I love that Title!  Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 1:18, I want to read together some of the most meaningful words in all of the New Testament.

I have to say that I have really missed having the opportunity to share with you on Sunday mornings for the past few weeks.  I must admit that I a restless pew sitter! 

1 Corinthians 1:18-25
PRAYER

Of course you all know that our faith in Jesus and our personal life MUST interfere with one another.  I want them to interfere with each other.  When I’m sick and need healing – I WANT Him to interfere with my personal life, I expect it, I find everywhere in His Word that He tells me to claim it.  When I need guidance…provision…peace…I want Him to interfere with my personal life!  HE CARES ABOUT EVERYTING IN MY PERSONAL LIFE!  EVERY INTIMATE DETAIL.  He DEMANDS full access to my personal life!  AND HE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT MY PERSONAL LIFE! 

ILLUSTRATION
A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."
Rick Warren in his book “The Purpose Driven Life” that most of us have read, writes:
“Many of our troubles come because we base our choices on unreliable authorities:  Culture – which says “Everybody’s doing it!” Tradition – which say “We’ve always done it this way”, Reason – “It seems logical”, or Emotion – “It just felt right!” 
All four of these are flawed – what we need is a perfect standard that will never lead us in the wrong direction!  Only God’s Word meets that need.

Since the beginning of time, people have always wanted a God who would place His stamp of approval on their life-style of choice, never requiring any change for the better.  We have even created euphemisms to make our sin sound acceptable, even attractive…
• Adultery    Having an “Affair” – Open marriage
• Homosexual Relationship Domestic Partnership
• Self-Indulgence   Self-fulfillment
• Purity/Abstinence   Neurotic inhibition
• Murder of the Unborn  The right to choose

Jesus encountered this “Oprah show attitude” during his day as well.  He looked at the religious guys of his day the Sadducees and Pharisees and called them “Hypocrites” and “White washed tombs”.  On the outside they appeared to be pious, Prayerful, Religious – but on the inside they were rotten.  They lacked a RELATIONSHIP with God!

Sooner or later…men and women must bump into an old rugged cross.  There we meet a God who says, “I have the solution for your sin problem – Your sin required that I go to the cross and suffer and die for you!” 

The first few words of our reading this morning beginning in V.18 speaks of the “Message of the Cross”. The Cross of Jesus is the best known symbol of Christianity.  There is no other symbol that better represents Christianity than the Cross.  Most of you wear a cross, believers and non-believers alike, some perhaps display a cross in your home.
The Cross is the very center of all that we do.  Paul calls it in V.18 “the power of God”.  Without the cross – we would not be here!  Our songs books and some of the earliest Christian hymns are songs of the Wonderful Cross.  (In your hymn books found right after the CHRISTMAS  SONGS!!!!)
• At the Cross
At the cross at the Cross Where I first saw the Light
And the burden of my heart rolled away
It was there by faith I received my sight
And now I am happy all the day!
• Jesus Paid it All
• At Calvary
• When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
• He was Nailed to the Cross for Me
• Near the Cross – Song 83  “Jesus keep me near the cross…”
• The Old Rugged Cross

The question of our eternal destiny hinges on the meaning of the cross. 

For so many, the cross would become a great reversal of human expectation.  Who would have thought that God would work through the scandal of the cross? 

Listen how Paul says it, V. 18
“For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…”

It is absurd for many to think that God’s greatest redemptive activity – His BIG REDEMPTIVE MOMENT IN HISTORY -  involved simple rugged cross and the death of an innocent man – called the Son of God.  That was it.  And it was planned this way before the foundations of the world were laid.

To those who are perishing – dying without Jesus, the message of the cross is foolishness.  “Who wants a crucified King?  Why should I worship someone who died a criminal’s death?”

Most of us have seen the Passion of the Christ. 

I saw it once in the theater and I have no driving interest in watching it again.  I LOVE THE CROSS – but to see my Savior lied about, betrayed, beaten, and Crucified is far too hard to watch over again.  I remember sitting in the theater when it was over – and it was dead silent at the end!  Even though we saw that final glimpse of the resurrection at the end.  I don’t necessarily enjoy hearing the details of the crucifixion…because it was so horrific and bloody.

But I am so incredibly thankful for what Jesus did for me on the cross.  I love songs about the cross. He Was Nailed to the Cross for Me.

He was nailed to the Cross for me,
He was nailed to the Cross for me.
On the cross crucified for me He died;
He was nailed to the cross for me.

Colossians 2:13-15
 13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,[b] God made you[c] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[d]
To the Corinthians Paul says,
1 Corinthians 1:22-23
“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…”

The Jews looked at the cross and stumbled over it because they didn’t see the kind of Messiah they wanted.  The Jews had been handpicked by God, cared for by God, watched over and protected through 1000’s of years of history and he had prepared them to be the nation though whom the Messiah would come, he had promised them the Messiah would come.  Told them how he would come, where he would come.  But when He came – the rejected him and crucified Him.  The Bible says…

“Jesus came unto his own and his own received Him not.”

Passages like Psalm 22 and  Isaiah 53 Pointed toward a different kind of Messiah, a suffering Messiah – these prophetic images not at all what they had imagined!

Paul tells us that the Jews stumbled over the cross because “the Jews demanded miraculous signs.” They wanted a Messiah who would perform miracles on their behalf.  The Irony of that is that was exactly what Jesus was doing.  He was performing miraculous signs.  He was giving sight to the blind. Walking on water, healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing the skin of lepers.  But all of that went right over their heads because those weren’t the kinds of miracles that they wanted.  They wanted signs of power and success.  They wanted a Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and re-establish the Kingdom of David. 

If he had marshaled in an army and led them into battle against the Romans, if He would have showed them that He was successful and victorious – they would have marched behind Him.  But the Cross got in the way!

The cross doesn’t look like success,  power, victory!  In fact it looks a lot like defeat!  The cross was a “Stumbling Block” to them – The words Paul uses here for “Stumbling Block” is “Skandalon” – you recognize that word – It’s where we get the word “Scandalous!”  The cross was scandalous to them! 

As far as they were concerned, they didn’t need a Savior – they needed a deliverer! 

In the world of first Century Corinth – Crucifixion was a thing of shame, scorn, derision.  It was reserved for only the most lowly of crimes and for the most vicious of criminals.  To the Jews it was a hateful thing.  Listen to the Old Testament…

Deuteronomy 21:22-23
22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse.

What the world doesn’t understand – is that in those hours on the cross, HE DIED AS A CRIMINAL because HE DIED IN MY PLACE!    HE BECAME CURSED FOR ME! 
How thankful I am for the Scandalous cross…it’s wasn’t His scandal that caused Him death – it was my scandalous life!  My sin, my disobedience, my need, my inability to reach God by my own efforts! 

Christ by his own sacrificial choice, was punished (penalized) in the place of sinners satisfying the demands of justice so God can justly forgive sins. It is called substitutionary atonement.   IT WAS AN AMAZING THING THAT HE DID FOR EACH OF US!
Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

The Corinthians, sensing the shame of the whole image of the cross, a criminal, a cursed man, the scandal of the cross - the Corinthians  evidently thought it best to forget the about the cross and move on to higher things.

Paul goes on to speak of the Greeks or the Gentiles.  (Non-Jewish in heritage)
V.22
“Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified…
foolishness to the Gentiles.”

