Christmas Newsletter 2005

December 2005

Greetings from the Stephens household, still in Livonia, Michigan!!

We pray that God has blessed you and your families this year with everything needed for life and health. The Stephens family is growing and changing and God continues to guide us every step of the way.

We’re trying something a little new for us this year, and including some pictures of momentous happenings for us. We hope you enjoy this small update.

We passed several milestones in 2005. The first was becoming grandparents to Michaela Grace Marcum on April 30. And the second was becoming empty nesters in August after we left Matthew at Abilene Christian University. We are enjoying both new stages of our lives and continue to count the many ways that God leads us through them. 2006 promises to be just as exciting as we are expecting grandchild #2 in March, this time from Laura and Rusty in Hitachi, Japan. We plan to be there for that little one’s arrival.

Our ministries here at the Livonia Church continue to challenge us and confirm that this is where God wants to use us for the time being. Larry has agreed to be an adjunct professor at Rochester College next semester, teaching a master’s level class on congregational studies. He’s looking forward to that as well as his pulpit and teaching duties and continuing to work on his dissertation for his Doctor of Ministry degree.

2006 will challenge our faith as we send Julie, Josh and Michaela off to the mission field in Cochabamba, Bolivia in January. Their first furlough is planned for 2008. Now we will experience first hand what we did to our own parents when we kept their grandchildren in Africa for so long.

We hope you enjoy the pictures. There are more pictures in earlier blogs. God’s blessings on each and every one of you in 2006.

Thank you for your friendship and partnership in the gospel.

With love,
Larry and Diane

The Way of Thanksgiving

The Way of Thanksgiving
Philippians 4:4-7
It is amazing that we are coming close to the end of another year. The leaves are down, the Christmas decorations are going up, and we come to Thanksgiving Day, a unique day where we celebrate God’s goodness toward us. It is one of my favorite times of the year. But 2005 has been a tough year.

I. It’s tough giving thanks.
When we start thinking about 2005 there is a lot that makes it hard to be thankful. We started the year off with the tsunami in Southeast Asia that killed so many people. We have had terrorist attacks, people dying in conflicts, and then the hurricanes that caused so much havoc in this country. When we look at Michigan it seems that tough times abound for many people. Some of our number had to find new jobs this year. Some have been successful and others have not. Some families have faced illness; injury and even the loss of loved ones. Some workers have had to take pay cuts to keep their jobs and many people are worried about the economy and where it is going.

I have learned to limit my news intake just because of the unrelenting negativity of the news we receive. I heard an idea floated for a new news service, BNN, the Breaking News Network, with the logo “All disaster, all the time.” I don’t think our age or our world is worse than those of the past, it is just that we know more about what is going on and as a result people worry and are consumed with anxiety. The result is that people sometimes have difficulty in being thankful to God. After all we tend to blame God for many of the bad things that happen.

Of course the good in the world we take credit for. One study showed,
The Percentage of senior corporate executives with a high net worth (defined as having a net worth of $1 million or more, not including primary residence) who credit their current financial status to
Hard Work — 99Intelligence and good sense — 97Higher-than-average I.Q. — 83Being the best in every situation — 62Luck — 32[1]
No mention of God in the list. We might think that such thinking just applies to rich executives but too often we fall into that kind of thinking.

Too often our thanksgiving can take on the tint of thanksgiving seen in Luke 18:11-12, “The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'” Jesus didn’t include a traditional part of the prayer thanking God that he wasn’t a woman but you get the idea. I’m glad I am an American and that I live in this land but my thankfulness is not based on that or on how prosperous I feel at the end of the year.

II. Paul and Thanksgiving
That is why Paul is so amazing as he writes these words in Philippians. He is in jail, under house arrest at the very least. He has no monitoring collar but instead is chained to a Roman soldier. It must have been difficult for someone who had been constantly on the move for the Lord. And yet joy is the theme of Philippians. There seems to be plenty of indication that joy was one factor that attracted non-Christians to Jesus. Joy as an evangelistic strategy in seen in the start of the church in Philippi. Paul and Silas were in prison and singing praises to God while recovering from beatings and in chains. Is it any wonder that the jailer asks how he can share in the joy, Acts 16:16-40. While it is not mentioned often I believe that the faith of early Christians was very winsome in the face of the spiritual darkness that most people lived in. How could those early Christians be so joyful, so thankful in the midst of such suffering and oppression? How can we find that kind of heart in the midst of our trials and a dark world that needs our joy?

III. Becoming Thankful
I believe that it takes more than just counting up our blessings. We need to do that but we need something more. One thing we need to do is to reclaim eternity. Hurriedness is one of the great curses of modern life. You may have plenty of money, a comfortable house, a wonderful family but you probably don’t have enough time. We rush to get everything done on our “to do” list and we feel constantly under pressure. In fact when we come to times where the pressure is off for a minute we collapse; it is almost like the pressure keeps us going and without it nothing is there. It is much like the inflatables we see in people’s yards, monstrous in size one day and flat on the ground the next. I can understand people in the world being like that but Christians are to have a different perspective.

It is the perspective of eternity that Jesus came to give his people. Jesus wants us to live our lives in light of eternity, not the constant present. This is not an easy thing to do. The world, through media and other ways is constantly telling us to rush. One thing that helps me is what I call the 100-year question, “Will this make a difference 100 years from now?” In one sense this is impossible to predict, who will even remember our names 100 years from now? But who knows what a word of encouragement will do in the life of a child? Or what sharing your faith will do in the direction a person will take? A view of time from eternity may help us to quit stressing and hurrying over things that are really insignificant. When we realize we do have time, we can do things that make a difference.

Paul had the perspective of eternity. He wrote the following words several years before he wrote Philippians,
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal,” 2 Cor 4:16-18.
When we have this view of life suddenly all the things that distract and weigh us down seem less intense, less threatening. Paul’s words, “Do not be anxious,” seem like a natural consequence of such thinking. Thanksgiving then focuses on what God is doing, our true blessings in the midst of trials, troubles, sickness, and loss because those things don’t amount to much viewed from eternity.

True thanksgiving leads to peace, the peace of God. Do you think God worries? I think God hurts and suffers with his creation, but worry? I don’t think so. So let’s celebrate Thanksgiving and let God’s peace reign in us.

Livonia Church of Christ: November 20, 2005
[1] 2000 Phoenix Wealth Management Survey; USA Today "Snapshots" (11-13-00), B1

The Spirit Who is in Us

The God We Worship:
The Spirit Who is in Us
Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:26-27

What makes a person a Christian? We could answer, “Faith,” or “Faith and obedience,” or, well there could be a lot of answers along that line. But I think if you were talking to Paul he would have pointed to the presence of the Spirit in the life of a believer,
“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink,” 1 Cor 12:13.

I. The Promise
The promise that Jesus made to his disciples was that he would send the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, John 14:16-17. I don’t think the disciples at that point had a clue about what Jesus was talking about or what it would mean. When the day of Pentecost finally arrived and they experienced the coming of the Spirit they understood that as long as the Spirit is present so is Jesus. The Spirit becomes a part of the proclamation of the gospel, “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,’” Acts 2:38. In the churches of Christ we have often put the emphasis on “baptism for the remission of sins,” but we would have done better to give equal emphasis to “the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

What a difference the Holy Spirit made for those early Christians. He provided them matchless courage to stand and proclaim Jesus as Messiah and Lord. He gave them the grace to forgive their murderers just like Jesus. The Spirit was constantly teaching, guiding, and empowering the church to fulfill the mission that Jesus gave his followers.

II. The Spirit’s Mission
The work of the Spirit is varied just as Jesus’ mission in the world had many aspects. The Spirit is to “convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment,” John 16:8. Jesus told his disciples that the Spirit “will guide you into all truth,” John 16:13. The Spirit works through the written word and through the Christian community as well as in ways we may not perceive or understand.

As Christians we need the Spirit. We cannot understand what God is doing in our lives and the life of the world, 1 Cor. 2:12. We could not understand spiritual things except by the empowering and enlightening work of the Spirit in us.

The Spirit helps us in ways we do not understand. We receive gifts from the Spirit that allow us to serve and build up the body of Christ, 1 Cor. 12:7-11. The Spirit also assists us when we pray. I don’t know how this works but I am so thankful that at the worst or the best moments of my life when I am overwhelmed and do not know what to pray or how to pray, the Spirit is there to speak to God just what needs to be said, Rom 8:26-27.

The Spirit also produces in us the character of God, the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22-23. And yet the Spirit doesn’t take over, possess us in some demonic sense, but instead the Spirit works with us. God does not violate our will, our ability to choose and decide. The Spirit of God does not make us less human but instead frees us to become human beings God created us to be.

