Things Jesus Never Said Part 4
​“You’ll get what you want if you pray hard enough.”

I love to hear people quote the words of Jesus!  However, sometimes they may quote it wrong or conveniently live their lives ignoring some important teaching Christ laid out for us.  Today we present Part 43 of our Sermon Series “Things Jesus Never Said:  “You’ll get what you want if you pray hard enough.”

John 14:12-14  -12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

John 15:7 -  7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 

Jesus said if you will ask, he will do it.  However, we must look at the context of His statements.

1. Asking for anything in Jesus’ name.  What does that mean?
2. Remaining in Him and He remaining in us and then asking.  What does that mean?

Let’s break it down.

The key to asking for anything in Jesus’ name is really about alignment.  Because of our humanness and our innate selfish desires, we often are out of alignment with God.
We tend to make our requests for our own benefit according to our definition of what that is.  That thought process, then, is flawed from the beginning – Thereby making our requests out of alignment from the beginning of our dialogue with God.  God will not answer any prayer with a “yes” that is contrary to His character, His nature or His will.

God always hears and answers every prayer.  Just because the answer isn’t always yes, but instead “wait” or “no” doesn’t man your prayers are not heard of the God doesn’t care about your plans.  If your requests are asked and a yes would be contrary to God’s will, He may say; “no, let’s wait until you can remain in Me and I am remaining in you.  Then if I deem this is the best for you, My answer will be yes.” 

Are you in alignment with God?  Do you know what it means to ask for your requests in His name?  Do you how to “remain in Him” and allow Him to “remain in you?”

Let’s talk about motives behind your requests.

James 4:1-3 – What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

Okay- let’s say your requests aren’t for “things” that would be “nice” – in fact you might be asking yourself, why would it be wrong to ask for healing or for financial help or for other urgent requests that make sense – for either yourself or someone else… and of course, expect God to say yes.

Think with me for a moment about this.  If someone asked and expected you to do something and you didn’t do it, or did it half-heartedly, what would you expect them to do if you asked them to do something for you?  Or what about if someone asked you for something and you always said no, what would you expect them to say if you asked them for something?  Is that the situation you have with Jesus?  He has asked you to allow Himself to take the punishment for your sins.  You’ve said yes.  He has rewarded your decision with eternal life.  From the beginning, He has asked you for a close relationship.  You’ve neglected Him though – you’ve not always loved God with all your heart – or loved your neighbor - or talked with Him on a regular basis - or obeyed His instructions for keeping your relationship in good standing, healthy and vital.  And now you’re asking Him for significant answers to your prayers?

When you want something from another human being, who is easiest to ask?  It will typically be someone you have a relationship with – and more than likely a good relationship with.  For some, it might be a parent or grandparent, brother or sister, or another close relative.  For others it might be a close friend.  God wants a relationship with you that is close – a relationship that is tight, one that will last, one where you value Him all the time, in every-day life – not just when you need something.

For many people, they only get serious with prayer when they want or need something and often in times of trouble or urgency.

Question:  Does God have to interrupt you in order for you to hear from Him?  Is your communication with Him a dialogue or a monologue (you doing the talking)?
You may not be living an ungodly life or a particularly sinful life – in fact, you may be serving God and your fellow man, but if you don’t have a close relationship with God, how will you even know if you’re in alignment with Him?  If your prayer life only activates on a serious level when you’re wanting something, you’re at a loss before you start your communication with God.  Remember, God gives you what you want when you ask in His name, understanding His character and nature.  In addition, we have what we ask for when He is in us – and we are in Him. 

More than likely, things will not go according to your plans!  It’s true – so, will you trust God’s timing and will?  Will you trust his answers to your prayers?  This is what is called living by faith. Then you can rest assured, everything will go according to His plans.

Jesus never said, “You’ll get what you want if you pray hard enough.”  He however encourage us to pray hard.
Luke 18:1-8 - One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”  6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

This parable does not mean we should endlessly repeat our requests or even beg God like spoiled children.  We simply present our requests to God, keeping them before Him while we wait for His answer.  In fact, the blessing of prayer is in prayer itself. Communication and dialogue between our heavenly father and us is more fulfilling than anything else we can ask for. Jesus isn’t like a vending machine where we put in our money (requests) and out pops our selection. 

