Body of Death: Romans 7:14–25

He named his condition (my life is in the dust, I’m weary from grief).
He has asked for help from God through God’s Word.
Now, we see several statements of action.
The Psalmist writes, “I have chosen, I have set, I cling, I pursue/run.”
The writer has asked God to do what only God can do.
“Give me life through your word.”
“Teach me your statutes.”
“Help me understand.”
“Keep me from deceit.”
And now it is the Psalmist’s turn.
Life on Earth will have trouble and pain.
Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble.”
The Good News is that Jesus has overcome the world.
What that means is that, for the believer, pain and trouble are checkpoints, not destinations.
The Good News means that we do not have to stay in places of despair, pain, and hurt.
We cannot prevent all pain and trouble, but it does not have to define us because of what Jesus has done.
How do we move from despair to action?

How do we move from despair to action?

Believe that life, truth, and faithfulness are only found in God.
As long as we hold out hope that life or truth or faithfulness can be found elsewhere, we are not fully faithful to God.
For example, The other day, I was asked if it was ok to pay 99% of our tithes.
I asked them if it was ok for their spouse to be faithful only 99% of the time.
By holding even a glimmer of hope of finding salvation and life anywhere except from Christ alone, we are not being completely faithful.
But despair, sorrow, and pain can have clarifying functions.
There is something about hitting rock bottom and having everything else stripped away that can lead us to life in Christ alone.
Because pain is never neutral, pain will drive us toward God or away from God.
The Psalmist has confessed time and again that life is only found in God alone.
With that confession, he is committed to God and His Word for life.
It is worth our time to reflect upon where we believe life comes from.
We too often place our hope and faith in places that were never meant to be the source of real life.
Even good places like our spouse or kids.
They can be life-giving, but they are not the source of our life and strength.
To begin moving from despair to action, we must declare that Jesus is our only source and strength.

2. We must believe that God is Good.

We do not trust what we do not believe is good.
If the tires on your car are bad, you may still drive on them but you don’t trust them.
If a family member has stolen from you often, you don’t trust them because they are not a good person.
We will never fully trust in a God that we do not believe is good.
We must be convinced that God is good.
1 Chronicles 16:34 (CSB) ³⁴Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 34:8 (CSB) ⁸Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!
Mark 10:18 (ESV) ¹⁸And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.[i]
This means that God is good, even when I don’t think so.
When we are at our lowest, this has to remain in front of us.
I may feel like God is not fair or good.
What I see with my eyes and think with my mind may lead me to question God’s goodness.
But, like the Psalmist, these are moments when I have established God’s goodness as “fact”.
We cannot move from despair into life if I don’t trust the Giver of Life.
Even when I feel like I’m in the dust, God is still good.
Even when I’m surrounded by all that is evil, God is still good.
With this foundation, I am able to leave despair and move toward action.

3. We must invest ourselves in God’s Word and God’s presence.

How do we choose, set, cling, and pursue when that part of our will seems broken, exhausted, and done?
Because God is good, trustworthy, and faithful, I can move forward with what little strength and will I have left.
It may not be much, it may be a mustard seed, but if that is all we can bring to the relationship, God provides the rest.
How often have we asked a small child to take hold of our hand before crossing a street or walking into a busy place like Silver Dollar City.
Are we asking that little kid to provide the strength necessary to not run in front of a car or not to be taken by a stranger?
NO.
When we tell a child to “hold my hand,” we are asking for their trust and proximity.
But the STRENGTH is provided by the Adult.
It is my strength and my reaction time and my awareness that is keep the kid safe.
Their hand in mine is their permission to keep them safe.
Oh, dear child of God, God isn’t asking for you to provide supernatural strength.
He is asking you to give Him your hand.
Give Him our permission for Him to exercise His strength and power.
Yes, cling with whatever you have left.
Yes, run with what you have.
Yes, set your mind upon God with your meditation.
We do have a part to play, but path forward is not for you to become super-human but to trust God and to set you mind upon Him.
When we trust in Jesus, we can believe that He will not put us to shame.

Apply: Put your life in Jesus’ hands.

I remind us, pain is a checkpoint not a destination.
We do not have to deny our present position to be a person of faith.
But instead, we trust in God and His goodness.
We put our hand in His hand.
Not that we have the strength to hang on but because He has the strength to pull us through.
We do what we can, however much or feeble that feels, and God who is faithful and just provides the rest.
Today, for all who are weary, tired, exhausted, depleted, done, and finished, let us move from despair to action.
Let us call upon Jesus.
Let us focus upon His Word.
Let us do what we can, and trust God for the rest.

[i] Here are 23 verses about God’s goodness.

https://www.davidjeremiah.org/knowgod/23-verses-about-the-goodness-of-god

“Help Me Understand!” Psalms 119:24-32

Paul RichardsonJuly 12, 2023

Psalm 119 Help me Understand

A-Z God is Good. Psalm 119:25-32 part 1

Paul RichardsonJuly 2, 2023

Psalm 119 Part 1

Psalm 119:25-32

From A-Z, God is Good

7.2.2023

Introduction:

Have you ever made something worse by trying harder?
I can think of several times when working on a car or putting together a piece of furniture that I reach a point where I get frustrated.
When I’m frustrated, trying harder makes things worse.
On the contrary, when I step back and take a break, often the solution comes to mind or my fingers work better and pieces “fall” into place.
The same can be true with lots of things.
Years ago, when I did some competition shooting, the natural tendency when making misses was to shoot faster instead of slowing down, focusing, and making each movement count.
Sometimes, the cure to your golf swing is not more practice but going back to the basics of your swing.
When professional athletes get in a rut, they often compare where they are with their swings or shots with previous moments when things were better, purer, and more comfortable.
I believe the same can be true with our relationship with Jesus and the Church.
I am all for complexity and going deep.
But when life is hard, overwhelming, or too much to bear, its simplicity that I crave.
What I need most in those moments is to hear and know from God.

That brings us to our text today, Psalm 119

Introduction to the Text

Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem.
Each stanza of 8 verses follows the Hebrew alphabet.
You will notice a Hebrew letter with English transliteration above each stanza.
This is followed by 8 verses, with the main theme of every verse and chapter focusing on God’s Word or Law, Torah.
Although 7 different words are used to represent Torah, they all carry similar meanings.
The Law, thus God, is good.
When it all seems overwhelming, we must remember that God is Good.
God is the only One that is Good.
Every other relationship has the capacity to fail, disappoint, shame, or sin.
But God is good.
Psalm 119 uses every letter of the Hebrew alphabet to get across this point: God is good.
Even though the writer’s life was full of struggle, pain, anxiety, and fear, he knew where to turn in the midst of his struggle.

Today I want to share a word that I hope encourages and refocuses our attention.
I’m too easily riled up or distracted by those things that, although important, are tangential to the focus of Scripture and Eternity.
Today, and maybe this whole month, I’m calling all of us to refocus our eyes on Jesus.
This week, this message is for me, a “chiropractic” word.[1]
The word “chiro” means “hand” and the word practice means practical. Thus, together, it means “done by hand”.
I’m praying that for myself and for each of us, that God’s word aligns, shapes, and forms us through this text so that we will all align with what God is doing and wanting to do.

TEXT

Psalm 119:25–32 (CSB)

ד‎ Daleth

²⁵My life is down in the dust;

give me life through your word.

²⁶I told you about my life,

and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

²⁷Help me understand

the meaning of your precepts

so that I can meditate on your wonders.

²⁸I am weary from grief;

strengthen me through your word.

²⁹Keep me from the way of deceit

and graciously give me your instruction.

³⁰I have chosen the way of truth;

I have set your ordinances before me.

³¹I cling to your decrees;

Lord, do not put me to shame.

³²I pursue the way of your commands,

for you broaden my understanding.^,

Three Comments from Vs. 25-26

Two Questions

One Invitation

1. Psalm 119 is both Wisdom and Lament.

The Psalms is Hebrew Poetry.
It served as the basis for prayer and worship for both Israel and the Church.
It is the Prayer Book and the Hymnal of all who call upon God.
Even today, the words of the Psalms are equally inspired, the same as the words of Jesus and the writings of Paul.
This is because 2 Timothy 3:15-16 tell us that ALL of Scripture is Inspired and profitable.
While most of Psalm 119 is Wisdom, there is an element of lament.
Wisdom provides instruction on how to live.
Lament expresses grief or sorrow.
The writer is certainly under distress throughout this Psalm.
He starts Psalm 119 by saying, “Blessed, happy, or content” are those who walk in the Lord.
Yet the Psalmist is completely far from feeling blessed, happy, or content.
We don’t know who wrote Psalm 119.
It was possibly written by David.
Some propose Ezra, the scribe.
Perhaps it is anonymous for a reason, so that all who read it may relate to what the message is.
King David is raw in this Psalm.
The first two letters are pretty upbeat and happy.
But then the mood gets real, honest, and relatable.
The Psalmist is not in a good place.
He is not having fun.
He is stressed, perplexed, and longing for a change.
For 176 verses, he expresses his hurt and pain.
A few examples:

Psalm 119:107 (CSB) ¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted; Lord, give me life according to your word.

Psalm 119:49–53 (CSB)

ז‎ Zayin

⁴⁹Remember your word to your servant;

you have given me hope through it.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction:

Your promise has given me life.

⁵¹The arrogant constantly ridicule me,

but I do not turn away from your instruction.

