WeekFifty-Two, 2018

COMPASSION

By John Grant

Recently America lost a great man… President George H. W. Bush. He was known by his care and compassion for others. When he was inaugurated, his inauguration speech called for a kinder and gentler nation. That should be a calling for each of us in this New Year. Find a place or person and minister to their needs.

“Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” This is,perhaps, the best known and most commonly quoted statement made by St. Francis of Assisi. Ministry is not always the words you say, but the help and compassion you show.

In 2019, find a nitch and fill it. It may be a humongous project you undertake with others, or it may be a one on one you do alone. Heidi Berkman noticed when she visited nursing homes and similar facilities that they were rather stark. One day she was shopping and saw an employee throwing out beautiful flowers. She inquired as to why and was told that the store only keeps them for two days. She sought the manager and asked if she could have the throw outs to share with the elderly. He said yes and The Bloom Project was born.

The Bloom Project

The project started in Heidi’s garage, beginning with a few flowers and a few volunteers who wanted to create something special — bringing beauty and joy to those in end-of-life care. Many had experienced the loss of a loved one in hospice care, and recognized that they could make use of resources (flowers) that would otherwise be tossed out.

 In this modern society’s Christians struggle with their role in shaping a society that cares for those who are sick and in need. In essence, we have struggled to understand the work and responsibility of Christian compassion. Should this responsibility be shared by all and secured by the government, or should it primarily be the domain of people of faith and those moved by a higher calling to mercy and healing? I suggest the latter, but saying it and doing are two different matters.

What are you called to minister to the community around you? Make a resolution in the coming year to show compassion and Christian love and help this land become a kinder and gentler country.

 God bless and mayyou and yours have a most happy and blessed 2019

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

One evening, after the honeymoon, Dick was working on his Harley in the garage. His new wife was standing there by the bench watching him.

After a long period of silence she finally said, “Honey, I’ve just been thinking,now that we’re married, maybe it’s time you quit spending so much of your time out here in your garage. You probably should consider selling your Harley and all that welding equipment; they take up so much of your time. And that gun collection and fishing gear, they just take up so much space. And you know the boat is such an ongoing expense; and you hardly use it. I also think you should lose all those stupid model airplanes and your home brewing equipment and what’s the use of that vintage hot rod?

Dick got a horrified look on his face. She noticed and said, “Darling, what’s wrong?”He replied, “You were starting to sound like my ex-wife.” “Ex-wife!?” she shouted, “YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU WERE MARRIED BEFORE!” Dick replied, “I wasn’t.”

— o —

To think we are looking at images from the surface of another planet in our solar system from our cell phone!!! And yet we haven’t found a way to get the gospel to everyone on earth in their own language yet? Someone PLEASE tell me why?

— o —

A man on a ladder says, “This is my step-ladder. I don’t know where my real ladder is.”

— o —

A lady took her pet duck to the duck vet, thinking it was deceased. The vet agreed, but the lady asked him to make sure, so the vet brought in a cat who looked closely and shook its head in the negative. She asked for one more test, so the vet brought in a lab who looked, smelled and shook his head likewise. Satisfied that her duck was dead, she asked for a bill. It read $450. Shocked she asked why the vet charged so much. He responded that he didn’t charge anything, but the charges were for the “cat scan” and the “lab report.”

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Learning starts on the first day of life, not on the first day of school. Dana Suskind

Are you leaning on a shovel and praying for a hole? Are you talk or action? Cary Gaylord

The Gospel Is an Invitation, Not an Application – Ken Whitten

It’s nice to go into a legal battle when you have the Creator of the Universe as your confidant. Dwight Short

When you realize that your mind has wandered away from Jesus, don’t be alarmed or surprised. You live in a world that has been rigged to distract you. Each time you plow your way through the massive distractions to communicate with Him, you achieve a victory. Rejoice in these tiny triumphs, and they will increasingly light up your days.

CHRISTMAS: “A TALE OF A THRILL OF HOPE” (Ruth 4)

CHRISTMAS EVE SERMONETTE

FBC Earlville, N.Y., Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TONIGHT’S “SPECIAL”: “Flight to Egypt”

A little boy came home from Sunday school just before Christmas, proudly showing his dad the picture he drew in class. It looked very much like an airplane with passengers, so his father asked his son what the picture represented.

“It’s the flight to Egypt,” answered the boy.

“I see,” said the father. “And this must be Mary and the baby Jesus.”

“Yes!” said the son enthusiastically.

“Who is flying the plane?”, dad asked, pointing to the cockpit.

Without skipping a beat, the boy answered, “That’s Pontius, the pilot!”

“I see,” said dad. And pointing to a heavy set figure sitting at the back of the plane, he asked, “and who is this?”

“THAT’S Round John Virgin!”

INTRODUCTION

Tomorrow is Christmas Day! Just the very thought of Christmas envisions family, food, and presents – perhaps many of which won’t be paid for for years to come. Yet despite all that it takes to make for a successful Christmas Day gathering, you know it is worth it all to bring family together.

 Yet for many,Christmas is a rough time. One of my former neighbors and her husband were married on Christmas Day some 60 years earlier. When he passed away, Christmas was a tough day for her. Many of us have lost loved ones during the Christmas season. Those hurts, while softened with time, never really go away. We share that together.

