The Tabernacle | A Sermon on Hebrews 9:1-14

Introduction
The blog is the second in a series about Holy Ground, to better appreciate dwelling in the holy presence of God leading up to a rededicate our church as Holy Ground on August 25^th.  Today, one word is the focus of everything we will talk about:  Tabernacle.  

In Exodus, God told Moses to go to Pharoah and tell him to let God's people go.  The Israelites were slaves in Egypt.  However, God delivered them through a series of ten plagues that brought Pharaoh to his knees.  So God led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness toward the Promised Land.  God appeared as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  And God instructed Moses to build a Tabernacle--a big tent complex, worship center--to serve as God's dwelling on earth.  Whenever the pillar of smoke/fire moved, the Israelites moved.  Whenever the pillar stopped, the Israelites erected the Tabernacle and God's presence would enter and rest inside it.

A passage from the New Testament describes the ancient Tabernacle, connects it to Christ, and explains it's significance for us today.

Hebrews 9:1-14
¹ That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. ² There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. ³ Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. ⁴ In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. ⁵ Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.

⁶ When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. ⁷ But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. ⁸ By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

⁹ This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. ¹⁰ For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.

¹¹ So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. ¹² With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

¹³ Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. ¹⁴ Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Symbols of the Tabernacle
Hebrews describes how the Tabernacle looked (see also the image to the left).  It was a tent designed to be put up, used, taken back down, and moved to a new locations where God led the Israelites.  Whenever the pillar of smoke/fire representing the presence of God stopped, the Israelites stopped.  They erected the Tabernacle and God's glory enter it and made it Holy Ground.  The tent was just physical material, however beautiful and elaborate.  It was God's presence that made it holy.

The Tabernacle had an outer courtyard where priests and Levites would receive ritually pure worshippers who were making a sacrifice.  No one else could enter.  Sacrifices were placed on the Brazen Altar in the courtyard.  There was also a laver for washing.  (With all the sloughtered sacrifices, they certainly needed a large pool for washing.)  Inside the tabernacle were two room--the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place--where only priests could enter.  

The Holy Place was where the priests would perform the daily rituals of lighting the Golden Lampstand, which represented the Tree of Life from the Garden of Eden.  They would also make a daily bread offering on the Table of Showbread.  

The second room, the Most Holy Place, was off limits to everyone.  It house the Ark of the Covenant.  The only person who could enter the ost Holy Place (also called the Holy of Holies), was the High Priest.  And he could only enter once a year on the Day of Atonement.  On that day, the High Priest would enter to sprinkle blood on the Ark, first to atone for his own sins, the again to atone for the community's sins.  

The High Priest enter the Most Holy Place with fear and trembling.  It was highly dangerous to be in the holy presence of God.  He wore a robe with bells on the fringe and a rope tied around his ankle.  As long as the other priests could hear the bells jingling while he was in the Most Holy Place, they knew he was still alive and moving.  But if the bells stopped, they could pull the priest out by the rope tied around his ankle.  Now how would you feel going into such a dangerous situation?

The Ark of the Covenant was thought to be God's Throne (or footstool) on earth.  It was where the presence of God rested when the pillar of smoke/fire came entered the Tabernacle.  Two golden cherubim--spiritual beings (like angels)-- sat atop the Ark, symbolically guarding God’s throne.  The first time we see cherubim in the Bible is when God stationed two cherubim at the gate of the Garden of Eden after God exiled Adam and Eve for their sin.  Again, we see the echo's of the Garden of Eden story.

A curtain (or veil) separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.  It was a barrier to keep people from stumbling into God’s presence. Why? It's not to protect God and it's not because God is angry and wants to hurt people.  It's because sinful people cannot survive the holy presence of a perfect God.  Our God is an all consuming fire; His glory would consume our sin and us with it.

“Why Does This Matter?”
Hebrews 9:9 tells us what all this has to do with Christians today.  It says, “This is an illustration pointing to the present time…”  The Old Testament system illustrates how God ultimately saves us through Jesus Christ.

In fact, we see the word ""Tabernacle" in a very familiar verse we often read at Christmastime.  John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  The word translated as Dwelling is the Greek word Skenoo, which means to Tabernacle.  Jesus, the Son of God, "tabernacled" among us.  Just as God’s glory dwelled in the Tabernacle in the OT, God’s glory dwelled in Jesus among us on Earth—God in the flesh.  But there’s more.

A Perfect Tabernacle in Heaven
Hebrews 9:11 – “So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.”

This  description of the Old Testament Tabernacle is a picture of a glorious, heavenly dwelling of God.  And Jesus entered that Tabernacle as our High Priest and offered His own life to atone for us.  Hebrews 9:12, “With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.”

