Tag Archives: cross

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes: Mark 14:32-42

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Mark 14:32-42

(PRT)

v. 32 When they arrive at the place called Gethsemane, he says to his followers, stay around here while I pray. v. 33 And he takes Peter, James, and John with him and he starts to be distressed greatly and heavy-hearted. v. 34 And Jesus says to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sadness almost to the point of dying; stay here and watch.” v. 35 And going a ways into the garden, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, this hour might pass by him. v. 36 And he cried out: “Abba Father, all things are possible for you. Take away this cup; still, not what I want, but what you desire.” v. 37 Then he returns and discovers them sleeping. And he says to Peter: “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch with me a single hour?” v. 38 “Watch and pray so that you may not cave into temptation: the spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak.” v. 39-40 And again, he went away to pray the same things in the same manner; and he returned and found them asleep because their eyes were heavy, and they did not know how they should answer him. v. 41 So he returns a third time and says: “Are you sleeping? It’s enough, so be refreshed, now that the hour has come. Watch this: The Son of Man is now handed over to the power of sinful men. v. 42 “Wake up and let’s go! Look around you! The one who is betraying me is approaching!”

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

v. 32 When they arrive at the place called Gethsemane, he says to his followers, stay around here while I pray.

They left the city by one of the gates to enter into the garden. Gethsemane means “oil press.” A very fitting place for Jesus to be pressed with the weight of the sins of the world as he reconciled to the mission and the Father’s will.

This place, the Gospel accounts tells us that Jesus often went here, and Judas knew the way to get in and surround Jesus. The garden likely was a part of a grove of olive trees. Secluded but not too far out of the way.

The picture is often a secluded woody area with a big stone. It was likely a well-kept olive grove with possibly a small house or building on it with paths and careful arrangement.

This account is in all four Gospels and alluded to in Hebrews and other places.

For Mark, those who read and hear this read, are facing their own crisis, their own trials.

Jesus may have suggested to the eight remaining disciples (Judas has already left to initiate his own agenda) to have a seat on the rock wall that serves as the Border to the grove and the garden.

v. 33 And he takes Peter, James, and John with him and he starts to be distressed greatly and heavy-hearted.

So Jesus tells the disciples to stay back and let him and his three move into the grove and garden to pray. Peter, James and John were there not long before to see Jesus transformed on the mountain;. and they saw Jesus raise a little girl from the dead. They knew Jesus more than anyone. And they saw him fall into the dirt of the grove in anguish.

They were to keep watch as in be alert and watchful, not for the betrayer, but for the Tempter.

Jesus was amazed, as in overwhelmed, with sorrow. Mark alone makes this clear with this intensity.

This heavy-heartedness has a root meaning of being far from home and sad because of this combination of alone-ness and distance between. Jesus would have felt home-sickness and the pain of all this as the sin and weight became a brief but necessary wedge.

Jesus had his life directed toward the suffering of the cross; now that he is facing it in such a short time, along with the pain of the abandonment of his best friends, it was nearly unbearable.

Might James and John remember their conversation, as they watch and listen to the pain in Jesus’ voice, about being able to drink from the same cup as Jesus?

v. 34 And Jesus says to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sadness almost to the point of dying; stay here and watch.”

This exceeding sorrow is one brought on by an external demand (such as the rich young ruler faced.) It weighted him down.

How often does Jesus make a request from his disciples for something for himself? This may be one of the only times. Stay and watch; they lie down and sleep.

v. 35 And going a ways into the garden, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, this hour might pass by him.

The word means “a stone’s throw” away. He fell to his knees or prostrate before the father (I know most pictures have Jesus leaning or kneeling at a big rock. But he got down and dirty in the ground in his prayer.

We are to pray, always, and develop a practice of listening and speaking to the Father throughout the day. Sometimes prayer is the only desperate solution: fall to our knees, fall to our face, lay on the ground or the floor in humble trust and petition. Standing or sitting is not enough at this point.

v. 36 And he cried out: “Abba Father, all things are possible for you. Take away this cup; still, not what I want, but what you desire.”

