God is Love | A Christmas in July Sermon on Luke 2:1-7, 22:39-24:12 & Psalm 136:1

Introduction
VBS starts tomorrow!  I’m so excited!  We’ve been working our way through the themes for each day of VBS to get ready.  Today, let’s explore the theme for Day 4, which is God is Love.  Our memory verse for Day 4 is Psalm 136:1

Psalm 136:1
¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever.

Christmas in the middle of July is a crazy idea, but it can actually help us move beyond the commercial hoopla that is so prevalent in December that clutters the true meaning of Christmas.

In December, everyone is so busy running around trying to buy the perfect Christmas gifts we forget why we give gifts in the first place.  Why do we give gifts at Christmas?  Well, the Wisemen gave gifts. But it’s deeper than that.   It’s because God gave the first Christmas gift – John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life." 

Christmas is God giving the very best Christmas gift of all–His Son, the Messiah.  Israel was expecting the Messiah to be a mighty warrior, but God had a better plan–a plan full of grace and love, an offer of peace and reconciliation.  So instead of a mighty warrior charging in on a horse to conquer with a sword, God sent a precious baby born to loving parents.

Luke 2:1-7
¹ At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ² (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. ⁴ And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁵ He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. ⁷ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Jesus is the Greatest Christmas Gift of All
Jesus came as a baby–God’s great gift to the world.  But this gift wasn’t complete yet. 

Jesus had to grow up in our broken world, experience it,  and remain faithful.  And He did. 
Jesus is the only person who ever lived who never sinned.  He lived a perfect life of love.

We hear mixed messages about love.  Songs say it’s about feelings.  Back in the 90s, Bon Jovi sang a song, "I'd die for you!  I'd lie for you..."  I used to love that song.  I guess when you're a teenager overwhelmed with hormones and your "in love" you might actually do something crazy like die for your romantic interest because they make you feel so in love.

But Jesus reveals a different kind of love--one that’s selfless, sacrificial, and unshakeable.  Jesus didn’t just love based on who deserved it, He loved because that’s who He is. God is love.

And that’s why God’s perfect Christmas gift wasn’t complete without the cross.  Though Jesus never sinned and only spoke the Truth and helped people, His very existence threatened religious leaders and Roman authorities who wanted to stay in power.  So they arrested Jesus, lied about Him, convicted Him in a kangaroo court, and sentenced him to death by crucifixion.

Jesus could have saved Himself and avoided the humiliation, the suffering, and death.  He could have run away and hid before He was arrested–He knew it was coming.  He could have recanted during the trial.  But He didn’t; He confirmed He was God’s Son, the Messiah.  And ultimately, as God’s Son, Jesus could have called down 10,000 angels to rescue Him and destroy His enemies.  But He refused, because He knew His death on the cross would pay the penalty for the whole world’s sin.  Because He died, you and I can be forgiven. 

And so, because God is Love, Jesus went to the cross and died for you and me.  Isn’t that incredible?  Think of what that means for us.  This was a great Christmas gift, but it still gets better!

Jesus Defeated Death
Because God’s love is even stronger than death!  Jesus died on the cross for our sins.   

His brutalized body was taken down and placed in a borrowed tomb.  There it lay, until on the third day, the stone rolled away and Jesus walked out alive!

The cross shows us the depths of God’s love–He suffered, bled, and died.  The resurrection shows the power of God’s love–it can overcome anything, even death!  Now think about that.  Have you ever known anyone who can defeat death?  No one. Some have been revived from death–brought back to life–but even this is temporary.  Only Jesus has the power to defeat death–completely.

And those who put their faith in Him, will overcome death too.  We will be raised to new life–eternal life forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.  But it’s not just about heaven.

You see, because if Jesus can defeat death in you, He can defeat anything in you.  Well, what does that mean?  Well, I don’t know what you’re struggling with, but whatever it is, Jesus can help you overcome it!  

So, we're not just looking forward to what happens after we die.  No, we're also expecting how Jesus can heal and perfect us in this life.  Because if He can defeat death in you, imagine how He can perfect life in you.

