Sermon Psalm 23 The King James Bible

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon Psalm 23 The King James Bible
October 31, 2021

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Today is Reformation Sunday.  This is the day each year when we celebrate our Reformed heritage rooted in the work of John Calvin and others in the 16th century Protestant Reformation of the church.  2021 is the four hundred and tenth anniversary of the publishing of the first authorized English language translation of the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek, the King James Version.  And so today we will celebrate the reformers who risked their lives to make an English translation of the Bible possible.  We will get to this, but first let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

The year was 1382.  The government of King Richard II of England was running a deficit.  They needed more revenue.  So the King imposed a new tax, a flat tax.  Everyone in England had to send in one shilling.  

This was a hated tax and started a peasant rebellion.  The people asked their priests what the Bible had to say about all of this.  What does the Bible say about paying taxes?  

Their priests didn't know.  The Bibles in their churches were written in Latin which very few priests could read.    The priests had no idea at all about what the Bible says.  The Bishops told the priests and the people to pay the tax because whatever the king said and did was certainly God's will.  The Bible was never consulted by anyone.

But there was a man in England who argued intensively that the Bible should be translated into English so that anyone in his native country could read it for themselves and know what God had to say.  His name was John Wycliff.    

Wycliff's ideas were dangerous to the king and the church hierarchy because they would break the monopoly the king and church leaders held in interpreting scripture.    The king declared that translating the Bible into English was a crime, but Wycliff and others cited Divine Law and in 1382, at the risk of their own lives, translated the Latin Bible into Middle English.  

In 1384 Wycliff suffered a stroke and died the next year.  In 1415 the Council of Constance declared Wycliff a heretic.  They exhumed his remains from his consecrated grave, burned them and threw them in the river.   Wycliff’s work was banned.  

In 1450, a German blacksmith had an idea.  What if we could use movable metal type to print books?  Until then printing required that each page be carved into a block of wood, a time consuming and expensive process.  But Johannes Gutenberg thought that movable metal type would make printing far more economical.    He developed a permanent ink made from varnish and lamp soot and found that this bonded well with paper.  He also found that the paper could be pressed on the metal type covered with ink with a screw mechanism similar to what was used in the production of paper.    Gutenberg had invented the printing press and began printing Bibles to pay off his debts.

The church found a use for this new invention, the printing press, and began printing indulgences which could be sold to gullible people as tickets to heaven.  This upset a German monk whose writings were also printed on printing presses and distributed all over Europe.  The year was 1510 and Protestant Reformation had begun as Martin Luther began publishing his ideas for all to read.  Luther even translated the Bible into German from its original languages, a book which became a bestseller.    Luther's work had a powerful impact on an English scholar named William Tyndale.  

Tyndale had studied Greek and Hebrew at Cambridge and was interested in translating the Bible from these original languages into Modern English.    Neither Oxford nor Cambridge had any interest at all in translating scripture into English, but Tyndale, influenced by Luther, wanted everyone to be able to read the Bible.  So Tyndale went to Germany and translated the Bible from its original languages into English.   In 1526 Tyndale's English Bible was printed in Germany and smuggled into England.

But the King of England and his church were not happy.  Tyndale saw translation as a literary function; he wanted the translation to reflect the original meaning of the authors as much as possible.  So he translated the Greek word  presbyteros as “elder” rather than the word “priest” as the church had taught.  He also translated the Greek word ekklesia as “congregation” rather than “church”.  This satisfied the Protestants who saw the church as an assembly of people, a congregation led by the elders.  But the English church saw this as a way of undermining the authority of the institutional church and its bishops.  So the church attempted to suppress Tyndale’s translation.  But it was so popular in England that the smugglers could not be stopped.  

Tyndale was tried for heresy by the Holy Roman Empire.   He was convicted and sentenced to be burned at the stake.   He was tied up and strangled just before his dead body was burned to ashes.