What do we all need? We need “a thrill of hope”! We need a spark in the heart that God is not deaf to my heart, to my real world.

And into that season enters the Book of Ruth. Tonight we are going to be in Ruth 4, a wonderful chapter which culminates the story which I have called the “Christmas Book of the OT”.

And throughout the story, I will need your help to dramatize the story. OK?

1. MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE STORY !

#1. Elimelech: aJewish man from a little town called Bethlehem [When you hear“Bethlehem”, please sing: “O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] In Judah, Israel. He lived about the time of the Judges – which the Bible says is when “every man did that which is right in his own eyes.” Sounds like today, doesn’t it. He cared for his family,and when times got tough, and food was scarce, he took his wife and 2 sons to the country of Moab. [“BOO” HISS” – they were the enemies of the Jews]

#2. Naomi: she was the wife of Elimelech. She was a very logical person. She thought through things. And when she heard that food was now plentiful in Bethlehem [“O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] once again, she decided to move her family back there. But in the years she was in Moab [“BOOHISS”] her husband had died, and her 2 sons had died, and all she had left were her two daughters-in-law, widows of her sons. They were from Moab [“BOO HISS”].

#3. Ruth she was from Moab [“BOO HISS”]. When Naomi saw the famine was over in Bethlehem [“O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] she told Naomi that she wanted to return there with Naomi.

She had made a choice! The Bible records her words to Naomi, her mother-in-law –perhaps you’ve heard them in a wedding:

“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” WOW!

#4. Boaz he was a wealthy landowner from Bethlehem [“O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM”] and, here’s a key to the story, a close relative to Elimelech, Naomi’s deceased husband.

Being a close relative, Boaz had the legal right to buy back all of the property that Elimelech and Naomi lost after they moved to Moab [BOO HISS] where Elimelech and his sons died. Thus Boaz is what is known as a “kinsman redeemer” [HIP HIP HOORAY!].

Those are the main characters of our story.

#5 OH – one more character – one we will call Kinsman Redeemer # 2  [HIP HIP HOORAY} who is a closer relative to Elimelech than Boaz, thus having greater rights to the estate than Boaz.

#6 OH – one more important group: the elders and the townspeople who were witnesses. THEY ARE YOU! When you hear your name, say “I SEE”!

2. MEANWHILE—THE MEETING: THIS IS FAST MOVING, WITH YOUR HELP!

Let’s read Ruth 4:1-6. With your well learned descriptive calls. OK? Here we go:

“Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the kinsman-redeemer [HIP HIP HOORAY!] he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town [I SEE!] and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.

3 Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer [HIP HIP HOORAY!], “Naomi, who has come back from Moab [BOO HISS!], is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people [I SEE!]. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not,tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

5 Then Boaz said,“On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite [BOO HISS!], the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

6 At this, the kinsman-redeemer [HIP HIP HOORAY!] said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.””

(You did well acting; you can rest now)

Back in those days,when people made agreements before witnesses at the gate of the city– where all legal transactions and business took place, there was an item which sealed the agreement. I need some help here! [Walk over and get the organist’s shoe]. The shoe was a symbol that the agreement had been made between two parties. Everyone saw it. The transaction was settled. Boaz, also a kinsman redeemer, had bought back all the property Elimelech lost when he and his family had gone down to Moab. Included in that was the marrying of Ruth.

Ruth! Here was someone who had absolutely no rights. No hope. She was a member of the enemies of the people of God. But now? She was given hope! By faith she had trusted the true God of Israel over the false gods of Moab. And by marriage her faith and trust were sealed in the oneness she would share with Boaz.

Read Ruth 4:11. The people of Bethlehem rejoiced in this marriage – and they trusted that the Messiah would come through the fruit of this marriage. This was the hope of every family in Israel. Little could they realize what would happen!

CONCLUSION: Boaz marries Ruth and she has a baby.

The women of the town name him “Obed”. They proclaim their desire of what the baby will be: her kinsman-redeemer, famous throughout Israel, a renewer of youth, and a sustainer of life.

Let’s look at his genealogy: you read Ruth 4:17

(I’ll read Matthew 1:5-6; 15-16)

I was reading Matthew – for Obed is a great-great (great-great-great….) grandfather of the baby Jesus. Which means Ruth is a great-great-great (great-great-great….) grandmother of the baby Jesus.

Ruth from Moab (BOOHISS) was given eternal grace, so that her heritage could give birth to the One Who would save His people from their sins!

If God would love Ruth that much – one who was an enemy of the people of God –think how much more He loves us, we who were without God and without hope. He loved us so much that He indeed did send His Son to the manger that He would have a body with which He could die on Calvary’s tree for our sins. He is the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, for He wants to redeem us! Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior, your Kinsman-Redeemer? Aren’t you glad that trust in Him brings, well…HOPE?

Close in prayer

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

CHRISTMAS: “A TALE OF THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER” (Ruth 3)

Rev. Jeremy Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”:

“A Squirrel Funny” – an oldie but goodie

 A small town hadthree churches — and all three were virtually overrun with pesky squirrels.

The first church called a meeting to decide what to do about the squirrels. After much prayer and consideration they determined that God must have wanted the squirrels there, and the church shouldn’t interfere with God’s divine will.

