I. Call
a. Sense of call from God
– subjective
– rarely audible
b. Do others concur
c. Consistent with scripture

II. Women in ministry
a. Basic principles
– prejudice
“slavery, sexism, and racism have all been justified by selective reading of the Bible. It is always easier to adopt cultural prejudices then to adopt a radical New Testament perspective.”
- consistent message in scripture- can’t contradict
b. Background

c. Problem texts
1 Cor 14:34, 35
– what law
– Jewish tradition forbids women to speak in the synagogue- “out of respect to the congregation, a woman should not herself read the law.”- Talmud
“ it is a shame for a woman to let her voice be heard among men.” “The voice of a woman is filthy naked.”
“ may the words of the torah be burned rather than then be handed over to women”
– emphasis on order
– contradict 11:3
1 Timothy 2:11,12
– first time for women in service
– problem in Ephesus
*5:13-15
*authentēs- in contemporary use often meant domineer or even violent sense
*temple prostitutes- how dress earlier
d. Positive scripture
– women in tent of meetings- priests and Levites
Exodus 38:8 and first Samuel 2:22
– Deborah- Judges 4
– Huldah- 2 Kings 22
– Luke 8:1-3 Mary Joanna
– Mary sat a Jesus feet and heard teaching
– women witnesses to resurrection -not allowed to testify in court – unreliable.
– Acts 21:9- 4 umarried daughters who prophesied
– Pricilla teaching with her husband Apollo
– Titus 2:3- Older women- could be word Elder
– Phoebe deacon- Romans 16 also woman workers vs 13
– Also puts Pricilla important first also Rom 16 Acts 18:18,26 2Tim. 4:9
– Junias Romans 16:7 an apostle
– Phil 4:3 women who labored with Paul
– Gift of spirit to be a pastor does not restrict women Acts 2:17-20
– I Timothy 3:1-11 Vs 11 Women not wives no their (autos)
-Galatians 3:28 “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all in one Christ Jesus”.

Chuck Swindoll. “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on Life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, or say or do. Attitude is more important than appearances, giftedness, or skill. Attitude will make or break a company — a church — a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude that we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people act a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude — I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”

I. Gem 1
1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart

-Closing the deal

II. Gem 2
2:1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Not what I need in a pastor, what does the church need.
Older people want someone to take care of them
Need a young man or woman or couple who can bring in younger people
This will mean change and need to be in unity

III. Gem 3
2:13 Do everything without grumbling or arguing,
Support the session and new leadership.
Might require more of you.

IV. Gem 4
3:7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Keep Christ as the center of this process
Wanting to please Jesus
At the end of this process will your relationship with Christ be stronger or weaker
Will God be able to say to you “well done good and faithful servants”
Continue to be faithful in giving
This not just about finding a new pastor it is about being faithful

V. Gem 5
3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The interim or the new pastor will not do things as we did them
Do not say “But we have always done it this way”
“We tried that and it didn’t work”
God is going to do a new thing and it will be good
It may not be comfortable. But what begins as new will someday be old.
When God brings you new leadership- follow them- not what you want
God will anoint them -give them a chance
This is the greatest way to honor what we have done

VI. Gem 6
4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

“Attitude is the minds paintbrush. It can color a situation gloomy or gray, or cheerful. In fact, attitudes are more important than facts.”

Make prayer a priority
Feel this is a way we have failed you
Not praying the way we need to
If you want God’s will for this church pray it into existence
If you don’t pay the price in prayer don’t complain if you are not happy with outcome

VII. Gem 7
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Story of falling off Raven Cliff Falls while backpacking. I thought the rocks were wet, but not too slippery, went to the edge to see the long view down. Fell 43 feet.

Many people will say “what you believe is not important, but how you live.” This is like arguing over which wing on an airplane is more important – it’s nonsense both are needed Likewise, the way we live and the way we believe are both very important.

Beginning about 250 years ago, liberalism –
a view of the Bible as a purely natural book began developing and growing in influence -
Sought to gut Christianity of its historic beliefs
Today : increasingly influential form of Christianity in the West, culturally and politically,

Ironically, as this ascends, actual membership in churches that believe this way descend and decline

The direction all around us, direction in our culture, even in the church is away from faith. What are the characteristic of this and how shall we avoid them?

First the traits:
Method of interpretation is challenged – A “literal” approach to the Bible is rejected. We must keep faith by walking in the steps of those Christians who have
Miraculous is rejected – supernatural aspects of the biblical history are denied or reinterpreted to fit a naturalistic world view
Morality is discarded – morality as taught in Scripture is seen as an outdated and backward
Messiah – who is he? A good teacher, a guide, or Lord of all, member of the Trinity, the Way the Truth and the Life.
You need to know what we believe, what you believe and
how to take a stand on these beliefs.

