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July 1, 2019 · 1:49 pm

The Marks and Motive of Selfless Living! 

Peninsula Community Church

June 30, 2019 

Philippians 2:1-4 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

What if I told you that there is a way to have deep joy in your life? This question is a critical one because there are so many who want to have joy but they do not know how to obtain it. In this passage, there is a principle for Christian life that bears our consideration. In living out the truths of this principle, we find that we will have greater joy and fulfillment in Christ and in our life as a whole. As we unpack this passage, we find that Paul details and outlines what our motivation in life ought to be. It is noteworthy that Paul accomplishes this as he does so often. He contrasts two ways of responding to life by giving us two negatives and then one positive. He then points us to One who is the greatest example of how to live this out.

As we dig into this passage, we find that Paul challenges the church in Philippi to complete Paul’s joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, and living in unity. In other words, Paul is saying that my joy will be complete when I see that you are getting along. This is not easily fulfilled because we battle with the sin nature that calls us to grab credit and puff ourselves up. We are motivated to get what is coming to us. Rather than love and unity, there is a sinful push to be honored and praised for what we do. We work in competition with one another, rather than in the unity the Bible calls us to. 

I was reminded that while we are called to have the same mind, same love, and unity; God has created us so differently and with different gifts and talents. This is a wonderful thing, but the reality is that we often circle our wagons around what makes us different, rather than what makes us who we are as a body of Christ. Too often, we are offended that our opinion is not received or we are taken back that someone has an opinion that is contrary to ours. We would rather gossip and argue than walk in healing and in forgiveness. 

You may not realize it but that is why we have it in the Covenant Member’s Agreement that as members of PCC we will seek unity. We promise we will not gossip about one another. We will seek to resolve our differences. Our Covenant calls us to protect the unity of the church. We do so by placing a higher value on seeing our church succeed in Christ than on seeing any of our personal preferences instituted. We will resolve any interpersonal problems in a loving and Biblical manner. We will submit to the leaders God places over us. We will wholeheartedly subscribe to the purpose, vision, and doctrinal statements of PCC. Finally, we will refuse to engage in gossip and evil reporting. That is the essence of Paul’s words here. We seek oneness and wholeness and not division and competitiveness. We are one body and we want to support that in any way we can.

As we return to this passage, we find that Paul states that we should Do nothing with selfish ambition or conceit. This is not a new teaching but is actually an echo of the words recorded by Matthew in Matthew 6 and Matthew 20. Matthew was struck by Jesus’ words. To summarize we see that the world works one way but not us. We understand that we will be rewarded for the things we do. We will either be rewarded here on earth, or we will be rewarded in heaven. Jesus, in essence, gives you a choice in how you will be rewarded. You can be rewarded now through the praise of men, or you can store your rewards in heaven. It is noted that our rewards here are short lived because we will always have to prove ourselves. We are always have to do more because we never do enough or feel satisfied enough. The eternal rewards, however, are not destroyed by rust, moths or other decaying means (Matthew 6:19-20). They last for an eternity. 

It is noteworthy that on several occasions Jesus alluded to a powerful understanding of this motivation. They do this, but not you! Notice that when it came to prayer, people would pray great grand prayers to make them look more spiritual than others (Matthew 6:3). There were those who made sure that everyone knew that they had given to the church and how much they had given (Matthew 6:7). They would fast and walk around in such a way that everyone knew they were fasting so others would know how spiritually pious they were (Matthew 6:17). They would lord their leadership over others and would let everyone know who was in charge and who the boss was (Matthew 20:25-28). Jesus’ response was to say this is how they lived their lives, but not you, because that is not the way a passionate follower of Christ functions. They are in competition. We serve one another. We give and pray in secret. We fast so that no one suspects that we are fasting and what is done in secret will be rewarded in the open. 

You see when we exhibit the characteristic of self ambition we are prone to self exaltation. Have you ever been around someone who boasts about themselves all of the time? Even if someone wanted to praise them they do no give the opportunity for that to happen. They praise themselves and lift themselves up so that others are sure to know what they have done. They do not give anyone else the chance to do that. They want the credit and are quick to let everyone else know how great they are. They are opposed to the Scriptural mandate to let others praise you (Proverbs 27:2). 

Secondly, Paul states that we are not to do anything with conceit. Conceit is defined as a false estimation of one’s self. In essence, people can begin to believe their own press and love it. In preparing for this I came across an interesting statistic. Did you know that 93 million selfies are posted on some media source every day around the world? That is amazing to me. It has also been shared that deaths from taking selfies are 5 times great than being killed by a shark. 

Consider this simple test in terms of being conceited. This test is between you and God. When you walk into a room does your attitude and body language communicate “Here I am.” “I have arrived.” “I am so glad you get to see me.” Or, do you communicate “man, there you are.” “It is so good to see you.” “I am so glad you are here.” Do not forget that it was selfish ambition and conceit that caused satan to be kicked out of heaven (Isaiah 14:10-17; Revelation 12:7) and it will cause is to fail and fall short as well.

While Paul gives us two negatives he also offers a counterpoint to selfish ambition and conceit. We are to walk in humility. How do we do that? We do so by counting others better and more significant than ourselves (Philippians 2:4). We find ways to bless others and lift them up rather than looking to build ourselves up. We look for the good and not the bad or the wrong in others. So, how much time do you spend looking to find things to criticize about others, so that we puff ourselves up and make ourselves look better?

Humility is a big and powerful thing! Listen to James words. But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Did you catch that? God will actually oppose those who walk in pride and self proclamation. The opposite is true as well. He gives grace to the humble. So let me ask you which side of the equation do you want to be on. I do not know about you but I want to be on the grace side and not the opposition side, because you cannot win when God is opposed to you.

As we start to bring this to a close let me give you two illustrations of humility. The first is my time in Mobile. I heard a story this week that only a hand full of people knew about. In fact, no one in the family knew about this event until they were meeting with the funeral director to prepare for my dad’s funeral. Several years ago a young mom and dad had a child that died as an infant. They did not have money to buy a burial plot, so my dad gave up one of his five plots so this family could have a place to bury their child. There was no fanfare. There was so self proclamation. He just did it and no one knew about it. The fact, however, is that Jesus knew, and today my dad has received his reward for that hidden gesture of grace and hope to a hurting and grieving family.

Paul supplies us with a second illustration by showing us one of the greatest examples of living in humility. Listen to Paul’s words. Rather than walking in selfish ambition and conceit, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11).

Did you catch what Paul said? Paul challenges us to have the same mind as Christ. What Paul is saying is that we need to walk in the humility that is modeled by Christ. Notice what Jesus did. He did not try to usurp authority. He humbled himself by leaving the confines of heaven to come to earth. He lay aside His Deity which means that He did not function as God here on earth, but as man. In so doing, He was tempted in every way we were but without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He was obedient.  He was obedient to the cross which was one of the most humiliating and shameful deaths of any available at that time. In the end God exalted Him. 

So here is the take away for us. We can walk in conceit and selfish ambition or we can walk in humility. One gives us an instant reward, or so we think. The other gives us an eternal reward and models the way Christ lived and modeled life for us. God will exalt you in due season (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). God did that for Christ but He will also do that for us. When we live humbly and we do not walk in selfish ambition or in conceit we will do more for the kingdom and not less. We will be a greater witness for Christ nor less. We will honor Christ with our life and our message. 

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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June 9, 2019 · 10:49 pm

What is the meaning of life?

Peninsula Community Church 

June 9, 2019

Philippians 1:21-26 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

To live is Christ, to die is gain. What a powerful statement! What a statement of resolve! Someone has said that we cannot truly live until we are ready to die. What I love here is that Paul is honest in his appraisal of the situation. He is honest when he says that he would rather be with Christ in heaven but he knows there is a plan for his life here on earth. There is a tearing and pulling in his heart. He is battling being ushered into the ultimate life with Christ in heaven and living life in abundance here on earth. What he is saying is that no matter what happens He wins. He wins in this life because his life is in Christ and that means everything. If he dies, so what, because to be absent in the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). You see Paul wins either way. 

It is this understanding of life that allows Paul to be secure in knowing the meaning of life for him and his purpose in life. The fact is throughout history mankind has been searching for meaning in life. They want to know that their life will count for something. They want to know that when they die they have made a difference. The question of course is what does that means to each individual and how is that played out for each person. 

