Palm Sunday 2024

 

Palm Sunday 2024                    NOTES NOT EDITED
The King Is Coming: Are You Ready
Matthew 21:1-11

SIS: The King of Kings is coming again and we must be ready to receive Him.

The King of Kings entered Jerusalem over 2000 years ago through the Eastern Gate on what we now call, Palm Sunday.   Let’s read together about that glorious, triumphant day.  MAT 21:1-1

The Lord arrived that day to a mixed reception.  Some were ready to receive Him and shouted: "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.”  The religious leaders on the other hand, according to Luke 19:39 complained of all the shouting and praise for Jesus. His disciples were too “emotional.”

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³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” ⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

The word, "hosanna" sums up what it means to receive Jesus as the Lord of one's life so He becomes your Savior.  “Hosanna” comes from the Hebrew OT, particularly the Psalms.  Hosanna is the Aramaic and/or Greek equivalent of "hoshi^eah na" which combines the word for "save us" with "now" (Ps. 118:25-27). Many of the people recognized that Jesus was the Messiah who had come to save them now!  However, they mistook a political idea of salvation for the spiritual salvation Jesus would secure for them on the cross.

The word, “na, or now,” associated with salvation is extremely important.  The Bible reminds us that “Today is the day of salvation” (2Cor. 6:2). There’s no other time to surrender to and to love and serve the Lord than “now.”  You can’t eat yesterday’s manna for it has worms in it, and you aren’t guaranteed a tomorrow so all talk of salvation and devotion must be connected to “now.”  

The Triumphal Entry passages highlight the two primary responses people had then, and still have today, when Jesus rides into their lives:  some are elated -- even ecstatic to receive Jesus as the Lord and Savior.  Others, are skeptical or apathetic on one level or the other, or even openly rebellious toward Jesus. Some have hearts prepared to receive Christ, others have hearts hardened against His love and grace and unprepared to receive Him as Lord.

Now, here's the point I really want to make today.  There were hundreds of prophecies fulfilled when Jesus came the first time, such as Zechariah 9:9:

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⁹Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

What many Christians do not know is something a pastor pointed out a few years ago: “Prophecies of the Second Coming of Christ outnumber the prophecies of the First Coming eight to one (8:1). Scholars have identified 1,845 Biblical references to the Second Coming” (Dr. David Jeremiah). The Second Coming is mentioned in 17 of the 39 O.T. Books.  It is noted in 23 out of 27 N.T. books.  Seven out of ten chapters in the N.T. deal with the Second Coming.  It is noted in 1 out of every 30 verses in the N.T.

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A major consideration in examining the Triumphal Entry of Jesus is to realize that God has always had a plan, and it will always play out EXACTLY AS PLANNED.  The question is:  will YOU be prepared to receive Him as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings when He comes the next time? Most people were not ready to receive Christ the first time He came, and even more are unprepared for His Second Coming.

I want to give you three ways you can be ready to receive the King of Kings when He comes again.  I call it, “being on the Hosanna side of the street.”  First, we must view

❶ Our SAVIOR  as more important than our SELVES (v3)

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³ If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the
Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.” 

The key to the success of our mission in this life and the key to our rewards in the next is to comprehend the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?”  I doubt very seriously if the man with a highly valued donkey and colt would have given them up simply because two rough looking itinerant preachers asked.  But, when they dropped the name of Jesus, the man gave up his possessions without so much as a question.  God had prepared this man to be who he was, where he was, with a donkey since before the beginning of time.

Notice the wording in verse 4:  “This took place SO . . . ,” or as the as the NIV translates it, “This took place to fulfill.”  Like so many texts referring to Jesus in the N.T. our text today ties His Identity to the Promise Messiah (Savior) of the O.T.  In this case, the promise of Zech. 9:9.

The most important doctrine in the Bible is the doctrine of the Deity of Christ.  What Jesus did would have had no eternal value whatsoever if it were not for Who Jesus is.  If Jesus Christ was not the prophesied Messiah, His death on the cross was no different than the death of the many thousands of other such deaths—except that he would have been a man of sterling character, unlike many who were common criminals.

