75 Sermon Illustrations on Rejection

In “The Whisper Test” Mary Ann Bird writes:

I grew up knowing I was different, and I hated it. I was born with a cleft palate, and when I started school, my classmates made it clear to me how I looked to others: a little girl with a misshapen lip, crooked nose, lopsided teeth, and garbled speech.

When schoolmates asked, “What happened to your lip?” I’d tell them I’d fallen and cut it on a piece of glass. Somehow it seemed more acceptable to have suffered and accident than to have been born different. I was convinced that no one outside my family could love me.

There was, however, a teacher in the second grade whom we all adored -- Mrs. Leonard by name. She was short, round, happy, a sparkling lady.

Annually we had a hearing test ... Mrs. Leonard gave the test to everyone in the class, and finally it was my turn. I knew from past years that we stood against the door and covered one ear, the teacher sitting at her desk would whisper something, and we would have to repeat it back -- things like “The sky is blue” or “Do you have new shoes?” I waited there for those words that God must have put into her mouth, those seven words that changed my life. Mrs. Leonard said, in her whisper, “I wish you were my little girl.”

God says to every person deformed by sin, “I wish you were my son” or “I wish you were my daughter.”

In “Remembering Denny,” Calvin Trillin tells of a Yale classmate from the 1950s who had it all. Denny Hansen was handsome, funny, and intelligent. He was a charismatic golden boy from California, who was also a record-breaking swimmer, a genial magnet for admirers, a Rhodes Scholar, and president of everything he joined. Indeed, all through school days, his friends kept making bets and jokes about the day when Denny Hansen would be elected President of the United States. But across the years after college, family members and friends gradually lost touch with Denny, in part because he did not answer their letters or return their calls. As they later discovered, Denny’s career trajectory had flattened out and he had not wanted to say so. After all, he had not become President, nor even Speaker of the House. He had never married. His career was a shameful failure: all he had done was to have authored several respected books and occupied a professorship at the Johns Hopkins School of International Relations. And he was homosexual in a time when people did not speak of such conditions openly. Having carried an intolerable burden of promise as far as he could, one day in his middle age the golden boy from California threw it off by poisoning himself with carbon monoxide.

A GOSPEL FOR THE SHAMED

Psalm 103 blesses the Lord for “all his benefits,” which include not only the forgiveness of sins, but also the lifting of shame. God is the one who heals our diseases, redeems our lives from the Pit, and crowns us with love and compassion. These themes -- healing and lifting and crowning -- echo through the psalms. God “heals the brokenhearted” (Ps. 147:3). God draws his people “out of the depths” from which they cry (Ps. 30), a metaphor not only for death, but also for depression, corruption, and the distress brought to us by gloating enemies. In his program of redemption, God calls people not only to repentance with the promise of forgiveness, but also to faith with the promise of resurrection. God attaches to the lowly and the unclean, raising them from their slime and crud. Where shame is concerned, God may be trusted to lift and to cleanse and to cloak us with love.

This is the primitive gospel, and it appears as soon as there is sin. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve try to hide their disgrace. As Vernard Eller once wrote, they make a clumsy attempt to patch up, hitch up, and cover up before God and before their own prying and sorry eyes. “They sewed fig leaves together and made loin cloths for themselves” (3:7). But these garments are the product of unskilled labor and cannot last. So God, in an inspired act of mercy, tailors for them “garments of skins” (3:21). Human beings generate shame; God covers it with a durable product that requires the shedding of blood. Human beings suffer a metaphysical chill; God warms them with garments they should never have needed.

So it goes across Scripture, and notably at its center in the life of Christ. Older dogmatics properly speak of the “states of Christ,” a parabola-shaped pattern of pre-existence, humiliation, and exaltation, drawn especially from the kenosis or “emptying” hymn of Philippians 2. The Lord empties himself of divine prerogatives in order to share our lot. The humiliation of Jesus Christ includes not only the indignity of trying to stuff his divine life into the cramped precincts of a human one (to get the idea, says C. S. Lewis, imagine how you’d like to become a slug), but also all the indignities and miseries of his passion.

Two miseries in particular, mockery and crucifixion, tell us that shame is on heaven’s agenda for incarnation and for redemption. In Matthew 27, Jesus is subjected to military mockery, one of the oldest, fiercest, and most effective forms of humiliation. We like to think of the suffering Lord as a tragic figure, sorrow and love flowing mingled down his brow. Matthew shows us the Lord treated as a fool. Here he is, ringed by jeering soldiers, draped with somebody’s motheaten bathrobe, adorned with a sick joke of a crown, hair matted with other men’s spit. Here, as Douglas Nelson remarks, is the King of Heaven with a military boot in his back, lurching around a drill ground while soldiers kneel and giggle. Here at the depths of the passion according to Saint Matthew is God made to look absurd.

“The deformity of Christ forms you,” said Augustine. “If he had not been willing to be deformed, you would not have recovered the form you had lost.” Jesus Christ bore the griefs and carried the sorrows of all the Philip Careys of the world. He suffered not only for human sin, but also from it -- from one of the vilest forms of it. For mockery shames to the quick. Mockery mortifies a person. And, indeed, Matthew makes the inevitable link between mockery and death: “After they had mocked him, they ... put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him” (27:31). Where mockery is concerned, crucifixion is just a way of finishing it off.

Indeed, the Romans reserved crucifixion for persons they wanted both to humiliate and to kill. Crucifixion exposed a person -- first by stripping, then by publicly assaulting his flesh and tendon and bone, and then by presenting the person, now trapped and maimed, as a spectacle. The crucified one knew that he was naked, and if he did not, the catcalls of local wags and jokers would remind him. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ, that howling wilderness event, stripped our Lord not only of his clothing, but also of his friends and disciples, who largely left him. Finally, he lost even the comfort of God. “My God, why have you abandoned me?” is a cry from the depths that contains a hint of accusation as well as of desolation and lament. Jesus, the friend of sinners, got crucified between his kind of people in the sort of godforsaken place where you would expect to find them. When darkness moved in from noon till three, it was as if the good earth itself had become ashamed of him.

Hebrews tells us that, in an act of enormous courage and defiance, Jesus “endured the cross, despising the shame” (12:3 [actually, 12:2]) and then adds, significantly, that he is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Incarnation, atonement, resurrection, and ascension -- the going down and coming up of the Son of God -- open the way not only for the forgiveness of our sins, but also for the lifting of our shame. For these are ingredients in the accepting grace of God and in the invitation to union with God’s Son.

If the Christian gospel springs from the states and events of Christ, and if it addresses our shame as well as our guilt, then we ought to minister the gospel accordingly. As Tom Goodhue remarks, well-meaning exoneration (“But it’s not your fault”) often misses the point. The same is true of a call to confession of sin and a plea for pardon. In fact, remarkably enough, confession of sin may be too simple. Many a problem drinker would much rather say “I drank too much last night and got way out of line; Please forgive me” than “My name is Sam, and I’m an alcoholic.” For this last declaration goes to who he is and not simply to what he has done; it goes to his shame, and not just to his guilt. Many an addict has confessed his sin again and again, as if guilt were his main problem, but he’s still an addict afterward, and the fumes of his shame keep reigniting his addiction. The truth is that he needs not just the God who forgives, but also the God who heals; not just the good Pardoner, but also the Great Physician. He needs care and support that have been shaped to fit what actually ails him.