Closing
The baby born in a manger tells us that God is love.
The Cross shows us the gave everything for you.
The empty tomb tells us that God’s love wins. 
Sin doesn't win.  Hatred doesn't win.  Fear doesn't win.  Death doesn't win.  The love of God wins.

And because God's love wins, you don't have to let your failures define you.  
You don't have to let your guilt keep you away from God.
You don't have to let fear control your future.
You don't have to believe your brokenness is beyond repair.

Because the same Jesus who walked out of the tomb is still alive today.
He still forgives sinners.  He still heals broken hearts.  He still gives hope to the hopeless.
He still changes lives.  He still loves people like you and me.

The greatest Christmas gift God ever gave wasn't wrapped in colorful paper or tied with a bow.
It was wrapped in swaddling cloths.  And that gift was unwrapped on a cross.
Then, on the third day, it burst forth from an empty tomb so that everyone who believes in Jesus might have eternal life.

The manger points to the cross.  The cross points to the empty tomb. 
And together they proclaim one glorious truth:  God is love.

Today, if you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, receive God's gift. You don't earn it. You don't deserve it. You simply receive it by faith.

Jesus has already done everything necessary for your salvation.
All that's left is for you to say yes.

In just a moment, we're going to stand and sing one of the best-known Christmas hymns ever written: "Joy to the World."

Most people sing it at Christmas—a song about Jesus' birth. 
But it's really a song about Jesus’ reign.
It celebrates the King who came at Christmas, gave His life at the cross,
rose from the grave on Easter morning, and reigns forever.

As we sing, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King,"
don't just sing about a baby born in Bethlehem.
Receive your King.  Receive His love.  Receive His forgiveness.  Receive His gift of eternal life.

God is Forever | A Sermon on Psalm 115:8 & Revelation 21-22

Introduction
I feel like I have a tall order in my sermon today. Because, this weekend, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the founding of our great nation–the land that I love. But, we are also working our way through the themes for our upcoming Vacation Bible School, which will be July 13-17 from 6:30-8:30. 

But God is good, and I believe He’s given me just the right Word to share this morning. But in order to make this work, I sensed God wanting me to skip ahead and preach on the Day 5 theme for VBS today and then do Day 4 next Sunday. So I flip-flopped my original plans, because I want to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s direction. 

The title for Day 5 of VBS is God is Forever.  The Memory verse for the lesson is Psalm 115:8. But to give a broader context for this pass, lets read verses 1-9. 

Psalm 115:1-9
1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. 2 Why let the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. 4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. 5 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. 6 They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. 7 They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. 8 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. 9 O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.   

The Book of Revelation
In addition to the memory verse in Psalm, our VBS lesson teaches about John’s vision of Heaven in the Book of Revelation. That’s pretty bold! Revelation 7:17 - For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes. 

People often think the point of Revelation is to predict the future. But the purpose of Revelation’s more than that. (By the way, there is no “S” in Revelation) 

In Revelation, God shows John what’s really going on in his world–things we can’t see. Now, John (one of Jesus’ 12 Disciples) lives in a world dominated by the Roman empire. Rome is the superpower that controls John’s world (and all the Christians in it). It is a pagan world, unchristian to its core, and the Romans empire is anti-Christian. Christians are this tiny, persecuted minority, with no political power, seemingly at the mercy of Rome and everyone else. Because they believed in Jesus, Christians were often ostracized. Their businesses failed because often no one wanted to do business with "those Christians".  For the same reasons, they often can’t find work. They are kicked out of synagogues and they sometimes even lose their homes or are driven out of town. 

And Christians often became scapegoats who got the blame for any disaster that befell a town. When a terrible fire destroyed much of Rome, emperor Nero blamed Christians.  Many historians (even Roman ones) believe it was actually Nero who started the fire.  So Nero had to do something.  He had many arrested and doused in pitch, tied to stakes, and turned into human torches to light the streets of Rome--all in a effort to divert the blame from himself.  

And so these Christians were asking, “What’s the point of being a follower of Christ?” It is into this world of hurt that God gives the Apostle John his Revelation. And Revelation isn’t just a vision about what’s going to happen at the end of time (why would the hurting people reading Revelation in the 1st century care; tell me how this helps me NOW). 

