Monday, November 26, 2007

Give Thanks

Psalms 100:1-5

God is good. All the time. This song of thanksgiving is from the 100th Psalm. “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs…. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, & we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations….”

Thanksgiving Day celebrates the spirit of Psalm 100. In the original Pilgrim celebration in 1621, the first English settlers thanked God for the first corn harvest. They thanked Quanto (the Indian) who taught them how to plant corn and catch eel so that they may survive in a new land.

In America , Thanksgiving Day is celebrated to remember the Pilgrim heritage which informed the faith of a nation. It is a time for the families to dedicate the first harvest and themselves to God as commanded in Exo. 23:16. It is a time to give thanks to God the Provider every 4th Thursday of November.

100 years before America was settled by Europeans that was already a tradition in our islands. In the 16th century, natives of what is now Quezon province, celebrated the Pahiyas Festival every month of May. Pahiyas is thanksgiving to God for a bountiful harvest. Houses were decorated with food, fruits, vegetables and kiping, rice wafer. Moreover, harvest festivals are observed everywhere in the Philippines.
The Ati-Atihan festival in Kalibo, Panay (3rd weekend of January) is a thanksgiving festival by the Atis and the anniversary of the sale of Panay island to Bornean immigrants.
 
Thanksgiving for us is Pahiyas, Pasasalamat, Hari Raya Puasa at the end of Ramadan for Muslim brethren, Panagyaman in Ilocano, Kadayawan in Bagobo…for the major things – harvest, bountiful nature, industry, life, health, family, friends, & the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, we are thankful for salvation, our church family, & the mercy that God showers upon us each day.

What can we thank God for in Silliman?
1. Dr. Proceso Udarbe is feeling better;
 2. The lower figure for operations deficit this year
3. The dedication of Portal West Building
 4. Peaceful Resolution of Exodus case and a way forward to Silliman ministry in Ticao, Masbate
 5. Innovations in cost control mechanisms of the university
6. Good admin and faculty relations so far
7. Opportunity to witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ through education, health, worship and service in Silliman. And many more.

LET US GIVE THANKS. IN FACT LET US CULTIVATE GRATEFULNESS AS A SPIRITUAL VIRTUE. WHY?
 

  1. GRATEFULNESS IS GOOD MEDICINE.

Have you noticed? In the first 3 commands of Psalm 100, God said, I want you to be happy, “Shout with joy, serve with gladness, & come with joyful songs.” Now just take a moment & look at the people around you. Do they look happy?

Happiness is not determined by circumstances, but attitude, how we see things. The apostle Paul wrote these words from prison. “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say it rejoice.” (Phil 4:4). Paul was happy despite being in prison. His gratefulness was the product of his love for his master. The more he loved God, the more thankful he became. That is why he could be joyful in prison. Gratefulness is a spiritual gift. Science in fact corroborates that a grateful disposition is good for the heart. Shout with joy! Serve with gladness. Come and sing joyful songs!

Gladness is an attitude, a perspective. A young college lady wrote her mother: “Dear Ma: Sorry I haven’t written sooner. My arm is broken. I broke it, and my left leg too, when I jumped from the second floor of my dormitory…when we had the fire. We were lucky. A middle aged security guard saw the blaze and called the Fire Department. They were there in minutes. I was in the hospital for a few days. Nanding, the security guard, came to see me every day. And because it was taking so long to get our dormitory livable again, I moved in with him. He has been so nice. I must admit that I am pregnant. Nanding and I plan to get married just as soon as he can get an annulment. I hope things are fine at home. I’m doing fine, and will write more when I get the chance. Love, Your daughter, Susana.

P.S. Ma, none of the above is true. But I did get a “C” in Sociology and F in Chemistry. I just wanted you to receive this news in its “Proper Perspective!” Happiness is really determined by our perspective in life not by circumstances. There are rich people who cannot have happiness. But there are poor people who are rich, because of the right perspective. Like the song says, “let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich…” because of the right perspective: Lets us sing the song “Give thanks”.

