Sermon Ephesians 6:19-20 “Sharing My Faith”

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon Ephesians 6:19-20 “Sharing My Faith”
February 27, 2022

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I am continuing with our look at spiritual practices.  These are things we do which, when built on our faith, lead to a virtuous life.   Among the spiritual practices we have looked at are worship, prayer and studying the Bible.  We have a single-minded focus on Jesus, we surrender to God’s will, we are a part of a biblical community, we use our spiritual gifts for God’s purposes, and we offer our time for God’s use.  Today we will look at the spiritual practice of “Sharing My Faith”.  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 Psalmist asked a very important question,  

Psalm 8:4 “what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”   

What are human beings?  This is a fundamental question we all face and how we answer it affects how we think about the world we live in.

One thing, that is beyond dispute, is that human beings are troubled.   We are all mortal and face death.  We remember our former member, Sue Ella, who died last month.   We are all subject to disease and death.    We suffer from violence.   We suffer economic shortages in a world of plenty.  And every Sunday there is a list of suffering people we pray over in worship.   

Why do human beings suffer?  In our culture today there are two answers to this question about pain.   Let’s look at these.

One view, that is increasingly popular in America, is that we suffer because we are victims of injustice, bigotry and systematic racism.   We see women getting paid less than men and say that they are suffering from centuries of male preference.   We see black men in prison and say that they are victims of slavery and Jim Crow laws which enforced white privilege.  We see discrimination against transgendered men and women and say that this is due to continuing fear of changing sexual practices.    In this view, people are victims.  

So being a victim is one explanation for why we experience troubles.    There is another view, which I would call a biblical view.

In the biblical view, we are not victims of injustice, bigotry and systematic racism.   Rather, we are sinners.   We refuse to follow God and have been doing this as far back as our earliest ancestors.    As a result of sin, we experience death, disease, violence and economic scarcity.   

So there are the two world views to explain our troubles, either we are victims or we are sinners.  

Both world views suggest solutions to our problems.    Those who believe that we are victims of injustice and bigotry say that the solution is political power.   If we elect the right people to political office they will deal effectively with injustice, bigotry, and systematic racism.   That is one solution.  Here is the other.  Those who believe that we are sinners say that the solution is a savior.   If we accept Jesus Christ as Lord then Jesus will deal with sin and its consequences.   

So, which of these theories best fit the world we live in?   Which one is true?   Are we victims or are we sinners?   The best test would be to see which one best helps to bring people out of trouble they face.  

Have you ever heard anyone who claims to be a victim of injustice and bigotry say that they are now no longer a victim because of the action of a political leader?   I don’t hear it.    I have heard in every election cycle since I have been an adult that certain groups are still victims of injustice and bigotry regardless of who gets elected and what policies they enact.   Even today  I hear that people in certain groups are still victims regardless of who is in power and what programs they have started.   Electing the “right” political leader seems to have little or no effect.

Now, what about those who consider sin to be a problem?   Have you ever heard someone say that they were troubled by sin, but when Jesus entered their hearts, they experienced transformation to new life?   Of course you have!   We hear this all the time when Christians give their testimonies.  

There is an elder in New Covenant Church in Middletown DE, who helps people communicate their stories of transformation.  Nancy Carol Willis is a professional author and illustrator.   She has a ministry called “Why I Love Jesus”  which helps people to write down their testimonies of new life in Christ.   People then read their testimonies and have them edited by professional writers.   They then read their testimonies in church. And the written testimonies are kept in a notebook in the rear of the church for anyone to read.

So which one of these worldviews is true?  Are we victims?  Or are we sinners in need of a savior?   I think it is clear that the biblical worldview, that we are sinners in need of a savior, is true because we have experienced the transformation that comes from a life where Jesus is Lord and Savior.

We Christians believe in the biblical worldview.   But there are many people in our community, in our families, where we work, in our restaurants, and in our stores who believe that they are victims without hope of transformation.    So, what would be the kind thing for us to do for them?   What could we say or do to help them find transformation to new life in Jesus Christ?   

