Why are we free? Galatians 5:13-14

The vast majority of the bitter and often prolonged disagreements within American culture involve the answer to a fundamental question: Why are we free?  Not, how did we become free, but what is the purpose of our freedom?  To what end, what goal, what meaning are we to put our freedom to use?  While the American culture and political realm remain starkly divided on issue after issue regarding the answer to this question, Christian Americans ought to have no such hesitation in answering it clearly, emphatically, and with unity.  We know why we were set free, not from the grasp of a tyrant or oppressive political system, but from sin and death itself.  We were freed by the blood of Jesus Christ, which paid a ransom for our redemption, purified us from our ungodliness, and brought us into a lasting relationship with the Spirit and our Heavenly Father.  This is a freedom that is pure and true, one that cannot be taken away, and one that comes with an all-encompassing obligation.  You see, Christian Americans were set free that they might serve.  It may seem like a paradox to say that we are free to serve, and yet, in imitation of our Lord Jesus, that is exactly what we have been called to do.  What or whom do we serve?  One another, in humility and love.  In the Kingdom of Heaven, as Jesus said, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first, the servant of all shall be the greatest.  We, as Christians, who happen also to be blessed to be Americans, know exactly why we are free, it is up to us to live that way.

To listen to the short sermon on this topic from Galatians 5:13-14 that was given at this year's Franklin's 4th of July celebration's Worship in the Park, click on the link below:

The Purpose of Freedom: Galatians 5:13-14

A Mary vs. Martha kind of day

In Luke 10:38-42, Martha invites Jesus to her home and then becomes swamped with the preparation that had to be made.  Martha's sister, Mary, sits at Jesus' feet and listens to what he had to say.  When Martha grumbles to Jesus that Mary is helping her with the work, Jesus replies, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only on thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
This passage is often interpreted as a reminder to focus upon the important things and not get bogged down in the details; it can be applied to the functioning of a business, a family, or a church.  We must be aware of what is critical and not let what is important get in its way.
When you're a pastor, these sort of questions can pop up every day.  This past Friday I still had a lot of work to do on my sermon for Sunday, because of prior meetings earlier in the week I was a lot less done than usual for a Friday.  The meetings earlier in the week were important in their own right, they were about expanding the work of Mustard Seed Missions; worth doing, necessary, but time consuming.
Thus as Friday began, I was hoping for a relatively quite day to get my work done.  If there is one thing that most pastors don't like, it's being unprepared for the Sunday sermon as the end of the week approaches.  God had other plans in store for me that day.  Late on Thursday I heard of a local grandmother who had been kicked out of her apartment by a new owner and found herself, and her two grand kids living with her, living with virtually no furniture.  After a couple of phone calls, one bed and a table was located; the woman herself had obtained a fridge and range, it seemed that a couple of hours of delivery were in order. 
I was able to find a helper for moving the stuff, Cheryl's husband John, and we set to work on it.  Several hours, and a sore back later, the furniture was moved and a person in need was helped (a start on it anyway, this project, like so many MSM projects is ongoing).
At that moment, I was eager to get back to my office, sit and my desk and finish that sermon.  Mere moments after I sat down, however, the phone rang, it was a man who hadn't eaten or slept in days; someone in need of emergency help.  After looking for the man for an hour (he had given me the wrong street number in his sleep deprived state), I was able to take him to a local group, Heart to Heart, who were able to meet with him and get him some food.
By this time it was nearly 3 PM and I had a Christmas party to go to; yikes.  When did I finish the sermon?  Saturday morning, my day off.  Was there any help for it?  Not really, that message is one of my most important responsibilities each week, but if I can't set it aside to help those in real need, who am I being Mary or Martha?  By the way, the sermon went fine on Sunday morning; God knows what he's doing.