Here are some great questions to ask as you consider that nature of your requests.  Where is your foundation of faith built?  Is it based on God providing all you want?  Or is it based on a two-way dialogue where you talk and listen or simply don’t talk, but listen?

1. Learn to thank Him for what He has done, before you even get started.

A man named Jack Hinton was on a short-term mission’s trip to the island of Tobago. He was leading worship at the leper colony there and there was time for one more song, so he asked if anyone had a request. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around.  “It was the most hideous face I had ever seen,” Hinton said. “The woman’s nose and ears were entirely gone. The disease had destroyed her lips as well. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, ‘Can we sing Count Your Many Blessings?’”  Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was followed by another team member who said, “Jack, I guess you’ll never be able to sing that song again.”  “Yes I will,” he replied, “but I’ll never sing the same way.”

1. Learn about the nature and character of God.  Ask Him to reveal His heart to you.  Then present your requests “in His Name”.

Chuck Swindoll tells this story to illustrate the character of God:  In a moment of teenage carelessness, a 16-year- old girl wrecked her mother’s car. She was uninjured, so she called home to tell her parents, fully expecting an angry reaction. Instead, her father asked only about her physical and emotional condition. When he arrived at the accident scene, he checked to make sure she was unhurt before turning his attention to the mangled auto being towed away. When it was time to go home, he handed her the keys to his car and got in on the passenger side. No angry tirade from this father! Just a lot of love and an overwhelming vote of confidence. Years later, she commented, "Words can’t describe what my father’s God-like act did for my self-esteem that day." She said this left a spiritual impact on her because she saw in her father the character of the God he loved.

1. Be thankful ahead of time for His answer no matter what the answer is, knowing that what ever the answer is, it’s the best answer.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Matthew 26:36-40 - Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”  39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Wow, what an example we have in Jesus – God – said “no” to His only Son.

1. Remain in Him!  Develop a working, consistent relationship with Him, where He is welcome wherever you go, with whoever you’re with and whatever you do.  Then present your requests.

How do we know He will hear and answer?  If we are truly His followers.

John 10:27-29 (NLT) - My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.[] No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

The Great Shepherd will take care of and protect you, but you must follow Him.  You go out wandering around and straying from His care.  Watch out, not only will your prayers be hindered, you may find yourself in serious danger – and not even know you’ve wandered, worse yet, not care.

Max Lucado in his book “Glory Days” tells this story.
Nadin Khoury was thirteen years old, five foot two, and weighed, soaking wet, probably a hundred pounds.  His attackers were teenagers, larger than Nadin, and outnumbered him seven to one.  For thirty minutes they hit, kicked, and beat him.  He never stood a chance.

Khoury’s mom had recently moved the family to Philadelphia from Minnesota. She had lost her job as a hotel maid and was looking for work. In 2000 she’d escaped war-torn Liberia. Nadin Khoury, then, was the new kid in a rough neighborhood with a mom who was an unemployed immigrant—everything a wolf pack of bullies needed to justify an attack.

The hazing began weeks earlier. They picked on him. They called his mother names. They routinely pushed, shoved, and ambushed him. Then came the all-out assault on a January day. They dragged him through the snow, stuffed him into a tree, and suspended him on a seven-foot wrought-iron fence.

Khoury survived the attack and would have likely faced a few more except for the folly of one of the bullies. He filmed the pile-on and posted it on YouTube. A passerby saw the violence and chased away the bullies. Police saw it and got involved. The troublemakers landed in jail, and the story reached the papers.

A staffer at the nationwide morning show The View read the account and invited Khoury to appear on the broadcast. He did. As the video of the assault played on the screen behind him, he tried to appear brave, but his lower lip quivered. “Next time maybe it could be somebody smaller than me,” he said.

Unbeknownst to him, the producer had invited some other Philadelphians to appear on the show as well. As the YouTube video ended, the curtain opened, and three huge men walked out, members of the Philadelphia Eagles football team.

Khoury, a rabid fan, turned and smiled. One was All-Pro receiver DeSean Jackson. Jackson took a seat on the couch as close to the boy as possible and promised him, “Anytime you need us, I got two linemen right here.” Khoury’s eyes widened saucer-like as Jackson signed a football jersey and handed it to him. Then, in full view of every bully in America, he gave the boy his cell phone number.

