February 25th, 2008

Sermon, 2-24-08: Are We Overconfident?

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Matthew 26:31-35   

Rev. Jerry Hoek


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I don’t remember if I told you this before or not, but when I was in college I took a physical education class in handball.  At the end of the class, there was a tournament and I was scheduled to play my friend Rick.  Rick was a far better athlete than I was so I played very hard and surprisingly found myself well ahead of him – within a few points of actually winning.  I felt sorry for him though and so eased way up, confident that I would win the last few points and go on in the tournament.  Well, you can imagine what happened.  I got overconfident, he found his confidence and I ended up losing.  I thought I would easily beat him but I lost and was eliminated.


In Matthew 26:31-35, we see another case where overconfidence leads to a person’s downfall.  The disciples claimed that they would be able to endure whatever challenges that were before them.  The problem was that they were relying on themselves for their confidence rather than on Jesus.  If we are confident only in ourselves, we are bound to fail.  Let’s read Matthew 26:31-35.
 
I. Jesus’ Prediction  
II. Peter’s Protest  
III. How Strong (or Weak) Are We?
 
I. In verse 31, Jesus says, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me.”
Jesus said this as He and the disciples were making their way to the Garden of Gethsemane.  The disciples were likely feeling quite good and secure again.  Jesus had reassured them that they would be with him again after Jesus’ announcement that one of them would betray him.  But again Jesus shatters their sense of peace with a startling statement.
Jesus says that they will fall away or abandon Him because of Jesus.  They will be terribly frightened and confused by Jesus’ arrest.  Their serious weakness will cause them to desert Jesus.  Not only this, but they will all fall away.  While only one will betray him, all of them will desert Jesus.


And the final blow comes in the words, “this very night.”  This is not something that will happen on down the road sometime.  This is something that will occur within the next few hours.
As proof of this, He points to a prophecy from Zechariah in the Old Testament.  “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”  Jesus means that God is the One who will strike down the shepherd.  God will act through the enemies of Jesus and will allow His own Son to be killed.  Once again, we see that Jesus’ death is not the result of someone’s evil plot.  Jesus’ death is the result of God’s plan and deliberate activity.


And when God uses Jesus’ enemies to strike down His Son, the disciples who were following Jesus like sheep follow a shepherd, will all scatter.  The shepherd is vital for the care and keeping of the sheep.  If the shepherd is gone, the sheep become victims to predators.  They also have no idea where to go or what they are to do.  The results were chaos as the sheep scattered.


When Jesus is arrested and taken away, they all will flee for their lives.  They will not want to be associated with Jesus at that time.  We will look at how the disciples responded to this in just a moment.


But before they could respond, Jesus gives them hope for the future as well.  They will leave Jesus, but Jesus assures them that they will meet again in Galilee.  This must have greatly reassured the disciples after Jesus’ death and resurrection.  They likely looked back on this prediction and took comfort in the fact that they would be reunited with Jesus.  Even though they abandoned Jesus, He said He wouldn’t abandon them.  That is a beautiful picture of God’s grace shown in Jesus.


In his book Healing Grace, David Seamands relates an old good news-bad news story.  A farmer who had experienced several bad years went to see the manager of his bank and said,  “I’ve got some good news and some bad news to tell you. Which would you like to hear first?”  The banker replied, “Why don’t you give me the bad news first and get it over with.”
The farmer said, “Ok.  With the bad drought and inflation and all, I won’t be able to pay anything on my mortgage this year, either on the principle or the interest.”  The banker said, “Well, that is pretty bad.”


The farmer continued, “It gets worse.  I also won’t be able to pay anything on the loan for the machinery I bought, not the principle or interest.”  The banker said, “Wow!  That is bad!”
The farmer continued again, “It’s worse than that.  You remember I also borrowed to buy seeds and fertilizer and other supplies. Well, I can’t pay anything on that either – principle or interest.”  The banker said, “That’s awful – and that’s enough.  Tell me what the good news is!”
The farmer said, “The good news is that I intend to keep on doing business with you.”  David Seamands comments:  “There’s some rather profound theology in that story, provided we reverse the subjects.  The good news of the Gospel is that in spite of our total moral bankruptcy, God keeps on doing business with us.”  The disciples didn’t deserve it, yet Jesus will accept them and work with them.  Jesus’ grace would be with them as he continued to shape them into the founders of His church.


You see, Jesus is doing more than just predicting what will happen.  Jesus is reassuring them that no matter what will happen, He will be there with them.  After the stark description of their desertion comes the offer of hope and Christ’s love.  The problem was that the disciples didn’t think that they would need it.
 
II. In verses 33-35, Peter Protests what Jesus has just said.
Peter says, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”  Now we must be careful that we give Peter some credit in his response.  It is easy for us knowing what happens next to scorn Peter for his response.  However, Peter really did mean what he said.  He truly believed he would stand by Jesus with unswerving loyalty.


However, there are 3 things about Peter’s statement that show his error.  First, he responded with disbelief regarding what Jesus had said.  Peter told Jesus that what Jesus had just said wasn’t true.  In effect, Peter told Jesus:  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Second, he also was guilty of putting the other disciples down.  He pointed to himself and said that in spite of what the others might do, HE would never leave Jesus.  One author speculates on what Peter may have been thinking: [S-11]  “Matthew, the former publican, might stoop down to that low level of abandoning his Master in his hour of affliction.  My former fishing partners might also conceivably fall into that same trap.  In fact, I wouldn’t even put it past my own brother Andrew… BUT NOT I.”


Peter was also guilty of having far too much pride.  He was guilty of overconfidence and conceit.  He was not acting in humility as Jesus had taught him.  Peter’s response shows that his trust is exclusively in himself.


Jesus’ tries to help Peter see just how vulnerable he is:  “I tell you the truth, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”  Jesus solemnly declares:  “I tell you the truth.”  This meant that what followed was very true and very serious.
Peter will not only desert Jesus, he will deny or disown him.  And this will happen in the next few hours.  Within just a few hours, Peter will deny that he had ever known Jesus.  Jesus is absolutely positive that Peter will deny him.


Jesus likely makes this specific prediction so that when it happened, Peter would be able to clearly recognize it.  It is love that motivates Jesus to make this pointed prediction.  If Peter can recognize his falling, he will be able to repent of it.


But even this very specific prediction doesn’t faze Peter.  Peter says, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”  He will certainly never desert Jesus if he is willing to die with him.  He truly believes his commitment is, as one put it, “death-deep.”
This may explain why Peter started to fight when Jesus was arrested.  He likely wanted to prove that he was ready to die for Jesus.  But the problem was that his faith was in the wrong person.

