A Snapshot of a Healthy Church - Acts 4:32-37

A Snapshot of a Healthy Church

Acts 4:32-37

Introduction: We had a colleague with our mission that we met when we were appointed and who was on the field with us during our first year or two in Brazil who we called “our Barnabas.”  She was constantly looking for ways to encourage others.  She lived in a tiny apartment, but she was hospitable, she genuinely seemed to care how you were doing, she would always have an encouraging word.  When she returned to the US we missed her on our team!

Barnabas is introduced here in the book of Acts, in the context of this summary paragraph at the end of chapter 4 that focuses on the church as unified, healthy and growing.  We’ll learn quickly as we move into chapter 5 that it was not a perfect church!  Have you ever heard it said, “If you find a perfect church don’t join it, you’ll ruin it!”  Well, you know better, there are no perfect churches!  But so far in the Book of Acts, Dr. Luke has been painting a picture that emphasizes the positive; he is showing us what God is doing. The only “fly in the ointment” has been the pressure that has come from the outside, specifically from the Jewish leadership.

The passage we turn to today, at the end of Acts 4, serves as a snapshot of a healthy church: united, gospel centered, radically generous, using their gifts for the edification of the saints and for carrying out their mission. What we see here is a historical report of what happened then and there, but it was intentionally included by the inspiration of God as a message for the church in every age. We’ll need to ask whether the kind of radical sharing we see in these early chapters of Acts is a model for today. If not, what principles apply to our day?  I think we’ll see in this passage that…

The Big Idea: The unity of the church will manifest itself in radical generosity as we work together to meet needs and carry out our mission.

I. A Healthy Church is a United Church (v.32). “Now the full number [the multitude] of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.”

       The “multitude” of those who believed – “The full number of those who believed…” This phrase indicates that the church had continued to grow, to the extent that it could now be described as  a “multitude.” That idea is almost a refrain that echoes through the book of Acts, Jesus is building His church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. He is working, and He is working through us, to carry out His mission, our commission, and the promise is that some will continue to turn to the narrow way, that ultimately a remnant from every tribe and nation will come to faith!

They were a unified body, “…of one heart and soul…” A unified body, a church that agreed on its mission, that recognized God’s grace in their lives, that genuinely loved one another and shared in each other’s lives. This sounds like the language of the New Covenant that we read about in the Old Testament prophets. Jeremiah for example wrote the Word of the Lord,

“I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.  ⁴⁰ I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me” (Jer 32:39,40).

If the prophet was talking about God’s design for the church, the implication is that this is normal, healthy, Christianity. Remember the words of the psalmist, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity!”  And yet, too often, our old nature would cause us to look for reasons to divide!  After our small group meeting Thursday night a certain brother in the group, we’ll call him Jon, told the story of a guy ship wrecked, alone on an island. Finally, after a number of years, rescuer arrived.  They were surprised when  they saw that he had constructed three buildings on the island.  “What are the three buildings?” they asked. He replied, “Well, that one is my home, and that one is my church.”  They were puzzled and asked, “And the third?” He replied, “Well, that’s the church I used to go to!”

       Unity that impacts our wallet – They had “…all things in common…” The word common, koinos, is of course related to the word koinonia, which we know, “fellowship, communion, sharing.” Here it has that kind of sense, “What’s mine is yours [because it is His!]”. We see a community committed to radical sharing, that really viewed themselves as stewards and acted as though they really believed it all belonged to God. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…”  Because I am afraid that I could become a respecter of persons, I prefer not to know who gives and how much.  That’s probably too bad since our giving is a barometer of sorts of where we are spiritually.  I’ve heard it said that our check book may be the best indicator of where our heart really is.  These believers were so committed to Jesus and to His mission that the large majority seemed to be truly cheerful givers.  It seems to me that we have here a community of Christ followers, grounded in the Word, who treasure God as supremely valuable, proclaiming the riches of His grace to the world! [If that sounds familiar, it is our vision statement at BBC!].That is a healthy church.  The unity of the church will manifest itself in radical generosity as we work together to meet needs and carry out our mission.

II. A Healthy Church shares a powerful message (v.33). “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”

        Gospel centered preaching – Last Sunday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus, but in truth that historical fact is at the heart of the Gospel. We know that the Gospel is truly good news because Jesus conquered death, He arose!  The resurrection proved that Jesus is who He claimed to be. Paul opens his letter to the Romans saying…

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,  ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,  ³ concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh  ⁴ and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Rom 1:1-4).

Remember Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses to me…”  Here it says the apostles were giving their testimony of the resurrection “with great power.” The indwelling Spirit enabled them and emboldened them. Despite the threats of the leadership, the apostles are preaching the historical facts about Jesus, including His death and resurrection.  Friends, the same Holy Spirit indwells believers today. You are the Temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you!” Recognize His presence, yield to His prompting, obey His call to give testimony to what God has done in you through Christ.