  1. GRATEFULNESS IMPROVES OUR WITNESS FOR CHRIST.

Having a noticeable countenance of thankfulness and joy will certainly make us better witnesses for Christ. Some Christians are VERY negative, VERY sour people, someone called them BIV. They act like they had been Baptized in Vinegar not in the Holy Spirit. But when we are thankful, joyful, upbeat people, we glow spiritually, attracting others with our spirit of gratitude because the world in contrast is dark, depressing self-seeking and ungrateful.

Last week I talked about pastors living in very poor conditions in rural areas. There is an upside to that. Having been a pastor in a rural church for 4 years once, I have seen Christians in the rural areas, who worship vigorously and joyfully, giving thanks to God for things we would consider small – a harvest of bananas, copra, rice, a catch of fish. I knew they were grateful because they would put everything on the table and thank God earnestly. Gratefulness witnesses to faith in Jesus Christ. But it is often just the opposite, in urban areas, isn’t it? The more we get, the less thankful we become, the less mindful of God we become, & the more we want.

  1. GRATEFULNESS ENHANCES OUR RELATIONSHIPS.

On the 1st year of marriage, the husband seeing the wife has a cold, says, “You don’t look good. You should go to the hospital. I have already arranged it. I know the food is bad there, but we are going to have meals catered in.” The second year he says, “You don’t look so good. I have called the doctor. Go and lay down. I will take care of the kids. The doctor will be right over.” The third year he says, “You look terrible. When you are done feeding the kids and cleaning up the kitchen, you ought to go lay down.” The fourth year he says, “Will you quit walking around barking like a general, you’re going to give me your cold?” The longer we become familiar; the less thankful we are for each other.

If only husbands could be more grateful. Imagine how much marriages would improve if a husband came home some days with a little gift and just told his wife how thankful he is for all she does.

Just imagine how our church relationships would improve if we expressed our thanks to each other from time to time. Instead of talking with others only regarding their faults imagine the goodwill to be generated when we are grateful for each other.

  1. GRATEFULNESS OPENS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

But the main argument is that gratefulness opens the door to a relationship with God. God lives in two places. He lives in heaven and in a humble, grateful heart. Hebrews 12:25 s fays, “Let us please God by serving him with thankful hearts.”

Gratefulness comes from “knowing the Lord is God.” God is good! It is good to develop a grateful heart, a desire within ourselves to give humble thanks to the Lord for what we have. Even the atheist feels thankful from time to time. You ever seen an atheist give thanks?

There was an atheist. One morning she & her Christian friend were sailing into a beautiful Dumaguete morning. As the atheist saw the brilliant sun peaking from the horizon, & the breeze blew gently on the coconut trees ashore, & the brightly colored lights of the boulevard came to view, she was filled with the beauty & burst forth with “I am so thankful. I’m just so grateful for it all.” And her Christian friend asked, “Grateful to whom, my dear?”

Take time to read the 100th Psalm again. And if you’ll listen to those commands, your heart will overflow with thanksgiving to the Lord. We have learned thru generations to be grateful to Almighty God for God’s abiding bounties in our islands. Give thanks with a grateful heart – it is healthy, it improves Christian witness, it enhances relationships with others, it builds our relationship with God. Make gratitude your daily attitude.

(Sermon delivered on Thanksgiving Sunday, 10 am, Nov. 25, 2007, SU church)

Posted by Pastor Noel at 01:01:14 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Whom shall I send?

Whom Shall I Send?

Isa. 6:1-8
Have you ever been invited to a Conference or service learning experience abroad all expenses paid? Of course, you would jump at the opportunity. At the church institution where I worked in Hong Kong for 8 years, everyone jumped at the opportunity to attend a conference in Sydney or Tokyo . But many would give excuses when the invitation was to go to Pakistan or Bangladesh . In the Bible, God sent people out but not all were willing to go.

That is the first problem of theological education. People are unwilling to be sent. In Exodus 3:1ff -Moses was tending sheep at Mt. Horeb , when he stumbled upon the burning bush. And a voice said, “I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt , I have heard their cries…I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out…”

Then Moses replies, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” That is the second problem of theological education. The theology student is sent to liberate a nation but lacks self-confidence.

God does not give up on him. God reassures Moses, “I will be with you. I will give you power, I will give you a staff that will work miracles.”