III. Grieving the Spirit
The Spirit’s presence in us makes change possible but that doesn’t mean it is easy. Each day we must choose whether we will listen to the Spirit, whether we will follow God’s gentle leading. We can resist the Spirit; we can grieve the Spirit.

It is fairly easy to see how we resist the Spirit. Stephen as he stood before the Jewish counsel said, “You always resist the Holy Spirit!” Acts 7:51. They resisted basically by not listening to God’s messengers, the Prophets. How many prophets did God send to his people? He sent many more that those whose prophecies were recorded and preserved. How many sermons have you heard? How many Bible classes have you attended? Possibly a better question is how many have you skipped or sat through without really paying attention? We can be quite critical of the Israelites but I wonder how we would stand under a similar criteria.
Paul writes about grieving the Holy Spirit. One grief that the Spirit must feel is disappointment and sorrow when we fail to grow. In Ephesians 4:29-32 grieving the Holy Spirit is put in the context of actions. Almost all of those actions concern how we treat one another. The unwholesome talk that Paul writes of is not cursing but words that tear down instead of encourage and build up. When we destroy the hearts of people because they don’t measure up to our standards then we grieve the Holy Spirit.

We live in a world where anger and rage seems to be a pandemic worse than any bird flu threatening our world. It is one thing to see these things in the world; it is another to see them among God’s people. When anger, rage, malice and bitterness rule in God’s people then the Holy Spirit is grieved, the Holy Spirit is resisted. Jesus walked a different path and the Spirit will lead us in that path when we quit resisting him.

It is not possible to be God’s people without God’s Holy Spirit living in us. I believe that each of us as individuals and as a congregation needs to look at our hearts and lives. Am I resisting the Spirit by not forgiving my brother or sister of something they have done against me? Does anger rather than the fruit of the Spirit characterize my life? Are we truly in step with the Spirit of God? Paul had a warning for a church that was struggling to walk the walk. He wrote,
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Gal 6:7-8
What are we sowing? What will we reap?

Livonia Church of Christ: November 13, 2005

The Great Lakes Christian College Lectureship

The last two sermons in my series on "The God We Worship" were delayed in being posted because Diane and I attended the GLCC lectureship in Beamsville, Ontario. This was my first time to visit that school and many years ago for Diane who visited the school when she was in high school. Diane's parents, Dean and Ruth Clutter, went with us as saw many people they had known from their work in Ottawa. I was able to meet many wonderful Canadian Christians who warmly welcomed us.

Diane and I both taught classes on "Raising Children in a Pagan Culture." I also delivered one of the keynotes Tuesday evening. The lectureship was of high quality and we were very blessed by attending and being a part of the program.

Diane and I stayed with Art and Ruby Ford. Art is the current president of GLCC and it was a real blessing to get to know Art and Ruby. They are former missionaries from Papua New Guinea. There were many parallels between their mission experience and ours in Kenya. Their son, Craig, and his wife, Jerri, and child are also getting ready to leave on a mission as is our daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild. Like us, they are proud of their children as they dedicate themselves to God's mission. God is good and blesses the faithfulness of His people.

The God We Worship: The Holy Spirit of God

The God We Worship:
The Holy Spirit of God
John 15:26; 16:13-14

As we have gone through these lessons the past few weeks I have often been overwhelmed by the magnificence of God. God has done so much for us, shown us such incredible love that it is much like Paul said to the Athenians, “he (God) is not far from each one of us,” Acts 17:27. Today as we continue to look at God we want today to start looking at the person of God that we know the least about, the Holy Spirit.

I. The Unknown Spirit
Some people get nervous when we start talking about the Spirit. I’m not sure why this is. Certainly the abuses of some who have extreme views of the Spirit are part of the reason. But I believe it probably has more to do with the immediacy and unpredictability that the Spirit represents.

Jesus came and lived and died and was raised from the dead nearly two thousand years ago. Have you ever imagined what it was like to walk with Jesus as his disciples did? It is easy to imagine how wonderful it was to hear Jesus teach, to see Jesus work. But what comes through in the gospels is a bit different. The disciples were awed by Jesus but often confused, full of doubt about what they were hearing, troubled by the constant controversy that surrounded Jesus to the point they started carrying weapons. Jesus seemed to walk into danger without a thought for his own safety or the safety of his disciples. In a word, Jesus was unpredictable.
Of course God was like that in the Old Testament also. God was constantly doing things, using people that were overlooked, calling on people to do dangerous missions. I believe that if the God you pray to is safe and predictable then you are praying to a false God.

Jesus returned to the Father’s side and sent the Spirit and suddenly all kinds of wonderful, unpredictable things began to happen. People were healed, leaders were thrown in jail, the poor were fed, and Christians were killed for their faith. The Spirit delivered Peter from prison and certain death in Acts 12 and yet allowed James to die. The Spirit chose a murderer and persecutor of the church to be the lead missionary to the Gentiles. Life with the Spirit was never boring or predictable.

II. The Person of the Spirit
There is an attempt by some to depersonalize the Spirit, to simple make the Spirit an impersonal force. Such an idea would have been foreign to the early church. The Spirit’s coming was prophesied in the Old Testament and promised by Jesus after his ascension (Acts 1:8). The book of Acts, often called “Acts of the Apostles” could be better described as “Acts of the Holy Spirit.”

We see the Spirit actively directing God’s ministers. The Spirit filled those early believers and moved them to proclaim the gospel of Jesus for the first on Pentecost. Thousands believed and wanted not just forgiveness but the promised Holy Spirit. The Spirit directed Philip to meet the Ethiopian in the desert, Acts 8:26-29. This led not only to the baptism of the Ethiopian but the beginning of Christianity in Africa among its most powerful civilization. We see the Spirit acting on Peter, directing him to go to the home of a Gentile, Cornelius, thus opening the gospel to the non-Jew, Acts 10:9-20. The Spirit spoke and appointed Barnabas and Saul as the first missionaries to the non-Jew, Act 13:2.

When Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter about the amount of money they received from selling a parcel of land Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit. . . . You have not lied to men but to God," Acts 5:3-4. The Spirit acts, directs, speaks, and can be lied to, even if deception is not possible.

The Spirit was a personal presence with those early Christians. They looked to him for guidance and strength. The promise of the Holy Spirit was the fact that the Spirit would dwell in God’s people, John 14:16-17. Jesus departed this plane of existence but the Spirit would be sent, the Comforter or Counselor.

III. The Spirit of Revelation
Jesus speaks more about the Holy Spirit in the gospel of John. Jesus refers to the Spirit as Counselor. The word is unique to John’s writing and means intercessor or consoler. Part of the reason the Holy Spirit remains in the background and partially unknown is his purpose.
One purpose that Jesus mentions is that the Spirit is to testify concerning Jesus, John 15:26. The Spirit, “will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you, John 14:26. A primary way the Spirit is a witness about Jesus to us today is through the Scriptures that we study and teach. If you have been a Christian for very long you are aware of how powerful scripture can be. The Spirit is not just trying to teach us facts about Jesus but to show us how we should live in the light of Christ. God can use other means to teach and convict us. Every parent has had the experience of being convicted by a question from a child or a simple comment. Is that simply chance or has the Holy Spirit used a child to teach us? This is only one example. I believe the Holy Spirit is constantly trying to teach us, if we are paying attention.
The Spirit is the revealer. He points to Jesus and what Jesus has done. The Spirit spoke through the prophets in the Old Testament (1 Peter 1:19-21) pointing to the coming Messiah. The Spirit continued to speak in the New Testament again pointing to Jesus the Messiah and what he did. As Peter said we would do well to pay attention.

But the Spirit is more than a guide; the Spirit is a presence. The Spirit is just as much present and involved in our world as it was in Acts. The promise of Jesus is seen in John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” Just as Jesus was with the disciples as counselor the Spirit is with us. Like the disciples we are called to listen and follow. The way is unpredictable, it may be dangerous but it will never be boring.


Livonia Church of Christ: November 6, 2005

The God We Worship: The God Who is a Servant

The God We Worship:
God Who Is a Servant
Philippians 2:5-11

We live in a world that where “big” people make a big show. The stretch limo, the red carpet, the adoring fans are part and parcel of what it means to be a celebrity whether the person is a politician or an entertainer. That’s how important people act.

We have looked at Jesus and the incredible claims made about him and made by him. And yet to today we want to examine something about Jesus, the Word of God that runs so counter to our world and the way we think important people should act. We want to look at God who became a servant (Matthew 20:28).

