Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon – John 6:24-35 – The Bread from Heaven
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
August 2, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
Before we begin I would like to thank Session and the church for giving me two weeks of study leave. I was able to attend the Academy for Missional Preaching in Malibu where I was able to break bread and share stories with other Presbyterian pastors and professors of preaching from our seminaries. But is it wonderful being back here to break bread and share stories will all of you. Let’s get started with prayer.
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)
A few weeks ago we celebrated the birth of our nation with fireworks and backyard barbeques. We do this every year on the Fourth of July. We gather to eat and share stories. “Remember the time Grandpa set the garage on fire with the fireworks.” “Weren’t Aunt Sally’s deviled eggs the best?” Good food and warm memories makes a festival celebration like Independence Day an important part of our culture.
The Israelites had their own Fourth of July. It was called Passover. They ate good food and told the stories of the founding of their nation. They remembered Moses and all that he did to lead them from slavery in Egypt through forty years in the wilderness and into the Promised Land. One year during the Passover festival a celebrity came to a city in the region of Galilee. He was a great teacher and had developed a reputation for healing. A large crowd gathered just to see him and maybe touch his cloak. His name was Jesus.
Jesus saw that the crowd was hungry. So he told his disciples to feed them. Of course there was no money in the budget for such an extravagant feast. By one count there were 5000 people to feed. They only had five barley loaves and a couple of fish. Jesus took them, gave thanks to God, and everyone ate and was satisfied.
The next day Jesus was found to be missing. So people got in boats and crossed the Sea of Galilee looking for Jesus. When they found him this is what he said.
John 6:24-35 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
One of the great stories that the Jews told to each other at the Passover celebration was about the time after they had all left Egypt and had entered the desert. The food they had departed with was gone and they were hungry. Starvation threatened to destroy the entire community. The people were so afraid that they wanted to go back and become slaves again.
I don’t know what it is like to be hungry. There has never been a day in my life when I did not have something to eat in the refrigerator or money in my pocket to buy whatever food I wanted. I know some people, here in Eagle Rock, even people coming to this church, who have experienced hunger. They try to get by on $200 a month in general relief and some food stamps. This usually runs out by the end of the month and they would go hungry but for the generosity of the people of God.
Of course there is a different kind of hunger, spiritual hunger, which we have all experienced. This is our longing for something more out of life; something seems to be missing. We treat spiritual hunger with alcohol and drugs and prescription medicines. But nothing seems to work. This spiritual hunger is caused by sin which separates us from God, because God alone can satisfy this kind of hunger
Of course we cannot satisfy all of the hunger of the people in our community. But if all the churches work together we can help feed the people who are physically hungry. And we can work to satisfy not only their physical need for food, but their spiritual needs as well, by introducing them to Jesus.
In Moses’ day, each morning while in the wilderness, the people found bread falling from heaven. They ate this bread every day and it sustained them for forty years. Those forty years ended with a great celebration, Passover. With this Passover story in their minds the Jews who had come to see Jesus began to think that just as Moses had provided bread for their ancestors to eat, so too had Jesus come to feed them. Jesus must be a great prophet like Moses.
But Jesus, being a Bible teacher, knew that Moses did not provide the bread from heaven for the Israelites to eat. No! It was God who sent the bread from heaven. And it was God who fed those 5000 people that day on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus started to tell them stories. One was from the prophet Daniel, who said that a human being would come from down from heaven, sent by God to rule with all power and authority. He would govern a kingdom of justice and righteousness. He would be the called the Son of Man. Jesus reminded them of another story of when their ancestors Adam and Eve lived in the garden where there was a tree in the center of the garden, the Tree of Life. Jesus said that the bread of heaven that would come with the Son of Man would be made from the fruit of the tree of life. And all who would eat this bread of heaven would have the gift of eternal life.
The people who had followed Jesus to Capernaum wondered what they had to do to eat this bread of heaven and live eternally. They asked Jesus, what work was required by God. And Jesus told them that the work required of God is that you believe in him whom God had sent, the Son of Man, who had come from heaven to earth with the bread of life.
You see just as God had provided bread from heaven to his people in the wilderness so to does Jesus bring the bread of eternal life to us. And the promise of scripture is that if you believe in Jesus Christ then you will receive eternal life.
That’s why our evangelism program is so important. That’s why we show our hospitality with a meal every Sunday night. That’s why we pickup bread from Trader Joe’s in Glendale and give it away: to show Christian generosity. That’s why we invite people to attend this church, so that they too will believe in Jesus Christ and will receive with us the bread of heaven that leads to eternal life.
In a few moments we will gather around this table for the Lord’s Supper. The Deacons have beautifully prepared the table and will serve you as hosts. But the bread that you will eat is not from the Deacons. This bread is not from the church. It is the bread from heaven that is given to you symbolizing your faith in Jesus Christ and sealing the gift of eternal life upon you.
I leave you with one last story which you can tell over and over again. It is the story being written today. It is the story of how this church is inviting the community into it sanctuary with our hospitality and generosity. It is the story of how we are satisfying the physical hunger of those who need something to eat. It is the story of how we are satisfying the spiritual hunger of people for Jesus. It is the story of bringing people to belief in Jesus Christ, so that they may eat the bread from heaven and receive eternal life.
Father in heaven, we ask for the gift of faith, that we might believe in Jesus Christ, the one who came from heaven to nourish us with the spiritual food that leads to eternal life. Bless us as we come to this communion table to eat the bread from heaven. We ask that you fill us with the nourishing food that will sustain us eternally. In your Son’s name and in the power of the Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
August Vision Column
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
August Vision Column
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ-- he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:34-43)
I had the privilege this past month of attending the Academy for Missional Preaching in Malibu. Around thirty pastors and seminary preaching professors gathered to think about what missional preaching is and how to do it. We then had the opportunity to write missional sermons, preach them in small groups and listen to feedback from our peers. I haven’t done anything like this since seminary. Listening to experienced pastor’s preaching was a real joy and I learned a lot.
Missional means that: times are changing and the church has to change as well. The old days when all we had to do was to erect a big brick church near the town square to reach people are over. Now we compete with other belief systems and other activities on Sunday mornings. So it is no longer enough to send missionaries to far off places. Today we have to be missionaries right here in Eagle Rock.
The Presbyterian Church is at the forefront of trying to figure out what all this means. The Academy of Missional Preaching was setup so that pastors who are dealing with changes in their churches could teach professors what is happening in our parishes, and seminary professors could teach pastors what they are learning in the academy. Also pastors could share what they have been learning with each other. Hopefully this exercise will guide the Presbyterian Church as it changes, and improve my preaching in the months ahead.
As a church we need to think missionally. Everything we do must be designed to attract new people to our church. If we are doing something that does not bring people to Christ then it is time to stop doing that and try something else. And those things which grow our church must be encouraged. This is the mission of the church.
August Vision Column
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ-- he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:34-43)
I had the privilege this past month of attending the Academy for Missional Preaching in Malibu. Around thirty pastors and seminary preaching professors gathered to think about what missional preaching is and how to do it. We then had the opportunity to write missional sermons, preach them in small groups and listen to feedback from our peers. I haven’t done anything like this since seminary. Listening to experienced pastor’s preaching was a real joy and I learned a lot.