While the cross was a Scandal to the Jews – it was “Foolishness” to the Greeks –  They  wanted WISDOM. They wanted what made sense.  The cross made no sense to them!  A crucified Christ seemed ridiculous to them.  The idea that a criminal could be the Messiah was regarded as foolish.  They weren’t looking for deliverance – they were looking for WISDOM.  They had produced men like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.  Great thinkers.

In the 17th chapter of Acts Luke describes the scene when Paul comes to Athens.  The Athenians sat on Mar’s Hill, the Aeropagus and they sat there all day, think their profound thoughts and Luke says, “The told each other everything new.” 

Then one day the Apostle Paul walks up and started telling the about a God who was unknown to them.  This God came to earth, walked among men, died on the cross, and rose again from the dead.  But it was all foolishness to them.

• Reason tells us that babies aren’t born to virgin girls.
• Reason tells us that God who is spirit doesn’t become flesh.
• Reason tells us that the Almighty God will not allow puny men to nail Him to a cross.
• Reason tells us that when a man died he cannot be resurrected back to life again. 

The Greeks also had a different concept of salvation.  To them EVERYONE IN THE END GOES TO BE WITH THE GODS.  If your life was good enough, then you stayed with the god’s.  But if your life wasn’t good enough - then you were reincarnated into another body and you get another chance … until you get it right!  I’LL NEVER GET IT RIGHT!  So they had no need for Savior – certainly a “suffering Savior”…they didn’t need Jesus…a criminal dying for them – it was all foolishness to them.  THEY COULD DO IT ON THEIR OWN!

NONE OF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE!  Remember the Bible says that
“Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

The beliefs of Christianity have always been out of sync with human understanding.  Humanity, impressed with its own intelligence, can’t think big enough to grasp the simplicity of God’s plan.

What I find interesting is Paul – the author of 1 Corinthians – had tried it both ways.  He had been a good Jew, even to the point of committing murder because he thought that was the right thing to do for the protection of Judaism!  He also tried scholarship, he sat at the feet of the finest teachers.  Both would come up short!  Until his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road!

Foolishness of the Cross OR the Scandal of the Cross

Q: Where are you at this morning?  You can’t get to Jesus without coming to the Cross.  Are you one of those Paul speaks of in the very first verse who “are being saved”.  The cross is the “power of God.”

When I first read Paul’s words “Being Saved” – it almost sound like a PROCESS.  The word is SOZO. Meaning  SAVED – “Being delivered from the penalty of sin and it’s consequences” Rescued! 

Your SALVATION happens in a moment when you invite Christ into your life to forgive you of sin – you accept his offer of substitutionary atonement.  HE BECAME SIN FOR YOU!  He died for your Scandalous Life!  That happens in an instant. 

But that where it all begins…then you mature, and grow, and repent, and he stands with you changing you, fixing you, encouraging you, loving you, singing over you for the rest of your life!

In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul tells the believers that they are…
“…being transformed into his likeness”

That word “Transformed” is the same word that used to describe what occurs when a Caterpillar transforms into a Butterfly.  Metamorphosis!  We learned in our Men’s Bible study this week that any scientist will tell you that the DNA of a Caterpillar is 100% the DNA of a Butterfly. 

Though they look nothing alike.  Though they still look like a catapiller – IT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING/LOOKING LIKE WHAT IT ALREADY IS! 

THAT’S YOU!  When Jesus “SAVED” you.  Sozo!  You inherited the DNA of a MAN of GOD…a WOMAN OF GOD.  A fully developed, strong, Son or Daughter of God.  That’s your DNA…what you’ve done ever since that is you are IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING WHAT YOU ALREADY ARE!  It all begins at the cross!

There’s story about a little girl who proudly wore a shiny cross on a chain around her neck.  One day she was approached by a man who said to her, “Little girl, don’t you know that the cross Jesus died on wasn’t beautiful like the one you’re wearing?  It was an ugly, wooden thing.”  To which the girl replied, “Yes, I know.  But they told me in Sunday school that whatever Jesus touches, he changes.”

Galatians 6:14
“…may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Sing:  The Old Rugged Cross

Community and Conflict
The Corinthian Story
“Tearer or Mender…Which Are You?
1 Corinthians 1:10-17

There’s a Methodist minister named J. Gordon Melton who had an interesting hobby.  He collects lists of church denominations in the United States.  His research has revealed there are 1517 different recognized denominations in the USA.  This group includes churches considered cults and other “religious” type groups.  Additionally there were a few “peculiar” groups in this list such as:

“The Church of the Mystery of Universal Wisdom”
(They believe they can communicate with alien and they seek guidance from flying saucers.)

A Northwest church from Strayton Oregon…
“The Embassy of Heaven”
Considers all earthly governments illegitimate and issues its own license place for cars!

This is the Strangest…
“The Nudist Christian Church of the Blessed Virgin Jesus”

Paul is writing to the church in Corinth – a church that he had founded about 4-5 years earlier.  He begins his letter with some good news!  Addressed them as the “the church of God” “Called out ones!”  he calls that holy and sanctified.  He promises these young believers that God would “keep them strong to the end.” 
I am claiming that over my own life!  Listen to this great promise…

1 Corinthians 1:8
8He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Don’t you just LOVE good news!  Happy news! 

But Paul quickly changes his tune with a word of correction for this young church…Paul  begins to speak to them about the number of reported problems in the church…The first one being …#1 DIVISION!

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

I know that Sharon’s family was a part of a church for many, many years and it experienced a “Split” that caused a lot of heartache in my families.  I was asking Sharon about it…and she remembers how much it all hurt.  Church Divisions Hurt!  It was hurting the Corinthians church it hurts all churches. 

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Pyrrhic Victory”.  It was named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus – who reigned about 300 years before Christ.  While he was a successful king – in his greatest battles he suffered irreplaceable causalities.  Though he may won the battle – the loss outweighed his victory. 
You Lose Even Though You Win!  That’s’ a Pyrrhic Victory.  I’m afraid it happens in churches, among believers all the time!
Q: Do you know why?  The church becomes your family.  It becomes your social group, your support group, your spiritual group.  In Sharon’s case – the families that her family was closest to all had children that grew up together, traveled on choir tour together, shared fund raisers together.  THEY WERE FAMILY! 

If you enter into fellowship like you should – like God intends you to.  If you participate in a small group, Bible Study, invited people to your home for a meal, accepted them as your friend on “FACE BOOK”… they become part of the fabric of what you are all about.  If you’ve found safety there – and have been able to let down your guard, share your needs, joys, hurts, YOU ARE IN A GOOD PLACE!  (You see it’s far bigger than who the preacher is…and more about your relationship with your brothers and sisters and the common relationship you have with Jesus!) 

Then suddenly there’s conflict, a breach, literally a tearing apart. (Well talk about that in a moment.)  And it’s painful!!! Feels like a divorce!  The closer you are to the people…the more it hurts!

Sharon mentioned and all of the families that she grew up with, all of her friends – every one of them went to different churches in the Seattle area.  It was sad for many of them.  And even now when we get together for a party of some kind – some of these families are there – and you can tell that they love each other and have rich history together.

The truth is somewhere along your “church journey…you’ll experienced some church problems!  Because the church is made up of imperfect humans…imperfect leaders…and because of sin!   In fact listen what Paul says to the Corinthians believers…Look at chapter 3 in your Bibles…

1 Corinthians 3:1-9
1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?

5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

Q: Why do so many churches have splits and problems getting along?
Listen even the 12 Apostles didn’t always get along with each other.
To live above, with saints we love,
Will certainly be glory!
To live below, with saints we know,
Well, that’s another story!