In the 11^th Century the Archbishop of Canterbury England, Anselm, wrote a book explaining why Jesus had to be both man and God. The logic is quite simple. Jesus had to suffer and die as a man because the penalty of sin belonged to man. Jesus had to be God because the penalty of sin was eternal—only a perfect, eternal sacrifice once-for-all would suffice. People obviously could see Jesus was a man as they were. This entire pageantry, indeed the entire N.T., was given to show that Jesus was also God—the Messiah.

The death of a  mere man—even the most virtuous man who ever lived—would not have been enough to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind.  It had to be God.  Only the Messiah—the promised, prophesied God-Man, could do that. We must recognize Who Jesus is, and understand our SAVIOR is more important than our SELVES 

Jesus Christ fulfilled hundreds of prophecies in the O.T. to establish His identity as the Messiah—God in human flesh Who came to “save mankind from sin.” We must always keep our focus in church on Jesus, and not our selves. The second way to be ready is to view

❷ Our SERVICE as more important than our STATUS.  (6)

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{6}The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.

In context, this verse had to do with a specific assignment to two specific (unnamed) disciples at a specific moment in history.  The instructions were simple enough (Mat. 21:1-3):

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¹ When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. ³ “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

This wasn’t a very impressive assignment. The disciples did not achieve “celebrity status.”  In fact, as I mentioned, they remained nameless.  But, celebrity status aside, they were faithful.  Their actions, though anonymous, have become a part of God’s eternal record.  They opted for “eternal status,” over celebrity status.

We are in one of the most annoying times of the year for me.  No, I'm not talking about “Tax Time.”  I'm talking about American Idol.  Week after tortuous week that we have to endure the pompous ceremony of an "idol in the making."  I could go on and on but my sermon would degenerate into a rant.

Here's my beef:  there is so much glitter and so little substance to the whole idea of the show -- and I could probably make the same argument for nearly any other Hollywood production.  Hollywood is all about shadow and very little about substance.  Tens of thousands of young people give up nearly everything in life for a shot at becoming the next "American Idol."  And, when -- as will be the case -- one finally does win, what have they gained?  Fame? Fortune? The adoration of mind-numbed, soul-less T.V. audiences?

We live in a society that idolizes status and disdains service.  Society talks a lot about climbing the ladder of success to grab the brass ring, but nearly ignores descending the stairs to minister to drug-addicted homeless stung by the silver needle. 

In the crowd that day was a motley mix of common folk prepared to receive Jesus gladly.  Also in the crowd were those with status and standing in the community, like the Pharisees, were not about to take their cloaks off to be used as the red carpet for the Coming King.  Like most people of status, the Pharisees were used to BEING PRAISED NOT GIVING PRAISE.  The Lord must have really pricked their hearts when he said to the self-righteous Pharisees, according to Luke, (19:40) 

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"If people don't praise me, the rocks will cry out." 

Wow!  That had to leave a mark.  The Pharisees
in God's eyes didn't even rate the status of "rocks!"
They were self-righteous and spent a lot of time “evaluating” others, but precious little time evaluating themselves. 

That was then.  This is now. That assignment for those two disciples was completed.  But, what about you and I.  Do we as disciples of Jesus, today, have an important assignment to carry out?  According to Jesus we do have an important assignment.  His last words to his disciples then, and to us by extension today are these:

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Mat 28   ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing  them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Our assignment is not glamorous.  We will not achieve celebrity status.  In fact, we may be persecuted as we carry out the assignment, but we must realize our service to God is more important than our status in life.  We must tell people about Jesus.

A BARBER had just been gloriously converted in an old-fashioned revival meeting. He was really excited about being saved and was determined to tell as many people as possible. The next morning a customer came in for a cut and shave. The barber was trying to muster up words to say but just couldn't figure out how to start a conversation with the man. Finally the barber stood with his razor poised over the man's throat ready to give him a shave and these words popped into his head:  "Are you prepared to meet God?"

That’s our assignment.  Tell the world about Jesus.  It may not be a glamorous assignment, but it is our duty to God. Perhaps we should put down any sharp objects first.  Like the barber, though, it is sometimes hard to come up with the right words—but we must try.

To be ready to receive the King of Kings when He returns again we must recognize that the Savior is more important than ourselves, and that our service to Him is more important than our status in life.  We must also understand

❸ Heaven tomorrow is more significant
than Our sacrifice today. (8)

Something wonderful takes place in the pageantry of the Triumphal Entry that can be easily overlooked.  Watch this:

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 ⁸ A very large crowd spread their robes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.