Moses is unconvinced “But what if the people ask what is His name who sent you? What shall I tell them?” That is the third problem of theological education. Who is the God who sends Moses? And God replies, say “I am who I am. Tell them I am sent you.” Oh yeah. I just say a burning bush told me and they will believe. “Besides I am not eloquent”, Moses says. “I will teach you what to say,” God assures. Moses protests “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

That is more or less the situation with theological education today. Young people are called to serve the church, but they give excuses. Why me Lord? I have a good future ahead. Why ask me to be a pastor? Can’t I just be an anonymous but rich disciple? Or like a CYF member who asked his parents, “Ma, Pa, I attended the CYF retreat. Many of us want to go into the ministry”. The mother says, ay anak, are you sure? It is a sacrifice of a job. Salaries are very low. Let others be called first. You are bright enough to be a lawyer. Are you sure you are being called?

Turning to Isaiah 6:1-8 we meet Isaiah a more cooperative student. Let’s read together: ” …Then I heard the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

When Isaiah was struck with the realization of where he was and whose presence he was in, he was overcome with fear and woe! He said, “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Isaiah had been commissioned by God to speak for him to Judah . He was appointed to be God’s messenger, but often, Isaiah was required to speak unpopular messages to the people because they weren’t right with God. When Isaiah said that he was a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, he was referring to unfaithful  Israel deserving of judgment. That is the 4th problem of theological education. How do I say what God wants me to say, courageously, but without becoming unpopular?

Theological education helps to train young men and women to become pastors. Training involves understanding the message of God in the Bible, reading the Bible critically, applying Biblical lessons to guide persons in day to day life, leading congregations to worship and to engageme in various ministries. Pastors are taught how to make sermons. How to conduct Sunday School and Bible studies. And how to speak the Word of God surely and confidently. But most importantly, seminary training develops a Pastor’s love for God and commitment to serve God’s people. But very few enter seminary training.

Many people have told me that Pastors today are not like those 50 years ago. Pastors are no longer evangelical, not concerned with saving souls. They are more politically inclined and hardly talk about the Bible. I have heard church members say, their pastors lack analytical and communication skills. I have also been told, that Pastors lack commitment to the church. They pastor a church for a few years and then escape to teaching in the university or doing something else, something that gives them a better pay.

I must agree that there is some truth in those observations. The quality of pastors has gone down. But what quality in the Philippines has not gone down? Has not college education standards gone down?  Hasn’t the economy gone down? Didn’t we have good quality shoes and garments before. Wasn’t our currency better than Korea’s and Hongkong’s? Haven’t moral standards gone down? But perhaps too pastors were idealized earlier like I idealized my pastor grandfather. But now I know that they had their faults too. Most of their members wanted to hear only the prosperity gospel which appealed to businessmen and few others. When the country became less prosperous they went abroad. Whereas, majority of members are poor and want their faith to be an authentic witness to God’s love in their lives, God’s love of the Filipino. It is therefore not fair to pick on pastors today as the cause of things going down.

We have to face our problems squarely: 1) very few good quality students take up theological education today. Where before parents would give their best children to the seminary, today they send the one least likely to succeed, if at all; 2) Churches have not been faithful in supporting their theology students financially, emotionally and morally. The Divinity School owes the university something like P 4 million in arrear payments for tuition. Seminary education is expensive. Why not? We want teachers wages to go up, but do not want tuition fees to go up? 3) Seminary training is not properly focused. It does not address the basic evangelism and fellowship needs of the churches. Theological education addresses theoretical constructs that address political and social issues which is all right because we need to be relevant, but it must also address the hunger among churches for the Word of God that can make them praise God with faith energy. Theological education must enable pastors to see the situation in a new light and not simply parrot what has been said before, or parrot what is theologically fashionable overseas.

Theological education must address the theological questions that are being raised by people in the pews. How can I love God and neighbor completely? Theological education must inspire pastors to “prepare people for works of service so that the Body of Christ may be built up until all reach the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Eph. 4: 11-13. By the way, the Divinity School offers M. Div. for professionals. Not too late.

What is wrong with theological education is what is wrong with the larger church and society.