I recently read a very sad statistic, 3800 churches close their doors every year.  I’ve see believers use the SACRED WORD OF GOD to bludgeon one another to death.  We preface it with “God said” or “The Lord showed me”…The Word can be used to manipulate others, used inappropriately and unkindly to get our own way! 

The reality is, every church experiences a measure of conflict in some way or another. Churches are made up of people, and anywhere people are involved in anything, there's the potential for disagreement and conflict.
Church conflicts frequently have to do with "power struggles" within the congregation. That is, a contention for influence or control.  Sometimes church conflict is caused by angry, troubled people who redirect their personal unhappiness toward the church or its leaders. Those who are discontent in their marriage, their jobs or any number of problems, may take it out on other people — they may be especially quick to find fault with the church, or make mountains out of molehills. HURTING PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE! 
In addition, statistics tell us that one out of every five people in the average church struggles with emotional/mental problems. What I am not saying is that everyone who ever leaves a church is crazy or dealing with some deep seated unhappiness.  Sometimes it’s just time for a change! 
One thing is tragically clear, those who become the source of problems will only bring trouble upon themselves.
SLIDE
Proverbs 6:12-15
"A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth; he winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers; perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy"
Look back at Paul’s word in 1 Corinthians. Beginning with  V.10
“10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas[a]"; still another, "I follow Christ."
 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul? 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
V.10 Paul pleads with the Corinthians believers in the name of the Lord Jesus - to “agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you”.
The word Paul uses for “division” is shismata – recognize that word?  Schism – it literally meant “To tear a garment”   To tear a cloth.  A tearing is exactly what people feel when there’s strife in the church.  I’ll SAY IT AGAIN DIVISION IN THE CHRUCH HURTS!  Because it’s family.  Much like a divorce!  There is a tearing. 

Contrast that to what Paul says next…

“…that there may be no divisions among you
and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Interesting that Paul would use the word “United” because it comes from the word that means to “Mend”.  Divisions mean “To Tear” – United means “To mend”.  It was used for fishermen who mended their nets.  When the fishermen were out there casting their nests, sometimes their nets would tear from use.  They would spend hours in the evening hours mending those net so no fish would escape.

In fact Matthew 4:21 speaks of James and John “mending their nets” same word that Paul uses here.   Remember what Jesus would say to two other fishermen  (Peter and Andrew) just a few verse earlier… “Come and I will make you fishers of men”.   That word picture should be in our minds. As we Christian are focused on keeping our nets Mended…Work at being in unity – so we could be busy about catching fish – winning souls, loving people, encouraging the discouraged. 

It’s why I asked the question in the title of this message:
TEARER or MENDER…Which are You?
You are either part of the problem of your are part of the solution!  I want to be a mender don’t you?  I want to seek solutions, reconciliation, seek unity, be a mender of relationships, LOVE PEOPLE. 

V.11 tells us that Paul has heard from someone in the Corinthian church (specifically someone from Chloe’s household that there were quarrels going on the church!
The report from Choloe’s household exposed that the problem of division was a split over their leaders.  Here was the problem…Look at V.12

12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas[a]"; still another, "I follow Christ."
Some of the member of the church loved Paul, there was another group who declared “Apollos” as their leader, a third group said, “I love Peter”, and the last group of course declared their allegiance to Jesus!  One church divided!

Q: Why this strange allegiance to their leaders.

PAUL
Why Paul?  He had not been there for almost five years. Here’s why…PAUL WAS THEIR FOUNDING PASTOR!  He was the one who introduced them to Jesus!  He was brilliant, convincing, courageous.

 1 Corinthians 4:15
“In Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.”
He was their “Heart Song”!  When they thought back to their beginning – it was Paul who brought Jesus to them!  Remember where you accepted Christ?  Remember who led you to Christ?  That place, those people will always have a special place in your heart!  Even the music…that’s part of our heart song!  “I’m so Glad I’m A Part”  part of my heart song!  The songs that I often pull out of my mind at the end of the service are part of my heart songs.  Pastor Dickson…attending C.A.’s, singing in the Christmas Cantada!  Making out in the back of the church bus…All part of my heartsong! 

Paul had been gone for several years now, but his memory lived on.  Paul had many admirers in the church who were always looking back at the “good ol’ days”.  Though Paul was Jewish in heritage – he had been called to take the Message of the Gospel to the Gentiles!  So there may have been a large number of Gentile believers who felt a bond with Paul.  They shouted… “Paul’s our man!”

APOLLOS
Why Apllos? Then there was “Apollos” – We learn that Apollos was the man who would follow Paul in Corinth.  And he was very different in style and personality.  Apollos was a bright, articulate Jew with a great skill in debate.  He would be a natural leader for those who attempted to intellectualize Christianity – The Bible says that he was “a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.”  According to Acts 18:24  - Apollos was an “eloquent” preacher.  Apollos is OUR man!  We like his style!

CEPHAS (PETER)
We don’t even know if Peter ever went to Corinth.  The believer would have heard of him from the day of Pentecost.  3000 saved after one sermon!  Who wouldn’t love to have Peter as their leader!  Jewish, charismatic, one of the original 12 disciples…HE HAD BEEN WITH JESUS!  Love this guy!  Paul on the other hand had got beaten nearly to death after he preached…chased out of cities, thrown into jail. 

They followed Peter…though they had never sat under his ministry!  The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!  NO…Peter was human too!  It doesn’t take very much reading to see that Peter was just an ordinary man also! 

Finally the fourth group…followed…

JESUS
This group may have boast of some special relationship to Jesus. They may have been positioning themselves above the fray, saying that they had chose to follow Jesus – and didn’t follow any human leader.  All I need is Jesus – Yes Amen!  We all need Jesus!

 But has established the church to hold us accountable, provide us with support, love, encouragement.  He has set some as leaders, pastors, teachers, evangelists…

AND LISTEN THE TV DOESN’T DO IT!  We all have our favorite TV Preachers…Charles Stanley, Joel Osteen, John Hagee…they are not going to visit you when you are in the hospital!  They are not going to pray for you when you are sick! 
 
Believers can get caught up in the same game of “my preacher is better than yours.”  “My apostle can beat up your apostle!”  People can fall prey to following personalities and even change churches based on who is popular.

Then Paul goes on to ask them three rhetorical questions…the answer of course being NO! 
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul?

There’s that word again – “Torn”  Is Christ torn in two? 

When the man divides the church – who really gets divided?  Or as Chuck Smith says, “When the body of Christ gets divided, who bleeds?”

DIVISION HURTS THE CHURCH, IT HURTS PEOPLE,
IT HURTS THE GREAT CAUSE OF CHRIST

WE LOOSE EVEN IF WE THINK THAT WE WIN!
Listen if in your life time . . . if there’s ever a church split on the horizon…
• KEEP A SWEET SPIRIT!
• PRACTICE “HIGH ROAD” LIVING.
• PURSUE LOVE AT ALL COSTS!  (Keep loving people!  Even the people who are causing the heartache!)
• NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GET EVEN!  (Keep our mouth closed…even if you want to talk bad!  You lose even if you win!
• KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS!

Psalm 133:1
“How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!”

Romans 15:5
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus…”

Ephesians 4:3
”3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Colossians 3:12-14
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Saint Augustine wrote…
 “IN ESSENTIALS UNITY, IN OPINION LIBERTY,
IN ALL THINGS LOVE.”