⁵²Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago

and find comfort.

⁵³Fury seizes me because of the wicked

who reject your instruction.

The writer perfectly captures the human condition.
He’s hurt by betrayal.
He’s angry and furious because people reject God’s instruction, causing others harm in the process.
If this is David, then we see him far from feeling like the same man who killed Goliath; instead he feels afflicted, ridiculed, and overwhelmed.
The beauty of the Psalms is that they encourage us to be honest with God and ourselves.
So much of what we do is fake or dishonest.
We act as if God cannot handle our frustration, our pain, or our disappointment.
Yet, God in His goodness, left for us the prayers and words of King David and others as examples of the kind of relationship He encourages us to have.
A relationship that cannot handle honest words and thoughts is unhealthy.

2. Psalm 119 expresses a longing for God’s Word.

7 different words are used to represent Torah; they all carry the same meaning.
The words are:[2]

ʿēd̠â, translated here as “decree” (used 23 times)
mišpāṭ, “ordinance” (23 times)
ḥōq, “statute” (22 times)
dāb̠ār, “word” (22 times)
miṣwâ, “commandment” (22 times)
piqqûd̠, “precept” (21 times)
ʾimrâ, “promise” (19 times)

These words help express the totality of God’s Word.
Not only the commandments, not only the promises, not only the decrees, but every word that comes from God.
Jesus quoted this Old Testament truth in Matthew 4:4 (CSB)

⁴He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”^,

The Psalmist longed for God’s Word because he valued the one behind the Word.
A letter written to me by a close friend, my spouse, or a trusted leader has far more value than a junk mailer.
For example, King David loved the Lord and thus desired the Word.
Even when the Word was a message of judgment from Nathan, David loved the Word.
Even when David was told he couldn’t build the Temple, he respected the word.
Jesus prayed, “Take this cup from me” and yet submitted to the Word of God to die for the sins of the world.
The Apostle Paul prayed for deliverance from a thorn in the flesh, yet God answered, “My grace is sufficient.”
You can’t love God’s yes and reject His no.
We all must
David, although far from perfect, loved the Lord and longed to hear from Him.
This is one of the things that made David a man after God’s own heart.
It wasn’t his skills as a warrior, but his passionate pursuit of God through His word.
God does not require perfect people, but people who are willing to be men and women who love His Word.

Third comment:

3. Psalm 119 is the Psalm of Pentecost

It would be relatively easy to dismiss this Psalm because it’s Old Testament.
But what if I told you this Psalm was repeated often by Jesus, His disciples, and all of the Jews between King David and Jesus, the Son of David?
Psalm 119 sits in a group of Psalms called Hallel.
Hallels (Hallelujahs) were read walking up to Jerusalem.
Psalm 113-118 were read journeying to the Temple for Passover.
Psalm 119, however, was recited not at Passover but at Pentecost.
“It is recited at the Feast of Pentecost, the spring festival observed fifty days after Passover, which celebrates the giving of the torah to Moses at Sinai during the wilderness wanderings.”^[3]
Every year, for hundreds of years, faithful people read aloud Psalm 119 at the Feast of Pentecost.
As part of their life and spiritual journey, they celebrated the giving of the Law each year.
Yet, I cannot but think it was no accident that on the Day of Pentecost, the same disciples that received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit had ALSO recited Psalm 119.
Just as water Baptism is full-immersion representing the complete giving over of ourselves to God, the Spirit Baptizes us fully.
Our victories, our struggles, our emotions, our trials, and our desires are brought under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

2 Questions

Question #1: Does your life feel like you are down in the dust?

This may seem overly dramatic.
But have you ever felt so dry and dead that you
Who in this room has thought about quitting?
Don’t RAISE YOUR HAND Who in this room has considered suicide recently?
Maybe you considered quitting your spouse or considering leaving the Church or, worse, Jesus.
Have you ever wondered how long you can keep going? When were you going to catch a break?
If so, you can relate to the writer of Psalms 119.
But instead of quitting, he asked the Lord to revive Him.
I want to encourage someone in this room today with this truth:
God never asked you to pretend like things are better than they are.
Instead, the place of miracles begins in a place of honesty.
When Jesus asked the blind man, “What do you want?” the blind man had to admit to being blind.
Before Jesus fed the five thousand, the people had to admit they were hungry.
Before Jesus binds the broken-hearted, we must confess our broken hearts.
Does your life and soul feel like it is so beaten down that you are eating the dust?
If so, that’s ok.
Because that position leads us to our petition.

Question #2: Have you asked to be revived?

This is the first of seven prayers in these 8 verses.
“Give me life through your word.”
The Hebrew says, “revive me”.
Yes, our lives may be in the dust, but we are to pray for God to revive us again.
Nine times in Psalm 119, the writer mentions the need for life and revival from God.
This is a gift that only comes from God.
The Good news is that we are invited to pray and receive life, revival, and renewal from God.
The Torah could not bring life, the Apostle Paul said.
But the Spirit brings life and freedom.
And on the Day of Pentecost, the day the Jews had recited Psalm 119, God sent His Spirit so that we might experience life, revival, and renewal.
If today you are feeling dry, dead, hopeless, or helpless, know that God invites you to bring your feelings, doubts, emotions, and experiences to Him.

Invitation: Notice the Invitation.

Psalm 119:26 (CSB)

²⁶I told you about my life,

and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

Every person needs a friend, a pastor, and a counselor.
We all need people to talk with, pray with, and share with.
We were designed to live in a community.
But there are times when we take our hurts, opinions, feelings, and feelings to the wrong place.
When we do, we live out of alignment.
As great as other believers are, there is only one who can help us.
There is only one person that can revive us, heal us, and save us.
When you don’t know where to go, go back to where it all started.
Go to Jesus, the LIVING WORD.
Go to Jesus, who listens to our problems and offers us to cast all of our burdens upon Him.
Go To Jesus, who teaches us in Spirit and in Truth.
Go to Jesus, who a bruised reed He does not break,
Go to Jesus, Who does not snuff out a smoldering wick but encourages it to burn again.
Today’s Invitation

Matthew 11:28 (CSB)

²⁸“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I invite all who will to come to Jesus this morning.
Tell Him all about your troubles.
Tell Him what feels too heavy to carry.
Tell Him about your life, and let Him teach you His ways and revive you again.

[1] Etymology. From chiro- (“hand”) +‎ practic; from Ancient Greek χείρ (kheír, “hand”) + πρακτικός (praktikós, “concerned with action”).

[2] deClaissé-Walford, Nancy. 2014.

^[3] deClaissé-Walford, Nancy. 2014. “Book Five of the Psalter: Psalms 107–150.” In The Book of Psalms, edited by E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., 870. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Dad Advice that Really Matters

Paul RichardsonJune 18, 2023

PDF->. Dad Advice that Really Matters

Dad Advice that Really Matters

6.18.23

Father’s Day

Introduction: A world in need of Fatherly advice.

There is no doubt in my mind that we live in a world in need of fatherly wisdom.
I’m not casting blame, but I’m admitting a fact.
Young, old, boys, and girls, we need godly wisdom from godly fathers and men and, of course, women.
Today, we look at a passage from Proverbs.
The man who wrote Proverbs was a lousy husband and father.
Solomon was the smartest and wisest man who ever lived but an absolute bust at home.
Yet God used him to record the Heavenly Father’s heart for His children to grow up wise, whole, and mature.
The first 9 chapters of Proverbs include incredible advice from a father to his son.
Each segment begins with the phrase, “my son.”
Originally, it was probably meant to be advice from Solomon to one of his sons on how to be a wise and godly king.
But the wisdom in these chapters is extremely applicable and appropriate to all of us.
The advice that follows serve as guardrails that, when followed, keep men and woman heading in God’s path.
Because God orders the steps of a righteous person, these are the steps that are included in our journey.
Regardless of your age or gender, these verses serve as incredible advice from our Heavenly Father to us, his children.
Today, we look at 6 words of wisdom we all need.

Proverbs 3:1–12 (CSB)

3 My son, don’t forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commands;

²for they will bring you

many days, a full life,^, and well-being.

³Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.

Tie them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Then you will find favor and high regard

with God and people.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own understanding;

⁶in all your ways know him,

and he will make your paths straight.

⁷Don’t be wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

⁸This will be healing for your body^,

and strengthening for your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your possessions

and with the first produce of your entire harvest;

¹⁰then your barns will be completely filled,

and your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,

and do not loathe his discipline;

¹²for the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

1. Listen to godly teaching and instruction. 1-2

3 My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; ²for they will bring you many days, a full life,^, and well-being.