[see #3648-#3650]

Even if you are not a sports fan, you should know the name Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq is 7-foot-1 and weighs 325 pounds. His size and athleticism made him one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He played on teams that won four world championships.

Shaq also displays a joyful attitude and infectious smile that have made him a prominent pitchman for a wide variety of products. This is a man who can walk into just about any place and have doors open for him.

One day a few years ago he decided to put his celebrity status to the test. Shaq knew that President Obama loved basketball and so he decided to visit the White House unannounced and uninvited. He said that he didn’t try to use any of his political or law enforcement connections. He just put on his best suit, got in a cab and got dropped off at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Shaq went up to the gate and said, “Hey, I’m in town, I would like to see the President.” Guess what happened? The White House guards turned him away. Later that day he tweeted, “The White House wouldn’t let me in, whyyyyyyyy?”

________

J. E. Skeets, "Shaq rejected at White House," Yahoo Sports Blog, July 27, 2009

"Religion in all its forms [is designed to] continue the oppression

of women" by "invoking the words and deeds of the exclusive male

deity."

These angry words are from a book called "Lesbian Nation", written by feminist Jill Johnston, and her views are typical of how feminists view Christianity.

Why do so many feminists reject the masculine God of the Bible? According to a Christian psychologist, it may be because their earthly fathers rejected THEM.

In his new book, titled "Faith of the Fatherless," Paul Vitz argues that a person's rejection of God is linked directly to a defective relationship involving his or her earthly father. By defective, Vitz means the father has died, abused his child, or abandoned him.

But Vitz says that men and women behave very differently AFTER they have rejected God. For men, Vitz writes, "God seems to function primarily as a principle of justice and order in the world." He functions "only secondarily as a person with whom one has a relationship."

Vitz says this explains why atheistic men search for substitute gods through principles like reason, science, socialism, or existentialism.

But for women, it's their relationship with God that is primary. When women reject God, they attempt to replace Him with other relationships.

As Vitz puts it, "It is not the idea of a god per se that they reject," but rather, "the god of a particular relationship." As a result, they take up a new enthusiasm -- like feminism -- which offers "important new relationships to take the place of God the Father."

These women tend to put a strong emphasis on "sisterhood," and many of them embrace lesbianism. In addition, Vitz notes, "feminism is well known for its redefinition of God as female: the Goddess, or God the mother."

The backgrounds of modern feminists gives credence to Vitz's theory. For example, Jill Johnston was born illegitimate; her father never tried to contact her. Her obsession with her father is woven throughout her writings.

Atheist and feminist Kate Millett, author of the book "Sexual Politics," grew up in a devout Catholic home. She adored her father, a handsome, charming man. But when Millett was 13, her father abandoned his family and ran off with a 19-year-old girl. His daughters were devastated. Millett later told her sister that she would never allow another man to become important to her. Although she did marry, Millett ultimately traded in her husband for lesbian relationships. And she rejected Christianity in favor of neopagan witchcraft. According to her sister, Millett has lived her life "filled with rage."

Paul Vitz's book provides insight into why intense atheists of both sexes are so angry at God. It's because they've been deeply wounded by fathers who rejected, denied, hated, abused, or abandoned them.

This is why men must model God's love for their daughters, and why Christian men must lovingly minister to fatherless children within their congregations. They must take these children under their wings and teach them what it means to be loved by an earthly father figure.

That masculine love will go far in pointing them toward an eternal relationship with their heavenly Father.

___________________________

Copyright (c) 2000 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

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Di Arnot tells us of a poor woman in great distress because she could not pay her rent. She was expecting the officer to seize her goods. Her pastor heard of her trouble and went to her house with the money for her rent. He knocked but could not get an answer. He went to different doors and windows, so eager was he to help her, but he received no response. At last he was compelled to go away, carrying the money back with him. The good woman thought it was the officer seeking entrance to carry away her goods, and she had tightly barred every door and window and gave no heed to the knocking. Many people imagine that Christ comes as an enemy to put a yoke upon their necks to add to their burdens, and they shut him out. If they knew what blessings He brings in His hands they would open gladly.

-- H. F. Sayles

In his biography Pierre Loti tells how, as a small boy, reading stories of sainthood led him to aspire to become a saint. He resolved to imitate Simeon Stylites, who lived on top of a pillar and thereby won a great reputation for sanctity. Accordingly, he mounted a high stool in the kitchen and announced his plan to remain there for forty years. His mother and the cook, however, would have none of his sanctity, and at the end of an hour he wistfully recorded in his diary: "Thus I discovered that it is exceedingly difficult to be a saint while living with your own family."

The AT&T Universal credit card company turned down applicant Dallas Hill Jr., accidentally sending him 2,986 rejections by U.S. Mail.

___________________

Telford, Tennesse. Johnson City Press, 3-26-02

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Wendy was my first real crush. I was 13, and she was beautiful. But I didn't know how to let her know my feelings toward her. So I saved up my allowances and went downtown and spent everything I had on this necklace. I put it in an envelope with a mushy note I wrote, and I nervously handed it to her in study hall. I was really swave, uh, suave at that age. Well, the next day in study hall she walked by my desk and handed me back a familiar looking envelope. Inside was the note and the necklace. I was crushed.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Rejected Love."

I spent everything I had on someone I loved - and it was rejected. God knows that feeling. He spent everything He had on you because He loves you. The question is - have you opened up to His love or, one way or another, have you failed to respond? No matter what the reason, it's rejected love.

Our word for today from the word of God asks one of the most unsettling questions in the Bible. In Hebrews 2:3, the Bible says, "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" Exactly what is this "great salvation" you ignore when you fail to respond to Jesus' love?

Well, the word "salvation" itself is a life-or-death word. When a bridge on the Arkansas River collapsed recently, nearby fisherman pulled people out of the water. They rescued them from a situation in which they otherwise would have died. Well, that's salvation. Just like the rescuers pulling people out of the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Center. Again, salvation is rescue. And that's what Jesus gave His life for when He bled and died on the cross.

The Bible says that God "did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us." (Romans 8:32) That's how much He loves you. You and I are under the eternal death penalty for hijacking a life that was supposed to be run God's way and running it our way instead. That death penalty is called hell. And it is your hell, your punishment that Jesus absorbed Himself as He took all your sin on Him when He died. Nobody has ever loved you like that.

So it is no wonder the Bible asks how we can ever escape if we ignore this greatest love of all, this massive sacrifice Jesus made for you. God will never forget what you do with His Son. And as He has extended His love to you over and over again, it may be that you've never given yourself to Him. You can reject His love directly - or just passively and politely. You can agree with everything about Jesus, you can associate with Jesus, but never swallow your pride and say, "Jesus, I'm putting my total trust in You and Your death for me on the cross - I'm Yours from this day on."

If you've never done that - and you don't want to risk one more day without Him - then would you tell Him that you want to be His? Tell Him right where you are.

Jesus spent everything He had on you. He spent His life! He loves you more than anyone else ever has, or ever could. Do not make the forever mistake of turning your back on His love.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

Seems too simple. Just ask.

In most cases to get the sale -- at some point you must ask for it. "Yes, Jeffrey," you say, "but when do you ask? What's the perfect time to ask?"

How do I know? No one knows that except you. I can only tell you it's a delicate combination of the prospect's buying signals, and your gut feeling.

