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Acts 11:26 We have all seen them - personalized license plates. Perhaps you have them. People order these plates to particularly identify themselves or bring them some recognition as to who they are or what they do. Personal initials are popular. We also see such monikers as EMT, GRMMA, MOMTAXI, etc. We want folks to recognize us and to know something about us. Now where God is concerned, He does not need for us to tell Him anything about ourselves. Paul writes: “The Lord knows those who are His...” (2 Timothy 2:19). He knows those who are His sheep, and He knows all about each one of His sheep! Also, the Lord has given His people a name to wear by which they can be recognized. It is an honorable and noble name (James 2:7). It is the only name given in the New Testament for Jesus’ disciples to wear. It is the name CHRISTIAN (Acts 11:26). When worn by an individual the name Christian does two things. First, it glorifies Christ Jesus. He is honored in that this person has chosen to believe in Him and be one of His followers. Secondly, that person is recognized as one who belongs to Christ and has given themselves in service to God’s Anointed. In the early days of the church when there was violent persecution by the Roman authorities (often to death), the name Christian had great power. When the officers attempted to persuade believers to offer incense to Caesar and repeat “Caesar is Lord,” the frequent response to them was: “Christianus sum!” This simply translates, “I am a Christian.” That was their answer. It said it all. In some countries today, Christians are hated and persecuted. Even in our own country, people who wear the name Christian are despised by many because of what it stands for: a creator God who has given us a moral code, pro-life, man-woman marriage, etc. The name Christian is still powerful - powerful because of the Christ who stands behind it. Wear it with honor.

Matthew 11:15 The other day I was driving down our alley and came across a dangerous situation. A young man was cutting the grass in the back of the property between a fence and the alley. The strip of grass was not very wide so he had to keep stepping back into the alley in order to reposition the mower. Well, this isn’t such a bad situation as long as the person would keep checking for traffic. Here’s what made it dangerous. He had himself “plugged in!” With his ear buds in his ears and the mower roaring away, he could not hear me approach. I slowed down to a crawl, but he kept stepping back into the alley and never saw me. If I hadn’t been alert and extra cautious, I would have hit him. This brought to my mind Jesus’ words: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” This young man had his ears tuned to one thing and was unable to hear my vehicle approach. He did not have “ears to hear” something for which he should have been listening. Jesus’ warning is so true. We all have ears with which to hear, but so many people are just tuned in to certain things. They listen to their favorite music, to talk about their sports teams, hobbies, movies, etc., to those with their own political views, their favorite speakers, those who agree with them. But by and large God is turned out. Opposing views are tuned out. Anything challenging is tuned out. For some, anything different is tuned out. For many, they only hear themselves. Their ears hear only what they want to hear. Jesus means for us certainly to be listening for His voice, His words, and then take them to heart. If we have a closed mind to a new thought on a scripture, we will never hear it. If we have a closed mind to certain individuals, we will never hear their good words. If we are so tuned in to the world, we will not be in a position to hear Jesus when He calls for us to do something or wants to teach us some important truth. Don’t be plugged in. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Shirley and I enjoy going out for breakfast from time to time, and we have several restaurants which we visit when we choose to start our day this way. Recently, we went to one of our usual eateries for breakfast, but when we went in there was not a single booth or table available. It was totally packed! Since it was a small diner, and there wasn’t any place to wait for a table, we decided to go to another one of our regular stops. But that was the strangest feeling - as if the diner were saying: “There is no place for you here. You are not wanted. Go some place else.” This whole episode caused me to think of the kingdom of God, in particular the fact that the kingdom will never be full. There won’t be anyone standing at the door to say: “Sorry, no room.” There will always be room for more in the church of our Lord. Jesus gives us these words: “...the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” This would indicate that there is always room for “one more” in the kingdom, but it also indicates much more. He is saying that no matter what your situation or your background if you come to Jesus, He will welcome you. No matter what sins you’ve committed, no matter how many you’ve committed, no matter what kind of trouble you’re in at the moment, no matter how many problems you have, no matter if you’re into drugs or booze or porn or gambling - Jesus will not say “No!” He will say, “Come in.” This demonstrates the great love of our God to save every person. This demonstrates the great reach of the grace of God through the blood of Christ Jesus to forgive every sin. This demonstrates the determined will of the Father that He desires all people to be saved. Things are different where God is involved. Remember when Jesus came to the earth? How there was no room for Him and His parents in the inn? But now with Jesus, there is room, more than enough room, room for everybody! Thank you, Jesus.