I. God Becomes a Man
There are many profound passages in the New Testament about Jesus but none more important than this one in Philippians 2:5-11. Scholars think this was hymn that was sung by the early church to honor the sacrifice that Jesus made.

Jesus did not cling to equality with God. Most of us have had the experience of giving up something in order achieve some goal. I know several in our congregation have been in the Marines. It takes a sacrifice of personal freedom, comfort, and physical safety for a person to become a Marine. We also have a number of women in our church who are about to become mothers. They share their body with a new life for nine months and in the end give birth at some personal risk. Of course that is just the beginning of life change for the mother and the father. Many things in life are that way. We give up and we sacrifice in order to gain something.
Jesus did not cling to equality with God because there was something to be gained. What did Jesus give up to become human? Everything, he gave up power, glory and majesty. He gave up fellowship with God and was limited to what could be experienced through a human body like yours and mine. Jesus knew the cost of becoming human and paid that cost.

II. God Becomes a Servant
Even if Jesus had been born into the highest of royal families with every advantage of power and wealth it still would have been as becoming ‘nothing’ as the hymn states. Instead Jesus was born into the most humble of circumstances. But even more than becoming human he took the form of a servant. We sometimes sing a song, “Make me a servant, Lord make me like you.” Yet the word is not just that of servant but the word for slave.

Slavery was just as ugly an institution in Paul’s day as it is in ours. Lest we think that our world has done away with slavery there are an estimated 50,000 people in the United States who are trafficked as slaves each year. Such abuse is worse in Africa and Asia and as Christians we need to do what we can to oppose such human abuse.

But there is a different kind of slavery, a slavery that is accepted and done willingly. Many of us are involved in it; it’s called parenting. How many of you have changed a dirty diaper? Sat up all night with a sick child? Helped with homework? Most of you know what I am talking about. Are parents slaves of their children? Most of us would not put it that way but the reality is that we labor and sacrifice, sometimes in incredible ways for our children. Why do we do it? What motivates such sacrifice and devotion? It is love. Sometimes that love is abused, even rejected, but parents invariably keep on giving, keep on sacrificing. We hope that someday our children will appreciate what we have done for them and many times that happens.

Why did Jesus become a human being? Why did he become a servant of smelly fishermen, greedy tax collectors, doctors, lawyers, prostitutes, engineers, housewives, teachers, and on and on it could go? The answer is simple, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Jesus became a servant because he loved people, he loved the creation, and he had to become a slave to what he had made in order for us to become what God intended. We can speculate a lot about how God did this but we don’t have to speculate about why. We love our children and will do just about anything for them. God loved his creation and us even more.

Jesus followed a path of humility and obedience. He who had been equal with God had to pray, read the scriptures, struggle with temptation and take care of everyday human physical need. He bore what life offered with grace and thankfulness. He loved people, cared for their needs, and taught all of us how life should be lived.

III. Have This Mind
Paul understood what God was doing in Christ when he wrote, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,” Romans 8:29. We see this also in the words, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” Phil 2:5.

We talk about people who are “full of themselves.” It seems that we all are to some extent. But if we are to become what God desires then there must be an emptying that takes place. God does not ask anything of us that he has not already done for us. God desires that we become like Jesus for the sake of others.

Our service must be done in love with humility. Too often our service is self-serving, arising from ulterior motives rather than a desire for what is best for those we serve. It is not just what we do but our attitude as we do acts of service.

Becoming a servant like Jesus doesn’t mean we become a doormat for anyone who desires to use us. Parents who allow their children to treat them that way are poor parents. Our task is not only to serve but also to teach people how to live, just like Jesus.
This is why the words of Paul that precede this hymn are important for Christians to hear and follow,

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others,” Philippians 2:1-4.

God became a servant. In reality God has always been a servant of His creation desiring for it to become “very good” again as it was in Genesis 1. As Christians, God wants us to be part of the solution to this world’s problems, not in the way the world solves problems through power and force but through love, humility and service. This is the God we worship. This is what it means to be a follower and a worshipper of Jesus.

Livonia Church of Christ: October 30, 2005

The God We Worship: Jesus and "I AM"

The God We Worship:
Jesus and “I AM”
John 8:48-58

There are many different opinions about Jesus and who he was and is. Many would say he is a great religious and moral teacher. In his own day, many saw Jesus as a great prophet. The opinions are many and varied. But many of these opinions are not based on what Jesus claimed for himself, who Jesus understood himself to be.

I. God’s Name
To understand what Jesus said about himself we go back to an encounter between Moses and God. Moses was tending sheep and saw a bush on fire. Not that unusual except that the bush was not burned up. Moses met God at this bush. It is an interesting conversation as Moses tried to evade the mission God had chosen for him. Then Moses asked a question, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" Ex 3:13. God’s answer is the name that God gives himself, the name that Israel will know him by, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Ex 3:14. It is from these words that the personal name of God, Yahweh or Jehovah, came to be derived. God is “I AM”, the one who exists before time. It is this personal name of God by which Israel addressed God.

Israel considered this name so holy they would not pronounce it. Instead when they came to this word they learned to pronounce an entirely different word, usually the word for ‘Lord’ in Hebrew. As the Hebrew scripture was translated into other languages different principles were used. Some translations transliterated the word into the language and so in the ASV we read Jehovah in the OT text. Others translated the word with LORD in all capital letters. “I AM” was translated with a similar phrase. This was true in the Greek translation of Hebrew scripture called the Septuagint. It was this Greek translation of the Old Testament that was the Bible of the 1st century church. Many writers of our New Testament books quoted from this translation. The early church would have been familiar with the Greek “I AM” language that John uses in his gospel.

II. Jesus in John’s Gospel
John’s gospel is probably the last gospel to be written. He writes it about fifty years after Jesus’ ministry and resurrection. We don’t know if John had read any of the other gospel accounts but his gospel is so different from the other three that it seems unlikely. What John had done for the last fifty years was think about Jesus. John meditated on Jesus’ actions and his words and, by guidance of the Holy Spirit, gained a deeper insight into who Jesus is. As we saw last week as we looked briefly at John 1:1-18, John had come to understand that Jesus was the divine Word of God who had become flesh in the man Jesus.

Jesus got into trouble with the Jewish authorities because he identified himself closely with God. When Jesus was questioned about healing on the Sabbath he answered, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working," John 5:17. The response of the Jewish authorities is seen in the next verse, “For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God,” John 5:18. They recognized that Jesus was making claims that no prophet, priest or religious leader had ever made. It was blasphemy, unless it was true.
John recorded Jesus using this “I am” language in many ways. Jesus made seven statements such as “I am the bread of life” or “I am the vine”. But Jesus went even farther and used the “I AM” name for himself. One of the clearest instances is in John 8. I have always found this exchange interesting because it is with “Jews who had believed in him.” John 8:31. The conversation ends when these same Jews try to kill Jesus. The reason they try to kill him is found in this last exchange,
“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."
"You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"
"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
John 8:56-58
There is no doubt about what Jesus is saying. He is identifying himself with the “I AM” who spoke to Abraham, who spoke to Moses in the burning bush. As some author observed either Jesus was speaking the truth or he was the biggest egomaniac that has ever lived.

Why would anyone believe such a statement except that Jesus backed up what he said with actions? Again, Jesus is attacked when he said,
“I and the Father are one."
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." John 10:30-33
Here is the dilemma that John presents. Jesus is more than a prophet, more than a great teacher, he is the “I AM” who has become human. If he is not then what do we do about his miracles?

At Jesus’ arrest we see Jesus using this language to confront his opponents. We read,
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?"
"Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.
"I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
John 18:4-6
Every English translation I know of inserts “he” with the “I AM” of the original Greek. Of course why would they fall back at such a simple statement? Why would John repeat it for emphasis?

Later while the Jewish authorities are questioning Jesus we read this account in Mark,
Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." Mark 14:61-62
Jesus is condemned for blasphemy but it is only blasphemy if it is not true.

The identity of Jesus is at the heart of Christianity. It is what gets us in trouble because the claims of Jesus are outrageous, unless they are true. I want to close with another outrageous statement of Jesus. Jesus again is in a discussion with his opponents and he said,
"You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins." John 8:23-24. The translator added words in the parentheses. I am not a Greek scholar so I’m not going to argue with them but I think Jesus is saying something more. His words are, “if you do not believe that I am you will indeed die in your sins.” We believe that Jesus is more than a prophet, more than a great religious teacher. Jesus is “I AM”.