        A Grace centered community – God’s unmerited favor – they recognized it, they understood that the blessing of life that they had in Christ was “of Him.”  Paul was warning the Corinthians against spiritual pride, and asked rhetorically, “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (I Cor 4:7). The more we understand that doctrine of Grace, the more we will be moved to a proper humility, heart felt worship, joyful service, and yes, an attitude of stewardship that moves us toward radical generosity.  You see, we are one, and the unity of the church will manifest itself in radical generosity as we work together to meet needs and carry out our mission.

III. A Healthy Church is radically generous, focused together on the Kingdom (34-35). “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold  ³⁵ and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

       First of all, let’s notice what this passage doesn’t say, as well as what it does say. “There was not a needy person among them…” The term “needy” referred to the basic needs of life. To be needy was to be destitute. Do we sometimes have difficulty separating needs from wants?  I do!  There is no basis here for some kind of Christian communism.  Nor, is this a call for a redistribution of wealth, taking from the rich giving to the poor, a Christianized welfare state.  As the context continues into chapter 5, it is clear that the giving was spontaneous, and that the resources were under the control of the people that had them, that is, the giving was the choice of the givers.

As we read this in the context of Acts we see periodic acts of radical generosity like this, not under compulsion or out of necessity, but it seems to be motivated by an attitude of stewardship with a commitment to focus on God and his Kingdom.

       1. We sometimes get so focused on our comfort and security that we forget that we were created for something infinitely greater than this present evil world. Life is short. None of this is going to last. Then what? “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love Him!” (I Cor 2:9). We are created for eternity!

        2. Since we can’t take any of it with us, it should be self evident that we need to regard ourselves as stewards of what has been entrusted to us.  Paul said, “It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” Though I think the principle of a “tithe” is a good starting place for our giving, we need to recognize that God is just as interested in how we use the other 90%!

       3. I think we need to note that stewardship is not just a matter of money.  The picture here is of a church that was committed to radically sharing in each other’s lives. That means being willing to share our time with others. Time is precious, we have only 168 hours a week, we need to sleep, we need to work, what will we do with the rest?  Many of you give some of those hours to serving others in the ministries of the church, in hosting or participating in a small group, in having others over for food and fellowship, some cut firewood or deliver meals to people in need, or visit those who are homebound.

       Twice in this context it’s stated that the proceeds from the sale were laid at the apostles, feet, and apparently they were entrusted with the distribution.  We know in Chapter 6 this responsibility would soon be delegated to others.  I don’t want to push this too far, but I think we see a principle here of working together, through the church. We are not a bunch of lone rangers running in our own directions. Rather, we are a family, a team, a body that has been brought together by God. In terms of meeting needs in the family, of showing Christ to the community, and carrying out the mission that we have been entrusted with, we can do what we are here for more effectively and with greater accountability and support together.  It doesn’t mean that God won’t put it on our hearts to individually support works. Mary Ann and I have several missionaries that we support on a monthly basis. But I think we need to be committed first of all to working through the church.  That means supporting the budget of the church, including the missionaries to whom we have committed support. Can we do more together?  We have at its core a congregational form of church government, based essentially on the reformation idea of the priesthood of believers. We believe that God leads us, as a body, in carrying out his mission.  When Paul and Barnabas are burdened to go out on the first missionary journey in Acts 13, they don’t simply pack their bags and go. The Holy Spirit speaks to the assembled believers, who recognize His call and leading, and send them out.

Jason recently took a trip to Boston to visit Torly Krua who was here with Paul Bothwell at our missions conference. Jason raised the question as to whether we as a church had ever thought about a partnership with an inner city church?  And with respect to foreign missions we’ve had a lot missions trips going on but is it time to look again into working toward a trip as a church where we could go and work together?  This would mean many of us digging deeper, either financially, or in terms of committing time, but if we do it together, we could certainly make more of an impact. We are His, and this is His work. Are we willing to ask what He would have us to do? Together? The unity of the church will manifest itself in radical generosity as we work together to meet needs and carry out our mission.

IV. A Healthy Church is composed of people who choose to use their gifts and their resources for the edification and encouragement of others (36-37). “Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,  ³⁷ sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.”

       After stating a general principal of what was going on the church, Luke turns to a couple of examples. One, which we’ll look at next week, reminds us that churches aren’t perfect, that is, we still fall short in terms of our motives and our actions.  Yes, “If you find a perfect church don’t join it, you’ll ruin it!”  But don’t worry, none of them were perfect before you or I showed up!  Jesus is our model, our example, the One that we strive to follow and imitate.