When in Nepal, immunizations against Rabies, Hepatitis, TB, Diptheria, Typhoid, and a number of others. Since 1986, 52 immunizations of various types

Similarly, immunize our minds to this drift in faith

1. Method of Interpretation: Liberalism and Literalism
According to liberalism, “literalism” — interpreting the Bible literally — is dead.
Ironically, liberals are typically unclear as to what it is they are rejecting and why.
liberals criticize literal interpretation: some new and strange way of reading the Bible invented by twentieth-century fundamentalists.
really criticizing: practice of reading the Bible in the traditional fashion.
orthodox and conservative Christians: taking the Bible literally means
to interpret the texts of the Bible according to ordinary canons of interpretation — reading the words of the text in their proper literary and historical contexts.
accept its historical narratives as descriptions of actual past events
its statements about God conveying meaningful truths: God’s nature, actions, moral standards.
e.g. Jesus born in Bethlehem, rose from the dead,
God really does know everything, is all powerful, really does disapprove of adultery.
IN FACT it is liberalism that offers a new way of reading the Bible.
abandonment of “literal” meaning of Scripture for a symbolic or “deeper” or demythologized meaning has many problems…
one especially fatal: If Bible no longer believable as written and as it has been understood for millennia, then…
why try to hold onto it at all?
Why not simply admit that they don’t believe the Bible and move on with their lives?
many liberalized leaders (mainline churches) stay in church – don’t wish to give up positions: power & influence in the church.

2. The Miraculous – Christianity With or Without Miracles?
Assumption: miracles are unbelievable, cannot & do not happen.
Assumption in biblical scholarship of liberal seminaries & colleges throughout western Christianity.
What happens to Bible and our faith if we do away with the miraculous:
Exodus, the deliverance of the Israelites from their bondage to Egypt, is gone the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea).
God speaking to the patriarchs and the prophets throughout the Old Testament cannot be allowed to stand.
miracles performed through Elijah and Elisha, Isaiah and Daniel, are only legends.
Jesus is allowed to perform exorcisms and healings (since these can be explained as psychosomatic cures), but Jesus walking on water /changing water into wine /feeding thousands of people with one boy’s lunch/ & similar miracles are interpreted in naturalistic terms or as later legends. /resurrection = the ongoing life of his spirit or the embodiment of his ideals in his disciples.
Why this systematic questioning of the miraculous in the Bible?
Liberals rarely explain in straightforward manner, but very simple: those who came up with this did not believe in God of the Bible – transcendent, all-powerful, Creator God of which the Bible speaks.
Rather, mostly deists (according to whom there is a Creator but he does not or cannot do miracles),
some pantheists (according to whom God is a divine reality that undergirds or pervades the cosmos).

We believe these things:
God as the creator distinct from the creation
Adam as a special creation and historical figure
The Devil as an actual entity/ personal, fallen angel
The historical fall of humanity from innocence into sin
Israel as ever having been God’s chosen people
The doctrine of the Trinity
Christ as preexisting in heaven before his human life
Christ as the incarnation of God, as the God-man
The virgin birth of Christ
Christ performed miracles
The bodily resurrection of Christ
The ascension of Christ
The Atonement — Christ’s death as delivering human beings from sin
Salvation through faith in Christ alone
Eternal punishment for the unbelieving or the wicked4
The obvious question is, what’s left?
Take all these doctrines away from Christianity, and you have nothing left that distinguishes Christianity from humanism. they ought to be honest enough to admit that they aren’t Christians.

3. Is Biblical Morality Out of Date or Eternal?
Liberals: Morality in much if not most of the Bible is unacceptable.
-eternal punishment, by the Old Testament claim that God commanded Israel to destroy the Canaanite peoples, -
-by alleged anti-Semitism in the New Testament,
-by biblical toleration of slavery, and so forth.
In short, they believe: we ought to regard ourselves as having advanced (or “evolved”) beyond the morality and spirituality of the Bible.
four important points— reasoning used by liberals in making these criticisms.

First liberals’ moral sensibilities are standard by which they judge the Bible.
Assumption: their moral judgment is superior to that of the Bible. Since, they believe, Bible -not a revelation from God, or inspired, then no good reason to accept its moral guidance.
one of the major claims made by the Bible is that our moral sensibility is out of whack — that we deceive ourselves in matters of right and wrong to justify our sinful desires – our inner moral compass is misaligned – we would expect the Bible to disagree with our moral beliefs at least on some points.
Unless we assume that our moral sensibility is perfect, we should be suspicious of any allegedly inspired book that merely confirms our own moral intuitions.

second and directly related point: liberals underestimate the moral and spiritual depravity of humanity
-human beings are basically good, therefore much of the biblical revelation reflected. e.g. eternal punishment makes no sense if human beings are basically good
— but it makes fine sense if fallen human beings are incorrigibly depraved and rebellious against God in their hearts apart from the transforming grace of God in Jesus Christ.

