(Prepared for a sermon on Hebrews 3:1-6)

Just before He was arrested and crucified, Jesus gave His disciples some unleavened bread and asked them to eat it. He also passed around a cup of wine and told them to drink from it. He instructed them to keep on eating bread and drinking wine in His memory. For the last 2,000 years, the followers of Christ have been doing what Jesus asked. Every Sunday we gather to eat the bread and drink the wine in memory of Jesus.

This may seem like a silly or self-evident question, but why did Jesus ask us to do this in His memory? What is the purpose for remembering?

Stupid question, right? I’m sure that any Christian could rattle off a number of reasons why we take Communion to remember Jesus. The bread and cup remind us of how Jesus suffered for us. The bread and cup remind us that we are in a covenant relationship with Christ. The bread and cup remind us that Jesus is coming back again. The bread and cup remind us that it is Jesus’ sacrifice which paid for our sin. The bread and cup remind us that we are part of Christ’s body. And so on. And, it is very good for us to be reminded of these things so we don’t become complacent. Participating in Communion helps us keep our perspective.

Yet, there is something else about remembering Jesus which we probably don’t give much thought to. There is a very practical benefit to it. Hebrews chapter two tells us that there is a sequence in our spiritual experience. Before we can be crowned with glory and honor, we first must die. When we become discouraged or frustrated with life because it seems that everything is going wrong, even though we’ve done our best to do what is right and good, we can be encouraged by remembering Jesus. God exalted Him, but He had to die first. When we remember that, we can be encouraged that God hasn’t abandoned us, either. Our suffering will lead to glory just as Jesus’ suffering led to Him being glorified.

In that same passage, the writer of Hebrews also assures us that Jesus is able to help us when we are being tempted. There are probably many aspects of this, but I’ll just mention one. You’ve probably all heard the term, ‘multi-tasking.’ It refers to the ability to do many different things at the same time. And, it’s true that there are some people who are able to metaphorically keep a lot of balls in the air at once. However, what researchers have discovered is that, in reality, the human mind can only entertain one thought at a time. Those people who seem to be able to multi-task are not really concentrating on a lot of different things simultaneously, they are merely switching between tasks rapidly. They can only think about one thing at a time, just like the rest of us.

Now this insight can really help us when it comes to temptation. We are tempted when our minds are directed to a wrong desire. But since our minds can only hold one thing at a time, if we are able to think of something else, we will no longer be tempted. This is why it’s so important to remember Jesus. If our minds are filled with Him, there is no room for the temptation, whatever it is. This is why after telling us that Jesus can help us when we are being tempted, the writer of Hebrews tells us in the very next verse “fix your thoughts on Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1 NIV). Your translation may say, “consider Jesus”. Later on in the same book we’re instructed to “fix our eyes on Jesus” and to “consider him” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

As long as we are looking at Jesus, as long as we have our minds fixed on Him, as long as we are considering Him, as long as we remember Him, temptation will have no hold on us.

After talking about death and how our physical bodies are wasting away, Paul writes in 2nd Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV)

We’re here to remember Jesus and the eternal. The bread and the juice we’re about to eat help us fill our minds with what is important. The act of remembering Jesus and what He’s done for us will take our minds off the troubles, struggles and temptations which we face. As the old hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth with grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.” (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Helen H. Lemmel)

(Prepared to go with a sermon on Hebrews 1:7-14, particularly verse 9)

There are a lot of paradoxes in life – things which seem counter-intuitive or contradictory, yet nevertheless are true. For example, the purpose of a water-pump is to lift water from a subterranean reservoir to the surface so we can use it. But sometimes, in order to get the pump to work, you have to first pour water down the well. We call it ‘priming the pump.’ Pour water down the well in order to get the pump to take water out of the well? To do so goes against all our inclinations, yet if we don’t do it, we can pump all day and achieve nothing except to damage the pump.