We just celebrated D-Day, the invasion at Normandy. The men who stormed the beaches at Normandy served their country well. They were willing to give their life because they knew it meant freedom and overcoming the force of Hitler’s army. They knew they had to take the embankments ahead of them. They had to overcome the machine gun nests. They knew they had to make a difference. Their life had meaning and all of society owes them a debt of gratitude. 

To fully understand Paul’s attitude, we must look at the historical perspective in the day that he writes this passage. Of note this was not written by Paul in the palace or by the lake where he was fishing. This was written from prison. It was written in A. D. 61 when Paul was in the Roman prison awaiting trial before Caesar. He had been arrested as an insurrectionist against the Roman Empire. He faced the real possibility of losing his life for his faith in Jesus Christ. He knew that Caesar had the power of life and death and that he would use that power without hesitation. That is the circumstance that Paul is writing this message to the Church at Philippi. 

It is also noteworthy that this was not always Paul’s mindset. When we are first introduced to Paul, in the book of Acts, he was not a follower of Christ. He was totally the opposite. He was an enemy of the Christian community and was a passionate follower of Caesar and the Roman government. At the hands of Paul many died a horrible death. It was Paul that stood on the sidelines as Stephen, the passionate deacon of the early church, was stoned to death (Acts 8). 

But God had a plan for Paul’s life. God saw something in Paul that was needed for the kingdom of God. It was God who had created Paul with this innate ability to lead and an innate passion to serve wholeheartedly. To capture Paul’s heart, Paul had a miraculous encounter with Christ. It was so miraculous that Paul was knocked to the ground and was blinded by the glory of God that was revealed in that moment.

You see this story is really a tale of two men. Both men were fully dedicated to the cause they supported. Prior to his conversion to Christ, Saul was passionately committed to killing and eradicating Christians from Roman society. When Stephen was stoned, Scripture states that those who did the stoning took their garments and laid them at the feet of Saul. This is significant for two reasons. In part, they had to remove their outer garments in order to stone Stephen, but they also recognized Saul was their leader. He was the one who ordered the stoning of Stephen. 

This same man, who had been an enemy of God, was now a friend of God. He understood the power of transformation more than anyone else in his day. He understood the power of a changed life. He was transformed from being a murderer to being a healer. He was transformed from being a purveyor of death to being a minister of grace, life, and salvation. He was moved from honoring and serving Caesar, the god of Rome, to honoring and serving the God of the universe and all of creation. He was a changed man.

 

Paul was transformed in his thinking and in his understanding of what was important. He knew his focus was now on serving the living God. That is what gave his life meaning. Two times he alludes to the primary purpose of serving Christ and that is to bring glory to Christ. As believers we are to glorify His name. Listen to Paul’s own words. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. Did you catch that? Paul’s desire was that whether he lived or he died he wanted to honor Christ and His sacrifice for him. 

We see this again in verse 25-26. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. Paul wanted to glorify Christ but He wanted others to glorify Christ by the way he lived and the witness of how he handled the stressors in his life. In other words, he wanted to glorify Christ in order to motivate others to glorify Christ. That is where our life really begins to have meaning. Our life has its greatest meaning when we live, act, and speak in a way that brings glory to Christ.

So let us bring this home in order to understand how to apply this into our life so that our life has maximum meaning and purpose. Here is the deal, our life has the most meaning when we are glorifying Christ in our life and when we are encouraging others to glorify Christ. When we are pointing people to Christ, we are then living with meaning and purpose. 

So, the question for us today is how is my life glorifying Christ? Do I glorify Him on my job? Do I glorify God in how I handle my finances? Do I glorify God in how I give to support the ministry of God? Do I glorify God in my private time, when no one else sees what I do? Do I glorify God in how I deal with my children regardless of how old they are? Do I glorify God in my community? Do I glorify God in the way I treat my wife? All we do must glorify God and lead others to glorify Him and not the opposite. 

Paul knew that what he did here in this life would affect his future. You see we cannot live meaningless lives here and expect to live through eternity with joy. Paul understood a principle that we need to understand. How we live now affects how we will live for eternity. Imagine this cord in my hand is eternity. Imagine this cord is so long that it circles the globe a number of times. (Francis Chan illustration) That is a great distance, but when compared to eternity it would be just the beginning. 

This red area that I have marked here represents the timeline of your existence. It is only an inch or two on this long cord. For that reason we have but a small imprint on the scope of eternity. That is why what we do here is so important. Paul knew that, and he knew that he had committed himself to live for Christ and that no matter what happened the rest of his life in eternity would be okey. His greatest desire was to reach others for Christ and to model how to glorify Christ. 

You see there is a lot that I do today because of my past, but I am learning to do more because of my future. It means fulfilling the call to honor God in all I do. When we see Jesus we will receive reward or will we regret the things we did. How did I use my time? How did I use my finances? Too many today want to live for themselves and do no worry about eternal issues. They believe that they can live any way they want to and that will be okey. But one day, they will have to give an account of what they have done. This short space of time called our lives changes everything. 

The choice is to glorify self or glorify God. To glorify yourself is to receive your reward now and not in eternity. We see actions being taken today to satisfy oneself and to make a name for oneself. These things will be burned up in the end of time but what is done for God will last forever. What we do on this red line makes all of the difference. So how is your red line? Are you more focused on your self or on what is ahead. Is your focus on the past and its failures or do you focus on what is to come in your life and the glory that is to come? So, how will you live your red line.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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June 2, 2019 · 8:10 pm

He will Finish what He Started 

Peninsula Community Church 

June 2, 2019

Philippians 1:3-11 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Over the next couple of weeks we will take a look at the Book of Philippians to understand the power of joy in our life. To accomplish this we will choose key verses in the book as a means to discover the power of joy. For today, we will look at one of the great facts about God. What God begins, He will complete. In understanding this truth, we gain a greater view of the character of God. In so doing, we grow closer to Him and we learn to trust Him more. 

I am always amazed at the promises that are made by people that are not kept. Many people promise the world, but they do not keep their promises. Sometimes they have good intentions, but life gets in the way. How many times do we hear stories of contractors who promise the world, but fail to produce to the level of their promise? When this occurs, we can feel deceived and disenfranchised by these empty promises. 

But let me let you in on a secret. There are those in the world that break their promises, but God does not operate that way. Paul knew that and he wanted the church at Philippi to know that He that began a good work in you will complete it! Here is the deal, God does not start something and then leave us hanging. God does not make promises only to break them. God does not forget His promises nor does He allow the cares of life to get in the way of the promises He made. God keeps His word. In this, we have the security we need to endure whatever might come our way and it opens the door for us to experience overwhelming joy no matter the circumstances we face. 

Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi speaks a lot about the power of joy in one’s life and the source of that joy. Paul is saying that this principle gives us hope and brings us peace as we navigate the issues of our life. Paul was confident that God finishes what He starts. I was reminded this week that God did not bring the nation of Israel halfway through the wilderness and leave them there. He brought them through the wilderness to the promise land. The sad part is this journey took longer than it should have. They complained and argued with God all the way through the process. They denied God and followed other gods, even when God was blessing and providing for them. This blows me away that they would have been so insensitive to what God was doing. It is so sad that their journey should have taken 40 days not 40 years. Their lack of faith and their disobedience caused their entrance into the promised land to be delayed. But it did not deter God from fulfilling His purpose for them. He finishes what He starts.

It is important to know that our decisions have consequences. While our decisions may delay God’s promises, it does not stop God from fulfilling His promises. In fact, it was through the delay that the Children of Israel learned much about God’s character and much more about themselves. It was through the wilderness journey that their hearts were revealed so God could bring healing and hope to every heart. It was through the journey that God prepared them to fight the battles that were yet to come. It was through this journey that God was able to take the Egypt out of their heart to prepare them to be the powerful army that would take the land promised to them. Yes, they had a long delay, but God finished what He started.

In our passage, Paul uses some powerful words to express this principle. Paul emphatically states “I am sure of this.” “I am confident.” The Greek word used here for confident is PEITHO. It means to come to a settled persuasion concerning some truth or fact so as to be persuaded or convinced. The word suggests that a conclusion has been reached on reasonable grounds. The apostle’s observation of what God had done among the Philippians and his reflections on the ways of God, led him to form this judgment. Paul was entirely convinced of this truth. He had no doubt. The bottom line is that Paul was convinced that God would complete the work He started in the hearts of the church of Philippi on the day of their salvation. 

