Look Different | A Sermon on Matthew 5:14-16

Introduction
Long ago, God chose you to be Holy and Different. Christians are meant to Think Different, Act Different, and today I want to share that we should Look Different.  

Of all the sermons in this series, I was concerned about this one the most.  Why did God want me to talk about how Christians should look?  I thought about the different ways Christians have looked and dressed over the years.  And to make things easy, I’ve compiled picture showing how Christians can look different. Maybe you would like to choose one of these looks? 

You could choose the monastic look of the monk or the nun.

You could choose the 16-17 century clerical style of Jonathan Edwards or John Wesley.

Or maybe you would like the more contemporary look of the modern worship style.

Or you could opt for a more glamorous televangelist hairdo—what I call the "GlamorEvangelist".

Or if that's not hardcore enough, you could go with the crazy street preacher look.

Maybe we should bring back hats in church?

Or, fellas, maybe you want to go with the bearded look.  There's a handy guide for Christian beard styles…

If we really want to know how Christians should look different, let’s go to the Word of God.

Matthew 5:14-16
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Jesus’ Fashion Advice
Jesus didn’t give much fashion advice.  He did talk about the Pharisees’ clothing once.  The Pharisees liked to dress in elaborate robes ornamented with boxes called phylacteries that held tiny scrolls of scripture.  They liked to be noticed and to look "holy," but Jesus warned they were like white washed tombs, beautiful on the outside but, on the inside, full of dead men's bones.

In the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus said you shouldn't worry about what you will wear; He said the lilies of the field are better clothed than anything King Solomon ever wore (and Solomon was the richest man who ever lived).

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus gives a few images of how we are to “look.”  It has more to do with our character, but it can affect the way we look too.  The images He uses are:  light, a city, and a shining lamp. 

Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit and have an inner light that shines. There’s something special about them that transcends clothing, age, or the world’s standards of beauty.  Our inner light leads us and even gives light to others, but in order for the light to shine, you have to open yourself up to the Holy Spirit. 

You have to listen to what the Spirit says and then obey—even if it's uncomfortable or challenging.  When you cooperate with the Spirit, you become more like Christ.

You can also give light to others.  Christians are called to be a witness.  Church members promise to support the church with their prayers, the presence, their gifts, their service, and their witness.  Being a witness means telling people what Jesus has done for you.  Even if you don't say anything, people see the way you live.  And if you let the Holy Spirit lead you, you will shine brightly and others will see.

There's something else about that shining inner light.  Jesus said it can't be hidden.  He said we shouldn't try to hide it any more than we would try to hide the light of a lamp. 

I'm so thankful I live in America—a land where we have the freedom to live as Christians.  It was quite dangerous for the earliest followers of Christ and it is still dangerous for many Christians who live in places like North Korea, China, Africa, and Pakistan today.  Many Christians have to worship in secret and try to keep their faith hidden.  Can you imagine the burden of that?  How do you keep your faith in Christ secret when it causes you to shine like a lamp or a city on a hill? 

I'm so glad Christians in America don't have to hide our light.  And I think we ought to try and shine as brightly as we can in honor and memory of those who didn't have this privilege.  How dare we disrespect those who suffer for Christ by taking our shining privileges for granted?

Christians Gather Together
I’ve never been a big city kind of person.  I think I’m truly a country man at heart.  I love the peace and quiet.  I like my privacy.  I don’t want to be right up on my neighbors.

But Jesus said Christians are like a city on a hill.  Cities are a place where lots and lots of people gathering together.  And that tells you something about how Christians look.  Christians gather together in groups. 

You can't have a city with just one person and there are no solitary Christians.  Christians must come together.  Think of the two most important ceremonies in the Christian Church.  The two sacraments Jesus commanded His followers to practice are Baptism and Communion.  You don’t practice either of them by yourself.  You get together with other believers to experience them. 

Christians look different because we are always gathering together with other to worship, to study, to serve, to grow, to hold one another accountable, and to just share life. 

Christians Have Scars
Last week, I shared I have this old truck I call "Dry Bones."  It used to be a dump truck.  They say farm trucks live a hard life, but the life of a dump truck is just brutal! 

You can see the scars from that tough life in the rust that covers Dry Bones.  But it's the rusty old worn-out look that I like most about Dry Bones. 
It reminds me so much of the Christian life.

Jesus comes to us when we are broken and beat down by the consequences of our sin.  He loves us, despite our ugliness, and He redeems us and gives us a new life.  That's what I think about when I see my Dry Bones truck.  It was just a worn out dump truck, discarded and forgotten, but I'm bringing it back to life and making it cool.  People stop me all the time and tell me, "Man, I really love that old truck."  And they love it, not because it's shiny and new.  They love it because it’s rusty and worn-out.