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Peter had no basis to make his bold claims except his own desire.  Peter’s faith was in himself, his own desire to be faithful, but that would simply not be enough to save him from falling.
Also when I was in college, I went on a camping trip with a good friend of mine on the Au Sable River in northern Michigan.  We decided to “rough it,” bringing little food and the simplest of provisions.  We tried to get drinking water through a special device and tried fishing for our food.


This was virtually a disaster from the beginning and yet we survived.  At one point we were fishing in a river and I had caught a small to average sized trout and I was feeling pretty good.
I threw my line out in the water again but didn’t have it quite where I wanted it and so I repositioned my foot on a tree that was hanging out over the water.  I rested it there for a few seconds and then shifted a bit and heard the sound of cracking wood and soon I found myself in the cold water.


I was feeling very confident but my faith was misplaced and I ended up falling.  Peter made a very bold claim, but he had nothing to back it up with.
And Matthew reports that all the other disciples joined him in stating their loyalty as well.  They are confident that their loyalty to Christ is strong enough to make them stand by Jesus.  They were relying as well on their own abilities and strengths.  They were thinking, “Jesus may think I’m not strong enough, but I’ll prove Him wrong.  I will not allow myself to fall away.”


At that Jesus has nothing more to say.  Jesus already knows what is going to happen and there is no further point in debating whether or not they will desert Him.  As the events unfold, what Jesus said will be proved to be true.  Then the disciples will learn that they cannot rely on themselves to serve Christ.  They need to have the power of Christ within them if they are going to be able to stand with Christ.


Self-confidence is simply overconfidence when it comes to the Christian life.  If we are relying on ourselves, we are doomed to fall.  We are placing our trust in the wrong person.  Our source of strength for our Christian lives must be Jesus!
 
III. Finally, let’s ask:  How Can We Remain Loyal Today?
There are things in our lives that will test our loyalty to Christ.  Non-Christian friends may ridicule us for our beliefs and Christian involvement.  We may be tempted to down-play our relationship to Christ.  Or we may even be tempted in some way disown Christ in that area.
Our work or careers may not be compatible with our relationship with Christ.  Our jobs may require that we do things that are contrary to what Christ has commanded us to do.  And then we are faced with a choice of either being loyal to Christ or risking our jobs and careers.
Our possessions can also cause us to question our loyalty to Christ.  Are we really willing to give up all we have to follow Christ?  If we lose all we have, would we remain faithful to Christ or would we blame him for the hardship that would cause?


Our personal choices may have the net result of testing our loyalty to Christ.  Do we do things that we want to do that we know Christ does not approve of?  It is tempting to have ourselves as the most important person in our lives.  There are many things that could cause us to stumble in our lives.


The point we need to see in these verses is that we cannot rely on ourselves.  The tendency is for us to think that we are strong and good people.  We would never disown or renounce our faith in Christ.  If someone were to put a gun to us and say, “Renounce Christ or die,” we would say, “shoot me.”


Now while that kind of resolve is admirable, we have to make sure that it is rooted in the right person.  If we rely on our own strength, we will be bitterly disappointed.  We are simply too weak, too full of sin to be able to withstand the challenges to our faith.

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You may have heard the story of the patient who went to a psychiatrist to find help for his depression.  The doctor listened to his complaints and prescribed some medication.  He concluded with this suggestion: “Go and see a performance by the clown, Grock.  He’s sure to cheer you up.”  However, the patient replied, “Alas! I am Grock!”  If we think that simply by our own resolve and strength we will remain faithful to Christ no matter what, we are sadly mistaken.


Now please understand that I’m not saying that we don’t need to have faith.  We do need to have a lot of strong faith.  But we must be certain that it is faith that is placed firmly and exclusively in Christ, not ourselves.  There is a monumental difference between saying that my faith in myself is strong and my faith in Christ is strong.


How can we focus our faith exclusively on Christ.  First, we need to admit our sins and our failures.  We must admit that on our own, we cannot remain faithful to Christ.  We, no matter how strong we think we may be, are not strong enough.  That is the first lesson these verses teach us.


The second lesson is this: Christ will forgive and restore us even if we fail.  Jesus did this when He promised to meet the disciples in Galilee.  Even though they will desert Him, He will not desert them.  There is strong and ringing reassurance of forgiveness from Christ.

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Tom Watson, Sr., the founder of IBM knew the importance of forgiving others.  A promising junior executive was involved in a risky venture for the company and lost over $10 million.    When Watson called the nervous executive into his office, the young man blurted out, “I guess you want my resignation!”  Watson said, “You can’t be serious.  We’ve just spent $10 million educating you!”  God will forgive us when we fail and fall.


This week you will likely face things which will test your loyalty to Christ.  Let’s not become overconfident and just assume that our own strength will help us overcome.  Instead, let’s admit that we cannot remain faithful on our own.


Secondly, let’s ask God for His help in overcoming and remaining strong.  Finally, when we fail and fall, trust that God, in His grace , will be there to pick you up and go with you again.  On whom will you place your faith and trust as you walk with God this week?

February 22nd, 2008

Sermon, 2-10-08: Serving Disciples

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Serving Disciples

Tom Hoffman

          

Some of you know Sam and Brette Sterk, who used to worship here.  But not everyone might know that Sam’s cousin, Dave, is a minister and officiated at Rachel’s and my wedding ceremony.  Dave has had several churches since, but I still get the occasional mass email update on his life, and family and ministry.

