Who Are We?

Lately I’ve been thinking about who I am, why I’m here, and how can I know God better?

Today’s scriptures are about who we are and whose we are. I know, two of the passages are about sheep and goats but they’re really about who we are, what kind of people are we, and…whose people we are.

So, there may be more questions today than answers but maybe our questions will help us understand who we are and why we are.

We believe that we’re here, worshipping, because God called us here. But what about the ones who aren’t here? Didn’t God call them? Were they deaf to the sound of his Voice? Why isn’t everyone here? Are they just ignoring His call? Why aren’t they here?

God is speaking in the reading from Ezekiel about searching for the scattered sheep. When he finds them he will care for them; he will save them from all the dangers they have been exposed to when they were scattered. He will put them in a safe place where they will find nourishment and shelter. He will search for the lost and bring back those who’ve strayed. He will heal those who’ve been injured and…he will destroy those sheep that are fat and strong. He will tend all his sheep with fairness. Who are we?

Who are we? Are we the scattered and the lost or are we the fat and sassy sheep who push with their hips and shoulders those who are hungry and hurt? Who are we?

Who are the chosen Paul is talking about? He says the chosen are those who are in Christ. Who are we? Who are we?

To begin with no one, absolutely no one, knows the mind of God. But, what if God chose everyone to be in Christ? Then, why aren’t they here with us?

Could it be because they weren’t invited? Did we forget to ask them to come? Are their invitations still lying on the table at home? Is it our fault they’re not here?

The sheep God gathered and brought back home were scattered because they failed to keep God’s commandments. They were being disciplined because they had turned a deaf ear to his Word; they refused to live as he’d commanded. But when they cried out to him he heard them and brought them back home where he could tend to their wounds, where he could make them whole again. Are those who aren’t here not crying out to God?

The other sheep, and the goats, are those who will be judged by Christ on the Last Day. The nations are brought before the Son of Man to be judged, not just one person at a time, but nations. Some are welcomed in and some are cast out in the outer darkness. Who are we?

Neither group knew until the final judgment why. One group was admitted in because they had done something and the other was cast out because they had failed to do something. Sheep and goats, dogs and cats, Americans and Mexicans, meat and vegetables, gay or straight, white or black-decisions, choices all of us make. What do these choices make us? Who are we? Are we chosen?

Sometimes, actually most times, when I read the passage about the sheep and the goats I wonder will I be judged as a sheep or a goat. And I wonder sometimes, “Are the things I do good enough to get me admitted?” Don’t you wonder the same thing, sometimes?

But, then I remember it’s not about anything you and I do. It’s all grace, God’s grace. I think Paul in his letter to the people of Ephesus helps us understand when he states, “…you will know that God's power is very great for us who believe. That power is the same as the great strength God used to raise Christ from the and put him at his right side in the heavenly world. God has put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings, and every title that can be given, not only in this world but also in the next. God put everything under his power and made him the head over everything for the church…”

Everything is under Jesus’ control. Since He clothed himself with our sins and died for them, then we are able clothe ourselves in Christ. So when he looks out at us gathered as nations he sees us as his children. Not perfect but made perfect through his sacrifice.

I believe that it’s when we accept Jesus into our hearts and commit ourselves to living like him that all this takes place.

But, I still wonder who I am in Christ. I still want some assurance that God has forgiven me for all my sins and that he lives in my heart. Don’t you?

I still desire a closer relationship with God, and sometimes I don’t feel it. But once in a while I do and that gives me hope.

So, have we answered the question or not? I’m not sure but hopefully we’ve moved a little closer to understanding why we’re here.

I believe it’s the same as I said last Sunday. We’re here to love God and love and serve our neighbors in Jesus’ great name. That’s the why of it.

Will we be perfect? Probably not but everyday we should strive toward that perfect love.

Friends, know this, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.

What Are We To Do in the Meantime?

Last Sunday the question raised was, “Are we ready?” Are we ready for Jesus to come, again? Today, Paul is telling the people of Thessalonica not to worry about that because no one knows the time or the day when Jesus is coming. And, Matthew’s gospel is talking, again, about what God’s kingdom is like. Oh, and the reading from Judges is about trusting God, having faith that He will really do what he says he will do.

