Life on the edge

Peninsula Community Church

Lost and Found Part 3

August 30, 2015

Luke 15:11-16 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’  And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

As we continue our study today, I would like to hone in on what has been called the parable of the prodigal son. When we get into the nuts and bolts of this story we find that the story of the prodigal is as much a story of the Father and both of his sons as it is just about the younger son. The father had to deal with two sons who were ungrateful and self-focused. One took the path of unrighteousness and rebellion and the other took the path of self-righteousness and religion. While their actions were different, both sons in essence had the same problem and attitude. In this story, we find both sons dishonoring and demeaning their father in their actions. One ran away, while the other thought his father would love him more by doing all the right things.

For our time this morning, I would like to focus on the story of the younger son and the father’s response to him. So let me tell you the story by giving you some of the back story, and then finish by giving some key lessons we can take from this story. From a historical perspective, we find some unsettling truths and issues here. In our culture, today, we would not understand these issues but in Jesus’ day the actions taken by all three characters (the younger son, the father, and the elder son) would have been off the chart.

We find the youngest son coming to the father and asking for his portion of his inheritance. In those days one’s wealth was valued by the amount of property one owned and the amount of live stock they possessed. In distributing the inheritance, the father would have given two thirds to the eldest son and one third to the youngest son. Normally, this would only happen upon the death of the father, as one’s inheritance was rarely distributed prior to the death of the father.

Most historians have stated that this request by the son was in fact a way of saying to the father I want my inheritance because to me you are already dead and I do not need you any more. This was the greatest slap in the face that any child could give his father in that day. To request his inheritance early was in fact a matter of disowning the father and was rejecting his lineage which meant everything. What he was saying is, I don’t trust you to run my life I want to run my own life and I will do so. Just give me my stuff and let me go.

The son was motivated by his greed and desire to sow his wild oats. We do not have any insight into the reasoning why he made this decision other than he wanted to leave town and do his own thing. As we discussed last week, we are often tempted to wander away from God. We wander because we believe that the rules and guidelines established by God are too binding and too prohibitive for us to have any fun. So, we experiment with life out from under the umbrella of God’s protection and His grace.

For the father, he had to sell off his property and sell his live stock for this to happen. He had to diminish his size and his wealth to accommodate the rebellious son who wanted it all. Because of this, the entire community knew what was happening. It was a really sad situation. He gave his son his portion and off the son went. But it was not long before the son had used up everything he had. He found himself broke. He was without friends, funds, or food and to top things off there was a famine in the land which in our day would be equated to a serious downturn of the economy. The result was that the younger son found himself destitute and alone.

He eventually found a wealthy family to attach himself to and he became a laborer for them. He became a pig farmer which in the Jewish economy was the worse thing a person could do. He fed pigs which was a major disgrace to the Jew. But these circumstances were used to cause him to come to his senses. The son was looking across the landscape of his life and realized that even the lowest of servants in his father’s house had it much better than he did. They were treated better and had better food than he did in that moment. His plan was to go to his father, repent and ask if he could become a laborer for his father. So, he leaves and heads home. But the father does an incredible thing. He welcomes him back and restores him to the position of full sonship. He gives him his ring, his robe, his sandals, and throws him a party. That is so amazing!

So as we look at this story what are the take aways? What do we learn from the prodigal? First, the draw of sin is not all it is cracked up to be, it will leave you desolate and alone. Sin brings pleasure for a moment but in the end it leaves us void of life and a future. The biggest problem for the son was that he was more in love with the things of the father than being in love with the father. He wanted the things that the father gave but he forgot the necessity of building a loving relationship with the father. For us personally, the gifts God has given us are so amazing but there are too many times we want what God has to give without having a relationship with him. We want his peace but we don’t follow his word that brings us peace. We want his prosperity and we want success but we don’t want him to lead us to that prosperity or success. We want to do it ourselves without his spirit. We are in essence saying we do not need God.

The second lesson for us is that God loves us. He has loved us. He will always love us. There is no place we can go to hide from the father’s love. This is so amazing. The father could have rejected the offer made by his son but he allowed him to go his own way because in doing so he would learn the lesson that the father’s house is a better place to be than out on your own. But even in the rejection of the father, the father’s love was still with him. Romans 8 reminds us that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Remember God loves us. He loved us. He will continue to love us. 

A third lesson is that no matter what view we have of ourselves God the father has a different view. The son was rejected, at his lowest point, and smelled like a pig sty; and yet the father rushed to hug him and to restore him to the place of sonship in his house. The father did not see him as lost but he saw Him as his son. The father received him not as a loser, a servant, or a cast away. He received him as a son.

This is evidenced by the actions of the father. First, he ran to greet the son. In the context of the culture it was not an acceptable thing for an elderly man to be running. It was in fact disgraceful for him to run because it forced him to gather his robes up round his waist. His legs were worn with years of farming, and with his age he could fall, and that would embarrass him and his family. But, the father put aside all of the cultural norms and ran to him because his love for his son was greater than his desire to be politically or culturally correct.

We have to understand that this stands juxtaposed to the criticism the scribes and the pharisees leveled at Jesus in the first verse. In essence, Jesus is saying my love often breaks what is culturally accepted and what is politically correct. My love goes to the broken and lost while the pharisees and scribes would seek out those who were already whole. The scribes and pharisees wanted to be politically correct rather than godly.

Not only did the father run to him, the father also gave the son his ring which was like giving him his credit card and then placing his name on the card. He gave him his robe. This was not just any robe but it was the father’s robe. It represented the father’s authority. He gave him a pair of sandals which to us is no big deal but in that culture servants wore no shoes. So the father in essence is saying you are not a servant you are my son and I want to treat you like my son and not a slave. Then the father throws a party and brings in the fattened calf which was reserved for special occasions.

A fourth lesson is that when we return with a repentant heart, the father always receives us back with open arms and loving forgiveness. Notice, the father does not condemn the son or judge the son. He realizes that the son is already condemned by his sin and by his demeanor. The son’s intent was to repent but the father never gave him the opportunity. It is almost like he knew the son’s heart without him saying anything. You see the fact is God is more interested in our heart than he is in what we say. Sometimes, we repent because we have been caught and not because we want the father’s forgiveness. This is huge because we forget that God our father knows our heart and knows our motivation.

Today you may be the prodigal, or you may the one who has a prodigal child. But know this continue to love that child and when they return love them with the love only God can give.