Now, because of the palm branches the people cut and laid in the road in honor of Jesus that Sunday.  This is why the Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday in the Christian calendar.

The palm tree is one of God’s grand designs. I remember the first palm trees I had ever seen. I got off the plane in the Honolulu airport on my way to my submarine assignment.  I felt as if I had arrived in the Garden of Eden.  In the open areas of the terminal were the most spectacular palm trees.  They looked like giant sentries guarding the airport grounds.  I was so impressed.

Palm trees in the Bible are associated with victory in the Bible—the victory of good over evil; the triumph of God’s people over our enemies. But, I’m even more impressed by another group that day.

In the first part of verse 8 we read,

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“a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road.” 

Now, that’s impressive.  That is a little more of a sacrifice.  God grew the palm branches so that required no personal sacrifice, but the cloaks were provided by the peoples’ own hard work.  The cloaks cost them something; the palm branches did not.  I think it is more apt to call this Sunday, “Cloak Sunday,” rather than Palm Sunday.  But, nobody on the “Calendar Committee” asked me.  “Cloak Sunday” is more in line with the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ visit to Jerusalem.  Within a week, Jesus would die on a cruel cross for the sins of humanity. The people gave their cloaks for the One who would soon give His life. 

When God made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, he gave nothing less than His Only Beloved Son.  This reminds me of the hen and the pig.  This is one of my favorite stories and I tell it often because it really makes a good point about sacrifice.   Both were asked by the farmer to make a contribution to the morning’s breakfast table.  The hen without reservation gave two eggs.  The pig hesitated and balked.  The hen reprimanded the pig.  “The master is quite good to us.  Is it too much to ask a little in return.”  The pig very quickly replied, “Providing a couple eggs is little enough sacrifice for you, but providing the bacon will cost me everything!”

How true.  Discipleship takes on a whole new meaning depending how much we have invested in it.  Church is a lot like that barnyard—some are hens and some are pigs.  Too many Christians, people in general, are like the hen, not the pig. They make a small contribution, perhaps, but no great sacrifice.

One of my scripture memory verses a few years ago was Rom. 8:18.  It is a penetrating verse that really makes us stop and assess our readiness to meet Jesus: 

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¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

So often, in life, we focus on our struggles or our sacrifice. This can cause despair.  Struggles are real—no doubt about that.  However, for the follower of Jesus, struggles are not permanent—heaven is! 

To truly live as a follower of Jesus Christ in our world today requires great sacrifice. It doesn't require much sacrifice to attend church every now and then.  It doesn't require much sacrifice to have a pot luck every now and again.  It doesn't take much sacrifice to drop a twenty in the plate every once in a while. But living day by day to serve Jesus in this world—that’s a sacrifice!

Over and over in the N.T. there are references reminding believers of the unbelievable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, inexplicable glories that await us.  We must understand that HEAVEN tomorrow is much more significant than any SACRIFICES we face today.

Jesus entered Jerusalem that Sunday over 2020 years ago and people literally gave Him the coats off their backs.  Since that day millions of people have watched with expectation waiting for the Lord to return again.  Are you prepared to meet the Lord when He comes again? Do you live as if the SAVIOR is more important than yourSELF? Do you live as if your SERVICE to God is more important than your STATUS in life? Do you live as if Heaven TOMORROW is more important than your Sacrifice TODAY?

It has been over 2020 years since Jesus entered the Temple Mount the first time through the Eastern Gate.  Ezekiel prophesied nearly 2600 years ago that Jesus would enter that gate a second time: Ezk 44:1–3

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¹ Then He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east; and it was shut. ² The Lord said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. ³ “As for the prince, he shall sit in it as prince to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by way of the porch of the gate and shall go out by the same way.”

Note that this gate “shall be shut.” Today, that very same gate is sealed. The gate in its present form was sealed by the Muslim Sultan, Suleiman, 480 years or so ago (1541). The exterior face of the gate is a sealed double entrance that leads into two vaulted halls (copied). According to one source we learn this:  “Historians disagree as to why [Suleiman] did this, but legends abound that, learning of the prophecies which predicted the Messiah's entrance through the Eastern Gate, Suleiman tried his best to make sure it wouldn't happen during his reign. And just in case a sealed entrance didn't thwart the Messiah's coming, Muslims built a cemetery directly in front of the gate - conventional wisdom being that a Jewish Holy man would never defile himself by walking through a Muslim cemetery (copied).