So, maybe every one of these readings has something to do with trust, faith, or hope, whatever you want to call it. My question for all of us today is, “What are we to do in the meantime?” What are we to do while we’re waiting for Jesus to return?

We know Jesus is coming. He just hasn’t come yet and we’ve been waiting an awfully long time. Every so often we hear someone tell us they know exactly when Jesus is going to arrive. And there are many, it seems like, who believe them. And then there are those who just scoff at Jesus ever coming back. And, again, those who predicted Jesus’ arrival are wrong; so that just reinforces what the scoffers say.

What do you think? Is Jesus coming or not? Is it important for any of us to know when? And, what should we be occupied with while we wait?

I honestly think all of it is about trust; faith in what the scriptures tell us and the hope we have in Jesus. Hope that our sins are forgiven; hope that we will one day see again all those who have gone on ahead of us.

But we have a hard time trusting. It may be because the world has made so many promises and failed to keep them that we don’t believe that God’s promises are any better.

We’ve been conditioned by the world to think that it can provide for all of our wants, wishes, and needs. And yet, every time it falls painfully short.

There are times when we do take a chance and risk doing something different, maybe actually trying to live a Christian life of forgiveness and love, and, yes, maybe even serving our neighbors.

But then someone says something to ridicule what we’re doing. They think it’s silly to help folks when there’s no chance they’ll ever change. And we let that get to us. For some reason we can’t take that kind of persecution.

We fail at trying to live like Jesus, to love like Jesus, to heal the wounds of the world like Jesus. We think that God can’t possibly forgive us for our lack of faith. The world sneaks in and hardens our hearts and stiffens our necks. We forget God’s promises to forgive us.

How does that happen? Why do we allow it to happen? What can we do to keep it from happening again and again? You know the answer, trust. Trust in God and His word.

I don’t even have to tell you what I think we need to do to build up our trust and/or faith. You already know the answer to that. We can do nothing. We have to depend on God’s grace.

But we can depend on God’s grace. It will never let us down. When the world fails us God never will.

So, why do we find it so hard to risk loving God, loving our neighbors? Is it because the world has failed us so many times? Then why not try it God’s way? Trust in Him.

So, what’s the answer to our question, “What are we to do in the meantime, while we wait for Jesus to return?” I think you know the answer…serve God and serve our neighbors as Jesus taught his disciples and us. Risk loving God and risk loving our neighbors.

Are you skeptical? My answer is, “Try it before you deem it a failure.” Try it God’s way. Give it all to God and trust in his grace. What have you got to lose?

Jesus is coming again and until he arrives let’s not worry about the time or the place. Let’s be doing what God called us to do, serve God and neighbor with love and grace as Jesus taught us to do.

Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.

Are We Ready?

The message Jesus is teaching in Matthew’s gospel is about being ready? The ten bridesmaids were waiting for the groom to come to the bride’s house. They thought they knew when he was going to arrive but they were wrong, and they fell asleep. Maybe they even forgot to turn down their lamps.

At any rate they weren’t quite ready when they heard the call that the groom was on his way. Of course they’d been sleeping so they had to get their makeup straightened out. They wanted to look their best when the groom came to their friend’s house.

Since the groom didn’t arrive when they had planned of course their lamps used more oil. So, they had to refill their lamps so they could see to primp. But some didn’t plan for that and they had to go buy some more oil.

The groom came and they missed him. The door closed and it couldn’t be opened for those who weren’t ready. It’s really kind of sad and it doesn’t seem fair. Because it wasn’t their fault that the groom was late, was it?

You may have figured out already that this parable is about the coming again of our Lord, Jesus. He is the groom and the bridesmaids are those who are waiting for the Savior to return, us and everyone around us. Some are ready and some aren’t.

So, we know that much but have you ever thought, “What’s the significance of the oil? What does the oil signify?”

Let’s give that some thought and try to understand why having enough oil was important.

The groom is Jesus and we are the bridesmaids waiting for the groom to arrive. So, this is us today. What do we need so that we’re prepared for Jesus’ return? What’s our oil? What do we need to keep the fire burning? Exactly what do we need to be sure that we have a good supply of so that we’re ready whenever Jesus returns? What fire do we have to keep going so that we’re ready when the Groom arrives?

