Category Archives: A Message from the Heart

A Message from the Heart, Jeremy Stopford

“THE HOUR HAS COME”

“THE HOUR HAS COME” (Mark 14:32-42)

November 4, 2018 10:30 AM

First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: A Big Fall Dance Funny

It was approaching the big Fall Dance at John’s school. He decided that he wanted to try his luck and ask out the most popular girl in his school. So he got in line to ask her, and he waited, and he waited, and he waited. When he finally got to the front of the line, he was amazed because the girl said yes! She also handed him a long list of criteria he would have to meet for her to go with him.

The first criterion was a limousine. So he went to the limousine shop and, as it was near the time of the dance, he waited and waited and waited to get to the front of the line and hired a limousine. The second criterion was a suit from the most prestigious clothes maker in the city. So John went to that shop and waited and waited and waited to be fitted. Once he got his suit he looked at the list and chased up the next criteria on the list (roses, tickets, chauffeur, etc.) and at each one he had to wait for a very long line.

Finally it was the night of the Fall Dance! John went and picked up the girl in his limousine, had the chauffeur drive them to the dance, picked up his roses, and arrived at the dance venue. To get in to the dance they waited and waited to get in. When they finally got to their seats, John’s girl asked him to get her a glass of punch.

When John got to the punch table, he was surprised, because there was no punch line.

INTRODUCTION

Sometimes personal illustrations are helpful; often not. So let me take a try: when you were growing up, did you know what you wanted to be in life, what you wanted to do with your life? My one brother was sure he was going to be a doctor – and he did become one. My middle brother didn’t know until his senior year in college that he had a strong desire to become a lawyer – and he did become one. Their youngest brother, at age 5, wrote in the class essay, “when I grow up I want to be a copper”. And 26 years later, he was one – with a catch. His desire was fulfilled by being a non-gun toting parking enforcement officer. And they paid him for writing parking tickets. Wow.

Our text is fascinating. It relates that the Savior knew His calling in life, even from before He came to earth! And what was that calling? PRAYER

MARK 14 (& 15): THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SAVIOR’S MISSION!

This chapter is loaded, and I encourage you to read chapter 14 coupled with chapter 15 which give the entire passion of the Christ unfurled. In the scene before us this morning, the disciples (minus Judas, who has left to get a “gang” to arrest Jesus) went to a familiar spot. The spot was very familiar to Judas, and he knew to go there. With one last lesson, as it were, the Savior takes Peter, James, and John with Him to a place of prayer. They, of course, did not so much praying as they did sleeping, overwhelmed with the thinking that they were coming here to die themselves!

In this passage are at least two classic lines which even the world uses at times. The first is found in v. 36, “not what I will, but what You will” (or as in our KJV, “not My will but Thy will be done.”). This simple line shows us two profound truths. First, we must ask ourselves: was the Savior “chickening out”? He had just asked the Father, “everything is possible for You – please take this cup from Me.” What? The Savior relinquishing what He came to earth to do? Yet here we have, not a cowardice, but an identity. He was identifying with the human spirit. The book of Hebrews emphasizes over and over that “though He was weak, He became strong”. He became weak for us – so that He could identify with us. So when He encourages us to come to Him just as we are, we can – because He really does know how we feel. Great empathy. Great line for the ages.

But the second is as powerful as the first. He returns to the disciples three times – and each time finds them sleeping. They are overwhelmed. And what does He say here? V. 38 says, “the spirit is willing, but the body (flesh/KJV) is weak.” The world uses this line all the time! And so should we, for it identifies us with our disciple friends who were right there. Just when we can say, “well, if I were there, I’d be really strong”, the Savior and the disciples know that is not so. Their spirit was indeed willing – in fact, they said they were willing to die for their Savior. Of course, at this time, they had not grasped by faith that His mission was not to start His kingdom on earth. Rather, His mission was to die for the sins of the world. The flesh, the body was weak. And yet Paul reminds us, “when I am weak, then I am strong.” We can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us! When we are weak, we need to see our weakness in light of the strength of the One standing before the disciples. That’s quite a line, “the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

But note please the 3 times that the word “hour” is used in a few passages. V. 35 our Savior prayed that “the hour” might pass from Him. This is the hour of surrender of the will, the resignation to His Father’s eternal plan. The Father answered that prayer. The hour passed with His line, “not My will but Thine.”