       Here in Acts 4, Luke holds up the example of a fellow Christ-follower named Joseph, also called “Barnabas” i.e., “Son of Encouragement.”  We’ll see him enter the story of Acts at some strategic moments, always being a reconciler, a peacemaker, an encourager.  As I said earlier, when we first went to Brazil we had a colleague named Terri that we called our “Barnabas”.  The truth is, she was not only a “Barnabas” to us, she seemed to be a person committed to encouraging others. Have you ever known a Barnabas? I don’t mean someone with that name, I mean someone who was given to encouragement, who seemed committed to be looking for opportunities to encourage and comfort and console people, speaking words that edify rather than those that tear down?  If you have known such a person, it is likely that you will never forget them.  Rather than fostering division or a selfish agenda, they don’t look out for their own personal interests, but rather look out for the interests of others. Remember the acrostic J.O.Y.? Jesus first, others second, yourself last. That is what it means to be a Barnabas.

What is God saying to me in this passage? The unity of the church will manifest itself in radical generosity as we work together to meet needs and carry out our mission.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Would anyone call you a “Barnabas”?   I don’t mean to ask if you’ve sold a piece of land and given it to the Lord’s work, but do you seek to be one who edifies and encourages others?  We’ve said a lot about the “one another” statements in the New Testament, and again we see the principle surface here. We are designed for community, we need each other. Our gifts, our talents, our abilities, our resources, even our time, all that has been entrusted to us, we are stronger together, we can do more together, we can learn from each other, iron sharpens iron! We can hold each other accountable and provoke each other to love and good works. Honestly, when it comes to football we might be armchair quarterbacks, but when it comes to Christianity, this is not a spectator sport. Nor should we take the ball and think we can run with it just fine without being part of the team.  Just as we are wrong if we think we don’t need to learn and worship together, that we can do just fine by reading our Bible home alone, it seems to me that God would have us work together to carry out our mission.

        Personally, I am encouraged by the kind of sharing that I see in this body of believers. I know we have a Deacons’ fund that we seek to use to help others. I know how we’ve worked together to improve and maintain our building so that we can more effectively use our building and grounds for worship and for equipping the saints. As the elders have looked through the list of the those who have committed themselves to membership, almost all that are able are involved in some kind of ministry or committee or outreach in the church or through the church. Be encouraged, and be diligent, continually asking, am using what God has given me, my gifts, my resources, my time, in the way that would be pleasing to Him?  The church is God’s design, and if you know Him, you are an indispensable part of His church.   Think about that.  AMEN.

The Essential Jesus: His Story, Our Hope

The Essential Jesus: His Story, Our Hope

Luke 24:13-35

Introduction: Perhaps ten years after the death of the last of the Apostles, Ignatius of Antioch, in chains, was being brought to Rome for execution. He personally knew John the apostle, but I think he would have rather be known first of all as a disciple of Jesus. In a letter he wrote on the way to Rome he spoke about the historicity of the facts of the gospel, including the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus. After speaking of the life and death of Jesus in that letter, he turned to what he called the greatest fact of all.

“It is also a fact that He rose from the dead—or rather that the Father raised Him up. And that is the most important fact of all because His promise is that the Father will also raise us up if we believe in Him. So if Christ is not alive then neither shall we be, there is nothing left to hope for if He is just an idea or a fantasy…”

He is claiming that the Christian message, our faith, the Gospel that we preach is only meaningful if it is based on truth, if the story it presents really happened. 

For those who have been following our series in the Books of Acts, we began by recognizing that Acts was really part 2 of the continuing story of Jesus. The Book of Acts begins with the words, “The former account, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the day He was taken up…” The word “began” implies that as we’ve been looking at the book of Acts we’ve actually been considering the continuation of the story of Jesus.  The point is that  Jesus is alive, and He is building His church. How can that be? We are stepping back from our walk through the Book of Acts this week, to look at the “Prequel” to that story, volume one of Luke’s story of Jesus, the Gospel of Luke. We’re jumping to the end though, to the 24^th chapter.  It is after His three years of public ministry doing signs and wonders and preaching with authority. After His betrayal, arrest and the mockery of a trial that condemned Jesus. After His gruesome torture by scourging and public execution on a Roman Cross. Friday has passed, Saturday was silent, and then the morning of the first day of the week, we come to the story of His resurrection.

  The fact that the tomb was empty is certain since almost from the start attempts were made to discredit the claims of the disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead.

·     Within the gospels themselves we have the story of the guards being bribed to say that they had fallen asleep, and that the disciples came and stole the body by night (see Matthew 28:12-15).   Two responses: 1) These guys had just denied Jesus and been scattered when he was arrested. In the light of Jesus’ torture and execution do you think it likely that they would try such a bold move as stealing His body only a couple of days later? 2) If the guards had been sleeping, how in the world would they know what had happened?  It just doesn’t make sense.

