• Home
  • About
    • What We Believe
    • What to Expect
    • Meet the Pastor
    • Directions
  • Worship
    • Sermons
    • Service
  • Outreach
    • Ghana Build
    • Community Gardens
    • Community Gardeners Blog
    • Community Fun Day.
    • Tusculum Elementary School
  • Contact
  • First Academy for Children Mother's Day Out
Faith Church Nashville

Keep in Step with the Spirit

6/9/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Galatians 5:25; Acts 8:26-39
Theme: The Spirit is full of energy + action; we are called to keep in step with the Spirit.

After his junior year at Trinity Christian College my son took on a big challenge. 
Paul attended a ten-week Marine Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. 
They got up at 5:00am.  They took long hikes with heavy backpacks. 
They navigated obstacle courses.  They learned hand-to-hand combat techniques.
That’s why I’m afraid of Paul when he gets rambunctious with me.
 
And a drill sergeant had them learn how to march in step. 
Marching in step has always been a big deal in the military.
It shows you are listening.  It shows you are following orders. It shows unity of force.
At his graduation it was impressive to see them march in step on the parade grounds. 
 
On Pentecost God poured out his Holy Spirit. 
Immediately the Spirit sparked all kinds of action: the apostles speak in other languages;
thousands come to believe in Jesus; miraculous signs and wonders are performed. 
No wonder the Apostle Paul urges the Galatians: Keep in step with the Spirit. 
To keep in step with the Spirit, we have to be on their toes.
 
Acts 8 provides a prime example of keeping in step with the Spirit. 
In this passage I’ll highlight various insights into the Spirit’s activity.
Together it provides a beginning theology of the Holy Spirit.
 
Vs. 26: An angel of the Lord said to Philip…
We don’t know anything about this angel or how it spoke to Philip. 
But we do know Philip; he was one of seven Spirit-filled men chosen to serve as a deacon.
 
Now the Lord has an assignment for Philip:
Go south to the road- the desert road- that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. 
This major road headed south- then cut west to the Mediterranean Sea + the city of Gaza. 
 
Go south to the road- the desert road…  That’s all Philip gets from the angel.
No explanation about why. No clue to what the Spirit has in mind. Just a cryptic command.
 
So, here’s a first insight to keep in step with the Spirit: God by his Spirit gives directives. 
Maybe it’s to go somewhere.  Or to send a note of encouragement.  Or to write a check. 
You may not always know why.  But you can expect the Spirit to direct you. 
So let me ask: are you alert to the Spirit’s leading?  Are you keeping in step with the Spirit?
Now, Philip may have had plenty of reasons to dismiss this message. 
Hey, that desert road is mighty hot.  Or: as one of the seven deacons I’m way too busy. 
Or the capper: Maybe that angel’s message was just a figment of my imagination.
When we receive a prompting from the Spirit, it may be easy to ignore it- or dismiss it.
 
But Philip does no such thing.  Vs. 27 simply says: So he started out.
The Lord sends.  Philip obeys. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
And notice: that first step of obedience opened up the amazing ministry that followed.
So here’s a second insight: keeping in step with the Spirit takes that first step. 
 
Three years ago I served in Gallup, NM: on the edge of the Navajo reservation. 
Soon after arriving I visited a Navajo young man, who was gravely sick.  Later he died. 
The cause: scirrosis of the liver- caused by a lifetime of drinking
In the middle of that great loss I got to know his mom and his sister, Twyla Whitehair. 
And I got a little sense of their community: fifteen miles away in Iyanbito.
 
Soon after, I believe the Spirit gave me a prompting.  Here’s how it went:
Iyanbito is just far enough away that it’s not always easy to get to Gallup for worship. 
Some people there didn’t have reliable transportation to make it in. 
What if we started a Bible study group right there?  It might be just what people need! 
 
So, I took a first step: I shared my idea with Twyla + her husband. Right away it was: Yes!
So we held a small group at their house. We studied John’s gospel + prayed for each other. 
For some it was life changing.  Starting that group all hinged on taking that first step.
 
Let me ask: Is the Spirit prompting you to take some action, to head down a particular road? 
Like Philip, will you simply trust God and obey?  Will you keep in step with the Spirit? 
 
Vs. 27: So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch,
an important official in charge of all the treasury of the… queen of the Ethiopians. 
This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home
was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.
 
Clearly the Spirit had been at work in this man’s heart and mind for some time.
Somehow he’d developed a hunger for God; somehow he heard the Jews knew about God.
He was so interested that he traveled all the way to Jerusalem to worship God.
 
And his visit comes right after Jesus’ death + resurrection and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 
Now on the way home the Ethiopian is reading from a precious scroll of their scripture.
Here’s a 3rd insight on keeping in step with the Spirit: he goes before us to prepare the way.
Now vs 29: The Spirit told Philip: Go to that chariot and stay near it. Fascinating! 
Stay near.  Hang out by that chariot.  We might call this the ministry of presence. 
 
Rev. Jim Kok led the pastoral care department at the Crystal Cathedral in its heyday. 
From his experience he wrote a book titled: 90% of Helping is Just Showing Up. 
He saw that often opportunities arise simply by being there. Being present. Being available.
That’s how it started with Philip + the Ethiopian. Stay near that chariot.
That’s a fourth insight for keeping in step with the Spirit: the ministry of presence. 
 
You know, we have so many things that keep us off on our own.  Television is a big one.
Now our smart phones can keep us preoccupied even when we are with other people.
Today the average church member attends far fewer church activities than forty years ago.
 
But building Christian community takes time.  Building community takes staying near. 
When you are near you get to know people. You’re available to listen. You pick up on needs.
That won’t happen if you’re not around. 
 
The world needs the ministry of presence.  At home.  In our neighborhoods.  At church. 
When you think of it, that’s exactly what Jesus did: he made his dwelling among us.
So let me ask: do you make space to be present with others- to keep in step with the Spirit?
 
Vs. 30: Then Philip ran up to the chariot + heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.
Philip gets near.  And immediately he spots an opportunity.  The Spirit is leading. 
 
Philip poses a good question: Do you understand what you’re reading?”
The official is honest: not really.  How can I, unless someone explains it to me? 
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Take about an opportunity! 
 
You know: my Bible study in Iyanbito was great. But a Bible study in a chariot: that’s cool!
Here’s a fifth insight for keeping in step with the Spirit: if you see an opportunity, go for it. 
 
But there’s more: of all things this important official is reading from Isaiah 53.
Isaiah 53: the Bible’s clearest prophecy of Jesus’ death to take away our sins.
Was the Spirit orchestrating this encounter?  You bet.  Vs. 35: Then Philip began
with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
 
So, here we come to a sixth insight: the Spirit of God works through the Word of God.
And because the Spirit works through the Word, we need teachers of the Word.
You might suppose that with the outpouring of the Spirit we instantly understand things.
Not so!  The Ethiopian official still needed a teacher; he needed Philip to explain the gospel.
So do we.  That’s why Romans 12 says the Spirit has gifted some to be teachers. 
Let me ask: do you make time to hear God’s Word taught- through good preaching,
through good books, through a solid Bible study group- to keep in step with the Spirit?
And if you have the knowledge and ability to teach, are you doing so?
 
Finally vs 36:As they traveled along... they came to some water+the eunuch said:
Look, here is water.  What can stand in the way of my being baptized?
And he gave orders to stop the chariot.  
Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
 
The official believed in Jesus and was baptized.  Imagine the thrill for him and Philip! 
Now Philip knew why the angel told him: Go south to the road- the desert road.
Now Philip got a bigger appreciation of keeping in step with the Spirit.
 
Here’s one final insight: the Spirit can be surprising.
In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus: The wind blows wherever it pleases.
The Spirit is like the wind.  Often the Spirit blows in unexpected directions. 
 
Think of this: in Jerusalem there were many Jews born into God’s covenant family.
They studied the scripture on their father’s lap.  They lived near the temple.
But when Jesus came, many didn’t believe in him.  They closed their hearts to him.
 
And here is an Ethiopian man who was not a part of God’s covenant people;
who had no background in scripture; who grew up far from the temple.
But when Philip explained Jesus, the lamb of God who takes away our sins, he believed. 
The Spirit blows wherever he wills.  Like Philip, let’s go wherever the Spirit is leading.
 
Brothers and sisters, we live in light of Pentecost.
You know, sometimes people think the Christian faith is little more than what we believe.
To be a Christian is to have certain convictions: expressed in the Apostle’s Creed or the HC.
 
But the Christian life is way more than that! Jesus has sent us the gift of his Spirit. 
The Spirit sparks all kinds of action.  The Spirit will direct us and send us.
The big question is: like Philip are you keeping in step?
Each moment, each hour, each day are you keeping in step with the Spirit?
 
When you do, it may be inconvenient; it may push you out of your comfort zone.
But it will also be quite the adventure!!
When you do, you’ll get in on all kinds of kingdom action!!

Neil Jasperse
Nashville, TN
0 Comments

Where You Sit Matters

6/2/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Luke 24:50-53; Ephesians 2:1-7
Theme: When Jesus ascended, God seated us with him in the heavenly realms.

Where you sit matters.  I’ll give two examples from my childhood. 
Mary was one of my classmates at Sheboygan Christian School.
She was the smartest in our class.  She was the best piano player.  I liked her.
 
But in my school back then the boys hung out with boys and the girls hung out with girls. 
And I was timid.  I certainly didn’t want to get teased. 
 
So, I looked to school activities that provided natural interaction. 
For example, I was a starting guard on our basketball team; she was a cheerleader. 
There were the seating assignments teachers gave.  I always hoped to sit near Mary.
 
Where you sit matters.  Here’s a second story. 
Back in 1970, McDonald’s sponsored a competition called: Run-Throw-Bunt-Hit. 
I don’t recall how many kids entered the Sheboygan competition.  In any case, I won.
 
Next came the state competition. It was actually held at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium.  
I wasn’t as big and strong as some winners from other cities.  But I practiced.
In the competition I laid down three nearly perfect bunts- right down the third base line. 
Those bunts piled up so many points that I won!  I was the Wisconsin champion!
 
