superior. John 14:23-24 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. Joy comes from obeying your commander.
Have you responded to his invitation? Are you depending on him for your needs? Is it your sole desire to please him?
Charles Provine said "It is the soldier who gives you freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to protest, freedom of religion, freedom of a fair trial."
God bless America!!!
Mississippi Baptists are meeting this afternoon at the large crosses all over the state to pray for our country, our state, and our churches.
This morning we are meeting at the cross for a message - the Pulpit of His Passion. This is the pulpit of Jesus as he hung dying and spoke 7 times from that old rugged cross. Bible scholars have agreed on a general order of his sayings.
1) A Praying Word - Luke 23:34 The first thing Jesus said was a prayer to his Father in heaven. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Imagine what the executioners, the soldiers, must have thought as he probably repeated this over again and again... when driving the nails in his hands... when driving the nail in his feet... when casting lots for his clothing... etc. .Praying for forgiveness for them as they continued to inflict pain, over and over.
2) A Promised Word - Luke 23:43 Today you will be with me in Paradise. The repentant thief had changed his mind about Jesus. Jesus paid attention to this man's confession. He heard and gave this sinner the promise of heaven. Jesus still does that today. 2 Corinthians 5:21 - he who knew no sin was made to be sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in him. 2 Timothy 1:12 - I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
3) A Word of Provision - John 19:26-27 "Woman behold, your son. Son, behold your mother. As her eldest son it was Jesus' responsibility to care for his mother. While hanging painfully dying, Jesus showed his care for his earthly mother. He made provision for her by trusting her into John's care. John was the only apostle of the 12 who were at the cross and he knew. Jesus cares for his "faith family" too. 1 Peter 5:7, "cast all your care upon him for he careth for you."
4) A Word of Pain - Matthew 27:46 My God, why have you forsaken me? Jesus was in deep pain for 6 hours on that cross, bleeding and suffering for you and me. Jesus and the Father, John 10:30, at this time the Father had to forsake the son because Jesus became sin for us, he became the murderer, the adulterer, the liar and the Father could not look on him, but had to forsake him. Jesus suffered and died alone, so this was terribly painful for him. We must never forget the cost of our forgiveness. He took away the sin of the entire world. When we are forgiven, the Bible says he doesn't even remember our sin... he separates us from our sin as far as the east is from the west... "Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow."
5) A Word of Prophecy John 19:28 "I Thirst" This shows the genuine humanity of Jesus. He got thirsty just like we do but his words "I Thirst" were more than just a simple statement. Jesus needed to wet his throat in order to shout the word of victory. Revelation 7:16 says we will never thirst again. Jesus told the woman at the well that he would give her living water and she would never thirst again.
6) A Paid Word John 19:30 "It Is Finished" (Gk. Teleo) a cry of settlement. Our sin debt is paid up... has been settled up by Jesus! He has paid our bill. brings an end to... payment is fulfilled or completed or accomplished. Jesus is the finisher of our faith... perfected. It is a cry of victory.
7) A Parting Word - Luke 23:46 "Father into your hands I entrust my spirit." Notice Jesus began and ended these 7 saying by talking with his Father. God's hands - there is no stronger place. John 10:29. Trusting your spirit into God's hands is the safest place you can be. Where have you placed the trust of your eternal spirit?
Execution on the cross was reserved by the Romans for the worst criminals. The nails, today we call them railroad spikes, were driven through the hands and feet. Besides the physical pain, there was emotional pain as well. Hanging on the cross, Jesus was looking at the same people who only days earlier had welcomed him to Jerusalem as "the one who comes in the name of the Lord" praising him with palm branches... now they were jeering, laughing and mocking him. The scene was an ugly one... Jesus the Son of God was hanging and dying a slow torturous death on an old wooden cross.
Our focus is on John 19:25. V.25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.
These 4 women stood there painfully watching in agony. They did not fear arrest as many of the disciples did, who had fled (all but John).
What did standing near the cross mean to each of them?
1) The cross for Mary was a Place of Caring - Mary, Jesus' mother - we know a lot about her... from the miraculous pregnancy and birth, to the trip to Bethlehem, to the trip to Egypt, to the return to Nazareth... imagine all the gossip there must have been when they returned. And losing track of the child Jesus at age 12 and he was found in the temple teaching the scriptures. She must have had wonderful dreams for her son (as do most parents) who always did what was right. Could this person hanging on the cross be the same little innocent face of the one she nursed in Bethlehem? His face was scarred and bloodied and agonizing in pain. STILL, he is my son and I love him. Their eyes meet. He saw her sorrow and in spite of all that he was going through... from the cross he expressed a son's loving care for his mother. He told John to care for his mother in his absence.
