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Greetings! Welcome to the show today. I don’t know how all of you are faring during this unusual crisis in our nation (and really the whole world). It is not an easy time economically. I am sure many of you have been laid off, as my wife (who is a dental assistant) has been laid off from her job. Many of you are probably wondering what the future might hold for you and your family and may even be wondering if you are going to make it financially. I mean these are uncertain times. And who would have thought that we would go through something like this.
Recently I was reading an author in my studies of the book of Esther and he made the remark about how ordinary and regular it is for people to go through trials and difficulties. And I remember thinking, “actually, I am doing okay. Not really going through anything difficult right now.” But then he said, “And if you think you are doing okay right now, watch out, because there’s a trial just around the corner.” And I thought something like, “Well, aren’t you just a bright little ray of sunshine.” But he was right. It was not long after that that all of this began to unravel. And his point was not to discourage, but to encourage. He was making the point (in his commentary) that the story of the book of Esther is not a light and airy fairytale, but a powerful story born out of pain and uncertainty. Persia (as we will see) was not the place to be, particularly if you were a Jew. Everyone in this book is afraid. And yet God uses those dark circumstances for some incredibly good things and Israel comes out of these trials far stronger than it had been before this time of intense darkness. And the same is true of us. I believe that on the other side of this the United States is going to be stronger and better. I believe God’s Church is going to be stronger and better. We are being forced to think creatively in how we interact with one another, how we do Church. And many Churches are being forced to catch up in a lot of ways. Has this been difficult? Yes. But I’m telling you, these past few Sundays have probably yielded more livestreams of the Gospel than at any other time in history. And I know in my Church (Renton Park Chapel) we are having many people view our service online whom I know would probably not darken the door of my Church (or maybe any Church). And that is only one small refraction of how God is using these circumstances for good. But all of this is still hard. And I think about how my family (and many of you) are affected by this. But you know, it gives us a chance to ask ourselves, “Do we really believe many of the things we talk about on a regular basis regarding God and His faithfulness; His love for us and therefore His provision for us?” Pilots-- You know in my church we have two pilots, both of whom own airplanes and both of whom have built or did major rebuilding on their airplanes. Now I don’t know too much about airplanes, other than what I have gleaned from conversations with guys who do. But I do know that building an airplane can be a long project and requires a lot of time and care. And I (who live about ten minutes from Boeing) am very thankful to those who know how to build airplanes. But there comes a point when the building stops and you have to actually get into the airplane and fly it. One of these men in our church finished his little red plane and eventually took it for a test-fly. Now that kind of takes faith to the next level, doesn’t it. I mean yeah you can brag about whatever parts you put into it (how shiny you got the wings) and how well it has been put together. But then come a moment when you climb into that cockpit, turn the ignition, and begin rolling down the runway. And if it was me, a thousand different questions would probably be going through my mind. Did I remember to do this, that, or whatever? Or, if it’s like any of the pieces of furniture I have put together over the years, why are there extra pieces afterwards? Now when it comes to a dresser, I might be able to get by. But an airplane. Ummmmm……..maybe not so much. But for these men, their faith in their planes was probably more real afterwards than before. Their talk of trust became an active faith. And so it is during these trying times. It is easy to have faith in the good times. But what about now when uncertainty clouds so much of our future? Now is the time to ask when we sing about God being our rock, our deliverer, our foundation, the One in whom we place our faith and trust, do we really believe that? All of this gives us the opportunity to demonstrate (not just talk, but demonstrate) our faith in God. Do we really believe Jesus is who He says He, that He can do what He says He can do, and that He can be for us who He says He can be for us? The is the question Israel was forced to ask themselves about God over and over again; and never more so than in the book of Esther, which we began studying during out time together last week. The State of Exile— Now you will remember that we have begun exploring the state of exile Israel had experienced during that time; the judgment of God; but also the nature of God’s judgment. Remember we said that whenever God judges, His judgment is alway redemptive; it is to bring healing through repentance; which manifests itself in a change of heart (the inner person) and also a change of direction in how we outwardly act. God judges sin not to destroy or hurt us, but to move His people to turn from those sinful behaviors that are by nature destructive. Secondly, whenever God judges, He always leaves His people with hope; hope that His judgment will not last forever; but that at the right time He will restore them when they turn back to Him with all their hearts. And just prior to the book of Esther we see this restoration begin to take place. Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia, allows the Jews to return to their homeland to rebuild the temple; and on top of that, he has Persia finance it. His proclamation, recorded in Ezra 1:4, says this… Ezra 1:4 (ESV)-- 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” The Persians Paid For It-- How amazing it is that God not only sets them free; not only has the king that ruled over them given them permission to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple, but even has their enemies (the Persians) pay for it. Does God’s Covenant Still Stand?-- Now during this time one of the chief concerns of the Jews was (because their was no more temple, no more priesthood, no more sacrifices, and no monarchy); where they stood in relationship to God and His covenant. “Is God going to back our efforts?”