A Look at Matthew 8:23-27

The passage in Matthew that I chose for this study is the point when Matthew speaks of Jesus calming the storm that had come up and frightened the disciples. Some might argue that this isn’t necessarily a miracle as we perceive them in the Bible, because it didn’t have anything to do with someone getting healed. However, the simple fact that Jesus could calm the waves with his hand and voice certainly qualifies as a miracle in my book.

Matthew 8:23-27 (NIV)
²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
²⁴ Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
²⁶ He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

As we look at this passage of Scripture, we see several Emotions expressed from the disciples. The first of these emotions was fear. Some of these men were fishermen, and had most likely been out on the sea when fierce and furious storms barreled across the water toward their ships. They may have seen men get tossed overboard. They may have seen ships broken apart by the buffeting waves that were considerably larger in a storm than normal, or ships sink due to taking on so much water that they could no longer stay afloat. These memories could have been the likely trigger for their fear and trepidation of sailing through a storm.

Some of these men were not fishermen, but were of what we might call a “white collar” profession, if there were such a thing back then. They may never have been on a boat in the midst of a storm, and there is a very likely chance that their fear at that moment was caused by the lack of experience on the sea during times like these. With these things in mind, we can clearly see the possibility of fear to set in during this storm.

There also seems to be an emotion of anger or frustration with them, because even as the storm is raging overhead, Jesus is sound asleep in the bowels of the ship. The storm has awakened everyone else on board the ship, with the exception of Jesus. This angers and frustrates them quite thoroughly, which we see in their tense demand for Jesus to save them from what they felt was certain death by drowning.

The first emotion that the text brings out to me from Jesus is one of calm. Everyone else is running scared and getting all worked up about the storm outside, and yet, Jesus is sleeping peacefully inside the ship. Did Jesus know that the storm was going to come up while they were on the sea? The text doesn’t give us a clear answer, but it seems to me that He might have had a clue, as He was the only one on the ship that was apparently unconcerned with the copious amounts of water coming from the sky.

The next emotion that I see in Jesus is one of anger and frustration with the disciples for their lack of faith. Instead of following His example of being calm, cool, and collected in the midst of the rolling waves, they choose to cower in fear and demand that Jesus do something to fix the situation. Jesus first rebukes the disciples for their lack of faith and fear of the situation, and then He rebukes the wind and waves into submission as well. It would seem that Jesus was angry at the entire situation, and not just the disciples or just the weather.

The disciples express yet another emotion in the process, which is fear combined with trepidation and wonder after Jesus rebukes the wind and waves. They stand there in complete and utter amazement at the fact that nature itself follows the commands of their rabbi, and wonder who He really is. It is this particular expressed emotion that intrigues me the most in this passage, because these men have been walking with Jesus for some time, and have seen Him perform all kinds of miracles. One would think that they’d have a sense of safety and satisfaction when Jesus calms the storm, but in fact, their emotional state is quite the opposite!

We see that, in spite of the lack of faith and abundance of fear that the disciples display in this situation, Jesus still chooses to give Assistance by calming the storm. This is not unlike our own lives, when we come to the Lord in the midst of crisis. We might be completely afraid or scared of the situation, and might feel as though the waves of life are about to come crashing down around us. For many of us, this is the only time we come to Jesus for assistance with the problems of life. Even with our lack of faith and fear, He is faithful and answers our cries with help and assistance.

There is also a Command to obey within this passage of Scripture. Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, and they calm down. Much in the same way, when we are in the midst of trial and tribulation, Jesus commands us to be calm and trust in Him. When we choose to do this in a real and authentic way, then we find that He calms the storm within us, which allows us to see the path to get through the issue we are dealing with. It is important that, when that command to calm comes, we obey it so that He might show us the way that He would have us go to work through whatever situation is causing our storm.