From that day forward Khoury has been only a call away from his personal bodyguards. Thugs think twice before they harass the kid who has an NFL football player’s number on speed dial.

Pretty good offer. Who wouldn’t want that type of protection?
You can have it.  You have a relationship with the Creator of the Universe, with the Savior of the World and the presence of the Holy Spirit who can be everywhere at once. 

Crave that relationship,
Cultivate that relationship,
Cling to that relationship.
Create trust in that relationship.
Then…
Call on God – he will hear and he will answer yes, wait or no and you will rest in Him.

  
“You don’t have to tithe.”   ~not Jesus

I love to hear people quote the words of Jesus!  However, sometimes they may quote it wrong or conveniently live their lives ignoring some important teaching Christ laid out for us.  Today we present Part 3 of our Sermon Series “Things Jesus Never Said!”  - “You Don’t Have to Tithe.”

Pastor Bruce Howell of Lighthouse Community Church in Kalamazoo, MI, tells this funny story:  IT WAS PENTECOST SUNDAY. As the congregation filed into church, the ushers handed each person a bright red carnation to symbolize the festive spirit of the day. The people listened attentively to the reading of the Pentecost story from the Book of Acts about how the disciples had heard “what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven”; about how the Holy Spirit had appeared “like tongues of fire.” Then came the sermon: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon us,” the preacher began. “Like the powerful wind from heaven!” shouted a woman sitting in the first pew. Then she threw one of the red carnations toward the altar. The preacher began again: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon us.” The same woman’s voce rang out again, “Like the tongues of fire, the tongues of fire!” Again, she threw a red carnation toward the altar. The preacher looked straight at her and said, “Now throw your pocketbook.” To which the woman replied, “Preacher, you have just calmed the wind and put out the fire.”   We can laugh at this, but the whole issue of giving in church is so convoluted today, we want to get our truth straight from God’s Word.
Let’s consider the following words of Christ.

Matthew 23:23 (NLT) - “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,[g] but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”

Luke also remembers Christ’s words and relates it like this: 
Luke 11:42 (NLT)  -  “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
Malachi 3:8-12 (NLT) - “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!  “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’  You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.[a] Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

What is “Tithe” anyway?
According to The Greek Word Study Dictionary with Derivatives and Exegetical Commentary edited by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates (a well-known Greek-American Scholar), the word “tithe” comes from the Greek word “dekate” which literally means tenth of anything.  Another descriptive word is understood follow: “meris” – which literally means “a part” or “a portion.”  It is interesting to note that “dekate – meris” literally implies that a tithe given was widespread among both God’s chosen and pagans alike.  “Meris” implies that giving a tithe was assumed, expected or assigned.  Real life accounts throughout the Bible enforce this fact.  Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek the High Priest, Jacob vowed to pay God a tenth of all God gave to him, the temple of God and the priests salaries were literally paid for by… you guessed it - tithe!

I must throw in a quick cow story…  The cattle were tithed by letting them pass out of an enclosure, under a rod held by some person who touched every tenth beast.  Upon that touch, that animal became the property of the Priests.  I knew cows were important!! 
It doesn’t appear that a tithe was demanded of herbs, however, but the Pharisees however tithes their mint, anise, cumin and rue.  And our Savior didn’t condemn their actions, but rather called them out for neglecting the even more important issues, i.e. justice, mercy, faith, and love.

So why is “dekate – meris” not stressed in the N.T.  like it was in the O.T.  A simple explanation would be that in the O.T. tithe was compulsory, vital, and necessary to earn favor with God.  It was a Command!  It would make sense, then that Jews would focus on the external instead of the inner qualities of the Holy Spirit.  The N.T. Christian, however, more easily understands how important developing the qualities given by the Holy Spirit but seem to balk at giving monetarily to the Lord’s work. This hesitance seems to be exacerbated by a lack of understanding regarding the stewardship of material possessions.

We tend to exact a formula based on our selfish nature versus our new nature in Christ.  This formula, then, often includes the use of the total dollar amount of our income for our personal discretion regarding the disbursement of those monies.  The innate struggle with that formula then, is the tendency to run out of resources before giving to the Lord is considered.  It’s a fact that most followers of Christ want to give to God, but their process is flawed from the beginning.

