“OUR NOT SO SECRET WEAPON” Mark 4:1-20

July 29, 2018 10:30 AM

By Jeremy B. Stopford

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: A Grandma Funny

A pastor assured his congregation he was their servant and that they should feel free to call him anytime they had a problem.

That very night the pastor’s phone rang at 3 a.m. On the other end was a dear elderly lady who said, “Pastor, I can’t sleep.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” he comforted her.

“But what can I do about it?” the pastor said.

She sweetly replied, “Preach to me a while, pastor.”

INTRODUCTION

Let’s review our Savior’s lessons on servanthood:

(1) Memory verse: Mark 10:45

(2) In Chapter 1, the Savior taught us that servants see people through the eyes of His Father. As a result, we may be touching people that are the untouchables of life.

(3) In Chapter 2, through the story of the paralytic man, the Lord Jesus taught us that servants have faith. They trust the Lord that they will see people through His eyes, and have His eternal compassion on them.

(4) Finally, in Chapter 3, the Savior teaches us that true servants of the Lord, while recognizing the eternal battles to be fought, also see each day as “another time” to be used for His glory.

Today we will be treading familiar ground: the parable of the sower. But through this parable, once again we will learn about the servant of the Lord’s not so secret weapon. Do you know what it is? It’s no secret! PRAYER

# 1. OVERVIEW OF THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

A This parable tells us that Jesus believes there is only one criteria which tells whether or not we are walking with the Lord, much less know the Lord as our Savior: the Word of God. Well, what is Jesus asking: “what is the priority of the Word of God in my life, in your life?” And “how is it falling on the soil of your heart?”

B. This parable also has a huge underlying message: how many different soils were there in the story? (4). How many different kinds of seeds were there? (only ONE – the Word of God!). So it is not the problem with the age old seed that causes hearts to be unreachable – like at one time your heart, and now your neighbor’s heart, and your brother’s heart, and your mother’s heart, and your boss’s heart, and your co-worker’s heart and…they are so unreachable for the Lord. It is not the problem with the seed! It is a heart problem!

ILLUSTRATION: So a man goes to the doctor and says, “doctor, I can’t breathe. I lose my breath just trying to go for walks.” The doctor knows the man has issues with frequent pneumonia, so he does an huge test on his lungs. His final conclusion: your problem is with your heart. He realized that he was checking the wrong organ! The heart was not functioning as it was designed to do. And our hearts are designed to by their Creator to respond to the Word of God. When they don’t, it means we are responding to the wrong voice – the voice of the enemy rather than the voice of the Good Shepherd.

C. Look at verse 20 – the Savior’s conclusion to this parable. What did we say before? How many different soils were there? (4). How many seeds? (1). So it shouldn’t surprise us that the Savior says that each one’s reception of the Word will be different as well. It is not wrong to be a 30 fold fruit bearer; nor a 60 fold fruit bearer, nor a 100 fold fruit bearer! The one that God has designed to bear 30 fold should not be ashamed that he is not an 100 fold fruit bearer. And the 100 fold fruit bearer cannot gloat it over the 60 fold fruit bearer simply because God enables him to bear significantly more fruit. I’m not Billy Graham. But I’m Jeremy Stopford. You’re not Hudson Taylor, one of the fathers of modern missions. But you are you. And the Lord has equipped you to be a servant for Him where He has wisely put you, and with the gifts that are unique to you. And in turn bring glory to the Good Shepherd, the Gift Giver, for what He enables and equips you to do!

# 2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH 6:1-10

In the midst of this amazing account, the Lord alludes to what appears to be an obscure passage from Isaiah 6. Let’s turn there.

What is the context of verses 9-10 which are quoted by the Savior? King Uzziah, a most godly king, has been a tremendous blessing both to the nation of Israel as well as to the prophet Isaiah. They worked well together. Uzziah led; Isaiah counseled with the Word of the Lord. IF it is true that Isaiah 6 is early on in Isaiah’s ministry, it means that the most impressionable young prophet was devastated by the death of the king. All that goodness that Uzziah exuded in his leadership was now gone. There were uncertainties as to whether or not his son would be as wise and good a leader. It is not written here, but it is most understood: Isaiah’s mourning took the form of a wonder as to “who would be in charge? Where will we go from here? How can we make it through this dark period of our nation’s life, much less my life?”. You and I have been there – whether at the passing of a loved one, or the loss of certain income, or the sudden mistrust of a longtime close friend. Where do we go from here? How can we make it through?

And then? Isaiah saw the vision of the Throne of God. He saw Who truly is in charge! He saw the Lord in His glory, and all questions, all uncertainties were settled – even though they were not yet lived out.

But the story doesn’t end there. The reaching for the live coals, the placing on the prophet’s mouth, the purging/cleansing of the prophet, and his availability to be a servant for the King of kings.

Please note the plurality in unity of the revelation of God. What? The question!!!! “Whom shall I send? And who will go for US?” And Isaiah’s response should be the response of every servant of the Lord: “here am I – send…SOMEONE ELSE! ARE YOU KIDDING? Do you know me? I get scared in public! I’m no good around people! I’ve got a good job! Don’t mess with my time schedule for my life! Please! I’m no good to go! Send Carl! Or Bill! But not me!”

No, while our fears may have those answers, our surrender as the Lord’s servant will calmly say on bended knee and bended heart, “here am I, send me.” Is that my heart, your heart, my response, your response today?

But the story doesn’t end there either! Verses 9-10 are quoted in our passage in Mark 4. As with the servants who heard the parable of the sower, the Lord tells Isaiah what to expect from those who are hearing the Word of God on different soils: “the people to whom I have sent you have calloused hearts; they have deaf ears; they have closed their eyes to the truth.”

What is Jesus telling us in Mark 4 by quoting this passage from Isaiah 6? That people are the same in every generation. Even 2000 years later. People are comfortable. We think we are privileged. We are owed care. And as a result, we are in ourselves deaf and blind to the love of God in Christ Jesus. The Savior reminds His present day servants of the Lord that the people to whom He has sent them in themselves have no use for Him. They are without God and without hope. It will take a modern day miracle for their hearts to change, just as it did in Isaiah’s day and in the days of our Savior.

CONCLUSION

So how could Jesus’ disciples expect to minister to such an ornery people? How were they expected to be used by Him to begin what would become the modern church of God? How is it possible that God could take the unskilled servants and turn the world upside down for Him through them? How? How? How?

The answer is through our not-so-secret weapon!

Key verse for servants: v. 10. When Jesus was alone, the 12 and others felt the freedom to ask Him about the parables. They knew to come to the One Who would teach them how to…pray! They knew they could approach Him with all their uncertainties in life! They knew they could ask Him about the different soils of the heart. They knew they could mourn with Him when the Word of God fell upon a heart which ultimately had no use for the Word. They knew they could rejoice with Him when the Word of God fell upon a heart that was tender for the Savior. They knew they could serve Him as His servants because they had this secret weapon: the weapon of prayer. These servants were never alone – the Savior was only a prayer away.