2) It was a Place of Contemplation for his mother's sister, Salome, who was with Mary at the crucifixion. (Matthew and Mark identify her by name.) She was Jesus' aunt and the wife of Zebedee, mother of James and John. We remember her from the time she told Jesus "when you get to be king, remember my boys." Let my sons sit in places of importance in the kingdom. Jesus rebuked her for her misplaced ambition. He also told her she didn't know what she was asking, for he had to drink a bitter cup and suffer and die. Historians tell us that John was exiled to Patmos and James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, was one of the first martyrs. So for Salome, the cross was a place of contemplation.
3) The cross was a Place of Choice for Mary, the wife of Cleopas (Mark 15). She is an obscure but faithful follower of the Lord Jesus. This is the only passage where she is mentioned in the scriptures. Like many of us who consider ourselves to be faithful Christians to the Lord but practically invisible to the eyes of the world, she was there disregarding any harm that could come to her for choosing to be a public follower of Jesus. She was willing to stand up. You do what you can would have been her pledge to Jesus. So for her, the cross was a place of choice.
4) The cross was a Place of Cost for Mary Magdalene. Mary was first at the tomb on Resurrection Sunday. She was the first person Jesus appeared to after he was raised. She had much to be committed to following Jesus for he had cast out of her 7 demons and freed her from their bondage. She followed Jesus because he had set her free. Now she was redeemed... bought with the price of his blood. The cross for her was a place of cost. She now understood what it cost to set her free... how far he was willing to go... how much he was willing to pay.
And he can do that for you!
He paid a debt he did not owe, we owed a debt we could not pay.
He took your place on the cross to give you a place in heaven.
If we stay near the cross of Jesus, we will find the cross to be a place of caring, and contemplation, and choice and cost.
"Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross"
In 1998, Bill Wiese, a real estate agent, had a vision that catapulted him into a cell in hell where 2 creatures tormented him. He felt hopelessness and great sadness and sorrow. He heard screams of others who were tormented in the flames of hell. In a few moments he woke up on the floor and was so shaken that he wrote of his experience in a book called "23 Minutes in Hell." He wrote that many don't believe his story or in hell, but he hoped that people would believe what the Bible says about Hell. 67% of people believe in hell but only 25% believe you could go there. If you went there what would you see and hear and feel?
1) There is the Fact of hell. Whether you believe it or not doesn't change the reality that there is a hell. Jesus spoke about hell or hades, the place of the dead sixteen times in the New Testament. Matthew 25:41 tells us that it is a place that was prepared for the devil and his angels... but it is also the place of a person's choice where those go who don't believe in Jesus as God's Son. However, 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God doesn't want anyone to go there. Hell is the only place where the love of God is not felt. The Christian says to God Thy will be done, but God also says to the individual your will be done.
2) There are the Flames of hell... Hell is a place of torment. In Luke 16:23 Jesus says that a very rich man fared sumptuously every day. And there was a beggar named Lazarus who was full of sores and laid at the rich man's gate. And Lazarus died and the angels carried him into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died and found himself in torments in the flame. Gehenna was the place where the bodies of the dead were thrown and burned and the vultures would come and feast on them. It is the Valley of Hinnom just outside Jerusalem and was the garbage dump of Jerusalem and was known to all the inhabitants. There was always a fire burning in this rubbish heap and the stench was awful. So when Jesus referred to hell as Gehenna, the symbolism and the reality was intensely graphic. There are 4 types of suffering: physical (v.24); relational (v.23 looked into heaven); emotional (v.25 remembered); spiritual (v.26).
3) The Finality of Hell...There is no second chance to get out of hell. There is a great gulf fixed between the two places and there is no crossing over from hell to heaven. In hell there is no hope, no laughter, no patience, no love. Matthew 25 tells us there is only darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth. John in his Revelation says there is a lake burning with fire and brimstone and it is everlasting... there is no end to the torment.
