What Are You Pondering And Treasuring These Days?

What Are You Pondering and Treasuring Up These Days?

Luke 2.1-20
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

We know there were times Mary spoke from John 2.1-5
 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,2 and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.”u

4 “Woman, why do you involve Me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
Such good counsel for everything in life. We could talk about that all day!
We do not have a lot of records of Mary’s words. She seemed to speak only when it was necessary. A worthy characteristic to emulate. More often than not when she appears she is silent. For her the tumultuous birth of Jesus was a Silent Night. When she did speak it was memorable and noteworthy. Like in...
 The Magnificat
Mary’s Song
Luke 2.46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the LORD
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for He has been mindful
    of the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is His name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
    from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
    He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as He promised our ancestors.”
What an example of a testimony! All focused on God, on what He has done, very little mention of herself.


We see her conversing with the Angel Gabriel in that same chapter.
In fact all the time we hear Mary she is doing something spiritual. But this verse is one we have heard each Christmas and it is a haunting one!
Luke 2.19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
It is in the context of the Shepherds
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  The idea was to publish it like a book having huge circulation.

The shepherds spoke all over the mountains of Bethlehem.
Mary pondered and treasured in her heart.


Christmas Memories
Sweet
Album

Christian Memories?

Pondered=  symballo
to throw together, to bring together

1. to converse

2. to bring together in one's mind, confer with one's self

3. to come together, meet
    1. to encounter in a hostile sense

    2. to fight with one

    3. to bring together of one's property, to contribute, aid, help


Treasured=  sün-tā-re'-ō.
1. to preserve (a thing from perishing or being lost)

2. to keep within one's self, keep in mind (a thing, lest it be forgotten)
Like flowers from a funeral or wedding
Precious gift
I have some gifts my Grandkids made with their own hands, just for me. I will treasure them!
Tristan’s ornament



Mary was more of a thinker than a speaker, more of a quiet example than one who used her voice.
What are you keeping close to your heart... things unspeakable..?
Have an intimacy with Jesus so you have such an attitude towards things you see and experience with Him.
Note: Mary did not allow the uncomfortable situation of having the Baby outside, away from family (and the assistance her female relatives would have been) and friends and the warm home Joseph had provided for them in Nazareth to steal the joy of what God was doing.
We look for God in our comfortable settings and He is over in a stable working wonders.

She pondered what she was seeing and hearing and treasured then all up in her heart.

1. We Should Come Away From Prayer Times Like This Occasionally.
Our prayer times ought to be precious!

Burdens are lifted. That is wonderful.
God speaks to our hearts.
Listen!
Samuel: The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” I Samuel 3.10
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

2. We Should Experience As We Read God’s Word.
We should be pondering and treasuring the things God speaks to our soul.
Because For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4.12

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119.105
Meditate on it both day and night. Joshua 1.8
Psalm 119.114 I put my hope in Your Word.

It is dynamic. You can read a passage at one point in your life and it means one thing and later you see it in a different way.


3. Is There Room In Your Life For Silence?

For Thinking

For Silence

For Listening to God

For Quiet
Psalm 46.He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

A good New Year’s Resolution is to make time.
Hear the words of Jesus: "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6.31
Bob Pierce’s story

Galatians 4.19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

What an example Mary is!
Ponder, treasure the things the LORD does in your life.
Be like Mary.

The Word Moved Into The Neighborhood

The Word Moved Into The Neighborhood

John 1.14

The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.

The Old Testament shows us God on Mount Sinai, speaking from Heaven, speaking through His prophets.
The New Covenant is God with us, taking on flesh and blood, being born of a woman.

In the Old Testament we see God speaking from heaven.
In the Gospels it it through His Son on earth in a human body.

Hebrews 1.1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, Whom He appointed heir of all things, and through Whom also He made the universe.

The Hymn Love Divine, All Love Excelling
“Joy of Heaven to earth come down...”