Here’s another paradox. When we’re driving a car, normally we turn the wheel in the direction we want the car to go. If we want to turn right, we turn the steering wheel to the right. However, if the car goes into a skid, it’s necessary to turn the wheel in the direction of the skid. If we turn the wheel in the direction we want the car to go, we will merely make the skid worse.

How about this? Let’s say that you get an infection in your finger. Instead of applying medicine to the finger, the doctor gives you pills to swallow. We accept this kind of treatment for our illnesses because of long experience, but it isn’t intuitive.

Our spiritual life is full of these kinds of paradoxes as well. Perhaps one of the most difficult to accept is what James writes in chapter 1, verse 2. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,” (NIV) We’re supposed to be glad when we encounter problems? Well, yes. Because, as James goes on to explain, it is through trials that we grow and mature.

It shouldn’t surprise us that joy comes out of pain. After all, it’s something which most of us have either experienced or observed. In fact, we’ve distilled this paradox into a proverb, “No pain, no gain.” Jesus gave this illustration: “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” (John 16:21 NIV)

It’s significant that Jesus gave this illustration while referring to His own death. It was necessary for Him to die in order to achieve the purpose for His life. Not only would His death be extremely painful, it would cause pain to those who loved Him. Yet, the pain of His death would be transformed into joy. In chapter 12, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that it was because of the joy He anticipated that Jesus could not only endure, but scorn the shame of the cross.

The cross was also necessary for our joy. Without the death and resurrection of Christ, we would have no hope. Paul writes, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 4:25-5:6 NIV)

Today as we eat bread and drink juice in memory of Christ’s death, let’s not only remember the pain, but give thanks for the joy we have because of His sacrifice.

(Prepared for a sermon based on Acts 28:17-23)

When our children were in High School we noticed a curious thing. Just about all of the literature they were required to read in their English classes was bleak and depressing. It managed to convey the message that there isn’t much to look forward to and life really isn’t worth living. It was so bad that one of the students wrote an article about it in the school paper. He pointed out that instead of instilling a love for literature in the students, the stuff which was forced on them was actually teaching them to hate reading. He pled with the teachers to add something wholesome, pleasant and uplifting (not to mention, fun to read) to the curriculum.

Unfortunately, that type of literature isn’t confined to the English Department. In recent years I’ve noticed that a great many of the books which are published are dystopian. They paint a very dark future where people are worse off than they are now. The virtues such as honor, fidelity and and kindness are missing or are portrayed as weaknesses. Heroism is scorned. Mankind is awful, has ruined the earth and things are only going to get worse.

Other messages which fill our books and media are ones of scarcity, automation taking away jobs, the loss of individual liberty and increase in totalitarian government control. When we’re exposed to a steady diet of such ideas, it can become very depressing. I would not be at all surprised if there is a direct correlation between the pessimistic literature of our times and the increase in the suicide rates we’re seeing. After all, if there isn’t anything worth living for, then why not end it all? Others go the opposite direction and try to find meaning in pleasure and things, only to discover that this does not satisfy either.

However, the truth is that it doesn’t have to be that way. Our literature and media lies. The only reason to despair is when we take God out of the picture. When we realize that God not only exists, but that He loves us, then the future is not bleak at all. We can have hope no matter how dark it appears to those who deny Him. Yes, mankind’s condition (at least without God) is pretty bleak. But God loves us so much that He gives us the opportunity of redemption. He gives us hope.

One of the reasons we come together each week is to encourage one another and remind each other of the hope we have. The Apostle Paul writes, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7 NIV)

When we’re constantly being bombarded with messages of nihilism and despair, we need to remember the hope we have because Christ saved us. Christ sacrificed Himself for us so that we could be re-born and renewed. That’s why we eat the bread which reminds us of Christ’s body which He sacrificed for us. That’s why we drink the cup which reminds us of Christ’s blood which cleanses us from sin.

Today as we eat and drink, let’s give thanks for the hope we have because of God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice.

(Prepared to compliment a sermon based on Acts 26:28.)