ILLUSTRATION
George Whitefield was one of the greatest open-air evangelist in England and the American colonies in the 1700’s.  He remained a member of the Church of England throughout all his life, yet he counted many Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and  even Baptists, as his closest friends.  He was also a strong Calvinists.  One day someone asked, “Mr. Whitefield, do you think that we will see John Wesley in heaven?”   (John Wesley, of course, was the found of the Methodist church, and was a vocal opponent to the Theology of George Whitefield.)  Whitefield responded, “No, I doubt we will see Mr. Wesley in heaven.  He will be so close to the throne of god that we will be fortunate to even catch a glimpse of his back.”

When John Wesley was asked, “Rev. Wesley, will there be Presbyterians in heaven?”  Wesley replied, “No, there won’t be.  There won’t be any Baptist, Lutherans, Catholics or Episcopalians in heaven either.  In fact, there won’t be any of us Methodists.  There will only be Christians in heaven.”

TEARER or MENDER…Which are You?
You are either part of the problem of your are part of the solution!  I want to be a mender don’t you?  I want to seek solutions, reconciliation, seek unity, be a mender of relationships, LOVE PEOPLE. 

Closing / Prayer

Community and Conflict

The Corinthians Story

“Why I Love the Church”

This morning we are beginning a new series from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in the city of Corinth. 

Though the letter was written over 1500 years ago – it continues to be a book for TODAY’S church!  It’s relevant, timely, personal, and confrontational at times.  It addresses current issues that the church faces today! 

Your homework assignment is to read the book of 1 Corinthians.  It’s just 16 chapters long.  It is the story of a church – their community, in their culture, and their conflicts. 

I’ve entitled this first message – “Why I Love the Church” because I really do love the church.  I love it whether it’s meeting together like we are this morning, or meeting in classrooms for study, or in home for small groups.  I love it when we play together, eat together, pray together.  I love it where it’s 2000, 200 or 2! 

That doesn’t mean that the church doesn’t have it problems!  Think back at Genesis 2 – soon after there were two – there was trouble!  And we all know what gender that second one was! 

The truth is…you put a collection of imperfect, irregular, ex-pagans together and call it “Church” regardless of the era in history – THERE’S GOING TO BE TROUBLE! 

In Paul letter to the church he addresses

The problem of Christians who bring division to the body of Christ.  Does that ever happen today?  YOU CAN COUNT ON IT!

 ILLUSTRATION

A man is shipwrecked and marooned on a deserted island.  Turns out that he is completely alone on the island.  As the story goes he somehow survives there for twenty years ALONE. When he was rescued they were amazed to see all that he had created.  One of the first questions his rescuers asked was, “Where is everyone else?” “Everyone else?”  The man says “it’s just me –I’ve been alone for 20 years!”  Sailor ask,  “Well, if you’re really alone – what’s with those three huts?”  “The three huts…well one of them is my home.  The second hut is my church.”  “What about the third hut?  “Oh the third hut – that’s the church I used to attend!”

There’s a certain degree of truth to that story.  It captures the spirit of American individualism.  We build ‘em and we quit ‘em just as fast.  Our culture doesn’t encourage long term commitments.  Not in marriage, not in work place, and certainly not in the church.

Other problems the book of Corinthians addresses…

·        The handling of fellow Christians who are living in sin.

 Matters of sexuality in marriage and issues of divorce

 Singleness.

 Propriety in Church worship, how to properly celebrate communion, the appropriate use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

LOVE! That famous chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians (Maybe well get there by February 14^th  Valentine’s Day…but I doubt it!)

Disputes about food.

Division…Sin…Sex…Marriage…Worship…Holy Spirit…Love!

Sounds like a timely letter! 

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Paul writes to an infant church that he founded four years earlier.  A church that is trying to find its feet in an alien culture.  And in so many ways…not doing so well at it!  Some of it’s members were guilty of sexual immorality; others got drunk, still others were using the grace of God to excuse worldly living.  It was a divided church, with at least four different groups competing for leadership in the church. 

Again…doesn’t sound very far off from the church today. 

But I must confess for all of it’s weaknesses – and they are all MAN’S WEAKNESSES not God’s at all.  Someone said that the church is like Granola – Every church has some fruits, flakes and plenty of nuts!  You’re probably sitting next to one of those right now! 

That’s the church!  Just like Paul says in his letter.  IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GRACE OF GOD! 

Just behind the family – this church I speak of – with all of its obvious flaws - is the best thing going today! 

Q: Can you think of how many church families you’ve been a part of?  Some of you have been a part of 2-3, 4 churches in your life before arriving here at Westwood.  Each church adding something different to your life when you needed it. 

ILLUSTRATION

After being a follower of Jesus for 35 years I’ve been in six churches.  I gave my heart to Jesus at the first one.  Spend the next 3 years at that church learning the fundamentals of the faith.  There I learned to pray, to sing and worship, to teach children, even had my first chances to speak at that little church, in that little church I began to feel the call to ministry.   I loved and respected my pastor and his family.  I also met a really hot 15 year old girl at that first church (That sounds sort of illegal now!)…and I married her!

ILLUSTRATION

Listen to this - the Barna Research Group reports that in the United States about 10 Million Christians have not been to church in the last six months.  Though nearly all of them say their spiritual life is important, 10 million of them want nothing to do with the Church – described as God’s bride! 

The Bible knows nothing of SOLITARY SAINTS or SPIRITUAL HERMITS isolated from other believers and deprived of fellowship.  While your relationship with Jesus is personal, God never intended it to be private! 

How painful that must be for God.  To know that the children He sent to His Son to die for and adopt, don’t like His bride. 

I’ll be the first to admit that the church is not perfect…because I am the church – you are the church and I am not perfect!  The church is special not because of who we are but because of who we belong to.  There are many things unflattering you can say about the church.  But remember who she belongs to – remember who loves her – remember who died for her.

Over the years, I have been disappointed by the Church, people I thought were mature believers shocked me by their words and behavior.  I’ve seen, what I thought were mature believers turn so quickly from faith. I’ve felt used by people, manipulated, and betrayed….I’ve also felt angry, I’ve felt like I wanted to get even, and often I’ve been left to feel very quite inadequate.  The truth is we will never be adequate without Jesus!  WITH Jesus HE GIVES US EVERYTHING WE NEED!

But by that same church I’ve also felt encouraged, rewarded, and loved.  I’ve been valued, fulfilled, I’ve seen lives change…people loved, healed.  I learned what it means to be a Christian, to share my faith.  Within the church I’ve had the best of relationships, accountability, honesty.  As I look through my list of contact I realize that most of my friends are also my church family!

Someone wrote:

“True fellowship has the power to revolutionize lives.  Masks come off, conversations get deep, hearts get vulnerable, lives are shared, accountability is invited, and tenderness flows.  People really do become like brothers and sisters.” 

I love the church people it’s NOT the building that we are in this morning!  Or the time we meet for service!  BUT I love being with you, we need to be together.  If I am sick…it’s YOU that I’m going to call on to pray for me!  It’s not the TV evangelist, or the tree in the woods that’s going to care for me!  WE NEED EACH OTHER!  But it’s not about a building but it’s about A PEOPLE! 

Paul says…

V.2

“To the church of God…”

The word “Church” means “Called Out Ones”. 

For the Corinthians, that very name spoke of the different lifestyles that they had been living.  They were called out from the lifestyle of the Corinthians…

Q: Why do you need a church family?

·        Identifies you as a genuine believer.

·        Moves you out of self-centered isolation.

·        Helps you grow spiritually.