The second church decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creations, so they humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.

The third church came up with the best and most effective solution: they baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they see them only on Christmas and Easter.

INTRODUCTION

We are in the Book of Ruth, what I call the “Christmas Book of the O.T.”. We have been following the life of Ruth the Moabitess, who, by virtue of her being born in the family of the enemies of Israel, had absolutely no hope to be under the umbrella of the grace of God. It would take a miracle for her. It would take the initiative of someone to show her undeserved kindness, breaking the centuries old Jewish law which forbad Moabites from entering the kingdom of God. Ruth had no hope.Ruth 3 shows hope arriving through a most unusual vehicle, her kinsman-redeemer. PRAYER

1. THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER PROVIDES (vs. 1-2)

The kinsman-redeemer is one who is a relative of one who is in need. Naomi recognized that Ruth is one in need. She had no rights as an Israelite, because she was a Moabitess – a clan of the enemies of the people of Israel.But Naomi was of a higher vision. While at the beginning of the story, she simply looked at the facts and not at faith, by Chapter 3she is looking at faith. She has seen what God has already done –put Ruth as a servant girl in the field of a relative of Naomi’s late husband. Naomi is overwhelmed by the God-sightings in her life.“God-sightings” – do you know what they are? They are seemingly“happenstances” in our lives which, when really considered, show no earthly reason for their occurring. Like the other night: “happening” to meet at supper a fellow police department retiree who now owns a moving company. He said, “I’ll be glad to move you– and since you are a fellow police department retiree, I will give you a discount that will amaze you.”

But Naomi’s happenstances were greater than finding a moving company. In the beginning, she thought God had deserted her, but instead, God had never left her at all. The Lord of Israel gave Naomi – and Ruth –a provider, one who would be her “kinsman-redeemer”.

Listen to Numbers27:8-11: “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter,give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan,that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Boaz was a near relative to Naomi’s late husband. He could do the impossible. He could bring Ruth, the one with no rights in Israel, to a position of belonging to the family of God.

With such a possibility in sight, Naomi gives interesting instructions to Ruth.

2. THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER CAUSES REACTIONS (vs. 2ff)

Look what one does when one is getting ready to meet one’s provider! Ruth was instructed to “wash and perfume” herself, and put on her best clothes! She takes a bathe and coats herself in “come hither”perfume! She sprays on her Channel # 4. She puts on her duds that say, “whoa! Where have you been all my life?” But most of all she displays an attraction which draws her suitor, Boaz, to the inner woman – the real person that Ruth is.

Peter says the same of godly women: In 1 Peter 3:3-4 he instructs, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Ruth had that inner beauty which had already attracted herself to Boaz without her even saying a word. Boaz knew, he KNEW, that Ruth was of a godly character, a Proverbs 31 woman – a woman of excellence.

 And he knew, heKNEW, that if he didn’t have Ruth as his wife, he would be, well,Ruth-less! Yeah.

But Ruth also does another interesting reaction. Our NIV says that in the middle of the night, after she observed Boaz fall asleep, she went near to where he was sleeping, uncovered his feet and lay down. And when Boaz does awake and is shocked to find a woman at his feet, she requests that he spreads his garment over her – a symbol of coming under his protection.

Do you remember Ruth2:12? Boaz commended Ruth for her godly character – even as a Moabitess, a member of those who had no godly heritage. She has wisely come under Naomi’s care – and in turn, according to Boaz,she had learned to come under the protection and refuge of the living God. The Psalmist said it well, too. In Psalm 17:8 (and others!), he writes, “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings…”.

Ruth – through the insight of Naomi – was to seek Boaz to be her kinsman-redeemer. And the Lord Jesus desires to be that Redeemer for us! Philippians 2:6-8says, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made inhuman likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

CONCLUSION

In Ruth 3:1, Naomi says to Ruth, “should I not try to find a home for you?” The word“home” is the Hebrew word for “rest”. She is saying,“ shouldn’t I try to find rest for you, a place where you are no longer wandering, no longer going from field to field? Shouldn’t I try to find, well, a husband for you?”

In Ruth 3:18, Naomi instructs Ruth to “wait”, because Boaz will not rest – there it is again – until the matter of Ruth’s redemption is settled.

In Matthew 11:28,the Lord Jesus said, “Come unto Me all who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus is the true Kinsman-Redeemer. There is none like Him.

But He doesn’t force His love upon us. Nor do we have to wear “come hither”perfume on to gain His attention. Rather, He simply asks us to “learn of Me.” Find out for ourselves that He alone is worthy of our eternal trust.

Ruth needed rest.You and I need rest. We hunger for rest. God has placed in each of our hearts an eternal hunger for substance, for truth, for rest –knowing full well that He alone is the One Who can provide that rest.He alone would send His one and only Son to earth at Christmas time.Baby Jesus would have a body and a mission – His Father’s business – to go to the cross for our sins, that “whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 Is the Lord Jesusyour Kinsman-Redeemer? He invites you today to “come unto Him”.

Close in prayer

Anapology from Frank Becker: I’ve been unable to update the web site properly because I was in the hospital for four days, and am still not recovered. I hope to catch up soon.