Christmas is:
Christ is born.
God in the flesh.
God with man is now residing.

Making His dwelling among us.

The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood. John 1.14


1. The Word

Thoughts of God
Sayings of God
Expression of God

Hebrews 1.3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.
He is the image of God.
Colossians 1.15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.

We are told here in this opening of John’s Gospel certain things about the Word, God’s Son:
*In the beginning the Word was. Eternal Nature of the Son of God
*The Word was with God.
*The Word is God.
*He made everything. We know from Genesis that creation came about through the  Spoken Word, God spoke the worlds into existence. Psalm 33.9 For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command.
*In Him was life.
*That life was the light of men..

We know Him as Jesus, the name the Angel Gabriel told Joseph to give Him.(Matthew 1.25)
Mary was His mother.
She became pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

The Word became flesh.


2. Flesh and  Blood
There is the flesh.
There is the Spirit.

When Jesus asked the disciples Whom men said He was, Peter gave the great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” What a confession that was! So great that Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew ‪16.17-18‬)

Flesh and blood= man, human
Spirit= God

Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2.7
He has  set eternity in the hearts of men. Ecclesiastes 3.11

The LORD put His Spirit in man in the beginning.
In the New Testament He sent His Spirit to a virgin in Nazareth of Galilee so He could become flesh and blood.

He gave two emblems representing flesh and blood to remember Him by.
This is My Body. Broken for you
This is My Blood. Shed for you

The Lamb of God, The Word of God, Jesus, was laid in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes... what the Shepherds in Bethlehem did with the new born lambs. They were raising temple sacrifices and they had to be perfect, no blemish or spot. So they would take them to a cave when their mother was ready to give birth and after she did they would make sure they were kept from harm so they could be used in the temple.

So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. I Corinthians 15.45



3. The Move Into The Neighborhood.

From Heaven
God
With God before the beginning


Earth
Born of a virgin

The Word was born of a woman by God’s Spirit.
We are born again, we who are flesh and blood, of God’s Spirit.

Ecclesiastes 3.11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Christ became like us, in our bodies.

II Corinthians 5.1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.  Dwelling in John 1.14
This is the idea of camping, of pitching a tent, a temporary place to live in.
Jesus did that.
Spurgeon: Great commanders have readily won the hearts of their soldiers by sharing their hardships and roughing it as if they belonged to the ranks.
We do that.
Peter spoke of departure in thise terms... Breaking camp.
II Peter 1.12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
Put is aside= put off or away
Tent= tabernacle.... folding up the tent when we are about to break camp... My Dad and camping. The Israelites
Departure= exodus, exit, close of one’s life’s work The end.

Here on earth...
In the new birth His Spirit  is regenerating us.


Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the son of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King !"


He was born in Bethlehem, not Jerusalem. Bethlehem was a place of shepherds, low end of the social scale. Jerusalem, place of scholars, Yeshivas, Sanhedrin, royalty.

He grew up in Nazareth, “Can anything good come from there?”
He worked in Galilee as prophesied.
You only have to read the Gospels with an open heart and you will behold the LORD Jesus!

Jerusalem

Long Island
He is in your neighborhood!
Light, Life, Love
Jesus is the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1.3)
*God is Light.
*God is Life. (Life giving Spirit)
*God is Love. (John 3.16.  )


Love moving into your neighborhood!
It is already there! Move out more and more into it.
There are 100’s of ways the Love of God can be shown where you live. Make it where you live, where you love!
Ask the LORD to use you to show His love in your neighborhood. He will show you.

Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.

Light Shining in Darkness

Light Shining Into Darkness


John 1.5
John 1.1-14

We are taken back to The Beginning in this morning's passage, before the creation of the world. Before Genesis 1.
At creation there was darkness. God created light. This illumination, this shining forth came from Him. He created all things, but this is what He is, Light.

God is light.
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.