What do you think you’d need to have a good supply of? I think that Paul said it in the words we heard today, “We believe that Jesus died and that he rose again.” First we must believe. Believe that Jesus died and rose again and in order to believe we’ve got to have faith.

So I would have you think about the oil in the bridesmaids lamps as being faith. How can we be sure that we have enough faith? We can’t generate more faith. We aren’t able to make our faith stronger so what are we to do? I want to be sure that I have enough oil in my lamp, don’t you? So where’s more oil? Where do we get more faith?

Since you and I can’t manufacture more faith I believe that they only way I can be sure of having enough is to be in conversation with our Father, God all the time. If we are close to God each and every day, even when we don’t feel like it or we don’t necessarily feel his presence, I believe that our faith will be sufficient to carry us to that day when Christ returns.

But that’s not going to happen if we aren’t working on our relationship with God, being in his word, taking time to talk with Him, taking time to listen for his voice, and serving Him wherever he leads us.

There will be some who say, “I can’t do that. It will take me away from my family, my friends.” Friends, that may be what Jesus meant when he said we have to die to our old selves and be born again. That may be what he meant when he said we have to give our all to him, pick up the cross and follow him. All of this may be the oil in our lamps. What do you think?

Friends, I pray that all of our lamps are trimmed and full of oil when our Lord returns again. God loves you my friends and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.

God's Message

I’m sure you’ve noticed in the bulletin that “The Message” follows the reading of the gospel lesson. Do you come, sometimes, wondering what the Message is going to be?

Today I would like to have us think about what God’s Message is for us today from these scriptures. As Joshua had the Israelites gather by the Jordan River he said, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.” In the last sentence today from Thessalonians Paul said…”it really is God's message which works in you who believe.” And Jesus said, “The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God's Law. You won't go wrong in following their teachings on Moses”

Each one describes God as someone who has something to say to us. He uses words to get his Message through to us.

Have you ever wondered what those words were or are? Jesus said in Matthew’s gospel that the disciples would be wise to follow the scholars and Pharisees teaching of Moses’ Law as given to them by God. Paul says that God’s Message works in you who believe. What does it do in those who believe and why doesn’t it work in those who don’t believe?

It all begins in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy. Moses was giving the people all the commandments or laws that God had given him. He also did a lot of explaining about why they lived and wandered in the desert for 40 years. It was to humble and test them in order to know what was in their hearts, whether or not they would keep his commands. He humbled them, causing them to be hungry and then feeding them with manna, which none of them had ever heard about, to teach them that man doesn’t live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

God warned them to be careful because they would be tempted to turn away from Him and worship other gods. He asked them to fix theses words of mine in your hearts and minds tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you lie down and when your get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give to your forefathers…

God’s words have power. They can build up or destroy. The Prophet Isaiah said, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

In the gospel of Matthew chapter 24 Jesus said, “Heaven and earth may pass away, but my word will never pass away.” Think about that. His words will never pass away. God’s words will accomplish what he desires and achieves the purpose for which he sent them.

Paul in his instructions to Timothy said, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

That’s why I believe it’s so vitally important that we read and study God’s word. There is much to be learned in the Word and God’s power comes to us in the Word.

So, the Message today for us is to read The Message; chew on every word and meditate on what God speaks to you.

My brothers and sisters God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.

Who Knows You? Who Knows God?

Who knows you? I mean who really knows you? Is it your Mom or Dad who know you? Does your best friend forever really know you? Does your spouse really knows you? Who is it who really knows you? Who really knows what makes you you?

I guess if I wanted to get to know someone first I'd want to talk with them. I'd want to discover where they came from, maybe hear a little bit about their family and what it was like for them growing up. I'd probably ask what they do for a living and/or what they enjoy doing in their free time. If they were new to the town of Walnut I'd invite them to worship with us. Then they'd have a chance to get to know us.

So, back to the original question. Who really knows you? Does anyone really know anyone? Another question could be, “Do you know yourself?” Does anyone really know you? How do we get to know someone or something?

