Faith First

 

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

Acts 3:6-7

This week’s message is looking at Acts 3, and we’re picking up after a crippled beggar is healed.  But to get the context, we’ll be talking about how the crippled beggar is healed.  Peter and John are walking into the temple, the beggar is sitting just inside, and as Peter and John walk by, he asks them for money. 

This passage I read may very well be the second best known quote from Peter behind Jesus asking who they thought Jesus was, and Peter boldly responds with his “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 

Here, the quote is, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  A lot of us are probably familiar with that passage.  But what struck me as I was preparing the message this week is that the crippled beggar wasn’t healed when Peter said this.  It took an act of faith to bring about God’s healing.  In this case, it was Peter reaching out to the man, taking him by the right hand, and helping up.  Then, we see that instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.  And not until then. 

Peter had to show faith by reaching out to the man.  And maybe the man had to show faith by grabbing his hand and trying to get up.  But the important thing that struck me was that the faith had to be shown, before the healing was given.

There are quite a few other examples of this.  Someone being healed, but not until they act in faith.  I’ll just give two examples, the first we’ll look to the old Testament, in 2 Kings 5 and the story of Naaman.  Naaman, a powerful soldier, contracts leprosy.  Naaman’s wife’s servant was a believer, and encouraged Naaman to see the prophet Elisha.  Naaman apparently thinks nothing else has helped, there’s no cure, so I’ll try.  He gets a letter of introduction and safe passage form the king, and he goes. 

Elisha hears that he has come, but he doesn’t go to see him personally, he just sent a messenger telling him to go and wash in the Jordan River 7 times, and he would be healed.  That’s not what Naaman was expecting, and he actually got mad.  Verse 11 says “I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot, and cure me of my leprosy.”  He was looking for something quick and easy.  God wanted to see an act of faith.  So he Elisha to have him wash in the Jordan River 7 times. 

Naaman fought and objected.  The Jordan wasn’t the cleanest of rivers, he even offered to go wash in some cleaner rivers closer to home, but finally conceded, went to the Jordan, and did what he was told.  And when he did, he was healed.  It took that act of faith before the healing came. 

Another example, and we’ll use leprosy again, this one in Luke 17.  Jesus is traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  And as he was walking, ten men with leprosy met him.  They asked for healing, and Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests so they would be declared clean.  The thing is, they weren’t clean.  Jesus didn’t heal them on the spot.  He told them to go and present themselves to the priests.  It wasn’t until they started on their way to see the priests, still sick, still covered in spots, still with leprosy, that they were healed. 

It took a step of faith for them to start on their way to the priests to show that they were clean, when they weren’t clean.  But when they made that step of faith, and started heading to the priests, then were healed, then they were clean.

We can come to Jesus for healing for a variety of things.  Can be health related, financial, relationship issues; anything that concerns us, we’re encouraged to pray over.  And sometimes Jesus just miraculously takes care of it.  But just remember, sometimes he wants to see that act of faith, first.  We need to step out, knowing God’s got this, knowing the healing is coming, even if it’s not here yet.  We need to step out, secure in the knowledge, in the faith, that God is healing even now.

And when God sees that faith, He can heal.

So don’t lose faith.  Just trust that God’s got this, whatever it is.  Just know that He’s already working, and you can trust Him to do what He’s promised.

To live is Christ, but to die is gain...

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.  Yet what shall I choose?  I do not know!  I am torn between the two:  I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."

Philippians 1:21-24

A nine-year-old boy named Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, the anesthesiologist came into start NIV. He was wearing a cool surgical Covered in colorful frocks. Austin love that “frog hat.” When the doctor started to leave, Austin called out, “hey, wait.”

The doctor turned. “Yeah, buddy, what do you need?”

“You go to church?”

“No,” the doctor admitted. “I know I probably should, but I don’t.”

Austin then asked, “Well are you saved?”

Chuckling nervously, the doctor said: “nope. But after talking to you, maybe it’s something I should consider.”

Please with his response, Austin answered, “well you should, as Jesus is great!”

“I’m sure he is, little guy,” the doctor said, and quickly made his exit.

When Austin surgery was finished, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room to talk to his mother. He told her the surgery went well, then said, I don’t usually come down and talk to the parents after surgery, but I just have to tell you what your son did.”

Oh boy, she thought. What did that little rascal do now? The doctor explained that he just put the mask on Austin when her son signaled that he needed to say something. When the doctor remove the mask, Austin blurted, “wait a minute, we have to pray!” The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed: “dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen.”

The doctor admitted that this had touched him. “I was so sure that he would pray that his surgery went well,” he explained. “He didn’t even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have.”