Ezekiel prophesied accurately of both the first and second comings of Christ in this one passage.  He predicted the closing of the Eastern Gate, as well as a time it would be reopened.  To be fore-told is to be forewarned.  Jesus, the King of Kings, is coming again—Are you ready?

Habits of a Healthy Heart, Pt4, Lament

 

March 17, 2024             NOTES NOT EDITED
Habits of a Healthy Heart: Lament
Psalm 13

SIS: The Healthy Habit of “Lament” puts the ball of our sorrow in God’s court.

All but the youngest in our society have at least heard of the trumeter and vocalist, Louis Armstrong. Most know of him by his nickname, Satchmo. Poor and black at the turn of the Twentieth Century was a tough start in life. But, Satchmo would rise above his sorrows and write such memorable tunes as, "Hello Dolly," and "It's a Wonderful World." His tough start in life did not prevent his rise to stardom in both music and movies. Satchmo was a deeply religious man having started working for a Jewish family as a "rag collector" when he was a pre-teen. He wrote many inspirational and spiritual tunes. One of those sprituals has the familiar lines:

"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow."

The truth of those lyrics is deep. Nothing is more personal or individualized in the human experience as "sorrow." It can only truly be experienced alone.  As a person called to the sides of individuals and families to offer solace and support in times of sorrow, I learned to never say, "I know how you feel." No matter how deeply acquainted with grief of any particular stripe, we can never really "know" how another person feels sorrow.

There's plenty of "sorrow" in our world. It has led me to the next offering in my series "Habits of a Healthy Heart." Now, I'm not suggesting that we seek out "sorrow," but I am going to show you from the Word of God the godly discipline of "Lamenting."

Sorrow is a universal experience of humanity. Lamenting is a strategy to wrest hope from the grip of pain and misery. Lamenting is a "spiritual discipline," as much a confession, simplicity, and grit that we have already examined.

A lament is a form of prayer that specifically targets sorrow and develops the "grit" to deal with it in a godly way that ends in unbridled hope.

The Bible actually teaches us a “healthy habit” of lamenting that will lighten the load of our sorrow and turns as scars into stars, our pain into gain, and our difficulties into God’s design for blessing.”

Lament is an outdated word in our modern vocabulary but holds a very prominent place in the Bible, especially in the Psalms. There is even an entire—mostly underread—book in the Bible titled, “Lamentations.”

The dictionary has a pretty good definition of lament: a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. In a Biblical sense lament is also associated with “deep regret.”

The word, lament and its forms, only appears a few times in the Bible, but the idea of “mourning because of hardship or lamenting because of the consequences of sin,” is prominent throughout the Bible.

As Jesus was suffering on the cross He actually practiced the Biblical discipline of regret. Just before he died at about 3:00 in the afternoon, Jesus lamented saying, ““Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mat. 27:46.

As an orthodox Jew, Jesus knew the Old Testament. In His time of deep sorrow and pain he quoted from one of the Psalms of Lament, Psalm 22. About 50 of the Psalms, one-third, are Psalms of Lament.

Lamenting is an act of faith in the face of great failure or sorrow. Lamenting is more than feeling sad or sorrowful. Sorrow is an experience; lamenting is a strategy. It is through practicing the habit of lament that we put ourselves completely in the care of God with full trust in His power and love.

Suffering makes us feel like we have lost control of our lives. Pain has a way of deafening our ears to where we cannot discern the voice of God. Lament allows us to throw ourselves into the lap of Almighty God and feel His strong arms and hear is tender whisper in our ear.

Exodus 3:7 reminds us that God’s ear is tuned to our laments.   The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

Lamenting is a roadmap through the “valley of the shadow of death” to get us from a place of deep travail to an abiding trust in God. That’s why I call lament, “A strategy for hope.”