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 In one recent message Dave tells of being interrupted in a council meeting by the church secretary announcing “Ken DeZeeuw’s  barn is on fire.”  They left the church, and as they neared the farm they could see the flames from ½  a mile away.  When they arrived they saw utter devastation.  But within minutes they also saw a string of local dairy farmers pitching in to help.  They had come with their trailers lined up like jets at the airport and assumed foster care for each of the some 400 cows, with responsibilities including milking, feed and shelter as long as would be necessary.  Later, the local Amish community came and helped build him a new barn.  And on a community organized workday another 300 or so people came to clear rubble, cut wood and tend to the farm—with 35 tractors in Ken’s field at one time.            This is the kind of story we like to think of, isn’t it, when we think of Christian service?  We like to think of big acts of generosity in dramatic times of need.  It is a true and beautiful form of service, and it’s wonderful.  But there are more subtle forms of service, too.  The secretary who was the messenger announcing  the fire to the consistory.  Those who served coffee and sandwiches to the farmers on work day.  There is a broad range of ways to perform Christian service.  One option that is unacceptable, though, is to do nothing.  Following Christ’s example, activities as meager as washing feet can be genuine Christian service and we His disciples must engage in such service.  And I believe the text today gives us three reasons why disciples should give and receive Christian service.  Disciples must serve and be served because Christ will not let us ignore our need.  Disciples must serve and be served, because to resist service is to resist Christ.  And disciples must serve and be served, because humble service preaches Christ.
Disciples must serve and be served because Christ will not let us ignore our need.  Our passage begins with reference to the Passover, the chief holy day on the Jewish calendar, then talks about the near end of Jesus’ ministry, and that he is about to show the full extent of His love.  Verse two warns of Judas and his treachery, though in verse three God’s sovereignty and Jesus security are re-emphasized, and His impending return to glory.  The set up is for something big, isn’t it, something dramatic, momentous, earth-shattering.  And what does Jesus do?  He washes the disciples’ feet.  Kind of a anti-climactic in a way, isn’t it?  It is never mentioned specifically in the text, but do you know why I think Jesus did this?  Because they were dirty.  I don’t say this to be clever.  In fact, there are times in the Christian life where we are looking for something stupendous and dramatic to do in service to the Lord, but there are always real and practical needs right in front of us.
It might be that there was no servant to do the washing because this was a secret meeting for fear of the Pharisees.  Of course, any one of the disciples might have done it, but as Luke recounts in his version of the narrative, even as late as the Last Supper the disciples were arguing among themselves about who was the greatest.  So they were not likely in the frame of mind to do such a lowly task.  And it was a lowly job.  When John the Baptist compares himself to Christ he says he is too far beneath Christ to do even the most menial task for him, saying he was not even worthy to untie His sandals. 
 What Jesus says, though, by his actions is that it is not acceptable for the situation to remain as it is.  He is saying, “Guess what, guys.  Your feet are nasty dirty.  Let’s do something about it.”  Thus confronted, Peter, in a common demonstration of misplaced piety, would rather remain with dirty feet than let Christ wash them.  But Jesus shows him that to remain as he is is still not an acceptable option.
We can sometimes observe problems, too, and Jesus shows us that to let things remain as they are is is not acceptable.  If we follow Christ’s example we will take concrete and immediate steps to solve the problem.  Now there are times that we are called to do is persevere and suffer through difficult times.  And the awareness of a need does not always constitute a divine call on our lives to act.  But we cannot let these facts, either, lull us into perpetual inaction.  If we are aware of a need, and have the means and opportunity to do something about it and the desire to do so, we should not look for reasons not to.
Such needs might be material or temporal needs.  And the solution to material needs is not always cash or a check.  Sometimes it just takes a little of our time, and getting our own hands dirty, like in washing our fellow disciples feet—or mowing their lawn or taking out their trash or sweeping their floor while they are sick, cleaning for an elderly person, helping someone carry something when their hands are full, or taking some committee or other administrative duties from someone whose plate is clearly too full.  The Apostle James writes, “15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:15-16)”There are also spiritual needs in the church.  Jesus’ excursus with Peter on foot washing versus bathing touches on the need for even the redeemed to address on an ongoing basis the stain of sin in our lives.  Some need to be instructed, some encouraged, some reminded, some rebuked.  Sometimes a word is in order.  Sometimes a brother or sister has been beaten down by too many words already, or by circumstances, and what they need is someone simply to sit with them and a tangible, breathing reminder that Christ will never leave them.  Sometimes we are called to forgive in concrete, tangible ways.  With what he’s learned about grace—un-repayable blessing—Ken DeZeeuw plans to rehire the worker who started his barn on fire playing carelessly with fireworks.  In Galatians 6:2 the Apostle Paul says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  These burdens are not something physically heavy, but spiritual burdens.  Verse one identifies the problem as sin.  “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.”  We restore that person by reminding them of the forgiveness of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us against future temptations.  This is a very real Christian service.   

hanumangarhi08.jpg419.jpg  As I traveled with a Christian friend in Rishikesh, India, he pointed to a row of beggars lined up near a bridge across the River Ganges and explained why the Hindu religion will never help such as them.  They are living out the results of karma.  If they are poor lepers or maimed in this life it is because they sinned in a past life.  To help them would only fate them to suffer again until they got it right.  Contrast this with the ministry of Christ, who healed the lepers, made the lame to walk and the blind to see.  We may not have the miraculous powers Christ had, but we should have his heart, and never accept fatalistically that some suffering is meant to be.  We should be moved with compassion, as was our Lord, and we should do what we can to help, to aid and comfort.  Disciples must serve and be served because Christ will not let us ignore the need.
Of course, sometimes the need is not what we see in others, but something we experience ourselves.  If we suffer a need, but are in no position to do anything about it, we will need to depend on someone else.  And that can be much, much harder than serving another.  But we see, secondly, that disciples must serve and be served, because to resist service is to resist Christ.  Look at verse eight, where Peter says, “No . . . you shall never wash my feet.”  And Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”  Some say this exchange changes the nature of the whole event into a living parable that really has little to do with dirty feet, but teaches a more profound spiritual lesson.  I think just the opposite is true, that the relation to our spiritual health highlights the profound significance of physical service.  Peter would not have Jesus wash his feet believing, we assume, that it would be degrading for his master to do such a thing.  It seems, to this point, that each of the disciples considered it too demeaning to do it themselves, so we can only assume that they felt even stronger regarding Christ.  But Christ answers Peter that if he cannot receive humble physical service from Jesus, He will never have the poverty of spirit that is essential to receive spiritual service. 
 If we are honest with ourselves, this can be the hardest part of discipleship.  It is not a matter of submitting to a servant leader, per se.  Our greater problem is submitting at all, admitting that whatever our problem we cannot solve it ourselves.  That is why Christ’s Beatitudes in Matthew 5 begin by pointing out that only the poor in spirit, those who admit their spiritual bankruptcy, their utter destitution, are in a position to receive all that they need from another, from Christ Himself, and inherit the Kingdom of God.
All of us who have answered the call of Christ have done so from this position of spiritual poverty.  It is not easy.  We are proud; we like to think of ourselves as self sufficient.  But when we begin to see the depth of our sin and the heights of God’s glory and holiness we realize we cannot bridge that gap on our own.

