Sermon: Stand in the Gap (Ezekiel 22): Pastor Tito Dizon

[This sermon was preached on March 11, 2012 at Folsom Community Church by Pastor Tito Dizon]

Stand In The Gap[1]
Ezekiel 22:26-31

Introduction
OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS BELIEVERS- To Stand in the Gap
My last Message was about the book of Daniel, seeing the big picture of where our world was going

Babylonian, Medo-Persian,  Greek, Roman, Revived Roman Empire & finally the kingdom of God. Knowing God is in control & sovereign gives us encouragement to be faithful in our task in our present day & age. Daniel is real, prophecies. But here in Ezekiel, the Israelites have lost the battle, although not the ultimate war.

We can win the war but lose the battle here. 

That’s the reason for our topic for today…. OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS BELIEVERS- STANDING IN THE GAP. This is one of the message of the book…to fulfill our responsibilities or else lose our  battles. Let’s see what happened w/ the Israelites & learned significant lessons from them.

JUDAH'S DEPLORABLE STATE.
During Ezekiel’s time we see the general corruption of all ranks.

1.     Their government officials had become corrupt.

²⁷ Your politicians are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want.(The Message)

²⁷ Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money! (NLT)

They were called wolves—notorious for fierce and cruelty to all those that stood in their way. Politicians, leaders, princes should have employed the influence of their position for the people’s welfare,  But made “gain” their sole aim. All their business was to gratify themselves.

Application now:

Filled with greed and self-interest , many people wants to be Politician/leader w/ a very small pay? Why? Spend more in their campaigns more than what they will earn from their salary.

2. The priesthood had failed in their duty.

²⁶ Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them.

The priests were just as bad. 

1.     They violated the law of God, which they should have observed and taught others to observe.

2.     They profaned God’s holy things, They allow those to eat of the holy things who were unqualified by the law. They did not exclude those from God’s courts who were excluded by the law.

3.     They did they show the people how to put a difference, between the clean and the unclean, according to the directions and distinctions of the law. between times and places holy and common;

4.      They flaunted the Sabbaths; it was all one to them whether God’s Sabbaths were kept holy or no;  they neither gave countenance to those who observed them nor check to those who profaned them, nor did they themselves show any regard to them or veneration for them. They winked at those who did servile works on that day, and looked another way when they should have inspected the behavior of the people on Sabbath days.

What is the Sabbath? Purpose of the Sabbath…rest, refreshed, Worship God. It is a Holy Day- set apart for Him….not a holiday. A time to give our Thanks to God- Testimony, Praise & Worship, Tithes & Offerings. A time to listen from God’s Word

5.     By all of this God himself was profaned among them; his authority was slighted, his goodness made light of, and the highest affront and contempt imaginable were put upon his holiness. They were supposed to represent God to the people, God's representatives. Stumbling block- 1 Corinthians-name of God Blasphemed

Present Day Examples:  1.Their ministers and priests condoned their evil practices. . .now, …Presbyterian Church & others  divided over ….gay priest?  2. From the Sacramento Bee: Pastor molested 5 children

3. The prophets became liars. 

28  Your preachers cover up for the politicians by pretending to have received visions and special revelations. They say, "This is what God, the Master, says..." when God hasn't said so much as one word. The Message

Referring to the false assurances of peace with which the prophets flattered the people, that they should not submit to the king of Babylon (see on Ez 13:10; Ez 21:29; Je 6:14).

1.       They were saying, "peace, peace," – when God was bringing war.

2.       They were predicting victory - when God had determined defeat.

3.       They were crying prosperity - when God was about to take away their possessions.

4.       With the false prophets holding out false hopes, no need to repent. 

The false prophets evidently assisted the nobles in their wickedness by saying in the name of the Lord that what the officials were doing was right. Thus they stopped the mouth of their consciences. They pretend to be seers (received visions), but they see vanity; They pretend to be diviners (special revelation), but they are divine lies; They pretend a warrant from Heaven for what they say; they say, Thus saith the Lord God, but it is all a sham, for the Lord has not spoken any such thing. 

 4. The people had become irrecoverably corrupt.

²⁹ Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice. NLT 

The people— Corruption had spread downwards through the whole community.Corrupt leaders, corrupt  followers.

Deprive, wrongfully—that is, “without cause,”  ; nay, he of all others being one who ought to have been won to the worship of Jehovah by kindness, instead of being alienated by oppression; especially as the Israelites were commanded to remember that they themselves had been “strangers in Egypt” .

The rich oppress the poor, masters their servants, landlords their tenants, and even parents their own children; nay, the buyers and sellers will find some way to oppress one another. This is such a sin as, when it is national, is indeed a national judgment. Thus was the apostasy universal and the disease epidemical.

JUDAH'S DEPLORABLE STATE.
1. Their government officials had become corrupted.
2. The priesthood had failed in their duty.
3. The prophets became  liars.
4. The people had become irrecoverably corrupt.

Looking at our nation today. Is it the same, or partially the same? History has strange ways of repeating. Times have changed, but man is the same. Without God he is lost, he is a sinner.   

So as a result, what did God do ….

5.     God’s search for a rescuer

 ³⁰ “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.

Rebuild the wall- the hedge; image for leading the people to repentance. God has a hedge (wall) around His people. But sin breaks down that hedge. Hedge of defense broken down - great gap.

A great breach had come in their relationship with God.- The Bible, 10 Commandments, Prayer thrown away. The hedge of His divine protection was gone. Curriculum…not creation but evolution…

“build up the wall,” i.e., the moral and spiritual wall which was Judah’s true protection from external threat.

Stand in the gap—the breach; image for interceding between the people and God .A man who would stand before the Lord for the land, an intercessor so that God would not destroy the land.  Someone who would beseech the Lord to spare the city. Moses stood in the gap when he made intercession for Israel to turn away the wrath of God, Ps. 106:23.