There is an Example here to avoid, and that is the example that the disciples portray during and after the storm. They were fearful, scared, unsure of what to do, unsure of who Jesus actually was, and lacked faith. The world tells us that there is no God. Satan desires for us to believe that lie just a little, so that he might infiltrate our faith and make it counterfeit. He wants us to run scared every time some new and possibly detrimental plot twist rises up within our lives. This is not what God desires for us, and we must be careful to remember that. God desires that we know who Jesus is in our lives, and that we trust in His character of grace, mercy, and faithfulness, so that we will not live in fear.

In order to do this, there needs to be a Confession to God of the fear and lack of faith that plagues us as sinful human beings. We need to acknowledge that there is indeed a sin issue within us that causes us to doubt the character of Jesus, and in turn, whether or not He will be faithful to calm the storms in our lives if we call upon Him. If we don’t confess this, we cannot get to the heart of the matter of our lack of faith, which causes us more distress and heartache in the long run. It is of utmost importance that we choose to face this head on and give our lack of faith to God, so that He might build faith within us.

This brings us to the point of Supplication, or asking God for something that we desire of His nature within ourselves. It is in asking God to heal us and protect us from our natural tendency to be fearful and lack faith that we find the answers to be confident in who Christ is and what He has and will continue to do in our lives. The act of supplication forces us to break down the walls of self and let God in. This can be a very hard thing to do, but once it happens, it gets easier to do it each time. Notice that we don’t do it just once! This is an ongoing process of continually asking God to break down the barriers of fear so that we might gain more of the strength in Christ that we need. The process is different for each of us. It might be a once per week thing for some, and a moment by moment event for others. The frequency with which you go to God in this manner isn’t necessarily the issue, but rather, the actual act of going to God on a regular basis. It is through this process that we can be less like the disciples on the boat, and more like the disciples after the day of Pentacost.

Taking A Look At Mark 1:1-3

In reading through Mark 1:1-3, we see Mark speaking of the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry on earth. In doing so, he opens with who he believes Jesus is. In this we find a Promise to Claim. This promise is in Mark’s firm assertion that Jesus is, in fact, Christ, the Son of the living God. Mark makes no bones about his belief that Jesus is the Messiah, although he does not come out and state that publicly. It is, however, very apparent by his use of both “Christ” and “Son of God” in the first verse of his Gospel.

He then goes on to tell the story of John the Baptist. This story begins with a restating of the words of the prophet Isaiah from chapter forty and verse three in his book from the Old Testament. As these words are brought to light for a new generation of believers, we find another Promise to Claim. Isaiah prophesied in the Old Testament that one would come and prepare the way for the Lord. Mark believes that John the Baptist is the one of whom Isaiah spoke about so long ago, and that John indeed does fulfill that prophecy. We see this come to fruition through Mark’s telling of the story of John the Baptist.

These promises are ones that we can claim for ourselves in a couple of ways. First off, with Mark’s belief that Jesus is the Messiah, we are able to claim Jesus as our Messiah and our Lord and Savior. We can claim that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Being able to claim that proclamation brings us to the second promise. That promise, spoken of by Isaiah and again by Mark, is that of a messenger being sent to us to prepare the way and make the paths straight. Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus to do ministry, Jesus prepares the way for us to be reconciled to the Father. John baptized with water, but Jesus baptizes with His own blood shed for our sins. This washes us clean so that we might be pure and righteous in the sight of God.

In reading through this text, I believe that Mark has some Emotions that are expressed. I believe that he expresses excitement through stating that Jesus is the Son of God, and also through the restating of Isaiah’s words as a confirmed prophecy of both John the Baptist and Jesus. We, too, can experience this excitement through these words as we believe that Jesus is who Mark claims He is, and through the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah as a confirmation to the modern reader that God does what He says He will do.

The words of Isaiah that Mark quotes have an Example for those of us who are Christ followers today. When Mark speaks the words “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”, it is important that we realize our role in that process. When we became Christians, someone made the path to the Lord straight for us. We came to a point through the help of friends, family members, pastors, teachers, etc… that our path choice was a blatantly obvious one. We needed to choose the path of righteousness, which was paved with the blood and by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. However, without those around us making straight paths to the Lord, we may not have ever found our way to salvation. As we interact with those around us, it is of utmost importance that we are an example of Christ’s work in our lives at all times. When we do not exhibit those characteristics, the path we create becomes winding and twisted, which is hardly a straight path for others to follow to the cross. The example of Mark’s straight forward approach to telling exactly who he believed Jesus to be, and the confirmed words of Isaiah’s prophecy show us that we need to make it easy for others to find Christ.