Third, inconsistently appeal to biblical morality they like // criticize the parts they don’t like.
Parts they like
-ethical principle: essential equality of the sexes and races — learned by the liberals from the Bible (e.g., Acts 17.26; Gal. 3.28; Col. 3.11
( – but then will often quote such passages and pit them against those they imagine teach sexism or racism.
-Liberals invariably elevate love as supreme ethical value
- criticize Old Testament morality, quoting Jesus to back up their argument — but fail to notice that Jesus was quoting the Old Testament “love of God and neighbor greatest commandments”(Mark 12.29-31; Dt. 6.4-5) -but burn moral absolutes, especially about
-lifestyle choices, including
honesty, alcohol use, human sexulality, reproduction, sanctity of life,
list goes on
STORY liberal friend of mine, very well educated, went to top school, once suggested “prostitution should be legalized, since there were not any victims.” I asked about the women – are they not victims?

Finally, liberals fallaciously criticize biblical ethics by pointing to its abuses. perhaps one of most common errors (in the misinterpretation of biblical teachings.)
use of passages in which God commanded Israel to kill Canaanites by people seeking to justify wars of aggression against neighboring nations is an obvious abuse of those passages. Never is anything said in the Old Testament that would encourage such a generalized application.

4. The Messiah – who is he? A good teacher, a guide, or Lord of all, member of the Trinity, the Way the Truth and the Life.
Liar
Lunatic or
Lord

The Challenge of Liberalism
“What’s the big deal?” problem of liberalism – complicated in our churches – gained acceptance in degrees.
church members who accept some biblical miracles some of the church’s distinctive beliefs, but not all of historical and doctrinal claims.
not two neatly divided camps but instead spectrum of views from thoroughly conservative and orthodox to thoroughly liberal and heretical. Our challenge: make the issues clear to the laity in the mainline churches. Many do not understand what is at stake in the liberal revisionist interpretations of the Bible and of Christian faith.

The Faith Response that Jesus Wants
NOT RELIGION but RELATIONSHIP

hold on to:
-the method of interpretation handed down to us from centuries of faithful brothers and sister
-Look for the Lord to move Miraculously in your life and in this church
-Hold on to Biblical Morality
-follow the Messiah and keep very close to Him

Most Important be loving and be faithful. Keep the love of Jesus Christ and Keep the Faith.

When I was in high school I had committed my life to Christ and to serving Him. During my senior year, my sister, who is four years older than me returned home after living in some rather serious counter cultural settings, typical of the early 70’s. There was one evening when my sister was quarreling with my parents about going out to a Bible study. I was very involved in Young Life at the time and my parents felt Young Life was safe, though they didn’t particularly understand it. My sister, though, was going to some Bible study that my parents just didn’t like. She had met some people on her return to Richmond that were rather insistent, even kind of domineering. So I asked my sister what was going on, what did the people leading the Bible study believe? She hadn’t been talking long before I knew something was wrong. I couldn’t tell you what, but I knew I didn’t like it. So I did a little research and found out that the “Bible study” was actually a cult group called “The Way” (kind of like Boston Church of Christ).

So, here I was 18 years old, not a college student yet, never taken a religion course and certainly had not gone to seminary. I had gone to Young Life’s campaigner’s Bible study for a year and that helped me a lot. But just reading my Bible on a regular basis gave me enough insight into knowing that what my sister was being sucked into was wrong.

Freshman year University of Virginia, a similar thing happened but it was me being invited to a Bible study. There was a very insistent fellow who wanted me to come to his group because his group “had the answers.” It was a strongly Pentecostal group and very legalistic. As we talked I understood from him that he believed that if a person did not speak in tongues they were not a real Christian. I felt very judged by this guy, even hurt, but I knew deep inside, that something was wrong. Turns out this group was also quasi cultic. How did I knew he was wrong? Again, no Bible training per se yet. Because I had read my Bible and understood its basic message.

Today I want to talk about the importance of knowing God’s Word.

Let’s look at the problem and then talk about some solutions.

Issue of false teachers- tossed to and fro every wind of doctrine (Eph)
2 Cor. 11:1-6 A different Jesus, a different Spirit, a different Gospel
Galatians 1:6-9
Ephesians 4:14-16
1 Tim.1:1-11
2 Peter 1:12-21
Jude 1-4
2 Timothy 3-4

14 Σὺ δὲ μένε ἐν οἷς ἔμαθες καὶ ἐπιστώθης, εἰδὼς παρὰ τίνων ἔμαθες, 15 καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ βρέφους [τὰ] ἱερὰ γράμματα οἶδας, τὰ δυνάμενά σε σοφίσαι εἰς σωτηρίαν διὰ πίστεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. 16 πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἐλεγμόν, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, 17 ἵνα ἄρτιος ᾖ ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος, πρὸς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐξηρτισμένος.

