Wilderness Wanderings

"Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing" (Isaiah 40:26)

Its good to be back. I'm one of the co-pastors at Immanuel church here in Hamilton, ON. My colleague, Pastor Anthony has been away for some time on Sabbatical. You should begin hearing his melodic tones on these airwaves next week. For those of you reading these words, his will appear here. Thanks again to Mr. Rick Verkerk for filling in for me while I was on vacation and to Jennifer Heidinga who continues to fill in for Pastor Anthony admirably.

We often hope that vacation provides time for things like decompression, relaxation, reflection, or recharging, those kinds of things. It was for me. But it came in an odd way. We were not in hiding, we watched some of the Olympics and kept up with the happenings in the world a bit. Reflecting on that, I couldn't help thinking, "the world is an ugly place." I don't think I need to explain that or elaborate, it seems self-evident.

But sitting by the lake, doing a little fishing (don't get excited, you fishing folk, those fish I was after weren't biting), driving through parts of Quebec and Ontario, I couldn't help noticing that the world is also a beautiful place. So, our text for today came to mind, "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."

Others as well, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge" (Psalm 19:1-2). And "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…" (Romans 1:20).

This has always been the key for Christians: God's invisible qualities are visible in creation. The things he created and has sustained throughout the millennium reflect his glory. As his glory shines through, we see beauty. It was good to see. I hope many of you will see beauty as God's glory shines through.

While perceiving this beauty and recognizing that it is still true that this world is an ugly place, I remembered one of my favourite literary quotes, "There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for" (J.R.R. Tolkien The Two Towers). For you movie buffs, it made it into the movies in arguably one of top scenes of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. (Or maybe it was only in the extended version).

And so, I return from vacation ready to continue with the 'good fight' as the Apostle Paul named it. But how does one fight in this complex and ugly world tinged with beauty? Jesus' words to his disciples put it simply, "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28).

It seems that our natural human desire is to do great deeds, things that will make it into the history books. Yet, our Lord, the one we serve, calls us to help the least of the world, and not to display our deeds before others. In the small acts of kindness and love, the glory of the Lord will also shine forth.

Maybe nobody will notice. But our Lord does, and that is all that matters.

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. (John 1:43-46)

In today's passage we see Jesus calling Philip. Just as Andrew went to find Peter, Philip found Nathanael to invite him to also come and see. The invitation was too good to keep to himself. But Nathanael is unsure. Sarcastic even. What good could possibly come from Nazareth?

Nazareth was southwest of the Sea of Galilee, a very small community which probably had less than 500 people during Jesus' lifetime. It was not located near any major city centres and so it was not somewhere that Nathanael thought was of any importance. Calling someone a "Nazarene" may have been today's equivalent of calling someone a "hillbilly" or some such word. How then could the Messiah, the Saviour of the world come from such a back water town?

How do you perceive Jesus? As your healer, your Redeemer, your Lord, your Saviour? As your friend? Or do you feel like He has let you down, that He's distant, that He's difficult to talk to in prayer? Jesus isn't who we expect Him to be. We see that again and again in Scripture. The Pharisees expect Him to be one thing, the disciples another and the crowds yet another. Yet Jesus never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He remains true to His own nature so we can be assured therefore that we can trust in Him.

Philip doesn't argue with Nathanael's skepticism. He doesn't need to. He simply invites him along. "Come and see." Philip wanted Nathanael to come and experience Jesus for himself. Philip knows that talking about Jesus is nothing like meeting Him in person. Philip's invitation also echoes the one that Jesus gave to Andrew and John in verse 39 when Andrew and John asked where He was staying. "Come and see."

It's an invitation to us too. Jesus promises not to turn away those who earnestly seek Him. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matt 7:7-8).

It's okay to doubt and it's okay to have questions, but God wants us to bring them to Him in prayer. Even in our incredulity and doubt we are loved by Him. We can bring all of our frustrations to Him with confidence because "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). What a wonderful God we have!