In conclusion, I want to offer Thanks to God through what I read in this passage. I thank Him for being faithful to fulfill His Word. According to Mark, the arrival of John the Baptist on the scene fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of one who would prepare the way for the Lord. I am inclined to believe that this is true, and I want to thank God for showing Himself faithful to do what He says He will do. This is but one example of God fulfilling the prophecy foretold in the Bible, and it is through the fulfilling of this prophecy that the ministry of Jesus begins. That ministry is what ultimately led to the greatest sacrifice ever seen, which covers my sins and allows me to be reconciled to God. I can’t help but thank Him for being true to His character and Word!

The Electric Parable

John 15:1-11 (MSG) - I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.

How many of you have heard this parable from Jesus before? Looking back at Jesus’ time, this parable made perfect sense to use. At that point in history, there wasn’t a central water district, no sewer system, and nobody had a clue as to what chlorination was. Water was, at best, a very marginal version of “clean” depending on how far outside the city you went to get it. Nobody had ice machines, and no one was carrying around an indestructible plastic Nalgene bottle or even a metal canteen! Nope. Wine was the most sanitary drink of the day. Easily transportable in barrels or animal skin pouches, it would stay fresh for a fairly decent amount of time and would not grow bacteria nearly as fast as water transported the same way. Taking care of the grape vine was an integral part of life and commerce in those days!

What does it bring to mind when you hear or read this passage? For me it brings to mind the sprawling fields of grapes in Napa Valley California. I got to see that in 2004 when some friends and I went to a worship conference at Saddleback Church. After we got off the plane and ate at IN ‘n OUT (best burger and fries in the nation!), we had an afternoon to kill. One of my friends was a die-hard Reagan fanatic, so we drove up to the Reagan Presidential Library in Napa Valley. The place was on top of a hill that overlooked the entire wine valley, and it was breath taking! All those vines, all those grapes… All that wine that was going to be made that was more expensive than my house… Thinking of it that way, the parable was understandable, but didn’t make much sense to me. I don’t grow grapes, so while I can relate, it doesn’t hit home as hard as it might.

This parable might make perfect sense today to those of you in the Agriculture industry, it tends to be a little distant for me, because I am a techie. Sooo… I think we need to “Power” this parable up and look at it in a different “light”. To that end, here’s a version of that same parable, from the MJT, or Makeshift Jeremy Translation:

"I am the Wall Outlet and my Father is the Maintenance Man. He shuts off every power strip of mine that doesn't power something. And every power strip that does he adjusts so it will power even more. You are already adjusted by the message I have spoken. "Stay plugged into me. Make a connection in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a power strip can't turn on a light by itself but only by being joined to wall outlet, you can't be light in this world unless you are joined with me. "I am the Wall Outlet, you are the Power Strip. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and electric, the amount of usable appliances is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is powerless, gathered up and thrown in the recycling bin. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce usable light, when you mature as my disciples. "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.

In order to more fully understand this idea, we need to look at the three main parts here of our “Electric” parable.

1. The Wall Outlet – Jesus! He is the way we tap into the mighty power of God and distribute it to the ministry we are wired for. If we don’t accept Jesus for who He is and plug into the idea that we need Him in our lives, then we’re powerless! Sure, we can do all kinds of good things, but ultimately they are not going to have the blessing and momentum that God intended.

John 14:6 is so relevant here! Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life, and that NO ONE could come to the Father except through Him. It would be foolish to expect that we are going to tap God’s power and do great things for the kingdom if we don’t first accept Jesus as the source we need to plug into in order to tap that power!