Revelation Pulls Back the Curtain
God gave Revelation to pull back the curtain on their CURRENT events and show Christians: there is way more going on around you than what you can see. Everyone thinks Rome is a mighty empire, that it’s permanent, but it’s not. It will soon be gone. But the Kingdom of God is forever. And you are citizens in God’s Kingdom that will last forever. 

Think about all the things people back then thought were so important and would last forever. The Temple. Caesar. The Roman Empire. Their own suffering. But God pulls back the curtain in Revelation and says, “These things are temporary. But My Kingdom lasts forever. And ultimately, all the empires of this world will fall, and all the rulers of this world will cease, and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.” 

And here’s the thing, God’s Kingdom isn’t just something we look forward to in the future. No. God’s Kingdom is now. It starts for us the moment we say YES to Jesus and it exists behind the curtain of what we can see. It’s not just coming; it’s here now. And when we follow Christ faithfully, we participate in God’s Kingdom. 

Many Things We Love Are Temporary
God’s Word also reminds us that many of the things we love are temporary. When I was a kid, I used to love swimming in pool.  I would hate it when my parents said, “It’s time to go!” As a parent myself, I tried to soften this with my own kids by giving them a 5 minute warning.  

But we all know that some things we really like don’t last forever. (Vacation ends. Summer break ends. Baseball season ends. Favorite toys break. Pets die.) We even know that houses deteriorate. Careers end. Health fades. Even church buildings don't last forever. And on a wider scale: nations rise and fall. Ancient Egypt lasted 3,000. Greece lasted 600 years. Rome lasted 2,000. But all faded away. 

This weekend we celebrate 250 years of our nation. I'm deeply thankful for America. I love this country. I'm grateful for the freedoms we've enjoyed. But Scripture reminds us that every earthly kingdom—even the greatest ones—are temporary. We can be thankful we live in a great nation, with a proud history. We should be grateful for the patriots who made tremendous sacrifices to build our country and preserve it for 250 years. And we should do our best to honor them by taking care of America the best we can. 

Where Is Your Hope?
Where is your hope? Since we’re in church, we would probably all answer “Jesus!” It sounds good and we know it’s probably the right answer. We should put our hope in Christ. But here’s what I’ve found about myself (and maybe it’s true for you too): Our reaction to world events can reveal where our hope is and, sometimes, how we may need to ask God to help us change our thinking.

Consider: 

If we lose hope because our candidate doesn’t win, it could reveal that we have placed too much hope in a candidate instead of in God. 

If we give up because we see our community or our nation changing in ways we don’t agree with, it might reveal our priorities are misaligned. 

What happens inside you if: The stock market crashes… If your health changes… If life doesn't go the way you hoped… 

If our hope dies because of these things, it is a clue that maybe we’ve put too much hope in the things of this world instead of God. We might not want to hear that, but that’s what God wants us to know. 

By all means, Christians should be actively involved in trying to shape the world around us to match the values of God’s Kingdom. Our prayer is always with Jesus’ in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven…” Yet we don’t put our ultimate hope in the systems, people, governments, or kingdoms of this world. Our hope is in the Lord and our eternity is the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Revelation 21:3-4
Revelation 21 gives the grand vision of God’s heavenly Kingdom. Verse 3-4 says: “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 

God’s love never runs out, never changes, never leaves. God’s love is permanent, His promises are unbreakable, and His home is waiting for all who trust Him. That means we don’t need to be afraid of the future. It means we don’t have to lose hope in the present–even if things don’t go our way. We can live with hope, confidence, and joy–because no matter what happens, our “forever” is safe in God’s hands! 

God is Our Safe Space | A Sermon on Psalm 142:5 & 1 Samuel 23-24

Introduction
VBS at Stark is July 13-17.  Kristin has been working diligently to get ready.  There will be crafts, Bible lessons, games, snack.  I heard a rumor the Bible character David will be our guest one day.  I’m excited about this opportunity to serve the kids and families of our community.  And I’m excited to see you pitching in to help with everything.  See Kristin Williams to find out how you can get involved.