The Psalmist spoke of it:
Psalm 118:27 The LORD is God, and He has made His light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God.
 II Corinthians 4.4b

Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
    and good news gives health to the bones. Proverbs 15.30

1.9 The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

Advent...
Like a quietness and peace that comes at the end of a good day, yet with expectation that something very good is still before us.


1.The Power of the Light
Darkness cannot overtake it.
It is its nature. A little light will show up in the darkness.
It will dispel the darkness. Small flashlight...  Headlight, Flood Light, Sunlight... God’s radiance, His Glory
v.5 The Message
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn’t put it out.

Wherever believers go it spreads! The Church has never been knocked out of commission by persecution, on the contrary.
It has however become lukewarm and distasteful to the LORD when its riches increase and it doesn't sense its need of Christ.

The light of God.
Let there be light.

The prophecy of Isaiah
Isaiah 9:1-2 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

The prophecy of Zechariah, John the Baptist's father:
Luke 1.78b- 79 by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.

The Birth of Jesus. Angels in the sky. Luke 2

The Transfiguration Mark 9

Jesus's own words about Himself
John 9:4-5 As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

No need for the sun in heaven. The Lamb of God is the light.
Revelation 21:23-25 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

No cemeteries
No night, and with it the problems that come.
I Thessalonians 5.7
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.


2.The Problem with the Light
Men's deeds are evil They don't understand due to stubborn refusal.

They have not been able to extinguish it, but neither have they been able to comprehend it.

It is futile to argue with my atheist connections. They remind me of someone heading off a cliff while telling everyone they will be fine. They cannot see, they cannot comprehend the love of God. I pray for their blinded eyes to be opened.
Love takes away the blindness, not debating or arguing, even if we are right!

Light shining in darkness is an irritant to the eyes. Also to the soul.
John ‪3:19-21‬ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

But the light also can be used to clean, light on a front of a vacuum...

Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

II Corinthians 4.3-4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
 5-6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.

1 John 1:5-7 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

I John 5.20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him Who is true. And we are in Him Who is true by being in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

So our hearts break. They will break if we pray for those in darkness.
Pray the LORD of the Harvest.
Pray for open doors.
Pray for open hearts.
Pray for the prodigals. Visiting Edie, Charlie, 40 years ago he came here to church, Mr. Pawson was his Sunday School Teacher.
Asked about him, told him about how Mr. Pawson loved seeing his students when he worked outside.



3. The Promise of the the Light
Matthew ‪5:14-16‬ “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.


Shine before men
They will see your good works
Glory will go to Our Father in Heaven

Preach the Gospel always and when necessary use words.

Ephesians 4:1-3, 17-21, 25-26, 28-32 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


4. The Personal Aspect of God's Light
My light Psalm 27.1

The Word that was with God in the beginning, God's Son became flesh, dwelt among us, touched lepers, fed 1,000's, took children in His arms and blessed them and whenever He did a healing there was personal contact. He even stopped everything one day when He realized power went out from Him but He didn't know to whom.

Jesus did not do mass healings. Each person He called He called personally.

We need to pray more for people walking in darkness to come into the light. We need to pray for the LORD to shine His Light into their hearts through our lives.

Dear friends, if you and I know our real destiny, and are the servants of God, we are sent that men might, through us, believe in Jesus. John was a special witness; but we ought all to be witnesses to complete the chain of testimony. Every Christian man should reckon that he is sent from God to bear witness to the great Light, that, through Him, men might believe. -SpurgeonLight shining in darkness

Thanks be to God for His Indescribable Gift

Thanks Be To God For His Indescribable Gift!

II Corinthians 9.6-15

v.15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

We are called to be thankful by the LORD. We are instructed in the Word of God that all the good things we enjoy here on earth are a result of the Gracious Hand of God upon us, a lovingly Heavenly Father Who withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD and praise the Name of the Most High.