But the question “Whom shall I send?” is not only a recruitment line for pastors . It is for all of us. “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing…and teaching them my commandments…” Matt. 28:19 is every believers’ commission. Moses was called to lead a people to freedom. Isaiah was called to pronounce judgment on the same people. God is still calling today, “Whom shall I send to proclaim Jesus Christ the Son of God, who saves us from our sins? Whom shall I send to revive the churches today?” “Whom shall I send who is pure in heart, who will serve only God and no other master? After God sent Moses to Egypt , He sent him to the desert and then within sight of the Promised Land, he sent out more people to accomplish more tasks. And today, the questions might be

• “Whom shall I send to sing tenor in choir?”
• “Whom shall I send to speak to the couple whose marriage is in trouble?”
• “Whom shall I send to encourage the single mother?”
• “Whom shall I send to hold the hand of the dying?”
• “Whom shall I send to befriend the drug dependent?”
• “Whom shall I send to encourage teachers?”
• “Whom shall I send to help the doctors and nurses at SUMC?”

Whom shall I send who will not demand a high salary? You may not want to become a Pastor. But God is sending you for some other task. Understand that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will help us as he sends us. God went with Moses on his mission. God went with Isaiah. He was in Jesus as He came to save the world. Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” God is still asking you, “Whom shall I send?” Let us see some hands…


(Sermon delivered on Sunday Nov. 18, 2007, Theological Education Sunday, SU church 8 am)

Posted by Pastor Noel at 07:59:21 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Aaron’s Children

Aaron’s Children

Hebrews 5:1-5:10
Today is Church Workers Sunday. In other churches this would be Clergy Sunday. The day when we sympathize with priests and pastors, understand their problems and nurture them, in our Stewardship of Pastors. This is an important Sunday that attempts to answer the complaints of many churches that they are not getting the kind of pastors they need.

Let me begin with a Limerick poem:

There is a pastor, himself he cherished,
 Who loved his position not his parish
So the more he preached
The less he reached
And this is why his parish, perished.
The poem seems to be saying the rise and fall of churches depends on pastors. Clearly an over-simplification. But I would like to briefly trace the development of the institution of the priesthood.  After you would have appreciated a bit of history and what takes to be a pastor, I hope to end by encouraging some of you to become Pastors someday.

Priesthood began in the Exodus story. As the people of Israel marched out of the slavery in Egypt , they organized themselves. God commanded Moses in Exo. 28: 1 “From among the Israelites have your brother Aaron, together with his sons…brought to you that they may be priests…3. To the various expert workmen…you shall give instructions to make vestments for Aaron as will set him apart for his sacred service as my priest…29. Whenever Aaron enters the sanctuary, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel on his breastplate, over his heart, as a constant reminder to the Lord,…30. Thus he shall always bear the decisions for the Israelites over his heart in the Lord’s presence.

Aaron of the tribe of Levi was the original Levite priest. Priesthood was inherited by the sons of Aaron. Their main function was to represent the people before God in the tent of meeting. Thus began the function of priests as mediators between God and persons. This was especially so in the ritual offerings for atonement of sins which he presided over. Priests offered sacrifices for the sins of people, pronounced forgiveness and blessings on people. Later on the priests were the most learned in society, literate and articulate, often acting as judges too. The priest represented Israel before the Roman rulers, collected taxes and was responsible for the spiritual welfare of people. Lev. 16:32-33-“So the priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest in God’s place shall make atonement: he shall put on the linen garments, the holy garments, and make atonement for the holy sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, He shall also make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. They wore priestly vestments made of gold, violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.

In ancient Israel , the priesthood embodied the highest levels of sanctity. In theocracies, theologians ruled!

In the New Testament, the priesthood was a concern of the whole church. The priest function was taken over by Jesus Christ our High Priest, who is designated as the Mediator, reconciling man and God. In Hebrews, Jesus is presented as Pastor par excellence, as the good Shepherd, and best comforter, because he has gone through the pain and anguish of earthly life, identifies with the afflicted and best able to represent them before God. He understands because He has been there.

In the Apostolic era, the priest disappeared and evolved into the pastor preacher. As Paul would write in Eph. 4:11ff “he gave some as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers — to equip the holy ones for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the Body of Christ.” Our favorite image of a pastor is as shepherd – he feeds (the sheep); guides (sheep that go astray); guards sheep (against wolves); heals (the wounds of the injured).

