HEARTS SPINKLED CLEAN

November 15th, 2009 Hebrews 10:11-25; Mark 13:1-8 The Bible says: that we need to Provoke one another – but NOT in the NEGATIVE – not in a BAD way! It doesn’t stop there! The passage from HEBREWS is intended to BUILD CONFIDENCE in the reader and hearer. We need to be together as Christians in order to REMAIN STRONG in our FAITH. We need to hold steadfast – NEVER LET GO – “to the confession of our hope without wavering.” The Bible says: that we need to Provoke “one another….to LOVE and GOOD DEEDS!” This passage is for those among us who have grown tired and weary in their faith. It is a passage of Encouragement – And God is no longer “off-limits” like in the Old Testament. Christ died and rose so that a NEW Covenant, a NEW PROMISE would now live. That is – our church who gathers in one faith – is here as a community of God’s people where God is present among us in HEART and MIND, and WHERE SINS and LAWLESS ACTS are not held against us. In other words: What Christ died for is not some hokey group of words – or and his sacrificial work is not artificial – it is REAL. It is ONLY THROUGH CHRIST that such a community is possible. It is through Christ that we can really have a close relationship with God. ***** Jesus was able to do what the Levitical priests could not. “The law made nothing perfect” whereas Christ’s sacrifice made it possible for all of us to be “perfected for all time”. He was able to do in a single sacrifice what the Levitical priests were unable to do through hundreds of years of annual sacrifices – offer genuine forgiveness of sins. In order to emphasize this point, the author of Hebrews refers back to the well-known promise of Jeremiah that FIRST, the new covenant that Jeremiah spoke promised an inward law written on the hearts and minds and SECOND, it offered the hopethat sisns and misdeeds would be remembered NO MORE. TRUE FORGIVENESS would mean no more annual reminders. In other words, verse 18 says it clearly: “where there is forgiveness of sins, there is no longer any offering for sin.” This is one of the most important messages for us to hear, since it is about sin and its forgiveness. We are human, and because we are human, born of flesh like Adam and Eve, sin is in our human nature, but sin does not have to rule our minds, our bodies and our hearts. Why? Because once we offer ourselves to God, and accept Jesus as our Saviour who died on the cross and took away the sins of the world – and that means your personal sins, and my personal sins – and acknowledge him as SEATED at God’s right side in heaven – NOW LET ME STOP TO EXPLAIN THAT. ***** When I was younger, I did not really understand why Jesus was seated beside God. Yes, I knew his work on earth was finished when he died on the cross and three days later rose from the dead – and conquered death – and might I add – Jesus came and walked among people for forty days when he rose from the dead – FOR OUR SAKE – so that WE would believe – so that many would have a living testimony of his resurrection! However, when we pray at the end of our prayers, “In Jesus’ name… Amen.” We acknowledge Jesus as our LORD over all, living together with God, interceding in prayers for us. Christ Jesus is a “priest forever” for God, not a temporary one like the priests in the tabernacles on earth, but a “Priest Forever”. Christ does his intercessory work – that means he is the mediator – the receiver of our prayers in heaven, when we pray and the Holy Spirit translates them to Jesus, Jesus receives them, and by giving them to Jesus – WE declare that He is the LORD of our LIFE. THE LORD – the ruler, the controller – the pilot flying our plane. When we grab the controls we are bound to take a nosedive, BUT when we let him fly the plane, and we are the co-pilot listening for the next instruction – which is sent from Heaven through our translator again, the Holy Spirit, we can fly through the fog, fly through the turbulence, fly through the storms in complete trust – NEVER doubting. *** Is it easy? NO! Because we all like to know the answers, our pride likes to have the answers to the equations of life’s problems, and our egos LOVE to be RIGHT! We can completely TRUST for this reason – the earthly priests could not bring a FULL and FINAL PURIFICATION and FORGIVENESS OF SINS – not one of us can do this on our own – and we should not assume to either! CHRIST, “by a single offering . . . . has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” – verse 14. sanctified = make something route to holiness: to make something a means of achieving holiness or a source of grace (Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved **************************** Satan's Talking Points - Mark 13:1-8 by Leonard Sweet Have you heard? Hollywood says we have three years left until the apocalypse. Hollywood, always a reliable scientific and spiritual source, is basing its prediction on the ancient Mayan long-count calendar. This is a calendar which correctly predicted an astonishing number of other astrological and mathematical events. Unfortunately for the Mayans, even the best math couldn't factor in and figure out some highly unexpected variables - like their own demise. This ancient and powerful Mayan culture didn't foresee the arrival and ultimate invasion of a bunch of Spanish soldiers of fortune - soldiers bearing weapons the Mayans had never seen and bringing diseases their bodies had never encountered. The advanced