How and what to ask are easier to define than when. Since the "ask" is a critical part of the sale, you'd better be prepared with a number of options for the how and what part.

Important note: Here's what never to ask. "What will it take for me to get your business?" or "What will it take to earn your business?" That's an insult question. Great salespeople figure out what it takes, and then do it.

More important note: Many salespeople are "ask reluctant." If this is you, just realize the worst that can happen when you ask is that the prospect says "no" -- which to any good salesperson means "not yet!" Big deal.

How do you ask for the sale? Here are 7.5 ways...

1. Ask -- What's the risk? When you ask the prospect what risks are associated in doing business with you, real objections surface -- or -- (and here's the best part) there are usually none that come to mind. You say -- "Well, Mr. Johnson, when would you like to start not risking?" and the sale is yours.

2. Ask -- When is the next job? If you're making a sale where there are lots of opportunities (printer, supplies, temp help, construction, graphic design) you only need to get one job (order) to prove yourself.

3. Ask for an indirect commitment. -- Could you arrange your schedule to be there at delivery? How many people will need to be trained? When can we set up training? (This is the assumptive position, explained in depth in an earlier article.)

4. Ask -- What's preventing it? Is there anything preventing you from doing business with us? What's in the way? What are the obstacles?

5. If there's an obstacle or objection ask -- Is that the only reason? In other words, Mr. Johnson, if it wasn't for (objection) then we could...

6. Ask or communicate creatively -- Go to the "5 & 10 Cent" store (pretty much dates me doesn't it) and buy some plastic fence and a few plastic (rubber) people. Wire one person to the fence that most resembles (or would be non-offensive to) the prospect. Send it in a box to the prospect -- and include a flyer declaring it's "National Get Off the Fence Week." Tell the prospect he's been thinking about it long enough -- and what better time to get off the fence, and place an order than during this special celebration week? Tell him he'll be helping underprivileged salespeople all over the world by getting off the fence and placing an order. Create some laughter. Have some fun. Make some sales.

7. Create an offer so good that you can end by asking "fair enough?" "Mr. Johnson, I don't know if we can help you of not -- but if you bring your most important examples to lunch on Friday -- if I can help you, I'll tell you. And if I can't help you, I'll tell you that, too. Fair enough?" Here's another -- "Mr. Johnson, give me a trial order and let me earn your business. If it's not everything I claim and more, you don't have to pay for it. Fair enough? ("Fair enough" should always be accompanied by a "can't say no deal.")

And when all else fails:

7.5 Ask with humor -- "Mr. Johnson, I finally figured out what it will take to get your business -- all you have to do is say yes!" The more adventurous salesperson will add -- "When would you like to do that?"

Most important note: Ask for the sale when the mood is right. The worst possible place is in the prospect's office. Best place is a business breakfast, lunch or dinner. Next best is your office. Next best is a trade show.

The rule of thumb is: ask early, and ask often. The best way to master the skill is -- practice in front of someone who can say "yes."

*

Once upon a time, there was a little boy the other children called "Sparky," after a comic strip horse named Sparkplug. Even though the boy hated that nickname, he could never shake it.

School was difficult for Sparky. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He flunked physics in high school. In fact, he still holds the school record for being the worst physics student in the school's history. He also flunked Latin, algebra, and English. He didn't do much better in sports. He made the school's golf team, but his poor play ended up costing his team the championship.

Throughout his youth, Sparky was a loser socially. Not that he was actively disliked by other kids - it's just that nobody paid much attention to him. He was astonished if a classmate even said hello outside of school. He never dated or even asked a girl out. He was afraid of being turned down. Sparky didn't let being a loser bother him that much; he just decided to make it through life the best he could and not worry about what other people thought of him.

Sparky did, however, have a hobby. He loved cartoons, and he liked drawing his own cartoons. No one else thought they were any good, however. When he was a senior in high school, he submitted some cartoons to the school yearbook and they were rejected. Sparky kept drawing anyway.

Sparky dreamed about being an artist for Walt Disney. After graduating from high school, he wrote a letter to Walt Disney Studios inquiring about job opportunities. He received a form letter requesting samples of his artwork. The form letter asked him to draw a funny cartoon of "a man repairing a clock by shoveling the springs and gears back inside it."

Sparky drew the cartoon and mailed it off with some of his other work to Disney studios. He waited and waited for a reply. Finally the reply came another form letter telling him that there was no job for him.

Sparky was disappointed but not surprised. He had always been a loser, and this was just one more loss. In a weird way, he thought, his life was kind of funny.

He tried telling his own life story in cartoons-a childhood full of the misadventures of a little boy loser, a chronic underachiever. This cartoon character has now become known by the whole world. The boy who failed the eighth grade, the young artist whose work was rejected not only by Walt Disney Studios but by his own high school yearbook, was Charles Monroe "Sparky" Schultz - creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip and the little boy loser whose kite never flies: Charlie Brown.

We have all experienced rejection and failure in life, but God has gifted each one of us with unique talents and abilities that enable us to make a significant contribution to the world. What are your gifts? Unless you attempt to use them, you will never discover how God prepared you to contribute. We need to be like the little boy in Scripture who offered Jesus his lunch - Jesus in turn used it to feed a multitude. (See John 6:9.)

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Wayne Rice, " Hot Illustrations For Youth Talks," Zondervan, pp. 186-188.

We got married on a Friday. But we practiced getting married on a Thursday. Yes, the night before the wedding is the all-important wedding rehearsal. After all, who wants to make an idiot of himself in the one thing you want to have go right! So we went to the wedding place, had the groomsmen take their place, the ring bearer and flower girl come down the aisle, and he bridesmaids do their processional. Then, the big moment - Karen came down the aisle on her dad’s arm with the "Wedding March" playing. I was at the front, waiting to meet her. The minister had us face him ... then Karen and I turned to face each other for the vows. It was great. But we weren’t married yet. Even though we had gone through all the motions.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Going Through The Motions".

At our wedding rehearsal, we were missing the one essential component in being married - the commitment. Going through the motions just isn’t enough - in getting married -- or in getting into God’s family.

In fact, Jesus tells about some people who have gone through all the motions - but who are going to be tragically surprised on Judgment Day. In Matthew 7:21, our word for today from the Word of God, Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘L ord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’"

Those are sobering words. Talk about people who have gone through all the Christian motions - these people have apparently been Christian leaders. But somehow they missed Christ. Is it possible you have? It’s not the Christian vocabulary that gets you into heaven ... it’s not your busy Christian calendar ... and it’s not your Christian beliefs or Christian image. If it was, the people we just read about would have gone to heaven. But Jesus says, "I never knew you". Those are words neither He nor I want you to ever hear from His lips.

What this passage said these folks missed was "doing the will of My Father who is in heaven." And in John 6:40, we find out what that is. Jesus says, "For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life". It’s that "looking to" the Son of God and "believing in Him" that makes all the difference. And "believe" in the original language of the Bible isn’t just something you do with your head - it involves your heart. It means putting your total trust in someone - in the same way a drowning person pins all their hopes on their rescuer.

The question is this: Has there ever been a time when you came to Jesus personally and told Him you were pinning all your hopes on Him to be your personal Savior from your personal sin? Have you ever grabbed Jesus like a drowning person would grab a lifeguard? Or have you been going through all the motions - but missing the commitment that begins your personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

You’ve never actually committed yourself to Jesus, but you want to. If so, please - tell Him that today.