Well, we could share our stories.  We could tell people we meet about what Jesus has done for us.   We could share our testimonies.   This would be the kindest thing we could do for them.    It would give hopeless people a new way to think and a solution to their trouble.  Just tell people what Christ has done for you.

We hear the Apostle Paul talk about this in his letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 6:19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

The spiritual practice of “Sharing My Faith” means that we fearlessly share our testimony about what Jesus has done for us.    All we have to do is be kind and engage in conversations with people we meet.   We don’t have to worry about what to say.   God will give us the words.   All we have to do is tell people about what Jesus has done for us.   God takes it the rest of the way.   Listen to this testimony from the Apostle Paul.

Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

This is called evangelism.    We share our stories with others.  Evangelism is not the same as church growth, but they are related.   Church growth requires that you knock on doors, or pass out fliers, or pay for advertising that will entice people to come to church.    These are all ways of getting people who already know Christ to come to our church.   But evangelism is being willing to talk to people who believe that they are victims of injustice, bigotry, and systematic racism.    We share our stories with them about our savior who has transformed our lives. 

Humankind suffers from all kinds of problems.   It is tempting to think that these problems are caused by injustice and bigotry, and we are victims.   This is false.    Our problems are caused by sin and we need a savior.    We know this because Jesus is that savior and he has given us new life.   We share our stories of new life with those who still believe that they are victims.   We invite them into a relationship with our savior Jesus Christ.   This is the spiritual practice of sharing your faith.  Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for all that you have done for us.   We thank you for the transformation to the new life we have experienced.   Give us opportunities to share our stories about the benefits of having you in our lives.    This we pray in your glorious name.   Amen. 

Grace and Peace Episode Season 2 Episode 5

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode Season 2 Episode 5
Presbyterian Church of Easton
February 20, 2022

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Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)

Romans 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

It is hard to believe that Paul wrote this two thousand years ago.  It is true of western culture today.

When I was growing up in the 50s and 60s Christianity still had a powerful hold of our culture.   But it was beginning to break apart.   One by one biblical standards were discarded.  The biggest break with biblical morality was in the area of sexual ethics.   The Bible clearly tells us that all sexual activity must be in the context of a marriage.   All sex outside of marriage is sinful.   But beginning in the 1960s all this began to change.   And the Confession of 1967 clearly says, the introduction of birth control, treatment for sexually transmitted disease, people living in cities, and the use of sexual imaging to sell products has led to sexual anarchy.   This is what the confession says.

“The relationship between man and woman exemplifies in a basic way God’s ordering of the interpersonal life for which he created mankind. Anarchy in sexual relationships is a symptom of man’s alienation from God, his neighbor, and himself. Man’s perennial confusion about the meaning of sex has been aggravated in our day by the availability of new means for birth control and the treatment of infection, by the pressures of urbanization, by the exploitation of sexual symbols in mass communication, and by world overpopulation….”  (Confession of 1967, 9.47d)

The church has a clear responsibility to teach sexual ethics and lead people who have fallen into sexual anarchy to a full life lived by bibilical principles.  And to lead people to fuller lives requires compassion for those who have fallen.   The Confession of 67 put it this way.

“The church comes under the judgment of God and invites rejection by man when it fails to lead men and women into the full meaning of life together, or withholds the compassion of Christ from those caught in the moral confusion of our time.”   (Confession of 1967, 9.47d)

Let’s pray.   Father in heaven keep us free from all sexual sin and true to our spouses.   Give us compassion for those suffering from sexual anarchy today.    And help us to lead people to fuller lives in Christ.   In whose name we pray.   Amen.

Sermon Colossians 3:17 “Offering My Time”

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon Colossians 3:17 “Offering My Time”
February 20, 2022

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We are continuing with our look at spiritual practices.  These are things that we do which when built upon faith help us to become more like Jesus.   So we worship, pray and study the Bible.  We have a single-minded focus on Jesus, we surrender to God’s will, we are a part of a biblical community and we use our spiritual gifts for God’s purposes.  All of these are important and if you do them the Holy Spirit will transform you into what God created you to be.