TODAY, the King of kings asks His present day servants: Has My Word fallen on good soil in your heart? Does it daily encourage that soil? And are you taking advantage of the not so secret weapon of spending time with Me in prayer?” How would you answer Him today?

Close in prayer.

The Reverend Jeremy B. Stopford is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Earlville, New York.

Jeremy Stopford, and his wife Thuvia,

The love and devotion of pastors like Jeremy Stopford, are often eclipsed by the notoriety of often lesser men who build the impersonal and sometimes spiritually-bankrupt mega-churches of our age.

—Frank Becker

Week Thirty-One, 2018

THE GREATEST BOOK OF LITERATURE By John Grant

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 The book written by Cullen Schippe and Chuck Stetson, The Bible and Its Influence, continues to make headway among educational circles. It still strikes me as contradictory that some schools require reading of other religious books as a part of a well-rounded education, but ban even possession or clubs that study the Bible, as it is considered a proselytizing, neanderthalic and unrealistic fictional literature. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible is not a book about religion. It is God’s word to His people about how to live their life. The Bible has influenced the shaping of Western civilization. Throughout recorded history wars have been waged and still are today. The Bible is a book like no other. The sacred text can arguably be considered the most influential book ever published. “The influence of the Bible is worldwide,” wrote Arthur Pink, the Christian evangelist. “Its mighty power has affected every department of human activity. The contents of the Scriptures have supplied themes for the greatest poets, artists and musicians which the world has yet produced, and have been the mightiest factor of all in shaping moral progress. How can anyone understand Handel’s Messiah without understanding how it interfaces with the Bible? The Bible is influential because it is the world’s bestselling book, breaking all records known to man. According to The Guinness Book of World Records, since 1815 the Bible has sold approximately 2.5 billion copies and has been translated into more than 2,200 languages. The Bible is especially influential in American society. In the 2012 State of the Bible report released by the American Bible Society found that In America, 85% of households own a Bible. The majority of Americans believe the Bible provides answers on how to live a meaningful life. The Bible is important for appreciating culture, history and politics. It is important for the visual arts, literature and history. The influence of the Bible on society has been important throughout history. The Bible is the model for and subject of more art and thought than those of us who live within its influence, consciously or unconsciously, will ever know.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Consensus Does Not Determine Morality: Legalization of same-sex marriage is now supported by most religious groups according to a study released on May 1st by the Public Religion Research Institute. The survey was based on more than 40,000 responses collected during 2017. It found that 61% of Americans now support same-sex marriage. Only 31% oppose it. The support is the strongest among politically liberal groups such as Jews (77%) and Unitarians (97%). Those identified as unaffiliated approved at 80%. Jana Reiss, reporting for the Religious News Service writes, “What is more surprising is how quickly support for same-sex marriage has grown among religious groups that are more politically diverse. Two-thirds of Catholics, Orthodox Christians and white mainline Protestants now say they are in favor.” “Majorities of Americans in most states support same-sex marriage,” observed Reiss, “with the exceptions all located in the South. Even in the handful of states that do not have more than 50 percent support for same-sex marriage, they also don’t have 50 percent opposition; Alabama is now the only state where a majority of residents say they oppose same-sex marriage.” I do wonder about the accuracy of the survey. But regardless, I know this. Morality is not determined by consensus. For those who truly respect the Bible, we know that the majority can be and often is wrong. People forget that God has revealed His standard of morality and regulations regarding marriage in the Bible. While laws may be enacted by governments giving people the right to engage in immoral practices, no human legislature can nullify what God has authorized. The apostle Paul admonished Christians to “flee sexual immorality” (1 Cor 6:18). Furthermore, he warned “Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God”(1 Cor 6:9-10). Approval by religious organizations and their members does not change God’s Word or sanctify sinful behavior. If we are going to make progress in the pursuit of holiness, we must aim to live according to the precepts of Scripture–not according to the culture, even the Christian culture, around us.” Be advised that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) When it comes to moral choices may our beliefs and convictions be rooted in Scripture, not culture or popular consensus.–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. If you are not doing what you are passionate about, be passionate for what you are doing. John Rivers Wars are not won by evacuation. Churchill Man leads a wedding but God creates a marriage. Ken Whitten The Lord never tells us to do anything without telling us how. There will be a day when I write my laws on your heart. Jeremiah 31:30

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com. Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

“ANOTHER TIME,” Mark 3:1, 20-30

July 22, 2018 10:30 AM

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford

Today’s “Special:” Evangelizing Barber

There was a barber who paid close attention at his church whenever the topic of evangelism was discussed. He thought he should be doing more to share his faith with his customers.

One morning the barber told the Lord in prayer, “Today I’m going to witness to the first customer who walks through my door.”

A man came in as the barber opened his shop and said, “I need a shave.”

The barber said, “Yes sir! Just have a seat and I’ll be right with you.” Then he went in the back and prayed a quick prayer saying, “Lord, the first customer just came in and I’m going to witness to him. Give me the wisdom to know just the right thing to say. Amen.”

Then the barber came out with his straight razor in one hand and a Bible in the other and told his customer, “I have a question for you: Are you ready to meet your Maker?”

INTRODUCTION

Did you notice how Mark Chapter 3 begins: “Another time…”. Every day is not “just another day”, but rather a continuum of God’s intervention in our lives, where He wants us, doing what He wants us to do, meeting whom He wants us to meet. God’s day goes for eternity. Jesus is teaching that true servanthood is not concerned with the “how many times I served” or the “when I served” but rather with the service itself, and that the Lord only is on display.

As we begin this Lord’s day and this new week, may our heart’s have a fresh perspective that this “another time” is HIS “another time.” PRAYER

# 1 HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM DID NOT BELIEVE HIM (vs. 20-21)

In these 2 verses, Mark gives us an insight into Jesus’ earthly family. Mark shares about how a crowd is gathering in a house – and his family observed that crowd! The children of men wanted to take control of a situation orchestrated by the True Servant of Man! They even observed, “He is out of His mind” (Verse 2)

The Apostle John also introduces us to the Savior’s earthly family In John 7:1-5. They were advising their half-brother how to be a Servant! John gives a sad play by play commentary, how they thought that if He was to make His mark in the world, He should go to Judea and not do any of His miracles in secret but in public. And then John concludes the obvious: “For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.”

It’s easy to trust the Lord Jesus as Savior, but it is also not easy to trust Jesus. Think this through: those who were most close to our Savior while He was on earth did not believe in Him! They observed Him as He grew up, in subjection to His earthly parents (Luke 2:52 and surrounding verses). They observed firsthand His humility and passion. Yet they did not believe in Him.