2. The Maintenance Man – God! God is the one who provides power to the the Wall Outlet, and helps us to plug into that power. He is also the one that adjusts our power outlet levels, depending on how new we are to the source! That adjustment can sometimes be hard, because there are many of us that are used to being our own power source. We can easily try to unplug from the Wall Outlet and fire up our own generator again, but that only lasts so long. We need to allow Him to keep us plugged into the Wall Outlet and adjust our power output so that we can be the most effective at distributing His light and power to the world.

3. The Power Strip – Us! We are the ones who plug into the Wall Outlet and give light to the world. We have many “appliances” (ministries) that get power from us. Whether we head it up or are just a volunteer, we power those ministries through the power that we receive from Jesus. Here’s the catch – we have to be switched “on” in order to distribute that light and power!

How many people do you know that say they are plugged into the source, and yet have no light to show for it? They probably are plugged into Jesus, and the power may very well be flowing from the outlet into the power strip. However, it stops short of being distributed to the world because the switch is off!

These are the types that come to church, put a little in the plate, take communion, tolerate the music, sleep through the sermon, complain that we got out late, and then go home to fall asleep in front of the tv. I’m completely over-exaggerating here, but you get the point! There is no way on God’s Green Earth that we are going to be effective for the kingdom without having that service switch flipped into the “on” position so that we can distribute the light and power that God intended.

So, what do we need to take from this today?

1. Allow the Maintenance Man to make the necessary adjustments to you so that you can be consistently plugged into the Wall Outlet and distributing light and power to the masses.

Romans 8:28 (NIV) - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

2. Stay plugged into the Wall Outlet so that you might be able to do all that the Maintenance Man asks of you!

Philippians 4:13 (Amplified Bible) - I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].

3. Keep your switch turned “on” so that the power can flow through you to light the world!

Matthew 28:19-20 (New International Version) - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Apart from Jesus we can do nothing, but with Jesus we can light the way for others to come to the Father!

One Body, Many Parts

I would assume that most of us have at least glossed over the passage in 1 Corinthians 12 that speaks about the body. We all have the head knowledge that this particular piece of Scripture speaks to, which is that we are all different, and yet, part of the same body. To refresh all of our memories, here's the passage I'm talking about.

I Corinthians 12:12-31 - The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is wit Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many, If the foot should say, "Because i am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts of that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unrepresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that ts parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one parts in honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to heal others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

This idea of One Body, Many Parts, is meant to show the church that it is to be a unit. This idea is to be shown in the local church AND the church worldwide by the inclusiveness of the body, regardless of race, gender, background, financial status, job, education, or gifts and talents. We are to accept the God given diversity of our brothers and sisters in Christ so that we might truly be one body of believers made up of all kinds of people. Preachers, teachers, prophets, healers, musicians, vocalists, servants, prayer warriors, etc... We are to think of and act like the church as a great melting pot that welcomes all parts into God's family.

It is important that I stress one very important point here. We are also to welcome those who practice a homosexual lifestyle into the Church. Yes, there are clear verses in Leviticus 18 & 20, as well as I Corinthians 6, that state God's true feelings about homosexuality. However, there are also many other verses that state God's true feelings about other sins as well, not to mention that God doesn't rate one sin higher than another. God loves them, but detests their lifestyle choice. How else are we to show them the love God has and the truth about their sinful condition if we don't even let them in the doors? Let me be clear: I am NOT saying that we should invite them to serve on the Worship Team, teach a Sunday School class, or be a Youth Sponsor. I would not be kosher with that, just as I would not be kosher with a raging alcoholic, pedophile, or adulterer doing any of those things. I AM saying that we should invite them in so that they might hear the Good News, believe, and turn from their sin to go the direction that God would have them go.

Another part of being One Body, Many Parts, is recognizing that not all of us will have the same function within the body. We are not made from a cookie cutter! Each of us has had a diverse set of experiences, and no two people have had the exact same experiences. That means that we are all designed to do things that another is not, and God planned it that way! Not everyone is an amazing musician, gifted speaker, or well studied teacher. Some have those gifts, but some might just be good at service oriented things, and others still might have a bigger knack for prayer and encouragement. The body has many different skill sets on purpose, so that we might better serve when we're together.