The perfect tense of the verb indicates that Paul had come to this settled persuasion, but he remained confident of God’s desire and ability to continue the transforming work in the lives of the Philippian believers. He had no doubt about their salvation or their security. It is noteworthy that Paul’s confidence did not rest on the Philippians themselves, but on God, who would preserve them and enable them to reach the goal set by God. 

God is at work in His people. He is changing the thought patterns and the preferences of our sinful nature, so that we love what He loves. He is retooling our brain. He is reconstructing the broken places of our lives with infinitely greater skill than the world’s foremost micro-surgeon.  He is not going to give up on us and the process He started. This promise is nothing more than the New Covenant promise of Ezekiel 36:26-27–note. ‘I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes.’”

The basis of Paul’s confidence was in the fact that it was begun by God. He knew and held God’s promises with high esteem. He knew that God’s promise would be permanent. Had it been the agency of man, he would not have such a conviction.

So how do we apply this practically in our life? First, note where the work takes place. It is in you and not among you or on you. Paul is reminding us here that the real work He is doing is in us. He is in the transformation business and He will not give up on transforming us from the inside out.

Second, we can be assured that He will not get tired or get weary in this work. I love the words of Isaiah in Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. Here is an amazing truth that bears our attention. God does not grow weary in His work. He does not give up. 

The reason God does not give up or weary is that He sees something in us that we do not see in ourselves. Someone witnessed Michelangelo chipping away with his chisel at a huge shapeless piece of rock. The man asked the sculptor what he was doing. Michelangelo replied “I am releasing the angel imprisoned in this marble.” So it is with us. He is working to release and construct us into His special being. He sees who we are before we know who we are.

Third, through the work of Christ we are counted as perfect in Christ but one day we will be presented as perfect. In that day, there will be no sin, shame, anger, guilt, fear, or disappointment. There will be nothing broken about you in that day. This promise means that God is working stuff out in us right now. He will not give up and He will complete the transformation that He was begun. At the point of salvation we are new creations and He is working that out in us for our benefit and for His glory. 

Fourth, God wants you to know that the failures of your life do not stop the perfecting process He started. The sin that you committed and have asked His forgiveness for does not stop the process. Paul’s joy in and hope for the Philippians was not only about completion on the last day, but about progress today, as well. Do not lose heart. Do not give up. We think we have blown it and we have failed, but God uses that to teach us, strength us, and move us to a better place. Remember Israel? 

Jesus did something pretty amazing. He gave us the cross and the empty tomb to remind us that He does not give up on us. Today we celebrate communion. The communion elements also remind us that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He does not give up on us. He completes what He starts.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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May 27, 2019 · 7:24 am

WHY?

Peninsula Community Church 

May 26, 2019 

John 3:16-21 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

This weekend has been established as a national holiday to celebrate Memorial Day. It is the day we honor those who have given their lives so we can live free as a nation and as individuals. It is noteworthy that Memorial Day began shortly after the Civil War in 1856. The families and survivors of the Union Army were passionate about honoring those who gave their life during the Civil War. They would visit and place flowers on the graves of those who died. After World War I and all wars after that, those who died were honored. Memorial Day serves as a reminder of the price paid for our freedom. 

For so many, this weekend is associated with the beginning of summer, but the reality is it is less about the start of summer and much more about the lives who were sacrificed for our freedom. It is a time to remember why they died. Today, we are reminded these men died so we could be free. They died so we could worship and speak freely, even if we do not agree with the worship or speech of another person. They paid that price with their lives. On a side note, it is so sad that those freedoms are being encroached upon and being eroded in big ways. 

Last week we noted that to understand discipleship we needed to know the why more than the how of evangelism and discipleship. The how and mechanics of what we do is important, but the why of what we do is even more critical. Without the why, we can become mechanical and programmatic in our approach to discipleship. For a few minutes this morning I would like to consider the why of discipleship and evangelism. In other words, we will look at why we do what we do.

Last we week we were reminded that while salvation is important, growth in Christ in terms of discipleship was the focus of the “Great Commission.” So, why do we disciple others? Why does it matter? Why should we share Jesus with those we encounter and within our sphere of influence? The answer lies in this passage before us today. We are called to be disciples and we are to disciple others because of John 3:16. We do so because God so loved the world. 

This sin filled, depraved, godless world has been and still is loved by God. He loved it so much that He sent His son to die on the cross not for one sin but for all sin. This is the most incredible part of this passage. He did not die for some people, He died for all people. He died for the world, the whole world. He died for all mankind regardless of social standing, financial standing, or even one’s looks. Thank God for that. There is not one person who was not on the mind of Christ when He hung on the cross. We are all covered by the sacrifice He gave. 

Why did He do this? He did so in order that every person who would believe in Him might have eternal life, and not just eternal life but abundant life. You see Jesus did not come to help us just escape hell. He did not die so that we could join a Christian social club. He died so we could live and live freely in a world that seeks to shackle us with fear, anxiety, and deceit. He died so that anyone who would believe in Him and accept Him would be received as His child. Through acceptance of Christ his or her name is written into the Book of Life. 

We must understand that salvation is not automatic. You must choose to accept Christ as your Savior. The sad part is that not all will be saved because they will refuse to choose Him. Instead they will reject Christ and His provision for abundant life. The truth is that not every person will be saved but the opportunity for salvation is available for all people. This includes the worst of all mankind and it includes the best of all mankind. We must all accept Christ on our own and for ourselves. We cannot depend on our friends or our family. We must accept Him personally. 

Because of God’s love there is great misunderstanding of some doctrine that is being propagated by some in the church today. There is so much that is based in human ideology and not God’s theology. I have stated this before. We must be assured that our presuppositions are formed by Scripture and not the other way around. We must not allow our presuppositions to determine our beliefs, but we must allow God’s word to form our beliefs. When we start from the basis of our own beliefs, and we are looking for Scripture to give us answers to support our beliefs, we have failed to allow the Word of God to be the roadmap of our life. In a world that is encouraging us to jettison all absolutes and live by our own moral compass, we as believers need to heed the call of God to live by the word and not our own beliefs. 

With that said, I would suggest to you that there are four motivating factors for our work in discipleship and evangelism. It is these motivating factors that define for us the why of discipleship. First of all, the love of Christ compels us. As we look at this passage let me let you in on a secret. God did not create the world, sling it into existence and then forget about it. He loved the world before its foundation. He loved the world when mankind failed in the Garden and sin came rushing into their minds and hearts. He loves the world just as much today as He did then. It is that love that compels us to share Christ with others. It is that love that constrains us to accomplish His will. Listen to Paul’s words. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died (2 Corinthians 5:14 NIV). In the ESV the word is Christ’s love controls us.

So, why do we do this? We do so because the love of Christ overwhelms us. We do so because the love of Christ motivates us to speak truth in love to those we encounter and to those to whom we have been given influence. When we embrace the love He has for us and that love overwhelms us and motivates us to share our faith with others. 

Second, we are commanded by Christ to disciple. The love of God experienced through the work Christ done on our behalf motivates us to obey God’s call to be discipled and to disciple. If you remember, last week we found that Jesus commands His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Peter says to all Christians, “Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV). 

We disciple because it is a part of the plan executed by God. Think about this, God could have used any means possible to share His love. He could have just spoken directly to those around us. But for some strange reason, He chose us. He chose this imperfect, sinful creature created by God to be the vessel He would work through to touch people and to give them the word of hope. 

Third, a love for the lost compels us. A love for the lost should compel us to have compassion for those in need, and everyone’s greatest need is eternal salvation. We saw before that it is love that should compel us as a motivation for discipleship. To effectively accomplish this we must have a love for those to whom we are being sent. 

To understand that love we must consider how richly God has loved us. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1). Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:7-11).

And finally, we disciple because we have a love for God. Our ultimate motivation in evangelism must be to see God glorified, and God is glorified when the truth about Him is known and made known. Thus our desire should be to glorify God by proclaiming the truth about Him as often as we can. This motivation will sustain us when our love for others may run dry. If we are to faithfully evangelize despite rejection, opposition, and even persecution, our deepest motivation must be to glorify God. You see perfect love casts at all fear. When our love for God overwhelms us, we are motivated by faith and not the individual we are sharing hope with. 