ILLUSTRATION: Perhaps you are like me. You have a family that has seen your love for the Lord Jesus, but they have no use for Him. They have watched your testimony, the amazing life changes in your life, but they do not believe in Him. In fact, they may ridicule you for your faith, for your perseverance in the faith. They may even call you a “radical” or, at worse, a “cult figure”.

In these brief verses in Mark 3, we are encouraged that it is ok to trust the Lord Jesus even if those around you do not. Keep looking to the Lord Jesus! Keep serving as the Servant of servants served!

# 2 HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM IS AT WAR (vs. 22-30)

Mark shares here an interesting confrontation, the lesson being huge: Jesus’ eternal kingdom is at war!

And who are the earthly instigators of this war in our passage? Why, the “scribes”, or, as our NIV calls them, “teachers of the law.” We met them before in Mark 2:6, remember? They were thinking to themselves, and the Lord Jesus knew what they were thinking! Be careful when YOU say, “I know what you are thinking!”, because only the Lord Jesus REALLY knows what you are thinking.

The scribes truly were the “teachers of the law”. Like the old monks before them, they carefully transcribed word for word, jot for jot, tittle for tittle – the intricate details of the Hebrew language – in order that generations to follow would have the law in hand. And then they taught the law – but not with a God-base but with a self-appointed “we are the only owners/caretakers of the law” mentality. And yet they were standing before the One Who was, through the Holy Spirit, the Author of what they were transcribing!

And their accusation? Note v.22, that “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons He is driving out demons.” That’s quite the accusation, perhaps worthy of a legal trial in the least, or stoning to death under Jewish law. But our Savior, the Servant of man, gives a 3-fold response:

1. If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand
2. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand
3. If Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand, his end has come.

The True Keeper of the law confronted the human keepers of the law with an heavenly logic that was indisputable!

But He didn’t stop there! He gives THEM a theology lesson! Note verses 28-29 where He gives a two-fold insight: blasphemers against man will be forgiven. But blasphemies against the Holy Spirit are worthy of guilt of an eternal sin.

He hits the law-givers – and those who are listening – with a lesson that only Someone Who is eternal could give. The issue isn’t “Satan driving out Satan”, but Who is at work! And the One Who is at work is the Holy Spirit Himself. Sins and blasphemies will be forgiven (1 Jn. 1:9). But the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable, eternal sin.

What does “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” mean? And further, why the Holy Spirit? Why not the Father or the Son? Scriptures indicate that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a simple yet tremendous sin, even so called a sin worthy of eternal judgment. It is the attributing to Satan – or anyone or anything else – that which the Holy Spirit is doing!

And why against the Holy Spirit? Because each of the Members of the Trinity have Their individual duties, or what the theologians call “offices”. Not to be remotely irreverent, but in an attempt to give an explanation: The Father is the Grand Designer of all eternity. The Son is the One Who fulfills the design – as seen in the cross. And the Holy Spirit? He is the One Who is at work, applying the Father’s design and the Son’s fulfillment to the hearts of men, women, boys and girls.

The Apostle John in his first letter, 1 John 5:16, said that there is a sin which leads to death.

Even the so-called self-appointed keepers of the law were coming face to face with the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit!

Have we? Why would we want to blaspheme the One Who first opened our hearts that God is love, that Jesus loved us so much that He went to the cross for our sins, that God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path? Why would we want to come close to blaspheming that One Who is at work in my heart and my life even today?

Let us each soberly examine our hearts and lives to see where we might be giving credit to man when in reality it is the Holy Spirit Who is at work!

CONCLUSION

Who IS my family? (vs. 31ff). God is building up an eternal family (Rev. 5:9) where it says that God has from every tribe, language, people and nation is in the operation of purchasing people for Him to be a kingdom of priests to serve our God!).

Are you a part of that family? Aren’t you glad you are?

Do you know any who are not? Perhaps you could approach them (without a straight razor) and say, “I have a question for you: Are you ready to meet your Maker? Do you know Jesus as your Savior?”

Let’s pray for them today!

Close in prayer

The Reverend Jeremy and Thuvia Stopford. Jeremy pastors the First Baptist Church, Earlville, New York.

Week Thirty, 2018

PHRASES USED IN EVERYDAY LIFE

By Senator John Grant, Florida (Retired)

The Gutenberg press was the greatest invention of all time – the internet of its day. Johann Gutenberg holds the distinction of being the inventor of the movable-type printing press. In 1455, Gutenberg produced what is considered to be the first book ever printed: a Latin language Bible, printed in Mainz, Germany. The printing press was one of the most important and influential inventions of all time. It spread knowledge and ideas to more people, more cheaply and more quickly than ever before. Its most famous publication was the Bible.

Gutenburg Press

Suddenly vast numbers of people who had never read a book had their own Bible and they began to memorize and be familiar with scripture. Verses of the Bible found their way into everyday language and many remain there today. Many people who are not believers quote every day and don’t even know it. Here are some examples:

▪ There is nothing new under the sun – Ecc 1:9

▪ Wolf in sheep’s clothing – Matt 7:15

▪ Skin of one’s teeth – Job 19:20

▪ What a man sows, he shall reap – Gal 6:7

▪ Double edged sword – Heb 5:12

▪ He who is not with me is against me – Luke 11:23

▪ Throw pearl before swine – Matt 7:6

▪ Salt of the earth – Matt 5:13

▪ Eye for an eye – Exodus 21:24

▪ Forbidden fruit – Genesis 3:3

▪ No man can serve two masters – Matt 6:24

▪ A cross to bear – Luke 14:24

▪ Faith will move mountains – Matt 17:20

▪ To wash one’s hands of something – Matt 27:24

▪ Better to give than to receive – Acts 20:25

▪ Face to face – Exodus 23:20

▪ You reap what you sow – Gal 6:7

▪ Faith will move mountains – Matt 17:20

And the list goes on. Those verses and hundreds of others are familiar to many who have never seen or read a Bible. Recently I was talking to an active member of the National Society of Atheists and in response to a suggestion she replied “I hope to God not.” Yes, even those who believe there is no God, often speak of His name. Be careful what you speak and who you say it to.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

While the United States remains shaped by Christianity, the faith’s influence—particularly as a force in American politics and culture—is slowly waning….

An increasing number of religiously unaffiliated, a steady drop in church attendance, the recent Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage, and the growing tension over religious freedoms all point to a larger secularizing trend sweeping across the nation.

But how do the numbers stack up? Is America, home to the largest Christian population in the world, actually becoming a “post-Christian” nation?

Where Are We as a Nation?

Whether one believes this decline of “Christian America” calls for a time of lament, or presents great opportunity (or both) for the church, one cannot help but accept the changing landscape. In just two years, the percentage of Americans who qualify as “post-Christian” rose by 7 percentage points, from 37% in 2013 to 44% in 2015. Across the United States, cities in every state are becoming more post-Christian—some at a faster rate than others

–o–

The Lawyer Story:

A lawyer, who had a wife and 12 children, needed to move because his rental agreement was terminated by the owner who wanted to reoccupy the home. But he was having a lot of difficulty finding a new home.