But the challenge then begins all over again when we live out our discipleship in Christian service.  After Jesus washes the disciples feet he sits down and says, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”  It is one thing to accept help from the Lord and King of the Universe.  He obviously has resources we do not.  But it is another thing to accept help, not from servant leaders, but from servant peers.  Like Peter we recoil and think of the person offering help, “Not from you, no way!”  Pride can cut both ways.  Sometimes we think too much of ourselves and our ability to deal with our own problems.  But sometimes we think too little of our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  But we should not minimize their abilities.  And even when those gifts are not stellar, we need to remember that God is not bound by competence.  The disciples did not have the best resumes. 

 

We never know what God will teach us apart from the task at hand, or what he might teach someone of meager abilities through the task at hand if we only let them serve.  If they are motivated by the Lord to offer help, they are also enabled by the Lord.  All Christians are given Spiritual Gifts for the mutual benefit of the church.  As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:7: “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”  We  only see an individual on their surface, but we cannot deny what the Lord might be doing in them.  When Peter refuses Christ, Jesus tells him, “Unless I wash you you have no part in me.”  And Peter relents because He wants to participate in Christ.  None of us can participate in Christ without participating, too, in His body, the church, and that means serving and being served.  He has poured out gifts for each to the benefit of the other and we should use them liberally and receive them humbly to His glory.

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Before I went to China one of the things I learned about the people and their culture was the great historic tradition of scholarship and the respect and honor that students give to their teachers.  But it was one thing to learn this academically, and yet another to experience it personally.  In one of my first classes, I delivered my first lesson and in the process wrote a number of examples on the squeaky green chalk board.  And half-way through the lesson the board was full, so I grabbed the well-worn felt eraser from the chalk tray.  But before I could raise my arm to the board and begin to erase, a student was at my side insisting that they be the one to erase the board.  At first I thought it was just the would-be teacher’s pet and I shrugged him off.  But he was insistent and ultimately tried to wrest the eraser from my hand.  “I will do it,” I said, a little short, and sent him back to his desk.  Once I realized it was not just the teacher’s pet and if it had not been this student it would have been someone else, I persisted in my refusal, thinking it was time these poor victims of a rigidly hierarchical society learned to expect more from their leaders.  If a teacher couldn’t erase their own chalkboard, how could political leaders ever be expected to be responsive to the needs of the people?  Was I thinking like a socially and politically free American, or was I just being stubborn and independent?  I think it would have strengthened my relationship with the class and left me in a better position to minister to them if I had simply let them erase the board for me.
 

In a Bible study at a Chinese fellowship I used to attend in college we sang the Servant Song, “Brother, let me be a servant; let me be as Christ to you.  And I pray I’d have the grace to let you be my servant, too.”  It does take grace to let others serve us.  But God gives that grace and we should not refuse that grace, for what it means for our spiritual maturation, what it might mean for our brother or sister in their growth in grace, and for the opportunity it might present to bring glory to God.  Disciples must serve and be served, because to resist service is to resist Christ.
Finally, disciples must serve and be served, because humble service preaches Christ.  The Last Supper, at which Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, took place shortly after the episode  Jerry preached about last week, when Mary anointed Christ with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair.  And remember that in response to her actions Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  Why?  Because the gospel message tells what God has done for sinful humanity by sending Christ to die for our sins.  But once we are thus changed, we become part of family of changed individuals, part of a changed society, and mutual service is part of that.  And that should be part of our message.  In verse 16 Jesus says, “no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”  He has just told the disciples that they should serve one another as He has served them, but His mention here of the messenger suggests that their service does more than get feet clean, for example, but communicates something to the watching world.  It is a message of mutual submission, of love, of reconciliation.  It is performing humble service to one another as part of a loving family, with God as our Father and Christ as our Head. 

The Apostle Paul taught this when he said in Philippians 2:3-4, “. . . in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  Then as Paul continues, he explains that this attitude is not simply a virtue based on human equality, but rooted in the example of Christ.
 6Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 7but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 8And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!

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In the first century pagans did not understand or always respect Christians.  They called them cannibals because they claimed to eat the flesh and drink the blood of their founder.  They said they had unnatural relations because they could call their spouses “brother” and “sister” as part of the universal family of the redeemed.  But they also saw their service to one another, often at personal expense, and had to say, “See how they love each other.”  Centuries later, Francis of Assisi summarized best the powerful effects of submissive, loving Christian service when he said, “Preach the Gospel at all times . . . and when necessary use words.”  Disciples must serve and be served, because humble service preaches Christ.

In our day and age feet washing is not a regular need.  But there are many similar, quiet, thankless tasks to be done.  There are big dramatic ones, too, but Lord willing our neighbor’s barns will not burn down every week.  But the needs will always be with us.  We always have opportunities to serve.  And we cannot ignore these opportunities for what service means to Christian discipleship.  Disciples must serve and be served because Christ will not let us ignore our need.  Disciples must serve and be served because to resist is to resist Christ.  And disciples must serve because humble service preaches Christ.

 

 

February 18th, 2008

Sermon, 2-17-08: Betrayal and Bonding

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Matthew 26:17-30

Rev. Jerry Hoek
 
Introduction:
 
Once a month we have the privilege of gathering around the Lord’s table and celebrating communion.  This is a very special time for Christians.  But imagine something very unusual happening the next time we celebrate communion.  Just as we are about to eat the bread, one of you stands up and shouts, “One of you is going to do something that is going to hurt or even destroy me!”  Aside from being terribly shocked, we would also be quite irritated.  Doesn’t this person know how important and special the Lord’s Supper is?  He has no right, no matter what he is saying, to say it in that way and especially at this time!
 
Yet in a very real sense, that is what Jesus does in these verses.  Jesus and His disciples were enjoying a very special and intimate meal of the Passover.  It was an especially moving and special time because Jesus had just told them once again that he would be leaving them and would be killed.  Quite likely the disciples didn’t want anything to ruin this special meal with Jesus.  But just then Jesus Himself “ruins” it for them when He says that one of them will betray Him.  The intimate and special meal is suddenly thrown into chaos.
 
But Jesus did this for a very clear purpose.  Jesus wanted to teach His disciples that they must rely only on Him and His death as a basis for their relationship with Him.  Let’s read Matthew 26:17-30.
 
I. The Passover Meal
II. Broken Fellowship      
III. Restored Fellowship
IV. Celebrating Fellowship Today
 
 
I. The Setting of the Supper is the Jewish Passover feast is given in verses 17-19.
Matthew describes this meal as the “Feast of Unleavened Bread.”  This is, however, the Passover meal.  At this point the disciples take the initiative and ask Jesus where He would like to celebrate the feast.  There would be preparations such as securing a place and making the food preparations.
 