Today we turn to another spiritual practice.   This is “offering my time.”  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)

Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

God has given us 24 hours every day.   About a third of these are used for sleep.  About 16 hours every day we are awake.  And scripture is teaching us that every waking hour should be dedicated to fulfilling God’s purposes in the world.  So how do we do this?   How do we put God first in everything we do?

First, our focus must be on Jesus.   When I wake up in the morning I like to listen to podcasts.    Some of these are from famous Christians pastors.  Some are about current events from a Christian perspective.   After breakfast Grace and I go into the sanctuary for an hour of prayer for ourselves and for the church.   I then go into the church office where I talk to Anita, and prepare liturgies, sermons and bible studies.  I meet with committees and boards of the church, and I visit people at home.   All of this is how I keep my focus always on Jesus.  

How would the Apostle Paul want us to focus on Jesus?

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 

So the first step is offering our time, is to focus always on Jesus every hour of the day.   If we are always focusing on Jesus then we begin to realize how our own behavior is far short of what God wants.  This is called sin.  And so the second thing we must do is to stop sinning and start leading a lifestyle that is pleasing to God.   Scripture puts it this way.

Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.  7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

So as we live our lives, we first focus on Jesus and second repent of our sin.  The third thing that we do is that we accept everyone we meet regardless of race or class.

Colossians 5:11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

So focusing on Jesus, repenting sins, and accepting everyone regardless of race are the first three steps in living a life pleasing to God.   The next step is to put on virtue.

Colossian 5:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

So every waking hour we should be kind to everyone we meet.   We should be humble, gentle and patient.   And we should be forgiving just as God forgave us.  

So we focus on Jesus, repent of our sins, accept everyone regardless of race,  and act as virtuous people living our lives in a way that is pleasing to God.

If we do these things we receive two benefits.   The first benefit is a peaceful heart.

Colossians 5:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. 

So if we want to live peaceful lives we focus on Jesus, repent of our sin, accept everyone, and live virtuously.  Then our hearts will be filled with the peace of Jesus.   This is pretty good, but there is still more.  

Colossians 5:15 … And be thankful. 

Not only are our hearts overflowing with peace but also gratitude for all God has for us.  So what are some of the things that we can do to make sure that we are following Jesus every hour of the day?   

One useful practice is to keep a journal.   I urge you to keep a journal and write down everything you do for a couple of days.    For each hour of the day ask the question, “Did I please or displease God?”  Write down all the times you fell short.   Write down all the times you were virtuous.  Then read your journal.   This will give you a pretty good idea about how well you are offering your time to God.

Another useful practice is to use the time in the car for God’s purposes.    Many of us are in a car a lot.    And if you are like me we listen to the radio or podcasts or music or audiobooks.   But what if we used driving time as a time to connect to others.    Grace is really good at this.    When we are in the car together I drive and she is on the phone.  She is connecting with friends, people in the church, people we have known in other places and family.   This is something we could all do.    If you are a passenger in a car, use this time to connect with people in the church.    See what they are doing and the problems they face.   Pray for them.   Setup visits.   Build community.  

So we are keeping journals and searching for opportunities to talk with people by phone.   And a third thing you can do is to set aside a period of time every day to serve others.   Maybe you have lunch with someone who just lost a loved one.   Maybe you visit someone who has a hard time getting around in the winter.  Maybe you join the choir or bells and offer you musical talent.   Every day, think about how you can do something to help someone else.  

So we keep a journal, call people and try to help someone every day.  

There is an old story about offering time.   A man has been working for a long time at a very stressful job.   He works long hours.  And he comes home late, exhausted.

One evening as he sat, exhausted, on the couch his 5-year-old son said, “Daddy can I ask you a question?”

To which his tired father said, “I guess, what is it?

His little boy then asked, “How much money do you make an hour?