A prayer of lament moves through four important stages. Psalm 13 is a prayer of lament and demonstrates the practice of lamenting. Let’s read it together:

(NIV84) For the director of music. A psalm of David. 1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; 4 my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

1. A CRY TO GOD (V1)

How long, O LORD? That is, YHWH. God’s covenant Name.

The most fundamental aspect of lamenting, or any prayer for that matter, is sending it to the RIGHT ADDRESS. All the wailing and whining and gesticulating and gyrating will not solve your problem if you don’t direct it to the Only True God Who has both the desire and the power to do something about your problem.

For those of you who may not be aware, billions of Muslims began a month long fast last Sunday in a celebration called, Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It has a special significance in Islam. It is during this month that Muslims believe the first verses of the Quran - Islam's holy book - were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (copied).

This is a holy month of deep prayer and devotion to Allah, the god of Islam. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Prayer is another. Charity, Reciting the “Shahada,” There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God," and making a once in a lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca round out the list.

Many of the nearly 2 billion Muslims are extremely devout and sincere in regard to their belief and practices of Islam. However, all the sincerity in the world is as powerless as a feather against a tornado. The effectiveness of faith, including prayer, is not measured by how “sincere” they might be but whether they actually connect with the One True God—Yahweh of the Old Testament revealed as Jesus in the New.

I’ve often told people, “Even a bad prayer can get you to a good place if You cry out to God!”

God is big enough and loving enough to take our complaints. His shoulders are broader the expanse of the heavens. Laments begin by sending one’s problems, pain, suffering and sorrow to the right person. 

Jesus followed this same pattern in teaching His disciples to begin their prayers, “Our Father Who Is In Heaven.” Unless and until you direct your lament to the Right Address, your cries will go unheard.

2. A COMPLAINT (1-2)

1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

David just doesn’t double-down on his complaint. He double-double-downs. Four times he almost utters a painful grunt with those two words, “How long!” These words always have feeling of desperation and note of contempt. They are common in Laments, almost universal. But it isn’t just in the Psalms we see this type of complaining to—and about—God by His children.  Habakkuk also complained saying,

1:2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?

Complaining to God about His actions, or lack thereof, is so common it is a primary aspect of the relationship God has with us. We seem to always be complaining. There is a type of complaining or grumbling that God considers sin. The Israelites grumbling in the Wilderness for example.

But, there is another type of complaining that, for lack of a better description, I call, being human. Lamenting is not JUST COMPLAINING. The Key to successful lamenting is not our complaining, but our compliance as we will see in a moment. Expressing our deepest emotions to God in times of great travail is accepted by God with mercy and grace. As long as our complaints are the natural explosion of our emotional state, God will have more than enough grace to listen patiently. We must, however, never cross the line from complaining to CONDEMNING God.

The complaint in a Lament is more a description of what is troubling us deeply. Remember, even Jesus bumped into despair while on the cross asking, “Why have you forsaken me.” So, complaining to God about a sorrow, suffering, or situation in our life is perfectly within the bounds of Lament . . . as long as we complain with an attitude of full surrender to the Sovereignty and Majesty of God.

3. CONSIDERATION (PETITION) V3-4

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; 4 my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

The NASB and others use the words, “consider me.” This is the language of negotiation. In a two-party contract there must be something called, “consideration,” for each party. Each party must receive some benefit from the relationship. David’s consideration is clear:  GOD SOLVES HIS PROBLEM! But, what does David offer to God for consideration. The short answer is: NOTHING! We have nothing God needs. We have nothing to bargain with.

[When Amanda lie dying].

However, David does not come to God empty-handed, at least not as David saw it. He was asking for consideration and in part that would demonstrate the “God is indeed good and powerful.”  David was pointing out to God that God’s Good Name might be disgraced if the “evil triumphed over good” as in the faithful being overrun by the ungodly.

Often in Laments you will see this kind of bargaining for consideration. I think we would be wise to be careful not to overplay the “And It Will Look Good for You God” card. But, I think we should outline to God, if not for His clarification but our own, exactly why our petition fits withing the will and providence of God.

4. AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (v5)

5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

We should always pray with this end in view.  We should always “enter into the valley of the shadow of death” with absolute assurance that somehow in some way, God is going to get us to the other side.

Trust is simply an affirmation that you believe God is Who He says He is and will do What He said He’d do.