A day in the life of a church pastor

I know that some people wonder what a pastor does during the week.  Well, it took me 30 minutes to write this next sentence because I was helping one family in need of assistance on the phone and then answering a couple of e-mails about a work project for another family.  In between that sort of thing, there is preparation for tomorrow's Bible study, thoughts about the week's sermon (and hopefully writing some of it), and general things around the church like prayer requests, hospital visitations, and planning of future events.  At the end of each day, it's a question of wondering what things can keep until tomorrow and what things need to be finished today.  I know that plenty of people out there have jobs busier than this, I'm not looking for sympathy (I love my job, it's what God put me here to do), just a reminder that when I get up to preach on Sunday morning, the hours that I spent getting this message ready were only the tip of the iceberg.

The sermon I didn't preach

One of the things that fascinates me about my job of preparing a sermon each week for my congregation is the initial thought process I go through when deciding upon which passage of Scripture to use.  That decision usually takes place on Tuesday morning (I like to at least get the new week started off 1st thing), and it usually is a continuation of the previous week's text unless I'm switching to a new book of the Bible for a while. 
When I first look at a passage I'm thinking about where a proper cut-off place would be if it were going to be a sermon.  How many verses do I need to tell the whole story (context) and how many verses do I need to make it long enough (but not too long)?  Sometimes the whole message is contained in one verse, but most of the time it's several that make up the point that the text is aiming at. 
During this process of narrowing down the text, I'm also contemplating which message from the text will be the focus of the sermon.  I say that because there are usually at least two, sometimes three or four, possible sermons that can be preached from one given passage.  If my audience is going to follow the point as I make it I need to focus on just one of those ideas and let the others go (they could of course, be used in sermon on the same text at a later date that sounds very different from the first one).  The reason why this works is because the Bible, like all great literature, has more than one layer of meaning and more than one possible application of its wisdom.
I've been asked by plenty of people over the years why I would read a book more than once (for example: The Lord of the Rings; 15 times and counting).  The answer I always give is that there are new things to discover each time (and new enjoyment in the reading of old familiar things).  The Bible takes this phenomenon to a new level.  It contains a vast amount of Truth and Wisdom that we can apply in various stages and phases of life; things that we may not see until the moment we need them (thank the Holy Spirit for the assist when you do).
Let me give you an example from a recent sermon:  I preached from Luke 5:1-11 and focused upon Peter's response to the miraculous call of fish.  "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"  Why do some people push God away when confronted with their sin rather than asking for his mercy?  A second sermon could have focused upon the miracle itself; why does Jesus choose this demonstration, why does it say about him, and how was it perceived by the fishermen?  A third sermon could have spent time examining Jesus' response to Peter, the famous line, "from now on you will catch men."  It could have looked at evangelism and talked about how sharing the word of God is like fishing (without the tendency I hope to lie about the size of the catch).  A fourth sermon could have talked about the response in the end of Peter, James, and John; how they left everything behind to follow Jesus without looking back.  It could have talked about the dedication and commitment that the Gospel demands of us.
Are there other sermons in that passage than the four I just highlighted?  Yes, there are; you may have heard an excellent one at some point that spoke about something I haven't mentioned.  The Bible is like that, layer upon layer of Truth if only we put in the effort to discover it.  The next time you listen to a sermon, think about the message the preacher is sharing with you; but then go one step further and look at the text to find the sermon he didn't preach to you as well.