14. But you, remain (abide) in this which you have learned and been established in (convinced of), because you know from whom you have learned it. 15. And from infancy you have known the sacred writings (Holy Scripture), which are able to make you wise into salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16. All Scripture is God-breathed and beneficial (useful, profitable) for teaching, for reproof (rebuking), correction (reformation of manners), for training (instruction, discipline) in righteousness, 17. That the man of God (people of God/all God’s people) may be completely (thoroughly) trained, proficient, qualified, competent) equipped for every good work.

Yesterday afternoon standing right here Michael Bilodeau and Krista Behrends held hands and pledged to be married to each other. Everyone could tell this couple is in love. They looked into each other’s eyes and said these words: (wedding vows). They made a covenant to each other.
Today’s Scripture is about God making a New Covenant with His people. They broke the old one, over and over, and the prophet Jeremiah is telling them that God is going to make a new one with them. Just a few short years before the Big Judgment was to fall on Israel, where everything is going to be destroyed (like being nuked), God is telling them he is making a New Covenant with them.
הִנֵּ֛ה יָמִ֥ים בָּאִ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְכָרַתִּ֗י אֶת־בֵּ֧ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּרִ֥ית חֲדָשָֽׁה׃
Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, and I will cut with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant (testament, treaty, pledge, marriage).
32 לֹ֣א כַבְּרִ֗ית אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּרַ֙תִּי֙ אֶת־אֲבוֹתָ֔ם בְּיוֹם֙ הֶחֱזִיקִ֣י בְיָדָ֔ם לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֖רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם
אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֜מָּה הֵפֵ֣רוּ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֗י וְאָנֹכִ֛י בָּעַ֥לְתִּי בָ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Not a covenant like what I cut with their fathers in the day when I took (strengthened) their hands to lead them out of the land of Mizrayim (Egypt), because they broke (thwart, frustrate, cause to fail) my covenant, though I am (pf) married to them, declares the Lord.

33 כִּ֣י זֹ֣את הַבְּרִ֡ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶכְרֹת֩ אֶת־בֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אַחֲרֵ֨י הַיָּמִ֤ים הָהֵם֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה נָתַ֤תִּי אֶת־תּֽוֹרָתִי֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔ם וְעַל־לִבָּ֖ם אֶכְתֲּבֶ֑נָּה וְהָיִ֤יתִי לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה יִֽהְיוּ־לִ֥י לְעָֽם׃
“Rather, this is the covenant I will cut with the house of Israel after that day,” declares the Lord.
I will put (place) my law into their inner parts (middle parts, “the psychological faculties of the inner person” and write it (engrave) on their hearts, and I will be (pf) the God of the them and they will be to me the people.

Why did we break the old one? Why does anyone break a covenant in relationships? We perceive that the one with whom we are in covenant no longer loves us or desires to be in relationship with us. We are disillusioned as to the relationship, our expectations are disappointed. Hebrews 3 tells us sin deceives us. We think that if we can do this/that, have this thing/that thing, we will be happy. But sin hardens us to God (3:13) and causes us to fall into unbelief (3:18).
The New Covenant Jeremiah speaks of is written on our hearts of flesh. It is no longer the letter of the law (see Paul), the outward requirement which is good, but an inward desire. This comes by knowing that we know God loves truly loves us.

Jer 32:38 After the punishment and when the people return, God promises He will give the singleness of heart and action, so that they will fear him. How the inner covenant of the heart works out in practicality.

But the world throws at us the lie that God does not love us. “if he loves you then how come…” your spouse left you, your father abused you, your child dies of a drug overdose, your boss fired you, you were injured in a car crash…
Our hearts grow hard and we fall into unbelief. But Heb. 2 tells us Jesus was tempted just as we are. Thus he is able to help us.

Harry and Bekah’s “hooding” ceremony. Spend time in the Word and in prayer every day. Most important thing. This is how we remain convinced God loves us. We hear his voice, we feel his presence, we stand in faith on His Word.

How did PCUSA get to this point of today, 5/10/11, of approving gay ordination, that we no longer require fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness or church officers? Unbelief. We don’t believe God is good, don’t believe His Word. Hearts hardened by sin.