Week Fifty-One, 2018

THE CRADLE, THE CROSS AND THE CROWN

By John Grant

She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

 Like a three-legged piano stool which requires all three legs tostand, the Christian faith rests upon three Biblical events…….The cradle, the cross and the crown. Jesus was born in an obscure manger, suffered a painful and humiliating death upon a cross and then received His crown as He gloriously ascended into heaven.

 At this season, we celebrate the first of those three faithfoundations. The Christmas message is relevant, revolutionary and reassuring to us today. It can be summed up in three words: a cradle, a cross and a crown.

 What a difference the baby born in Bethlehem’s manger 2,000 yearsago makes to our world today. The educational systems He has inspired, the social reforms that His teachings have instituted, and the transformation of families and lives that have come about as a result of a baby born at Bethlehem! The whole world was thinking of Caesar. The whole world was thinking of Rome. But in God’s eternal plan, He was thinking of a baby in a manger in the little tiny town of Bethlehem.

 The central message of Christmas is that Jesus Christ, by Hisdeath and resurrection, can transform both individuals and society. At the cradle, He was in the stall of an animal. At the cross, He wore a crown of thorns. But when He comes again, it will be as Commander in Chief of the armies of Heaven.

 He will take control of this war-weary world and bring the peace that we strive for and long for. A new world will be formed, a new social order will emerge. Sin will be eliminated. Tears will be wiped from every eye. Disease shall be no more, and even death will be eliminated from the human scene. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and war shall be no more.

 This is the promise of Christmas. This is our hope. This is theChristmas star that lights our darkness. This is the assurance that a new day is coming, through the Messiah, whose name is called by Isaiah the prophet, “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

This is God’s gift of Christmas: the cradle—His Son; the Cross—His life; the crown—His coming kingdom.

This faith of ours, it all begins with Christmas.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Ken Whitten’s words on stability:

Stability Comes When We Are Sensing God’s Presence

Stability Comes When We Are Trusting In God’s Power

Stability Comes When We Are Resting In God’s Promises

When I Become Unstable – I Remember the Stable

— o —

Thoughts of President George H. W. Bush:

Hatred controls the container in which it is held.

Die young, but do it as late as possible.

Never be defined by failure.

When death comes, life is not ended; it is just changed.

— o —

WATCH:

Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny!

— o —

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right,persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

— o —

If you leave earth and travel to the nearest star traveling at 150,000 miles per hour, it would take 18,000 years to arrive at your destination.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Unlike the gifts beneath the tree, God has planted unique abilities into all of us and we forget to open that package! DwightShort

Don’t mistake God’s silence with His absence in your life. Ken Whitten

Those who travel the high road of humility aren’t slowed by heavy traffic.

Senator Allen Simpson

If you don’t know where you are going you will be lost when you get there. Yogi Barea

When you recognize where God is working you can join Him in what He is doing.

“WHO ARE YOU IF ONLY GOD IS WATCHING?” (Mark 12:35-44)
October 21, 2018, 10:30 AM
Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “A Pastor Funny”
So this pastor gets pulled over by the police.  The officer asks ” Have you been drinking?” To which the pastor replies” Only water, sir”. The officers says” Then why do I smell wine?” To which the pastor replies “Oh my! He’s done it again!”

INTRODUCTION
Today’s message centers around a question: “Who are you if only God is watching?” The question could be addressed to each of us, but it isn’t. Ultimately, it is addressed to a group of people who ar e the religious leadership of Israel at the time of Mark 12: the scribes (“the teachers of the law”), the Pharisees, the Herodians, the Sadducees. These were the ones who were that generation’s “keepers of the faith”.
Our Savior has entered Jerusalem. It is the Final Week of the passion of the Christ. It is the reason for which He came: to die. But He has one last mission before the cross: to show to the people of Israel that their religious leaders have chosen a god [“little ‘g’”] other than the Lord Himself. They have chosen as their god…themselves. They had become who they were because they knew in their hearts that the true God was not watching.
Through a series of interactions, our Savior shows in Mark 12 that He is watching. And He’s watching us, too. PRAYER

# 1 THE FACTS OF MARK 12:1-34
1. The parable of the tenants (vs. 1-12) Look at verse 12. To whom was this addressed, the “they”? This goes back to Mark 11:27. These leaders knew this parable was addressed to them. And what was the moral of this parable? That the Father is the Owner! Take a quick look at verse 7. “Come, let us kill the heir…”. Psalm 2 says that the kings of the earth and the rulers gather against the Lord and His Christ and say, “let us break their chains and throw off their fetters.” The religious leaders wanted to live as if there is no Owner but themselves. But there isn’t.
2. Paying taxes to Caesar (vs. 13-17). The key verse in this whole scenario is verse 13. The religious leaders wanted to do what? They wanted to catch Jesus in His words. Jesus replies to their trap with the all familiar line, “pay what Caesar is owed, and pay what the Lord is owed.” The religious leaders wanted to live as if Caesar was the only king, and they were his little gods. But they weren’t, because Jesus is truth.
3. Marriage and the resurrection (vs. 18-27). Once again the Sadduccees get involved. They don’t believe in any resurrection – that once you die, you go into the ground. Thus they could live as if there is no God. But check out the key verse of this story, in Jesus’ observation. Jesus says, “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” He could say that, because of this fact: Jesus is living.
4. The greatest commandment (vs. 28-34). This question, which is the greatest commandment, is addressed to Jesus by a well-meaning, perhaps truth seeking, teacher of the law (scribe). Jesus answers that to love the Lord with all of one’s heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself are the greatest commandments. He was telling this seeker, that Jesus is King. He alone is worthy of that worship. He advises this seeker that “you are not far from the kingdom of God.”
With these extended facts, our Savior takes over the conversation with the rest of the chapter.