There is so much advice out there today on every conceivable topic.
All of the advice has a similar purpose:
To fix something that is wrong and make life better.
My YouTube feed is full of advice to help me be a better guitar player.
How to be a better handgun shooter.
How to wake up earlier and get more done or read more books.
Even the videos that are demonstrating or reviewing products have the purpose of selling me one more thing so that my life will be just a little bit better.
The world is looking for answers, specifically on how to make their life or some part of it better.
But it seems most people are not looking for solid, biblical advice that extends our days, gives us full life, and impacts our well-being.
We live in a world desperate to live their best lives while rejecting the source of real life.
The teachings found in Scripture lead us to Jesus, and Jesus is the Truth and the Life.
Furthermore, when we practice biblical wisdom we find what the world is looking for: “² many days, a full life,^, and well-being.”
So why doesn’t the world choose God’s advice?
A better question:
Why don’t people who claim to be Christians follow biblical wisdom?
What if the problem we have today is not so much a problem of disobedience but ignorance?
We don’t know what we don’t know.
We can’t forget teachings we’ve never received.
I was talking last week with some friends who work on college campuses as Christian missionaries.
They were talking about the struggles faced by incoming freshmen.
Some of the biggest struggles 18-20 years face are related to normal, everyday life.
How to do laundry, the need to eat when you are hungry, and other basic tenants of adulthood.
College campus missionaries are having to teach young men and women:
How to have actual conversations,
How to make phone calls for appointments.
Basic Financial stewardship and budgeting.
Is it possible that we have educated a generation to calculus but failed to teach them how to be productive adults?
The reality is that they don’t know because they weren’t taught.
There is a difference between teaching someone and doing it for them.
One produces productive adults or disciples, and the other produces consumers.
We live in a day and time when we desperately need parents and adults who are engaged in teaching and passing on wisdom.
This has ALWAYS been the calling of adulthood,
To pass on wisdom, instruction, and lessons in righteousness.
For all of the adults in the room, whether physical parents or spiritual parents, let me encourage you to remain gentle and patient when people ask you to teach them or answer questions.

2 Timothy 2:24 (CSB) ²⁴The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient…

I’m afraid we have raised a generation that asks Google and YouTube all of the questions.
Why? The world is asking Google and YouTube because they are always patient and available.
To teach and disciple, you must be available and patient.
We all must model listening and obeying the Lord’s teaching and instructions.
The best way to teach is to model.
Let’s live an example before others that demonstrate the blessing of following Jesus.

2. Value loyalty and faithfulness. 3-4

³Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴Then you will find favor and high regard with God and people.

If I were to describe America today, loyalty and faithfulness would not be at the top of my list.
Whether it is loyalty and faithfulness to the country, to family, to workplaces, or church, it doesn’t seem like people are as loyal and as faithful as they used to be.
Yet, loyalty and faithfulness are necessary for healthy communities and relationships.
When we are loyal and faithful, we experience favor with God and people.
I don’t know about you, but I want favor.
I want God to look favorably upon me.
I also want the community to see me as someone trustworthy, dependable, and consistent.
Loyalty and faithfulness are missing today among all generations.
Before we lay this problem at the feet of young people, listen to what the statistics are showing about church attendance:
“Patterns in church attendance show that people over 40—that is, Gen X and baby boomers—are at least as likely to stop attending church as millennials and Gen Z.”
But according to Barna, some of the biggest declines in church attendance over the past three decades have been among adults 55 and older.[1]
We all share the responsibility of teaching and modeling loyalty and faithfulness.
Model loyalty and faithfulness at home by loving your family consistently and constantly.
Model loyalty and faithfulness by working when you should work, resting when you should rest, and playing when you should play.
Model loyalty and faithfulness by putting down roots in the church and worshipping even when you do not feel like it.

3. Trust in the Lord. Vs. 5-6

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

This Proverb speaks to the importance of full devotion to God.
Trust the Lord with all your heart.
In all your ways, know Him.
The key to living our life for Jesus is to give it to Him fully.
This begins not with our actions but with our thoughts and intentions.
Where our heart goes, our feet follow.
Our problem is that we act like we know better than God or, at least, we know better what to do.
But my understanding is faulty.
My understanding leads me astray and gets me lost.
But when I follow the Lord’s understanding and follow His leading, He makes our paths straight.
Each of us has the responsibility of pointing others to the Truth, which is Jesus.
The best legacy you can leave for your kids is not a financial inheritance.
The best legacy is to model how to trust the Lord with all of your heart and to know Him.
This is easier said than done, but a few practical steps to not rely on your own understanding:
Pray about it.
Consult Scripture.
Avoid the easiest roads (the high road is usually hardest).
Pray again.

4. Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Vs. 7-8

⁷Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. ⁸This will be healing for your body^, and strengthening for your bones.

In other words, to be arrogant and don’t be a know it all.
Axiom: If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.
Axiom: All the people in the room are smarter than any individual.
This makes sense, but notice the reason!
This will be healing for your body and strength in your bones.
Fear of the Lord and turning away from evil is the only way to reverse the curse of death.
Earthly wisdom and knowledge is not enough to reverse the curse.
All the best minds and all the advice in Google cannot bring life, healing, or internal strength.
But the fear of the Lord brings life and healing.

5. Honor the Lord with your possessions. 9-10

⁹Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; ¹⁰then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

I feel as if this advice is particularly aimed at us men.
Generally, women are not as strongly motivated by possessions or items, although diamond rings never hurt.
But guys love our possessions.
There are two realities here.
All of us men have enough “toys”.
But we would buy more if we could.
There is always something new, improved, better, handier, or prettier for us to pursue.
This pursuit is both fun and unfulfilling.
Scripture doesn’t tell us not to have possessions but to honor God with them:
If we honor God with our possessions and our tithe, we don’t do without.
Instead, God blesses what remains.
One of the most powerful prayers any man can pray is, “Here I am, and here is my stuff!”
One of the great tests of faith that God asks from all of us is to tithe.
Tithing is giving the first 10% of your income to the Lord through the Church.
The rest is yours.
Tithing and giving does a few things for us.
Tithing is an act of worship, as we give of what cost us to the Lord for His work.
Tithing keeps possessions from controlling us.
Tithing honors God.
Tithing brings God’s blessing upon the remainder.
The father in Proverbs taught his son to tithe because he wanted him to be blessed.
I want to teach you this because I want you to be blessed.

6. Do not despise the Lord’s instructions. 11-12

¹¹Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe his discipline; ¹²for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

We do not teach or discipline people we don’t care about.
To teach is to share life with someone through the sharing of information.
To discipline is to inflict pain on both parties so that the lesser party may achieve his or her best.
Teaching and discipline are expressions of love.
For the son or daughter, we can’t accept God’s instruction if we do not accept His discipline.
When you sign your kid up for sports, you are entrusting your child to a coach to instruct and teach them and discipline where appropriate.
If the rule is to run laps for being late for practice, then your kid needs to run for being late.
The role of the coach is to bring the most out of the player, and that involves discipline and instruction.
Same is true for pastors.
The good news is that you all have a choice regarding what church you attend.
Within that choice, you have to be willing to accept a pastor’s teaching and, when necessary, discipline.
Every time I’ve told a parent about an incident involving your kid, almost all of you have responded, “We wouldn’t bring our kids here if we didn’t trust you.”
We can’t cling to Jesus’ teaching and reject His discipline.
Please do not despise the Lord’s instructions or His discipline.
We despise them to our detriment.

Close: As we close, I believe the best thing we can do this morning is to pray for the men in the room.

I’m not going to ask you to come from the front, but I would like to ask every male to stand where you are.
I want to pray with you and for you.
Let’s Pray
Would everyone stand!
Prayer.
Cookies.

[1] https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/march/gray-gen-x-boomers-older-churchgoers-leaving-church.html

License Credential Orientation June 2023

Paul RichardsonJune 15, 2023

Here is a link for Pastor Paul Richardson’s orientation notes!

Licensed Credential Orientation UPDATED 2023

June 11 2023, Message 26 PRAY, ENCOURAGE, LOVE

Paul RichardsonJune 11, 2023

Message 26 Pray Encourage Love

Message 26: Pray, Encourage, Love

6.11.23

Message 26

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 6:18–20 (CSB)

¹⁸Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. ²⁰For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Ephesians 6:21–24 (CSB)

²¹Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. ²²I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

²³Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.^,

Introduction: Here ends Paul’s letter to Ephesus.

Ephesus had a unique place in Paul’s life.
He spent 3 years ministering in this city.
The younger pastor, Timothy, was the pastor, and they shared a special relationship.
It shouldn’t surprise us to realize that Paul had a love and affection for the Christians in Ephesus.
Paul’s Apostleship was marked by a genuine love for people.
Even today, God’s ministers should be characterized by a love for God’s people.
Because of Paul’s love for the Ephesians, he does not entrust this letter to just anyone.
Tychicus was a man who had become a trusted partner.
He was the letter-bearer, responsible for the safe delivery of the letter and the conveying of Paul’s love for the believers, his condition, and other updates.
It is likely that Tychicus carried the letter of Colossians also, and perhaps traveled with Onesimus, who was the subject of the letter to Philemon.[i]
Because Paul was in prison, he had to depend upon others to share in his ministry.
Thankfully, Paul didn’t have to create a network of co-laborers at the last minute.
He had been intentionally investing in people all along, and here in a time of need, Paul was able to entrust this important work to capable people.
The necessity of doing life, ministry, and spiritual warfare together is evident in the last sentences of Ephesians.
As we finalize this series of messages from Ephesians, I want to encourage us to pray for each other, for our community, and for those not yet known.
As we live and engage in spiritual warfare, we must remain committed to Jesus AND each other.
We can’t do this any other way.
Love God, Love others.

What does Paul say in his last words?