Dry Bones is a good picture for how Christians look different.  Christians have scars.  Even Jesus had scars.  In fact, the risen Christ often showed people His scars to prove it was really Him.  "Look," He would say, "Here are the scars where the nails pierced my hands.  Here is where the spear pierced my side."  Jesus scars are not an ugly thing anymore.  Now, they are a badge of honor that shows what He did for us--how much He loves us.  

Christians have scares too—scars inflicted by the sins of others and some we caused ourselves.  But a scar is not a live wound.  It is a wound that has healed.  And if Jesus is healing you (that’s who Christians are—people Christ has healed and/or is healing)—you will have the scars to prove it. 

And your scars aren't an ugly thing; they are a badge of honor that glorifies God and shows what Christ has done for you.  Don't be afraid to show your scars—to say, "Here.  Here is where Christ healed me from sin."  Our scars tell our story.

Two More Scriptures for Christian Fashion
Before I close, let me share a couple more scriptures about how Christians should dress.

Luke 12:35 – Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast.

1 Peter 5:5 – And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

So, be dressed for service and dress yourself in humility.  That's your Christians fashion advice. 

Conclusion
Remember, God chose you long ago to be different, to be holy.   God chose you to think different, act different, and to look different. 

You should be like a city on a hill, shining for all the world to see so they may glorify God. 
Are you ready to look different?

Holy Different | A Sermon on 1 Peter 1:1-2

Introduction
I’m proud of all my kids.  They're all intelligent, independent, and successful.  They’ve never been afraid to be different, to be themselves.  My son Gavin graduated from High school 3^rd in his class.  He went to college and used to ride his bicycle from his dorm to his classes.  But two wheels got boring to him.  So he decided he wanted to learn to ride on one.  So he got a unicycle!  He's older now--28.  He decided to learn Vietnamese.  Why?  Because his girlfriend's family immigrated from Vietnam and he want to be able to speak to her mother.  

My middle child, Grace, is a talented creative.  She started singing solos in church when she was in Kindergarten and then with our praise band when she was 13.  Now that she's a young adult, she has sang with rock bands on stage, and I'm always proud to remember who she cut her teeth on performance in church.  She loves plants and birds and decided to go back to school recently to study horticulture.  

My youngest daughter is Abigail.  She also graduated 3rd in her class from high school.  She's a talented musician on a full ride scholarship to West Georgia College studying music education.  She can talk to anybody and loves everybody.  She is firm in her Christian faith, but has never shied away from making friends with people of all walks of life and loves to talk to people and understand their point of view, while always being firmly planted in her own beliefs.  

I've always been proud of their individualism.  They not afraid to be different.  And people like that have always impressed me.

Colonel Sanders was different.  He started his dream when he was 65 years old! He got a social security check for only $105 and was mad. Instead of complaining, he did something different.  He thought restaurant owners would love his fried chicken recipe, use it, and sales would increase, and he’d get a percentage of it. So, Sanders drove around the country knocking on doors, sleeping in his car, and wearing his white suit.  Can you imagine how strange people must have thought Sanders was?  They did.  His idea was rejected 1,009 times before someone finally said yes.  The rest is history.

1 Peter 1:1-2

¹This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.  I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. ² God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  May God give you more and more grace and peace.

God Chose You!
Do you remember thos pickup games we used to play when we were kids?  Maybe it was kickball or touch-football.  Two captains would pick kids to be on their teams.  They always picked the most athletic kids first.  And you never wanted to be last.

Well, in this life, God chose you to be on His team. 

And He chose you long ago.  Abraham lived about 4,000 years ago when God chose him.  He told Abraham if he would life his homeland and go where God sent him, God would make him a father of many nations.  And Abraham chose to follow God.  

And we who follow Jesus are Abraham's spiritual descendants.  Over 4,000 years ago, God already knew He was going to choose you.  His choice has been in the works for at least 4,000 years.  So if God ever asks you to do something and you feel overwhelmed, like you're not up to the task.  Remember, God already knew He was going to choose you and help you do His will, millennia ago.  You can do it, with God's help.

God's Spirit has made you holy.  Holy means “set apart for the special, sacred purposes of God” – Not to be used for unholy purposes any more.

A communion chalice is just a fancy cup.  But you wouldn't use it to drink you morning coffee with breakfast.  It could, technically, do it.  But coffee is not that chalices intended purpose.  No, the communion chalice is set apart for a different, sacred purpose.  It was made to serve Holy Communion.