The problem here is when folks get the idea that one gift or another is bigger, better, or more important than another. Folks, we're all called to the same mission! Our call is to continue the work of Christ here on earth until He returns. How we do that depends on our gifts and abilities! Just because I'm called to continue Christ's work on earth through Worship Arts doesn't mean that I'm any better than my friend Dave who's called to continue Christ's work on earth through being an electrician. We simply do different things within the body to further the kingdom! Ministry is our full time job, regardless of what we do for gainful employment. His is turning on lights, and mine is turning on amps and computers.

We cannot seek status with our gifts and talents, and still expect to be One Body. It just won't happen. When people use their gifts as a way to build themselves up, it creates the "pedestal complex", in which one is all of a sudden better and more distinguished than another.

I've worked with pastors and lay leaders that were doing their jobs for the status within the Body that it gave them, and they used that status as leverage to get what they wanted. Did that create unity? Quite the opposite. It almost always created a fair amount of dis-unity and chaos within the Body.

On the other end of the spectrum, the pastor I work for now has every right (by the world's standards) to be on a pedestal. He's been here almost 4 decades, and has a powerful and dynamic personality and preaching style that captures your attention from beginning to end. He could easily just go about his days prepping to preach and leaving the rest to others. Instead, he doesn't even consider his status as anything to talk about, rolls up his sleeves, and gets dirty just like the rest of us. There is no "pedestal complex" in his heart; he only has the love of Jesus and the desire for unity within the Body.

Where did he learn how to do that? What was His example? It was the example Jesus set for us that Paul speaks of in his letter to the Church at Philippi.

Philippians 2:5-11 - Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

THIS is how we become One Body, Many Parts. We consider status nothing and humble ourselves to become obedient to what it is that God has set before us. Only then will we be able to live together in unity and allow God to increase our ability to further His kingdom for His glory.

One Body. Many Parts. All ages, races, countries, denominations... Globally and locally, all working together for the sole purpose of combining our gifts and talents in order to give God glory.

I'm in. Are you?

The Purpose of Christmas - Life

Christmas!!! This has to be one of the most favorite times of the year on the Church calendar, and the world calendar in general! It's the time of year when we get to sing Jingle Bells, gaudily decorate every square inch of your home and church, and sing those beloved carols that we all know so well.

For many, it's a time of oversleeping, over-eating, overspending, and overextending themselves to the point of exhaustion, with just enough time to reflect on all of that overindulgence before making a resolution never to do it again (at least not until next year...).

However, there's a story that somehow peeks its way through the din of all the commercialism that the world has placed upon this particular part of the calendar. It's a story that begins the incredible journey back toward God for all of humanity, and it starts with a pair of lives changed by faith. We find the beginning of that story in the book of Luke.

Luke 2:1-7 - In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

We all know that this is the beginning of "The Christmas Story". However, we need to go back a little further. Back to the point where Joseph and Mary were betrothed to each other.

Luke 1:26-35 - In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary , you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."

Life change for Mary -

15-16 years old, pledged to be married, a virgin in waiting. All of a sudden, she has this amazing experience with an angel of the Lord and is given the task of bearing the Son of God.

How did this look to her family? Her friends? Her neighbors? Her soon to be husband's family?

She is sent away from town to her cousin Elizabeth's home (who, by the way, is pregnant in her old age by the work of God as well), and lives there until Joseph is ready to come get her.

Now let's look at the other main character in this story. Go with me to the book of Matthew.

Matthew 1:18 - This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

Life change for Joseph -

17-20 years old, pledged to be married, went home to prepare a place for them to live on his father's land. Comes back for his bride to be, only to find that she is pregnant and has only some wild story about an angel of the Lord and the Holy Spirit making it possible.

What would his family think? His friends? His neighbors? Coming home with an extremely pregnant wife BEFORE they consummated their marriage?

What a life change!!!

How crazy must it have been for the two of them? Even within God's chosen people and all the absolutely amazing things that God had done over the years, everyone knows how a girl gets pregnant, and it's certainly not by a chance encounter with the Holy Spirit, right?