How did Jesus do this?  Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  He shed His blood for us.  The physical things we see on earth are a reflection of the spiritual things happening in the Heavenly realm.  Always remember, we only see things from a earthly perspective.  But, what we see is quite often an echo of the spiritual work of God in the spiritual realm.

Your Sin & God’s Forgiveness
Your sin – your mistakes and your disobedience – separates you from God.  It corrupts your life, messes everything up, and even distorts the world around us.  It is why world is out of whack.  It is why there is disease, disorder, hate, suffering, and death.  Not just your sin, but the sin of the whole world.  But your sin is a big part of the problem.
The world we live in is broke.  We are broke.  I’m broke.  Your broke.  But Jesus came to fix it.  

The Old Testament Tabernacle illustrates how Jesus fixies it all.  He serves as our High Priest to intercede for us to God.  Jesus lays down His own life as the sacrifice for our sins.  He is the Lamb of God.  His blood washes away our sins forever.  When we decide to turn away from our sin, we accept the free gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.  God saves us! 

What Happens When God Saves Us?
When God saves us, first of all, our sins are completely washed away. We become holy as God is holy.

Second, there is no longer anything to separate us from God.  We don't have to be like the High Priest in the Old Testament who feared they would dies in God's presence.  No, Hebrews 4:16 says we can "boldly to the throne of grace" because there is no longer any in us.  Christ already atoned for it.

Third, God sends His Holy Spirit to “Tabernacle” inside us.  Just as God's Holy Spirit enterend the Old Testament Tabernacle, and just as God' Holy Spirit descended on Jesus when He was baptized in the Jordan River, God's Holy Spirit comes to reside inside us as His New Testament Tabernacle.  Do you remember the story of Pentecost from Acts chapter 2?  Jesus told His followers to wait in Jerusalem until He sent the Holy Spirit.  So they were all meeting in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit came during the Feast of Pentecost.  There was the sound of a mighty rushing wind.  And then what appeared as tongues (or pillars) of fire rested atop each believers head!  Do you see the Old Testament image of the Tabernacle being fulfilled?  We are the New Tabernacle!

Fourth, God sees Jesus in us.  We don't have to be afraid.  God no longer sees our sins and mistakes.  He see Jesus in us.  And God says to us what He said to His son at Jesus' baptism:  "Behold, this is my beloved Son!"  If you repent of your sin and follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord, God sees Jesus in you.  That is why when Jesus was crucified, it specifically says the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51)--from the top, meaning it was torn by God and not by human hands.

Fifth, God sends us on a mission.  Tabernacles are meant to be on the move!  They were portable houses of God.  We too are meant to be active and mobile.  Jesus said, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey all my commands."  (See Mathew 28:19-20)

Finally, God begins to actually heal us.  It's not just a visual trick that God sees no sin in us.  When His Holy Spirit comes to live in you, the Spirit gets to work cleaning you up from the inside out.  God's holiness starts to take over your life.  His glory starts to shine forth in you.  How glorius!

Invitation
I want to invite you to respond to what God has said to you in this message today.  If you've never done so, why don't you choose to follow Jesus today.  He will save you.  He will liberate you from sin and death and grant you eternal life.  Humble yourself and come to Him today through Jesus Christ.  Pray and ask God to forgive your sins.  Commit to follow Jesus as Lord.  Then you will receive the Holy Spirit and start to serve as God's Tabernacle on earth.

Have you been baptized?  Perhaps God is calling you to be baptized.  Talk to me or to your pastor, and we can perform this powerful and important sacrament for you to be baptized, in obedience to Jesus command and as a way to receive the grace of God in your life.

There may be some reading this who feel God is calling you to ministry.  Right now, the harvest is plentiful.  There are many churches who need pastors, children's ministers, music leaders, youth leaders, volunteers of all sorts.  God is calling many to serve, but they are afraid.  Is God calling you?  Why don't you answer?  Answer the call today.  Talk to your pastor about it; or talk to me.

Perhaps there are some among you who need to join a church.  Christians need to be part of a faith community.  If you are not already a member of a church, find one to join today.  If you are in my area and looking, I invite you to join my church.  You will be loved and you will find a place to serve.  Talk to me.

Standing on Holy Ground | A Sermon on 1 Kings 8:27-30

Introduction
Today, we begin a new series about the Holy Temple.  But don’t think this is just a series of lectures about some ancient ruins of a long, lost temple.  What the Bible says about the Temple is highly relevant to your life today.  The New Testament teaches that Christians are the “Temple of God”, that each one of us is a “living stone” in God’s spiritual temple.  I want us to understand the full ramifications of what this means for how we are to live every day.  So for the next 4 weeks, we will explore the Biblical concept of Holy Ground.  And we will end on August 25^th a special rededication service for our “Holy Ground” here at Pleasant Grove Methodist Church.

