Helpless

It started with the rain on Saturday. I drove to church to make sure everything was set up in the Fellowship Hall for the service the next day. As I drove home Mill Creek was already full to the top and starting to cover the pasture where it often floods in a lot of rain. And the forecast said more rain was coming… a lot more. Later, as we drove to the creek to look at the water rising, we realized that if this continued, we would likely be stuck in our house for there would be no way for us to leave our subdivision.

When we got back, I got a call from my brother-in-law in Michigan. When I heard his voice I could tell there was a problem. It was about Katy, my big sister. They didn’t know what had happened yet, but she was having stroke like symptoms and she was in the hospital.

And all the while, it continued to rain. We had been watching the weather because with the heavy rain was the possibility of tornados as well. It was storm cell after storm cell, “freight-training” their way up along a stalled weather front. They were predicting a lot more rain and a lot of localized flooding. We soon began to think about all the rain and that we may indeed not be able to get out of the subdivision to go to church in the morning.

Then the phone rang again. It was my brother-in-law again. They suspected that Katy had had a brain aneurysm and they were taking her to a major hospital to do emergency surgery. I had dealt with a church member who had a brain aneurysm in my church in Iowa. She collapsed in a restaurant, went into a coma and died within a few hours. That episode raced through my mind. My sister? A brain aneurysm? I knew it was serious and I asked if I should come up to be with the family. He said he didn’t know but it was too early to say.

And the rain continued. The water now was racing over the creek banks, flooding into houses and sweeping buildings down the road. Cars were submerged on Interstate 24 and one person had drowned there. Officials were telling everyone to stay home. It was too dangerous to be driving when there was major flash flooding all over the area.

Then my niece called with an update on Katy. They weren’t able to find the aneurysm and she was not doing well. I asked her if I should come up. Her voice faltered and quivered. “Uncle Jerry, I really think you should.” At that moment, I was terribly afraid that I was going to lose my big sister. I had this fear that she would not survive whatever it was that had gone so horribly wrong in her brain.

And then both worlds collided. I realized that I could not go up to be with her even if I wanted to. The roads around us were all flooded, the major roads were flooded and even so there were no more flights out and those what were were being cancelled. I wanted to be with my sister but I was unable to leave my house because of the flooding.

I am one who tries to fix things. I like to fix broken things in our house. I like to try to fix broken relationships if possible. I like to give it a try at the very least. And this horrible thing was beyond my fixing. I could do nothing at all but wait and pray. It is one of the few times in my life that I can recall feeling totally helpless.

Psalm 29:10-11 says:
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

In spite of the helplessness that we sometimes feel and in spite of the horrible devastation and loss that we have experienced around us in the recent flooding, God sits enthroned above it all. However, God is not removed and distant; God is with us, giving us strength and blessing us with peace. I felt helpless but it helped me to remember again that in all our lives we are helpless and we need God’s presence and strength in every part of our lives.

Pastor Jerry June 2010

1 Corinthians 7:25-35 “What Does the Bible Say about Being Unmarried?”

Introduction:
Before I met my wife Claire, I had a girlfriend with whom I was pretty serious. I had very strong feelings for her. There was one little problem though. She didn’t share those same feelings. When I expressed how I felt, she made it clear that her feelings weren’t the same and that was the end of that relationship. For several months I felt very alone and wondering if there was going to be someone in my life. Would I find someone or would I be unmarried? It was a very difficult and anxious time in my life.
And so it was with a great deal of understanding that I read a couple of questions that were submitted for the “I Have a Question” sermon series. Someone wrote, “Since I am single, what does the Bible say about those who are unmarried? What should my conduct be? How should I live in today’s society?” In a somewhat related question someone else asked, “What does the Bible say about putting the right man in your life and how will we know that it is the man that God place in my life.” What is the place of marriage and being single in the kingdom of God? In today’s Christian culture, it often seems that the emphasis is on marriage and family. And many times, single individuals feel as though they are missing something. We need to look very carefully at what the Bible says about the unmarried in the church.
Those who are single may be uncomfortable with Paul’s advice about remaining single. Nonetheless, it is important to hear what these verses say for it helps us, whether single or married, to know how we are to be living our lives in Christ’s kingdom. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, 25-35.

I. Paul’s Advice to Singles
II. The Present Crisis
III. The Basic Principle
IV. Being Single in the Kingdom

I. Paul gives his Advice to Singles in verses 25-27.
First, it is important to notice that Paul himself calls this a “judgment.” Paul says that he has no command from the Lord on this issue. He has no direct words from Jesus to quote on this topic. He received no special or specific revelation from God on this.
However, just because it is Paul’s judgment doesn’t mean we can ignore it. Paul had God’s grace and wisdom because of God’s mercy in his life. Paul’s advice is sound and should be taken very seriously.
So, in verses 26-27, he says that his readers should stay as they are. If they are married, stay married. If they are unmarried, don’t look for a husband or wife.
Paul makes it clear that this is not a moral issue, but rather a practical issue. If a person marries, he has not sinned; rather, from a very practical perspective, those who are married will have more troubles. Now Paul is not referring to relationship problems within a marriage. Rather, troubles are the things outside of a marriage which make the marriage and life in general more difficult. They are the circumstances of life which can make life very hard.
Paul Harvey told about a woman who survived Hurricane Andrew in 1992. While Patricia Christy waited in line for food in south Florida, she vowed she was going to get out of that state. She was going to leave on the first plane out. She was determined to get as far away from the horror of hurricane damage as she possibly could and have for herself a restful vacation. Paul Harvey said that a short time later he heard from Patricia Christy. She was standing in line for fresh water in Hawaii, having just gone through Hurricane Iniki! Vacations aren’t bad, but taking a vacation during a hurricane is not a good idea.
Paul is saying that there are times when it is not a good idea to get married. Paul says that he would like to prevent them from dealing with these kinds of troubles by staying single.