So why do we disciple others? We do so because of the love of God who sent His son and the love that is manifested in our hearts.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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May 20, 2019 · 11:15 am

Make Disciples

Peninsula Community Church 

May 19, 2019 

Matthew 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Acts 1:7-8 He said to them,“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In the movie Citizen Kane, the last words Charles Foster Kane utters on his death bed are the words “Rosebud.” These words served to frame the movie’s narrative and provide the key to understanding the man’s tragic but world-changing life. In Jesus’ final days, He also spoke powerful words to His disciples that frame the narrative that would guide the rest of their life. These words continue to guide us and direct us as passionate followers of Christ, even today. You see Jesus gave us a “Great Commission” that helps us focus on our purpose and the reason we live in this world torn apart by sin and the depravity of mankind. It gives us purpose beyond our existence today.

The statements before us answer the life long question that so many ask. “Why am I here?”  “What am I suppose to do with my life?” “Can I really make a difference?” Mark Devers in his book “Disciple Maker” has suggested that disciplining is a ministry of how, but it is really a ministry of why. Discipling others involves modeling faith and godliness with our lives. Paul called those in Philippi to imitate what he had done and the life he lived (Philippians 3:17). Effective discipling also imparts the reasons for believing in and living for Jesus. Paul called Timothy to entrust to others what he had learned from Paul (2 Timothy 2:2). So discipleship is in fact a means to show why the way of Christ is the way to go. It is to answer the question “why Christ.” “Why should I believe?”

The truth is we are always disciplining. We are always effecting others. To disciple others we  must be passionate followers of Christ ourselves. Anyone can imitate Christianity for a while without any real conviction, but that kind of “faith” will not last, and it will not save. False Christianity is a hindrance to people receiving what they really need. The fact is those who look to us need the truths we believe, the truths behind how we live, but they need more than just a good person to follow, they need Jesus. You can never teach anyone all the how’s, but when you teach them the why’s, you prepare them to exercise wisdom and generate their own how’s long into the future.

As we look at the words contained in this passage, we find that through these words Jesus laid out three exclusive means to be disciples for Him. I say exclusive because this is reserved for those who have experienced a saving knowledge of Christ. These three elements include the following. He gave us a plan. He gave us a promise. He empowered us to accomplish the task that He called us to do. That is what I love about Christ. He never calls us to anything that He does not equip or prepare us to accomplish. Hudson Taylor the great missionary to China had one of the greatest quotes ever. He said Depend on it. God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply. How many times have you been assigned a task but were not given the tools or power to accomplish the task? God never does that. He always provides everything we need.

So what is discipling? Mark Dever suggests that “At its core, discipling is teaching.” He says, “Your discipling should help people understand more. Through discipling, you want people to know why Christians pray, why we share the gospel, why we join the church, why knowledge of God’s sovereignty impacts how we live, and more.” To do this we must have been impacted by the Gospel message ourselves. We must have been changed by the radicalness of the Gospel.

A careful observation of this passage reveals that the only command in this text is really to make disciples. While go is a command. Teach is a command. Baptize is a command. In the original language, the major command here is to make disciples. All of these are the actions to be taken in order to disciple those around us. In essence, the passage could be translated something like this . As you are going, make disciples. As you are teaching, make disciples. As you are baptizing, make disciples. The emphasis, the pinnacle of this passage, is on discipleship. We reach people and bring them to a knowledge of Christ and help to deposit in them a hunger for more. 

As we consider these words, let us look at what He has done for us. First of all, Jesus gave us a plan. The words we have before us are just as powerful and just as important as they were 2000 years ago. Notice what He communicates to His disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples.” This is more than just winning someone to Christ. It is turning hearts to the ways of Christ. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you in such a way that people would want what you have. I think, based upon this text, Jesus would say there are three things that are true for disciples. Disciples have been adopted by God, disciples are being formed by God, and disciples are empowered by God for life and mission.

We have focused at times so much on the evangelism aspect of what God wants us to do, we have missed the discipleship aspect of what He has called us to do. Not too many years ago one of the largest churches in America, Willow Creek Church, realized an important missing component in their ministry philosophy. They had done a good job of bringing people into the church through evangelism, the problem was that they had not been as successful in discipling those who came into the church. 

Listen to Hybels own words. ”We made a mistake… What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and became Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become self feeders. We should have gotten people (and) taught people how to read their Bible between services (and) how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own.” Hybels indicated that the emphasis on programs and meetings did not produce disciples. Did you get that? Programs and ministries do not produce disciples. We must engage the gospel personally to grow in Christ. 

The problem was that while the church was growing, they were not making disciples. While there is something to providing an atmosphere that encourages people to come to the church and feel welcomed. It is another to provide opportunities for people to grow and become disciples. How do we know that people are disciples of Christ? A true disciple of Christ makes disciples of others. That is disciples make disciples. That is why it is noteworthy that Christ commanded us to make disciples and not just evangelize. Evangelism therefore is a subset of discipleship because without accepting Christ, discipleship is ineffective. 

Jesus said that we are to go into all of the world. The question however is where is our world? In other words while we all have a sphere of influence sometimes we need to move outside that sphere of influence to reach others. The world is our ministry. Where ever God plants you, that is your field of service for Christ, that is your world. No matter where you are, make disciples of all men. It is not your job to be selective, but to reach those you are given the influence to reach.

Secondly, He has given us a promise. He will be with us. He will be there and will guide your words and your voice. For this reason, we do not have to fear or for that matter worry about what we will say or do. Be confident in the fact that He is with us and that He is watching out for us. Be confident that He is leading us and directing our steps. Man makes plans in his heart but God directs his steps. 

Thirdly, He has empowered us. Jesus promised that He would not leave us without empowering us to accomplish the task at hand. He has empowered us by way of the Holy Spirit. There are some in the world who have a mistaken idea of what the Holy Spirit does and what His role is in our life. Based on Acts 1 His responsibility is to empower us to evangelize and disciple others. 

How does He do that? We only have to look at some of the amazing stories of the Book of Acts to see how this is worked out in us. Peter stood and preached a message where 3000 came to know Christ in one service. The disciples were empowered to meet daily in homes to encourage one another, teach the word, and share life with one another. The Holy Spirit also empowers in miraculous ways. Remember when Peter and John just walked by people and their shadow alone healed those they encountered. Stephen was empowered to preach a powerful message while men had stones clenched in their hands and were about to throw them at him. 

While these things are sensational, the Holy Spirit’s task is simply to empower and make a way for us to share Christ in every day life and existence. It is that simple. It is not complicated. Know this that Jesus has a plan for your life and He has promised to be with you so that no matter where He leads you He will be with you. He has imparted to you His Holy Spirit so that you are empowered to do what He calls you to do. 

So what do we do with this. We recognize that Jesus has a plan. We recognize that He has promised to be with us. And He has empowered us to accomplish His task. Let’s go for it. 

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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May 13, 2019 · 4:50 pm

Moses’ Mom: A Story of Faith and Courage

Peninsula Community Church

May 12, 2019

Exodus 2:1-4 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him.

What is the most courageous thing that you have ever done? Perhaps it was to climb a mountain. Maybe it was scuba diving. The sky is the limit as to what you might consider courageous. The interesting thing is that one person’s courageous might be another’s normal. For some it is to do something outside the limits of who you are as a person. Perhaps the most courageous thing you have done was to be a mom to your children or your adopted children. The story before us today is just such a story of courage and faith. 

The story of Moses’ mother is a compelling story of a mother’s love, her trust in God, and her faith in the story that God was writing for her and for her son. She trusted and loved God in the midst of some very difficult situations. To understand this struggle we must see that she lived in a time where Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt, had made an edict that all boys born to Hebrew families would be killed. His motivation for murder was out of the fear, that the children of Israel were growing so fast, that if Egypt were to go to war Israel would fight with their enemies.

Under these circumstances we find that Moses was born to two loving parents who knew God and served God graciously and magnificently. Little did they know that this little boy would be a great leader. But the odds were against him. With that said let me make a few observations about this story that will help us when the world seems to be against us as well. While this is a mother’s day message, this applies to everyone who is a passionate follower of Christ. God is for you and will give you the courage you need to face whatever is thrown your way.  