One of the little joys of preaching

How many things can you say about a well known Biblical passage or character?  Most of us might have a few things to say, but how about twenty minutes worth?  One of the joys of the process of preaching is that it forces you to look closely at a given passage of Scripture in order to determine what you should say about it.  As a rule, I don't look back at past sermons to see what I've said from a passage before.  Over time, passage like Luke's account of the birth of Christ will certainly be used more than once.  By not looking at the past messages, I allow God's Word to speak to me afresh and show me new insights that I hadn't seen before.  People have asked me, "If you've already read that book, why are you reading it again???"  That's usually in response to seeing me reading the Lord of the Rings again (I'm well past 15 times and counting).  My answer is simple: I find new things to appreciate and enjoy each time I re-read a book that I love.
Scripture is no different.
  This week I'm preparing a two-part message on the story of Jonah.  It's a story that is popular in Sunday School, kids love hearing about a guy being swallowed by a whale evidently (Of course they do!).  So what do you say about a story that everyone "knows" already?  That's where close examination of the text comes in.  I have to read it carefully; look for things that are obvious, and things that are subtle; put myself in the author's shoes (What is he trying to tell his audience?) and then in the seat of the original audience (What did it mean to them?).  Lastly, I look at the text as it relates to my congregation today; what message does God have for them here and now?
When it's all said and done, it really isn't that difficult to fill up to 9 to 12 pages of notes that I use for my sermon.  At times, the difficulty is in finding a way to stop before it grows out of control.  For me, there's both academic and spiritual joy in the process of rediscovering Scriptures that I've known my whole life and finding a way to explain that message to others.

The real reason why writing a sermon each week is hard.

Some of you may think that writing a sermon each week would be hard because you find writing to be a difficult process.  For some people it certainly is, but that isn't what trips me up.  For others, it could be the prospect of having something fresh and insightful to say each week, but God's Word has so much more to say than I can possibly fit into a weekly sermon that it isn't really hard to find enough to say each week.  The reason why writing and delivering a sermon each week is difficult is because you need to have your mind/heart/spirit in the right place in order to do the work.  I can mow the lawn when I'm distracted or even upset, but I can't write what God has for his people from Scripture if I'm either of those.  A lot of the things that I have to do each week can be done regardless of what else is going on, but writing a sermon isn't one of them.  There have been times when I simply have to walk away from the effort for the rest of a day in order to come back again when things are sorted out.  Today I wrote the first page of my message for this week, but when I got to the phrase, "set your hearts on things above" (Colossians 3:1), I had to admit to myself that there were too many other things intruding on my thoughts to continue.  I'll come back and write some more of it tomorrow; hopefully.  As always, the hardest thing about writing a sermon each week is being ready in your own mind/heart/spirit to hear it from God's Word.

Sermon Video: Psalm 19:7-11, "the Law of the LORD revives the soul"

This message explores the perfection and purpose of the moral
code of God revealed in the Law. Not only is God's law a guide to
right living, but the path to wisdom and joy as well.
 
to watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video Part 1
Sermon Video Part 2

Sermon Video: Colossians 1:23 "continue in your faith"

This sermon explores the need of the individual Christian, as well as of the local church, to maintain and defend faith.  Faith must be nurtured, discipline pursued.  Also, the historic essence of the Gospel message must continue to be our central focus.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Part 1
Sermon Video: Part 2

Sermon Video: John 8:31-36 "the truth will set you free"

"you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free"
Are we really free, or are even Americans slaves? Jesus said that anyone who sins is a slave to sin. He also offered us all freedom is we choose to believe in and follow him. There is Hope, you can be free!
 
Click on the link below to watch the sermon:
Part One - Sermon Video - John 8:31-36
Part Two - Sermon Video - John 8:31-36

Sermon Video: James 1:9-11, "the value of being rich"

This sermon is from James 1:9-11 and deals with the temporary nature of wealth along with the hidden value of being poor.
to watch the appx. 20 minute sermon, click on the link below
Sermon video: James 1:9-11

Where two or three are gathered...