Now God is looking for someone to stand and to build up that hedge.

“I looked for someone…God is always seeking to recruit for His service.  God is seeking men and women. Even here in FCC. Someone who would personally intervene where that wall had fallen into decay. Someone who put his life on the line. Such a person could avert the destruction which God had been threatening.

What are the QUALIFICATIONS OF THAT MAN?

1.     He must be a man of faith. Great confidence in God. You will be facing impossible odds. You will encounter impossible situations. The tide of evil was engulfing these people, so he must be courageous.

2.     He must be a man of the Word. How can I prepare myself for service? We must understand God's purposes. The ignorance of God's Word is appalling. We are going to be assailed by false doctrines, lies

3.     He must be a man of prayer.

4.     He must be filled with the Holy Spirit. God's love must flow from his life. Projecting the image of God. Must be separated from worldly practices.

30b  … but I found none
—not that literally there was not a righteous man in the city. “Such a statement is hyperbole, purposeful exaggeration for effect. It hardly means that no one at all in Jerusalem in the early 580s was righteous. . . . It means rather that there were so few among the people who were righteous that the net effect was as if no one at all cared about God's Will." Obviously there were prophets who were faithful to the Lord in Judah during its last days, like Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.

Evidently the Lord did not mean that He was without any faithful representatives. But that even these men were ineffective in stemming the tide of ungodliness. They did not fail because they were deficient but because the people were so thoroughly defiant.

There was no man there. He had called - they would not answer. He had warned - they ignored it. He pleaded - they mocked Him. What a tragedy. 

GOD'S VAIN SEARCH FOR A MAN.

God said, "but I found none."   WHY????? Everybody too busy doing his own thing. Other interests take precedence. Each one had his own excuse: I'm too busy building a house, I'm too busy planting my fields, I'm too busy creating my financial security. Carnal man is absorbed in what to eat, drink, wear. But the Bible says: seek ye first, the kingdom of God...

THE TRAGIC RESULTS WHEN GOD CANNOT FIND MEN -  Tasks go undone

31 Therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed on their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

The last thing God wants to do is bring His judgment upon a people. So when all else fails - judgment must come. The Lord is merciful. The Lord is plenteous in mercy, slow to wrath and slow to anger. But He will not delay His judgment forever. In other words, there can come a day when God must judge. 

The time had come for judgment & retribution. For God to be righteous, He must judge. When God does not judge, people begin to think He condones. Next they think He approves. Or they think He is dead. All kinds of false and blasphemous ideas of God are formed. 

Now as we see the conditions that brought upon the destruction of Israel, the things that were going on, we look around the land today we see the things that are happening here. History is repeating itself.

Conclusion

The principles are still the same; God is still merciful, plenteous in mercy. 

1. Principles . "Righteousness exalts a nation, sin is..." Seek God and you will be blessed - forsake God and you will be destroyed.

2. Times may change - principles don't. Man is the same. He is a sinner and lost without God.

3.     God is still looking for men to stand before God for the land.  To build up the hedge, to stand in the gap lest He destroy.

4.       But God's judgment, though it lingers of a long time, will surely come.

---

[1] Some parts  adapted from the message of Chuck Smith

Sermon: Courageous Living in Turbulent Times (Daniel 12): Pastor Tito Dizon

[This sermon was preached on February 19 at Folsom Community Church by Pastor Tito Dizon]

Daniel 12  Daniel: Courageous Living in Turbulent Times  

Uncertainties in the world: US 2012 election, Europes’ Financial Crises,  Iran’s nuclear weapon, Syria’s civil war after Libya & Egypt’s. Philippines. Earthquake, Floods, Employment, Economy, wealth, Health, Children’s future, mom’s future etc.

We need an anchor to hold on too when turbulent times come. We need Him our Rock, our firm foundation so no matter what storms come our way, we’ll be able to hold on.

Picture of Book of Daniel:

Ch.2   Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the Statue: Panorama of World’s Future

The materials                      Their interpretation

Gold                Head               Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire
Silver              Chest              The Medo-Persian Empire
Bronze            Belly                The Greek Empire
Iron                 Legs                The Roman Empire of the past
Iron and Clay  Feet               The Roman Empire immediately before Christ's 2^nd Coming
Rock                                       The Messianic kingdom of Christ

Daniel 2:44-45: “…the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain… that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing… what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.”

Daniel’s God is our God too—and he is still on the throne.  This may be the most important lesson of the book. God is in charge! He is in charge of nations, families, and individuals. He is in charge of the past, the present, and the future. He is in charge of good times and bad days, of happiness and sorrow, of joy and heartache, of great victories and shocking defeats. He is in charge when a child is born and he is in charge when death knocks at your door.

Studying this book ought to increase our confidence in the sovereignty of a God who makes no mistakes. We can gain much insight from the way Daniel lived his life.

How should we then live…in this turbulent/ tumultuous/ uncertain  times.

Daniel 12:13: As for you, go your ways till the end. You will rest, & then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance

1 "As for you, go your ways till the end" Life on earth is a test. 

God continually tests people’s character, integrity, faith, obedience, love & loyalty. Words like trials, temptations, refining & testing occur more than 200 times in the Bible. Character is both developed & revealed by tests,… and all of life is a test. We are always being tested. (No matter how old/ young we are & passed the previous tests)

A. Daniel was passing the test of God from his early childhood till the end. Daniel 1:8: But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods decided not to defile himself. He is a Genuine Israelites.FBI

Daniel 6:7: We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. ... But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

B. God tested Abraham by asking him to offer his son Isaac. Adam & Eve failed their test in the Garden of eden. David failed his tests from God on several occasions(Bathsheba, Census). Passed later…and was later called “God after God’s own heart.” The Bible also gives us many examples of people who passed a great test,  such as Joseph (being faithful to God inspite of the temptation of Potiphar’s wife & being above reproach w/ his job , Ruth (Her faithfulness to mother in law, Naomi)  & Esther, making a stand for the Jews who were in danger of being executed.