Abba is used as the familiar form of love that a child has. Similar to the familiar Daddy or Papa. But also the name we call the Father when we are most intimate: when we are without words and at the wit’s end, and that unique fellowship the Son sent the Spirit into our hearts to produce with the Father. Galatians 4:4. Abba Father weds two main words for an intimate cry of son to dad. It is an address of total trust and submission to the Father. This familiarity is unheard of in Jewish prayer. Such familiarity and intimacy and knowledgeable trust. It is the child calling to daddy; it is the grown man or woman submitting in reverence and trust to the good father.

The cup is that death he would partake of on the cross. He won the battle here as the Father answered. Luke has angels helping.  In the OT, the cup is indicative of the judgment of God.  Jesus faced the condemnation of sin and guilt that he took on.

This cup reflects back to the supper they just took a few hours earlier. This is the cup of the new covenant. Jesus is ready to face death and ready to do the Father’s will. He is not devaluing “the cup of the new covenant.” He is facing the excruciating pain of judgment. He’s never tasted sin, guilt, abandonment, etc.

v. 37 Then he returns and discovers them sleeping. And he says to Peter: “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch with me a single hour?”

He loving concern for His followers led him to break away from prayer to encourage and check on his disciples.

v. 38 “Watch and pray so that you may not cave into temptation: the spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak.”

This admonition to watch and pray is to Simon Peter and the others. Not just to Simon. The word, “willing” could be “eager” to follow Jesus faithfully, but the flesh weakly chooses to cave to the temptation to deny Christ, to be untrue.

 The flesh is that which represents our tendency to selfishness, self-preservation, me-first; the spirit is that breath of life the Father gives all of us and longs for heaven’s values.  But the flesh takes us down the road of me-first.

v. 39-40 And again, he went away to pray the same things in the same manner; and he returned and found them asleep because their eyes were heavy and they did not know how they should answer him.

It’s like their eyes were weighted down, even though they tried to keep them open.

In the wilds, Jesus was tempted three times to abuse his divinity (makes his own bread, toss himself off a building, grasp at rulership); here Jesus returns to prayer three times to win over his humanity’s natural aversion to what he faces.

The disciples were stumped for words, just like on the Mount of Transfiguration.

v. 41 So he returns a third time and says: “Are you sleeping? It’s enough, so be refreshed, now that the hour has come. Watch this: the Son of Man is now handed over to the power of sinful men.

The construction of this passage is often stilted. Why would Jesus say in one breath, keep sleeping and the hour has come. More likely, he called them out of the sleeping to remind them it’s enough refreshing for now because the hour has come.

It’s enough is the phrase that people would often give in receipt of payment for a service or item.

v. 42 “Wake up and let’s go! Look around you! The one who is betraying me is approaching!”

Jesus is given over to the work of the Enemy to steal, kill and destroy. This is the moment of the Enemy’s control. He can’t help himself but to take Jesus and destroy him; even if Satan knew it would be his downfall, he is the destroyer and will do it. But, in his wildest imagination, he doesn’t think the Father will give up his beloved.

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes Mark 8:27-9:1

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

First Impressions:

Don’t miss that this passage is preceded by three miracles that extend grace to the nations and the Gentiles. Mark was subtle in positioning this here. Keep in mind that the Gospels aren’t designed to be a perfect chronology. They each crafted their unique Gospel accounts to their main audience: Matthew to the Jews, Mark to the Jews and the Roman world, Luke to the cosmopolitan nations, and John to the educated, to the Greek philosophical mind, and to the churches.

The scope of the Good News of the Kingdom is global in all ways. Jesus is Lord over every parcel, every place under the sun, every nook and cranny in the darkness.