A few minutes later, a nurse came to take her to postop. She had a big smile on her face as they walked to the elevator. “There’s something you should know,” the nurse said. “Some of the other nurses and I had been witnessing to and praying for that Dr. for a long time. After your son surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin’s prayer. He said, “well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus, two.”

If a nine-year-old boy can live that way... For me to live is Christ and to die is gain... Then why can’t we...

Secret Hearts

Almond Union's message on Sunday, August 17, was Secret Hearts.  It was a great message that talked about our hearts.  Most of the world today thinks that we're all basically good people, and I can see why that think that.  I've no doubt met more people that can be trusted than those that can't.  Of course, when you meet just one that can't, it's easy to get a little cynical, and wonder if you can trust anyone.

But that notion that all people are basically good people is not taught in scripture.  In this message, we examine what the Bible teaches, and we can be good people.

To read the message, click here, or go to http://almondunionchurch.org/sermons/secret-hearts/

Thanks for reading, and for supporting Almond Union of Churches.

Forgiveness: The Real F Word

On Sunday, we started a new sermon series titled Forgiveness:  The Real F Word.

I subtitled this series The Real F Word for two reasons.  First, it grabs your attention.  When you hear it you think "what?"  But second, forgiveness really is a word that many just don't understand.  Most people don't understand forgiveness, there are a lot of strange ideas of what it means and what it requires - and for some, it really is almost a dirty word.  So the real F word in the title fits.  Most people don't want to talk about forgiveness, fewer will admit they need forgiveness, and fewer yet freely give forgiveness.

This week we talked about the ultimate forgiveness, the level of forgiveness we all must receive if we ever hope to enter in the kingdom of God.  It's forgiveness from God.  How can assure that we are forgiven by God?  

We looked at the Parable of the Prodigal Son for some keys to forgiveness.  It was a great message on a very important topic. 

If you would like to read the message, or hear the audio recording of it, click the title below. 

10-14 - Finding Forgiveness

Thanks for reading!

The Voice of God

Back in the beginning of the month, I preached a message on the voice of God.  We started looking at the importance of our voice.  How is that we communicate without using our voice.  It's pretty clear that while there are some options, our voice plays a very major role in our communication.

We communicate with people, and live in relationships with people, by speaking to them.  If that's true, and I certainly think that it is, we would communicate with God the same way.  We would live in relationship with God by speaking to Him.  

The trick is, how do we know when He speaks back?  The crux of the message on June 3 was just that.  How does God speak to us?  How do we recognize the voice of God.  To see this message, click on the title below.  There is also an audio link if you would like to listen instead of reading.  Hope you enjoy!

June 3 - The Voice of God

They Will Be My People

A couple of weeks ago I was reading in the book of Revelation, and I came across a verse that caused me to stop and reflect for a few minutes.  It was a familiar verse, a verse I had heard before.  It was in Revelation 21:3 – and it said, “I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

It was familiar because I had seen in the Old Testament.  In fact, this same phrase, worded the same way, is found five times in the Old Testament.  It’s found in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.  “I will be their God, and they will be my people.”  It’s also found, in different words, in several other places.  I’ve always thought that if God cares so much about something that he repeats it several times, it must be important. 

As I was reading in Revelation, I was reading about the new heaven and the new earth, what a splendid place it would be, and it occurred to me that one of the things that would make it a splendid place was this verse.  “I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

I reflected on what that would look like, I like to try to visualize these verses in the context of our times, what it look like today if all people were truly God’s people.  We can only imagine what that might be like.  I’m sure each of us have some thoughts that come to mind about what that might be like.  Some of our thoughts might be similar, but many our thoughts would be very different.  Overall, I wonder if we really can imagine.  I wonder if our thoughts would do justice to the glory and the splendor of an entire planet truly living as God’s people. 

I don’t think we can imagine what that would be like.  But we can imagine what it would be like if we were truly God’s people.  We can start there.  That’s what we’re really called to be, isn’t it.  We are God’s people.  We struggle and stumble as we try to live that out in our daily lives.  Some days are easier than others.  But still, we are God’s people. We can imagine our relationships if we’re fully turned over to God.  We can imagine God’s blessings if we’re totally surrendered to God.  We can imagine ourselves doing the things that Jesus would do if he were here.  We can imagine God working through us because we are fully open to him, fully surrendered, fully His.

There is a story about a fellow who came in deep distress to see his pastor. "No matter how much I pray, no matter how hard I try, I simply cannot seem to be faithful to my Lord. I think I'm losing my salvation." The pastor said, "Do you see this dog here? He is my dog. He is house-trained; he never makes a mess; he is obedient; he is a pure delight to me. Out in the kitchen I have a son, a baby son. He makes a mess, he throws his food around, he dirties his clothes, and he is a total mess. Who is going to inherit my kingdom? Not my dog; my son is my heir. You are Jesus Christ's heir because it is for you that He died." We are Christ's heirs, not through our perfection but by grace.