By 1535 the English church realized that an English translation was needed that was free from the problems they saw in the Tyndale translation.  King Henry VIII had separated the Church of England from Rome and it needed an English Bible.  So the church hired Miles Coverdale to put together a new English Bible.  What Coverdale did was to put together various translations, including the Tyndale Bible, and adjusted them to conform to the traditional teachings of the church.    With the approval of the church and the king a copy of Coverdale’s “The Great Bible” was placed in the pulpit of every church in England.

In 1560 John Calvin was established in Geneva where he had started a school for Reformed Theology.  A group of pilgrims arrived from England and an English congregation was started in a French church.  John Knox arrived as their pastor and they needed an English Bible.    William Whittingham developed a new translation with prefaces before each chapter and margin notes to explain difficult passages.  He had invented the study Bible.  The new Geneva Bible was printed cheaply and in a smaller size for family use.  It was an instant bestseller sweeping across England.  Even William Shakespeare quoted from the Geneva Bible in his plays.  And when James I came from Protestant Scotland as the new King of England many thought that the Geneva Bible would become the official Bible of the Church of England.

But James I had a passionate dislike of the Geneva Bible.  He was upset with those margin notes, for example the Geneva Bible's treatment of Daniel 6.  

In Daniel chapter 6, King Darius issued a decree that everyone should pray only to him for 30 days.  But Daniel prayed to God rather than Darius, and was thrown into the lion's den.  Daniel then said that he had been saved from the lion's mouth because he had obeyed the command of God.  The Geneva Bible margin note pointed out that God had approved Daniel’s disobedience of the king's decree because the king did not act within the will of God.  

This infuriated King James who did not want the English church to have a Bible that said it was ok to disobey the king.  James believed that the king was ordained by God with the divine right to rule.  So he initiated a process to produce a new translation from the original languages, consistent with the traditional teachings of the church, which would be free from those annoying margin notes of the Geneva Bible.  This new translation would become the King James authorized translation of the Bible.  And in 1611 the first King James Version of the Bible came off the presses of the King's printer.  

The King James version fell flat.  People preferred the Geneva Bible.  So the king granted a monopoly to the printers of the King James Version and banned the Geneva Bible.  But the Geneva Bible continued to be printed in the Netherlands and smuggled copies were still preferred by the people of England.    But within a generation, as the economic benefits of the publishing monopoly took hold, the King James Version eventually became the translation everyone used.

When settlers came to Jamestown in 1607 and later to the eastern shore of Maryland, they came, escaping religious persecution in England.  They were intensely religious and brought with them their Geneva Bibles.   The Geneva Bible and margin notes had allowed them to see the hand of providence guiding them to a promised land.    

But England controlled the importation of books into colonial America.  This monopoly ensured that only the King James Version would be available to the American colonists and so the King James Version became the American Bible.

In 1769 Robert Aitken came from Scotland and established a printing shop in Philadelphia.  By 1777 he was printing the King James Version of the Bible.  Congress approved Aitken's freedom to print Bibles in 1782.  Aitken's decision to print the King James Version ensured that it would be the preferred Bible of the new country.

The King James Version remained our preferred English translation until World War II when rival translations such as the Revised Standard Version became available.  Today there are many quality modern translations.  But we still love the majesty of the language of the King James Version.  Listen as I conclude with the King James Version's rendering of Psalm 23.  If you have memorized this please say it with me.

Psalm 23:1-6  KJV Psalm 23:1 <A Psalm of David.> The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 56

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 56
Presbyterian Church of Easton
October 24, 2021

Watch Episode 56

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

116Q.  Why do Christians need to pray?

A. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us.  And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking God for them.

117Q.  What is the kind of prayer that pleases God and that he listens to? 

A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, revealed to us in his Word, asking for everything God has commanded us to ask for.  Second, we must fully recognize our need and misery, so that we humble ourselves in God’s majestic presence.   Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation:  even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord.  That is what God promised us in his Word. 

Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

In the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism we asked what is our only comfort in life and death.  The answer was given in three parts.   First, we had to understand our own sin and misery.   Second, we had to know how to be set free from this.  And third we must be grateful to God for freeing us from sin and misery.  Today we move into the third section of the catechism and examine this question of gratitude.  How can we show our gratitude to God?  The Catechism tells us that the primary way we thank God is with prayer.

