Thursday, June 13, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
There's No Place Like Home
Mark 6:1-6
Rev. M.D. Rogers
We have a tendency not to appreciate or applaud that which is close to us and near us. A great chef comes home and is just another cook in the kitchen. A great physician comes home and is just dad. A great teacher comes home and is just "mom." A great philosopher comes home and is just a roommate. A great television reporter comes home and is just a friend. But what happens when the Lord comes to his familiar surroundings? After all, he was born in Jerusalem. He was raised in Bethlehem of Judea. He lived in Capernaum. And he performed great miracles. He raised the dead. He healed the sick. He saved souls. He stopped death. He turned water into wine. He opened the eyes of the blind. However, now Jesus is coming home. To what you would think would be friendly environs. He is coming home – to patris in Greek – to his native place of origin.
This time when he comes home – he is different: He has an established ministry. He is becoming a spiritual celebrity by the word of mouth. He is on the watch list of the government. He is a noted theologian and preacher. He now travels with 12 disciples. He has been known to go to Synagogues and teach teachers. However, when He comes home to his own country with his entourage in tow, he goes to the synagogue and begins to teach. Can you imagine, that Jesus, who matriculated through the Jewish system of study and experienced a youthful upbringing in that community has returned home and is now the guest teacher in the Sabbath Day service.
You would think that they would be glad about. You would think that the crowd would be excited to hear and would have a hint of pride as one of their boys has come home. However, the Bible says that as Jesus is speaking they are astonished or ekplesso in Greek. This usage does not mean astonished as used in other portions of the text. It means that they were struck with terror, like of a sudden alarm has been sounded. They don't know what to make of it. They are terrified, they are fearful, they are trembling. They are afraid of Jesus.
You do understand that some people can become afraid of you? They can see you grow up and make it and become afraid of you – even in the church: They can watch you move from new member to Bible Teacher – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from stuttering student to profound preacher – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from background singer to lead singer – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from alcoholic and drug abuser to a Worshipper who lifts up holy hands – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from quiet and unassuming church member to a leader in the church – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from a rough cut as a preacher to a profound proclaimer who God uses – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from a struggling saint on welfare to an overcomer who the Lord blesses on every hand – and become afraid of you. The text says that they began to talk among themselves. Notice here that there conversation is not even centered on what He taught – but more so how he taught it. Check out their conversation – where did this teaching come from? What wisdom is this? After all, in our opinion, Jesus shouldn't be this deep. Jesus shouldn't have this kind of profundity.
He shouldn't have this kind of power. He's one of us. Look what they say – He ain't all that. They never refer to his father – which means that they go back to the old rumors about him being conceived out of wedlock. Isn't he Mary's boy? Ain't he just a carpenter? Isn't he James' brother? Isn't he Joses' brother? Isn't he Simon's brother? Don't his sisters live in the hood? And this group becomes "offended" at him. The word in Greek here is scandlizo, which we use today as "scandalous" or "scandal." They thought Jesus was scandalous!!! How dare he claim to be the son of God! Scandalous! How dare he teach in the church! Scandalous! How dare he try to show how deep he is! Scandalous! How dare he try to show some spiritual insight! Scandalous! I have discovered that some people never accept that God can work in somebody's life.
We cry about the Lord can make a change – however, we just don't want him to change other people. We don't want to see God do great things in other people's lives: We want the drunk to stay drunk. We want the playa playa to keep on playing. We want the bad singer to keep singing badly. We want the preacher who can't preacher to still preach badly. We want the slob to stay sloppy. We want the sleepy deacon to keep on being sleepy. But I have discovered that God is able to make ways for people in spite of what the crowd has determined.
Rev. M.D. Rogers
We have a tendency not to appreciate or applaud that which is close to us and near us. A great chef comes home and is just another cook in the kitchen. A great physician comes home and is just dad. A great teacher comes home and is just "mom." A great philosopher comes home and is just a roommate. A great television reporter comes home and is just a friend. But what happens when the Lord comes to his familiar surroundings? After all, he was born in Jerusalem. He was raised in Bethlehem of Judea. He lived in Capernaum. And he performed great miracles. He raised the dead. He healed the sick. He saved souls. He stopped death. He turned water into wine. He opened the eyes of the blind. However, now Jesus is coming home. To what you would think would be friendly environs. He is coming home – to patris in Greek – to his native place of origin.