Life can be confusing. Sometimes we don’t know what to think about a particular situation. We hear something and we don’t know whether to believe it because we’re not sure if what we’ve been told is possible or not.

But there are some things about which we have no doubt at all. We know it for a fact and no one could possibly persuade us otherwise. For example, we know that the sun always rises in the east. There is no doubt about it. We would stake our lives on it. No one can persuade us that the sun rises from some other direction. Similarly, we know that water runs downhill. No one can persuade us otherwise. If we ever see a situation where it appears that water is running uphill, we know that it’s an optical illusion.

How can we be so sure? Why would we immediately dismiss anyone who tried to persuade us that the sun could rise from some other direction or that water runs uphill as either crazy or trying to scam us in some way? Because the assertion that the sun doesn’t rise in the east or that water runs uphill totally contradicts our experience. Never once have we ever seen the sun deviate from rising in the east. Never once have we known water to run uphill. Further, it’s never happened in all of recorded history.

This is why it was so hard for the the disciples to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. It totally contradicted everything in their experience. Sure, they had seen Jesus raise others from the dead, but not once in all of history had a dead person raised himself. Yes, Jesus had repeatedly told them He was going to do it, but they didn’t know what to make of what He said. Surely, He couldn’t mean it literally, could He? Nah! Dead people don’t rise!

I have a lot of sympathy for Thomas when the others told him that they’d encountered the risen Lord. Thomas knew how impossible that was. He knew Jesus had been crucified. How could anyone walk on those wounded feet even if the cross hadn’t killed him? Thomas knew about the spear thrust into Jesus’ side. After taking that kind of wound no one could be up and about even if being crucified hadn’t already killed him outright. Thomas didn’t know what was going on, but one thing he was sure of, Jesus wasn’t alive. In all of history nobody had ever come back like the other disciples were saying Jesus had. He didn’t know what they were up to but they must be trying to pull some kind of scam.

John tells us what happened. “Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”” (John 20:24-29 NIV)

To Thomas’ credit, when he saw the risen Christ, he believed. He allowed himself to be persuaded even though the facts flew in the face of everything he knew or had experienced. Church tradition says that Thomas was so convinced of the resurrection that he traveled as far as South India telling people about Jesus. He and all the Apostles, with the possible exception of John, were martyred for proclaiming the gospel. They were so convinced of the truth of the resurrection that they gave their lives for it.

In fact, one of the strongest evidences that Jesus really did rise from the dead is the change that took place in the disciples. When Jesus was crucified, they cowered in fear behind locked doors wondering if they would be next. Yet, just a few days later they boldly faced down the same authorities who had killed Jesus and openly accused them of murdering the Christ.

Thomas saw and believed. Jesus said that those who believed even though they hadn’t seen would be blessed. That includes us. We haven’t seen the risen Christ with our own eyes, but we we have been persuaded to believe because of the testimony of Thomas and the other Apostles.

We not only believe, each week we proclaim that Jesus died and rose again. That’s part of the reason we eat unleavened bread and drink grape-juice in Jesus’ memory. As Paul writes, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26 NIV)

In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon points out that there are cycles or seasons, not only in nature, but also in our lives. One of the implications of cycles and seasons is that there is an appropriate time and place for every activity. If we take action outside the appropriate time, we cannot expect good results. To illustrate his point Solomon wrote, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NIV)

If I were to paraphrase Solomon’s thought I could say that there’s a time to come and a time to go, a time to say ‘hello’ and a time to say ‘goodbye.’ To put it another way, departing or saying ‘goodbye’ is just as much a part of the natural order as arriving and saying ‘hello.’ When the time comes it is for our best to say ‘goodbye.’ And to over-stay one’s time when it is appropriate to leave will only lead to unfortunate consequences. This is a concept that Jesus’ disciples had a hard time understanding.