C. We don’t know all the tests God will give you, but we can predict some of them, based on the Bible. You will be tested by: 

• Major changes (house move-Abraham, job change –Me & dayday), delayed promises (job) .
• How we act when we cant feel God’s presence in our life- unanswered prayers, disappointment  Ex. job hunting, victory over our finances, relationships
• Impossible problems (Fil & Shirley),
• Response to people over undeserved criticism, conflict
• Senseless tragedies ( car accident/ holdup). Illness
• Success- Lisanity, Tim Tebow 

Some tests seem overwhelming, while others you don’t even notice. He even watches the simplest actions such as when you open the door for others,  pick up a piece of trash, or when you’re polite toward a clerk or a waitress. But both of them have eternal implications.

D.When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for our character development. Everyday is an important day, & every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.

E.The good news is that God wants us to pass the tests of life,  so he never allows the tests you face to be greater than the grace he gives us to handle them. Every time you pass a test, God notices and make plans to reward us in eternity. 

Life is a test: The deeds of this life are the destiny of the next.

2. You will rest, & then at the end of the days you will rise

Life is a temporary assignment. Someday we’ll rest like P.Fil, Shirley Neff,

1.We won’t be here that long, so don’t get too attached.  

David prayed Ps.39;4 Lord help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. elp me to know that I am here but for  a moment. Or Ps.39;4 Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeting away.

The Bible is full of metaphors that teach about the brief, temporary, transient nature of life on earth. Life is described as a mist, a breath, and a wisp of smoke.

2.To make the best use of our life we must never forget 2 truths:

First, compared w/ eternity, life is extremely brief. We’ll concern ourselves that will last for eternity.

We’ll  not waste so much time, energy, and concern on what wasn’t going to last?” What will last? God , His word, people

Second, earth is a temporary residence. Repeatedly the Bible compares life on earth to temporary living in a foreign country. (East Timor) This is not your permanent home or final destination. (USA) You are just passing through, just visiting earth. The Bible uses terms like alien, pilgrim, foreigner, stranger, visitor, and traveler to describe our brief stay on earth.

3.Christians should carry spiritual green cards to remind us that our citizenship is in heaven. God says his children are to think differently about life from the way unbelievers do. “All they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizen of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.” Your identity is in eternity, and your homeland is heaven. When you grasp this truth, you will stop worrying about “having it all” on earth. God is very blunt about the danger of living for the here & now and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the world around us.

God warns us to not get too attached to what’s around us because it is temporary. Those in frequent contact w/ the things of the world should make good use of them w/o becoming attached to them.  At death you won’t leave home- you’ll go home.

Daniel 5:16b-17: If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”  Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means. 

Daniel 5:26-27: This is what these words mean: Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end. Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up. Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 

  

Cannot take to the grave your riches….State, Banks, Creditors, Lawyers fees, relatives… But what if you have given your riches to feed the hungry, clothes the naked, build shelter for the homeless. Bring/store your riches in heaven.

We will evaluate our lives here by asking… “Why did I place so much importance on things that were so temporary? What was I thinking?

3 To receive your allotted inheritance

Life is a trust

1.Trust - Our time on earth and our energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships, & resources are all gifts from God that he has entrusted  to our care & management. We are stewards of whatever God gives us. This concept of stewardship begins w/ the recognition that God is the owner of everything & everyone on earth

Psalm 24:1:  The world & all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth & all who live on it are his.

Daniel 2:4-5:  Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn.

  

2. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.

3.We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. God just loans the earth to us while we are here. It was God’s property before you arrived, and God will loan it to someone else after you die. You just get to enjoy it for a while.

4.When God created Adam & Eve, he entrusted the care of his creation to them and appointed trustees of his property.  Gen.1:28 The first job God gave humans was to manage and take care of God’s stuff on earth. This role has never been rescinded. It is a part of our purpose today. Everything we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands.

5.Our culture says, if you don’t own it, you wont take care of it. But Christians live by a higher standard. Because God owns it, I must take the best care of it that I can. The Bible says Those who are trusted w/ something valuable  must show they are worthy of that trust. At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated & rewarded according to how well you handled what god entrusted to you.

6.When we fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here & now,  and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, we will begin to live differently. We will start living in light of eternity, and that will color how we handle every relationship, task, & circumstances.

Relationship: Spouse, children

Task:  Engineer, Campus Worker, Staff working w/ Professionals, Director of our Ministry, SEA Administrator,  Now I am a Pastor…like Daniel am I faithful, responsible, completely trustworthy…responsible w/ people, facilities, equipments, money… same w/ you….
Circumstances: Best use of my time, money & energy

Our values change: 1 Get rich, 2 get rich, 3 get rich. Instead of self- God , others….We place a higher premium on relationships & character instead of fame or wealth or achievements or even fun. Our priorities are reordered. Keeping up w/ the trends, fashions, & popular values just doesn’t matter as much anymore.

What matters is what God wants me to do.

• The father & mother who patiently teaches their children about life.
• The office worker who diligently does his job.
• The son who honors & obeys his parents.
• The coach who shares Christ with his players.
• The friend who counsels his buddies about the right thing to do.
• The Sunday School teacher who prays for her children to be saved.
• The young couple who goes to Mozambique as missionaries. 

Conclusion
This week I ran across a wonderful statement that seems to fit our text and the strange, difficult days in which we live. “Christians should be the calmest people on earth.” What a thought that is. We have no right to run around wringing our hands. Not when our God is on the throne working out his purpose on the earth.