But how often do we pray a prayer of Thanksgiving.   Usually we pray for something we need.  Or we pray for what someone else needs.  And often we pray for forgiveness for what we have done wrong.

        How are all of these prayers a form of gratitude?  When we take everything to God in prayer we are showing our trust in God.  We have faith that God cares about every aspect of our lives.  And when we pray like this it brings great joy to God.  And every time we pray it gives God an opportunity to answer prayer for which we respond with “Thank!”.  Let’s pray.

        Thank you Lord for the blessings of this life.  Thank you for caring about me and caring for the church.   Thank you Lord for being God.   Amen. 

Sermon – Job 42 – Job’s Restoration

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon – Job 42 – Job’s Restoration
October 24, 2021

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Today I will be preaching my third and final sermon drawn from the Old Testament Book of Job.  Job is a literary work of wisdom.  It explores the complex subject of undeserved suffering.  It uses the literary device of personification.  The central character Job is the personification of undeserved suffering.  Through Job we learn the wise way of dealing with suffering.

In this book there are several responses to undeserved suffering.  Job's wife suggested that it be blamed on God.  Job rejected this.  Suffering is not God's fault.  Job's friends suggested that undeserved suffering be blamed on Job.  But Job rejected this knowing that he was blameless.  Suffering is not the victim's fault.  Blaming God and blaming the victim for suffering is not the wise thing to do.  So let's take a look at Job's reaction to suffering.  

Job was angry at God for his suffering and so he demanded a hearing to explain his side.  God accepted this offer, and responded to Job with a series of questions.  These questions were designed to help Job realize that if he just looked up from his suffering he would see that God's blessings were far greater than he ever imagined.  God's blessing far exceeded his own suffering.  And when Job realized that the blessings he received from God were so great he also realized that his own personal suffering was really quite small.  This is wisdom we can all use.  Whenever we experience suffering we can look up from the suffering to see God and remember all that God has done for us.  When we do this our suffering seems not as important as it did before.  With this new perspective Job responded to God.  We will get to this, but first let's pray.    

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.

In the 4th century the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity.  He wanted Christianity to be the official religion of the empire.  And so he called together the leaders of the church in a council at Nicea.  318 Christian delegates came from all over the world.  Of those 318 bishops 306 had lost an eye, a hand, or became lame in the persecution of Christians that preceded Constantine's conversion.  Only 12 of the 318 were healthy and whole.  In the midst of their undeserved suffering Christians gathered in Nicea to praise God in gratitude for his love and blessings.   Sustaining these men of the faith through persecution was scripture, especially the Book of Job.  Let's now turn to the conclusion of this important book.

Job 42:1 Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 “I know that you can do all things;

    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’

    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

    things too wonderful for me to know.

4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;

    I will question you,

    and you shall answer me.’

5 My ears had heard of you

    but now my eyes have seen you.

6 Therefore I despise myself

    and repent in dust and ashes.”

When Job finally looked up from his problems and saw God, he realized that the suffering he had experienced was nothing when compared to the enormity of blessing he had received from God.  He realized that God's purposes were so immense he could not possibly understand all that God was doing.  His God was much bigger than he thought.  And when he realized all this, Job's anger abated.  When Job meditated on the bigness and goodness of God he repented.  He turned away from his anger at God and turned to gratitude for all of God's blessings.

This is wisdom we can learn from.  Even though we may be suffering, a bad hip may prevent us from walking, a stroke may prevent us from driving, an oxygen tank may prevent us from resuming our activities, God still blesses us richly.  We receive from God the blessing of life.  We receive the blessing of a new day.  We receive the blessing of sunshine and comfortable homes.  We receive the blessing of church and friends and family.  We receive the blessing of good food to eat and clean water to drink and clothes to wear.  All these blessings come from God.  And the benefits we receive from God far outweigh whatever problems we experience.  The moment we realize that God's blessing far exceeds our problems is the moment we become content with our lives.  We lose our anxiety.  Our anger dissipates.   We become grateful.  This is what happened to Job.