As we are previewing the 5 lessons of Rainforest Falls VBS, the title for Day 3 is “God is Our Safe Place”.  The theme for the day is:  You can find comfort and peace.  The Memory verse for the lesson is Psalm 142:5

Psalm 142:5
Then I pray to you, O Lord.  I say, “You are my place of refuge.  You are all I really want in life.

David, Alone, Watching the Sheep
We touched on the life of David from the Bible last week.  God Saw David as a young boy watching the sheep alone; his family overlooked him and took him for granted.  God never takes us for granted.  God knows everything and that He sees our heart, even when no one else does.   

Today, we zoom in on a time in David’s life when he was a fugitive, running for his life while King Saul tried to kill him.  

Now, David had been faithful to King Saul and served him well.  David was an honest man and a valiant warrior fighting the enemies of King Saul and Israel.  But Saul was jealous.  Saul was not following God and he knew God favored David.  Saul grew paranoid and felt threatened by David’s popularity, even though David was faithful.  So, Saul tried to kill David.

David fled into the wilderness of Judah, the rugged desert region east and south of Hebron overlooking the Dead Sea.  I have been to Israel, to the place where David hid from Saul. 

The Wilderness of Judea
To the left is a picture from 2008 when I traveled to Israel and we made a stop in the Judean wilderness.  As you can see, it is a desolate place with crags and crevasses, cliffs and caves.  It isn’t a very hospitable, but it’s a great place to hide out.
This particular place is overlooks “The Valley of the Shadow of Death”.  It is thought to be the inspiration for David’s famous words in Psalm 23. 
Can you imagine David hiding out here while Saul and his army hunt for him, trying to kill him?  And David prays, “Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me…” 

It would be one thing for David to be all alone, hiding from Saul in the wilderness.  But since King Saul was an unjust ruler who was going mad with paranoia, there quickly grew up a large number of people fleeing from his tyrannical rule.  

And do you know where they often fled?  To David in the wilderness.  There were soon about 600 people who fled to David in the wilderness.   And though he didn’t ask for it, they looked to David for leadership.  So he didn’t just have to worry about his own safety, he was now responsible for there’s too.

I have reflected on something quite often as a husband and a father.  I’m a survivor.  I survived a lot in my life.  In my childhood, things were rough at home and we lived in rough neighborhoods, but I learned to survive.  And as I grew into adulthood, I always had confidence I coudl survive just about anything.  I can sleep in my care or on the floor, I can eat just about anything, I'm fit, and now how to adapt.  I can survive--even if life is tough.  

But as a husband and then later as a father, I'm charged with providing for my family, protecting them.  And I realized, it's a lot harder to survive when you have a family to take care of.  I can't expect my wife or kids to endure the hardships I would endure on my own.  So, I can survive, but how can I ensure my family survives?

And then as a pastor, I don’t just have to look out for my family, I also to look out for my flock.  These people are in my care and I need to protect them and help them.  Life get's a lot more complicated when it's not only yourself you need to look after.

And here is David, hiding out in the wilderness, but now he is also responsible for 600 people looking to him for leadership.  That's a heavy responsibility--something too big for David to carry all on his own.

So today, God’s reminder to me—to all of us—is a great comfort.  God is our safe place.  Repeatedly, the Scriptures remind us, “God is our refuge and strength…” (Ps 46:1).  “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Ps 18:2)  It is God who keeps us safe.  He is our fortress and shield.

1 Samuel 23:14 - "David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him."

Saul and his army of 3,000 elite troops were hunting David and his small band of 600.  Saul was on one side of the mountain and David was on the other side.  And then Saul had to leave before he found David.  God is the one who kept Saul from finding David, because God is our refuge.

The Cave Story
Another time, Saul was chasing David in the wilderness and David and his men hid in a cave.

These caves weren't little holes in the rock. The caves around En Gedi were like natural underground rooms with twisting passages and hidden chambers. The entrances may have been small, but then they opened up into large chambers with high ceilings where many men could hide and feel safe.  David and his men were deep in the darkness while Saul unknowingly walked into the entrance unguarded. The cave that looked like David's hiding place became the place where God protected him.