In the O.T., the Lord’s tithe (Lev. 27:30), the festival tithe (Deut. 12:10, 11) and the tithe for the poor (Deut. 14:28,29) were all compulsory.  In addition to these, however, there was voluntary giving which included the “first fruits” giving and “freewill” offerings.  An Israelite who loved God voluntarily gave the first fruits of his crop to Him.  He did this even before he had harvested his entire crop and didn’t know how much he would reap.  In other words, first fruits giving was giving the best to God and trusting Him to provide the harvest.  It simply was giving by faith.

In Exodus 25:1-2 (NLT) we find these awesome words: “The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.”

It was from those offerings Moses built the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle where the presence of God dwelt!  Offerings from the heart!

There were some promises given resulting from that kind of giving!
Proverbs 3:9-10 – “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.  10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.”

Remember what we read earlier from Pastor Malachi? 
Malachi 3:10-13 -” Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

So, assuming you want to give, just how do we pull this off?  How can we “budget” to give when our expenses are so vast and there are so many places for our limited resources?

Do we really trust Jesus and what He says?  Here are His words.
Luke 6:38 (NLT)
“Give and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

So, does that mean that the more we give, the more we get?  It is so important that we use God’s formula for blessings and not ours.  Last week we talked about how God’s gifts – His “nice” things are ours for simply being His followers.  Things such as: The promise of Eternal Life, Freedom from worry about material necessities, Peace of Mind, and Constant access to the very mind of God!  I can always use more of all of that!  In fact, I need those in great measure whether I’m poor or having vast amounts of troubles!  These are incredible blessings no amount of money can buy.

What’s Paul got to say about giving?
2 Corinthians 8:1-7 – “Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.  3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.  6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.7 Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.”
 
Wow!  Poor people, begging to give???  Generously??? When they couldn’t afford to by all human deductions (or budget plan)???
 
Here’s an idea for you to experience that incredible blessing of giving. 

• Begin the process with prayer and ask God for wisdom for using your resources.
• Total up your income for the week or the month.  Calculate 10% of that amount.
• Consider what you’re giving now.  Begin to work toward that amount.
• If you’re giving 10% of your “take home” income already, then calculate 10% of your gross income, i.e. before taxes.  Then increase steadily toward that amount.
• If you’re already doing that, then consider how you might increase your giving based on asking God for wisdom.
• If you’re not giving yet, pray, then give something and work your way up.

You might be asking, but Pastor – how can I realistically pull this off?  I can hardly make ends meet now?  This is where trust and obedience come in.  Again, let’s go to Brother Paul’s insight to the Corinthian Church.
 
2 Corinthians 9:6-10 – “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need, and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor.  Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”

There is one more Greek word I want to leave with you today!  It’s the word “eneimi.”  It means “to be in,” or “what is within,” i.e. “the soul.”

Let’s look at a very cool illustration of the very essence of “eneimi.”
Mark 12:41-44 - 41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.  43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

This is what the Pharisees lacked!  They lacked the spiritual qualities of a soul that had been liberated by Jesus Christ!  Therefore, they could not understand the significance of the widow’s small offering.  Her love, trust and obedience quotients were such that giving came from her “eneimi!”

Former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, W.A. Criswell tells of an ambitious young man who told his pastor he’d promised God a tithe of his income. They prayed for God to bless his career. At that time, he was making $40.00 per week and tithing $4.00. God did just that and in a few years his income increased, and he was tithing $500.00 per week. He called the pastor to see if he could be released from his tithing promise, it was too costly now. The pastor replied, “I don’t see how you can be released from your promise, but we can ask God to reduce your income to $40.00 a week, then you’d have no problem tithing $4.00.” 
 
You see, it is vital that as a Christ follower, we must come to grips with not only does He now control our soul’s destination, he also wants to direct our “eneimi” or our “what’s really inside our soul.”   Until we embrace that truth,  we’ll always struggle with our Original Sin Nature and we’ll want to control how much love, how much mercy, how much justice, how much faith, and yes, even how much of our resources we are willing to give. 

​Are you willing to trust Him to direct you in all areas of your life?  Including your money?
​

Things Jesus Never Said
Part 2: “Follow Me and You Will Have Nice Things”


I made a statement last week, I love to hear people quote the words of Jesus!  However, sometimes they may quote it wrong or conveniently live their lives ignoring some important teaching Christ laid out for us.  Today we present Part 2 of our Sermon Series “Things Jesus Never Said!” “Follow Me and You Will Have Nice Things”

Have you ever had a time when you could truly say; “I don’t need anything else, I have everything I need” or “If I never went anywhere else than where I am, or felt any different than I do right now, I’d be okay with that?”