·        The body of believers NEED YOU!  You have something to offer!

·        The church will you from backsliding!  It will keep you on track!

Given the right set of circumstances, you and I are capable of just about any sin.  God knows that about us, that’s why He’s given us each other!

Hebrews 3:13

“Encourage one another daily…

so that none of you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness.”

James 5:19

“If you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth,

don’t write them off.  Go after them. Get them back.”

·        Together we fulfill the God Mission to a lost world!  People need Jesus!

Paul writes…

V.2

“To the church of God in Corinth,

to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy…”

The first thing that Paul states is WHO THEY WERE.  They were the “Church of God”.  They were a DIVINE COMMUNITY!

Paul had visited the city of Corinth during his second of three missionary journeys.  He would stay in Corinth for 18 months.  That time is recorded in Acts 18.    He would say in Corinth longer than any other stop in his missionary journeys. 

There he would say with and work with a couple named Pricilla and Aquilla – who were by profession, tent makers – like Paul. And while Paul ministered there in Corinth – he worked with Pricilla and Aquilla as a tent maker. 

Listen to what the Scripture says,

Acts 18:1-4

“Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, ³and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. ⁴Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

Dominating the city of Corinth was the Temple of Aphrodite – the Greek goddess of love and beauty. (Her father was Zeus)  The temple was served by over a 1000 sacred prostitutes.  In addition, one of the most important cults of the city was that of Poseidon (Neptune) the god associated with the sea and earthquakes.  In fact The Corinthians church – the new believers - could not seem to shake the secular influences of its city.  

Corinth was also on a major trade route – because of its location, Corinth had a constant flow of travelers.  It was located on what is called the “Isthmus”.  Ships would unload their cargo on one side of the isthmus and carry it to the other side where it was loaded on other ships.  There was a great theater which provided the people with entertainment.  The city was also famous for athletic events known as the Isthmian games.  Most of all the city was known for its wickedness.  Today there is a canal through the Isthmus – about four miles in length.  In its day, Corinth became very wealthy, but was, also, godless and immoral. 

Someone asked, what do you get when you mix spiritually immature Christians with a culture that is extravagant, immoral, and superficial?  You get the Corinthians Christians!  The Greeks actually had a word for leading a life of debauchery and sin.  It was to “Korinthiazein” – to live like a Corinthians! 

In some cases, Paul wrote this letter because they could not shake their own pasts…remember what the Scripture says about the believers in the Corinthian church…

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders ¹⁰nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

¹¹And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

That’s good news!  That’s what he says in V.1 about the Corinthian believers…

V.1

“To the church of God in Corinth,

to those sanctified in Christ Jesus…”

Sanctified means “Set apart”  To the Called out Ones…Set apart by Jesus.  But didn’t he know how they were living?  They weren’t necessarily living like “set apart ones”.  He knew what they were doing…he also knew what they were supposed to be!

Listen, when God looks at the church, He doesn’t see her flaws.  He sees all the reasons that He fell in love with her, the reason He gave His son for her.  HE SEES A PERFECT REFLECTION OF HIS SON IS US!

Q: Do you realize that he looks at you the same way as He looks at the church (since you are the church!)  He sees Jesus?

Galatians 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ,

and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

When Jesus died for you – He died for all of you!  HIS LIFE COVERED ALL OF YOUR WEAKNESSES!  He died for all of us GRANOLA PEOPLE!  His character covered you.  As a result YOU’VE BEEN SANCTIFIED – set apart!  At your salvation – your conversion – you were instantly set apart! 

Since that time…YOU CONTINUE TO BE (As one of the men said in our Bible study on Thursday night. I’M JUST A WORK IN PROGRESS! 

Q: Who wants to serve a God that you can never please?  If I thought that he hated me, was disgusted with me, saw me in all my sin…would I want to serve Him?  BUT if for a second I really believed that He loved me, despite all of my weaknesses – He saw Jesus in me…that he had a plan for my granola life!  That he would like to use me…give me His Holy Spirit…that changes everything! 

ILLUSTRATION

Russell Christoff is likely not a familiar name – we was a former model and actor.  His only body of work that you might recognize was a small picture found on container of Taster’s Choice Instant Coffee.  He was the guy smelling the cup of coffee.

In 1986 He was given $250 for posing for photo shoot with Nestle.  He was promised that if the photos were ever used they would pay him $2,500.  For the next 15 years his face sold their product and the odd thing was – he never thought of it again.  He didn’t even drink Instant Coffee!  Then one day as he was walking down the aisle at a drug store, he looked and realized THERE HE WAS!  Once he recognized himself he did what any true American would do – He called his lawyer!  And on February 1, 2005, the Associated Press reported that Russell Christoff, a former model who posed for a two-hour shoot for Nestle, was awarded $15.6 million by Los Angeles County Superior Court because Taster's Choice used Christoff's image without his knowledge.

It pays to recognize yourself!  It pays to recognize who you are!  How valuable you are to the Father!  What you’re worth!  That you are loved. That he desires a personal relationship with you!

Someone said,

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be,

and you help them to become what they are capable of being.”

To the Called out ones…who have been set apart. 

I am so grateful for the Church…though she is not always perfect – the church should be the best thing going today! 

I don’t know what your experience is with the “Church”  it may be very good – may not be so good.  Will you look past the church, forgive if necessary, and see a Jesus who loves you…who sent His son Jesus to die for you?  Will you trust him with your life?

Closing Prayer

IT’S THE SMALL THINGS THAT GET TO YOU!
A FEW MEMORABLE MOSES MOMENTS

There’s a verse from the Song of Solomon – an interesting place to find this…
Song of Solomon 2:15
“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards,
our vineyards that are in bloom.”

The importance of watching out for the little things is emphasized many times in the Scripture.  Most of us would recognize the devil if he walked in here in a red suit with a pitchfork in hand and horns on his head. We’d know to resist Him…to rebuke Him. 

But listen you and I both know that he is far too smart for that.  It is in the subtle, unsuspecting little ways that he attempts to invade our lives.  He comes in the back door as an “angel of light” Paul says. 

The small problems, small irritations, small difficulties that are a part of every one of our lives.  That seem to pile up in our lives until they become one big irritation!  It’s not always the big problems that get us.  It’s the small irritations that become our downfall.  Those foolish things that can turn a good day into a bad day in a heartbeat! 

Someone said,
“In the great affairs men show themselves as they wish to be seen. 
In the small things they show themselves as they really are.”

It’s not always cheating an employer out of $1000’s but its returning wrong change back to the clerk at Safeway!  (And letting our kids see us do it!)  It’s the little things that make or break a person!

Q: How do you handle the little irritations of life?

I want to peek at three Moses Moments and see how he handled the irritations of life.

What an interesting life this man had!  One of the greatest leaders who ever lived.  He did lots of really BIG things. He’s one of our Hebrews 11- Heroes of the faith!  THE BURNING BUSH, ISRAEL’S DELIVERER (stood up to the greatest power of the time – Pharaoh), THE PLAGUES, THE RED SEA, THE RECEIVER OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and THE LAW.  A lot of big things in Moses’ life.

But for Moses, one of the greatest challenges in his life, one of the greatest challenges in anybody’s life, is the small things. 

One of Moses’ greatest irritations in life was THE CONSTANT DRIP, DRIP, DRIP of grumbling people!  Moses would have had a pretty easy life if it hadn’t been for the people he had to lead!  Life would be pretty easy if weren’t for people!  It also wouldn’t be much fun either!