David’s men urged David to take advantage of the situation and kill Saul, but David refused to kill Saul because Saul was still the king of Israel.  Instead, David snuck up and cut off a piece of Saul’s robe. 

After Saul left the cave and was a distance away, 1 Samuel 24:9-12 says, “David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him. “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.  May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.”  And verse 15 – “May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”

David trusted God to be his advocate, keep him safe, to be a fair judge, and to punish the guilty. 

Who is Your Safe Place?
But what does all of this mean for us?  Most of us have never hidden in a cave while a king hunted us.  But all of us know what it's like to need a safe place.  Some of you are living in a wilderness right now.  
Maybe your wilderness is a doctor's office where you're waiting for test results.
Maybe it's a marriage that feels like it's falling apart.
Maybe it's grief after losing someone you love.
Maybe it's financial pressure that keeps you awake at night.
Maybe it's anxiety, depression, loneliness, or fear about the future.
Maybe you've been treated unfairly like David was. You've been lied about, overlooked, betrayed, or hurt by someone you trusted.
The details are different for each of us, but the feeling is the same.
You wonder, "Where can I go? Where can I find peace? Where will I be safe?"

Our first instinct is usually to run somewhere.
Some people run to money, hoping it will make them feel secure.
Some run to success or achievement.
Some run to entertainment or social media to escape reality for a while.
Some run to alcohol, drugs, pornography, or other addictions to numb the pain.
Some simply keep themselves so busy they never have to think about what's hurting inside.
But none of those places can truly protect us. They're only temporary hiding places.

David eventually learned something remarkable. His refuge wasn't really the cave.  The cave could collapse. Saul could have found the entrance and attacked.  The wilderness itself offered no guarantees.

David’s refuge was God.  That's why David could pray in Psalm 142:5, "You are my refuge. You are all I really want in life."  Notice he doesn't say, "The cave is my refuge" or "My six hundred men are my refuge."  He doesn't say, "One day when I'm king, then I'll finally be safe."

No—while he is still hiding, while Saul is still hunting him, while nothing about his circumstances has changed, David says, "Lord, You are my refuge."

That changes everything.  Because if God is your refuge, you can have peace before your problems are solved.  You can have hope before the diagnosis changes.  You can have courage before the relationship is restored.  You can sleep at night even when the future is uncertain.  Not because life is safe—but because God is.

Invitation
You can come to God as your refuge today.  You can trust God to be your advocate, your safe place, and a mighty warrior to fight for you.  And you don’t have to worry about your sin--even if you’ve done something awful.  Because Jesus already paid the penalty for all our sin.  So we can come to God with a clear conscious, knowing He loves us unconditionally, and welcomes us just as He welcomes His own son, Jesus.  

But each of us has to make a choice.  We must put our faith in Jesus and decide to follow Him as Lord.  Then we will be welcomed into God’s Kingdom—which starts in your life the moment you say yes to Jesus.  Won’t you say yes today?

Today, God is inviting you to run to Him.  If you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, today is the day. Turn away from your sin. Place your faith in Jesus. Tell Him, "Lord, I trust You. I want to follow You."  The Bible says, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Maybe you've already trusted Christ, but you've been running somewhere else for your security. Today, it's time to come home. Lay your burdens at His feet. Let Him be your refuge again.  Run to Jesus.   You'll discover that the safest place in all the world isn't a cave.   It's in the arms of your Savior.

Jesus Ascended (Why That's A Good Thing) | A Sermon on Acts 1:6-11

Introduction
We’ve been looking at stories where the resurrected Christ appeared to His followers.  We have not studied them all of them; only some.  Here is a full listing is in your sermon notes.  

Post-Resurrection Appearances of Jesus
Mary Magdalene – John 20:11-18

The Other Women – Matthew 28:8-10
Peter – Luke 24:34
Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus – Luke 24:13-35
The Disciples (Thomas Absent) – John 20:19-23
The Disciples Including Thomas – John 20:24-29
Seven Disciples at the Sea of Galilee – John 21:1-14
The Eleven in Galilee (Great Commission) – Matthew 28:16-20
More Than 500 Believers at Once – 1 Corinthians 15:6
The Apostles at the Ascension – Acts 1:6-11

We have one more story to look at today–the day the resurrected Jesus appeared to His disciples and then ascended to heaven.  And I want to consider why His ascension is a good thing.