Going through all the motions doesn’t make you married - and it sure doesn’t make you part of God’s family. It’s the commitment that settles it. And this can be the day that you finally belong to Jesus.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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Ah, Laurie. She may have been my first romantic crush. It was 7th grade. I was insecure - that's a synonym for "7th grade" - and I didn't know how she felt about me. So one day I went to the store, I spent all the money I had (which wasn't much) on a little rhinestone necklace. And then I wrote this mushy little note to Laurie, and I put it in an envelope with that necklace. The next day, as I was sitting in study hall, (the only class we had together), I smelled that perfume. I knew Laurie was approaching! I handed her that love-filled envelope, which she took with her to her desk. The next day: study hall, approach of the killer perfume ... my heart was beating out of my chest! Then, as Laurie went by, something very familiar appeared on my desk. It was that envelope - with the necklace and the note inside. Ouch. Of course, it didn't really bother me that much ... then why am I talking about it so many years later?

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Handing Back Love."

It really did hurt - spending everything I had on someone I cared about, and having it just handed back to me. Jesus knows that feeling ... maybe from you.

God's Son went out one day and spent everything He had on you - not with money at a store, but with His blood on a cross. The Bible puts it this way, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10) In other words, even though you and I did the sinning, Jesus did the dying. He paid the death penalty, not for any sins of His own - He didn't have any - but for every time you have lived your way instead of God's way.

No one has ever loved you like Jesus. He paid this awful price because it was the only way for you to ever have your sins forgiven, for you to ever be able to get into God's Heaven. So, He bought you a relationship with God ... He bought you an eternity in heaven. But what He paid for with His life is a gift, according to the Bible. Which means it's only yours if you take it.

Like that girl Laurie in 7th grade, and she chose to reject that gift and hand it back to me. Today there's someone reading right now who has done that to the Son of God, perhaps over and over again. You've heard what Jesus did on the cross for you ... you've heard that He asks you to commit yourself to Him as your only hope with God ... but you have, in effect, just said, "That's nice. No thanks." Or maybe you've just said, "Keep it for now, Jesus. I'll take it later." But no matter how polite you have been, you have rejected His love.

In our word for today from the Word of God in Matthew 23:37, Jesus says of people He cared very much about, "How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." Listen. Is Jesus talking about you? "How often I have longed for us to be together ... but you were not willing."

There's only one reason Jesus has kept coming back - He loves you and He doesn't want to lose you. But some time will be the last time, because your heart gets too hard to respond ... or because your heart stops and you've had your last chance ... or because Jesus is calling one last time. Haven't you handed back His love too many times already? Today, one more time, He holds out His nail-pierced hand to you to give you His love and eternal life. It is time to take His love.

Just tell Him, right where you are, "Jesus, I'm Yours, beginning right here, right now." If you want to begin your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I want to send you a booklet I wrote about that relationship called "Yours For Life."

God's Son has loved you enough to spend His life for you. Now don't hand back His love.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

"I wish I had never bought you."

For years, those cold, callused words of rejection haunted Tony Nolan. "I can remember my [adoptive] dad looking at me from my toes to my head and he'd say, 'Son, is this all $200 got me?'"

Nolan never heard the words he most wanted to hear.

"I never remember as a kid ever hearing three words that a soul longs to hear, 'I love you,'" Nolan said. His parents "may have said it, but I never can remember it. ... Out of all the things that bothered me growing up, that bothered me the most. It hurt the most, more than any beatings, not hearing those three words hurt the most."

Years of emotional abuse followed physical abuse that began when Nolan was just a year old. "For the first three years of my life, I went through foster care and I was incredibly abused physically and burnt with cigarettes," Nolan said. "As a little baby from the age of 1 to 3, I was thrown up and down flights of stairs because I couldn't walk up and down them fast enough, and I had knots all over my head."

Drive-by shootings and murder were commonplace in the Jacksonville, Florida, community, called "Sin City," where Nolan roamed the streets as a teenager.

"I can remember as a young boy hearing men fight outside of my window," Nolan said. "My next-door neighbors would shoot guns and drive around our house."

For several years, Nolan used drugs and alcohol to escape the reality of a life filled with fear, rejection and death. But the marijuana, cocaine, acid and "massive amounts of alcohol," only deadened Nolan's emotional and psychological torture for a short while.

"I found myself locked in that world of addiction and darkness," he said.

When Nolan was 15, his adoptive father died of cancer. A year and a half later, Nolan dropped out of high school and left home. He drifted from one menial job to the next until he landed a position as the captain of a $1.5 million luxury yacht that cruised major ports along the East Coast such as Atlantic City, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Keys, Newport, Mass., as well as the Bahamas.

"Everywhere I went people would look at me and say, 'Young man, you've arrived in life. You've made it in life.' Outside, everything seemed to be OK, but inside I was still withering. I had done everything the world said you need to do to be happy and it did not live up to its claim and that was very disturbing."

At age 24, Nolan found himself contemplating suicide. "I'd start drinking at 7 o'clock in the morning and I didn't have a reason to live," he said.

Then, one night, although still a bit inebriated from drinking a 12-pack of beer earlier that evening, Nolan finally agreed to attend a singles function at church with his stepbrother, who had been inviting him for months.

"They gave me coffee that night because I was drunk and later that night they gave me Jesus," Nolan recounted. "I had no idea that the Bible is not filled with cruel commandments but sweet solutions."

Twelve years later, Nolan now travels across the country, with his wife, Tammy, leading an evangelism and discipleship ministry, to teens called TnT Ministries. Literally thousands of teenagers have committed their lives to Christ as a result of Nolan's ministry.

"God is using Tony Nolan to reach countless lives," said Austin Rammell, director of the Florida Baptist Convention's personal/student evangelism department.

"In March 2001, he spoke at 2XS (the Florida Baptist Convention State Student Conference). He preached with the power of God and gave a clear and strong invitation to people to come forward only if they were giving their life to God in salvation. Through God's power, 950 students came forward. God is using Tony Nolan to encourage the saints and reap a harvest. He has given him the ability to communicate to people from all walks of life. Without a doubt, I believe this ability comes from God's call on his life, his commitment to walking with Jesus, and his passion for seeing people know Christ." ...

Nolan said he is constantly amazed that God would allow a former drug-addicted, high school dropout the privilege and opportunity to serve him. He said God's call on his life to fulltime student evangelism was confirmed through a meeting a several years ago with his biological mother, who had been confined to a mental institution shortly after he was born.

"She looked at me from my toes to my head and she said. 'You know what, I don't understand all of these doctors killing these babies. ... The doctors told me not to have you. It looks like God knew what he was doing.'"

Nolan said God used those words of encouragement from his birth mother to inspire him to excel as a student at the Criswell Center for Biblical Studies in Dallas where he memorized about 50 passages of Scripture a week and studied the biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew while earning a college degree in biblical studies.

More importantly, Nolan said he learned in Bible college that "God would use the dumb and the unwise things, the abase things that he might confound the wise, so that he might do one thing and do it well, lift high the name of Jesus and help people to miss hell and make heaven."

And as for those three words, he never heard as a child, Nolan said his wife, Tammy and daughter, Christy, and son, Wil, have more than compensated through their expressions of love.