-- I was reading an author who said that even though they were set free to go home and even rebuild the temple, this question still remained in their minds because the command to rebuild the temple didn’t come from God, but from a pagan king; and not out of love for God, but in order to further his own political agenda. So the question becomes, “Is God going to back our efforts?” Because they could rebuild the temple, but that doesn’t automatically mean God is going to restore His presence; that He will reestablish His covenant with them. Would God respond to them and move in their midst once again? That was the soul-cry of their hearts. Not the First Plundering-- But this bit of history about those in the Persian empire being commanded to give to the Jews of their resources intrigues me, because it is not the first time their enemies have financed their undertakings. Remember when Israel first left their bondage in Egypt it says... Exodus 12:35-36 (ESV)-- 35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. Remember What God Did Before-- And this made we wonder if God isn’t almost beginning to answer their ultimate question even as they are asking it. God not only sets them free from Egypt but grants them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, causing them to give silver and gold to them. And in this way God shows that He is with them. And I wonder if here, at this point in Israel’s history, it may be that God, through the plundering of the Persians, is saying to them, “Remember what I did for you before when I called you out of Egypt? Look; I’m doing it again. I’m still with you; yes, my covenant still stands.” The Prodigal’s Surprise-- How like God this is; to as we look up from the slop we are eating and ask if He will receive us again (like the Prodigal son wondered as he moved from the slop back towards His father’s house), we find Him already moving towards us; already making way for our restoration. If you remember nothing else today from God’s message this morning, remember this: If you find yourself beginning to want to return to Jesus, you will find He has already begun moving towards you. Our God is the God who forgave us while still on the cross (that blessed cross we sing about in so many of our songs); our God is the God who begins to restore us before we have sense enough to even seek restoration. Perhaps the most powerful verse on prayer in all of scripture comes from the book of Isaiah… Isaiah 65:24 (ESV)— 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. Already Making Way For Your Restoration-- If you find yourself desiring restoration to God, it is because God has already begun to make way for your restoration. And this is what we see here. Israel is wondering if God will restore them; but through Cyrus and this incredible decree Cyrus gives, God is showing them that yes, He is still with them and has indeed already begun to restore them. And that is his message for you and for me today. It doesn’t matter what we have done, or how lost we feel. God has given us His Son as a real and tangible sign that He still loves us; that He still wants to have a relationship with us; and He will redeem us if only we put our trust in Christ. Put your trust in Him today. Even if you have believed for many many years, choose to get in the cockpit and allow that cognitive trust to become a living and breathing (actively trusting) faith. Amen.
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Lechem Panim #92 "The Star of God's Presence" (An Introduction to Esther) Pastor Cameron Ury3/22/2020 Greetings! Welcome to the show today. I hope all of our listeners today are faring as well as you can during this very unusual time. And I hope today’s message of hope will be an encouragement to you.
Intro To Esther— Today we will be beginning a journey through one of my favorite books of the Bible, a book that has a message that is very relevant to some of the things we are facing right now. It is a story filled with plot and intrigue; love and passion; danger and courage. God’s people are faced with annihilation; and yet they are saved by God’s mighty hand through one of history’s most important heroes; a young Jewish girl who, because of her obedience and trust in God’s plan, saved God’s people from certain destruction. And of course we know her as Esther. Mordecai-- Now just to give you a little bit of background, God had sent the Jews into captivity for their failure to keep themselves free from false gods. But at this point they have been released from exile; yet there are many who still remain. And among these was a man by the name of Mordecai, a Jew whose great grandfather Kish was very likely carried away into the Babylonian captivity. And Mordecai (as elder cousin to Esther) plays a very key role in this story. Authorship-- Now we don’t know who wrote the book of Esther (it is anonymous). However it had to be someone who had access to the records taken in Persia, and someone who also had a very strong interest in Jewish affairs. This as unusual combination, leading some (myself included) to think the author could very well have been Mordecai himself, who seems to have had some position in the king’s palace. And his most important role in this story is the fatherly role he takes on for a young Jewish orphan girl named Esther. Hadassah the “Star” of God’s Presence— Now Hadassah is her Jewish name. But the Persian name she is given is Esther, which means “star.” And this makes sense because in Persia (where this story takes place), astrology (using the stars to practice divination in order to learn the future) was a serious thing. Even today, the number of people who check their horoscopes is staggering. Paganism is very much alive today, let me tell you. Now the Wise men (the Magi) of Media and Persia were very into this kind of thing. And remember Daniel not too long before this was actually head of the wise men of Babylon/Media/Persia. And because of his faithfulness to God, God gave him understanding of visions and dreams, some of the very gifts that the Magi claimed to possess. And so Daniel rose to become head of the Magi. And in that position he no doubt was an ambassador on God’s behalf, teaching the other wise men about the one true God, Yahweh, and may have revealed to them signs of a coming Messiah, using their own astrology to do it. The Magi and the Star-- And so when we come to the birth of Christ, it says Wise Men (Magi) came from the East, following a star; these men whose ancestors had most likely been influenced by Daniel back in his Babylonian captivity, and whose influence could still be felt in the Medo-Persian empire, which was still alive and well during the time of the birth of Christ. There was still a strong Jewish presence there even at the beginning of the New Testament; Jews who never left even after the exile was over. Many chose to stay, Esther and Mordecai being among them. But back to the Magi; that is most likely how they (the Magi) knew of the coming Messiah. And I want to make that connection for you because that star the Magi followed revealed the presence of God; there “with us”. That is the meaning of “Immanuel”; God with us. God Not Mentioned-- But in the book of Esther, one of the perplexing things is that the word "God" is not mentioned anywhere in the book. We have the pagan