Link to video shown during service – http://www.godvine.com/At-2-43-My-Heart-Was-In-My-Throat-This-Prodigal-Son-Story-Had-Me-Wanting-To-Hug-My-Whole-Family–6091.html

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Peninsula Community Church

Lost and Found  

August 16, 2015

Rather than reading one singular passage of scripture today, I will be reviewing the entire chapter before us and then we will go back over the next couple of weeks to study the chapter with particular emphasis on the parable of the Prodigal Son. I have entitled this series “Lost and Found” as that is the emphasis of each of the parables presented here.

With that in mind let us look at a couple of things. First of all to understand this passage and the reasoning behind these parables we must look at the first verse of chapter 15. Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” The Pharisees and the Scribes of Jesus were upset with the actions of Jesus. How could He do such a thing? Didn’t He know He should follow the rules and hold those who were sinners at a distance.

But the Pharisees and the Scribes had a problem in understanding the mission of Jesus. It was the usual problem that raised its ugly head when they were around Jesus. The real character of the Pharisees and Scribes seemed to be revealed when they encountered Jesus’ new way of doing things. They loved to corner Jesus and try to get Him to make a mistake or appear to discredit God’s law. Why is this? For one, the Pharisees and Scribes loved control. They loved to be in charge and have the position of authority. To accomplish this they had to discredit others who seemed to be gaining control and for that reason that they posed the questions they did. They also loved rules. They loved to make rules for others to follow and would be quick to judge and condemn those who were not following the rules. They also loved to argue over the rules. They loved to argue and debate the Scripture, not to find truth but to simply to debate and argue.

But, Jesus being the greater person, answered them as He often did. Instead of answering their question directly, He used the art of story telling or parables to get His point across. He preceded to tell them three stories. The first was the story of the shepherd who had lost one of his sheep. Even though he had 99 sheep safely in the fold, it was critical for him to go and find that one sheep that was lost. It is noteworthy that his search for the lost sheep is a persistent one. In fact, Jesus noted that the shepherd searched until he found the lost sheep. He did not give up.

The second story is that of a woman who had lost a coin. She had ten coins but one of the coins had been lost. In the story, Jesus states that she stopped everything she was doing; she lit a lamp and then she swept the house thoroughly until the coin was found. Jesus uses the word diligently to describe her search as she was focused and determined to find the lost coin.

In the third story, Jesus tells the story of a man who had two sons. One of the sons decided that he was ready to go out on his own. So, he asked his father for his inheritance which he gave to the son. It was not too long before the son had squandered everything he had and was found in the pig pen feeding the pigs. It was at this point that the son made a discovery. The food he was feeding the pigs was actual better than the food he was eating and the food served the servants of his father’s home was much better than the pigs were being served. It is in this moment of realization that the son decides to return home where the father welcomes him with open arms.

As we look at these three stories, we see that there are common threads in them. First, we see something was lost. Whether it was a sheep, a coin, or a son; there was something that was lost and needed to be found. Each of the items lost were valuable to the one who owned them and that is why they diligently searched for the lost item.

The second thread here is that something was found. In each case that which was lost was found. And in the case of the lost son, the father proclaimed that which had been dead is now alive. Each of those who owned the item lost was diligent about searching and looking until the item was found. They did not give up. They did not lose hope.

The third thread here is that the individual who lost the item rejoiced over finding the lost item. They were overwhelmed with the fact they had found that which was lost, and they wanted everyone to celebrate with them so they threw a party. The lost item had been a big deal and it was even a bigger deal to find the item.

The fourth thread here is that each person made a declaration of praise. They proclaimed, that which was lost is now found. They are saying I lost something valuable but now I have gained it back. They were so excited about finding their lost items they could not keep it to themselves. They wanted to let everyone know what had transpired and celebrate the good news of salvation.

So what are the lessons for us in these stories. The first lesson is that God is concerned about those who are lost in our lives. In this case, we are not talking coins or sheep but the lives of those we are associated with. It is those individuals that God has placed in our path. God loves the lost and desires to see them found. You see this discussion began by the Pharisees and Scribes being critical of Jesus having dinner with the sinners and yet that it is precisely what Jesus is communicating. Rather than judge their behavior we need search after them in order to see them come to Christ.

The second lesson is that that God rejoices when the lost are found. He is so excited that He throws a party as in the the story of the prodigal son. In both the parable of the coins and the sheep Jesus proclaims that heaven and the angels rejoice over one sinner that repents and changes his ways. Jesus says there is joy in one sinner coming to Christ. In other words, He is saying “why do I sit with sinners and have dinner with them?” It is because it brings joy to heaven when they repent and that is my motive above all else.

The third lesson, and this is the best one of all, God wants us to celebrate with Him and the angels of heaven when sinners repent. He wants us to experience the joy of one that was lost coming to a saving grace of God. He wants us to have a party when one comes to know Him by repenting and changing their ways. This is why I love to do water baptisms as a celebration and a party as it is a sign of what God has done in a life.

The fourth lesson is that God restores that which was lost. In each case, the item lost was restored to its rightful place. It was not a matter of deserving the place of restoration but it was none-the-less restored to right relationship. Since the creation and fall of mankind the great struggle has been the need and desire to be restored to right relationship to God.

With all of that said we must recognize that we have a part to play in this just as the other actors did. First, of all we must recognize that we are the church. If you are a born again, saved individual then you are a part of the church. You see one of the things we fail to do sometimes is realize that we are the church. We don’t come to church we are the church and when we leave here on Sunday, we as the church go into the community. We should be the church everyday, on our jobs, in our schools, and in our families. We never stop being the church. And as the church we should be seeking and saving the lost.

The second thing here is that while we must be the church, we must also recognize that we are all missionaries. For some time in the church we have tended to define missionaries as those who have been set apart to go to some foreign country to do missions. This is a false concept of the idea presented by Jesus prior to His departure. Jesus last words were these. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20). The essence of this passage is that we are all missionaries. We have all been called to win the lost and make disciples.

The third thing here is that we need to seek that which is lost. We must identify the lost in our lives and then seek God on ways that we can go after them. Notice that Jesus’ command was to go to them. Now I believe that we ought to be inviting everyone to church whether they are saved or not, but an invitation to church is not evangelism. We need to identity the lost in our lives and then diligently seek after them to find them and then share the life of Christ with them. We need to have dinner with them, play golf with them, go fishing and so on so that we have a entry way into their lives. Then we can connect the dots between our testimony, Christ, and their lives.

When they are found and they repent we need to have a party and celebrate this exciting development. We need to make a big deal out those who come to know Christ. We need to celebrate their new found faith. We need to encourage them to be baptized in water so we can throw a party and see them give testimony for what God’s grace.

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Peninsula Community Church

Where’s the Balance: Condemnation or Conviction?