As the church grew under Emperor Constantine’s political empire, the need for more stratified roles of priests arose. Christianity became official religion of empire. Mass baptisms occurred. Mass catechism. & Masses. This paved the way for the institutionalization of the priesthood. At different periods of time and different conditions, a particular function of the priest-pastor would gain special importance. This could be as officiator of sacraments, as one who pronounces forgiveness, as preacher, as shepherd, as teacher. These functions were exercised by pastor priests.

In the Reformation, a dramatic change in the role of the pastor rose as the preaching role gained primary importance. Martin Luther’s 10 qualifications for the minister reveals his bias for the preaching function: 1) He should be able to teach plainly and in order. 2) He should have a good head. 3) Good power of language. 4) A good voice. 5) A good memory. 6) He should know when to stop. 7) He should be sure of what he means to say. 8) And be ready to stake body and soul and reputation on its truth. 9) He should study diligently. 10) And suffer himself to be criticized by all.

As churches developed in modern society, they began to operate not only cathedrals, but also early childhood schools, homes for the aged, hospitals, social centers, libraries, restaurants, cooperatives, universities, bookstores, etc. Great fun. And so the professional skills required of pastors also grew. Apart from preaching, counseling, teaching, leadership, singing, choir directing skills, pastors now had to manage profitable enterprises, read financial statements, make political judgments, be good public speakers, etc. Some have observed that missionary wages have not kept up with the market and so, less and less people study to become priests and pastors. So more and more pastors are overworked.

Today a pastor teaches, though he must recruit his own classes. He is a healer, without a scalpel. He is a lawyer, a social worker, something of an editor, a bit of a philosopher, entertainer, a salesman of church programs, a decorative piece for public functions, and he is supposed to be a scholar. He visits the sick, marries people, buries the dead, labors to console those who sorrow and to admonish those who sin, and tries to stay sweet when criticized for not doing his duty. He plans programs, appoints committees when he can get them, spends considerable time in keeping people from fighting each other between times he prepares a sermon and preaches it on Sunday to those who don’t happen to have any other engagement. Then on Monday he smiles when some one jokes, “Love your Sunday job pastor – work one day a week!”

Consider the following sobering survey results of the personal and professional lives of US clergy:
 - 90% of pastors work more than 70 hours a week
- 80% believed that pastoral ministry affected their families negatively
- 33% said that being in ministry was an outright hazard to their family
- 75% reported a significant stress-related crisis at least once in their ministry
- 50% felt unable to meet the needs of the job
- 90% felt they were inadequately trained to cope with ministry demands
- 70% say they have a lower self-esteem now than when they started out
- 40% reported a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month
- 37% confessed having been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church
- 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend.

Yet, I cannot believe my pastor friend who has been chaplain at SUMC for 12 years. He has been at ICU countless time, and when we meet there, he explains to me, all the machines that monitor BP, heartbeat, IV, temperatures, etc. etc. By golly, he is as good as a nurse or doctor now. Great fun.

I said in the beginning that pastors are the property and responsibility of the congregation. I also said that at the close of this sermon, I would be challenging you to take up the ministry. I challenge you to become Pastors. May I see some hands? Great fun. (Now you understand why churches don’t get the pastors they need.)

That is why in preaching, a pastor must have two propositions in mind. “First, every person ought to give his life totally to Christ. Second, whether or not anyone else gives him his life, I will give him mine.”

When the disciples asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom has sent me. (John 6:28-29). We all believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord. We all believe we are sent out.  Let us prepare to be sent, if not as Pastors, then as disciples of Christ and supporters of Pastors.

(sermon delivered on Church Workers Sunday, 10 am. Nov. 11, 2007 at SU church)

Posted by Pastor Noel at 01:12:33 | Permalink | No Comments »

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Come Down From the Tree

Come Down from the Tree
Luke 19:1-10

I. Intro
What do we have here apart from the height or lack of height of Zacchaeus? Many will remember the Sunday School song about that short man who climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus pass by. And how does this story become a story of stewardship, stewardship of relationships, which is our designated theme today?
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector, a short man who upon hearing that Jesus was visiting Jericho , went up a Sycamore tree. And when Jesus saw him, he said, “Come down from that tree, for I am staying at your house’’. Zacchaeus came down joyfully. But murmurs could be heard. Why?