Persian king Ahasuerus mentioned at least once in ever chapter, but God is never mentioned. Yet despite that we find that God is in fact the main character. Yet He is not revealed on a mountain; in a pillar of fire; or in a voice from heaven. No, we see His presence revealed in Esther and in how He moves and directs the events in her life to save His people from destruction. God doesn’t speak through prophets in this book; we have no divine revelation; there are no miracles or signs from heaven. Instead God is behind the scenes, quietly guiding these events towards His purposes. And Esther (like the star of the Magi) is in a sense that star that reveals the presence of God; that reveals to Israel that God is still with them and is still their deliverer. Post-exile in Persia— And this was easy for them to forget. They had been carried into exile in Babylon. Then Babylon fell to Persia and Cyrus the Great came to power, the founder of the Persian Empire. And miracle of miracles, he allows Israel to return to their homeland and rebuild their temple. And not only does he allow Israel to return home to rebuild the temple, but even allows them to use the resources of Persia to do it! Now Cyrus had a bit of strategy here. From what we know of history, his sending former captives back to their homeland was actually part of his overall strategy to help him strengthen his authority in those more remote parts of his empire. But regardless, it served Israel well. And it goes to show how quickly God can bring redemption and restoration to a people that truly repents. Looking Back to Egypt— Now you can say God was harsh in sending them into exile. But remember that this was an issue that God had wrestled with them over for hundreds of years, ever since He delivered them out of Egypt and that whole pagan culture. We know that there were times that they looked back in physical hunger, longing for what was familiar to them in Egypt. And that included paganism and idolatry. But God knew that though He delivered them out of slavery in Egypt, they would never be free (even after reaching the Promised Land) until they forsook their false gods and embraced Him (Yahweh) as the center of their reality and the sole recipient of their worship. And the same is true of us. You may not bow before a statue; an idol. But I am telling you, there ARE things we worship other than God; that we give ourselves to other than God that will bring us no life and will in fact produce death in us. And God knows it, which is why He fights so hard (even being willing to allow us to suffer for a while) in order that we might let go of those things and come to experience life in His very presence; before His very face. Lechem Panim (the bread of the presence of God in the tabernacle) was a reminder to them of that reality. They Are Cured!— And one of my mentors pointed out to me that after this Israel never again fell into idolatry. God’s judgment in sending them into exile worked. And the God who was holy enough to send them into captivity was also loving enough to bring them out. You can never separate God’s holiness from His love. You can never separate God’s holiness from His love. And that is how we ought to see God’s judgment; as an extension of God’s love. It is always redemptive; it is always constructive. In fact, it proves to us (as Hebrews 12:5-11 says) that He has accepted us as His children. Now some say America is too far gone to make any kind of significant spiritual turnaround. But I don’t believe that for a minute. There is hope for our nation. But that hope lies not in our being able to sway major institutions, though we should always strive to do so. Our hope lies in the salvation, obedience, and consecration of normal everyday people; in the individual rather than the institution. Individuals, Not Institutions-- One scholar I read often said something that has always stuck with me; and which is very important for us to remember in and throughout our study of this book. He says: We live in a day when most people believe that institutions are the determining factors. They declare that if we could just change institutions, then we could change society. This is the appeal of the politician. Scripture tantalizes us with the amount of space it devotes to individual people rather than institutions. People seem to be the tools that God uses to bring change. The implication is clear. Ultimately, persons determine institutions; institutions do not determine persons. The decisions that are made deep in the heart of an individual in the intimacy of aloneness with God are the decisions that will be historically significant for deciding the future. What God Can Do Through One Obedient Person-- Herein lies our hope. It isn’t going to be institutions that have the greatest impact on turning our country around; it’s individual people like you and me who, as the darkness closes in, will choose to remain faithful to God. Nowhere in scripture is it more clearly shown to us what God can do through one obedient person to affect the course and the fate of a nation than right here in the book of Esther. An insignificant Jewish girl, through the providence of God and her obedience, changed the fate of a nation. Our Potential Power-- Now many of us may feel powerless when it comes to affecting change; I know I do; at least significant change on any kind of large scale. But what God wants you to understand today is that you have a power you can’t even fathom; power that is released through your personal commitment to Christ to remain consecrated to Him. John Wesley said an amazing thing. He said, “Give me ten men that hate nothing but sin and love nothing but God and we will change the world.” It is important to note that he did. And there is no telling what God can do through you if you (like Daniel and Esther), even in the face of leadership that is telling you it is okay to do something else, still choose to do and to stand for the right thing. God can do great things through us. God is Present-- And even when God may seem absent (like in the book of Esther, where His name is never even mentioned; and maybe that’s the point), He is never more present even when we can't see Him. This is the message of the book of Esther. And it is His message for you and for me this week. This week, may we live a lives that are characterized by true repentance. May we seek God with all of our hearts. And may you and experience (in every way) His redemption, His restoration, and His love for Us. Amen. Greetings! Welcome to the show today. Last week we talked about one of my favorite heroes, the prophet Daniel; an amazing man who had an amazing impact on everyone who had the privilege of falling under his influence, from the lowest servant to the king himself; and there were multiple kings he served under. And he did so during a very difficult time; a time when God’s people were in exile. And you will remember that one of the things that set Daniel apart form everybody else was his prayer life.
