January 3, 2017 · 10:18 am

Our Focus for a New Year

Peninsula Community Church

January 1, 2017 

Our Focus for a New Year

Philippians 3:12-16 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

It is hard to believe that we are entering a new year. It is so amazing that it seems like it was just yesterday that we were entering 2016 with all of its promises and the unknown of a new year. As the year unfolded so many of us have experienced deep emotions and events that have rocked our world. For some health news has changed the course of our life. Others have experienced the death of a loved one. Our hearts were broken and still suffer the pain of death within us. Still others have seen relationships fall apart and they are trying desperately to restore or at least get over the broken relationship. For some, we have battled the fears and disappointments of life and many issues that have discouraged and disheartened us. On the flip side many of us have encountered new friendships and many of us have overcome past issues that have brought pain and heartache. I have also spoken to some of you that have experienced incredible spiritual growth perhaps for the first time in your life this past year.

Today, as we stand on the threshold of a new day and a new year we look back at 2016 and we all have our memories: good and bad. We all have had those things that have impacted us in a way that we will never be the same again. As we look to the new year, the fact is we don’t know what 2017 will hold for us but we know that He, God, will hold us as we begin this journey. As we pause here at the start of a new year may we realize that we have a clean page and a new chapter to be written. The past is behind us and the future is ahead of us.

The passage we just read is one of the most popular verses used at this time of year. I must confess that I have used it a number of times myself. In fact, in looking over my notes from the past, I used this passage last year at this time. I struggled a bit with using it again but felt that this was the word that God wanted to speak to our hearts today. The reason is that this passage is one that speaks of new beginnings. It is one that calls us to recognize the goals we have and the vision that drives the motivation of our heart and our actions.

As a reminder, we see in this passage that Paul continues to press on as he does not settle for the current status in his life. He continues to press forward. He presses into Christ and grows in his relationship with Christ.  Paul states that a part of his success has been that is able to forget what lies behind and he continually strains forward to what lies ahead. To be honest he did not actually forget what is behind him, he simply did not allow the things in his past to dictate his future. Instead of looking back, he presses toward the vision and hope of a new day. And finally, Paul does not just press forward, he presses toward the goal of fulfilling the calling of Christ which is Christlikeness.

So with that in mind let’s unpack this passage together this morning. The first thing we notice here is that Paul is still working toward perfection. Paul unveils the fact that he has not reached perfection yet but he is continuing to live a life of being perfected. What we must understand in this regard is that our perfection is not so much in what we do or not do but it is about what we are becoming. Paul’s ultimate goal was to become more like Christ in everything.

The word’s of Paul in Philippians 3:8-11 give us some insight into Paul’s mindset. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

Paul’s greatest desire was to be more like Christ and that is what we need today. That is the goal of our Christian existence. It is to exemplify Christ in all we do. The old adage “What would Jesus do?” is still apropos except that it should be more of what does Christ exemplify? Who He is more important than what He does! It is noteworthy that Paul wants to make this perfection his own and not someone else’s. It is a personal perfection. He can press toward perfection because he is in Christ. It is noteworthy that this is the same Paul who persecuted Christian believers for their faith. Paul is making the point that the same zeal that pushed him to pursue Christians he now uses to pursue Christ.

If you read just a few verses prior to the one we read today, you will see that Paul suggests that he is willing to give up everything that gives him any kind of religious or social status. His degrees, his genealogy, his education, his religious affiliation, and his successes did not define him. It was not an issue of whether or not these things were important or whether they had value but he wanted to define his life by his relationship with Christ. In essence, he did not want these things to get in the way of him getting to know Christ as that was his primary goal.

His greatest desire was to be more like Christ in every way. For that reason Paul stated that he was willing to forget what was behind him and he desired to strain toward what lies ahead. If we are honest, the fact is it is impossible to forget what has happened to us in the past. That is not so much what Paul is referring to. For example, for many of us we can focus so much on the past that we are hindered in our future growth. We are negatively impacted by an overdose of past regret, sin, and hangups. The enemy of our soul is so good at reminding us of our failures, our fears, and fruitlessness that we become powerless to secure a future hope. The enemy of our souls is so good at getting us to focus on our failures because he knows that we will not move ahead with any kind of faith. Fear can control us to the point that we never make any changes that will help us.

It is for that reason that Paul says that he strains toward the goal of maturity in Christ and Christlikeness. The idea of straining carries the idea of not giving up; that is there is a constant and consistent focus on moving forward in our relationship with Christ. Paul’s use of the word strain is not a mistake as we must press forward so that we are not bogged down by the past issues of life.

The problem too often is that we can give up before we cross the line to victory. This happens when we are overly focused on the past and not the future that is before us. A couple of stories illustrate this for me. For those that are a bit older you will remember that the big thing to do in the early to mid-70’s was streaking. There were a few of our high school friends who decided to do this at one of the grocery store parking lots. It was a parking lot that you could begin running on one end run all the way through to the other end to the car awaiting them. The problem of course is that one of the guys became so consumed with the cheering crowd around him that he did not see the grocery cart corral in the middle of the parking lot. Needless to say he ran into the upright bar full speed and he knocked himself out. He ended up on the asphalt without a stitch of clothing on. He became side tracked rather than pressing toward the goal. As second illustration is the story of Desean Jackson who received a pass and had a clear shot to the goal line. But at the 2 yard line he did the unthinkable. He dropped the ball as he began his celebration too early. He did not score the touchdown and in fact he lost the ball to Dallas who recovered what was considered to be a fumble.

The idea presented by these two illustrations is that we must stay focused and we must press onward to the goal of becoming more like Christ. With that in mind, what do we need to focus on individually and corporately? First, we must focus as Paul did on becoming more like Christ. The first action to be taken in this new year is to become more like Christ so that we exemplify His life in all we do. You see it is about becoming and not so much about doing as a focus. Secondly, we need to be about the business of lifting up Jesus in all we do. We lift Him up by our testimony, our actions, and our concern for others. Thirdly, we become more like Christ by reading His word so we understand who He is and what He exemplifies.

Fourth, the greatest focus we can have in 2017 is knowing Him and making Him known. I posted in the last e-blast that I would love to see the church double our attendance by the mid part of this year. The best way to make that happen is to make Jesus known. We make Him known in our lives, in our services, and in all that we do we must make Him known. After all, Jesus said it best when He stated that if He is lifted up then He will draw all people unto Himself. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” We can not and must not lift the church up as much as we lift up Christ the Lord of the church. We can not lift up ourselves as much as we do Christ. He must be the focus and the one that we are lifting up. We have the promise that if we lift Him up that He will draw men to Him.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

December 26, 2016 · 12:14 pm

The Simplicity of Christmas

Peninsula Community Church 

The Simplicity of Christmas 

December 22, 2016 

Luke 2:8-20 – And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Wow! It is hard to believe that Christmas is just a couple of days away. Hopefully by now all of your gifts have been purchased, they have been wrapped, and are now under the tree. I also trust that the busyness of the season has not yet tired you out and that you still have some strength left to actually enjoy Christmas.

As we read the Christmas story we find that it is a complex story with a simple message. While the message is simple, the story does present some complex issues.  The virgin birth still rocks our imagination and ability to comprehend how such an act could occur and yet the virgin birth is the lynch pen in the story of God coming to earth. Not only do we have to get are minds around the virgin birth but then we have to deal with the fact that the Son of God came to earth in the form of human flesh to save us from our sin. We have a virgin who was sexually pure and yet she was impregnated by the Spirit of God as the conduit for Him to come to earth. These are not exactly simplistic issues. Like Mary we ask “How can this be?” We are amazed at these events and the theological implications they present. These and other truths of Christmas are complex issues which theologians have spent their entire lives trying to understand and explain. They debate, discuss, and argue the nuances of the various ideas and thoughts associated with these complex theological issues.

While there are certainly things in the Christmas story that are very complex, there is so much of the Christmas story that is filled with amazing simplicity. Think about the story if you will. We have a simple girl who is Mary. She lived in a simple time. Life was not very complicated for her.  She lived in the simple town of Nazareth. She made a simple pledge to marry a simple man named Joseph. They had committed to live a simple life together forever. They were not socialites. They were not wealthy. They were not people who held a high social status. They were not complicated people but they were not stupid either. While they did not have social status of any kind they were chosen by God and that is all that mattered. They understood and accepted their calling to be the mother and father of the King of the world.

When Jesus was born it was a simple birth. There was nothing unusual about the birth itself. A seemingly simple boy was born in a the simplest of places, a manger.  In fact, His birth was so simple and unassuming that most people of that day never realized what happened. Jesus was not born in a hotel room surrounded by the modern comforts of His day, He was born in a manger where cattle lived. There were no media involved. The Bethlehem Gazette was no where to be found and there were no paparazzi around the stall where He was born. There were no trumpeters or pages to announce the birth of Jesus. The people of His day missed the most amazing event of their day because they were busy paying their taxes and prepping for the feasts. Most people continued to live their life as if nothing had happened and nothing had changed. And yet that is exactly what happened. His coming to earth was so complex and yet at the same time it was so simple. It was and still is the great paradox of the day. The complex met the simple.

