Bethel Mennonite Church - Gladys VA

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Steve introduced his sermon with three texts from the KJV that share the same punctuation. All use a colon and parentheses at the end of a phrase… that looks remarkably like a smiley face emoticon!

“We don’t want to be irreverent here, but this brings up a subject I’d like to talk about this morning!”

Punctuation is used to help a reader understand the tone and feeling an author is wanting to convey. Emoticons are existing keyboard symbols that are put together to convey a mood or atmosphere. Emojis are different… they are characters that can be placed in text to make a point.

Why use emoticons and emojis? Some say that they are a shortcut to communication, a lazy way to get a point across. On the other hand, emoticons are a way to communicate emotion that just words struggle to convey.

So we are talking about communication here… hence the sermon title, “Say What??”

A major task for Christians is to communicate God’s word to others—God’s truth! How can we do that effectively and well? People are watching… and we are to be “salt and light.”

Communication matters in relationships; when communication breaks down, there is a problem. In Genesis 11:5, speech was confounded at the Tower of Babel, and folks scattered!

Marriage is a prime example of a place where good communication is needed. Communication involves not just talking but listening and understanding—what is perceived!

Talkative folks and quiet folks alike struggle to communicate well with words. And remember, we communicate nonverbally as well! In fact, we sometimes communicate by the things we don’t say!

A few examples of non-verbal communication are:

Words and speech are the main means of communication, but let’s remember that listening is also important.

God wants to use our tongues… for His purposes!

So, Say What?? Say this: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

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Forgiveness is not a one-time quick fix for trauma; that is the upfront message that John wanted to convey in this morning’s sermon. Forgiveness takes time and effort.

Trouble between brothers is not a new phenomenon. We have Cain and Abel at odds soon after creation. In modern history, we have Rudolph and Adolph Dassler, shoemaking brothers who fell out and began manufacturing different brands of shoes in bitter competition with each other.

So our story of Jacob and Esau is taken from Genesis 33. Jacob has heard that his estranged brother Esau is coming to meet him after years of separation. Jacob fears the worst—that Esau wants to kill him. He arranges his family groups in order of favorites, with his wife Rachel and favored son Joseph closest to him.

Jacob’s worry about this encounter had been carried for years. What a relief that Esau was actually glad to see him and forgave him!

John shared his personal experience with struggling with forgiveness for his dad. He compared unforgiveness with a weight that you carry—it doesn’t feel overly heavy for a while but becomes heavier with time.

The story of the unforgiving servant who had been forgiven much more than his fellow servant owed him was used. John explained that we often depend on others to meet our needs when we ought to connect to the Vine, as in John 15, to be our source.

Several more observations on forgiveness:

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This question was asked often during the presidential campaign. Even when things aren’t going well, Christians know God is in control and orchestrating world events. Christians are also concerned about their own hearts and their trajectory as pilgrims.

Without — events out there — we believe in a bright and perfect future with Christ, but prophecies warn of hard times first. Regardless of what comes, Revelation 13 makes it clear that God is in control–the power of evil is limited. God will not lose track of any of His children (II Timothy 2:19) and He will never, ever forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).

Within — how am I faring in my Christian pilgrimage? We’re to examine ourselves (II Corinthians 13:5). Some things we can check:

The King’s orders: (II Peter 1:10 NKJV) Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.

The King’s assistance: (Philippians 1:6 NKJV) Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

By God’s grace, let’s live now in such a way that 1000 years from now, we’ll be present with Christ and ever so much better off.

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To believe Jesus depends on knowing who Jesus is, and we learn who Jesus is in the stories of Scripture. According to John 1:7-13, to receive Jesus is to believe in Him. God gives those who believe Him the authority to become children of God. A person becomes a child of God by receiving Jesus. The phrases “God gave” and “born of the will of God” in Jn. 1:12-13 speak of the activity of God in a person’s believing. Jesus and believing and salvation are all a gift, rooted in the grace and action of God toward helpless humanity.