Intro to Daniel 9-- And so today I want us to take a look briefly at the first half of Daniel chapter 9 and see if we can draw some insight into how Daniel prayed and why His prayers proved to be so effective. Daniel, who is an old man at this time, over 80 years old, is serving under Darius (the king of Persia). And he is pouring over the scriptures; particularly over Jeremiah, who had written prophecies concerning Israel’s upcoming captivity in Babylon. And Daniel comes across Jeremiah 29:10-12, which says… Jeremiah 29:10-12-- “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Just Three Years Away!-- And Daniel begins to think, and is beginning to do the math, “Huh...wait a minute. That puts our captivity around about 67 years. Let’s see.....year 605 to 538....yeah that’s right. Well, wait a minute....that would mean our captivity is almost over!” And just imagine his excitement. Never before has he come across a passage of scripture that has gotten him this pumped; this shaken with joy. “My God, are you telling me that we are going to be free in three years? In three years I may get to set foot in Jerusalem (Your city) once again!” And he immediately starts praying. And we will get to his prayer in a minute. Praying Scripture-- But let me ask you, do you ever have difficulty knowing what to pray? Sometimes when you start praying (I know I have experienced this) you kind of have writer’s block. You think to yourself “If I only knew where to begin.” Well here it is interesting to see that Daniel begins in the scriptures. And his prayers have strong content and amazing power because they flow out of his meditation on the Word of God. Meditating on The Word-- Now some of us, when we make our new year’s resolution to “read the Bible more” start by trying to bulldoze through a large chunk of scripture. And when we get to the end, we feel pretty good about the amount of scripture we covered, but (honestly) we didn’t get much out of it. Why? Because we didn’t take the time to meditate on the Word of God. It’s much better to read a shorter passage of scripture and meditate on it. We need to let it’s roots sink into our minds and hearts throughout the day. The Cow and The Cud Illustration— Dawson Trotman illustrated Biblical meditation by comparing the way cows {(who have 4 stomachs)} get the cud on which they chew: A cow eats grass as it grazes early in the morning. When the sun gets hot, it will lie in the shade of a tree, and through the use of a unique elevator system it will bring up the grass from one stomach and thoroughly masticate it. When this is finished, it will put it into another stomach, having gotten from it everything possible in the way of nutrients. Chewing the Word— That is how we need to meditate on the scriptures. Just like Daniel, we need to be willing to stop and chew the cud. And when we do, we will discover such blessings from God’s holy word that our lives cannot help but be transformed, because we have allowed God the time to make that scripture personal to us and our own individual situations. Have you ever noticed a difference in your life when you didn’t get much into the Word a particular week? And you felt dry and weak, lacking the power of God because maybe you did not take the time to chew the cud? Daniel really kept the disciplines of prayer and meditation at the forefront of his life. Not only did he pray three times a day, but he took the time to chew on the Word of God. And I think that is key. He says in verse 3… Daniel 9:3 (ESV)— 3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. Daniel’s Mourning-- Now picture this. Daniel (a high official) takes off his beautiful royal robes and jewelry and clothes himself with “sackcloth and ashes”, both of which were visual ways of demonstrating to God his need for Him and his willingness to conform to the will of God. And interestingly, our season of Lent begins for many Christians with this symbolic use of ashes. And Lent is also a time when many people give up certain things (a form of fasting) in order to outwardly demonstrate a repentant heart as we anticipate Good Friday. It is a way for us to humble ourselves before God. Now whether or not you fast from something during Lent or receive the ashes or not, nevertheless, humility is always key when it comes to entering in to the presence of God. What is Humility?-- But what is humility? Some of us have been taught that it means we have to convince ourselves that we are garbage in comparison to everyone else. But if Christ has called you clean, and has adopted you as His child, who are we to put ourselves down? Should we put down what God has glorified? I don’t think so. Measured Against the Greater-- I think Phillip Brooks said it best when he said, "The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is." Looking To The Cross-- And you know, he’s absolutely right. What we ought to be thinking about is the greatness of God and how small any man’s righteousness is by comparison. Don’t puff yourself up; but be humbled by the fact that no matter how Holy God has made you, it was your sin and my sin that held Christ to that cross (which is part of what Lent is all about). Wrestling With God-- The next thing we can learn from Daniel concerning prayer is that he prayed with intensity. We see in verse 3 that Daniel pleads with the Lord. And that word “plea” in Hebrew means “to wrestle”. So Daniel wrestles with God, similar to the time when Jacob wrestled with God in a physical sense in Genesis chapter 32. And verse 4 says, “I prayed to the Lord my God...” The Hebrew word “prayed” is an emphatic imperative that denotes extreme intensity. Avoiding Vain Repetition-- So many of our prayers are just vain repetitions…Many of us are like the little boy who said his prayers one night and got confused with his rhymes, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If he hollers let him go . . . eeny, meeny, miney, mo.” What?! Have you ever prayed to God a ritualistic prayer without ever stopping to think about what you were praying. We need to take our prayers a little more seriously. Daniel’s prayer was filled with urgency and fervency. Ten times he says something like, “O, Lord” or “O My God.” The word “O” is actually an untranslatable word that represents a groan. Romans 8:26 says that when we are praying in the Spirit there are often groans that can’t be uttered. Have you agonized in prayer? Have you wrestled and groaned when you prayed?... People Groaning for Us— I can testify that the only reason I am where I am today is because I had godly parents and grandparents faithfully praying for me in and throughout my life. God heard their groans for me and He answered them. And the same to you who are listening today. Many of you are followers of Christ today because there were faithful Christians (maybe your mom or your dad, your grandparents, or somebody like that) who were willing to groan and plead about you to the Lord. And there are more people yet to be touched by Christ’s Gospel of salvation and a transformed