In verse 18, Jesus tells them to find a certain man and that he would assist them.  Mark says that this man would be carrying some water.  It would be very unusual for a man to carry water in this manner and so it’s evident that Jesus had made prior arrangements for this meal.  This was a special secret sign so that the disciples would find the right person to help them.  Jesus likely did this so that the location would be kept a secret so Judas would not be able to tip off the  leaders beforehand.
 
Jesus tells the disciples, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.”  Again, Jesus makes it clear that the time, His time, is near; it is time that is under His control.  The Passover was usually a family meal but the disciples were far from home and family and so it would make sense for them to celebrate with their new family surrounding Jesus.  The disciples do this and prepared the feast for Jesus and the others.
 
Then Jesus and the disciples gather one last time to share the Passover meal.  The Jews celebrated the Passover meal to remember their being saved from slavery in Egypt.  God finally was about to rescue them from slavery.  The Israelites ate this meal just before they left Egypt.


The meal itself was very symbolic.  There was roast lamb, bread, wine, bitter herbs and spices.  The lamb was the lamb that was killed so that they could spread blood on the doorposts, a sign that they were God’s people.  The bitter herbs were to remind the people of the suffering they endured during their days of slavery.
 
It was also symbolic when Jesus and the disciples were eating this meal.  The Passover celebrated deliverance for God’s people from Egypt.  The Lord’s Supper which will come from this will celebrate man’s freedom from slavery to sin.

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Moreover, this was also a very special meal for Jesus and the disciples.  So often we think of this supper as being stiff and formal.  However, as Brian Wren writes, “The Last Supper was a real meal, not ritualized worship.  There was the smell of roast lamb and herbs, the clatter of dishes, the splashing of wine poured into a cup, and table talk – whispering, laughter and questioning.  There were scraps of bread and meat left in the dish – the debris of a meal.”  It was like a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner with close fellowship.
 
The disciples were thoroughly enjoying this table fellowship with Jesus.  He had been talking a lot about His death and about His leaving them.  It must have been good and comforting to have everyone together.
 
 
II. But suddenly that Fellowship is Broken by Jesus’ announcement of betrayal in verses 21-25.
 
Jesus shatters this peaceful atmosphere with a terribly devastating charge.  In verse 21, Jesus says, “Truly, I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”  This charge shatters the calm much like the boom of thunder in the middle of a calm night.”
 
This must have greatly disturbed the disciples as we see in verse 22.  They looked at each other and couldn’t imagine that any of them doing such a thing.  So they begin asking, “It’s not me, is it Lord?”  They are truly wondering if it could be them and they are already doubting their allegiance to Jesus.
 
Jesus’ statement in verse 23 makes them even more concerned.  “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me.”  Well, they all had done that during the course of the meal.  Jesus wants them to realize that they all could be guilty of such a thing.  One of them sharing this special meal was going to betray Him.
 
Then Jesus adds one more statement that seals the disciples’ deep turmoil.  He says in verse 24, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”  Jesus means that this is indeed God’s plan and Jesus willingly will follow this plan but the one who acts against Him is doomed.  This is a statement one makes when there is no hope, no future.  Life for this person will be worthless because of what he will do.
 
The disciples are now completely devastated!  There sense of communion with each other is shattered.  Their sense of communion with Jesus is severely strained as well for they each recognize that he could possibly betray his Lord.
 
Now why did Jesus make this announcement right at this time?  First, He had to do it to set in motion the events of His crucifixion.  Matthew mentions in verse 25 that Judas asks the same question: “Is it I?” and Jesus tells him emphatically, “Yes, it is you.”  Notice though that Judas addresses Jesus as Rabbi while the other address Jesus as Lord for Judas will not call Jesus his Lord.
 
You can imagine that in the consternation at this point that Judas’ question and Jesus’ answer must have gotten lost to the others who didn’t hear it or grasp it.  Jesus tells Judas in no uncertain terms that He knows that Judas is the betrayer and Judas goes out to plan his treacherous actions.
 
But Jesus also made this announcement right now to teach the disciples a valuable lesson about the new covenant which Jesus was about to establish.  Everything had to be knocked down before Jesus could build it again.  It wasn’t the Passover that would make them have special fellowship.  It wasn’t that the disciples and Jesus were close personal friends.  Certainly their faithfulness will not be the basis for the New Covenant.
 
The only basis for any one’s relationship with Jesus will be the death of Jesus on the cross.  It is only through Jesus’ dying that they would be able to have full and complete fellowship with Jesus, the Son of God.  The disciples had to realize that before Jesus went on.  And so in verses 26-28, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper as a sign of the basis of this new relationship.
 
 
III. But then Fellowship is Restored by Jesus in His parting words in verse 29.
 
“I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”  There would be no more close, personal fellowship with the Lord whom they loved; their relationship would never be the same again.
 
And this fellowship would not be fully restored until Jesus comes again.  That’s one reason why the early church awaited Christ’s return so eagerly.  They couldn’t wait to see Jesus again and spend time with Him.
 
However, Jesus also plainly is teaching that the kingdom is also here now!  When Christ died and rose again, it was the beginning of the kingdom.  And so even though we don’t have the kingdom yet fully, we have a taste of what the kingdom will be like when Jesus does come again.
That has important implications for the way we celebrate the Lord’s Supper each month.  The Lord’s Supper is not only a time of looking back with thanksgiving for Christ did.  Now of course, we should never forget all that Jesus had to suffer and endure to give us salvation.  God has done a truly amazing thing for us through Jesus Christ!

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Many of you have likely heard of Don Richardson who was a missionary to the primitive Sawi tribe in New Guinea.  This was a most unusual tribe with unusual beliefs.  The Sawi tribe held deceit as the highest virtue; they had no use for Christian values of love and forgiveness.  In the story of the crucifixion, Judas – not Jesus – was their hero.  They admired his shrewd penetration of Jesus’ inner circle and his cunning in betraying his leader.
 
The Sawi were happy to have Richardson stay among them, but they saw no need to give up their cruel violence and cannibalism.  Every time the missionary tried to teach them the gospel, the attempt failed.  In spite of his efforts, he continued to witness the violent, bloody battles in front of his home between the Sawi and their deadly enemies, the Haenam tribe.  Richardson finally decided he was wasting his time.  He told the Sawi he was leaving.
 