The book of Daniel opens with what appears to be a clear triumph of evil over good.  Yet God allowed it to happen for his own higher purposes.  I’m sure Nebuchadnezzar didn’t know that and I’m sure the Jews had trouble believing it but it was true nonetheless.

In Daniel’s  book we see what has happened: Kingdom of the earth destroyed, Antichrist defeated, Israel delivered, Saints raised, God’s kingdom established. What starts with defeat ends in a blaze of glorious victory.  In that light the final words to Daniel mean so much more:

 “Now, Daniel, go and rest for a better day is coming.”

Questions for application:

TEST:

What has happened to you recently that I now realize was a test from God?

TEMPORARY:

How should the fact that life on earth is just temporary assignment change the way I am living right now?

TRUST:

What are the greatest matters God has entrusted to me?

The trustworthy, the wise & faithful  servant (Matthew 25:21): His Master replied, Well done, good & faithful servant! You have been faithful w/ a few things; I will put you in charge of many things… 

*some parts adapted from Rick Warren’s book, Purpose Driven Life.

Sermon: Reality Strikes A Relationship (Song of Solomon 5:2-16): Pastor Tito Dizon

[This sermon was preached at Folsom Community Church on February 12 by Pastor Tito Dizon]

INTRO : (Adapted some materials from Dave Guzik's message on the Song of Solomon)

A. Pre-Valentine Message: Soon it will be Valentine's Day and the month of February is usually called the Love Month so this afternoon's message, I've entitled “Let there be Love!”

The message is based on several passages in the Song of Solomon. It is a single love poem made up of several strophes (segments) designed to deal primarily with the subject of human love and marriage.

B. Context of the passage in Chapter 5 is after the Honeymoon, which is in Chapter 4. You may read Chapter 4 on your own. Here in Ch.5 as they say, the Honeymoon is over. The Phases in Marriage Relationship:     

• Courtship
• Marriage
• Honeymoon
• Reality strikes…Work, New friends

The Need: How can we restore & foster good relationships with friends, office mates, classmates, neighbors, relatives?

Let's take for example couples. Couples are naturally close during dating- why? Couples often work harder to please each other such as save money so that we can have a date, or be able to give during special occasions. For me, I go out of my way to meet and fetch my wife, Dayday. I adjust my schedule so we could spend time together. We are on the giving mode.

But after awhile, some couples,…slowly become distant, drift apart.

It is similar with other relationships, especially with new relationships such as new office mates or co-workers, classmates, a new neighbor or new church mate. In new relationships, we try to be accommodating by: probably orienting them of their new surroundings, lending or giving them things they could use, introducing them to people.

But after awhile, we distance ourselves from (some of) them…why? As we get to know their personality, we find out that their temperament doesn’t suit us. The excitement of meeting is fades, the anticipation to meet fizzles out.

Today's text will give us suggestions on how to to value, nurture & protect a close loving relationship. How can we keep our Marriage in Honeymoon stage…or back to this stage? How can we restore & foster good relationships with friends, office mates, classmates, neighbors, relatives…

Here is my outline of Song of Solomon Ch.5

I. Love Ruined 2-6

II. Love Realized 7-8
III. Love Restored 9-16

I. Love ruined 2-6 The erosion of love, or good relationship

A. The maiden describes her dream. (5:2)

2 I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling:
“Open to me, my treasure, my darling, my dove, my perfect one.
My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

1. I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling. The maiden is described as being asleep yet dreaming. In her half-awake, half-asleep state the maiden heard the voice of her beloved outside her door. Having come in some way unexpectedly (perhaps later than expected after a long day of looking after his responsibilities), the beloved found himself locked outside the maiden’s home .

2. The beloved made several appeals to the maiden:

• The appeal of his presence; simply knowing that he was at the door might have persuaded the maiden to open the door. It could have been their secret knock/ we sometimes have a signature knock.
• The voice of the beloved; the sound of his call to her & The specific request when the beloved asked, “Open for me,” it should have been enough to make the maiden to open the door. But the sound of his voice was not enough to persuade her to open the door.
• The warm and affectionate appeal; the tender and beautiful names that he called the maiden should have melted her heart. Nowhere else in the song does he pour out upon her so many affectionate names. These are warm and complimentary terms. Yet this also was not enough to persuade her to open the door: 
   
  i. My sister (my treasure): One suggestion with this title is permanence. One remains a sister forever, and that is how long the beloved wanted to be connected with his maiden. Another is depth of relationship. My sister -In the ancient Near East "sister" was a term for one's wife in love poetry and was used to emphasize the closeness of their relationship.
  ii. My love, my dove: constant faithfulness, for which doves are famous.”
  iii. My perfect one: Ethical and moral blamelessness is more the idea.  

• The description of his own discomforts for her sake; if nothing else, these should have warmed her heart to open the door. Like a shepherd out late at night watching over the flocks, his head was wet with the moisture of the dew that covered the land that night. Yet for all this, the maiden did not open the door for the beloved and allow him to enter in!

If you were the wife, what would you do upon knowing and hearing your husband's plea?

B. The woman's initial response

3 But I responded,
“I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again?
I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?”

1. In response to the warm appeal of the beloved, the maiden answered only with excuses. She was comfortable in her bed, so he could not come in. She could not be bothered with the inconvenience of dressing herself and preparing herself or sleep again .

2. How can I, Should I: “… she appears unwilling to put herself to any trouble even for her lover.” How many “I”s are here in this verse?

3. Perhaps she did not appreciate the unexpected nature of the beloved’s arrival; Perhaps he came much later than she had expected him, and therefore she felt annoyed. Perhaps this was her effort to control the relationship (“Why should I run as soon as he knocks? He can wait a little while.”)