life who are going to be touched because you (when the time and opportunity presents itself) are going to groan before the Savior for the salvation of their souls. The next thing Daniel does is he confesses sins specifically. He says in verses 4-5… Daniel 9:4-6 ESV-- [4] I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, [5] we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. [6] We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. Faithful Daniel Identifies With Israel-- Now what is interesting to me is that Daniel is actually one of the Jews who has remained obedient to God and has been faithful to keep His law in and throughout His whole life. At every single point at which he is tested, he has proved faithful. Yet he still identifies himself with his nation of Israel and recognizes that he is part of a community that has lived in rebellion against God. You see, he takes responsibility. He not only admits that his nation is at fault, but is willing to take some of the blame on their behalf. Now I have heard a lot of preachers who stand up and speak about the evil that is going on in our country. I am one of them. But how often do you see a Christian who is willing to admit that he/she is partially to blame? Sadly you don’t see that too often. No, we as Christians are often too busy playing the blame game rather than accepting fault, confessing it before God, and asking Him for healing not just for our nation, but for us specifically; because it is often our sin that is at least a contributing factor to the problem. Confessing-- But what Daniel is demonstrating is that confession must remain a constant element in our prayers. If we lose our ability to confess (and not just confess general sin, but specific sins in our lives), then we will lose our ability to recognize, deal with, and turn from the sin that is in our lives and be, as the scriptures say, Holy as He is Holy. We have to repent. We have to confess and be willing to come clean with our sin before God. Expect God to Answer-- Now the last element of prayer that Daniel demonstrated is so obvious, but should never be taken for granted; and that is that when we pray, we ought to expect God to answer. Because He always will. When Daniel prayed, he received an answer even before he finished prayer. And there have been times in my life (and I am sure yours as well) where that has happened. But that does not always happen. Sometimes you pray and pray and pray, but nothing seems to happen. And this can be a real struggle for a lot of people. It is sometimes hard to continue praying for something or someone when, after a long time of praying, nothing happens. There are people I have prayed for for years who have still not received Christ. And if we let it, that can discourage us. He Will Answer-- But even when our prayers don’t get answered right away, we must persist and not cease in praying because God has promised to hear and answer our prayers. 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)-- 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. Let us have that confidence today and pray faithfully, so that we might see God move through our prayers in amazing ways. Amen. Greetings! Welcome to the show today.
Heroes-- You know, I think it is very important for each and every one of us to have heroes; men and women of God we look to to inspire us and show us how to truly live for God. One of the heroes of scripture who inspires me the most is the prophet Daniel; a man taken into captivity to Babylon, which was the reigning world empire and forced to live amongst a strange people in a strange land surrounded by all sorts of false gods and various temptations. And yet in the midst of all that, he remembers to whom he really belongs and remains true to God in the face of (what seem at least to me to be) insurmountable difficulties. Backdrop-- Now, just to give you a little background, Israel (because of their unfaithfulness to God) had been sent into exile. God had made a covenant promise to His people to be faithful to them; to prosper them; to bless them. Yet that covenant was contingent upon obedience to Him. They were to remain consecrated, set apart for Him. It was their obedience to God that would allow His presence to dwell with them in the temple; and it was that presence that would bless them. But if Israel was unfaithful to God, then God promised judgment on them. We see this clearly in Deuteronomy 28, which says… Deuteronomy 28:15 (ESV)— 15 “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Deuteronomy 28:36a (ESV)-- 36 “The Lord will bring you and your king whom you set over you to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known…. Deuteronomy 28:64a (ESV)-- 64 “And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other,… Temple Destroyed-- Now Israel, unfortunately, did not pay heed to this. They began worshiping the same gods and engaging in the same practices as the pagan nations. So God had to bring judgment. Israel was attacked and many Israelites were carried away into exile into Babylon. And we know that Daniel was among them. And not long after that the temple in Jerusalem, the center of their worship and the zenith of their faith; the very temple that was built and dedicated by Solomon, was destroyed. What This Did to Them— Now we cannot even begin to imagine what this was like. Jerusalem and particularly the temple were the heart of Jewish worship. In Jerusalem you had the monarchy, which had now ended. The temple in which the presence of God dwelt was destroyed (something they thought could never happen). And with the temple went their ability to function the way that God had intended them to. With the temple went the sacrifices and the priesthood. They lost everything. And eventually that is where all sin leads us; it leaves us destitute. It takes away everything from us. Unpopular Themes-- Now we often do not like to talk about the judgment of God on sin. In fact in many churches nowadays if a pastor wants to start talking about judgment or sin, he probably ought to start packing his bags; because he very likely will not be at that church very long. Judgment and sin are very unpopular topics. Yet both are necessary before we can begin to understand God’s grace and redemption. Because the message of Grace isn’t that God overlooks sin, but that God’s righteous judgment on sin was born by Jesus Christ. God’s Judgment is Always Redemptive-- Furthermore, those who look negatively at this biblical theme of judgment don’t understand the true nature of God’s judgment, which is always redemptive. God judges us (ultimately) because He wants to preserve us. You see, it is sin that destroys. And therefore God’s judgment is always aimed towards liberating us from bondage to sin. It is always redemptive. Many of us love… Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)-- 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Written to Those Under God’s Judgment-- Many of us know this verse by heart. But what many don’t realize is that