Our Scripture today is 1 Kings 8:27-30.  This passage is part of King Solomon’s prayer when he dedicated the first Temple he built in Jerusalem in 957 BC.  Solomon asks an important question.

1 Kings 8:27-30
²⁷ “But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built! ²⁸ Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you today. ²⁹ May you watch over this Temple night and day, this place where you have said, ‘My name will be there.’ May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place. ³⁰ May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.

Will God really live on earth?
In his prayer, King Solomon asks a wise question:  Will God really live on earth?  For thousands of years, human beings across the globe have worshiped in sacred places.  There is archaeological evidence of sacred rituals in caves as far back as 100,000 years.  The oldest evidence of a temple is Göbekli Tepe in southeastern Turkey that dates back to approximately 9600 BC—that’s 11,000 years ago.  Obviously, people have always felt the need to worship God in special places—whether natural or manmade.

Christians believe God is omnipresent – meaning God is everywhere.  If I go to church, God is there.  But God is also with me when I go on my morning walk.  And God is with me when I lay down to sleep.  And God is with me when I go on vacation.  Psalm 139:7 – “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!”  If we believe in an almighty, all-powerful God, we also understand God can be everywhere.  So why go to the trouble to build and worship God in a temple, or a church, or even in special place we deem “Holy Ground”?

People sense a deep need to worship a Higher Power.  Christians call this higher power God.  But we also inherently seem to understand, something troubles and separates us from God.  Isaiah 52:2 reveals, “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God.”  Sin separates us from God who is Holy and Sinless.  This was not always so.  Originally, God dwelled in perfect Holy Communion with humanity.

Heaven and Earth and Holy Ground
In the beginning, God made heaven where God and His angels dwell, and God created earth where animals and humans live.  Then God made the Garden of Eden where God and humanity abide together in perfect harmony.  

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve sinned and broke their relationship with God through disobedience.  Their sin separated them from God.  And all creation suffered from this “great fall” that corrupted everything.  Romans 8:20 says, “all creation was subjected to God’s curse.”

It’s not so much that God can’t be around us because we’re filled with so much disgusting sin
(as guilt and shame ridden people often think of it).  God has always loved us unconditionally and desired a relationship with us aven after we sinned.  The problem is:  we cannot abide the holy presence of God.  Hebrews 12:29 says, “Our God is a consuming fire.”  God’s holiness is like a beautiful light emanating from a brilliant and holy fire.  Our sin is an impurity that would burn up in the presence of God’s absolute holiness; we could not survive it.  So God’s act of separating from us is actually an act of merciful grace.  

Yet God has never stopped loving us.  And God always wants to be with us.  And God started working from the very first moment we sinned to save and reconcile with us, but it’s a very difficult and expensive to rescue us.  It’s a plan thousands years in the making and cost the death of God’s very own Son—Jesus Christ.  And so, from the very beginning, God has made special places to be in His holy presence.

Holy Ground
In Genesis, we see God is primarily working through individuals and individual families.  Therefore, worship is primarily done by individuals or their families and private altars.  In Genesis 6, God told Noah to build an Ark to save his family and a remnant of the animals from a great flood.  Afterward, Noah built the first altar mentioned in the Bible.  As God painted a rainbow across the sky, Noah worshipped God on holy ground.  

In Genesis 12, God appeared to Abraham and blessed Him at Shechem, promising to make His descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.  So Abram built an alter and worshipped God and they cut a covenant together.

In Genesis 22, we find the disturbing story where God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac, the miraculous child of promise on holy Mount Moriah.  Isaac carries the wood for the sacrifice up the mountain as Abraham mournfully seeks to obey God in this terrible request.  It is hard to understand, but  this story foreshadows God's plan of salvation for humanity.  Mount Moriah is the same hill as Mount Calvary.  God cries out and tells Abraham not to sacrifice his son.  God provides a ram to take Isaac's place.  2,000 years later, Jesus--the Son of God--carries the wooden cross up Mount Calvary and is crucified upon it to atone for the sins of the world.

In Genesis 28, we find Isaac's son Jacob sleeping on another piece of holy ground in a place he names Bethel, which means “House of God”, because there he dreamed he saw a ladder upon which angels where ascending and descending from heaven to earth.