When he said he had 12 children, no one would rent a home to him because they felt that the children would destroy the place. He couldn’t say he had no children, because he couldn’t lie. We all know lawyers cannot and do not lie.

So, he sent his wife for a walk to the cemetery with 11 of their kids. He took the remaining one with him to see rental homes with the real estate agent.

He loved one of the homes and the price was right — the agent asked: “How many children do you have? He answered: “Twelve” The agent asked, “where are the others?” The lawyer, in his best courtroom sad look answered “They’re in the cemetery with their mother.

Moral of the story: It’s not necessary to lie, one only has to choose the right words.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. John Piper

Aristotle was right: “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” For the rest of us, criticism is a fact of life. The question is not whether you will be criticized, but for what.

Our lives are not about us. Danny Wuerffel

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

“HAVE YOU HAD A ‘SON OF MAN’ SANDWICH YET?” (Mark Chapter 2)

By Jeremy B. Stopford

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “A Trick Funny”

“What’s your father’s occupation?” asked the school secretary on the first day of the new academic year.

“He’s a magician, ma’am” said Little Johnny.

“How interesting. What’s his favorite trick?”

“He saws people in half.”

“Wow! Now, next question. Any brothers or sisters?”

“One half brother and two half sisters.”

INTRODUCTION

So, have you read the title? “Have you had a ‘Son of Man’ sandwich yet?”. What kind of crazy title is that? Pastor, you need a break! Well it is like this: I was reading through this passage every day these past couple of weeks when suddenly a certain phrase struck me, “Son of Man.” It’s use is not limited to the Gospel of Mark. In fact, it appears in the gospels 82 times, with a unique emphasis in each one. In Matthew, with 31 uses, the Holy Spirit tells how the Messiah has become man. In Luke, with 26 uses, the Spirit shares how the Lord Jesus is involved with the intricate details of the human person. In John, with seemingly only 11 uses, the amazing story of the Son of God becoming the Son of Man. And in Mark, with 14 uses, the Son of Man is the Servant of the Lord.

In this chapter alone “Son of Man” appears twice: v. 10, He has authority to forgive sins. That is the bottom layer of bread for our sandwich. In v. 28, He is Lord even of the Sabbath, the top layer of bread. And the fillers? V. 17, where He has not called the righteous, but sinners. That’s the meat. And v. 22, “He pours new wine into new wineskins”, that’s the cheese and lettuce. Good stuff. A “Son of Man” sandwich. Have you had one today? You better hope so, or else you might not belong to the Savior! PRAYER

# 1 OUR TIMING AND CHARACTERS

Another thing which is striking in this brief account are the many characters involved! But first, did you notice the timing? Verse 1 says, “a few days later”. Later than what? Later than 1:45 where the man who had been healed from leprosy was telling the whole world what Jesus had done!

Entering Capernaum, the Son of Man finds another group of people with whom to share His being their Servant. What people?

V. 2: “So many”! V. 3: “some men”, then limited to four of them. Also: a paralytic man carried on a mat. V. 4: the crowd. V. 6: some teachers of the law. Finally, v. 12: “everyone”.

Here’s the point, at any given moment you do not know what kind of people over whom you are being an influence. They could be your best friends – like the ones who carried the paralytic on a mat. They could be the unnamed crowd, and ultimately many people. You don’t know their names, but they are watching what you do. And finally, the religious leaders. You think they are spiritual leaders of your town, but in reality they are simply what the Savior calls in John 10, “hired hands”. They don’t care about the sheep. They simply like the money that they milk from those they supposedly are serving.

But Who is the most important Character in this scene? The Son of Man, of course! He is the One Who is ever present, the One Who alone is worthy of both our worship and of our lives. Look for Him – He has never left you nor forsaken you.

# 2 HIS DEITY AND SERVANTHOOD

The deity of the Son of Man is expressed several times in this brief passage. Did you catch them? Let’s see if we can pinpoint them directly:

1. Obviously, He healed the paralytic man. Did you notice HOW He healed him? Look at verse 10, “He SAID to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He didn’t touch the man. He didn’t lay hands on the man. He didn’t place clay on the man. He didn’t spit on the man. He did nothing physical. BUT He spoke! “I tell you”. I like that. Remember Genesis 1:3, “And God SAID, let there be light.” God is in the speaking business! The Bible shares that near the end of earthly time the Battle of Armageddon will take place, where the forces of God meet one last time with the forces of the enemy of the faith. And how will this battle end? Through might? No! Through greater armor? No! Through General Schwarzkoff-like intelligence? No! No! No! Well, then, how? The description of the Commander of the Lord’s armies, named as the “King of kings and Lord of lords”, is quite vivid: “out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations” (Rev. 19:15) and later, “The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse.”

He spoke, “I tell you.” Has He spoken to you today? WHAT? He hasn’t? Has Facebook spoken to you today? Has ESPN spoken to you today? And HE HASN’T SPOKEN TO YOU TODAY? Why not let the Psalms speak to you? And Proverbs? And maybe a chapter in the gospels? And perhaps a chapter from one of Paul’s letters? And maybe a chapter from one of the prophets? Before you know it, you’ll have had the entire Word of God speaking to you this year! “He SAID, take your mat and go home”.

2. Oh yes, let’s not forget those wise teachers of the law. Jesus says to the paralytic man, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” Now please, do NOT go home and say, “the Pastor said, the man was paralyzed because of some terrible sin he committed in his life.” Don’t forget Job. God allowed terrible things to happen to him in order to show to Satan and to the world that Job was a man of faith and integrity. So what is the Son of Man showing by being a servant to this paralytic man? He is showing that the greater need of this man was not the ability to walk, but the grace to have his sins forgiven.

So these self-proclaimed keepers of the law have right before them the Son of Man Who is about to serve them with an amazing God-thing. Rather than bring glory to God, they discuss among themselves their personal ownership of the Lord and what He can and cannot do.

Yet did you catch what the Son of Man did? A simple word: “Why are you thinking these things?” Jesus knew what they were thinking! He knew what they were discussing even if they were completely out of His hearing! By the way, there is no idle word we say that He doesn’t hear, either. But as the Old Testament man of God could hear what the king was saying even in his bedroom, even so the Son of Man could hear the plans of the evil heart in the very place they were.

One of the guidelines of the cults is that they say that Jesus never admitted to being God; He never recognized it; He never said that He is God. Yet here is a perfect example where the Scriptures hone in on an incident which shows Jesus’ deity. IF only God can forgive sins, and to prove it Jesus heals this man, then…Jesus is God!