Get this: the main prize was an all-expenses paid trip with my dad to the World Series!
We flew from Chicago to Cincinnati where the Big Red Machine took on the Orioles. 
We were hosted there by home run king, Frank Howard, and all-star pitcher, Jim Kaat.
 
When my family went to a Brewers game, we always got cheap tickets in the upper deck. 
But I got to sit with Frank Howard + Jim Kaat in box seats at the World Series! Awesome!
 
Where you sit matters.  People in Jesus’ day were keenly aware of that. 
Matthew 20 records the time when the mother of James and John asked Jesus a favor: 
Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right
and the other at your left in your kingdom. These were seats of highest honor + power!
 
Where you sit matters.  The Apostle Paul certainly knew that. 
In Ephesians 2 he highlights the great things God has done for us in Christ. 
Then vs 6: God raised us up with Christ + seated us with him in the heavenly realms.
God’s people get prime spots in the heavenly realms- right there with Jesus!
Seated with God in the heavenly realms.  But, how should we understand that? 
After all, when we look around we don’t see God. Physically we haven’t gone to heaven. 
We’re are still here on planet earth.  Clearly Paul refers to a spiritual reality.
 
When we recite the Apostle’s Creed we say: On the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father. 
These three events are referred to as the resurrection, the ascension and the session. 
 
Here in Ephesians 2 Paul refers to all three events.
But notice: Paul isn’t talking about Jesus here!  He’s talking about us!
God made us alive; God raised us up; God seated us with him in the heavenly realms.
 
Have any of you done any mountain climbing?
When mountain climbers scale a steep peak, they attach themselves to each other by rope.
Being attached makes it more likely they’ll make it safely to the top.
Well, by faith we’re connected to Christ: attached to him. 
And we end up seated with him in a spot loftier then Mt. Everest- in the heavenly realms.
 
And here’s something really amazing. Notice the tense of the verbs. It’s not: he will seat us.
It’s not a future tense.  It’s not something God will do in the life to come. 
No, it’s past tense.  God made us alive; God raised us up; God seated us with him. 
It’s already happened! By faith in Christ we’re seated with God in the heavens- right now!
 
Now, this all sounds grand.  But what does it mean exactly? 
What are the practical implications for us, here and now?
 
Let me highlight three benefits of being seated with God in the heavenly realms. 
First: being seated with God means we’re close to him.  We are close to him.
 
After graduation from college, I volunteered to work at a church in the S. F. Bay Area. 
I’d never been there before. When I stepped off the train it was to meet virtual strangers. 
I enjoyed a great year of ministry, but I did feel lonely at times. I missed home + friends.
 
But at the same time I really felt God’s nearness to me.
I felt God’s presence in some of the incredible beauty of northern California.
In my Bible reading I was regularly impressed with God’s love and presence with me. 
I felt God’s nearness in the Christian brothers and sisters there.
 
So, physically I had moved 2,000 miles. But spiritually I hadn’t moved an inch.
I was still seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. I was close to God; he was close to me.   
So, let this truth soak in!  Fix it in your mind!
Does God sometimes seem remote?  Remember: in Christ God has seated you with him. 
Do you sometimes wonder if he hears your prayers? 
Remember, in Christ God has seated you right next to him; he certainly hears you.
Do you ever feel very alone? You’re not: you are still seated with God right beside you. 
 
Where you sit matters.  Here’s a second practical benefit.  We enjoy a position of favor. 
You know, it’s one thing for a teacher to assign a seat near a girl you like. 
But it’s much better if that girl invites you to sit by her- as a sign of her favor. 
Being seated with Christ in the heavenly realms means we enjoy his favor.
 
You know, we all have a certain self-image.  Our self-image is shaped by many things:
our height/weight or family or personality or education or job or friendships or nationality. 
In a sin-broken world, lots of us struggle with a low self-image.
Sometimes we aren’t sure if others really like us.  We fear we aren’t fully loved. 
To be cherished- to be held in honor and favor is something we all long for. 
 
Here’s the gospel- the good news: your self-image should be shaped by this truth.
In Christ I am seated with God himself!  I have a position of divine favor and glory.
God’s favor means more than any other opinion- any day.
 
So let this truth soak in!  Fix it in your mind!
Do you feel too insignificant for God’s favor? Remember: God has seated you with him. 
Do you wonder if God could love someone so flawed?  God has seated you with him. 
Do you worry that some stupid actions have forfeited the favor of God?
Not so: in Christ God has seated you with him.  You are in a position of divine favor.
 
Where you sit matters.  Third, being seated with God means we share in his mission. 
We share in his mission- just like the disciples shared in Jesus’ mission. 
 
Suppose you were tapped to serve on the cabinet of the next president of the United States.  
What an honor!  You’re part of the team.  You sit at his/her table and plan strategy. 
And you work hard- to carry out the president’s directives to serve our country. 
 
In the same way, being seated with God means we share his mission. 
We are part of God’s team.  We get to be part of the most exciting enterprise on the planet.
 
You know, some people lack a sense of purpose in life.  They drift along. 
They aren’t really headed anywhere.  Days just come and go.  They watch TV.
They get bored.  Some end up doing stupid stuff for kicks.  Little sense of purpose.
But people who sit with God in the heavenly realms know they are part of his mission. 
We’re on his team.  We know our life matters. What we do has eternal significance. 
We get in on the action: loving our neighbor, seeking justice, showing mercy to the poor,
healing the sick, visiting prisoners, aiding refugees, serving in God’s church + kingdom.
 
Let this truth soak in! Fix it in your mind!
Do you wonder about the ultimate purpose in your life? 
Remember: God has seated us with him in the heavenly realms- to carry out his mission. 
 
Where you sit matters. It matters in school, especially if you like a girl in your class.   
It matters at a baseball stadium, especially in the World Series. And it matters with God. 
 
And here’s our sure and certain hope.  One day our position won’t be only spiritual. 
One day Jesus will come back for his own; God’s people will be raised to new life. 
And we will see the Father and his Son face to face. 
We’ll have the thrill of being seated with them- body and soul, for all eternity.
 
Jesus died.  He rose again.  And he ascended into heaven.
In Christ God has already seated us with him in the heavenly realms. It’s awesome! 
And that makes all the difference right now.
 
Let’s never forget it.  Let’s make the most of it.  Let’s live up to our position in Christ.

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church
Nashville, TN
0 Comments

Jordan River Memorial Stones

5/26/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Joshua 3:14-4:7

Theme: Memorials help us remember God's great deeds and blessings with gratitude. 

Some years ago, my family visited the capitol. We toured some of the great memorials. 
Most prominent are the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.     
Then there is the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial,
and more recently the WWII Memorial.

Of course, all these memorials are expensive. It takes plenty of tax dollars
to design them, build them, maintain them + protect them. So why do we do it?

Because memorials help us remember things we should remember.
Our memories need to be prodded; otherwise we are prone to forget.
We forget what a precarious experiment democracy was
when George Washington became our first president.
We forget how easily our country could have been split except for Abe Lincoln.
We forget the world's future really hung in the balance when Hitler rolled over Europe.

In our Joshua text God’s people are poised to enter the Promised Land.
But their path is blocked by the Jordan River swelled during a spring flood stage.
Then God did something spectacular: he stopped the river’s raging force- completely.
It’s as if he placed the Hoover Dam upstream: the water simply piled up in a heap.
And the whole nation of Israel crossed over on dry ground.
 
Notice the symmetry in the journey of God’s people.
To exit the land of slavery, the people crossed the Red Sea on dry ground.
Now to enter the land of prosperity, the people cross the Jordan River on dry ground.
Both display God’s immense power and miraculous provision for his people.
 
And get this: while God is performing this great feat, he is already arranging a memorial.
It’s as if General Washington rowed across the Delaware + stopped to set up a landmark,
before catching the British off guard in a surprise attack.
Or as if Union soldiers had no sooner repulsed Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg
then they preserved their cannon and flags for a war memorial.
 
Joshua 4:1 Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,
and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right
where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at
the place where you stay tonight.
 
Then vs 6: In the future, when your children ask you: What do these stones mean?
Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant...
These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.
I'll call it the Jordan River Memorial.
 
Now, there wasn’t any visitor center there or any park rangers to give a tour. 
But picture generations of children in the Promised Land coming across those stones. 
Picture their descendants being told what happened there. 
Our text notes that when the book of Joshua was written, the stones were still there.
The stones were still standing to remind people that God had done a great wonder.

Memorials help us remember things we should remember. 
When we forget what God has done, we are the poorer.
Our faith in God grows fainter.  When we forget, we are prone to wander from him.

Generations after the Israelites reached the Promised Land that very thing happened.
Judges 3:7 says: They forgot the LORD their God.  They forget what he had done.
They forgot the awesome plagues he sent on Egypt. 
They forgot how God parted the Red Sea to let them walk through on dry ground.

They forgot Gods provision of quail and manna and water in the desert.
They forgot his stopping the Jordan River to let them march into the Promised Land.  They forgot how the hand of the Lord conquered the mighty people in the land.
And in their forgetting they ran after other gods. 

Memorials help us remember things we should remember. 
And the remembering is more than just keeping the historical record straight. 
The physical presence of a memorial prompts a remembering that moves us. 
At memorials there is emotion, sometimes tears, often a deep sense of gratitude. 

I think of people finding the names of loved ones on the Vietnam War Memorial.  Tracing the name etched in stone; tears in their eyes.
When I visited the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania there was a sense of awe:
awe at the horror of terrorism that can strike anywhere + gratitude for heroic passengers.

In the same way, the memorial stones were meant to move Gods people.
Look at those stones! They come from the middle of the Jordan!
God stopped the force of this entire river!  Isn’t he great?  Look what he’s done for us!! 
Now we possess a land flowing with milk and honey!
Those twelve stones were meant to inspire worship!

Memorials help us remember things we should remember. 
Remembering gives proper attention to what God has done. 
Remembering is really a window to God.  It helps us know him- that he is powerful. Remembering helps us trust him and live by faith in the present.