In the stories in John 1 and 2, the disciples came to believe in Jesus through the testimony of John the Baptist and Christ’s miracles. People told other people about Jesus, and the people who were told trusted the testimony of the people who pointed them to Jesus. It is very hard for children to believe the positive words of testimony about Jesus from people who lack integrity, who fail to live a Jesus kind of life. In John 2, Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine revealed Jesus’ glory, and his disciples believed in him.

In the story about Nicodemus in John 3, Nicodemus is trying to make sense of being born again/from above, and Jesus says this spiritual event is not something you can produce through human effort or turn into a mathematical equation. It is not even something you can fully understand, but you can experience the effects of it. A person cannot believe in Jesus (receive Jesus) unless the person surrenders or abandons themselves to Jesus. To receive Jesus requires abandoning/surrendering myself to Jesus, giving up control, allowing Jesus to do something for me that I cannot do for myself.

There is no such thing as perfect believing. We believe as we can, and we renew our believing each moment as we continue believing. Believing/receiving Jesus is not a one-time affair. It goes on moment by moment.

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Jesus states that He works as His Father works, and has come to do the Father’s will, not His own.

Jesus’ sacrificial life shows that He is completely authentic and trustworthy; His life never provided a basis for suspicion that He had a hidden agenda or mixed motives.

The Jesus of the Gospels is who God is; to see one is to see the other. Disciples need to imitate Jesus; we should live our lives with a purpose like His.

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Jacob had a lot of challenges in his life. His first challenge was with Esau, but then he left home and faced a similar challenge with Laban. It seems that God’s intention was to bless Jacob, but since Jacob didn’t seem to know that, he connived and deceived people in an effort to get ahead. In Genesis 32, after Jacob left Laban, we have the story of Jacob getting ready to face Esau. He sent messengers to Esau with gifts. Jacob is remembering how he left Esau many years before. Esau, his messengers told him, was on his way to meet him with 400 men. Jacob was afraid and distressed. He divided the people that were with him into two groups hoping that at least one group would be spared.

Jacob prayed earnestly that night. He needed God’s protection from Esau. He was terrified and did not know what to do. And as he prayed, a stranger came and wrestled with him. We are never told who this stranger is, but Jacob believed he saw God. They wrestled all night long, and Jacob was not winning. At daybreak, when the stranger seemed to be leaving, Jacob begged for a blessing. The stranger touched Jacob’s hip, and Jacob limped from then on. His name was changed from Jacob to Israel, which means contending or wrestling with God.

Some lessons we can learn:

We need to learn to pray like Jacob did and come to God in humility. We need to be honest with God. We should not wait to pray until we’re desperate. We need to learn to wrestle with God in our understanding of God’s will for us and how He wants us to carry it out. We need time to be alone with Him.

We need to be changed by our experience with God. How are we wrestling with God? Are we letting Him change us, or are we resisting His plans for us? God would prefer that we wrestle with Him instead of giving up.

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History of Anabaptist/Mennonite singing: Some early Anabaptist/Mennonites expressed negative views of congregational singing, but by 1900, four-part acapella singing and singing schools were common among Mennonites, except for Old Colony Mennonites, Old Order Mennonites, and Amish.

My early memories of singing and singing at Bethel: My earliest memories of singing are prior to seven years old when we lived near South Boston for five years and attended Ebenezer. I thought the singing was heavenly. During the years 1950 to 1995, there were three people who had the most profound impact on singing at Bethel: Ernest Yoder, Arthur Brunk (10 singing classes in 1959 and 1960, and additional instruction in 1963), and Dave Gingerich. Both Ernest and Dave had similar music tastes: they leaned toward hymns. The first annual hymn sing at Bethel was held in September 1958. It was an outdoor service, and the acoustics were terrible because all the sound dissipated into thin air. The only non-congregational singing was a group from Ebenezer. The weather was warm and the road traffic was distracting, so the next year and ever since, the hymn sing has been held in the sanctuary on the first Sunday in October. I was 10 years old. Today is the 67th hymn sing.