Mayan technology that had carefully calculated "the end of the world" on 21 December 2012, was unable to perceive that "the end of THEIR world" was only a few decades away. Regardless of the fact that the Mayans couldn't foresee the end of their own civilization, the Mayan prediction of 2012 as the end of human civilization has captured the imagination of popular culture. The fact that the 5125 year Mayan calendar comes to an end on 21 December 2012 is giving bad dreams and bad thoughts to a whole new generation. Of course, there are dates that speak volumes just by their numbers. Here are a couple of them: 1776 1789 1000 428 AD (See An Ordinary Year at the End of the Roman Empire by Giusto Traina). We process time and give it meaning by dates. But the date that you're going to hearing more and more of us 2012, the alleged end-of-the-world date. People who claim US citizenship have always been particularly entranced by end-of-the-world scenarios. Maybe it is because our own national history is so relatively short. Maybe it is because our roots are less deeply planted, making uprooting less intimidating. Think here of the Shakers, the Amana society, Millerites, all of whom lived all their lives preparing for the end. Those that jumped on the apocalyptic bandwagon have often been those who have the least to lose in the event of a widespread materialistic meltdown. Recent immigrants, already uprooted, sometimes decide to send their hopes heavenward instead of sinking roots earthward. The poorest, the disenfranchised, those pushed to the edges and margins because of race, education, disabilities or just plain poverty, have always been rich soil for the germination of apocalyptic angst. From the ancient Mayans to Nostradamus to Y2K and now 2012, there has never been any shortage of end-of-the-world scenarios. The predictions of a "nuclear winter" have been replaced by global warming, and there is still a debate over whether the devastating climate changes will bring drought of floods to vast regions of the earth - but the general agreement among all these scenarios is, "its gonna be bad." The grimness of our environmental condition is relentlessly apocalyptic. Technological breakthroughs unaccompanied by spiritual breakthroughs can be apocalyptic. There is no such thing as a happy ending, apocalyptically speaking. Apocalypticism is all about attitude - and it's a bad attitude. That was Jesus' message in today's gospel text� _______________________ Just Stay in the Race Mary Hollingsworth tells a story about the noted director of biblical epics, Cecil B. DeMille. When they began working on the movie Ben Hur, DeMille talked to Charlton Heston--the star of the movie--about the all-important chariot race at the end. He decided Heston should actually learn to drive the chariot himself, rather than just using a stunt double. Heston agreed to take chariot-driving lessons to make the movie as authentic as possible.Learning to drive a chariot with horses four abreast, however, was no small matter. After extensive work and days of practice, Heston returned to the movie set and reported to DeMille."I think I can drive the chariot all right, Cecil," said Heston, "but I'm not at all sure I can actually win the race."Smiling slightly, DeMille said, "Heston, you just stay in the race, and I'll make sure you win." Those are the words of God to everyone through a time of tumultuous change: "John, Mary, Heather, you just stay in the race, and I'll make sure you win." Look for God's hand. If you cannot see it in the event itself, look for it in the aftermath when you are putting your life back together. I promise you, God's hand will be there. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com _________________________________ The Disciples as Tourists Tourists. As Mark 13 opens, the disciples are like tourists, gawking at the more striking features of "the big city" that they were visiting for the high and holy festival of Passover. If there had been cameras in those days, you can almost picture the disciples mugging for the camera in front of the magnificent opulence of the Temple. Little bands of tourists wearing bright orange hats would be milling through the plazas and colonnades of the Temple as tour guides with bullhorns shouted forth impressive statistics. "Some of these foundation stones weigh 5 tons and were brought into the city through the massive efforts of thousands of masons and slaves." Appreciative "Ooohs" and "Ahhhs" would follow each stunning stat. It was, all in all, a heady atmosphere. You couldn't help but look up to see the towering heights. When I've been in places like Chicago and New York City, I know full well that standing on a sidewalk and staring up at the towering heights of the Sears Tower or the Empire State Building is the surest way possible to have me be easily identified as a tourist. But I can't help it! I don't want to look like some hick from the outback who is bowled over by skyscrapers, but they are just so impressive. They simply dwarf you! And so I steal as many heavenward glances as I can. The disciples were like that. They don't want to look like simple fishermen from Galilee and the like, but let's face it: you just don't see stonework like this back on the farm. Their enthusiasm is so great that they cannot resist pulling Jesus into the action. Their master seems oddly unmoved by the ramparts and architectural heights of Jerusalem. He is the