From the Pulpit

The more famous, powerful, and wealthy someone grows to be, the less approachable and available they become. For example, just as most citizens are unable to walk into the office of the Prime Minister to casually discuss public policy so most Roman Catholics can’t schedule a dinner with the Pope to chat theology. Why? Because in our world, one measure of importance is inaccessibility.

But that’s not the case with Jesus. Indeed, he who is far more famous, powerful, wealthy, and important than anyone else grants total access to all who want it (e.g., Matt 11:28; John 7:37). Yet, many people—including many Christians—don’t take advantage of the invitation to himself that Jesus offers. Instead, we put barriers between us and him. We hinder the access we have to Christ and, inso doing, trade the peace, joy, and security of being in his presence with the fear, fatigue, and insecurity that comes with being estranged. How can we remove those obstructions so as to enjoy the privilege of unhindered access to the King?

As we read the first chapter of the book of Acts, it appears that the disciples were still struggling with this resurrection thing. Over a period of 40 days, Jesus appeared to them and as Luke says “they talked about the Kingdom”, and Jesus gave them many “incontrovertible” “irrefutable”, “undeniable” proofs that he was raised from the dead. He was alive and well. But, they still are not in focus! They are concerned about one thing: the Kingdom. Their question is simple: “will you at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?”

But Jesus says something very different from what they expected! “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that have been set by the Father! But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth!” THEN HE LEFT! HE ASCENDS IN A CLOUD! They have their instructions. They are to be witnesses of the risen Christ!

But, I am not going to speak from the book of Acts today, though speaking from Acts on any day is a good thing. I want to speak to you from the Gospel of John, specifically about a special witness: John the Baptist

The final verse of the fifteenth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth invites and implores believers in Jesus Christ to stand with immovable conviction in their faith and serve their Lord with joyful confidence. Few Christians would deny their need and longing for either of these two realities. The question is, how can they be cultivated? This is where the first fifty-seven verses of the chapter come in! Therein, Paul describes how it’s the resurrection—both Jesus’s resurrection and the believers’ future resurrection—that fuels our stability and labour. Because he has risen and because we too will rise, we are empowered, motivated, inspired, humbled, and affirmed. He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

On December 19, 2013, Ontario was hit with a huge ice storm that in effect shut down the whole province. Driving was impossible and for days many were trapped in their homes. Many had to abandon their homes and go live in warm shelters for days. Tragically, in the GTA, 27 people died because of the storm. Such was the devastating effect of the power shortage.

Today we are going to look at Romans 7, a chapter that describes a power shortage, not a physical one due to an ice storm, but a spiritual one that happens in our hearts and can bring us to our knees. Then we will look at God’s provision so that we can overcome it.

Our culture is hugely confused about marriage, its importance and significance, exclusivity and accountability, permanence and purpose. The institution of marriage is often treated today as something with which to play, like a board game that can be briefly enjoyed and then discarded if broken or replaced if old. It’s treated like something to ignore, like a war monument commemorating something important but treated as archaic and impractical. Or, it’s treated like a pest, an oppressive invention of primitive generations that must be exterminated. Our culture is increasingly unclear about marriage because it increasingly rejects the God who created it. But this degradation shouldn’t happen in the church, amidst those who claim to believe in God, his sovereignty, goodness, and love. While our world lacks clarity about the institution, God’s people should be thinking clearly, sharing the Messiah’s view of marriage.

The eighteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel account records yet another significant teaching session from the Lord Jesus Christ. Whereas he has already described the ethical standard of the kingdom (chs. 5–7), sent his disciples out to declare the nearness of the kingdom (ch. 10), and parabolically introduced novel details about the kingdom (ch. 13), Jesus here explains a defining characteristic of greatness in the kingdom—that of childlike humility. While the world clamours for status and significance through self-promotion and applauds celebrity and influence, God’s economy celebrates and rewards meekness, selfless service, submission, and sacrifice. It is after true humility that God’s people are to pursue and, in this lesson, Jesus illustrates three things that happen when they do.

When preparing for a marathon, there is a goal that is set in the runner’s mind months prior to the actual race. Much preparation, exercise, and sacrifice has been paid for by the athlete. The several hours of the race will be the pay off for all the training that was put in. The marathon runner has to note the proper diet, running shoes to wear, type of training, and the proper coaching to be a successful runner. The main goal for the marathon runner is crossing the finish line.

As we read in the passage to Timothy, Paul was also running a race. His wasn’t a physical marathon, but in many ways it was comparable. So today we’re going to look at a bit of Paul’s journey and some other texts in scripture that point us towards how to train for our own spiritual marathon. How do we best prepare to run the race well and to cross our own finish line some day?

It seems there’s a lot of bad news lately. A sample of recent news headlines report and warn of disconcerting realities that range from escalating humanitarian crises to fatal school shootings, from potential radiation leaks to continued civil unrest, from soaring gas prices to spreading wildfires. Add to the mix a combination of health concerns, growing fatigue, financial strain, relational tensions, feelings of purposelessness, and spiritual apathy and it’s difficult to avoid being overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty.

However, times like these should prompt God’s people to be reminded of how the story ends, what the future holds, and how God wins. This isn’t to bury our heads in the sand and ignore the fallenness of the world but, instead, to behold afresh the good news of the hope we’ve been given that can energize, give endurance, restore joy, inspire thanksgiving, and spark true anticipation in spite of all the bad news.

One of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring things is to have a water’s-edge view as a storm builds and works its way in across a lake. There is something about watching the clouds billow and darken, the waves picking up in size and intensity, and the raw power of the lightning as it almost seems to crackle across the surface of the water, that reminds you of just how puny and powerless you really are.

Well, it would seem that King David may have had similar thoughts, because in the psalm we are going to look at today, he uses the imagery of a violent storm to describe the breadth of glory and strength found in our God, and presents it as the fuel and inspiration for our worship.

It's never a bad time for us all to hear some reminders of just how great and deserving of worship our God is, and we're going to find that today in Psalm 29. Specifically, we’re going to see in David’s words a What, a Why, and a Now What? What does God deserve? Why does he deserve it? And Now What do we do about it?

Life is always going to be difficult, but we can avoid a lot of hardship and needless struggle when we are prepared and practice the essentials. In the spiritual realm there are essentials to practice, and one area is in our prayer life.