# 2 WHOSE SON IS THE CHRIST? (vs. 35-40)
Our beloved Greek tells us to whom this section is addressed. Previously, he had been talking with a seeking scribe. Then, verse 30, in the Greek it begins, “He answered…” and then the rest of the verse. He answered whom? Why, the seeking scribe! He did not leave this seeker hanging with the simple “you are not far”. Rather, He took Him to the truth that JESUS IS LORD.
The scribe – as well as all the religious leaders – knew two essential truths, and both from the psalms:
The Messiah is the son of David (Psalm 132:11; Psalm 89:1-4, 34-37)
The Messiah is the Lord (Psalm 110:1) “The Lord [Jehovah] said to the Messiah [‘Adonay’], “sit on My right hand…”.
Standing before them was the Messiah: both Son of David (we learned that at Christmas, right?) and Son of God.
But these religious leaders thought THEY were the only gods!
They had lived as if God was not looking.
And right in front of them was the One Who saw all the time.

# 3 THE WIDOW’S OFFERING (vs. 41-44)
The religious leaders gave pompously and with great fanfare and pageantry – often ushered in with the sound of trumpets! They wanted everyone to see – to see what in actuality how little of their true worth they were giving.
In contrast, the widow was seen – only by the Lord Jesus Himself – and she out of her love for the Savior gave everything she had earned that day.

CONCLUSION
If you will, the widow represents the Lord Jesus – the Servant of all. The One Who sees everything. The One Who is watching. The One Who alone is worthy of our worship.
He is watching – not so much what we are doing. He is watching our hearts. Do you love Him?

Close in prayer

Jeremy Stopford pastors First Baptist Church, in Earlville, New York.

Week Forty-Three, 2018

INVASIVE SPECIES

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. Numbers 21:6-7 We have all heard about invasive species. In some form or another, they are all across the country. Invasive species are dangerous because they have no natural enemies in our country, no native predators to control their growth. In our state, we have fought citrus greening and the Mexican fruit fly, both of which have desecrated the citrus industry, costing millions. Now, we are dealing with the Burmese python, the Tegus lizard and Lion fish. The snakes and lizards are destroying the Everglades. Once the snakes are six feet long, they have no natural enemies and are eating up other wild life. The Lion fish are taking over the gulf coast waters and destroying other aquatic species. Actually, the fish are quite attractive and would look good in an aquarium. But, no matter how beautiful, they are destroying the aquatic balance of their habitat.

Sin is like that. It often comes as a pet and multiplies into a destructive pest. Satan dresses sin into a beautiful package that is tough not to love. We are attracted too in and cannot resist its involvement in our lives. Once the hook is set, we are hooked and it expands into something we cannot control. It often comes in a “sexy” disguise. So many people have learned the hard way that all of Satan’s apples have worms. You cannot eat at the Devil’s table without getting food poisoning. You cannot warm yourself at the Devil’s fire without getting burned. Satan shows you the neon lights of Sin City, but he doesn’t show us the graveyard. Satan shows us the booze, women and good times, but doesn’t show us the lifetime of shame and regret that often accompanies sin. Sin usually comes wrapped in pretty packages, but underneath the beauty is destructive sin, an invasive species that is set out to destroy the world, one person at a time. Be careful of what you are attracted to and realize what is underneath.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Love is blind, but marriage is an eye opener. Anonymous — o — SIN: Psychologists realize something is wrong with the human race. Some call it a constitutional weakness; the Bible calls it sin. The Bible describes sin as the free act of an intelligent, moral, responsible being asserting himself against the will of his Maker. It has affected every part of our lives, even our minds. Science has led us to the possibility of a Golden Age, but science has also brought us to the possibility of the destruction of the human race. Man stands at the crossroads; he must make a choice. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries were times of great scientific advance. Those multiplied decades brought us such marvels as jet power, nuclear power, television, and modern missiles, as well as many hundreds of gadgets that add to the comfort of mankind. Science gives us all these things, but it does not tell us what to do with them. At this point we must have moral and spiritual resources in order to use properly the things science has created. — o —

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Walk a mile in my shoes, and then be willing to give your shoes away if your brother or sister is in need… ~ Dwight Short Dietrich Bonhoeffer testified: “If Jesus returns tomorrow, then tomorrow I’ll rest from my labor. But today I have work to do. I must continue the struggle until it’s finished.” “Be yourself” is about the worst advice you can give some people. ~ Thomas Lansing Masson If you’re not happy without a gold medal, you won’t be happy with one either. ~ John Candy Joy is the flag that is flown from the castle of your heart when the King is in residence. ~ David Jeremiah “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ~ Thomas A. Edison “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

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

“WHAT WAS JESUS THINKING?” (Mark 11)

A message by Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

First Baptist Church, Earlville, NY

October 14, 2018

TODAY’S “SPECIAL:” “At the Pearly Gates”

Three people die – a doctor, a school teacher and the CEO of a large health insurance company. When met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter, he asks the doctor, ‘What did you do in your life?’