Q: How do you handle the little irritations of life? 

Listen to the Scripture about their condition before Moses…Early in the book of Exodus…they are still in Egypt - Their work was increased by the new Pharaoh…from many years of success and favor to years of slavery…
400 years in all…
Exodus 2:23
The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out,
and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.”

First they groaned and complained about their slavery and hardships…then later after the 10 plagues…the Passover – 2 Million of them - they are on the road to freedom…still on the Egypt side of the Red Sea. When things looked rather bleak – Army behind them – Read Sea in front of them…listen to their words…2 Million of them under 80 year old Moses’ leadership…

Exodus 14:10-11
“As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them.  They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.  They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?  What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?  Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?  It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’”

Do you know what I think?  Moses should have turned the car around right there!  What 80 year old needs this kind of pressure!  If you don’t stop complaining we’re going to turn this car around and go home!

It would be just hours later after an amazing, remarkable miraculous crossing of the Red Sea – in which they saw their enemy totally annihilated before their very eyes…these very same people would say these words…You won’t believe it!  Now on the other side-the desert side of the Red Sea…
Exodus 16:2-3
“The whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.  The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!  There we sat around pot of mean and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’”

How quickly we forget the pain of our past!
We all have the tendency to forget both the pain of our past and forget God’s goodness to us in the past!

THIS PEOPLE GRUMBLED ALL THE TIME!  Moses could not win!  We’re thirsty…we’re hungry…we’re tired…you’re a poor leader…and your brother is too! (Sister Miriam got off the hook!)

It was in the small things that eventually became Moses greatest struggle.
 
Q: What are the little foxes in your life?  How about you?  What is it for you? What are the small things that drive you crazy and steal your joy?

Internet?  Freeway traffic? Slow power?  Inept people?  Complaining kids? (School starts real soon!)  Boring job?  Long lines?  Impatient?  Temptation? Computers?  Clogged garbage disposals?  People?

Let’s back up a little…here’s Moses on the desert side of the Red Sea – they had crossed the Red Sea Exodus 15.

In these Memorable Moses Moments he teaches us some good things…
#1
NOTHING IS TOO SMALL FOR PRAYER!
Exodus 15 records the song of Moses and Miriam.  They rejoiced that the Lord miraculously brought them across the Red Sea – the walked beside WALL OF WATER - on dry ground and their enemy was drown before their eyes!  Almost the whole chapter is devoted to this great song.  In fact look at V.1 “Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord”.  THEY ALL WORSHIPPED. 

The song ended…they journeyed three days away from the Red Sea…and guess what…THEY COMPLAINED!  No surprise. 

How quickly we forget the good that the Lord has done for us!  They had just experienced the greatest miracle of all of their lives.  This was remarkable!  Walking beside “Walls of Water” several stories tall - on both sides on a dry riverbed…that’s not a normal day in anyone’s book!  AMAZING!  Then they sang and praised knowing it was miraculous!  But 72 hours later they were complaining against Moses.

Q: Life is sometimes like that isn’t it?  Full of lots of ups and downs.  Our task is to is to be faithful regardless where you are!  You don’t move from blessing God to cursing God…because the circumstances have changed!  We all have disappointments – generally and hopefully not a succession of them.  God does give us a break! 

Exodus 15:22-24
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.  24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"

After three days in the desert they came to water!  A happy sight.  They plunged their faces in the water to quench their thirst but were disappointed to find the water undrinkable. 

Q: DISAPPOINTMENT can be debilitating can’t it?

The people complained and Moses asked God for help!  They grumbled – and what does Moses do?  Moses prayed. 

V.25
“Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood.  He threw it into the water and the water became sweet.”

It happened again and again.  What’s amazing is Moses prayed about Red Sea miracles…and the drinking water miracles.

Most of us tend to pray about the big decisions – big problems of life.  When in reality He wants to be included in all of life.  I know that God is moved by our sicknesses, our short fall, our crisis – but for some reason I wonder how He feels about my lost keys, or Jewelry, me being able to provide a surprise for my kids HE CARES ABOUT EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!  Often times we pray about the big stuff and we don’t pray about the little things and then we wonder when it’s the little things that get to us!  Those “Little foxes” that ruin the vineyard!

When you do pray about things and the situation changes – or you have a divine appointment – you begin to recognize that God is concerned about your life!  You begin looking for an answer!  TALK TO HIM ABOUT SMALL DECISIONS…SMALL CHALLENGES…DIFFICULTIES.

1 Peter 5:7
“Give all your worries and cares to God
for He cares about what happens to you.”

You give ALL your worries and cares to God and you receive back, you discover that HE CARES FOR YOU!

So let’s do it right now. Think about one of those cares that you’ve been carrying these day.  I want you to surrender it to Him.  Big or small.  Whether it’s a Red Sea LIVE OR DIE or the inconvenience of Bitter Waters or GRUMBLING PEOPLE IN YORU LIFE!  DON’T FORGET - Remember what He’s done for you in the past.  How good He has been! How faithful he has been!  Nothing is too small for prayer!  Remind me of that God.  If I’m going to make it through the BIG THINGS – I’ve got to trust you with the small things!  HELP ME BE MORE CONSISTANT IN MY FAITH!
The water became drinkable.  I want you to notice that in the next few verses…within just few miles of Bitterness they were at a place called Elim.  A good place!  Listen how it is described

Exodus 15:27
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.”

Oh how quickly things change!  Listen church - BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR FAITH whether at Marah or Elim!  UP or DOWN be faithful to Him!  Though life may swing you around, it may be up or down, good or bad, cold or hot.  YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT TO STAY FAITHFUL TO GOD!

But listen – Rea Seas and Bitter waters were not their only challenges!  They also began complaining about the lack of food! 
#1
NOTHING IS TOO SMALL FOR PRAYER!
#2
NEVER FORGET GOD’S CARE FOR YOU!
Don’t forget the past!  And God’s past care for your life.  How He saw you through those Red Seas…those “Bitter waters”…how he refreshed you at “Elims”!   

Q: How many of you have had some Red Seas in your Life?  Did God come through for you?
Q: How many of you have had some Elims in your life?  Don’t you appreciate them?

Whatever difficulty you are facing right now and some of you are facing difficult things right now.  Whatever the difficulties, the truth of the matter is you wouldn’t breathe one breath of air this next week except God made the air to breathe.  You wouldn’t breathe it except God made you to breathe the air. 

God gave this young nation a daily reminder of His provision. 
From Egypt DOWN…to Miracle at the Red Sea UP…to Marah DOWN…to ELim UP…to the Desert of Sin DOWN…

 Listen…
Exodus 16:2-3
“The whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.  The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!  There we sat around pot of mean and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’”

Then God’s provision…UP
Exodus 16:4
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you and the people can go out each day and pick up as much food as they need for that day.”
Then God did it…
Exodus 16:14
“When the dew disappeared later in the morning, think flakes, which like frost covered the ground.  The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it.  ‘What is it?’ they asked.  In time this food became known as Manna.”

Remember what the word “Manna” means?  It means “What is it?”
They named it after their first question they asked when they saw it… “What is it?”  “Mom…what’s for dinner?  What is it?”  Yeah that what I asked! What’s for dinner!  “What is it?”

This strange food had to be collected each day so there was a daily reminder for them that God would care for them!  It wasn’t once a week…IT WAS EVERYDAY!  Except on the 7th day…they were to rest that day.  (So on the sixth they were collect two days worth.)  In the morning God would provide Manna – Bread and in the evening he would provide meat – Quail for the nation.  Just what they needed!