But what about Job's friends?  They had blamed Job's suffering on Job.  They believed a lie that all suffering is a result of the victim's sin.  And because of this belief  they will blame themselves when they suffer.  God wants to help Job's friends deal with suffering properly.  And so this is what God told Job to do.

7 After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth (to) me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth (to) me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

God knew that Job's friends would beat themselves up for their poor advice.  He also knew that they would blame themselves for their own suffering.  And so to prevent this God wanted them to experience forgiveness through sacrifice and prayer.  Job's friends were to sacrifice a bull for themselves and Job was to pray for them.

So too with us.  We blame ourselves when we suffer.  And this makes suffering so much worse.  God wants us to experience forgiveness from him so that we will also forgive ourselves.  And that is why he blessed us with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the opportunity to confess through prayer here in worship.  Here in church we hear the wonderful message of forgiveness.  And this helps us to forgive ourselves when we suffer.

Our God is so much more than someone who blesses good people and curses bad people.  God does some reward and punishment, but he goes far beyond that.  Our God graciously blesses us.  He gave his Son for us.  He forgives us and assures us of eternal life.  When we experience undeserved suffering our God responds with unmerited favor.  This is called “grace”.  The answer to the question of why good people suffer is that God responds to our suffering graciously with blessings in abundance.  

So what should we do when we experience suffering. The wisdom of Job is that we should count our blessings.  Remember this poem:

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Count your blessings, see what God hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done. (Johnson Oatman Jr. Hymn #563)

And so Job, after his anger turned to gratitude and after he prayed for his friends, was graciously blessed by God.  He received God's unmerited favor, God's grace.  Let's count Job's blessings.

10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver[a] and a gold ring.

12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters.14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

This brings the story of Job to a close.  God's response to undeserved suffering is unmerited love.   Whenever you are suffering or someone you love is suffering do not blame God and do not blame the victim.  Rather remind the sufferer that God loves them unconditionally, and continues to bless them in many ways.  Help the sufferer to avoid anger and become grateful by counting his blessings.  Let's pray.

Lord God of heaven we all experience great suffering from time to time.  Suffering is a part of life.  But you bless us so richly.  And your blessings come in such abundance.   Whenever we suffer, help us to count our blessings so that our anger can turn to gratitude for all you do for us.  This we pray in the name of your greatest gift, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 55

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 55
Presbyterian Church of Easton
October 17, 2021

Watch Episode 55

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

113Q.  What is the aim of the tenth commandment?

A. That not even the slightest desire or thought contrary to any one of God’s commandments should ever arise in our hearts.  Rather, with all our hearts we should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right.

Deuteronomy 5:21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

The tenth commandment prohibits desiring your neighbor’s wife and your neighbor’s stuff.    Desire is not in itself a sin.   Desire is ethically neutral.   You can desire something good.  Or you can desire something bad.  Ethics is concerned by what you desire rather than the desire itself.   And you are prohibited from desiring something or someone owned by another person.

The first nine commandments all deal with actions, something you do.   You steal, or bear false witness, or murder, or commit adultery - all actions.   But in the tenth commandment there is no action, only thoughts.   Your desire to have something that someone else owns is in your mind.   

This is unique in the ancient law codes.   In these laws, only actions are prohibited.   What you think is up to you.   But in the Bible what you think can be a sin.  You can have wrong thoughts which are an offense against God’s law.

There is no biblical punishment for coveting your neighbor’s wife or stuff.   A witness can only testify to what you do.  No witness can know what you think.  No judge can know what you think.   No trial can determine what you think.   What you think is between you and God.   Only God knows if you covet your neighbor’s stuff.

The problem with bad thoughts is that they can lead to violations of the other commandment.    Your desire for your neighbor’s wife can lead to adultery.   Your desire for your neighbor’s grill can lead to stealing it.  Coveting can grow into anger leading to murder.   So prohibiting the desire of stuff someone else owns can prevent other violations of the law.