Micah 7:18-20 By and large a great many people do not understand God. (I’m not trying to say that anybody fully understand's Him!) We hear it said, “God will get you for that!” In such ideas we are made to think that God lurks around corners and eavesdrops behind doors to catch us in some wrong - and that He enjoys doing so! The “eye watching you” becomes the “eye spying on you.” For others God is very distant and not much concerned with their daily affairs. He offers little help in life except maybe when a great tragedy occurs, and He can be roused from His divine remoteness by tears and cries of heartache. But are these views of God and others like them correct? Or has the devil done a good job in deceiving the world about the truth concerning God? What does the Bible say? In our scripture, the prophet Micah reflects upon Israel’s God. Israel has rarely been consistent in following God’s commands, acting immorally, unjustly and worshiping false gods of all sorts. God has every right to punish them (which He has done) and leave them mired in their sins. But because of Who He is, the Almighty cannot and will not abandon Israel! Micah recalls that God’s anger does not last forever. He reminds His readers that God delights in mercy (lovingkindness) and that He shows truth or faithfulness to His people. When God makes a promise, He will not go back on it. He is a God of compassion touched by the plight of those He loves. And, Micah asserts, this God pardons iniquity and passes over their rebellious acts. God does not overlook sin nor treat it lightly, but for those who are truly repentant, God is fully ready to forgive and welcome them home. And He won’t be dredging up those past sins in the future for “You will cast all their sins into thedepths of the sea.” Thank God for all His goodness and His grace shown to us in Christ Jesus! And remember: No fishin’!

Revelation 19:11-16 So He knocks on the door where the emperor was staying during his visit to Caesarea. The door opens; the Roman overlord scowls, and the visitor asks, “You Tiberius, the Roman emperor?” “That is who I am,” the Roman says. “And who are you?” “I’m Jesus of Nazareth.” “And what is your business here?” “I came to tell you that I have come to dismantle your empire—to bring it down in ruins.” “Talk like that will have you hanging on a tree!” said the most powerful man on the planet. Over his shoulder as he walked away the young Jesus said, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” “You say that now,” the emperor barked after Him, “but when we hang you up on that tree that’ll be the end of you.” Still over his shoulder the young Jewish prince shouted back, “Good luck with that! When I’m lifted up I will draw multiplied millions of people to me and into service in My kingdom while yours is in ruins.” “Talkers like you, poor little man, we’ve heard hundreds of you. Here today, gone tomorrow. Before long they’ll have forgotten your very name.” “You wish,” comes the reply, now from a distance and fading, “Millions will be singing, writing, speaking, praying and glorying in My name when you and your empire will be remembered only by its ruins and visited by tourists. I have seen empires like yours. Here today and gone tomorrow.” - Jim McGuiggan, The Irish Papers In Daniel’s visions of the four beasts and the Ancient of Days (chapter 7), the prophecy is made that the kingdom of “one like a Son of Man” will be everlasting. And so it will be. PRAISE HIM!!

Luke 18:35-43 It is a wonderful story. A true story. It is another in a long line of Jesus’ miracles, a demonstration of God’s working in Him and of His compassion for the oppressed of humankind. of which He had become a brother. (Take a moment to read our scripture.) The blind beggar hears the great stir and asks what it means. Jesus of Nazareth is coming. Somehow this man has heard of Jesus, His teaching and his miraculous healings, for he begins to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Son of David is a messianic phrase so this man is convinced that Jesus is the Messiah. Despite the sharp words of those walking in front (who, by the way, could easily “see” Jesus), the beggar continues to cry out his entreaty. We are pleased, rather thrilled, to see that Jesus stops and has the sightless man brought to Him for we realize that we are this blind beggar in need of help from our Savior. We are thankful that even those who are less than whole and forced to beg can have an audience with Jesus. And, yes, we are elated that his faith is rewarded (for he truly was walking by faith and not by sight), and Jesus restores his physical ability to see. But in our eagerness to know the outcome or perhaps in our complacency in already “knowing” the story, we tend to overlook what may be the most significant idea embedded in the whole event. Did you see it? What do you make of the question which Jesus asked the blind man: “What do you want Me to do for you?” Wasn’t it obvious that the man was blind? You didn’t have to be the Son of God to see that! Was Jesus being callous? Difficult? Or is this question (which, by the way, Jesus regularly poses to us) in order to get him to carefully consider what it is that he really wants? Too often we ask God for junk food when we should ask for the bread of life. We ask for trinkets when we could have the true riches. If you were ushered in before Jesus today and asked by Him “What do you want me to do for you?”, what would you answer?

Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus’ parable of the two sons called to work in their father’s vineyard demonstrates His brilliant use of parables and the often multi-leveled lessons which they can teach. Please take the time to read our text. The picture of the father coming to each of the sons and telling them to go work in the vineyard would be easy to remember, especially as it drew upon their agricultural economy and the long-held practice for the sons to participate in the family business. The first son refused to go but later regretted his decision and went to work. The second son agrees to go, but he never did. Jesus involves His listeners by asking them the simple question of “Which one of the two did the will of his father?” The answer is quite plain, and they give the correct answer as being the first son. With that having been established, Jesus explains the parable. The first son represents the tax collectors and sinners who were living as children disobedient to the law of Moses. But, when they heard John the Baptist’s call to repentance, they believed him, turned from their evil ways and began seeking the kingdom. The second son represents the chief priests and elders who appeared to be following Moses but failed to heed the call of John who was sent by the Father and whose coming was prophesied! This must have really rankled those religious leaders sitting there in their long robes. But we can draw other, more general truths, from this parable. Being in the kingdom requires us to “do” something. Mere talk doesn’t get it. And it requires us to do what the Father asks. We won’t be praised for tanning hides when vineyard work is expected. The Father allows for repentance. Making a wrong choice doesn’t nullify an opportunity to make the right choice later. However, the right choice must eventually be made. So each of us must make the personal application. “Which son am I?” “Am I doing vineyard work?”

1 Corinthians 15:58 From time to time, we get frustrated and disappointed in our serving the Lord. Things don’t work out like we thought they should. People don’t appreciate your efforts. Sometimes, we’re not even sure what to do!! This should not surprise us since we live in a broken world filled with sinful people. Paul’s words should be taken to heart, then, so we won’t give up: “...your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” Read and absorb the whole verse! So... Some folks are just grumpy - Say “Hello!” anyway Visits can be very difficult - Visit anyway Phone calls are often unproductive - Call anyway Some people avoid you - Seek them out anyway Your prayers seem to go unanswered - Pray anyway Many folks only talk about themselves - Listen anyway You rarely know if your card did any good - Send it anyway The needs keep arising - Give anyway Gloomers and doomers keep glooming and dooming - Encourage anyway Somebody’s always wandering away - Go get them anyway Sicknesses never seem to end - Minister anyway So few respond to the gospel - Tell it anyway It seems all the time somebody’s in trouble - Help anyway So many never seem to learn - Teach anyway Complainers abound - Engage them anyway The weak keep fainting - Lift them up anyway Sinners keep sinning - Forgive anyway Many are ungrateful - Serve anyway Evil is everywhere - Keep doing good anyway The world keeps hating - Love anyway The work seems endless - Keep working anyway You often feel defeated - Do it for Jesus anyway

1 Peter 2:4-5 Peter gives us the beautiful picture of the “spiritual house” of God being built “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the living corner stone on which the house of God is being built. He is tried, true and precious in the eyes of God. He is the perfect corner stone and foundation for this holy edifice. Each person who comes to Christ Jesus for salvation and service is laid as a “living stone” in God’s holy temple. They are being built together on the sure foundation of Christ. But be sure to note this: each one comes individually to Christ for cleansing and then is laid up as a living stone in this royal house. One at a time. One by one. Even when we read on Pentecost how three thousand were baptized into Christ (Acts 2:41), we must understand that they came and were added one at a time. Each person believed Peter’s message, personally repented and was baptized into Christ as an individual. One at a time God continued to add to His holy building (Acts 2:47). This is the way in which Christ’s church is built. This is the way a congregation is built. One soul at a time. This is a truth which must never be forgotten. People are saved as individuals. Each person comes to Jesus with certain beliefs, some true but some not. Each person has fears, concerns, doubts and problems. Each person has plans, hopes and dreams. Each person has ideas about what it means to be a Christian and how they should fit into the congregation’s service and fellowship. Some of these can be addressed thru pulpit preaching and Bible classes, but many cannot. They must be handled person by person. Congregation leadership must be particularly aware of the situation and needs of each new “stone” which is being built into the Lord’s temple. Individual instruction and encouragement are a must. Counseling may be needed. Each person must be cemented in with the mortar of love (lots of it) and purposefully brought into the fellowship. This is how a congregation is built: one stone at a time.