We are God’s people.  Live as people of God. 

Does our faith make a difference?

I was thinking about this the other day. Does our faith really make a difference in our lives?

I think that it should. And in most cases I suppose that it does. As I was reflecting on this, I began remembering statistics that I heard in the past. I don’t have the references for these, but they should be available on the Internet. For example…

Statistics show that people in the hospital recover quicker when other people pray for them. The amazing thing to me is that they don’t have to know that others pray for them, they still recover quicker when people pray for them. This is part of the reason why you almost can’t find a hospital with out a Chaplain. You may not think you need God, but statistically you will recover quicker if you believe.

Statistics show that people who go to church have far fewer divorces than people who don’t. They first did this study comparing evangelical Christians against the rest of the population, but they asked if respondents were evangelical Christians, and took their word for it. That suggested that the rate of divorce was even slightly higher for evangelicals than the rest of the population. But if you apply one more filter, you see a huge difference. Those who actually attend church regularly have a dramatically lower chance of divorce. So you might not think you need God, but statistically, you are much less likely to get a divorce if you believe – and attend, a Christian church.

Our community has suffered a fair number of untimely deaths recently. I can't imagine not having faith. Thinking that death is the end, that there is nothing else, would be tragic in my mind. My faith tells me that death is not the end. There is hope, there is promise. There is eternity.

I have seen other statistics that look at longevity, at various measurements of happiness, and a host of other things. If you look at those people who believe and attend church, you will live longer, be happier, be healthier, and your marriage will be stronger.

Our faith really does make a difference!

Choosing God...

I was talking to a wonderful lady in our church on Easter morning, and she mentioned how happy she was with her work in the church. She does as much as anyone, and I was certainly glad to hear her comments.

The comment came after the discussion of another member, who had just experienced a tragedy in their life. She made the comment that she hoped it would bring them closer to God and they would come to church, and get active in the church. She continued by saying that tragedy doesn’t always have that affect on people, sometimes people go the other way, and distance themselves from church and from God.

Perhaps that comes from blaming God. Perhaps that comes from a desire to be alone for a while after tragedy. Perhaps it comes from shutting ourselves out from others.

Yet the church offers a family that cares. Our church shows that so often with so many who are struggling. That's what church is about. Those that don't feel comfort from their struggles from the church probably aren't sharing their struggles with the church. Being open, you will find the church a very caring group.

She has experienced her share of tragedy over the years. For her, she chose God, and that choice has made all the difference.

The need for humility...

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
-Psalm 25:9

This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
-Isaiah 66:2b

Therefore, whoever humbles themselves like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
-Matthew 18:4

Do you get the idea that God values our humility? In fact, humility is a key trait for any follower of Jesus. We are studying Proverbs in our Bible Study, and this last week’s lesson really struck this point home.

As I was reflecting on this after the lesson, it occurred to me that humility is a choice. We are really a very proud people, a self-centered people. It’s very hard for us to be a humble people, it seems to run against our nature.

We need to put others in that center spot, we need to step aside and let others in. We need to become other-centered people.

It will require a great deal of self-discipline, it isn’t natural, at least not consistent with how we think. But to be truly honored by God, we must humble ourselves.

Another thought on humility, I once heard it said that humility is not thinking less of ourselves, it’s thinking of ourselves less…

Experiencing Doubt

Do ever suffer from doubt? Do you ever struggle through your faith, wondering if it’s real? If the practice of your faith is worth it – if it’s even the truth?

I think it’s a natural occurrence. I think everyone has doubts from time to time. I have read from several of the Saints of the Catholic Church, Church fathers, and many writers considered to be the best theologians of their day. Almost without an exception, each one writes of difficult times and struggles in their faith.

Just a few months ago, news broke of a new writing found from Mother Theresa, where she wrote of some struggles in her faith. If a giant of the faith like Mother Theresa struggled with doubt, don’t be surprised when it happens to you.

We see doubts of faith in Scripture, as well. I think of the Psalms, where David is almost arguing with God in some of the Psalms of Lament. But even more than David, I think of David’s son, Solomon, described in Scripture as the wisest man who ever lived. Here is a quote that I came across recently (I forgot now where I read it):

The word meaningless appears in the Bible thirty-eight times, thirty-five of these in the book of Ecclesiastes. “It’s a strange thing that the man the Hebrews knew as the wisest person who ever lived, is the one who struggled the most with doubt.”

Over and over again Solomon writes that everything is meaningless. But in the end, He found that all that we can do is to love God, and find our purpose through Him.

Solomon’s example is an example that will find true in our own lives. So many things can seem meaningless. It’s only through surrendering our lives to God that will bring meaning to our lives.