How simple and yet how sublime is God’s means of salvation! Who would have thought that Messiah would be born as a baby, and in such humble circumstances! Many would have and still stumble over the angel’s directions (2:12): “You will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger” which was a feeding trough! It smelled like a barn. It is most likely that the place was filled with noise and contrary to the Christmas carol I am guessing that the baby Jesus did cry as He was just as human as any one of us. Think about what you would have done if you were God. I know if I had been in control I would have sent the Savior to the earth as a full grown man, a mighty warrior riding on a white stallion. Or, He would have been born in the finest palace and not in a barn. He would have been wrapped in the finest purple garments and would be laying in an ivory and gold cradle. He would not be in a barn surrounded by smelly sheep and the noise. He would have been attended by servants and the newspapers of the day would have heralded His birth as the greatest news of all time. But that was not the choice of God. He chose the simple so that everyone person could receive the gift of the Savior.

To understand the simplicity of His birth, we must consider who was first invited to come and celebrate the event. The first guest to see Baby Jesus symbolized the simpleness of the message. It is noteworthy that one of the first groups to be called to the scene of the manger were the shepherds, a simple people with a simple way of life. We should note that this does not mean they were dumb or stupid, it simply means they were a group of people who did not put on airs.

In terms of occupation the shepherd’s main objective in life was to guard the sheep. They were to keep the sheep safe from wild animals and from hurting themselves. They were simple people with simple goals. In many commentaries it has been suggested that it is very probable that the very sheep these men were tending in the fields were being prepared for slaughter at Passover in Jerusalem a few months later. If that is true then how symbolic is that the shepherds who were watching the Passover lambs would be invited to Bethlehem to view the Passover Lamb of God, provided for the salvation of the world.

As we look at the Christmas story, we find that the message of Christmas really is a simple message. When we remove the mystic of the virgin birth, the questions of how God could come to earth, and we simply accept the fact that He did, we find that the message is not as complicated as we make it and it is certainly more simple than we make it. The simple message is that God brought salvation to humankind by taking on human flesh Himself and He did so without sin. He bore our sin to satisfy the call of punishment for the sin we have committed. While on one hand the story is complicated and complex but the message is simple.

How simple of a message does God bring to us today? Let me share fours ideas presented by the message of the birth of Jesus. First, God loves us and has a plan for our life. God loved us enough that He sent His most valuable possession to us to redeem us and to change our lives. The problem too often is that we believe that God could not love us because of what we may have done or not done. There is no doubt that God loves us. We find this in one of the most popular scriptures in the Bible. 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 (John 3:16-17).

Man is sinful and is separated from God. The second part of this message is that everyone of us have sinned. No one is righteous. None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good,

not even one (Romans 3:10-12). For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith (Romans 3:22-25).The one who says he does not sin is a liar according to the scripture (John 1:8). This sin has separated us from God so that our fellowship with Him has been broken.

God sent His son to die for our sins. But God had a solution. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us ( Romans 5:6-8). His solution was to send His son to earth as the great redeemer to save men from His sin and for that matter save mankind from himself. No matter who you are or what you have done He died for you and there is nothing you have done that will change that.

God wants us to receive the gift of forgiveness. The simplicity of the message of Christmas is that we can receive the gift of salvation given to us by God. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved (Romans 10:9-10).  While our lives our so very complex the acceptance of salvation does not have to be. We confess to Him our sin, short comings and failures. We repent which means we agree to not do those things again. And we begin to live a life changed and different from what we have known before. That is why the greatest gift you can give and the greatest gift you can receive is the forgiveness of God on our behalf and then choosing to live a life that honors God and represents who He is.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

December 19, 2016 · 9:12 am

What Do You Give Jesus for Christmas?

Peninsula Community Church 

What Do You Give Jesus for Christmas? 

December 18, 2016

Matthew 2:9-11 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Our story today picks up where we left off last week. The wise men moved from their encounter with Herod to find the Christ child. We do not know how long the trip was from the visit with Herod to actually encountering the Christ child but we know that it took some time. They were looking for the one sign that would lead them to the Messiah. When they saw the star that was pointing the way to Christ they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Their reaction to the star showed the intensity of their expectation and their desire to see this child. The passage here states that their joy was exceedingly great. Their joy overwhelmed them and they expressed their joy in their worship.

As they entered the stable where the Christ child lay, they presented Him with gifts. Each gift presented showed the value and honor they were giving the Christ child. They presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. For most of us, at a first read this does not mean much but each of these gifts in the economy of the day had great value. The gift of gold was given to the Christ child as a way to honor Him as the King of this world. They recognized what many did not see in their day. He was the king of the world and they chose to honor Him as such. The second gift they brought was the gift of frankincense. Frankincense was given to Him in recognition of his position as the high priest. Frankincense was used by the priest when he went into the temple to present the people before God. It was in essence one of the symbols and tools for worship. They gave Him myrrh because myrrh was used as an embalming oil. They recognized that He was to die for the world. Their gift was a prophetic statement of what was to come. The wise men had a vision for this child more than the scholars or the religious leaders of their day. They gave gifts that spoke to His royalty as King, His priesthood as the intercessor for the people, and the one who would die for our sins.

When we give gifts, especially here at the Christmas season, we try to give gifts based on who the person is and how much we love them and know about them. But what do you do when you have to buy a gift for the person who has everything and can buy what they want when they want it? As I was preparing for this message, I was thinking about this Christmas season and what gift could I give to Christ. This was a difficult thought process because certainly Christ has everything He needs and what He does not have He could create as He has the power to do so. After some thought, I realized the answer was already given to us. The greatest gift we can give to Christ is ourselves. 

The greatest gift we can give to God is to say, “Lord, I give You my life. I give You my talents. I give You my abilities. I give You my dreams. I give You my future. I give You my weaknesses. I offer myself, all of myself, to You.” Our posture should be one of outstretched hands and open palms to give Him our life and all that we are. Any other approach communicates that we are approaching God with clinched fists or clinched teeth which speaks of resistance and rejection.

Too often we hold back from God just in case. We hold back from God because the last time we fully trusted someone they wounded us, the betrayed us, and they failed to live up to their promises. So we approach God the same way. We approach Him with fear and the apprehension that He will fail us, let us down, and in the end we will be left wounded and destroyed. But I can assure you that God will never fail you or let you down.

Paul in Romans 12:1-2 perhaps defines the giving of one’s self as a gift to God better than anyone else. Paul states I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

What is the gift Paul is referring to here? It is the gift of ourselves as a living sacrifice. Our gift to God is a resistance to being conformed to this world but rather a focus on being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Rather than settling for the status quo, we begin to adjust our lives in order to follow the ways of God. Each day we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. The result is that our way of thinking, the way we act, the way we perform our duties in life begin to be transformed so that we are much more like God in what we do. Can you imagine what life would be like if we truly committed ourselves to God and refused to be conformed to the world’s image of ourselves?

Let me sum this up by saying the best gift we could give God is to live the life He has designed for us to live. It means that we walk in forgiveness and healing so that we are free to be all that He desires. I know what you are thinking because I have thought it myself. It is too hard and it is impossible for me, there is just too much to overcome. But when we give ourselves to Him, He will begin the work of healing and restoration in us. That is His plan and it is has been His plan from the beginning of time. But how do we do this?

First of all the passage before us says that we should offer ourselves to God because of His mercy. Paul presents God’s mercy as the strongest argument for giving ourselves to God. When we fully recognize all that God has done for us the only response worthy of Him is to give Him our whole being, our whole mind, soul, and spirit. We were all sinners and sin had deadly consequences but while we were yet sinners He died for us. His mercy moved Him to give Himself so that we would be forgiven of our sins in total: those we committed, those we are committing, and those we have yet to commit. It was His mercy that saved us, redeemed us, and began a process of restoration. It was His mercy that will sustain us.

Secondly, we must offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. What an oxymoron. We are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. Most sacrifices of the Old Testament were slaughtered before they were sacrificed. Paul, however, is calling for us to present ourselves as living sacrifices not as dead lifeless ones. The expression of a living sacrifice is used as the backdrop to the Old Testament sacrificial system where an animal would be sacrificed for the forgiveness of one’s sin. You see in the Old Testament man offered an animal but in the New Testament man was to offer himself. We are to be the sacrifice God receives. Because we are living sacrifices, we are to be a living sacrifice wherever we go. This means at the office, at school, in our homes, and wherever we go we should live as as a sacrifice to God.