Livonia Church of Christ: October 23, 2005

The God We Worship: The Son Who is God

The God We Worship:
The Son Who is God
John 1:1-18

It is mind stretching to think about God. As we looked at God the Father last week something became obvious, you cannot talk about the Father without talking about the Son. We would not know about the Father without the revelation brought by the Son. Today we want to begin looking at the Son.
I. The Word
Christianity revolves around Jesus and who he is. There is no simple answer and we shouldn’t expect one, we are after all looking at God and who he is and what he has done. The answer depends as much on faith as it does on understanding.

John gives us a picture of Jesus. In language that obviously reflects Genesis 1:1 we read about the Word. Who and what is this Word that John is writing about? He tells us the Word is God and even more the Word is with God. How can this be? There is no claim here that there are two gods but there are two persons who are one God. The Word is the source of creation. The Word is life and the Word is light.

Are you confused? Don’t feel bad because it is confusing. How can this be? Why is this being revealed to us? When we are confronted with mysteries like this we tend to throw up our hands in frustration. I hope you won’t do that because there is an important reason God reveals this to us. It is found in verse 14.

II. The Word Became Flesh
John writes, “The Word became flesh.” I suppose it would not be necessary for us to know about the Son or the Father if it weren’t for this. God must have known how confusing this would be for us with our limited knowledge and perspective and yet we need to come to grips with this amazing knowledge. The Word that was with God and is God became a human being and lived among us.

Every December much of the world celebrates Christmas though few seem to recognize why the birth of Jesus is so significant. God, the maker of heaven and earth became a man, was born as a small, helpless infant. How could even God accomplish such a thing? Paul writes later that Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing”, (Philippians 2:6-7). The concept here is that Jesus emptied himself in order to become a human being. This was not a coerced action but the Son chose to take the role of redeemer and submit himself to the Father.

What would it take for you to become someone other than who you are? I thought about this as a missionary and tried to enter into another culture and understand it. If I were to become a Luo I would have to change my parents and that would change my skin color. I would have to give up being an American. I would have to give up most of my education, how to drive a car. I wouldn’t be married to Diane. I would gain some things in return but life would be very different.

What did Jesus give up to become a human being? He gave up equality with the Father for a start and we can go on from there. We can only imagine and then realize it is probably beyond our imagination. Scripture says that he was “made a little lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:7); he became a human.

There is a critical truth in trying to understand the relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit. It is this, “Difference in function does not indicate inferiority of nature.”[1] The Son is not the Father but the divine nature is one. The fact that Jesus became human and took a position of submission to the Father does not mean inferiority in his nature.

The analogy of us as humans gives us a glimpse into this. When God created human beings scripture says that God created them male and female (Genesis 1:27). Men and women have different functions. Many times those functions are culturally defined but they are also defined by biology; we have different functions but male and female are equally human. Even though culture has often given greater value to men we know as Christians that before God there is no difference as Paul wrote in Gal. 3:28. Difference in function does not mean inferiority in nature.

When Jesus became a human being he gave up equality with God but he did not give up his nature, he is still God. It is this incredible fact that John communicates in his gospel. All the gospels are revelation of the man Jesus as he goes through the world and the dawning awareness of those who know him that he is not only man but also God. This awareness is revealed in the confession of Thomas in John 20. Thomas had seen the miracles. He had heard his teaching. He had seen his death. Now he is confronted with the resurrected Christ and he cries out, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:28.

III. The One and Only
John uses a particular word in referring to the Son. In older translations it is translated “only begotten” but in the translation I use it is translated “One and Only”. This is probably a better translation of this word. It carries with it the idea of uniqueness. If you remember my first lesson in this series we talked about this very quality of God. It is no surprise that John uses such a word to describe the Son who is God. It is this unique “one and only” Son who came from the Father “full of grace and truth.” The Son can reveal the Father because he has existed at the Father’s side and knows the Father. It is this “One and Only” Son that the Father has given to the world as a gift to save the world because the Father loves the world.

What a marvel this is. The Word became flesh for us because of the love of the Father. These few verses of John are heavy with meaning and we can barely scratch the surface in this lesson. I want to close with John’s words in John 1:12-13, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” To those who receive the Son, believe in the Son, God grants that we can become children of God. We are all God’s creation but we are not all His children. That right belongs to those who receive the Son.
John, later in one of his letters, writes these words for us, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life,” 1 John 5:11-12. We struggle to understand and yet in the end what is important is to believe what God has said. That is the way of the life that God desires us to share with Him.

Livonia Church of Christ: October 16, 2005

[1] James R. White, The Forgotten Trinity, Bethany House Publishers: Minneapolis, 1998, 66.

The God We Worship: The Father

The God We Worship: The Father
John 1:18; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; John 14:23

Introduction: Over the past couple of Sundays we have looked at, what I believe are some challenging concepts. You may have been stretched by thinking about our God as one above and beyond time and space. I have been stretched trying to preach about those things. But in a sense these have just been a warm-up for entering into the heart of the mystery we call God.

I. Learning About the Father
At the heart of the mystery are three persons that scripture calls the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. We begin today by looking at some of what scripture tells us about the Father. Because of the association of fathers with authority it is not surprising that we call God “Father”. Yet this has not always been the case. In the Old Testament you find God referred to as creator, king, mighty warrior, and other powerful descriptive words but few references to God as Father. When God is referred to as “Father” in the Older Testament he is seen as father of the nation or the people of Israel but the idea of God as “my” father is not developed.

This changes dramatically when we come to the New Testament. The books of the New Testament began to be written about 20 years or so after the resurrection. In those letters we find Christians referring to “God the Father” in a way that shows a great shift in understanding who God is. Jesus taught many things but nothing more radical than God as the Father, not just of himself, but all who faithfully follow Jesus.

The only way Christians know God as Father is because Jesus revealed it to us. John wrote, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known,” John 1:18. Jesus’ coming into the world had many facets but John tells us that one primary purpose was to reveal the Father to us so we could know him.
In the past couple of weeks we have looked at some rather dense concepts about God, his uniqueness and the invisible God who is beyond time and space. While these things are true about God, he is more than these things. Jesus came to show us God who is our creator but also who wants to be our Father.

It is the task of the Son to reveal the Father to us. We will begin to look at the Son more closely next week but today we want to see a small part of what the Son has revealed about the Father.

II. The Father Who Loves
Early in the gospel of John we read one of the great verses in all of scripture, John 3:16; "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus wants us to know that the Father is the one who gave and sent His Son to save the world. Love in the heart of the Father is the motivation that drives divine action. There are so many scriptures that point to divine love, demonstrated in Jesus coming into the world, Rm. 5:8. The Father sends, empowers and glorifies Jesus as His Son who has come into the world to save us, rebellious humankind.

As Christians, followers of Jesus, we focus our attention on Jesus. He is the one who came, who died for us, the one who explains the Father to us. But it is the Father who sends, the Father who appoints, the Father who raises the Son from the dead, and gives authority to the Son, Eph. 1:18-22.

In fact it is difficult to talk about the Father without talking about the Son also. The relationship is so intimate and complex. We know a bit about relationships like that. We see married couples that have been together many years like Hayward and Sandra Burton. Couples learn that it is always wise to communicate but if I talk to Sandra and she says, “Yes, we will do that.” I know she speaks not just for herself but also for Hayward. When we think of the Burtons we think of both of them. Even when we think of one we know the other is there, part of what is going on. They can do this because of their marriage of over fifty years. Now imagine the Father and Son who exist together in perfect harmony and unity from eternity. God loves the world and gives his Son but just a bit later in this passage we read, “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands,” John 3:35. Again, in John 5:20 Jesus says, “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.”

One of the key beliefs that we have about God’s nature and character is that God is love. The thing about love is that for it to exist there must be an object of love. We hear a lot about “self” love and I think I know what is often meant by the term but “self” love in the end is narcissism. This is from the Greek legend of Narcissus who wastes away and dies because he is so enraptured by his own reflection in a pond. God is love because there is Father, Son, and Spirit existing together in love and harmony. God could not be love otherwise. The wonder, the mystery is that God created us and has invited us to enter in and participate in his love. Jesus expresses this in the plainest terms in John 14:20-23,

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?" Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

The context of Jesus’ statement is that of the new commandment given just a few moments before, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another,” John 13:34. It is our obedience to this command that makes our hearts a fit home for the Father, Son, and Spirit. Is there any mystery greater than this?

I hope that all of us can enter deeper into the heart of God. I want to close with a prayer for you and me. It is Paul’s prayer but one that speaks to our desire.
I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
May we, by God’s grace, enter into the fullness of His love.