The Scripture readings today from Exodus and 1 Thessalonians talk of God knowing Moses and of God knowing the Thessalonians since Paul said he, God, chose them.

I may have given the answer away. If God knew Moses and the Thessalonians then surely God must know us. Doesn't that make sense?

So, maybe the question should have been, “Who knows us best?” And the obvious answer would have to be God.

Now, lets turn the question around. Who knows God; really knows God? Sunday school teachers, because they have to know about God so they can teach the children. Surely they know God. No.

Well then it must be the elders because they were chosen for their wisdom and maturity of faith, and their skills in leadership and their compassionate spirits. At least that's what the Book of Order says, so they must know God. Right? No.

Well if its not the Sunday school teachers or the elders then who does know God, the pastors? Surely those who read and study the God's Scriptures must know God, right?

Well, some might believe that they know God and I would agree that many know quite a lot about God but very few really know God. I know I don't know God well enough.

I do believe he knows me and you and you and you... So what's the point, if God knows us is it important that we know God? Why do we care whether we know anyone or whether we know God? Is it imperative for you to know me or for me to know you or for either of us to know God. We've already said that He knows us, isn't that enough?

I'm not sure if I've got this right because it's something that came to me yesterday as I was reading. We can't know God face to face so the only other way we can know him is...I wonder if anyone has the answer already...in community.

I say that because we are all created in the image of God and...we are filled with God's Spirit...and his words are written on our hearts...so, if we begin to know each other in community doesn't it make sense that through that process we begin to know God.

Does that make sense? As we know each other we come to know God. Now we all know that we're not perfect but taking that into account as we live together in God's grace doing our best to live and serve and love as Jesus showed us then don't we begin to be aware of God's presence in each other? As we look into the eyes of those folks whom we serve and worship with isn't it possible to see Jesus and know our God​?

That's my Message for you this week. It's now up to you to test it out and see if it's true. Friends, God leaves the rest up to us to choose how we live and serve him. We have a decision to make. Do we accept Jesus as God's Son? Will we let him into our hearts and will we give him all we are and have so others may know Him? The choice is ours to make.

Friends, I believe I know God a little better by being here this morning with you and I pray that you may know Him better by worshiping here with me.

Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.

God's Kingdom

Jesus is telling another story, a parable, about God's Kingdom. This isn't exactly a feel good story as Matthew writes it.

A king is throwing a wedding banquet, a lavish gala, for his son. He has invited all of his friends. But they aren't interested. They have better things to do than to get dressed up and go to a party. So, instead they mistreat the servants who brought the invitations. Some they beat up and some they killed

Of course the king didn't take this too well so he sent his soldiers to wipe them off the face of the earth. He didn't want to leave any trace of their existence.

Since the table was set and everything was ready he instructed his servants to go out to the busiest intersections and invited everyone they saw to the party.

That's what they did and the room was soon filled with happy voices. These weren't the beautiful people; these were the commoners who labored hard every day to provide for their families.

Here they were enjoying the best cuisine prepared by the greatest chefs wearing the latest designer fashions. Who would have ever imagined that they would be allowed to attend the wedding banquet for the king's son?

And yet, there was one who sneaked in with the others just to enjoy the meal but not wanting to get dressed in the finery provided by the king. There's always someone who thinks they can participate in the festivities without abiding by the rules.

So, what is this parable saying for us as we listen to God's word? Who is this king who annihilates those who refuse to come to his party? Who are those who refuse to attend? Who are those who are invited from the streets? Who is the one who isn't wearing the right clothes?

Matthew wrote this gospel for the Jewish people, those who'd rejected Jesus. He wrote to show them how Jesus the Christ was the fulfillment of the prophecies written of in the Hebrew Bible.

The “king” is God. His son is Jesus the Christ. Those who refused to attend the banquet are the religious leaders who refused to repent and believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

They are the ones who mistreated and killed God's servants, his prophets who came preaching God's words of love, God's warnings, God's forgiveness, and the prophecy of the One who would come and save them from themselves and their sin.

Those who were finally invited to the banquet when the chosen ones refused to come were the Gentiles, the tax collectors, the s, the fishermen, and carpenters. Because the chosen ones rejected the invitation God chose to call everyone to the banquet table. He chose to call you and me.