August 2, 2015

Romans 8:1-4 – There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Before I begin this message, I must confess that my name is Bob Odom and I am addicted to condemnation. Now, before you judge me or add to my condemnation you need to know that I am recovering from this addiction but none the less it raises it head every so often. I, for one, can relate to what Charles Spurgeon, the great pastor of the late 1800’s said. He made the following statement. “I have struggled against inward sin and rejoiced in full justification at the same time.” Spurgeon was one of the greatest pastors of all times. His writings and books are just as popular today as they have ever been. Many are not aware of this but this great preacher struggled with depression all of his life. He faced intense bouts with depression and possible bi-polar anxiety. He would often go several weeks at a time where he would be confined to his home because of the depth of the depression which came from his sense of inadequacy, the criticisms that were leveled at him, and the fact that he was sick so often. In spite of this, he is credited with winning hundreds to Christ through his ministry and outreach.

Personally, I can feel his pain as I have often struggled with not feeling good enough and being unacceptable to God and to people. But, if the truth be known, we all deal with this addiction from time to time. We all fight the battle of acceptance. We all fight the battle of being good enough. We all fight the battle of feeling we have failed and feeling that we could have done more in certain situations. The pain of this is enhanced by the words spoken by others and by the accusations leveled at us from others as well as the enemy of our souls, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). Now, while I admit this addiction to you, I am here to bring you hope and a promise just as I have received this hope and promise for my life.

Paul begins this passage with the statement. “There is therefore now no condemnation.” To understand why he makes this statement, we have to understand that in terms of Paul’s writings he did not pause here as suggested by the break between the two chapters. In fact, he continues his discussion from chapter 7. In chapter 7, we find Paul dealing with the struggle so many of us have. We want to live holy and we want to do the right thing, but if seems the things we should do, we do not do. The things we should not do, we do. It is an endless cycle of failure. The result is a struggle that results in judgment and condemnation. We see this in Paul’s words in Romans 7:24. “Oh what a wretched man I am. Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Paul then continues in Romans 8 to answer his own question.

So with that in mind let us look at the subject of condemnation. First of all, we must understand there is a difference between conviction and condemnation. One comes as a result of the accuser of the brethren while the other is motivated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Both conviction and condemnation have similarities and both start at the same point. They begin with truth but they quickly differ from there.

We need to understand that condemnation is often based in a truth but the accuser of the brethren comes to us to say that while we have a truth before us, there is no hope for change or hope for a better day. The reason the accuser is so intent on this is seen in a comment made by Bill Hybels. Hybels who stated that the accuser knows very well that a thoroughly discouraged Christian is an utterly useless Christian. We begin to feel there is no use in sharing the gospel or living righteously. For that reason our power to live free is neutralized by the enemy’s attacks. For this reason, the accuser of the brethren will do everything in his power to cause us to believe that we are condemned beyond hope. He gets us to believe that there is no hope for change and that this is the way things will always be. When this happens, he has achieved his goal of neutralizing the believers testimony and their sense of hope.

Conviction on the other hand begins with truth but leads to confession, repentance, a changed heart, and growth in Christ. We must recognize that this does not mean that we will never deal with guilt. In fact, guilt can be a good thing when it leads to repentance and change. In fact, the Bible says that Godly sorrow leads to repentance. I would venture to say that our current society could use a bit more godly sorrow over the things that break the heart of God (abortion, gay marriage, infidelity, immorality running amok, and so on). But the undeniable fact is that it is sorrow over sin that leads us to repent and subsequently change our ways and our habits. Paul was aware of this when he penned the following words.

For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter (2 Corinthian 7:8-11). The problem is that too often when there is no motivation toward repentance we will never change or make difference. 

Thirdly, to refuse to live in condemnation means that I allow grace to awaken me to my need to surrender my life to Christ. You see there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. When we lean hard on him we can receive His love, His grace, and His forgiveness. It is hard to walk in freedom when we are detached from God. The accuser of the brethren will make sure that we don’t lean on him. He will make sure that we walk in fear and trepidation so that we cower from reality and live in fear. Notice that Paul says that there is therefore no condemnation in Christ (verse 1) and later he notes it is for those who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit (verse 4).

Fourth, we must recognize that rather than condemnation, real conviction is from the Lord picks us up out of the dirt, looks into our eyes, and says, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” The words of John 3:17 echo this message. “For he (Christ) came not into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” He continues by saying that “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” Do you see what it says? Those that believe in Christ, or those that walk in the Spirit, have no reason to walk in condemnation.

In John 8:3-10 we have the classic example of Christ offering forgiveness when the world and those in the world were trying to condemn and judge him. This is the same story I related to you last week. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.

Notice a couple of things in this story. One, Jesus recognized that she was indeed a sinner. He did not deny she had sinned. He did not minimize her sin. She was caught in the act of adultery. This an undeniable fact. She sinned, she broke the law, but rather than condemn her, he offered her forgiveness. Second, the leaders who condemned the woman were also guilty of sin themselves. Jesus recognized that the religious leaders who brought her to him were not exempt from sin but in fact were just as guilty of sin. Third, the religious leaders deflected their sin and self-righteousness on her rather than accept responsibility for what they had done. This is a phenomenon that occurs so often. Those living in sin are good at pointing out sin in others rather than dealing with their own sin.

Fourth, Jesus commanded her to go and sin no more. He did not condemn her, he offered her forgiveness. But there were strings attached, so to speak. She was to go her way but she was to go without sinning again. Yes, she was receiving forgiveness rather than condemnation but she was to live as one free and not condemned. In other words, she was forgiven but that did not give her the right to continue to live in sin. It was quite the contrary. We need to take Jesus’ advice. Receive His forgiveness and then not sin again.

Let us bring this home today. Jesus also commands us to go and sin no more by giving us a second chance. When we walk in forgiveness and not condemnation we are making a statement to ourselves, to the world, and to the enemy of our souls. What are the statements made. Let me mention a few. Your future is not determined by your past. Your future is not determined by what you used to be. Your future is not determined by what you used to do, but your future and my future is determined by who Jesus Christ is and what he can and will do. In the story of the woman caught in adultery, we find the crowd pronounced judgement and condemned this woman to death. In the natural, her situation was hopeless. But with God, this woman got a second chance. Did Jesus give this woman another chance so she could go out and repeat her mistakes and fall into sin again? No, he told her “Go and sin no more.” So, today, we must understand that Jesus is giving us a second and third chance. Rather than condemnation, he is giving us hope and an opportunity to reengage in life, in ministry, and in the hope that comes through Christ. Will you accept His gift?