Missional means that: times are changing and the church has to change as well. The old days when all we had to do was to erect a big brick church near the town square to reach people are over. Now we compete with other belief systems and other activities on Sunday mornings. So it is no longer enough to send missionaries to far off places. Today we have to be missionaries right here in Eagle Rock.
The Presbyterian Church is at the forefront of trying to figure out what all this means. The Academy of Missional Preaching was setup so that pastors who are dealing with changes in their churches could teach professors what is happening in our parishes, and seminary professors could teach pastors what they are learning in the academy. Also pastors could share what they have been learning with each other. Hopefully this exercise will guide the Presbyterian Church as it changes, and improve my preaching in the months ahead.
As a church we need to think missionally. Everything we do must be designed to attract new people to our church. If we are doing something that does not bring people to Christ then it is time to stop doing that and try something else. And those things which grow our church must be encouraged. This is the mission of the church.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Sermon Amos 7:7-15 – A Holy Place
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Amos 7:7-15 – A Holy Place
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
July 12, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
Today we turn to an 8th century BC prophet named Amos. Amos was a shepherd tending sheep in southern Judah. He was also concerned for the poor in his community and he tended a sycamore tree, which yields an inferior type of fig which was part of the diet of the poorest people at that time. But Amos saw something that disturbed him very much. So he went to Israel with a desire to confront the king. Before hearing what Amos had to say let’s begin with prayer.
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)
Amos 7:7-15 7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; 9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." 10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'" 12 And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom." 14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
The Lord gave Amos three visions of what could happen to Israel. In the first vision the Lord was sending locusts, just as their later crops began to sprout. This would devastate their food supply starving the people and destroying the nation. But Amos prayed that the people of Israel would be spared, and the Lord relented. In the second vision Amos saw the Lord covering the land with fire that would evaporate the oceans and devour the land. And again Amos prayed for Israel and the Lord relented. But in the third vision Amos saw the Lord judging Israel and sentencing King Jeroboam to death. After this vision of judgment Amos did not pray and the Lord did not relent. Why? To answer this we have to turn our attention to the place where Amos had come, Bethel.
Bethel is a Hebrew word which means “the house of God”. It was a place where God comes close to earth to interact with his people. In other words Bethel was a holy place, a location set aside for God’s use, a sanctuary.
We are told that Bethel was first discovered by the patriarch Jacob. He was fleeing from his brother Esau and one night as the sun was setting he found an ancient shrine and used one of the stones as a pillow. That night he had a remarkable dream that the Lord had come near with a great promise. When Jacob woke up he thought that this place was somehow a gateway to heaven. It was a place where God had come near to his people. So he called it Bethel, the house of God.
Today we are worshiping in a Bethel. This is a sacred place where in worship we come close to God. That makes this spot holy, set aside for God’s purposes, a sanctuary.
Centuries later Amos went to the same spot where Jacob had encountered God, the holy place, the sanctuary, called Bethel. And there he delivered to the priest of Bethel the frightening message of God’s judgment. But rather than praying to God in this sacred space the priest, Amaziah, prayed to his king accusing Amos of treason. And then Amaziah told Amos to leave because prophets were not welcome in the King’s sanctuary. So what had been a sacred house of God had been turned into a possession of the King, and this was the reason God had condemned the King and his kingdom to death and destruction.
The sin of Jeroboam and his priest was the sin of idolatry. Rather than worshiping God in God’s house they were worshiping other gods. Of course the priest, Amaziah would deny this. If we could ask him he would argue that the proper worship of the Lord, the God of Israel, was taking place at Bethel. But Amos knew differently. The nation was worshiping not God but the kingdom’s power and prosperity. The people knew the commandments of God to care for the poor and the needy, but they spent their money on ivory furniture imported from Africa, marble clad homes that glistened in the sunlight, and gourmet beef from the cows of Bashan. They knew that their faith should be in the Lord, but they were more confident in the strength of their armies and the alliances they had made with neighboring countries. They put their trust in money and power rather than in the God who had protected them in times past. And they were doing these things, worshiping other gods, worshiping money and power, right there in Bethel, God’s house.
As a result God sent an unlikely person, a poor shepherd from somewhere down south. He had no qualification as a seer or prophet. But he knew the word of God. And he saw the decay that was happening in his society. He realized that the idolatry of money and power would lead to the nation’s destruction. So Amos traveled north to God’s house, Bethel, with a message of judgment. This holy place, set aside for God’s use, would be given over to the enemies of Israel. Their women would be violated, their children killed, and a remnant would be carried into exile, all because they had stopped worshiping God in God’s house.
This should be a warning for us as we worship here in the corner of Eagle Rock and Addision. This has been a sacred place, a house of God, Bethel, for nearly 100 years. Generations of the faithful have come and gone in this place. And we must be careful to keep this place holy, set aside for God’s purposes.
God’s purpose in Eagle Rock is that we care for the poorest people in our community. This is obvious because God is sending the poor and needy to our doors every Sunday evenings. This holy place, this sanctuary, is where poor people in our community come close to God. We are not providing a homeless dinner as do other churches. Rather we are opening our doors as a gateway to the Lord.
So must always keep this place as a sacred spot, holy to the Lord. As budgets go down we may look for other ways of using the space for money. But if we make decisions about our building and land solely for financial reasons then we risk God’s judgment and this House of God may be taken away from us. Every decision we make about our buildings and our grounds must be made to glorify God, or else we fall into the sin of idolatry and face certain destruction.
Since God is calling us to care for the poor in the community we need to use our facilities for that purpose. I know of a church that uses its fellowship hall as a place where homeless can gather during the week. There are computers available for job and apartment searches, a donated clothing exchange, showers, and counseling. World Vision has a storehouse we could tap to provide necessary items to the homeless in our community. Another example is the Nazarene church here in Eagle Rock. It is about to turn its property into low income housing for the poor in this community. The whole block from Yosemite to Fair Park will be used for this sacred purpose and a new church will be part of the development plans. Do we have a sacred vision for the block between Addison and Lavern? Are we using the buildings we have for God purposes?
Within a generation of Amos prophecy the kingdom of Israel fell, just as he predicted. The people were carried into exile. They lost their imported furniture and gourmet food. Jeroboam’s dynasty came to an end. And his kingdom existed no more. Amos’s prophetic words were placed in the Hebrew Scriptures to remind future generations to protect their Bethels by making them holy, set aside for God’s use. I urge you to protect this corner of Eagle Rock Blvd. by using it solely for God’s purpose. It this is a place is solely a place where people can come into contact with God and used for no other purpose then it will receive God’s protection forever.
Father in Heaven, we approach you this day in worship here in our Bethel, your house. Help us to keep this corner of Eagle Rock holy by using it only for your purposes. Allow us to discern the best way to use the sacred property you have provided for us. And we pray this in the name of your son. Amen.
Sermon Amos 7:7-15 – A Holy Place
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
July 12, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
Today we turn to an 8th century BC prophet named Amos. Amos was a shepherd tending sheep in southern Judah. He was also concerned for the poor in his community and he tended a sycamore tree, which yields an inferior type of fig which was part of the diet of the poorest people at that time. But Amos saw something that disturbed him very much. So he went to Israel with a desire to confront the king. Before hearing what Amos had to say let’s begin with prayer.