Whatever the specific reason, she refused to promptly rise from bed and open the door. This attitude shows an insensitive spirit. She was thinking only about her comfort. “This is a remarkable picture of the kind of adjustments that are necessary in life style in every relationship.”

1. Our natural sloth (laziness)- At home sometimes we don’t want to wash dishes, cook, take care of the kids, clean the house. At work: admin details, talk
2. The differences between a man and a woman- Man-solution oriented, woman- more emotional/ feeling. “Venus & Mars” book by John Gray
3. Our uncertainty about the other’s thinking: Dayday, my wife, is the eldest, I’m the third son.
4. The variations in our life rhythms: She is a night person , I'm a day person
5. Our unwillingness to alter our preferred patterns for the other: Paradigm, way of doing and thinking
6. Our own self-consciousness: What will people think of me? What will they say? What will I get?

All contribute possibly to problems in relationship or richness of it. The bottom line here is if we look just to our own self interest relationships will break down.

Continuing on w/ the dream/story….

4 My lover tried to unlatch the door, and my heart thrilled within me.

5 I jumped up to open the door for my love, and my hands dripped with perfume.
My fingers dripped with lovely myrrh as I pulled back the bolt.
6 I opened to my lover, but he was gone! My heart sank.
I searched for him but could not find him anywhere.
I called to him, but there was no reply.

4. I arose to open for my beloved: It wasn’t that the maiden refused to open for her beloved; it was that she long delayed to do so, and delayed out of self-interest and self-indulgence, probably connected with some resentment towards the beloved.

And my hands dripped with myrrh: As the maiden finally rose from bed and came to the door, she noticed that the door or the latch of the door had been anointed with sweet perfume.

This was another reminder of the beauty and the quality of his love for her. It was a custom among some ancient peoples to anoint doors used by a bride with fragrant oils,(Clarke) “He simply left her a ‘love note’ and then went away. In their culture a lover would leave this fragrant myrrh at the door as a sign that he had been there.”

5. His response – not of anger, not of objection, but simply a non-threatening display of love – would soon awaken a loving response in her.

This is a wonderful picture of the way a husband should respond when he feels disrespected by his wife; Instead of angrily demanding respect, he should instead display his love for her in a non-threatening way and wait for the response of love to her. When the maiden finally came to the door , she found that her beloved was gone. She was too late.

"The presence and comfort of her Bridegroom are again lost to her I called him, but he gave me no answer: Now the roles were reversed. Where once the beloved called for the maiden and heard no response, now the maiden calls for him but hears no answer. She had foolishly waited too long to respond, actually working against her own self-interest.

Here we can observe that… Significant damage may be done to a relationship by:

• Holding on to resentments and refusing to be generous with forgiveness. The maiden felt resentment towards the beloved. (the nature and reasonableness of that resentment is impossible to determine).
• The attempt to force one’s interest and affections upon another, and not waiting for their response. The beloved refused to force himself upon his maiden, and would only enter at her invitation.
• Refusing or delaying response when approached in a loving and persistent way. Because of her resentment, the maiden long delayed her response to the desire of the beloved. The beloved made a true and persistent appeal to his maiden, that they might be together and enjoy their relationship. When she finally did respond, it seemed too late – the moment had passed and her beloved was gone.
• Failing to appreciate the value of an appeal to resume or build relationship, typically out of self-interest and self-indulgence, or a desire to control the relationship.

Again, what’s the main contributor to a relationship breakdown? Self-centeredness or selfishness

Selfishness in a relationship leads to isolation…we end up being separated…

Isolation-is the condition of being alone, separated, set apart from the latin word insulates-made into an island.

Isolation exists to a greater or lesser degree in every relationship where people “go their way.”

What do you think is the solution for selfishness? Allowing Jesus and the Word to change your perspective, focus; confess sin, work hard in the power of the Holy Spirit to nurture and protect your relationship.

For me & my wife (husband, father) it took 10 yrs before we really enjoyed our relationship. We attended conferences, joined small group, read books on building relationships. Practice asking forgiveness and giving it. Keep short accounts.Do unto others what you would have others do to you.

Living in victory over selfishness is a lifelong process. A husband or wife need all of the above especially the guidance of Guidance of God’s Word.

That’s why… Prov.24:3-4 By wisdom a house is built, & by understanding it is established; & by knowledge the rooms are filled w/ all precious & pleasant riches.

The 2nd part of this chapter is the woman realizing her mistake & need for companionship

II. Love Realized 7-8

7 The night watchmen found me as they made their rounds.

They beat and bruised me and stripped off my veil, those watchmen on the walls.

Since this happened in a dream, this may reflect the maiden’s guilt over her previous response to him . “Does this treatment by the watchmen reflect the girl’s guilt and sense of failure at the slowness of her response to her husband?”

We may end up bruised by the experience. Likewise, God sometimes uses the bumps and bruises of life to show us the need of companionship. Think of a time when hardship or disappointment prompted you to renew your determination to seek your spouse, your relatives, your friends…Christ.

8 Make this promise, O women of Jerusalem—

If you find my lover, tell him I am weak with love.

Tell him I am lovesick! The maiden’s plea to the daughters of Jerusalem shows that she came to regret and suffer under her previous actions. Now she was lovesick. Here she was aching at its absence. In relationship, neglect inevitably leads to a loss of intimacy.

With the realization of company, love can be restored.

III. Love Recovered 9-16

9 Why is your lover better than all others, O woman of rare beauty?

What makes your lover so special that we must promise this?

1. The Daughters of Jerusalem ask about the beloved.

a. What is your beloved more than another beloved:

In essence, the daughters of Jerusalem wanted to know what was so special about the maiden’s beloved. They wanted an explanation as for why she was so lovesick and why she so desperately sought him. This is to drive home the point of the need for someone like her lover. No man/woman is an island.