"This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation." Exodus 3:15b

As he hung on a cross in his last moments of life, the criminal knew that the man beside him was Jesus and had been unjustly crucified. In his pain and anguish, he didn't demand Jesus save his human life like the other criminal. He knew he was guilty and deserved death. With much humility, he asked Jesus to simply remember him (Luke 23:42). What a great God story! Did he have any idea this would become a storyline for centuries to come?

Do any of us have any idea how telling our God stories will impact the world? Of course not, we have no idea. Neither did the criminal. And that is the beauty of telling God's story. We have no idea where it is going to go or what it is going to accomplish.

The lady at my Church didn't think that years later many would be reading about her God story. Yet the reach of God stories through us has no boundaries. Each story is a page in a bigger storybook that will used in a perfect way by God to glorify his name. And the book is not limited in size! Every story that shows how awesome God is has purpose. Whether it is told to your children, spouse, extended family, friends, Church members, fellow workers, neighbours or strangers – all are an opportunity to tell about God's grace, mercy, love, faithfulness and majesty.

Whether it's a one-liner or a longer account of how God has worked in your life, it is relevant. Your words today may be the seeds sown, nurtured by Him and harvested by another in the future. Not sure how to start? Look for opportunities to tell your God story and 'lip' it.

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). John 1:40-42

When Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus, Scripture says that Jesus looked at Simon before He spoke to him. He didn't just look at Simon. Jesus looked inside Simon. He saw him. Just as God saw Hagar in the desert, as she said to the Lord "You are the God who sees me," (Genesis 16:13), Jesus saw Simon where he was and where he was not yet. He saw what Simon could not yet see in himself. Jesus saw the greatness inside of him.

In several places in the Bible we see God renaming people. Abram God named Abraham, Jacob God named Israel, Saul, God named Paul to name a few. When God renamed someone in the Bible it was because He wanted to give them a new identity or a new mission. Or they had an encounter with God and God wanted the individual to be branded by that experience or encounter. God no longer wanted them to identify with their old identity or mission or experience.

If you look at the personality of Simon throughout the Gospels you can learn some things about him. He was a very emotional, type A personality. One moment he's excited and ready to conquer the world, full of ambition, and the next day he's down in the dumps. He was incredibly subjective, he lacked objectivity, he's irrational at times, he was an exaggerator, and not the most dependable guy overall.

Jesus looks beyond that and sees greatness and potential in Simon. And so, Jesus gives Simon a new name, Peter, which literally means big rock or big boulder. In the first century big strong rocks were used as the foundation for building projects. Large rocks were used because you could depend on them to hold up the entire rest of the building. Jesus is calling this reality out of Simon. Jesus tells him, you are a big rock, you are dependable, you are stable. "And I say to you, you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." (Matt 16:18). Jesus wasn't looking at the man that stood in front of him. He was looking beyond that to see the greatness and the potential inside of Simon.

Jesus makes a fierce commitment to Peter. Jesus gives Simon a new identity as Peter, the large rock. From this new identity and new name, Jesus mentors Peter and the other disciples and Peter becomes the first leader of the church after Jesus ascends to heaven. He writes portions of the Bible, and he follows after Jesus to the point of martyrdom. A far cry from the inconsistent and undependable disciple that we read about throughout the Gospels.

Jesus is fiercely committed to you too. He has confidence in you. Jesus believes in you. Jesus sees greatness in you. He loves you in spite of your inconsistencies and failures. Jesus doesn't look at your exterior. At the selfishness, inconsistencies, depravity. He looks beyond exterior masks and facades because he knows what you can become. Jesus knows what gifts and talents and passions He has placed within you, and he loves you with a fierce love. Fierce enough to stay by your side, no matter where the tides may turn to teach and to guide you towards your true identity in Him.

"A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies." - Proverbs 12:17

Several years ago, a fellow Immanuel Church member presented a brief personal testimony during a service. She told us that upon learning that she had cancer, her first thought was … wait! are you ready? because it wasn't 'Oh Lord, please take this away now'. Her first thought was to pray "Lord, help me to not stop loving you." This totally caught me off-guard and really got my attention. In one sentence, she told an amazing God story! It captured her willingness to accept that she was weak, susceptible to negative thoughts towards God, unfaithfulness, and selfishness. It also demonstrated her faithfulness, trust, love and obedience to Him. All in one sentence!