Now, I don't think the twelve memorial stones are still standing today- 3,000 years later.  None of us live near the Jordan river. Does that mean we have to do without memorials?  Absolutely not.  Memorials still have an important place for us. 

First, there are personal and family memorials. 
You know that both my boys were adopted- while I was a church planter in California.  At the last-minute Paul's birthmother invited us to come to the hospital for his birth.  We dropped everything, got in our car and drove the four hours to get there.

But here’s another detail: we did have the presence of mind to pack a video-camera.
And we put it to good use to capture the action around Paul’s birth. 
A while ago, we got out that tape and watched it as a family. 
We hooted; we hollered; we poked fun; we laughed; we cried. It helped us remember.  And we praised God all over again for his goodness in making us a family.

Some people know the time and place where they accepted Jesus into their lives. Celebrating a spiritual birthday can be a memorial- to remember God’s saving grace. Wedding anniversaries can be a memorial- to savor God’s gift of committed love.  Recovering alcoholics may celebrate the date they stopped drinking + remained sober. What about you?  What special moments of grace in your life ought to have a memorial?

Second, there are civic memorials. 
I've already mentioned the various national monuments in Washington DC. 
And holidays like this function as a memorial. 
We specially remember all those who served in the military
and laid down their lives to defend liberty + justice for all.  Memorials of God’s grace.

Third and most important, we still have God-given memorials. 
The twelve stones at the Jordan are long scattered and gone. 
But in a broad way the Bible itself acts as a memorial.

Through the Bible every new generation remembers what God has done. 
Through the Bible we learn about God's great deeds-
from the first day of creation to the last day of redemption.   
Through the Bible we remember and give thanks that God stopped the Jordan River, so that his people could cross over into the Promised Land.
About 1400 years later a more important event took place in the waters of the Jordan.  We don't know if the twelve stones were still there. 
But in his gospel Mark writes: Jesus came... and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Having been baptized and filled with the Spirit, Jesus began his work of redemption. 
He conquered giants in the land- disease, spiritual blindness, evil spirits + Satan himself. 
His final victory was accomplished by dying on the cross to save us from our sins.
His redeeming work was so important the Holy Spirit inspired four accounts about it. 

And already the night before his death, he set up a memorial.
This time he didn’t give us stones; he gave us bread and wine. 
Eat this bread; drink this cup in remembrance of me.
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 

Memorials help us remember things we should remember. 
What stones should you set up to mark God’s power and grace in your life? 
What memorials should you be visiting? 
God’s people must always look forward in hope. 
But may we also know the importance of remembering.

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church Nashville
Memorial Day Service

0 Comments

Honor Your Mother- and Father

5/12/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Exodus 20:12; Mark 7:5-13
Theme: Honoring parents takes different forms: for kids- obedience;         for teens- respect; in middle years prizing them, and in later years          caring for them.

Perhaps you went shopping for a Mother’s day card this week. 
The variety of cards is amazing: religious ones, sentimental ones, humorous ones.
There are regular sized cards and huge ones; fancy ones and even more fancy ones. 
However, there’s a better way to show appreciation to your mother: how you treat her.
As the fifth commandment says: Honor your father and your mother. 
 
Honoring our father and mother over a lifetime involves different stages. 
Each stage of life brings different challenges as we and our parents grow older. 
I will highlight four stages of honoring our parents.
 
The first stage of honor is to obey.  The Apostle Paul makes that clear in Ephesians 6:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
 
Boys + girls, the quickest way to dishonor your parents is refuse to listen to them.
Make a mess with your toys even when Mom repeatedly told you to pick them up.
Grumble every time Dad asks you to help with chores. Make a fuss when its bedtime.
But if you want to honor your father and mother, cooperate.  Obey them!
 
Here I think of a great scene from beloved book: Anne of Green Gables. 
When Anne first arrived on Prince Edward Island, she discovered it was all a mistake.
Marilla Cuthbert had actually asked for an orphan boy- to help on the farm. 
 
Well, Matthew takes this freckled, skinny, talkative orphan to Green Gables anyway. 
After great reluctance and a trial period, Marilla finally announces Anne can stay.
Anne is thrilled? She says: I'm so happy. I'll try to be so good.  It will be uphill work.
Mrs. Thomas often told me I was desperately wicked.  But, I'll do my very best. 
 
Boys and girls, a willing spirit of cooperation and obedience is what counts.
 
Jesus himself is a fine example.  At age twelve, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. 
He wanted to be in the temple- his Father’s house. His knowledge wowed the people.
When his parents returned + found him, they scolded him for causing them such worry. 
 
How did Jesus’ respond?  He went along with them and was obedient to them.  
 
So kids, when you get home, don’t just ignore this: obey your parents. 
When you get up each morning, pray: God, help me to obey my mom and dad today. 
That’s one of the main duties you have in life right now.
Honor your father and your mother.  A second facet of honor is respect. 
Respect is really a synonym for honor. 
 
You may obey your parents on the outside. But that doesn't mean you respect them inside.
I can remember friends who would call their parents “my old man" or "my old lady." 
Saying my old lady kind of took their mother down a few notches.
Then what she said didn’t seem as important. 
 
I never could bring myself to talk like that.  Maybe I feared my parents too much. 
But I think I also respected them too much.
 
Respect your father and mother.  Perhaps this specially applies to teens + young adults.
During these years we start to think more independently.  We notice other families.
We discover: not every family does things like our family. 
And sometimes we like how other families do things better.
 
 
I remember this stage: it was easy for criticism and disrespect to creep in. 
For some teens it can be a favorite pastime with peers: to cut down your parents. 
Here's a real challenge: to respect your parents- to their face and behind their backs.
 
Now, that doesn't mean that your parents' decisions won't gripe you at times.
It doesn't mean that you pretend your parents never mess up. 
But it does mean that you give them respect- because God made them your parents.
 
You know, I think one important ingredient in respect is appreciation. 
When we truly appreciate what someone has done, we’re much quicker to respect them.
And nine times out of ten there is no one who has done more for you than your parents.
 
The investment parents make in their kids is incredible! 
Just giving birth: the discomfort of a pregnancy and then the pain of labor! 
Then there are all the diapers.  A baby has what- nearly ten diaper changes a day?
That means in the first year alone parents change diapers over 3,000 times! 
When we truly appreciate what parents have done for us, we'll be quicker to respect them.
 
So, young people, if you want to wipe your parents out, never show any appreciation. 
Just assume they owe it to you.  It’s what every kid deserves anyway. 
But if you want honor them, then show your appreciation- for the meals Mom makes,
for taking you places, for sending you to sports camps or music camps,
for cheering you on, for just being there for you.
 
Honor your father and your mother.  A third facet of honor is to prize highly. 
This is a special challenge for middle-aged adults. You are busy.
You are busy with work; you are busy with kids; busy keeping up the house and yard;
you are busy with church; you’re just plain busy. At this time in life it’s easy
for your parents to get the leftovers in your schedule.
 
To prize highly means to hold your parents as a high priority in your life. 
Make time for them.  Take initiative with them.  Do special things for them. 
Involve them in the lives of your kids.  That will be a great joy to your parents.
Middle-agers: how might you prize your parents- in this busy stage of life?
 
During my years as a pastor I never lived closer than 200 miles from my parents. 
But one old-fashioned thing I could always do is write. And I did- nearly every week.
Thru those letters my mom/dad stayed deeply connected with my activities + thoughts.
They read those letters and re-read them.  They saved them.
They deeply appreciated that I prized them enough to take the time to write.
 
Here I want to say a word to anyone whose parents have been a disappointment.
Because of that truly honoring them may seem impossible. 
They hurt me too much for me to honor them.  They don't deserve it. 
 My father was never there for me.  My mother always made me feel inadequate.
You wouldn't expect me to honor that woman if you knew what she did.
 
These are deep, agonizing hurts.  It may take years to work through pain like that.
Yet God doesn't say: Honor your father + mother if they've never done you wrong-
if they've been really good parents. No, God says: Honor your father + mother- period. 
 
The Heidelberg Catechism wisely adds this: be patient with their failings. 
To do that may not be easy. But the Holy Spirit offers the power to make this possible.
 
Honor your father and your mother.  A fourth + final facet of honor is to care for.
In our gospel reading Jesus got after the Pharisees for not caring for their parents. 
The Pharisees encouraged that money to help parents be given instead to the temple.
Jesus angrily rebuked them: You have a fine way of setting aside the commands
of God in order to observe your own traditions!
 
Jesus himself gives us a tender example of care for his mother.  It’s on the cross. 
He's being mocked by the crowd.  He's racked with pain.  He’s in the middle of dying.
And yet Jesus saw his mother there + the disciple whom he loved standing near by.
And he said to his mother: “Dear woman, here is your son” and to the disciple:
"Here is your mother."  Despite his own suffering, Jesus provided for his mother!
 
Caring for your parents.  This especially becomes an issue when they grow older.
Then they may not be able to provide for themselves.  Then roles are often reversed.
Then children honor their aging parents by ensuring that all their basic needs are met.
 
I think of Ruth’s father.  He was an engineering professor, author + college president.
All his life he has been highly capable and competent- providing for so many others. 
But at age 99, his mind has slowed; he gets confused; he can no longer do basic things.
 
Fortunately Ruth has three siblings who live right in town. 
A sister takes care of his checking and finances.  She often goes shopping for him.   
A brother lives a few blocks away and can scoot over if some need arises.
Another brother is a doctor who can consult various health issues. 
It’s a beautiful thing: the children honoring their father by caring for him.
 
You never know when you’ll get that phone call. 
That phone call... saying that your Mom or Dad has died. 
And when you get it, won't it be great if you've done everything you could for them? 
Caring for aged parents may the greatest opportunity of all to honor them.
 
Honor your father and your mother. Each stage of life presents different challenges.
For children there is obedience.  For teens there is respect. 
For busy middle-agers there is taking the time to prize highly. 
And when parents are well advanced in years, there is the challenge of providing care.
 
It’s interesting that only the fifth commandment ends with a promise:
Honor your father and your mother,
so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 
 
Ephesians 6 gives us the New Testament version of that promise:
that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. 
As we honor our parents, God promises to honor and bless us.  It’s a circle of grace.
 