Acts 1:6-11
⁶ So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

⁷ He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. ¹⁰ As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

Parallel Emotions
It is fitting that this year Ascension Sunday coincides with Graduation Sunday, because there may be some ways the emotions of both events intersect.  Graduation is often a time of tearful emotions for many reasons.  Graduation is both an end and a beginning.  It is the end of many years of striving and learning; it is the culmination of much hard work, many successes, and possibly a few failures.  It is saying goodbye to one era of life, but also welcoming the beginning of a new adventure and new ways to learn, grow, and mature.  Graduation is the natural progression of a healthy child turning into a young adult and “putting away childish things” in order to walk bravely into the future clothed in wisdom, purpose, and responsibility. 

As a parent whose last child graduated just one year ago–making Kelly and I empty nesters–I am keenly aware of the bittersweet joy that comes for parents when a child graduates.

The Disciples may have had similar emotions as they watched Jesus ascend into Heaven.  Here was a man they followed faithfully for 3 years–dedicating their lives to Him and the Kingdom they hoped He would establish.  They saw Him brutally executed on a cross, buried in a tomb, and remarkably rise to life again on the third day.

All of this–especially the last part with the resurrected Jesus appearing many times over 40 days–was joyful and overwhelming.  And now, Jesus ascends to Heaven to sit on the right hand of the throne of God.  Just as graduation is the natural progression of a child growing into adulthood, Jesus' ascension to sit on the throne in Heaven is the natural progression of the Lord of all now that He has fulfilled His earthly purposes.

When you think of a graduating son or daughter, part of you (as a parent) wants them to stay a “child” forever.  But that would be as unnatural as an infant that never graduates from drinking milk to eating solid food.  And thus it is for Jesus Christ.  He is Lord of all the universe—King of kings and Lord of lords, the Son of the Living God.  It would be unnatural for Jesus to not be sitting on the throne up in the Kingdom of Heaven.

So as much as the Disciples may have wanted Jesus to remain with them on earth forever, perhaps their hearts also swelled with pride to see their Lord ascend into heaven to take His rightful place on the throne.

“Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
While Jesus was with them, the disciples kept asking, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”  This wording reveals a subtle error in their thinking–one that often creeps into our own thoughts in this life.  The Disciples were Jews from Israel–a proud people who wanted independence for their nation.  They wanted Jesus to “free Israel and restore their Kingdom.”  

As for us, we may not be so concerned with the restoration of Israel, we have our own “kingdoms” we want restored.  For some it is the kingdom of our health.  For others, it is the kingdom of Family relationships and marriage, or maybe financial stability and security.  Or we may want peace of mind and emotional well-being, purpose, meaning, and hope for the future.  All of these are good things, and ultimately Christ may restore the blessings of each of these (but always in His perfect timing).  We do not know the day or the hour when our prayers for these blessings will be answered.

Jesus reminded His disciples (and us) not to get caught up in worrying about when our prayers will be answered.  He sends us His Holy Spirit to empower us to be witnesses who tell people about Jesus–in our own neighborhoods, in our community, and even to the ends of the earth.

Jesus Ascended to Heaven
After saying these things, Jesus ascended to heaven.  Picture that for a moment…

The disciples watched Jesus go up to heaven in a cloud.  They watch for a long time, until they could no longer see him.  Still the gazed up into heaven for a long time. 
Two angels had to rouse them from their staring.  They told them something that defines one of the core teachings of Christianity:  “Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!  

We recite our belief in this every Sunday in the Apostles’ Creed:  “I believe… He ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father, almighty and will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

So we believe Jesus will return.  He is coming!  And we should work to be ready, because we do not know when that will be.  So we should always be ready.