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Peninsula Community Church

July 26, 2015

Legalism, License, and Love

Galatians 5:1-15 – For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look:I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

As we have noted many times before, I love the way Paul writes his church letters under the inspiration of the Holy the Spirit. Paul often lays out one side of an argument or discussion and then gives the counter argument in order to establish balance in the discussion. In the passage before us, Paul deals specifically with the opposing views of legalism and license. To give a simple definition of these two we could say that legalism adds to the gospel while license takes away from the gospel.

First let us look at the idea of legalism – When it comes to legalism there is a belief that we need to control and manage sin rather than deal with real heart issues. We in essence say that God’s grace is not enough so we have to help God out. And so often this is a subtle thing that occurs. We don’t intend to be legalistic, but it happens. The reason for this is that we believe that we must make rules or laws to control behavior and manage sin rather than do what is right according to the Word of God. Legalism is therefore rules without relationship, emphasizing standards more than the Savior, and laws more than love. It is a system based on fear and one that is characterized by joyless judgmentalism, which produces futility instead of freedom.

In the New Testament, the Pharisees were known for their legalistic lifestyle. They added to the law in a effort to control their followers and to make themselves seem more spiritual than they were. They took God’s law and added additional rules to the degree that they could not follow the very rules they had established. Spiritually, the result of the Pharisaical attitude was that they became very judgmental and critical of those who could not keep the law they had established. A case in point was the woman caught in adultery or the disciples who worked on the sabbath to provide food for their group. This is why Jesus reserved his harshest words for those who presented themselves as more spiritual or more astute in the law and its interpretation.

So how does this effect the church and in particular the outreach of the church. In terms of society, because there are times where the church has been so legalistic, the church has come across as prideful, arrogant, and unfeeling toward society and those who are nonbelievers. The question posed by those outside the church is “why would I want to serve a God who is so unfeeling and is angry all of the time.” Those in society feel that God is waiting for them to make a mistake so He can wipe them off the map. Because of our legalism, people feel we are more concerned about our message than we are about their heart. Additionally, they feel they are never good enough to receive God’s grace.

I recently heard a pastor describe legalism in an interesting way. He stated that there are rules in life that are critical to living a healthy life. For example, he stated that one of the rules in his home was that his children were not allowed to play in the street. This rule was in place because it protected his children from any danger. He went on to say that the problem with legalism is that not only would one make a rule that their children could not play in the street, but they would also make a rule that they could not play in the yard, because they might be tempted to run into the street. They would only be allowed to play on the front porch. Still others would be so afraid of something happening to their children, they would say that their children could only play in the living room and watch the street from the front window of their home. Why, because if they are they played on the front porch they might be tempted to go into the yard which might tempt them to go into the street. Still others would say their children should be relegated to the basement, because if they played in the living room they would be tempted to play on the porch where they would be tempted to play in the yard which would lead to playing in the street. That is legalism. It binds us and brings us into slavery to the rules rather than the freedom found in God’s grace.

On the other side of the coin we find the idea of license. This is where we take away from the word of God to make it palatable to others and to ourselves. It is my opinion that this can be a more serious issue and is a major issue of our day. The problem with license is that we tend to adjust the word of God to societal norms rather than adjusting society to the word of God. Rather than applying the word of God to a specific situation, we try to make the gospel fit the situation. This means we reinterpret scripture to fit what we want. Now, it should be noted here that the legalistic believer does the same thing. He also adjusts the gospel to meet their meeds rather than adjusting their needs to the Gospel. Neither of these is good or acceptable because the word stands on its own without being reinterpreted or changed it to fit societal need. We must understand that when we take license to diminish the word of God we diminish the value of grace and we diminish the value of God in terms of what others might think of Him.

How does this effect the church? Some have said that the reason we are in a moral decline as a nation is that we as a church have not been very moral ourselves. Think about it for a moment, while we have an adverse view of gay marriage and we should, there are many in the church who do not bat an eye at premarital sex, pornography, extra-marital affairs, lying, pride, or any number of other things. We in essence are asking the world to do what we ourselves are not willing to do. Now I am not blaming the church or pointing a finger, I am simply saying where is our testimony of grace and of holiness. In taking license we try to remove the rules so we can live happily ever after. But true grace while providing forgiveness and healing does not remove the rules. In fact it lives within them. The world is asking “why would I want too change my life when there appears to be no difference between them and the believer.”

There is a better way to live. It is love. It was a way that would bring life and not death. It was a way to see God’s plan in a better light. Why is love so important? Through love, we serve one another. Through love, we understand God’s love for us and we love others. In so doing, we do not add to the word to make it more cumbersome nor do we take away from the word to make it more palatable. The greatest act of love we can have is keeping the purity of God’s word in a way that honors him and honors His word.

Paul in this passage gives us the sense that God’s will is for us to live in freedom and not in bondage. John Piper made this statement “His desire is for you live with uncompromising, unrelenting, indomitable freedom. It is for this that Christ died. For this he rose. For this he sent his Spirit. There is nothing he wills with more intensity under the glory of his own name than this: your freedom.”

The freedom of grace has never been a freedom to control behaviors or to allow sin but rather to serve others. You see how we treat others is how we will be treated. Gracelessness brings about gracelessness. But when grace filled ours lives it brings about grace filled lives. What do you want? It is your choice. It is your decision. This love is focused on God and it is focused on others. It is so easy to get focused and centered on our problems, our issues and desires and we miss out on what others need or desire. We begin to live graceless lives.

God’s love is the focus of the whole law. Rather than controlling others we must love others as God would love them. This is the reason he dealt with the issue of circumcision. This is a reference to Acts 15 where there the Jews taught that one was not saved unless they were circumcised. Listen to Paul’s words in Galatians 2:3-5 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. The problem was that salvation did not come by way of circumcision but by the grace that was given through Christ’s death on the cross.

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Peninsula Community Church

Ephesians – A Call to Prayer

July 12, 2015

Ephesians 6:16-20 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Today, we come to the close of Ephesians series and we are hitting on one of the most important pieces of the armor of God. It is the power of prayer. In battle, one of the keys to a successful battle plan is that those who are in the army must learn to obey the commands of those over them. You can have all of the right equipment and you have all of the training in the world but if you do not have the communication with command you can be setting yourself up for a huge failure.

The fact is as believers, we must be in the position to surrender our will to the will of our commander. To surrender to the will of our commander, we must be in communication with the commander. I seen this illustrated best by the fire department and their response to major events. The person with the highest authority is the one who takes command. It is usually the fire chief of the local fire department or it could be the police officer on scene. Regardless of the individual in charge it is his or her job to assign personnel arriving on the scene, call for additional assistance, and coordinate the effort on scene. No one is to move beyond the duties assigned to them by the commander so as to provide a smooth running operation. So it is in our task in this world, we must answer to the commander in our lives and we all have a commander whether we realize it or not.