We ought to be the most thankful people on earth in America but often we appear to be very ungrateful. As believers we are not to be conformed to this world. We ought to be giving thanks continually, in all circumstances. That comes from the renewing of our minds.

So this week in America we encounter Thanksgiving as a Day...

Great Epochs In American History, a set of books that belonged to my great grandfather, who was a seminary professor in New Jersey. In volume two which covers 1562-1733, there is a chapter entitled “The First Voyage of the Mayflower”. It is Governor William Bradford ‘s account. He had been a leading member of a little dissenting congregation in England. Throughout the 15 pages are phrases such as “for the glory of God, the will of God, it pleased God, God’s providence, sustaining Spirit and grace of God, good providence of God, LORD be merciful to them…”

Let me read a few lines from my great grandfather’s book, “But though this had been a day & night of much trouble & danger unto them, yet God gave them a morning of comfort and refreshing (as usually He doth to His children)…gave thanks to God for His mercies, in their manifold deliverances.” Governor William Bradford

American Thanksgiving- This is our day. While other countries have harvest type of celebrations, ours is focused on Almighty God.

While it began with the Pilgrims it was President Abraham Lincoln who signed the proclamation of an Annual Day of giving Thanks to Almighty God.

Thanksgiving is an action as well as an attitude.

As far as Thanksgiving we need to at the very least capture it in our own hearts and share it with the children around us.

This passage focuses in on God's Indescribable Gift and how the gift of His Son, Christ Jesus causes the grace of giving to operate in our lives. Thanksgiving, the giving of thanks... thankfulness, generosity-giving.

1. The Seeds We Sow. vs. 6-11

God  created the earth.

God provides the seed.

God causes it to rain and the sun to shine.

God makes the seeds grow. 

I Corinthians 3.6-7

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, Who makes things grow.

He is LORD of the Harvest. Matthew 9.38

Praying the LORD of the Harvest

We will reap proportionately.

What about sacrificial giving?

v. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Pumpkin seeds. You can roast them and eat them or you can set them aside (or  a bunch of them) and have them to plant next year. Say you plant 100 seeds. You will multiply your seeds you have by 100 times as much.

The harvest in giving is our needs being met but spiritually growing in Christlikeness. It is a win win. 

Generosity begets spiritual growth. Planting produces a harvest.

2. Our Giving to the LORD and Others Is a Direct Reflection of Our Spiritual Lives. v.7

Giving is from the heart.  That is where the decision to give is made, to give and how much.

Jesus said:

Matthew 6.2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  

cheerful =  hilaros. 

Walking with the LORD is a life of joy and peace. Our giving is to be joy filled. 

Much of our walk with the LORD is quiet, private, secret prayer... giving is an overflow of the heart which results in Thanksgiving to God.

The church is funded by God through His people. They give and the needs are met. God provides through His people for His work. He works with us. We are hilarious because He multiples blessings. He multiplied the bread and fish, turned the water into wine!

Yet with all these amazing provisions and gifts, One is not worth comparing with the others...

3. God Gave Us the Greatest Gift Imaginable. v.15

He gave us His Son. John 3.16

Abraham and Isaac

His Son Gave up Himself for us. Ephesians 5.25 Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.

Thanks Be To God

His Indescribable Gift 

Unspeakable above all others, In Command of everything else

God, our Father in Heaven, demonstrates how we should give by giving His one and only Son so we could become His children. We need to look at the manager and the cross when it comes to our giving, when we are tempted to hold back... Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold! 

As little children

We would dream of Christmas morn

Of all the gifts and toys

We knew we'd find

But we never realized

A baby born one blessed night

Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

As the years went by

We learned more about gifts

The giving of ourselves

And what that means

On a dark and cloudy day

A Man hung crying on a cross

All because of love, all because of love

Interestingly as Paul writes to the Corinthians about the offering for the church in Jerusalem, he ends with speaking of God's gift, Christ's sacrifice.

How could anything compare to that?!