Thirdly we must offer ourselves to God through transformation and renewal. We best demonstrate our commitment to God by refusing to conform to the world by being transformed through renewed minds. When we give ourselves to God it is reflected in how we live. Worshipping people are changed people and that is reflected in their walk, their talk, and their personality. When we give ourselves to God we live as transformed people who live Christ-centered lives and not self-centered lives.

Finally, we offer ourselves to God all of the time. Living implies life. Offering ourselves cannot be contained in a one-hour service on Sunday. A living sacrifice implies a sacrifice that is alive and continuous in action. It moves from one activity on Sunday to all of our activities: each relationship, each task, each opportunity, each problem, each success, and each failure. Even the most common of deeds become an act of worship. Real worship is the offering of our everyday life to God.

In the final analysis, the best gift we can give to the one who has it all is ourselves. It is a choice we make but that is what He desires and that is what best reflects our love for Him. Today, as we gather around the Lord’s Table we are reminded that He loved us enough that He gave Himself completely to save us and redeem us from our sin.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

December 11, 2016 · 6:08 pm

Stealing Christmas

Peninsula Community Church

Stealing Christmas 

December 11, 2016

Matthew 2:1-4, 7-8, 16 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born… Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him… Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

I have shared before about how much I love the Christmas season. I love the festivities, the food, the surprises, the decorations, and in particular I love Christmas movies. There are so many great movies in this season. There are some that are really fun. There are some that have more serious but so many have themes that speak to the true meaning of Christmas. I love “Its a Wonderful Life” and how it portrays how our lives impact others. I love the “Christmas Carol” as it speaks to the redemptive power of forgiveness and that no one is ever so far gone that their life cannot be impacted positively by the message of Christmas. Another favorite of mine is “The Grinch that Stole Christmas.” I particularly love the one that stars Jim Carrey. The reality is Dr. Seuss had it right. No matter what you do, the Christmas Spirit cannot be stolen or killed.

Most of us are familiar with the storyline of the “Grinch that Stole Christmas.” According to the Jim Carrey version, the grinch had been an outcast of Who-ville. Because this happened at Christmas time, he despised Christmas and the people of the town. Because of his disgust, he planned and connived a way to steal Christmas in order to kill the Christmas spirit. One night he swoops into town and steals all of the presents, the ornaments, the food, and everything related to Christmas. A miraculous thing happens however, instead of weeping and crying, the people of Who-ville begin to sing. The music traveled to the mountain top where the Grinch lived and his heart begins to grow and beat with life again. While Dr. Seuss’ Grinch is a wonderful story, it is not the first story of someone trying to steal or kill the Christmas spirit. In our reading today, we find that Herod was guilty of just such an action.

In our story, the wise men are on their way to visit the new born king who was born almost two years earlier. On their journey, they stopped to ask for directions and Herod caught the ear of the wise men. He connived to have the wisemen find the baby Jesus and then return to report to Herod where this baby was, because he wanted to take Him out. The wise men were unaware of this scheme until the angel spoke to them. You see Herod’s goal was to eradicate the baby Jesus who was now a threat to his kingship.

In this story, we find the remarkable contrast between one who exalts himself as king and the true King of the universe. How desperate and diluted do you have to be to want to kill a baby because you are afraid of him? How diluted can you be to be jealous of a little child? But that was the condition of Herod’s heart and his mind. He was afraid because Jesus was the King of the Jews. Herod was the ruler. He was the king and he wanted everyone to know that. Herod was aware of the prophetic words that had been spoken about the one that was to come to save the world and he knew if he did not do something his kingship would be threatened.

The wise men refused to cooperate with Herod as they had been directed by God to travel home a different way to avoid another encounter with him. The result was that Herod was angry and he decided that all of the male children born at approximate time Jesus was born would be slaughtered so as to wipe out any hope of a new king being established. Mary and Joseph received a word from God that this was going to happen and they moved to Egypt where they were to stay until it was safe to return home. He could not kill Christmas!

It is noteworthy here that we seldom see this side of the Christmas story around the manger. This is the dark side of the story and it is a reminder there are things at work to destroy and kill the Christmas spirit in our hearts and in our lives but that is not how it has to be. In the end, we find there were two kings but there was only one winner. As we know now Herod died but Jesus lived. Herod exerted his physical power but God exerted His godly power to overcome the works of darkness. Herod could not fight against the king of the world.

The story of Herod took place some 2000 years ago but the fact is there is still a move to steal and kill the Christmas Spirit. Every year there is a Herod or a Grinch that tries to steal or kill the spirit of Christmas. The bottom line, however, is that no matter what people say or do they cannot remove Christ from Christmas. This is because He resides in our hearts and not in the decorations, the gifts, or the trappings of Christmas. There are so many things that come at us to steal the Christmas spirit. The Grinch thought that by stealing the gifts, the ornaments, the decorations, and the food that somehow he could steal their joy and expression of hope. Herod thought that by killing Jesus, Christmas would be over and done with. In the story of the Grinch, instead of losing heart we find the residents of Who-ville standing with their hands clasped and singing the songs of Christmas. The point is, you can take the decorations, destroy the gifts, and smash the ornaments but you cannot take the spirit of Christmas from our hearts.

No matter what happens Jesus is still the King and the Lord over all of heaven and over all of the kingdoms of this world. Later in the story of Jesus’ life, we find that the leaders of the Roman government and the Jewish leaders of His day all tried to destroy the message of Christ but you can kill the body but you can not destroy the message. That is what Herod thought he could do but the king of Heaven will always be victorious. He will always come out on top.

The idea of trying to kill or steal Christmas is not something new and it certainly has not gone away over the years. It is still an issue we face today. There are Christmas killers all around us. The first one is materialism. Materialism is an unhealthy focus on things and money rather than on the Christ of Christmas. When we become more focused on the trappings of Christmas than the Christ of Christmas, we have a big problem. Materialism will destroy the Christmas spirit before we know it. Materialism out of control presents itself as a ungrateful heart and an unsatisfied heart. It is a binding force because we can never do enough or have enough stuff.

The second Christmas killer is misplaced emotions. The Christmas season has the power to illicit so many emotions. There are happy and joyful emotions but there also the emotions of sadness, anger, jealously, and other such emotions that can kill the spirit of Christmas. Many of these emotions are real and they are justified because of the experiences we have faced. However, when we get sucked into the negative emotions we encounter, the Christmas spirit can be killed. Herod was sucked into an emotional issue that effected his ability to think clearly and process information appropriately. We make hard core statements and decisions such as I will never go their house again. I am not going to talk with them again and on and on it goes. The result of these decisions too often is a lost Christmas spirit. We isolate in an unhealthy way thinking that this will teach them a lesson when we are the ones that are most often hurt in the process.

The third Christmas killer is stress. Stress is a killer in more ways than one and stress can rob us of the joy that is a part of this festive season of joy, peace, and love. So many of us understand how this works. There are gifts to buy, food to prepare, cards to write, people to invite, and on and on it goes. Finances are tight and we have to buy Uncle Johnny that gift or he will never forgive us. We become stressed out before we get to enjoy the beauty of the season.

The third Christmas killer I will call busyness. This is a time of the year where we get so busy with the activities and events of Christmas that we miss the guest of honor at our activities and events. We can be so busy celebrating the season that we fail to recognize Jesus as the King of this world. After all He is the reason we celebrate. He is the King of the world. Jesus referred to this as the cares of this world. It is where we have been planted in the right soil but the activities of life begin to control the outcome of our life and we fall short of His glory. Our motives are good but the fruit is wrong. Rather than focusing on the Savior, we focus on the celebration to the point that we miss the Savior.

So what do we do? First, we must choose to worship the King. Rather than having a heart of Herod, we must have the heart of the wise men who came to worship the King. The wise men chose to worship God as the King of Kings. We too must make a choice to worship Christ, the King of this world. We must release our busyness, our anxiety, our materialistic attitude to God and focus our attention on the Savior. We must also recognize that Christmas is not the wrappings, decorations, cookies, gifts, or food; it is the birth of Christ. Nothing can destroy the spirit of Christmas if we choose to worship Him.

I love the closing to the “Grinch that Stole Christmas.” At the end of Dr Seuss’ book he makes this revolutionary statement about the people of Who-ville. And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! “It came without packages, boxes or bags!” And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. “Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” And what happened then…? Well…in Who-ville they say That the Grinch’s small heart Grew three sizes that day! And the minute his heart didn’t feel quite so tight, He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light And he brought back the toys! And the food for the feast! And he… …HE HIMSELF…! The Grinch carved the roast beast! (Source, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Dr. Seuss, 1957)

As we close this message today I realize that for many of us we will experience Christmas in a different way. For some, the spirit of Christmas has been stolen because we have lost sight of the meaning of Christmas. For others, we can become too focused on the trappings, the gifts, the meals, and all the other things related to Christmas that we have missed the spirit and reason for the season. For others, we become consumed with the busyness of the season that we don’t have time to really celebrate. For others, the emotions we have experienced rob the Christmas spirit from our heart. We are afraid. We feel a loss. We are angry with life.

