Recent violence has been thrust to the forefront by the media. And with this the solutions of the various political leaders. Some would focus on mental health and others on controlling or not controlling guns.

However, no one focuses on the real solution – restoring Christianity in the hearts of our population. Can you imagine if everyone wakes up tomorrow desiring to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving towards each other (Eph. 4:32)? Can you imagine being in a country where the opinion leaders (Government & media) strive towards a UNITED States instead of division (Eph. 4:29)?

But they are not, and the result is a world that is angry, entitled, and violent. To deal with the current “mass shootings” experts in self-defense are instructing all to flee, hide, and fight – in no particular order. So, here is the real solution taken from 1 John 5.

First, we must FLEE towards being BORN OF GOD by belief and baptism (Mk.16:16). To this John says: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him” (1 Jn.5:1). It is imperative that we escape “the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 2:20).

Second, we must HIDE our lives in Christ Jesus – so that it is no longer we that live but Christ who lives through us (Gal.2:20). We do this by loving God and obeying His commandments. John continues: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 Jn.5:2-3).

Third, we must FIGHT. We fight the good fight and overcome the world (2 Tim. 4:8) through faith. So, John concludes: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5)?

Friend, are you ready to restore our communities back to God? Then start now by being born of God, obeying His commandments, and boldly using faith to move all to believing that Jesus is the Son of God.

My wife and I love to travel. I find it adventurous and risky to go somewhere that has a different language, culture, and customs. Traveling also helps me to realize that the world is so much bigger than myself and my own country. All the things that I take for granted such as handshakes, the English language, and college football have no place in these other destinations. Instead, they eat balut (Filipino street food), greet each other with kisses, and speak what sounds to me like gibberish. While I do not adapt to many of these changes since I will only be there for a week, it is respectful and obligatory that I learn and respect the culture of the place I visit.

Our familiarity with the Bible is often what makes us unattracted and even bored with God’s word. We have grown up hearing it and reading it most of our lives. It has been around for 2000 years and has not changed much since. What if we approached the Bible like an adventure? What if we thought about how exotic the Bible is and how it differs from any other book, movie, TV show, or media platform? The Bible didn’t drop down from heaven in the King James Version, but was written in a foreign context, in a foreign land, in foreign languages to a foreign audience. Reading God’s word is not like going to the same office every day to go to work. Reading scripture is like time traveling to a dangerous and unfamiliar land. It should fill us with excitement and wonder, not with boredom and apathy.

If you find yourself feeling bored and overly familiar with the Bible, you probably do not know it well enough. Become a refugee in the foreign land of God’s word and familiarize yourself with its culture, language, and history. It is only after we journey through the contexts of the Bible that we are able to apply its meaning to our own contexts.

I heard the song “Sparrows” by Cory Asbury on K-Love radio the other day and it reminded me of the lesson Robert Murphy gave on Psalms 1 last month.

Psalms 1:1-3 (ESV) “¹Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; ²but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all he does, he prospers.”

I highly encourage you to listen to the song “Sparrows”, but here are some of the lyrics that reminded me of the lesson:

The sparrow’s not worried ’bout tomorrow
Or the troubles to come
The lily’s not thinking ’bout the seasons
The drought or the flood
A tree that’s planted by the water
Isn’t fazed by the fire
So why should I be?

‘Cause You take good care of me
You take good care of me
You know what I need before I even ask a thing
And You hold me in Your hands
With a kindness that never ends
I’m carried in Your love no matter what the future brings
Yeah, You take good care of me

Only two paths of life lay before us, God’s way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction through the counsel of the wicked. Those who diligently try to obey God’s will are blessed. God promises to watch over them and His wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like chaff.

Like the words of Psalms 1, the lyrics of the song extol the joys of obeying God’s word. The sparrow is not worried about tomorrow, if I obey God’s will, why should I be? A tree that’s planted by the water isn’t fazed by the fire, if I’m in Christ, why should I be?

As Christians, we need to be the tree planted by streams of water that is rooted and built up in Christ. We should be confident that He will take care of us with a kindness that never ends and like the tree that’s not fazed by the fire, “so don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

We become what we project … because whatever is in our heart will boomerang back to us – good or bad. Jesus took this teaching to a deeper level – costing Him many disciples (John 6:66).