1. Stay alert with all perseverance and Intercession for all the saints.

We must Pray in the Spirit on all occasions for our own safety and for others.
It seems cliché, but prayer really is an act of service.
Often, when we reach out to people to help, many will say, “Just pray for me.”
But part of me wants to do more than that.
I want to do something “meaningful”.
I want to be hands-on.
But truthfully, often times the best way we can serve is to pray for people meaningfully.
Why pray for others?
Your prayers may keep people alive.
Your prayers may keep people safe.
Your prayers may be a conduit for God’s provision.
We need people praying for us.
The Apostle Paul was never shy about asking the churches to pray for him.
Why, then, are we shy about asking others to pray for us?
This isn’t only for missionaries but for each of us.
I am extremely thankful for all of you who pray for Julie and me.
I am convinced your prayers have sustained us, provided for us, and strengthened us in our calling.
What do we pray for?

2. Pray for others’ boldness.

Paul asks the believers to pray for God-given boldness.
As Paul awaits trial in Rome, he is asking “for a divine infusion of strength and courage to make the good news clear and powerful in every circumstance.”^[1]
This is especially important as Paul will have the opportunity to share the Gospel with none other than Emperor Nero.
A few years later, this Emperor sent the order for Paul’s execution.
But in this moment, the Apostle has one desire: To make known the mystery of the Gospel to this man.
The believers in Ephesus were unlikely ever to meet the Emperor, but they could pray for the one who would.
When we pray for other believers, we participate in the advancement of the Kingdom.
We each have unique circles of influence and responsibility.
Those circles are our mission field.
This is why we must pray for ourselves and have others pray for us so that we might be bold where only we can be bold.
There is never a good time for a weak presentation of the Gospel.
You don’t always have to be weird when you witness, but you must always be empowered.
When you pray, don’t forget to pray for boldness.
But remember, when you pray for boldness, you also pray for opportunity.
And if you refuse the opportunity, you won’t receive the anointing.
Be prayerful when someone comes to mind.
Holy Spirit often recalls people to our hearts and minds.
There are countless testimonies of people being led to intercede for others in moments of crisis and need.
I’m thankful for grandparents who would give God their nights to pray for their families.
For many of us in the room, we need to be more obedient and faithful to those 2 am wake-ups and pray for people as they come to mind.

3. Inform and Encourage each other.

Too many of us live our lives like spiritual orphans.
We withhold information and progress from each other, walking through life alone.
Then wonder why no one calls.
We wonder why we have no friends.
We wonder why it seems like no one cares.
Relationships require reciprocity.
The only way to build a healthy community is to inform and encourage.
No that doesn’t mean you share all of your life with everyone.
We do need to be mindful of what we share and with whom.
Not everyone can process what we are feeling, dealing with, or sensing from God.
It does mean that each of us need people, other than our spouse, to share our spiritual journey with.
The Apostle Paul was the most qualified person to exclude people from his life.
Yet, each of his letters is addressed to people and carried by dear friends and colleagues.
The end of Paul’s letters introduce us to his dear friends and co-laborers like Tychicus.
One of the many characteristics of Paul’s ministry is that he did not do it alone.
Let me encourage you to find people to walk this journey with.
Find someone to mentor you.
Find some peers, people who are in the same stage of life.
Find some people to mentor.
And in each of these relationships, inform and encourage.

4. Let your love remain incorruptible.

The letter ends with this:
²⁴Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.^, ESV
2^{. 24}Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (NLT)
God’s grace is attached to those who love Jesus.
To be seated with Christ in the heavenly realms is only possible because of God’s grace.
To walk worthy of this calling that we have received is only possible because of God’s grace.
To stand in strength and victory is only possible because of God’s grace.
There’s nothing more valuable than having Jesus in your life.
May that love be incorruptible.
Let us be on guard for anything or anyone that corrupts our love for Him.
Be wary of anything and anyone who causes your love to grow weary and worn.
May your love be steadfast.
When times are great, love Jesus from the mountain top.
When times are hard, love Jesus from the deepest valleys.
But whatever you do, do not let love waiver.
May your love be characterized by God’s grace toward others.
Your love for Jesus should not make you angry to others.
Your love for Jesus does not give permission for envy, jealousy, pride, anger, or unforgiveness towards others.
Let your love be characterized by Grace.
In other words, “Love Jesus, and don’t be a jerk.”

Close:

Today we are preparing to do two things:
First, we want to participate in communion.
This act of participating in the broken body of Jesus and His shed blood is shared in community.
It is a reminder that Jesus’ love is not for “me”, but for “us”.
Then, after communion, we are going to serve the community of Success.
It is my hope that through these tangible expressions of water, we can also share the love of Jesus and the Church with others.
So, if you are able to help, right after service we will meet in the warehouse/gym area.
If you are unable, I’m going to ask you to invest 10 minutes or so and pray here in the sanctuary for a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit and for a quick resolution to the water problem.

Prayer

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[i] Paul commends Tychicus as a “dear and faithful servant in the Lord.” The term “dear” is actually “beloved brother” and emphasizes his extremely close relationship to Paul as his coworker and friend. Most likely he was traveling with Onesimus, Philemon’s returning slave, whom Paul also called “a dear brother” in Colossians 4:9 and Philemon 16. If so the two, who had become trusted associates, personally carried the three letters back to the province of Asia. Paul wanted them to bring these churches up to date on his “circumstances” (niv “everything”), which he summarized as “how I am and what I am doing,” specifying his personal situation and the state of his ministry in Rome.^[i] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Jesus, a Wedding, and a Divine Revealing June 7, 2023

Paul RichardsonJune 7, 2023

Jesus and wedding of Cana John 2

Jesus, a Wedding, and a Divine Revealing

6/7/23

Introduction: This year, I felt a clarification about my call.

It was in January, and I was reading through Matthew.
This passage from Matthew 13:52 provided some clarity:
Matthew 13:52 (ESV)

⁵²And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

This resonates with me so well.
One of my greatest joys as a pastor is to tell stories of Jesus and Scripture.
It is a joy to read Scripture, meditate upon it, and see the meaning and share it with others.
Nothing new here, and yet there is unrealized beauty before us.
Today, I want to read with you a passage from John.
With this passage, my intention is to take us on a journey that, when finished, I hope leads us to give Jesus even more glory and praise.
While we will be focused on John 2, it was necessary to bring many other passages into the conversation.
I will reference far more passages in this message than what is usual for me, but they demonstrate to us the beauty of the miracle Jesus performs in this passage and its prophetic significance.

John 2:1–12 (CSB)

2 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, ²and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. ³When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother told him, “They don’t have any wine.”

⁴“What has this concern of yours to do with me,^, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”

⁵“Do whatever he tells you,” his mother told the servants.

⁶Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained twenty or thirty gallons.

⁷“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. ⁸Then he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter.” And they did.

⁹When the headwaiter tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom ¹⁰and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”

¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

¹²After this, he went down to Capernaum, together with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples, and they stayed there only a few days.

1. John’s record of Jesus’ first miracle puzzles modern readers.

Of all the miracles John could have mentioned including:
Raising the dead, restoring sight to the blind, or cleansing a leper, this is the first miracle mentioned.
And only the Gospel of John records this miracle.
Question: Why did the other writers miss it?
Why would John even mention a miracle like this, when he could have chosen from an unlimited number of examples?
What does John see in this miracle that we miss?
John’s Gospel is tightly focused upon Jesus’ divinity.
Yes, Jesus’ humanity is consistently on display also.
But John consistently and constantly writes with Jesus’ divinity in mind.
In John, Jesus is the “Word who was in the beginning,” and the Word made flesh.
Jesus is the True Light that has come into the World.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Jesus is the source of Living Water.
Jesus is the Bread, the manna, of Life.
The list goes on.
And most of these statements about Jesus occur within the first chapter of John.
What portrait of Jesus is John painting here?
Verse 11 points us to something significant that happened at Cana:
¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
We would understand if this was the story of feeding the five thousand or the resurrection of Lazarus.
But, Where is the glory in multiplying wine, and why did this seemingly simple miracle result in the disciples believing in Him?

2. The scene of an unknown wedding.

John never mentions who the wedding is for.
But we know that there was a bride and a groom.
We also know that weddings in Israel were much different than in Western culture.
Weddings were a week-long affair.
The whole village would be welcomed and expected to attend.
And each day, new guests would appear to participate in the wedding feast.
The crowd would grow and swell.
There was no way to plan for everyone since anyone could attend.
The bridegroom and his family were responsible for ensuring that all guests were fed, happy, and fulfilled.
Ancient weddings were not focused on the bride, but the groom.
They were his guests, his responsibility, and it was his arrival that initiated the festivities.
Often, the groom would betroth himself and go off to prepare a home for her with his family.
He would also save up the bride-price.
And when the bride-price was raised and the home prepared, the groom would come to get his bride.
The bride and her party had to be ready, and anticipate his arrival because there would be no delay when he came. (sounds a lot like John 14).
When the groom appeared, having finished all preparations for his bride, the wedding would begin.
Because this was the social event of the year and maybe a lifetime, there was a lot at stake.
To disappoint your guests would lead to loss of “face” and shame.
Furthermore, several scholars emphasize that weddings were legal affairs.
The bride and groom were legally bound to each other.
But guests who did not bring an appropriate gift could be sued, (or thrown out as in Jesus’ parables) and hosts who did not provide a good enough party could be sued by the guests.[1]
Therefore, one of the worst things to happen would be to run out of wine before the event was over.
For people like me, who do not drink, this is where the disconnect takes place, tempting me to dismiss this parable.
While we cannot be sure about the alcoholic content of the wine, what must be understood is the significance of wine in Jewish culture.
In the OT, Wine often represents celebration and abundance.
Plenty of wine represents God’s blessing upon the harvest.
Absence of wine could indicate a time of difficulty or famine brought about by sin and God’s displeasure.