The most interesting part of this story to me, however, is the amount of faith that Mary and Joseph had in the midst of something that would bring them hardship and suffering. Their faith was used by God to set the plan of humanity's redemption into motion.

Mary's Faith: I can only imagine how incredulous Mary was when she received those words from the angel that day. Probably just as incredulous as her cousin Elizabeth was when she became pregnant in her later years. Remember Sarah and Abraham? How crazy did they think it was to have a child at 90 and 100 years old respectively?

She asks the direct question "How am I supposed to be pregnant when I haven't even had sex yet?" The angel's answer of the Holy Spirit coming upon her was probably a daunting answer to hear, and yet she answers with unswerving faith in her God.

Luke 1:38 - "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

"May it be to me as you have said." What faith! What courage as a young girl to believe so much in God that she would face all the potential ills that would accompany her through this situation! Oh, if we were only to have a small measure of that kind of faith today...

How about Joseph's faith? The Bible shows clearly his character and willingness to follow God's path set before him.

Matthew 1:19-24 - Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will saved his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" - which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Joseph was truly a caring man. He could have had Mary publicly humiliated and stoned to death for breaking her wedding vows, but instead was going to let her go quietly because he loved her. However, when the angel of the Lord appeared in the dream, his faith in God stirred him to take on the responsibility and ridicule of a man who had a pregnant wife and was not the father of the child.

This was only the beginning of the radical life change that God would bring about through His plan of salvation in Jesus.

How about the shepherds in the fields? Here they are "abiding" in the fields with their sheep, and suddenly the sky opens up and the host of heaven sings the Hallelujah Chorus, telling them of the birth of the Savior of the world! How crazy!

What about the Magi? Following a bright start until it lands them at the door of a stable where a young couple are tending to a newborn in a feed trough? How strange that must have seemed.

What about the common men who were called to be disciples, and then ultimately started the spread of the Gospel to all nations on the day of Pentacost? Who would have thought tradesmen would be spouting the message of Christ in varied languages with no training or education in foreign language?

All of these events were set into motion by Mary and Joseph's willingness to be used by God in an extraordinary way. There wasn't anything special about the two of them. They were ordinary Jewish people, and God changed the course of history with them.

The shepherds? Ordinary. The disciples? Ordinary. You and me? Ordinary.

Oh... wait. Did you see that? We're ordinary people, just like the disciples who took the message of Jesus to the world, the shepherds who told the whole countryside of what they had seen, and the young couple who birthed the Son of Man.

Do you know what that means? Radical life change through the birth of Jesus can be ours as well! How crazy it that?! How amazing is it to know that we don't have to be super special or highly educated to be given a life in Christ? How inspiring is it to know that we don't have to have special talents or skills in order to be used for God's purpose and plan?

There's a simple set of verses that we all have heard many times whether we're a new believer or a maturing Christ-follower. It shows God's plan for life change.

John 3:16-17 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

We are all part of that "whoever", no matter who we are or what we've done! Let me say that again. We are ALL part of that "whoever"! Through Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection, we are given a golden opportunity to believe and be used by God in radical, life changing ways.

There is a price that we must pay for this radical life change, however... We must give ourselves completely away to Him. Yep, you heard me right. We cannot keep any of ourselves back, but we must be willing to give all we have and all we are to be used by God in whatever way He chooses.

Only then can we truly say "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Who Is Man?

I had the honor of preaching this past Sunday on part of The Truth Project. I thought I would share my notes with you! If you wish, you can go to the sermon player on the side bar to listen and read along at the same time.

Who is man? Are we a product of the desire of Almighty God to have love and companionship that chooses freely to abide with Him, or are we just a product of “the stuff in the box”? Do we freely think and choose for ourselves, or do we simply respond to stimuli? Are we made in the image of God, or are we the image of “Goo” that evolved by happenstance over billions of years?

Are we inherently good and then our belief systems create the struggle of good and evil in our lives, or are we inherently sinful and in need of saving?

What does the world say?