The final decision is ours. God has called us. God has given us his grace and we must decide whether we will choose to answer his call. We must choose whether we will clothe ourselves in Christ and come to the banquet table. The choice is ours to make. God calls. He doesn't force us or coerce us into making this decision.

So, how will we answer his call today? Will be repent and put on Christ and join our sisters and brothers at the Table?

Friends, God has given us his grace, his love, in Jesus Christ. He loves us and calls us to join him. God loves you my friends and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Knowing God

If we want to know about something or some place or someone, where’s the first place we go to get the knowledge we’re seeking? Some of us will go to our computers and “Google” our question. Others will go to their encyclopedias or dictionaries or one of the other books in their libraries.

If any of us want to know God, really know Him, where do we go? Again some will go to their computer and “Google” God. Others will go to their Bibles and maybe use the concordance to help them find scriptures that will help them know Him.

Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, said that nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus the Lord. The most important thing in Paul’s life was knowing Jesus.

Shouldn’t that be the most important thing for everyone? The question is, how can we know Jesus; how can we know God? Can we know God by “googling” him? Can we know God by reading our Bibles?

Remember the television program Newly Weds? The MC would ask each of the men and then each of the women the same questions about their spouses. Then they would come back together and we’d all get to see how well they really knew each other. It was soon very apparent that most of them didn’t really know their life partner.

So, what if there were a game show that partnered us with God and we were asked questions about God and he was asked questions about us. I wonder what kind of insights that would give us? Who do you suppose would know the most about the other? How well do you think we’d know God?

I, for one, don’t think I know God well enough. I read the Bible. I read commentaries. I read books about spirituality. I read quite a few books about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in an attempt to get to that point where I can say that I really know God. But none of them have taken me to the place where I can honestly say that I know God.

But I do believe that God knows me. And, like Paul, all I can do is to continue to keep trying to know him better.

To be honest with all of you I did go to the concordance in my study Bible and looked up knowing and knowledge. There are a number of scripture passages that talk about God knowing us and us knowing Him.

Exodus is the first place I found written that the people will know that I am the LORD. They would know God because he revealed himself in the plagues in Egypt and in the miracles like parting the water of the Red Sea and the drowning of the Egyptians who pursued them and in providing manna and quail and water from a rock.

The psalmist says if we know his name we will trust in him. The same psalmist also tells us to …be still and know that I am God. In the book of Jeremiah we read that God knew us before we were formed in the womb. Also in Jeremiah God says that now everyone will know him…for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more. And Ezekiel repeats what we read in Exodus when he says…they shall know that I am the LORD.

It sounds like God makes himself known to us through his actions in our lives. We read in the Bible that even if there were no prophets or teachers to tell us about God the very stones would cry out. God’s creation helps people know Him. People have come to believe and trust in God through what they’ve seen in this world we live in.

Jesus said in John’s gospel…I have made you known to them. He also told those surrounding him…I know my sheep and my sheep know me.

So, has the question been answered? How do we get to know God? I believe it ultimately depends on God’s grace. God calls us. And then we choose whether we will believe and answer His call. Only then will we begin to know him.

God said, and Jesus repeated it, if we keep his commandments we will be his. We will be known by him.

We struggle with keeping the commandments and we struggle to live like Jesus so will we ever know God? We fail almost every day to keep God’s commandments. So, that’s the unknown quantity.

God tells us we are forgiven for our sins through Jesus. Jesus said that he would send an advocate who would tell us Jesus’ words. All this has taken place and now it’s up to us.

Do we believe? Do we trust God’s word to us? Friends, none of us knows for sure but Jesus said all we have to do is believe.

The Israelites in the wilderness were afraid to talk to God. God tells us we can go directly to him with our prayers. Jesus told us of God’s love and forgiveness.

All these help us to know God better. There’s still the mystery surrounding Him but God knows us and by spending time in prayer and study we begin to know God.

We’ll never know everything until we get to the New Jerusalem. Until then we just have to trust in what God reveals to us in the Word and His creation.

Thanks be to God. Amen.