In Exodus, God broadens His focus from individuals/families to a whole nation—the Israelites.  In Exodus 3, God appears to Moses in a burning bush and tells him to take off his sandles because he is standing on holy ground.  God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh in Egypt and let God's people (the Israelites) go free from slavery.  

Then in Exodus 20, Moses climbs up holy Mount Sanai where God gives him the 10 Commandments and the Law for His people.  This is how God's holy people are to live.  God's people became a nation.  They were slaves, but God rescued them from Egypt.  

As the Israelites wander through the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land, they dwelled in tents Since His people lived in tents, the Holy, omnipotent God who dwells in the glory of heaven humbled Himself and came down and lived in a tent alongside His people.

The Tabernacle

In Exodus 25, God gives instructions to build a Tabernacle, Israel’s first worship center.  That's how bad God wants to be with us, despite our stubborn, sinful, rebellious nature.  For 440 years, the Israelites worship the Holy and Living God, Yahweh, in the Tabernacle, an elaborate tent complex designed to mimic the Garden of Eden, the intersection of Heaven and Earth.  Here are some of the ways the Tabernacle was designed to mirror the Garden of Eden:

• The Menorah Lampstand in the Tabernacle looks like the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.
• There are pomegranates embroidered on the priestly garments to represent the fruit of the garden.
• There are cherubim guarding the Holy Place in the Tabernacle that houses the Ark of the Covenant (the footstool of God); these represent the cherubim guarding the entrance to the Garden of Eden.
• The holy presence of God is with His people in the Tabernacle as He was with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The purpose of the Tabernacle was to make space for holy ground where people could once again dwell in the presence of God.  And all the elaborate rituals of the Old Testament Law where meant to make it possible for sinful humanity to come into the presence of their holy God as much as possible.  

The Israelites worshiped God in the Tabernacle for 440 years until they settled down in Israel.  And finally, after most Israelites were dwelling in houses and not tents and the king of Israel lived in a palace, God finally told King Solomon to build a Temple--a permanent structure, not a tent.  The pattern for the Temple was much the same as the Tabernacle—mimicking God's original plan to dwell with people in the Garden of Eden.

Then and Now
Despite God being beyond physical containment, He chose to make His presence known to the Israelites in the Tabernacle and then the Temple.  These worship centers served as the focal points for prayer, worship, and the experience of God's presence.  The temple was a physical reminder of God's covenant with Israel and His promise to dwell among His people.  The temple was a place to seek God's mercy and forgiveness and healing. 

Of course, God is not confined to a specific building, no matter how sacred and glorious it was.  God is still everywhere.  But the ancient temple in Jerusalem was the communal place where the ancient people of God (Israel) gathered to worship together.

Together
And that's a key word for us to take away today:  together.  God’s people are meant to worship God together.  Of course, we can and should worship God every day in our own personal ways and in our own personal spaces.  However, our worship is always incomplete if we do not join together with other believers as a community.

Conclusion
There is much to unpack as we examine the history and purpose of the Temple.  I'm going to share more over the next few weeks.  I hope you will stay tuned as we examine a number of important ideas and themes connected to the Temple.  Stay tuned!

The Wanderer | A Sermon on James 5:19-20

Introduction
Last weekend, my son and I took a road trip to wander through North and South Dakota.  Through teh magic of the internet, I was able to worship with my church online as the gifted Sherry Dickson shared about the power of prayer.  It will forever be one of my most cherished memories to worship with my church family at the online service while I was driving through some of God's grandest and most glorious creation crossing the border from North to South Dakota.  Pictures like the one posted here just do not do it justice.  I guess you have to see it for yourself.  I encourage everyone to take advantage of an online service whenever you need it.  And I personally invite you to my church's online service where you will be loved and inspired. (You can worship with us live at our online service every week at 10:55 AM at this link - www.facebook.com/pgmc.dalton/live)

After my wanderings, it was good to be back this past Sunday in person.  Here is the final message in our series on the Epistle of James from the final verses in this powerful letter.

James 5:19-20
¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, ²⁰ you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

Christmas in July
Every year, we do something special.  We celebrate Christmas in July, because December is such a busy month and the message of Christmas can get lost in it.  So, we sing Christmas songs and remember the Christmas story in the middle of the summer.  It's a cherished tradition of our congregation.  It is fitting for Christmas in July to read James’ final verses;  they are a message of hope, redemption, and love.  They align beautifully with the heart of the Christmas story.   For God’s love was shown in the birth of Jesus Christ, the ultimate bringer-back of wanderers.