3. Oh and yes, by that healing the Son of Man also showed that He serves man by forgiving sins. The paralytic’s paralysis was more than just physical. It was of the heart! And the Son of Man sees the heart! Perhaps you memorized Jeremiah 17:9 in Vacation Bible School: “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?”. But did you learn verse 10? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” The Son of Man could see the hearts of these wicked self-proclaimed keepers of the law. But He could also see the heart of the paralytic, and knew what hurt was greater. And He took care of both hurts! He forgave the sin! And He raised him up! If we come unto Him, He’ll forgive our sin! And He’ll raise us up, place us on a rock and put a new song in our mouths, even praise to our God! Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord! (Isaiah 40:1-3, Stopford paraphrase).

CONCLUSION

There is one small yet major detail which perhaps is the overlooked amazing part of this story. Before we close for today, let’s look back at the first few verses of this account. A couple of days after the Son of Man healed the man with leprosy, He goes to a different town. Many people. A crowd gathers. A group of very good friends want to bring their friend, a man who is completely paralyzed, to Jesus. But they can’t because of the crowd. So they get on the roof, remove the thatches and other pieces holding the weather out, and lower their friend so that the Son of Man will see him and perhaps even heal him. But what does verse 5 say? Does it commend the paralytic’s faith in his good friends? No. Does it commend the muscles of the 4 friends who were able to carry this completely dead weight friend up to the roof and lower him down? No. But the Son of Man commends the friends’ faith! “When He saw their faith…” then He drew His attention to the paralytic and healed him both inside and out! Wow.

Which leads to the question – who is there around you who needs God’s touch today? But their lives are empty, shells of what God designed them to be. So who can be their faith? You can. I can.

We can bring our friends to Jesus! When the Son of Man sees your faith, He may do great things in the real world in which He has wisely placed you.

May the faith of these who carried this paralytic draw us this week to an intimate walk with the intimate Son of Man.

Close in prayer

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY

Email: [email protected], Phone: 315-691-4321

Week Twenty-Nine, 2018

THE UNEXPECTED

By Senator John Grant, FL (Retired)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes, (James 4:13).

It is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world and especially known for its pipe organ, the largest in all of Europe, complete with its 17,100 pipes. A sight and sound I had always wanted to witness, now was my chance. Mass was just ending and the organ was playing, as I walked down the center aisle recording sight and sound. I was so happy to get to this item on my bucket list.

Suddenly, without warning, my knees buckled and down I went, my head making full force contact with the 700 year old floor. I was out like a light. I have been known to fall asleep in church, but never taken out on a stretcher. I was taken by ambulance to the local hospital, and awoke sometime later in ICU, my head throbbing and my mind confused. I heard the doctor tell my wife that I had a brain bleed and it was serious. Being more that 4,000 miles from home and with few medical people who spoke English, I don’t mind admitting that I was scared. Survival became far more important than all the things that were important to me just a few hours before.

Would I survive? Would I get home? Would I have permanent impairments? Suddenly I peered at the wall and saw Jesus on a cross. Then I knew that He was in control and all would be okay. I didn’t know how, but I knew it would be okay.

Nearly two weeks later as I progressed through the levels of care and the hemorrhaging stopped, I was released to a hotel and then cleared to fly. Flight arrangements were made and medical personnel came from home to get me.

I stared out the window as we lifted off from Munich and got a little emotional realizing that I was going home at last and flying in a bed rather than a pine box. I smiled and thanked God, and drifted off to sleep.

The journey continues, but gets better each day. I am walking and still have the wonderful chief nurse that I have had taking care of me (my bride) all these weeks. The doctors say I will fully recover and God is still with me each step of the way.

All this has caused us to reprioritize our lives and focus on what is really important. God is more important and the things of the world have taken a back seat. I had never before been in a life threatening situation, but it caused me to do a spiritual check. If I didn’t make it, where would I go? I looked at the cross in my room, put my head back on the pillow and drifted off to sleep knowing all was well. God is good …. all the time.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

What is wrong with the human race?

We are a pop-listening, suit-wearing and speech-giving group of monkeys on a planet that we don’t completely understand.

• We have 10000+ diseases and disorders that cause millions of deaths annually
• Colonization on moon has not been possible as of now. Mars is still far
• Law and order is still a joke around in various countries. Religious fanaticism is a cherry on that cake
• Vices like Corruption, Violence Discrimination, cheating and Human rights violation occur frequently and are well-established as a reality
• Our energy requirements are increasing day by day meanwhile depleting the million year old oil reserves. Best thing is, we have no other effective alternative that can really make a difference.
• Government propelled agendas towards specific goals only highlight their own territorial situation. The entire world is not their business
• We are confused about the creation of human beings. Science has no proof of god’s inexistence and religion has no proof of god’s existence. Either way one doesn’t agree with the other.
• Grave Poverty & frequent Unemployment has broken our total capacity for development
• Religious conflicts have instilled the intolerance and inter-community hatred
• Living spaces like cities and water bodies are getting polluted without any measures for its reversal
• Our children are taught wrong principles and their free growth is curbed
• Inability of the world leaders to unite and drive the fate of mankind as a whole. Because for politicians only their tenure matters.
• We have achieved nothing more than the ability to communicate effectively and control several aspects of the civilization.

I believe that our lives are meant for struggle against the life itself but I don’t get the point of a country or a group of people calling themselves great when the entire life, people linger around ignoring issues and oppression faced by the others of their own race. Our greatness lies in reflecting the best of human interests in our significant actions. Whatever might be the achievement, whatever might be the level of their authority, if they do not prioritize ending the human suffering then nothing they offer is worth value.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

You can read about Jesus without knowing Jesus. Ken Whitten

Jesus changes us not on the outside, but on the inside. Ken Whitten

It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself. John Piper

Desire that your life count for something great! Long for your life to have eternal significance. Want this! Don’t coast through life without a passion. John Piper

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL 33618

“Start Spreading the News” (Mark 1:40-45)

By Pastor Jeremy B. Stopford

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”:

“Quick Thinking”

A son challenged his boastful father to a game of golf. The son was determined to beat his father in golf for the first time.

On the very first swing, the father got a hole in one.

“Okay, nice shot dad,” said the son, thinking quickly on his feet.

“Now I will take my practice shot and then we will start.”

INTRODUCTION

We are entering the second message in our series on the Gospel of Mark, believed to be the first written of the four gospels.

Our theme is “The Servanthood of Christ” and our Theme Verse is Mark 10:45, ““For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

What would happen if we lived the rest of our days with the conviction and attitude that we are serving the Lord through the people and circumstances He allows in our every day? How would we do that? The Gospel of Mark is the adult life of the Lord Jesus. Note in Chapter 1 that there is no birth account, no genealogy. Mark simply begins where the Savior’s service time frame began – at His baptism. Is there a marker in your life for your walk with the Lord Jesus? Is there a time when you began to know Him as your Savior – and you decided to live the rest of your life for Him? There should be – and Mark shows us how the Lord Jesus did it!