only one NOT craning his neck and mugging for the camera. So the disciples try to bring him around. "Teacher! Lookee here - isn't this one massive hunk of limestone!? Isn't the craftsmanship on these carvings impressive? Can you imagine what it must have taken to raise up such a high edifice!?" But Jesus meets their breathless enthusiasm with a shrug of his shoulders. "Yes, I see them. But you know what? Even the biggest of these stones will soon fall and be thrown down. One day e're long, there won't be a single building to look at here." Scott Hoezee, comments and observations on Mark 13:1-8._________________________________________ Humor: False Prophets and Messiahs Several years ago, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks did a comedy skit called the "2013 Year Old Man". In the skit, Reiner interviews Brooks, who is the old gentleman. At one point, Reiner asks the old man, "Did you always believe in the Lord?" Brooks replied: "No. We had a guy in our village named Phil, and for a time we worshiped him." Reiner: You worshiped a guy named Phil? Why? Brooks: Because he was big, and mean, and he could break you in two with his bare hands! Reiner: Did you have prayers? Brooks: Yes, would you like to hear one? O Phil, please don't be mean, and hurt us, or break us in two with your bare hands. Reiner: So when did you start worshiping the Lord? Brooks: Well, one day a big thunderstorm came up, and a lightning bolt hit Phil. We gathered around and saw that he was dead. Then we said to one another, "There's somthin' bigger than Phil!" Tim Carpenter, Sermon Illustrations __________________ Is The Mule For Sale? Once upon a time there was a woman married to an annoying man. He would complain about everything. One day he went to the creek with his mule. He complained so much that the mule got annoyed and kicked him to death. At the funeral, when all the men walked by the wife she shook her head yes and every time the women walked by she shook her head no. The minister asked "Why are you shaking your head yes for men and no for women?" Her response was, "The men would say how sorry they felt for me and I was saying, "Yes, I'll be alright." When the women walked by, they were asking if the mule was for sale . . . " Staff, www.eSermons.com. __________________ "I Would Plant an Apple Tree" Martin Luther was once asked what he would do if he knew that the world was coming to an end tomorrow, and he said: "I would plant an apple tree." In other words, Luther, trusting in God's gracious, unmerited mercy would live life just as he had been living it. When John Wesley was asked the same thing, being an obsessive-compulsive type, he said that he would arise at 4:00 AM, preach at 5:00 visit the sick at 7:00, go to communion at 8:00...etc., until the questioner realized that that was exactly what Wesley had planned to do tomorrow anyway! Because we believe that God is like Christ, we can dare to live in faith and hope and love now; trusting God for whatever the future holds, because we believe that God holds the future, and that God's Name and God's Nature are love. Donald B. Strobe, Collected Words, www.Sermons.com _____________________ Don't Panic "Don't panic!" Those are the words I frequently say when someone has come to see me and they are in the midst of a crisis. They may have lost their job, had a marital crisis, a problem with a child, or found themselves in serious financial trouble. They are anxious. It seems like the world is caving in on them. They feel lonely and afraid. They can't see anyway out of their predicament. It has been my experience over the years as a pastor that when folks are desperate they tend to run, quit or act in haste. I am not discounting their pain or minimizing the crisis, rather I am merely helping them to see that their perceptions have exaggerated the crisis. Or, they have a distorted perception of reality. This was the case with the disciples. They were being persecuted by an oppressive government. They were powerless and under immense pressure. All seemed dark and hopeless, so much so that they wondered if the "end" was near. They were desperate, blinded by their anxiety and totally unable to see into the future. They are no different than us. Whenever things are happening in the world of epic proportions, like hurricanes, wars, catastrophes or plagues there are those who believe that the world is coming to an end. Keith Wagner, Are You Having an Anxiety Attack? ____________________ History is Going Somewhere William Barclay wrote in his book The Mind of St. Paul, "The great value of the doctrine of the Second Coming is that it guarantees that history is going somewhere. We cannot tell how it will happen. We cannot take as literal truth the Jewish pictures of it which Paul used. We need not think of a physical coming of Christ in the clouds, or a physical trumpet blast. But what the doctrine of the Second Coming conserves is the tremendous fact that there is one divine, far-off event to which the whole creation is moving; there is a consummation; there is a final triumph of God." William Barclay, The Mind of St. Paul, New York: Harper and Bros. 1958, p.229 ____________________ Gollum's Riddle In the Hobbit by JRR Tolkein Bilbo Baggins has met Gollum for the first time. Bilbo is lost and needs to find his way out of Gollum's cave. Gollum will show him the way out if he can answer a riddle. This thing all things devours, Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stone to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down. Bilbo is stumped. He doesn't know the answer to the riddle and after being pressured by Gollum says, "Give me time." Gollum hears the word "time" and mistakenly takes it as Bilbos answer, which of course is right. Time devours all things, even massive Temples. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com _________________________________________ ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS NOT IN OUR EMAIL _________________________________________ I Predict Here are some predictions of the future. All from people who could be trusted: I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943. "Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and weigh only 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, 1949 "While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially it is an impossibility." -- Lee DeForest, inventor. "We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." -- Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962. "The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C', the idea must be feasible." -- A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.) "Who the h*** wants to hear actors talk?" -- H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927. "I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper." -- Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in "Gone With the Wind." "Radio has no future. Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible. X-rays will prove to be a hoax." -- William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, British scientist, 1899. "It will be years -- not in my time -- before a woman will become Prime Minister." -- Margaret Thatcher, 1974. "I see no good reasons why the views given in this volume should shock the religious sensibilities of anyone." -- Charles Darwin, The Origin Of Species, 1869. "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." -- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977. "With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn't likely to carve out a big slice of the U.S. market." -- Business Week, August 2, 1968. "Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau." -- Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929. "There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will." -- Albert Einstein, 1932. "The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosives." -- Admiral William Leahy, U.S. Atomic Bomb Project. "There will never be a bigger plane built." -- A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that holds ten people. "Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction." -- Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872. ________________________ We Expect the Ground to Be Firm Biblical writers were fascinated by earthquakes, and referred to them often to make their point. An earthquake is a good image for cataclysmic times when "everything nailed down is coming loose." Earthquakes threaten our assumptions about the stability of life. We like to think of earth as rock solid, but sometimes the earth moves. Sometimes when people fear flying on a plane, they resort to the ancient Latin by saying, "Just get me back to terra firma." We expect the ground to be firm. We want our buildings tied to the bedrock because our foundations need to tie to something that won't move. We are easily lured into thinking the same about our lives. We expect stability. We expect our lives to be "rock solid," but then something traumatic happens and "everything nailed down is coming loose." Mickey Anders, �Everything Nailed Down Is Coming Loose' _________________________ The End Was So Near One of my friends this week reported on a tv preacher recently talking for an hour about his new book that supposedly explained everything we needed to know about the coming of Jesus and the end of time. "You must have this book," he said over and over again, a telephone number (not even toll-free) constantly flashing at the bottom of the screen. Seems that he was the only one who had prophetic insight into world events, and for a mere $14.95 we could have the benefit of his wisdom. We would not survive the coming terrors unless we had this book. A pastor called the number and suggested to the poor operator that if this preacher really thought this was so vital to the survival of the planet, and that the end was so near, he would be giving the book away! I mean, he won't need the money, right? It's all coming to an end anyway. Who needs a bank account? True, it costs money to print, but he will not have to pay for it if it goes as he says. The woman on the other end of the line was not amused. "Sorry, sir," she said, "but I don't know much about theology," to which the pastor responded, "Neither does the writer of the book you're selling." David E. Leininger, When Your Church Provokes You ____________________ What Do You Do When the World Falls Apart There is a funeral at the end of one of Frederick Buechner's novels. It may be the only way the story could come to a close. A lot of terrible things happen in the book. Theodore Nicolet, a Protestant minister, loses his wife in a car accident. He is left to raise two small girls with the help of a housekeeper, Irma Reinwasser, who is a Holocaust survivor. One day he goes to track down a wayward church member who left her husband. That piques the