The Sawi pleaded with Richardson to stay, but he stood firm.  The Sawi would not give up, however.  So just before he left, the Sawi and the Haenam tribes staged an elaborate ceremony in front of his home.  The entire village gathered to watch the event.  Everyone was silent, except the wife of the Sawi chief, who screamed when her husband took their six-month old son from her arms and held him high in the air.  The chief took his child to the enemy chief and left him among the Haenam.  A Sawi explained to Richardson that the Haenam tribe would rename the child and rear it as on of their own.
 
At last Richardson saw that there was one exception to the Sawi practice of deceit and treachery: the peace child.  When a chief gave up his own son to his enemies – a profoundly painful act – it sealed an agreement of peace.  No war would ever be fought between those two tribes as long as the peace child lived.
 
Don Richardson finally found a parallel between the Sawi culture and the message of the gospel.  He gathered the Sawi around him and told them of a God who had given a peace child – his own Son– to live among his enemies and to make peace with mankind.
 
We must praise God for what He has done for us in Jesus. But there is more to the Lord’s Supper than this.
 
The Lord’s Supper is also a time when we gather together to long for Christ’s return.  Our hope is fixed in the knowledge that Jesus will return some day.  We are to anticipate that and eagerly await that wonderful day when we will be joined together in the heavenly banquet.  But the Lord’s Supper is not just a time of looking forward to fellowship with Christ in heaven; it is a time to celebrate today!
 
IV. Celebrating Fellowship Today in the Lord’s Supper.
 
The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of what God is doing today in Jesus Christ.  Today, the living Christ is with us.  He shows us through the bread and wine that He loves us so much that He was willing to die to give us new life.  He shows us through the bread and wine that He continues to be with us just as we hold the bread and wine in our hands.  He reminds us of the great heavenly banquet that we can some day enjoy with Him.  When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we have just a taste of the special communion with Christ and with other Christians.
 
In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus is speaking to us and telling us:  “I love you and I want you to follow me and be my disciple.”  “I will strengthen you with my Spirit for this life.”
The question is what will you say in return?  What is your response?  Will it be, “No thank you; I don’t need You!  I can take care of myself.”  I encourage you to think very carefully about such an answer.  Each person’s eternal destiny is hanging in the balance.
 
Maybe some of you are saying, “That’s nice, and I really do want to accept you and follow you, but….  I will wait until I am out of high school or college or until I get married and settle down.  I will wait until later on because I am just too busy right now.
 
I encourage each of you today, as we stand in the presence of the risen Lord, to say, “yes.”  “Right now I wholly submit to you and to your will in my life.”  “I accept your love and mercy and will try to live in the beauty of your presence day after day.”  “I know that I am weak, please make me strong.”
 
Jesus is here today and is offering to go with us, helping us, warning us of sin and offering to help us as we deal with life’s problems and struggles.  Such an offer is vitally important to us.  Terry Muck recently wrote of a conversation with a friend of his who had been going through a very difficult time.  He said:  “Life has gotten very difficult.  It’s all hard edges.  Everything I do seems painful, like I’m hitting my shin against a concrete step.  I keep going, but all the while I long for soft pillows to cushion the blows.  I never dreamed life could be so hard.”
Perhaps that describes life for many of us this morning.  Life is hard, but there is hope for the future and help right now from our Lord who offers to give us spiritual strength and hope in the Lord’s Supper.
 
The question is how we will respond to our Lord.  If we refuse to respond to His call, we do so at our own peril.  If we respond in faith, He will help us powerfully.
 
But let us remember once again that the basis of our relationship with Jesus is what He has done for us.  So often we think of our relationship with Christ in terms of what we do or what we think we can do for Him.  We hear people say that they are so close to Christ because they are praying more or reading the Bible more.  Or they are close to Christ because they are living a better life.  Now while those things are true, we have to be careful that we don’t start to think that it is what we are doing that is making our relationship with Christ so much better.
 
Jesus is teaching His disciples here that no matter how close and how special your relationship with Him is, it is based solely on what Jesus will do on the cross.  It is not based on how we feel or how good we may think we are doing.  All of that needs to be knocked down so that we realize that it is only based on the death and resurrection of Jesus.  We can only rely on His death as a basis for our relationship with God and the hope of peace with our Lord and God.
 
Let’s thank Him today for giving Himself to us and pray that He may strengthen us as we live our lives anticipating the great banquet in heaven.

February 4th, 2008

Sermon, 2-3-08: Responding to Jesus’ Death

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Matthew 26:1-16  “Responding to Jesus’ Death”

Rev. Jerry Hoek
 
 
Introduction:   
 
            Next Sunday is the first Sunday in the season of Lent, a time in which Christians prepare for remembering the suffering and death of Jesus.   Over the next several Sundays leading up to Easter we will be exploring Jesus’ suffering and death by looking at the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion in Matthew 26.
 
            However, before we read these verses this morning, imagine that you are in desperate need of a good reliable car.  And imagine that two people have offered to give you a car absolutely free.  One car is a Cadillac; the other is a Chevy.  The Cadillac is a Cadillac; the name says it all.  The Chevy is a basic, simple car.
 
            However, the Cadillac is  also a 25 year old rust-bucket.  The engine rattles and smokes, it shifts from one gear with tremendous effort, the fenders and floor are rusted through and the interior is in shambles.  The Chevy is virtually new; the engine runs great and is in great condition.  Which of the two cars would you choose?   The Cadillac is a symbol of prestige – and it is ready for the scrap heap.  The Chevy will serve you much better and is clearly the wiser choice.  The choice becomes clear when we have the opportunity to compare and contrast two things.
 
            In verses 1-16, Matthew lays out two choices of how a person can respond to Jesus:  worship Christ or reject Christ.  Here Matthew encourages his readers and us to not only accept Jesus as Savior, but to adore Him with complete devotion.  Let’s read Matthew 26:1-6.
 
I. The Contrast of Who is in Control            
II. The Response of Anointing                    
III. The Response of Betrayal
IV. How Will We Respond to the Crucified Christ?


I. The Contrast of who is in Control is laid out in verses 1-5.
 
            Jesus enters the final phase of His earthly ministry by predicting His death in verses 1-2.  Jesus says, “As you know, the Passover is two days away.”  Obviously the disciples knew that the Passover was two days away.  It was the most important holiday in which the Jews remembered the marvelous way that God had saved them when they were in Egypt.
 
            God told the people to kill a lamb and to put some of the lamb’s blood on their doorposts.  Then God sent an angel who killed the first-born child of everyone in Egypt where the blood was not found.  Passover meant God had passed-over from killing his people.  The Jewish people celebrated the Passover with great enthusiasm and joy for it was remembering God’s gift of salvation to their people.
 