“Her anguish at her loss was so extreme, her heart-sickness was so agonizing, her frenzy so bewildering, that they were startled into feeling that he of whom she was bereft was no common lover.”

b. O fairest among women: This may have been spoken sarcastically, because (in her dream) the maiden’s appearance may have been neglected by her rapid rising, her frantic search, and her mistreatment by the watchmen. …Of why she deserves her beloved’s love.

2. (10-16) The maiden responds by describing the beloved.

10 My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others!
(tall dark & handsome, 1 in a million)

11 His head is finest gold, his wavy hair is black as a raven.

12 His eyes sparkle like doves beside springs of water;
they are set like jewels washed in milk.
(Tantalizing eyes not cross-eyed)

13 His cheeks are like gardens of spices giving off fragrance.

His lips are like lilies, perfumed with myrrh.
(smell his perfume from a distance)

14 His arms are like rounded bars of gold, set with beryl.

His body is like bright ivory, glowing with lapis lazuli.
15 His legs are like marble pillars set in sockets of finest gold.
His posture is stately, like the noble cedars of Lebanon.
(A MVP,Triathlon, Decathlon Champion)

16 His mouth is sweetness itself; he is desirable in every way.

(He’s like Shakespeare greeting me at Valentine’s day & everyday is Valentine's Day in our house)

Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my lover, my friend.

"The force of the whole unit is that in the girl’s eyes her lover (be he king or peasant) is beyond comparison.” He was tall, dark, and handsome; with a tanned face and dark hair, but his eyes were soft and tender. His cologne smelled good and his hands were so strong and gentle that they were as precious as gold.

He was strongly built from head to toe and most of all had a dignified bearing.

a. The description uses many figures of speech and expressions that sound strange to us, but the main idea is unmistakable. She was attracted to her beloved both by his character and by his physical appearance. Brought back to a fresh appreciation of the one she loved,

A wife may think that this is the kind of man she could love; but she should probably remember that at one time, her husband was this kind of man. She can see him that way again. Instead of thinking “I deserve better than him,” she started being amazed at what she once had and still does.

Of course, the exact same reasoning applies to a husband in reference to his wife.

b. “Instead of thinking of herself, she started thinking of her beloved. Instead of wanting her comfort and convenience, she desired to nurture the relationships she had started to take for granted.”

Step back and recall what you appreciated about the other person (husband, friend, office mate, boss). What are his good points, his strengths, etc. Example with kids: during a family member's birthday, ask the question that everyone answers: What is it that you appreciate about __________?

Make a habit of catching someone doing what's right, helpful, or admirable and note it down, or write him a note expressing your appreciation, admiration, esteem etc.

c. Curiously, in the context of her dream, she did not say these things to her beloved, but she said these things about him in the presence of others. It was more important for her to be convinced of these things than it was for him to hear them.

He is my lover: This is my friend: “ expresses companionship and friendship.

Express in various ways, particularly verbally and occasionally in front of others, what your husband, child or colleague has done that's positive and complimentary.

Use the 5 love languages to show respect, affection or compassion towards others.

Yahoo News Feb.1

Wilbur and Teresa Faiss, America's longest-married couple. The Las Vegas residents were first wed in April, 1933. Wilbur, now 100-years-old, A group called the Worldwide Marriage Encounter certified the marriage as the nation's longest ongoing union. On a recent trip to Nevada, President Obama was even scheduled to deliver brief remarks acknowledging the couple. As for the secret to their wedded bliss as they approach their 80th anniversary, Wilbur says, "It's very simple. It's give and take and compromise."

Conclusion:

Let there be Love!

Ruin, Realization, Recovered (Restored)

 

 

 

 

Sermon: Don't Waste Your Life (Luke 7:18-35): Tim Lewis

This sermon was originally preached on February 26th at Folsom Community Church by Tim Lewis.

Don’t Waste Your Life

Luke 7:18-35

Introduction: The Saddest Verse

In the Pixar movie “Cars” do you remember the lead character, Lightning McQueen?  He said, “I’m a precision instrument of speed and aerodynamics.”  He was designed for the NASCAR race track. So much so that, part way through the movie, you realize that he has no real headlights, they are just stickers. Then there’s Mater, the beat-up ol’ tow-truck. Not the brightest car on the lot.  “I am a precisional instrument of speed and aromatics.” But you find out that he is an expert a driving backwards, using his rear-view mirrors. Pretty useful for a tow-truck. Why were Lightning McQueen and Mater so good at their jobs? Because they were purpose-built. Doc Hudson and the dirt track, Luigi the tire changer, Mack the 18-wheeler. Each was uniquely put together; designed for a specific job.

Did you know that “We are made by God for a specific purpose”?

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10

From now until the day that you did, there is a Plan A for your life.  “We decide whether we will cooperate with that purpose.” Or we can choose Plan B. God will do what he wants to do—no one stops God—but we have a choice as to what part we will play: Plan A or Plan B.

“No one is an expert on God’s purpose except God.” The Bible says that, left to our own choices, we will wander.  (Isaiah 53:7) People say “Just follow your heart.” But our heart lies. (Jeremiah 17:9) It is like following your nose: the direction changes every time you turn your head. 

We were purpose-built by God for an amazing purpose. We are the Lightning McQueens (ka-chow!) of the spiritual world, we just need some help finding the right racetrack.

This afternoon, I am going to teach you one of the saddest verses in the Bible. If you were just browsing through the book of Luke, you might miss it. But there it is, tucked away right in the middle of the 7^th chapter. By the time you leave, you will know this verse and, more importantly, you will know the first step for anyone who wants to find God’s purpose for their life. Ready?