·     Some have suggested that the disciples got confused and returned to the wrong tomb, mistakenly finding one that was still empty, and they jumped to conclusions about what that meant. If it was the wrong tomb that they went to, wouldn’t those who opposed Jesus simply have pointed to the correct tomb, and produced the body of Jesus when the disciples began preaching the resurrection?  And of course there is also the matter of the grave clothes the disciples found where the body had been laid? That explanation doesn’t work either.

·     Another attempt to explain away the resurrection is the so-called “swoon theory.” The suggestion is that Jesus wasn’t really dead, He was only wounded, and laid in the cool tomb he revived and came out the next day. There are at least a couple of problems with that theory: 1) How would Jesus have rolled the stone away from inside the tomb? 2) The Romans were experts in crucifixion, and they knew well when their work was finished! 3) After breaking the legs of the other condemned men, the soldier plunged a spear into Jesus’ side, blood and water pouring out. That doesn’t sound like someone who had fainted!

As we look at the story of the resurrection in the last chapter of the Gospel of Luke we’ll see that…

The Big Idea: The resurrection of Jesus is a real, time and space event, a historical fact that changes everything. It is the foundation of our only hope for forgiveness and life.

I. The Resurrection is a real, historical event, the climax of God’s story - Luke 24:13-24 (35). When I was working on my doctoral degree at Westminster Theological Seminary, they wanted their students to have a broadened perspective, so required that we take two doctoral seminars in another school. I chose Princeton Seminary since it was close to where I lived, and they had doctoral seminars in my area of study. I was impressed by the intellect of the teachers and students, but also astounded by their lack of faith.  At one point in a class on the Gospel of John, the question came up, “What about the empty tomb? What happened? Does it really matter?” Not only does it matter, the Bible itself says everything rides on that one historical fact. The Apostle Paul said, “…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.  ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (I Cor 15:17-19). Either this is true and it’s the most important fact of history, or it’s a lie and a waste of your time. Which is it?

 The gospel accounts give all the earmarks of eyewitness testimony. Luke writes in 24:13-16, 

“That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,  ¹⁴ and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.  ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing him…” 

Specific place names (and we’ll see one of the disciples being identified by name), distances and details, even the confusion of the disciples over what was happening all bring an air of authenticity to the account.  In the fifteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians Paul related some of the eyewitnesses to the resurrection:

“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,  ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.  ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  ⁸ Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me…” (I Cor 15:3-8).

He is making the point that the resurrection of Jesus was recent history, and that it was a real time and space event. He arose, and if you had any question about that fact you could go and talk to the many eyewitnesses who were still living!

Jesus wanted his followers to know that He had died and rose again: Acts tells us He appeared to them for a period of 40 days before His ascension.  Here, in Luke 24:17-20 He goes up to these two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  He meets them where they are, He walks and talks with them, and eventually eats with them, all the while leading them toward understanding and faith.

“And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad.  ¹⁸ Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”  ¹⁹ And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,  ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.”

Giving the name of one of the disciples hints at the kind of careful, historical research Luke did as he prepared to write his gospel.  Remember how he started this book?  Like the introduction to the Book of Acts it is directed to “Theophilus.”  In the opening words he spoke about how he considered other written accounts and talked to eyewitnesses and set out to write down “an orderly account of the things accomplished” among them.

 Jesus knew that the cross had shattered their hope, and that the preliminary reports of resurrection had brought only confusion.  He knew their hearts, and yet Jesus came alongside of the two disciples, and like a good rabbi began asking them questions, why were they sad, what had happened? Cleopas said,

“But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.  ²² Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,  ²³ and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.  ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

Essentially he was saying they had hoped in Jesus, but their hope had been shattered by the events of Good Friday. The cross didn’t make sense and even the empty tomb was a disturbing enigma, they couldn’t understand what the reports meant or what had happened, much less why it had happened.  They did not yet understand that the resurrection of Jesus was a real, time and space event, a historical fact that would change everything. It is the foundation of our only hope for forgiveness and life.

II. The Resurrection is the key to understanding God’s story (Luke 24:25-27). “And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"  ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself…” Jesus is the theme of the entire Bible.  Jesus points them to the Scriptures which speak of Him.

            First of all, He says that their confusion at this moment was the result of failing to understand the prophetic word (v.25). The idea of a suffering Messiah might not have been popular current theology, it might have been difficult to understand, but it was all over the pages of the Old Testament, if they had eyes to see it! 