As the hymn, When I Survey The Wondrous Cross says,

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Give Thanks to God. Give Him your all. Sow generously.

Thanksgiving Events:

God has been good to us: a whole new heating system, new roof, costs being covered, new church built down in Haiti.

When this building we are in was being constructed  without ever going to a bank for a mortgage so was one in upstate Southwestern NY, a chapel, which I would come to pastor in 1979. It grew and we built. Miracles happened there.  Plans drawn up, reached a wall. City said we didn't enough parking spaces, Oil company said we could rent, there was this piece of land adjacent to us, neighbors said they would never sell.  I asked, I asked for a gift and they gave it. The land given by Olean American Tile- Thanksgiving 1982 Al Heinz, the builders, the check mailed to us.

Homeless ministry- Joe Infranco's building on Main Street- how I met Rudy.  Cold weather was coming. How would we continue to feed the needy and homeless people in the park?

Now we enter a new chapter... a time of new beginnings

Triumphant Here And Now

Triumphant Here And Now!

II Corinthians 2.12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the LORD had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.14 But thanks be to God, Who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

Christ Jesus was victorious over everything! Demons, Disease and Death. He forgave those who put Him to death. You never hear Him talking about the injustices of His trial, His death as being a victim. He conquered it all.

So can we! Love keeps no record of wrongs. Those who do, I pity. They do not realize they are drinking the poison of their own death. Martin Luther believed in keeping short accounts with God and others... asking God’s forgiveness for himself and no record of wrongs by others. God help us. Help us to be triumphant over our enemies by loving them. Help us LORD to realize the power of love is infinitely greater than the power of hate.

He was victorious over depression, discouragement and disappointments.

As we serve the LORD...

1. There will be Disappointments in Our Service to God. vs.12-13
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the LORD had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.

Paul, the apostle, was very close to Timothy and Titus. They were his sons in the Gospel. Shirley and Emmanuella are my daughters in the Gospel, Jhon, our Project Coordinator is my son. Interestingly all three of them are orphans! I care about these children. The girls call me “Daddy”. He has said that I am like a father to him. I have a similar relationship with him that my Dad had with me at that age. I remember when I came here 35 years ago. I was in my late 20’s. My Dad was near 60.  

If I got to Haiti and could not find these kids, or if I stepped out of the plane and Jhon was not there I would get very concerned. I would look for him. If I could not find him I would have no peace.

Remember this letter is being written in the middle of the first century where communications were by letter or word of mouth.
No telecommunications no mass communications. The only way to track someone down was by foot.

Paul was disappointed.

Paul was without peace over Titus, not knowing where he was.

And yet...
2. We always are Triumphant In Christ.

A perpetual victory parade! (MSG)
I love a parade! Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

Give thanks.

God’s sovereignty.

Christ’s Promise
“I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

Christ’s victory.
Over death!
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! I Corinthians 15.57

Remember God is a Promise Maker and a Promise Keeper! The Resurrection is a perfect example of this.
Jesus told them that He would rise on the third day and He did!
They were downcast, disappointed and depressed after He died. Then Jesus appeared to them! He is alive! They were overjoyed!

God can turn things around in a moment! The whole tide of our lives can be brought into a new way in the blink of an eye!
He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8.28).
This can happen inwardly as we think about Christ always leading us in Triumphal Procession, another Triumphal Entry for us, a spiritual one. Some of us need this today! We need to live in this. It is our inheritance!

The Resurrection shows us that we may have lost hope. We had hoped that He would be the one to redeem Israel.
(Luke 24.21)
He was walking with them! He had come to redeem the world. We are hoping for something and the LORD makes it even more wonderful than we could have ever dreamed. This with us being part of His plan in ways we never dreamed of! In ways we would not believed if He told us!

