Journey Acts 14:21-28
Paul was sent by God on four missionary journeys. He and several companions traveled through the known world proclaiming the word of God and the work of Christ Jesus. While I am not comparing myself to Paul as I look back at my life I see the journey that God has taken me through.
I was raised in a religious home, but as I entered my twenties I had questions that weren’t being answered and I left the church. But I can now see that God never left me. Several times he sent someone into my life that talked to me about him. I remember on one business trip one of the other people there talked to me and asked if I wanted to accept Christ. I declined but God still didn’t walk away.
God brought Jen into my life twenty years ago, she is a woman of great faith, who started me thinking of God. Twelve years ago I was flipping through the channels and came across a minister preaching on TBN, why I stopped and listened to him I don’t know. He was preaching on Romans 3:22, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” I went to the Bible to look it up, actually I wanted to prove him wrong; surprise, he was right. In that moment it was as if God thumped me between the eyes and said, “Enough, I’ve waited for you long enough.” I prayed right there for Jesus to come into my life and offered my life to him, do to my own insecurities I prayed this again with my Pastor and friend several months later.
Right from that first moment things changed. I suddenly had a great desire to learn more. As I researched on line God kept leading me to seminary sites, and I just skipped over them. We were helping our son pay for college, I worked full time; but one by one God pushed my excuses aside and I went to seminary.
It was about this time through a series of acquaintances I met two people who helped me a great deal and I consider good friends to this day. Ken who spent hours talking to me about Christ and Pastor Pete who answered every question I had. It was Pastor Pete who gave me the opportunity to give my first message to his fellowship, I remember gripping the stand I had my notes on so tight my hands hurt.
Later, again through a series of events, acquaintances, friends I was introduced to Bud and Heidi and the rest of the 1st Congregational Church and it felt like a hand in a glove.
God led me on this journey to this point and the friends I made along the way and the people in this fellowship enrich my life.
As I read and study the Bible I see how God has taken us all on a journey and the joy of it is it’s all written down. The Old Testament is like when I went to seminary; a series of instructions and events to teach us about God’s personality and plans.
In Genesis, right at man’s fall; Genesis 3:15, “And I will pit enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers, he will crush your head and you will strike at his heel.” A child, a son of a woman will be born to crush Satan, and even though Satan may strike our heel, cause us problems, we who accept Christ will never be separated from God.
The first Book of the Bible gives us a shadow of the last book. Noah and the flood shows us that God will wipe away what is now and those who believe will be saved in God’s true Ark; Jesus, to walk in a new world. Revelations 21:1, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first…had passed away.’
Exodus shows us God will accomplish what he told the serpent in Genesis. As Moses was sent to lead the Israelites out of the bondage of slavery, God will send his emissary to lead men out of the bondage of sin. The Ark of the Covenant shows us this envoy and what he will do. Made of wood and gold, it represents man and God as one. Its contents; the stone tablets, manna and Aaron’s staff, representing man’s sin, his refusal to see God’s blessings and man’s rejection of God’s messengers; a picture of Jesus embracing us, pulling us into himself even well aware of our transgressions.
How will he accomplish this? Exodus 21:6 is a shadow of Jesus passion, “But if the servant declares ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free’, then his master must take him before the judges, he will take him to the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be a servant for life.” Jesus who loves God the Father and us so much he allowed God to lead him to be judged by Pilate and then to the cross to be pierced by a spear and nails. Now he lives in heaven for all eternity.
David, Sampson, Jonah, Ruth, Joseph; they all have lessons to teach us but I’ll leave these alone or we’ll be here three hours.
The Gospel accounts of Jesus life show us how things have changed because of the cross. The first miracle of Moses is when he changed the water of the Nile into blood bringing death. Someone always asks me about Aaron’s staff turning into a snake which does happen first but since it was Aaron’s staff I don’t see it as Moses’ first miracle. Anyway, the first miracle of Jesus is at a wedding, turning water into wine; a miracle celebrating life. The old covenant brings death through the law, the new covenant brings life through Christ Jesus.
Exodus 3:5, “God said, ‘Take off your sandals for the place you are standing is holy ground.’” Under the old covenant we are unworthy to stand before God as we are. Luke 15:21-22, “The son said to him, ‘Father I have sinned against heaven and you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick, bring the best robe and put it on him, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.’” Under the new covenant, by admitting we sin, asking forgiveness; we are able to stand before God.
On that first Resurrection Sunday the stone was rolled away and Jesus walked out of his tomb. I always asked why move the stone? Jesus could have just appeared outside the tomb like he appeared in a room with his disciples. John 20:26, “Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them.”
The stone which represents the law written on stone, the Ten Commandments, is rolled aside. Now this does not mean we can ignore the Commandments; but as the faithful the stone; the law, cannot condemn us to death. We will walk out of the grave as Jesus walked out of his.
This reminds me of John 8:3-5 “The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and …said to him, ‘Teacher…the Law of Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’”
Jesus response used to confuse me, John 8:6, “But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger.” But then I remembered Exodus 31:18, “…the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.” When you look at the paintings of this scene by Rembrandt and Valentin de Boulogne and others they all show Jesus standing on stones or cobblestones. Jesus is not writing in the dust, he’s drawing his finger across the stone. He’s telling the Pharisees, don’t tell me about the law, I wrote it. And by his forgiveness of this woman he shows us that through him God’s mercy is above the condemnation of the law.
Again, there is so much more in the Gospels but it’s time to move on.
The Old Testament tells us God’s plan for dealing with our sin through his son Jesus. The Gospels; among other things, show us how the world changed through Jesus at the cross. And then Paul’s letters show us how we are to respond to the salvation offered and given through Christ.
2 Corinthians 13:11, “Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.” Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good…” Ephesians 5:1-2, “Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example…and walk in the way of love…” Colossians 3:12, “Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Paul tells us to love others as Jesus loves us. Jesus put it this way in Mark 12; love God above all else, love your neighbor above yourself.
As Christians we should not sugar coat God’s word but we should recognize we are sinners and God’s grace and mercy are given through our faith, trust and acceptance of Christ. No one born is beyond redemption. I use the example of David Burkowitz; Son of Sam. He killed several people in the 1970’s. Years later, serving a life sentence, depressed and suicidal another inmate gave him a Bible. David read it and found Psalm 81:7, “In your distress you called and I rescued you…”
David gave his life to Christ and now leads others to Christ, and he has a seat at God’s table in heaven. And to those who said to me that this isn’t fair after what he did I say, God is not in the fair business, he’s in the Holy business.
It angers me when people say you can’t be a Christian if you vote a certain way, you’re going straight to hell if you live a certain way. That doesn’t matter to God; whether you accept Christ or not, that matters to God; David Burkowitz story shows us this.
And last, as always, if anyone has questions about their walk with God or where their life is with Christ, please see me. We will look at scripture and talk, no condemnation, no accusation.
Thank you all for being here, God bless you all.