When David steeped forward in faith to fight the Philistine giant, King Saul offered his own armor to him, but David was unable to use it. He reverted to that with which he was familiar and already skilled - his sling. Choosing “five smooth stones” from the brook, David went out against Goliath. Much has been made of David’s five smooth stones. Some have explained them in a figurative sense as such things as faith, courage, righteousness, etc. I suppose that would make for a nice sermon. Others have suggested that there were other giants nearby (see 2 Samuel 21:18-22), and David was preparing himself should they show up. There is no indication in the text, however, that other giants besides Goliath stalked the ranks of this Philistine army. Sometimes we try to go so deep into a text that we overlook the obvious. What is happening, and what is David doing? He is preparing for this fight with the weapon he knows best. David is a shepherd and has used his sling on countless occasions to protect his flock from predators. Why does he go to the brook? Because he knows that you find smooth stones in a stream and ones of the right size for slinging. Why are the stones smooth? Smooth stones will fly straighter and with greater velocity than those with ragged edges. And now this question? Why five? If we didn’t already know the outcome of the contest, it would be easier for us to come up with this answer. He chose five because he had assessed the situation and knew that he might need more than one stone to bring down this giant! He was a huge man, a tough, seasoned warrior, and he had armor. David was just being practical as he prepared himself for this fight by insuring he had enough ammunition for the job! So in addition to trusting in our God, we also need to be ready to do God’s will like David. Paul reminds his readers (Titus 3:1) “to be ready for every good work”. Pantries and pocketbooks, Bibles and baptistries, hearts and hands - be ready. Goliath is lurking nearby.

Psalm 131 Frequently these days, we hear folks respond to the customary “How are you?” with something like “I’m totally frazzled.” or “Stressed out.” We could say, “Who isn’t?!!” We all seem to be busier than the proverbial “one-armed paper hanger” at a 20-story hotel construction site. We have “too many irons in the fire” and are “burning the candle at both ends.” We are busy, busy, busy. Let’s just admit, though, that some of our busy-ness is self-inflicted. We want too much, and we want to do too much, and we want it all exactly the way we want it, and we want it all at the same time!! We also allow others to pressure us into things that we don’t really need to do. That being said, let’s also acknowledge that life often just presses in on us with many demands from many directions. Sometimes we just grind through problems of short duration. But if the barrage continues at length, our nerves get “frazzled,” our temper gets short, and anxiety becomes a constant companion. We set ourselves up for a whole other set of problems: headaches, sleeplessness, depression, despair. We find ourselves looking for “ways to cope.” Anti-depressants, muscle relaxants and sleep aids are brought in to deal with the symptoms. Maybe even illicit drugs or booze. But the problems persist, and we’re still not at peace. Let’s understand something. The problem is not the pressure. There will always be stress or pressure of some kind (John 16:33). The problem is how we respond to the stress. The Holy Spirit instructs us: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”. The result? “...the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Read Psalm 131. Compose yourself and quiet your soul like the little child who has just been fed. Look to your God and hope in Him - one day, one hour at a time. He has promised, and He is faithful.

Proverbs 16:9 One of the most difficult lessons to learn in life is about control. We all have certain outcomes which we want to see happen in life, and we think that we can achieve those outcomes by our controlling things. So we try to control our husband or wife so we can get what we want around home. We try to control our children so they will stay out of trouble and grow up to be good kids. We try to control conversations to avoid topics unsavory to us and to talk about ourselves. We try to control meetings so we can get the decisions we want. We try to control our friends because we think we know what is best for them. You can add others. But here’s the real kicker. We try to control our own lives! Now, how’s that working out for you? I’m sure you are exactly where you expected to be at this time in your life - right?! And what about this? We can’t even control ourselves!! When’s the last time that you ...had bad thoughts? ...let your anger control you? ...spoke an unkind word? ...ate too much for dinner? ...bought something you didn’t need? ...failed to thank someone? ...looked down on someone else? ...covered up your own mistake? True self-control comes only by the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). One thing a Christian surely ought to know is that life is in the hands of God. “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21). Jesus told Nicodemus that it is the Holy Spirit who influences and guides the Christian (John 3:8). We ought to be careful when we find ourselves trying to control people and outcomes lest we find ourselves in opposition to God. One of the best illustrations for all of this is when Jesus spoke to Peter about his future: “...when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” (John 21:18). Control belongs to the sovereign God of the universe. Let’s not play God.