This morning I want to leave you with a challenge. 
For those with parents still living, look to honor them in some special way. 
Think about them and your stage of life.  What would they appreciate?  Be creative. 
Do something which says loud and clear: Mom, Dad, I honor you with all my heart.

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church (Mothers Day)
Nashville, Tenn.
0 Comments

Do Not Worry

5/5/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Matthew 6:25-30
Theme: The secret of worry-free living is proper perspective and trust in God.

In many respects we have it better today than any era in history.  We have freedom.
We have ample food + clothing.  We have many appliances that reduce life’s drudgery. We have handy transportation.  We have advanced medical care.
 
In many ways we have it so much better than ever before.  And yet we worry!
 
I once asked my Bible study group this question: How many of you are worriers? 
Of the ten people there, seven of them confessed they were worriers. 
A few even qualified as world-class worriers.
 
Worry.  We worry about the quality of our schools.  We worry about our finances.
We worry about the influence of television- its violence, trashy language, sexual scenes;
We worry about global warming and the seeming increase in devestating tornadoes. We worry about a dysfunctional US government.  We worry about terrorism.
Some have labeled ours as the age of anxiety- or the age of prozac.
 
I don’t view myself as a worrier. But I have to admit that all kinds of anxieties creep in. Worry about my boys doing well in school once; now about their work + relationships. 
Worry about developing a fresh, Christ-centered sermon that will nourish the soul.  Worry about someone in the church family who is really hurting or struggling . 
Worry about if my Green Bay Packers will bounce back to their former greatness. 
Each of you could probably add your own personal list of worries. 
 
Worry is a cousin of fear. Fear is a stronger emotion that arises from an actual threat.  Worry is a low-grade fear that something bad might happen. 
 
None of our worries may be that big in themselves.  But they nag at you. 
They cloud over your peace of mind. They take some shine off your happiness.
They have a way of keeping you on edge.  Does this sound familiar?
 
Jesus knows all about that.  In Matthew 6:25 he speaks to our situation.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life.
 
Now, perhaps that sounds a bit unrealistic. 
We’ve all heard people say: I've always been a worrier; my Mom was and so am I.
Or: That's just how I am.  I can't help it.  It’s as if worry is a gene some are born with.
The implication is: You can't really expect me to stop worrying.
But may we dismiss Jesus' words that way?  Notice that verse 25 isn't just a wish. 
It isn’t just a suggestion.  It’s not just for those born without a worry gene. 
It’s an exhortation- really a command. Jesus commands all his followers not to worry.
 
And notice that it’s not a low-key command!  Jesus issues this command three times:
vs 25- do not worry; vs 31- do not worry; and vs 34- do not worry. 
It’s as if Jesus knows what a problem worry is. 
He knows it keeps popping up like unwanted weeds. 
So he repeats himself to show he means business: do not worry.
 
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink;
or about your body, what you will wear. 
Jesus knows worry is a besetting problem.  So Jesus fortifies his command with reasons.
 
Reason #1: there are more important things than ordinary, physical needs. 
Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?   
In other words, don't sweat the little stuff. Don’t sweat the daily stuff- like food + clothes.
 
When I grew up in Sheboygan nearly every wife was a full-time homemaker. 
Many in my church believed that cleanliness was next to godliness. 
I think they spent half their lives making sure their house was swept and spotless.
 
But how insignificant compared to really important things- being there for your kids; growing in Christ; serving in your church; helping the hungry or the homeless;
or sharing the gospel with a neighbor. 
So I officially declare that worrying about keeping things pin neat is unspiritual. 
 
Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  In other words, Jesus wants his people to have a sense of priorities. 
Set your sights on what matters in life- things of eternal value. Don't sweat the little stuff. 
I'll let you fill in the blank about what is little stuff in your life.
 
I tell you, do not worry.  Here is Jesus’ second reason: God will provide for you. 
Vs 26: Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
 
One day in Michigan I was driving back from the hospital on a frigid winter day. 
By the bridge over the Grand River I saw an enormous flock of birds. 
In fact, there were more birds than I think I’ve ever seen at one time. 
They half covered the sky.  It reminded me of Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, The Birds.
 
Now, those birds had no tools for farming. They had no furnace-heated homes. 
They had no capacity to think, communicate, or love God like we do. 
And yet those birds were thriving- on a bitterly cold day. 
Jesus' logic moves from the lesser to the greater:
Are you not much more valuable than they? 
I
In vs 28-30 Jesus basically restates this same point, only he uses another example.
See how the lilies of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you
that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that
is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow
is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" 
Hard to argue with that logic.
 
Let's zero in on those last few words: O you of little faith. 
Here Jesus cuts thru all our excuses.
Worrying is not just a matter of how you were born. 
It is not just a matter of whether things are going well or not.
Ultimately it’s a matter of trust. Do you trust God to take care of you?
Do you have faith?
 
Here we find a wonderful dimension of the gospel. 
The Bible talks about all the benefits we receive through faith in Jesus. 
Well, one major benefit is worry-free living. Proper concern? Yes!  But worry? No!
 
Think a moment how wonderful life would be without any worries- none at all. 
No worries about how well-liked you are; no worries about your kids’ future;
no worries about a difficult relationship at work; or making ends meet financially;
no worries about health. More faith means less worry. That's what Jesus wants for us!
 
The prophet Habakkuk provides a powerful example:
"Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior." 
 
I think of a lady from my congregation who had trouble with a lingering cough-
on top of a dropping blood count.  The doctors weren’t quite sure what was going on.  When I visited June she simply said: I’m not going to worry about it; I’m in God’s hands.  And that’s right.  If God provides for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field,
he will provide for you and me.
 
You know, it’s easy to talk about our faith in God- or to sing about it. 
But here’s a practical test: how much does your trust in God cut down on your worry?
I tell you, do not worry.  Reason #3: worrying won't do you a bit of good. 
Vs 27: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
 
Worrying won't do you a bit of good. Just the opposite: it takes the fun out of life.  Worry is worse than a pesky mosquito in your tent at bedtime.
 
Worry won't add a single hour to your life.  But it will raise your blood pressure;
it will create headaches; it will cause ulcers; it will shorten your life. 
 
When someone turns 100, they’re often asked about their secret to long life.
I’ve heard many interesting answers: I rolled with the punches. I never smoked or drank.  Or I drank a beer every night.  But I’ve never yet heard: Because I worried a lot.
 
I tell you, do not worry.  Here I want to suggest a take-home assignment. 
As yourself: what two or three things do you worry about the most? 
Once you've identified them, give it the three-part analysis.
Will worry gain you anything?  Is it really that important? 
And do you or don't you trust that your heavenly Father will provide for you? 
 
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church
Nashville, TN
0 Comments

You Do Not Know?

4/28/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Luke 24:13-35
Theme: Knowing matters: Jesus’ death and resurrection; God’s plan in those events; and knowing Jesus in person.

Richard Scarry’s busy books are beloved the world over. They’ve sold 100 million copies.
The figures are endearing:Huckle the Cat; Sergeant Murphy; Bananas Gorilla; Lowly Worm.
In every nook and cranny of each page, there is busy, busy activity.
 
We might say that the first Easter was the busiest day ever. 
God raising Jesus from the dead.  The angel rolling back the stone from the tomb. 
The guards running off into town.  The women visiting the grave early in the morning.
Peter and John hustling to the tomb.  The news spreading about.
 
Luke records one more event on this busy, busy day.
Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem. 
Scholars aren’t sure where Emmaus was located. But you could walk it in about two hours.
 
They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 
They had heard of amazing, mind-boggling developments.  So they were processing it.
 
As they talked and discussed these things with each other,
Jesus himself came up and walked along with them…  
You can picture these two deep in conversation when Jesus overtakes them + falls in step.
 
And now a surprising twist: they were kept from recognizing him. 
These two were disciples of Jesus.  They certainly knew what he looked like. 
But they were kept from recognizing him.  How?  Presumably by God’s hand. 
 
Why?  Luke doesn’t say. But from what follows this seems the most natural conclusion:
God wanted them to recognize his salvation plan before they recognized Jesus, the Savior.
 
Now: in his usual way Jesus asks a leading question:
What are you discussing together as you walk along? 
At this question, they stood still, their faces downcast.
They actually stopped in their tracks; their gloomy feelings put a halt to their feet.
 
One of them, named Cleopas, asked him: Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem
and do not know the things that have happened there in these days? You do not know?
It seemed incredible that anyone was ignorant of the news that dominated their minds.
In reply Jesus simply asks: What things?  This simple question opens the floodgates. 
The two disciples pour out what’s on their minds and hearts.
 
They start with their beliefs: that Jesus was a prophet; he was powerful in word + deed.
Next they reported what happened: the religious leaders handed Jesus over to be crucified.
This was a huge blow; they had hoped Jesus was the messiah, who would redeem Israel.
 
But now their emotions are being jerked around by some rumors. 
A few women reported seeing angels at Jesus’ tomb who said he was alive. 
Then some men confirmed that the tomb was empty.  But they didn’t see Jesus. 
The rumors just seemed too wild- too good to be true.  So the two remained downcast.
 
Now Jesus moves from a good question to a gentle rebuke:
How foolish you are + how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?
You see, their view of Jesus’ death was all wrong; his suffering was part of God’s plan! 
 
Then Jesus moves from a rebuke to masterful teaching. Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
 
Imagine the thrill of having Jesus himself open scripture and interpret it for you! 
It’s a wonder the two disciples didn’t stand transfixed and never get to Emmaus.
Amazing: to have the incarnate Word of God explain the written Word of God.
One commentator writes with deep longing: We should give much
for even a record of the passages he used, give more for his exegesis of those passages. 
 
Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets
he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 
Here Luke provides an important insight into the nature of sacred scripture. 
The Old Testament promises Jesus; the coming of Jesus fulfills that promise. 
Reformed theology holds that promise + fulfillment is a key strand uniting the whole Bible.
 