Two Important Truths
This passage reveals two truths.  First, Christians sometimes wander from the truth.  James says:
“If someone among you wanders away from the truth…”  Remember, James is writing to Christians.  So, James is implying that Christians sometimes wander away.  Nothing can steal your salvation or ever make God stop loving you; however, you can walk away from it by your own choice.  God still allows us free-will, even after we are saved.   And unfortunately, some Christians choose to walk away from God.  So the first thing James reveals is Christians sometimes walk away from God’s salvation.

The second truth is this:  we should seek to bring people back when they wander.  James’ concluding words remind us of the importance of community and the responsibility we have for one another.  When someone wanders from the truth, it’s our duty to guide them back with love and compassion.  This isn’t about judgment or condemnation, but about saving someone from spiritual death and covering their sins with grace.

It's important to remember that the early Christians, to whom James wrote, faced severe persecution for their faith.  Many of them remained steadfast despite immense suffering.  This dedication could understandably lead to feelings of anger or resentment toward those who abandoned their faith under pressure.  Yet, James urges them—and us—not to let these emotions prevent us from reaching out in love.  Instead of holding on to bitterness, we are called to welcome back those who have strayed, recognizing the grace and forgiveness that God extends to all of us.

The Christmas story ought to be a perfect reminder that none of us deserves God’s grace.  Jesus left the glory of Heaven to be born as a helpless infant and ultimately gave His life for us on the cross of Calvary not  because we were such good people who deserved it.  No. Romans 5:8 tells us, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”  We ought to extend the same grace to everyone else—including Christians who backslide or wander away from the faith.

In our church family, we are called to look out for each other.  The journey of faith is not walked alone.  We need each other’s support, accountability, and encouragement.  We are indeed to "be our brother's keeper."  The act of bringing someone back should be done with the same love and grace that Christ showed us.  It’s a call to love in action, to reach out with compassion and understanding.

The Christmas Connection
Christmas is the celebration of God’s great rescue mission for humanity.  Jesus came into the world to bring back all of us who have wandered from the truth.  Just as we are called to pursue those who wander, God pursued us through Jesus.  The birth of Christ is God reaching out to bring us back into a relationship with Him.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  Christmas celebrates that light coming into our dark world to guide us back to the path of truth.

Consider John Newton, the author of "Amazing Grace" (perhaps one of the best known and loved Christian hymns).  John Newton was raised in a Christian household.  John’s dad was a pastor and John became a Christian at an early age, but he abandoned his faith and led a life far from Christian values.
He became involved in the slave trade, living a life of moral and spiritual bankruptcy.  However, during a life-threatening storm at sea, Newton experienced what he described as a profound spiritual  awakening.  This event marked the beginning of his return to faith.  Newton was assisted in is return to the Christian faith by several Christian friends like Thomas Scott and Thomas [How-ess] Howeis who helped mentor Newton as he returned to Christian faith.  Newton eventually left the slave trade and became an Anglican priest.  Newton's journey from wandering to restoration deeply influenced his writing of "Amazing Grace," a song that has touched countless lives with its message of forgiveness and redemption.

The Gift of Redemption
Bringing back a wanderer is a gift of redemption.  It’s a theme echoed every Christmas.  The ultimate gift given to us is the gift of Jesus, who redeems us from our sins.  Just as there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7), there is great joy in seeing a brother or sister restored to the faith.
It’s a moment of celebration, much like the joy we experience and celebrate at Christmas.

Conclusion
As we conclude our journey through the Epistle of James, we are reminded our faith is not just  personal’ it is communal.  We have a role in each other’s spiritual journeys.  Therefore, let us be inspired by the greatest act of love—the birth of Jesus Christ—who was born to reach out to all who have wandered from the truth.

May we carry the spirit of Christmas in our hearts all year round, actively seeking to bring back the wanderers with love, grace, and compassion.  In doing so, we not only save them from death but also celebrate the true essence of Christmas—God’s redemptive love for all.

Let us pray.  Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to bring us back to You.  Help us to carry this message of love and redemption in our hearts and to reach out to those who have wandered from the truth.  Fill us with compassion, grace, and the courage to bring them back into Your loving arms.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Invitation
Are there any here today, who need to make a recommitment to Christ?
Maybe you have been a Christian, but at some point you wandered away. 
Today, you can come back.  Won’t you come?
Pray to Jesus today and recommit your life to Him now.

Maybe you have never decided to follow Jesus and be a Christian. 
But maybe you feel like today you want to become a Christian and follow Jesus.
I can’t think of a better time than right now to do it.
Won’t you come?  Pray to Jesus right now and tell Him you want to be a Christian. 
Then tell a pastor or a close Christian friend.