Honestly, I do not remember much of her testimony. But I remember the God story. It had a profound effect on me at the time and it still does today as part of my prayers.

In his second letter to the Corinth believers, Paul is boasting about God and talks about the thorn in his flesh and how he pleaded with God to take it away. God's response ends Paul's pleading and, more importantly, becomes Paul's one sentence God story. The thorn in the flesh is not the primary story, just like the lady's cancer was not her primary focus. The primary story is it's about Him! His grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness. And it was expressed in one sentence.

Comedians are well-known for funny one-liners. But one-liners are not limited to humour. Your God stories can simply be one sentence long, easy for someone to remember and use themselves.

Know any one-liners?

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings! The text is Nehemiah 1:1-2:8 from the New International Version of the Bible. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection!

To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube. Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca

DIVE-IN QUESTIONS

1. What is God saying in this text?
2. What surprised you? What convicted you?
3. What part struck you as important for you? What is God saying to you?
4. What does God want you to do? How will you live life differently? What attitude do you need to change?

"Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:7

I read a story about a family reunion weekend, that said the best time was when they sat around the campfire and the older members told stories about their parents, grandparents and beyond. The author stated everyone was captivated by the history of their family, and no matter how good, bad or ugly it was, there was a God story attached to it. Stories of his faithfulness, restoration, hope, blessing and more, all weaving themselves together to show how this extended family how God had been faithful throughout the generations. The author concluded the article by praising God for his love and faithfulness.

When was the last time you told a story to your children about something from the past in your life and how God was a part of it? Stories of his love, grace, faithfulness, for you personally. How He provided, protected, restored, gave you hope, blessed you? Or what God is doing in your life right now? God commands us to love Him with all of our hearts, soul and strength (6:5), obey his commandments (6:6) and then "impress them on your children" (6:7a).

In other words, 'lip' it too! Telling your stories to your children so they can hear about your love for God, not just see it. Show and tell your children how awesome God is, every day, wherever, whenever (6:7-9) and you'll be starting to build a legacy that can last for generations.

So, don't just live it, lip it!

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So, they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. (John 1:35-39)

Perhaps I could have started my discussion of Jesus call to us as disciples with this passage. After all, this comes earlier than the passage in Luke 5 that I have been sitting with over the last few days. The two disciples here were among the disciples of John the Baptist so would likely have in verses 29-34 seen the baptism of Jesus and heard John's testimony of Him "This is the One I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" So it's interesting that they started following Jesus after the statement of John the Baptist the next day, "Look, the Lamb of God!" when Jesus was simply passing by.

Jesus in this passage turns to the two disciples who are in verse 40 named as Andrew and another disciple, likely John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, and asks them a question. It seems like a strange question. But perhaps Jesus had seen them following John as He baptized Jesus. Why would Andrew and John follow Jesus now and not have made the decision to do so the previous day? "What do you want?" Jesus says to them.

I don't think that I'm being overly unkind in saying that the disciples seem to be a bit dense in their response. They could tell Jesus that they want to learn more about who He is, they could tell Him that they want to become his disciples (after all, being the disciple of a teacher was a profession in itself in biblical times), they could tell Jesus that they want Him to prove His divinity. They could have told Jesus anything! What did they choose to say in response? "Rabbi, where are you staying?" … cue the awkward silence.

But Jesus doesn't leave the two disciples with an awkward look and silence such as one like myself might have done. Instead, He offers them an invitation: "Come, and you will see." He doesn't treat them with contempt or offence that they would want to know something seemingly so unimportant. Discipleship is a gradual process. We are not born with the right questions or answers on our lips and hearts and even after years as a Christian we still blunder through with silly excuses and responses when God asks something of us that we're not sure of the answer to right away.

The key in all of this is that Andrew and John accepted Jesus' invitation and stayed with Him for the day. Jesus doesn't mind if we just don't "get it" once in a while. He only asks that we accept His invitation to stay with Him. "Abide in me, and I in you." (John 15:4). But Jesus in John 15 asks even more of his disciples to whom He is speaking, "If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned" (v.5-6).