Abraham Maslow was a celebrated psychologist and noted as the founder of Humanistic Psychology. He created what is known as the Hierarchy of Needs.

Maslow’s thoughts and now some of the world’s Anthropology

Basic Assumptions

man, by nature, is good

mental health and happiness come through self-actualization...

and getting in touch with one’s real ‘good’ self

social institutions are responsible for man’s evil actions

HOWEVER…

Those who watched the video last week will remember Dr. William Provine, professor of Atheistic Humanism. He stated this:

*no gods or purposive forces

*no life after death

*no ultimate foundation for ethics

*no ultimate meaning in life

*no free will

Clarence Darrow was an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, best known for defending teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14-year-old Bobby Franks (1924) and defending John T. Scopes in the Scopes Trial (1925), in which he opposed William Jennings Bryan (statesman, noted orator, and three time presidential candidate for the Democratic Party).

“The Purpose of man is like the purpose of the pollywog – to wiggle along as far as he can without dying, or to hang to life until death takes him.”

WOW!!! That’s what got me out of bed this morning! Let’s all wiggle along and try not to die today!

In other words, “A bug, is a pig, is a dog, is a boy.” All creatures are merely a product of evolution, and merely animals that respond to stimuli.

And yet the world worries about evil! If a bug, is a pig, is a dog, is a boy, then why are we so concerned when people are killed? Why do we care enough to have laws that dictate that it is wrong to kill people?

As Dr. Tackett put it, “do you think that the lion out on the African plain ever feels bad about taking down that poor defenseless zebra?” No. Why not? It’s survival of the fittest! If a bug, is a pig, is a dog, is a boy, then when someone kills someone else isn’t that just natural? Why are we so concerned?

Why does evil bother you? Why do you feel bad about evil?

Isn’t EVIL, as described, simply the natural outworking of the evolutionary process?

It bothers us BECAUSE THERE’S SOMETHING BIGGER WITHIN US THAT SCREAMS THAT IT IS WRONG!!!

The big problem here is that, as we can see from these peeks into the World’s thoughts on man that even they can’t agree as to what man is!

Can you see now why it is so important for us to know the truth? We MUST know who we are so that we can better understand why we believe what we believe. That knowledge can only come from gazing upon the face of God.

We know a bit of what the world says who man is, but what does the Bible say?

What Is True – We Are God’s Workmanship!!!

Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Psalm 139:13-16 - For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

We have been created in the image of God! Imageo Deo! However, sin entered the world when God’s creation turned to it’s own desires.

Romans 5:12-14 - Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

Genesis 6:5 - The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.

Description & Names of the Old Man

evil dead blind deaf lost rebellious

without hope haters of God desperately wicked children of the devil

Humanity was in need of a Savior!!!

John 3:16 ALL TOGETHER

Revelation 5:9 - And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

God sent Jesus to redeem us and give us a way to get back to how it was between Himself and Man in the Garden before the fall. The problem is we still have that “Old Man” within us, seeking to follow the natural desires of self instead of the supernatural desires of God.

Romans 7:21-23 - So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

We know that What Is True is that we are God’s workmanship. We also know that, even as His workmanship we were lost to sin and had to be redeemed. So how do we continue on the road toward an authentic relationship with our Creator?

What To Do – Choose God’s Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

Romans 3:23-24 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Titus 3:4-7 - But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

When we choose God’s grace, we accept that we are fallen and in need of a Savior! We allow God to take us to the next step of completing His plan to reconcile us to Him. It is in choosing God’s grace that we have a leg to stand on when it comes to putting off the Old Man and his natural desires, and taking on the New Man in Christ.

Descriptions & Names of the New Man:

Redeemed Saints Priests Called out ones People of God A holy nation

children of God Sons of God Beloved Wear white robes Born from above

Aren’t those the descriptions we want to bear? I certainly do!

We are God’s Workmanship. He created us to have a lasting communion and companionship with Him, not only in this mortal life, but in the life to come.

In order to have that relationship, we need to choose God’s grace each day so that we might put off the characteristics of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and take on the characteristics of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.