Our lesson in Mark 1 centers on the last 5 or so verses, where in His early days of open ministry, our Savior makes a difference in one unusual person’s life.

PRAYER

# 1. THE POSITIONS OF SEEKING THE SAVIOR (v. 40)

A. The condition: leprosy

In verse 40, we’re introduced to a nameless man. All we know about him is that he is identified as “a man with leprosy.” That in itself says much. The disease is an auto-immune disease which affects all the extremities of the body. In its full course, all the parts of the body deteriorate and fall off – and that is before the victim even comes close to death.

ILLUSTRATION: I was close friends with a gentleman who ultimately died from the effects of Aids. Like leprosy, at first my friend got somewhat weak. And then parts of his body, both internally and externally, were affected. The biggest outward evidence was the deterioration of half his face. It was sad. Fortunately in his last days, he came to know Jesus as Savior.

The name “leprosy” brings with it only one cure: death. And as a condition, there was only one label which the Biblical society would place on the one with leprosy: “untouchable”. There was such a fear and stigma with this disease that victims were isolated well “outside the camp” in areas where they ultimately would die, their only hope. Our text tells of such an hopeless untouchable who did something drastic about his condition: he left the camp and came looking for hope.

B. The character

Note that the man with leprosy did four things:

1. He “came to Him” – He came to Jesus. Jesus was his last hope. In fact, he would find that in reality Jesus was more than his last hope – he was his only hope! He came to Jesus.

2. He “begged Him”. The idea is that he “implored, beseeched, pleaded”. The man with leprosy bowed down to Jesus, his only hope, and let Him know that He was his only hope.

3. He begged Him “on his knees”. This is a two-fold position. It is one of complete dependence upon another. Jesus was indeed his only hope. But it is also a position of… worship. He begged on his knees because he was doing more than simply asking for a favor. He was in essence letting the Savior know of his worship!

4. He verbalized his request: “if You are willing, You can make me clean.” We will hear this request at least one more time in the gospels. We’ll hear it in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before the Savior’s arrest, just before the cross, when the Savior had a passionate moment with His Father. Remember? He said, “not My will but Thine be done.”

The man with leprosy was surrendering to the Savior’s will.

How did the man with leprosy know about this? How did he know to come to Jesus? How did he know to plead with the Savior as his only hope? How did he know to worship Jesus alone? How did he know to verbalize his request? How did he know?

I think he knew because the Spirit of God was dealing with the inner hunger of his heart. Remember, the prophet Samuel, when seeking God’s direction for the anointing of the one who was to be the next king of Israel, said, “man looks at the outward appearance; God looks at the heart”. Yes, he was simply a leper. But this man with leprosy had a hunger, a hunger for truth, an unmet hunger for the eternal. He hungered for the Lord.

And that is how each of us comes to the cross! We come to the only one Who can meet the need: the Lord Jesus. We beg Him, our only Hope. We beg on our knees – we worship Him alone! And we verbalize our request: “if You are willing, you can make me clean.” Inside and out!

To everyone who might have been onlookers to this interaction with the leper and the Lord Jesus, they might have said, “well, there’s another hopeless cause. Who is this One Who should care? Doesn’t He know that this man is an untouchable? Why, he shouldn’t even be outside the camp!”

The situation was impossible. And so it is with every man, woman, boy, and girl who is lost without God and without hope. There needs to be an intervention in the downward spiral of hopelessness.

# 2 THE SAVIOR’S RESPONSE (vs. 41-44)

Note the Savior’s amazing response to the leper’s need:

A. He was “filled with compassion”. His entire being saw this man before Him through the eyes of the Father. Jesus saw him with eyes of love, mercy, grace.

B. Jesus “reached out His hand”. Simply put, He put love, mercy, and grace into action! He did more than just SAY “I love you.” He loved with the everlasting love of His Father. He showed ACTION. He reached out His hand.

C. And then? He TOUCHED THE MAN! Wouldn’t you have liked to have been in the crowd that day? You and all the others would be saying, “Hey Jesus, here’s an untouchable. Stay away from him. He’s no good!”

Maybe you’ve heard those same voices. “Hey, stay away from those people. They’re drunks. They’re addicts. They’re on welfare. They will never get out of their gutter. Don’t waste your time on them.” Or, “they’re so rich they don’t need the help of the church, much less of the Lord.” Untouchables. Jesus TOUCHED THE MAN!

D. His action and love flowed from the willingness of the heart. The Father is not willing that any should perish. And Jesus had such a willingness, too. He touched the man and said words of compassion, “Be clean!”

E. The next word is overwhelming: IMMEDIATELY. This is the key word of the Gospel of Mark. Look at this chapter alone: v. 10, v. 12, v. 18, v. 20, v. 21, v. 28, v.31, and now here in v. 42. In fact, 36 times in Mark the word “immediately” is used, more so than any of the other gospels! Remember, Mark emphasizes service. And Jesus introduced His being a Servant by showing IMMEDIATE response to need. He served. He didn’t wait. He didn’t think about all the consequences: “what will people think if I touch an untouchable? What will they think if I love the unlovely? What will they think if I show compassion to those who are simply abusers of the system? What will they think?”. No, He served. And so should we.

But the point is greater than that! When Jesus touched the man with leprosy, what happened? IMMEDIATELY the leprosy was gone. It left him. He was cleansed!

He had eternal life, as it were! And just as his physical cleansing was dependent upon the Savior’s touch, so is our eternal cleansing. Jesus said, “come unto Me all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” He’ll touch you, too!

F. But there is one more note! Jesus didn’t leave the man of leprosy there! He did what? He sent him to the priest? To do what? To offer for ceremonial cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to the priest. What did Moses command? Check out Leviticus 14! Having been determined by the priest that he has been cleansed of his leprosy, the former leper was to bring to the priest, among other sacrifices, two living birds. One was to be killed by the priest – a symbol of the death of the leprosy. Then the living bird was to be dipped in the dead bird’s blood and then released into the air – a symbol of the former leper having been brought to new life.

Why did the Savior request this? BECAUSE IT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE! No one in the modern era had been healed of leprosy! No one had seen Someone like the Lord Jesus serve in such a way! No one! Don’t you think the priest would have been shocked when that one who was formerly a man with leprosy shows up a cleansed vessel, seeking the blessing of the priest? Wow!

Isn’t that what happens when we come to Christ by faith for salvation? When we trust Him, and only Him and His death, burial and resurrection as our only eternal “cure” for our position as sinner, like the bird that is killed, we, too, die to self. And then like the living bird who is dipped in the dead bird’s blood and then is allowed to fly off, we, too, are reminded daily that our salvation came through the blood of the Lord Jesus. Trusting in His provision, then we have the privilege to live the rest of our lives as free to live, to live for His glory!