1. Pain hits us- from Satan, broken world.
2. We question God’s love/goodness.
3. We believe that God will not or cannot meet our needs so we seek to meet them our way.
4. We dapple in sin
5. Unbelief creeps in
6. Turn away from God- to the point like Israelites in Egypt after Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem, “we will not obey, we will not listen” (last chpts of Jeremiah.

How do we overcome this cycle?
1.“Do what you did at first” Rev.
2. Get back into place of worship- quiet times,
3. Come to church, Bible studies, small groups.
4. Tell others about your faith.
Heb 4. Today we called to enter his rest. Yet he is a God who does not excuse sin. He judges us according to his word, sharper than two edged sword. But at same time he calls us to boldly come into his presence. Jesus understands our weaknesses and calls us to come. Pcusa fails in that it pretends the sin isn’t real or bible is wrong. No, we come boldly yet in fear, confidently yet in humility.

Intro:
On Thursday last week, Debbie and I went to place my parents told me never to go. We went to a place that I grew up greatly fearing. A place my parents often talked about, wondering why it had become so bad. The place was frequently headlined in our local newspaper. Another murder, another rape, a drug bust, cars being stolen, youth being shot. About 20 years ago Debbie and I visited that place, too. I was told then that neighborhood was one where UPS refused to deliver packages, Sears wouldn’t deliver washing machines, and the police stayed away from. The place is called Church Hill, on Richmond’s east side. For decades it had one of the nation’s worst murder rates, in the top 10%. To those of us living on the west side of the city in the 1960’s, Church Hill was our Nineveh. Thursday Debbie and I had lunch sitting at a picnic table, meeting with staff of YWAM, asking them about their ministry of community development.
You see, sometime in the last 20 years, Jonah has gone to Church Hill and Church Hill is being transformed. It still has a long way to go. But what once was despised is now becoming a place of reconciliation and health. It still has a long way to go, but God is moving.

Today I want you to think of a place. Perhaps it is a city. Maybe it is a neighborhood, a school, a classroom, a house… some place that you don’t like. Maybe that you are even afraid of. Even worse, maybe that you even hate. And perhaps you have good reason to hate it. It hurt you, disappointed you, or hurt someone you love. Think of that place… and let’s play Jonah.

Jonah had reason to hate Nineveh. The Assyrians were arch enemies to his people and for centuries had attacked them, killing them, stealing from them, and enslaving them. Nineveh was the capital of the nation. Genesis 10:8 enemies all the way back to the sons of Noah.
(show geo slide)

Read 1:1-3 Heb.
Re-tell chpt 1.

Illus- African bishop visiting Paraguay. Many of the children had never seen and African before and were fascinated by his beautiful dark skin, rich voice, and many stories to tell. The children had read accounts of Africans, particularly of some of the more primitive practices of tribal peoples 150-200 years ago, so to see an Episcopal African bishop, all dressed in his church regalia, was an anomaly. The children asked him how long he had been a bishop, and the told them that his father had been a bishop, that his father had been, and his father and his father, but that his great, great, great grandfather ate an Episcopal bishop.

3:10
וַיַּרְא הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כִּי־שָׁבוּ מִדַּרְכָּם הָרָעָה וַיִּנָּחֶם הָאֱלֹהִים עַל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת־לָהֶם וְלֹא עָשָׂה׃

When God saw what they did, that they turned from their evil (wicked, immoral) way, God changed his mind (was comforted) about the disaster (evil, wickedness) which he had said he would do to them and did not do it.

Jonah 4:10
חוּס -pity, look upon with compassion pity, spare;—a. of the eye, עין, תח(ו)ס על (לא) the eye shall (not) look with compassion, pity, upon on poor and needy;
And should I not have compassion on 120000 people
Everybody needs compassion
“Our God is mighty to save.” Closing song before prayer time.

Issues at hand:
Disobedience of the messenger, but God’s determination and salvation for him and them.
God’s love for the lost.
The messenger’s hatred for the lost.
The messenger’s selfishness (American church)

Show couple photos of orphans from Haiti to elicit sense of compassion, then have people think of ones struggle with.

Intro:
As we all know here sitting today, our church and the Kemp family are soon to enter into a new chapter of life, actually, perhaps, for us, a new volume. As I look back over our 22 years here, a definite transition was when we moved from living in the manse, where Carl and Jenny live now, to our home on E. Mayer Dr. My kids were 15, 13, 8 years old at the time. Friday night Debbie volunteered to baby sit the Whitlatch children in the manse, where we lived for 12 years, where Micah and Rachael were both born. I got to put Caroline to bed, in the nursery, the same room we used for Micah and Rachael. And boy did that bring back the memories. I remember so well a picture we hung over Rachael’s crib: God danced the day you were born.” It expressed our love for our children, but even more, it was a declaration of faith that that is truly how God feels about each of His children.