We trust in some-thing, actually many things, all the time. For example, when you came in today and sat in the chair, did you do scientific testing on it to see if it could hold your weight BEFORE you sat down?

Have you ever flown in an airplane? That requires a high level of trust. In fact, the airlines don’t even try to impress you to gain your trust.  Think about it: what do they call the place your plane departs from? The terminal. That’s not an inspiring word as you climb into a tube of thin metal held together by nuts and bolts. And, for most people they look for tickets on the cheapest flight available. You put yourself in the hands of the “lowest bidder.” Then as you near your destination the attendant announces, “Please prepare the cabin for the final approach!” Final approach at the terminal! Doesn’t instill trust if you think about it.

When we get into an airplane we are putting ourselves in the complete care and control of someone else. That’s trust. So the degree of trust comes from, “Who is it we are putting our trust in.”

It all comes down to this: either we can trust Almighty God, Yahweh, to hear our laments and care for us, or we can . . . well, really, if we can’t trust God—what’s left?

Your Lament will be Lame if you don’t get to the STAGE OF AFFIRMING YOUR TRUST IN GOD. You will simply be left to stew in your sorrow until you are but a feast for the cannibal of despair.

Learning to Lament is a strategy to get from soaking in sorrow to singing with joy. The final stage of a Lament is what anchors a believer’s life in hope:

5. RESOLUTION: A VOW OF PRAISE (6)

I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Prayers of Lament always end on a positive note, no matter how negative your feelings may continue to be. As believers our faith is driven by the locomotive of facts, not the caboose of feelings. Feelings have their place, but not at the front of the faith train.

“I will sing” is the counter-weight to the cry, “How long.” All Psalms of Lament have these two book-ends that demonstrate that God always gets us “to the other side.”

Remember I told you the story of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong who rose from horrible poverty to unmatched celebrity. Remember the words of his song:

Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen. Nobody knows my sorrow.

Well, that’s not all the lyrics to that song of course. It goes like this:

Sometimes I'm up
Sometimes I'm down
Oh, yes, Lord
Sometimes I'm almost to the ground
Oh, yes, Lord

Oh, nobody knows the trouble I've seen
Nobody knows my sorrow
Nobody knows the trouble I've seen
Glory, Hallelujah

Oh, every day to you I pray
Oh, yes Lord
For you to drive my sins away
Oh, yes Lord

Oh, nobody knows the trouble I've seen
Nobody knows but Jesus

 

March 10, 2024 Habits of a Healthy Heart, Pt 3

 

March 10, 2024             NOTES NOT EDITED
Habits of a Healthy Heart: True Grit
Job 42:12, et. al.

SIS: In order to be an effective, fruitful follower of Christ you will need to develop the Healthy Habit of Grit.

 The main ingredient to success in life is not wealth, is not great intellect, it is not great skill and craftsmanship. The one indispensable factor in all successful endeavors in life is: grit!

 Grit is the ability to stay with a task over the long haul through many challenges in order to see great results.

 The great inventor Thomas Edison held over 1000 patents in his name.  While trying to develop a practical light bulb, he failed over 10,000 times. When asked how it felt to fail so many times he replied. “I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that there are 10,000 ways not to make a light bulb.”

 Colonel Sanders was the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurants. He failed in just about every endeavor in his life. At the age of 65, he went on the road to sell chicken recipe franchises.  Over 1000 restaurants rejected him.  He kept going.  Finally, a restaurant in Salt Lake accepted his offer.

Steve Jobs and Apple. In 1985, Jobs was fired from his own company after a power struggle with the board of directors. Jobs founded NeXT which would later be bought by Apple and Jobs would get his old company back.  “He had grit and didn’t quit.

And, of course, there is Job.  “Job 1:1 ^(NIV84) In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

In the course of history Yahweh permitted Satan to test his faithful servant Job. Satan defamed Job and challenged Yahweh saying, “Job 1:10–12 (NIV84) 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” 12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

And so, Satan set out to test the grit of the man Job like no one had been tested before. So powerful was this test of Job that Job has become the “iconic example of overcoming suffering.” His story is known in nearly every culture in the world.