But the second usage is also interesting! In verse 37, He returns and sees His disciples not praying but sleeping. What were His choice words? “Could you not keep watch for one hour?” Isn’t that something? The Savior, Who is eternal, has limited Himself to human time! And because of that limitation, so that He could be one of us, He knew that our world is measured by units of time – and here, one hour. One hour is probably figurative for “a few moments”. But the point is huge! He understood His limitation. And He understood and grieved for their hurt and weakness.

And the last usage is found in v. 41, “the hour has come”. Note, it wasn’t intended to be a series of 60 minutes put together in one unit of time. No, no! It was His purpose, His mission, which, according to Revelation 13:8, was decided before the foundation of the earth! In eternity past, the Savior knew His mission: the cross, to die for the sins of the whole world for all eternity!

But the hour was more than that. It was a fulfillment of all those moments that were not “the hour”. Seven times in the Gospel of John the Lord Jesus uses this words, “My hour has not yet come.” To His own mother at Cana, before He changed the water to wine, His words perhaps reminded her very abruptly of those words He said at age 12 in the temple, “don’t you know I must be about My Father’s business?”. She knew! And so she responds, “whatever He says, do it.”

And in John 12:23,27, 13:1, and 17:1 – all passages surrounding Gethsemane – the Savior reminds those that were there, as well as His Father, in essence, that “for this very hour I have come to earth.”

In that John 17:1 verse, believed to be the very passage He prayed at Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus prays, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.”

All this is before one blow is struck, one thorn is piercing His brow, one broken chard is whipped into His back, one nail is pierced into His hands and feet. His hour has come.

CONCLUSION

And in that hour, He was condemned to death for blasphemy by His Jewish peers. Next week, we’ll see the Roman condemnation that allowed Him to go to the cross.

I don’t think it would be belittling the theme of the cross to make another application. We, too, who love the Lord Jesus as Savior have our own “hour.” Perhaps we have many hours!

* The hour of decision to trust Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives.

* The hour when we hungered to read His word and pray on a daily basis

* The hour when we realize His calling upon our lives.

* The hour when we prayed with our Savior, “not my will but Thine be done.”

* The hour when He called us Home to Himself, and we hear those words, “well done, My good and faithful servant.”

Have you surrendered to the cross? Have you surrendered to His hour in your life?

Close in prayer

Rev Jeremy with wife Thuvia Stopford

A Message from the Heart, John Grant

THE ELECTION

Week Forty-Five, 2018

THE ELECTION

By John Grant

If anyone wants to be a leader in the church, they want to do a good work for God and people. A leader must be free from blame. He must be faithful to his wife. In anything he does, he must not go too far. He must control himself. He must be worthy of respect. He must welcome people into his home. He must be able to teach. He must not get drunk. He must not push people around. He must be gentle. He must not be a person who likes to argue. He must not love money. He must manage his own family well. He must make sure that his children obey him. And he must do this in a way that gains him respect. 1 Timothy 3: 1-4

The mid-term elections are hours away. The outcome will determine who will be our leaders. It will determine which party will lead the Congress, select governors and state legislators, who will govern our schools and a host of other issues. It is a very important day in our country even though this Scripture applies to church leadership.

Sadly, less than half of those eligible are not registered to vote and of those who are, maybe half will take the time to vote. Sadly, the statistics are about the same for evangelical and other Christians as they are for the rest of the country.

How will people decide for whom they should vote… snappy TV ads, robo calls, clever direct mail pieces, party affiliation. Sadly those should be considered, but who we vote for should be determined by character, integrity, ability to govern, and experience.

Paul laid out the qualifications in writing to Timothy. He talked about faithfulness, self-control, worthy of respect, sobriety, humility, gentleness, not lovers of money and able to manage family. Too bad more Christians don’t use those criteria as they decide how to vote.

Paul lifts up character as opposed to those who seek office for power, possession and personal gain. When choosing, we should look deep to see if candidates private and family life are parallel. If someone cannot control themselves in private, then they probably won’t in public either.

Character cannot be separated from the person. To be of good character means that one’s habits, actions, and emotional responses all are united and directed toward the moral and the good. In this, public actions cannot be separated from private actions. Both sets of actions affect one’s character.

Christians have a God given privilege and responsibility to vote. Remember to go to the poles, study the candidates before you vote, pray before you vote and ask God to give you insight as you exercise the honor of being a voter in a free country.