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)
Amos 7:7-15 7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; 9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." 10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said, 'Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.'" 12 And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom." 14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
The Lord gave Amos three visions of what could happen to Israel. In the first vision the Lord was sending locusts, just as their later crops began to sprout. This would devastate their food supply starving the people and destroying the nation. But Amos prayed that the people of Israel would be spared, and the Lord relented. In the second vision Amos saw the Lord covering the land with fire that would evaporate the oceans and devour the land. And again Amos prayed for Israel and the Lord relented. But in the third vision Amos saw the Lord judging Israel and sentencing King Jeroboam to death. After this vision of judgment Amos did not pray and the Lord did not relent. Why? To answer this we have to turn our attention to the place where Amos had come, Bethel.
Bethel is a Hebrew word which means “the house of God”. It was a place where God comes close to earth to interact with his people. In other words Bethel was a holy place, a location set aside for God’s use, a sanctuary.
We are told that Bethel was first discovered by the patriarch Jacob. He was fleeing from his brother Esau and one night as the sun was setting he found an ancient shrine and used one of the stones as a pillow. That night he had a remarkable dream that the Lord had come near with a great promise. When Jacob woke up he thought that this place was somehow a gateway to heaven. It was a place where God had come near to his people. So he called it Bethel, the house of God.
Today we are worshiping in a Bethel. This is a sacred place where in worship we come close to God. That makes this spot holy, set aside for God’s purposes, a sanctuary.
Centuries later Amos went to the same spot where Jacob had encountered God, the holy place, the sanctuary, called Bethel. And there he delivered to the priest of Bethel the frightening message of God’s judgment. But rather than praying to God in this sacred space the priest, Amaziah, prayed to his king accusing Amos of treason. And then Amaziah told Amos to leave because prophets were not welcome in the King’s sanctuary. So what had been a sacred house of God had been turned into a possession of the King, and this was the reason God had condemned the King and his kingdom to death and destruction.
The sin of Jeroboam and his priest was the sin of idolatry. Rather than worshiping God in God’s house they were worshiping other gods. Of course the priest, Amaziah would deny this. If we could ask him he would argue that the proper worship of the Lord, the God of Israel, was taking place at Bethel. But Amos knew differently. The nation was worshiping not God but the kingdom’s power and prosperity. The people knew the commandments of God to care for the poor and the needy, but they spent their money on ivory furniture imported from Africa, marble clad homes that glistened in the sunlight, and gourmet beef from the cows of Bashan. They knew that their faith should be in the Lord, but they were more confident in the strength of their armies and the alliances they had made with neighboring countries. They put their trust in money and power rather than in the God who had protected them in times past. And they were doing these things, worshiping other gods, worshiping money and power, right there in Bethel, God’s house.
As a result God sent an unlikely person, a poor shepherd from somewhere down south. He had no qualification as a seer or prophet. But he knew the word of God. And he saw the decay that was happening in his society. He realized that the idolatry of money and power would lead to the nation’s destruction. So Amos traveled north to God’s house, Bethel, with a message of judgment. This holy place, set aside for God’s use, would be given over to the enemies of Israel. Their women would be violated, their children killed, and a remnant would be carried into exile, all because they had stopped worshiping God in God’s house.
This should be a warning for us as we worship here in the corner of Eagle Rock and Addision. This has been a sacred place, a house of God, Bethel, for nearly 100 years. Generations of the faithful have come and gone in this place. And we must be careful to keep this place holy, set aside for God’s purposes.
God’s purpose in Eagle Rock is that we care for the poorest people in our community. This is obvious because God is sending the poor and needy to our doors every Sunday evenings. This holy place, this sanctuary, is where poor people in our community come close to God. We are not providing a homeless dinner as do other churches. Rather we are opening our doors as a gateway to the Lord.
So must always keep this place as a sacred spot, holy to the Lord. As budgets go down we may look for other ways of using the space for money. But if we make decisions about our building and land solely for financial reasons then we risk God’s judgment and this House of God may be taken away from us. Every decision we make about our buildings and our grounds must be made to glorify God, or else we fall into the sin of idolatry and face certain destruction.
Since God is calling us to care for the poor in the community we need to use our facilities for that purpose. I know of a church that uses its fellowship hall as a place where homeless can gather during the week. There are computers available for job and apartment searches, a donated clothing exchange, showers, and counseling. World Vision has a storehouse we could tap to provide necessary items to the homeless in our community. Another example is the Nazarene church here in Eagle Rock. It is about to turn its property into low income housing for the poor in this community. The whole block from Yosemite to Fair Park will be used for this sacred purpose and a new church will be part of the development plans. Do we have a sacred vision for the block between Addison and Lavern? Are we using the buildings we have for God purposes?
Within a generation of Amos prophecy the kingdom of Israel fell, just as he predicted. The people were carried into exile. They lost their imported furniture and gourmet food. Jeroboam’s dynasty came to an end. And his kingdom existed no more. Amos’s prophetic words were placed in the Hebrew Scriptures to remind future generations to protect their Bethels by making them holy, set aside for God’s use. I urge you to protect this corner of Eagle Rock Blvd. by using it solely for God’s purpose. It this is a place is solely a place where people can come into contact with God and used for no other purpose then it will receive God’s protection forever.
Father in Heaven, we approach you this day in worship here in our Bethel, your house. Help us to keep this corner of Eagle Rock holy by using it only for your purposes. Allow us to discern the best way to use the sacred property you have provided for us. And we pray this in the name of your son. Amen.
Sermon Romans11:2-5 The Doctrine of Divine Election
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Romans11:2-5 The Doctrine of Divine Election
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
July 5, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
Today we will be concluding our celebration of the 500 birthday of John Calvin. As we have seen Calvin, who was born on July 10, 1509 became one of the great reformers of the church. His study of scripture and knowledge of theology led him to develop important doctrines for the church. As we have seen, the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God gives us great comfort knowing that God is in control of our lives. And the doctrine of the Total Depravity of Humankind leads us to total dependence on God for our salvation which is assured through Jesus Christ. Today we will be looking at the doctrine of Divine Election where we find that God has chosen us as his children before we were even born. But before we get to this important work lets 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)
Romans 11:2-5 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life." 4 But what is the divine reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
Ephesians 1:3-6 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
The Doctrine of Divine Election was not a central theme in Calvin’s writings. It did not appear in the Institutes of the Christian Religion until its final edition. And even there it is just a short paragraph. You can read it in your bulletin this morning. In Calvin’s thinking Divine Election was based on the scriptures that you have heard this morning. It is also the logical conclusion to the doctrines of the Sovereignty of God and the Total Depravity of Humankind. If you believe that God is totally in control and that we are so stained by sin that we are unable to know God or even believe in Jesus Christ without God’s help then you have to conclude that it is God and not us who chooses who will be saved. It is greatly comforting to know that our experience of calling and faith are indications that God has chosen us as his children before we were even born. The doctrine states that God knew our destiny before we were even created, in other words we were predestined.
This doctrine of predestination created problems for the theologians that followed Calvin, and was the central topic of discussion in the 17th century. The problem was the doctrine of double predestination. Everyone loves the idea that God chose us as his people before the he laid the foundations of the world, but we are troubled by the idea that God chose others for eternal damnation. How could a loving creator God choose some people to suffer for eternity? This just doesn’t make any sense to us.