The Doctor replied, ‘I healed the sick and if they could not pay I would do it for free.’ St. Peter told the Doctor, ‘You may go in.’

St. Peter then asked the teacher what she did. She replied, ‘I taught educationally challenged children.’ St. Peter then told her ‘You may go in.’

At last, he asked the third man, ‘What did you do?’ The man hung his head and replied, ‘I ran a large health insurance company.’ To which St. Peter replied, ‘You may go in, but you can only stay 3 days.’

INTRODUCTION

We all have been there. Dad comes home from work, and mom says to him, “You better check out what your child did today.” And he does, and he tenderly calls you to him. He says, “Get over here! What were you thinking?”. It’s one thing when a parent, whether well-meaning or not, says those dreaded words. But what if, while one of us is reading the Bible, we find ourselves asking, “Lord Jesus, what were You thinking?”. Mark Chapter 11 creates such a scene. Let’s ask God’s blessings on our study. PRAYER

# 1 WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH THE COLT? (vs. 1-8)

We are all familiar with Passion Week, and this describes it. The final days before the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior. At the start of that week is the well-known in all of our churches, Palm Sunday. We love to see little kids wave their newly given palm leaves. It’s a fun day. But why does it even take place? What was Jesus thinking about making a big deal about a colt?

First, look at verse 1. Our Savior is instructing two of His disciples to go find a colt. Did you notice the description: “which no one has ever ridden”. I rode horses when I was a kid at camp. Some of you ride on a regular basis. And there is one thing you know: you just don’t hop on an unbroken horse and take it for a leisurely, purposeful ride. But this Rider is no usual Rider. The Son of Man Who came not to be served is on display – in particular before Jerusalem. He is presenting Himself to them as their King. Will they receive Him? Have you and I?

Second, and this is neat to me, look at the Savior’s command. In essence, these disciples are to go grab a tied colt. Now I don’t know how much colts cost. But I imagine a fir piece. Furthermore, it costs a lot to maintain a colt, from the time it is young to adulthood. Remember the stories of out west? One’s horse was one’s most prized possession. Yet these disciples are to go to a colt and untie it. And take it. And say to anyone who questions what they are doing, “the Lord has need of him.” Perhaps the Savior had made arrangements with the owner at some previous unwritten encounter. But the point is this: does the Lord have free reign (and that’s the right word, isn’t it?)over all our stuff, even our most prized possessions? He did concerning this colt.

Third, look at verse 4. Our NIV says “found a colt outside in the street.” Even the NKJV says, “outside in the street”. But the KJV is on the mark here with its interesting commentary: “they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met”. To further His presentation, even at the first day of the Passion Week, the Scriptures remind both the Jews and us that our Savior is always at the crossroads of life. Always. It’s either His road or the wrong road. Once again, life offers many choices, and the Savior wants first choice.

Finally, look at verses 9-10. What did the crowd shout? And why? “Hosanna!…Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David.” Quoting from Psalm 118:25-26, the crowd unwittingly presented some huge realities! Using the classic scripture that was inspired by the One riding before them (think about that for a minute!), they recognized some amazing truths: “Hosanna” – He saves! “The coming kingdom” – before them is the King of the true kingdom, an eternal kingdom and not an earthly one. Implied with that is the realization that one day the Savior will sit upon the throne in Jerusalem – as promised by both the Old Testament and especially as seen in the book of Revelation. But further the crowd says an amazing thing, “kingdom of our father David”. They were recognizing that riding before them was the promised descendent of David – elsewhere called “his Son” – Who alone is the rightful heir to David’s throne.

John 1 says “He came unto His own.” You know what He will hear just a few days later: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” They received Him not. Have you?

# 2 JESUS GOES INTO THE TEMPLE AND DOES…NOTHING! (v. 11)

We are all familiar with verse 15 and the verses which follow. They show that the “next day” Jesus returns to Jerusalem, goes into the temple, and makes havoc. He overturns the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. History would teach us that these were “making merchandise”, that is, they were trying to make a profit from travelers who were excitedly coming to the temple, but did not have the right coins and the right animals for the offerings. And we are familiar that this is the second visit the Savior had made to the temple where he would wreak havoc with these same scripture violators.

So then what was He thinking, as described in verse 11, about his brief visit to the temple there?

What does He do in this scene? It is the day before He comes into the temple to show that the Lord of the temple was standing right before them. He enters the building. Then He looks around – “at everything” the verse says. He didn’t miss a thing. He saw the weary travelers being the first of the proverbial ones to be sheistered. He saw the money changers, and those selling animals at an enormous overabundance, simply so that those same travelers could fulfill their scriptural duties. He looks around. Walks out. Does nothing. Or did He do nothing? What was He thinking?