this verse was written to a people who were in exile; right in the center; the very heart of God’s judgment. Even Daniel’s name means “God is my judge.” The Promise of Restoration-- And this reveals something remarkable to us about the way that God judges. Whenever God judges, He always leaves His people with hope; the promise of their restoration if they but turn back to Him. Even in His judgment He already begins to show them His mercy; His promise. And this pattern stretches all the way back to Genesis to the Fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. Skins of Grace-- Now usually when we talk about the Fall in those first chapters of Genesis we focus in on this theme of God’s punishment. And I don’t want to downplay that. But I think what we often miss is also a deep expression of God's loving provision. Adam and Eve had sinned against God; they had turned their backs on Him; and the Bible says they realized they were naked and hid. And God comes to them and lovingly leads them to acknowledge their sin. And afterwards He must, because He is a Holy God, deal with their sin. They are cast out of the Garden of Eden. Yet God does not send them out of the Garden naked and afraid, covered in nothing but the fig leaves they had tried to manufacture to cover themselves, though He had every right to. Rather, He takes an animal and kills it; He removes the skin of the animal and clothes them with that skin (foreshadowing the whole animal sacrificial system). I just think, what an amazing picture; that even though sin brought upon them shame (justly), God covers that shame with the skin of an animal. The death of that animal removed their shame. Even in the skin of that animal God was giving them hope; because He would eventually allow another to have His flesh torn and pierced; His very Son. And that death would be the death to end all death; to completely remove our shame and unite us again with the presence of God. As the skin of the animal covered them, foreshadowing sacrifice and the whole sacrificial system, so also it foreshadowed the day when we would be covered by the blood of Christ. Satan’s Voice vs. God’s Voice-- When God judges us, He always leaves us with hope. In fact, some time ago I found myself sharing with somebody something my own mentor had told me years ago about how to distinguish in my mind between God’s pointing sin out in my life and Satan’s trying to condemn me. And that is a real struggle for many Christians; and it may be for you as well; knowing when God is trying to correct you and when it is really Satan trying to tear you down. The acid test is this; if the source is Satan, it will leave you with a feeling of failure and the claim that you will never escape. But if the source of that voice is God, though the failure may be pointed out, He will always leave you with hope; hope that by His power, He can enable you to overcome. Because God always gives (even in His rebuke) the hope of future restoration if only we will repent and seek God (as Jeremiah 29:13 says) with all our hearts. Repentance is the key to redemption— And repentance is key to redemption. And repentance means more than saying I’m sorry. No, the Greek word “repentance” (μετανοέω) means a change of mind; a change in the inner man. And the Biblical Hebrew word for repent is שׁוּב (SHUB <phonetic: shoob>), which means “to turn back, return.” It is directional. So it is more than confession; more than just being sorry and expressing it. No, it means to change your direction. You are going one way and now you begin to go the opposite way. If we want to be saved, we must μετανοέω; we must שׁוּב; we must change in the inner person and we must change our direction. And I want to encourage you today that, no matter how far you may have fallen, if you are willing to repent like that, God will help you to repent and God’s promise of restoration will be available to you. The Temple Dedication-- When the temple was first completed, Solomon (I think with amazing wisdom and foresight) prays this incredible prayer of dedication. And in it he seems to anticipate a time when Israel might turn from God. Listen to what he prays in… 1 Kings 8:46-51 (ESV)-- 46 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace). Daniel turned his eyes toward Jerusalem— Isn’t it interesting that the Bible says (when Daniel is taken captive and placed under the charge of the chief of the eunuchs)… Daniel 1:9 (ESV)-- 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, What had Solomon prayed for? That when Israel is taken captive, God might… 1 Kings 8:50b (ESV)-- grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them God is answering Solomon’s prayer. Why? Because Daniel (who knows what Solomon wrote) is doing exactly what Solomon said would be their visual act of repentance. 1 Kings 8:46-51 (ESV)-- 48 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, Remember King Darius’ edict that all people in his kingdom (Israel included) should worship no other god except him as king? When Daniel hears that edict, how does Daniel respond? It says in… Daniel 6:10 (ESV)-- 10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Deliverance through Cyrus-- You see, Daniel is modeling what real repentance looks like at that open window. And it is interesting to note that not long after this God does bring deliverance to His people through the hand of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian empire, which we will talk more about in the coming weeks. A feeling of hopelessness-- You know, In general I sense this general feeling of hopelessness among Christians. I have even heard it said that America is too far gone to be able to turn things around. Now I understand that viewpoint, though I believe our passages today reveal to us another, more accurate way of seeing our current predicament. Yes I believe the time is fast approaching when God is going to judge this nation. But what I want you to see today is that this is not something we should dread, because (although it is going to be difficult) it is going to be redemptive. And if we individually and collectively repent, God will restore us. God always offers the hope of restoration to those under judgment; if they but turn to Him. And so this week, let us commit to live lives that are characterized by true repentance. May we seek God with all our hearts. And may you experience (in every way) His love, His redemption, and His restoration in your own life. Amen. Greetings! Welcome to the show today. Today we will be finishing our study of 1 John, a letter that was written to early Christians to help them have assurance of their salvation; giving them tests they can apply to teachers to determine whether they are Spirit-filled teachers or false teachers; and tests they can apply to themselves to prove that they are true children of God. And the closing verses of 1 John remind us of five things. And the first two are these: (1) Whose control we are under as children of God, and (2) Whose control the world is under.