A follower of Calvin, James Arminius, offered a solution. He said that it is not God’s selection but our decision to believe that determines whether or not we are adopted as God’s children. But he agreed with Calvin that because of Total Depravity we are unable to make this decision. So what God has done is to give us just enough grace to give us the ability to choose to believe or not. This Arminius called prevenient grace: God, who desires everyone to be saved, gives us a little prevenient grace, not saving grace, which allows us to believe in Jesus Christ or not. If we choose to believe then we are adopted as God’s children, but if we choose not to believe then we are damned. This doctrine of prevenient grace was extremely controversial in the 17th century and led to gathering of Reformed theologians at the Synod of Dort.
The Synod of Dort disagreed with Arminius and developed what has been called the Five Points of Calvinism. These are: The Total Depravity of Humankind, where the effects of the fall extend to all aspects of human existence, Unconditional Election, where God and God alone chooses who will be saved, Limited Atonement, where Jesus’ death was solely for the elect, Irresistible Grace, where the elect cannot resist God’s offer of grace, and Perseverance of the Saints, where the elect are assured that they will continue in the faith for a lifetime. These Five points form an acronym: TULIP.
So the 17th century saw a hardening of the differences between the Calvinist and Arminians. Philosophers debated the concepts of free will and determinism. Theologians argued over whether someone could reject grace or not. Some theologian suggested that a loving God would never choose some people for destruction therefore all people must be saved. Evangelists wondered how people could be converted if they had already been chosen by God. And ethicists complained that some people could be so bad that the idea of the perseverance of grace was troubling. All of these debates splintered the Protestant Church. This accounts for the diversity of churches here in Eagle Rock. Our tradition, as Presbyterians, was to follow the Calvinist doctrines, but even we were divided over the doctrines of Divine Election and especially Double Predestination.
When thinking about these issues which divide the church even today we have to remember the reformed principle that the foundation of our faith rests in the Word of God. Doctrines are derived from scripture. So if we have problems with doctrine it helps to return to scripture to see where we stand.
As we read the Bible we see God interacting with his people. God directs, encourages and corrects those who follow the wrong path. God wants all to believe and worship him and grieves over those who fall away. The God of Scripture is a personal God who is with us, not a impersonal transcendent God who decided what was to happen before we were born and then sits passively watching it all play out. God prefers to be a participant and has given us freedom to make interaction with us possible. This God of Scripture is very different from the God of the Five Points of Calvinism.
The Doctrines of the Sovereignty of God and Divine Election are ways that theologians combine the god of Greek Philosophy and the God of the Bible. Greek philosophers talked about a transcendent God who is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving. Christian theologians have taken the concept of an all powerful God and developed the Doctrine of Sovereignty, but as we have seen the God of scripture gave away some of his power so that we may have freedom to love him as he loves us. And they have taken the concept of an all knowing god and developed the Doctrines of Predestination and Divine Election, but as we have seen the God of the Bible gives us limited freedom to act which has led to disobedience that thwarts God’s plan. We have to remember that we worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and who was the Father of Jesus Christ, not the supreme god of Aristotle and Plato.
All of this can be seen in the story from Genesis that was read earlier. It is clear that God ordained, before they were even born, that Esau would become the patriarch of the nation of Edom, and Jacob would become the patriarch of the people of God. But Jacob’s life was not determined by God. In fact Jacob’s behavior was often at cross purposes with God. God even changed Jacob’s name to Israel which means the man who wrestled with God. So even though we have been chosen by God as his people we have also been given the freedom to struggle with God in that process.
So when we think about the Doctrine of Divine Election we must remember certain things. First, that the Doctrine of Divine Election is a statement of the wonder of God’s grace for us expressed through Jesus Christ. But it should not be used to speculate on the scope of God’s grace and who may or may not receive it. Second, Divine Election is an affirmation of the Sovereignty of God which is really good news because it tells us that salvation comes to those who are in Christ, not to those who are less sinful. Third, the appropriate response to election is gratitude for all Christ has done for us; as Karl Barth said, it is Christ whom God elected. Fourth, the Doctrine of Divine Election reminds us that we have received an overwhelming gift, adoption as God’s own people. And finally, our election calls us to lead lives of service and discipleship.
So the Doctrine of Divine election is really good news. We who profess our faith in Jesus Christ have been chosen by God for redemption and everlasting life. And God is right here walking with us as we lead our new regenerated lives. Remember that God loves us and this allows us to love one another. Amen.
Sermon Romans11:2-5 The Doctrine of Divine Election
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
July 5, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
Today we will be concluding our celebration of the 500 birthday of John Calvin. As we have seen Calvin, who was born on July 10, 1509 became one of the great reformers of the church. His study of scripture and knowledge of theology led him to develop important doctrines for the church. As we have seen, the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God gives us great comfort knowing that God is in control of our lives. And the doctrine of the Total Depravity of Humankind leads us to total dependence on God for our salvation which is assured through Jesus Christ. Today we will be looking at the doctrine of Divine Election where we find that God has chosen us as his children before we were even born. But before we get to this important work lets 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)
Romans 11:2-5 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life." 4 But what is the divine reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
Ephesians 1:3-6 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
The Doctrine of Divine Election was not a central theme in Calvin’s writings. It did not appear in the Institutes of the Christian Religion until its final edition. And even there it is just a short paragraph. You can read it in your bulletin this morning. In Calvin’s thinking Divine Election was based on the scriptures that you have heard this morning. It is also the logical conclusion to the doctrines of the Sovereignty of God and the Total Depravity of Humankind. If you believe that God is totally in control and that we are so stained by sin that we are unable to know God or even believe in Jesus Christ without God’s help then you have to conclude that it is God and not us who chooses who will be saved. It is greatly comforting to know that our experience of calling and faith are indications that God has chosen us as his children before we were even born. The doctrine states that God knew our destiny before we were even created, in other words we were predestined.
This doctrine of predestination created problems for the theologians that followed Calvin, and was the central topic of discussion in the 17th century. The problem was the doctrine of double predestination. Everyone loves the idea that God chose us as his people before the he laid the foundations of the world, but we are troubled by the idea that God chose others for eternal damnation. How could a loving creator God choose some people to suffer for eternity? This just doesn’t make any sense to us.
A follower of Calvin, James Arminius, offered a solution. He said that it is not God’s selection but our decision to believe that determines whether or not we are adopted as God’s children. But he agreed with Calvin that because of Total Depravity we are unable to make this decision. So what God has done is to give us just enough grace to give us the ability to choose to believe or not. This Arminius called prevenient grace: God, who desires everyone to be saved, gives us a little prevenient grace, not saving grace, which allows us to believe in Jesus Christ or not. If we choose to believe then we are adopted as God’s children, but if we choose not to believe then we are damned. This doctrine of prevenient grace was extremely controversial in the 17th century and led to gathering of Reformed theologians at the Synod of Dort.