interest of the editor of the town newspaper. He doesn't have a lot of news that week. So he takes the opportunity to print a few rumors about Nicolet's pastoral care. None are true, but the damage is done. Nicolet returns home, reunites the woman with her husband, and does what he can to set the record straight. Irma speaks up for him. "He's a good man. Leave him alone." Irma dies shortly thereafter. A few teenagers are caught up in the public spectacle, and decide to pull a prank on her. Her house catches fire and she dies. So, at the end of the book, the whole town gathers around the grave of Irma Reinwasser. Nicolet read the words from the book of Revelation: "And God shall wipe away all tears, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4). He spoke for a few minutes, then concluded with words of committal and a benediction. The people began to shuffle away in the rain. One turned back. It was Will Poteat, the sleazy newspaper editor who caused the turmoil while Nicolet was out of town. "Good show," he said to the preacher. Then he pointed to the grave and sneered, "This supper of the great God ... no more death, no more pain. Ask her." Nicolet stood silent, his two daughters by his side. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. Suddenly his daughters did an unexpected thing. They grabbed up some of the flowers that they had brought and started pelting him with them -- orange hawkweed, daisies, clover -- and stooping over like a great, pale bear in his baggy seersucker suit, he kept on lunging at them with his finger. Nicolet threw back his head and laughed as Poteat went lumbering off with the little girls after him. When he got as far as Nicolet's car, he turned around for a moment, and it was only then that they could see that he was more or less laughing himself. What do you do when the world falls apart? "Preach the kingdom," says Jesus to all his followers. Even if life should turn deadly, we proclaim the power of God that is stronger than death. And preach and proclaim we shall, until the day when there are no more tears, when death has no more power, when grief is swallowed up in laughter. William G. Carter, No Box Seats in the Kingdom, CSS Publishing Company. _____________________ Something to Do While the World Falls Apart A number of years ago, leaders in a church decided to track down the congregation's drop-outs. They combed through the membership list, put together a list of names, and sent out volunteers two-by-two to knock on doors and invite the absent members back to church. As is often the case, the volunteer visitors discovered that most of the people visited had found other things to do on Sunday morning. One person said, "I would come back to church if it didn't conflict with my tennis time." Another said, "We came to church when our kids were involved. When they outgrew Sunday School, we stopped going." Another said, "I enjoy going to church on the really big days, like Christmas, Easter, and the Fourth of July. Compared to those days, other services are a little bit dull." One response was different. Two volunteers named Jack and Esther went to see a man whom nobody knew. He lived on the end of the street, in a big house behind three overgrown pine trees. It took the volunteers a few minutes to find the front door. All the curtains were drawn. It looked like nobody was home. Suddenly the door swung open, and a thin man with a shock of white hair said, "My name's Tarnower. What do you want?" They said, "We're from the church. We stopped by to see you." He invited them in. They explained why they had come. In a few minutes, he was shaking a bony finger at them. "I'll tell you why I don't go to church anymore. It's because I got in the habit of reading the Sunday Times before I went to the worship service." Esther leaned forward. "Tell us," she said warmly, "how did the newspaper keep you from coming to church? Did you get caught up in the sports section and lose track of time? Or the comics?" Mr. Tarnower looked at her with wild eyes. "No," he said, "I read the news. It's an awful world out there. There are a lot of diseases I don't understand. Wars break out. Families fall apart. Children run through the streets with handguns. People die prematurely. Listen, the world is falling apart, and the church can't do a thing about it." "Well," Jack said, "you ought to come back. We have a nice minister, a fairly good choir, and a Bible study on Wednesday nights. You might enjoy our program." "No," Mr. Tarnower said, "I don't think so. I get out for groceries, but that's all I want to face. I went to church for a while, but the world got worse. When my wife died, I decided to sit in here, watch everything fall apart, and wait my turn. I don't go to church anymore. The church has nothing to say." He has a point. We live in a rough and painful world that seems to grow worse each day. William G. Carter, No Box Seats in The Kingdom, CSS Publishing ___________________________ The Lord Will Renew Their Strength Kristi Denton had always relied on her husband, David, to take care of her.He was her source of strength, the one she relied on to keep their lives running smoothly. Then in December of 1995, David was in a horrible accident. He suffered massive brain damage. Kristi prayed for God to work a miracle and heal her husband instantly, but it didn't happen. How could Kristi find the strength to take care of David now? In desperation, Kristi turned to the only true Source of strength available, God. She took Isaiah 40:31 as her motto: "They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles."Over the next few years, David slowly recovered from his accident. Among the lessons Kristi learned from that time was that waiting on the Lord in itself is healing. You're not just marking time while God does God's thing. Each day you are making new discoveries about how much God loves you. Each day you are growing stronger in your confidence in God's promises. That is a lesson some of you have already learned. Periods of crisis have been times of growth because you've learned to fall back on your faith. You've had to wait on the Lord, because there was no other choice. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com ____________________________ Setting the Date For centuries there have been innumerable theories as to when and how the world might end. In 960 a German theologian calculated 992 as the most likely year. As the time approached, panic was widespread. In 1665 a man named Solomon Eccles was jailed in London's Bridewell Prison for striding through Smithfield Market stark naked, carrying a pan of blazing sulfur on his head, and prophesying doom and destruction. Although the end of the world did not follow, the Great Fire of London did, in 1666. In 1874 Charles Taze Russell, founder of the sect that became Jehovah's Witnesses, concluded that the Second Coming had already taken place. He declared that people had 40 years, or until 1914, to enter his faith or be destroyed. Later he modified the date to "very soon after 1914." In 1967 Anders Jensen, the Danish leader of a sect known as the Disciples of Orthon, convinced his followers that the world would end in a nuclear holocaust on Christmas Day. Jensen even appeared on the DAVID FROST SHOW to announce this fact to millions of television viewers. Since 1967 many other date setters have come along. Each one has been wrong. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com ___________________________ On the Preparation Committee It is understandable that some Christians have grown impatient over the centuries, and have tried to speed things up a bit. I love what someone once said about the return of the Lord. "God did not put me on the Time & Place Committee; He put me on the Preparation Committee." Our job is not to speculate about times and seasons, but to make sure that we are living as God wants us to live - sisters and brothers to one another - here and now. Some folks are "so heavenly minded they are no earthly good." Donald B. Strobe, Collected Words, www.Sermons.com ________________________ The Dice Are Loaded In Richmond, Virginia sometime back a broad-minded judge let petty offenders roll a huge pair of dice to determine the number of days they would get in jail. After the judge's death, his secret came out: the dice were loaded. At first thought one might conclude that when God gave humanity freedom, God gave an astounding roll of the dice. How would humanity use its freedom - to build or to destroy? The answer is not yet clear, but let me give you a hint. The dice are loaded. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com _______________________ Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Apocalyptic Eschatology I originally thought of titling this sermon "Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Apocalyptic Eschatology," but discarded that idea, for fear that there might be one or two who might not know what I was talking about. Actually, that is exactly what this sermon is about: "Apocalyptic Eschatology." "Eschatology"-the study of the "last things," and "Apocalyptic" - a revelation, unveiling, uncovering. The last book of the Bible, which we call "Revelation" is also titled "Apocalypse," because that is its first word in Greek: "Apocalypse." You don't hear much about these things in mainline churches these days. The reason, of course, is that the Book of Revelation has been the happy-hunting ground for all sorts of lunatic fringe movements from the first century until today. Forty-four years into the atomic age it isn't difficult to make a case for the imminence of doomsday. "We're on the eve of destruction," headlines a national Roman Catholic weekly in an issue devoted to that theme. TV evangelist Jerry Falwell has said frequently that he doesn't expect his children "to live out their full lives." Former Interior Secretary James Watt said that he wasn't too much worried about saving the environment for future generations because he wasn't at all sure how many future generations there would be "before the Lord comes." Donald B. Strobe, Collected Words, www.Sermons.com _______________________ Bumper Stickers for the Rapture Have you noticed that a lot of people seem to have graduated from "Bumper Sticker Seminary?" They proclaim their theological position on their cars. One bumper sticker says: "Christ is coming again, and boy! Is He mad!" Then there is that other bumper sticker: "In case of the rapture, this car will be driverless." To understand that you must understand "rapture" theology, which teaches that when Christ comes again he will gather up the saints - the real Christians - to meet Him in the sky...regardless of whether or not they have acrophobia! I read of a Lutheran pastor who saw the perfect rebuttal on another bumper sticker: "IN CASE OF RAPTURE I CLAIM YOUR CAR!" Donald B. Strobe, Collected