In the fire department those arriving on scene know what they are to do and how they are they are to perform their task. They have been prepared. You see the fire chief has been training the responders to do their job and perform their tasks. He simply uses these resources. So it is with us. We have our instructions. They come to us by way of the Bible. When we pray we receive clarity of how we are to proceed with his calling and with our assignment.

So let us look at this concept of prayer for a few moments this morning. We will be focusing our attention on the part of the passage that says that we should be praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. With that in mind let us look at some key principles associated with prayer.

Prayer is effective. The prayer of a righteous person has great power. In James 5:16, James recognized the power of prayer when he stated that the prayer of a righteous man produces great results. We must pray in faith, and trust God for the answer. We must also understand that we must do our part in prayer and then leave what we cannot handle to God. Here is what I mean. If we need a job and we do not look for a job, it is hard to pray for God to do his part in helping us find a job.

The fact must also be made that prayer changes things and prayer changes the flow of God’s presence in our land. As we look over the landscape of our nation, must of us would agree that we need a revival. We need something to change. We need people who will follow wholeheartedly after God. The fact is this change may not occur unless we are willing to pray and do our part in the process.

In 2 Chronicles 7 we have the convicting words that were presented to Solomon by God. Listen to what is recorded in 2 Chronicles. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him:“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel. Know this if we pray and repent of our own sin, then God can do more in a few moments through prayer than we can do in a lifetime without God. Prayer is effective.

Secondly, everyone is called to prayer. No matter who you are or the level of your spirituality, you can pray and you can pray effectively. Your ability to get answers is not based in your ability to verbalize the right words or have the right phraseology. It is not even based on your posture when you pray. In fact, according to James, Elijah was just like us. He was a simple man but he was one who was able to reach God because he trusted God. Elijah was not a super hero or a super human, he was just a regular man. He was just like us but he had faith in God who was bigger than any problem he could or would face. We do not have to rely on anyone else to pray on our behalf, we can enter in God’s presence ourselves. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Notice that the writer here states “Let us!” Who is us? We are us! If you are a believer in Christ, you can enter into prayer with boldness and confidence that God will hear your prayer and will offer you mercy and grace.

Thirdly, we must develop a lifestyle of prayer. The fact of the matter is that prayer is not a thing we do in the morning or night as an item to get checked off our list of things to do but we must have a prayer life where we are focused on prayer at all times and in every circumstance. The best way to learn to pray is to pray. By praying, we learn the heart of God and we begin to hear his voice speaking to us. A lifestyle of prayer is where we may not be verbalizing our prayer vocally but in our heart we are praying. This is what Paul referred to as praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Fourthly, we must pray in the Spirit. In essence, to pray in the spirit is to pray according the will of the spirit. It is to pray the heart of God about a certain situation. This is critical here. Who is better qualified to help us to pray than the Holy Spirit. He knows the need. He knows the answer. He knows how to move heaven and earth to make things happen. By praying in the spirit we are praying according to his will. This also means that there will be times where we will not be able to do anything but moan and groan but the Holy Spirit interprets our moaning and groaning and He understands what we are praying.

The second idea here is that as we pray the heart of God we will be compassionate about the things that God is passionate about. We will have the heart of Christ. I am always amazed at the example of Jesus. How often do we find Jesus with the worst of sinners? How often do we find him at the sinners house having dinner? Why because he was on a mission to see the sinner saved. In our day I believe that Jesus would have dinner with the gays and lesbians of our land. He would not compromise the word or the truth but he would show them grace with a desire to see them come to a knowledge of Christ.

I remember a few years before Jerry Farwell passed away that the radical LGBT was angry with him. The word had been received that they were going to be marching and protesting on the campus of Liberty University. Here is what Jerry did. He called on his staff to go out and buy donuts and coffee. And when the protestors arrived and their were several hundred of them, the students and staff went through the crowd and served them the coffee, water, and donuts. It happened to be raining that day so he provided them with umbrellas. Here was his point. He had prayed and had heard God’s heart. He wanted to show them God’s love at its best. The reports from that day is that several came to know Christ and gave up their lifestyle that day as a result of Christ’s hand being extended to the lost, the broken, and the wounded. You see he loved the person while standing his ground on the biblical belief that homosexuality is a sin as described by Scripture.

That brings me to the last thing here. The greatest prayer we can pray is for open doors of opportunity to share Christ with others. While it is important to pray for our needs in order to see God’s hand at work in our lives, the greatest of all prayers is to pray for open doors to share the gospel. God’s heart is all about sharing the gospel. Listen to what Paul communicates at this end of this verse. He did not ask for blessing or money. He asked that they pray for a door of opportunity to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Do you want revival in our land? Do you want God to bring change? As Jesus prayed, This kind comes only by prayer and fasting. In Matthew 17:18 the disciples had encountered a demon in their life that they thought was impossible to deal with. Jesus responded to them that if your faith is just the size of a mustard see that you will be able to do great feats for Him. Then He says this, “This kind comes out only by prayer and fasting. So what is the greatest need you have today? Are you praying? Are you seeking for the heart of God? It is your choice?

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Peninsula Community Church

First Responders – Called to Serve

June 28, 2015

Good morning to all that are here today. Today, we celebrate those within our community that have given themselves tirelessly to serve and protect each of us. Today, we have representatives from the various first responders represented in our communities (Selbyville Fire Department and Sussex County Emergence Services). Over the last couple of years and specifically over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to experience what these servants go through every day. From the Paramedics and EMTs who respond to that call when you are sick, having difficulty breathing, or having cardiac arrest to the fire fighter who responds when there is a fire or car accident to the police officer who risks his life each day to protect us every day, these men and women are truly servants. In my short filled career as a volunteer chaplain for the paramedics and doing the ride-a-longs, I have witnessed the professionalism of those who get that call and who respond at a moments notice. I have been on the paramedic truck when they have received 7 or 8 back-to-back calls in a 12 hour shift and you don’t have time to grab lunch or a take a break. I have been on the truck when you have experienced that call for the drowning, the cardiac arrest, or the 9 month old baby that is not breathing.