During the last meal Jesus ate with His disciples before the crucifixion Jesus told them, “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:5-7 NIV)

Some goodbyes are bitter-sweet. We’re sorry to see someone go, but we’re also happy for them because we know that their going is for their benefit. For example, I choked up when our daughter left for college. I knew I would miss her terribly. Yet, at the same time, I was happy for her. I knew that her going was the right thing for her.

Jesus’ goodbye filled the disciples with grief. They couldn’t understand Jesus’ longing for the glory He enjoyed with His Heavenly Father before coming into the world. They weren’t glad for Jesus that He was going back to the Father. They couldn’t share in His joy.

Jesus going away was not only for His own benefit, He said it was for the good of the disciples, too. Your translation may say that Jesus’ going was to the disciples’ advantage. I’m sure that in their minds the disciples were questioning what good or advantage there could possibly be in Jesus’ going away. But Jesus said there was a direct linkage between His going and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would not come unless Jesus left.

It was the Holy Spirit which would guide the disciples into all truth. It was the Spirit which would empower them not only to live righteous lives, but also to do the work Jesus left for them. It was the Spirit which would convict the world through the proclamation of the Gospel which Jesus commissioned the disciples to do.

Why wouldn’t the Spirit come unless Jesus left? Though the disciples didn’t understand until later, the Spirit couldn’t come until Jesus finished the work of redeeming mankind. It was His sacrifice on the cross which paid the debt for sin. Paying the debt opened the way for the Spirit to come.

There was another blessing in Jesus’ going. Earlier in the evening He told His disciples that He was going away to prepare a place for them. One day, He would come back and bring them to their new home.

Saying goodbye doesn’t mean forgetting. Often we will give each other a parting gift as a memento of the time we spent together. Through the years those keepsakes keep alive the memory of the one who gave them.

Jesus also gave His disciples a memento at His goodbye. That same evening He gave them some unleavened bread and called it His body. He gave them a cup of wine to drink and said it was His blood. He told the disciples to keep His memory alive by continuing to eat and and drink when they met together. In all the centuries since Jesus went away, His disciples have continued to do what He asked. Each week we bring out the mementos again. We remember His body which He sacrificed for us. We remember His blood which paid our debt.

The bread and juice also remind us of Jesus’ promise. He’s gone to prepare a home for us. One day He’s coming back to escort us to the home He’s prepared.

The bread and juice also remind us that Jesus didn’t leave us alone while He’s away. We have His Spirit living in us. His Spirit is the down payment on the inheritance He’s promised us. His Spirit gives us the power we need to live godly lives.

Today as we participate in this memorial again, let’s not be filled with grief like the disciples were. Instead let’s eat and drink with thanksgiving for the promises Jesus made. Let’s rejoice that one day He’s coming back!

(Given Christmas Eve)

Many of us approach this time of year with mixed feelings. On the one hand, we enjoy getting together with friends and family. We enjoy having a break from school or work. We enjoy the lights, the decorated trees and singing Christmas carols. We especially enjoy the feasts and the special snacks which seem to only come out this time of year.

On the other hand, we deplore the commercialization of Christmas. Somehow the joy we feel when we celebrate the birth of our Savior is a little tarnished by everyone trying to make a buck off of the celebration.

Of course, a lot of the money which changes hands at this time of the year goes for buying gifts. What is a gift, anyway? A gift is something we grant or bestow on someone else without any compensation. It is not something which is earned. It is not something the recipient has to pay for. It is not something provided out of a sense of duty. It is something we give, because we want to honor the other person or provide him or her a bit of pleasure. We give because we love – not expecting anything in return.

Why is it traditional to give gifts to one another at this time of year, when we celebrate Christ’s birth? We do it in memory of the greatest gift of all – the gift of salvation which God gave us through Jesus.

Now in our household we have a time-honored tradition of trying to guess what the gifts are before we undo the wrapping paper. We will shake the box. We try to smell the contents. We try to decipher the clues written on the tag. Sometimes we can figure out what we’re getting. Other times, we can’t – the gift is indescribable until we unwrap it. Even after we see what the gift is there are still things we don’t know about it. We often don’t know how much it cost or where it was bought. More importantly, we don’t know how much the one who gave it to us had to sacrifice in order to get it for us.