Patience and Endurance | A Sermon from James 5:7-12

Introduction
This 12^th message in a sermon series on the Epistle of James is about patience and endurance.  I suspect we’ve all had to practice patience at some point in our lives.  And I’m sure we’ve all had to endure something.  (Some of you are probably thinking every Sunday you have to listen to one of my sermons is a act of patience and endurance.)

James shares his wisdom about patience and endurance by introducing two ideas—one very earthly and practical and the other heavenly and spiritual.  The heavenly/spiritual one is about Jesus second coming.  The earthly/practical one is an illustration of a farmer.  Listen to the Word of God in James.

James 5:7-8
⁷ Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. ⁸ You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Jesus and the Farmer
One of the foundational teachings of the Christian Church is that Christ will return again.  The first time He came, Jesus was born in a manger as a helpless infant baby.  The second time He comes, He will come as a conquering King.  Here is one thing I can guarantee you:  Jesus will come back in your lifetime.  Does that seem too bold a claim?  Either Jesus will come back for us all, all at once or He will come for you individually when you draw your last breath.  Either way, you will see Him in your lifetime.

James reminds us.  And he says, be patient while you wait.  Farmers understand patience.  They see patience for what it really is.  Good farmers are not lazy.  They are some of the hardest workers you will ever find.  And yet, a good farmer realizes there are some things they can control and some things they absolutely cannot control.  A farmer decides what seeds to plant.  That’s within their control. 

They can control how they prepare the soil.  They can control the fertilizer they put down.  They decide how long to let the crop grow and how and when to harvest it.  But there are many things they cannot control.  A farmer cannot control the rain.  And as much as farming has become a science, there is still something very mysterious about it.  The farmer sees—perhaps more than anyone else—there is a Higher Power at work beyond themselves controlling how their fields grow.  And so a farmer learns to be patient.  They know when it is time to work, you work hard and you work smart.  And when it is time to wait, you are patient and you wait.  And waiting is not lazy, it often means preparing so you are ready to work when the harvest comes.

And a good farmer demonstrates great faith.  They trust that the harvest will come.  Otherwise, why would they bother with all the hard work of planting and tending their fields?

The Word of God says:  Jesus is coming.  You will see Him in your lifetime.  Either He will come for us all at once or He will come for you personally when you take your final breath.  James says, “Be patient.”  It doesn’t mean, “Be lazy.”  There are things we must do.  Like a famer tending his fields, you need to tend the business of your life.  But be wise.  Tend the things that matter—the things that lead to a fruitful harvest in your life.

And don’t be discouraged by the troubles you must endure.  Christ will come and He will make everything that is wrong right again.  On the final day, His Kingdom will come on earth and His will will be done here too.  Remember, James wrote these words to Christians who had be chased out of their homes, run out of town because they believed and proclaimed Jesus was the Lord and Messiah.
Some of them had lost everything—their homes, their jobs, their businesses.  Some had even lost loved one who had been jailed or murdered.  But the Word of God to them is the same as it is to us: Be patient. Trust the Lord. Jesus is coming.

And James goes on to say:

James 5:9
⁹ Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

In our patience, we remember, Jesus is watching.  So we don’t just grit and bear it.  No, we live with Joy.  In the midst of trials and suffering, we know that Jesus has already won!  We live lives of love and joy.  We can sing and celebrate!  We can be like the disciples who, one month after seeing their  Lord Jesus brutally executed and buried in a borrowed tomb, boldly preached His ressurection in the Temple courtyard, right in front of the ones who ordered Christ’s crucifixion.  And their joy and excitement was so authentic that hundreds and thousands believed their message.

Are you being joyful in your patient endurance?  I want you to hear me today (whatever you are facing):  God is doing something in your life.  Your waiting is not in vain.  The fact that you are waiting means God is doing something.  And if you are puzzled because your waiting makes no sense, then maybe it confirms even more the fact that your waiting will end with a tremendous, miraculous moving of God.  So don’t lose heart.  And don’t grumble.  Be patient.  Rest in the joy of the Lord.  Celebrate His goodness in anticipation of what He will reveal to you.

James 5:10-12
¹⁰ For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

Jeremiah Being Thrown Into a Well
James’ words here remind us that we are not alone when we must wait or suffer or endure.  For the prophets of the Bible who came before us also suffered.  They were righteous, faithful people.  But they were rejected by the world and suffered.
Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet.  For not only did his own people throw him into a well simply for saying the Truth God told him to speak, he also had to endure watching his own people conquered by the Babylonians and dragged away into exile.

So if you are suffering, don’t jump to the conclusion that God is angry at you.  If you are living the way God wants you to live, be encouraged.  Sometimes God’s people suffer.  But God will make it all right one day.  So trust in Him.  Trust.  In. Him.  And be patient.