Now each time Nolan hears, "I love you," he said God reminds him, "He has never regretted purchasing him with the priceless blood of his Son."

Nolan said his all-consuming passion is not to be distracted by "the insignificant, short-lived trivial things of this world, but exhausting myself to live for the glory and the renowned name of God alone."

*

It was one of those winter nights that chills you to the bone - cold temperatures, a brisk north wind, a freezing rain, some snow. Our friends were inside their house, and their horses were inside their barn - well, actually three out of four of their horses were inside the barn. Cassie, their Shetland, was standing outside for some strange reason. So as our friends looked out their window, they saw this pitiful scene - one lone horse under a barn light, standing there with the freezing rain and snow pounding down on her, forming ice on her mane. Now, her horse friends were all smart enough to be in their nice warm stalls ... but, no, not Cassie.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Standing Out In The Cold."

That horse chose to stand out in the cold - when all the time she could have been in the warm place that had been provided for her. You know in some ways, a lot of people are making the same mistake. Maybe you.

In a way, maybe you feel as if you've been standing out in the cold for a long time. There's this loneliness that no relationship has satisfied, this confusion, this gnawing sense of uncertainty and insecurity, this emptiness that never seems to go away no matter what you've filled yourself up with. Emotionally, spiritually, it's as if you're out in the chilling wind and the freezing rain. But you don't have to be. There's a warm place that's been provided for you - but you have to step inside. In fact, this very day, I believe Jesus Christ Himself may be beckoning you to come in where it's warm.

Listen to His invitation - it's our word for today from the Word of God in Matthew 11:28 - "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." If we're "weary and burdened," it may be because we haven't come to Him. It could be that Jesus has been asking you to come to Him for a long time - but you've never responded. He's been waiting to answer your loneliness with His unloseable love, to turn your confusion into a sense of knowing why you're here and where you're going, to replace the uncertainty with His unshakeable peace, to fill the emptiness in your heart with the relationship with Him that you were made for. But you're still in the cold because you've never really come inside where Jesus is.

There are actually five things you can do with the Man who died to pay for your sins. You can just outright reject Jesus. You can ignore Jesus, pushing Him to the margins for other pursuits. You can postpone Jesus -you'll get around to Him someday. You can agree with Jesus - believing everything you've been told about Him. Or you can commit yourself completely to Jesus. Four of those five responses end in the same place -out in the cold, now and forever. Only one leads to heaven - giving yourself to Jesus. Yes, it us possible to agree with everything about Jesus and you've yet never have given yourself to Him.

But today He's close to you, where you are, whispering, "Come to Me ... I will give you rest." His love for you, His forgiveness, His peace have gone unclaimed far too long. Today, you can begin your relationship with Him by telling Him, "Jesus, You died for me - I'm giving myself to You, for now, and forever." That's when you receive what He's been waiting all these years to give you.

You've been out in the cold long enough. There's no need for you to be out there anymore. You're so close to the warmth and safety of belonging to Him. Come inside.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. 'Practical Answers to Real Life Issues'

*

Who Wants Good News?

Read: Romans 1:24-32

Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God. —- Romans 1:21

Bible In One Year: Ezekiel 5-7; Hebrews 12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do people really want to hear good news? Maybe not, broadcaster Paul Harvey suggests. The bad news about crime and tragedy may seem more interesting, and actually more compatible with their own tastes. As an example, Harvey cited the failure of the Good News Paper in Sacramento, California. It printed nothing but good news — and folded after 36 months.

What, then, about the best news of all, the gospel — the good news of Jesus and His love? It’s the good news of full and free forgiveness through faith in Christ and His sacrificial death. Why do many people avert their eyes, close their minds, and refuse to listen when the best of all good news is being communicated to them?

The sad fact is that we all are afflicted with what has been called theophobia — a fearful dislike of God. Although we were created to have a close relationship with God and need His life-fulfilling presence, we actually are God-haters (Romans 1:30) until we are born again.

Let’s keep on proclaiming the good news in the confidence that the Holy Spirit will break through the hostile indifference of God-haters, capture their attention, and win their believing response to the saving message of grace. After all, that’s what He did with you and me. — VCG

So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred,

To eyes made blind because they will not see,

To spend — though it be blood — to spend and spare not —

So send I you to taste of Calvary. —- Clarkson © 1954 Singspiration, Inc.

In a world full of bad news, our only hope is the good news of Jesus.

Many years ago Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who ended up in a Nazi concentration camp because she hid Jews, went through a difficult time in her life. She was engaged to be married to a man, but he broke off the engagement and married her best friend. Corrie was devastated. She was lonely.

Her dad said something very profound: “You've had a love that's been blocked. There are two things that you can do with a blocked love. Number one, you can dam it up inside of you and hold on to it and be miserable the rest of your life. Or you can rechannel that blocked love. Refocus it on someone else. Give it away. Help others. Give your love to those who need it.”

We had been on the road for 15 hours en route from New York to California and were looking for a place to spend the night. At four different motels, though, we were told, "Sorry, no vacancies." Heading back to the car, my seven-year-old asked solemnly, "Mom, are we vacancies?"

__________

Source: Reader's Digest, Copyright (c) July 2000,

http://www.readersdigest.com/

*

”What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because [they did] not [seek it] by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’” (Romans 9:30-33 NKJV)

The Stumbling-stone and Rock of Offence

• what…then? — What do we assert? This:-

• Gentiles…attained Rom 10:12, Acts 21:20, Deut 4:8 — they overtook, laid hold of, that of which being ignorant of it, they were not in pursuit

• even…faith — which they obtained by believing the Gospel

• law…righteousness — a law which should give righteousness

• hath…righteousness — Mark 10:19-20, Rom 3:20, 2:12-25 — by obedience to the law

• wherefore?[why?] — for what reason have they not obtained. it?

• because…faith — John 6:28-29, Rom 4:16 — not by obedience to the law of faith

• stumbled — allusion to one who, in running a race, stumbles on a stone in his way, and falling, loses the race (Macknight)

• stumbling-stone — Luke 2:34, 1 Cor 1:23 — Jesus Christ.

• written — Isa 8:14 — even this, predicted of Christ

• Sion[Zion] — Isa 28:16, Ps 118:22 — (lofty), Gk. form of Zion. Church represented by Mt. Zion

• offence — Matt 21:38-39, 42 — h the Jews offended at the Rock of salvation

• whosoever…ashamed — 1 Pet 2:6-8, 2 Tim 1:12 — having confidence towards God, and the witness within

Christ rejected by Jews, and accepted by Gentiles — Rev. C. Simeon, M.A.