It says:

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. – Luke 7:30

So sad. They rejected God’s purpose for themselves. They rejected God’s purpose. They rejected God. They took God’s plan and decided, somehow, to give it the big thumbs down. So many questions. Why did they reject God’s purpose? Do we do the same thing?

Four parts:

1.       But…

2.       The Pharisees and the experts in the law.

3.       Rejected God’s purpose for themselves.

4.       Because they had not been baptized by John.

Let’s break this down and talk through each part. Let's memorize it and its message together.

But

The first part of the verse is “but”—one word.

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. – Luke 7:30

Now for those of you who remember your grammar, this is a conjunction (not a noun!) It connects and contrasts this rejection of God’s purpose with what has been going on before. Jesus’s ministry is really taking off. Just in this chapter, he healed the Roman commander’s servant and brought the widow’s son back to life. But as Jesus’ star is rising, John the Baptizer’s ministry has hit a snag. Called by God to get people ready for the Messiah, he was doing great right up until he told the king that sleeping with his brother’s wife wasn’t kosher in God’s eyes, which earned him a do-not-pass-go-do-not-collect-$200 trip to jail.

So John sends a pair of his disciples to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one or should we expect someone else?” (vs. 19) What a loaded question! When you are in jail, can’t see very much and John really wants to know: “Did I do my job? Did I fulfill my purpose? Did I do the job God had for me? Or did I just waste my life and tell off the most powerful man in all of Judea for nothing?”

Here is the key point: God is at work all around us. Sometimes we imagine that God is passive; that he needs a rest or maybe he doesn’t care enough to get up and intervene. John was in prison. If the kingdom of God was really taking off, should one of the star players be on the bench, on prison. But John is wise enough to know he does not have the whole picture. And, like John, we can’t always see God at work. We need help to see what is going on, because the work of God does not consist of buildings and programs and budgets; instead it consists of healed lives, of restored vision, of mended relationships—of Good News. These don’t make the headlines; but they are what matter most.

So Jesus connects the dots—shows John the bigger picture of how God was at work.

So that’s the first part of the verse. But. But what?

The Pharisees and the Experts in the Law

The second part of the verse is “the Pharisees and the experts in the law”. “But the Pharisees and the experts in the law.”

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. – Luke 7:30

Here is the key point: God invites us all to join His work. He doesn’t have favorites based on family background or religious background or economic background or political beliefs. So what does God care about?

Who were the Pharisees? They were a faction within Jewish social life who acted like monitors for political and religious correctness. They monitored public morals, to make sure people were acting the way that God’s people should act.  These were good people. If I had a daughter, I’d be looking for a young Pharisee boy for her to marry. They were good, upstanding, well-behaved, hands-to-themselves sort of people. What about the “experts in the law”? These were experts in Bible interpretation. When someone wanted to know what God thought about X or Y, they would pick apart the verses of the Old Testament to provide an answer.

So how did they reject God’s purpose for themselves? What’s worse, look at the type of people who were getting it right. Back up one verse:

All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. – Luke 7:29

“But the Pharisees and the experts in the law…” Why were the good citizens and the Bible readers out and everyone else in the kingdom of God?

God has a plan and the job description for people he wants to work with did not consist of how many Bible verses they had memorized or how many church services they had attended or how many rosaries they said, or how they didn’t do any of the big bad sins. No, it was this: they “acknowledged that God’s way was right.”

The problem that the Pharisees and the experts in the law had was that the Bible should have prepared them to hear God’s message of repentance and Good News through Jesus, They were so worried about the “other” people that they missed the growing hardness of their own heart. In the mean time, those who would have been considered the least likely members of Jewish society to be ready for God’s message—like tax collectors—were all over Jesus’ message.  

[Missionaries to the Philippines. Talk about how I and my wife Helen felt we were really qualified to be missionaries to the Philippines, but it was exactly that attitude that led to us not being able to go so that God could work on that entitlement attitidue in our lives.] Any time we look at ourselves or someone else and think, “What an asset I am to the kingdom of God!” That is the time to watch out. God once decided that his prophet Balaam wasn’t doing a good enough job, so he had a donkey speak the truth instead.

God invites us all to join His work. It doesn’t matter where we’ve come from, as long as we are willing to say, “God, your way is right. Forget my way, God, your way is the highway”

Repeat with me: “But the Pharisees and the experts in the law…”

Rejected God’s Purpose for Themselves

The third part of the verse is “rejected God’s purpose for themselves”.

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. – Luke 7:30

On my desk I have an amazing computer, quad-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, 2TB hard drive, incredible graphics, Gb Ethernet connection, high-speed cable modem. I can remember when I had 128 KB of RAM and my entire high school had to share 5MB of hard drive space. I bought the new computer with all those computing resources for my work—and a little fun on the side. But a while ago I learned a lesson, when one of the computers in my house got a virus. Suddenly, all the resources of that computer, no matter how powerful or well-constructed or well-connected were useless to me, because it no longer obeyed me, but rather obeyed the virus.  It became slower and slower, popped all sorts of complaints and was effectively unusable. Finally I had to salvage what I could, wiped the hard drive and started over from scratch.

My friends, when it comes to our life, God is the operator, with his plan and his purpose for our life. Then we have our plans—that’s the virus—that’s the sin nature. Soon all our resources are consumed by our agenda, and nothing is left for God’s.  For God to salvage something, he must do something.

We are not God. God is at work all around us. And he is not hiding—he shows us what he is doing and invites us to join. At that point, we must decide—will we keep our current life or will we choose the life God planned for us? These are not usually major life events—they are usually smaller: will I smile or frown, will I forgive or hold a grudge, will I be bold or fearful.  Key point: God’s invitation leads to a crisis of believe that requires faith and action.