II. Why does Paul give this advice? It is because of The Present Crisis.
This likely refers to a specific crisis that existed at Corinth at that time. We don’t know what the specifics of this crisis were, but evidently something was happening that was very threatening. Some think that pressure may have been coming from the Roman Empire. But it was more than just a local pressing situation.
In verses 29-31, Paul expands on the reason for his advice. Verse 29 says that the time is short. We are now living between the two comings of Jesus. Jesus came the first time when he was born in the stable. But Jesus will also come again at the end of history. We are coming closer and closer to the time when Christ comes again. When Christ comes again, this present world will end.
Paul says some rather unusual things in verses 29-31. Paul says that married people should live as if they had no spouse. Those who are mourning should live as if they were not mourning. Those who are happy as if they were not happy. Those who buy something, buy it as if it were not theirs to keep.
These are all relationships, feelings and things that are part of this present world. However, Paul’s point is that this world will not last forever; it is passing away. We should not cling to things of this world for they will not last.
For example, when I graduated from the Seminary, we lived for 3 months in a house trailer with a nice big yard on a nice lake. It would have been nice to fix up the lawn and plant a garden. But it was only temporary and it would not have been wise to invest time and money in something that was not going to last. We were only going to be there a short time and so while we enjoyed it, we didn’t become attached to it. This world and all of its pleasures and relationships are wonderful, but they are part of this world and will not last forever.
Marriage is one of those things associated with this world. Marriage is part of the created order, but not part of the eternal order. Paul is saying, “Don’t cling or be so concerned with marriage which is part of the earthly order, but focus on higher things.”
Marriage is not the most important thing in the Christian’s life. What is? Knowing God through a relationship with Jesus Christ is most important. And doing the work God has called you to do in the kingdom of God is also important. That leads to the basic principle lying underneath this discussion.

III. The Basic Principle
The basic principle is not whether being married is right or wrong, but what is going to get the work of the kingdom done most effectively. The fewer earthly concerns you have, the more you can do for the Lord.
A married person will not be able to do as much work for the kingdom. He or she has obligations and responsibilities to other people: his or her spouse and family. For example, a married person cannot serve as easily as a missionary as a single person because there is a family to care for and consider. I’m not saying it is impossible for an established family to become missionaries. It is just not as easy to do. Married people, especially those with children, cannot move from place to place helping others in disasters as easily as a single person.
This doesn’t mean that single people have all the time in the world to do all the work of the church. Certainly single people are very busy and involved in their lives. But single people do not have the extra family responsibilities and so will have more opportunities to devote to work in the kingdom. He or she doesn’t have a spouse whom they have promised to love, support and build up daily. That takes time, or at least it should. A single person doesn’t have a child and asking them to “play baseball” or “read to me.” Generally speaking, a single person has more time and opportunity to give.
Now while that is generally true for singles, what about single parents? That is really a completely different issue. A single parent often cannot give as much time as other singles or two-parent families. A single parent cannot spend as much time doing church work because all the children’s needs are focused on one parent, instead of two. And so Paul’s advice is really not applicable to single parents.
What we must remember is that Paul is offering advice as to how each person may be more devoted to God regardless of family status. Now there are going to be exceptions. Some people will work much more effectively if married than if they were single. Some single persons cannot do as much because of other obligations. But Paul’s point is that whatever status you are in, you are called to a life of following Jesus. Both married persons and single persons are called to service to their Lord.
However, remaining single is not necessarily right for all singles. In verse 7, Paul recognizes that he has the gift of celibacy, but that all may not have this gift. Those who do not have this gift are not only free to marry but are encouraged to do so. If unmarried celibacy is not your gift, don’t seek it.
Ring Magazine had an article about fighter Marvin Hagler, detailing how this champion used to psyche himself up for his fights by pounding his own gloves into his own face. New York City golden glove’s boxer Daniel Cariouso read the article and pounded his own gloves into his own face and broke his nose and the fight was canceled. Being single has advantages, but it may not be God’s will for you.
But if you are comfortable in your single status, don’t feel pressured to get married. While the church must encourage strong marriages, it must also recognize that some may have the gift of unmarried celibacy. It must not look down on singles as though they are missing something. If anything, we should look at the unmarried who have the advantage of being able to serve God more effectively.

IV. So what can we say in conclusion about Being Single in the Kingdom?
We have to address the idea that being single is somehow a problem or that something is wrong. I am certain that some do believe there is something wrong with being single. I have known some single persons who have felt that way. They felt that God was punishing them or somehow withholding His blessing on them. “If God really loved me or cared for me, He would provide a husband or a wife for me.” However, it is important to realize that God is not penalizing you by having you be single.
Yet being single does involve facing tough issues. The problem of loneliness can be very real and a source of frustration and at times depression.
Then there is the issue of sexuality. Being a single person doesn’t cancel a person’s sexual drive. Single persons often struggle with that in a world which is constantly filled with bold sexual messages wherever we look. If you feel your sexual drive is like a fire, as Paul says, you should try to marry rather than be consumed with that desire. But reserve your sexuality for the bonds of marriage.
Dr. Nancy Moore Clatworthy, sociologist, has been doing research on “living together” for 10 years. When she began her research, the idea of living together before committing yourself to marriage made good sense to her. Now, after scientifically analyzing the results of hundreds of surveys filled out by couples who had lived together, she opposes living together in any form. In fact, Yale sociologist Neil Bennett found that cohabiting women were 80% more likely to separate or divorce than were women who had not lived with their spouses before marriage. These studies a powerfully Christian point: only a fully committed marriage relationship is really suited to working out the best possible relationship. The life of a single person can be very challenging, but let’s be clear that it doesn’t mean that something is wrong.
Also, remember that marriage is not the answer to all of life’s problems. Married people have problems with loneliness, sexuality and friendships as well. Singles, don’t buy the false idea: “If I was only married, all the problems would go away.” What is important is for you to come to terms with yourself as an valued person in God’s sight.
Indeed being single can also be a blessing based on what Paul is talking about here. You have a distinct advantage in serving God’s kingdom. Are you taking full advantage of your single status?
Now a word to those who are married. We must accept the singles of this church for the great value they have. They are invaluable workers with great resources. Let’s not be so much a “family church” that we overlook the resources of our single members.
Moreover, I encourage you to fully accept the singles of this church. They may have needs you may well be in a position to fill. Invite them over for meals, offer them hugs to communicate love and friendship. We as the church can be the place where we can find the relationships that we need.
But the final point is that, whether married or single, our utmost desire must be for our Lord Jesus. If we have that desire, than our relationships, whether in marriage or with other friends will be in proper balance. But our desire must be first and foremost for our Lord and not for the things of this world. There are good things that can slow us down in our walk with God.
The army of Alexander the Great was advancing on Persia. At one critical point, it appeared that his troops might be defeated. The soldiers had taken so much plunder from their previous campaigns that they had become weighted down and were losing their effectiveness in combat. Alexander immediately commanded that all the spoils be thrown into a heap and burned. The men complained bitterly, but soon came to see the wisdom of the order. Someone wrote, “It was as if wings had been given to them — they walked lightly again.” Victory was assured.
As soldiers of Christ we must rid ourselves of anything that would hinder us in the conflict. Let’s make certain that we are all, married or single, pressing forward in our lives of service to Christ.

