A Message of Hope

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.  Matthew 5: 6
            What do we hunger for?  Each of us has our own favorite meal.  Steak, potatoes, chicken fried chicken, pecan pies, the list is endless.  We each have a desire to eat and fill our stomachs, but why?
            Our bodies are miracles in and of themselves.  We take in food and the stomach transforms it into all the things our bodies need to grow, develop, and just continue running.  We all have sulfuric acid sitting in our stomachs that breaks down the food we eat.  Nutrients are taken to our body via our blood.  Waste products from the process are sent out of the body.  (For more details, just ask Sheila).
            So God has designed us to desire food to ensure that we continue to live.  Food is our unleaded gasoline that keeps us going.  We need food and water to live.  Hunger is God’s way of telling us we need to eat to live.
            Strangely enough, spiritual hunger is God’s way of telling us we need spiritual food.  Every human has a need for God.  No matter the situation.  No matter the age.  No matter the sin.  People need God.  Jesus in Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount blessed those who recognized and acted on this need.  When we understand our soul is telling us we need spiritual food and water, then God is ready to fill that void.
            In John 4 and 6, Jesus speaks to these issues.  He tells the woman at the well that he has living water that will last forever (John 4: 14).  He tells his disciples in John 6 that He is the bread of life (vs 35) and that we will never hunger and thirst again as His followers.  That is a promise with enduring ramifications.  Our bodies age and grow frail.  They break down and eventually stop working.  But our eternal soul lives forever and sating our hunger for God with the teachings of Jesus will never let us down or feeling empty.  Let’s fill our soul’s hunger for God with eternal food.
Scripture:  John 4 and 6
 

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  Matthew 5: 5
            Who are the meek and why are they going to inherit the earth?  Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount relates to the people by quoting David in the Psalms.  In Psalms 37:11, David writes that “the meek will inherit the land.”  Jesus returns to this passage to reinforce the blessings for the people in his audience.  But why?
            The idea that the meek will inherit the earth is not new.  Jesus reiterated the promise in the form of a blessing in the Sermon on the Mount.  In Psalm 37, David is making a contrast with those that are evil and good people.  In fact, in verse 9, he writes that the evil will be cut off and those who “hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”  In verse 10, he indicates the wicked will be no more prior to saying the meek will inherit the earth.  Notice that David is reassuring the people that God will bring His righteous judgment and those who are patient will ultimately triumph.
            But who really wants to be meek?  We often hear the word meek and think timid or mousey.  Good Texicans aren’t meek.  We stand up for ourselves and others.  Meekness is not in our DNA…or is it?  David uses several descriptive terms to identify who the meek are.  In verse 1, he tells us the meek are not envious of the evil people.  God’s people do good and trust God (vs 3).  The  meek delight in the Lord and are blessed (vs 4).  The meek commit to God while we wait patiently for him (vs 5,7).  We refrain from anger, wrath, and fretting because that only leads us to evil (vs .  The meek inherit the earth because they are God’s people.
            Meekness is a trait of Godly people.  Sometimes that is one of the changes that occur in our lives as we begin to seek God.  We understand that we need to transform ourselves by the renewing of our minds as Paul tells us in Romans 12:2.  We become new creations in Christ that yearn to draw near God as we read about in 2 Corinthians 5:17.  Meekness doesn’t mean that we are subservient to other people.  It means we choose to serve God and not ourselves.  That is the change that makes us God’s meek people who inherit everything.  Meekness is Christian DNA.
Scripture:  Matthew 5: 3-12
 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5: 3
            The Sermon on the Mount is Matthew’s rendition of Jesus’ ministry to the masses.  He sat down and started teaching about the new kingdom he was instituting on earth.  The words were new and different for those hearing Him on that mountainside in Galilee.  He talked about God’s kingdom and how they were to live in it.  Jesus was a change agent of God for the earth and He still is today.
            Jesus begins His sermon by talking about those who are blessed.  He does not say you who are rich are blessed.  He does not say you religious people are blessed.  He does not say you famous people are blessed.  He literally turns their world upside down by identifying the weak and oppressed as blessed in the Lord’s kingdom.  How do we today process that image?
            Blessings are in the eye of the beholder.  We live in a free nation:  blessing.  We live in a modern society:  blessing.  We have loving families:  blessing.   We are saved by the blood of Jesus without any preexisting condition on our part:  blessing.  Are these the blessings that Jesus was talking about in the first century?
            Jesus identified nine types of people that are blessed in the Kingdom of God.  Each of these categories is also identified with a specific kind of blessing.  First, he tells us that blessed Christians are in the Kingdom of Heaven.  That is the ultimate blessing of life.  Additionally, Jesus does not say they will eventually get into heaven.  He says that is their blessing.  We need to seek that blessing as we go through this temporal world and not hope for it after this life.
            I mentioned the blessing of the Kingdom, but who really is eligible.  The first group Jesus mentions is the “poor in spirit.”  Ever wondered who these people are in the Kingdom of Heaven?  In Luke 6: 20, Jesus just says the poor are blessed with the Kingdom of God.  Many people understand these lines to mean that His ministry was to both the spiritually and financially poor; those with no creditable means of support in the secular or religious world.  Who are these people today who have God’s Kingdom?
            That is the real question for us today.  Who are these disenfranchised people today?  In the first century, Christ ministered to those who needed the doctor.  He brought hope to people without it; people not good enough by societal standards.  This idea that we are blessed spiritually should resonate for us as we try to live in this world.  Blessings in life are often a matter of our perspective.  Let us revel in the Kingdom of God and trust our King to bless us.
Scripture:  Matthew 5: 3-12
 