The father became irritable and said, “Why would you ask such a thing?”

The child said, “I just need to know.   How much do you make an hour?”

The father replied, “I make $20 per hour.”

The little boy looked at his father and said, “May I borrow $10?”

The father was now furious. “If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can buy a toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. I work long, hard hours every day, and I don’t have time for this right now.” The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

After a bit, the dad calmed down and began to think he may have been too hard on his son. Maybe he really did need the ten dollars for some good reason. He went to the door of his little boy’s room. The dad asked, “Are you asleep, son?”

“No, Daddy, I’m awake,” replied the boy.

“I’ve been thinking maybe I was too hard on you earlier,” said the man. “It’s been a long day, and I took out my frustrations on you. Here’s ten dollars. What do you need it for?”

The little boy sat straight up. “Oh, thank you daddy!” Reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some crumpled bills he had saved from his allowance.

“Why did you want more money if you already had some?” the father asked, about to get irritated again.

The son slowly counted out his money and then, looking up at his dad, said, “Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do. Daddy, I have twenty dollars now. Can I buy an hour of your time? I miss you.”

While this story certainly tugs at our heartstrings and causes us to evaluate our own priorities of time, we cannot help but think of and be grateful for our heavenly Father, who gives us his constant, undivided, and unending attention to the details of our lives.

We need to offer our time to God.   We focus on Jesus.   We repent our sins.   We welcome everyone regardless of race.  And we live virtuous lives.   We do this by keeping a journal to chronicle how we spend our time.   We find time to connect with others.   And we serve someone in need every day.   That’s how we offer our time to God.  Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, help us to devote every hour you give us to your purposes.   Help us to focus on Christ.  Help us to find time to connect with each other.   Help us to serve others every day.   Help us to live with peaceful hearts, filled with gratitude.  This we pray in the name of your son whom we serve.  Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode Season 2 Episode 4

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode Season 2 Episode 4
Presbyterian Church of Easton
February 13, 2022

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Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)

Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

God reveals himself through creation.   All people can see for themselves what God has done.  We see God in the sunrise every morning and the sunset every evening.   We see God is the abundant food we enjoy each day.   We see God in the faces of people we love.   God’s power and love are constantly on display all around us.  This is called general revelation and is available to everyone.  Through general revelation God let’s everyone know what is expected of them.     Everyone has ample evidence that God exists.   Everyone has a sense of right and wrong.  And everyone knows that they should always do what is right and not do what is wrong.

But the sad fact of the world is that none of us do what is right all the time.   None of us follows God perfectly.  None of us do all that we are supposed to do.   None of us says no to all temptations to sin.   We don’t follow God perfectly.  And therefore we are rightly subject to God's wrath.

The fear of God’s wrath is missing in our culture today.   Churches are not proclaiming God’s wrath to its members.   Parents are not talking about God’s wrath to children.  God’s wrath is not the subject of popular movies and books.   And if people don’t know about God’s wrath then they will be unprepared when it comes.   The time will come when we stand before the Lord to account for everything we have done and everything we have not done.   And if we have spent a lifetime not worrying about it then we will not know what to do when this time comes.  But if we learn about God’s wrath and acknowledge that we are sinners then we have someone who will save us, our Lord Jesus Christ.   Let’s pray.  

Lord God, help us to uncover your truth that all people are subject to your wrath.   Help us to help others see the precarious place where their soul currently rests.   And help us to proclaim that a savior does exist, your son Jesus Christ.   We pray in his name.  Amen,

Sermon Romans 12:4-6 “Spiritual Gifts

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon Romans 12:4-6 “Spiritual Gifts
February 13, 2022

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I am continuing today with my sermon series on Spiritual practices, which if we do them, we grow spiritually.    So we worship, pray, study the Bible, gather in a biblical community, and have a single minded focus on Jesus. As we do these things we become more like Jesus.   Today we turn to another important biblical practice, discerning and using the spiritual gifts we receive from God.  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)

There are two kinds of gifts that we receive from God, physical gifts and spiritual gifts.   Physical gifts are things we see, touch, weigh, and measure.  God has given us hands and feet.  God has given us a world with abundant food and water.   God has given us air to breathe.   All of these are physical gifts.