Likewise, you were set apart for a different, holy purpose by God.   When you are holy, you are different, not like the rest.

It's interesting to me that so many people have tattoos these days.  When I was a kid, it was unusual to see someone with a tattoo.  They were considered different.  (Now, I want to be clear--I don't have any problem with tattoos and I don't think God does either.)  These days, it seems everyone has a tattoo (it's actually 32 % according to a 2023 survey).  If you want to be different today, maybe it's not getting a tattoo that makes you different, but not getting one!

God doesn't want us to be like everyone else.  God wants us to be different.  Then we stand out as special.  When you are holy, you are special.  Perhaps you've known someone who was special, who was different, because of the way they walked with the Lord.  The loved people and were full of God's grace in ways that were different from most people.  People remember folks like that.  And they have a positive impact on people and the world.

·         When you are holy, you stand out--like a diamond.  Diamonds are so valuable because they sparkle.  And that's how God wants His people to be.  He wants us to sparkle and shine for Jesus.  Stop trying to blend in.  Be yourself--the unique, special, sparkling work of art God made you to be.

But some people might say, “I don’t want to be different…”  An interesting thing happens with most teenagers that causes their parents a lot of anxiety.  Doctors and psychologists tell us that teenagers are biologically engineered to start separating from their parents and create their own identity.  From the time they are babies to about the age of 13, most kids adore their parents and want to be just like them.  

Then they turn into teenagers and start to pull away.  All of a sudden, they stop admiring their parents and start thinking they are boring and old and uncool.  And parents often get frustrated because it feels like their teenagers are going off the deep end, rejecting everything they've worked so hard to teach them.  

This is natural, because teenagers are trying to establish their own identity apart from their parents.  They want to be individuals. It isn’t until teenagers mature a bit more, maybe in their twenties, that they truly find their own identity.  They stop trying to be like everyone else and discover it's ok to just be themselves.

Unfortunately, many people never grow out of the human desire to “fit in”.  Most people want to adhere to “social norms.”  We want to be in fashion; we want to "fit in" our community; we want to be accepted by everyone else.  Many still define themselves in relation to others.  Few ever stop to think what they really want without regards to what other people have.  Even fewer stop to think about what God really wants for them and trust that what He wants is really best.

I've always been a little bit nerdy and curious.  That's the way God made me.  I was at the beach on a family vacation a few years ago staring out at the ocean.  I thought, "I wonder how much salt is in that ocean water and if there's a way I could extract it out?"

So I got a empty gallon jug and filled it up with ocean water and went back to our condo.  I put the water in a pot on the stove and boiled it for over an hour until all the water was gone.  And in the bottom of the pan was about a half a cup of salt!  I was so proud of myself, I used some of it to season my dinner that evening when we got together with our extended family.  My brother-in-law looked at me and said, "Chris, I'm all about this DIY stuff you like to do.  But salt?  Really?  You're a wierdo!"

And I said, “Hallelujah!”  I own it!  I'm proud to be weird--to be different, to be the way God made me!

God wants us to be Different
Anybody can start a fast food restaurant, but Chick -fil-A founder Truitt Cathy said, “We should be about more than just selling chicken. We should be a part of our customers’ lives and the communities in which we serve.”  And that's what they do.  Not only do they make great chicken, they also help schools and churches and community groups.  And they take young employees and teach them skills and values that stay with them long after they go on to work in other companies--values that make the world a better place.  And when all other restaurants are open and working on Sunday, Chick-fil-A make a bold statement "We're different!" and they are closed on Sunday.

God wanted the Israel to be like that.  He gave them all kinds of weird laws about what food to eat and what cloth to wear and how to act.  And they were to rest on the Sabbath.  All the other nations around them would look at them and say, "Those are some weird people!"  And yes!  That's what God wanted!  God wanted Israel to be special, to stand out, so everyone would know they were His people and they would represent Him to the world.

In the New Testament, Jesus told us the most important way we would be different be in the way we love.  He said in John 13:35, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  He even said His followers are to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them.  Now that's different!  And when Christians truly live this way, people take notice.  And many even want to follow Jesus themselves.

God Chose You, but Do You Choose God?
Long ago, God chose you to be holy.  How long will it be before you humble yourself, bow down, and choose to follow God?  When you choose God through faith in Jesus Christ, Peter says you, “have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.”  Then, you are holy and forgiven and you will have more grace and peace.  People will begin to see you are Holy Different and you will live a Holy and Different life, a better life, and you will have eternal life.  And you will know you are loved.  And you will love people like Jesus loves.  

Are you ready? If you are, turn from your sins and follow Jesus and let Him make you Holy Different today!

 

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.