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.  Matthew 4: 23
            Jesus proclaimed the “good news of the kingdom.”  Great crowds gathered to hear the teaching and be healed.  First century Judea was an amazing time in the history of the world.  God came to earth to save His creation.  What is different today about that message?  Is it still good news?  Can people still come to Jesus for healing?  Is God still working to save His creation? 
            These are the questions we want to explore today and during the upcoming study of the Sermon on the Mount.  People flocked to hear to hear the “good news of the kingdom.”  Large crowds from every town and region came to hear what Jesus had to say (vs 25).  They came to be healed of every disease.  They came to experience God on earth.
            Today in the year 2012, we need to consider why people should be drawn to Christ now.  Can they still respond to the “good news of the kingdom?”  Can they still be healed by the power of God from their diseases?  How we talk about our Savior to the world indicates the answer to these questions for us and others.
            The “good news of the kingdom” is still a viable message in our world today.  We enter His kingdom and serve Him in this world not for a reward after death, but for life here and now.  We spread His kingdom by our every action in this world.  We are his change agents that seek to fulfill the prayer that His will is done on earth as it is in heaven.  People flock to the message of the “good news of the kingdom.”
            God heals people in the world today.  James tells us to pray for healing.  We are told to have faith in God for that healing (James 5).  People come to Jesus for all kinds of healing.  They look for healing from their physical ailments.  They seek healing from all types of addictions.  Primarily, we come to Jesus for spiritual healing.  He is able to save us from ourselves (see Romans 6 and 7). 
            Our message to the world must be filled with the “good news of the kingdom.”  We must tell people about the wonderful healing associated with Jesus.  While we know that we may always have physical issues, God wants to provide the spiritual healing necessary for us to enter His kingdom and live with Him forever.  That is an eternal message that connects with everyone. 
Scripture:  Matthew 4: 23-25

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. Titus 2: 11

Our goal this week is to understand our commission to reach out to the world around us and show them the gospel of God’s salvation. The good news of a Savior who enables us to have eternal life in God’s household. In doing this, we can examine Paul’s instructions to Titus on the island of Crete. Here we find practical guidance for our lives that tells us how to influence those around us.

We remember chapter two of Titus because that is where he is told what to teach the different demographic groups in the churches. He begins with the older men, then moves on to the older women who teach the younger women, and then gives instructions on what to teach the younger men. These lessons are as applicable today as they were then in the first century in the midst of a culture that was filled with “liars, evil brutes, and lazy gluttons.” (Titus 1:12)

But let’s focus on the last group Paul tells Titus to minister to. Let’s examine the words to the least people that were Christians there on Crete. In verse 9, Paul tells Titus to teach slaves how to act. Servants, people subjugated and forced to work for others. Paul’s guidance to this underclass is to be subject to their masters and please them. Don’t talk back or steal from them, he says. Slaves are to show their masters they can be fully trusted. But why?