The Synod of Dort disagreed with Arminius and developed what has been called the Five Points of Calvinism. These are: The Total Depravity of Humankind, where the effects of the fall extend to all aspects of human existence, Unconditional Election, where God and God alone chooses who will be saved, Limited Atonement, where Jesus’ death was solely for the elect, Irresistible Grace, where the elect cannot resist God’s offer of grace, and Perseverance of the Saints, where the elect are assured that they will continue in the faith for a lifetime. These Five points form an acronym: TULIP.
So the 17th century saw a hardening of the differences between the Calvinist and Arminians. Philosophers debated the concepts of free will and determinism. Theologians argued over whether someone could reject grace or not. Some theologian suggested that a loving God would never choose some people for destruction therefore all people must be saved. Evangelists wondered how people could be converted if they had already been chosen by God. And ethicists complained that some people could be so bad that the idea of the perseverance of grace was troubling. All of these debates splintered the Protestant Church. This accounts for the diversity of churches here in Eagle Rock. Our tradition, as Presbyterians, was to follow the Calvinist doctrines, but even we were divided over the doctrines of Divine Election and especially Double Predestination.
When thinking about these issues which divide the church even today we have to remember the reformed principle that the foundation of our faith rests in the Word of God. Doctrines are derived from scripture. So if we have problems with doctrine it helps to return to scripture to see where we stand.
As we read the Bible we see God interacting with his people. God directs, encourages and corrects those who follow the wrong path. God wants all to believe and worship him and grieves over those who fall away. The God of Scripture is a personal God who is with us, not a impersonal transcendent God who decided what was to happen before we were born and then sits passively watching it all play out. God prefers to be a participant and has given us freedom to make interaction with us possible. This God of Scripture is very different from the God of the Five Points of Calvinism.
The Doctrines of the Sovereignty of God and Divine Election are ways that theologians combine the god of Greek Philosophy and the God of the Bible. Greek philosophers talked about a transcendent God who is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving. Christian theologians have taken the concept of an all powerful God and developed the Doctrine of Sovereignty, but as we have seen the God of scripture gave away some of his power so that we may have freedom to love him as he loves us. And they have taken the concept of an all knowing god and developed the Doctrines of Predestination and Divine Election, but as we have seen the God of the Bible gives us limited freedom to act which has led to disobedience that thwarts God’s plan. We have to remember that we worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and who was the Father of Jesus Christ, not the supreme god of Aristotle and Plato.
All of this can be seen in the story from Genesis that was read earlier. It is clear that God ordained, before they were even born, that Esau would become the patriarch of the nation of Edom, and Jacob would become the patriarch of the people of God. But Jacob’s life was not determined by God. In fact Jacob’s behavior was often at cross purposes with God. God even changed Jacob’s name to Israel which means the man who wrestled with God. So even though we have been chosen by God as his people we have also been given the freedom to struggle with God in that process.
So when we think about the Doctrine of Divine Election we must remember certain things. First, that the Doctrine of Divine Election is a statement of the wonder of God’s grace for us expressed through Jesus Christ. But it should not be used to speculate on the scope of God’s grace and who may or may not receive it. Second, Divine Election is an affirmation of the Sovereignty of God which is really good news because it tells us that salvation comes to those who are in Christ, not to those who are less sinful. Third, the appropriate response to election is gratitude for all Christ has done for us; as Karl Barth said, it is Christ whom God elected. Fourth, the Doctrine of Divine Election reminds us that we have received an overwhelming gift, adoption as God’s own people. And finally, our election calls us to lead lives of service and discipleship.
So the Doctrine of Divine election is really good news. We who profess our faith in Jesus Christ have been chosen by God for redemption and everlasting life. And God is right here walking with us as we lead our new regenerated lives. Remember that God loves us and this allows us to love one another. Amen.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Sermon Genesis 3:1-6 – The Doctrine of Total Depravity
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Genesis 3:1-6 – The Doctrine of Total Depravity
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
June 28, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
Today I will be preaching my third in a series of four sermons celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. As we saw two weeks ago Calvin was a protestant reformer in the 16th century whose views about scripture and church have been very influential. Last week we looked at the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God and the comfort it gives us knowing that God is in control. But we also saw that since there is evil in the world God must have given us some freedom of independent action which allowed sin to enter creation. Today we will look at this sin and effect is has on our lives. But first please pray with me.
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)
Genesis 3:1-6 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'" 4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die; 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.
For the first four centuries of the church theologians considered the nature of God. They were concerned about our belief in one God as experienced as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And they were concerned with the person of Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine. These issues were talked about and eventually settled with the Nicene Creed. This solution allowed theologians to think about other issues and they turned to questions about sin and our relationship with God. As we saw last week our idea of the sovereignty of God must be adapted to include an element of human freedom to account for evil in the world. The questions facing theologians of the fifth century concerned how much freedom we have and to what extant is God in control.
One group of fifth century theologians was the Manicheans. The Manicheans believed that God was totally in control. Everything that happened was determined by God. This meant that there was no responsibility on our part for our actions. Since God is in control of everything, why should we experience any kind of guilt at all for what we do? This belief opened the door for all kinds of licentious behavior, drinking, sex, whatever. If you have no liability for your actions you might as well live it up. It is party time! You can imagine how attractive this thinking was to Christians in the fifth century. They could do whatever they wanted to do without having to pay the consequences for their actions. Even St. Augustine was seduced into the Manichean way of thinking early in his career.
An opposing group in the fifth century was the Pelagians. The Pelagians believed in free will. Human beings were free to act for good or evil. Evil actions had their consequences. Human were to be good. Perfection was the goal that all Christians should strive for. Do away with your drinking and sex outside of marriage, they said. Obey the commands of God fully, because God would never tell us to do something we were not able to do.
Augustine, the fifth century bishop of Hippo in North Africa, was familiar with both views. He realized that the Manicheans were denying the reality of free will for human beings and that the Pelagians were denying the sovereignty of God. Augustine knew that both were needed. To explain how we live in a world that is both controlled by God and one where we have freedom and responsibility Augustine developed the concept of depravity.
Augustine looked back at the creation story in Genesis and realized that the disobedience of Adam and Eve had far reaching implications. It destroyed the relationship they had with God. It affected all of creation as they were expelled from the garden. And it even afflicted their children, Cain and Able and those who followed. Augustine began to think that sin was like a disease that was passed on from parent to child. Sin seemed to have the power to hold people captive; they couldn’t get away from it. And sin resulted in guilt passed down from generation to generation. Augustine believed that this “original sin” of our ancestors now corrupts all of creation including all of humanity. This is the doctrine of Total Depravity.
Of course this creates a big problem for us. We are so stained by the actions of our earliest ancestors that sin is a part of our very nature; we cannot stop sinning. We are also responsible for our sin and experience guilt for our actions because those actions were voluntary. Imagine a scale with good on the one side and evil on the other. Imagine also an incredible weight, called original sin, placed on the evil side so that the scale is already tipping. Now imagine that you are required to do enough good to bring the scale back to balance, but you can’t do it. That’s the problem, original sin so weighs us down that we can never get back to balance no matter what we do. The Manicheans were wrong: we are responsible for our actions. The Pelagians were also wrong: we can never do enough good to overcome our sinful nature. Augustine concluded that we are depraved by nature and deserve to be punished. Our only hope is in the grace of God.