What a great story!

CONCLUSION

The fruit of the touch of the Master (v. 45)

Isn’t it great that the story does not end there. The man with leprosy, the untouchable who was healed by the Master’s touch, was now as free as that living bird. He could live the rest of his life for the Savior.

But first he was to go to the priest.

BUT HE DIDN’T! HE STARTED “SPREADING THE NEWS”! Frank Sinatra, eat your heart out! He couldn’t hold within himself what the Lord Jesus had done. He had to tell everyone!

And so should we!

Close in prayer

Rev Jeremy B. Stopford, First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY

July 8, 2018

Week Twenty-Eight, 2018

BE ON GUARD

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13

By Senator John Grant, (FL, Retd)

My parents had a chicken farm way out from town. I lived there until I was married and still live on the same property, though now in an urbanized area. As a youngster, I attended a true country school, where many students wore overalls and many didn’t wear shoes. A lot were children of ranch hands and grove tenders.

Although we went to town to church on most Sundays, I often attended activities at a country church, which was a Missouri missionary church started by a family in 1895. When I was there many of the then larger membership were descendants of that family.

The original church was a wood structure that was built a distance away and moved to the new location by rolling it on pine logs. They hitched the church to mules and horses and each Saturday, they pulled as far as they could and on the next day, worshipped where they left off the day before.

In 1925, a new sanctuary was built to accommodate a growing congregation. That’s where I often worshipped. I was impressed with its high brick bell tower.

A recently released history book speaks of the tower. World War II broke out about the time I was born. War was raging in both the European and Asian theatres. Planes were needed and pilots to fly them. Many training fields were built and most were in Florida, due to flat land that sped up construction. Three were built in our county and surprise attacks were always a concern.

The church bell tower was selected as a watchtower to spot for enemy aircraft, because though unlikely, the enemy could always be lurking anywhere at any time. As a small boy, I saw many aircraft fly over our home and always wondered if they were friend or foe.

Life is like that. The enemy is always on the prowl, always looking for a place to strike. We are far more equipped to stand firm against Satan’s attacks when we are aware of them. If you are a Christian you can assume an attack is pending, the Bible makes that clear. The difficulty comes in recognizing it.

To protect ourselves, we must learn to identify an attack of Satan for what it is. When we fail to recognize that, we tend to blame other people. We put all our energy into battling them, instead of standing firm against the real enemy. Meanwhile, Satan leads us farther and farther off track.

It’s that time of the year when we pause to celebrate victory. Independence, liberty and freedom. While that is and should be our focus, we should always be on the lookout for an enemy ready to strike. As Paul told the church at Corinth, Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

Who is in your watchtower and who are you waiting to push out of your life? Always celebrate liberty, but always be on guard for the enemy who could strike at any time.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Jerrie Barber tells the story of an unusual parking ticket that was given in south-central Los Angeles several years ago. At 9:46 a.m. an officer wrote up the ticket for an illegally parked Cadillac. There was no question that the car was in violation. The driver did not object to the ticket. In fact, the driver didn’t say a word. He couldn’t. He was dead!

Paramedics said the man had been dead ten to twelve hours when the ticket was given. The officer had taken the time to observe the parking violation, write a ticket, then stick his hand through the open window (within inches of the body stiffly sitting upright behind the steering wheel) and placed the $30 citation on the dashboard. He never noticed the man was dead.

“That officer shares a common trait with many Christians,” observed Jerrie. “We walk through life citing others with petty violations while remaining oblivious to the fact that they are spiritually dead. We are offended or repulsed by the behavior of some non-Christians and rebuke them for not acting more Christ-like. The fact is, they don’t have the power for real change. They are ‘dead in trespasses and sins.’ They are ‘illegally parked’ and can’t do a thing about it apart from Christ.

Some things are just more important than other things.

This is true in business. Sports. Government. Our homes. It is true in life’s tasks. My Franklin planner teaches priorities. You list all your tasks for the day and rank them in order of importance. Then begin with the most important.

It is also true in Christianity. While everything is important, there are some fundamentals that must rank with greater importance. James Montgomery Boice expressed it this way.

“It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Christ’s Cross. For whether we are thinking about the necessity of the Cross, the meaning of the Cross, the preaching of the Cross, the offense of the Cross, or the way of the Cross – however we may think about it – in every case what we are saying, and must be saying, is that the Cross is central to Christianity. Indeed, we are saying more. We are saying that without the Cross of Jesus Christ there is no true Christianity at all.” –- Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace, p. 89

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

On the day Sam Houston was baptized, he offered to pay half the minister’s salary in the church. When someone asked him about it, he said, “My pocketbook was baptized, too.

Our world is on fire, and man without God cannot control the flames. The demons of hell have been let loose. The fires of passion, greed, hate, and lust are sweeping the world. We seem to be plunging madly toward Armageddon. We live in the midst of crisis, danger, fear, and death. We sense that something is about to happen. We know that things cannot go on as they are. Billy Graham

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2018

©2018 John Grant | Florida State Senator (Ret.) | 10025 Orange Grove Drive | Tampa, FL

“Freedom Is Not Free”

TEXT: 1 Chronicles 11:15-19 (NKJV)

By Almon Bartholomew

Theme: “Freedom Is Not Free”

“The story of Jonathan and his armor bearer is a must read. It is narrated in 1 Samuel chapter14, verses1-15, in the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible.

Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who [a]bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. 3 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.  THhenJonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.” So his armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.” 8 Then Jonathan said, “Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. 10 But if they say thus, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.” 12 Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will [b]show you something.” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” 13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armor bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armor bearer killed them. 14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land. 15 And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling.

“Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” So the three broken through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless David would not drink it but poured it out to the Lord. And he said, “Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it”. Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.”

In every age, in every crisis, in every bonded community, there are those who have stepped up to the forefront, at the risk of their own lives, to gain and pay the price for freedom. This was true way back in the days when David was king of Israel. In this chapter the names of more than fifty men are defined as David’s “mighty men”. They formed a protective cadre for the king. Their fetes of daring, risk taking and defying the odds are recorded here. In defending their king they were defending a nation. If, indeed their leader fell, Israel would be in chaos and defeat. They were the special “Ops” and “Delta forces” of their time. Their deeds of valor and heroism are well documented in Scripture.

In the passage we read, three of these special “ops” were charged with the safe keeping of King David who was in a fortress outside the city of Bethlehem which at the time was occupied by their enemy, a garrison of Philistines. These three men were close enough to the king to overhear his desire for a cool drink of water taken from a well within the perimeter of the enemy’s encampment. At the risk of their own lives these three broke through the front lines, drew water from Bethlehem’s well, and returned to refresh David with that cool drink. The king was so moved by the devotion and risk taking of these three that he would not drink from the canister. He rather poured it out on the ground as a drink offering to the Lord. He felt unworthy to consume this himself because of the price paid to bring that well water to him.