Context: We need to remember that tax collectors in Jesus day had a really bad reputation. For one thing, tax collectors were collaborators with the hated Romans in their continuing occupation of Judea . Guilty by association.

Secondly, the Roman tax system was corrupt. The Romans set quotas of tribute; if the tax collectors overcharged taxpayers, the Romans couldn’t care less. Thus, tax collectors were outcasts of society. They were shunned from the synagogue and their testimony was invalid in court.

Zacchaeus was no ordinary tax collector. He was a chief tax collector head of the BIR. Now of all people, why should Jesus visit him? Implication, would Jesus make friends with Abalos, GMA, Garci?

And notice how Jesus practically invites himself to this man’s house. Sitting at his table, was an act of acceptance and friendship. It was an endorsement of his sins. The fact that Jesus ate and drank with outcasts was a sign Jesus was a friend maker and a steward of relationships.
Zacchaeus, humbled by Jesus friendship, now decides to turn his life around. “Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man falsely, I restore him fourfold.”

Then Jesus says, “Today, salvation has come to this house. I seek the lost, now you are found.” So let us find lessons from the story of Zacchaeus? 3 Points.

1. No outcasts for Jesus: Jesus made friends with those whom society rejects – lepers, tax collectors, rebels, women with bad reputations, Samaritans. He continually sought those who were away from God, those whom society would not allow to come back to God. Sometimes we need to be reminded of Jesus mission. Jesus came to seek and make friends with the lost. Not to sit back and wait for friends to come to him. Jesus came to SEEK the lost and have fellowship with them. Jesus was a friend maker. What kind of friend? Small boy: a friend is “Someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same.” Jesus loves you despite knowing who you are. Rare friendship.
The Greek word for fellowship comes from a root meaning common or shared. So fellowship means common participation in something — giving what you have to the other person or receiving what he or she has. Give and take is the essence of fellowship, and give and take must be the way of fellowship in the common life of the body of Christ.

Christian fellowship is two-dimensional, and it has to be vertical before it can be horizontal. We must know the reality of fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ before we can know the reality of fellowship with each other in our common relationship to God (1 John 1:3). The person who is not in fellowship with God is no believer at all, and so cannot share with believers the realities of their fellowship. A relationship is what Jesus came for.

2. Salvation is for all. Jesus makes friends with everyone to save them. But they must surrender their other loves. They must surrender their love for other things. In the Creator-creature relationship even rich people can enter the kingdom if they can acknowledge the Creator as the source of their wealth and when it is offered to God. If you have been following our sermons and Bible studies on Luke’s gospel, you will probably remember the hindrances to spiritual fellowship with God. In ch 6: Jesus said “Woe to you rich…”, similarly, the parables of the Rich Fool, the Rich Man and Lazarus. And in Luke 18:24-25: “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God ! Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God ”. The Zacchaeus story emphasizes — what is impossible for man is possible for God. The rich can be friends with God, if they can love God more than themselves.

3. After salvation what? John the Baptist in Luke 3: 11 ff said “bear fruit worthy of repentance.” Jesus friends must show fruits of their faith. When asked for specifics, John said share your coat and your food with the poor; and about tax collectors, he said, do not collect more than is due. Zacchaeus faith was a fruit bearing faith. “Lord I give half of all my wealth to the poor. And if I cheated others, I will pay them four fold”. Proof of faith and repentance is in the sharing.

Once upon a time, a man said, “If I had some extra money, I’d give it to God, but I have just enough to support myself and my family.” Then he went on, “If I had some extra time, I’d give it to God, but every minute is taken up with my job, my family, my clubs, — every single minute.” He continued, “If I had a talent I’d give it to God, but I have no lovely voice; I have no special skill; I’ve never been able to lead a group; I can’t think cleverly or quickly, the way I would like to.” And God was touched, so God gave that man money, time, and a glorious talent. And then God waited, and waited, and waited…..for the money, time and talent to be shared. Nothing. And then after a while, God took all those things right back from the man, the money, the time and the talent and gave it to someone else. After a while, the man sighed and said, “If I only had some of that money back, I’d give it to God. If I only had some of that time, I’d give it to God. If only I could rediscover that glorious talent, I’d give it to God.”