There are times in my life, when I’ve needed to go without food – either because of a planned spiritual fast, stomach disorder, a medical test requiring a fast, etc. or maybe just a time when work and situations did not afford eating for an extended period.  When I was finally able to eat, a simple item such as a Saltine cracker or a plain piece of toast made my taste buds dance for joy!  There was just nothing better I’ve ever tasted than that simple food item.  Or perhaps being so parched and in need of water, that a lukewarm cup of water tasted so good, you couldn’t ever imagine wanting anything else to drink or needing your drinks to be chilled or on ice.

In both instances, the simplest item had an incredibly positive affect on your thought process.  Those items sure were “nice!”

How about being stranded with a flat tire, in the middle of nowhere with no one around?  You get out your spare tire, your jack and realize you have no lug wrench to allow you to change your tire. There you sit.  A car goes by, you flag them down, yes, they are willing to lend you their lug wrench, but lo and behold, it’s one size too small, there’s just no way it’s going to fit. They go on and you wait for the next vehicle.  You wait a couple more hours, you’re tired, you’re hungry, you’re thirsty, frustrated and you are going to be late for an appointment if something doesn’t happen quickly. Finally, you hear an approaching vehicle!  A rusty, dilapidated old truck with a toothless old man at the wheel, slows down and comes to a stop beside you.  You ask him if he has a lug wrench.  He smiles a toothless smile, hops out of his old truck, rummages through the junk piled up in the bed and he pulls out a rusty 4-way tire lug wrench!  Sure enough, you try the first one – too big, the next one, too small, try number three and it fits perfectly!  Right then, you look at that old rusty lug wrench and it is the nicest thing you have ever seen.  Why is it so nice? Because it’s what you so desperately needed!  The old man helps you break loose your lug nuts, jack up your car and before you know it, you’re on your way! 

What things are actually nice?  Nice:  pleasing, agreeable, delightful

So…  In the context of your situation, the Saltine cracker, the cup of lukewarm water, a rusty lug wrench were all, by definition, “nice!”  Certainly, in the context of what was going on in your life, they were all “pleasing, agreeable, and delightful!”  However, if we had our druthers, we would rather be afforded our favorite snack, in abundance, plus our favorite iced beverage served to us and “self-inflatable” tires that re-inflated once punctured allowing you to drive up to 50 miles to the next service station where someone else would change your tire, allowing for minimum inconvenience.  Now that – would be nice, right?

Jesus never said if you follow Him, become a disciple of His, you would have nice things, at least not by your definition anyway.  He didn’t say you wouldn’t have nice things, nor did he say it was categorically wrong to have nice things, but He did say that your view of nice things would need a different perspective of “nice” when compared with the world’s definition.

What does Jesus offer us that’s nice, i.e. “pleasing, agreeable, and delightful?”  Let’s find out!
Luke 14:25-33 - 25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.  28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’  31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

Okay, it’s obvious by Christ’s words here, there is no guarantee your list of “niceties” are yours for the asking.  So, let’s get a little more perspective on what you do get from Jesus as His devoted follower.
John 10:9-14 - 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[b] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.  11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.  14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 
Matthew 6:25-34 - 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?   31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.33 Seek the Kingdom of God[e] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.  34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
John 14:1-2, 23-27 - “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 
23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.  27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Let’s start a list of “nice” things you get for being a follower of Christ!

1.  The promise of Eternal Life – an eternal home with God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit!
2.  Freedom from worry about material necessities!  Seeking Christ first in everything, gets you everything you need.
3. Peace of Mind!  Everyone wants peace – Jesus is the source.
4. Access to the very mind of God and a personalized source that lives in you and thereby giving you a continual source of wisdom and knowledge, straight from the heart of God.

You get the idea – nice things come from God.  It’s all in your perspective.  If you’re looking to satisfy your innate, worldly cravings…. Your “candy store” desires, etc.  Maybe you’ll be disappointed – but it won’t be for long.  When you decide you’re willing to give up your quest for the world’s list of “nice” things and seek first the things of God, you’ll find out His gifts are “nice” - “pleasing, agreeable, and delightful!”