Words, www.Sermons.com ______________________ A Friend Indeed In Nevil Shute's novel A Town like Alice," (which appeared on public television awhile back) there is the story of a young Australian who stole some chickens to feed a few hungry English women and children in Malaysia, as they were being taken to an internment camp. When the army officer discovered his theft, he nailed the Australian's hands to a door and had him whipped until he fell unconscious and bleeding. Several years later, one of those young women who had returned to England inherited some money. She learned that the young man was still alive and she traveled to the outback of Australia to see if he was all right. If I had that kind of friend, I would want to see Him, too. I would look forward to seeing him. And do you know what? According to the Bible, that is exactly the kind of Friend that we have. The One who judges us is the same One who hung on a cross for us. He rose again on the third day, and now invites us to join Him at the heavenly banquet spread out before us by a Heavenly Parent who could not possibly love us more. Donald B. Strobe, Collected Words, www.Sermons.com ________________________ Disappointed in the First One Jesus seems to talk about the kingdom in both present and future tense, and a quick look around is enough to convince anyone that the "human race experiment," as Mark Twain called it, is either unfinished or hopeless. If it's unfinished, then what will it look like when it is? Or if it's a cosmic "irregular," if we are destined for eternal brokenness, then perhaps the best we can hope for is a salvage operation. Jesus came once. He will come again. But after 25 years in the ministry, I can honestly say that I don't believe this. Fred Craddock once said, "Maybe people are obsessed with the second coming because, deep down, they were really disappointed in the first one." What's more, history itself teaches us that when times are bad, eschatology thrives. But when times are good, apocalyptic talk subsides. And this makes perfect sense. How quickly one wishes to "check out" depends a lot on how happily one is "checked in." Robin R. Meyers, In Praise of the First Coming, article in The Christian Century, November 15, 2000, p. 1183.________________________________________ When and Not When It has been said that the one thing none of us should ever know is the date of our death. If we did know this with precision, all manner of mischief could follow on our reception of this information. We would almost certainly make different choices-some of those differences might be good things but other items may well lead us to avoid doing certain good things that, all things being equal, we'd be happy to do were we not trying to cram in as much gusto and enjoyment before we die. The disciples wanted to know "when" but Jesus instead told them "not when." The disciples wanted to organize their lives around knowing when things would get rough, Jesus wanted them to organize their faithful lives around hanging tough even when the going got rough (as it surely would). The disciples were maybe hoping to AVOID bad times, Jesus was more interested in helping them to persevere through the bad times that the disciples could NOT, as a matter of fact, avoid. In short, Jesus' perspective on all this seemed markedly different from the disciples. Could it be because he was about two days away from the very cross toward which Mark's gospel has been steering us all along? As we follow a crucified Jesus even yet to this day, how much does the cross influence our thinking and the shape of our lives of discipleship? Are we mostly interested in avoiding hardships or in displaying to the watching world what it means to follow a Savior who rescued us through sacrifice? Scott Hoezee, comments and observations on Mark 13:1-8._________________________________________ What State of Things Many commentators throughout history have observed the gloomy side of life without any reference to God. About 500 years before Christ the Chinese philosopher Confucius remarked, "There is in the world now really no moral social order at all." Elsewhere he deplored teenage behavior. A hundred years before Christ the Roman orator Cicero began an address with the words "O, what a time, what a state of things!" About seventeen centuries later we hear the cynical Shakespearean lines, "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing." Historians remind us that early 19th century England was a time of well-known disrespect for authority. The monarchs were laughingstocks, exposed by a sensational divorce that certified their uselessness. The political system was distrusted as corrupt, and the Church of England was widely regarded for its clergy abuses rather than religious devotion. Cultural heroes were artists famous for their rejection of customary standards of family life and morality. The country was in the midst of widespread opium addiction. No wonder that Dickens characterized those days with his words: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going to heaven, we were all going direct the other way." Richard T. Nolan, The Best of Times, the Worst of Times_____________________________________________ Gathering Shadows Disputed elections disrupt the latest attempt at democracy. Riots disturb the tranquility of a major city and an innocent bystander is killed in the violence. Another youth is murdered in a drive-by shooting. A