Isaiah 43.18-19

18 “Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

3. Remember what we are to God. vs.15-16

The pleasing aroma of Christ...
His death, burning of incense to God during the sacrifice.
Moses consecrated the altar with the anointing oil when the Tabernacle was dedicated (Exodus 40:9). Incense was burned daily on this altar at the time of the morning and the evening sacrifices. ... The burning of the incense was symbolic of the prayer of the people rising up to God (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4).

Ephesians 5.1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.


To the one we are an aroma that brings death. To those who are living on son, who are perishing.
Judgment. Guilt. Condemnation.



4. Integrity in the Ministry is a blessing!  v.17
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

So many do not have it!
Jesus spoke of those:
Matthew 7.21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father Who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’

They are among the church today! so many

Follow the money!

Be a Berean!
Acts 17.11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Triumph over the world, the flesh and the devil.

Pray for the ministers with integrity.
To be faithful.
To hold to the deep truths of the faith.

Psalm 44.4-8
You are my King and my God,
    Who decrees victories for Jacob.
5 Through You we push back our enemies;
    through Your name we trample our foes.
6 I put no trust in my bow,
    my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but You give us victory over our enemies,
    You put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
    and we will praise Your name forever.


We may be facing some pain or sorrow or wondering what God is doing but we rest assured that Christ is leading us in a Triumphal Procession.
Victory
We walk by faith
God is good.
God loves me.
God is in control.

T

Does God ever give us more than we can handle?

Does God Ever Give Us More Than We Can Handle? You Bet He Does!

II Corinthians 1.8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, Who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

We hear this untruth often, “God will never give us more than we can handle.”
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.

Where did the untruth come from?

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
II Corinthians 10.13

The difference between trials and temptation.

Trials without.
Temptations within.

Example of Trial = Three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace.
Example of Temptation = David and Bathsheba

We face both.
Temptations will not be more than we can bear.

Trials will be overwhelming at times.
“How much more can a person take?”
“I’m going to start calling you, Job.”
“No one is going to blame you if you quit.”

Here are some of those who were given more than they could handle:
Noah
Lot
Abraham
Jacob
Joseph
Moses
Habakkuk
Jeremiah
David
Jesus
Paul
John

I Peter 4.13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.


1. The Purpose of Trials

*Refining Process
Fire burns off impurities.
Job 23.10
But He knows the way that I take: when He has tried me, I will come forth as gold.


*Comfort
We are able to comfort others with the comfort we have received from God.
II Corinthians 1.3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,4 Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
It is a comfort for others to know that they are not going through these situations alone. Jesus is with them. He has brought us through them.

*Reliance on the LORD
 But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, Who raises the dead v.9
Our trials cause us to cry out to God.
Our trials make us search the scriptures.
We ought to be doing this without trials. This is Christian Maturity.

*Make Us Like Jesus
Hebrews 6.we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.



2. The Pressure of Trials

Beyond all measure

We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.
Jesus felt this.
"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," He said to them. "Stay here and keep watch.” Mark 14.34


Persecuted suffering church
China
Cuba
Nepal
Sudan
North Korea
Nigeria

God does at times give us more than we can handle.

*History validates it.
Fox’s Book of Martyrs
Voice of the Martyrs

*Current events prove it.
Haiti
Iran
Nigeria

*Scripture attests to it.
From Genesis to Revelation!
Abraham and John


3. Answers To Prayer
One of the blessings to come out of trials of others is the prayers offered and the  answers to prayer that come as a result of those prayers.
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. vs.10-11


We carry souls on hearts and bring their needs to the LORD.

People appreciate prayer.
It shows God’s love.

Answers to prayer are a great blessing.
It shows God’s power.
It blesses God’s people. To Haiti With Love Prayer Warriors... blessing to Jhon, the church there.
The comfort of Christ.
Praying... need to engage today
Sending positive thoughts, sending prayers... to whom?
Praying to the God of Heaven and Earth!

Does God ever give us more than we can handle? You bet He does! But not without purpose and help and victory!

The Power of Love

The Power of Love
I Corinthians 13.1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love

The most powerful force in the universe is the love of God.