Above all, remember that this election is not about the elephant or the donkey…. It is about the lamb.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Power:

February 10, 2013, a fire broke out in an engine room of the Carnival cruise ship Triumph and knocked out the ship’s power. The more than 4,200 passengers and crew were left in limbo, drifting in Gulf of Mexico currents. No power meant it was impossible to flush the toilets, keep cool under the blazing tropical sun, or preserve and cook all the perishable food on board.

Passengers reported long lines for food, shortages of fresh water, illnesses, and widespread boredom. Many passengers slept in hallways or outside to escape the odors and heat below decks. The ship finally ported safely in Mobile, Alabama, four agonizing days later.

The awful ordeal of the Triumph is a riveting reminder of what can happen when anything or anyone is disconnected from its source of power. For those of us who are Christians, our power source is the Holy Spirit. You and I know there are millions who suffer darkness of spirit, who endure spiritual misery and pain, who have no hope and no relief. For them, the surge of power the Holy Spirit brings is instantly amazing. For others, it may feel like a more gradual process. But unless you embrace the power only the Holy Spirit can provide, you’ll be running on empty.

If you’ve tried to sustain these nine character traits consistently in your life, you know how difficult it is. Maybe you’ve decided it’s simply too difficult for you. You’re right! It’s not merely difficult to live the Christian life in your own power—it’s impossible. In the entire history of humanity, only one person has lived that kind of perfect life.

That person is Jesus Christ. But even He did not live that life by His own power. Though He was one with God in heaven, to be a complete and perfect human, He had to live His life the way humans were created to live. He had to lay aside the independent use of His divine attributes; submit Himself to God the Father; and allow the Father’s Spirit to live in Him, work through Him, and direct His life. As Jesus told His disciples, “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14: 10). “Jesus lived, thought, worked, taught, conquered sin and won victories for God in the power of that same Spirit whom we all may have.” The Spirit whom we all may have . . . if we accept Him. David Jeremiah

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Opportunities Always Come At a Price of Difficulty

I pray that God will greatly bless you with mercy, peace, and love. Jude 1:2

Fear leads to desperation. Max Lucado

Is your success sourced in the gifts God has given you? Or, is it from your own hands that you have accomplished things? Dwight Short

Don’t make life about stuff.

The average person will meet ten thousand people during their lifetime.

***

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

Your feedback is welcome. Address all items and comments to [email protected].

Thoughts on Life, ©2018, John Grant

A Message from the Heart

“WATCH!” – Sounds like another time-ly message!

“WATCH!” – Sounds like another time-ly message! (Mark 13)
First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY
Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S SPECIAL: “What would Jesus DRIVE?”

One theory is that Jesus would ride around in an old Plymouth because the Bible says, “God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden in a Fury.”
But in Psalm 83, the Almighty clearly owns a Pontiac and a Geo. The passage urges the Lord to “pursue your enemies with your Tempest and terrify them with your Storm.”
Perhaps God favors Dodge pickup trucks, because Moses’ followers are warned not to go up a mountain “until the Ram’s horn sounds a long blast.”
Meanwhile, Moses rode an old British motorcycle, as evidenced by a Bible passage declaring that “the roar of Moses’ Triumph is heard in the hills.”
Joshua drove a sports car with a hole in its muffler, “Joshua’s Triumph was heard throughout the land.”
And, following the Master’s lead, the Apostles car-pooled in a Honda: “The Apostles were in one Accord.”

INTRODUCTION

This is a most amazing chapter of Scripture, not so much because of its content – but rather, because of its timing. The Savior – and we – know what is coming in chapters 14 and 15. The cross.
And yet in that scenario, our Savior graciously listens to His disciples ask the question of the ages: when is the timing of the coming of the end of the age?
And He answers as only He could. PRAYER

# 1. WATCH OUT! (v. 5)

A. Our Savior wears several hats!
The Bible says that the Messiah holds at least 3 offices at one time. He did not have to campaign for them. He did not have to run a race. They are His by virtue of His deity and His Messiahship.

He is a Priest – in fact, both the Old and New Testaments say that He is a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ps. 110:1; Hebrews 7). The NT says that He is ever making intercession for us before the Father. Wow. He is our High Priest. This is an unusual title. The earthly high priests had to go into the holy of holies (where the ark was) once a year to offer a payment for sins – not only for the nation of Israel but also for his own. The Bible says that after the cross, the Savior went into the heavenly temple with an offering – not for His own sin, but for the sins of the world. And He only had to do it once – for His offering was the body broken and the blood shed at the cross. What a great High Priest we worship. The Book of Hebrews should be familiar to you.