First of all, Moses’ mom was specifically chosen for the task of raising Moses. God purposely placed Moses into her hands. He saw something in her that qualified her for the task. He saw her faith and her trust in God. It is noteworthy that she did not know the story that God was writing. She did not know that he was to be the leader of Israel. She did not know that he would be the deliverer of her people. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that he would be the one that God was going to use in such powerful ways. Think about it. Israel had prayed for 400 years for a deliverer. In this “kairos” moment, Moses was born and he was born to be the answer to Israel’s prayer. 

This morning I want you to know something very special. You have been chosen as the mother of your children. God saw something in you that qualified you for this great task. You may not always feel it nor will you always believe it, but it is true. In fact, you may not always be as successful as you would like, but you have been called to nurture, protect, and disciple those who have been given to you. You are called to be a mother and your children have been chosen by God to be your children.

Secondly, Moses’ mom chose life. She was definitely pro-life. She could have chosen to allow the societal norms and pressures of her day to dictate what she did with Moses. She could have allowed him to be killed at the hand of Pharaoh. This would have been the easy thing to do, but she chose life. Rather than follow the law of man, she followed the law of God. She knew that He would protect them. She knew that He had a plan. Some here, against great odds, have chosen life and that is honorable. For some, the events leading up to the birth of your child may not have been the best, but you chose life and that is commendable and it is to be honored. 

Let me make a side note here. I am aware that some have made the decision to abort a child and you have struggled with that decision but God wants you to know there is grace and forgiveness at the cross. There is hope for you and it begins by forgiving yourself, as God has forgiven you. Too often, we allow the guilt of past decisions to rule our lives in the present. That is not God’s plan for you today. 

Thirdly, in this story her name is omitted. It is interesting that God chose not to reveal her name here. Sometimes we feel that we have lost our identity, but God never forgets us because He calls us by name. Let me ask you “Do you ever feel that you are not recognized for what you do as a mom?” “Do you ever feel that you are just a shadow in your home?” “Do you feel under appreciated?” “Do you feel that you have lost your identity as a person?” 

I do not know if this ever happened to you, but as my kids got older I was no longer Bob Odom, but I was Kate and Joshua’s dad. I lost my identity. But let me remind you that though you feel that you have lost your identity, God knows you and God knows your name. The fact is she had a name and it was Jochebed. The name Jochebed means “Jehovah is glorious.” She lived up to her name as she was trusted Jehovah no matter what the circumstances of life might bring or what the leaders of Egypt required. She trusted in God because He was God.

Fourthly, Moses’ mom had a courageous faith. Even under difficult odds she walked in faith. She trusted God. After all the edict to have the new born males killed had been pronounced before she became pregnant with Moses. When Moses was born, rather than have him killed, she hid him until he was over three months old. Can you imagine the fear and the stress she experienced every day? I am sure that she would worry everyday that the door of her home would be opened and in would walk the Egyptian police to arrest her and to kill her son. Even in her fear, she still trusted God. Her faith in God was stronger than the fear of the edict that had been made.

Finally, she put her faith into action. This is most vividly seen in the steps that she took. After hiding Moses for three months, she took a basket and placed insulation around it so it would be protected from the water and from the effects of the river. She placed Moses into the basket and then she walked to the Nile were she placed the basket in the bulrushes. I am sure that she had tears flowing down her face as she pushed the little ark into the water. 

This was an amazing step of faith in that the river itself was a source of death. There were crocodiles and other animals in or near the water that could easily destroy him. Even today National Geographic reports that 200 plus people are killed every year in the Nile by crocodiles alone. Not only did she worry about the crocodiles but this was also a place where the women of Egypt would come to bathe. This in itself was a threat to Moses because if the wrong person came to the water’s edge Moses could have been killed. 

It is noteworthy that the word used here for the basket is in essence the same word used for Noah’s ark. It was a place of safety and protection. When she pushed the ark into the water, I believe that her faith was revealed more in what she did not do than in what she did. Notice something in this story. When she approached the water she placed the basket into the water and pushed it into the river. As I have read this story one thing stands out to me. No where in the story do we find that she tied a rope to the basket. She released the ark with her son inside into the water but more so into the hands of God. 

This leads me to the final point I would like to make. When we walk in God’s faith and love there is a time where we have to let go and let God control the outcome of our children’s lives. She did not tie a rope to the basket because she trusted God to protect him and keep him safe. Here is the issue, too often as our kids grow we want to hold onto the them and try to control the outcome of their life. But there is a point we have to push the ark into the water and let go. In letting go, we are saying that we trust God fully and completely. This does not mean that we don’t worry. Even Jochebed worried. Jochebed was concerned. We see she had her daughter stand by the river to watch over Moses. But, nonetheless she released Moses into God’s hand. 

We need to know that our children will make mistakes. Too often their mistakes come as they test the boundaries that we have set for them. They test the waters because they want to make the truths they were raised with their truths. Sometimes we will find that our kids will try to do the right thing but they will do it the wrong way. They will fail, but that does not mean that we are failures as parents. That is a lie from the enemy. 

Finally, and most important, God loves your children more than you ever will. This is where trust comes in. We must surrender our children to the God who loves them more than we ever could. That is what Jochebed did. She trusted God. She loved God and she loved Moses. But she had resigned in her heart that God loved Moses more than she ever could. That is why she could push the ark into the water and let go. That is faith. That is courage.

How about you this morning? Do you have enough faith to let go? Do you have enough trust in God to give your children to God? It is not easy but it is right. We can still pray for them. We can still intercede on their behalf but we must let go. 

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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May 5, 2019 · 3:23 pm

The Gift of the Second Chance 

Peninsula Community Church 

May 5, 2019

John 21:15-17 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.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved 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.”

After the resurrection Jesus had a number of encounters in order to show that He was alive and that the promise of His resurrected life was a reality. We looked at one these encounters last week but we will investigate one more this week. The encounter of Jesus with Peter deserves our consideration because there is much that we can learn from this interaction. 

If you remember the night leading up to the crucifixion and for that matter during the crucifixion  itself Peter could not be found. Peter, the strong willed one, had emphatically stated that he would never deny or reject Christ. He made a promise, but that promise was quickly forgotten. Peter’s heart quickly turned and he fell into the trap of denying Christ, not once but three times. When he denied Jesus the last time, the memory of the words spoken by Jesus came flooding in. “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” 

The Scripture says that when the reality of what he had done hit him that he went out and wept bitterly. That is probably one of the saddest verses in the whole Bible. Of all the tears you can cry, bitter tears are the worst. With tears of grief, they at least carry within them the love you have for the person you have lost. But bitter tears? Bitter tears carry shame, humiliation, and deep regret that stings and it stings deep within one’s spirit. I wonder if, for the rest of his life, every time Peter heard a rooster crow it brought him back to that night and he was reminded of how he rejected Christ.

In response to this Peter reverts back to what is common and safe. He goes back to what was comfortable. He goes back to what is familiar. He went back to fishing. He went back to work, because he thought his days as a disciple of Christ were over. You see it is not an unusual thing to revert back to what was rather than what is. I have found that to be true at different times in my life. When we transitioned from the ministry in New York to Virginia, my first inclination was to seek a secular job, or a job where I did not have to be a pastor. I was tired. I was weary. The truth is I was burned out because I had given 100% plus to the ministry. That was and is the way that I operate. I give everything I have to the things that I am involved with. So I thought it would be nice to do something different, but Jesus and I had an encounter, and He would not allow me to to do that. He had a different plan.

While Peter is out doing what is familiar, as the morning dawned, they had not caught any fish. I wonder if Peter, who already felt the failure of denying Christ, is now feeling that he cannot even do a good job at what he was most equipped to do. I question if at this point he was feeling that everything around him was falling a part. When we run away, things usually do not get better they often get worse. Peter was reaching the end of his rope.

It was here that Jesus showed up in the chaos of Peter’s life. Sadly, as with the men on the road to Emmaus, Peter nor the other disciples recognized Him. Even though they did not know Him, He instructs the disciples to put their nets out on the other side. Think about how amazing this is. How could this be? Only a few feet marked the difference. It was the difference between a harvest and an empty net. What made the difference? The difference was that Jesus told them to do it. They were obedient to his command even though they still did not recognize Him as the Christ. When they listened to Him, they hauled in a bunch of fish, 153 to be exact. It was only at this moment that John looked and recognized the Christ who was alive. 