Digging Deeper

As I write this today, there are workers in our sanctuary repairing the water damage from our leaking roof. As you know, we have had water problems for some time and the sanctuary ceiling was looking very dirty and stained. When we talked with the contractor about fixing the ceiling, he had hoped that it might be an easy repair. He was hoping to just strip off the textured ceiling, fix some of the bad drywall and that would be it. However, knowing how much water had been coming in, we asked that he look deeper.

When he did look deeper behind the drywall and the insulation, we could see that while the extent of the water damage was not as bad as it could have been, there was still a fair amount of damage nonetheless. The roof decking was black with some mold and in some places, the wood was almost rotted through. Clearly this was going to be a bigger repair than simply repainting the ceiling.

We are very thankful to God, however, that the main beams are sound and the vast majority of the roof is sound. Moreover, we also thank God that we have a contractor who truly understands the problem and wanted to work with us at solving the whole problem. Not only will he make the ceiling look as good as new, he also helped us to fully understand the nature of the original problem and will be fixing that as well.

On the Saturday before the work began, I met with the contractor and the person who would be repairing the drywall in the ceiling. The drywall worker looked at the ceiling and said that he didn’t think it was too bad and that he thought we could just strip off the texture and repaint and we would be good to go. However, it was only when we went deeper that the full extent of the problem became apparent.

Probing deeper was more expensive and created more headaches and hassles but in doing so, we got to the root of the problem and we’ll end up with a better roof and ventilation system than what ever had. However, all of this would have been missed if we had gone with just making things look better and not dug deeper.

As Christians, we tend to want to fix the outside. We are concerned about how we appear on the outside. We want to have the appearance that we are good and nice even though we suspect that inside we are a mess of sin. But as long as we appear outwardly nice, we tend to be comfortable.

I am so glad that God looks deeply into our hearts and sees the real problems and needs. He looks right past our attempts to look so nice and presentable and sees us as we really are: full of sin, rebellion and selfishness. And through the Bible and the working of the Holy Spirit, God pulls back layer after layer of our sin and exposes it. He helps us to see that we are completely covered in sin. He shows us that the only way we can be made new is not by just making us look nicer, but by radically changing us. Through Christ, God removes the sin that is buried in our lives and then through the Holy Spirit, God replaces what was rotten with what is good.

And this is not a short process. The sanctuary ceiling repairs have taken longer than what we thought. The repairs to our hearts will take our lifetime or until Jesus comes again. But make no mistake, God is making us to be far better than what we could ever have been if we had tried just sprucing up our lives. God went to the root of our problem, took out the sin and is making us into the kind of people that God wants us to be so that we can do the things God wants us to be doing.

Sometimes as we go through this, the process is painful. Many times we don’t like our old sin stripped off and removed but God knows us, loves us and is doing for us and to us what is best for us. God takes it right to the core of our sinful problem and removes it. Thanks be to God!

Pastor Jerry
May 2010

Sermon: Colossians 1:16 / Hebrews 1:14 “Are There Angels and Do We Need Them?”
Pastor Jerry Hoek

Introduction:
What comes to mind when you think of angels? I suspect that many people think of angels as female, gentle forms hovering over children. Or perhaps they think of gaudy decorating themes. What are angels really like? More to the point, what is the role of angels today? Angels were very common during the time of history that the Bible represents, but what about now? Sixteen years ago, Newsweek Magazine reported that 13 percent of Americans say they have seen or sensed the presence of an angel. So what are we do think of angels today?
In the “I Have a Question” suggestions, someone asked, “Are there still angels visiting the earth, coming and going, or since we have the Holy Spirit, is there a need for them?” What place should angels have in Christian’s lives? Should we be constantly aware of such beings, or just give them a passing acknowledgment?
This morning we look at angels and other supernatural spirits. We will ask some basic questions about spirits and angels and will base our questions on two passages. First let’s read Colossians 1:15-20.
I. Are Angels and Spirits Real?
II. Where Do They Come From?
III. What Do Angels Do?
IV. Whom Do We Rely Upon?