Lord, help us to always be satisfied with what we have, the gifts you have provided us.   Help us to never be envious of our neighbors.   Keep us from trying to “keep up with the Joneses”.  And bless us with what we truly need.   Amen.

Sermon – Job 23 – Job Responds

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Presbyterian Church of Easton

Sermon – Job 23 – Job Responds

October 17, 2021

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Last week we heard a great biblical tragedy.  Job had everything: money, family, and health.  And then, all of sudden, he lost everything, no money, no family and poor health.  More than any other book of the Bible, the Book of Job forces us to see reality as it really is.  On our last count we have at least seven members of this church who had everything, money, family and health, but now live in nursing homes with nothing.  They have lost everything, and one day so will we.  The question of Job is, what will be our response?   When we lose everything will we still have our faith or will we lose it?  This was the question facing Job.  Today we will hear his response, but first let's pray.  

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

According to Buddhist teaching the world we live in is a world of suffering.  According to the Four Nobel Truths of Buddhism, “Birth is ill, decay is ill, sickness is ill, death is ill.”  The purpose of religion, according to Buddhism, is to get away from this world of suffering by denying its existence.   Buddhism teaches people to deny themselves and their desires and move to a higher spiritual existence.

Christian teaching is the opposite of this.  We learn from the very first chapter of the Bible that God created the physical world and declared it good.  The world God created is a paradise made just for us.    And we are to enjoy the blessings we receive from a God that loves us.  

But if Christian teaching is true, and it certainly is, then why is there so much suffering in this world?  How can a benevolent God allow suffering in the good world he created.  This is a question each Christian must answer.  And our answer is that suffering came into the world as a result of human sin.  

We insisted on eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  We want to decide for ourselves what is right and what is wrong.  But doing this is called sin.  Sin is deciding for ourselves right from wrong.  And it is easy to do right if we set the standard ourselves.  But we are not to set the standard.  That's God's job.  And so whenever we decide for ourselves right from wrong we sin and through sin suffering has come into the world.  We don't follow the instructions in creation's user manual, the Bible.  And we suffer the consequences.

Job had three friends who knew all this.  They knew that suffering was a result of human disobedience, sin.  So when they sat down to console Job after his losses they made the same mistake we often make.  They saw Job's suffering and concluded that Job himself must have sinned.   Job must have done something wrong to deserve his suffering.  They blamed the victim.  But we learned this in the first chapter of the Book of Job.

Job 1:1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 

Job's suffering had nothing to do with him and his behavior.  He was righteous before God.  He had done nothing wrong.    His friends were wrong.  Job did not deserve the suffering he experienced.

Suffering is a result of sin.  But when people suffer it is not always because they have sinned.  Sometimes it is obvious that a person suffers as a result of his personal sin.  A drug addict suffers as a result of drug use.  A violent person suffers from violence.  This list can go on and on.  

But it is also true that some good people suffer.  Like Job, good and faithful people suffer unjustly.   And this creates a problem for Christians who believe in a God who just shouldn't let people suffer for no reason.

  When we console someone who is suffering, we must not act like Job's friends and blame the victim for his own suffering.  But neither should we blame God for allowing unjust suffering to occur.  Job knew that he did not deserve his suffering.  And he knew not to blame God.  Let's hear what Job had to say.

Job 23:1 Then Job answered:

2 “Today also my complaint is bitter;

    his hand is heavy despite my groaning.

3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him,

    that I might come even to his dwelling!

4 I would lay my case before him,

    and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I would learn what he would answer me,

    and understand what he would say to me.

6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

    No; but he would give heed to me.

7 There an upright person could reason with him,

    and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.

Job did not despair in guilt for having done something wrong to cause his suffering.  Neither did Job blame God for what was happening.  Rather Job held onto his hope that God would judge him justly and deliver him from his suffering.  All he had to do was find God and ask for a hearing. 