The question for us is how many times do we try to do things in our own strength? We are working hard, but little is accomplished. Maybe there is little honoring of God, but there is a lot of striving by our own hand to accomplish things that only God can do. One reason Jesus did this was so to remind the disciples that they were powerless to accomplish much without Him. Even when we do not recognize Jesus in our circumstances, He still moves on our behalf. 

And then we find that Jesus does the most amazing thing. When the disciples land on the shore Jesus prepares the disciples breakfast. He has a fire going and he has made some bread and fish. He invites them to eat. Recorded here are perhaps the most important words in all of Biblical history. “Come and have breakfast.” The significance of this cannot be overlooked or over estimated. They are a bunch of scared, broken, rejected men, and Jesus does the unimaginable. He invites them to have breakfast with Him. 

The last time they were together for a meal was the Last Supper and it was there that so much had happened. It was there that Peter had emphatically promised that he would never reject Jesus, and yet he did. It is important to notice what is not in the story. The risen Christ does not remind the disciples about their betrayal, their desertion, their denial, or their doubt. Jesus does not ask them to confess their failures. There is no recrimination, no anger, and no resentment. There is only, “Come and have breakfast.” There is only mercy, only nourishment, and an open invitation to a new life. How amazing is that? 

There are times where Jesus scolds the disciples, and challenges them in their walk of faith, but this is not one of those times. You see Jesus knew their heart, and He knew the struggle in them was very real. They did not need condemnation, they needed love. They did not need to be reminded of their past, but a reminder of their future. They knew their past, He knew their future. They needed a vision of what could be and not what was. You see Jesus is all about restoration. He knew if Peter was to play the crucial role in the early church, he would need to be restored. Peter needed to understand that although he had forsaken Christ, Christ had not forsaken him.

Notice in verses 12-13 that after the breakfast Jesus asks Peter a direct question. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” What things was Jesus referring to? He was referring to that which Peter fell back on: fishing, his career, his friends, anything else in his life that became a substitute for following Christ.

It is noteworthy and helpful for us to see the word play that is taking place in this passage. Jesus uses the word AGAPE for love. This is the highest love of the will, love that implies total commitment. Peter who was painfully aware of his disobedience and failure, felt too guilty to claim that type of love. His brash pronouncements were now a thing of the past. He was broken and humbled and fully aware that his actions had precluded him from making such a claim to the highest love. Peter answered by using the word PHILEO, a less lofty term that signifies affection. He also appealed to Jesus’ omniscience, reminding Him, “You know that I love You.” How does Jesus respond to Peter? His response is simply a command to feed His lambs. 

It is noteworthy that three times Jesus asks Paul this poignant question. “Do you love me?” The first two times Jesus uses the word AGAPE. The last time He asks, Jesus uses the word PHILEO. Jesus understands that within Peter there is a brokenness and hesitancy to commit beyond what he can do at this time. Here is the truth for us. Jesus will meet you where you are. He would rather we be honest than make a commitment that we cannot keep. He would rather that we speak truth than have false worship or a false commitment where we will fail and fall short. 

As Andreas Köstenberger (Professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) notes, Perhaps at long last Peter has learned that he cannot follow Jesus in his own strength and has realized the hollowness of affirming his own loyalty in a way that relies more on his own power of will than on Jesus’ enablement.… Likewise, we should soundly distrust self-serving pledges of loyalty today that betray self-reliance rather than a humble awareness of one’s own limitations in acting on one’s best intentions.

So what does all of this mean to us? What is the application to be made in our lives here today? First, there is no failure too big that God cannot redeem. No matter how broken or how much we believe we might have failed, God can and will redeem us. Notice that Jesus went to them and they responded to Jesus’ invitation. 

Second, we can run and hide but we cannot escape the calling of God. No matter where you run, He will find you. It is easy for us to fall back on what is easy and comfortable. Jesus never calls us to be comfortable. He calls us to be obedient and to be responsive to His will. 

Third, God loves us and will meet us where we are. He wants to have breakfast with you. He wants you to pull a chair up to His table and have a meal with Him. This is because He wants to have a relationship with you more than anything else. He does not want you floundering and trying to survive in your power. He wants you to succeed. He is the God of the second chance.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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April 29, 2019 · 8:38 am

Mysterious Encounter!

Peninsula Community Church 

April 24, 2019 

Luke 24:13-21 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.

I love to watch movies. One of my favorite genres is the mystery/thriller genre. These movies weave a tale of adventure but there are always twists and turns throughout the movie. As these movies continue to draw on the emotions of the viewer, it is sometimes hard to understand how it will end. At other times it is hard to keep up with all of the plot changes. I am a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock and M. Night Shyamalan. These movies leave you in suspense and wondering what the outcome will be. I remember the movie called “Signs.” Throughout the movie there was this mysterious something out there but before the movie is over we find that it is a creature from outer space. The twist is that we find that the aliens are allergic to water. It was quite a twist. 

If you were a follower of Jesus in His day I believe that you would have seen the times as being mysterious and that there many plot twists. The followers of Christ were in chaos. Just as they thought they had a handle on the ending of the story, it changed. Before, during, and after the cruxifixction and resurrection of Jesus there seemed to be times of great mystery and surprise for the disciples. The plot twists of the life of Jesus kept everyone in suspense and questioning what was next. But this was not a movie. It was real life. The sad part was that the disciples had already been given the outcome to the story and yet the disciples missed it. But, as always, this was an opportunity for God to teach us lessons that will impact us for an eternity. 

It is noteworthy that Jesus had several encounters with the disciples as well as many others around Jerusalem before His ascension to Heaven. Today, we will look at just one of these encounters. In the passage we find that two men headed to Emmaus, a town about seven miles outside of Jerusalem. We do not know for sure but it has been suggested that they were leaving town. They had their fill of the drama and the excitement that had occurred in the city of Jerusalem over the last several days. They were getting out of town. They were leaving. 

While our initial reaction to this is to judge them and criticize their response to the activities of the past week, we must be reminded that we have also experienced things in our life that have impacted us to the point where we have wanted to leave. We have wanted to skip town. We have wanted to hide our heads and hope that when we lifted them up that whatever the problem is, it would be gone. When we are confronted with things in our life that are beyond our control, we want to run. We want to get out of town. We want to quit our job. We want to get a divorce. We want change and we want it fast, because the burden of our heart is too hard to handle. 

Too often, when we cannot align our beliefs with what is actually happening, we want to run and hide. The reality that exists is that there are times where what we believe and the reality of our life do not match or align itself with what we know to be the truth. Psychologists call this cognitive dissonance. This is where our belief system is challenged. It is here that our faith is tested big time. This occurs when we believe that God will provide our every need, but we find that we are deep in financial debt. We believe that God is a healer and takes care of those who belong to Him, and yet we have been diagnosed with a life threatening disease. We believe that the relationship we are in will last forever. We hold to the promises we made with that person only to find that they did not hold up their part of the commitment. We believe that God will take care of us and then someone in our life is taken from us prematurely and we become angry with God. We do not understand why He would allow such a tragedy to happen, and happen to us no less. In times like this, our faith is tested. What we hold to as truth can be challenged. The result is that we begin to ask questions and sort through the results of life. 

I had a friend who was into the “name it and claim it” theology. His theological premise was that you could ask God for anything and God would have to listen to you, if you prayed the right prayer, at the right time, was righteousness enough, and had no sin. He had a very close friend who became very ill and eventually died. That event led him to a conflict in his belief structure and to a crisis of faith. He struggled to understand his friend’s death. He struggled to consolidate his beliefs with the facts. After sometime in prayer, he came to a powerful conclusion.

Robert Morris who is a pastor in Dallas Texas had his faith tested when his daughter was struggling with some major health issues. They were struggling with her illness and did not see an end in sight. Though the situation continued to get worse, He came to a powerful conclusion, the same conclusion my friend reached. Pastor Morris summarized his conclusion this way. “I believe God will, I believe God can, but even if He doesn’t I still believe God.” We pray with all of the faith we can muster. We trust God for healing and if He does not we will still trust Him. We will not give up hope and we will not lose our faith. Pastor Morris continued by saying that we should “pursue Him more than you pursue the healing and know that no matter what happens Christ will be magnified in your body whether by life or death.”

