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Universal

5/31/2020

  A lot of things happened this week.  It’s hard to take it all in:  a pandemic that is ongoing, efforts to reopen businesses, disbelief that there really is a pandemic, police actions that lead to another death, riots popping up across the country, wholesale mob destruction of cities, and the U. S. Supreme Court ruling enforcing punitive restrictions on the number of persons attending churches in California.  Yes, punitive is the proper word for it.  Courthousenews.com reported the late-Friday night (May 29th) ruling.  As Pastor Josh put it, “We are seeing things go the wrong way.  The devil is working overtime.  But, God is in charge.  Don’t forget that.”
          “Several hundred years ago God saw fit to allow man to write an incredible document called the Constitution.  Now we are seeing restrictions on the number of people who can come to church.  Yet, this same U. S. Supreme Court does not put restrictions on the number of abortions.  I have a problem with that.” spoke our pastor at the opening of this Sunday’s sermon.
          “You have to live like Christ to go to heaven.  Regardless of how much I do, I cannot save myself.  Thank God there’s a universal savior and he’s coming again.”  First Timothy 4:10 tells us “…we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”  Why a universal savior?  It’s because of universal sin.  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)  None of us are worthy to stand before God.
          Once sin is acknowledged, universal guilt it shared with all mankind.  “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10)  We all share in what was once called the Doctrine of Depravity which basically states that after the fall man is inclined to serve his own will and desires rather than serve God.  Sin, guilt, and then the offering of universal forgiveness which is available for all.  “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (I John 2:1)  Which leads to universal redemption:  Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only but also for the whole world (I John 2:2).  God’s plan includes the whole human race.
          But it doesn’t end there.  Sin acknowledged, guilt confessed, forgiveness administered, and redemption bestowed.  The old, corrupt self is renewed in the spirit of the mind and the new man is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).  And the universal call is set into motion.  It’s what sets us apart from other organizations out there.  Telling and sharing the old, old story of Jesus and his love.  “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.  For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.  Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalms 117)
          God so loved the world that He has offered a universal plan that is open to everyone, no exemptions, no one left out.  A day of reckoning is coming, a day when the books will be tallied, a day of universal judgment, a day when everyone will stand before God and make an accounting.  It’s in Acts 17:30 and 31.  God has winked at ignorance but now the command to repent has come to all men every where.  A day has been appointed that God will judge the world.  Be prepared for it.

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Alive Again

5/28/2020

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Memorial Day Weekend:  It’s a time to remember military personnel who died in service to their country.  As Pastor Josh pointed out, we have a lot to be thankful for.  Because of others, we live in a country that still puts in God we trust on our money and has one nation under God in the pledge.  It’s undeniable we have a lot to be thankful for.  “As Americans we need to live worthy of the sacrifices of men and Jesus.” Pastor Josh uttered as he opened our memorial day service.
Mary, the sister of Lazarus, is broken hearted.  Her brother has died and is buried.  It’s been four days and then, Jesus arrives.  Mary meets Jesus and after four days of grieving the first thing she says, “Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died.” (John 11:32) She’s weeping in verse 33 and it moves Jesus to the core.  So much so that he wept. (verse 35)
Yes, our Lord did, knowing full well he was going to call him back to life.  We live in a sin-cursed world but God has a plan and he has a way.  Jesus could have healed Lazarus.  After all, he caused the blind to see and the lame to walk.  Even though he could have, he didn’t.  His purposes were to raise Lazarus.  It was the plan.
Even so, Jesus groaned again. (verse 38)  The sadness of death touched him.  He knows and feels the pain of our infirmities.  It’s in Hebrews 4:15.  Imagine the scene:  Martha ran to meet him and they share a conversation, “If you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”  Jesus responds, “Your brother will rise.”  She assures Jesus that she believes in the resurrection.  And they continue.  Then Mary, the other sister comes and is deeply grieved.  Jesus feels the pain of both of them.  He cares.
Approaching the cemetery Jesus bids them to remove the stone.  Martha cautions Jesus, “He stinks.  He’s been dead four days.”  Jesus basically says, “Do it anyway.”  They do and Jesus calls for Lazarus and out he comes all wrapped up like a mummy.  Lazarus was raised from the dead that day.
Our day is coming too.  Unless we’re alive at Jesus’s return, we’ll die and be buried.  The great thing to remember is that we have a savior who will return to get those who believe.  Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” (John 11:25,26)

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Doest Thou Well...?

5/22/2020

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It’s Sunday, May 17, 2020.  The world is different now.  Different now from just three months ago.  Not a gradual change like the introduction of a new contraption to make life easier or, for some, more complicated.  But a sudden burst of immediate change.  And the change still lingers with us.  How could a tiny invisible virus hold such sway over an entire planet?
   This is when it’s comforting to return to church and listen to the same truths that have been repeated down through some two or more thousand years.  Today’s sermon covered Jonah’s anger at God for being merciful to the people of Nineveh.  It’s in Jonah 4:1-4.  The anger Jonah felt vexed him to the point that he prayed a simple prayer, “…take, I beseech thee, my life from me…”  Now, that’s mad.   He returned to Nineveh, carried out the Lord’s mission and now he was done with it.
         Yes, Nineveh was a great enemy of Israel.  Crying against that city for its’ sins meant that Nineveh would continue to exist and bedevil Israel should they repent.  They did repent and God was merciful to them.  Jonah absolutely did not agree with God’s actions.
          At the beginning, Jonah’s problem was that he was running from God.  It was disobedience.  It was his sin.  God was merciful even to him.  Rather than die by being thrown overboard, God prepared a fish to swallow him.  It was then that he cried to the Lord, “out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” (Jonah 2:2) The fish spit him out on dry land.
          After this ordeal Jonah was willing to go to Nineveh.  While there he was an eyewitness to the glory of God.  The hearts of the people, including their king, cried unto God.  To see such a large city overcome with contrition had to be inspirational.  But, no, Jonah saw how merciful God was to them and was moved to anger.  So much so that he thought that he could tell God to just zap him and that would be it.  But I Corinthians 6:19 tells us that we are not our own.  We are God’s.  After all, He is the Creator.
          God answers Jonah a third time.  “Doest thou well to be angry?”  God is pointing out to him how he is living his life.  He needs God’s grace just as everyone does.  Not just for today but for tomorrow, too.