In Closing, let’s look at another story about nice things found in the Gospel of Luke
Luke 18:18-30 - 18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”  19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good.20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’[c]”  21 The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”  22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.  24 When Jesus saw this,[d] he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”  26 Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”  27 He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”  28 Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”  29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30 will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

You want nice things?  Give everything up to follow Christ and be repaid by the Almighty God who was, and is, and is to come.  And get nice things?  “pleasing, agreeable, and delightful?” – Can you think of anything you’d want more important than what Christ can give to you?  How about it?

In a book published in 1954, by Ivor Paul called “Bible Windows” we find a remarkable story:
The tale began with the death of the rich man and the auction of his household goods. The only person to bid on a photograph of the dead man’s son was an elderly woman dressed in shabby clothes, who was later revealed to have been the dead child’s nurse. Her charge, we are told, died at an early age, yet she had loved the boy dearly and so wanted his likeness as a keepsake. In that telling of the legend, when the poor woman examined at home the photograph she had just bought, she noticed a bulge in the heavy paper on the back of its frame. She made a small cut into the backing paper and pulled from the opening an envelope containing the wealthy man’s missing will. Said document clearly stated that his estate was to go the one who still held dear the memory of his beloved son.

​This is what we know about following Jesus:  Take the Son and the Father’s entire estate is yours.  How “Nice” is that?

 “No shirt, no shoes, no service.”
 
As a pastor, I love to hear people quote the words of Jesus!  However, sometimes they may quote it wrong or conveniently live their lives ignoring some important teaching Christ laid out for us.  With that in mind, we present our new sermon series “Things Jesus Never Said!” Part 1: “No shirt, no shoes, no service.”

“No shirt, no shoes, no service.” – This saying seems to have gotten it’s start during the 1960’s when the Hippies came into being – discrimination and pre-determined judgements of such individuals especially from store and restaurant owners as to the suitability of those in various stages of dress or “undress” as it were, explode in the early 70’s with signs popping up everywhere.  Reasoning included the hygiene issue as well as what type of attire was “suitable” or social acceptable for dining experiences and certain shopping venues.  Even signs saying “No Long Hairs” became quite popular as men’s’ hair length dropped to the shoulder.  Certain behaviors and life-styles were soon associated with individuals not conforming to the standards indicated on these signs.  Discrimination and judgement became the order of the day.

Jesus never said: “No shirt, no shoes, no service.” or “You’re too far gone to be saved.” or “Only hang out with those who are like you or those you like.” or “Church is for those who have their act together.” or “It wouldn’t be appropriate for ‘some’ people to show up at church.”

Why are we so quick to evaluate people?  Our tendency is to judge people by what we initially observe.  Many of us can formulate an entire personal portfolio simply by seeing where someone lives or, what someone drives – even before we see them.  But oh, how the judgement breaks wide open when we see them and talk to them! 

We as human beings seem to have the innate characteristic to judge – it’s simply ingrained in us.  We have personal parameters as to our definition of acceptability and we have, as a default mechanism to determine whether or not an individual measures up.

In the 1950’s in Maryland, young people had the tendency to quickly put people into one of two categories:  the “squares” and the “drapes.”  Basically, the squares were those who followed societal rules, especially with their dress code.  They didn’t approve of those who rebelled against the socially established norm.  Conversely, the Drapes challenged the norm by either adopted the “biker” look, i.e. boots, leather jackets, slicked back hair and t-shirts with a pack of cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve or the tough-guy but pretty-boy image, i.e. tight pants and shirts with fancy stitching at the collar and sleeves, the wearing of pink and black – pink shirt with vivid black stitching, black pants with pink stitching up the sides, black boots, hair slicked back into a duck-tail – well, you get the idea.

So vivid were these stereo-types that a movie called “Cry-Baby” was made in 1990 centering around this theme.   According to Wikipedia, the basic synopsis centers on a group of delinquents who refer to themselves as "drapes" and their interaction with the rest of the town and its other subculture, the "squares", in 1950’s Baltimore, MD. "Cry-Baby" Walker, a drape, and Allison, a square, create upheaval and turmoil in their little town of Baltimore by breaking the subculture taboos and falling in love. The film shows what the young couple must overcome to be together and how their actions affect the rest of the town.