These men had lost sight of the promise that Jesus would be with them. These men who were walking on the road had seen their faith tested big time. So, let me ask you where is your faith being tested? Is there something in your life that seems to be overwhelming you right now? Is it financial? Is it relational? Is it spiritual? Is it emotional or mental? I can tell you that no matter what it is, He is with you and that if we will pursue Him more than an answer to prayer, we will see the miraculous take place.

As these men are taking their journey, notice what Jesus does. He mysteriously shows up and visits with them. The amazing thing is that they do not even know that it was Him. As Jesus encounters them, we find that He asks them what they are talking about. They are astounded at the fact that He would not know what is going on in the city. “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” They are in disbelief that He would not know what is going on. And yet, they are totally oblivious to who is standing in front of them. 

I am so glad when Jesus mysteriously shows up in every day life. Jesus met them where they were. He also meets us where we are. I love the sudden moments of the Scripture. Things are happening and we need an answer from God. In that moment, He shows up suddenly and mysteriously. We do not need to hide our hurts from Him. We do not need to ignore what we are feeling. We do not have to hide the fact that we are being tested and that our faith is weakened by the events or issues we are confronting. I love the fact that He shows up in the mundane and in the miraculous. He shows up when we least expect it to do what we can only imagine and more. 

They respond from the depths of their heart and in honesty. Listen to their own words. And they said to him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.

Do you hear their heart? We had hoped! We wanted Him to deliver Israel. We wanted Him to save us. But, He did not do what we thought He would do. In essence, they were feeling like He had let them down. They acknowledged that the women had reported the resurrection but it seems that they still did not believe it, or at least they could not understand it. It is amazing that even when we have evidence that God is working, we can miss it. Then Jesus begins to share the scripture and the prophecies regarding His life. 

As they enter the village of Emmaus, Jesus acts as if He is headed on down the road but they convince Him to stay. So He did. At the meal that night He took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and shared it with them. In that moment, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. And then He vanished. He was gone. Their hearts burned within them. They had an encounter with Jesus that would change them forever. They knew something was different in this encounter. They were so caught up in their moment, their pain, and their sadness that they almost missed Him. He was right there and they did not recognize Him. He was with them and they missed it. Let me tell you He is with you today. Do not miss Him. Do not skirt through life without acknowledging the presence of God in you today. 

They felt their hearts burn in them. Jesus will encounter you throughout your life and your heart will testify to the fact that He is present. Do not miss those moments. It might be because someone is sharing the gospel. It might be that we have encountered a God moment. It could be just a moment when you are weak, despondent, and sad. In that moment there is a sense in your heart and you know He is there. You know that He is present. When that happens acknowledge it. Give Him praise for that experience. Recognize also that even when we do not feel Him He is there. He has never left you nor has He forsaken you. This reminds me of the following poem:

Footprints in the Sand Poem

One night I dreamed a dream.

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,

I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,

especially at the very lowest and saddest times,

there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.

“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,

You’d walk with me all the way.

But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,

there was only one set of footprints.

I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you

Never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you.”

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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April 22, 2019 · 10:01 am

The Power of Emptiness 

Peninsula Community Church 

April 21, 2019 

Matthew 28:1-8 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

When I was a child I loved when my mom would buy sugary cereals. I especially loved those cereals that would have a surprise in side. Perhaps I am showing my age, but we would often buy cereal not so much for the cereal itself but for the prize. I could not wait to get home to open the box so I could dig to the bottom of the box to find the prize. There were, however, occasions where after digging deep into the box, I would come up empty. Here I am a six or seven year old kid coming up empty from my search. I would be so disappointed and upset because of that. I had the anticipation of getting something but I came up empty.

A difficulty in this fast paced world we live is that too often we jump at the chance to fill ourselves with more without pausing to consider too deeply what more is. We busy our ourselves with activity and events. We fill ourselves with things, but we do not have time to give thanks for what we have already been given. We live in a world filled with empty calories, empty entertainment, empty hearts, empty seats at dinner time, and even empty worship.

Emptiness is a reality that most of us will experience at some time. It may have been an empty cereal box, or it could be an empty gas tank, an empty wallet, or it could be an empty heart. Whether it is a broken heart, a broken dream, or something that has not gone right, we have all experienced let downs and emptiness. Many of us have found our hearts emptied of laughter and joy. In fact, we can begin to wonder if emptiness is all there is. 

Too often, the response we have to emptiness is to try and cover up our emptiness by looking for substitutes or distractions to fill the emptiness. I would suggest however that when you reach a place of emptiness, where the disappointments run deep, you are in the perfect position for a miracle. You are in just the right place for God to do something special in life. Why? It is because God can make His good come from bad situations (Romans 8:28). God has the unique ability to take our messes, disappointments, and mistakes and mold them into something useful and good. That is who He is and that is what He does. We see that in the life of Joesph who was sold into slavery by his brothers. We see it the life of Job who lost everything, but God restored what he lost and more. 

Returning to our story, can you imagine the disappointment the women who were headed to see Jesus experienced when they found an empty tomb? They had gone there to embalm and cover Jesus’ body with perfume and oil so they could preserve His body and keep it from smelling as it decayed. They were headed to the tomb with great expectation and excitement only to find the tomb was empty. He was not there! He was gone! 

 

A joyous moment has now turned to emptiness in their heart. What was once a sense of mission and purpose was quickly changed to confusion and emptiness! How many times have you moved toward something with great anticipation only to come up empty and your needs unmet? In that moment, we often feel confused and disoriented but, God is good at turning our messes and our emptiness into something more than we can every imagine.

Tony Evans tells the story of Charlie Goodyear who started the Goodyear tire company. While working in his lab, Mr. Goodyear inadvertently spilled some rubber into a fire. When the rubber hit the fire it made a big colossal mess, but he noticed that because of the fire it became incredibly strong and durable. This mistake was transformed into the Goodyear tire. When rubber combined with the heat it got messy, but it also produced a strong, tough product we now depend on to carry us around. We might be in a mess and the fire might be turned up but that heat and the mess of our life can be used to make us stronger and tougher. 

Listen to the last words of this passage. After going to the tomb and finding it empty they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Do you hear the conflict that arose in them? They were filled simultaneously with fear and with great joy. That is exactly what the power of emptiness can do to us. We want to be filled with joy but the emptiness of our heart causes us to fear. Our emptiness causes us confusion and pain.

With that in mind let me share a couple of things with you this morning about the emptiness at the end of Jesus’ life. There are two specific instances of emptiness that changed the world. First, we find that the cross is empty. It once held the body of Jesus suspended between two thieves and suspended between mankind and God, but now on Easter Sunday the cross is empty. His body is no longer there. But, in the emptiness of the cross comes powerful hope and joy. In the emptiness of the cross, we find forgiveness and wholeness. In the emptiness of the cross, we find greater fulfillment than at any other place in our life. 

We can look at the cross as being empty or we can see beyond the cross to the power of His death upon that cross. The empty cross becomes a source of His power to assist us in securing healing, forgiveness, and His righteousness. The empty cross made a way for every sin ever committed to be forgiven once and for all. What could only be done through the mediacy of a high priest is now accomplished through direct access to God, the Father. The empty cross might be empty, but the emptiness of the cross is filled with the power of God. 

Secondly, we have an empty tomb. The empty tomb is filled with hope, love, a promise given, and a promise fulfilled. The empty tomb confirms to us that there is hope beyond the messes of our life. The empty tomb tells us that the Savior lives. The empty tomb tells us that we are not abandoned and that we are not alone. The empty tomb may not hold the body of Christ but it holds such great promise for us. In the empty tomb, we have the promise of a future. We are promised a hope for tomorrow. The song “Because He Lives” says it best. “Because He lives we can face tomorrow.” Because He lives we can face the messes of our life. Because He lives, the emptiness of our hearts is filled with hope and promise. 

The emptiness you feel is not the end, it is only the beginning. In fact, it represents a new beginning for you. The emptiness of the cross and the tomb in fact gives us hope that we will be filled and restored. The scars you bear and the holes in your heart cannot to be compared to what Jesus went through, and yet we cannot minimize the pain you feel, the scars you bear, or your heart that has been torn in desperation and failure. Although we feel the pain of emptiness, these things did not kill you. If the God who created us has the power to resurrect the Savior, He also has the power to resurrect you. He has the ability to lift you higher than you ever imagined. 