It was John Calvin, in the sixteenth century, who offered a solution to this mess. He said that since we are overwhelmed with sin we cannot know God. We need help. Think about using a typewriter or a computer. As the words go on the page it is important to line them up in the proper way. Usually the words on each line are lined up with the left margin. This is called left justification. The words on the page cannot line themselves up along the left margin. They require the work of the typist or word processor to justify them. A typist hits the return carriage at the end of the line. A word processor wraps the words automatically. Either way the words are justified along the left margin by an outside force. Just as the words on a page need to be justified with the left margin, so too must we be justified with God. And just as the words need help in being justified so too do we need help being justified with our creator. According to Calvin we are justified, put right with God, by Jesus Christ.
According to Calvin, justification works this way. Once we believe in Jesus Christ our faith unites us with Christ. When this happens our depravity is replaced by Christ’s righteousness. Once we are clothed with Christ’s righteousness then we can approach God. This then leads to our regeneration as we reclaim our birthright of being created in the image of God.
This is why we worship the way we do on Sundays. We come to church conscious of our sinful nature and knowing our own unworthiness to come into the presence of God. We then say a prayer of confession where we humble ourselves and admit to God and to one another our sins of willfully violating God’s law. We admit that sin has affected our whole nature. We experience guilt for turning away from God. And we are prepared to receive the punishment we deserve when suddenly the good news is proclaimed: By accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we take Christ’s sinless nature upon ourselves, and approach God in righteousness. God then forgives all of our sins and the original sin that has stained us since birth. And we are united with Jesus Christ in new regenerated lives that are now pleasing to God. This is why worship is so important. It is where we are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ.
So the answer to the fifth century questions about free will and sovereignty of God are: that we have free will, but because we are also so stained by sin our exercise of that will is always tilted toward evil. For this we experience guilt and hide from God. But God loves us so much he sent his son Jesus to live a sinless life. And if we believe in Jesus Christ, God will pretend that Jesus’ sinless life is really our’s. And amazingly God welcomes us as if we truly were sinless like Jesus. God does this because God knows that this is the only way to give us regenerated lives. Amen.
Sermon Genesis 3:1-6 – The Doctrine of Total Depravity
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
June 28, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
Today I will be preaching my third in a series of four sermons celebrating the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. As we saw two weeks ago Calvin was a protestant reformer in the 16th century whose views about scripture and church have been very influential. Last week we looked at the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God and the comfort it gives us knowing that God is in control. But we also saw that since there is evil in the world God must have given us some freedom of independent action which allowed sin to enter creation. Today we will look at this sin and effect is has on our lives. But first please pray with me.
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)
Genesis 3:1-6 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'" 4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die; 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.
For the first four centuries of the church theologians considered the nature of God. They were concerned about our belief in one God as experienced as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And they were concerned with the person of Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine. These issues were talked about and eventually settled with the Nicene Creed. This solution allowed theologians to think about other issues and they turned to questions about sin and our relationship with God. As we saw last week our idea of the sovereignty of God must be adapted to include an element of human freedom to account for evil in the world. The questions facing theologians of the fifth century concerned how much freedom we have and to what extant is God in control.
One group of fifth century theologians was the Manicheans. The Manicheans believed that God was totally in control. Everything that happened was determined by God. This meant that there was no responsibility on our part for our actions. Since God is in control of everything, why should we experience any kind of guilt at all for what we do? This belief opened the door for all kinds of licentious behavior, drinking, sex, whatever. If you have no liability for your actions you might as well live it up. It is party time! You can imagine how attractive this thinking was to Christians in the fifth century. They could do whatever they wanted to do without having to pay the consequences for their actions. Even St. Augustine was seduced into the Manichean way of thinking early in his career.
An opposing group in the fifth century was the Pelagians. The Pelagians believed in free will. Human beings were free to act for good or evil. Evil actions had their consequences. Human were to be good. Perfection was the goal that all Christians should strive for. Do away with your drinking and sex outside of marriage, they said. Obey the commands of God fully, because God would never tell us to do something we were not able to do.
Augustine, the fifth century bishop of Hippo in North Africa, was familiar with both views. He realized that the Manicheans were denying the reality of free will for human beings and that the Pelagians were denying the sovereignty of God. Augustine knew that both were needed. To explain how we live in a world that is both controlled by God and one where we have freedom and responsibility Augustine developed the concept of depravity.
Augustine looked back at the creation story in Genesis and realized that the disobedience of Adam and Eve had far reaching implications. It destroyed the relationship they had with God. It affected all of creation as they were expelled from the garden. And it even afflicted their children, Cain and Able and those who followed. Augustine began to think that sin was like a disease that was passed on from parent to child. Sin seemed to have the power to hold people captive; they couldn’t get away from it. And sin resulted in guilt passed down from generation to generation. Augustine believed that this “original sin” of our ancestors now corrupts all of creation including all of humanity. This is the doctrine of Total Depravity.
Of course this creates a big problem for us. We are so stained by the actions of our earliest ancestors that sin is a part of our very nature; we cannot stop sinning. We are also responsible for our sin and experience guilt for our actions because those actions were voluntary. Imagine a scale with good on the one side and evil on the other. Imagine also an incredible weight, called original sin, placed on the evil side so that the scale is already tipping. Now imagine that you are required to do enough good to bring the scale back to balance, but you can’t do it. That’s the problem, original sin so weighs us down that we can never get back to balance no matter what we do. The Manicheans were wrong: we are responsible for our actions. The Pelagians were also wrong: we can never do enough good to overcome our sinful nature. Augustine concluded that we are depraved by nature and deserve to be punished. Our only hope is in the grace of God.
It was John Calvin, in the sixteenth century, who offered a solution to this mess. He said that since we are overwhelmed with sin we cannot know God. We need help. Think about using a typewriter or a computer. As the words go on the page it is important to line them up in the proper way. Usually the words on each line are lined up with the left margin. This is called left justification. The words on the page cannot line themselves up along the left margin. They require the work of the typist or word processor to justify them. A typist hits the return carriage at the end of the line. A word processor wraps the words automatically. Either way the words are justified along the left margin by an outside force. Just as the words on a page need to be justified with the left margin, so too must we be justified with God. And just as the words need help in being justified so too do we need help being justified with our creator. According to Calvin we are justified, put right with God, by Jesus Christ.
According to Calvin, justification works this way. Once we believe in Jesus Christ our faith unites us with Christ. When this happens our depravity is replaced by Christ’s righteousness. Once we are clothed with Christ’s righteousness then we can approach God. This then leads to our regeneration as we reclaim our birthright of being created in the image of God.
This is why we worship the way we do on Sundays. We come to church conscious of our sinful nature and knowing our own unworthiness to come into the presence of God. We then say a prayer of confession where we humble ourselves and admit to God and to one another our sins of willfully violating God’s law. We admit that sin has affected our whole nature. We experience guilt for turning away from God. And we are prepared to receive the punishment we deserve when suddenly the good news is proclaimed: By accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we take Christ’s sinless nature upon ourselves, and approach God in righteousness. God then forgives all of our sins and the original sin that has stained us since birth. And we are united with Jesus Christ in new regenerated lives that are now pleasing to God. This is why worship is so important. It is where we are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ.