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The Message Doesn't Change

5/11/2020

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Nimrod, the son of Cush who was the son of Ham who was the son of Noah. Nimrod, the mighty hunter, whose kingdom was Babel. Genesis 10 also states that he built Nineveh. This would be around 2300 to 2400 B.C. When God first calls on Jonah to go to Nineveh, it's around 860 B.C. That's close to sixteen centuries of existence, plenty of time to grow into a large, wicked metropolis.
     Of course, the city met its' end about two hundred years after Jonah made his trip there. The city was destroyed and basically was forgotten about except for Biblical references. It wasn't until the 1800s that the city was unearthed and much has been learned about it since then. One of the things of note was that the walls of the city were wide enough that three chariots could ride abreast of each other. Just the enormity of the walls is enough to impress any casual observer.
     The city was so wicked in its' heyday that Jonah didn't want to go there. So much so, that he took off for parts unknown. But, one cannot escape God's watchful eye. In God's opinion, Jonah was the man for the job. And, after some strong convincing, Jonah decided he would go. So, for a second time, God says "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." (Jonah 3:2) So he goes, enters the city and says, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." (Jonah 3:4)
     The message is still the same. It's important to cry against sin. God is long suffering. He's not willing that any should perish. (II Peter 3:9) Get started on what God wants. Determine, like Paul, to "know nothing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (I Corinthians 2:2) Three times it says in Mark 9 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (verse 44,46,48) Hell burns hot and like Pastor Josh says, "There are no fire extinguishers in hell."
     Man in the parking lot speaking to Pastor Josh saying that the devil is working overtime. Pastor Josh's reply was "Yes, but God's not on vacation. He is still in charge. God will make it right someday. We know that he is the judge."
     Nineveh was on God's radar. Sin was about to be judged. God sent Jonah to cry against sin. God had a message because they were people, not heathens. Be for Jesus and against sin. After all, there ain't no fire extinguishers in hell.

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Preparations

5/3/2020

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By the time this is published, most of our daily activities will begin again. Not in the same old way but in another way. There are still the necessary restrictions such as distancing, using hand sanitizer, wearing face masks, and so on. It's kind of strange.
     Our church held its first service in seven weeks. It was good to see the familiar faces. But it was different. Families sat together in every other pew. The pew in between was kept empty. Some wore masks, hand sanitizer and masks were available, we smiled and talked but no touching. Everyone sang from their pew, no choir. It's just a different experience.
     It was great to see Pastor Josh. He was in fine form and glad to have us there. He had been preaching to an empty sanctuary for six weeks. I bet that was strange too. This sermon is a continuation of Jonah. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. He disobeyed and caught a ship to get as far away from God as he could. The ship is caught in a tempest. The crew has to wake Jonah and ask him to call on his God. They want to know who's fault it is for the storm. Jonah confesses and tells them to throw him overboard. They do. Now for the sermon.
     Jonah 1:17 to 2:6 is the text. The Lord prepared a fish. God is in the preparing business. He's always preparing places for us. From the beginning of time God has been preparing something. Cry against Nineveh for their sins have come up before God. A heathen city and Jonah, a Jew, sins. He disobeys and goes the other direction. To make matters worse, once he's on the ship, he falls asleep during a terrible storm. All the heathens are praying to their gods. Not Jonah. He digs his hole deeper and has to be awakened. Still he doesn't pray.
     The mariners want to know who has put their lives in peril. Finally, the light dawns on Jonah. It's his fault. He didn't do what God asked. He martyrs himself and tells them to throw him overboard. They do. God prepared a fish to swallow Jonah. He's in the belly of the fish for three days and nights.. Just imagine how nasty it is in there. Ugh. THEN Jonah prays. "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."(Roman 5:20) It took all this for Jonah to come to his senses. Like the prodigal son, Jonah returns to himself.
     Pastor Josh posed a question. Who's sin was greater: Nineveh's or Jonah's? Interesting question. As we in the sanctuary gave it some thought, Pastor Josh responded, "Neither--sin is sin." There's always a lesson to be learned. All of us must have our sins covered by the blood of Christ.
     There's an old saying our preacher reminded us of. It's "Sinning away your day of grace." Jonah's last opportunity was fast slipping away. But he prayed, God's mercy answered, he was set on dry land, and he continued on the Lord's way. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (I Corinthians 2:9)

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Universal

Alive Again

Doest Thou Well...?

The Message Doesn't Change

Preparations

Linda Johnson

Andrea Strong

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