3. This difficult situation prompts Mary to ask for Jesus’ intervention.

2 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, ²and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. ³When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother told him, “They don’t have any wine.” ⁴“What has this concern of yours to do with me,^, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”

This is more than a mom believing her son was something special.
Mary is clearly asking Jesus to perform a miracle, even though He has not done so yet.
She asks Him to intervene in a situation that wasn’t his.
Two subtle clues let the reader know something big is happening.
The first can be found in the opening, “On the third day…”
This chronology does not really make sense with the preceding chapter.
It’s actually the 6^th or 7^th day of the trip mentioned in Chapter 1.
Also, according to custom, weddings for virgins took place on Wednesday and for widows on Thursday, neither of which would be considered the third day.^[2]
Often in Scripture, the third day refers to a time of Divine Intervention.
On the third day, Abraham saw the place of sacrifice afar off (Gen. 22:3-4)
On the third day, God descended upon Mt. Sinai in sight of the people (Exo. 19:11)
Jonah was three days in the belly of a whale.
Hezekiah was miraculously healed and went to the Temple on the third day.
Hosea 6:2 says, “He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him.”
Of course, we know that Jesus was resurrected on the third day.
In fact, if we read a little further in this chapter, we see Jesus make a seemingly blasphemous prophecy.
Jesus cleanses the Temple of the money changers and, when asked by whose authority and by what sign He did this, He proclaimed, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Therefore, it seems John intends for the readers to understand Jesus’ intervention in the wedding as divine intervention and not as a party favor.
Because what is a miracle other than the intervention of God in the natural world of man?
Perhaps John stresses that this is on the third day so that we might be prepared for Divine interaction, intervention, and interruption.
However, the clearest clue of Divine significance is in Jesus’ words: “My hour has not yet come.”
Jesus’ “hour” is the key to understanding this passage.
It is in this simple word that we interpret what Mary is asking and what Jesus is doing, and why the disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah and Son of God.

4. Hour for what?

Jesus uses this phrase regularly throughout John.
John 7:6 (CSB) ⁶Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand.
John 7:8 (CSB) ⁸Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”
John 7:30 (CSB) ³⁰Then they tried to seize him. Yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come.
John 8:20 (CSB) ²⁰He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
At first, Jesus said his time had not come. But once the Cross comes into view, He changes.
John 12:23 (CSB) ²³Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John 13:1 (CSB) Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
John 16:32 (CSB) ³²Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
John 17:1 (CSB) Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
In view here in John 2, Jesus is not saying His time for miracles hadn’t come.
Instead, the hour of redemption had not come.
That day would come.
When Jesus would take upon Himself the sins of the world.
The day would come when His blood would be shed and his body broken so that those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior would participate in the great and divine mystery of the marriage of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33).
The same John who tells of the Wedding at Cana is the same writer who tells us of a future wedding banquet:
Revelation 19:6–9 (CSB)
b^{. 6}Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying,

Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty,

reigns!

⁷Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory,

because the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has prepared herself.

⁸She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure.

For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints. ⁹Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”

In light of this hour, what Jesus does next in John 2 declares to His disciples what His ministry is all about.

⁶Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. ⁸Then he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter.” And they did.

5. Ritual water becomes New Wine.

The six stone water jars had a purpose.
They were not designed to carry wine but water.
The Jewish law required water to be poured over the hands of each guest before eating.
Earthen vessels could become unclean, but stone could not.
So stone jars were often used.
In this way, the people were ceremonially clean to eat.
The jars were clean, but the water would be dirty.
Jesus’ instructions were probably burdensome but necessary.
How hard would it have been to dump 20-30 gallons of water?
How far did they have to go to draw water?
A few feet?
A few miles?
Yet it seems quite clear that Jesus had them pour out the old water and fill with fresh, clean water.
For the very water that had been used to purify the guests had, in fact, become dirty.
The dirty water of purification was unsuitable for the miracle Jesus wanted to accomplish.
Jesus doesn’t destroy the pots but instead fills them with clean water.
Jesus didn’t destroy the earthly temple in the next paragraph, He cleansed it to become what God intended again.
At times, what we all need, is the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the rush of Living Water, to purify us again.
As the headwaiter, the man responsible for the feast, dips water, a miracle happens.
Somewhere between the pouring out, the pouring in, and the dip of the ladle, the water becomes wine.
Not the cheap stuff, expected at this time.
But the best stuff: a new wine that no one expects.
And not only is it the best, but there is an overwhelming amount of wine.
At this, they see and believe and give Him glory?
But because the wine tasted good?
What is it that they see, and feel, and sense in this first sign?

6. The disciples caught a glimpse of Jesus as the Promised Groom of Israel.

Several Old Testament prophecies spoke of a day like this, symbolized by an abundance of wine:
Amos 9:11–13 (CSB)

¹¹In that day

I will restore the fallen shelter of David:

I will repair its gaps,

restore its ruins,

and rebuild it as in the days of old,

¹²so that they may possess

the remnant of Edom

and all the nations

that bear my name—^,

this is the declaration of the Lord;

he will do this.

¹³Look, the days are coming—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

when the plowman will overtake the reaper

and the one who treads grapes,

the sower of seed.

The mountains will drip with sweet wine,

and all the hills will flow with it.

Joel 3:18 (CSB)

¹⁸In that day

the mountains will drip with sweet wine,

and the hills will flow with milk.

All the streams of Judah will flow with water,

and a spring will issue from the Lord’s house,

watering the Valley of Acacias.^,

When Mary asks of Jesus to intervene in this wedding, it is Jesus’ identity of “Groom” that is being pulled upon.
First of all, In Isaiah 25, we see the prediction of a heavenly wedding feast that the Messiah would usher in.

Isaiah 25:6–10 (CSB)

⁶On this mountain,^,

the Lord of Armies will prepare for all the peoples a feast of choice meat,

a feast with aged wine, prime cuts of choice meat, fine vintage wine.

⁷On this mountain

he will swallow up the burial shroud,

the shroud over all the peoples,

the sheet covering all the nations.

⁸When he has swallowed up death once and for all,

the Lord God will wipe away the tears

from every face

and remove his people’s disgrace

from the whole earth,

for the Lord has spoken.

⁹On that day it will be said,

“Look, this is our God;

we have waited for him, and he has saved us.

This is the Lord; we have waited for him.

Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

^10aFor the Lord’s power will rest on this mountain.

Jesus knew what He was called to do.
Jesus knew He was the one that would swallow up the burial shroud.
Jesus would unite the nations and invite them to a wedding feast.
Jesus would make it possible to wipe every tear and remove our disgrace.
Isaiah 25 is echoed in Rev. 21:

Revelation 21:1–4 (CSB)

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

³Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:^, Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples,^, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. ⁴He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

As Jesus attends another man’s wedding, focused upon a different groom and a different bride, His mother’s request inaugurates a prophetic promise:
Even though her son, she knew that Jesus was the Promised Messiah, the Groom of Israel.
And that someday, Jesus would come back to Earth as the celebrated groom and would retrieve His bride.
John the Baptist knew it, when he declared:

John 3:27–30 (CSB)

²⁷John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. ²⁸You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ ²⁹He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. ³⁰He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Apply: What do we do in light of John 2?

First, I believe we take a moment and give God glory.
This was the original response to this revelation.
The miracle wasn’t about what was in the jars but in the One who attended the wedding.
Here stood the Promise One of Israel, the Ancient of Days, the Source of Living Water, the Bread of Life, the Bride-Groom of Israel.
And very few even noticed.
Mary was first.
Then the servants understood what happened.
Lastly, a few of the observers and disciples.
But the groom, the bride, and most of the guests never realized that the ONE whom their wedding foreshadowed was actually in their midst.
Too often, we are so distracted and busy, that we fail to recognize that the Spirit of God is in the room.
Therefore, this passage should cause us to pause, worship, and give God glory.
Second, let us remember that God still fills and uses ordinary vessels.
Isn’t this just like Jesus?
The One who takes a few loaves and fishes and feeds thousands.
Or has Peter cast a fishing line and retrieved money from a fish’s mouth,
Is also the one that repurposes some jars, has them poured and refilled with something demonstrably better.
Without stretching the metaphor too far, I want to encourage us to allow God to use us however He sees fit.
That might require dumping, refilling, and a miracle.
Yet, God can and does use willing vessels for His glory.
Perhaps what is inside of us has grown stale and unclean.
Perhaps you are like me and in need of a fresh refilling.
May we allow the Spirit to empty us of ourselves and fill us, fresh, with Himself.
Lastly, remember that Jesus is coming soon.
Jesus is still yet to return.
When He does, it will be an event we do not want to miss.
I’m looking forward to the day when:
He wipes the tears from our eyes for the last time.
I look forward to a Kingdom with no more pain, sorrow, or grief.
I look forward to eating the Marriage Supper with the Nations, hearing their stories of how Jesus saved them and redeemed them.
Most importantly, I look forward to seeing Jesus face to face.
Today, we are reminded that Jesus is Coming Soon.