He has lavished His Love on us. I John 3.1

Jesus showed us the full extent of His love. John 13.1

He gave us a new commandment...
John 13.34
To love one another
As the He loves us!

Paul is speaking about spiritual gifts in the previous chapter, in this chapter and in the next chapter.
Love is all important. It is called by some, “the greatest gift.”

Look with me how it’s absence in the face of great spiritual gifts make those gifts of no blessing or benefit to us and negates the blessing to others. The lack of love short circuits the flow of the Spirit through you.

1. If you could speak the languages of the all nations and even heaven itself...!

Imagine that!
I have been around the world.
Even here in New York! 80 languages spoken.
I need someone with the gift of interpretation.
It would be awesome, my mind reels! Wow! If I could speak the 80 languages of Metro NY!

Just “God bless you” in Creole 2 weeks ago when meeting with Pastor Kuadio and his church board. They all laughed. I said, “You didn’t know I could do that!” They laughed even harder. The connection you can make when you speak the language is beyond imagination.

But love is so all important that even if I could speak all the languages on the earth if I did not have love, “I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”  Now remember last week?
the common good= I Corinthians 12.7
sympherō Symphony
an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra

If I don’t have love I would just be making a lot of noise. I would not be part of the symphony. I would not be a blessing to the church.  It would do nothing for anyone but just draw attention to myself. It would not exalt Jesus Christ. It would be meaningless. It would be annoying. resounding gong or a clanging cymbal
No, I want to blend into God’s symphony.

I may even be speaking the truth but we are to speak the Truth in Love. Ephesians 4.15
There is a huge difference. I have heard it both ways. Talking about eternal things with passion and a broken heart or lecturing about them without love.


2. If you had the gift of prophecy and could understand all mysteries.
Mysteries= the hidden and secret things
You could explain the other side of the curtain.
You could unwrap all the mysteries and answer questions that people have about life.
Why are there wars?
Why do people die young?
Why are there birth defects and children born with special needs?
Why can’t some people already burdened down catch a break... Pastor Jerry and I with Lyswa Rene... suffering joyful... sick daughter. “Bro, it seems like this guy has enough to contend with, then he has a sick daughter on top of it.”
Most recently, about Haiti, why is God allowing this to continue? The theological answers don’t cut it for me. They fall far short of bringing peace to the heart, especially when you are the one suffering or if you care about those suffering.

We cannot give adequate answers for grief. Not do I believe that people grieving are looking for answers. Yet they flow freely. Nonsense!

But say for a moment you could explain to a grieving soul, a mother, an answer that would unwrap the mystery of her child’s death. You could explain it...

If you could explain all of it without love it would not touch hearts, transform lives
Knowledge= deep understanding
Knowledge

If not done with love... I am nothing.

3. If you had a faith that could move mountains.

We are impressed with mountain moving faith, very impressed.
That guy is really something!
If he does not have love, he is nothing!

This is serious. God working through me, doing great exploits, without love I am
A nobody.

Love and faith. Faith without works is dead. Faith and works without love doesn’t do a thing for me.

Look at verse three...

4. If I sell all I have and make the ultimate sacrifice...
And have not love i gain nothing.
No gain= useless, no advantage, no profit

Interesting we are told that all these things will pass away.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

Even 2 out of three things essential for our journey will no longer be necessary.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
When we see Jesus in heaven we will no longer need faith! Right now we walk by faith not by sight, but there! Fave to face!
Who hopes for what He already has? Or what he has already seen? Romans 8.24
Our hope will be fulfilled.
But the greatest of these is love.
Greatest= used  of rank and age as with elder

In closing look at verses 4-8
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
Put your name in the place of love... how far can you get? It will show you where you need to grow in love!


Live a life of love! It is the greatest!