I. Are Angels and Spirits Real?
Paul refers to such beings in Colossians 1. It is helpful to look at part of the problem or heresy that the church in Colossae was facing. This was a very complex heresy, but one aspect of it had to do with angels. Some were teaching that the way to approach God was through the angels. Some false teachers taught that there were 9 different levels of angels between God and man. The way for low and humble man to draw closer to the great and mighty God was to work up the succeeding levels of angels.
From this the role and place of angels was easily distorted. People were taught that they had to do just the right things in order to please the angels. If you did something to offend the angels, then they would deny you access to the higher level and you would not be able to come close to God. As a result of this, angels were worshiped by some because they could control and intervene in a person’s life with God. Thus some of the Colossians had become more concerned about angels than about God in Christ.
This was clearly wrong and Paul sets the record straight in verse 16 when he writes, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Note that Paul does not deny that there are other spirits and angels. There are invisible, spiritual realities which Paul calls, “thrones or powers or rulers or authorities.” These terms are used to describe various spiritual beings that are different from human beings. In almost all cases in the New Testament, these terms are used they refer to bad or evil angels which oppose the kingdom of God and Christ.
Paul has no clear distinctions between these groups of spiritual beings. It could be that thrones and powers were those who were in the immediate vicinity of God’s throne. The rulers and authorities may be of a lower rank. The point is that Paul has no doubt that they are very real.
Jesus as well teaches that such spirits and angels are very real. Jesus cast out many demons from people; think of the demons living in the man that Jesus sent into the herd of pigs as described in Mark 5:1-20. Jesus also taught in Matthew 12:43-45 that it is possible for a demon to be cast out and then return later with more of his buddies and move back in. Jesus taught that angels and spirits were very real.
But what about today? Are they real today? We must answer “yes” because the Bible says they are real. There are evil spirits that fight against the kingdom today. There are angels that are involved in this world and in our lives.
It is important that we not be ignorant of the truth of spiritual beings and also to understand them. Calvin & Hobbes comics often are very insightful about things in our culture. One day, Calvin and Hobbes are discussing the current interest in angels. Calvin says to Hobbes: “I think angels are everywhere.” Hobbes replies: “You do?” Calvin continues: “They’re on calendars, books, greeting cards . . . almost every product imaginable.” Hobbes has the last word: “What a spiritual age we live in.”
We need to be aware of the spiritual realities around us as well. But in order to have the right perspective on this, we need to look at the next question.

II. Where Do They Come From?
Paul makes his point about angels and spirits by looking at creation. In Colossians 1:15, Paul is saying that Christ was very much involved in the whole creation. Jesus is called the “firstborn of all creation” which means that He is above and the source of all things created. Moreover, all things were created by, through and in Christ.
The point Paul is making is that Jesus Christ the Savior is also the creator of all things. That includes things in heaven and on earth; visible and invisible. Everything, including the spirits and angels, was created by Christ. Moreover, all the things Christ created were created for Him and must work together for His glory.
This means that all angels and spirits are subject to God and they must answer finally to Him as well. In Colossians 1, Paul is urging his readers to view angels and spirits in the proper perspective. Angels or spirits have no power apart from Christ. Moreover, they cannot contribute anything to our salvation. Good angels cannot add anything to the fullness of riches and resources which believers have in Christ. The evil angels cannot separate them from his love.
What that meant practically for the Colossians was that they should be more concerned about Christ than about any spirits. They were so concerned about spirits and angels that they were forgetting about Jesus. Paul says that Christ is the One that they should be thinking of most and focusing their lives on.
That means that we should not attribute more to angels and spirits than we should either. Angels and spirits should not be our chief focus.
When I was in high school, there was a lot of talk about demons. Andy Kuyvenhoven went to our church and I recall one Sunday happening to go to his house after church with a high school friend. We talked about a variety of things, but then my friend asked him about demons and what he thought of all that. I don’t remember his exact words, but the thrust of his answer never left me. He said that demons may be very real and have power, but the power of Christ is so much greater. If you believe in Christ and are rooted in Him, you should focus on Christ, not fear demons. The same thing is true regarding angels as well. We must focus on Christ and not His servants.
Some Christians today are so obsessed with demons and spiritual beings that they forget the power and victory of Christ. We should focus on Christ and his power and victory over Satan. We shouldn’t ignore Satan, but we shouldn’t think too much of him either. Demons are real and Satan is certainly real, but the power and victory of Jesus over them is just as real and Jesus’ power is far greater!

III. But now let’s shift our thoughts to good spirits: angels. What Do Angels Do?
Let’s read Hebrews 1:7-14.
Hebrews 1:14 reminds us again of the proper attitude toward angels. Good angels as well are subject to the authority of Christ. There was some misunderstanding about angels as well among these Hebrew readers. The Jews knew that God often visited His people through an angel. As a result of this, it was tempting for them to think of angels as being higher and more important than what they really were. The author of Hebrews makes it very clear that Christ is far superior to any angel.
Who then are angels and what do angels do? Verse 14 says they are “ministering servants sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Angels are beings created to serve God and there are many examples of that in the Bible as well. Angels are messengers sent by God to earth to bring a message to man. Angels are part of the praising and worshiping hosts in heaven who stand all day and night praising and worshiping God. Angels stand by God anxiously waiting to carry out whatever task God gives them to do.
However, notice that God also sends them to “serve those who will inherit salvation.” Those who believe in Christ as Savior and Lord have angels sent by God to help them and to serve them. Their chief function for us as well is to serve for our benefit. Now that is something that we need to consider a bit more seriously. Some Christians get very involved in thinking about demons and the like. But often these same Christians give little thought to angels and that doesn’t make sense. Why accept what the Bible says about the evil powers and reject what the Bible says about good spiritual powers? Perhaps it would be helpful if we accepted the role of angels more.
In one of the German art galleries a painting called “Cloud Lane” hangs at the end of a long dark hall. At first it appears to be a huge, ugly mass of confused color that is unattractive and foreboding. But when you look closer, you see portrayed on the canvas an innumerable company of angels. The whole thought of spiritual beings and angels is confusing but if we look at what Scripture says, we see that they are real and are commissioned to help.
The New Testament gives us some examples of what angels do for those who believe. Angels offer physical strength and aid in the New Testament. Angels came to strengthen Jesus when He was being tempted in the wilderness. An angel released Peter from prison. Jesus said that He could have summoned angels from heaven to help Him if He had wanted to.
Angels are aware of and very interested in the events of our salvation. Luke 15:10 says that angels rejoice when one sinner repents. I Peter 1:12 says that angels look on what is happening to man with respect to salvation. Luke 12:8 says that angels will also hear Christ confessing or denying those who have confessed or denied Him before men.
It may be rightly assumed that angels are still involved in some way in our lives based on what the Bible says, but what precisely that is we cannot say. And that leads us to the last question this morning.