[1] J. Duncan M. Derrett has a very valuable discussion of this miracle. p 156 He points out that in the ancient Near East there was a strong element of reciprocity about weddings, and that, for example, it was possible to take legal action in certain circumstances against a man who had failed to provide the appropriate wedding gift. This is quite foreign to our wedding customs and we are apt to overlook such possibilities. But it means that when the supply of wine failed more than social embarrassment was involved. The bridegroom and his family may well have become involved in a heavy pecuniary liability. The gift made by Jesus was thus doubly important.^[1] Morris, Leon. 1995. The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

^[2] Morris, Leon. 1995. The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. pg 157.

June 4, 2023 Message 25 “Praying through the Attacks”

Paul RichardsonJune 4, 2023

Click Here for a PDF : Message 25 Praying through the Attacks

Message 25: Praying through the Battles

6.4.23

Ephesians Series

Synopsis:

How do we faithfully stand when the enemy seems relentless? The Apostle Paul told believers to pray at all times and to pray in the Spirit. Modern believers must heed Paul’s direction.

Ephesians 6:18-20

Introduction:

Paul teaches prayer in the context of Spiritual warfare.
Without prayer, the armor of God just lies that.
It is in prayer that we exercise the power of Jesus in our world.
Apart from prayer, we will not be “strong in the Lord” or able to resist the enemy.
It is in prayer that we exercise faith, and truth, and righteousness, and the Gospel of peace.
If we do not pray, how can we be Christians?
We can be moral people; we can be trustworthy; we can even have an appearance of goodness.
But because Prayer is the manner in which we commune with God, how can there be “prayer-less” Christians?
We will have times when we do not pray as we should.
We will have times when our prayers do not seem to matter much.
But how can it be possible for a Christian’s walk with the Lord not to involve prayer?

1. Pray at all times.

The danger of prayer is that we are too familiar.
We should be amazed and shocked when we realize that Christian prayer is the intentional communication of created man with the eternal God.
This only applies to Christian’s praying.
Other religions and even non-religions pray and meditate.
But when Christians pray, there is communion with God, and this is startling.
To have access to God at all times and for all reasons is the rare privilege of Christians.
Perhaps it would be helpful for us as Americans to stop and reflect upon this a moment.
Have we culturally appropriated prayer in a way that inoculates our culture to prayer’s beauty, wonder, and significance?
When we pray, we are having conversation and fellowship with God.
Because God is “Omni…”, we are invited to pray at all times.
God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Eternal.
He is all-powerful, all-present, all-knowing, and has no beginning or end.
All elements that we are not.
The Apostle tells us to take advantage of this because we need what we are not.
We are not all-powerful and need God’s power.
We are not all-present, needing God to be both where we are and where we are not.
We are not all-knowing and need His wisdom, insight, knowledge, and discernment.
Finally, we are not eternal; we have definite beginnings and ordained ends.
In the midst of this spiritual warfare we call life, we MUST pray at all times.
On our own, we do not have what it takes to stand, resist, or endure.
We must pray.
And because we never know when the attacks will come, we must pray at all times.

2. Pray in the Spirit.

There is a right way to pray.
Why is this distinction important?
I remind you that all religions pray.
Muslims pray faithfully multiple times a day.
The surrounding temples of Ephesus were busy with acts that looked and sounded like prayer.
Christian prayer is different because of God’s role in prayer.
It isn’t about the words you use.
You don’t have to be eloquent, loud, or use KJV or Hebrew.
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit?
Romans 8:26–27 (CSB) gives us insight here:

²⁶In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us^, with inexpressible groanings. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

This kind of prayer does not originate in our imagination but in the mind of God.
A few years ago, the Houston Astros were found guilty of stealing the signs of other teams.
Not only did the Astros have a great season, they won the World Series.
It’s much easier to hit a pitch when you know what’s coming.
The Apostle Paul says we can PRAY according to the mind of the Spirit and the WILL of GOD.
We are invited to pray according to God’s will, and yet we do not take advantage.
Why not?
Because we are freaked out about spiritual praying.
What does it sound like?
Paul says it sounds like groanings and a language we do not understand.
I get why we feel this way.
First of all, the spiritual realm scares most of us.
Second, many of us were taught that spiritual prayer and praying in tongues is wrong, confusing, or not for you.
So, over the years, we have developed an aversion to anything that comes close to praying in the Spirit.
Here is how I understand it:
If you offered me the most amazing Wagyu burger, cooked to perfection, with cheese and bacon, and that burger was a $100 burger, but if you put mustard on it, I’m going to pass.
Why? Because you added an ingredient that I do not want.
If I could offer you the kind of prayer that the Apostle Paul is talking about, without it being too spiritual or involving tongues, you would bite.
But most of us have an aversion to speaking in tongues.
But listen to what Paul told to the church in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 14:14–15 (CSB)

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding.

D. Paul distinguishes between praying with his natural tongue and praying in the spirit.
Paul distinguishes between singing with our mind, our understanding, and with the Spirit.
This is not an either/or situation but a both/and.
Here is my recommendation:
This afternoon or tonight before bed, get alone for a few minutes, just you and the Holy Spirit.
And tell yourself and the Spirit, “I want all God has for me.”
And then give yourself room and time to pray with both your mind and your Spirit.
Although this seems unnecessary and “extra”, Paul says we are to pray this way WITH EVERY PRAYER AND REQUEST.

3. Pray in the Spirit with every prayer and request

Most of us triage our prayers.
We assume that because our resources are limited, we need to share only the most important prayer requests with God.
We don’t want to “bother” Him.
We are scared that we come across as the main character in the old video by Rex Stevens: “It’s me again, Margaret.”
We don’t want to waste our “one miracle” on something frivolous.
Many of us do not pray in the Spirit with every prayer and request because we project our weaknesses upon God.
Not only do we stumble over praying “in the Spirit,” but we also struggle with “every prayer and request.”
This should be good news:
We should be thankful that we can bring everything to God in prayer.
But too many of us feel like we are bothering God when we do what He invited us to do.
3. We think we are being thoughtful, considerate, mature, and responsible by not bringing everything to God in prayer when in reality, we are being disobedient.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

⁷Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Is there anything that “all” and “every” excludes?
And when we pray in the Spirit, we can be assured we are praying in the perfect will of God.

Close: Prayer

This morning, I want to lead all of us in prayer for both small requests and large.
Have you ever avoided praying about something because you thought it was too small for God to care about? Today, let’s take a moment to bring even those small things before God in prayer and trust that He is capable of handling them.
Let’s also bring those BIG, insurmountable requests to God as well.
And if you have never prayed in the Spirit, why don’t you practice?
Let’s all be open to what God wants to say and do in and through us.
Prayer.

May 21, 2023 Stand in the Armor of God

Paul RichardsonMay 21, 2023

Message 24 Christ’s Weapons for the Church

Message 24:Christ’s Weapons for the Church.

5.21.23

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 6:10–20 (CSB)

CHRISTIAN WARFARE

¹⁰Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. ¹³For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. ¹⁴Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, ¹⁵and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. ¹⁸Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. ²⁰For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Introduction: War, not peace.

The nature of this world does not permit peace.
As soon as sin entered humanity, we were put at enmity, or hostility, with God.
This hostility is our default condition:

Ephesians 2:1–3 (CSB)

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins ²in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. ³We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

James 4:4b–5 (CSB)

⁴You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility (enmity) toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. ⁵Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?^,

The writers of the New Testament often viewed their world in an “Us Vs. Them” mindset.
Church versus the World.
Christ vs. Satan.
Righteousness against Sin.
When people accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Ruler of this world fights against them.
This is clearly evident each time we take a step of faith and devotion.
Try to spend time in prayer, the phone always rings.
Set time to worship, and the dishes suddenly call out to be washed or you have an irresistible drive to clean out the garage.
Start leading your family, a child rebels.
Start loving you spouse like Christ loves them, your spouse is all of a sudden meaner and angrier than ever.
These small skirmishes are actually representative of a far larger battle raging in the spiritual.
And it’s not in the background, out of sight, but in the forefront for all to see if they will pay attention.
To be honest, if we had a play-by-play announcer reading the Book of Revelation aloud, we might pay better attention.
We think we would notice the Beast or the AntiChrist.
But what if I told you that the spiritual warfare happening now is just as real as what we read about what happens at the end of it all?
The Apostle Paul wasn’t preparing the Churches for a future fight but for a present one.

1. First, we have to be convinced there is a real, spiritual enemy.

Just like in everything, there are extremes even within the Church.
Some people do not believe there is anything spiritual.
We believe that there is a heaven and probably a hell.
But the reality of demons, spirits, or anything we can’t see is not really on our radar.
Then there are those who see demons and spirits behind everything.
These people are the ones that when they run out of gas, they rebuke the devil instead of putting gas in the tank.
(Picture) They are kind of like the fictional character Don Quixote, chasing and fighting windmills because he thought they were dragons.
Scripture does not give detailed descriptions of principalities, powers, rulers, or authorities.
Scripture gives some examples, like the Prince of Persia mentioned in Daniel or Jesus’ many confrontations with the demonic, along with Paul’s encounters with persecution and worldly systems.
We do not know all the intricate details.
Unlike the pagan religions of Paul’s day, there is not an elaborate cosmology in Christianity.
But we do have all the information and power needed to stand against these authorities and to resist Satan’s schemes.
Allow me to provide some pastoral encouragement and exhortation:
First, believe that a very real spiritual war is raging around us.
This war involves you and your family and every person, regardless if they are aware or not.
Just because we may choose to remain ignorant of this spiritual struggle, it does not negate its reality.
Second, spiritual warfare doesn’t end until Jesus returns.
Every generation contends with Satan and his schemes.
No one is exempt, and the struggle does not care about your age, ministry status, or if you are retired.
Third, be clear where Scripture is clear and vague where Scripture is vague.
There is a lot of extra teaching on spiritual warfare available.
Some are helpful, and some are speculation.
Always interpret EVERYTHING through the clear teaching of Scripture.
Human visions, teachings, and revelations do not have the weight of Scripture.
Paul warned us in Galatians 1:8

Galatians 1:8 (CSB)

⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!