It’s the same way with the gift God has given us. We know in general terms what it is. Those of us who have devoted our lives to Christ experience the benefits of the gift in our daily lives. Yet, we really don’t know the full meaning of the gift. The Apostle Paul urged the Christians in the church at Corinth to give a monetary gift to the church in Jerusalem. After talking about the gift he wanted them to give he referred to the gift God has given us. He said, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV)

Even when we try to describe God’s gift to us, our words fall short. Writing to the Ephesians Paul said, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9 NIV)

Yes, we know in general that God has given us new life. But we really don’t know what that means. We won’t know until Christ comes again and He takes us to live in the new heavens and earth. Similarly, we really don’t understand the cost of the gift and the sacrifice God made in order to give it to us. Do we really comprehend what Jesus suffered when He cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34 NIV)

Though we really don’t understand, we do give thanks. We do remember the gift. Every Sunday we celebrate the gift as Jesus asked us to do. We eat some unleavened bread which reminds us of how He sacrificed His sinless body for us. We drink some juice which reminds us of His blood by which He bought our salvation.

Today as we eat and drink, let’s give thanks for God’s indescribable gift!

(Prepared for a sermon from Acts 16:6-11 on changes in plans.)

Have you ever planned a trip, only to have everything go wrong? You start out to go to a specific destination but, you take a wrong turn and end up somewhere you had no intention of going. Or perhaps you missed a plane connection and were forced to change your route. Or you got sick and couldn’t complete your journey. Or you found out after you started traveling that the reason for your trip no longer existed, so you decided to do something else.

My wife and I once experienced a very unexpected twist to a trip we planned. We decided to celebrate our first anniversary by camping on the beach. This was in the days before you could look everything up on the Internet. We opened up our road atlas and picked one of the campgrounds listed on the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Much to our disgust, when we arrived, we found this so-called campground was nothing more than a paved parking lot for RVs. There were no trees or shade of any kind. There was nowhere to pitch our tent.

We felt we had no choice but to try some of the other campgrounds listed on the map. This was Labor Day weekend. By now it was late in the afternoon. Every camp was already full. Long after dark we finally found a spot to put up our tent. But it wasn’t on the beach. Instead it was in the middle of the rain forest. Needless to say, our vacation turned out very, very differently than we had intended.

Now that change in plans happened to turn out well. In fact, it became one of our fondest memories. But not all changes in plans have happy endings. Have you ever stopped to think what would have happened if something changed Jesus’ plans? Right after the incident where Peter identified Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus began to tell His disciples about His plans for the future. Matthew 16, verse 21 says, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (NIV)

The disciples didn’t understand. They even tried to prevent Jesus from carrying out His plan. But, fortunately for us, Jesus would not let anything distract Him or deter Him from going ahead with His plan. Luke tells us, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51 NIV) Other translations say that He “determined to go” (NASB) or that He “steadfastly set His face to go” (NKJ).

It wasn’t easy for Jesus to carry out His intentions. He had to overcome temptations to change the plan. He even pleaded with His heavenly Father to let Him do something else. He could have called on the help of 10,000 angels to avoid the cross. Yet, through it all, even though He wanted to do something else, Jesus stuck to the plan. He didn’t let anything shake His resolve. And, because Jesus stuck to the plan, He was able to buy eternal salvation for you and me.

Today we’re going to remember and celebrate Jesus’ resolve. The bread we eat calls to mind His body which died on the cross. The juice reminds us of His blood – the blood which bought our redemption.

Today as we eat and drink, let’s not only thank Jesus for His resolve, which took Him to the cross, let’s also strengthen our own resolve to stick with the plan God has laid out for us. The Apostle Paul writes, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation – if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel…” (Colossians 1:21-23 NIV)

We have a saying that “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”. What we mean by it is that whether we have to personally pay for something or not, there is always a cost associated with it.