Pastor Rick’s Translation (PRT):

8:27 And Jesus, along with his disciples, went from there into the villages near Caesarea Philippi; and along the way, he quizzed his followers, and said “Who do the people say I am?” 28 “Some,” they responded, “say, John the Baptizer and others say Elijah and still others say one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “Then, who do you say I am?” Peter responded, “You are the Christ.” 30 Then he warned them to tell no one about these things. 31 And Jesus started to teach them that it is crucial that the Son of Man suffers many things, be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and religious legal experts and be killed; then, after three days, rise again.  32 And he spoke these words openly and clearly to them. But Peter took Jesus aside and started to lay into him.  33 But Jesus turned and looked at the rest of his disciples and rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan, for your thoughts are not on what matters to God but what matters to people.  34 Then, he gathered the crowd alongside his disciples and said to them all, “If anyone chooses to follow me, let him deny his own interests and lift up his own cross; then let him follow me. 35 In fact, whoever chooses to preserve his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life on account of me and the Good News will save it.  36-38 For what benefit does someone get from having everything in the world and yet forfeit’s his soul.  Truly, if someone is ashamed of me in these adulterous and sinful times, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes back in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.

9:1 Then Jesus said to them, “Certainly, I tell you that some among you who are standing right here will not die until they have seen the Kingdom of God arrive with great power.

Verse-by-verse:

8:27 And Jesus, along with his disciples, went from there into the villages near Caesarea Philippi; and along the way, he quizzed his followers, and said “Who do the people say I am?”

The along the way is a thirty-mile journey along a remote section of the shoreline of the Jordan River. In the solitude, Jesus hoped to give his followers full attention. They would need it! Luke records that the disciples interrupted Jesus praying. He is discovered praying before key events; certainly, the point that the disciples declare Jesus the Messiah and Son of God would be one such event. The word for people is Anthropos as in men; but can be people. “Who are the guys on the street saying I am?”

This location is important since it’s out of reach of the Pharisees, well beyond Judea proper. Even though some of the crowd follow him this 30-40 miles along the Jordan, he has the disciples to himself. It’s the most important verses in Mark and the turning point in the story of the Gospel. Now the Savior is plainly and clearly revealed.

Interesting here, too, is the contrasting of what others have rumored and what Jesus taught and revealed. We are all products of those sources that inform our lives. Best to recognize that we are not immune to the influence of spurious voices, even in our best intentions to listen only to the Father’s.

v. 28 “Some,” they responded, “say, John the Baptizer and others say Elijah and still others say one of the prophets.”

These were the rumored roles Jesus was given. Jeremiah or one of the ancient prophets was one; another was John come back from the grave with his head intact; the other was Elijah who was prophesied to return one day. They must not have heard Messiah mentioned.

v. 29 And he asked them, “Then, who do you say I am?” Peter responded, “You are the Christ.”

Keep in mind that Mark wrote with Peter as his main source. Interesting that the confession and the honor Peter gives and receives are not included here. “You and the Messiah.” Simple. No keys to heaven. No gates of hell mentioned.

Note that this isn’t the first time Jesus as the Messiah has come into the confession of one or more of the disciples. This one is key because Peter’s confession starkly stands against all other confessions. No wondering aloud. No question marks at the end. Jesus is Christ, God’s Son. Period. Jury is in. They were not swayed by the temperature of the culture; they believed and were in.

v. 30 Then he warned them to tell no one about these things.

Still, Jesus warned them not to broadcast it about yet. The time will come when all nations are to hear the truth about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the living God. In just a few months, the message surrounding the name of Jesus following His brutal death and the powerful demonstration of his Kingdom through this and the resurrection – Jesus is Messiah.

v. 31 And Jesus started to teach them that it is crucial that the Son of Man suffers many things, be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and religious legal experts and be killed; then, after three days, rise again.

And this opened up the point when Jesus began to unveil what Messiah, Son of Man, Son of God, Savior, etc. all entailed. He is all these things; yet for our benefit, he has to go to the cross.

It may be good to note here that the previous miracles pointed to the global aspect of this work.

After three full days? Or does Mark agree with Matthew, on the third day? The chronos view is three days as in Friday (partial), Saturday (all), and Sunday (brief and partial.) Jesus conquered death on the third day.

v. 32 And he spoke these words openly and clearly to them. But Peter took Jesus aside and started to lay into him.

Jesus began plainly to lay out to those who loved and knew him best what had to happen. He held nothing back. And it was too much for Peter. And the painful truth is, none wanted Jesus to suffer, die, leave them. But that was their interests, not God’s interests. So Peter pulls him aside and pleads with Jesus.