But what are spiritual gifts?   Suppose that this week your true love gives you a dozen roses for Valentine’s day.  These roses are physical gifts.  But the physical gift is not nearly as important as the spiritual gift of the love that motivated someone to give you a dozen roses.   Love is a spiritual gift from God.   It cannot be measured and weighed.   But it exists and we know it.

There are many spiritual gifts from God.   What we have to do is discern which gifts we have received and then use those gifts in service to God.

When I was a kid I took piano lessons.   I loved playing the piano.   I would play classical music and show tunes.  The themes from Exodus and Hello Dolly were my favorite.   But as I grew older I lost interest in music and stopped playing the piano.  Then as a young adult, I started playing again.   I relearned some of the classical music I played as a kid and I started playing hymns.  I loved it.   And I thought that God would use my music ability in the church.   I heard some wonderful musicians at my church.   I wanted to do what they did.   So I signed up for piano lessons.   The wife of the Director of the Choral Arts Society of Washington was a piano teacher.   She taught from a Bosendorfer concert grand piano in a special room she added to her house.   I went there weekly, and I practiced every day.  I got better.   But I never got good enough to play for my church.   And so I let my gift for piano lapse again until Mary Beth, Margaret and Grace convinced me to play for our Wednesday night services.   I really enjoy playing with the group every Wednesday.

Dale Krider has an enormous gift for music.     I am certain that Dale practices a lot.   I hear him when he comes in.  But he also has a spiritual gift from God that allows him to play the organ as an act of worship and through his playing, all of us can worship through singing.   Dale has both recognized his spiritual gift of music and uses this gift in service to God by playing the organ for this church.   Dale, welcome back.

Bob Huntington, our music director,  has another spiritual gift.  His gift is teaching.   He has the God-given ability to teach people how to sing and play bells.   And soon he will be teaching a class on Handel’s Messiah.    Bob has discerned his gift for teaching music and is using this gift in service to God right here at the Presbyterian Church of Easton.  And all this brings us to today's scripture.

Romans 12:4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.

While in Washington, I discerned that my gift of music was not suitable for the church I attended.   I could not use music in service to God.  So I started to look for other gifts I might have and how I could serve.   I took a Bethel Bible Series class at National Presbyterian Church.    I watched my teacher, Jennifer Walter, very carefully.   I admired the ease with which she presented the lesson.  She clearly had a gift for teaching the Bible.   And I thought that I might have this spiritual gift too.

In order to discern if God had provided me with the gift of being able to teach the Bible, I got involved in a Bethel Series teacher class with my pastor.   I studied as much as I could about techniques for teaching scripture.   And I could test out some of these techniques as a Bethel teacher at the church.   Through all of this I was able to discern that I did have the spiritual gift of being able to teach the Bible.   And I have used this gift in God’s service as a Bible teacher and preacher ever since.  

There are many people in the Bible who have received spiritual gifts from God.  When the Israelites were wandering in the desert they needed a tent where Moses could talk with God.   They needed people with spiritual gifts who could design and build an appropriate tabernacle for the presence of God.    Here are the people who applied for these jobs.

Exodus 35:30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.

So God provided the Israelites with the spiritual gifts they needed.  Bezalel and Oholiab were both given the spiritual gifts of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to teach others how to design and build a beautiful tabernacle for God.   

Jesus knew that the church would need spiritual gifts.  And he promised to send his Spirit to the church to equip us with the gifts we need.  Here is what he said.

John 14:25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

And Jesus kept his promise.  He sent his Spirit and equipped his church.

Acts 2:14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women,  I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.  19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below,  blood and fire and billows of smoke.  20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

So the promise of the prophet Joel that was realized on Pentecost was that the church would receive the gifts of prophecy, visions, and dreams.