 The road to insignificance is paved with a million detours from the will of God.

Look at the verse again: But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves…

Because They Had Not Been Baptized by John

The final part of the verse is “because they had not been baptized by John”.

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. – Luke 7:30

What was so special about John’s baptism? Why did God care about the river Jordan? The river was just a river. And John was just a man. And the baptism was just a swim. How do I know all of this? Because we know from other records (Matthew 3) that, in fact, the Pharisees tried to be baptized, but John wouldn’t let them.  In fact, he told them off, calling them a bunch of snakes.

That doesn’t seem very fair. They miss God’s plan because they don’t get baptized, and when they tried to get baptized, no one would let them.  What gives? Listen to the reason John gave: “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” (Matthew 3:8)

The key was a changed heart. John recognized that they wanted baptism without the repentance—dunking without any change of heart-- just one more thing they could check off their spiritual checklist. They really weren’t interested in God’s plan or God’s attitudes. They wanted God’s blessing to somehow co-exist with the virus. Maybe if God blessed them enough, they could keep their pet virus and still function.

It seems ridiculous, but it is also what we try to do. We want  God’s guidance—but  we don’t want to listen to God.  At some point, I have to say, I am wrong. I don’t know. I am lost and messed up and hosing my life and need God just like every other person. Saying that to God and paying attention to God is the baptism. Miss that and you will miss God’s purpose for your life. Key Point: If you want God’s purpose, You must make major adjustments in your life to join God.

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. – Luke 7:30

Conclusion: God’s Plan for You Is Unique

You know what? I don’t want to live out this verse in my life. I don’t want to be a Pharisee. I don’t want to miss out on God’s purpose for my life. Let me turn this verse around for you:

Therefore, you and I embrace God’s purpose for our lives, because we will do anything to follow God’s plan.

Are you ready do whatever it takes? Just like the virus, God must start by a complete re-install of the operating system that we have for our lives. The old pattern is fatally infected.  The Bible says:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  – Romans 12:2a (NIV)

If we do this, we are ready to listen to what God has to say, and we will know God’s purpose.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2b (NIV)

I wonder about my job [computer programmer] sometimes-if God can really use it. But then, a few days ago, I got an e-mail from a software engineer I’d never met; who knew me maybe because of my book or because of some conference where I spoke. He said, “Hi Tim! I am your fan…And I have a question I want to confirm with you: Are you a Christian? Because I am a Christian” He went on to say “I am glad to get response from you , it encourages me to keep grow up in Jesus faith and software tech.  Keep in touch and God bless.”

Now is the time to get serious. It is easy to float along, day-to-day, month-to-month and soon the years are slipping by. Don’t waste your life. God takes us by the collar and shakes us and says: You were meant for more than this. Why did I give you a family? Why did I give you a job? Why did I give you a place to live? So that you could squander them, fade away, and live a mostly harmless life? No! You were meant for more than this. Don’t settle for Plan B, when Plan A is right there. You were made in the image of God, to carry his name, to bring his light and life to every dark place.

So many times I start my prayers to God like this: “I want to serve you. I make so many mistakes and from selfish motives. Can you please help me?”

1.       I want to do what God wants me to do.

2.       I don’t know how to do it.

3.       I don’t want to live another day going a different direction.

Jesus, won’t you teach me.  Jesus, won’t you change my heart. Jesus, won’t you give me joy in your plan.

But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. – Luke 7:30

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[1] Some material adapted from Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby, http://www.blackaby.net/expgod/

Sermon: Eternal Scars (Isaiah 53): Pastor Sanny Olojan

This sermon was preached on Feburary 5, 2012 at Folsom Community Church by Pastor Sanny Olojan

ETERNAL SCARS

INTRODUCTION

Scars tell a story. Our physical scars have a story behind it. We share to our close friends our emotional scars.

Many texts in scriptures suggest that when Jesus comes, there will be no more scars. We will have a glorifed body when Jesus comes (1 Corinthians 15).

Revelations 21 suggests a healing of our emotional wounds.
Jesus' scars are unique:

1. It was foretold that He would be wounded - Isaiah 53 is one of those texts
2. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) talk about His death
3. The Gospels in post-resurrection stories mention Jesus showing His scars to the disciples (Luke 24:39, John 20:19-29) and...
4. After the ascension, John sees Jesus he calls as Lamb appearing to have been slain (with scars still) (Revelation 5:6)

Note: John 1:29 mentions how John the Baptist has pointed to his disciples (which included John the author of the gospel and Revelation) that Jesus was the Lamb of God. John did not see an animal lamb but the ascended Jesus still with bad scars.

We see Jesus' scars right now through the eyes of faith. There are indications that we will see them physically.

The scars tell of a story of the wounds that healed us.

WHY WOULD GOD THE SON STILL WEAR THE SCARS?

It can be debatable if Jesus will still have the scars in the New Heaven and New Earth. There are scriptural indications that He would.

Let me suggest reasons why:

The scars would remind us

1. of His eternal love - The agape love of God (John 3:16) was shown when the Son sent to mankind died for our sins. In eternity, when we look at the scars, we have a vivid manifestation of the magnitude of God's love for us.
2. of His sufficient and finished work -   He cried, "It is finished" at the cross. The Epistles remind us of the sufficient and finished work of Christ for our salvation and sanctification. The scars tell that truth.
3. of forgiveness - The provision so that we can have a relationship with God is reconciliation through justification by faith. Also, God paid for the sins of those who injured us, wounding us giving us the scars. We are to let go of asking for retribution to that which Jesus paid for. His scars show the proof of that payment.
4. of His power - There is the power of resurrection after a brutal death and sacrifice. It shows that He was the One who had the power over death: the scars.
5. that we are healed - Even if we are still healing, the promise is we are already healed.

APPLICATION