1 John 5:19 (NIV)— 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. Elephants and Rope-- Once I read a story in which a group of elephants were standing together. [As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not. He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. “Well,” the trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.” The man was amazed. These animals could at any time {at least physically} break free from their bonds but because... {of their inner condition}, they were stuck right where they were.] Our Chains— Now you and I may think we are are not in bondage simply because we don’t see any physical ropes or chains. But our mental and spiritual chains are every bit as real. The reality is that the mind of the elephant had become enslaved to the point that even though it wanted to be free, it had inner barriers that made it impossible for it to be so. The same is true of us. We, since we were young (ever since we were born) were enslaved to the law of sin and death. A Core Center Change— And though sin can be defeated in our lives, it requires something more than our own strength; it requires a change at the core center of who we are. And although that begins with the work of Christ; accepting and receiving His forgiveness; it cannot stop there. Because when He (The Light of The World) comes into our lives, His Light reveals just how filthy our hearts really are. And we don't actually realize how bad we really are until we're saved. In fact we usually think we are pretty good. We may even think we are doing God a favor by choosing to receive Christ. But afterwards, when the the Holy Spirit turns on the Light it's like "YIKES!!!! I had no idea how bad my sin was; how deeply its roots have penetrated my life!" And when we see that for the first time suddenly our hearts begin to cry out for something more than just forgiveness. Our hearts begin to cry out for complete freedom from the bondage and control of that sin; true freedom of the heart, life, and mind. And that freedom is what we call holiness. Holiness is a total freedom from sin that comes through a complete surrender of all of who we are to the Holy Spirit. A New Power-- Without Christ we are under the controlling power of sin and death. But in Christ we come under a new controlling power; the law of the Spirit who gives life and sets us free from the controlling power of sin and death. The Climax of Christianity-- You see, the Spirit does what the Law can't; and that is to bring into our lives the presence of God that can make us truly holy. This is why I have said in and throughout the course of my ministry and will continue to say that the climax of Christianity is not Christ's death on the cross; nor is it even His resurrection. Both of those events were means to the ultimate climax which was the reunion of man with the Holy Spirit of God; which began at Pentecost. Pentecost is where the Spirit of God came to dwell once again with mankind. And heaven itself is merely an extension (and of course a deepening) of that reality. But the point is that the height of Christianity is the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God who produces life in you. And that is why Jesus came; to restore that presence. Because before the Spirit could come, the debt had to be paid. We needed a Savior who could pay the price for our sin, cleanse us by the power of His blood, and make way for the Spirit of God to come into our lives. And that is something we remember in a very real and tangible way during this season of Lent, which began this past Wednesday. Now the next two things John reminds of us in this closing passage are these: (3) The way that we come to have truth, (4) the divine identity of Jesus and how He is the source of life, 1 John 5:20 (NIV)-- 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. And so we are reminded that our relationship with truth and with life is personal; they come in and through a relationship with a person; the One who is truth and who is life; namely, Jesus Himself. You want to have knowledge and have life for today and for eternity, you have to come to Jesus. There is no other way. Why? Because He is truth and life itself. Now the fifth thing John warns us about is the final thought of John. It is His final command. So simple and yet (at the same time) often the most difficult… 1 John 5:21 (NIV)-- 21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. {and so you have (5) a warning against idolatry.} Worldly-Minded-- I don’t know if any of us worship actual idols; I don’t know, maybe you do. But an idol can be anything you put before God; what you heart is set on; what your mind constantly dwells on instead of Him. I don’t know too many people who worship actual idols (I do know some). But I do know Christians of whom 90% of their thought lives revolves around their business, even when they are not at work. I know people whose lives or kids’ lives revolve perpetually around secular activities. It doesn’t matter what is going on at Church; those things take precedence over Church every single time. Isn’t that idolatry. What disturbs me just as much is this. Let me ask you, what chance is there of those kids ever receiving the mind of Christ?; Of having their hearts set ablaze for Jesus? What are the chances that God could even be ABLE to call any of them to the mission field? We allow ourselves to be so tied up with meaningless, fleshly things, that we render ourselves incapable of doing anything truly meaningful on an eternal scale. And that is right where Satan wants to keep us. Creation Museum: Changing Minds-- When the Creation Museum, a Museum that takes and presents a Biblical perspective on dinosaurs, was being planned to be built in Kentucky, there was an uproar from many evolutionists. And one of them said one of the most remarkable things. He said, “We wouldn’t mind if you were going to build a Church, but you’re trying to change people’s minds!!!” An Unchained Christian-- You see, that is