Some of you may have these gifts.   You may have other gifts.  What’s important is that you discern which gifts God has given you, that you nurture those gifts and use them in service to God.  The Apostle Peter put it this way.

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

God had given each of us spiritual gifts.  We are to discern which gifts we have received.   We are to nurture these gifts in love and use them in service to others.   This biblical practice, discerning and using spiritual gifts, will make us more and more like Jesus.   Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, help us to know the spiritual gifts you have given us.    Guide us as we develop these gifts and use them to bless others.   This we pray in your son’s name.   Amen.    

Grace and Peace Episode Season 2 Episode 3

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode Season 2 Episode 3
Presbyterian Church of Easton
February 6, 2022

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Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

The Apostle Paul was writing during the height of Roman power.   Everywhere he looked Roman legions were there to project Roman power and to preserve the PAX ROMANA, or the peace that comes from supreme Roman authority.  Compare this to the gospel Paul was preaching.   He talked about a single person, Jesus, who had been arrested, convicted and executed.    Which of these two, Rome or Jesus was more powerful?  Paul argued that Jesus was more powerful.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is more powerful than any political power because it is the power to transform lives.  Through the Holy Spirit our sins are forgiven and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us.   When God looks at us in judgment, our savior, Jesus Christ, declares us forgiven.  Our bondage to sin and Satan is broken.   We transformed to a new life in Christ.  

So which is more powerful: the PAX ROMANA or the Gospel of Jesus Christ?   There is no question about it.   Rome’s power was a temporary blip in history.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been transforming lives for two thousand years.   So the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most powerful thing ever unleashed on earth.  

According to Paul the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus is only available to those who believe.  We never earn our own salvation.   Our God is holy, and we can never measure up to his standard alone.  But if we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ then we receive its transforming power.

How does the Gospel of Jesus Christ do all of this?  It proclaims that the righteousness of God, not our own personal righteousness, is imputed on us.   This means that the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ is reckoned and accounted to the believer.   By obeying God, all the way to cross, Jesus earned perfect righteousness which belongs to us through faith.

Let’s pray.   Heavenly Father, we ask you to reveal the Gospel of Jesus Christ to us through the church.   Give us the gift of faith.   And bless us with new, transformed lives.   We pray all this in the name of Jesus.   Amen.

Sermon Acts 2:44-47 “Biblical Community”

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon Acts 2:44-47 “Biblical Community”
February 6, 2020

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We have been looking at spiritual practices which bring us closer to God and make us more like Jesus.   Worship, prayer, Bible Study, a single-minded focus on Jesus, are all crucial to your spiritual development.   Today we turn to another important spiritual practice, Biblical Community.    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 New Testament was written in Greek.   And it uses a particular Greek word over and over again.   This word is “koinonia”.  

There is no word in English that means the same thing as “koinonia”.   So translators have some difficulty.    Most translate “koinonia” as “community” or “fellowship”.   But translations cannot tell you what “koinonia” means without some additional explanation.

“Koinonia” has three aspects.   First, it is a group of people who come together to form a community or fellowship.  Second, these people share their resources.  And third, they have a mutual interest.   So, “Koinonia” is a group of people who come together to share their resources to accomplish mutual purposes.   

The most common “koinonia” is marriage.   A husband and wife join together in marriage.  They share everything they have.   And they have mutual interests such as raising a family.  

Our God is also a “koinonia”.   We worship one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a “koinonia”.  They come together as one God.   They share all their knowledge and power.  And their mutual interest is to love their creation.

Humans were created in the image of this God.   So we were created with the need to be in “koinonia”.    When God created the first man, Adam, he said, Genesis 2:8 ... “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”   

It is not good for us to be alone either.  We were created to be in “koinonia”,  a community of people which shares its resources and has mutual interests.   We can satisfy our need for “koinonia” in many ways.   We can get married.   We can join clubs, associations, and fraternal organizations.   Any of these can be “koinonia” if people gather together, share their resources and have mutual interests.