2. The Armor of God

Paul mentions 6 pieces of armor.
Every person in the Roman Empire would have been very familiar with this armor.
It was the standardized kit for a Roman Legionary.
And the whole world knew what they looked like.
From Britain to Gaul, to Italy, to the Middle East, the world knew a Roman soldier when they saw them.
Furthermore, Paul was imprisoned in Rome under guard.
The Praetorian Guards were with Paul every moment of his stay.
Therefore, each day, Paul saw the physical, carnal pieces of these soldiers’ protection.
But these Roman soldiers are not what inspired Paul.
Paul is not using a human illustration.
We often, rightfully, take something human to help us grasp a reality.
But Paul’s teaching was not a moment of brilliance but an expression of an, already divine truth.
The believers in Ephesus wouldn’t have known Isaiah’s vision, but Paul did. Isaiah in or around 700 B.C wrote:

Isaiah 59:16–17 (CSB)

¹⁶He (God of Israel) saw that there was no man—

he was amazed that there was no one interceding;

so his own arm brought salvation,

and his own righteousness supported him.

¹⁷He put on righteousness as body armor,

and a helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,

and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

Paul isn’t being creative here.
He is saying what God had already said.
Now, he tells followers of Jesus to take advantage of the spiritual resources.

3. Complete protection.

The Roman soldier was protected from the top of his head to the sole of his feet.
He would have had a helmet, breastplate, sword, belt, shield, and sandals.
The key to Roman military success was not only their tools but also their tactics.
They fought grouped together, shoulder to shoulder.
When they remained together, they were a force to be reckoned with.
But if they became separated or fell, they were vulnerable.
This is likely what Paul had in view.
Individually, we are vulnerable.
If we do not stand strong, but fall, we will surely die.
Paul commands, after you have done everything, stand in the armor.
If we do not resist the onslaught of the enemy, we give way to the enemy.

1 Peter 5:8–9 (ESV)

⁸Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

James 4:7 (ESV)

⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The armor protects every part of us.
But our strength is only in Jesus.
Be strong in the Lord.
Too often we try to fight Satan in our own strength.
When we do, it’s like bringing a squirt gun to a five-alarm fire.
Maybe you are stronger and more disciplined than most:
So instead of a Dollar General squirt gun you bought the biggest super-soaker money can buy.
But even then, it is NOT enough.
The attacks and power of the enemy is real.
Outside of Christ, you will not survive.
If you brought your own armor, you won’t make it.
Trusting in your own power is like buying your weaponry and armor from Wish.com.
It’s cheap for a reason.

4. Christ provides the armor, we put it on.

None of these elements belong to us or originate with us:

1. Who’s truth? Christ’s truth.
2. Who’s righteousness? Christ’s righteousness
3. Whose Gospel of Peace? Christ’s
4. What faith? Faith in Christ alone.
5. Whose salvation? Christ’s salvation through His blood.
6. Whose sword of the Spirit? Christ’s, the word of God.

The Good News is that in Jesus, we do not have to fear falling or failing.
Notice, again, the words of Isaiah.

Isaiah 40:28–31 (CSB)

²⁸Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the whole earth.

He never becomes faint or weary;

there is no limit to his understanding.

²⁹He gives strength to the faint

and strengthens the powerless.

³⁰Youths may become faint and weary,

and young men stumble and fall,

³¹but those who trust in the Lord

will renew their strength;

they will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not become weary,

they will walk and not faint.

The armor does not prevent attacks; it protects from attack.
Does this mean that nothing bad will happen to me?
No.
It does mean that nothing the enemy of our soul tries can accomplish his purpose of separating us from Jesus.
If you want to take the armor off, that’s on you, but Satan cannot take it off of you.
Christ provides, but we put on.
I like this quote from Eugene Peterson:

The labeling of each of the six aspects of the practice of resurrection with an item of armor helps us realize that this life in Christ is not made up of passive qualities; rather, each one forms a field of participation in Christ’s work of redemption. The words are not job descriptions from which we improvise a strategy and then implement the best we can. We are the weapons. Who we are takes precedence over what we do. (Peterson 3003-3006)

We are the weapons!
Armor and weapons sitting in the corner are not effective.
But when put on the body and in the hands of trained persons, they become mighty.
Paul tells us to PUT ON THE ARMOR.
How do we put on?
Some people mentally picture themselves putting each piece on.
For some that may be a helpful.
How many of us have a checklist before leaving the house?
Keys, wallet, cell-phone, lunch, all the kids, makeup, brush teeth, deodorant.
You could also consider a checklist for yourself:
For myself, a filter metaphor works better for me.
Because all of these pieces, except Scripture and prayer, are defensive, it helps me to remind myself to “take captive every thought” and to filter them through.
When I’m tempted to believe my righteousness is what got Him here, I “take off” that piece of armor and look at the tag inside, which says “plate of righteousness, property of Jesus Christ.”
When I’m struggling with truth or discerning what to believe, I check the “belt” I’m wearing to ensure it says, “truth, property of Jesus.”
The belt is important because it was the piece that supported the weight of all the other pieces, tied those pieces together, and was worn even when the armor was not.
If we separate ourselves from God’s truth as revealed in Jesus through Scripture, we fall apart.

Apply: How do I stay in the fight?

Next weekend, my friend Ty Buckingham will be sharing more about the Holy Spirit.
The week after, we will examine Paul’s direction to pray in the Spirit at all times.
We will be addressing several practical ways to implement this.
What do we do today?
Confess: I’m in a fight.
Wartime mentalities are different from peacetime mentalities.
We see, act, hear, and think differently in battle than at home.
That is why we must confess, “I’m in a fight!”
Tell your mind where your strength comes from:
Even if your body is tired, the Spirit of God that lives in you isn’t.
Even if you have faltered lately, Jesus hasn’t missed a step.
Satan isn’t scared of you, but Christ in you.
Plan on overcoming the attacks of the enemy.
If you plan to lose, you lose.
Time and again, the New Testament promises blessings to those who endure and overcome.
This is only possible through Jesus, but you have a part to play.
To stand, full in the armor of God, is your responsibility.

Message 23 Be Strong and Stand! Ephesians 6:10-20

Paul RichardsonMay 14, 2023

Click here for a PDF version of Pastor Paul Richardson’s sermon: ->Message 23 Be Strong and Stand

Message 23: Be Strong and Stand

Ephesians Series

5.14.23

Ephesians 6:10–20 (CSB)

CHRISTIAN WARFARE

Introduction. Ephesus existed at the crossroads of the demonic and the Gospel.

As people came and went through the city, one thing was sure:
They would be confronted with the powers of light and the powers of darkness.
They would encounter warfare and wrestle against “principalities and powers in heavenly places.”
Everyone who stayed in Ephesus would have to confront these powers, first for themselves, second for their families, and third for their community.
There is no middle ground in Ephesus.
Paul wraps up his letter with the final theme: Stand.
First, we are to Sit
Then, Walk
Finally, Stand
It seems appropriate that this message lands on Mother’s Day and graduation.
Mothers and grandmothers are called to be a line of defense against those who intend harm for their children.
With weapons spiritual and physical, the mother’s instinct to protect her kids, her cubs, is God-given.
The enemy of our souls knows that the surest way to bring a woman down is to go after her kids.
Graduates, this message is also appropriate.
You are being launched into a dangerous world.
You have already encountered spiritual warfare.
And in the days to come, you will encounter even more.
Graduates, moms, dads, and all believers are called to stand and be strong in the Lord.