This should be our response to suffering.  We should rest in the hope that God will redeem us because he loves us and cares for us and wants the best for us.  But sometimes it is hard to rest in this hope because at times God seems so far away.  

8 “If I go forward, he is not there;

    or backward, I cannot perceive him;

9 on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;

    I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.

Wherever Job looks God is not there.  This is the problem we often face.  When we experience suffering, God seems to be absent.  Even Jesus experienced this apparent absence of God when on the cross Jesus quoted Psalm 22.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

    Why are you so far from saving me,

    so far from my cries of anguish?

2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,

    by night, but I find no rest.

This seeming absence of God could lead to despair and loss of faith.   That's what happened to Job's wife when she told him to curse God and die.  But Job's faith allowed him to realize that even if he can't find God right now, God will find him.  

10 But he knows the way that I take;

    when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Job is confident that God will find him and will listen to his complaint.  He is confident that when God hears his plea he will be exonerated because he is righteous and God is just.  Job has already prepared his defense.  Let's listen.

11 My feet have closely followed his steps;

    I have kept to his way without turning aside.

12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;

    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. 

Job is confident in his righteousness and confident in God's salvation.  But don't think for a moment that Job's confidence will overcome his fear.  He is terrified of his upcoming meeting with God.  He knows his case is solid, but he is appealing to the creator of the universe.  

13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?

    He does whatever he pleases.

14 He carries out his decree against me,

    and many such plans he still has in store.

15 That is why I am terrified before him;

    when I think of all this, I fear him.

16 God has made my heart faint;

    the Almighty has terrified me.

17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,

    by the thick darkness that covers my face.

And so Job sits in ashes.  His money's gone.  He has lost his family.  He is covered with sores.  His wife has lost her faith completely.  His friends all blame him for his own suffering.  All he has left is his faith in a just, but terrifying God.  And in fear he sits and waits for God to respond.  Next Sunday we will hear that response from God.

We have all been there, sitting and waiting for God to come and put things right.  We sit in hospital rooms or nursing homes.  We hold hands with friends and loved ones, read scripture and pray.  We don't know what will come next in their frail lives.  All we have is faith in the God who is just, hears their prayers, and sends a Spirit of comfort and strength.

Today we have come into the presence of this God.   We remember his son's sacrifice on a cross when he paid for the world's sins.  And therefore we can be assured that suffering in this world is temporary because one day Jesus will return to earth, and we will be resurrected to eternal life.  And in our new resurrected bodies suffering will be no more.  Filled with this hope, I invite you to enjoy being with your savior.  Let's pray.

Father in heaven we thank you for being close to us both here in worship and when we need so much.  We thank you for sending your son to redeem us from suffering and death with the promise of eternal life.  This we pray in his glorious name.  Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 54

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Grace and Peace Episode 54

Presbyterian Church of Easton

October 10, 2021

Grace and Peace Episode 54

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

112 Q.  What is the aim of the ninth commandment?

A. That I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone rashly or without a hearing.  Rather, in court and everywhere else,I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are the very devices the devil uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense wrath.  I should love the truth,speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it.  And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name.

Deuteronomy 5:20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

The ninth commandment prohibits lying, specifically in a court of law.   The sixth commandment, “do not kill”, and the seventh commandment, “do not commit adultery” both have a biblical punishment of death.    The eighth commandment, “do not steal”, has a lesser punishment based on the value of what was stolen.    Because these punishments were so severe there must be a trial to determine the truth of an offense before the punishment is carried out.   In a trial, the Bible requires two witnesses.  Since the violation of a biblical law comes with such a high penalty there must be a biblical requirement that these witnesses tell the truth.    And this is the primary reason for the ninth commandment.

The biblical punishment for lying in court is that you will receive that same punishment as the person you lied for.  So if a person is on trial for murder and you lie about it then you too may be put to death.  With such severe punishment for lying in court, you might be tempted to just say nothing as a witness in a trial.   Keeping quiet is better than telling a lie.  But the Bible says that if you know the truth you must speak up.  