He was thinking one word in action: grace. Remember, the purpose of this visit is for the true center of the spiritual world to see its Savior. The Servant Who came to serve. And to give His live a ransom for many. As He would do in John 13 in the washing of the disciples’ feet, He showed grace in His service. He was offering grace to those in the temple. He was on display, that the Lord of the temple was right before them. That their most unbiblical deeds were not going unnoticed by the Lord that these gainsayers were ignoring.

And in turn, He was showing us grace. He was reminding us that we, too, need those extra moments when we need to re-think our purposes, our actions, our casual views at the lusts of life, whether physical or material. And we need to remember, Jesus sees. He is hurt. He could be crying. Because the child for Whom He would die is living as if He did not exist.

That is grace. And an invitation to “come unto Him just as we are.” (Matthew 11:28). And to believe the promise: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

# 3 WHAT’S UP WITH THE FIG TREE STORY? (vs. 12-14; vs. 20-23)

Here is the most amazing account of the 3 given in this chapter! So just what was Jesus thinking when He cursed some poor fig tree, and then uses the opportunity the next day to give a lesson in faith and prayer? Just what was He thinking?

First of all, I know nothing, zilch, zippo about figs. I don’t really know what they look like. I’m sure I’ve never eaten one. And I don’t know how one is grown. So…I looked it up. I read an account by Ray Stedman, a long-time pastor who is now with the Lord. When he first moved to California, he decided that he, too, was curious about the fig trees account. So he knew the soil was good. The weather was good. Where he lived in California was the choice place to raise fig trees – just so that he could learn what the Savior was trying to teach His disciples.

And this is what Pastor Stedman found. The trees grew wonderfully! And then then grew fruit wonderfully. So he was so proud. He went out into his fig tree garden and picked one of the first figs. And he took a bite. And the fruit was absolutely, deliciously … awful! So he gave up on his figs. Until…

A short time later, the trees grew new fruit. So with fear and trembling, the ambitious pastor picked another fruit. And he tasted it. And it was…absolutely delicious! What made the difference?

He learned that fig trees have a first fruit, a fruit that is designed to shed the trees foreign “stuff”. And after they do that, then they are prepared to grow ripe fruit. And here we go…Pastor Stedman had to trust that the final fruit was going to be good. He had to have faith that the tree would produce what its Divine Author had designed it to produce.

And that is exactly what happened here in Mark 11. Only the fig tree wasn’t just an example of how to grow trees. It was an example of what the Savior is going to accomplish in Israel. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not”. Those who rejected Him would never be part of the fruit, the kingdom. But one day, as Zechariah 12:10 wonderfully exclaims, “they will look on Me, the One they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn Son.” Can you taste that day? They will as a nation receive the Lord Jesus as their Messiah and crown Him King of kings, and He will take His place on the Throne of David in Jerusalem. And He will rule and reign, fulfilling all the Abrahamic promises of what Israel is hungry for!

THAT”S what Jesus was thinking!

CONCLUSION

As we wrap this up, just remember the lesson at the end of the story. Jesus told His disciples to “have faith in God” and to be people of prayer. He hungered to fulfill their hunger – and our hunger as well – for an intimacy with Him.

But please – please! – don’t overlook His last word of guidance found in verse 25. When you’re praying, enjoying that intimacy with your Savior, don’t be surprised that He interrupts your prayer time with some words of challenge, of rebuke, of reminder of perhaps the most heinous sin of all: having something against a fellow brother (or sister) in Christ. What did He say to do? FORGIVE! And the mountains of life, the obstacles to true faith and intimacy with the Savior, will be moved, beginning with those created within the heart.

And THAT’S what Jesus was thinking!

Close in prayer

Jeremy and Thuvia Stopford. Please keep them both in prayer, for Thuvia is recovering from cancer, and Jeremy from heart surgery.

“DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!” (Mark 9:14-32)

September 23, 2018 10:30 AM

Rev. Jeremy B. Stopford, Pastor

TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “An English Teacher Funny”

When I was in grade 7, I used to ask a lot of questions.

One day, I asked my English Teacher, “Why do we ignore some letters in pronunciation? For example, the letter H in “Hour”, “Honor”, etc.?

My English Teacher said, “We are not ignoring them, they’re considered silent.” I was even more confused!

During the lunch break, my Teacher gave me her packed lunch and asked me to heat it in the Cafeteria. I ate all the food and returned her the empty container.

My English Teacher asked, “What happened? I told you to go and heat my food. You are returning me an empty container.”

I replied, “Ma’am, I thought “H” was silent.”

INTRODUCTION

Look at Mark 9:14. “When they came to the other disciples…”. Who are the “they” here? Why, Peter, James and John. They had not been at a picnic. Rather, they were at a private lesson with the Savior “on a high mountain.” It was there that Jesus was “transfigured” before them – shown His actual glory (well, as much as could be seen without their dying!). An interesting passage, v. 7, where the Father says “This is my Son, Whom I love. Listen to Him.” The Father interrupts the lesson and the students’ confusion as to the lesson’s purpose with a lesson of His own: “listen to My Son. Don’t try to figure out the lesson. Simply listen.” A good study would be to look at the 3 occasions when the Father interrupts His Son’s earthly ministry: at His baptism when He says, “You are My Son, Whom I love; with You I am well pleased.”; here at the Transfiguration; and the third? In John 12 just before the cross. When Jesus prays, “Father, glorify Your Name”, the Father replies, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again” – a direct reference to both the cross and the resurrection.