God does the same for us doesn’t He? It’s why we should thank Him for His many, many blessings!  Everyday…when we sit at our table – we say thank you Jesus for our food – for providing it for us to eat!  For blessing us with a home and family – and a table to eat out meal together at.

ILLUSTRATION
I’ve told you a number of times – there have been times when we’ve sat around our dinner table and everything on our table was provided by someone in our church.  And we always rehearsed that with the kids.  Meat, vegetables, dessert…all provided by God’s people.  We were pastoring in the country – one day someone brought us a baking dish with a skinned, bare little rabbit! (Wabbit)  I wasn’t going to eat bugs bunny!

The other interesting I noticed…did you notice when they were to collect it?  In the morning – because when the sun came up the sun would melt the manna away.  They had to start their day with a reminder of God’s care!  What is interesting is they began their day with his provision of Manna and ended their day with God’s provision of quail!  God began and ended their day with provision!

Q: Will you thank Him first thing in the morning for His many blessings?  Practice that tomorrow morning – First thing in the morning think of 5 things to thank Him for.  And THEN lift your needs up to the Lord!  Some of my best prayer takes place on the way to the gym in the morning.  It’s still dark out…radio is off…just me and the Lord!  I can thank Him … pray for the needs of our church!  WONDERFUL! 
Manna would fall each morning for 6 days…for 40 years!  40 years of Manna! Manna Pancakes, Manna Cassarol, Boiled Manna, the Italian Israelites Manna Cotti!  Did they ever complain about it?  What do you think? 

Let’s do that right…let’s just take a moment and thank Him for His many provisions…
#1
NOTHING IS TOO SMALL FOR PRAYER!
#2
NEVER FORGET GOD’S CARE FOR YOU!  EVERYDAY!
Here’s the last Memorable Moses Moment…
#3
NEVER LET ANGER MAKE YOUR DECISIONS!
Moses made lots of great leadership decisions – but later in his journey with these grumbling people – He made one big blunder…

Our last Moses Moment…not such a good one for Moses.  Recorded in  Numbers 20

And it was a little thing that caught Him off guard.  It was again the grumbling people that he had been with for many years.    This single decision would keep Moses from ever entering the promised land…

The people are thirsty again…they are grumbling again…And God said to Moses…

Numbers 20:8-11
8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."
 9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock Good so far!  and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank."

Q: What had God told Moses to do to the rock?  SPEAK TO IT!  This was to be GOD who provide miraculously!  Look at Moses’ words, “must we bring you water out of this rock?”  That wasn’t His job! That was God’s job! 
We learn a lot about how to deal with irritations of life from Moses’ successes.  I think we learn the most form his failure.  In this failure he forgot!  He forgot that he was vulnerable.  He forgot how human we all are.  He forgot the fickle people he was dealing with.  And I want you to notice what had happened at the beginning of this chapter.  His sister Miriam died.  One of the greatest spiritual influences in his life had just died!  He was vulnerable!  Write this down somewhere….
NEVER ALLOW ANGER TO MAKE A DECISION.
If you are feeling down, tired, vulnerable, broken, weak…back off…keep your mouth closed – don’t do or say something that you will regret!   
Psalm 106:32-33
“At Mirabah Israel angered God causing Moses serious trouble
for he became angry and spoke foolishly.”
Notice that the Psalmists said that God was angry too.  Anger wasn’t Moses’ problem it was what he did with that anger!  He was human…you’re human – we are going to get angry.  We are going to get down, depressed, vulnerable, down – HOLD YOUR ACTIONS and HOLD YOUR TONUGE or you will regret it!

Proverbs 29:11
11 A fool gives full vent to his anger,
       but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Life has also taught me that following a great success, some victory – we also needs to show some discretion with our mouths and our actions.  The enemy loves to take advantage of those unguarded moments when we are feeling UP…to bring us DOWN. 

KING DAVID HAD SUCH A MOMENT!

Judges 11 – Jepthah – was on a victory roll!  He made a vow to the Lord – if you give me this one last victory…remember his words?

30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."

And sure enough he “devastated” his enemies – God gave Him amazing victory and he returns home – and…

34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."

There’s still good news…although Moses never got to go into the promised land – he did get to see it and he did have some years of faithful ministry left after this. 

We all make mistakes – failing doesn’t mean that God is through with you!  There’s no doubt about it what we live with the consequences of poor decisions poor commitments, the mistakes we’ve all made – that doesn’t mean that God is finished with us.  God still have an incredible plan for your life!

As long as we live on this planet…we will all encounter our Red Seas, (If God doesn’t step in – we’re in trouble!)  We all have Manna Moments – where we KNOW that God has provided!  There was nothing and now there’s something!  God may even use YOU in a Manna Moment for someone else!

And we do have Jesus Christ who came into this world and lived His life for us.  We do experience his intervention in our lives.  We’ve been healed.  We’ve seen and participated in the miraculous, we’ve witnessed his amazing timing in our lives!  He’s comforted us, He’s counseled us, guided us, He’s been our defender, our Shepherd…

He wants to be a part of our everyday victories, everyday problems, everyday irritations, and everyday triumphs. 

Ephesians 3:18-19
“May you have the power to understand as all God’s people should how wide, how long, how deep His love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ though it is so great that you’ll never fully understand it.”

Opportunity for Salvation

Prayer

Closing

A Naaman Kind of Miracle

2 Kings 5:1-15

Last week I shared a final message from our series from the book James.   Remember the words from James? James 5

James 5:13-15

“Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick?  He should call on the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.”

This week out of the blue – the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said look at Naaman.  So this morning I want to look back into the Old Testament at one of the healing miracles that occurred about 800 years before Jesus to a man named Naaman.  Let’s look at “A Naaman Kind of Miracle”.

What a story – it is one of those that many remember being taught from our childhood.  When you take a deeper look at the miracle – this story has a great deal to say to us today. 

·        It’s a story about relying on God and his direction rather than our own inclinations about what we should do.  Which, if we were honest we all have a tendency to do! 

·        It’s about the fact that healing is often far deeper than just a physical miracle.

·        It’s about the willingness and humility of listening to others, of taking advice. 

·        It’s also about regardless of the circumstances believing that as God’s child – He knows exactly where you are at!  And He has you right where He wants you!

Let’s read it together

2 Kings 5:1-15

V.1 describes Naaman in glowing terms.  It tells us that Naaman, a “great man with his master”, “highly respected”.  He was the commander of the army of the King of Syria – commander of thousands of soldiers. He had known great success.  He was a “valiant soldier” then there is one word that changes EVERYTHING…

“BUT he had leprosy”

A disease that would ultimately cost him his position and his life. 

I think that the older I get I realize that everyone has a “But” in their lives!  NO JOKES PLEASE!  One author preached a message from this passage and entitled it “How Big is Your But”!  B.U.T.

We’ve all got weakness in our lives . . . It’s why we need Jesus! WE ALL FALL SHORT! 

Naaman’s obvious “But” was Leprosy but it was really far bigger than that! 

Leprosy in Biblical times was a dreaded skin disease. Those who had it, at least in Israel, were considered outcasts of society.  They were often banished to live in colonies, ostracized by the community.  Although Syrian social regulations were not as stringent as Israel’s, the diseased skin of a leper was a stigma that shadowed the person all through life.  And it was, in time – fatal! 

Here’s someone who appeared to have everything going for him…BUT.