What does this mean as we study the Bible? 
It doesn’t mean that we should manufacture allusions to Jesus in every OT chapter. 
But it does mean we should be alert to how the grand prophecies, the precious law,
the central ceremonies and symbols, the key characters the great events all point to Jesus.
 
For example, Genesis 3 pledges that one day the offspring of Eve would crush the serpent,
an evil agent of Satan.  We should see that one day Jesus fulfilled that pledge-
by his death and resurrection he crushed Satan and his power.
In Genesis 22 Isaac submits to God’s command that he be placed on an altar as a sacrifice.
There we should see that Isaac foreshadowed Jesus: who submitted to God’s plan
for Jesus to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world- on that very mountain 2,000 years later.
 
In Exodus Moses help free God’s people from miserable slavery to Pharaoh.
We should see that Jesus is the great Moses figure: freeing us from slavery to sin + death.
 
In Exodus 20 the fourth commandment calls for a Sabbath rest.
We should see that Jesus fulfills the Sabbath by providing us eternal rest.
Perhaps Jesus explained these very passages!
 
Here’s a wonderful irony in this encounter: when Jesus first came alongside them,
the two were astonished by his seeming ignorance: you do not know?
But it turns out they were the ones who didn’t know!
 
They didn’t know that Jesus had in fact risen from the dead.
They didn’t know the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death and resurrection.
They didn’t know the law and the prophets all pointed to Jesus and God’s salvation plan.
And they didn’t know that it was Jesus himself at their side. How much they didn’t know!
 
As they approached the village…, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 
But they urged him strongly: Stay with us; it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.
When we offer hospitality to a stranger, who knows what will come of it? 
They ended up hosting Jesus himself!
 
After their journey they naturally sit down for some food and refreshment. 
When Jesus was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it
and began to give it to them.  Wait a minute!  Since when does the guest serve the host? 
 
And wait another minute: this pattern seems mighty familiar.  When Jesus fed the 5,000
he took the loaves and gave thanks and broke them + gave them to the disciples (Luke 9). 
In the upper room, Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, broke it + gave it to them (Luke 22). 
 
This was a case of déjà vu.  Aha!  At last the lights came on in their minds. 
Then their eyes were opened + they recognized him + he disappeared from their sight.
They asked each other: Were not our hearts burning within us
while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?
 
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.  Here the two are symbolic.
God’s Word says that sin blinds us.  II Corinthians 4 pictures it like a veil over our eyes.  Vs. 4:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ.
 
God’s people are called to witness to Jesus and the good news of his kingdom.
But we should equally pray for the Spirit’s sovereign work: to remove the veil.
Then and only then will people recognize Jesus for who he is, just like the two disciples.
 
Then they eagerly reflected: Were not our hearts burning within us?  Burning hearts.
One mark of God’s Spirit in us is that God’s Word makes our hearts burn within us.
God’s Word becomes personal, penetrating, profoundly powerful and alive.
I think of worship times, Bible studies, personal devotions where my heart has burned.
I imagine that many of you can relate to that experience: your heart burning within you.
 
What are we to make of people in the church who are ho-hum about God’s Word?
They don’t really study it seriously on their own.  They don’t join Bible study groups.
They don’t make it a high priority to attend to the preaching of the Word.
I must say this: if the Word of God never causes your heart to burn within you,
then you need to question whether you have the Spirit of God + truly are a child of God.
 
You do not know?  In this passage we find three layers of knowing. 
First, we need to know what happened- about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
Second, we need to know why these things happened- their significance. 
Third, we need to know Jesus himself. We need to know and recognize Jesus with us.
 
The church is called by Christ himself to promote all three layers of knowing.  
Sometimes missionaries must first explain the basics: what happened to Jesus. 
After all, some people have only read the book of nature which tells of a great Creator.
They know nothing of Jesus: his life and death and resurrection.
 
Second, the church must teach good theology: why Jesus had to suffer these things. 
There are always voices that seek to strip away the true significance of Jesus’ life + death.
We need to search all of scripture to find a full understanding of Jesus’ saving work.
 
Third, the mission of the church is to help people to know Jesus personally. 
Not just knowledge about the Lord.  But knowing Jesus personally- who walks with us.
With those two disciples may we come to know Jesus in the full sense: all three dimensions. 

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church
Nashville, TN
0 Comments

Victory

4/21/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: I Corinthians 15:54b-58
Theme: Jesus’ resurrection gives us ultimate victory in life and in death.

When I was a boy, ABC broadcast a popular show: The Wide World of Sports. 
Each broadcast began with this memorable line: the thrill of victory + the agony of defeat. 
The thrill of victory: athletes with arms upraised, sheer joy on their faces, fans cheering. 
And the agony of defeat: a skier wildly catapulting and crashing into a crumpled heap.
 
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. During March Madness we’ve witness it.
Winners pump their fists, jump for joy, tackle each other and get mobbed by their fans. 
Losing players hang their heads, disappointment all over their faces.
 
We see it on election night as voting results roll in.
One candidate is in the lead: all smiles + satisfaction; the other camp grim and gloomy.
 
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
That memorable line from The Wide World of Sports offers an apt description of life.
In a sin-broken world it’s a mixed bag. We have some victories but also some defeats.
With grades.  On sports teams. In relationships.  In our jobs.  In politics.  In the church.
 
But here’s good news: because Jesus rose from the dead we can have ultimate victory! 
Listen again to these electrifying words: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 
'Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?' 
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I can just see Paul pumping his arms and shouting: YES!
 
Here’s why this victory is doubly dramatic: it’s snatched from seeming defeat. 
Just days before: Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice [and] gave up his spirit. 
He died. He was stone cold dead. His body was taken down from the cross and buried.
 
Sure Jesus had a commanding presence about him. 
Sure he was an unparalleled teacher about the kingdom of God. 
Sure Jesus had performed amazing miracles and healed all kinds of people. 
But now, like everybody else, Jesus was dead. 
Just dead: no loving presence, no words, no miracles, no life. 
 
Ever since the sin of Adam and Eve there was the persistent drumbeat of death.
Now it seemed Jesus was no exception. And so the disciples drifted off in a daze.
They thought it was all over. But now a mind-boggling twist!
When the grieving disciples visited that tomb of death, the stone has been rolled away. 
Angels are there to greet them.  They say: Jesus is not here; he has risen. 
So Paul shouts Death has been swallowed up in victory!
 
In the emotion of Paul’s words I don't want you to miss a clever twist in our text. 
Often we picture death as a snake that swallows its victims. 
But now by God’s power there is a stunning reversal: death has been swallowed up.
 
The thrill of victory over death. By the way, the Greek word for victory here is nike. 
That's where Nike shoes got its name.  Their swoosh is a symbol of victory. 
So every time you see the symbol of Nike, remember Jesus’ victory over death.
 
NOW... if Jesus was victorious and that was all, it wouldn't mean much. 
It would be like New Zealand winning the world cup in cricket.  We’d say: so what? 
 
But in vs 57 Paul goes on to say: He gives us the victory thru our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Easter isn’t just about God’s victory 2,000 years ago. 
Through Christ, we share in that victory.  Through Christ we’re on the winner’s stand.
 
Think of World War II.  In that terrible conflict, how did victory come? 
Through the Allied nations and their armies. 
To be a winner in the war you had to be on the Allied side: not Germany or Japan. 
So too, if you’re on the right side, aligned with Christ, you have victory over sin + death. 
 
On this Easter morning let me ask this crucial question: are you on the Lord’s side? 
Have you enlisted in his ranks through baptism?  Do you obey his commands? 
Are you loyal to him?  If so, you will share in Christ’ victory.  If not, you’ll miss out.
 
Now, some of you may be unimpressed with this victory.  It doesn’t thrill you.
To be honest, you already think you are a winner- on your own.
 
You have a nice family and a good circle of friends; you have a comfortable house;
you have a steady job; you are in good health; you enjoy interesting hobbies. 
You may not say it, but your prevailing attitude is: Life is good.  Who needs Jesus?
 
Is that what you’re thinking?  If so, then perhaps you are among the fortunate.
By God’s grace some are largely spared from the agony of life’s defeats.
But: can you guarantee it will always be that way? 
Any number of events beyond your control can tear open your cozy cocoon. 
The lurking danger of cancer alone reminds us that no nest is entirely safe. 
And at the end even the fortunate will face death like everyone else. 
No matter how good your life is, death will come knocking.  Death will defeat you.
Ultimate victory- for time and eternity- is only to be found through the risen Jesus.
 
I also want to speak to another group. 
You may be unimpressed by this victory, but for opposite reasons. 
You believe that Jesus died on the cross to give us victory over sin and death. 
But honestly you don't feel very victorious. 
 
You still face your share of setbacks and disappointments. 
Your GPA wasn’t what you wanted.  You didn’t get that job you applied for. 
You stepped on someone’s toes- again.  Or you struggle with a low self-image. 
Or you’ve got annoying health problems.  The truth is: you're barely getting by.  Victorious?  Hardly.
 
Yet no defeats here and now can take away from the final victory we have thru Christ.
Perhaps Paul puts it best in II Corinthians 4:
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
 
Here’s something amazing about the gospel of Jesus:
when you cast your lot with Jesus as Savior and Lord, you are a winner- period. 
For all eternity you are a bigger winner than any successful person standing on his own.
 
To summarize: first Paul celebrates Jesus resurrection- God’s victory over sin + death.
Second, he makes it clear that we can share in this victory- through Jesus Christ.
Third and finally, this victory should give us great confidence in our lives now. 
 
Vs 58: Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.  Let nothing move you. 
I think of the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg.
The tide turned when Union troops stood their ground against Pickett’s headlong charge.
So too, because of Christ’s victory, we can stand strong against any foe or adversity. 
 
Goliath was a giant: over nine feet tall, armed to the teeth.
Yet young David was not intimidated.  When Goliath advanced, David stood firm. 
In fact, David ran toward him, firing a stone from his slingshot. Goliath fell face down. 
 
Or take Paul’s example.  In II Corinthians 11 he recounts terrible adversity:
I have been in prison, been flogged severely, been exposed to death again and again,
three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times shipwrecked etc.
He could have said: This is too much!  I can’t take it anymore!
No; Paul stood firm.  He let nothing move him.  He carried on with the gospel.
What about you?  Unsure of what you want to do in life; worried about the future?
Stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  You already have victory in Christ!
 