            Jesus here is intentionally linking His death to the Passover.  Before it was a lamb that saved the people.  Now Jesus will be the Passover lamb that will save the people.
 
            Now just as Jesus says this, the Jewish leaders got together to plot his death in verses 3-5.  They gathered in the high priest’s palace and decided three things.  First, they will use legal channels and have Jesus arrested.  Second, they will have to use some “sly way” to do this.  Third, they will wait until after Passover so that there wouldn’t be as many people around to stir up.  They have carefully orchestrated the whole scheme and now must wait the 10 days for all the holiday furor to subside before they take action.
 
            These two scenes provide a contrast as to who is really in control of Jesus’ death.  Jesus predicts his death and immediately the Jewish leaders begin plotting.  This is not a mere coincidence but a clear way of showing that Jesus, the Son of God, is in control of what will happen to him.  Jesus is not subject to the plans of mere men, but is the One who takes the initiative to set things in motion for his sacrificial death.
 
            This is also seen in the contrast in the timing of the events.  Jesus said that in two days things will begin to happen that will lead to his crucifixion.  The Jewish leaders said that it must wait at least 10 days.  As the subsequent events unfold, it becomes clear that again Jesus is the one who is in control of the timing of His death as well.
 
            The point is that Jesus’ death comes as the result of his own willingness to die to save us; He initiates the steps of sacrifice in order to secure our salvation.  Rev. Murupus understands planning in order to sacrifice.  He and his wife Mary had a very nice comfortable house on their farm, but gave it up to live here in a smaller house so that the girls who stayed at the school could have a dormitory.  They made a conscious choice, a sacrificial choice so that others could benefit.
 
            The Son of God willingly planned and went on toward death to save us and give us life.  But there is another contrast seen in the response to Jesus’ willingness to die.
 
II. The Response of Anointing
 
            Verses 6-7, tell us that while in Bethany, Jesus was a guest in the home of Simon the leper.  During the course of the meal, a woman did something shocking!  She had an expensive jar containing a very expensive perfume.  Mark’s gospel tells us that it was worth a whole year’s wages.  This was something that today would cost thousands of dollars.  She took this perfume and in a shocking display, poured it over Jesus’ head.
 
            But you see, this woman was not really pouring out perfume.  She was pouring out her love, devotion and gratitude to Jesus.  The expensive perfume was just a means to express that love.
            However, the disciples certainly didn’t see it that way as we see in verses 8-9.  To them this woman has just done an incredibly foolish thing.  She has just completely wasted a whole year’s wages.
 
            Now in some respects, their response shows that they had been listening to Jesus’ teaching.  Jesus had taught them that they must care for the poor.  It is understandable for them to think of all the food that this perfume could have bought for the poor in Jerusalem.  But the disciples failed to see the love and motivation that was behind the gift; they saw only the financial waste.
 
            It is also important that we notice that all the disciples joined in rebuking the woman.  Typically we only think of Judas’ angry reaction to this waste.  However, this isn’t just the view of a traitor about to betray Jesus.  This is the reaction of all of Jesus’ closest followers.
 
            However, in verses 10-13, Jesus defends the woman and gives two reasons which endorse what the woman has done.  First, the opportunities to lavish love on Jesus were coming to an end.  Within one week, Jesus would be dead and raised again.  The time was short to adore Christ.
 
            Secondly, Jesus says that this woman was preparing Him for his burial.  Most likely, the woman did not know that this was what she was doing.  But Jesus interprets her action and once again points to His death.
 
            And then Jesus highly commends this woman for her actions.  In light of the events that were about to occur, Jesus says that what she did will be retold with them.  Jesus says that the memory of the woman’s deed must be kept alive.  For this woman’s action shows profound gratitude for what Jesus is about to do.
 
            That is in sharp contrast with the response of the disciples.  The disciples saw this action as a waste of money.  The woman viewed this act as an expression of her great love.  Jesus clearly accepted this lavish expression of love.
 
            The point is that we must not become so wrapped up in the kingdom work and enterprise that we lose sight of Jesus our suffering Lord.  As we are busy in the kingdom, let’s not forget that we owe our Lord Jesus a tremendous debt of gratitude for what He has done for us.  Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment of death that we all rightly deserve upon himself.  We cannot simply go on with life without stopping periodically to thank God in some lavish, extraordinary way for the gift of Jesus.  Perhaps Christians should periodically do something to express their devotion to Christ in a way that doesn’t make sense.
 
            Now some Christians piously quote these verses saying that Jesus said that the poor will always be around, so don’t be concerned about them.  Jesus is not saying, “Ignore the poor and build my church.”  Jesus is saying, “Surrender your life to me fully, extravagantly, outrageously and then you will be moved to give of yourselves to me and to the needy in the world.”  Both actions are required.
 
            Showing love for Christ and compassion to those in need can be a difficult challenge.  Tony Campolo puts the choice for Christians in this way.  “Nothing is more controversial than to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Nothing is more dangerous than to live out the will of God in today’s contemporary world. It changes your whole monetary lifestyle. … Let me put it quite simply: If Jesus has $40,000 and knew about the kids who are suffering and dying in Haiti, what kind of car would he buy?”
 
            The true tests come to us in the way we spend $40,000 but our $20 and $100 amounts.  We pour out our devotion to Christ and show our compassion for the poor in our everyday actions.
III. Then in sharp contrast to this is The Response of Betrayal in verses 14-16.
 
            This is an act of supreme treachery; one of the inner circle turns on Jesus.  We don’t know for certain what moved Judas to betray Jesus.  He was likely profoundly disappointed in Jesus as a person.  He was looking for a leader to lead the people against Rome.  When Jesus said that He was about to be killed, that put an end to any hope of a rebellion.  Moreover, Jesus endorsed this woman’s extravagant act.
 
            Greed was also a factor since he asked for something for betraying Jesus.  Judas is a picture of an angry, bitter and disappointed man.
 
            And so Judas goes to the Jewish leaders and the betrayal is planned.  This is exactly what the Jewish leaders were hoping for.  They were looking for some form of trickery to get rid of Jesus and now Judas walks in.
 
            The 30 pieces of silver was a relatively small amount of money.  This was the amount of money that would be spent in buying a slave.  It shows how low Jesus had dropped in Judas’ estimation.
 
            Once again, the contrast stands out very clearly.  There is the contrast in the amount of money that is spent on Jesus.  The woman in Bethany pours out a whole year’s wages for Jesus.  Judas accepts a mere pittance, just a few bucks to get rid of Him.
 