Congregational singing (Eph. 5:15-21): Congregational singing should be worshipful, from the heart, and musical. The kind of songs a congregation sings influences its view of God and its spirituality. Congregational singing can encourage a sense of unity and belonging. It is focused worship.

Our lyrics should reflect the themes found in the songs in Scripture. 1) God is addressed and adored. 2) God’s mighty acts in salvation history are recounted. 3) God’s acts of judgment are rejoiced in. 4) Upright ways of living are encouraged. 5) The great doctrines and themes of Scripture should be sung, God’s attributes and acts and His saving work.

In preaching, one person speaks to all. In congregational singing, everyone speaks to God and instructs each other. Congregational singing is a living illustration of how diversity (of parts/notes/gifts) can produce harmony. Beautiful music and singing can touch and change a person deep in their soul.

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Genesis 31 opens with Jacob hearing Laban’s sons discussing how Jacob was stealing from their father. Jacob’s flocks had become very large, so he must be stealing. And Jacob also notices that Laban is not feeling kindly towards him like he did when he first came. Jacob has a dream, and in this dream, the Lord tells him to return to the land of his fathers. The Lord promises that he will be with him.

Jacob speaks to Leah and Rachel and tells them that their father is not favorable towards him anymore even though he has worked for him for 20 years. Laban has deceived him and changed his wages 10 times. They agreed that whatever God has said to Jacob, he should do it.

So Jacob, on the sly, put his wives on camels and set out with all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained while at Haran. Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the household gods.

Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. Laban pursued him and caught up with him after seven days. God told Laban in a dream to be careful how he spoke to Jacob, to speak neither good nor bad. Laban wondered why Jacob had stolen away secretly. He would have liked to have had a party for him.

More than likely, Laban was an angry man. His daughters did not seem to have a relationship with him. Neither did Jacob. Angry men do not know how much people tiptoe around them in order not to upset them.

What about the household gods that Rachel stole and hid in her saddle bags? Did she have a dual allegiance? Do we have dual allegiance? Jesus said we cannot serve two masters. It is very easy for us to try to serve both.

Laban and Jacob met. Laban was angry and had much to say. Then Jacob had much to say. They both aired their grievances. But Laban asked for peace. It was his daughters and grandchildren, his family. They made a heap of stones and made a covenant with each other. The heap of stones would stand to witness the pact the men made. Laban returned to Haran, never seeing Jacob and his family again.

What about the call of God on our lives? He always calls us away from something and to something. Usually, we are not ready to listen to God’s call until we are tired of our current situation. God’s ways are not easy, but they are satisfying.

We need to avoid passivity. It’s easy to avoid difficult conversations. Often things can be settled if we are proactive and don’t let things build over time until they fester. Make peace with other people even if they have offended you in the past.

God will give us the strength to follow the path that He calls us to, and there will be satisfaction at the end.

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I Corinthians 11:24 reads, “This is my body which is broken for you,” but in the Gospels, Jesus’ statement reads something like, “This is my body which is given for you,” and has the idea, “This is my body which is for you.” Hebrews 9 and 10 say that one difference between the Old Testament offerings of bulls and goats and Christ’s offering is that Christ’s body represents Christ’s willing person. A major point in these verses is that Christ willingly offered His body for us—that He willingly gave His body/person as a sacrifice and shed His blood unto death for the forgiveness of sins, for the cleansing of the conscience. Christ’s body is for us in the sense that He gave His body, life, and life blood for our forgiveness of sins.

1 Peter 2:24 teaches that Jesus’ body is for us because He took our sins and human frailty into His body, and all of that died with Christ on the cross. This historical reality becomes a reality for us and in us when we trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. When we partake of the bread, we are acknowledging that we would be hopelessly bearing the guilt of our sins without Christ’s death and resurrection. In our acknowledgment of need, Christ’s redeeming power is present to us and working for us, in our person.

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