Listen just because people looks healthy on the outside – polished on the exterior doesn’t mean that everything is okay on the inside!  And let’s be honest, we want so badly to look polished at church…because everyone knows that everyone at church has a perfect marriage, and perfect children…and well just a perfect life!  Is that the truth?  NO. 

I am always surprised, disappointed, and reminded - when the news reports some new scandal of a celebrity who suddenly is exposed with a debilitating weakness or flaw.  I’m always very sad when it’s a fellow minister or ministry leader that is admired.  Someone who had done great thing things for God – had a vital ministry – and I know that the cause of Christ has been hurt.

Most of us have heard of Ted Haggard who best known as the founding pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 22 years the church grew from 20 people meeting in the basement of Ted’s and Gayle’s home to 14,000 people meeting in a $50 million campus. He also served as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the largest evangelical group in America. When his sin was exposed so many were hurt – the cause of Christ affected, his family hurt.  Some called it a “Fall from grace” – do we really fall from grace?  Grace is what catches us when we fall!

I KNOW THAT GOD’S GRACE IS FAR GREATER THAN I EVEN REALIZE!   It reminds me that WE ARE ALL HUMAN and THAT’S WHY WE NEED JESUS!  We are all flawed somehow!

I want you to notice these next few verses.  What I love about this story is long before Naaman’s miracle, God was already at work arranging a chain of events that would lead to the cure of his leprosy.  Verse 2, 3 includes a small but INDISPENSIBLE link leading to Naaman’s healing.

V.2-3

² Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. ³ She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

Think of this…God planted a young Israelite girl, a prisoner of war, a captive in Naaman’s very own household to bring him the message of hope!  How amazing to think that God would use her or us in places that we never expected to be!  He did it a number of times in the Old Testament – Esther rescued the entire Jewish nation!  Ruth, Daniel, Meshack, Shadrack and Abednego! 

This young Jewish girl had been kidnapped from her home and from her parents.  This little girl could have hated her captors; and no one would blame her.  Don’t ever think that God is not in control!  Even when you don’t understand!  “All things work together…” 

There are those places in all of our lives where we’d rather not be…places where we might be tempted to think that the enemy has placed us – when all along God was at work – God will use us in our places of pain! 

HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO SEE A GLIMPSE OF THE PURPOSE FOR OUR PAIN as we trust God that He knows what He’s doing! 

Q: Have you ever wondered…

·        What are you doing with me God? 

·        What is this all about? 

·        Why here?  Why now?  Why Me?

Remember…I’ll quote it again…Psalm 139

“All the days ordained for you were written

in His book before one of them came to be…”

The young girl told Naaman’s wife…Mrs. Naaman told Naaman and some measure of “Hope” was born in Naaman that day!

Q: Isn’t that all we need at times?  Just a seed of hope!

Hebrews 11:1

¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what we do not see.

Years ago I read the book “A Man Search for Meaning” by Victor Frankl – Frankel was a prisoner at a German concentration Camp – survivor of the Holocaust.  In his observations Frankl described how when he and other prisoners in the concentration camps found meaning in their lives they summoned the will to survive.  He writes…

“Many prisoners lost their hope in the future

and thus lost their will to live.”

He continues…

                              “He who has a ‘Why’ to live for

can bear almost any ‘How’.”

What I am not saying is that those who die apparently had no reason to live.  For so many it’s quite the opposite.  That’s why loss doesn’t always make sense.  But there is a hope that breathes new life into us when we are feel hopeless.  A positive doctor’s report, a surprise check in the mail, a newly discovered promise from God’s word.  Last Sunday - “I will not leave you desolate” I KNOW THAT THAT WAS SOMEONE’S SEED OF HOPE!

As many of you know I grew up in a home where the lead parent in my life has lost the “How” to live…and she had lots of “Why’s” all around her!  She had a teenage son, she had her first grandchild on the way, a husband who loved her…DON’T DIE BEFORE YOU DIE!

Naaman now had some hope!  Naaman appeared to move with urgency!  Leprosy will do that to you!  So will most sicknesses or troubles!  “Is any of you in trouble, let him pray!”  WE DO!

Naaman goes to his superior – His king.  What king wouldn’t want to see his star military leader made well – so the King of Syria sends a letter of introduction and request for healing to the King of Israel. 

It also says, V.5

“He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes.”  Someone suggested that Naaman would bring gifts totaling about $1 Million dollars!    Naaman’s going to buy his way out of this! 

The king of Israel, being the weaker king at the time, saw this request as a ploy to create an incident between the two kingdoms.  Fortunately for the king, the matter reaches the ears of Israel’s prophet…Elisha.

God never leaves us alone in our distress….listen to Elisha’s words…

SLIDE

2 Kings 5:8

⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel. ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house.

Here comes Naaman – a great man – a military star – loaded with gifts, entourage of horses and chariots…standing at Elisha’s home.  Expecting Elisha to come out and do his healing thing – so Naaman could return home healed.  But that’s not how it happened!

2 Kings 5:10-12

¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."

 ¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.

DOESN’T HE KNOW WHO I AM?  Naaman expected to be healed, but he had already decided how it would happen.  He had in mind exactly how Elisha would approach him.  Although he wanted healing, he wanted it to happen on his own terms – in a nice way.

Q: How many of you know that God has a plan that is sometimes very different than ours? 

^11-12 Naaman lost his temper. He turned on his heels saying, "I thought he'd personally come out and meet me, call on the name of God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and get rid of the disease. The Damascus rivers, Abana and Pharpar, are cleaner by far than any of the rivers in Israel. Why not bathe in them? I'd at least get clean." He stomped off, mad as a hornet.

I WANT RECOGNITION…I WANT CEREMONY…I WANT A NICE PRAYER!  I WANT RESPECTFUL AND RATIONAL!  Not a muddy river!  It had nothing to do with the Jordan or the Abana or Pharpar. 

Naaman…how bad do you want well?  Naaman YOU’RE NOT IN CONTROL OF THIS!  It was about abandoned obedience! 

God wanted to do a whole not more in Naaman’s life in addition to  healing his body! 

Many times the healings we so desperately need don’t come.  Because there are sometimes hindrances that we are often unaware of that cause the delay.  Probably Naaman was unaware of the pride and self-sufficiency, presumption, anger, unwillingness to obey that stood in his way.  Some things had to take place before he received a cure for the leprosy. 

Sometimes we have problems buried within us and it takes some kind of desperate situation for us to face them and clear them out of the way.

Remember…

Doctors agree that it’s often not what you eat but what’s eating you that causes so much of our sickness!

Obedience to God begins with humility.  We must believe that His way is better than ours.  We may not always understand His way of working.  Naaman didn’t – don’t let your reactions to the way of faith keep your from the cure you need most.

As we are going to read – Naaman wasn’t just healed – he was changed! 

¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."

So the Lord sent another divine appointment to Naaman’s life…

¹³ Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!"

And Naaman listened to his servant’s advice…He almost missed his healing!

Proverbs 10:17

“He is on the path to life who heeds instruction,

But he who ignores reproof goes astray.”

Proverbs 12:1

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

But he who hates reproof is stupid.”

Proverbs 13:10

Pride only breeds quarrels,

 but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

So the Bible tells us that Naaman goes down to the water…

¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

With each dip…God melted away …disobedience…pride…presumption…anger…stubbornness…fear…

Naaman wanted to walk away from the river without Leprosy – what he didn’t expect would be that he would be a changed man!  A CHANGED LIFE IS A GREAT MIRACLE ISN’T IT?

V.15