Now, for most of us here, we can readily feel/state/declare this for a small child as we gaze on that child sleeping. Whether it’s your own child, a grandchild, a family member, or just someone you know and love. But today, my hope is that each of us will begin a little to move into a place where we see ourselves at that child… that is, to start to believe that God danced the day I was born, that the day you were born.

Let’s look into the prophet Zephaniah now.

14 רָנִּי בַּת־צִיּוֹן הָרִיעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂמְחִי וְעָלְזִי בְּכָל־לֵב בַּת יְרוּשָׁלָםִ׃

Sing for joy (shout aloud, make it loud and public), daughter of Zion,
Shout O Israel (hiphil imperative- command to cause yourself to shout- in anticipation of something good about to happen)
Rejoice and be jubilant, with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. (be in a reveling state of great joy and happiness- expressed outwardly)

15 הֵסִיר יהוה מִשְׁפָּטַיִךְ פִּנָּה אֹיְבֵךְ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל יהוה בְּקִרְבֵּךְ לֹא־תִירְאִי רָע עוֹד׃
The Lord has removed the judgments against you (he has turned aside removed your sentence from you- commuted your sentence)
He has turned away your enemies
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst (in the heart of you (sg), soul, inner being, bowels)- he is intimately in you, not just camped out somewhere where you have to go find Him.
You will not be afraid of evil any longer

16 בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יֵאָמֵר לִירוּשָׁלַםִ אַל־תִּירָאִי צִיּוֹן אַל־יִרְפּוּ יָדָיִךְ׃

In that day it will be said to Jerusalem
“Do not be afraid Zion,
Do not let your hands hang limp” (do not act like you feel powerless, like a victim)

17 יהוה אֱלֹהַיִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּךְ גִּבּוֹר יוֹשִׁיעַ יָשִׂישׂ עָלַיִךְ בְּשִׂמְחָה יַחֲרִישׁ בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ יָגִיל עָלַיִךְ בְּרִנָּה׃

The Lord the God of you is in the midst of you (in your inner parts)
A mighty one who saves (a hero, warring angel, mighty warrior who saves)
He delights (rejoices, is glad, is pleased-(vb) in you with gladness (joy, gladness, delight, pleasure- noun)
He quiets you in his love (cause you to be quiet, still, silent) alt trans NIV- in his love he will not take action, or he will be quiet, meaning the punishment/rebuke will not come- ‘quiet’ or ‘still’ also means ‘no action’
He rejoices over you in singing. (vs 14)

Birthday greeting on Facebook:

“may you know God’s utter delight today in His wonderful creation named Allen…Happy Birthday…” Ed Brenegar.

Happy Birthday, Allen! God danced the day you were born

Receiving mail at Camp Virginia. Every day mail call was exciting. The mail got sorted by what cabin you were in, and then names were called out. If you Receiving a “care package” while away at college. Makes you feel loved.
1. Ἀρχόμεθα πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστάνειν; ἢ μὴ χρῄζομεν ὥς τινες συστατικῶν ἐπιστολῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐξ ὑμῶν;
Are we beginning to recommend (commend- idea of standing with) ourselves again? Or do we, as some, have need for letters of recommendation to you or from you?
2 ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἡμῶν ὑμεῖς ἐστε, ἐγγεγραμμένη ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν, γινωσκομένη καὶ ἀναγινωσκομένη ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνθρώπων,
The letter of us is you (our letter is you), written in this heart of ours, known and recognized by every person.
3 φανερούμενοι ὅτι ἐστὲ ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφʼ ἡμῶν, ἐγγεγραμμένη οὐ μέλανι ἀλλὰ πνεύματι θεοῦ ζῶντος, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν λιθίναις ἀλλʼ ἐν πλαξὶν καρδίαις σαρκίναις.
You demonstrate (reveal, make visible, make known) that you are a letter of Christ from our ministry, written not in (black) ink but by the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of hearts of flesh

1 Cor. 3- you are pneumatikos, not sarkikos. The recommendation, the evidence, the proof is in the pudding itself- you, how you live.
2 cor. 3.8 We marvel at Moses, the glory on his face when came out of tent of meeting. But what is in us is far greater, it doesn’t fade. The ministry of the spirit.
Jews today minds are veiled. They cannot see or understand, but the veil has been removed from us who believe in Jesus as Messiah.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom- we have the Spirit, thus freedom.
With unveiled faces we are reflect the Lord’s glory- word can be “contemplate” too. Perhaps intended double meaning by Paul. We contemplate Christ, meditate on him, reflect on him, and by doing so, empowered by the Spirit, we thus reflect Christ to the world.
EVERY CHRISTIAN WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT, IS AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR CHRISTIANITY. The honor of Christ is in the hands of His followers.