            Notice also that He says “it was necessary” for all this happen. This translates a little three letter word that is often used in the New Testament to convey exactly this idea of divine necessity. This is God’s plan we are talking about. We saw that passage in Acts 4 last week, describing the passion of Christ: They did to Jesus what God’s “…purpose and plan determined beforehand would happen.” It had to happen. God had a plan. He would redeem a people for himself, and He would do it through the Cross. It was necessary, it had to happen that way. How could a holy God still be just and justify sinners? Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:21,  “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

             And so he turns to the Scriptures and shows how the entire Bible looked ahead to coming of Jesus, and to his death and resurrection.  I like the overview the reformer John Calvin gave of some of the “types” of Christ in the Old Testament. He wrote,

“He, Christ, is Isaac, the beloved Son of the Father who was offered as a sacrifice but nevertheless did not succumb to the power of death. He is the good and compassionate brother Joseph who in his glory was not ashamed to acknowledge his brothers however lowly and abject their condition. He is the great sacrifice and bishop Melchizedek who was offered an eternal sacrifice once for all. Jesus is the sovereign lawgiver Moses writing his law on the tables of our hearts by his Spirit. He is the faithful captain and guide Joshua to lead us to our promised land. He is the victorious and noble king David bringing by his hand all rebellious power to subjection. Jesus is the magnificent and triumphant king Solomon governing his kingdom in peace and prosperity. He is the strong and powerful Samson who by his death has overwhelmed all of his enemies. This is what we should in short seek in the whole of Scripture: Truly to know Jesus Christ and the infinite riches that are comprised in him and are offered to us by him from God the Father. If one were to sift thoroughly the law and the prophets, he would not find a single word which would not draw and bring us to him. Therefore rightly does Saint Paul say in another passage that he would know nothing except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

“Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” Not only did these types point ahead to Jesus, but the Old Testament specifically foreshadowed a suffering Messiah who would lay down his life for his people. The sacrificial system pointed to the necessity of blood for the remission of sins.  The suffering servant in Isaiah 53 anticipated a servant messiah who would bear our sins.  The rejected and suffering King in the Psalms likewise looked ahead to a king whose reign is resisted and who is surrounded by enemies.   All of these things Jesus did, in fulfillment of the Scriptures. But the story of Jesus is good news because it doesn’t stop with the cross and the tomb. The stone is rolled away, and Jesus is alive.  The resurrection of Jesus is a real, time and space event, a historical fact that changes everything. It is the foundation of our only hope for forgiveness and life.

III. The Resurrection is a powerful story of Hope to the world (Luke 24:30-34). They had lost hope on Friday, but as this teacher explained the Scriptures to them, their hearts burned within them, they longed to hear more, they urged him to stay with them, and then, as He broke bread, their eyes were opened. It was Jesus!

             Our future is real: notice that he sat at table with the disciples, as he says elsewhere, He was flesh and bones.  Remember the words of Job,

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  ²⁶ And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,  ²⁷ whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another” (Job 19:25-27).

 He said “…yet in my flesh, I will see God…” We don’t have to fear the future, we don’t have to wonder how this story is going to unfold. Human rebellion brought sin, suffering and death into the world. But God’s good plan will not be frustrated. We can know that God’s plan for creation, and for us, will be accomplished.  Life is short. The years go by quickly, and yes, each decade seems to come and go by faster!  Some people live with the thought, “You live, then you die, that’s it.” No. Humans were created in God’s image, and created for eternity. And it’s not only hope for heaven, a spiritual existence out there somewhere. God created Adam and Eve sinless and placed them in a physical, material, place. And if we have confessed our need, and come to Him through faith in Jesus, He promises us a new heaven and a new earth, which seems to me to be a return to Eden, to what we were designed for in the first place. He promises us a new body, as this corruptible will put on incorruption, this mortal, immortality.

            One of my favorite Resurrection Day quotes comes from a little book entitled “Triumph of the Crucified.” Erich Sauer said,

“The present age is Eastertime. It begins with the resurrection of the Redeemer, and will end with the resurrection of the redeemed. Between lies the spiritual resurrection of those called into new life through faith in Christ. And so we live between the two Easters, and in the power of the first Easter, we go to meet the last Easter.”

            The resurrection promises that the future is personal, it is not some mystical merging with the cosmos or something, it’s not reincarnation or some other nonsense. Even the ancient wise man Job had a resurrection hope when he said, “Yet in my flesh, I will see God.”

            And because it is God who promises it and God who will do it, if our hope is in Him our future is certain – The resurrection of Jesus is called the first fruits of the harvest, and the Bible makes it clear that our future resurrection is as sure as the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus.  Our future is certain and it is better than we can imagine - "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

What is God saying to me in this passage? Have you ever felt helpless or hopeless about the future? Our politicians and government, economic instability, the uncertainties in the world around us, even our bodies that fail us so easily, all or any of these can make us lose hope.