Livonia Church of Christ: October 9, 2005

Sermon for October 2, 2005

The God We Worship: “God is spirit.”
John. 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:17
Introduction: God is such a mystery to us. True mysteries are difficult to understand and it is hard to gain more than a certain level of knowledge. We speak of the mystery of the universe. In pop culture I think “The X Files” represents that sense of mystery that is never really resolved.
In a sense that mood of mystery is conveyed by the words chosen to describe God in scripture. It is not surprising that people in biblical times, both in Hebrew and Greek, used the terms for “breath” or “wind” to describe spirit. We cannot see the wind but we can see the effects of wind. Wind can be refreshing and life giving. It can also be one of the most destructive forces of nature. It is no wonder that these words are used to describe God who is invisible and yet has a profound impact on our physical world.
I. The Invisible God
One obvious thing about saying God is spirit is that He cannot be perceived with our senses. This is a great problem for people with a materialistic mind set. God is not physical as we are. As created beings we exist in a world of sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. We have a soul created in God’s image. We are like God but he is not like us.
There are basically two ways we can learn about this invisible God. We can observe how God works and impacts our natural world. Paul makes this point in Romans saying that something of God can be learned from creation, his eternal power and divine nature, Rom. 1:20. There has always been evidence in nature pointing to God but people must look for it, be willing to see it. But even so, what we can learn of God is limited.
The second way we learn about this invisible God is by his revealing himself to us; that is by revelation. The different ways God has revealed himself to us is varied. He has spoken to people in dreams and visions. He has sent messengers both human and angelic. He has spoken in thunder and in whispers. The revelation of scripture is all about God revealing himself to humanity.
The great thing about this is God wants us to know him. God has gone to unbelievable lengths to reveal himself in ways we can perceive. Yet to find God, to know God, requires that we seek him, that we desire to know him. Some of us have studied different areas of learning. If a person studies biology they can learn some superficial things fairly easily. But many things require hard work to learn, meticulous research and observation. Every discipline of learning is that way. How much more true it is for learning about God. Jeremiah put it this way, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart,” Jer. 29:13.
II. God Transcends Space
The fact that God is spirit has other implications. When we talk about creation we often think in material terms but it goes further than that. God created the space in which our universe exists and, as spirit, is present in every place. This is another of those areas we have difficulty imagining. After all we can only be in one place at a time. You may have seen that silly commercial about the man who clones himself so that he can do everything he wants. It proves a bit confusing and frightening to his wife. Again, we don’t have the words or the ability to understand how this takes place but the more we delve into these lessons the more we will realize that much of God is mystery to us.
To the psalmist this aspect of God was a great comfort:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
Ps 139:7-10
God’s presence is a constant no matter where we are or the terribleness of the circumstances. Jeremiah writes
“Can anyone hide in secret places
so that I cannot see him?"
declares the LORD.
"Do not I fill heaven and earth?"
declares the LORD.
Jer. 23:24
God is present because God is spirit.
In our privacy culture this aspect of God is troubling to some. He was there when David committed adultery. We cannot hide from God the evil that we do.
But for us as God’s people it is a fact of great comfort. No matter where we are, no matter how terrible the circumstance, God is with us. God was in the lion’s den, in the fiery furnace, at the bottom of the well, on a hill with three crosses. But he was also at the pit when Stephen was stoned to death and the chopping block when James was killed. God is with us also, no matter the circumstance.
III. God Transcends Time
Another aspect of the creation that God transcends is time. It is hard for us to imagine a place of “no time” and yet that is what eternity is, that is where God dwells. God is above and in time in ways that we struggle to comprehend. Some years back there was a popular romantic comedy called “Groundhog Day”. The main character lived the same day, Groundhog Day, February 2, over and over again. He reaches a point where he knows everything that will happen that day. He knows the people of the town and every like, dislike, and foible. This is nothing like what time is to God but it does give a sense of timelessness that may give us insight into God. How can God hear all the prayers that are offered to Him? How can he be concerned about the details of my life? To God, who is timeless from all eternity, time is no consideration or limit. The psalmist puts it this way,
For a thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night. Psalm 90:4
It is difficult, perhaps impossible for us to imagine a world without time and yet that is the place God exists and where we will exist in the future.
Time is such a precious commodity to us that we often feel time pressure. It is the source of much of our impatience in life. Then once in a while we come across someone and the phrase we use to describe him or her is, “They act like they have all the time in world.” God does have all the time in the world. He has time for us and our joys, sorrows, victories and defeats. I believe that one reason we have difficulty understanding God is just that, God has all time. That is frustrating for us because we want God to fit our time frame. The good side of this is that God has time for all of us. Faith is trusting God with time. The Hebrew writer concluded his chapter on faith with these words,
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Heb. 11:39-40
The promises of God are not bound by human time. God keeps his promises and we will witness every promise fulfilled in God’s timeless eternity.
Is it any wonder that we struggle with understanding God? As Isaiah wrote,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways ,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa. 55:8-9
This is why faith is so critical to our relationship with God, we must trust even when we don’t understand.
There is a difference between a mystery and a puzzle. Puzzles are solved and that’s the end. But a better understanding of a mystery doesn’t decrease the mystery and that is why knowing God is a lifetime journey. Let’s go as far as we can.

A New Sermon Series: The God We Worship

This is a new series I began September 25, 2005. I want to help the church to look at the mystery of God and to see more clearly who we worship and why. It is one of the most challenging series that I have prepared. I hope those of you reading find it helpful. God bless.
Larry

The God We Worship: “I am God, and there is none like me.“
Isaiah 46:9-10; 40:25-26

Introduction: In Kenya we lived just a few miles from the equator and one of the events that occurred several times in our years there were partial and even a full eclipse. These are rare events and people came from all over the world to witness it. One of things that they warn people about is looking directly at the sun during the eclipse; it can blind you completely in a very short time. In Exodus 33:18-20 Moses asks to see God but cannot and live. In a sense that is what we are going to try and do these next few weeks, look at God. We can’t do it directly but God has revealed himself in ways that we can perceive. That is what we want to try to do. It will be difficult because God is a difficult being for limited people like us to understand.
I. Why This Study?
Some of you may be thinking this sounds difficult and I confess that it is. This will not be easy material but it will be enriching. The more understanding we have of God and his character the more we will appreciate the God we worship. A lot of people have difficulty in believing in God. As one Bible professor who frequently had students come to talk to him about their doubts about God said, “Tell me about the God you don’t believe in. I probably don’t believe in him either.” Our misunderstanding of God is not inconsequential. If our view of God is off then our worship will be off because we will be worshipping a false “god.”
Another aspect of this is that the better we understand God the better we will understand ourselves. We are a people created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). As we understand God we understand what God’s goal is. It is his desire for us to become as his children. Such an understanding can be transformative.
It also helps to understand how we should interact with each other. The revelation of God that Jesus brought and the Holy Spirit continues to teach is that God is community, one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How we as people and as Christians are to treat and deal with one another is based on the relationship between Father, Son, and Spirit.
II. God is Unique
The text that was read this morning tells us something important about God, “I am God, and there is none like me.“ Isa.46:9. God is completely and totally unique. When something is unique it is unlikely anything else. Comparisons can be made but are always inadequate. Imagine for a moment you are talking to someone who has been blind all their life and they ask you, “What is ‘red’?” What would you say? This in a small way describes our difficulty in talking about God.
Language and culture is made up of shared experience and images. In most things it is easy to communicate but some are more difficult than others and this is true with God. God asks the question, "’To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One.” Isa 40:25. Words are inadequate to describe God and yet we try, God even uses our language to describe himself. Words like “Father” and “Son” bring images to our minds and yet even though the Bible uses these words they are limited. God is like a father in many ways and yet He is unlike any father we have ever known. Even the pronouns we use such as “he” imply certain gender connotations which are incorrect. While it is possible to go overboard with “politically correct” language we need to recognize the limitations of any language to describe our God who is totally unique.
The difficulty of describing God is seen in one of God’s early encounters with the man Moses in Ex. 3:13-14. Moses wants to know what God’s name is. The answer is, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" The words could also be translated, “I WIL BE WHAT I WILL BE.” This seems odd to us until we understand that “I AM” constitutes the name “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”. God is saying to Moses, “I exist, I am God.” God is not some local deity, some idol made of wood or stone. The burning bush where Moses encountered God should have been consumed by the fire but was not. God is unique, unlike anything Moses had encountered before.
III. What Does It Mean?
There are some real implications for us as people of God when we consider his uniqueness. Walking with the “I AM” of the Bible will always be an unpredictable adventure. We will never understand God. We will understand some things about God but even those things we think we know can, and often are, challenged by realities we face in life. Job found that out. This righteous, godly man who humbly obeyed God had his life turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Job challenged God to explain what had happened to him yet when God spoke it was not a defense, not an explanation, but an expanded version of “I AM WHAT I AM.” Job was overwhelmed by his encounter with God and could only say,
"I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
[You asked,] 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
["You said,] 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."
Job 42:2-6