Spiritual Warfare

The Church and Spiritual Gifts

I Corinthians 12.27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

Before Jesus left for heaven He told His disciples to wait in the city of Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit, clothed with power from on high. So they waited in Jerusalem praying. When the day of Pentecost had fully come they were all in one place in one accord and the Holy Spirit fell on them, the promise of the Father. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in the languages of the Jews where they resided, who had come to Jerusalem from every nation on the earth.

Peter stood up and preached. He used

Joel 2.28-31 “And afterward,

    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your old men will dream dreams,
    your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens
    and on the earth,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
32 And everyone who calls

    on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Paul was sent out by the Lord to be the first missionary in the church. We are reading one of the letters that he wrote to one of the church he started in Corinth. With the coming of the Holy Spirit came many wonderful gifts  listed here others in 

Romans 12.3-8 The gifts of the Holy Spirit for the church. They are to be a display of the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of God for His Church and the world.

As with all the doctrines of the church in the Scriptures there is the possibility of error.

I believe we are in a time right now of great error. People who have followed the LORD for a long time are in danger of departing from the faith. They are dabbling with things spiritually that are outside the parameters of the Scriptures. The Bible is our guidebook for our spiritual life. There are seducing spirits today at work sent from Satan because he knows his time is short. 

I Timothy 4.1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to (seducing spirits)deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Don’t be deceived!

Just As Paul penned this admonition and instruction to Timothy so he writes to the Corinthian church to correct any misgivings or misinformation concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit. A number of times he uses the word “now.”

Three “nows”

Now= moreover

1. Understanding, Not Ignorance. v.1

Ignorant =  not know, not understand, to err or be wrong by mistake or sin

We should know about the gifts of the Spirit.

The Scriptures are abundant.

Here

Romans 12.3-8

We should understand how they work.

Romans 12.4-6a

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.

God distributed the gifts to you.

We have different gifts.

Don’t envy another’s gift.

A 14th century Christian whom the gifts of healing came through asked God at one point to take it away. People were coming only to be healed!

We should not make mistakes over and over again.

(I think that too often happens)

The second “now”

2. For the Common Good v.7

sympherō Symphony

an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra

The whole body, building it up, strengthening it

Each part does its work.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit after the building up of the body of Christ his church. Some are very obvious such as prophecy speaking forth His Word while some are done quietly and out of sight like the servants who drew the water at the wedding feast.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for our glory. They should exalt Christ and build up His Body.

In this time when entertainment has invaded the church we need to be alert. His Spirit. 

Compliments should be controlled. Criticism avoided. We have this treasure in jars of clay, some of us are cracked pots.

The third “now”

3. You are Part of the Body of Christ.

Holy Fellowship

Spiritual Relationships

His Hands, His feet here on the earth.

All of us have been given gifts, gifts of the Holy Spirit. God’s gifts are distributed to each one of us. We all have different gifts and those gifts express themselves differently for instance someone may have the gift of exhortation and they’ve got a outgoing personality that it will be expressed for the most part through the spoken word someone else might have a silent gift of exhortation and it comes across in writing notes.

I have watched when the Body, a local fellowship, the whole Body in a locale, the Body of Christ Worldwide (Bahamas now)... Errol Viera from Ozone Park and contributions all for His Glory... when this happens the church may have the gates of hell conspire against it but it is an unstoppable force. When the Body of Christ uses its gifts for His glory wonderful things happen.

It is thing of beauty and grace. It is attractive. People may criticize but we will hear Jesus saying about us, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. She did what she could.”

4. Zealously Seek After The More Useful, More serviceable, More Advantageous, Excellent Gifts.

We are to ask the Lord for the Holy Spirit and will not He give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? 

So when the need arises in our lives we can ask the LORD for a gift from His Spirit to address their needs.

Luke 11.11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Matthew 7.11 

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!

The gift of faith

The gifts of healing

The Word of Wisdom

The gift of Helps

Serving

Encouraging 

Giving

Showing mercy

Yes