John 6 (ESV) — 48 I am the bread of life. … ⁵² The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³ So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. … ⁵⁶ Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

So, practically speaking, how does this work? First, we eat His Body by daily reading His word (the bread of life). Second, through continuous confession, we drink His blood (allowing Him to drink the cup of our judgment). Third, we monitor everything we eat after that (by taking every thought captive, 2 Cor.10:5).

Friend, would you consider replacing toxic lies with God’s truth? For instance: If the toxic lie is “I cannot give up this sin” – replace it with: “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18 ESV).

I hate feeling guilty. It keeps me from being able to focus on my work. It keeps me from sleeping. It keeps me from enjoying my life. What is God’s purpose for the feeling of guilt?

The feeling of guilt is actually our own conscience alarming us that we have committed a moral wrong. We see this phenomenon throughout Scripture. One of the most famous examples is David’s repentance after Nathan confronts him about his sin (2 Sam 12). Last Sunday morning, Steve Proctor taught a class on Acts 2:1–37. We discussed as a class the reaction of different individuals to the first gospel sermon. Some had rejected the message and wrote off the apostles as a bunch of drunks (2:13). Others had reacted with contrition, feeling utter sorrow over what humanity had done to the Son of God and Savior of the World (2:37). Their reaction is the paradigm for how everyone should react when they hear the gospel preached. We ought to feel guilty when we hear the gospel preached and we are not in Christ. Paul himself says, “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Cor 7:10 ESV).

While many of us have felt sorrow for our sins and were baptized like those in Acts 2, we still ought to feel guilt when we sin. We should not think that our sins are “no big deal.” Those types of sins also nailed Jesus to the cross. Whenever we sin, we ought to be convicted, ashamed, and sorrowful about what we have done. But thankfully our savior promises to turn our sorrow into joy. John writes to the church, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NASB). After we confess, we are free from our sin and the guilt that comes with it. We no longer need to wallow in the mire of our own wretchedness because we are clothed in the stainless garments of Christ’s righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24; Jude 24). I hope that we are always convicted whenever we sin. However, I also hope that the conviction we feel will turn our hearts toward God in repentance so that we can receive his joy!

Around this time of year, I find myself traveling for many reasons. Whenever I do travel, I pack accordingly. I pack based on the weather, what I am doing on that particular trip, and how long I will be gone. I try my best to be ready for the journey ahead.

Each of us is on a journey. We have different backgrounds that may lead to different paths, but ultimately, we want to reach the same destination. We want to get to heaven when our time on Earth is over. We need to have a plan. Are we prepared for our journey? What are we doing to make ourselves ready for our final destination? Along our journey, we have an essential task. We have the task of preaching the Word of God. The Apostle Paul wrote about this in 2 Timothy. In 2 Timothy 4:1-5, it says, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

One of the best things we can do on our journey is to bring others with us. The impact we can have could change the lives of others. We need to be ready for the road ahead.

A young man carries the books of a girl he is trying to impress, a husband holds his wife’s purse, and firemen drill in full gear as they practice carrying victims.  We see examples of people sharing burdens all around us; “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”. 

“On your way to heaven take someone with you.” In Galatians 6, Paul tells the Christians at Galatia to carry each other’s burdens.  I’ve heard it said that two are better than one because if one falls down his friend can help him up.  Two can defend themselves better than one.  It is nice to have someone to watch your back.

This world can be an evil place. If you watch the evening news you see what seems to be daily shootings and robberies. Drugs, especially heroin, are serious problems in our community. Our schools deal with bullying and violence. Foul language and ungodly lifestyles are often the norm on television and in movies. Marriage, family, and financial burdens are being borne silently by people around us each day.

Covid has many living in fear and isolation. As we begin to reenter old lifestyles some have forgotten the rules of polite society. Many are leery of moving forward alone. We cannot get through this life without help from our brothers and sisters. We cannot bear these burdens alone. Luckily, you do not have to try and get through your trials and tribulations by yourself.  Your brothers and sisters in Christ are here to lend a hand, to offer a shoulder to cry on, to lift you up in prayer.  Neville is at the church building most days and the elders meet regularly and would love to pray with and for you.

I Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Jesus cares for all His people. He gives the example of the shepherd that has 100 sheep and loses one. He will leave the 99 to find that one lost sheep. God does not like to see His “sheep” suffering. He can forgive and comfort, but you must ask for that forgiveness. Jesus said to cast all your anxieties on Him, not one or two, but all.