So the answer to the fifth century questions about free will and sovereignty of God are: that we have free will, but because we are also so stained by sin our exercise of that will is always tilted toward evil. For this we experience guilt and hide from God. But God loves us so much he sent his son Jesus to live a sinless life. And if we believe in Jesus Christ, God will pretend that Jesus’ sinless life is really our’s. And amazingly God welcomes us as if we truly were sinless like Jesus. God does this because God knows that this is the only way to give us regenerated lives. Amen.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
July Vision Column
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
July Vision Column
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
June 25, 2009
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17)
Recently, Sue Kinsler, a PCUSA Missionary from South Korea, preached at our 5:30 worship. She gave an impassioned plea for Christians to feed the hungry people of North Korea.
Sue first went to North Korea in 1999. Earlier in that decade a devastating flood killed many. Then two years of drought led to starvation. A million North Koreans died in these disasters, and Sue was determined to obey Christ’s command to feed his sheep.
One hundred years ago the Holy Spirit began a Christian revival in the city of Pyongyang, the current capitol of North Korea. Christianity spread from there all over the Korean Peninsula. Sue’s father-in-law was a Presbyterian missionary in Pyongyang assisting in the growth of the church. But after World War II, Korea was divided and the communist government in North Korea banned all religions including Christianity. No one knows how many of the faithful are still worshiping in secret. But we do know that when the people of North Korea are hungry we must feed them because they are Christ’s sheep.
Sue has been active in supporting orphanages in North Korea. She started soy milk factories to provide nourishing food for hungry children. And she is currently working on a project to build a facility for the disabled in Pyongyang.
With the current tensions in the world caused by North Korean missile and nuclear tests governments are unwilling to provide basic aid, food and medicines, for the desperately poor in North Korea. So now, more than ever, it is the responsibility of the churches to help those in need. The Presbyterian Church USA has a long history supporting the churches of Korea. Now with a desperate need for humanitarian aid in North Korea we have to act again.
Our Session has approved, as a special giving opportunity, contributions to Sue Kinsler and her mission work in North Korea. Your help is needed and will be greatly appreciated. Please make your check payable to Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church, and write “Sue Kinsler” on the memo line.
Blessings,
Pastor Jeff
July Vision Column
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
June 25, 2009
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17)
Recently, Sue Kinsler, a PCUSA Missionary from South Korea, preached at our 5:30 worship. She gave an impassioned plea for Christians to feed the hungry people of North Korea.
Sue first went to North Korea in 1999. Earlier in that decade a devastating flood killed many. Then two years of drought led to starvation. A million North Koreans died in these disasters, and Sue was determined to obey Christ’s command to feed his sheep.
One hundred years ago the Holy Spirit began a Christian revival in the city of Pyongyang, the current capitol of North Korea. Christianity spread from there all over the Korean Peninsula. Sue’s father-in-law was a Presbyterian missionary in Pyongyang assisting in the growth of the church. But after World War II, Korea was divided and the communist government in North Korea banned all religions including Christianity. No one knows how many of the faithful are still worshiping in secret. But we do know that when the people of North Korea are hungry we must feed them because they are Christ’s sheep.
Sue has been active in supporting orphanages in North Korea. She started soy milk factories to provide nourishing food for hungry children. And she is currently working on a project to build a facility for the disabled in Pyongyang.
With the current tensions in the world caused by North Korean missile and nuclear tests governments are unwilling to provide basic aid, food and medicines, for the desperately poor in North Korea. So now, more than ever, it is the responsibility of the churches to help those in need. The Presbyterian Church USA has a long history supporting the churches of Korea. Now with a desperate need for humanitarian aid in North Korea we have to act again.
Our Session has approved, as a special giving opportunity, contributions to Sue Kinsler and her mission work in North Korea. Your help is needed and will be greatly appreciated. Please make your check payable to Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church, and write “Sue Kinsler” on the memo line.
Blessings,
Pastor Jeff
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sermon Mark 4:38-41 The Sovereignty of God
Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Mark 4:38-41 The Sovereignty of God
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
June 21, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
We are continuing our celebration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of a great reformer of the church, John Calvin. As we saw last week Calvin, who was born on July 10, 1509, went on to reform the church at Geneva and his influence has been felt all over the world. His way of interpreting scripture is still being taught in seminaries. His way of organizing the church is still used in the Presbyterian churches. And his ideas about God still cause us to think. Today we will be looking at an important doctrine of the church that Calvin gave us. This doctrine is called the Sovereignty of God. But first, let’s pray.
Father in heaven, creator of the universe, our King and Lord, we bow before you as your faithful subjects. We acknowledge that you are in control of the world and our lives. And since you are a God of love we trust that you rule with our best interests in mind. In this we take great comfort. Amen.
Mark 4:35-41 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
How do we know God? And how to we know ourselves? These were the central questions in Calvin’s thinking. Calvin believed that if you try to know yourself you are immediately confronted with a problem. Sin so stains us that we cannot fully know ourselves until we first know God. And Calvin said we know God in two ways. First everyone knows God from creation, the work of God. We see God in the beauty of creation. This is why we have religions, and why, at times, our consciences are troubled. Calvin called this the “general knowledge of God” and is shared by all of us. But because of sin our knowledge of God in this way is limited. So we need help to fully know God. And God gives us this help by revealing himself in scripture by using language that we can understand.
As God reveals himself in scripture we find God’s providential nature. God did not create the world and then leave it to go someplace else. Scripture teaches us that God remains with all of creation and uses his power for its benefit. This gives us great comfort knowing that there is nothing that we have to worry about because the God, who created us, still loves us and is in control. Every week we sing these words, “I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all of my burdens down at your feet, and anytime that I don’t know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon you.” Every week we pray, “For Thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever.” Every week we confess, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” When we do these things we are affirming our belief in doctrine of the Sovereignty of God.
But is God in total control of the world and our lives? Current events cause us to ask some very important questions: If God is in control how could the Holocaust happen and 6 million Jews die in Europe? If God is in control how could the killing fields happen in Cambodia? If God is in control why would thousands die in a terrorist strike on the World Trade Center? If God is in control why are members of this congregation sick, in hospitals, or living on the street? Our recent history has shaken our confidence in the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God. So we no longer take comfort in God’s providence because we just don’t trust it anymore. And when we lose confidence that God will care for us, our only choice seems to be to care for ourselves.
The problem is not about God and God’s apparent lack of control over or indifference to the problems of the world. No, God is a God of love and passionately wants the best for all of creation. What is flawed is our understanding of the relationship between God and the world.
The Bible teaches us that God is a loving parent, and we are told to call God abba. God is responsive to our needs but does not exert dictatorial control. There is a give and take between us and our God. It is within this give and take relationship that history is made. God does not determine everything, but everything is determined in the interaction of God with humankind. Of course God is free to create whatever world God wants to make. But it looks like God has chosen to create a world where creation occurs in God’s relationship with us and thus not completely determined by God. God has given us freedom, and has given us power over a portion of creation. Evidently, God’s desire is to interact with people who have the ability and freedom to exercise dominion over some part of the created world. The Bible confirms this in Genesis:
Genesis 1:26-28 26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."