In the last few months, I have begun to serve the Selbyville Fire Department as an associate member. Through the fire department I have witnessed the call that goes out that could be 1 or 2 in the afternoon or 1 or 2 in the morning but you respond faithfully and professionally. As with the paramedics and the EMTs, I have witnessed the calls to the frequent flyer who is looking for their drug fix or they are lonely and want someone to respond. I have witnessed the patient who is more than grateful and sorrowful that they got you up to come help them. And I have seen those who are belligerent and nasty in their approach to you providing them a needed service.

As a church, we thank you for serving us so well. You are truly all servants of the community. Webster’s dictionary define’s a servant as one who is devoted to or guided by something! We all thank you this morning for being devoted to serve this community whenever you are called. We thank you because you serve us all equally based on the need and not the individual who is being served.

As we consider servanthood, we remember that the Bible has much to say about being a servant. We are also reminded that Jesus was considered the greatest servant of all. Listen to these words. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:25-28).

When we think of the First responders we think of those who are servants. In my opinion, First Responders epitomize servanthood. As I thought about this idea of servanthood, I thought of specify qualities that define what servanthood is all about. These qualities include but are not limited to the following. First Responders are courageous. First Responders are flexible. First Responders are faithful and dedicated to what they do. And finally First Responders  are selfless, they put others first. Let’s take a brief moment and define these.

Let us look at the fact that First Responders are courageous. We have heard it said that First Responders run in when others are running out. They respond when the call goes out for a “shots fired” or “building on fire.” To define the term courageous we might use words such as brave, fearless, heroic, bold, daring, and gutsy.

As we look at this idea of courage too often we think of courage as not having any fear but real courage is not a lack of fear but it is fear in control. Nelson Mandel has stated “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Ralph Waldo Emerson stated A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer. Here is a fact, First Responders push beyond the fear and respond with courage when others would shrink away. Thank you for your courage.

Secondly, First Responders are always ready. Being a First Responder is never convenient as they do not choose the hour or the event that needs a response. No matter the hour of day or the time of night the First Responder is ready to respond. They may have just sat to eat their lunch or dinner when a call goes out. First Responders are always ready for action whether it is a cardiac arrest, a drowning, the frequent flyer, a car accident, a house fire, or an emergency call where no one knows for sure what is happening. What many do not know is that First Responders are always learning and expanding their skills. Why? It is so they can be the best they can be at what they do and so they will always be ready to respond at any time. First Responders are always ready. And for that we say thank you.

Thirdly, First Responders are faithful and they are dedicated to the cause they are called to. Whether it is a call at 2 in the afternoon or 2 in morning they respond. It might be the same person you have transported a hundred times but you respond because you are faithful and you are dedicated to your calling. You treat each one with respect and you provide the same care to all. You remain dedicated even when you don’t always receive the thanks you should. You are dedicated even when you are chasing down the report of a power line that is down and you have to search for it in the pouring rain only to find that there is no wire down and you have been driving up and down the road looking for the wire. Thank you for being faithful and dedicated to your job.

Fourthly, first responders are selfless. Not only are First Responders courageous, not only are they always ready, not only are they always faithful to the task but they are also selfless. They give of themselves when they are tired and when they are exhausted. They will leave their dinner at the table or they are awakened from their sleep to respond to a call. Most of those who respond in times of need are volunteers. They do not get paid for what they do but they still do it because they live a selfless life and give of yourself so others can they live and have life. We thank you for that.

As we look at the First Responder, we see that in many ways First Responders model the life of Christ. It is my belief First Responders are often the hand of God extended to those who are in need. As we consider that, I am reminded that Christ was also courageous. We do not always think of Christ as being courageous, but He was willing to leave the glory of heaven to become a man here on earth. He came so that He would face all of the temptation and anxiety that we face each day. He took these things on so that he could understand our life and have a human perspective about this life. The only difference between Christ and mankind is that he faced these things without sin. Christ was courageous when he stood His ground and He faced the enemy and won. He ran in when others ran away. He was courageous as he took that journey to the cross. He was courageous when he gave himself for us that we could live this life free from our past and our past wrongs. A second point here is that he is not only courageous but He brings courage to those in despair and who have lost hope. Have you lost hope today? I suggest that you turn to the one who is courageous and fights for you.

Secondly, Christ is always ready. Throughout scripture, we find that the Bible tells us that God never leaves us nor does He forsake us. He is always ready to bring hope and life to us even when we are despondent and discouraged. The Bible tells us that if we draw near to Him that He will draw near to us. When we are in need, He is alway ready to respond to our need. Just as an EMT or Paramedic responds to every call, Jesus Himself responds to our cry for help. That is what we call prayer. No call is minimized. Christ is always ready to respond when we place that call to him by way of prayer. We call and He answers because He is always ready.

Thirdly, Christ is always faithful and dedicated. Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope (Hebrews 3:5-6). God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthian 6:9). If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13).

Here is the beauty of Christ. Even if we lose faith in Him or in our circumstances, He never loses faith or hope in us. He remains faithful. He is dedicated to all that follow Him. Here is a key point that we must understand. There is nothing you can do that would cause Christ to not love you or not respond to you. There is so much in life to destroy our faith and diminish our hope but with Christ we can rest assured that He is faithful to us. He does not leave us nor does He reject us. He always loves us. He is dedicated to us and he is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness when we call on his name. There is no need too great or no need too small that He is not interested.

Fourthly, Christ was selfless. Paul grasped this better than most. when he stated, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:3-8).

He left heaven to come as a man! He came to give himself freely and selflessly for us. Jesus came as the ultimate servant. He came to serve us so we could understand how to truly live. The scripture here tells us that he emptied himself and was willing to die to save others. That is the greatest of all selfless acts possible. To give oneself so another could live that is the greatest act of selflessness known to man.

We have seen this morning that First Responders are courageous, always ready, they are dedicated, and they are selfless. We have seen that Christ is courageous, always ready, dedicated to us and has proven himself to be selfless. So how do you respond to Christ? First of all, do you live courageously? Do we live life to the fullest? Do we stand for truth? You may not be fighting a fire or answering a call to the police but we all have issues in our life that requires us to respond with courage and strength.

Secondly, do you live in an attitude of readiness? Are you ready to serve others. Are you ready to be engaged in life with a cause? The call you receive may not be to a house fire or to shots fired but we all have the opportunity to the live for God. Are you ready?

Thirdly, do you live as one that is faithful and dedicated? Are you faithful to the task you have been called to whether that is work, family, or where you volunteer? And fourthly, do you live a selfless life? Is your life all about you or is about others and understanding what helping others is all about.

Let us pray!