IV. Upon Whom Do We Rely?
Some hold that there are guardian angels that protect us. This is based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:10; “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Some believe that each of us has an angel assigned to watch over us and care for us individually. But that is not at all clear from what Jesus says. Rather, Jesus is saying that angels are always watching over all God’s people. Perhaps we have specific angels watching over us, but the Bible does not explicitly teach this. Nonetheless, there are examples which indicate that angels are still involved in watching over and protecting God’s people in other ways today.
Marie Monsen, a missionary serving in north China in the early 1930’s, testified to the intervention of angels at times when Christians were in danger. On one occasion, when looting soldiers surrounded her mission compound, those who had taken refuge within its flimsy walls were astonished to find that they were left in peace. A few days later the soldiers explained that they were ready to enter when they noticed tall soldiers with shining faces on a high roof in the compound. An unbeliever asked: “Who were standing out on the east veranda all last night? . . . there were many people there each time I opened the door to see if there was a fire anywhere near us.” Marie Monsen said, “The soldiers saw them, it was a testimony to them, but they were invisible to us. It came powerfully to me and showed me how little we reckon with ‘The Lord, the God of Hosts,’ who sends forth his angels, might in strength to do service for the sake of them who inherit salvation.”
There are many other examples of how angels have worked in the lives of people but some of these have a bit of an urban legend attached to them. In many cases, there are enough variations in the accounts of the details that make one a bit skeptical. That being said, I do not doubt that God’s servants are involved watching over and protecting God’s children. If that is the case, should we think more about angels in our lives?
I think we can but only if we realize that God is ultimately the one whom we rely upon. Angels are only instruments in God’s hands that He uses to care for us. Perhaps angels do keep cars from running into us. Perhaps angels do prevent bad people from harming us in some way. But the point is that God is the one that must receive the glory for the way He cares for us. Angels are only His servants doing what He has commanded them to do. There are angels that may watch over us. Abraham Heschel liked to tell the story about God gathering the angels around him each morning and asking one simple question: “Where does my Creation need mending today?” That’s not a bad way of thinking about angels, but we need not be focused on this. This is the realm of God’s doing and not ours. God deserves our prayers and the credit for watching over us.
And finally remember that we are living in the age of the Spirit; we have the Spirit living in us which is far more meaningful than angels living near us. In the past, angels were used by God to communicate to His people. And we have Jesus Himself interceding for us.
Jesus clearly taught that we now have God Himself in the Holy Spirit living in us daily, continually. We don’t just have an occasional visit from a servant of God. We have God Himself in us, giving us power, comforting us and equipping us to serve Him. That is far more impressive and comforting than anything else we can possibly imagine.
Angels may be involved in our lives, but they are beings created to serve those whom God is saving. We should not focus on them or even think too much on them. We have the Spirit, the promised Comforter, God Himself, living within us. That is all we need to have as we seek to live in God’s grace and in His daily presence.

Sermon: Psalm 116:12-19 “What Is the Goal of One’s Prayer Life?”
Pastor Jerry Hoek

Introduction:
Well, this morning I spoke with President Obama and asked him to do some things for me. He was pretty busy but he took my call and said he would do what would be best for me. We had a nice conversation and then I got ready and came here. By now you may be wondering who spiked my tea this morning and with what. That sort of thing would not happen for one thing. Secondly, if it did, I would not be describing it in such ordinary terms. It would be quite an amazing thing to call the President and talk with him!
However, do you realize what we did already this morning? We prayed to the Lord of heaven and earth! That may seem to nothing particularly astounding since we do that every Sunday, but realize the privilege and the amazing thing that we do when we pray. We are talking with the Creator and Ruler of all things! But why did we do this? What was our goal in praying this morning or what is our goal in praying in general?
This morning we continue the series of “I Have A Question” series and focus on prayer. Someone wrote, “My prayer life seems to always be in second gear. What does the Bible say about prayer and what does the Lord desire for me in prayer?” This is a vitally important question for often prayer is added to the load of guilt we carry. We feel that we should pray more, read the Bible more, do more. But God doesn’t want us to pray because of guilt. If that is what we think about prayer, then we have misunderstood what prayer is and why God wants us to pray. One of the better answers to this question is from the Heidelberg Catechism and we’ll be looking at that as well. But first let’s read Psalm 116.
I. The Proper Setting
II. Goal One: To Expresses Our Gratitude
III. Goal Two: To Respond to God
IV. Goal Three: To Receive Blessing

I. The Proper Setting
Without the proper setting, people often come up with two objections to prayer. First, some may say, “Well, God knows everything already so why even ask Him?” But this reflects a very narrow view of prayer. In this view, prayer is little more than asking God to fill out our order for what we want. It does not reflect the relationship that we have with God. Prayer is primarily fellowship with God who knows and cares. It is like talking with someone who truly understands and cares for you; it is good to talk with them! We are not to pray for what we get, but because we want to be with God.
Others may say, “But God’s will cannot be changed, so why even pray?” Now, God does have all things planned but prayer may be a part of God’s plan. For example, God may have planned for you to get a job or a pay raise. But God may also have planned for this will come only after you pray for that job or raise for a long time so you know that it comes from Him, your heavenly Father. Again the emphasis must be on the relationship we have with God, not what we get out of it.
Many Christians pray for all the wrong reasons; we have the wrong setting. We do not pray to impress God or others with how pious or religious we are. We do not pray to get stuff from the great God in heaven who gives us stuff. We pray because we want to spend time with God.
Prayer involves a very special setting, a personal relationship with God. In Psalm 116, the Psalmist prays within the right setting: his relationship with God. In verse 12, he asks, “How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?” The question reflects a relationship with God.

The problem is that we have become so busy that we don’t have time for relationships. About twice a year, a New York internet executive, answers emails from friends whom he hasn’t seen in ages with the words, “Sorry I stink as a friend.” He explains that he is too busy and friends are a luxury he can no longer afford. With a wife, a young daughter and a busy job, he says, “I’m already at 120 percent, there really is no room for anyone else.” He is too busy for relationships with others.
That could be many Christians’ reason for lack of praying: they are too busy. But what they are really saying is that they are too busy for that relationship with God. Prayer is talking with God with whom we have a close relationship and if we are not praying then that relationship isn’t as important as the other things in our lives.
More specifically, the Catechism nicely summarizes three reasons why we need to pray. Question 116 asks, “Why do Christians need to pray?” The answer states, “Because prayer is the most important part of the thanksgiving God requires of us. And also because God gives His grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking Him for them.”