We would do well today to remember those who have made the supreme sacrifice purchasing the wellspring of freedom from which we may now all drink. The price paid reaches back to Valley Forge where one third of the continental army under George Washington died in the bitter cold of winter. Three thousand brave soldiers died. Fifteen hundred horses perished. George Washington earnestly prayed.

From Concord, to Lexington, to Bunker Hill, to Saratoga, to Ticonderoga, to Trenton, to Monmouth and to Yorktown, VA; the battle raged and the price for our freedom was being paid. At the close of hostilities the liberty bell rang in Philadelphia until the bell cracked. That bell has now found its resting place in Philadelphia convention center and the crack remains in it ‘til this day to remind us that freedom is fragile and must be guarded carefully. Freedom is not free!

Heavy installments have since been paid in the years which followed. We met the challenge of an attack by a vast armada of British navy ships and legions of red coat soldiers in the war of 1812. The Red Coats were on the verge of torching Washington when a fierce tornado storm drove them back. They fled to their ships anchored in the Potomac. When they headed down river to go out to sea, a French armada met them there. The British invasion collapsed in defeat. By the intervention of Almighty God and stalwart men we obtained victory and freedom was preserved.

The very existence of the union and the freedom of all peoples of all colors hung in the balance in the great Civil War. More than 750,000 lives were laid down in that conflict. Freedom emerged bloodied and bruised but went on to live in these United States for 152 more years.

In 1914 the First World War broke out and the freedom of untold millions was at stake. In 1917, what great price to us all, the USA sent armed forces, for the first time, onto European soil, bent on regaining freedom for millions seeking deliverance from the oppression of a brutal enemy. That victory was won by the tens of thousands of American doughboys spilling their blood in the trenches of France. Three of my uncles were there. I knew many of those veterans in my boyhood years. Some were terribly victimized by the enemy who unleashed poison mustard gas on the combined forces fighting to regain freedom for the victims of war. Among them was Leonard Yarter; a man who was neighbor to my wife’s family. His scarred lungs weakened him for the rest of his life.

It was at the end of this conflict that an armistice was signed causing fighting to cease. It occurred at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. For years after we celebrated Armistice Day in America on November 11th. At 11:00 AM everything stopped for a moment of reverent silence giving pause to remember that freedom was not free. Many men and women and sorrowing families paid the price.

Then in the memory of most of us here, the unthinkable happened. A sneak attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor took the lives of nearly 3,000 men and our naval fleet was decimated. Peace was shattered. Freedom was threatened by the evil of the Axis powers. In the words of President Roosevelt it was “a day that would live in infamy”. It must never be forgotten!

High schools were emptied as their 17 and 18 year olds ran to sign up. Millions flooded the enlistment centers. Among them was my oldest brother Raymond, who turned 17 less than a month before, when he joined the Marine Corps. As a freshman in the Glens Falls, NY high school I went with the whole student body to the railroad station to see Company K national Guard board the train leaving for war. Homes were darkened in blackouts. Rationing began for food, appliances, tires and gasoline. Coach Tom Allen, a tough navy veteran of World War One, put our high school boys through very rigorous physical training knowing they would be going into the military.

From factories and farms, from cities and hamlets, the ranks of the military grew. We went from building cars to building machines of war, from passenger ocean liners to troop ships and battleships. Airplanes were made in record numbers. Members of what we now call the “Greatest Generation” swelled and the battle was pressed. American GI’S laid down their lives in the Pacific theatre, the Atlantic crossings, in North Africa and across the battlefield of Western Europe. Freedom must be won! Ten thousand American soldiers died on the Normandy beaches on D-Day June 6,1944, Count 90,000 more during the Battle of The Bulge. They paid the price. Freedom was not free!

I remember seeing more than 100 names from our small town appearing on an honor roll posted on the village green. Then the gold stars began to appear beside the names of many. Those gold stars began also to show on the windows of those homes whose families bore the loss of those who gave their last full measure of devotion.

Now, past World War II, we celebrate Armed forces Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and now Veteran’s Day in place of Armistice Day. Joining these ranks of heroes are those men and women who in the Korean War, the Viet Nam War, the First Gulf War and more recently the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have given their lives to win freedom for oppressed peoples. We must continue to pray for those yet in harm’s way and to support those wounded and scarred veterans returning home.

Not long ago an elderly, frail American gentleman arrived in Paris, France having flown in from America. An impatient French custom official asked for his passport. The gentleman searched his pockets and could not find it. With some apology he said to the customs officer “I must have placed it in my luggage”. The angry officer said “you must always carry your passport with you at all times. Have you ever come to France before”? The gentleman replied, “Yes”. Upon hearing this the irate official said” Then you should have known better and carried your passport on your person”. The gentleman said, “Yes, I came to France once. When I landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day but no French Customs officer could be found anywhere around to show him my passport”. …. You could have heard a pin drop. “Story source unknown to writer)

It should be noted that no marching armies with the most heroic soldiers can purchase our freedom from the greatest enslavement of all, the slavery of sin. Sin is a human condition. It made its appearance in Eden’s garden. It is a present universal malady to this day. What, or who, could deliver and set free all who are affected?

The answer is the Lord Jesus Christ. At great price to Himself He opened freedom’s door for all of us find this spiritual freedom. He said “I am the good shepherd. I lay down my life for the sheep”. He bore the burden of our sin when he died in our stead on an old rugged cross. God our Father gave us Heaven’s greatest treasure when He sent His Only Begotten Son to become our Lord and Savior. Jesus promised to give us life, and life more abundantly. This gift is given freely to us. While the gift is free to us, it came at great price.

Jesus said “No man has greater love than this that he lay down his life for his friends”. Jesus did this, and more. He not only laid down his life for his friends, He laid down His life for His enemies. From the cross Jesus prayed for those who nailed him there, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. Did the world ever witness such a display of eternal love? The innocent died for the guilty; the just for the unjust!

This freedom was not free. Someone paid the price. As the good gospel chorus says, “He paid a price he did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sin away. Now I sing a brand new song, amazing grace. He paid a debt that I could never pay”.

John 8:36 spells it out clearly, “He whom the Son of God sets free is free indeed”. The good news is we can be free. On this fourth of July, Independence day, we celebrated the birth of beloved United States of America, let us honor our heroes who paid, and are still paying, the price for our freedoms; and let us also honor the Son of God who came to set us free from the worst of all human malignancies. Freedom is not free. But, to us, the gift of life from heaven is freely bestowed!

Allow God’s grace to embrace your heart and life! Let us open our hearts and let him come in. This is the best way we can honor the Lord today. King David asked and answered a vital question in Psalm 116:12-13; “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord”. Let us, each one of us, today drink from that cup. He will satisfy our soul with the living waters of eternal salvation.

Almon & Joyce Bartholomew