Listen carefully: The story of Jesus means HOPE for those who will come to Him, trust Him, and take Him at His word. And biblical hope is not mere wishful thinking that everything will work out. It is a confident expectation about the future, because Jesus Christ is our living Lord. The empty tomb leaves no doubt that He is who he claimed to be. And He claimed to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only way to the Father.  The resurrection of Jesus is a real, time and space event, a historical fact that changes everything. It is the foundation of our only hope for forgiveness and life.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? The facts of the Gospel are history. The question for each of us is, “What will you do with Jesus?” Either you believe He is who He claimed to be, or, he was a liar, or worse, a lunatic. Did his disciples invent the story of the empty tomb? Is it even conceivable that these men who were scattered when Jesus was arrested would be willing to die for a story they themselves had invented? The only rational explanation for their transformed lives is that this message is true, that Jesus is the Son of God, God the Son, He laid down his life for his friends, and He rose again the third day. That is the Essential Jesus. It is His Story, He is our Hope.      AMEN.

Palm Sunday: The King is Coming Acts 4:23-31; John 12:12-15

Palm Sunday: The King is Coming!

Acts 4:23-31; John 12:12-15

Introduction:  Palm Sunday. It was near the end of His three years of public ministry. The miracles and healings Jesus did stood as undeniable evidence, confirming His teaching with authority. And Calvary loomed, less than a week away. The triumphal entry, the day we celebrate as Palm Sunday, was a moment of contradictions. The people were right to acknowledge Jesus as king, but they had no idea of what that really meant.  They were still hampered by a wrong idea of what the messiah had come to do, they were still looking for a political or military deliverer like David or Solomon who would usher in a kingdom on earth of blessing and abundance and security. So they rejected Him, this carpenter’s son and friend of sinners. And so Jesus told his disciples not to be surprised if the world hates you, He said, “It hated me first.” As surely as Jesus was ultimately rejected by His own, we can expect pain in this life (after all we live in a fallen world, infected  by sin, in rebellion against God!). How is that for a recruitment line: “If you want to be my disciple, take up your cross and follow me!”  He said, “You will have tribulation!” Even so, cheer up, Jesus wins, so the best is yet to come! 

       I’ve decided today to stay in our series in Acts for this Palm Sunday, for the message of Palm Sunday is at the heart of the scene we are looking at here in Acts 4 as the disciples, arrested and threatened and now released, re-join their friends for a time of prayer. The issue at the triumphal entry was the kingship of Jesus wrongly understood, the heart of the disciples’ prayer in Acts 4 is the kingship of Jesus rightly understood.  As Jesus entered Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday He allowed the crowd to praise Him as the coming King, even though the people didn’t understand the full meaning of their own words. He is King after all, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  But He came as the Passover King, the Servant King, who would lay down His life for His friends. The rejection of Jesus that led  to the cross has now become persecution of His followers. As the disciples gather for prayer in Acts 4 they get it right: they see a connection between King Jesus’ suffering and their present crisis. The world is in conflict with God and His Kingdom, as Psalm 2 tells us the nations rage “against the Lord and against His Anointed.” Let’s see how the disciples respond. Let’s remember how Jesus responded.  Let’s consider how we should receive Him and how we should respond when trials come.

Big Idea: Crises will come, but take heart: Jesus is Lord, He hears us, He is with us, He speaks through His Word, and He sends us in His power.  

I. In the midst of crisis we need to pray, acknowledging His Kingship (4:23-24). Know that He is Lord and come to Him!  In John 12, after Jesus was anointed at Bethany with precious ointment “for the day of His burial…”, after we are told that the Jewish leadership was plotting his death, in fulfillment of Scripture He rides on a donkey’s colt into Jerusalem.  We read, in John 12:12-15,

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.  ¹³ So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’  ¹⁴ And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,  ¹⁵ ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!’"

On that first Palm Sunday, the crowds cited Scripture, and seemed to acknowledge Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise of a coming King.  Ironically, they were correct, He is king, the Creator and Lord of all creation! In our passage in Acts 4 the disciples have been arrested and threatened, ordered to stop speaking about Jesus. How would they respond?

  First of all, they went to their friends, their brothers and sisters in Christ. We read in Acts 4:23, “When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.” They went to their friends! This is a beautiful illustration of the family of God at work. Notice that the disciples did not try to stick it out alone.  They didn’t take an “every man for himself” attitude and get out of Dodge while they could. They knew they were part of a family, the Body of Christ, so they went to their brothers and sisters for encouragement, support, comfort, and prayer. Remember the “one anothers” of the New Testament? Love one another, forgive one another, encourage one another, bear one another’s burdens, pray for one another, build each other up. We are made for community, as part of a family, mutually interdependent. We need each other, and we are needed. That is why the writer to the Hebrews urges us to “…not forsake the assembling…” of ourselves together.  

  Secondly, we see the believers praying together, with “one voice”: “And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said…” They came together to pray, they lifted their voice together to God in agreement, asking Him for his help.  When we pray, what does that imply about our theology? We believe that God hears, that He is able, that He cares, and that He works through prayer.