II. Goal One: To Express Our Gratitude
Psalm116:13-14 state this in a very beautiful way. He has received a rich blessing from God: the cup of salvation. The cup of salvation is not something that HE offers to God. Rather, the cup of salvation is something he receives from God.
God should give man the cup of His wrath, a symbol of the punishment that all men so richly deserve. Instead of the punishment of death, God has given him the cup of salvation of life. The psalmist recognizes this and gratefully receives it from the hand of God.
But then now what does he do? He will call upon the name of the Lord and fulfill his vows. In other words, praying to the Lord is how he will repay the Lord for God’s goodness to Him.
Verses 17-19 say the same thing only more explicitly. “I will sacrifice a thank offering to you AND call on the name of the Lord.” He will give a token, a sign of his gratitude by means of a sacrifice, but he will also pray!
These verses rival the New Testament in their summary of man’s response to salvation in Christ. God has saved us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do we say thank-you?
We show our thankfulness to God for our salvation through prayer! Why does God want prayer to be the chief way of showing our gratitude for what He has done for us? When we do something to show our gratitude we may be trying to repay God for His grace. “God you have done something for me, now I will do something for you.” There is the possibility of a trade off or an exchange with God. But with prayer there is no possibility of such a trade off. Folded hands and closed eyes earn nothing; they only plead for God to forgive, give and deliver. You see, in prayer we give ourselves, not other things.
That is why it is the best way to show our thankfulness. There is nothing that we can bring to God for His love shown to us in Jesus Christ.
Henri Nouwen tells of an old woman who was brought to a psychiatric center. She was wild, swinging at everything in sight and scaring everyone so much that the doctors had to take everything away from her. But there was one small coin which she gripped in her fist and would not give up. In fact, it took two men to pry open that squeezed hand. It was as though she would lose her very self along with the coin. That was her fear. Henri Nouwen says: “The person invited to pray is asked to open his tightly clenched fists and to give up his last coin. But who wants to do that?”
We can try things such as working hard, joining a church, being nice, but it is filled with sin. Prayer, true prayer, as the old hymn Rock of Ages says “nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling.” Prayer is the most direct way in which we pour out our love and adoration to God who has redeemed us.

III. Goal Two: To Respond to God
Many people view prayer as their initiating a conversation with God. As such they often pray because they are in trouble. “Help me, God, my marriage is falling apart” or “Help me, God, I need a job.” Author Anne Lamott says that her favorite prayers are: “God, help me and help me now!”, then “Wow!” and finally, “Thank you, God!” Now while there is a simple beauty in those prayers because it expresses genuine and honest communication with God, but there is an additional aspect that is important to notice.

True prayer is not our initiative, but our response to God who spoke to us first. God speaks to us through the Bible; prayer is what we say in return. God has spoken to us most powerfully in Jesus Christ; prayer is what we say in return. We cannot simply hear what God has to say and not respond!
We are good at that. We read the Bible very carefully and we agree with all that it says. However, our faith is not just agreeing to a certain philosophy or way of thinking. Our faith is entering a relationship with the living Lord Jesus Christ. That relationship calls for communication in prayer.
Look at two people who are in love. They can’t keep their eyes off each other, but even more they can’t stop talking to each other. I once attended a wedding reception once where there was a lot of activity going on with dancing, cake cutting and the like. There was one couple, members of the family, not strangers, who sat in the middle of all the activity and were seemingly oblivious to all that was going on around them. What were they doing? Talking. For almost the entire time, they were just talking with each other, communicating, being in communion. That is the way we should be with our heavenly Father; it is what God expects from us.

IV. Goal Three: To Receive Blessing from God.
Verses 13-14 of Psalm 116 reflect this as well. The author prays to the Lord a prayer of thanksgiving, but the act of “calling on the name of the Lord” is also an ongoing call for help to the Lord. Even though the author has been saved by the Lord in the past, he knows that he will face danger once again in the future. So as he offers his thanks to the Lord, he also continues to ask for help in the future. The author knows that this is the way to continue to receive blessing and grace from the Lord.
That is what the Catechism says as well. We receive additional blessings from God when we pray. Again, Answer 116 of the Catechism says, “God gives His grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking Him for them.” If we want to receive God’s grace, then we have to pray and ask God for this. Simply stated, God’s gifts can only be had by way of prayer.
Of course, no one can force God to do anything. God is sovereign which means that He does what He desires to do regardless. We cannot demand that He act a certain way.
Some have tried to do this with respect to healing. They say God does not want anyone to be sick and so God will heal anyone if they have enough faith. They are demanding that He do what they say. Now as a matter of fact, God does not wish anyone to be sick, but it is not up to us to say that God will heal anyone who has enough faith. God will do what He desires regardless.
Nevertheless, God has also said that before he will give, we must ask. So often we do not have because we have not asked. We are unable to resist temptation perhaps because we have not asked to be able to resist it. We do not seem to be able to help others because we have not asked God for that ability.
We must continually ask for the favor and grace of God because that is how we receive help. When a Chinese convert was asked by a missionary what remedy he found most effective in overcoming his terrible Opium habit, the new Christian replied: “Knee medicine.” If we need help in our lives, we need to fall to our knees and ask God for that help.
Then after we ask, God will answer us, but we had better be prepared. Richard Mouw, the president of Fuller Seminary, relates a time when he had been learning how to develop a morning prayer time. One day, he was feeling very spiritual when he got up, but when he poured the orange juice, the top came off and it gushed out all over the place. Instead of quiet prayer first thing in the morning, he said the first word of the day was your basic “I’m-going-to-wash-your-mouth-out-with-soap” barnyard exclamation.
Later on he read about St. Philip Neri who was a monk. Philip was given to violent outbursts of anger against his fellow monks. One day he ran to the chapel and begged the Lord to liberate him from his uncontrollable anger. In the quiet of the chapel, he sensed that the Lord was healing him. He left the chapel filled with hope. Immediately, he came upon a monk who had always shown a very gentle disposition; but this time the brother spoke harshly to him. Philip responded angrily and walked on, only to meet another of the meekest monks. This brother, too, addressed him in gruff terms. So Philip ran back to the chapel, knelt down and said, “O Lord, have I not asked you to free me from this anger?” And the Lord answered, “Yes, Philip, and for this reason I am multiplying the occasions for you to learn.”
Mouw learned that when one develops a prayer life, it will be tested by the real things of this world, but that is how we receive grace.
Why do we pray? What is the goal of our prayers? It is part and parcel of our relationship with God. William Garden Blaikie wrote, “What if God knows prayer to be the thing we need first and most? What if the main object in God’s idea of prayer be the supplying of our great, our endless need–the need of himself? What if the good of all our smaller and lower needs lies in this — that they help drive us to God? Communion with God is the one need of the soul beyond all other needs; prayer is the beginning of that communion.” If our relationship is good and alive, then we will not only recognize the requirement to pray to Him, we will want to.
So let’s be honest in our prayers because we are in a real, living relationship with the God of heaven and earth. It is not so much how we talk with God in prayer or even what we ask as much as that we are talking to Him. Graham Fuller once interviewed Kirk Douglas and asked him this question: “Many of the men you played were maimed in some way. … It’s as if the characters you chose were men who tried to go against God.” Douglas replied, “I’ve thought about this. … yes, I have argued with God and gotten angry with God, and I think it’s permissible to do that. The only thing that is not permissible is to ignore God.”
What is our goal in praying? We said at the beginning of the year, our goal was to know God better. When we pray, we come to know God better. That is our goal.