4) The Faces of Hell - All who have not trusted in Jesus will go there - rich, poor, young, old from every nation. The rich man said to Jesus(v.27-31) send Lazarus to warn my brothers that they may avoid this place of torment and suffering. Jesus said if they wouldn't believe Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded by the one who rose from the dead.
5) Follow the Scriptures - But oh, my friend, there is a fire escape! Romans 10:9-10 if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. President Calvin Coolidge heard 2 senators arguing about believing and one senator told the other where to go. President Coolidge said I read the book and you don't have to go there! Jesus paid for our sins by shedding his blood on Calvary so we don't have to go there... we can go to heaven instead!
Construction of the Washington Monument was in two stages - 1) the 1848-1854 by private construction and 2)from 1876-1884 public construction when Congress assumed the funding and building. It is 555 feet high with an 8" aluminum . On the east side of the capstone was the inscription, "LAUS DEO" which means "Praise be to God."
Our nation is reminded by this that all praise should be lifting up God in our hearts. Praising is all about "raising." Hallelujah means "Hallel" - praise; "lu " - you; Yah is the abbreviation for Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God.
This Psalm answers 4 questions about praise... 1) Where; 2) Why; 3) How; 4) Who.
1) WHERE can we praise God? it mentions 2 places. The Sanctuary and in His Creation. The sanctuary is the church... the place where all our focus is on God. Psalm 84:10, for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand (elsewhere) and I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 2 Corinthians 5 we have a building of God, a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. And in His creation, means we can praise him anywhere we go in the entire world.
2) WHY do we praise Him? What is our motivation? God says our motivation is more important than our manner of praise... standing or sitting, raising hands or not, speaking or in quiet meditation. Psalm 19:14 - Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer. God looks at your creed and your conduct... they must match up. Praise and worship is not complete until your conduct is affected. We praise him for his powerful acts and his character... he is good all the time. Moses said God is compassionate, slow to anger and rich in truth and love. His character affects what he does. So should it be for us.
3) HOW should we praise him? With instruments and dance. He mentions all the instruments of the Hebrew band. "Organ - (recorder); dance - free spirited worship in a variety of ways by our whole being. The Bible states that instruments are to be used to praise him.
4) WHO is to worship God? If your praise is directed to him he accepts it. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. HALLELUJAH. He doesn't care about the volume or the script as much as he does who you are directing your praise to. Is He being glorified? Johann Sebastian Bach didn't sign his music JSB... He signed it Soli Deo Gloria... Praise to God only! Wouldn't that be a great way to sign our life experiences... all the praise belongs to Jesus!
Jonah was sent by God to preach judgment and mercy of God to the people of Ninevah. He didn't want to go and, in fact, refused to go! Why? He knew the barbarism of the people there. Those people were so barbaric that they skinned people alive... they would bury people in the sand up to the head and leave them for the sun to bake them and the birds to eat them. He wondered why God didn't just destroy them. BUT God is a God of Grace and Mercy! Aren't we glad he saved us by His Grace through our faith in his son Jesus Christ, instead of judging us and sending us to hell?
1) THE SOLDIERS WATCHED JESUS - In Matthew 27 we find the epitome of man's wickedness toward man in the crucifixion. When Jesus was on the cross, they gave him vinegar mixed with gall and he wouldn't drink it, even though he was thirsty. They parted his garments and cast lots for them. Then the soldiers in the crucifixion detail sat down unmoved and watched him die. One, however, stated that truly this was the Son of God!
2) PILATE WATCHED JESUS as he questioned him and as they led him away - (Backing up a few years, Jesus at his birth had been hunted by Herod's soldiers who were told to kill every male child under the age of 2, hoping to kill Jesus.) Now, Luke tells us that after Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was led to Annas and Caiaphas and then to Pilate who questioned him. According to the scriptures, he found no reason to take Jesus' life, so learning that he was a Galilean, he sent him to Herod, who also questioned him and sent him back to Pilate. Luke said, that day Herod and Pilate became friends. To Pilate, Jesus was just another accused criminal. To satisfy the Jewish leaders, he allowed Jesus to be mocked, beaten, stripped and whipped. Then he washed his hands of the whole matter and allowed Jesus to be led away to be crucified. The method of crucifixion was the most cruel of all the punishments, being perfected by the Carthaginians and Romans. After being beaten within an inch of his life, the criminal was crucified and could hang on a cross a long time- hours or days, dying a slow torturous and painful death. And as they led him away, Pilate watched Jesus.