 Notice also that as they pray, they acknowledge God’s sovereignty, that is, His Kingship. He is the creator of the universe, it all belongs to Him. They address Him as "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them…”  He is the King, and He promises His presence. He invites us into His throne room where we can cast our burdens upon Him.   So crises will come, but take heart: Jesus is Lord, He hears us, He is with us, He speaks through His Word, and He sends us in His power.

II. In the midst of crisis we need to believe God, taking Him at His Word (25-26).  Believe in Him, Believe Him! As the disciples pray they quote Scripture, considering their situation in light of what God has said.

             First of all, they voice their faith in God, acknowledging that He has spoken: “…who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit…” God spoke, by the Spirit, through the mouth of David. The good news is that we don’t have to wonder what God is like: The one true God, the God who is, the great I AM, has spoken.  He has revealed Himself first of all through Moses and the prophets, and in these last days, in His Son (Hebrews 1:1,2). Since He is God, He speaks with authority and He speaks absolute truth, He is all knowing.

 The quotation at the beginning of their prayer is from Psalm 2:1,2, "Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?  ²⁶ The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed…” The word “anointed,” in this citation in Acts is the Greek word “Christ,” in the Hebrew Bible it is the word “Messiah.”  Psalm 2 anticipates the enthronement of the Great King, the Son of God, and recognizes that the world is in rebellion against Him. Notice that as the disciples quote this, they understand the root of the hatred they are experiencing. Jesus had warned them, “Do not be surprised if the world hates you, remember that it hated me first…”

Palm Sunday, what a day of contradiction and contrast!  Jesus rode into town on the donkey’s colt, and He is acknowledged by some as Lord and King! Yet, the rulers are already plotting His death. He is Lord, yet the Scriptures revealed His rejection long ago, including this verse in Psalm 2. The rebellion was against the Lord and His Christ.

 God has given us His word to encourage us in the face of trials, to help us understand a little better the truth about the world in which we live. What the disciples discerned as they began to experience persecution is still true today.  Don’t be surprised if the world hates you! It hated Him first.   Yes, crises will come, but take heart: Jesus is Lord! And He hears us, He is with us, He speaks through His Word, and He sends us in His power.

III. In the midst of crisis we need to understand that God is in control (27-28). At this moment, in retrospect, the disciples could see God’s hand working through the passion of Christ… They were in another crisis now, and could find hope looking back on the cross.

  First we see the rebellion of humans (v.27): “…for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel…”  The Roman authorities and the Jewish leaders didn’t agree on a lot, but they did finally agree to get rid of Jesus. As the disciples are praying, they see this as a direct fulfillment of Psalm 2:1,2.

  In the same sentence we see the Plan of God (v.28) “…to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” Their actions and their hatred of Jesus was culpable, and God used their evil intentions to accomplish His sovereign purpose: ultimately, the redemption of a people for himself. That is us!  Crises will come, but take heart: Jesus is Lord, He hears us, He is with us, He speaks through His Word, and He sends us in His power.

IV. In the midst of crisis we need to stay focused on our mission (29-31). We have a message to share with the nations. They might not like it. Most will reject it. And yes, some will reject us for telling the truth. We need to stay focused on our mission. The disciples did. They prayed for God to work, and they prayed for boldness to testify to the truth.

  Let’s be honest. What would you have prayed for in this situation? What would I have prayed for? Safety? Protection? Relocation to a safer place?  “Lord, could it be that I sense you calling me to a less hostile environment?” No, instead we see a prayer for boldness to stay on task, focused on mission, “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness…” 

  The second part is interesting in that it seems to be a prayer marked by faith, notice their confidence in God’s work: “…while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus."  It seems they are praying for courage to do their part, speaking God’s word, being His witness, while God does the work of confirming His word through works of power. We know you’ll do your part Lord, give us courage and boldness to keep being your witnesses!

  As Luke, the writer of Acts, includes this story in his account of the early church, I think he is telling Theophilus, and other readers of this book, that God answers prayers. Remember that this is a key theme that Luke emphasizes in both his gospel and in Acts.  Luke, more than the other gospel writers, emphasized the fact that Jesus taught his disciples about prayer in word and by example. Jesus taught them about prayer and we are told that He himself withdrew and spent time in prayer before every pivotal moment of his life and ministry.  And now, in volume 2 of his writing, here in Acts we see again that they have learned the lesson well.  In the face of threats of violence and opposition, they go to God in prayer.  Prayer offered in humble submission to His will, in the name of Jesus, will be heard. This is a prayer that God answers: “And when they had prayed, the place… was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” We might have imagined these men praying differently or for different things. They don’t even ask to be filled with the Spirit. They understand He is present. So they ask for boldness to speak, and they are filled with the presence of God in the Spirit and empowered to be His witnesses.