exactly what the Devil wants; for us to have just enough religion to where we feel we’re covered, but not enough to where it begins to change the way we think. You see, nothing is scarier to him than a Christian who has become unchained from the flesh and the things of the world. It is as scary to him as a bull elephant. Wesley’s Ten-- John Wesley once said an amazing thing about the power of the unchained Christian. He said, “Give me ten men who hate nothing but sin and love nothing but God, and we’ll change the world.” Your Potential-- What could God do through you if you allowed Him to unchain you? If you let Him change the focus of your mind; the way you think? I am telling you, Satan loses sleep over that very question; and the entirety of his mind is bent on keeping you focused on the world and on the flesh; on the things that have no long-term eternal value. Your salvation is not based on a decision made at an altar or even your baptism. Your salvation is based upon knowing and having the presence of God in your life. Salvation is not an event; salvation is person; a person who died for your sins so that you could enter into a holy relationship with Him. And if that is the case, then that relationship must take precedence over everything else. Affairs Are Gradual-- Some time ago I was looking at some statistics as to the number of married people who have had extramarital affairs. And obviously the number was high. But you know it occurred to me, very few men (or women), having been committed in marriage, wake up one day and decide they are going to have an affair. No, there is a whole series of decisions leading up to it. And many of those decisions are harmless in and of themselves, such as saying "hi" to the other person, getting to know them on a friendly basis in an appropriate context. But sometimes there comes a point where you start spending a little bit more time with them than you should; you let your guard down; boundaries begin to be erased. You begin to only see each other a little more than you should. But what ends up happening is you give more and more of yourself to the other person; taking little step after little step until the actual act itself is only the last small step. There was no momentous decision to abandon your spouse. Only the small decisions that steadily accumulated. Spiritual Affairs Are The Same-- The same is true in our relationship with Jesus. Even the things we do that are not sinful can be just as dangerous if we begin to give ourselves to them just a little bit more and a little bit more. What was once an occasional indulgence or hobby becomes something you flirt with; then you devote just a little bit more of yourself to it; and just a little bit more. And pretty soon, unbeknownst to you, you are cheating on God. He is no longer the center of your thought life or the center of your time. And whether that thing was sinful before or not, it has become sin for you because it has drawn you away from the Holy Spirit and the Mind of Christ. In Revelation 2:4 God tells John to write to the Church in Ephesus (the very people 1 John is written to), saying… Revelation 2:4 (NIV)-- 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Our Obligation-- We (you and I) are the Bride of Christ; we are His spouse. And we have an obligation to love Him over and above anything else. Sacrifice and Eliminate— Sin? It has to be put to death in us. Idols? They need to be placed on the altar. Worldly things and pass-times that don’t matter on the larger scale of eternity? They need to be kept to a minimum or (in many cases) eliminated completely. “Your Hand Is Bigger Than Mine”— [A little boy and his father visited the country store, upon leaving the store the owner of the store offered the little boy some free candy. "Get a hand full of candy", the merchant said to the boy. The boy just stood there looking up at his father. The owner repeated himself, "Son get a hand full of candy, its free." Again the boy did not move continuing to look up in the face of his father. Finally, the father reached into the candy jar and got a hand full of candy and gave it to his son. As they walked back home, the father stopped and asked his son why he did not grab a hand full of the free candy. The boy with a big smile on his face looked into the face of his father and said "Because I know that your hand is bigger than mine.”] God Gives Greater-- The truth is, when you and I unclasp our hands; when we keep our hands from grabbing the temporary things that may have fleshly appeal, what God gives us in exchange is much greater and more abundant than anything we could grasp ourselves. His hands are bigger. And that is why today I would like to invite you to become unchained; to, in this moment, tell God, “I have let stuff come in between you and me. I have lived in defeat far too long. I am ready for you to change my mind; I am ready to surrender to your Spirit; I am ready to be free; free from death and the sin that holds me. Please Lord, set me free!!!” Pray that prayer today, and He will respond. Amen. |
Rev. Cameron Ury graduated from Asbury University in 2007 with a B.A. in Bible and Theology. From there he continued his studies at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, MS. It was there that he met his wife Tanya, who graduated from WBS with her M.A. and M.Div. degrees. Cameron and Tanya got married in 2009. Cameron then graduated with his M.Div. degree with a pastoral concentration in 2011.
After shepherding churches in both Mississippi and Ohio, they joined the ministry team at Renton Park Chapel in January of 2018, where Cameron serves as Senior Pastor and Teacher. Cameron is also the founder and host of Lechem Panim, a weekly radio show that airs on KGNW 820AM "The Word Seattle". The ministry of Lechem Panim is centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through Bible study, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Archives
January 2021
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