Here, Jesus is clearly explaining what John the Baptizer said about Jesus being the lamb that takes away the sins of the world, or that Jesus himself prophetically said “destroy this temple and I will rebuilt it in three days” or “I will be lifted up and draw all people to myself.”

v. 33 But Jesus turned and looked at the rest of his disciples and rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan, for your thoughts are not on what matters to God but what matters to people.

Peter took the heat for his overzealous rebuke of Jesus. And Jesus uses the same rebuke he gave to the Prince of Darkness – get behind me, leave me, Tempter. And rightfully so, as the Tempter used the same argument – save yourself.

Peter was looking out for his own interests with no thought of the Savior’s purpose.

v. 34 Then, he gathered the crowd alongside his disciples and said to them all, “If anyone chooses to follow me, let him deny his own interests and lift up his own cross; then let him follow me.

Interesting that, even in the remote places, people followed from a distance. They seemed to never leave, and Jesus was drawn to teach them. And he called them in close just like his disciples. And he calls each of us in close.

The word for will is choice, desire, resolve. Strong word; not for the namby-pamby. And here, Jesus foreshadows the way he will be “lifted up” or become the lamb of God.

Deny himself, as in “say no” to self and “yes” to the life Jesus created us for.

v. 35 In fact, whoever chooses to preserve his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life on account of me and the Good News will save it.

This is important in Jesus’ teaching. When we build a life that is safe and preserves us, we run the risk of losing all Jesus wants to do in and through us. Our innate desire to insulate ourselves from risk and pain leaves us loveless and ineffective.

vv. 36-38 For what benefit does someone get from having everything in the world and yet forfeit’s his soul.  Truly, if someone is ashamed of me in these adulterous and sinful times, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes back in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.

This juxtaposition of all things and nothing, every pleasure to gain but without life and soul, is the picture of the emptiest person alive. Hollow and shadowy, without substance.

Is ashamed as in “your current declaration” is your present attitude.

This passage leads directly into 9:1 and forms one progression of things to come.

Here, Jesus is clear in his eschatological declaration for his Parousia. The Big One.

9:1 Then Jesus said to them, “Certainly, I tell you that some among you who are standing right here will not die until they have seen the Kingdom of God arrive with great power.

The words “Verily, verily, I say unto you” was the KJV way of saying Head’s Up, listen with all your heart. This is important. We hear such transitions today that we don’t even mind them. Even Certainly doesn’t capture it.

When did the Kingdom come in great power? Some consider this the Second Coming or the ultimate Parousia. But God’s Kingdom comes in power at the Transfiguration (just a few days away), the resurrection, and the ascension. His Kingdom broke in with power at the Cross, especially considering dead people were made alive and appeared around Jerusalem.

This verse ties in with the proclamation of the Messiah, the call to follow Him, and the need to see the Kingdom come in power.

8:38 and 9:1 Juxtapose the Second Coming (the Great Parousia) of the King of Kings with the coming of God’s Kingdom into our lives in power – the Transfiguration, the Cross, the Resurrection, the Filling of the Holy Spirit, and when the power comes and the Kingdom is displayed in Parousia experiences (see Ephesians) through Scripture and into our own lives.

What’s in a Name?

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It’s Easter and people are celebrating all around the world this weekend! Most are celebrating the beautiful gift of life and friendship with God through Jesus. Many are celebrating… Spring.

In the US, it seems our culture is hung up on what we call things. Schools, bridges, roads, buildings, and more are being renamed. I think it’s important to call things by their real name. Keep it simple and graceful.

When He was crucified, Jesus was called a lot of names. The last nail to be hammered into Jesus’ Cross fixed in place a sign over His head.

This sign met all the requirements for the international crowds in Jerusalem for the festival. Written in Latin, the legal system was satisfied. The Greek informed the “everyman” from everywhere on the street. And the Hebrew gave the religious what they wanted.

Or did it?

Each Gospel writer gives what he saw during the traumatizing and horrendous experience (they reported without contradicting). Matthew writes: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Mark, in typical brevity: The King of the Jews. Luke, writing to the nations included: This is the King of the Jews. John gives the most graphic account of the crucifixion: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.