But at the end of it all there is nothing that can rob Christmas from our hearts when we focus on Him who is the King of the World. Herod is dead but Christ is alive. Too often we try to take things out of the hands of the true king and try to deal with them in our own way, but we must never forget that He is still the King. He is the reason for the season!

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

December 5, 2016 · 4:12 pm

The Surprise of Christmas

Peninsula Community Church

The Surprise of Christmas

December 4, 2016

Luke 1:26-38 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 

I do not know about you but I love Christmas and the mystic about the holiday. There are presents under the tree that have been carefully chosen and wrapped to maximize the surprise as the gift is opened. I am sure, like me, there have been times when you opened a gift thinking that it would be one thing only to find it was something totally different. What a surprise when you open the one gift that you have been longing for and you have no clue about the gift.

The story before us today is a story of surprise. In the story there is an event that takes a young woman in Nazareth totally by surprise. Mary, this young virgin teen, was engaged to Joseph. She was going about her daily tasks and was living life as she always had. She was preparing for her wedding day and helping around her home, just as she would have any other day. When she arose that morning she never would have guessed that she would receive a message that would shake her world and change her for the rest of her life.

Before we look at some of the specific details of the story, let me review some of the background to the story. Mary and Joseph had been engaged which was the first step in the marriage ritual for the Jewish people. There was a commitment to stay pure in terms of their sexuality. There was a commitment to begin to plan and put their household in order for their wedding day. In essence, according to Jewish law being engaged or betrothed meant they were already married but there was a process they had to follow in order to consummate the marriage on their wedding night. According to Scripture both Joseph and Mary had been faithful to their vows.

Mary was a young girl in the town of Nazareth. There was nothing special about Mary that would have given any indication that she would have been chosen by God for this amazing task. I don’t know why but God often chooses to use some of the most unknown and unrecognizable people to bring about His will. She lived in Nazareth a small town with no notoriety. Nazareth was not the kind of town that people expected to have a miracle take place. In John 1:45-46 Nathanael asked the probing question “Can anything good come out of Nazareth.” There was not much respect for the small town of Nazareth.

Can you imagine the moment this event occurred? She was minding her own business and suddenly an angel was greeting her. Gabriel met her with an amazing greeting that was about to rock her world. Speak of a surprise! How surprised do you think Mary was? The angel’s message was simply “You are favored and the Lord is with you.” The Greek word kecharitomene is an amazing word. It is made up of three parts. The root of the word is the word “grace.” We know that grace is the unmerited favor of God that is supernaturally endowed upon us. The suffix of the word is mene which indicates that Mary is the one being acted upon. Mary was not the one who brought herself into this state of grace but it was an action of God. The prefix ke indicates that the action has been completed in the past with its results continuing in full effect in the present. In other words, the work of grace has already been given and had been worked out on her behalf.

She was the recipient of great grace. In other words, she was having this encounter not because she somehow deserved it or had somehow merited the visitation. She was having this interaction for only one reason. She had been chosen by God. God saw her not as a young virgin girl but as a chosen vessel He could use to bring about His will. She was not perfect, but as we know from Scripture no one is righteous in themselves (Romans 3:11) because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). She was no exception as she was chosen not because of her works but because of the work of God.

As you might imagine she was troubled by the announcement of the angel. It is noteworthy that she was not troubled by the angel or fearful of the angel but her fear and trouble was in the announcement itself. How would you have reacted to such news? She was to be the mother of Jesus. She was chosen to be the vessel through which Jesus, the Messiah, would be born and would change the world. Spiritually, God desires to do that through us today. He has chosen us as a vessel through which He can be manifested and His name can be known. He came to live in us so we would be like Him and the world would experience Him through us. We have His favor!

The angel responded to her fear by saying to her “Do not be afraid.” That is an amazing statement when you think about it. Here is Mary being approached an angel and Mary’s response was “How can this be?” In essence, what she was saying in the modern language is “Are you kidding me? Are you serious?”  The reality is that Mary was awestruck by the calling she was given. What was she going to do? She was perplexed by the news which speaks of her humility and honesty. Then again, it’s not every day that one gets a cold call from a divine messenger.

We do get this from time to time. It can be a moment in a sermon or in a conversation. It can be during a quiet walk in the woods or in prayer that God taps you on the shoulder and says, “Hey you. Yes, you the favored one!” It forces us to question ”Me? Favored? By God? You must have mistaken me for someone else.” No matter how many times or in what form we hear, “yes it is you and you are the favored one,” we have the hardest time believing we are the ones being addressed. For some, it is because their relationship with God is grounded in fear. For others, it is because their faith is overshadowed by the problems of life and the largeness of the calling.

Mary had so many questions and concerns. After all she was a virgin and how could she become pregnant without breaking her marriage vows? What would Joseph think? What would Joseph do? It was in his power to legally divorce her. If this happened, the community could reject her and in fact they could stone her if they chose. But once again, Gabriel responds with an amazing statement. He stated that the Holy Spirit will come upon her.

Here is what Gabriel is saying. While you are fearful and concerned, the Holy Spirit will come and fill you. Yes this is an amazing task for you to accomplish. It is an amazing calling but the Holy Spirit will be there to guide you and help you all along the way. When you falter He will be there to assist you and help you. The angel states that the Lord will be with her and that the Holy Spirit will come upon her. The angel is saying He is there and she is covered. She will be protected. When you think about this we see the Trinity at work. Jesus will be in her. The Holy spirit will be upon her, and God will be along side of her. How amazing and wonderful is that.

As Mary is pondering the question of how can this be, the angel makes another amazing statement. “Nothing will be impossible.” Then he announces that her aunt Elizabeth is pregnant. She had been deemed too old to have children but with God nothing is impossible. What Gabriel was saying is, if God can take a worn out, old, barren woman who is past her prime and give her a child, a miracle can be done in you as well. There is nothing too hard for God. If God can touch Elizabeth, then He can surely pregnant a young healthy virgin. In this story there are two great miracles: the birth of Jesus and the birth of John the Baptist.

In the final part of this verse we find Mary’s response and what an awesome response it is. She says: “Let it be according to your word.” She relents and accepts God’s calling and purpose for her life. What she his saying is God I don’t understand it and I don’t know how to put all of this in perspective but I trust you and I receive your word and your calling. I accept your grace and power to see me through this.

Notice the connection between the call of Mary and the presence of God in this story. We are reminded that His name would be called Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). From the beginning of His life He is with us. The entirety of the Godhead is available to us for guidance, protection, and being guarded. When God calls you He does not make a mistake. He knows you and He knows where you live. He does not come and go; He is is with us always.

So what do we do with this story? We make it our own. We see that God can do the impossible in us. Are you expecting? Do you know that God can surprise us and call us to a miraculous walk with Him? The grace of God is seeking you today to let you know that He is in you, upon you and along side of you to reveal Himself to you. It may in the mundane that He comes but He is there.

Know this, you are highly favored because you have been called by God. He chose you because He had a plan and He knows you. His grace comes to us not because we are worthy but because of God. In every circumstance and stage of life, His grace comes. The enemy of our soul would rather you think that you are a failure and that there is not hope. But that is a lie. The enemy wants us to believe that there is no hope, that we have failed, and we are not worthy but that is not God’s calling or purpose for us.

Here is a second idea that we need to know about the grace of God. He knows where we are and He knows us, knows our problems, and He knows the depth of the pain and heartache you are experiencing. He knows your fears. He knows your doubts. He wants to come to you today and give you His grace. He wants to touch your heart. In the video we watched early in the service it is so easy to neglect and walk right by the gift of grace that God has given us. But don’t do that today. Open your heart to God’s grace. Mary did!

If you need or want the grace of God today I ask that you open your heart and do what Mary did. Her final reply was “Let it be according to your Word!” Whatever you need to do today “Lord I am asking you to do that. Give me grace to endure. Give me grace to speak truth in love.” His grace is a great grace and it is all we need today.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , ,

November 28, 2016 · 11:15 am

The Power of a Grateful Life

Peninsula Community Church

The Power of a Grateful Life

November 27, 2016

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Last Saturday at our men’s breakfast I shared this passage briefly. When I left the breakfast I felt the push of the Holy Spirit to share this for thanksgiving Sunday as well. As I continued to pray and meditate on the passage, I felt encouraged even more to do so.

I think the reason for this in part is that there is so much around us that can rob of us of a grateful heart. We are faced with economic issues. So many are being overworked with little return on their investment. Sin is being manifested it seems without any boundaries. People and relationships are being tested beyond measure. There are health issues, job problems, spiritual issues, addictions, and moral failures that all lend themselves to an ungrateful heart.

Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi details for us how we can maintain a joyful, grateful heart. It exemplifies those things we are to focus on to create an atmosphere and a attitude of gratefulness. We should note that Paul does not write this from the advantage of a problem free life. In fact, his life was anything but problem free. Paul had been beaten. He had been left for dead. He was on board a ship that crashed. He had friends turn against him. His ministry had been rejected. The Jewish leadership did not accept him and in fact they had great disdain for him. He had been thrown out of several cities and towns because of his ministry and lifestyle and upon the occasion of this letter to the church at Philippi, Paul now found himself in prison. He had been thrown in prison because of his ministry and his work associated with the kingdom of God. He did not choose this way of living but instead he was forced into prison because of what he stood for and how he lived his life. Based on his circumstances, he should have been the most ungrateful person in the world but he was not. Instead of ungratefulness the theme of the book of Philippians, is joy.

As we read this passage, we find four key items that lend themselves to developing a grateful heart. First of all, we are called to celebrate what God has done. Paul calls us to rejoice and then he emphasizes that call by repeating himself. As we have noted on a number of occasions, when something is repeated in Scripture it means that it is important. Paul instructs us that we are called to celebrate what God has done because in doing so we will exhibit a lifestyle of joy and gratefulness. Paul states that we are to rejoice in the Lord Always. This means that our rejoicing in the Lord should be an ongoing process of worshipping Him and recognizing the place of God in our life.

Here is the rub for us, however. How can we rejoice when the events of life are not going well? Does that not seem impossible if not at least very strange. The point Paul is driving home is that we do not rejoice in the events or circumstances of our life but rather we rejoice in Christ. The fact is life is not fair and life is certainly filled with problems and difficulties. That is why our rejoicing is not in the events, circumstances, or even the people in our life. Our rejoicing should be focused on the Lord, who is Christ.

There are a couple of things about the Greek word used here for rejoice that bears comment. First of all the root of the word CHAIRETE, to rejoice, is the word for “grace.” This is important because at the root of our ability to rejoice is grace. We recognize that He, God, has done so much for us and when we recognize this it ushers us into place of praise. So the first way to maintain a grateful heart is to rejoice in God even when we do not feel like it.

A second idea expressed in this word is that the command to rejoice is in the present tense and the active voice. That means that it can be translated: “Go on being glad in the Lord.” In other words rejoice and keep on rejoicing in the Lord. Do not stop. Our rejoicing and celebration is not conditioned upon what we do or what happens to us. It is a work of grace within us. It is a gift and a gift worth receiving. It is a gift worth grasping and taking as our own.

A third comment worth noting is that there is a difference between earthly happiness and spiritual joy. Earthly happiness is produced and maintained by events, by things, by experiences, and these often involve money, moods, and materialism. Spiritual joy is a product of one’s relationship with God through Christ and is a constant in our life. Earthly happiness on the other hand fluctuates greatly as things happen or do not happen.

The second item that lends itself to having a grateful heart is that we are called to respect others. Paul calls us to let your reasonableness be known to everyone. What Paul is saying is that we must treat people with respect. When we have a grateful heart we tend to treat others in a more reasonable way. When we are grateful, emotions like jealousy, anger, and distrust are diminished. As I was preparing this, I came across this statement, Gentleness breathes grace into the midst of tension. Remember the truth of Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Here is the point, grateful people tend to be patient people. Grateful people tend to be gracious people.

 

The third item to consider for having a grateful heart is that we are not to stress over things, events, or people. Paul calls us to not to be anxious for anything. Wow! Can you imagine that Paul would dare say such a thing? Do not be anxious for anything is the command of Paul. How can Paul even think such a thing? Does he not know what we are dealing with? Does he not know the problems we have? For Paul this is not just a passing statement, it is a commitment to trust God. This is a reminder of Jesus’ own words in Matthew 6. Do not worry! Do not be anxious. It is a matter of trust in God’s ability to supply our needs, take care of the problems we face, and help us with those in our life that are hard to be grateful for. Once again, this call to a life without anxiousness is only possible as we focus on God and what He has provided for us. A lack of anxiousness also flows from a heart that is grateful because we recognize that God will supply our every need.

Listen to the words of Christ in Matthew 6. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Do not be anxious! God will provide all that we need.

The final item needed to have a grateful heart is that we are called to be focused on a heart of gratefulness. Paul calls us to prayer and supplication with a thankful heart. Being grateful is a matter of focus and where we place our affections. We are less grateful when we focus on ourselves and what we don’t have rather than on what God has already given us and provided for us. We are less selfish when we pray with an attitude of gratitude. From a heart of gratefulness we pray with expectation but not a selfish heart. Instead, we pray with the amazement of all God has provided.

At the end of this passage we see God’s response to a grateful heart. Paul states And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. In this, Paul describes two outcomes of walking in gratitude and thankfulness. The first response from God is that He will give us a peace that surpasses all understanding. Have you ever experienced that kind of peace? Have you experienced a peace that is almost indescribable? It is a peace that overwhelms us when we are overcome by the difficulties of life. It is a peace that controls us when what we want to do is explode and lash out. It is a peace that comforts us and establishes a patience and control in us that does not come from any other source.

How valuable is living at peace? I don’t know about you but to live in peace with myself is critical. I can live at peace because I live content in the Holy Spirit. That does not mean that I do not desire things or want things, it simply means that my desire for things never exceeds my ability to give thanks for what he has already been given. Think about this. When I live a grateful life I am less likely to want what I cannot have as I am so fully grateful what God has already given me and what God has already done for me.

The second response of God is that by living with a grateful heart God will guard our hearts and minds. Think about this, by having a grateful heart God protects our hearts and minds against the onslaught of negativity and the lies that are so often propagated by the enemy of our souls. Gratefulness transforms our heart and our mind.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be negative? We begin to look at the negative things around us and soon we sense we are becoming even more negative. A number of years ago we had a fellow that worked with us. He was always so negative and he was a bit of a hypochondriac. One day one of his buddies had enough of his negativity and decided to make a bet with his friends that he could get him to go home before lunch because he was sick. The bet was on and sure enough he was headed home by lunch. When questioned, the fellow who made the bet said it was simple. I continued to tell him that he did not look good and that there was a major stomach bug going around. He believed the lie.

The enemy loves to magnify the failures and difficulties of life but a grateful heart magnifies the glory of God. The enemy magnifies the problems but a grateful heart magnifies the good of life. We must be careful here because this never means that we deny the problems we face but rather they are always defined within the context of what God has done for us and a grateful heart.

As we close today I would like to do something a bit different. Instead of praying for anything I would like for us to take a moment and give thanks to God for what we have. In giving thanks we are motivated to gratefulness and praise. So, let us give thanks today!

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , ,

November 21, 2016 · 10:50 am

By Faith: The Triumph of Faith

Peninsula Community Church

By Faith: The Triumph of Faith

November 20, 2016

Hebrews 11:32-40 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Well we are at the end of our journey in the Hall of Fame of Faith. It has been a fun adventure and we have learned so much about faith and about those who exhibited their faith under very difficult circumstances and situations. As we come to the end of this chapter, we find that the writer of Hebrew realizes there is not enough space or time to write about everyone who exhibited faith qualities in the Bible. Because of this, he summarizes many of the examples of faith in just a few words. It is almost like he posted a collage of people who were considered to have walked in faith to save time. For many of the stories there is no name associated with them, or there is a name without any detail to what they accomplished. All we know is that at the core of their story is a faith in God.

As we read this passage, we find these folks faced hardships and difficulties that were unbearable but their faith helped them to overcome every obstacle and every problem. What we learn today confirms what we have already experienced in the other exhibits in the hall of fame of faith. No matter what they faced they continued to focus on the one who was faithful and trustworthy. That is the lesson for us today. While the characters changed in the story and the circumstances that led to their difficulty changed, the focus of their faith did not change. Their faith in God helped them make it through whatever came their way.

That is what we must do also. No matter what comes, we must stay focused on the one who does not waiver or change. That is what we see in Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (and how do we do this, we do so by) looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. No matter what comes into our lives, we must stay focused on Jesus who is not only the founder/author of our faith but He is also the perfecter of our faith. Therefore, Jesus does not only originate or begin our faith He also brings it to completion. The word here for perfecter or finisher means to make complete. That means we do not need anyone or anything else to give us spiritual faith. We do not rely on people or circumstances to establish our faith in God it is God’s doing and His work in us that brings faith and then brings our faith to a level of completion.

Do you get this? Jesus is the one in whom our faith is founded and He is the one who makes our faith complete. Without Jesus there would be no faith. So when we lack faith we turn to Christ. How do we accomplish this? We stay focused on Jesus. We keep our eyes on Him. You see we will go where our eyes take us. Have you ever been concentrating on something in front of you when you have been driving and then find yourself drifting off the side of the road when the car in front of you turns off. We must focus our attention on the faithfulness and trustworthiness of God. When we do that we will follow Him. That is why we are commanded to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, your soul, your strength, and your mind. 