The Elders know that there are people in our congregation who are struggling with sin and need our prayers. We know you face difficulties in your lives and in carrying your burdens.  We know there are those here who need to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Don’t continue to carry that burden alone. Let the church help you.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we love you and are always here for you.

Christ’s resurrection gives all mankind access to huge benefits. Blessings like a spiritual family, an eternal home, and a great purpose.

As Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome walked toward Christ’s tomb to anoint His body properly, they were leaning on each other for strength. Who will be with you in your darkest day or when you face your greatest need? The answer is always the same – FAMILY. Unbeknownst to them they had become family.

They were walking towards a tomb wondering “who will roll away the stone” for them. However, when they arrived, the “very large” stone had already been rolled away. By doing this Christ had given all mankind access to a PERMANENT DWELLING PLACE IN HEAVEN with Him. No longer would death have the sting of sin nor the grave have the victory.

And as they fled the tomb in fear their hearts were filled with A NEW PURPOSE – to tell the world Christ is risen from the dead.

Mark 16:1–8 (ESV) — ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.

Friend, do you belong to God’s eternal family, traveling towards His eternal Home, while living the greatest purpose?

As Christians grow, the more they look forward to Sunday. They think about Sunday worship throughout the week while at work and home. On Saturday night, they prepare their clothes, fill their gas tanks, and set aside their contribution so that in the morning they can “Set their minds on things above…” (Col 3:2). When morning comes, these Christians rise early to read their Bible and to listen to and sing hymns to further prepare their minds for worship. They then load up the car with their family with time to spare so that they can arrive early in order to visit with others. While driving, they play or sing Christian music and have conversations about God and his word in order to stimulate their appetite for the spiritual feast they are about to receive from their teachers. When they finally arrive, they smile and greet as many people as they can before class. During class they passionately take detailed notes, so that they can study them throughout the week. During the service, these Christians sing and make melody, not only with their mouths, but with their hearts by pondering the truths that they sang. Then they follow along with the scripture reading and think about its significance and why they read it every Sunday before communion. When they partake of the bread and of the cup, they reflect either joyfully or solemnly over the joy that Christ has given us through his death, or about the suffering and shame Christ had to endure for our sins. During the sermon, these Christians take notes and make as many applications to their life as they can so that they can serve the Lord with a full heart throughout the week. No matter how boring and dry the sermon may seem to others, the delight of hearing God’s word fills their heart with joy. As the preacher wraps up the sermon, they check the clock, not to see how long he went, but to see if the time was really up because of how fast it seemed to pass by. During the invitation they hope and pray someone comes forward so that they can have a new brother or sister in Christ. After the closing prayer they find the visitors before they leave in order to get to know them better, hoping to see them next week. Once these Christians leave, they feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and excited because they get to return that evening for a bible study.

While this is an idealized version of what Christians should be like on Sunday morning, I hope that it can help us reflect on how we can be more intentional about our worship. Let us pray that we can be focused less on distractions and things out of our control and focus more on the blessing of coming together to worship God!

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future and

Life is worth the living just because He lives.”

“He is not here for He is risen.”  With those words, the angel proclaimed the Savior for all mankind; the fulfillment of the prophecies; the implementation of God’s plan of salvation.  The Apostle Paul later recounted the gospel, God’s plan of salvation, in I Corinthians 15, “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.”

Through the risen Savior, we have the blessing of enduring hope.  The Apostle Peter said, “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (I Peter 1:3) The Apostle Paul told the Colossians they had a “hope laid up…in Heaven” of which they had “heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel.” He instructed them to “continue in faith…not shifting from the hope of the gospel.” (Col 1:5, 23)

Through the risen Savior, we also have the blessing of a spiritual family.  It is part of our human nature to desire to be part of something bigger than us.  We have that as part of God’s family, the body of Christ, to love us, encourage us and help us.  Jesus said, “whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matt 12:50)  The Apostle Paul uses this type of terminology several times: “You are Christ’s body and individually members of it” (I Cor 12:27), “members of the household of God” (Eph 2:19), “the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12).

We worship together each week to commemorate Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.  Through the risen Savior, we are blessed with a spiritual family on earth for love, support and encouragement and we are blessed with an enduring hope to live with Christ in eternity.