            There is a contrast in showing sacrificial love and devotion versus shameful, self-centered rejection.  The woman wanted to give herself for Jesus; Judas wanted things only for himself from Jesus.
 
            In 1991, the Associated Press reported that the government of Kuwait had finally been restored after the first Gulf War.  At the beginning of the restoration, the Kuwaiti minister of cabinet affairs was interviewed by Newsweek Magazine and he was asked, “How will the people of Kuwait accustomed to much money and much luxury __ how will they manage?”  And he, Abdul Raymond Alowati, replied,  “They will have to sacrifice.  Instead of having four maids in the house or three, they will have to make do with two.”
 
            This is how many Christians view giving themselves to Christ; I’ll just have to make do with a bit less and that will be my sacrifice.  But our response to Christ is often self-centered like Judas’ response for we want to have what we can get for ourselves out of our relationship with Jesus.
 
            What should a person do in response to Jesus?  There is no doubt in Matthew’s mind which is the response that he wants his readers to follow.  A person must give up himself in order to follow and adore Jesus.  And that choice is for us to make as well today.
 
 
IV. How Will We Respond to the Crucified Christ?
 
            We are called this morning to respond to Jesus who is our Passover Lamb.  This is a call to respond to the One who said, “I love you so much that I will die instead of you.”  We really have only two choices:  we can reject him or we can adore Him.
 
            There are some who will reject Him.  They may think Jesus was a wonderful person, but He just has nothing to do with them.  Many people today simply ignore Christ.  However, when one ignores Jesus, he ends up rejecting Jesus.
 
            And people today may have the same kind of reasons that Judas had.  “Jesus isn’t doing the things I want him to do in the world.”  “I reject Jesus because he isn’t filling my needs.”  However, the choice of rejecting Jesus leads nowhere at all.
 
            The much wiser choice is to adore Him as the woman adored Him.  That may mean doing things that others may think are outrageous.  Your friends or co-workers may not understand why you have gone “off the deep end in your religion.”  However, you must prove to them that believing in Christ makes sense and makes a difference in every part of your life.
 
            Here is a short modern-day parable of two men and one’s testimony to the other.  Dave counsels every year at high school camp.  Tom doesn’t allow his kids to attend.  Dave teaches an Adult Sunday school class.  Tom doesn’t go to Sunday school.  Dave directs the choir.  Tom doesn’t know a single hymn.  Dave chairs the worship committee.  Tom hasn’t been inside a church since infancy.  Dave reads his Bible every day.  Tom doesn’t own one.  Dave has a grocery bill that’s marked “90 days overdue.”  Tom owns the grocery store.  Dave invited Tom to his church. Tom stayed home and watched television reruns.
 
            Our witness must be consistent with our actions in every part of our lives.  Sheldon Van Auken in his book Severe Mercy writes, “The best argument for Christianity is Christians __ their joy, their certainty, their completeness.  But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians __ when they’re self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration.  When they’re narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.”
 
            Those around us look at us as to see how we are living.  But hopefully they will see a faith in a relationship that brings grace and hope in every part of our lives.
 
            Jesus says to us this morning, “Give yourself to me, pour out your love and gratitude on me.”  That is what Jesus really wants in us.  Come to him, not to pour out expensive perfume, but to pour out yourself.  Are you willing to give yourself to the One who has given Himself for you?

February 1st, 2008

From the Pastor’s Desk – February 2008

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Snapshots from Kenya –

Marich Dispensary

 

Our first morning in Marich we stopped to pick up Joseph Lolem, the pastor of the Marich Reformed Church of East Africa.  We drove to the Marich dispensary which was a very small building.  Pastor Lolem explained that this dispensary was once a government office building used by the government workers who oversaw the construction of the international highway.  Since the completion of the highway, it had been abandoned.

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Pastor Lolem 

Pastor Lolem went on to explain that previously there had been a newer and better equipped dispensary further west of Marich but the medical team there had been forced to abandon it due to tribal fighting.  Technically, those working at the Marich Dispensary were squatters and the government was threatening to kick them out of the building.

While touring the building, we saw a couple of benches outside and a couple of chairs inside where the clinic was.  There was a room for treatment, an office, a pharmacy storeroom and pharmacy counter as well as the starkest labor and delivery room we had ever seen.

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Pastor Lolem continued to explain that many of the people now living in Marich were refugees having been displaced by the same tribal fighting that had forced the dispensary to be moved.  This was a place of so much pain and despair brought about by natural and human causes.  Life here was very fragile and on the edge.

We found out that a few days after our visit, a cholera epidemic had swept through this area, killing 10 people and forcing this small struggling clinic to tend to almost 100 cholera patients who came there for treatment.  This epidemic was brought about by one of the biggest problems in the region: the lack of good water.  Poor quality of water means that the people are drinking all kids of potential harmful germs and bacteria.

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This is the area where we are hoping to help dig a well at some point.  George Garden has been talking with other experts in the field of wells and the Missions Team is working with him on the details to bring a deep well to this are so that the people there may have a safe source of drinking water for the foreseeable future.

As you can imagine this particular project is quite uncertain in light of the recent fighting in Kenya.  Whoever would work on this well would have to travel through some of the same areas where there has been so much fighting and as of right now, that is very dangerous.  As of this writing anywhere from 700-1,000 have been killed in this violence and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee.  This means the needs are greater than ever but the risks of helping are greater than ever as well.

Moreover, it is hard to say to what extent the infrastructure has been damaged as well.  Getting materials and supplies to the area of Marich would be a challenge.  There will be governmental red tape to deal with, transportation issues, equipment challenges, not to mention any of the myriad things that occur when we do our own simple plumbing repairs in our homes!

Personally this has been very difficult for Claire and me.  We read the names of towns and places where we visited and we can’t even imagine the horror of what these people are going through where there is the actual fighting.  Even places further north that have seemed to escape the worst of the fighting are being overwhelmed with refugees fleeing the fighting further south.  The fairly tranquil and stable country we saw and enjoyed has been turned upside down.

All of this means we need to keep praying for peace and restoration in this nation.  The people there were living on the ragged edge already when we were there.  I can imagine that this recent violence has set thousands of people back in so many ways.  Pray that God will give us wisdom to discern what is the best way for us to respond to this need.  Please continue to pray for Marich and the people in Marich.  Pray that, in the name of Christ, we can make a difference for the people there.

 

Pastor Jerry                                                                                                      

February 2008