And It’s A Good Thing!
And I want you to know that Jesus’ ascension is a good thing.  Some may wish that Jesus was still on earth with us today like He was with the Disciples.
(To be sure, Jesus is with us and will never leave us—in a sense—but I mean, Jesus is not with us in the flesh no as He was with the Disciples back then. He is with us spiritually.)  Jesus said His ascension to heaven was a good thing.  In John 16:7, Jesus said, “...it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”  

This Advocate is the Holy Spirit. God sends the Holy Spirit to live inside every person who follows Jesus as Lord.  Jesus took on flesh to live as one of us.  Though He is Divine God, He squished His divinity into the limits of our human flesh.  He lived by the limiting laws of time and space that restrict all of us. For instance, Jesus could only be in one place at a time. 

But the Holy Spirit can be with all believers everywhere at once and is not limited by time and space. 
The Holy Spirit lives within us, giving constant personal guidance and conviction.
The Holy Spirit empowers every believer for ministry, not just those physically near Jesus.
The Holy Spirit helps us understand Scripture and discern God’s will.
The Holy Spirit gives strength to resist sin and grow in holiness.
The Holy Spirit comforts us in suffering and reminds us we belong to God.
The Holy Spirit unites believers across the world into one Body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit like love, joy, peace, and patience in us.
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to build up the Church and reach the world.

With the Holy Spirit, all the power of the God of the universe is at our disposal to do the will of God and complete Christ’s mission to restore His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.  But we must always remember is it His Kingdom, not ours.

So, Jesus ascended into Heaven to sit at the right Hand of God the Father, Almighty.  And that’s a good thing, because it means we can receive the Holy Spirit when we choose to follow Christ as Lord.  Next Sunday, we will celebrate Pentecost—the day God poured out the Holy Spirit on the Church.  I invite you to wear red next Sunday to help commemorate the event.

Closing
As we close, I invite you to image Jesus ascending up to take His throne in Heaven.  The disciples wondered when Jesus was going to retore their kingdom.  In your own heart, think of the “kingdoms” you want restored:  health, family, peace, finances, purpose…

Now I invite you to open your hands and surrender those kingdoms to Christ.  Don't worry about when or how Jesus will restore those kingdoms in your life.  Trust Jesus to do it His way in His time.  Meanwhile, take upon you the power Christ offers to be a witness for His Kingdom.

"Jesus, we release to You our worries about the things in our lives that are broken. We trust that You will retore these things in our life according to Your holy and perfect will and timing. We trust You. Help us to focus on Your Kingdom and receive he power of the Holy Spirit to be effective in Your mission. Amen."

The Message We Proclaim | A Sermon on Luke 24:44-49

Introduction
Ann Barnes passed away this morning as I was writing this message.  Her friends and family are shocked and grieved--myself included.  And many of us are struggling to process it.  Our hearts go out to Rusty and their family.  

At times of lose like this, our hearts hurt and we have many questions. We wonder about hope as we suffer and see people we love suffer.

And providentially, our Scripture today gives hope as it asks a very important question:  What is the message Christians proclaim to the world?  I hope you will listen with especially attentive ears.  Let us begin with the Scripture.

Luke 24:44-49
⁴⁴ Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. ⁴⁷ It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,^[a] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of all these things.

⁴⁹ “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Core Message
Jesus gives us the core message of Christian hope in verse 47.  We are to preach to the whole world: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.”
Moments like this—when we come face to face with the death of someone we love, who left this world too early and so unexpectedly—remind us that life is fragile.  The message of forgiveness is incredibly important.

Ann Barnes was a sweet, sweet soul.  I have not known her as long as most of you, but I have known her long enough to know she was a true follower of Jesus Christ.  Jesus was her Lord and Savior.  She loved Him and served Him. And He welcomed her Home today.  He saved by His grace through faith when she repented of her sins followed Him.

And so today I do not need to fear for Ann, because I know she is in Heaven with Jesus.
Her body is made whole.  The health issues she struggled with over the past few years are gone.
She no longer has to suffer the brokenness and evil of this world (no more pollical ads…).

Suffering
Jesus showed His Disciples from Scripture how the Old Testament clearly foretold how Jesus must suffer, be killed and rise from the dead on the third day.  This was part of God’s plan.  Jesus had to suffer.  He suffered for our sakes.