That’s all extra. But here in Mark 9 the Savior brings these 3 disciples into a lesson involving the healing of a boy who is mute as a result of demon activity. The lesson should say, “Don’t try this at home”. And the lesson would be the same for us – EXCEPT for 3 major points. Let’s pray and listen and learn together. PRAYER

# 1 THIS GENERATION’S LIFE IS AN UNBELIEVING LIFE (V. 19)

This is quite a condemnation on an entire generation of God’s children. What does this condemnation mean? And is it true of us?

The Savior was stating that His disciples lacked faith. So what is faith? Is it a hope in what could happen if all circumstances go well? Is it a trust that if we do certain things, God will do certain things? Is it a wishful thinking that good things will happen to those who wait?

Hebrews 11 is entitled “the faith chapter” for a good reason. It not only describes those who walked by faith, but it also defines faith for us: “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…without faith it is impossible to please God. He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” True faith doesn’t believe in the results. True faith believes in the Giver of the results – and leaves the results to Him!

The disciples had no true faith. They could not try successfully to meet this hurting father’s need, much less the spiritual need of his son. They could not try this at home.

But the father believed the Lord Jesus could care for his son – his faith was little to nothing, but he asks the Son of God to help him overcome his unbelief. His attitude is the lesson the disciples needed to learn. And so do we.

# 2 THE POSSIBLE LIFE IS A BELIEVING LIFE (v. 23)

Remember, the Savior is in “teaching mode” before His disciples while on the road to the cross. After having condemned them as unbelieving, He responds to the father of the boy who has a mute spirit. The father had said, “if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” The NIV is using the word “pity” wonderfully. Some versions say “compassion”, but the word is stronger than that. It is indeed pity, a complete oneness with the plight of the son – as well as with the father!

It won’t be long before another Son, “as a lamb before his shearers is silent, so opened He not His mouth.” And the Father? The Father’s response to the sight of His Son becoming my sin causes His forsaking of His Son, and the Son’s plea, His own pitiful cry, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”.

By His teaching the boy’s father what the possible life is, the Lord Jesus was directly teaching His disciples – and us – that it is ok to struggle with unbelief; it is ok to admit that our faith is not strong. But it is NOT ok to stay that way. The Savior invited the father – and He in turn invites us – to admit our helplessness and to seek the Savior’s enablement to believe and to trust in Him alone.

Just think of it! We were broken vessels when we first came to the cross. And while we are walking in this world with the Savior, He acknowledges that we are in ourselves weak vessels who need not trust in ourselves but in Him. What a great Savior we have to love us as we are and to walk with us as we are! There is none like Him!

#3 THE VICTORIOUS LIFE IS A PRAYERFUL [AND DON’T FORGET FASTING!] LIFE (v. 29)

The disciples question, “why couldn’t we drive it out?” Is a good one. In the modern setting, “why couldn’t we have victory over sin?”, or, “why couldn’t we do great things for You, Lord?”, or, “why do I feel so helpless all the time?” “Why? Why? Why?”.

The Savior’s response is a most unexpected one – unexpected to His learning disciples. He in essence said, “you couldn’t. You couldn’t do this at home. You couldn’t do this at all.” And the reason? “No prayer.” No seeking the Father’s face. No true dependence. No true regular walk with the Father and dependence upon Him and His Word. You were simply going through what? The motions! Rituals! “If I go to church…if I say the right things…if I behave myself with an upstanding character…if I treat one another well…God will have to give me the victory.”

The child of the Father was not a praying child. He was a ritual going through the motions child. There was no communion of spirit with the Son. There was no stillness of the heart before God’s throne. There was no true dependence upon the Lord but rather upon what I can do.

But our good old KJV adds, “this kind can come out only by prayer…and fasting.” Once again, our NIV has a major issue. The authors of this version believed that the older Greek and Hebrew texts were the best texts – even though the older texts were not necessarily the purer texts. The KJV and its followers were based upon what is known as the “textus receptus” – believed to be the purest text of the Hebrew and Greek. We will unfortunately see this at least one more major time in our study in Mark.

But what about fasting? The Savior is telling His disciples – His learners – that the victorious life is both a prayerful life – the deprivation of self before the Father – and the fasting life – the deprivation of self before self. The result is a total resignation of self to a total dependence upon the Father. And the ultimate result is the victorious Christian life. Isn’t that what the disciples were hungry for? Isn’t that our hunger, too?

CONCLUSION vs. 30-32 All roads now lead to the cross.

The Apostle Paul would write: Galatians 6:14, “God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ – by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

The greatest lesson the Savior would share, for which He would attempt to prepare His disciples, was the cross.

True faith had to have a true focus. And that focus would have to be the Lord Jesus at the cross. For without the cross, there can be no substance in our faith. Our faith would indeed be ritual, going through the motions – a literal “do not try this at home” religion.

But with the cross, nothing is impossible.

Is your eternal faith in the Lord Jesus and in His death, burial and resurrection on your behalf?

Is your daily faith a walk with the living Savior?

Try it at home!

Close in prayer

Pastor Jeremy Stopford with beloved wife, Thuvia

First Baptist Church, Main Street, Earlville, NY