1. Stand.

I think all of us can be territorial.
If a kid is at a table in their classroom and someone comes and sits in their seat, an argument or fight often starts.
Seniors in high school often have a “senior row” where underclassmen can’t park: it’s their spot.
Every dad, or male over the age of 23, has their favorite “chair” that is their spot.
We all tend to be territorial, wanting to be established in our “spot” or space.
Where are we called to stand? What is our spot?
Vs. 10 says, “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
Many of us practice this different from what it says:
We read “be strong,”… and then fight, fuss, and fume in our own strength, forgetting what comes next.
The preposition “in” tells us how we are to stand.
Prepositions “mark special relationships between persons, objects, and locations.”
We stand strong “in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
We are at our strongest when we are “in the Lord” and “in His strength.”
Of course, that’s easier said than done.
And now, Paul tells the believers to stand firm in their spot.
Notice, again, the progression:
Seated with Christ in the heavenly realm,
walking worthy of our calling.
And now, STAND

2. Where are we standing?

Before we can understand the ferocity of the fight, we need to know what’s at stake.
The context of Ephesians leads us to the reality of spiritual warfare.
There are spiritual battles being fought.
There is armor for us to put on.
A real enemy pulls the strings of systems, kingdoms, and ideologies.
Where are we called to stand?
Eugene Peterson describes it like this:

Stand firm in this place of blessing that we now inhabit. What can we hope to add to the blessings of God that have been lavished on us? Do we realize how unique this is and how refreshing it is to simply be blessed? And by God no less? In a world that confronts us with demands, criticism, misunderstanding, mistrust, manipulation, rivalry, getting and spending, lies and seductions, is there anything like this – sheer, unqualified blessing? Stand still and take it in. (Peterson 2893-2896)

Are we not called to stand in the presence and blessing of God?
Are we not positioned to be standing in the place of victory, power, authority, and righteousness?
So why are we willing to give it up so easily?
I believe the enemy knows the strategic value of where believers are called to stand better than we do.
When we don’t know the real value of something, we sell short.
Satan has done a great job of convincing believers that what God has given them isn’t as valuable as it really is.
It’s as if believers are taking the family jewels to the pawnshop or selling them in a junk sell.
We are being convinced that the position God has given us isn’t worth as much as it really is.
The result?
We don’t stand as strong as we should.
We give ground when we should gain ground.
We need more men and women who know what and where God has placed them, and to stand strong in the Lord’s strength.
We need believers who will say, That’s my spot.
That’s my place.
That’s my blessing.
That’s my inheritance.
That’s my child.
That’s my spouse.
That’s what God has given me, and I will not give it up.
And Christ, in His infinite mercy, has given us the tools not to be moved by the enemy’s schemes.
This is where the spiritual armor comes in.
We have not been left vulnerable or without the tools necessary to survive and stand.

3. Fighting a weakened enemy.

The Apostle Paul does not prepare the believers in Ephesus for peace but for war.
There are many in Christianity who want to take the blood and the warfare imagery out of Scripture.
But that is not the reality believers face.

¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. ¹³For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

Ephesus was a secure Roman city.
It was protected by the might of Rome.
It is likely that there were very few veterans in the Church of Ephesus.
Yet, each believer was accustomed to the spiritual battle that raged in the city for the heart and soul of the people.
The most important battle we all face is spiritual.
Our enemy puts on human faces, and human ideologies, and organizes human systems.
But real warfare has spiritual origins.
One author said, “We need deliverance from evil that doesn’t look like evil, evil that we are not likely to recognize as evil.” (Peterson, 2942)
The Good News is that the enemy has already been weakened.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the city of Colossae:

Colossians 2:14–15 (CSB)

¹⁴He (JESUS) erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.^,

This is what Christ has done for us through the cross.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus disarmed these principalities and powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness.
They are still real, and still active, and still threatening.
However, their power has been undermined.
Like a dog with no teeth,
A lion with no claws,
A snake with no fangs,
They can threaten and bark, charge and hiss, but they do not have the power they once had over believers.
But this only applies to those who are standing in Christ.
I found this explanation helpful:

…how can disarmed powers still constitute a threat? The answer is that they constitute no threat to those who are united by faith to the victorious Christ and avail themselves of his resources, the resources which are here described metaphorically as “the panoply of God.” But to those who neglect those resources, and especially to those who are disposed to give them some room in their lives, they continue to present a threat.^[1]

Apart from Christ, these powers are still very potent.
Apart from Christ, no human alive has the strength to withstand the attacks and temptations of Satan.
The enemy may be defeated, but he is taking many with him.
Satan is disarmed but not powerless.
Again, victory is only for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS.
Next week we will look at the 6 pieces of protection Christ has given us.

4. Some hills are worth dying on.

In Ephesus, upon the most prominent hill, stood the Temple of Artemis.
But down, where the people lived, there was a Church being birthed.
As these people worshipped Jesus, they could have this confident boldness:
That someday, every knee would bow and every person confess that Jesus was Lord.
Artemis didn’t win.
The Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was destroyed by 401 AD.
Today, only a few fragments remain in the modern-day country of Turkey.
The Emperors are long since dead, relegated to history’s pages.
But this Jesus is high and exalted and worthy of all praise.
It was not on the hills that celebrated a Greek god or a Roman emperor that changed the world.
But the hill called Mount Calvary.
It was there that the blood of Jesus was shed to provide forgiveness for you and me.
It was there that our enemy realized its defeat.
Don’t die on every hill, but be willing to stand strong where it matters most.
Moms and Grandmas:
Some battles are not worth it.
But fighting for the souls of your kids, family, friends and neighbors IS worth it.
So don’t stop now.
Every person needs a praying mom and grandma.
But so many do not have that spiritual prayer warrior in their life, so YOU be that person.
Graduates:
Your future is in front of you, and that’s exciting.
But if you walk into that future only in your strength, experience, or expertise, you will not make it.
You need the Lord’s help and strength, and He has made that readily available to you if you will ask.
Just remember that not every opportunity, choice, decision, or struggle is equal.
But those that involve sin and righteousness matter more than you understand now.
So don’t die on every hill, but be willing to risk it all on those hills that matter to Jesus.

Close: Prayer for Spiritual strength.

I know today is Mother’s Day and we have several guests today.
Something we do almost every week is take a few minutes at the end to pray publicly and with each other.
Today, I want to lead us in a time of prayer for lost and hurting loved ones.
For our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, and spiritual children.
We want to pray for them to come under the blessing and protection of Jesus, who has disarmed the powers and rendered them ineffectual.
I also want to pray for all of us to remain strong in the Lord.
This season has been incredibly hard.
And it may seem like you can’t keep going on.
So I want us to pray for each other to remain strong and standing for ourselves and our families.

Prayer.

^[1] Bruce, F. F. 1984. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Sermon Notes

Body of Death: Romans 7:14–25

Christians and the Law: Romans 7:7–13

Someone Must Die Romans 6:20–7:6

I cant choose to be a slave, but I can choose my master: Romans-6:15-23

Are We Dead Yet? – Romans 6:1–11

Who is telling your story? – Romans 4:13–25

Finding God in Unexpected Places – Romans 4:1–12

A New Kind of Equal – Romans 3:21–26

No one righteous, including You – Romans 3:1–20

By the Spirit, not the Knife – Romans 2:25-29

You Call Yourself a Christian – Romans 2:17-24

Romans 2:1-12 Where is your obedience?

Romans 2 The Hammer of Righteousness

Romans 1:18-32: A Glory Problem

The Cross: Wrath or Righteousness Romans 1:18-32 Part 2

The Cross: Wrath or Righteousness Romans 1:18-32 Part 1

Romans Chapter 1:16-17 Not Ashamed

Romans Chapter 1: 8-15

Romans Part 2: I Know you are, but What am I?

Romans Part 1: I Know you are, but What am I?

Easter Sunday: Nicodemus and the Gift of a Royal Burial

Silent Saturday: Songs in the Night

Good Friday: The Psalm of the Cross

Embracing a New Kind of King John 3 – Week 2

Drawing Near to Jesus Passion Week 1

3/10/24 Foundations for Eternity

2/25/24 Foundations 3 Laying on of hands Part 3

2/18/24 Foundations 3 Laying on of hands Part 2

2/11/24 Foundations 3 Laying on of hands

1/28/24 Foundations

Southern MO License Orientation January 18, 2024

1/7/24 Repositioning: A Radical Re-Orientation

The Spirit, the Church, and the People of God

12/24/23 Out of Exile, the Promise of Christmas

12/10/23 Out of Exile, the PRomise of Christmas part 3

12/3/23 Out of Exile, the Promise of Christmas. Matthew 2, Micah 5

11/26/23 Out of Exile, the Promise of Christmas

11/19/23 Portraits of a Prophet 10. 2 Kings 2

11/12/23 Portraits of a Prophet (A Mighty but Weary Prophet)

11/5/23 Portraits of a Prophet #8

October 29, 2023 Portraits of a Prophet 7: Elijah

October 8, 2023 Portraits of a Prophet 6

October 1, 2023: Portraits of a Prophet 5

9/24/23 Sermon Notes

License Orientation, August 17, 2023

August 13, 2023 Portraits of a Prophet 3

Portraits of a Prophet Message 2

Portraits of a Prophet: 1 Kings 17:1-4

Moving from Despair to Action. Psalm 119:24-32

1. The Psalmist is moving from despair toward action.

How do we move from despair to action?

2. We must believe that God is Good.

3. We must invest ourselves in God’s Word and God’s presence.

Apply: Put your life in Jesus’ hands.

“Help Me Understand!” Psalms 119:24-32

A-Z God is Good. Psalm 119:25-32 part 1

Psalm 119:25-32

From A-Z, God is Good

Introduction:

Introduction to the Text

TEXT

Three Comments from Vs. 25-26

1. Psalm 119 is both Wisdom and Lament.

2. Psalm 119 expresses a longing for God’s Word.

3. Psalm 119 is the Psalm of Pentecost

2 Questions

Question #1: Does your life feel like you are down in the dust?

Question #2: Have you asked to be revived?

Invitation: Notice the Invitation.

Dad Advice that Really Matters

Dad Advice that Really Matters

Introduction: A world in need of Fatherly advice.

1. Listen to godly teaching and instruction. 1-2

2. Value loyalty and faithfulness. 3-4

3. Trust in the Lord. Vs. 5-6

4. Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Vs. 7-8

5. Honor the Lord with your possessions. 9-10

6. Do not despise the Lord’s instructions. 11-12

Close: As we close, I believe the best thing we can do this morning is to pray for the men in the room.