I. The fact here stated. It was –

1. Plain and undeniable

2. A verification of the predictions of the prophets

II. The instruction ‘to be gathered from it

1. That however earnest we may be after salvation, we never shall attain it, if we seek it in a self-righteous way

2. That however regardless we have been about salvation hitherto, we shall attain to it the very instant we believe in Christ

3. That however calumniated this way of salvation is, the very calumnies that are raised against it attest its truth.

The folly of rejecting the Gospel — Now, you may reject the Gospel if you please; but wherein will your condition be improved? If on a ship where some pestilence is raging, the crew and the passengers throw the doctor and the medicine-chest over, board, and keep the pestilence with them, how much better are they off ? Many there are who are bent on casting Christianity overboard, on getting rid of the Church, and the priest, and theology, and who are bent on keeping their sin, and all its multitudinous train of mischiefs and evils. If men had become pure of heart, then there might be some reason in dispensing with superfluous ministrations; but, thus far, scepticism and the rejection of Christianity is only to make darkness darker, and sickness more fatal, and distress more painful. – H. W. Beecher

“To make a wicked and a sinful man most holy, through his believing, is more than to create a world of nothing. Our ‘most holy faith’ Surely Solomon could not show the Queen of Sheba so much treasure in all his kingdom, as is lapt up in these words.” — Hooker

Norma Jean was born on a cold, snowy day after a battle just to get into this world. She's a little white calf whose mother wouldn't have anything to do with her, and she lay out in the snow and the cold for many hours, actually, before her owner realized her predicament. That newborn was in pretty bad shape, with her hind legs just not even supporting her when she tried to stand. Her attempts to get up were, well, they were pitiful. Kenny's a teenager, and he doesn't live on the farm where the calf was born. But when he saw her, he offered to take her and try to pull her through. The farmer was pretty pessimistic about the calf making it, but Kenny arranged for her to stay in a stall in a friend's barn. Every morning, he drove to that barn before school, faithfully fed Norma Jean a big bottle of milk substitute, and slowly nursed her back to health. Today, that calf who had been on her last legs is now bouncing all over the place on four good legs!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Intervening Love.”

That calf started out being rejected by her own mother. She would have limped her whole life, or even died, but today she's alive and kicking! The difference? Intervening love. Someone saw her predicament, refused to give up on her, adopted her, and loved her back to health.

For some of us, that's autobiographical. We were rescued by one who didn't reject us. One who wouldn't let us die - who rescued us and loved us back to life. That's what Jesus has done for so many people for so many years. It's what He's done for me. It's what He wants to do for you.

When you get certain tests from the doctor, you're able to see what's really going on inside you, including maybe a condition you didn't know you had, but if it's untreated, you'll die from. That's what our word for today from the Word of God does for us. Romans 5, beginning with verse 6, shows our true spiritual condition - even though we may look fine on the outside. But with the bad news comes the good news of what will save us - intervening love.

The Bible says, “When we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Powerless. Like that crippled little calf. Our sin, our refusal to let God run the life that He gave us, has left us absolutely powerless spiritually, with no chance of entering the perfect heaven of a perfect God. No chance - until the Cross. The Bible says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners” - that's while we were still rebels against Him, while we were still under the hellish death penalty for our sin - “Christ died for us.”

Picture in your mind Jesus hanging, suspended by nails, on His cross. As He takes on Himself all the agony of all the sin of all the world, He's going to your hell in your place so you don't ever have to.

However rejected you've been in your life, however damaged you are, however dirty you've gotten, Jesus loves you, no strings attached. He didn't give up on you. He stands ready to adopt you, to love you, to open the door of eternal life to you. You don't begin to know what love is until you've been loved by Jesus Christ. He's waiting to intervene in the sin and the guilt, and the hurt, and the hell of your sin with His love - the love that changes everything - including where you spend eternity. But you have to open up to His love and put your trust in Him to rescue you.

Your only hope is the intervening love of the One who loves you most. Your only hope is Jesus. You've lived enough days without Him. Let this be your first day of belonging to Him.

__________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

[Original illustration here was a duplicate in HolwickID 25837-26027]

Luke 19:45–20:19 — The Passion Week, part 2 « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. Last Sunday, we looked at the start of the Passion week which began with the Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, which we understand to have happened on the first day of the week. Today’s study covers (approximately) Monday and the start of Tuesday, which was a very busy day, and the last day of Jesus’ public ministry.

B. Barren Fig Tree Cursed (as in, for example, Mark 11:12–14 NKJV) 12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it. « … Monday, a.m. »

C. Second Cleansing of the Temple, Luke 19:45–48 (NKJV; parallels are Matthew 21:12–13, Mark 11:15–18): 45 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” 47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, 48 and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

1. the parallel passages « — Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7, Jeremiah 7:11 »

a. add after verse 45, … and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.

b. express verse 49 … all the people were astonished at His teaching.

2. the first cleansing took place in John 2:13–22 « — read this aloud »

a. this took place « — near the start of His ministry at Passover, the first of three Passover’s recorded in John (6:4, 13:1) »

b. Jesus’ sign for His authority was « — His death & resurrection that would take place at the end of His ministry »

D. At just about this time that John 12:20–50 takes place « — read aloud »

E. Barren Fig Tree Withered (as in, for example, Mark 11:19-21 NKJV) 19 When evening had come, He went out of the city. 20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” « — Monday p.m., Tuesday a.m. »

1. now, we come to where, once again, the

F. Rulers Question Jesus’ Authority, Luke 20:1–8 (NKJV; parallels are Matthew 21:23–27, Mark 11:27-33): 1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him 2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?” 3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me: 4 The baptism of John — was it from heaven or from men?” 5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” « — probably Tuesday »

1. in what was Jesus occupied? (remember our reading from John)

a. « in teaching the people (about God His Father) »

b. « in preaching the good news (of belief unto salvation) »

2. to what do the “these things” of the religious rulers refer?

a. « to his teaching and preaching »

b. « to His cleansing of the temple (as happened in John 2:18) »

3. the religious rulers could question in this fashion on the basis of Deuteronomy 13:1–5 (read this) — what was their motive? « — to have the basis and excuse to destroy Him, see 19:47 »

4. What are the implications of Jesus’ use of Baptist’s authority?

a. the religious rulers should « have made a decision on Baptist’s authority on the same terms as they now asked Jesus »

b. Baptist had « borne testimony to the coming Messiah and specifically to Jesus (John 1:29–34) »

c. If Baptist was « a prophet, then Jesus’ authority is confirmed »

5. what does their debate and response reveal about the hearts of the religious rulers?

a. « they were not interested in the truth »

b. « their question was merely a trap … one which had failed! »

6. Jesus further answers them by three parables; only one recorded in Luke, but we will look at them all

G. Parable of the Two Sons, Matthew 21:28–32 (NKJV): 28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.” «

1. note that one important fourth century manuscript (B) tells the story in reverse order with the response suitably changed; no earlier papyri contain these verses; Sinaiticus and Syriac are contemporary and disagree … no concensus among editors »

2. the word “regretted” (verse 29) and “relent” (verse 32) are the same as used of Judas’ remorse (Matthew 27:3) and the sorrow the Corinthians felt (2 Corinthians 7:8) but differs from “repent” which means a change of mind or purpose (as in Matthew 3:8, 2 Corinthians 7:9 … their sorrow led to repentance)

3. who did the agreeable son (”I go, sir”) represent? « — those who served with the lips, the Pharisees … see Isa 29:13, Matt 15:7–9 »

4. who did the rude son (”I will not”) represent? « — those who believed Baptist’s message; sorrow led to repentance »

5. who receives the reward of the Father? « — the repentant »

H. Parable of Wicked Vine-Dressers, Luke 20:9–19 (NKJV; parallels are Matthew 21:33–46, Mark 12:1–12): 9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vine-dressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vine-dressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vine-dressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14 But when the vine-dressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” 16 “He will come and destroy those vine-dressers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!” 17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’? 18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” 19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people — for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

1. the servants represent « — the prophets of God (Matthew 23:29ff, Hebrews 11:32ff) »