James 5:12
¹² But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

These words of James echo Jesus’ words
(and remember, Jesus was James’ brother who grew up in his same household).
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:34, 39), “Do not make any vows!”  “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

I could preach a whole sermon just on this.  But for today, let me just keep it simple so we can finish up.
The point is we need to live our lives with authenticity and integrity so our word is our bond.  What’s the point in saying things like:  “I swear to God” or “I swear on my mother’s grave.”  Why should we need these useless expressions to prove we’re speaking the truth?  If you live a life of integrity, people who know you they can trust you.  And they will see your life and they will trust your word.  So live with integrity and let your yes be yes and your no be no. 

Conclusion
As we close, I want to invite you to reflect on God’s word to you today.  What has God said to you in this Scripture and this message?  Take a moment to consider how you can apply this teaching on patience and endurance in your own life.  Is there a situation where you need to trust God more, to wait patiently, or to act with faith like the farmer tending his fields?

Perhaps you feel called to let go of something you can't control, or to work diligently in the areas where you can make a difference.  Maybe you need to find joy in the waiting, trusting that God is at work even when you cannot see it.

As we bow our heads and pray, I encourage you to respond to what God has spoken to you today.  Whether it’s a renewed commitment to trust Him, an action step you need to take, or a prayer for strength in your current situation, lift it up to the Lord.

Serenity Prayer
God, grant us the serenity to accept the things that we cannot change,
the courage to change the things that we can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Amen.

A Warning for the Rich | A Sermon from James 5:1-6

Introduction
We are now in the last chapter of the Epistle of James.  Lord willing, we will spend 4 more weeks studying this letter that was written by Jesus’ half-brother.  The message today might make you feel uncomfortable.  I want you to know it makes me feel uncomfortable too.  Why?  Because James gives a stern warning to rich people.  And although I don’t consider myself a rich man, I do realize I live in one of the most prosperous nations on the planet. 

According to zippia.com, the USA has the 7^th highest avg annual income in the world - $70,930/year.  Now the average income of the whole world is $9,733/year.  The average annual income in Afghanistan is only $390/year.  So maybe that puts some things in perspective for us.  And God’s Word to us today in James is challenging.

James 5:1-6
¹ Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. ² Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. ⁴ For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

⁵ You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and killed innocent people,^[a] who do not resist you.

A Warning to the Rich
James speaks to his 1^st century Jewish Christian readers to remind them not to become like the rich and powerful who persecuted them.  Many of his readers may have been wealthy.  Many of them had suffered and lost much wealth at the hands of non-Christians who persecuted them.  And as always, James is very blunt.  He warns the wicked rich using terribly vivid imagery of the troubles the wicked rich will endure.  Your wealth will rot away.  Your fine cloths will be moth eaten rags.
Your silver and gold will corrode.  The wealth you counted in will eat your flesh like fire.
And all your wealth will testify against you in court on Judgment Day.  That makes you squirm in your seat a little bit—if not for yourself, then for anyone who faces it.

Money IS NOT the Root of All Evil
It’s important for me to correct a often misunderstood statement in the Bible.
Contrary to popular belief.  The Bible never says money is the root of all evil.

The verse people misquote to proof-text this is 1 Timothy 6:10, which says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”  It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil.  That’s an important distinction. 

If you know your Bible, you will realize there were many godly rich people who were part of God’s story.  Abraham is revered as a holy man by three world religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  Yet Father Abraham was a wealthy nomad who had large flocks of livestock and a the large household of a wealthy man by the standards of his day.  One of Abraham's descendants, Joseph, was part of that wealthy household.  Joseph lost it all when he was sold into slavery by his treacherous brothers, but he eventually rose to power as second in command to Egypt's Pharaoh (who was arguably the wealthiest and most powerful man in the world at that time).  David started out as a lowly shepherd, but then became King of Israel and lived in a palace with the wealth and power of the nation at his disposal.  Then the Bible says David's son, Solomon, was the wealthiest person in the world.  There were also several wealthy people who supported Jesus’ ministry and the Christian church in the New testament – Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy man who donated a tomb for Christ burial.

There is nothing wrong with having wealth.  It’s how you get your wealth and what you do with it and your attitude about it that matters most.  James warns the rich who got their wealth by unjust means.  Verse 4 says, “Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay.”  These were people who had little power.  The landowner could promise to pay them a certain wage, but if he decided to cheat them, what recourse did they have?  (There weren't even any labor unions back then.)  And these were also people who lived hand to mouth, so if the landowner didn't pay them on time, they would certainly go hungry.  James says when rich people act like this, God hear the complaints of the people they cheat and He see the rich people's wickedness and He will judge them.

