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Matthew 10: 32-39 Jesus taught some things which are difficult (not impossible) to understand. Jesus taught some things which are difficult (not impossible) to accept. Jesus taught some things which are difficult (not impossible) to do. Our text here is one such teaching. The basic thrust of this teaching is that Jesus must be first on our lips, first in our love and first in our lives. He allows for no rivals and refuses to share first place in our hearts. The confessing which He mentions is not a person’s “confession” before being baptized. This would be the every day confessing of a Christian in which Jesus is acknowledged as one’s Lord and given credit for the great and good things which happen in a person’s life. I wasn’t “lucky,” and I didn’t “catch a break.” It wasn’t me, alone, that did that kind deed, but the Lord working in me. The love which Jesus calls for is one of devotion. We are to love family and others in our lives, but we must be devoted to Him first of all. If my family is drawing me away from Jesus, I must deny them. If my family is failing to follow Him, I must be strong for Him to call them back. His name is above every other. The life which I live must be devoted to Him. This does not mean that I must be a missionary, a preacher or a Bible class teacher. It does mean that my thoughts, words and actions must be tempered by the Word of God so as to bring Him glory and further His kingdom. Jesus must be first in hearts and in all parts of our living because He is first! He is the Anointed One (Christ) of God, the firstborn from the dead, the last Adam, Head of the church, King of kings and Lord of lords, Ruler of the kings of the earth, Redeemer, Savior, Master, High Priest, Son of Man, Son of God... There is no other! Through such devotion, such love for Him, Jesus will consider us worthy of Him. Now that is something I find difficult to comprehend.

2 Corinthians 11:12-15 It is one of the major strengths of the devil - his deceitfulness. Paul tells us that he even disguises himself as an angel of light! So he writes that we should not be surprised that those who serve the devil and the flesh also engage in similar stratagems. Those who traffic in evil deeds and wicked activities will always try to downplay the bad by presenting pleasant-sounding arguments and euphemisms to attract the uninformed and unsuspecting. Consider that what used to be called a bar or beer-joint is now smoothly labeled a pub or lounge. They might even dish up good food. Such places have “happy hour” and serve drinks with attractive names such as margarita, black Russian and pink lady. Magnanimously they encourage you to “drink responsibly” and try to blame shift by preaching “friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” But never is mentioned the associated hang-overs, OVI’s, broken homes, battered wives, lost jobs, traffic injuries and deaths, addiction woes... And certainly no word is ever breathed that drunkenness and revelry are sins which will cause a person to forfeit eternal life. Similarly, gambling of all sorts now parades under the banner of casinos, gaming resorts and race tracks. We are told such ventures provide jobs in the community, and the lottery (run by the state) provides money for seniors’ programs, schools, etc. Why, you might “hit it big” and have all of your own financial problems taken care of. “You can’t win if you don’t play!” Recently, betting on sporting events has been legalized. So now instead of rooting for your favorite team to win, you might be hoping they lose so you can win money! How’s that for twisting things up?! Broken homes, hungry children, unpaid bills, bankruptcies - these are never mentioned. The world knows how to “sell” greed and the love of money. We could cite others. Just beware! When something is being made to look and sound really good, too good, take a closer look and listen more carefully. You will probably hear the hiss of a serpent.

Acts 16:11-15 We tend to avoid “sticky” texts. By that I mean those texts which don’t easily allow a straight forward explanation, and may even seem to contradict other texts and some of our own interpretations of other parts of scripture. Lydia’s story is one such. We find her among the women in Philippi who met on the Sabbath to pray. The text says she was “a worshiper of God” which means she was a Gentile who had come to believe in and worship the Lord God. Paul and his companions who were looking for the usual place of prayer down by the river found themselves among this assembly of women. Paul begins speaking to them, and from the context we conclude that his subject turned to the gospel of Christ. The text tells us that Lydia was listening to Paul’s teaching. So far, so good. This is the usual way things happen with the gospel. A person hears it taught, believes and makes the decision to obey (or not). But there is a “sticky” part to Lydia’s story. We are told by Luke that “the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” All of the major translations have “opened.” What do we make of this? Did this violate Lydia’s free will? Was this the direct operation of the Holy Spirit apart from the word of God? What actually did the Lord do with her heart? To seek an answer, let’s look at Luke 24:45. After Jesus’ resurrection, the Lord was trying to explain what had happened with Him, but the disciples are having a hard time “getting it.” So we read that “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures...” They wanted to understand but were having trouble doing so. So Jesus provides help for them to understand. No overriding of free will here. The key is that they wanted to understand and needed help to do so. Lydia evidently is trying to grasp the gospel presented by Paul but can’t quite understand it. So the Lord supplies the understanding which is needed. She then makes the decision to be baptized. This explanation seems to fit. What do you think?