On that very day, nomadic tribes called, Sabeans killed all of Job’s servants in the fields. Then, fire fell from heaven and consumed all of Job’s sheep and the servants tending them.  Next the Chaldeans, another tribal group attacked and took all of Job’s camels while killing the servants tending them. Following this, Job’s sons and daughters were eating in Job’s oldest brother’s house. A mighty wind came and killed them all. While bent low by the weight of all this tragedy, Satan “smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head” (2:8). What more torment could a man endure but Job continued to “bless the Name of the Lord” (1:22).

Upon all this heap of misery yet one more shovelful of torment is tossed upon the pile. Job’s own wife, who saw this broken man sitting in an ash heap of sorrow covered with oozing sores, says to him, (2:9) His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

For 40 long and often agonizing chapters Job endures the examination and condemnation of three, supposed friends as they pontificate about Job’s situation. Rather than comfort, they offer empty-headed analysis. Instead of mercy, they bring theology—and not very good theology at that.

This brings us to our congregational reading this morning that shows us the final result and glowing success of a man, like Job, who has “True Grit.” Let’s read: Job 1:20-22 and 42:10.

There are many ingredients that go into developing “True Grit.”  I have boiled grit down to the “Four Most Important Aspects” and mad it an “acrostic.” This will help you remember the aspects as you make “grit” Habit of a Healthy Heart in your own life.  G stands for Grace; R for Resilience; I for Integrity; and T for Teachability.

G – Having grit requires GRACE (2Corinthians 12:7-9)

(NIV84) 7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Paul was a powerful Apostle. He was well educated and naturally gifted. But, these qualities are as likely to be a “problem” as they are a solution to challenges in life. As gifted and godly as the Apostle Paul was, he was not immune from great struggles. Something in his life was causing him great pain. He calls it a “thorn in the flesh.” We don’t know exactly what this “thorn” was, and it is not important. What IS important is what God says is the solution to Paul’s pain and great trial in life. God said, “My GRACE is sufficient.”

Everybody experiences times in life when we say to ourselves, “I just can’t go on.” That’s exactly what we need to tell ourselves in moments of despair—“I” am not sufficient. My knowledge is not sufficient. My physical strength is not sufficient. My natural abilities are not sufficient. All that will fail. What will NOT FAIL is God’s grace.

Grace is the “unmerited, undeserved, unconquerable, unsolicited operation of God’s favor in our lives that makes itself known through an inner strength that is unworldly.”  This is really important so I want to say it again. It is written in your notes. Grace is the “unmerited, undeserved, unconquerable, unsolicited operation of God’s favor in our lives that makes itself known through an inner strength that is unworldly.” 

In life, you are going to have hardship. There will be times when your “get up and go will have got up and went.” It will take “grit” just to get up in the morning sometimes. There can be no “grit” without God’s grace. There can be no “power” without God’s grace. The greatest realization in life is to understand that apart from God, we can do nothing.” Jesus stressed this through the words of John (15:5)

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Having the “grit” to go on when all the odds are against you starts with grace—the knowledge that “God’s grace is sufficient.”

R –Having Grit requires RESILIENCE (Galatians 6:9)

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we DO NOT GIVE UP.

Perhaps the simplest advice I could give in how to win at the race of life, especially as a believer in Christ, is this: JUST DON’T QUIT!

One writer defined “resilience” as, the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences.

The Biblical word for resilience is “perseverance.” James describes it in this way (1:2-4)

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Perseverance is simply, “sticking to it until the end no matter what.”

Just don’t quit. I remember many times as a kid I would be attempting something, usually on the baseball field, and I just couldn’t seem to master the skill. My Dad, who was a former semi-pro player and my Little League coach would say, “Son, quitters never win and winners never quit.” That phrase created resilience in my character. I don’t know how to quit.

Someone else has said, “Quitting is a long-term solution to a short-term problem.” Resilience, or perseverance, hangs on until the problem runs out of power and the solution kicks in.

If you want to be resilient, learn to “shake off” the dirt the world wants to throw on you. Years ago the story was told of a donkey that fell into a well.  One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.  A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

The moral of the story is: when life throws dirt on you to bury you beneath trials and tribulations, “shake it off and step up.” Let God turn life’s dirt into His design for your on-going happiness and success.

I – Having Grit requires INTEGRITY (Daniel 1:8, 15 NIV84)

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. . . . . . . . 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.