He is a King! We know that at His trial before Pilate, the Roman condemnation was that He was, as it were, usurping the kingship of the Roman Emperor. But to Pilate’s question, “do you want me to crucify the King of the Jews?”, the crowd yelled back, “we have no king but Caesar.” But Revelation 19:16 tells us that one day all of eternity will be worshipping and extolling Him as King of kings and Lord of lords.”

And He is a Prophet! Just like your pastor! Well, sort of – and no disrespect is intended here. The office of prophet is two-fold. He proclaims God’s Word – and that is what your pastor does. Scholars say that the prophet “forth-tells”. But the prophet in Biblical times also tells the future. You got it – he “fore-tells”. Our Savior is an eternal Prophet! He not only gave forth God’s Word but He also foretold future events.

B. The disciples were curious about future events (vs. 1-27)
(1) Perhaps the disciples were overwhelmed with several thoughts. First of all, the Savior had just overwhelmed the money changers and other abusers of the true worship intended in His “house of prayer”. Perhaps they remembered His words, “destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” So they tried to impress Him with the magnitude of the temple and its buildings.
(2) Our Savior showed them His prophet office. He told them that these stones were going to come down. In fact, in 70ad, they indeed did. Historians tell us the stones were literally crushed to the point that a horse could easily walk over the crushed stone. And remember, some of those stones were 40 feet thick.
You and I know that the only thing left of that temple is what the Jews reverently call “the wailing wall” – the wall where they offer prayers for their nation. They often put their prayers on paper and insert them in the cracks in the wall. That is true reverence for their building.
(3). But then the disciples asked Him about future events (v. 4). They wanted to know the “when”. Does Jesus answer their question? Perhaps this – and the passages in Matthew and Luke – have been royally misquoted, and thus mis-interpreted. Note His warnings:
(a). Many false Christs (v. 6) Jim Jones probably was one of those. The “Rev.” Sun Young Moon was probably another one. 1 John says there will be many false Christs before the Messiah comes. All of history has known many false Christs.
(b). Wars, rumors of wars (vs. 7ff). We all pick up on this. Yet we don’t remember that theologians at the time thought that World War 1 (not known as “1” back then, because the world didn’t know there would be MORE world wars!) was the war to usher in the kingdom. It wasn’t – and neither has any other war.
(c). Earthquakes, famines (v. 8b) Here we go! There are more of these now then ever. But what does the Savior say? That these are merely the BEGINNING of birth pains. I’ve never given birth to a human baby – some of you have. And apparently birth pains are not the birth of the child – they are but the beginning! And so are earthquakes and famines.
(d). Persecutions! (v. 9ff). I like this passage – it has great meaning to me personally, for two reasons. First, it tells that when you are being tried for your faith – DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY! Don’t even think in advance! The Holy Spirit will give you what HE wants you to say. Wow again! And second, it tells that throughout Christian history, there will be martyrs for the faith. I personally have known one – Tim Van Dyke – a New Tribes Missionary who was martyred in the 1990’s (I believe 1993 or so) by rebels in Colombia where he faithfully served. The reports are that he tried to lead his captors to Christ right up to the day he and his fellow captor were killed. Persecutions.

C. But did you notice the warnings!
“WATCH OUT!” (v. 5) The phrase literally means, “Look out! Beware! Open your eyes to a dangerous situation!”, as per Pastor Stedman’s Greek interpretation. What is the Savior saying? He is saying this: He is not so concerned with the so-called OUTWARD signs of the environment and nations. He is concerned about the INWARD sign of our worship, our steadfastness for Him until the day He takes us home or until when He returns. Note v. 13: “he who stands firm until the end shall be saved.” This is an holy perseverance, never giving up the faith, focusing on Jesus even when circumstances of the world make it hard.
There are other warnings in this passage, but let’s go on to the second “watch”.

#2. WATCH! (v. 37)

This word – and its use – is slightly different than the first watch of v. 5. This has the idea of the undying focus. The Savior gives two illustrations to make His point:

A. The fig tree (vs. 28 ff). By now we are quite familiar with His use of the fig tree. He has referred the tree to represent the nation of Israel. And here He is talking about the reality that we know when a fig tree is ripening – because the summer has come! His point is this: just as we can be sure that the summer is going to come and the fig tree will ripen, so we can be sure that God’s Word will be fulfilled. Every word. Have an undying focus that God’s word is going to be fulfilled. That should encourage us to get in the word!