We all have the flaw of bias in our sin nature.  In fact, I wonder what our first impressions would have been when seeing Jesus for the first time?

Isaiah 53:2-6 (The Message) - ”The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field.  There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look.  He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.  One look at him and people turned away.  We looked down on him, thought he was scum.  But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.  We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures.  But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!  He took the punishment, and that made us whole.  Through his bruises we get healed.  We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.  We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.  And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him.”
 
How did Jesus view people anyway?  What pre-requisites were required to get His attention and subsequently into His Kingdom?

Luke 5:29-32 (NLT) – “Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”  31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Luke 5:29-32 (The Message) - Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. “What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and ‘sinners’?”  31-32 Jesus heard about it and spoke up, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.”

In John 4, Jesus meets a woman while resting near a well.  The encounter is unique for many reasons.  This woman was of loose morals and was of a people group (Samaritans) that the Jews despised.  These facts were noted, then simply ignored.  Instead of looking the other way, Jesus captivates her with conversation unlike anything she’d ever known.

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus encountered a man with leprosy.  As this man kneels before Jesus, he is not repulsed, nor does he recoil at the closeness of the man – instead – Jesus reaches out and touches the man and heals him.

In Luke 21 Jesus views a poor widow as she gives her offering and validates her offering as superior to the rest.

In John Chapter 8, the teachers of the religious law and other spiritual leaders came to Jesus with a woman caught in the act of adultery.  Jesus saves her life and teaches the accusers a valuable lesson.

In Luke 19, Jesus goes home with a notorious wealthy tax collector – despised by all the people – and they when they saw him go to his house, the couldn’t help but muttering to themselves; He is going to the house of a sinner.”

But perhaps the crowning touch of how Jesus views people is illustrated by this incredible story found in Luke 7:36-50 (The Message) -  36-39 One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him.”  40 Jesus said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”  “Oh? Tell me.”   41-42 “Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?”  43-47 Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.”  “That’s right,” said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”  48 Then he spoke to her: “I forgive your sins.”  49 That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: “Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!”  50 He ignored them and said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Do you understand the truth about God’s heart for every human being regardless of who they are or what they’ve done?
Jesus never put any restrictions on His love and subsequently on His offer to forgive and make it possible for anyone to have eternal life with him.

No one is too far gone – no one is unacceptable, no one.  That is the beauty of our Savior.  The criminals, the insane, the beautiful, the ugly, the diseased, the immoral, the poor, the rich, the educated and the un-educated all gather at the foot of the cross and are rewarded the result of why He came – forgiveness, hope and peace.

Are you willing to reach your hand to every human, period?  As a follower of Christ, we must, and we will.

There are two parts to today’s sermon:  Understanding Christ’s position with all mankind as Lord and Savior and our standard as His followers.

Do you feel unacceptable in the sight of God?  You’re not – come to Him today.

Do you judge people based on your own evaluation?  Don’t!  It does not mark you as a follower of Jesus Christ.

​Will you reach out your hand to anyone, regardless of how they look or act or what they’ve done?  Reach out today – you will fulfill what God desires of you and your rewards will be incredible.
​

“This Is A Big Deal!”

What is the big deal about Easter?  When asked, people will give a wide array of answers.

• Easter Eggs
• Easter Egg Hunts
• Easter Bunny
• Easter Outfits & New Clothes, Hats & Bonnets (A sonnet about her Easter Bonnet)
• Easter Family Gatherings
• Easter Feasts (Sometimes serving lamb)
• The Day Jesus Rose from The Dead – Victorious over the Enemy, Sin, Death & the Grave!
• Resurrection

Resurrection - rezəˈrekSH(ə)n -  the rising of Christ from the dead
The Big Deal?  What’s the Big Deal about Easter?  It’s the Resurrection!

The facts?
The Resurrection – The rising of Christ from the Dead!
Jesus Died on the Cross – crucified between two criminals – and then what?

Lets pick up the story….
Matthew 27:57-66  - 57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.  62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”  65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

A skeptic or a deep questioner might ask, “just how likely is the resurrection?”

Mark Tapscott is Executive Editor of the Washington Examiner. He oversees the daily work of the newspaper's special reporting team. He was inducted into the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame in 2006.