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Peninsula Community Church

Ephesians – The Helmet of Salvation

June 14, 2015

Ephesians 6:17 …and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

In the text today Paul is calling us to take the helmet of salvation with us. It is interesting to note that Paul does not say put on the helmet, but he says to take the helmet of salvation. Paul also refers to the helmet of salvation in 1 Thessalonians 5:8. It is he that he describes the helmet as the helmet of salvation of hope. Paul states But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 

Because of Paul’s emphasis on the helmet of salvation as hope, my desire today is to focus on this one aspect of salvation. And that is the hope we have in Christ. If we look around our world today it will not take us long to see that hope is fading for so many. A few years ago, we were offered hope and change. We have seen a lot of change but have experienced a lot less hope. Please note that this is not intended to be a political statement but it serves as an overview of the landscape of the society in which we live. There is so much to feel hopeless about. There is so much in our world to cause us to lose hope and to cause us to want to give up.

We live in a world where morality and right and wrong have been turned upside down. We live in a day where one who has had a sex change is elevated as being heroic and awe inspiring while those who fight for our freedom have been deemed cowards. We live in a day where the Ten Commandments can’t be posted in the public forum because it supports one religion op era another but teachers in some public school are free to teach the Islamic faith without hindrance. We live in a day where those who work hard are punished for their hard work while those who do not work and are able to, expect to get everything for free and are allowed to do so. We are living in a day when a man on the street can be killed by a cop who is carrying out his job and there are protests while a cop can be murdered and there are those who attempt to justify it because their desire is to make political points. There is so much that is present today that serves to discourage us but it doesn’t have to be that way.

To understand hope we must begin with the fact that real, genuine salvation brings hope! Here is the deal! When we receive salvation, we receive hope. To fully understand this, we must understand that Biblical hope is more than a desire to see something fulfilled or to wish for a particular outcome. Therefore, it is more than wishful thinking! Biblical hope is a certainty that is manifested in the heart of the believer who fully trusts and commits their life to God. G.K. Chesterton stated Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all…As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength.

What does G.K. Chesterton mean by this? He means that real hope is not measured by how much hope we have when everything is going great. Nor is it measured by how good or bad our circumstances are in any given moment. The fact is that we can lose hope when our hope is based solely on our circumstances or on our experiences. For most people, their hope is based on how good or bad their particular circumstances are. This has been called circumstantial hope which is in reality a desire that our circumstances will fit within a specific context or within a specific set of desires. Let me illustrate this. We can hope that our favorite team will win. We have no assurance they will win, however, we simply base our hope in their potential for victory which is based on one’s past experience with the team and also the team they are playing. But the reality is there is no guarantee associated with this kind of hope. It is nothing more than wishful thinking. The problem with circumstantial hope is that it is fragile and and it is easily changed. It is so fragile that when the events of life don’t work out as we hoped they would, we are affected negatively. We are easily shaken, we are easily depressed, and we lose hope.

Our hope, however, must be anchored in God who is unchangeable and is forever faithful. This is the hope that keeps us steady. He is the anchor that solidifies our thinking about life because understand who God is and He never fails us. It is this anchor that keep us hopeful when the storms of life are blowing hard against us. A great illustration of this is the story of Joseph. He had a promise from God but there was no way he could know the outcome of the promise. He certainly did not expect the road God would take him on to fulfill the promise. There was no way for him to know how God would use him to set his people free or give them life.

For those who do not know the story, let me refresh your memory. Joseph had a God given dream that his brothers would bow to him and serve him. This enraged his brothers, so they sold him into slavery. Once in Egypt, he found favor and was soon promoted to Pharaoh’s assistant. This was short lived when Pharaoh’s wife made a pass at him and Joseph, being a man of integrity, rejected the advance. She falsely accused him. He was imprisoned for doing the right thing. What would that do to your hope? If you were falsely accused could you continue to trust that God had called you and that He would keep you? Or, would you lose hope.

We know now that even while Joseph trusted God, the downward spiral continued. While in prison, he was forgotten even though the chief cupbearer for Pharaoh promised he would put in a good word for him. With this turn of events, he could have lost hope but his trust was in God and not in his circumstances. He kept his faith and trust in God! In the story we see this paid off as God did not forget him and at the right time he was released and restored as Pharaoh’s right hand man. Through this action he was positioned to save not only Egypt but his entire family. You see God was at work even when Joseph did not sense it. The real testimony here is that Joseph did not let his circumstances dictate where his hope would lie.

The second idea presented by hope is that we must refuse to adjust our belief system to the circumstances we experience. Life is filled with events that will destroy our hope and cause us to change who we are as believers. While God will use the circumstances of our life to grow us and change us, we must never let the circumstances of life dictate our belief system. This should be determined by who God is and what he has done for us. Remember, we must adjust our lives to the gospel and not adjust the gospel to our lives. The three Hebrew children understood this principle. Their hope was strongly anchored in God’s faithfulness. This position of strength helped them to stand against the king who ordered anyone not bowing to Nebuchadnezzar’s god to be sentenced to death. Their hope was so strong in God that they could proclaim that no matter what was to come, they would still worship God. That is real hope!

Listen to the exchange between the king and the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3:15-18. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

Did you see it in the exchange. They refused to adjust their belief system in order to meet the requirements of the times. They were more faithful to the integrity of their beliefs and their hope in God than they were to personal pleasure that would only last for a moment. They stood steadfast in the hope that God was on their side. They had a confidence that He would deliver them. As a result, they were able to focus beyond the furnace and the possibility they might die, to the hope of God’s protection. The Hebrew children’s story is reminisce of the words spoken by Job when he faced very difficult circumstances. Job stated, Though he slay me, I will hope in him (Job 13:15). He is confirming the fact that our belief system must not be adjusted based on our circumstances.

Finally, note that this is a helmet of salvation. The helmet was intended to protect the head from damage that could potentially end one’s life. To live in hope we must take every thought captive to the glory of God. The enemy knows he does not have to get us to give up, all he has to do is simply cause us to begin to doubt God’s word, His will, and His ways. He knows that if we begin to doubt what God has said, we will begin to lose hope and we will begin to put our hope in those things that do not bring life or a future in the long run.

Because of the ability of our thoughts to dictate how we think and who we are, we must know the word of God. This means that we must know the promises of God and must follow the ways of God in all we do. When Jesus was tempted, He did not use positive thinking or cute pithy sayings. He used the word of God to combat the enemy’s temptations. Today, that is what we need. We need to combat a lack of hope with the word of God. We must combat the tactics of the enemy with the intellectual exercise of reading the word, meditating on the word, and then making application of the word into our life.