Film-makers set their scenes with focus on the “dominant” – the first place the eye goes. If you wandered into this crucifixion, your focus would be on the body of Jesus hung in humiliation to die a painful death. But the “next dominant” is important to the scene, too. After the shock of seeing the brutal results of the punishment, your eyes would escape the pain to the next dominant – the placard – to discover who this was and what warranted the brutality.

The placard was likely drawn in big black letters over a white graphite smeared background so people could see it. This epigraphae or titulus as is was called was the second thing people would see.

THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS

The religious hierarchy wasn’t happy and wanted a clarification (Jesus claimed to be king). Pilate, in a final jab of humiliation at the Jewish leaders, would leave the words with certainty.

Many who were present at the scene and even more in the near future would discover the Lord of Love and join the heavenlies in saying yes: He is King Jesus.

This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. The scandalous cross initiated the invasion of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, one heart at a time.

Celebrating the Cross and the Resurrection!

Come to the Party…

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Come to the Party (2 Chronicles 29-30)

Introduction: Let me add one more promotional for our Tuesday nights. I love spending time with our Gathering each Tuesday. The dinner is always good. The study time is a chance to learn and to talk about life and Scripture. And the diversity of students and young professionals gives rise to a lot of interesting questions and spiritual conversations. For instance, two week ago I spoke with a student who is studying neuropsychology – that’s about how the brain works. And we talked about none of us needs to be stuck in bad habits. The brain can be our ally, our best friend in breaking destructive patterns. We’ve got some smart people here at ICF. If you don’t believe me, Look beside you to your right, now your left. Doesn’t it look like we have smart people here? And you’ve given us proof by being here today with us.

Let’s get started with our message. Our study today began in my personal devotions. Do you know what it’s like to read your Bible and you come across a passage, and it seems that God makes these verses powerful and special and important. I experienced an intense awareness of God’s goodness and presence as I was reading – and that led to further study; I would like to try to convey some of what I discovered and I believe it will encourage you and draw you further into His grace toward you.

So, let’s pray and invite the Spirit of God to teach us today and reveal the love of the Father to us.

Earlier this year, I had the honor to teach at a local Bible College near here. My course for that semester last year was on Apologetics – it’s the study of how to answer questions about Christianity. And we invested a number of hours comparing the claims of Christianity with other world religions. We studies Islam, Buddhism, Shintoism, Hinduism, and more looking at the basics of their beliefs compared with Christianity.

As I was teaching these 18 university students, our conversation led to just how lost and misguided other faith systems are. I’m a firm believer in freedom to worship and express one’s self as I believe this opens many doors for ministry and sharing the Gospel. And While I respect people for their choices and where they stand in politics and religion, it is clear that the values and claims of Christianity – and how the Christian faith has invited us to relate to God and to others – is radically different from other systems of faith.

And at the core of this radical difference is the person of Jesus Christ. His pure and unstained holiness in life, his miracles and teachings, and most importantly his revolutionary love and invitation to relationship to all who would choose Him. This sets Jesus apart from every other religious leader and makes Christianity unique.

When Jesus preached that the Kingdom of Heaven is near, he invited his disciples and others into a radical relationship of grace with Himself, and a revolutionary approach to a life of love toward others.

He invited everyone, regardless of past sins, political stance, gender, economic standing, race or national origin, to trust Him. Everyone was invited to His party!

He lived and demonstrated the lavish grace and forgiveness of His Father. And it was this revolutionary love that led Him to the Cross. More of this at the end, because I want you to join me in 2 Chronicles 29 for our message today. And as you find 2 Chronicles in your Bibles or on your Bible applications on your device, I want to frame our passage with some background.

Transition: The prophet Samuel from the Old Testament served the people of Israel as one of their judges; in fact, he ended up being their last judge. And in his old age, the leaders of Israel came to him and said this:

“Now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” And they got Saul, then King David, followed by Solomon in the United Kingdom of Israel. And things went downhill from there. And for the next three centuries the people of God in the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel lived under the rule of one king after another – an occasional good and a lot of bad kings.