We had a small crowd at First Baptist of Palo today; all the men were gone trying to shoot deer, and several of the women other non-shooting reasons for their abscence.  I was asked before the service started if I wanted to "save" my sermon for next week and just have a prayer/song service instead.  I have nothing against spending time with prayer and singing, but to me, it just doesn't seem right to not share what I've prepared from the Word of God.  It doesn't really matter that this person or that person wasn't there for the message, (although at times I'm hopeful for a "good" crowd when a message has particularly moved me during my preparation of it) because the message itself comes from God and is for His people.  This isn't some mystical thing, I'm certainly not claiming to "hear" what God wants me to preach, but the work that I do in preparation for each Sunday's worship service is work that is for the people.  They don't have the time or training to study God's Word in the depth that I do, so I use the God-given talent that I have to share with my fellow Christians what I've learned from the Bible during that particular week. 
As such, when I was asked if I wanted to "save" the sermon, I declined.  It may be a bit odd to give a message when so many of our regulars were missing, but the Word of God has its own power.  Who knows?  Perhaps one of those who were there received a blessing from this message that was timely for her this week (I can use her, all the men ran off in their orange and cammo).  As a pastor, it isn't for me to decide that a particular message isn't necessary.  That's why I try to work my way through the Bible in a systematic way; to ensure that virtually no portion of Scripture is left behind without being preached (I do "skip" passages such as geneology lists, or perhaps something repetitive that we've just covered a week or two ago, for example). 
Does it really matter to me that I had a small audience this morning.  Yes, but not for the reason that most people would think.  I don't need to be heard by a large crowd, but I certainly hope that as many people as can be will hear what God's Word has to say.  Save my sermon?  Nah, I'll be working on another one real soon. 

Preach the Word - II Timothy 4:2

In the modern Church the responsibilities of pastoral staff have often been segregated into distinct responsibilities (such as youth, outreach, visitation, etc.).  This varies of course with the size of the church.  In a small one staff member church the pastor becomes a jack-of-all trades; doing whatever needs to be done.  The average size church often has someone responsible primarily for the youth as well, and larger churches are able to assign staff to specific needs.
What do all of these manifestations of the role of a pastor have in common?  Perhaps the words of II Timothy 4:2 will help remind us what the core of the pastorate is: "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction."  In the end, no matter what the job description happens to say, a pastor's first job is to Preach the Word.  To be a conduit for the Word of God to his church in whatever times and places are available, with both correction and encouragement, and all of this with great patience and care.
I'll always remember the words of Ed Dobson (at the time, pastor of Calvary Church in Grand Rapids) as he explained why he routinely spent 30 hours each week working on the Sunday sermon; Dobson explained that it was the most important thing he did and that even though he had lots of other responsibilities too, they came second to preaching the Word.
I've certainly never been able to spend that much time on a sermon, but I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment.  Our responsibility to our flock is multi-faceted, but in the end we'll be held accountable for how we preached God's Word because that Word is the Word of Life.

How I Pick a Sermon Text

The selection process for choosing a Sunday sermon is to me an interesting one. As an independent church, I have the luxury and responsibility of choosing the text each week and deciding which emphasis from the text to put the focus upon. In the Catholic Church this process is partly decided by the liturgical calendar in which three texts to be read are decided in advance (OT, NT, Gospel); the priests know which texts they will be working with and choose one of them (or parts of two or all three) to make the message from. After spending the last two years working out my technique, I’ve found it useful to have multiple simultaneous series to choose from. Right now we’re working through Ephesians (almost done), Luke, and the account of the life of David.
Having that framework allows me to have continuity in the themes we learn about and also keeps the messages from being too scattered. I know that many preachers choose to preach on a specific topic or themes in a series of sermons that draw upon a variety of scriptures for their basis, but that technique has never really appealed to me. If an occasion seems to warrant a message on a particular topic I would certainly find a text that works with that theme, but I prefer to let the text that we’ve come to tell me what to preach to the church rather than try to find a text that goes with what I already want to preach. From time to time I find myself looking at the choices in each book we’re working through and I don’t seem to see something that will speak to our hearts this week. In that case, I often leaf through the Psalms or Proverbs, or perhaps look for a O.T. story that has a message we can discover in one sermon (like the one on Ruth). In the end, I’m simply hoping to try to bring the text of our beloved Bible to life, to help explain what it meant both then and now and to help us find out what God’s Word has for our lives today.