Attacking others to show our love

There is already a lot of talk about a new movie coming out called The Golden Compass. The movie will be released tomorrow (Friday). The talk is from the church, and there are those calling for a boycott of the film.

Evidently it has some very atheistic messages in the film. Surprise, surprise! Hollywood is coming out with a film with an atheistic message. And the church is outraged. My question is why is the church outraged? Why are we surprised when lost people act lost?

What brought this to my attention was another blog that I read by Jack Hagar, which he calls Jack Hagar’s Jots and Thoughts. Jack pointed out that often a boycott has the opposite desire. As he puts it, “non-believers are prone to think anything the “church” is against is probably worth seeing!”

There is something in all of this that really bothers me. When people see the film and talk about it at water coolers and casual meetings, well meaning Christians will be criticizing the movie based on things they heard about the movie. If you don’t want to see it (and it sounds like that might be a good decision), then don’t criticize it. When people ask, tell them you didn’t see it because you understand it is opposed to faith, and you are a person of faith, and leave it at that.

I remember the talk surrounding the book (and subsequent movie), The Da Vinci Code. I once sat in a room of five other pastors, each talking about how they planned to refute it in their congregations, yet not one had seen it. How can we attack in our pulpits that which we don’t know?

I honestly believe that we give God a bad name when we to out of our way to criticize something we haven’t seen. We give Christianity a bad name when we attack what we don’t know.

God calls us to share our faith in love. We can’t share our faith in love when we attack other peoples faith systems. So forget the attack, just share your faith in love.

Faith in the World Series...

I’m not what you might call a huge baseball fan, but I have been watching more of this year than ever before. And being from this part of New York, I’m a Yankees fan – a little disgruntled right now, but a Yankees fan none the less.

Now as a Yankee fan, I also route for whatever team Boston plays. The Red Sox are the Yankees arch rivals on the top of the American League East, and it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, a Boston loss is good news for a Yankees fan.

The dilemma is, who to route for now that the World Series has started, and my beloved Yankees are not playing. History has it that I should route for whatever team the Red Sox is playing, but I had never heard much about the Colorado Rockies – until today! And what I heard has made me a Rockies fan.

Chuck Colson’s Breakpoint Commentary for yesterday, October 24, talks about the Rockies organization:

The Rockies are the first major league sports franchise organized on specifically Christian principles. That does not mean that the Rockies only sign Christian players. General Manager Dan O’Dowd told USA Today that while he knows “some of the guys who are Christians,” he “can’t tell you who is and who isn’t.”

The Rockies’ way means “[doing] the best job [they] can to get [the right] people with the right sense of moral values . . .” To that end, prospective Rockies are interviewed to see if they are compatible with the Rockies’ approach.

Once players join the Rockies, they are put in an environment that reinforces these values: “Quotes from Scripture are posted in the weight room. Chapel service is packed on Sundays. Prayer and fellowship groups each Tuesday are well-attended.”

…With all the news these days about steroids, cheating, and felony arrests, modern-day pro sports needs a story about the good guys. And athletes need the reminder that it is possible to excel both as a player and as a human being—that character counts.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds good to me. I’ll support the Christian organization over a secular organization any day – especially if I don’t have to route for a rival!

A thought on worry...

I’ve been worrying lately. There is a situation in my wife’s family that has caused a rift, and I am really worrying about it. I’m not going to get into details, but I don’t know what to do, if anything, about it.

Since this has started, I’ve heard (over and over again) those passages that talk about giving our concerns over to Jesus, and for the most part, I do that. But I also remember Rick Warren’s quote in The Purpose Driven Life, “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar.” Perhaps I’m dropping this concern at the altar, only to pick it up again as I leave.

I’m not unusual. Many of you may do the same thing. Many are filled with worry, when we should be enjoying the fruits of the Spirit. In my quite time this morning, I came across the passage in Matthew commonly called the parable of the sower. In this parable, we see that the seed of the kingdom is scattered to all. But many don’t receive it. Some of the seed feel among thorns, where it grew, but the weeds and thorns choked it out. Later in the passage, Jesus explains this to His disciples. “The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.”

As I was thinking on this passage, I began to see how worry chokes us of the Spirit and makes us unfruitful. Am I being unfruitful because of this family concern? Is God withholding fruit because of my worry? Are you as fruitful as you could be, or is worry choking your fruit as well?

There is another verse we can cling to, from Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” Let’s all of us, you and me, allow God to work through these things that worry us, that good might come of them. Let’s let go and let God work.

I know it’s a lot easier to say than to do this, but we can, if we are confident in God’s word to bear fruit in our souls. One thing for sure, our worrying can’t help the situation. It only hinders God’s work.