2 Timothy 2:2 As you recall, we began our “Men’s Group” with our first two sessions last fall followed by two more sessions in the winter of this year. We met on Saturday morning, which was fine, but that had some disadvantages, namely conflict with work schedules and other activities usually reserved for the weekend. So, we’ve made a change. We’re going to schedule our Men’s Group on the fifth Sunday of every month which has five Sundays. This should avoid most of the scheduling conflicts just mentioned. It will also spread the sessions throughout the year and provide better continuity. This will replace our fellowship time usually scheduled that particular evening. We can vary the start time for any session depending on the desires/needs of the group - 4:00, 5:00, 6:00pm, etc. The format will be basically the same: two parts with a break in between. As usual, we will have some snacks and beverages available. Paul wrote Timothy: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” With leadership in the home and in the church having been entrusted to faithful men, it is imperative that we supply the basic teaching about this leadership and help develop the heart and skills necessary to be godly husbands and fathers; elders and deacons; preachers and teachers. To be able to lead in prayer and serve in other parts of the worship. In short, to become men of God made in the likeness of His Son. We read in Proverbs (27:17): “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” We experienced this in our previous sessions, and it was very encouraging. As we learn from Scripture, are led by the Spirit and draw upon the experiences of one another, let us grow together into the men of God which our Lord wants us to be. Our next session will be scheduled for September 29. Please keep this in your prayers, brothers and sisters as well. If you have suggestions for subjects to be covered, please see Jeff.

Proverbs 3:1-8 When we were children (Can you remember that far back?), our parents used to teach us, train us and warn us about the good and the bad in life. In short, they imparted to us their wisdom, and it came in many forms about many things. Drink your milk. Be careful of stray dogs. Brush your teeth. Don’t play with matches. Stay off the railroad tracks. Come straight home. Don’t fight with your brother. Tell the truth. Having your memory jogged you can recall others especially meaningful to you I’m sure. If we were blessed to become parents (even grandparents), we in turn passed on our parental wisdom to our children and continue to do so. Taking this thought into the realm of our spiritual lives, we are reminded that we are our heavenly Father’s children, and that He continues to instruct us to the end of our days. Too many people, though, think that when they “become adults” and get out on their own that they no longer need guidance. Such thinking is a severe misunderstanding of the human condition and leads to numerous heartaches and problems as well as forfeiture of eternal hope. God instructs us through Solomon (see our text) not to forget His teaching and to keep His commandments. He says that kindness and truth should be written on our hearts. Our trust must be completely in the Lord and not in our own understanding. We must acknowledge God in all our ways, fearing Him and turning from evil. As children, we didn’t always listen to our parents, and we usually paid the price in more ways than one! My grandmother always said: “If they won’t listen, they’ll have to feel.” Hopefully we all learned from what we felt! As children of God, He promises us great blessings if we follow His wisdom: years of life, peace, favor with God and man, and straight paths (relatively smooth and direct) as we travel through life. Learn to listen to your Father’s wisdom. It will keep you from feeling much of the evil that’s in the world.

Matthew 27:46 It’s been another long and difficult night; four in a row. Wakeful. Strange dreams. Tears. Feelings of dread. No peace. You still can’t believe it happened. It doesn’t seem real. When you got the news, it was like a punch in the stomach. A stab in the heart. Energy drained right out of you. Your mind could not focus. Your life would no longer be the same. Questions still swirl. Why did this happen? Could I have done something to stop it? Where was God? Why didn’t He stop it? What should I do now? How will I be able to keep going? With dawn showing in the East, you decide to take a walk. Get some fresh air. Try to clear your head. Pray a little. It’s a cool morning, good for a walk, and the steady rhythm of your stride seems to calm you some. But you keep rehearsing everything in your mind. Before you head back, you decide to grab a coffee. As you approach the door of the convenience store, a voice comes from the bench in front: “Morning. How are you?” For some strange reason you decide to answer the young man truthfully. “Not so good. It’s been a rough few days.” “Want to talk?” The tone of his voice sounds genuine, and you are drawn to sit beside him on the bench. Before you know it, you are telling him everything that happened and all the questions in your mind. “I’ve had some rough patches in my life, too,” he offers. “And there was one time when I thought everything was over.” “How’d you get through it?” “My father took care of me.” “Well, my father can’t do much about this...” “Oh, I think He will,” he offers as he gets up to leave. “By the way, what’s your name?” You tell him yours, and then you ask, “What’s yours?”