Proverbs 22:6,15 “What About a Child Who Does Not Follow the Way?”

Introduction:
I have here the owner’s manual and warranty we recently received for our refrigerator. It says that the company who made it will fix it if it breaks. They guarantee that it will do what they say it will do. Did you who are parents get your instructions and guarantee with your child? No, neither did we, but wouldn’t that be nice. You get that little child and you also get a statement that this child is guaranteed. As long as you follow these simple instructions, this child will grow up to be a healthy and good Christian. We know, however, from our experience that this is simply not the case. Some children do not grow and follow Jesus as their Lord.
There is a text in the Bible which seems to guarantee kids who follow Jesus. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Some read this as saying that if you do the right things, your children will turn out to be good adults. But is this what the verse really says?
This morning we continue looking at the “I Have a Question” series of sermons. This person wrote, “Train up a child in the way he/she should go. Please expound on why they do stray and sometimes don’t return.” That is a very challenging and difficult question. So this morning we look at how to train or rear our children. This is not just something for parents but for all of us as we seek to train God’s children in the church. What is the promise as well as the comfort that God gives in this verse? Let’s read Proverbs 22:1-16.

I. The Problem with Children
II. Overcoming the Problem: Discipline
III. Overcoming the Problem: Training
IV. The Future Benefits

I. The author of Proverbs acknowledges the fact that there is a Problem with Children.
Verse 15 says it is folly which is bound up in the heart of every child. Some may think of folly as being simply another word for childishness. It is a childish thing to always have to be first in a race. Folly is child always having to have their way. Folly may seem to be immature, silly and acting like a child. However, “folly” is really much more serious than being childish.
Biblical “folly” is not silliness at all, but rather a conscious and deliberate choice against God. This proverb is saying that sin, rebellion against God is bound up in the heart of every child. That is reflected in the baptismal vows we heard this morning. We believe that our children are conceived and born in sin or sinful by nature. Every child, if left entirely alone would naturally choose against God. We were created to follow God, but we have lost that ability and cannot do it on our own.
Over the years there have been several efforts to re-establish bighorn sheep in the mountain and desert regions of the American West. Time and again, a good sized herd has been released into an area where bighorns once flourished, but then, year by year, their numbers dwindle away. The problem, it turns out, is that the sheep do not know how to move between their summer range and their winter range, and so they starve.
Biologists can put the sheep in ideal habitat, can rig them with radio collars, can inoculate them against disease, but cannot teach them the migration routes that bighorns learn only from other bighorns. Once the link between sheep and ground is broken, and the memory of the trails is lost, there seems to be no way of restoring it. We have lost the ability to follow God and so children are born in sin and rebellion.
Now the sinful actions are not evident at first. There aren’t too many things a new-born baby can do that we would call sinful. Yet a child is still full of sin that is just waiting to come out and in a real sense, it is only a matter of time before sinful actions begin as sin expresses itself in selfishness, anger and rebellion. But there is a way to overcome this! In fact, there are two main ways.