Some people want a predictable God, a ‘safe’ God. If that is what you want then you are in the wrong place. Following this God is an adventure of a lifetime. Our God will bless us and let us suffer. He will call on us to do difficult, impossible things. He will lead us into dark places if we would follow him. He will take us in the midst of our most terrible failures and find ways redeem us and to use us for his purposes. In the words of C.S. Lewis, our God is not safe but he is good. God’s ‘good’ is not always safe or comfortable or easy or understandable.
We worship God because we have a relationship with him. To worship God in truth it is necessary to acknowledge God’s uniqueness, to stand in awe of God we cannot understand but desire to know. When we ‘see’ this God we, like Job, are struck silent. Our worship is like that of Paul who wrote,
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Rom 11:33-36

Livonia Church of Christ: September 25, 2005

Dan and Beverly Bell

This past Friday we had dinner with Dan and Bev Bell, coworkers of ours during the 1980's. We lived across the street from each other and had many experiences working for the Lord in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya. They have just moved back to the States after 20 years of service in Kenya. For the next several months they will be located in Flint, MI with the Bristol Road Church of Christ but they will be looking for a new place to serve the Lord here in the States. Through the years we have been blessed with great coworkers and Dan and Bev are in that group.

Michaela: a Beautiful Granddaugther

We stayed with Julie, Josh and Michaela in August in Brownwood, Texas. She is growing and changing as little ones do. Julie and Josh are preparing with their team to go to Cochabamba, Bolivia in January 2006 for a church planting effort. Those of you who know our family know how important piano is with Diane and all three children being very talented musicians. Michaela is getting an early start with her Nyanya (Diane).

Praying God's Will

Introduction: One of the challenges of parenting is when those cute little babies turn two. Sometimes it is referred to as the “terrible twos”. The reason it is such a challenge is that baby learns that it has a will and that will stands in opposition to the parents. This is the basic conflict of the teen years and it often comes down to a battle of wills.

I. The Uniquely Human Will
It is our human will in conjunction with our intelligence that makes each person unique. Sometimes our will is directed at our self. We talk about a person being self-willed in a negative sense. That person seems only interested in themselves and their needs. We all are like that sometimes, some most of the time. But self-will is not necessarily bad. We need to be concerned about our needs. A person who feeds others and yet starves to death would be considered foolish. Will allows us to say “no” to things that are not in our self-interest.
But will also allows us to defer our own needs for the sake of others. The needs of a child may cause us to choose those needs over our own. Much of the time our will is constrained by others and by circumstances but in the end we choose how we will respond.

It is will that in many ways makes us human, makes us different from the animals. Within the constraints of life we have choice. What will we choose? Much of the time we can predict what a person will choose in various circumstances. Wives and husbands do this all the time. “Does Larry want tea, water, or pop?” “Oh, I’m sure he will want water.” Then I come along and ask for pop. Diane is right most of the time about what I will choose but every now and then I surprise her. Human will makes us unpredictable.

Jesus had a human will. We see that will in conflict with the world around him. Just like us, people wanted him to be what they desired. Some wanted him to be a king. Others wanted a vending machine type messiah who would fill their physical needs. Jesus was a king but a king unlike any other king in history. Jesus did meet the needs of people but not the needs they wanted fulfilled.

II. The Will of God
Our will is part of the image of God. Like us God has a will, a purpose. As maker of heaven and earth God’s will cannot fail, it will be accomplished. God states this in Isa. 46:10. The will of the almighty God cannot be thwarted and yet we see things contrary to God’s will all around us. If God did not place limits on his will then we, and our world, would be nothing more than complex robots. There was a movie remade recently called “The Stepford Wives”. This was a community where wives were replaced with robot wives obedient and uncomplaining to their husband’s whims. There are some who probably think this would be an ideal situation but I think it would become very boring very quickly. God did create a world where things other than his will could be done, where human beings made in God’s image have will.

What is God’s will that will be accomplished? The goal that God is moving toward is redemption of all creation and in particular human beings. We often look at salvation as just involving people but scripture sees redemption in terms of the whole creation, Rom. 8:20-21.

But God has a specific goal for us as human beings. If you want to know what God’s will is for your life then it can be put in very simple terms, he wants you to be like his child Jesus. Paul put it simply in Romans 8:29. Our destiny is to be changed and become like Jesus. That is God’s will. God of course is not looking for clones; he is looking for obedient children. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray that “God’s will be done” he also prayed that in his prayer life. Being obedient to God’s will was a prime attitude in Jesus’ life. Even in his deepest crisis, as he faced death on a cross, he prayed, “Yet not as I will, but as you will”, Matt. 26:39.

III. Praying God’s Will
It seems that God’s will and the will of many human beings are in conflict and that may be why Jesus taught his disciples to pray “your will be done.” The conflict of wills is seen throughout the life of Jesus. People wanted Jesus to be something other than what God wanted Jesus to be. Many wanted a king, others a prophet, still others a miracle worker who would meet their needs. Peter stood in opposition to God’s will in Matt. 16:21-23.

We also struggle with God’s will and the will of those around us. People want us to be different things to them and God may want something else entirely. People often ask, “What is God’s will for my life?” I imagine we have all asked that question at some point or another. Most of us want to do God’s will, as long as it pretty much is what we want to do also. I differ from some people who seem to think God has one way he wants you to follow. I believe there are many things I could do that would serve God within his will. Some of those ways have greater blessing in them than others but all are in service to God. There may be times when there is a specific thing God desires me to do but most of the time I believe we have a range of choices that are within the will of God.

A better question to ask ourselves is, “Will this decision contribute or hinder my transformation into Jesus likeness?” One of the popular catch phrases for Christians is, “What would Jesus do?” But we may be better off asking, “What would Jesus be?” What would he be as a father or mother? What would Jesus be as a student? What would Jesus be as a business person? As an engineer? As a lawyer or doctor?

We do need to pray, “God, your will be done.” But even as we pray it we should be looking for the will of God. He will show us what he wants us to become, in fact he already has.


Livonia Church of Christ: August 21, 2005

Sermon for July 31, 2005

This is the last sermon I preached before we began traveling. I didn't preach at Livonia at all in August and that is the longest period I have been out of the pulpit in the past five years. I am looking forward preaching this coming Sunday.