John 3:1-8 As he stepped out into the dark, he felt the night chill and pulled his cloak tightly about him. He moved off down the street into the shadows. Here and there a beam of light from the crack in a door or shutter lit his path, but mostly all was gray and black. But he pressed on winding his way through the dim lanes and cluttered defiles toward the house to which he had been given directions. For several reasons it was never advisable to travel the streets of Jerusalem at night, but this was no time for the advisable. This was too important. He had to find out. The words of this man were wisdom and truth, and the signs he did were unquestionable and marvelous. Could he be the One? The Messiah? At last he reached the door of the house. He knocked, softly at first. No response. Then louder. Still nothing. Perhaps this was not the right place. Maybe they were just sound asleep. Perhaps he should come back another time. “No, too much is at stake. I need to know.” He pounded hard. “Who’s there?” came a voice from behind the door. “Nicodemus.” He hesitated. “I’m a member of...” “Yes, yes, we know who you are.” The voice had cut him off. “And who else is with you?” The voice sounded agitated. “No one. I’m alone.” “Who walks the streets of Jerusalem alone at night?” Then a noticeable pause. “What do you want at this late hour?” “I must speak with the Teacher Jesus of Nazareth.” “You and half of Jerusalem...” The voice tailed off. He waited in the dark. A chilly breeze had sprung up which kept grabbing at his cloak, but his thoughts were on neither the possible terrors lurking in the darkness nor the nip of the wind. At last the door swung inward. “Come in.” It was a different voice. And Nicodemus stepped into a room bathed in soft light and looked into a face with an “I’ve been expecting you” smile.

John 8:25 It is a question which needs to be answered by every human being. It isn’t necessarily an easy question to answer, not because there isn’t a correct answer or because the answer is difficult to discover. It’s because the answer challenges the very core of every person’s beliefs and forces us to take stock of our lives. Those who saw the wonders that Jesus did and heard His teaching were forced to ask this question: “Who are you?” This carpenter from Nazareth was indeed different. Incredibly different from all other men. When officers from the temple were sent to arrest Him (John 7:46), they were so taken by Jesus’ words that they came back and said, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” Jesus spoke boldly, lovingly and truthfully. His words went to the heart, challenged the mind and pricked the conscience. They brought both solemn warning and great hope. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ... Blessed are the poor in spirit ... You must be born again ... Do not worry ... Love your enemies ... Seek first the kingdom of God ... Be ready ... Take up your cross ...” Then there were the signs. That Jesus did great and powerful miracles was never disputed even by His enemies (John 11:47). The blind were given sight, the leper was cleansed, the lame walked, the demon-possessed were freed - even the dead lived again. The response to all of this? “A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. Many of them were saying, ‘He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?’ Others were saying, ‘These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?’” (John 10:19-21). Demons do only evil. Jesus did only good. Insane people, though perhaps brilliant at times, are terribly inconsistent. Jesus was ever balanced and controlled. The miracles which brought relief to multitudes are indisputable. So, what do we do? What do you do? What is the answer to “Who are you?” What is your answer?

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Recently, I purchased a three-book series detailing the history of the United States’ involvement in the European theater of World War II - over 1500 pages in all. World War II has been of great interest to me as far back as I can remember. We could speculate on why. Because Dad was an infantryman in the war? He told a few stories. Because there were a lot of movies and documentaries about the war when I was growing up? Because I built models of tanks and airplanes as a boy? Because I always liked history? Can such a thing be in your genes? Who can know for sure? Here’s my point. I could take that trilogy with my morning coffee and afternoon tea and go sit on the deck or in my recliner and let the world go by. I could be fully absorbed in them. Why does a person have a passion for anything? Flower gardening? Fishing? Knitting? Golf? Quilting? Video games? Running? Baking? Movies? Woodworking? Puzzles? Guns? Cars? Astronomy? Sports? Antiques? Et al...... Where is this going? I said I could take those books and disappear with them, BUT I DON’T! Why is that? Because the Lord has also blessed me with a love for Him and a love for the people in my life. And I can say, by His grace, that I love Him and my wife, my children, my grandchildren, the rest of my family, my brothers and sisters in Christ, my friends, etc. more than those history books. What we are talking about is maintaining the proper balance in life. We all have certain things we really enjoy doing. Paul wrote that God “richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” And so we should, for they are gifts from God. But John cautions (1 John 2:15-17) “Do not love the world nor the things in the world...” Things and activities and passions in life can consume us, drawing us away from the greatest blessings: our Savior and the people in our lives. So go ahead and curl up with that novel; grab your fishin’ pole; or whatever. But remember, these are gifts from your God.