We have a decision to make in regard to our wounds. You can choose to hide your wounds from the world. We can pretend the pain, the loss, or death never happened. You can choose to reopen the wounds with cheap relationships and bitterness by looking back at what could have been instead what is ahead of us into the future. You can also choose a different path. It is a path of hope and of promise. It is a promise of resurrection life. That which was dead is alive again.

We find that the Jesus of the cross and the tomb does not immediately head to Heaven but He visits with the disciples and those around the city of Jerusalem. The Jesus of the empty cross. The Jesus of the empty tomb returns to fill the disciples with hope and joy. He returns to Peter to give Him a message of love, and commission Him to be the leader of this disoriented and misdirected band of disciples. I love this encounter because it shows us that emptiness may come but that emptiness is followed by rejoicing. First comes absence, then comes glory. The Easter story begins with emptiness, but ends with rejoicing and promise. 

Imagine the emptiness of the disciples who had failed their master big time. Imagine the feeling of regret and shame and pain from the days before and during the crucifixion. The savior, however, had a different plan. He met them in their pain. He met them right where they were, so that He could bring them to a sense of being filled. In the end, we must pass through the empty cross and through the empty tomb to see the resurrected Lord high and lifted up. That is what we celebrate here today. We accept the cross and all that it has to offer. We accept the empty tomb with its power to overcome the power of sin and death itself. 

I love this passage in Romans 8:11 and I close with this, If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Did you get that? The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you as a believer in Christ. No matter who you are, He is able to give life to your emptiness. He is able to fill you up. If you are not a believer, He invites you accept His empty tomb and His empty cross by inviting Him into your heart. Your emptiness will be filled and He will give you a new life filled His promise and His hope. 

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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April 14, 2019 · 1:11 pm

Who is the Greatest?

Peninsula Community Church 

April 14, 2019 

Luke 22:24-27 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. 

Our theme today is who is the greatest? That was the debate of the day for the disciples at the Last Supper and it is a debate that continues today for many. The reason debating and arguing over who is greatest is a problem is because most people who argue over this question are usually self-serving and we have seen what self-serving leaders have done to our nation and the society in which we live. They do what is best for themselves in the moment and not what is best for those they serve. They serve on a whim rather than the truth that sets us free. 

I love it when you get a couple of guys together. If they love sports it will not take them long before they are debating about their team or a particular member of a team. Many times a discussion will ensue on who they think is the greatest or the best. I thought of some amazing athletes and people who have been considered great. I thought of Johnny Unitas, Muhammad Ali, Jim Thorpe, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, Mary Lou Retton, Dale Earnhardt, and many others who have been considered great in their field. I thought of Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, John Wesley, and other great men of God. I thought of Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Ingrid Bergman, Doris Day and other giants in the movies. The fact is, we could spend the rest of the day just listing those considered to be great men and women. To note, greatness is not the issue as much it is the issue of arguing over one’s greatness. 

It probably does not surprise us that the disciples were arguing about who among them was the greatest. In this passage, we find a contrast between the disciples and Jesus’ response to this question. One group argued over greatness while the other demonstrated true servanthood. The text tells us that the disciples were having a discussion or as the Bible says a “dispute.” The word here for “dispute” means “contention” and comes from the root word that means “fond of strife.” This was nothing new for the disciples. They seemed to be bickering all of the time about something. They were fighting and arguing like little kids. 

The point however is that in this case they are arguing over who is the greatest. This was happening while Christ is bringing His last days into focus. He was wanting them know what was to come. He was initiating an illustrative process that would keep the vision and heart of Christ alive through the Lord’s Table and communion. Instead of celebrating and acknowledging this, the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest. The testosterone was flowing in the room. Jesus is at the end of His life and they are arguing over greatness. Because they were arguing they were missing one of the greatest moments in history.

You would think, of all the people in the world, the disciples would have gotten it. You would think they would have understood His mission and His purpose. They should have gotten it, but they missed it. He was sharing His heart and yet they missed it. They were focused on the wrong thing. They were self-seeking and self-motivated rather than being servants who would listen to God’s heart. 

You see greatness in itself is not a bad thing. We are to excel in everything we do. We are not to settle for mediocrity. I love the commercial for AT&T that is out now. One of their commercials shows a wife who asks the nurse if Dr. Francis is a good doctor. The nurse replies, “He is okey.” Just as the nurse gives her response the doctor comes in and proclaims “guess who just got reinstated, well not officially.” The tag line is “just okey is not okey.”

The fact is we need to do our best to glorify and honor God, but we do not need to self-promote ourselves. I love the Scripture’s response to this idea. Listen to a couple of passages. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips (Proverbs 27:2). The problem of self-promotion is that we often exaggerate who we are to make ourselves look better. Here is another passage that drives this home. Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Did you catch that? Rather than boast in ourselves and what we can accomplish through our wisdom, our might, or our riches, let us boast in the fact that we know God and He knows us. Let us boast that we know the living God who is greater than anything we can do. We are to boast in the fact that it is the Lord that practices steadfast love. Let us boast that He is just, and righteousness in the earth. We are not to boast in ourselves but in God. 

As we return to our story, we find that Jesus makes some powerful statements. The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. 

Jesus is saying if you want to be the greatest, if you want to be a leader, then you must serve. He is saying that the model of the worldview around them is to exercise lordship and rulership which in essence is control. They lord over others and think they deserve something from those they rule. But I love this statement from Jesus. He says, “But not so with you.” It might be that way with them, but it is not so with you. They do that, but not you. You have a different mind set. You have a different worldview. You have a different mentality and outlook on life. You look at people not as your servants and what you can get from them, but rather how you can give and serve them. You see true leadership is a process of influence and less about forced authority. We are all influencers and our best influence in serving others to guide them to truth and reality. 

Jesus then explains the course of action that is to be taken. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. In other words, do not argue about your position or authority, but rather become like the youngest among you. He who is a leader let him serve. In other words do not sit around and talk about it, just do it. That is the model of Jesus. He came not to condemn but to choose all mankind in salvation. Does God punish sin? Absolutely, but God’s ultimate desire and design for mankind is that they would come to a saving knowledge of Christ, the greatest servant of all times. 

It is then that Jesus does something pretty amazing. We do not find it this passage. We have to turn to John 13:3-20 to see what Jesus does. He does not just talk it, He illustrates the concept of humility and surrender. Jesus does not just make some off-the-wall statement, but He demonstrates that attitude and mindset in a very real and practical way. 

What does Jesus do? He washes their feet; their dirty, filthy feet. John says that Jesus took off His outer garment, took a towel, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples feet. Do you see it? Jesus the King of Kings, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Savior of the world,, literally the greatest of all men, bows low and takes a towel. He does the most humiliating thing that could be done in that culture. He washed the disciples feet. Why did He do it? He did it to illustrate an incredible lesson about greatness. To be the greatest you become the servant. Listen to the words of Jesus in John 13:16-17. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Jesus is saying you are not like the others because to wash someone’s feet is beneath the prideful and arrogance of the Gentile leaders and leaders within the Jewish world. Washing someone’s feet is a humbling act. We are servants first and foremost. In serving He exalts us. Jesus made this statement in this regard The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:11-12). We are exalted best when we bow low and serve others. 

As I share this I can hear the arguments already. This all sounds good but I do not want to become someone’s door mat. Listen that was never God’s intent. We are not to be someone’s door mat, but we are to humble ourselves and be servants to all men. I challenge you to become a secret servant of God. Make it a habit to serve God by serving others, and when possible, do it in a way that does not draw attention to yourself. Wash someone’s feet. It might be leaving that last parking space to another driver you know is right behind you. It could be learning a new person’s name and making them feel valued. It might be treating someone better than they deserve, instead of repaying rudeness with rudeness. As you serve others without drawing attention to yourself, you serve God. And believe me, God takes note!

In a world where people feel used and manipulated, a servant Christian is often an anomaly. Look at Jesus’ day. The Pharisees put so many laws on the people it caused more bondage than freedom. People want to know we care and in caring we have a door opened to share the gospel. People need servants who will be willing to care for them and offer them a better way. People need servants who will sacrifice and go out of their way to share Christ. We share Christ by presenting the truth and not arguing from a place of superiority and pride. In the end, it is all about the heart. Do we have a heart to serve or is our heart hardened by a desire to be the greatest? 

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/messages.

Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

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