Do certain temptations seem overwhelming: overeating or drinking or pornography? 
Stand firm.  Let nothing move you.
 
Has some accident or sickness thrown you for a loop?  Feeling out of kilter?
Stand firm.  Let nothing move you.
 
Do you have spiritual doubts?  At times does God seem far from you? 
Stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  
Let’s live confident of our victory!  Let’s give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
 
Tomorrow night the final game of the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament will be held. 
Once again we’ll see the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. 
One team will be crowned champion.  The other will fall one game short. 
 
But the big question in life is: What victory matters most? 
So what if you are a winner in March Madness.
So what if you are a winner at horseshoes at Family Camp.
So what if you are a winner in an election or in getting a plum job or winning the lottery.
So what- if you are not a winner in what matters most- for all time and eternity?
 
Brothers and sisters, here is good news: Christ is risen! 
God has triumphed over sin and death.  Let’s shout with the Apostle Paul:
Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church Nashville, TN
0 Comments

Cleaning House

4/14/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Matthew 21:10-17
Theme: Jesus our King comes to clean house
               and make space for God's work.

Spring is here.  It is one of the most delightful times of the year. 
The weather gets warmer.  We open up windows.  The sun pours in. 
 
Then you may notice some dust and dirt that has accumulated. 
And you get the urge to clean house: mop floors, scrub walls, dust under the bed.
We refer to this as spring cleaning.
 
You might even be inspired to get rid of stuff you never use. 
Of course that’s only possible if you don’t have a spouse who says
Don’t throw that out!  You never know when we might need it.
 
Spring cleaning.  In our Matthew 21 passage that’s exactly what Jesus does. 
After Jesus entered Jerusalem, the very first thing he did was clean house- the temple.
 
Here’s the background: God called his people to offer sacrifices at the temple. 
So devout people from all over Israel would make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. 
The standard sacrifice was a lamb. But in Leviticus 12 God accommodated the poor:
If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons… 
Mary and Joseph were poor: when they presented Jesus at the temple they offered birds. 
 
Now, carrying and feeding these creatures on a journey was burdensome. 
So most pilgrims would buy one from a merchant once they arrived in Jerusalem.
This led to a thriving market.  The closer to the temple the better.
At some point business moved right inside the temple courts.
 
But now King Jesus arrives! 
Jesus entered the temple courts + drove out all who were buying + selling there. 
He overturned the tables of the money changers + the benches of those selling doves.
 
He didn’t care how long they’d been there. He didn’t care about stepping on toes. 
This stuff didn’t belong there; it was getting in the way.  So he drove them all out.
 
Wow!  What a fascinating glimpse of Jesus’ character! 
Matthew has just quoted the prophet Zechariah- that the king would come gentle.
But Jesus can be fierce. As C.S. Lewis pictures it, he is like Aslan: not a tame lion.
In this sense we are to fear God: that is take him seriously; we don’t mess with him. 
God intended the temple to serve as the center of his presence among all people. 
Jesus reminds them of this purpose: My house will be called a house of prayer.
Clearly it was a perversion to turn a house of prayer into a place of business.
 
But there’s more to it.  Jesus actually calls it a den of robbers. 
The implication is: there wasn’t just business going on, but dishonest business. 
The merchants were gouging the pilgrims- perhaps doubling the price for an offering.
What an irony: in the place where God resided, the God who said: You shall not steal-
in that very place the merchants regularly robbed the pilgrims.
 
Jesus is the light of the world.  And now his light shines in the temple.
Now Jesus exposes these corrupt activities.  Now Jesus comes to clean house.
 
Still today Jesus comes to clean house.  Only his focus is no longer on a temple. 
We no longer need to offer sacrifices for sin; Jesus was our true and final sacrifice. 
We no longer need a house of prayer; Jesus provides access to God anywhere. 
 
Today the church serves as the temple of God.  In Ephesians 2 the Apostle Paul writes:
In Christ the whole [church] is joined together and rises to become a holy temple. 
We may marvel that the temple became perverted by business interests.
But how often doesn’t the church lose sight of its God-given purpose! 
 
Let me give an example from church history- from the early 1500’s. 
Some Vatican leaders seemed more concerned about building huge cathedrals
and wielding political power than about the church’s spiritual well-being. 
And in some quarters church men made it sound like you were saved by works,
and that you could buy God’s pardon with contributions to the church.
 
So the Lord Jesus went to work to clean house- through the Reformers. 
The protests of Martin Luther and others sparked a Reformation. 
This prompted corrections of the worst abuses in the church. 
On some doctrinal points we still may not see eye to eye; but over time
the place of the Bible and the grace of Jesus have been lifted in many parishes. 
 
Here’s another example: forty years ago there were abuses by many televangelists.
Some turned into money changers: they wanted to change your money into theirs.  
Others were robbers, getting rich off the gifts of ordinary people. 
And some perverted the gospel, treating God like a genie
whom they could command to come out of his bottle to grant people their wishes.
 
So Jesus went to work to clean house. Scandals were exposed. Shysters shut down.
Better accountability was installed.  Today TV preachers aren’t perfect. 
But on a Sunday the sick and shut-ins can find some solid, biblical preaching.
 
What house cleaning might Jesus need to do in our church today? 
Could it be that we’re too focused on our needs, our own tastes, our own comfort? 
Could it be that we’ve become too attached to certain traditions?
Could it be that we lose focus on Jesus’ mission to seek and to save the lost?
If Jesus would visit our church today, where would he clean house?
 
And notice: Jesus says My house will be called a house of prayer. Not your house. 
You see, the religious power brokers came to think of the temple as their house-
to use as they wanted, to promote their own business interests.
 
Still today it is possible for us to slip into that kind of thinking:
-I’ve been here for years and years.  Don’t change too much around.  It’s my house.
-I’ve served as an elder; I’ve invested my time and energy here.  It’s my house.
-I’ve been a financial pillar of the church.  Listen to me.  It’s my house.   
 
But Jesus says: no.  It isn’t your house.  It’s my house- to fulfill God’s grand purposes.
 
By the way, the Bible doesn’t just refer to the church as the temple of God. 
It goes a step further and pictures every believer as a temple.  I Corinthians 3 says:
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple-that God’s Spirit lives in you? 
 
Let me ask you: what dust or dirt in your life might need a spring cleaning? 
What needs to be driven out?  Bad habits?  A self-centered use of your time?
Laziness with your spiritual gifts? Impatience? A sharp tongue? A critical spirit? Pride? 
 
Michael Kingsbury, a comedian storyteller in New England, tells of Jesus cleaning house.
“I started reading the Bible and attending church again. 
Slowly but surely, I started noticing subtle changes in my behavior and outlook. 
 
I am not someone who handles… struggles easily. At home, a typical conversation
might involve me yelling: I’ve lost the remote control- that’s proof that there is no God!
But as I read the Bible, as I thought about Christ and his suffering on my behalf,
the more I would laugh at things that once troubled me.”  Jesus cleaned up his attitude.
 
Of course, the specific issue Jesus tackled in the temple was the lure of money.
Why were people doing business in the temple?  To make money.
Money was more important to them than proper worship of God. 
What about you?  Does your money serve God, or has your money become a god?
Here’s a good way to test that: do you faithfully tithe? Do you give 10% to the Lord?
 
People can give all kinds of reasons why they don’t tithe. 
I can’t afford it.  I’d have to cut back on things.  I’ll start later when I’m better off. 
But when we tithe, we show we have faith in God to provide, not our money.
 
Finally I want you to notice the result of Jesus’ house cleaning. 
What happened after Jesus cleared the temple from the junk going on? 
Vs 14: the blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.
Once God has cleaned house it’s wonderful to see the people he sends our way.
God wants his church and his people to be sources of healing and blessing.
 
In the book Enrique’s Journey, Sonia Nazario tells about poor Central Americans
who make the desperate effort to go north. 
In El Norte they hope to make enough so their children don’t go to bed hungry. 
But hopping trains can be extremely dangerous, sometimes crushing limbs. 
Along the way these poor people are preyed on by thugs, gangs, even crooked police. 
 
But in one village along the way a Catholic priest mobilized his church to help.
Some wanted nothing to do with these dirty, strange people streaming through.
They just wanted to have mass, say prayers, and enjoy the communion of saints. 
 
But the Catholic priest was determined to help.  He had the church open their doors.
Every night the church courtyard was filled with migrants hungry for a meal,
migrants exhausted + needing sleep, migrants desperately needing basic medical care. 
On the long, exhausting, dangerous trip, this church became an oasis of God’s love.
 
One spring day Jesus entered Jerusalem and cleaned house in the temple. 
Still today Jesus comes to clean house in the church and in our lives. 
He comes to overturn any barriers to his good purposes. 
He comes to make space for people to connect with God- and find healing and blessing. 
 
I hope that you will welcome Jesus.  I hope you will open your doors to him.
I hope that you will collaborate with him in his redeeming work. 

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church, Nashville, TN
0 Comments

The Substitute

4/7/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Romans 5:6-8
Theme: When Jesus died on the cross he substituted himself for us
in bearing divine punishment on our sins. 

Major League Baseball has just started a new season.  Fans are familiar with substitution. 
When a pitcher just doesn’t have his stuff and is getting hit hard, what happens?
The manager strolls out, signals to the bullpen, and another player trots onto the field.  That relief pitcher is a substitute for the starter. 
 
Or when you need a clutch hit in the ninth inning, a pinch hitter may be sent in. 
Or if a team needs to squeeze in one run, a speedy pinch runner may be sent in-
to substitute for a lumbering slowpoke on the bases.
 
Students are familiar with substitution. Once in awhile their teacher may not show up- because of sickness or taking a personal day to go hiking.
In their place comes a substitute teacher. 
Then students try to figure out how much the substitute will let them get away with.
 
And sometimes a movie plot involves substitution.  Take the 1993 film titled: Dave. 
In it the President of the United States suddenly has a major heart-attack. 
His aides fear that the news could cause pandemonium around the country. 
Or it might embolden enemies to attack the US during this moment of confusion. 
 