Daniel had been one of the young Jewish boys carried off into captivity into ancient Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Israel and destroyed the City of Jerusalem. Daniel was now a slave in a foreign land with foreign customs that were counter to what God demanded of Him as a Jew.

To partake of the invading king’s food, and pagan customs of dining, would mean Daniel had to “compromise his faith.” I mean, who could have blamed him. If he became weak from a lack of food, the King could find him unfit for service in his court and cast Daniel out to menial labor; or worse, just have Daniel killed.

But Daniel had “Integrity.” The Dictionary defines integrity as, “incorruptibility, soundness, or completeness” (Merriam-Webster). The New Testament uses two different Greek words to describe the same two basic qualities of “incorruptibility, or blamelessness, and the idea of “wholeness, or completeness).  One is “olokleros” which means “wholeness or complete” (James 1:4). The other word is
“akeraios” which means “blameless or innocent.” (Rom 16:9; Phil. 2:14).

The basic idea of “wholeness” is what creates blamelessness because we do not divide our allegiance between the world and the God of the Word. Our complete and total allegiance must always be to God Almighty, even if it means we face persecution and trials. This is what Daniel was doing. He had “integrity” and that gave him GRIT.

Daniel not only survived by denying the pagan influence of Babylon but our text told us, At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.

I heard someone say this about integrity and I think it is right on the mark: “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. And . . . if you DON’T have integrity, well . . . nothing else matters.”

Integrity is a key aspect of GRIT and without GRIT we are not going to finish the race of faith very well.

T – Having Grit means we have TEACHABILITY (Prv. 12:1, 15)

All through the Bible the virtue of “teachability” is highlighted. This especially true in the Book of Proverbs. Here are two examples:

Proverbs 12:1 (NIV84) Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

Proverbs 12:15 (NIV84) 15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

A person who is not teachable is a “fool.” Another thing I remember my Dad saying often is this: “Jackie, you can always tell a fool—you just can’t tell them much.”  My Dad was not big on debating people. If people didn’t see things his way, he wasn’t much inclined to try to persuade them, especially if he thought their ideas were foolish. My Dad was a “life-long learner.” He was always learning some new talent or reading about some new idea. He wasn’t formally educated. In fact, I’m the only child of his with a four-year degree (and later a Master’s degree). But, my Dad had teachability.

Along with “teachability” comes humility. Have you ever asked yourself:  “What is the opposite of being teachable?” It is PRIDE. When you think you “know it all,” why would you seek to learn anything knew.

I remember someone saying one time, “You know, people who THINK they know it all sure aggravate those of us who DO.” Or, I think of the person at a political rally who is wearing a badge saying, “Don’t bother me with the facts—My mind is made up.”

PRIDE is a bad thing because, well it is just dangerous. The Bible says, Proverbs 16:18 (NIV84)  Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.

I remember the story of a turtle from West Virginia who wanted to take a vacation in Florida. Being a turtle, he knew he’d never be able to walk that far. So, he came up with an ingenious idea. He was very proud of himself. He was able to convince a couple of geese passing through on their way to Florida to help him get there, too. His plan involved a piece of rope. Each goose would take an end of the rope in their beak. The turtle clamped down like a vice in the middle of the rope, and up, up, and away they went. The flight was going great until somewhere over Georgia the turtle heard someone on the ground shout, “Well, Marge, would you look at that! Who in the world could have thought of such a great idea?” The turtle, not known for his humble spirit, opened his mouth and said, “I . . . . . . “ Then the couple below heard something go . . . splat!

Another saying in Proverb reminds us of the power of Teachability to move us forward even amidst great trials: Proverbs 9:9 (NIV84)

Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.

The more you learn, the more resources you have to face trials and tribulations, and the more grit you will have to not only survive, but also thrive.

Thomas Edison had it. Colonel Sanders had it. Steve Jobs had it. And, of course, Job had it. They all had, “grit,” the ability to stay with a task over the long haul through many challenges in order to see great results.

In order to be an effective, fruitful follower of Christ you will need to develop the Healthy Habit of Grit.

So, when life throws dirt on you, “shake it off and step up.” Don’t quit, hav GRIT!

 

So, when life throws dirt on you, “shake it off and step up.” Don’t quit, have grit!