And God said, “you need to learn about friendship, you have received but you have not shared.” I offered friendship, more than the money, time and talent, I gave you, you did not take the friendship, only the money. Proof of friendship is in the sharing of time, talent and treasure. You have taken but not given. Your relationship with God, will show in your sharing, to God and to people.
 As we partake of the Lord’s meal and His offer of fellowship, we look at ourselves. When we read the story of Zacchaeus we look at ourselves in the mirror, and ask ourselves these questions:

Are we reaching out to those who are outside the grace and fellowship of the church, those who need love most, those who are lost, those who have no friends? Or do we have preferences? Those who are credible, those who reflect our own image of what is good? We want our friends to look like us and to act like us. In that case, we will always be an exclusive church. But that’s not what Jesus modeled for us. He went to those who were outside, and drew them in to be his friends.

What are we doing to share the material things we have received? Zacchaeus could have said, “Well, my church helps the poor. As long as I give money there, I’m helping the poor, too.” But he felt a personal responsibility to help those who are less fortunate. We need to do the same. We need to be proactive, going out and looking for those who need our help, not waiting for them to come to us.
What are we doing to share the salvation that we have received? Is it enough to share our goods. We can fill stomachs and clothe backs and leave souls naked and starving. We need to follow Jesus’ example and seek the lost. We need to share our faith with them.

As we look at Zacchaeus, we look at ourselves. Many of us are on top of trees right now. Come down from your tree is an invitation to have and to keep a relationship with God and with fellow believers. Let’s come down and respond to the Savior’s invitation.

(Sermon delivered Nov. 4, 2007, SU church, 10 am)

Posted by Pastor Noel at 03:59:03 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Preparing for the Second Appearance

Preparing for the Second Appearance


Hebrews 9:27-28
We are here to remember our departed loved ones and to re-affirm our faith in eternal life for those who have received the promise. We also come here to face our fear of death? Actor Woody Allen said, “I am not afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”

He’s not afraid to die, he just doesn’t want to be there when it happens?
The truth is death is not a nice topic. But here is a story that may change your mind. An unknown author once said, “As a boy, I thought of heaven as a city with domes, spires, and beautiful streets, inhabited by angels. By and by my little brother died, and I thought of heaven like before, with a little difference, one inhabitant who was my little brother and whose appearance, I knew. Then another brother died, and a sister, and father, mother, and then some of my acquaintances, so in time I began to think of heaven as containing several people that I knew. But it was not until one of my own little children died that I began to think I had treasure in heaven myself. Afterward another went, and yet another. By that time I had so many acquaintances and children in heaven that I no longer thought of it as a city merely with streets of gold but as a place full of inhabitants. Now there are so many loved ones there I sometimes think I should be preparing for their second appearance.”
 We learned somethings about life, death and eternity in Sunday School. Life is short. Death is certain. Eternity is forever. “We’re not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying, “We’re in the land of the dying trying to get to the land of the living.“
 Lets talk about four common lies about death.
1. Lie Number One: I am going to live forever. Of course, we know that isn’t true. But we often act like it is. Heb. 9: 27 says: it is appointed unto man to die! Death is a part of life.

A research psychologist contended that people go through five emotional stages as they near life’s end. Those grieving the death of someone else often experience the same.

First, they live in denial. Not me! If I don’t believe, it won’t happen. I am going to wake up and it will all be a bad dream. When reality sets in, anger takes over. A person cries out to God, “Why me?” Patients will often turn on their family, nurses or doctors. Fortunately, the anger only lasts for a time. Bargaining soon follows. This is often a secret stage. A patient will pray to live long enough to see some event. He may promise all kinds of good if only God will allow them to live.

The bargaining seldom lasts long. Soon depression takes over. Reality sets in. The person begins to mourn past losses, past opportunities and all of the things that will never be. The fifth and final stage doesn’t always come. When it does, the depression gives way to acceptance. Some fight until the very end. Others accept the inevitability of death. Sometimes this is resignation, a giving way to hopeless despair. But for others, this acceptance means hope that goes beyond the grave. That is a good thing to behold.