This time when he comes home – he is different: He has an established ministry. He is becoming a spiritual celebrity by the word of mouth. He is on the watch list of the government. He is a noted theologian and preacher. He now travels with 12 disciples. He has been known to go to Synagogues and teach teachers. However, when He comes home to his own country with his entourage in tow, he goes to the synagogue and begins to teach. Can you imagine, that Jesus, who matriculated through the Jewish system of study and experienced a youthful upbringing in that community has returned home and is now the guest teacher in the Sabbath Day service.
You would think that they would be glad about. You would think that the crowd would be excited to hear and would have a hint of pride as one of their boys has come home. However, the Bible says that as Jesus is speaking they are astonished or ekplesso in Greek. This usage does not mean astonished as used in other portions of the text. It means that they were struck with terror, like of a sudden alarm has been sounded. They don't know what to make of it. They are terrified, they are fearful, they are trembling. They are afraid of Jesus.
You do understand that some people can become afraid of you? They can see you grow up and make it and become afraid of you – even in the church: They can watch you move from new member to Bible Teacher – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from stuttering student to profound preacher – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from background singer to lead singer – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from alcoholic and drug abuser to a Worshipper who lifts up holy hands – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from quiet and unassuming church member to a leader in the church – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from a rough cut as a preacher to a profound proclaimer who God uses – and become afraid of you. They can watch you move from a struggling saint on welfare to an overcomer who the Lord blesses on every hand – and become afraid of you. The text says that they began to talk among themselves. Notice here that there conversation is not even centered on what He taught – but more so how he taught it. Check out their conversation – where did this teaching come from? What wisdom is this? After all, in our opinion, Jesus shouldn't be this deep. Jesus shouldn't have this kind of profundity.
He shouldn't have this kind of power. He's one of us. Look what they say – He ain't all that. They never refer to his father – which means that they go back to the old rumors about him being conceived out of wedlock. Isn't he Mary's boy? Ain't he just a carpenter? Isn't he James' brother? Isn't he Joses' brother? Isn't he Simon's brother? Don't his sisters live in the hood? And this group becomes "offended" at him. The word in Greek here is scandlizo, which we use today as "scandalous" or "scandal." They thought Jesus was scandalous!!! How dare he claim to be the son of God! Scandalous! How dare he teach in the church! Scandalous! How dare he try to show how deep he is! Scandalous! How dare he try to show some spiritual insight! Scandalous! I have discovered that some people never accept that God can work in somebody's life.
We cry about the Lord can make a change – however, we just don't want him to change other people. We don't want to see God do great things in other people's lives: We want the drunk to stay drunk. We want the playa playa to keep on playing. We want the bad singer to keep singing badly. We want the preacher who can't preacher to still preach badly. We want the slob to stay sloppy. We want the sleepy deacon to keep on being sleepy. But I have discovered that God is able to make ways for people in spite of what the crowd has determined.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Saturday, June 1, 2013
“Promise Yourself"
To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”
― Christian D. Larson, Your Forces and How to Use Them
The Lord's Supper
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:23-24)What is to be had at the feast of the Lord's Supper? What is to be had that is not to be had in other places and in other means of grace? I believe part of the answer is - the felt presence of Christ; not always, I grant you, but sometimes. Sometimes at the Lord's Supper, there is a special communication of grace to those at the Table; it registers in a sweet inward quietness of soul. It issues sometimes in tears of unspeakable gladness.
Dear Christian friends let us not allow the troubles of this world to cloud our joy as we prepare to come to the Lord's Table. It is a very evil world, a very evil generation and there are many things to trouble us in church and state. Why should these things spoil our enjoyment of Christ? He lived in a troubled time, just as we do. Christians have, more-or-less, always lived in a troubled time. When was this world not a troubled place since Adam took from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; it has been troubled ever since. Therefore, let us seek to lay aside our anxieties, fears, worries and troubles. Let us seek to forgive one another and to love one another, and to realize that very soon, you and I, by grace, will be feasting at another table.
There are churches where everybody takes the Lord's Supper without a thought or qualm, because nobody ever told them that it is for believers only - for born again believers only. It is for those who are justified and sanctified, and kept and preserved by Christ, for those whose lives are holy, for those who live by faith in Scripture, who are dead to the world and whose hope is Christ crucified. Some congregations are never told these things; they are, tragically, eating and drinking to their own condemnation as the apostle Paul told us was happening in Corinth. It is a terrible thought and the principal cause of their ignorance is the preacher himself, and he will answer to God for his errors one day.
We mustn't carry a good thing too far. We are always in danger of extremism as fallen men and women. Whilst it is true that the Lord's Supper is for believers only, yet, at the same time, it is for all believers - not just a few choice elite believers. It is not just for strong believers or advanced believers. It is for all believers.
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