In their mad scramble they whisk in an ordinary guy named Dave. 
Why?  Dave has an uncanny resemblance to the president.
Suddenly Dave becomes a substitute for the president in all his public appearances. 
And his private activities, including with the president’s wife, who hasn’t been told either.  You can imagine the plot possibilities that follow.
 
Dave reminds us of a proverb: often there is more to something than meets the eye.
Nowhere is this more true than with Jesus’ death on the cross. 
God’s Word teaches: behind Jesus’ physical death, spiritual events were taking place. 
Christians believe Jesus died on the cross for a purpose: to save us from our sins.
 
But how?  How did Jesus’ death save us?  How did it cover our sins? 
What connection does one man’s death two thousand years ago have with our sins today? 
 
Well, early Christians searched the scriptures to gain understanding. 
And they noticed Bible passages such as Romans 5:8-
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
 
Here’s one natural way to understand this statement: Jesus acted as our substitute.
On the cross he took our sins on his shoulders; he suffered God’s wrath in our place.
Jesus died for us.  This is the classic doctrine of Jesus’ substitutionary atonement.
 
This doctrine is clearly found in the Heidelberg Catechism, our church’s main confession.
From Q+A 12: God requires that his justice be satisfied. 
Therefore the claims of his justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or another.
Did you catch that?  By ourselves or another.  This leaves the door open for a substitute. 
Then the Catechism sets up Jesus as the only substitute able to pay the price for our sins. 
 
The substitutionary atonement of Christ.  But some balk at this conclusion. 
I once preached on Jesus’ substitution on the cross at an ecumenical Good Friday service.  Afterward a mainline pastor was a bit miffed; he dismissed it as a “mere theory.” 
 
Why do some reject the historic teaching that Jesus was a substitute for us? 
Here’s why: an action for someone doesn’t necessarily mean being their substitute. 
For example: you can do a favor for someone.  You can give them directions to a store.  But that doesn’t mean you take their place to drive there. 
Doing something for a person may simply mean you’re helping them in some way.
 
Here’s a second objection: substitution doesn’t always seem fair. 
Shouldn’t each person stand on their own two feet? 
Doesn’t justice require us to pay for our own actions? 
Is it right for an innocent person to suffer instead of a wrongdoer- who gets off free?
 
So, what do we make of this?  When we look at our courts we find a mixed precedent.  Substitution is allowed with certain penalties- like fines.
If a teen gets caught speeding, her parents may step in to pay the fine- to pay the penalty. 
 
On the other hand, substitution for a jail sentence isn’t allowed. 
If you are convicted of murder, no court allows someone else to take your place in prison. 
 
So why has the church long maintained that on the cross Jesus acted as our substitute? 
Because God’s Word contains more clues than just Romans 5. 
Probably the strongest evidence comes from the Old Testament. 
There God seems to intentionally prepare us to understand the Messiah as our substitute.
God did that in at least three ways. 
First, God cultivated the concept of substitution through an Old Testament figure. 
Remember when Jacob’s sons journeyed to Egypt to obtain grain during a famine? 
On their trip back the Egyptian lord had his prized silver cup found in Benjamin’s sack. 
As a consequence the Egyptian lord threatened to keep Benjamin as his slave.
 
Jacob’s sons know their father would be crushed by losing his cherished son Benjamin.
Faced with that horrible prospect, Judah offered to be a substitute. 
He pleaded: Now then, please let your servant remain here… in place of the boy,
and let the boy return with his brothers.  Judah offered to be a substitute in slavery. 
He foreshadowed the substitution of Jesus, who one day was born from the tribe of Judah.
 
Second, God cultivated the concept of substitution through sacrifices. 
Take the Passover sacrifice.  In Exodus 12 God was about to bring judgment on Egypt. 
He was about to send his angel to strike down every first-born son in the land. 
 
But for his own people he commanded that blood from a lamb be put on their door frames.  Then the angel of death would pass over them. 
The blood of the lamb was clearly a substitute for the blood of their own first-born child. 
 
Then God commanded them to celebrate the Passover every year.
Every year that ceremony reinforced the concept of a saving substitute. 
Then one night in an upper room Jesus claimed to fulfill the Passover with his own blood. 
 
Third, God cultivated the concept of substitution through prophecy. 
The most clear and compelling example is found in Isaiah 53:
He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him + by his wounds we are healed.
 
So, the church has longed maintained that substitution is central to God’s salvation plan.
It is foreshadowed by Judah; by the Passover Lamb; and by the prophecy of Isaiah. 
All that was fulfilled in Jesus.  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
 
Here’s the wonder of it all: Jesus was willing to be our substitute on the cross. 
No one forced him.  God the Father didn’t make him.
As Jesus said in John 10:No one takes my life from me; I lay it down of my own accord.
Even though it cost him scorn and excruciating pain and laying down his very life. 
The very Son of God was willing to die as our substitute.  That’s mind-boggling!
 
In my Grand Rapids church there was a dear mother of three whose kidneys were failing.
She was forced to start dialysis- with the grind of treatment three times a week. 
At the same time they set out to find a donor for a kidney transplant. 
In the search it’s common to start with family, who may have compatible blood types.
 
Sure enough, one good match came up: her brother.  But he had young kids. 
He was busy with his career. What if something happened to his other kidney later on? 
In the end he chose not to donate his kidney for his sister.  And you can’t really blame him.
You can’t expect or demand a gift from someone.
 
In the same way, you can’t expect or demand God’s Son to be a substitute for our sins. 
Here’s the wonder: in his love for us, Jesus freely chose to be our substitute on the cross. 
He chose to suffer the awful wrath of God on our sins. That should take our breath away. 
 
In closing I’ll highlight one more glorious angle to this great doctrine: God’s genius.
When Adam and Eve plunged the world into sin, God found himself in a pickle.
In his pure holiness, he couldn’t stand sin. 
In his holiness + pure justice, his natural reaction is to punish every last wrong on the spot.
 
But in his pure love, he wouldn’t sit around and see us perish. 
Our misery stirred up his tender mercy. 
In his love for us he longed to spare us the punishment we deserve. 
 
It was a pickle.  How could God be true to his own nature and solve this dilemma?
Here we come to the genius of the gospel. 
By pouring out his judgment on Jesus, God’s pure justice is satisfied. 
By sparing us, God’s love + mercy prevails.  Jesus’ substitution is a stroke of genius. 
 
A new baseball season is upon us.  Every time you see a relief pitcher stroll in;
every time a pinch hitter steps up; every time a pinch runner trots to first base, remember the great substitution.
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
 
This is why we remember Jesus’ death.
This is why we worship him. 
This is why we love Jesus.

Neil Jasperse
Faith Church, Nashville, TN
0 Comments

Behind the Cross: The Demonstration of God’s Justice and Love

4/2/2019

0 Comments

 

Text: Luke 23:32-34, 44-49; Romans 3:25-26 (original NIV)
Theme: Jesus' cross reveals God's perfect justice and love.

Why do we make such a big deal out of Jesus’ death on the cross? 
We commemorate it with special services during Holy Week.
Churches build crosses which soar into the sky.
People wear gold or silver crosses around their necks.
 
Why do we make such a big deal out of the Jesus’ death on the cross?
After all, he wasn’t the only one who died on a cross. 
Two other men were crucified with him.  We don’t sing songs about that. 
And the Roman Empire crucified thousands of people during their lengthy reign.
 
So, why do we make such a big deal out of the Jesus’ death on the cross?
To answer that we have to look behind the cross.
We just read Luke’s account of what happened- on the outside. 
To understand their significance, we have to look behind the cross of Christ.
 
A week after I was ordained into gospel ministry, my grandfather wrote me these words:
I am real thankful to God for the way it all worked out.  And now I pray daily
[that] you may be a good minister, preaching the gospel, Christ died for sinners. 
By the way, what a blessing to have a grandfather praying for you like that!
 
Preaching the gospel: Christ died for sinners.  This gives a glimpse behind the cross.
Now at first glance Jesus’ death doesn’t seem to have any gospel, any good news. 
Crucifixion was a most hideous way to die.  The tearing and rending of the flesh. 
The pain.  The gasping for air.  Dragged out over hours.  All as a public spectacle.
 
Let’s not forget that our songs of the cross are pretty bloody.  Listen to these titles:
There is Power in the Blood.  Are You Washed in the Blood?  Nothing But the Blood. 
All these songs about blood and gore might be shocking to our modern sensibilities.
Because of the cross, the Christian faith has been called a brutal and barbaric religion.
 
How can Jesus’ horrible crucifixion be good news?  Why do we call it Good Friday?
To answer that question, we must look behind the cross to see what was happening. 
To help us look behind the cross I want to ask and answer two questions. 
First, why did Jesus have to die to save us?  Second, why was Jesus willing to die for us?
 
First, why couldn’t Jesus save us some other way?  Why did we need Jesus to die for us? 
After all, there is no universal agreement that Jesus did have to die. 
Most Jews today deny the need for a particular Savior who would be sacrificed for us. 
Muslims think that God is just able to forgive us- period; no sacrifice needed.
 
Why did Jesus have to die to save us from our sins?  Answer: To satisfy God’s justice. 
To satisfy the pure justice of God's righteous wrath against our wrongdoings.
 
We cannot understand the cross of Christ unless we understand God's pure justice.
Justice says that wrong must be punished and thereby have the moral balance restored. 
It is simply a fundamental principle of God's universe that wrong deserves punishment.
As Romans 6:23 says: The wages of sin is death.  Pure justice.
 
You may know the light-hearted musicals of Gilbert & Sullivan: like The Mikado. 
Our human desire for justice even pokes its head even such a frolicking play.
One song declares: Let the punishment fit the crime, let the punishment fit the crime. 
All of us, from child to adult, from comic to serious, have a built-in sense of justice.
 
For example, how often don’t you heard children say: It’s not fair! 
I grew up in the middle of five boys.  There was plenty of competition and jostling-
to use toys, to get seconds at meals, to determine who had poked whom first. 
My Mom was the homemaker + the disciplinarian. You know what would really bug me?
When my Mom settled a spat in a way I thought was unfair!
 