B. The man going away (vs. 32ff) This, too, should have reminded the disciples of His parable of the Owner Who has given stewardship over the earth. Those stewards are to WATCH! They are to have an undying focus for the Owner’s return. They are to be occupied. They are to live in such a way that the Owner would be pleased with their stewardship of all He left them with.

CONCLUSION: WATCH!

Compared to some of you, I’ve only been here a brief time. But even in these years, I’ve seen several that have lost focused of the Savior. They have settled for earthly things. And the Savior, His Word and His church were no longer priorities in their lives. Now that is sad!
This indeed is a TIME-LY message! Pun intended! We are to watch out! We are to beware the dangerous situations which would cause us to deviate from our faith. And we are to watch! We are to be on alert for the Savior’s return, and so live that our lives will be pleasing to Him when He arrives.
How is your watching today?

Close in prayer

A Message from the Heart

What is your story?

Week Forty-Four, 2018

WHAT IS YOUR STORY?

By John Grant

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Acts 26:1-3

As I looked down from a tall skyscraper at the crowd assembled in a park below for their afternoon social, I could not help but think of the dozens of people and the life of each one. God made them all, special and individually different, each with a different story and background.

I once met an elderly pastor who, whenever he met someone, said: “Tell me your story.” He said it was an amazing revelation. People like to share their life stories with those who care to listen. People are more interested in others when others care about them and want to hear the stories of their life. It is a great process to lead to more important discussions like talking about the Gospel and salvation.

The task of evangelism often includes telling our individual story along with the larger gospel story. Weaving the two together makes for a powerful articulation of God’s gracious work through all times and his specific salvation work in an individual heart – namely, yours.

Every person has a life story and every one story is different, personal and important to that person. Some are good and some are bad, but each one is important. When you ask “What is your story,” inwardly and outwardly most people respond with a feeling of “Glad you asked.”

People don’t care what you think until they know that you care. People want to feel your compassion for them and for their situation. Compassion is about what you do and how you do it. Sometimes the greatest compassion is just listening. As Christians, we are called to love and care for others. Sadly, we live on an “all about me” society. People only care about themselves and care about others only when others can do something for them.

Jesus tell us: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35. He did not say to love other Christians. He said to love one another. That means every person. We don’t have to like them, but we are called to love them and care about their story, past, present and future.

Every life has a story… if we bother to read it.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

RELAX:

Relax, remembering that Jesus is God with us. He crafted us with enormous capacity to know Him and enjoy His Presence. When His people wear sour faces and walk through their lives with resigned rigidity, He is displeased. When we walk through a day with childlike delight, savoring every blessing, you proclaim your trust in Him, your ever-present Shepherd. The more we focus on His Presence with us, the more fully we can enjoy life. Glorify Him through our pleasure in Him. Thus we proclaim His presence to the watching world.

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” —which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23

W A R N I N G:

Bible Usage Can Be Habit Forming. Regular reading can cause loss of ANXIETY and FEAR; decreased appetite for LYING, CHEATING, STEALING, HATING, ANGER and ENVY. Symptoms Include: Increased sensation of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, COMPASSION and CONTENTMENT. If Symptoms persist, just PRAISE GOD! Side Effects are FORGIVENESS, GRACE, AND LOVE! Copy and re-post if you don’t mind the side effects of the WORD.

ASPHALT:

So I have this theory… maybe places are feeling hotter because of the amount of asphalt. Black asphalt. You get out of your car in an asphalt-covered parking lot and it feels FAR hotter than it really is! When you have been parked a while the temperature gauge in your car says 106 degrees, but that isn’t the air temperature (unless you live in Phoenix) but the asphalt temperature! Start driving and the gauge goes down to whatever the air temp is. So, maybe they should make white asphalt? I don’t know, just a thought.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Maybe if we tell people that the brain is an app, they will start using it.

Some days you wake up feeling like a million dollars and on other

days you feel like a bounced check.

Trust your life with the authority of God’s Word. ~ Ken Whitten

Rest your life in the sovereignty of God’s care. ~ Ken Whitten

“A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you.” ~ Joyce Meyer

“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” ~ Zig Ziglar

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” ~ Robert Frost

“Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself.” ~ Richard Bach

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

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

Just an additional suggestion: “Your only obligation in life is to be true to God”—Frank Becker