Secondly, focusing on God may cost us but God will keep you. How do I know this? I know this because of the story of Daniel. This is just one of the many stories in the collage of faith at the end of the tour. By faith, the mouths of the lions were shut so that they could not cause him any harm. The amazing story here is that Daniel was taken into captivity by the Babylonian empire. He and others of Israel were chosen because they were young, smart, and good looking. The desire was to train them in the ways of Babylon but God had other plans for them. In the process, Daniel found favor with the king and was raised to a position of authority within the king’s court. Things were going well but those around the king became jealous. In fact the word that as used was “maliciously jealous.” They wanted to see Daniel taken out. As a result Daniel was forced to choose between worshipping the monument built to honor Nebuchadnezzar or to continue to worship God almighty. His choice was a life or death choice. He had to choose between worshipping God and worshipping the false gods of Babylon.

Even though he had to make a choice he was a righteous man and he trusted God with his life. His faith was counterpoised against the will of the King and what Daniel’s convictions called for. Daniels’s faith and his trust in God was being tested. For Daniel this was a crisis of faith. Would he make the right choice or would he succumb to the temptation to gain favor through compromise? For many of us that is the great challenge of life. Will we obey God or will we compromise our beliefs to gain favor with those around us or who those might impact us in either positive or negative ways?

If you have read the story, you know that Daniel made a choice that could cost him his life. He refused to bow down to worship the idol that had been erected. He chose rather to worship his God whom he trusted. For Daniel he did what was right in the sight of God but he was punished anyway. Others close to the king made sure he knew that he had not bowed his knee. They were jealous of Daniels’s relationship and it was their opportunity to exact revenge. There is a lesson here for us in that it is somewhat easier to accept punishment when we know we deserve it but it is extremely hard to receive a punishment when we know that we stood for truth and have done the right thing. It is much harder to navigate the issues of life when we know that we have done the right thing and still experience the negative effects and reactions of the issue.

If you know the story, you will remember that Nebuchanezzar was forced to put Daniel in the lion’s den because it was his edict that Daniel transgressed against. The next morning when the king came to look in on Daniel they expected the worse but as they opened the gate they were amazed at what they found. To their amazement Daniel walked out of the den without a bite mark or a scratch. God had intervened and the lions had not touched him. This reminds me of the words of Peter who stated that the enemy of our souls is like a roaring lion who is seeking who he can devour. The enemy can growl, roar, and swipe his claws at us but if we remain faithful he cannot harm us. He can frighten us and scare us but he can not take away our faith.

The greatness of this story is found in Daniel’s response to this miracle. Daniel proclaims O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths (God gets the glory for this), and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces (Daniel 6:21-24). 

Notice something about this story. Daniel’s faith in God propelled him into the lion’s den because he would not compromise but it was also his faith in God that saved him. Because he was a righteous man and a passionate follower of God he was righteous in his thinking, his attitudes, and his focus. He trusted God and God came through big time. God kept the lions at bay. If you do not believe this look what happened to those who were found guilty of setting Daniel up. His accusers were thrown into the den and the lions did not hesitate to devour them. It is as if God wanted them to know that the reason that Daniel was saved was not a lack of appetite on the part of the lions but the glory of God that kept Daniel safe.

Finally, our focus is on Christ but it is also on what is yet to come. As we read at the end of this passage we find And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. What the writer is saying is that there is something much better for us. The future is ahead and God has great plans. While we have to live life in the present we do so with a future in mind. The problem is that we get so trapped in the present that we miss what is ahead. We can be so trapped in what is happening now or in the past that we miss that God is moving and working on our behalf for our future.

Most of those who are listed in Hebrews 11 never saw their dreams totally fulfilled but that did not stop them from being obedient. They were waiting for a day that they would come and they would live with God forever. Their faith was based in the hope of God but also in the future promise given to them. They looked to the day that Messiah would come and they looked for the day that their eternal home was prepared for them. They realized that this world was not their home. It was only a stopping off place. God had a better place and He had a better life for them.

In the final analysis, the overall lesson of the Hall of Fame of Faith is that we must trust Christ and He is worthy of our trust. He is the Lion and the Lamb that sits on the throne and is fighting for us every moment of every day. He is with us and that means everything. So in the few moments we have left I would ask that you focus your attention on Christ. No matter what you are facing turns your eyes toward Jesus. He is faithful and He is trustworthy.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

November 14, 2016 · 12:09 pm

By Faith – Living as a Community of Faith

Peninsula Community Church

By Faith – Living as a Community of Faith

November 13, 2016

Hebrews 11:29-30 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

As we continue our adventure through the Hall of Fame of Faith, we come to a section of the study that moves us from focusing on an individual’s faith to the corporate faith of the people as a whole. So far, we have looked at the faith of individuals who stood tall among their peers. By faith they encountered major tests in their lives which they all passed. You see while one’s personal faith is critical we need to also recognize that corporate faith is just as critical and important. Notice in this passage, there is no mention of any one single individual. Instead, we find the Israelites were recognized as a whole for their faith. In mass, they had a faith that would sustain them and keep them. Their faith was based on a strong trust in God and what God had accomplished for them already.

In the Biblical economy of things, we find there are many stories related to the value of corporate faith. At the same time, we have stories where a negative response to faith was demonstrated. Remember the twelve spies (Numbers 13:25-14:5). Two of the spies walked in faith while ten of the spies were faithless and saw the size of the giants rather than the largeness of God. We find that ten of the spies gave a bad report and caused the people to lose faith. So instead of taking forty days to enter into the Promised Land it took them forty years. You see God had to move them to a place where they could trust God completely and God used the wilderness journey to make that happen.

There was also a time when Moses was on the mountain top where he received the Ten Commandments. Because it seemed that Moses was taking too long to come off the mountain, Aaron and the people decided to take things into their own hands (Exodus 32:1-16). Instead of following after God, the people decided to make a golden calf to worship. They refused God’s way and devised another way to reach God. These stories show us that on these two occasions the children of Israel lacked the faith they needed. They moved together as one body even if it was in the wrong direction. I am so grateful that in our passage today we have two stories of victory and a communal approach to faith.

In the first story, they had faith to follow Moses through the Red Sea and in the second story they were able to fight against Jericho without a shot fired, so to speak. They were obedient and God came through for them. As they approached the Red Sea everything was against them. The odds of them making it across the Red Sea was not very good. They were blocked in by Pharaoh’s army who was charging hard towards them. Pharaoh’s army would surely kill them or arrest them so that they would have to return to the bondage of Egypt. In Exodus 4:10-14 we find that they were filled with fear and regret. What were they going to do? They were struggling but when Moses spoke to them they were able to refocus their attention on God.

They also needed a miracle and that is just what they received. As Moses raised his staff into the air, the water began to part. Suddenly in front of them there was a pathway of escape but God did more than part the waters. He made it so that the ground they were to walk on would be dry enough so they could cross over on solid ground. As the enemy approached and tried to navigate the same path the Israelites had gone through, Pharaoh’s army was destroyed because the water returned to its original place. You see the Children of Israel had great faith while Pharaoh’s army had great courage but courage is never enough to succeed, we need faith and our faith must be focused in the right place.

The critical point here is that the Children of Israel journeyed across the Red Sea together. They walked on dry ground that had been wet and muddy just a few moments earlier. It is also noteworthy that they did not go ahead of God as they would have been bogged down in the Sea. They did not lag behind as they would have been sucked into the sea when the waters returned. They moved as one body in perfect rhythm to God’s timing. The Psalmist spoke of this kind of unity in Psalm 133:1-3 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

The lesson here is that it is good and pleasant for the people of God to dwell and move as one body. There is a godly anointing (the oil on the head) that comes from walking in unity. There is a refreshing spirit (the dew of Hermon) that comes as we serve together and we walk together. Notice this is not only a good idea for the body of Christ to walk as one body but it is an absolute necessity for this to occur. As believers, there is a power in being a community of believers rather than flying through life as a solo artist. You see we are stronger together than we are apart. By navigating through life together we get the privilege of encouraging one another in the faith. Can you grasp the opportunity that availed itself to the Children of Israel? Together they could encourage one another on the journey. They could pray for one another. They could pick up one another when they fell. They helped each other carry their burdens and the loads that weighed them down. They cheered each other in the midst of struggle and even possible death.

The classic passage that expresses this is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. The word picture that comes to mind here is the coal briquette from the fire that gets dislodged and finds itself alone. Once this happens that ember begins to die out and it begins to lose its power as a source of energy and fire. Once reintroduced to the fire, the ember begins to burn brightly again. So it is with us, we can choose to be alone in our walk of faith but if we are not careful we will find ourselves isolated and the fire of the spirit can begin to dim. Helen Keller stated that “Alone we do so little, together we can do so much.” There is no greater place for this to happen than in the body of Christ. We are stronger together than when we are isolated.