The ninth commandment is actually broader than just requiring truthful testimony.   It also requires telling the truth in all circumstances.   So gossip and slander are out.    You must always be truthful when you talk about someone.   You may not talk about someone behind his back.  You must always give someone a chance to defend himself.   And you must not slander, by telling lies about someone damaging his or her character and reputation.   Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, help us to always speak the truth.   Prevent us from gossiping behind someone's back.  And help to always keep our tongues of fire under control.   We pray in the glorious name of Jesus.

Sermon – Job 1 and 2 – “Why Do We Love God?”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon – Job 1 and 2 – “Why Do We Love God?”
October 10, 2021

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      Today we turn to the Book of Job.  This wonderful book is found in the Old Testament.  It is also part of the ancient Hebrew Bible where it is classified as a work of wisdom.  The Hebrew Bible has three sections.  The first contains God's instructions for life and we find these in the first five books of our Bibles, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  The second section of the Hebrew Bible contains the prophets, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah and others.  The third and final section of the Hebrew Bible contains wisdom, practical ways of living our lives wisely.  We have been looking at this wisdom for several weeks now as we have studied the New Testament, Book of James.  And today we enter into an Old Testament wisdom book, Job.

      The Old Testament books of wisdom do not contain a history of God's people or the pronouncements of God's prophets as do the other books in the Bible.  Rather, they tend to use allegory and personification to explain complex ideas in ways we can understand.  In the Book of Job, we have the central character Job, who is the personification of all believers.  We also have God the judge and Satan the heavenly district attorney.  We will get to this wonderful story, but first let's pray.

      May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer.

      Let's turn to the first chapter of the Book of Job.

Job 1:1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

      Job was a billionaire.  He had a house on the water, and a yacht.  He spent winters in Naples and summers in Maine.  His high tech company is now run by his son who has expanded it sevenfold.  He has been married to his beautiful wife for forty-eight years.  He feels that he has been richly blessed by God.

4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

      Job and his wife were faithful believers.  They came to church every Sunday.  They tithed 10% of their vast income to their church and other non-profits.  And they prayed for their children every day.   Job and his wife were models for living a blessed life.  But now in their retirement something happens. 

      But before we get to verse 6 of the first chapter of Job let me set the context.  God is seated on his throne in his role as judge of the world.  At his left hand is heaven's prosecutor, the accuser, ha satan.  These Hebrew words sound a lot like the English word, “Satan”.  But this is not the man in a red cape with a pitchfork.  This is not the focus of evil on Earth battled by Jesus.  Get these images out of your mind.  The ha satan is the personification of the complex idea that in heaven we will be accused and judged for our sin.  In this story the ha satan is the heavenly district attorney who has a list of everything we have done and will accuse us when we meet God for judgment.

      The accuser sits at the left hand of God telling God about us.  Jesus sits at the right hand of God reminding God that we have already confessed to these sins, and that he, Jesus, already paid our penalty.  So God declares us washed, clean and allows us into heaven.  This is how it now works.  But let's suppose, as a hypothesis, that Jesus is not there one day, and we are meeting God and the accuser without our savior.  Here is what would happen.

6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

      And with that the accuser has proposed a test.  Certainly, he says, people love God because of all the blessings they have received.  And all of us have been richly blessed.  But what if we lost our blessings?  What if our money was gone?  What if we lost our homes and our families?  Would we then still love God as much as we do right now?   Let's see what Job did.

13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

      The stock market has crashed and all Job's retirement accounts have gone bankrupt.  He lost his house and his boat.  All of his children have died.  He and wife are now living in a small efficiency apartment with Social Security as their only income.  What do you think?  Will he still love God?  Let's see.

      20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

      Yes, Job continued to love God even after his economic and family misfortune.  At least he can be thankful that he still has his wife and his health.  And so he continues to love God.  But what if he also loses his health?  What then?  Would he still love God?