Adults have a built-in sense of justice too.  I once served a church near Toronto. 
In Canada there is no death penalty allowed. 
But one day a popular, athletic girl was abducted from her safe neighborhood. 
Later her body was found in some underbrush.  Immediately the city was up in arms. 
A massive manhunt was launched.  And there was an outraged cry for the death penalty.
 
It is simply a fundamental principle of God's universe that wrong deserves punishment.
Because of our ingrained sense of justice, many look at current events and wonder:
Where on earth is God’s justice!  We see abusive homes where kids don't have a chance,
we see playground bullies, rapes, political corruption and terrorist bombings.
Where is God's justice?  People with moral sensitivity have long been troubled by this.
 
Our unmet desire for justice may lead to bitterness + cynicism- unless we look to the cross.
Now, it is true that final justice is not completely handed out in our time. 
It is true that God allows sins to accumulate in our day without always being punished.
 
But that’s not because God lacks a sense of justice.  Rather God is being patient with us.
As Romans 3 says: in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.
God is being patient, longing for us to accept Christ's saving work on the cross.
 
On the cross, Jesus bore God's awful, majestic judgment for every last one of our sins.
Only the divine Son of God could bear such thundering, consuming wrath. 
That is why creation seemed to creak and groan and heave!  The sun stopped shining.
Darkness came over the whole land.  When Jesus died, an earthquake shook the land. 
 
God's pure justice was perfectly demonstrated at the cross.
 
In turn, the cross points to God's pure justice on the last day- the Judgment Day.
Romans 3 says that Jesus saves us through faith in his blood. 
It is by faith that Jesus takes away our sins.  It is by faith that we are saved. 
 
But for all who reject Christ, the cross reveals the awful punishment waiting for them.
The punishment Jesus endured on the cross foreshadows punishment at the Judgment Day. 
 
Do you get indignant when God seems to do nothing- when injustice runs rampant? 
Then you better first look at yourself- your mixed record. Then look at the cross + tremble. 
Praise God for his patience with us. 
 
Praise God that he presented Jesus as a sacrifice… to demonstrate his justice.
The cross of Christ demonstrates God’s pure justice.
 
The second question I promised to ask: Why was Jesus willing to die for us? 
We all know the answer- love.  Sheer, unexplainable, unbelievable love. 
 
It was out of love that Jesus could say of the soldiers who crucified him:
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. 
It was out of love that Jesus assured the criminal at his side of being with him in paradise.
It was out of love that Jesus suffered the tearing and rending of his flesh.
It was out of love that Jesus endured the awful anger and rejection of his own Father.
 
Out of love God wanted to be, as Romans 3 puts it: the one who justifies us.
As this great hymn puts it: What wondrous love is this, O my soul. 
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
 
Do you want to know what real love is? Don't look in a dictionary. Look at the cross! 
I John 3 says: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
For our good, Jesus was willing to give up his rights, his dignity, his health, his very life.
The cross of Christ supremely demonstrates God's perfect love for us.
F
Finally, I want to apply the justice and love of the cross to our daily lives. 
Perhaps, in a moment of frustration, you said hurtful things to someone you care about.
Later, you saw how wrong and hurtful it was; it was inexcusable; you felt ashamed. 
And then you felt down on yourself; you really blew it; so you felt rather unlovable.
 
Can you relate?  In that situation, besides apologize, you need to look to the cross. 
On the cross Jesus already satisfied God’s pure justice- even for your worst behavior.
And God's perfect love shown on the cross is strong enough to love you- even when you’ve blown it.
 
Another application: a woman I met became Muslim after growing up in the church. 
She cited the awful things going on in society: racism, crime, rape. 
She said: All Christians talk about is a nicey, nice love in the face of his terrible injustice.
So, she turned to the stern Allah of the Koran to satisfy her craving for justice.
 
The truth is: she didn't need to look elsewhere to find a God of justice. 
She simply needed to look to the cross and what Jesus suffered there. 
If she had, she would have seen God's pure and absolute justice.
 
A third application: even in our parenting we should look to the cross. 
Offering children justice without love will leave kids rigid, shriveled and unforgiving.
Offering children love without justice + discipline will leave kids wild and selfish-
not knowing the seriousness of wrongdoing and how their behavior hurts others.  
Parents must reflect the cross in the wonderful interplay of justice and love.
 
A final application: perhaps some of you here just aren't doing that well. 
This has been a rough stretch. Maybe you’re down because you don’t have true friends.
Or maybe your job is a real grind.  Or maybe there’s a lot of bickering at home. 
Maybe you’re dealing with health issues.  It’s draining.  It’s getting under your skin.
Bottom line: with all this you are beginning to wonder if God really loves you.
 
Then look to the cross! Read about Jesus' crucifixion. Ponder what he suffered for you!
Then you may grasp in your heart what you know in your head-God absolutely loves you!
 
So, friends, let’s make such a big deal out of Jesus’ death on the cross?
Let’s sing songs of the cross.  Let’s celebrate Good Friday.
Let’s build crosses that soar to the sky.  Let’s wear cross necklaces.
Let’s glory in the cross: the demonstration of God’s pure justice and perfect love for us.
 
Neil Jasperse
Faith Church Nashville, TN
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Archives

    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014

    Author

    Pastor Neil Jaspers
    Pastor Jerry Hoek 

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinthians 12
    1 Corinthians 13
    1 Corinthians 15
    2 Corinthians 2
    2 Corinthians 8
    2 John
    3 John
    Abundance
    Acts 17
    Acts 2
    Advent
    Adversity
    Afraid
    Almighty
    Amazing
    Amistad
    Apostles
    Apostles' Creed
    Appalachian Trail
    Aroma
    Ascension
    Assurance
    Athens
    Atonement
    Authority
    Awe
    Baptism
    Baptize
    Belief
    Bethlehem
    Bible
    Birth Of Christ
    Blame
    Blaspheme
    Blasphemy
    Blessing
    Blind
    Blood
    Body Of Christ
    Bread
    Burial Of Jesus
    Busyness
    Capurnaum
    Child
    Children
    Christ
    Christian
    Christmas
    Clothing
    Comfort
    Commandment
    Common Good
    Communion
    Compassion
    Confession
    Confidence
    Conflict
    Covenant
    Crazy
    Cross
    Culture
    Curse
    David
    Dead
    Deaf
    Death
    Deception
    Demon
    Deny
    Descent Into Hell
    Desert
    Discipleship
    Discipline
    Disease
    Diversity
    Divorce
    Doubt
    Easter
    Election
    Evangelism
    Exodus
    Expectation
    Faith
    False Teaching
    Family
    Fast
    Fatigue
    Fear
    Feast
    Feasts
    Fellowship
    Fishing
    Flesh
    Following Jesus
    Forgiveness
    Fragrance
    Freedom
    Galatians 3
    Genesis 3
    Gifts
    Giving
    Glory
    God's Love
    God The Father
    God The Son
    God With Us
    Good News
    Gospel
    Government
    Grace
    Gratitude
    Growing
    Guilt
    Guilty
    Harvest
    Heal
    Healing
    Heaven
    Hebrews
    Heidelberg Catechism
    Hell
    Heresy
    Holiday
    Holy Spirit
    Homeless
    Hope
    Hospitality
    Humility
    Hunger
    Imitate
    Imitation
    Incarnation
    Injustice
    Innocent
    Intimate
    Isaiah
    Isaiah 55
    Jacob's Ladder
    Jerusalem
    Jesus
    Jesus Is Lord
    John 7
    John The Baptist
    Joy
    Jubilee
    Justice
    King
    Kingdom Of God
    Lamb
    Law
    Leaders
    Learning
    Lent
    Leprosy
    LGBT
    Light
    Lord
    Love
    Love Each Other
    Luke
    Luke 15
    Luke 19
    Luke 4
    Mark
    Mark 1
    Mark 10
    Mark 11
    Mark 12
    Mark 13
    Mark 14
    Mark 15
    Mark 2
    Mark 3
    Mark 4
    Mark 5
    Mark 6
    Mark 7
    Mark 8
    Mark 9
    Marriage
    Martin Luther
    Master
    Matthew 2
    Matthew 25
    Mediator
    Mercy
    Messiah
    Micah
    Mint
    Miracle
    Misery
    Mission
    Muslim
    Mute
    Name
    Nashville Flood
    Nativity
    New Covenant
    New Creation
    New Heaven And New Earth
    New Year
    NT Wright
    Obedience
    Outreach
    Pain
    Palm Sunday
    Parable
    Passover
    Pentecost
    Pharisees
    Poor
    Poverty
    Power
    Praise
    Pride
    Prodigal Son
    Prosperity
    Proverbs
    Proverbs 3
    Providence
    Psalm 149
    Psalm 16
    Psalm 98
    Purpose
    Race
    Rain
    Refugee
    Relationship
    Release
    Repentance
    Resolve
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Return Of Christ
    Revelation
    Rich
    Righteousness
    Risk
    Romans
    Sabbath
    Sacrifice
    Salt
    Salvation
    Savior
    Sea Of Galilee
    Second Coming
    Security
    Self-denial
    Servant
    Serve
    Service
    Sin
    Sinner
    Slave
    Song
    Son Of God
    Sower
    Spiritual Fruit
    Spiritual Gifts
    Spirituality
    Spiritual Water
    Storms
    Submission
    Substitution
    Suffered
    Suffering
    Sunday
    Sword
    Tabernacles
    Taxes
    Tears
    Temple
    Temptation
    Tempted
    Tested
    Thanksgiving
    Thirst
    Thirsty
    Tradition
    Transfiguration
    Treasure
    Trials
    Trinity
    Triumphal Entry
    Trivialize
    Trumpets
    Trust
    Unity
    Victory
    Walking In Love
    Water
    Weeping
    Wine
    Witness
    Witnessing
    Word Of God
    Works
    Worship

    RSS Feed

Faith Christian Reformed Church
15512 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37211
615-833-5977
Contact Us