In preparing this message, I can across an article entitled “Not Alone: More than A Slogan.” The article referenced a study completed by Eric Klinenberg for his book entitled “Going Solo.” His premise was that Americans are moving toward living solo and isolated lives more than any other time in their existence. He noted that 32 million Americans live alone. This represents 28 percent of all households. In cities like Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Fransisco, and Minneapolis 40% or more of all households contain a single occupant. Five million people in the United States between the ages of 18 and 34 live alone. This is 10 times more than in 1950. He noted that the largest category of single people are the middle-aged group of 34 to 64 year olds. He also notes that many times just because one is living in a house with others does not mean that they are connected and in a viable relationship. Too often in our homes today, we sit at the table with our cell phone, computer, iPad, or TV on and do very little engaging of those around us. Then after dinner we splinter off into our bedrooms or other places in the house with no engagement with one another or communication.

It is also noteworthy that the word for church is “ekkelsia.” This word means the called out ones. It is represented as an assembly and gathering that was focused on a unified vision. As a church we are unified around the cross. We are not unified around our specific personalities or the gifts God has given us. God brings all of our gifts and personalities together to form a body that can move forward to accomplish His will and His purpose. Together as one force, we can accomplish almost anything. Couple that with the power of faith, the work of the Holy Spirit, and we are invincible. Notice what the early church did together. They met regularly to have times of fellowship, to pray, and to study the word of God (Acts 2:42-47). The result was they were empowered, encouraged, and strengthened.

While this message is focused on the unity of the body and the faith that comes from community, it is noteworthy that each one of us have to make a choice to be a part of the community of believers. We must choose to do our part and engage with the community. It means that we must do our part to make the community a success as we trust God and follow after Him. As we come to know Christ, we make a decision to join with our brothers and sisters in Christ to accomplish God’s purposes and His will. As we skillfully use the gifts we have been given, the body grows and becomes more powerful as we fulfill God’s plan together.

Paul recognized the power of coming together and working together when he stated And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Now as we go back to our passage this morning I am reminded that as a body we have some Red Seas that we must cross and some Jericho walls we must tear down. First of all, we have been called to reach this community for Christ. Sometimes this can feel like the Red Sea or a Jericho wall. People are closed off and not open to receive from God the best gift ever. As I look at this, I recognize that reaching our community can be like crossing the Rea Sea. We know it is what God desires but we can be filled with fear and the task can seem impossible. As we come together and each of us do our part, God will part the waters and we can cross the Red Sea and God will get the glory. As we face our Jericho where walls seem to be built up and many seem so fortified we must remember that no wall is impenetrable when God is on our side and we make a decision to move together as one body.

A second part of this is the fact that as the days we live in become more dark and it seems that evil is in charge, we need each other more than ever. Listen to Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” We need to be in the business of encouraging one another and challenging each other toward love and good works. That can only happen as we are working within the context of community. May we cross our Red Seas and may we tear down our walls together as one body and one community of faith.

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

November 7, 2016 · 9:41 am

By Faith: Faith Wins

Peninsula Community Church 

By Faith: Faith Wins

November 6, 2016

Hebrews 11:23-28 – By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

Today, we look at the story of one of the most iconic members of the Hall of Fame of Faith. As many of us will remember, Moses’ story was memorialized best by Charlton Heston who played Moses in the epic 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments.” When we consider all of the Old Testament characters, Moses is one of the first characters most people think about. We remember him most because of the plagues, the parting the Red Sea, and that God gave him the Ten Commandments but there is so much more to the story. His entire life was lived in a way that God was honored. He went from riches to rags, not because of bad decisions but in fact because he chose wisely. Each stage of his life allowed him to learn more about life, people, God, and most of all about himself.

As we look at this story, we will find four key areas where faith triumphed in Moses’ life, but in each case Moses’ stress led to an exhibition of tremendous faith. From a personal standpoint we all need faith when the stressors of life impact us. We all have them but the stressors of life do not have to cause stress. Instead of stressing us out, we walk and move in faith which brings to us to a confidence in what God can and will do in us and for us. Moses’ life was filled with stress points but all along the way we see that faith triumphed over fear.

So with that in mind let us look at the areas of stress in Moses life as detailed in Hebrews 11. The first stressor was a choice between life or death. At his birth, the faith of Moses’ mom was on display. To understand her faith, we must recognize there was an edict that all males born to Hebrew women were to be thrown into the Nile River and killed (Exodus 1:22). Additionally, if anyone harbored or protected one of these babies they were to suffer death as well. This edict was initiated by the new Pharaoh of Egypt who did not fully appreciate the relationship that Egypt had with Israel. His edict was based on the fear that the Israelites would outnumber them and one day would attack the Egyptians and overtake them.

You see, while fear motivated Pharaoh’s actions, faith in God motivated Moses’ mom’s actions. It should be noted that she was not ignorant or naive. She was keenly aware of the edict that had been mandated when Moses was born but rather than being driven by fear, Moses’ mom was driven by faith. She trusted the one who would protect her son. What a contrast of attitudes. Fear versus faith. Here is the promise for us. Faith wins every time. While Moses’ mom was very aware of Pharaoh’s edict, her love for her son and her faith in God outweighed the thought of what might happen to her or her baby. Her actions remind us of Paul’s admonishment to Timothy. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:6-7). 

In a selfless act of faith she built an ark. She sealed the ark so the water of the Nile would not seep into the ark. Once completed she placed Moses into the ark and went down to the river. At the riverside, she gently pushed the ark into the water and she let it go. Many have asked how this showed faith. One pastor stated the greatest sign of her faith was evidenced in the fact that she did not tie a rope to the ark. She simply let it go and trusted God. Moses’ sister, Miriam, is asked to watch after the ark as it floats down the river. When the ark finally came to its resting place, it was Pharaoh’s daughter that found the ark. Miriam took this opportunity to step up and proclaim that she knew a woman who could be the nurse maid for this child. Amazingly mom and baby were reconnected and God’s plan for Moses’ life was set in motion. Faith wins.

The second stressor Moses faced was the choice between enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin and following the heart of God. Because of his faith, Moses was positioned to choose the ways of God rather than the ways of sin. Moses chose to side with the people of God who were being mistreated rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. His faith moved him to focus on God rather than on the sin of the world. John Piper said this about Moses’ faith. “Walking by faith means defeating sin’s pleasures with the promise of a superior pleasure in God.” How powerful that is?

By refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Hebrews 11:24), he was refusing the privilege and power that was his by way of being Pharaoh’s son. What a choice but it was a choice that was made in faith because he had no clue of what the outcome would be. The Bible tells us that Moses chose “to be mistreated with the people of God” and “considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth” (Hebrews 11:26) than anything that Egypt or pharaoh would have to offer him. He knew that the pleasure of sin would only be a temporary pleasure. In the end the sin he might enjoy for a season would leave him empty in the end. Faith wins.

The third stressor for Moses is that he chose to leave Egypt rather than stay in the comfortableness of Egypt. He had no clue where he would go but he left Egypt because he desired to be obedient to God’s plan. Until this point, all he knew was Egypt. He had lived there all of his life. While Egypt was his home there was something within him that drew him to a different place and to a different vision of what could be. God led Moses from the beauty of Egypt to the barrenness of the desert where he would learn to trust God more. He left the riches of a kingdom where all the wealth of that kingdom was at his disposal to serve God with a few sheep and a staff. Does that sound familiar? Do remember that it was Christ that left the riches of heaven to come to the earth.

There was a second reason that God moved him to the desert. He needed to learn the way of the desert because God’s ultimate plan was to use him as the leader who would guide the Children of Israel through the desert. In the desert his life was not over. God was orchestrating and positioning him to accomplish God’s future purpose for Moses. Moses would return to Egypt to become the spiritual leader of the nation of Israel. Nothing in Moses life was wasted. Everything he experienced would be used by God to bring about His purpose and His plan. The lesson for us is that we may not understand the plans and workings of God in our life. In the midst of the problems, the changes, and the detours we may think God has blown it or He has somehow missed a moment but God does not make mistakes. He uses our experiences and the detours of our life for His glory. He positions us to be used by him. Faith wins.

And finally, we find Moses returning to Egypt where he chose to take the spiritual leadership of the children of Israel rather than viewing things from the back seat. Because of his experiences and the life lessons he acquired, we find that he was the right person for the job. He had learned faith from his mom. That faith kept him and sustained him through some very difficult times. As noted, nothing is ever a waste in the economy of God. Every circumstance is an opportunity for God to be glorified and for His name to be proven trustworthy. I am sure there were days where Moses thought his life was over and that he would never be successful. I am sure there were times that Moses thought that he had missed the mark. After all why would God not use him in Egypt before he had to leave Egypt? Whatever the reasoning, God had a plan and God was about to fulfill that plan. What was His plan? It was the deliverance of Israel.