We judge a shopkeeper by the kind of goods he sells.
We judge a hospital by the kind of service it offers.
We judge a church by the kind of people it produces.
Men judge Christ by the way His followers behave.

JOHN WESLEY wrote a pamphlet to clarify who the “Methodists” were. He said, “A Methodist is a person who…
1. has the love of God in his heart
2. realizes that he belongs to God and not to Satan and is therefore happy
3. looks forward to seeing the glory of Christ one day
4. receives every happening cheerfully, declaring, “Good is the will of the Lord.”
5. has learned to be content, whether he has much or little
6. knows no paralyzing frustration or anxiety
7. never stops praying
8. has surrendered his will to God’s
9. loves and cares for other
10. knows how to forgive those who abuse or mistreat him
11. doesn’t let the customs of this world prevent him from full dedication to God
12. cannot follow the crowd when the crowd goes against the Word of God

Some may say, ‘Why these are only the common, basic, principles of Christianity!’ to which we answer, ‘This is what Methodism is–nothing more or less.”

Poem
The Gospel According To You

There’s a sweet old story translated for men,
But writ in the long, long ago.
The Gospel according to Mark, Luke and John
Of Christ and His mission below.

Men read and admire the Gospel of Christ,
With its love so unfailing and true;
But what do they say, and what do they think
Of the Gospel according to you?

‘Tis a wonderful story, that gospel of love,
As it shines in the Christ life divine;
And, oh, that its truth might be told again
In the story of your life and mine!

Unselfishness mirrors in every scene,
Love blossoms on every sod;
And back from its vision the heart comes to tell
The wonderful goodness of God.

You are writing each day a letter to men,
Take care that the writing is true;
‘Tis the only gospel that some men will read–
That Gospel according to you.

LIVE SENT

God is good: all the time; all the time, God is good

Interpreting the Psalms:

We think of Bible being God’s Word to us. It is. But much of Psalms record of people speaking to God or about God

1. Hebrew poetry is addressed to the mind through the heart. Intends to get an emotional response.

2. The psalms are musical poems- appeal to our emotions and evoke feelings rather than speak to our minds. Are not intended to teach theological doctrine but they do indirectly. Often employ hyperbole (overstatement). E.g. Psalm 51:5 “In sin did my mother conceive me.” Does this teach depravity of children. Sex is a sin. That David’s mother was a sinner for bearing a child? None of these. David’s way of emphatically declaring he is a sinner.

3. Vocabulary is often metaphorical. Mountains leap like rams

4. Psalm should be seen as a whole, not picked apart verse by verse.

Types of Psalms:
a. Laments- Ps. 22, 139
b. Thanksgiving- Ps. 67 (Number 6.24 benediction)
c. Hymns of Praise- Ps 8, 19
d. Salvation History- Ps 105, 106
e. Royal Psalms- Kingly and sometimes messianic Ps 2
f. Wisdom Psalms- 37
g. Psalms of trust- 16, 23

מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אַךְ טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים לְבָרֵי לֵבָב׃
A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart (sparkling clean, cleaned out, squeaky clean of mind, soul, body, conscience,),

Psalm 73- begins with a cliché. We open our worship services with words like these. But the words may be very far from how we are feeling at that moment.

2 וַאֲנִי כִּמְעַט נָטוּי רַגְלָי כְּאַיִן שֻׁפְּכָה אֲשֻׁרָי׃
But as for me, my feet were spread out and my steps were poured out (ever watch Allen ski?)

Vs. 2 but as for me.
When I cannot pray with my own words, just read the Psalms for a while, and will likely find a one that captures where I’m at.

3 כִּי־קִנֵּאתִי בַּהוֹלְלִים שְׁלוֹם רְשָׁעִים אֶרְאֶה׃

For I was jealous of the arrogant (boastful, the ones praising themselves), when I observed the shalom of the wicked (perceived the prosperity, state of being blessed, of evil people)

Vs.3 envious of the arrogant. But more than that. He is upset that God does not seem to be keeping his promises. E.g we claim “gates of hell will not prevail against us” yet we see the ministry failing, falling, and we wonder ‘where are the promises of God?’

Reading the psalms- does this resonate, echo in me? Is there any place here that my knowledge of God and experience of God are not connecting?

13.
אַךְ־רִיק זִכִּיתִי לְבָבִי וָאֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיוֹן כַּפָּי׃

Surely for nothing I have kept my heart pure, and kept my paws white as a hounds tooth (white, clean like your teeth would be if you had not eaten any food- so idea is deprivation or self denial).

Vs 13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean- temptation to despair.

Is this what I get for being good, for trying so hard? I this how God rewards me? It ain’t worth it.