Our passage today is about a good king. Hezekiah was a ruler in Jerusalem who chose to be God’s leader. He was a good king among the many who did evil by leading the nation toward other gods. From his very first month as king, he determined to reclaim the Temple for worship of the Lord God and decreed that Jerusalem was to be a place to worship the living God and only Him.

I wanted to give you this background because during the first few months of Hezekiah’s reign, three things happen that show the wisdom of this king, and the favor that God showed His people because of him.

Read 2 Chronicles 29:1-12

The first thing he did was to reclaim the Temple so the people of God could worship Him. Can you imagine going away for a few years, and then returning to our church building here, and stuff was stacked up and stored, and there was rubbish everywhere, and you couldn’t even see the stage or the cross on the wall to your left? I can’t imagine, and you know that your pastor would never let this happen.

But, after years of evil leaders, the Temple had become exactly that, and more. In fact, the previous king had practiced the most evil of religious practices in the Temple and in Jerusalem. The Temple was in a bad way. And he is how the godly King Hezekiah began.

  1. He began with what he had and trusted God with the outcome. When he started, he had a team of 14 from the Levitical tribe of Temple leaders. It seemed an impossible situation. Too few people. Too big a task. Have you ever read through the genealogies and lists in the Old Testament? There are pages and pages, just of Levites and priests! He began with what he had and trusted God with the outcome. And the King gave them this job: recruit more priests and clean the Temple.

Here’s how bad the Temple was in disrepair. It took them seven days just to clean out the courtyard so they could open the door. Additionally, the number of workers in the Temple had shrunk. And Hezekiah ignored the obstacles of a mountainous task and a small workforce. He began with what he had and trusted God with the outcome!

Can you think of another small group of people that become a movement? Absolutely. Jesus chose how many? Twelve. He walked around the fishing district and said – you, you, and you two also. He walked through the streets of Bethsaida and looked into the fig groves and picked two more disciples. He saw a political zealot in the crowds in Jerusalem and chose another. He walked through the Tax district (the Agenzia delle Entrate – can you believe a disciple could be there?), and he called another. And He gathered the Twelve He called from all areas of the culture minus one traitor, taught them about life in the Kingdom, trained them to pray, heal the sick, cast out the enemy, empowered them, and they turn the world right side up.

Could it be that we need to do the same with what we face today? We may have too little income, or too small influence, or we may feel we have too little education, or limited skills in speaking, relationship, or time.  Bring it to Him. Bring who you are and what you have and ask Him for the best outcome. I believe God’s glory and grace shine best in impossible situations.

For Hezekiah, with the beginnings of a new group of priests to lead the worship in the Temple, Hezekiah tasked this small group with making the courtyards and the Temple ready for worship. As this fourteen recruited and involve more of what the passage calls “their brothers,” they moved one step at a time to make this place one of worship and prayer.

Let’s read our next verses in this story for our next 2 Chronicles 29:16-17, 28-30

  1. They Cleaned the Outside and the Inside – step by step, one step at a time. The King’s team started at the courtyard – the most obvious – and move inward to the holiest places – the most intimate. And they hauled away the rubbish and the idols that cluttered the place. They swept, cleaned, and shined all the elements of worship that had been ignored or dirtied.

Restoration is hard work. Take a look at this picture of the last home my wife lived in during college. We learned that a piece of property in Susan’s family in Georgia is without owners – her parents have passed away, and two houses and land are sitting there – for ten years. It needs restoration.

When we restore a place, the obvious stuff, the big stuff goes first. But, when that’s done, the real work begins and we can see all the little things that need cleaning and repairing. We turn on the lights, and we see even more that needs restoring.

Restoration of our lives is hard work, too. Jesus has promised to make us new and renovate our lives. The hard work of restoration has already happened – he already sees the finished product! He sees you as a new creation. But then Jesus asks us to allow Him into the different areas of our lives, to remove the big stuff that keeps us down, to fix the places that we’ve not allowed the Spirit of God to touch. And He turns on the light in places that need His presence. And he changes us.