As God’s people, we are to be holy as the Lord is Holy.  What does it mean to be Holy?  It means to be set apart, to be different from the sinful world.  It means to be like God.  

God is righteous.  He does not cheat and steal.  He does not mistreat and use people.  Therefore, we must not cheat, steal, and mistreat people either.  We must be kind and generous and gracious, just as God is kind and generous and gracious  We must be fair, just as God is fair.  

My daughter is a waitress.  She usually makes a decent wage, but a good portion of here income comes from tips.  When people don't tip the customary amount, she suffers.  And I know many people say they are god tippers if the wait staff  does a good job.  I understand your sentiment.  But what if God treated you the way you treat your waiter or waitress?  What if God was watching over you looking for any mistake you made as an excuse to withhold blessings from you.  We would all starve to death because we make many mistake.  But that's not how God is.  God is gracious with us and blesses us even when we fail.  We ought to be the same with people in our dealings.  We should seek to be holy as God is holy.

If you read about the heroes of the Bible, the holy ones who had great wealth, you will find that they kind and generous and fair.  They also did not put their trust in their wealth; they depended on the Lord.  King David, who was a powerful king who wrote so many of the Psalms, wrote in Psalm 20:7, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
And Solomon, who the Bible says was the richest man who ever lived, wrote in Proverbs 11:28, “Trust in your money and down you go!  But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.”

David and Solomon were wealthy men, but they didn’t trust in the riches to keep them safe.  They knew the Lord was their strength and their shield.  As Americans who live in one of the most prosperous nation in the world, we also must hear and head James’ warning.  Don’t trust in your wealth to keep you safe.  Put your trust in God.  And be very careful not to cheat and steal to gain or increase your wealth.  Be honest.  Be fair.  Be gracious.  And don’t hoard your wealth.  Be generous.  Don’t waste your money in careless living, but also be careful that you aren’t stingy. 

Chick-fil-A vs. McDonald’s
Have you ever noticed the difference in quality between Chick-fil-A and McDonalds.  Chick-fil-A just seems to have better quality food and service.  Chick-fil-A is a company that operates on Christian values.  They make a bold statement about their Christian identity by closing on Sunday.  That means they potentially earn 1/7^th less than McDonalds (who is open seven days a week).  But Chick-fil-A still manages to pay their employees an average of $0.50 more per hour than McDonalds.  Christian values lead Chick-fil-A to care more about their employees and treat them better.  

It’s not so much about our wealth, but our attitudes and values surrounding wealth.  As Christians, we must understand we are blessed so that we can be an blessing.  Our blessings are not just for our own selfish gratification.  Christians are blessed so we can be a blessing.

Hard Times
There is a saying going around that I think makes a lot of sense.  It says that hard times create strong people.  Strong people create good times.  Good times create weak people.   And weak people create hard times.  That seems to be true in my experience.  (And when I say strong or weak people, I’m not talking about physical strength; I’m referring to the strength of a person's character.)  When times are hard, people have to buckle down and live right and work hard to survive.  It builds strong character that improves society and leads to good times.  But when times are good and easy, people tend to get lazy.  And lazy people tend to develop weak character.  They live too high on the hog and their entitlement attitudes lead to hard times.  It’s a cycle I see play out in society and in families. 

Where is our nation in this cycle right now?  It would seem to me that we have been living through some very good times.  We are the 7^th most prosperous nation in the world.  But we are also seeing increasing inflation and times are harder in the past couple years than they have been before.  Perhaps it is because we are getting lazy and are living too high on the hog.  It’s leading to hard times.  I certainly can see in my personal dealings with people in our town that we have too many weak characters who feel too entitled to blessings without having to work for them.  It does not bode well for our community or our nation.

But maybe there is hope!  As Christians we are called to be different, to be holy as God is holy.  We are to be the salt of the earth.  We are to be people of good, strong character and values.  Pray that you are being part of the solution and not living in ways that lead to hard times.  

Conclusion
Remember Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords.  If anyone was entitled to take it easy and live well, it was Jesus.  Yet Christ left the glory of heaven and humbled himself as a slave and even laid down His sacred life for us.  He came not to be served, but to serve.  And we who follow Him as Lord are called to do the same—to live selflessly, to give sacrificially, to be a gracious blessing to people (not because they deserve it, but simple out of an abundance of grace). 

Every time we celebrate Holy Communion, it is a reminder of how Christ laid down His life for us.  His sacrifice gives us life and strength.  Let’s remember to live for Him because He died for us.  It will make our lives and the lives of everyone around us better.