In a recent article in the Washington Examiner “So What’s The Big Deal About Easter”, Mark Tapscott sets the context for answering this very question:  “… the evidence for the resurrection as a historical event is overwhelming, so much so that, as Josh McDowell never tires of saying, "there is more evidence for the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus than for just about any other event in history." McDowell is a Christian apologist who has devoted most of his life to investigating the evidence for and against the resurrection.
Mr. Tapscott goes on to explain more about this evidence as researched and recorded by Josh McDowell.
One of the most fascinating parts of this story are the facts regarding the guard unit placed at the tomb where Christ was buried.  Josh Mc Dowell tells us about it.  It involves the Koustodia (koos-to-dee'-ah), the Roman Legion unit that most likely guarded Jesus' tomb to prevent his disciples from stealing his body.
Mr. Tapscott cites the research of Josh McDowell in this article.  There were 16 members of a Koustodia unit and they were the Special Forces of the legion, with each trained to protect six square feet of ground. They worked in rotating teams of four to ensure constant surveillance by fresh sets of eyes. Death was the usual penalty for a Koustodia that failed to do its duty.
Knowing this, how reasonable is it then to claim, as some skeptics, that Jesus' disciples somehow overcame the Koustodia and stole Jesus' body, then spread a resurrection lie? None of the disciples came from military backgrounds, and all of them were in hiding in the immediate aftermath of the crucifixion, terrified that they would be crucified next.
And remember, for decades afterward, the disciples all insisted that Jesus had been resurrected. They did so despite intense persecution, constant threats of being jailed or killed, and, except for John, ultimately died for their faith (Peter, for example, is said to have been crucified upside down).
If these men were all parties to a resurrection lie, surely sooner or later at least one of them would have confessed in the hope of being spared execution.
Put simply, it matters because of what Jesus claimed about himself. Where other great religious figures like Muhammad gave the world codes of rules and regulations said to be from God, Jesus claimed to be God and said faith in him was the only way to heaven.

Simply put, the Big Deal about Easter is the Factual Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Why is the resurrection a big deal to us today?

Let’s talk a minute about death.

When we are born, we are “dead to Christ.”  We have sinned, so therefore our access to God is blocked.
Romans 3:23 – “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Romans 6:23 –  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So what, exactly did Christ do for us?

Sin has always required a blood sacrifice for atonement – a sacrifice so that the one committing the sin could be forgiven.
Hebrews 9:22 – “In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.”
I Peter 3:18 – The Message:  It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.
Romans 6:5-11 - “Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”

This Easter Sunday – as we proclaim “He Is Risen!”  He is risen indeed!” – will you contemplate what that means to you?
Do you fear death?  Have you any room for Jesus?  Let Him live in you. Then fear not! Have you lost hope? The Resurrected Christ is God’s Ultimate Gift of Hope!

Do you worry about what you can or cannot do?  Stop focusing on your performance and just let God be in you. 
Philippians 2:13 – “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

When God is in you, you can live life with hope.  There is life beyond the grave.  Jesus said:  I am the Way, Truth and the Life!
Jesus said:  I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26).

Believing in Jesus Christ to pay for your sins and then trusting in Him for everything.  Jesus conquered sin, death and the grave – for you…  That’s what His Resurrection means, that’s what His Resurrection did for you… so yes, Easter… the Resurrection of Jesus Christ… His offer to forgive your sins and offer you Eternal Life – “This Is A Big Deal!” 

Pastor Ted Sutherland tells this true story:  In 1957, Lieutenant David Steeves walked out of the California Sierras 54 days after his Air Force trainer jet had disappeared. He related an unbelievable tale of how he had lived in a snowy wilderness after parachuting from his disabled plane. By the time he showed up alive, he had already been declared officially dead. When further search failed to turn up the wreckage, a hoax was suspected and Steeves was forced to resign under a cloud of doubt. His story was confirmed, however, more than 20 years later when a troop of Boy Scouts discovered the wreckage of his plane.

Today we celebrate another survival story. 2000 years ago, a man named Jesus Christ walked out of a tomb outside of Jerusalem after being brutally murdered on a Cross.  He appeared several times from appearances to just a few to over 500 at one time.  Then He ascended on a cloud and remains alive today, seated at the right hand of God in heaven.

Will you believe in the Resurrected Christ?
Will you accept Him as Savior & Lord?

He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!
​