Paul’s conclusion speaks to us. He says be good servants so that the gospel will be attractive. We have good news. People should flock to it. Paul says our actions have a direct impact on others’ response. We offer God’s salvation to the world by what we do; by our attitude; by our whole lives. Perhaps we should embrace our role as a slave to God in this world and, by our actions, offer his grace to the people around us.

Scripture: Titus 2:9 – 3:8

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Romans 12: 2
How do we become transformed?  Paul tells the Romans to renew their minds.  But how and why?  First, Paul responds to the unasked question of why transform?  He just told the Romans to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to God as their true and proper worship (Romans 12:1).  The why of transformation has to do with his first comment in verse 2.  Our natural state as people is to conform to the world.  We are naturally conformists.  We fit into our culture, society, and families.  Outcasts are just that; cast out from their social group.  In Greek, the words conform imply fitting into a pattern.  Paul is telling us not to fit into the worldly pattern any more.
So what is a worldly pattern?  Simply, these are the things that separate us from God.  It is the opposite of giving ourselves as living sacrifices.  It is seeking our good instead of the good of others.  It is falling into the materialism trap that says we need more and better instead of being content with whatever God blesses us with.  It is living as the world lives without God.
            So what does a transformed life look like?  How do we know what our renewed minds should be?  Again, a focus on God is key.  Read the rest of Romans 12.  Paul describes what our lives should be like in their renewed state.  My Bible titles the section love in action.  I like that summation of our renewed lives.  We become love in action to the world.
We concluded last week with Philippians 2, and that is where this week we will find Paul explaining again what our renewed minds need to become.  Here in the letter to the Philippians, Paul says “become like Jesus.”  As we consider our spiritual growth, let’s seek to follow Paul’s advice and become like Jesus.  That should lead us back to the true and proper worship of a sacrificial life.
Scripture:  Philippians 2: 1-18
 

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”  Matthew 16:18
The Church of Christ has been meeting in Albany since the 1920’s.  A group of believers met in private homes, the courthouse, a city tabernacle, and then multiple, bigger buildings here on this lot. Our church has survived drought and floods.  Ice storms and high winds.  We the people are the church and not the place we build with human hands. 
God’s church is like the history of our building here in Albany.  He began His church in the first century with a small group of people.  The message of salvation was so great that the church grew and the Lord added on to it as needed (Acts 2: 47), first in Jerusalem and then throughout the world.  He is still adding onto His church those that are being saved.
Often we think of the church here in Albany as our church.  It’s where we attend.  It’s where we were baptized.  It’s our building on the main thoroughfare in town.  It’s our church.  Fortunately, the Bible teaches something different.
First, the church is not a building.  It never was and never will be.  Somehow we have taken the idea of a called out assembly of believers and made it into a brick and mortar building.  The Greek word ekklesia is a called out or elected assembly that meets for political or religious reasons.  The church is people who are called out of the world to follow God. 
Second, the church belongs, lock, stock, and barrel to Christ.  He founded it (Matthew 16:18), He died for it (Ephesians 5:25), and He is still our chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).  There is only one chief and we are not Him. 
As we consider today, our role in Christ’s church, let’s put our desires in context with who we serve.  As the called out assembly of Christ, we must seek His guidance in helping us decide how to serve Him in the most effective way possible.  Let us all pray for that guidance and a spirit of love that transcends our petty humanity and leads to eternal glory as we enter His Kingdom.
Scripture:  Ephesians 2: 19-22