II. Overcoming the Problem through Discipline.
Verse 15 continues by saying that the “rod of discipline” will drive folly out and remove it completely. Disciplining children will help them to overcome the desire to live for themselves instead of for God.
Now, of course, discipline must be the right kind; it must be fair and honest. The “rod” of discipline doesn’t mean no-questions-asked, no-explanations-given discipline. Such discipline can often be only for the parent’s benefit. It has nothing to do with the welfare of the child but of the convenience or mental state of the parent.
It reminds me of an old Far Side cartoon. The dad has made a hideous looking face on a helium balloon and has it attached to a string outside his window. The mom tells the boy in bed, “Now go to sleep, Kevin – or once again I’ll have to knock three times and summon the Floating Head of Death.”
Discipline is not just scaring them into doing what he or she is told to do. Rather the rod of discipline means firm, yet loving discipline that clearly sets fair rules and guidelines and then applies them consistently. And when rules are broken, there is just and loving punishment. The discipline must always communicate love in some way.
But this kind of discipline is not easy to do. It is much easier to let children get away with things. Sometimes the wrong things that kids do are honestly funny. When our son was 14 months old, he discovered the fun of feeding the dog at the table. We were eating spaghetti and suddenly heard him giggling wildly. He had a piece of spaghetti and was dangling it over the side of his high-chair and the dog was eating it from the bottom up. We don’t feed the dog at the table, and he needed to learn that, but it was hard to say no and not to laugh.
Other times it is hard to discipline because we don’t feel like it. There are times when it is tempting to just close our eyes and ears when children do things that are wrong or some parents believe their children can do no wrong. When your teenager comes home well past curfew, you may be tempted to just let it ride and keep on sleeping rather than confronting the breaking of the curfew. We just don’t want to handle it because it’s a hassle. It is easier not to discipline because discipline is hard to do.
But discipline is also very important and necessary. Why? It teaches children that they are not the center of the universe. There are others that they must answer to and yield to in this life. There are parents, teachers, authorities that they must listen to.
Discipline is also important because it helps them grow as persons. Discipline hurts, but they grow from it and become stronger for it. We used to have a Bradford Pear tree in our front yard. It was beautifully shaped and was especially beautiful this time of year. It’s not there any longer. Why? Because it needed to be pruned. It got too full and heavy and when a big gust of wind came along, it split almost in two. It couldn’t handle its own weight and should have been consistently pruned back.
If children or adults are allowed complete freedom without any boundaries, they can’t handle it. Discipline is necessary for our children so that they can be balanced and grow stronger as well.
But even more, discipline helps a child see that he must respond to God. Discipline teaches a child that they are responsible for their actions. Discipline helps a child to see that they are not living just for themselves but for the One who made them: their heavenly Father. When Jesus comes again, they will have to answer for all they did. But there is an additional way to overcome the problem.

III. Overcoming the Problem through Training.
Verse 6 says that a parent must also “train a child in the way he should go.” The word “train” actually means to “get started.” This word was used to describe what a Hebrew mid-wife would do right after the birth of a child. She would take date syrup and put it on the roof of the baby’s mouth. This created the desire to eat and have more.
Verse 6 is saying, “create in the child a desire to go in the right way.” The “way” is a life and life-style of one who lives and walks with God. The “way” is a life of daily love, trust and obedience with God.
For us the “way” as described in the Old Testament is found fully and beautifully in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself says that He is the Way, Truth and Life. Jesus is the “way” to live and walk with God in His grace and we must teach our children to follow Him.
For parents then to train a child in “the way” is to teach the child about God’s love for them and God’s amazing grace shown to them. They are to teach their children about Jesus’ love and what Jesus did to save them. But training also includes living our own lives so that we are an ongoing model of what it means to be a Christian from the very start of their life. Training means that we teach our children that they are loved by God no matter what and that God wants them to be in loving relationship with Him.
And training, like discipline, is not easy to do. For one thing, we are up against many other “trainers” in the world. Many are eager to teach our children to live for themselves. There is the persistent teaching from movies and television which seeks to train our children to view adults as buffoons and followers of Jesus as money hungry or simple-minded people. We must train our children what it means to follow Jesus while loving Him. We must teach them a way that reflects the love and teaching of Jesus.
But it is not always easy for us to trainers. It is hard to always live a consistent life being a good model of Christ. Too often we say and do things that are the complete opposite of what Jesus would say or do. It is hard in a busy world to be faithful in teaching the Bible and having family devotions.
It’s hard at times to devote the attention to our children that we should give them. One youth, who had gotten into trouble, said this to his high-school counselor: “You know what I am? I’m a comma. When I talk to my dad, he’ll say something, and then when I start to talk, he makes me a comma. He doesn’t interrupt me, but when I’m finished talking, he starts in right where he left off. It’s as if I didn’t say anything!” We must make the time to teach our children and to show them love. It is difficult and challenging, but it is vitally important. WHY?

IV. Because The Future Benefits vastly outweigh the present difficulty.
Verse 6 says if we do train and discipline our children, when the child is old or grown to the age of maturity, “he will not depart from it.” the child is grown, he walk in the way of the Lord. The way of Christ will lead to life and finally to eternal life
This certainly sounds great! But is this a guarantee? “If I teach my child all the right things and lead a Christ-like life, then my child will inherit eternal life?”
But this is not a guarantee for the choice still remains with the child. We can’t earn our own salvation through our own works. We certainly can’t earn our child’s salvation through our own works. Ultimately whether a child will follow Jesus or not depends on whether or not God calls them to follow Him and allows them to see that Jesus’ death was for them.
We would love to see our children follow Christ and continue throughout their lives, but that doesn’t always happen for us. However, when a child does not respond to God’s call to follow, that doesn’t mean it is the end. Augustine’s mother, Monica, prayed earnestly for over 15 years for Augustine until God finally drove him to his knees in repentance. No matter what our children may do in response to God, we must never stop praying for them.
The rebellion of a teenage girl was breaking her mother’s heart. Their struggle reached its worst point when the young girl was arrested for drunk driving. After posting bail for her daughter, the two did not speak until the next afternoon. When they came together, the woman handed her daughter a small wrapped gift. The girl flippantly opened it and was exasperated by what she saw. The box contained a small rock. She rolled her eyes and asked, “What’s this for?” Her mother simply replied, “Read the card.” She did and tears began streaming down her cheeks as she reached out to embrace her mom. The card said, “This rock is more than a million years old. That’s how long it will take before I give up on you.”
God does not give up on us and we must not give up on our children who seem to be lost. Remember the prodigal son’s father, who was praying and waiting for his child to come back. And if we follow these words of wisdom and train and discipline our children, God will hopefully make His call clear to the child at some point in their lives.
Finally there is a role for all of us in rearing our children. We saw that this morning in Levi’s baptism. We promised that we would help them to train and discipline their son. We also promised to do this for other children of God’s kingdom.
What can we all do to help train and discipline the children of God’s kingdom? The way we live our lives as individual Christians and together as a body of Christ will speak volumes to the children around us.
Robert Fulghum wrote, “Most of what I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school. These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. When you go out into the world watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together. I like that last part especially. Hold hands and stick together.
When children lose their way in the faith, it’s not just the problem of their families, it is something we all share together. We need to be praying earnestly that God will bring them back, teach them what they need to know so that they will follow Him. Let us as grown children together train our children in the way they should go so that when they are older, they may not depart from it.