By saturating our hearts and minds with the word of God, we are filled with hope and we are assured that we have a future. This does not have to be a debatable issue when our hearts and minds are on God. So do you feel hopeless today? Do you feel your hope waning? If so my prayer is this. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13). May you be filled with the hope that is yours in Christ.

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom

Peninsula Community Church 

Ephesians – The Shield of Faith 

June 7, 2015

Ephesians 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one…

As in the previous parts of the armor we have discussed, when we read this passage we encounter a practical illustration of a spiritual principle. The soldier of Paul’s day was equipped with a shield when they went into battle. The purpose of the shield was to protect the soldier from the darts, arrows, and spears that would be lobbed their way. The shield itself was made of metal, leather, or heavy cloth which was often bound by metal straps to hold it all together.

It is noteworthy that the shield had several uses. For one, it was a defensive weapon that could be moved about to ward off the attacks of the opposing army by way of the darts that would be flung at the soldier. In Paul’s day, soldiers would often soak their arrows in tar and oils so they could be lit and then fired at the opposing army. If hit by one of these arrows the soldier would not only be wounded but would also feel the effects of their skin and clothing being burned.

The shield would also protect the warrior. The soldier would hide behind the shield while in battle, not out of fear but for protection against the onslaught of the enemy. The shield was long enough and wide enough that it could be placed in front of the soldier so that he could squat behind it. Thirdly, the shield protected those soldiers around them as shields of that day were designed to be interlocked with the shield next to it. For example, in battle, the front line warriors would position their shields so that the army behind them would be protected. The second line of warriors would in turn extend their spears beyond the line of the shields so that the onslaught of the enemy would be thwarted. The idea presented here is that the soldiers needed each other and would work together for the success of the entire army.

Spiritually, the believer in Christ uses the shield of faith to protect themselves against the fiery darts aimed at them. The bad news is that the evil one flings darts at us every day and all day long. His attempt is to get us to sin or get us to give into the temptations hurled at us. This barrage of flaming arrows from the evil one can take many forms. Let me give you a few. There is temptation, doubt, anger, frustration, pride, despair, fear, guilt, shame, confusion, deception, discouragement, depression, hopelessness, greed, lust, presumption, stubbornness, laziness, suspicion, jealousy, hate, wrath, discord, and conflict. His darts might also include the bitterness over one’s spouse’s busyness or their inattentiveness to one’s needs. It might include the guilt about yesterday’s lust, the sense of failure, or it can be the thought that you are not good enough. The list continues to go on and on. These darts while they are spiritual, emotional, and mental are also very real and therefore must not be ignored. To do so would subject us to his attacks.

While this is the bad news, there is also good news and it is very good news. The good news is that we have the means to fight back and resist the darts that are thrown our way. The shield of faith combined with the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and the shoes of peace give us the strength to overcome the power of the evil one. These tools help us combat the darts thrown at us. The shield of faith is raised against the barrage of darts thrown at us. But what is the shield of faith? Faith is based in having trust in something or someone. For us as believers it is a faith in God who never fails us. By knowing God and who He is, our faith and trust in Him grows. Our faith is in the Lord who is able to protect us and keep us safe! I have always said that to understand faith we must get to know God more. The more we truly know God and understand who He is, the more our faith will increase. So in essence we trust God who is our shield. Like the soldier, when trouble comes we hide behind him and find protection in him because he is our shield.

The Bible is replete with passages that relate to God as our shield. Listen to a few of these. In Genesis 12:3 when God called Abraham to a covenant relationship, God spoke to Abraham that He would be his shield. That is, He would be Abrahams’s protection and covering. David had a view of God as being his shield, as well. Listen to David’s words. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah (Psalms 3:1-4). But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:11-12).

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies (Psalm 18:2-3). The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him (Psalm 28:7). Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you (Psalm 33:20-22). He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday (Psalm 91:4-6).

Solomon when he penned the Proverbs also saw the power of recognizing God as our shield. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints (Proverbs 2:6-8).

While God is our shield, it is interesting to note that the shield of faith is used to protect others thus we know that we are not alone in the battle. How awesome is it to know we are fighting many of the same battles? We are interconnected to one another just as the shields of the Roman soldiers were interconnected to protect the individual soldier but also the soldier next to them. Roman shields were interlocking. Two-thirds of the shield would cover a soldier and one-third of the shield would cover the person next to him. This made the Roman army nearly invincible, because there was no gap in the battle line.

Sometimes our faith is weak but when we have others along side of us our faith is strengthened. When we see the faith of others, our faith is built up. The fact is Christians cannot stand alone against opposing forces; we need each other in order to live faithfully. A Christian community helps us stand strong. Faith knows that our worth is derived from the One to whom we belong, that God’s love embraces us, sets us free to be truly ourselves, and helps us accept the people around us.

The third idea here is that not only do we need to know the God who is our shield but we must know that the shield of faith fits us properly, it is our shield. We might reject the call of God to take the shield of faith or we may try and add to the shield of faith but we will fall short when we do that. We must know that it is our faith and it is a faith that has been given to each of us. I am reminded of the story of David when he went to fight Goliath. Saul wanted to give him his armor but it did not fit David. Saul was a tall large man and David was just a young boy at the time. Instead of using Saul’s armor, David used what God had given him. You see, all we need is the faith God has given us. The Bible tells us that faith does not have to be any bigger than the size of a mustard seed to accomplish great things. Think about this. The smallest of seed has the greatest of results! So here is the point, our faith, no matter how small, has the power to move mountains when it is focused on Christ as our shield and our protector.

The final point is this when do we use the shield? The Scripture here tells us that the shield of faith is to be used in every circumstance of our life. When we trust God, we will always have enough faith and grace to make it through every issue we are walking through. Too often, we worry about if we will have faith for tomorrow or enough grace to face the difficulties of life. Here’s a fact though. You don’t have to worry about having faith for tomorrow because you are guaranteed that you will faith tomorrow. Why is this? It is because our faith is in the one who does not fail. We will always have enough faith as long as our focus is on Christ the shield and provider of our faith.

Listen to the writer of Hebrews. 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 (Hebrews 12:1-2).

In the midst of Satan’s rain of fire, we can take up the shield of faith. Instead of fretting or becoming anxious, we can look to Jesus who is not only the originator of faith but also the one who perfects our faith. The key is to focus on God who is our shield and our protector. To do so does not mean that we will not ever face problems or difficulties in our life. That is inevitable but we can face them courageously when we take the shield of faith to ward off the flaming darts of the enemy. We must also choose to walk in faith. We can choose to fight in faith and trust God or we can choose to fight in fear and reject the teachings and power of God. So let’s get dressed and fight the good fight.

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

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved Robert W. Odom