3) THE PARENTS OF THE TWO THIEVES WATCHED JESUS. The parents of the thieves on the other two crosses watched Jesus too as they watched their sons dying. They probably wondered what had gone wrong since they had probably raised their sons to be good boys and now they were being crucified on either side of Jesus because they were thieves.
4) THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES ALSO WATCHED JESUS. They were also present at the crucifixion. They'd had Jesus arrested; they had mocked him; and they had watched him bleed. Now they arrogantly stood watching him die on that wooden cross.
5) THE BROKEN-HEARTED WATCHED JESUS... those who loved Jesus, were watching him. There was Jesus' mother, and John the apostle, and Mary Magdalene. They had seen all the wonderful miracles he had performed for years helping the weak and poor and healing the sick. He showed his power and authority as the Son of God. Now they watched Jesus and wept as he hung dying on the cross.
6) ARE YOU WATCHING JESUS? There was a movie that came out several years ago called the "Passion of the Christ." It was a graphic depiction of the awful torture and agony that Christ went through for us. When you saw the movie, when you watched Jesus, what did you see? Did you see just another man? Or did you see your Savior, your Lord, your Master, suffering for you? He took our place on the cross to give us a place in heaven. He took my place. He took your place.
WE CONTINUE TO WATCH FOR JESUS TO RETURN. He is coming back! He said..."I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also."And now we are watching and waiting for his return.
WE ARE WATCHING FOR JESUS. WHAT ABOUT YOU, MY FRIEND?
How would you define God? One dictionary defines God as Creator and Ruler; another dictionary says God is the Source of all Moral Authority. Other dictionaries use some weak words to describe God and others miss the truth completely. Micah says "God, who is like you?" - Paul said "Your ways are past finding out." Actually it is impossible to define God for when we do, we put limits on who he is. Children say God has big hands because he holds the whole world in his hands... He's the Nicest man in the World. He is like a never ending story that I want to read over and over again. Isaiah calls him "Holy," John calls him "Light" and "Love."
Here in Psalm 145, the Psalmist says God is Good.
V. 8-9 - The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
In Hebrew "good" means kind, compassionate, being and doing good. God is good to all, whether the person is a bad person or good person, whether, lost or saved.Since God controls everything his goodness is a divine gift to his children who call upon him. His children know him in a unique way.
1) God is good in his character V.17
The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works - he always does what is right, he is faithful and just. He always acts like himself and we are glad.
2) He is good in his conduct. He is holy in his works... He gave us the 10 commandments to show us how to live the best, good life possible
Why were Adam and Eve cast out of Eden in the first place? Because of their disobedience in eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they might eat of the tree of life!
3) He is good in his connectivity V.18 We remember the old telephone switchboards where the phone jack had to be put in the right place to make the good connection. John 14:6 Jesus said, "No man comes to the Father but by me."
4) He is good in his consistency V.4,5 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. 5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not; God doesn't change, therefore the gospel doesn't change. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Some would say the gospel message is old fashioned, but so is water but you still drink it. Ethical precepts don't change. We don't measure ethics by the numbers of people who believe them. Personal accountability doesn't change. Paul reminds us that everyone shall give an account of themselves to God... Romans 14:12
Our ultimate hope doesn't change... our hope is in God. We know that the ultimate outcome is like the ending of a Disney movie... and they lived happily ever after.
Psalm 23 - Goodness and mercy shall follow them all the days of their lives and they shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever! Citizens of this world can see a sunrise but citizens of heaven will see the SON RISE!
We all know that sin is defined in the Bible as missing the mark. A man with unconfessed sin is a failure to God. When we miss the mark, we separate ourselves from fellowship with God, which he intended for us in the very beginning. God provided a way to restore that fellowship by sincerely confessing our sin and allowing him to help us change. So our purpose is to find God and then to follow God.
Psalm 139 gives us several things about God that will help us know what God's purpose is for us.
1) GOD KNOWS WHO I REALLY AM. V 1-4.
It is said that reputation is what others think about you and character is what God knows you are. He sees us and knows all about our movements and even our thoughts. He knows the words we speak. The Bible says we will give an account of every idle word.
2) GOD IS NEAR US V. 5-12
Adrian Rogers says there are no atheists in hell, they have found out that what God said in the Bible was true. There is no place where you can escape the knowledge and presence of God... not even in hell. Death does not hide you from God and his love for you. Distance does not hide you from God. Romans 8:38-39. Darkness cannot hide you from God. (He has night vision).