We know the story. Moses returned to Egypt where he began to lead the people of Israel. He confronted Pharaoh with the command to let God’s people go. Each time Pharaoh resisted his resistance was met with another plague or sign that God was in control. The final sword in the side of Pharaoh is that God chose to take every first born child in Egypt. It is noteworthy that God used the very thing that got Moses to Egypt in the first place to convince Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go. God used the death of children to change Pharaoh’s heart.

For the children of Israel, they were given an opportunity for redemption if they would offer a lamb to God and would apply the blood of that lamb to the doorposts of their homes. That night when the angel of death swept through the land of Egypt all of those who had the blood applied escaped death. That night, death ravaged the land but Israel was safe. Through the brokenness of Pharaoh’s heart he relented and let the people of God go free. They had their liberty. They had their freedom. Faith wins.

Today, as we gather around the communion table we look back to another person who was sent to us as a deliverer. He came not just as a deliverer but He came as the lamb Himself. He came to offer Himself so that when His blood is applied to the doorposts of our hearts, we find life and not death. That is why we can come today in celebration of His death and resurrection. So as we take this cup and we take this bread, we are reminded that the Israelites were redeemed and the death angel passed over them because the angel of death could not pass over the blood to touch them. Today death can stand at our door but it can not touch us. When death comes it is a blessing to the one who is in Christ. Paul said to be absent in body is to be present with the Lord. What Paul is saying? He is saying that in the end faith wins!

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , ,

October 31, 2016 · 8:10 am

By Faith: God Provides

Peninsula Community Church 

By Faith: God Provides

October 30, 2016

Hebrews 11:17-20 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

As we continue our journey through the Hall of Fame of Faith we will turn our attention back to Abraham and a story that seems to be filled with major contradictions. We will look at these in a moment. While it is true there appears to be a series of contradictions, we also see that this is a story of faith and trust like no other.

In our earlier discussions, you may remember that Abraham had been called out of his homeland to go to a new place that God would reveal to him only as he was obedient to God. In other words God would let him know when he arrived at the destination (Genesis 12). In the story, we find that Abraham obeyed by faith and he found the place God wanted him to abide. In the process, God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. He would be progenitor of what was to come. As we continue the story, we find that he and Sarah tried to take things into their own hands and he had a son with Hagar. This never worked out the way he thought and he had to move Hagar and Ishmael to the desert.

Here is what I love about the story of Abraham. He was a man of faith but he was not a perfect man. He had his foibles and his failures. Throughout his life he passed many of life’s tests and yet he failed so many others. We might be critical of Abraham but before we become too critical of him if we are honest we do the same thing. We pass some of the tests of life with flying colors while we fail at some of the others. In fact, at times I can be amazed at what tests I pass and which ones I fail. In the story before us today, we see a major test that Abraham was given and how he passed it with flying colors.

As I noted before, this story is filled with several contradictions. In a recent message by Pastor Tony Evans, he noted five contradictions in this story. First, he noted that theologically God had made a promise to Abraham but now Abraham was being asked to kill the promise that was given to him. For Abraham this was a major contradiction. Secondly, from a Biblical standpoint God had condemned murder in Genesis 9:5-6. Now God is asking Abraham to do the very thing that is condemned by God. On one hand God is calling for Abraham’s obedience and yet on the other hand he is being asked to break God’s command. Emotionally, Abraham faced a huge contradiction. He loved his son, his only son, but he wanted to please God and honor God with his whole life. Abraham was having to make a choice about giving up what he loved and his obedience to God. Can you imagine the turmoil that evidenced in Abraham’s heart.

Relationally, we see the contradiction of his love for Sarah and the struggle he would have in explaining all of this to her. Perhaps that is why he arose early in the morning. By leaving early he would not have to confront her with his mission. And then finally, we see a spiritual contradiction. Do you see it? He is being asked to sacrifice his son and yet at the same time he was being called to worship God. This story begs the question of how can we be obedient to God, and yet worship Him with a broken heart. These were the issues Abraham was being confronted with and yet he passed the test.

Think about this for a moment, God the creator of the heavens and the earth, the one who gave Abraham the promise of a son now has him positioned to take his son’s life. What turmoil and what pain he must of felt. All at once he was experiencing love, pain, confusion and so much more but instead of rejecting God we see a man who had faith that God would provide. How do I know that? Let’s look at three key passages that express the heart of Abraham.

First of all, Abraham tells his servants to stay below and that he and Isaac would go up the mountain to make a sacrifice to God. Once the sacrifice was complete they would return. Notice he did not say I will be back but instead he made the proclamation that “we will be back.” Here are his exact words. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you” (Genesis 22:5). There was a confident faith expressed here. He knew that God would fulfill His promise. He trusted God and he knew that God would provide even against all odds.

It is noteworthy that Abraham prepared for the sacrifice. He prepared the wood. He brought the rope. He brought everything he needed for the sacrifice and yet there was an assurance in his heart that God would provide an appropriate sacrifice. That is why he could proclaim that we are going up the mountain. I am going to be obedient to God and we will come down the mountain together.

There is a second reason that I believe that he had a great faith in God’s ability to fulfill His word and keep His promise. Listen to what the writer of Hebrews had to say. He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back (Hebrews 11:19). By faith, Abraham knew that even if the worst case scenario was to happen and he followed through with the offering of his son upon the altar, he knew that God had the power to raise him up again. He had a confidence in almighty God that He would keep His word and His promise to make him a father of many nations.

This vaguely sounds like the echo of Job’s heart when he faced the loss of everything that mattered in his life. Do you recall what Job proclaimed in Job 13:15? Here are Job’s words. Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. Listen to the faith of Job. Though God were to take everything from him, even his life, he vowed to serve God and to keep Him first in his life. He was saying that no matter what happens he would trust God and would hope in His promise.

As I think about this I am not so sure that I would have had such confidence in God. I think I would have been the one who would have been trying to find another way to help God out. After all, this could not be God’s will. Certainly, God must not know what He is talking about. I wonder if we are honest with ourselves, how many times do we react to the commands and promises of God that way. Through His written word and those strong impressions of the heart we know the voice of God, but we try to help God out because He certainly cannot know or mean what He is saying. I am so grateful that God does not put us to that kind of test everyday. I am so glad that God is patient with us when we do not believe Him or have faith in Him.

Abraham had an incredible faith. He obeyed. In his obedience he passed this major exam. The exam was a measure of his heart and the capacity of his heart to trust God to provide an appropriate sacrifice. One of things that helped Abraham pass the test is that he was more in love with God than he was the promise of God. That is the real test. The big question for us today is will we be more in love with God or more in love with what God does for us? It is so easy for us to slide into this kind of mentality. After all God gives and does so much for us that we could easily take Him for granted. We can easily become more in love with what He does than who He is.

And then thirdly, we have the words of Jesus in John 8:56. This is an amazing statement by Jesus but it helps us understand Abraham’s heart and mindset. Jesus said this. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” Do you get what this passage is saying? Abraham with confidence looked across the generations and through the years to see the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan. God’s plan all along was to provide a Savior that would redeem the world and would redeem mankind. Abraham knew in his heart that he had a role to play in that process.

Through the eyes of faith Abraham looked over the horizon of history yet to be written to see the coming Messiah. He focused on the coming Christ. Here is the beauty of this. In essence, it was this forward thinking of faith that kept Abraham focused on Christ and keep him in an obedient stance before God. In many ways the story of Abraham and Isaac resembled the story of Christ. Jesus was the only son of God who was sacrificed upon the cross for our sins. It was Jesus who became the substitute for our sin. It is also amazing that this story took place on Mount Moriah which was only a few yards from Golgotha where Christ died.

Think about it if you will. Later in the book of Hebrews, the writer admonishes us with these words in Hebrews 12:1-2. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Notice that the challenge here is for us to stay focused on Christ. The difference for us is that we have the historical record upon which we can base our faith but Abraham based his faith on the unknown and yet to be.

So let me ask you today? How is your faith? When difficulty comes into your life, what do you focus on? Where do you put your faith and confidence? Isaiah had a revelation of this truth in Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Do you hear it? He gives peace to those who focus on God. Abraham had that peace. He had that confidence. His focus was on the future hope of the coming Messiah.

So what does all of this mean for us today? It means that we too can have a confidence in the risen Savior, Jesus Christ. We can focus on Him knowing that He will provide all we need to survive the tests of our lives. We can have a confidence that even if God takes the promise from us that He will cause it to rise again in greater and more powerful ways. So I do not know what you are facing. I do not know what you need faith for today. But I know this God will provide a means to get through the difficulty and He will provide a means where we will survive the test. He is Jehovah Jireh, the God that provides. If we trust Him, He will provide a sacrifice. He will provide the answers we need. We focus, He answers!

For an audio of this message go to http://pccministry.org/media.php?pageID=14

Copyright © 2016 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,