Weak Prayer
Mark 9:14-29

Introduction: One thing that almost everyone does is to compare themselves to others. Certain people set a standard that everyone else is held up to. This past week Lance Armstrong set a new record of seven Tour de France victories; something that some say will never be equaled. Basketball players are compared to Michael Jordan. We do that spiritually also. Sometimes it is a measure of progress to become like someone. Other times it becomes a source of spiritual pride.
Last week we looked at an example of strong faith and answered prayer. But today’s lesson is about weak prayer, weak faith. I think I can relate more to the father in this lesson today than I can the centurion of last week.
I. Welcome to the Circus
The story is a picture of confusion. Jesus, Peter, James and John are coming down from the mountain where Jesus was changed and the disciples saw his true nature, his glory. They come upon a scene where a large crowd has gathered not to be taught, but because a show is going on. The other disciples have tried to heal this boy who has convulsions and have failed. They are arguing with the teachers of the law and it is probably not a pretty sight. Then Jesus arrives and things get more exciting. You can almost hear people shouting comments and questions at Jesus. The disciples have to speak loudly to be heard. And in the midst of this is a father with a sick child.
We can only imagine what it must have been like for the father. As a father he had to be constantly on guard to keep his child from hurting or even killing himself. The constant concern and worry would have been wearing and discouraging. He had brought his child to see Jesus and had met the disciples instead. He had come hoping against hope that his child could be made well. Parents love their children and suffer when their children suffer. We know this because many of us are parents and we understand even if our child has not been in this situation.
II. Jesus and a Father
In the midst of this circus Jesus encounters this troubled father whose hopes have been dashed again. Jesus asks a question, “What are you arguing with them about?” He asks this of his disciples but before they can answer this father interrupts with his problem and the disciples’ failure.
Jesus’ response conveys a sense of tired frustration. This is taking place at least two years into his ministry. The words, “unbelieving generation” is directed as much to the disciples as it is to the father and the crowd. The boy is brought to Jesus and is immediately attacked by the demon. The father cries out, “If you can do anything have pity on us and help us.” The words are filled with doubt, “If you can” are words that say this is probably beyond your ability but do what you can. After all any improvement would be welcome.
“If you can.” How different that is from the faith of the centurion we looked at last week. It says I don’t know if you are who you claim to be. I don’t know if you have the power to help me, but have mercy and do what you can.
Jesus answer, “Everything is possible for him who believes,” is met with a cry, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Most of us live here don’t we, the twilight zone between belief and unbelief. We struggle hoping that God will have mercy, that God will help us, help our child, and help our neighbor. We suffer, we worry, and we are burdened with anxiety because we don’t know what will happen. I believe, I want to believe but I am full of doubt and uncertainty.
This makes for weak prayer doesn’t it. In fact it is so weak we wonder why we bother because how can God hear such weak prayer as we have to offer? We don’t pray out of great faith but instead it is a faith that stumbles around in the dark bumping into things that make us cry out in pain.
III. The Answer
The end of the story is that the boy is healed. But the disciples are troubled. “Why couldn’t we cast out the demon?” Jesus answers, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Have you ever tried to pray in a circus? Have you ever tried to pray while you were arguing with someone? The disciples were trying to do the right thing but they lost their focus, they got distracted.
Jesus doesn’t pray in this story. We might say he prayed before. After all he was coming down from a period of retreat on a mountain. But still, where is the prayer that caused this demon to leave?
There is a prayer in this passage. It is hidden and a bit hard to see because it is a very weak prayer. The prayer is, “If you can anything, take pity on us and help us.” It is a prayer of desperation and weakness filled with doubt. It is offered in hopelessness not hope. Yet it is heard and it is answered.
We sometimes think that our prayers are answered when we get that faith battery charged up, when we can get the words right and the intensity up. But the truth is God can answer the weakest pray. God answers not because of our prayer, though I do believe we need to pray, need to ask in order to receive. He answers because he is God.
I don’t know why that little boy had to suffer the way he did. I don’t know why God answers some prayers almost instantaneously and others seem to take forever. But the answer doesn’t depend on us, or our faith, it depends on God.
Sometimes weak prayer is all we have to offer, it is all we are capable of. We need to offer that prayer because God hears. God isn’t limited by our doubts and fears. He does want us to believe, he will help us with our unbelief.


Livonia Church of Christ: July 31, 2005

Sermon for July 24,2005

I'm late posting this because of all our traveling. This is the second sermon of four on prayer.

Prayer and Faith
Luke 7:1-10

Introduction: When Diane, Matt and I went to Japan a few years ago one of the things that impressed me was all the vending machines. You could buy almost anything from a vending machine including beer. There were vending machines everywhere. The thing about vending machines is, you put money in and you get out something you want. If what we want doesn’t come out then we get angry. That results in several deaths a year in this country when people rock the vending machine to get something out. But what if vending machines were more like slot machines, you put money in and you may get something back once in a while. Would you use the machine?
I. The Problem of Faith and Prayer
In a crude way this is the problem many people see with prayer. You can’t rely on consistent results. Of course this attitude comes out of our western pragmatic view of how things “should” work. Or people may see prayer as a lottery game, if you play often enough you will win sometime. Is faith the golden coin of prayer, the thing that makes it work?
It is not hard to find people who think this way. There are all kinds of people who tell you a miracle is possible if you just have enough, or the right kind of faith. And if you don’t get the miracle then something is defective in your faith. People sometimes even use this miracle story to support such views. I think we will learn something different.
I will not be answering all the questions about faith and prayer in this lesson but I hope that what we read here can tell us something about prayer and about faith.
Today’s story is amazing in several ways. First, the healing takes place at a distance without Jesus ever seeing the sick person. This was unusual in Jesus’ day as it is in our day. Jesus hadn’t seen the person, evidently didn’t know the servant’s name but those things are not limits on God’s power.
But even more remarkable is the fact that the person petitioning Jesus is a Roman soldier, a Gentile. Luke’s gospel is constantly finding faith in unusual places with unusual people. I think Luke, being a Gentile himself, was attracted to those kinds of stories. It was, however, shocking to many Jewish people who thought they had a corner on faith and on God’s power.
II. The Faith of a Soldier
What is the faith of this soldier that Jesus thinks is ‘great’? One thing we learn is that the centurion had heard about Jesus. Every indication is that this man may have been a “God fearer”, a non-Jew who was coming to believe in the Israelite God. Where did he hear about Jesus? Since he had helped build the synagogue he may have gone there to pray and to hear scripture read. People were talking about this unusual rabbi and his amazing power and teaching. The centurion also asked others to intervene, to petition Jesus on his behalf. He felt unworthy to approach Jesus directly but his need was great.
But I believe his faith is seen best in his understanding of Jesus and his power and authority. He saw a parallel between his position and authority and that of Jesus. Jesus had already done many miracles in Capernaum. At Jesus’ word demons had been cast out of people, sicknesses had been healed, and paralyzed people had been made whole. The authority to command is what the centurion saw in Jesus. He has no doubt about Jesus’ ability to do what he asks. But he wasn’t certain what Jesus would do. Once Jesus agreed to help he knew there was no reason for Jesus to come physically, that Jesus’ word, his command, would be sufficient.
The centurion was a man under authority. What does that mean? He was used to giving commands and being obeyed. He was also used to receiving commands and obeying them. I imagine he understood what it was like to obey orders that he could not see a reason for. He knew what it was like to be petitioned by people around him. He had probably see it all: favors asked by friends and strangers, bribes offered, promises made, and on and on. The centurion seems like a good person, not corrupt or arrogant but he knew sometimes he could grant people’s requests and other times he couldn’t, because he was a person under authority. Now it was his turn to ask, to petition, and to see if his request would be granted.
Jesus was amazed. He was amazed at his understanding of the workings of a spiritual realm that his fellow Jews had difficulty grasping. He was amazed at his humility. He was amazed at his faith. He had not found this kind of faith in Israel, and remember his disciples were standing there also when he said this.
III. Prayer and Faith
We can observe several things about this story of prayer and faith. The centurion approached Jesus in an attitude of humility. As one of the most powerful men in that area we might almost expect an approach that was full of demands, pride and flaunting of position but we don’t see that. Such approaches and attitudes have little influence on those with true power.
The faith of the centurion was also one recognizing the conditional nature of prayer. He had no doubt that Jesus could heal his servant but the question was: would Jesus do so? He understood the possibility of a “no” to his request. This is hard for us to understand from where we stand. Why does God answer some requests and not others? Is there something wrong with me, with my faith? These are the wrong questions. The real question is, “Can I trust God even when the answer is not what I want?” Or an even a better question is, “Will I obey God no matter what happens in my life?” That takes a mature understanding of God and prayer, something the Centurion had, but most in Israel did not.
I wish I had an answer to prayer but maybe the answer is to see God as more than a heavenly vending machine. God, the creator of heaven and earth, is merciful and generous but we can’t manipulate him, we can’t control him, we can only trust him and obey him, Isa. 50:10.

On the Road

Today is the last day of August and it has been a month of travel. We left Livonia on August 5th and drove for two days to Brownwood, Texas where we stayed with our daughter Julie and her husband Josh and our first grandchild, Michaela. We had a fun time needless to say. We made quick trip to Lubbock to see my Aunt Dickie and her family. Then on August 13th we moved Matthew into the dorms at Abilene Christian University. He is now a student there and having a great time as of our last report. I think he will do well and he seems to be enjoying his classes so far. We got to see my cousin Tim Stephens as he entered his daughter, Kaila, in ACU. I hadn't seem Tim in years and years and Kaila since she was a baby.

On our trip home we went through Memphis and stayed with Evertt and Ilene Huffard. Our friendship is many years old and it is always a joy to be with them. We also got to seen Dr. Jack Lewis and Annie May while we were there. They had a profound influence on us while at Harding University Graduate School of Religion many years ago.

We made it back to Livonia on Friday the 19th but I had Sunday off as the Livonia Honduras mission team gave their report. We then left the following Wednesday for Portland, Oregon where I performed the wedding for my niece on Saturday the 27th. Diane and I were able to visit with my Mom, sister and brother as well as other relatives and friends. Dean and Karen Moyer hosted us and that was a lot of fun. Dean and I were in the same high school class and have stayed in contact over the years. Not only did they give us a place to stay but they loaned us a car to use while we were there. What a blessing that was!

We are home and broke but thankful for safety in all our travels and the chance to see so many people these past few weeks. God is good!

Simple Prayer: Luke 18:9-14

We are going to spend some time over the next several weeks studying about prayer. It is a paradox to me that prayer in one sense is so simple that a child can pray quite effectively and yet we adults frequently struggle with prayer. It is easy to feel guilty about prayer. No one feels like they pray enough. Our prayers often can seem self centered asking, asking, and asking God for all types of things.