We suffer too.  We suffer because of sin.  Sometimes it is because of our own sin, but more often it is just because of sin in general.  The world is broken because of sin.  And this sin sickness infects everything we experience.  Yet our suffering would be worse if it had not been for our Savior—the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord.

In the Old Testament, in Isaiah 53:5-6, it says of Jesus, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole.  He was whipped so we could be healed.  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God’s paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”

Jesus suffered for us to lessen our suffering.  Were it not for Him, the suffering we experience—as unbearable as it already is—would be completely unbearable.  We would utterly collapse and be crushed under the weight of it.  Yet Jesus took the greater part of our suffering on His own shoulders.  He has given us enough space to hear God’s call for repentance.

Repentance
From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus preached:  “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”  Those who follow Jesus make their start when they choose to repent of their sins and follow Him.  To repent literally means to turn away. 

We repent by turning away from our sin and turning toward Jesus.  We turn aside from a following the path of sin to follow the path of Christ.  No longer do we choose to live for ourselves and our own plans.  Instead, we follow Christ.
We give Jesus control of our destiny, realizing His plans are better than our own.

So, we are faced with two real choices.  We can continue to live our lives as we please.  Or we can surrender control to God, repent of our sin, and follow Jesus.  There is no middle ground.  Jesus is either your Lord or He is not.  We all have to decide.

There are real consequences to the choice we make.  If you continue to live as you please, you will eventually be separated from God forever in the fires of hell, tormented for eternity.  You may enjoy some pleasures in this life (though I would argue they are an illusion), but you will ultimately pay for all your sin with eternal suffering.  

But you don’t have to.  God offers you forgiveness and peace through Jesus Christ.  If you repent of your sin and follow Jesus, you can be saved.  You will suffer some in this life, but you will ultimately spend eternity with God—the source of life—in the Kingdom of Heaven where there is no more sin or suffering or death.  And so, you must choose: will you continue in sin or repent and follow Christ.  

I pray today you will choose Jesus if you have not done so already!

Our Part
Those who choose Jesus as Lord have work to do.  Jesus has done His part.  Now, it is time for us to do ours.  And what is that?

Our part is to preach Jesus’ message of repentance for the forgiveness of sin to the whole world.  This is our most important task.  It is our mission.  It is why we are a church.  

You can take away everything else we do as a church and we will still be a church if we are faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ who preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  But if we do everything else—River of Life, preaching, teaching, music, Sunday school, Acorn Circle, etc.—but do not preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins, then we cease to be a legitimate Christian church. 

And it is not just for the pastor to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  It is for every follower of Christ.  You may never stand in a pulpit and preach a sermon, but you will preach by every word you say or don’t say and by every thing you do or don’t do.  God has laid before every Christian a congregation to hear the message we preach.  For me, it is in the pulpit (and also on social media and on the internet and wherever else I can use my witness to spread the Gospel).

But for you, it may be as a mother talking to your children.  Or as a Father.  
Or it maybe as a teacher by the way you interact with your students in a school.  
Or as a nurse tending to patients and talking with co-workers.  
Or as a grandparent grandparenting.

You can fill in the blank with whatever roles God has given you.  He has put you there for a reason.
Every Christian is to influence their own circle of influence with the message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

And we should not feel overwhelmed with the task.  For Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to do it.  It is the same Holy Spirit who enabled the Peter to preach and win 3,000 to Christ.  It is the same Holy Spirit that in Acts enabled believers to speak foreign languages and perform other miracles and caused the Church to grow exponentially, though it was sorely persecuted.  The some Holy Spirit empowers you to be a witness for Christ. 

Closing
So, in closing, I want to implore you with two things.

1. If you are not yet a Christian, won’t you choose to be one today?  Repent of your sins and turn to Jesus.  None of us know how long we have in this world.  And once you leave it, it will be too late to repent.  So repent and turn to Jesus today.
2. If you are a Christian, dedicate yourself to the main calling of every follower of Christ—to be His faithful witnesses who preach the message:  “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.”