Job 2:1 On another day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”

4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

6 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

      So now Job has lost his health.  He has no money, no family, and now he is suffering from shingles over his entire body.  What will he do?  What would you do?  I've met many people in nursing homes with nothing.  Their money and family and health are all gone.  Do they still love God?  Would you love God at a time like this?  Job's wife has had enough.  Let's hear from her.

9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

      Is that what we would do?  At that moment when we have lost everything should we curse God?  Or would we continue to love God when suffering is at its worst?  Let's hear Job's reaction.

10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”   In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

      And with that Job continued to love God even though he had lost everything.  This is a wise thing to do because God always loves you.  God will always be there with you.  God will send his spirit to strengthen you and comfort you in your final days.  The day will come when you leave behind the treasures of this world, and you will leave behind your diseased body and you will appear before the throne of God in heaven.  The accuser will be there with a list of all the things you have done.  Your only hope is that Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God, rises at that moment to say that you are forgiven because you still love God.   Continuing to love God, no matter what happens, is a wise thing to do. Let's pray.

      Lord Jesus, we thank you for all the blessings we have received in this life.  Bless us on the day we lose everything with you gracious love and forgiveness.  This we pray in your name.  Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 53

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 53
Presbyterian Church of Easton
October 3, 2021

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

110 Q.  What does God forbid in the eighth commandment?

A. God forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law.  But in God’s sight theft also includes all scheming and swindling in order to get our neighbor’s goods for ourselves, whether by force or means that appear legitimate, such as inaccurate measurements of weight,  size, or volume; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interest; or any other means forbidden by God.  In addition God forbids all greed and pointless squandering of his gifts.

Deuteronomy 5:19 “You shall not steal.”

The eighth commandment prohibits the taking of property owned by someone else.   You are not permitted to steal what belongs to another.   The Hebrew word here is very broad.   It refers to the stealing of anything, including a person, something we would call kidnapping.  

  The biblical punishment for stealing is that you must compensate the victim and pay punitive damages.  You must compensate the victim for the lost animal and then add either four cattle or three sheep for every animal stolen.  

What is most surprising about the eighth commandment is that it applies to everyone.  In most ancient civilizations the king owned everything.   And if the king already owned everything he could not be accused of stealing.   But God gave the property to families.   This land stayed in families generation to generation forever.  The land was not owned by a king.   So the economic system of the Bible is one based on private property.   Individuals owned the means of producing an income for themselves and family.   And the government could not take this away.

The biblical principle of private property stood and remains standing today.  This principle of private property is enshrined in the Constitution of the United States of America.   In the Fifth Amendment we read:  “No person shall … be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”  Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, help us to remember the principle that property belongs to individuals and family.   Help us to always remember this ownership and keep us from stealing what belongs to another.   Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 52

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Grace and Peace Episode 52

Presbyterian Church of Easton

September 26, 2021

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

108Q.  What does the seventh commandment teach us?

A. That God condemns all unchastity, and that therefore we should thoroughly detest it and live decent and chaste lives, within or outside of the holy state of marriage.

Deuteronomy 5:18 “You shall not commit adultery.”

The seventh commandment prohibits adultery.   Adultery happens whenever a married person has consensual sex with someone other than his or her spouse.  The biblical punishment for adultery was death.  Deuteronomy 22:22 “If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.”

The seventh commandment also applies when a couple is betrothed but not yet married.  Deuteronomy 22:23 “If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death—the young woman because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you.”

An exception to the seventh commandment was rape.  Deuteronomy 22:25 But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26 Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death.

So from the very beginning, God has brought a man and a woman together to form one flesh, a new human life.   God blessed his people with sons and daughters that would carry on the work of the family.  And all God required was faithfulness to him and to each other.   The covenant of marriage was modeled on the covenant between God and his people.   Just as God blesses his people and receives faithfulness, so do married couples bless each other and must remain faithful to each other.   Adultery is a breach of the marital covenant God established and therefore an offense against God.  Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the covenant of marriage.   Just as you love us and we love you, you have given us marriage so that a husband and wife may love each other and the family they produce.   Help us to always keep this marriage covenant sacred never violating it with sex outside of marriage.   This we pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.