3) GOD HAS A WONDERFUL PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE V.13-16
If only the abortionist would read these scriptures... Before I was born, God knew me. He knew me in my mother's womb. I was made in secret. Though there were yet no members of my body, God saw me. Look at a letter "O" on your paper. Science says, there are 40,000 cells inside the "O". In each of the 40,000 cells, there are 200,000 million molecules. In each minute, 3 million cells die and are being replaced. God knows more about us than we know about ourselves. And "The One who knows you best, loves you most."
4) GOD REMEMBERS US V.17-18 I am overwhelmed that God is always thinking about me. He is always thinking of us. If God had a refrigerator, our pictures would be on it. God knows everyone who is alive today or has ever lived. Although there are too many to count... more than the grains of sand on all the beaches in the world... God knows each one of us and he is with us wherever we are and whatever we are doing.
5) GOD JUDGES V19-20
God's enemies hate him and speak evil against him. The Psalmist said he hates them that hate God! Even today, Satan's army would love to destroy every evidence of God and his people. But God will slay the wicked. The unrepentant and evil people God will judge and we don't want to be around them on this earth.
Proverbs 6:16-19 reminds us that there are several things that God hates, that we too should hate too. While God hates the sin, he still loves the sinner, for he still loves you and me.
OUR PURPOSE THEN SHOULD BE TO LOVE HIM AND BE LOVED BY HIM. "Oh how he loves you and me!"
The word sin has practically disappeared from our modern language. We call it many things - a mistake, a fault, a shortcoming, breaking the law... we call it anything but sin. Sin is defined in the Bible in James 4:17 as knowing to do good and not doing it. It is disobeying the law of God. The book "Whatever Became of Sin?" written by Karl Menninger, a psychiatrist, believed that sin was the action of person who was mentally ill.
After the fall of the walls of Jericho, Joshua told them to stay away from the devoted things. All those things were to go into the treasury of the Temple. If you keep anything you will bring destruction upon yourself and our people. Achan found some gold, silver and a beautiful garment, dug a hole and covered them with his mat and sat on it.. The next battle was against AI a small place where the battle should have been easily won, but they were defeated. God told Joshua there is sin in the camp! The next day they were to consecrate themselves a come and stand before
The 61st Psalm is called the "Penitential Psalm" probably written after David's adulterous sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. Eventually the prophet Nathan confronted David with his sin and David was repentant and confessed his sin. His confession was good.
There are others in the Bible who said "I have sinned" and their confession was not accepted by God.
1) Pharoah - Exodus 9:27 - made a horrified confession because he was terrified. God sent hail as fiery brimstones to try to convince Pharoah to let the children of Israel go. The crops had been destroyed and Pharoah said to Moses and Aaron "I have sinned. The Lord is right." His confession lasted only 7 verses. In 9:34-35 Pharoah sinned again and his heart was hardened and he refused to let the people go. It is said that "Repentance that is born in a storm, dies in the calm." Have you ever made a promise to God and broken it?!
2) Balaam in Numbers 22:34, made a hypocritical confession. It was insincere and phony. King of Moab, Balak, was surrounded by the Israelites and wanted Balaam to come and get God to curse Israel and Balak would pay him. So God allowed Balaam to go with them but only do what God told him to do. So Balaam saddled his donkey and was on his way when God sent the Angel of the Lord to stand in the path, blocking the way. The donkey stopped and Balaam beat the donkey three times. God opened the eyes of Balaam to see the Angel. The Angel said if the donkey had not stopped you I would have slain you. Balaam confessed I have sinned, but his confession was not sincere. And Balaam went on to do what he had planned anyway.
3)1 Samuel 15:24 - Saul made a half-hearted confession. Samuel told Saul what God said... because of the evil they had done to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, that Saul was to destroy all the Amalekites because they were demon worshippers. God further said to destroy all the animals as well. Saul goes into battle and wins, but the enemy had great sheep and horses so Saul spares them. When Samuel met with Saul he said what is the bleating of sheep I hear? Saul said the soldiers did it. (the natural tendency when we sin is to find someone else to blame it on. Adam did it; Eve did it: pass the blame.) So Saul said I was afraid of the men so I gave in to them. We saved them to sacrifice to God. Samuel said "IT IS BETTER TO OBEY THAN TO SACRIFICE." Saul confesed half-heartedly "I have sinned. "We are inclined to rename the "sin" and call it an honest mistake, I messed up. Sometimes we are half-hearted in our confessions as well.