We see this illustrated all the time in our daily lives. For example, when someone gives you a gift, just because you did not pay for it does not mean that the gift cost nothing. No, the person who gave you the gift either had to put out some money for it, or he had to invest his own time and effort into making it for you. In fact, the gifts which we appreciate most are the ones which cost the giver the most. The ones in which the giver invested more of himself are the most valuable to us.

Gifts not only cost the giver, sometimes the recipient also has to expend some effort in order to receive the benefit of the gift. For example, these days it’s increasingly common to give gift cards – particularly when we don’t know what the person we wish to honor wants or needs. Now a gift card for a particular restaurant is absolutely no use to us at all if we merely stick it in our wallet. No, in order to receive the benefit of the gift which was made to us, we have to actually go to the restaurant and order a meal. In other words, we have to do something in order to receive the gift. This does not make the gift any less of a gift, it merely illustrates that there is a cost associated with it. If we are not willing to accept that we, as well as the giver, have to invest something of ourselves in it, we will not receive the benefit of the gift.

The same principle holds true in spiritual things. The Scriptures repeatedly speak of salvation as a gift. For example, we’re all familiar with what Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV)

What makes eternal life a gift? It’s a gift because it is something which is given to us. In addition, it is not something which we can obtain on our own. Unless it is given to us, it will remain beyond our reach.

The gift of eternal life is also precious because it cost the giver everything He had. It cost Jesus Christ, His life. There can’t be a greater price than that. Based on the cost, we ought to value the gift higher than anything else we have.

But though salvation is a gift, it does not mean that there isn’t a cost to us as well as to the giver. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-33 NIV)

Yes, the gift of salvation is costly, not only for the giver – but also for the recipient. Jesus clearly told us to give thought to the cost before we decide to accept the gift. We must put a higher value on our relationship to Christ than our family, our own desires and even our life. To put it another way, we must die in order to live. The Apostle Peter puts it this way, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NIV)

Each week we gather to remember the gift that God gave us in Jesus Christ. We gather to remember the cost of the gift and to give thanks to the giver. But as we eat the bread which reminds us of Christ’s body and the juice which reminds us of Christ’s blood, let’s also remember the cost which we must accept in order to gain the benefit of the gift. Have I been crucified with Christ, so that I might also live with Him?

The last couple of weeks the news has been dominated by hurricane Harvey. I’m sure we’ve all seen pictures of boats full of children being towed through the flooded streets of Houston. We’ve been inspired by stories of strangers cooperating together to help those more unfortunate than themselves. As divisive and cantankerous as our culture and public discourse has become, seeing all the volunteers, contributions and how people have come together in the face of disaster shows us that there still is hope for our society.

However, hurricane Harvey also highlighted another reality – and that is the incredible fragility of our lives. It reminds us that there are many things which are out of our control. A lot of people thought they were safe, only to be surprised by rapidly rising water which forced them to evacuate in the middle of the night. A lot of people thought they still had time only to discover their escape route was already cut off and they were trapped.

Some people ignored the warnings and tried to drive through the rising flood anyway. In some cases this led to tragedy – like the man who couldn’t get his children or his parents out of his stalled van in time.

Some climbed into their attics thinking that would raise them above the level of the water only to find out they were wrong. Can you imagine what it would be like to be in that situation? You’ve climbed into what you thought was a place of safety but the waters keep rising and you’re trapped. Unless you can somehow break through the roof there’s no way out and you will drown.

Spiritually speaking, that describes the situation all of us were in. None of us has lived up to the standards God expects. To put it another way, all of us are sinners. People do all sorts of things to try to avoid the disaster that is sweeping toward us because of our sin. For example, a lot of people have the idea that doing some extra good deeds will counteract the consequences of sin. Others go on pilgrimages or ask the so-called ‘saints’ to intercede for them. Unfortunately, neither these nor any of the other things people do to earn their salvation are effective. Just like the people who took refuge in their attics these folks find out that the things they depended on as a refuge are actually a trap. There’s no way out. By depending on their own efforts to save themselves, they’ve actually ensured their own destruction. They’re dead – it’s just a matter of time.