wife was battered and abused last night. A husband came home from work on Friday to find his wife gone, and the prospect of how to raise his children alone staring him in the face. Shadows, gathering shadows. Then there are the multitudes caught up in a lifestyle of living in dependency upon the latest pill they can swallow, or the alcohol they can consume, or pictures they can lust over, or the pain they can cut into their dulled senses. Anything to create a buzz, to give relief, so they can make it through to the next day. Shadows, oppressive shadows. Jesus prepares His disciples for such shadows. As you read the 13th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, it begins with the disciples and Jesus walking out of the temple. The disciples comment on the magnificence of the temple. Jesus turns to them and says there is coming a day when "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." Darrick Acre, Prepare the Way _______________________________________ End Times While the end of the world could be millennia away for all we know, and while we expect our congregations to continue their ministries well into this new century, end times are around us. Church historians and culture-watchers tell us that we're on the edge of an end time for the church's traditional role in society. But this doesn't mean things are over. As Jesus said, you will hear of wars and earthquakes and famines, but it doesn't mean the end is near. You will hear of the comings and goings of institutions and cultures, but it doesn't mean the end is near. It may only be, Jesus says, the beginning of what God has planned. End times are powerful times pregnant with purpose for those with ears to hear and eyes to see the advent of our God. Mary W. Anderson, �Time's Up,' The Christian Century, November 1, 2003. __________________________ Natural Disasters and The Second Coming Some folk in Seattle are sure the end of the earth will come in the year 2000. Earthquakes. Floods, wars, and tornadoes will devastate the earth, they say, by the year 2001. They plan to build an airship so that they can escape. Whatever of good or ill lies ahead, we need not worry about some human device to reassure us. In His own good time "the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout" and "we which are alive shall he caught up to meet him in the air." We have nothing to fear, and the only preparation we need to make is to stay close to the Lord Jesus and keep our lives pure. James Cox, The Minister's Manuel, 1993, p. 326. __________________ Something Even Worse Perhaps some of you remember General Alexander Haig, a military leader in the war in Vietnam and political leader in the Reagan administration. Now, General Haig was not exactly what you would call a great theologian. He once said something which on the surface sounded utterly stupid, and he was roundly criticized by the media for saying it. He said, "There are worse things than a nuclear war." That sounds like he stuck his foot in his mouth, but that is exactly what we Christians believe. What is far worse than a nuclear war? Not having faith and trust in God. Not to trust God and his promises means that we are headed for a destiny even worse than a nuclear holocaust. But to trust and believe the promises of God means that nothing in this world, not even the mushroom cloud of a nuclear bomb or the ecological disaster of global warming or the insidious attack of terminal cancer or the suffering and humiliation of an economic recession can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ. We can believe that because our Judgment Day has already happened. Steven E. Albertin, Against the Grain, CSS Publishing ______________________ The Impossible Takes A Little Longer At the age of 20, Art Berg was a very happy man. Everything was going right. He was a gifted athlete and had started his own tennis court construction company. And he was engaged to a beautiful woman. Leaving California one Christmas eve, he was headed to Utah with a friend. He was going to meet his fianc�and complete their wedding plans. During the long drive, he fell asleep while at the wheel. His car hit an abutment and rolled down a hill. He was ejected from the car and found himself laying on the desert with a broken neck. He was paralyzed from the chest down. He completely lost the use of his legs and arms. The doctors told him he would never work again. They concluded that he could never play sports again and would be dependent on others the rest of his life. One even suggested he forget getting married. Art Berg was really afraid. It was the darkest moment in his life. The "end times" were upon him. In the midst of his peril his mother came and whispered a few words in his ear. "Art, while the difficult takes time, the impossible takes a little longer." In other words, "don't panic!" Suddenly, Art's darkness was filled with a light of hope. That was eleven years ago. Today Art Berg is president of his own company, a professional speaker and author. He has gained back some of the use of his arms and legs and can now drive. He travels across the country sharing his message, "that the impossible just takes a little longer." Art married his fianc�and they have two children. He has even returned to the world of sports, swimming and scuba diving. In l993 Art was the first quadriplegic to race 32 miles in a marathon, all because he didn't panic. Don't panic, is the message of the day.