4) Joshua 7:20 - Achan confessed "I have sinned" and made a "Hemmed up" confession. After the fall of the walls of Jericho, Joshua told them to stay away from the devoted things. All those things were to go into the treasury of the Temple. If you keep anything you will bring destruction upon yourself and our people. Achan found some gold, silver and a beautiful garment, dug a hole and covered them with his mat and sat on it.. The next battle was against AI a small place where the battle should have been easily won, but they were defeated. God told Joshua there is sin in the camp! The next day they were to consecrate themselves and stand before Joshua. Tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family. So Joshua comes to Achan and tells him what he had done. V.20 Achan admits I have sinned. Philippians 2 tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue confess. For some it will be too late.
5) David in Psalm 51 - he confession was good because it was personal... he made no excuses. It was precise. He confessed what his sin was and knew that ultimately his sin was against God. His confession led to his testimony before the people and his joy was restored.
The Old Gospel Song says it well "Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right."
Proverbs 28:13 - Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
There is a song that commemorates a great victory. in 1814 Washington was burned by the British. Then the British set their sights on Baltimore. Ft McHenry guarded Baltimore, so if the fort fell, the city of Baltimore would fall. An American lawyer, Francis Scott Key was permitted to board a ship before the battle began. So at sunrise on September 13, the British began bombardment of Ft McHenry and continued all night long (25 hours). When the bombs burst, they lit up the sky with each burst. He watched wondering if the fort had survived. Early on the morning of the 15th of September, 1814, he saw the 42 foot American Flag with the 15 stars and 15 stripes being raised over the fort and he was inspired to write the words to the Star-Spangled Banner, commemorating the great victory. In 1931, Congress passed a resolution that made it officially the national Anthem of The United States and President Herbert Hoover signed it into law.
Psalm 46 is such a commemorative hymn of a great victory of God over the enemy Assyrian army of King Sennacherib. He had built a great kingdom by conquering other peoples. Samaria and the northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen because of their disobedience to the LORD. He was wanting to take the southern kingdom of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. We find the story in 2 Kings 17-19. It was 701 BCE and Hezekiah was king in Judah and he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD. He was counseled by Jeremiah and Micah and reestablished sole worship of Yahweh in the Temple. The king of Assyria sent a message of fear to Hezekiah saying he would be surrounded with the Assyrian army and he should make peace and surrender, that his God could not save him against such overwhelming numbers of soldiers. (2 Kings 18, nearly 200,000). Hezekiah remembered the words of the prophet Isaiah, "God says I will take care of you." So Hezekiah went into the house of the LORD, covered himself with sackcloth and ashes and spread the letter from the king of Assyria on the floor before the LORD and prayed, "God, you alone are almighty. Save us from the hand of this evil one and may all people know that you alone are LORD. God heard and answered his prayer. That night the angel of the LORD went out and smote 185,000 Assyrians. When they arose in the morning and saw all the dead corpses, Sennacherib and what was left of his army went home to Ninevah.
Psalm 46 is a song of a great victory... of deliverance from troubles.
It is a hymn with three stanzas. 1) God is our Refuge - V. 1-3; 2) There is a Great River - V. 4-7; 3) There is a great Rescue - v. 8-11.
1) God is our Refuge - when trouble comes to us. A refuge is a place of protection (the walls of the city were the protection for the people in Jerusalem.) Notice God IS our refuge, present tense, he IS our refuge. Where is your refuge? Deuteronomy 33:27 The LORD is our refuge. In spite of the destruction, our refuge is personal. God is everywhere.
2) God is our River - The city had to have water to survive and the Kidron river flowed beside Jerusalem. Hezekiah was very wise. He had a long underground tunnel built to provide the water necessary for Jerusalem - a hidden endless supply of water. Where is your river? John 7:37-38 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." The refreshing power of the Holy Spirit is ever with us. We are strengthened by his presence Philippians 4:13.
2) Remember the Rescue - V.8-11 - Where is your rescue? 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
God stopped the enemy. Be still... cease striving... let God do his part. He rescues us from temptations and always provides a way of escape. We are to obey God rather than men.