2. the vine-dressers represent « — those rejecting Christ; God used this figure for Israel in Isaiah 5:1–7, our scripture reading today. »

3. if you compare the three accounts of this parable, then you discover that verse 18 records answers by two groups of people (quotation marks added) « — why would some dispute the obvious answer? — because the implication is that Israel, or at least a part of it, would be set aside in favour of others (ie., the Gentiles) which was unthinkable to the Jews »

I. Parable of Prince’s Marriage-Feast, Matthew 22:1–14 (NKJV): 1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 ‘Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

1. the final lesson is that the kingdom of God is for

a. those « — who are invited and respond »

b. those « — who come in the fashion designed by the King »

Luke 11:27-36 — Responding to Truth « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. Respond by admiration or obedience? … Luke 11:27-28 (NIV): 27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

1. is it right to call Mary, the mother of Jesus, “Blessed” (see Luke 1:26–28, 41–42)? « — yes, both the angel and Elizabeth under the control of the Holy Spirit called her that »

a. how would you define “blessed” in this context? « — one to whom God has rendered a special benefit; one who is highly favoured by God in some way »

2. whom does Jesus say are more blessed? « — those who both hear and obey God’s word »

3. where does this position the relative importance of Mary and the word of God? « — God’s Word and obedience to it is of more importance »

4. what does this tell us about the Romanist view on the Virgin Mary?

a. « it is wrong in that it goes beyond the recognition of God’s special favour to Mary, to honouring her in her own right »

b. « it is wrong because it subverts the truth of God’s word to this and other wrong practices and beliefs »

5. inc what ways may Christians today fall into the similar error?

a. « looking for emotion-based worship and experience rather than how to be employed in obedient service to God »

b. « admiring and following charismatic Christian leaders instead of following what is found in God’s word »

c. « enamoured with some facet of truth (”pet doctrines”) rather than obeying the truth that they know »

6. What are some ways God’s word demands obedience today?

a. to unbelievers – Acts 17:30, 2 Peter 3:9 « — repentance »

b. to believers

(A) 1 Corinthians 14:37 « — the commands written by Paul and others in the New Testament »

(B) 2 Thessalonians 3:6 « — disassociate from sinful brethren »

(C) 2 Thessalonians 3:12 « — work to earn your living »

(D) 1 Peter 1:13–16 « — rest our hope on grace; leave our former lusts; be holy in our conduct »

(E) 1 John 4:21–5:3 « — through love of God and of the saints, keeping the commandments of God »

B. Three Responses to Truth; Luke 11:29–32 (NKJV): 29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”

1. There is a similar passage in Matthew 12:38–42; it may be an another account of this same incident or just and indication that this was a type of question which faced Jesus in His ministry. Another possibility is that Luke includes them here as teaching associated with another time Jesus cast out a demon.

2. what three responses to truth are found here?

a. « the Jews seeking a sign to prove it »

b. « the Queen of Sheba travelling great distance to hear it »

c. « the men of Nineveh repenting on hearing it »

3. what was the problem with the response of this “evil generation” (see 1 Corinthians 1:22–24)? « — their continued seeking of a sign, of a miraculous proof, from Jesus that He was the Christ was a mark of their continued unbelief. (Would they have accepted as being a proof anything short of deliverance from Rome and establishment of a Jewish kingdom on earth?) Such unbelief prevents their being saved. »

4. what did the Queen of Sheba find to praise in Solomon’s reign (see 1 Kings 10:6-9)

a. verses 6–7: « his words, wisdom and prosperity »

b. verse 8: « the happiness of those who heard his words »

c. verse 9a: « Jehovah God who had so established him »

d. verse 9b: « he was a mark of God’s eternal love to Israel »

e. verse 9c: « he did justice and righteousness (note that Solomon’s first recorded act of wisdom had to do with dispensing justice between the two women and live son)

f. discuss with the class how in each of these, Jesus Christ is greater than Solomon »

5. In the Matthew passage, 12:40, what is the specific sign that Jonah provided? « — that his “burial and restoration” in the great fish was a remarkable sign to the Ninevites; so also would be the burial and resurrection of the Son of man »

6. we think of Jonah as “the disobedient prophet” yet Christ’s words imply that he was a great prophet — in what ways was that greatness revealed?

a. « in his preaching … the great city of Nineveh repented »

b. « in his understanding of God … he knew of God’s mercy and resented that God would show it to the pagan Nineveh

c. discuss with the class how in each of these, Jesus Christ is greater than Jonah »

C. Truth as a Light; Luke 11:33–36 (NKJV): 33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad {evil}, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.

1. there is no exact parallel to these verses, but the same ideas are found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:14–16, 6:22–23

2. what is the purpose of light? … in the physical? … in the spiritual?

a. « to be allowed to shine out so people can see »

b. « to be proclaimed so people can understand »

3. in respect to the physical eye, what is its purpose? … what is the result of its failure?

a. to be able to see objects, people, dangers, the pathway

b. deprived of perception of the above

4. what about the spiritual eye? … its purpose? … its failure?

a. « to discern the truth and lay hold of it (cf. Proverbs 3:13–18) »

b. « inability to distinguish right and wrong; and acceptance of the wrong — the false — corrupts the truth; example, a preacher could present the nice encouragement and blessing of Scripture, but if he fails to warn of the dire consequences of sin, then those niceties become a curse to the listener »

5. in the one who imbibes spiritual truth — and whence does it come? — what will be the resulting character? « — they will be like a bright, shining lamp; ie., as the one who imbibes evil cannot but dispense the same, so the one who imbibes truth will give it out, both deliberately and unknowingly »

“God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools...and He has not been disappointed. ... If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.”

-- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

Acts 19:1–20 — Ephesus (Part 2) — (outline by F. F. Bruce, NICNT) — « Leader information shown in this fashion »

{A.} The Birth of the Church (1:1–5:42)

{B.} Persecution and Expansion (6:1–9:31)

{C.} The Acts of Peter & Beginnings of Gentile Christianity (9:32-12:25)

{D.} Church Extension from Antioch & Apostolic Decree at Jerusalem

(12:25–15:35)

{E.} Paul Leaves Antioch & Moves to the Aegean World (15:36–19:20)

{1} Recently Planted Churches Revisited (15:36–16:5)

{2} Philippi (16:6–40)

{3} Thessalonica to Athens (17:1-34)

{4} Corinth (18:1–17)

A. Paul Arrives in Corinth (18:1–4)

B. Paul Spends Eighteen Months in Corinth (18:5–11)

C. Paul Before Gallio (18:12–17)

{5} Ephesus (18:18–19:20)

A. Hasty Visit to Ephesus (18:18–21)

B. Brief Visit to Judaea and Syria (18:22–23)

It is at this point that Paul’s third missionary journey begins

C. Apollos (18:18–24)

D. Paul & the 12 Disciples of Ephesus (19:1–7; NKJV): 1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

1. That these were baptized “into John’s baptism” coupled with the fact that Apollos “knew only the baptism of John” could lead one to conclude these were disciples brought to Jesus by Apollos before he had been taught more accurately by Aquila and Priscilla. That Apollos is described as being fervent in spirit, or “aglow with the Spirit” (F. F. Bruce) argues against this idea.

a. What was the purpose of John’s baptism (Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3)? « — for repentance (sorrow and turning away) from sins and their remission (forgiveness) by God »

b. What was the basis for this in Psalm 86:5? « – the goodness and mercy (hesedh – grace) of God to those calling on Him »