Jesus says in these verses that if we do not abide with Him that we will be like the branches that are cut from the grapevine, good for nothing more than kindling for the fire once is has been severed from the vine. So are we when we do not accept Jesus' invitation to "Come and see." He wants us to abide with Him. In His Word in the Bible, in prayer, communing with Him. To see His goodness in our days, His grace in our "stuff," His love never ending and never failing. We find Jesus when we find ourselves in Him, abiding in Him and abiding with Him.

What do you want? Why do you want to follow Jesus? Because your parents did and their parents before them? Because it's the right thing to do? Because of the peace, grace, and love of God that you experience because of His presence in your life? Because you want to learn more about who He is and who you are in Him? What do you want from following Jesus? Who is Jesus to you?

"We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done." - Psalm 78:4

Someone I know who lives in a small town said if he wants to let others know something, he tells his children. They take care of the rest, telling their friends at school, who repeat it at their homes. Soon it's all over the town. Children love to pass on any info they hear. Even if it's incorrect, or worse, not so nice! But before they can pass it on, someone must tell them!

Today's Scripture is an instruction that children must hear the stories of God's saving acts and grace to avoid repeating sins of the past. Our children must hear what our fathers have told us, so that they may be faithful to the Lord. If your father has not passed on his God stories to you, you must start now and break this chain. Failure to pass on God's story from generation to generation comes with grave consequences as the Israelites found out (remember Judges 2 yesterday?).

Telling our children continually of God's mighty and saving acts and his covenants with us, will teach them about faith and obedience. Stories that they can learn about and then spread around town. When you tell stories that you have heard from your father, his father, or your stories, you will see your children's eyes light up.

Tell stories about your Heavenly Father and you'll see your children's lives light up. They will tell their children. They will put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 78:6,7)

Have a God story? Time to tell it.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:8-11)

These verses come immediately after Peter and the other fishermen have hauled in a load of fish so large that their boats begin to sink from the weight. What is Peter's first reaction? "Go away from me Lord!" This is not the first time that Peter has witnessed a miracle of Jesus. His mother in law's fever was healed by Jesus, and he was there for the wedding feast in Cana. Peter had likely heard Jesus preaching before this day as well.

In the presence of such Divine Holiness, Peter was astonished, afraid, and convicted. He could not bear to be in the presence of Jesus because His power and divinity was revealed to Peter in the miraculous catch of fish. This event is similar to that of Isaiah in the vision he received at his commissioning, "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty" (Isaiah 6:5). When God draws near, those who encounter His Holiness firsthand are convicted and changed.

When we encounter Jesus through the words of the Bible, through prayer, through acts of justice and service, through submission, confession, and obedience to His Word we are changed. When the heart of God grabs hold of our heart, we cannot stay in the same place we have been. The sovereign hand of God takes our heart and molds it a little bit closer to His own each time we take a step of obedience towards Him.

In Isaiah, a seraph touches a burning coal to his lips and says to him, "See this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for" (Isaiah 6:7). In response to Peter's outward display of humility, fear and trembling before Jesus, Christ commissions Peter telling him not to be afraid. God doesn't leave us full of sin and alone in our suffering, pushing Him away for fear of offending Him.

Instead, when we recognize the truth of the sin that is within ourselves, God gently takes that burning ember, searing it onto our hearts saying, "Do not fear, from now on you will catch people." There is pain in the process of discipleship, yes. That coal in his vision burned into Isaiah's lips like a cattle iron, searing away his impurities and sins, making atonement for them. Like the searing pain that our Lord endured on the cross as He made atonement for our every sin.

No, following Jesus is not easy. He never said it would be. "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). When Jesus calls there is no turning back. Not for money or possessions or status or anything else of value in this life. Peter became a disciple of Jesus who after Jesus' ascension boldly proclaimed what he had seen, heard, and learned from Him unto even his own death. When we come face to face with the reality of who Jesus is and who we are in Him, we are never the same again, as we are empowered to follow Him.