14 וָאֱהִי נָגוּעַ כָּל־הַיּוֹם וְתוֹכַחְתִּי לַבְּקָרִים׃
For I am stricken (plagued) all day long, and rebuked (punished) every morning.

Vs. 14 I am punished every morning… what I must do today is a hardship, it’s another day of drudgery, pain. Punished by the reality of our circumstances.

-idea that there is no end in sight to the injustice of life, why should I try to do what is right any more? Working on Lonergan third day of clean up after hurricane Irene. Locate the generator where locked up over night, set the gas can down in convenient place to come back and get it, find out from staging area where generator needed next, go to get gas can and someone has stolen it. Then set up generator, shoots out gas and oil in all directions. Trying so hard to help yet frustrated on all sides. “I don’t have to be doing this” attitude came over me, especially in midst of fatigue and feeling deprived from loosing family vacation in OBX. In times like this do we just spout off, swear, and walk away?

Look at what Asaph says next…

15 אִם־אָמַרְתִּי אֲסַפְּרָה כְמוֹ הִנֵּה דוֹר בָּנֶיךָ בָגָדְתִּי׃

If I had spoken out these things (thus) (i.e. these thoughts) behold, I would have betrayed a lineage of your children (a generation of your sons)

Vs. 15 suggests he is a leader- has an inner struggle but knows he cannot speak out his thoughts because he will betray the faith. When do we talk about our real struggles and where.
See True Faith book on reading list. We are encouraged to share the struggle but to whom, how much, where? Psalmist realizes the problem is his, not the whole communities. He sees that to take his own bitterness and dumps it on them, it would be harmful. This struggle has been going on for some time.

It is the arrogant and wicked who are like a dream, that disappears like a mist. 22. He was bitter when he was unreflective, nonpondering.

16 וָאֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַעַת זֹאת עָמָל הִיא בְעֵינָי׃
And when I was determined to figure this thing out, it was wearisome in my eyes (a burden,

עַד־אָבוֹא אֶל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי־אֵל אָבִינָה לְאַחֲרִיתָם׃17
Until I entered into the sanctuary of God and realized their end (fate, what comes to them at the end of their lives, i.e. when it’s all over)

Very little is said today about what happens at the end. Does God actually judge evil and people get what they deserve in life. Does lex talionis (law of justice) actually come about or is God simply a loving God and all dogs go to heaven?

Rob Bell’s book “Love Wins”. Full of theological error and contradiction of Scripture. Yet he is one of America’s popular pastors. Book written to counter it by Francis Chan “Erasing Hell.” We love books on heaven (Heaven is Really Real) but not so sure about Hell. First Great Awakening, Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”.

Read what they get, next vss.

23 וַאֲנִי תָמִיד עִמָּךְ אָחַזְתָּ בְּיַד־יְמִינִי׃
But I am continually (constantly) with you; you hold (grasp- grab firmly) my right hand

23. Despite this, nevertheless… I am with you, you hold my right hand.

24 בַּעֲצָתְךָ תַנְחֵנִי וְאַחַר כָּבוֹד תִּקָּחֵנִי׃
You lead me in your counsel and afterwards you grasp my hand and take me to glory.
Def- receive, i.e., accept an object or benefit for which the initiative resides with the giver, and a focus on the transfer to the recipient

25 מִי־לִי בַשָּׁמָיִם וְעִמְּךָ לֹא־חָפַצְתִּי בָאָרֶץ׃
Who do I have in heaven but you; there is nothing on earth that I desire but you

Vs. 25 he comes to this place because he is honest about his struggle in previous vss. Who in heaven do we have but God? There is nothing I desire besides God. He got to this point not through cheap grace. This is not something we can say most days. Contrast vs. 27 with vs. 13. Vs. 28 with vs. 15. He will not proclaim the reality of God. Now vs. 1 is no longer a cliché but a confession. What time frame does psalm cover… a quick read, during course of my 30 minute quiet time… or weeks or months?

26 כָּלָה שְׁאֵרִי וּלְבָבִי צוּר־לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָם׃
My body of flesh and my heart may wear out (come to an end), but the rock (crag) of my heart and my portion (reward, allotment) is God forever and ever.

Cliché or Confession: of faith, trust, struggle

Praying the psalms. We need to ponder and take time with the psalm. Vs. 15 he knows it is wrong to speak. But at some point he does share the struggle… perhaps much later. He does share what is happening, but not the bitterness. He had a community he could share with. We need such a community but one that we won’t wipe out if we share our struggle.
There is authenticity, honesty, struggle, reflection, decision to turn to God. What made him decide. Went to sanctuary. Sanc is place of community. Not likely the temple, not likely to be alone. Others are there sacrificing. How much do we share, where, when, with who?