Now picture yourself in that attic, watching the waters rise higher than you thought possible. You’ve got nothing with which to break through the roof. As time passes it gets harder and harder to keep your head above water. Then, just when you’ve about lost all hope, you hear a sound from the outside. Someone has heard your cries for help and is chopping through the shingles and underlayment. Just before the waters overwhelm you, a hole appears and hands reach down to pull you out of your prison.

In a spiritual sense, this is exactly what God has done for us. In Ephesians, chapter two Paul writes, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:1-9 NIV)

What we couldn’t do for ourselves, God through Christ, did for us. Metaphorically, Christ chopped through the roof of our attic and lifted us out of the trap before we drowned in the rising flood.

In all the media coverage I haven’t heard of anyone complaining about their rescuer. What I have heard is a lot of gratitude that people put themselves at risk in order save others. In the same way, we ought to be grateful for what Jesus has done for us. He not only put Himself at risk to help us, He died for us.

Each week we gather to remember His sacrifice so that we can live. The bread we eat reminds us of His body. The juice reminds us of His blood. As we eat and drink let’s give thanks that He cared enough to rescue us from a hopeless situation.

(Prepared for a sermon based on Acts 8:1-8)

You don’t have to follow the news very closely to realize that persecution against Christians is on the rise. We used to think that persecution was something which happened only in distant lands. However, we’re seeing a rise of opposition to Christianity and Christians right here in our own country. Some of the things said on the Internet and on social media are vicious and cruel. People can even lose their jobs for not condoning socially accepted evils.

In response to the pressure we have a choice. Either we can keep quiet and try to fit in with the rest of our culture, or we can do what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy. In 1st Timothy 6, verses 11 through 14 he said, “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Timothy 6:11-14 NIV)

What really caught my attention in this passage is the phrase, “the good confession.” What is this ‘good confession’ which Timothy made before many witnesses and Jesus made before Pilate? In John’s account of Jesus’ trial before Pilate, in chapter 18, verse 37 it says, ““You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”” (NIV)

If I understand this correctly, the confession Jesus made was that He is a King and that He testifies to the truth. To put it another way, Jesus is the ruler or supreme authority and anything which does not agree with what He says or teaches is false. It is Jesus who sets the standards. Our society can say whatever it wants; our legislature and courts can pass whatever laws they want, however it is not they, but Jesus who decides what is right and wrong. Whenever we uphold Jesus’ authority and His standards we make the ‘good confession.’

By what means do we make the ‘good confession?’ Certainly one way we make the confession is with our words. Whenever we say that Jesus is Lord or Christ, we are acknowledging His status and our allegiance to Him. Another way we make the confession is through our lifestyle. As Paul indicated in the passage we read, one of the consequences of saying that Jesus is our Ruler is that we will live according to His standards and principles. As a result, the way we live will be radically different than those who do not acknowledge Jesus as their Lord. The Apostle Peter put it this way in 1st Peter 4, verses 3 and 4. “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do – living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.” (NIV)

In addition to our words and our lifestyle, there is another way in which we make the ‘good confession.’ We make the ‘good confession’ each Sunday when we take part in the Lord’s Supper. “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26 NIV)

This bread which we eat and this juice which we drink is a declaration. Yes, Jesus died, but He triumphed over death! He not only lives, He’s coming back! By partaking of these reminders of what Jesus did for us we proclaim that we have made our choice. We will not bow to the demands of our culture. Jesus is our Lord. We will live by His standards and not by those of our society in spite of whatever pressure is brought to bear on us. As Paul put it, we will “fight the good fight of the faith.”

Please join with me in making the ‘good confession’ once again.