Here’s the Principle – whether it’s restoring a home or restoring a heart. It’s this: the rooms inside are more important to God than the outside. What’s outside matters. The big stuff matters. But God wants to get us to the holy places deep inside our hearts. This is the place of worship and intimacy.

Illust. My Heart Christ Home The story of My Heart, Christ’s Home illustrates this. The author compares our lives to a house -with kitchen, workshop, living room, bedroom. It’s the story of an invitation to Jesus to make himself comfortable in each room that makes up our lives.

Let me take you to the third action Hezekiah took that changed the nation. After the first sacrifices and worship in the Temple, Hezekiah looked to the nation and determined that, as a people of God, worship would bring the tribes and people together.

Everybody was invited to the Party.

Let’s read 2 Chronicles 30:15-20

  • The nation was divided. Judah and the Southern Kingdom was still together, but the rebellious Northern Kingdom of Manasseh and Ephraim and who claimed the name Israel had been conquered by the enemy. And they all needed the call to worship.
  • The people were not ready. And while many refused and laughed at this call to an “out-dated” religion, many came.
  • The leaders were too few. Even many of the priests and Levitical leaders had ignored the call to worship. And were shamed to miss out on the party.
  • The day for Passover was past. Imagine trying to get the word out by runners from one end to the other, city after city; then prepare the city for the crowds; then everyone had to travel to Jerusalem. And even though the day of Passover was past, they worshiped and celebrated anyway.

From one end of Israel to the other – from north, south, east and west, he sent runners to every city and he invited everyone to come and seek God and worship him.

What can you do when you throw a party and things go wrong? You throw the party anyway! Invite everyone you can, get the house ready, and work with what you have! Do you know what happened when everyone showed up for worship? They might not have brought their best, but they showed up. God heard their prayers and healed the nation. And their worship party lasted two week!

Conclusion: So, what does this mean to us. Today. You and me. This morning.

Would the worship team come up, please.

What speaks to me in this invitation – whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, wherever you’ve been. You are invited. If you are hurt, forgotten, sick, broken. You are invited. If you have ignored God until now, you are invited. If you have been hiding out and not using what God has given you. You are invited.

So, let’s worship a few minutes and wait and see what God might want to do here at the end of our time together. Pray.

(We are called to come to the party and becoming worshipers. Making our lives the place Jesus feels at home. We are called to bring others with us. The nations need to discover the power of worshiping Jesus.

Illust. Marriage Feast of the Lamb

God heal me. God heal my church. God heal our city and our nation.)

“… I’ve never seen so many…”

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When the doctors and their team working in Liberia during the height of the 2014 Ebola epidemic saw the damage the disease caused, one reportedly said “I’ve never seen so many bodies.” One doctor was in charge of gathering and disposing of those who died from the disease; he and his team worked tirelessly to serve the Liberians by helping them through the collection and, with a respectful process, cremation of their dead.

Stephen Rowden was a first time volunteer with Doctors without Borders; his team processed between 10 and 25 cremations a day in Monrovia as the work sought to contain the epidemic to the region. He said his team of 36 have shown no signs of the disease even though they worked in such proximity to the dangers of the contagion.

When ask about his motivation, Dr. Rowden confessed that he is “a practicing Christian” who finds support and “strength from his faith and family.”

Since the first centuries of Christianity, those who follow Christ run toward the danger, the tragedy, the hurt… even the contagion, while most flee. From the Antonine Plague in the mid-100’s that wipe nearly 25% of the Roman Empire into eternity and those many epidemics that followed, Christ-followers sought to stay and help and serve…and suffer, in order to live a life that gives credit to the Good News and the love and power of God.

While many might say that Christianity was established in the empire because of edits, it really spread as a revolution of love, sacrifice and suffering. We run toward the need, even if the rest are running away.

Dr. Rowden captures this kind of faith through his actions.

Live sacrificially,

Rick

(Thanks to a great NPR interview by  at https://www.npr.org/2014/10/09/354890862/in-collecting-and-cremating-ebola-victims-a-grim-public-service and Baker Book called Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change the World through Everyday People by Stonestreet and Smith.)