It is not my desire to add to the guilt. I would like us to pray more, to pray more fruitfully but not as some act of self-control and self-will. I hope our understanding of prayer will increase as well as making prayer something more natural than something that is forced.

I. The Simplicity of Prayer
What is prayer? There are all kinds of definitions but today we begin with a simple one-- a definition defined in this short parable in Luke 18:9-14. The parable is simple, a comparison of two men’s prayers. One prayer is lengthy and seems to be reminding God about the man’s dedication and faithfulness. The other man’s prayer is short, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Most of us have never met a Pharisee or a tax collector, for that matter. Maybe we should modernize the parable a bit. “Two people went into the airport chapel to pray. One person was on the last leg of a mission trip. The other person wore a biker jacket, had a huge gut and smelled of beer and cigarettes. The first person prayed, ‘God, praise your name for that awesome mission trip. We were able to do so much good in your name, help so many people. We worked hard and I am tired but at least I haven’t wasted my life like some people. God bless me on this trip home, Amen.’ The other person prayed, ‘God, I blew it again. Please have mercy on me.’ Guess what? This person went home right before God and not the first.” How does that parable make you feel? Are you a little offended?

The parable is directed toward religious people and that should make us sit up and pay attention, after all we are religious people. I don’t know about you but it is hard not to feel better than some people. I like watching those police video shows. Livonia even gets on there once in a while. As I watch some moronic episode I think, “people are so stupid.” The implication being I’m not. Of course my stupidity has never been caught on videotape and shown to millions of people.

A story of two prayers-- one is heard and the other doesn’t make it to the ceiling. As we think about prayer today we need to try and understand what we can learn about prayer from this parable.

The definition I see here is, “Prayer is a human heart crying out to God.” It is a simple definition for a simple prayer. All of us have prayed prayers like this. It may have been about some sin in our lives. It may have been about a crisis of health, relationship, or loss. This is the prayer of desperation, the end-of-your-rope prayer. Why would God listen to this prayer and not the other? It seems wrong doesn’t it? When was the last time the tax collector prayed to God? Days? Months? Years? The other man may have been a Pharisee but he prayed often. He was serious about his faith. What’s wrong with this picture?

II. Learning from Simple Prayer
The main point Jesus is making in the parable has to do with pride and humility. But there are other lessons we can observe from this parable. Prayer doesn’t have to be long or elaborate to be heard by God. Children can pray some profound prayers, as those of us who are parents know. Even though we know this, our prayers do seem to become more complicated as we grow older. God is looking for more than length and beautiful language.

Another thing we see is that anyone can pray. You don’t have to be a good person for God to hear your prayer. You don’t have to have a Bible degree. This is simple prayer, not difficult, not complicated, not even profound. There are other examples of simple prayer in scripture. Peter crying out, “Lord, save me!” (Mat 14:30) as he sinks into the sea. Another simple prayer is the thief who prays, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Lk 23:42)
To say that prayer is simple does not mean that it is easy. The simple prayer, the cry of the human heart comes in desperation and intense emotion. It may be the emotion of fear or despair or anger or awe. Whatever the emotion, it is that emotion that drives a person to cry out to God in a moment of intense crisis. I don’t like those intense emotions myself. Like most people I want to avoid the painful situations that drive me to simple prayer.

The thing about simple prayer is that it is honest. As I read this week, researchers have found at least three situations where we are not ourselves. The average person tends to put on airs when they are in the lobby of a fancy hotel. Another is when a person enters a showroom to buy a new car. And the third is on Sunday morning when try to get God to believe that we have been good all week. God is not looking for perfection when we pray; he is looking for honesty.
Jesus’ point in the parable is that there is humility in simple prayer. Simple prayer is a recognition that who I am, what I do, is totally inadequate in the face of my need. The barrier that pride represents in prayer is enormous. To truly pray a simple prayer we must abandon pride to come to God.

In Luke, this parable is followed by the story of children being brought to Jesus and the story of the rich young ruler. I don’t think this is accidental. The children and the ruler make requests of Jesus. The children are blessed and the ruler turns away in disappointment. Jesus wanted to bless the ruler but couldn’t. The children just held out their arms to Jesus to receive whatever he wanted to give them. It was a simple prayer.

Livonia Church of Christ: July 17,2005

Faith That Produces: Love

2 Peter 1:5-9; Colossians 3:14

Introduction: Today we come to the end of Peter’s list of things to add to our faith. You might think this would be an easy lesson, love. The Bible is full of statements about love. It is one of the central themes of scripture. While it is good to study and know about love today we want to listen to what Peter is saying to us.

I. A Divine Word
The Greek language had three basic words that we would translate “love”. The word frequently used in pre-Christian literature was “Eros”. Our word erotic derives from Eros. As in our day and time the Greeks had a lot more interest in the Eros type of love than agape. Another word for love that we looked at last week could be described by our word for friendship or love in a family.

Judaism and Christianity chose another word that became frequently used in scripture for love, the word “agape”. The word “Eros” is not used in scripture and “philo” is used only a few times while the root word “agape” is used over 200 times. While “Eros” described sexual or what we would call romantic love, the word “agape” was used for a love that was more focused on another rather than satisfying one’s own desire or needs. Agape love is action oriented seeking the good of the one who is loved.

How do we define love? While the Greeks did have words with enough flexibility to describe different types of love the Christian community still had to fill the word with meanings that communicated what God’s love is.

Scripture puts it plainly; God is love, 1 Jn. 4:16. God is revealed as a God of love in the Old Testament where the word “hesed” or “loving kindness” is key to understanding God. God is faithful and loving in the face of his people’s sin and disobedience, Lam 3:22-24.
In the New Testament God’s love can only be understood in light of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. John defines God’s love as God giving his Son for the world, Jn 3:16. It is this act of giving and ultimate sacrifice for you and me that defines love in the Christian context. God shows us what love is, Rm 5:8; 1 Jn 4:9-10.

II. Adding Love
In this series we began with faith and end with love. When we love we participate in the divine nature. We are created in the image of God and we are truer to that image when we love more than any other time. The goal of goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and brotherly love is godlike agape love. A failure to add agape love to our faith is to make these things empty as Paul showed, 1 Cor. 13:1-3.

Since this kind of love is action oriented then what actions arise out of agape love? First, agape love is giving but giving in a special sense. Most of us are giving people. We enjoy giving to people we love, our children, our family and friends. We talk about this characteristic of giving in relationship to God who is overwhelmingly generous to us. But that is not agape love.
Jesus puts it plainly in the Sermon on the Mount in Matt 5:43-47. God’s giving is not just toward us but toward all people, good, bad, or indifferent. “Love your enemies,” Jesus tells his followers because that is what God does. That love is shown in giving and blessing those who are against us. What? Love the people who bombed the London subways this past week? Our desire is to destroy them, hate them, and not love them. I don’t know what your feelings were as the story unfolded this week but my feelings weren’t love for the bombers. I hope we can begin to understand how far we are from what God desires us to be.

As a church we set a goal to grow to be more like Jesus. We view ourselves as a friendly church, a loving church. And we are, among ourselves. It becomes more difficult when we think about people different from us and even more difficult when we think about those who may not like Christians. The fact is, we need to be adding love to our faith because the measure of our faith is not how we are but how God is.

Another aspect of agape love related to giving is our word, for-giving. Again, the cross becomes the measure of what this means as Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them,” Lk 23:34. The call for us to forgive is as plain as scripture can make it--as we forgive so we are forgiven.
The forgiveness of God is something we proclaim and celebrate. There is nothing that lifts our hearts more than to know that forgiveness. People who come up from the waters of baptism find a burden lifted that often they were not even aware of. God forgives; God gives life; God loves us.

We know this but how often are we burdened with unforgiveness, not God toward us but us towards others? Christians carry around offenses and anger toward those who have wronged them. Sometimes these are serious sins and betrayals but sometimes the offenses are petty and forgiveness is denied. We cannot love those we hate and fear. We cannot have agape love towards those we do not forgive. We cannot love God without loving the people around us, people who oppose us, people who may hate us, or just people who rub us the wrong way.
When Peter calls on Christians to add agape love to their Christian walk he is not asking us to do an easy thing, he is asking us to partake in the divine nature, to grow and produce the fruit that God desires to see in his people.

All the things that Peter lists here, from faith to love, are necessary for us to live productive lives in God’s house. Yet the challenge to add agape love to our lives may be the greatest challenge of all.


Livonia Church of Christ: July 10, 2005