2. What would indicate that these 12 were not Jews (cf., Psalm 51:11, Isaiah 63:10–11)? « – they were unaware of the Holy Spirit »

3. What would indicate that these 12 were not disciples of John the Baptist (cf.,Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33)? « – John taught the coming Messiah would baptize in the Spirit »

4. What does baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus signify?

a. Matthew 28:19–20 « – confessing Jesus’ Sonship, and hence the Deity, in the Tri-Unity of God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit »

b. Acts 2:38–39 « – confessing Jesus’ authority to forgive sins and to give to man God’s Holy Spirit »

c. Romans 6:3–4 « – indentifying Christ’s death to ourselves respecting our old life and Christ’s resurrection to ourselves respecting our new life – look up Galatians 2:20 »

5. Paul, in speaking with these disciples, discerned their believing to be deficient; what is to be the evidence of true saving faith in a persion? « – the manifest Presence of the indwelling Spirit (as at Pentecost, Acts 2; Samaritans, Acts 8; Gentiles, Acts 10) »

E. The Lecture Hall of Tyrannus (19:8–10; NKJV): 8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

1. What had been the original response of the Jews in Ephesus (Acts 18:19–20)? « – they wanted Paul to stay longer; to tell them more of the gospel message, it would seem »

2. How did the Ephesian Jews compare with the Thessalonian Jews (cf., Acts 17:2–4)? « – continued receptive an additional 10 weeks, but then reacted against the gospel »

3. Note the recurrence of the expression “the Way” (used also in John 14:6; Acts 9:2, 16:17, 18:25, 26, 19:23, 24:14, 22) to describe the teaching of the Christian sect; what marked its rejection by the Jews in Ephesus? « – (1) hardening of the heart (2) disbelief in the gospel message (3) blasphemy against its doctrine »

4. What do all of these represent? « – rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction of sin, righteousness and judgement »

5. Then Paul preached in the lecture hall for 2 years (his entire time in Ephesus covered 3 years, Acts 20:31); what cities in Asia could have been evangelized from this base? « – Collosse, the 7 churches listed in Revelations 2-3 »

F. Conflict with the Magicians 19:11–19

1. The Occasioning Acts (19:11–12; NKJV): 11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

a. Of what does this remind us

i. In the life of Jesus (Mark 6:56)? « – touch clothes to heal »

ii. In the life of Peter (Acts 5:15)? « – shadow healing people »

b. Where was the healing potency (cf., Acts 4:8–10)? « – in the name of Jesus which is evidenced by what follows »

2. The Jewish Exorcists (19:13–16; NKJV): 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

a. What great idea did these exorcists have? – « “if this name, Jesus, is so potent, let’s use it ourselves!” »

b. What problem did they have? « – they knew the Name, but not the Person who bore the Name; the demons knew this »

c. What is the link here with magic? « – Embedded in magic and in the occult, in those days as now, was the knowledge of the “names of power” by which one could effect wonders. These would be kept secret to gain personsal prestige. These exorcists, though Jewish, bordered on the pagan. Thus Jesus questions the Pharisees in Luke 11:19. »

3. The Effect on Occultists (19:17–19; NKJV): 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.

a. What was the effect on everyone? « – as in Acts 5:5, great fear or respect, here for the name of Jesus »

b. What was the effect on Christians? « – public confession of their wrong-doings needed to effect a cleansing »

c. What was the effect on those who had practiced magic? … ie., what was the implication of burning the books? « – the destruction of these constituted a repudiation of their contents and practices. »

G. Further (the Fifth) Progress Report (19:20; NKJV): 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. (Acts 6:7, 9:31, 12:24, 16:5)

In the days when the great evangelist Moody was preaching in Chicago, a man, partially under the influence of liquor, seeing the warm lights of Moody's tabernacle, staggered up the steps to the front door. Upon opening it, he saw no one within, but he did see the motto hanging above the pulpit: “God Is Love.” The man slammed the door, staggered down the steps, and muttered to himself, “God is love? God is not love. If God were love, He would love me, and He hates me.”

He continued his uneven walk around the block, still muttering to himself. But those words began to burn images into his benumbed thinking. A power seemed to draw him back to the tabernacle. With the throngs that were now making their way into the tabernacle, he soon found himself seated inside, and Mr. Moody was preaching. The sermon over, Moody made his way to the door to shake hands with the people as they left. But this man didn't leave. He continued to sit in his seat, weeping. Moody came over to him, put his arm on the man's shoulder, and asked, “Is there something that I can do for you? What was it in my sermon that touched your heart?”

“Oh, Mr. Moody, I didn't hear a word that you spoke tonight,” the man responded. “It's those words up there over your pulpit - 'God Is Love.’” Moody sat down and talked with him for a while, and soon he gave his heart to Moody's God.

Friend, God is love. All His ways and acts are love.

________

Source: These Times, Copyright (c) November 1974, Pacific Press, http://www.signstimes.com

“How often would I … and ye would not!” Luke 13:34

When our Lord was on earth, He was all the while trying to show us that there is a higher life everywhere appealing to us, but being refused.

The parable of the good Samaritan illustrates this. Lying in the roadway is the robbed and wounded man: A priest comes by, and sees him, but refuses to help. Then a Levite passes by in similar refusal. Next a Samaritan comes by, and sees that the half-dead victim is a Jew, one of the nation detested by Samaritans, yet he immediately responds with a compassion overleaping racial animosities. The priest and the Levite, notwithstanding their religious profession, refused the appeal of that higher, bigger, diviner realm which is everywhere around and appealing to us; but the Samaritan responded despite obstacles of racial antipathy. The priest and the Levite saved themselves much inconvenience, but they also refused “the kingdom” and missed the divinest joy we can know on earth.

We have the same thing in the parable of the sheep, and the goats: “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto Me.” The tragic, damning feature is not active committing of evil, but selfish refusal of the higher, which at last is exposed as refusal of Christ Himself.

Well, there it is; in a mystical sense the “kingdom of heaven” is everywhere around us, beckoning, appealing, in daily incidents, situations, opportunities. As we have said before, it is our sense of having refused what “might have been” which casts such gloomy self-reproach over us as we look back. We have allowed the evil to keep us from the good; the good to keep us from the better; the better to keep, us from the best. We have allowed selfish refusals to keep us from richest self-fulfilment and mystic communion with “the King in His beauty.” We must drag out these innate attitudes of refusal. Our psycho-analysts do not speak of sin, but they insist that the worst enemies to peace of mind lurk in the subconscious, and that we must drag them up to conscious exposures if we are to conquer them. Is not that nearly Plato’s dictum of “the lie in the soul?”

We should guard against becoming introverts or morbidly introspective, but an occasional crisis of dragging these sub-conscious refusals to light is a wholesome necessity. Drag the skulking Agags of pride, snobbery, fear, prejudice, green_ envy and ugly grudge to the light, and hack them in pieces! These are the hidden scoundrels which keep tricking us into refusing the meek, lowly, brave, noble, generous, lovely, Christ-like life which we know we ought to live. Thank God, there is blood-bought absolution from all the accumulated culpability of the past; and if we will fling wide the portals of our inner life to the risen Lord Jesus, He will work ‘gracious miracles in our nature, so that the shining ideal may indeed become the daily actual.