The New Testament is very clear that the church is to be a “koinonia”.  We gather together for worship, prayer, Bible study, service to ourselves and others, and care for our buildings and grounds.   We share our resources through gifts, tithes, and offerings.   And we have the mutual interest of bringing the people of Easton to Christ.  

So, what are some of the ways that we have been a “koinonia” this week?  We have prayed for Jim Meadows grieving the loss of his wife, Sue Ella.  We gather preschoolers together to hear stories about Jesus.   The Lydia circle gathered to look at the Book of Ruth.  We came together in a Bible study looking at the Sermon on the Mountain.   We sang and prayed together on Wednesday nights while Grace talked about the Gospel of John.   And we practiced singing and bell ringing to beautify our worship.  We come together, share our time and money, and have the mutual interest of advancing the kingdom of God here in Easton.  And this brings us to today’s scripture.

Acts 2:44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This is the “koinonia” of the early church.   They gathered together to remember what Jesus said and did.   They broke bread and drank wine together as Jesus commanded them to do, in his memory.   They shared their resources with each other taking care of each other’s needs.   They also took care of the people in the community.   They were sincere in their faith and happy.   They praised God for their blessings.  And it should not be surprising that almost everyone wanted to join them.  I would.   Wouldn’t you?

So why are people not banging down our doors to be part of our “koinonia” here at the Presbyterian Church of Easton?   Are we caring for anyone with a need?   Are we sharing our resources sufficiently so that we can respond to needs?  Do we have glad and sincere hearts?   We must be missing something.  

Let’s take a closer look at what was happening in the “koinonia” of the early church.

Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 

Tabitha had the reputation of caring for people.   This was the reputation of the early Christians.   Everyone thought of Christians as people who were always doing good for others.   They fed the hungry.   They clothed the naked.   They cared for the sick, the widows and the orphans.   And everyone in the community knew that if you had a problem, find a Christian to help you.

Evidently, everyone in the community depended on Tabitha.   So when she got sick everyone was concerned.  And when she died everyone grieved.

37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

Tabitha had cared for others.   And now in her death, everyone wanted to care for her.  They washed her, placed her in a bedroom, and called for an apostle to come. 

39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

So we see Tabitha’s ministry.   She cared for the widows.  She made clothes for them.  These were destitute women with no husbands and no sons to care for them.   They could not own land or businesses.   So their only hope was to find a Christian who cared.   The widows found Tabitha who used the resources of her “koinonia” to care for them.   And so they grieved Tabitha’s death because they lost this good friend.

40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 

Not only were the early Christians able to care for others with their own resources they were also empowered by the Holy Spirit to care for people in extraordinary ways.   The Apostle Peter was empowered by the Holy Spirit to raise Tabitha from the dead.  

What if we cared for people in Easton the way Tabitha cared for people in Joppa?  What if we were empowered by the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary things?   What would happen here in Easton?   Well, here is what happened in Joppa.

42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 

What if the Presbyterian Church of Easton had the reputation that we really cared for the people of our community?    What if we made sure that whatever people needed, a meal, a warm place to stay, clothes for the kids,  an ear to listen to problems?  What would happen to our church if this was our reputation?  People would want to be part of our “koinonia”.   They would gather with us.   They would share their resources.   And they would join us in our mutual interests of praising God and serving God’s kingdom by caring for people.

So I urge you to continue being a “koinonia” for Easton.  Care for people.  Meet their needs.   Feed the hungry.   Find warm places for people to stay.   Provide clothes for children to wear in school.  And invite people to join with us in this “koinonia” where we share our resources and have a mutual interest in following and becoming more and more like Jesus.

Let’s pray.   Father in heaven we thank you for Rev. Foster and his work in starting the “koinonia” in Easton.   We thank you for our desire to care for one another and the people of our community.   Help us to see the needs of people in this community and give us the resources to meet those needs.   And bless us Lord with people who want to be part of our “koinonia” which we call the Presbyterian Church of Easton.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.   Amen.