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.      
Matthew 6:21
We are beginning to discuss setting goals for 2012 here for the church.  Sometimes goals are often like New Year’s Resolutions.  They are things we want to do, but are just not sure we are willing to do them.  We set goals in life and try to meet them.  Those that do not set goals are doomed to never accomplish anything.  Today perhaps we can think about how and why we set goals by talking about what is important to us.
We live in a capitalist society.  In our secular lives we often focus on getting and obtaining wealth.  We look for the best deals.  We conserve our money to buy things or we just take out a loan.  Materialism is a sin that we must continuously be aware of.  We cannot continually focus on earthly things and leave God out of our goal setting process.
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount tells us that we pursue what is important to us.  Our treasure is collocated with our hearts.  This is a critical thought that we must process.  If a new car, house, or retirement consumes our lives, then our efforts will be to obtain those things.  My perception is that path leads to long work hours, many financial disagreements, and a lengthy list of creditors.  To what end? 
Jesus tells us to focus on spiritual treasure.  He says store up treasure in heaven.  (Matthew 6: 19, 20)  This is the kind of treasure we should be focused on; eternal treasure, eternal rewards.  He begins the discussion with a reminder that earthly stuff is easily destroyed.  It can be in a wreck.  It can burn down.  Thieves can break in and take it.   The bank can foreclose on our loan.  Earthly treasure should not be our focus because it is not really that important.
As we consider setting both individual and community goals for the upcoming year, let’s consider where our hearts are.  Are we focused on God and the Kingdom or are we still stuck in the world?  Are we in control of our lives or is God?  Remember:  our hearts and treasures are collocated.  Let’s put them both squarely in God’s hand.  He can sort out our broken lives better than we can ever dream of doing.
Scripture:  Matthew 19: 16-22
 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
                                                                                                                                                Psalms 100: 4

David in the above song, encourages us to come to God with thanksgiving in our hearts.  We enter this ‘Thanksgiving’ season and think of turkey, football, and shopping.  That’s the world we live in.  But as Christians, we need to look deeper into the word thanksgiving to see what David is really talking about.

In Greek the word translated thanksgiving is eucharistia from which other faiths get the word ‘eucharist.’  The Eucharist is equivalent to our communion.  Isn’t it interesting that the word thanksgiving is used to represent this coming together in the remembrance of humanity’s greatest gift? 

David encourages us to be thankful and joyful as we enter his gates.  When was the last time you were truly thankful and joyful about the many gifts of God?  How did you express that thankfulness and joy? 

Paul in writing to Timothy tells us to be thankful for everyone.  That is a tall order.  Some people are not nice.  Even before writing this in 1 Tim 2:1, Paul tells Timothy he’s turned over two people to Satan to “be taught not to blaspheme.” (1 Tim 1: 20)  So can we give thanks for all people and still not like them?  Paul tells us that the goal of his teaching is “love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Tim 1:5)  We are told here that the love we need is generated from within and according to Paul is applicable to everyone.

Giving thanks is a state of mind.  We must overcome the world with love while continuing to focus on God and his great grace to us sinners.  If we love like God loves, then we won’t have to be reminded to give thanks for everyone.  We will do it because God does.

Scripture:  1 Timothy 2: 1-6

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28: 19, 20
Why do we support missionaries?  Where do we find in Scripture the authorization to send money to Christians working around the world?  How do we justify using God’s resources in this way?
These questions continue to be asked among conscientious Christians.  Jesus in the Great Commission says go.  He doesn’t say find someone else to go out into the world to spread the gospel.  Paul conducted several mission trips himself.  He didn’t sit back and send others out to fulfill this command.  So why is it okay to support others in the mission fields and not go ourselves?
The first century pattern seems to be that churches were formed where there were people.  Paul established churches and in his letters to Timothy and Titus instructed them to ensure local leadership was in place wherever there were churches (Titus 1:5).  The churches were established where people were and they did not move (Revelation 2,3).  People like Paul and Barnabas were actually sent to places like Antioch to teach the good news there by the elders in Jerusalem (Acts 11).  So the gospel was spread in the first century by people sent by local churches out into the world to make disciples of the lost and dying in the world.  In fact, our perfect example Jesus tells us that he was sent into the world “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
Therefore isn’t Jesus God’s missionary to the world?  Didn’t he send a part of Himself to save us?  To bring us the good news?  To make disciples of each one of us?  It seems we have a divine duty to follow this example by sending a part of ourselves across the world to help teach others about Jesus our Savior.  In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul tells us we are all “Christ’s ambassadors” with a message of reconciliation for the world (2 Corinthians 5: 20,21). 
The messengers God sends out into the world represent Him.  We represent Christ here in Albany.  Andrew and his family represent Jesus in the Ukraine to the most vulnerable of populations.  The unwanted children in the Ukraine flock to the message of love and salvation.  They eagerly desire the Word of the gospel.  How do we justify spending God’s resources on missionaries?  Just look at the faces of the souls that the Kelly’s touch.  How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news? (Romans 10: 15)
Scripture:  Romans 10: 14, 15