What is God saying to me in this passage? At the Triumphal Entry, the First Palm Sunday, they people called Jesus “King” even though they didn’t understand that in a few days the King would be rejected and crucified. After Pentecost His followers came to understand His kingship through the prism of the Cross and Resurrection. He was the Servant King, the Passover King, who laid down His life for His friends, and rose again the third day.  Crises will come, but take heart: Jesus is Lord, He hears us, He is with us, He speaks through His Word, and it is He who sends us in His power. In the midst of crises we need to pray, acknowledging His kingship, He is Lord! And we need to believe Him, taking Him at His Word, understanding that He is in control, and staying focused on the mission He has entrusted to us.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Are you facing a time of crisis right now? Maybe you’ve just come through one, maybe it will start tomorrow. In the world you will have tribulation.  The good news is that God is with us, and we have a high priest who understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses. We are the King’s kids. He invites us to pray. We’re never alone, nothing takes Him by surprise, in fact He will work all things together for your good, and for His glory. Most amazing of all, He sends us as His witnesses. 

We have a resource table in the back, including a short book called “The Essential Jesus.” It’s the Gospel of Luke, with an introduction putting the story of Jesus in the context of the big picture of the Bible. And it ends with an invitation, a call to respond to Him. I would invite you to take a copy, and to share it with someone in your sphere of influence, perhaps with an invitation to join us for Easter next week.  Pray about that, and know that the same God who answered the prayer of the disciples is God today.  Father grant us boldness, to be your witnesses.   AMEN. 

Pastor's Report Preview for April 2014

PASTOR’S ANNUAL REPORT – APRIL 2014

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip

the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:11-12).

            Four years ago we began our labor together as Mary Ann and I ended our final “home assignment” with WorldVenture and came to Boothbay.  On the one hand, it is hard to believe that we have been here such a short time, as we feel very connected with you, our church family!  On the other hand, it’s passed quickly, and I am excited to see what God will do during this fifth year of our serving together.

One of the things I have enjoyed is seeing leaders rise up within our church family. The elders have been serious about sharing in the shepherding responsibility of the church, and the deacons and deaconesses have worked with them in this ministry.  We need to watch out for one another, and as needs arise, we need to bear one another’s burdens. These leaders have been a key link in that process. Our Word of Life ministry has also been a setting where team work and shared leadership has done well.  As we seek to allow leaders to find their calling, I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to tutor one of our men in New Testament Greek, and I am excited to see him now take the step of beginning seminary study. I would love to see us offer a meaningful internship experience to members like this who sense God is calling them toward full time Christian service. This would allow us to help encourage and guide them as they discover and develop areas of giftedness, and perhaps pursue more formal training in theology and ministry. 

As we evaluate our connectedness within the church, I would love to see our small group ministry expand to include everyone in the body.  There is just no substitute for the deepening of relationships that develop when we spend time together.  Some of our groups cease their regular weekly meetings in the summer, others may continue year round. If you are not yet a part of a group I urge you to speak with me or one of the elders about the possibility.

The ministry mapping process we went through last year laid a foundation that has allowed us to sharpen the focus of our mission and our vision as a church. We agreed that our mission is “to know God and to make Him known,” and that “We envision a community of Christ followers, rooted in the Word, treasuring God as supremely valuable, and proclaiming the riches of His grace to the world.”  The Bible uses several different metaphors to describe the church, one of the most instructive is the idea that we are a “body,” with each member contributing in a vital way to the working together of the whole  (see I Cor 12:4-27).  The overriding theme of that passage is that we are all an important and necessary part of the body. We complement one another. That mutual interdependence is part of God’s design. We are stronger and more effective in carrying out our mission together than any of us could possibly be alone. 

The verse at the top of this page reflects a key aspect of what I view to be my calling as a pastor/teacher: equipping the saints (the church) for service, for the building up of the body of Christ. In a sense, we are all “ministers” as we use our gifts together to carry out the mission of the church.  I pray that our current preaching series in the Book of Acts will serve to deepen our understanding of our mission and the part that we each have in it. The church in Acts was not built by programs or personalities. It was built by Jesus, as He worked through believers filled by His Spirit and committed to being His witnesses. Our church motto is “A lighthouse of God’s grace and truth.” May it be that we as a church, and each of us as we live in the sphere of influence in which God has placed us, take that attitude to heart!

I continue to be available to counsel with individuals and couples, and have enjoyed sitting in as an ex officio member of some of our committees.  Teaching once a week at New England Bible College has been a good opportunity to have a part in equipping leaders, most of whom are serving right here in churches in Maine.  God has been using this church for over 200 years. May those who come behind us find us faithful!

Your co-workers in Christ,

Pastor Steve and Mary Ann