Jul. 17, 2005

Pentecost 9

 

Romans 8:18-25 (NLT)  

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. 19For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse. 21All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 24Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. 25But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.

 

Ps. 86

 

Matthew 13:24-30 (NLT)  

Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25But that night as everyone slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat. 26When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. 27The farmer's servants came and told him, 'Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds!'

28" 'An enemy has done it!' the farmer exclaimed.

" 'Shall we pull out the weeds?' they asked.

29"He replied, 'No, you'll hurt the wheat if you do. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn.' "

 

Sermon:  Miracles Are Happening

 

 

            Very often I hear people asking, “Does God do miracles any more?”  Well, sure He does.  We have seen miracles of all kinds right here in this church.  People have been healed.  People have been set free from the oppression of evil spirits.  People have seen God intervene in their lives to provide for their needs. 

            But someone will say, “Oh, that’s just coincidence.  Sometimes people just recover unexpectedly from certain illnesses, or life just works out the way you needed it to.  That doesn’t make it a miracle just because you said a prayer.  What about the kind of miracles we see in the Bible?  Why doesn’t God do things like that any more?” 

            Well, did you see this article in the paper?  It’s a story from Ethiopia, and this is verified by the police.  A young girl was taken by seven men who tried to force her to marry one of them.  She was missing for a week.  She was beaten repeatedly.  In desperation she cried out to God.  Three lions appeared from the forest.  They chased away her captors, then they took up positions around her, as if they were standing guard over her.  This was considered very unusual because these kind of lions usually attack people, but they did no harm to the little girl.  For half a day they sat quietly beside her, keeping her attackers away from her.  When the police and some of her relatives finally arrived, the lions got up and walked back into the forest. 

            Man’s question to God is, “Do you still work miracles?”  God answers that question with a question.  (He is Jewish, you know.)  Man asks God “Do you still do miracles?”  God replies, “Is anyone paying attention?  Hello!  Oh, mishugina!” 

 

            I believe God is working more miracles today than ever before.  How do I know that?  Simple.  There are more people in the world today than ever before, and God is not ignoring any of them.  But how many of them are paying attention to what God is doing?

 

            In the 1980s there was a church in Texas where the Holy Spirit was working in a wonderful way.  Church of the Redeemer in Houston was a church that became known all over the world as a church where miraculous things were happening.  Why?  Perhaps because it was a church that listened to God. 

            At one of their prayer meetings a woman received a word from God.  It was literally a word from God, just one word.  And it was in Spanish.  Since the woman didn’t understand Spanish, she didn’t know what to make of it.  She brought it to the church and asked the other people at the prayer meeting about it.  Someone did recognize the word.  It was the name of a town in Mexico.  Now it got interesting.

            A member of the church, Dr. Bob Eckerd, had been praying for some time about starting a medical mission in Mexico.  Could this be a sign, the direction from God he was looking for?

            They looked on a map and found the town.  Then they decided to drive to the town, along with someone who spoke Spanish.  They drove to Mexico and found the town which was little more than a crossroads.  The pulled off the road and waited.  And they waited.  And they waited.   Finally a man came running down the road.  He had seen the American license plate when they passed by.  He ran up to the car and asked Dr. Eckerd, “Are you the doctor God said He would send us?”  

            Result:  A medical mission was founded by direction from God.

 

HOW DO WE PRAY?

            As Christians we don’t pray “Lord, bless what I’m doing now.”  We pray, “Lord, take me into what You are doing and blessing now.” 

 

            The hierarchial model of ministry is not working.  God is taking us back to His Word.  It isn’t going to be about a handful of superstar ministers standing on a stage while crowds of people sit and watch.  That is not God’s will. 

            When I was ordained I was not elevated above you to be your boss.  I was appointed to be a servant, to equip you, encourage you, and build you up in your priesthood.

            I know I said this before in a previous sermon but I think it’s time to say it again.  Priesthood in the New Testament is not what most people in the church today seem to think it is.  There are two Greek words at work here.

            If we are talking about the word “presbyter” as being the origin of the English word for priest, that’s OK.  A presbyter is simply an elder, a person who is given leadership as a teacher and pastor to the people based on faith.

            But the English word for priest is actually defined in the English dictionary in terms of the Old Testament function of the priest, that is, a person who offers sacrifices and atones for the sins of the people.  The Greek word for this is “hierus” from which we get the word “hierarchy.”  It was the office given to Aaron, the brother of Moses.  He was anointed to be the priest of Israel.  Only Aaron and his descendants were allowed to perform the priestly functions described in Leviticus, offering sacrifices, calling on God for the people.

            Now, in the New Testament there are only two ways that the word “hierus”, priest, is used.  First, it is used of Jesus, who is the “arch-hierus”, the great High Priest.  Secondly, it is used to describe the whole church as a “kingdom of priests.”  NOWHERE is it used to describe a leadership role reserved to the clergy.

 

            The priesthood of the church is more out there (in the congregation) than it is up here (with the clergy.)  This was always God’s plan, but the people rejected it, so God had to go to plan B. 

            When God gathered the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai, His purpose was to appoint them, ALL of them, to be a “kingdom of priests” to serve God.  But the people would not.  They said to Moses, “You go up on the mountain and receive the words of God.  Then come tell us.”  That’s when God went to plan B.

 

            Don’t say “I am not able to forgive” but “I am unwilling to forgive.”  Unforgiveness is not about lack of ability, it’s about lack of will.  When you can’t forgive someone you need to pray for insight into your own will, and find out what it is you are demanding from this person that you need to let go of.

            Forgiveness is the most important part of your priesthood.  When Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, He said “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If your forgive anyone their sins, they are forgiven.”

 

            Let me share one more lesson about listening.  Again, Dr. Bob Eckerd is the one telling the story.  He was driving down the highway one day when he heard God say audibly, “Pull over.”   So, he pulled off the side of the road.  Just then another car came speeding by and was involved in an accident right where Bob Eckerd’s car would have been.  Being a doctor he was able to help the injured until the ambulance arrived. 

            Afterward he returned to his car.  He sat there thinking about what had happened, and he cried out:  “God, why didn’t you tell them what You told me?”   God answered him:  “I did, but they weren’t listening.”

 

PRAYER:

Here's a prayer Jack Sheffield prayed for us at Shrinemont.

"Lord Jesus, you are so wonderful.  You are so wonderfully here.  We don't have to pray you down, we don't have to cajole, we don't have to coax.  You said, 'How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to them that ask.'  It's His pleasure to give us the kingdom.  Lord, manifest Your presence.  Dance all over this room.  Pour out on us Your gifts of healing, gifts of faith.  Birth new faith in us. 

Thank You Father that it doesn't depend on us.  It depends completely on You.  Let us become receivers, and out of our receiving, let us do and speak just the way Jesus did it.  We don't ask You to bless what we're doing, but to take us into the work that You are blessing.  Open our eyes.  Open our ears.  Open our hearts, for it is with our heart that we believe. 

This is how You taught us to pray, that Your kingdom would come and Your will be done.  Take us back to Your Word in our prayers.  Take us into Your will for our lives.  Take us to the cross where You gave new life to all who trust you.  Thank you Jesus."