So God did not want us to just sit back and watch history develop on television. Rather we were created to be active participants with God as we move toward the future. God was not forced to give us the gift of freedom and ability of autonomous action. Rather, God wanted us to have these things because God loves us and wants us to have the freedom to choose to love God.
Of course in giving us freedom God was taking a risk. God chose to be vulnerable by allowing us to choose to work against God’s own purposes. God permits us to disrupt God’s plans by our disobedience. God did this because by giving us this freedom God has an opportunity to genuinely have a relationship with us.
And this leads us to the question of why evil exists. Why did God create a world with evil in it? Why would God create a world with nuclear weapons? Why would God create a world with grinding poverty? The answer is that God created a world where evil was not necessary but possible. God did not create evil, we did by misusing our freedoms. So even though God created us, God is not to blame for what we do in our freedom, we are the ones responsible. Therefore we, not God, are accountable for the evil in the world.
But God is not satisfied with this situation. God wants evil to go away and to bless us richly. So God has offered us a deal. Turn from our evil ways and go back to how we were created. Remember that we were created in God’s image and required to obey God’s will. If we all stopped sinning evil would disappear from the world and God would be back in control. But, sadly, all of this is easier said than done. We may want to stop sinning, but try to do it and you will find it is extremely difficult if not impossible. We need help to stop sinning and be restored to a right relationship with God.
Our help has come in the person of Jesus Christ, who in his life and death exemplified the sacrificial lives God is calling us to live, and who in his resurrection from the dead gives us hope that we can trust that God will provide for us. I can’t prove any of this to you. The missiles in North Korea and demonstrations in Iran indicate that the Kingdom of God is a long way off. But I can tell you that our only hope for a better world is in our faith in Jesus Christ. And though faith we will experience the comfort of a loving God who has the power to control of all of nature and bless us richly.
Lord Jesus, as you settled the storm that day with your disciples, settle the storms of our lives. Help the leaders of the world to find peace. Help us to find hope as we face difficulties. And we praise you and honor you as our Lord and King. Amen.
Sermon Mark 4:38-41 The Sovereignty of God
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
June 21, 2009
Listen to this sermon.
We are continuing our celebration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of a great reformer of the church, John Calvin. As we saw last week Calvin, who was born on July 10, 1509, went on to reform the church at Geneva and his influence has been felt all over the world. His way of interpreting scripture is still being taught in seminaries. His way of organizing the church is still used in the Presbyterian churches. And his ideas about God still cause us to think. Today we will be looking at an important doctrine of the church that Calvin gave us. This doctrine is called the Sovereignty of God. But first, let’s pray.
Father in heaven, creator of the universe, our King and Lord, we bow before you as your faithful subjects. We acknowledge that you are in control of the world and our lives. And since you are a God of love we trust that you rule with our best interests in mind. In this we take great comfort. Amen.
Mark 4:35-41 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
How do we know God? And how to we know ourselves? These were the central questions in Calvin’s thinking. Calvin believed that if you try to know yourself you are immediately confronted with a problem. Sin so stains us that we cannot fully know ourselves until we first know God. And Calvin said we know God in two ways. First everyone knows God from creation, the work of God. We see God in the beauty of creation. This is why we have religions, and why, at times, our consciences are troubled. Calvin called this the “general knowledge of God” and is shared by all of us. But because of sin our knowledge of God in this way is limited. So we need help to fully know God. And God gives us this help by revealing himself in scripture by using language that we can understand.
As God reveals himself in scripture we find God’s providential nature. God did not create the world and then leave it to go someplace else. Scripture teaches us that God remains with all of creation and uses his power for its benefit. This gives us great comfort knowing that there is nothing that we have to worry about because the God, who created us, still loves us and is in control. Every week we sing these words, “I cast all my cares upon you. I lay all of my burdens down at your feet, and anytime that I don’t know what to do, I will cast all my cares upon you.” Every week we pray, “For Thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever.” Every week we confess, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” When we do these things we are affirming our belief in doctrine of the Sovereignty of God.
But is God in total control of the world and our lives? Current events cause us to ask some very important questions: If God is in control how could the Holocaust happen and 6 million Jews die in Europe? If God is in control how could the killing fields happen in Cambodia? If God is in control why would thousands die in a terrorist strike on the World Trade Center? If God is in control why are members of this congregation sick, in hospitals, or living on the street? Our recent history has shaken our confidence in the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God. So we no longer take comfort in God’s providence because we just don’t trust it anymore. And when we lose confidence that God will care for us, our only choice seems to be to care for ourselves.
The problem is not about God and God’s apparent lack of control over or indifference to the problems of the world. No, God is a God of love and passionately wants the best for all of creation. What is flawed is our understanding of the relationship between God and the world.
The Bible teaches us that God is a loving parent, and we are told to call God abba. God is responsive to our needs but does not exert dictatorial control. There is a give and take between us and our God. It is within this give and take relationship that history is made. God does not determine everything, but everything is determined in the interaction of God with humankind. Of course God is free to create whatever world God wants to make. But it looks like God has chosen to create a world where creation occurs in God’s relationship with us and thus not completely determined by God. God has given us freedom, and has given us power over a portion of creation. Evidently, God’s desire is to interact with people who have the ability and freedom to exercise dominion over some part of the created world. The Bible confirms this in Genesis:
Genesis 1:26-28 26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."
So God did not want us to just sit back and watch history develop on television. Rather we were created to be active participants with God as we move toward the future. God was not forced to give us the gift of freedom and ability of autonomous action. Rather, God wanted us to have these things because God loves us and wants us to have the freedom to choose to love God.
Of course in giving us freedom God was taking a risk. God chose to be vulnerable by allowing us to choose to work against God’s own purposes. God permits us to disrupt God’s plans by our disobedience. God did this because by giving us this freedom God has an opportunity to genuinely have a relationship with us.
And this leads us to the question of why evil exists. Why did God create a world with evil in it? Why would God create a world with nuclear weapons? Why would God create a world with grinding poverty? The answer is that God created a world where evil was not necessary but possible. God did not create evil, we did by misusing our freedoms. So even though God created us, God is not to blame for what we do in our freedom, we are the ones responsible. Therefore we, not God, are accountable for the evil in the world.
But God is not satisfied with this situation. God wants evil to go away and to bless us richly. So God has offered us a deal. Turn from our evil ways and go back to how we were created. Remember that we were created in God’s image and required to obey God’s will. If we all stopped sinning evil would disappear from the world and God would be back in control. But, sadly, all of this is easier said than done. We may want to stop sinning, but try to do it and you will find it is extremely difficult if not impossible. We need help to stop sinning and be restored to a right relationship with God.
Our help has come in the person of Jesus Christ, who in his life and death exemplified the sacrificial lives God is calling us to live, and who in his resurrection from the dead gives us hope that we can trust that God will provide for us. I can’t prove any of this to you. The missiles in North Korea and demonstrations in Iran indicate that the Kingdom of God is a long way off. But I can tell you that our only hope for a better world is in our faith in Jesus Christ. And though faith we will experience the comfort of a loving God who has the power to control of all of nature and bless us richly.
Lord Jesus, as you settled the storm that day with your disciples, settle the storms of our lives. Help the leaders of the world to find peace. Help us to find hope as we face difficulties. And we praise you and honor you as our Lord and King. Amen.
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