2. Lie Number Two: If I die, I’ll get a remedial. Note how that verse stated it, “It is appointed to man to die once!” This life is not a test. It is not a practice drill. This is for real. We get only one try. No remedials.

Lie number two comes in two popular myths. Reincarnation is a key doctrine of the Eastern religion of Hinduism. According to this notion, when a person dies his or her soul is recycled in some kind of new life form. When you die, you might come back as a tree, or a fly, or a cow, or a king, or a beggar.
In Hindu teaching reincarnation is bad. It is a part of the rule of karma that traps your soul in a prison of flesh until finally you earn enough spiritual points to be released into eternal nothingness. Surely you want something better than that!

The Bible is clear. It is appointed unto man once to die and after that, not another life and another death and another life and another, –after that judgment.

Certain religious groups propose a non-biblical doctrine called “purgatory”—and after death existence in which a person can in some way or another pay for the mistakes of the past life and be purified for the heavenly home that everyone desires. The doctrine also proposes ways that living loved ones of the departed can speed the process of purgatory along. Special gifts to the church, candles lit and prayers offered, and masses sponsored in the name of the deceased all promise a quicker release from purgatory to heaven.

This option is built on the false premise that we must atone for our own sins, that what Jesus accomplished on the cross in our behalf was just the beginning. The truth of the Bible is that you cannot pay for your own sins or your loved in this life or any life to come. But best of all, the Bible teaches that you don’t have to because Jesus has already done it. Your account before heaven is marked “paid in full.” It is yours for the asking—by faith in Christ Jesus alone! The notion of a second chance after death is unbiblical and unnecessary!

The bottom line: we are appointed once to die and then the judgment. The truth is, unless Jesus comes first, we will all die once. No second chances. No remedial classes. This is not a test. Life is for real.

3. Death is all there is. It is the end of existence. Jesus said. “I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:25-29)

An elderly lady was riding on a crowded bus. She was quietly reading her Bible when a Professor of the university sat beside her. “Don’t tell me you actually believe that stuff you are reading?” the professor asked.

“I certainly do,” the elderly lady replied. “Every word of it.” “Even that story about the Jonah and the whale,” challenged the professor with a smirk. “Of course,” was the quick reply. “Can you prove to me that the story is true?” he asked next. The lady simply said, “Well, when I get to Heaven, I’ll ask Jonah.” The professor smiled, “Well, what if Jonah’s not in Heaven?” The little lady closed her Bible faced the professor and declared, “Then you can ask him!”

Life ends in death. Death is followed by judgment and judgment by eternity. Jesus makes it clear. Judgment will not be same for all. At the judgment of God the path separates. One leads to life and the other to destruction. Death is not the end. We are appointed once to die and then the judgment.

4. Death means uncertainty and fear. Note the rest of our passage. “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Heb 9:27-28).

The Bible makes it clear. Death is ultimately a spiritual matter not just a physical issue. Our creator did not make us to simply die. He made us for life and fellowship with him forever. Ultimately life is all about living in a personal relationship with the God who made us. Sin is rejecting our maker and not wanting to walk in his ways. Physical death is a result of living in a world of sin and rebellion. And that’s why Jesus came.

The Good news is, “Whoever hears my word and believes him who send me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (Jn 5:24). To believe the message of Jesus in your heart, to confess him as Lord with your lips, and commit your life to him in baptism transfers you from death to life. A person who has the hope that is in Jesus Christ can have a totally different perspective about death. The future is no longer dark and unknown. We may not know everything about what’s beyond death and the grave. But we know this much—Jesus Christ has prepared a place for us. He never breaks his word.

We know that death has been defeated. That Jesus is coming. That we’re waiting for a reunion in heaven. We should be preparing for the second appearance without fear. And unlike Woody Allen, we will be glad to be there.

(Sermon delivered during the All Soul’s Day Service. Nov. 1, 2007. Masonic friends. Dumaguete Memorial Park)

Posted by Pastor Noel at 03:56:39 | Permalink | Comments (1) »