Luke 4: 16-22 This week, our country will celebrate its Independence Day. We are truly blessed to live in these United States and enjoy the freedoms which we’ve had for over two centuries. We should never take any of our freedoms for granted nor forget the great cost which many paid so that we could have these liberties. Likewise, and even more so, we should celebrate always the freedoms which we have in Christ Jesus. Paul wrote: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free...” (Galatians 5:1). Early in His ministry at the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus read from Isaiah 61 which spoke of a coming “favorable year of the Lord.” It was an indirect reference to the year of Jubilee which occurred every 50 years and brought a “giant reset.” Debts were cancelled. Land was returned to its ancestral owners. Those who had been living in servitude were freed to return to their homes. This Isaiah prophecy concerned the Messiah and the great blessings which would come through Him. It is all about good news, freedom for the oppressed and release of captives. What are some of those freedoms which Christ our Lord has brought for those who are in Him? Freedom from the guilt of sin. Freedom from the power of sin. Freedom from condemnation. Freedom from law. Freedom from living in darkness. Freedom from the power of the devil. Freedom from the fear of death. Freedom from the second death. Freedom to live with hope. Freedom to live with joy. Freedom to live in peace. Can you name others? Live in the freedom of Christ! And remember that Jesus paid a precious price for our freedoms.

Matthew 27-57, - 28:1-4, 11-15 For the non-believer the missing body of Jesus presents an enormous problem. For the believer the missing body of Jesus is the ultimate proof for His claims to be the Son of God (Romans 1:4). Jesus was crucified by a Roman execution squad. Trained. Experienced. They knew their grisly business; they knew about dying and death. When the request came to hurry the deaths of those on the crosses, they verified that Jesus was dead (John 19:32-34). When removed from the cross, His body was placed in a tomb (Matthew 27:57-60). But the chief priests and Pharisees who had opposed Jesus were worried that His disciples would steal the body and proclaim that Jesus had risen from the dead. So they asked Pilate for some soldiers to guard the tomb (Matthew 27:62-66). Pilate granted their request. The tomb was sealed, and a guard posted. And they waited. At this point, what are the possibilities? 1) That Jesus wasn’t really dead. That He had survived the the crucifixion. That He revived, rolled the stone back from inside the tomb and escaped past the guards. If you believe that, I have a genuine Rembrandt I’d love to sell you - at a reduced price, of course. 2) That Jesus’ disciples somehow overpowered these Roman soldiers, moved the stone and stole the body. These would be the same disciples who all ran when Jesus was arrested and later were hiding behind closed doors for fear of the authorities. 3) That the guards really did fall asleep (every last one of them) as in their concocted alibi (Matthew 28:11-16). Noting again that these were disciplined Roman soldiers who were under severe penalty (probably death) if they fell asleep on duty, one can see the absurdity of this tale. 4) What’s left? That Jesus was raised from the dead just as the scriptures tell us!! So where is His body now? Why, He’s living in it!! Doesn’t that just thrill you to the depth of your soul?!!

Ephesians 6:4 God has laid it right at the feet of fathers (not mothers), and therefore He has laid this responsibility on their hearts. Of what am I speaking? “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” A few short words, but a great responsibility and no easy task. It takes a man to be a dad ... when it’s your turn to get up in the middle of the night to change a diaper. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you don’t go fishing with your buddies because your kids have a T-ball game. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you correct your child who is being disrespectful to her mother. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you play “fairy princess” with your four-year-old daughter. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you take the time to explain to your kids why you go to church. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you ground your teenage son for consistently breaking his curfew. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you give your teenage son a curfew. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you seize that “teaching moment” to tell your child the difference between right and wrong. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you pray freely and fervently in front of your children. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you save up money for your child’s education and not for your new set of golf clubs. It takes a man to be a dad ... when you praise your child for wanting to help out old Mrs Libmeier, and you didn’t even think about doing something for her. As a father, have you taken on this responsibility whole heartedly? Are you seeking God’s help in this great undertaking? He is with you every step of the way. You will be greatly rewarded.